Disclaimer: As I have said the other ten times…they aren't mine, I wish they were, but I put them in my sandpit and I'm gonna play with them.

A/N: Thanks to catherder and alaidh for betaing.

Chapter 11 – Cabin Fever

Max sat on the couch with her legs crossed under her, studying the chessboard closely. Logan sat on the opposite side, resting his chin on his hands, elbows on his knees. They had moved one of the armchairs out of the way to allow him the space to draw near to the coffee table. "You gonna move or what?" he asked.

She picked up a piece and moved it. "Check."

Logan sighed. "Guess that's one more to you."

"What, you giving up?" Max asked as he straightened and started packing the chess pieces back into the box.

"Three games to one is enough of a beating for my ego for today." He looked up from packing up the board as the phone began to ring in the kitchen.

"Well, while you nurse your ego, I'll go and answer the phone," she laughed, uncurling herself.

Logan watched her go, admiring the jauntiness of her gait, the way she swung her hips as she walked. He continued to pack up the chess set, listening with half an ear to Max's conversation as he did, trying to figure out who was at the other end of the phone line.

"Sure...okay...yeah, if that's what you want to do." Max giggled. "Well, you always did bring out the beat in him, boo."

Logan looked at Max and mouthed the question, "Original Cindy?"

She nodded back to him.

He finished packing up the chess set, then went out on the rear porch to check on the weather again. The rain was definitely easing; in fact, had slowed to a light drizzle. He looked at the dartboard, still hanging where he and Bennett had left it two days before, with the final projectile protruding, and decided to pack that away as well. As he came back inside, he heard Eva starting to stir and went into the bedroom. He awkwardly reached up into the bassinette and picked her up.

"Oh-oh. Somebody needs changing," he said, reaching for the pack of disposable diapers on the floor. He lay her on his lap for a moment as he crossed to the bed in order to change her diaper. Vaguely, he could hear Max still talking on the phone. Original Cindy was still her best friend and confidante. Logan, in return, appreciated Cindy's forthright honesty and up-front manner, taking seriously her threat that she would "put the smack-down" on his ass if he so much as harmed one hair on Max's head. Cindy still occupied the apartment on Waverly, but, along with the majority of the old gang from Crash, had given up her job with Jam Pony. She was now employed as a beautician, a job that seemed to suit her.

Logan busied himself with changing the diaper as Max chatted with her friend.

When Max hung up the phone, she wandered into the bedroom doorway, and propped herself against the frame, one hand on her hip.

"How's Original Cindy doing?"

"She's good."

She came into the room and flopped on the bed, stretched, then rolled onto her side, resting her head on her hand to watch what he was doing.

"You gonna give me a hand here?" he asked as Eva tried to wriggle out of his grasp.

"You seem to be doing just fine without me," she smiled.

He looked over his glasses at her, re-buttoning Eva's jumpsuit by touch as he did. Eva rolled over onto her tummy, facing her mother, pushing herself up with her arms. Logan looked at his daughter fondly and patted her well-padded behind. "I do believe you are going to be crawling soon, young lady." He reversed away from the bed and went to dispose of the diaper and wash his hands. When he returned, Max was still stretched out on the bed and Eva was still doing baby push-ups.

"Is this rain ever gonna let up?" Max asked, rolling onto her tummy.

"Supposed to be better tomorrow," Logan responded. "Cabin fever?"

"Yeah, you could say that," she gave a wry smile.

"Well..." Logan pondered a moment. "We could go into town for a while. I could kick your ass at pool." He winked at her, then not waiting for a reply, rolled out into the living room. "Ben! Jonas!" he called up to the loft.

"Yeah!" came a reply, then the two pairs of sock-clad feet came into view. The boys peered down at him.

"What's up, dad?" asked Ben.

"Get your shoes. We're going out."

"Where're we going?" asked Jonas.

"Into town."

*~*~*~*

Logan parked the mud-spattered Aztek outside the bar. While he waited for Max to bring his chair around, the two boys tumbled out of the back seat and made a quick beeline for the sidewalk, where they waited under the awning. While Logan transferred, Max settled Eva in the stroller and joined them there. Once they were ready, Max led the way into the bar and, while they waited for the pool table to be free, they occupied a row of stools at the bar. Logan smoothly transferred up onto the end stool, nodding to the barman. He ordered sodas for the two boys and beer for himself and Max, and settled to watch the game at the table, between two of the locals.

