You and Me -- Chapter 7

Disclaimer:  The TV show Dark Angel, all of the characters that appeared on it (Max, Zack, Tinga, 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.

“Need anything else?” Max asked Zack from her kitchen the following night.

“I’m fine, Max,” Zack said. “Honest.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Max said. She walked back into the living room and sat down next to Zack and hit play on her DVD player remote. “I wish that you had more here to do while I’m at work. I know that you’re not just some sick little kid and all, but I still kind of feel like I should have more available for you, ya know?”

Zack shrugged. “I know. You really don’t have to worry about it. I can’t even begin to count the number of times when I would be someplace by myself with nobody around, or at least nobody that even a normal person would want around them, in a place that a normal person would want to be nowhere near. Compared to that, this is a dream come true.” He shifted a little and looked at Max. “Besides, I’ve always got something to think about.”

Max couldn’t help blushing. “Yeah.” She and Zack both looked up when her doorbell rang. Max paused the movie again and got up and went over to the door and looked through the peephole. “Hey, Jamie. What are you doing here?”

“I thought I’d stop in and see how your friend was doing,” Jamie said. “Can I come in?”

“Sure, we were just watching a movie,” Max said. She unlocked the door and opened it and let Jamie inside. “Jamie, I would like you to meet my friend Mark. Mark, this is Jamie, the friend of mine that was with me when we found you after your accident. I’ve told you about her.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” Zack said politely.

“Nice to meet you, too,” Jamie said. She looked Zack up and down and grinned. “You look a lot better than when I first saw you a few days ago.”

Max glared at Jamie for a second before she caught herself and took a deep breath. “Like I said, we were just watching a movie. Do you want anything, Jamie? Soda, chips…?” Blow to the head with a blunt object?

“No, I’m fine,” Jamie said. She sat down in a chair. “So, Mark, where do you know Kara from?”

“We grew up together,” Zack said. “We lived in the same neighborhood back in Winnipeg and we kept in touch after she and her family moved away to Vancouver.”

“Are the two of you close?” Jamie asked.

“Yeah, we’re close,” Max said, sitting back down next to Zack and restarting the movie. She smiled teasingly at Zack. “That’s how I know things like how this big baby here is afraid of hospitals.”

“He doesn’t look like a big baby,” Jamie said. She gave Zack another appraising look. “I’d say that he looks like a big boy to me.”

Max took a deep breath as she tried to control her temper. “I know that he’s a grown up, Jamie. I don’t need you to tell me that.”

“Wow, somebody’s awfully touchy today,” Jamie said, grinning. “Relax, Kara.” She leaned back in her chair. “What is this?”

“Some dumb B movie that was made in the States Post-Pulse,” Max said. “I was told that it was one of those ‘cult classic’ type of flicks. It’s pretty much about this guy who thinks he’s some Superman-type hero and how he tries to save this even dumber girl named Angela that he thinks is his girlfriend or something.” She grew quiet for a moment. Angela…Angie. I remember how she said that she wanted Angie as her name because of that one nurse who told her that she had the face of an angel. And Lana…Zane had named her for one of the characters from those Superman comics or movies. I miss them and Zane and the others.

“Kara?”

Max turned to Zack. “Yeah?”

“You spaced out,” he said.

“Sorry about that,” Max said. “I was just thinking.” She exchanged a look with him and smiled when Zack squeezed her hand in understanding. She looked at the TV again and rolled her eyes. “This is really lame.”

“Nah, it’s pretty funny,” Jamie said. “You really need to suspend your disbelief here.” She laughed. “This character is so delusional that it’s amazing.”

Zack looked at the screen skeptically. “I don’t know. I find his delusions to be incomprehensible.”

“Loosen up, Mark,” Jamie said. “You’re as bad as my older brother.” She paused and then she shook her head. “Mind boggling.” She looked thoughtful. “So, how are you doing? Has your leg or your ribs been bothering you too badly?”

“It could have been worse,” Zack said. “I’m in some pain, but nothing that I can’t handle.”

Jamie nodded. “That’s good.” She grinned flirtatiously at him. “You look like the type that can handle anything and everything. Are you?”

“Time out here,” Max said abruptly.

“Excuse me?” Jamie said curiously.

“I’m sorry, Jamie,” Max said. “But Mark doesn’t need to be interrogated like this.”

Jamie frowned. “I’m not interrogating him, Kara. I was only asking him how he was doing and I agreed with him when he said that he could handle pain. Is that a crime?”

“Let me check,” Max snapped.

“What the hell has gotten into you?” Jamie said. “You’ve morphed into a mega-bitch since I got here and I haven’t done a damn thing different than any of the other times that we’ve hung out. The only thing that I can think of that’s different is Mark’s presence.”

“Wow, you’re smart,” Max said. “Has anybody ever told you that it’s in bad taste to flirt with somebody who’s injured the way that he is?”

“Who died and said that you could make up all the rules?” Jamie said. “He’s banged up a little and he has broken ribs and a broken ankle. It’s not like he’s covered in bandages from head to toe or he’s horribly disfigured.” She glanced quickly at Zack out of the corner of her eye. “Now that would be a shame.”

Max clenched her fists. “Jamie, for the love of God, shut up before I do something that I’ll regret.”

“Get a grip on yourself,” Jamie said.

Zack winced, though it wasn’t from his injuries. Here come the claws. “Can the two of you both quiet down? I’m trying to watch the movie.”

Max sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to start arguing with Jamie.”

“Me too. I’m sorry,” Jamie said. “No hard feelings?”

“Not yet,” Max agreed. Keep looking at Zack like that and I’ll do a number on you that would scare the crap out of Lydecker. She caught herself and mentally shook her head. After that, I’ll stop at the nearest mental health clinic or hospital. She tried to push her thoughts aside and the three of them settled down and continued to watch the movie.

TBC