Chapter 9: Inside Your Heaven

Disclaimer: I swear this is a cruel reminder, for me anyway, that I do not own the show or any of the characters, Alec in particular. I wish I did but yeah… -sniff-

Pairing: Max and Alec

Rating: Mature for language

A/N: Okay, I'll start off with an apology for not giving any updates in like… ugh forever! Real life suddenly decided to be catch up on me and totally chased my muse away it was just so mean! -breathes- Okay I'm good. Now that is out of the way I'd like to now acknowledge people… All those who sent in their reviews get a box of cookies! Thanks y'all! iluvaqt thanks a million for those lengthy reviews it really helps a lot and for helping me out with the grammars and all that -hugs you to pieces- Erkith of course I had to make a statement like that you know why? 'cause I'm evil – grins – hehehehe. Nah, not really, but then again I just can't put down, 'and then they lived happily ever after' now can I? Don't worry though in the end it's still goin' to be them. MaxAlec4ever – hands you another box of cookies – LOL didn't mean to scar for you life with that wittle Logan / Max "action". – takes Alec and wraps him up in a big box – Here you can take him home… Wait what? Umm… hmm… Think you can settle for Sam Winchester instead? Hahahaha oh and again, thanks to all who read and reviewed this. Hope y'all are still there hanging on.

Previously…

Max looked at him in response. He smiled at her. She smiled back.

"I love you too, Maxie."

They kissed.

Everything was finally perfect.

At least that was what they hoped for.

Or so they thought.

Max could not, for the life of her, wipe the smile off her face as she prepared to make breakfast for herself and Alec. Yesterday and last night were - needless to say - the most amazing moments of her life. For the first time in her life she really couldn't ask for anything more. Well, except maybe to figure out what the hell she was going to cook for breakfast. Admittedly, she was not the homebody type. Exhaling through her nose, she placed her hands on her hips and looked down at the array of cold cuts that were randomly placed all over the counter. What does Alec usually have for breakfast anyway? All those years ago she had never even paid attention to what kind of food he preferred, except maybe when it came to junk foods. Alec had an unbelievable appetite when it came to unhealthy snacks.

- Flashback -

"Soda and potato chips?"

Alec knitted his brows as he turned to look at Max, before looking down at the bag he was currently holding, then eventually shrugged. "Yeah. What's wrong with that?"

"Alec, you're having a carbonated beverage and a bag of potato chips at…" she paused as she looked down at her wristwatch. "Six thirty in the morning. Have you even heard of caffeine?"

Alec smirked at that. He turned the can and held it up in front of her. Max lofted an eyebrow at the gesture and gave him a questioning look.

"Read the ingredients list."

Max looked at him for a moment longer before taking a step forward and tilted her head to the side as she looked at the ingredients list.

"Read 'em outloud."

"What? No."

"Just do it, okay?"

Max gave him an incredulous look to which Alec responded with the thinning of his lips and rolling of his eyes. "Just, humor me alright? Read the damn list."

Exhaling softly, Max turned to look at the ingredients list again and began reading each one outloud. As she did so, Alec nodded and urged her on, as he slightly waved the bag of chips through the air.

"Carbonated water… sugar… flavor… caffeine…"

"Caffeine, there you go."

Max pursed her lips and rolled her eyes as she shook her head and folded her arms across her chest. "I don't even know why I bother. I swear Alec, you're unbelievable."

Alec turned to look at her. "I'll take that as a compliment." With that said, he gave her a rather toothy grin.

- End of Flashback -

Max had to shake her head at the memory. Pressing her lips, she finally moved to grab the pack of bacon and opened it up. One can't go wrong with bacon and eggs, right? She took out a few pieces and laid them inside the frying pan.

Alec paused, closed his eyes and inhaled deeply when the smell of fried bacon wafted through the air. A smile lifted the corners of his lips, as he opened his eyes and proceeded to pull on his jeans, close the zipper and fasten the button. Max was cooking breakfast for him. Max. Was. Cooking. Breakfast. For. Him. Maxie. His Maxie.

