Disclaimer: as always, the characters (well, Max and Logan in this chapter) belong to the Titanic guy, and I won't ever make any money out of this.
Note: Sorry it took me so long, but I'm not quite sure this story is good enough. Anyway, I figure if there is nobody out there who reads it, I still need to go on for myself. You don't have to read it, if you don't like it!!!
**
Meeting The Past
Logan had a goofy grin on his face when he followed Max into the restaurant a few hours later. She was dressed in a simple black dress, and she looked breathtaking. He could see all the other men turn their heads to look at her. For once he didn't care what they thought about him; he was the one who would share a table with this gorgeous woman, he and nobody else.
After a short, comfortable silence Max was the first to speak. "So what's this job all about, Logan? Are you eventually gonna need my help, or why am I here?"
Logan looked at her evasively. "How about we not talk business tonight?"
"Ok." Max didn't sound convinced, so he continued.
"And Max, you're here because I wanted you to be here, not because of any job I had in mind. And you're here because I might have something for you, but I can't say anything else right now. Please, just leave it for now."
"Whatever." Max shrugged. "So what would you recommend for dinner?"
Logan sighed inwardly, relieved that, for now, the topic seemed to be finished. "Maybe some fish? We hardly get that in Seattle."
Suddenly Logan's phone rang. With an apologizing look he reached for it and shrugged before answering. But by the way he straightened when he heard the caller, Max knew it was someone important.
He didn't say much and Max sensed that he would rather take the conversation in private. Rolling her eyes at him, so it was obvious she was pissed, she got up, mumbling something about going to the ladies' room. Logan didn't even react.
**
When Max returned to the table, Logan seemed distracted and was glancing at the entrance frequently. At first Max tried to ignore it, but eventually her anger won the battle.
"What the hell is the matter, Logan?" She tried to catch his eyes. "We wanted to enjoy dinner, and you've still got that job on your mind, haven't you? What was the phone call about? Do you need me to break in somewhere? Do some legwork? Then say so, now!"
"Max, calm down." He glanced around, hoping nobody had overheard her outburst. He took a deep breath. "It's not what you think, I swear."
"Yeah, right."
"Please, trust me. Let's have dinner, and afterwards you're going to understand, ok?" Logan carefully put his hand on her bare arm, not sure how she would react.
Max looked at his hand for a long moment before she finally nodded. "OK."
"Thanks. And now let's eat, the fish is coming."
Right at that moment the waiter brought their plates.
**
Logan checked his watch nervously again, then looked up to catch the attention of their waiter.
"What's the matter with you? Why do you suddenly wanna go so badly?" Max asked him.
"I don't," he answered quickly, raising his eyebrows.
"Yeah, right," Max snorted, "Then why are you acting like this?"
"Like what?" But he didn't look at her; he finally spied the waiter and made a sign that indicated he wanted to pay.
Max sighed. The call had probably been an informant and now he couldn't wait to get back to his computer. Fine by her. If he had to work she would find a way to enjoy herself! She'd seen a bar within walking distance from their hotel; maybe she would find somebody to play a game of pool or darts.
When the waiter left, Max automatically stood up.
"Let's go home," she said shortly. There was no answer, so she angrily preceded him, intending to ignore him completely for the remainder of the evening. How could he do that to her? Ruin the whole night with his stupid Eyes Only crusader thing. Why couldn't he for once be a normal guy, a nice guy who took a girl out to dinner, maybe dancing, a drink...She knew that wasn't justified. They weren't like "that" and Logan had probably never intended this to be a date. It was just dinner, He was used to fancy restaurants; he probably didn't even realize how special this was for her.
Men!
But once outside Logan didn't seem to be in a hurry anymore. It took Max a moment to realize that he didn't follow her toward the car. Angrily she turned around? "What? Aren't you coming?"
He looked up at her, shrugging. "Would you like to go for a walk?"
"Excuse me?"
"A walk. There's a park over there," he explained as if she hadn't understood.
"Why the hell did you chase me from that nice restaurant and then ask me to go for a walk?"
He shrugged again. "I have my reasons. Come on, please."
"Great, just great," she mumbled, but obliged.
Walking a few steps behind him, she followed him down a pretty dark path toward the sea. She could hear the waves rolling in.
When he had reached the beach after he stopped next to a bench. They hadn't talked to each other. "Have a seat, please," he offered.
Max hesitated; there was something about his voice she didn't like, something like insecurity or nervousness. "What's going on, Logan? Why are you acting all weird?"
"Sit down, please," he insisted, and finally she did so. She turned to look at him, urging him to give her some explanation.
"Look, Max, this whole trip...there's something I haven't told you...I...I just wasn't sure if my information was correct. I didn't want to raise your hopes, and I also didn't know how you would react...hell, I still don't know how you'll react..." he laughed nervously.
Max swallowed. "Would you please just fill me in?"
Logan nodded. "Sure, I mean...yeah, listen. Back when you came to my place after...after the shooting, and we talked about a deal, you know that I promised to help you find your siblings- I haven't found one," he added quickly, "But, you know, I dug up something else."
"Logan!" Max warned him.
Suddenly there was a noise behind them. Max spun around, ready to fight. "Max, this is Helen Rosen." He took a deep breath. "She's your mother."
**
Is it really that bad? Please let me know what you think (I'm not talking about grammar and vocabulary. I'm not American or English or Australian or Canadian !! Bear with me here, please!)
