Hi everybody. I'm back with a new chapter. Finally. Thanks for encouraging me to continue this story. Gives me a good excuse to avoid what I'm actually supposed to do…

Anyway, I had to read through the story again myself, to get back on track. I hope I didn't mix things up. Please let me know if anything seems weird to you. Also, I haven't had someone beta-read my story so please excuse my spelling mistakes. I hope you enjoy this chapter anyway.

Feedback as always welcome!

Waiting

Max was sitting by the payphone in the waiting area, waiting for Cindy to call her back. She checked the clock above the nurse's station. It was 12.30. Cindy, Sketchy and herself were supposed to be doing Saturday's shift, so Normal had to be pulling his hair out by now and Cindy had to be real mad at her for letting her down. Max started pacing nervously around the waiting area. Why didn't Cindy call her back? Maybe she'd gone for an early lunch and had turned off her pager in order not to be bothered by Normal. Max ignored the other people's unnerved looks, as she was brushing past them. She just couldn't stand still. Her head was spinning with all the good and bad things that happened over the past couple of days-and now the worry about the baby. When the phone finally rang, Max jumped forward and snapped up the receiver before the second ring.

"Hey boo, it's me."

"Max!" she heard Cindy's voice. "I was worried to death about you! What happened? Why didn't you show for work today? Normal's driving me crazy and I'm running out of excuses why you're not here!"

"Cin…" Max started. Just then the voice calling system of the hospital kicked in, asking a patient's family to report to the ward, causing another tirade of Cindy's.

"Max! What's going on? Why are you at the hospital? You okay? Damn, I knew something was wrong!"

"I'm okay Cindy. Don't worry!" Max finally managed. "Logan's seeing his doctor. I'm just here for company," she lied. She didn't want to spill the news over the phone, let alone with all those people listening.

"Wow….Okay." OC said with a relieved sigh. "Sorry Boo. I'm a little tense…but you could have let me know, ya know! And I didn't get a chance to talk to you in days."

"I'm sorry. I just had to take some time off." Max replied.

"I guess so…" Cindy mumbled, then she continued: "So, is Logan okay?"

"He's dealing...Listen: Can you keep me covered for the rest of the day? I'll be in on Monday - I promise."

"Sure." Cindy sighed. "Me and the guys have been cooking up the most exotic excuses all day. But hey; now I can tell Normal you're at the hospital without even lyin'. "

Max watched a young mother with her baby enter the room. She carried a healthy looking baby, while a little boy was trailing behind, a big cast covering his left arm. The woman called out to her son and he ran a few steps to keep up with her. She looked so confident and in control. Max felt a wave of panic sweep over her. How was she of all people supposed to manage a family. She couldn't even manage her own life!

"Max? Hey Max!" she heard Cindy's voice through the fog of her thoughts. "You're still there?"

"Sure," Max snapped back to the conversation. She had to talk to someone about all this. As soon as possible. Otherwise she'd go crazy. "You going to Crash tonight?" she asked her friend quickly. The money was getting short and Logan should be out any minute.

"Don't know yet. The guys are going, but I was thinking about spending a nice cozy evening all alone by myself. Maybe I'll even try some reading."

"No kidding!"

OC chuckled. "What else can I do to keep me from being bored with my boo spending her days and nights at rich boy's lately?"

Max couldn't help but feel a little guilty at that remark although she knew Cindy was not serious. She had told her more than once that she was glad the two of them had finally worked things out.

"How about staying at home for an all girl's evening with your boo," Max asked. "Big bowl of popcorn, little chat..?"

"Uh, huh…Sounds good to me." OC answered. "But what's with you all of the sudden. I haven't really seen a lot of you in days and now you getting all girly. You're scaring me girl!" OC asked warily.

Max sighed. She hoped Logan would understand that she had to spend the evening with her boo. Everything was happening so fast. She needed some time at her crib to think. "Got some news for ya," she finally said.

Max could picture OC raising her eyebrows in surprise "Good or bad?" she heard her say.

"Mostly …good, I'd say." Max answered, though she didn't feel good at all right now.

"Aright then, boo. I'll be home around six. Just let yourself in and make yourself at home." Original Cindy teased.

"See ya then." Max said.

"'kay, later."

Max hung up the phone. It would do her good to break the news to her best friend and discuss all the issues with her. She still couldn't believe she was going to be a mother. She didn't know if she was mature enough to raise a child.. She wasn't sure, if she was ready to tie herself to such a little creature and to take such a big responsibility. She would have to move in with Logan, stay in the same spot, be there for their child. 'Their child'! She still found it hard to believe that they actually would get married and have a child together. It all seemed like someone else's life. She didn't know how she would manage. If she would manage at all. She had never had a mother herself to show her what a mother was supposed to do.

But she could worry about that later, she told herself. One day at a time. Right now she just had to get that stupid doctor's appointment over with and to be there for Logan. It would still take a couple of weeks for her pregnancy to show, and it would be a another eight months until she'd have to deal with the baby. She still had a lot of time, she reassured herself. Feeling a lot better, she walked over to the far end of the waiting area to wait for Logan.

Just when she had sat down in one of the plastic chairs, Logan came out of the examination room. Max could tell from his face that it cost him a great effort to walk even the short distance to where she was sitting.

