Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel. At all. Don't sue!
Story: 452 and 493 share some cute, fuzzy family time
A/N: This chapter is shorter. Sorry, I know it's been quite a while since I've updated last, but I've only just gotten out of school and over a major, trumped-up case of writer's block. But my muse is back, for now! Don't worry, there's plenty more on the way, just as soon as I get a day off of work. Thanks for your patience, and please, please, please, REVIEW! I would greatly appreciate it, getting to see if anybody likes what I'm doing here. Thanks! Enjoy!
493 talked with 452 as they made their way down the halls of Manticore together. 493 was trying to softly disperse the tension in the air by chatting lightly about nothing in particular, about anything that would take 452's mind off of her harsh surroundings. 493 always spoke in a comforting voice that soothed her, a story-telling voice that appealed to her imagination, one of the only parts of the soldiers that Manticore refused to have exercised.
"So then I asked her politely if they were ever planning to put windows in our cells, and she had the weirdest look on her face! It was as if I had spoken to her in French," he said with an amused smile. Then he paused. "Now that I think of it, it is a rather odd question to ask an officer of Manticore," he added as he cocked his head thoughtfully. "I think they may give me extra training for thinking outside the box that is Manticore." He gave a lighthearted chuckle at the worried look on 452's face. "I'm just kidding."
"Right."
452 was trying not to let him notice that she was worried about him. Here they were again, treading on thin ice by showing emotions! How in the world was 452 going to put a lid on the things she felt when she was with her friend and cellmate?
He made her feel… safe. He was her safe place here, and she knew that he would be far better at protecting her than any knife or gun would. But Manticore doctrine taught that if you were in danger, escape and evade was your best line of defense until you were cornered. When that happened, your only chance for survival was your gun. Shoot and run. That was it. There was nothing in it about protecting the members of your unit at the cost of your own life, but somehow 452 knew that if it ever came to that, 493 would be ready and willing to do so if it meant saving her.
"But windows are dangerous, 493. They may let outsiders see us."
"452, listen to yourself! Do you see the guards that swarm this place all the time? How on Earth is anyone who shouldn't be here going to live to get near enough to the walls to peek inside of cell windows? They'd be shot before they went two feet."
"But still, windows are bad. We shouldn't be distracted from our missions and training." 452 knew deep down that she didn't mean what she was saying, knew it sounded fake and hollow, like hearing someone else speak. But still she said them in an effort to convince herself more than her brother.
My brother…. That was what he was. 493 was her brother, her family member who protected her in all things. She knew that they were made in a test tube, but she refused to shake that comforting feeling. It was probably the only comfortable thing about the whole place. When times and training got rough, her brother would tell her little stories to calm her down.
Late at night in their cell, 493 and 452 would talk about their rough days and sometimes even have some lighthearted gossip to share about other X series or officers. Times like those could almost make 452 forget where and what she was. It was an incredible feeling, having a brother.
The two transgenics reached the cell they shared and went inside to chat some more. 493 told cute little amusing anecdotes long into the night until he started to get drowsy.
"After that… we just decided to ignore him… and spent the rest of the time… hiking, and admiring the trees and birds and all…. I don't think he was very happy about that. …We might get moved to different units and all." All this separated by gaping yawns.
452 smiled knowingly. Her rebel brother needed his sleep. He didn't have any shark DNA to speak of like she did.
"493, go to sleep, you troublemaker!" she teased affectionately. He smiled at her, eyes bleary with exhaustion.
"You sure?"
"Yep. 'Night, sleepy-head."
"OK…. Good-night…. "
Sound asleep, she thought with a smile. He wore himself out trying to comfort her!
He turned in his sleep and sighed softly. "...Max..." It was so low that she almost didn't hear it, a whisper in his dreams. But at that whisper, 452 felt her heart stop.
What did he say?
A roaring rush of images swam through her mind. She saw flashes of a young X5 punching, training, running on a treadmill, all hooked up to machines, shaking in uncontrollable seizures, running through the snow with the little X5s, flashing at blinding speed, almost hurting her head.
452's eyes shot wide open.She started to sweat as a distant memory from another life filled her head.
"Max is a boy's name. You don't look like a boy. Why do you have a boy's name?"
"If it's my name, and I'm not a boy, than it's not a boy's name, now, is it?"
The little girl didn't look so sure. "Well, if you say so, Max."
Max nodded her head.
452 gasped loudly as the memory released her. Surely it had to have been a memory; it had seemed so real! She heard her brother's voice again in her head, a thundering whisper. "...Max... Max... Max..."
"452!"
452 hadn't slept a wink the whole night, and it was to no fault of her shark DNA. She sat up straight on her bed as soon as she heard her designation shouted through the bars on her door. "Sir!"
"You are to report for duty in the Mission Control Sector at 0800 hours! Is that understood?"
"Yes, Sir!"
The officer left her door and she prepared to leave for breakfast just as 493 crawled out of his bed. 452 bit her lip, wondering if she should mention his sleep-talking spell last night. She watched him stretch his arms and decided against it. He had been asleep, after all. It wasn't as if he would remember saying that. Right?
"Mornin'!" he said cheerfully as he turned to face her with a smile. His green eyes glowed with his renewed strength that rest bought.
452 plastered on a tight smile and tried to copy the well-rested look he gave her, but she knew she wouldn't be able to imitate that glow in his eyes. "Hey."
"What adventures are planned for us today?" 493 asked with exaggerated enthusiasm.
452 chuckled. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm being assigned to a mission today."
493 looked shocked. "A mission? Really? Woah! This is your first one, right?"
"Since they've had me training, yeah."
"Wow. When?"
"Right after breakfast."
"That soon, huh? Don't s'pose I could come with...?"
It wasn't exactly a question, but 452 answered anyways. "No, don't s'pose you could. Sorry."
493 nodded understandingly. "Alright. Well, good luck, 452. I guess I won't be seeing you for a while." He paused, and a sad sort of look crossed his face for a bit. "Bye."
452 looked at him feeling sorry to leave. She bit her lip and frowned, debating whether or not she should... Aw, screw it. She ran up to 493 and threw her arms around him, capturing him in a brotherly hug. 493 was surprised, but he hugged her back after the shock passed.
"Good-bye, brother," she whispered into his chest.
"Brother?" he said, a bit confused. Then, he paused thoughtfully and nodded carefully. "Brother," he agreed, slowly trying the word out on his tongue for the first time that he could remember.
493 released 452 and looked into her dark brown eyes. "You be careful, little sister. Don't let them hurt you."
452 smiled, all thoughts of her scare in the night chased away by this family feeling. "Don't worry about me, 493. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."
"I know, you can. You've improved quite a bit."
452 gave a mischievous grin. "Yeah, if anybody gives me trouble, I can just kick their ass." I can what? What just came out of my mouth! Her eyes shot open wide, and her hands clamped over her open mouth.
493 started laughing. "Baby sister, you don't have to be embarrassed. Just don't say that to your officer!"
452 looked sheepish. "R-right," she stammered. "Oh, I have to go to the mess hall," she said, glancing down at her watch.
493 smiled and nodded. "Yeah, go get some food."
452 turned to leave and yanked open the door.
"And then go kick some ass."
452 turned around to smile at her brother. "I am such a bad influence on you! You stay out of trouble. See ya 'round!"
493 waved a hand, and 452 left at a near run for the mess hall.
tbc...