Disclaimer: oh, what a joy it would be to own such a lovely thing, to be able to shape and form the lives of Max and Logan the way I wish. (sigh) but alas I do not own dark angel and I therefore must disclaim that dark angel and its characters and such do not belong to me, have never belonged to me, and will never belong to me. (pain sigh) life is so cruel.

Authors note: last chapter took place in 2007 when Logan escaped, two years before Max and her familia - this chapter takes place in 2019 twelve years after Logan's escape. Logan was 13 when he escaped.

Authors note again: okay people here is the thing, I had read somewhere when dark angel season one was going on, that Logan was 25 years old in the story, even though the actor that portrayed him was at the time in fact 32 years old, and from then on I had always thought of Logan being 25. Therefore, whether or not Logan was intended to be 32 years old in the tv show, he is 25 in my story. Max is nineteen.

Authors note for the third time: umm yeah, I know that Logan's eyes are really sorta of greenish, but everyone always describes them as blue, and I'm a follower not a leader. Also, the dialogue in this is similar to pilot but not exactly - I changed a few things for my own evil purposes - some of the dialogue is mine, some are from the website, and I'm not ripping it off of anyone intentionally.

MAX (voiceover): The escape was not my idea. I mean...escape to what? We didn't know anything else. It was Zack who said we had to leave. So, I guess he saved my life. I didn't think we should separate. But he wouldn't listen. And I never even got a chance to thank him... or the other one... the non-nomlie. I guess that's maybe where Zack got it from, the whole escape thing... wonder what happed to him...whatever...Sometimes it seems like it happened to someone else. Like maybe it was a story I heard. The hardest part is not knowing if any of the others made it. But if I knew for sure I was the only one left it would be worse. At least now I can make up lives for them-- like maybe Jondy's a fashion photographer or an architect... but the truth is, they'd be just like me, living on the run always looking over my shoulder. Hope is for losers. It's a con job people trip behind till they finally get a grip on the cold, hard truth. Still, I hope that they're out there somewhere and that they're okay... All of them

The Building had been easy to get into, leave it to the richest people in Seattle to leave their skylights unlocked.

(Idiots)

She crept soundlessly down the hallway of the highly furnished penthouse, cautiously stalking towards her prize. The place was beautiful, a tribute to pre-pulse luxuries. With clean wooden floors, comfortable looking stuffed sofas, painted walls, big glass windows that didn't have any cracks – It was the kind of place people dreamed about, it even had heating. She'd glanced into a spotless kitchen before, a real kitchen! Complete with a spiffy stove and refrigerator that looked like they actually might work, hell, the sink probably even had hot water. (What I wouldn't give to have access to this bastard's bath)

There was a lot of fancy expensive art crap in the apartment, priceless abstract paintings, incredible still-lives – you name it this guy had it. However, nothing in the apartment seemed to compare to the little statue that had brought Max here in the first place. Bast. The Egyptian cat goddess; a protector, and destroyer in one. She sat upon her throne on top of her glowing stand looking all majestic and powerful... The Egyptians sure thought she was one bad-ass cat. But then again the Egyptians seemed to have a thing for all cats.

(Wonder what they'd think of me) Max thought to herself with a smirk, as she removed Bast from her shining alter. (Sorry kitty but you're coming with me)

She placed the statue in the bag she brought with her, and began to sneak back to the sky light, but froze when she heard an all too familiar voice coming from down the hallway.

"Do not attempt to adjust your set..." (Oh, you have got to be kidding me) "...This is a streaming freedom video. Eyes Only cannot be bought or threatened and through the eyes only informant net a truth-speaker has come forward." (Well, this should turn out to be... interesting)

She peeked through the doorway into room from which the voice had come from, and found herself staring at an assortment of high-tec computers, recording equipment, and the back of the notorious cyber hacker whom Sketchy so admired.

"The testimony of one fearless witness will soon lead to the indictment of Edgar Sonrisa for multiple counts of murder. The drug cortodiazapine is expensive, in short supply and much sought after as a cancer treatment. It is also the only effective treatment for the Balkan War Syndrome, an otherwise fatal disease..."

She stared at the infamous red white and blue banner that flashed around the eyes that had always seemed so familiar to her, and then turned her attention to the screen next to it. Which was the same except it lacked the banner.

"--but that doesn't stop Edgar Sonrisa from growing richer, peddling the drug to the few who can afford to pay any price for vanity's sake..."

