Resolution Hard to See

So they still lived in separate apartments; which amused the heck out of Mole and some of the others, who obviously felt thay they should just get back together and be done with it. But quite frankly this was all they were comfortable with at the moment. The only difference was, Case had moved back in with "Uncle" Logan, giving up his room at the other apartment for Jack so Max would have room for the new baby. His reasoning was not wholly altruistic—he confided to Logan that if he moved back in now, it would make Max do so that much quicker.

Such thoughts were the furthest from Max's mind as she made her way to Logan's couch. The baby was about a week overdue, according to Sasha's calculations, which was making her even more irritable than her normal pregnant self. "What are you grinning at?" she growled at the still-amused Logan.

As amused as he was, Logan Cale knew better than to irritate the pregnant lady. "Nothing," he assured her. "Where's Jack?"

"Syl's looking after him," Max sank onto the couch. "She decided that I needed a break from the terrible twos. I'm supposed to be taking it easy after all."

"I wouldn't exactly call walking over here 'taking it easy'," he kept his tone mild and conversational so as not to irritate her further.

It didn't work. "Don't you start too," she growled. "I can't stay copped up for long—it drives me crazy! You know that."

Having been through this before, he took her ranting in stride, not commenting on it. "It's good to see you," was all he said as he walked over to sit next to her.

Along with not furthering the argument, this served to deflate her ire. She grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm just tired of being pregnant. At this point I'd do anything to move things along."

Logan remembered the cycle well. "Yeah, and about a week after he or she is born you'll be wanting it back in, and your sanity back."

"I don't think so," Max struggled to get off the couch, fidgeting.

Logan hurried to assist her. "What's wrong?"

"My back hurts," she replied, stretching. "It's been bothering me all day. It's nothing new."

Her statement made him pause. "Max..."

There was no need for him to continue as a gush of fluid interrupted him. Max looked down at the puddle at her feet, the remains of her amniotic sac. "I guess that explains that."

"I'll ring Sasha." The conversation was quick—once he got a hold of the doctor. "She said to take you straight to TC's clinic," he reported. "She'll meet us there."

"I've got time," she gasped, in the middle of a contraction. "Last time it took a while."

"Not that long," Logan counted, dialling another number on his cell. "Besides, Sasha said second babies tend to be quicker."

"Fine," Max gritted her teeth. "What about Alec?"

"He's not answering his cell."

"It's his kid, Logan. He deserves to be there."

"I know that," Logan pocketed his phone. "I'll try again from the clinic."

Case let himself into the apartment then, followed by Serena. They stopped short. "What's wrong with Auntie Max?"

"Nothing," that lady gritted out. "I'm just having a baby is all."

"How did you get here?" Logan frowned, suddenly remembering that he was supposed to pick them up from school.

"Uncle Cory," Serena replied. "He knew Auntie Max would be here, and decided to pick us up on his way to work."

Logan looked at Max. "So I forgot to tell you," she shrugged. "Kinda got other things on my mind."

"Right. I need you kids to do something for me."

"What?"

"Go down to Terminal City and find Uncle Alec. You have to tell him what's going on."

"What if he's not there?" Case wanted to know.

"Mole ot someone should know how to find him. Then get someone to take you to Auntie Syl's. She's looking after Jack."

"You'll tell us when the baby's born?" Serena asked.

"Yes. Now go."

There was no need for elaborate measures to find Alec. He was in the Terminal City Artworks restaurant chatting with Gem. "What are you rug rats doin' here?" he exclaimed when Case and Serena began frantically tugging at his clothes.

"Auntie Max's having the baby," Case reported. "Uncle Logan's taking her to the clinic."

"Why didn't Logan tell me?" Alec pulled his cell from his pocket, ready to blast the cyberjournalist, when he discovered the problem. His phone was in silent mode, and there was a missed call. Sure enough, Logan's number came up when he looked. "Huh, I guess he tried. I better get to the clinic. What are you two gonna do?"

"Uncle Logan said to get someone to take us to Auntie Syl," Serena replied.

"I'll go it," Gem wipted her hands. "I need a break, and it'll be fun for Eve to see Hope."

"I'm going with Uncle Alec," Case stated.

"That's not a good idea," Alec warned. "You'd have to wait outside, Sasha won't let you in."

