Sticking With Me
By Jade
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Dark Angel, if I did, the show would still be alive and kickin'.
Time Frame: Season One, after "I and I am a Camera"
Summary: Logan's stuck on a boat with a chihuahua, and Max's seizing helplessly on Logan's floor, without his knowledge. What can possibly happen next?
Author's Note: Logan can walk with aide from the exoskeleton. ~*~ means flashback. Fourth installation of the Test of Wills series. The poem that describes Veronica's feelings is another poem that I wrote for one of my best friends when she was going through a hard time after the stupid boyfriend broke up with her.. R&R please! Big thank you to my best betas ever- Elisha and Lanna, for helping me get this dealio started. Thanks everyone for reviewing!
Angelbebe- please email me @ jadeinsectornine@hotmail.com, I've gotta ask you a question
It had been a very long day. Logan had been stuck on "The Ronnie" - Veronica obviously changed the name of the boat when she "inherited" it-all day. She spent the day yapping, throwing herself at him, and shoving ritzy food down his throat. And to his dismay, the boat had zero phones and they never went anywhere with a payphone near by. 'I hope Max isn't too pissed off when I page her.'
The day had started to come to an end and Veronica had guiltlessly invited herself over for one of his culinary miracles. 'Maybe I could put some of those sleeping pills I have in the dinner..' Logan opened the door with Veronica at his heels and raced into the office to page Max.
"Hey, you've reached my pager, punch in your number."
Logan dialed his number and hung up. BEEP BEEP! Logan stopped dead in his tracks. 'Max?' Logan walked into the hallway, following the beeps, until he found her slumped on the floor, seizing. "MAX!"
All of a sudden Max was nine years old again and back in the cold dreary barracks with her brothers and sisters. "EYES FRONT!"
Max flinched and shot up, and looked straight at the officer. Flashes of Eva's death flashed over and over in front of her. A wave of helplessness brushed over her as she could only watch and gasp. Suddenly she was running in the grounds just outside of Manticore in her government-issue gown. Searchlights prowled the snow and trees looking for the young X5s. Lydecker stepped out from the surrounding forest, making Max skid to a stop.
"And just where do you think you're going soldier? Do you think you can leave this place?" Lydecker scoffed and shook is head in disagreement, "You can never escape, Max, never. Do you think that out there you'll be.. safe? They'll do everything in their power to hurt you. It's their job, their purpose of existence. Do you think that Logan Cale can protect you forever?" Max stood there bewildered. How did he know about Logan? "Well he can't. Once he realizes you're a cold blooded killer he'll drop you like the pan that was too hot or the pet that bites."
Max's anger rose the more Lydecker went on. Now was the time to speak up and defend him, and her. "Logan knows who and what I am and he loves me for it." Max's grown up voice projected out through a nine-year-old Max and cut through the cold silence like a knife.
"He did." Lydecker smiled slyly as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"What the hell do you mean did? Where's Logan? TELL ME!"
The forest around her faded, as did Lydecker. She was now standing on a grassy hill next to a tombstone. "Logan Cale, 1988-2020. Loving boyfriend and person."
Max started to back off and shake her head in disbelief. "No. No. This can't be true, it can't be. It can't. It just can't!"
"Don't you see Max?" Lydecker's voice boomed from the sky, "You kill everyone you so called 'care' about. You belong back at Manticore. We need you. You. Need. Us." Lydecker's propaganda faded away as Max fell to her knees near Logan's tombstone. "Logan. I need you."
"MAX!"
Logan rushed over to her and shook her. 'She's unconscious. How long has she been like this? Has she been here all day?' Logan scooped her up into his arms and carried her into his bedroom. "It's ok, I'm here. You're gonna be ok." Logan whispered in her ear, as she curled up to his warmth.
And perfect timing, Veronica poked her head out of the kitchen. "Loogie? What on earth are you- who is that? Since when do you hire junkie women off the street?"
Logan stopped dead in his tracks. How could she say something like that about her? Anger boiled up inside of him. His jaw clenched. 'Relax. Her words mean nothing. I love Max and that's all that matters.. but still! How could Veronica say something that.. ugh.. the nerve of her..!'
"Where are you going? Loogie? Loogie!" Veronica followed him until he spun around, and she was staring into hard cold blue eyes.
Logan struggled to keep calm. How dare her! "Max is someone I love very much," Veronica struggled to let out a gasp as her face twisted. "She's not a whore or a junkie. I suggest that you leave before I kick you out myself."
Logan sun on his heel and walked into his bedroom. 'The nerve of her!' Logan carefully laid Max down on his bed and rolled up her sleeve. He ran to the medicine cabinet in his bathroom and grabbed the syringe, rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab. He put some alcohol on her arm and injected the tryptophan in her blood stream. He took off her boots and tucked her in. Max's face softened as she moved under the covers. Logan leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Don't leave me yet Max." He whispered in her ear. A fresh tear fell from his eye and kissed the sheets as her kissed her hand. "Don't leave me ever."
