A/N: This fic takes place season two-ish after Gill Girl. Please review so I know if I should continue.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own imagination.

Max entered the bathroom in her robe, carrying two jugs of freshly boiled water. She had been looking forward to a hot bath all day, and her day had been a long one. Normal had been in a worse mood than usual and had stormed around Jam Pony 'Bipping' at every chance he got. Normally Max would roll her eyes and continue chatting with OC and the gang, but today was one of those days she had to keep herself busy. Max had delivered package after package, and was relieved that almost every one of her customers had been female. It made things easier. Max didn't always avoid members of the opposite sex like the plague, but she was on heart. She was determined to get through it without doing something she would regret, or chaining herself to a pole.

Max poured the water into the bath, ran the cold tap for a moment and slipped off her robe, she delicately dipped her toes into the water to test the temperature. Perfect. She closed her eyes for a moment, in anticipation.

Max's eyes fluttered open when she heard something bang behind her. She spun around and snatched up her robe. She moved towards the door. Alec was lying face up on the floor looking sheepish. He looked up at Max, his eyes sweeping over her robe.

'I.ah..Tripped'

Max glared at him 'Stealthy'

She paused for a second realising that because he had fell onto his back he must have been walking backwards. Away from the bathroom door! If Max weren't so embarrassed and furious she would have laughed. Alec had obviously seen more than he had bargained for and had backed away quickly, too quickly. She pulled the robe around her more tightly. Blocking out all heat-like thoughts about Alec and the fact that she was barely clothed from her head.

'Do you have something against me having a bath or are you just a pervert? This is the second time you've barged in on me in one month' Granted the last time had been warranted as they had saved a transgenic mermaid from that creep White, but what possible excuse could he have this time?

Alec blushed at her 'Pervert' comment and hastily stood up, straightening his shirt.

'Business calls once again' Alec said seriously 'An X5 I knew back at Manticore is in trouble with White and she needs our help. Now.'

Max noted that there was a personal note in Alec voice when he mentioned 'she'. She wanted to question him about it but didn't know how to bring it up, she suddenly wished Manticore had thought to fit her with mind reading abilities.

Max said nothing. She just stared at Alec, realising she could vaguely see the outline of his stomach muscles through his shirt when he moved. No! Bad thought, stop it. Max scolded herself and reminded herself that Alec was one of her least favourite male acquaintances. If she was going to make a mistake, which she wasn't, it wouldn't be with him. 

Alec shifted uncomfortable under Max's gaze. 'So um, you better get dressed Max. Not that I mind if you wanna leave like that, but it's not too practical. Especially for motorbike riding' Alec said, eyeing the middle slit.

'Shut up' Max snapped. Those words were Max's most used in any vocabulary she directed at Alec. She pointed to the door. 'Wait outside. I'll get changed'.

 Alec stood outside the door. At first he had been confused by Max's appreciative glances. But it hadn't taken him long to realise the cause of her 'wanting' looks and increased hostility. She was on heat. Once the thought had crossed his mind he had realised that he could smell her, the scent was intoxicating.  Enticing. Damn. That was all he needed, a mistake made with Max was more than a mistake, it was a death sentence. When Max re-appeared, dressed, Alec took a step back to distance himself from her. By the look on her face Alec knew that Max knew he'd figured it out.

Max shrugged and distanced herself equally from him. 'So, what's the dealio?'

Alec frowned in disgust before he began. 'I ran into an X7 on my way home who told me that he had escaped from a testing centre run by a weapons group called  'Pro-lifecycle'. Apparently White is supplying the company with transgenic test subjects for their viral weapons before executing them.'

Max clenched her fists. The inhumanity of Ames White never ceased to amaze her, though it shouldn't by now. Max glanced over at Alec, once again pushing any flattering thoughts of him out of her mind and trying desperately to concentrate, once she was on her bike and contact between them was limited things would be easier.

Max nodded 'And you're friend is there. As a test subject? You know that if she is infected there might not be much we can do'

Alec nodded, 'I know, but the X7 said that there were about 20 transgenics in limbo between White's trangen-prision and the testing centre, among them 14 X5's including my friend '486'.'

It struck Max as strange that Alec and this girl had been close enough to get him 'emotional', and yet he referred to her by her designation, they had obviously never thought to name each other.

As they reached the bottom of the stairwell they both went to walk through the exit, becoming entangled with one another. Max's body tingled where Alec's had touched hers and she flushed, shoving him through the door roughly in agitation. This night was not going to be easy.