A/N: Sorry for the delay everyone. Life was a little hectic this week. I would like to thank everyone again for all of your great reviews! I was sooo happy to see all the great compliments!

Chapter 3

Max looked at Alec and thought about what he just said. "There's no way in hell you're going to go see Logan." Somehow she couldn't stop thinking what Alec would do if left alone with him. She groaned as she thought of the possibilities.

Alec looked at her curiously, "c'mon I think I can handle him. Just as long as he doesn't start giving me the "I love you" eyes and start sprouting sonnets, then we're fine." He grinned and she groaned again.

"I still can't believe this. This isn't real, I'm dreaming. Pinch me please," she talked from the couch not realizing she was doing it out loud until Alec pinched her.

"Ow! What was that for?" she yelled rubbing her arm.

"Nope you're not dreaming," he confirmed and watched her with a glint of pleasure in his eyes. He was enjoying this way too much. Of course he made it his life's goal to pester the shit out of her. Max just couldn't believe how at ease he was no matter whose skin he was in.

"Fine," she finally relented, "but I'm going with you."

"Ugh, I don't think that's such a good idea," he started slowly.

"Why not?" she questioned his strange expression, it wasn't exactly fear but discomfort. Well there was something that made him uncomfortable at least.

"Just take it from me. You're not exactly his favorite person right now." He started pacing in front of the couch again chewing his thumb absently. "He made it kind of clear that we had nothing to talk about the last time we spoke."

Max closed her eyes in recollection. He was right, Alec had showed up at Logan's to bring him a computer part and he had gotten nothing but the cold shoulder. She could see and hear the pain coming from Logan through Alec's eyes. It was to be expected the guy thought he had run off with his girl. Alec had been pissed with Max to say the least, but he finally came to understand why she did it. That didn't mean he had to like it though.

"Yeah I remember now," she said leaving the memory.

"Okay that's starting to creep me out," he chuckled nervously and scratched his forehead.

"Can we stop glancing at my memories please? You know I'm going need some I.D. because you're eventually going to stumble on an x-rated version of Alec's wonderful memoirs," he said it jokingly but he was desperately trying to hide behind his humor.

"Oh god…" she groaned. "I can't help it okay. Like I really want a front seat to your latest exploits," she visibly shuddered at the thought. "Even years of therapy wouldn't help me with that."

He chuckled, "uh huh, one look at what you've been missing and the first thing you do when you get your body back is jump me." He pointed at himself and playfully winked at her. Then he rolled his shoulders and squirmed with a look of misery, "you really need it, God you're tense."

She scoffed, "yeah I would jump you just for the satisfaction of snuffing the life out of you."

He suddenly stopped pacing, ignored her comment and headed to the bedroom. "Okay so I'm going to head out to go see Logan."

It was a few moments and he came back. His face screwed up in disgust. "Okay that's not going to work," he sighed. "Wrong size…and just wrong everything."

"I'm still going with you," she insisted even after seeing his memory of the recent event.

"It's your funeral," he warned, then looked up in thought, "or mine?" He waved his hand and tried to shoo the confusion away, "whatever." He stopped thinking about it and tugged on his shirt. "Do I look okay?" his brow furrowed, and he suddenly complained "great! I sound like a girl!"

Max couldn't help but laugh at his outburst. "Yeah you look fine and Alec…" she eyed him seductively, completely enjoying the fact it was her turn to make his life hell. "You are a girl" she reminded him.

"I blame you!" He let go the shirt and ran his hand through his hair again. "Gee Max, uhm this is going to sound so so wrong but can you braid my hair?" he whined in a half plea, completely embarrassed by his request.

She simply looked at him processing his question and tried to bottle her laughter. "Sure Alec, and once we're done we can work on your make-up too."

"Okay that's just not funny," he said seriously.

"So braid it then" she was still quietly laughing.

