Disclaimer: I own nothing!! Well, nothing Dark Angel related, except the DVDs, which technically belong to my sister, but you know.

A/N: Um, here's the next chapter. Sorry it took so long! I had a lot of projects that needed to be started/finished. I don't think I'll get this done before exams, cause they start in three days, but I'll have heaps of time once they're over. Thanks for waiting!

Chapter 10: Time for fighting, time for talking

Max stood in her office, trying not to think about how pale Krit had looked last night, lying in the bed, when Logan walked in. Max heard him, and knew it was him from the sound of his exoskeleton. But she didn't turn around to face him. Go away, go away, go away, go away, Max kept repeating to herself, hoping that he might actually leave without annoying her. No such luck.

'May, hey. Look, I think we need to talk about yesterday. I mean, you just show up and tell me you have the cure, and then you yell at me…'

'This is not the time for this Logan' Max cut in, still not turning to him. 'There are more important things happening here then you and me.'

'Max! What is wrong with you? It was just a kiss. I thought you wanted…'

'You don't know what I want Logan. Like I bet right now, I bet you don't know that what I really want is for you turn around and leave. God, Logan, not everything is about you!' The last bit came out with a small sound of frustration. AH! Why won't he just leave, get the message you stupid little idiot! Maybe just a punch… no Max, calm down. Ok, this is getting ridiculous! Aren't I supposed to be in love with Logan? And now every time I see him I have the urge to punch him. I think I need lots and LOTS of psychiatric attention.

'I know, it's just that for the last year we've been looking for this, waiting for this, and now we've finally got it and all of a sudden you're like this.' Max turned around at this, and he should have taken the look in her eyes as a strong warning, but he didn't.

'Like what, Logan? What do you want me to say? The cure doesn't change anything, I thought it would, but it doesn't. There's nothing here, hasn't been for a long time.' I don't think there ever was, except for my longing for the normal life I wanted. Ha! Normal, what is that? And why did I ever want that? Alec was right, normal is seriously overrated.

'I love you Max' Logan pleaded and Max couldn't help but think how pathetic he sounded. She sighed.

'Yeah? Well, I don't love you. I might've once, but I don't anymore.'

'But Max…'

'No, Logan. No.'

'This isn't you talking. It's him. He never wanted us to work out, he's been trying to split us up from the start. You've spent so much time around him, you're starting to think like him. This isn't you talking.' If looks kill, at that moment, Logan would have been dead on the floor.

'Seriously? Did you just say that to me?' He didn't move. He had never seen this side of Max before, and it scared him just a little. 'I can't believe you just said that I can't think for myself. Alec might offer his opinions, even when it's not wanted, but at least he's never stupid enough to say that I can't think for myself, and at least he's not stupid enough to push me when I'm clearly not in the mood.' She said, venom on her words. 'I can't believe you said that – I can't even believe that you would think that! You don't know me, you never have. Alec was right, you can never understand me, any of us.' She shook her head slightly as the truth sank in, but surprisingly, it didn't hurt as much as it should have. It was… something else. What is it? What am I feeling? God, I'm so screwed up I don't even know what I'm feeling!

'And what? He does?' Logan sneered as if this was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. Max looked at him. Better then anyone, she realised.

'Yes, he does. Better then you, better then anyone.' And it felt good to say it, to express it. When did that happen? When did Alec become the one person I trust more then anyone? When did he become the person who knows me best? These thoughts scared her slightly, but they were all pushed aside when she heard Logan laughing. She turned to him, and when she realised that he was laughing at her, at Alec, she snapped. She raced forward, hand reaching around his neck.

'Max!' Alec's voice rang through the room, and she dropped Logan, who looked shocked at her outburst. Neither of them had noticed Alec standing there, although he'd come in around Logan telling her that it 'wasn't her talking.' He kept a calm face, although inside his thoughts were racing. God, what an idiot, saying that to her. Did she mean that? And why the hell did she just attack Logan? This is a very new side of Max… I like it. But he decided that now was not the time to analyse what he had just seen, so he told Max what he had come her to tell her. He could talk to her about this later.

'Max, Jo just radioed. Krit's awake.' She looked up at him, and when his words registered, her face lit up.

'Let's go. Did she mention Bree?' Max asked, walking towards him. The young X6 hadn't moved from the corner since she'd first sat there, 30 hours ago. They were all worried about her, Alec especially, and it showed at her question. His face fell even more, if it was possible, and his eyes glazed over, and she could see the raw pain there, unmasked as it rarely was. Her heart reached for him, she knew he loved Bree as much as she loved Krit and Syl.

