Author's note: I really appreciate all of the feedback I have been getting so keep it coming!
Max woke up to the sound of an engine humming outside her apartment window. She realized that she was all alone lying on the cold floor. Max's first thought was that Zack had had morning after regrets and split as soon as he realized what he had done, but she remembered the soft promise he has made her and she vanished that thought quickly. Max realized that she was entirely naked and began looking for her clothes she found some bits and pieces every where imaginable in the bathroom but she couldn't seem to find her shirt "Damn!" "O Maxie, lookin for this?" Max's eyes shot up to see a strong figure in the doorway holding her shirt. "Give it here!" "Come on soldier let's see if you can get it!" "Soldier?Your on!" she said with a wicked smile on her face. Zack dangled her prize possession and then shot into the kitchen Max followed him with such speed and grace. Max was only a few paces away from Zack before he shot over the kitchen bar flying into the living room, Max was in hot pursuit of him. He was on the other side of the couch and with one cat-like leap Max shot over the couch landing on his back trying to wrestle her shirt from his grip. Max realized that Zack was only playing and he could easily get Max off of him if he wanted to. Zack began to shiver as Max's hands were rubbing down his arms and grazing his chest. Max managed to work her shirt out of Zack's hands but she was relentless to let go of him. Zack turned his head slightly to see Max rest her head in the arch of his neck he could feel Max let out a great sigh as she slid down his back. Max slipped her shirt over her head and let it rest there as she looked at Zack. Zack's smile faded as quickly as it had come as he darted to the window. She was quite startled at the quick movement he had made. Zack's eyes widened as he paused looking at Max "We have to go." Max knew to move now ask questions later.
Max and Zack shattered the bathroom window and climbed out sliding down the drainpipe. The seizures that Max had been experiencing a few days before caught up to her as she realized that she had forgotten to take her tryptophan since she was so involved with Zack. Max's legs began to give out as she hit the ground; Zack paused turning around looking at Max shaking violently on the floor. Zack ran off as quickly as he could Max was left alone lying in the street. Max figured that Zack had left her for good forgetting his promise, Zack turned the corner taking Max in his arms and running with all of his strength down the street placing Max in a car that he had hot-wired.
Zack threw Max his bottle of tryptophan thinking of the tactical training he had received at Manticore as he hit the excelerator to the floor.
Flashback
"You are to analyze the situation from every view point." Lydecker said pacing among his 'children.' You and you get over here he commanded pointing to his top two recruits, Max and Zack stepped forward "sir yes sir!" Max and Zack awaited for further instructions. "You will never know what situations you will face and what problems will have to deal with." Lydecker turned backhanding Max with all of his strength making her fall to the ground as blood began to trickle from her lip. Max tried to pull herself up but collapsed once again. "Soldier," he said looking to Zack "What is more important your soldier or your mission?" Zack hesitated but gave Lydecker the awnser that he wanted to hear "My mission is more important than my recruit SIR!" Zack shot a glance at Max seeing her eyes narrow in emotional and physical pain. Lydecker pleased with his success bent down near Max whispering "The weak links will fall hard."
End Flashback
Max was struggling trying to open the tryptophan bottle but not having any success she looked to Zack trying to get some help from him but not succeeding she told him " I guess your mission is more important than a soldier isn't it Zack?" Zack amazed at what he had just heard took the wheel of the car pulling to the side of the road finally realizing that they were well out of Lydecker's way he took the bottle from her opened it pulled out some pills and put them in Max's hand. Max resentfully took the pills and downed them.
A few miles down the road Zack saw a hotel "I'm going to get us a room, you need to rest." Zack opened the hotel door with the key and escorted Max in. Zack made sure the room was secure before attending to Max's need's. "Max you should take a cold shower." Without hesitating Max walked into the bathroom shutting the door and locking it firmly behind her. Max got into the bathroom undressing and then turning on the shower stepping beneath the cold beams.
Zack sat laid down on the bed kicking himself for neglecting Max's needs so badly he realized that getting her out was more important than anything else. As Zack was exploring the depths of the situation as he heard a loud thunk from the bathroom. He got up and walked to the bathroom door knocking lightly "Max? Are you ok?" When he got no response Zack tried to open the door but remembered that it was locked. He backed up a few steps and charged at the door kicking it down with force. He pulled back the shower curtain revealing Max lying on the bottom of the cold shower unconscious. Zack turned off the shower and scooped up Max in his arms wrapping a towel around her he remembered the very first time that he saw his beautiful Maxie naked in front of him.
Flashback
During field exercises there must have been some sort of slip-up by one of the other X-5's resulting in Max being caught in the crossfire. Max managed to dodge all of the bullet's except for one, which pierced her in the chest barely avoiding her heart. Zack called out "seize fire!" Whenever he realized what had happened. Zack ran to Max's side holding her head in his lap, he needed to examine the wound so he carefully and shakily unbuttoned every button one by one on Max's camo-jacket. The wound was pretty bad but he began to see blood seeping through Max's pants. Zack was rather confused he knew that she had only been hit once but he needed to find out the cause so he could stop the bleeding before she was to loose too much blood. Zack slid Max's pants down her waist, past her knee's and off of her entire body. She was grazed by two bullets one on her leg which Zack bandaged quickly and grazed one on her low hip which Zack needed to bandage he figured that one of the female X-5's would be better for this kind of thing so he looked around for Jondy,Jace, or pretty much any female recruits but realized that they had all gone in separate directions to find help. Zack was only surrounded by male recruits and looked at them quiestionably Ben having some sense that it was wrong for them to be there signaled for them to move out and they all did so obediently. Zack checking and hoping that Max had regained consciousness but finding she had not he touched her face and apologized "Maxie I'm so sorry." Zack slid his finger under her panties and slid them down , he swallowed hard and bandaged her wound stopping for a split second to look at this girl in front of him, it was at this point he realized that his Maxie is no longer a girl. End Flashback
Zack began to dry Max off and look for something for her to wear only finding one of his shirts he slipped it over her and carried her into the bedroom resting her on the bed. Zack pulled a chair up to the bed sitting in it he watched Max convulse helplessly. When Max woke up she saw Zack sitting in a chair next to her with his head in his hands, obviously upset. Max let out a groan as she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head. Zack's head shot up he smiled seeing Max awake "Max I'm gonna let you sleep I'll be on the floor ok?" "What are you talking about?" "I don't want to make you uncomfortable." "You have got to be kidding me Zack get in the bed." Zack obediently did as he was told to, he lied staring at the ceiling he jumped whenever he felt Max's arm wrap around him. "Zack?" "Yes?" "I wish that we could have done this at Manticore." Zack smiled at the thought "Me to, more than you know."