Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel, someone else does. This is just me blowing off steam.
A/N: Thanks for all the great feedback. It's definately great incentive to keep going. I'll probably be slowing down for a little while, my job just got totally out of hand today and figuring out what's going on with that will be taking up way too much of my time. Anyway, enjoy!
The ride out of the city was fairly uneventful. Max was a little gittery about returning to Gillette. The last time she'd been in Wyoming was when they had taken down Manticore. She knew there wasn't anything to worry about, but the thought of being near there was still a little frightening.
Logan could feel the tension in the car. "Are you okay Max. We don't have to do this now, we can always turn around and go home, do this later on."
"No, we have to do this now. I've wanted this ever since I realized that children don't all come from a lab. I'll be ok. I'll be better once we know how she is and get her back to Seattle. You did have all of that arranged, right?"
"Yes Max, Dr. Carr has arranged a place for her in the psych ward at Metro Medical. He's even got tranportation arranged, all we have to do is make the call and it's done."
The rest of the drive was made in silence. Logan parked the car and got out, Max was lingering in the passenger. Logan walked around the Aztek and opened her door. "You coming?"
"Yeah, let's go."
Logan took Max's hand and they walked through the front doors of the hosptial. There was a woman sitting at the reception desk. Max walked up to her. "My name is Rachel Glassier, I'm here to see my mother."
"Yes, we recieved a call yesterday that you would be here today. I'll just page your mother's doctor down here, and he can give you all the information and take you up to see her."
Max paced across the lobby as the receptionist made her call. "So, this is it," she said to Logan.
"Yep, this is it. You ready?"
"Doesn't really matter at this point, it's done."
A man in a lab coat walked into the lobby and over to where Max and Logan were standing. "Ms. Glassier I presume? I'm Dr. Franklin, your mother's doctor. If you'll follow me up to my office, I'll fill you in on her condition, then we'll go see her."
Logan and Max followed the doctor to an elevator to the left of the lobby, the doctor pressed a button for the fifth floor. "I'm suprised you've never been to see your mother before this. She's been here for twenty one years now. We knew she had a child, but none of the staff here ever knew what happened to you."
Max flinched at the doctor's comment. "I was adopted," she said flatly. "I didn't even know I had another mother until recently. I came as soon as I knew."
"Follow me." The doctor led them into a plainly decorated office and gestured for them to sit down on a couch that was along the back wall, under a window.
"I'm afraid there isn't a whole lot to tell. Your mother was brought to us twenty one years ago in a catatonic state. She has improved slightly, she will feed herself and does wander around her ward, sometimes she speaks, but the only thing she says is 'my baby'. I'm assuming she's speaking of you. I was told you want to move her to a facility in Seattle. I can't say that will do any good, but it certainly won't do her any more harm." Dr. Franklin stood up, "I'll take you to see her now."
The doctor led them out of the room and down the hallway. There was a mesh door at the end of the hallway. Pressing an intercom button he said, "Dr. Franklin," and the door opened. He held it for them as they entered the ward. "Your mothers room is down here. Give me just a moment to check on her, then you may have your visit."
Max stood there in silence, just outside her mothers room. Logan slide one of his arms around her waist, "It'll be fine Max. Don't worry."
"I know."
The doctor came back out of the room and motioned for them to enter. I'll be right here if you need anything. I can only let you see her for about fifteen minutes though. We have some paperwork that needs to be signed before we can arrange for her transfer."
Logan looked at Max, "You want me to come in?"
"I'll be ok Logan, you go make your phone call so we can get her moved asap, ok?"
"Ok, I'll be right outside if you need me."
With that Max entered the room. She saw a small woman with dark brown hair sitting in a chair in front of the window. Max walked over to her and sat down in the chair opposite the woman. "Hi Sarah, my name is Max. You probably don't recognize me, since I'm all grown up, but I'm your daughter. Can you look at me, please?"
Sarah slowly turned her head to face Max. "My baby?"
"Yes Sarah, I'm the baby they took from you. I've finally found you."
"My baby?" The words came out as a hoarse whisper. "You're my baby?"
"Yes, I am. I'm not a baby anymore though."
"They took you, said you were dead."
