A/N: This is for the Raising Hell prompt white. But I just had to post it over here as well. This is a revised version, and hopefully a little more fine-tuned. Occasionally, I go through and reread my stories just to see if I can catch something I missed way back when I first wrote it. So here we go with the August '08 revamp. Hopefully, a few of you wonderful readers out there will come across it and give it a chance (or another, as the case may be). Anyway...I hope you all enjoy!

Music Suggestions: 'Show me' by Bree Sharp, 'Stop and stare' by One Republic, 'Breathe' by Michelle Branch, 'Live again' by Closure.

Disclaimer: Regretfully, I've never even come close to owning Dark Angel. This is as close as I can get.

The Color White

'What was it about the white t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans on a man that made a girl's temperature rise?' Max mused as she watched Alec saunter into the conference room for TC's weekly meeting in the aforementioned outfit looking good enough to eat.

She'd even heard OC sigh and point out a guy on occasion in what she'd dubbed "The Outfit". On some guys, it just held some kind of magical aura over them. Women just couldn't look away. Needless to say, Alec was one of them.

As her head tilted to one side as she stared, she had to admit that she didn't mind taking a appreciative peek once in awhile. She wasn't immune to the fact that Alec was good-looking. Alright, maybe more than just good-looking. So she liked the way his ass looked in those jeans and how his shirt stretched just so much over his shoulders to hint at the definition beneath it. And maybe she liked the ruffled and tousled look his hair had taken on since he'd let it grow out and it skimmed the collar of his shirt, practically making her itch to touch it. And maybe, just maybe, she'd taken on a new appreciation to the fact that he always had her back and she was beginning to become addicted to it.

However, she'd curse herself six ways from Sunday if Alec realized she was checking him out. She had to get a grip. If she didn't watch herself, she'd fall for him just like she had Logan. And just look at the spectacular train wreck that had resulted in.

"Max, were you daydreamin' about me again?" Alec teased as he sat down across from her and snapped his fingers in front of her face at her distant, stern expression.

Max rolled her eyes and batted his hand away from her face.

oooooozoo*ooooocoooo*ooooovoooo

Alec's head slowly turned away from the nomalie he'd been talking to and tuned out the conversation about TC's munition supply as he caught sight of Max walking down the street towards the secret exit in Logan's apartment. This was not the odd detail in the picture before him. While she and Logan may permanently be in the 'off-again' category, using the exit hidden in his apartment at the end of TC had become a regular occurrence for the few of TC's inhabitants that had the clearance to use it to go undercover outside the perimeter for supplies.

But rather it was the white knee-length dress that she was currently sporting that overrode all the functions in his body except for his eyes. The dress was pure perfection on Max, also meaning completely atypical, which was probably why it appealed to him so. It was a strapless, simple little thing that flowed down her body and billowed out slightly around her in a caress from the gentle spring breeze. There was nothing at all sexy about it. It wasn't tight or showing too much of anything. It was modest by modern standards. But when combined with her radiant olive complexion and dark brown hair falling down around her shoulders full of loose ringlets, it was no longer a simple dress by any standard.

"What is Medium Fella looking at?" Joshua asked when he failed to catch Alec's attention after he'd walked up, attempting to follow Alec's gaze as well.

"Oh, nothing, big guy." Alec said distractedly as he watched Max continue past them, on down the street and around the corner, completely oblivious to everything except the beautiful weather and having a few minutes to enjoy it. He then looked back to Joshua with a casual smirk and clapped him on the shoulder good-naturedly. "Just enjoying the view."

And there was no way he was letting her go out there alone. Did she have any idea how much attention she was going to garner from the male population? They were trying to be inconspicuous, after all. She would be anything but. What she needed was something to pull some of the attention away from her. And what better way than to offset her classic beauty than with his rugged handsomeness?

At least, that's what he told himself. Because there was no way he was jealous over the thought of other men thinking about Max the same way he'd just been. Or worse.

