Even Though It's Painful...Always

by Kara

*Epilogue up--Complete!* 2024--The virus is gone, and Max and Logan finally have a chance to make their life together. But family problems and the rise of Manticore complicate the issue...

4. Through Heaven and Hell

Even Though It's Painful, Always

Chapter Four: Through Heaven and Hell

Here we are now, going to the east side

I pick up my friends and we start to ride

Ride all night, we ride all day

Some may come and some may stay

Here we are now going to the west side

Weapons in hand as we go for a ride

Some may come and some may stay

Watching out for a sunny day

Here we are now going to the south side

I pick up my friends and we hope we won't die

Ride at night, ride through heaven and hell

Come back and feel so well

--Mobius and Gwen Stefani, "South Side"

A/N: Have I apologized for dragging this fic out? Gahhh, this is way too long. If you can think of scenes that need to be cut, or where this fic drags, let me know. This is my baby, so I'm incapable of judging it in an unbiased fashion. *g* "Before the Night is Over" is off Gaelic Storm's latest album, Tree. The album kicks ass. I suggest you go out and buy it. ;)

Special thanks to Laura, my wonderful beta. :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Can I speak with Father Alexander please?" Max's voice sounded annoyed. Logan noticed her shoving clothes into a backpack with more force than was really necessary. "Father Alexander. Alexander. Like the Great. It's his sister. And no, I won't hold." She sighed, kicking the backpack across the bedroom. It bounced off the dresser, landing on a heap of clothes next to the bed.

Logan chuckled as he went over his own supplies. Since the last raid, Syl had helped him stock up on all the necessities--ammo, extension guns, firearms, and his trusty hacker's kit. An upgrade to his laptop had been financed by hocking a statue of Isis that the art dealer swore came from the heart of Giza. Logan had his doubts.

"Father Alexander. Yes, this is the right church. St. Ignatius Loyola, right? Then let me speak with my brother. No, not Brother. My brother. Like my sibling. Father Alexander. Tell him it's Max. He'll take the call. Fine, put me on hold!"

There was a sound of plastic slowly being crushed. Logan wheeled over to where Max was crouched on the floor, running a finger along the back of her neck. "Easy, Max, it's just the phone. Don't take it out on the phone. We don't have a spare," he joked, giving her a smile. She looked up at him with a glare and batted his hand away. Before she stalked out of the room, she turned and gave him an apologetic look and quick kiss. If Logan didn't know better, he'd swear that his transgenic angel was PMSing. Maybe she didn't bleed once a month like most women, but she still got pissy like one…

"Father Alexander. A-L-E-X--Lex? Is that you? Yeah, it's baby sister. Our señorita sister this time. The chimera always raises its ugly-ass head." Max was quiet for a moment as she stood in the doorway, one arm wrapped around her waist. She'd stood that way a lot in the past few hours, making her phone calls to what was left of the X-5 Freedom Force. "We'll bounce through LA probably tomorrow morning. You coming with? Yeah, it's cool. It's not your fight, big brother. Yeah, I hope he watches over you too." She slammed the phone against the door.

The satisfying crunch of plastic against the hard wood brought Jondy running down the hall. She looked from Max to Logan and then smiled slightly. "I guess Lex isn't coming to the party."

Wheeling over, Logan tugged at Max's hand. Without turning around, she fell back into his lap, automatically curling up so that her legs hung over one wheel, her head resting against his chest. "He said it wasn't God's will. Why let some fucking dead guy decide your life? Like some old man in the clouds really gives a shit about us." Dark eyes downcast, Max's face crumpled slightly. "And I still can't get a hold of Jace. Alec isn't answering his cell. Syl and Krit won't be here until tonight, and I just have this feeling…"

Logan tightened his arms around her. "It'll be okay, Max. We'll get through this." He kissed the back of her neck. Sometimes she found Zack's shoes a little hard to fill. He didn't blame her. As anal as the guy had been, Zack was good at protecting all of his siblings, once he got it into his head to let them live their own lives…

"What if you send Zane down to check on Jace, Maxie? He's in New Mexico on his enlightenment quest anyway," Jondy offered, leaning up against the doorway. "That way, we can meet him down in San Diego if Tawny manages to fly his lazy ass out of New Orleans."

Max's dark eyes met his, lines creasing her forehead as she thought it out. "I'll call Zane if you wanna try Tawny again."

Jondy laughed. "You're as sadistic as the Colonel, baby sister. For you, this once, I'll call the brothels of New Orleans looking for Big Brother. Madame Jez hadn't heard from him in a week as of an hour ago." She snorted. "Guess Deck never figured our superior genes would kick STD ass, huh?"

"There should be another phone in the office, MacDuff. If not, I think the wall phone in the kitchen still works," Logan offered as the brunette walked out the door. Reaching around the woman in his lap and into the pocket of his shirt, he held out his cell phone to Max. "For you, milady," he said, kissing the side of her neck. "Only if you promise not to drop kick it across the room."

"I could drop kick your ass instead," she muttered. "Or I could let Jondy do it." There was a thoughtful look on her face. "Or--"

He flipped open the phone and began dialing Zane's number.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Room 246 please." Jondy resisted the desire to kick the wall again. There was already a series of black smudges about eight inches off the floor. They were too small for Bling's feet, so she didn't have any doubt about who'd created them. Civilization had tamed her little sister a bit. At Manticore, Max would've probably kicked the wall down, wrath of the Colonel be damned.

Tawny wasn't at the Sultan's Hideaway, or at any of the five other nookie motels he said he might stay at in New Orleans. This was the last number on her list, some Old Money hotel on Bourbon Street that Tawny's newest fuck buddy lived at.

"Lap of Luxury, how can I pleasure you?" an oddly familiar voice purred into the phone.

Jondy resisted the urge to hurl. It would surprise her if Tawny was running a phone sex ring out of some hotel. It would be one of the more normal things he'd chosen to occupy his time. "I'm looking for my brother. He said this was one of the places he might be staying. Is Tony there?"

The man's voice chuckled. "Golden Tony's in the middle of two women right now. Can I take a message? What are you wearing?"

"Tell Big Brother that his little sister's gonna kick his ass if he doesn't come to the phone, just like I did at Capture the Flag." She looked down at her faded sweats and tank-top. The man's voice was sexy as hell, even if he did seem like a nymphomaniac ass. "And I can tell you what I'm not wearing…"

There was a pause. Over the phone wires, Jondy could hear what sounded like footsteps, and a muffled knock on a door. Moments later, the voice said, "He said that Capture the Flag doesn't count, because the Colonel always liked you better." The man actually sounded almost apologetic this time. "I'm sorry, Tony's little sister, but--"

"Tell him our father's back in town and wants to see Jace," Jondy cut in. "I'm not wearing a bra, and I might tell you what color underwear I'm wearing if you get him on the phone."

This time, there was a soft thud as the phone hit something soft. Max walked into the kitchen, giving her an odd look. Jondy shook her head. Some things weren't worth the explanation.

"This better be good, little sister." Tawny's voice was breathless. "If it's anything short of Deck's resurrection…"

"How about the family business up and operational again? That good enough?" She twisted the phone cord around her fingers. "A friend of Maxie's brought the news. Apparently, they want something of his south of the border."

"Shit." Jondy didn't want to know what the muffled noises were. "Hey, Jor, I need to bail. You know anyone with a plane?" The vaguely familiar voice spoke again before Tawny came back on the line. "You guys going in through San Diego? I could fly in sometime tomorrow night."

Jondy signaled to Max, who nodded. "Maxie says that works. We're leaving as soon as the cavalry arrives. Biggest Brother went down to check on Hermana and her niño."

"This has to be it, baby sister. This is the last time. If we don't break them…" Tawny's voice trailed off. "Oh, and Jor wants to know what color."

Max gave her an odd look as she choked. "White with little blue flowers," Jondy answered in her calmest voice. "Tomorrow night? We'll bust ass getting down there."

"Affirmative, little sister. Meetcha at your old High Place. Peace." And she heard a dial tone.

"You owe me, Maxie." Jondy poked her little sister in the shoulder. "You owe me big."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Around noon, there was a knock at the door. "It's open, Bling." Logan called from where he was making final preparations with his laptop. "Did Sebastian okay the exoskeleton?"

But the two who walked in weren't a physical trainer and a former military lab tech. "Here to check on Max, Cindy? She's in the bedroom asleep." Max's roommate only glared at the man behind her.

