Disclaimer: Don't own them and don't make any money from them although the sense of satisfaction in helping keep these wonderful characters alive and kickin' ass is priceless. Not sure who does own them now but legally I suppose it's Fox and Mr. Cameron although I do wonder about the implications of abandonment…

A/N: I know it's been a long time since I've updated this and I apologize. Life in the form of DA's cancellation, the VS3 and my "real" life has intervened. Actually what happened is that I received a review of the story after all this time, and it inspired me to go on with it.

This is the "R" rated version that you see here on ff.net. The NC17version is up at my website :  http://star24.freeservers.com/index.html. This chapter is the same for both so unless you want to read the NC17 for previous chapters you are fine reading here.

And if you want to see what else I've been doing lately check out the Cape Haven writers group Dark Angel VS3 at darkangelvirtuality.com

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Just when it seemed like everything was finally coming together, my life has once again come crashing down around me. Last night was probably the most incredible night of my life – I should have expected today to bring disaster. But I didn't. 

My day started on the best possible note I could have asked for. I was having a dream that Max was leaning over me, tickling my chest with her hair as she dropped butterfly kisses on my face. I opened my eyes and realized that my dream was reality, and when I did, Max smiled and leaned in for a serious kiss, which I was more than happy to supply. Things progressed nicely from there and it was least an hour before she sighed and stretched, before disengaging herself from my arms and sitting up. She's blessed with a supreme lack of modesty so I was in heaven, lying back and lazily enjoying the view of Max, sitting next to me in my bed, naked from the waist up.

"Normal'll have my ass if I don't get a move on and get to work," she commented idly, not seeming too concerned with the prospect. I reached out and traced a finger down her back, and she shivered slightly at my touch.

"Or you could stay here and I could have your ass?" I couldn't resist making the suggestion. She turned and gave me a mock frown.

"Greedy aren't you?"

"As far as you're concerned? Absolutely."  I grinned feeling more lighthearted than I have in …years I guess.

"There's always tonight. But for now I think this little girl had better get her ass in gear and get to work." She suited her actions to her words and was out of my bed in one fluid movement. "Mind if I use your shower?"

"What's mine is yours," I smiled, meaning it, even though I was careful to keep my tone teasing.

"Better watch out…I might take you up on it." Our eyes met and I bit my tongue to keep from saying too much to her too soon.

"As in I better watch the contents of my wardrobe very carefully? I noticed you eyeing some of my shirts …" At my teasing she laughed and then turned and gave me a playful swat before she headed off to shower.

"You didn't seem to mind my wearing your shirt last night."

"Actually it was the removal of my shirt from you that I really enjoyed," I threw back at her. She just laughed as the bathroom door closed behind her. Sighing, I decided I might as well send her off to work with a full stomach so I got up and threw on some sweats, then headed for the kitchen.

We had finished breakfast and Max was about to head out the door when she spotted the blinking light on my answering machine.

"Looks like Eyes Only has some 'save the world' messages waiting," she teased. "You actually didn't take any calls last night? What if Armageddon had arrived while you were fooling around with 'some girl'?"

I shrugged, "Eyes Only had other concerns last night. Even saving the world needs to take a backseat sometimes and you're more than 'some girl' to me. I thought I made that pretty clear last night." Max was quiet, and I have to admit that in the harsh light of day, the things we said last night seem to hold a heavier weight.

"Yeah, well I gotta blaze." Max was nervous, so to create a distraction I reached out and pressed the button on the answering machine. That's when everything went completely sideways.

"Max? Max are you there? Max I need you…I'm in the woods outside of Manticore…I need your help…Max?..." Zack's voice filled the room, accusing us both with the desperation that was so clear in it.

"Omigod…Logan…Zack" Max's voice sounded almost panicked. I'd never seen her in a panic before and I stood there nonplussed. "I've gotta go…I have to find him."

"Max. Hold on." I said, trying to keep things together; to prevent her from rushing off into what could easily be a trap Manticore had set for her. "What if this is a trap? What if he's been turned?"

Max turned on me, eyes blazing, "You don't know Zack at all, do you? I owe him Logan, I have to go." She was on her way out the door but before she could leave, I reached out and slammed it closed holding my hand against it.

"I'm not letting you do this." Max stood there staring at me, anger in her eyes.

"Don't get me wrong Logan, there's no one happier than me to see you on your feet again but the fact is I can still kick your ass."  She pulled on the door but I refused to let her open it and she turned to me again.

"Logan you're not stopping me. If something happened to Zack last night while I was screwing around with you I'll never forgive myself."  'or you'  the unspoken words hung heavy between us.  Suddenly furious myself, I dropped my hand and stepped back letting her go.

* * * * *

It's been 10 hours since she left and there's been no word from her. Bling was here for a while but my mind wasn't on our session and I could tell he was getting impatient and annoyed with me.  I finally told him to go home and he left me standing here staring out the window wondering if I'll ever see Max again.

I finally turned from the window to go and check the informant net - as if I'm really going to find anything that will help me with this situation there - and that's when the second blow fell.  My right leg suddenly went numb and gave out under me. I caught myself on the counter and it seems fine now, but I have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach about this.

So now all I can do is sit and wait to see if I hear from Max...