"You know what, Joshua? I've gotta go." Alec said, backing away from Joshua, who began to look at him curiously.

"Why? Where Alec going?" Joshua asked suspiciously, eyes narrowing.

"Oh, you know, just more of the usual." Alec replied candidly, winking to Joshua before turning around and jogging down the street to catch up with Max.

oooooonooo*ooooooaoo

"Alec, don't you dare." Max clipped out moments before he flashed her that mischievous smirk of his and tossed her behind the mountainous stack of 40 lb bags of flour. Alec shut and bolted the door to the storage room behind him before leaping over the stack himself and squeezing down into the tight space by resting on top of her, seeing as there was only a narrow strip of two feet or so of space between the wall of flour and the wall. Small clouds of white dust that had long since leaked out of the many holes that riddled the abandoned flour store-up quickly settled in around them in protest to their disturbance.

"Alec, this isn't..." Max began to rant, but was cut off by Alec's finger resting lightly against her lips as he held his head up to pay attention to the footsteps approaching.

"Now isn't the best time." Alec said quietly so that only she could hear.

Max hesitated as her tongue almost darted out to taste his finger covering her lips. Now was not the time for an 'I want Alec' flare-up. But it was so very hard when he was pressing into her in just about every pleasurable way conceivable. The seconds tickled by agonizingly slow.

"If you could only see yourself." Alec jaunted quietly a few minutes later when it sounded as if the trouble had passed. Her hair was a dull greyish color with the fine layering of flour coating it, streaks of flour across her face, and the flour that was no doubtedly all down her back was reflected down the front of her shirt and pants as well.

Max quirked an eyebrow in response, the rest of her face impassive. The hand that had collected a fist full of flour in preparation for attack snaked up from between them and she then rubbed it into his hair and part of his face.

She smiled and replied, "I could say the same for you."

"Now Max, that was hardly fair." Alec said, shaking his head in disapproval as he fell back on his knees to push himself up into a standing position.

"And you've left me no choice." Alec continued as he held his hand out to help her up. At her quizzical expression as she took his hand and stood beside him, he scooped up a hand full of flour, pulled open the back of her shirt, and dumped it down her shirt. She gasped and her eyes widened in surprise as he let go of her shirt and patted her on the back a few times before he stepped back and stared at her in challenge.

Max's entire demeanor shifted as her eyes closed slowly and she drew in a deep breath. She even smiled as she knelt down slightly to collect some flour in her hand. Standing back up, she held out her other hand and said sweetly, "Come here, Alec."

"Oh, hell no. You're gonna hurt me." Alec said, backing away from her, but forgetting the confined space they were in. She backed him into the wall, her eyes never leaving his.

"Do you know what I want, Alec?" Max asked in a seductive tone inches from his face, her finger trailing lightly down his cheek.

"One night of unending pleasure?" Alec supplied, both wary and intrigued as to the motive behind this game, temporarily forgetting where they were and what Max had in her other hand.

Max shook her head sadly in the negative. "I'm sorry. That's the wrong answer. Let me show you the correct one." Max said in a chastising tone, backing away from him.

Alec hardly had time to stew over that answer before she yanked him forward as she dumped the flour down the front of his shirt, flipped over his head, and pushed him face first into the mounds of flour that she had just been lying in.

Laughing, Max then jumped up onto the top of the flour wall and sat down to look down at him as he rolled over onto his back to look up at her incredulously.

"What? You left me no choice." Max turned his earlier phrase back at him before spinning around on her butt and leaping off the wall.

As she reached the door, Alec called out to her. She turned around to look at him curiously, snorting back laughter at his appearance and his stance at the top of the wall.

"Catch." Alec ordered, dipping down quickly and swinging up a sack of opened flour, letting it rain down on her.

ooooooosoo*oooooocooo*

"Boo, in case you didn't know, flour is not very good camouflage. And it's meant to be eaten, not worn." OC teased as Max trudged into her apartment later that night, covered head to toe in the white powder.

