"Frozen" Part 3
SCENE 11: LOGAN'S
Logan kept the hot chocolate warm on the stove. Max had been gone for too long. He turned off the stove and got his coat. He was just wrapping his scarf around his neck when the door opened. Max. At the same time the phone rang. Max nodded and Logan picked it up.
It was Austin, and he wasn't pleased. "Cale! Who the hell was that that you sent barreling into my office tonight?"
"Who? I don't know what you're talking about," Logan said, giving Max a reproachful gaze.
"The girl, the little bitch! I know you sent her. You still think this world is worth saving," Austin sneered.
"Or at least what's left of it," Logan said. He chose to ignore the comment about Max.
"How much?"
"What?"
"How much do you want in exchange for the disk?"
"Still think everyone's got a price, don't you? Sorry, wrong number this time," Logan said hanging up. He looked up at Max, "What did you do?"
"Moi?" she asked innocently, "All I did was say hi. Wasn't my fault that he got a stick up his butt and decided to take it out on my homegirl."
Logan looked at her, seriously for a moment, and then smiled. "Disk?"
"Here." She slipped a hand inside her vest and pulled out the mini-laser disk and handed it to Logan. Oh how he envied that little disk. "I'm sure you know what to do with it."
"Yeah, listen, there's some hot chocolate on the stove. Go warm yourself up. I'll join you in a while."
Max's full lips curved into a smile at the thought of hot chocolate and Logan joining her. "Don't be long," she said, disappearing into the kitchen.
SCENE 12: LOGAN'S, LATER
Max was curled up on the couch, holding the mug of hot chocolate in both hands, when Logan wheeled himself out of the computer room. He'd done an Eyes Only on Austin and hacked into the city gas and electric company's computer system, leaving an order to turn the citywide heat pump systems back on.
Logan looked at her. She was wearing a pair of track pants she'd left there a while ago and one of his sweatshirts. Her wet hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She looked so innocent sitting there, not at all like a genetically engineered killing machine should.
Gotta stop calling her that, he chided himself. She's human, and female.
He put on the stereo and then went over to her. "Warmer?" he asked.
"Yeah, this stuff's great," she said indicating the hot chocolate, "You're going to spoil me with it."
"That was the idea," he replied. That was lame, Cale. Max seemed not to notice the line's cheesiness. She was too busy sipping from the mug. Logan noticed how her lips gently touched the mg each time she took a sip.
Max looked up and caught him staring at her. "What?" she asked.
"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking. Listen, I think Austin's taken care of. I did an Eyes Only hack on him, plus I got into the computer systems that control the city's heat supply. They should turn back on soon," he said, covering up what was really on his mind, "And I'll get Kendra something, since she lost a paying job on this."
"Ok, but don't worry about Kendra. It's my fault, I'll pay her back," Max said to him, but to herself she said, So it's still business as normal. That's all I am to him.
"Max," Logan said, "I'm the one that told you about the whole pipeline thing, so I'll take care of Kendra." And you, he added silently.
"I can take care of things myself, Logan, I don't need you stepping up to the plate all the time," she snapped, "I did just fine before you showed." Ouch, did that come out like that? I didn't mean it that way, Max thought.
Logan was hurt. She doesn't need me, and she's pushing me away. He put on a front of nonchalance. "Fine, if you say so."
Max detected the hurt in his voice, despite his attempts to mask it. He's shutting me out now. He's refusing to let me see how he really feels. "Logan," she began.
"It's okay, Max, you don't have to apologize. I'm gonna go get some of that hot chocolate before you drink it all." He wheeled off into the kitchen.
SCENE 13: LOGAN'S
Max felt cold air upon her back. She got up and checked the windows. All closed. She checked the doors, but they were closed as well. She found Logan in the kitchen, drinking his hot chocolate.
"Max, I told you, you don't have to apologize," he said.
"Logan, have you noticed its been getting colder? Did you adjust the thermostat?"
"No," Logan scratched his chin, "The heat supply must be running low, and the pipelines are still shut down," he said looking up at her.
"Great," Max sighed, "I come in from the cold only to freeze."
"Go get a couple blankets and the heating pad from the linen closet," Logan told her, "I'll make more hot chocolate and join you on the couch."
"Hurry up," Max told him, "It's freezing and even my superhuman body can't take it for too long."
