DISCLAIMER: All DARK ANGEL characters belong to James Cameron and Charles Eglee (Cameron Eglee Productions) and DARK ANGEL itself belongs to FOX.

ARCHIVE: No

Artwork courtesy of Valjean & JRAUnlimited.com

"What's wrong, Max?"

Max looked up at Logan. "Nothing," she said.

"You've hardly touched your dinner," her man replied. Then it seemed to dawn on him. "What'd he do this time? Alec? Other than return from the dead I mean, which in itself I admit is a pretty neat trick even for our frisky X5 rogue to pull off."

"Why do you think I'm concerned about Alec?" she said lightly, sweeping a strand of long dark hair out of her eyes and tucking it behind one ear, the act making the gold earrings she was wearing jingle. She'd worn a dress tonight -- for the special Italian dinner Logan had prepared -- a sky blue velvet gown with off-the-shoulder long sleeves. In a way, she felt incredibly sexy. However, in another way she felt very much not herself.

"Aren't you always? Concerned about Alec I mean?"

"Of course not," she said, finding Logan's assertation ridiculous.

"Aren't you glad he's back?"

"Sure I am. Like it or not, he's an asset for Terminal City. With Alec missing I was really worried about who would take over his City Council seat, not to mention the Art Mall books. Now ... everything's back to normal."

"Then why so glum, Max? And no appetite?"

"I'm just tired is all," she said, pushing her chair back from the table. "And I need some air. If you don't mind, I'm gonna change and go for a ride on my bike."

"Are you going to meet Alec?"

The question caught her by surprise -- not the words, but the decided undertone in Logan's voice ... almost as if it were an accusation.

"Hadn't planned to," she said carefully. "But sometimes we frequent the same spots." However, she knew what was bothering the older man. "Logan," she said gently. "You don't have to worry about Alec. You never have. I was lying before, remember? Nothing ever happened between him and me, and nothing ever will."

"You mean you don't find a genetically engineered supersoldier's perfect body tempting sometimes?" Logan said, his blue eyes watching her closely.

"Not in the least," Max said easily, dreading where this conversation was going.

"Liar," Logan said softly. "I know you, Max. I know you have needs, especially at certain times. And I know I'm not able to--"

"Stop!" she said loudly. Then she was around the table and hugging this man she adored. "None of that matters. Alec doesn't matter. All that's important is this." She leaned down and kissed her lover hard on the lips. "Besides," she added a moment later when she came up for air, murmuring the words against Logan's mouth. "Alec wouldn't want me that way ... not just the sex."

"Max," Logan said hoarsely. "Any man would want you that way. I've seen how he looks at you sometimes ... the way he flirts ..."

"That's just Alec's tom cat nature," Max said, dismissing the apt observation with a wave of her hand. "You don't need to be jealous of a jerk."

"A jerk?" Logan said.

"Well, a helpful jerk," Max amended, looking deeply into his eyes. "I do value Alec, Logan. Hell, I even like him. He can be incredibly sweet sometimes, not to mention intuitive, and he's the only one in TC who's brave enough to stand up to me and argue when I need to be put in my place. But above everything, he's a brother to me, Logan. Just like Zack was."

"Zack fell in love with you."

"Alec isn't Zack," Max quickly said, the thought of what Logan seemed to be trying to imply terrifying her. "Alec wants nothing to do with love. For him it's just the sex with no commitments -- something I find a definite turn off."

"He doesn't have a girlfriend," her companion pointed out.

"That's because no girl will tolerate him for very long."

"Or because he hasn't found the right one yet."

"He was hurt once," Max said. "In time, Alec will meet someone special -- like I did -- and maybe then he'll even settle down."

"Someone special like you?" Logan said softly.

Max was getting tired of this. Sliding off his lap, she stood up. "Like I said, Alec's a jerk. But he's not that kind of jerk. He'd never steal another guy's girl, and he wouldn't hurt a friend. You're his friend, Logan. You saved his life once. In his own way, Alec's got a lot of integrity. If I can trust him, I think you should be able to, too."

She went into the bedroom to change, and a few minutes later emerged in jeans and a warm tank top to pick up her jacket from where it was draped over the back of a chair. Logan was still seated at the table nursing a glass of Scotch on the rocks. "I'll be back later," she said. "Don't wait up." The words seemed cold, and her expression softened. "And don't worry about Alec," she added as she donned the coat and headed for the door.

"If you say so," Logan replied as he stared thoughtfully at the wall.