Glory Days by Star24

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are property and copyright Twentieth Century Fox and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original story is copyright 2003 Star24.

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Chapter Three

Max's Crib, That Evening

"Boo, you about to get yourself out here and movin' anytime soon? Thought you said we were s'posed to be at Logan's at eight."

"We're only fifteen minutes late leaving, and I can make that time up on my bike." Max said as she strolled out into the main room of the apartment she shared with Original Cindy.

"Wait a minute. Lemme see you, girl." Original Cindy studied Max, who obligingly stood still in front of her. "Not bad. Not bad at all," she approved.

Instead of her usual blue jeans and T-shirt, Max was wearing a soft red sweater with a cowl neck and a pair of casual black pants. Her hair was brushed out over her shoulders and she had applied a light touch of lip gloss.

"You startin' the campaign to get Logan all hot and bothered early?" Cindy wanted to know with a wink.

Max shrugged, "I just didn't want to embarrass him in front of his friend. I mean…do you think I should change back to my usual stuff?" she asked, seeming suddenly nervous.

Original Cindy laughed. "You leave that on. Not only Logan, but this friend of his is gonna be droolin' tonight. But we better get a move on. This girl's stomach is gonna embarrass us both if we don't get there soon."

Max chuckled and the two walked out of the apartment.

Fogle Towers, 8:30 PM

Logan checked his watch as he and Gavin sat sipping drinks in the living room of the apartment.

"Logan she's a female. Females are always late," Gavin laughed. "Chill."

"Not Max. She's…different from the usual." Logan replied, worry creasing his forehead. He was about to say more, when the doorbell rang and he practically jumped to answer it. Gavin relaxed on the couch as he waited for Logan to return with his guests.

"Max. I was getting worried." Logan said as he opened the door for Max and Original Cindy. Original Cindy rolled her eyes, but Max gave him a puzzled look.

"We're only half an hour late. Hang up at a Sector checkpoint. You know how it goes."

"Yeah, I know. It's just that with …well you know… what's been going down…" He trailed off as Max shot him an impatient look. "I know. I promised not to worry so much. Forget it. You're here safe, and a Cale culinary miracle awaits."

Max smiled at him at that, and he took his real first look at her. His eyes traveled over her and a slow smile crossed his face. Ignoring their interested audience, he said quietly, "You look beautiful. Thank you. You know you didn't have to."

Max shrugged, "I wanted to. You don't look so bad yourself." She gave him a flirtatious look as she let her eyes wander over his tall frame. Logan was wearing a pair of neatly pressed but casual khakis, and a royal blue button down shirt. "A slight improvement from the scruff, I have to say."

Original Cindy did laugh at that one, "Boo, you don't know how hard Bling and Original Cindy tried to make this man clean up while you were gone. Guess you got some methods of persuasion that's beyond us." Her words were accompanied by a meaningful look at the two of them. Logan just grinned but Max flushed very slightly.

"Where's your company, Logan?" she asked.

"Waiting in the other room. Come on, I'll introduce you and then we can eat. Good thing I planned dinner for nine o'clock," he added with a mock frown. The girls followed as he led the way into his living room.

Max was trailing behind Logan and Original Cindy, so that Gavin's first sight was of Cindy.

"Gavin this is Original Cindy. Original Cindy this is Gavin, an old friend of mine from high school and college," Logan was saying.

Gavin looked at Cindy with frank admiration. "Nice to meet you. I'm glad to see that Logan hasn't lost his eye for beautiful women."

Cindy looked back at him meeting his eyes straight on. "Original Cindy don't know about no eye, her field of choice happening to be of the female gender, but Logan's a straight up friend is all she has to say."

Gavin laughed, "And you are a woman of rare honesty and directness. A shame that we poor males are deprived of that, other than on a friendship basis."

Original Cindy looked hard at him for a moment and then she nodded and a smile crossed her face. "You aiight, boo."

Gavin turned to where Logan waited with Max beside him. As he caught sight of Max, he momentarily paled. He swiftly gathered himself together and held out a hand to her with a charming smile. Logan didn't seem to notice his hesitation. "Gavin this is Max," he said simply.

"So you're the one who's had my friend watching the clock since about seven. Now that I've met you, I can understand why."

Max smiled back at him even though she felt a twinge of unease. She hadn't missed his brief reaction when he had first looked at her, and something about his tone didn't strike the right chord in her.

Original Cindy was watching the interplay closely and she interposed, "I don't know about you all, but this is one starvin' female. Normal had us bustin' our butts all day today. He was in some kinda mood for sure. Probably saw his accountant last night and found out he wasn't makin' enough scrilla from our slave labor, so he figured he needed to crack his whip or somethin'"

Logan laughed, "Sounds like Normal all right. The man would sell his own mother down the river if he could make a few bucks."

Max looked at him, "And you would know that, how?"

Logan shrugged. "You don't think he's extracted his pound of flesh the few times I've had to persuade him to tell me where you were?"

Gavin was looking at them, clearly lost. Max took pity on him and explained laughingly, "Normal is our slave driver of a boss. If anyone can squeeze blood out of a stone, he can."

Gavin smiled, "So what do you two do for…Normal?"

