A/N: Thanks to Alejux for all his patience in helping me figure out how all this crap works, I think I would have done something drastic in about two minutes if i hadnt (finally) figured it out.
Logan's Apartment
About 8:00 PM
Max finished picking the lock to Logan's front door. She was in a rare mood, happy with everything and everyone. It had been a wonderful day; even Normal seemed to be in a good mood. If memory served, Max thought as she heard the lock click, the Nazi didn't 'bip' once. As the door swung open, Max's smile widened. 'I don't know why Logan even bothers.' She stepped inside and slammed it behind her. "Logan?" She called out. Hearing his voice from the kitchen, she headed that way, practically dancing into the room, file clutched in her hand. When Max got close to the door, she stopped and her smile widened. Logan was genuinely laughing, a sound that was all too rare lately. It was sarcastic or ironic, but it was a genuine laugh. Max slowly approached the door to see what was so funny. Max studied the scene with mild curiosity, but wasn't really concerned with the catalyst, more with the results. She studied the two men in the room for a long moment, as the story was complete.
Logan was leaning against the counter, a wine glass at his elbow, a smile brightening his face. Across from him, sitting on the opposite counter was a man that Max hadn't met before, but obviously knew Logan well. He had rich, dark red hair and appeared quite tall, even sitting.
"…So the chick turns to me and says 'who the hell are you talking about? I am Gloria Williams, not Sophia!'" This sent Logan on another peal of laughter.
"You're kidding! You picked up the wrong person?"
"Well you might find this funny, but my publisher didn't, not in the very least."
Finally sick of observing and not participating, Max reached up and tapped the doorframe with the edge of the file she still held. "Knock, knock" She said in a singsong voice. Both men turned to look at her, each with their own reaction.
Logan was struck with the basic longing her felt whenever he saw Max, but as always chose to ignore.
Ben wondered whom this dark haired goddess, wearing an outfit that just screamed breaking-and-entering.
Logan spoke first, while Ben continued to stare, not bothering to disguise it. "Oh hey, Max."
'So the goddess has a name. Well this could turn out to be an interesting couple of days. ' Ben thought.
"Hello to all." Max said cheerily. Logan raised one eyebrow at Max's rare good mood. "Max, this is Ben Gallagher, my best friend from college. Ben, this is Max Guevara, a…friend of mine." Ben was the only one, who noticed the slight hesitation, as it was very slight, but working with the people that Ben had put up with, you catch these things. Max stepped into the room and offered a hand. "Nice to meet you Ben."
Ben accepted the hand a replied with a murmured, "Yes, very nice."
Max then turned to Logan and gestured vaguely with the file. "I got the information you asked me to pick up. I'll just put this in your office. I want to show you a few things, so bring me a drink and join me."
With that she turned and left the room, heading to Logan's office, practically skipping. "Well Cale, were you holding out on me?"
"What?" Logan asked as he snagged a wine glass from a cupboard.
"Max, the girlfriend?"
"Max is * not * my girlfriend." Logan said deliberately as he poured the chilled wine into the glass. "Hmmm. Well, I'm here for a couple of days, maybe I'll…take a poke at her." Ben said this, purely intending on testing Logan's reaction. 'If my hunch is correct…'
Logan resisted the urge to fling the wine bottle at Ben's head. As great of a friend as Ben was, he seriously wanted to beat the hell out of him sometimes. "There will be NO poking, thank you very much. I'll be right back." Logan turned at stalked out of the room, Max's glass of wine in one hand, the other hand clenched in a tight fist.
Ben stared after him, laughter in his eyes. 'Yep.' He thought smugly. 'Logan's whipped.'
Logan's Apartment
About 8:00 PM
Max finished picking the lock to Logan's front door. She was in a rare mood, happy with everything and everyone. It had been a wonderful day; even Normal seemed to be in a good mood. If memory served, Max thought as she heard the lock click, the Nazi didn't 'bip' once. As the door swung open, Max's smile widened. 'I don't know why Logan even bothers.' She stepped inside and slammed it behind her. "Logan?" She called out. Hearing his voice from the kitchen, she headed that way, practically dancing into the room, file clutched in her hand. When Max got close to the door, she stopped and her smile widened. Logan was genuinely laughing, a sound that was all too rare lately. It was sarcastic or ironic, but it was a genuine laugh. Max slowly approached the door to see what was so funny. Max studied the scene with mild curiosity, but wasn't really concerned with the catalyst, more with the results. She studied the two men in the room for a long moment, as the story was complete.
Logan was leaning against the counter, a wine glass at his elbow, a smile brightening his face. Across from him, sitting on the opposite counter was a man that Max hadn't met before, but obviously knew Logan well. He had rich, dark red hair and appeared quite tall, even sitting.
"…So the chick turns to me and says 'who the hell are you talking about? I am Gloria Williams, not Sophia!'" This sent Logan on another peal of laughter.
"You're kidding! You picked up the wrong person?"
"Well you might find this funny, but my publisher didn't, not in the very least."
Finally sick of observing and not participating, Max reached up and tapped the doorframe with the edge of the file she still held. "Knock, knock" She said in a singsong voice. Both men turned to look at her, each with their own reaction.
Logan was struck with the basic longing her felt whenever he saw Max, but as always chose to ignore.
Ben wondered whom this dark haired goddess, wearing an outfit that just screamed breaking-and-entering.
Logan spoke first, while Ben continued to stare, not bothering to disguise it. "Oh hey, Max."
'So the goddess has a name. Well this could turn out to be an interesting couple of days. ' Ben thought.
"Hello to all." Max said cheerily. Logan raised one eyebrow at Max's rare good mood. "Max, this is Ben Gallagher, my best friend from college. Ben, this is Max Guevara, a…friend of mine." Ben was the only one, who noticed the slight hesitation, as it was very slight, but working with the people that Ben had put up with, you catch these things. Max stepped into the room and offered a hand. "Nice to meet you Ben."
Ben accepted the hand a replied with a murmured, "Yes, very nice."
Max then turned to Logan and gestured vaguely with the file. "I got the information you asked me to pick up. I'll just put this in your office. I want to show you a few things, so bring me a drink and join me."
With that she turned and left the room, heading to Logan's office, practically skipping. "Well Cale, were you holding out on me?"
"What?" Logan asked as he snagged a wine glass from a cupboard.
"Max, the girlfriend?"
"Max is * not * my girlfriend." Logan said deliberately as he poured the chilled wine into the glass. "Hmmm. Well, I'm here for a couple of days, maybe I'll…take a poke at her." Ben said this, purely intending on testing Logan's reaction. 'If my hunch is correct…'
Logan resisted the urge to fling the wine bottle at Ben's head. As great of a friend as Ben was, he seriously wanted to beat the hell out of him sometimes. "There will be NO poking, thank you very much. I'll be right back." Logan turned at stalked out of the room, Max's glass of wine in one hand, the other hand clenched in a tight fist.
Ben stared after him, laughter in his eyes. 'Yep.' He thought smugly. 'Logan's whipped.'