Title: Only The Lonely
Chapter Title: At Morning's Light
Author: Restive Nature
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Dark Angel. They belong to Cameron/ Eglee. No infringement is intended and this fiction is for private enjoyment only.
Rating: NC-17
Genre: Fan Fiction
Type: Romance, Humor
Pairing: Max/ Alec
Summary: A remake of the "Pretty Woman" movie, with Max and Alec in the lead roles.
Spoilers/ Time line: This takes place pre-series. Due to the nature of the fiction, some information will be different, but should not overly affect the fiction.
Feedback: Always welcome!
Distribution: Ask first please.
Chapter Five
At Morning's Light
494 stretched slowly, enjoying the feeling of having been able to sleep in well past what he normally would in the morning. Not that he had much choice at home. Reveille was at 0600 hours and not getting up was more trouble than it was worth. So if there was one perk he definitely enjoyed on any mission was at least one morning when he could sleep in and one evening when he stayed up as late as possible so as to more fully enjoy that sleeping in.
And it was even more enjoyable on this particular morning, since not only did he have the luxury of the sun being well up, but a warm body to share body heat with first thing in the morning. And he did so now. After Max's shower the evening before, 494 had had one as well. When he'd returned to the bedroom, he was pleased to see that she had picked up their clothing from the outer room and had folded his things neatly and stacked them on the dresser. All that was, except for his tuxedo shirt. That, she was wearing and looking a little apprehensive about the fact. She'd quickly explained that she didn't think anything else was appropriate to wear for sleep and she hadn't wanted to go through his things to find something. 494 had taken that in, crossed the room to the bureau of drawers and removed a soft, often washed gray t-shirt and a pair of black sweat pants for himself. He'd pulled on the sweats and tossed his towel aside. He approached the bed with the t-shirt in hand and held it out to her with a quip about it being softer than the tuxedo shirt. She'd gratefully doffed the shirt, exchanging it for the other. It had come down to mid-thigh on her and she certainly filled it out better than he ever had. She'd asked if he preferred a side, as she hadn't climbed under the covers as of yet. 494 didn't have a preference, because there were no sides to the cot he slept on back home. So Max had remained where she was and 494 had scurried around to climb in on the other side.
There'd been a little bit of awkwardness in trying to settle down as neither were used to sleeping with another person in the same bed. At least not that they'd mentioned. But it had been a while for Max and 494 wasn't about to admit that the last person he'd "slept" with had been a male member of his away unit, circumstances and temperatures forcing them to huddle together for warmth while they waited for transport out of that God-forsaken country. Finally though, they'd ended up towards the middle of the bed, facing one another, their hands tucked up under the ample pillows the hotel provided. Quiet good nights had followed and 494 surprised himself by drifting off almost immediately.
Surprising because he wasn't sure if he would have been able to sleep with this still largely unknown person in his immediate vicinity. Surprising because he hadn't been all that tired after their encounter. More like he'd been charged with an unusual vitality. As if he'd just drank a pot of coffee, ate several chocolate bars, followed it with an energy drink boost and a few tablespoonfuls of sugar to boot. He would also have thought that his mind was too full with plans for the upcoming week to settle down. But he had, and was fully rested and cuddling in close with the near naked body that had rolled over some time in the night.
He had just managed to spoon up against her, wrapping one arm about her waist and tucking his knees up under the back of her thighs when he heard the telltale chirp from his cell phone that he had an incoming text message. With a groan, he immediately abandoned his just assumed position, flopping to his back, his now free arm falling to cover his eyes. His unit. They were the only ones to text him. Every one else who had that cell phone number called. The society he was mixing in considered it gauche to be thumbing away on their expensive elite bits of communication.
Knowing that he wouldn't be able to put off responding, 494 rolled away from Max, pushing the bed covers off of his waist and clambered out of the bed. He checked to see if the noise had alerted Max. Not that he was worried, he wold simply explain it was business, which it really was. But she didn't stir. 494 grinned at her somewhat peaceful repose on his bed and picked up his cell phone. He checked the number and as he'd thought, it was the unit's call. Deciding that he'd kill two birds with one stone, he collected some fresh clothing and moved to the bathroom.
After he'd washed away the last traces of sleep from his eyes and face, patting himself dry with a hand towel, and pulling on his boxers and faded blue jeans, 494 paused to take a moment and quickly call up room service, ordering his usual breakfast fare, times two. Unsure as to what Max would like, he figured that what she didn't eat, he could partake of. He then punched in the cell number to call base, as it were. It was 684 that answered, or as he'd taken to thinking of her, Mousy.
"You rang?" he teased once she had answered.
"No, I beeped," she returned and 494 was happy to hear that she sounded a little more frisky than usual. Or perhaps it was that he was in such a good mood that it was affecting him in how he received things.
