A/N: I actually finished this chapter earlier than expected I hope you all enjoy. More funny to come promise:) again thanx for the reviews!
Chapter 6
Max had successfully managed to fall back asleep and it was through a haze of dreams that she opened her eyes to the sound of the continuous ringing noise. In a fog her thoughts drifted from images of a pair of sparkling hazel eyes dancing with laughter and a gorgeous smile back to the familiar room. Like dreams usually did they fleeted to her subconscious too quickly for her to remember.
Looking over at the clock she realized that it was three o'clock. "In the afternoon?!" she said out loud in disbelief as she quickly sat up in bed. That's impossible. Catching a glimpse of the window she had to believe, it did look like late afternoon and by the looks of the rain streaking the window in rivulets, it was storming. Never in her life had she slept that much and unexpectedly felt a surge of guilt course through her.
Regularly up due to her strange sleeping habits she would have done so much by this time already. Generally she would have checked up on Joshua, made sure everyone was ok in TC and had usually talked with Logan by now. Rising from the large bed she stretched her tired muscles and amazingly felt relaxed. Loving this new sensation she smiled and walked over to Alec's dresser and picked out some clothes.
Choosing a brown pair of pants with a high collared grey shirt to hide his barcode, she headed towards the washroom. Jumping in the shower she quickly washed this time successfully managing to do it without blushing, the sound of the rushing water masking the ringing from the next room. Drying off slowly she then dressed, the entire time feeling a sense of calmness and smiled again.
Looking in the mirror his face stared back reminding her of the previous night and why she had felt the need to wallow in self pity that morning. Effectively it made the smile slip. She would have to talk to him eventually only she wasn't sure he would want to talk to her now. They had to sooner or later if they were going to work everything out and find a way to switch back to their own bodies.
Out of her drifting thoughts her ears caught the sound of ringing. Cocking her head to the side she frowned and followed the noise back to his bedroom. Looking everywhere she finally caught the dim light in his coat pocket as it rang again. Glancing at the caller ID "Roller Boy" flashed and she laughed softly, only Alec.
Usually she would have probably been a little ticked off at the nickname but oddly in her mood found it amusing reminding her of his usual playfulness. She bit her lip in shame at what she had done to that playfulness the night before and flipped open the phone. "Alec! Finally!" an almost desperate voice said on the other side before she could say anything.
"Logan," she replied in greeting trying not to react to the sound of his voice because she instinctively knew he was in a panic. "What's up…. Pal?" she added as an afterthought the habitual name she'd heard Alec use so many times.
"Can you come over?" Logan wasted no time and got right down to the point.
"Well…" starting slowly knowing what had happened the last time she had been with Logan in Alec's body. It wasn't exactly like they were the best of friends at the moment; still she couldn't help but wonder why Logan would call Alec sounding so distraught.
"It's about Max" Logan threw out knowing that would get Alec moving and waited for his answer. "Something happened."
What the hell did he do now? Not wanting to ask Logan that very same question she remained silent, she would find out soon enough. "Give me a few, I'll be right there." Grabbing the jean jacket she slipped it on pulled on her sleeves and left, not really noticing that she had done exactly what Alec would have when putting on his jacket.
Jumping on her ninja she drove through the rain straight to her destination. All the while she started to worry, not about what he had really done but about him. Logan had sounded a little too panicked for her taste.
Marching up the few steps to Joshua's old home, she opened the door and walked into the living room and looked around stunned. First, she noticed the room was littered with papers as if a twister had found its way into the small room. Second, to Logan who was sitting on the floor with a look of sorrow on his face as if his life had lost all meaning.
Managing to work her mouth she asked "what happened in here?" Reflexively her eyes drifted inconspicuously around the room looking for the exoskeleton that simply wasn't there. Looking back to Logan who had not moved she approached him and knelt in front of him waving her hand to get his attention. He looked completely lost.
Logan heard his voice and regretted calling him now. What was he thinking? What could Alec possibly do? Max had said it herself if Alec had known he would have never let her go. On top of that Alec and Max were together now. Now he had alerted Alec himself and would probably end up with two pissed off transgenics instead of one.
Biting his lip in compunction he looked up into hazel eyes that reflected concern. Nothing would stop him from getting to Max though so he grabbed his courage with both hands. "Thanks for coming," he whispered.
"No problem, I came as fast as I could." Absentmindedly she reached down to give Logan a hand almost pulling away out of habit and then remembered she didn't have to anymore. Their hands touched for the first time in almost a year making her extremely responsive to the sensation of his hand on hers; well technically Alec's.
