Fashion Stunt

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

A.N: Enjoy!

He was jittery, antsy. He was driving himself insane. That was funny. Wrapping his arms around himself he stood up and walked to his small window and stared out at the dark skyline with the scatter of lights blinking back at him. It had been a long time since he had been apart of that skyline with the scatter of lights. Frankly he had been ok with it, but now he wasn't. He was needed, now. Out there. Breathing in and releasing a deep breath, he abandoned the window and walked to his windowed door, where light filtered through. Soon. Leaving the door he sat back down, this time he sat at his desk. It was simple oak wood desk and chair set. It was simple and perfect for him. In front of him laid a pen and some paper he had been writing on earlier. Picking up the pen he continued where he left off, or tried. Once again, he was jittery. Soon.

Max felt high and loved it. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew exactly where they were going. Alec had got her to shut up, not that she was that reluctant. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. They ignored it.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. "Damn it!" Alec cursed lifting his head up from Max.

"Ignore it," he did.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring. Ring.

"They aren't going away," Max muttered as Alec slipped his hands up her shirt. For a moment the ringing stopped, but the silence didn't last. Sure enough the ringing started right back up. Growling and cursing something along the lines "god damned fucker gonna die," Alec tore his lips, and hands, away from Max.

"Don't move," he said pecking her on the lips before crawling off her, quickly and snatching up his phone. "What!" He all but yelled into the device. Max watched as his face went from extremely furious, and horny, to wide eyed and shock. "What?" He asked again only this time in a voice of disbelief. "When? How?" Sitting up Max caught his eye with her worried expression. Seeing her expression, he turned his back to her and rubbed his for head in frustration. "Alright, if you hear anything else call me. Yeah, bye." With that he clicked the phone off, split second later chucked the offending decide against the closest, solid surface. A satisfying crack and shatter emitted through the silent room.

"Alec?" Max asked as she maneuvered her way to the edge of the bed and watched as tension knotted its way through his muscles. "What's wrong?"

"That was Nana," Max stiffened at the name of his mother, "Ben ran away from the clinic. They don't know how or when it happened. He was just discovered gone when they were doing rotations." Turning he faced her and once again saw her worry, which only angered him more. Not at her per say but just someone once again worrying, and very likely pitying him. He hated it.

"Where would he go?"

"I don't know. He hasn't really been out of a clinic since we were kids. It's all he knows. Shit!" Running his fingers through his hair harshly Alec racked his brain, recalling their last conversation. Ben was happy, he had told him so. He was writing and slowly opening up to some of the other residents, people who suffered from similar disabilities. Why would he run away? Closing his eyes, Alec thought hard. "Shit!"

"What?"

"I know why he ran away, Fuck!" He cursed, Max looked at him confused. "I called him about our parents and everything that went down." Then it made since, Alec had been really upset about what had happened at his parents. He had called Ben to vent and calm down, now Ben was gone. "He ran away because of me and my stupid mouth!" Standing up Max grabbed his hand before he hit himself or something and laced their fingers together.

"First of all I happen you like your mouth!" That caught his attention, "second of all, this isn't your fault!" She knew how to just state everything, "whatever reason Ben has for disappearing its on his own terms. Maybe he needed to get away-"

"But he's not familiar with-"

"I know, but maybe its time for him to be exposed the "outside" world. If you guys are as close as I think you are, then you'll be the first to hear from him. I guarantee it. So hating and beating your self up isn't going to do any good. Now think where would he go if he isn't familiar with anything really." Staring at their inter locked hands, Alec thought. Ben was in Seattle, where he lived. Where would he go? He didn't have a lot of money, except for his allowance to buy supplies and such for outings with Group. On the few trips away from the clinic, he had taken Ben to museums, forest area's away from the hustle and bustle or to the Space Needle, and then his apartment.

"My apartment," it dawned on him.

"Why there?"

"Because he knows I'm going there soon. He's been there before, he knows where the spare key is and knows the exact route to get there. He'll wait until I get there. We gotta go!"