"See, Normal, Original Cindy spoke the word. Can you pick your tighty- whiteys out of your butt now?"

Normal looked around suspiciously. Logan noticed a can of Lysol clutched in one of the man's hands. "I want to see her. If she's sick, then I won't fire her firetrucking little--"

Max chose that moment to walk out of the bathroom, looking pale. Her eyes were still half-shut, and she looked worse than Logan had seen her in a long time. He wasn't too surprised when she'd fallen asleep about an hour ago. Both Max and Jondy were working their hair-trigger nerves overtime.

Oblivious to the two who still stood in the doorway, Max slipped into Logan's lap, leaning against him. "I just horked," she said, smelling strongly of mouthwash and toothpaste. "I haven't horked like that since I was eight years old, and the flu vaccine sent me to the infirmary for three days." There were shadows under her eyes. "I don't wanna be Big Brother any more. Zane can take over."

Logan noticed Original Cindy giving Normal a pointed look. "Okay, maybe she is sick," the older man muttered. At the sound of Normal's voice, Max slid from Logan's lap, automatically crouching at his feet.

"Fella fella here wanted to make sure you was really sick, boo." Original Cindy raised her hand, holding it threateningly at the base of Normal's skull. "Now that sense has been smacked into his pointy little head…"

One hand in front of his face, Normal edged towards them, holding out a bag of capsules. "Multi-vitamins. Take two every morning. Get your immune system back in shape, young lady." When he got within a foot, he flung them in Max's direction. She caught the bag neatly, staring at it, and then at her boss. "What?" Normal gave her a defensive look. "I can't be nice? Bip bip bip, Missy! Get back to work as soon as you can."

Max looked from the bag to her boss. Logan could almost hear the wheels turning in her brain. "I think I'm gonna go hurl again," she muttered, running off towards the bathroom.

"Stop sniffing gasoline! Then you wouldn't be in so much firetrucking trouble all the time!" Normal called after her as she raced by, one hand over her mouth. "Congratulations, Mr. Cale. You found a winner in that girl. Don't say I didn't warn you." Though there was a dark look on his face, Logan thought Normal actually sounded sincere. "If you schedule your wedding around a holiday, I might even manage to give her a week off for your honeymoon."

Before Logan could be too impressed with Normal's begrudging generosity, Jondy poked her head in from the office. "Don't you have anything heavier than a 9 mm, Logan?" She held up the pistol with distaste. "Syl's bringing more explosives with her, but she can't get her hands on as much fire power as last time. I know that Maxie won't take one, and I won't either, but Krit and Syl like to be armed for this kinda shit."

There was a thump as Normal's body hit the hardwood floor. Jondy walked out, one hand holding the handgun as far away from her body as possible. "Guess he didn't buy the Max being sick story, huh?" She nudged the inert body with her toe. Cindy gave Normal's body a gentle kick. "Bip bip bip, moron. That's Latin for get your skinny ass off the floor."

Normal's eyes fluttered open. Logan saw him look from Original Cindy to the gun that Jondy still held. He stood slowly, one hand covering his face. "Don't tell me. I don't want to know. If there are aliens involved, or if you're performing amateur brain surgery again, just don't tell me. Come back to work when your covert operations are over, and we'll forget it all happened." Logan thought he heard the man whimper, but he couldn't be too sure. Normal edged his way to the door, carefully keeping Original Cindy in front of him. As he reached behind himself to turn the doorknob, he hollered off down the hall, "Remember to take your vitamins!"

Max walked back in as Original Cindy was heading out the door. "You come home before you leave, boo." She walked over, giving Max a quick hug. Then Cindy shot Jondy a pointed look. "And you take care of her. I ain't bustin' in to no jail again to save my boo. Original Cindy put a smackdown on all your asses with her stick, aiight?"

Jondy laid the gun on a nearby table before she walked over to Max, putting one hand on her sister's shoulder. "You okay, baby sister? You look kinda green."

Max shook her head, giving Logan a look that he couldn't decipher. "It's just nerves. I hate this shit. I hate it," she repeated, chewing on her lip. Logan knew from experience that there was no point in offering her comfort when she was this worked up. If she needed him, she would come to him. All he had to do was wait, and that was the hardest part of all.

"Hey, Max, was that your neurotic boss spraying Lysol in the elevator?" Bling opened the door with one hand, carefully carrying the exoskeleton. Victor walked a step behind him, eyes wide as he looked around.

"He checks out?" Logan nodded towards the lab technician.

Bling nodded. "Sebastian did a full scan. No bugs, no tracers. Gave him a sodium penth test too. The man's telling the truth."

"The suit?" Max moved to stand behind Logan. He reached up, catching one of her hands in his. She squeezed it gently, leaning down to wrap her arms around his shoulders.

"Checked out too. I've got a kit of spare parts that Sebastian said you might need. He said to take the hacking kit, and that Zane would know what to do if the servomotors malfunctioned." Bling set the suit down. "Don't forget to call your cousin back too. While you were out getting breakfast this morning, he called again, wondering about dinner." "Shit." Bennett had completely slipped his mind. Logan turned his head to look at Max behind him. "Robert's in town. Bennett wanted to meet for dinner without Aunt Margot. I could fix dinner here, and you could have another attack before the dessert course. That way we can keep an eye on the phone and be ready to leave when Krit and Syl get here."

Max turned to Jondy. The two looked at each other for a moment in that infuriating way they had. At times like this, Logan didn't wonder at the existence of telepathy in the X-5s. "That works, big brother," Jondy finally said. "I'd keep the cuisine light--carbs and shit, since a heavy meal before a mission'll just sit in your stomach." She nodded towards Victor, who was staring what was left of Logan's entertainment system in the living room. "What do we do about him?"

Max smiled slightly. "Jondy, didn't you ever meet our brother-in-law?"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The intercom buzzed promptly at five. "Cale, party of three." Bennett's voice sounded staticky over the crackling speakers. Max looked at Logan as he settled into his wheelchair, unlocking the brakes. He nodded, and she hit the intercom.

"Open sesame. You know the way."

"Thanks, Max."

Victor brushed his hair out of his eyes nervously. "I can go back to the safehouse for a few hours. It's okay. There's this marathon on cable tonight-"

Max twisted the ring around her finger. "You can't miss the action. If we can't, you can't." She wasn't crazy about Robert. He wasn't as bad as Jordan, and he was a hell of a lot better than Margot, but it wasn't something she felt like dealing with. Not when Jace could be in trouble. Not when they still had a twenty hour drive ahead of them. Her stomach rumbled angrily. Two months of no morning sickness, but the night before a mission… Fucking nerves. The Outside world had softened her.

Logan shot her a concerned look. He wheeled over to where she sat, taking her hand in his. "You can play sick, Max. My family will live. I'll understand." His left hand rubbed her barcode, and Max leaned into his touch. "Whatever you feel most comfortable with."

As he leaned in to kiss her, they heard a knock at the door. "I'll get it." Jondy hopped off the counter and padded into the hallway. Max slid to her feet. Logan took her hand again, bringing it to his lips and kissing it. "It'll be okay, Max. We'll get Jace. You won't have to go back to Manticore."

All she wanted was to believe him. Maybe after it was all done, she would find the courage to tell him about the latest development in their relationship. Weddings, babies--it was all happening too fast. Manticore had never prepared her for how fast the real world moved.

"Bennett, Marianne, good to see you again." Max watched in wonder as he gave his cousins his usual brilliant smile. Maybe growing up in 'society' taught you the ability to bluff the same way growing up at Manticore did. At least Bennett and Marianne were actually human. Max stood and plastered a smile on her face, carefully tugging her sweater over her stomach. It wasn't her fault that almost all of her sweaters were cut short. It was her fault that her stomach wasn't as flat as it usually was… At least Cindy found this old sweater buried in the back of her closet.

Logan turned his wheelchair, his cousins following in his wake. "You remember Max and Jondy."

Jondy smiled from behind the door, carefully shutting it behind Bennett. "A pleasure to see you again." Max noticed that her sister had that vacuous look on her face again, the harmless face that meant she was up to something. Even the Colonel learned to fear that face. Her sister's eyes widened slightly when Jondy noticed Robert trailing behind Bennett. She shot Max a look. Maybe Jondy's heat wasn't over just yet.

