Disclaimer: I do not own any characters, they all belong to James Cameron.

Notes:This takes place after Freak Nation, Max and Logan are closer again and about to solve their biggest problem- but they have to pay a price for it.
Does anybody have an idea for a better title? And please review!!!!!

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Chapter1

"I'm sorry." Max didn't dare to look him in the eyes.
"You just said you made up the whole story to safe me and Alec didn't even know about it?" Logan held his head between his hands. "I can't believe it. Do you have an idea how much you've hurt me with that, and now you tell me it's not even true?"
"I'm sorry. I just couldn't stand being close to you, knowing I couldn't touch you. I just wanted to safe you."
"Max…"
"I love you so much. Please, give me a chance to prove this to you."
"We still can't touch."
"I know, but those past few months were terrible. I missed you so much. I don't want to lose you ever again, and if it means we have to wait until we find a cure, I don't care. I just want you to be with me."
"I need some time, Max."
"OK." With that she stood up and left him alone.

Deep in his heart he'd known instantly he would forgive her, but he had to wrestle those bad memories of her and Alec and all the pain she'd caused him first. When he was ready he went to look for her.
"Max.I need to talk to you." She looked up at the man of her dreams, afraid of what he might have to say. "Sure."
Without saying another word she left Joshua and Mole behind and followed Logan to a quiet spot.
"Listen, I've thought about everything. He held out a gloved hand and she reluctantly took it, not sure if he was about to turn her down or not. His eyes were unreadable. "And no matter what happened, I love you too much to live without you. Please, come back to me."
Max smiled at him,a single tear running down her cheek. "I love you too."

During the next few days they re-established the bond between them, as far as it was possible without physical contact.

When Joshua entered the room they were once more talking about their feelings.
"Logan, there is somebody who wants to talk to you."
"To me?"
Joshua simply nodded.
"Ok, I'll be there right away." With Max in his wake he followed the tall transgenic.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Shawn. You can call me David."
"Logan Cale." He shook the man's hand suspiciously. "What do you want."
"I might have a cure for the virus."
"Where do you come from?" Logan didn't allow the information to sink in, afraid of a setback.
"I used to work for Project Manticore. But that was a long time ago." The older man looked him directly in the eyes, never flinching. "I've been working there when the X-5s were developped. But I really loved those kids, you have to believe me, and when I realized what was really going on there and there was no way for me to help the kids, I got out of it." His gaze fell on Max, considering her for a moment.
"Max, right?" She was taken aback, why did he remember her by her name, not by her number. Logan sensed her shock. "And why do you want to help us?"
"I never got over what they, we, have done to those kids. Maybe this is my way to make up for it. I know I can't un-do it, but if there is something, anything, I can do, I'd be more than glad to help."
"And why are you at Terminal City?"
"I've heard about what's been going on in Seattle, and figured the Manticore-transgenics would be involved. So I just came here to find you. Somebody told me about that virus."
Logan didn't know why, but he believed that man. And judging Max didn't say anything, she apparently did so too, on some level.
"Ok, so spill it."
"It's pretty simple actually. Can we sit down somewhere?"

They moved to a table in a corner and sat. Max and Logan, a safe distance apart, on one side, Dr. Shawn across the table.
"I gather you got a transfusion of transgenic blood?"
Logan nodded. "Twice actually, once from Max and once from Joshua."
"I see, so we have to get all the transgenic elements out of your system.Max can't hurt any other human, right?"
Logan and Max both nodded.
"That's due to the pluripotents in your bloodstream, Logan."

Logan never hesitated."And you can do it? Can you wash my blood?"
"Yeah, it…"
"Wait a minute." Max jumped up. "When you get rid of the pluripotents, what about your legs?"
David looked at her in confusion. "I beg you pardon?"
"Logan got his spinal cord severely injured, he was paralysed from the waist down before our blood healed him."
"Well, I can't say I ever came across something like that. But apparently there is a chance your spinal cord might regenerate itself when you lack the pluripotents, honestly, it sounds like the logical consequence to me."

Max swallowed hard when she looked at Logan. He'd sunken back in his chair, breathing hard.
"Can we have a moment please?" Dr. Shawn wordlessly stood up and left.
"Logan?" She took his gloved hand in hers. "I'm sorry."
"Max, I…"
"I understand completely when you can't do it. I know how much being able to walk means to you."
"That's not the point. The question is, would you want me back even if I was back in the chair?"
"You know that it never mattered to me if you were standing or sitting. I love you for who you are."
"I love you too."
"Are you sure you want to do that? If you say yes, I won't talk you out of it, but if you say you can't do it, I will still stay with you. We'll find another way."
"Of course I'm going to give it a shot. It's going to be hard having to go back to a life in the chair,but having to live without touching you would kill me."
"I'm going to support you, we are going to make it together."
"Ok, so let's do it." They both got up and went to inform Dr. Shawn.