Title: Precious Promises

Name: Joy

Email: [email protected]

Rating: PG-13

A/N: This is the end. If you want a sequel I will need suggestions and reviews indicated it is desired.

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My bed is cold… She's not here. I want her here always… Is that selfish? Things have been moving pretty quickly but I still want more. I want morning snuggles and breakfast together. This all started with my poem. I guess I'm happy Max pushed to see them. I guess I'm glad I had the guts to show her one about her.

I hear her in the living room. It must be really hard on her these days to come to bed and sleep. She's not used to going to bed at 'a reasonable hour' or with another person. She hasn't been driving her motorcycle at night so she could be with me. These nighttime rituals must be hard for her… Question becomes how do I want to help with that?

I get into my chair and roll into the living room to find my love doing push ups on the floor. Oh, god is she hot! All those muscles in her back and arms. I'm so jealous of the floor. "If I get down there will you do that to me?" I ask in a low whisper.

Max faces me with a smile, "Depends…"

"On what, my love?"

"What state of dress we're in…" she clarifies.

I get as close as possible before moving onto the floor. "Why would it matter? I was just hoping for a kiss each time you came down."

"Sure you did…" We lean in a kiss each other.

"So I was thinking… would it be such a bad thing for you just to move in here with me? I mean I certainly enjoy the company," I say as Max sort of interrupts by laughing at me.

"You enjoy the company perks," she teases.

"Oh yeah… Well you seem to enjoy our breakfast meetings and business dinners along with the company perks!"

"Are you implying I only love you for your cooking?" she says with a very angry look.

"I'm implying we've both really fond of the way things have been going. I don't see why it has to end," I say cupping her face in my hand. "Move in with me… I figure I have a better change of getting you to agree to that then marriage…I'll take what I can get."

"You can't be serious… We can't get married."

"The answer I expected so therefore the live in proposition," I say while playing with her fingers.

"Logan… I love you but… what if…" she starts to wander into the demon realm of her childhood.

"No… If they catch you I want you to have something to fight for. I need you to be with me as long as I can have you. I haven't known what it was like to really live in so long - that's until you robbed my apartment. Ya know the anniversary of when we first met is coming up?"

"Really?" Max says looking bemused.

"I have something for it but I think I'm going to give it to you now."

"Why?"

I smile at her. "Because if things go the way I want them to I want this to be the night we tell our kids about. I'll be back…" I roll over to the porch and grab the bottle I've been hiding. When I return Max is on the couch.

"Ok close your eyes."

"Last time you made me do this you stood up… By the way why didn't you kiss me then?" she says with her hands over her eyes.

"We'll talk about that later… Here," I say handing her the bottle.

"I'm confused… This is the bottle of wine I gave you," Max commented.

"No it's just the bottle. The wine was enjoyed… The bottle I give to you."

"What are you talking about Logan?"

I smile big again, "A bottle of rain, love." I sit myself next to her and pull her to my chest. "See for every drop of rain in this bottle I pray a happy memory for you… And selfishly I pray for every drop of rain in that bottle I will get to have a day with you!"

Tears threaten to spill onto Max's lovely face. "I wrote you a poem," she croaks. She brings it over and reads it to me. Now I'm the one with tears in my eyes. I kiss her softly.

"Max…" I say staring into her eyes deeply. "You inspire me. More then just to do the right thing or to take you to my bed. You inspire me to be more then I am, to be better then I am. You challenge me to never settle or give up. You make the world worth facing every day. I love you… Thank you."

Max cries in my arms. "Alright, you win. I'll move in. Just stop being so sweet," she says from the middle of my chest.

"Not until I give you one last poem," I whisper before I begin to recite.

Precious Promises

I gave you my wealth

amidst the broken glass in my apartment

I gave you my mind

at every chess game and 'mission'

I gave you my care

while you were sick and in need

I gave you my concern

as you left me in fear and chaos

I gave you my music

while I dreamt of you in my arms

I gave you my heart

in the words of a poem I was terrified to show

I gave you my soul

while we made love for the first time

Tonight

I give you my future

as I beg you to be part of it

Forever