Waiting for the feelings she had anticipated would be there she frowned. There was no heightened happiness, no sweet yearning, not even a tiny bit of giddiness at being able to make contact with the person she had wanted to touch for so long. The emotions simply weren't there to greet her like she had expected.
Shaking herself out of that insight she slowly let go of his hand as he rose to stand in front of her. "So what's wrong with Max?" Asking as she walked away playing with her hands mulling over what happened a moment ago.
"Well I had an Eyes Only mission I needed her to help me with and something happened."
Whirling on Logan she hissed. "What?" and Logan backed up in fear seeing the feral glare thrown in his direction misreading it as anger towards him. "She went by herself?" She would have never left without him, why would he have gone without her? I'm going to kill him.
"I…I…didn't think there would be a problem," stammering out the words he tried to ignore the anger on Alec's face. "Only there was information about the cure that turned out to be a trap and then White showed up and…" Never finishing his sentence his eyes drifted around the room, anywhere but back to Alec's now intensely green eyes.
"I'm sorry," he apologized again for having sent her by herself but never realized that Alec who was truly Max had completely gotten the wrong picture by his cryptic explanation.
Automatically she panicked thinking that something had gone terribly wrong. It was only too apparent by the state she had found Logan in. Feeling her throat constrict in fear she managed to ask. "Is she okay? Is she hurt? Where is she!?" She heard Alec's deep voice desperately ask the questions that were tumbling around in her mind all the while trying to calm the accelerated beating of her heart. He better be fine or I'm going to kick his ass.
She almost walked away from Logan when he didn't say anything, fearful of what he was going to tell her. Terrified of the possibility that Alec was dead, that their last time together had been spent arguing and she would never get to apologize for hurting him. To tell him she was wrong. He's gone and I pushed him away, he died thinking I hated him. I am poison.
Logan didn't really know how to tell Alec what had happened earlier with Max. "Well…" In a blur he felt a vice-like grip around his neck abruptly cutting off his words, his feet lifted off the ground and he couldn't breathe. Alec's chiseled features were only a few inches from his. "WHERE IS SHE?!" His fingers squeezed tighter with every word. Logan was completely confused by the change in Alec's behavior, he started to see spots and trying to breathe managed to get the words out. "She…left!"
Alec closed his eyes and swallowed, dropping Logan unceremoniously to the ground where he fell in a painful thud. "She left a couple of hours ago," he repeated the words to make sure Alec had really heard him. Coughing he tried to catch his breath.
Max's vision had gone completely black she distantly heard his chocked voice and was baffled when she looked down to Logan who was on the floor. What did I do? She looked down to her hand in shock.
Now that Logan had been released he stood up again defiantly. "What's wrong with you!?"
Max felt torn between shame and anger. With the release of her trepidation over thinking Alec was dead she exploded with the ruling emotion. "What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? I come in here wondering what on earth is going on and then you tell me about your stupid mission and the entire time you hint to the fact that Max is dead! How did you think I'd react?!" I could have killed him…Oh god what's happening to me? Was it because in Alec's body she didn't know how to hold back?
Logan scrambled back on the floor looking for an exit to the very pissed Alec almost bearing down on him. "I'm sorry okay, I didn't mean to I just didn't know how to tell you..." Starting nervously he got up from the floor keeping his distance.
Max closed her eyes trying to calm down and try to understand what had suddenly come over her. She had seriously thought Alec was dead and that Logan was giving her the sad news. Of all people who could be telling her this. She thought Logan was doing it out of cruelty to Alec who she now knew didn't hold much friendship for. She would have never believed it except she had experienced it herself. "Tell me what?" hissing again the awful feeling came back.
Alec's eyes bore down into Logan's spectacled face who felt the need to go on under the scrutinizing glare. "She's fine," he felt the need to add again. "She came back the mission a success."
Holding up the package to prove his point he continued. "Only, I've never seen her so mad. She was so furious I didn't know what to do. It's like she wasn't herself…" There was a long pause and Logan turned around in embarrassment. Out of the blue a rich deep laughter surrounded the room.
Max was so relieved she found herself laughing out of, happiness? Oh she was still mad at Alec and Logan. Alec for going on the mission without her when it had been so dangerous and Logan for probably insisting she went alone again. Thankful that he was fine the dread that had swum throughout her body drowned away replaced by an immense liberation. The absurdity of the situation wasn't lost on her and now she was extremely amused that Logan had felt the need to call her who he thought was Alec to calm Alec who he thought was her.
