Harsh Times Chapter 11: Decisions, a dark angel fanfic

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Chapter 11

Sebastian's Place

Max stirred groggily and opened her eyes. She felt like she had been run over by a truck. In fact, she felt like said truck was still sitting square on the middle of her chest. She blinked, and then looked down to see that the truck was Logan, sprawled across her with one of her hands clasped tightly in his. She smiled to herself and lifted her free hand, trailing the IV tube still inserted in its back, and gently stroked his hair. She still couldn't get over its softness, despite the spikiness of his look.

Logan stirred at her touch. "Max…don't leave me…" his words were soft, and without her enhanced hearing she probably would have missed them.

Smiling to herself, she whispered back to him, "I'm not going anywhere." With that her eyes closed once again, and she dropped back into a deep sleep.

* * * *

When she woke up again, she immediately missed the pressure on her chest, although Logan's hand still held hers. She opened her eyes to meet his straight on. Logan gave her one of his blinding smiles, the ones that made feel like she was about to melt into a puddle at his feet every time she was the recipient of one.

"It's about time you woke up."

"Girl needs her beauty rest."

"Yeah, well you gave us all a scare." His eyes were serious, and he reached out with his free hand to gently brush her hair back from her face.

"You should know that I'm the six million dollar girl. Can't keep me down," she quipped. "Help me sit up, would you."

Logan reluctantly released her hand, and plumped the pillows behind her so she could lean back against them. Once she was comfortably settled, he took possession of her hand again.

"You planning on ever letting me have that back?" Max grinned and looked pointedly at their interlocked fingers.

"Maybe in about 20 years or so." Logan regarded her seriously, "You had a close call. We thought we were going to lose you."

"The disk was wrong then? My blood didn't work?" Max was suddenly anxious.

"Your blood worked fine. Your body created the antibodies exactly as planned and Sebastian and crew have already cooked up the vaccine."

"So then?"

"You were physically rundown, your resistance was shot, and for a while it looked like, your body was too weak to fight off the virus. You almost died, Max," Logan paused, "you probably would have except for Alec."

"Alec?"

"He had the idea of transfusing you with some fresh super charged Manticore blood. It worked. We owe him, Max."

Max was silent working it out in her mind. Alec, Mr. Looking-Out-for-Number-One, had actually saved her life. She frowned, not sure she liked the idea all that much.

"Max, I told you there was something worthwhile under all that bravado of his."

"I guess you were right. Doesn't mean I have to like it." She stopped aware of how incredibly ungrateful that sounded. A feeling of shame washed over her. Logan continued to look at her seriously, waiting. "Okay, that sounded really bitchy. I'm sorry. Guess it's gonna take me a while to get over everything else he's done to us."

Logan leaned down and dropped a light kiss on her lips. "It's okay, Max. Just give the guy a chance."

She smiled at him, "I don't have much choice now, do I? So where is he anyway?"

"He took the vaccine to Lydecker. Sebastian doesn't have the contacts to get it where it needs to be. Lydecker has someone in the CDC who is clued in on the whole thing, and who can arrange for the distribution and administration of it. Don't be surprised if you suddenly hear about a need to re-vaccinate everyone for polio in the very near future."

"Neat trick. So the familiars don't get the picture that their bio-weapon is down the tubes and try to modify it into something else."

"Yeah, we don't need to put you through this again that's for sure."

There was silence for a moment as the two looked into each others eyes. Logan leaned over and their lips met in a soft kiss. What started out softly, soon blossomed with the ever present heat that always simmered between the two of them and Max's hands came up to play in Logan's hair.

"Ahem…"

The two of them broke apart and Logan looked around to see the cause of the interruption. Alec stood there with a stern look on his face.

"I didn't exactly give up my life's blood just so you two could suck face, you know."

At the shock on both of their faces, he was unable to keep up the charade and he broke into a grin.

"Why you…" Max reached for something to throw at him but Logan captured her hand.

"Good to see you too, Alec. I take it the delivery went off as planned?"

"Without a hitch. The Colonel assures me that that the CDC will have the stuff by tonight." Alec hesitated as if there was something more he wanted to say, but then stopped.

"What, Alec?" Max demanded.

He shrugged, "nothing."

"I believe that like I believe that Manticore was home sweet home. Spill it." Max wasn't giving an inch.

"He offered me a job."

"A job?" Logan regarded Alec quizzically.

"As what, an assassin?" Max's voice was harsh.

"Give it a break, Max." Alec flung back at her. "The Familiars aren't going to give up. If their bio-weapon doesn't work they intend to try force. That's what we were made for. To fight them on their own terms. The Colonel is gathering together transgenics to do exactly that."

