So, so, so sorry for the long wait people who might be still reading this. I had a soccer game on Thursday and Friday so I haven't been home. One was in North Carolina and one was in Virginia so I've been constantly on buses. I had time to write but no time to post. So I had more written for this chapter but I didn't like how it was going. I always have an inkling about what I'm going to write about but then let it develop as I'm writing so sometimes things just don't come out how I originally anticipated.
Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel...only my laptop and this sub that I am currently eating.
Chapter 4: Matters of Graves and Closets
It was raining, what a stereotypical thing to happen at a funeral. The mood of the day was exemplified by the dreary feeling that the weather brought on. After they managed to make it back into the command building they had found three more dead transgenics. One of them was a particularly hard blow, a young X6by the name of Dom. Everyone took that one pretty hard. The kid had always been quite the comic and ran around cheering people up and wreaking havoc with his jokes and pranks.
Max and Alec stood in front of the large crowd of people, Alec holding the umbrella over both of them. The graves of Dom, Shawn, Char, Hal, Dil and the other couple of transhumans that they found later on. Alec was sure that Max was barely holding it together, God forbid she lose her tough-love reputation by crying for her people in front of the rest of TC.
It was a sad day for everyone, all of the dead were being mourned greatly on that day. Lu was taking it especially hard. She kept going through it in her mind. Thinking of all the possibilitiesof what she could have done to help. She could have evacuated all of them earlier, she could have helped them get to a safe spot before running for safety for herself, she could have…
"Lu, stop," Biggs commanded quietly from behind her, and suddenly the rain wasn't drenching her anymore as Biggs had covered her with his umbrella. She gave him a questioning look but he just shrugged and gave her a pointed look then turned his attention to Max and Alec who had started talking. Biggs had never been one for many words he was more the 'quiet but deadly' type.
"Three days ago, we lost some of the best," Max began over the sound of the rain beating down on the surrounding buildings, "The twins were the picture of bravery right up until the end while they made sure most of the people were out of the main part of command before they could even try and make it out."
"Dom, the little bugger, was always cracking jokes, keeping the mood light, even when we were surrounded by rioters and sector cops two years ago, he was always on the bright side of things," Alec continued for her, "Hal, oh Hal, he could hit a target from the top of an 80 story building to down the block with his eyes closed. The birdman was one of my best friends."
"Delilah, Dil, Hal, and the rest, they were some of the best," Max finished almost quietly.
"All of them will be missed, and I swear to my grave that we will get revenge on White for the brave soldiers who died in the explosion," Alec finished with his eyes flashing.
The entirety of TC gathered for the funeral stood there a second longer and then they began to slowly trickle away until there was only Dalton, Gen, Eve, Lu, Biggs, Max and Alec.
"Dom was my best friend," Dalton stated.
It looked as if he was trying really hard not to cry.
"We did everything together," he continued, "He asked me to come into command that morning to pull a prank with him, I told him no because I wanted to go and see Gem. What if I had gone? Would he still be alive? Would it have been me in his place?"
Alec glanced at Dalton's face and saw that the kid was blank, it was like he was just talking, like he didn't know anyone else was there.
"Kid, let it go, it wasn't your fault," Alec told him gently.
Dalton, as Alec's hand touched his shoulder seemed to come back to earth.
"He's right Dalton, Dom would not have wanted you blaming yourself or mourning, he would have wanted you to keep on pranking and laughing," Gem added, handing Eve, her young daughter who was two years old to Dalton.
He looked at Eve who was poking his shirt and laughing. Dalton smiled a little bit and then let Gem pull him away from the grave and out of the rain. That left Lu, Biggs, Alec, and Max.
"Well this was depressing," Lu commented dryly.
Biggs put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a weak smile. Max and Alec weren't paying attention, Max was staring at the twins' gravestones and Alec was staring at Max.
"Right, well let's go Biggs," Lu said quietly as she got a glimmer of a smirk on her face.
Biggs looked at her questioningly but let her pull him by the hand into a nearby building.
"They're about to have a moment," Lu said happily, "Come on I think we can see from here."
"You had to pull us into the janitor's closet," Biggs said exasperatedly.
"I didn't even notice," Lu said airily but she smirked to herself.
"Right," Biggs said noting her smirk.
There was no room to squeeze next to her at the window so he put his hands on either side of her and stood behind her. She was so short that he had no problem seeing over her head. They watched as the two stood in the pouring rain, Alec still holding the umbrella.
"I thought you said they were going to have a moment," Biggs said right next to her ear.
Lu shivered at the closeness of him.
"Well..uh…they uh…." Lu stuttered as Biggs got closer and closer to her and then he brushed her hair away from her neck and kissed it.
"We um….um…should probably…" Lu tried to get out but found herself incapable of speck as Biggs continued to kiss down her neck and upper back.
"What the hell," she mumbled giving in and spinning around to capture Biggs' lips with hers.
Needless to say they didn't come out of the janitor's closet for quite some time. Again, Biggs was more the silent but deadly type.
Meanwhile………
Max and Alec stood staring at the graves of the dead transgenics. Both of them felt that they could have done something to stop the Familiars from exploding Command.
If they had just went after White.
If he had just killed White when he had the chance.
Then Logan walked up with his umbrella.
