Logan lit the two candles on the table and then the few scattered around the room. The city was in the middle of a brown out and Logan had invited Max over for dinner three nights ago. Tonight was the one-year anniversary of the day Max had first broken into his penthouse apartment. Logan had been planning the night for a least a month now. The brown out or the pouring sheets of rain outside had not been part of his original plan but oddly it did make the night seem more romantic. Logan had asked Max to join him for dinner at the exact time the security reports said the 'intruder' had entered his apartment by dropping through his window a year ago. He was hoping that if Max remembered what today was she would come in through the window which this time Logan had left graciously open for her. It would make the anniversary perfect for it to start out the way their ... friendship had begun. Logan doubted the X5 would remember the importance of the day. Max seemed to have a complete mental block when it came to holidays. Was it because of all the sentimentality associated with them? Logan doubted he'd ever know for sure. Logan sighed looking up at the clock fearful of burning the dinner he was only keeping warm now. A bouquet of two dozen red roses sat on the table leaning up against a case of motor oil. Logan sighed again watching the flame dance at the tip of the candles Max should have came through the window at that exact moment but she didn't.
*
Max passed the apartment like a caged animal. She wrung her hands. "What am I going to do?"
"Chill out Boo."
"I can't. I'm supposed to go over Logan's for dinner tonight but I can't I'm-"
"In heat." The two women turned and there stood Zack just inside the apartments open window.
Original Cindy stepped up to him. "You've got bad timin ya know that Zack?"
"Seemed perfect to me." He shrugged lazily leaning against the windowsill.
Original Cindy just shook her head. She couldn't stand Sam/Zack, whoever he was he was a pain in the... "Original Cindy's outta here, hittin Crash. Be good Boo." There was just something about him that frustrated her and Original Cindy knew exactly what that something was Max's brother wasn't Logan. As much as she made fun of old Wheel-boy Original Cindy did like him better then Mr. Military. Original Cindy shook her head and left the apartment.
"Zack." Max sighed his name. She'd been in heat for four days and the worst of it was just beginning.
"I was in the area." Zack said by way of explanation. "I could smell you a mile off Maxie. I figured you could use some company."
"Zack I don't want to... we can't." Max's whole body shuddered and she passed the room faster.
"I know Maxie. I figured I could talk you through it. Better a big brother the keep you calm then going and getting your rocks off with some sleazy stranger off the streets."
Max growled softly and kept passing.
Zack took his jacket off and threw it over the back of a chair taking a seat on the couch. "Sit down Max."
Max sat down following Zack's loosely issued order. She was so close to Zack that their knees touched. She could hear his heart beating and his calm slow deliberate breathing.
"What was your first time like?" Max turned to Zack her hands were shaking, her pupils were dilated and she growled softly again.
"I had my first three cycles in Manticore." Zack answered. "I thought you knew that."
Max shook her head no.
Zack new all about heat cycles and in the X5's unlike their feline counterparts it wasn't only the females who went into heat. X5's are polyestrus, which means they can have many heat periods in each breeding season. Each heat period lasts between 5-14 days. If they have mated, they will usually go out of heat within 24 hours. If they have not mated and do not create a child, they can go into heat repeatedly every 2-3 weeks. This means that if you go into heat - you can't simply keep yourself locked up at home, waiting for it to go away. It will eventually go away but it comes on stronger the next time it hits. By the time Manticore had gotten to the X5's untreated heat cycles usually repeated once a month.
Zack took Max's warm trembling hands into his own to stop the shaking. "They locked me in the cells in the sub-basement where they used to keep the X2's before they cut their numbers down to only four and moved them into the basement. The used hormone therapy and isolation to try and break me of the cycle. I was under strict observation for a full two weeks. My second cycle only came on stronger then the first."
Max's whole body tingled, her nerves were on high sensitivity just by the cool touch of Zack's hands against hers, but he wouldn't look at her. "That was when you got sent away on those solo missions isn't it. The first time that happened we were sure we had lost you for good."
"Yes." Zack nodded. "My first time on the outside was much different. It was very-"
"Amazing." Max threw the word in breathlessly.