Max once again felt the odd feeling of remembrance she experienced every time she looked into the deep blue eyes that flashed from the fuzzy Jam Pony TV screen. The feeling was stronger than ever now that she saw the man's whole face, and that startled her.

"Sonrisa has been replacing shipments with sugar pills, selling the real cortodiazapine on the Canadian black market for $2,000 a bottle while combat vets exposed to bio-war agents go untreated…"

She looked to the back of the man's neck, and was both relieved and disappointed to see that there were no dark lines that would have told her that they were manufactured by the same twisted toy-soldier makers.

"All over this city they are repaid for defending this country by being allowed to waste away and die a slow, agonizing death."

Max was jolted out of her wonderings by the sound of heavy footsteps, which were way to close to her position. She hurried away from the source of the steps and ducked into the first room she saw.

(Oh, Shit)

The women looked up from the book she had been reading to the young girl who lay on the bed next to her, and got up from the bed in alarm. "I won't hurt you," Max said, in attempt to keep the woman from yelling, but it was too late, the women shouted for help and sure enough a gorilla of a body guard showed up in the doorway. (Well, this is just peachy) Max thought as she dodged a bullet, quickly disarmed the apeman of his gun, almost effortlessly knocked him unconscious, and sprinted back towards the skylight.

"Put it down now!" yelled a voice a voice from behind. Max sighed as she dropped her loot bag and turned around to face none other that Mr. Eyes Only himself holding a gun on her.

"Lauren...you and Sophy okay?" Logan asked looking into the room where his new informant and her daughter were staying.

"Yeah...we're okay." Logan nodded and then looked around with alarm, "Peter!" He yelled looking for his friend fearing the worst.

"If he's the side of beef, he's fine, but give him a minute." Logan looked back at the intruder he had his gun pointed at and nearly gasped. There before him stood what had to be the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. (Who also just happened to get into your penthouse undetected) he reminded himself, (keep your head in the game soldier). He took in her appearance, analyzing the threat. A cat suit, and a loot bag...

"You're a thief?" he asked, giving her a serious look.

"Girl's got to make a living." She replied with a smirk.

"Thank God."

She raised her eyebrows in surprise, "First time I ever heard that one."

"I was expecting someone else."

"Guess it wasn't the pizza delivery guy."

Logan smiled, "We're just a little tense right now."

Logan glanced down at the partially open bag she had dropped. Recognizing his Bast statue, he was relieved it hadn't broken when she'd dropped it, however he was intrigued her chosen item of theft.

"You have good taste," He commented, "French, 1920s, a tribute to Chitarus."

"Whoever that is," She replied.

"Oh." He frowned, disappointed "So... What, you liked it 'cause it was shiny?"

"No, because it's the Egyptian goddess Bast, the goddess who comprehends all goddesses, eye of Ra, protector, avenger, destroyer...giver of life who lives forever. I could keep going..."

A groan came from somewhere and Logan looked at the side of the hallway to see Peter straggling towards them, rubbing his ribs. Peter looked up and looked at Logan holding up a gun, aimed at the girl who had knocked him unconscious. Logan watched Peter look the thief up and down, no doubt wondering how she had managed to overpower him. Logan was wondering that himself.

"Stay back Peter," Logan warned, but it was too late, he had already advanced towards the thief, handcuffs ready.

But the thief was too fast for Peter and before Logan could do anything she had Peter by the wrist, forming a barrier between herself and Logan's gun.

"Security's on the way." Gasped Peter, obviously in extreme pain, "Fuck," he cursed loudly, "My wrist is gonna snap!"

"That could happen," said the thief easing her way backwards, Peter always a barrier between her and Logan.

(Security's here) The sound of foot steps suddenly flooding the hallway in front of his front door reached Logan's overly sensitive ears.

Max heard it too, "Well, I'd love to hang and discuss art all night, but I got to jet. By the way, I love your show."

There was the loud bang of metal hitting wood and Logan's door being banged open, and suddenly tons of security men rushed the apartment.

Max threw the bulky bodyguard into one of the rent-a-cops, and sprinted to the window, and then right through it. The glass shattered around her as she dived outwards.

"Hold your fire" she heard someone yell, but it didn't matter, she was already gone. She landed gracefully on a lower balcony and looked up to see Eyes Only staring down at her. She paused only for a moment, to gaze into those mesmerizing eyes once more.

Then she ran.

The night had been exhausting, to say the least.

