A/N: Well, yay me... the second part of the day and it's not even midnight yet. Must mean I care. :P Here's part seven of fifteen. :) Back to our regularly scheduled one part a night now. *G*
There are very mild spoilers for second season in this, but only up to Some Assembly Required, and most of them are only vague allusions to past events.
I welcome all reviews, both here and by email, so please feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you're thinking. I can't improve my writing if I don't know what people want to see. :P
They're not mine, I just borrow them sometimes and mutate their inner voices. What can I say? It's fun. But Cameron will always own the good stuff. :P
Towards the Sunset
Part Seven: Settling In
By: Danae Bowen
Email: logansfox@rogers.com
Logan felt like he'd been hit by a hurricane as Max and Original Cindy swept their suitcases out of his hands and returned to the rooms they'd chosen to be their own. They were too caught up in a flurry of chatter and unpacking to take notice of Logan's actions. It was late and all three were tired, but some things like showers and a change of clothes would not wait.
Logan knew the layout of the cottage from his youth, and knew there was a down stairs bedroom off the formal living room, behind the garage. Peter had added it on for his parents as they grew older and couldn't manage the stairs to the second floor bedrooms; Logan felt it would make the most sense for him to stay in there so he wouldn't always be relying on the exoskeleton to get around.
He slipped into the downstairs bedroom to drop his bags on the bed, grinning at the antique cabinet sewing machine that doubled as a desk in the corner. He immediately set up his laptop and set it to download his newest email as he left to find out what the girls were up to. He began turning on the lights downstairs, lifting an eyebrow at the regal formality of the living room he had to pass through to get back to the main house. The formal room was completely different from the rest of the cottage; the kitchen was done in warm yellows and browns, a design that had obviously been created in the seventies that Peter had decided to keep in honor of his late wife. The informal family room off the other side of the kitchen was done in a contrast of grays and browns. Three large comfortable sofas and a reclining leather chair furnishing the room. The living room also contained an old 62" projection television next to a large fireplace, the wood holder well stocked from the woodpile Logan knew to be in the basement. The living room exited off in two further directions. The first exit was a long sliding door that took Logan out onto the hand built deck, affording him a view of the large back yard, as well as the private beach and waterfront. The second exit led to a large storage closet next to the stairs leading up to the cottage's highest level. He climbed the stairs slowly, wondering which rooms Max and Cindy would have picked. He stopped at the room to his right, closest to the stairs and knocked on the door.
"Yeah?"
He grinned. He'd hoped Max would have picked this room; it was the one always given to him when he stayed over as a child. Peter's daughter stayed in the room directly across the hall, and Peter, himself, stayed in the large master bedroom at the back, while Logan's parents used the downstairs sleeping area. Once, when the Cale's had arrived during a family reunion Peter had been hosting, they discovered that six queen size beds could fit comfortably in the master bedroom, and all the kids spent the weekend bouncing from one bed to another in excitement as they shared a room.
He turned the knob on the door and stepped into the bedroom, leaving the door a few inches open as he met Max's raised eyebrow.
"I come in peace."
She laughed softly, and continued unpacking her clothing as he prowled around the old room. "Lemme guess, yours?"
He nodded, running a hand over the old furniture that was probably now worth a fortune in antique value. He slid open the sliding doors and stepped out onto the small deck that led off the bedroom. He closed his eyes and could vividly remember days of pelting the lake kids with water balloons as they ran and screamed with joy below. Thoughts of his old friends brought question to whether any of them still lived or vacationed in the area, and for the first time in quite a while he considered talking a walk and finding out for sure.
He heard Max approach from behind and felt her cheek against his back as he looked out into the night, enjoying the moonlight view of the beautiful lake that stretched out before them. "This place has a lot of good memories for me." He murmured quietly. "I'm not sure I ever forgave my father the year he decided we'd no longer come up here. He told me that I was a teenager, and pretty soon these trips would become a chore rather than a pleasure to me, and he didn't want to have to go through the fights every summer. He didn't understand that I loved this place and the people here. Everything moves just a bit slower on this lake: time, life, everything. Today, you can almost close your eyes and forget that the pulse ever happened and that just a few hours away cities are in practical ruin. When I was a kid, I used to close my eyes and forget that I was a Cale, and instead of having an overstuffed family, I was just a normal kid living a quiet life." He shrugged dismissively.