"I don't know how. They didn't have "How to pass for a woman 101" at Manticore you know. I guess they never anticipated their soldiers would eventually body jump with the opposite sex."

She was just getting tired of his incessant rambling. He wouldn't outright say it but he was freaked out. He had acted all sorts of crazy ever since he showed up that morning.

"Come here," she motioned and he sat in front of her. She brushed her fingers through her hair and started braiding it.

Getting his hair played with actually felt nice. Oh god I'm turning into a girl.

"Done," she said as finished plaiting it.

"Thanks," he said feeling the braid. "I feel better already."

She got up and swung her leg over him still sitting on the floor. She was actually enjoying being the taller of the two. She walked over to his bedroom and started looking through his drawers again. She pulled out a pair of socks, found a pair of blue jeans and a black sweater she had always liked. She quickly changed and stepped out of the room.

Alec curiously watched her come out of the room. "So that's what you like me in huh?" he teased and smiled. "I would have never guessed."

"Please," she looked down at herself unimpressed, "I picked out the first thing I found."

"Sure Max whatever you say," he drawled slowly which came out as a soft whine when using her voice.

She walked over to the washroom and looked in the mirror. And there was his face again, staring back at her. She fixed her shirt and brushed her hand through his short hair giving him that spiky look. Yeah, he looks good in this, she smiled secretly

She walked out never once glancing in his direction. "Let's go. We need to get this over and done with. And please remember, you can't touch him no matter what you do and don't antagonize him either." She grabbed his boots and put them on trying to hide the worry on her face.

"Now why would I do something like that?" He grinned at her back as they walked out of his apartment.

Logan had been trying all morning to get his new computer up and running. He had acquired odd parts through some of the transgenics from Terminal City and had finally fixed them. He just finished setting everything up when his ears caught the familiar sound of Max's ninja. He smiled to himself, dropped what he was doing and walked over to the window.

Noticing both Max and Alec, he sighed miserably, "of course." Why did he think Max would be there to see him, especially after the argument they had the night before. With fascination he watched as Alec stopped the bike and Max jumped off. Max would never let him drive her ninja. Maybe now that they're a couple…He never finished his thought he was too transfixed by what came next.

They seemed to argue for a moment and Alec reached over and slapped Max on the back of the head. Every instinct in Logan screamed. How dare he?!

Max stopped the ninja and turned around to look at herself. "Okay, remember you're me and I'm you. You can't screw this up!" she reminded him, completely positive that he would never be able to pull this off.

"Relax Max. I think I know what I'm doing. I've watched the two of you enough." He gagged and rolled his eyes at the memory, "lame." That would be something he would love to forget. He had a thought and chuckled, "maybe I could spice things up a little." He raised his eyebrows suggestively.

"Please be serious," she pleaded, "and remember you can't touch him!" She insisted on reminding him every five minutes. Like as if he would ever forget.

"Max let's get something straight okay? I may have switched bodies but my brain is still intact." He pointed to her head and suddenly stopped talking. He passed his lip through his teeth and frowned, "I mean that's if I'm still using my brain. Hey, you don't think we're working out of…" his eyes looked up in thought and he scratched the back of his head, "oh now, that's just too disturbing to finish."

She reached over and slapped herself, "concentrate!"

He shot her an annoyed look. "Will you stop doing that?!" he shrieked and rubbed the back of his head. "People will never believe we're really who we say we are if you keep hitting me. I mean how often did you ever see me hit you?" He put his hands on his hips and waited for her answer.

He had a point. Alec only hit her if she hit him first and even then it would have to be in a full blown fight and in self-defense. She sighed and pulled back her hand. "Just…. Just behave yourself."

He gave her his best smile which turned out to be her best smile. At least he wouldn't be getting slapped by her for a while now unless they were alone. "Here we go," he announced grandly with a mischievous smile.

Max groaned at the smile he gave her. She couldn't even begin to picture how disastrous this was going to turn out. This was Alec and he was bound and determined to make fun of her problems and here they were, at her "problem's" doorstep.

