"Logan! Come on, we need to get going! Your friend's waiting!"
Logan's eyes flushed open, then he struggled to roll on his back.
"I'm not sure I wanna go there, Max."
"He's your friend, you have to trust some people." She gave him a kiss. "And I'll be with you."
Logan nodded. "You're right. Let's go."
They took cab and were taken to a green suburb.
"Wow, he seems to be a clever guy." Max was stunned.
"Voilà." The driver stopped the car and while Max unloaded the chair, Logan paid him. "Merci."
He transferred to the wheelchair and followed Max to the entrance of a nice six story building.
"Perrier, right?" Max rang the bell and pushed the door open when the signal came. "Second floor."
A tall dark-haired man waited in the hall when the elevator opened. "Logan! Mon dieu!" He stared at his former roommate. "What happened?" Logan shrugged defensively, his eyes tightened.

But Nic caught his composure again after a second and bent down to embrace his friend. Then he held out his hand to greet Max, and gave her three kisses on the cheeks. Logan had to laugh when he saw her expression. "That's typical French, Max."
"Come on in." He let Max lead the way into the apartment and directed her into the living room.
"What do you want to drink?"
"Coke."
"Me too." Logan felt vulnerable and exposed once more. Why couldn't he just feel good about meeting Nicolas again? He'd really wanted to enjoy the day, and just let go- but he obviously couldn't. He hated himself for that.

Nic returned and sat down on the couch opposite to Max's armchair, Logan between them.
"I think you owe me an explanation, pal."
"No big deal, I was shot:"
"Right, no big deal. And not telling your friend is just as fine. Damn, you didn't answer any mail I wrote." To Max. "And I wrote quite a few." He turned back to Logan. "I was worried. I even considered flying to Seattle."
"I was busy..."
"Oh yeah, I know what you mean. I have years like that, you know, never finding three spare minutes to write a mail or make a phone call."
Max grinned. "Go on, that's just what Logan needs, somebody to kick his ass." The remark earned her a grin from Nic and a pair of rolled eyes from her boyfriend.
"Listen, it's been a long time, but I know you pretty well, and you can't have changed that much. So I can tell it's nothing you like to talk about, but I still wanna know."
Logan nodded. "You're right. But I'd like to go for the short version. That OK?" Nic agreed.
"I was shot about a year ago."
"That's it? What's the extent of your injuries?"
"My spinal cord was blown up, no feeling in my legs, hips and lower abdomen. But I'M dealing." Max cast him an odd look and Nic caught it.
"You're dealing, huh? How long did that take, to accept I mean?"
Max was stunned. That guy really seemed to know Logan.
There was a long pause while Logan gathered his thoughts, Max and Nic both could sense that he was about to say something important.
"I still haven't." Logan's voice was barely a whisper. "I can't and won't accept it. But Max pulls me through." He looked at her, showing all the love and affection he felt. There was a long silence.
"Come on, I'M fine right now. Stop worrying." Logan grinned at his friends and took his glass.

They talked about their lives for the next two hours, Max enjoyed getting to know some things about Logan she'd never expected.
"Merde. What time is it?" I'm afraid I have to kick you out. Tonight his my niece's prom and I promised to come." He looked at the couple on the couch. They'd switched places a few hours ago. "Or do you wanna come?"
"I don't think..."
"Oh come on. You know her, Virginie." Nic stood up. "She'd love to see you, she still remembers you."
"She was eleven or twelve when I saw her for the last time. Logan looked at Max, realizing she wasn't much older either.
"So what do you say old man? I'd like to go."
"OK. But we have to go back to the hotel fisrt and get dressed properly."
He had a look at his watch. "And we have to hurry."
"You'll take a cab now, and I'll pick you up at your hotel when I'm ready."
"OK, sounds fine." Logan pulled his chair closer and transferred. "See you!"
"By the way, Logan. How good is your French?"
"Don't ask. It sucks."
Max had already pushed the elevator button when she heard Logan roll closer.
"DO you have your dress with you?" He looked up at her.
"Yeah, don't ask me why, but I took it along."

