The Mating Ceremony
Title:
The Mating Ceremony
Author: jracklesfan77
Show: DA
Genre: angst/romance
Pairing: M/A
Type: Stand Alone
Summary: Logan watches Max and Alec and decides to do something about
it
It was today. The ceremony was today.
Max leaned back against the wall, banging her head in rhythm with the erratic beat of her heart, trying to shake the unwanted images that plagued her. She wasn't sure what to think anymore. But picturing him was killing her.
Deep down, Max knew now how she really felt about him. She'd hid it so well, for so long that when finally faced with the truth, a truth Logan had made so crystal clear to her just a few months before, she'd gone numb. She'd been totally unprepared...and unwilling to accept it.
And to think, all it took was Logan's simple question and her inability to provide an answer that had cemented the truth. She could no longer lie to herself. And it was her lousy luck in love that led to this moment, these actions. She slid silently to the floor.
Max sighed the deep sigh of a person defeated and lost. Her feelings wouldn't matter anymore. Not after today. Because after today, things would never be the same again.
Jake knew there wasn't much time and he was throwing names like there was no tomorrow.
"Kara."
Alec pursed his lips, cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.
Jake cleared his throat. "Right. Okay, so moving on..." He continued to tick his fingers with each name
"Belle."
"No."
"Lizzie?" .
"No." Alec ran his hands through his hair in frustration. This was not happening.
"Jade?"
"NO!"
Alec was in his room, pacing. He knew Jake was at his wit's end. But he just couldn't follow through with it.
"There's no fucking way. I won't do it." He said agitatedly as he ran a hand absentmindedly along his jaw.
"Uh," Jake paused a moment. "What about Max?" Jake knew Max was a tricky subject and he would have to tread carefully.
Alec shook his head in disbelief. Was Jake crazy? "Are you serious? Be serious! She hates me!"
"Oh come on, Alec! Can't you see the way she's been watching you lately? And she barely hits you anymore." Jake was pleading. The two of them were sickeningly blind to the other's feelings. Or at least Alec seemed to be. Jake wasn't so sure about Max anymore. She'd fall into a trance the minute Alec walked into the room. Jake knew the signs and he was sure she was showing all of them.
Alec refused to consider the harsh reality. He knew what people expected, knew what he had to do. And it was all his fault.
When they'd first set up Terminal City everyone had done their own thing. And chaos ensued. That's when they had decided to take action.
The Committee was organized a few months back. They may have been free, but more than a few transgenics still felt the need for a chain of command to help keep order.
There were medical problems, food shortages and lack of funds among other things. But one of the major problems they were faced with was the female to male ratio. There were simply too few females available to mate with the males. So they'd drawn up some rules.
Joshua, Jake, Alec, Gem, Biggs, Max, Rhona, Lizzie, Dix and Mole made up the whole of the Committee. Each one was responsible for a specific division within TC. They'd gathered to discuss various situations in Terminal City, finally coming to the mating problems that had arisen recently.
Jake broached the subject. "There are already complications. We've had groups of males fighting over unmated females. We can't have such discord in the ranks! The males are being wounded physically and bruised egos to top it all off? Not something I want to deal with! Just last week Seb, from Will's unit, almost didn't pull through after a big fight. We can't be losing our men; none of us want that. So here's what I propose."
Jake had outlined his plan. They would set up ground rules. All Alpha Males would mate immediately, setting an example for the rest to follow. And any other female that wanted to mate would have to be presented to the male of her choice by her Unit Leader. This would be done in public so there would be no question as to the validity of the union.
The Committee had voted and majority ruled. Only Max and Joshua had been against it.
Alec was Alpha. But he'd managed to avoid taking a mate until now. He groaned inwardly. It was such a bad plan, he saw that now. He thought about Jake's suggestion: Taking Max for his mate. She didn't even like him! Just last week she'd gone off on another rant, reminding him with that razor-sharp tongue of hers just how much she regretted inflicting him on the world. Alec closed his eyes tightly and exhaled the long breath that had been caught in his throat. Besides, there were other considerations that overshadowed her dislike of him. Not that it really mattered anyway. He was fucked.
To hell with the fact that he'd agreed to the rules and helped impose them! This time it wouldn't happen. He couldn't mate with someone he didn't love...could he? He must have spoken aloud because Jake looked at him sadly and shook his head.
"Stop torturing yourself! You don't have a choice, Alec. Before you accepted the position of Leader you helped draft and establish rules to help govern the transgenic society. It's no longer up to you, man. It's the Committee's decision, and they've voted. You do it today."
Alec shoved his hands deep into his pockets, his shoulders slumped and he looked up, eyes full of sadness and regret. "I dug my grave the day I agreed to lead the Freaks, Jake. I don't want this."
