Max watched her daughter leave with Alec and shut the door softly.
"Hey." Logan whispered, making her whirl around.
"Hey." Max replied casually, a soft smirk tugging at her lips.
"We need to talk." He continued.
"Why don't I heat up some of that amazing chili of yours?" Max asked with a sly grin.
"Actually, I'll need your full attention." Logan pulled her into the living room. "I talked to Vada last night while you were out."
Max shifted her weight uncomfortably.
"She seems pretty ready for us to take the next step."
Max nodded.
"The question is, are you?"
Max's head snapped up. She nodded with a growing smirk.
"Is that your idea of a proposal?" She asked, her smirk evident. "Because it sucks."
He grinned sheepishly. "I can't exactly get down on one knee."
Max continued to smirk at him, rushing forward and sweeping him into a deep kiss.
Two miles away, Vada shuddered.
"Seeing as Joshua's blood and the electric transfusion were wearing down on the Virus as it is, the Virus is pretty weak. There is one element that seems to be stronger, however, and that is if Vada touches anything that Logan touches afterwards, the Virus will have an affect."
Vada let out a strangled scream. "So even if my half-sister or brother is born, I can't touch them? Logan can't do my laundry if I'm out or clear the dishes or put his arm on the armrest I was previously using?"
"Vada, behave." Max snapped.
"No, Mom—Max." Vada protested firmly, standing up. "I may not be much of a kid person, but if I can't even take care of my little brothers and sisters or help around the house, I might as well live in Terminal City."
"Vada, if you didn't want to live with us, you could have just said so." Max growled.
Vada let out another strangled scream. "I did say so! No one listens to me. All of a sudden my stuff is packed and I have to move to Terminal City and the instant I get used to it, I'm moved across town to live with my mother and her boyfriend that I didn't like!"
She turned to face Logan. "Not that I don't like you now. That's why I'm arguing in the first place."
"Vada, I think you better go back to Terminal City with Alec." Logan suggested.
Max's eyes narrowed. "Logan!"
"I'm going to get some air." Vada snapped, grabbing her purse and heading out.
"Heeey, Matt." Vada slammed down onto a couch in the X Series headquarters in Terminal City.
A few X6s turned around.
"The Virus?" One of them asked, raising his eyebrows.
"The one and only." Vada drawled and instantly they inched away from her.
"I cannot believe you're afraid of her." A familiar voice sounded and Vada turned around.
"Hey, Chris." Vada whispered.
"She's nothing scary. Except for when she goes into heat. Very intimidating." Christian smirked and a few of the males (especially the ones with female X friends) chuckled.
"I can't help it! It's in my DNA!" Vada protested in defense.
The laughing continued.
"The name is Vada. Vada Marie Whitman."
"Damn right!" Somebody shouted.
"DADDY!" Vada jumped up and ran towards the doorway. He raised a six-pack of her favorite drinks in the air triumphantly.
"Heard you were down in the dumps." Alec proclaimed.
Almost all of the Xs in the room stood to attention. 494 had been one of the most important Commanding Officers in all of Manticore. Even Matt, Tristan and Christian were fighting their instincts.
"Oh, God, guys. It's just my dad." Vada muttered.
"So what's up, Princess? You and Logan not getting along?" Alec suggested, trying to make sure there wasn't too much hope in his voice.
"We can't even touch the same things. Not even my little brothers and sisters." Vada murmured gloomily.
At this, Alec sat up. "Max is pregnant?"
Murmurs went around the room.
Vada scowled. "Hell no. It's just—I can't live in that house anymore. Matt, can you go get my stuff?"
Matt nodded. "Anyone want to come with?"
Alec stood up. "We'll take my car. We're brothers. Alexander Whitman and Matthew Whitman, got it?"
Vada went to go sit back down on the worn couch. Christian slammed down next to her.
"Hey, beautiful." Christian whispered into her ear, his breath soft and tickling.
"Hey, yourself." Vada replied.
"She in heat?" Some obnoxious girl asked.
"No." They snapped simultaneously.
"Good work, 510." Somebody muttered.
"Shut up!" They cried in unison.
"Real good work."
