The Normal Solution
Chapter one
A/N: None of this is mine. Characters belong to the writes and predictors' of Dark Angel. The idea is totally my own.
I hope you enjoy this. There is much more to come. It was just getting long so I figure I would post the first chapter as I work on the rest.
Max and Logan were starting to give up hope of ever being able to touch each other again. Their one chance for a cure to the evil virus that Manticore created to take out Logan was long gone. When Alec got himself in a spot of trouble with Ames White, Max had felt sorry for him and used the rest of the money for the cure to save Alec's life. Max still could not believe that she had saved Alec's life. She didn't ever like him that much.
Max and Logan were trying really hard to spend as much time as possible away from each other. Max could not trust her self to keep her hands off him and she would never be able to live with herself if she accidental killed Logan because she wasn't thinking. She could no longer say that she didn't think about Logan in that way. When they were around each other it was like they were drawn to each other. They could not keep their eyes off each other.
Max tried as best she could to tell herself that there was no hope and just to move on. She was able to believe that when she was alone or with her friends at Crash, but the minute she saw him everything went out the window. Everybody around them could tell that they were in love. If it was not for the virus they would be together right now.
Alec could not stand to watch Max and Logan trying to stay apart. He knew that it was all his fault that they were not 'getting busy', as Joshua liked to say. He had to find a way to get that cure for them, but he had no idea where to start looking.
Normal hated his job running Jam Pony. The idiots that worked there were so lazy. It took everything that he had to get up every morning and go to work. If it was not for the fact that he needed the money he would quit and work full time on his research. In college his studies were all in genetic. He had done his doctorate work on usual virus and diseases. His goal was to one day found the cure for cancer. He was well on his way to curing a lot of the new diseases when the pulse happened. After the pulse he found himself jobless because all the labs in the area were turned useless. Too many computers doing all the work, so all the labs had to close their doors.
Normal had always enjoyed the challenge of testing his experiments by hand, only using a computer to check his results. So after the pulse he decided that he would find a way to keep work on his projects. Who really needs computers when you have the knowledge and skill to do the work without them?
So Normal had put in a lot of hours at his dead end job at Jam Pony just so that he could fund his research.
Normal didn't hate everyone that worked at Jam Pony but most of them he could not stand. He would never understand why he actually found that he could not hate Max. There was just something about her that he had to respect. That didn't stop him from messing with her any chance that he got. There was no way that he would let any of the other rides know that he respected one of them. The only other rider that he respected the way he did Max and that was Alec, he could not figure out why these two would be working at a place like Jam Pony. He could tell that they could do anything that they wanted in the world, but you would not hear him complaining. He was not able to piss off two of his best riders by telling them that they were too good to be working there.
Normal liked to eat lunch later than the riders did so that he would not have to deal with them being around while he was enjoy his lunch, that and some times he would run home to check on one of his experiments that he was working on during his lunch hour.
Alec came back from a run one day to find Jam Pony completely empty. He went to the office to make sure that Normal was not just sitting in there eating lunch like he does sometimes. After looking all over the place for any signs of life he decided that he would use this time to take an unscheduled break. Why not? No one was there to yell at him.
After 10 minutes Max came in looking for Normal so she could pick up her next run. Keeping busy at work was the only way that she had of not thinking about jumping Logan's bones. Work still didn't stop her from thinking but at least it gave her something to physical to do.
Walking in to Jam Pony and only finding Alec there was not helping anything. She really wanted to hurt Alec for being stupid enough to try to work with Ames White, but the fact that he was her brother (well kind of) make it hard to hate him for long. So she decided to sit down and watch TV with him.
"Where is Normal?" Max asked as she took a sit.
"I don't know. When I got back 10 minutes ago from my last run he was not here. He is usually eating lunch in his office at this time of day, but not today." Alec said never taking his eyes off the TV.
Max and Alec watched TV together for 30 minutes before they hear someone walking down the sidewalk right outside Jam Pony. They both jumped up turning off the TV as they went, knowing that it was probably Normal came back from lunch. Sure thing, a few seconds later Normal walked through the door and right to his desk. He didn't ever see them standing there, as he was busy getting ready to work again.
"Normal, Where were you?" Alec said as he walked over to the window.
Normal jumped as he hear Alec's question. He had been so busy thinking about the results to his experiment that he didn't ever notice that Max and Alec were standing there wait for their next runs.
"That is none of your busy so just take your packets and hit the road." Normal said handing them both packets before looking back down to get ready the next runs as the rides started to come back from their runs.
Max and Alec exchanged of knowing look. They both had a feeling that something was going on but neither knew how to ask. Max took her packet and headed out the door and found Original Cindy just getting back from her last run.
"Hey Boo. Where you headed?" Original Cindy asked.
