-1"How's she holding up?" Aaron asked, nodding toward Kaylee's room. "I don't want to intrude or anything, but . . ."
"About the same," Kenny replied, as he stifled a yawn. "Max would want you here."
"Is Kay awake yet?"
Kenny shook his head., "No, but her fever is going down. It's a start."
"Yeah. Would you mind if I went in? I brought some of Kay's stuff."
"Go ahead. I was just about to get some coffee. Want some?"
"No, I'm good. Make Max eat something too."
Aaron took a deep breath, as he watched Kenny depart, before knocking on the doorframe. "Hey, Neighbor."
"Hi Aaron," Max said softly, reluctant to leave her vigil.
"How are my two favorite females doing? I ran into Kenny, and he said her fever is dropping. That's got to be good news."
Max nodded. "It is, but she hasn't woken up yet."
"She will."
"I hope so. She was fine yesterday . . . what happened? How could she get so sick, so fast?"
"It hits you that way sometimes."
"I keep thinking I missed something, a cough, a scratch, something. With Kenny . . . he kept getting these headaches. Neither of us thought much of it, but maybe if we did . . ."
"That's ridiculous," Aaron cut in. "And you know it."
She looked away. "Maybe."
"You can't carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Sometimes things just happen, and you can't blame anyone."
"Some things," Max repeated distantly. "I'm glad that you're here."
"Where else would I be? I brought some of Kay's things. Stuffed animals, some clothes, I don't know, just some things I thought she might want. You look like you're going to pass out yourself. Did you sleep last night?"
"Not really. It's okay though, I'm used to sleeping next to hospital beds."
"Hey, I'll sit with her for a while so you can get some rest. Take a walk, something. Let me spend some time with my girlfriend."
"Maybe for a few minutes," Max relented, aching to stretch her legs. "Call me if anything changes?"
"You can count on it."
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"Where are you sneaking off to?" Kenny asked, surprised to see Max walking down the hallway toward him. "Max? Hello?"
"What?" she said looking up, lost in her own thoughts. "Kenny, hi. Just . . . stretching I guess."
"I got you some coffee," he said, handing her a cup. "Aaron is with her?"
"Yeah," she said, sipping the warm drink.
"A Danish too," he offered. "You have to eat something Max. You okay?"
"No."
"Hey, talk to me. You can hate me later, but you know I'll listen. I know that you're worried about her, so am I. I just found out I had a daughter, and now this."
"Do you ever think that we're being punished for something?"
"What? No way, don't even think like that. Life isn't always fair, but you're not being punished. You didn't do anything wrong. You want to cast blame? Do it to me. If I hadn't left, none of this would have happened. The what if game can go on forever, Max."
"I know, it's just," she trailed off, swirling her coffee in her cup, "It's easier when there is someone to blame."
"Is that why you're the scapegoat of Rome?"
"Partly. I'm sure Kim would run me down if she had the chance."
"You want to get back to Kaylee?" he asked, just wanting to hold her, so that her despair would go away. "Sweetheart? It's okay to cry."
Max gulped back her tears. "If I start, I might never stop."
"Come on," he said, pulling her up. "Max? Ssh, come here."
He wrapped his arms around her, and after a moment of stiff resistance she leaned into him.
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"Hey, Kiddo," Aaron said, brushing her hair back. "Come on, Princess, open your eyes for me, and for your Mom. Plus, your newly arrived Dad wants to get to know you. I'm not sure that he should be allowed to, but your Mom does. Meatball is at home waiting for you, and all your stuffed animals. So come on, wake up now. Hey you're back, that was short."
Max shrugged, as she tried not to think about the way that Kenny had his hand on the small of her back. "Yeah."
"Tell you what, we'll leave the two of you alone for a few minutes," Aaron said, nodding toward Kenny.
"Okay," Max agreed. "Thanks."
"Not a problem."
"I don't know how you got her out of there. I tried all night to get her to take a break or to eat something," Kenny said, feeling a little jealous. "Thanks for that."
"It's probably better coming from someone she isn't so . . . I guess conflicted about," Aaron offered. "If it helps any, I don't think that she hates you. If she did she wouldn't have told you about Kay, and probably would have been happy pretending that we were engaged. I just don't think she loves you anymore, so don't push anything on her now. Or use Kaylee as an excuse to get close. Especially now that she is sick."
"Excuse me?"
"I mean it."
"You don't know anything about Max and me," Kenny retorted.
"Really? So you didn't just abandon her? Then storm back into her life when you saw fit?" "There were circumstances!"
"So what's to say that they won't happen again? It seems like they're pretty similar right now! You can't hack it, so you leave! If it's going to happen, make it now, so Kaylee doesn't grow attached, and so that you don't rip Max's heart out again."
"I'm not gonna leave. Hell I love that woman! I won't ever abandon my daughter, especially now!"
"Good," Aaron said, stepping back. "Just checking."
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Kenny looked down at a sleeping Max, before turning his gaze to Kaylee. At least she's finally getting some rest, he thought, smoothing her hair back.
"Max?" he whispered. "Can you hear me? No? It's probably for the best. I'm going to tell you something, that you . . . well I don't know how to say it when you awake, without pissing you off. So here it goes, Sweetheart. I know you hate it when I call you that now, sorry, but it's how I think of you. I get it now, how you felt when I was sick. Why you wouldn't leave, as hard as I pushed you away. I should have never pushed you away, and I'll never do it again. I won't ever do that Kaylee. I love you, even if you don't feel the same way anymore. I blew the most wonderful part of my life, and I'll be paying for it forever."
"Mmm," she groaned, cracking her eyes open to look at him. "You get it?"
"You're awake?"
"Mmm," she confirmed.