"Who's the beautiful lady, Logan?" Robert Cale flashed the same sexy grin as his cousin. Max could almost see every thought in her sister's head come to a grinding halt. Robert was the golden Cale, just like Jordan--blond hair, blue eyes, and the same mellow baritone the other Cale men had. Logan said once that Robert was wasted on the Seattle gloom. His younger cousin spent most of his summers with relatives in Los Angeles.

"Jondy Guevara," her sister answered smoothly, recovering enough to give Robert her hand. Max was surprised that her sister didn't growl at him. Her blue eyes had that "I wanna fuck you" glow about them.

"Max's sister. Bennett told me about you." Again, the Cale smile, potent enough to melt hearts and make women puddle. "I'm sure Max and Logan told you all about me." This time, the cocky smile faltered slightly, becoming a little less self-assured. "If you ignore any stories involving underwear or livestock--" Jondy choked. She shot Max another look before grinning at Robert again, spell broken. "If you tell me, I'll tell you about the time my brother woke up wearing women's underwear." She hooked her arm through Robert's, leading him over to the couch.

"Logan mentioned you were feeling a little under the weather, Max. We'll try to keep dinner quick." Marianne smiled at her, leaning in to kiss her on the cheek. "Has your sister decided to settle in Seattle then?"

Max looked over at where Jondy and Robert sat on the couch. Her sensitive hearing picked up mention of Zane's dog and Tawny's feet. Robert had one hand over his mouth, eyes wide with what looked like horror. He stared at Jondy, completely fascinated. "She's still deciding. I hope she stays for a little while. I missed her."

"I miss my two sisters. They live in Wyoming, and I never see them anymore." Marianne looked over Max's shoulder and blushed slightly. "Pardon my manners. I'm Marianne Cale, Bennett's wife."

Max looked behind her and noticed Victor hovering shyly at her back. "This is my brother-in-law, Victor Sanchez. He's with the military." She held out her left hand to Victor, drawing him further into the room.

"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am," Victor said, shaking Marianne's hand.

"Max, is that--?" Marianne pointed to her left hand as her ring sparkled in the light. Max found herself enveloped in a tight hug. "You didn't tell us! Of course your family's here now, if you have a wedding to plan. Logan, I can't believe--"

All eyes turned towards her, and Max could feel her cheeks burning. But she was a soldier, and soldiers never showed weakness, even to their family. She straightened up and stuck out her chin, just as she would've fourteen years ago, at Manticore. Logan's eyes met hers with a look of incredible love until Max felt her insides turn to jello. That warm, jiggly feeling filled her stomach again, and she doubted it had anything to do with morning sickness. Maybe this crazy plan would work. No ravens to say nevermore. No sign of birds anywhere.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So you were planning on proposing all along?" Bennett shook his head, a forkful of spaghetti still hovering an inch from his mouth. "Of course you wouldn't say anything to Mother. That would ruin everything. I'm sorry, Logan. I can't apologize enough for her."

Logan smiled at his cousin. From the way his arm moved under the table, Jondy could tell that he was reaching for her sister's hand. "I can't blame everything on Aunt Margot." He turned to Max, the look of love on his face so powerful that it hurt Jondy as she sat next to her sister. "If I had half the courage of some people I know, I wouldn't have taken so long to say something."

"It doesn't mean we can't blame Mother for some things," Robert added in a light tone. He held up his water glass. "She had nothing to do with the Pulse, or with famine or with pestilence, though I think her hair dryer did cause the brown-out two nights ago."

Jondy could feel her mouth curve into a smile. Robert Cale wasn't what she expected. Like the other Cale men, he looked younger than his 30 years. He was the middle child, three years younger than Bennett, and three years older than Jordan. Where Bennett was serious, and Jordan was supposed to be Tawny's twin separated at birth, Robert was the happy medium. He wasn't brilliant, he wasn't charming, but he had enough wit and looks to get what he wanted. And even though her heat had passed with Andy, Jondy could almost feel it reigniting.

"Down, girl." Max's hand pressed on her thigh.

Bennett turned to his left, fork still in hand. "So, Victor, you're with the military. Did you know Max and Jondy's father?"

Jondy watched Victor choke down a mouth of pasta. "I worked under the Colonel before he died," he answered, a panicked look on his face. He reached for his glass of wine, downing half of it in one swallow.

"And you have a son?" Bennett continued politely. This time, Victor shot Jondy a dirty look.

"My son's with my wife in San Diego. I'm leaving tomorrow morning to go join them. I was recently reassigned so that I could be closer to my family." This time, Victor was able to flash his easy grin at Bennett. X-5s weren't the only ones who picked up a few moves at Manticore.

"So you suffer from a large family too, Jondy?" Robert gave her a sympathetic look from across the table. "Three sisters and a brother?"

"Three sisters alive," Jondy corrected. Three sisters alive and free. She didn't want to think about the ones who'd died at Manticore--Tinga, Eva, Brin, Jen… "Our parents wanted a big family, so they adopted a few of us. They died when I was almost ten, so we scattered. The Pulse didn't help when we tried to find each other afterwards."

"You probably had a great childhood, growing up with all those siblings. I miss my sisters more than anything sometimes. And my nieces and nephews." There was a wistful look on Marianne's face.

Manticore wasn't exactly an idyllic childhood. Jondy didn't think she could even call it a childhood. But Manticore did give her a family, even if it was a dysfunctional one at best. "It was hard, but I had my family," she said finally. Max's hand found hers under the table and squeezed it. "If it wasn't for my family, I don't think I would've made it out." She wouldn't think of Zack and the sacrifices he made so that the rest of them could lead as normal a life as they could. She wouldn't dwell on Tinga's death, or Brin's, fighting to save the ones they loved. Eva, Jack, Ben… Godspeed to the Good Place. At least she knew that they were in good company there.

"So, Logan, have you two set a date yet? Father Michael needs at least a year's notice if he's going to perform the ceremony." The minute Bennett mentioned the wedding, Jondy noticed Max turning pale. She wondered if her sister would throw up again. At least that would end dinner. Maxie had never showed signs of nervousness before. But this was her second attempt at rescuing a sister. The last one got her recaptured and taken back to the pits of Hell.

"Christmas," Max said with a forced smile. "My brother Lex said that he'd perform the ceremony--right here, if we wanted."

"Eleven months--that's not that much time. You need flowers, a band, a dress. You need to pick a theme for your bridesmaids, your vows. And since you chose Christmas as a date, you need to plan now, before the holiday rush starts. And--"

As Marianne ticked items off on her fingers, Max's face turned whiter and whiter. For a moment, Jondy was back at Manticore, watching Eva get shot down right before her eyes. Max wore the same stunned look now as she had then, a little girl in way over her head.

"Excuse me." Max bolted from the table, one hand over her mouth. Logan gave Jondy a worried look as her sister ran down the hallway towards his bathroom.

Before he could push his wheelchair back from the table, she stood up. "I'll go." Jondy smiled politely at the Cales. "It was nice to see you again." And she took off at a run after her sister.

"Maxie?" Pushing open the door to the master bathroom, she found her sister leaning against the toilet, her dark head resting on top of the closed toilet lid. Jondy knelt beside Max, pushing the dark curls out of her sister's face. "Nerves that bad, baby sister?"

Max turned so that she was half-sitting in Jondy's lap. "I've yakked three times today. That's three more times than I've yakked since Manticore. The second time."

Jondy reached for a towel, hoisting Max up slightly so that she could reach the faucet to wet it. She carefully wiped Max's face, then tossed the towel into the hamper in Logan's walk-in closet. "Ten point shot, huh, Maxie?"

Her sister managed a weak smile. "You should play one on one with Logan. He's got a better hook shot."

Sliding out from under her sister, Jondy rummaged around in the medicine cabinet for some mouthwash. "Here, Maxie. You can't save the world smelling like you just yakked." Max obediently rinsed her mouth out, face still pale. "Is it nerves, or is the whole prego thing finally hitting you?"

Her sister stared at her reflection, making faces in the mirror. "Nerves. The morning they started my reindoctrination at Manticore, I yakked all over Renfro." Max grinned, looking like her old self. "I can't get caught again. I'm scared shitless. Even the Reds didn't scare me this much." Her face fell again, until Jondy could see the little girl she'd known at Manticore. "Even Capture the Flag wasn't this scary."

"It was when Lydecker set you and me and Zack against everyone else." Jondy turned over Max's wrist, tracing the faint scar. "Remember?"

