2nd Anniversary
Logan sat at his computer, he'd been trying to work, but
all he was able to do was worry. Max had told him she had
to leave town to help one of her siblings, but said she
wouldn't be gone more than a week. It had been almost two
now, and he was practically out of his mind. She hadn't
told him where she was headed, and after talking to
Original Cindy yesterday, it was obvious she hadn't told
her either.
His mind had been running through every horrible scenario
it could conjure up, Max dead on the side of the road
somewhere, captured by the government for experimentation.
He shook his head to clear it of the negative thoughts,
trying not to think of never seeing her again.
The last year had been hard, on both of them. Being able
to see each other but not touch. He hadn't appreciated the
easy familiarity they'd fallen into their first year
together. They'd both denied their feelings, and had
seldom acted upon them, until it was too late.
He couldn't count the number of times he'd had to restrain
himself from reaching out to her, this last year. How many
times he'd thought that death might not be so bad if he
could just kiss her.
The first six months had been the worst. They'd tried to
deny their feelings once more, even going so far as to
start relationships with others. It had ended up a
disaster, not only had he and Max been hurt; they'd also
hurt two innocent people.
After, they'd agreed they had no choice but to accept what
had been dealt them and find some way of working through
it. It hadn't been easy, but eventually they'd been able
to at least talk about the frustration and pain they felt.
Tonight was their anniversary and he'd planned on making
dinner for her, the one she'd cancelled on last year
because she'd been in heat. The thought made Logan close
his eyes and groan in frustration.
He could clearly remember sitting in his car with her,
outside the Orcas Nuclear Facility. His puzzlement, at how
fogged the car windows had been, her strange behaviour, his
innocently leaning across her to look for his phone and
Max's sudden dash to get out of the car. He now knew it
had nearly killed her, sitting there, trying not to jump
his bones. His mind had come up with many different
outcomes for him the past year. Mostly, ones in which she
hadn't held back, where they'd ended up in the back of his
car, the seats folded down and no thoughts of guards or
microchips on either of their minds.
Logan's eyes popped open and he quickly wheeled himself to
his workout bench, he needed some good heavy exercise right
now. Thoughts like that usually only bothered him at
night, alone in his bed. But, Max's disappearance made it
hard to concentrate on his work, usually a fairly good
distraction.
Max had arrived home the night before, in great high
spirits. Original Cindy had hugged her and been near tears
when she'd first seen Max then had quickly pushed her back
and given Max an amazing verbal harangue for the worry
she'd caused. Once Original Cindy wound down and Max had
explained everything, she'd thrown herself in to helping
with the preparations for tonight, including making
arrangements to spend the weekend at friends.
Max had gone to work this morning so up that even Normal's
screeching hadn't been able to bring her down. He'd even
commented that her vacation had obviously done her attitude
a world of good. "You have no idea." She'd replied, with
a bright smile.
She and Cindy had gone home together after work. While
Original Cindy packed a few clothes, Max had called Logan.
She could hear the relief in his voice when he knew she was
home. She forestalled all the questions she knew he wanted
to ask by telling him she'd run into trouble while out of
town and needed his help. She could hear the worry
creeping back into his voice, as he asked what was wrong.
She refused to talk about it over the phone, saying she
needed him to meet her at her place eight and she'd explain
everything then.
After she hung up she ran for the shower, knowing Logan
would probably arrive early, and she still had a few things
to get ready.
Logan had felt such overwhelming relief when he'd heard
Max's voice on the phone, but it had changed back to
gnawing worry when she said she was in trouble. His mind
began running through possibilities once more as he paced
his apartment. By seven he was nearly out of his mind, he
couldn't wait any longer and grabbing his jacket slammed
his way out of his apartment.
By quarter after seven, Max had everything ready. She'd
parked her bike downstairs and moved the table to the
middle of the room. She'd set two places with her best
dishes and even some real wine glasses she'd acquired,
along with the bottle of pre-pulse wine they'd been with.
She'd lit every candle in the place and had finished making
dinner.
It had taken a couple of practice sessions while she'd been
away to get it right, but he'd willingly helped her. She
smiled at the memory of him; he'd gone out of his way to
help her, with everything, guilty for his past. Before
she'd left, she'd reassured him she didn't blame him, and
had thanked him for giving her a future.
