Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel, but there's still time, right?
Walking on Eggshells
Part 3
Max looked from Logan to Zack and back to Logan. She knew that this decision, her decision, would affect everything that happened from here on in. As she looked from one man to the other, she took in their appearances and their influence on her life. On one side there was Zack, her sibling who knew everything about her and her past. She noticed he had shaven his beard stubble and had the usual stern look on his face that reminded her of the days at Manticore. On the other side was Logan. He was practically her knight in shining armour. Not only did he know about her past, but he accepted it and they had moved closer than Max had ever been with a man. She watched his cerulean blue eyes dart from her to Zack. She remembered the first time they had met and how they had looked at each other, more like sizing each other up. Her gaze met Logan's and they stared at each other for a few moments.
Zack noticed this and felt jealous. "Max! Come on, we have to go!" He grabbed her arm again and pulled her towards the door. When he saw Max was still gazing at Logan, he let go and yelled at her. "Max! Snap out of it! We need to get out of here! Hurry up and we'll go to your apartment to get your stuff."
Max looked back at Zack with a pleading look on her face. "Zack…I…" She broke off.
Zack pulled on her hand even more and they were almost at the door.
"Don't pressure her, Zack. Let her think. She'll have a lot of things and people to leave if she goes with you." Logan spoke softly as he went back into his computer room. Max smiled and bit her lip.
Zack glanced at her, feeling the jealousy burn once again. He stormed into Logan's computer room and pointed accusingly at him. "You think she'll stay? You think she'll stay just because of you! God, you really are an egotistical bastard. Don't you see that she doesn't care about you! She cares about me! She'll always care about me. The only reason she came back was because of the others. She wanted to know where the others were."
"Is that why you came back the first time?" Logan raised his eyebrows questioningly.
"You're damn right. I'm responsible for them. I'm responsible for Max, which is why she has to come with me now. If she doesn't, she could get caught by Lydecker and taken back to Manticore. Do you want that to happen? Knowing you, you probably would."
Max shot out an arm and grabbed Zack. "Don't speak to him like that. Do you know how many times he's saved my life?"
Logan smiled at her. "Just paying you back for the times you've saved mine." Max smiled back at him.
Zack narrowed his eyes. "Max, you're coming with me." He grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the door again.
Max ripped her arm out of his grasp. "Don't tell me what to do. You're not my C.O. Zack. I…Logan's right. I need time to think." She saw Zack glance over her shoulder and glare at Logan. She turned around and stared into the eyes she had come to know so well. Do I really want to give him up? Zack doesn't care for me the way I know Logan does. But what if Logan could be used by Lydecker to get to me? Max abandoned that thought. He wouldn't do that. I trusted him when I first met him and I trust him now. She sighed. "I…I'm going to go home."
Zack stepped forward. "I'll take you."
Max glared at him. "Leave me alone, Zack. Why are you even here? Shouldn't you be looking for the others?"
Logan stood up and picked something up from his desk. "You guys are out after curfew. Take these sector passes so you can get home safely. I don't want to have to bail you out of jail." He grinned, then handed them the cards. Max gave him a half-smile and held his gaze. Zack set his jaw and cleared his throat. Logan looked down. "You'd better be going." He went to the door and opened it. As Zack was passing through, he said, "Don't pressure her, Zack. Just give her some time." Zack grumbled, then walked through the door.
Max was about to go through when she grabbed the doorframe and stopped herself. She took a few steps back and faced Logan. "Thank you, Logan. For…everything. Thank you for understanding that I need time…"
"MAX!" Zack yelled from the hallway.
Logan leaned out the door. "Hey, I do have neighbours who have jobs to get to tomorrow morning."
Max tried to hide her smile. Logan looked back at her. "Not everyone in my building is an undercover cyber-journalist trying to help humanity with a beautiful superhuman by his side." He smiled and she grinned back.
"Logan, I…I'm not quite sure what to do about this situation, but I promise you, if I do go with Zack…and that's a pretty big "if", then I promise you that I will come and say goodbye before we leave." He noticed the sad expression on her face that she was trying to hide and he nodded.
Max gulped, then walked out the door. Logan closed it behind them and leaned against it. What am I going to do if I lose her? He sighed and walked towards the kitchen, stumbling over something in the doorway. "Ah, what the hell?" He looked down and saw a black cat sitting in the hallway. He picked it up and patted it, causing it to start purring. "Hey, you're a handsome beast. What are you doing here?" He stopped and shook his head. "Now I know I'm going crazy because I'm talking to a cat." He carried it to his door and put it down. Opening the door, he said, "Sorry cat. But you can't stay here. You probably belong to someone." As if it could hear him, the cat ran out the door. Logan closed it again and decided the only thing he could do was wait for Max's decision.
Max opened the door to her and Cindy's apartment and sat down on the couch. Zack closed the door and sat down beside her. She put her head in her hands and went over the conversation from Logan's apartment. Zack put an arm around her and kissed her forehead. She shoved him off her and got off the couch, walking to her room. "I'm tired."
"You're right. Let's go to bed." Zack got up and stretched, following her to her room. She shut the door in his face.
"You're sleeping on the couch." She yelled from the other side of the door. She flopped down on her bed and tried to think about plausible reasons to go with Zack. He'll treat me better than Logan? Nope, there's no contest there. Logan's treated me way better than Zack ever would. It's more dangerous if I stay? That's pretty plausible, but I've already been captured by Lydecker and I've managed to get away. Plus, what would happen if Logan was kidnapped so Lydecker could get to me? I don't think I could stand it if Logan was killed on my account. She picked up a piece of paper that was sticking out of her purse. She read it over and smiled. It was Logan's speech from his cousin's wedding. As she read through it again, she felt that the words were related more to her and Logan's relationship than the relationship between the couple that had gotten married. She sighed and put the paper back into her purse, slipping the words in the back of her mind. When she could stand it no longer, she let her eyelids droop and she fell asleep.
She woke up and glanced at the clock. It read just past five. She got up and pulled some clothes on, being careful not to wake Zack on her way out the door. I have to do this. He'll understand…