'No change, she's still just sitting there. She hasn't said anything.' Max nodded, and as she walked past him, he looked back at Logan, who was still slumped on the ground, massaging his neck. 'What about him?' He was surprised when Max didn't even look back at him when she answered 'Get Mole to deal with it' and she walked off towards the Med building, Alec in tow.

The first thing Max and Alec saw when they walked into the room in Med building was the group of people surrounding the bed where Krit was, they noted, sitting up and looking much better. Then they simultaneously turned their heads to the corner where Bree was still huddled. Krit followed their gaze and said 'They told me she hasn't moved since last night, when she brought me here, and that she won't respond to anyone.' Alec nodded. 'Well, let's see if she'll respond to me, when she realises that I am alive.' And he started to get out of the bed, slowly. Jule came through the door just as he was swinging his legs over the edge of the bed, and everyone, except Krit, froze and looked at her. Krit continued, seeming to have either not noticed her entrance or, more likely, just didn't care.

'What do you think you're doing?' Jule demanded as Krit stood up. He turned his head towards her briefly, then shrugged and turned back and stood up off the bed.

'What does it look like? I feel fine, so I figured it's about time I made Bree better since apparently no one else has been successful so far.' And he hobbled over to the corner, no one else moving, just watching him, and when he got there he slowly lowered himself down so he was eye level to her, once he had lifted her head off her knees. 'Bree? Bree, it's me, Krit' he said softly, and this finally seemed to get her attention as her eyes suddenly came alive. She flung her arms around his neck. 'It's ok Bree, I'm fine' he said softly, but she still clung to him. At her response Alec release a breath he hadn't known he was holding. She ok, was all he thought.

'My fault… always my fault' was all she managed as she had started to cry. At that, Alec rushed over and reached out to stroke her hair. Well, this isn't exactly what I was hoping for, but I'll take it, at least it's a reaction. At least she's not sitting there looking blank any more.

'Bree, it was never your fault. James was fine, remember, he still is. But there was nothing you could have done, it may have been a different time, different place, but they would have got him eventually. And we got him back, just like we got Krit back. Bree, look at me.' When she continued to look at the ground, he said more forcefully 'Bree, look at me.' She finally lifted her head up and her eyes met his. She looks so alone and scared. This isn't right, she's not supposed to look like this. What is with all the women in my life falling apart? They're doing this on purpose, I swear. Purposefully breaking down around me, they're just ganging up on me to make my life just that much harder. He looked at Bree and thought, ok, maybe just Max, Bree would never do that to me… would she? No, she wouldn't, before he continued 'Bree, you will not blame yourself. Promise me, promise Krit. You won't blame yourself.' She nodded weakly, but he shook his head. 'Say it Bree, promise me.'

'I promise, Alec. I won't blame myself. It just all came rushing back.' She whispered and he nodded. He knew the feeling. The same thing had happened to him… and all it took for me was a doorbell, not seeing someone fall to ground bleeding. I swear if Manticore wasn't already gone, I would go back there and blow it up all over again.

'Well, now that she's coherent again, will you GET BACK IN YOU BED AND STAY THERE!' Jule's voice broke through the silence, making them all jump. Bree smiled and said 'sorry, my fault. Thanks Krit, I'm glad you're all right. Alec, I'm really sorry for kicking you yesterday.' He laughed.

'No problem. It seems to be my main reason for living – so beautiful transgenic women can kick my ass – or try to.' He said, and everyone laughed. Krit transferred Bree into Alec's arms, and then stood up and moved back to his bed. Alec hugged Bree for a minute and then turned to Dalton.

'Hey Dalton, will you walk Bree back to her apartment? Maybe help her get some dinner ready?' he asked the young X6. When Bree looked at him questioningly, he said 'I'll meet you for dinner in half an hour, ok? I just have some business to deal with Max.' Ok, so that's only partly true, but Bree and Dalton don't need to know that… or Bree would kick my ass if she knew I was playing matchmaker. He had seen the sparks between them but they were both very stubborn. Dalton was very much like himself, and Bree was like… Max. Huh. That's weird; I never picked up on that before. Oh, she will so not be spending time alone with Max; she doesn't need to pick up any ideas. Before he could continue with his thoughts, the object of his distraction came up to him, looking strangely at him.

'We have business to discuss before dinner?' She asked him, confused.

'Yeah, but not here, or HQ. Come on; let's go back to our place.' And he took her hand and dragged out of the room, ignoring her questions, leaving the remaining occupants of the room all grinning at each other.