A knock at her door heralded the arrival of the guest of
honour. Glancing at the clock on the way to the door, Max
chuckled, "Twenty after, wonder what held him up?" Before
answering she schooled her features, hard to do when all
she really wanted to do was grin from ear to ear.
Logan stood in the hall, a worried frown marring his face,
wondering what was taking her so long to answer. Then she
opened the door, and relief flooded his system, he could at
least see she wasn't physically hurt. Max glanced up and
down the corridor, as if she thought he might have been
followed, and then held out her hand.
"What?" he asked.
"You're phone, I know you brought it." She answered.
"Max?"
"Logan, I need to know that you can't be traced to me with
it."
Logan was nearly shaking with his concern, but reached into
his jacket and dropped the phone into Max's hand. She
opened it, turned it off and then removed the battery
before gesturing for him to enter.
He hadn't taken three steps before his brain finally woke
to the scene before him. A candlelit table for two, hell
candles everywhere and the aroma of dinner on the stove.
He turned to find Max standing directly behind him.
Max was nearly bursting by the time Logan turned to her.
She was so close to him that she only had to lean forward
slightly to place her lips against his, effectively
stopping the questions he'd been about to ask.
Logan's mind went completely blank at the feel of Max's
lips on his. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her
closer, kissing her back with all the passion in his soul.
It was the feeling of her arms, coiling around his neck
that brought him crashing back to earth and he pulled away
from her. Fear ground through him, his heart pounding and
his breath hitching in his chest. He looked into Max's
eyes wondering what the hell they'd been thinking. It took
several moments for him to realize he wasn't breaking out
into hives, and that his shallow breathing had nothing to
do with any virus.
Max watched the warring emotions pass across Logan's face,
fear and shock slowly replaced with amazement and relief,
causing her to smile.
"How?" was all he could get out?
"Joshua and I found Father." She answered, smiling even
wider.
Logan reached out and pulled her back into his arms. "Happy
anniversary," she murmured against his lips.
The End
Well maybe.
Logan sat at his computer, he'd been trying to work, but
all he was able to do was worry. Max had told him she had
to leave town to help one of her siblings, but said she
wouldn't be gone more than a week. It had been almost two
now, and he was practically out of his mind. She hadn't
told him where she was headed, and after talking to
Original Cindy yesterday, it was obvious she hadn't told
her either.
His mind had been running through every horrible scenario
it could conjure up, Max dead on the side of the road
somewhere, captured by the government for experimentation.
He shook his head to clear it of the negative thoughts,
trying not to think of never seeing her again.
The last year had been hard, on both of them. Being able
to see each other but not touch. He hadn't appreciated the
easy familiarity they'd fallen into their first year
together. They'd both denied their feelings, and had
seldom acted upon them, until it was too late.
He couldn't count the number of times he'd had to restrain
himself from reaching out to her, this last year. How many
times he'd thought that death might not be so bad if he
could just kiss her.
The first six months had been the worst. They'd tried to
deny their feelings once more, even going so far as to
start relationships with others. It had ended up a
disaster, not only had he and Max been hurt; they'd also
hurt two innocent people.
After, they'd agreed they had no choice but to accept what
had been dealt them and find some way of working through
it. It hadn't been easy, but eventually they'd been able
to at least talk about the frustration and pain they felt.
Tonight was their anniversary and he'd planned on making
dinner for her, the one she'd cancelled on last year
because she'd been in heat. The thought made Logan close
his eyes and groan in frustration.
He could clearly remember sitting in his car with her,
outside the Orcas Nuclear Facility. His puzzlement, at how
fogged the car windows had been, her strange behaviour, his
innocently leaning across her to look for his phone and
Max's sudden dash to get out of the car. He now knew it
had nearly killed her, sitting there, trying not to jump
his bones. His mind had come up with many different
outcomes for him the past year. Mostly, ones in which she
hadn't held back, where they'd ended up in the back of his
car, the seats folded down and no thoughts of guards or
microchips on either of their minds.