"So let me get this straight, she got pissed at you and you figured you needed to call your old buddy Alec to swoop down to the rescue? Proud of her impression of Alec she was smirking now. Funny how Logan had been patronizing with Alec only the day before but in his time of need had called him first. What a hypocrite. Knowing full well how Alec felt about Logan's need to save the world and about his so called Eyes Only Missions. She was surprised that pissed was the only thing Alec had been when he found out it was a trap; she had actually expected worse.
Upset that she had felt the need to strangle Logan for worrying her like that she turned away from him. She couldn't bear to look in his blue eyes. "What makes you think that I would be able to do anything to calm her down in the first place or that I would even want to?" Realizing that she was taunting him she bit her lip in disgrace. I've been in his body too long. First I black out on him and now I'm playing with his emotions. Trying to shake the odd feelings controlling her body she looked back to Logan.
Logan still rubbing his neck attempted to do what he had gotten Alec there for. "I know you and I haven't exactly been close since Max and you have been together."
"That's putting it lightly," she gave the snarky remark before she could stop herself.
Logan simply carried on, "I thought you'd be able to make her see. I didn't do it on purpose. I was only trying to do the right thing. I had an idea that the cure may have been there but I didn't know it was a trap."
"The cure…" she said absently a small flutter of hope in her stomach but it died down quickly. "That's why you kept insisting that she went alone isn't it?"
Logan was right, calling Alec was the worse thing he could have done. With his usual laid back attitude he never would have dreamed in a million years that this would have been the outcome. Backing up again he held out his hands out at the drilling question.
"Yeah," admitting the truth to who he thought was Alec when he had not been able to tell who he thought was Max. "I just thought that if she could get the cure that…" he stopped his train of words because if he finished what he had been about to say Alec would probably beat him to a pulp.
"Oh relax I'm not going to hurt you again." Feeling a need to prove herself she approached him with her hands down but he backed up again making her feel completely discouraged. Thank god he thinks I'm Alec.
"You thought that if she got the cure that you would be together again." Finishing what he had started, her words softened because she had wanted it herself for so long. Only she had stopped fooling herself about it. Feeling the need to change the painful subject she backed up to give him some space. He was still inching his way further into the room. "So what exactly did she say to you?" she asked curiously, it must have been pretty bad if Logan was this bothered by it.
Logan was embarrassed by the question, he had sat at his desk long thinking about exactly that and realized that deep down Max was right. Not really knowing what to tell Alec he picked up the object off his desk and slowly handed it out giving it to him. "She threw this at me and told me she was done."
Max looked down into the palm of her hand and recognized her pager. "That's it?" Taking the hint from the pager that Alec meant for Logan to never contact her again. Now she understood why Logan had been so desperate to get a hold of her; well Alec. He was scared he had lost Max for good and seeing the unspoken message between her fingers she cringed. Alec had made a decision concerning her life at his own discretion now she was growing angrier by the second.
"I'll take care of it," hearing herself say in a toneless voice she averted her gaze from a visibly relieved Logan.
Closing her eyes at what she was about to do. She spoke up again in a softer voice, "I'll talk with her but..." She didn't really know if there would be much talking involved since she had a few choice words for Alec but she would try.
"As for the pager keep it or throw it out but don't contact her anymore." Using the fact that Logan was now afraid of the Alec facing him she continued almost threateningly. "Don't let me hear that you're trying to reach her either or I'll come back and finish what I started. What happened, happened, get over it." Unbeknownst to her she repeated exactly what Alec only told Logan a few hours ago.
Maybe coming from Alec the message would get through to him. Swallowing the lump in her throat she tried to hold back the tears. How many times would she have to do this? Break his heart to protect him. Now she was resorting to threats. Leading Logan on to believe that everything would go back to normal was just wrong not to mention cruel because it would never be possible for them to be together.
Alec would be so mad if he found out that she had used him again as a means of shielding Logan. Dropping the pager on the table she continued walking and left completely mystified with the confusing emotions she was experiencing, trying to understand why she had blacked out. She touched her hand in regret and jumped on her bike leaving tire marks on the pavement.
Logan watched Alec's retreating form with hatred and jealousy. It wasn't exactly the way he had pictured it in his mind when he contacted him but at least he would try to talk to her. Hoping it would be enough to make her see that he still cared about her. That he would never give up on them no matter what. Not really caring that Alec had been the one to tell him to back off. He would keep hope.