"So you heard all of that," he said, as she sat up. "Max, I didn't . . . I shouldn't have said all of that. Sorry."
She shook her head. "It's okay. I know how you feel about me. You keep telling me."
"And I know you don't feel the same way anymore," he countered. "And you shouldn't. I was an ass to you, but I won't ever walk out on you or Kaylee. I don't think I can. I can't even bring myself to leave this hospital right now. I can't just leave her here alone."
Max regarded him thoughtfully. "Congratulations, you're a dad."
"I hardly know her, but . . .," he trailed off, looking at the bed. "I'd do anything to keep her safe."
She smiled at him, before looking over at a still sleeping Kaylee. "I always knew that you would make a great father."
He paused, and turned back to look at her. "That's the nicest thing that you've ever said to me Max, especially because you're a phenomenal mother."
"Thanks," she whispered, as she tentatively took his hand in hers. "Kenny, I don't what to say to you anymore. Part of me wants . . . what you want."
"Max," he whispered, astonished that she actually said it.
"I can't. Not yet, maybe not ever."
"Why not?"
Max fell silent. "Kay? Sweetie? Are you awake?"
"Mommy?"
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"She should sleep through the night," Dr. Thomas said. "And her fever has dropped way down. You both should go home and get some sleep. There isn't anything else that can be done here."
"Are you sure?" Max asked, overjoyed that Kay had opened her eyes. "She's not in any pain?"
"She's not," he assured her. "She'll be wide awake tomorrow, so a full nights sleep for the two of you is highly recommended."
"I don't think I can just leave her here," Kenny interjected, still reeling from the days events.
"It'll be okay," Max said, turning to look up at him. "We'll come back first thing in the morning."
"Okay," he relented. "Thank you Doctor, for everything."
"I'm glad that everything worked out. I'll see you both tomorrow."
"You want to get something to eat?" Kenny asked, as they made their way out of the hospital. "Max?"
"What? I think I just want to go home and crash for the night. Maybe get some more of Kay's things together for tomorrow. I can't believe that she's awake."
"Do you need any help with any of it?" he asked, reluctant to let her leave after they had made so much headway in the last three days. "Or someone to clean up the mess that Meatball probably left everywhere."
"Aaron took the dog. I just need a night alone, just to process everything."
"Okay," he said, as they paused by her jeep. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then. Give me a call when your coming over?"
She nodded. "Okay. Kenny?"
"Yeah?"
She paused, before wrapping her arms around him quickly. "Thanks for being here."
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"Hey! What do you think that you're doing?" Aaron called, as he crossed his lawn quickly.
"Just checking to see if anyone is home," Skeeter replied backing away from the window. "Who are you?"
"I think the better question is who are all of you? I live over there, and this is my neighbor's house, and I don't think that she would appreciate a bunch of peeping toms!"
"Is this Maxine Stewart's house?" Joey asked. "We're some old friends of hers, from Wisconsin."
"What is it lately?" Aaron mused, "She's not home, she hasn't been for a while."
"Is she with Kenny?" Littleton asked, still not sure why he agreed to this trip. "Are they together again?"
"No," Aaron trailed off. "You're from Wisconsin? That was an interesting story she told me."
"She told you?" Kim gasped. "Was she bragging about sleeping with and killing my father."
"Bragging? I think she's still so racked with guilt that she can't bring herself to enjoy life. The only thing that makes her happy is Kay, and now . . ."
"Now what?" Skeeter asked.
"Kaylee is sick, smallpox. Max, and that man have been with her at the hospital for the past few days," Aaron said, as his gaze drifted to the car pulling into the driveway. "At least until now."
"I'm not sure I can do this," Kim whispered, clinging to Jon's arm. "Why did we come here again?"
"It's okay," he replied. "We're here to make peace with the past."
Shit, Max thought, seeing the group gathered on her front lawn. What are they doing here? Is it too late to drive away? I can't handle this now. Sighing, she pushed the door open, very conscious of her wrinkled clothes.
"Hey, Neighbor," Aaron called, waving her over. "I didn't expect to see you here tonight. I hope it's good news."
She nodded, as she focused most of her attention on him instead of the problem at hand. "It is. She's awake, the fever is gone, and she's sleeping."
"Yes!" Aaron cried, throwing his arms around her, and lowering his voice for just her ears. "You okay? You know all of these people? Can I kick them out of here for you?"
"It's okay," she whispered back, not sure what to say to all of them. "Really."
"If you're sure," he replied, releasing her and turning back to the group.
"Max," Skeeter said, trying to get her attention. "Hi. Wow. This is weird. How's Kaylee? Smallpox? Is she okay?"
"She's going to be fine," Max confirmed, resisting the urge to flee. "She's awake, out of the coma. Why are you all here?"
"What is it with you guys and comas?" Littleton asked. "Is it a family thing?"
"Where's Kenny?" Skeeter cut in. "I figured that the two of you would be together."
"At his hotel," Max replied, as she tried not to think of their last conversation and the comfort she felt in his arms. "And we're not."
"And how are you?" Joey cut in. "It's been a long time."
"It has," she agreed, and repeated her earlier question. "Why are you here?"
"Any reason we can't come and see an old friend?" Skeeter asked.
"I didn't think you wanted anything to do with me," she countered, as she turned to look at Kim. "Especially you."
"I don't," Kim retorted, as all the old feelings came rushing back. "You're one of the last people I ever wanted to see again. I needed to though, before I could get on with my life. Your boyfriend here tells me that you're miserable, and I'm glad. No one deserves it more then you. I hope that Kaylee dies, just so you know how I felt after you killed my father. Go to hell, and rot there. I'm done. Bye."
.