Title: Stuff that happens...
Author: Me
Summary: AU, set right before the pilot. M/L
..... If the pain in her right shoulder hadn't subsided she wouldn't have noticed the warm hand gently touching her back.....
Note: Ob said that I take forever to update my stories... well I guess that's true.... Okay, these of you who read this have to thank Roxi21. I have to face a lot of self-doubts at the moment and if she hadn't told me that she and some other people (I still think that they don't really exist - if that's not true, just tell me!) were waiting and hoping for me to continue this still would be locked away on my computer. So this is to her and of course huge thanks to my beta (! Please R&R (or write a mail to lucia_at2001@yahoo.de)
Stuff that happens when falling apart
Max had felt odd all day long. She hadn't been able to concentrate and her movements had been somewhat uncoordinated compared to her normal body control. That may had risen her suspicions, but in no way had it prepared her for the wave of pain that hit her that night at Crash.
Seconds after entering the bar, where she had gone to forget all about the previous night, she had to lean against the wall for support. The cold stone against her back was a treat to her tensed muscles and helped her to stay on her feet. So she had a moment of relief, but after that, the pain started to increase again, hammering at her drastically. It began in her head, where she could feel the blood pumping through her veins, causing an incredible headache that made the world around her spin. Her whole body cramped in protest, fighting the overwhelming pain. Her legs nearly buckled, having difficulties to support her weight much longer.
Max knew what was about to happen next. Reacting quickly, she searched through her pockets. Cursing under her breath, she finally grabbed the bottle with her pills, realizing that it was too late - her head had started to jerk around and her cold hands trembled.
Wanting to avoid the curious eyes at Crash, Max slowly stumbled backwards, along the wall. Passing the doorman with a strained grimace passing for a smile on her face, she stepped outside.
The first drops of rain fell onto her forehead, mixing with her cold sweat. Biting her lip, she carefully loosened her hard grip on the pill-bottle. Her dark eyes glistered at the sight of her last hope and her shaking fingers tried to pry open the orange bottle. Standing there in the dark alley, fumbling with her medicine, she resembled a desperate junkie. Had she been able to think clearly, she would be disgusted by her weakness.
Her hands weren't able to act on her desperate attempt at retrieving the pills and a mumbled swearing escaped her mouth. Still shaking on account of the seizure she slid down the wall, sitting there in a fetal position, pressing the bottle, the precious pills, against her abdomen and prayed for the pain to subside a bit.
The cold rain slowly soaked her clothes and goosebumps started to run up her jeans clad legs. She shivered and shook, her whole body protesting against the cold. She felt like there wasn't anything left to do but wait for the end..
If the pain in her right shoulder hadn't subsided she wouldn't have noticed the warm hand gently touching her back. Its owner carefully removed her cramped fingers from the bottle and opened it, doing what Max had failed to do without much effort.
Eagerly gulping down the offered pills, Max finally was able to relax, feeling a wave of relief washing over her. She let her eyes stay closed for the following few minutes, because she didn't want to face the spinning world sooner than necessary.
After a while a peculiar numbness seeped into her body and her mind slowly started to work again. Finally Max looked up, just to be greeted by the same pair of blue eyes that had been studying her not more than 24 hours ago.
"Logan,...... hey." His answer came immediately, but his voice was low, as if he knew about the terrible headache that was still there. "Hey yourself."
Max watched a raindrop running down his face, a strange feeling rising in her chest. She knew that she should be angry because she had shown her weakness - on more than one occasion if one counted the previous night - in front of a stranger.
Normally she always had a bitchy comment or a witty come-back. And there was no way that she would let anyone see her like that. Max didn't act like herself and this knowledge really worried her. Brushing these thoughts of doubt away, she finally decided that it just hadn't been her weekend.
"What are you doing here, stalking me?" It was a bad attempt to hide her pathetic situation and she knew it. But she had to do something to satisfy her pride with the little power she had left, after her exhausting heat- adventure last night and the seizure that day.
