Disclaimer: I don't own Dark Angel or Logan Cale. They belong to Cameron and Eglee and the film producing company.

N/A: Sorry for the long wait! I wish you all a happy new year! I am always delighted about reviews... thanks for them so far!

Chapter 8 - Touches

Fogle Towers, Penthouse – Wednesday, September 4, 2024, 11.00 AM

Logan sat at his workstation and was in the middle of an Eyes Only investigation, as the babyphone began to snarl. It proved quite practical for Logan to be at ease while working on his computer without the fear of not hearing Ben crying in his room. Now he didn't need to leave the door open and risk to disturb Ben by making too much noise with his daily tasks. Max was at work, she had lately returned to work for several hours the week, in need of distraction and to be around her friends as well. She already started to creep up the walls without the direct connection to all the other coworkers and friends. Logan supported that, he knew it was the only remedy for her inner balance, and there was no point for her being imprisoned into this flat. Anyway, they shared the care of the baby as good as they could. Max used to prepare a flask of her mother milk and put it into the fridge every time she left the apartment, so that Logan could feed the baby later on. Although his balancing problems had progressed and the boundary of sensations had climbed slightly upwards again, he still could very well care for the baby, lift him up from the crib and change diapers. The special dresser which he had built with Joshua for such baby-centered tasks proved quite useful in the practical experience. Logan was amazed by the amount of stuff a simple baby-care needed. He was glad, that the drawers on each side provided just enough space for all the specially needed baby-items.

As the snarling noises went on, Logan interrupted his research and moved at quickly to Ben's room. Entering, he soothed the little boy, speaking softly towards him. Ben ceased instantly with his crying, since he was already used to the satin voice, that many times in his short life predicted something to eat or other kind of comfort. As Logan reached Ben's crib, he took him up and cradled him in his lap with a big cushion underneath the baby. Now Ben gazed with big dark and curious eyes up to his Daddy. Intrigued by the easy contentment of the baby, Logan sniffed the air in order to investigate the reason for the baby's crying. His conjectures were right. Ben badly needed a diaper-change. So he wheeled him delicately to the baby-dresser and laid him on top of it. Logan fetched everything which would be needed and began with his work.

Finally, as the baby lay tidy and wide awake on top of the dresser, he grabbed Logan's pinky finger and tried to haul it toward his mouth. Usually, Logan let him grab nearly everything at his body, as long as it was not his hair or his eyes. He knew it was a natural and important thing to do for a baby which learned through it the nature of things.

This time, however, the grabbing felt for Logan like a punch into his stomach. He saw his little son grab his pinky finger - and felt nothing. It struck him like a steamroller. This was it, the first sign for the loss of his hand functions. He knew it, and he knew it would come. "Damned" he murmured to himself. The baby was giving chuckling noises and felt obviously quite happy. It seemed like a mockery of life to him now. "Well, enjoy the care of your dad, it will not be long until I can't touch you at all now." He felt his face becoming hot and the tears flooding along his cheeks as he said those sarcastic words, which the baby couldn't understand yet. With now slightly shaking hands for anger and incertitude he took the baby with caution back to the crib. Then, he headed towards the living room. Logan needed space and the window to stare out. He needed to deal with all this in his mind and to sort out the harsh consequences and how to face them.

Logan was still sitting in that position, as Max came back from work a short time later. Sunken deep in his thoughts, he didn't acknowledge her until she stood directly in front of him. "Logan? What's the dealio?", she asked suspiciously. He jumped startled and then looked sadly up to her. "Oh, hey Max.", after a small pause he added gravely: "It begins." - Max stared blankly at him. "You lost me. What begins?" - "My hands, I begin to loose the function." With that, he gazed at his hands and turned them a little bit, as if something different could be seen on them. But they still looked the same.

Max dropped her bags and knelt beside him. "Oh Logan. - When did you remark it?" - "When Ben grabbed my pinky finger", he said with a tuffed voice. "Max, I couldn't feel it! I couldn't feel his baby-fingers." Deeply embarrassed, his sad ocean-green eyes pierced right through her heart.

Max slung her arms around Logan's neck and pressed her forehead against his. "We knew it would come, but not so soon.", she quietly said. He nodded silently. But then they had no cases of precedence at the Metro Medical, Logan mused. Determined, Max took firmly his hands in hers and they both looked down at them. Max gently kissed each fingertip of each hand, before she started caressing the palms. Logan gave out sarcastically: "Do you kiss them goodbye?" Max quickly glanced up to him and then tilted her head a little. "Perhaps... I want you to have sensations you could remember later." Logan softly said: "You are so sweet! Come up here, my mouth needs also something to remember." With that, Max lifted her mouth to his and kissed him senseless - again. But this time, they were interrupted by an angry cry for milk from the baby. Max stood up with a sigh and went to fulfil her duties as a mother.