Max hesitated and looked at Logan. "Max and Original Cindy are bike messengers," he said without losing a beat, smiling at Max.

"Is that how you met?" Gavin asked curiously.

Max and Logan exchanged a look and smiled. "You could say so." Logan agreed. Max was making a delivery near here and we ended up running into each other."

While they talked they had headed into the dining room, and Logan indicated seats at the table for the others. "I'll get the food."

Gavin and Cindy took their seats but Max stayed standing. "I'll give you a hand."

Logan shrugged and let her follow him to the kitchen.

"Max are you sure everything is okay?" he asked once he was sure Gavin was busy listening to Original Cindy tell a Jam Pony story.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Max shrugged. "Guess I was just kind of nervous about meeting your friend. Don't want him to think you went slumming to find a girlfriend or anything."

Logan laughed at that. "Knowing Gavin, he's probably thinking about ways he can cut me out with you. Here, take the salad in and then sit down. You worked hard today. I didn't do anything much at all besides shooting the breeze with Gavin."

"If you insist I won't argue. OC was right about Normal bein' in one of his moods. Although I think its more a male PMS thing myself."

Logan choked at the last remark. "Max!"

"It's just that he goes through these phases is all. Pretty regularly too. Who said men can't PMS anyway?" Max said with a smile, as she turned to deliver the salad.

Logan watched her go, smiling at the return of her smart ass attitude. She seemed to be getting over her stay at Manticore more and more every day, and he was beginning to feel like he really had his old Max back again.

Dinner proceeded smoothly with Logan's guests oohing and ahhing suitably over the results of his culinary labors. Original Cindy kept them entertained with Jam Pony stories that had Gavin roaring, especially when she told him about Sketchy's run in with the Russian Mafioso that had resulted in Max and her finding him hung up, naked, in an alley.

The only jarring note was the sidelong glances Gavin kept giving Max throughout the evening, whenever he thought she wasn't looking. She acted as if she didn't notice, but she was completely cognizant of every look he sent her way. She tried to pass it off as a normal male reaction but something about him had her feline senses on full alert.

It wasn't until after dinner when Original Cindy insisted on helping Logan clear, that she was alone with Gavin. She had wandered over to look out one of Logan's windows and she sensed him coming up be hind her.

"Nice view," he commented casually, stopping next to her.

"I like it," she answered continuing to stare out the window while she watched his reflection in it.

"You know, I didn't mean to stare at you during dinner. I apologize if it made you uncomfortable," he startled her by saying point blank and she turned to look directly at him.

"Why did you then?"

"Because your resemblance to my younger sister is uncanny."

"Oh." Max said, nonplused by his unexpected answer.

"It makes sense though. Now I understand about Logan…" he trailed off.

"What about Logan?" Max demanded, as a trickle of unease made its way down her spine.

"Forget it. I shouldn't have said anything," he demurred. "It's ancient history and has nothing to do with today."

"If you have something to say to me, say it." Max gave him a hard stare.

"Logan obviously didn't tell you." Gavin said.

"Tell me what?"

"About my sister. They were in love. I thought they were going to get married. But then…"

"Then what?"

Gavin shrugged. "You'll have to ask, Logan. I don't really know. All I know is that he was devastated when they broke up. But look, he's clearly recovered and I'm happy he found you. I was just startled by your resemblance to Carly. I'm sure it's a weird coincidence, that's all. Logan has too much sense to try to relive the past."

Max was about to respond, but Logan and Original Cindy came in from cleaning up. Logan walked over and dropped an arm casually around Max's shoulders. "Didn't I warn you about this guy, Max?" he teased. "All through college he used to try to move in on my girls." He shot Gavin a mock glare.

"And succeeded not a few times." Gavin declared. "Especially when you got yourself lost in that computer stuff of yours and forgot they existed for days on end. Has he pulled that on you yet, Max?"

Max laughed briefly, "Logan hasn't changed. He still gets lost in his computers."

"Wait a minute. No ganging up on me here." Logan protested laughingly. Gavin responded in kind and soon they were all caught up in light chit chat.

Several hours later Max and Original Cindy said their goodbyes. As they were leaving, Gavin managed to pull Max aside briefly. "Don't worry about what I said earlier. I had too much wine with dinner I think."

She looked at him and gave him a bright smile. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Gavin smiled at her and waved to Original Cindy who was waiting by the elevator. Then he turned and headed back to the living area.

Logan winked at Cindy and grabbed Max's hand. "Come here for a second. I need to show you an email I got today."

Max followed him into his computer room. Instead of sitting down at his computer, Logan stood there looking down at her.

"The email, Logan?"

"There isn't one. I just wanted to say goodnight." Logan continued to hold her eyes.

"Oh."

"Goodnight, Max." He leaned in and kissed her lightly.

Max looked at him searchingly. "Goodnight, Logan. I better go before the Sector Patrols come out in force. You don't wanna have to come fetch me and OC out of lockup tonight."

Logan looked puzzled by her response. "Sure. Call me tomorrow when you find The Dress, okay?"

"Sure. Night." Max was gone before he could say anymore. He listened to the sound of the elevator doors closing and then turned to go back to Gavin.

End of Chapter Three