Right after she had returned home from adventure with Seattle's richest super hero, she experienced one of the most intense seizers of her life, not mention the nightmares... but those were nothing new...

Max sighed as she got up from bed and headed towards the kitchen for some coffee.

(Exhausting and pointless) This morning she was no better off than before she had snuck into that god forsaken penthouse. She still had no money for Vogelsang.

Max groaned as she walked into the living room and saw that once again Kendra's panties were hanging off her motorcycle.

"Kendra, this is a motorcycle. Its sole reason for being is to go fast, very fast. Not for you to use as a clothesline. Now, make no mistake. I love you as a friend and a roommate, but I love my motorcycle more. Stay away from the bike, okay?"

Kendra rolled her eyes and was about answer when suddenly an all too familiar old fat annoying police officer burst into the apartment.

"Ladies..." he said by way of greeting.

"Morning Walter, what's the good word," Max said in a surprisingly sweet tone that made Kendra look at her in surprise.

"Oh just doing my part to keep the squatter situation out of hand,"

"Mm. Coffee?" Kendra kept her curious looks to herself this time, deciding to ask Max about her behavior later, and left the room.

"Read my mind. You notice any trespassers around here?"

"Gosh, no."

Kendra returned to the room – envelope in hand which she held out to Walter, who gave her only a smile in return and then turned to leave the apartment.

"Seventh floor vacant and secure," he said into his walkie talkie as he walked towards the door.

"Roger that." Came the fuzzy reply

"Enjoy your day."

Kendra and Max closed the door behind him, glad to rid of him for at least another week

"What's with you?" Kendra asked looking at Max in confusion, "Every week this scumbag puts the squeeze on us and every week you roll out the welcome wagon like he's family."

"Just thought maybe he'd like some coffee with his saliva."

Kendra gave Max a devious smile, "You didn't!"

"Every week," Max said with a smirk.

Max frowned as she looked down at her sick co-worker and friend.

"I know what I got, Max. They put me back on that drug they're giving the other vets. Only the guy that does those cable hacks says this stuff's no good."

She scowled now, angry with the truth behind everyone's favorite cable hacker. If the bastard was so damn rich, why didn't he use that money to buy people food or something, instead of just sitting in his high tower typing on his stupid computer?

"Don't believe everything you hear on TV."

"What if he's on the level?"

"The dealio on Eyes Only - he's probably some wack rich dude sitting in a trick apartment bored stupid. So he gets off scaring the crap out of folks like you and me. I got to go."

"Tell everybody hey."

"Bingo." Logan smiled, it had taken him a long time, but he had found her.

"What do you got?" Peter asked looking over his shoulder.

"Surveillance video from the building next door. I figure this is how our visitor last night got in." Logan examined the tape, and stared at the thief's face, his mind far away.

Peter noticed the look, "We trying to ID the perp or your new girlfriend?"

Logan frowned looking up at Peter in annoyance, "If I just got my ass handed to me by a size three I might be inclined to mind my own business."

He returned his gaze to the computer, searching for more information. Peter was right though, he had let his mind wander in dangerous directions... but if this girl was who he thought she was... then he knew that he'd better forget those thoughts altogether.

"I'm looking for a young lady who works here,"

Regan "Ray" Ronald (6'1, blond hair, brown eyes, single, 34 years old, enjoys candlelight dinners and discussing great works of literature with intelligent and beautiful individuals... or at least according to his F.B.I. file) glanced up from his clip board for a fraction of a second and took Logan in, "Ladies would be elsewhere."

Logan sighed and held up the picture he had copied from the surveillance video.

The man glanced at the photo and then back at Logan with an almost pitying look.

"Look, pal, she may be easy on the eyes but she's trouble...trust me,"

"Yo, Normal," yelled someone taking the man's attention away from Logan, "Hot run, 1298 Chapel!"

"I need to talk to her,"

"I can't help you, man,"

"How about a name and address," Logan smiled holing out a crisp, new hundred dolor bill under the man's nose.

The bar was noisy and dirty, the overwhelming smell of beer and pot was driving Logan insane – his super sense of smell was too super sometimes. No one in the bar seemed to be over the age twenty-five, it was possible that Logan was the oldest person in the whole place.

She wasn't hard to spot (the most beautiful woman in the– Stop it. Keep your head in the game). The bartender knew her and pointed her out, she was playing foosball and obviously winning, the woman across from didn't seem to be trying anymore. Logan tuned out the sounds of the bar and focused his attention on the conversation she was having with her friend.

