Disclaimer: Again, I own nothing, I wish not to gain profit from my musings. If I did own… No I won't get my hopes up. Nothing, that is all I have.
Authors note: Not much really, looking for someone to beta for me, if they have the time, as I hate reading and hence posting things with errors in them. There will most likely be a large break before chapter 4. This is due to personal reasons and holidays etc. I may, however, find time. So you can still check, it never hurts to check. Merry Christmas all.
Story Note: Righto! The second chapter was a little, well, boring, however I felt it necessary. I'm not sure if anyone noticed but the first two chapters are based on the night/morning Logan and Max go for a ride on her bike, after Rising. So now, we obviously continue into 'The Kidz Are Aiight'. I would like to point out in advance it isn't going to carbon copy the episode, so don't complain about the incorrectness of dialogue. If I mention a scene I will be doing speech but it's for the feel, not to replicate. This is also where I will start to board the great ship that is Max and Logan and head off into the un-known, although I have some ideas regarding later episodes so you will notice it slipping back into the show story line every now and then. Enjoy.
Chapter 3 – A fresh chicken
Logan was still grinning like an idiot when his body reminded him that he couldn't carry on like this. He made it the excruciating distance of 2 feet to the couch before falling unconscious, the grin still plastered to his face. 'So this is what feeling content is like?' He mused before finally succumbing and falling into a deep sleep, full of wonderful thoughts. All of them Max.
In the lift Max was still bouncing around, amazed at the feeling she had and not wanting it to stop, ever. She also noticed that despite her earlier conceptions the wound in her leg was still a little sore but nothing she couldn't deal with. As she walked out into the lobby she saw her reflection in the glass door. She looked like hell. It was then she remembered that she was lucky to be alive, especially with that crazy metal insect stuck in her brain. 'Oh well, I'll be fine by tonight. Oh god, am I supposed to be coming back? He didn't ask maybe he want's some space…'
"Oh shut up Max, this sort of thought has already nearly ruined everything." She addressed herself, she was trying to be strict but her head was still spinning with the excitement of Logan asking her away with him, so it came out more playful than anything else.
"My, my. Haven't we been a dirty little party girl?" Normal said. Apparently quite pleased with the way she looked, knowing she was probably not in a good mood. He loved annoying the bike messengers.
"My god, look at your eyes. What were you drinking? Gasoline?" He stated now actually a little shocked at the way Max looked. He's always liked Max, it's why he was so hard on her.
"I had to have amateur brain surgery to remove a neurological implant from my cerebral cortex before I had a chemical overload and died." Max stated, as if she were reading a medical journal, knowing no one would ever believe that story. Well maybe one person, or two. The second just walked in the door.
"How 'bout you leave her alone, maybe she don't feel so hot." Original Cindy said, in a sympathetic manner, knowing what Max had been through, not just last night but her whole life.
"Well, ingesting petroleum products will do that." Normal muttered, knowing his fight was lost. He could never handle Original Cindy. He always did try though.
"Anyway… Hey, hey what are you doing here, this is private property and you're trespassing." Threatening them seemed to have some form of effect most of the time but now it was quite an empty threat, he knew it and so did she.
"I want my old job back…"
Original Cindy got her job back and was now with the rest of the crew again, kicking it at Jam Pony.
"I can't believe they killed your super." Max was feeling bad, she had cost Original Cindy her place and her job.
"Not that he didn't deserve it… I can understand the rest of the people wanting me out, bringing in a bad element."
The thought struck her.
"Come and stay at my place. Kendra isn't there anymore, she's moved into her cop boyfriends love nest."
"I don't know." Cindy like that idea, but didn't want to impose.
"We'll move you in at lunch." She was so happy, however she was trying to restrain some of her joy, since while Cindy moving in was a happy event, if she really let herself go, there would be some serious questions to answer.
"Logan? Logan?" Bling was looking around Logan's apartment for him. 'Hmmm, maybe he's out with Max somewhere on one of his missions.' He assumed.
"Hello, what's this?" He noticed the digital camera sitting alone on the table. There was something about the way it was just there by itself that caught his attention. He picked it up and had a little look. Deciding Logan wasn't around he scrolled through the pictures, not expecting to find much interesting since it was just a tool of Eye's Only.
The first picture however caught his attention immediately, it was a picture of Max in her cat-suit running off into the dark. 'Well, well, he's taking pictures of her now. Nearly there Logan, nearly there.' He still couldn't believe that for a gifted man, he could be so stupid. Also Max, a genetically engineered soldier trained and designed to pick up on human emotion and body language didn't notice.
"Ah well, maybe I'll just have to lock them in a cold room for a week or so. That should sort them out." He was chuckling slightly at the reaction both Max and Logan would have if he did something like that, whilst absently flicking through the boring photos of some guns or something.
Then.
"Baaaahhaha." Not quite sure what the noise was, Bling was desperately trying to stand up. The picture displayed on the little LCD screen had stunned him so incredibly much that it took him a good while to remember how to breathe. Then a grin to rival that of Logan's broke across his face.
"Looks like they don't need any help." He stated. Staring up at him from the LCD screen was a picture of Max and Logan. That would have been enough to give him a little surprise but the fact that in this picture they were in a hot steamy shower, Logan without a shirt on and Max pushed up against him in a deep and passionate kiss nearly did him in.