She opened the door and walked right into Logan standing there with a dirty look. "What's wrong with you?" he asked her quietly and she realized he thought he was talking to Alec.

She tried to be as cocky as Alec but nothing came to mind so she just tried being honest. "What do you mean what's wrong with me?"

"I saw you hit her," Logan accused Alec with his soft spoken voice and Max sniggered behind him.

Max cringed at the frown Logan gave her, and just to maker matters worse Alec practically shouted at her, "oh look Alec my very own knight in shining armor."

She said the first thing that came to mind, "it was a love tap." Soon as the words left her mouth, she closed her eyes, feeling like an idiot. God that sounded stupid.

From behind Alec rose on his toes and looked at Logan over her shoulder. "Yeah, I kinda liked it too," he smirked and Max turned around giving him a stern gaze. He chuckled at the expression and she walked into Joshua's old house.

Logan gave who he thought was Alec a blank look as he passed him, but when his eyes fell on Max's small form he gave her a smile. "Hey you," he said tenderly in an amorous tone.

Alec stopped in his tracks and raised his eyebrow. I'm going to puke. He realized Logan was waiting for something and then remembered. "Hey you" he said in a clearly unimpressed tone and approached him. Immediately Logan backed up but didn't move out of his way.

Alec waited and Logan just stood there. What does he want from me? "Apparently the house isn't going to move itself. So if you scoot just a little I'll be able to pass, sound like a plan buddy?" He was about to tap him on the shoulder and stopped when Logan moved away, a look of pure confusion on his face.

Logan was seriously disappointed by the lack of emotion and confused by the use of words from Max. Buddy? She was apparently still upset about the previous night. "About last night…" he started but was cut off.

"You know what…" Max pursed her lip, "absolutely forgotten." Which wasn't far from the truth.

Logan sighed with relief and then moved out of the way to let Max pass. He was glad that they'd at least gotten past their misunderstanding

Alec as Max walked into the living room, where Max as Alec was already stiffly waiting for them.

Max was examining the house and the things Logan had added to the décor, it reminded her a little of the penthouse apartment.

Logan walked in behind who he thought was Max. She quickly turned around to say something and he stopped in his tracks. Apparently he was trying to keep a safe distance from her, as to not touch her. Max smiled slowly at the display and walked over to stand beside Alec.

"Did you see that? It's like a force field," Alec whispered for Max's ears alone and chuckled. "Wait wait wait.." he lifted his finger and nudged her, "watch."

Logan had turned around again looking at his computer and noticed Max approach him leaving a dangerously small space between them. He backed up again, "uhm Max?" he asked, perplexed by her behavior.

Alec walked back towards Max and couldn't stop sniggering. "I have my very own Logan deflector."

Logan watched as Alec elbowed Max in the stomach with an "Ooof"

Alec then shot Max a murderous glare and smiled at Logan. Through gritted teeth he whispered to Max, "please stop."

Logan finally sat at his computer and turned around facing them. The faint whir of his exoskeleton hummed in the air. "So what's up guys?"

Alec felt a sudden rush of guilt looking at Logan's legs and shuffled his feet uncomfortably. He said he didn't need the exoskeleton anymore. Why is he still wearing it? Alec wondered. He tried to shake off the feeling in the pit of his stomach and concentrated. He heard his deep voice speak up but he cut her off figuring Logan would take things easier if he heard them from Max. "We need your help finding a Japanese artifact," he rushed out quickly.

Logan looked at her in question and quirked his eyebrows. "Okay…" he started slowly. "What is it and what does it look like?"

"Its like a thin porcelain rod with Japanese symbols on it. It's supposed to be able to cleanse your soul." He actually snickered at that, that's the understatement of the century.

"Any reason why you need it?" Logan asked curiously.