He shot a look at Alec's arm around Max's shoulder and scowled. Max looked up as he got closer and the tears she had been letting fall only in Alec's presence were quickly wiped away.
"Max, you should get out of the rain," Logan said to Max holding out a hand to her.
They had found the cure to the virus about a year after the Jam Pony incident.
Max glanced at the hand and then at Alec. She wasn't quite sure what she wanted to do, go with Logan and have him continue to try and convince her to leave TC, or stay with Alec in the rain and have him tease her for staying, the ladder sounded surprisingly more appealing. Especially with Alec's closeness and raised body heat keeping her warm.
Woah there girl.
"Max, come on, they're dead you can't do anything about it now, " Logan added moving to grab her arm.
Alec subtly pulled her a bit out of his reach and waited for her to reply.
"Logan, I think I'm going to stay longer, Alec and I need to talk about what we're going to do about all of this."
Logan's eyes went wide as he glanced from Alec to Max and back.
"Well, I could help you out," Logan managed to get out, "I need a favor from you anyway with Eyes Only."
Alec couldn't believe Logan was asking Max to help with Eyes only crap. She would say yes too, because God forbid she not help the man with the Save the World complex. But the problem was he didn't want her to go, not with White at large against the Transgenics yet again.
"Well.." Max started.
"Max, that wouldn't be a very good idea, not with White blowing up command, I mean you'd be a sitting duck outside of TC by yourself."
Max scowled at him but then turned back to Logan.
"Alec's right Logan, a mission would not be a good idea, not that I'm afraid," Max assured quickly, "But I also need to be here as much as possible to get TC back on its feet."
"That's why you have an SIC, how many times have you told me that Alec is completely capable of the position you've given him and you trust him more than anyone else?" Logan tried.
Alec's gaze shot to Max in surprise at that comment. Since when did she trust him and think he was capable? He was the resident screw up, wasn't he?
"Yes, I do," Max agreed, "But, I am the leader of TC. It is my responsibility and I love TC Logan, I told you that."
"Oh, right," Logan said sarcastically, "So Alec almost kills you and me and you can forgive him but you're still angry with me about asking you to leave TC."
"Logan," Max said wearily, "Please don't sarte this now."
"No, Max, I don't get it!" Logan continued, "HE can do whatever he wants and you'll forgive him."
"What do you want me to say Logan? He's my best friend!" Max yelled, "I trust him, yea, he did some stuff that wasn't too good, but he never would have actually killed me and that virus both things he had no choice."
"Just admit it, I'll never be as trustworthy in your eyes as he is!"
Alec had a feeling both parties had forgotten he was still there.
"Logan, look he's my best friend, he's Manticore we just understand each other."
"Right, well, count me out of that 'understanding,' Logan said and walked away.
Mas and Alec stared after Logan for a while.
"Uh, Max," Alec finally said nervously.
Nervously, when has Alec ever been nervous?
"Alec just shut up," Max said calmly.
"No seriously, we have to talk about this," Alec said, " I mean, I'm always just kidding when I call you my best friend but now that I think about it you are. That is I trust you, even more than Biggs and Lu."
"Well obviously I feel the same way," Max said grudgingly.
"Good so we're best friends," Alec continued.
"Yup."
They stood there for a moment longer.
"Come on, let's go to my place and dry off we can talk about White and all of that there," Alec said but noticed Max's hesitation, "I have cake, chocolate cake."
A smile formed on Max's lips for the first time that day and she nodded. Alec grabbed her hand and they made their way out of the rain, passing a certain janitor's closet. As they were about to go by it they heard a loud noise and exchanged looks. Stealthily, they stood on either side of the door, Alec drew his gun and they exchanged a few signals. Then Max kicked the door open and Alec trained his gun on the two people inside.
"Jesus Christ!" Lu yelled, "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"
Alec and Max, surprised, merrily stood there staring at Lu and Biggs. Lu was against the wall with Biggs in front of her and her legs wrapped around his waist. A moment ago, they had been making out rather heatedly. While Max and Alec stood there in shock staring at Lu and Biggs who were calmly sitting in the same position.
"Do you think you could lower that gun Alec, cuz it's making me nervous," Lu grumbled, "And as long as you two are done standing there staring at us we'd appreciate it if you'd shove off."
Alec lowered his gun and then Max seemed to come out of her stupor.
"Oh, right, well, Lu I'll talk to you later," Max said pointedly and pulled Alec out the door with her.
"Well that was interesting," Max said after a moment of her and Alec walking in silence.
"Yeah, no kidding," Alec grumbled, "She's like my little sister and some guy was basically ravaging her right there!"
"Alec, it wasn't just some guy, it was Biggs, you know he's not going to hurt her alright?" Max retorted.
He ran a hand over his short dark-blonde hair and then nodded.
"Yeah, you're right."
"I guess we'd better go to your apartment now, we have to come up with something to do about White," Max said changing the subject.
"Okay, yeah let's do that," he said, then he smirked, "Maxie you look like a wet kitty."
Max scowled, "Don't call me Maxie," and hit him on the back of his head.
But Alec noticed the slight smile at the corners of her mouth and shook his head. Then he put his arm around her shoulders again and led her to his apartment.
Well, was it worth the wait? I don't know how I feel about it quite yet. Sigh, well review please!!!
Lu