A/N: This one was inspired by the song "Take it Back" from Beth Crowley.
She was nervous, she hadn't felt the flutter of butterflies in her stomach in so long. She walked into the little diner on the outskirts of Seattle and immediately located him. Her breath caught as her eyes roamed over him, it had been three years since the last time she'd seen him and the years had treated him well.
He hadn't seen her yet, he was smiling at the waitress saying something that had the young woman blushing and giggling like a schoolgirl. He'd always had that effect on women. She slowly walked closer to the table he'd picked out and she felt a hint of satisfaction when his eyes snapped to hers and he effectively dismissed the waitress, not noticing her little pout as she walked away.
"Max," he greeted, his voice a low rumble that sent shivers down her spine. He gracefully slid out of the booth and stood up to embrace her. He felt as muscular and lean as ever, smelling like leather and that earthy scent that was just him.
"How are you?" she asked as they parted and sat down across from each other.
"Surprised to hear from you," he replied with a little smirk that she hadn't realized she'd missed. There were a lot of things about him that she hadn't realized she would miss.
"Yeah," she replied softly, biting her lip.
He leaned back in his seat and studied her, she was as beautiful as ever. He'd known the moment she had entered the diner, his pulse had sped up and every sense was tuned to her. When he'd finally talked himself into turning away from the waitress to look at her he'd immediately fallen into her chocolate eyes.
He cleared his throat as the silence hung between them. "How's Logan?" he asked politely.
Max searched his face, 'If I could take it back…' Max thought to herself. She shook her head as she shot him a small smile. "Fine, I think. We haven't spoken in awhile."
His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Oh, sorry to hear that," he said sincerely.
"Yeah, well y'know...we always had issues," she laughed it off. She swallowed hard before asking. "How's Sasha?"
He smiled at her and god it was the same smile she dreamed about. 'Would you let me take it back?" "She's doing well," he said before his smile turned into a smirk. "We didn't work out, lasted less than a year and then she fell for Jaxon. They're married with a kid on the way now."
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, not quite sounding as sincere as he had. His eyes sparkled with laughter as he picked up on it.
He shrugged as he smiled at the waitress who had arrived to refill his coffee and get their orders. Once she left again he spoke up. "Don't be. It wasn't ever going to last. She said I was 'emotionally unavailable'," he laughed as he shook his head.
"Yeah, Logan accused me of that a lot too."
He grinned at her conspiratorially. "It's almost like Manticore didn't want us making emotional attachments," he said, making her laugh.
They sat there for hours, ordering appetizers and beers as they traded stories of what they had been doing during the last three years now that they were free recognized citizens of the United States. It was getting close to time to leave and she could feel it. If they went their separate ways now would they see each other again? 'I would take it back.'
How would he take it if she told him the real reason she'd called him up out of the blue a week ago? They hadn't spoken in so long and it was her fault. She'd broken them. Broken him. When she'd finally come to her senses it was too late, he was gone. He pulled out his wallet and started thumbing through his bills and she knew she couldn't leave without asking.
"Alec…" she said, pausing as she choked on the words.
Alec looked at her and he knew that whatever the real reason was that she had asked to see him was about to be revealed. "Yeah?" he prompted.
"If I could make it right, If-if I could take it back," she started, unable to look him in the eyes. "Would you let me?" she forced out, eyes darting around the diner, looking anywhere but at him. She couldn't take the rejection and she felt like a coward for it because rejection is exactly what she had given him.
Alec watched her as she looked everywhere but at him and he was slightly grateful for it because he didn't know what to say. A little over three years ago they had started something. They had never labeled it and it had never been official. It was the most meaningful unofficial something he'd ever had and he'd fallen for her. When he told her that he was in love with her she had teared up and told him that just hours earlier Logan had presented her with the cure and she had agreed to give them a shot. They had just been given their citizenship and the residents of Terminal City were making the decisions of whether to stay or start their lives somewhere else.
After she'd shot him down he'd chosen to leave and had promptly left to travel before settling in Portland. He assumed she'd found out about his relationship with Sasha, one of the X5's they'd been close with during their fight for freedom from Mole or Josh, they'd both stayed in TC and Alec talked with them frequently.
"I don't think it's something that can be taken back Max. Pretty sure we both know that," he finally answered her, watching as she flinched.
"Would I ever be able to make it right?" she asked, forcing herself to look at him. His eyes were sad and not unkind.
He shook his head as he tried to sort through his thoughts. He'd been surprised when he'd gotten her call, asking him to meet her. He'd considered saying no but the years had helped salve the wound she'd created when she'd chosen Logan over him and he figured she'd needed help with something.
She started speaking again before he could answer her and destroy her. "I was stupid all those years ago. I was stupid when we were together and I was wrong when I let you go. Logan and I...we never got to have the relationship that we both thought we wanted so when he got the cure...I did what I felt I should do and never considered what I had wanted to do," she explained, the words rushing out. "It's not an excuse. You and me...I never got over what we could have had and if you leave right now I won't blame you. Either way I just want you to know that if I could then I would take it back, Alec," she said, wincing as desperation bled into her tone.
Alec sighed as he listened to her, looked into her watery eyes. He wasn't sure what to say, she was saying all the words he had wanted to hear from her years ago. He had traveled for a bit before settling in Portland but as soon as he'd chosen his new home he had let his Terminal City friends know. He let them know so that they would let her know. He had wanted to walk into his new apartment in Portland and see her sitting there, apology on her lips.
"Why now?" he asked, the timing he just couldn't figure out.
Max hesitated and looked away again. "I wanted to come to you as soon as I heard you'd settled down in Portland," she told him honestly. "I talked myself out of it," she couldn't help the bitter smile that graced her lips. "I've always been good at talking myself out of the things I want most. By the time I finally found the courage to find you...Joshua told me that you were dating Sasha and that it seemed serious. He said you were happy and I didn't want to ruin it for you."
Alec nodded and he fought to keep the hurt out of his expression as he relived their past. "If it had been reversed Max. I would have put it all out on the table for you. I did. I waited for months for you to realize that I was what you really wanted. Waited for you to come to me and take it back, but you never did."
"I know," she said quietly. "Could you ever forgive me? Allow me the chance to make it right?"
"I...I don't know, Max," he told her softly, honestly.
She nodded and stood up quickly. "Thanks for meeting up with me," she said as she started to turn away before the tears started falling. "I'm sorry for everything," she whispered as she walked away. She heard him call out her name but she forced herself not to look back, she couldn't bear to see the pity in his eyes.
Once she was outside the diner she risked one last look into the windows before she mounted her Ninja, her heart broke as she glimpsed him still sitting at the table with his head in his hands. It had been selfish of her to drag him through this again. She had made her bed. Now she had to lie in it.
A/N: Just a quick one-shot I had lying around on my computer. I've considered turning it into multi-chapter fic. If there is some interest in seeing more maybe I'll continue it.