SCENE 14: LOGAN'S
Max was snuggled in a nest of blankets on the couch when Logan came, bearing two thermoses of hot chocolate. He laughed when he saw her, a small face peaking out of a mound of blankets.
"You look like a kid playing 'fort' or 'peak-a-boo'," he told her.
"I'm cold," she retorted, "Come join me, the fort's nice and warm.
Logan grinned and put the thermoses down within easy reach. Lifting himself carefully with his arms, he placed his body on the couch next to Max's. She lifted an arm and enveloped him in blankets.
"You're right, this is warm," he said grinning at her, "Toasty."
Max snuggled closer and Logan wrapped his arms around her. Even with the extra heat created by the blankets, he could feel heat coming from her and flowing into him through their clothing, which was starting to feel flimsy. Logan just hopped that it didn't get so cold that they had resort to skin-to-skin contact.
On second thought, he did. But then he reminded himself of the consequences.
Max, however, didn't care. She leaned back, putting her head on his chest. She could hear his heart racing in his chest, matching her own hyperbeat. To hell with the consequences, she thought.
Max turned to Logan and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling herself closer. She slipped one arm around his neck, running her hand through his hair. She leaned in to kiss him, and that's when she felt it.
The cold, uncontrollable shaking of a seizure. Flashes of Manticore marched through her head. Feeling sick, Max pushed off the couch.
"I'll be back," she said heading for the bathroom. Once there, she popped the last of the Tryptophan she had on her into her mouth. After splashing her heated face with cold water, she slumped down to the floor and curled into a fetal position. This was a bad one.
Logan waited on the couch for Max to return. He knew she'd gone to the bathroom to take some Tryptophan, and he was worried. After a while, he lifted himself off the couch and went to the bathroom. He knocked on the door.
"Max?" There was no response. "Max, are you okay?" he asked, feeling his anxiety increase.
Hearing no response, Logan opened the door. Max was on the floor, curled into a ball. Her teeth were chattering and her lips were blue. With a lot of difficulty, Logan pulled Max on to his lap. Backing out of the bathroom, he headed for his room, to put her into a nice, warm, soft bed.
SCENE 15: LOGAN'S
Logan tucked Max into his bed, bringing all the blankets and the hot pad from the living room. She was still shivering, so he got his hat and mittens and put them on her. Thinking of other ways to keep her warm, he pulled out his heaviest pair of socks and put them on her feet, then wrapped her in his bathrobe. She looked like a little snow girl.
Snow angel is more like it, he thought. Damn, this is all my fault. I sent her out on the runs in the cold with out proper clothing. I should have insisted that she wear a heavy coat. An on a night when she's not feeling well, too.
"Soo ccc-cc-cold," Max chattered, "Jonddd-d-ie, ww-ww-ww-wwwait."
Logan looked at her. Max was still shivering and her forehead was cool to the touch. She was hallucinating. The only other way Logan could warm her was to climb in with her. Carefully he lifted his body out of the chair and lowered himself into bed. He laid his body alongside hers and wrapped her in his arms.
God, Max, don't let me lose you, I've been frozen for too long.
SCENE 16: LOGAN'S
Max felt so cold and she couldn't control her shaking. This seizure was definitely the worst she'd ever experienced. Visions of Manticore and the escape marched through her brain, varying her degrees of consciousness. She was only slightly aware that she was in Logan's bed. At any other time, this would have been a problem.
Suddenly Max wasn't in Logan's room anymore. She was ten years younger again, and escaping from Manticore once more.
They jumped through the glass, landing on the soft snow. They rolled and got up running. The soldiers and guards were after them. The cold air bit threw Max's thin hospital gown. She got separated form the group, but then found them again.
Sitting there, watching Zack's hand signals, Max felt the frozen snow beneath her legs start to numb them. She rubbed them to keep them from falling asleep. Now she was running, the frosty snow beneath her bare feet.
She slipped through the ice, and fell into the frozen, icy water below. Never had she been this cold. She could hear Jondie calling to her, but her lips were frozen together it seemed. Jondie started to leave.
"Soo ccc-cc-cold," Max cried out, "Jonddd-d-ie, ww-ww-ww-wwwait."
Something warm was wrapping itself around her. She snuggled into it, feeling her shaking start to calm. She wanted to stay in this warm place forever.
There was a distant crash, once that barely registered, and a far off voice saying, "Max, I'll be right back." Then the warmth left her and she was cold again.
