Chapter Five

And maybe I'll find a way to make it back some day...to guard you through the darkest of your days....

Hannah watched curiously as the man on the bench watched her mother leave.  There was something about him.  His kind blue eyes, and the way he followed her mother's movements as if he'd seen them before.

Curiosity won out of shyness and she marched up to him and sat next to him on the bench.

"Hi." she offered with a winning smile.

"Hello." He offered back.

"My name's Hannah.  What's yours?"

"Logan.  Didn't your mom teach you not to talk to strangers?" he asked, testing the water.

"Your name's Logan, so you're not a stranger anymore." she offered and he laughed.  "My mom had to leave.  I'm staying with my dad now."  Logan nodded at her openness.

"Was that your mom that hugged you?" he braved.

"Yeah.  She doesn't usually get all mushy like that."

"Oh?" he questioned.

"Yeah, she says it's not smart to get attached to things cause they can get lost." Hannah offered.

"She looked attached to you," he offered.

"That's cause I'm special."

"That I see."

"Hannah!" the man she had been with called out and Logan smiled.

"Well gotta jet.  See ya round." Hannah tossed out and followed the man away. 

Hannah's words froze Logan in place.

Max.

Logan often found Hannah at the park and the two became fast friends.  Her father, oddly familiar, often played with his younger children and Danny. 

It seemed that Hannah wouldn't open up to anyone else.  And her father was more then glad to have someone that his little girl could talk to.

"Well Hannah, Danny and I need to get going." Logan offered to the silence that had taken up residence.  Sometimes she reminded him of Max so much but other times she was so distinctly Hannah that he had to laugh that the idea had ever crossed his mind.

"Well Logan, it's been fun.  Hey I was just thinking about something." Hannah offered out of the blue as Rafer walked up to the two of them.

"What's that?" he questioned

"Well my mom knew a guy named Logan once and he sounded nice. She liked him a lot actually but I guess he didn't feel the same.  She talked to him all the time and sometimes she had dreams about him.  But well I don't know.  Just weird that both of us have friends named Logan I guess." she finished.

"Weird." Logan added for her benefit.  It really wasn't all that weird but if she thought it was then he wouldn't dissuade her.

"Come on Hannah. It's time to go." Rafer offered.

"You know.  We've both been coming here for three months now and entertaining each other's kids but we have yet to be introduced.  I'm Logan."  Logan offered his hand.

"Rafer." Rafer answered.  And suddenly it all clicked into place. 

"Oh my God.  Hannah's.  Her mother..." Logan started not able to finish his sentence.  Rafer too had recognized Logan.

"Listen man.  We didn't.  After that night.  I mean."  Rafer offered to calm what he interpreted as fury rising in Logan.

"What's going on?"  Hannah asked.

"Max..." Logan broke off looking away from them. "Max." he repeated closing his eyes.

"I'm sorry."  Rafer offered.  Pulling on Hannah's arm.

"Wait. You're Logan!"  Hannah asked confused and angry.  Logan nodded not opening his eyes.  "I hate you.  You hurt her so bad.  She cried all the time because of you.  Why couldn't you love her?  She loved you so much. I hate you."  Hannah cried out, hurt. Rafer had to restraint her.  Logan knew she didn't really hate him but her words cut him the same.

"Where is she?" Logan demanded of Rafer, his eyes filled with a passion that hadn't been since before she left.

"She asked me not to tell you." Rafer explained.  In all honesty she hadn't told him anything of the sort because she hadn't counted on the two running into each other.  But Rafer knew she would want to think about it before he showed up on her front door.  Max didn't need to be hurt any further.  Not having Hannah was killing her as it was.  How many times could he kill her?

Logan nodded, smiling ruefully.  He should have known.

"I'm sorry."  Rafer offered again struggling with Hannah as she tried to launch herself at Logan.  Earning freedom she slugged Logan in the chest.  Shocked at her strength momentarily he sat stunned until Hannah too realized what she'd done. 

Logan reached out tentatively and placed a hand on her shoulder.  Hannah didn't shrug it off and instead walked up to him and threw her arms around him.  Logan pulled her up and sat her in his lap enfolding her in his arms he rocked her as she cried.

"Hannah.  I loved your mother very very much.  Whatever she has told you is probably true.  But know that I loved her more then anything." Logan whispered.

So that was why Max had left.

Not because of White. 

Not because of a virus.

Not because of him.

Because of a little girl named Hannah.