Editor's note: It has been a long time since we had an entry to this challenge, and my thanks to Sim-r for bringing a new response! To catch everyone up on how this works: Chapter 1 is the set-up, and each succeeding chapter is a response to the question Logan poses to Max in that chapter. To follow Sim's story in full, read chapter 1 then come back here to read her response.

Thanks for reading, everyone, and Sim – thanks for joining in!!

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Help the Helpless

By Sim-r

Disclaimer: Not mine, making no money, not even my idea this time.

Many thanks going out to Shywr1ter, for giving out this challenge in the first place and putting up with late entries.

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"Max..." He leaned forward, catching her eyes, his voice softening to urge her reflection. "If you could be or do anything at all, no matter the training or the risk or the cost – complete dream life, no holds barred – what would it be?"

Max looked up at the steady gaze before her, waiting for her response. After long moments, again reminded that this was Logan who was asking, who really cared what she answered, she relented, and drew a breath to speak...

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"You really wanna know what I'd like to do?"

"Of course."

"It's no big dealio, really."

"It is if it matters to you, Max. C'mon; tell me what you'd do if it could be anything."

"Promise not to laugh?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die," he swore, with a smile.

She took a deep breath. "I'd... like to do something to help homeless kids. Maybe open a shelter or something. You know, give them food to eat and a warm place to sleep. Maybe a few classes while they're there, self-defense, math, languages, vehicle mechanics, IT skills. Something that'll help them find jobs when they're older. Of course, I'd probably just be training up Normal's next generation of bike messengers, but..."

"Not necessarily, Max," said Logan, a smile creeping over his features. "I think you could do pretty much anything you set your mind to. I should have guessed it'd be something to do with children. You have a real soft spot for them."

"So I like kids; so what?" She said defensively. "It'll never happen anyway; just a pipe dream. Now are you gonna feed a female or just interrogate her all night?"

Some time later, Logan rolled his wine glass between his long fingers and then broached the subject again. "You know, Max, if you really wanted to go ahead with this shelter idea, it's not as impossible as you think."

"Are you still on about that? Logan, it's a stupid fantasy. Everyone has them, even transgenic killing machines."

"Killing machines don't fantasize about helping people, Max; human beings do. Don't put yourself down; you'd never have agreed to help me out with Eyes Only if there wasn't a part of you that really wanted to make things better."

"As I recall, I didn't agree until you offered me something in return."

"Yeah, and since then I haven't found even one of your siblings and yet you're still hanging around here."

"Girl's gotta take advantage of hot showers and free food whenever they come along." She instantly regretted her harsh words as soon as they left her mouth. "Look, I didn't mean that. Just... leave it alone, ok?"

"Why does having dreams scare you so much, Max?" he asked softly, true concern written across his handsome features as he leaned towards her.

"It's not the dreams I'm afraid of, Logan," she almost whispered. "It's the nightmares. Suppose I managed to do it, and I had a dozen kids relying on me. What would I do when Lydecker's men busted the door down and started shooting? He wouldn't care who got caught in the crossfire, and their deaths would be down to me. My fault, because I settled down, stopped moving, made commitments. You of all people should understand that I can't take that risk."

"Yeah, Max, I understand. I really do. But... some things are worth taking risks for. If you spend your whole life scared of being happy, because someone can take it away from you, you let them win. They've taken the most important thing you'll ever have."

"What do you dream about, Logan? What are you afraid the bad guys'll steal from you?"

A fleeting panic showed in his eyes before he could cover it. "This isn't about me," he said, levelly. "Besides, they've already taken quite a bit. I just meant that if you really want to beat Lydecker you have to be prepared to forget him, stop the fear of Manticore controlling your life."

"Easy for you to say. You weren't there."

"No, I wasn't. But I do know a thing or two about letting other people run your life for you, and it's hollow and empty and constricting. If anyone deserves to be free, Max, it's you. Don't give up on your dreams before you've dreamt them."

