"Little fella!!"

"Hey big…oomph!" Max's greeting was smothered as she found herself hauled off her feet and crushed to her favourite dogman's chest. Joshua was letting yelps of delight as he swung her around. Max drew away slightly, giggled with happiness and threw her arms around him to hug him back.

"It's so good to see you again. I'm glad you're ok. I was really worried" she whispered to him as her elation settled.

"Hey Mole, Dix, wanna tell me how much y'all missed me?" Alec asked the observing transhumans.

"As much as I miss Manticore" Mole drawled as he withdrew his cigar momentarily to let out a puff of smoke and grin at Alec's mock look of pain. Dix merely smiled politely and offered him a welcoming handshake.

Obliging, Alec then turned back to Mole. Spreading his arms wide "Huggies?", he asked, a cheeky twinkle in his eyes.

"Bullet?" Mole offered back raising his shotgun to illustrate. Laughing aloud, the three shook their heads and turned back to see how successful Max had been in extracting her body from Joshua's embrace.

They were standing side by side, his arm drawn around her shoulder comfortingly. "Little fella no need to worry. Joshua happy here with own kind. Everyone up in mountains, free to move around, visit each other all the time, even have tea parties!" he reassured her "Kane and his unit in the town help bring food and supplies"

Max nodded her understanding. She had seen how sad he had been in 'Fathers' house. She had busted him out of one basement and locked him up in another. She knew he didn't hate her for it though; she was just relieved he was getting a taste of freedom, even if it was away from humans. She drew an arm around his waist and gave him a gentle squeeze as she smiled up at him.

"Ok ok, enough with the sappy sentimental shit, before I gotta break out the Kleenex" Mole groused. "Shall we?" he indicated to the small cabin that had probably once housed the Mountain rescue team or something. "Lead the way" Alec said as he retrieved their bags. He'd left the car hidden away in the woodland surrounding them and they'd walked the remaining distance, casing the area for any indication of danger– standard safety precaution.

They were sat by a small fire now. The windows to the cabin were boarded up so they weren't giving up their location and Mole had a few X7 guards stationed in the surrounding area. It had turned out they had been designed to listen to TAC officer directions, so Mole was pretty much able to get them to do his bidding. 'My own little kick ass platoon' he would often boast.

At first they'd all just talked about what they had been up to since they'd fled Seattle and recounting what they had heard about their fellow fugitives and any scrapes they'd gotten into. Josh and Max had gone into the kitchen area to rustle up some food. As she'd walked back carrying some of the plates Alec noted how she had relaxed a little more having spent time with Josh. 'She must have been really worried bout him. Wonder if she'd worry bout me like that?' he couldn't help but question. 'oh well, it ain't like I'm going nowhere' he thought as she settled herself beside him and they tucked in, eating off the same plate. Mole and Dix shot a curious look at them and then glanced back at one another at the sight.

"So, you figured out anymore of my runes Dix?" Max asked indifferently in between bites "its all kinds of ok if you haven't, this was just a passing visit an all, and I'm not in no hurry to know or anything.."

'Shes babbling again' Alec saw through her nonchalance. He could sense her tension, her posture, her rambling, her inability to look beyond the plate screamed nervousness. He brought the hand of the arm he'd drawn across the back of the sofa down and cupped her neck, his thumb rubbing her barcode soothingly. Max felt instantly more relaxed and she looked up and gave him a small grateful smile before turning back to Dix. So she'd missed the raised eyebrows of Mole, the studying look on Dix and the happy knowing twinkle in Joshua's eyes.

"errm, yeah, I've been working at translating the runes but its slow going what with no computer and limited reference books. Kane and Solo have got their units looking around for anything that might help but well, we're post pulse and it's an ancient language, you know?"

"Yeah, we understand. We'll keep an eye out too ok? So tell us what you've figured out so far"

This time, Dix, Mole, Josh and Alec looked a little surprised…all four wondered 'how and when did he and she become a 'we'?' Alec quickly dismissed the thought, not wanting to read too much into it

"Yeah Dixie tell me you at least got an idea of what White and his crazy cult have got in store" he said to regain their focus.

"Well…I dunno, it's a bit too vague. Ok see this rune here? Means death. This one? Domination. This one here? Blood and see this one here, this was one of your first ones Max, this means Protection" Dix said indicating to enhanced photo shots of her runes. "That's as far as I've got so far. The others are either just too vague to translate and can alter the meaning of the whole message or I've been unable to decipher them coz I don't have the information"

"So…the plan involves domination by causing death by using blood, and I need protection? Max tried to offer her possible explanation

"Like I said, its too ambiguous Max" Dix shrugged. Max felt cold creep down her spine as her mind churned the words over and over and her body let out a discrete shiver. Alec, whose hand had stilled but remained on her neck resumed his comforting motion, he didn't even realise he was doing it this time.