'I've got to get copies of this.' He ran into Logan's study and plugged the camera in and then printed off 5 copies of the photo in A4 size. It looked a lot better this big, he could see the emotions in each others eyes as they kissed, both terribly scared – Max a little more so – and both excited.
"This has made my day." Bling said to himself, nearly shouting he was so excited for the two.
"And what's that Bling?" Logan asked.
When Bling had entered the apartment Logan was hoping and half expecting it to be Max, of course he couldn't be sure as it might be another wonderful dream. Then when nothing had happened he just assumed that it was a dream and he was still in it, laying there waiting for something to happen.
Then he heard the printer. 'Right, well I know that's not part of my dream. I can't recall ever having any dreams containing the melodic sounds of a printer.' He thought sarcastically as he dragged himself up and climbed into his wheelchair – the legs were still not up to anything serious.
"Well Bling?" Logan asked again, quite suspicious that he was in the study printing something.
"Ahh, nothing." Bling replied, he was getting a little nervous, if Logan found out, he would have to forfeit all his pictures, something he wasn't willing to do just yet.
"Whatca printing?" Logan tried this, obviously he had been printing something and it was this that had made Bling's day.
"Oh just some stretches and work out routines." Bling replied hoping his pathetic attempt at lying would work.
"On photographic paper?" Logan asked, knowing he had him there.
"Um, yeah, I didn't notice it was already in the tray." This part was true and Bling himself began to consider why there was photographic paper in the print tray.
"Well can I have a look, since they're obviously for me?" Logan asked, that was it, he was getting to the bottom of this, then going to get some more sleep.
Bling replied with a smile.
"It's nothing you haven't already done."
"Oh, ok then. Well I'm going to bed, I've been up all night with Max." Logan replied finally giving in, he was curious but more tired than curious at the moment.
"I bet." Bling replied, this time a smile breaking through his calm façade.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Logan wasn't really angry, in fact he was very close to boasting about his early morning activities but decided there was a reason it was called a private life, also Max probably didn't want him gabbing about it with people and he'd already done enough this morning to upset her.
"It means you look like hell." That's not what Bling meant but it was a very easy way of getting out of that question, as Logan did look like he hadn't slept for a day or two.
"Well I'm off to bed, do you mind coming by later today? When I've rested a bit." Logan inquired, already wheeling himself to his bedroom.
"Yeah, no problems, see you later Logan." Bling replied cheerfully, letting himself out with a manila folder in his hand, one he had not arrived with.
Now Logan was by himself again he allowed the manic grin to return to his face, trying to suppress it in front of Bling was one of the hardest things he has even done. 'Well Logan, now it's time to get some rest and have some pleasant dreams.' He flopped onto the bed and that's exactly what he did.
"Ok girl, there you go, all moved in." Max said as she dumped the last box on the floor of Original Cindy's new room.
"Thanks Boo, this is great." Cindy replied, she was really happy to be moving here, this place was nicer than her last one. Even though the living wasn't entirely legal she still preferred it much more to her old dump.
"We can set this all up later, we need to get to the market first, there are some things that need replacing." Original Cindy stated.
"Ok." Max agreed, she was looking back to usual beautiful self again and her leg had healed up completely. Original Cindy noticed the chirpiness of Max's voice and smiled to herself.
As they were walking through the market Original Cindy kept picking up clothes and holding them against Max.
"What the hell are you doing girl?" Max asked, a little confused as to why Cindy was paying so much attention to her clothing and apparently appearance since most of them revealed a lot of skin and had cuts that weren't designed for functionality.
"Oh nothing. Original Cindy is just trying to find a replacement for the clothes you ruined last night."
"It was Logan's fault, not mine." Max pointed out. She had informed Original Cindy of the mission they went on last night, and that was all she had told her. At the time Max thought that Original Cindy was a little nonplussed about the whole affair, she just sat there listening with a neutral expression on her face. Then Max remembered Original Cindy had had a very big night, with the Red's and discovering Max wasn't exactly human, well that's what she put it down to.
"Oh wow." Max exclaimed as she saw a fresh chicken sitting on a stall. She grabbed it and payed.
"Now what do you want a dead animal for." Original Cindy asked.
"So Logan can cook it, you should try some of his food. It's amazing." Max's eyes started to glaze over as she remembered earlier that morning, she was a very happy girl. Then she realised what she was doing in front of Cindy, so decided on a nice escape plan.
"And you know how much I like food." Max looked at her, hoping she hadn't been discovered day dreaming.
All she got from Cindy was a flabbergasted look and a slight "Mmmhmp. What ever Boo."
As Max stood in the elevator going up to Logan's apartment she started to panic a little. 'Oh man, is this going to stop, it's getting a little annoying. But it is exciting.' She thought, then decided that Logan and her were on a mutual ground at the moment so there was nothing to be scared of.
"Logan, Logan?" She called out as she entered his apartment. 'I can smell him everywhere, god I love this place, everything smells like him.'
"Oh hey Bling, Logan around." Max approached him, he noticed the cheeriness in her voice. 'Good, he didn't stuff up like last time and take it back.' He could tell they were both in this now, he was happy for them.