"So what was that about?" she asked, as he sat down next to her.

"Ahhhh…nothing actually…" he said evadingly, rubbing his thighs unconsciously.

"Doesn't seem like nothing to me," Max insisted.

"Nothing important. Sam just wanted to ask me something. Nothing for you to worry about," he replied evadingly.

"Come on, spill it!" Max demanded, locking her eyes on him.

"Max, it's nothing, really!"

Max shook her head. "This is not what we agreed on. I'll tell you everything – and you tell me. No more secrets. Remember!"

Logan gave a faint smile at Max's speech, then sighed defeated. "You remember, when you told me that you were pregnant and I kind of …overreacted?"

"Sure, but that's okay. After all you don't get to…"

Logan grabbed her hand that was resting on the rim of the plastic chair. "Max, will you listen to me now?" he interrupted her. Max bit her lips and nodded. Logan's expression grew serious and he played with her fingers nervously.

"I said that I thought that I couldn't be a father, remember?"

Max nodded, keeping her mouth tightly shut.

"I really thought that I couldn't - I mean, not …just… mentally, but also, you know, physically…" he trailed off and stared at the ground. A slight redness worked its way up his neck into his face. "Sam just told me that, given my level of injury," Logan cleared his throat and looked up at Max hesitantly. "It's very unlikely that I still could…you know," he blushed again, "and even if so, it would be very unlikely for you to become pregnant at once. So…"

Despite the awkwardness of the situation, Max couldn't help but smile at the puppy face, Logan was displaying. She took his face in both hands to force him to look at her.

"But apparently it worked, right? Or what do you think where this child comes from?" she gestured to her still flat and toned belly.

"I don't know…" Logan said hesitantly. ."I…didn't really feel what was going on, when…you know," he trailed off.

"But I did." Max said and a smile crept to her face.

"Weren't you worried that you could get pregnant?" Logan asked her surprised.

"No, I...honestly didn't think about it. … I didn't think that one time would've done it…" Max said straight out, regretting the words as soon as they had left her mouth. "But then, considering, I was in heat around that time…"she added. 'Very good,' Max said to herself, 'you're making it even better!'.

Logan had turned away from her, staring at the floor.

"I'm sorry Logan" Max said in a soft voice. " I didn't mean to…"

"I know."

They sat in silence for a seemingly endless minute until Logan spoke again.

"God. This is so pathetic!"

"It's not."

"Yes it is!"

"Logan, don't be silly. We made a child, after all. That's wonderful. Not pathetic. Don't be so hard on yourself."

Logan sighed deeply, still looking miserable. "Yeah you're probably right," he admitted.

"Sure I am. …So what did Sam want to talk to you about?" she said, intending to change the subject.

Logan stared at her for a while before answering. "If you really have to know: he asked me, whether I was sure that I'm the father of this child," he said, ducking his head instinctly in anticipation of Max's reaction.

Max jumped from her chair, fuming with anger. "What?" she yelled. "How dare he say that! You are the father, because there has never been anybody else. What does he think, I'm a whore or what! I'd never cheat on you! I'm gonna go in there and…." She spun around furiously but Logan caught her by the arm.

"Max!" Logan chuckled. "Chill! See, that's why I didn't want to tell you any of this. I saw this coming. And I don't want you to kill my doctor."

"Well, who'd blame me if I did!" Max yelled. "That's none of his f business anyway!"

Logan looked around nervously. They were certainly drawing attention. Max's temper was even worse than he'd expected. That probably came with the hormone changes.

"Max! Sit down again, please. I know that you're not cheating on me and I told Sam so. He apologized," Logan said calmly.

Max eased up a little and Logan let go of her arm. But she still stood there, with a grim face, ready to kick ass.

"Come on . Sit with me. Please!" Logan held out his hand, inviting Max to sit on his lap. Reluctantly, Max followed his pleading. She sat down carefully, noticing the little spasms in his thighs.

"Sam was just worried. He explained that he has seen that happen some of his patients." Logan explained.

"What?" Max asked confused. Her mind was still set on kicking Dr. Carr's ass.

"Couples splitting up. Relationships falling apart. Some just turn away and leave. Some turn towards someone else. Be it for satisfaction or just love. Or for their desire to have children." He paused to think before he continued.

"I know I can be a pain in the ass myself. I have been pretty self-absorbed. I pushed you away so may times. Not everybody is as strong and as patient as you. "

Max was listening to him now. "That sucks."

"Yeah." Logan said calmly, eyeing her up and down. "But, honestly, I don't even blame them. …I couldn't blame you, if you decided not to take my crap anymore."

"I'd never do that." Max said firmly, taling his hand. "I'd never leave you. Even if I had to run away again, I'd find my way back to you eventually. …I've done that before," Max smiled.

Logan smiled back. "I know."

"You can't scare me away, Logan Cale. Besides, there are other ways to get satisfaction and even other ways to have children. Right? "

Logan drew her closer and kissed her softly. "Right. Thank you Max. You are amazing."

"All right. Now that that's clear, can we go grab something to eat? I'm starving!" Max said lightly, jumping from his lap. "I'm thinking of a nice Poulet chez Cale…and some chocolate cake for desert!"

Logan smiled and followed Max to the car.

TBC...asap