You Always Hurt The Ones You Love Chapter 2: C h a p t e r T w o, a dark angel fanfic

Author: Michelle D.R.A.K.E gypsychic04@c4.com

Author's Note: Okay, here is chapter two, it took me forever to post, and I am greatly sorry, but I'm not exactly overwhelmed on the review front right now ;) *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* and I have a very busy schedule. I also had major revisions and plot holes to fix, so here it is. REVIEW and maybe I'll get you the next chapter sooner! :) Right now this isn't exactly my favorite story because it is far too simple and predictable so I am trying to fix it to make it better, so if anyone has ANY comments or suggestions as to how I could fix this I would greatly appreciate it! Also- I just posted a new story which takes place post Pollo Loco- it is one of my personal favorites, so please read: Torn Between. Thanks :)

Spoilers: None

Rating: PG-13

Feedback: PLEASE, Please, please review, remember, flames are always good, and honesty is REQUIRED! Please tell me what you think!!!! I know this story could be fixed A LOT since I did write it ages ago, so please review and tell me if you think I should change something, or if I made a mistake. I am open to ANY suggestions! Every ten to fifteen or so reviews I'll post a new chapter . . . so review, review, REVIEW!!!! Please contact me if you have any questions about my writing, or if you want me to be your beta-reader, or anything at gypsychic04@c4.com. I LOVE to beta-read- so E-MAIL me!

Disclaimer: Owned by monkeys, not me . . . if it were owned by me things would be much different . . . believe me.

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. . .Y o u A l w a y s H u r t T h e O n e s Y o u L o v e. . .
by Michelle Drake

. . .
. . .C h a p t e r T w o. . .

The next night Max was getting ready to go out to dinner with Zack. Logan was trying his best to not say anything that would make Max upset. Especially since he knew how much Zack meant to her. He remembered how she had reacted when she had first found out that he was alive . . .

. . .

Logan debated between telling her and not telling her what he had just found out. He wasn't even sure how it could be true. To his knowledge his findings were almost impossible. He wasn't sure how it could possibly be true, but what he was more unsure of was how Max was going to react to the news. He pushed the file into a folder and put the folder under a pile of papers on his desk. He hoped hiding it would make the whole problem disappear, but he knew it wasn't that easy. He would have to mention it to her eventually.

Hey sexy, Max said playfully coming up behind Logan resting her hands on his shoulders. She came in so quietly that he didn't even know she was there.

Hey beautiful, he said playing along, turning around to kiss her, pulling her closer to him until she was eventually on his lap. She rested her head on his shoulder, loving being in the comfort of his embrace. Being so close to him she could feel the tension in his muscles.

Is something wrong? she asked, still curled up in his lap.

No, nothing is wrong, he lied, knowing that he couldn't lie to her for very long. She always had this ability to read him perfectly.

You just seem a little tense, she observed, turning to look him in the eyes. No matter how well he tried to hide things form her, his eyes always gave him away. Something is wrong.

No. Nothing is wrong. I am just a little tired, that's all.

Whatever it is, you know that I'll find out eventually. Her tone was joking, almost teasing, not knowing the seriousness of what he was hiding from her. She got up from his arms, and began to walk out of the study.

Of course you would be able to find out what I was hiding from you, if I actually, were in fact hiding something from you, he called to her back, hoping that she would buy his excuse.

You think you can outsmart me with that lame excuse? she teased as she looked back at him with a smile.

It's not an excuse, he lied again.

Whatever you say. She gave up leaving the study. She peaked back in one more time to see Logan sigh heavily and take the file out from under the pile of papers. He paged through the contents, and rested his head in his hands, not knowing what to do with the information he had just learned. Max, not knowing what she was going to find, quietly snuck up behind him, and snatched the folder out of his hands.

And you said you weren't hiding anything, she joked.

Max, you really need to give that to me. His tone was surprisingly serious, which almost scared Max.

What's wrong? she asked, not having seen the contents of the file yet. What are you hiding from me?

Just give me the file, he said firmly.

Logan, now I know that there is something wrong. Either you tell me what's in the file right now, or I open it and find out myself.

Logan sighed, knowing that she was going to find out now, no matter what.

Go ahead then, he said quietly, afraid of how she was going to react.

Max opened the file, and began to read through the documents. With each page Logan could feel Max get more and more upset, and confused. When she was finally done she closed the file, and quietly placed it on the desk. She had no clue what to make of what she had found out.

Max, are you okay? he asked after a moment of silence.

Why would you hide something like that from me? her voice was strained as though she were trying her best to keep her emotions in check and in control.

I wasn't sure that you- he was cut off.

How on earth could you possibly keep something that important from me? How? she said raising her voice a little more. How could you not tell me that he is alive?

I don't know if it is true- he was cut off by her again.

