by iluvaqt@hotmail.com
iluvaqt's Notes: Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Positive comments, constructive criticism and even personal request are an encouragement. Just to forewarn you however, I write at my own pace and I write whatever comes to mind. I just hope readers enjoy the results.
Chapter 2: Professions
"Max!" Sketchy, bounded over and wrapped her in a bear hug. "Have I told you how awesome you are lately?"
Max squirmed out of his embrace and gave him a curious, yet suspicious once over. "What'd ya do this time, Sketch? Or is it a who'd you do?" She winked at Original Cindy, who rolled her eyes and laughed.
"Nah…serious…nothing's sideways in the world of Calvin Theodore." Sketchy leaned on the bar, studying the girls. "Natalie and I got back together, all thanks to you."
"Really," she said, before leaning and whispering to Original Cindy, "Not to drop on the poor woman but why the hell did she come back?"
"No idea," Original Cindy replied.
"And you're looking at a newly bought man." Sketchy continued.
Both girls looked at him in complete surprise. "My boy, care to run that by me again, I think I missed something."
"How'd you pull it off, Sketch?" Max asked, genuinely interested.
"Well I've known her for years, she's a fabulous cook and frankly, I wouldn't date me so I thought I'd cease my God bestowed gift before she woke up and realized what a hopeless loser she was with."
Original Cindy got of her seat and slapped Sketch on the back of the head, "If that's the only reason you're marrying Natalie, you deserve a hell-of-a-lot more than that!"
"What?" Sketchy asked in complete bewilderment.
Max shook her head and put a hand on Sketchy's shoulder, "Sketch, let me fill some of that gray space up there, with a little wisdom. Women want to feel loved and appreciated. Sure, the fact that you asked her to marry you acknowledged a helpless need, but did you tell her you loved her?"
"Well I took her out to her favorite restaurant, I got on my knees…"
"Sketch, simple question."
"Well…not exactly…"
"Meaning, no. Short and sweet, Sketch. Just tell her." Max ordered him another beer before pulling on her jacket. "Understand?"
"Yeah, I gotcha," Sketchy replied.
Original Cindy stood up and moved behind her. "You gonna take some of that advice yourself, boo?"
Max smiled and nudged her friend, "You're right, it's about time."
Logan stood in the kitchen, walking stick leaning against the island counter. His doctors had been apprehensive during his recovery, knowing how devastating it would be to him if he lost his legs again. Luckily, the bacterial infection hadn't affected the nerves around his spine and there was minimal muscle and tissue damage around his back and neck. Exercise, a healthy diet and a positive attitude were prescribed to ensure 100% recovery.
Bling dropped by everyday, for an hour in the late afternoon. They did an exercise routine and talked, sometimes he stayed for dinner. Logan stopped thinking about it as professional freebies and Bling stopped assuming the role of nursemaid.
"Logan?"
"In here, Bling." Logan replied. He was busily chopping steak and once he'd finished, he dropped the board and the knife in the sink and rinsed his hands. When he turned back to the counter, Bling was in the doorway.
"I have an appointment tonight, so I can't stay. I just wanted to drop you this." He rolled a large rubber ball into view. "I'll leave it in the exercise room. If you don't already know how to use it, I'll show you tomorrow."
"No problem, thanks." Logan wiped his hands dry on the kitchen towel and met Bling's gaze. "You sure you can't stay, I'm making kebabs."
"Sounds tempting but I can't cancel. I'll see you tomorrow." He said it with a smile and Logan picked up the hint.
"Have fun," Logan called after him.
"You sound cheery," Max noted.
Logan looked up to find Max, where Bling had just been. She was dressed in blue jeans and a black t-shirt, her reddish brown hair in a tumble of curls about her shoulders. In one hand she carried her leather jacket. In the other, she held a bottle of red wine. He smiled warmly at her and invited her to take a seat. "Haven't seen you around in awhile."
"Been keeping busy and out of trouble," she replied, returning his smile. Placing the bottle of wine on the counter, she helped herself to some pineapple pieces.
"That's good to hear. How's Alec?" Logan asked offhandedly.
Max met his eyes, trying to read them. Logan pretended to be occupied soaking more sticks.
"He's doing great. I actually haven't seen much of him since the accident...he's thinking about moving back to Minnesota." That got him to meet her gaze. She saw exactly what she wanted to see in his blue eyes, worry. He was worried she'd leave. "I thought I'd stay in Seattle. I mean White's out of the picture and no more Manticore."
"You sure you won't miss it, being out there?"
"I'm sure," she said. She looked up at the clock and remembered her speech to Sketchy. Take your own advice, just tell him.
Max let her eyes roam over him briefly. He was dressed in her favourite dark blue sweater. It hugged his torso without looking tight and accented his probing blue eyes. His dark trousers couldn't hide his cute behind and she blushed as she remembered watching him bend over to pick up the grilling tray. His hair was spiked, how she loved it and his beard and moustache were trimmed back neatly. She still felt the tingle of their last kiss on her lips and chin. "Logan, there's something that I should have told you long ago, that I've been putting off forever because I just didn't know if I could tell you, or if it was even right of me to expect…"
"Max…" he stopped, noticing for the first time that her hand was covering his. Just gently brushing, not squeezing or holding. Just there.