"What's up?" 494 asked as he maneuvered his black turtleneck over one arm at a time.
"Meeting with the home court bigwigs," Mousy stated. "They want a firsthand status report."
494 paused to quickly pull the shirt over his head before bringing the phone back up to his ear. "What time?"
"Colvert will be at The Meeting Grounds," 684 named a local coffee shop, "at 1100 hours. So that gives you about 2 hours to get in and get ready."
"All right," 494 nodded, checking his reflection in the mirror, satisfied that he was fairly presentable. The clothes would suit, since he was a fairly young entrepreneur. He certainly wasn't going to be dressing in suits every day. Especially his off days. "And the rest of the team?"
"Doin' the usual," 684 chuckled.
"Loungin' around while poor old me has to do all the dirty work," 494 teased.
"Dirty work?" Mousy scoffed. "Yeah-huh. 511 filled us in on your dirty little assignment. Tough, just breaks our hearts, the sacrifices you make."
"Hey, I'm always happy to take one for the team."
"Oh, I'm sure," Mousy snarked and then laughed, probably in response to the voice in the background that 494 heard. He waited a moment while she responded and then asked what was going on.
*****
Max had woken as soon as she felt the bed shift. She was surprised at herself. She had not expected to sleep at all, given her shark DNA. And opening one eye to peer at the bedside clock, she certainly hadn't expected to sleep until after nine in the morning. She almost shot out of bed until the previous evening flooded back in on her. She'd calmed herself just in time as she felt a very masculine arm slide over her waist. Alexander! He curved himself to fit the proportions of her body and Max was just about to relax back into him when she heard a chirp. Phone she surmised by the softly uttered swear word her bed mate let out as he pulled away from her. The covers moved over her and the bed dipped just slightly and then sprang back to it's proper depth. There was a second that a shadow loomed into the sunlight that was pouring over the bed and then it was gone.
Max pretended to stay asleep even as she heard the very soft thuds of drawers being opened and closed and then a door being nudged closed. She fought the grin, feeling decidedly pleased that he was being so considerate. But then, nothing in her experience with the man had pointed at him being a jerk, a boor, a cad or an out and out loser like some of the guys she knew, personal and professional. Blinking her eyes against the morning rays of the earth warming star, Max glanced about, figuring that Alexander must have gone to the bathroom to get changed and check his phone. It certainly wasn't her because she never carried a cell phone. Her pager yes, so that people could let her know that they needed to get in touch with her, but the tone hadn't been right for a page.
Max rolled to her stomach and stretched like a cat, that in part she was, with her DNA and then relaxed back into the pillows. She listened with half an ear, to Alexander's deep voice as he conversed from the other room with whomever was on the other end of the call. He wasn't being overly loud and she was again grateful that he was so polite as it allowed her to get her bearings after a night of actual sleep. Normally, for her, it was up all night working, home for breakfast and her tryptophan and then off to do a little recon for heists to make that extra money that went into the search for her siblings.
And thinking now of her tryptophan, Max swore silently. She'd have to get some into her system right away if she wanted to avoid the tremors that usually plagued her first thing in the morning. Pulling out one hand from under the pillow, Max studied it, breathing a sigh of relief that she seemed to be doing okay. But a couple as preventative measures sure wouldn't hurt. She just hoped that if Alexander happened to catch her with them, he'd believe her excuse that they were vitamins. As she climbed from the bed, she flashed back on the one time that a client had seen her taking them. He hadn't believed that they were vitamins and was in fact convinced they were illicit drugs. And that was something he was vehemently opposed to. And the fact that she had delivered a smack down on his ass for manhandling her in his intentions to send her on her way, had only reinforced his belief that she was on illegal steroids. Luckily, she'd been canny enough to pick up a few details about the guy that he hadn't even realized he was giving off. So the threat of telling his wife (duh, he had a white circle against tan flesh where his wedding band normally resided) that he'd been cheating on her (the proof was in the mole on the side of his dick) and that would cut off the cash flow (the credit card she'd seen in his wallet was in her name) had been enough to call it quits between them with nothing else coming from it.
But the incident had burned a little and Max had been careful to never use unless it was an emergency, in front of a client. And though she usually took the tryptophan at home, she did carry some for emergencies. Just as she was opening the door to the bedroom though, she heard a soft knock that she pinpointed as having come from the main door of the hotel suite. She glanced helplessly at the still shut bathroom door. Should she answer? What if it were a business associate? Should she call Alexander? But no, he was still on his phone call. Max ducked back into the bedroom, grabbing at a white hotel robe that she'd seen hanging on the back of the door. Slipping it on, she wallowed for just a second in the luxurious depths before she hurried to the door. Whatever fall out from answering, she'd deal with.