Logan got in bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Logan.." Max murmured softly as she moved closer to him.
"Shhh." Pushing the thought of Veronica's presence or absence away to the far corners of his mind, he dozed off to sleep, exhausted by the day's events.
Veronica had had a great day. She spent the whole day with Logan on her new boat, "The Ronnie." She had renamed it after she "inherited" it. The boat's old name was unbearable. She still couldn't understand why her uncle had named it "Dream Catcher." Dream catchers were those cheap little things that she often saw on poor vendor's carts who didn't have any real money or a job. "The Ronnie" was a much better name. The day was mostly composed of flirting shamelessly with Logan, hoping that he would flirt back, but he just had this mean look about him. 'He was so tense all the time!' even when she fed him caviar bite by bite, he just gave her a look of disgust. 'What am I doing wrong? Most men love this sort of thing!'
When the day had ended, Logan hadn't made any attempts to invite her over for dinner; she saved him the trouble and accepted his silent invitation. When she had accepted, she couldn't exactly pin the word to go with his expression. It looked like something between dread and fear, with little something else mixed into the mix. Once the red blur reached Fogle Towers, Logan raced out to the stairwell. "Closed for repairs."
"Damnit! Are you all out to get me?!?!" Logan walked over to the rather sluggish lift and pressed up several times in midst of his frustration.
"Loogie! Honey, you're going to break the button!" She wrapped an arm around his lower waist and waited patiently for the lift, for all of 30 seconds anyway. "Stupid thing!" She hit the button several times, "Why aren't you coming?'
Logan smirked and moved away from Veronica, "You're going to break the button."
Veronica shot Logan a look just as the lift doors opened. "Let's go!" Veronica pulled Logan into the lift and wrapped her arms around him. "You are so adorable, did you know that?" Logan rolled his eyes for the seven billionth time that day. 'Can't you see I don't like you that way? I do have an angel waiting for me.. hopefully.'
The lift finally reached his penthouse. Logan ran off as soon as the doors opened. 'Well, well, someone's anxious to cook me dinner.' Veronica slowly walked in after him, oblivious to the woman lying in the hallway. 'Some coffee would be nice right about now.' She helped herself to Logan's well- stocked supply of coffee, thinking about what else she could do to seduce Logan, and thoughts of the wedding, when she won him over of course.
~*~
The cathedral stood atop a hill in the Washington countryside, beaming from miles away. The many guests traveling from near and far could see it before they even got near it. Inside the cathedral was overflowing with white elegant roses and calla lilies. A string quartet was off in the corner rehearsing while camera crews and wedding planners bustled about busily, unaware of the wedding guests arriving.
As soon as all the guests has sat down and all the bridesmaids, ushers and flower girls had gone down the aisle, the quartet began the opening measure of the wedding march. The anxious crowd turned around to see the bride. She was beautiful. She was wearing a long, traditional wedding dress. The neck cut low and the sleeves covered her hands. The purity of the dress was decorated with beads scattered all over the dress, giving the bride a sort of glow and she walked next to her father. As soon as the march to the altar was over, her father lifted up her veil, planted a kiss on the cheek and put the veil back down. He gazed upon his daughter's face one last time before she crossed from daddy's little girl to a woman before taking his seat. The glowing bride turned to face her soon to be husband as they held hands and gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. The minister started his ceremony. "We are gathered here today to witness the joining of Logan Matthew Cale Jr. and Veronica Raquel Michaels in holy matrimony."
Veronica smiled as she squeezed Logan's hand. He smiled back and mouthed, "I love you."
She mouthed, "I love you too," back. "If any think these two should not be eternally bonded, speak now or forever hold your peace."
The church remained silent. "Do you-"
"MAX!" ~*~
Veronica snapped out of her reverie. Max? Could this be the same Max that Margot had told her about? Panic rose in her throat as she followed the origin of the scream. To confirm her fears, there was Logan, with a shaking young woman in his arms, holding on to him for dear life. She tried to squash her fear by doing what she did best, acting completely innocent and clueless.
"Loogie? What on earth are you- who is that?" Logan kept walking toward the bedroom, brushing her off completely. 'He ignored me!' Veronica's hatred towards this Max girl was growing more and more. "Since when do you hire junkie women off the street? Where are you going? Loogie? Loogie!"
Veronica followed him until he spun around. His face was hard and angry, and his jaw was clenched tightly as if he didn't want to scream at her. "Max is someone I love very much," The word Max and love in the same sentence sent a tight feeling in her chest as she gasped for air. Her face distorted from a look of innocence to a look of shock and horror. Veronica struggled to let out a gasp as her face twisted. "She's not a whore or a junkie. I suggest that you leave before I kick you out myself."
Logan turned around and disappeared in his bedroom, leaving Veronica standing there, mouth gaping open. "Uh..uh.." Veronica walked back into Logan's kitchen and looked for something strong to drown her upset.
