Title: It's The End Of The World (As We Know It)

Author: Kyra

Disclaimer: I don't own them; if I did I wouldn't be writing fanfiction.

Summary: Everything Everything changes when the bomb Parker and Hardison went after turns out to be a fake…And the real one goes off. In the aftermath of the Pulse, things only get more complicated when the Leverage team takes in a stray with secrets of his own.

Pairings: Very light Nate/Sophie and Hardison/Parker

Spoilers: Up through most of 'The Big Bang Job' for Leverage, goes AU on the train, and all of Dark Angel is fair game.

Warnings: None that I can think of.

Chapter 8: New Family

A few hours later, as dawn crept closer and the transgenics prepared to raise their flag above Terminal City, Ben and Alec rejoined the others, both with smiles on their faces.

"Finally!" Max exclaimed. "It's almost dawn!"

"I know. But we had a few things to talk about and work out," Alec said with a shrug, his smile slipping but not quite disappearing.

"Well, let's get going. Everyone else is already up there," Max said.

As the group headed for the stairs leading to the roof, Alec grabbed Max's hand and pulled her to the side for a moment.

"Alec!" Max exclaimed in frustration.

"This won't take long," Alec said. "So just hear me out."

"Fine, what?"

"I'm leaving," Alec stated simply. "As soon as we get things in order here, as soon as it starts getting dangerous for Ben's family to be here anymore, I'm leaving. I'm going with Ben and his family. Depending on the state of things, we might stay in Seattle and help from outside Terminal City. But when they leave, I leave."

"What?" Max asked, staring at him in shock.

"I don't belong here, Max. You don't want me here, you simply put up with me," Alec said with a sigh. "You'll never forgive me for the fact that I'm the reason you and Logan can't touch, and because of that, you'll never accept me. They will. So I'm leaving."

Max simply stared at him in shock, not knowing what to say and after a moment Alec sighed again.

"Come on," he said. "It's almost dawn; everyone's probably waiting on us."

They made it to the roof just in time. As Max laced her gloved fingers with Logan's gloved fingers and Alec joined his new family, the sun crested the horizon and the transgenic flag was raised above Terminal City.

And that's the end... I know it's short, but I think it wrapped things up nicely. Hope you all liked it. :-)

~ Kyra