A/n: I did mention I have trouble writing fluff, Maria. I'm gonna try and update again today, but the computer room closes in 3 hours so it could be tight.

Λλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλ

11/11/20

Part Three:

When Logan came around the next morning, he was warm and comfortable, lying on his back in bed. He shifted slightly, squinting towards his alarm clock to see the time.

It wasn't there. He sat up, blinking the sleep from his eyes to stare around at his surroundings. It took only seconds for him to recognise the downstairs bedroom in the cabin.

The door opened, and Max walked carefully in, balancing a tray. "Morning, Logan," she said cheerfully. "Made you some breakfast."

"Thank you," said Logan, trying desperately to remember what had happened the previous night. "Uh, Max? What are we doing here? Last thing I knew I was sitting at the computer…"

"Oh, that." She set down the tray and passed him his glasses from the nightstand. "I thought I'd surprise you."

"You succeeded," he said dryly, putting the glasses on. "Why?"

Max placed the tray on his lap, and then leaned closer to peck him on the cheek. "Happy birthday, Logan," she said, smiling brightly.

He just sat there, looking stunned. "You remembered?" He managed at last.

"X5's don't forget," she told him. "Come on; eat your breakfast before it gets cold." She left him alone, smiling to herself.

Still shocked, Logan did as he was told. He finished the scrambled eggs quickly; lunch wasn't the only meal he'd skipped over the last couple of days. After he'd drunk the coffee she'd provided, he felt a lot more alert… and the beginnings of being pissed off.

Max came back a few minutes later with the coffee pot. "You want some more joe?"

"I'm ok, actually," he said, setting his cup down.

"Does my feeble effort get the approval of the master chef?" She asked, seeing he'd cleared his plate.

"Yeah, you, uh, must be learning something from watching me work," he said.

"I always pay attention; you never know when it'll come in handy," she told him, taking the tray again.

"Max," said Logan. Here it comes, she thought. "How did we get here?"

"In the car, of course" she told him.

"You put me in the car and drove to the cabin without waking me up?"

"Yep."

"How?"

"What d'you mean how?"

"I'm a light sleeper. And while I don't doubt you're stealthy enough to avoid waking me I'd definitely have noticed being picked up and moved."

"Obviously you didn't."

"The truth, Max, I'm not in the mood."

"Ok, ok, I put something in your coffee. But it was only so…"

"You drugged me?"

"Just a sedative. Bling said it was perfectly safe…"

"Oh, so he was in on it too? I can't believe you drugged me up to the eyeballs just so you could drag me up here…"

"I had to do something. This was the only way I could think of to get you away from the damned office." He was shifting his unresponsive legs over the side of the bed.

"Where are you going?"

He just stared down at his bare legs for a moment, before turning to look up at her. "Did you…" he started to ask, and then decided he didn't want to know. "Never mind. I'm going back," he asserted, reaching for his chair.

"Oh no you're not," she told him, equally firmly.

"How're you gonna stop me?" He asked, as he transferred.

"I don't have to. Bling took the car back with him last night after he put you to bed. So unless you feel like a thirty mile hike, you're stuck here."

"I could hitch," he suggested, sounding unconvinced.

"Logan, I couldn't hitch back from here last time I tried. I had to hang on to the outside of trucks." They both paused for a moment as they remembered the last time they'd been here together.

"Look, Max, don't think I don't appreciate the effort you've gone to," said Logan, in a slightly calmer tone. "But you know I can't just abandon Eyes Only like this…"

"Yes you can. Bling's got it covered and if there's a real emergency he's gonna come get us. Otherwise we're going to be here until Sunday night; you know, having fun? Like normal people?"

That raised a smirk on Logan's face. "I don't think either of us qualify as normal."

She shrugged. "Wouldn't kill us to give it a try for a couple days. But if you really don't want to stay with me…"

"It's not that, Max; I was just a little surprised. It's been a while since I woke up in a strange bed with no idea how I got there."

"I just wanted to give you a birthday present you'd really like, is all," she said, eyes downcast.

Logan immediately felt guilty for upsetting her. "I guess I could use a break…" he ventured.

"Then you'll stay?" Max's voice was hopeful; she looked like an eager puppy. Logan couldn't help it.

He melted.

"Be a pretty crummy friend if I didn't…" the smile on Max's face was the best birthday present he could have wished for.

Λλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλλ

How was that for fluff content?