Hey, guys, here's some more!!! I'm sorry for not uploading over the weekend, but the site was having some problems. It seems to be having them still today, so I don't know if this will get up today, which is Monday, or tomorrow, Tuesday. Anyway, I want to thank Rena and Beth for proofreading, and all you wonderful people who have been reviewing and begging for more! I appreciate it; you guys are the best! Ok, so Max is awake – what will happen now?????
Confessions, chapter 5
"Hey," she said softly, a tired smile lighting her face.
"Hey yourself," Logan replied, his brain struggling to process the fact that she was really awake. "How do you feel?"
"Like I've been doing live ordinance drills for two days straight," Max shrugged; Logan grinned to see her old cocky attitude coming back. "Not too bad, actually. How long have I been out?"
Logan checked the clock, and was surprised to find out it was late in the afternoon. "Almost 3 days; you had a pretty high fever. We were all worried about you." Seeing the confused look on Max's face, he explained. "Kendra, Original Cindy, and Bling; they helped me find you, and they've been over here every minute they could be. In fact, Cindy was by just this morning. They should all be back in a little bit for dinner; feel up to joining us?"
"Sure; I'm starving!" Max agreed. "I think I need a bath first, though; I feel so gross." She paused, and grinned impishly at him. "Care to transport me to the bathroom?"
Logan had to suppress a smile, although not due to the thoughts Max had tried to provoke. //Now's the perfect time,// he thought to himself. "Sure," he said aloud. Pulling back the covers, he gathered Max into his arms and stood.
"Logan!" Max gasped as she was lifted into the air. "You're standing? But – how? What happened?"
Logan grinned as he carried her into the bathroom. "That's where I was all week – undergoing an experimental surgery in New York. Surprised?"
"Totally!" Max admitted. In the bathroom, Logan set her down on the toilet and turned to begin drawing the bath. After several moments of silence, he turned back to find Max biting her lip and looking down.
"What is it?" he asked quietly.
"Logan – about this past week . . ." Max looked up, and Logan was surprised to see uncertainty in her eyes.
"I know you've been having some problems," he told her gently. "I figured I'd let you tell me about them when you were ready."
"Will we have time to talk before the others get here?" Max asked.
"Yeah; they're not coming for another hour or so," Logan told her. "It's only 6:00, and dinner's not until 8. So come on out after your bath, and we'll talk while I make dinner, ok?"
"Ok," Max agreed with a smile. Once the bath was ready, Logan withdrew to the kitchen and began assembling ingredients.
When Max arrived in the kitchen, she was wearing the same red robe she'd worn after Ben died. Logan forced down his memories of that night, of the pictures Lydecker had sent him that seeing the robe invoked, and waited for her to speak.
"I remember the last time I wore this," Max said softly, plucking at the robe's sleeves. "Do you?" At Logan's nod, she went on. "Do you remember what I told you? About what happened with Ben?"
"You said you fought, and that he was killed by a sniper from one of Lydecker's helicopters," Logan replied.
"Some of that was true," Max confessed. "We did fight – I broke his leg. That's when we heard the helicopters." Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued. "Ben begged me not to let them take him; he was afraid that they would put him in the basement with the 'Nomlies. I couldn't carry him, and he knew it."
"He wanted you to kill him?" Logan guessed. His heart broke to see the answering pain on Max's face.
"It was the only thing I could do," she whispered. "I couldn't let them take him."
Logan abandoned the vegetables he was chopping and moved over to where she was sitting. "Why didn't you tell me this to begin with?" he asked, sitting down next to her.
Max didn't meet his eyes. "I couldn't," she whispered. "To admit that I'm just a cold-blooded killer, a monster who kills her own brother? I couldn't bear to admit that to you; your opinion means so much to me."
She was holding something back; Logan could see it. "What else is there, Max?" he asked. When she didn't answer, he took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him. "Max, please tell me," he begged. "I love you; won't you let me share your pain? We can get through it together."
Max's eyes shot up to meet his, and they sat in silence for a moment, both of them shocked by Logan's admission.
"You – love me?" Max asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Logan didn't trust himself to speak, so he nodded. A look of wonder came over Max's face as she continued. "Logan – I love you too. That's the main reason why I didn't tell you about this before; I was afraid you wouldn't love me if you knew the truth."
"Oh, Max," Logan whispered, cupping her face in his hands. "I will always love you. I know who you are; there is nothing you could ever do to change my feelings for you." Gently, he kissed the tears that were falling down her face; then, ever so softly, he kissed her lips. This kiss was far from the one they had shared before, when they feared being separated forever. That kiss had been full of all their suppressed passion and longing; this one held only the promise of undying love.
Ok, am I totally evil now for stopping here? I know there are people who have told me in previous reviews that I am evil (in a good way, of course) but I want to see how many of you agree. I'll post more soon, hopefully ff.net will be working properly and will allow me to! As always, please read and review!!!!!