Title: Love Loss

Name: Joy       

Email: [email protected]

Rating: PG-13

A/N: Thanks to Jack and Rachel. Your help is always appreciated.

            "You beeped, Sire!" Max said as she entered Logan's penthouse in a slightly annoyed. Logan was on a super efficient track these days that had left little time for play. She couldn't remember the last time he had just invited her over for company or chess.

            Logan walked towards her with a glass of wine and a huge smile. "I have a real old-fashion mystery I would like your help with… that is if you're game. This is less save the world, more actual news paper story," he said and took a sip of wine.

            A somewhat flustered Max looked at him curiously. What's up with him? she thought. He looks almost seductive… "It depends, Logan. Is this a friend request or a business request?"

            "A little of both. IF we get good info we can share the by line," he said with a smile.

            "That's really OK. I don't want my name showing up anywhere… no paper trail for  this girl, thank you… Tell me the basics and I'll see if I'm interested," she said calmly drifting toward the kitchen.

            "I'll tell you about it over dinner…"

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            "So let me get this straight… You want to research this rich guy who's been dead for years who left his estate to a woman no one can find evidence ever even existed?" Max asked dumb-founded.

            "Basically!"

            "Why?"

            "Because it's a mystery! Lysander Moore was an in credible intellect that people regarded as a recluse most of his life. When he died he left everything he owned to a woman named Nimue Alexander, who, by all accounts, doesn't exist. In his will he professes deep regret over their love loss and his undying love… I guess some people learn too late to share their feelings…" A slightly uncomfortable Logan glimpsed at Max for a moment, then flipped through the information that rested in his hands.

            "Interesting names…" Max commented.

            "Excuse me?"

            "Both literary names. Lysander being the egotistical love interest in A Midsummer's Night's Dream. He was destine to want what he couldn't have and in the end only magic could turn his heart to the woman he was supposed to be with."

            "Actually that was Demetrius."

            "Oh…Well…If he did create Nimue, he chose a good name. Nimue being Merlin's love in some Arthurian stories and the lady of the lake in others…but once again a tragic love," Max observed.

            "So you think he made her up?"

            "I don't know… She shares her with a fictional creature…not even human. If he was well learned and a recluse, who better to be a love then a myth," Max chuckled a moment, "His own personal Chimera."

            Logan's eyes met hers in confusion and annoyance. He didn't understand why he felt that she was mocking him, but he felt it nonetheless. "Will you help me out or not?"

he finally said.

            "Fine… What's the plan?"

            "It would involve a trip to North Carolina… You still game?"

            "How the hell are we going to pull this off?" Max said exasperated.

            "We will hide in plain sight as a vacationing couple intrigued by the Moore family history. They own a great deal of property in the center of the state. We would travel through the area…poking about until we find the low down on what happened."

            "I can't believe you want to go to all this trouble to find out if this woman ever existed."

            "I love a good mystery," he said with a smirk. "What'd ya say? I bet you will look amazing standing next to one of those huge magnolias at UNC."

            "Flattery will get you no where. I have a job to worry about and a walk about with you will not go over well with Normal," she said while she flipped her hair out of her face.

            "I'll take care of it… You think you can pull off posing as…well…my wife?" Logan stumbled over the question.

            "Why do I have to be your wife?"

            "Well, I figure anyone who knows what really happened will be more likely to tell a loving couple then a reporter and his assistant."

            "Assistant…" Max muttered under her breath, turning from him. 'How do I get myself into these things? Why do I even care if he calls me his assistant?!' She turned quickly back to him and said, "I imagine I can pull off the attitude but no one is going to believe I'm your wife… I'm too young, so I'll be perceived as a gold digger. Also all of my clothes are…well, me and not you. No one will buy Logan Cale of the Washington Cales is married to a street kid."

            'Whoa there… Max is acting weird and sort of hurt. Think before speaking…' "We won't be going as the Cales of Washington. We'll be traveling as the Logan and Max Taylor of Maryland. I'll be a literature professor and you can be whatever you want," he said trying to put her at ease.

            "OK… I'm going to obviously have to say this more plainly… I don't have the right clothing to make this excursion."

            "If you don't mind, let me pay for your wardrobe. As for the age thing…you can pull off appearing older than you are. You've got that old soul thing working for you," he said with a smile. "Think of this a much needed vacation long over due."

            "Fine…" she said with a great sigh. "Where in Maryland are we from? How long have we been married? How did we meet? And when are we planning on having children?" Max said in one breath.

            Logan stared at her dumbly for a moment. "I don't know… We're from Chevy Chase. We've been married for a little over a year, maybe… How bout this we met debating over the origins of a Bast statue?"

