Fiction Happy Howloween

Happy Howl-o-ween
Author: Restive Nature (aka Bavite)
Rating PG-13 for language
Type: Holiday something or other
Pairing: it’s… ehh, kind of iffy, if you know what I mean…
Timeline: October after ‘Freak Nation’.
Summary: It’s not gonna be a Happy Halloween for somebody.
A/N: This fic was dedicated to EMI in celebration of Halloween and her wonderful banners. I’m finally posting it elsewhere, months and months after the holiday in question, but I hope you like it anyway.


The sheets were twisted impossibly. Sweat drenching her body, the cotton stuck to inappropriate places intimately. The pillow that normally graced the head of her bed was thrown unceremoniously to the floor. But Max knew none of this, caught in her nightmare as she was. In fact, the first thing she finally became aware of was sea-green eyes peering into her face. Green eyes that were definitely too close for her comfort at that moment. With a surprised screech, she threw herself backwards, all the while kicking out at the intruder wildly. With transgenic speed and agility, the intruder dodged the flailing blows. But the suddenness of the attack caused him, and it was a he, to fall straight off the bed on his ass.

Max sucked in her breath as a loud string of curses filled her ear. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was just Alec. But on her exhale, her own stream of invectives flew from her lips. "Alec! What the hell do you think you’re doing?" she yelled at him as she leaned over the edge of the bed to look down upon his form.

Unsurprisingly, he came up on to his knees, throwing her own glare right back at her. "Nothing!" he cried defensively as he surreptitiously rubbed at his own ass. "What the hell were you doing?"

"I wasn’t doing anything," Max scowled. "You’re the one who was looming over me like some creepy horror flick stalker."

"I wasn’t doing any such thing," Alec snapped as he rose to his feet. And then glanced at his empty hands. He glanced up at her sheepishly. "Uh, I was bringing you some breakfast."

Max raised a single eyebrow before remarking, "ooh air, yummy. I just can’t get enough of the stuff."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Oh ha ha. I dropped the bag when I heard you start screaming."

"I wasn’t screaming," she denied immediately as she untwisted herself from the sheets. Once free, she jumped from the bed in a slightly off tilt leap. She pulled the clammy gray T-shirt from her stomach, grimacing over the mild stench of her own sweat. She quickly rummaged through her drawers in the bedroom of her TC apartment. There was a little more selection than there had been in the last few months as more and more scavenging parties were able to find and distribute the goods they came across. Neither did it hurt that Original Cindy was able to smuggle some of Max’s smaller personal items across the fence that signified the wary standoff between Seattle and the transgenic population.

"Maxie, Maxie," Alec chided somewhat playfully now that he knew she wasn’t in mortal danger. "I heard you screaming from three floors down." He cocked his head to the side a small smirk playing at his lips. "I never knew your lungs were that good." But the area his gaze lingered on explained exactly why it wasn’t often the male half of the world was inclined to think of Max’s lungs. And so caught up in these thoughts, Alec wasn’t quite quick enough to dodge the blow to his shoulder.

Max tromped out the door of the bedroom and stopped short when she saw the wreckage of what was once the apartment door. She spun around, her eyes blazing. "You kicked in the door?" Shock and a slight hint of disbelief tinged her voice. Alec, leaning against the doorframe shrugged one shoulder easily.

"Hey, I thought you were being attacked," he excused himself glibly. "Would you rather I had simply said ‘yay, more doughnuts for me’ and left your attacker to it?"

Max glared at him a moment longer before she started for the bathroom, carrying her clothes tucked under one arm. "Go get the doughnuts while I take a shower," she instructed curtly. Alec said nothing until the door slammed shut behind her, separating them. He rolled his eyes Heavenward.

"Why the hell do I put up with her?" he asked softly. But no answer was forthcoming. At least not from any divine source. With a sigh, he went to retrieve the breakfast he’d so hastily abandoned, for as it turned out, not so good a cause. He grimaced as he stepped through the splintered mess of wood that once was the door. He cringed slightly and on the heels of imagining Max’s further reaction to the loss of privacy, her voice rang out.

"And while you’re at it, fix the damn door!"

*****

The pair entered TC headquarters half an hour later, which amazed Alec. Normally Max dallied so long, puttering around the apartment that the eight o’clock meeting was regularly set for nine, just to accommodate her. But he suspected that her recent nightmare that she still wouldn’t admit to having, had driven her from the apartment. He sighed as she marched in quick step to their meeting room. Of course she paid no attention to Luke, scrambling to catch up with them, waving bits of paper at them.

"Max?" he called after her, slowing down to accommodate the transhuman.

"What?" she called back, irritated, spinning around. A sharp remark on her lips until she caught sight of Luke. With an exaggerated motion, she started back towards them. She and Luke got to Alec at the same time and the transhuman held out the paper, one in each hand. Max stared down at the envelopes.