He raised his eyebrows, obviously surprised by her sudden change of attitude. But he soon caught himself and put a neutral, calm expression on his face. "I just came to pick up the car. And I'll be gone as soon as I take you home."
He looked her up and down, taking in her soaked clothes, pale face and still slightly trembling hands. Anger washed over Max and her carving to send him to hell grew rapidly. She opened her mouth and was about to say something, when she suddenly reconsidered. It was better him finding her than Original Cindy and the others; better a stranger she would never have to see again than the people she had to face every day at work. She couldn't stay where she was right now or someone would notice her sooner or later. And going with him seemed to be the perfect opportunity to cure him from the arrogant attitude he tried to hide behind his nice facade.
"Then let's get outta here."
Clenching her hands into fists and gulping down her pride for the moment, she let him guide her to the blue Aztek and sat down on the passenger seat.
"So, where to?"
Max didn't answer. She didn't even look at him, instead her eyes followed the raindrops that were running down the windshield. There was no way she would let him know where she lived! And besides, there was a lot of expensive stuff lying around in his apartment, that definitely was worth another visit. Max's eyes sparkled mischievously as she finally turned around.
"Your place."
Not showing any signs of surprise, Logan simply started the engine. Driving, while resting his hands on the wheel, occasionally turning it in this or that direction, he glanced at his companion from the corners of his eyes. After a short, silent trip they finally stopped in front of his house. Max was about to open the door of the car, when Logan stopped her by touching her arm gently. Tensing up, without knowing why, she turned around.
Moments passed, where all one could hear was the steady sound of falling raindrops against the windows. Max started to feel uncertain under the close watch of his piercing blue eyes. She shifted uncomfortably and hated herself for doing so.
Finally he spoke, "Do you have a name?" There was silence once again as her mind seemed to have gone numb and it took a while to process the simple question.
"Max, my name is Max."
Liked it? At least a bit? I need encouragement to write more so please be extra nice!
Author: Me
Summary: AU, set right before the pilot. M/L
..... If the pain in her right shoulder hadn't subsided she wouldn't have noticed the warm hand gently touching her back.....
Note: Ob said that I take forever to update my stories... well I guess that's true.... Okay, these of you who read this have to thank Roxi21. I have to face a lot of self-doubts at the moment and if she hadn't told me that she and some other people (I still think that they don't really exist - if that's not true, just tell me!) were waiting and hoping for me to continue this still would be locked away on my computer. So this is to her and of course huge thanks to my beta (! Please R&R (or write a mail to lucia_at2001@yahoo.de)
Stuff that happens when falling apart
Max had felt odd all day long. She hadn't been able to concentrate and her movements had been somewhat uncoordinated compared to her normal body control. That may had risen her suspicions, but in no way had it prepared her for the wave of pain that hit her that night at Crash.
Seconds after entering the bar, where she had gone to forget all about the previous night, she had to lean against the wall for support. The cold stone against her back was a treat to her tensed muscles and helped her to stay on her feet. So she had a moment of relief, but after that, the pain started to increase again, hammering at her drastically. It began in her head, where she could feel the blood pumping through her veins, causing an incredible headache that made the world around her spin. Her whole body cramped in protest, fighting the overwhelming pain. Her legs nearly buckled, having difficulties to support her weight much longer.
Max knew what was about to happen next. Reacting quickly, she searched through her pockets. Cursing under her breath, she finally grabbed the bottle with her pills, realizing that it was too late - her head had started to jerk around and her cold hands trembled.
Wanting to avoid the curious eyes at Crash, Max slowly stumbled backwards, along the wall. Passing the doorman with a strained grimace passing for a smile on her face, she stepped outside.
The first drops of rain fell onto her forehead, mixing with her cold sweat. Biting her lip, she carefully loosened her hard grip on the pill-bottle. Her dark eyes glistered at the sight of her last hope and her shaking fingers tried to pry open the orange bottle. Standing there in the dark alley, fumbling with her medicine, she resembled a desperate junkie. Had she been able to think clearly, she would be disgusted by her weakness.