A wave of calm drowned her as the grassy hill and the tombstone disappeared and darkness reigned once again. But there was something different about this darkness, it was calming, warm, and made her feel safe. The anxiety in her blood had calmed and her feeling of loss and sorrow had dissipated and had been replaced with relief. "Logan.."
Logan woke up from his slumber next to Max after hearing a loud crash in the kitchen. 'Oh no, is Veronica still here?' He put on his glasses and walked into the kitchen to find Veronica on the floor with a half empty bottle of pre-pulse liquor. 'Oh great, she's drunk.' This wasn't the same thing as Max being drunk, he loved her through and through, but Veronica? That was another story. Logan walked over and grabbed the bottle out of her hands and poured it down the sink. 'Not like I was gonna drink it anyway...'
"Hhhheeeyy! Whaa thhhe thhe hhheell do do ya ya you ddo tha that fffor?" She sputtered as she gave him an angry look.
Logan put a smile on his face, "Trying to keep my apartment in one piece. And to kick you out."
Veronica was hurt once again. "Kkkkiiccckk mmmee outtt? Youu cacacan't dddo tthat! Wwee haven't eaten diinner yeett! Don't you cccare about me Looooogie?"
Logan groaned. "Don't you get it?!? I never did! Don't you remember? I started seeing someone else but you kept coming back! Don't you remember how we got together in the first place?"
~*~ Tonight was the biggest night of her life. Daphne was finally going to introduce her to the smart and sexy Logan Cale. She had fallen for him at the first party that Daphne threw at the beginning of the year. 'Yale does have its high points!' Since then, She kissed up to Daphne in hopes of being set up with him, and after months of groveling and ass-kissing; she was finally going to be introduced. She had spent hours on her makeup and outfit. She went out and bought a new outfit, just to impress Logan, and now the time had come. She was only feet away from Logan, as Daphne was pulling her along. Logan was sitting in the corner of the crowded room, scribbling down something in a journal or a book.
"Logan!" Daphne yelled over the music, "This is Veronica! Logan! Veronica! Veronica! Logan!"
"Hi." She said seductively.
"Uh, hi." Logan looked up for a brief second and then went back to writing in his book or whatever it was.
Veronica was hurt. 'He didn't pay attention to the new clothes I bought!' She grabbed his book and flung it behind her. "Oww!" A distant voice said the background. "Who threw this book at me?"
Logan stood up, furious, "What did you do that for? Do you have any idea what's in that book?" Logan walked off to find his book, leaving her standing there in the corner where he once was.
'That went well, I think he likes me.' Veronica curled her lips into a smile and went to find Logan. She found him, apologizing to the guy who had been pegged with Logan's book. "Logan!"
'Ugh, what does she want?' "Yeah?"
Veronica rung her hands, then started, "I was wondering if you wanted to go out for coffee sometime? Like next Thursday?"
"Um.. well, I-"
"Great! See ya then!" She turned around to find Daphne. 'I did it!' Veronica walked away, leaving Logan standing there, speechless. 'What the hell did I get myself into now?' Logan would learn not soon after, that he was in way over his head.
When Thursday rolled around, Veronica rushed over to the coffee shop, to find Logan already there, drinking coffee and writing in that book of his again. "Hi!" Veronica said rather happily.
Logan jumped out of his chair, and turned around to see who it was. Veronica. 'Great, just great. Why did I have to come on the day she set us up on a date? Why Cale, why?! Stupid, stupid!'
She sat down in the chair right across from him and began to yap like she was timed for cramming the most words in one breath. After and hour or so, Logan interrupted her, "I'm sorry, Veronica, I really have to go. It was good seeing you, see ya around." Logan grabbed his backpack and headed for the door. 'You survived, Cale, you truly are a man.' ~*~
It continued on like that for five hellish months. Logan would just happen to be the wrong place at the right time, or Veronica would come and wake him up every morning or something like that. He had already survived it once, and plans for reconcile weren't even on his mind, especially now that he and Max finally admitted how they felt for each other, he couldn't let her go, ever.
"You knew my every move and followed me everywhere! That's not a relationship, that's a following, and I don't want any of that!" Logan spat all his anger out as he saw his words get to her.
His words cut deep, but what could she say? He was right- she did know his every move, every single one. "You mean, it was never, we weren't?"
"I'm sorry I had to tell you his way. I really am." The room remained silent, but Logan could hear the faint rip of her heart.
truly crushed as you fight the toughest battle yet
trying to stop the tears flow and let the final seams of your heart rip
scrambling to banish those sparkling eyes from your mind forever
but you can't no matter how hard you try
letting a tear drop from your face and land on your heart
as the final seam breaks
in a daze wondering what went wrong
Veronica felt the room spin as she felt everything slip from her grasp. The alcohol didn't seem to help either. She struggled to stand and grab her purse. "I have to go."
