Zack gave Max a concerned look "Max you're shaking, are you cold?"
"Yes and tired" she answered
"Why don't we head back now the sun will be down soon"
"That sounds great, Zack" Turning around they walked back to the wooden cabin and Max smiled up to Zack as she entwined her fingers with his. He returned the smile; they continued to talk all the way back to the cabin.
Max asks "Since when have you know?"
Zack answered her smiling "The night at the railway line, I realised what all these feeling for you meant and it kind of surprised me. That's why I left…to think about what I was going to do about theses feelings and I was thinking of a way to tell you earlier back at the cabin when you asked if I wanted to go for a walk. He waited the continued "After you didn't come back I started to get worried something had happened to you, so I came to find you"
"When did you know?" Zack returned the question
"Ever since back at Manticore" she let out a small laugh and continued " Can you remember when we were about eight or nine and we found that red balloon attached to the tree and the guard came to take it off of me. You attacked him and gave me the balloon back"
Zack commented laughing " Ye, I remember and Lydecker was watching us and he just smiled and told the guard to leave us alone I wonder why he didn't punish us for attacking a fellow soldier without permission"
Max had been thinking about that and said "We were born at Manticore as soldiers and trained as soldiers. They always told us we were to have no friends, no loved ones or family... But we did, our unit was our family.
Zack commented "Manticore didn't show us feelings and emotion other than hatred and anger. Maybe it's just natural to develop emotions and they thought if they could convince us we had none, we couldn't develop any but we did" Looking down at Max Zack added with a smile "We had each other"
Max smiling says "We did"
Then both Max and Zack could se the cabin everything looked ok. They checked the surroundings near the cabin for any cameras, traps or Lydecker's men but there was none. Zack walked up the stairs and unlocked the cabin door and both X5's entered into the warmth. Zack took off his jacket and went to check all the rooms to see if anyone had broken in. While he was doing this Max took off her jacket and placed both jackets on the hook attached to the door.
Max stretched her arms out in front of her whilst saying to Zack who had just returned to the living "Is everything okay honey?"
Zack answered with a smile "yep it's all good"
He watched Max as she walked around the room shutting the windows and curtains as it was pitch black outside. She rubbed her shoulder and stretched at the same time. He continued to watch her closely and noticed she was shaking.
"Maxie, are you okay?" he asked as he blurred over to Max to stop her from falling to the floor and supported her in a hug to help keep her balance.
"Zack, I don't feel well" she said weakly
He felt her forehead and said in a working tone "You're burning up" She began to shake more violently.
"Max your having a seizure" He said
Zack lifted Max up and placed her on the couch and said to her "I'll be right back okay"
Max whispered "Don't leave me"
He went into the kitchen and came back with milk, cold water and a cloth. Max was falling in and out of consciousness. Zack was trying hard to keep her awake, he place the cold cloth on her head hoping it would bring her temperature down. When she felt he was back she wake up and looked up at him.
"Zack it hurts" max said with a tear falling down her cheek
Zack's eyes were watering as well "I know"
Max closed her eyes then they fluttered open. "Please Maxie you have to stay awake"
"I can't" she replied reaching into her jeans pocket and took out a small box... then she was unconscious again. Zack turned her hand over and uncurled her fingers to reveal small white tablets. He un wrapped two small tablets and tilted Max's head up and place them inside her mouth.
Whispered into her ear "Maxie, I know you can hear me please take the tablets"
But she didn't respond and the shaking was still the same it hadn't eased off. Zack quickly thought back to all those times he had been her CO, she had always followed his commands.
He said in a strong voice "Come on soldier, swallow the god damn pills"
Max did and she said "Zack…" but couldn't finish what she was going to say as she started coughing.
"Sshh your gonna be okay now" Zack softly stated handing her a glass of milk.
Zack sat behind Max on the couch, she leaned against him and he put his arm around her and said "Just you rest Maxie, I'll take care of you"
He added thinking she was asleep "Don't worry I wont leave you... not ever"
"I know you won't" Max responded causing Zack to jump a little as she had surprised him. It wasn't long before both Max and Zack were asleep.
Max was the first to wake up the next morning, she got up without waking Zack up. She grabbed a spare blanket, walked out into the fresh air leaving the door slightly open behind her and sat down on the steps and listened to the birds singing.
Zack woke up and when he realised Max wasn't there he wrapped the blanket round him, standing up.
"Max" He called out looking around him and his gaze fell upon the door.
He got up and walked towards the door opening it slightly.
"Good morning. Maxie" he said smiling. He kissed her on the forehead and sat down next to her, he placed his hand around her waist and Max rested her head on his shoulder.
"Morning, thanks for helping last night" Max says smiling
"No problem, how are you feeling today?" Zack asked
"I better thanks" "so when are we leaving?" she added with a smile
"As soon as possible, If your up for it" Zack answered
"Of course, Lets go" Max replied