"Got a packet going to sector nine."
"You going drop in on miracle boy?" O.C asked hoping that it would not cause a fight.
"There is nothing to say to him. We can't touch so seeing him right now and knowing that if we accidently touch he dies is not my idea of fun." Max said growing more and more depressed. She knew that there was no denying her feels for Logan that just made everything harder to deal with.
"Boo I think that you need to at least go talk to him. Bling should be there right now so he will help make sure nothing bad happens. There is no way that you will be able to have any fun if you don't at least go talk to him once and in while." O.C. said as she rode her bike on in to Jam Pony to pick up for next run.
Max headed out, trying to come up with a reason why she could not go by and see Logan. She knew that O.C. was right. Without Logan in her life it felt like she was not living, but the idea that even a hair could kill him made it hard to be around him.
Max dropped off her packet and the next thing she knew she was standing out side of Logan apartment picking the lock. She had no idea how she had got there but she could not stop herself from opening the door. She was kicking herself a little for even having her lock picking kit on her, she had put away the key that Logan had given her but she just could not leave that lock picking kit at home. You just never know when you will need it, at least that is what she kept telling herself every morning as she slipped the kit into her bag on her way out the door.
Opening the apartment door she could hear the shower running. She decided that she should least check to see if Bling was around. She found Bling in the kitchen making some tea. Now that Logan was up and walking all the time Bling mainly came over to hang out and make sure that Logan took a break from his Eyes Only work once and a while.
"Max! Long time no see." Bling said as he walked up and gave her a hug.
"Logan is in the shower but I am glad that you are here. Maybe seeing you will help him feel better. He has been depressed and working non-stop on trying to find the cure for that evil virus."
"Well I really just wanted to check in on him. I can't stay, I have to get back to work so will you tell him that I stopped by and said hi." Max said as she started back to the door.
Bling moved to the apartment door and closed it before Max had a chance to escape. "I don't think so. There is no way that I am going to tell Logan that you stopped by and didn't want to see him. It will piss him off and he will start yelling at me again."
Max half-hearted tried to push Bling out of the way. She didn't really want to leave but she also didn't want to have to look at the man that she loved from a far with out being able to kiss him. She wanted to be able to tell him that she loved him and that she didn't want to live another day without him in her life. But the fact that if they touch he died was standing in her way.
"Please move so I can go back to work. Normal is probably yelling right now trying to figure out where I am." Max said
Sometime during Max and Blings' talk, Logan had finished up in the shower and could hear voice but could not tell who it was. So he dried off really fast and throws on some pants. He grab a shirt on his way out of his bedroom to find out who Bling was talking to. As he walked out of his door he stopped died in his tracks. He almost pinched himself when he saw Max standing there talking to Bling. He couldn't tell what they were talking about and he really didn't care all he could think of was that fact that the love of his life was standing in his apartment and he could not touch her.
Max stopped talking in midsentence when she felt Logan walk in to the room. She didn't even have to turn around to know that he was standing at the door to his room looking at her. She closed her eyes trying to figure out what to do now. She couldn't just walk out the door without saying something but she had no idea what to say or even how to act. When she opened her eyes again Bling was gone, leaving Max and Logan alone in the apartment.
Max slowly turn around and found Logan standing, half dressed and month opened, in shock. She could not stop herself from checking out how sexy he looked without a shirt on. She had dreamed so many times about how nice to would be to run her hands all over that chest. She wanted to touch him so much, it was taking all of her strength not to take him back in to his room and have her way with him. Logan made her feel things she never thought she could feel. She felt more alive and safe than she knew was possible just because he was in the room.
Logan finally found the words that had left him the minute that he saw Max standing there. "Hey you. What is going on?" He said trying to act relaxed but failing completely.
"Not much. I had a delivery down the street and just wanted to check in on you. Now that I see that you are fine and I better head back to work before Normal has a heart ache." Max said hoping that saying that she needed to leave would help her feet move but they didn't move and there was no way to make them.
"Well I am glad that you stop by. I was going to call you today to see if you wanted to come by for dinner. It has been a hard week and I was hoping that you would come to dinner to celebrate living through another week." Logan was not going to let her just walk out of his life again. He could not stand not having her in his life. Even if it meant that they had to go back to being just friends and staying away from each other so that he would not die.
"Logan I don't think that is a good idea. I would not be able to stand it if should thing happened and …" Max could not even bring herself to say it.
"Max, I don't care anymore. I can't keep going if I can't at least see you." Logan said as he started to walk closer to Max. He really wanted to pull her in to his arms, but knew Max would never let him get that close.
"Dinner, nothing else?" Max asked
"Just dinner between two friends, a chance to catch up with each other." Logan said with a big smile on his face. He could see Max fighting with her self and could also see that she was going to say yes because she missed him as much as he missed her.
