Everything that Shouldn’t Happen
[January 2002]
Fandom: Dark Angel
Title: Everything that Shouldn’t Happen
PenName: EV
Character(s): Alec, Orignal Cindy, Asha, Max
Paring(s): Alec/Orignal Cindy, Asha/Max
Rating: NC-17
Summary: Asha, Alec, Cindy, and Max all get themselves tangled in very interesting situations.
Notes:
Warning(s): SLASH warning. There’s some f/f love along with some HET in unexpected places.
Disclaimer: This story is a fanwork based on characters featured on the TV series Dark Angel. A television series created by James Cameron and Charles H. Eglee.
PART 1: the kisses that shouldn’t have been
Alec could have smacked Sketchy. He didn’t mind the guy, but of course he had read the flier wrong and they had arrived at “Lady’s Night” at the club Burn only to discover ladies night was just for Ladies, ladies who love ladies. The whole thing would have been a bust if he hadn’t caught sight of Max there with Original Cindy, dancing. Sketchy just wanted to leave, saying he knew another place they could go, but the girls often went out together, no matter where “out” was. He told Sketchy he’d catch up with him later.
God, why was he drawn to this girl? Why did he care? Manticore, morning drills, and everything he’d come to believe about the Manticore escapees had been flipped on it’s side from the moment he met her. He knew very well the only reason he wanted her was because she rejected him, because unlike most women a couple of sweet words wasn’t going to win her over. She wasn’t easy, she was a challenge, just that, a challenge. But knowing this didn’t change the fact that she was on his mind all the time, especially when he didn’t want her there.
Original Cindy had a couple of friends that insisted Max wasn’t straight –
The leather, the motorcycle, the gay best friend turned roommate, but sometimes the stereotypes were wrong. And if she thought anything else she’d drive herself crazy. Max was her friend, her soul sister, thinking of her in any other way felt weird. They knew there would never be anything intimate between them. Somehow, that made things okay. As long as they understood the limits of their relationship, it was all good. In comparison to the friendship they had, one they knew was forever, it didn’t matter what those friends who would last a moment thought.
Cindy caught sight of Alec before Max. That guy was so cocky, but she couldn’t help liking that about him. She didn’t know how Max had resisted the guy when he was so obviously interested in her. She was so sick of seeing Max tortured with the whole Logan/virus thing. She wanted to believe all the ‘true love conquers all’ bull that she threw at Max everyday, but she also wanted her to have some happiness. At least a night of fun. But Max was the queen of guilt, a bit of a prude even, in some ways. Lack of physical virginity didn’t change that. She didn’t understand satisfaction for satisfaction sake, because most of the sex she had had, if not all of it, had been controlled by a biological thing, her heat cycle.
Had the girl even ever had an orgasm? She never asked, she couldn’t ask, she should ask, but she wouldn’t. She guessed in a lot of ways, Max was still a virgin, who knows what a good taste of random sex with some hot boy like Alec would do. God, she had to stop thinking about Max and sex. She’d give anything for a genuine glow from her though, like when Max first met Logan and romance was new. Frustrating, but not torturing like this virus. She liked Logan because he had given Max that glow. Now there was just so much torture in it, it took everything in her to keep the vibe positive. She loved her girl too much to do anything else. Support her Cindy, that’s all you can do.
She pointed Alec out and Max rolled her eyes. They came off the dance floor meeting him halfway.
“What’s going on ladies?” Alec asked as he approached them.
“What are you doing here?” Max snapped. “Didn’t think this was your scene”
“Me? I could ask the same thing of you. There isn’t much chance of you scoring here.”
“Unless something’s changed, there isn’t much chance of you scoring here either.”
“I’m not trying to,” Max told him.
“I forgot about that wonderful little relationship you have with the virus,
I mean Logan.”
“Alec,” Original Cindy said interrupting. “Shut up.”
Max’s cell phone rang. She walked to a quiet corner of the club.
“Why are you here Alec?” Original Cindy asked.
“A friend of mine read the flier wrong. He left.”
“Let me guess, Sketchy. Original Cindy’s surprised he didn’t stay. A room full of women who could never want him use to intrigue him. I’m startin’ to think some of your cool is rubbing off on him.”
Alec half smiled. ‘Damn he was cute,’ Original Cindy thought, then mentally slapped herself for it.
“Let’s hope your asshole qualities don’t migrate over. He has enough of his own.”
“Sketchy’s all right,” Alec said. “And me, I’m perfect. I was built that way.” He winked at her.
“That’s your damn problem, you know your ass is cute.”
Alec raised and eyebrow. “So I’m cute huh?”
Original Cindy rolled her eyes and started to walk away. Max came up and met her.
“I got to go,” Max said.
“Ai’ight, catch you home later.”
“Later,” Max said.
