by Kirsten Tapp
Disclaimer: Dark Angel doesn't belong to the author, but to James Cameron, etc. No copyright infringement intended.
Summary: What went on between Art Attack and Rising.
Spoilers: Art Attack, Rising
Rating: PG
Category: Drama/Romance
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Logan rubbed his thigh. He couldn't believe that he could feel his legs. Not only had he been able to feel the pain in his ankle when he had hit it on the leg of the coffee table, but he could feel his hand on his thigh. How was this possible?
Needing someone to confirm that his legs were returning to working order, Logan phoned Sam Carr's office and booked an appointment to see his Doctor later that morning. As he got ready for bed he remembered to make a note to phone the store that Max had stolen her dress from and get them to charge it to one of his credit cards.
As he lay in bed, the old fear that he might be imagining the feeling in his legs resurfaced. Flicking on the bedside light and throwing the covers aside, Logan pulled himself up so that he was sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him. Concentrating on his feet, he focused on moving his toe. When nothing happened he grew despondent. Letting out a frustrated breath Logan thumped his fist on the mattress. As he stared angrily at his feet, he saw his big toe move slightly.
Reassured that his recovery wasn't his imagination, Logan relaxed and let his mind wonder back to the wedding. He had been surprised to see that Max was so moved by the ceremony. Still, he had always thought that beneath that tough front she always wore, was a soft heart.
Logan could have kicked himself, or at least now there was a possibility he may be able to kick himself for practically ignoring Max all evening. When he had told Max that she had been the most beautiful woman at the wedding, he had been telling the truth.
When Max had maneuvered her way to the front of the crowd while he was making a mess of his carefully thought out speech, she had seemed to bring a warm glow to the room. He had never been so happy to see somebody in his life and not just because she was feeding him the lines to his speech. The words had come flooding back to him when he looked at her. He had even imagined for the briefest moment that he was saying the words to her and not the bride and groom. Then he blew it by spending the whole night trying to figure out why Daphne had dumped him all those years ago.
Logan had never seen Max all dressed up like that before. With her hair piled on top of her head, leaving a few stray curls to frame her face and cover her barcode, she had looked angelic. He hadn't expected to be so stunned by her beauty.
There had never been a time when Logan hadn't thought that Max was beautiful. Somehow tonight she had been like a vision that had walked straight out of a dream. Logan had a suspicion that Max's boss Normal had even been stunned at the sight of Max gliding out from behind the lockers.
Logan closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep. He had a big day ahead of him. He could be getting his life back and a chance of a future with Max. Although he fell into a deep sleep, he dreamt dreams full of a beautiful brunette in a red dress.
Max walked into her apartment in the early hours of the morning to find that Kendra had only just got home from a date with Mr Multiples.
"Hey. How was the wedding?" Kendra envied how fantastic Max looked in that dress.
"Not bad. I had to keep leaving to help save Normal's sorry ass." Max sat down on the sofa beside Kendra. "Original Cindy ended up at the wedding and I think she hooked up with Logan's ex."
Kendra giggled. "You're kidding. Who caught the bouquet?"
"Original Cindy." Max joined her friends giggles. "Logan's Uncle Jonas seems like a pain in the ass. Maybe he has a personality when he's sober. If he ever is sober."
"How's the rest of the family?" Kendra could only imagine what it would be like to be surrounded by that many rich people.
"Bunch of snobs." Max smiled to herself. She had never enjoyed lifting jewellery off someone more than when she had stolen the locket from right under Logan's Aunt Margot's nose. "Logan develops this really false laugh when he's around them."
"What was he laughing at when you first heard this false laugh?" Kendra couldn't understand why two people like Max and Logan who were obviously meant for each other, insisted on denying the attraction between them.
"His Uncle Jonas was basically calling him a lazy bum." Max had wanted to kick Jonas' ass so badly for that. "But he said it in the nicest possible way of course."
"So I'm guessing Logan liked the dress." Kendra teased.
Max knew what was coming. She wasn't about to repeat Logan's comment about her being the most beautiful woman at the wedding. Nor was she going to let Kendra know that Logan was going to pay for the dress. "We both agreed that we both clean up nice."
Kendra's jaw dropped. "You clean up nice? You mean the words beautiful, stunning, gorgeous, elegant, exquisite weren't used? Is Logan blind as well as not having the use of his legs?"
Max gave her friend an unladylike snort. "He sees just fine. I keep telling you we're not like that. If you'd believe me then you wouldn't get disappointed when there's no juicy gossip to tell."
Kendra studied her friend for a minute. "I don't think you'd tell me even if there was. I've seen the way Logan looks at you. So don't tell me there's nothing but friendship between you two. Original Cindy told me Logan pulled every string he had to get you out of jail that time a few months back. Plus he knew about your medical condition before either Original Cindy or I did."
"Well, you don't tell me everything." Max changed the subject before she admitted something to Kendra that she wouldn't even admit to herself. "You say I've met Mr Multiples, but you won't tell me who he is."
"This is so totally different." Kendra protested. "I don't know why you're so defensive about this. We all like Logan. You two make a cute couple."
"We're not a couple." Max should have known Kendra would turn the subject back on her.
"You should be." Kendra stood and headed for her room. "I'm going to bed. See ya in the morning."
"It is morning." Max saw the time on her kitchen clock."
"Well see ya later in the morning." Kendra poked her head out of her room. "Maybe even this afternoon."
Max walked into her own room and stared at her reflection in the mirror. She had never owned a dress this beautiful or this expensive before. She didn't know if there would ever be a reason for her to wear it again. Taking an empty coat hanger from her closet, Max took off the dress and changed into some comfortable clothes after hanging it up in her closet.
Max had never had a guy give her a gift before. Not flowers, not fruit baskets, not jewellery and certainly not an expensive dress. She wasn't really sure how to react. The feelings she was feeling were strange and new to Max. No other man had made her feel as special as Logan had when he told her that she was the most beautiful woman at the wedding.
This wasn't right. Max was a genetically engineered killing machine. She wasn't supposed to go all soft and mushy inside when a rich, good looking guy told her that she was beautiful. That was exactly what was happening. Although Max couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud, she felt like a normal girl for once.
A few hours later while Max was making herself some coffee, Logan phoned. "Hey. Did you get any sleep?" Max was worried that Logan had been working after she had left his apartment. She could survive just fine on little to no sleep, but Logan couldn't. In fact he got more than a little grouchy.
"Yeah, some." Logan could have sworn that Max had sounded worried about him. "I had to get up anyway. I've got a doctor's appointment."
"What's wrong?" Max was really worried now. It wasn't that long ago that Logan had ended up in hospital and almost died.
"Nothing. It's just a check up." Now Logan was certain that Max was worried about him. "I may have some news when I get back from the doctors. So I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner." For a reason he wasn't even sure of himself, Logan wanted Max to be the person he shared the good news about his legs with.
"Sure. See ya around eight. You know I never pass up a Cale culinary miracle." Max wasn't sure that she could wait that long to hear Logan's news.
"See you at eight." Logan didn't think it was a good idea to remind Max that it had taken him a while to get Max to have dinner with him to begin with. He hung up the phone and headed for the shower. "Give me good news Sam." He muttered to himself. Life was beckoning him and he wanted to run towards it.
