Bam.

She didn't even blink as a bullet entered through White's wrist causing his grip to weaken. Not hesitating for a second, she quickly used the distraction and knocked the gun from his bleeding hand, while trying to place a jab to his face. But he was faster than she thought. He saw it coming and grabbed her arm, twisting it behind her back.

"Nice job, 452. It seems you saved your precious hostages," he twisted it even more. "Not yourself, however. And trust me, by the time I'm through with you, I'll know about my son."

"We'll…see…" she said, rolling over with him, flipping him on his back and while doing so, grabbing the discarded gun.

So quickly had the situation overturned.

"Are you going to shoot me in the head, 452?" White sneered through blood-stained teeth. "Murder me while I'm unarmed?"

"Yes," she said simply, her hands completely still, but she didn't pull the trigger. Everything in her head was screaming for her index finger to end the man responsible for countless murders. All Manticore's teachings were chanting at once, pushing her to do it. End him. One bullet. End him.

But she couldn't.

"Weak," he said as she dropped her hand.

"Yeah, yeah," she replied, rolling her eyes. "Humanity, emotions, blah, blah, blah. It'll be the death of me, I'm sure," she said, kicking him in the face. "That was for knocking me out," she said. She then smashed the gun over the side of his head, sending him into unconsciousness.

"Alright let's get the hell out of here. Escape and evade, guys." she said. Instantly, she saw Team four and five begin their exit strategies. Max turned around, trying to find Alec.

What she saw made her freeze up entirely.

Alec's excellent marksmanship that allowed Max to turn the tables on White had clearly cost him. At the moment, he was on his back, blood pouring from his right shoulder, trying to stop a Familiar from plunging a piece of broken glass into his chest. Without even thinking, without a single pause to what she was doing, she raised the gun and fired one bullet perfectly into the Familiars head. He slumped on top of Alec, who quickly pushed him off, staring at her with a confused expression.

"Max?"

She didn't respond; she didn't even drop her hand. The feel of the small kick from the gun brought back fierce memories and hardships that she didn't want to be reminded of.

"Maxie?" Alec said again, real worry spreading in his tone. "C'mon Max. We need to go." It was very true, they needed to hurry too or they were going to be left behind. "Max!" he shouted.

"Sorry, sorry," she said snapping out of it, blinking away the memories and dropping the gun to the floor. "We have to go," she said simply, looking up at him.

"I know, Maxie," he said smirking, grabbing her hand and starting to run.

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No dead. Not one of their men had been killed. Wounded, yes, but not killed, which in Transgenic City's case was an amazing blessing. This was the reason why the people of TC decided to throw a party. A celebration of their first victory. A great victory, in fact. But while others were dancing and enjoying the fun, Max and Alec were currently in her office, debriefing the transgenic hostages.

"Designation?" Alec said.

"X5-716," said the man across from them.

"Name?" Max asked.

"Mickey," he said. Seeing their confused faces, he added, "Manticore designed me with super senses, Eyesight, smell, hearing. Also, my ears are kind of big."

"Ok, Mick, here is the dealio." Alec started.

As he was talking, Max got lost in her mind, thinking about the previous events of her day. Why was she willing to kill a random Familiar, but couldn't put a bullet in the head of the man who has caused her so much pain? It confused her to no end, causing her much irritation. But she knew what happened. She knew. Something in her mind snapped when she saw Alec's life in danger. Her only thought at that point was to protect him, to hell with everything else. And that was why she was so confused. This meant something, she was sure. This feeling that she had, when she saw him, she's felt it before with Alec. What is it? She couldn't define it, couldn't place it. All she knew was that it was different with Lo-

"Max."

"Huh," she looked up, confused. The room was empty, Mickey was nowhere to be seen.

"You know, you need to stop doing that."

"I know, I know. Just got a lot on my mind."

"Yeah," Alec said. "I caught that."

She yawned, stretching out, "Are we done yet. This is so boring."

Alec smirked, "Anxious to get your dance on,"

"Ha, ha. More like take a shower and sleep."

"Sounds good to me," he agreed. "Although I heard that Mole was actually getting "jiggy" wit it."

"What!!!" Max said, shocked. "I have to see this!" And before Alec could say another word, she blurred out towards the party.

Alec laughed heartily, hoping she wouldn't be disappointed.

Knock, knock.

"Come on in." he said.

In came a tall blonde woman, her eyes looking around and a disappointed look on her face appearing quickly. Her eyes finally rested upon Alec, confusion now mixing in with her disappointment.

"Have a seat."