"Yes in many ways." Zack gave a curt nod. "I pounced on the first female I allowed myself to come into contact with after throwing myself into isolation for four days. It was almost-"
"Violent and animalistic." Max nodded finishing his sentence.
"How about you?" Zack asked.
"We weren't talking about me." Max suddenly got defensive.
"And now we are." Zack just wanted to get her mind off the here and now.
Max sighed out of frustration letting go of Zack's hand. "I ran into Krit and we had a huge fight. We just happened to bump into each other on the streets and an all out war ensued. We were both in heat and didn't know it. It made us extremely aggressive."
Zack nodded and stayed silent he wanted Max to continue.
Max leaned over and rested her head on Zack's shoulder. "It was strange I didn't know it was him at first. I knew it had to be an X5 from his fighting ability but I didn't know it was him. Not until I saw his barcode much later into the incident. We attracted attention neither of us needed. Sector police came and tried to break us up. Three males and two females. We knocked all but two out and took our prospective mates. The cycle didn't end there."
Zack knew the story through Krit's point of view but he wanted to hear it from Max's point of view.
"We rendered the sector police unconscious and just starred at each other across the room. Krit made the first move. He wasn't my little brother anymore, not then, not really ever. We went back to his place because his foster parents were away; we spent two days together." Max stopped she didn't seem to want to continue with the story and Zack knew it all anyway so he didn't push her.
"Krit's told me about it before." Zack nodded.
Max shuddered against Zack then pulled away from him and got up to pass the room again. "Heat cycles suck."
Zack just nodded being around a female usually threw the male into a cycle as well. Zack tensed it hadn't happened yet but he had no doubt that it would happen. "It's hell."
Max got down on the floor and started doing pushups.
"Max have you eaten yet today?"
"Not for two days." Max answered without stopping or looking up at Zack.
Zack new this meant the cycle was pretty bad. "You had plans for tonight?"
"Huh?" Max pushed herself harder.
"You're dressed up." Zack observed.
"Logan invited me over for dinner." Max grunted as her pager went off.
"Logan?" Zack asked.
"Yes." Max answered after checking her pager.
"Are you going to call him?" Zack asked.
"I don't know." Max purred softly.
"Do you want me to call him and tell him that you're sick?" Zack asked.
"No." Max snapped. "he'll worry and want to come over then. I can't see him now."
"Alright, it's you're decision." Zack shook his head and joined her in her set of pushups.
*
Logan passed around the room Max was almost an hour late. He'd paged her and gotten no response so he had little choice but to wait. The dinner had been overcooked and thrown away twenty minuets ago. The roses were beginning to wilt and Logan had blown out all but two of the candles. The two on the table were beginning to melt down. Tiring of waiting and watching the candles Logan paged Max again and starred out of her window watching the pouring rain.
*
Zack looked good for Zack even Max had to admit that. His hair was soaking wet and he wore tight black jeans a white tank top and his leather jacket. His clothes clung to him with the residual rain that was on them his jacket had been discarded shortly after he'd arrived. Max watched his toned arms flexing as he did pushups next to her. He was truly a miracle of modern science. Zack was perfect in almost every aspect of the word but he was still Zack her big brother, protector and CO.
"Zack?" Max purred.
"Uh-huh?" Both had stopped doing their sets of pushups.
Max swore as her pager went off again. "I'm going to go take a shower."
"That's a good idea." Zack's breathing had quickened a bit but it wasn't entirely due to the exercise.
Zack swore and threw himself onto the couch as Max fled the room. He had to keep everything in focus his mission was to help Max with what she wanted. He would not take advantage of the situation no matter how he thought he felt about her. He needed to continue to play the big brother, the helper, the protector, and the CO. Now was not the time to loose control or give in to false sentimentality.
Max struck the shower wall glad for the first time that the buildings water heater did not work. It was good that Zack had shown up when he did before she went out and did something stupid again. She didn't want her and Logan's relationship taking the next step because of anything remotely related to Manticore. If and when it moved on she wanted it to be because of them, just them. Trust was the biggest issue. She trusted Zack with her life and more. He was safe no matter what happened. Max had always loved Zack in her own special way. Logan was still foreign territory to some degree as was love in general.
