AS 2.07: Devil's Waltz by Star24 (2003

Disclaimer: Dark Angel and its characters are copyright 2000-2002 Twentieth Century Fox Studios and James Cameron and Charles Eglee. This original fiction is copyright 2003 Star24.

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Chapter Two

Metro Medical Center

Footsteps sounded outside of his door, and Logan looked up from pushing items around on the tray of unappetizing food that had been delivered to him. His face lit into one of his rare smiles when Max pushed open his door and walked into the room. One hand was behind her back, and she appeared hesitant.

"Hey, you." Logan said and then paused, "I wasn't sure you'd come back after earlier."

Max smiled in relief at his change in mood. "Guess I'm a glutton for punishment. Anyway, I kind of found these, and they needed a home, so…" She pulled her hand out from behind her back to reveal a slightly bedraggled bouquet of flowers.

Logan grinned at her, "Didn't you ever hear that the guy is supposed to bring flowers to the girl?"

Max gave him a look, "Since when have we ever done anything the way we're supposed to?" she retorted sassily.

Logan laughed, "You definitely have a point." He pressed the call button and within moments an attractive, crisply dressed nurse entered the room. "Can you find something to put these in?" he asked her with a smile. Max watched as the nurse flushed slightly and smiled back eagerly at Logan.

"I'll be right back with them, Mr. Cale."

"No rush. He's not goin' anywhere anytime soon, and I kind of wanted some privacy to talk to him." Max said pointedly, walking over and perching on the bed next to Logan with a proprietary air. Logan smiled to himself as the nurse quickly became all business and hurried out of the room.

"Can you do that trick when they come in tomorrow morning to put me through the torture they call physical therapy here?" Logan asked her.

"What trick would that be?" Max said, her innocent tone belied by the sparkle in her eyes.

Logan laughed and on impulse he reached for her and pulled her face to his for a kiss.

Max didn't resist and he deepened it, forgetting for a few minutes where they were. He dropped his hands to her shoulders and began to pull her closer to him, but she gently pulled back and away from him.

"I don't want to get kicked out when I just got here, for endangering the welfare of a patient or something," she said ruefully.

Logan smothered his disappointment and tried to smile, "You're probably right." He reached out for her hand instead, and she allowed him to twine his fingers with hers.

"Logan," Max said growing suddenly serious. "I'm glad you're in a better mood tonight 'cause I have to tell you something."

Logan felt a shiver of foreboding, "Is this the part where you tell me that you're sorry but you've met someone else?" he teased, trying to lighten the darkness that seemed to have suddenly set in.

Max's surprise at his statement was so clear that he felt a quick surge of relief. "Are you high on some kind of meds or something?" she asked. "When would I have time to meet someone else, not to mention the inclination?"

Logan shrugged. "So what is it then?" His foreboding returned as she answered.

"I might have to go out of town for a couple of days. Family emergency you could say," Max answered vaguely. "I hate to leave you now but…"

Logan jumped to the conclusion she had hoped he would, and his brow lightened. "Max, it's okay. I know how much your siblings mean to you. If Syl or Krit needs you, who am I to keep you hanging around here?" He paused. "Are they in danger? I can't do much but I could get Sebastian to pinch hit for me if you need him to."

"No. That isn't necessary. I just need to go…visit." Max hastened to assure him. She hoped he wasn't picking up on her nervousness over this conversation. She'd lied plenty of times in her life and it had never once bothered her. But this was Logan, and she was shocked at how difficult it was to meet his eyes as she carefully danced around her real reason for leaving town.

Logan stared at her closely and she waited for him to push. But to her surprise he let it go. "Just promise me that if you need help you'll let me know. Or better yet, I'll give Sebastian a heads up and you can call him directly if you need him to do anything for you."

Max smiled in relief. "Thanks, Logan. I'll do that."

