Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Dark Angel or any of the characters except for those I have created myself

He stood there staring at the solid stone in the ground. He was alone surrounded by happiness yet sad filled his heart. It was a gloomy day that held freedom for all transgenics, yet here he was in the graveyard with the dead while the rest were celebrating. Gently he placed the flower as a single tear slowly slid of his face.

"I couldn't have done it without you, Maxie" he whispered as if afraid the wind would carry his words away.

It has been 8 years, 8 years since she died. Since then he never stopped remembering the day where he watched her die, unable to prevent her death.

Terror was in her eyes she knew what White was going to do. As White released the bullet she quickly jumped in front of the tiny bundle. She was shot twice in the chest to save her daughter from being killed, but instead choose her own time to come to an end.

Seconds later once he realized she was shot, he killed off every Familiar in the area including White with outraged. Part of him knew this was it; there was no way she could make it. But his heart was telling him to fight, not to give up but help her instead.

He heard shuffling around him and realized that the others were trying to pick up Max to get her to the hospital. He released a feral sound signaling to the others to back off. He grabbed Max and quickly headed to the infirmary.

He knew it was too late but, he… he couldn't give up now, he couldn't lose her right after they finally became a family.

As the medics rushed to save their leader from a tragic end, he watched as she struggled for survival, "Come on Maxie, you can do it, I know you have it in you" he chanted hoping, praying she would survive.

As time passed bye he knew what was coming before it happened, he saw her give up in that instance. Her heart began to slow down, barely keeping her alive. "No Maxie, noo" he cried when her heart stopped beating. As the medics left the room to leave him alone, he turned to her and tipped his head to hers kissing her for one last time.

He stood up furious, he was out for revenge, how..why.. She can't be gone, she just can't this is Max we are talking about she just can't he thought. Soon the tears began to form pouring from his eyes before he could control them. He dropped to the ground, crying, losing all hope, part of him was gone. He knew that he was no longer the person he use to be.

He heard footsteps approach the room, he began to shut the door before anyone entered, he didn't want anyone to see him or Max like this, and he didn't want them to take her away. But just before the door shut a foot stuck in between the door and the wall preventing the closure of the door. Right as Alec began to get ready to yell at the person, he saw it, her. A hand reached out to him from the little bundle, the small hand wrapped around his finger, as if looking for someone to rely on, someone to love.

The bundle soon was placed in his arms, he starred down at it. Part of him was angry, this thing was a monster, the reason Max was dead. He then regretted the thought ever crossing his mind and looked at himself with same and disgust. No, this was the only part of Max he had left. He looked down at his daughter that was asleep in his arms.

"Max, your name" he said lovingly while looking upon his daughters face. "I love you Maxine McDowell, daddy loves you" he whispered to her while smiling at the name of his daughter. Maybe he hadn't lost everything, but this child had. His daughter only knew her mother for only a couple hours, before White came after them.

Right then he knew, he vowed that he would never again let anything come close to harming his daughter, no, no one was ever going to hurt his family ever again.

As he pulled back from his memory from 8 years ago he heard a voice," Come on dad, we're gonna be latee," whined Max as she grabbed her father's hand leading him to the heart of Terminal City.

Today was the day that transgenics received their freedom, like Joshua said, they were going into the light know. He looked upon the hundreds, now thousands of transgenics waiting for him. Since..her.. Max's death he took over the role of C.O of Terminal City. They wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for her. He knew she would be proud.

He walked towards the podium, he had kept his promise, and he fought for their independence and freedom. The government accepted their existence, and allowed them to live their lives as long as they didn't interfere with the "humans".

He felt a small tug on his shirt, it was Max, and she was looking up to him. God she looks so much like Max he thought. He crouched down so she knows was at eye level with him. "Dad?" she said quietly.

"Yeah sweetie" he replied lovingly while losing his hard edge and melting into a soft expression, I guess like mother like daughter. She was the only one that he actually interacted with since Max left. Max was the only reason he had for living, he was human with her, and he laughed, smiled, and functioned all for her.