"I don't care," Case was resolute, so Alec found himself with this 'nephew' in tow.

Logan's cell phone rang in the middle of Sasha Bradley's examination of Max. "Alec's on his way," he reported. "Case is with him, he wouldn't stay behind."

"Typical, " Max grunted, squeezing Logan's fingers as another contraction came on.

"You can only have one person in here with you," Sasha warned. "There isn't enough room."

"It's okay," Logan spoke up before Max could. "Alec can stay. I'll wait outside with Case."

"You sure?" It was all Max could say mid-contraction. Logan's reply was a nod and a kiss to her forehead as she let out a sigh, releasing his fingers. Another contraction over. "How much longer?" she moaned.

"Not long," Sasha replied cheerfully. "You're over six centimetres dialated already. I'll be back in a minute, everything's going fine."

"Easy for her to say," Max blew a sweaty strand of hair off her face, which Logan promptly brushed back. "Are you really okay with this? Letting Alec stay, I mean."

"It's fine," Logan replied. "You said it before, Alec deserves to be here for his child's birth."

"I wish you could both be here."

"So do I, but as Sasha said, there's no room."

Further conversation was interrupted by the clinic's nurse leading Alec in. "Where's Case?" Max wanted to know.

"Outside," the nurse replied. "There's not enough room and he's too young."

"I told him that," Alec added. "But he insisted on coming anyway."

"I better go sit with him," Logan stood, brushing another kiss across Max's forehead. "I'll see you later."

Within an hour of leaving Alec with Max, Logan and Case were joined by Krit, Zane, Original Cindy, and Sketchy, who had skived off their afternoon runs as soon as Syl broke the news no matter how Normal had bitched and moaned. Barely half an hour after that Alec came out of the delivery room with a small bundle in his arms wrapped in a blue blanket. Logan stood—the colour of the blanket was not an indication of the baby's gender, not since the Pulse and certainly on in Terminal City where supplies could get scarce at times. "It's a boy," the transgenic announced.

Logan hung back as the others rushed forward to congratulate Alec and look at the baby. As much as he wanted to add his congratulations and look at Max's son, he also wanted to see how Max was—and he was also feeling rather awkward about it. He couldn't help wishing that the baby was his, and that the past 16 months has not happened. It only took a moment for the jealousy to pass, but still he hung back.

Alec caught his eye and nodded. "Max is fine," he said as he made his way to Logan. "Just a little tired."

"I should think so," Original Cindy stated. "Can we see her?"

The new father hesitated. "Probably, but it's not the best time for her to be havin' visitors. Sasha's checking her out, she needs to get cleaned up and stuff like that. Better to wait until she's at home."

Before Logan even had a chance to look disappointed at that (though he knew it made sense), Alec broke into a big grin. "Except for Logan. For some reason, she's anxious to talk to him. Can't imagine why."

Logan refused to dignify that with a response, instead looking down at the baby. "He's beautiful," he pronounced. "He looks like Max."

"He has my eyes though," Alec shot back. "By the way, thanks for warning me about the crushed fingers."

The older man didn't even try to look repentant. "I had to let you figure out some things for yourself. Besides, you're better equipped to deal with it than me."

"Very funny, Cale!"

Logan gently rapped on the swinging door, and then poked his head around to look at his estranged-wife. "How are you feeling?" he asked, trying to stay out of Sasha's way as she finished her work.

Max smiled. "Tired and sore."

He gave a light chuckle. "If I know you, that won't last very long."

"Everything's in order," Sasha told Max. "Baring any unforseen complications, you'll be able to go home in a few hours. Try and rest until then."

"You know how good I am at that," she joked. Sasha smiled and made a discrete exit.

"I would have thought you'd be glad for a rest," Logan sat beside the bed.

She shifted and changed the subject. "Any reason why you're not out there getting acquainted with my new son?"

"There's plenty of time for that. I wanted to see how you were. And I remember how I felt when Jack was born. I didn't want to take that from Alec."

"And you find the whole dealio just plain weird," she finished.

"Just a little," he admitted. "But then, it's not your usual familial situation."

"Are you really okay with it?"

Logan's reply was a kiss—which was interrupted by the doors swinging open when Case came barrelling through. Alec followed at a more sedate pace, while Krit and Original Cindy waited in the doorway. OC grinned when Max and Logan broke apart. "Just wanted to see how the new Momma is."