            "That is how we met!"

            "Not exactly… As for kids, we're waiting another couple years… Sound like a good story?" he said very proud of himself.

            "Yeah… I guess I need to work on being less sarcastic with you, huh?"

            "Might be nice?"

            "This is just an elaborate attempt to break me of my smart-ass attitude, isn't it!?" she said with great fervor.

            "I like your smart-ass attitude…" Logan said with a sexy smile that made Max wonder what he was really thinking.

What flitted through his head at that moment was an image of them arguing that ended up with them making out like teenagers.

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            "I can't believe I let you talk me into shopping with me. I do not need an escort!" Max stated in great frustration.

            "You need practice using your new identity, especially signing for things. I'm just here for a test run of us pretending to be a married couple."

            "Seems like we're doing well, since we already fight like a married couple," she said as she turned toward some nice camisoles and skirts. Nothing really caught her eye for her taste so she tried to think what Logan's fictitious wife might wear. She sized him up a few times, then looked at the clothes again.

            "Were you just checking me out?" Logan asked in confusion.

            "Yeah… none of this stuff is me so I'm trying to figure out what your wife would wear," the words slipped past her mouth with ease, while Logan looked like he was choking on them.

            "Ah…Why don't we just go for dress casual?" he said changing the subject quickly. "Here… What do you think of this?" He handed her a light green dress with a bamboo pattern on it. It had a shine that would accent her skin very well.

            "I'll give it a try… Why don't you bring me things to try on and I'll decide what I like?" Max said heading for the dressing room.

            Logan wandered around selecting a variety of sundresses, camisoles, skirts, slacks, and shorts. By the end of his inquires Max began to feel more like a Barbie doll of the past then a person. She would try on what he brought her, she would model it for him and he would pass judgment on the item. Max had had enough when Logan arrived with a denim jumper and flower printed shirt.

           

            "Who the hell are we shopping for? That's nowhere near my taste… I'm not you're your dress-up doll, Logan! I'm your wife…" Her outburst surprised them both. This was the first time Max had actually referred to herself as Logan's wife during their charade. The frustration of not feeling herself and feeling used enveloped her.

            After a few deep breaths and audience's interest passing, Logan apologized. "Sorry Max. I was trying to help. I used to do this with… well it doesn't matter... I'm sorry I didn't think about your taste."

            "It's alright Logan. At the beginning you were doing OK. I think I have enough outfits here that we both like to last a trip to North Carolina and back… I shouldn't have raised my voice…not a very wifely thing to do."

            "It is more 'wifely' then you think… We had our first public fight. I think it went splendid," he said getting a laugh from Max as she handed him items she didn't want. "But I love the lavender on you…" Max shot Logan one look and he stopped dead in the middle of his sentence.

           

            "Did you find everything alright?" a salesgirl asked as the 'couple bought the clothes.

            "Fine, thank you," Logan responded pleasantly as Max offered her fake credit card and ID. She signed the bill without incident or nudging on Logan's part. He grabbed the bag and put his arm around Max's waist as they left the store.

            "What are you doing?" Max whispered to him.

            "Getting used to the part," he said without batting and eyelash. Max just chuckled a bit and shook her head at the ever present bachelor at her side.

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            "Cindy! Ya home?" Max called.

            "Yeah… Where you been?" Original Cindy asked as Max brought in the dress bag Logan had bought for her to store her clothing for the trip. "Or should I ask, where you're going?"

            "North Carolina with Logan…and before you say anything… WE ARE NOT GOING TO BANG! Alright. Just a little investigative work, that's all."

            "You're going to go to the other side of the country for this guy as a friend to help him investigate something?!? Whatever! Maybe a little time away will be good. Wake ya both up," Cindy replied.

            "We aren't like that… I'm just being a friend."

            "Then please explain the engagement and wedding rings you're wearing!"

            "You wouldn't understand," Max said trying to avoid the question.

            Cindy however would not be diverted, "Try me!"

            "We're posing as a married couple on this trip… I needed some jewelry to pull it off. They're Logan's mom's."

            "He gave you his mother's jewelry to wear on this trip?" Cindy questioned.

            "Didn't I just say that?"

            "Whatever! What are ya telling Normal? I need to know how to guard your back."

            "He's thinking I've got pneumonia."

            "Aiight… That means I might get time off too… Nice going, girl. I'll leave you to pack." As Cindy exited the room Max stared at the rings Logan had given her for their trip. Her stomach fell slightly. Maybe there was more to this than she thought.