She choked, trying to keep the tears from falling. She headed for the door, but the room kept spinning faster and faster. Logan grabbed her arm and guided her over to the couch. "I'm calling you a cab. When you're sober, you can come back for your car."
He picked the phone, rattled off his address and hung up. "He'll be here in a few minutes. The driver's gonna come up and help you to the cab, ok?" Logan handed her some water and she drank it all. It felt so good to drink something that didn't burn the back of your throat. Logan went back into his room to check on Max while Veronica just sat in the living room, thinking about those five months, and what Margot did to her. The doorbell rang and Logan came out of his room.
"Logan, I'm so sorry, I didn't know, she told me-" Veronica's words came in a rush as panic escalated in her voice.
"It's ok, I understand." Logan gave her a look of understanding and opened the door for her.
Veronica looked at him one last time before she left for good. "You're a good man, Logan Cale. Take care of her." She ran her hand on his stubbled cheek and walked out the door and out of his life for good.
As the door closed, he whispered, "I will."
Max slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She wasn't on the floor anymore, she was in Logan's bed, and wasn't seizing. But where was Logan? "Logan?" she softly croaked, "Logan?"
"Right here." Logan was looking at her from the chair next to his bed, with his leather journal sitting in his lap.
"I take it that you found me on the floor and gave me my meds?"
Logan nodded his head and reached out to hold her hand. 'She's ok, she's ok.'
"Where were you?" Her voice was full of sadness and anger, "When I got here you were gone." Max looked off into oblivion, then snapped back to life. "You didn't ditch me for Eyes Only did you?"
Logan broke a smile. 'Doesn't take much to bring her sarcasm back.' "No, actually, Margot brainwashed an old "girlfriend" of mine and tried to set me up with her."
"Sounds like Margot could start the next Manticore." Logan chuckled as Max's expression grew serious.
"Why didn't you call me? We were supposed to spend the day together." Logan could see hurt screaming from her eyes once again.
"I couldn't. Veronica burst in and dragged me of before I could grab my phone and call you. And everywhere we went was phone-less." Max sat in silence, looking rather far off and worried. "When I had gotten off the hellish boat, she insisted on having dinner here. When I got in I paged you and found you on the floor.." Logan trailed off and shuttered at the scene he had witnessed only a short time ago. "I thought I lost you."
Max gazed into his eyes to see worry and concern covering the sparkle that had been there only moments ago. "I thought I had lost you." Max saw the haunting images of Logan's tombstone once gain and shivered.
Logan raised an eyebrow in question so Max continued. "I was back at the night of the escape- and all of the sudden Lydecker showed up. He started to spout off that I could never leave, no matter where I go." Max started to choke up as tears welled in her eyes.
Logan slipped into bed next to her and held her tight as she let the well- built barriers down and let the tears roll. "And then, he ssaid I would kkill everyone I I loved, and ttthen he showed me, he showed me yyyour, your.." The tears came faster as her emotions ran wild.
"Shh- it's ok. it was just a dream. Shhh.." Logan rocked her back and forth as she held on to him tightly. Minutes, what seemed like hours, passed in silence coupled with sobs until she spoke once again.
"..he showed me you're your tombssttoone." Max buried her head in Logan's chest and held him tight as tears melted into his shirt.
"It's ok, I'm here, just let it out, just let it out."
Night descended on the threshold of Seattle. The business of Seattle slowed to a sluggish pace as people arrived to a place called home, or at least for now. Sector nine slowly wound down as those fortunate enough to work there travel home with concerns, worries and papers. Lights began to turn on one by one in houses and flats as the lights from offices faded. Seattle was still the city it used to be before the Pulse at night. Worries seemed to dim with the daylight when a dark calm engulfed the city.
Two people seemed to love the night the most. Memories of first meetings, chess games, dinners, and dances stayed fresh in their minds. Night was truly the best time for them.
Logan watched Max sleep as the darkness seeped in once again. Her head was still buried in his chest, which was still fresh with tears; her ear was up against his heart, sleeping to soft beat of his heart. He kissed her head and held her tight as she started to open her eyes. Max looked up at Logan and smile.
"I love you." Logan bent down and kissed her passionately.
"I love you too Max." Max reached up to kiss him but pulled back. "By the way, if you have any other old flames that know Margot, tell me so I can drop-kick their asses before they get near my man."
Logan chuckled as his heart swelled with pride. That was the first time she had said 'my man." He pulled her close and said, "Consider it done."
Max kissed his nose, "Got anything to eat? Seizures don't exactly weaken my appetite."
"I'm sure I could whip up something."
Max laughed and crawled out of bed with Logan and walked into the kitchen.
Max was standing on the Space Needle once more. The cool wind whipped at her face as she gazed upon the city. Thoughts of the last twenty-four hours flew threw her head.
'Nothing will ever be normal between Logan and me, except that we love each other. And that's ok, because being normal isn't what I do best. Thanks Logan, for sticking with me through this bitch. Nothing can tear us apart now.'