"So, you in town for long, this time?" the barman asked, cleaning the area in front of Logan and Max.

"Just for the week."

"Ah."

"Good to see you, anyway, Brett," Logan smiled over his beer.

The two men at the table put their cues back on the racks and came up to the bar. One of them banged his fist on the counter-top for attention. Brett automatically handed them beers and continued wiping the bar.

"You boys finished with the table?" Max asked.

"Sure, go ahead," replied the shorter of the two.

Max racked the balls while Logan transferred. Ben and Jonas got down, and pushed the stroller across into the corner by the table. Max looked at Logan coyly, "Okay, boys, who's gonna partner me?"

"I will, Mom," replied Ben, selecting a cue.

"Guess that means you and me, Jonas." Logan was comparing cues. He handed one to Jonas, keeping the last one for himself.

"Sure, Uncle Logan."

Max hung the triangular rack back on its hook and looked at Logan slyly. "Mind if I break?" she asked, leaning over the table to position the cue ball.

"Go ahead," he gestured, smiling.

There was a clatter as she broke open the packed balls, leaning forward over the table to present Logan with a view of her ass. He backed up slightly, taking a wicked delight in the view. Max sank a couple of balls before miscuing. Jonas was next. Max leaned back against the bar, sipping her beer, as Jonas took aim. They all had made frequent use of Bennett's pool table, and as a consequence, the two boys were quite good for their respective ages, although Ben had a slight edge. Logan, who had been something of a hustler in his youth, was still an excellent player, and Max could seldom best him. He regularly frustrated Alec, as well, who didn't take kindly to being beaten by a guy in a wheelchair. If the lack of elevation caused by his seated position was a hindrance, he seldom gave any sign. Jonas sank two balls before caroming one off the side of the table. Ben did likewise. Then it was up to Logan to clean up the rest, which he did with style. Logan gave a satisfied smile as the last ball dropped into the end pocket, then, to Max's great amusement, jumped as a gnarled hand came down on his shoulder.

"Still hustling pool, I see," came Jack's voice from behind him.

"Old habits die hard. You know that," Logan replied, turning to face his friend.

"I sure do. Come over when you're done here."

"We will."

Jack grabbed the bottle he'd come for and headed out the door.

"Okay, Max, rack 'em again." Logan backed up to the bar and took a swig of his beer, casting a glance at the rednecks in the corner, who seemed to be setting up an arm-wrestling contest.

"Yeah, and this time, you break!" Max flashed him a cheeky grin.

"Think it'll make a difference, do you?"

"I know it won't," she responded. "Just playing fair."

They swapped partners, with Max taking Jonas and Logan partnering Ben. Once again, Logan's superior ability showed, and he finished the game by cleaning up the table. By this time, the two boys were eyeing the arm-wrestlers with great interest, and there was a growing group of onlookers, each anxious to take their turn.

Max bought them all more drinks, which she took to one of the small tables, rather than the bar. She pulled Eva's stroller close. Max examined the two combatants in the corner closely. Both looked like laborers – weather-beaten, fit men in their late twenties or early thirties. She gave Logan a speculative look. He was nearly 46 but, other than the flecks of gray in his hair, looked ten years younger. Fifteen years in a wheelchair had given his upper body definition. He had a slim, athletic build, but was deceptively strong, a fact which was further hidden by the baggy sweater he was wearing.

Logan caught her looking at him and smiled uncertainly, not sure what she was thinking. The two boys stared at the contest in the corner unashamedly, then decided to have a go for themselves, making use of a corner of the square table at which they were sitting. Max jumped as Ben slammed Jonas' hand to the table. Jonas had forgotten how much stronger Ben was, and for his part, Ben just didn't know his own strength. Jonas wrung and shook his hand ruefully.

"Hey, that wasn't fair. I wasn't ready," he protested.

Ben just laughed.

"Ben, that wasn't nice," warned his mother.

"I'm sorry, Jonas. I forgot." Ben looked contrite. "Hope I didn't hurt you."

"Um...Uncle Logan?" Jonas looked up at his uncle.

Logan turned his green eyes on Jonas. "Yes, Jonas?"

"Why don't you have a go?"

"Me?"

"Yes, Logan, why don't you?" asked Max.

"Well, it's not really my thing."

"Logan, you spent half your time in college hustling pool. Don't tell me you didn't engage in other time-wasting pursuits as well."

