A/N So, this is the first story I have written for the amazing Dark Angel series! I hope it's okay, and I really did try. Also, if you're a fan of either my writing or The Vampire Diaries, check out my other stories! Anyway, enjoy and please review, I have to know if I butchered it, or if I should continue writing these stories! Oh, and this takes place sometime after "Freak Nation", when they are all holed up in Terminal City.

Back In Time

"Alec," Max yelled, as she stepped outside her office. Once she had his attention, she motioned her head inside. She turned and walked back in, focusing her attention on one of Joshua's latest paintings. It was titled 'Past' , and was filled with the most magnificent colors, unlike most of his work, which were basically black and white.

She shoved her hands into the pockets of her leather jacket.

"You wanted to see me?" Max heard from behind her after the shutting of the door, which has become routine for them. She nodded, but stayed quiet. "You okay?" He asked coming closer.

"Do you ever wish that you could just go back?" She asked him while running her hand over the lines on the painting.

"What do you mean?" He asked her

"Were things better before?" She said and turned to face him. "Before we were trapped here? Hell, before I blew up Manticore and let everybody out? Were you happier there? Were they?" she asked him motioning to the door. She was crying now, and even though she felt humiliated, she couldn't seem to make herself stop. Alec looked at her not knowing what to do or say.

"Max, why are you bringing all of this up?" He asked

"I need to know if I did the right thing. If I'm doing the right thing." She said looking up at him. She stepped closer and grabbed the sides of his jacket. "Was your life better before all of this happened?" She asked, her voice demanding a final answer.

Alec was amazed at how strong she could look and sound with tears running down her face.

"Honestly, it's not as simple as that, Maxie." He said and she looked up at him confused.

He sat down and motioned for her to sit in the chair across from him. He grabbed her small hand in his.

"Max, before I met you, I was satisfied with what Manticore had. Not happy, but content." he said and she nodded, looking a little crushed. "But then you came, and I saw how much life you had lived, an how much you wanted your life back and I was jealous. I realized that there was more than Manticore, but I wasn't as brave as you to escape." He continued and she started to look happier. "And that was the case for everyone, they didn't know anything else." She closed her eyes and dropped her head a bit.

"Then, when you helped me escape, I was happy. I was free, or as free as I'd ever been. I could live the way I wanted. And that was great, but I was still being hunted. Same for the others." This made more tears run down Max's cheeks.

"Now, we are at war, all of us, fighting for our independence, but it's inevitable. And we have lost many of us, but there's a bigger picture here."

"What's that?" Max asked

"None of us have ever truly been free and now, we have a chance to be. We have to go through this to prove ourselves, And, before, anytime before, I thought I would stay there. I never thought I'd get out of Manticore. I never thought we'd be here. Now, I have hope for something better. Things can't, and won't, stay this way forever. We'll either win or lose. And that's a good thing. We could prove that we deserve to live if we win. And maybe we can have some kind of peace." He said finishing his speech

"And if we lose?" She asked

"Then, it's over. But we can't stay in the same situation forever." He said and wiped Max's tears.

"So you wouldn't go back in time and change it?" She asked

"Maxie, that's the past." He said pointing to the painting Max was just looking at. "All we have is the future." he said and kissed her forehead. "You did good, Maxie. You always do good." He whispered as he walked out, knowing she heard.

Max just smiled and whispered, "Don't call me Maxie."

She could hear him chuckled from where he was.

A/N So I hope you liked it, and please tell me. Even if you hated it, just tell me, that way I know.