Title: No Greater Love

Author: Amy Lock (AKA Sea Angel)

Disclaimer: Actually, in this first chapter they are all mine except for Manticore. But as the chapters roll on, a disclaimer is gonna need to be put up, so I'll just do it now. Max, Logan and any other Dark Angel characters are the sole property of James Cameron and Charles Eglee. Suing me would be quite pointless because all my money has gone to pay for tuition.

Dedication: I want to dedicate this to my mother who has helped me through some pretty rough times of my own, and to my friend Naomi, for being such a goofball, and for joining in on my love for this show.

Author's Notes: I came up with this idea quite a while ago, but I've been very busy, and I could not think up a name for the main character. Then today I was sitting in a sociology lecture, and my prof said something that struck a chord, and I knew right then and there that her name had to be Eve. Evangeline became the full name because it means 'like an angel'. I'm not going to tell you why her name had to be Eve, though, you have to figure that one out for yourself. I know that I'm being mean, but I figure that if I have to analyze stories then so do you. :)
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No Greater Love


Evangeline lifted a green pepper to her nose and took a strong sniff. As the smell of the perfectly ripe pepper filled her senses, she smiled triumphantly, and placed it in her ugly brown, canvas shopping bag. It was a rare and wonderful accomplishment to find a perfect piece of produce at these markets now. She remembered a time when she used to accompany her mother to supermarkets filled with lush fruits and vegetables and aisles of delectable treats. Now, she noted with a slight smirk, it took fifteen minutes of picking and smelling rank peppers just to find a half decent one at the bottom of the pile.

"Quite an accomplishment."

Evangeline turned at the unfamiliar voice with surprise. Beside her stood a friendly yet very weary looking young woman with dirty blond hair and laughing blue eyes. In one arm she carried a small boy who looked to be about a year old; in the other hand she was holding firmly onto another child, this one a girl.

"Pardon me?" Evangeline smiled curiously at the woman, "Were you talking to me?"

The woman laughed, "Sorry. Yes, I was. I was just commenting about your fortune at finding a good pepper." She laughed again, this time rather self-deprecating, "My, our world must be in a poorer shape than I thought, when strangers on the street start discussing their luck at finding vegetables like we used to discuss winning the lottery."

Eve smiled agreeably, and the young woman pulled her hand free of the little girl, to offer it in a handshake.

"My name's Maia."

"Eve."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you. Eve, that's a beautiful name. Actually, I wanted to name this little one that, but my husband wouldn't hear of it. We settled on Andrea."

Eve smiled with delight at the young girl, who in turn gave her a grin void of a front tooth. "Yes, well, it's a shortened version. My actual name is Evangeline. My parents were big into the meanings behind the name, and when my mother found out that Evangeline meant 'like an angel', I was named right then and there."

Maia nodded in agreeance as she popped a couple peppers into her own brown bag, and moved onto the next table with Eve.

"Evangeline. That's a beautiful name as well. Give my commends to your mother the next time you're talking to her."

Eve smiled faintly as she picked up a slightly bruised apple. She noticed absently, that her nails had only gotten worse since she had vowed little more than a week ago that she was going to stop chewing them.

"Actually, my Mom passed away quite some time ago. But thank-you for the compliment."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

Evangeline could hear genuine regret laced in Maia's voice, and smiled dismissively, "It's okay. "

The group moved onto the next table, this one filled with battered tomatoes.

"I guess my name's all right, I've never really minded it anyway. I do prefer Eve to Evangeline. If I'd have had my pick, though, my name would be Eden. I've always loved that name."

As soon as the words came out of her mouth, warning signals shot through every inch of Eve's body. What the hell had possessed her to say that? Thinking quickly, Eve changed the subject before unwanted memories overpowered her.

"What's this little guys name?" Eve reached one finger out to the little baby, who closed her finger into a chubby little fist and began using it as a teething toy.

Maia laughed embarrassed, "His name is Matt, and please forgive him. He's not quite into manners, though it isn't for lack of trying."