"I know, but I'm not. Just outside that door is a wonderful man, who has helped me arrange to take you back with us. We're going to help you get well. Once you're better, I'll tell you all about me, and my life. You can be my mother again, if you still want to be." Tears were falling down Max's cheeks as she said these words to this poor, frail woman who had given up her life for Max.
"Yes, my baby." With that Sarah turned and looked back out of her window.
Max sat there, looking at her mother, whom had once again slipped back into her catatonia. She knew that it would be hard work to pull her out of this state, but Sarah seemed willing to accept the idea.
The door opened a few minutes later and Dr. Franklin poked his head in. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah, I'll be right out." Max stood up and leaned over Sarah, hugging her closely. Sarah did not respond to the action. "It'll be ok mom, I love you." Releasing the woman, she turned and walked out the door. Max ran to Logan as soon as the door closed, throwing herself into his arms, holding him tightly.
Logan held her in his arms, gently stroking her hair as she sobbed. "It's gonna be alright Max, everything is alright." He turned and looked at Dr. Franklin. "Can we take care of the paperwork tomorrow? I think Max needs a little time first, if that's alright."
"Not a problem at all. Just give me a call when she's ready and we'll take care of everything."
With that, Logan led Max back to the elevator and pushed the button to go down to the lobby. It felt as though if he were to let go of her she would just fall to the floor. When the doors opened on the ground floor, he led her out of the building and into the parking lot. Kissing her forehead he said, "Let's go to the hotel now."
Max nodded and let go of her grip on him. Logan helped her into the car and fastened her seatbelt for her. Logan had never seen Max so distraught. It was a little unnerving that something like this seemed to take all her strength away from her. He started the car and drove them to a small, but nice hotel a few miles from the hospital. He left Max sitting in the car while he went to check them in. "You up to helping with the bags, or would you just like to go in and lie down?"
"I can help. I'm sorry I fell apart like I did back there, but she just looked so sad. She talked to me Logan, she knew who I was. I can help make her better, I know it. Right now though, I just want to sleep."
Logan handed her her suitecase and led her to the room he had rented for them. Max sat down on the bed and took off her shoes. Then she laid down and curled into a little ball. "Hold me Logan, just hold me."
"Anything you want Max," he said. "Anything you want."
A/N: Thanks for all the great feedback. It's definately great incentive to keep going. I'll probably be slowing down for a little while, my job just got totally out of hand today and figuring out what's going on with that will be taking up way too much of my time. Anyway, enjoy!
The ride out of the city was fairly uneventful. Max was a little gittery about returning to Gillette. The last time she'd been in Wyoming was when they had taken down Manticore. She knew there wasn't anything to worry about, but the thought of being near there was still a little frightening.
Logan could feel the tension in the car. "Are you okay Max. We don't have to do this now, we can always turn around and go home, do this later on."
"No, we have to do this now. I've wanted this ever since I realized that children don't all come from a lab. I'll be ok. I'll be better once we know how she is and get her back to Seattle. You did have all of that arranged, right?"
"Yes Max, Dr. Carr has arranged a place for her in the psych ward at Metro Medical. He's even got tranportation arranged, all we have to do is make the call and it's done."
The rest of the drive was made in silence. Logan parked the car and got out, Max was lingering in the passenger. Logan walked around the Aztek and opened her door. "You coming?"
"Yeah, let's go."
Logan took Max's hand and they walked through the front doors of the hosptial. There was a woman sitting at the reception desk. Max walked up to her. "My name is Rachel Glassier, I'm here to see my mother."
"Yes, we recieved a call yesterday that you would be here today. I'll just page your mother's doctor down here, and he can give you all the information and take you up to see her."
Max paced across the lobby as the receptionist made her call. "So, this is it," she said to Logan.
"Yep, this is it. You ready?"
"Doesn't really matter at this point, it's done."
A man in a lab coat walked into the lobby and over to where Max and Logan were standing. "Ms. Glassier I presume? I'm Dr. Franklin, your mother's doctor. If you'll follow me up to my office, I'll fill you in on her condition, then we'll go see her."
Logan and Max followed the doctor to an elevator to the left of the lobby, the doctor pressed a button for the fifth floor. "I'm suprised you've never been to see your mother before this. She's been here for twenty one years now. We knew she had a child, but none of the staff here ever knew what happened to you."
