Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters don't belong to me…trust me it's a realization that I had the
hardest time accepting (smiles).
Title: He Looks Just Like You
Rating: I have to rate it M just to be safe.
Author: Masaia (Messiah)
Summary: The last delivery of the work day leaves Alec with a package of his own.
Reviews are graciously accepted, no matter how harsh…but this is my first fic and I am very sensitive so please be nice…just playing if I suck or I'm not writing the characters in true form let me know. I know I hated reading the books…Max seemed so different from the show especially in Skin Games…anyway without further ado…..
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"How stupid can you be Alec" Logan hears Max's voice as the two transgenics walk into his penthouse.
"It wasn't my fault Max" Logan hears Alec's irritated retort.
"You tried to feed him pizza…cold pizza at that. He's a baby."
"Well what did you want me to do? He was crying and hungry and you weren't around. I panicked. I'm a super soldier not a nanny."
"Alec you act like I was miles away. I was in the bathroom."
Logan watches in complete shock as they continue arguing walking straight past him into the living room. Two things struck him as odd. One Alec and Max were at his house at eight am on a Saturday morning, and two Max was holding a baby.
"Uh guys" Logan tries to get their attention swiveling in his computer chair to face them.
Getting in between Alec and Max when they were arguing was close to impossible. They were both stubborn, and Max had a temper that he wanted no part of, but letting them seat there argue wasn't helping.
"Max, Alec, what are you two doing here, and who's the baby?"
"We can explain" Max turns to him "but first we have to find something for him to eat. He's quiet now, but trust me the kid has some strong lungs."
"So great Eyes Only, where can we score some baby things. You know, bottles, diapers, food. We had to walk here and didn't exactly pass places where we could find it."
"It's not rocket science Alec" Max interrupts "Logan can you find out what sector we can get him some food and diapers. He's pretty hungry and I'm sure he needs to be changed."
"Alright" Logan turns back to his computer "Just give me a minute."
It wasn't Max's first choice to just show up at Logan's but her and Alec had no idea where to get baby necessities and walking from sector to sector was not an option, so she finally conceded to Alec's idea to go to Logan for help.
"Sector nine is the only place. You can get him whatever he needs there."
"One more thing Log-boy, we kinda need a ride. Me and Max both have motorcycles and their not exactly ideal for transporting a baby" Alec claps Logan on the back.
"I'll give you two a ride, but you two have some explaining to do" Logan says to them.
They were already heading out toward the car.
Logan sighs. This can't be good.
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Sector nine
"You're saying that he is Ben's, and that a stranger spotted Alec, mistook him for Ben and gave him the baby?" Logan asks Max trying to wrap his mind around it all.
"Yes" comes Max's reply.
"And all of this happened last night?"
"Yes" Max replies again.
"I don't know Max that sounds pretty far fetched."
"Logan you should know by now that nothing is far fetched" she sighs looking out the window waiting for Alec.
He had gone into the store twenty minutes ago.
'If he doesn't get back before he starts crying I'm gonna kick his ass' Max thinks distractedly.
"Max" Logan gets her attention.
"Huh?"
"I said we need to find Ben. Did he leave you a contact number?"
For a moment she looked shocked. Ben was dead. Murdered by her hand, but Logan didn't know that. She never told anybody what happened but Alec. And when Logan asked what happened, she told him that he wouldn't be hurting anyone anymore. She hadn't lied to him, she just never told him the entire truth. Logan tried to argue with her, Ben was a psychopath, but something in her eyes told him to leave it alone. He accepted her word and Ben was never brought up again, until now.
"That's not an option" she shakes her head looking down at the baby. "For now he's my responsibility."
The baby squirms and starts to whimper. She could understand. He was wet and hungry, and if he was anything like his father he wasn't happy. Ben loved to eat and if he missed a meal he was one mad transgenic. The whimpering turned into a full blown cry that had Logan cringing.
"I'm gonna go find Alec" he scampers out of the car and into the store.
Max was left alone with baby not that she cared, but she would be happy when she could change him and feed him. The last twenty four hours couldn't have been easy on him either.
"Shhh, its ok. Uncle Alec is a dumbass but I'm sure he'll be here any minute."
