DISCLAIMER: Dark Angel doesn't belong to me.

A/N: I know, I know. Another story? Shouldn't I finish the others first? Yeah, I really should. But I can't help it if I suddenly had a strange dream and turned it into a MaxAlec story right? I think I've been drinking too much. Hahaha…it's summer vacation now, so I can. That's my excuse, what's yours?

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She liked to watch the sunrise.

Shifting slightly she pulled away from the warmth that enveloped her, clenching her teeth against the sudden feeling of coldness.

The sun was rising over the city of Seattle. Max Guevara stood up from where she was and pulled on the first item of clothing she found. It was his shirt: a large button down, dark green shirt that he sometimes wore over his plain T-shirts. She slipped into it, the sleeves falling past her fingers, the hem caressing her thigh. Buttoning it, she stepped out through a window.

She was greeted by the brisk air of dawn. She let it cool her still warm skin. She let it chill her. It helped to dispel the thoughts of last night. Of every night for the past six weeks.

She stepped to the very edge of the six hundred foot drop. Sometimes, when she looked down at Seattle at this time of day, just as the sun's rays touched everything for the first time again, she could almost forget her problems. The sun made everything glow golden, promising a brighter day.

She sighed heavily. She had to go now. It was always difficult in the mornings. After these few minutes—minutes that only felt like seconds—the sun always became harsh, bringing into detail the realities of what Seattle really was like: a decrepit city desperately holding on to its former glory.

She heard a footfall behind her. She didn't bother to turn around. She knew who it was. The same person it had been everyday for the last six weeks.

"I'm gonna need my shirt back," he said, his voice flat.

Max turned around and shrugged at him. "Sure." She began to move back towards him, her hands already beginning to unbutton the shirt. Max looked at him, her face expressionless, but her chestnut gaze never leaving his green ones.

He was standing there, his jeans hugging his hips perfectly, his t-shirt was taut over his broad chest and tucked neatly into those jeans. He had put on his scuffed work boots already. He was ready to go. He just needed his button-down shirt.

Alec McDowell had never hated mornings until that one six weeks ago. There were so many other ways to start the day. Better ways. Less heart-breaking ways. But this was what they were now.

He stared impassively at Max, silhouetted by the early rays of the sun. She was beautiful, as always. She kept her gaze on his, her eyes challenging but otherwise blank. He held her stare until she walked past him. As soon as she was back inside she tossed the shirt towards him through the window. He caught it in midair, and shrugged into it. He could still feel her warmth from its fabric. He could still smell her on it. He could still smell her on his body.

Alec always woke up the second Max left him in the morning. Every time she pulled her warm, lush body away from his, it was like having cold water splashed in his face in the morning. The cold air of dawn always hit him hard as it replaced the space that she had occupied against his body. But he always pretended to stay asleep, giving her the time and space she needed to move away from him. To walk away. Some days, he found he actually didn't have the strength to get up until he had heard the roar of her motorcycle start up.

He knew Max, and he knew this was what she wanted. Sometimes they talked as they got dressed. But she would never talk about what this was between them. So he had learned. Some conversation. No contemplations.

He heard the rustling behind him as she pulled her clothes back on. He didn't turn around and give her privacy. The opposite, in fact, he stared at her, his eyes veiled. He appreciated her body; that was a given fact between them. It was strength and grace personified. It was lush curves and sleek muscles. It was silk and fire to his touch.

But only in the cover of darkness.

Any other time, she was untouchable.

Alec hopped through the broken window again as she finally stuck her dark blue newsboy cap onto her head. Without another word to each other, they walked down the hundreds of steps down the Space Needle. Side by side, but never touching.

They both straddled their bikes, and simultaneously shoved dark sunglasses over their sensitive eyes. He smirked at her as they both gunned their engines. "See ya at the meeting today?" he called out.

"Course," She gave him a condescending stare, her lips twisted into something that wasn't quite a smile. "And you better be there, else I'll kick your ass." Then she revved her engine and drove away. Without another backward glance.

Alec sighed. Then he, too, hit the road. Back to Terminal City. Back to their real lives there. And in his case, letting his heart break one more time as he let her slip through his fingers one more morning.