"Well you see M…m…m," he stammered around Max's name and tried to correct himself, "my Alec here," he cleared his throat and pointed to his body with his thumb. "Decided to fence it right away and turns out we need it back because…" he couldn't very well tell him the reason why. "Well we just need it back," he closed his fist and lowered his hand, hoping that was enough.

Logan watched Alec shake his head at Max, "smooth."

"Okay if you say you need it." Smirking, he looked at Alec, "next time you might not want to rush and sell it to the first buyer you find huh?" He was provoking her, only thinking it was Alec. She felt her cheeks redden out of anger but stifled a comment. Logan spoke up again, "you stole it from the museum I'm assuming. Next time you might want to take one from Max here and stick to bad guys."

Alec as Max laughed quietly shooting a glance in his body's direction. "What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Max as Alec burst out unable to keep her mouth shut. "It was an easy heist and the money was worth it, it'll keep TC in supplies for a while."

Logan heard Max join him with a happy tone in her voice. "Yeah it's not easy being freaky. You know we should form a support group. Freaks'r'us."

Logan blinked at them. "What is wrong with you two?"

Logan was awed as Alec stiffened again and Max just smirked nonchalantly, "nothing."

"Can you find it or not?" Alec said tightly

"Sure since you asked so nicely," Logan retorted sarcastically and turned around. Was that anger in his voice? She should have known. And why the hell was he acting all superior and disdainful towards Alec for that fact? She glanced at how calm Alec was in her body. He just kept glancing at her with a small smile. How the hell did he ever put up with people shooting him down?

"So when I find it what's the next scam?" Logan asked Alec who was truthfully Max and she almost lost it until she felt Alec in her body put a hand out and grab her arm. "Why don't you go downstairs Alec?" he indicated the door with a nod of her head. "We'll handle this from here."

"Fine," she snipped curtly and walked away to the basement.

"What's wrong with him?" Logan said softly clearly confused with his behavior.

"Oh…well he woke up in the wrong bed this morning," Max grinned.

Logan turned around getting the slight hint that she meant hers. "I really don't want to hear it."

"You weren't going to either. I don't kiss and tell." Alec couldn't help it, it was just too easy.

"I'll try and find what I can on the black market see if there's any information about your artifact," he said absently trying to steer the conversation away from a very uncomfortable situation.

"You do that buddy," Alec shot back glad that he'd gotten one up on him for the denigrating comments he heard earlier.

"So have you given anymore thought to the Eyes Only mission I mentioned last night?" Logan said distractedly.

Alec stood stock still trying to think what to say. He was trying to remember if Max had even mentioned anything about it but she hadn't. "Uhm…" and then a sudden memory floored him.

He was sitting at the table in front of Logan. He took a drink of wine and Logan started to speak.

"Max, I know we haven't exactly been on the best terms but I was hoping that you could do an Eyes Only mission for me."

She almost rolled her eyes at his statement, reminded of Alec's earlier comment. She actually almost laughed but that wouldn't do. She simply smiled over her glass of wine hoping he would just stop beating around the bush so she could get the mission specs and leave. "I thought that might be what this was about." Of course it was just another attempt to get her to have dinner with him and to try to reach out to her in the only way he knew how.

Logan rose from the rickety chair in "father's" old kitchen and walked over to his Eyes Only station and grabbed a folder. "This is all the information I was able to gather so far. But it's enough to incriminate said party."

She stopped listening to his words and watched as he slid the folder across the table to stop in front of her hand. She reached over and opened it glancing at everything through her genetically enhanced eyes. She stored every piece of information to the back of her mind and closed it. Alec was right, it's always about his stupid missions.

"Max?" Logan was waiting for her to answer him.

"Yeah I'll get on it as soon as I can. I'll run it by Alec whenever I see him."

At her words Logan visibly tensed. "I was kind of hoping that you could go on your own on this one. It's just that it's a really sensitive situation and well I don't think Alec would be the best person to have on this considering his past record," he explained and quickly drank some wine.