Jake patted him on the back and spoke softly. "No matter how hard you try the CO in you will win, Alec. It's not in your nature to let us down, your instincts won't allow it. The entire Freak nation is counting on you."
Alec muttered under his breath. "Damned if I do, damned if I don't." Then, looking up at his friend he grit his teeth. "Let's get this over with."
Logan stood on the corner of Sycamore and Oak Streets. From his vantage point he had a clear view into both Max and Alec's apartments. And both of them looked miserable.
He'd known for a long time that Max had been unhappy. But he couldn't stand to see her suffer. And he knew he'd been a huge factor in the whys and wherefores of the situation.
Logan wasn't a monster. He genuinely cared about Max. And today he meant to prove it to her…and to the entire transgenic population.
He smiled to himself over his musings. Yes. Today he would do what he should have done long before.
Alec sat on the raised platform in the dining hall of Terminal City watching as the unit leaders came forward to present the names of their females. Each man would step up, state the girl's name and she would acknowledge it by bowing her head in respect to Alec.
His fake smile threatened to crack. He couldn't take it anymore. The thought of choosing a random girl like this was killing him. And he couldn't do a thing about it. He was the leader and he had an obligation to his people. He had to choose a mate; it was a majority decision by the TC Committee. Besides, Max could never be his, not if he was forced to choose like this. And no matter how hard he tried to explain to the others, his pleas fell on deaf ears.
And so he sat, watching as each girl was presented to him, all but begging to be chosen to mate with their Leader, when all his heart was longing for was Max.
Logan walked quickly toward Max's apartment, almost running in his haste to carry out his plan. He knew she'd be there. Max wouldn't watch the ceremony. After all, it was ALEC. And he knew without a doubt she would never watch Alec's mating ceremony. Not under the circumstances.
Logan knocked on her door. When it opened, he grabbed Max by the arm and pulled her after him.
The last of the girls had been presented and everyone was watching Alec with anticipation and excitement. Their leader was about to choose his mate, something not easily undone. The choice would take careful deliberation and time was running out.
Suddenly the crowd parted and Logan marched up to stand in front of Alec. Max followed reluctantly behind him, head bowed and shoulders slumped in defeat. How could Logan do this to her? In front of all these people? Why now of all times? Couldn't he see there was a ceremony in progress and they were interrupting something monumentally important?
Logan turned to face Max. He bent to touch her cheek and she flinched, turning her head. He lowered his arm to his side.
Logan surprised everyone by getting up onto the platform and waving his hands. The crowd fell silent.
"I don't know if anyone else thought of this, but I couldn't sit silent. According to your rules, Alec has to take a mate. In order for him to do so, the candidates' names need to be put forward by their unit leaders." He fell silent as murmurs of assent were heard throughout the room.
"I thought I should bring to your attention one small flaw in this rule: Max has no unit and is therefore disqualified by default."
Gasps were heard and a hush fell over the crowd. Logan looked tenderly at Max.
"I have loved you for a long time, Max. But we were never meant to be. I want you to be happy. When I asked you those few months ago if you loved me..." Logan cleared his throat. "I knew it was Alec. It's been Alec for a long time. And the two of you are right for each other."
He raised his head to address the crowd. "I'd like to suggest a solution."
Joshua stepped forward, as did Jake and Mole. The other Committee members listened intently. Alec looked from Max to Logan and back again. She was looking everywhere but at him as she avoided his gaze. Alec kept his eyes on her even as he heard Joshua ask Logan "What do you have in mind?"
Logan whirled around to face Joshua and stated in a loud, clear voice. "I'd like to suggest that the Committee appoint a representative for Max."
Jake turned to Max with a sly smile. "Max, is this what you want?"
Max lifted her head and stared at Jake. She glanced briefly at Alec, catching the uncertainty and hope in his eyes and her heart fluttered wildly. Pride be damned, she thought as she held her head high and bared her heart.
"Yes."
The dining hall was set abuzz at her reply. Joshua whispered to Mole and he nodded. Mole spoke up.
"Is there anyone here willing to represent Max?" Cigar ash flew in all directions as he put the question to the gathered transgenics.
Without hesitation, Jake took Max by the hand and lifted her onto the platform. He followed suit and approached Alec.
"I'll represent her." Facing Alec, he held his gaze and flashed a huge grin at his friend. In a loud, clear voice he announced, "Alec, this is Max."
Alec stared in awe. Max wanted him. She'd publicly declared her feelings. He wasn't dreaming. And god, how he wanted her!
Taking a tentative step towards her he came to a halt in front of the woman he loved and said, "I accept."
Max looked up at him, eyes shining, smiling from ear to ear, and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. Alec's arms immediately circled her waist. The crowd cheered and whistled as Max and Alec sealed their future with a kiss.
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