TITLE: Choices-08 "Mama's in Heat"
AUTHOR: Mystic25
EMAIL:yellowrubberduck31@hotmail.com

SUMMARY: Pretty self-explanatory, but a quick rundown anyways. It's that time for Max again, but on a night with two kids, and lets not forget the "family" it will prove to be a very interesting evening.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own them, I just married them. The kids are mine, and Kaja's mine. The rest belong to Cameron and Eglee.

RATING: NC-17 Can't stop minors from reading, but this contains a lot of ahem, *explicit* imagery. So don't complain to me later.

CATAGORY: Romance, some angst, can't have all fluff

CONTENT: bad language and sex. Alternate's between Max and Logan's point of view

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is my first time doing a story that contains a lot of erotic, um "wahoo" yeah, so don't burn me with the flames, the comments I'll take.

*****

MAX

"Try and keep the water in the tub babe." I explain the fine arts of bath taking to Jess as he splashes around in the tub. More water hits my tank top, adding more to the already damp spot on the cotton.

Jess laughs, continuing to throw water at me. That's it "Wanna play it that way huh?" I fill the bowl that I had brought in to rinse his hair, and dump it over his head. My son shakes like a wet dog, giggling, as he succeeds in getting me wet again.

"You are too sneaky." I playfully push him on the head a little causing him to slide a few inches back in the tub.

I grab the washcloth floating in the water and clean under his arms, and then his neck.

"Mommee.." Jess looks at me, his hair all wet.

"Yeah sweetie?" I finish cleaning his face and proceeded to move to lower areas.

Jess looks down to my cleaning ministrations "Is dat dirty?"

I hesitate slightly; hopping to God he doesn't ask what other things besides peeing "Dat" is used for. "Mmhmm.." on the outside, I am the cool and collect momma. "It gets dirty like the rest of you." I rinse out the washcloth when I'm done cleaning my son's shaft. Some women would actually not do things like this, calling their husbands to deal with this "washing." But for God's sake, I lived unisex all my life, this doesn't make me cringe.

"Does daddy's?" Jess asked, fingering his tiny self with one small hand.

I laugh at this "Yeah, daddy has too as well."

"Has to do what?" Logan's voice calls out from where he is giving Lexi her bath. This has become a tradition in this household. One of us fills up the tub for Jess and the other hauls out Lexi's little bath seat thingy. Today it's my turn with our son.

"Nothing baby." I tell him "Just a little self exploration." He is standing against the counter, washing the wiggling four-month-old fish beside him. These kinds of scenes make me do a double take. Growing up in Manticore I never got to experience the kind of special attention we give our babies.

I am constantly amazed at the kind of father Logan is. Firm yet loving. I remember two weeks after Jess was born; he would wake us up at three-thirty in the morning wanting food, and letting us become well aware of the fact.

Logan would often climb out of the bed and bring the little boy to me.

/"Jess, you don't have to act like mommy yet." he'd say, and then hand me our son. While I feed him though, he'd just watch us, like the scene wasn't real, that he couldn't be so lucky./

And after Lexi, when my arm was still somewhat sore from the healing bullet graze, he'd help support our daughter with one arm while she nursed.

/"Logan you don't have too." I reprimanded "Its just a graze, I need to learn how to use it while it hurts."

"I want too baby." he responded simply "You carried her for nine months, gained fifteen pounds in the process, and went through five hours of labor, I can at least do this."/

I promptly shut up after that, and just enjoyed the moment of having another baby home with us.

"Pull the plug kiddo." I tell Jess, snapping out of my thoughts "Bath is over."

Jess smiled with glee, loving this part of the bath. He flipped the switch for the stopper, allowing the water to drain. "Gone! All gone!" he cried out with delight.

"Yep, all gone" I smile back, snagging a towel from the rack "Wet hug hun." I tell him holding out the towel.

His little naked body hugs me through the towel, and I scoop him up in it.

"Done daddee." Jess proudly announces when I bring him over to where Logan was.

"Great." Logan shoots back with an enthusiastic smile. He dumps Lexi's
bath water down the sink.

"Trade off." I tell him. We swap freshly bathed kids after Logan has given the baby a new diaper. She tends to get hungry after her evening bath, don't know why, but she does. So I usually feed her afterwards. The diaper is always on; found out the hard way one time, thankfully the towel was there.

As the baby nurses I wipe her dry with the towel. She remains completely attached to me. Manticore could come through that door right now and they would have to take both of us. Not even a platoon of X2's could pry off this little one.

"Hungry huh?" Jess pipes up looking at the baby.

"She's just like you were at that age." Logan informs "Mommy did that to you as well."

Jess looked as interested as someone who had been told that gold nuggets were hidden in their coat pockets. "Really?"

"Really." I answer back. Logan has taken the towel from me and wipes the back of our daughter's leg. He rubs her hair dry, accidentally touching my breast, making some milk leak one me.

"Sorry babe." he tells me simply, wiping it off with the towel.

"S'okay." I inform, feeling my nipple harden at his touch. /He barely touched me, why am I peaking?/

After Lexi finished, I put her in her jammies with the feet. Logan helped Jess into his camo PJ's, a present from Zane. I saw him briefly at Crash. After nearly knocking him over in a hug, and spending the next fifteen minutes explaining to the guys I worked with that I WASN'T gettin' freaky on the side (both Zane and I shuddered at the thought) I spun him over to the house.

Zane called Logan "a lucky son-of-a-bitch for knocking up another X5 sister." He was kinda keeping bets on who would be next. I beat his ass a little for that remark. He met the kids, and he and Jess played "solider" for the next hour. He got the camo pj's for Jess, callin' him an "honorary solider."

He also asked me about this chick he'd seen around Zack lately. Turns out Logan's old love interest Asha was still kinda into my brother. As long as she wasn't expecting any re-connecting with MY man, I'm coo' wid it. Zack surprised me, in that he stayed a week in Seattle after Jess's accident. Shooting range and the asphalt in Zack's Vulcan was where they stayed.

It wasn't fireworks, Zack's too damn stubborn, and Asha's, well a liberal bitchy girl, but go figure, there was some connection. Though Zane did tell me of a few lip-locking sessions on some nights. Zack left after the week.

He came in to say bye to me, and I grilled him like an MP with a fresh
catch.

/"It was nothing really Maxie." Zack defended "It just happened."

I looked at him amused "What about false sentiment?" I couldn't help enjoying this.

Zack half shrugged "At least her hooks are out of Logan." it's his turn
to shoot the look. "'Sides Asha's just.."

"Different." I finished "What about the fact that you can't stay around?"

Zack shrugged again "Lied, told her I have things and shit that makes me move around a lot. Said her group is the same way."

"Mutual understanding?" I smile halfway "But." I punched him in the shoulder lightly "Glad anyway bro." and I was, Zack needed someone as hotheaded as him, and Asha needed someone to keep her away from my husband before I laid her ass./

I kneeled next to my son's bed after he was under the covers.

"All set for bed baby?"

Jess shakes his head "no" "Storee momma."

I smile "Of course" I tuck his blankets around him "That's what "tuck
in time" was missing." I touch his forehead, and begin my story "Once
upon a time.." I hadn't thought of anything, so I drew out the words
to stall "A girl met this boy while she was "working.." I regaled
Jess with a fairy tale version of me breaking through the skylight
to steal Bast from Logan. /"You're a thief?" "A girl's gotta make a
living" "Thank God."/ Logan sat there and listened as well, holding
the baby.

I continue on with my story, but found myself being distracted by my
husband. He was touching our baby's head with his hand, stroking her
tiny amount of hair gently. /What I wouldn't give for those hands to
be on me, in my hair, my mouth my..stop, story first girl, turn down
the sensual thoughts/

"Did dey stay together?" Jess broke me out of my thoughts with his
question.

I nod at my son "Yeah, because they loved each other"

Logan was softly smiling at me from the other end of the bed.

I smiled back, with a long seductive smirk /Want to show that
love now baby. God, those pants are "huggin' your ass, and their
black, you tryin' to kill me love? And those tendons in your
neck, damn I just want to suc-"/ Jesus, what the hell am I
doing? I mean I usually show desire for my man, but not like
this, while our kids are being tucked in. So why am I gettin'
so hot and bothered? Wait, it can't-oh damn, shit-fuck, it is.

