Project X5-452 : Woo and Wed
by iluvaqt

Disclaimer: I don't have ownership of any of these characters. They belong to their respective creators, including Cameron/Eglee Productions and 20th Century Fox Studios. The story is not for sale or resale it is written solely for Dark Angel fans. No money is being made from the use of these characters. Includes references to The Lord of the Rings by Peter Jackson and New Line Cinema.
Summary: Season 1 AU. AJBAC happened, but Max and the other X5s made it home free. On a rainy day, Max and Logan both make confessions.
Rating: PG
Code: Short
QT's Notes: A shippy piece of fluff. Someone mentioned that I haven't written anything Max/Logan for awhile. Found this on my hard drive, finished and posted it. Enjoy :) Edit - 15/9/0 - ;P Jonas left us in "I and I am a Camera".

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Sinking back further into the sofa, Logan stifled a yawn. It was still bucketing down outside. The freak storm was about to set a new record. Five days straight without a crack of blue sky. Not that he could really complain. Now that the city had a new law about riding in inclement weather, Jam Pony was all bogged in.

Logan smirked at the mental image of Normal's distress. Max had said he'd practically sent himself unconscious hyperventilating when he heard the news. Insurance wasn't going to cover any injuries during the storm and anyone caught riding would be fined. Three employees had been kept on for VIP deliveries, but everyone else had been sent home.

Max had moped about the injustice of it all, but she'd graciously accepted his offer of making some cash, helping him clean out his storage room. It had started to turn into an anything-that-does-look-immediately-useful-dump-here-area. He could barely open the door anymore. It was getting ridiculous. The job had taken less than 48 hours to conquer. The last two days they'd sat around, watching old movies, making a mess of the kitchen and playing chess - with Max on a continuous winning streak.

He smiled as he looked down at her. She was deeply engrossed in the story of The Lord of the Rings. It was a huge epic back in his teen days. He'd watched it countless times since and never tired of it, but tonight his attention was captured by something else. The emotions playing over her features during different scenes of the film; sympathy, joy, sadness, a cute little smile that played on her lips every time there was a romantic scene between Aragorn - the reluctant monarch and Arwen - his beloved. Their love knew no boundaries, and their understanding and affection for each other was obvious, but their relationship seemed doomed at the beginning. He grinned secretly over this, because he knew the ending, and no amount of torture on her part would make him ruin it for her.

Logan brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and he felt the skin tremble slightly beneath his touch. She rested comfortably in his lap and the cotton blanket he'd gotten for them, had fallen around her waist. For the second time today, he noticed how much he admired the look of her sweater. It was loose fitting and the soft salmon color cashmere rendered a warm glow to her complexion. He'd never seen it before, so he was sure it was new. Yet, he could never have imagined her buying it. It wasn't the kind of style she usually wore. He couldn't resist a moment longer, he casually brought his arm down and rested his hand on her arm. It was so incredibly plush. The fine strands of thread sent rivers of sensual sensations through his fingertips.

"Hannah sent it. She said to think of it as a birthday gift. She wishes she remembered the day, but she could only recall the year and the month. May 2000," she said softly.

Logan blushed, and almost removed his hand, but Max had turned her head slightly to look up at him, and her eyes had stolen away any desire to move at all.

"Now don't interrupt the movie again," she said teasingly.

Chuckling, Logan quickly pursed his lips to stifle any further interruption. For the next two hours he didn't say a word, other than to answer background questions on various characters when she asked.

When the film ended, she turned to him with a groan. "You can't tell me that was it? That's a really weird place to end. One group's off to save Merry and Pippin and Frodo's practically on a suicide mission with no back up. Sorry, but I wouldn't call Sam back up."

"You'd be surprised," Logan said with a knowing smile. "But you're right. It is an unsatisfactory way to leave things. The story was never meant to be three separate parts. Tolkien intended it to be one book. The publishers split it and the movies kind of followed the same cut."

"Still not happy," Max said pouting. She sat up and curled her knees to her chest.

Logan pulled her close, and put his arm around her shoulders. "How 'bout tomorrow we watch the last two in a marathon. It'll take us through most of the day, but we'll make up snacks and drinks before. What do you think?"

"Hrmmm, I don't know. Maybe the rain will ease up tomorrow." She looked out the window, and then to Logan. He looked disappointed. She guessed he would. He'd lured her with pleading the need of an extra pair of hands. Sure there'd been quite a bit of bulky stuff to throw around, but he could have easily grabbed Bling or Asha. That aside, all they'd done over the past couple of days was lounge around. Something was up. She could feel it.

"I don't want you to go," Logan said. He hadn't realized that it could have been so easy to confess. Knowing the rain ending was a very real possibility, it forced him to speak his mind. Had he known the look on her face before hand, he might have said so a lot earlier.

