Love You, Hate You
Disclaimer - Dark Angel is not mine, nor do i claim to own it.
Summary - 6 years since they last saw each other, are the old feelings still there?
"Max" Alec said again this time with more confidence in his voice.
Max nodded her head
"What are you doing here?" he asked staring at her not even blinking.
"I'm his date" she gestured to Ben, Alec's eyes followed and he turned to his brother
"Your date?" he asked him Ben nodded his head.
The next thing Max knew Alec was dragging Ben out the room.
"Hey!" she called out trying to stop them but also not wanting to draw too much attention to them.
"It's ok" Ben promised "I'll be right back"
Alec dragged Ben into a storage closet, pushing him inside as hard as he could.
"WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT!?" Alec demanded no longer able to keep his anger under control.
"What?" Ben asked innocently with a shrug.
"You're dating her?"
Ben rolled his eyes "And you brought her here?"
"Thought you might want to see her" he said honestly.
"I'm engaged!" Alec reminded his brother.
"I'm aware" Ben said sarcastically
They stood staring at each other. Alec trying to come to terms with the fact that the girl he loved and hadn't seen in 6 years was so close and Ben watching his the way his brother was dealing with it.
After a few minutes they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
Opening it Alec found Max standing with a frustrated look in her face.
"Done?"
Alec couldn't bring himself to speak to her truthfully he was afraid of what he would say he had a lot of pent up anger when it came to her.
"Yeah" Ben said as he pushed past his brother and guided Max back into the party smirking at his brother of his shoulder.
Alec let of the breath he wasn't aware he was holding and headed back into his party.
He walked back up to Rachel standing beside her he couldn't help but look for Max.
He spotted her walking towards the bathroom and excused himself from Rachel and made his way towards her.
Ben was watching from the bar, smiling as Alec made his way towards Max.
Alec waited outside the bathroom for Max to appear she seemed to be taking forever.
She walked out but didn't notice him so he grabbed her arm stopping her.
"Get off…" she started to complain before turning around and looking into those eyes that she had missed so much.
"Hey"
"Hey" Alec repeated
Max looked down at his hand which was still wrapped around her arm, he noticed and moved it immediately.
"Sorry"
"It's ok" Max reassured him.
"Why are you here Max?" he asked his tone a little harsh.
"Want me to go?" she asked looking at him.
"Yes" he said
"Done" she said with that she pulled away from him and made her way back to Ben.
Alec was left standing outside the bathroom 'What did I just do? I don't want her to go'
"Get me out of here" Max begged Ben
Ben looked at her then glanced behind her and could see Alec making his way towards them.
"What's wrong?"
"He wants me to go"
Ben got angry "What?"
"Don't" Max put her hand on Ben's arm to stop him doing something stupid "let's just go"
Ben nodded and they began to walk out the hotel but were stopped when someone came running over to Ben and threw her arms around his neck.
"Ben you're here finally" Max recognised the girl as Rachel, Alec's fiancée.
"Yeah" Ben said smiling sheepishly as Max.
Max nodded in understanding "This must be your date" she said smiling kindly at Max.
Alec meanwhile had stopped dead in his tracks Rachel had stopped Ben from leaving which was good because it meant that Max wasn't going anywhere at least not at the moment but it also meant Max was with the girl he was going to marry.
He walked towards them and stood just at the side of Max.
"Hi" Max said to Rachel not expecting Rachel to throw her arms around her and hug her.
"Hey guys" Alec said from the side of Max, Max refused to look at him instead she looked at Ben asking with her eyes to get her out of here.
"Oh Alec honey there you are" Rachel said kissing him on the lips. Alec didn't respond very well he looked to Max but she wasn't looking at him luckily Rachel didn't notice.
"Come to our table" Rachel said pulling Ben towards it. "Alec will look after your date" she said smiling at them.
"I'll be gone as soon as I can get Ben away from her" Max said not looking at him.
"She has a name" Alec said moving to stand in front of him.
"Whatever" Max said rolling her eyes.
"Still haven't changed" Alec said to her, his eyes shining in amusement.
"Can't say the same for you"
"Excuse me?"
"You and suits don't go" Max informed him giving him a disapproving look.
Alec nodded, she had a point he really hated them always had.
"Well luckily you look good enough for the both of us then" Alec said with a smirk on his face and casually walked away "And you're not going anywhere"
Alec walked away leaving a very confused Max 'Was he flirting with me? Pig!' Max thought to herself as she followed him to the table.
Arriving at the table she found the only empty seat was in between Alec and Ben groaning she slid and sat down.
