DISCLAIMER: All "Dark Angel" characters belong to James Cameron and Charles Eglee (Cameron Eglee Productions) and "Dark Angel" itself belongs to FOX.
ARCHIVE: No
Better Late Than Never
By Valjean
This story follows the events of Max Allen Collins official DARK ANGEL novel "After the Dark." -- Author's note
******************************
Part I
Chapter 1
February 1, 2022
"Hey, Max," a cautious voice said from behind her. "Hidin' again?"
"I come up here to be alone," she said coldly. "You know that. Go away."
"Fine," Alec returned, his tone as clipped as hers. "But I don't know what you're so bent outta shape about. Afterall, you're the one who stood me up, not the other way around."
She turned and looked up at him, standing there in khakis and his best black leather jacket. "What are you talking about?"
"Our little planning session? The one you wanted to have before meetin' with Lydecker -- the snake who slipped through our fingers? I kind of agree with Mole now, that we should'a just shot the guy when we had a chance."
"He said he knew where my mother was," Max said tiredly. "How was I to know his people were looking for him -- that they'd spring him like they did? Besides," she added snidely. "You're the one who put Dix in charge of the prisoner that night. It's really your fault he's gone."
Alec flinched at that -- and almost left. It was obvious that now, as usual, Max didn't want him around, even after all they'd been through together. However, there was still the matter of Lydecker's deal.
"You know, don't you, that I'm not real keen on this whole 'usin' X5's for special government missions," Alec continued, letting the sore topic of Lydecker's escape from Terminal City alone for now, "even if the pay is better than what our little arts and crafts endeavor brings in. I mean, it'll be your ass and mine on the line here -- not that inhalin' too many paint fumes isn't a work hazard as well. Still, I'm not doin' all that bad as a middle man in the art and antique brokerage world, Max. Then there's that city council gig I got elected for -- in spite of a certain someone who has her doubts about me bein' a good representative -- even if it is just a once-a-month thing. Why risk my hide for the people who made my life a living hell not so long ago? I don't really need a third job."
"Because you were born to be a soldier, not an art dealer or a politician," Max said tiredly.
"True."
"And because you know where your real talents lie."
Alec's eyebrows rose.
"Plus, we need the money." Max continued. "Sorry I forgot about the meeting. I just needed some time to think about a few things." She'd turned away from him again and was looking out at the rising half moon, a gigantic yellow slice slowly crawling up the Seattle skyline. A chilly breeze off the ocean lifted strands of her long dark hair. He noticed she was shivering, and thought about offering her his jacket -- but he didn't.
"This wouldn't be about Logan again would it?" Alec said carefully, half afraid the question might result in his being pushed off the edge of their high perch.
She said nothing.
"I thought things were great between the two of you," Alec continued, his voice still light but with just a trace of something else. "I mean, the virus is gone, you lovebirds have been nesting in that fancy pad of his ... what's to worry about? Aren't all your dreams comin' true now, Maxie?"
He thought she wasn't going to answer.
But then she took a deep breath. "It's not like I thought it would be -- Logan and me."
Alec's brows drew together in a genuinely surprised scowl. "Whatdaya mean?" he said as he gracefully dropped into a sitting position beside her on the metal roof of the Space Needle.
Max swallowed hard. "I thought it would be perfect," she said huskily. "I thought that if the virus was just out of the way, that if Logan and me could be together like a real couple in love, then all the other issues would just vanish."
"They never just vanish, Max," he said, speaking from experience.
Max nodded. "He wants me to be normal."
"You are normal." Alec thought a second about what he'd just said. "Well, I mean you're not Normal, as in our beloved former boss Reagan Ronald, but you're not abnormal."
"Yes I am," she said. I am abnormal."
"How so?"
"I'm transgenic." She said the words as if she didn't want anyone to hear them -- as if it was admitting something shameful. "A freak," she whispered to the moon.
"We're all transgenic," Alec said, not quite believing Max still thought of herself as less than human -- not after all they'd fought for during the past eight months ... not after all her big "I'm proud to be a freak!" speeches. "Well, except for Logan," he added.
"Exactly," Max sniffed. "Logan wants me to live in his world, Alec. Not in mine."
"His world, our world, what's the difference, Max?" He honestly didn't understand. "The guy knows full well who and what you are. He always has. He told me himself you being transgenic didn't matter to him. Hell, he's so in love with you Max it's not even funny." A thought occurred to Alec, and he added, "Just don't go blamin' this on me somehow, like you're undoubtedly about ready to. You know, deliverin' the old 'if it's fucked up it's always Alec's fault' line of yours?"
Max bit her lower lip, ignoring his self-pitying remarks. "Last weekend we went to a party out on the island," she said. "One his aunt gave."
Alec smiled at that. "I remember," he said. "You were really workin' that dress, Max -- that little red number" He saw she wasn't amused and stopped. "What? Did somethin' happen at the party?"
"This drunk guy got a little ... fresh. He put his hand on my ass. Logan was going to say something to him, but I just reacted."
Alec winced. "Don't tell me you decked the CEO of Bay Street Bank or some such royalty."