"He went for a walk." Bling replied, the satisfied tone in his voice had nothing to do with Logan walking, he was very pleased that Logan could walk again, but at the moment he was happy him and Max had finally seemed to get together.
"A walk?" Max asked surprised and very happy to hear Logan was out and about on his legs. She knew that meant the world to him.
"Down by the water front. What'cha got there?" Bling interrupted her thoughts.
"A fresh chicken." Max said as she displayed her treasure.
"I was hoping Logan would perform one of his culinary miracles on it." She stated, in a little bit of a daze, she was becoming a little overwhelmed with the whole situation.
She placed the chicken in the fridge and was on her way out the door to find Logan when Bling called her back.
"Hey Max, I need a word."
"Yeah?" Max turned and walked back to him. She was a little curious with what this 'word' was all about.
"So what is happening with you and Logan?" He came straight out and asked the question.
"Nothing, we're just friends with a convenient business arrangement." She declared, a line that was all too familiar and getting a little tired.
"Ah-huh." Bling replied, he was looking at her with a raised eyebrow and a classic 'you're not telling me everything and I know it' look.
"Why do you ask Bling?" Max was a concerned, had Logan been bragging? Was that all she was to him another conquest?
Bling picked up the confusion and mist forming on Max's face, he was getting a general idea what she was thinking now.
"Oh, no reason, Logan hasn't been saying anything, it's just…" He let it trail off, considering if he should have actually broached the subject with Max, he was just so eager to tell someone and she happened to be the first person he met.
"Just what?" Max asked, a little snappier than was called for.
"Oh, nothing." Bling said, in an airy tone that was bound to inflame the situation.
"What Bling, tell me." Max had reduced herself to pleading, and there was no person alive who could withstand this. Her hangdog expression, the depth of her eyes, the sadness and worry in her voice.
Bling crumbled fast.
"You already know, you were there." With that he produced one of his A4 sized photos of Max and Logan in the shower.
"Oh." Was all Max could say as her cheeks went a healthy scarlet colour.
"Where did you get that Bling?" Apart from being incredibly embarrassed she was also worried that someone was able to sneak up on her with out getting her attention. Then she remembered the noise she heard. 'Ah so that's what it was.' She was glad that she stood by her decision, there is nothing she could think of that would have been an acceptable excuse to stop kissing him at that moment and now she knew it was Bling she felt more relaxed about it.
"When I came in this morning I saw the camera and was just looking through it waiting for Logan, but when this little doozey presented itself, I just knew I had to make some copies." Bling had interrupted her reverie, she didn't really pay much attention, then what he said sunk in.
"What do you mean you just found it on the camera?" Max was panicking again, there was someone else who has seen the photograph.
"Like I said the camera was just sitting on the table and I picked it up and went through it and found this." Bling repeated, he was a little concerned with Max's reaction, he could tell she was worried about something.
"Come on Max, if it was anyone important or serious, like Manticore, they would have done more than just take a photo of you and Logan kissing, in the shower, with him half naked." He dragged that last bit out on purpose, the girl needed a reminder and it was fun saying it. His plan had obviously worked since Max's face brightened and she again blushed but this time Bling noticed her trying to gain control of her mouth, which seemed to be twitching at the corners.
"So you and Logan are together now?" Bling asked, he was truly curious with what had happened after the shower.
"No, we're not even like that." Max gave the stock 'Logan and Me' answer.
Bling just held up the picture again for Max to see and gave her a puzzled look.
"Ok, so you're not like that but you enjoy spending time together, in the shower, kissing, with Logan half naked." He had to slip that in there again, just to make his point.
"I… we… I don't know Bling, it's complicated." Max replied honestly, she had no idea what was going on.
"God you two. You make the simplest things so difficult don't you? I mean you are in the shower, with Logan half naked, kissing and you seem to be pretty damn close if this picture tells no lies. And yet you still maintain that each one of you doesn't want that kind of relationship. It's easy just go on a date, kiss more, be a couple." Bling shouted the last part, not in anger, just purely exasperation, these two could be very infuriating some times.
"It might be simple for other people but I've got a government agency on my arse and Logan's got his whole Eye's Only thing." Max was trying to make excuses, they felt weak and pathetic.
"Anyway, what if he doesn't want me?" Max had gone quiet and introverted again, sounding like a small lost child, scared of everything around her. Her voice was full of worry.
Bling consider her for a moment. 'This girl really is unstable emotionally. Of course if I had the upbringing and life on the run like she has I'd be worse.' So deciding yelling it into her wasn't going to work, he tried a little reason and compassion.
"Max, come on, this is Logan we're talking about. He's crazy about you. Just don't tell him I said that." He finished, thinking it might spark her up a little. It seemed to work.
Max just stood there not knowing what to say, and still not believing Bling all that much.
'Right, I'll try something else.' Bling thought.
"Remember that time you had to leave the city?" He asked, Max looked at him and nodded.
"Well Logan was completely cut up, he missed you so much and it had only been an hour or so. He didn't even care that he was going into surgery the next day, he just sat there." Bling pointed to the window where Max would often stand and look out upon the city. "…and did nothing, just sink further into his depression and loss." 'Right if that doesn't do it I give up.' Bling concluded, getting a little antsy with Max, god she was stubborn.
