SEPTEMBER 2024, VANCOUVER

Logan said in his most persuasive tone, "Max and I are old friends. Only I lost her address. I really need to talk to her, and I'd appreciate it a lot if you'd let me wait here until she comes to pick up Eva."

The owner of the daycare squinted at him suspiciously. She'd kept the door half shut the whole time they'd been talking, effectively blocking Logan's view of the interior. "I dunno," she said. "For all I know you don't actually know Max.  I mean, who remembers the name of their friend's daycare, but not their address?"

Actually, Logan had Max's address and phone number memorized, but he didn't want to show up at her place and be confronted by the evidence of her happy little life with Alec. He was hoping he could talk to her and leave without ever having to see Alec. According to his information Max was usually the one who picked up Eva, not Alec.

"It's really important that I talk to her." He smiled reassuringly.

Her eyes lit up as she hit on a solution. "Tell you what, why don't you give me your phone number, and I'll tell Max to call you."

Behind him, Logan heard Alec call his name. "Logan.  It's been a while."

---*flashback*---

Alec loads the last of their stuff in the back of a pick up, next to Max's Ninja. Max hugs Original Cindy goodbye. She's six months pregnant and starting to show. Logan pulls up in his Aztec. He walks over to Max without glancing at Alec and hands her a fat brown envelope. Max tips the contents into her hand – it contains Canadian birth certificates and passports for both her and Alec. "White's still looking for you, so head for the border. Plus I tracked down a pediatric nurse from Manticore for when…you know." She nods and smiles sadly at him. Logan strokes her cheek with one gloved hand. "Be careful," he whispers.

---*end flashback*---

Slowly Logan turned to look behind him at where Alec stood, his arms crossed. The younger man hadn't changed much in three years. Logan sighed. He knew he looked older, more worn out. "Alec…I need to talk to Max."

Alec said sarcastically, "Well somehow I didn't think you were here to see me."

Suddenly a little girl's voice called out excitedly, "Daddy!" She darted between the daycare owner and Logan and ran to Alec. "Hey munchkin," he said and crouched to give her a hug. Logan stared. Eva was a beautiful child. She had her mother's chocolate-coloured eyes and Alec's auburn-brown hair. It curled in ringlets down her back.

"You behave yourself today?"Alec asked, smiling at her. Eva nodded solemnly. "Really. Then how come you're covered in paint?"

Eva giggled and said, "I don't know. It's a mystery."

Alec chuckled. "Sure it is." He kissed her on the top of her head and stood. "Thanks B," he said to the daycare owner. He glanced at Logan. "C'mon." He hoisted Eva onto his shoulders and headed down the street. Logan hurried to catch up.

Eva titled her head sideways and stared intently at Logan. "What's your name?"

"Logan."

"Are you one of my uncles?"

"No. I knew your mom and dad a long time ago. Before you were born."

"That's a looong time ago."

"Yeah. Things were…different then."

They lapsed into silence. The route home took them through a farmer's market. A middle-aged woman at a fruit stall near the end smiled brightly when they approached. "Hey there, sweethear.  Want an apple?" she called to Eva, holding one out.

Eva nodded and reached for it, forcing Alec to move closer. "T'ank you Mrs. Magillicuty." Alec smiled politely.

"You're welcome sweetheart," she said. "Come by with your daddy anytime. And bring your daddy's friend along too." As Logan and Alec walked past her stall they heard her murmur under her breath, "Mmmm."

Logan looked over at Alec, his eyebrows cocked. "Was she just checking us out?" he asked.

Alec rolled his eyes and said, "Don't ask."

Logan shook his head, bemused. "I gotta get out more," he said. Alec chuckled and the animosity between them lifted slightly.

----*----

Alec opened the door to their apartment and Eva darted inside first. "Mommy!" she yelled as she raced to the back of the apartment. Alec hurried after her, leaving Logan standing awkwardly at the door. He heard Max greet Eva, and he heard Alec call out "Max, we got company." Then there was silence.

A minute later the three of them walked into the living room together. As they stood framed in the doorway Logan couldn't help but think that they were the perfect advertisement for genetic engineering.

