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"And get this," Krit continued, leaning forward on the couch, glancing around the room. "Jondy's just standing there, attacking her car, I mean, she's goin'at it like there's no tomorrow. Kicking and hitting, screamin' at it-" he continued.

"Wait a minute!" Jondy protested, "I was not screaming at it, an' maybe I kicked it a few times but-"

"A few times?" Krit exclaimed, laughing out loud, "You'll be lucky if you can use the car for parts now, it has so many dents in it." He laughed.

Max, who was sitting between Jondy and Bree, started laughing, shaking her head at the same time. The amusement seemed to catch on and soon everyone was at least grinning, even Zack.

"Well, I mean who are you going to believe guys." Jondy began, waving her hands, "Him, who listens to Aqua so people don't think of him as stereo-typical, or me. All honest, calm and collected Jondy."

There was silence for a moment until a burst of laughter came from Max's lips. The others followed suite.

Max felt good, sitting with Jondy and talking like family. She'd missed her so much, after telling her to run, after it was Jondy who'd almost dragged her away from Zack so she wouldn't get caught. She looked at her sister now, watching delight fill her features, enjoying the mockery of herself and Krit. It was good to see everyone laugh.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bree sat beside Max, and although she was technically family, she didn't feel like it. By the looks of it, even Cindy and Logan seemed to be fitting in more at home than herself. Even Zack was laughing and taking part in the occasional discussion.

They'd been sitting there for at least an hour now, just talking about what they'd been up to, and Bree had the feeling it would be something that would go on every moment they were awake until they had to leave again.

She pushed down the vile feeling she got in the pit of her stomach then. Jealousy. She tried to void it out, but the more she looked around at these people, and how so perfectly they fit in to each other's lives, the more she felt left out in the cold.

She'd never escaped with anyone. Couldn't even talk to another X6 and see how they were doing. She missed Haley, and all the things they'd done and talked about together when the lights went out and the two weren't asleep.

The stories, the hopes, their dreams. Plans to escape here one day. Although they didn't know what they'd find, they knew it would be better, even if simply for the fact you could stay in bed as long as you wanted. Not reply to every question with a 'sir, yes sir'.

The world they had dreamed of wasn't quite true, but it had it's ups. And it's downs. But more ups than they'd ever had back In Manticore. And Haley never got to experience it.

She gave a deep sigh, seeing that no one around her seemed to notice. They were involved. Filling each other in. Could she really blame them though?

She snapped back in to the reality, back in to Logan's living room where everyone was. Jondy, Max, Cindy and herself squished in to the long couch, while Logan sat across in his wheelchair, Zack and Krit had taken over the arm chairs and Zane, Jani and Syl lay sprawled on the floor with Griff, rolling over with laughter each time someone cracked a joke.

They were like nine year olds again, really. Except they were normal nine-year-olds. Not a bunch of genetically engineered kids.

She stared at the clock on the wall, aware that it was going on one in the morning. She looked over at Original Cindy, who'd put her head to rest on the arm of the couch and hadn't bothered to move. Asleep.

Dark circles began to rim Logan's eyes and Bling was already off, having left a few hours earlier, after Krit and Jondy's arrival.

The events of the day were taking a toll on her as well, the one who never really slept, although she'd apparently had a couple hours of peaceful drugged sleep. \par \par She couldn't help but wonder where the hell everyone would be sleeping tonight.

As if reading her mind, Logan suddenly spoke up. "Uh, hate to break in all the fun here guys, but for a mere mortal I've had enough of a day, looks like Cindy has too," he commented, glancing at her.

The rest of them glanced over at her, and Bree looked at Griff, who was asleep at her feet. Or rather, on her feet.

"Right." Max said, standing up from the couch, and actually yawning. "I'm dead tired even though I'm wide awake. Figure that one out." she smiled.

Syl rolled over on the floor, pushing her hair from her face. "One question." She said, "Where the heck is everyone sleeping tonight?" She asked.

Max looked down at her, "Race you to the bed." She grinned, without moving. Syl, looking as if she wasn't going to make a move for it, suddenly leapt from the floor, flying down the hall with Max taking chase.

