A/N: Six years have passed since Logan left Max in Seattle.
She sees him, still in his wheelchair, facing the park, head buried in a newspaper. She inhales deeply and is disturbed by the emotions that are stirred within her. She didn't think she still felt things, hell, felt anything. She drank him in. His hair, still spiky and going every which way. His glasses, still rimless, his hands. She had forgotten how strong they were. His legs looked frail. She was saddened to see that. She had hoped, for his sake, that he would still not be in the chair after all these years. Slowly she circled the park, checking, as always, to be sure she wasn't followed. She looked the part of a college student today. Backpack slung over one shoulder, jeans, black sweater, baseball cap on backwards. She kept herself anonymous. No one even gave her a second glance as she closed in on the man in the wheelchair. She sat down on the bench next to him. He looked up at her, smiled politely and then returned his gaze to his newspaper. Her heart drummed in her chest. He didn't recognize her. Was she saddened? She couldn't tell anymore. Perhaps he wasn't on to her. Perhaps his sitting here, in this park in Paris was a complete coincidence. Her musings were disturbed by the rustling of his newspaper. She returned her gaze to him and was met with his piercing blue eyes. She couldn't breathe, her voice wouldn't come. The seconds ticked by. Finally, he spoke.
"Max," he said simply.
"Yeah" she smiled. And with that, he moved closer to her. She watched his easy control of the wheelchair and realized he was well practiced. She wondered if he had stopped trying for the "miracle cure" he so desperately sought when they were together.
"What are you doing here?" He said incredulously.
"Truthfully, I thought you were tracking me. I've been following your movements since I learned of your arrival in Paris."
"No, I. . ." he was befuddled at the thought. She knew he was in Paris, how?
"Why are you here?" She asked coolly.
"For an article I'm writing about a vigilante group. The leader has agreed to an interview." His eyes moved over her and absorbed the simple sight of her. She hasn't changed, he thought. She doesn't look a day older since we parted 6 years ago. Manticore, he thought. Of course, she was after all, perfect.
Max was well aware of the group he was referring to. They had been sloppy and were bound to get caught. She had worked with them for a time, when it suited her needs. She didn't like Logan getting involved with them. They were too careless and were heading for a fall, and Logan would fall with them if he were in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"It's not safe Logan. Don't do the interview. You should leave Paris. This group is borderline fanatical. They could bring you a lot of trouble." She said evenly.
"How do you know about all of this?" He still couldn't wrap his brain around the fact that Max was sitting in front of him. He wanted to reach out and touch her. He could feel himself being pulled towards her. Instead, he nervously placed his hands on his wheels and rocked back and forth ever so slightly.
"I can't divulge that. All I can do is warn you, and I assure you, my advice is sound." She said a little too forcefully. Was she trying to convince him that his appearance here didn't rattle her? She didn't know anymore.
"Well, in that case, I appreciate your advice, but I've got to make up my own mind." He met her gaze with his own. His icy blue eyes were locked with her velvet brown ones.
"Yeah, I figured you'd say that." She smiled.
He didn't know what to say anymore. He just stared at her. Finally, his heart spoke.
"I've missed you Max." His voice betrayed his attempts to steady it.
Max exhales deeply. His admission cut her to the bone. She had built barriers against feeling anything, yet he had just brought them tumbling down. She could feel the tears building behind her eyes. Damn it, she thought, I will not just turn to a puddle, now, after all this time. She controlled her breathing and then finally brought her gaze up to meet his.
"I have a question I want answered Logan. I'm sure you already know what I'm going to say." She said steadily.
Logan knew this moment would come. He knew no matter how long it had been, one day, he would see her again, and he would have to face this question. He had been a coward that day, all those years ago, and he was still a coward, he thought. He could not run again, he decided. He had to tell her.
"Why did I leave you?" He said softly.
He thought her saw pain flash across her chocolate eyes, but then it disappeared. He wondered if Bling had been right six years ago when he warned him that this time, Max may not recover from such a wound. He couldn't think about it then, not that day, but he had thought of little else as the years wore on.
She merely nodded at him. She felt her insides twist. She wanted to scream at him, "WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME? WHAT DID I DO?" She steadied herself and practiced the deep slow breaths that had saved her so many times.
