I stood there silently listening to the shovels breaking through the cold frozen ground. Watching as the four men lowered the casket into the hole by the two ropes underneath it, struggling with the weight of the wood and trying not to drop, then once more shoveling dirt, only this time… they were covering the person inside their tomb forever.

I stood back from the rest of the crowd. Leaning against a dead tree, watching as everyone in front of the now freshly buried grave stepped forward and placed a single white rose on top of the over turned dirt. People from school had showed up for the event, people that had contributed to her death and were now crying tears of guilt.

I waited till the ceremony was over, and everyone had driven away to walk through the lines of chairs and past the portrait of the girl that was placed on a stand to the left of the grave. She was smiling one of her rare true smiles, looking off in the distance clearly unaware of the camera, showing off her bright teeth as if she was laughing at something uncaptured by the lens.

I closed my eyes and turned away from the picture, turning my attention to the pile of dirt covered in white flowers. I walked closer and kneeled in front of it, twirling the rose with my fingers before placing it among the top of the freshly carved headstone. Noticing how the red rose contrasted with all the white, I stepped back and took in the scene before me once more.

From the intricate carving of the wings on either side of the headstone, with the elegantly carved words that didn't seem to do her justice. I backed up a few steps before turning completely, the image of her grave forever being burned in my mind, along with all the memories of her. The world had cheated her of her life, and I was to blame.

In loving memory of

Max Martinez

Loving daughter, friend, and savior

Gone, but never forgotten

~~~~~;;~~~~~

I stood in front of her grave once more, holding a dozen red roses and placing them on the top of the headstone to join all the others. I made it a habit to visit on the anniversary and holidays. Never knowing the right words to say that could possibly justify her death. I still remember the day she died, she had texted me hours before the accident with some ridiculous request that I follow through with every day. I still had the message, saved to my phone where I could occasionally reread it. I knew it by heart now.

Fang, I know this will sound crazy but will you do me a favor? Never forget me okay? Remember our crazy trip to six flags and all the shit from school alright? Never forget how we used to laugh at the jocks and preps for their stupid relationships or how we'd shout the lyrics to Led Zepplin when it'd come on the radio. You're an amazing friend Fang and I have a feeling that you're going to find a miracle soon. My life was over, still is, but yours isn't. You still have a lot to live for and damn it you better make your life count Fang.

She died December 25 at five in the morning. Ten minutes later I got a call about a viable donor in the area... my miracle that gave me a second chance to make my life count. And my life did count, I had graduated and started college. Becoming a counselor for those living in abusive homes.

I couldn't save Max and there was nothing I regretted more, taking this job was almost giving myself the second chance to save people like her. Something I knew she'd call me a wuss for saying, but it was nothing short of the truth. We used Max as an example with everyone who came to us for help, telling her story and saving others from the same ending.

"Fang? You ready?" I turned from the grave and looked at my partner, we built the Max foundation with the same goal and had succeeded as a team. I couldn't think of anyone better to work with than her.

"I'll never be ready" I said, slowly walking towards the still constant chatterbox woman Max introduced me to.

"We all miss her Fang, but at least she didn't die for nothing. She got her wish, Jeb is rotting in jail and you're still here and I'm able to see my daughter still. If it weren't for her and her plan for me to go into hiding... I don't know what Jeb would have done to me. I owe everything to her and she wouldn't want to see us waste the opportunities she's presented to us. So let's not let her death be in vain okay?"

I hugged Nudge for a minute before we started walking to the car. If I were a believer in all things supernatural, I would say Max was there in that moment when I started the car. Right as I turned it on, the radio started playing Highway to Hell by ACDC.

I looked at Nudge and smiled, turning the radio up as we pulled out of the cemetery.

I'm extremely sad to see this end... but I think it's a perfect ending to it. What say y'all? I'm extremely proud for having written this and for all the responses it's gotten since I posted it. I love everyone who took the time to read it, and those who reviewed for me :P

Well... that's all folks. R&R one last time maybe?