Alec winced as he put a bandage on his arm, it was just a nick but it hurt like hell. As long as he covered it up she would never know. Besides it wasn't like they were on speaking terms, more his unspoken decision than hers but it worked out in the end.
Cindy tried talking to him but he had rudely brushed her off without meaning to. He simply had a hard time calming down at the moment and needed to be alone. So locking himself in the washroom to wash away the blood running down her arm he had also gotten a bit of solitude to work out his aggravation.
With trembling hands due to anger he finished applying the bandage and sat on the floor running his fingers through her long hair. Crossing his legs bringing them close to his chest he rested his arms around his knees burying his head in his arms. Biting down on his lip he tried to clear his head and relax.
He still couldn't believe he had exploded at Logan like that. It just wasn't like him. In his own body it was so much easier to restrain himself. Something inside him had snapped. All he kept thinking about was what if it had been Max instead of him? Sure he had been mad before but not enough to want to hurt anyone from it. Being a soldier or in other words an assassin had been completely different he had been under orders and even then it didn't even begin to compare.
Alec wasn't really sorry about Logan, he deserved every harsh word but he felt ashamed every time he thought about it. He was unsure what he would tell Max when she confronted him about it, because he had acted on impulse. He had probably ruined every possible chance for her and Logan to be together now.
Was this how Max felt every day? How in the world did she ever put up with this? All this rage, sorrow and guilt but mainly it was the feeling that he had no control. The iron grip on his emotions at the moment was the only thing keeping him sane. Was it because in her body he didn't know how to hold back his emotions as easily as she could? There came a knock at the door and he jumped, startled out of his thoughts.
Cindy had waited for Max to come out hoping to talk to her but she had already been there for over an hour now. "Boo, look Original Cindy is worried 'bout you. Can you at least talk to me?"
There was a long pause and then Max's voice came softly through the door, "not right now Cindy."
Now Cindy was really worried the only time she had ever seen Max like this was when she had lost someone. Locking herself up for days brooding over her guilt and sorrow. She prepared herself to knock on the door again and the door to the apartment burst open with a loud bang.
Cindy frowned and walked towards the entrance wanting to know who in the world would be brave enough to break down her door. "Alec?" She had been about to cuss him out but seeing the uninhibited look of determination and anger on his face decided to keep her mouth shut.
"Where is she!?" Alec snarled and she backed up. Cindy's mouth dropped open and the only gesture she managed was lifting her arm and pointing towards the washroom door.
Max had tried to tone down her anger but the more she thought about what Alec had done the angrier she became. By the time she got to her apartment she was just full blown livid. She headed towards the washroom and banged on the door practically breaking it down with Alec's strength. "GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE NOW!" she yelled.
Alec's head lifted from his arms when he heard the crashing of the door and then his own voice in the apartment. Great, just what I need right now.
The door shook on its hinges and before she managed to break it down he opened the door. "Alec," he hissed warningly at Max. "Now is not THE TIME!" Attempting to say it quietly but the anger he had been trying so hard to mute down for the past hour came bursting forth and his voice rose with it.
"ALEC, HOW DARE YOU!?" Max was raging so bad she had completely forgotten she was in Alec's body and that Cindy was there watching the scene unfold. Her eyebrows reached her hairline and her mouth stood open.
Alec not really knowing what to do looked over at Cindy with round eyes. "O.C. you should leave, now!"
"Da hell I am!" she finally managed to find her voice. Looking over at Alec who had his hands in fists she tried to take a stance of defiance. "You're not goin' ta come in here like dat and start trippin' on my boo."
Both Max and Alec turned to Cindy as one this time and in unison yelled. "LEAVE!" Alec said it because he didn't want O.C. there to witness anything else out of the ordinary and Max because she simply didn't want anyone getting in her way of kicking his ass.
Cindy grabbed her jacket and shoes and with a worried look left the apartment closing the door behind her. One transgenic bad enough, but two? Not really believing she had attempted to defy a very pissed off Alec she headed out knowing full well that now they would end up fighting and she would probably find her apartment in shambles. She headed towards the only place she could think of, Crash.
Without a warning Max threw out a vicious punch hitting him across the face. "Of all the stupid things you could have done!" Watching her eyes grow cold with fury she ducked as Alec tried to retaliate with his own hit and was thrown back when he managed to kick her in the stomach while her attention was on his fist. "Max don't do this!" Alec said shrilly he did not want to fight her especially now that he was so heated with anger.
