Chapter 15

The baby softly began to whimper reminding him more of a kitten than a child. For the first few seconds it didn't seem to affect Max's deep sleep, but then her hands tightened around his arm. He could feel her breath growing shallow and rapid and he pulled her in even closer to him, "Shhh," he whispered as if to a sleeping child, "it's okay Max." He felt her come fully awake and could hear the deep swallow only inches away, her body tense. "Just the baby Max" he softly reassured and she responded by holding onto his arm even tighter for a few brief seconds and jerkily nodded. More weakness than she normally allowed to show through and he was reminded once more he would kill Renfro with his bare hands if ever given the opportunity.

The baby's cries grew louder and Max pushed herself up in a sharp movement. Logan followed her and quickly pulled her into his side as they sat alongside each other on the couch for a second before he stood to go the baby.

She watched in amazement as Logan tenderly lifted the baby up, cradling the small newborn close to his body. A study of contrasts, his tall, strong, powerful frame holding the tiny little person, smaller than his forearm. "What's wrong?" she asked.

He shrugged his shoulders; the baby's cries had already lessened to their original soft sounds and were on their way to abating, "I think he just wanted to be held."

She nodded softly and stood, walking towards the kitchen, "I took out the steak for dinner."

"I saw" he turned and nodded.

"The fridge is pretty bare; I probably should have stopped at the market."

He knew she was just making small talk trying to ignore the situation at hand, "It's fine."

She opened the fridge and peered in.

"You're not planning on cooking the steak are you?" he asked teasingly.

She turned and smiled, it wasn't her fault the steak managed to overcook itself repeatedly. She didn't know how it happened every single time, it would be raw and the next thing she knew it would be like chewing leather. "I'll leave that for you. Potatoes?"

"Is there anything else?"

She shook her head, "Told you I should have stopped at the market. I can still"

He cut her off, "Potatoes are fine Max. Just thought you were giving an option."

She turned back from turning on the oven and she watched him straighten himself from lowering the baby into the bassinet, her eyes narrowed in puzzlement watching him flip a switch and the bassinet started to gently move.

He turned and caught her look, "I have no idea" he said with a shake of his head, "Seems to work though."

-o-o-o-o-

He gave her time to adjust, time to get used to the baby, he didn't try to force the baby into her arms as the timer buzzed to check the steaks. Instead he asked her to open the oven, once the initial burst of heat was gone with his back to the oven shielding the baby he basically looked over his shoulder as she pierced the flesh.

That's how things went for the rest of the night as they went about their normal routine barely mentioning the third person now in the room. She'd stop though every once in awhile and study him, take in the eyes, not the same blue as her brother's and different than her dream, the hair, so much darker than what she'd envisioned. Occasionally Logan held him close enough to her that she could smell his baby scent of talcum powder and baby wipes. He didn't move with the baby though so he stayed in her line of sight when she'd try to escape, he let her. Allowing her to judge how much exposure she could handle.

Her eyes softened watching him from her position atop the counter as he leaned up against the opposite one feeding the baby. She had never seen him tenderer, more caring, more nurturing. Not during her seizures, not after her nightmares, not as he tried to convince her that all the stuff that happened because of Manticore wasn't her fault, which was saying a lot.

She was awoken a second time that night, though this time there was nothing gradual about it. A loud cry caused them both to shoot up without thought, Max preparing to be attacked and Logan trying to figure out what the hell was going on.

"Bottle?" she asked as he moved to take the baby out of the bassinet. The clock next to them said they had been asleep for almost an hour (though it seemed like they'd just shut their eyes), but that seemed to be the schedule the kid was on.

"I think so" he said bleary eyed, not coming awake as instantly as she.

He paused rubbing the baby's back as he realized she'd just left the room, he smiled softly to himself as he heard the fridge door open, before he softly began to hush the baby.

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