Chapter Four

Did you make it to the Milky Way and see the lights are faded

and heaven is overrated? ...Are you lonely looking for yourself out there?

"You nervous?" Max questioned with a smile to Hannah's fidgeting.  They were standing outside of Rafer's place waiting for someone to come to the door.  Max herself was a little more then nervous.

"A little bit."  Hannah offered.  The door swung open revealing an older and wiser looking Rafer.  Max flashed him a smile, which he answered by pulling her into a hug.

"Max! Hey this is a surprise.  Come in. I'd like to introduce you to my family."  He pulled on her arm as she halted him turning his attention toward the shy girl next to her.

"Rafer, this is Hannah, your daughter," she offered.  Rafer smiled at Hannah and held out his hand for her.

"Hey.  I've waited a long time to meet you," he said as she took his hand and he pulled her into his arms.

"Hey Asha, we still on for this afternoon?" Logan spoke into the phone as he continued reading up on a current Eyes Only case.  For a while after Max left he'd stopped doing them all together but slowly he'd started again, only to break them off again when he'd married Asha.  Only last week when he'd officially said goodbye to Max had he started them up again full force. 

It was time.

"Yeah, we'll drop Danny by on our way out." Asha replied.

"Hope you two have an enjoyable afternoon." Logan teased Asha about the date she was going on with Alec of all people.  When that had started up he didn't know.  He'd have to resolve that, he should know if only for Danny's sake what was going on in Asha's life.

"We will." she smirked.

"This isn't entirely a social visit is it?" Rafer asked Max as the two watched Hannah play with Rafer's other kids.  Happy to see that Hannah was more then glad to entertain her six and four year old half-siblings, Max answered not looking at him.

"No it isn't."

"Do you know how long?" he asked again.

"No. I don't." she said finally turning to him.

"Does she know?"  Max only shook her head no.  "You haven't changed much.  But then again you have." he offered.  And Max smiled back lamely.

"Hey Danny."  Logan smiled pulling his son into his arms in a quick hug.  Danny was getting to the point that he didn't like hugs, cause "hugs are girlie" so he quickly pulled away.

"We'll be back around nine."  Asha offered and Logan nodded as Danny started to pull on his father's arm.

"Want to go to park.  Wanna go to park." he'd started to chant.

"Guess you two are headed for the park."  Alec commented with a smirk.

"Hannah, I need you to stay with your father for a little bit."  Max started out.

"Will you be back?" Hannah asked seriously.  Her face tore at Max's heart.  She'd remember this for a long time yet.

"Of course." she lied and ruffled Hannah's hair.  They both knew she was lying.

"I love you Mommy."  Hannah suddenly flung herself into Max, burying her head into Max's stomach.  Max pulled her close and let a few tears fall.

"Come on, it will be okay.  Besides I saw that Mary has a gameboy and I'm sure she'll let you play with it." Max joked lifting her daughter's face toward her.

"I don't want a gameboy Mommy."  Max was quickly growing concerned at Hannah's continuing use of the word Mommy, something she hadn't done in a good four years. 

The group had headed over to a nearby park.  Max had thought that it would be easier on Hannah if she left from a place that wouldn't be the girl's new home.  Rafer had let the two hang behind while Max told Hannah of her plans.  Arriving at the park, Rafer had turned around to see Hannah clinging to her mother.  Shooting Max a questioning look she nodded at him.

"Come on baby. Look your father wants you to come and see him."  Max gestured to Rafer who was now gesturing for Hannah to come see him.

Not to be swayed from her quest, Hannah grabbed Max's hand and pulled her along with.

"Hannah."  Max warned.

"Come here Hannah.  Let me tell you a story." Rafer offered. 

Hannah turned her back on Rafer and pulled Max down to her knees.

"Oh baby.  I love you."  Max whispered, as her voice caught she pulled Hannah into her arms and buried her face into Hannah's shoulder.

"Daddy!  Watch me go down the slide!" Danny called out and Logan watched as his son slid down the slide, Danny then waved and headed over to a sandbox.

Logan's eyes followed his son's movements with pride.  But something caught his eye.

On the other side of the park a woman clung to a girl no more then twelve he guessed. 

He could have sworn the woman was Max.  But he knew better.  Still he couldn't tear his eyes away.

Her hair was long and worn down, the ends brushing the middle of her back.  Max used to wear her hair like that, straight and long with nothing to hold it in place.  Even its chocolate color was hers, but there the similarities ended.  The woman's hair was streaked with blonde giving her a punk look. 

The little girl's face was tear strewn but she made no noise and didn't attempt to wrap her arms around the clearly sobbing woman.  (Even the woman's sobs sounded distinctly Max like.)  The little girls face looked haunted and as her dark eyes met his Logan found he couldn't tear them away.  She was a beautiful little girl.  And looked very much like Max.

Logan sighed tearing his eyes away as the little girl closed her eyes. 

When were things going to get better, even children looked like Max now. 

Still there was something so familiar about the two of them Logan found his eyes wander back to them.

The woman had stood and was now hugging a man who looked familiar but Logan couldn't seem to place him.  And then she had taken off, never turning back to the girl who was now staring at him, not trying to hide her curiosity, and never once showing him her face.

Logan's eyes followed the woman as she quickly retreated.  She carried herself like Max.  If she'd only turn around...

"Daddy! Daddy!" Danny called out and Logan turned to watch as his son showed him the, well, pile of sand he had made.

"Good job Danny!" he called out enthusiastically.

When he turned back the woman was gone.