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Chapter 2: Love Hurts

Damn it! Why do I have to be me? Why do I always have to run. Max thought as she sat in the stair well of Logan apartment. I hate this freak show of a body that I have. I hate it! Why can't I ever be happy? Bitterly wiping away her unending tears Max tried to get a hold of herself. Just pick your sorry self up and go talk to him, he'll understand or at least try to won't he? No, you can't do that Max. You care about him too much now as it is. Just go home and drown your sorrows in rocky road ice cream and get on with you life. Everything will be ok. Yeah right. Max laughed to her self about her delusions, because she knew nothing would ever be the same again.

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When she walked out that door she took my heart with her. Logan still sat in the same spot as when Max had walked out almost an hour ago. He couldn't take his eyes off the place she once stood. Of all the normal women in the world why do I have to love her. I'll tell you why Cale, because everything about Max is your perfect compliment. We're like the tow missing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that fit together perfectly and make the picture compete and it finally becomes clear. She's the reason that I keep trying to fix this broken world. She's why I get up in the morning, she's the one reason that I'm still alive. She's saved my life in more ways than one how many times? Max makes me forget about this God awful chair because she doesn't see it. I can't live without her.

Logan finally moved to the couch leaving behind his view of the door and giving up hope that she might come back. Grabbing a bottle of rum Logan flopped down on the couch drinking away his pain, or at least trying to.

"Max, you have completely ruined me for other women. They will never come close to comparing with you."

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"Listen Boo, you know you love him. Why else would you bust outta there when things start gettin' cozy." Cindy handed Max a cup of coffee the next morning.

"We're not like that." Max said pathetically as she sipped her coffee.

"Yeah and that's why you kissed him." Max gave Cindy the eye warning her that she was on dangerous ground. Why do you have to be right all the time OC. Especially when it comes to Logan. But I do not love him.

"I just want to forget it ever happened."

"Think what you want Boo, but it did happen and you can't change that."

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Logan and Bling sat in Logan's spotless kitchen as Bling handed him a glass of green sludge.

"What's in this thing?" Logan asked as he took a potent wiff of the drink.

"Doesn't matter, it will help with the hang-over." Logan sat the glass down pushing it away.

"Just drink it" Bling pushed it back. "So are you gonna talk to her or what?" he asked as Logan downed the entire glass.

"Oh, God that's disgusting." Logan tried to forget about the taste in his mouth as he thought over Blings question.

"It' s not that simple. It' s Max's choice if she wants to talk, she is the one who ran." there was a trace of bitterness in Logans voice.

"So are you gonna talk to her or not?"

"Yeah. I'm heading over to Jam Pony in a few minutes." Logan push away from the table to grab his coat.

"Good."Bling said following him into the hall. "I'm glad you decided to tell her how you really feel about her. Max is smart, but she'll never know if you don't tell her."

Logan opened the door to leave, "I never said I was going to tell her that." Logan shut the door before Bling had the chance to answer.

I'm not in the mood for a lecture Bling. Even if you are right. After last night she has to care about me more than a friend. She kissed me. That's got to mean something. I just want to make sure that she's alright.

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"Hot run! Hot run!" Normal bellowed towards his sea of uninterested employees.

"I got it." Max said as she grabbed the package from Normals hand.

"You okay? This is your 10th run today and you've only been here for 3 hours. Not that I'm complaining."

"Just give me the address Normal." Max spat. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Normal or anyone else for that matter.

"21 Pendalton."

Max flashed an irritated smile as she walked out the door pushing everyone out of her way. Just stay focused on work. One step at a time right? There you go, you can do this. Max thought as she headed off in the direction of Pendalton . Yeah this is just one of the many things us genetically engineered kids can do. Take out 25 armed soldiers single handedly, break into high security facilities, become an expert cat burglar, and destroy the best relationship that I have ever had in my life. But hey, I've gotten by all these years on my own. Who needs Logan Cale a.k.a. Eyes Only? Max sighed sadly. I do.

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Logan made his way down the sidewalk towards Jam Pony.

Just try to talk to her. Don't even mention what happened last night, except for her abrupt departure. Yeah that works. If she wants to talk great, if she doesn't, Logan took a deep breath, I'll live. Somehow. Just make sure she's okay.

"Oh, excuse me!" Logan said as he adjusted to move out of the large man's way whom he just bumped in to. Pay attention Cale.

"Yeah you betta move crip!"the man barked

"I'm sorry." Logan apologized again shocked by the mans reaction. Without warning the man began to push Logans chair into a nearby alley. What the hell?

"Hand over your money!"the man pulled out a gun and cocked it ready to fire. "Now!"

Oh God. Stay clam. Clam, yeah. If I wasn't in this stupid chair I could do something. I probably wouldn't be here in the first place. Use your head Logan, you're smart aren't you? Taking a deep breath , Hey God, I could really use a little help about now.

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"Hand over your money! Now!"

Why can't I have one quiet day with no bad guy ass to kick? Max thought as she neared the alley the sound was coming from.

"Look, calm down. You don't need to resort to violence. Anyway I don't have any money, if I did it would be yours."

Logan? No. Great, now you're hearing things too. Why would Logan be down here anyway?

"You must wanna die crip. Hand over the cash!"

Crip. Oh my God. Logan! Max quickly closed the distance between herself and the alley. When she saw the gun a foot away from Logans head Max's heart stopped. Then next thing she knew she was running towards them.

Damn it Logan! Why do you always have to be the tough guy? And why do I always have to save your ass? Why do you always have to find trouble? Why do you always find trouble with guns? Why do you mean so much to me?

"That's it crip, you're dead." Out of the corner of his eye Logan saw Max running towards him with a look of determination and fear.

Max! Max, no.

As Logan heard the click of the trigger being pulled he felt Max collide with his chair as she pushed him out of the way, "Get down!" she yelled and he hit the ground with the sound of the gun firing.

"MAX!" Logans scream echoed through-out the alley as the gunman ran away in fear.

Chapter 3