A burst of laughter erupted from the guestroom, waking up Griff. As soon as the dog had lifted her head from Bree's feet, she felt an instant shiver, and wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing them slightly.

Max came out of the room, looking slightly disgruntled, her hair messed up and a wicked smile on her face.

"So who got the bed?" Jondy questioned from the couch, laying her head on the arm of it like Cindy.

"Guess." Syl called from the other room.

"Yea, but she cheated me out of it." Max grinned.

The last few waking moment were spent decidin g on sleep locations. In the end, Cindy and Jondy ended up on the couch, snuggled on their arm rests, Max grabbed one arm chair from Zack, who retired to the floor with a pillow, along with Zane. Bree gladly accepted the second armchair.

"I guess that leaves me and Logan to the Master Bedroom." Jani wiggled her eyebrows at Max, who turned red, "Unless of course, Maxie would like to trade."

"Funny, but I'm doubting Logan would even let me sleep in his room, looks like you're stuck on the floor with them." Max pointed to Zane and Zack. She completely missed the blush that touched Logan's face at the thought of her in his bed.

Jani made a face, "With those dogs?" She teased. "I think I'll shack up with Syl." She laughed.

Hearing this from the other room Syl called down again, "Come get me sis, you better not steal all the blankets or I'll throw you out in the middle of the night." Syl laughed and Jani made her way down the hall as Logan went in to his bedroom.

"Night my peeps." Max said quietly as the lights went out for the night.

A chorus of good nights followed. But Bree was already asleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Maybe two or three hours later Bree awoke to the sound of quiet voices. Looking around the room only Max seemed to be missing. Bree quietly left the room and followed the voices to the kitchen. Max was sitting with a slightly older woman at the counter, both drinking tall glasses of milk.

"Did we wake you?" The other woman asked in an almost motherly voice.

"No." Bree replied with equal quietness. "I hardly ever sleep."

The woman nodded and suppressed a yawn. "Just like Max and Jondy. I'm Tinga." She added as she extended an elegant hand.

Bree took it and smiled shyly. "Bree."

"I'm one of the oldest X5's." Tinga said gently. "Maybe the only one that gets away with calling Zack 'little' brother." Bree smiled.

Max suppressed a yawn herself. "My shark DNA seems to be failing me." She muttered.

"Emotional tiredness." Tinga suggested. She grinned. "I dare you to go curl up on Logan's bed."

"Tinga." Max replied surprised at her sister's boldness. They'd been talking about relationships for the last hour and Max had come closer than ever to examining her feelings for Logan while talking to Tinga.

"Go on." Tinga encouraged her. "You can always tell him I stole your spot. Get, I want to get to know baby sis here without any of the others getting in the way."

Max began to shake her head and Bree decided to give her a little push. "You're not chicken now, huh Maxie? I mean you can swing an X5 family reunion but you're to scared to nab a comfy spot on a nice cozy bed? You're not telling me you're afraid of Mr. Eyes Only?"

"I'm not afraid." Max replied indignantly.

"Well get then girl." Tinga half ordered half challenged.

Max shrugged and began to walk confidently towards Logan's door. She hesitated for a moment and then opened the door quietly but with an air of more confidence than she actually possessed. She stood for a moment just looking at him, asleep under the covers. The steady rise and fall of his chest was almost hypnotic. She might have stayed like that, watching him, all night if Bree hadn't whispered "Chicken" in an almost inaudible voice.

The word snapped Max out of her reverie. She quickly but lightly strode into the room. Logan was more to the left of the bed so she made her way around to the right. She sat on the side of the bed and quickly pulled off her boots. She didn't slip under the covers but instead curled up on top of them. Almost, but not quite touching Logan.

Somehow during the few remaining hours of night Max and Logan came into contact. Maybe Max's feline genes caused her to seek out his warmth? Maybe Logan instinctively pulled her into the circle of his arms? Maybe it was a combination of both? Either way, Zack's frown turned into a scowl when he discovered them all but completely entwined in the early hours of the morning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~