The clouds came rolling in like a dark herd of endangered buffalo, fast and heavy, followed by the rain and thunder. It was a miserable night of waiting and worrying. The bodies were carried away and driven to some remote spot, but the blood remained on the carpet and as much as Joshua scrubbed, the stains stubbornly stayed in place. Several times Logan had told him to leave it alone, but he couldn't, he was drawn to the red coats and wouldn't rest until they were lifted. It kept his mind occupied so his thoughts were no longer on White and the fact that he had killed him.

Joshua was a strong creature, but right now he felt very weak, even helpless. 'It had to be done', he told himself and even though he knew it was the truth, he couldn't let go of the fact he had done it.

Logan came into the room, cold from pacing outside on the porch. Joshua looked up and stopped his rhythmic cleaning for a moment. "Max okay. Alec take good care of her," he said shyly and then resumed sopping up the blood.

"If Alec took such good care of her, why is she upstairs lying in a bed she'll probably die in?" Logan bit back angrily.

Joshua stood, his features turning more animal-like than human. "Not Alec's fault. No one's fault. Don't blame Alec. Don't blame Logan."

Logan bowed his head. Joshua had nailed the problem right there. How was it that he could tell Logan had been blaming himself? Sometimes they just didn't give Joshua enough credit, he was always surprising them.

The night settled upon the house and Logan and Joshua took shelter in a spare bedroom. Joshua fell into a deep slumber, satisfied that everything would turn out okay, while Logan tossed and turned in a restless sleep.

Alec awoke to the soft fluttering of tiny fingers in his hair; Max's fingers. He opened one eye cautiously, then the other when he saw her smiling face. She was okay. She was going to be fine.

He didn't speak. He didn't think he could find his voice even if he wanted to. He reached cautiously with his hand and hovered it over her pale face. He pulled back as if his touch was the last thing she would want or need.

She surprised him by touching his face, grazing the light stubble that came overnight, until her fingers rested against the side of his cheek. "You're beautiful when you sleep," she told him, her voice strained and raspy.

The shock on his face was enough for Max to light her face with a smile, turning that smile into a small laugh that burned through her body. He noticed the pain as she winced and put his hand to her bandaged wound. He lifted the shirt from her stomach and caressed the injury.

"I'm fine," Max said, and rested her other hand over his. "I'll survive and I'll even live through the embarrassment of wearing pink."

He smiled then. A wide toothy grin that met his eyes. He went to speak, but she cautioned him. "Don't even say one word!"

"My lips are sealed," he commented and focussed on their hands resting together on her stomach.

"You saved my life." His comment was out of no where and his voice was so low and grateful, Max was taken aback.

"It was no big deal." She brushed it off.

Alec turned to his side, ignoring the jolt of pain from his own wound and leaned on his elbow. "It is a big deal...to me. The only question is why? Why Max? Why did you throw yourself in front of a bullet aimed at me?" His eyes were dark; a mixture of fear and angst. He needed the knowledge only she had. Needed to hear that it was because she felt something for him. Something greater than friendship, above loathing and past lust.

"You'd do the same for me," she said weakly and turned her eyes from his intense stare. "You have done the same for me."

"So it's was about a debt. You did it because you thought you owed me?"

Max didn't have the chance to answer when the knock on the door interrupted them. Logan walked into the room, followed closely by Joshua.

"Little fella okay?" Joshua asked, coming to the side of her bed.

"Yeah big fella, I'm fine. No bullet is going to stop me. How 'bout you?"

"Okay," Joshua told her and bent down to kiss the top of her head. Alec had moved off of the bed before the two entered the room and was standing at the other end of the room in just the towel he had fallen asleep in.

"Hey Max," Logan said, sitting down at the bed beside her and taking her hand. Max looked to Alec and didn't miss the hurt expression on his face. Before she could stop him he was out the door and down the hall.

Alec needed to find clothes. He didn't think the drive back home would be very comfortable in nothing by a white towel around his waste.

He passed what looked to be Ray's aunts bedroom and knocked on the door that was already ajar.

To his surprise his clothes were stacked neatly at the end of the bed and his nose told him breakfast was being cooked down the stairs.

He dressed fast and rushed down the stairs, seeing the soiled plates Logan and Joshua had obviously used earlier.

"Morning," Ray's aunt chirped pleasantly. "How's my favourite patient?"

Alec's face flushed as he sat at the table and found a large plate of food in front of him. "I'm fine. Max is fine too." Shyly he raised his eyes to her. "Thank you."

"That's no problem, now eat up and then you can take this up to the young lady." She held up a tray of food.

Alec ate quickly, not realizing how hungry he had actually been. The conversation was light and friendly and he tried not to be rude by rushing back up the stairs to see Max.

Joshua came back down the stairs while Alec was eating and played with Ray out on the front lawn. The big dog-man, lifted the boy high in the air to his delight and chased him around the yard. Alec shook his head, wondering who was having more fun.

Logan sat at the edge of Max's bed strumming his fingers over her palm. "You had me worried," he told her and fixed his glasses.

"You know me, always getting into trouble." She smiled.

"Yeah but this time it was Alec's trouble that landed you in this bed. I don't know why you constantly risk your life for that ungrateful..." He sighed.

"Alec needed my help," she interrupted. "He would have done the same for me."

"I'm sorry, I just don't get it."

"He's my friend Logan, that's all you need to know."

"A friend? Is that all he is to you, Max? Because it sure as hell didn't look like that the way he carried you up here. He wouldn't let me near you, do you know how much that hurt?" He ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "He just looks at you and I can't describe it, but I get angry. I know I shouldn't be jealous, but dammit I can't help it."

"Logan, relax."

"No Max, I can't relax." He sprang from the bed and paced the room. "Is there something going on between the two of you?"

Max turned from his gaze, unsure how to answer the question.

"There is, isn't there? I should have seen it."

"Logan..."

"No, no, let me finish. I get that you can't remember me. I understand that you're closer to Alec right now because you know him better right now. But what I don't get is why you can't stand to be near me. I mean, it's not like I've done anything to you, is it? It's not like I've hurt you. Can you honesty tell me you feel nothing for me?" He asked as he kneeled by her bed, smoothing her hair from her face. "Can you honestly say you're not effected by my touch...my kiss." And with that he leaned over and took her lips with his.

Alec fumbled up the stairs clanging the heavy dishes together as he brought Max her food. He couldn't help but smile. Max was alive. Max was okay. Opening the door with his side, he nearly dropped the platter to the ground when he took in the site before him. "I-I-I'll come back...I didn't know."

Max pushed Logan away from her and sat up despite the pain the movement brought with it. "Alec, wait!"

Tbc.....

I know, I know Logan kissing Max is not what you want to read and my fingers trembled over the keys as I typed it, but I closed my eyes and got through it, so hopefully you all did too.