Disclaimer: Any characters that appear in Dark Angel are not mine. I have
no association with the show and I'm not making any money from this story
Spoilers: Season 1, Between "Camera" and "Meow."
Reviews: Please!
Thanks to those who've reviewed. Feedback is wonderful. If you like you can e-mail me at gilenagile@hotmail.com.
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Max gripped the back of Logan's seat as Anna shifted gears and gunned the rattling vehicle down the coast road. The woman was locked in a battle of wills, daring the struggling engine to cut out every time she depressed the accelerator even more. Max was glad she was on her good side.
"We could have taken the Azteck." Logan wedged himself firmly in the front seat with his arms, trying not to laugh.
"The road to the cabin was partially washed out in the last big storm. It's rough going in places, exactly what this baby was made to handle. Just have to remind it of that every now and again." Sharply, they turned the corner onto the small side road. Anna accelerated as the vehicle straightened up, making a run at the non-existent road surface on the incline ahead.
Fifteen jarring minutes later, they came out of the tree-lined lane and stopped in front of a small log cabin set in a large clearing on the hillside. Max climbed out of the backseat, sliding the wheelchair along behind her and setting it up by the front passenger side door. She joined Anna in front of the vehicle and together they took in the view.
The clearing extended far enough down the hillside to afford a panoramic view, over the treetops, of the bay. To the north, a headland stood tall over the ocean, its peak extending into the cloudless blue sky before falling away to sheer drop to the sea. To the south, the bay curved low and gently outward, the coast road following it before it turned south, disappearing into the forests beyond.
Logan approached the two women; thankful for the strength he had built up in his arms. Even though the ground was relatively even, it was tough going compared with the sidewalks of Seattle. Anna was pointing out the farmhouse, down the hill to the northwest. Max, however, was transfixed by the headland. "Maybe you can climb it later" he suggested, knowing her love for high places. She turned, grinning her eyes shining and catlike at the prospect.
"Better wait until tomorrow and start early. The climb isn't really that steep on the landward side, but it's longer than it looks. Anyway, it's still awfully cold for such a hike. You certainly don't want to be up there when the sun goes down. You'll have to come back in the summer Max." Anna hooked her arm into Max's and together they headed for the door of the cabin.
"Hey, I seem to remember you and Mom trekking up there one Easter."
Anna turned back to him, smiling at the memory. "It was a late Easter and we had quite a few layers of thermal underwear on. Besides, we didn't actually make it all the way to the top."
"You didn't tell us that."
Anna headed back toward the cabin grinning and ignoring Logan's indignant comment. "Speaking of cold, we don't have any heat in the cabin, apart from an old space heater Jake left out here when he was working on the interior last Fall. The storm took out the electrical line and the old chimney needs some work. You remember Jake Walters don't you Logan? He's been fixing the place up in between his other carpentry and construction jobs. He's been working in the city all winter but he's home now and wants to get started again soon, now that the worst of the cold season is almost over and the evenings are getting brighter again."
They were inside the building, Logan having easily navigated the ramp he assumed Jake had installed temporarily during the reconstruction. The main living area, consisting of a small kitchen to the front and a den to the back, was bathed in sunlight coming through the generous windows. The atmosphere, even given the bare slab floor and dustsheet covered furnishings, was undeniably cozy. Logan and Anna headed for the door to the side of the den to look at the bedroom and bathroom, while Max stood in the sunlight by the rear window. Logan thought he heard her purr as he passed by her.
"That branch must have come through the bedroom window in that big wind we had last week. Jake's coming out here tomorrow to go over the final plans. He can board it up then. I'd like you to met with him too Logan, to see what you think of everything." Anna and Logan had returned to the living area, Logan stopping in front of the rough wooden mantle and eyed his grandmother suspiciously.
"Logan I want you to have the cabin. Don't argue with me." Max smiled at Anna's tone. She knew her grandson very well. "I'm old and I want to put my affairs in order now."
"But what about the rest of the family? I'm hardly ever up here."
Anna sat on the sheet-covered sofa, eye level with him. "That's exactly why I chose you. You need the connection to this place, you always have, and I don't want it broken when I'm no longer here to nag you to come visit." She took his right hand off the wheel of his chair and held it in hers. "Promise me you'll keep Canalee part of your life. When things got bad with Jason, your mother always said this place kept her sane and grounded. Even though she couldn't visit much toward the end, she kept it in her heart to give her strength."
The mention of his father took Logan unawares and he drew back his hand quickly. Max tensed, seeing the familiar look on his face, as he drew the walls around himself. "Logan, don't say anything now, just think about it." Anna knew when to back off and leave him to figure things out by himself. She stood up, pulling her heavy coat tight around her. "I've got to go a mile or so down the road and see a man about a chicken. Why don't you young folk look around and I'll pick you up in a little bit."
"We'll walk. It's a beautiful day, we can take the trail and meet you back at the house." Anna smiled broadly at the decisiveness in Max's voice. Perhaps her grandson had finally met his match.