"They’re for you guys," Luke told them, giving the envelopes a little shake. "Came this morning." Finally the respective recipients took their envelopes. Alec ripped into his curiously, whereas Max looked as if she’d been handed a live snake. Alec pulled out a black embossed cardstock and a knowing smirk graced his face. His quick glance caught the look of distaste increasing on Max’s face as she retracted an identical card. He flipped it open and read the silver writing.

"All right!" he crowed. "Halloween party!" He glanced at Luke, sharing a grin as he noticed a similar card peeking out of the transhumans back pocket. But Max’s gesture put the exasperated frown right back on his face. "Hey no Maxie. You can’t throw it out."

"Who says I can’t?" she demanded, looking up from the trashcan she’d just pitched hers into. Alec grumbled under his breath about impossible females as he bent over to pull out the rumpled invitation. He smoothed it out against his thigh as Max returned to her quick pace towards the meeting room. Sharing a quick look of exasperation, Luke and Alec started after her.

"C’mon Maxie," Alec called. "It’s a party. You can’t ignore your invitation."

"I can if I want to," she called back over her shoulder in a singsong voice.

"Why would you want to?" Alec asked, puzzlement tingeing his voice. They’d made it to the central room and Alec was pleased to see that like Luke, other transgenics had received invitations as well. Apparently Max noticed as well, if the scowl on her face was anything to go by. They all entered the room, seeing that the rest of the command group was there. Mole, Joshua, Dix, Rene, Tige, and JD. In front of each of them were the same black invitations. Joshua was eagerly going over costume ideas with Dix. Rene and JD were discussing what kind of food might be appropriate. Mole was sitting silent, cleaning his rifle and chewing on the end of his cigar.

"You’re not gonna need costumes," Max announced testily as she took a seat at the head of the table. But Joshua just nodded quickly.

"We know Max," he agreed happily as he picked up his invitation, pointing to some of the small print. "Costumes provided," he read with glee. "We’re trying to guess which costumes we might get." Max couldn’t help her face softening just slightly as she regarded her huge friend. Halloween had always been his favorite holiday. But even as overwhelming as the danger had been last year in letting one transhuman roam free, it was a lot worse this year. And thinking of that brought her out of her stupor.

"That’s not what I meant," she offered, her voice gentler now. She regarded them all evenly. "What if this is some ruse by White to get us out of TC to ambush us?"

There were glances exchanged around the table. It was obviously only until then an unspoken idea. But then Alec piped up. "You know, if I recall correctly, and since I’m an X5, you know I do, but didn’t the four of us," he gestured to himself, then Max, Mole and then Joshua, "kick the so-called ‘elite’ phalanx on their collective asses?" There were cheered faces as they contemplated this.

"Be that as it may," Max spat out through gritted teeth, "it still doesn’t merit investigation? Hmm?" The faces were back to grim. So she threw out another possibility. "And what if we do decide to go? What if it’s a ruse by the government to get us out of here so they can infiltrate the city and set up bugs and go through our computers?" Dix scoffed quietly at this.

Anyone who knew the Manticore alumni knew they’d have one hell of a time trying to get away with that idea. But regardless of that, the majority of ordinaries didn’t precisely know that and it would have been something some lame-brained idiot would think that they could pull off.

Tige spoke up then, her sweetly furred feline face quite animated as she spoke. "Something to think about," she fairly purred. "But I doubt that there are invitations for every single transgenics residing in TC. So not all of us will be going. Those staying behind will certainly be able to detain a scouting party. Or in the other case, provide back-up should it be a set-up."

"That’s true," Rene nodded. "And something else," she waved her envelope at Max. "These were addressed to us by name, not designation. It has to be someone who knows us. I mean, I got to TC after the siege started and chose my name after I got here. And it ain’t as if I’ve been shouting it from the rooftops." The others nodded eagerly. They were all desperate for a little excitement. Some more than others, obviously. Max swept her gaze around the room, finally settling on Mole, who’d said nothing so far.

"What do you think?" she asked warily, eyeing the lizard-like transhuman. Mole glanced up at her with a smirk. "Surely you aren’t going to fall prey to this madness?" she asked sweetly.

"Don’t know darlin’," he chuckled maliciously. He glanced around at the others as his hands continued their cleaning automatically. "It’s got me kinda wondering just what kind of costume the genius behind this plot has for me. ‘Course if there’s a weapon included," his eyes returned wistfully to the .223 in his lap, "I just might be inclined to join in the fun. Of course if there’s not," he patted his side, where his S&W Colt .45 rested in its holster, "I’d be more than happy to provide my own." His hands returned to rubbing over the antique rifle that was his newest baby. "So yeah, I think I’ll go."

Max stood there, dumbfounded as all of her arguments and persuasions were swept away. But she gave one last valiant try. "I really don’t think this is a good idea."

