There goes my ride, she mused sullen as she watched the car fly off down the street quickly becomming a black dot in the horizon. Looking around she no longer saw any signs of her friends leaving her alone in the dark. Now in a particularly sour mood, Max slung her bag over her shoulder as she made her way out of Chelsea's drive way and began to walk towards her home. Or better yet the empty house with only the company of her cat waiting to welcome her. Exhaling deeply Max began to sink into the mode of self pity that she always desperately tried to advoid for the sake of her sanity. She hated feeling sorry for herself, but sometimes reality would hit her harder then a ton of bricks and she had no choice but to face her overwhelming state of solitude. At least she had Terry, she thought wryly. Usually that would bring some kind of comfort, but today it only bought more sadness. It was pathetic that she had to pick a fight with him to get him to back off, when all she really wanted was to be near him. It was her fear of being abandoned that made her hesitate.

This was her simplistic life. Going to school being a straight A student, comming home to herself, and being the casual sidekick of a the dark knight who protected the city. A praised vigilante that just happened to be her best friend and the guy she was having conflicting feelings about. Fighting back a laugh she realize how pathetic her situation seemed. Terry would never look her as being more than a friend, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for him to. It would just upset the natural order of things and Terry was definetly a man of order. He fought to protect the city, he fought to maintain his faimly and he fought to keep a girlfriend he never afforded to spend time with. Her feelings didn't matter and so she fought hard to swallow them and play the part of the devoted dependable best friend. Things were less complicated and easier that way. Growling frusterated she crossed the street trying to focus her attention on anything but Terry.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of car horn blaring furiously.

She stopped as she heard a loud crash come from above her. She looked up to see two cars had collided mid air. She gasped as she spotted one of the cars which had lost all power and was on fire crashing towards the ground. Acting quickly she ran to a safe distance and crotched down inside of an alley to advoid being caught in the fiery debris of the crash. The force of the impact of the car hitting the ground cause the building she was leaning against to tremble slightly. Her heart raced furiously when she heard the sound of children crying. Running back into the opening she quickly surveyed the scene. The car was flipped upside down with the tires spinning facing up in the air. Thick smoke was pouring out of the hood and soon a small fire ignited. Bystanders had gathered and was looking on horrified but no one move to do anything. Judging from how many people were on thier cell phones she knew somebody had called for help and the fire department were probably be on the way a but her gut told them that no one would't get there in time. Especially not Batman seeing how the dark knight was somewhere parked making out with Dana right about now. Hearing the children frightned screams jolted her into action and moving as quick as her legs could carry her she rushed over to the car in flames and was distraught to find two small twin girls trapped in the back seat banging out the window pleading with her to get them out. Peeking into the driver seat, she saw a woman bent over the steering wheel unconcious with a nasty gash across her forehead. She grasped the door handle to open the door when she yanked away with a yelp. The metal was burning hot from the heat.

"You and your sister go to the otherside of the car and keep your faces covered. I'm going to break the glass so I can get you out, ok?" she smiled comfortly despite the fear creeping up her spine.

The two girls nodded tearfully and moved to the other side of the car obediantly clinging tightly to each other as they lowered the faces.

Max looked around frantically for an object she could use to gain access into the car. Seconds later her eye caught something silver glinting in the light of the flames a few feet away. She rushed over and found a lead pipe lying near a sewage drain. Grabbing her object of salvation she sprinted back over to the car. Grasping the lead pipe tightly in both hands she swung it forcefully successfully shattering the window after three blows. Acting quickly she tossed the pipe aside and reached into the car reaching for the two girls who stared at her scared and uncertain.

"Come on sweethearts. I won't hurt you. I just want to get you out of this car so you wont get hurt," she coaxed trying to keep her voice steady. She had never been so scared in her life. She was inhaling the spilled fumes of gasoline and smoke from the fire and she knew that any minute the car would go up in flames.

The girls sensing her urgency scrambled over each other and climbed into her arms. They couldn't have been any older then five or six years old.

Cradling them carefully in her arms, she bolted several yards away from the car accident where she placed them down with a crowd of bystanders watching the scene terrified.

"Mommy!" one of the girls sobbed hysterically pointing to the car that was quickly being consumed with flames.

Max was preparing to run back to the car when a man gripped her arm.

"Miss, it's too dangerous. Any minute that car is going to explode and you don't want to be anywhere near it when it happens," he warned.

Max frowned.

"I can get to her in time," she said firmly trying to pull away.

When the man refused to release her she knew something wasn't right.

"If you don't let me go and try to get that lady out of the car she is going to die. What part of that don't you get?" she snarled struggling to get loose.

As the man stared down at her coldly a sudden realization occurred to Max causing her eyes to widen in horror.

"You were in the other car that crashed into her! Did you purposely cause this accident?" she demanded angrily.

She yelped in pain as the man tightened his grip on her arm.

"You ask too many questions, lady. You should walk away and pretend you didn't see anything and nothing bad will happen to you. Are we clear?" he growled menacingly with malice in his hard gray eyes.

Max tensed. She knew the smart thing would be to take the man's advise, but the sounds of the young girls crying a few feet away wouldn't allow her to do the smart thing. Her conscious couldn't handle standing by and letting the woman die. She stared at the man defiantly.

"Well we are crystal clear about one thing," she said her voice low and taunting.

He smiled loosening his grip slightly thrown off by her submissive demeanor.

She acted swiftly kicking him sharply in the shin causing him to howl in pain as he released her.

"You can go to hell," she spat glaring at him in contempt before racing back towards the car.

As her sneakers pounded against the hard pavement she closed her eyes and sent a silent prayer up to the heavens.

"God, please let Terry get her soon. I really can use his help right now." she whispered desperately.