What's Next? -- Chapter 15

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 (Becky/X6-405, etc.).

What a good night's sleep.  I wonder how long that will last me, Max thought as she woke up one morning a week later.  Wayne says that I should start needing sleep more often.  I still seem to be sleeping normally for me.  She turned onto her side and smiled when she saw Zack still sleeping.  What a man.  I still can't believe that he and I are together at all, much less mated and expecting a baby!  I never thought that this would happen.  She smiled and brushed a few hairs off of Zack's forehead.  It's like some dream...

Max stopped abruptly and lay still for a moment before quickly untangling herself from Zack's arms and throwing the covers off of herself and racing for the bathroom.  ...and now it's time to wake up!  She stopped in front of the toilet, flung the seat up, knelt down and vomited.  Guess what time it is, boys and girls?  It's time for morning sickness!  She lifted her head and took a deep breath and wiped her sweaty palms on her pajama pants.  Oh, that was a blast.  She lurched forward again and threw up some more.  And the fun's not over yet!

"Maxie?" she heard Zack say from the bedroom.

Max managed to stop throwing up long enough to lift up her head and give Zack a reply.  "I'm in the bathroom."

Zack pulled on a t-shirt and walked into the bathroom and immediately went to Max's side and rubbed her back gently.  "I'm sorry."

"It's no--oh wait, it is half your fault," Max managed to joke before she threw up again.

"Shhh, don't talk," Zack said.  He just continued to rub Max's back while she threw up.  Finally, Max stopped and grabbed some toilet paper and wiped her mouth and flushed the toilet.  She shakily stood up and went over to the sink and washed her hands and brushed her teeth and practically fell back into Zack's arms.

"That was not fun," she muttered.

"It's over," Zack said.  He kissed the top of Max's head and continued to gently rub her back as he held her.

"For right now, but I've got at the absolute least another six weeks of this," Max pointed out.  "Ugh, I still feel nauseous."

"Do you think you need to throw up again?" Zack asked.

"No, not right now," Max said.  "Thank goodness."

Zack nodded and let go of Max.  "Do you feel like eating at all?  We don't have much here but we could go to the cafeteria and get something there."

"I don't feel like eating anything, but I should try to eat something," Max said.  "Let me get dressed."

The two of them went back into their bedroom and got dressed and left the apartment and headed to the cafeteria.  They got some food and sat down at a table and they were joined a few minutes later by Zane and Wayne.  Zack looked up from his eggs when he heard them sit down.  "Hey."

"Hey," Wayne said.  He took a look at Max and nodded.  "Let me take a guess here:  morning sickness started today?"

"It did, doc, thanks for noticing," Max said sarcastically.

"Nice bedside manner," Zane teased.

"Bite me," Wayne said.

"That's Jondy's job, isn't it?"

"Grow up," Zack said.

"Speaking of Jondy, where is she?" Max asked.  "And where's Rena?"

"Jondy's working out in the gym.  She's going to go out job hunting later today," Wayne said.

"And according to Jondy, Rena went into heat a few hours ago so I am now officially not allowed anywhere near her for the next seventy-two hours," Zane said.

"I guess that means we won't be seeing Sasha or Biggs for the next day and a half," Max remarked.

"Most likely," Wayne agreed.  He looked over at Max again.  "Good, you're making an effort to eat."

"I can't stand nausea," Max said.  She ate the last mouthful of her cereal and stood up and put her tray away and then returned to the table.  "I am not looking forward to the next six weeks or so."

"I don't blame you," Zane said.

"Neither do I," Wayne said.  He looked over at Zane's tray and grinned wickedly.  "You should have gotten the cheese omelet, Maxie.  Look at all of that nice, greasy American cheese that's just dripping out of the omelet..."

Max started to look green.  "Wayne, quit it."

Zack glared at Wayne.  "Wayne, listen to Max.  Drop it."

"Okay, okay," Wayne said.  He was quiet for a few minutes until they had all finished and had gotten up and were leaving the cafeteria.  "Man, that bacon that I had with my breakfast sure did hit the spot.  It was nice and crispy and just dripping with grease.  You could have drank the--"  He was abruptly cut off when Max suddenly threw up all over him.  "Oh crap."

Zane laughed.  "Did you deserve that or what?"

"I did," Wayne admitted.  He wrinkled his nose and shook his head.  "I'm happy that I decided to eat breakfast early.  I think I still have time to change clothes and be at Jam Pony early enough not to give Normal a fit.  He's already annoyed that I have to take tomorrow off so that I can go to the interview for that position over at Harbor Lights.  I'll catch you guys later."  He headed off towards his apartment.

"Did you purposely aim for him, Max?" Zane asked.

Max shook her head and groaned.  "No, I didn't purposely throw up on him.  I couldn't hold it back and he happened to be there."

"Why don't you lie down for a little bit until you feel better?" Zack suggested.  "Wayne did say that it would most likely go away some time before lunch."

"Okay," Max agreed.  "I'll see you later, Zane."

"See you later, Maxie," Zane said.  "Feel better."

"I'll try," Max said.  She and Zack watched Zane walk away before they headed back towards their apartment.  "I hope that I can make it back to the apartment before I have to throw up again."

"You'll make it.  Don't worry," Zack said.  "Maybe that was it for today."

"If I'm really lucky," Max said.  They made it back to their apartment and went into their bedroom.  Max took off her shoes and lay back down on top of the bed.  "That is a little better."

Zack took his own shoes off and lay down next to her.  "Is this better?"

"Yeah," Max said, smiling up at him.  "It is."  She gave Zack a kiss and snuggled up to him.

TBC