Lock, Stock & Barrel

He leaned against the railing, part of his brain trying to figure out exactly what was wrong, as the rest of his mind listened to the meeting and what everyone was asking for in supplies. Mole wanted more ammo. Dix needed some computer equipment. Luke wanted some new video stuff. Joshua chimed in about the food storage levels. Others kept going on and on about what was needed. But his eyes didn’t leave her profile. She wasn’t fully thinking about the meeting like she usually did, she was somewhere else in that mind of hers. Somewhere she had been drifting off to for the last few weeks. Somewhere that she would not open up to him about.

Alec sighed to himself as the meeting wrapped to a close and she stood up and moved down the stairs into her office. He turned watching her go without a word or a glance in his direction. Her door closed behind her, and he almost fell over the rail as a strong hand came down on his back. “Okay… Do you need a recap of the meeting? Or would you rather go and ask the shrew in there what you are supposed to do and get you ass handed to you?"

He looked up at the lizard man with a slightly confused look. Mole shook his head and sighed, “I saw you looking at her the whole time. Do you actually have a death wish?"

Alec laughed, “I remember everything that was said at the meeting. I know how much you want your ammo… and your cigars." Mole grinned chomping on the end of one. “And as for…" he motioned to Max’s office door. “She’s not acting right."

“Really?" Mole asked, “She seems like her usual bitchy self to me."

Alec grinned and laughed again, “Nope… there isn’t her usual flare to it." *Especially towards me.*

Mole nodded in agreement, yet he had no clue what the X5 was talking about. “Whatever you say," he said as he moved to the stairs, turning back as he spoke again. “I’ll get Dix to get you the schematics of the place, and have the gear ready to go in two hours."

“Two?" Alec asked raising an eyebrow.

Mole huffed, “Fine, fine. One!" He yelled moving out of the door of headquarters.

“Better!" he yelled after the man, and then the smile fell from his face as he turned back to her door. *What is going on?* He thought as he put his hands in his coat pockets and followed her path to the door. His hand moved up to knock, but stopped, not sure if he wanted to open Pandora’s box or not.
_________________________________

She sat at her desk, her pen making squiggles on the paper in front of her, as her eyes gazed at the bare wall and her mind… her mind was trying hard to be anywhere else at the moment. What was her problem? Why couldn’t she concentrate fully on the tasks before her? *You KNOW why,* her mind told her and she sighed. *I’m just lonely here in Terminal City and I’ve started talking to myself… that’s what’s wrong.* She shook her head, *You can tell yourself that all you want but you know it’s not true.*

Her hand came up to squeeze the bridge of her nose. It really wasn’t a good thing when the voices in your brain argued back and forth. But they were doing it a lot lately, and quite frankly, it was tiring. *Only because things have changed, or your views of things have changed and you aren’t willing to admit it.* Max sighed again, and tried to focus on the reports on her desk. *Why are you fighting so hard?* The other voice didn’t answer. *What? You don’t have a good answer for that one?* She rolled her eyes at herself. *Or are you just… afraid?*

She jumped in her chair at the small knock at her door. “Enter!" she yelled, glad for the distraction, at least until she saw who entered. “Oh, you." She looked back down at her paperwork.

“Yeah… me," Alec said and slowly approached her desk as he shut the door behind him. He took the chair in front of her desk, swiveled it around, sat down straddling it, and then looked back at her. “So…"

She waited, and waited, and when he didn’t say anything else she looked up at him exasperated, “So… what?"

“That’s what I’m asking you."

She shook her head, “What do you mean?"

He sighed, “What’s up Max? What’s wrong?"

She rolled her eyes, “You came in here for this? You don’t have any news, or anything important to tell me? You just want to know… what’s UP?" She shook her head and stood up from her desk. “We don’t have time for this. We have a stock supply raid in three hours." She sighed, “And I’m really not in the mood to fight with you now."

He stood up as well, “Max… I don’t want to fight." She gave him a glare, “I only want to know what’s wrong."

“Nothing is wrong. Why are you asking me?"

“Because you seem off. You’re in your own little world. You aren’t acting normal."

She was letting her temper get the better of her. *Yep, that’s the way to go. Your normal way to deal with it, with him. Chicken.* She almost stumbled on her words from the thoughts in her head. “You came in here to tell me I’m screwing up? ME?"