But a thousand thanks to Alaidh for betaing this chapter! I think it's a real improvement and I'm really really glad she offered her help.
Note: Sorry it took me so long, but I'm not quite sure this story is good enough. Anyway, I figure if there is nobody out there who reads it, I still need to go on for myself. You don't have to read it, if you don't like it!!!
**
Meeting The Past
Logan had a goofy grin on his face when he followed Max into the restaurant a few hours later. She was dressed in a simple black dress, and she looked breathtaking. He could see all the other men turn their heads to look at her. For once he didn't care what they thought about him; he was the one who would share a table with this gorgeous woman, he and nobody else.
After a short, comfortable silence Max was the first to speak. "So what's this job all about, Logan? Are you eventually gonna need my help, or why am I here?"
Logan looked at her evasively. "How about we not talk business tonight?"
"Ok." Max didn't sound convinced, so he continued.
"And Max, you're here because I wanted you to be here, not because of any job I had in mind. And you're here because I might have something for you, but I can't say anything else right now. Please, just leave it for now."
"Whatever." Max shrugged. "So what would you recommend for dinner?"
Logan sighed inwardly, relieved that, for now, the topic seemed to be finished. "Maybe some fish? We hardly get that in Seattle."
Suddenly Logan's phone rang. With an apologizing look he reached for it and shrugged before answering. But by the way he straightened when he heard the caller, Max knew it was someone important.
He didn't say much and Max sensed that he would rather take the conversation in private. Rolling her eyes at him, so it was obvious she was pissed, she got up, mumbling something about going to the ladies' room. Logan didn't even react.
**
When Max returned to the table, Logan seemed distracted and was glancing at the entrance frequently. At first Max tried to ignore it, but eventually her anger won the battle.
"What the hell is the matter, Logan?" She tried to catch his eyes. "We wanted to enjoy dinner, and you've still got that job on your mind, haven't you? What was the phone call about? Do you need me to break in somewhere? Do some legwork? Then say so, now!"
"Max, calm down." He glanced around, hoping nobody had overheard her outburst. He took a deep breath. "It's not what you think, I swear."
"Yeah, right."
"Please, trust me. Let's have dinner, and afterwards you're going to understand, ok?" Logan carefully put his hand on her bare arm, not sure how she would react.
Max looked at his hand for a long moment before she finally nodded. "OK."
"Thanks. And now let's eat, the fish is coming."
Right at that moment the waiter brought their plates.
**
Logan checked his watch nervously again, then looked up to catch the attention of their waiter.
"What's the matter with you? Why do you suddenly wanna go so badly?" Max asked him.
"I don't," he answered quickly, raising his eyebrows.
"Yeah, right," Max snorted, "Then why are you acting like this?"
"Like what?" But he didn't look at her; he finally spied the waiter and made a sign that indicated he wanted to pay.
Max sighed. The call had probably been an informant and now he couldn't wait to get back to his computer. Fine by her. If he had to work she would find a way to enjoy herself! She'd seen a bar within walking distance from their hotel; maybe she would find somebody to play a game of pool or darts.
When the waiter left, Max automatically stood up.
"Let's go home," she said shortly. There was no answer, so she angrily preceded him, intending to ignore him completely for the remainder of the evening. How could he do that to her? Ruin the whole night with his stupid Eyes Only crusader thing. Why couldn't he for once be a normal guy, a nice guy who took a girl out to dinner, maybe dancing, a drink...She knew that wasn't justified. They weren't like "that" and Logan had probably never intended this to be a date. It was just dinner, He was used to fancy restaurants; he probably didn't even realize how special this was for her.
Men!
But once outside Logan didn't seem to be in a hurry anymore. It took Max a moment to realize that he didn't follow her toward the car. Angrily she turned around? "What? Aren't you coming?"
He looked up at her, shrugging. "Would you like to go for a walk?"
"Excuse me?"
"A walk. There's a park over there," he explained as if she hadn't understood.
"Why the hell did you chase me from that nice restaurant and then ask me to go for a walk?"
He shrugged again. "I have my reasons. Come on, please."
"Great, just great," she mumbled, but obliged.
Walking a few steps behind him, she followed him down a pretty dark path toward the sea. She could hear the waves rolling in.
When he had reached the beach after he stopped next to a bench. They hadn't talked to each other. "Have a seat, please," he offered.
Max hesitated; there was something about his voice she didn't like, something like insecurity or nervousness. "What's going on, Logan? Why are you acting all weird?"
"Sit down, please," he insisted, and finally she did so. She turned to look at him, urging him to give her some explanation.
"Look, Max, this whole trip...there's something I haven't told you...I...I just wasn't sure if my information was correct. I didn't want to raise your hopes, and I also didn't know how you would react...hell, I still don't know how you'll react..." he laughed nervously.
Max swallowed. "Would you please just fill me in?"
Logan nodded. "Sure, I mean...yeah, listen. Back when you came to my place after...after the shooting, and we talked about a deal, you know that I promised to help you find your siblings- I haven't found one," he added quickly, "But, you know, I dug up something else."
"Logan!" Max warned him.
Suddenly there was a noise behind them. Max spun around, ready to fight. "Max, this is Helen Rosen." He took a deep breath. "She's your mother."
**
Is it really that bad? Please let me know what you think (I'm not talking about grammar and vocabulary. I'm not American or English or Australian or Canadian !! Bear with me here, please!)
But a thousand thanks to Alaidh for betaing this chapter! I think it's a real improvement and I'm really really glad she offered her help.