Alec sighed, remembering how hard it was to convince Max to join in the fun last year. And that’s when they’d been relatively safe. He admired her desire to keep them protected. But there was a line between that and smothering and he felt it was up to him to keep her from crossing it. Besides, they were all adults here. It was each individual’s choice whether or not to take this chance. "Look Max," he finally spoke up again, "I’ll do some recon. I already have a pretty good idea whose planning this party. If it’s who I think it is, it’s someone safe. Would that put your mind at ease?" He smiled inwardly as she bit her lower lip, trying to appear as if she was thinking it over. It should have been apparent to her as well.

Because really, who else did they know that would come up with snobbish black and silver embossed invitations and be able to fund costumes for all the guests? But Alec could also see why she would be apprehensive to attend.

"All right," she finally agreed. Cheers broke out around the table and Joshua stood to engulf his friend in a swelling hug. After a muffled grunt, Joshua let go and sat back down. "So, I guess enjoy yourselves at the party," she muttered, stepping away from the table and heading out the door. Puzzled eyes followed her progress, many mouths coming open to protest. But with a quick shake of his head, Alec kept them from calling after her. Once he was sure she was gone, he shut the door firmly and turned back to the others.

"Max should go," Joshua said immediately. There were general nods of assent. "Needs to have some fun."

"Oh, I agree big guy," Alec shrugged. "But you know Max. The quickest way to get her to dig her heels in about something is to all gang up on her trying to ‘persuade’ her." He almost laughed at how quick they were to agree with him. "Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan."

*****

Max moved through the next few days thinking far more about the upcoming party than she thought she should. And of course it was all Alec’s fault. The little rat hadn’t said a thing about it to Max, like she had expected him to. And not only that, no one else talked to her about it either. Not even Joshua. Every time she approached, he’d fall silent with whomever he was conversing and either wait for her to say something, or begin a new topic of discussion.

Of course she knew it was a ploy. What better way than to trap her by lulling her intense curiosity? Alec might think he was a master schemer, but he obviously needed a few lessons. So Max kept her peace and always had something to talk about before she approached someone. That way there were no tense moments of awkward silence. She didn’t discourage people from talking about the party, but nor did she take an active interest in it. Alec did actually do as he promised and checked out their mysterious host. And if Max allowed herself to really dwell on it, she had a pretty good idea who was throwing the party. Which was all the more reason to stay away. But he and Joshua both vouched for the host and hostess of this party. Which when she heard that announcement, it did give her a moment of pause.

But then she figured that it was another of Alec’s little mind games designed to screw with her. So she stuck to her guns and kept on the way she was. Of course, all it took was one phone call from OC to tear all those reserve walls down.

Max was trying to concentrate on post Halloween plans when JD stuck his head in her office. "Hey Boss, phone call on one for ya," he announced in his slightly peppy tones.

"Who is it?" she wondered aloud.

"Your friend."

"Which one?" she frowned at him. Then frowned at herself. It wasn’t as if she had very many. And half of them were right here in TC.

"The lesbo," hr shrugged. Max hid a grin as he ducked back out. JD, for all that he was an X5 was a very simple guy. He didn’t care about names, unlike the others who’d taken to naming themselves like ducks to water, no matter how wild or exotic, or in some cases, mundane. Oh sure, JD knew your name, but what always seemed to stick was the one identifying mark that made each person so different. So Cindy was lesbo, though he’d barely met her. And Sketchy was Cam, to him. Obvious for the camera Sketchy had taken to toting everywhere. Logan was Geeker, again for obvious reasons. Max had been a little disconcerted by this habit when they’d come upon Joshua, who was always sensitive about his features. But when JD had simply called him Stretch, she’d been relieved.

It also explained how JD had come by his name. He’d taken it from the first thing he’d seen once he’d been able to relax on the outside. And on those perverse occasions when Max was feeling like a harried mother calling her recalcitrant child home, his full name would ring out across the compound. Mostly in the form of "Jack Daniel get your ass in here!" Max just thanked the Blue Lady that he hadn’t ordered Black Velvet. Cause that would be weird.

Max shook herself out of her musings as she picked up the telephone in her office and perched her hip on the edge of her desk. "Hey Cindy," she greeted softly. "What’s up?"

"Hey boo," her friend returned. "Original was just wonderin’ if y’all got your invitation yet?"

"Oh?" Max’s brow furrowed for a moment. And then a slight anger took hold. Obviously another one of Alec’s ploys, this time that he’d roped Cindy into. She took a deep breath and quickly counted to ten before she answered. "Yes I did. But I don’t think I’m going."

"What?" her friend screeched. "Why not Boo?"

"Well, I just have a lot of stuff that needs my attention right now," she excused herself. "I just don’t have time for parties. As fun as they may sound."

"An’ you know what Original is gonna say to that," the black woman snapped back. "Max girl, you know that all work an no play is a dangerous thing. Besides, I was lookin’ forward to seein’ ya."