"I fell for you a long time ago, only I didn't know it," she choked out. When she slowly retracted her hand, he turned her palm up and held it in his. "By the time I figured out what I wanted, it was too late…" she broke off.
"Max." Logan squeezed her hand encouragingly. Before wiping his sticky hand with a damp towel and coming to sit beside her. Now holding both of her hands in his. "It took me awhile to figure out things between us too. There were times when I consciously pushed you away, when there were things that I couldn't figure out. When I realized all that you were, the woman you are, well...I left it too late, too."
"I've never loved anyone before, Logan. Not like this. Sometimes I wonder if it's even right."
"What do you mean?" he asked, brushing a stray curl from her face.
"How can I ask you to love me, with my past, all the trouble I bring, I still don't have my answer either. What if this body does have an expiration date…"
"Max, everyone's life ends, look how many times I've come close."
"It's not what I mean," she protested.
"Life is a gift. It's how you cherish it, use it and remember it. You didn't have to ask me to love you. I already do. I have for a long time."
"Despite things I've done, weak choices I've made? 'Cause things happened while we were apart, Logan. Things I wish I could take back, but I know I can't."
"I've made stupid decisions too. We all do, Max. Nobody's perfect."
"I guess what I came here to say was, I love you Logan Cale." Even as the words left her lips, her heart threatened to thump right out of her chest and it took an enormous amount of effort to keep her hands from trembling.
Logan smiled and pulled her close, to kiss her gently. Pulling back, he spoke into her eyes, "And I love you, Max Guevara, Rachel Glasser, Linda Eastman, all the women you are." He grinned down at her, as he stood pulling her up with him. "There's something I want to show you."
He lead her from the kitchen and down the passage. Opening the door to his storage room, there was Max's motorcycle.
"Logan. How did you?"
"Found her impounded about a month after to left. Thought you might want her back."
"I'll pay you back," she said as she ran her fingers along the bike. "You did some modifications."
"Only the best, I had a friend send over the parts." He stood in the doorway, watching her look over the bike, excitement in her eyes.
"How did Logan Cale, go from bordering on the poverty line to Mr. Sugar Daddy overnight?"
Logan laughed and blushed slightly, "Let's just say that I reissued the patent on the hoverdrone chip and sent the designs overseas. Asia doesn't seem all that concerned with ex-cons getting knocked off by our flying machines. " He disappeared around the corner and returned with the keys. "So are you going to take her for a spin?"
Max took the keys merrily and hugged him. Smiling up at him, she took his hand and led him back to the kitchen. "Maybe later, I'm starving. I haven't eaten all day."
"You're not serious. Since when do you not eat?"
Max gave him a rueful smile, "X5s can go without food or water for over 6 days."
Logan grew serious, "Really, are you feeling okay? I thought the seizures were over."
"They are. While I was at Manticore they got rid of the implant, even though I know Renfro toyed with the idea of keeping it, tracking advantage and all. The doctors convinced her that even though the implant was inactive, it was dangerous having it so closely intertwined with my brain stem. They tinkered my DNA to correct the serotonin deficiency. Pity they couldn't do anything about my feline DNA," she said with a sarcastic smile.
Logan returned her smile, but the look of concern was still there. Moving way from the counter, he switched on the grill. After putting the skewers on the lined rack and pasted them with pineapple juice, he pushed the tray under the flames. Dropping the towel on the rail, he moved back to the bench, taking small slightly unsteady steps.
For the first time, Max noticed his stiff movement. "How are you doing?"
"Better," he replied. "Doc says I'm lucky. The bacterial infection was treated before it was strong enough to damage my spine. And well, the virus...no more troubles there."
"I can't even begin to tell you how responsible I felt. I couldn't even figure out what was happening. If you…if they…if Alec hadn't found the cure…"
"Alec found the cure?" Logan asked in surprise.
"Nobody told you?" Max looked into his blue eyes and stood up. Things she'd never considered before running though her head. "Alec and Tash went back to the VA hospital to get the cure. He got careless when Tash got caught by White and got himself shot up. I can't believe no one told you."
Logan let out a grim laugh. "I might be an infamous cyber journalist, but often I feel like I'm the last to know."
"Now that I think about it, how would Alec know about the cure if he didn't already know about the virus?" Max concluded, before a shadow of pain washed over her face. She grimaced and doubled over.
"Are you all right?" Logan rounded the bench and touched her shoulder. "Do you want to lie down?"
"I'm okay, I'll sit. Just a cramp, can't believe I'm that hungry," she said, giving him a reassuring smile.
Logan went back to cooking, keeping a watchful eye on her. Whilst Max went over the questions in her head, finding answers that weren't very encouraging or pleasant. She had a few things she'd like to ask Alec.