Things Remembered

by Maria656

part 4

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

Disclaimer: as before

Thank you to Shywr1ter for subbing as beta.

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

The two lovers lie in each other's arms, savoring each other and the new closeness they now have. Max is plastered across Logan's body, listening to his heartbeat and feeling his breath in her hair while he absently strokes her bare back.

I'm so happy that I could do something for him. I hope that he gets that we can find our way as a couple. It feels wonderful lying here like this – I could put up with this for a few years.

I'm so happy that Max and I took this step. I'm not even done showing her what I can do for her. There were a few awkward moments, but the pluses definitely outweighed them.

They look at each other, smile, then move toward each other for a kiss.

"How are you feeling?" Max asks.

"Amazing, wonderful, fabulous ... all of the above." They both laugh.

"Me too ... Care to do some more exploring?"

I'd love to. I haven't even seen you without all your clothes yet."

"That can be easily corrected." Max gets up from the bed, and, never taking her eyes off Logan, she slowly pulls off her skirt and steps out of it, leaving her standing in only her pale blue French cut panties. "Do you want to take these off or do you want me to do it?"

"You do it, please. I want to see all of you."

Max smiles and hooks her thumbs into the waistband and slides them down just till her hipbones are showing, then stop and turns her back to him and slides the panties down further. Watching Logan over her shoulder; she notices his eyes have dilated, his nostrils are flaring and his heart and breath rates are accelerating. She gives him a sly smile and slides the panties down as far as she can reach, then lets them fall and steps out of them.

Logan was doing well with going with the flow, but when he sees Max's bare peach-shaped bottom he wishes that he could bend her over the bed and stand behind her and plant himself in her body. His mouth goes dry.

Max turns around to face him. She is flawless; his Eve, the perfect creation. That she wanted him when she could have any man around was a mind-boggling concept that he couldn't quite grasp yet.

"Come here, Beautiful," Logan requests softly.

Max swiftly goes to his arms. Logan kisses her and runs his hands down her body. She moans at the feel of his hands on her skin, heating her everywhere they touch. Max breaks the kiss and gently stops his hands.

"Not so fast - your turn." She slides her hands down his chest to the waistband of his pants. Logan grabs her hands and looks at her. Max notes his nervousness and ambivalence. She gives him a smile and whispers, "It's okay." Logan nods and lets go of her hands. Max slides the clothing down, never taking her eyes off of him, then slides her hands over his lower body. "I know you can't feel me, but I want you to see me touching you and know that I am loving and accepting all of you."

The tears that had been threatening him finally spilled over at her words. Thank you God for whatever happened for me to deserve this woman. Max kisses Logan on the mouth, then wipes his tears away.

"I love you."

They start kissing again, each holding the other's face as if they could absorb each other by the increased contact. Logan kisses down Max's chest and breast and suckles her sweet flesh. She feels each pull all the way in her core and she tightens her arms around him as she moans for more. Logan complies, alternating sides and taking more of her into his mouth. He slides his hand to the sensitive spot between her thighs, strokes her there and Max muffles a scream against his shoulder. Logan smiles and kisses her cheek.

"One perk of the penthouse – soundproofing. You can scream all you want."

Max smiles. "Make me."

Logan continues his attentions to her body; with his arm around her back he can feel her rocking against his hand which makes him more enthusiastic. He slips past her inner folds and dips two of his fingers into her hot, wet body. They both moan at the contact. The continue caressing and kissing until Max climaxes again with a scream. She collapses on Logan's chest completely and happily spent.

A few moments later, Max notices a tapping at her thigh. "What?" she asks lazily.

"What what?"

"What are you tapping me for? Do you want me to move or do you want to try again?"

"I didn't do anything."

Max pushes herself up from her comfortable spot on his chest to glare at him and looks him over. "Logan! Look!"

He looks at her and follows her startled gaze downward. To both of their amazement he is fully erect. Max smiles at the huge grin Logan now has on his face. "Happy Birthday to me!" They both laugh.

"Well I'm not going to let it go to waste." Max gets up and positions herself over him and lowers her body onto him. "Oh ... my ... god ... Oh Logan ... you feel so incredible!" She doesn't move for a while, just reveling in the sensations of finally being joined with her love. Logan loves the expressions on her face, thankful for the small favors that allow them to fully consummate their love.

Logan kisses Max and starts caressing her again while she moves her hips up and down over him. He watches her movements and the look on her face as he continues holding her and touching her while she moans and calls his name. Logan feels a pleasurable tightening in his chest like before and shudders and moans in her ear.