Alec waved his hands in front of himself, trying to defuse the all too familiar situation, which in a way made him feel slightly better. “No. I didn’t say…"

Max cut him off, “Listen Alec. I don’t need you to play shrink with me. I don’t need you… to fix things, or make things better, or listen to me. Got it?"

He swallowed hard, and nodded.

“Good. So then we understand each other."

He nodded again as he moved to the door. “Yep, perfectly," he said opening the door and walking out. “You don’t need me."

She barely heard the last few words, but when she did her eyes closed and her shoulders slumped as she sunk back into her chair. Her body jumping again as the door slammed behind him. *Good one.*  “Oh shut up!"
_________________________________

Dix sat in the back of the van, looking from the computer equipment to the two people up in front. He knew something was wrong. Very, very wrong. Because… they weren’t arguing. In fact, they weren’t saying anything. Well… no. Alec wasn’t talking, which concerned Dix on many levels. The other was that Max wasn’t even egging him on, she was letting him NOT talk. He shook his head and turned back to the computer. Maybe it was time for him to change his bet in the pool.

She sighed looking at him out of the corner of her eye. *Nice job.* She rolled her eyes and turned to look out her own window. *Don’t know how to respond to him, so you do what you know best. Hurt him… like always. One form or another.* She ran her finger along the cold glass. *Will you leave me alone already?* She heard the slight laugh in her head and was about ready to reply when the voice from the back got her attention.

“Okay, the late crew has gone home for the night. It’s all clear."

“Good, ready?" she asked looking over towards where Alec was sitting. But the van door was already shutting closed behind him. “I take that as a yes," she sighed and took her stuff and got out of the van walking around to the other side. She saw him putting on the black vest of the trooper suit, and she did the same. “Okay… we ready?" She prayed in that second for his usual cocky answer, but all she got was a nod.

He was starting to walk towards the building when her hand came out to his wrist. He stopped instantly and turned to look at her. His eyes going from her hand back up to her face.

She swallowed, “What I said… before. I didn’t mean that…"

Alec cut her off, finally saying something. “I know Max. I got what you meant. Don’t worry. You’re going to say you do need me. You need my help with Terminal City and the heists and stuff."

“Well, yeah. But…"

He waved her off again. “But, you don’t need me prying into your personal life. I get that. It’s just… business."

She swallowed hard and let her hand drop from him, and watched him walk away. *Just business? What the hell have you done now?* *Shut up, I don’t have time for this now,* she thought as she followed him to the warehouse.

They ducked, crept, and stealthy moved to the large building. She watched as he opened up communications to Dix as he talked into his watch and adjusted his earpiece. He carefully pried open the computer interface and started working. She mentally shook her head as she watched him expertly bypass the security system. *Why was I ever in awe over what Logan could do with computers? Why didn’t Alec ever tell me he could do things better?* *Maybe because you never asked.* She sighed at that answer. *Or maybe because you didn’t want to see it? You know… that river in Egypt. You know it very well. Hell, I’m shocked you haven’t drowned yet.*

He flicked a switch and the door clicked open. Max watched him move inside and she followed, both crouching low to avoid the video cameras they knew were there from the surveillance they had obtained. Soon they were at the next door, and he was again working on the doors equipment. She kept low and to his left, and caught sight of his teeth biting at his bottom lip as he worked. She tried not to smile at the habit she had become aware of in the last few months.

Her eyes moved down the black uniform. Her eyes caught the dark stain in the shoulder of it. Anyone with normal vision wouldn’t have picked up on it, but it was obvious to her. He was wearing the same outfit he had left Jam Pony in for the last time. She closed her eyes for a second and then opened them again looking lower towards the side of the uniform, knowing she would find another dark spot there as well.

How pissed was she when she had found out about that one? Very. He hadn’t told her. She had no idea he was fighting a familiar with two… count them two… gunshot wounds. Not until a few days later when she had hit him for something she couldn’t even remember now, and had saw the look of utter pain over his face, and the dark liquid soaking through the side of his shirt and then on her hand from reopening the wound. *Yeah, and what did you do? You yelled at him!* *He didn’t tell me!* *Tell you so that you can call him a screw up for getting shot! I wouldn’t tell you either!*

The click of the door brought her back to the present and the hazel eyes that were staring at her. “Are you…" he started then stopped, a trace of concern in his voice and eyes for a brief second, and then it was gone instantly. His shoulders straightened, “ready?" he finished changing the ending of his question.