Max held up her other wrist. "That was the only time Zack ever broke his promise."

"Max?" Syl walked in, holding out the phone. "It's Zane."

Max looked relieved as she took the phone into Logan's closet to talk.

"No traffic?" Jondy hugged Syl. "Maxie's been out of her mind because of all this shit."

Syl wrinkled her nose. "Yakked, huh?" She sat on the lid of the toilet. "Eva used to do that, before training exercises."

"I wonder if the Colonel ever knew how scared we got." Jondy hoisted herself up to sit on the edge of the sink. "I threw up after our first live ordnance drill." Even the memory of that shell bursting near her face made her stomach turn.

"Zane can't find Jace." Max walked out of the closet, her face still pale. "Jace's neighbor said that she took Max to Rosarito for a few days."

"Fuck." Jondy kicked the sink. "If we can't find her, at least Manticore can't either."

"Max?" Logan wheeled in from the bedroom, Krit not far behind. "My family left. We can leave now, since Krit and Syl are here." He locked the brakes on the wheelchair, standing up. "Max?"

Max's eyes met Jondy's as she rubbed her stomach with one hand. "Let's blaze," she said softly.

"I'll meet you back at Max's," Jondy said quickly. "I wanna stop some place first."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The church was quiet when Jondy walked through the large double doors. The Blue Lady statue stood in the corner, a serene look on her face. "You better watch out for Maxie," she warned the statue. "You failed Ben, but if you fail us again..."

"If you ask for help, you might have better results," a gentle voice said from behind her. Jondy whirled around to find Father Destry standing in front of the confessional, a slight smile on his face. "As I said before, the Lady doesn't give up as easily as we do."

"She let Jack die," Jondy argued, advancing on the priest. To his credit, Father Destry didn't flinch or back away. "She let my baby die, and Zack and Tinga. Ben worshipped her his entire life and she never came to help him. We all believed in her, and she still let Manticore beat us down."

"She made you strong," Father Destry countered quietly. "The Father never threw anything at you that He knew you couldn't handle."

"God decided to let man play creator and fuck with our genes. Our father tortured us to see how much we could handle. And if the people who created us get their hands on my baby sister again, I don't think any of us will live through it." She was surprised when her voice cracked. "Maxie's pregnant. And Manticore wants our babies. If she goes back..." Jondy shook her head. "Logan won't survive it. Maxie definitely wouldn't. And I can't be Big Brother. None of us can."

Father Destry was silent. He reached out, putting a hand on her arm. "Sometimes you just have to have faith," he said slowly. "I know it's hard, but sometimes that little bit of faith will be the deciding factor that helps you pull through." The priest smiled. "I can't promise you a miracle, but I can promise that you aren't alone, and you won't be alone. If you only cast one shadow, it's because He's there, carrying you."

She looked over the priest's shoulder at the Blue Lady who still smiled benevolently, even after all these years. "Keep them safe. Keep us safe. You don't have to make Manticore go away. Just…a little peace. It's not like I'm asking for entrance to the Good Place." Even now, years later, she still fell back to her oldest childhood beliefs and fears. But the nomalies of the outside world were much worse than the ones in the basement at Manticore.

"The oldest prayer," Father Destry said. "Dona nobis pacem. Bring us peace." He took a card out of his pocket and handed it to her. "It's not the same one you gave me, but I thought you might like a new one. Kind of like turning over a new leaf." The image of the Blue Lady looked almost exactly like the one she remembered from her childhood. Some people had teddy bears that they clung to. She had a bizarre childhood goddess that her brother thought up. But it was still protection. And it was still comfort for whatever the future would bring.

"Thank you."

Father Destry gave her one last smile. "Just have faith. That's all He asks."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Ready?"

Syl and Jondy nodded as they arranged the bags in the trunk of the Aztek. Everything questionable was stuffed in the false bottom of Krit's ancient Jeep. Everything they packed looked innocent enough-tents, sleeping bags, an ancient camping stove. Logan had even managed to find some fishing poles somewhere, including one child-sized one that looked well-used and probably well-loved.

Original Cindy shoved a flat package at Max before hugging her tight. "You said your vest was too short, boo. Hopefully this'll help protect that baby boo you got growin' inside."

Max turned the package over and over in her hands. "Where-"

Her roommate grinned. "You ain't the only one with skills, sugar. Just come back, boo. Original Cindy like this living situation we got."

Jondy walked around the Aztek, Syl at her heels. Cindy held out her arms to both of them and hugged them too. "You take care of each other, aiight? Three going, three of y'all comin' back, or else I'll put a smackdown on your ass."

Syl looked at Jondy and nodded, her blue eyes solemn. Max never thought about what it was like for the rest of them, coming home minus two of their siblings. It was bad enough, waking up to find Zack dead, but it must have been worse for Syl and Krit, thinking both her and their big brother gone. "No one gets left behind this time. I promise." And from the look on Syl's face, Max knew that her sister would die making that promise come true. They all would, this time.

"Max?" Logan called from the driver's seat of the Aztek. Krit was already settled in the Jeep, Victor in the passenger's seat.

"Bye, boo." Max hugged Cindy one last time. "If something happens…"

Cindy chuckled, tears in her dark eyes. "I'll watch over your baby. Just remember that I love you, boo. And if you need anything, I'll be at your side with my smackdown stick."

Max nodded, blinking back tears. This was her first and oldest friend--her only friend who wasn't genetically altered. "Love you too," she said, letting Jondy pull her away. No matter what it took, she was coming back to Seattle. This time, her family was going to make it.

~*~*~*~*~

Logan looked in the rearview mirror. All three girls were crowded into the backseat, asleep. Max sat in the middle, her head resting on Syl's shoulder. Jondy was curled up across the two of them, her head on Syl's thigh, one arm draped over Max's stomach. It was different from the last time he watched X-5s prepare for battle. Maybe it was because they didn't know what they were up against. They'd prepared for everything they could think of, barring acts of God. They even had enough camping equipment to provide an alibi-three couples who want to get away from the city for a week. Everything was different. There was no Lydecker. And if they got to Jace soon enough, there would be no need to attack the resurrection of Manticore either.

Syl's eyes opened. "Where are we?"

"About an hour north of San Francisco." The sun was just beginning to come up. "You slept most of the night."

She looked out the window at the highway. "Krit's probably getting tired. We should switch out drivers for a while."

Logan smiled slightly, looking at the blonde in the rear-view mirror. "Miss him?"

"A little." To his surprise, Syl actually blushed. "It's not like you and Maxie. It's…" She looked out the window again as she tried to find the words. "He's not just my brother anymore. But if I have to leave someday…" Syl trailed off. Logan could see her glance down at Jondy's head in her lap. "He was there when I needed him, and I still need him. I might always need him. We'll see." She shook her sister's shoulder. "Wake up, Jondy. You're making my leg fall asleep."

Jondy sat up. Logan heard a smack as she bumped against Max. Looking back again, her eyes met his in the mirror. "Switching off?" Max yawned. "I can take over, if you want."

Logan fumbled for his cell phone and passed it to the back seat. "Call Krit. Let him know…" He trailed off as the Jeep pulled up along side the Aztek. "Great Manticore minds think alike."

Syl snorted.

The jeep followed as he pulled the Aztek off the side of the road. Syl immediately opened her door, climbing up into the jeep almost before Victor had a chance to hop out.

"Guess we're switching off" was Victor's only comment. "Can't fault the guy because I'm not a petite blonde. Front or back?"

Jondy climbed over Max. "Go ahead and crash in back with Maxie, Logan. Victor can ride in front and keep me awake."

Max yawned. "Need more sleep as you get older, big sister?" Logan felt relieved when she gave her usual lopsided grin.

"Don't make me hurt you," Jondy warned as she climbed into the front seat. She gave Logan a light shove. "Move it, Miracle Boy."

As soon as Logan settled in the back seat, Max leaned against him. He'd never seen her look so tired. She actually drooped.

"You okay?" He rubbed the back of her neck with one hand as she settled against his shoulder.

"I don't feel like I'm gonna hork anymore." She yawned, nuzzling his neck. "I'm just worried. And scared."

"Sleep, baby sister." Jondy's blue eyes were worried as she looked in the rearview mirror. "We can stop for food in a few hours."