They both got ready in record time and when Nic knocked they were almost ready to go. Max had to get some makeup on and Logan was brushing his teeth.
"OK, done. Let's go."
Nic watched as Max and Logan acted in silent understanding. She let him move into the car without supporting him, then grabbed the wheelchair and stored it away in the trunk. He wondered how many arguments they've already had, knowing Logan's pride would probably stand in the way.
"OK, voilà. There will be an official part with them receiving their certificates, after that there will be a part, with buffet and music."

Twenty minutes later, Max and Logan repeated the process. Max set the chair next to the car door, then watched the people walk by while he transferred. When Logan was beside her, she laid a hand on his shoulder and they followed Nic.
"You can settle down over there, next to my sister. I'll try to find Virginie."
Logan wanted to protest, telling his friend that it was not necessary to disturb Virginie, but Nic was already out of sight.
"Salut." Logan spinned his chair around to face Nic's sister.
"Nous sommes ici avec Nicolas." The woman shook his hand and nodded friendly. "Tu ne me reconnais pas Sophie, huh?"
"Non..."
"Logan."
"Oh mon dieu! C'est vraiment toi!! I haven't seen you in such a long time!!" She kissed him on the cheeks. "Nic n'a pas dit rien!!"
"Il n'a pas savu."
He took Max's hand. "Elle est ma petite-amie Max."
"Salut. Nice to meet you."
"Bonjour." Max got slowly used to the kisses.
"Où est Nic?"
"Looking for Virginie."

Suddenly a cute, dark-haired girl stood in front of them.
"Logan!!" She didn't hesitate a second, she just bent down and embraced the surprised man. "I am so glad you are here." She leaned back and looked at him. "What happened?" The way she said it didn't make Logan shut down as Max noticed reliefed. "Long story. By the way, this is Max, my girlfriend."
"Hi." More kisses. "Listen, I have to go back to my classmates, we'll talk later!!" She turned around once more. "You come to the party, right?"
"If you don't mind."
"Don't be a fool."
The ceremony was great, Max wished she'd have had something like that. "This was so beautiful." She'd held Logan's hand during the entire ceremony and he finally turned towards her, smiling. "You didn't understand a word, I thought you'd fall asleep." She smirked then stood up and waited for him to let her out of the aisle.
"OK, we can go over to the gym now. It's only a two minutes walk. That OK?" He involuntarily looked at Logan.
"Don't worry, I'M fine. We walked all the way from the Eiffeltower to our hotel yesterday."

Max felt the stares on her and Logan and knew that he felt it, too. It didn't surprise her that he became silent and shy. When they sat at the table and waited for the buffet to be opened she watched him talk to Nic's Mom, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.
Finally they were allowed to get food, but Logan didn't make a move. Max leaned over and leaned her hands on his shoulders "I'll pick up a plate with different stuff. We can share that, OK?"
He just nodded, hating his own weakness.
Max waited in the queue, casting worried glances at her boyfriend. "Hey Max." She smiled at Nic.
"Maybe you should go home with him. He doesn't seem comfortable."
"I know, but he'll deal. He can't always run from situations like this."
"He is not dealing as well as he pretends, huh?"
"there are days when he is a real pain in the ass. It took him long to open up, and it's not all said so far. I guess it'll break out of him one day. Maybe that will help."
They'd reached the buffet and Max randomly picked food.
"Here we go. Hope you like it."
Logan nodded. "Don't worry."
"If you wanna go home, we can..."

"No, I'M fine."
"Don'T lie to me."
He smirked. "OK, I felt better, but I still wanna stay."
With that, Max was satisfied.

While most of the couples went off to dance, Max and Logan stayed at the table, watching the people, talking. It was long past midnight when Nic offered to bring them home. They agreed on meeting again the day after the next again.
Logan went straight to bed after getting undressed and brushing his teeth.
"Come over, Max." He'd watched her staring out the window for quite some time. "What's up, sweety?"
"Everything's so peaceful." She slipped under the blanket, cuddling close to her boyfriend. "Everybody is happy."
"Including you?"
"Including me. I've never been happier." She caressed his muscular chest.
"Max, I don't know how fast you wanna go in this relationship. It's just that I don't think I'm ready to..."
"Shhh...it's OK, we have all the time we want. No need to hurry."
"Thank you."
"All I'm asking for is that you let me share your life, no secrets." She sat up a bit so she could face him. "I'm also talking about your feelings concerning that chair." She cupped his face between her hands. "I need to know how you feel. Let me be there for you when you need somebody to make it through the day. Do you swear?"
He swallowed hard. "I...It'll take some more time. But I promised I won't do anything stupid again. I promise to ask for your help when I feel like I can't help myself anymore."
"OK, that's all I'm asking for. And lemme know when you are ready to share. I can help you carry the weight. I'm a superwoman, remember?"
"I will." He embraced her and held her tight until he fell asleep.