Eve giggled, delighted with the toddlers affections, "No problem here. I love children."

Grinning appreciatively, Maia pulled Matt's fist (and consequently Eve's finger) out of his mouth, then continued with her shopping list.

"Oh really? Do you have any of your own?"

At those familiar words, Eve's smile promptly disappeared from her face as pain lanced through every nerve of her body. Memories and regrets threatened to drown her right then and there, but she managed to fight her way to the surface in order to mumble, "No."

Noticing the sudden change of expression on her new friends face, Maia decided to change the subject.

"Oh, well, lucky you, then. These little monsters can drive you bonkers at times." Maia kept her voice unusually cheerful. She had been down this path before. Many of her close friends had been unable to have their own children, and with the economy doing so poorly, no one could afford any sort of in vitro work. Still there was a pain in Eve's eyes that Maia had not seen in any of her other friends, and it caused her to turn her face towards her son, and away from Eve.

Eve managed a somewhat grateful smile, but the words still stung her deep inside, and she kept any further comments quiet until her voice had returned.

Silently, the new acquaintances made there way to the cash line. When Eve felt her voice again, she spoke up.

"Sorry about that." she said it quietly, and Maia had to struggle to hear amidst the Seattle noise. "No, I...ah, I don't have any children. I'd love to, but I'm afraid that my life hasn't quite worked itself in that direction."

Maia nodded knowingly, "Ah. But, you've still got time. You're only...what, thirty five or so?"

Eve snorted, but a smile once again graced her pretty features, "Right. Not exactly. I'm thirty-nine."

"Thirty-nine?"

"And holding. And if anybody says any different, they're lying." Eve's large chocolate eyes swam with laughter, her earlier bout of sadness dissipating quickly

Maia looked at her in astonishment, "Wow. You don't look a day over thirty five." At Eve's doubtful look, Maia added, "honestly."

Eve laughed aloud, "Thank-you. You sure know how to flatter."

Maia smiled, but shook her head. As she was about to respond, however, Andrea tugged at her sleeve.

"Mommy, I need to go to the bathroom."

"Just a sec, honey, we're almost outta here, and then we'll stop at the shop around the corner. Kay?"

"Okay."

Maia shot Eve a tired look as she straightened, and Eve smiled sympathetically in turn.

After they had paid for their purchases, and it became clear that Andrea was not planning on being overly patient, Maia and Eve exchanged phone numbers. They decided it would be a good arrangement for their sanities. When Maia was frustrated with children, she would visit Eve. Whenever Eve became particularly lonely, then she would visit Maia and her children. After this conclusion and with a final tug by Andrea on Maia's shirt, they parted in separate directions.

Eve arrived at her apartment cold and tired from her long walk with her heavy bag. Setting the bag on the counter, she proceeded to put away the groceries into her small cupboards. She found it hard to recall a time when her shelves had been full. Even now, with a good job to cushion her worries, the cupboards were just a step above bare. At times, she was almost glad for her lack of children. At least this way, she didn't have to worry about the small, hungry bellies. Or at least, she didn't have to see or hear about her children's hungry bellies. That was left up to someone else.

Before her memories could assault her once again, Eve boiled a cup of hot water, and made herself a pot of tea. Stepping into her under furnished living room, she sat on her sand colored couch and turned on the television. Hope filled her eyes as she watched the show on the screen. It was a newer show, one of the many that was filmed in Canada. In this day and age, the United States couldn't afford any entertainment companies, and all the good shows seemed to be coming in from Canada. Next came an older show, "The Cosby Show", she believed. She vaguely remembered watching that show as a child. But as the night wore on, and there were no interruptions, her heart began to fall, and the hope disappeared from her eyes.

Around about midnight Eve felt her eyes beginning to droop, and within an hour, she had fallen asleep. In her waking hours, Evangeline had been able to fight the memories and the fears, but in her sleep, they came with full force. And as always, the nightmare had to do with one thing, and one thing only. Her nightmare's always revolved around Manticore.