She opened the main door just a few inches and peeked around to see who was knocking at Alexander's door. To her relief, it was obviously someone of the hotel staff, as he was wearing the standard black pants, white shirt and a tie striped in gold and maroon, the hotels colors. She pulled the door open a little more and could see that there was a small cart beside him, on which rested a number of silver domed dishes.
"Room service madam," the man announced in a reserved and polite tone.
"Oh, of course," she smiled gently and backed up, opening the door the rest of the way to make room for him. She wondered if Alexander had a standing order for breakfast, but if he did, then his appetite must be enormous. She took in the efficient way that the waiter brought in the tray, walking backwards and then pausing for further instructions.
"The table madam, or..." he trailed off, waiting to hear where she wanted the food placed. Max, who usually ate at the rickety she and her roommate had found discarded on the street, or wherever else she felt like it, just gestured to the large table set off to one side of the sunken living room area.
"The table is fine, thank you," she mustered in her best manner. "Excuse me a moment please." The waiter just nodded and went about the business of laying the table for them. Modestly holding together the lower portion of the robe, Max hurried to the bathroom and rapped twice on the door.
"Hang on," she heard Alexander's voice muffled from the wood separating them. And then the door opened and his grinning countenance met hers. "What'd you need?"
"Breakfast is here," she informed him quietly and he glanced over her shoulder.
"Ah, great," he enthused and held up his cell phone. "Let me finish this call and I'll be right out. Or did you need in?" he asked thoughtfully. Max, who indeed needed to pee, gestured at the bathroom and he swung open the door. As he stepped out and she stepped by him, she heard him speaking back into the phone. "Yeah, I need to get going. I'll see you all at one." He paused and then chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, tell him I'll deal with him later." And then he hung up the phone as Max pushed the door closed.
She quickly dealt with her needed ablutions and slipped back out into the main room after washing and drying her hands. Alexander and the waiter stood at the door and Alexander was signing something. Probably the room service tab. Max was pleased to see that the table had been laid for two. With a snap, Alexander shut the embossed black waiter's pad and handed it and the pen to the hotel employee. The waiter took the pad and turned to her, giving her a half bow. "Please enjoy your breakfast Ms. Gueverra," he nodded to Alexander, "Mr. Spalding Someone will return in an hour to collect your plates." And with that, he and the little cart left.
"You told him my name?" Max asked with surprise. Alexander simply shrugged as he moved towards the table, gesturing for her to come as well.
"I was just letting him know that my guest that I was expecting, had finally arrived," he informed her as he pulled out a seat for her at one end of the table. "They added your name to the roster, so that in the event that you need anything, assistance or room service, they'll provide it." She scooted in and watched him as he moved to the other end of the table. He took his seat and removed the cover from the largest dish before him.
"Oh, thank you, I hadn't thought of that," Max smiled. Of course, it had been his friend that he'd been expecting, but he'd played it off naturally. She glanced down at the three covered plates before her and the orange juice and coffee.
"I didn't know what you'd like to eat, or if you even eat breakfast," Alexander explained as he picked up the cutlery rolled up in a linen napkin. "So I just ordered the same as what I usually have. If you don't like it that's fine. We can order something else."
Seeing that he had on his plate eggs, toast, hash browns and a few slices of bacon, Max was encouraged. Well, another bonus of this job was that for a few days at least, she'd eat well. She pulled off her own cover and set it to the side as Alexander had done. "Oh no. Everything looks wonderful. But what else is hidden under here?" Alexander just grinned cheekily at her and tilted his head to the side with look-and-you'll-find-out manner. So Max pulled up the next dome and discovered a bowl of real fruit salad. Not the kind to come in a can, but one that had been freshly prepared that morning. She almost moaned her appreciation. Fresh fruit was damn hard to come by in the post-pulse world. And she was torn between devouring it, or the bacon. And of course, there was the third plate. Curiosity won out and she lifted the last cover to find some kind of creamy confection before her. Okay, that was strange. Had Ramon forgotten to mention that the rich liked to have dessert even at breakfast time. Of course Alexander must have seen the confusion on her face since he'd chuckled.
"Never had crepes before?" he queried and Max's startled eyes met his amused ones. She shook her head quickly in the negative. Of course, she'd heard the word but had never had them before her. They were a French food, right? "Crepes are a very thin kind of pancake," he explained patiently, gesturing with his fork, "stuffed with either whipped cream or cream cheese and fruit of some sort and then sprinkled over with powdered sugar. They're not for everyone I suppose, but I like them."