Logan's eyes popped open and he quickly wheeled himself to
his workout bench, he needed some good heavy exercise right
now. Thoughts like that usually only bothered him at
night, alone in his bed. But, Max's disappearance made it
hard to concentrate on his work, usually a fairly good
distraction.
Max had arrived home the night before, in great high
spirits. Original Cindy had hugged her and been near tears
when she'd first seen Max then had quickly pushed her back
and given Max an amazing verbal harangue for the worry
she'd caused. Once Original Cindy wound down and Max had
explained everything, she'd thrown herself in to helping
with the preparations for tonight, including making
arrangements to spend the weekend at friends.
Max had gone to work this morning so up that even Normal's
screeching hadn't been able to bring her down. He'd even
commented that her vacation had obviously done her attitude
a world of good. "You have no idea." She'd replied, with
a bright smile.
She and Cindy had gone home together after work. While
Original Cindy packed a few clothes, Max had called Logan.
She could hear the relief in his voice when he knew she was
home. She forestalled all the questions she knew he wanted
to ask by telling him she'd run into trouble while out of
town and needed his help. She could hear the worry
creeping back into his voice, as he asked what was wrong.
She refused to talk about it over the phone, saying she
needed him to meet her at her place eight and she'd explain
everything then.
After she hung up she ran for the shower, knowing Logan
would probably arrive early, and she still had a few things
to get ready.
Logan had felt such overwhelming relief when he'd heard
Max's voice on the phone, but it had changed back to
gnawing worry when she said she was in trouble. His mind
began running through possibilities once more as he paced
his apartment. By seven he was nearly out of his mind, he
couldn't wait any longer and grabbing his jacket slammed
his way out of his apartment.
By quarter after seven, Max had everything ready. She'd
parked her bike downstairs and moved the table to the
middle of the room. She'd set two places with her best
dishes and even some real wine glasses she'd acquired,
along with the bottle of pre-pulse wine they'd been with.
She'd lit every candle in the place and had finished making
dinner.
It had taken a couple of practice sessions while she'd been
away to get it right, but he'd willingly helped her. She
smiled at the memory of him; he'd gone out of his way to
help her, with everything, guilty for his past. Before
she'd left, she'd reassured him she didn't blame him, and
had thanked him for giving her a future.
A knock at her door heralded the arrival of the guest of
honour. Glancing at the clock on the way to the door, Max
chuckled, "Twenty after, wonder what held him up?" Before
answering she schooled her features, hard to do when all
she really wanted to do was grin from ear to ear.
Logan stood in the hall, a worried frown marring his face,
wondering what was taking her so long to answer. Then she
opened the door, and relief flooded his system, he could at
least see she wasn't physically hurt. Max glanced up and
down the corridor, as if she thought he might have been
followed, and then held out her hand.
"What?" he asked.
"You're phone, I know you brought it." She answered.
"Max?"
"Logan, I need to know that you can't be traced to me with
it."
Logan was nearly shaking with his concern, but reached into
his jacket and dropped the phone into Max's hand. She
opened it, turned it off and then removed the battery
before gesturing for him to enter.
He hadn't taken three steps before his brain finally woke
to the scene before him. A candlelit table for two, hell
candles everywhere and the aroma of dinner on the stove.
He turned to find Max standing directly behind him.
Max was nearly bursting by the time Logan turned to her.
She was so close to him that she only had to lean forward
slightly to place her lips against his, effectively
stopping the questions he'd been about to ask.
Logan's mind went completely blank at the feel of Max's
lips on his. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her
closer, kissing her back with all the passion in his soul.
It was the feeling of her arms, coiling around his neck
that brought him crashing back to earth and he pulled away
from her. Fear ground through him, his heart pounding and
his breath hitching in his chest. He looked into Max's
eyes wondering what the hell they'd been thinking. It took
several moments for him to realize he wasn't breaking out
into hives, and that his shallow breathing had nothing to
do with any virus.
Max watched the warring emotions pass across Logan's face,
fear and shock slowly replaced with amazement and relief,
causing her to smile.
"How?" was all he could get out?
"Joshua and I found Father." She answered, smiling even
wider.
Logan reached out and pulled her back into his arms. "Happy
anniversary," she murmured against his lips.
The End
Well maybe.