SCENE 17: LOGAN'S
Hearing a crash in the living room, Logan carefully lifted himself into his wheel chair. He hated to leave Max, but she had calmed down and seemed warmer to the touch. He hoped that it wasn't anything and that he could return to her quickly.
"Max, I'll be right back," he told her in case she could hear him and knew he was leaving. She seemed to pout and snuggled into the place where he had just been. If he hadn't gotten up, Logan realized, Max would be lying on him.
Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, Logan got his gun from its hiding place and went to investigate. He cautiously wheeled into the living room and saw what had fallen and made the crashing noise.
It was the window, and it had crashed when several assailants sent by Austin had busted through it. Two of them were in his computer room, searching for the disk Max had taken. Logan was glad he'd hid it in Max's bag.
Logan aimed his gun at them. "Gentlemen, can we talk?" he said, "By breaking through the window, you've alerted building security, and my guess is that they'll be here in a few moments. So, why don't you just let yourselves out?"
Two of them advanced on Logan. He hesitated, not wanting to actually use the gun, and they disarmed him. One of them flexed his hands and the balled them into fists. "Where is the disk?" he demanded.
"Hey! Didn't anyone ever tell you to pock on someone your own size?" a voice called.
Logan and his attackers turned and looked at the figure in the doorway. It was Max. She was pale and shaky, obviously not fully recovered. Logan tried to get her attention and tell her to go back to bed, but she wouldn't look at him.
Max, on slightly unsteady feet, grabbed the assailant nearest to her, and, with some effort, she twisted his arm back and swept his feet out from under him. Having disabled him, she moved on the other three. One still had Logan's gun, and was now unsure who to aim it at.
Max seemed to be getting stronger by the minute, recovering from her seizure. Logan, intent on keeping her from getting hurt, used the distraction to roll the wheels of his chair over the foot of an intruder. The man cried out in pain and grabbed his foot. Logan reached out and punched him, knocking him out.
Max, meanwhile had gotten the other two to run at her, which of course had ended in them crashing into each other. Max delivered swift chops to the backs of both of their necks, knocking them out. She took Logan's gun from one of them and promptly handed it back to him.
"Another window broken," she commented.
"Max," Logan began, "Are you okay?"
"Better, but not great," she told him.
"Go back to bed and rest for a while," he ordered.
"Yes sir," Max said in a playful tone, "If you come join me later. We need to talk."
"First I have to make a phone call," Logan told her, "but then I'll be sure to join you."
Max smiled, gave him a salute, and head back to his room. Logan reached for the phone to call Det. Sung about removing the intruders.
SCENE 18: LOGAN'S ROOM
Max was curled up in bed when Logan returned from sending the baddies off with Matt, who had also promised to round up Austin. Logan handed over all the evidence he had, after making back up disks just in case.
She appeared to be asleep, but he knew better. "Max?"
Her eyes opened and fixed on him. "Hey."
He tried to grab the blanket, but she pulled it out of his reach. "Not until we talk."
She was rewarded with a puppy dog face, "Please?"
Max shook her head. "We need to talk, Logan."
"I know. Go ahead and say what you want to."
"Am I just a genetically engineered weapon to you?" Before he could answer she continued, "Because it's hard to tell. You've done a lot for me, but the ticket's always punched by 'I wouldn't want my genetically enhanced killing machine to . . .' or some other such line."
Logan sat there stunned.
"Maybe in the beginning. But not now . . . now you're," he swallowed, "well, you're Max."
"Max? Just Max? Logan, you need to elaborate on that."
"Ok, then I want you to elaborate on something, too. Am I just your meal ticket?"
"What ever makes you say that?"
Damn, she was being coy. "Max, you don't let people in too far do you?"
"And you'd rather help then be the helped," she replied.
They both stared at each other, realizing what had been said.
"Max, I'll admit, I don't like to dump my problems on other people," Logan said at the same time Max said, "I've been told I'm a fog bank."
Again they just looked at each other.
"Just tell me," Max said, "are you still pissed at Bruno?"
"Yes. In a way. Who said you were a fog bank?"
"Ex-boyfriend. He didn't know me the way you know me."
"Is that a good thing?" Logan asked quietly, but it held weight.
"Yes." She reached out with the blanket, "Come here."
Logan obeyed.
Author's Note: This is not the end. I know snow is RARE in Seattle. And the stick/tree comments were about the stick up Normal's butt.
