{Logan's apartment}
"Logan" Max called out, entering his apartment
"Hey Max, you're back early" he started, then looked up at her face "What's wrong?" he asked concerned
"A bunch of stuff."
"If anyone's giving you trouble..."
"Max smiled at that and said, "No, it's ok. I think I am going to lie down for a little bit..." started towards the guest bedroom, Logan stopped her.
"The guest room is otherwise occupied by Mr. Kelly. You can use mine..."
((I wonder what's up? It's not the seizure...I'll ask her when she gets up.))
After Max had slept through lunch, Logan began to get worried. Opening the bedroom door softly, he found Max curled up on his bed, tossing and turning, her face flushed and the surrounding sheets damp with sweat. Logan quickly wheeled over and felt her forehead. "Max, you're burning up!".
Gathering up a thermometer, wet cloth and some Tylenol, he returned to her side. Handing her the thermometer, she obediently stuck it in her mouth, protesting with a muffled "I'm fine, really"
When it beeped, Logan took one look at the temperature and his fears were no longer un-founded. "104.2" he whispered, holding out the Tylenol immediately for her to take.
"Do you know what's wrong? Have you ever had anything like this before?"
"Never. The only times I have ever felt this bad are when I have a seizure...or when..."((just say it, it's Logan you're talking to...))
"What?"
"When I'm in heat..."((was that so hard?))
"Are you?" ((why it is so hard to think of her that way?)) In heat?"
"Could be. About the right time. But this feels different..." ((it's not, it's something else. Other wise I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off him...)) All of a sudden Max let out a groan of pain and grabbed at the back of her neck.
"What? What is it?"
"I....don't know..."
"The implant?"
"No...it's in a different spot."
Carefully pulling her hair aside, Logan found a small mark on her neck...about the size of a needle prick. "I think we should get you to Sebastion"
Nodding weakly, Max tried to stand up, but stumbled.
"Can you make it to the elevator?" he asked
"Yeah, I told you, I'm fine." Max said, frowning slightly. She walked slowly out of the room, with Logan following closely behind in case she fell. Making it to the door of the apartment, she paused, taking a deep shaky breath. ((deal with it Max, you've endured a helluva lot more then this)) Stumbling into the elevator she collapsed.
{Sebastian's}
After many tests they still hadn't found the cause of the illness. They had the entry point, but no idea as to what had entered.
"We should take a few more tests" Sebastian told Max "I have an idea as to what it may be."
Totally unlike herself, Max didn't argue. Instead she lay back on the table and closed her eyes.
*flash*
Max stood at attention. Suddenly Lydecker pulled forth a bound and gagged Logan. Rushing forwards to help him, Max was roughly pushed back in line. Two of Lydecker's goons stepped forward to hold Logan, as Lydecker drew a gun. "It's all phony sentimentality Max" he told her, raising the gun higher.
"No!!!" Max screamed as the gun shot reverberated in the small room
*end flash*
Jerking upright, Max looked around wildly. Spotting Logan, she focused her gaze on him as the doctor gently pushed her back down. Max sighed with relief ((it was just a dream...)) Still keeping sight of Logan, Max felt the doctor draw more blood. Then, drifting into an uneasy sleep, she began to dream....
Logan and Sebastian were alerted by the doctor of Max's mumbling and thrashing about. Immediately, Logan went to her side, trying to calm her down. Still seeming to
dream, Max began to roll around, tossing her head from side to side, as if to rid her mind of the images.
"Logan...don't...you can't kill him!! Don't leave me Logan...NO!!!!"
Shaking her gently, Logan called her name, "Max, it's ok, it's only a dream, wake up."
Her eyes snapped open, and seeing Logan sitting on the table beside her, alive and well, she sat up and enveloped him in a hug.
Surprised, and wondering what the dream was about, he thought ((I wonder what it is now..?))
((I won't ever let those dreams come true, I couldn't, not ever)) Max thought as she squeezed Logan to her ever tighter, then backed away as Sebastian entered.
"I have some good news, and some bad news." he told them
"Good stuff first" Max said, scooting closer to Logan
"I have isolated the disease and identified it as a new stain of influenza."
"Now the bad news" Logan said, as Max reached for his hand. Almost worried at how she was acting, Logan took it, looking at her questioningly. Max smiled back weakly.
"The bad news is, it was developed by Manticore. It travels throughout the body five times as fast, and is five times as strong, it only affects members of the X-5 group."
Max let her hand drop from Logan's, as her brows creased. "What's the cure?" she asked
"I'm afraid there is no known cure. The only people who might know, would be at Manticore." Sebastian said slowly.
Turning her back on everyone, Max said "I need some time to think"
"Of course" Sebastian said, as he left the room
"Max" Logan began, but was stopped by a raised hand from Max
"I need some time to think. Alone." she repeated as she got up from the table and ran out of the building. Sebastian came back and spoke to Logan.
"She should not have left. We need to control this illness as much as possible. Without the correct medication, who knows what could happen to her."
Logan quietly took in this information, too shocked by all the happenings to say much.
"You should go find her Logan. She will listen to you." he told him, as gently as the computer would allow.
Nodding silently, Logan slowly wheeled away.
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