Author: Restive Nature (aka Bavite)
Rated: NC-17
Disclaimer: All characters within this fiction are the property of Cameron/ Eglee. I just like to play with them.
Timeline: Six weeks after FN.
Pairing M/A
Summary: An unexpected accident causes Max to think about the future in a new way.
Chapter Five
We Almost Took A Wrong Turn
"Alec?" Max tried again, her voice muffled from her head being pressed into the massive seeming expanse of his chest. He continued to stroke her hair, wanting her calm. Or at least not ready to pummel him for forgetting what today was.
"Come on Maxie," he cajoled, finally pulling back. "You know, when you think about it, this is actually a good day."
Max yanked herself back from him. The anniversary of Joshua’s death was a good day? She stared at him as if he were insane. And Alec… looked wary. Max’s lips thinned. Oh, he certainly had good reason to be wary. Husband or no, she’d still kick his ass for his callous behavior. And then she realized he had continued speaking.
"…know it took longer than normal, but you got to admit, a month’s recovery time is acceptable with what White did to him," Alec shrugged. He picked up his coffee mug; not realizing that Max had zoned out for a second.
"What?" Max demanded harshly. Recovery time? What the hell was he talking about now? Who had recovered from White?
Alec sighed and ran his free hand through his hair. "Seriously honey, you’re starting to scare me." He peered intently at her, noticing immediately the glazed look of pain on her face, the sharp pinpoints her eyes had become. "I don’t like this," he announced. "Come on, go get dressed. You’re going." He set his mug back down with a thump and rose to his feet. Max stared up at him, her heart constricting. She was scaring him? He was the one that wouldn’t explain things clearly to her so that she could get the big picture. ‘But he doesn’t know you don’t remember anything.’ The little voice in her head nagged. Alec wanted her to go? Go where?
"Going where?" she asked, biting her lip to keep it from trembling.
"To the infirmary," Alec replied quickly. "You were going there anyway to pick up Joshua. So you can just let Doc check you out first."
"No," she protested before he even got the entire sentence out. "There’s nothing wrong with me," she denied, mentally crossing her fingers that she was right. Alec grabbed her hand and pulled her reluctant form to her feet. She stared up at him, surprised in a way to see concern etched on his features. She softened a little. It was concern for her.
"Max, you have a headache. We weren’t drinking last night; you didn’t bang your head. So you shouldn’t have a headache," Alec explained slowly, hoping that she would understand.
"Or maybe I slept wrong," Max shrugged a shoulder, still unwilling to admit the truth to him. "Maybe I slept too long. I have had headaches before Alec," she smirked as she rolled her eyes.
"Not as long as I’ve known you," Alec refused to be deterred.
"Yes I did," she chuckled. "These humungous headaches that amazingly, resembled you."
"Ha ha, very funny," Alec grinned. "Come on Maxie. I love you. Can you really blame me for wanting to make sure you’re okay?" Max’s body stilled as she once again heard those three little words. That was twice now in the last hour that she’d heard him say it. Her heart swelled. Alec loved her. Alec, pain in the ass, love ‘em and leave ‘em hot boy loved her. Max’s mouth went dry as she tried to search her non-existent memory to see if she could recall him ever saying that to her before. But the memories wouldn’t come. Did she ever say it to him? That was a big question. If they were married, she must have. Could she say it now? Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.
"Ha, knew it!" Alec crowed. Max’s mouth snapped shut. He knew she couldn’t say it? But then why did he look happy? "I win! You have no arguments left. So let’s go." She blinked slowly. This whole morning was just getting too damn confusing. She barely noticed as Alec dragged her back to the bedroom.
It didn’t take long for them to dress, although Max was a little hesitant to do so while he was still in the room. But Alec seemed to think it was normal, not even batting an eye as he withdrew his clothes from the wardrobe and pulled them on. He didn’t say a word as she turned her back to him, quite shy even in the face of the knowledge that they probably did this every morning. When she turned back around, he was tying up his shoes; his attention focused solely on his foot attire. The blush that had stained her cheeks slowly bled from her skin. She retrieved a pair of shoes for herself and took a seat beside her husband.
"Oh hey," she murmured, remembering a thought from earlier. "Don’t forget to pick up your shoes out in the living room." She glanced up as she heard his sigh. She hid a grin as he rolled his eyes. "Alec!"
"Nag, nag, nag," he chuckled. He waited until she was upright again and poked her playfully in the ribs. Max scowled at him and batted his hand away.
"Don’t call me a nag," she protested, although she was secretly pleased that she seemed to have recalled something correctly. "I was just reminding you about something."
"Which you do every day," he snorted. "In my books, that constitutes a nag." He stood and reached a hand out for her to take, which she did.
"And if you’d pick things up, then I wouldn’t have to remind you."
"So this is my fault that you’re a nag?" he smirked. Her mouth went a little dry. He looked so incredibly sexy like that. So self-assured that expression was. It was a heady thing, that smirk directed her way. And Max did remember it from before, but then it had annoyed her. And now she knew why. She had been jealous of his confidence in himself, when she always seemed to suffer so many doubts about her life. But maybe, just maybe his confidence was rubbing off on her. Wanting to test her theory, she lightly plucked at the material of his T-shirt, drawing him forward. He looked at her quizzically, until she tilted her head back slightly and softly brushed her lips against his.
Max felt his lips twist up in a grin before returning her kiss. She pulled back from him, not daring to look in his eyes. Somehow, she felt as if she didn’t much take the initiative when it came to romance. For too long she’d hidden herself beneath her tough chick exterior. She busied herself with smoothing the fabric that she’d disturbed. She cleared her throat. "What were we talking about?"
"Infirmary," he answered softly, bemused at her behavior. "Remember, Joshua?"
"Joshua, right," she cleared her throat once more and stepped out of the bedroom, her husband right behind her. It wasn’t until they reached the street that she realized she’d been neatly diverted from getting him to clean up after himself.
"Alec you rat!" she laughed.
"What!" he looked shocked, although the familiar mischievous twinkle was present in his eyes.
"You know what!" she tried to stop the giggling, but he had been slick. Using her own weakness for him against her. He grinned back at her cheekily.
"I promise," he mock swore, holding his hand up in the air, "I’ll pick them up tonight."
"Uh huh," she nodded. "Where have I heard that before?" She didn’t have time to consider her own words as he tucked an arm around her waist and dragged her through the familiar streets of Terminal City.
Chapter Six
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