By Jade
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Dark Angel, if I did, the show would still be alive and kickin'.
Time Frame: Season One, after "I and I am a Camera"
Summary: Logan's stuck on a boat with a chihuahua, and Max's seizing helplessly on Logan's floor, without his knowledge. What can possibly happen next?
Author's Note: Logan can walk with aide from the exoskeleton. ~*~ means flashback. Fourth installation of the Test of Wills series. The poem that describes Veronica's feelings is another poem that I wrote for one of my best friends when she was going through a hard time after the stupid boyfriend broke up with her.. R&R please! Big thank you to my best betas ever- Elisha and Lanna, for helping me get this dealio started. Thanks everyone for reviewing!
Angelbebe- please email me @ jadeinsectornine@hotmail.com, I've gotta ask you a question
It had been a very long day. Logan had been stuck on "The Ronnie" - Veronica obviously changed the name of the boat when she "inherited" it-all day. She spent the day yapping, throwing herself at him, and shoving ritzy food down his throat. And to his dismay, the boat had zero phones and they never went anywhere with a payphone near by. 'I hope Max isn't too pissed off when I page her.'
The day had started to come to an end and Veronica had guiltlessly invited herself over for one of his culinary miracles. 'Maybe I could put some of those sleeping pills I have in the dinner..' Logan opened the door with Veronica at his heels and raced into the office to page Max.
"Hey, you've reached my pager, punch in your number."
Logan dialed his number and hung up. BEEP BEEP! Logan stopped dead in his tracks. 'Max?' Logan walked into the hallway, following the beeps, until he found her slumped on the floor, seizing. "MAX!"
All of a sudden Max was nine years old again and back in the cold dreary barracks with her brothers and sisters. "EYES FRONT!"
Max flinched and shot up, and looked straight at the officer. Flashes of Eva's death flashed over and over in front of her. A wave of helplessness brushed over her as she could only watch and gasp. Suddenly she was running in the grounds just outside of Manticore in her government-issue gown. Searchlights prowled the snow and trees looking for the young X5s. Lydecker stepped out from the surrounding forest, making Max skid to a stop.
"And just where do you think you're going soldier? Do you think you can leave this place?" Lydecker scoffed and shook is head in disagreement, "You can never escape, Max, never. Do you think that out there you'll be.. safe? They'll do everything in their power to hurt you. It's their job, their purpose of existence. Do you think that Logan Cale can protect you forever?" Max stood there bewildered. How did he know about Logan? "Well he can't. Once he realizes you're a cold blooded killer he'll drop you like the pan that was too hot or the pet that bites."
Max's anger rose the more Lydecker went on. Now was the time to speak up and defend him, and her. "Logan knows who and what I am and he loves me for it." Max's grown up voice projected out through a nine-year-old Max and cut through the cold silence like a knife.
"He did." Lydecker smiled slyly as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"What the hell do you mean did? Where's Logan? TELL ME!"
The forest around her faded, as did Lydecker. She was now standing on a grassy hill next to a tombstone. "Logan Cale, 1988-2020. Loving boyfriend and person."
Max started to back off and shake her head in disbelief. "No. No. This can't be true, it can't be. It can't. It just can't!"
"Don't you see Max?" Lydecker's voice boomed from the sky, "You kill everyone you so called 'care' about. You belong back at Manticore. We need you. You. Need. Us." Lydecker's propaganda faded away as Max fell to her knees near Logan's tombstone. "Logan. I need you."
"MAX!"
Logan rushed over to her and shook her. 'She's unconscious. How long has she been like this? Has she been here all day?' Logan scooped her up into his arms and carried her into his bedroom. "It's ok, I'm here. You're gonna be ok." Logan whispered in her ear, as she curled up to his warmth.
And perfect timing, Veronica poked her head out of the kitchen. "Loogie? What on earth are you- who is that? Since when do you hire junkie women off the street?"
Logan stopped dead in his tracks. How could she say something like that about her? Anger boiled up inside of him. His jaw clenched. 'Relax. Her words mean nothing. I love Max and that's all that matters.. but still! How could Veronica say something that.. ugh.. the nerve of her..!'
"Where are you going? Loogie? Loogie!" Veronica followed him until he spun around, and she was staring into hard cold blue eyes.
Logan struggled to keep calm. How dare her! "Max is someone I love very much," Veronica struggled to let out a gasp as her face twisted. "She's not a whore or a junkie. I suggest that you leave before I kick you out myself."
Logan sun on his heel and walked into his bedroom. 'The nerve of her!' Logan carefully laid Max down on his bed and rolled up her sleeve. He ran to the medicine cabinet in his bathroom and grabbed the syringe, rubbing alcohol and a cotton swab. He put some alcohol on her arm and injected the tryptophan in her blood stream. He took off her boots and tucked her in. Max's face softened as she moved under the covers. Logan leaned over and kissed her forehead.
"Don't leave me yet Max." He whispered in her ear. A fresh tear fell from his eye and kissed the sheets as her kissed her hand. "Don't leave me ever."