"What time?" Max asked as she finally stopped fighting with herself. It was only dinner.
"How about 7pm?" Logan started to think about all the things that he needed to get from the market for her favorite meal.
"I won't miss it for the world." Max said as she turn to open the door. "I better get back to work. Normal was acting weird earlier and I don't want to get on his bad side right now."
Max could not stop smiling as she left Logan's and head back to work.
Max walked in to Jam Pony to find O.C. waiting for her.
"So, you did stop by to see Miracle boy." O.C. said trying not to laugh out loud. There only one person that can put a smile on her boo's face like that and it was miracle boy.
"What makes you think that?" Max asked trying to hide her smile.
"Come on girl I know you to well. I would know that smile anywhere."
"Ok so I saw him, so what?"
"Let me guess you have a date tonight?" O.C. could tell she hit the nail on the head.
"It is just dinner." Max protected "How can it be a date if you can't touch the person?"
"Whatever you want to call it I am just glad that you are going to spend some time with him. You were getting on my nerves."
Alec decided that it was time to find out a little more about his boss. Ever since he had gotten back from his morning runs to find Normal was gone, he had more and more questions rolling around in his head.
Alec knew only the basics about Normal: He was single, well educated, and working in a dead end job. So other than being a loner doing a job that he really didn't like, Alec really didn't know much about Normal and that had to change. So now the question was how to go about getting the information?
Alec decided that in the next few days he was going to do the impossible and become really good friends with Normal. He figured that he could use this famous, but belief run as Manta Cora the fighter, to set the ball rolling. Normal was Manta Cora's biggest fan. That had to count for something right?
Max could not believe that she has said that she would have dinner with Logan. What if something happened? What if they accidently touched again? Who would she call? And most important question of all, what was she going to wear?
It was not a date just dinner between two old friends that had not talk, I mean really talked, in some time. So what did it matter what she was wearing? Still she deep down she knew that was not just two friends sitting down to dinner. She loves Logan. She was scared to love him but it scared her even more knowing that he loved her back. All she wanted was this virus gone so that she would finally be able to truly tell Logan how she felt.
Logan was so nervous, it was 6:50pm and he knew that Max was going to be over soon. It took him an hour and a half to figure out what he was going to wear. Bling could not stop laugh as he throw everything from his closet on the floor. Thankfully Bling had been nice enough to keep working on dinner so that Logan could get dressed. He didn't want Max to have to wait for her dinner. He didn't want her to have a chance to back out of this night. They really needed this time to reconnect. They were going to find the cure one of these days, so they could not lose each other while they waited.
Bling finished the dinner and told Logan that he just need to pick something to wear because Max was going to be there soon. He then slipped out the door and headed for the stairs. He really didn't want to run into Max on her way up. This was their night, and he was not going to get in the way.
At 7pm sharp Max walked in to Logan's apartment. He walked to the door to meet her the minute he heard the door open. They just stand there looking at each other, both fighting the need for a kiss.
"I am so glad that you came." Logan said as he led the way to the table.
"I told you I would be here" Max could not hide her smile anymore. "I have missed you a lot."
"I missed you too." Logan no longer held back his smile. 'So how was the rest of your day?" Logan was trying to think of anything other than the fact that Max was sitting across the table from him.
"Normal was still acting really weird. I know don't know what was going on with him but I liked the fact that he was not yelling so much. How was your day?"
"Good, I spend the rest of the day trying to put the finishing touches on an Eyes Only case I have been working on. Then I had to go to the market so that we would have this food."
They ate in near silent. No words were really needed. It was like they could read each others minds. It felt so good to be around each other again, even if the evil virus were still there. As long as they didn't touch everything would be good.
By the end of the night it felt like old times between them. They talked, laughed, and even play chess. With gloved hands they were able to hold hands and enjoy being near each other again.
As the night ended they were both very sad that it all had to come to an end. Max had just opened the door to the apartment and Alec fall in to the room. He woke up the minute his head hit the floor.
"What are you doing out here?" Max said looked down at a confused Alec.
"Well I was looking for you, and O.C. told me you were here. I guess I fell asleep out here waiting for you two to stop flirting."
"How long have you been out there?" Logan was a little worried as to what Alec had heard with his enhance hearing.
"Don't worry; I was not paying attention to what you guys were saying. But I can tell you that you neighbors down stairs had a big fight that ended with some guy being throw in to the hall." Alec said with a smile. "It didn't sound very pretty. But it was pretty funny to listen to."
"So why exactly were you looking for me anyways?" Max said as she tried to decided if she should hit Alec upside the head or not.
