A/n: Thanks for your reviews, guys.

Wow this is a quick update; it usually takes at least two weeks to get one of these chapters done, but it was just flowing, you know? And when the muse beckons, who am I to argue? Even if I am so gonna pay for putting off all that homework.

I do like writing this, by the way, but it's just so damn hard!

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Chapter 23: Blood and Dreams

The two women stared at each other for a few moments, both wondering if this was a dream.

"Max?" Catalina asked hesitantly. The transgenic nodded, almost imperceptibly.

The older woman acted purely on instinct, holding out her arms to her. Max stepped into them, and was enfolded into her embrace. Catalina shed twenty one years worth of tears into her only child's hair, rocking her gently as she whispered "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I tried, I tried so hard to get you away..."

And the soldier girl who had never known a mother's love knew at last a mother's touch.

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The next time Jondy woke, she felt much more alert. She found herself in the infirmary in New TC, laid out on a makeshift bed on the floor. Well, this is luxurious, she thought. Then her gaze fell on Alec, fast asleep on the bare floorboards at her side. Guess I was lucky to get this much. Her brow creased with worry; is he hurt? Why does that bother me so much? We're just friends...

"Hey," said Gem, softly, approaching with her baby in a sling across her chest. "How're you feeling?"

"Apart from the steel band playing a concert on my skull? Ok. What's up with Alec?"

Gem grinned. "Nothing. He's as healthy as an X5 can be, except for the fact he hasn't slept in about a week. Still insisted on carrying you in though, then just passed out on the floor, muttering something about wanting to be there when you woke up again."

"That's... kind of sweet, in a stalkery kind of way."

"Yeah, and dammed annoying, too, I've been tripping over him all day." Gem looked at her slyly. "He totally has a thing for you, you know."

"Alec? No way." Jondy tried to brush her off, cover the confusion she felt.

"Even if you can't see it, just take it as read that everyone else can. He likes you as a hell of a lot more than a sister."

Embarrassed, Jondy changed the subject. "So how did the battle go? I remember finding the ordinaries... and then it's all kinda hazy."

"Both our main objectives were achieved. We got Logan, and took out the whole building and all the familiars in the process. But..."

"Why do I get the feeling this is a big but?"

"We lost thirty two, in total, with more than twice that wounded. Nineteen X series, twelve Transhumans... and Joshua."

"Joshua? Oh, no..."

"Yeah, exactly. He was... special."

"What happened?"

"I don't know exactly. Only Max and Logan were with him."

"How's she taking it?"

"No idea. She and Logan and a couple of other '5s took off to deal with the whole Sandeman thing, so she wasn't hurt, in case you were worried; at least not seriously.

"Dammit! So I still don't get to meet the guy."

"You will, soon enough," said Gem. Alec stirred slightly beside them, groaning. "Guess I'd better leave the two of you to figure things out. Have fun."

"Yeah, right," murmured Jondy, prodding Alec in the gut. "Yo, sleeping beauty! You gonna lie there moaning all day or wake up and talk to me?"

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There was no time for Max and Catalina to get to know each other. After their long hug, which they only had because Logan, Original Cindy, Syl and Krit practically barricaded the door against Lydecker and Sandeman, they emerged from the room, both teary eyed but smiling.

"Well, it's about ti..." Sandeman began.

"There's someone you have to meet," said Max, cutting him off. "Mom, this is my boyfriend Logan."

"Hi," said Logan, with a warm smile, offering a hand.

"Nice to meet you, Logan," said Catalina, looking concerned.

"What?" Said Max, worried.

"I don't want to judge or anything, Max, but...don't you think he's a little old for you?"

The entire room burst out laughing. Even Lydecker had to restrain a smile.

Within minutes Max, Logan and Catalina were all lying down giving blood. Catalina was already unconscious, having already donated that day. The couple just lay on their beds, holding hands between them.

"Hope Sebastian can get a hold of that equipment in time," commented Max.