:-) Angela
SCENE 11: LOGAN'S
Logan kept the hot chocolate warm on the stove. Max had been gone for too long. He turned off the stove and got his coat. He was just wrapping his scarf around his neck when the door opened. Max. At the same time the phone rang. Max nodded and Logan picked it up.
It was Austin, and he wasn't pleased. "Cale! Who the hell was that that you sent barreling into my office tonight?"
"Who? I don't know what you're talking about," Logan said, giving Max a reproachful gaze.
"The girl, the little bitch! I know you sent her. You still think this world is worth saving," Austin sneered.
"Or at least what's left of it," Logan said. He chose to ignore the comment about Max.
"How much?"
"What?"
"How much do you want in exchange for the disk?"
"Still think everyone's got a price, don't you? Sorry, wrong number this time," Logan said hanging up. He looked up at Max, "What did you do?"
"Moi?" she asked innocently, "All I did was say hi. Wasn't my fault that he got a stick up his butt and decided to take it out on my homegirl."
Logan looked at her, seriously for a moment, and then smiled. "Disk?"
"Here." She slipped a hand inside her vest and pulled out the mini-laser disk and handed it to Logan. Oh how he envied that little disk. "I'm sure you know what to do with it."
"Yeah, listen, there's some hot chocolate on the stove. Go warm yourself up. I'll join you in a while."
Max's full lips curved into a smile at the thought of hot chocolate and Logan joining her. "Don't be long," she said, disappearing into the kitchen.
SCENE 12: LOGAN'S, LATER
Max was curled up on the couch, holding the mug of hot chocolate in both hands, when Logan wheeled himself out of the computer room. He'd done an Eyes Only on Austin and hacked into the city gas and electric company's computer system, leaving an order to turn the citywide heat pump systems back on.
Logan looked at her. She was wearing a pair of track pants she'd left there a while ago and one of his sweatshirts. Her wet hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She looked so innocent sitting there, not at all like a genetically engineered killing machine should.
Gotta stop calling her that, he chided himself. She's human, and female.
He put on the stereo and then went over to her. "Warmer?" he asked.
"Yeah, this stuff's great," she said indicating the hot chocolate, "You're going to spoil me with it."
"That was the idea," he replied. That was lame, Cale. Max seemed not to notice the line's cheesiness. She was too busy sipping from the mug. Logan noticed how her lips gently touched the mg each time she took a sip.
Max looked up and caught him staring at her. "What?" she asked.
"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking. Listen, I think Austin's taken care of. I did an Eyes Only hack on him, plus I got into the computer systems that control the city's heat supply. They should turn back on soon," he said, covering up what was really on his mind, "And I'll get Kendra something, since she lost a paying job on this."
"Ok, but don't worry about Kendra. It's my fault, I'll pay her back," Max said to him, but to herself she said, So it's still business as normal. That's all I am to him.
"Max," Logan said, "I'm the one that told you about the whole pipeline thing, so I'll take care of Kendra." And you, he added silently.
"I can take care of things myself, Logan, I don't need you stepping up to the plate all the time," she snapped, "I did just fine before you showed." Ouch, did that come out like that? I didn't mean it that way, Max thought.
Logan was hurt. She doesn't need me, and she's pushing me away. He put on a front of nonchalance. "Fine, if you say so."
Max detected the hurt in his voice, despite his attempts to mask it. He's shutting me out now. He's refusing to let me see how he really feels. "Logan," she began.
"It's okay, Max, you don't have to apologize. I'm gonna go get some of that hot chocolate before you drink it all." He wheeled off into the kitchen.
SCENE 13: LOGAN'S
Max felt cold air upon her back. She got up and checked the windows. All closed. She checked the doors, but they were closed as well. She found Logan in the kitchen, drinking his hot chocolate.
"Max, I told you, you don't have to apologize," he said.
"Logan, have you noticed its been getting colder? Did you adjust the thermostat?"
"No," Logan scratched his chin, "The heat supply must be running low, and the pipelines are still shut down," he said looking up at her.
"Great," Max sighed, "I come in from the cold only to freeze."
"Go get a couple blankets and the heating pad from the linen closet," Logan told her, "I'll make more hot chocolate and join you on the couch."
"Hurry up," Max told him, "It's freezing and even my superhuman body can't take it for too long."
