What a Broken Heart Can Bear
Chapter 2: I'd Rather Fight an Army
~OK, so it appears that shamelessly begging works when it comes to reviews… Thanx soooo much guys for the great response, really – Thank You. :oD Now keep it up. I need constant encouragement.
~I guess maybe I should have made this suggestion earlier, but it never occurred to me. You might want to read "Adriann" first just so you can get to know her a little better. It's not a must because like I said this is not a sequel. But it's just a thought.
~~~**MASSIVE AUTHOR'S NOTE**~~~Just for the sake of the story and consistency with the show…. In 'Adriann' Max and Logan NEVER came right out and said I LOVE YOU~~~And Adriann knows about Alec's existence, but has never seen him.~~~
~Alright I'm warning you now….Original Cindy is not my strong suit, so forgive me now and be prepared.
~ Ok people the usual disclaimers apply, and all the rating stuff you already know so on with the show!
After what seemed like an eternity, Logan finally fell asleep, emotionally exhausted. Not much had been said, in terms of conversation. Logan had tried to tell her, but even with her revved up hearing all Adriann could make out were bits and pieces of what she assumed was a sentence. All that she knew for sure was that it had something to do with Max and it was bigger than she could ever have imagined.
It was times like these that she half wished that she could go back in time, just to get her 'heightened perception' back. Sure, it was still there, but something happened that night late in September when she had nearly died from exhaustion in Bling's arms. Adriann asked herself the same question over and over again when it came to her nearly psychic abilities: "Is it really worth all the stress and heartache?" The answer was always torn. It would be worth it if she could save her loved ones from any pain, but she would also never get the chance to love knowing how the relationship would ultimately end in pain. But that was only part of it. It's just one of those things that I'll never know.
Carefully, Adriann picked Logan up off the floor and lay him down on the couch. Smiling down sadly at Logan's face, she bent down to kiss his damp cheek with a sigh. I should get back to Max's apartment. She'll be up soon, if she's not already.
Soundlessly, Adriann walked into the computer room in search of a pen and paper. I hate seeing him like this. Adriann grabbed a ripped piece of paper off his desk and checked to make sure it was blank before continuing her search for a pen of some kind. I've never seen him like. I mean even when Max was assumed to be dead he had that glimmer of hope in his eyes. Now, there's just…just…defeat and indescribable pain. Logan where the hell are all you pens?! You're a journalist for crying out loud you should have pens! Or are underground cyber journalists too good for – OH! Here we go. Adriann reached down around the back of the filing cabinet and grabbing a dust covered pen. Like a normal person would have looked there. And Logan the dust! It's shameful. I'm gonna have to remember to bust on him later for that.
Logan,
I'm gonna stop by Max's see how she's doing. She left me a message this afternoon and it didn't sound good. So I'll be back either tonight or tomorrow morning. Do you mind if I reclaim my old room? :oD I'll be back soon. I promise. Love you.
Adriann
Placing the note under his glasses and one more feather light kiss on Logan's forehead, Adriann dropped her bag in her old room and left for Max's.
**-**
Letting herself in once again, Adriann headed immediately for Max's room. Still sleeping. Good. Gently sitting down Adriann contemplated whether or not to wake Max up.
"Dre?" Max asked groggily.
"Hey sweetie." She answered moving up to sit beside her. "How you doing?"
"I can't believe you're already here. I just called today." Max slowly sat up as the sharp, consistent pain in her heart returned.
"I was here earlier but I figured I'd let you sleep. You need the rest." Max nodded slightly as her eyes fell to her lap, tears threatening to overflow once more.
"Maxie, what happened?" Adriann asked, gently brushing back Max's now long straight hair.
"Everything is just so screwed up." She cried, burring her face in Adriann's shoulder.
"Shhh. Maxie, tell me what happened. Shhh. If you tell me what happened, maybe I can help. Maxie." Adriann pressed.
"It's Logan. And the virus. That DAMN VIRUS!" Max yelled, slamming her fist down on the mattress.
"I thought you guys were close to a cure? What happened?"
"We were, but then a million and twelve things got in the way… I actually found one two days ago. But Manticore threw in yet another twist. When we built a protein barrier around the virus cells, it looked like we had it. It really did." Max sniffed. "But of course, something had to go wrong. The virus mutated and began to eat at the protein wall. The cure would only last for twelve hours."
"Maxie."
"Oh no it gets better." Max snickered ruefully. "When I finally worked up the courage to go over to Logan's the was a little more than ten hours left. Dre. It was….it was incredible. I could touch him without killing him Dre. I wasn't poison for twelve whole hours! I never knew that one simple little touch could mean so much." Max smiled taken in by the memory.
"He made me dinner, and we talked about stupid stuff. It was like old times. Not a care in the world when we were together. We got to finish our dance. The one from our dream more than a year ago. Everything was perfect. Logan pulled back just enough to look at my face, and just as he was about to kiss me – Enter Joshua."
"Joshua? What was he doing at Logan's?"