"He's done more impossible things in the past," remarked Logan with a yawn.

"True. Your brigade always seems to come out on top."

"Lucky for us, huh," he mumbled, fighting to keep his eyes open.

"Go to sleep, Logan," she said, taking pity on him. It was a measure of how tired he was that he didn't even try to argue.

"You'll be here when I wake up, right?"

"Wild gossamers couldn't drag me away."

"Good. They already ruined one perfect evening..." his voice trailed off as he fell asleep. Max just watched him, smiling fondly, until she too succumbed to peaceful rest. With her long lost mother and her beloved by her side, she was sure she'd only have sweet dreams.

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Lydecker entered the room where the three of them slept, Syl and Krit behind him ready to give their blood to their friends.

"Aww, that's so sweet," said Krit, seeing that Max and Logan were holding hands, even in their sleep.

"Yeah," said Syl. "Never had Max for the clingy type. But I guess she couldn't touch him for the past year, so..."

Sandeman entered, checking his patients while he prepared a second IV for each of them. "I'm going to hook the two of you up to the ordinaries first; Max can keep going a little longer than them." He checked Catalina's pulse, blood pressure and temperature, and then inserted the IV connecting her to Krit. He ran through the same checks on Logan, starting to look more and more concerned. "Oh."

"Oh? What do you mean oh?" Asked Krit, all humour dropping from his voice.

"It never occurred to me... but I suppose it makes sense..."

"What makes sense?" Asked Lydecker.

"It appears that Logan here has had his system sufficiently weakened, and enough nanocytes removed from his bloodstream, to allow the virus to infect him again, although not at full strength."

In shock, they all stared at Logan's pale face, seeing the slight flush on his cheeks and the sweat standing on his brow.

Syl tried to separate the couple's clasped hands, but they only gripped tighter.

In desperation, she leaned over her sister and began to call to her. "Max! Max, wake up. You have to let go of Logan. Come on, Max, please..."

What happened next sent shivers down their spines.

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Max found herself in a place she instantly recognised. The white dress she wore fit her perfectly, as it had before, but she felt an unaccustomed weight around her neck and looked down to see she was wearing the locket he'd given her. She smiled, and walked slowly down the stairs, in time with the music that swelled around them, to where Logan was waiting.

He was standing this time, in the same suit she remembered; if anything, he looked more gorgeous than ever before.

"Déjà vu," said Logan, that smile on his face again as he watched her.

"Yeah, me too. I never asked if you remembered this..."

"Believe me, I do. And I have, every day since it happened."

"Me, too." She let her skirt fall from her hand in a billow of white, and held out her arms to him. "Dance with me."

"Always, Max." Logan stepped willingly into her embrace, taking her hand and putting the other chastely on her waist.

The couple moved as one, two halves of a whole being united at last, without walls, without boundaries, just together, lost in bliss.

Just as their lips brushed together, Logan stumbled.

"Logan? What's wrong?" Asked Max, supporting him, struggling not to panic.

"I... I don't know."

"The virus... it has to be..." She started to pull away from him, but his grip on her tightened.

"No... the virus can't hurt me here, not in our place, our dream."

"Then it must be in the real world. Logan, we're holding hands there, you must be getting sick. Maybe the nanocytes can't save you after all. Maybe they just delayed it a little..."

"Or maybe I just don't have enough of them left in me. I'll be ok, Max, we have Syl and Krit on hand, remember? One of them'll transfuse me and I'll be fine by the time the nanocytes have had a chance to replicate."

"I can't lose you, Logan, not now, not ever."

"You won't. I promised, remember. You said..."

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"Don't let go," Max and Logan said as one, their voices blending together in perfect harmony.

The two X5s, Lydecker and Sandeman just gaped. Both of them were unconscious, one was seriously ill, and they could talk in tandem like this?

"I won't," they continued,

"Promise?"

"Promise."

"Logan / Max... don't leave me..."

And then their hands relaxed, and Syl was able to part them.

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Can you feel the fluff?