Logan gave her a withering look, and responded by snapping the brakes on the wheelchair and rolling over to the game. He watched as the stockier member of the pair from the pool table went through a couple of opponents without difficulty, the small stack of cash beside him gradually growing. When the next fist was banged down on the table, Logan propelled himself forward.

"Yeah?" the guy raised an eyebrow in enquiry.

"Is this exclusive or can anyone join in?" Logan asked.

"Be my guest." He gestured to the space opposite, looking Logan up and down, obviously deciding he was a total sucker. Logan placed a bill on the pile.

The other man positioned his arm while Logan pulled the chair out of the way and drew in close to the table, locked the brakes with a snap, and linked hands with him, carefully settling his elbow in position for maximum stability and leverage. Logan's opponent had obviously underestimated him, as his expression changed from smug to grim. Logan's eyes fixed his with a glittering, intense stare. The man was strong, but so was Logan, and in the end, it was Logan's greater stamina that made the difference as he slowly wore his opponent down.

Max was on her guard as the banter around them died off. She left her position at the table and drew near the group in the corner. For a moment, she regretted urging Logan to do this, remembering another bar in another time and place, where the end result of a friendly game of pool had been a pissed-off Logan dumped on his ass on the floor, and her wielding a pool cue like a quarter-staff against a group of local bad guys.

Logan eventually touched his opponent's knuckles to the table and released his grip. Both of them smiled.

"Oh, man, did I underestimate you!" the younger man said, rubbing his hand.

"That's the thing," Logan responded, flexing his own hand. "Using a wheelchair builds upper body strength."

"Will Johnson," the younger man said, offering his hand.

"Logan Cale."

"Cale? Ah...your family owns that cabin out by the lake."

"Yes, yes we do."

"I wondered what that ramp was for when I built it. Now, I guess I know."

"Yeah," said Max. "I got sick of picking the splinters out of his ass every time we stayed here." Max put a proprietary hand on Logan's shoulder.

"My wife, Max." Logan introduced her. "You're the carpenter?"

"Have Wood Will Travel, that's me."

"Nice name," Max replied. "Logan, I think we should get going."

Logan unlocked the brakes and started to back up.

"What about this?" Will gestured to the pile of money on the table.

Logan looked at the bundle and hesitated. "Drinks are on me for tonight. Later." He nodded and made his departure.

"Come on, boys," called Max. "We're going. Bring your sister, Ben."

They headed out the door and out onto the street. Max waited until they were a short way up the street before she started to laugh. The rain had stopped and there was even an insipid evening sun peeking through the clouds. Logan stopped and half turned to look at her as she cackled and crowed.

"What is so funny?" he demanded.

"Sorry...just relieved," she gasped. "I was just suddenly reminded of what happened the first time some redneck in a bar ogled my ass in your presence."

"Ah...different redneck, different bar."

"No, different you." The two boys exchanged looks – not knowing what the adults were talking about. Max caught the look and decided to explain. "He took offense at some guy who said I had a nice ass and ended up dumped on the floor. He forgot I don't need defending," she winked at them.

"Well, thank you for totally embarrassing me."

"Oooh, still touchy about it?"

"No," he said, shortly, pushing off again and almost rolling right past Jack's shop. Max, more alert than Logan, stopped and knocked loudly on the locked door. "And what do you mean by different me?"

"You may not realize it, Logan, but you've changed since then. Back in Cape Haven...well...you were real pissy that weekend. You weren't facing up to your feelings. Weren't being honest with yourself or me. I kinda had hoped we'd hook up that weekend."

"So you've said to me before...I really don't know what I hoped would happen that weekend."

"Well, at least that's honest," she grinned and banged on the door again. "Yo, Jack! Rose! You gonna let us in?"

"Coming, Max," came Jack's voice. "Just had to find my keys." There was a rattle, and the door opened with a creak. "Come on in and make yourselves at home."

Jack conducted them through the shop into the dwelling beyond. Rose greeted them at the kitchen door, giving both boys a hug and sending them into the living room to watch TV (something they were without at the cabin). "Now, you will stay and eat with us, won't you. I made plenty."

Logan inhaled, catching the aroma of roast and vegetables. "Not even wild horses could drag us away."

Max's response was warm. "Of course, we'll stay. Couldn't miss one of your special Sunday roasts."

Logan smiled with pleasure, anticipating an evening of good food and congeniality with his old friends.