FAMILY (4.2/?)
Disclaimer: I don't own any characters 'cept Logan's family... so ask me if you want to use them in a story. The rest of the characters belong to James Cameron and Charles Eglee and the writers at FOX
Please feel free to leave reviews. I would love to read your thoughts.
Just wanted to warn you all that I write horrible dialogue for Cindy, so please excuse it. Thanks.
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By the time I got to the Crash bar, it was already fairly late. As I entered, I looked for Max. Bling had told me that she usually hangs here. I found her sitting in the corner with a bunch of what looked like friends. There were no signs of Zack which I was glad of. I decided to first make a trip to the bar. I picked up two beers and headed to Max's table. Max's back was to me so she didn't see me coming but the two other girls did.
How about a peace offering? I asked as Max turned around. She tried to act nonchalant but I could tell she was kind of shocked that I was there.
For what? She said coldly.
For me not catching up with you this morning.
I have no idea what you're talking about.
Yes, you do. Here's a beer.
I already have one.
Okay, would anyone else here like a beer.
Over here. One of the girl's chimed in. The name's Original Cindy and you are?
Anna Vargas.
Not like the Vargas? One of the guy's asked.
And you are?
Nice name, Sketchy. And if you mean Peter Vargas. Yes, that's my husband's family.
Wait the Vargas family, that headed the La Brea uprising. The blond girl added.
Aren't you all gangsters? Sketchy politely questioned.
Not really. That's just the media would have you think. In reality, the family just tries to do what's right by the people and protect them from the government.
Wait, wait, wait. Ain't the Vargas family from LA? Cindy finally caught up.
So why are you here, apologizing to our boo?
I'm visiting a friend and Max walked on in on something that was entirely innocent but it didn't look that way.
What did she walk in on?
I was in the same bed as our mutual friend.
Your a friend of wheels?
I waiting for her to nod her head.
And you were in his bed, with him. Kendra added, clearing it up for the entire table. The guys had been hopelessly lost this whole time.
That's correct. And that is why I am apologizing. Max was not amused by her friend's interest.
No wonder you've been a bad mood today. Cindy said as she looked directly at Max. I think that I like this girl. Here sit. By the way this is Kendra and that's Herbal.
I sat in between Kendra and Sketchy. Max was not happy. And as I was saying it all was entirely innocent. Logan and I were talking late and we both just fell asleep.
Max replied.
No. I just wanted to clear it up with you because I have a habit of getting Logan in trouble because of that. Val once walked in on us, and let's just that she was not too understanding. And every time....
Who's Val? Cindy asked.
His wife.
Wait, Logan has a wife? Kendra broke in.
Max answered. I smiled at her. So Val walked in on you too.
Yeah and I remember the tongue lashing Logan got for it. I was sixteen and I had absolutely no idea what was wrong. After that Val always hated me, although Logan to this day denies it.
So wait, when did you and Logan meet? Now I had gotten Max curious, good.
When I was thirteen.
Now you are going to have to explain. Cindy chimed in. It turns out that the whole table was interested in my relationship with Logan.
I was thirteen and had been kicked from one foster home to the next. I had been on my own for about six or seven months barely surviving by pick pocketing. I saw this guy go into a sandwich store and he didn't match up, you know. His clothes looked grungy and all but he was clean shaven and his shoes were new. So I knew that he was little rich boy trying to act poor. So I followed him and stood behind him in line and started to go for the wallet. When he puts his hand on his back pocket and turns around and smiles. Now I don't now how well you all know Logan, but I am sure Max knows that Logan has this one smile he uses when he knows he's caught you and it makes your spine tingle. Anyway, I am sure that I am in for it, but instead he asks if I would like some coffee. He proceeds to treat me to not only coffee but a full meal, including desert. He then gets up and introduces himself, pays and says that he had lovely lunch and appreciated my company. Now mind you, I had just tried to rip this guy off and he was exchanging pleasantries. So I follow because he had me totally baffled. I mean what guy pays for a girl's lunch and then wants nothing in return. I turn to Cindy who laughs and mumbles something.
So I followed him the whole day, until he got to his apartment. I wait fifteen minutes and then knock on the door. Logan answers it with that same smile. He knew that I had been following him. He opens the door and invites me in. He asks if I want to crash here tonight. And I knew that something was up, he was going to turn out to be some kinky guy who gets off on thirteen year olds. So I am all about to bolt when he comes out from his bedroom with a couple pillows and some blankets. He then proceeds to make me a bed on the couch. He tells me to make myself at home and so I did. And I crashed at his place for about five years.