*****

LOGAN

Max finished her bedtime story. All the while she kept shooting me these strange glances, like a cat would to a mouse it wants to pounce.

After I said "good night" to Jess, I carried the baby to the nursery across the hall. This use to be Jess's nursery, but when Max found out she was pregnant again we moved Jess to another room. The purple walls Kendra had painted for us when Max was expecting Jess didn't appeal as much to the two year old as it did to his parents. He wanted green, dark green, his favorite color. So we spent the day painting and converting the other guest/study room into a haven for a growing, ball of active fire. The walls were done in a forest green, Jess even got to help with it, splashing a roller around while I held him.

I push open the door quietly with one hand, careful not to wake the sleeping baby. The purple walls are still here. Along with the crib I had purchased a while ago, but it was now painted in a deep silvery chrome.

With a kiss to her head, I settle Lexi down into the soft mattress. She doesn't event wake up and rolls over on her side.

I flip the baby monitor to the "on" position, knowing full well that she would wake up in about three hours for something.

Feeling like someone is watching me, I turn. Max is standing in the doorway; her figure is illuminated by the light in the hallway, creating an outline around her slender form. Even in the darkness, I can feel her eyes on me, the dilated pupils of a cat. Why is she using her transgenic night vision? "She's asleep baby." I tell her, "You can flip on the little night lamp, it won't wake her up."

"Better in the dark." came her reply.

/Was she purring?/ As I move to walk out of the nursery, I notice fully for the first time how she held herself. There was only one way to put it. She was "slinking" against the door. One elbow against the doorframe, her head sitting on the rest it created. The other placed on a protruding hip, suspended above crossed legs.

I stand in front of her "You okay Max?"

"Fine.." she draws out the word, this time in a low rumble in the back of her throat. Her eyes traveled lower, one hand reaches and moves with sleek motions across my chest and abs "So fiinee."

I close the door to our daughter's room quickly, not wanting to fall back through the open blackness from the sensations that her touch produced from me. Now I've been married to this woman for almost two years. This isn't the most she can do to me, but this time her hand, my god, it was hot. She was fire and I was ice.

I look into her eyes, which are almost black from dilation; only a sliver of white is evident around her pupils.

Not to down grade my love, but she looked horny as hell. Her soft,
long hands traveled lower then my chest. Even through black denim
she closed around the prize, my groan told her of her success.

"Like that?" she wets her lips with a fast tongue, smiling a smile that only those drunk on their own desire can do.

"Max, baby." I pry her hand off me. Not that I MIND having my drop dead gorgeous wife playing around in my pants, but I'd rather not wake up the baby, or give Jess an early education. "Can you hang on until the bed room?"

She pouts, sticking out that lower lip, the one that I nibble on to get her permission to enter her mouth. "Too far," she whines, but the way it came out, it was more throaty then whine. She's pulling out all the stops tonight.

"You suggest we do it here in front of the baby's room?" I throw this out to her.

She pauses, considering. "Too early for sex-ed." a seductive smile forms on her face. "Lets go then." her body is pressed against mine, so that moving becomes a difficult task unto itself. Max is so over sensitized right now that too fast of a step would make her come, and ruin this before it really got underway.

My prince charming gene (at least that's what Max calls it, I just call it my dads instilled dogmas) kicks in, and I pick up my wife in quick movements.

She doesn't protest and begins placing searing kisses on every part of my neck. As her tongue traces my Adam's apple I have to remember which direction our bedroom is in.

*****

MAX

Logan's does his best to head into our nightly sanctuary; his movements are somewhat jerky, mostly due to me and my leach thingy. I can help it, I need the contact, and DAMN he tastes good. Just his neck, just his f*ckin' neck tastes like a forbidden fruit.

I feel the mattress under me as my husband lays me on our king size bed. The sheets feels cool against my already over heated body. /Jesus girl he hasn't even really TOUCHED you yet/ Gotta blame it on the over sensitized libido, the wind would make me explode, that's how far
gone I am right now.

It's his turn to kiss me, my exposed neck line are showered by his hot,
wet mouth. I press him closer, wanting him to touch my breasts with his
hands, wanting to feel him on me. Dammit baby, TOUCH me.

"Logan.." my voice is half mewing kitten, half feral wild cat. "Baby please." I grab one hand and place it on my right breast hidden under a blue tank and black bra.

He gets the idea, because his palm closes around it. His fingers pluck
at my nipple, hardening it through the two layers. /Yesss/ my mind chants. He keeps the action up, undoing my bra with a single hand under
my tank. The black lace is discarded to the floor.

My nipples have hardened like rocks, peeking out of my tank in sharp points. "Soo good.." I call out, my voice heavier then normal.

I make a move for his sweater, roaming my hands under the cotton. They travel across contoured planes of hard muscle and the slightest chest hair. I pull the sweater the rest of the way off. The sight alone got me riled. Sitting up I have him on top of me in one fast movement. I grasp the metal zipper in one hand and tug it down, feeling his "mass" underneath his boxers. He is straighter then a Manticore solider at attention. I pressed my cervix up against him, wrapping my legs around his back. We both moaned at the first contact. "God I want THAT in me NOW." this was not a request.

Logan nodded above me "In a second love, we need a condom."

In my heated and hot state I forgot that I was still nursing. "All that way.." I steal a glance at the bedside drawer where Logan's little plastic "friends" lived. /Damn "whore-y" genes/ I hated feeling so trashy, but for the next few hours I was open for rides around the block.

I hear him laugh lightly "Patience Max.." He sits up from his position.
"I can keep you "occupied." until I get them." He removes my black drawstrings.

Before I can wonder what the hell he means, he slides a finger inside me. Damn I love this distraction. Another digit joins his dextrose one.

"Sweetheart, you are so damn tight tonight." he pushes deeper with both fingers.

My world just tipped over, all the times we do this, and I still feel like it was the first time. Especially now, when I'm in "slut mode"

Another millimeter, and I arch off the bed, cursing every word I can think of. My eyes open when a long kiss is placed on my lips. "Good side show?" Logan smiles, finally removing his wicked tools from my vagina.

I do not respond with words. Instead I thrust my tongue in his mouth, shoving it in as far as I physically can without yanking it out by the thin muscle fibers it was attached to. He tastes sooo good. I would give up all the damn chocolate in the world if I found something that tasted as good as this.

His hands are back on my breasts again, cupping them in his palms. He leans down and darts his tongue across their high planes, tracing a pattern that starts at where each slope of my "grape fruits" begins, and ending just above my nipple.

/My God/ My body inches closer to his manhood as if on its own accord. My legs follow suit, wrapping tightly around his back. I am teetering so close to the edge I can feel myself pooling at just the "pre-game" show. I grab him in my hands, the latex slick against
my palm, pointing him to my waiting center.

He looks down at my movements "You don't want anymore foreplay angel?"

An honest question, usually we romp around like two kids who are giving
up their virginity. But tonight my genes are doing all the talking. All
the foreplay in the world will not fulfill what my DNA wants, to propagate.

I shake my head, touching the tip of his shaft through the condom that shrouded it. "My body just wants to be fucked, not batted at like a toy." I went for brutally honest, and felt like a bitch for doing so. My heat cycles always turn me into a tramp. They were always about me,
my needs, getting me off.

Logan takes it in strides. This isn't the first time he's been on
top of me when I'm the Dominatrix from Hell. "Okay then." He presses
me flat on my back, moving more on top of me.

*****

LOGAN

I look down at the woman under me. Her hair is tousled, messy, but there is also need in her eyes. I suspected a while ago that she was in heat. Normally she doesn't act so, promiscuous. She is a REALLY sexy woman, but she never broadcasts it, unless she wanted to put the drop on someone.

Heat does this to her, makes her hot and horny, and it won't go away until her body gets what it wants.

"Logan for God sakes, I'm not getting any hotter down here." her snap back is harsh.

It does not faze me; I know how she can get during this time.

"You will babe." I warn with gentle fierceness. I shift my weight to my arms, taking more off her. Max may be a genetically enhanced kick ass solider, but I easily outweigh her by fifty pounds. She is strong, but she is also small.

My wife looks at me with a "bring it on look" her gaze locked on mine.

