Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons.

With Ben In Between

"May I help you miss?" The receptionist enquired when noticing a disheveled woman walking into the main building.

"Yeah, I'm here to see Alec McDowell." Max croaked out over her soar through and silent tears.

"Do you have an appointment?" The receptionist asked moving her hands to the keyboard of her computer.

"Uh, no I don't but-"

"Then I'm sorry, miss. You'll have to leave and make an appointment." The receptionist dismissed turning her attention away from the soaked woman. Max ran her hands through her wet hair with frustration.

"Look I know the procedure here-"

"Then you know that you are to remove yourself from the premises before security is called," the receptionist finished looking pointedly at her.

"Please! Please just call Alec, that's all I'm asking!" Max exclaimed, causing some nearby people to stare, "for once can you say fuck it to the system and call Alec McDowell and ask him to come down here. Please? That's all I'm asking. If he says no then I will walk out of here doing a dance, just please call him? That's all I'm asking, not asking for you to commit a felony." Max stared at the receptionist, waiting for the woman to pick up the pearly white phone. The receptionist took in Max's appearance; she was soaked through from the rain, red blotchy face and very much pregnant. Taking all this in, plus her pleas for her to break procedure, the receptionist felt for her, and picked the phone up to call to command.

"I'm seeing great improvement, McDowell. Well done!" Lydecker declared as he watched trainees going through the routine training sequences of Manticore basic training.

"Thank you sir," Alec beamed as they watched the last round of trainees complete the water training, or commonly referred as 'The Tank.' "The trainees are hard working, and at this rate we'll be ahead of schedule in due time."

"Excuse me, sir," a voice came from behind the two men.

"Yes?" Lydecker addressed in his authoritative tone.

"There is a young woman at the front desk for McDowell. She doesn't have an appointment or clearance but she refuses to leave." Alec furrorwed his brow trying to figure out who it could be.

"Bring her back," Lydecker dismissed as he turned back to watch the trainee swim to the top of the water and remove their self from the tank. "Expecting someone?" He asked looking at the younger man.

"No, I don't have a clue who it could be." Shrugging his shoulders.

"Guess you'll find out soon enough. How's your parents been? Still in Wyoming?"

"Yeah, dad is thinking of retiring in a few years."

"I can't seem to see your father not working Manticore. He's more Manticore than anyone."

"Yeah, me neither."

"Sir, your guest is here," both men turned to see a soaked and shaken Max walk through the door.

"Max!" Alec exclaimed, losing all composure at the sight before him. Quickly he rushed to her, "what happened?"

"Miss get her a couple of blankets," Lydecker directed to the escort. Alec ushered Max to a chair and tried to get answers.

"I-I-I-I didn't know where else to go," Max sobbed into Alec's chest as he wrapped her in his arms. Seeing her this way not only worried Alec, it scared him shitless.

"McDowell, why don't you take a few days off. Col. Mole can take over." Alec just stared in shock at his commanding officer. One of Manticore's hardest was giving him time off? That was not something he would expect. "I think you are needed elsewhere."

"Yeah, thank you sir," Alec got out through his shock. Collecting Max, he ushered her to his office so he could get the things he needed, then escorted her to his car where he proceeded to drive her to his apartment. It wasn't until they were there, and Max changed in a set of dry sweats, of his, that Alec found out what happened.

"Maxie? What happened?" He asked softly as she curled up on his couch.

"I'm all alone," Max muttered wiping some tears away from her face. "Logan has been cheating on me…I caught him and I blew up. I ended everything, now I'm along and I didn't know where to, you're the only person I know over here." Hearing this Alec hugged her as he began to understand everything. She was in a foreign country, no money and couldn't fly due to being pregnant. "It's going to be alright Maxie," he whispered into her hair. Kissing her lightly on the for head, Alec watched as she played with her hands, a nervous habit of hers when she was distressed. "You aren't alone," he added in a low whisper.

Hearing him say this made Max believe him. She snaked her arms around his waist and listened to his heartbeat against her ear. The soothing rhythm lulled her back to times when he would hold her at night and she would listen to his heart, all those months ago.

Hours later Alec had finally got Max to lay down and sleep in his bedroom, while he sat on his kitchen counter and thought about everything. To his left he had to guns; the standard issue Manticore gun and the one his father gave him when he was promoted. To his right sat a shot glass with a bottle of scotch. the glass was filled and ready to be knocked back. In front of him was the bay window that showed the city below him. Staring out into the city Alec had to options.

"Logan! So she found, its over. What's the big deal?" Vanessa asked watching as Logan paced back and forth.

"I love her!" Vanessa couldn't but snort at this, "what?"

"You love her yet you been shagging me since Seattle? And before that there was that little chit at the bar. So obviously you don't love her that much." Vanessa counted out on her perfectly manicured fingers. Logan stopped and stared at her, contemplating her words.

"Well, well, well. Money bags and the Nasty."

Both turned to be greeted with Alec leaning in the doorway with a blank face. Both occupants felt a flashing sign of 'Oh Shit!' run through their minds.

"Vanessa why am I not surprised? You always wanted to lead the kept life. Why not bad a loaded, board journalist?" Alec sneered as he walked into the room staring down his ex. "And Logan didn't I make myself very clear in Seattle that night in the alley? I think I was; was there a miscommunication somewhere?" Logan gulped and felt him self begin to sweat bullets. At the thought of bullets he couldn't help by wonder if Alec had a gun on him. Logan couldn't tell in the dim lit room and with Alec wearing and black shirt under his black leather jacket.

"Don't have anything to say? Good then you can listen really close. You are to never contact Max ever again. You will relinquish all claims to her and the baby, and then you are to pay for O.C. to fly, first class here so that Max has her here for when she has the baby. With O.C. coming here you will also have all of the baby effects sent over, immediately. Clear?" Alec quirked an eyebrow waiting for a response from the older man, Logan nodded numbly. "Good, Cindy has been called, all you need to do is send her the flight details and arrange for the baby things to sent. Night love birds," with that Alec left.

Letting out a breath he had been holding, Logan visibly relaxed. Click. Looking at the sound, Logan saw that Alec had not left, instead he stood in front him with a gun pointed at him. "Just to make sure I've made myself more clear this time." Seeing the older man start to shake, Alec smiled a cold, satisfied smile. "Good," this time he did leave for good.

"This is Cindy!"

"Hey O.C.!"

"Pretty boy! Good to hear from you boo! Max said she had ran into, been giving her the tour of Europe."

"Yeah, look you need to pack a few months worth of clothes."

"What? Why?"

"Because Logan has been cheating on Max and right now she needs you more than ever."

"He what! That no good-"

"OC! Don't worry, I'm going to take care of him. Just pack your stuff and the info for the flight will be sent to you in the next couple of days."

"Ok, sounds good pretty boy. Have my boo call me later, hear me?"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Good. You're doing good, Alec. You're doing real good. Now go do your Manticore thing on that no good scum of a hetero!"