"That would have been nice," Max hedged, "but…" How on earth did she explain all the multitude of thoughts connected to this party. She tried again. "It’s just…"

"It’s okay Max," Cindy interrupted. "I understand. Maybe we can get together some other time." Her voice sounded suspiciously thick. "Although with the way things are goin’, it might be a long time comin’."

"Oh, don’t say that Cindy," Max may have been dense when it came to certain things female, but she could tell that she’d hurt her friends feelings. "I’m sure the siege will be over soon, and then…"

"Yeah," Cindy whispered faintly. And then stronger, "yeah, and then we’ll be back to clubbin’ and gossipin’ and hangin’ at Crash." There was an awkward pause before she spoke again. "Well, Original has things she needs to get done. Goodbye Max."

Max stared down at the phone in her hand, tears pricking at her eyes. She wished she’d been mistaken, but the distinctive sob she’d heard could only imply one thing. She’d made Cindy cry. And Cindy never cried. Well, aside from two occasions that Max could recall, her best friend never cried. She was too strong to let things get her down. In all her years of knowing OC the only time she’d ever cried was when Max had finally admitted the truth of what she was. And Cindy’s tears had been for her friend, in Max’s thinking that the truth would make Cindy deny their friendship. The other time had been when Cindy’s on-again, off-again lover, Diamond had died. She hadn’t even cried when she’d had to leave Terminal City after the siege had begun.

"Max?" She glanced up sharply at the voice interrupting her thoughts. Alec stood in her doorway, a puzzled expression on his face. And as mad as Max might be at him for his little ploys and teasing, none of that mattered now. The tears that had threatened to fall before were streaming down her face.

"She said goodbye," she sobbed. Alec hurried forward, taking the phone from her hands and setting it gently on the desk. His hands gripped her upper arms and he ducked down to peer into her face.

"Who said goodbye?" he asked softly, concern evident in his eyes.

"C-cindy," she hiccuped. "She never says good-bye. She always tell me ‘talk to ya later’, or ‘til next time’. Why’d she say good-bye?"

Alec sighed and pulled her into his embrace. He rested his cheek on her head and let her cry into his chest. "I don’t know Max," he whispered. "Maybe Cindy’s just facing facts." But that pronouncement just made her cry harder. The thought that Cindy was letting her go. And for all her life, Max knew that the one thing that had kept her going was family. And in ways more so than her own siblings, Cindy was family. Her dearest and best friend. It was not something she’d give up so easily.

She pulled back from Alec and wiped the moisture from her cheeks. She pointed at the door, "go! I have to call Cindy back."

"Yes ma’am," Alec nodded with only the faintest hint of a smile. He picked up the phone and handed it back to her. He slipped out the door, shutting it softly behind him. He didn’t need to press his ear to the door to hear her next words, but they certainly brought out the smile he’d been hiding the whole time.

"Hey Cindy. You know, I think I might just be able to make it to the party after all."

Alec stepped away from the door, feeling buoyed. He hadn’t been certain that Cindy’d be able to convince Max to change her mind. But Cindy had just looked him straight in the eyes and told him that she knew what to do. ‘You’re right Cindy,’ he thought to himself as he made his way back to his office. ‘Tears work every time.’

*****

Max trudged along wearily. It was finally Halloween. And as she’d promised Cindy, she was on her way to the party. Most everyone else had gone ahead, those that were invited. Only Alec had stayed behind, with a murmured joke that Cindy had made him promise to drag her away from whatever she was doing. Cindy was determined that Max would make it to the party. Max wasn’t happy about most of it, aside from being able to spend some time with her friends. But that was it.

Alec watched her, his eyes darting over to her face every other step. For the last few days, he’d found himself growing more concerned over her. Every morning her face would be pale, her eyes rimmed with red. She’d been distracted, snappy, and angry with everyone. Well, angrier than usual. And she still wouldn’t talk about the nightmares that she’d been having. Everyone knew, though Alec had said nothing about them. It was hard not to when her screaming woke the whole building morning after morning. And nothing stopped them. And the Blue Lady knew that Max had certainly tried a lot of things.

Finally the pair came to the address that had been listed on the invitations. It was in a far off, deserted sector of Seattle. Alec glanced up at the structure and chuckled. "I didn’t know they filmed the ‘Addams Family’ in Seattle."

"They didn’t dumbass," Max snorted, also looking up at the house. Well, decrepit old mansion was more like it. "The rumor about this place was that some old guy, rich dude built it. But apparently his family was murdered while he was out of town on a business deal. When he found out, he came home and became a recluse. People say he still haunts the halls, looking for his family."

"Uh huh," Alec murmured, unimpressed. More likely some rich guy had built the place and in a few years, the Gothic style wasn’t in anymore and he’d opted to build a new playhouse for himself. But it had certainly had enough time to fall into disrepair. Alec nudged at the gate, hanging ajar. It creaked appropriately. He pushed it all the way open, watching as Max winced. He gestured to the pathway. "Well, shall we?"