Her hands weren't able to act on her desperate attempt at retrieving the pills and a mumbled swearing escaped her mouth. Still shaking on account of the seizure she slid down the wall, sitting there in a fetal position, pressing the bottle, the precious pills, against her abdomen and prayed for the pain to subside a bit.
The cold rain slowly soaked her clothes and goosebumps started to run up her jeans clad legs. She shivered and shook, her whole body protesting against the cold. She felt like there wasn't anything left to do but wait for the end..
If the pain in her right shoulder hadn't subsided she wouldn't have noticed the warm hand gently touching her back. Its owner carefully removed her cramped fingers from the bottle and opened it, doing what Max had failed to do without much effort.
Eagerly gulping down the offered pills, Max finally was able to relax, feeling a wave of relief washing over her. She let her eyes stay closed for the following few minutes, because she didn't want to face the spinning world sooner than necessary.
After a while a peculiar numbness seeped into her body and her mind slowly started to work again. Finally Max looked up, just to be greeted by the same pair of blue eyes that had been studying her not more than 24 hours ago.
"Logan,...... hey." His answer came immediately, but his voice was low, as if he knew about the terrible headache that was still there. "Hey yourself."
Max watched a raindrop running down his face, a strange feeling rising in her chest. She knew that she should be angry because she had shown her weakness - on more than one occasion if one counted the previous night - in front of a stranger.
Normally she always had a bitchy comment or a witty come-back. And there was no way that she would let anyone see her like that. Max didn't act like herself and this knowledge really worried her. Brushing these thoughts of doubt away, she finally decided that it just hadn't been her weekend.
"What are you doing here, stalking me?" It was a bad attempt to hide her pathetic situation and she knew it. But she had to do something to satisfy her pride with the little power she had left, after her exhausting heat- adventure last night and the seizure that day.
He raised his eyebrows, obviously surprised by her sudden change of attitude. But he soon caught himself and put a neutral, calm expression on his face. "I just came to pick up the car. And I'll be gone as soon as I take you home."
He looked her up and down, taking in her soaked clothes, pale face and still slightly trembling hands. Anger washed over Max and her carving to send him to hell grew rapidly. She opened her mouth and was about to say something, when she suddenly reconsidered. It was better him finding her than Original Cindy and the others; better a stranger she would never have to see again than the people she had to face every day at work. She couldn't stay where she was right now or someone would notice her sooner or later. And going with him seemed to be the perfect opportunity to cure him from the arrogant attitude he tried to hide behind his nice facade.
"Then let's get outta here."
Clenching her hands into fists and gulping down her pride for the moment, she let him guide her to the blue Aztek and sat down on the passenger seat.
"So, where to?"
Max didn't answer. She didn't even look at him, instead her eyes followed the raindrops that were running down the windshield. There was no way she would let him know where she lived! And besides, there was a lot of expensive stuff lying around in his apartment, that definitely was worth another visit. Max's eyes sparkled mischievously as she finally turned around.
"Your place."
Not showing any signs of surprise, Logan simply started the engine. Driving, while resting his hands on the wheel, occasionally turning it in this or that direction, he glanced at his companion from the corners of his eyes. After a short, silent trip they finally stopped in front of his house. Max was about to open the door of the car, when Logan stopped her by touching her arm gently. Tensing up, without knowing why, she turned around.
Moments passed, where all one could hear was the steady sound of falling raindrops against the windows. Max started to feel uncertain under the close watch of his piercing blue eyes. She shifted uncomfortably and hated herself for doing so.
Finally he spoke, "Do you have a name?" There was silence once again as her mind seemed to have gone numb and it took a while to process the simple question.
"Max, my name is Max."
Liked it? At least a bit? I need encouragement to write more so please be extra nice!