Ignoring his words she advanced on him, she tried a roundhouse kick and he caught her leg managing to punch her in the face this time. She lifted her hand to her split lip and bristled with fury. Backing up he tried to hold back but was failing miserably. "I don't want to hurt you Max." Warning her with a plea he tried to get her to stop but she wasn't listening.
Tightening her fists again she watched her brown eyes reflecting smoldering rage. "Logan told me everything!" she shouted and blurred punching him in the stomach making her point.
With his bigger form she pushed him on the ground and punched him with each fist, he managed to block one but not the other. "You self-centered, egotistical, pompous jackass!" Alec grabbed both of her arms and hit her with a head butt using both legs he kicked her off him. "You forgot good looking."
In a swift motion using his legs to push himself forward he was back up on his feet. She tried to sweep them from under him but he jumped in a blur and kicked her instead.
"How could you?!" Back to the wall she pushed herself away and attempted an uppercut which he blocked with his forearm and punched her back in a blur. Taking hold of his arm she twisted it and elbowed him in the side throwing her smaller form at the wall. In a blur she closed the distance and elbowed him on the side of the head.
Recovering quickly from her hit, he kneed her twice, and punched her across the face. Bringing his arm back promptly he hit her on the back of the head with his elbow. "Max stop, I'm warning you." She staggered forward at his rapid combination and turned around to face him again.
He was using moves on her he never used before and she was trying to assimilate. In a blur he propelled himself in the air and with both feet hit her square in the chest making her fall back to the ground. He was on top of her now and she was trying to catch her breath from his sudden hit. "You could have gotten yourself killed you big jerk!" she shouted now mere inches from his face.
The more she thought about what happened instead of her anger being concentrated on what he had said to Logan it kept steering her back to the fact that he had almost gotten himself caught by White. Alec was so caught off guard by her statement that all that came out of his mouth was a small croak.
Taking the advantage she rolled with him ending up on top pinning his arms to the floor. His mind finally caught up leaving him laying there in shock and he winced as she squeezed his right arm. About to say something else he cut her off. "What? Whoa, whoa, whoa back up. You mean to tell me you came all the way over here to chew my ass out because something could have happened to me?" Just when I think I understand her.
She didn't even understand where the statement came from and seeing the look of pain crossing the face below her she let go of the stronghold on his arms. "Why?" she asked.
"Does it matter?" he watched as she screwed up her mouth in disbelief.
"Yeah it does, because I've got your back Alec I thought you knew that!" Angry enough to bust open a door at first she felt it trickle away now that they had fought.
"Well after last night you made it clear you didn't." Sighing he tried to push her away but she wasn't budging.
"I thought you were gone and I found out through Logan…. LOGAN!" Yelling now he could only stare back up at her his eyebrows rose with confusion. "He made it sound like you were dead!"
Alec only blinked; of all the things she could have wanted to kick his ass for this was the last thing he expected. "So you're pissed because I left without you or because White almost got me? Max… I don't understand you anymore," he said truthfully baffled by her flare-up.
She didn't even know either why she was so mad anymore. She should have simply been happy that he was fine but somehow the thought of almost losing him over something so mundane was the only thing her mind could process. "I'm pissed off because I was coming to tell you I was sorry and that I was wrong but then I find out that you're gone and then you aren't!" She beat her fists on his shoulder and a tear slipped landing on his cheek. "How could you!?"
Sighing at her display he could only think one thing, fucking Logan again. "Maxie…" saying her name softly he tried getting her to stop but she kept beating on him more tears pouring forth. "Stop it… I'm okay."
Reaching up he grabbed her fists. "Well I will be once you stop beating on me." He finally grinned at her and she stopped struggling.
Letting go of her fists he reached up and wiped the wetness on her cheeks; which weirdly enough was his own face but he could still see her in his eyes. "I'm fine I promise."
There was an awkward silence and she pushed herself up and he got up behind her.
Turning away from her own face she had the most uncomfortable feeling in the pit of her stomach. What the hell did I just do now? No sense on dwelling she had started so she may as well finish. Avoiding looking back at her own image she tried to picture him standing there watching her instead, it just seemed easier. "What I said last night…" she stopped, trying to gather her courage and her words. Apologizing wasn't something she did often and she didn't want to mess it up.