The next day the couple spent at Disneyland, Max even made him ride one of the attractions. The security guy had had doubts, but she'd ensured him she would take care. Logan refused to join her in faster rollercoasters and things like that, but he ensured her she could ride them alone. And she did.
When they returned to the hotel late at night, they were almost equally exhausted.

Logan awoke when he heard a sound coming out of the bathroom, Max wasn't lying next to him. "Max?" There was no answer. "Max! Can you hear me?" There was only groaning from behind the closed door. ";Max? Can you come over here?" He'd noticed that his chair was not in reach, Max must have pushed it away when she searched for Tryphtophan. "Max, I can't come to you. Please, you need to get up!" There was no reaction. "Dammit." He cursed his useless legs, searching for a way to help Max. He knew he had some Tryphtophan in his own suitcase, just in case. He tried to draw her attention once more. "I'm stuck in bed, but I have medicine. You just gotta come over here!" Again, no reaction.
Cursing, he pushed his legs out of the bedding, with one last sigh he dropped to the floor and, using his elbows, he crawled over to his wheelchair.
With the experience of many falls, he pushed his dead weight into the chair, then positioned his feet on the footrest. In record time he grabbed the bottle and wheeled over to the bathroom. There he found Max lying on the floor, shaking badly.
"Swallow these. Come on sweets. Swallow." He didn't want to get out of his chair, afraid he wouldn't have the strength left to get back in. "It's OK darling. I'm here. I'll take you to the bed, OK. You're freezing on the floor."
He cradled her in his arms and used all of his strength to hoist her onto his lap. "We're almost there. It's gonna be fine."
After he'd laid her into the bed, he transferred himself. Then he rolled over to be able to embrace her. Whispering nonsense, silly words into her ear, he felt her relax until she finally stirred.
"Logan?"
"It's Ok, I'm here. You had a seizure."
"I'm sorry..."
"There's nothing to be sorry for. Just try to sleep." Max eventually gave in to her exhaustion. In Logan's embrace she felt safer than ever before. "Love...ya."

When she awoke the next morning she still felt his arms around her. She grinned, he apparently hadn't moved at all. Then again she knew that might also be due to his disability, he had to use his upper body to shift.
His disability...Max couldn't understand why other people were not able to look beyond it, sometimes even Logan himself didn't seem to be able to.
Sure, there were things they would never do together, even though she was sure he could do much more than he believed. But there were so many wonderful things about that man, she could easily live without some things. Well, se wouldn't be able to walk at the beach with him, holding hands. For that matter they wouldn't ever be able to hold hands when walking, like any normal couple. But then again, there wasn't much "normal" about either of them.

Finally Logan yawned. "Good morning sleepyhead." She grinned sheepishly, being fully aware of his grumpy mood in the morning.
"Hmmm..." He stiffled another yawn, instead glanced at her through small eyes. "You OK?"
"I'm fine, thanks to you." She gave him a quick kiss on the forehead, then rolled free and stood while he struggled to lay on his back, groaning.
Max went to the bathroom and the sponge next to the sink caught her attention. She grabbed it and held it under the cold water, grinning. When she returned to the bedroom Logan still lay on the bed, eyes closed.
"Logan!"
"Hmmm?"
"Look!!"
He opened his eyes to see something flying at him, but had no chance to react anymore. "What the hell...?"
Max Laughed openly and watched her boyfriend sort things out, then as he grabbed the sponge and aimed it at her. Of course, she was at an advantage and caught it easily between her hands, only to attack him again.
"You know, Max. Do you think that's fair? Superhero vs. me?"
"Dunno, don't really care."
Suddenly there was a knock on the door, Max raised an eyebrow and went to answer it. Logan decided to stay under the blanket, wearing nothing but his boxer briefs, and not having the time he'd need to get dressed.
"Nic!? What happened?"