My head is poised at her entrance. I slide in slowly, almost a caress,
to test her readiness. She is still tight, and incredibly hot and wet.

"You tryin' to give that damn tortoise a run for his money?" Max is irritated at my first gentle thrust.

"Just checkin'" I let her know. Her frame isn't the only thing that's small. I am not the Big Daddy, but I am large. I usually go slowly at first to loosen her up some. I know sometimes it can happen, but I always feel like the biggest son-of-a-bitch if I make a woman tear.

She looks pissed now "Checkin' what? The damn oil? Gong's right in front of ya, get that bitch bangin'"

She shuts up when I thrust deeper into her, this time faster. That's how she likes it when she's in heat, swift and hard. We both have a mutual agreement that when she is like this we try to meet the expectations.

I pull out and lunge deeper, almost burying myself in her. She is starting to sweat now. I can see beads forming along her hairline. Another thrust, and she's arching off the bed, making a noise halfway between a growl and a moan. I keep up the fast pace, bringing her to the brink several times, but then pulling back, building up the tension to come to a final release.

A final hard dive and I can feel her coming and sliding down my shaft. I too am spilling deep inside her, but it is all trapped in the latex of the condom. She shudders around me, another cry echoing around our bedroom. I look to her swiftly, it almost sounds like a half scream. But before I can analyze her features, she goes limp under me.

Exhausted I too fall into a heap beside her. I am now limp and dripping
as I pull out of her. The air suddenly got cool in the room. I snag
the discarded comforter over us.

Max opens her eyes then. Her pupils are still dilated and dark, but
the need has quieted for now.

"How was the "gong bangin'?" I use her words, touching her naked collarbone with my hand. However, before I can cuddle her to me I hear the baby monitor come alive.

And let me tell you, my daughter has one powerful set of lungs. About that same time I hear a light tapping on the bedroom door, followed by a "Mommeee, have to go potty.."

Max sighs beside me "So much for the days when we could screw on your
office furniture without interruption."

"You mean besides Bling and Original Cindy droppin' by?" I ask with a small smile.

She half smiles, half laughs remembering those visits. The bed shifts as she gets up. A groan escapes her lips as she reaches down to pick up her tank top off the floor.

"Are you okay baby?" I sit up concerned at the noise she just made.

She shrugs it off "I'm coo' you just take a girl for a great ride."
My discarded boxers are in her hand and she puts them on.

"Momma's gonna take you potty baby." she calls out to the little boy behind the closed door. She turns to me "Go see what Lexi wants, if its food, bring her in here." with that she disappears through the door, leaving it mostly closed to keep Jess from asking questions about exactly what mommy and daddy were just doing in here.

Lexi has not backed down, when she wants something, she doesn't give up.

"Coming" I call out, mostly to myself. She can't hear me from this far,
not unless Max's genes have kicked into her system already.

Speaking of my wife, since she snagged my boxers, I'm kinda at a loss about what to put on. Unlike a woman, I can't just slip on a t-shirt and have everything relatively covered. I finally spy my robe on the armchair by the window. I pull the terry cloth over my body. Now I'm kinda glad I'm wearing this. I doubt I could've pulled my boxers back on right now. Sex is great, but it's a workout.

I head out of the room, stepping over our discarded clothes.

*****

MAX

I lead my little boy by the hand into the hall bathroom. The nightlight that's plugged into the wall outlet illuminates his camo PJ's.

I push the bathroom door open with one hand, guiding my son inside. I let go of his hand, and kneel next to him, which is a surprisingly painful action. "You need some help hun?" Jess shakes his head "no" and pulls down his pj bottoms.

He is soon sitting on the little potty chair we recently bought for him. He's still too little to pee standing up.

With a quiet curse under my breath I sit on the edge of the bathtub. My muscles protest at my actions. /Damn heat cycles/ I always want it fast and extremely hard when I'm like this. Afterwards, I always remember WHY my husband likes to go slower at first.

"I done mommee." Jess proclaims to me.

"Good job hun." I make sure to praise him. One hand slides under the pair of Logan's boxers that I'm wearing. Something sticky coats my fingertips. I pull my hand out and, sure enough it's coated in red, tinged with bits of seamen. /Fuck/ I shouldn't have pushed so hard.
The man's not small.

I snatch some toilet paper from the roll and wipe the crimson stain
off my hands.

Jess is pulling up his pants, and I kneel down to help him. A gentle
hiss escapes my breath.

My son is very perceptive so he picks it up "What's matter momma?"

"Nothing baby." I lie "You all set?"

He nods

I stand up again, ready to take him back to his room when I notice a few drops of red on the tile floor. /dammit/ "Honey." I look down at my little boy "You go on back to bed, mommy's gotta clean up in here 'kay?" I kiss him on the cheek.

"'Kay momma." Jess responds

I rest my hand on his back, and lead him out the door "Sweet dreams babe."

"Nightee." Jess responds as the door shuts behind him.

After my son leaves, I take deeper stock of myself. Shit, what did I do? I pull down the shorts and climb into the bathtub to keep any more blood off the floor. I examine myself thoroughly, tracing a hand around my vaginal lips. There is seamen on them, a few drops of blood,
but there aren't any lacerations. I touch the outside of my clit, and damn, that answered the sixty-four million dollar question. I hone in my vision, and see the distinctive tears, one on each side of my clit walls. I touch one of them with my finger. It stings, and I have to sit down on the edge of the tub.

Only I would push my husband to bang so hard. Did I mention how much I HATE being a heated, horny bitch? I don't have to deal with the "one-night-stand" aspect anymore, but now I just feel slutty. I have a man who loves me, who WILL be there the next morning, and I used him like a sex toy. Worst thing is, he'll find out about this one way or another,
and HE'LL feel guilty, when its not his fault I wanted it so fast.

But first things first, I've gotta clean myself up. I reach for the mobile showerhead, turning on the water to just below scalding. I flip the setting to "one-jet massage" and proceeded to wash away the blood. Shit, shit, shit this hurts, it burns. Almost feels like right after Lexi came out, my insides felt like they were on fire and Janston's nurse wanted me to push again to deliver my placenta.

Back to now, the blood is washing away down the drain. Note to self: clean this bathtub before tomorrow night.

*****

LOGAN

After dropping off Lexi in the nursery (she just needed a diaper) I headed back in the bedroom. Max isn't in there, which surprised me.Jess doesn't normally take that long to use the bathroom. Since I'm here, I might as well change. I toss the robe on the bed, grabbing a pair of track pants and that old MIT sweatshirt. /What a waste of money to dad. Went from a computer programming major to a cyber journalist. Changing majors flushes a lot down the crapper./ I put on some underwear and then the clothes. The shirt smells like Max. She loves to steal it whenever she can.

Not that I mind. I smile, can just imagine what mom would say if she were here. /"I smell cherries on this, Logan.." she'd look at me with a disapproving, but not disappointing gaze.

I would shrug "What can I say mom, Max loves to steal things."

She would laugh then "Just like I do with your father." she'd ignore the warning look all kids give their parents about talking about them and sex in the same context. She would inhale it again "I like it, cherries goes so well with your cologne. Tell her not to switch fragrances."

"I won't" I would say with a smile./

Mom would've loved Max. She liked Val, but always was antsy about her drinking /"She's a good girl Logan, but she likes the bottle too much."/

But Max, she and mom would've hit it off. Aunt Jilli and mom were a lot a like, and she calls me once a week to see how me and my "darling wife" are doing.

I shake my head to clear it from those thoughts. I DO wish both my parents were still here; to see their new daughter-in-law and grandchildren, still miss them, even though I've been on my own since they were killed. Even dad and his rigid dogmatic views would've liked Max. But at least I knew them. My wife on the other hand, never knew of "love" and "parents" as a child. "Daddy" was a cruel SOB, and the love was replaced with being spared by being knocked out as a team of doctors broke your bones for the heck of it.

I round the corner of the bed, when something catches my eye on the sheets. Leaning over I look at a damp spot near the center of the bed. Mostly my ejaculated seamen, but there's something darker, it's blood.

I quickly leave the bedroom, stepping out into the hallway. Why didn't she say anything? I am jumping the gun and assuming the blood Max's. It has to be.