SCENE 14: LOGAN'S
Max was snuggled in a nest of blankets on the couch when Logan came, bearing two thermoses of hot chocolate. He laughed when he saw her, a small face peaking out of a mound of blankets.
"You look like a kid playing 'fort' or 'peak-a-boo'," he told her.
"I'm cold," she retorted, "Come join me, the fort's nice and warm.
Logan grinned and put the thermoses down within easy reach. Lifting himself carefully with his arms, he placed his body on the couch next to Max's. She lifted an arm and enveloped him in blankets.
"You're right, this is warm," he said grinning at her, "Toasty."
Max snuggled closer and Logan wrapped his arms around her. Even with the extra heat created by the blankets, he could feel heat coming from her and flowing into him through their clothing, which was starting to feel flimsy. Logan just hopped that it didn't get so cold that they had resort to skin-to-skin contact.
On second thought, he did. But then he reminded himself of the consequences.
Max, however, didn't care. She leaned back, putting her head on his chest. She could hear his heart racing in his chest, matching her own hyperbeat. To hell with the consequences, she thought.
Max turned to Logan and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling herself closer. She slipped one arm around his neck, running her hand through his hair. She leaned in to kiss him, and that's when she felt it.
The cold, uncontrollable shaking of a seizure. Flashes of Manticore marched through her head. Feeling sick, Max pushed off the couch.
"I'll be back," she said heading for the bathroom. Once there, she popped the last of the Tryptophan she had on her into her mouth. After splashing her heated face with cold water, she slumped down to the floor and curled into a fetal position. This was a bad one.
Logan waited on the couch for Max to return. He knew she'd gone to the bathroom to take some Tryptophan, and he was worried. After a while, he lifted himself off the couch and went to the bathroom. He knocked on the door.
"Max?" There was no response. "Max, are you okay?" he asked, feeling his anxiety increase.
Hearing no response, Logan opened the door. Max was on the floor, curled into a ball. Her teeth were chattering and her lips were blue. With a lot of difficulty, Logan pulled Max on to his lap. Backing out of the bathroom, he headed for his room, to put her into a nice, warm, soft bed.
SCENE 15: LOGAN'S
Logan tucked Max into his bed, bringing all the blankets and the hot pad from the living room. She was still shivering, so he got his hat and mittens and put them on her. Thinking of other ways to keep her warm, he pulled out his heaviest pair of socks and put them on her feet, then wrapped her in his bathrobe. She looked like a little snow girl.
Snow angel is more like it, he thought. Damn, this is all my fault. I sent her out on the runs in the cold with out proper clothing. I should have insisted that she wear a heavy coat. An on a night when she's not feeling well, too.
"Soo ccc-cc-cold," Max chattered, "Jonddd-d-ie, ww-ww-ww-wwwait."
Logan looked at her. Max was still shivering and her forehead was cool to the touch. She was hallucinating. The only other way Logan could warm her was to climb in with her. Carefully he lifted his body out of the chair and lowered himself into bed. He laid his body alongside hers and wrapped her in his arms.
God, Max, don't let me lose you, I've been frozen for too long.
SCENE 16: LOGAN'S
Max felt so cold and she couldn't control her shaking. This seizure was definitely the worst she'd ever experienced. Visions of Manticore and the escape marched through her brain, varying her degrees of consciousness. She was only slightly aware that she was in Logan's bed. At any other time, this would have been a problem.
Suddenly Max wasn't in Logan's room anymore. She was ten years younger again, and escaping from Manticore once more.
They jumped through the glass, landing on the soft snow. They rolled and got up running. The soldiers and guards were after them. The cold air bit threw Max's thin hospital gown. She got separated form the group, but then found them again.
Sitting there, watching Zack's hand signals, Max felt the frozen snow beneath her legs start to numb them. She rubbed them to keep them from falling asleep. Now she was running, the frosty snow beneath her bare feet.
She slipped through the ice, and fell into the frozen, icy water below. Never had she been this cold. She could hear Jondie calling to her, but her lips were frozen together it seemed. Jondie started to leave.
"Soo ccc-cc-cold," Max cried out, "Jonddd-d-ie, ww-ww-ww-wwwait."
Something warm was wrapping itself around her. She snuggled into it, feeling her shaking start to calm. She wanted to stay in this warm place forever.
There was a distant crash, once that barely registered, and a far off voice saying, "Max, I'll be right back." Then the warmth left her and she was cold again.