She left. Original Cindy went back over to Alec as a slow jam started.
“Now that your reason for staying is gone, you can go. Original Cindy wants to get her swerve on.”
“What makes you think I was staying for her?”
Cindy scoffed. “Who in the hell do you think you’re foolin’. Original Cindy’s not stupid, boo. I know that look.” Original Cindy looked out on the dance floor, checking out the many women in the room, but she wasn’t really in the moment.
“Original Cindy’s been around Max for a long time. She’s seen that look in many a man’s eyes. My girl just got it like that.”
He leaned down close to her ear. “I’ve seen the look too, when you look at her.”
The unexpected happened at that moment. A shiver up her spine and it was caused by Alec, the nearness of him. She shouldn’t have this reaction to a guy, but Alec was intoxicating. He had this way about him that pulled you in.
“You saw nothing,” Original Cindy replied. ‘Run,’ her mind said. ‘Turn around and walk away,’ Cindy’s common sense told her again. “Since, you’re staying, you’re dancing,” Cindy said as she took his hand.
There was electricity that shouldn’t have been there as they started to dance to the song. ‘Walk away’ her mind said again. It was to easy to move with him. The last time being this close to a guy felt this soothing was when her father had taught her to dance.
“How long have you felt this way?” Alec asked.
“What way?” Original Cindy replied, thinking he was referring to these weird feelings she was suddenly having for him.
“Well first I catch an intimate little moment between you and Max in the bathroom and then–”
“And then?”
“You attend lesbian night together.”
“First of all, that wasn’t an intimate moment, it was two friends connecting. A second, we were just hangin’ out. I mean you’re dancing with Original Cindy in a room full of lesbians, doesn’t mean I’m straight any more than being my friend means Max is gay.” Original Cindy stated. “Why do you care anyway?”
“I don’t.”
“On the serious tip. Can Original Cindy tell you something?”
“What?” Alec said. “You’re in love with me. I know, you can’t help yourself.”
“Okay, I’m gone,” Original Cindy said walking away. “You can’t be serious with you.
‘Good girl,’ her mind said. ‘Now just keep going.’
“Cindy,” Alec said reaching for her arm. As he touched her, she felt heat. Why? “I’m just playing. Say whatever you were going say.
She examined him for a minute. His eyes seeming a little more sincere.
“Ai’ight. I just wanted to say, this virus deal has Max stressed out.”
“I know,” he said with his eyes downcast. “I am halfway sorry about that you know?”
Cindy was happy he had some guilt over his part in the plot against Eyes Only.
“I know you’re into her and if it would make her happy,” Original Cindy began, “just for a moment, I wish she’d give you a chance.”
Alec half smiled again. Got damn him, that smile was sexy. What was wrong with her?
“It isn’t about me liking you particularly,” Original Cindy said looking into his eyes. “It’s about my girl. Don’t know the last time she was really happy.”
‘Got damn you boy for being so sexy,’ her mind said. ‘What are you thinking woman, this is a guy, a dude?’ But somehow her body approved of this guy. This should not be. She shouldn’t be looking into his eyes, looking at his lips, and for the first time in her life, WANTING, really desiring, to kiss a man. But she wasn’t going to, not here of all places, not alone, not anywhere. She’d spent too long trying to find Original Cindy to back track because of one odd moment, one anomaly in an entire lifetime. The women in the room were still beautiful to her. These feelings she thought she was having were just silly and misdirected—they had to be.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~
Max’s bike sped across the bridge. She couldn’t believe she was doing this again. Asha was enough of a thorn in her side without Logan sending her on a rescue mission when the girl got in trouble. Stupid Asha. But really, what else better did she have to do? Hang out with Cindy and prevent her from having fun? Why did she go to a place where she was sure she wouldn’t be tempted? She told herself it was just to hang out, the environment didn’t matter, but the truth was, she just didn’t want a bunch of guys hanging all over her. All she wanted with Logan was what Tinga had with Charlie. And going to Ladies night was an excuse not to be engaged in the games of girls and boys while she waited this virus bitch out. That’s what she told herself anyway.
She wanted Original Cindy to go on and have her fun, but she was grateful she sacrificed it to keep her company. Of course, that’s how Cindy lost Aria. Aria swore up and down the two women were in love. They didn’t care. Aria went away and they went on with their lives. They hadn’t even been living together then, what would Aria think if she knew they were now roommates? Why did she care? There was nothing more than friendship between herself and Cindy. Cindy was the first person she really grew to love in the outside world, but she wasn’t in love with her. She was in love with Logan, but Manticore had done everything in it’s power to make that impossible. And the fight was fading in her.
She put all this effort into being with Logan, but Logan had sweet little stupid Asha. Sure they were just friends, but how long could they go on like this before the inevitable happened. And who would she have then?