Max finally rests on his lap, leaning against his chest as he embraces her. She kisses Logan on the neck. He lifts up her head and brushes the sweat-dampened hair out of her face. "You're beautiful," he kisses her tenderly on the mouth, "I guess 'they' were right."

"Whose 'they'?" she asks.

"The doctors and therapists and guys on the basketball team; those that either talked to me or I overheard that said that a lot of sex was mental, more than physical ... I couldn't feel it in the same way, but I could watch; because of the positions we were in I could see my body going in and out of yours and I could watch the expressions on your face – it may not be physically the same, but it was very powerful emotionally." Logan kisses Max, attempting to show her nonverbally how much this means to him. Then they rest, holding each other.

After a bit, Max sits up. "I need to move. Can't be good for you to be in one place so long, especially with the added weight."

"You don't weigh that much, but thank you for thinking of it."

Max goes to the bathroom. After a few minutes she returns, bringing Logan a warm, wet cloth and a dry towel. "Thought I would save you a trip," she says with a smile.

Logan is again impressed with her thoughtfulness. After she tosses the cloths in the hamper and changes the music on the stereo, she returns to his side.

"Does my birthday present include overnight company?"

Max could just burst with joy. "If you want."

"I want."

Max gets back into bed and goes to Logan's arms. She just loves the feel of his strong arms hugging her to him. (Maybe the cuddling thing isn't weird; just the assorted losers that I experienced it with before ... with Logan I could stay here forever.) Max snuggles closer and hooks one of her feet between his and pulls his leg over hers. Logan feels her rustling about and looks to see what she's doing. He moves his hand to her hip and notices she's wiggling her bottom against his groin and watches her twining their legs together. Then she pulls his hand from her hip to wrap around her waist. Logan gets the hint and pulls her tight against him, gently caressing her belly.

"Are you comfy now?" he asks with a smile.

"Yeah, just needed the whole works," Max replies. "My plans for you didn't get further than this, so from here on out we make up as we go along."

"Well we seem to be doing well so far, so if it ain't broke-"

"Don't fix it," she finishes with a chuckle. "... I wasn't entirely sure you'd let us get past dinner and dancing."

Logan takes her hand and brings it up to kiss her fingers. "To tell you the truth, if you hadn't surprised me ... I don't know that I would have ever asked you-" Max gasps softly "-not because I didn't want to, but because I wouldn't have dreamed that you could have wanted me as I am."

Max has tears in her eyes and she swallows before she attempts to speak. "Am I really that shallow? Have I ever implied that I think any less of you?" she asks softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Oh no, Angel. It was all me. I felt ... inadequate ... and I presumed ... it was easier to fall into the roles – me cybercrusader/meal ticket and you genetic super girl/leg woman/enforcer."

"I shouldn't have said that ... I was hiding from these new and unusual feelings and you said 'we're not like that', so when I was realizing that I wanted us to be 'like that' I figured you weren't interested. It's one thing to work with and occasionally feed a genetically enhanced killing machine, but it's entirely different to be in a relationship with one."

Logan leans back and turns Max to face him. "I should have never called you that. I'm sorry."

"Not saying it doesn't stop it from being true."

"It doesn't matter to me. I know the real you Max. I've seen you almost die to save your best friend, and even me for that matter. I've seen you worry about orphaned children and your mom and your siblings. I even caught you crying at a wedding and you somehow managed to pickpocket my aunt and get my mom's locket back. I know you and I love you."

"I love you Logan." she kisses him and it quickly becomes heated and involved. Eventually Logan breaks the kiss.

"Angel, as much as I would love to make love to you all night, I need to get a little rest. Will you stay with me till I go to sleep? You can watch TV or read if you can't sleep."

"I'll stay. Just need to get comfortable again." Max kisses him again, then turns so her back is to his front and tangles their legs together. Logan tightens his arms around her and kisses her neck. Max grabs his hand, kisses it and brings it back down to her waist. She never in a million lifetimes would have guessed that she would love, no, crave this feeling of being wrapped in his arms, totally confined like this, but in reality, she felt like she needed to feel his skin on hers as much as she needed her next breath. Later that would bother her, but for now Max felt amazingly content. (I don't know that I've ever felt that ... contentment ... I don't know how long it will last so I'm going to enjoy it while I can). Max lies quietly, listening to Logan's breathing getting quiet and even as he goes to sleep. He slides his hand from her waist up to her breast and sighs. Max smiles when she realizes he is still asleep. (Who knew this could be so soothing? I'm gonna lie here and enjoy this for a while.) She places her hand over his, holds him tighter to her and closes her eyes with a contented smile on her face.