SCENE 17: LOGAN'S
Hearing a crash in the living room, Logan carefully lifted himself into his wheel chair. He hated to leave Max, but she had calmed down and seemed warmer to the touch. He hoped that it wasn't anything and that he could return to her quickly.
"Max, I'll be right back," he told her in case she could hear him and knew he was leaving. She seemed to pout and snuggled into the place where he had just been. If he hadn't gotten up, Logan realized, Max would be lying on him.
Pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind, Logan got his gun from its hiding place and went to investigate. He cautiously wheeled into the living room and saw what had fallen and made the crashing noise.
It was the window, and it had crashed when several assailants sent by Austin had busted through it. Two of them were in his computer room, searching for the disk Max had taken. Logan was glad he'd hid it in Max's bag.
Logan aimed his gun at them. "Gentlemen, can we talk?" he said, "By breaking through the window, you've alerted building security, and my guess is that they'll be here in a few moments. So, why don't you just let yourselves out?"
Two of them advanced on Logan. He hesitated, not wanting to actually use the gun, and they disarmed him. One of them flexed his hands and the balled them into fists. "Where is the disk?" he demanded.
"Hey! Didn't anyone ever tell you to pock on someone your own size?" a voice called.
Logan and his attackers turned and looked at the figure in the doorway. It was Max. She was pale and shaky, obviously not fully recovered. Logan tried to get her attention and tell her to go back to bed, but she wouldn't look at him.
Max, on slightly unsteady feet, grabbed the assailant nearest to her, and, with some effort, she twisted his arm back and swept his feet out from under him. Having disabled him, she moved on the other three. One still had Logan's gun, and was now unsure who to aim it at.
Max seemed to be getting stronger by the minute, recovering from her seizure. Logan, intent on keeping her from getting hurt, used the distraction to roll the wheels of his chair over the foot of an intruder. The man cried out in pain and grabbed his foot. Logan reached out and punched him, knocking him out.
Max, meanwhile had gotten the other two to run at her, which of course had ended in them crashing into each other. Max delivered swift chops to the backs of both of their necks, knocking them out. She took Logan's gun from one of them and promptly handed it back to him.
"Another window broken," she commented.
"Max," Logan began, "Are you okay?"
"Better, but not great," she told him.
"Go back to bed and rest for a while," he ordered.
"Yes sir," Max said in a playful tone, "If you come join me later. We need to talk."
"First I have to make a phone call," Logan told her, "but then I'll be sure to join you."
Max smiled, gave him a salute, and head back to his room. Logan reached for the phone to call Det. Sung about removing the intruders.
SCENE 18: LOGAN'S ROOM
Max was curled up in bed when Logan returned from sending the baddies off with Matt, who had also promised to round up Austin. Logan handed over all the evidence he had, after making back up disks just in case.
She appeared to be asleep, but he knew better. "Max?"
Her eyes opened and fixed on him. "Hey."
He tried to grab the blanket, but she pulled it out of his reach. "Not until we talk."
She was rewarded with a puppy dog face, "Please?"
Max shook her head. "We need to talk, Logan."
"I know. Go ahead and say what you want to."
"Am I just a genetically engineered weapon to you?" Before he could answer she continued, "Because it's hard to tell. You've done a lot for me, but the ticket's always punched by 'I wouldn't want my genetically enhanced killing machine to . . .' or some other such line."
Logan sat there stunned.
"Maybe in the beginning. But not now . . . now you're," he swallowed, "well, you're Max."
"Max? Just Max? Logan, you need to elaborate on that."
"Ok, then I want you to elaborate on something, too. Am I just your meal ticket?"
"What ever makes you say that?"
Damn, she was being coy. "Max, you don't let people in too far do you?"
"And you'd rather help then be the helped," she replied.
They both stared at each other, realizing what had been said.
"Max, I'll admit, I don't like to dump my problems on other people," Logan said at the same time Max said, "I've been told I'm a fog bank."
Again they just looked at each other.
"Just tell me," Max said, "are you still pissed at Bruno?"
"Yes. In a way. Who said you were a fog bank?"
"Ex-boyfriend. He didn't know me the way you know me."
"Is that a good thing?" Logan asked quietly, but it held weight.
"Yes." She reached out with the blanket, "Come here."
Logan obeyed.
Author's Note: This is not the end. I know snow is RARE in Seattle. And the stick/tree comments were about the stick up Normal's butt.
:-) Angela