"Dad, thanks for everything and I'm sure your gonna kick ass.. uhh I mean butt" stated Max while trying to cover up the fact that she used a bad word that she heard from Mole, she blushed and tried to play the innocent daddy's little girl. She knew he wouldn't get mad but she didn't want to get anyone in trouble.

"First of all your welcome, for whatever I did, and second of all missy we'll talk about that word you just used or I could just yell at Mole" Alec responded I mean where else would she get that word from, he was pretty sure that everyone knew better than to let her hear that word, even if he himself used it.

"Anyway I Love you, so why don't you go with Joshua while I talk alright?" he said, Max nodded and he kissed her forehead as she moved toward the doggy transgenic, and him to the podium.

He looked around once again, if only Max was here. He took a deep breath before he began to speak. He was told to announce that they were a nation now. Before he began he took one more glance at the flag that Joshua had made during the siege, it represented them all as a whole, but they now where complete, they were in the light.

As he began his speech he saw a flicker coming from the roof of the building, he could have sworn he saw just for a second, a glimpse of Max as she moved across the roof. Maybe he was just imagining or hoping that it would be her. So he began keeping in mind Max, and how she would tell them all they were free. Throughout his whole speech he thought of her and how for such a long time she had tried to achieve this, but he knew it couldn't have been done without her.

Once his speech was finished, the crowd went into celebration, with the cheering and happiness around him, no one saw him slip away from the crowd. All around him couple's were kissing in happiness, families and friends celebrating their freedom. He tried to do the same but the more he tried the more he struggled. He leaned against the building thinking of how she would have wanted him to be out their celebrating and rejoicing because of the proclamation, with their daughter.

Alec began to reflect on the past 8 years without her, he had no reason to be sad, he had little Max. He had a nation to run. She probably would kick his ass for being so gloomy and sulking. With that he did the one thing he should have done years ago.

He went to her grave, took one last look at her burial place and said his goodbye. "I always will and always do love you Max" he silently told her he then headed back to get his daughter and head home. He had finally let go of her, and surprisingly was relieved. She always would be with and part of him but her death was no longer a burden.

As he headed back to the crowd that was gleaming with joy he did the one thing that he hasn't let anyone see in the past 8 years, except for Max. He smiled, he was complete again, and he was Alec again. He looked at the nation he was going to led, and looked up to see a smiling Max fade into the distance as if she was know at peace.

So he went to his daughter and carried her home holding her tight to his chest, feeling as if he was human again he could let his emotions show without being threatened, he himself was also at peace. Alec was unsure of what was going to happen or what was going to happen. But he knew that whatever he did and wherever it was, he would have his family with him. So he said goodnight to one Max and goodbye to another. "I love you" was the last words he said as he fell into a state that was unfamiliar and calming at the same time, it was where he was in harmony with his past and himself.

He had done a good job, she thought as she watched over looking at the world Alec made, a world for transgenics to be free. He looked down at the transgenics and began to speak of the freedom they had gained. Max walked around taking her time, looking at her daughter who now was 8.

He named her Maxine, after me she thought as she smiled. I knew he had it in him, he always did.

She realized that it was time, time to leave the world with her loved ones and enter a new one where the rest of her family where.

"Take care of her Alec. I love you" she whispered silently to the wind, though for a second she thought she saw an expression of calmness waver across Alec's face, as if he heard her and knew that she was happy and at peace.

At that moment she felt relief and happiness, her time on Earth was expired, she too was free as the other transgenics where.

She began to walk into the light, it was her time now that he had let her go and she had said her goodbye.

She took one last look at the place she had called home for her whole life, she was ready she realized she was ready to move on.

She was headed to the High Place with Ben, Tinga, Jack… ,"it was the place where no one gets punished, no one gets yelled at, the place where no one disappears…."

THE END