“Always," she replied trying to get something out of him. But he just nodded and headed inside. She frowned and followed him into the room, shutting the door behind them and locking it. She headed over to the screens, looking at the monitors in the room as Alec slipped the tapes into the VCR’s and rerouted the feeds. He gave her a thumbs up and she flipped a few switches on another panel, a very small, unperceivable flicker went over all the screens at once as the monitors now showed what the tapes displayed… absolutely nothing.

“Okay Dix, all set here. Send them in, let us know when everything and everyone is out," Alec said into the watch.

{{Will do,}} Dix’s voice came through.

She watched him move over and sit down in one of the office chairs, and she did the same. They looked at the feedback, seeing the supposedly empty halls and rooms of the warehouse. Max sighed and the sound was almost defining to her ears in the quiet room. Minutes ticked by, and the silence lasted. Her fingers curled into fists as it dragged out, until she couldn’t take it anymore. “Damn it Alec… talk to me!"

His head spun to her, “Why?"

“What do you mean why? You usually never shut up."

“I have nothing new ‘business wise’ to talk about."

She groaned and rubbed her forehead, “Alec… I didn’t…" She stopped and sighed. *You asked for it.* She tried something else. “Well we have time to kill, got anything else to talk about?"

Alec looked at her for a minute, then closed his eyes as the muscles in his jaw tensed. What was he supposed to say? “Well, geez Max… that’s a little personal isn’t it? I mean… I can’t ask you anything. What gives you the right to ask me?"

She heard the anger in those words, and she really didn’t know how to answer. But she finally just said it. “Alec… I didn’t mean for you to only talk about business. I mean… we are friends."

His eyes widened at that. “Oh we are? Because I’m not so sure Max." He stood up moving over to her, “I mean, earlier. When I asked you what was wrong… as a friend… you told me it was none of my business."

She stood up facing him, “Well… I just didn’t want to talk about it."

He nodded, “Okay then. You want to talk so bad, let’s talk about it now." He looked at the monitors, “We have plenty of time."

Max swallowed, “I don’t want to talk about…"

Alec threw up his hands and moved back to his seat, “Fine, then I don’t want to either."

“Damn it Alec! I just don’t want to talk about it. But it doesn’t mean we can’t talk about something else! I don’t see what’s wrong with that request."

He looked up at her from his seat, and then stood back up quickly, getting in her face. “Because there is obviously something wrong and you won’t tell me!"

“I don’t have to tell you anything!"

Alec nodded, “True. But the question is why aren’t you."

“What?"

He shook his head, “What is it that you won’t tell me? I mean come on Max! You’ve told me all about your escape. You’ve told me all about your bothers and sisters. You’ve told me about Ben. Hell… you told me about your problems with Logan. And even asked ME for advice! So what in the hell is it that you can’t talk to me about now?"

Her heart raced. He had a point. She had told him all of that. They had gotten a lot closer since they had moved into Terminal City, and had to start working closely together. They had talked about many things since, and opened up to each other. Maybe that was another reason that she… *That you’re afraid.* She didn’t even answer the voice because she knew it was true. Her eyes glanced at the monitors, and she swallowed. “You know… we could probably get this done faster if the two of us went and helped everyone," she said and started to walk to the door.

He blurred out around her and stood in front of the door, “Oh no. You aren’t running this time." He was sick and tired of this. Whatever was going on was going to get aired tonight.

Her eyes got big, and she could feel her blood start to boil, “How dare you…"

“Oh, don’t even…"

“Don’t even! Excuse ME?" She yelled back, and tried to move around him. “I am not going to stay here with you."

“Yes you are!" He yelled grabbing her wrist. “Max, just tell me! It’s not like I’m not going to understand. Just tell me! Whatever it is we can work it out, just like before."

She quickly pulled her arm away, “Yeah. I tell you and you fix it."

He nodded, “Exactly."

She shook her head, “I don’t want you to FIX this." He gave her a confused look. “This isn’t something that can be fixed. It isn’t something I want you to feel like you need to do, or correct, or anything. It just is."

He just stared at her not knowing what the hell she was talking about. “What?"

“Get out of my way!" she yelled in exasperation trying to get around him.

He grabbed her arm and pulled her back to the center of the room, “We need to stay here."

“No we don’t."

“That was the plan. And you are going to stick with it!"