"I went too far," she said simply. "You probably hate me for the things I said but I want you to know that I don't think that of you. You're right I get pissed off because I can't control you. I set everyone free from Manticore and I feel responsible."
Alec became aware that the anger consuming him completely vanished, he felt better somehow. No wonder she likes kicking my ass. Knowing he was probably the only one who could take her ass kicking and just keep smiling back now had a strange appeal. Listening to her words he forgot his sudden epiphany. Hearing the sorrow in his deep voice he wanted to turn around and hug her, tell her that it was alright but he just couldn't move.
The room had grown so silent it was deafening, Alec finally turned around to tell her he sorry as well and that he accepted her apology but she wasn't there. Walking to the doorway he looked down the long hallway but she was long gone. He felt the urge to run after her but what would he tell her? Like her he wasn't good at dealing with his emotions because he had never really had free reign with them before. The sad part was that she had ten years on him and she wasn't doing any better.
Closing the door he went back to her bedroom and threw himself on the bed staring up at that same ceiling again now knowing each detail accurately. "Again it's just me and you pal." He sighed forlornly thinking about Max and the reason why she had been so mad at him. It doesn't make any sense. After a while he miraculously found sleep.
Max had taken his silence as confirmation that he was still upset so had left hoping to put as much distance between them as she could. She ended up on the Space Needle finding comfort instantly. Letting the wind whip at his form she snuggled in his Jean Jacket a little more, not realizing again that she was inhaling his scent. Glad that the rain had finally let up she watched the myriad lights over the city.
A whirlwind of thoughts simply invaded her mind and she tried desperately to make sense of them.
They drifted to Logan and the odd discovery she had made that afternoon, to her loss of control and finally to her final words. Burying her head in Alec's jacket she cried because she realized what she thought she wanted all along had all been an illusion. Who needs love? It just hurts too much.
Through her tears she tried to make sense of her reaction to Alec and how scared she had been. So afraid that she had lost someone else she had overreacted. Somehow, she knew that if it would have been true she would have never recovered. That thought alone made her cry harder.
She was so tired of losing everyone and now she had single-handedly pushed away two more. One the object of her affection and the other who she thought until now had been the bane of her existence. She felt so completely lost now; she didn't think she would ever find her way back.
Monday morning came around all too quickly, Normal looked up from his computer and noticed Max walk in early for work.
His eyes rove over her shapely body. From her tight fitting black pants, to her red tank top which she covered with her usual black leather jacket, finally to her dark brown hair she had actually plaited in a braid. "Well to what do we owe this new found dedication to your work?" he asked sarcastically.
Alec turned around with a raised eyebrow and replied "well I was invaded by a body snatcher and find myself possessed by someone who actually gets to work on time."
Normal blinked at the comment and frowned. "Well body snatcher or not just make sure you do your job Missy Miss, I have no patience for slackers and you know that. Bip!" Waving her off he adjusted his headset and Max scoffed, shook her head then chuckled.
Alec had actually gone to work early like he usually did. Of course he hadn't gotten more than a couple of hours but they had done wonders on his mood. Naturally, Normal still found something to gripe about.
Walking up to his locker he opened it and put his bag in and jumped when Normal's voice startled him, "what are you doing?"
Alec looked up at his locker and closed it quickly and turned around to look at his boss. "What do you mean?"
"Well that's Alec's locker and I don't take lightly to employees stealing from other employees especially golden boy's."
Alec looked up at the ceiling and rolled his eyes. "Give it a rest Normal, Alec and I are friends why would I steal from him besides if he didn't trust me why would I have his locker combination?" he tried to make Normal see logic instead of subterfuge.
"Why do you do any of the things you do. I've been watching you slacker and you're nothing but trouble." Normal never relented and Alec was getting a little annoyed at the small crowd watching them. "Is your headset on too tight?" Alec laughed. "What part of we're friends don't you get?"
"We'll see what Alec thinks when he shows up." Normal looked down at his watch. "Unlike you he usually shows up on time so he should be here any minute now."
"Whatever." Watching Normal's back as he retreated he sighed and sat on the bench between the row of lockers waiting for his body to show up.
Absently chewing his thumbnail lost in thought he was again startled when O.C. nudged him on the shoulder.
"So you goin' to tell me what da hell that was about yesterday?" she asked slightly peeved but relieved that Max was ok.
"Look Cin… I'm really sorry you had to see that," he genuinely apologized because he could just imagine how scary the situation may have been to O.C. She was brushed off by not only one pissed off transgenic but two very furious ones. "I'll make it up to you, I promise."
