Disclaimer: I still don't own Dark Angel and the concept and don't intend to make money of it.
A/N: Finally! Only about 5 years later... ;) this is the last chapter.
This was my first fanfic story ever. I am aware of a partly clumsy style and know that there are still a lot of mistakes inside. But then, first stories are not supposed to be perfect. As Logan's life in his story did change dramatically over the years, so did my real life change as well. But although all the changes contribute to widen our horizons in many ways, we remain the same people after all, and that's a relief. :)
Thank you for all your feedback, for all your interaction and for keeping up the imagination!
Special thanks I have to give to all the authors of the Virtual Season 3, to all the lovely people who inspired me to write a DA story on my own, namely lilmouse, catherder, Emerald Eyed Phoenix (who helped additionally with my language issues), Beth Pryor, a fan, latenightrain, Kyre, Kasman and especially shywr1ter.
So long, and let's hope that I find soon enough space and time to push forward my other DA-related story (Auggie meets Logan)
Far
18. Success
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Fogle Towers - Penthouse, Thursday, May 18th 2026, early afternoon
Max kicked the door open, stuffed with a heap of bags. Logan followed her, his lap as well full with grocery bags. As they entered, Max put everything on Logan's workout bank, including the bags from Logan's lap. It was really a lot, but they would need it, since they had to prepare for a dinner party. On their way back home, they did the shopping as quickly as possible, after they decided to celebrate the day appropriately, even if Logan had mixed feelings about the whole thing. Finally he said: "A festivity has to be done, no matter for what reasons. Never miss an opportunity."
Max countered: "Now, that's the spirit!"
As soon as they were at home, Max quickly put the groceries into the fridge. Logan already headed to the telephone, struggled to slip his headset over his head with both his hands. Then he tried to pick up the gib - that he latterly used for typing or pushing buttons - with his mouth, so he could fix it with his lips to the leathergloved back of his right hand. Logan growled as the gib slipped back onto the surface of the telephone desk at his first attempt. Life had become so complicated. Two years ago he could just have dialed the number with his fingers. Even the "patience in all things" slogan had its limits, and was overused, by the way.
Max came back from the kitchen. "Need a hand?"
Logan looked lopsidedly up to her, frustration mirrored in his face. "Yeah, I think I might indeed need a hand with working fingers... listen, I quickly do my calls, while you do yours with the mobile, right? Then we'll have tea on the couch and talk. Can you already start the water boiling?"
Shortly after that, they had finished their tasks and the tea was ready. Logan wheeled himself to the side of the couch at the living-room, while Max fetched the steaming tea-pot on the couchtable. He locked his brakes and waited for Max to loosen him out of his belts of the wheelchair.
"Do you want to keep the braces?"
- "Yeah, for the instant I just want to sit on the sofa, we can loosen them later."
As every time Max lifted him, Logan enjoyed every inch of her body that was near him. On the one hand, he hated to be dependent on her doing all the stupid daily chores. But for nothing in the world he wanted to miss the close contacts they had nowadays because of this. She put him delicately on the couch and made sure his back was leaning properly at the backrest. Then she sat beside him and poured the mugs. As she made herself comfortable beside him with her feet on the seats, she questionly gazed at Logan.
"So?"
- He gazed back, his head turned towards her, a faint smile on his lips, "So!"
"Do you remember when we were sitting here a couple of years ago and I told you about the spine degradation for the first time?"
Max responded quickly and vividly: "How could I forget that!"
Logan shrugged. "It just feels similar. You have me to tell what's the matter and all." He blushed slightly.
Max sipped at her tea-mug. "No, it's not similar. This time, the degrad' stopped. It is quite the opposite! And by the way, I already know the news."
- Logan had to give her justice in that point. "Yeah, but it's just the circumstances. Anyway, there at the Metro Medical you wanted to know what's the matter with me, right?"
Max nodded.
Logan continued: "It was a lot to take in, even if it was a quite short time during which he informed me. I mean, on the way to Sam I was really insecure about how the results would be and nervous and all. Then, he told me his triumph, and..." - Max cut in "It's not only his triumph, it's yours and ours as well!"
Logan nodded. "Ok, may it be our triumph. And then I thought about the status quo. I mean, hey, it is great to be able to move on my own, to speak and breath and all. But consider also what mobility I lost until now. You even have to feed me the tea, because I cannot hold the mug properly." He ended with a sigh.
Max blushed slightly. "It's a lot of emotions at the same time, is it?"