Logan leaned back against the seat and settled Max's body more comfortably next to his. Her fatigue was contagious, but then, they hadn't slept much the past few nights either. He was surprised that Max's nerves weren't shot to hell, especially considering what happened the last time she tried to rescue one of her sisters. It would be different this time. This wasn't an attack on Manticore.

He wouldn't let Max go again.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"I thought Max didn't sleep." Victor nodded towards the back seat where Max and Logan sat, snoring.

"Maxie doesn't. But it's been an unusual week." The road seemed to fly by as the Aztek and the Jeep raced down Highway 5. Jondy tried not to think of the last trip she took up to Seattle, and the news she got when she found Logan. KIA wasn't an option this time.

"You were the other nocturnal one, weren't you? Jace never said anything, but Max mentioned her insomnia once…" Victor trailed off, as if he wasn't sure how to treat her. She still wasn't sure of what she thought of a guy who tweaked genes for a living, so at least the feeling was mutual.

"Maxie and I just never needed sleep. We can all survive without it if we have to on a mission. Jace used to always crash hard after we trained. She was hard to wake up in the morning too. Sometimes Zack would make Brin sit on her chest until she woke up." That was Jace's only failing as a soldier. She was the best at following orders--better even than Brin, but Jace was one of the few who didn't snap to attention when the wake-up call came in the mornings. That was the part of Ben's stories that her sister had always liked best--in the Good Place, you could sleep in as late as you want.

Looking at Victor out of the corner of her eye, Jondy saw him staring at the picture of his son. "Why Jace?"

He looked up at her, startled. "Is it cheesy to say she intrigued me? I heard rumors about the escape, and one of the doctors mentioned that Jace was one of the ones left behind. She seemed different from the other X-5s, until they reindoctrinated Brin. The fact that she had a name…"

"Jace was the nickname of one of the doctors. When Ben accidentally broke Jace's arm in the shower when we were small, that was the doctor that set the break." Jondy smiled, remembering the kind look the doctor had given them. "He was nice to us. No one had ever really been nice to us before on the medical staff. Mostly they just poked and prodded us. So when we named ourselves, Jace picked his name."

"I saw the files." Victor put the picture back in his wallet. "Lydecker probably knew that I hacked in. Most of the other techs tried too. We knew that something was up. It wouldn't make sense for all the barcoded kids to be around. I didn't get in too deep, but I made it to the general psych profiles they did of your class. Deck actually admitted to underestimating you. He was proud of you, I think."

Jondy snorted. "Gotta make Dad proud after all. Nothing better than living up to our killing potential. I'm glad they asked us if we wanted to be soldiers when we grew up."

"You made it out alive," Victor reminded her.

"I did," Jondy snapped back. "Ask Ben and Tinga and Brin and the others how they feel about that."

They lapsed into silence. She tried to concentrate on the road ahead, but it was hard. She was tempted to take the highway to the 101 and drive down through her old haunts-Cambria, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria. She hadn't been back to Pismo since Zack first found her, almost ten years ago. He kissed her then. He didn't kiss Maxie when he found her in Seattle.

"Do you love her?" It even startled Jondy when she asked the question. Victor gave her the deer in the headlights look as he clutched his hands in his lap.

"Maybe," he said finally, his face a little pale. "I was attracted to her. I risked my life to be with her. I think…" He looked down at his hands. His knuckles were almost white around his wallet. "I think I'll know, when I see her again."

"Maxie thinks she loves you, as much as we can love. Jace loved you enough to risk freedom for your child, even though it still scares the shit out of her sometimes." The world wasn't well-ordered enough for her sister, but Jondy knew that Jace would do anything to keep her son out of Manticore. Just as Jondy would have done. Just as Max would have to do.

"I don't know if I can handle a love like those two have." Victor nodded towards the back seat. "I don't know if I want that option."

"Everything has its price."

Some things were worth it. Looking back at Max and Logan, curled up together, Jondy wondered if it was worth it for them. Even in her sleep, Max had both arms wrapped around her stomach. The next few days would tell if it was worth it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"It's still the same. Old Town hasn't changed a bit," Jondy remarked as they drove through San Diego in the dark. "Turn left here, Maxie. The old water tower should be on the other side of the refinery."

Max turned down the dark street, automatically scanning the buildings for any sign of suspicious life. This part of town was as dead as the industry that had once inhabited it. From the smell, these were docks, pre-Pulse.

"Is it mandatory for all secret meetings to be in bad neighborhoods after dark?" Victor's voice was nervous. "I know you guys want to keep this covert and all that shit…"

"Didn't Jace tell you we can see in the dark?" Max parked the Aztek under the shadow of the water tower. "I guess we wait."

Then, her pager went off. A low sports car pulled up next to the Aztek. Max's hand checked to make sure her Kevlar vest was zipped up under her shirt. She looked back at Jondy, signaling twice. Her sister nodded, motioning for the men to duck down. Then Jondy flashed the signal to get out.

With her eyes on the car next to her, Max carefully slipped out of the driver's side, inching her way along the Aztek. Three figures sat in the dark car. One of them might've been Tawny. Even X-5s couldn't see through tinted windows in the dark.

A door opened on the sports car and one tall figure stepped out. In the moonlight, his skin gleamed a dark brown. There was no mistaking the priest's collar around his neck.

"Lex?"

Her big brother smiled his gentle smile, holding his arms open. "It's okay, Max. It's just Tawny and some friend he picked up in New Orleans. The man's clean. He already checked out."

Max found herself surrounded by Lex's strong arms. Her brother was still thin, his dark brown hair cropped close to his skull. The barcode on the back of his neck was gone. He must have had it removed recently.

"Lex!" Jondy was swept up into her own hug. "Maxie said that this wasn't your fight."

"A brother of ours reminded me that it was my duty to protect all of God's innocents, and that includes my own nephew." Lex's smile widened briefly. "And Tawny threatened to kick my butt."

"One more for our side. We might kick ass after all." Max grinned at her brother. She peered at the figure that climbed out of the car after Tawny. "Fuck. Tell me that isn't--"

The third figure stepped into the light. "Tony mentioned he had sexy sisters, but he didn't say that you knew one of them, Max." Jordan Cale's face broke into the familiar Cale grin. "Is Logan--"

"Aunt Margot was wondering where you were," Logan said mildly as he came to stand beside Max. Automatically, she leaned back against him. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into, Jordan."

Jordan's charming smile faltered. "Tony said he had to do some ass-kicking to save a sister of his. What else can be involved?"

"Black helicopter boys," Logan said, echoing Original Cindy.

"Frankenstein and his three hottie sisters. We've even got the stitches to prove it," Jondy added.

"Conspiracy, military school rejects, genetic mutations…and a partridge in a pear tree." Max gave Jordan an innocent, wide-eyed look. "Your basic Cale family gathering, minus the wicked bitch of Seattle."

"It makes sense now. Cale." Tawny nodded, as if the light was finally going on in his head. "So Jor's dad was the guy you offed to get your apartment?"

Jordan glared at his cousin. "What the hell's he talking about?"

Max snickered softly as Logan pulled his cousin aside to explain that. "So, did you tell him anything, Tawny?" She automatically assumed Big Brother mode, even if she couldn't glare as well as Zack did.

Her big brother shrugged, his golden eyes sullen. "I figured we could use the help. Jor knew a guy with a plane, and the guy had a car we could borrow. I figured I could ditch him this side of the border, cause his family would probably shit a brick if he died in a fire fight."

Max smacked her brother, something she hadn't done in years. Instead of wrestling her to the ground the way he would've even two years ago, he just gave her a wounded look. "How the fuck was I supposed to know he was Miracle Boy's cousin? What the hell did you bring him for anyway? It's not his fight."

"He's been trying to bring down Manticore for as long as we have. We're taking that bitch down this time. I'm not going back there." She didn't know if she could handle another winter, or if they'd even let her escape a third time.

"They burned it once, Maxie. It still came back from the ashes." Tawny's voice was gentler. "We let them get too many of us already. I figured we could use the help." In his eyes, Max saw the same brother she knew at Manticore, the one that had to be restrained when they took Jack away. She owed her life to Jack, and to Eva. Probably to Tawny too, since he protected Jack with his life. "Maybe after this you won't have to be big brother anymore either." He gave her a crooked smile.