"Well you betta, first you can start by telling me what happened?" Inquiring with her hands on her hips she looked down to her best friend and was relieved to see the tightness around her eyes had diminished.
"I'd tell you but I don't really know myself," Alec admitted chuckling.
O.C sat in front of Max and smiled. "Well at least I only found a few broken things which is surprising coming from the both of you." Laughing softly she added "you sure he was there to fight wit you or you holdin' out on Original Cindy?" she winked
Alec could only laugh at her sly comment. "Yeah that's all there was." Seeing the unconvinced look on her face he added "the damage would have been worse, trust me." And he winked. O.C. just laughed out loud and pushed her friend playfully. "I'm sure."
Getting up she went to her own locker and started rummaging through it.
"Alright people! These packages aren't growing wings so let's get to it! Bip Bip Bip."
Alec looked over at the clock wondering where in the world Max was. Leaving to deliver his packages he tried to put her to the back of his mind.
Max woke up looking over to the clock, something was off. "Shit!" In a hurry she jumped out of the bed getting herself tangled in the blankets and fell to the floor. For the first time in her life she was actually late, it wasn't because she had done it purposely but because she slept in and was in fact really, really late.
Scurrying around the apartment she rushed to get dressed and grabbed a pack of pop tarts from the cupboard and left. Forgetting she even had her ninja she ran straight to work. Stopping at the entrance she tried to compose herself, barely even winded from the long trek she brushed her hand through his short hair and tugged on his jacket. Walking through the door she noticed that the place was already active with messengers on their way to deliver packages.
Trying to avoid Normal she headed straight to the back but he saw her.
"There's my rock star!" he shouted pleased to see Alec.
"I know I'm late Normal, don't start," he quipped and kept walking past him.
"No worries I'm sure there was a good reason for it." Admiring his fighter in residence who was wearing brown pants, a black turtle neck and a blue jean jacket he completely ignored the fact that he was late.
Max rolled her eyes at his statement. Good reason? Try the fact that I'm stuck in Alec's body and I find myself addicted to sleep.
Following Alec to the back Normal stopped in his tracks when he saw him open Max's locker. "What are you doing?"
Max frowned at his question and looked up at her locker and closed it quickly "What do you mean?"
"Holy jiminy I swear I just did this," his hands motioned to the two of them and circled the area in emphasis.
"You two aren't happy with your own things now you're starting to go through each other's?"
"Your headset's on too tight Normal, relax Max and I are friends." Leaving him, standing there his mouth agape she walked away grabbed some packages and looked for her bike. "Where the hell is my bike?" she shouted and then stopped. Oh yeah. "Never mind," grabbing Alec's bike she jumped on and rode out with deliveries to make.
After leaving Jam Pony and getting on with his deliveries Alec actually found that things went smoothly, he wasn't worried about slipping up and was able to relax. Making his way back to work to pick up more packages, he sighed when he didn't catch a glimpse of himself in the building.
Normal noticed Max standing there looking around and couldn't help himself. "Stop loafing around and get back to work."
Alec had already done more deliveries in one day using Max's body than he ever did in his own in two. Normal really rode her hard he couldn't help wondering if he did it purposely. "I'm taking a break."
"Oh is your job getting too hard for you?" he mocked.
Alec rolled his eyes, since coming in that morning Normal taunted him every chance he got. Surprising Max hasn't rearranged his face yet. He was really starting to miss his body.
Good thing for him Max and his life were somewhat similar or he would have lost it by now. He examined some of the women in the place and sighed with relief. Thinking to himself what he would have done if he had ended up switching with a woman that happened to be extremely high maintenance. At the thought of having to deal with fashionable hair and the horrific task of makeup, he laughed nervously. Thank god Max was naturally beautiful and didn't bother with materialistic things. So far the hardest thing he had to deal with was the torturous task of taking a shower and of course Logan's lame attempts at flirting.
Lost in though, he completely ignored Normal who was still bitching at him. Turning to face him he lost his patience. "Normal don't you have anything better to do? Those packages aren't going to distribute themselves."
Normal blinked at Max who snapped at him and tried to think of a retort but couldn't think of anything. "Just get back to work, your break is over."
"Whatever," with that word Max turned around and left.
Max rode her bike in the building and stopped when Sketchy put his hand out to stop her. "Hey buddy, what's up?"
"Having a weird day," she admitted, "I slept in this morning."