"Well I need you help to get some information. I have this project that I am working on and I need you help." Alec's eyes were saying more than his words. Max understood completely that this was something that Logan was not to know about.
"Why don't you wait for me by down stairs, and we talk things over in a minute." Alec headed for the elevator and hit the button.
"Well I had a great night. Why had we not thought about wearing gloves before?" Max said taking Logan's gloved hand.
"I don't know, but I am glad that we figured it out now. What kind of project does Alec need your help with?"
"It is probably nothing. I think it has something to do with how weird Normal was being today."Max said as she finally let go of Logan's hand.
"Well give me a call if there is anything that I can help you two with."
"You got it. Thanks for a great night. We will have to do this again." Max said as she headed to the elevator, where Alec was still waiting.
"Now. What the hell is so important that you have been sitting outside of Logan's door all night?" Max said as soon as she got to the elevator. She was not happy that Alec was there. She had a great night with Logan, and she was looking forward to going back to her apartment and relaxing.
"Not here." Alec said leading Max into the elevator. Once the elevator door closed "You know how weird Normal was acting today. Well I figured it was time we found out why."
"Why couldn't this not wait till tomorrow? Normal is still going to be Normal tomorrow so we could have talked about this after work or during lunch, why now?"
"I just thought that if we needed to do any recon then tonight would be as good of a night as any. What do you say, will you help me?"
"Find but you own me. I just had a great evening and I was actually hoping to get some sleep tonight."
"But you don't sleep." The look on Max's face told Alec that he has got her.
"Ok, I don't sleep much but you are the last person that I wanted to see tonight." Max crossed her arms she really didn't like Alec and tonight was not the night to be messing with her.
After a long night of doing recon with Alec and finding out nothing at all, Max was not really in the mood to go to work. Alec owned her, for more that just last night, so he was going to be working for her. He had everything all worked out so Max now had the whole day off.
Alec got to work and clocked in for both him and Max. The idea was that he was going to pick up Max's packets saying the he would give him to her but really deliver them. He felt like it was the least he could do after they stroke out with the recon. He still had a feeling that there was more to Normal than any of one knew and he was going to figure it out.
Original Cindy was not very happy that Max was not at work and had not said anything to her about it. Alec was probably the last person that would know what was up. Max had not come home last night so she figured that she had just crashed at Logan's but with the whole virus bitch thing was between them she knew that that was not the case. That made her worry all the more that something had happened.
"Hey Alec, where is Max?" O.C. yelled across Jam Pony as Alec was coming back from a run.
"Yeah where the fire truck is Max? Alec I know you have been taking her packets to her but I have yet to see her ride in here." Normal was staring at Alec hoping that if he stared long enough he may get a really answer out of him.
"Well I just saw her outside so I gave her the next set of packets and she gave me these to turn in to you." Alec said as he handed off both his and Max's paperwork.
"Well tell her that it would be nice to at least see her face at some point today." Normal was happy he got his paperwork even if he could feel that something was not right here.
O.C. was not buying Alec's act. She knew her boo and she knew that there was something that Alec was not saying. She could tell by the look on Alec's face that she needed to wait till they were both outside of Jam Pony to find out what was up.
Once they both got their runs and Max's as well they hit the streets. They rode a few blocks before O.C. stop Alec and let him have it.
"Ok, be straight with me, what have you done with Max? Why are you taking her runs? But most important why didn't she come home last night?"
"Well after she had dinner at Logan's she helped me do some recon. I keep her out all night but fount out nothing so I felt bad so I told her that I would work for her today. She is probably sitting in your apartment right now hoping that you will come by for lunch." Alec said hoping that O.C. would not ask about the recon.
"What kind of recon were you two doing last night? I knew Max and she does not really like working with you, so it much of been important."
Shit, is the only thing that Alec could think of. Well it was better to just been open about everything now, no more hiding. O.C. knew everything about Manticore and the virus so why not just tell her what was up.
Alec explained everything. Even told her about why he was looking in to Normal's background. "So you see if they there a chance that he is still working and experimenting on things, maybe he will be able to find a cure for the virus."
"Well I never thought that you would ever get over yourself long enough to help anyone but yourself. But Original Cindy will admit when she makes a mistake about someone. Sorry I misjudged you."
"Max saved my live more than once so I figure I should at least try to give her, her life back."
"So tell Original Cindy what she can do to help. I love Max and I want her to be happy again. She just has not been the same since this evil virus has come up."
Alec and Original Cindy decided to meet up for lunch at her apartment so they can talk to Max about a plan. Alec is glad that O.C wanted to help because the more help they have the better. The goal is to do find the cure with out Logan finding out what they were doing, and that was not going to be easy.
A/N: I am no good with grammar or spelling, and my friend that usually edits for me was busy working on his own homework so sorry for any mistake that I may have made.