Max heard the sound of a car approaching, all around her, she could see her brothers and sister fall automatically into fighting stance. Even Lex's hand fell to his hip in search of a gun that wasn't there. With a quick flash of her hands, Max signaled for the four of them to circle up around Victor, Logan, and Jordan. Tawny already had one gun in hand, and was tossing a smaller pistol towards Lex. They would be the long-range defense. She and Jondy would attack low when the Enemy moved in too close.

Looking at her sister beside her, Max saw a grin on Jondy's face. She could feel the same look of anticipation on her own face. Lydecker was right. As much as they tried to hide it, this was what they were engineered for, and their bodies knew it. And sometimes you had to let the dogs out.

"Logan, what-" Jordan's voice was cut off as headlights pulled into their parking lot. Max didn't let herself relax, even though the car was a Jeep that looked a lot like Krit's. She circled slightly to the left, crouching down in front of Logan. His hand fell to her shoulder momentarily, letting her know that he would drag his cousin and Victor behind the Aztek if he needed to.

The headlights flashed three times as the Jeep pulled up next to the Aztek. Two familiar figures sat in the front seat. Max let her body relax. "It's Syl and Krit." Logan's arms slid around her waist, drawing him close to him. She carefully shifted his grip above her belly, thankful that her new vest hung to her hip. All she needed now was for him to find out. They could deal with the pregnancy after they got Jace and Max safe. She only wanted to think about one X-5 baby at a time.

"Cavalry, huh?" Syl hugged Tawny and Lex. "Too bad Jet's overseas. He'd probably love to be here."

"Too bad Eri went straight. We could use his aim," Krit said as he hugged both of his brothers. "But he's got a kid to think about."

"The men in black won't want Eri's girl. I checked her. She's a nomaly." Max tried her best to forget her only niece when she thought about what might be growing in her stomach. Eva was three years old already, and she still wasn't walking or talking. "Eva's mama said it was autism. I guess she carries the genes for it or something. I dunno if anyone could fix that."

"It's dark, and it's suspicious. We still waiting on Zane, or should we shift this somewhere else for the night?" Victor looked around nervously as he stood as close to Krit and Syl as he could.

"That Max's daddy?" Tawny nodded towards Victor. "Lab tech, right?"

Victor nodded, backing away from Tawny. Max had forgotten how tall her brothers were. Tawny was probably even an inch or two taller than Logan. He hovered over Victor. "Victor Sanchez." He held out a hand, which Tawny promptly ignored. "Which X-series did you work on?" Lex shook the offered hand. "Father Alexander, of Los Angeles."

"They had me working on the seratonin deficiency in the X-5s when I first hired on. I worked under Dr. Anselm," Victor answered casually. Max could feel her muscles tighten at Anselm's name. She was the bitch who decided to open up dead X-5s to see what made them tick, and what made them fail. She'd never forget the sight of Dr. Anselm and the Colonel watching as techs dissected Jack's body. And Anselm wasn't nearly as bad as Renfro.

"Logan, don't you have a cousin that lives around here?" she cut in. All around her, her brothers and sisters were beginning to tense. "We could crash there for a day, then head for the border."

Logan nodded. "Bree lives about twenty minutes inland. Jordan, you've been there, haven't you? My Aunt Anita's daughter's?"

"She the redhead?" Jordan grinned. "If she's the redhead…"

"The brunette." Logan sighed. "If you slept with my cousin…"

"Bree? Nope, didn't fuck her. I did the redhead though. Erin?"

Logan turned back to Krit. "If you head back up the 5…"

~*~*~*~*~*~

Brianna's house was set back on a hill near an old country club. The remnants of Old Money still lived there, in the midst of farms and horse pastures. Apparently Logan's mother's side wasn't as well off as his dad's though. His cousin's house was small by Cale standards, which suited Max just fine.

The front door opened as the Aztek pulled up in front of the house. A small woman stepped out, waving her hand.

"Hey, Brianna!" Logan waved back as he slid out of the car. Max followed, staring up at the house.

"You're walking!" Brianna ran down, coming to hug Logan. "You never said you were up on your feet again."

"Just call me Miracle Boy," Logan answered. He grinned at Max. "Bree, did I ever introduce you to my fiancée, Max?"

Brianna turned to look at her. In the light, Max could see a slight resemblance in her face to Logan's. Brianna was small and dark, her eyes the same grey as Zane's. But there was something about the way her eyes crinkled up when she smiled…

"Welcome to the family, Max." And Max found herself wrapped up in yet another hug. "It was your nephew then that we helped to the border, and your brother-in-law Charlie."

Max shot Logan a look. "So you're a safehouse?"

Brianna's smile widened. "Part of the Eyes Only Foundation for Women and Orphans. And the occasional widowed father. Charlie stayed with us for a few days while my husband arranged to get him over the border. How is Case?"

"He's almost eight. I talked to him at Christmas. Charlie said he's starting to write stories now." She hated to talk to her nephew sometimes. He never asked where his mommy was anymore, but Max still felt like she let Case down. He didn't need to know how his mother died. At least he still remembered her. And she would always live on in his stories.

Brianna peered around her at the rest of the group, slowly assembling behind them. "Is this the whole crowd? We might be stuffed in, but I think we can find beds for everyone tonight. The kids are with Erin, and Johnny's on duty tonight, so someone can always take my bed too." She started towards the house, waving at them. "Fall in, troops. There's food waiting in the kitchen."

Jondy's eyes met Max's. "She knows about us?"

Max shook her head. "She's got kids though. Maybe she runs them like a squadron. I think Logan's uncle was military anyway."

They filed into the warm kitchen. A stack of sandwiches sat on the large kitchen table, waiting for them. "Sodas are in the fridge, and I can make coffee if you want."

"Do you have any milk?" Syl asked. Max noticed that her sister looked a little pale.

Tawny coughed. "Make that two." He caught Max's eye. "Six?"

"Six," Lex repeated, sitting at the table and unbuttoning his collar. "Six, please," he amended with a smile.

Brianna complied without asking any questions. Tawny carefully doled out the glasses of milk to the X-5s. "Cheers," he said, holding up his glass.

"To unfortified milk," Jondy intoned, a solemn look on her face. They clinked glasses and drained them dry.

"Brianna, did I introduce you to everyone?" Logan settled into a chair, pulling Max into his lap. Max turned sideways, leaning her head against his shoulder. "You probably remember my cousin Jordan…"

"Erin told me about him in detail." Brianna's gray eyes looked like they could shoot holes in Jordan's head. Jordan actually blushed and ducked his head.

"The rest belong to Max. Her sisters Jondy, Syl, brothers Krit, Tawny, Father Alexander-"

"Lex," her brother corrected with a slight smile. "Lex works for now."

Logan smiled and nodded. "And her brother-in-law, Victor."

Brianna nodded. "If you ask me tomorrow morning, I might remember your names. So don't get too upset if I call you something else."

Syl gave her usual shrug and half-grin. "We're used to it," she said in a light tone. "I've been so many different names that sometimes I can't remember my real one." Even though they changed names the way some people changed outfits, Max knew that none of them would ever forget the names they first chose. Those names came at too high a price.

There was silence. Max could see the beginnings of fatigue in her brothers and sisters. Syl's hands were starting to shake as she reached for a sandwich. Krit had shadows under his eyes. Jondy just looked tired, and if her big sister looked tired…

"Eat if you want. If not, we have a few bathrooms so that you can shower off. Or I can show you to the bedrooms." Brianna wiped her hands on her jeans, as if she wasn't sure what to do with them. "Then you can be on your way tomorrow. Johnny's looking into the best time to get you over the border."

Max looked up at Logan. "A shower and bed sounds good," he answered, touching her cheek. "Tomorrow--"

"Tomorrow." There was finality in that word. There was fear too. You never know what would hit you tomorrow. And the day always came too fast.

With a sigh, Max stood, pulling Logan to his feet with her. Brianna smiled again and led them off towards the hallway. Max wasn't too surprised when her brothers and sisters fell in behind them, two by two.

Brianna opened the first door on the left, revealing a canopy bed in a frilly little girl's room. "Sam's room. There's a trundle bed underneath, so a few of you could fit here, if you don't mind sharing."

"I'll take it. Tawny? Lex?" Jondy put on her best sex kitten face, leering at their brothers. "There might be room for one more, Jordan."

Logan's cousin whimpered. "Don't do that to me. Especially if you're wearing the blue flowered underwear."

Jondy blushed as she darted into the room. Once again, Max had the feeling that she didn't want to know.