Max sighed. The sooner she entered, the sooner this would be over. "May as well," she muttered and stepped through the gate. Alec followed; letting the rusty hinged metal bars creak shut behind them. They’d barely taken two steps when Alec let out a yell. Max simply turned around to find him crouched on the ground, his eyes scanning the night time sky.

"Damn bats," he murmured, looking up at her sheepishly. Max fought to hide a grin as she stomped over to a small shrub along the crumbling wall that surrounded the property. She pushed the greenery aside and found what she’d suspected was there.

"Mechanical bats, Alec," she announced theatrically, her thumb depressing a small white button. "Rigged on a motion sensor. Don’t tell me that the oh niner, the one who hasn’t kept her training up for ten extra freakin’ years was able to hear them coming a mile away. While Manticore’s golden boy, the trained assassin couldn’t even figure this prank out?" she taunted snarkily.

Alec rose and watched as the clearly mechanical bats swooped and wheeled overhead then went back to their ‘roost’, waiting for the next victim. "I knew they were there," he announced, frowning. He let the implied slurs roll off him. Had it been any other time he wouldn’t have let her get away with it, being able to dish it out as well as he could take it. But Alec had already figured out that Max was going to be in a bitchy mood most of the evening. And figuring the reason behind it, he didn’t retort. "I however was just trying to play along. Get in the mood."

"Whatever," she scoffed. Alec sighed again and moved towards her. His hand swept across her lower back trying to propel her forward. She resisted for a token moment before resuming her path up to the house.

They were silent as the made it up onto the groaning, sagging porch. On the door, someone had taped missives addressed to them. Max took hers down, ripping into it impatiently. To neither surprise, it was a sheet of black paper, embossed in the same silver ink that the invitations. She read through the instructions rapidly and then snorted as she waved the paper at Alec. "I can’t believe someone was lame enough to think of this."

Alec, who’d read his own paper just as quickly, was of the same mind, but he didn’t give voice to it. And it wasn’t so much lame as it was… corny. But he was up for any change of pace from all the militaristic lifestyle that they’d embraced lately for survival. So the instructions provided, that they needed to hunt out clues around the house to gather up their party gear was kind of welcome. It wouldn’t be much challenge mentally, obviously but Alec was ready to do anything to get away from grumpy Max.

"Let’s just go in," he said irritably, thinking of how swiftly they could get through this and he could dump Max off on Cindy and get down to some serious partying.

"Whatever," she mumbled the word that was quickly becoming her mantra of the evening. She opened the door, slightly relieved to find nothing funky just yet. She felt Alec bump into her and bit back a groan. She couldn’t believe that he was this eager. For a party anyway.

The foyer was decorated much as they’d expected, with black drapes hung about, silky strands of manufactured cobwebs hanging in the corners. Candles were lit at strategic intervals. And in the center of the entryway was a long, narrow table. They approached, glancing down at the bowls that covered the table. Alec cocked his head to the side. There wasn’t as much light here, casting the bowls in odd shadows. But that was no detriment to the transgenics’ sight.

"Eyeballs?" he read off a card before a bowl of some slightly queasy looking, slimy balls. He glanced at another. "Brains? What the hell is this?" he demanded of his silent partner. Max rolled her eyes, fighting against that grin that always seemed to want to take over her face when Alec was being completely clueless.

"It’s another fine Halloween tradition," she grumped, thrusting her hand into the bowl of "eyeballs". She pulled one out and popped it into her mouth. Alec’s mouth fell open as his nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Max, that’s gross!" he exclaimed, his eyes widening in horror as she bit down and a small trickle of juice escaped her lips.

"Is not," she argued. "Peeled grapes are a delicacy. Or so I hear." She popped another in her mouth and thought on it a moment. "Eh, they taste about the same to me."

"Ah," Alec grinned, the move improving slightly as Max teased him. "As long as they’re peeled, then I guess it’s okay." He’d known of course that they weren’t real eyeballs. But he’d never seen a peeled grape before and wasn’t sure what they were being set up for. But if it were just food masquerading as freaky disembodied items… He reached into the "innards" and pulled a long strand of something he thought was spaghetti. He sucked it into his mouth and immediately began to gag.

As he spit the offending item from his mouth, he was pleased to see that his misery was bringing Max a little mirth. A little embarrassing, but livable. "Gah! That’s disgusting."

"Oh I could have told you that," Max grinned. Seeing Alec’s face crumpled up in displeasure had brought an odd mood about. Suddenly she was enjoying herself a little more than she’d expected to. Well, she knew that she’d have to face up to the inevitable, but for now, she could do what she’d practiced for so long and just put it off. She turned back to the bowl. "It’s innards Alec. Guts, kidneys, … liver."