Walking in the hallway I spy my son peering out of his bedroom. "What is it Jess?" I ask.

"Mommee hurtee." he states in a little boy's voice of concern.

"Go back to bed son." I say, "I'll see what's the matter."

"Night daddee." Jess smiles and closes the door.

I return the remark and stop in front of the closed bathroom door.

"Max?" I knock with one hand "Can I come in?"

"Its open." came her reply.

I turn the knob, and push the door open "Why didn't you tell me?" I step into the bathroom and close the door.

Max is climbing over the edge of the bathtub "Nothing to see really." she reaches for a towel on the rack.

I hand it to her and she wraps it around her lower half. She steps completely out of the bathtub and I can see the grimace still on her face.

I spy my boxers on the floor. The crotch is speckled with blood. "This doesn't look like nothing baby."

She sits down on the closed toilet "Not like I've never bled before."

I ignore her remark "Hop up on the counter and let me look."

She shoots me that famous look, and then states honestly "I kinda don't
feel like "hopping" up on anything right now." she looks down briefly.

"That much?" I asked, concerned, and also kicking myself a little for doing this.

"Sore mostly," she lets me know, trying to reassure me slightly.

I pick her up off the toilet. For a revved up super solider, she doesn't weigh much.

I set her down on the marble counter top gently.

"Didn't know you doubled as a gyno." Max says at my wanting to examine her.

"Well kept secret." I jest back, pulling the towel down from her front.

I touch her vagina again, only this time with scanning hands rather then riled, roaming ones. There is little blood on the outside, a small amount dotting the towel. "Where'd you tear?"

"Canyon walls." she throws back.

"Your clit?" I say, strangely enough remembering that name from a hooker friend of one of my ex's.

"Yeah." her breath hitches as I touch her deeper, feeling the beginning of a tear. Blood speckled my finger as I pull it out "Didn't think you'd know that one."

I smile lightly "My ex-girlfriend knew a lot of call girls."

This makes her eyebrows prick up "You went outside of your social circle to date?"

"You're right." I throw back "I mean look where that got me."

Her hand finds the upside of my head in quick order.

"Damn." I find the other laceration "I'm so sorry about this baby."

"Logan." there is a wary tone in her voice "My libido was fucked tonight, you just did what I wanted."

"Still feel bad though." I throw back.

I stand up and open the medicine cabinet.

"What are you looking for?" Max calls out to me.

My hand closes around the medicine tube before I can answer "This." I show her the tube "It's the ointment the hospital gave you after Lexi was born." I also pull down a set of latex gloves Bling kept in here.

"Playing doctor?" again the eyebrow arch.

I pull on the gloves, feeling the snap back from the latex. "Just going to put this on for you." I spread some of the ointment on my finger.

As I approach her she shies slightly away. "What?" I look at her.

"Nothing." she bites her lip, and I can tell she is nervous "I could do it."

"It's hard finding the right spot by yourself." I say, trying again.

"Logan wait." she stops me again. "I can't, I mean-" she stumbles over her words like a newly blind man in a field of roadblocks. "Damn, I don't DO those." she looks at the gloves with a wary eye. "I hate the way they feel, so cold and powdery." she was speaking from experience.
"My memories of cold and powdery hands always ended the same way."

I look at her, seeing the look of the girl-solider during countless examinations and "procedures" She looked like a caged animal. "It's me Max." I reassure her. "Manticore is far away now. I have to wear gloves because I cut my hand last night. It wasn't exactly on a clean place, and I don't want you to get an infection or something." I look into her eyes "I won't hurt you baby, I promise."

"I know." she states "Its just-" she breaks off and looks down at her lap.

"I'll be as fast as I can." I say. This time when I move closer to her, she does not back away. My covered hand spreads the cream over the tears. "Lean back some honey-"

"Don't call me that!"

I look up at her sudden outburst "They always called me "honey" or "angel." when they did stuff, like I was their god-damned daughter!" her voice is upset.

"Shh." I grasp her hand with my free one "I'm sorry baby." I am careful not to call her "honey" again. I help her lean back some so that her head is resting against the mirror. I quickly coat the rest of the laceration I now have access too.

Max makes the sound a cat does when it cries out. "Almost done." I tell her, squeezing her hand. I finally pull back "Finished." I peel off the latex glove and chuck it in the trash.

Max carefully slides off the counter. "Thanks" she looks down at the dirty boxers on the floor "Gotta change out of the "whore outfit."

"Here babe." I hold out her pair of cargo pants from the hamper. They smelled relatively cleaned.

Max pulls them on slowly along with a thankfully clean pair of her underwear. She does up the drawstrings, but not too tight.

"Jess was worried about you." I state.

"I should talk to him-"

"I already did." I interrupt.

She looks at me again, a gentle gaze "Thanks." her voice quivers near the end.

"Hey." I say softly "C'mere." I pull her into an embrace "You're okay." I soothe to her.

Her quiet crying is muffled somewhat in my shoulder. I hug her tighter, kissing her hair. I so wish Manticore's director Renfro were standing here so I could blow a hole right between that fuckin' bitch's eyes.

Before we were married, I rarely saw Max cry, didn't think at times that it was possible. But now, I think she feels safer, and that allows her to let her guard down. I hate to see her like this, but am glad she allows me to offer her comfort, instead of just shrugging it off.

*****

MAX

Damn, I am all over the place tonight. First pretty much normal, then a hot, horny sexpot, and now the screwed solider. My battle scars sometimes get the better of me. But, Logan is always there, even if I don't want him to be. I never had the chance to lean on someone as much as I did him. Not even Cindy or any of my sibs has done what he has done for me.

I hear him say he's sorry again, and I resist the urge to smack the man upside the head, my rendition of "tough love"/Baby (smack) I love you, but (smack) stop feelin' bad for stuff you had no control over (smack, smack)/

"Think we can progress towards the door?" my voice is muffled in the cotton of his sweater.

"Never live in the moment do you?" his tone is lighter, casual joking. He senses I am coming back down to earth. He messes with my hair, touching the long, straight strands. My curls are gone, but they were too high maintenance anyways.

"Can't get stuck in the past" I throw this out, breaking our embrace. I side step him, and take a tentative step forward.

"I forgot, you're a "move if forward" kinda girl."

I shoot him a look, the one that could either say, "You are such a dork" or "wipe that smile off your face before I break it off" depending on my mood. Another step, ouch, still hurts. "Yeah I am." I reply to my husband's earlier remark "But apparently my body has other ideas."

That look of concern is back on his features. "Are you okay?"

Curse my photographic memory, only makes me remember all the damn muscles the female body contains. So I can pinpoint EXCATLY where it hurts. "My goal is the bathroom door by nightfall." I wish Renfro were alive, could show her how well I "studied" in my course of evoking pain on female genitalia. /I can shove this switchblade up your urethra, you'd bleed out pretty well, plus get the sensation you're kickin' it with a porcupine. All those times, I told you where to stick it..well/

"Can I offer you a hand?" Logan holds out his right hand, but then retracts it just as quickly "Or would that just piss off the solider who wants to "be all she can be?"

"Shut up." is all I say, placing a hand in his. I am then completely lifted off the floor. "Thought you were just gonna give me a hand."

"Hands are connected to arms baby," he states to me as we exit the bathroom "Can't have one without the other."

"Where to?" he asks once we are out in the hall.

"Portland's nice this time of year." I throw out, milking his words for all they're worth.

"Don't think I can carry you that far, too much stress-"

I glare at him "Is that a subtle way of saying I'm fat?"

"Stress on my nerves Max." he clarifies "Halfway out of Seattle you'd be complaining about how "you can walk, sacks are hauled, sleaze asses are hauled. Soldiers walk on their own two legs."

"Still didn't clarify 'bout me bein' fat." I warn.

"I never said that." he replies.

"Liar." I tease

"Me thinks the lady doth protest too much." he quotes from Shakespeare.

"Too bad I'm not a lady."

We reach the living room. Logan has obviously decided where to go. I am set down on the couch. "Thanks for the ride."

He kisses me lightly on the mouth "I'll send ya the bill later." He fall beside me on the couch.

"How's the pain?" his hands are on my shoulders, kneading them.