"They're prisoners of their genes,"

"So are dogs. I say hang Sketch out to dry. Let Natalie see him for the heel he is. Then, maybe she'll step to the all-girl team."

"Of course, there's nothing self-serving in that scenario."

He must have stared for too long because she looked over at that moment and caught him. Deciding he might as well use the direct approach, he walked over to her.

"So this guy walks into a bar and says..."

"We didn't get a chance to finish our conversation the other night"

He smiled and she smiled back.

"Original Cindy say hi to my good friend-"

"Logan Cale,"

Original Cindy eyed the pair, noting how even when Max "introduced" him, their eyes never left each other.

"Hey,"

They both ignored her

"Sorry about your window," Max said

He smiled, "can we go somewhere to talk?"

"Well look, Xena's on," Cindy said, taking a hinting and stepping out of the picture.

"Let me get my coat,"

"The one you're wearing," this guy didn't miss a beat.

Max looked down at herself, "Right."

(well, well, well, sistah girl found a man dat makes her forget she's wearing clothes, this could be fun)

The street was empty, save a few cars and garbage cans. They walked in silence for a little while, escaping the noise of the bar. It was surprisingly quiet, there weren't any sirens blaring, or yelling, or glass breaking. It was nice.

Logan looked down at her and for the second time in his life was, again, taken aback by how beautiful she was. Her skin, her hair, her eyes, he felt drawn to her, felt as if he had met her before, a long time ago. He gazed at her for a moment, but then stopped himself – her perfection was all the more evidence pointing to his theory of her origin.

"How'd you find me?" She asked suddenly looking up at him curiously.

He shrugged "Wasn't hard,"

"Question is, why?"

"You know who I am, where I live. I figured I'd better find out who I'm dealing with in case you were looking to hurt me."

"So you tracked me down. What do you think?" she asked.

"Too early to tell,"

She smiled and they were both quiet again.

She frowned for a moment and looked at him, "How does Mrs. Eyes Only like being married to a guy on everybody's hit list,"

"Lauren's not my wife,"

"Girlfriend?" (what does it matter, do you really want to get involved with him? - He's sorta cute. - think logically, he's Eyes freaking Only - yeah, too much of a risk, too bad) Max though, mentally sighing.

"One of my sources. Her husband was murdered by a man named Edgar Sonrisa," Logan confirmed, oblivious to Max's silent decision.

"I caught your hack." She said in a knowing tone, "He's Satan's lapdog or something... But what's your shot in all this? I mean being a famous, underground, pirate cyber-journalist can't be much of a payday."

"I inherited a lot of money," he said looking away his eyes distant.

She watched him for a moment, "So what, you just like the sound of your own voice?"

"Look around at all this. Built by people who got up every morning worked hard trying to make a better life." He said in an almost awed voice, "Then the pulse happened and everyone got scared. They blinked and before they knew it they turned over the store to a bunch of thugs who were happy to take it off their hands. Overnight, the government, the police everything intended to protect the people had been turned against them."

"So you miss the good old days. Even though there were still poor people who died from diseases when they didn't need to and rich people who still spent obscene amounts of money redecorating the house to match the cat. Those good old days?"

"Even if they took it for granted, they still had a choice. Now they don't"

"So, what are you going to do about it."

"Something,"

They started walking again, Logan was quiet and Max thoughtful.

"Personally, I'm more interested in going fast on my motorcycle than giving myself a headache over stuff I can't do anything about,"

"You accept things the way they are, then you're an active participant in making things worse," Logan said angrily.

"Is social studies class over for today?" Max asked in an agitated tone.

"Yeah," he said, changing gears, not wanting to scare her off, "That was an extraordinary display of athleticism the other night, a little too extraordinary-" he stopped and listened, hearing the low whine of a hover-drone's engine he grabbed Max's arm and pulled her into the nearest alleyway.

They stood in the alleyway, listening as the hover-drone moved away from them.

Logan sighed with relief as the hover-drone moved away from them in the other direction.

He continued where he left off, still watching the sky, "You want to tell me how-" he stopped himself, looking around.

Max was gone.

(Figures)

"So you have fun with Mr. Logan Cale Last night?"

Max sighed rolling her eyes, "Nothing happened OC,"

"Oh, really," Original Cindy raised her eyebrows as she leaned against her locker, "then how come you never came back to Crash, last night." Cindy asked in a knowing tone.

