Disclaimer: okay ummm.. I wish I owned dark angel but unfortunately, I don't. Fox and a bunch of other stupid people do. Damn them.

Rating: PG13 - for mild swearing and such

Spoilers: Hello, Goodbye - and Dawg Day Afternoon, maybe some others

Pain, Doubt, Fate, and Love

Fate is a funny thing

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ A/N this around words is thoughts and this is flashbacks. All other stuff is scene changer @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Max was ignoring his pages.

Does she really hate me that much? I mean, I know she's seeing someone else, but we can still talk. All we've ever done was talk; she has someone now who can do more with her. Would you like to be interrupted all the time, if you had that? I'll never have that. True.

Feeling was back in his legs; he knew that he could be imaging it, but he swore he could actually feel his legs. When he had first realized it he had raced to the phone and paged her. But after a few minutes, he remembered why she wasn't calling back.....

So much had changed. In the old days If he had gained back his legs she would be the first one to know, and she'd come over and they would celebrate together. Something like this would be a holiday, a day of joy, and love.

In the old days he would have gotten his courage up, and told her how he felt...or at least try....

....It seemed like such a long time since they had visited the beach, that day.



"Hey. Trespassing. Can't you read?"



Time can pass by so quickly.



"Take off your shoes, and come here."



She had changed his life once again.

"I left you a little present back at your place. A fresh chicken."

"Oh, wow. I see a poulet chez Cale in your future with a bottle of pre- pulse Nuits-St. George--say around... 8:00?"

"I was hoping you'd say that."



She had made him feel whole again.



"It's beautiful, isn't it?"



She was beautiful.



"...and it's funny. For the first time in a long time... I feel like anything... And everything is possible."

"Aren't you cold?"

"Freezing... But it feels great."



It had felt great.

It had felt great to stand tall in front of her.

It had felt great to hold her in his arms.

But now he had no one to stand tall in front of, no one to hold in his arms, and no one to celebrate with.

.Or, at least no one who wanted to.

Why was fate so cruel?

Playing this sick game, with his life.

Why was life so cruel?

Always going wrong, never letting him be happy.

Why was love so cruel?

Teasing him with things he would never have.



I'll just leave a message on her machine, she might as well know, no point in keeping secretes from her.

BEEP.-

"Hey Max it's me.. Umm Logan that is. I um, I have some news. I mean, in case you're interested. Uh, It seems that Joshua's blood is affecting me the same way yours did- Not the virus- I mean it's stem cells are working on my back or something. I uh, I'm not sure how long it'll last or anything - I'm seeing Dr. Carr tomorrow. So uh, anyway, just thought you might want to know.. Kay bye."

He hung up quickly.

God why am I so pathetic?

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"Would someone care to explain to exactly what kind of risks you people are talking about!?!" - The voice was neither Max's nor Joshua's.

"Annie!" Joshua exclaimed surprised, delighted, and nervous all at the same time.

"Joshua," Annie said quieter then before, "thought it was you. Is someone out there with you, I heard another voice"

Another female voice.

"Uh, yeah my friend Max... she's ummmm sort of a uhhhh-cousin, yeah, yes she's my cousin Max."

Joshua looked at Max pointedly and waved towards Annie, as if to say in some strange sign language. 'Be polite, and say hello'.

"Hey," Max looking up at the window and the new face within it. Joshua was really getting good at painting; those portraits were looked exactly like her.

"Hello." Annie replied nicely, still not really sure what to make of the while situation, "So ummm it's awful cold out there.. Would you like to come in?"

"Yes!" Joshua exclaimed at the same exact time as Max yelled "No!"

They looked at each other angrily, each one trying to convince the other that his was the right thing to do. Joshua gave Max sad, pleading look, as if to say 'please, let us go inside, please' and Max sighed.

". I mean sure, we'd love too, if it's not too much trouble."

"No, no trouble at all I was just reading, besides I'd like to know why exactly you two are outside my window at this time at night. Come on to the front I'll unlock the door for you."

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A/N okay maybe I lied about the whole 5 reviews things, but I had intended to wait, but then I just couldn't. I'm not a very patient person. Please review anyway, I don't care what you say, as long as you tell me what you think of it, and even give me suggestions if you want. I'm kind of making it up as I go along, so suggestions would be nice. But then again I don't what you to tell me what to write.... so whatever just review please.