Alec shuddered as memories of Friday night Manticore liver and milk dinners came to mind. "Now that’s just nasty," he announced with the justification of one who’d been tortured with said food. But Max just laughed at him.

"Well no one told you to eat it," she giggled. Alec glanced up in surprise. Before him was a slightly softened version of the woman that everyone had been walking on eggshells around for the last few days. And by the Blue Lady he was glad to see her. She’d found something else of interest and Alec watched as she extracted two more notes from under a bowl full of "blood". She held out one to him and after a moment, Alec shook himself out of his reverie and took it from her.

"Well, looks like I go this way," he said, gesturing to what appeared to be a living room.

"And I go up," Max sighed. She turned to him, a little half-smile on her face. "So, see you in a few minutes?" Alec nodded and watched as Max snagged a handful of grapes as she headed off. He had to chuckle as he heard her muttering about the "Idiot who’d wasted all his time mutilating good food". He grabbed some grapes for himself, thinking that as bitchy as she might be tonight, at least she was right about one thing.

*****

They met up in a room in the attic. Alec had collected his costume paraphernalia and had gone in search of Max. He’d heard her cursing from the floor below and followed his keen hearing straight to her. He’d stopped outside the door, hearing her complain within about the moron who’d chosen a pink outfit for her. He’d knocked and asked if she were decent, unsure what he’d do if her answer were in the negative. But she was dressed and apparently not happy about it.

"Pink!" she yelled as soon as she saw him. "He gave me a pink dress!"

Alec looked her over. "I can see that."

"And a pink dunce cap!" she continued, her eyes glittering with suppressed true rage. She was simply venting now. "And pink slippers. When the hell have I ever worn slippers Alec?"

"To my knowledge, never," he grinned. He could see why she was upset. She just wasn’t a pink girl. Mostly because it didn’t really do much for her complexion. But he’d never really seen her looking so feminine. And old fashioned. It was a refreshing change of pace.

"And what the hell is that?" she demanded, adjusting the dunce cap… er hat and wimple set that was currently trying to choke her. Alec glanced down at the item in his hand.

"Uh, it’s padding, I think," he frowned as he held it up for inspection. Max cocked her head to the side, contemplating his costume. He was dressed in a brown robe, with a rope belt tied in a simple knot around his waist. Soft leather boots adorned his feet. And the robe had a deep cowl at the back.

"So what are you supposed to be?" she puzzled.

"I think I’m Friar Tuck," he shrugged. "Not what I was expecting, but okay I guess." He paused for a moment as he tossed the unattractive belly padding into a corner. "Maybe that makes you Maid Marion?"

"Probably," she sighed. "Although I doubt she’d be caught dead in this self-hanging outfit of hell!"

"Oh you look good Max," Alec teased. "If you’d just shut your mouth and quit complaining, no one would ever guess it’s you."

"Ha ha Alec," she ground out. Her bad mood was back it seemed, in full force. But he could understand why. He was inordinately glad that the only dangerous item of costuming went around his waist instead of his neck. He grinned as she ran a finger under her chin, trying to loosen the offensive material.

"So how’s my costume?" he asked quickly, before she could retaliate in a much more physical way. He turned quickly in a small circle. "Is everything where it’s supposed to be?"

"You’re fine," Max snapped, eager to get the evening over and done with. If she were lucky, she’d find Cindy right away and the two could find a dark corner to hide the rest of the night in. She headed for the door, carrying out the last of the instructions. To head down to the kitchen for their last piece of the surprise. Alec followed after her, enjoying the sway of the material around her body. Whether she realized it or not, it was a very flattering outfit, despite the color.

"You know," he rambled as they walked, " in another life, I think I could have made a good clergyman."

"Yeah, sure," she scoffed.

"No seriously Max," he went on. "Just think, I could have been Father Alec. You know, travelling around blessing people and listening to them confessing their sins. Pardoning their transgressions."

"You’re not a holy man at all Alec," Max argued. "There are certain things that
priests had to abstain from, you know."

"Well, I’m not so sure about that," he laughed. "Why do you think there were all those Nuns?"

"Alec!" Max’s eyes widened. Trust Alec to think about that.

"Come on, admit it Maxie," he teased. "I would have made a very dashing priest. You know, black does look good on me." And Max did think about it, while giving him another glance.

"All right," she grumbled. "Yeah, you’d make an okay priest." Having admitted that, she surged ahead of him and he barely caught her mumbled, "you’d have all those Nuns panting after you day and night."

"Damn straight," he chuckled to himself.

*****

They were still arguing as they turned into the corridor leading towards the back of the house on the main floor.

"And you still don’t know what torture is unless you wear women’s underwear," Max argued. "I mean bras, control top pantyhose. They’re modern day corsets and iron maidens is what they are."