"Tell that to Alec. I don't think he got the message." Max said, failing to suppress the smile that tugged at her lips as she walked past OC and into the bathroom.

ooooooouoo*oooooonooo*

Alec stood in the doorway, looking on as Max tended to the newborn baby lying on the changing table before her. The baby cooed happily as Max tickled its little toes after she finished snapping up the standard white onesie she'd dressed the baby in.

This should be a happy moment. And it was something he finally realized he wanted when he heard Max laugh happily and lift the baby into her arms, cradling it against her chest. But all he felt was shame and regret. Not about the baby, but that he'd used Max. She came to him looking for a safe place to hide until her heat was over, and he'd been unable to resist her. He knew that neither of them had been ready for the situation and what would happen if he didn't tell her to leave, yet he hadn't been strong enough to turn her away. He never was.

He'd screwed up once again. Fundamentally.

"Alec, don't you dare apologize again. I've heard it enough." Max said softly yet forcefully without turning around as she bounced the baby around gently in one arm. Turning around to face him, he saw that her face displayed a hint of irritation, but mostly, it was joy illuminating her features as she looked down at the baby in her arms and touched her finger to its tiny nose.

She smiled when the baby reached up and grabbed onto her finger and pulled it away as if irritated by the gesture.

"She's already so strong. And she seems to understand what I'm saying to her whenever I talk to her. It's unbelievable." Max spoke in wonder, looking back up to Alec.

"She's a she?" Alec asked stupidly, stating the obvious. He hadn't even known whether it was a boy or a girl. He hadn't even been there when she was born, he hadn't been able to make it back in time. And needless to say, he'd been avoiding the issue since his return from the supply mission three days previous, trying to work up the courage to stand before Max feeling like a complete failure. "Max, I..."

"Save it. It isn't your fault. None of it." Max stated again as she looked back up at him, cutting him off by shaking her head. "I was in heat, I came to you, and we ended up having sex...lots and lots of gratifying, mind-altering, copulatory sex. That's all there is to it. There is no one to blame.

"Her name is Pandora." Max finished, returning her gaze back down to the baby as she pulled her finger back and forth with the little fist refusing to let go. Pandora smiled as she stared up at Max.

Alec's eyebrow quirked up curiously before he asked, "You mean like the box? Isn't that a bad thing?"

Max rolled her eyes at the baby, who appeared to return an expression that said 'Aww...he really is that stupid' before letting go of her mom's finger and beginning to move around fretfully.

"It's Greek translation means 'all gifted'. I thought it fit rather well. She seems to like it as well." Max explained, cradling her other arm underneath Pandora before rocking her around gently to quiet her.

"What, did you two discuss it?" Alec asked in a teasing manner, moving from the doorway and into the room slightly, the tenseness beginning to leave his body.

"As a matter of fact...we did." Max said in a superior tone, giving Alec a look that dared him to make a wisecrack. He held his arms out in a surrendering gesture and gave her a 'you're crazy' look.

"We decided on it a few days ago." Max explained. "She would cry and get fussy at every other name I suggested and we'd been at it for days. Joshua suggested Pandora at lunch yesterday while Gem was babysitting for me. Said he saw it in a book with Greek translations and he knew I was having trouble with names. Went to pick her up at Gem's, I held her up so we were face level, and I said 'Hello, Pandora.' She laughed and cooed happily. I took that as a yes. So, there you go." Max finished with a definitive nod.

"Besides, I think it's kinda symbolic." Max added in a light tone as Alec continued to stare at the baby in her arms as if he hadn't heard a single word she'd said.

Max could see the curiosity and wonder in his eyes, as well as the question he hadn't yet asked.

"Would you like to hold her?" Max asked, stepping forward a few steps and holding out Pandora for him to take. His eyes widened in fear for a fraction of a second before it disappeared and he bridged the gap as he held his arms out, plucking her from Max's embrace.