"Don't say it. I don't wanna hear it. That's my baby sister," Tawny warned Jordan before following Jondy. He looked back at them one last time. "Anyone else?"

Lex shook his head. "I'm not blowing three years in seminary with thoughts about my little sister." He ducked as a pillow sailed through the doorway with deadly aim. "Watch it, Jondy! Or I'll tell the Colonel!" He dodged past the doorway. "Any other rooms?"

Brianna opened the door on the right. "Bunkbeds for the guys. Tyler and Jamie's room." To Max's inexperienced eye, the room looked like a jungle heaven.

"This works for me," Victor said. He turned to Lex. "Safety in numbers."

Lex grinned. "Only if I get the top bunk. It's easier to defend from the higher bed."

Victor stared at Lex as if he was trying to figure out if the other man was joking. Unfortunately, Max knew he wasn't.

"Bathroom is down the hall if anyone wants to shower," Brianna called, heading for the stairs. She turned back to Max and Logan. "We have a double bed in the guest room, and two can take my room, if you want. I can sleep downstairs on the couch. Both rooms have bathrooms attached."

"We'll take the guest room," Krit offered, one arm around Syl. Max wasn't surprised when her sister leaned into Krit. It was still strange to think of them together. Zack and Jondy were like that once. Maybe if Logan hadn't come along, and if she'd known her brothers in the years after Manticore, she would've loved one of them too.

"Towels are on the bathtub, and if you get cold, quilts are in the chest at the foot of the beds." Brianna pointed to two final doors. "If you need anything…"

Logan leaned over, kissing Brianna on the cheek. "Thanks for having us, Bree."

His cousin smiled. "Anything for Eyes Only." She patted his cheek and headed back towards the stairs.

The master bedroom was taken up by a huge four-poster bed. It was the kind of room that Max thought only existed in fairy tale cottages--two overstuffed armchairs in front of a fireplace, gauzy curtains hanging from the posts of the bed. An open door led into the bathroom, revealing a sunken bathtub. Candles rimmed the edge of the bathtub, almost inviting a romantic bath.

Without a word, Logan walked into the bathroom and lit the candles. He turned the water on so hot that Max could actually see the steam rising from the tub. As the water filled the tub, he poured some rose-scented bubble bath into the water. Then, Logan began to unfasten his khakis to get to the exoskeleton underneath.

"Join me?" The look on his face was pleading. And though the soldier within her screamed no, in memory of what happened the last time, Max was willing to pay the price. No one ever said they would have a tomorrow.

Max carefully slipped the exoskeleton off Logan's legs, setting it just outside the bathroom door. She flipped the light switch so that only the candles lit up the bath and bedroom. If he took his glasses off, chances were that he wouldn't notice her belly in the dark. Logan didn't have night vision. He was completely human.

When she walked back inside, he sat in the tub, waist deep in bubbles, boxers lying on the floor next to his glasses. Logan pressed play on the CD player that stood on the shelf above the tub. The heavy sounds of drums and stringed instruments began to play.

"Your bath awaits, milady," Logan said, holding out a hand to her.

Some take their hope, and hide it away

It burns in the darkness, like gold in a grave

"What is this?" She pointed to the cd player as she slipped into the tub beside him.

"This is an Irish pub band Johnny knew growing up in LA." Logan leaned over, kissing her shoulder. "I thought you'd stay with Jondy tonight, since we're going in tomorrow."

She traced the line of his cheek with a soapy finger. "Last time…" She didn't kiss him last time, because she was afraid that it would cloud her mind. Last time was different. The last time, she'd been in the hangover of heat and ready to take down the bitch that killed her sister. Three years later, she was scared shitless that she might have to face the hellhole known as her childhood again. This time, there might not be a friendly canine transgenic to bust her ass out of Manticore.

There's a spark inside, that can't be concealed

No hurt is so secret that it won't be revealed

He reached out, running his hand through her hair. "Marry me," he said suddenly. "We could probably find a ring tomorrow morning. Lex can perform the ceremony. Your sisters are here."

Before the night is over

Make your heart an open door

Then all we hold inside us

Won't divide us anymore

Max pulled back slightly. "Marry you?" In the pale light of the candles, Logan's blue eyes were serious, more serious than she'd ever seen them.

Before the night is over

And the time we have is done

Before our courage fades away

Let our hearts be bound as one.

"Marry me," he repeated. "After all that shit last time-after Manticore, after the virus-I swore I wouldn't let you go again. Marry me tomorrow. If we have one day…One more day, Max." He didn't say it, but he knew, and she knew. It might be all they had.

I've lost my way, when nothing is clear

I've been afraid to love, then I hurt what I fear

She slid away from him, staring at him across the tub. She rubbed her belly with one hand, wondering if it would bring her luck, like Buddha. Max opened her mouth and tried to say something-anything. But as hard as she tried to be her usual cynical smart-ass self, no answer would come.

I can face the night, find the strength in your eyes

Not afraid to fall, not afraid to rise.

Max remembered back to the night of Bennett and Marianne's wedding, wondering if she would ever have enough courage to bind herself to someone like that. That meant vulnerability, and there was no guarantee that her vows would last until death parted her from Logan. Manticore made sure that there was no lifetime warranty on forever. She fucked up the last chance she had to say that she loved Logan. Maybe this time…

Before the night is over

Make your heart an open door

Then all we hold inside us

Won't divide us anymore

She got out of the tub and ran dripping into the bedroom. Pulling out a plastic bag from her backpack, she shook out Logan's ring. Slipping the ring over her thumb, she walked back into the bathroom.

"Max?"

"Why wait til tomorrow?" And she sat back in the tub beside him.

Before the night is over

And the time we have is done

Before our courage fades away

Let our hearts be bound as one.

She knelt in the water in front of Logan, holding the ring out in the palm of her hand. "There were times I was lost, and you found me," Max said. "There were days which were heavy, and you lightened my heart. That hasn't changed." She gave him a smile, running her free hand through his damp hair to rest at the back of his neck. "That never will change."

Logan pointed to where his shirt lay on the floor. "In my pocket, Max…"

There was a small pouch in the buttoned pocket of his shirt. He took it from her hand, shaking it open to reveal a thin gold ring. "Times have been good, and times have been bad, and still, our love has endured--and triumphed." Logan's voice was rough with emotion. He slipped the ring on her trembling finger, just above her engagement ring. The wedding band perfectly against the diamond ring. "I take thee Max Guevara to be my lawfully wedded wife."

Before the night is over

Let our hearts be bound as one.

Max took his hand in hers, slipping the band on the fourth finger of his left hand. "I take thee Logan Cale to be my lawfully wedded husband." She turned his palm over, kissing it. "Through passion, through sorrow and hope." She leaned close, kissing his lips lightly. "Through death and through life." He cupped her chin in his hand, wiping stray tears from her cheeks. "No matter what tomorrow may bring, we will face it together," he whispered, kissing her. "I love you."

"I love you." And they kissed each other again, as husband and wife.

Before the night is over

Let our hearts be bound as one.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"March, soldier!" A cattle prod shocked her in the back as she stumbled mid-stride. She could feel her legs trembling beneath her body. She didn't know how much farther she could go. But she wasn't going to let the Colonel win.

The barracks were just ahead. She could see their cell block looming out of the evening haze. Just a few more steps, and they could all rest. In front of her, Eva and Tinga drooped as they walked. And just beyond them, Tawny actually had one arm looped around Jack, keeping him upright.

Beside her, Max began to shake. Her little sister fell to the ground, face scrunched up in pain. Like all good soldiers, Max didn't say anything, but tears began to trickle out of her eyes.

"Move it, soldier!" Again, she felt the sharp pain of the electric jolt at her back. Ignoring the pain, she knelt at her sister's side.

"Maxie?" Her brothers and sisters broke formation and surrounded them, just as they'd done the night of the escape. Max's face grimaced in pain, her body shaking as the seizures grew stronger. "Max!"

Soldiers knocked her brothers and sisters aside, trying to get at Max. Around her, she could hear fighting, but all she could concentrate on was the shaking body of her sister in her arms.

"Let go of her, soldier! We need to take her. She's a nomaly." Strong hands shook her, trying to pry Max's body out of her arms, but she wasn't going to give up without a fight. "Drop her, soldier!" Again, she felt the sting of the cattle prod against her back. This time, the pain blossomed in her stomach, just as it had when the baby came. And there was blood, and they were grabbing Max to take her away--

"Jondy!"

