Title: One More Won

Discalimer: Uhmm... Not mine, never was... hey! even the idea of it ain't mine!

Thanks to: Jane fer giving me the idea and then beta-ing it! I was just kidding... you werent really a bitch... not a big one anyways.... to Julie fer givin it the once over and then lettin' me know what ya though... oh that and the emotional support (he he) and uhmm... one last person.. wait it's at the tip of my tounge... thinking thinking.... thanks to uh... ha ha just kidding thats it....

Let's get this bitch started!!!!!

The phone echoed throughout the penthouse as it's shrill ring was left unattended. Finally irritated into action by the squealing phone, Logan got up.

He was sulking. He hadn't seen Max for days. She was like a drug to him. He needed his fix every so often or else he went through withdrawals. He became moody and suicidal; he barely talked, barely ate. Hell, he barely even got out of bed. Without her he was in living hell. And just like a drug addict, he was automatically satisfied when he saw her, relieved, sated, happy.

"Hello?" His voice was demanding as he answered the phone. *Who the hell is stupid enough to call me right now? You would think that after so long they'd give up! *

"Hey," Max's smile could be heard through her voice and Logan's mood automatically lifted.

"Max."

"That's me..."

"Yeah..."

"Well... ummm... you're actin' kinda weird... but anyways, I'm kinda doin' something tonight and I sent you a little something... Via Jam pony. Pick me up at eight?"

"Yeah..." He was still confused and having a hard time deciphering her quickly spoken speech due to the haze of sleep still dulling his senses.

Logan put the phone back in it's place and dazedly walked back to his bed. He glanced at the digital, neon numbers, 4:45.

**************

Max slipped into her dress. When she walked the skirt draped along the floor gracefully. The top hugged her body beautifully and the light blue, almost white, color complimented her golden tan skin. Max's hair was fixed nicely atop her head with a few strands lying against her neck, just barely covering her barcode. Her delicate fingers were graced with white, silk gloves ending at her elbows. The dress was spaghetti strapped and her feet clicked in their strappy sandals. She was beautiful.

****************

Logan quickly scanned his reflection in the mirror. *I wonder where we're going...* He stood in a black tuxedo that fitted him perfectly. It was complimented by a light blue tie and shiny, black shoes. The small, silver frames of his glasses were replaced by his contacts, enhancing his features.

He stepped out of his room and glanced once more at the box that had arrived earlier. He slipped into the thick jacket that had come in the box and picked up the gloves. With the tuxedo, jacket, tie, and gloves came a little note. It read:

Logan,

Wear these. It's cold outside, don't forget the gloves.

Max

**************************

Logan pulled up to the dilapidated building, stuffed his hands into the gloves, and climbed out of the car. His newly-shined shoes tapped the filthy pavement as he made his way to the front door of the building. His leather glove brushed the banister as he climbed his way up. His raised jacketed arm knocked on her door and he prepared himself for what was to come. The sight he saw took his breath away. The word "wow" was the only thing echoing through Logan's mind.

"I thought you'd be a no-show." Max's voice teased him.

He looked her up once more. "Wow..." His brain still refused to make sentences. She smacked his arm playfully and smiled up at him.

"So, are you ready?" She stepped out of the doorway and stood next to him.

"Wow..." Just as he recuperated from the site of her his thoughts fled once more at the close proximity of her body.

She rolled her eyes at him, still smiling. "The master of words tonight, aren't we?"

"I...You... You look... Wow..." Logan made the mistake of thinking he could talk coherently once again. Her smile grew and she took a step closer to him.

"You got the concept with the gloves, right?" She whispered inches away from him. He quickly shook his head no.

She reached her hand up and stroked his prickly stubble of a beard, leaving it to rest against his cheek. "For this." She watched his eyes as it finally dawned on him. His smile grew larger and he gently took her hand in his.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled him closer to her. "And for this," he whispered back.

*****************

The pair stepped out of the stair well bubbling with happiness, relishing every soft caress and every playful nudge.

"So, where to now?" Logan was curious as to where this night would lead them. Her smile encouraged him but she stayed silent. Holding his hand a little tighter she pulled him to the back of the building.

*****************

"I wanted to have a picnic but I couldn't find a spot close by. Then I thought of actually cooking but that took the fun away from dressing up. So... I just booked us at the closest fancy restaurant. You mind?" Max glanced at Logan as they walked hand in hand down the street. Completely over dressed for the slums of Seattle which they were currently in.

"Yeah, it's fine, but... Just one thing... Why didn't we drive?" Logan raised his eyebrows in curiosity at her and she looked ahead, not noticing his look.

Max made a big show of sighing and rolling her eyes until she finally answered him back. "Because, Logan, If we had driven then we would... wouldn't... Because then we couldn't walk!" Logan tried as hard as he could not to laugh at her faltering excuse.

"Well, that much is apparent, Max." She glared at him and quickened her pace.

"What? You don't wanna walk, then? Fine, I'll remember next time I wanna have a ROMANTIC walk with a guy... to not call you!" With a little humph and yet another roll of her eyes she resumed looking ahead. He could easily tell she was only playing mad by the slight laughter reflected in her eyes. Shocked but still very amused by the whole situation Logan couldn't help from smiling.

"Yeah... I guess... I mean... Alright, next time I wanna go on a walk I'll just call up --" Logan stopped mid sentence as Max glared at him daring him to utter the word that represented of her current nemesis.