Logan got in bed next to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Logan.." Max murmured softly as she moved closer to him.
"Shhh." Pushing the thought of Veronica's presence or absence away to the far corners of his mind, he dozed off to sleep, exhausted by the day's events.
Veronica had had a great day. She spent the whole day with Logan on her new boat, "The Ronnie." She had renamed it after she "inherited" it. The boat's old name was unbearable. She still couldn't understand why her uncle had named it "Dream Catcher." Dream catchers were those cheap little things that she often saw on poor vendor's carts who didn't have any real money or a job. "The Ronnie" was a much better name. The day was mostly composed of flirting shamelessly with Logan, hoping that he would flirt back, but he just had this mean look about him. 'He was so tense all the time!' even when she fed him caviar bite by bite, he just gave her a look of disgust. 'What am I doing wrong? Most men love this sort of thing!'
When the day had ended, Logan hadn't made any attempts to invite her over for dinner; she saved him the trouble and accepted his silent invitation. When she had accepted, she couldn't exactly pin the word to go with his expression. It looked like something between dread and fear, with little something else mixed into the mix. Once the red blur reached Fogle Towers, Logan raced out to the stairwell. "Closed for repairs."
"Damnit! Are you all out to get me?!?!" Logan walked over to the rather sluggish lift and pressed up several times in midst of his frustration.
"Loogie! Honey, you're going to break the button!" She wrapped an arm around his lower waist and waited patiently for the lift, for all of 30 seconds anyway. "Stupid thing!" She hit the button several times, "Why aren't you coming?'
Logan smirked and moved away from Veronica, "You're going to break the button."
Veronica shot Logan a look just as the lift doors opened. "Let's go!" Veronica pulled Logan into the lift and wrapped her arms around him. "You are so adorable, did you know that?" Logan rolled his eyes for the seven billionth time that day. 'Can't you see I don't like you that way? I do have an angel waiting for me.. hopefully.'
The lift finally reached his penthouse. Logan ran off as soon as the doors opened. 'Well, well, someone's anxious to cook me dinner.' Veronica slowly walked in after him, oblivious to the woman lying in the hallway. 'Some coffee would be nice right about now.' She helped herself to Logan's well- stocked supply of coffee, thinking about what else she could do to seduce Logan, and thoughts of the wedding, when she won him over of course.
~*~
The cathedral stood atop a hill in the Washington countryside, beaming from miles away. The many guests traveling from near and far could see it before they even got near it. Inside the cathedral was overflowing with white elegant roses and calla lilies. A string quartet was off in the corner rehearsing while camera crews and wedding planners bustled about busily, unaware of the wedding guests arriving.
As soon as all the guests has sat down and all the bridesmaids, ushers and flower girls had gone down the aisle, the quartet began the opening measure of the wedding march. The anxious crowd turned around to see the bride. She was beautiful. She was wearing a long, traditional wedding dress. The neck cut low and the sleeves covered her hands. The purity of the dress was decorated with beads scattered all over the dress, giving the bride a sort of glow and she walked next to her father. As soon as the march to the altar was over, her father lifted up her veil, planted a kiss on the cheek and put the veil back down. He gazed upon his daughter's face one last time before she crossed from daddy's little girl to a woman before taking his seat. The glowing bride turned to face her soon to be husband as they held hands and gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. The minister started his ceremony. "We are gathered here today to witness the joining of Logan Matthew Cale Jr. and Veronica Raquel Michaels in holy matrimony."
Veronica smiled as she squeezed Logan's hand. He smiled back and mouthed, "I love you."
She mouthed, "I love you too," back. "If any think these two should not be eternally bonded, speak now or forever hold your peace."
The church remained silent. "Do you-"
"MAX!" ~*~
Veronica snapped out of her reverie. Max? Could this be the same Max that Margot had told her about? Panic rose in her throat as she followed the origin of the scream. To confirm her fears, there was Logan, with a shaking young woman in his arms, holding on to him for dear life. She tried to squash her fear by doing what she did best, acting completely innocent and clueless.
"Loogie? What on earth are you- who is that?" Logan kept walking toward the bedroom, brushing her off completely. 'He ignored me!' Veronica's hatred towards this Max girl was growing more and more. "Since when do you hire junkie women off the street? Where are you going? Loogie? Loogie!"
Veronica followed him until he spun around. His face was hard and angry, and his jaw was clenched tightly as if he didn't want to scream at her. "Max is someone I love very much," The word Max and love in the same sentence sent a tight feeling in her chest as she gasped for air. Her face distorted from a look of innocence to a look of shock and horror. Veronica struggled to let out a gasp as her face twisted. "She's not a whore or a junkie. I suggest that you leave before I kick you out myself."
Logan turned around and disappeared in his bedroom, leaving Veronica standing there, mouth gaping open. "Uh..uh.." Veronica walked back into Logan's kitchen and looked for something strong to drown her upset.