"We'll spread the word to the other CO's, get them to pass it on to their units that any info regarding the runes need to be passed up the ranks to you. Sooner we figure this bitch out, the sooner we can flip White off" he said decisively. The others nodded their head in tacit agreement. The tension hung heavy in the air and Mole took it on himself to change the topic, in his own pragmatic way.

"So pretty boy, when did you and her royal highness hook up? From the looks of things you guys have been going at it for a loooong time now"

"What?!" she gasped

"Excuse me?!" he spluttered

"What did you jus say?" they said together

"You heard me fine with your super ears! I asked you when you an' miss kitty cat decided to resume breedin' partner duties"

"What the heck are you talking about?!" Alec demanded irritably whilst Max flushed red with anger and embarrassment.

"You lookin' for an ass kickin Mole? coz I can give it to ya" she glowered.

"You ain't foolin nobody peaches. It's so obvious you might as well have walked in here with a sign above your heads" Mole drawled obviously not fooled. At their confused blank stares he shook his head disbelievingly and gestured to the two of them as he spoke "You telling me this is how you two usually are? Bullshit, you're claws ain't out, and you ain't bein an awkward son of a bitch." He scoffed "You guys walk in here all in sync and buddy buddy, it doesn't take a genius to figure it out, so fess up already!" Mole eyed them down, challenging them to refute his words, and they didn't let him down.

"No no, you've got it all wrong!" Alec began

"We just got over our issues, we're cool with each other – we peoples now" Max clarified

"Yeah, just friends, there's nothing like that between us, man, don't be grossin us out, I've just eaten" Alec continued

"We're sooo NOT like that, uugh!" Max reconfirmed.

All the while both felt themselves becoming a little irked with the other.

'There's no need for her to sound so offended by the idea of US..'

'Ass! What? Does he think he's too fly for me?'

They subtly edged away from each other and glared at the onlookers. Moles appeared unconvinced while Dix grinned to indicate he was givng them the benefit of the doubt. 'Denial' echoed in both their minds. Joshua meanwhile just laughed happily "Big fella happy little fella and middle fella friends now. Was worried fight all the time, miserable together. Little fella got a travel buddy, one of her own kind!" Max smiled appreciatively, nodding her head "Exactly! Just because I'm not tearing him a new one doesn't mean we're bonk buddies!" she said to Mole, levelling him down with a stare.

"Ok, ok, fine! I don't care either way so long it he's keeping you on a leash – you're easier to get along with when you're less bitchy" he retorted. Seeing the fire flare in her eyes and anticipating her fury he stood quickly "I'm gonna catch up on my beauty sleep" and with that he mock saluted Alec and made his way to one corner of the room. Joshua and Dix too, got up and began clearing things away and laying down their bedding beside the fire. "Night guys", "Fella's make bed from these" Joshua indicated to the bedding "See you in morning little fella, Alec, sleep well"

The two X5's were now sat on opposite ends of the sofa, having graduated there during the course of the conversation. They glanced over at one another awkwardly, unsure of what the other was thinking. Finally, Max spoke up. "It's your turn to sleep Alec, I'll just sit here and keep an ear open and keep the fire going" She didn't want to add fuel to Mole's fire by sticking to their usual sleeping arrangements. Nodding, Alec slowly rose and made himself a comfy spot in front of the sofa. He wasn't sure why but he was feeling a little disappointed about something, he couldn't quite place what.

The cabin grew quiet as the transgenics fell asleep one by one. Max, now lying on her back across the couch, had been listening to their breathing and identifying who had dropped off to sleep. She knew Alec was still awake, so she rolled over onto her stomach and looked down over the edge of the sofa at him. Her feline eyesight could see him clearly. He was lying on his back, his arms folded behind his head, his eyes had been staring up at the ceiling until he had sensed her watching and he glanced sidelong at her. Alec slowly turned to face her and their eyes held one another's for a long moment. She smiled at him and he returned it. Both felt the awkwardness melt away as they found their familiar comfort zones with one another. Alec's eyes slowly drifted shut to the sight of Max, as he let sleep overcome his and his earlier disappointment melted away. A short while later, Max who had been watching his chest rise and fall, saw his hand move and she let down her arm and let him claim her hand again.