Max came out of the bathroom a towel wrapped on her head and another wrapped tightly around her body. The terry cloth towel that Logan had given her was tantalizingly soft against her highly sensitive flesh. Max dressed quickly in a pair of sweat pants and a jersey shirt. She hadn't noticed it until she looked in the bedroom mirror. The sweat pants belonged to Zack and the Seattle Sea Hawks jersey belonged to Logan. Max sat down on the bed surrounded by the smell of both men.
Zack stood leaning lazily against the doorframe once he was sure she was decent. "I'll have to call your boss and Cindy's going to have to find a place to stay since this is the way you want it. We're going to have a very tough ten days or so ahead of us. You've never made it through a cycle without giving in have you?"
"No." Max croaked hoarsely.
"It's rough. Tough as hell. It's almost like going through a drug withdrawal. It isn't pretty Max and it won't be easy."
"I know Zack but I trust you you've been through this all before." Max hugged herself rocking lightly on the end of the bed.
Zack blanched. She trusted him and those simple words sealed everything. Big Brother. Protector. Commanding Officer. He repeated these words screaming them at himself in his head to overpower the part of his brain that screamed out No. No relation. Lover. Love her. That was not what Max wanted or needed right now. "We'll get through this Max I promise. Do you want to go for a ride?" A motorcycle ride not...
"Not right now." Max jumped up and hugged Zack tightly. "Just hold me for a while."
"That's not going to help Maxie." Zack stepped back even though every fiber of his being screamed against it.
"Zack." Max whined, screamed and pleaded with the one simple exclamation of his name.
"I'm going shopping you need to eat. I'll be back soon you have my word." Zack turned and fled the apartment.
It was pouring rain she was going crazy and all Max could think was that Zack had forgotten his jacket. Max ran her fingers over the soft broken in leather the smell of Zack overpowering the natural smell of the garment. He'd left her. Against her better judgment and without any real reason Max broke down and cried damming the cascade of hormone reactions coursing through her veins.
*
Logan looked around the now darkened apartment the two remaining candles had burnt themselves out. Darkness, light what did it matter? Max had forgotten him or worse left him on a very important night. Logan decided to go for a walk and it didn't occur to him to bring an umbrella or a coat until he was soaked to the bone and far from the towers. Logan walked and walked lost in thought until he found himself standing outside Max's building. He stood across the street looking up at the lit apartment windows for almost an hour maybe longer. He just couldn't bring himself to go upstairs Max must have had her reasons. At hearing the sound of a roaring motorcycle Logan's heart soared. Could it be Max? Maybe she really hadn't forgotten but something had come up and she was racing to be with him. Yes something must have come up.
Something had come up all right and it was Zack. Zack who roared up on the motorcycle with a bag of groceries. Chocolates, strawberries, a bottle of wine and a bottle of vitamins stuck out of the top of the bag. Zack miraculously had not noticed Logan as he rushed into the building. Rejected, heartbroken and confused Logan turned away from the building and started to walk again. It didn't matter where he headed now, he had been stood up on a very important night for Max's brother who came bearing gifts. Maybe Max was sick and just scared to tell Logan and worry him. Or maybe Big Brother wasn't the only way Max thought of dear Zack and Logan had been fooling himself all this time about their relationship or lack there of. There was no use in Logan going upstairs or paging Max anymore tonight. Clearly her mind had been made up.
*
Zack came into the apartment carrying a large paper bag that was beginning to rip from the rain. He put the bottle of hormone supplements and the box of chocolates on the table the rest of the things he put in the refrigerator incase they needed them later. "Maxie?"
Max tore out of her bedroom. "What'd you get Zack?"
Zack held out the box of chocolates and Max laughed.
"You can't be serious!"
"It helps take the edge off." Zack shrugged. "Take two of these too." He held out the bottle of pills.