Max just stood there thinking for a while. 'I knew he would miss me, he told me that. I did kiss him, he didn't seem to distressed with that, I could see he was upset, I know I was. But then at the hospital he just forgot it so easily. I suppose I started that then however. This time is different though, we didn't blow it off, he invited me away for a weekend, he must like me.' Max enjoyed the fact she started off with bad thoughts and then progressed to something more positive for a change. Just as she was about to thank Bling and go and find Logan he cut in.
"And besides, you're not a bad looking female and Logan is still a male underneath. That at least would make him want you for a while." When Bling said that he had a cheeky grin on his face, Max could see he was just joking around with her.
"Ok, I'm going to find Logan then." Max said and started to walk out of the apartment. When she was approaching the door a wicked idea came to mind, she turned around and headed back to the kitchen.
"By the way Bling, Logan invited me to his families cabin for the long weekend." Bling cut his finger, then dropped the knife and what he was cutting.
Max got out of the elevator and headed straight for the waterfront, she knew Logan was there, she could smell him. It was something she didn't like to tell anyone, that she could smell them out, not as good as a dog, but still pretty well and with Logan very well. As she was wheeling her bike along her mind was abuzz. 'He likes me, he must, I know he does. This is so cool.' Not really thinking anything in particular, just floating over past encounters with Logan – chiefly the kiss when she thought she had to leave him – and planning further encounters.
"A girl could get used to this." Just stated happily.
She saw him and her heart fluttered a little. 'Wow, I didn't believe people when they said someone made their heart skip. This is cool.' Max was revelling in the feelings she was experiencing from something she had been running from and feared for so long. She was happy now she had let go, mostly.
"Hey this is a restricted area, you're not allowed in there." She said playfully, the radiance in her face increased ten fold when Logan turned around and addressed her.
"Take off your shoes and come here."
'Oh wow, he does want me, he wants to go walking along the beach bare foot. He better kiss me again.' Max's brain was working over time.
"I left something for you back at your place." Max stated, at the thought of Logan's place her spirits soared, that whole confrontation with Bling had been really good for her. In reply to her statement Logan just looked at her, asking with his expression, he was curious.
"A fresh chicken." Max stated.
'Ah excellent, a perfect excuse to get her over again.'
"I see a Prulayshay-Cale in your future with a bottle of Pre-Pulse red, say around eight o'clock?" This was a request, a question, he was dieing for her to say yes.
"I was hoping you'd say that." She really was.
She had taken her shoes off and was standing a little bit back from Logan, not wanting to put her feet in the water and wanting him to make the first move for a change.
"Aren't you cold." She pointed out, just making short talk, not trying to show how much of a hurry she was in to get close to him again.
"Freezing." Logan replied, but he was happy, very happy and he turned around and looked over the water again.
"For the first time, in a long time. I feel like anything, and everything is possible." He turned and gazed at her with the last few words.
"Come here." He held out his hand for her.
'Not that easy boy, you are going to do some work this time.' As she said this, proud with her self-composer, she looked him in the eyes and felt it slipping. Just as she was about the bound over to him, he picked up his walking stick and used the hooked end to grab her arm and pull her to him.
Now her feet were in the water but she didn't care, she'd had colder. Max realised that Logan's arm was around her, she couldn't believe it, he actually made the first move. She loved being this close to him, she could smell him more intensely again. Her head was swimming.
Logan was suitably impressed with himself, not really understanding what had compelled him to bring Max into this embarrassing position with him. Then he looked down into her eyes, the fear had gone, all that was there was excited expectation. Like a child promised something terrific that they had never experienced before. The fact that he was responsible for this sent Logan into an incredible new plane of joy.
'That's it, I'm going to kiss her right now, I don't care who sees or knows, I want to be with her.'
'We're going to kiss again, I can't wait, god I want him to kiss me.' Without realising it Max had arrived on her tiptoes again and was looking deep into Logan's eyes. She looked at his mouth again.
"This is a restricted area, this is a restricted area." A hover drone announced.
"Damn, I hate those things." 'On a whole new level now!' Max turned her head and placed it over Logan's shoulder, so the hover drone wouldn't get a picture of her face. Even though she was disappointed with the ruined moment, she was still enjoying herself immensely being this close. Having her head on his shoulder made such a huge difference, they felt so close, so warm. Max was delirious.
Logan was equally miffed with the arrival of the hover drone but also happy with the way Max ended up, her hand on his back, head on his shoulder, it felt so right.
Max didn't want to move, Logan on the other hand had already started moving towards the road. She begrudgingly followed, not really wanting to leave that spot on the sand, where such wonderful things had nearly – and actually had – happened.
Max was putting her shoes back on and thoughts of kissing Logan were still running through her mind. 'He'd better kiss me now, before I go back to work.' She stood up and went straight to him, much closer than they would have got with each other before.
"So I'll see you around eight?" Logan asked.
'Hmmm… That is looking a bit like a farewell, I want my kiss. Maybe a little reminder.' Max just moved in closer, stood on her toes, inclined her head and looked at his mouth.
Nothing.
'Damn, why doesn't he kiss me? Maybe I'll try again.'
So again, she propped herself up on her toes, inclined her head and looked at his lips. Her face was rife with anticipation and nervousness. This time.