On cue Alec and Logan return to the car.
"Ok here" he shoves the bags at her.
"What am I gonna do with a bag?" she rolls her eyes. "Hand me a diaper so I can change him" she orders.
Once the baby was changed, which took about three minutes because Max was a genetically engineered weapon that had no idea on how to change a diaper.
"There" she says triumphantly while Alec hands her a freshly made bottle.
"Why are you so proud, Logan had to tell you how to do it" Alec says wisely.
The smack that was heard was expected, but the soft croon as she feed the baby was not.
"Here you go sweetie" Max smiles at the now content baby.
Logan starts the car and heads out, while Alec watches the tender moment between Max and the baby. The baby was holding her pinky sucking away on his expensive bottle and Max was absently stroking the little boy's fist. By the time the pulled back up to Logan's penthouse the baby was asleep.
Alec grabs the bags and Max gingerly gets out of the car so she doesn't wake the baby. They all headed up to the penthouse. They didn't know why, it just seemed like the thing to do. Max lays the baby on Logan's bed and the baby stirs but she caresses his hair to sooth him back to sleep before going back into the living room with Alec and Logan.
Logan is the first to speak, while both Max and Alec sit on the couch wondering how they were gonna handle a baby in a broken world where the government is hunting them down like animals.
"So, Ben is not an option. What are you going to do with him?"
His question was directed at Max, but Alec answered.
"What do you mean, what are we going to do with him?"
"Do you two plan on keeping him?"
Logan was talking about the baby like he was a dog. Max didn't like it one bit and neither did Alec by the way he responded.
"He's not a puppy Logan."
"Clearly I see that Alec. I'm saying, there are plenty of people who would adopt a baby. He doesn't have a bar code and I have friends in Vancouver that are looking to adopt. I could…"
"We're not sending him away to Canada" Max interrupts him "And shut up Alec" she cuts off his undoubtedly smart ass comment.
Alec simply smirked at Max with an I told you so look. Her lips quirked with amusement but Logan's next statement ruined all humor.
"You can't keep him."
"Excuse me" Max looks at him like he sprouted to heads. "I forgot the part where I asked your permission. He stays Logan. We aren't sending him away like he never existed."
"Look Max. I know how you feel about family…"
"Then you should know that I am not about to abandon my nephew."
"Max be logical. You are being hunted. This is a chance for him to have a normal life."
Alec just sat back and watched. Max may have had a soft spot for Logan but she wasn't a pushover where he was concerned. When she believed in something she was passionate about it, and that often meant that she yelled to get her point across.
"He may not have a barcode, but he's not normal Logan. He has transgenic blood. He'll beginning to walk and talk in a few months. He'll be advanced at everything, faster and stronger than everyone around him. How will his adoptive parents be able to explain that to people, how will they be able to explain it to him?"
"I know you loved Ben Max, but you sent Case away."
Max was furious but she remained calm.
"Case had his father to look after him, this baby doesn't have anybody. Me and Alec are all he has."
"What does Alec have to do with it?"
"We don't abandon our unit Logan" Alec pipes up.
Logan looks skeptical and Max continues. "Ben and Alec are twins."
"Clones" Alec corrects.
"Whatever" Max rolls her eyes.
Understanding finally reaches Logan, whether it was from getting why Alec was so involved with the baby or why Max put up with his crazy selfish antics, remained to be seen.
"We're going to take care of him. We're not sending him away. Trust us Logan, we know how dangerous it is. It makes us more vulnerable, but we're his best chance at survival."
"Ok Max" he answers. "You're going to need help. Let me know what I can do."
"I'm glad you asked buddy we're going to need papers for him" Alec smiles.
Logan takes a seat at his computer. "Ok, what's his name?"
Alec looks at Max, who looks deep in thought, then he pipes up "Shiloh."
"Shiloh?" Max asks.
She didn't laugh or yell at him for taking the liberty of offering a name. She simply asked him a question. It was so un-Max like.
"It means his gift in Hebrew" Alec says with a shrug or his shoulder.
"Shiloh" Max tries the name out, then smiles. "It's perfect. His name is Shiloh Benjamin McDowell."