Chapter 16
The night had been a long intense conversation of both Max and Sky's origin. Everyone had gone to sleep with a thick weight of relief, the kind you feel when everything has been dumped out of your mind, and nothing is left to expose. But all three could tell the night had been a landmark…one where bonds were formed.
Now in the warmth of daylight, Sky found herself sitting in a chair, sweat rolling down her forehead and a smug satisfaction sat inside her breast. "That would be 20 to 4 Logan." She held an orange basketball in her hand and laughed inwardly as he gave her that I'm-well aware-that-you're-kicking-my-butt look. Men, they never could stand losing to a woman….it had to be in the genes. She smiled, and then glanced over at Max who stood poised on the sidelines, like some dysfunctional cheerleader who hated her mother for giving her pom-poms instead of boxing gloves. "Doesn't she ever play?"
Logan just shook his head and shrugged as he contemplated ways to `come back'. As the teams took a break, Sky got out of the wheelchair and walked over to Max. "Nice shot." Max commented.
"Thanks. Hey Max...I'm feeling a little pain in my side. Why don't you take over for me?" Max just shook her head. "What?" Sky laughed and lowered her voice to a whisper "don't they didn't teach you sports 101 in Manticore…how did you learn social skills?" Max rolled her eyes playfully "I must have been focusing on boys during that one." Sky laughed heartily and Max returned the gesture by smiling. She had to admit she was starting to like Sky.
She uncrossed her arms and sauntered over to the abandoned chair, soaking in her pride. It was not until she sat down that she fully realized she knew nothing about basketball. She had watched Logan countless times, but she wasn't really focusing on the actual game. Then it started, a full out spurt of testosterone, throwing catching, pushing, shooting…and there she was, caught in the middle. When it was all finished Logan had managed to help his team tie the game. Then he smiled cockily and rolled himself over to Max, and looked her straight in the eyes. Yep Max thought He feels manly. She chuckled to herself. She liked it when he pulled himself out of his slump and acted frisky.
"You want me to show you how to shoot?" He raised his eyebrow.
"Maybe" she smiled.
Logan reached out and softly lifted her hand up placing the ball in it. His chair was directly beside her. He leaned over and turned her hand around, while gently moving his own hand down her arm. Max flinched slightly as his soft touch chilled her. She began to focus on the way his breath brushed her neck as he mumbled something about follow-throughs.
"Then you just push through and reach into the cookie jar." The ball fell into the net as Max looked at him funny.
"Cookie jar?"
"It's just an expression."
Max laughed.
Sky smiled as she watched the two. They were so young, but yet old souls. She drew her mind back into her own skin, and smiled as she thought of that quirky smile, the Cale smile. Her breath always caught her in throat when Nathaniel charmed her with that beautiful smile, that celestial smile.
`Sky.' She knew that voice, only one voice could pulse through her like that. `Come on Sky.' She could feel Nathaniel's hand encasing hers, pulling her farther into the forest. He was laughing huskily and she was chuckling. Then…there it was, a beautiful orange moon, full and ripe floating just in front of the two lovers. It seemed almost within reach…just one step more, and then you would feel it between your fingers. So deceptive was its position, but its intoxication was overwhelming. Nathaniel slowly unhooked his arms around her waist.
Then she turned around as he smiled…smiled and cocked his eyebrow mischievously.
"What are you doing" She laughed.
Suddenly he pulled out a tiny radio. "This one's for you baby." He growled in a low voice. Sky shook her head in utter amazement at his crazed look.
"Woman……take me in your arms..rock your baby WHOA-OH-OH WOOMAN" Sky laughed as he danced around singing an old tune they had once heard while on mission. Sky was encompassed in the moment, in the warmth and peace and sound of that instant…she was there….with him.
"Sky…..Sky?"
"What." Sky jumped as she came out of her trance.
"You okay?" Logan asked. Sky shook her head.
"Fine." But there was a strange hint of sadness mixed with contentment in her voice. "Listen," Sky stuttered slightly, "I really have to see my kids. They'll think I deserted them."
"Well….."Logan began in a cautious tone.
"Max you wanna go?" Sky interrupted, she knew it was the only way to get out of Logan's supervision.
"Sure." Max shrugged caught slightly off guard. Her afternoon was free. Jam Pony had been slow lately, so Normal had been `handing out' more days off.
"Well all settled then. I'll see you in a few Logan." Sky started off and Max shrugged then trotted to catch up.
"Be careful." Logan warned. Sky had to be one of the most stubborn women he had ever met. She could bend his rules better than he could. He smiled as he watched the tall redhead and the fairly shorter brunette walk farther away from him. They were quite a pair, he chuckled.
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