Disclaimer: Please see Chapter 1.
A/N: This continues an attempted response to parts of several challenges I threw together in a bucket and dumped out here. Thank you all for your comments and reactions! I was surprised to see so many, and they are truly much appreciated. The lesson? You want reviews, strip Logan down!
On another matter: A wise and honored mentor has ruled from on high that I am no longer to call these offerings "moosh." Therefore in respect for my betters, this continues the AU from before – be it sap, hokum or squishy-skwee! ; )
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Winter's Chill
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
IV.
In fuzzy waves and snatches of sensation, Logan felt the world nibbling back, seeking his attention ... he felt swathed in bed linens and blankets and knew that their presence was significant, somehow; he caught the fragrance of Max's shampoo close by and smiled, involuntarily, at the warm form, so close and soft ... he nuzzled her hair and breathed her in, the feel of her velvet skin consuming him...
...the feel of her skin?
His eyes flew open...
V.
Logan was rousing, his temperature coming back up ... and suddenly everything had shifted from Max administering first aid, to Max lying in Logan's arms, indulging in the fantasy that he might hold her like this one day when he was actually conscious. Thoughts she'd avoided before now threaded through her mind – he'd dreamed about holding her? And enjoyed it? Did she dare let herself believe that Logan Cale saw her as more than just a handy cat burglar...?
Manticore, hardwired into her thoughts, fought back. The man's unconscious; it's as likely he was rambling and it meant nothing. But he looked so contented as he held her, could it really be that she made him feel this way? She felt a small surprise to realize how important that was to her, and wondered at the butterflies that were growing in her stomach at the whole prospect...
She wondered how much he'd remember once he was himself again, how they'd handle this, what she'd say, what he'd think. She considered her approach, what attitude she should take when she'd face this with him, what she could possibly say...
...when, just then, Logan cut her time for speculation short...
VI.
She heard him gasp; he then lay perfectly, stiffly still, breathing shallowly as if not to move a muscle, clearly awake, with a sudden awareness of his surroundings. Max imitated the same thickened breathing she'd heard from him, feigning sleep, and Logan exhaled cautiously – shakily. He remained tense and motionless, assessing, apparently – until his hands lifted ever so slowly, away from her, and he raised his head slightly, she thought, away from the pillow. She stifled an unexpected, nervous laugh and wondered if he felt her smile against his chest...
One of his hands started to move now, barely touching her, as he traced down along her side as gingerly as if she'd been made of hot coals, hesitating in sudden interest at finding her bra, moving on to follow the contours of her rib cage and hip, hovering with merest touch while letting his fingertips trail the outline of lace elastic circling her hips. She could tell the very moment he discovered that not only she, but he, had been shed of his clothes, as he'd come to her waist, moved his hand across to his own form, and gasped, suddenly...
"Oh, God..." he breathed...
Max knew she couldn't last – her own uncertain anticipation left her jumpy enough that she couldn't stay quiet much longer, and with his surprise awakening, didn't want to tease him too mercilessly, given his less- than- perfect condition. Still, the joy of having him back and safe, the promise of his recovery, his apparent desire for her, and the payback he deserved for worrying her as he did, all combined to her lead her to murmur in sweet innocence, "So you are awake..." Her hand freed now that he'd dropped it to roam elsewhere, she brought it up under her chin to rest, propped, on his chest, and peered up at him, her pulse quickening in fun and anticipation. Could he really have dreamed...?
"Max..." he gulped. He clearly had no idea how he'd gotten there, nor into the unclothed embrace they shared at the moment, but was lucid enough not to admit it just yet – in case he ought to know. "You ... uh... you are, too..." he tried, tentatively. She beamed, and nodded ... waiting. Logan drew a long breath, glancing around briefly, trying to appear as if he wasn't looking for some clue to what was going on...
Max relented slightly, the confusion in the green eyes irresistible. She raised her palm to his forehead in that universal gesture of care, testing his temperature. "How you feeling?" she asked, moving down to lay the back of her hand against his cheek. "Better?"