Didn't you think that I deserved to know- regardless of whether it was true or not? If someone has information about a man with a barcode identical to Zack's that is in a hospital near Gillette, don't you think I deserve to know- no matter what? If it isn't true, then it isn't, but what if it is? At this point Max couldn't control her emotions, and was near the point of breaking down.

Max, I didn't want to tell you until I was sure. He reached out to comfort her, but she pushed him away.

I can't believe that you would keep something that important away from me! All I can think about some days is the fact that Zack is dead because of me- because of ME. And then you find out that he might possibly be alive, and mostly likely in the need of my help, and you decide to keep that form me!? She finally let her tears fall. They weren't solely because Logan had kept the information from her, but because her brother, who was supposed to be dead, was possibly out there.

It's not like that Max. I didn't want to get your hopes up. I have no clue how true the information is. I just wanted to protect you- Max cut him off in mid sentence once again.

You don't have to protect me. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. Just stay the hell out of my life, she yelled, not being able to control herself. She suddenly had to sit down and process everything. It was all too much for her. She could take the shock. She sat on the nearest chair, and drew in a shaky breath as she rested her head in her hands.

Logan walked over to her. He knew that something like this was going to happen. He knew that she wasn't going to know what to believe. It would've been easier if he had sat her down and told her. Now all he could do was try to comfort her and hope that she would forgive him for not telling her sooner.

Max, I'm so sorry. I didn't want to tell you unless I was sure. I should have just told you. I just didn't want you to get hurt in the long run. I love you so much and all I want to do is protect you. That's all I've ever wanted to do. I'll get the information verified and I will see if it is true, he said gently smoothing her hair.

I don't understand how he could be alive. He- he- and I- Her tone was softer now and wasn't as harsh towards Logan as it was before. Now she was just confused and sad as she recalled everything that had happened.

According to my contact a blond man was brought into a hospital a few days ago. He has a barcode tattoo on his neck, just like Zack's . . . it might be a mistake though . . . he spoke quietly. I promise you that I'll tell you as soon as I find out.

Max hugged him tightly, burying her face in his chest as she finally let all her tears for Zack out. I can't believe that he might actually be alive . . . she trailed off through her tears . . .

. . .

After the night Max had found out that Zack might be alive, Logan had gotten a confirmation that the man was actually Zack. After time things slowly got back to normal, but Max had a different place in her heart; Zack's heart; for him. Now as Logan watched Max get ready to go out with him, he tried to be understanding of the new bond that they shared. He was so afraid that he was going to say the wrong thing and upset her, which in this case meant avoiding her, only further adding to the tension. He didn't want to fight with her anymore. Even though things between them weren't bad, they still weren't good. Living together seemed to be more than he had bargained for.

"Are you going to be really late?" asked Logan cautiously. "I just want to know if I should wait up for you. Maybe I can make a late night pizza, and we could watch an old movie or something."

"It won't be too late," she said grabbing for her coat. "I guess around nine, ten at the latest. We're just going to get a bite to eat and maybe stop by at Crash, shoot some pool or something."

"Okay," Logan said as she was about to walk out the door. "Max," he questioned as she left, gently grabbing her hand.

"Yeah?" she asked turning around.

"I just wanted to let you know that I love you," he said sweetly, pulling her closer to him, softly kissing her on the lips. He needed to make sure that she knew that even though they kept on fighting, he still loved her.

"I love you too," she said with a small smile as she left.

He closed the door and at down on the couch with loud sigh. It wasn't because Max was going to dinner with Zack, but because things between him and Max were beginning to seem so much more difficult. Things had been so easy when they first got together. They had even started talking about possibly getting married, but then things became more strained as they began to fight more about the stupid little things. Max didn't know this, but Logan had even picked out a ring. He had been hoping to surprise her on the anniversary of the time they first met. Now he wasn't sure that they would even be able to be a couple until that long, let alone ever become husband and wife.

He lay down on the couch, with the newspaper, and soon drifted off into a troubled sleep. Logan awoke several hours later. He looked at his watch and realized that it was already past midnight.

He got up and looked around the apartment. He checked the bedroom, and saw that Max wasn't there. He then proceeded to check the bathroom, and the kitchen, and even his office. She wasn't there either. It didn't look like she had come home yet. He instantly began to worry. She had said that it was going to be an early night, and now it was already past midnight. All sorts of bad thoughts raced through his mind. What if she was in trouble or hurt? What if she was captured by Manticore again? He tried to tell himself that nothing was wrong but he couldn't help but worry. He sat back down and took his place on the couch, until he finally drifted back to sleep.

. . .

Max came home the next morning to find Logan asleep on the couch. She remembered that she had told him that she would be home early, and that he could wait up for her. She knew that he would be not only worried about her, but mostly likely very upset.

Logan woke up to the aroma and sounds of Max cooking breakfast.