"It was a good dream, Logan." Her lips pressed against his shoulder before she shifted, moving so that she was standing in front of him, and pulled his arms around her. "We all need those dreams sometimes."
He kissed the top of her head, holding her close. "Did you ever dream?"
He felt her shrug. "Sometimes, after the escape." She shrugged again. "Didn't get much of a chance to, though. I'm more a reality girl anyway."
"And what a reality it is, Max." His lips found the top of her head once again and with a sigh, Max turned in his arms.
He was mildly surprised when he found himself pulled down into a gentle kiss. Her beautiful, delicate mouth drew a soft whimper from his throat and he pulled her to him, deepening the kiss as he pushed his tongue past her lips, kissing her as hard and as deeply as his dreams of Max demanded. Even with the strength and passion behind the kiss, it wasn't a fast, harsh act; instead Logan felt time grind to a halt while his hands tangled in her hair, their tongues fought a duel war, and heat pounded and pulsed through his entire body.
A soft sound, somewhat resembling a contented purr, escaped from Max chest as he pressed his thigh between her legs, pulling her that much closer in the act. His hands skimmed down her back, tracing the delicate outline of her spine through her shirt as he lost himself in the sweet flavor of her mouth. She tasted of coffee, chocolate, and of the mint gum she'd been chewing most of their long journey. Beneath that was the undeniable taste of Max herself, so sweet he knew he'd crave her flavor for the rest of his life.
"Logan, where's a girl s'posed to get a towel in this joint?"
Cindy's loud voice carried down the corridor, and Max began to giggle against Logan's lips. He joined her in her laughter for a moment before turning his head towards the door.
"Check the walk-in off the master bedroom!"
Cindy stuck her head in the door, caught sight of the two of them on the deck, and leaned against the frame. "You givin' the lake a show, peeps?"
Max buried her face in Logan's chest, trying to stop the laughter that still shook her small frame. Logan's tone of voice didn't help any when he responded, "Not anymore." That set off another round of giggles in Max and in between gasps for air, she was left to wonder why all of the sudden she needed to laugh. For the last two days, the smallest things had been setting her off and Max was unused to the experience.
When Cindy headed back to find the towels, Max turned around and leaned back against Logan for another minute, before she took a deep breath. "I must have too much energy. I'm gettin' giddy."
He smiled down at her, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Maybe you're just happy, Max."
She blinked and paused. "Maybe." She smiled in the darkness and stroked his hand before untangling herself from his embrace. "I'm still going for a run, 'n you should get some sleep."
As if in answer, Logan yawned deeply. He grinned sheepishly and nodded. "Head up to the top of the hill and turn left. It'll take you half way around the lake."
Max smiled and kissed his cheek softly before heading inside to change into a pair of shorts and a tank top. It was coming up on June and the evenings and early mornings were cool, but not chilly enough for Max to wear full sweats. Logan leaned back on the railing and watched Max silently as she peeled herself out of her pants and moved to a drawer where she had put away her shorts. He smiled at the site of her little black panties, and raised an eyebrow when she turned and caught him watching. Repeating her actions of the night previous, he refused to alter his gaze and instead watched her openly, suddenly no longer tired in the least.
Max half blushed under Logan's scrutiny, but she didn't attempt to cover herself, instead drawing out the moment by dropping her gray shorts onto the bed and turning to recover a matching tank top. With a wink at Logan, she slipped out of her shirt and openly modeled the black bra she wore to match her underwear. She watched as the smile slowly slipped away from his features, and his eyes darkened as his jaw tightened.
As inch after inch of Max's golden skin came into view, Logan's pulse increased until the blood rushing through his brain drowned out the sounds of the night around him. He'd gasped and caught his breath when she pulled her shirt over her head and his eyes settled on her perfect breasts, finding that mouth had gone instantly dry. She turned back to the bed, reaching for her top, drawing out every movement as slowly as possible. He couldn't seem to stop himself from walking forward, his mind numb with awe as he drank in her beauty in silence.