Sketchy smiled easily. "Yeah, hate when that happens. I'm sure Normal was all sweet about it though."
She smirked and agreed with a nod. Funny enough he hadn't bitched at her yet, but of course he wouldn't because being Alec made Normal ignore everything his golden boy did.
"So you coming to Crash later?" Sketch asked with a wiggling of his eyebrows seeing Alec hesitate he tried again. "I need you to help me score some hunnies man, please."
Max had wanted to go home and try to work some things out but seeing Sketch plead she remembered those exact lines repeated but at a completely different time.
She was looking down into a glass of scotch and took a sip. She looked up and saw herself talking with Logan at the bar. Her body felt a rush of sadness and someone clapped her on the shoulder.
"Hey Alec I need a favor. I need you to be my wing man I need you to help me score some hunnies man."
She turned around to face Sketch who was nodding in the pool table's direction. She looked back to her body still at the bar and sighed feeling a longing sensation. "Sure buddy, which one you got your eye on?"
Sketch was snapping his fingers at Alec's face and then waved. Alec's eyes refocused and he finally answered "sure buddy, which one you got your eye on?"
Max was reeling from the sudden memory. She answered Sketch out of remoteness not really thinking about what she said. What did it mean? Trying to forget the memory she realized she had agreed to help Sketch. Groaning at herself she closed her eyes.
Excited by his answer Sketch smiled and gave Alec thumbs up. "Remember Mandy? Turns out she has a friend Nikky that is just smoking! Thanks buddy." With those words Sketch left and Max hung her head and leaned on the nearest wall. Great, I've agreed to pimp Alec out.
Only that wasn't what bothered her, it was Alec's memory that kept playing over in her head and the intense feelings that came along with it.
"Hey Alec," she turned to the familiar voice and brown eyes were examining her.
"Hi Max," replying softly, she pushed herself away from the wall and grabbed his bike off the wall.
Alec looked at his face and seeing the traces of a split lip that was almost completely healed he bit his lip in blame. "How are you?"
Not really knowing what to say she said softly, "I'm alright." Walking away she whispered, "I'm always alright."
Smiling fondly at the comment he was impressed how closely she could imitate him. It didn't change the fact that he wanted this whole ridiculous charade to end but he was overwhelmed at how well they knew each other.
Following his taller stature he took a hold of her arm. "Alec, listen about yesterday..." Taking her hand in his he pulled her into a small empty room in the back of the building away from prying ears. He had thought about what he wanted to say and hadn't really come up with anything, so like he always did he improvised hoping he would find the right words. Enough scenarios had played around in his mind while he had tried finding sleep, he chose the best one.
"Thanks," he said simply and his green eyes blinked back at him, "for?"
"For coming clean with me. I know that I've messed up a lot of things in the past but I'm glad that you got passed all that."
Her tongue found its way to the roof of her mouth and just wouldn't move. He's not upset. He turned around because he did not want to look at his own face when he told her what he felt he needed to get off his chest. He tried imagining that he was looking at her heart shaped face framed with her long luxurious brown hair, soft brown eyes looking at him through long lashes and her full pouty lips he wished just once directed at him a genuine smile.
"I told Logan to stay away from you." Waiting for a raging outburst that never came he continued. "I told him to get over you and to stop risking you for those stupid missions of his." Not really knowing why but he wanted to be honest with her. "I know I had no right but I couldn't help it Max he made me so angry."
His hands closed into fists of anger and then released them in helplessness. "He claims to love you but he risks you every time it's convenient for him for the goddamn sake of mankind. I almost hit him but see I had this little issue with your virus. You'll probably hate me for messing things up with Logan." Pausing to sigh he started playing with his hands. "I never understood it before but I'm starting to see why you have this need to hold on to things so tightly. I'm sorry if I was a jerk about it; I didn't know." So he finally apologized and the guilt he felt suddenly lifted.
Blinking away the sting in her eyes from keeping them open so long in astonishment, she opened her mouth once to reply and closed it. Did he just apologize to me? Any thought she had, completely flew out of her head. After a long pause filled with debating she spoke up, "its okay."
It was so completely unlike her but she found herself accepting his apology and was relieved by it. Usually she would have probably kicked his ass for even trying to put his nose in her business but she realized that like him she wasn't perfect either and he had at least been honest with her.
"Thanks." Hearing her voice whisper back she watched her smaller body retreat from the room without once looking back. She leaned on the wall and slid to the floor. "You're welcome."