He padded barefoot from the bedroom to the kitchen and stopped in the doorway. Max was wearing the shirt he wore last night and needless to say, it was enough to make his thoughts shift into overdrive. Jesus, this woman was going to be the death of him. Silently, he maneuvered his way behind her.

"So you're the culprit…" he said as he circled his arms around her waist and buried his face in her hair. "I was looking for that shirt, you know…"

Max smiled as she leaned back and cuddled closer against his body. "You can have it back, if you prefer me going about your apartment clad in just my underwear." She heard him groan softly which caused her to smile wider.

Alec nuzzled at the base of her neck and began peppering her skin with soft kisses. "That's actually very tempting…"

Her eyes widened slightly at his response and she gently swatted his arm. "Don't even think about it mister. I'm not going to prance around your apartment practically naked." Okay, that was a bad joke to make. She wasn't actually going to do that. Her only intent was getting a reaction out of him and that's it. Max had come to a conclusion that she loved the idea of teasing and taunting him.

Alec straightened and looked at her like she had grown a second head or something. "Why not? I happen to think that's a great idea. In fact we should create like - oh I don't know, 'me-clad-only-in-underwear-day' every week."

Max rolled her eyes and shook her head slightly. She turned around to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You haven't really changed have you?"

"Maxie, you make that sound like that's such a bad thing…"

"It isn't?"

Alec raised his brows and loosened his hold on her as he feigned pain. "Max… that hurts you know…"

Max rolled her eyes at him that made Alec smirk in return, he chuckled softly. He darted his gaze towards the frying pan. "You know, you keep this up and the bacon will end up burnt to crisp…"

Max's eyes widened and gently pushed him away before quickly turning around, to take the pan from the stove and turned off the burner. "God Alec, you almost made me burn the damn things…"

"Hey, not my fault that you're that crazy about me." he retorted with a smug grin on his lips as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Max grabbed the nearest hand towel and threw it at him. The material hit Alec squarely in the back of the head to which he completely ignored.

"Maybe I should come up with some punishment just because you said that."

Alec took a small sip from his cup before turning around to face her. He leaned against the counter and he crossed his ankles. "Maxie, you never told me you were into kinky stuff…"

Max lifted up her eyes to look back at him. The sight before her was breathtaking, for lack of a better term. Alec stood there, confidently male, wearing that disarming smile of his, coffee cup in hand and to make matters worse - shirtless. She felt her knees buckle underneath her.

- Flashback -

"He's from Manticore, huh? Say what you want--they sure know how to make 'em pretty."

"Try spending an afternoon with him. He'll drive you crazy with his laughing, and his talking, and his breathing..."

"Sugah, you got issues."

- End of Flashback -

Even Original Cindy saw Alec's potential, saw him for the way he is, as Alec. At least the way Alec projected himself to be: confident, cocky, one-hell-of-a-transgenic. Half of the female population in Seattle, both ordinaries and transgenics had noticed that, except her. And all because she had been blinded by Logan Cale. That, and she always seemed to focus on Alec's mistakes. Back then she hadn't known any better. Back then Alec was the black sheep in her flock even when he had proven himself otherwise. Maybe it was her defense mechanism - to make herself immune to his so-called charms, the same charms that were making her putty in his hands at that very moment.

"Maxie…"

Max blinked and looked back at Alec. "Huh?" Alec laughed softly as he pushed himself off the counter and placed his cup down on it before he strode across to where she stood. "You zoned out on me. Everything okay?"

She felt him reach out for sides of her arms, gently rubbing them. Max smiled and nodded.

"Yeah I'm fine. I was just thinking."

"About?"

"You… me… everything..."

"Should I be scared?"

Max shook her head and cuddled more closely against his body. She wrapped her arm around his torso and pressed her cheek against his chest. She could hear the steady beating of his heart which made her close her eyes. "No. Not really."

Alec knitted his brows as he held her in his arms. "What is it then?"

Sighing softly, Max opened her eyes and straightened as she looked at him, a sad smile playing on her lips. "Ages, Alec. It took me ages to finally realize how I feel about you."

"Oh, I don't know. Ages is such a strong word…"

Max gave him an 'are-you-kidding-me' look.

