A/n: once again, huge thanks to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter.

This is a very quick update, because I want to try and finish this fic before I post anything else. It'll probably be about 30 chapters in the end though, so it could take a while.

Chapter 20: Questions

Logan put the phone down and pushed himself wearily into the kitchen, where Janey and Maria were bustling about making a snack for him and Brin. The X5 was sitting at the table, listening to mother and daughter chatter with a faint smile on her face. When Maria saw him enter, her face lit up.

"Logan!" She dashed over to hug him clumsily. "I haven't seen you since I got here! How's Max?"

"She's fine, I just talked to her. She's coming out to pick us up in the morning, you can see her for yourself."

"That's great," said Maria, delighted. "I can introduce her to my pony, Freddie. Does Max like horses?"

"I have no idea, but I'm sure she'll like Freddie." Logan smiled, pleased to see her looking so happy. Living with the Lloyds clearly agreed with Maria. Her once pale skin was tanned by the sun and her eyes were bright and alive; she looked like a normal teenager. Perhaps I am a bit of a fairy godfather after all, he mused.

"Let Logan come to the table, Maria, the food's ready."

"Yes, mom," the girl said, blushing as she moved away. A chair had already been removed to give Logan access to the table so he wheeled into the gap and locked his brakes. Standing behind him in the strong light, Maria was the first to notice the wound on the back of his head.

"You're hurt," she said with concern. "What happened?"

"It's nothing," said Logan, accepting a bowl of steaming chicken soup from Janey. "Thanks. Just a bump on the head. I'll be fine once the swelling goes down."

"Let me see." Janey served Brin and then checked the injury. "That's not just a bump, Logan. Eat your soup and I'll find the first aid kit." Logan rolled his eyes, but he was too tired to argue and his skull was aching again. Besides, he hadn't eaten for hours and the soup smelled wonderful.

Brin looked guiltily down at her bowl, not wanting to make eye contact with anyone. She liked this place, with its warm, friendly atmosphere and the almost palpable happiness and affection of its occupants. While Logan had been on the phone Maria and Janey had refrained from bombarding her with questions; apparently Logan's presence and the idea that she was related to Max were enough for them to trust her.

She still couldn't help wondering why it seemed so normal to them to have him show up out of the blue in a stolen car with a total stranger and say he was being pursued. How many times could a crippled journalist have been on the run after all? Brin knew for certain now that her enigmatic rescuer was not only brilliant, compassionate, determined and resourceful; he was also dangerous. But why? What could he be hiding? Silently she swore to herself that she'd find out; she had to if she was going to help and protect him like he had her.

Chris got back from hiding the car just as Logan and Brin were finishing their meal. Seeing his wife unpacking the first aid kit, he called out from the doorway.

"The car's in the barn under a ton of hay, no one'll find it. Is someone hurt?"

"Logan's banged his head," said Maria solicitously. Janey moved to look more closely, parting his unruly blondish hair to study the wound.

"Looks more like someone's hit him with something. Must have been pretty hard, too, there's some dried blood here." Brin shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

Logan caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. "I already told you it's nothing. I'm just tired, I haven't been sleeping much lately."

"I don't know how Bling puts up with you. The man must have the patience of a saint. I bet you've been too busy to do your exercises too. You really should take better care of yourself. I'd hoped Max might have talked some sense into you by now but oh no…" Janey chuntered on to herself while she fetched some water and rummaged in the box for cotton wool and antiseptic. Maria and Chris exchanged amused glances seeing her fussing over Logan. The patient himself missed the look; he'd removed his glasses and was rubbing his dry, itchy eyes.

The cold water felt heavenly on Logan's sore scalp. For the first time in over a week he completely relaxed. Brin noticed the tension leaving his muscles, but even so she needed transgenic speed to make it across the room and catch him when he passed out.

I'll update again tomorrow I expect. This story is really flowing at the moment.

One more thing: do you think I need to go back and put in a timeframe? Because I've been reading from the start and it feels a bit confusing the way the chapters jump about. Let me know.