A wave of calm drowned her as the grassy hill and the tombstone disappeared and darkness reigned once again. But there was something different about this darkness, it was calming, warm, and made her feel safe. The anxiety in her blood had calmed and her feeling of loss and sorrow had dissipated and had been replaced with relief. "Logan.."
Logan woke up from his slumber next to Max after hearing a loud crash in the kitchen. 'Oh no, is Veronica still here?' He put on his glasses and walked into the kitchen to find Veronica on the floor with a half empty bottle of pre-pulse liquor. 'Oh great, she's drunk.' This wasn't the same thing as Max being drunk, he loved her through and through, but Veronica? That was another story. Logan walked over and grabbed the bottle out of her hands and poured it down the sink. 'Not like I was gonna drink it anyway...'
"Hhhheeeyy! Whaa thhhe thhe hhheell do do ya ya you ddo tha that fffor?" She sputtered as she gave him an angry look.
Logan put a smile on his face, "Trying to keep my apartment in one piece. And to kick you out."
Veronica was hurt once again. "Kkkkiiccckk mmmee outtt? Youu cacacan't dddo tthat! Wwee haven't eaten diinner yeett! Don't you cccare about me Looooogie?"
Logan groaned. "Don't you get it?!? I never did! Don't you remember? I started seeing someone else but you kept coming back! Don't you remember how we got together in the first place?"
~*~ Tonight was the biggest night of her life. Daphne was finally going to introduce her to the smart and sexy Logan Cale. She had fallen for him at the first party that Daphne threw at the beginning of the year. 'Yale does have its high points!' Since then, She kissed up to Daphne in hopes of being set up with him, and after months of groveling and ass-kissing; she was finally going to be introduced. She had spent hours on her makeup and outfit. She went out and bought a new outfit, just to impress Logan, and now the time had come. She was only feet away from Logan, as Daphne was pulling her along. Logan was sitting in the corner of the crowded room, scribbling down something in a journal or a book.
"Logan!" Daphne yelled over the music, "This is Veronica! Logan! Veronica! Veronica! Logan!"
"Hi." She said seductively.
"Uh, hi." Logan looked up for a brief second and then went back to writing in his book or whatever it was.
Veronica was hurt. 'He didn't pay attention to the new clothes I bought!' She grabbed his book and flung it behind her. "Oww!" A distant voice said the background. "Who threw this book at me?"
Logan stood up, furious, "What did you do that for? Do you have any idea what's in that book?" Logan walked off to find his book, leaving her standing there in the corner where he once was.
'That went well, I think he likes me.' Veronica curled her lips into a smile and went to find Logan. She found him, apologizing to the guy who had been pegged with Logan's book. "Logan!"
'Ugh, what does she want?' "Yeah?"
Veronica rung her hands, then started, "I was wondering if you wanted to go out for coffee sometime? Like next Thursday?"
"Um.. well, I-"
"Great! See ya then!" She turned around to find Daphne. 'I did it!' Veronica walked away, leaving Logan standing there, speechless. 'What the hell did I get myself into now?' Logan would learn not soon after, that he was in way over his head.
When Thursday rolled around, Veronica rushed over to the coffee shop, to find Logan already there, drinking coffee and writing in that book of his again. "Hi!" Veronica said rather happily.
Logan jumped out of his chair, and turned around to see who it was. Veronica. 'Great, just great. Why did I have to come on the day she set us up on a date? Why Cale, why?! Stupid, stupid!'
She sat down in the chair right across from him and began to yap like she was timed for cramming the most words in one breath. After and hour or so, Logan interrupted her, "I'm sorry, Veronica, I really have to go. It was good seeing you, see ya around." Logan grabbed his backpack and headed for the door. 'You survived, Cale, you truly are a man.' ~*~
It continued on like that for five hellish months. Logan would just happen to be the wrong place at the right time, or Veronica would come and wake him up every morning or something like that. He had already survived it once, and plans for reconcile weren't even on his mind, especially now that he and Max finally admitted how they felt for each other, he couldn't let her go, ever.
"You knew my every move and followed me everywhere! That's not a relationship, that's a following, and I don't want any of that!" Logan spat all his anger out as he saw his words get to her.
His words cut deep, but what could she say? He was right- she did know his every move, every single one. "You mean, it was never, we weren't?"
"I'm sorry I had to tell you his way. I really am." The room remained silent, but Logan could hear the faint rip of her heart.
truly crushed as you fight the toughest battle yet
trying to stop the tears flow and let the final seams of your heart rip
scrambling to banish those sparkling eyes from your mind forever
but you can't no matter how hard you try
letting a tear drop from your face and land on your heart
as the final seam breaks
in a daze wondering what went wrong
Veronica felt the room spin as she felt everything slip from her grasp. The alcohol didn't seem to help either. She struggled to stand and grab her purse. "I have to go."
