Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or any characters featured in either of the seasons.

Fashion Stunt

Dinner was tense, no one said anything and hardly looked up from their plates. Taking in a bite of food Max couldn't wait for the night to be over. "So Max, tell us about yourself." Decks voice came out of nowhere and caused his wife and son to stop eating, as if in shock.

"Uh, what would you like to know, sir?"

"What do you're parents do?"

"My parents past away when I was younger."

"Then who raised you?"

"My older brother, Krit." Deck nodded and pursed his lips as if thinking about what she said, and agreed with what her brother did.

"What does your brother do?"

"Weapon specialist in the Marines. He joined so he could take care of Sam and I better."

"Sam?"

"My twin sister."

"Well, well, did you know Alec had a twin brother?"

"Has." Alec bit out coldly, but didn't look away from the spot in the center of the table. He had focused his entire attention there when everyone had sat down for dinner.

"Yes well…" Deck trailed off, obviously not wanting to talk about situation. For the first time in the very short time they had been there, Max saw Deck lack an air of control around him. Mentioning Ben and Alec's correction seemed to have rattled him almost. Watching Deck's reaction further, Max's attention was turned to Alec.

"Come – on DAD let's talk about twins. I think it's an excellent conversation topic for dinner." Max felt her eyes grow wide; Alec had suddenly turned into an ice-cold person. "What do you think mom? Want to talk about raising twin boys? Oh wait that's right, you don't claim Ben anymore, why is that again? I forget." Nana and Deck both became expressionless, while Alec became the face of rage. "Oh that's right, because he wasn't "normal." Heaven forbid you don't have a normal child, what would people in command or the lab would think."

"Alec this is the not the place or time." Deck said in a very low, controlled voice that would make a normal person stand straight and shut up, but not his own son. Standing up Alec shoved his chair into the wall behind him. Max jumped, while his parents didn't move or change their facial expressions.

"When is it? When will it be ok to talk about my brother? My brother who you shipped off to an asylum because he was showing tendencies of being psychotic? Wouldn't want the neighbors to find out. I mean could you imagine, the most prestigious and the most upstanding member of the services and the most brilliant scientist have and psychotic son?" Alec questioned sarcastically, turning to Max, "you see Max, the reason no one talks about my brother or why his room is still the way it was when he was 16, is because when we were 14 he was showing signs of suffering from schizophrenia and other mental disabilities. For two years dear ol' mom and dad were able to hide it, but when we were 16 he barricaded himself his room and claimed he was being over run by minions from the underworld, the devil was out for his soul and that were really supernatural beings out to kill him. Best part, his name wasn't Ben it was "Dean.""

As he was saying this Max saw his parents widen their eyes, whether it was because they had to re-live those moments, or they were shocked he was sharing the skeletons from their closet, Max didn't know. "Alec stop it immediately!" Deck yelled, "Stand down solider!" It was an order that would most likely make a normal person snap to attention, but not someone who had heard such orders all his life.

"I am not a solider nor will I ever be a solider. See that's another thing that pisses mummy and daddy off, Ben was the son who wanted to be the solider, he idolized dad. Me? I could've cared less about military. But when Ben got shipped up, I was runner up for his spot and expected to be the son who followed in dear ol' dad's foot steps. But no, I went into modeling and earned a living without their help."

"Alec please stop," Nana spoke in a very clear, cold voice, but it didn't have any effect on her son. Instead he just stared at his mother with hatred filled eyes, her voice had no effect on Alec except fuel his anger.

"Do you remember why Ben called himself Dean," it wasn't a question. "Do you 'mom'? I do, it was because you were pregnant with another child, and because of how Ben was becoming unmanageable you had an abortion just before it was too late to get one. You didn't want another, what was that word you used, "anomaly". You two are responsible for what happened to Ben, and instead of trying to help him, you made gave up on him and shipped him off. That's why I left, that's why I went into fashion, so I could enough money to make sure he'll be taken care of properly, unlike what you two did. Shipping him to the filthiest, lowest place that is the furthest. That was your credentials." Taking a breath, Alec released some tension in his shoulders. Max realized that this was years of pent up resentment and rage coming forth and only was going to get worse.

The room remained silent once Alec finished his rant, and Max had no idea what to do. This happy go lucky jerk she had come to be friends with had just released a dark side.

"If you want to place blame tonight, let's talk about Rachel." Deck's voice sliced back to his son. Max saw Alec tense and freeze.

"Rachel wasn't my doing, it was yours and Manticore's. Don't try to blame me, Deck." Alec sliced back, making Max do a double take. His voice and inflection sounded exactly as Deck had just moments before. Forgetting to breath, Max took in each person's face and finally rested on Alec, waiting for him to look at her.

"That is it!" Deck yelled at his son's accusation, as he rounded the table Alec didn't move or flinch at his voice. "Nana, Max, I think you need to leave, right now." Like a robot, Nana did as her husband instructed and walked down the narrow hallway and into a room. Max remained rooted to her seat, but Deck and Alec paid no attention to her.

"What's the matter DAD, embarrassed? Afraid you're really a failure and can't control every aspect of you family and life? Boo hoo, poor Deck," that was the last straw. Deck lost all composure he had exhibited and swung at his son, and hit him. Alec retaliated just as quickly.

"STOP IT!" Max yelled, catching their attention. Deck suddenly seemed to realize he had lost his cool and control and stared at his fist, that was still clenched tightly, and then his son. Letting his eyes grow wide, he just stared at Alec and the blood on Alec's face. "Alec let's go." Her voice was soft and it softened Alec immediately to the person he had let her know. Not giving his father a second glance, he took Max's hand and walked her to their rooms and gathered their things. Questions would be asked later.

When their bags were ready to leave Max followed Alec out of the house. On her way out she noticed that Nana was at the kitchen table reading the paper and Deck was out on the patio smoking a cigar, as if nothing had happened. Snorting in discuss she turned away from the scene and followed Alec to the car.