UNSTOPPABLE

Part Two


Now, we can both learn
Somehow, you'll see it's all we have
Love, it keeps us together
and I need love

"I think we were about...here," Logan said, putting his arms around Max and pulling her close to him. Although the soft music had stopped playing, he led her in a slow dance. She leaned against his chest and closed her eyes.

"Mmmm. This feels so good," she murmured. "Something I've dreamed about."

"Yeah, me too," Logan agreed. "I apologize for not being a better dancer. It's hard to tell whether I'm stepping on your feet when I can't feel my own."

"It's fine, Logan." Max raised her head and looked at him. "You're a wonderful dancer. But we should have music."

In response, Logan broke off his embrace and walked over to the stereo system. He selected a stack of slow, sensual CDs and put them on to play.

"That better?" he said, putting his arms around Max again.

"Much."

They danced together for some time, although neither of them moved much. They clung to one another and swayed to the music. Max had never felt so protected in her life, held tightly in Logan's arms. Logan's heart leapt every time Max snuggled closer to him. Time seemed to stand still for a while.

"Are you hungry?" Logan finally asked.

"I could eat something," Max replied ambiguously.

"Shall I whip up some dinner? It won't take long."

"It better not. We haven't got all night," Max teased.

"Um, actually, we do. Let's make the most of it," Logan replied as he headed for the kitchen. Max followed him and sat down on one of the high stools at the prep table. Logan began to pull ingredients from cabinets and the refrigerator. Within fifteen minutes, he had chicken breasts in the oven, and a sauce bubbling on the stove. He peeled and diced a couple of potatoes, threw them in a pot with water, and put them on the burner to boil. Finally, he set aside a small head of broccoli to steam later.

"Now, while all of that is cooking, we can get back to the important stuff," he said, motioning to Max to join him in the living room again. Once more, he took her in his arms and led her in a slow dance. This was what he had fantasized about that seemingly distant anniversary night; what a long interruption they had experienced between the first embrace and the first slow dance.

Every now and then, Logan broke the embrace and checked on dinner. The second CD had just begun when he announced that it was nearly ready. He quickly swept his Eyes Only files off the dining room table onto a chair, and set the table for two. He lit more candles, poured two glasses of his best white wine, and gently led Max to the table. He pulled out her chair and seated her. Then he served dinner and sat down himself.

They clinked glasses, tasted the wine, and began to eat.

"Mmmm, this is so good," Max declared, smiling over her plate.

"Just your average Cale culinary miracle." Logan laughed.

They ate in near-silence, savoring the meal and each other's company. The food, the wine, the music, the candles – it was all perfect. There was a feeling of serenity, something neither had experienced for many months, to the whole scene. They sipped the wine, gazing into each other's eyes. They smiled a lot.

Too soon, dinner was over and Logan cleared the table. He took the bottle of wine and the glasses into the living room and put them on the coffee table. Sitting down on the couch, he beckoned Max to join him. She curled up next to him and put her head on his shoulder. Logan ran his fingers through her hair. Then his hand moved down to stroke her cheek. He turned slightly toward her and brought her face up to his lips. He kissed her lips, then her throat. Max moaned and leaned into him. She edged closer and kissed Logan.

In an instant, they were in an embrace, kissing each other passionately. Their hands moved, Max's to Logan's hair, further tousling his already messy locks, Logan's to Max's breasts, cupping them tenderly. They remained entangled, kissing and caressing, for what seemed like hours. Max's top was tossed onto the floor; Logan's sweater joined it in a heap. Max knelt on the couch, one knee on either side of Logan, her butt in his lap, kissing him so deeply that he could barely breathe. Finally, she came up for air and said, "Ya know, we should take this somewhere more comfortable, like your bedroom."

Logan caught his breath. "You said you didn't want a quickie."

"This is not a quickie. This is a seduction." She narrowed her eyes and smiled at him, catlike. "Come on." She took his hand and pulled him up from the couch. "It's time."

*****

Come and lay right on my bed, sit and drink some wine.

I'll try not to make you cry.

And if you'd get inside my head, then you'd understand

Then you'd understand me.

Why I've felt so alone, why I kept myself from love

And you became my favorite drug.

So let me take you right now and swallow you down.

I need you inside.



Humming huskily, Max carried the candles into Logan's bedroom. She set them on the nightstand, then went back into the living room for more. In a few minutes, she had the room glowing softly with a golden light. Logan brought the wine and the glasses, which he also set on the nightstand. Soft music still played in the other room, further enhancing the magical mood.

"Shall I take off my slacks, or do you want to do the honors?" she said playfully to Logan, who was sitting on the bed. He looked up at her and sighed, then put his head in his hands. "Logan, what's wrong?"

"Gotta take off the exoskeleton. A real mood-breaker, I'm afraid," he replied apologetically.

Max looked at him quizzically.

"Kind of screws up the spontaneity too." Logan smiled sadly.

"Jeez, Logan! We've finally gotten to this point. I am not going to let you feel sorry for yourself now! Do you know how long I've waited for this?"

"About as long as I have," Logan admitted.

"Maybe longer. And I am not gonna let you mess it up, especially now when we've only got –" she looked at her watch " – seven hours left. Come on, let me help you get out of it. I haven't de-pantsed a guy in a long time."

Logan laughed, then said, "Sure, why not? I haven't had a beautiful woman take my pants off in a long time, either." The corners of his eyes crinkled and the ends of his mouth twitched.

He undid his jeans and propped himself up on the bed with his hands while Max pulled them off. Reaching behind him, he switched off the exoskeleton. Max helped him with the buckles and straps. When he had struggled out of it, she carried it into the hallway and propped it against the wall.  "Well, that's taken care of," she said as she returned. Logan still sat on the edge of the bed. He reached out and grabbed her around the waist. "I think I'll do the honors," he said as he unzipped her slacks.