She choked, trying to keep the tears from falling. She headed for the door, but the room kept spinning faster and faster. Logan grabbed her arm and guided her over to the couch. "I'm calling you a cab. When you're sober, you can come back for your car."
He picked the phone, rattled off his address and hung up. "He'll be here in a few minutes. The driver's gonna come up and help you to the cab, ok?" Logan handed her some water and she drank it all. It felt so good to drink something that didn't burn the back of your throat. Logan went back into his room to check on Max while Veronica just sat in the living room, thinking about those five months, and what Margot did to her. The doorbell rang and Logan came out of his room.
"Logan, I'm so sorry, I didn't know, she told me-" Veronica's words came in a rush as panic escalated in her voice.
"It's ok, I understand." Logan gave her a look of understanding and opened the door for her.
Veronica looked at him one last time before she left for good. "You're a good man, Logan Cale. Take care of her." She ran her hand on his stubbled cheek and walked out the door and out of his life for good.
As the door closed, he whispered, "I will."
Max slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She wasn't on the floor anymore, she was in Logan's bed, and wasn't seizing. But where was Logan? "Logan?" she softly croaked, "Logan?"
"Right here." Logan was looking at her from the chair next to his bed, with his leather journal sitting in his lap.
"I take it that you found me on the floor and gave me my meds?"
Logan nodded his head and reached out to hold her hand. 'She's ok, she's ok.'
"Where were you?" Her voice was full of sadness and anger, "When I got here you were gone." Max looked off into oblivion, then snapped back to life. "You didn't ditch me for Eyes Only did you?"
Logan broke a smile. 'Doesn't take much to bring her sarcasm back.' "No, actually, Margot brainwashed an old "girlfriend" of mine and tried to set me up with her."
"Sounds like Margot could start the next Manticore." Logan chuckled as Max's expression grew serious.
"Why didn't you call me? We were supposed to spend the day together." Logan could see hurt screaming from her eyes once again.
"I couldn't. Veronica burst in and dragged me of before I could grab my phone and call you. And everywhere we went was phone-less." Max sat in silence, looking rather far off and worried. "When I had gotten off the hellish boat, she insisted on having dinner here. When I got in I paged you and found you on the floor.." Logan trailed off and shuttered at the scene he had witnessed only a short time ago. "I thought I lost you."
Max gazed into his eyes to see worry and concern covering the sparkle that had been there only moments ago. "I thought I had lost you." Max saw the haunting images of Logan's tombstone once gain and shivered.
Logan raised an eyebrow in question so Max continued. "I was back at the night of the escape- and all of the sudden Lydecker showed up. He started to spout off that I could never leave, no matter where I go." Max started to choke up as tears welled in her eyes.
Logan slipped into bed next to her and held her tight as she let the well- built barriers down and let the tears roll. "And then, he ssaid I would kkill everyone I I loved, and ttthen he showed me, he showed me yyyour, your.." The tears came faster as her emotions ran wild.
"Shh- it's ok. it was just a dream. Shhh.." Logan rocked her back and forth as she held on to him tightly. Minutes, what seemed like hours, passed in silence coupled with sobs until she spoke once again.
"..he showed me you're your tombssttoone." Max buried her head in Logan's chest and held him tight as tears melted into his shirt.
"It's ok, I'm here, just let it out, just let it out."
Night descended on the threshold of Seattle. The business of Seattle slowed to a sluggish pace as people arrived to a place called home, or at least for now. Sector nine slowly wound down as those fortunate enough to work there travel home with concerns, worries and papers. Lights began to turn on one by one in houses and flats as the lights from offices faded. Seattle was still the city it used to be before the Pulse at night. Worries seemed to dim with the daylight when a dark calm engulfed the city.
Two people seemed to love the night the most. Memories of first meetings, chess games, dinners, and dances stayed fresh in their minds. Night was truly the best time for them.
Logan watched Max sleep as the darkness seeped in once again. Her head was still buried in his chest, which was still fresh with tears; her ear was up against his heart, sleeping to soft beat of his heart. He kissed her head and held her tight as she started to open her eyes. Max looked up at Logan and smile.
"I love you." Logan bent down and kissed her passionately.
"I love you too Max." Max reached up to kiss him but pulled back. "By the way, if you have any other old flames that know Margot, tell me so I can drop-kick their asses before they get near my man."
Logan chuckled as his heart swelled with pride. That was the first time she had said 'my man." He pulled her close and said, "Consider it done."
Max kissed his nose, "Got anything to eat? Seizures don't exactly weaken my appetite."
"I'm sure I could whip up something."
Max laughed and crawled out of bed with Logan and walked into the kitchen.
Max was standing on the Space Needle once more. The cool wind whipped at her face as she gazed upon the city. Thoughts of the last twenty-four hours flew threw her head.
'Nothing will ever be normal between Logan and me, except that we love each other. And that's ok, because being normal isn't what I do best. Thanks Logan, for sticking with me through this bitch. Nothing can tear us apart now.'