Her intake of breath was audible when his cool hands moved over her shoulders and down her arms, her suddenly numb fingers releasing the tank top she was holding. Her teeth closed over her lower lip as his hands advanced from her shoulders, down her arms, his body coming up to press flush against her from behind. She whimpered quietly, leaning back into him as his fingers slid from her arms to her bare stomach, sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. He rolled his hips slightly, letting her feel his arousal against the soft flesh of her buttocks. She arched her back, presenting her breasts to his touch.
His breath was hot against the side of her face as he brought his hands slowly up from her stomach, caressing her ribs, before pausing under her breasts. At first he allowed his thumbs to merely stroke the bottoms of her soft globes, her bra still hiding them from his view. As he teased her with his slight touch, he lowered his lips to her exposed neck and began nibbling tiny biting kisses from her chin to her shoulder and back again. He slid his hands up a bit higher, cupping her fully as they both sighed with the feeling.
Max's body stiffened as his hands closed over her breasts, electric shocks of pleasure jolting through her body and making her groan. She arched herself against him wantonly, pressing her breasts deeper into his hands as she lifted her head and gently kissed his chin, nipping at his flesh, darting her tongue out to ease the sting. In an instant, she'd spun in his arms, latching onto his mouth with her own, thrusting her tongue deep inside him. Logan froze in a moment of surprise, before meeting her tongue with his own, digging his fingers into her hips as he groaned aloud. She pulled him off balance as she braced herself against his shoulders and brought first one long golden leg up to wrap around his waist, closely followed by her second. In moments she found herself falling through the air, only to bounce softly on the queen size bed as Logan followed her down. They paused for a moment to catch their breath, laughing quietly before Logan's fingers once again began their sensual exploration of Max's stomach.
He lowered his lips to her ear, nibbling her lobe softly before finally finding his voice. "So when do you think Original Cindy will burst in?"
She giggled quietly, tracing his spine with a soft finger as she nibbled on his jaw. "Girl knows better. I'll put money on the phone."
He lowered his mouth to her throat, lathering her soft skin in kisses before sliding his lips to her chest, learning every inch of her golden flesh. "Too passé. Knock on the door?"
Her nails dug into his back through his shirt as his lips closed around her breast, his teeth and tongue teasing her nipple through the fabric of her bra. She bit back a groan as she forced her mind to concentrate on their conversation. "We don't know anyone here. Who would knock?"
He switched breasts, one hand coming up to caress the breast his mouth had vacated while he used gently biting teeth to tease her free nipple into a hard peak. His tongue lapped at her quickly before he raised his eyes to meet her gaze. "Neighbor checking us out?"
Her breathing came in heavy gasps as he moved past her breasts and his tongue drew a damp trail over her rib cage to linger at her navel. She whimpered quietly, her hips arching off the bed as his tongue slipped in and out of her navel in a teasing manner, but she managed to keep her voice steady. "Okay, then," she took a deep breath, her fingers stroking through his hair. "Explosion."
Logan growled deep in his chest, and his lips curved into a wicked grin as he raised his eyebrow and winked at her. "Damn straight."
Max shifted on the bed, capturing Logan's chest between her thighs as he began to lower his slow journey of loving kisses. His fingers began to tease the elastic waistband of her little black panties, dipping in just far enough to make Max gasp and quiver beneath him. His hot breath burned over the flesh of her abdomen, making her mind melt with sensation.
She closed her eyes with anticipation, feeling his fingers take a gentle grip on her panties and begin to pull them down. Her eyes flew open a moment later, however, as they both froze at a loud sound. The sound repeated once, twice, and again, making them both leap to their feet in confusion. A loud, sharp bang. Gunshots.
Max looked at Logan in horror, meeting his concerned gaze as she grabbed her shorts out from underneath her, pulling them over her legs. Her tank top was in her hands in an instant and she began pulling it on as she headed out the door.
"Stay here. Probably nothing but hunters or kids or something. I'll be back."
Logan nodded at her, following her down the stairs and glancing out the sliding doors that opened out onto the lake as Max slipped out beside him and down the stairs of the deck. He watched as, even in her gray shirt and shorts, she was able to blend into the shadows and disappeared from his sight only moments later.
He sighed.
"Be careful, Max."