"Bearable." I say, trying to keep the sigh out of my voice. I know that he's just trying to offer comfort, and sometimes I have to beat down that voice that says "I don't need coddling" "Listen baby." I begin, shifting to face him "This isn't your fault. I have no concern over anything except ME when I'm in heat. Don't get on a guilt trip at my damn feline genes screwin' me up."

"Max," Logan looks me right in the eye "You are not responsible for your actions anymore then an 100% full blooded cat. The gene splicing did this to you, you didn't ask for it."

"Yeah, I just took." I spat back. "God what if-" I break off.

"What if what angel?" Logan asks.

I sigh shakily "What if I got pregnant tonight?"

"We used protection-"

"That's not fool proof!" I argue back "You know that sometimes it can break or seamen can spill along the outside." I pause "I can't, I mean, if I'm knocked up, it'll cut off my breast milk, it'll be too soon." I don't think my body could handle being pregnant again. And heat is the guaranteed method of doing so. I love both my babies, but I didn't get pregnant with Lexi until Jess was almost six months old. "I need to find out."

"How early are you able to tell?"

"Almost right away." I answer, "When I was expecting Jess, I knew nearly right after." had that verified by a bitch in a lab coat, who has since gotten fired, thanks to a little Eyes Only digging.

"There are a few places open tonight." he suggests.

*****

LOGAN

Max left a few minutes ago, to buy a pregnancy test. We never had use for them. With Jess she kicked my ass to let me know what I had done, me acting like an SOB. Glad the way things worked out though. And with Lexi, it was an ER doctor who gave us the news. This is the first time we play the "waiting game"

Max left here so uneasy, twirling the key to her Ninja in her hand. I know she is worried about this. Having another baby, I know she loves kids, but she is scared. She is still breast-feeding Lexi, and this will mess up her hormones. I also know what she hasn't said; she is worried about her seizures. Jess was born a month early because of them. All through Max's resulting c-section she was anxious. I could see her remembering the days of being pumped full of drugs and experimented on in her eyes.

I stroked her hair the whole time comforting her /"Sweetheart, it's okay. Your both okay. Manticore isn't here anymore"/ Words I had spoken to her again tonight. /"Almost there Max." the OB surgeon reassured, another few seconds and our newborn son was raised pink and screaming in the air. "Look what we have!" "Is he okay? Does he look normal?" Max called out, not being able to see him. The OB laughed "He's a normal, healthy baby Max, with one powerful set of lungs"/ I had kissed her then, and we cried. Being "normal" held much more meaning then any of the doctors knew.

Now almost two years and another kid later, we are back to where it had begun, and I know it scares her. Her body is capable of withstanding a lot. But both pregnancies took their toll on her. She shoveled down so much Tryptophan to keep her seizures away. She would get terrible backaches, more so then other pregnant women. And her normally high metabolism was sent into overdrive, making her food intake tremendous.

Tinga was around to help with the last one, rubbing her feet, while I did her back. Offering emotional support was Max became afraid of another seizure-induced labor. Hell even Zack dropped in one night, about three weeks before Lexi was born. I came home from running an errand to find my front door lock picked. Stepping inside, I found Max half asleep on the couch with Zack sitting on the edge of the coffee table kneading knots out of her back. /"Damn Maxie, you are so knotted." "Mmmhmm.." Max had mumbled under her breath "You ever tried carrin' fifteen pounds on your stomach?" "Thanks though." she added later. "Can't have my second in command out of shape." was all the man had said, focusing on his task./

So now I sit here, and wait. I offered to pick up the test for her, but she said that she needed to ride. Her Ninja is a release for her. When she feels to pent up or caged in, she'll just drive on it for hours, coming home at three a.m., throw off her clothes and climb into bed beside me. Her favorite position is with her back pressed up to me, and she'll just slide in next to me after a late ride, and I never question her about it. If she wanted me to know, she'd tell me.

If that test turns out to be positive, I well; actually I don't know how I'd react. Happy, a little concerned, nothing comes easy for us. Max's body may carry this child, if there is one, but I also witness what happens. In the words of countless women to their husbands or significant others on their maternity ward hospital beds "I did this"

And if it's true, I have a million and one things to think about, but right now I can just wait.

*****

MAX

My baby did me good tonight. Feelin' her raw cc's of power always seems to help clear my head. The little drug store (at least the post-Pulse's equivalent to it) has more business outside its doors with the illegal stuff then the OTC junk it's sellin'. I park my Ninja next to the curb, and drop her kickstand to the road.

The "retailers" take interest in me as I approach. But then again, they would notice anything that had breasts and a pulse.

"Hey sweet thing, come over here."

"Got somethin' real sweet for a suga like you"

I roll my eyes and step past the sleaze. The store is dimly lit, most likely to conserve power. There isn't enough of anything nowadays, and whatever meager bit people have is damn expensive.

There are a few people wandering the aisles. One man smiles at me while picking out condoms and hemorrhoid cream (don't want to know what's on his mind right now). I head into the appropriate aisle, and am greeted with fifteen different kinds of pregnancy tests. Still don't know why there are so many. How many different ways can a girl piss on a dipstick? I grab one that shows positive results with a single blue line, not three yellow, or two lines means yes, and five means you're warped.

The guy at the check out counter eyes my purchase "Wild night huh?"

Okay stubby here is partially right, but I ain't givin' him the satisfaction of knowin' it. Kid thinks he's all that workin' at a convenient store for his green. I throw him ten and a few quarters. He collects the money "Are ya gonna call this guy and let him know he won?"

Say what? Okay, stubs has crossed the line. I raise my left hand in the air "Ya see this?" I wiggle the finger with my wedding band on it.
"Means unlike you I get hot and bothered with my husband, not the lingerie section of the Sears Catalog" I pull my fingers into a fist "Now ya see this?" I yank idiot boy across the counter with my free hand "Its gonna smack yo' head in for gettin' all like a wanna be playa" Heh, kids wishin' he kept his mouth shut now. "Now just give me my change 'for I shove it in the dipstick that ain't bein' rung up."

Fifteen cents and a dropped looser later I headed back outside. Mr. "Hey sweet thang" and his buddies are still as "charming" as I left them.

I slide the key into the ignition, "Nice machine" one of the wall scuzes announce. His hand reaches out to touch the black crome- but instead is crushed in between my fist. NO ONE touches my baby but me.

Not waiting for scuz's reaction, I hop on my baby and peel out of the parking lot. Night is still young, curfew not in effect. So people are still roamin' the streets, looking for something to do, or someone.

Red light. I slow down, checking my watch. Another cyclist has pulled up beside me. Rider guns the engine to get my attention.

Damn how long does a light take to change? Is EVERYTHING in this city messed up?

Real nice bike though, Ninja ZR-1200. Same color as my other wheels, cherry red. Gotta be 900 cc's at least.

"Sweet baby huh?" rider calls out from under his motorcycle helmet.

"Nice." I throw back out.

"Want to drag?"

I snort, "You'd loose"

"Sure of yourself huh?" rider states "Kickin' down all those guys in combat trainin' gave you a swelled head"

I do a double take. How the hell does this guy know who I am? Who told him? And what's the best way to loose him?

"Cool the escape and evade thinkin' Maxie" he pulls of his helmet "I'd find you anwayz"

"Krit," I now relax at the face of my brother. "Whatcha doin' here?"

"Wanted to see the city little sister" Krit responded "Last time all I got was a hospital tour." he looks at me.

"Blame on the sister that was pregnant at the time cat-man" I throw back.

"How is that going?" he refers to Lexi

"She's fine bro." I answer back "Four months old and kickin'"

The light turns green, finally.

"Is that race still on?" I smile to him.

Krit responds by simply placing his helmet back on and revving up the engine.

I revv up my baby too, louder and we blaze down the road.

Krit pulls ahead of me, with a loud "Tyea baby!" He weaves in front of me, showing off.

I crank up the engine, and blaze past him, pullin' up my baby's front in a wheelie. Tires hit the pavement again and I smile at Krit who is now behind me. The engines of two Kawasaki's and two screaming riders draws attention from the "street crowd" A group of them gather at the sidewalk where I decide to end the race.

Krit pulls up beside me "Nice gunnin' Maxie"

"'Course" I throw back "Its in the genes"

"Go girl!" some anonymous person calls out to me

Krit dismounts his bike "We have the same genes."