He held the baby up at face level, just staring at the miracle before him. Pandora reflected his blank expression, bringing her hands up and touching his face in curiosity. Max looked on in amusement at the sight of Alec holding a baby like he'd never seen one before. Pandora then laughed and smacked at his face with both hands in acceptance. It broke Alec out of his trance, bringing the baby down to cradle her in the crook of his left arm. He used the other hand to inspect her hands and feet. Yep, she had ten fingers and ten toes. Perfection bundled up in a seven pound baby girl.

"Well, you've gotta hand it to Manticore." Alec said a few minutes later, after having just stood there in a reflective silence with the baby in his arms.

"How so?" Max asked with a laughing lilt to her voice.

"Because we sure as hell made one good-looking kid." Alec replied proudly, looking back up at Max with a smirk. "With your good looks and my personality, we'll have to beat all the potential suitors back with a stick. Everybody's gonna love her."

"Excuse me?" Max asked, drawing out the first word and putting a hand on her hip. "This isn't just a pretty face." she continued, pointing to her face. "Why can't she get my personality as well?"

"C'mon Max. Just look at how well she takes to me. She's a people person. And you're...well...not. The truth hurts." Alec explained in a mock-serious tone with a sorry expression.

"Alec, if you weren't holding Pandora, I'd..." Max trailed off, trying and failing to hold a withering expression.

"...Take me in the next room for some overdue lovin'?" Alec supplied hopefully, his eyes brightening.

"Not quite." Max laughed out, holding her hands out for Pandora.

"See you later, kid." Alec said to Pandora, trailing a finger down her face before handing her over to Max. Max held her up and rubbed her nose against Pandora's lightly, kissed it, and turned back towards the crib. Laying her down, Pandora began to protest by kicking out with her legs and sucking in air to wail loudly.

"It's time to take a nap, little one. We've been over this. Besides, you've had a long day." Max said, leaning down and resting her hand lightly against Pandora's body in a placating way. The cry subsided into feeble hiccuping cries and her legs began to still. But Pandora still frowned up at Max stubbornly.

"Alec, come over here and tell your daughter it's time to sleep." Max ordered, looking at him over her shoulder.

"Maybe she isn't tired." Alec suggested after getting over the surprise of the 'daughter' word. Max merely stared back at him pointedly.

"She is. I think I'd know better than you at this point." Max retorted, brooking no more room for argument.

"Okay..." Alec said slowly. He walked over to the crib and put his arm around Max, leaning down to the same level.

"I think you should listen to the commander over here. She knows what she's talkin' about. She wouldn't try and mislead you. If she says you need a nap, you should probably try and take one, you hear?" Alec said in a conspiratorial tone, shaking his head in an agreeable fashion. Max raised her arm and smacked him as she rolled her eyes.

Pandora cooed and giggled in response. Alec smiled back before pulling away, taking Max with him.

"Her eyes are already changing color. Right now they're a greyish green. But it's too early to tell whose sleeping pattern she's taken after." Max said quietly as she led Alec into the kitchen, as it was the furthest from the baby.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see." Alec said, including himself in that wait.

"Yeah, I guess so." Max said, a genuine smile echoing his.

oooooouooo*oooooooxoo*ooooosooo

You can also find this over at Raising Hell, which is where I got the challenge. Alright, I had originally intended the first three scenes, but when I saw the word count, I was like "how can I extend this?" I believe it to be physically impossible for myself to write something less than 1000 words. As for the whole baby scene, I can't honestly say how I came up with that one. But 'Pandora' does actually mean 'all gifted' in Greek. At least, that's what they say over on the KryssTal website of names. I saw that and I couldn't resist. Plus, I didn't mention this in the story, but I also interpreted naming the baby Pandora as what would happen if Max and Alec did hook up and have a baby. Like opening up a box you shouldn't go anywhere near. Curiosity is a killer, after all. Let me know what you think or if something confuses you. I can be real good at explaining the way my mind works when writing some of these scenes (if you're left thinking, "huh?", that is). Anyway, WBL.