Anger filled her but she took another drink of wine trying to stifle an outburst. She tried to compose herself and smile. "Logan I know how you feel about Alec but I'd prefer having someone with me on this one. It's dangerous and I need someone to watch my back," she said tersely.

Logan simply smiled at her words and continued as if she hadn't said them. "Aren't you afraid he's going to 'screw up'?"

She bristled at his words and tried to keep the dangerous tone out of her voice but wasn't having much luck. "No as a matter of fact Alec is probably the only person I'd trust with my life when it comes to your 'missions'? He was right; he does take me for granted.

"It's just that you said so yourself…"

At these words she cut him off, "well people change Logan. Besides Alec and I are together now and I trust him explicitly." She somehow felt a strange comfort saying those few words and upon seeing the hurt look on his face felt extreme guilt at her own lie but she couldn't believe that he would throw her own words at her.

Just give me the stupid folder and I'll take care of it, I don't have to listen to this." She got up her pasta left unfinished and walked over to the door. "I'll let you know when we get the job done." And with those words she slammed the door.

She was livid, she really couldn't understand why. Maybe it was because Logan had questioned her judgment? At least Alec wouldn't have said another word and taken her words at face value. Alec knew how important it was for them to stick together now after everything that happened and Logan with his missions kept putting her out there, in harm's way.

The only reason why she ever did anything half the time when it came to Logan was because of that stupid guilt she felt every time she saw him. She would take a look at his wheelchair or listen to the sound of his exoskeleton and the same thought came playing over in her head. It's your fault. She swallowed around the lump of guilt in her throat and drove her ninja back home.

Alec blinked and focused on Logan who was watching him with a curious expression on his face.

Logan was about to ask Max about her weird behavior when suddenly the piano could be heard through the floor. It was a ridiculously easy piece called Chopsticks that Alec recognized.

Logan heard it and cocked his head strangely. "What is he playing? Isn't it kind of a giant step down from his usual repertoire?"

Alec as Max blushed in mortification. What is she doing? Now he had to cover it up. He shrugged and chuckled, "I guess he needs his muse." He started to walk towards the basement steps and turned around. "I'll let you know about the mission later."

"Okay, meanwhile I'll see what I can find." Logan watched Max retreat to the basement. What is going on with those two? He turned around trying to stop thinking of Max's earlier comments and focused on his task.

Alec made his way down the stairs and watched himself at the piano. He had to keep reminding himself that it wasn't his clone but Max who was trapped in his body.

Approaching her, he put his hands on hers and stopped her playing. "What are you doing?" he asked quietly.

"Pretending to be you," she shot out angrily and he chuckled. "Max…Chopsticks?" he smirked. "Way to pretend to be me," he laughed quietly.

It was the only thing she remembered how to play. She had heard it a few times when her foster sister used to play it on her keyboard. "It's all I know how to play and I was getting bored."

"Well okay then, but move over before he starts getting any more suspicious than he already is." Max moved to the side giving him space and watched her fingers stretch out over the black and white keys.

Alec had been about to play a complicated piece but changed his mind and decided to play something he'd been wanting to for a long time now. He started slowly remembering the feel of the keys beneath his fingers. He had come across a pre-pulse movie with this song as its main theme and had been completely captivated by it. He remembered every nuance and delicate note and his fingers danced over the keys.

The sound softly made its way through the basement floor and Logan recognized it immediately. It was a piece by Rachmaninoff – Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini. He was still amazed that Alec could play so beautifully and found himself envying him. He would have loved to play that song for Max because to him it represented a lost love that had finally been found. It was a love so true that everything else paled in comparison. It had been used in a very romantically touching movie he'd once seen and had never been able to forget.

He silently wondered if Alec knew the meaning of the piece and again jealousy started rearing its ugly head. Of course he knew the meaning of the song, why else he would he be playing such a particular piece?