"Okay, then its all skill" I return.

Someone "ooo's" at my burn.

"Skills and attitude." Krit teases

"Best combo." I state as he steps up to me.

"Whatever." he throws back, locking me in a hug.

I hug him back "Glad you came by bro."

"Me too." he pulls back "So, can I buy the triumphant a drink?" he nods his head in the direction of Crash.

Didn't even realize we stopped here "I can't." I state.

"Yeah ya can Maxie." Krit corrects "I'm dishin' out."

"Told Logan I'd only be gone for a minute-"

"So call him and tell him you're gonna be late-"

"I'm in heat." this shuts him up.

Krit eyes me "Did you-"

"No!" I throw back "I mean not with anyone outside my marriage"

"Don't feel a desire to jump those guys-" he nods at some men hangin' near the entrance of the club "Or me?"

I shudder at his last thought. That's why I hate bein' in heat. It don't care if I screw a stranger or my own brother, so long as I screw. "Thankfully no, think Logan and I got it under control."

Krit probably didn't want to know that last part, too much information "Then there's no prob. Tell the brother-in-law I'm not gonna keep you out that late, and I don't do incest."

"Shut up" I smack him on the back of his head. "'Kay then, you've convinced me."

"Great!" Krit replies enthusiastically, grabbing my arm "Move it out solider."

"Hey who's second in command here?" I shoot back.

"Who's first?"

"Good point"

We enter Crash, which is loud and crowded, your basic average night.

My Jam Pony guys are nowhere to be seen, all hiding out in the back room. I drag Krit there and pull out my cell to call Logan.

"You sure you don't mind?" I ask my man on the other line.

"It's okay baby." he replies, "I'm having Mrs. Moreno watch the kids, and I'm headin' down there."

"Don't have too." I protest "Me and Krit are just gonna hang, he is my bro."

"And I'm your husband." Logan threw back "I want too."

"Kay" I respond simply and disconnect the phone. Stubborn. But I am glad for it.

"Now there's something you don't see everyday."

Krit's voice makes me look up. In the back corner at a table is the famous blonde, and guess who's with her? Man, he must have it bad.

"Who's that chick?" Krit gazes at our brother Zack next to Asha, one arm casually slung across the back of the booth.

"Asha." I pointed out to my other brother "She was a friend of Logan's, and she and Zack kinda.."

"See it" Krit interrupted "But don't believe it. Zack with a -GIRL."

"Messed up huh?" I smile

"Like Renfro frenchin' Deck" he shuddered. "Gotta see what kinda gurl this is."

I trail behind Krit as he makes his way over to them. He stops a few feet away from them "Sir! Permission to ask about this fucked up situation sir!" Krit barks this out like a drill sergeant.

"Denied." Zack states. He stands up to face him.

"Yes sir." Krit responded "Then permission to say you have all your nuts in one basket-"

Zack slaps him upside the head "You ass" he turns to Asha "Krit this is Asha, Asha, Krit, my bro made from genetic leftovers."

"Thank you nut-boy." Krit throws back with a smirk.

"Hey Cat-Man." I call out, stepping up to them "Leave nut-boy alone."

Krit hates that name "I'm gonna kill Jondy, can't keep her damn mouth shut."

"Like you." Zack throws back. He looks at me "What is it with my little sisters and my-"

"Enough of that" I interrupt, looking Zack in the eye, and then I steal a glance at Asha "Glad you can put up with this"

Asha smiles slightly at me "I try." she then changes the subject "Where's Logan?"

"On the way," I inform. Now the way Asha is standin' in close proximity to Zack should be enough for me, but I still don't like the way she said "Logan" just then. Might be harmless, but I haven't pledged eternal friendship to the woman yet.

"You guys have a fight or something?" Krit asks beside me "That why you came out alone?"

"No" I draw out the ending syllable "Just had something to do."

Krit looks at me with a gaze that says "Sureee"

I shove my brother in the direction of the bar "Meow Mix, go get that drink you owe me."

"Pleasure?"

That's something to debate. I don't know if I AM pregnant, but what if I am? Alcohol wouldn't be good, but still I really don't want a club soda "Colada, no flavor" I call back out, watching Krit look at me funny.

"Goin' sober Maxie?" even Zack thinks I'm actin' weird.

"What?" I snap back "Can't a girl have a "straight drink" without her brothers lookin' at her like a virgin commin' out of a whore steamer?" I yank a chair from a nearby table.

As Zack and Asha reclaim their seats, I absent-mindedly fiddle with the small box in my jacket pocket. Directions said three minutes-

"Here ya go little sister." Krit sets my drink in front of me "One pure white piece of crap, and the pale yellow good stuff for me" he pulls up another chair and sits beside me. He raises his beer mug "A toast to Maxie, may your sibs find out the reason you don't want the percents tonight"

I kick Krit under the table, making some of his beer spill onto his blue long sleeved shirt.

"My bad" I tease taking a sip of my drink.

*****

LOGAN

I park my Aztec out on the curb and climb out. Mrs. Moreno had been asleep, and I almost didn't ask her to watch the kids, but the woman insisted after I told her why. Walking up to the entrance I spy Max's Ninja, and along side that is a similar cycle, but of a different color.

Walking past the bouncer I head into the back room where Max usually hangs out.

Cindy spots me out from a far table "Hey boo, lookin' for yo' suga?"

"Yeah I am" I tell the woman wearin' a teal halter and black leather pants.

"Right over there" Cindy points to a far corner table

"Thanks"

"No prob, gonna step in on our girl in a sec and ask what's the dealio wid her sittin' with her boyz and not me"

I am confused by her last remark, but when I head over to the table I get what she means. Oh yea, Zack is here, but why-oh Asha, they're still shacked up? Interesting, okay see Max, and who's the man next to her? Tall, dark hair, dark skin tone like Max, gotta be Krit, BETTER be Krit. No doubt it is, she did call me and tell me he was in town.

/"Oh ye band of brothers"/ Funny how that line from "Henry XIII" seems to fit this situation.

Max spots me when I'm about three feet from the table

"Hey baby" I kiss her when I finally reach her.

"We're the kids still sleeping when you left?" is my wife's first question.

"Yes" I answer, "Which is good considering" I shoot her a look, reminding her of the fact that she can function with little or no sleep.

"Gotta luv the martial banter," Max's brother Krit states in his seat. He sips from his mug and looks up at me "How's it goin' Logan?"

"Fine Krit" I inform the younger man "You just get in town?" I pull up a chair beside Max

"Yep" Krit states "Drag raced Maxie here-"

"And got your ass kicked" Max broke in

"I was gettin' there" Krit says

"Off night Krit?" Zack throws in

Is that Asha's hand on his leg? Damn, didn't think Zack would let ANYONE do that without shattering their hand, took me a while to warm up to Max enough so she would allow me to do that. We never had a "first date" before we were married. Jess happened, and we finally let go of all the tension. That night after I proposed Max let me touch her that way, her and not her heat. Asha's hand is moving now, okaay time to look at something else.

"Tryin' to be like my big brother" Krit responded to Zack's remark

I laugh in the back of my throat. Krit is something of a smart-alic,
more so then Max.

Zack looks pissed, but then again he ALWAYS looks pissed "Shut up Krit"

"Didn't Maxie kick YOUR ass about a year ago Zack?" Krit asks "At some cabin?"

"Remember the a-hole I tore ya last time?" Zack states.

"No" Krit responds.

Zack drops the subject, with a sigh.

"You okay?" I whisper in my wife's ear.

"Coo'" is her response "things in my pocket"

"Haven't taken it yet?" I ask an honest question.

She shakes her head "Haven't gotten the chance"

"To what?"

Gotta love Zack. Never neglects to use his damn heightened senses.

"Somethin' goin' down guyz?" there's that cockiness.

"Nothing's goin' down Zack" I inform.

The "uh-huh" look is shot at me by Max's brother. He would've made a great correctional officer.