"Okay, okay," Alec groaned pinching the bridge of his nose. "I will allow that wimples are tools of the devil. Now will you shut up about it?" Max gave him a huge ‘I win’ grin and reached to pull open the last door in their way.

Alec was hardly prepared for her reaction to the surprise behind door number one. He was behind her and couldn’t see around the door that she’d had to pull open towards herself. All he could tell was that she’d gone completely white and her body had started to shake, as if caught in the tremors of a seizure.

"Max?" he asked. His only answer an ear-piercing shriek. Max whirled around and darted for the front door, running at top transgenic speed away from the horror in the kitchen. Alec spared a glance at what had scared her so badly and felt the surge of utter anger and impatience.

"Son of a bitch!" he cursed as he tore after her.

*****

Cindy heard the familiar piercing shriek from her seat on a lounger in the backyard of the decrepit old mansion. She smiled languidly, even as she rose from her seat. She gestured towards a tall figure in gold velvet. "C’mon doggy dog," she called. "Sounds like we got ourselves another victim."

Joshua loped over to Cindy, grinning down at the odd sight of the self-assured black woman in tight braids and blue gingham. "Not doggy dog," he half-yelped, half-woofed. "Lionly lion."

"Cowardly lion," she corrected. "And damned if ya don’t make a good one."

Strangely enough his canine features were oddly similar to the actor that had originally played the overgrown feline in the famed movie. Still laughing and joking together, they entered the kitchen, catching the eye of the other party-goers. Every one of them had already passed through this rite of entry and were eager to laugh and tease the newcomers.

The outer door to the kitchen banged shut, shading their eyes from the fluorescent lights that had been strung around the backyard. Inside there was only one candle glowing. She gasped in her breath as she took in the scene before her. Instead of the campy skeleton popped out of the pantry to scare or simply stun the unexpecting victim, there was something altogether different. Cindy stepped over carefully to the center of the room and grabbed at the leg somehow suspended above her.

Logan spun around, a gruesome smile on his face. He looked down upon Cindy and Joshua and his grin widened as corn syrup blood trickled from underneath the rope around his neck. "I got her!" he crowed. "I actually got Max."

"What do ya mean? Got her?" Cindy demanded. She shook Logan’s leg, clutched in her grip. "What did you do?" she growled at the thought of a callous idiotic man hurting her boo."

"Josh, can you help me down?" he asked in his meticulously polite manner.

"Not until you answer me," Cindy interrupted. Joshua looked back and forth between the two and seemed to come to the decision that Original Cindy was most definitely the bigger threat. Probably because she wasn’t rigged up in some harness and could actually reach him to hurt him. He shrugged an apologetic shoulder to the other man. Logan sighed.

"Look, I just knew that Max really wouldn’t go in for this Halloween stuff,’ Logan explained hastily. "You know how hard it is to pull something over on her," he waited a moment for the woman to acknowledge his statement, which she did with an exaggerated sigh. "So, I just wanted to get one good scream out of her."

"And you did that by faking your own death?" Cindy demanded, hands on her hips. Logan opened his mouth to defend himself, but Cindy didn’t give him a chance. "When all this time since this virus bitch reared it’s ugly head and my girl has been having nightmare after nightmare of this very thing happening… And you thought it’d be funny to make her scream? Well congratulations Logan! You got your wish."

"I…" Logan had no defense and everyone knew it. Joshua was carefully backing away. Cindy shook her head in disgust and began to make her way after Max.

"No Cindy, wait!" Logan called after her. She turned back to give him an evil glare. "It was my mistake. I need to apologize."

"Damn straight you do," she snarled, then glanced at Joshua. "Get him down," she ordered. Joshua nodded and stepped forward to lift Logan from the harness suspended from the ceiling that he was hooked to. As he set the older man on his feet, Logan loosened the rope around his neck and flung it away. He ran through the house as quickly as he could, the mismatched, but oddly in sync duo watching him go.

"Cindy gonna lay the smack down on Logan?" Joshua commented knowingly.

"After this stunt, he’s gonna be lucky if Original don’t tear him a new one completely," she huffed. Joshua just nodded.

*****

Logan stomped down the steps of the mansion, breathing hard already. Partly from exertion, partly from fear of the situation he’d brought about. He’d been so sure that he’d just give Max a scare and then she’d yell at him for doing so. She was an X5 right? No matter how long it’d been since her training, she knew how to identify living bodies from dead. He really didn’t think that his joke would be taken so badly. But when it came to Max, once again he was wrong.

He breathed a sigh of relief as he heard her voice and Alec’s ahead of himself. Apparently Alec had had better luck catching up with her. Normally he’d be jealous, but after the siege had begun, Max had admitted her subterfuge about being involved with Alec. He’d forgiven her and while they both understood that they couldn’t be together, at least he wasn’t tormenting himself about who she might be with on those cold, lonely nights.

