On the fourth evening they sat together in Max's and Logan's room, the two girls lying on the bed on their stomachs, head's propped up in their elbows. Logan sat in his chair beneath the window, facing them.

"We should really leave. It's nice and everything. But we are too easy to be tracked if we stay here." Max sighed, rolling on her back. "I liked not being on the run for once."

"I have friends in Germany. I'm sure we can stay with them. They used to have a cabin. I don't think they sold it. We'd be by ourselves in the middle of nowhere."

"Doesn't sound too bad. Would be off the record. But how are you gonna explain everything to your friends?"

"We're on vacation. Wanting to get out of Seattle doesn't seem too far-fetched, does it?"

"Right. Think you can call'em right away, see if it works?" Max got to her feet and picked a banana from a bag on the table. She shot a questioning look at Original Cindy and when the other woman nodded Max threw the fruit into her lap and got herself another one.

"When do we have to leave?" Cindy sat up and began to unpeel the banana.

"Tomorrow." Loganw as already looking for the number on his cell phone. "We probably shouldn't fly."

"Options?" Max leaned against the wall nextto Logan, chewing.

"Car or train." Logan shrugged. "We would have to use the fake IDs to rent a car, train would be anonymous. But I'm not sure,...with the chair and all..."

Max looked at her homegirl who nodded and got up. "I've seen they have Xena on TV over here. Maybe she can teach me some French."

Max waited until the door fell close behind Cindy then sat down in a chair, facing Logan. "You know the train would be the better choice."

"Yeah." He didn't look her in the eyes.

"But if you want to rent a car instead we can."

"We both know it would be a stupid move. We only have one set of fake Ids, and if they tracked us here, they know those names."

Max just nodded, her gaze still on him. When he didn't say anything, she tried. "I've seen the train stations, they seem accessible."

"Yeah," Logan sighed. "It's just, you know, I've been independent for a few months, and now all of the sudden everything's so hard again. I hate it."

"I know."

He swallowed. "People are staring, avoiding me. Everybody automatically seems to assume you are dumb as well."

"They don't matter."

"That's what I try to tell myself. But this is all happening too fast, Max. I had no time to raise my shields, everthing crashes in with full blow."

"I'm sorry."

"No, don't be. This is not what I want to say!" His voice sounded desperate. He couldn't make her understand. "I don't regret it, I never will. I just need more time than I have. This has nothing to do with you. Please, never think that, please." He cupped her cheeks in his hands and finally looked at her, with watery eyes. "This was the best decision in my life, the one I will never regret. I just need time. Trust me."

"OK." She kissed his lips. "And now?"

He smiled. "We're gonna catch a train. When we are across the border we can still rent a car, or buy one. But you and Cindy will have to do the driving."

"No big dealio." She kissed him again, longer this time. "Everything's going to be fine." He sadly smiled at her, trying to believe her.

"And now you'll call your friend, and I'm gonna have a shower."

"Yeah."

**
This was short, I know. I just wanted to let you know I'm still alive and writing:- )