For months, he felt her slipping away. It was as if she was growing away from him.

And toward Alec.

That fact bugged the cyber-journalist the most – even more than the idea that she no longer looked at him with big, brown, adoring eyes.

Logan had asked Max to meet him at Crash, alone. It would be a pseudo-date. They'd actually get to have a conversation that wasn't about somehow saving the world.

Which is why he frowned when she came down the stairs followed by the younger, blonde, tall transgenic himself, and why he was so disappointed when the first words out of her mouth were, "So what's the job?"

As she slipped off her jacket, she watched Alec head to a nearby pool table and rack the balls.

"No job," Logan said, staring at Max's turned face. "I just thought we could talk, maybe have a drink."

Max smiled as she saw Alec sucker Sketchy into a game, slipping off his jacket and grabbing a pool cue. He ducked slightly under the low-hanging light and snuck a confident glance at her. Coyly, she looked away and back to Logan. "I'm sorry?"

"I just wanted to see you."

Max turned and, with some appreciation, watched Alec's backside as he bent over the pool table and lined up his shot. Logan followed her line of sight, only to prove by what she seemed so distracted. He turned back to her and witnessed something he'd never seen her do. She bit her lip.

"You look really great tonight," he said, trying to harness her attention.

"Thanks," she said, not removing her eyes from Alec. His bicep flexed as the pool cue struck the shiny white ball. Max's pupils dilated.

"Max, are you here with me?"

Max glanced to Logan, but returned her stare to Alec, whose mouth had crooked up on one side and whose body language had cut off all other women. He leaned against the railing and held Max's gaze.

Logan pushed back in his seat. It was too late. She had never looked at him like she was looking at Alec, and she never would. Countless times, he had imagined her face when she found out he had the cure and now they could be together. It was a night of candlelight, soft jazz, dancing, making love for hours. But now, the way she seemed to blush in Alec's presence, he couldn't help feel the pang of jealousy as the X5 replaced him in those same images.

"Maxie, come over here," Alec requested.

Logan realized he had added something only she could hear, because her eyes lit up again.

Turning to Logan, smiling wide and blushing, she asked, "I'm sorry, what?"

Even from so close a distance, he could see she was looking at him, but she was thinking of Alec.

"I'm sorry, Logan," she said, standing. "I'll be right back."

Logan watched Max walk away from him and toward her happiness.