Chapter 20
AN: So my phone is still screwy but it is going to be fixed. Yay. You are going to get so many chapters at once so you should feel lucky. I figure I'm at about thirteen pages and 5 chapters I will post with this one. I just wish I could get some feedback but I am on a roll and won't stop now. Maybe I'll go over it again if I get a good suggestion. Argh and what is with the Harry Potter cult anyway. That movie was the dumbest movie of all time and it effectively erased any desire for me to read the books. Anyway just a little randomness.
"I hate you." 452 spit out when she woke up tied to Logan's bed.
"I thought we were at severe dislike." Logan tried to joke.
"Why are you doing this to me?" she asked as if he were inflicting some cruel and unusual punishment instead of just sitting by her side waiting for her to wake up.
"You really don't remember do you?" he answered her question with one of his own.
452 shook her head no.
"If I untie you will you promise not to kill me till I explain some things." He ventured. He couldn't talk to her tied up like she was some prisoner. He needed her on equal grounds even if it meant dangerous grounds.
"I can't guarantee anything." She shot back sarcastically.
Logan nodded and untied her anyway.
"She's in there somewhere isn't she?" he asked referring to Max. He had to know if it was worth what he'd gone through. He had to know if he still had a chance.
"No." she shot back to quickly and Logan noticed a familiar glint in her eyes, telling him that Max was in fact right there with him.
"Liar." He said smiling.
"Am not." She shot back, angered at his nerve.
"Are too. Max you've never been able to hide from me." Logan offered, making it clear that that was the end of that charade.
"Logan just leave me be." Max broke out with exhaustion clearly evident. She didn't want to discuss it.
"Oh so you admit it." He played back, hoping to lighten her mood and giddy at the thought of having her back with him.
"Fine if that's what it takes. Yes Logan it's me Max. Now get off yourself." Max shot out, clearly not taking his bait and intent on staying angry with him for finding out her secret.
"I can't just leave you be. Max, they hurt you and I'm not going to let them do it again." He offered seriously. Logan was intent on making Manticore pay for everything they'd done to her.
"If it was that easy then I would have left a long time ago. Its easier being 452. I don't want to fight it anymore." Max offered tiredly.
"So you wanted to be 452 but things got in the way and forced you out of hiding?" he asked trying to clarify what she meant.
"Logan it was so nice to be needed. I thought you were dead. I thought…Oh what does it matter what I thought." Max almost pleaded then dropped off.
"Did you really forget who I was?" Logan had to know.
"Do you want me to lie?" she asked honestly.
"No."
"Yes." Logan tried to hide his grimace. Her words hurt.
"Did you forget everything about us?"
"Yes." Ouch, double whammy.
"When did you remember?"
"Is the interrogation over yet?" she obviously didn't want to answer and Logan was afraid to hear why.
"No." he had to know.
"Bast started a lovely chain reaction." She offered instead.
"But it was you who said…" Zack may have thought he was helping but it only gave Logan more questions, besides the fact that Logan couldn't lie to himself about what he saw in her eyes.
"Yes." She struggled out.
"Why?"
"I want it over. I want out. I want simple. If that has to be 452 then I'll be 452." She pleaded with him to understand.
"No qualms about killing innocent people?" If she said no he wished he were dead instead.
"Why do you do that?" she threw him off.
"What?"
"Throw off all my logic." Max smiled.
"Us emotional people get a kick out of making you soldiers crazy I guess." Logan couldn't help but smile in answer to her question.
Max smiled back.
"You gonna kill me anyway?" he asked changing the subject playfully.
"Now there is my problem. I can't go back to Manticore without you dead, now can I. Failing a third time would definitely spell the end for me." She started out joking but ended seriously.
"So stay with me." Logan's eyes locked on hers, trying to convey all his emotions with his stare.
"And get caught." Her eyes dared him.
"We could leave this place." He continued unphased
"What about Eyes Only?" she also continued.
"He can save the world elsewhere."
"Zack?"
"You do have a point don't you." Logan said breaking the stare.
"I know." She smiled smugly in her victory. Logan laughed at her competitive side, which was currently reveling in its small victory.
"I missed that." He explained his laughter.
"Is that all you missed?" her question was laced with a current of undertones that threatened to drag him under.
"No." he answered huskily.
"What else did you miss then?" she questioned slyly. With a glint of mischief in his eyes he answered her.
"This…" he said tracing a line down her cheek daring to touch her for the first time since she'd come back. "And this…" he kissed her forehead. "Oh yeah and then there was this." He got a good two inches away from her lips before she pushed him away.
"Logan…don't." she protested. "How am I supposed to go back after this?"
"How am I suppose to let you lay there looking like the goddess you are and not?" He didn't back away only hovered over her face.
"Good point. Well I guess your stuck." She tried humor.
"You're helpful." He mocked.
"Well I do try to please."
Smiling Logan backed off and grabbed her hand instead of kissing her. He could wait if that is what she needed him to do. But he couldn't wait to hold her.
"Scoot over." Logan ordered.
"Yes sir." Smiling she complied with his order.
Logan started to transfer from his chair to the bed when suddenly a pain shot through his back.
"Ouch." He grimaced.
"What?" Max asked alarmed.
"Nothing." Logan tried to brush it off.
"Now who is the liar?" she continued bent on finding out what was wrong.
"Its just my back." He offered trying to get her to leave it.
"Yeah gunshot wounds really suck. Here roll over, a friend of mine used to do this for me." Max smiled as he settled next to her.
"No." he shocked her with his sharp reply.
"Come on Logan. Play nice." Max coaxed.
"No."
"Why?" she questioned at his stubborn insistence.
"Because its nothing." He still tried to brush it off. Only his act wasn't very convincing since he still wore a grimace.
"Doesn't look like nothing to me."
"Give it up."
"No. Now roll over." Two could play at this game.
"No."
"Is this a pride thing? Cause if it is you better get over it quick." She tried a different approach.
"Max…I can't." Logan finally answered, ashamed to have to admit that he couldn't do something as simple as roll over by himself.
"Oh…" Max offered softly, then, "Let me help you then."
"No."
"I'm sorry but I'm not going to let you sit here and pity yourself." She ordered sick of his stubbornness. Grabbing him, she flopped him over before he could resist and yanked his shirt up roughly. exposing his back and an angry red scar. Gulping back a few stray tears she started to rub his back and ease the tension out.
"Max…" Logan questioned softly.
"Hmmm?" she answered as she pulled his shirt back down and lay down next to him. Logan turned his head to face her.
"Forgive me?" he asked quietly.
"What for?"
"Being the way I am." Max traced a finger down his cheek as she replied.
"I don't expect you to be any different." Then giving him a quick teasing smile she continued. "Now be quiet, I'm tired."
"Yes ma'am."
"That's a good little soldier."
"Max…" He asked again as she was drifting off to sleep.
"Hmm?" she answered half asleep.
"I…never mind." He couldn't do it to her. It wouldn't be fair to tell her that. He'd wait until her was a whole person again. He'd wait till he was worthy of her.
Logan couldn't ask her to love a crippled. half man like him.
