Take Two

Rating: K

Summary: Extra scene that takes place in Two.

A/N: After watching Two, I felt that there were a lot of things left unsaid that would've been great to see in regards to Alec befriending Sketchy and Original Cindy. So this is an add-on to the night Alec hangs with them for the first time at Crash.

Alec picked up the empty pitcher from the table and walked over to the bar. Sketchy followed him, hands in his pocket fingering the wad of his losses. He had only known Alec a few hours, but he was astounded to find out that the great Monty Cora was just an every day guy trying to get by. Why the guy had left cage fighting to pursue a pathetic venue as being a bike messenger was beyond him. However Sketchy wasn't complaining and knew better than to question someone else's career motives. Alec was a cool guy to hang out with, even if he did just kick his ass at pool and won his spare cash for the week, he had offered to buy the next round of beer which made him all right in Sketchy's book.

The new guy didn't seem to be in Max's good graces though.

When Sketchy first recognized Alec, he had been talking to Max, who didn't seem enthused at all to see him. Normal and Sketchy had attributed it to her being unaware of his prowess in the ring, women weren't that keen on sports, especially underground ones that involved shady characters. After a day doing runs with Alec, Max looked just as annoyed if not more so. She knew his real name was "Alec" before he mentioned it to Normal which was why she didn't understand the Monty Cora reference. The perturbed look she had given Alec when he offered to buy the beer was the one she reserved for people she truly couldn't stand like Darren or Normal. There was too much tension in their voices for two people who just met. When it was coupled with the tone of defiance Alec took with her, it indicated a familiarity that even Sketchy couldn't help but notice.

"So, uh, what's the deal with you and Max?" Sketchy asked when his curiosity got the better of him and they were out of earshot of Cindy and Max.

"What do you mean?" Alec asked nonchalantly.

Sketchy gave him a sideways glance. "There seems to be a bit of history between you guys?"

Alec laughed as he handed the pitcher to the bartender. A bit of history was right. But that bit seemed to amount to a mountain of issues between them.

"We're X's."

"Exes, huh?" A knowing smile crossed Sketchy's face. "I knew it! Figures. You were her type before that Logan guy."

Now this was news to Alec. He hadn't thought much about the kinds of guys Max dated. He didn't even think Max dated anyone besides Logan, let alone guys like himself, whatever that was supposed to mean. What kind of guy was he anyway? He wasn't sure if Sketchy had complimented or insulted him.

"Really?"

Sketchy nodded. "Yeah. So what happened? If you don't mind me asking… because she seriously has it out for ya, and you don't wanna be on Max's bad list."

Alec shrugged.

"We had a summer fling back in our hometown…"

That was his story and he was sticking to it.

"It was just a physical thing…"

He remembered his body colliding with her cell wall. Now she was smacking him around the place like he was a piñata… At that thought he rubbed his head and wondered just how many times she had hit him there for the day, hopefully her hand hadn't imprinted itself there yet.

"Didn't end well when she went back to Logan…"

Helping her to escape had required a lot of legwork and lying. He had played along with Renfro's entire plan after telling Max that he wasn't just being used. He let her infect Logan with that virus just like a good little Manticore dolphin. Then there was the fight with her in Logan's apartment that somehow escalated into Manticore being burnt to the ground and all their science fair experiments escaping. That was how White got involved and how Alec ended up lying to Max again with an explosive in his head. He had almost killed her that night. His life became the price for the cure to touch Logan. That was why Alec was here now -- making it up to her, trying to make his life worth what she paid for it.

"Don't mention it around her though."

Sketchy nodded, taking it all in. "Gotchya. So you and Max grew up together?"

"Not really. Same place, opposite ends. We didn't really know each other because she left as soon as she could, but she was close to my twin," Alec replied, not letting his calm and collected tone waver as he took the full pitcher from the bartender and paid for it.

"Wait, there's two of you out there?!"

This caused Alec to shake his head. "Not anymore. He died earlier this year. Look, I'd rather not talk about it. Bad memories. Don't mention that to Max either. Another touchy subject."

"You got it man," was Sketchy's response.

They headed back towards the table.

Now his head was full of heavy subjects – How much did he really know about Max? How many dark secrets was she carrying around? What would possess Alec to try to get entangled with her life again? Well, he wanted to know what the score was with Max and Alec, and now he had it.

Maybe Alec would buy another pitcher of beer so he wouldn't have to remember it in the morning.

A/N: The dolphin reference is to the military trained dolphins that have been used throughout the years as kamikaze against enemy fighters and watercraft. Why Iran bought some off of Russia in 2000, I don't know but it would've been a great case for Eyes Only.