Max chewed at the corner of her mouth for a moment. They sounded very decadent and she was wondering if she should allow herself to be spoiled, when she'd probably never see another one after this week. But oh hell, she'd just spotted the cherry fruit filling oozing out of the golden brown thin pancake. Feeling something like a naughty child and just as unable to help herself, Max dipped one finger in the confection and brought it quickly to her mouth. As she sucked up the creamy goodness of the blending flavors, her eyes rolling upward with sensory exultation, she heard Alexander suck in a harsh breath. Pulling her finger from her mouth she swallowed hastily and glanced up at him once more. "I adore cherries," she explained softly, fighting and for some reason failing in keeping a blush from rising in her cheeks. Alexander just smiled indulgently.
"Then eat up," he instructed. Max followed suit, deciding to leave the crepes for last so that she could savor them. Nothing more was said as they sated the worst of their hunger for food. But about mid-way through the meal, Alexander pulled a packet from his jeans pocket and broke it open. Max watched as he swallowed down some pills with his orange juice. He caught her inquisitive stare and once he'd swallowed the last gulp of his juice, he set the glass down, dabbed at his mouth with the napkin and explained, "vitamins."
"Oh," Max started in remembrance and then widened her eyes as she scooted her chair back from the table. "Thanks for reminding me," she burst out and headed over to where her bag was stashed. She removed her bottle of tryptophan, though it was marked as calcium on the bottle and returned to the table with it. "I almost forgot."
"You're a health nut too," Alexander teased, though he did sound interested.
"Not really," Max shrugged. "Just, my um... doctor," she paused, but there was no comment on that, "recommended that I take calcium every day. Apparently I don't get enough milk and other dairies to maintain the recommended levels. And I take vitamin C during the cold season, when I can get it," she tacked on for good measure. Though it was a lie. Thanks to her genetics, she rarely, seizures aside, got sick. And when she did, it burned through her system fast.
"Makes sense," Alexander nodded thoughtfully. "I've been taking Vitamins my whole life. Can't remember a time when I didn't. Probably why I never get sick." He smiled and went back to finishing off his meal. But now that the ice had ostensibly been broken, they began to speak. "So, I had that phone call earlier."
"Yes, I figured it was something like that," Max grinned, putting aside the pill bottle. "What with you being on the phone and all."
"Anyway, that was a client," he offered. "Had to reschedule a meeting for this morning. So I'll be getting out of here in just a little bit."
"Oh," Max sat back in her seat and took that in. "Okay, should I-!" She was at a loss as to what that meant for her.
"And I'll probably be a while," Alexander continued, as if she had not spoken. "So I think this would probably be a good time for you to do a little shopping. Would that be all right?"
"Oh sure," Max nodded, picking up her fork again. Alexander nodded and paused to dig his wallet out of his back pocket. He removed a card and laid it on the table, but not before Max saw that it was one of those unlimited business account ones.
"Do you know where you can go?" he asked a little stiffly, as if not wanting to offend her. And she wasn't.
"Like I said last night, probably not back to Marjorie's," Max decided out loud. "But I have a friend who'll know exactly where to go. She lives for fashion."
"Okay, suits me," Alexander nodded. "Just don't try to, you know, break me or anything."
"I'll just get the essentials," she promised him.
"All right," he spoke as he finally finished off the last of his breakfast. "Casual during the day should be fine, semi-dressy maybe, if we end up doing any brunches. I think there was one scheduled. Dress up for the evenings. With the Queen's command to appear tonight, every night is booked."
"Got it," Max pursed her lips as she pursued thoughts of what she'd need to purchase and what she could maybe garner from her own wardrobe. She didn't want to take too much advantage of the guy and have him rethink this deal.
"Excellent," Alexander dropped his napkin on his plate and rose from the table. Max watched as he approached her. He moved over to the closet and removed a leather jacket from the interior. He swung it around himself, thrusting his arms in and then hitching it up over his shoulders. "Well, I should, barring any complications, be back about mid-afternoon. We can have something light if you want before we leave, or depend on the Marchmont catering."
"We can play that by ear," Max decided and he nodded. "Any other instructions? Like if someone calls or anything?"
"The hotel has a message service," Alexander informed her. "But if a call does come through, take a message please. Same if someone stops by. The desk downstairs will let you know. That cover everything?"
"I guess," Max nodded, turned in her seat to watch him leave. "Have a good meeting."
"Have fun shopping... honey." And with that, he was gone.
Max waited a moment or two after the door had shut behind him, spinning around in her chair to stare at the opulence before her. Inexplicably she gave in to the urge to squeal and pound her hands and feet against he nearest available surfaces in joy. Two thousand bucks, free room and board for the week and a new wardrobe! How could a girl like her get so lucky!
Quickly deciding, Max stood and picked up the plate of crepes still left to her. She was going to run a hot bath, luxuriate in bubbles and eat her crepes in decadence and then she was going to call her friend and go shopping on someone else's dime. It was gonna be a good day for Maxie Gueverra!
Chapter Six
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