She didn’t have to put any effort into breaking into the jail. One smooth leap and she was over the fence. Despite the easy trip over the fence, she couldn’t help feeling that she was being watched. She felt a little vulnerable back inside the jail, it was the same one she’d been thrown in when she was ill last year. With her seizures barely stabilized by some goat milk, she’d tried to jump the fence and failed. She hated that weak feeling. As much as she desired normalcy, she knew if she suddenly lost her enhanced abilities, it would be unsettling.
She watched the guards, timed her movements well. She was forced to knock a guard out and some loud mouth who was sniffing paint, before she was able to reach Asha. Grateful to see her, the girl smiled, SMILED. She wanted to smack her for smiling.
“Thanks for coming,” Asha said.
“Whatever,” Max replied as she opened the cell and fled with Asha at her side. Asha followed close behind. Too close, she could feel the girl at her back. It annoyed her.
“If there’s any fighting to be done,” Max whispered. “Leave it to me.”
Asha looked a little embarrassed being reminded of her last rescue from police custody. Max watched the guards, waited for her moment, then directed Asha to the fence.
“You ready?” she asked.
Asha looked outside the fence and saw an old mattress laying on the other side. She nodded.
“I trust you,” Asha replied.
‘Your a fool then,’ Max thought.
Max put out her hands. Asha put a hand on Max’s shoulder and a foot in her hand. Max shoot her up and over the fence. She landed gently on the dirty old mattress and then Max backed up and did a flying leap over the fence. Despite the fact she’d seen Max using her enhanced abilities before, she’d never seen it up close. She’d never seen how smoothly the girl glided through the air. It was like she was flying for a moment.
“Come on,” Max said as she led her to the bike, just then the siren went up and a voice boomed over the loudspeaker, telling them to halt. Max sped away, but before she knew it cops were in pursuit. Asha gripped her tightly across the waist as she sped with incredible speed down the long road. But she wasn’t holding on out of fear, the girl really did trust her. Eric was less secure as a passenger on the motorcycle. She turned off the road, hoping the cars wouldn’t follow, they did. But they were bulkier than the bike, and she was able to escape them. She heard pursuit on foot and was forced to find a woodsy area to hide the bike.
Asha followed all instructions without question as she led her into hiding.
They had to flee under a bridge and lay side by side, arm to arm, cheek to cheek, perfectly still as they listened to sirens come and go. It took hours till the sirens faded into the night. Their two bodies had become so accustomed to each other’s body heat, by the time Max moved, their was this chill on her. She checked out the area and then led Asha out of hiding.
“Thanks again,” Asha said.
“Thank Logan,” Max said as she told Asha to mount the vehicle.
Max decided they needed a place to crash. It was late, so she found one of her old haunts, an old high-rise that use to be full of runaways and other street kids. She’d lived their when she first came to Seattle. She and Asha settled into what use to be a first floor apartment for what was left of the night. At first they sat in silence for a long time.
“You should get some sleep,” Max said. “I guess we’ll go to Logan’s in the morning, since you can’t go home.”
“What about you?”
“What about me?”
“Sleep?”
“I don’t need sleep,” Max said. “And the practice has got me into trouble lately.”
“How so?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Max said getting up. She started toward the door. “Weird dreams. ”
“About?”
“Losing Logan,” Max said leaving the room.
Asha sat alone watching her. Max could have such sadness in her eyes sometimes you just wanted to gather her in your arms like she was a little baby. Losing Logan? Did she mean losing Logan because of the virus or because of someone else?
Max came back in with her bike and a blanket. She threw the blanket at Asha, who caught it. Max sat on the other side of the room. Asha came and sat beside her.
“There is enough for both of us.”
“I’m fine,” Max said.
“How’d you know about this place?” Asha asked.
“Use to live here with a bunch of homeless kids.”
“Really?”
“I spent a lot of time living on the street.”
“I was on the street for two years, but I was with my mom.”
She gave Max pause. “Really?” Max asked shocked.
“Yeah,” Asha said sadly. “She was a little off. Stole me from my dad when I was eight. I didn’t realize then that she needed help, that she didn’t have all the lights on upstairs. If I hadn’t caught Pneumonia, I probably would have stayed on the street. She loved me enough to take me to a hospital and dad and my step mom found me there.”
“Wow,” Max said. “I thought you were just another one of those bored rich kids.”
“Maybe I am,” Asha said. “Thank you,” Asha said again.
Max was getting sick of her thank yous. “No problem. As long as your around, there’s someone to take care of Logan. Since I can’t touch him.”
“You won’t lose him Max. He loves you, how could he not, you’re beautiful.”
Max smiled, though she tried to resist it.
“You don’t like me do you?” Asha asked.
“You’re all right sometimes.”
“You could have left me in jail.”
“No I couldn’t, Logan would have revoked my Eyes Only badge of honor.”