But the oddly wistful tone in Max’s voice made him slow. And he stayed hidden in the shadows as he watched his deepest, most dreaded situation began to unfold. Alec stepped forward in the circle of light afforded them by the full moon. And not only did he comfort her in a friendly manner, but also in one that casually bespoke of a deeper intimacy. Hands roamed where no man but he, Logan should have been allowed. Kisses pressed along tender skin that seemed to make Max shiver for a very different reason. But it was the words she spoke that shattered his heart.

"I just want to be at home, in our bed," she murmured. But somehow it was as if Logan had developed supersensitive senses in that moment and heard each word as if it were shouted in his ears. "Waking up like it was a week ago and you were bringing me breakfast in bed," she continued, "and that none of this had happened."

Alec sighed. "I know. Me too babe." He paused for a moment. "You know it wasn’t real…"

"I know," she nodded. "But these past few nights…" she bit her lip. "Those nightmares."

"Shh," he crooned to her. "None of it was real. Logan didn’t know. Wasn’t a great idea of his, but you can’t blame him when he didn’t know." They both seemed to take a moment to absorb the hapless man’s naiveté in the situation. Cutting him more deeply by the knowledge presented to him now.

"I never thanked you," Max spoke softly, a smile lighting up her face," for being there every morning to wake me up."

"There’s no place I’d rather be," Alec replied honestly, his face taking on an intent determination, his true feelings for this woman shining through. "And if you want to go home, we’ll go."

"But Cindy-!" Max protested. Alec shook his head.

"She’ll understand," he declared, hugging her close. "Come on Princess, let me take you home and make it all up to you." Max smiled tremulously and turned so that they could walk together away from the man who’d still been planning a future with her. Her softly spoken admission floating back to him.

"I love you Alec McDowell. Did you know that?"

"As much as I know that I love you too Max Gueverra."

And he watched them move away, a new life together, and a future, however uncertain. The ability to touch and to love. All of it theirs for the taking. And his heart howled.

*****

Logan snapped awake, his head coming up from his desk with a jerk. His hand scrabbled up to wipe surreptitiously at his chin as he felt the moisture there. And then he noticed the deep green eyes staring intently at him. The humor filling those eyes was a mockery to him in this moment.

"Yeah, you didn’t quite get it all there Log buddy," Alec smirked as he gestured at the older man’s cheek.

"Alec! Shut up!" Max snarled as she stepped forward, careful not to touch her ‘not even like that’ boyfriend. Her voice softened as she addressed Logan. "Are you okay? Maybe you should head back home."

"Yeah, yeah," Logan grunted out. "I’m fine. Just a little tired."

"Obviously," was Alec’s caustic comment.

"Oh stop it," Max growled at the younger man. "It’s not like you’ve never been caught drooling before." She spared an apologetic glance at Logan for being so very blunt.

"Yeah right, as if," Alec snorted.

"Uh huh," Max snickered. "If I were to put Mole in a kilt right now, you’re brain would register two things and two things only. Legs. Skirt. And then the drool-fest would begin."

"It would not."

"Would so."

"Would not!"

"Would so!"

"Ahem," Logan interrupted quickly, before this latest argument got any more out of hand. "Was there anything specific you needed?" he asked of Max. She looked stunned for a moment, then shook her head.

"Just was checkin’ on ya," she murmured. Logan nodded and there was a terse silence before she turned away to head back to where she’d come from, Alec trailing along after her faithfully. Logan winced as the would versus wouldn’t battle started up again.

He glanced down at the paper he’d last been scribbling on. After his dream, a Halloween party didn’t seem like the thing to do. He glanced up at the retreating pair. ‘It was just a dream,’ he assured himself. Alec and Max could never really be like that. He hadn’t even really believed it when she’d told him so. But that noble heart of his had urged him towards the dramatic and he’d given in to her silent plea to believe her fickle. He fingered the smudged lines of hastily scrawled ink and then decisively lifted the paper and tore it in two. Better not to risk it.

"Well I say we test the theory!" Alec’s voice rang out across the room. Logan’s head snapped up as he took in the oh so familiar sight of the two transgenics arguing. Alec was his normal laid back self. And Max stood with her arms crossed, her hip jutting out, like she usually did when dealing with annoying Alec.

"And how do you propose doing that?" she demanded angrily.

"Simple," Alec declared. "You slip into something short and sexy and we’ll test out the drool factor. As lovely as you are though Max, I still say I’m immune."

"Yeah," she scoffed. "In your dreams buddy."

"And yours," he retorted swiftly, with the air of complete surety.

"Whatever!"

Logan blinked. And then blinked again. As much as he wanted to deny it, blame it on his failing eyesight, a trick of the light, anything, there was no way he could. The simple poke in her ribs, her hastily covered smile. And then they parted. Logan glanced down again at the torn paper he still held. There’d been no truth or hidden message in what he’d just witnessed, or what he’d dreamed, was there?

Was there?