"Go ahead! Say it - I dare you!" Max said through clenched teeth. Her eyes glinted with fury, urging him to just utter her name. Max withdrew her hand from his. It started out just playful teasing now Max was pissed, from the looks of it *very* pissed.

When Logan thought the wall of tension between the two was so thick it was unbreakable he finally decided to say something. He could only pray she wouldn't stab him with another of her dagger looks. "So.. uhhh.... Did I tell you that you look really beautiful tonight?"

Max groaned at his fishing for a nice comment. "No, You didn't. But thank you." She smiled tightly at him, her voice still icy cold.

"It was real sweet of you to plan this..." Logan said once more trying to get on her good side.

"I don't do sweet," was Max's only reply.

"Oh... Yeah... Well... Do you remember the time we went to my cousins wedding?" Logan figured if was going to talk to an angry X-5 he might as well have fun. Max looked at him from the corner of her eye, suspicious. "And you kept leaving..." He watched as Max replayed the night behind her eyes.

"Yeah... I remember." This time Max's voice was lilting and almost playful.

"And you got *incredibly* jealous of Daphne!" He glanced at her, she was smiling.

"I was not!" Max looked at Logan half-laughing.

"Yeah..." Logan sighed, not knowing what to say next.

"That was fun..." Max said slowly as she drifted back to her own world.

"You Cold? You want my jacket?" Logan asked her, noticing for the first time the small goose bumps on her arms.

"Nah, I'm alright, thanks. You know me, Genetically engineered to never want anything." She said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Logan took off his jacket anyways and wrapped it around her shoulders. "You may not want anything... But sometimes I think you need it..." Logan ventured, his tone unsure if it was okay that he said this.

"You're right... Sometimes I do, Logan. Sometimes I do..." The corners of her lips turned up into a delicate smile.

Logan sighed loudly after another fifteen minutes of silence and Max looked at him. "We're almost there," she reassured him.

Logan felt rather warm but noticed Max slightly shivering under his jacket. Scared that she was having a seizure he stopped walking to stare at her. Max, too, stopped walking once she noticed he had and gave Logan an odd look.

"What?" She asked him becoming suspicious under his gaze.

"Are you ok?" He asked true concern evident in his voice.

"Yeah... Why? What's wrong with me?" Max questioned, becoming even more paranoid than before.

"You're shaking..." He replied looking pointedly at her quivering hand.

"It's cold, Logan. Now let's keep walking before I completely freeze my ass off." She sounded exasperated but inside she was smiling at how much he cared. He wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her arm trying to warm her and he then held her hand trying to chase away the cold. She smiled up at him, their faces inches apart. The only thing that kept them that far was the thing that had always kept them apart, their fear.

It had never been about safety, about the virus, it had never been about confidence. It was always her fear of him. She was scared of loving a person so much that she'd do anything and everything for them, scared of such an intense love that swallowed her whole and may not spit her out the same. She was scared of what she knew she felt for him, a need, an ever present need to be with him. But deep down she knew he was just as scared. And so, as they walked hand in hand down the sidewalk the thin, but very strong, wall of fear kept them from becoming any closer, emotionally and physically.

******************

Max stopped walking and motioned toward the restaurant across the street. Gently he led her by the hand through the traffic as if she were a small child. She didn't resist loving the feel of her hand wrapped in his. They stopped just outside and looked up the sign.

"Candle Light," Logan read aloud.

"Yup, this is it." Max said as she led him in.

She approached the hostess and politely said, "Max Guevara, party of two?" The hostess looked up from her black binder, finally acknowledging her presence.

"Yes." The hostess replied snottily looking them both up and down. Logan smiled at Max.

"Who woulda thought, Max taking me out to dinner." Logan thought as they walked slowly to their table.

**************************

Just as Logan and Max's food arrived at the table the band entered the restaurant. The cellist strummed his first notes and soon was accompanied by the piano, harp, and a flute. Their notes filled the air and Logan looked longingly at Max.

Finally working up enough courage Logan interrupted her from eating. "Max, may I have this dance?" She smiled at him shyly and gently placed her hand in his. He led her to the empty dance floor and they stood in the middle, not touching, not speaking, and only staring at each other.

Max broke the moment as she placed her small, gloved hands on his shoulders bending her elbows slightly. She smiled up at him and his expression mirrored hers.

They swirled along the dance floor gracefully, arm in arm, very obviously in love. Their eyes never strayed away from the other's for one second.

The music rose and fell and rose again, as they grew more and more lost in each other's eyes. Their wall of fear slowly crumbled and they forgot all uncertainties as the crescendo of music rang through the air.

After what seemed like an eternity to them they finally noticed the heavy stares and intruding glances. Straightening up they quickly replaced the barrier between them and walked back to their table to resume dinner.

************************

After dinner the two started their long walk home. The blinking streetlights dimly illuminated their path. Once again Max wore Logan's jacket and they were walking gloved hand in gloved hand. Dinner had been full of the soft caresses and gentle brushes that the gloves allowed them.

The whole walk was silent and peaceful. The close proximity of their bodies creating a longing someone could have seen from miles away.

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Author's Note: I have a part Two written on request from Julie... So... if y'all review and a stuff... ill post it :) please oh please review!!!!