Disclaimer:  The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Max, Zack, Alec, etc.), and everything else that has to do with the show belong to their respective owners, not to me.  No money is being made off of this fic.  I only own the original characters (Sasha/X5-121, etc.).

Notes:  Takes place immediately after chapter 71 of “Together.”

“…see you guys soon,” Max concluded.  She and Krit turned off their cell phones and she looked up at the others.  “I guess that’s it for the time being.  We’ll be able to do more once Zack and Wayne get into Seattle.”

“Good,” Sasha said.  She stood up and stretched.

“Where are you staying?” Rena asked.

“Some random shithole motel downtown,” Sasha said.  “I had been staying in a somewhat nicer place a little north of Seattle, but I can’t go back there because that’s where White and company found me and the girls.”

“How did they find you?” Jeff asked.

Sasha sighed.  “I guess dumb luck, because I can’t figure out any other way.  I’ve been extremely careful since the fire and especially since Jade and Julia were born.  Maybe they spotted me in a crowd when I went to get a few groceries, who knows?  All I know is that I hear somebody pull up and before I can get the girls and escape, they come busting through my door and they tasered me before I could keep them from taking my daughters.”  Her fists clenched.  “The last thing that I saw before I lost consciousness was somebody picking up my babies and taking them away.  I swear on everything that’s holy and everything that isn’t that won’t be the last time that I’ll see them.”

“It won’t be the last time.  I promise,” Alec assured her.  He smiled.  “You can stay at my apartment for the time being.  I’m trying to redo the second bedroom for the baby for when he or she arrives in a few weeks, but there’s still a bed in there.”

“Thanks,” Sasha said.  She rubbed her eyes.  “Damn, I’m getting fucking tired.  I have no idea if it’s because I’m actually tired or if it’s from whatever was in that dart that you shot me with.”  She reached over and smacked Alec across the back of the head.  “Before I forget, that’s for shooting me with that thing.”

“You’re welcome,” Alec said.  He rubbed the back of his head.

“We should be heading out,” Max said.  “Are the two of you coming with?”

“We’ll be leaving in a few minutes,” Alec told her.  “I’ll see you guys later.”  He and Sasha watched the rest of them leave the safehouse and then the two of them just looked at each other.  “As much as I hate these circumstances…it’s damn good to see you again, Sasha.  I missed you.”

Sasha grinned and stepped forward and gave Alec a big hug.  “I missed you too, Alec.  I’ve missed everybody so much.”  They sat back down on the floor again.  “What have you been up to since the fire?”

“Plenty,” Alec said.  “I couldn’t find either you or 511 when I bolted out of the building when Renfro lit the match and I ended up with one of the X5s from the Wyoming facility and one of the X6s from Jeff’s unit, I think it was 334.  She’s the tall blond girl from that unit and apparently she has a weak stomach for a soldier.  Anyway, we split up a few days later and I started to get into underground cage fighting to make some money and I’ve heard it enough from Max and Becky, it was stupid and I did end up regretting it thanks to the same bastard who took your children.”

“What a fucker,” Sasha remarked.  “Did he do anything to you?”

“He did,” Alec said.  “He roped me into helping him hunt down and kill some of us.  I refused, of course, and he put an explosive device in my head that he claimed he would set off unless I killed three transgenics for him that day and brought him their barcodes as proof.  I did end up killing two anomalies.”

“Oh,” Sasha said quietly.  “What happened then?”

“I apparently got lucky and came across an X6 in Terminal City,” Alec continued.  “The X6 turned out to be Becky’s second-in-command, 115.  I just—I couldn’t do it to the kid.  I ended up telling him that he was in trouble and I sliced his barcode off and tried to pass it off to White.”  He continued to tell Sasha what had happened.  “…and I’ve been up near the top of his shitlist ever since.  I’m pretty sure I’m number two only to Max.”

“You really have a way with people, don’t you?” Sasha commented, smirking.

“What can I say?  People just love me,” Alec said.

Sasha laughed.  “Yeah, sure.”

Alec laughed for a few minutes too before his expression became serious and a little bit hurt.  “Sasha, how come you never told me how you felt about wanting to escape?  I would have tried to get you out, honest.”  He looked a little sheepish.  “The night of the fire, after I had stopped by your cell to see how you were doing, I was seriously considering talking to Max and Becky about getting you out with Max and Zack whether you wanted to or not.  I could tell that you had more or less hit critical mass and there was no way that you would be able to give your twins up to Manticore.”

“Thank you,” Sasha said.  She was quiet for a moment before she started to speak again.  “It’s—I don’t know if it’s complicated, but it’s something.  I guess the bottom line is that I was scared to tell you for various reasons.  I was scared of what your reaction might be because of 493 and all and I was afraid that it would be overheard by the wrong people and then I and most likely you as well would be thrown back in Psy Ops.  I guess I could have gone for it by myself, but I couldn’t make myself.  Part of it was that I was scared and I also knew that you would have taken so much shit if I had tried to escape solo.  And I also just didn’t want to leave you and 511 behind.”  She bit her lip and wiped tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.  “I just want to see him again.  I miss him so much.  I can’t believe that I didn’t see him when everybody escaped from the fire.”

“Hey, don’t worry,” Alec said.  He pulled Sasha into another hug.  “You will see him again someday.  I don’t know exactly when because even I’m not that good…”  He grinned when Sasha laughed.  “…but the two of you will be together again.  I promise.”

“Thank you…bro.” Sasha shrugged and smiled.  “No reason not to admit it out loud anymore.  You’re as much my brother to me and your twin was to Rena.  You always have been and that’s the way that it always will be.”

“Absolutely,” Alec agreed.  He patted Sasha on the back.  “Let’s go get your crap from your motel room and get it stashed in my apartment.”  He mock groaned.  “Please don’t tell me that you have suitcases upon suitcases of crap.  I know that you do have children now, but don’t tell me that you’ve gone mega-girly in the time since we last saw each other.”

Sasha shook her head.  “Look at my barcode.  Has my designation suddenly changed to 714?”

Alec grinned and moved Sasha’s hair aside and looked at her barcode.  “I don’t know.  I think it might have changed from 121 to 786.  It might be 908 now, I really can’t tell.”

“Asshole,” Sasha said.  They both laughed.