His voice was low, but on the lake sound carried for miles. He knew she would hear him wherever she'd gone.
End Part Seven: Settling In
There are very mild spoilers for second season in this, but only up to Some Assembly Required, and most of them are only vague allusions to past events.
I welcome all reviews, both here and by email, so please feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you're thinking. I can't improve my writing if I don't know what people want to see. :P
They're not mine, I just borrow them sometimes and mutate their inner voices. What can I say? It's fun. But Cameron will always own the good stuff. :P
Towards the Sunset
Part Seven: Settling In
By: Danae Bowen
Email: logansfox@rogers.com
Logan felt like he'd been hit by a hurricane as Max and Original Cindy swept their suitcases out of his hands and returned to the rooms they'd chosen to be their own. They were too caught up in a flurry of chatter and unpacking to take notice of Logan's actions. It was late and all three were tired, but some things like showers and a change of clothes would not wait.
Logan knew the layout of the cottage from his youth, and knew there was a down stairs bedroom off the formal living room, behind the garage. Peter had added it on for his parents as they grew older and couldn't manage the stairs to the second floor bedrooms; Logan felt it would make the most sense for him to stay in there so he wouldn't always be relying on the exoskeleton to get around.
He slipped into the downstairs bedroom to drop his bags on the bed, grinning at the antique cabinet sewing machine that doubled as a desk in the corner. He immediately set up his laptop and set it to download his newest email as he left to find out what the girls were up to. He began turning on the lights downstairs, lifting an eyebrow at the regal formality of the living room he had to pass through to get back to the main house. The formal room was completely different from the rest of the cottage; the kitchen was done in warm yellows and browns, a design that had obviously been created in the seventies that Peter had decided to keep in honor of his late wife. The informal family room off the other side of the kitchen was done in a contrast of grays and browns. Three large comfortable sofas and a reclining leather chair furnishing the room. The living room also contained an old 62" projection television next to a large fireplace, the wood holder well stocked from the woodpile Logan knew to be in the basement. The living room exited off in two further directions. The first exit was a long sliding door that took Logan out onto the hand built deck, affording him a view of the large back yard, as well as the private beach and waterfront. The second exit led to a large storage closet next to the stairs leading up to the cottage's highest level. He climbed the stairs slowly, wondering which rooms Max and Cindy would have picked. He stopped at the room to his right, closest to the stairs and knocked on the door.
"Yeah?"
He grinned. He'd hoped Max would have picked this room; it was the one always given to him when he stayed over as a child. Peter's daughter stayed in the room directly across the hall, and Peter, himself, stayed in the large master bedroom at the back, while Logan's parents used the downstairs sleeping area. Once, when the Cale's had arrived during a family reunion Peter had been hosting, they discovered that six queen size beds could fit comfortably in the master bedroom, and all the kids spent the weekend bouncing from one bed to another in excitement as they shared a room.
He turned the knob on the door and stepped into the bedroom, leaving the door a few inches open as he met Max's raised eyebrow.
"I come in peace."
She laughed softly, and continued unpacking her clothing as he prowled around the old room. "Lemme guess, yours?"
He nodded, running a hand over the old furniture that was probably now worth a fortune in antique value. He slid open the sliding doors and stepped out onto the small deck that led off the bedroom. He closed his eyes and could vividly remember days of pelting the lake kids with water balloons as they ran and screamed with joy below. Thoughts of his old friends brought question to whether any of them still lived or vacationed in the area, and for the first time in quite a while he considered talking a walk and finding out for sure.
He heard Max approach from behind and felt her cheek against his back as he looked out into the night, enjoying the moonlight view of the beautiful lake that stretched out before them. "This place has a lot of good memories for me." He murmured quietly. "I'm not sure I ever forgave my father the year he decided we'd no longer come up here. He told me that I was a teenager, and pretty soon these trips would become a chore rather than a pleasure to me, and he didn't want to have to go through the fights every summer. He didn't understand that I loved this place and the people here. Everything moves just a bit slower on this lake: time, life, everything. Today, you can almost close your eyes and forget that the pulse ever happened and that just a few hours away cities are in practical ruin. When I was a kid, I used to close my eyes and forget that I was a Cale, and instead of having an overstuffed family, I was just a normal kid living a quiet life." He shrugged dismissively.