"Sorry, have we met before?" the woman asked, while taking her seat.

"No, I don't believe so," Alec replied.

"Hmm," she said. "You seem very familiar to me."

"I don't think we've met, sorry," said Alec.

"It's okay. My mind must be jumbled up a little bit. This whole day has been a blur."

"No worries. All right let's get this started. So what is your designation?"

"X5-310," she answered.

"Alright X5-310, do you have a name?"

"Alec!" Max said bursting through the door, "You have to see what Mole is doing!"

But before she could say anything, the blonde stood up abruptly and turned around.

"Maxie," the name slipping from her mouth with a tone of endearment.

Max stopped, freezing again for the third time that day. She hadn't heard that voice in years.

"Jondy?"

The blond smiled, wrapping her arms around Max.

"I feel like I'm missing something here." Alec said confusedly.

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Max looked over the somber city of Seattle as a light breeze rustled her dark locks. Her figure was completely still, her breathing even. To an outsider, she would seem like she was completely unaware of the world outside of her thoughts. But Alec knew better, a transgenic was never completely unaware. And he made sure that his footsteps were extra loud as he walked up behind her.

"A little excessive, Alec,"

He smirked, "You never know what will happen when you surprise someone. Especially you."

"Not necessary. I saw you walk up," her tone was even, not portraying her feelings. Alec knew her guard was still up.

"Maxie, you okay?" he said, placing a seat beside her.

She looked over to him, her guard dropping when their eyes locked. "Yeah," she responded, a smile finally gracing her lips.

"So that was Jondy," Alec replied.

"Yeah, I can't believe it Alec!" her features suddenly became more animated. "I mean- she's my family Alec. My sister. Who thought I was dead, who I thought was dead, who is alive and here."

Alec smiled at her, loving how excited she was getting. "How was it," he asked, being calm and collected, knowing she needed him to be like this.

"Crazy. Explaining everything…" Max continued.

Flashback in italics:

"I thought they were going to kill us," Jondy said darkly. "I thought that the last thing that I saw would be their faces. Their cowardly faces."

"Jondy," Max said.

"I don't remember that much after that. It turns into such a blur. I can't place anything for sure."

"Probably a blessing."

Jondy laughed. "Probably."

Max joined in, even though they both knew there was nothing funny about their situation. But there was no awkwardness between them, as if the last decade apart hadn't existed. As if they truly were sisters.

"Did you know I was here?" Max asked her.

"Yeah, I saw you on TV, acting all badass, and smashing through windows," she smirked. "Couldn't believe it."

"Why?"

"I thought you were dead. You fell through the ice remember."

"Can't forget."

"Zack… he never said anything about you. Just that the family was safe. I never thought he meant you." She chuckled darkly. "What a life we live in."

"Yeah I know,"

"And now we are in a war. Doing the very thing we were made to do."

"Irony is a bitch, I know."

"We talked about Zack, Ben….you," Max continued.

"Me?"

"So Alec," Jondy started.

"He's Ben's twin."

"Ahhh, there it is. That's why he looked familiar."

"Yeah, she was confused by you at first…thought you were Ben."

Alec laughed, "Huh, so it's a family trait,"

"Ha ha yeah so it is,"

"You know about-"

"I know Max. Ben's dead. Zack did mention that. But that's not what I wanted to talk about."

"What then?" Max asked confused.

"Did she say anything else about me? Perhaps about my devilish good looks?"

"Is he your mate?"

Max coughed even though she had nothing in her mouth, " What? No!"

"Opps, sorry! Ha ha ha ha," She laughed.

"Stop laughing," Max said hitting her on the shoulder. "What makes you think we were mates?"

"I don't know. The way you guys were talking before. The way you look at each other. I just assumed….

"Well no, we aren't."

"Sure," Jondy said skeptically.

"No, that was it,"Max lied.

"You sure you're okay?" Alec asked again, noticing the change in her behavior.

"Yeah," she sighed, her answer less excited than the conversation before. "It's just been a hell of a day."

"Did you tell her everything?"

"No. I couldn't. Alec I can't," she raised her head and looked at him in the eyes. Her eyes pleading for understanding. "I killed Ben, Alec. I don't know if she would understand that. The situation-Mantiocore-evertyhing."

"Max-,"

"And I basically killed Zack."

"Max! You did not kill him," he exclaimed, making sure she didn't look away from his gaze. "You know that. That was not your fault."

She sighed, her head resting once more on his shoulders. "It feels like it's my fault. Like all this is my fault. Renfro was right. I'm like a poison."