Max shook her head and swallowed the pills down dry and then dove into the chocolates. "Do I want to know how you got all of this stuff and why it took you so long?
"No." Zack shook his head and laughed. "Don't ask silly questions Maxie."
"Ah." Max went back to eating the chocolates starring at Zack.
Zack had no doubts what was going through her mind due to the glazed glint in her eyes.
"Did you ever have a good cycle?" Max asked.
"Yes." A smile crept on to Zack's full lips but it quickly faded to a frown and then all signs of emotion were gone. "I don't want to talk about it."
"Please Zack." Max purred.
"It won't help either of us." Zack stated bluntly, "How'd you get a pair of my pants?"
"You left them here." Max shrugged. "There comfortable and you're not getting them back so don't even think about asking."
Zack didn't think about asking. He thought about Max in his pants. A female wearing your clothing was always a turn on. Too much to handle right now so Zack started talking. "My first good cycle was with this girl named Lori who I was seeing at the time for a while. She was sweet and gentile and a complete liability but I really cared for her. Being around her left me forget everything else for a while." Zack turned away from Max. "She was killed in a car accident. I'd blame it on Manticore if I could but they had nothing to do with it. At least I don't think they did I ran anyway."
"I'm sorry Zack." Max licked some left over chocolate from her fingers.
Zack shrugged his face and exterior hardening. He would say nothing more on the subject. For now thinking of Lori had taken the edge off of his thoughts of Max. Damn the pheromones. He watched her lick the chocolate from her own fingers emitting a soft purr.
She caught his eye. "Would you like one Zack?"
Zack shrugged. "With the rate your going... if you think you can spare one Maxie, sure."
"They're good." Max considered the box carefully and then picked a piece out of the box. She leaned across the counter crawling slightly her firm stomach resting against the edge her chest hanging slightly above it. The jersey with all its little breathing holes for the fabric left little to the imagination. She reached out the thumb and forefinger of her right hand holding the piece of chocolate. She popped it into Zack's mouth her fingers lingering for a moment on the tip of his lips. Zack reached out with his tongue to grab the candy and it came into contact with her fingertips. Max swooned and Zack growled playfully. They froze Gazes locked. There was no doubt about it now, being near Max had thrown Zack into heat.
*
Logan knew Max must have been home. He also knew she couldn't have been at his apartment unless Cindy and Zack had something going on and that was damn near impossible. Logan just kept on walking oblivious to the rain. He didn't even realize that he had ended up where an upset Max normally would have ended up until he wandered through the door and into Crash. Sketchy, Herbal and Original Cindy were in their usual spot at the back of the bar along with some other Jam Pony employees kicking off the weekend that Logan had been so looking forward to in their usual way. Original Cindy waved Logan over.
"Hey Lickety-boo come hang with us."
Logan was there and had little choice but to stay and try to make the best of a horrible night. He shivered softly the heat in the club chilling his wet skin. Logan went out on a limb. "How's Max feeling?"
"Boo didn't want you to worry Logan." Original Cindy answered. "She was all dressed up fancy like for you and all then-"
"Zack came along?"
"Apparently Mr. Military was playin all secret spy and new my boo needed some takin care of." Original Cindy handed Logan a beer.
"Right." Logan settled into his self-pity. He settled down at the table with his drink and the image of Max all dressed up just for him. She was sick that explained it somewhat. The alcohol and the mental image of Max got him to do some serious heavy thinking.
_______________________________________________________________________A/N: :: Dodges all the angry people:: It may not be going where it seems to be going, yet. I'm not entirely sure where this will lead, just give it a chance it's still not committed to M/Z or M/L yet who knows maybe I can pull off both. And yes I know Max came in through the skylight but you can't really leave one of those open for a person so I changed the background story a bit to fit my needs. :) Oh yeah and the Krit thing I may have to change to Zane due to some peoples actor issues but Newayz... Um... chapter two is already in the works. Don't hate me for leaving off where I did I promise it will start looking better for all. (Yes I know that I take a while to post it will be especially worse now because finals are looming on the end of next week. But I will try and keep up with this just be patient with me.)