"So you get what you wanted after all. Go home to good old Manticore, have someone else tell you what to do and take care of you. I thought you got past that, Alec. I thought you wanted to be your own person."

Alec stared at Max for a moment. "I never said I accepted, Max. Thanks for having so much faith in me." He turned and left the room.

"Shit." Max looked at Logan, "I really blew it."

Logan didn't argue. "I'll go talk to him. Get some rest." He rose and dropped a light kiss on her forehead. Max sighed as he left the room and settled back to try to rest.

* * * *

Logan found Alec in the small lunchroom at Sebastian's facility. Alec was sitting with a cup of black coffee in front of him, staring moodily into space. Logan poured himself a cup, and went to sit at the table with him. There was silence for a moment as they drank their coffee.

"You've gotta give her some time, Alec. She'll come around."

"When—when hell freezes over? She's never going to forgive me for what I did with the virus and all."

"She will, Alec. It's hard for her. It's more than the virus. I think it's partly Ben as well."

"Ben?"

"I don't know exactly what happened but she was there when he died. He was one of her favorite brothers. She told me how he took care of her when she had seizures at Manticore. When he went crazy and she had to deal with it, she…" He paused then went on, "she still hasn't gotten over it. You remind her of him every time she looks at you."

Alec was silent, digesting this piece of information. "I wanted to say yes to Lydecker, you know. Some part of me wanted to just go back to being the obedient soldier. Then I wouldn't have to wake up every day wondering about who or what was out for my ass. No decisions, no responsibilities, just nice clear cut orders to follow."

"So why didn't you?"

"I started to and then I thought about you and Max. I thought about what you guys have gone through. I mean I still don't get it. The saving the world bit. But there's something about you two…" he stopped, embarrassed at having revealed so much. "Anyway, there's a serious lack of beer and booty back at Manticore, or whatever the Colonel's gonna call it this time around. I figure I can do my part as a free lance so to speak. And you two need someone to watch your backs. I mean with Maxie being so dead set against serious fire-arms and all. I figure I still owe you so…"

Logan smiled at Alec's return to his hard ass facade. "Yeah. And there wouldn't happen to be a certain blonde in the picture, would there?"

Alec looked at him in surprise.

Logan just smiled at him knowingly. "She has a real thing for french perfume. It's hard to find these days but for someone with your talents…" Before Alec could respond, he drained his coffee and stood. "I think you should stop in and see Max before you head out. I told her what you did, and I think she wants to thank you for it."

Alec shrugged, "Whatever."

Logan gave him a look, then said softly, "Well anyway, thanks Alec. We owe you one this time." Before Alec could respond he turned and left the room.

Fogle Towers

"Logan, I am not made of glass." Max protested as Logan brought a tray of food to where she reclined on his couch. She was still weak from her recent ordeal, and Sebastian had only let her leave on the condition that she spend a day or two recuperating under Logan's eyes.

"No, you're made of solid steel. That's why bullets bounce off you."

Max glared at him, "Not funny, Logan."

"Okay, Max, here's the deal then." He was clearly exasperated with her. "You put up with me, or I give Original Cindy a call, and she comes over here to take care of you. I may hesitate to give you a smackdown, but I doubt that she will."

Max continued to glare, stubbornly refusing to answer. Logan raised his eyebrows. "I need to do some Eyes Only stuff. Can I do it, knowing you're following doctor's orders or do I make that call?"

"Go do it." Max gave in ungracefully. "But I am so gonna make you pay for this," she muttered under her breath.

"I heard that." Logan called out as he headed off to his computers.

* * * *

In a small office, Ames White answered his phone.

"F'enos tol." He listened for a moment. "Redmond is completely under control. He'll do whatever I tell him to. As soon as our troops are in place to take out the transgenics, we can make our move. Redmond has agents ready to incite riots against Terminal City. We'll move our troops in as part of the crowd and the freaks will never know what hit them. They have no leadership or organization and no idea about us."

He listened again.

"Colonel Lydecker is dead. No one could have survived that crash. It's unfortunate his body washed away, but I'm confident he's no longer a threat. Without his knowledge, and with Sandeman long gone, there's no one to stop us. Once the transgenics are eliminated and the toxin is released, the Coming will be a fait acompli. X5-452 has no idea of what she is, and she may even be dead. I received a report that she was shot during the recent incidents that took place here in Seattle. She hasn't returned to her place of work or her apartment since."

He listened for a moment more, nodding to himself.

"Yes sir. I'll await the word."

To be continued…

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