~~~
Come stand a little bit closer
Breathe in and get a bit higher
You’ll never knew what hit you
When I get to you
Oh I want you
I don’t know if I need you
But Oh I’d die to find out
~I Want You~ Savage Garden~
~~~
Max rolled off the sofa and stumbled into the bathroom looking at herself in the mirror through bleary eyes. Her head felt like it was stuffed with cotton and every joint on her body felt about ready to unhinge. She pressed her hands against her temples and took several deep breaths hoping to calm the nausea that was raging in her. She splashed cool water from the faucet onto her face but that only succeeded in making her cold and wet.
Max padded out of the bathroom and settled herself at the kitchen table where Alec had already taken residence with his bowl of sugary-coated cereal and strong coffee. She rested her head on the cold wood of the table and played with the hem of her shirt.
“You cut your hair,” Alec said suddenly, coming to the epiphany after several minutes of observation. Max looked up at him through squinted eyes and nodded slowly. She had been bored last night and decided to be spontaneous and chop off her hair. The multiple drinks at Crash earlier had helped out with that decision but she didn’t like giving them credit. Her brown hair was now chin length and glossy no longer the limp locks it had been the night before. “Looks good,” he continued nodding in approval. Max caught sight of his cereal and felt the contents of her stomach lurch upwards.
“I don’t think I’m going into work today,” she mumbled and let her head fall back onto the table.
“Normal’s already on your ass are you sure you wanna skip again? I’m not covering for you,” Alec warned, shoveling the last mouthful of cereal into his mouth before rising to his feet.
“I’m really sick this time,” Max replied, silently wishing he would stop talking because opening her mouth was becoming a seriously dangerous action at this point.
“Sure you are Maxie,” Alec snorted, “Get dressed I’ll drive you.”
“I’m serious!” Max shouted, quickly clamping her hand over her mouth, “You’re Normal’s little golden boy you have influence over him. Just tell him I’m dying in my bed. Probably give him a happy.”
“You’re shitting me Tiger.” Alec said, “Manticore made us virtually unbreakable. I haven’t been sick once in my entire life plus Normal’s already mad at you for ‘stealing’ me away so I wouldn’t chance it.” Max felt the bile rise in her throat and scrambled to her feet, praying she would be able to make it to the bathroom and not embarrass herself in front of Alec. All he needed was ammunition like this and she would have to live the rest of her life in total seclusion. She made it all the way into the bedroom before her luck gave out and she fell to her knees retching on the floor. Max heard Alec’s feet pounding after her and readied herself for his laughter. She was surprised to feel him kneel down next to her and start rubbing her back gently. She saw his nose wrinkle at the mess she had made but her respect for him only grew when he once more failed to comment.
Max began to stand, immediately regretting the decision when the floor claimed the remainder of her dinner. Alec slipped his arm under hers and slowly helped her to stand. Max felt unnaturally weak and was glad for the support. He led her into the bathroom where he set her on the closed seat of the toilet.
“Feel better?” he asked softly. Max forced a smile but could feel herself shivering even in the heated apartment. Alec pressed his eyes tightly closed and ran his hands through his blonde hair. He turned to the small bathtub and began to run warm water into it. He grabbed a towel and wet a corner of it, dragging it over to Max’s seat on the toilet and began to wipe off her face. Max wrinkled her nose and ducked away from the towel, not ready to let any guy, especially Alec, wash her face when she was perfectly capable of doing so herself. ‘Then why are you letting him?’ A voice taunted in her head. Max mentally swatted at the voice arguing that she was sick and deserved a little pampering.
“Get in,” Alec said in a resigned voice, motioning toward the tub. Max mustered the energy to raise her eyebrows and he grinned wolfishly, “As much as I’d like to stay and watch I don’t fancy wiping up Max vomit all day so I’m going to cal roller boy and find out what the hell I’m supposed to be doing.” With that he left the room, letting the door fall shut behind him. Max slipped out of her clothes and into the warm bath, her joints and stomach screaming in protest, which got her to wondering when they had developed mouths, which lead her to the conclusion that she must be feverish.
She let the warm water engulf her and sighed contentedly. She was disturbed by a knock on the door.
“What?” she called, her voice surprising her with its raspy quality.
“Just checking to see if you’re o.k.” Alec replied and she heard him move away from the door. She heard the concern in his voice and felt a tingle shoot through her. The tingle began to fade when the knocking continued to come in five-minute intervals through the course of the bath.
“Jesus!” she shouted and stepped out of the bath wrapping a towel around her.
“I never knew I was held in such high regard,” Alec replied with a smirk as she exited the bathroom scowling.
“It’s kind of difficult to drown in a three foot bathtub,” she reminded him.
“Concerned boyfriend and all that jazz,” Alec replied nodding his head towards the kitchen. Max’s eyes widened and she momentarily forgot that she felt like dying as she peeked around the corner to see Logan seated at the kitchen table. She spun around to yell at Alec only to collide with his chest. He grabbed her wrists and bent slightly so that they were at eye level, “I called to find out what type of meds I should be buying and he goes into a tizzy and rushes over here. I couldn’t have stopped him if I wanted to.”
