Logan�s
Quarters, Terminal City – November 11

The
document on the computer screen in the panic room read �The Efficacy
of Stem Cell Therapies in Nerve Regeneration.� Logan stared intently
at the screen, his eyes darting back and forth as he read. A short
while later, he sighed and turned off the screen. He pulled his glasses
off and tossed them on the counter beside him. He winced with pain
as he rubbed his temples, then buried his head in his hands with an
even deeper sigh that seemed to come from the core of his being. He
didn�t bother to look up when the door of the panic room clicked open.

Max
stepped into the room and looked around. One of the lower bunks appeared
rumpled as if it had been recently used. The exoskeleton stood propped
up against it. Logan was at the computer console with his head in
his hands, seemingly oblivious to anything around him.

�Hey,�
Max said softly.

�Hey,
Max.� At the sound of her voice, Logan slowly swiveled his battered
desk chair around to face her.

�Missed
you at Crash,� Max said tentatively. Her eyes searched his face, which
appeared drawn and pinched.

�Sorry,
I�m exhausted. I was just about to turn in,� Logan replied. �How�d
it go?�

�Most
are still there, celebrating our new-found freedom,� Max said with
a wry smile.

�Kudos
to them.� Logan returned the smile, then noticed a faint bruise on
her cheek. �You okay?� he asked softly.

�Had
a little mix-up with our latest group of friendly vigilantes,� Max
shrugged, stepping closer to him. �Stand up for a sec, would you?�
She looked at him intensely.

�What
for?� he asked, instantly suspicious.

�Just
do it.� Max stepped to within a pace of Logan, one hand firmly entrenched
on her hip and the other behind her back. Her expression left no room
for argument.

�Whatever��
Logan sighed. He placed one hand on the counter, the other on the
back of the chair and heaved himself up. He stood barely a breath
away from Max, staring intensely into her eyes.

�Close
your eyes,� Max said more gently. A mischievous spark glinted in her
eyes.

Logan
gave her a questioning smile and complied. He instantly began to tip
forward. He snapped his eyes open just as Max reached out a hand to
steady him.

�Whoa!
Don�t keel over on me. You weren�t kidding when you said you were
exhausted,� Max said with concern.

�I�m
sorry, Max,� Logan said, a deep sadness resonating in his eyes and
voice.

�No
big dealio,� Max shrugged nonchalantly,
then broke into a grin. �Just came to wish you happy birthday.� She
pulled her hand from behind her back and held out a grapefruit.

For
a moment the sadness seemed to overwhelm Logan, then a spark entered
his eyes.

�Thanks,�
he smiled softly.

�I�m
gonna blaze,� Max said tentatively, backing up a step, but still searching
Logan�s eyes. �Let you get some rest.�

�Okay.�
Logan met her gaze, then followed her with his eyes as she walked
toward the door.

�Max��
he called out just as she placed her hand on the knob. She turned
and looked at him questioningly.

�Good
night,� he said quietly, the sadness momentarily returning to his
eyes.

�Night,
Logan,� Max replied, her eyes searching his, but not finding what
she was looking for. She turned and stepped out the door.

Space Needle

Max
stood at the edge of the Space Needle, staring out at the city below.

It�s
been months since I�ve been up here. I spent much of that time wondering
if I�d ever make it back. Funny, Seattle still looks the same from
up here, but scratch the surface a bit and it�s a whole different
place. Same thing goes for my weird little life. I�m getting my crib
and my job back, and we can finally get Logan out of the Terminal
City cesspit and back to his digs.

Max
took a deep breath, wrapping her arms around herself.

Everything�s
going back to normal, right?

END OF EPISODE 3.12