Tears Of A Broken Heart
Max slowly rode down the streets of Seattle, taking in the sights that she hadn't seen for many, many years. It didn't look much different, but there were fewer people living in the streets, and more living in houses. The streets didn't look as disgusting as they used to look, and there were fewer police out. Hoping that this was a sign that the effects of the Pulse were wearing away, Max continued to ride.
When she got to Logan's Place, she left her bike in its usual hiding place, and walked in. She got in the elevator, and wasn't surprised that it hadn't changed at all. Pressing the button that would take her to the penthouse, Max thought of all the times she had broken into Logan's place, and how rarely she had used this elevator. It all seemed like so long ago, a lifetime away. There were many memories of those days, some of them happy, but more often than not they were sad.
I would like to visit you for a while
Get away and out of this city
Maybe I shouldn't have called but someone had to be the first to break
We can go sit on your back porch
Relax
Talk about anything
It don't matter
I'll be courageous if you can pretend you've forgiven me
When she reached the penthouse, she got out and walked up to the front door. Lifting her hand, Max couldn't bring herself to knock. After what seemed like forever, Max finally lightly tapped her knuckles against wooden door, just once. After a moment, the door opened, and Asha appeared.
"Max."
"Asha. Is Logan home?"
"Yes."
"Can I come in?"
"Yeah, sorry Max, just a little pre-occupied."
"That's okay."
Asha opened the door wider, and let Max in.
"He's in his office. Go through, it's still in the same place."
Because I don't know you anymore
I don't recognize this place
The picture frames have changed and so has your name
We don't talk much anymore
We keep running from the pain
But what I wouldn't give to see your face again
Max walked down the hallway to Logan's office, stopping every couple of steps to notice the differences in the place. The painting that Logan had loved so much was gone, as was his antique vase. There were clothes lying on top of a chair, which had never been there before, and toys littered the floor. Stopping in the door of his office, Max waited in the doorway as Logan finished an Eyes Only report.
"Still doing those hacks Logan?"
"Max, I didn't hear you arrive."
"I've only been here a few seconds."
"Ok then."
"Logan..."
I know I let you down
Again and again
I know I never really treated you right
I've paid the price
I'm still paying for it every day
"What Max? Why did you come back here? What for? You know that Asha and I are happy, we have kids now. I seem to recall the last time you saw me, you told me that you never wanted to see me again."
"I'm sorry Logan," Max bit back tears, "But I needed to see you, I wanted to know if you were alright."
"I'm perfectly fine, without you. So go, please."
"I'm sorry Logan. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"GO!"
Max turned and walked down the hallway, and opened the door. Behind her, she heard Asha talking to a kid.
"Mummy, who's daddy yelling at?"
"No one, sweetie, no one."
So maybe I shouldn't have called
Was it too soon to tell?
Oh what the hell
It doesn't really matter
How do you redefine something that never really had a name?
Has your opinion changed?
Feeling the tears begin to fall, Max slammed the door shut and ran into the elevator. Pressing the button to go to the bottom floor, Max slide down the wall, and curled up against it, crying her eyes out. Only when the elevator stopped did she wipe away the tears, so that there was no evidence that she had cried. Walking out of Foogle Towers, she hopped onto her bike and rode away, to the one place that she could go to to think.
Once at the Space Needle, Max climbed up, and sat down. She didn't want to think of what had happened between her and Logan, in light of more recent events, it was all too much. Instead, she thought back to the good times when she had roomed with O.C., worked for Jam Pony, and hung out with the crew at Crash. That was before the virus, before White, before the familiars, and before Alec.
Because I don't know you anymore
I don't recognize this place
The picture frames have changed and so has your name
"Alec..." Max whimpered, as she thought about him once more. Tears began to stream down her cheeks, and pictures came to her mind. The crash scene, the car, the motorbike, and the body. The body that she had knelt over, and wailed. She had loved him, more than anything in this world. And that was what had made it so hard, to lose him, when there had been nothing else in the world to look forward to. But before she could go and do something drastic, news came her way, and she had something to live for after all. Sure, it wasn't Alec, but it was better than nothing.
And nearly four years after the accident, Max had finally got up the courage to come back here, to the place that was only a memory to her. To face a person she hadn't seen in years, who she knew wouldn't want to see her, but she did it anyway. The result had been as expected, he had thrown her out.
Standing up, Max walked over to the edge and looked out over Seattle. It looked so peaceful at night, so calm and quiet. Nobody would guess that during the day it was full of life and noise and people. People like her, and people like Logan. But she knew that, come morning, she would be gone. Logan could stay, with his precious Asha, and kids, but Max, Max had to go. She had to find the others, Jondy and Krit and Syl and everyone else. She needed know that her family was safe, and content.
We don't talk much anymore
We keep running from the pain
But what I wouldn't give to see your face again
Climbing down the Space Needle, Max got back on her bike, and got ready to leave town once more. Before she turned the bike on, however, a small pair of arms wrapped around her waist, and hugged her.
"It's going to be okay, mum, you know that?"
Max looked down into Alec's eyes, and nodded.
"Yeah, it will be Eva."
I see your face
I see your face
~~