Minor spoilers
His heart is pounding, blood roaring in his ears and the pain at the back of his head makes the world wobble. The scuffle is terrifying, Max watches helplessly as the thugs take their respective turns at pummeling his father. Ricky takes a cheap shot, kicking the already downed man before he stalks away with his henchmen. It's beyond him how things were going so right, their win against Twin Cities, was now crumbling down around them. He tastes the dirt, feels the tears sting his eyes and he shakily crawls to Charlie. Max can't help the way he shakes, the sight of blood smeared across the man's face is unsettling and he hopes that his makeshift pillow at least helps.
The silence of the night, of the parking lot and the quiet groans from his father press against his senses. There's a bruise already forming along the side of Charlie's head and he winces as he finally manages to sit up. He had tried to hold his own, tried to be fast enough only to let Max slip through his fingers. They stare at each other, Max a mess of dirt and tears.
"You ok?"
A curt nod and Charlie chalks it up to luck. Taking a ragged breath he reaches out and Max is quick to tumble into his arms. The broken sob of worry and relief Max gives makes Charlie hold him tighter. He drags his son into his lap, wraps his arms around him and feels the way the thin body shakes in his grasp.
"I'm here Max. It's okay."
He hates how pained his voice sounds, but they're safe now. Small hands twist in the fabric of his jacket, anything to make sure he's still there, that they're both alive and breathing. Charlie staggers to the truck, his son clinging so tightly he thinks that even of his arms give out the kid wouldn't drop. He thanks his lucky stars no one has seen fit to rob them when he sees the truck parked and exactly how they left it. Loosening the death grip Max had on his neck he disappears into their living space.
Licking their wounds and hurt pride they don't bother staying in town. Charlie pays his bill at the motel and they're on the road again. Max buries is head against his father's hip, somehow contorting in the small space of the cab to lay down, like only children can do. Charlie offers moments of comfort when he reaches stop lights or signs. Squeezing the thin shoulder poking out from the blanket, rubbing the side of his son's head and smiling when he hears the boy mumble in his sleep. It's around one am when Charlie finally parks on the side of the road.
The engine crackles as it cools and the silence in the cab is deafening. Pinching the bridge of his nose Charlie squeezes his eyes shut, trying to will away the guilt manifesting in his chest. He gives a shaky breath before finally looking at Max. So fragile and pure, only to be tainted by his presence; by who he was. The guilt grows and Charlie shoves it to the back of his mind and scoops the kid up into his arms. Exiting and locking the truck he shuffles them to the living quarters, carefully depositing his precious load on the shelf. The moon's light peeked in from the window above his bed, made the metal floor sparkle and Charlie downed a cup of water before leaning back against the counter.
His eyes land on Atom, the silent guardian Max had deemed as their champion, a silent hero ready to stand by his owner's side and fight. He couldn't understand just how the boy had been able to coax so much glory from the old rust bucket. To him the thing had been nuisance, just another dead end. But there was Max, another dead end he hadn't believe in, and now... shaking his head Charlie scoffed and made to move to his bed, pausing a moment before pointing at the robot, a warning in his eyes.
"Don't... don't let the kid down."
Swallowing thickly he nodded and turned away for his bed, tomorrow was going to be long.