Nothing.
'Oh well, I suppose I can't expect us to go from nothing to kissing all the time over night.' Max conceded. She was still feeling a little goofy from the waterfront. Logan was also feeling goofy, and a little embarrassed.
'Oh, god. She wanted to kiss me, that's the same thing she did in the shower. Why didn't I kiss her?' Logan couldn't understand but finally put it down to the fact he was a little stunned at the sudden change in Max, extremely happy and excited, just a little stunned. They both walked off in the wrong direction. Realising this they turned around and had the face the embarrassment of going the wrong way for very obvious reasons.
"Wrong way."
They both left, Max back to Jam Pony and Logan to his apartment.
Logan was having a hard time, his legs were working remarkably well and he was thankful for that. Problem was he couldn't find anything to wear, and he didn't think he cared about this sort of thing. 'Is this a date? I don't think we said anything different to when she usually comes over for dinner. However things are quite unique today.' Realising him and Max had only started talking about this sort of thing at 2:30 that morning. 'Ok so she's coming over, you amaze her with your cooking, then you ask her out on a proper date, or even ask if this can be a date. Then you kiss her.' He had it all planned yet he had never felt so ill prepared before in his life.
Max had never been more nervous in her life as she was right now, standing in the lift slowly making her way to Logan's apartment. 'Oh god, what do I do? What do I say? Is Original Cindy right? Is this a date? I think I want it to be a date. I don't know.' She was panicking but she knew it was worth it. Apparently part of the excitement of dating – she wasn't sure if this was dating but it was close – was getting all dressed up and nervous. Well she'd been through every garment of clothing she owned, even a few of Cindy's and she was very nervous.
Bing.
'Ok Max, just take it easy, you're just having dinner with Logan. You have dinner with Logan all the time.' Somehow that didn't really help, as she walked out of the elevator and to Logan's door.
Ding'Oh dear, I never ring the bell. What's going on, man I'm nervous.' Max was concerned with the different manner she was treating this meal.
Logan opened the door, happy and shocked at what he saw. Max standing there in front of him, wearing a brighter coloured top than usual – with a small strip of skin visible at the bottom – and her lips were shinning. God she was an attractive person, he still stood by what he said the first – well second – night she was at his place.
"The singularly most beautiful face…" He hasn't been proven wrong since then and he knows there is no way he ever will be.
Again realising that whilst thinking time did go by, he remembered that he had been standing there staring at her for a longer space of time than was usual.
'Oh god, why is he just standing there staring at me? I thought he might like me a little girlier. I shouldn't have worn this top, or my lip-gloss. I just thought he might like it a bit.' Max's levels of nervousness were increasing steadily – even though she didn't think it possible – and she was embarrassed with the way she looked.
"Hey." Logan had blinked himself out of his stupor.
"Hey." Max relaxed a little at the sound of his voice.
There was a little more standing and staring in nervous silence, this was going to be a fun night.
"Come in." Logan gestured with his hand. Max walked in but had the feeling she was in way over her head.
Meanwhile in a freshly filled grave an X-5 lay unconscious.
"So." They both said simultaneously. It was very difficult again, now that they had had time to think things over a little, they realised what they were getting themselves into tonight. Original Cindy and Bling didn't help either.
"So." They tried again, their words clashing, so they just sat there sipping their wine.
The oven made a soft noise. 'Ah saved by the bell, again.' They both thought as Logan got up to get the food.
Before he left he turned and looked at Max, wanting to say something but unable, she just sat looking at the glass of wine she cradled.
Logan got up to get the food, when he was over in the kitchen Max drank all the wine in her glass in one swift movement. 'I hope that helps.' She thought, knowing it wouldn't since being an X-5 it was almost impossible to get drunk.
"Oh no." Logan exhaled rather loudly. A puzzled Max got up to investigate what was going on.
"I don't understand it's just…" Logan was fiddling with the buttons on the oven. Max got there and noticed that the chicken wasn't cooked, not even warm. They just stood there, with the chicken and oven door between them and looked at their uncooked meal.
"Chicken tar tar?" Max asked politely, joking around with Logan. It was nice to see he wasn't immortal when it came to the kitchen. They laughed, it felt good to laugh after all the sitting in anticipation and nervousness.
The phone rang.
"Can you…" Logan asked, pointing to the phone.
"Yeah. Turn the oven on." As she said this she leaned in a little to Logan, partly to make her point, mainly because she wanted to smell him again.
Max picked up the phone.
"Yeah?"
"Max. Look, Original Cindy is sorry to disturb you and hot boy, but there's this new club, my girl just called and we are going to check it out. If Original Cindy isn't home when you get here, which she hopes you won't. That's where Original Cindy will be. K?"
Max was surprised that Original Cindy had rung, although pleased since knowing her and Logan she was expecting it to be an on the run X-5 or an urgent Eye's Only mission.
"K, Boo. See you tonight." Max said this to make the point that she would be coming home.
"Bye Boo." Original Cindy said as the phone was already on it's way down. Max was sure she could hear a woman's voice in the background. She just smiled and put the phone down.
"Who was that?" Logan asked coming over to the phone, expecting it to be someone he should be calling back, also coming closer to Max since he liked being close to Max.