"Gossamer. Some Manticore experiment was on the loose, and going after people for no apparent reason. It turned out being so stupid dentist's office and one of the supplies he was after. But, even though I was perfectly fine ignoring the fact that some people could possibly use some help for another nine and a half hours, Joshua wouldn't let me. And even Logan reluctantly agreed that we should do something. So, just before I left to go get Alec I kissed him. He had the stupidest grin on his face." Max laughed.
"You'd think tracking down a slimy goo spitting transgenic would be easy enough. But of course when I have a ticking time bomb in my blood, life gets difficult. First I'm trucking around in sewers for hours with Alec - of all people – while Logan was sitting back at his place with Joshua. Then I go to call Logan back after pulling my ass outta the scum, and I hear his phone ringing somewhere around me."
"You know Logan, never stays put when he should. He got himself caught by Gossamer, and was wrapped in a nice little sac of sludge on a run down junk yard car. Let's just say that both me and Alec managed to end up in similar predicaments. When we finally woke up from the stun goo garbage that thing spit, so much time had passed. But I was clueless as to exactly how much. Joshua managed to find us, even though he wasn't supposed to leave Logan's. But I am for once thankful that he didn't. He got all of us out, me, Logan, Alec, and the guys Gossamer took before us. Then I took care of that Manticore reject. By the time everything settled down, and Logan and I could be alone again - we only had two minutes left." Tears began streaming down Max's face again, as she fought to finish her story.
"What Max? What else?" Adriann asked gently.
"He said that when he thought I was dead, even though he never really believed it, it hurt too much to move. That he sat down on the couch and didn't move for weeks. He said that, that's how he felt now. We wasted so much time. We wasted a whole year Dre. If I could just get that time back, if we could. Things would be different. We wouldn't keep running away from how we felt or try to deny it. But we can't keep losing each other like this. It's too hard." Max closed her eyes, unable to look Adriann in the eye any longer. "He kissed me even though he knew our time had already run out. He didn't care."
"He told me he loves me. He came right out and said it. 'I love you Max.' But it seemed more like a goodbye. He walked away before he heard me tell him." Unable to hold them back any longer, Max collapsed back into her sisters arms sobbing.
"He knows you love him Max. I'm sure of it." 'At least I hope he does. Logan can be blind to the truth at times. God I hope this isn't one of them.'
"I'm so scared that I'm really gonna lose him this time. Dre, you didn't see him. You didn't see his eyes. He's always been so strong, and unwavering. I can't lose him Adriann I can't. He's part of my soul. I never thought I had a soul till I met him. I need Logan. The thought of going through life without him…let's just say I'd rather be back at Manticore than have to live like that." Max tightened her grip around Adriann's waist as she was gently rocked back and forth in her sisters arms.
"I don't know how, but, Maxie, I'll work this out. I promise. No one deserves to be together more than you two. And I'll do whatever it takes so that happens." She vowed.
**-**
When Original Cindy walked through the door a few hours later Adriann happily greeted her friend.
"Hey girl! What are you doin' here?" Cindy asked excitedly, pulling her into a hug.
"I got a call from a sister of mine, said she could use a visit and shoulder." Adriann's smile faded with her last comment.
"So my Boo told you what went down with money bags." Cindy nodded plopping down on the old couch.
"Yeah. And I need a favor." Adriann told her sitting down on the arm.
"You tell Original Cindy what it is then I'll tell you if I'll do it." Adriann smiled at the young woman's undying lip.
"Can you keep an eye on Max for me. You know make sure she's alright, don't let her turn into a useless pile mush."
"You know I'd do anything for my Boo. But where are you gonna be?" Cindy asked skeptically.
"At Logan's. He shouldn't be alone right now, and with Bling gone now he's got no one there. And I've got to figure this thing out, so those two can finally have a happy ending. And I can't do that until I know what's going on in Logan's head other than mind numbing pain."
"Sounds good. You take care of Richie Rich and I'll take care of my Boo." Cindy agreed. "If you need anything, just beep me, or Max and we'll hit you back."
"Thanks Cindy." Adriann said seriously.
"Yeah, yeah. No prob." Cindy waved her hand dismissively. "Now get your revved up ass over to the mansion and take care of our boy."
"Ok I'm going." Dre laughed walking out the door.
"God knows Original Cindy is not the person to have trying to take care of a male make him feel better." She mumbled as she entered the kitchen. "Females I get."
**-**
In the dark hallway Adriann laughed silently at the assumedly unheard comment. 'Adriann what the hell are you getting yourself into?' Adriann flung open the heavy metal door to the street and began the short walk to her little sports car. 'I'd rather fight an entire army. At least then I know what I'm doing.'
**SO there you go. Chapter 2. I know that this was short again, but I'm trying to decide how I'm gonna tackle this thing. Cause I haven't a clue at the moment. Please remember to Review!**
*Does anyone know where I could find a DA music video with "Tonight and the Rest of my Life" by Nina Gordon?*