He glanced up and watched the sun rise.

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Max rolled her head wearily trying to ease the tension that was building up. He rubbed her temples to soothe the throbbing headache. Terminal City business was taking a toll on her. It had been a year since Freak Nation had been exposed and while the X-series had been semi-integrated to society, the fate of the transhumans was still under negotiations.

She dropped her head into her hands wearily. She was so tired. Her eyes drifted shut for a second.

"Mmmm…" she murmured, as she felt warm strong hands kneading the tense muscles of her shoulders and back. Then her eyes flew open as she realized that she'd fallen asleep at her desk.

She immediately tensed up and pulled away from the warm hands. "Don't, Alec."

"Max, just let me…" he said softly, laying a hand over her barcode. He felt her shiver slightly, knowing that she was particularly sensitive there.

"I said, don't!" she cried tersely, twisting away from his touch. Her body protested her mind's decision. Of course she wanted Alec to continue his ministrations, but she knew it wasn't wise to let him. She was already too entangled with him as it was.

"Max," he said, his voice placating. It always hurt him every time she rejected his touch. It never mattered that at night she melted for him. It still caused a painful little constriction in his heart to know that he was her dirty little secret. He was still standing behind her, so she couldn't see him. It was a good thing because he hadn't been able to hide the slash of pain that had crossed his face when she had pulled away from him. "This—thing with us—it's ridiculous. You know it, and I know it."

Max turned around to glare at him. "I'm not talking about this." she snapped.

"Well I am." He said stubbornly. "So you're just gonna have to listen."

She pushed her chair back, not caring that she might hit him behind her. Alec sidestepped her actions and placed a restraining hand on her arm as she tried to get up and leave. She swung her other arm to punch him, but he blocked it knowing her well enough to anticipate her next move. Their eyes locked and they stood frozen like that for a minute: her clenched fist caught in his bigger one, his other hand closed tightly around her other wrist, locking her arm behind her.

"Let me go, Alec," she whispered vehemently, her eyes shooting sparks at him.

I can't. He thought achingly. Because you're mine, Max. Instead he held her fiery glare with his own icy stare. Neither one of them would stand down. "We're not done yet, Max." he said, his voice dangerously low. "I haven't said my piece yet."

"There's nothing to talk about." She bit out. She saw the cold anger turn his green eyes into ice chips, almost glowing. He suddenly pulled her to him and crushed her lips against his own. She couldn't fight him, he had both her arms twisted painfully behind her, effectively immobilizing her.

His lips were bruising in their intensity. He twisted her wrist in that painful lock some more so that she gasped in pain. He used that momentary lapse to slip his tongue into her mouth. Then his mouth gentled, caressed, coaxed.

Max wanted to fight. She wanted to resist. But in reality, she was already leaning into him. Her body had ignited the moment his lips touched hers. She was already responding to him. She moaned hungrily as she started kissing him back, her own tongue dancing with his.

Alec released her mouth, but trailed kisses down her throat. He pulled at her hands that were still behind her back. They were gentler now, but still firm. She was forced to arch her body towards him. But she threw her head back on her own volition, allowing him more access to the sensitive areas of her neck. He knew exactly how to touch her and where. By now, he knew every inch of her body.

"Can you tell me this is nothing, Max…?" he goaded softly, his lips still trailing whisper-light kisses on her skin.

"This is nothing, Alec," she gasped.

"No, Max…" he whispered, his voice husky by her ear. He tickled that ear with his tongue, expertly flicking at it the way he knew made her weak in the knees. And sure enough, she swayed even closer to him. "We have something here…admit it."

She opened hazy eyes and stared at him. "No."

Hurt and angry, he released her suddenly. She fell back against her desk, her arms braced behind. He looked down at her, his face a cold mask. "Fine," he said through clenched teeth. Then he turned away, ready to walk out of her office.

Max felt the now-familiar constriction in her chest. "Alec, you know I can't…" she breathed. He didn't even pause on his way out, just kept on walking. He opened the door, and paused before he closed it behind him. "No, I don't, Max. I don't know."