Max listened to the song with fascination. She had heard him play before but had been too angry at the time to actually stop and listen. Now that she was seeing him do it she was enthralled by the movement of her own fingers. The song was so soft and beautiful that she felt captivated by each note. She watched the way he lost himself in the music and felt herself drift along with him. She could understand the pull now. It was like the song was speaking to her and she felt a sweet sorrow take over. She was itching to play with him but sadly knew that it wasn't possible. "It's beautiful," she finally whispered once she could find her voice again.

He simply smiled at her and continued his dance on the keys. "I can teach you if you want. Might come in handy you know…" He nudged her playfully. "Chopsticks just won't cut it if you're trying to pull this off as well as you want to," he laughed lightly.

"I would never be able to play like that," she said softly not wanting to disturb the feeling the song was giving her.

"Come on Maxie, don't sell yourself short. You've got it in you remember, just watch my fingers," he instructed softly.

That's all she had been doing, watching him with fascination storing every key to the back of her mind. She knew that playing didn't just involve keys and notes; she would need to feel the music. Another thing he had mastered and she was left trailing behind. Wondering again how he managed to be so in touch with his humanity she secretly envied his sense of freedom.

He finally finished playing the piece and watched her silently, "Max?"

She had watched but somewhere along the way had simply stopped and listened spellbound. "I'm sorry," she apologized quietly.

"It's okay," he smiled at her knowingly. "Do you want to try it?" he offered and she smiled and nodded her head. She put her hands over the keys and slowly he instructed her on how to position her hands and showed her some chords. She tried to play the music but all that came out was a really bad imitation of what he just played.

"Don't be so stiff all the time Max… relax your hands a little. This is music you just let it flow out of you. You don't have to wrestle with the keys to make them do what you want. You don't have to fight for control; you are in control."

Logan heard the change in music and realized he was teaching her how to play. Great. He couldn't have been any greener with envy if he tried.

"Here," he said as he positioned his hands on the keys and made her position her hands over his. "Just feel it for now." He started playing the song again with such ease and again she found herself mesmerized. Her hands beneath his were so loosely held conveying calmness. "Did you learn this at Manticore?" she finally asked meaning the song not the playing which he caught on to."

"Are you kidding?" he laughed quietly. Of course she wouldn't know the meaning of the song, Max was just…Max. She looked at the world and focused on the grand scheme of things never focusing on the little joys that could be found beneath the surface. She would have never known it was from a love story either. He just let it drop for the moment. "I heard it once and it just stuck with me." Even at Manticore when he had learned how to play he had never done it for them. To him it was a means of escape.

She nodded and removed her hands. "So what did Logan say?" she finally asked what she was itching to know.

"He's looking up the information now. He'll let us know when he finds something." He didn't mention the mission he so conveniently remembered at the last minute figuring he would talk about it with her later. "I just had to come here and save you. You should have seen the look on his face when you started playing," he laughed and she groaned in embarrassment.

He played for a few moments and spoke up. "Max…" he started slowly not really knowing how to start afraid of ruining the moment. For once, he was just glad they were being civil to one another.

"Yeah?" she asked absentmindedly still watching him.

"What's with the guilt?" he asked softly not really knowing how to explain himself.

"What do you mean?" She finally turned to look at her face.

"Well for a while upstairs I had this really, I mean really bad sense of guilt just being around Logan. Since I don't usually feel guilty for giving him a hard time…" He grinned at that and continued, "I'm assuming that somehow it comes from you."

She lowered her head and averted her eyes. "It's complicated," she whispered reminded of her own guilt.

He waited for a moment and eventually asked, "do you want to talk about it?" He had taken one from her not really expecting her to open up. She had tried the same approach with him once and he had shot her down with, "I'm always alright." Now he knew better.

He finished playing the song again and switched to a different piece. Chopin – Nocturne in E flat.