Logan admitted: "Yes, and I need a little time to adjust to this state. This condition will last, so it is safe to get used to it. I mean, it is a good thing to come to a rest with all the transition going on lately. But if I had a choice, I'd rather it had stopped a little earlier."
Max nodded thoughtfully and then lifted the other mug to Logan's mouth. He sipped, grateful for her lately developed sense of apparently exactly knowing what he needed, every time he argued with himself if he should ask her or not. He had no clue how she did that. Perhaps an unknown Manticore-ability including something like a stack overflow of mirror neurons?
Max watched the time and said: "Ok, I think I should start party-preparations. Original Cindy wanted to come to help us in two hours. And you need to change position. So, shall we put your braces aside and lay you onto the sofa?"
After a short reflection, Logan nodded. "Yeah, would be the best if I am able to be in the chair later on with a good feeling. And on top of the sofa I can do a good surveillance job and direct your preparations. You can take the orders directly from this throne", he teases, smiling at her.
Max performed a curtsey and countered with a wide grinning: "As his crankiness wishes." She took off his shoes and lifted Logan's feet to the couch, loosened his braces on his back and slipped them away, turned him on his stomach, and then onto his side, so that he lay outstretched on the couch, his head in the direction of the kitchen, the entrance of the apartment within his view, a cushion beneath his head and one between his slightly flexed legs.
"Are you confortable like this?" Max asked, kneeling beside him, caressing his hair. Logan felt goosebumps on his arms for her tenderness. She was so sweet, and she was his, in spite of everything. HIS! A wave of affection for his strong wife flooded him. He raised his right arm and caressed lightly her shoulder with his leathergloved fist.
"As comfortable as I can be. Thanks, Max, for everything, you know, I hate not to be able to help you a lot with the preparations..." Max cut him off: "Shh... I don't want to hear that. Besides, you will help later on, or how do I prepare the meal without your help? You can already think of all the recipes we'll need." And with a kiss on his head, she stood up to start the preparations.
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Fogle Towers - Penthouse, Thursday, May 18th 2026, about 5.00 pm
Max was in the middle of cleaning the bathroom, as the doorbell rang. Logan smiled wistfully to himself. Normally he would have opened, but as he was laying on the couch, unable to move, it would be Maxes turn to open. She was still rubbing her hands with a towel, as she finally opened the door. Original Cindy stepped in. "Hey Boo, what held you up?"
- "Preparing the house takes its time", Max gave back. "Great to see ya, Boo!" They hugged each other. Then Cindy spied around Max. "So, where is sugar boy? Not around?"
Logan gave a warm and short laughing. "I am throning in the middle of it all, so nobody remarks my presence. It's like the eye of the storm, you know?"
Cindy stepped towards him. "Oh, here is golden boy, OC just found him. So good news after all!"
Logan lifted his head with the support of his left arm, so he had a better angle to look at her, but it was still very uncomfortable for him, to look up at a nearby standing person in this position. It was not the first time this happened, but it annoyed him. He could not get up further on his own, and he could not keep a sitting position without his braces, namely on the couch with its wobbling cushions.
He snarled: "Yeah, good news. Thanks for helping Max."
- "Max is my Boo and my homegirl, I always help her, no question!"
With that, she turned to join Max in the bathroom to figure out what she needed to do first.
Logan was relieved. He laid back his head on the cushion, thinking about how annoying it must have been laying around all day. Thank god that would never happen. With this, his joyful emotions overweighed once again within his emotional turmoil.
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Fogle Towers - Penthouse, Thursday, May 18th 2026, 6.15 pm
Max and Cindy did a quick job to prepare everything outside the kitchen while Logan had slumbered peacefully away on the couch, his glasses slipped at one point. After all, it was a lot to process, his mind needed to work it out with sleep. But now it was time to figure out the food. And Logan's skills were desperately needed for that. Max tiptoed towards the couch, knelt down and kissed him softly on his cheek. Logan awoke instantly, stirring in panic the first instants, then realizing where he was and that it was Max who awaked him, he calmed down. Logan rubbed his eyes with the back of his leathergloved right hand and said: "oops, I must have slept..." Max beamed at him. "You did, honey. It was quite sweet. I wanted to let you a little while, but the truth is, we need you now." - Logan pushed himself as far up as he could, and threw her a sophisticated glance: "It's cooking, right?" Max lifted her hands up and gave back with a smile: "Busted!"
Logan beamed back: "Good to know there is still a faculty in which I can be of service for my genetically superenhanced woman. Let's do it!"