"Max Guevera," Alec said, taking her chin with his fingers. "You are not poison." He forcefully stated, making sure she understood that he was telling the truth. He wrapped his arms around her small frame, bringing her closer to him. Boundaries were being pushed tonight, but neither of them had the ability to worry about what they might mean. "You are anything but," he whispered into her ear.

Max allowed his words to take effect and relaxed into his embrace, "I killed a man today," she said.

"I know. Thank you."

"Your welcome."

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"Max, what is this?"

Not a second before they walked back into Terminal City, a very angry Logan confronted the two.

"Logan you know what this is," Max said, referring to their lie about her and Alec's faux relationship. She was slightly irritated by his confrontational attitude as the stress of the day was finally taking its toll on her tired body,

Logan looked away, shaking his head, while his eyes suddenly falling on Max's disheveled appearance.

"You're bloody." Max followed his gaze to her dirty appearance. Uh, oh, she thought, already know what was going to come next. "You went on the mission."

"Obviously," she said, not even bothering with being polite.

Logan suddenly pointed his finger at Alec, "You let her go!" he exclaimed angrily.

"Excuse me?" Alec said skeptically, with a tone of underlying anger. "I didn't let her do anything," he growled.

"Alec," Max whispered, trying to calm him down.

Alec sighed, letting his anger die down. "I don't control her Logan. She makes her own decisions," he said simply.

"It was a trap," Logan said switching tactics.

"I'm the leader, Logan!"

"You're also this world's only chance," he exclaimed, looking into her eyes.

"Logan!" Max shouted, clearly irritated. "I'm a fighter, okay. Try to understand that. I wasn't made to sit on the sidelines. And I'm tired and sore and I don't feel really want to talk about this right now."

"You never want to talk about it."

"Logan I'm tired!"

"From you reckless mission!"

"Reckless! It was very well planned out!"

"Right well planned out as you were the bait. That you probably put her up to," Logan said, pointing again at Logan.

"Whatever Logan," Alec replied, rolling his eyes, frustrated by the older man. "I personally don't give a fuck what you think." He gave Max a kiss on the cheek looking at Logan while he did so, "I'll see you at home, babe." He said, making sure Logan would hear him.

Logan looked away, grating his teeth, missing the growl of frustration issue from Max's throat.

"Look, Logan," Max said calmly. "I'm tired. I'm sore. I just want to go to bed and sleep."

"More like fuck," Logan said carelessly.

Max took a step forward, only to catch her action before she actually did something stupid. "I'm done with this. This conversation is completely over," Max said angrily, beginning to walk away.

"You shouldn't be fighting!" Logan shouted to her retreating back.

Her reply was the middle finger.

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Uh oh, Alec thought as he heard the door slam to their apartment. He winced as he heard Max's bellowing footsteps. And then her piercing tones.

"Alec!"

He walked calmly out of his bedroom, trying to prepare himself for what was coming next.

"What the hell, Alec?"

"What?" Alec asked innocently.

"What, what??? You kiss me deliberately in front of him Logan only to make him more pissed off AND THEN you leave me alone to deal with it," Max exclaimed.

Alec sighed, getting angry himself, not knowing exactly why. "Well, I didn't want to stand between your guy's apparent love quarrel!"

"What?!" Max shouted throwing up her hands. "It was not a love quarrel!"

"Sure looked like it to me!"

"Ugh you are so insufferable," she said as she turned away from him.

"Well excuse me for trying to stand out of the way of true love."

"Its not true love!" Max screamed, turning to sharply to face him.

"What?" Alec shouted back.

"It's not true love! I don't love him!" Max continued shouting.

"Wait…what?" Alec said slowly, realizing exactly what her words meant.

Max paused, her words finally making their way to her brain. There is that fuckin' face, Alec thought. The same face he's seen so many times before when Logan's name made its way into conversation. What did that face mean? What does this mean? She didn't know either.

"Do you know what you just said?" Alec asked quizzically.

"I don't love him," Max replied slowly, looking down at her feet, a thousand thoughts rushing through her head.

"You don't?"

"No," she said, finally looking up.

That's when he knew.

Without a second pause, he crossed the distance between them, took her face in his strong hands, and passionately kissed her.

And at that moment she knew too.

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Apologies my friends for taking so long to write this new chapter. My life is crazy insane unfortunately. But here is the next chapter. I hope you like-nay- love it and WRITE REVIEWS!!!!!!!!! Please write reviews! I need them like oxygen. Do you want me to die? No? Then please write reviews! Anywho, hope you enjoy what I wrote.

Until next time,

Unfortunately Clever