Asha laughed. “I doubt you do many things you don’t want to do. Even for the man you love.”
Max was disturbed by Asha’s closeness, she didn’t know why. She wanted to get up, she should get up.
“Do you think we could be friends. I mean really, not just together due to circumstance.”
“I don’t know,” Max shrugged. “You may not like my furry little friends.”
“God,” Asha said. “I feel so stupid for ever saying that.”
“I guess you would, now that genetic enhancements have come in handy.”
Asha put a hand on her shoulder. “Max, you can’t believe I’m that petty.” She felt the tight muscles beneath her. “Your so tense,” Asha said.
“I’m fine, I’m just frustrated with this whole virus thing.”
Asha got up and smoothed the blanket out. Max was relieved to be rid of her
for a moment. Her closeness was disturbing, even if her touch was warm.
“Lay down,” Asha said. “On your stomach.”
Max looked at her like she was crazy.
“I had this friend who worked in a massage pallor, taught me some ways to relieve stress.”
Max immediately felt thrown for a loop. Was Asha?
“I’m not like that,” Max said.
“Like what?” Asha said confused. “Oh that,” she replied, suddenly clear on her meaning. “I’m just talking about a massage. Your stressed, you can’t stay wound up like that. Just unwind, let go.”
Max didn’t believe she could relax, but she let Asha take off her jacket and lay her down.
“It’s actually better if you have contact with the skin, but you’re weird out enough and I don’t have any oils anyway.”
Oils? Now she really was beginning to wonder. Asha’s warm hands touched her skin and wondering stopped. She didn’t know who this “friend” was, but it didn’t matter anymore. Asha hands worked over her shoulder’s, down her spine and she actually began to relax. Her worn muscles didn’t feel pulled to their limit anymore and the last couple hours seemed like a distant dream, with one exception. The feeling of Asha being so close was okay, not disturbing. With her mind cleared, with the tension relieved, she actually enjoyed the other woman’s warmth. What was wrong with her.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~
As Original Cindy walked home, she was asking herself the same thing. Alec was by her side, they hadn’t left each other’s side all night. they had talked about the silliest little things. And of all the things that shouldn’t have been, this was near the top of the list. The chemistry shouldn’t have been there, but it was. She began to wonder if someone had slipped something into her drink. When they reached her door, she almost invited him in.
“See you at work tomorrow Alec,” Original Cindy said as she opened her door.
“Cindy,” Alec said.
“Yeah”
“Am I crazy, or is there something going on here?”
“You’re crazy,” Original Cindy said turning toward him.
“No I’m not,” he said with that cocky smile of his.
He leaned in and Cindy knew what was coming. He was going to kiss her. Let him, she thought. Prove to yourself this isn’t happening. But when his lips touched hers, she was proven wrong. She was flushed with warmth as she embraced him. He was all male and hard and she shouldn’t have enjoyed his lips, but she did. She shouldn’t have enjoyed the feel of his body against hers, but she did. Why? Why? Why? And when the kiss broke, she wanted to run.
“So am I the first guy to do that?” Alec said.
“Looking to prove you can turn me straight,” Cindy spat back a little insulted.
He laughed. “Yeah right, like that will ever happen.”
She was surprised by his response. Alec ran a finger over her lips. She shivered unwillingly.
“But sometimes things happen. Right?” Alec asked
“No, they don’t. Not with me.”
She turned inside and shut the door. That kiss definitely shouldn’t have happened. She need a bath.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~
“Thank you,” Max said as she sat up.
“No problem,” Asha shrugged. “Anytime.”
As Max turned toward Asha, she suddenly felt as if she were looking into a different pair of eyes. They suddenly seemed so warm and delicate. She looked away needing to concentrate on something else in the room.
“Who was this…friend?” Max asked, beginning to wonder about Asha.
“Just someone I knew,” Asha shrugged.
“Was she?”
“Was she what?” Asha asked.
Max looked a little embarrassed about finishing the question.
“I just thought you were interested in Logan all this time,” Max said. “And now.”
“What?” Asha said.
“You seem different,” Max stated.
“I know you don’t want to here this, but I am drawn to Logan. Your not wrong there,” Asha admitted. “I like who he is, what he’s about, I respect everything about him and I am attracted to him, but he’s in love with you and–”
“And what?”
“Other things also interest me,” Asha said looking toward Max.
Asha looked up at Max and without warning Asha kissed her, full on the lips. She should have pulled away right then, but she didn’t. The warmth was back, Asha’s warmth. She allowed the brief kiss. Then Asha gave her a little distance, room to run. But she wanted Asha’s warmth and she returned to the other woman’s lips. What was wrong with her? This kiss, this moment, never should have happened. But it happened, they sat together sharing the tender caress of each other’s lips.