"It was a long time ago…" she started tensely but oddly soothed by the musical piece and felt the strange need to go on. "When I first met Logan he asked me to do an Eyes Only mission for him and I refused." She swallowed, "so he went without me. He was shot and wasn't able to walk again. He's in that wheelchair because of me."

He looked up from the piano, his fingers still playing expertly and shook his head. "Wow," he didn't say it in awe but out of sadness and comprehension.

He gave her a few moments and looked away, back to his playing. "You know you really shouldn't be blaming yourself for something you couldn't control right?" Now he understood why she felt she had to take everything on by herself all the time. She felt completely responsible for refusing him once. Therefore felt she couldn't refuse him ever again for fear of not being able to prevent another disaster from happening.

"He wouldn't be the way he is today if I had just helped him," she insisted.

"Max were you the one holding the gun on him?" he inquired still playing the melodramatic composition.

"No…"

"If you had gone, you realize that you would have probably been the one shot. That could be you up there or worse you could have died." He tried to make her understand his point of view and he wanted her to stop feeling so guilty. When he first felt it he had taken a sharp breath completely overwhelmed. It was like his mind had utterly glazed over with it. The feeling was so crippling.

She never answered him. "Just don't feel guilty over things you couldn't really control." He finally looked at her and watched as she wiped her eyes. Which evidently were his.

"I know," she said sadly. Deep down she knew he meant well but he hadn't really been there so he would never really understand.

She concentrated on the song he was playing and she didn't really know how she knew but she remembered Rachel used to play it. Only then realizing how well he understood the situation considering he had blamed himself over Rachel's death for a long time. She would have never really known if she hadn't somehow been in his body with some type of residual emotion attached from years of guilt. She now understood why he chose that particular piece to play. It reminded him of her.

"Guys I think I found something." They heard Logan's voice come from the doorway of the stairs. Immediately Alec stopped playing and Max put her hands on the piano just in case Logan came or looked down the stairs.

"If this works I'll be me by the end of the day," she whispered excitedly.

They both got up from the bench and Alec's fingers lingered on the piano for a bit and he followed her which was himself up the stairs. Goodbye civility.

Logan was watching the couple curiously never cracking a smile. "I have some good news and some bad news, which one you want first."

Alec quickly answered, "bad news."

Max answered "good news."

And they both looked at each other and chuckled a bit. Logan couldn't help but feel irritated. He turned around and clicked on the screen. "I guess I'll start with the good news." He started slowly, "I found your artifact and the guy that has it. He's a high end business man here from Japan."

"And the bad news?" Max as Alec asked in anticipation. She could feel her heartbeat quickening she just wanted this nightmare over and done with. "Well he's leaving today, so if you're planning another 'heist' I doubt you'd have enough time. So you may as well kiss it goodbye."

"So where is he?" Alec as Max asked not really caring what Logan just finished saying.

"Well here's the address," he showed them a paper. "He's wanted that thing for a long time now I doubt he's just going to…" Logan didn't even get to finish his words. Max took Alec's hand and pulled him behind her. Alec grabbed the paper quickly out of his hand as he rushed by.

Logan was about to say something and Max cut him off. "Yeah yeah we know be careful."

Logan looked back down the hallway and sighed when he heard the door slam close. "You're welcome."

Max jumped on her bike and revved the engine. Alec jumped on it behind her and they both drove away in a hurry. Neither of them spoke they were just hoping they'd be able to catch this guy in time.

They stopped in front of a very expensive looking house and she jumped off the bike. She didn't even wait for Alec and rang the buzzer at the gate. It was now late afternoon and she was just hoping he was still home.

"Yes?" She heard a nasal voice on the intercom.

"Jam Pony Messenger" she said the first thing that came to mind and shrugged when Alec frowned. "We have a package for…" she read the name on the paper, "Mr. Yakatoshi."

The gate opened and they walked in. When the maid answered the door she let them in and they stood there for a moment and Max spoke up as Alec. "Is Mr. Yakatoshi here? It's important that we speak with him now." Alec as Max started pacing the small room in the doorway biting his thumb nail. "This better work," he whispered.

