The water sprayed forcefully onto her skin, removing all traces of blood. She scratched her skin vigorously with the bar of soap until it was raw and red. Life didn't seem to make sense, especially when it was her life in the balance. Another day, facing ex-manticore survivors getting into trouble. Another day facing White and his goons. Another day without Logan. Max wasn't sure she could take much more of it. All she had left was Alec.

She smiled, apprehensively as she thought about him. Things had really changed between them. He had become her rock, the only person she could count on.

The water ran cold long before she noticed, and her skin was cool to the touch. She felt dead. All she needed was for something to wake her up inside, something to give her the strength to go on.

Turning off the water, she stepped onto the cold tiled floor, still shivering. Wiping the foggy mirror, she stared into herself.

Was this her face? Was this what she had become? Some numb trace of herself that cared about nothing. Well, that wasn't entirely true, she had Alec.

For the life of her, she had no idea what they were to each other. Friends? Partners? Most certainly not lovers. At least not yet. Her face reddened at just the thought of her and Alec tangled in some sweaty mess of limbs.

Max grabbed the towel from behind the door, and pressed it against herself, smelling the clean laundered material. It was fresh and soft, and felt so good against her battered skin.

Max lacked human contact, she wanted to touch and be touched, to feel whole and needed once again. Instead, of going through her daily routines mechanically and with no reflection, she wanted to do something completely reckless, completely out of character.

Alec stood staring out the window, watching the rain pelt against the window pain. Framed by the moonlight, he stirred when he heard the shower go off.

She caught his eyes staring at her as she draped the towel over her body. As a tease, she didn't cover herself up all the way, she let the towel hang loose on her body.

From where he stood silhouetted in the dark, he groaned, he knew she was playing with him. She didn't even stop to consider that he had real emotions, real feelings for her.

Alec came out of the darkness, his face flushed as he approached her.

"Max, what do you want?"

"I don't know." She whispered, her lips trembling as she spoke.

"It will be okay, I promise." Alec soothed, laying a hand on her damp skin.

"It won't. It will never be okay again. Logan's gone and he's never coming back." She shuttered, letting a single tear roll down her cheek and catch her lip.

"I'm here for you. I know that's not much, right now, but I'll never leave you." Alec said, sweetly, surprised by his own tone.

"Alec..." Max whispered against his ear. It was a plea more than anything.

He took her in his arms, gently holding her against his chest, as her muffled sobs faded into his blue button-down.

"What is it?" He asked, but he knew what she wanted, what he had been so reluctant to give her.

"Alec..." She whispered, again, more needily, and wrought with an overflow of emotion.

"Shh..." He told her, pressing his lips against her ear. Kissing her gently, methodically on her cheek, he looked into her eyes. He searched and found desire looking back at him. He, sure as hell, wasn't going to deny her anything.

Max was his. Had been for a long time, even if she had yet to realize it. So many nights he had spent holding and consoling her, and somewhere along the way, he had fell for her. For once, he had let go of all his anger, and let himself feel. Through Max, he had learned what emotions were. What it meant to care and trust someone, and he was sure now that he did.

It killed him inside, as he watched her mourn for, Logan, and shelter herself off from the rest of the world.

Slowly, she let him in, and slowly she captured his heart. Alec, was so afraid, so very afraid that he could be feeling so much and not know what to do with any of it. Surely, he couldn't tell Max, who would probably laugh at him. However, tonight was different. Tonight, he saw that she needed him, maybe that she even felt the same.

Whatever the reason, he let her in, forgot about friendship and concentrated on love.

Gently, he let his lips linger onto hers, lightly pressing. With more energy and renewed confidence, he let his tongue sweep across her trembling lips. Urging her to open her mouth, he explored her cavern, hoping she would respond. She did. Slowly at first and then with more fire, she tangled her tongue against his, tasting him for the first time.

She sighed into him, while he ran his hand down her back, touching the moist towel, and going beyond its short length, to touch the back of her thigh. Running, slow, small strokes, in palpitating circles with his fingers, he smiled into the kiss as she moaned and shuttered against him. She wasn't used to all of this, just letting herself do what she felt, and he could tell.

He deepened the kiss, while her breath became shallow and erratic. He continued his torture on her thigh, and ran his other hand, along her arm, to her shoulder, until finally reaching her neck and lightly tickling the back. Moving from her mouth, he gave her some temporary relief.

He brought his hand to rest against her cheek, while he took the opportunity to explore her pulsating neck, and ear lobes. Licking and nibbing, on her sensitive skin, Max nearly lost her balance as she relaxed into him.

Finding the curvature in her throat sexy, he licked his way back up to her mouth, and again drew apart her lips and plunged his tongue against hers.

Max hurriedly tore at his buttons, wanting him to be closer to her, she wanted to feel his heated skin, pressed against hers. Buttons scattered, and chest displayed, Max touched his taunt skin with curiosity and fever.

Running her hands down his firm chest and stomach, she scrapped his skin wickedly. Alec looked back into her eyes and knew this experience would be one he would not soon forget.

The slow, tender pace he had set was now being destroyed and for the life of him, he could care less. All he wanted was what he had, holding her in his arms, kissing and touching and experiencing each other.

She ran her fingers down his abs, grabbing at his belt and pulling it loose, tossing it to the ground like a coiled snake. She pressed against him and could already tell, he was worth all of her efforts.

He inhaled sharply, as she reached inside his pants and beyond his boxers, holding him within her hands.