Gazing into his eyes, Max just started to allow herself to hope that maybe someday, anything and everything would be possible.

A few days later, Max was just hanging out with Original Cindy, ignoring Normal's increasingly frantic bipping, when her pager went off.

"That your squeeze again, Boo?" OC asked, seeing her smile at the device.

"For the last time, Cindy, Logan and me are not like that," Max replied, exasperated.

"Mmm hmm. And Original Cindy goes over to the dark side on weekends."

"You do?" asked Sketchy hopefully.

Max left them arguing and went to call Logan.

"Hey, me hittin' you back," she said.

"Hey, Max. Listen, could you get a delivery over in sector four in the next hour or so?"

"Sure; what's the dealio?"

"You'll find out when you get there." He read out an address.

"What's all this about?" Asked Max suspiciously.

"It's a surprise."

"What kind of a surprise?"

"If I told you that, it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" He hung up.

Max stalked back over to her friends, her annoyance obvious as she dropped back into her seat.

"What is it with men and secrets?" she demanded. "They always have to make everything into a big old mystery all the time."

"What did he do now, Boo?" Asked Cindy, rolling her eyes.

"Gave me a really cryptic coded message about meeting him in sector four. I mean, if he'd just say what he wanted..."

"Maybe it's just a booty call," said Sketchy, unwisely. He received the full force of Max's legendary death glare. "Or maybe, you know, he's got a present for you or something."

"Well whatever it is, I'm not going," said Max firmly, settling back in her chair. OC began to count under her breath. She'd reached five before her friend rose and marched towards the front desk.

"Normal! What do you have in sector four?"

Max made her delivery and then stopped off at the address Logan had given her. It was a small apartment building in sunny yellow brick, with the Aztec parked right outside. Other than that, there was no indication that it was anything out of the ordinary at all. Cautiously, she made her way inside.

The first thing she heard was the sound of laughter, children playing. She moved further into the lobby, following the sound while keeping her own movements silent and catlike. Cautiously, the X5 peered around a doorway to see a crowd of children of all ages playing a loud and enthusiastic game she didn't recognize. It mostly seemed to consist of running from one side of the room to the other as fast as possible. There in the middle was an older woman of about forty; the kind that would look right at home in a commercial for Mom's apple pie. She was calling out instructions to the children, apparently directing them as to where to run next. Max watched in fascination for a few minutes: was this what childhood was supposed to look like?

The transgenic was finally distracted from her observations by the sound of voices coming up behind her, one a stranger, the other deeply familiar.

"... Thank you so much for helping us get the computer back up and running, Logan," gushed a grateful and excessively feminine voice. "If it wasn't for your generosity we'd've gone under years ago."

"It's nothing, really, Helen," Logan replied, sounding slightly embarrassed by her enthusiasm. "It was only a software glitch; probably would have sorted itself out on its own in a few days."

"But it's only thanks to you that we even have the building, and the kids love that computer. Those lessons you gave Corey really helped him, and he's been teaching the others after he gets home from work."

"It wasn't a problem; Corey's a good kid who's had a hard time. I just hope Max can make it over; maybe I should give her another call..."

"Or, you can tell me why you called me out of work to come here," said Max, seemingly appearing from nowhere.

Logan's face lit up when he saw her; for a moment, Max forgot that she was supposed to be annoyed with him. Then she noticed the attractive young blonde at his side and decided to remember in a hurry.

"Max! You made it. Helen, this is my very good friend Max." The X5 couldn't help but notice that the other woman's smile dimmed a bit at the introduction. "Max, this is Helen; she runs the center with her mother Lynn."

"Hey. Nice place." Max turned back to Logan. "So, wanna explain exactly why we're here?"

