Chapter 7: Party at Crash
Max walked into the crowded room feeling surprisingly happy despite the fact that she looked like hell. Of course this time it was on purpose.
Max stepped around, hoping to find her friends that she knew were there somewhere. The glaring different colored lights made it difficult for her to clearly see anyone.
"Sweet costume!" someone commented to Max. Whoever it was, they looked positively disgusting with a weird green tint on their skin.
"Swamp thing?" Max guessed with a grossed out face.
"Mother-in-law," the male voice came back.
"Ha, ha," Max said. After her night, she needed something more than that to really laugh.
As if on cue, she spotted Alec in the crowd. Or rather, he spotted her. Whichever transgenic noticed the other first wasn't clear, but either way, their eyes met, both finding amusement at the sight of the other.
"Maxie," Alec greeted her with a nod. Of course he had to be the first to speak.
"Nice costume!" Max told him. "Really, it's quite frightening. What do you call it?"
"Very funny, Maxie!" Alec remarked. "Like I said earlier, I don't do costumes."
Max mocked confusion. "But, Alec, your face- it's a really horrifying sight. Oh…wait! That's what you always look like!"
Alec nodded and held his lips tightly together. "Nice, Max. That's very nice. I can always expect sunshine coming from you."
Max only deepened her smile. "After tonight, I don't know why you'd expect anything less than severe pain."
Alec laughed. "Oh, okay, Maxie. Back to your violent fantasies of me, huh? You really think about me too much! Must be all that attraction that you're feeling toward me."
It was now Max's turn to laugh. "Whatever, Pretty Boy!"
"So, I have to admit, I'm a little surprised," Alec admitted, being serious.
"Why's that?" Max asked him.
Alec pointed at her outfit. "Well, your costume. You knew about the bet. What made you decide to go along with it?"
Max shrugged. "I don't know really. It's not like I had another one lying around."
"You could have always gone as a prostitute. That one was all ready!" Alec said with a suggestive wiggle of his brows.
Max punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Sorry, I've had enough of that outfit and wig for probably the rest of my life."
"Max!" Sketchy greeted, with Scott right behind him. "I see you went with the bride after all, huh?" He nudged Scott who was dressed as Frankenstein.
"Hey, Max!" Scott greeted her.
"Like my costume?" Max asked him with a slight glare.
"Okay!!" Alec said, directing Scott away, "Hey, looks like you have another bride over there. Cutie in the left corner. Why don't you introduce yourself, buddy?"
Scott, in his drunken state, was easily persuaded to do just that, but not before handing Sketch a wad of cash first.
"Max, I am so happy you went like this!" Sketchy told her, apparently about to come clean about his plan.
Max glared at him. "Listen, the next time you make a bet to get me to do something, why don't you try a novel idea instead of breaking into my apartment and messing with my stuff!"
"Um, what's that?" Sketchy asked her with a nervous swallow.
"Asking!" Max replied forcefully.
Before Sketchy could reply, another friend of theirs joined them.
"Max!" Original Cindy greeted her. "Glad to see you made it! So everything went cool tonight then, right? Damn, nice costume!" She turned to Alec. "And what the hell are you supposed to be? A male escort?"
"I'm a hit man named Viggo," Alec answered. "Can't you tell? What, I look like a Viggo, right?"
O.C. didn't get it, but Max rolled her eyes at him. "No more talk of that, Alec. Or I might just get the urge to kick your ass again."
"But didn't I come through for you, Maxie? Come on, you have to admit, you're glad I was there!"
"Where's Logan?" O.C. asked before Max could respond to Alec.
"You know," Alec answered for Max, "At his computer hacking into some big evil guy's database to save desperate little orphans!"
Max was about to argue and inform Cindy that after having his life threatened he was enjoying a well-deserved relaxing evening at home, when she spotted another familiar face that she couldn't help but smile at the sight of.
The familiar man wearing a black suit and a white collar walked up to her confidently, despite the hectic day he'd just managed to survive from.
"So this priest walks into a bar and says…" Max greeted him.
"I wanted to buy you a drink. You know, a little, thanks for saving my life kind of thing," Logan answered with a smile.
"Not very holy of you, Father!" Max joked. "But since you're buying!"
Alec grinned, "Well, yea, since you're buying!"
Logan turned to Alec. "So…Pimp, huh? You didn't get much training in that undercover role in Manticore, did you?" he asked as he motioned for the bartender to come their way.
"No, that was all from his own personal experience, right Alec?" Max threw in.
"Beers all around," Logan told the bartender.
"Your costume suits you!" Alec replied smartly while accepting his beer.
"How do you mean?" Logan asked.
"You know, the whole, holy, saving people's lives thing."
Logan looked confused. "Not sure what you mean."
"Never mind," Alec said as he took a swig of his beer. He turned to Max. "Well, I think I'm gonna go say goodbye to our drunk friend Frankenstein, and then head home."
"Why you cuttin' out so early?" Max asked him. "Bored?"
Alec shrugged. "What can I say, I don't have a costume."
Max rolled her eyes. "And you're gonna let that stop you from what could be a great evening?"
Alec gave her an odd stare. "Does this mean you actually want me to have a good evening, Maxie? Last I checked you wanted to kick my ass in several different, but equally painful, ways."
Max shrugged. "Well…maybe you did come through."
"And maybe there's another beer after that one," Logan added.
"Are you trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me?" Alec joked to Logan.
Logan laughed out of embarrassment and the absurdity of the comment. "Just… have another beer. And I think I will, too. I don't feel near drunk enough for that comment right now."
As the men headed to the bar for a refill, Cindy eyed Max seriously. "So, really. How'd tonight go?"
Max smiled. "It was completely insane!" She laughed, thinking of it all. "But…it all worked out!"
Cindy nodded, returning the smile. "I see! And for once, you gettin' along with both ya boys!"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Max asked her.
"Nothin!" Cindy said. "Just good to see everyone kickin' it with no drama."
Max rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I only came cuz you helped me out so much earlier, I figured I owed you one. I knew how much it would mean to you if we all came and had a good time."
"Well, thanks for that I guess," Cindy said, "Cuz it's been one hell of a night!"
Max looked around the room, noticing all the crazy costumes and the amount of people. Everyone had gone all out, it seemed. She waved at her neighbor who looked like he was having a great time.
"You bring him?" Max asked Cindy.
O.C. nodded. "I picked out that costume, too. He is so lucky I was with him today! You shoulda seen what brotha was gonna wear before I came to his rescue!"
Max laughed as she finished eyeing the whole place. "Man, I just don't get it!" she admitted.
Cindy looked confused. "Whatchu mean, boo?"
"What is it with Halloween?" Max asked.
Cindy shrugged. "It's Halloween!" she simply answered. She then held up her glass in celebration. "Happy Halloween, Max!" she said to Max.
Max returned the gesture so that both glasses clanged together before each girl took a big swig of their drinks. "Happy Halloween," Max returned, rolling her eyes.
a/n: Yes, this was a short, happy ending! I tried to incorporate all the quotes and aspects of each character that I most enjoyed from the show. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! This one was really fun to write!