Note: Let's just quickly go over the reasons for my absence: final semester of college, exams, job hunting, fulltime job with frequent overtime, moving, my brother moving, my brother getting married, quitting said job, job hunting again, and a funeral. This all being said, I really, really want to get back into the swing of things.

On this chapter in particular, I actually started to write it immediately after the last update. Then I wrote it again, and again... I think I started this chapter like ten times. The idea never changed, it was just hard to get everything right. Why? Well, it's based on my brother. He was in a long distance relationship for years. I watched him go through this cycle and it broke my heart. Luckily, they're married now and I don't have to watch them go through that anymore. Excited for when they move back to the East Coast, though they'll still be State side.

Many thanks to those that have taken the time to review since the last update: Kamakaze Kheri, James Birdsong, Kenrai, C-Fan, Ravengal101, goldspears, and MidnightStarr. Your patience is very appreciated, as well as any constructive criticism!

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.

Highway

"I'll probably only be gone for about a month or two..."

Max glanced at Mariam from the corner of his eye. His focus quickly went back to the road ahead of him, hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. The blond still wasn't used to this, though he'd done it what felt like hundreds of heartbreaking times. She had finally granted him the ability to see her off at the airport a year or so ago and while he got to spend every last second with her, it didn't make it any easier.

He could feel her gaze on him, her body twisted in the passenger seat and the side of her head leaning against the head rest. She was studying him, like usual when it came to the countdown to her departure. "Max...," she sighed, stressing his name as she placed a strand of her hair behind her ear. He bit his bottom lip at the way she said his name. "You'll be busy with school; it will go by like it's nothing."

"Are you cold?" Max asked abruptly. He knew his voice quaked, but he flicked on the heat in his car nonetheless as a distraction. His girlfriend merely continued to watch him carefully. She sighed again, stretching her legs from being confined in the car for so long. It only meant they were almost there and she would be gone. And Max would make it back out to his car before he would break down, turning his cell off to just sit in the parking lot for a good twenty minutes before being able to leave.

"I will miss you too, you know?" Mariam murmured quietly. Max met her eyes with a forced smile. He didn't doubt this; she was just so much better at coming and going. Or, at least, she hid it better. That would not surprise him either; Mariam managed to confine a lot of her feelings when she felt it was needed and it did probably help him, seeing her upset would just send him in a worse spiral.

"I know," his voice creaked and it made him cringe.

He could feel her smirk next to him. "Everything about you," she added louder, crossing her legs again. She let her eyes trace his outline in the dark car where the morning light from outside highlighted his features. He always seemed to falter under her gaze and she could tell Max was trying his best to not let her effect him even further.

"Let's not do this... please." Max's voice was soft and reluctant. Mariam nodded in silence; anything to help him. She looked out the window to the sun creeping over the horizon and stifled a yawn. Max kept his gaze trained ahead and went through the typical notions of keeping his mind clear of the fast approaching reality.

It didn't seem to take long at all to arrive at the airport, but Mariam had fallen asleep next to him regardless. Parking, Max ran his hands through his hair before they made way to his face to rub his eyes. He sighed, removing his seatbelt, his gaze stuck to his girlfriend with hesitance.

"Mariam...," Max called softly, touching her arm to jostle her awake. A known deep sleeper, Mariam attempted to turn away from him. "Mariam... Hey, we're at the airport..."

"Already...? Give me five more minutes..."

A tight smile graced Max's face. "I'd give you way more than five minutes..."

Mariam sighed, turning to face him again, her eyes opening sleepily. "You're right," she unbuckled her seatbelt and stretched from the confines of the passenger's seat. "No more delaying."

"We can delay a little...?"

"I don't think that'd be a good idea," Mariam gave him an even look. "Don't act like I don't know how mopey you get. I get love letters like clockwork."

Max chewed on his lip in thought. "I know. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Just... I'm not leaving forever."

"I know..."

And like that, they were frozen in that familiar state of goodbye in the parking garage. At least in the car they could pretend leaving wasn't so imminent and they weren't crushed by the people who were just greeting their loved ones. Max supposed he only noticed these people because they were lucky and he would be there, standing alone, until he couldn't see a trace of Mariam anymore.

