Reposting from a long time ago. :)

Author's Note: I, like many of you I'm sure, was not happy with how "Borrowed Time" went. This is how I fixed it. In fact, this is my first fanfic (it just wouldn't leave me alone) and my first attempt at a love scene, so please be kind when you review. :P.

Max was standing outside the door to Logan's penthouse. She looked down at her pager which read 10:51:01, then hesitantly knocked on the door. "Got a minute," she asked Logan when he opened the door. Logan moved to let Max in and they walked into the living room. Max nervously folded her coat and laid it in a chair as she sat down on the arm of it.

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Let me ask you a hypothetical question," Max began nervously.

"Those are my favorite kind."

"Supposing... just supposing... I found a temporary cure for the virus."

"Is there such a thing," Logan asked in utter disbelief.

"That's where the supposing part comes in."

"Okay. Uh, hypothetically, how long would this temporary cure last?"

Max looked at her pager, "10 hours and 50 minutes."

Logan was stunned and a little unsure, "you're serious?"

Max only nodded, a little unsure herself.

"So we can touch and nothing will happen?"

"Well, I don't know about nothing, but, you won't die," she said smiling very nervously, hopefully.

"Oh, my." Logan leaned back completely overwhelmed. He ran a hand through his hair, not knowing what else to do. "Max..."

"We have to think about this. Because, when it's over, it's over. No repeats."

"We'd be back where we started."

"Exactly. Ten hours seems like a long time, but it isn't. Not really."

As Logan looked up at her, a sparkle in his eyes, "it'll have to be long enough."

"I was hoping you'd say that. We've got 10 hours."

"Evidently."

"We've been waiting for the right time. Here it is," she said with a hopeful and tentative smile.

In that instant they both rose quickly, almost like if they waited, it might have all been a dream. Logan stepped over to her slowly, still a little unsure. He held out his hand to Max, and she slowly slipped hers into it. They both squeezed, making sure this was real, holding on for dear life. Logan stroked her face reverently, then leaned in to kiss her, but she moved away, stopping him before he could. "I don't...I can't believe I'm gonna go all girly on you, but...I don't want to blow this on a quickie. I want it to be perfect."

Logan looked mildly frustrated, "perfect. How about a perfect quickie?" Max laughed, a little uneasy, then slipped a bottle of wine between them, "open this." Logan took the bottle, resigned to do this the way Max wanted to. Even though he wanted her so badly he couldn't stand it, he knew she was right. It should be perfect.

Max followed him into the kitchen and found herself standing right next to him, her hand absently rubbing his back. It was as if her hands were drawn to him like a magnet now. After not being able to touch him for so long, she just couldn't help it, it was automatic.

For his part, Logan was in heaven. He couldn't believe that Max, his Max, was standing there next to him, rubbing his back. 'God, that feels so amazing,' he thought. "So, how did all of this happen? How did you find a cure?"

Max moved to sit at the counter, "well, I kinda came up with this idea and took it to this lab geek I found. He told me he could whip something up for me but, it would cost me 20 grand." Logan started to interrupt her, but she held up her hand to stop him, "don't even say it. I know I could have come to you for the money, but I wanted to do this on my own... for a couple of reasons. The first being, I didn't know if it was gonna work, so I didn't want you to know about it unless it did. The second being, you paid for it the last time and we both know what happened then. This one was all on me, Logan."

"I disagree, but, what's done is done. So, how'd you get the money?"

"I won't go into detail, but, it wasn't fun, trust me. I was stuck in a closet with Alec."

"Really."

"Yeah, unfortunately, it was a two man job. And even more unfortunate, Alec was the only one that could help me."

"So, how long were you and Alec stuck in the closet?"

"About an hour. He was yapping the entire time," Max said with a chuckle.

Laughing himself, Logan replied, "he's a yapper. Yeah, stuck in a closet with Alec... you're pretty much describing my worst nightmare."

"It was worth it though. It got me here," she said softly.

"It feels like old times."

"Better," Max replied and they toasted to that.

"Dance with me," Logan said not really asking, yet, not demanding either. He just knew that she would.

"Absolutely."

Logan led her back into the living room and put on some soft music. He took Max's hand and tenderly pulled her into his arms. They held each other so tightly, clung to each other. As they moved slowly around the room, Max rested her cheek against his heart. She could hear it, feel it, beating. 'God,' she thought, 'it's so good to hear that, to be able to touch him and hold him without being afraid of hurting him.'

As if sensing her thoughts, Logan leaned back and looked down at her. "Max... there's something I've been wanting to tell you... for a long time."

"Yeah... me, too." She held her breath for a second, "you first." She had to hear the words from him first. She had to be sure.

Logan took a breath, a little nervous himself, then said, "Max... I love you. I think I have from the moment you broke into my life." They both smiled at that. "I do, Max. I love you, but, if you don't let me kiss you and hold you and make love to you soon... I think I'm going to short out the exoskeleton." Again, out of nervousness or just relief neither of them knew, they both laughed.

"God, Logan. You have no idea how long I've been wanting you to say that, or how long I've been wanting to tell you that I love you, too." At that, he let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. He couldn't believe it. She loved him back. This genetically engineered, revved up, goddess loved him. He was amazed.

"But, I gotta say... forget what I said before. If you don't race me to your bedroom right now, I'll drag you there myself."

"Believe me Max, that won't be necessary," with that, Logan took her hand and led her down the hall to his bedroom.

End.