Max giggled girlishly as Logan helped her out of her pants. In a minute, she stood before him, clad only in a pair of black lace panties and bra. Logan stared at her in awe.

"Earth to Logan?" she said, as he continued to stare.

"Oh, sorry." Logan took her hand and pulled her onto the bed to sit next to him. She turned to him and they kissed tenderly. The kisses got deeper and more passionate until they consumed one another. Logan reached around behind Max and undid her bra. She wriggled out of it and tossed it on the floor. Logan kissed her breasts, breathing in her scent. Max nibbled his ear, then thrust her tongue into it.

"Maybe we should, uh, lie down?" he suggested.

"Good idea," Max agreed. They broke away from each other and Logan pulled himself further onto the bed, dragging his legs. He pushed himself up toward the headboard, positioning his legs on the bed. Max snuggled next to him, wrapping her legs over and under his. They resumed kissing and caressing, Max nuzzling Logan's chest, Logan running his fingers through her hair.

Gently, he brought her head back up and buried his face in her throat, kissing her hungrily. His mouth followed the curves of her throat upward until it reached her lips. He drank deeply. Then he cupped her breasts in his hands and circled her nipples with his tongue. 

Max ran her hands over Logan's body, tracing patterns on his chest and back. He moaned in approval. She encountered the surgical scars on his back and abdomen, and surmised correctly that below them he had little or no sensation. All of a sudden, she had no idea of how to proceed. She was honest when she had said that the chair made no difference to her – Logan was Logan, sitting or standing. But now that they were in bed together, she wasn't sure what came next.

Logan, sensing her hesitation, reluctantly pulled himself away from her breasts and looked at her. "Max? What's wrong?"

Max looked at him, a miserable expression on her face. "I – I don't know what to do, Logan. How do I – ?"

Logan snorted a sad laugh. "Max, I don't know either. I've read all the literature, and I've had all the lectures from Sam and Bling, but I haven't exactly had the chance to test the theories." He looked embarrassed.

"Guess we'll just have to make it up as we go along," Max said. "I'm game if you are."

"Yeah, guess I've got no choice."

Max tried to find the place that would excite him, his center of arousal. She had read the literature too, but up till now, it also had been theoretical for her. At least it would be pleasurable for Logan while she explored.

Logan, trying to overcome his embarrassment, began to relax as Max's hands explored his body. He held her tightly for a few minutes, thankful for her wonderful understanding and tolerance. He ran his fingers through her hair again, stroking it gently, continuing the motion down her body. He felt her back arch beneath his hands and smiled to himself.  He ran a hand down her slender leg, then up the inside of it. Max shivered.

Max heard a sharp intake of breath when she touched a certain spot on Logan's chest, just below his left nipple. Encouraged, she applied her tongue to it and Logan inhaled sharply again. She continued her ministrations and was satisfied with the results. She shifted her legs to straddle Logan and keep working the spot. His body responded in ways neither of them thought possible anymore.

*****

Once the experimentation was out of the way, Max and Logan settled into an unhurried but passionate lovemaking. Max knew that she had to be the more active partner, but she was prepared for that. The fact that she had waited for so long, had paid such a high price, and had only a limited amount of time for the privilege of making love with Logan, made the experience more intense.  She was determined to make the most of it. If she never had the chance again, she would deal with it.

Logan felt different sensations in different places now, but also found that he could still pleasure a woman and receive pleasure in return. This new kind of lovemaking was almost voyeuristic because it involved both watching and letting his imagination run wild, but he felt he could get used to it – with practice. Unfortunately, he knew he wouldn't get the opportunity again unless miracles really did occur, so he was determined to make the most of this one. He had the woman of his dreams in his bed at last, and if this were the only time he would have that, he would deal with it.

*****

They made love until they were both exhausted, then fell into a contented sleep. Sometime in the very early morning, Max's pager alarm went off, indicating that she had only ten minutes before the inoculation wore off.  Silently, she crawled out of bed and found her clothes. She got dressed and returned to the bedroom, where Logan still slept. She brought the wheelchair up to the bed and locked the brakes on it. Max whispered in his ear, "I love you, Logan," and kissed him on the cheek. Then she tiptoed out of his apartment with tears in her eyes.

Max got on her motorcycle and drove toward the Space Needle. On her way, she phoned Alec to see if the gossamer had been taken care of. Assured that all was in order, she continued to the boarded-up landmark. She parked her bike and climbed up to the top of the tower. As the dawn broke, she sat on the edge, knees pulled up, arms wrapped around her legs. Assaulted by a variety of emotions, she wept.

*****

When I wake up without you, knowing you're not there
I'm only feeling half as good
Well I'm gonna find a way
To wrap you in my arms, you make me feel alive

Logan awoke just after dawn and rolled over, expecting to find Max next to him. But her side of the bed was cold, and it was obvious to him that she had been gone for a while. He noticed that she had set the wheelchair by the bed so he could get to it; he smiled sadly at her consideration. He looked at the clock and realized that the duration of the temporary cure had expired.

He pulled himself out of bed, transferred into the chair, and grabbed a robe from the closet. He wheeled into the kitchen and started the coffeemaker. While it perked, he rolled over to the windows in the living room. It had begun to rain, echoing his emotions. He stared out the window and whispered to himself, "I love you, Max. We're gonna find a way to beat this. I swear."  Then he spun the chair around and went back into the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

If we had this night together
If we had a moment to ourselves
If we had this night together, then we'd be
Unstoppable

END