Thankfully, Cindy comes up to the table

"Ditchin' me boo?" she teases to Max

"Ya know I'm not like that" Max states back "Original Cindy" she starts the introductions to the people who don't know the other woman "that's Asha, and you met Krit once-"

"Yeah" Cindy breaks in "the hospital"

"Seems to be the hot spot" Krit states "Speakin' of which-"

"Original Cindy don't swing that way" Cindy informs with a glare

"Nothin' wrong with that girl" Krit finishes "Sides everyone knows that me and Zack-"

Max nearly chokes on her colada, and both she and Zack slap their brother some sense.

"Okay, I'll retract my remark guys, *I* don't swing either of those ways"

*****

MAX

This package in my pocket seems to be gettin' heavier by the minute. I lean more against
the bar, watching Zack, Asha and Krit play pool.Krit's kickin' major ass. He was trained and taught to coordinate missions, which meant knowing a lot of physics.

"Your boy finally found himself something sweet" Cindy leans back next to me.

"She's something," I state back

"What was the deal with her and yo' man?"

I shrug "Logan said that they went out for about a year, and then he met Valerie-"

Cindy gazes at me uncomfortably "Don't get me started on that messed up whack job. Girl had issues, kidnappin' Jess and tryin' to kill my girl" she looked back at the game "At least she keeps her rods under wraps"

"Yeah so," I cut in "You know how I feel 'bout guns" /One shot and she fell. I blinked, that's how fast it came. She was gone/ "My sister Eva was killed right in front of me. I swore against guns after that night" I look at Asha as she makes a side shot "But that's not a real issue with her"

"Suga, Original Cindy's gonna break it down for ya. Whatever went on between Ms. NRA and Logan is in the past. He's all about you now, and has been for a LONG time before you were his wife" she looks at my bro "And girl's hooked up with your boy, so you can chill"

"Probably right"

"Am right hun" Cindy corrects, she looks at me again "So what else is swirlin' round in that head of yours?"

"Nothin'" I lie

"Don't put on no act, this ain't the Globe, Shakespeare. I can tell something's on your mind. Is that other brother right? Did you and Logan get into something?"

"No" I told her flat out "We didn't piss each other off or nothin'"
I pause "We got into something, but it wasn't an argument. I was kinda in heat-"

Cindy's eyebrows rose "Banged the gong?"

I glare at her "What do you think?" my expression changes "I came downtown to pick up this" I show her the test

"You think you might be pregnant?" Cindy takes the box from me

"Manticore made us like this for this exact reason. Heat cycles almost always result in conception. Brass liked to keep track of things"

"That's messed up" Cindy shot back "But this time, yo' doin' it right.
On your terms, with your man"

"Still don't know"

"And why's that?" Cindy shoots me a look

"I'm still nursing" I inform, "Being pregnant will make my milk dry up, it's just so-soon."
I look at her "I'm still post-partum" I just don't think I can handle it right now"

"And what does Logan think?" I hear Cindy ask

"Honestly don't know." I reply "We didn't talk about it much before we came here"

"Might be nice to have another one"

"Yeah" I look at her "But it's a lot of work and time and weight gain on my part. Logan and I thought about maybe having a third, but not until Jess and Lexi were a little older. This just slapped me in the face-"

"What about when you were in heat before?"

Great point Cindy "Thought about that. But don't make me feel more secure. First time in heat with Logan, Jess happened. Second time, I was already pregnant and we used birth control my OB/GYN gave us. Third time, I found out-did the math, and that poker game we played wasn't where it happened. It was the trip we took up to the needle-"

Cindy looked at me "you took the A train around the Space Needle? That is kinky" she
paused "No barriers then?"

I look at her with a "you caught me" gaze "Was more concerned with getting it on, then puttin' it on. Had it tonight, but still-"

"Right down the middle!" Krit's cries out as the six ball, and the eight ball break and sink into two separate corner pockets. "I believe that's game" he looks over at Zack and Asha.

"Didn't tell me he was a pool shark Zack" Asha looks to him disapprovingly.

"Shark, cat, mouse. Got it all," Krit jokes around with the contents of his genes.

Asha thinks he's kidding, thank god. "How much did I drop?" she fishes out her wallet.

Krit calculates the amount in three seconds "Ten"

Asha slaps the amount in his hand. She turns to Zack "Next time tell me these things babe" she kissed him on the side of his face "Going for a drink"

/She called Zack babe, and got away with it..whoo-boy, he must like her/ Asha shuffles past me to the bar.

"You too" Krit looks at Zack "Need my ca-chings"

Zack balls up the money and shoots it as Krit's head.

Krit catches it, and places both bills in the pocket of his jeans.
"Appreciate it again babe"

Zack whaps Krit with the end of his pool cue.

"What'd I miss?" Logan stands beside me, a beer mug in his hand.

"Asha callin' Zack babe" I relpy.

Logan snaps his fingers loudly "Damn, and I forgot my camera"

"Shut up 'kay?" I return "It's still weird to me to see him livin' a social life" I look at my brother racking up the balls.

"He has the right to a life as much as anyone" Logan glances at where I am looking.

"Maxie," Krit's voice interrupts "How 'bout a lil game?"

"I pass" I call out. Still haven't taken that test.

"C'mon" Zack argues "What? Just don't want to loose to us little sister?"

Now how can I back down from that challenge? "Famous last words guys."

"Knock'em down baby" Logan encourages beside me

I smile at him, and head over to the pool table

"That's my boo" I hear Cindy call as I walk away.

"Heads up" Krit tosses a pool cue up a good distance in the air.

I flip once and catch the cue with one hand.

"Show off" Krit snaps, amidst a few cheers from a few bar patrons.
"Goin' down Maxie" Krit looks at me

"Just rack'em up Cat-Man"

Zack lifts the triangle off the balls "Maxie, you break"

"So nice of you to let the girl go first" I lean down and take my shot.
Clank. Eight, five, six right corner pocket. Next shot is a scratch.

"Good job Max" Sketchy's even getting in on the act. I see him out of the corner of my eye with a beer in his hand.

"Your move Zack" I inform.

My brother takes his shot. "What's up with you and Logan?" Four and three go in left side pocket.

"Nothing Zack" I lean against my cue "Why do you think that something's goin' on?"

Two and the white cue in right side pocket, scratch. "Just that he came in after you showed up alone."

"I had an errand"

Krit moves to take his turn "Skill steps up to take his shot"

"Where?" Zack throws back. He looks at me again "You had an errand to run ALONE, and then show up at a bar afterwards?"

"Is that a problem?" I snap back "I'm married to him, we're not attached at the hip" I look over at Asha standing beside Logan /Hey hey HEY! Your boy is right here, back OFF of my man/ "You'd like it if Asha hung on you like a coat on a hat rack all the time?"

"Guys" Krit cuts in "brother's about to kick some major sibling ass, can we PLEASE pay attention?" of course he misses his shot.

"Saw that one all right," I laugh at his look.

"You have me there Maxie" Zack admits to my earlier remark "But still-"

"Just don't worry bro," I line up my shot "We're coo'" last ball goes in. "Krit racks"

"Only loosin' by seven," he informs me in a "so there" tone. He collects all the balls and re-racks them.

Next round of playing Krit pulls ahead of me, and is now loosing by only two points. Zack is behind by one, and it's his turn.

"Hey chickie chickie-OW!" Krit shuts up with his distraction when I slap him upside the head.

Zack's shot makes it. He now has fourteen. He also lands his final shot and wins the game.

"Chickie just kicked your ass boy" Zack looks at Krit, and then to me
"You too Maxie"

"Can't you just say good game?" I cross my arms across my chest.

Zack holds out his hand "Good game sis"

I take it and find myself pulled against him in what Manticore call's a combat lock.

"What gives?"

"Gonna tell me?" Zack's voice isn't angry; it's more cocky and teasing.

"Why you wanna know so bad?"

"I'm lookin' out for ya-"

"It's not bad Zack, already told you that"

"Still-"

"Fine! I tell ya" I interrupt. I back flip, taking Zack with me. I am now on top of the pool table. Another flip and I have Zack flat on his back on the green fuzzy top. "I was in heat tonight and Logan and I got into it. Came down here to buy a pregnancy test and I ran into Krit"

"You think-"

"Don't know until I take the test" I inform "Which I'm gonna do right now" I back off from Zack's face "How's that?"

"Informative" Zack states, still lying where I pinned him.