"Alright maybe the word does apply but why dwell on it, Maxie? I mean the most important thing is that you eventually figured it out, right?"

She nodded in response. "Yeah… but still… I mean I was slow with forming something more than friendship with Logan. I was even slower with you. Talk about my lack of expertise on this stuff…"

"And you think I'm the love doctor or somethin'?"

A soft laugh escaped from her lips as she playfully slapped Alec's arm. "No, you're not. But at least you do something about it when you do realize you feel something for someone."

Alec had to raise his brows at that. Clearing his throat, he gave her a small smile. "Well not everyone Maxie. I didn't do anything when it came to you. I just… kept it to myself. But then again, Logan was in the picture and well you practically hated me."

"I didn't hate you Alec…"

"Uhh, yeah, you did. And me knowing which buttons to push didn't help either. I guess I didn't know any better back then."

Max knitted her brows slightly as she listened to him. It still amazed her to see how much Alec had matured. He impressed her to no end now and it was certainly working to his advantage whether he was aware of that or not. "I take it back…"

Alec frowned slightly. "Take back what? You didn't hate me?"

Max let a soft chuckle escape from her lips before she shook her head in response. "That you haven't changed. I take it back. You did change Alec and for the better I might add. You've matured. Well, not totally but it's there and it's totally working to your advantage you know…" Okay, maybe it wasn't the brightest of ideas to give him more ammunition to use on her but she didn't really care. She wasn't going to hold back now. It was high time that she seize the moment.

Alec lofted his eyebrow at that. "Okay, I have to admit I'm not really used to seeing this side of you but I am certainly not complaining."

Max nodded before she looked over her shoulder at the plates on the counter near the stove. She smiled before turning her gaze back to him. "Okay, before we forget why we're in the kitchen in the first place… breakfast?"

Alec smiled in return then nodded. "Yes please, I'm starving…" he replied as he released his hold on her. Max grabbed the plates and filled each one with bacon strips and bread. Well, so much for bacon and eggs. This was Alec's fault, if he hadn't come in as early as he had, she would have finished cooking everything. Turning, Max handed him a plate. Both of them made their way to the kitchen table and started to eat.

"So how long are you planning on staying here? When are you goin' back to Seattle?"

Max had to pause at that for a moment before she shrugged her shoulders slightly. The question had actually caught her off guard and in all honesty, she really hadn't thought that far ahead. This thing between them, which they still had yet to define and talk about, definitely held priority, considering it affected everything.

"I don't know, Alec. I haven't really thought that far. I mean, technically I'm on an indefinite vacation…"

Alec nodded in response. Maybe he should just worry about that later and actually take advantage of the opportunity to spend time with her. "Do you have anything planned today? I mean, since you know… we didn't exactly planned this…" he said as he pointed back and forth between them. Obviously, Alec wasn't used to the idea of her and him but then again he wasn't about to jump ship.

Max giggled softly before she shook her head. "No. I don't really have anything planned. I mean, I thought of going back to Seattle after talking to you but since well, you know… this happened…" she replied as she mocked Alec by imitating what he did earlier as she said the last part.

Alec rolled his eyes and half smirked. "I think the idea of me rubbin' off on you is not a good thing…"

Max raised her brow as she looked at him. "And why is that?"

Alec shrugged slightly. "I seriously have no idea…"

Max laughed softly and shook her head. To say that everything between them had gone from platonic to full on - head-over-hills-in-love was an understatement, but then again, she wasn't about to complain or wish for something else for that matter. That was why she was here, in this state, in his apartment for that matter, to turn things around. This was where she wanted to be. With him.

Alec watched her silently for a moment. God. How could anyone be so damn beautiful? He had loved once and that was a long time ago. What he felt towards Rachel then could not even be compared to what he felt for Max right now. And this was exactly where he wanted to be - with her. And for a moment, nothing and no one else mattered. Ugh, if only that were applicable to them. Their lives weren't exactly a fairytale. And even if this was a fairytale, fairytales don't always have a happy ending do they?

AN - Uhhh, please don't kill me...