Alec pulled Max through the door of their apartment, kicking the door shut behind him. He swung her around in front of him and studied her; she looked even more confused. He loved it when she looked confused, with her… no; keep on track here, man. You can do this later… you will do this later.

'Ok Max, what was that about?' He asked her, and she continued looking at him, her confusion clearly growing each time he spoke, so he expanded. 'What the hell went on in your office?' Comprehension replaced confusion, followed quickly shame before she lowered her head. 'No no no, no more running. No running away from me Maxie.' She looked up at him.

'That won't ever happen.' She whispered it so low he almost thought he imagined it, but the look in her eyes, that sincere look, told him he hadn't. It scared him to know it, and to realise how much he had needed to hear those words from her. 'I don't know what happened' she said, truthfully, and then continued 'He was going on about the cure, and I tried to explain to him that it didn't change anything…' Alec cut her off.

'I know, he tried to tell you that it wasn't you talking. Ha, still can't believe he said that. But what made you snap? It's not like you, Max.'

'I don't know. Or… when he started laughing at our relationship, I felt like he was laughing at me, at you, at all of us. The thought of him laughing at us, while Krit was lying in a bed somewhere, in a coma, it made him as bad as all the people out there, except worse, because I thought he was on our side, I thought he understood. I thought I loved him, thought he loved me, and there he was laughing at me, at you…' she trailed off and Alec pulled her close, and he held her. She lent into his warmth and closed her eyes, breathing in his scent. Why does he smell so good, so nice? I love his smell. He smells so… Alec-like. Well, he would, wouldn't he Max? It was at times like this that Max's defences slipped down so low, when he was so out of character. He's always surprising me when he's so nice, but you'd think I would start to get used to it, but I don't. Maybe that's why I love him? Oh my god, I love him.

'Maxie…' Alec began after a minute, pulling her out of her thoughts. But he was cut off by her saying 'I don't want to hear an "I told you so" right now Alec.'

'Wasn't going to. What I was going to say, before you so rudely interrupted me…' she glanced up sharply at this, and he smiled at her, and she relaxed again as he continued 'as I was saying, maybe you two never really knew each other. You thought you did, and you pretended you did, because it was easier then admitting the truth, and neither of you wanted to let go. You wanted a nice, safe, normal boyfriend and Logan… well; you are a fascinating woman Max Guevara.' He kissed the top of her forehead and she looked up at him. Their eyes locked and they stayed like that for a minute before they leant towards each other.

The kiss started off gentle, their lips meeting hesitantly. But it quickly heated up, as they both poured themselves into it. Their bodies moulded together of their own accord, and they were a perfect fit. Alec plunged a hand into Max's hair, and she tilted her head back into it, inviting him to deepen the kiss, which he started to do when…

'Max!' At the sound of Logan's voice Max instinctively pushed Alec away from her and whipped her head around to see a stunned Logan standing in the doorway. He headed towards them, clearly outraged. 'What's going on her? I thought you said there was nothing between the two of you, Alec? What did you do, force yourself on her?' This time both transgenics jumped at him. When he was on his knees, arms behind his back, Alec said in a low, cold voice 'I would NEVER force myself on a woman, especially Max.'

'And he wouldn't have to.' Both men turned to look at Max when she said this, and they both saw the truth there. Logan hung his head in defeat and Max said 'I think you should probably leave Logan.' And don't come back, she silently added. He nodded and stood to walk out. He stopped at the door, but kept his back to them as he whispered softly 'Just be happy'. It was so low that even with their transgenic hearing, they barely heard it. And with that, Logan Cale walked out of their lives.

'Did you mean it?' Alec asked Max's back, and she slowly turned to face him. She swallowed. How am I supposed to answer that? Yes, Alec, I want to jump you bones, I want to have wild sex with you? Or how about, yes Alec, I'm madly in love with you?

'I…' but she didn't have a chance to say anything more as she was interrupted by Alec's cell ringing. He pulled it out without taking his eyes off Max.

'Alec.' He answered shortly, then his expression softened. 'Yeah yeah. Sorry mum. We'll be there in five minutes.' He hung up and hen he noticed Max's confused look was back he said 'that was Bree. She's making dinner and we're late, apparently.' Max smiled.

'Well, we can't keep hungry transgenics waiting, can we? Let's go.' But they both knew this wasn't over, far from it.

A/N: Yes, no? What did you think? Please let me know! I love all reviews! And I love anyone who reads this story, even if you don't review!