"Hey sleepy head," she said, handing him a plate of pancakes.

"I'm not hungry," he said despondently, waiting for an explanation of where she was all last night.

"You waited up for me last night, didn't you," asked Max carefully stepping around the issue.

"Yeah," he stated with barely any emotion, trying not to get angry with her. "Until about four in the morning."

"You are waiting for an explanation, aren't you?" She was trying her hardest to approach the situation gingerly, but she knew she was being unsuccessful

"Maybe you should stop asking me questions and just tell me what the hell is going on. The way she was stepping around the subject starting to make him uneasy.

"Well," she started. "Me and Zack decided to hit a bar afterwards, but then when I started on home I realized I didn't have my sector pass, and the stupid cops wouldn't let me past, so I stayed at Zack's. I would've called, but he doesn't have his phone hooked up yet, and I figured you'd be sleeping and I didn't want to wake you," she explained.

Logan didn't say anything.

"Say something- anything," she pleaded. "Yell at me, or get angry, but don't just sit there say nothing."

"I'm not angry, it's not that big of a deal," he lied, not wanting to get into a big fight. He didn't even think about yelling at her for making him so worried. Getting into a huge argument was the last thing he wanted at the moment. She was safe now and that was all the mattered. "I just wish that you had called."

"You're lying. I know you well enough to know that you are lying."

"It's not that big of a deal, lets just forget about it," he said faking a smile.

"You're really not mad?" she asked almost surprised.

"Just a little upset," he confessed, still lying because he was more than just a little upset. "But it isn't that big of a deal."

"I'm still really sorry," she said putting her hands around him, and leaning in to kiss him.

He kissed her back, trying not to stay mad at her for long.

"C'mon, eat some breakfast!" she teased, pushing the plate in front of him. "What was the use of you teaching me how to cook, if you won't eat?"

"All right," he said as she got out the syrup, and some orange juice.

When they had finished eating breakfast, there was a knock at the door.

"Will you get that?" asked Max, grabbing some towels out of the linen closet. "I'm going to take a bath."

"Yeah, sure," he said walking to the door. He opened it to find the one person he really didn't feel like talking to, especially this morning .

"Max left her coat last night," said Zack almost awkwardly, handing the coat to Logan, trying not to be too jealous of the fact that Logan was the man that Max wanted to be with. The previous night he had thought it was his chance to finally be with Max, but he was wrong. Logan had been all she talked about at dinner, and he could tell that he didn't have a chance with her. Max was in love with Logan, and there was nothing he could do to change that. If he couldn't have a chance to be with her, he didn't want Logan to be with her either. he wished that there were a way to make Logan not want to be with Max. Logan was the only threat to Max's safety and the only roadblock standing in the way of him and Max ever starting a romantic relationship.

"I'll give this to Max, and tell her you dropped by," said Logan, forcing himself to be friendly, and not just slam the door in his face. "Thanks for bringing it."

Before Logan could shut the door, Zack had formulated a plan.

"I don't know if Max said anything about this, or told you, or is planning on telling you, but I think that there is something that you need to know."

"And what's that?" asked Logan cautiously.

She must not have told you. I guess it really isn't my place to be saying all this then. Zack was trying to use reverse psychology to plant ideas in to Logan's head. This way, maybe, just maybe, he had a slight chance with her.

Must not have told me what? His tone both demanding and questioning.

I really don't think it is my place to be telling you this, he added again, noting that this plan was working far better than he could have ever hoped.

Just tell me goddamnit, Logan said, knowing that Zack's was definitely keeping something from him that he needed to know.

"After hitting the bar last night, we were both a little drunk, and one thing lead to another, and-" he trailed off convincingly. "She never mentioned that you and her were still together until this morning . . ."

Logan didn't know what to say. He just stood there, his stare cold and emotionless as he tried to swallow the information that he had just learned. The thought hadn't even crossed his mind until now, he hadn't seen it coming at all.

Zack continued, She never mentioned anything the other nights either.

Logan managed to say.

"I better go," said Zack not answering Logan's other question. He knew that he had done all that he could to possibly get himself a chance to be with Max.

Logan shut the door gently, and walked to his office, shutting the door behind him softly. He wanted to slam the door with all his might, or perhaps break it off it's hinges. But all he could do was latch it gently, trying to react as rationally as possible, trying to keep his emotions in control. He sat down at his desk, not knowing what to feel. He instantly wanted to become angry at Zack, then Max, but then he was just sad, then confused. That's when the reality set in, Max slept with Zack, and was now going around pretending like nothing had happened . . .

. . .

Author's Notes: Please forgive the poor quality of this chapter . . . I wrote most of it at 2am . . . the next chapters will be much better :) Please review! This story needs all the help it can get, so please give me any suggestions :) A quick side note: please read Torn Between, my newest fic and new personal favorite. Thanks! Luv y'all :)