She struggled against his grip, “I’m leaving to go help the others. You can stay here!" She tried to pull away again when she caught a brief flash of metal and then felt something cold close over her wrist. Her ears heard the two clicks of metal. Her eyes looked down and saw a band of metal over her wrist. She then followed it to the mental links and then to another band over another wrist. She followed it up the arm and into the hazel eyes of its owner. “What the HELL did you just do?"

“You’re staying here. And you ARE going to talk to me."

She struggled against the metal, and then rolled her eyes. “Handcuffs? Alec? Why the hell do you have handcuffs?" She shook her head, “Wait… I don’t think I want to know the sick and demented answer to that question."

Alec shook his head, “Yep. Glad to see your perception of me hasn’t changed." She heard the bite in his statement, but then he continued before she could say anything. “They’re from the fight with the familiars at Jam Pony. You wore them last actually."

Her eyes widened, remembering the scene. “Why the heck did you keep them?"

With that he couldn’t help the little bit of amusement flicker though his eyes, “Why waste a perfectly good pair of cuffs? I mean… there are a ton of uses…" He stopped when her other hand came up and hit his shoulder.

She put up her hand, and pointing to the metal cuff, “Unlock me."

“Can’t."

“Unlock it now Alec!"

He smiled at her, “I. Can’t."

“Why can’t you?" she asked through gritted teeth, her patience running thin.

“I don’t have the key."

“WHAT?" She looked at him like he was insane. “Who keeps handcuffs without a key?"

He rolled his eyes at her, “An X5 who can easily open them without one."

She kicked herself on that one. *Duh,* the voice laughed. She hadn’t even thought that she could have easily gotten out of them too. “Fine then," she said moving her hand to the cuffs to take them off, but he pulled her hand towards him and past his side so she couldn’t.

“Oh no you don’t."

“Excuse me?"

“You aren’t getting them off till you tell me what’s wrong."

She stomped her foot and let out a soft scream in frustration. He was being a pain in the ass on purpose. Why? Why did he have to do this? *Because he knows it’s the only way for you to finally talk.* God she hated that voice in her head. “Alec… nothing is… WRONG." *WOW, you admit it’s NOT wrong? Are we actually making progress?*

He nodded. If she wanted to play it this way, so could he. “Fine then. Then there is no reason that you can’t tell me what’s going on. Or at least what it is that has you off in your own little world." He saw the look in her eyes from that and quickly added, “There’s nothing wrong with that! It’s just the reason I noticed. Something is on your mind and it is bugging you."

“I don’t want to talk…"

“Yeah, yeah. Well too bad. See… I want to help as a friend. But if I have too, I’ll say I also NEED to help, and NEED to know because it’s affecting our leaders performance. Or some shit like that."

Her hands came up and pushed at his chest hard, but it only caused her to be pulled into him and bump up against his solid form. She closed her eyes and he could see the conflicting emotions running over her face. He sighed, “Damn it Max…" his voice softened, and his hand came up under her chin and tilted her face to look up at him. “Just talk to me about it. We can discuss it. Make it better. Like we always do."

She closed her eyes, “Not this."

“Why? Why can’t you discuss this with me?"

“Because!" she shouted.

“Because why?" he shouted back.

“Because I can’t discuss YOU with YOU!" she turned and tried to run away but was jerked back by the metal cuff on her wrist and his unmoving form.

“What?" his question could barely be heard. His mind raced, and then he sighed, his shoulders slumped. “Okay, what have I done now?"

Her head quickly turned towards him. “Huh?"

He bent his head down and rubbed his forehead. “What did I screw up now? Or what did I do to piss you off?"

Her eyes moved quickly over his face. Was he serious? *You don’t think he is? What else is he supposed to think?* “I’m not pissed with you." Then she looked at the metal, “Except maybe for this." He looked at her in disbelief, “And you haven’t screwed up." Hazel, confused pools looked back at her. She sighed.

Alec’s mind was blank. Seriously. He didn’t even know what to think. *What the hell is she talking about?* “Oh kay… If you aren’t pissed with me. And I haven’t messed up in some way. Then what is it?"

“I can’t tell you."

“Why?" he asked her, totally not understanding.

“Because, then you …"

“Then I’ll what?"

She closed her eyes, and she felt the tug of the metal on her wrist as he pulled her back over to him. His fingers gently tilted her chin back up, and she swallowed. “Then you’ll try and make everything the way I want it. Try to fix it. Make it better. Like you always do, and I never give you credit for."