Max flinched at the doctor's comment. "I was adopted," she said flatly. "I didn't even know I had another mother until recently. I came as soon as I knew."
"Follow me." The doctor led them into a plainly decorated office and gestured for them to sit down on a couch that was along the back wall, under a window.
"I'm afraid there isn't a whole lot to tell. Your mother was brought to us twenty one years ago in a catatonic state. She has improved slightly, she will feed herself and does wander around her ward, sometimes she speaks, but the only thing she says is 'my baby'. I'm assuming she's speaking of you. I was told you want to move her to a facility in Seattle. I can't say that will do any good, but it certainly won't do her any more harm." Dr. Franklin stood up, "I'll take you to see her now."
The doctor led them out of the room and down the hallway. There was a mesh door at the end of the hallway. Pressing an intercom button he said, "Dr. Franklin," and the door opened. He held it for them as they entered the ward. "Your mothers room is down here. Give me just a moment to check on her, then you may have your visit."
Max stood there in silence, just outside her mothers room. Logan slide one of his arms around her waist, "It'll be fine Max. Don't worry."
"I know."
The doctor came back out of the room and motioned for them to enter. I'll be right here if you need anything. I can only let you see her for about fifteen minutes though. We have some paperwork that needs to be signed before we can arrange for her transfer."
Logan looked at Max, "You want me to come in?"
"I'll be ok Logan, you go make your phone call so we can get her moved asap, ok?"
"Ok, I'll be right outside if you need me."
With that Max entered the room. She saw a small woman with dark brown hair sitting in a chair in front of the window. Max walked over to her and sat down in the chair opposite the woman. "Hi Sarah, my name is Max. You probably don't recognize me, since I'm all grown up, but I'm your daughter. Can you look at me, please?"
Sarah slowly turned her head to face Max. "My baby?"
"Yes Sarah, I'm the baby they took from you. I've finally found you."
"My baby?" The words came out as a hoarse whisper. "You're my baby?"
"Yes, I am. I'm not a baby anymore though."
"They took you, said you were dead."
"I know, but I'm not. Just outside that door is a wonderful man, who has helped me arrange to take you back with us. We're going to help you get well. Once you're better, I'll tell you all about me, and my life. You can be my mother again, if you still want to be." Tears were falling down Max's cheeks as she said these words to this poor, frail woman who had given up her life for Max.
"Yes, my baby." With that Sarah turned and looked back out of her window.
Max sat there, looking at her mother, whom had once again slipped back into her catatonia. She knew that it would be hard work to pull her out of this state, but Sarah seemed willing to accept the idea.
The door opened a few minutes later and Dr. Franklin poked his head in. "Ready to go?"
"Yeah, I'll be right out." Max stood up and leaned over Sarah, hugging her closely. Sarah did not respond to the action. "It'll be ok mom, I love you." Releasing the woman, she turned and walked out the door. Max ran to Logan as soon as the door closed, throwing herself into his arms, holding him tightly.
Logan held her in his arms, gently stroking her hair as she sobbed. "It's gonna be alright Max, everything is alright." He turned and looked at Dr. Franklin. "Can we take care of the paperwork tomorrow? I think Max needs a little time first, if that's alright."
"Not a problem at all. Just give me a call when she's ready and we'll take care of everything."
With that, Logan led Max back to the elevator and pushed the button to go down to the lobby. It felt as though if he were to let go of her she would just fall to the floor. When the doors opened on the ground floor, he led her out of the building and into the parking lot. Kissing her forehead he said, "Let's go to the hotel now."
Max nodded and let go of her grip on him. Logan helped her into the car and fastened her seatbelt for her. Logan had never seen Max so distraught. It was a little unnerving that something like this seemed to take all her strength away from her. He started the car and drove them to a small, but nice hotel a few miles from the hospital. He left Max sitting in the car while he went to check them in. "You up to helping with the bags, or would you just like to go in and lie down?"
"I can help. I'm sorry I fell apart like I did back there, but she just looked so sad. She talked to me Logan, she knew who I was. I can help make her better, I know it. Right now though, I just want to sleep."
Logan handed her her suitecase and led her to the room he had rented for them. Max sat down on the bed and took off her shoes. Then she laid down and curled into a little ball. "Hold me Logan, just hold me."
"Anything you want Max," he said. "Anything you want."