"Did you hear me?"

Max, startled, turned his head toward Mariam when her hand had touched his arm. She stared at him, somewhat skeptical, but mostly concerned. "Sorry, what?"

"I asked if you could help me with my bags." She retracted her hand to fold both of them nicely in her lap. "Unless you need another moment?"

"No, no, I'm fine," the blond assured her, nodding along to convince himself. He took a deep breath and opened the car door. Climbing out, he could hear the click of the passenger side door. He fiddled with his keys, making his way for the trunk, watching Mariam as she mirrored his movements for the most part.

Max felt like there was something stuck to the back of his throat, but he did his best to ignore it. This is where life got hard. Just looking at his girlfriend, there was nothing more in the world he wanted but for them to be at the same place and both be able to call it home. Time wouldn't have to count down to when they would need to part and this circle of heartbreak could end.

It wouldn't mean Mariam would never go to China again. Heck, maybe it could mean he could go too and not be treated like an outsider. Maybe he would be taken more seriously and her Father would stop trying to set her up with these random suitors. Maybe his Mom would reconsider their relationship and stop acting like Mariam was just using him.

"Max? Seriously...," Mariam took a hold of the boy's wrist, shaking him again out of his reverie. She narrowed her gaze, studying him with growing concern. "Are you okay?"

"What if we lived together?"

Max hadn't meant to, but the question tumbled out of his mouth in haste anyway. He stared at her, partially embarrassed, but mostly curious for her response. Mariam was never one for heavy discussions pertaining to any type of relationship and Max knew well enough pushing any topic could end in an emotional disarray.

Mariam quickly let go of his wrist, almost as if his mere touch shocked her in some way. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, a look of frustration settling onto her face. She looked away from the boy and toward the airport, her hand reaching to rest on her head as if nursing a sudden migraine. "Max, I'm about to leave...," she finally decided to say. There was a noticeable warning in her voice.

"I know, okay? I just...," Max let his own frustration weigh in his voice. He ran his hands back through his hair and stared her down. She still refused to make eye contact with him. "I just... why not?"

"Max, this is not the time."

"Well, then would be better Mariam?"

"I don't know, Max," she shot back sarcastically, not fond of the sudden annoyance in his voice. "How about when I don't have to board a plane the same day?"

"You wouldn't make up any excuses?" Max asked, noting she was still looking at anything but him. He sighed, biting his lower lip in thought. "Listen... I just... I want to be together..."

"We are together."

"When you're here, it's like a countdown. You have to work to stay at the hotels. My Mom discovers new things to keep me away." Max stepped closer to Mariam, her focus still in the distance and on other people making their ways to and from the garage. Reluctantly, he took a hold of her hand and held it tightly in his own. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye as she sighed. Mariam was caving, but Max could still see she was not pleased with the conversation. "What does that leave us with? A few hours a day? I don't know about you, but I count down like every minute. All I want is to spend as much time with you as possible."

"Max..."

"I want to make sure you'll come back."

It was only then that Mariam looked at him again fully. She stared skeptically at the boy, but he bashfully avoided her eye contact this time. "Alright. I'm going to cut you a deal."

Max looked back up curiously. "Okay?"

"When I come back, and I will – I don't know where you got that idea. If I was going to run away, I wouldn't drag you through this." Mariam squeezed his hand back, still a little exasperated from the whole scene. She bit her lip before giving in, "When I come back, we'll talk about it, okay? I promise."

"Really?" Max had to stop his mouth from hanging open like a fool. He pulled on her hand gently to envelop her in a tight hug. "I... thank you. This... this is just really hard."

"I know," Mariam wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her annoyance melting into his embrace. "Do you have to be so dramatic though?"

He smiled at her retort. "Sorry."

"Well, we should really get going..."

Max nodded, knowing that time was still ticking down. He knew he hadn't made it any easier for her to go, at least not this time. And his heart still broke when they said goodbye before she went through security, and again when she disappeared from his sight for the last time for the next month or so. But he hoped maybe the next time they talked about themselves – their future – that maybe it would get easier.

Maybe soon there wouldn't be any goodbyes.