Roughly, she undid his pants, slipping his zipper down in short painful strides. To the floor they went, pooling at his feet, and he kicked them off roughly, sending them across the room in a crumpled ball.

Now only adored in boxers and she, barely a scrap of a towel, they took each other in, breathing harshly.

"Max..." He moaned, but she cut off his protests with a sharp kiss.

She moved roughly against him, feeling him hard against her, loving the sensations it created within her. From her mouth, he moved over her shoulder, tasting her skin that was still slightly wet. All he knew was what was in front of him, the women he had wanted for a very long time.

Hugging him to her, Max padded down his back, kissing his neck and jaw, as he bucked against her.

Moving back form him, she made him look at her. He took her in, her features darkened by lust and her lips swollen from their heated kisses, but she looked absolutely gorgeous. He wasn't seeing the tired, inverted woman, but the strong, proud fighter, he always knew she was.

Alec thought it was over, she had come to her senses and she couldn't go through with it, but she stood there, letting her towel, fall.

He stared at her open mouthed, and it was the exact reaction she wanted. His eyes scanned her body, not looking at her like, a piece of meat he was getting to play with, but he looked at her as an astute, sensible girl, that was giving him something they both needed so badly.

"You're beautiful," he whispered into the darkness. If she had been any farther away, she might not have heard him, but she did, and for some reason it almost brought tears to her eyes.

Walking towards him, she seemed to have changed, she was confident and uninhibited, a miraculous transition from a few minutes earlier.

Alec lightly touched her arm, bringing her closer, wondering to himself how he had gotten so incredibly lucky.

His mouth found hers once again, and he gave and took pleasurable sensation after pleasurable sensation. Down the length of her arm and into her palm he graced her with tiny, luxurious kisses that made her quake beside him. Soon his mouth covered her breasts, dominating one, while the other waited patiently.

She ran her fingers through his hair briskly, wanting him to continue, telling him what he was doing to her.

He picked her up as she clawed into his skin. Holding her by the hips, he snaked his hands around her back and kissed her urgently, as she whimpered against him. Slowly, he walked her into the bedroom, stopping once against the wall, while she pressed a kiss against his neck, biting down lightly, which caused him to sway with her in her arms.

Tenderly he layed her down on the bed, while he hovered over her. She stretched her arms and found her way to the elastic band of his boxer shorts. Easing them down, she released him from the confining material. His gratitude was evident, by the way he kissed her hard and passionately. She responded, with everything she was feeling, even the parts of herself that she thought were dead.

Soon their bodies were slick with sweat as they touched and tasted each other's salty skin. Alec kissed his way down Max's body, paying special attention to her breasts. Lightly he touched her thighs, and they trembled as he expelled hot air against them. Grazing her skin, he let his fingers explore her womanly shape. Taunting and teasing her, he drew shapes with his fingers against her most sensitive skin, enjoying watching her writhe under his light caresses.

Her head fell back against a cushiony pillow, and her hips bucked against his hand. The heat would overwhelm her, and soon she was panting hard, taken over by her own, need.

Crawling towards her, his tongue spread open her lips, laying claim to them once again. Their lungs burned for air, and their skin felt like it was on fire. The beads of sweat formed on her skin, as she reclaimed control of her body.

She advanced toward him, knowing her destination, but he halted her progress. This night was for her, not him, and he would give all of himself for her. Willing to sacrifice his own pleasure for hers.

He didn't know the kind of delectation she would get from touching him, but when she whimpered to get free of his grasp, he obliged.

Just looking at his throbbing erection, was giving her more incentive than she needed. With slow, smooth strokes, she moved her hand around him, and slowly touched the tip with her tongue. She smiled, when she heard his low growl of approval, and she continued, until she had him in her mouth almost completely. She took him in and out, loving the way his eyes flashed open and closed as each stroke.

As much as he was enjoying himself, he had to pull her off of him. Reluctantly, she went with his prying hands, and was soon on her back again, with Alec hovered over her.

Looking deep into her eyes, he kissed her deep and affectionately and then with one quick thrust he was inside her. Fully engorging her tiny frame, he waited before he moved within her. Thinking he was doing her a favour, he was surprised when she raised her hips and began to move first. He met her thrust and countered with his own, pushing himself further into her shallow cavity.

Her hands covered his back, running down his spine and coming to rest on his behind, easing him closer to her.

He moved within her, slow at first, but she set the pace, encouraging him to go deeper and faster with each movement.

The sweat covered their skin, as they found a rhythm that was driving them closer and closer to an explosive end.

In the moment, he was hers and she his, as he slid between her thighs, sticky with sweat. Heaving for air as they breathed in each other, soaking in their senses. The pleasure continued to peak, until it overtook them and capsized, brimming with release. Her walls gripped him tightly, and he struggled to continue to move as her body clamped onto his, begging him to give into her. Finally he allowed himself to let go, bathing her insides with warm fluid. A few final thrusts, brought her quaking against him, pulling him down to her and wrapping her arms around him. Resting his head against her bosom, Alec could hear her heart beat, fast and then it slowed, and she sighed, contented.

At first, he didn't move, he wanted to stay wrapped in her warm blanket for the rest of his life, but eventually he would have to leave her. Finally, he rolled off of her, but pulled her against his chest, lightly stroking her hair. No longer did he hide in the shadows, but took her into the light, embracing all they were together.

Max closed her eyes, exhausted and complete, and Alec looked down at her, whispering the only words that came to his heart, "I love you."