"It was just Cindy…" Max started as she turned around to face Logan. What she didn't realise was Logan was right behind her and when she turned around they were face to face – well close enough since Logan was a quite a bit taller than her. In a reflex motion she placed her hand up on his chest, then got control of her motor functions so she didn't end up pushing him through his wall. Her hand just lay there.
"She's going to check out a new club, just telling me so if I go home and there is no one there I wouldn't worry." 'Ahh! I hope he didn't pick up on that 'if', god what is coming over me?' She couldn't believe she had said that, 'if I go home'.
"Oh, that's very responsible of her." Logan stated, trying to stifle his laughter, he couldn't believe Max had said 'if I go home'. 'Well that has to be a good sign, doesn't it?' Logan thought, still smiling at Max.
Max was becoming increasingly uncomfortable again, in attempt to ease the moment and get into a position that wasn't so close to Logan – she noticed that during this little exchange her hand had stayed on his chest and she had in fact leaned a little closer to him – she asked him about the food.
"So how long is that chicken going to be? I'm hungry already." Max asked, then walked over to the oven and looked in, trying to cook the chicken with her intense gaze.
"Ah…" Logan was a little flustered from the situation, Max's hand had been on his chest, she had said 'if I go home'. It took him a while to work out the question, process it, then supply some form of answer.
"About 3 hours." 'God, what are we going to do for 3 hours. I can think of a few things… No, that wouldn't be right, it would be nice but not with Max.' Logan thought a little worried. He looked over to Max and noticed she was thinking nearly exactly the same thing.
"3 hours? Are you serious, that's ages." Max complained, then turned around and pouted at him.
"But I'm hungry now Logan." She said in a spoilt small child voice, Logan nearly collapsed.
He regained his composure then replied to her comment.
"Well it's the slow cooking that makes it good. So you are going to have to wait." He looked at Max and noticed that the pout had deepened. He was sure he could hear his resolve running down the street in fear.
"In the meantime how about some more wine?" Logan asked, desperately attempting to control his voice so it wouldn't break. He walked over to where they were sitting and poured the remainder of the bottle into the two glasses. Max had followed him and sat down again.
"So, Original Cindy moved in with you did she?" Logan asked, glad this time he could actually think of something to say.
"Yeah, she was kicked out of her last place because the Red's killed the super…" Max told Logan about the entire event that was moving Cindy into her apartment. Something she normally wouldn't have done but she was desperately trying to use up some time before dinner.
They noticed that the wine was finished, thinking that it must be a lot later now, they both looked at the time, it was only 10 mins after they had started drinking it again. Time hadn't flown, they were just drinking quicker.
Max took the glasses of wine and walked into the kitchen again.
"Back in a sec."
Logan sat there a little puzzled since all the red wines were in the wine rack, in the other room. He chuckled slightly when he saw Max returning with two large glasses of red cordial.
"Bit of a sweet tooth are you?" Logan asked playfully.
"No, well, yes but I thought it might be nice to have another drink of this wonderful cordial." Max stated, she sat down and gave Logan a glass.
"Max, I don't want to sound patronising but where did you hear about cordial? Since it isn't actually an American product." Logan asked hesitantly. Max just looked at him sideways, he could see she was getting embarrassed. 'Damn, I shouldn't have asked that. It's just another reminder of how different she is.' Then she spoke and Logan was taken completely by surprise.
"Well, when I lived with my foster family, Lucy my foster sister would watch really old movies and so would I." Max explained.
"One of the movies was called 'Merry Poppins', I don't know if you've heard of it because it's before your time even." Logan responded.
"I know Merry Poppins."
"Well, in that movie the kids had medicine and Jane's tasted like lime cordial." Max finished and was embarrassed that she admitted to watching those sorts of movies. It kind of damaged her tuff-girl image.
"Well, that's not what I was expecting but hey, since you know what it is, there you go. You see America used to have Kool-Aid before the pulse, well we still have it but I don't." Logan was explaining, Max was a little confused with what he was trying to say, she didn't in fact know what Kool-Aid was but she felt it best not to raise the issue. 'Another reminder that I'm not a normal girl.' She told herself.
"You see among all the food and clothing that came in with the Aid packages after the pulse, there was cordial. As soon as I tried it I loved it, couldn't get enough. So now that America has started producing Kool-Aid again I've had to start importing the stuff, which isn't that easy or cheap but I reckon it's worth it." He finished, his explanation completed and Max just accepting the information for what it was.
"So… You like Merry Poppins?" Logan asked, a little cautiously. He could see Max going red again.
"Yeah. It's my favourite." She added quickly.
"Good, then I have an excellent idea how to pass the time waiting for this chicken to cook. Go into the other room and make yourself comfortable." Logan said, pointing into the adjoining room. Max got up, a little puzzled.
"Logan…" She started.
"Just go and sit." Logan cut her off.
Max was completely confused but complied none the less, sitting in an armchair so she could see out the window. Logan came in a few seconds later carrying their two glasses and a jug of red cordial on a tray.
"No, wrong spot, sit here." Logan said as he placed the tray on the coffee table in front of the double seater lounge. Then he left the room again.