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

Max opens her eyes and notices the bedside clock. She is surprised to see it is 4:30 in the morning; that was a lot of sleep for her. She quietly gets out of bed, rummages in Logan's dresser for a t-shirt and a pair of flannel boxers and heads to the guest bathroom so she doesn't disturb Logan's sleep. After a nice hot shower, she goes in the kitchen and starts water for coffee. (Only Logan would have a French press.) She has a cup of coffee and the last two slices of zucchini bread, then decides to get a workout in while Logan sleeps. She goes into the workout room and moves the exercise table out of the way, then starts warming up with Primary Back Stretch to get into alignment. Afterwards she goes into the Advanced Workout (much better than Manticore calisthenics!), then follows that with some katas and basic moves from Aikido, Kung fu, and Krav Maga.

Max finishes with some stretches when she hears a key in the door. She dries her face and neck with a towel and smiles when she sees Bling coming in. He is surprised yet happy to see Max still here and in Logan's clothes.

"Good morning Max," Bling says with a huge grin on his face. "I take it your idea was a success?"

"I'd say so," she replies. "You might want to ask for a raise or your vacation time while he's in a good mood." Bling notices her blushing again, but wisely says nothing. "There's coffee made, but I ate the zucchini bread."

"Thanks. I'll start breakfast after I get some coffee."

"I'll go get Logan."

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

Max finds Logan in the master bathroom in his workout clothes putting gel in his hair.

"And here I thought you just rubbed your hair with a towel and let it go wherever it landed," she commented as she leaned on the doorway.

Logan gets a big grin on his face when he notices that Max is wearing his clothes. (I could get used to that.) "Well, it is a special occasion."

"Oh yeah?"

"Our first," Logan takes her hand, "of what I hope will be many overnight visits."

"Read my mind." Max bends down to kiss him. "Good morning."

"Good morning, Angel." Logan kisses her again and pulls Max into his lap and continues kissing her.

What a way to start the day, they both think.

Bling knocks on the door frame with an even bigger grin splitting his face. "Morning Logan. Breakfast is ready."

"I'm already at the table." Max gives Logan a quick kiss before heading out front. She pauses when she reaches Bling and gives him a kiss on the cheek to show her appreciation.

"We'll be there in a minute. Bling can you hang a second?"

"Sure." After Max leaves Bling asks, "So did you have a happy birthday?"

Logan turns bright red but smiles. "Yes, I did. Better than anticipated."

"I'm guessing you mean more than dinner and dancing?"

"Yes ... physically it went fine. She had done research ... Research Bling! I mean nothing fazed the woman. I had several near freak-outs but she just brushed right past them ... She said she loves me." Logan's voice trailed off in wonder.

"Captain Obvious strikes again! I hope you told her you love her."

"Yeah I did. She's amazing. Not to kiss and tell, but she was so beautiful and expressive and responsive." Max hears this and smiles while eating her breakfast. "I could feel so much just because I could see and feel her reactions. It was the best experience of my life. I ... It's great, and yet in many ways it's sad ..."

"How so?"

"I'm 32 years old and injured and I'm just now having my first meaningful sexual experience."

"That, my friend, is because you two are more than just friends and lovers; you and Max are soul mates. I'm going to tell you something I was planning on keeping to myself. I thought about asking Max out shortly after we met." Logan looks at him shocked. "Face it, she's stunning. But she only had eyes for you. That day she came to see you after your workout, you could practically see the sparks jumping off. I figured I'd save my breath."

"I had no clue."

"That's because you and Max see only each other, even in a room with other people. Fortunately for me, I found my soul mate in Maria, so I can be sympathetic to your shenanigans. Love can make you do unusual things." Bling and Logan both laugh.

"You guys better get out here before there isn't any breakfast left," Max yells back to them. They chuckle again and then head out to join her.

"Better get used to it man," Bling advises. "Max is very good at getting what she wants."

"You have no idea," Max replies.

FINIS

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

A/N-Thanks for reading and please review! Also, thanks for your patience. It took me a while to figure out the last part of the challenge without it hopefully sounding forced and stupid. the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' line.

A few points of reference:

I don't buy the show's version of L's injury. Since he was wearing a bullet-proof vest at the time, I think the injury would be lower.

This whole thing happened before IAIAAC so L still has money.

for info about the workout visit them JazzyMama sent you :-)