"God, what a ruffly bedspread." Alec muttered as he and Matt stuffed as much of Vada's stuff into the boxes that they had.
"Vada Marie Whitman, I am not done with you.." Max began, but she stopped short when she saw Alec and Matt with their arms full of boxes. "What are you two doing here?"
"Easy. Vada is moving to Terminal City with me. She's our little ambassador for our furry friends." Matt drawled as Alec slid the boxes he had on top of Matt's own.
"I'm almost done, man. I'll catch up." Alec whispered.
Matt nodded and brushed past Max.
"I knew she was upset, but.." Max trailed off and she sat down on the bare bed glumly.
"Max, don't worry about it. Moving Vada directly into a house with a relationship that isn't exactly labeled yet probably wasn't the best idea. Vada needs to be with X6s, just for closure." Alec explained. "Help me pack the rest of her stuff. I left a few clothes so we can pack the knickknacks right."
Max stood up, tossing her leather handbag onto the bed.
"I used to think I could do it all. Do I even want to have kids, now that I know I suck at being a mother?" Max asked as she picked up some of the little dancer figurines Vada had on top of her dresser.
"Max, you're twenty-four years old. Let's face it, if you were meant to be a mother at this age, you'd have started puberty at six. You know how crazy that is?" Alec reminded her, gently wrapping the diamond dancer in a silk top of Vada's. They both reached for an empty crystal picture frame.
"You know what, Alec?" Max murmured, getting inspired. "We should get some family photos. Just the three of us. Separate shots, mother/daughter shots, father/daughter shots, group shots.."
"Mother/father shots?" Alec suggested with a smirk.
"Maybe." Max chirped with an equally cocky smirk. She placed the crystal picture frame on top. "There."
"Stop by, will you?" Alec asked with a sincere look of desire. "She needs you, you know?"
Max escorted him to the landing. As she watched him walk out the door, she nodded. "Yeah, I know."
"I need overalls." Vada whispered as she flipped to the next page of the Pulse-Mart catalog.
"What, skintight leather catsuits not your thing?" Tristan snapped, rubbing off a dish at the sink.
"Nah, ride up my ass."
"Overshare." Matt said, looking at her as if she was nuts. She punched him lightly on the arm.
"You're welcome. I need overalls." Vada flipped another page. "And a polo."
"You're welcome to steal some." Christian offered, looking up from cleaning Vada's bike.
"Uh-uh, not good. Mom said something about ethics and exposure.. Bottom line, no stealing. She never said no stripping for cash, though she did hint at it."
"No stripping for cash, Vada." Everyone chorused, rolling their eyes.
"Damn. How much are you going to bet that she didn't tell him?" Vada asked, her eyes still on the catalog.
"Oh, Max would tell him." Matt protested defensively. "Why else would he be so quiet on the ride back?"
"Willing to put some money on it?" Vada suggested, raising her eyebrows.
"Max has told him." Matt, Christian and Tristan chorused, each putting twenty dollars in her outstretched hand.
"DADDY!!!" Vada shouted. "Come in here!!!"
Alec strode in the room.
"Did Max have any news to share?" Vada asked innocently.
Matt, Christian and Tristan nonchalantly inched closer.
"Nothing except that you've decided to stay in Terminal City, which I already knew. Look, I got to head over to Joshua's." Alec kissed her on the forehead. "Later, Princess."
Vada smirked at everyone in the room. "Now I can have overalls AND a polo. Nothing unethical or exposing or sexual about it."
"It kind of helps that she's your mother." Tristan drawled.
"Doesn't mean I know the woman." Vada retorted. "Remember, we're Manticore. As in paranormal family values."
"Why do you always have to remind me?" Tristan asked himself.
"Because your skull is so thick." Christian muttered.
This began a water fight to end all water fights. Vada was standing on the couch, shrieking in frustration, Christian and Tristan were tossing suds at each other, Ralph and Zero were ducking under a table, Bullet and Matt tried unsuccessfully to break up the fight, Fix-It was splashing water at Ralph and Zero, and Bugler was sitting on the table, screaming happily.
"Kids." Someone muttered.
"Honestly."