Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel
A/N: My first story…. Many, many thanks to Shywriter and Mia who patiently helped me to get this into an acceptable shape!
Remember Max calling Logan's dad a "Fred Flintstone" in "Shorties in Love"?
( LOGAN: „Because my dad was one of those manly men who thought introspection meant you were weak"
MAX: "Since when did Logan Cale, man of letters speaker of truth, let the Fred Flintstones of this world get under his skin?")
This is something that could had have happened a few days later.
Max' thoughts are in Italics
Fred Flintstone
"He wasn't a Fred Flintstone"
Logan's words startled Max out of her silent pondering of his motionless figure. She had found him sitting at his usual place by the big panorama windows staring down at what once had been a beautiful city. Five minutes earlier she had skillfully sneaked into his penthouse after an unusually short evening at Crash, wondering why he hadn't called her for three days in a row. But then she probably knew why.
The poem.
Yeah, well, stealing isn't really a boost for a friendship. Even you should know that, Max.
She hadn't been aware Logan knew that she was standing there.
Must have seen my reflection in the window. So much for Manticore stealth… Lydecker would be really proud of you…
Logan turned around to face Max's slightly confused look at his seemingly incongruous remark.
"My father. He wasn't a Fred Flintstone".
She still said nothing, just continued to look at him with her brow raised questioningly, afraid she might destroy this unusual moment of openness. After all, this was Logan, who had barely shed five sentences about his family since she had known him.
"He was rarely at home. Cale Industries dominated his life, wether he wanted it to or not.
My grandparents had children only for appearance sake, so my father had spent his childhood at boarding schools or with nannies. My grandfather must have been like my "beloved" Uncle Jonas, the same disapproval of anything "unmanly" and the same preference for the hard stuff" With the mentioning of Jonas, his nearest living relative, Logan smirked ironically.
"My Dad was only eighteen when he had to take over the company after my grandfather's death, trying to keep together what years of neglecting by my grandfather had destroyed."
He looked up to Max, straight into her eyes, wanting to know if she still listened, still wanted to hear about his screwed up family.
"I don't blame my dad for his views ….I guess from his experience showing emotions really was a sign of weakness. In his field of work – where his brother and all the others jealous of his success just waited for him to commit a mistake – maybe it really would have been a major weakness to show something like introspection. Pretending to be the tough guy just was his way of dealing with life. I picked up on that skill pretty fast, guarding my emotions."
At that last sentence Logan blew out the air he'd been holding in something in between a sigh and a chuckle, making Max wonder what exactly had happened between him and his father that had taught Logan so early on to shield his inner self from the world.
"My father was outstanding in his business. His efforts secured the income of several hundred families. For himself though he never had the time to learn how to be a good father, to share his feelings with anybody. Except for my mom, probably"
As he recalled the more joyful memories his mother Logan's voice changed from the rather distant tone he'd reserved for his father to a softer, gentler note. His eyes were still directed toward Max, but Logan's glassy gaze told her that he no longer was seeing her or any of the extravagant artwork behind her in the darkened penthouse.
Letting her eyes wander over the brooding man before her Max realized once again how wrong people were – how wrong she had been – to see in Logan only the wealthy guy who always had had everything you could wish for.
See, Max, families aren't always what they're supposed to be, not even for the rich and mighty.
"He must have been a remarkable person, if your mom loved him", she offered, finally speaking at the mentioning of his mother. It was she who had given him that treasured locket and who, despite believing that 'The universe is right on schedule' had been dead for a long time now.
And it was this reference to his mother that brought Logan's focus back to the present and onto the person before him.
"I think she was the one person who made him feel genuinely happy". He smiled up to her, grateful for her attempt at giving him a modicum of peace with the past. "It was my father who taught me to play chess, on the rare occasions he was at home for longer than the night. It was something we could do together safely, since no display of feelings was necessary".
A workaholic trying to shut out all emotions to protect himself. Talk about family resemblance here.
"I like to think, if he had lived long enough, maybe we could have found something like common ground, even friendship". Logan might be able to give his face an air of nonchalance, but something in his voice, maybe that faraway sound in it, was enough for Max to see that still, after all these years, the early death of his parents was a sensitive issue to him.
"What happened?", she asked quietly. While she felt strangely honored at Logan's willingness to share his childhood memories with her Max was at the same time afraid she might be pushing him too far with her question.
"A heart attack, when I was eleven. He died immediately. The doctors said he worked too much and ignored all the signs. He'd stopped caring for his health after my mom's death two years earlier. I was at a boarding school at the time…Never had a chance to say good bye", he added ruefully after a short pause.
Just like Eva, alive one moment, dead the next.
There was a moment of silence as both of them relived treasured memories with family brought alive again with his words, the regret and mourning accompanying them soothed by time.
Again, Max was the first to break their joined moment of quiet. "So… what would your father have said about you beating a highly talented chimera at chess?"
Logan stared up to her with a somewhat surprised, yet skeptical frown, his head tipped slightly to one side.
"After all my glorious defeats, you still think I might be up to that?"
His slightly mocking, sarcastic manner clearly old Max he wasn't quite sure what to make out of her question.
They had spent many evenings together over the chessboard after he had cooked for her, not talking much but feeling oddly comfortable in the presence of the other. But not once had Logan been able to checkmate her - although coming close considerably often - and Max knew it had touched his pride.
Yeah, must be pretty bad for Mr. Yale-I-can-hack-into-every-computer to be defeated by a girl who stopped schooling with nine years.
"Nope, not really" she answered, amused by how easily she could get his attention while a loop-sided grin started to form in one corner of her mouth.
No ordinary human could reach the level of a brain created by top-of-the-line scientists. At least, that's what they told us back at Manticore.
But then, he isn't an ordinary human. He has proven that to me more than once.
"There might be slight chance of you beating me though….If I fell asleep while waiting for your next move". Her grin now was very Max-like, daring him as she steered their conversation back to safer ground. She was rewarded with that rare and dazzling Logan-smile, which always made her legs feel weak and which had a strange effect on her normally so sarcastic self.
"Well then, I think my father might have said 'Well done, son!'", he answered her query, still with a broad grin on his lips, all the while rocking the chair playfully from side to side. Then he turned, intent on moving in the direction of the chess table, but not before giving her one last challenging look over his shoulder, all keen to prove her that he was a worthy opponent.
"You coming or are you suddenly afraid I might really beat you?"
"Yeah, sure", Max drawled as she lingered a moment longer to watch his retreating back.
"Nope, not an ordinary human at all"
I know Logan not having beaten Max in chess is unlikely – but then in BBWW it's just stated Max won five games, nothing about how much he won. It just fitted better this way, so let's pretend…