Our little Angel(s)

Title: Our Little Angel(s)

By AnitaB

Rating: Story, NC-17 for sex, sorry no sex this chapter, probably PG

See 1st chapter for disclaimers

Chapter 5: possible complications
Thoughts indicated inside // //
***

Max stood by the window with her new gun. For some reason if felt okay in her hand. Most guns felt like they were burning off the skin of her palm. //Too many Manticore memories, I guess.// Maybe it was the concern and protectiveness inherent in the gift instead of any malice or violence usually associated with weapons. It could also be the expense Zack went to (both financially and emotionally) to put her married name on the barrel. This engraving--Maxine Cale--showed that Zack was reconciling himself with the fact that Max was Logan's wife. That she wasn't leaving Logan or Seattle for any reason.

"He'll be alright, won't he?"

"Zack?" Logan wheeled up behind Max and pulled her down onto his lap.

"Yeah, will Zack get over it?"

Leaning his chin on her shoulder, Logan answered thoughtfully. "He'll always care about you and he'll never like me. But I think Zack will fall in love with someone else--fall hard and fast if God has a sense of humor--he'll be all right."

"Should we set him up with someone just to watch him suffer through real love?"

They both smiled at the thought of Zack very emotionally and mushily in love.

"Who would we do that to?"

"Hmmm......"

***

--Ring---Ring--

Logan left Max in the bedroom and rolled towards the front door. Cindy's voice rang through the door.

"Open up, we know you're here."

Logan smiled and opened the door. Cindy and Kendra grinned down at him. "Is my boo up yet?"

"I'll go get her, what are you girls doing today?"

The girls trailed behind Logan's chair as he moved back into the living room.

"Shopping. Someone's gotta make that girl buy clothes."

Logan laughed, agreeing whole-heartedly. "Max," he rolled back to the bedroom, "Cindy and Kendra are waiting for you in the living room."

She rolled over and climbed out of bed. "Anything wrong?"

"Nope. They want to take you shopping." He grinned.

"Shopping? Clothes shopping?"

Another smile, "Yes."

"Oh, well, It'll still be fun."

"I love you, Max."

"I love you, too, Logan. But where did that come from?" Max questioned as she finished dressing.

"You're just so cute when you reluctantly do girly things like clothes and makeup."

She leaned down and kissed him. "Go play on your computer." The tone in her voice was a threat.

"Yes, dear. Have fun trying on clothes, angel."

In his computer room, Logan got one last kiss from Max and went to work as the girls headed out.

A slight sound in the hallway sent Logan's hand to the drawer in the desk with its handgun. A sharp turn put Zack in front of the barrel.

"Why do all you guys do that?"

Zack tilted his head to the side, "Do what?"

"Sneak up on people who could shoot you accidentally."

"No you couldn't." Zack crossed the space between them instantaneously and pulled the gun straight up. Logan was stubborn enough to keep his grip on the gun and glare at Zack over the edge of his glasses.

"I assume you're here for a reason other than gun training."

Zack released the gun and moved to lean on the edge of the desk. "Yes, actually." Zack took a deep breath as if searching for strength. "I wanted to congratulate you on your and Max's child and to..." He paused, again comforted by the look on Logan's face. "And to ask you to encourage Max to carry that gun. She could need it someday."

"One of us will always be there, but I'll talk to her about it." Logan was impressed with the effort Zack was putting forth. "Thank you, Zack. It makes me feel better that she has a gun." Putting his own gun in the desk drawer, Logan turned back to Zack with a new expression on his face, one that some might think was serious.

"Is the bite on your neck related to an emergency? Something Max should know about?"

Logan smiled inside at the slight smile on Zack's mouth and the reflexive covering of the mark.

"No, it's nothing Max needs to know about, No emergency."

"What's her name?" Logan questioned calmly.

"Her name?" His voice shook very slightly as Zack remembered his voice crying out Syl's name. At the joy he'd found in her arms. "What's whose name?"

Logan's internal smile got even bigger despite the fact that he kept a straight face. //So much for needing to set Zack up, he found someone on his own.// "Her name, the her who bit your neck in a situation you wouldn't call an emergency?"

"None of your business, Logan."

Logan laughed at the protectiveness radiating from every line of Zack's body. //God, Max is gonna kill me 'cause she missed this.// "Do we know her? Can we meet her?"

Zack--fed up at last--put a fist-shaped dent in Logan's wall and stormed out of the apartment.

Logan's laughter echoed through the room. //I can't believe it, Zack is so far gone, so quickly.//

***

"Do we really have to buy clothes?"

Laughter sounded outside the dressing room. "Just out out here and let us see it."

"I don't want to."

"Max!"

"Fine," She stepped out of the dressing room wearing a huge pink button-down blouse and a long, flowy skirt. "How am I supposed to move in this? It'll catch on edges and just look at the color! Why can't I get normal clothes?"

More laughter, then Cindy caught her breath enough to speak. "Because, Max, my sister, pregnant people don't fit into what you call normal clothes. And, my girl, you need to expand your wardrobe."

"Why?" Max looked so cute standing there in that very feminine outfit with her body language screaming violent warnings.

"'Cause you're married to a rich man, you have to be presentable in mew social circles." Kendra said as if explaining something to a child.

"oh," Max's expression changed, softened a little. "Logan hasn't said anything."

"Logan loves you, he would take you to a formal banquet covered in mud. We, however, would pick out respectable clothing for the event."

"But it's pink!"

//Here we go again.//

***