"I went home,"

"Oh no you didn't, Original Cindy called Kendra to check up on her girl, and she hadn't seen you since you left for work dat morning."

"I went for a ride on my bike first."

"Um hm, or you went for a ride with your new boy toy,"

"Cindy, he is not my boy toy, nor will he ever be my boy toy. In fact, I don't think I'm ever going to see him again,"

"Do you want to see him again?"

Max paused, and stared at her locker, thinking. She did want to see him again.

"I have to go find Sketchy," she said, avoiding the question and Original Cindy's knowing eyes.

"Who do you think your kidding girl, Original Cindy saw the way you two stared at each other, you couldn't keep your eyes off each other, hell, Original Cindy could've grabbed sketchy and started making out with him right in front of you, and you wouldn't have noticed,"

"What's this about you making out with me?" Sketchy appeared out of nowhere and gave Cindy a supposedly sexy look.

"In your dreams fool," Cindy said as she hit him over the head.

"Sketchy, go sit over there I'll be with you in a minute," Max pointed over to the Jam-pony entrance, and gave him a look, "Cindy, if you ever make out with Sketchy, don't tell me about it, I think I'd die of shock and disgust. Wow, bad mental pictures, I think I'm gonna have nightmares now, thanks a lot."

"No problem boo, your hot boy can soothe away your fears," Cindy laughed and headed towards the front desk to get a package from Normal.

Max sighed and went over to help Sketchy clean up his mess.

She sighed as she took off her shirt and flopped down on to her bed.

(Why is Sketchy such a dumb ass?)

She closed her eyes and then sat up suddenly.

Bast, in all her shining glory, was sitting on her dirty table surveying her surroundings, looking like she owned the joint.

(Oh, now he's gonna get it)

"You ever notice how cats show up around dinner time?" Logan said without looking up, he had heard her come in and decided that he didn't feel like waiting for her to reveal herself.

"I won't be staying" Max said icily eyeing him with suspicion.

"I'm not a half bad cook," he said looking up at her, noting that she was wearing her tight cat-suit again.

Max didn't give him an inch, "Like following me around and pestering people I work with wasn't bad enough, but sneaking into my apartment?

"It was open," he told her matter-of-factly.

That pissed her off, "You've got a lot of nerve,"

"Me? You're the one who tried to rip off this place."

"I steal things in order to sell them for money, it's called commerce. But some stranger sneaking into a girl's apartment, that's bent."

"Bent?" he asked in amusement

"Bent,"

He shrugged, "I left you a present,"

"Am I supposed to be grateful?"

"That would not be inappropriate."

"How am I ever going to sleep there again, knowing stranger's probably touched everything I own?"

Logan gave her a brilliant smile, "Well if you're that nervous about it, you're welcome to stay here."

Suddenly Peter came out of nowhere, gun held up menacingly at Max

"Whoa there Tex," Max said backing away, but still ready to take him down if necessary.

"Peter," Logan walked up to him and grabbed his shoulder, "We've been through this, it's alright."

"She's a tactical exposure, which I go on the record as not liking," Peter hissed at Logan as Logan led away from Max.

The words tactical exposure hit Max hard, she had to figure out what this guy wanted and get the hell out of here.

"Noted, do me a favor and go check on Lauren and Sophie,"

Max wandered into the living room, taking notice of the wooden board over the window she had jumped through.

"Send me the bill for this by the way," she said, hearing Logan come up behind her.

He sighed, "Look if I made you nervous or uncomfortable or creeped you out- "

"Yes on all counts," she interrupted giving him a hard look.

"Well I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention... I had to see you," he told her, honestly.

"You'd think a guy who's taken on the job of saving the world would have a few more important things to do than traipse around after some girl."

"I haven't been able to get you off my mind,"

"You need to get out more,"

He smiled, "Come here I want to show you something,"

He led her over to a mirror and stood behind her, "American, neoclassic gold leaf detail, late 1800s. I could probably fence it for two or three grand."

He rolled his eyes, was that all she ever thought about? "No, I meant this," she looked into the mirror, realizing he meant her own reflection, "Probably the most singularly beautiful face I've ever seen."

Max resisted blushing and turned to look at him, "Expensive gifts, surprise late-night visits, over-the-top flattery. Do you always come on this strong? "

"Only when I meet someone I have to know everything about." He said as he moved her hair and realized exactly who she was.

Okay, next chapter Max learns who Logan really is and I get to actually write some of my own dialogue, YAY!