I shake my head and walk back over to Cindy "Need my stuff back"

Cindy hands me back the box


*****

LOGAN

"Boo-" Cindy states beside me after Max disappeared to the ladies room. "What's your plan for this? I mean you ready if it turns out positive?"

"As I can be," I tell her "I know for a fact that if she is pregnant, Max would want to keep it, and so would I. We'd just have to work with it." I laugh slightly "Three years ago I wouldn't have imagined myself talking about the "what-if" scenario of a third child in a bar at night with my wife's lesbian friend" I pause "No offense"

"It's just your represent of where ya are" Cindy informs "I've known Max for five years, and I never thought I'd be in here talkin' to a cyber journalist blue colored white guy who's the husband of my gurl, no offense to you"

"Don't worry about it" I raise my beer mug "here's to takin' a step back"

"True dat" Cindy touch's the mug with her black margarita.

"Logan, does Maxie know about this swing?" good ol' Krit and his mouth.

"Yeah that's it Krit" I look at my brother-in-law "She's a single lesbian and I'm a straight guy whose married to her best friend, YOUR sister, but we decided what the hell?" I drape an arm across Cindy's shoulder "One quickie here on the bar in front of everyone while Max is in the bathroom." I say this with a completely straight face, and raise my glass to salute myself. "Wanna watch?"

Cindy laughs at my remark "Got that right" she sips her drink. "Boo you messed up sometimes" she addresses to me.

"Okay, I can take a hint," Krit states pulling up a chair beside the bar. "So-" he sounded more serious this time "There's a chance that Maxie might be pregnant?"

How'd he? Oh right, between heightened hearing and Zack's mouth how could he NOT hear what Max told Zack after she pinned him, which was a pretty good move. "Yeah" is all I say.

Zack takes the vacant spot beside Asha. "Maxie's pregnant?"

Is there an echo in here? "She might be" Receptiveness is the key to redundancy. "She just went to take the test"

Zack seems to ponder my remark. He places an around Asha's waste. "Still seems kinda unreal. Maxie, Tinga, Jace as mom's."

We seem to be taking a lot of trips down memory lane tonight "Changes happen Zack" I point out. "I mean look at you" I glance over at Asha. The girl who once called Uncle Jonas "a rat's ass" to his face at dinner. She called him an ass. Max refereed to Aunt Margo as a "wolf in bitch clothing" I seem to always have relationships with girls who hate my relatives. Oh well, hate them just as much.

"You too Logan" Asha points out "Didn't think I'd come back to find you married, let alone with kids."

"Or that's you find that" I nod towards Zack.

Asha half smiles "Nice find though" she kissed him.

Okay, looking away. Don't MIND the relationship, but don't want to SEE it either, thank god she didn't use her tongue.

"Well if anyone can handle another kid it's you and Maxie" Krit informs.

Can we? What will it be like with another? I mean, I love our kids already, and I would love this one, but can Max handle another pregnancy so soon? That is the most concerning to me. Though Lexi was natural, there were several tense moments. Sometimes I felt Max's hands shake, and not just from bearing down. She fought to keep her seizures under control. Janston didn't take any chances, and had an OR reserved should the worst happen.

"More worried about Max then me"

"It's the seizures isn't it?" Zack chimed in, guess his lips are free.

"What?" Asha looked confused.

"Our family has a history of seizures" Krit notified "Logan told me that Maxie went into labor a month early with their son because of them, and our sister Tinga almost gave birth five months premature, but they stopped it in time."

"I'm sorry" Asha didn't know what to say.

Zack shrugged "We get by Asha. It's not a death sentence. Maxie's strong. She's had two kids already, she can handle a lot."

For some reason, Zack's statement gives me more confidence.

*****

MAX

I step out the door of the stall. Damn three stalls. Line was out the door. My cervix is kinda burning from the tears I almost forgot were there. I hold the test in my hand by the sanitized end. Ten minutes, that's to damn long. What happened to instant? Most likely went out with the Pulse.

Cindy steps up beside me "What's the verdict?"

I look at my watch "Won't know for another eight minutes."

"Ya know whatever the outcome, Cindy's here for ya"

I smile "Thanks" I place the wand back in the box carefully to keep the results valid, aka: to keep the piss on the stick. Box is shoved back in my jacket. One step and DAMN, somebody ordered a fire? "Shit"

"What is it boo?" Cindy's hand is on my shoulder

"Got into a lil bit of a scrape tonight."

"You tore?" It was an honest question "Boy shouldn't have-"

"Wasn't his fault" I snap "I was in heat, fast is my middle name at this time."

Several women stopped at that remark.

"Funny how this is a bathroom, not a movie" Cindy glowered at a blonde.

"You're too good to me girl"

"No prob" Cindy holds out her hand "Original Cindy's offerin' the service"

I smile and allow her to help me outta there.

Logan spotted Cindy's "helping hand" act.

"You okay angel?" he looks at me with concern "Hurts again doesn't it?"

"It's fine" I reassure "It's not that bad."

Cindy lets go of my arm when Logan touches my face "Should have been more careful-"

"Logan don't, okay? We've been through this." I don't want him to feel guilty anymore. "I'm okay," I hiss under my breath. "And I have seven and a half more minutes to see if our life changes again" there's that hiss again.

Again I am picked up "Baby-"

"Max don't argue, you'll loose" he carries me back to the bar.

"Maxie wha-"

"I'm fine Zack," I say as Logan puts me down. "And NO I don't know yet"
I carefully take a seat beside my husband.

Zack reclaims his seat beside Asha "Looking out for you is my job Maxie"

"And you do it in such a great pain-in-the-ass way" I glance over at Asha. Good, she's keepin' to hers, and not mine.

"If it's any consolation Maxie" Krit begins "I'm a great uncle to your kids"

I laugh lightly "Means so much bro"

"And you're a great mom" Logan adds beside me.

I turn. Logan's mentioned more then once how good of a parent I am, but it still feels nice to hear it from him. I kiss him. Means Manticore failed in the emotionless department. "Thanks baby"

A timer beeps. Cindy had apparently set her watch to the countdown. "Waiting game's over suga"

I take the test out of my pocket. Even in a box the results are clear. "It's negative" if this is what I wanted, why do I sound sad?

"I'm sorry sweetheart" Logan apologizes beside me. His hand is on my back.

"Don't be sorry," I argue "Not for this" I shrug "Sides not like you were a one night stand or nothing, we have more chances."

"You have plenty of time gurl," Cindy agrees

"When it's a better time for us," Logan added "for you"

"Yeah, guyz got a point,"

Logan pulls me into a hug, which I return. How can I miss something I never had? I feel many sets of eyes on me. My brothers, Cindy, hell even Asha-but I'm still not buddy buddy with her.

It's ironic how up a few years ago I fought from givin' into my heat cycles because I might get pregnant with some anonymous guy's kid, or worse, that it would be Logan's, and he would feel some obligation to me because of it. But that already happened, and now the idea of getting knocked up in heat doesn't sting as much as it use to, so long as it's with Logan. But that didn't happen, I'm glad my body won't have to undergo that kinda change so soon, but a small part of me still wants it.

Logan's hand is rubbing my back "I love you sweetheart"

"You too baby,"

"Cindy ya know what this makes me feel like doin'-"

"Krit, ya wanna eat your own eyeballs?"

Logan's laugh is low and quiet in his throat. He pulls back and kisses me.

"Some night huh?" I bite my lip "You serious 'bout trying again?"

He touches my hair "I am,"

"But THREE?" there's my skeptical solider side.

"Never though I'd have ONE, until I met you. Doesn't sound so bad."

There's the statement that makes me smile. I am still glad I'm not knocked up now, even with the small part of me that wants it.

Because I know I can-WE can have another baby, when the time is right.

Heat isn't always such a bad thing.

****

END

Whoo, this one was long. But I can't just have pure smut, I tried, but this is what I came up with. I'm thinking about introducing a third member of the Cale family, but this was too soon after the second. Just opened the door to some opportunity.
Zack, Asha and Krit weren't originally suppose to be in here, but I needed a way for Max to be late picking up the test. I didn't want any Manticore, and sure as hell didn't want her in an accident. So this is what I thought up. Plus wanted to play around more with what I began with Asha and Zack, heh. I'm outta here.