Spoilers: Season 1, Between "Camera" and "Meow."
Reviews: Please!
Thanks to those who've reviewed. Feedback is wonderful. If you like you can e-mail me at gilenagile@hotmail.com.
_______________________________
Max gripped the back of Logan's seat as Anna shifted gears and gunned the rattling vehicle down the coast road. The woman was locked in a battle of wills, daring the struggling engine to cut out every time she depressed the accelerator even more. Max was glad she was on her good side.
"We could have taken the Azteck." Logan wedged himself firmly in the front seat with his arms, trying not to laugh.
"The road to the cabin was partially washed out in the last big storm. It's rough going in places, exactly what this baby was made to handle. Just have to remind it of that every now and again." Sharply, they turned the corner onto the small side road. Anna accelerated as the vehicle straightened up, making a run at the non-existent road surface on the incline ahead.
Fifteen jarring minutes later, they came out of the tree-lined lane and stopped in front of a small log cabin set in a large clearing on the hillside. Max climbed out of the backseat, sliding the wheelchair along behind her and setting it up by the front passenger side door. She joined Anna in front of the vehicle and together they took in the view.
The clearing extended far enough down the hillside to afford a panoramic view, over the treetops, of the bay. To the north, a headland stood tall over the ocean, its peak extending into the cloudless blue sky before falling away to sheer drop to the sea. To the south, the bay curved low and gently outward, the coast road following it before it turned south, disappearing into the forests beyond.
Logan approached the two women; thankful for the strength he had built up in his arms. Even though the ground was relatively even, it was tough going compared with the sidewalks of Seattle. Anna was pointing out the farmhouse, down the hill to the northwest. Max, however, was transfixed by the headland. "Maybe you can climb it later" he suggested, knowing her love for high places. She turned, grinning her eyes shining and catlike at the prospect.
"Better wait until tomorrow and start early. The climb isn't really that steep on the landward side, but it's longer than it looks. Anyway, it's still awfully cold for such a hike. You certainly don't want to be up there when the sun goes down. You'll have to come back in the summer Max." Anna hooked her arm into Max's and together they headed for the door of the cabin.
"Hey, I seem to remember you and Mom trekking up there one Easter."
Anna turned back to him, smiling at the memory. "It was a late Easter and we had quite a few layers of thermal underwear on. Besides, we didn't actually make it all the way to the top."
"You didn't tell us that."
Anna headed back toward the cabin grinning and ignoring Logan's indignant comment. "Speaking of cold, we don't have any heat in the cabin, apart from an old space heater Jake left out here when he was working on the interior last Fall. The storm took out the electrical line and the old chimney needs some work. You remember Jake Walters don't you Logan? He's been fixing the place up in between his other carpentry and construction jobs. He's been working in the city all winter but he's home now and wants to get started again soon, now that the worst of the cold season is almost over and the evenings are getting brighter again."
They were inside the building, Logan having easily navigated the ramp he assumed Jake had installed temporarily during the reconstruction. The main living area, consisting of a small kitchen to the front and a den to the back, was bathed in sunlight coming through the generous windows. The atmosphere, even given the bare slab floor and dustsheet covered furnishings, was undeniably cozy. Logan and Anna headed for the door to the side of the den to look at the bedroom and bathroom, while Max stood in the sunlight by the rear window. Logan thought he heard her purr as he passed by her.
"That branch must have come through the bedroom window in that big wind we had last week. Jake's coming out here tomorrow to go over the final plans. He can board it up then. I'd like you to met with him too Logan, to see what you think of everything." Anna and Logan had returned to the living area, Logan stopping in front of the rough wooden mantle and eyed his grandmother suspiciously.
"Logan I want you to have the cabin. Don't argue with me." Max smiled at Anna's tone. She knew her grandson very well. "I'm old and I want to put my affairs in order now."
"But what about the rest of the family? I'm hardly ever up here."
Anna sat on the sheet-covered sofa, eye level with him. "That's exactly why I chose you. You need the connection to this place, you always have, and I don't want it broken when I'm no longer here to nag you to come visit." She took his right hand off the wheel of his chair and held it in hers. "Promise me you'll keep Canalee part of your life. When things got bad with Jason, your mother always said this place kept her sane and grounded. Even though she couldn't visit much toward the end, she kept it in her heart to give her strength."
The mention of his father took Logan unawares and he drew back his hand quickly. Max tensed, seeing the familiar look on his face, as he drew the walls around himself. "Logan, don't say anything now, just think about it." Anna knew when to back off and leave him to figure things out by himself. She stood up, pulling her heavy coat tight around her. "I've got to go a mile or so down the road and see a man about a chicken. Why don't you young folk look around and I'll pick you up in a little bit."
"We'll walk. It's a beautiful day, we can take the trail and meet you back at the house." Anna smiled broadly at the decisiveness in Max's voice. Perhaps her grandson had finally met his match.