He blinked repeatedly. *Did she really just tell me that?* He really needed to get his hearing fixed when he got back home. But he decided to answer her, at least she was talking to him. “And what’s wrong with that?"

Max shook her head, he just didn’t get it. *But then again, you haven’t really said anything.* “Because you’ll try and make everything better even if it’s not better for you." *There! Happy?*

If he thought he was confused before, he was even more so now. The most intelligent thing he could come up with to say at that moment was, “Huh?"

*Men.* No matter how genetically engineered or not, they were still sometimes extremely dense. “Damn it Alec!" she yelled. “I’ll say it okay! You’re an unselfish person, who does things for other people. Without worrying about yourself! And I’m worried that if I tell you exactly how I feel, and what I want that you will just go along with it to make ME happy and NOT you!"

He took a step backwards in shock from her statement, effectively pulling her with him. He had no idea what to think about what she had just said, because devils were flinging back and forth hockey pucks with their pitchforks and he could swear he just saw a pink animal with wings.

She almost laughed at the expression of bewilderment on his face, *How did you expect him to react?*

He looked at her, and tried to get his mind to wrap around what she had said, tried to figure it out. The words were just too positive towards him, he was sure that he had to be reading them wrong. Reading her wrong. “So… basically… what you are saying is that… whatever it is that you want me to do… you don’t want me to do it… unless I want too?"

She blinked twice, *Okay… maybe genetically engineered men aren’t so dense.* “Exactly."

*Ohhh kay.* Like he had any clue as to what that actually meant, but since it seemed to be the right answer, he would go with it. *Women,* he sighed mentally. *Why can’t they just say what they mean?* “Okay, Max… let’s say I promise you that I’ll do what I want with respect to whatever this is." *I think I’m giving myself a headache,* he thought but brought both of her hands towards his chest, “Now… tell me."

She looked up into his eyes, and the words… the words to explain just wouldn’t come out. She would admit it however. Her lips trembled as she said it, “I’m afraid."

“Of what?" For a moment he was worried that she meant of him, but her body language didn’t show that.

“Of…" How could she say it? “Your reaction. Because you’re totally unprepared for what I’m going to say."

He swallowed. *Okay… whatever this is, is big.* He could tell that, her eyes were huge, and held such fear and uncertainty that it almost killed him. He wanted to pull her closer, comfort her from whatever it was that was weighing on her, but knew that wasn’t the right thing to do right then. “I’ll handle it."

She took a deep breath. “I’ve been denying it since I met you, I didn’t want to give in to it, to them. I don’t want them to win. I had so many reasons, so many explanations to combat it with, to push it away with, and I did such a great job that I basically convinced myself of it. But now, I know it’s not true, that it has always been there, and I can’t deny it anymore. But if I don’t deny it, they win. But if I do then I lose. But by saying it I could lose too. Or something like that." It all came out in a rush of words that didn’t totally make sense even to her.

He didn’t say anything, and waited for her to go on, to tell him what it was she was trying to say. She swallowed again, took another deep breath, tried to figure out how to say it, and tried again. “I used the idea of Logan to push it away. I used the virus to push it away. I used Ben to push it away. But… I can’t do that anymore. Because they aren’t factors anymore."

Alec stared at her, as his brain computed what she was saying, and it seemed like he couldn’t breath, and yet she still continued to ramble on her explanation. “But if I go with it, they win because I give in. And I could lose even more depending on what you think."

He couldn’t move, he knew exactly what she was talking about. It was like you knew what was going to be said eventually, but at the same time you were too afraid to believe it because then it wouldn’t happen. He knew he should just let her talk, but one thing was bothering him, “Who will win?"

She looked up at him. Her train of thought stopped dead, her next word barely audible. “Manticore."

He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat, “You see me as Manticore?"

“No… Yes…" She shook her head, “Not YOU. Just…" She wanted to scream. “They always told us we were different. We couldn’t be normal. We couldn’t be like everyone else. They put us together. If I… If I give in to that…"

He closed his eyes and nodded his head understanding, and then opened them to look down at her. His hand moved over the side of her face. “Max… they win if you deny who you are and what you want because of them."

She looked up at him, “Then if I give in, if I don’t deny it anymore… they won’t win?"

His fingertips trailed over her cheek. “Max… don’t you see… it doesn’t matter what THEY want. It matters what YOU… and…" he paused trying to take in her reaction to his next words, “and what ‘I’ want."