"CEO of Albany Electronics, actually," Max said, smiling a little in spite of everything at the memory. She glanced over at him, her brown eyes wide and a little desperate. "I swear, I didn't mean to take him down. I just meant to twist his wrist. But he had this plate of food and--"
"Lemme guess," Alec said. "It made the society page the next mornin'. What'd the headline say? Somethin' like 'Transgenic Date Decks Dirty Dilettante'."
Max hung her head. "Logan was mortified. We left the party right away and all the way home I was lectured on how I had to act like a normal girl, that I couldn't go around embarrassing him." She turned to the moon again. "Even O.C. didn't understand. I couldn't make her see that it's just so natural to me -- to defend myself when someone touches me like that. She said I should have just smacked the asshole in the face, not broken his wrist ..."
"I'd probably have broken his neck," Alec said quietly. He wasn't joking.
"He was just drunk, Alec. I had no right to hurt him like that."
"Actually, it was Logan who should have defended you," Alec pointed out. "I know I sure as hell would have if you were my date. But I guess Eyes Only is too much of a pacifist."
"Logan's not like us, Alec. He's not -- violent."
Alec didn't deny her allegation. He knew as well as she did that the X5's had an inborn instinct to kill, part of their feline DNA and psychological conditioning. But then Logan knew that too ...
"So, what happened?" Alec prodded her. "You two are on the outs now?"
"I tried to make up with him this evening," Max said. "I made this really special dinner while he was out of the apartment, and I had on a new dress, a black number that cost me most of my cut of the money we made on that last drug dealer heist -- our 'supplemental income' as you call it. I thought I could make everything all right."
He gave her a moment, then softly said, "And?"
A huge, heavy sigh, followed by another shrug. "Instead of lying in bed making love with Logan I'm sitting here with you, which you've got to admit is truly pathetic."
Alec hung his head at that remark, but Max didn't notice.
"All Logan could talk about were ways I could 'fit in' with regular humans. I finally got fed up and told him I needed some space."
"Ah, you guys will make up," Alec said, waving his hand in the air. But then he bit down on his lower lip and looked away before adding, "You always do. You always get back with him."
"Maybe it's time I stop doing that."
Alec made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a derisive snort. "Yeah, right. The day you give up Logan is the day I give up sex."
"Then you'd better get used to being celibate, and break the bad news to your string of ladies," Max deadpanned.
"I don't have a string of ladies," Alec said rather absently, watching Max closely. He thought about that a moment and added, "Well, maybe I do, but it's not as sordid as you make it sound. I'm always a perfect gentleman. Can I help it if women find me irresistible? I mean, in a way, it's a real liability -- a nuisance the way they keep shovin' phone numbers at me."
"Poor baby," Max said rather caustically. "I can tell you're hurting as much as I am. Right?" She raked him with her eyes. "You don't even remember their names, do you?" she said softly. "In the morning?"
"Sarcasm doesn't become you, Max," Alec said, wondering why the conversation was suddenly about him. "My personal life's none of your business.
"What about Asha? She was someone who could have really cared about you, been more than a one-night-stand, if you'd let her."
Yeah, cared about me until I got her killed, the nasty little voice in Alec's head chided. "I said it's none of your business," he repeated.
"Why not? I just poured out the whole sad story of my love life to you. It's your turn to share."
"Yeah, but unlike you, I'm not sittin' on top of the Space Needle moanin' and groanin' about my significant other. I don't need a shoulder to cry on, Max. I don't need to talk."
"Lucky you," Max said, the sarcasm back. Then -- "Sometimes I think Logan and I aren't going to make it."
"You don't know that," Alec said quickly. "Give it more time. It's only been--"
She turned on him, her eyes glistening with tears. "Please leave."
Alec thought he hadn't heard her right. "What?"
"I meant it when I said I wanted to be alone. Clear out, Alec."
Alec closed his eyes, wondering why he'd even tried. He stood up, but paused, looking down at her. "I just thought you might need a friend," he said softly. "Look, would you like to go get a cup of coffee or--"
"I said get out," Max said coldly, not even bothering to look at him. "Or do I have to kick your ass off of here in order to get some privacy." She turned them, her jaw line set, her dark eyes chilling.
She was just in a bad mood, he told himself. She was taking it out on him because he was convenient. But still-- This isn't fair. He blinked, denying the tears. Damn it, why do I care? She sure as hell doesn't care about me.
"Fine," he said, his voice deliberately hard to cover up his pain. "Pardon me for existing. I'll see you at noon tomorrow for the meet." But Max was already ignoring him, her attention once more on the moon.
Alec descended the stairs, and made his way to the ally where he'd parked his motorcycle, the whole time kicking himself for being so stupid. He'd let himself in for Max's wrath -- left himself wide open. Why should he have been expecting anything less ... or rather more ... from her?
Still, there were moments between them when he almost thought--
He shook his head, and for the thousandth time since meeting her asked himself why he stayed ... why he put up with her insults and abuse ... why he let her hurt him time and again.
He knew the answer, of course, and laughed at the irony that had become his life. "Love sucks," he said quietly to Max's moon before stepping on the accelerator and roaring away into the night.