Max smiled at them. "I'm fine."

The two Jam Pony riders only stopped to chat for a minute, mindful of Alec's earlier suggestion; leaving Case with his aunt and uncles. The baby started fussing as the others left, and Alec promptly decided that he was hungry and handed him back to his mother. Max just smiled, and with a knack borne from experience, put the baby to her breast.

Alec shook his head. "I never get used to that."

"What's to get used to?" Max retorted. "It's not like you can do it."

"Have you thought of a name?" Logan asked before an argument could start.

Max and Alec exchanged a glance. "We decided a while back that if the baby was a boy we'd call him Ben," Alec spoke after a moment.

"After Uncle Ben?" Case asked.

"That's right," Max smiled at him. "He was Uncle Alec's twin, so we figured it was kinda appropriate."

"But we can't agree on a middle name," Alec finished.

"Why not?" Logan wanted to know.

"Well," Max began. "I thought to name him after Alec as well, like Jack was also named after you."

Alec rolled his eyes. "But the two names just don't go together."

Logan had to admit that Alec had a point. Ben Alec didn't roll off the tongue easily. "What about Benjamin?" he suggested. "That's what Ben is generally short for. Benjamin Alec sounds okay, and you can still call him Ben."

"Benjamin Alec McDowell," Max tried it out, finding the name to her satisfaction. She looked at Alec. "What do you think?"

"I like it."

"Me too," Case piped up.

"Well I'm glad you approve," Alec informed the boy, ruffling his dark hair. He gave a sly look to the other two. "Looked like we interrupted somethin' interestin' earlier."

Max gave him a look. "You may be Ben's father, but the rest of my life is none of your business."

The other transgenic put on an innocent look. "I didn't say anything. I think it's a good thing."

"Are you moving back in with us, Auntie Max?" Case asked excitedly.

Max and Logan exchanged a look over the boy's head. "Not just yet," Logan replied finally. "It's still a bit soon for that."

Case's face fell, causing Max to exchange another glance with Logan. She felt for her nephew, she knew he had been looking forward to her getting back with Logan for a long time. But they took things slow while she was pregnant, and she avoided pushing things until she knew how Logan would deal with the baby—Alec's baby. But somehow she felt that it wouldn't be much of an issue. Not now.

She reached out with her free hand to squeeze Logan's arm. "Hey, don't worry. I have a feelin' that maybe in a few months time things will change." Her words were spoken to Case, but she looked right at Logan. She was about to say something else, but broke into a wide yawn instead.

Logan smiled. "Looks like it's catching up with you."

"Yeah," Max looked down at Ben, who was now asleep. "And it looks like he's finished with his snack. Here, you hold him for a while."

Logan accepted the baby with an apologetic look at Alec. He had a feeling that it was more a reflex on Max's part that she handed the baby to him rather than Alec. But as much as he might wish otherwise, Ben was not his son.

But Alec didn't look fussed by it. He simply looked from one to the other—Max, Logan, Ben, and Case. "A strange little family you've got here, Max."

"You're part of it too, now," Max murmured in return, her words slurring as she fell asleep.

Alec shook his head again. "I don't think I've ever seen her fall asleep like that... except when she was seizing."

"Don't worry," Case piped up. "She did the same thing when Jack was born."

Logan chuckled. "Child birth expands a lot of energy, even for a genetically engineered super woman." He leaned over to kiss her on the forehead. "She won't be asleep for long, though."

Alec had the uncomfortable feeling that there was something on Logan's mind. He hadn't missed the older man's hesitation earlier, and the last thing he wanted was for his son to come between him and Max. "Are you really okay with all this?" he asked Logan.

Logan nodded. He was about to speak when he saw that Case was listening to his uncles with great interest. "Case, why don't you go and talk to Uncle Joshua for a while? Uncle Alec and I need to talk."

"But I wanna stay with Auntie Max."

"You wanna watch her sleep?" Logan shook his head. "Run along, Case. She'll understand, and you can talk to her again when she wakes up."

"This sounds serious," Alec commented when Case left.

"It's not that. I just didn't want to answer the question in front of him."

"And what is the answer to the question?"

Logan sighed. "Alec, I'm not gonna deny that all this isn't awkward. But, in some ways it's not that different from the other time, and I was able to accept it then."

"In some way? What's different this time?"