Her voice came out very small, “And what do you want?"

Alec smiled down at her, “Well… you haven’t told me what it is that you want yet."

Her eyes widened at his words, her other hand moved up to hit his arm, but was caught by his other hand. “You know damn well what…"

But she didn’t get to finish her sentence because his mouth was on hers. His hand left her arm and traveled to the back of her head, pushing her lips closer to his as she melted into the kiss. The air seemed to be sucked from her lungs as her world started to spin, only to come to an instant halt when he pulled away. Her eyes opened immediately looking at him. For a brief second a flash of fear ran though her that maybe he was going to tell her that he didn’t want her. But his next words dispelled that. “Tell me."

“Tell you what?" she asked slightly breathless.

He looked down at her, his one fingertip brushing over her lips. “I need to hear it Max."

For a moment she thought he was teasing her, but the look in his eyes told her he wasn’t at all. He really did need to hear the words come from her mouth. “I want you Alec." She saw the sparkle and flash of lightning pass through his eyes, and it made her shiver at the intensity. Her hand moved over his chest, and up around his neck, her fingertips grazing over his barcode, “I want YOU."

He leaned his forehead against hers, his arm moving around her waist, his cuffed one bringing her hand to his mouth. His lips kissed it softly, “But Max… you already HAVE me." With that her hand pulled his face down to hers and her lips claimed his. He groaned into the kiss as her body pressed itself tightly against him, and his arms brought her closer.

His body pushed her backwards until her legs hit one of the desks, she didn’t even think about it as she sat down on it, her hands moving to his black vest, bringing his one hand with hers. She groaned at the metal cuffs, and mumbled “Off," into his lips as their kiss continued.

He grinned into the kiss as he helped her unhook the sides of his vest, and then pulled away to pull it over his head and drop it to the floor. He shook his head and her eyes widened, “You think I’m letting you get away now?"

She smiled at him, and wrapped her legs around his waist pulling him to her, “I’m not going anywhere." She said pulling up his black undershirt, and it resting at their joined hands. She grumbled at not being able to totally get rid of the garment and he just laughed slightly but silenced her again with his mouth, as his other hand moved over her side getting rid of her vest just as quickly.

She tightened her legs around him and they both groaned at the contact. He leaned her backwards over the desk as his mouth traveled down the side of her neck, leaving a trail of moist kisses along the way that made her shiver when air made contact. His one arm reached up over her head, bringing hers with it, making her arch her back up at him, as his other hand moved under her shirt, pulling it up. She sat up slightly allowing it be pulled over her head and then gather with his shirt above her head. Her bra quickly followed, and before she could think she was moaning in pleasure.

His mouth sucked the hard nipple into his mouth, his other hand gripping lightly to the plump flesh of her other breast. Her sounds were music to his ears, and he lightly scrapped his teeth against the pert bud and she arched more against him. Her hips rocked up against him and he groaned as well, rocking back against her.

Max moaned feeling him hard against her hip, and her hand shot down between them, quickly unbuttoning his pants and working her way inside. He gasped, his mouth coming off her skin as her fingers wrapped around his hard shaft, “Max…"

She wiggled her hips and he took the hint instantly. His hand moved down to her pants, and tried to remove them as fast as possible without ripping them. She barely had time to kick off her shoes when the fabric found it’s way down her legs. Air rushed over her skin, and part of her realized he had stripped her completely. Her eyes instantly moved to his, and she swallowed hard at the desire she found in them as he looked at her naked form.

She sat up, and started to tug his pants down. He helped her, as they pooled to his feet and he kicked them off. She grinned like a Cheshire cat at seeing him naked before her. And she was going to make a comment about his lack of underwear, but his mouth was kissing her again, and she instantly lost that train of thought. She brought their joined hands back over her head and leaned back on the desk bringing his upper body over hers.

Alec groaned as his body made contact with hers, this time nothing between them, and then her legs wrapped back around him, her tongue swirled into his mouth and he felt like he was drowning in her. He couldn’t think of a better way to die. His mouth moved from hers and traveled back to her neck, leaving small nips and kisses.

She angled her neck allowing him to continue, but she jerked her hips up at him, groaning her impatience, “Alec…"

He pulled away looking down at her with sparkling hazel eyes, “Yes?" he asked his voice low yet also slightly teasing.