"It was a good dream, Logan." Her lips pressed against his shoulder before she shifted, moving so that she was standing in front of him, and pulled his arms around her. "We all need those dreams sometimes."
He kissed the top of her head, holding her close. "Did you ever dream?"
He felt her shrug. "Sometimes, after the escape." She shrugged again. "Didn't get much of a chance to, though. I'm more a reality girl anyway."
"And what a reality it is, Max." His lips found the top of her head once again and with a sigh, Max turned in his arms.
He was mildly surprised when he found himself pulled down into a gentle kiss. Her beautiful, delicate mouth drew a soft whimper from his throat and he pulled her to him, deepening the kiss as he pushed his tongue past her lips, kissing her as hard and as deeply as his dreams of Max demanded. Even with the strength and passion behind the kiss, it wasn't a fast, harsh act; instead Logan felt time grind to a halt while his hands tangled in her hair, their tongues fought a duel war, and heat pounded and pulsed through his entire body.
A soft sound, somewhat resembling a contented purr, escaped from Max chest as he pressed his thigh between her legs, pulling her that much closer in the act. His hands skimmed down her back, tracing the delicate outline of her spine through her shirt as he lost himself in the sweet flavor of her mouth. She tasted of coffee, chocolate, and of the mint gum she'd been chewing most of their long journey. Beneath that was the undeniable taste of Max herself, so sweet he knew he'd crave her flavor for the rest of his life.
"Logan, where's a girl s'posed to get a towel in this joint?"
Cindy's loud voice carried down the corridor, and Max began to giggle against Logan's lips. He joined her in her laughter for a moment before turning his head towards the door.
"Check the walk-in off the master bedroom!"
Cindy stuck her head in the door, caught sight of the two of them on the deck, and leaned against the frame. "You givin' the lake a show, peeps?"
Max buried her face in Logan's chest, trying to stop the laughter that still shook her small frame. Logan's tone of voice didn't help any when he responded, "Not anymore." That set off another round of giggles in Max and in between gasps for air, she was left to wonder why all of the sudden she needed to laugh. For the last two days, the smallest things had been setting her off and Max was unused to the experience.
When Cindy headed back to find the towels, Max turned around and leaned back against Logan for another minute, before she took a deep breath. "I must have too much energy. I'm gettin' giddy."
He smiled down at her, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Maybe you're just happy, Max."
She blinked and paused. "Maybe." She smiled in the darkness and stroked his hand before untangling herself from his embrace. "I'm still going for a run, 'n you should get some sleep."
As if in answer, Logan yawned deeply. He grinned sheepishly and nodded. "Head up to the top of the hill and turn left. It'll take you half way around the lake."
Max smiled and kissed his cheek softly before heading inside to change into a pair of shorts and a tank top. It was coming up on June and the evenings and early mornings were cool, but not chilly enough for Max to wear full sweats. Logan leaned back on the railing and watched Max silently as she peeled herself out of her pants and moved to a drawer where she had put away her shorts. He smiled at the site of her little black panties, and raised an eyebrow when she turned and caught him watching. Repeating her actions of the night previous, he refused to alter his gaze and instead watched her openly, suddenly no longer tired in the least.
Max half blushed under Logan's scrutiny, but she didn't attempt to cover herself, instead drawing out the moment by dropping her gray shorts onto the bed and turning to recover a matching tank top. With a wink at Logan, she slipped out of her shirt and openly modeled the black bra she wore to match her underwear. She watched as the smile slowly slipped away from his features, and his eyes darkened as his jaw tightened.
As inch after inch of Max's golden skin came into view, Logan's pulse increased until the blood rushing through his brain drowned out the sounds of the night around him. He'd gasped and caught his breath when she pulled her shirt over her head and his eyes settled on her perfect breasts, finding that mouth had gone instantly dry. She turned back to the bed, reaching for her top, drawing out every movement as slowly as possible. He couldn't seem to stop himself from walking forward, his mind numb with awe as he drank in her beauty in silence.