Max didn't say anything but a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. He wanted her to stay. For real? As in move in? She was running out of a wardrobe. She'd only planned for a day or so. Even after getting Original Cindy to drop around a bag of her stuff from the apartment, it still wouldn't take her through to the end of the week. Unless, she decided a trip to the laundry downstairs. Then again, she couldn't do laundry with Logan. That was just too… too domestic. The idea gave her goose bumps. She tilted her head to one side, considering him. He wasn't intrusive. She had a good time with him. He was a fantastic cook. All pluses so far. "Are you asking me to stay, permanently?"

Taking one of her hands, he gave her a serious look. "Think about it?" He didn't expect her to bounce and say yes, but anxiety was beginning to play havoc with his insides.

Max gave him a sly look, "I guess I could give it some consideration, you being a domesticated-culinary-wizard an all. Speaking of which, how long overdue is lunch?" Putting a hand to her stomach, she pulled a face and said," I'm absolutely starving."

Logan dropped his arm and rolled his eyes. "Subtle isn't in your nature. Neither is giving straight answers." He got up from the sofa and walked to the kitchen.

Pulling vegetables and some meat from the fridge, he muttered to himself. "Smooth operator. Next time, just ask her to marry you. See how she sidesteps that one. Or you might find she can top her last quick exit."

"You gagging to find out?"

Logan practically jumped out of his skin. Almost dropping his arm load of food on the kitchen floor. He turned to face Max who was standing by the fridge door. Unable to break away from her probing gaze, he felt a heat creep up his neck and all the blood from his brain rush to his face. "Max, I…"

She pushed his arms, getting him to deposit his groceries on the kitchen counter, and claimed his mouth with hers. Effectively silencing any further comment from his lips. When she broke away and stared up at him, Logan almost forgot what he'd just said. Taking a step back and leaning on the counter, he frowned.

"You heard what I said?"

Max turned slightly and avoided his eyes for a moment. Licking her lips, she attempted to look nonchalant. "It depends… which part are you actually referring to. I didn't quite get all of it…"

"Oh come on," Logan teased. "I know, you know. So let's stop avoiding the subject. The part about me wanting to marry you."

Max blushed. Logan thought it was so damn sexy. She looked so hot when she looked vulnerable. Maybe it was the false sense of superiority it have him. Thinking he could protect her, offer her shelter and… Logan brushed those thoughts aside. Truth be known, he needed her more than she really needed him. He couldn't imagine tomorrow without her, let alone the rest of his lifetime. But who was he kidding. She wasn't the type to settle down. She was restless and craved adrenaline. She loved the rush and excitement of a chase or a mission. His heart did acrobatics every time he listened to one of her escapades. Even though, majority of the time, they were jobs he'd given to her. Was he dreaming, thinking she'd want to be with him?

"Are you really asking? Or was it just…"

She stopped short when he came close and put his arms around her waist. Looking down into her eyes, studied her for a moment. Not letting her break eye contact, he confessed to her, "It's what I really want, Max. But if you're not ready…"

"I am," Max answered quickly. "I mean…wow, Mrs Logan Cale." She mused, trying the title on for size. Not bad. But then it wasn't the first time she'd though about it. An image of a well manicured hand, clutching a crystal flute entered her mind, and Max chuckled. "Magot's going to choke on her overpriced Krug."

Logan grinned and hugged her tighter. "That she is."

Tilting her head thoughtfully, Max asked, "You know, I always wondered how she came out on top after the Cale Corporation went belly up?"

"The Garber's are old money. Fortunately, no relation to the classics actress, Ava Garber. And Uncle Jonas had quite a collection of art, wines and Vintage cars. You could say he left her quite a nest egg."

"Wouldn't that have gotten seized along with everything else?" Max asked with a raised brow.

Logan shook his head, doing his best to hide a smirk. "They were listed under my mother's maiden name."

Max's mouth opened in surprise. "That means..."

At her expression, Logan couldn't keep his secret any longer. "I found out about a month ago, Aunt Margot's been really sweet ever since. Guess she knows I could put a neat dent in her small fortune if I decided to put a call into my dad's old lawyer."

Seeing the grin on her face, was worth the slug that came along with it. "And all this time I thought you were broke, scraping by on fences and giving away your parents treasures. Logan Cale, you sneaky, devious..."

Reaching out, Logan took her by the waist and hauled her close. His eyes twinkled with merriment, but his voice held a serious tone as he spoke. "Now you know. And it's going to be our money."

Max smiled up at him, and ran her finger along the edge of his collar. "Hrmmm, our money. I like the sound of that."