Her nostrils flared in frustration as she moved her hips against him again, the need to feel him inside of her overpowering. “If you don’t…" then her head fell back in an inaudible scream as he moved his hips and entered her in one deep thrust. Both stilled as they let the pleasure of the act course through them. He then captured her lips once again, and her hand moved to the back of his neck, her fingers in his hair, keeping him there.

He slowly started to pull out of her, only then to sink back in. He felt her gasp against his lips as he moved, and his lips traveled down over her chin. His hand pulled her other one higher, and she arched her head back, as he kissed his way down her throat, his lips feeling the rumble of an almost purr from her mouth. His other hand traveled down her shoulder, her side, and then clasped her hip.

She rocked her hips back up at him, trying to increase his pace as her hand moved down to his shoulder to get more leverage to move against him. Her eyes closed quickly as he responded by pulling her hips to the edge of the desk and slamming himself back inside of her. She groaned as he continued to move, this time more forcefully into her, responding to her hips, to her need. His hand brought hers and their clothes down to her hip, as it too grasped her, bringing her body on to his over and over.

Max arched her back over the desk again and again at every thrust of his hips, her one hand at her hip moved towards him. The metal cuff allowing enough room for her fingertips to trace over his lower abs, feeling them tense and flex as he continued to thrust into her waiting body. Her other hand moved down his back and gripped his ass, trying impossibly to pull him closer to her.

His body continued to plow into hers. The sounds, smells, and just the feeling of her surrounding him drove him on, and on, over and over. He felt her legs tighten around him, the muscles in her legs starting to shake, and he leaned over her. His mouth biting lightly at the sensitive skin of her neck, feeling her body starting to tense against him.

She rocked against him, her body coiling so tight. Her eyes squeezed shut, her toes curled, her mouth gasping but her lungs unable to breath. She felt him shift his hips, plowing into her from a steeper angle, and her whole body jerked. His one hand moved up under her shoulder, pulling her closer to him. His breath traveled over her ear, “I’ll catch you."

Her breath shuddered, as she tried to reply, “Not without…" and then with another slam of his hips she was flying. The world breaking about in bright shards of light, her body bursting.

His arm hung onto her for dear life as his other pulled her hips onto him with one final hard thrust as his body responded to her request, responded to her inner walls gripping at him, again and again. His body burst inside of her, his mind exploding, her name moaned in pleasure from his lips.

Max could barely catch her breath as she slowly opened her eyes, a small smile coming across her face at the hazel eyes that looked back down at her. She leaned into the palm of his hand at her check, and was about to protest, when his hand left her skin until she saw why. In a matter of seconds she heard the click of metal, and then another one a moment later. She grinned looking up at him, her hand coming out, trying to take them.

“Oh no," he said keeping them out of her reach. “I’m keeping them." She saw the mischievous grin forming on lips. “There are MANY good uses for them." She playfully hit his shoulder, he laughed but then groaned as she tightened her legs around him. He leaned back over her, and kissed her softly. His fingers trailed back over her cheek again as he looked down at her. “Now… aren’t you glad you talked to me?"

His hand grabbed hers before she could smack him. She tried not to laugh as she struggled against him. “Do you always have to try and piss me off?"

He nodded, “Yep."

“Why?"

His grinned widened, “I like you feisty."

“So that’s what you call it?"

“Well… I thought you would like it better than bitc…"

“Don’t EVEN say it."

It might not usually seem like it, but he did know when to shut up. So instead he just kissed her, and her hands pulled him closer making him smile into it. But he broke it soon after and so did she at the crackle of static in their ears.

{{Team is all out guys. Time to get out of there,}} came Dix’s voice.

Alec sighed, and looked at his watch, swallowed hard in realization, but quickly covered and then responded. “That’s good Dix." He said pulling from Max with regret. “We’ll finish up here soon."

Max sat up and moved from the desk, looking for her clothes as Alec was doing so as well.

“Get everyone back to headquarters and start unpacking the supplies," he said as he started to pull up his pants and turned towards Max who had a smile on her face as she did the same.
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“No problem." Dix smiled to himself in the van. *Already done,* he thought to himself. *More than a half an hour ago.* But they didn’t need to know that. Just like the others in the pool didn’t need to know why he was changing his bet. It was good to have insider information. He just hoped Max didn’t realize that Alec’s watch had been on the whole time.
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...h.o.m.e...