A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed so far! This one is short and sweet...the next couple fics are a bit longer.

D is for Date

Alec was nervous. Which was upsetting because Alec didn't do nervous. He was cool, calm and collected at all times. Funny and suave and not nervous. Except right now he was definitely nervous. He blamed Max.

Max was anxious. Which wasn't anything new because Max was always anxious. Usually it was because the world was ending or Manticore was on her ass or Logan was about to touch her or Alec was about to get his ass shot up. So, sure, it wasn't for any of those reasons this time...but it wasn't an unusual emotion. Still, she didn't like the feeling. She blamed Alec.

"Lookin' fine, sugga," Original Cindy cooed as Max stepped out of the bathroom. Her girl had traded in her usual tight black pants for faded blue jeans that hugged her hips and thighs before flaring out a bit at the ankle. Her black top had spaghetti straps over the shoulder and off the shoulder half sleeves. It's shorter length let just the barest hint of her midriff peek through and it was all tied together with non-combat style boots that added just a touch of sophistication. "Your boy ain't gonna know what hit 'im."

"He's not-"

Original Cindy cut her off. "Are you or are you not going on a fo' real, non mission, we doin' this date?" she demanded.

Max smiled. "Yeah, I guess we are," she confirmed.

"After the last few years of being locked up you deserve to go get yo'self a lil' slice of happiness, boo."

A knock at the door had Max's eyes widening as she looked frantically between the door and Cindy before rushing back into the bathroom to check her reflection one last time. Cindy chuckled and shook her head as she walked towards the door. Not even a super soldier could beat back the girly girl within.

"Damn, baby boo," she said approvingly as she looked Alec up and down. He was wearing dark jeans that even she could admit fit just right and a long sleeved olive green Henley that had buttons going halfway down his chest. It definitely accentuated his muscled torso. "You clean up nice."

"Thanks Cin," he said with a smirk. Cindy bit back a laugh at the hesitation she saw buried deep within his eyes. Knowing him as long as she had had given her a little bit of insight into the man behind the mask.

"Yo' girl is just finishing up," she told him as she gathered her things to head out for the night. Her boos weren't the only ones in need of some sugar. Alec nodded his thanks as she walked out the door.

Butterflies danced in her stomach as she walked out of the bathroom and saw him leaning against the kitchen bar. He straightened up as he caught sight of her and she felt a great deal of feminine pride as his eyes roamed over her hungrily. "You look amazing," he told her, his voice rough. So did he. It would be so easy to pull him into her bedroom and spend the whole night doing what she already knew they were good at.

"So do you," she replied, clearing her throat when she realized how husky her voice sounded.

Alec smirked. "Ready?"

Max laughed. "Are you?" she loved the way his eyes sparkled at the challenge.

It's not the easiest thing in the world to find a restaurant that's perfect for them. There are the nice ones, reminiscent of a pre-pulse world (and of Logan) and there are the crappy little diners where you were more likely to get food poisoning than not. In the end Alec had decided on food trucks.

Max had looked surprised when they walked up to the food truck lined street and he hoped that he hadn't screwed up already. Then she'd thrown him a wide smile that never failed to take his breath away (it had taken a long time for him to even learn her face could make that expression) and he was able to breathe easy again.

They ordered their food, a decent selection from a range of trucks, and he further surprised Max by guiding her past the picnic tables to walk further down the street. He could almost feel her excitement buzzing as they made it to the Space Needle and started the climb up.

When they got to the top Max inhaled sharply at the sight of a thick blanket (held down with whatever weighted items Alec could find) and a picnic basket that had a bottle of champagne sticking up just past the top of it.

Max carefully set her food down on the blanket before turning to Alec and relieving him of his. She pulled him closer to her and kissed him sweetly. He smiled against her lips, maybe he wasn't as terrible at this as he thought he'd be.

She really hadn't been on that many real dates. Mostly they had just been at Crash or later, when she was with Logan, at his Penthouse. Really she's not even sure she'd ever classify any of her stay in nights with Logan as dates. She should have known that Alec would figure out how to plan one that was just perfect for them. She sat down on the blanket and pulled him down with her before greedily grabbing at the large array of foods. "This is perfect," she murmured happily and she noticed the tension drain out of his shoulders as she thought back to the moment that led to this one.

"Come on Alec! We don't even know how to be a real couple!" she had yelled at him in exasperation as their freedom was granted and they were trying to figure out their next steps. They had been 'together' for a year. Together consisted of hooking up whenever they could find the time and hanging out in which ever apartment they were closest to for crappy food and even crappier movies in a city where options for companionship were very limited.

"So what? We just pretend this last year was nothing?" he had shouted back in frustration. She had been so sure that he'd want to go back to his tom-catting ways. As usual, he had surprised her.

"We've never even been on a date! Have you ever even been on a date?" She'd asked with a roll of her eyes, throwing his less than stellar history in his face.

"I'd never wanted to go on one before," he had told her through clenched teeth.

"And now you do?" she'd scoffed.

His eyes had blazed as they met hers fiercely. "Yes," he'd said it so firmly that she lost all her steam.

"Well okay then," she had replied with a toothy smile. "I'm moving back in with OC tomorrow...you can pick me up on Friday."

He'd been more or less flabbergasted as she flounced away and she pretended not to hear the muttered "Bitch" from behind her.

The sound of the popping cork brought her back to the present and he reached over and grabbed two glasses from the basket, filling each of them all the way up. "I also packed beer," he said conspiratorially. Max laughed and leaned into his warmth.

~DA~

"Aiight boo, come straight wit' your girl," Cindy demanded the next morning when Max finally rolled out of bed and joined her in the kitchen.

Max grinned as she looked at her best friend. "He did good," she said happily.

"See?" she replied smugly.

"You're just lucky it didn't backfire!" Max mumbled, not quite able to suppress her grin.

"Pfft, anyone wit' eyes can see you got that boy spun," Cindy scoffed, waiving off her concern. "You wanted to be sure his tail chasin' days are done and now you are."