So that's how you know Logan? Max asked.
Yeah, and he's the only person besides Sol that I have ever trusted or would trust. He's all good, you know that.
So wait, why do you sleep with him? Kendra asked.
After a couple of weeks there, I started having these really violent nightmares and Logan would come and wake me up. Next thing I know I am sleeping in his bed every night and the nightmares stop coming. I didn't have a lot of physical contact when I was little and Sol thinks that I making up for it. I can't sleep anymore unless somebody is with me and I can concentrate on their body and not mine.
Tell me about Val.
See, I told you that there was some benefits of having me here. I smiled. Val. He met her when I was sixteen and they dated for like two months before getting engaged and they were married three months later.
How long?
Two years. Their breakup was not pretty, as I am sure you know.
Kind of.
Val was a leach. She saw him as an opportunity. Although you are hearing it from my perspective, she stole my boy and I was not about to like her. But there was something about her that was just wrong. But boy was in total googly eye love with her and I am the last one who would ever deny him happiness. He deserves it more than anyone else in the world. So when they got married I smiled and he moved out, leaving Sol and me. I saw him less and less. Val really didn't like me. She started using a lot and would come home at all hours of the night. She managed to hide it pretty well from him. But then she got pregnant and lost the baby due to her habit. Can you imaging finding out that your baby was dead and it was due to your wife's drug habit all in one night? It shattered him. He really loved her and he was so excited about the baby. He stayed with her for another couple of months, but she just got worse and finally somebody had to do something. So Sol and I convinced Logan to file for divorce. And that like everything else in their relationship was not pretty. I didn't think a person could be that greedy.
No wonder, he was so weird when she was around.
Yeah, I heard from Bling about it.
You talk to Bling a lot?
Wait whose Bling? Herbal asked.
Logan's trainer and a friend. And yeah, I do. I am actually the one who hired him. He was a friend, of a friend, sort of. Anyway we talk about twice a week. He tells me everything that Logan leaves out.
You mean like everything.
Yes, everything. Emphasizing the word and MAx understood.
He's obsessive, right.
The one thing Logan Cale is, is definitely obsessive.
You and I should talk some time in private.
It's a date, but don't tell Logan he was already worried enough at me coming here tonight. My phone rang. (Did I mention Logan's timing? I did right?) Hey... No I'm here... Yes she's here... A little bit of one, but I could take her... No... Yes... Maybe... I hold my hand over the phone and whisper to Max. you got his page right? She nodded. Yep, she got it... Well I hate to tell you Logan, but I think your girl here has a life... I don't know... No... Yes... Maybe... No!... Later... Okay... Goodnight... No, she didn't ask about you. In fact this is the first that your name has come up... Yes. .. Hey you know what maybe I should bring Max home... okay... fine... no trouble from me... Goodnight dad. I rolled my eyes the entire conversation. See you really have no reason to worry. Logan takes on the father role in my life. Max smiles at me.
So wait I have a question for you, how much money does he have? Cindy asked.
How much?
Do you want the exact digits? I smile. He has more than he needs or wants.
So how did he get so rich?
His parents.
Cindy continued.
Do you give up?
His mother's family owned a huge publishing firm and when she married his dad, he took over. Logan's dad turned it into a major media empire. Like the Ted Turner or Murdoch of the twentieth century. All of the money was saved during the pulse because ironically Logan's dad hated computers and didn't trust them. So all of their money was kept liquid, only a little bit was in the stocks. So the amount that was lost was miniscule compared to the actual physical amount that was in tact.
Tell me about them, Max asked.
His family?
