EPISODE 1: Hope

I can't be stuffed writing the disclaimer and so on any more so refer back to Chapter 1-11(pick one) for disclaimer and so on. You know I don't own DA.

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Tonight was the night of the Conference and Max and Jondy were getting ready in the Jondy's room. Logan was in the bathroom getting ready in a suite he had hired for the night. Logan Cale hadn't hired a suit ever and it felt weird, another reminder of the fact that he was no longer the rich 'bohemian' that Uncle Jonas once referred him.

It was now the third day Max and Logan had been in Australia and Logan still had no indication of when Max would decide to leave. Logan had spent the first day researching and sleeping, the next day at AUE and the third day sitting at home (Jondy's apartment) while Max and Jondy shopped in Melbourne. Logan hadn't seen anything of Melbourne that really showed the beauty of the place, the only other places he'd been was a supermarket (a place which you would of found in pre-pulse America) and the tram (which Max and Logan were both astonished at).

Apart from the fact that Logan had very little clothing, wasn't really speaking to Max and was in a foreign country with very little money, Logan was actually exited about tonight. The Logan who was once shallow, rich and snobby once attended many press conferences on medical research, pentagon summits, anything that brought the world media to report on something major. The Logan of today was very different, he had grown up so much since those days, but the Logan who attended those conferences in his rich days didn't only attend to promote Cale Industries, he went because he was interested in the news. Logan did go to Yale to become a journalist, the man loved news, controversy and knew what it meant to save lives.

The one thing Logan was dreading was seeing Max in an evening dress. The last time Max stepped out in formal wear, he had been in denial but he still thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Now that he knew he loved her, the challenge to keep his restraint was definitely going to be tested.

Logan needed to be strong enough so to keep himself alive. Who knew the one thing you love could kill you.

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Max looked at herself in the mirror. She looked beautiful and she knew it and it depressed her. It was a waste, the man she loved she couldn't have. But she had to keep the love in Logan alive, she needed to make sure that Logan still had initiative in finding the cure, she needed him to know that they will one day be happy. As Joshua so pointedly would say, the aim is for 'Max and Logan getting busy'!

"Admiring the beauty of genetic engineering!" Jondy had a smirk on her face that Max had become very used to over her stay with Jondy.

"No, I was just thinking about the way I look!" Max tried to fake a smile but she knew she failed.

"Max you look gorgeous, and Logan is definitely going to go non-verbal when he sees you. Prepare for Meltdown Red." The Red in the dress was really enhanced with the new red highlights Max was encouraged to get. Logan hadn't seen the colour yet as Logan had stayed in the spare bedroom all day and Max hadn't come out of Jondy's room yet. It was kind of cold when Max and Logan were together, the problems they had were obviously not resolved yet. The conference was more than likely the first evening Max and Logan had spent together in ages.

"Yeah maybe, but he can't enjoy it. I'm trying to prepare myself for seeing him in a suit again. He really looks good in a suit." Max began thinking back to the many instances Max had found a suited Logan.

"Max, I can't hold this in any longer. I gotta tell you something and I hope it brings a smile to your face." Max turned to Jondy with a questionable face and sat down on a nearby chair.

"I'm not sure you can sis!" Jondy walked over and knelt down in front of Max.

"I think I can help you with your cure!" Max's face lit up. "I've been studying molecular structures in DNA and I was hoping to start studying my own DNA, I want to try and figure out exactly what I am. I could use your help with this; another X5 DNA could help with identifying our 'species'. At the same time, I could try and identify a way in which to cure your virus. I've got a great range of doctors and medical researcher's at my disposal that I can learn from and I know I can cure your virus."