There was general chatter amongst all the people around the table. Max was chatting to Sam and found herself liking her. Ok so she was marrying the love of her life didn't make her a bad person.
"Max is getting married" Alec announced
Max looked at him shocked, 'How does he know?' She looked at Ben and he shrugged his shoulders as if to say 'I didn't tell him'
"That's right" Max said through gritted teeth the squeal that Rachel gave out almost piercing her ears "How do you know?" she asked him.
Alec shrugged "Read it somewhere"
Rachel was confused "I thought you were Ben's date?"
"I'm just an old friend" Max explained to her.
"Oh" Rachel said still not fully understanding "How do you know each other?"
Alec who was taking a drink of his beer almost chocked when she asked that question.
He looked at Ben then to Max; Max was the one to answer the question. "He used to date my sister"
"Right"
Alec decided now was the time to pull the two women apart, he leant over and whispered into Rachel's ear and Rachel giggled and stood up dragging Alec away from the table.
"Could he be more obvious?" Ben said out loud to no one in particular.
"Dance with me" Max demanded standing up and pulling him onto the dance floor.
They danced to slow and Alec was standing in the corner watching, he wasn't sure what he was feeling he did know he wanted his brother far away from her as possible. Pulling out his cell phone he dialled Ben's number.
After a few rings he answered "Outside now!" Alec demanded not giving him time to speak.
Ben stepped outside it was raining and he couldn't see Alec but he felt his hands on the back of his jacket pulling him back and pushing him into the wall.
"What are you doing?" Ben said shoving Alec hands off him.
"You're all over her" he stated.
"I'm having fun like you said she's getting married"
Alec scoffed and then Ben asked "How do you know she's getting married?"
"Read it somewhere" he said shrugging it off as if it wasn't that big of a deal.
The penny dropped for Ben and he confronted Alec "Is that why you asked her to marry you?"
"What? No!" Alec shook his head.
Ben started laughing "I'm right" Alec refused to look at him "I looked her up on the net and I saw the same announcement you must have it was dated January 21st you proposed to her 2 days later"
"Coincidence"
Ben really didn't believe him and now it was all falling into place "You asked her to marry you because you thought you had lost Max"
"I lost Max 6 years ago" Alec said
"Maybe but when you saw that she was engaged you knew that was it, you never thought you'd get your chance with her again so you settled for Rachel"
"Rachel is a great girl"
"You don't love her"
Alec glared at him "I do" he fought walking away letting the rain fall on him.
Ben followed him out into the rain "Ok but your not in love with her"
Alec turned around to speak but Max standing at the door of the hotel caught his attention, he couldn't speak all he could do was watch her. She looked amazing, at 16 she was beautiful and 6 years hadn't changed her one bit except now she was perfect.
Ben noticed he no longer had his brother's attention, he knew there was only one person who could hold his attention like that. Max
"Don't let her go again" Ben said patting his brother on the shoulder as he walked away. "She's getting married" Alec said to him as he walked away "Things change" was all he said.
"He's all yours" he said as he past Max, walking back into the hotel he really needed a drink or ten.
Max walked out into the rain and Alec watched as she walked towards him.
"We should talk huh?" Max asked as she finally stopped in front of him
"Yeah" Alec said
They walked back into the hotel but instead of heading for the party they went to the bar.
"Drink?" he asked her
She shook her head, no.
"Scotch" Alec said to the bartender, Max raised her eyebrows at him he smirked "tough night"
Max nodded her head in agreement and they walked over to a table in the corner together.
Alec downed the glass of scotch in one "It was really good of you to write me all those letters"
"What letters?"
"Exactly!" Alec said before calling over to the bar for another scotch.
"Maybe you should lay off those things" Max said to him after his 5th glass of scotch.
"You're not my girlfriend or my mother"
"I'm aware"
"So you can't tell me what to do" Alec said smirking at her.
Just then Rachel came into the bar and walked over to them. Max noticed her coming but Alec didn't.
"Ben" Max heard her say and looked at her.
Alec turned around at the sound of her voice she continued talking "Have you seen Alec?"
Max managed to stop herself from laughing. Alec stood up "I am Alec" he said looking at her.
Her face turned a bright shade of red and she looked at Max "I'm always doing that, I can never tell the difference"
Max nodded
"You're missing our party" She said dragging him away.
Max waited on them walking the bar before ordering herself a beer after it was finished she walked back to the party and decided to have a good time with or without Ben.
She knew most Alec's friends they were the same ones he had in school so she spent time with them. She had no idea where Ben was and didn't care what Alec was doing.