'Oh, maybe he's had enough of mucking around and want's to cuddle or something.' Max thought hopefully, then realised she wasn't sure if she wanted something like that first. She thought they might need to talk first. She decided that either way she wanted to be close to him, so she sat in the middle of the lounge, so which ever side Logan sat he was most likely be touching her. She couldn't believe she was doing this.
Logan returned and sat next to Max, happy to see she was sitting in the middle, knowing that he would be close to her whichever side he sat on.
"You ready?" He asked as he turned the lights very low.
'Oh god, he want's to make-out on the lounge.' Max was very nervous and getting anxious. She had never done this before, she had kissed men but only when she was in heat and after one thing, never on a lounge in a nice apartment in the near dark. She was completely unprepared for this. She felt like a little girl.
"Um…Ok, I suppose." She managed to stutter out. She thought about it for a second then decided. She closed her eyes and leant towards Logan. She was shaking slightly.
Beep
She was ripped from her mindset and her motion towards Logan. The movie had started.
'Whew, that was close, I nearly made a complete idiot of myself, lucky he can't see in the dark.' Max leant back again and set in to enjoy the movie. Max couldn't believe she hadn't picked up on the fact Logan was messing around with the TV and it's related appliances, the images flooded back into her head as she thought about it. She was so anxious about the making-out that she didn't notice what he was doing. Now she felt a little stupid but was glad he hadn't seen her, that probably would have resulted in her leaving, to do something in an emergency she had forgotten about.
Max looked down and grabbed her drink and had a sip. Still relishing the flavour she put it down and decided it was time to complain about something.
"Where's the popcorn? I thought you were supposed to have popcorn when you watch movies?" Max complained playfully in a spoiled brat voice.
"You'll ruin your dinner." Was all Logan said, speaking as if he were addressing a child.
"Hmpp." Max playfully added as she crossed her arms. The title screen was coming up, it was of course Merry Poppins.
"Why the red cordial?" Logan asked out of the middle of nowhere.
"Like I said, I like it. Also last time we had cordial…" Max stopped herself, not exactly knowing where to go with it. Logan picked up and finished the sentence.
"We actually talked about something that wasn't Eye's Only or Manticore?" He asked, he knew that's not exactly it but he didn't want to blatantly ask if was about them saying they cared for each other.
"Yeah." Max just replied in a half whisper. She slowly leaned towards him again, still focused on the screen but moving her body a little closer.
"The sound is pretty good in here, much better than all the other TV's I've watched." Max stated, wanting to talk to Logan now and not focus too much on the movie.
"Yeah, I have it set up how I like it, it's pretty much the same as going to the movies."
He said, he was always quite proud of his home cinema set up. He also wanted to talk to Max, he enjoyed talking with her about things that weren't important.
"So we're at the movies?" Max asked a little playfully.
"Yep, might as well be." Logan replied.
"And there still isn't any popcorn?" Max added.
"No." Logan laughed. There was a pause each one not really knowing what to say. Then Max spoke.
"So… Are we in the back row?" Max hadn't been to the movies but she'd heard. She couldn't believe she'd asked this question, it's implications so obvious.
In response Logan just looked over his shoulder.
"Ahh, I'd say so." He flashed a smile at Max, she could see the whites of his teeth so clearly in the dark, she could actually see pretty much everything of Logan at the moment. The adrenaline had returned, it was there in response to something Max had planned to do. She asked a question.
"Aren't you tired or something?" Logan was a little puzzled then it hit him.
"No." He stated, Max was very disappointed. She was considering a break to the ladies, so she could leave the embarrassing situation then come and sit at the other end of the lounge before she did something to embarrass herself more. Just as she decided that sitting here in this uncomfortable silence was going to destroy her, she heard Logan yawning.
Logan knew what she was asking about with her question, but decided he would make it a little bit unexpected, now that she had asked. So waiting a while he could sense Max tensing and thought she was probably about to leave. 'Better do it before she goes.' He told himself.
So he yawned in the traditional manner, extending his arms above his head to stretch, then as he was bring his arms back to their original resting place one managed to go astray and land around Max's shoulders. He was sweating, he had never been this nervous before. Max was shaking again, a bit more now. She couldn't believe this, they were sitting in the 'movies' and he had his arm around her. She leaned in a little more until she was just touching Logan, leaning on him slightly.
Neither of them knew what was going on in the movie, they were just sitting in a stunned silence with their position.
'Now, what?' Max thought, at least she thought she thought that, it turned out that she actually spoke these words.
"I thought you'd know what happens next." Logan stated, he tried for playfully but he was just too nervous.
"It's the making out part isn't it?" Max asked equally nervous, not really knowing why she asked the question, it was probably due to just how nervous she was.
In reply Logan just nodded and looked into her eyes. They just sat there for a while staring into each other's eyes, amazed at what they saw. The emotion, the passion, the fear and the depth.
Slowly Max turned so she was sitting sideways on the couch, shoulders facing Logan a little more. She leaned in and closed her eyes. Logan bent his neck to meet her, eyes open drinking in what he saw in front of him. He's arm slipped from her shoulders to her waist, he pulled her body closer to his. Max could feel the strength in his arm and was pleased with where his arm actually was.
Their lips were about to meet, in an action that would completely change both of their lives.
The phone rang.
