Disclaimer: Again...I own nothing, just borrowing... for a little.

A/N: So I added some lines to this chapter and fixed some spelling mistakes. It's pretty much the same just a little more well rounded.

A/N: What they knew so far:

1. Max has something to do with the big bad apocalypse or "Coming" with the breeding cult.

2. (If the translations are correct) Max is supposed to be the "Savior" of the meek during said "coming"

3. Max has dormant powers and so does the "Protector"

4. Alec may or may not be Max's "Protector", destined to be the lover or "The Twin" per these damn runes. Go figure.

Max's head was spinning, Alec was sitting back down on the ratty old couch, head in his hands. Dix had left over 20 minutes ago, and not a word was said between the two transgenics. As she processed what Dix had told them, she couldn't help but think; For every answer, they get there are a thousand more questions. She glanced at the rune on the inside of Alec's wrist and shook her head. Manticore never failed, in screwing up her life. Ben, Logan, Zack, Tinga, Jack, Eva...and now Alec. She was so over their control of her life. Max observed Alec, taking in his defeated posture; She could see the wheels turning in his head. They both had a very similar fight or flight response and she could tell he was going to run. However, she could also see how yesterday had taken its toll on him. As she studied him she could still see small tells of the horror he'd been through just a few weeks ago, Alec was the master at pretending he was "always alright", but she was learning lately, how to see through his walls.

Alec was having a hard time processing. What the hell did any of this mean? Was he just a backup plan or was he always the one meant to stand with Max. If they were meant to be put together why were they put in different units? Not that it matters…but when she came back, Manticore made them breeding partners for a reason…right? Was this it? Was it not fate, but science that drew them together? Not to mention the whole "Mark will bind them for life" thing. Sure he has known for a while he loves Max, but they had barely begun and now these runes are talking about mating. Okay, maybe someday, but on their own terms. This kind of pressure? It was all too much, too fast. If they were going to be more than just, whatever THIS was, it's going to be on their own terms. Not because they were some asshats damn science project! His mind couldn't take all this in right now. He was still not 100% from seizing all night or his ordeal with 115. He needed a moment to breathe, but his body had other plans.

He could feel his heart rate increasing, felt the clamminess before the first tremor started. One thing Alec hated more than anything else was not being in control of his own body. In his life, he hadn't been able to control much, but aside from a few seizures early on, his body was typically one thing that never failed him. He hated feeling weak, but it was more than that. He hated feeling weak around anyone else but especially Max, the person who (per the runes) he was supposed to be protecting, not the other way around. Alec stood and kicked the small table over in front of them out of frustration catching Max almost completely off guard as it shattered against the opposite wall.

"Whoa, Alec! What the hell?! Calm…" as she started to place a hand on his shoulder, he shrugged her off.

"Max…so help you god, don't finish that sentence."

"Well then, you want to talk about it?"

"No Max, I really don't. I'm going to go stop in and see Lily and Doc…let them know about the seizures, I'll meet you at home, later."

"Well, let me grab my jacket and I'll…"

"No!" he said a little too harshly, "I can do it myself. I need…I need to do this myself…I'm sorry. I'll see you at home, later okay?"

She raised a brow but nodded and with that, he kissed her on the forehead and walked out of the office. Praying that she wouldn't notice the sweat on his forehead, the tremors going through his body or the lack of feline grace in his walk.

Meanwhile, in the Med-bay, Ash and Zane were sitting in the makeshift waiting room away from the others. Speaking barely above a whisper.

"Zae, man I've never seen Vada like this. Have you noticed how she flinches every-time anyone even looks at her?"

"Yeah…I just wish I knew what to do to fix it. Kavi isn't much better. And Seth, still isn't saying much, not that he was ever the talkative type, to begin with, but hey…his silence is deafening lately."

"I wish Tinga or Zack were here, they'd know what to do."

"Nah man, that department was always Maxie and Ben. They are…well, Ben was, the best at handling the emotional situations. I'll get Maxie down here to at least try and talk to Vada. I was going to head towards command anyway. Wanted to check in with our baby sis especially after what she's been through…"

"Yeah, I can't stop thinking about it. Little Maxie, killing Ben? Just doesn't seem right. They were closer than her and Krit, who actually shares her DNA…"

"Maxie wouldn't have done it if she thought there was any other way. Ben loved her more than he ever loved any one of us. And I'm sure, had we stayed…"

"Yeah...I know, which is why I'm not sure how I feel about her dating his clone. It's a little strange isn't it?"

"Not clone dude, twin. But, I don't know either. They seem pretty different personality wise as far as I've seen. This whole thing is…I mean we grew up with Ben and Alec is just a stranger to us with our brothers face. I haven't spent much time with him one on one, but what I do know is that whatever it is they are doing it's fairly new. Per some of the others, up until recently, their relationship was rocky at best. They are still figuring things out at this point I guess. He seems like a decent guy though, a little reckless, but decent. He accepted us right off the bat, which is more than I can say for most of the others around here…"

"Still, I don't know. I guess I'll try and reserve my judgment till I get one on one time with him. Just something about him…"

"The fact that he's most likely banging our lil sis doesn't help…"

"Yeah, that's probably it" Ash laughed.

The tremors were getting worse. He knew he wasn't going to make it to Doc or Lily. He concentrated on making it into the building, collapsing on the street would not be good for morale. As he approached the building, he almost dropped to his knees Not yet. He willed his body up. Just a few more steps. He got to the door to the Med-bay, and no sooner had he stepped inside he let his body give in to the tremors.

Zane and Ash looked to see the door open.

"Hey, Alec we were just…" Zane started but instantly realized something was wrong. As Alec was about to hit the floor Zane got to him to brace his head. Ash ran to go get help.

"Hang in there, bro," Zane whispered to Alec.