"You know," the cyberjournalist looked at the X5 squarely. "What really happened between you and Max?"

"Hey, if you're not cool with..." Alec started.

"I just want to clear the air between us, that's all. We never talked about it, and I don't want to put Max in the middle."

"I suppose not."

"You didn't answer the question."

"Well, what did she tell you?" Alec wasn't really evading the question; he just wanted to know exactly where the older man was coming from. Max had a history of being creative when it came to telling Logan things—or not telling him as the case sometimes was.

"Just that you figured out that you weren't really in love and were better off friends."

"That's pretty much it."

"I somehow figured there was more to it than that."

Alec shook his head. "It only took us a couple of months to find out that we were just friends."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah."

"Did you sleep with her?" Logan knew he was asking for torture with that question, but the part of him that liked self-torture couldn't help asking. Alec just looked pointedly at the baby sleeping in Logan's arms, but he didn't flinch. "After that," he clarified. "After you decided to hook up."

"Are you sure you wanna know?" There was a time when Alec may have enjoyed rubbing such information in, but not anymore. Not here.

"Just tell me."

"We did at first," the reply came reluctantly. "That's part of how we figured it out."

"What do you mean?"

"After a while we just fell into a routine that didn't include sex, and we were comfortable with that. Apart from a few friendly kisses there was no intimacy. When Krit pointed that out, we realised we just weren't in love. The first thing she wanted to do was tell you, but..."

"I wasn't here," Logan cut him off, looking away.

"She really loves you, man. She always has."

"I know," Logan looked back at Alec. "She also told me that you were still in love with Asha. Are you?"

It was Alec's turn to look away. "I don't know. Asha was the first person that I really felt somethin' for... since Rachel anyway. And it was different with Asha; I didn't have to hide who I was. She knew and accepted it."

"But?"

"But what? She's in Canada and I'm here."

"What's that got to do with it?" But even as he asked, Logan knew the answer. When Asha Barlow and S1W got into trouble they couldn't get out of, "Eyes Only" had made new ID's for them and sent them to Canada to be safe. Asha didn't want to do, but she couldn't stay; not that time. But as the transgenic representative on the city council, Alec couldn't leave Seattle without letting a whole lot of folks down. And as much as he cared for Asha, he was reluctant to walk away from his responsibilities. Asha knew this, and wouldn't ask it of him anyway; so they decided to make a clean break of it.

Having been in the same situation once with Max (even though she had decided to come back to save him), Logan wasn't expecting an answer to the ill-timed question. He got one anyway. "I can't ask her to come back, you know that," the transgenic replied in a muted tone. "She's on Seattle's Most Wanted List. It would be suicide for her to even risk it."

"You could go visit her."

Alec shook his head. "No. Clemente knew that I had a connection with her. We're still being watched; if I go see her, I risk exposin' her. I won't do that. It's better this way; she's probably forgotten all about me anyway."

"I doubt that." One thing the transgenics were was unforgettable.

Silence reigned for a few moments. "I think I am still in love with Asha," Alec finally admitted.

"And Max?"

He shook his head. "We were drawn to each other, that's all; more out of curiosity than anything else. Sure, there was chemestry, as Cory likes to put it; but Manticore knew what they were doin' when they paired us as breeding partners."

Logan looked down at Ben. "Odd to think that they got their way after all this time."

Alec chuckled. "It's a good think Max's asleep. She about kicked my ass the last time I suggested that to her. At least Sasha had more sense."

The other man blinked at them mention of the doctor. "I didn't think we were talking about her."

"She mentioned it to me after one of Max's check ups. She also told me that me and Max should have done our little 'experiment' back when you thought we were together anyway, before you two were married. It would've caused a lot less pain."

"Probably," Logan admitted. "But then again, I don't think any of us did things the way we should've. That's why Max and I agreed to start over, do things in the proper order. No denials or running away this time."

"Even though you two are still technically married."

Logan shrugged. "Actually, by this point I think we're considered legally separated; it's been over a year. Not that it matters, we can always renew our vows somewhere down the track."

Alec smiled at the thought. He could see where it was coming from, but he knew Mole and some of the others wouldn't get it. Not that it really mattered. Somehow, despite his cynical nature, he knew that everything would be all right for Max and Logan; and he said that to the other man. "Just take care of her," he finished.