The maid left for a moment and came back with a very distinguished looking Japanese gentleman in tow. He was very tall with a black lustrous beard and suit. "Yes how can I help you?" he asked with a very thick accent.

"Look I don't have time for formalities," she spoke in a rush. "You know that artifact you just got about this long." She showed him with her hands. "It had strange symbols on it. Well we need to get it back it's important."

The man smiled at her as if she was stupid. "I'm sorry young man I don't know what you're talking about."

"Look pal, we're the ones who swiped it for you in the first place. We know you have it," Alec said losing patience. "We just need to touch it for a few minutes ok?"

His smile slipped and he examined both curiously. He watched first Max and then Alec and a smile crept back on his face and he spoke in awe, "you have experienced the Kirikae?"

"YES!" Alec in Max's body shouted at the recognition of the word. Max in Alec's body looked strangely at Alec in her body. She didn't even know he could speak Japanese.

"Look we don't have all day here pal I want my body back and so does she. So just let us hold it for a moment and we can just 'exchange' places again. Ok?" He smiled trying to convince him to part with it for a few moments.

The Japanese man started speaking as if reciting a story. "The artifact is used to clean body, mind and soul. It was first used many generations ago when the Emperor was deathly ill with a strange disease. He was magically healed of all toxins in his body but he had to go on a journey of the soul to accomplish his task. What you've done has not been heard of in many generations. It is a very old Japanese legend." He looked at them with sadness in his eyes. "I'm afraid that what you need is impossible," he said softly. "You have to make your own journey. Once started it cannot be reversed. In order for you to be able to exchange the way you have you must have very troubled souls indeed."

Max couldn't resist. "Troubled my ass! Please, just throw him some hookers and beer and he's a happy camper." "Max that hurts," Alec said truthfully. He looked at Mr. Yakatoshi. "She's got a hero complex. She freaks out if she can't control everything."

"Either way," Mr. Yakatoshi started again not understanding their banter. "The exchange comes from within and it can only be reversed the same way."

"Wait…You mean I'm stuck in this body?" Max asked starting to feel depressed again.

He simply looked at her as if she was daft. "You have to complete the journey. Once you've done so you'll go back to your original bodies."

"And how do I complete this journey?" Max asked desperately almost reaching for the lapels of his expensive suit.

"That is something you must figure out on your own." He backed up from Alec seeing anger glint in his green eyes.

"Great," Alec started weakly looking down at Max's form. "I'm stuck in this body forever." He couldn't help thinking that someone had a strange sense of humor. Okay so I said I wanted to be near her. I never said I wanted to be her.

"If it's any consolation," he looked at them with pity. "You should try to appreciate each other more and learn to accept one another."

"How hard can it be?" Max tried to be cheerful and Alec gave her a skeptical look.

"I'm afraid that's all I can do to help you," Mr. Yakatoshi said. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get ready my flight leaves shortly."

And with those words they were politely escorted out of the door by the maid. They stood at the doorway and Alec looked up at his expressionless face. "I'm doomed."

Max looked down at herself. "Whatever pretty boy I understand you. You're the one who's never going to understand me." She rubbed her brow tiredly.

They both turned around and walked towards the ninja. "God I need a drink," Max said.

"Max…" Alec said warningly. "Don't even think of going to Crash that's just a disaster waiting to happen," he said softly knowing full well what would happen if they went there.

"Oh please, how hard can it be?" She rolled her eyes and hopped on the bike.

"So much for lying low," he retorted quietly. It wasn't even a day yet and already she couldn't follow her own rules. Thank god it was the weekend he couldn't even imagine how she would deal with work. "I'm going with you."

"I think I can handle a few drinks of my own," she snipped and started her bike.

"Right…" he grinned knowingly. She would just about get the surprise of her life. He just had to be there and see how well she thought she understood him. "Let the fun begin."