"Uh ... yeah ... yeah. Thanks..." he bluffed, smiling gamely.
At which she smiled again, offering tentatively, "Logan, it's okay if you don't remember... you may be disoriented for a while yet..."
She wasn't sure she'd ever seen him look so relieved... "Max, I..." he tried, stammering with the thought. "You're... you're nude..." he finally pointed out.
"So are you," she challenged.
His eyes glittered slightly, myopically considering her, as it dawned on him that she was enjoying this – and his discomfort. He grimaced a little at the thought, afraid to even guess what it meant, but tried, "then ... will you be disoriented, too?"
She laughed in her relief, the question striking her somehow as being so Logan that she was sure he'd recover completely. She finally explained, "Logan, you were suffering from exposure – probably hypothermia. You were out of it there, for a while..." Seeing him consider the thought, then nod down toward their intertwined forms in silent question, she shrugged, "standard field technique – got to warm the body and raise the core temp. No electric blankets, so – skin to skin contact was indicated."
"Ah." His eyes softened in understanding – the wrong one – and he let his hands fall away, as if the effort now were too great. Eyes dropping away from hers, he managed a smile of resignation as he nodded, "right."
Max saw it, surprised – it never occurred to her that he wouldn't realize immediately how good this felt – how good he felt – to her. "Logan..." What could she say? "You spent the last several hours impersonating an icicle. If it weren't for that..." She looked into the face she loved, his eyes still averted. Was this – and his sleepy murmurs – enough to let her assume what she was assuming? Her own uncertainties still hovering, and needing to let him recuperate but unwilling to let this moment pass without some promise of more, Max pulled away from him, wrapping one of the blankets up around her as she began to her slip away from his side. "You need to let yourself thaw out – completely. Maybe a rain check – by tomorrow you should be your usual feisty self..." She wavered, looking for response, seeing no change. Damn it, Max, if you're going to say it, just say it! "...and if you wait right there, I could come back and maybe check on you, you know ... warm you up a little more...?"
The green eyes lifted back up to consider her before dropping away again, now sad and wistful. "Yeah; sure..." he agreed, softly. Clearly he didn't believe she'd be back...
Emotions rattling her, Max blurted, "Listen, you..." the tone getting his attention and bringing his eyes back to hers. "Do I have to swallow my pride and admit what I was imagining, while you were just lying there, chillin' out? Did it occur to you that maybe I was afraid that ... that you ... might not be as interested, as I was? As I... am?" It was only a heartbeat before the moment dawned on her, what she was saying, and she backed down a little, realizing she still didn't know the answer to that very point. His expression, faintly troubled now, gave nothing away – including any sign of the desire she thought she'd seen before.
She pulled into herself a little, suddenly painfully aware that not only her body, but her heart as well, had been laid bare for him. Unused to the sense of fragility these emotions brought, she offered, apologetically, "What a mess this is, huh?" Afraid to wait for his reaction, she did what she always did and began her retreat, covering the hurt that she expected would follow, covering her form with the blanket as she slid to the side of the bed and started to sit up. "Look, no one else has to know about all this; I'll get you some sweats and give you a few minutes, and fifteen minutes from now we can pretend all this never hap..."
"Max..." His hand raised to her arm and stopped her with a gentle brush of his fingers, his feather touch guiding her to turn again and look at him. After a moment, neither speaking, their eyes locked and sharing far more than words of the hope each held, Logan's hand trailed up to her shoulder, tracing up to her jaw line. Fingertips caressing her cheek, he drew her back. "I don't want to pretend... not anymore..." he said quietly.
Max swallowed ... and looked into the clear green eyes, his scruff and spiky hair dark against the clean, crisp pillowcase...
"I want you here, with me ... like this..."
...and without a word, Max fell back onto the warm, strong chest as his arms welcomed her back.. and she sought his lips in a relieved, yearning kiss...
VII.
"Logan... I'm not kidding; it probably was full-blown hypothermia, and you're supposed to take it easy for a while, even after you feel as if you're warming up. I need to get you some tea, or maybe some soup..." After long moments in Logan's arms, tasting his lips, Max had finally, regretfully pulled back to chide them both. Logan seemed oblivious.