"Max, I. . I'm sorry." was all that he could get out.
She stood up and scanned the park quickly before checking her watch. The nervous energy inside her was making her crazy. She had to get away from this man, this person that could contort every well-trained muscle in her body. She needed freedom.
"Logan, I've got to go. I'm . . late for work." She said, barely able to control her voice. Yes, she thought, work. That's just what I need. To pull a job. I'll contact Mr. Chandeau and advise him that I'm a go for tonight, if he still wants my services in acquiring a certain diamond.
Logan was taken aback. "Um, okay." He stammered. He recognized her 'fight or flight' behavior and wondered if she were escaping from the awkwardness of this conversation. He thought that if he had been able, he would have run away from here at top speed.
Max quickly gathered together her backpack and placed her cap on backwards. She started to walk past him, and then stopped and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked at the hand, and then let his eyes travel up towards its owner.
"You are still so beautiful." He said simply.
She could actually feel her heart breaking. How could he say such things and then push her away. You shouldn't be allowed to feel so much pain, she thought. Only Logan could do this to her. She longed to be with him, if only he would ask, she would go with him. If she could have slapped herself, she would have. He would not ask, remember, she thought cynically. You had been standing right there, if front of him, six years ago, and he told you it was over. How many more times are you going to let him reject you.
"Logan, you're killing me." And with that, she removed her hand from his shoulder and walked away. By the time Logan had spun his wheelchair around, she was no where in sight. 'Of course not you fool,' he thought, 'she's a pro.'
As Logan let his head fall back down to the newspaper lying in his lap, he scanned the headline in French and read it out loud, "The Phantom of Paris strikes again." 'Oh no' he thought suddenly, could that be Max? After scanning the article about the recent string of burglaries, Logan was almost certain he recognized Max's work. Armed with this new knowledge, Logan picked up his cell and speed dialed Alec.
"Hey I need you in Paris ASAP."
Logan smiled to himself. He didn't know how he knew Max was this mysterious "Phantom" of Paris that he had been reading about. Something inside just seemed to tell him. After all, if anyone knew Max, he did. He needed a thief to catch a thief. He only prayed that Alec was a match for Max. If she had been doing this for the past six years, well, who knew. Of course, Alec was no slouch. Logan had sent him on numerous Eyes Only missions, and he had never been caught.
Logan's Hotel Room (24 hrs later)
Alec sat on the couch, studying all the material Logan had gathered on the Phantom in the past 24 hours.
"Buddy, this all looks good, but why do we want to catch the Phantom? I mean, what does she have that you want?" Logan had been only half listening to Alec while perusing several documents, but at Alec's last words, he spun around and wheeled vigorously until he was in front of the man.
"What did you say?" He asked incredulously.
Alec knew he had blown it, but he had hoped Logan hadn't noticed. The newspapers had assumed the Phantom was male, but of course Alec knew better. He had been tracking Max's conquests through the past six years and had learned of her infamous title. He thought about playing dumb, but Logan had caught his slip, perhaps it was even a Freudian slip, he wasn't sure.
"You think Max is the Phantom?" He didn't want to say that he already knew this to be true.
"Alec, spill it now." Logan patience was wearing thin with this cat and mouse game.
"Okay, Max is the Phantom."
"And. . ." Logan said with building frustration.
"Buddy, that's all I have to say. I don't know what went on between you two, and I never asked, but what I know or don't know about Max is my business, okay?"
"God Damn it Alec!" Logan wheeled away from him and towards the balcony. He needed air. He felt like he was drowning all of a sudden.
Alec slowly rose from the couch and made his way out on the balcony. He sat on the edge of the chaise opposite Logan.
"Listen Logan, I didn't really know what to do. I don't have a lot of experience in matters of the heart." He chuckled, then continued. "Truthfully man, I didn't even know you were looking for her."
With that, Logan's head rose and his blue eyes stared unblinkingly at Alec. 'He was right', Logan thought. He hadn't been looking for. He had avoided her, avoided any knowledge of her. But still, somewhere inside, he had carried hope of seeing her again.
"Do you want me to arrange a meeting with her, cause I have her number, I can just call her." Alec said.
Logan threw up his hands in frustration. "Yes, call her Alec, by all means, and tell her I need to see her immediately."