Yea story still has no point.

Chapter Four

Contemplations

He settled back into his throne, stretched his legs out and smiled ahead. Max was directly in front of him on a black horse smiling brightly at his little cousin, who was on a white horse with a golden mane. He was thankful the carousel had managed to remain in the city when many of its counterparts across the country had been shipped overseas, but a few wealthy patrons had managed to keep it along with a few animals in the almost vacant zoo they were in.

The carousel started and she turned back, smiling like a little kid and he knew without a doubt that this was her first time on one.

He ached constantly for all she missed, for all she would continue to miss.

He often wondered if she would ever get to know true peace in this life. The peace he had known before the pulse, the peace many still managed to find afterwards.

He wondered if she would be chased forever. He could survive thinking about that, just not what would happen if one day they caught up to her. Manticore, the Reds, the Chinese, hell everyone who had an inkling of what Manticore had created wanted a piece of it. Or worse as she had said many times before if her barcode had an expiration date attached to it, he couldn't deal with that thought either.

Max turned back again still smiling and saw his serious expression, she frowned over to Brittany, "I don't think Uncle Logan's having fun."

"Uncle Logan," the little girl whined shaking her head, "how are you not having fun?" She asked as only a little kid could, feeling as if they were flying on the slow moving carousel.

"I'm having fun," he said smiling brightly, pulling himself back into the moment.

Max laughed hopping off the horse and making her way back to Logan gracefully unlike anyone else walking on a carousel. "You need to not take yourself so seriously," she laughed falling into the seat next to him, "turn off your brain for five minutes."

"It's not as easy for the rest of us as it is for you Max," he smirked.

She frowned and gave him the evil look required by his statement before moving on, "So did you come here when you were little?"

He shook his head, "Wasn't here."

She looked around at the aged horses, "You're kidding"

He shook his head, "You know how everyone dismantles and crates anything of value up?" He knocked his head to the side smiling at her, "We did the same."

"They get this from some third world nation?"

"Nah, somewhere in the US. I don't really remember where."

"I like it. It's got character."

He smiled and turned his attention back to watching Brittany bobbing up and down.

"So what's this song?" She asked a few moments later.

"The Carousel Waltz."

"Does it have words?" She asked and then thought about it some more, "It seems like it would have words."

"I think it might, I can look it up when we get back to my place," he offered.

"Not really that interested in it. I'm gonna go back to Brit, now stop thinking," she ordered as she stood and made her way over to his little cousin's side.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Are you my Aunt, Max?" Brittany asked as Logan was assembling sandwiches in the kitchen.

Logan and Max's eyes both widened and they turned to each other briefly before Max's attention returned to the little girl sitting next to her on the couch, "No, I'm just Max."

"But you live with Uncle Logan, Aunt Marianne lives with Uncle Ben."

"I don't live with your uncle sweetie."

"But you were wearing a robe," the little blonde inquisitor pointed out.

Max's eyes sought out Logan's, but he quickly turned his attention downwards towards the food. "Umm, Uncle Logan and I were having a sleepover." Then bit back a groan realizing how that sounded. Sure enough when she looked back over at Logan the corners of his lips were raised as he bit back a smile.

"But I like you better than Aunt Marianne, why can't you be my aunt instead of her?" The blonde pigtails shook as Brittany made her point clear.

"Why don't you like Marianne?" Max asked grateful to have changed the subject.

Logan's face turned back up wondering that same question.

"She doesn't play with me, not like you and Uncle Logan do. She made me do a puzzle…" the little girl ended with an exacerbated sigh.

"What about Uncle Ben?" Logan asked knowing that Marianne well into her seventh month of pregnancy wouldn't be able to crawl around the floor as she had forced him to do last time.

"He's always busy," she said with a violent drop of her head before settling into a shake. "I like you and Max a lot more."

Logan laughed as he caught Max's pleased smile.

"So why can't Max be my aunt."

"I don't need to be your aunt silly, I'm your friend," she said pulling the little girl onto her lap and tickling her.

"Come on friend," Logan smiled, "lunch is done."

"Oooh lunch," Max smiled standing with the little girl in her arms before dramatically lowering her to the floor.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Hey Logan it's Leslie," the voice called out from the answering machine as Max and Logan were watching the end of The Little Mermaid and he was suddenly regretting his decision to let the machine pick up so as to not disturb the sleeping child on his lap.

"Sure you don't want to get up and get that?" Max asked talking over the other voice of I just wanted to tell you I had a really good time on Thursday.

"It's fine Max," he said rolling his eyes and focusing on the screen. And I hope we can do it again real soon, maybe dinner instead of lunch this time? I'm free most of the week so give me a call. Talk to you soon, bye.

"So why didn't I hear about this Leslie?" She asked as the machine clicked off.

"Nothing to tell Max."

"Are you going to see her again?" she further pestered.

"I don't know. I might. Pay attention to the movie Max, she's getting her voice back."

Max's attention turned back to the screen, "Is she another blonde?" She asked turning again unable to let the subject go.

"Her hair's auburn why does that matter?" He shook his head and turned.

"No female likes a blonde, even Kendra doesn't like blondes. Your last three dates were blondes."

"I wasn't aware you were keeping a tally."

"I'm not," she said quickly turning her attention back to the screen, "just the kinda thing you notice." She shrugged watching Ariel declare her love for Eric, trying not to make any comparisons between that chimera and this one.