"How can you even think I wouldn't want this?" He was looking for a sign, even still, a promise that her words were true – that she had been, and still was, interested – and spoke a little more carefully than he usually did, mindful of how much it would hurt to be wrong in this. "...that I 'might not be interested'? How could you have not seen it? "
He was ignoring her attempts to mother him – and though it could be some remaining confusion due to the cold-induced stupor, far more likely it was just Logan Cale. It sounded just like him, to refuse to acknowledge her fussing. She relaxed a little, chuckling. "How can you be so single-minded?" she teased, "I probably blocked it out – just as you're blocking out the fact right now that you need to get something hot in your system..."
She suddenly knew he was actually considering something hot that had nothing to do with tea or coffee, given the wry look and megawatt beam she saw in return ... and was delighted to see it.
"Oh, you really do need to get some rest..." she laughed, shaking her head at his silent reaction. "And I need to remember I'm the medic here – and there's a good chance you're still under the influence. You might not remember any of this by tomorrow..."
His smile softened in affection. "Max, if I don't remember ... you'll tell me, won't you?" At her widening smile, as she moved again to get up, he dared, "Don't go. Stay. Stay here, like this, please..." When she turned back to look at him in question, he paused, then shrugged, "if I am dreaming, I'd rather you spend the time here with me than in the kitchen."
Her chuckle was soft as she assured him, "this isn't a dream..."
But he looked away, his knowing expression wry as he colored a little and murmured, "That's what you always say..."
Max's smile lit the room at the implication. "I mean it this time," she laughed. She shifted to her feet, again moving to leave and again pulling along the blanket to wrap around her ... and, again, he stopped her.
"Max..." His smile quieted a little now, and he pulled his hand from under the blankets to reach toward her. She curled back onto the bed, taking his hand as she sat close at his side. In his eyes now she could see the lingering insecurities, the desire he had for just this intimacy, as he admitted, "I'm afraid that, once you leave ... I might not have the courage to ask you back again."
Her heart melted at the sound of him, the look in his eyes ... His confessions made her strong now, and she leaned closer to kiss him again, gently, on his lips... his forehead... and leaned back to speak. "I boiled some water not that long ago, and it will only be a minute to get it hot again. Just two minutes, and the tea – and I – will be back and I promise ... you won't have to ask..." She eased back, not dropping her gaze from his, sliding out from the blanket as she tucked it back around him, this time reaching toward the floor to retrieve one of the towels she'd dropped there in her haste to get Logan in bed after trying to dry him. Gracefully coming to her feet while wrapping the towel around her, she promised, "two minutes – maybe less." She took a few steps toward the hall and with a thought, turned. "Any preference?' At his look of confusion, she added, "the tea?"
"Oh – no. No; you pick..."
"'kay," she smiled, after only another couple steps she turned again, glancing back toward the still-dazed man and couldn't resist a teasing, " don't go anywhere."
"...or you'll kick my ass?"
The beam in return warmed his soul. "That will just be the start..."
VIII.
It hadn't even been the full two minutes, but when Max came back, Logan's eyes were closed, his breathing deep and slow, as it was when he came close to nodding off. Yet as she came close to sit on the bed beside him, he roused to open his eyes drowsily and smiled. "I could get used to this," he said, softly.
She grinned for him and came to his side, again lifting the blankets to slide in along his not- so- chilly form while balancing the steaming mug. Eyes twinkling, she wiggled a little and pulled the towel away, raising a pleased blush on her patient's cheeks. She snuggled in and shimmied her arm under his head and pillows to prop him up a little more, bringing the mug close.
"...I could get very used to this," he allowed, another small blush confessing his feelings. He lay back and breathed in the crisp scent of the mint tea Max had brought for him, tasted its mild bite, and wondered if he should have expressed a preference while he could. No matter what else happens, he marveled drowsily to himself, I will never again be able to have mint tea without feeling Max's naked body in my arms...
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
...and now...?