Her intake of breath was audible when his cool hands moved over her shoulders and down her arms, her suddenly numb fingers releasing the tank top she was holding. Her teeth closed over her lower lip as his hands advanced from her shoulders, down her arms, his body coming up to press flush against her from behind. She whimpered quietly, leaning back into him as his fingers slid from her arms to her bare stomach, sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. He rolled his hips slightly, letting her feel his arousal against the soft flesh of her buttocks. She arched her back, presenting her breasts to his touch.
His breath was hot against the side of her face as he brought his hands slowly up from her stomach, caressing her ribs, before pausing under her breasts. At first he allowed his thumbs to merely stroke the bottoms of her soft globes, her bra still hiding them from his view. As he teased her with his slight touch, he lowered his lips to her exposed neck and began nibbling tiny biting kisses from her chin to her shoulder and back again. He slid his hands up a bit higher, cupping her fully as they both sighed with the feeling.
Max's body stiffened as his hands closed over her breasts, electric shocks of pleasure jolting through her body and making her groan. She arched herself against him wantonly, pressing her breasts deeper into his hands as she lifted her head and gently kissed his chin, nipping at his flesh, darting her tongue out to ease the sting. In an instant, she'd spun in his arms, latching onto his mouth with her own, thrusting her tongue deep inside him. Logan froze in a moment of surprise, before meeting her tongue with his own, digging his fingers into her hips as he groaned aloud. She pulled him off balance as she braced herself against his shoulders and brought first one long golden leg up to wrap around his waist, closely followed by her second. In moments she found herself falling through the air, only to bounce softly on the queen size bed as Logan followed her down. They paused for a moment to catch their breath, laughing quietly before Logan's fingers once again began their sensual exploration of Max's stomach.
He lowered his lips to her ear, nibbling her lobe softly before finally finding his voice. "So when do you think Original Cindy will burst in?"
She giggled quietly, tracing his spine with a soft finger as she nibbled on his jaw. "Girl knows better. I'll put money on the phone."
He lowered his mouth to her throat, lathering her soft skin in kisses before sliding his lips to her chest, learning every inch of her golden flesh. "Too passé. Knock on the door?"
Her nails dug into his back through his shirt as his lips closed around her breast, his teeth and tongue teasing her nipple through the fabric of her bra. She bit back a groan as she forced her mind to concentrate on their conversation. "We don't know anyone here. Who would knock?"
He switched breasts, one hand coming up to caress the breast his mouth had vacated while he used gently biting teeth to tease her free nipple into a hard peak. His tongue lapped at her quickly before he raised his eyes to meet her gaze. "Neighbor checking us out?"
Her breathing came in heavy gasps as he moved past her breasts and his tongue drew a damp trail over her rib cage to linger at her navel. She whimpered quietly, her hips arching off the bed as his tongue slipped in and out of her navel in a teasing manner, but she managed to keep her voice steady. "Okay, then," she took a deep breath, her fingers stroking through his hair. "Explosion."
Logan growled deep in his chest, and his lips curved into a wicked grin as he raised his eyebrow and winked at her. "Damn straight."
Max shifted on the bed, capturing Logan's chest between her thighs as he began to lower his slow journey of loving kisses. His fingers began to tease the elastic waistband of her little black panties, dipping in just far enough to make Max gasp and quiver beneath him. His hot breath burned over the flesh of her abdomen, making her mind melt with sensation.
She closed her eyes with anticipation, feeling his fingers take a gentle grip on her panties and begin to pull them down. Her eyes flew open a moment later, however, as they both froze at a loud sound. The sound repeated once, twice, and again, making them both leap to their feet in confusion. A loud, sharp bang. Gunshots.
Max looked at Logan in horror, meeting his concerned gaze as she grabbed her shorts out from underneath her, pulling them over her legs. Her tank top was in her hands in an instant and she began pulling it on as she headed out the door.
"Stay here. Probably nothing but hunters or kids or something. I'll be back."
Logan nodded at her, following her down the stairs and glancing out the sliding doors that opened out onto the lake as Max slipped out beside him and down the stairs of the deck. He watched as, even in her gray shirt and shorts, she was able to blend into the shadows and disappeared from his sight only moments later.
He sighed.
"Be careful, Max."
His voice was low, but on the lake sound carried for miles. He knew she would hear him wherever she'd gone.
End Part Seven: Settling In