Jondy sat up, her body shaking. "Easy, Jondy," Tawny's voice whispered in her ear. "We're at Bree's, baby sister. It's not Manticore." She opened her eyes, surprised to find herself in a little girl's bedroom. Tawny's strong arms lifted her into his lap, cradling her against him. "Maxie's upstairs with Logan. You're safe, baby sister. You both are."

Her muscles relaxed as Tawny lay down again, pulling her body with him. She turned over, burrowing her face in the crook of his shoulder. His arm settled around her again, holding her close. "Tony?" Jordan's head peaked over the edge of the bed from where he was lying on the trundle bed. His blue eyes blinked sleepily at them. "You guys okay?"

"Just a nightmare, Jor. Jondy'll be okay. I'll stay up here with her tonight." Tawny's hand stroked her back as she rested against his side. "Sleep, baby sister. Everyone's okay. I promise." Because Tawny always worked his ass off to keep his promises, Jondy believed him. It wasn't his fault Jack got taken away. None of them knew that their brother was a nomaly. Not even Manticore could fix Jack's genetic defects.

"Thanks, big brother." She kissed her brother's shoulder before closing her eyes again.

"I'll keep you safe, Jondy. I'll keep both of you safe, just like Zack asked me to."

Feeling safe again in her brother's arms, Jondy forced herself to sleep again and not think about what was to come.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jordan yawned as he stumbled into the kitchen. Logan chuckled as his cousin opened the fridge and stared inside with a blank look on his face. "Sleep okay?"

His cousin glared at him on his way to the coffee pot. "Jondy wouldn't share the bed at first, so I was stuck with Tony on the trundle bed, and he kicks. Then Jondy had a nightmare, so she woke both of us up. So Tony slept with Jondy to make her feel better, but then I couldn't sleep because one of them started snoring. And then they both got up at some ungodly hour before sunrise." Jordan poured a cup of coffee, spilling half of it on the counter. He blinked at the spill, and then carried the dripping cup to the table.

"I think they all went out for a jog. Syl and Krit were gone by the time I got up." Logan wiped up the counter and then closed the fridge door. Apparently, Jordan still needed a keeper.

Jordan swirled the contents of his cup around before downing half of it. "What's up with them? I thought Jondy'd be Asian, since Tony is, but she's this cute little brunette. She looks more like Aunt Sara than Tony. Max and Krit look alike, but Lex is black. Unless their family went for the whole United Nations adoption thing."

"Something like that." Logan walked over to the window and looked out at the backyard. Just beyond the swingset, he could see a line of three pairs jogging down the hill. Even now, they jogged in precise order, two by two, feet perfectly in step as they hit the dirt path. "See, they're back."

Jordan came to watch over his shoulder as the X-5s broke into two lines of three and began the same morning exercises that Logan had seen Max do a hundred times. She never said what Manticore did to her while she was there a second time, but there were habits like the morning katas that she was still struggling to break.

With military precision, they blocked, kicked and dodged in one smooth motion. They broke into pairs, dancing around each other on the grass like something out of an old martial arts movie. Even dressed in the remnants of sweats and pajamas, the X-5s still looked deadly. And they were still a beautiful sight to watch.

"There was this broadcast a few years ago that the Eyes Only guy did about kids being tortured at this military facility. Some of them escaped back in '09 or some shit. That's who they're running from, isn't it? Their black helicopter boys?" Jordan's eyes were still focused on the X-5s as they performed their exercises.

"Manticore. Twelve of them escaped in 2009. Nine of them are left." Logan nodded towards the group as they ran through an attack pattern. Jordan blinked as Jondy easily flipped over Max's back to kick at Krit's outstretched hand.

As quickly as it started, the X-5s broke formation and filed towards the back door. Max gave Logan a small smile as she grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. "They aren't too rusty. We might pull this bitch off."

"Running keeps us in shape, baby sister. Vigilance saves our asses more times than I wanna count," Tawny said with a grin, taking her water and drinking it before passing it to Syl. "Any word from Zane on Jace?"

Max shook her head. "There wasn't a sign of struggle at her place, and none of her neighbors heard anyone screaming or anything, so she's probably still at the beach with Max."

Tawny gave her a quick hug around the shoulders. "We'll find her, Maxie. I promise."

She shrugged out of his grasp. "Yeah. I know." Then she took off for the stairs at a run. "Dibs on the first shower!"

"Cheater!" Logan laughed as Krit and Syl ran running after her. Jondy settled at the table, water bottle in hand.

"Why so smug?" Jordan asked, taking the chair beside her.

The brunette grinned. "I think Victor just used the last of the hot water."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So if we leave at noon, we can be at the border by about 12:30. I should be able to wave you through." Brianna's husband Johnny grimaced. "If not, gun it, and I'll try to hold the troops back."

"We've got the passes, if that helps. Raoul was able to get me a few of them in a hurry." Logan passed the envelope across the kitchen table to Johnny. "We'll have to leave the Mustang here, but we can come back for it on the way up."

Max pointed to a small dot on the map, about a hundred miles south of the border crossing. "Jace said she lived here last. Zane's in Rosarito now, tracking her down. When he finds her, he said he'll page."

Krit and Victor both studied the route. "If we get separated, we'll meet you just outside of town then." Krit patted the cell phone that he wore at his hip. "I picked up some Spanish from Zane, so we should be okay."

"Tawny, Syl, and Lex can ride with you two," Max said as she folded up the map. "We'll take Jordan."

Tawny shook his head. "I don't want you and Jondy alone in the Aztek." Before Max could protest, he cut her off. "It's nothing against your skill, baby sister. You and Jondy have more bad-ass in your fingers than anyone I know. But you've got Logan and Jordan, and it would be better if we split up, three and three. Since I brought Jordan, I'll come with you guys."

Jondy caught Max's eye, wriggling her eyebrows. Her sister nodded once. "We might as well, Max. They have all the big guns in the back anyway, so it'll be crowded in the Jeep as is."

Her five brothers and sisters looked at her, waiting her decision. Max wondered when she'd become C.O. of their whacked little outfit, but figured it came with the Big Brother hat. It was her rescue mission. She couldn't help wishing someone else were in charge. She'd done enough solo missions over the past few years to appreciate the fact that she had back-up at all, but she didn't want the mission resting on her shoulders. The last failed mission had been her brilliant idea. No one wanted a repeat performance of that.

"Let's pack up the shit and move out. I can't take this anymore."

Half an hour later, the cars were repacked and provisioned. The secret compartment that Syl rigged in the Jeep even impressed Johnny, who spent the past ten years as a border guard. "One of your parents must've been military. That's a damn good job."

Syl only shrugged and smiled.

As the others separated into the two cars, Logan and Max stood in front of Brianna. "Take care, Logan," Bree said, reaching out to hug them both. "We'll keep watch."

"If you don't hear in a week, call Bling. He'll let Eyes Only know what happened." Logan handed her a piece of paper. "And if a woman with a baby arrives…"

Bree nodded. "I'll send her to the next safe point." She turned to Max. "Take care of him. He's my favorite cousin."

Max nodded. "I'll guard him with my life." Which she would. Which she did, automatically. It was what she was made for--to serve and protect.

"Ready?" Logan held out his hand to her. "Thanks, Bree. You've helped so much…"

"Just come back with that little boy safely."

As she climbed into the front seat of the Aztek, Max looked at Logan's hands gripping the steering wheel. Sunlight flashed off the ring on his left hand. He quoted a bit of poetry to her once from one of his favorite books. One ring to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them. He must've had the same idea she did. She knew how much the past still haunted him. They both clung to each other now.

The Aztek's engine roared to life. As they drove down the driveway, Max slipped her wedding band off her finger and looked on the inside. She squinted at the words engraved there. "Ex amor vitae?"

Logan's hand reached out to squeeze her own briefly. "It's Latin. From love comes life." Ex amor. Some guy said that love was the strongest force on earth. She hadn't even known what the word meant until after the escape, even though it was a feeling she'd felt from the first moment her brothers and sisters were all together. From Zack's love, she got her life back. She wasn't going to waste this second chance. There was no guarantee of another.

Here we are now going to the south side

I pick up my friends and we hope we won't die

Ride at night, ride through heaven and hell

Come back and feel so well