Set Her Free

It wasn't the brightest thing he could have done—he realised this as soon as the lights in his bedroom came on. Luckily it was only his brother-in-law, Krit. Sighing, he flopped back down in bed.

"Didn't mean to startle you," Krit spoke laconically.

Logan refrained from his usual comment of 'you people never knock'. Instead, he asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Came to see how you are."

The older man sighed again. "I take it you heard."

Krit nodded. "She's at Zane's. She couldn't sleep, but that's nothin' new."

"Why aren't you with her then?"

"Like I said, I wanted to see how you were. I kinda feel responsible."

Logan sat up suddenly. "Responsible?! Why the hell should you feel responsible?" Krit looked down, uncomfortable; but Logan pressed on. "Did you know something like this was gonna happen. Krit?"

The X5 shook his head. "No! I knew something was bothering Max, but I wasn't expecting this!"

Logan relaxed slightly. "Then why do you feel responsible?"

"Because I should have known!" Krit exploded. "I saw Max up on the Space Needle the other night... yesterday morning, really. I told her that sooner or later you'd notice that somethin' was goin' on," he paused. "I told her that she'd hurt you more if she stayed when she wasn't really happy. Then this happened."

Logan wanted to hate Krit; he wanted to lash out, blaming him for giving Max the idea to leave. But that took too much energy, and he knew that there was more to it than brotherly advice.

Krit seemed to know there Logan's thoughts were going. "Believe me, Logan, I never thought Max would do something like this." But that wasn't strictly true, and they both knew it.

"What do I do now?" Logan asked bleakly.

Krit shook his head. "I don't know, man. I thought you and Max had made it, that nothing would part you again."

Logan let out a humourless laugh. "For someone who escaped over 14 years ago, you're still incredibly naïve. I don't think anything lasts forever anymore."

"I never figured you were that much of a cynic."

The cyberjournalist smiled wanly. "I've been losing my idealism bit by bit ever since the Pulse. But getting my spinal cord blown out took a big chunk of it."

"But you recovered. You can walk without the exoskeleton. Maybe this will end as happily."

"It's over, Krit. She left."

"Maybe all you two need is some time apart," Krit echoed the advice he gave Max on the Space Needle. "Sometimes that's all it takes."

"So you're saying to wait, that she'll come back on her own?" Logan's tone was sceptical.

Krit shrugged. "I don't know, man. But if you really love her, don't push. Let her sort out what she needs to."

Logan chuckled. "Have you been listening to Rick Price too?"

"Huh?"

"Nevermind, it was before your time."

"What was?"

"This singer, or musician. Towards the end of last century, Rick Price released a song with that little piece of advice. That if you love someone, let them go; if they return, then they love you."

"Sounds like a smart man."

"Maybe," Logan's smile faded. "It was quite a sad song, actually; about missing someone and hoping that they will come back someday."

"Don't give up, Logan."

Logan nodded, but he wasn't as optimistic as Krit was. All he could do was hold on to that Rick Price song. Maybe if he believed hard enough, it would come true.