Let see, what do you probably not know? He had a little sister. Hannah, she was a little older than me and according to Logan she adored him and the feeling was mutual. Logan went away to college in the East and the family stayed out here. Logan's parents were perfect. They never thought of their money always gave to others. Logan's dad was a bit obsessive, see the connection, with the business but that's to be expected. His mom was beautiful, you should ask to see a picture, she looks like him. Anyway, she was amazing. Now all of this stuff is hearsay. But I can imagine that if they raised Logan, they probably were fairly terrific. Their marriage was perfect, they never fought and adored each other. Anyway, Logan's dad was an adventurer. He loved to do crazy stuff like bungee jump or scale mountains. One summer, they all went to Australia to go swim with the sharks. That was one of his dad's most eccentric traits. He had been planning to make an expedition to Antarctica after Logan graduated. Anyway in the meantime for his current thrill, he had been learning how to fly planes. And for Logan's graduation, his dad was going to fly the whole family there and back himself. On the way back, something went wrong and the plane crashed. Luckily, they had plotted their course, so when the towers lost them they had a pretty good idea about where they were. The rescuers got there hours later and the only own who was still alive was Logan. His legs and ribs were broken, so he couldn't move. He had been conscious during the crash, but sometime later lost consciousness. He told me that the last thing he remembers was his sister crying with blood coming down her face. He tried to calm her down, but he couldn't do anything. Nobody knows what happened still to cause the crash.
The table was quiet.
That's why he's afraid of heights. Max added minutes later.
Among other things. That's why this whole paralysis thing is so hard. He survived all of that and then this was just one more blow that he didn't deserve.
When did they die?
A month before the pulse. I smiled at Max, who I could see was going through the sequences in her mind. You know what all. I have loved chatting with you and I would love to stay, but Pops will get worried. So I am going to jet.
Can I come with you? I mean he paged me.
Sure, but what about your bike.
Kendra can you take it home?
Okay, then let's be off. It was nice meeting you all. I am sure that I will see you again.
Max and I didn't talk the rest of the way back to Logan's place. As we parked the car, I decided that the silence was a little too annoying and so I broke it.
You should have known Logan before the accident.
Was he much different?
He wasn't very different, just his vibe was different. He was more confident, more hopeful and a lot more fun. Like the old Logan wouldn't have thought twice about coming out with me tonight. But now he prefers to stay in that apartment. And while I understand that there are a lot of practical reasons for him to stay, I think that it has more to do with...
Yeah, pride.
You know that he can stand, right?
Yeah, he showed me that trick today.
Did he have that goofy grin on his face?
Kind of.
He was so happy and proud of himself. I don't think I ever seen him be so happy.
Question for you?
So why aren't you hooking up with my boy yet?
Come on, we both know you like him. So why haven't you made a move? I ask as we enter the elevator and I slide the key to the penthouse through the slot.
Okay, so since you are uncomfortable with talking about it. I will give you the upfront and honest advice. He likes you ... a lot. Before, you would have already succumbed. But now, he is passive and you have got to take the lead if you want it to go anywhere. And take it from one girl, who like you has bounced from one place to another -- you need roots and the best roots are a man's. No matter how tough you are or think you are, there is nothing safer than running to the arms of a big broad shoulders that envelop you. So there you can go, upfront and honest.
Very upfront and honest. Max laughed as we walked into the apartment. Her face was all red.
Took you long enough. Logan yelled from his office.
Are you waiting up? I yelled back.
Max followed me around. I poked my head in the office door. I'm tired and going to bed. Besides you have a visitor. I then turned and whispered to Max
.....( I am changing persons because, well you know...).....
Hey. You paged. Max slinked in.
Yeah and you didn't answer. Logan was obviously a little miffed.
Sorry, a little misunderstanding. But I'm good now.
Anna, clear everything up?
Yeah. I like her. Logan smiled at that statement.
Good. I thought you would.
So why did you page me? Max asked as she sat in front of him on his desk.
I thought you might like dinner.
See, you were going to have me interrupt my night for that. Have you ever thought of just asking?
Than you wouldn't have come.
Damn straight. So I'm here, what's up? Max smiled at him.
Nothing much. So did you two have a good talk?
Um, what did you talk about? Logan was slightly embarrassed about asking this, but his curiosity was getting the better of him.
Max answered straight.
Why does that seem to be a pattern with her?
Talking about you.
Because, she cares about you. Logan just smiled at this statement. Logan can I ask a personal question or rather can I ask a personal favor of you?
Logan wasn't quite sure if he liked where she was going with this.
Can I see a picture of your mother? Max bite her lip as she asked this.
Logan closed his eyes for a moment.
Never mind... I mean if you ... you don't have to ... it was too personal ... sorry. Max was kicking herself. She knew it was too personal, she knew he would clam up.
Don't be sorry, Max. Logan waited a moment then gave her his answer. Its not you, its me. I don't like to talk about it much. I mean, its hard for me. I only really talked to Anna about it. But even then. Wait here. Logan rolled off and came back with an album. Let's sit on the couch. Max followed.....