"Damn!" The both said together as they jumped up, both aware of the situation and embarrassed immensely again. Logan got the phone.
"What!?! Oh, sorry. What?! Ok, where are you? How many… Hello! Cindy!" Logan started the phone conversation very gruffly, then on hearing the panicked voice on the other end quickly apologised before they started speaking to him, very fast and incoherently. The line went dead before he could hear the rest of what Cindy had to say.
Max was sitting on the lounge waiting for Logan to come back and incredibly angry with the person on the other end. Then when she heard Cindy's voice, full of fear and half screaming she knew something was wrong. She was up and halfway out the door before Logan put the phone down.
"Max, you don't know where she is." Logan called.
"Good hearing." Was the reply shouted by Max as she was already halfway down the stairs, there was no way the lift was fast enough.
"Oh great." Logan said, he grabbed his keys and ran out the door, deciding on taking the lift.
When Logan got to the car park he could smell the smoke sitting in the air and see the black line slightly smouldering on the ground. He heard faintly the scream of a motorbike being pushed a little too hard.
Logan jumped in his car and took off in the direction of the address Original Cindy had given him.
Original Cindy had been enjoying the club that her girlfriend had introduced her to until a sleazy little man came up to her and decided that she was going to be his for the night. He was used to getting what he wanted since he was head of one of the largest gangs controlling the Seattle district. Original Cindy had told him she didn't feature males and walked off. This wasn't good enough for him so he followed. In the ensuing argument Cindy had threatened to put a smack down on him, he laughed and decided it was time for a little game. He dragged Cindy outside and was followed by his gang who knew what was going on. Cindy ran when she got outside and managed to make a phone call to Logan's. When she was still on the phone she was hit across the face. When she turned around she noticed a large semi-circle of people watching and cheering. She then noticed that the person who had hit her was a woman, about her size and build. Cindy put up a good fight and managed to lay this one down, thinking it was all over she relaxed a little, however. Another girl came out of the crowd and started hitting Cindy, this girl was bigger and seemed to be trained in some fighting discipline roughly.
Cindy was in a bad way, she was being beaten badly, then she heard the familiar sound of a motorbike approaching.
"You all in trouble now." Cindy said, smiling through the blood on her face. In response everyone just laughed.
Max heard laughing in the alleyway next to the one she was in. Seeing no way to get her bike in there she dismounted and jumped up onto the wall. What she saw took her breath away. There were at least 20 people surrounding Cindy and an opponent in a form of brutish fighting. She also noticed that there was already an unconscious form on the ground. 'Nice going girl.' Max thought, she jumped down and landed next to Original Cindy.
"Nice going girl, looks like you could use some help." Max said nodding towards the girl on the ground then looking at the crowd surrounding them. Cindy just smiled a little more then collapsed. Max got very angry.
"So what the hell is all this about? 20 against 1? Not very fair, you can leave now or I can hurt you all." Max said, knowing it would only provoke laughter. It did.
"Kill them." Came a command from the small greasy man.
Max was angry because Original Cindy had been beaten up and because the moment between her and Logan had been ruined, again.
Two girls approached Max from either side, thinking they had her pretty much covered since she was smaller than her friend. They were wrong.
Max flung out her arms and managed to connect to each girls jaw at the same time, hearing a snap on each occasion she reminded herself that breaking people badly wasn't that nice. The girls fell hard.
More people approached and Max was dancing around playing with them, flipping over and sliding under. Slowly – actually quite quickly – there was only a small number of people remaining.
"Ah, Max." A panicked voice called for her, she looked over and saw Logan standing there, only problem was the man standing next to him with a gun pointed at his head, she could see the tendons in his arm moving, he was going to shoot.
Max was making her way over to him very very swiftly, however on the way someone else decided they weren't quite unconscious enough and so thought fighting Max again might actually work. She was still 20 feet away from Logan, dealing with an aggressor when she heard the shot.
"Logan!" Max screamed, blood was rising to her eyes, she had never been this imbued with anger. She looked over and saw the man with a grin on his face looking down at Logan's lifeless body on the ground. He heard the girl scream and so turned to shoot at her, his gun was pointing directly at her. Max was still 20 feet away.
Max could see the tendons in his arm moving again, he was going to shoot, she didn't care, the rage inside her was so intense. She made her way to the man in less than half a second. She ran straight at the gun, then ducked under it, placing his arm over her shoulder, she put her arms back and grabbed the gun hand and pulled down whilst pushing her body up. The arm snapped loudly. However Max was blind with fury, she wasn't done yet. She punched him in the gut so hard that she ruptured his spleen and stomach. She then brought the gun hand down by his side then pushed the arm upwards and dislocated his shoulder. The man was screaming in agony. She then put her hands on his shoulders and jumped up, then came down on both his kneecaps, snapping both his legs. The man was on the ground, rolling around in pain, screaming for mercy. Max was still angry but she was also terribly upset, she could feel tears on her face. She didn't let up she kept hitting and kicking the guy on the ground.
"Max!" Original Cindy yelled as she ran up to Max and pulled her off. Max turned and pushed Cindy away.
"He killed Logan." Max just said, as she looked away into the night sky, attempting to ebb the flow of tears and trying no to notice the smell of her blood. It was her blood she could smell because it was coming from Logan and mixed with his.