"I heard about this place through the grapevine a few years ago; a property developer was ready to just turf out all the kids and turn it into offices. So, I made a few calls; in the end I bought the building. And I make the odd donation every now and then, sort out the ancient computer in the classroom, that kind of thing. I thought maybe you'd like to help out too, you know, in your spare time. Helen tells me they need a vehicle mechanics teacher."

Max looked incredulous. "Are you serious?"

"It's not a problem if you don't have much time to give us, Max," said Helen with a smile. "Around here, we take all the help we can get. And if you don't think you're cut out for teaching, there are plenty of other ways you can help. Let me show you around..."

Max followed Logan and Helen on the full guided tour of the building. The blonde woman chattered on, showing Max exactly what took place in every room. They saw the nursery for the youngest children, medical station, classroom, kitchens, dormitories, and the small private suites for mothers and children to live together. The women contributed by giving part of their wages to Lynn and helping out with the orphans in exchange for free childcare while they worked, no rent and a safe hiding place; many had fled abusive husbands.

"...We're all really just one big happy family," Helen finished, as they reached the lobby once more.

"It's a lovely place, Helen," said Max, a hint of wistfulness in her tone. "Wish I'd run into something like it ten years ago."

"Since the pulse, all the women's shelters and orphanages have either closed down or turned into forced labor camps," Helen replied sadly. "Mom and I were in one when it happened. After it closed, we were on the streets until we found this place. We were squatters, of course, but Mom's always been a giving person. She started taking in kids off the street, other women in her situation; we've grown into a real commune. Even our alumni stay in touch, make donations when they can. And Logan's done so much for us, of course." Max's eyes narrowed as the blonde laid an overly familiar hand on his shoulder, and then noticed her watch. "Oh! Is that the time? I have to go start the kids' dinner. Hope I see you again soon, Logan, and you too, Max, of course." She bustled off, leaving the pair alone.

"So," said Logan. "What d'you think?"

"You, Logan Cale, have been holding out on me."

"I take it that means you approve?"

"It's just like I imagined," Max confessed shyly. "There's real good being done here, Logan; thank you for proving to me that it can be done."

"You can help, you know, Max. These kids won't be relying on you alone; you'll still be at Jam Pony, and helping me out every now and then. The whole place is completely off the books to keep ex-es from finding it; I secured it myself, so the chances of Lydecker tracing you here are astronomical. I know it's not exactly what you had in mind, just helping out instead of running the whole place, but it's the best I can do, for the moment."

Max met his brilliant blue-green eyes, seeing his anxiety, the tension that she might decide to refuse this gift he was giving her, her wildest dreams on a plate. Well, perhaps not the wildest; in those, he was working at her side, cooking for the children, teaching them to play basketball, being her partner, in every way.

Her own chocolate eyes overly bright, the X5 leaned down to hug the paraplegic, feeling Logan's arms encircle her shoulders with a strength that had nothing to do with muscles.

"Your best is more than enough, Logan," she whispered. "Much more."

The couple separated, Max wiping surreptitiously at her eyes. She smiled suddenly. "Thanks," was all she said, the single world conveying a world of gratitude.

"You're welcome," Logan replied, his lips twitching into a smile he couldn't have contained if he wanted to. "You wanna go check out places you could set up your machine shop?"

"Actually I was thinking the abandoned parking lot at the back. Maybe we could rig up a garage; you know, some two by fours and sheet metal..."

"Sheet metal? In Seattle? The kids'll never hear your lessons over the rain drumming off the roof. I think there's some leftover timber and drywall in the basement from when we had the renovations done..."

Lynn smiled as the pair headed off to check out the contents of the basement. Admittedly she'd only understood half the conversation, but she had no doubt that Max and Logan were made for each other.

I'm happy for them, she thought. Logan needs a woman in his life to keep an eye on him. And after all he's been through he deserves some happiness. Helen's going to be disappointed, though; she's had a crush on him for years. Ah, well, she'll get over it. Now, I need to go hang out the laundry...

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So, any thoughts? Opinions? Suggestions for what they should make the garage out of?