Max stared at Logan in shock, her face pale. Alec touched her gently on the arm. "We'll be back in an hour," he said. He took Eva by the hand and led her out the door. "C'mon kiddo. You and me are going for pizza." He left without looking at Logan.

Max waited until the door closed behind Alec and Eva, and then curled up in the corner of the sofa. "Hey," she said softly.

"Hey yourself," he answered. He sat on the other end of the sofa and just looked at her. She was exactly as he remembered her.

"It's good to see you, Logan. But…why are you here. Why now?"

Logan reached into his bag and pulled out a file folder stuffed full with papers. He laid it on the sofa between them. She eyed it in confusion. "What is it?"

"My end of our bargain. I found them. Well, some of them. And their phone numbers. They're waiting to hear from you."

Tentatively Max reached out and stroked the cover of the file folder. She looked up at Logan with tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.

Logan had promised himself he wouldn't say anything, but seeing her again had shattered his resolve. "When are you coming home Max? I miss you. I know you and I can never be together, but I still want you in my life. Come home. Seattle is safe now – White's been gone for over a year. Come home."

"Home," she said, tasting the word. She smiled as she thought of Seattle. Then she shrugged. "Maybe. I dunno. I have to talk to Alec first."

"Does he make you happy?" he asked. The words were out of his mouth before he could stop himself. He didn't need to hear her say it, he could tell she was happy just by looking at her. Why he felt the need to ask was beyond him. It was like an old scab that you can't stop picking at, even though you know it will hurt if you do.

"Yeah, he does," she said gently. She dropped her glance. "I'm sorry Logan. I never meant for any of this to happen. It just did."

"It's not your fault," he whispered, unable to bear the look of guilt on her face. He stood before he could say anything more to upset her. "I should go… I didn't come to ruin anything for you, or to hurt you. I just came to give you that."

 She smiled. "I know. Thank you."

----*----

Alec opened the door nervously, half afraid he'd come home to find her bags packed. He knew his fear was irrational, but that didn't make it go away. Max was sitting in the middle of the floor, surrounded by photos of her siblings. She was crying and smiling at the same time. "He found them for me. Look, here's Jondy, and Zane, and Jace and Victor and their son. She called him Max."

Alec crouched beside her and examined the photos. So these were Max's siblings, and Ben's. "So why aren't you on the phone already?"

Max shrugged. "I guess I'm afraid it's just a dream. Or that the numbers are wrong, or they won't remember me, or... I dunno. Stupid, isn't it."

Alec kissed her on the top of her head. "Call them."

Max took a deep breath and dialled Jondy's number. She hands shook as she waited for her big sister to answer the phone. She laughed when she heard that familiar voice on the other end of the line. "Jondy…it's Max."

Alec watched her face from across the room. She looked so happy. He grinned and went to read his daughter a bedtime story.

----*----

Max was on the phone for hours. She finally crawled into bed beside Alec in the early morning. He groaned and opened his eyes as she shook him roughly. She was practically bouncing on the bed in excitement. "Zane wants us to have a family reunion. He knows this place we can all stay at for a couple of weeks."

"Whatever you want Maxie. I go where you go, remember."

Max looked down at her hands. She fiddled nervously with the blanket. "What do you think about moving back to Seattle?" she said in a rush.

Alec flinched. His eyes darkened and he looked away.

Max said earnestly, "this had nothing to do with Logan. Seeing him today was awkward… Seattle's my home. All those years on the run, it was the one place where I felt like I belonged. I miss it. I miss our friends. I want to see OC and Sketchy and Joshua again. Hell, I even want to see Normal."

"You never said anything before."

Max shrugged. "I didn't know if we could go back. I wasn't sure how Logan would react. I want to be his friend, not his lover. He understands that. This isn't about him." She paused and then said with a grin, "don't you know you're the only one that gets me all hot and bothered?"

Alec chuckled. "How hot and bothered are we talking about, exactly?"

Max giggled and swung one leg over him so she was straddling his body, and bent her head to nibble on his chest. Alec laughed again and pulled her forward so he could claim her lips.