“As if I wasn’t already humiliated enough,” Max whispered angrily but Alec could tell the anger was directed at Logan rather than him. He felt her struggle from his grasp and start for the bathroom but barely succeeded in moving a foot before throwing up a third time. Alec grimaced and scooped her up in his arms.
“Put me down!” she hissed, her cheeks flaming in embarrassment.
“You’re burning up,” he whispered brushing his hand over her forehead.
Logan rose to his feet when Alec entered the room carrying a struggling Max. Alec shot him an apologetic smile and forced her down into a chair.
“Now tell the old man your symptoms,” Alec ordered. Max shot him a glare that would wither any other person but Alec only turned his bright smile on her.
“Max,” Logan murmured reaching his hand out towards her. Max squirmed away and latched onto Alec’s hand emphasizing the gesture as she weaved her fingers in his. Logan sat back, looking as if he had been physically struck, he winced and handed Alec a thermometer who then gave it to Max who stuffed it into her mouth, her glare never leaving Logan.
“Look Max will you let me explain? It wasn’t what it looked like,” Logan pleaded leaning towards her. Alec chuckled and Max maneuvered the thermometer over to the side of her mouth.
“I’m shure it whasn’t Lhogan. Bu you shee I jus dun care,” she spat which ended up sounding rather comical with the thermometer impairing her speech. Alec began to laugh but it tapered off when he noticed that no one else seemed to see the humor. Logan looked hurt and Max was trying her best to look defiant even with a thermometer poking out of her mouth and clad in nothing but a towel. The last aspect was fairly distracting for the two males but they both hid the fact remarkably well.
The thermometer beeped and Alec snatched it from between Max’s lips, ignoring her sputtered protests.
“102.7,” he read, turning to Logan, “That’s bad right?”
“It’s high,” Logan admitted. “Sounds flu-like. Make sure she relaxes; you’ve just got to sweat out a flu. Lemme know if anything changes.” His tone had become suddenly cold as he clomped through the door leaving without a good-bye. Max felt her lower lip trembling and tears started to well up in her eyes.
“Oh for the love of…” Alec muttered as she began to bawl. His arm reached down to encircle her neck pressing her head to his stomach in a quasi-hug until she regained control. Max felt suddenly drowsy and almost wanted to just stay that way, pressed up against him, and go to sleep.
“Oh no you don’t,” Alec warned, noticing her eyelids drooping, “I’m not carrying you anywhere else.” Max sat up and waved at him in dismissal, yawning widely.
“Hungry,” she said, more of an order than a statement.
Alec grabbed a box of Saltines from the cabinet and poured her a glass of soda.
“Some chef,” Max teased though another yawn. Alec grinned and set the meal in front of her.
“Eat slowly,” he ordered and left the room. He returned about five minutes later to find Max fast asleep, face first in the plate of Saltines. Alec linked his arms around her back and knees carrying her gently into her bedroom trying desperately not to notice the fact that the towel was slipping. He laid her down the bed, hoping that he would get credit for not putting her back on the sofa. He cursed his conscience as he slipped one of his larger t-shirts over her head before pulling the towel away. He tucked a blanket over her and went back into the kitchen to clean up her untouched snack.
Max woke up several hours later in Alec’s bed, momentarily confused. She was feeling much better and the first thing she noticed was the fact that Alec had actually gotten down and scrubbed the floor where she had vomited, not forced her to do it as soon as she was up to it.
Alec entered the room and noticed her sitting up, “Morning Sunshine,” he said cheerily, pulling his dirty shirt over his head and exchanging it for a clean one, “You feeling better?” he asked. Max nodded and pulled the covers up around her neck. “Good,” he continued, “Cause I didn’t want to shower until I was sure you weren’t going to barf on me again.”
“You changed me,” she said in accusation.
“No Logan did,” Alec replied dryly.
“Logan left before I-,”
“Yes I changed you,” Alec interrupted, “Sarcasm Max, learn to recognize it.”
“It wasn’t funny,” Max simpered, lying back down.
“I didn’t look,” Alec assured her, knowing that that was her real concern.
“My reluctant nursemaid,” Max teased and stretched languidly like a cat, “Alec,” she began almost timidly.
Alec settled into a chair next to the bed and gave her his attention.
“Sing for me,” she said, snuggling her head into the pillow.
“Come on Tiger, I can’t sing,” Alec replied uncomfortably.
“Yes you can. I hear you in the shower.” Max said, grinning at the blush that stained the other transgenic’s face.
“What?” he asked, his resolve wavering.
“Anything,” Max said and closed her eyes in anticipation.
“I wonder if you’re alone up there,” he began tentatively and continued, encouraged by Max’s smile.
“Since you’ve been gone I’ve been alone down here
She told me that I would be O.K.
Now I don’t believe
What she had to say
When she said:
Don’t worry
You’ll be fine
It’s only a matter
A matter of time…” he trailed off noticing that Max’s breathing had slowed and came evenly.
He watched her sleep and smiled, leaning over brushing his lips softly against hers, knowing that he couldn’t do it when she was awake. He sighed and left the room unaware of Max’s eyes trailing after him.