"Hold up! Woah, wait. We aren't going to get there immediately. Lets sleep the night and we'll head out in the morning, catch the first flight to Seattle and find Ben. Ok?" Alec stared into her eyes for a pregnant pause, "come'on, we're exhausted and today has been enough emotional stress to last a lifetime. Ben is safe at your apartment, we'll leave first thing in the morning and be there in the afternoon. Ok?" She pushed again. Realizing she was right he nodded, and took a deep breath.

The next day the two left the hotel and bee lined for the airport and found the earliest flight available. Max called ahead to Cindy so that they had a ride from the airport to Alec's apartment without causing too much attention to themselves. The entire flight Alec was on edge, he had hardly slept in worry about his brother. Since he had broken his cell in pure rage and worry, he commandeered Max's phone to constantly check his messages, in case Ben called and told him something, anything. Instead there were only messages from Nana and the clinic, checking in with him to see if he had heard anything. After those messages, his agent left several wanting to know why he had left the hacienda early and where the hell he was. Those would wait for later, when he wasn't ready to rip someone apart, piece by piece.

"You know if you keep acting this way, I'm gonna think you're a sissy and scared of flying," Max quipped. Alec just glared at her, teasingly, before slowly moving his hand to her knee and quickly squeezing it, causing her to jerk, kick the chair in front of her, and squeal.

"Oops," he said innocently as he ducked away from her as she punched him. Because of the seats he failed and received the blow.

"Ass hole," she muttered huffing.

"Are you obsessed with my ass? It is a nice specimen if I don't say so for my self." He quipped, enjoying the feeling of being distracted for a moment or two.

"The only person who is obsessed with you ass is you and yourself." Max tossed back with a huff which caused Alec to smile. Taking her hand he laced their fingers just rubbed his thumb across the back of hers. Max was kind of shocked at this but smiled too and laid her head on her shoulder. When Alec felt her head on his shoulder he couldn't help but relax, which Max felt and smiled at before closing her eyes to get some much needed rest. After she had calmed Alex down about Ben, they never really went to sleep. He kept tossing and turning or just pacing around the room. For small interims she would get a snooze, but nothing lasting.

"Please return to your seats and fasten your seat belts. We will be landing shortly. Thank you for choosing Eastern Airlines." An automated voice came over the intercom. Alec looked at Max only to find her out.

"Maxie..wake up," he whispered gently which only caused her snuggle further into him. "Maxie we're getting ready land, wake up." Incoherent mumble grumble, he smiled and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Maxie."

"What," she groaned not wanting to return to the land of the living, but when she heard him chuckling she cracked her eyes open to see him smiling at her. "Don't call me Maxie." This only made him laugh more.

"Come'on we're going to be landing soon," Alec reiterated as she sat up straight and stretched, taking her hand out of his for the first time since he had laced them together.

"I hate you," she groaned as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.

"Why?"

"Because I'm sleepy and grumpy," she grumbled laying her head back on his shoulder.

"But you don't mind laying your head on my shoulder?"

"You make a good pillow, your useful," she quipped back smiling but with her eyes close. Alec shook his head and kissed her head before he sat back and waited for the plane to descend and land.

Before they exited the aircraft, both pulled on hats and sunglasses to cover their faces. With luggage in hand they weaved themselves around other passengers and went to the pick up bay to find Cindy. Original Cindy was already there and waiting for the two of them with a grin that was a mile wide when she saw them holding hands and walking closely together. Yep, he was a keeper, she decided mentally as she run and embraced her best friend in a tight hug. When the two women separated she pulled Alec into one, "you must be Hot boy in the flesh." She commented as they pulled away, Alec just smiled a shit eating grin and Max hit him in the chest while giving Cindy a glare, which couldn't be seen behind her sunglasses. "Don't be glaring at me Boo, I know exactly what's running through you mind, and it ain't Logan's Wheels." Cindy snapped as she took one of Max's bags and lead them to her car. "So you wanna head to our place or yours?" She asked as they drove through the traffic of Seattle.

"Let's stop off at mine, I wanna see if Ben is there, if not we can go to yours," Alec responded