Silence fell as the two sat looking at each other. Logan still held her hand and he dropped his gaze to their tangled fingers after a moment. He took a breath and looked back up at her, his face serious. "Max about what you said this morning, about me blaming you for my legs…"

"Yeah?"

"I just want you to know that I never blamed you for a minute for that. If it's on anyone, it's on me." He stopped and waited for her reaction, surprised at how nervous he was.

Max stared at him, surprised at his uncharacteristic openness. A slow smile crossed her face. "Wow," she said softly.

"Wow?" Logan repeated in a confused tone.

"I can't believe we're actually talking about this. Without fighting over it. That's gotta be some kind of first for us."

They smiled at each other, and this time Max leaned in to kiss him. When she sat back up Logan reached out and gently brushed her hair back off of her face. Before they could say anymore, the door opened and the nurse returned with the flowers, now in a pretty cut glass vase.

"I found this for your flowers, Mr. Cale." She checked her watch and looked at Max.

"I'm afraid visiting hours are over." Her tone displayed none of the sweetness that was evident when she was speaking to Logan.

Max smiled sweetly at her, "I was just saying goodnight to Logan." She reached down and smoothed his hair, ignoring his look of amusement. "Night, lover," she said emphasizing the endearment. She leaned in and kissed him again, and then smoothly rose from the bed. "I'll ask OC to stop in and make sure you're okay while I'm away," she said to Logan. She walked to the nurse and took the vase of flowers from her and placed them on the small table next to Logan. "Don't you have rounds to make, bedpans to empty, that kind of thing?" she said to the nurse.

The woman gave her a look, but turned and preceded her out the door. Max was following when she heard a low chuckle from Logan. Looking back she caught his smile.

"Have a nice trip, lover," he called after her. "And when you get back and I get out of here, we're gonna have a nice long discussion about that." His meaning was clear in his eyes as he let them sweep over her.

Max grinned, "You bet we are." The door closed and she was gone. Logan looked thoughtfully at the flowers, even as he tried to suppress the anxiety that was still nagging at him.

Max's Crib

Max finished zipping up her catsuit and checking her pockets for her usual tools. She didn't plan on doing any breaking and entering tonight, but somehow, having the familiar implements on her, made her feel better about her upcoming meeting with Lydecker.

A thought of how Logan would react if, no when, he found out what she was doing crossed her mind, but she swiftly brushed it aside. Despite what he said about not blaming her for his paralysis, she couldn't help but blame herself. And she was going to do whatever it took to fix it for him. She'd deal with his reactions after the fact. After all making it up as she went along was one of her strengths, and somehow she'd always managed to get by. Why should this time be any different?

"Because you're dealing with Donald Lydecker." A small voice in her head said.

"He's just a man. I can handle him." She argued back.

"You play with fire, you get burned," the voice persisted.

"I won't get burned. I have to do this for Logan. I owe it to him."

"Speaking of Logan, he's not going to like it when he finds out." The voice tried a new tack.

"It'll be too late for him to do anything about it by then. He might be mad at first, but he'll get over it." She reassured herself.

"If this goes sideways it's on you."

"It won't. I won't let it." Max shook her head and resolutely pushed her doubts aside.

She began to leave the apartment but she hesitated. Turning from the door she looked around until she spotted a small pad. Taking a pencil that was laying on the counter she quickly scribbled a note to Cindy.

OC,

I have to try to do something to help Logan. Lydecker has information that I need, so I'm meeting with him tonight at the abandoned Rich Seafood warehouse down by Pier 52.

I may have to go out of town for a couple of days to get what I need from him. Don't worry and cover for me with Normal.

Please stop by and visit Logan at Metro Med. He thinks I'm going to see Syl and Krit. I know I can count on you to have my back with him. He'll only worry if he knows.

Thanks.

Max

She read it over, nodded in satisfaction and then folded it and wrote Cindy's name on the outside. She propped it against the coffee pot, sure that Cindy would discover it there in the morning and then, after one last look around to be sure she hadn't forgotten anything, she left the apartment.

End of Chapter Two