The party was beginning to end and most of the people were leaving it was just after 12, Max was sitting at the bar and there was a guy sitting beside her.
"Really I'm not interested" Max said for the tenth time to him, he just wouldn't give up.
"I have a room on the second floor I could show you a good time"
"I doubt it" Max said looking around for Ben she hadn't seen him in nearly 2 hours.
The guy stood up and pressed himself against her "For someone so hot you're very frigid"
"Leave me alone"
"Come on" he said reaching out to touch her but was stopped when a hand slapped down over his arm.
"I'm sure she said leave her alone" Alec said glaring at the guy.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah" Alec said in a low voice
"You gonna make me leave her alone?" he challenged getting in Alec's face.
"If I have to" Alec promised.
Just then Ben appeared with a red head on his arm "What's going on?" he asked looking between Max and Alec.
"He was hassling your date" Ben looked at the guy and spoke "If you know what's good for you, you'll move now"
He looked between them and decided against saying anything else and walked away.
"You're meant to look after you date" Alec scolded his brother, Ben smirked and said "I know your eyes wouldn't be off her" Max blushed and looked away.
"Max can you make your own way home?" Max's eyes widened "What!?" she demanded standing up off the chair and looking at him. "I've got a date" he said pointing at the red head that waved at him.
Max rolled her eyes. "Go" she said smiling at him.
He grinned and kissed her cheek "You're the best" with that he ran off in the direction of the red head.
Max gathered her things and walked out to get a cab.
She was waiting in line when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder it was Rachel.
"Do you have a ride home?" Rachel asked
"My date found himself another one" Max said smiling at her, Rachel nodded "I see"
"Ready to go?" Alec said coming over and speaking to Rachel
"Why don't you take Max home and I'll get my dad to drop me off?" Rachel suggested.
"No, no it's fine"
"It's his brother's fault you have to wait on a cab it's the least he can do"
Max shook her head but Alec spoke "She's right least I can do" Alec smirked at her.
"See you when you get back" Rachel said kissing him on the cheek before walking away.
"You've been drinking" Max said to him as they walked to the car.
"I can drive" he promised
"Don't kill me" Max said joking "At least we'll go together" he said his tone serious.
The drive to Max's house was quiet. Alec couldn't believe that after 6 years she was this close to him.
"This is me" she said as the pulled up outside her apartment.
"Thanks" she said her hand moving to open the door. "Your welcome" he said staring out at the road.
After a few seconds she composed herself enough to open the door.
"Why did you leave me?" he asked this time turning her face to him.
"It wasn't my choice" she closed the door and sat back in the seat.
Alec laughed, a nasty laugh "You could have called me at any time" he reminded her.
"NO!" she said forcefully "I couldn't"
"Why not?" he demanded to know.
"My parents didn't want me seeing you after we moved away"
"Why not?"
Max shook her head "It's in the past Alec we've moved on you're getting married" she reminded him.
"So are you"
"I am"
"Do you love him?"
"What right do you have to ask me that?" she demanded to know, she was getting angry.
" Do you?" he ignored her and asked again.
"Yes" she said daring him to ask again, the thing with Alec was he was never scared to ask anything.
"Are you in love with him?" he asked this time.
Max had enough; she got out the car and slammed the door closed.
Walking into her apartment Sam was still up.
"Who's that?" She asked pointing at the car which was still parked outside the building.
"Guess"
Sam smiled "Really?" Max nodded
"Can I go see him?" Sam asked pulling on her boots
"Why?"
Sam stopped "He was my friend" she reminded her.
"Fine" she rolled her eyes and waved her off.
Sam ran out the door and down to the car. Pulling open the door she surprised Alec and he jumped.
"Hey"
"Sam"
"What's up? She asked looking at him
"What are you doing here Sam?" he asked bitterly.
"She's not yours anymore" she reminded him.
"Not the way I wanted it"
"Well I'm glad I came down here for your pity party" Alec glared at her "Do one thing for me" she looked at him waiting on him continuing "get out my car"
"Make me" she challenged
"I'm not Ben I'm not whipped by you"
"You're whipped by my sister though"
"Get out my car" he said pushing the door open.
Sam smirked "Love you too"
She jumped out the car and ran back upstairs.
Max was in Jamie's room.
Sam left her alone and walked into her own room.
After an hour of watching her son sleep Max walked out his room and back into the living room.
Looking out the window, his car was still parked outside.
Sighing she walked to her room and lay down on the bed hoping sleep would soon take her.
A/N - Tell me what you think!