Still He Lays

The minutes turned to hours, the hours to days, the days to weeks and Alec made no progress. He remained in his coma, the erratic beep of the heart monitor never changing, never becoming a steady rhythm.

"Come on Alec, you can't leave now." Said Max as she held his hand tightly in hers.

Logan entered the room; he had come to visit the X-5 often. Checking and hoping that the next time he came. Alec would be cracking witty jokes till he's blue in the face.

"How's he doing?" he asked, fearing he knew what the reply would be.

"No change. I am beginning to think that maybe he isn't going to make it. Maybe I should let him go."

"What do you mean?"

"Hope and Danny want to turn the machine off. They say we are only prolonging his suffering."

"What do you think?" he asked as he looked at Alec, the ventilator tube horribly dominant on the X-5's face.

"I think they're right. It's been six weeks Logan. He's made no progress and I think maybe we should just let him go."

"Its your call Max. I want to believe that Alec will make it but, I think maybe they're right."

Max nodded.

"I need some time to think."

With that she got up and left.

Logan moved to the chair Max had just been sitting in.

"Hey man," he paused "you got us all grieving over you. If you have just given up then I guess you probably won't here me. But if you are still fighting, give us a sign man. Anything."

Logan waited, hoping he would get a response.

Nothing.

A single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Then I guess this is good bye."

He said no more. He just sat there. Listening to the soft click of the ventilator and the unsteady rhythm of Alec's weakened heart.

Max sat atop the tallest building in terminal city. It wasn't as good a thinking place as the space needle but then, was it really worth getting shot just so she could go there.

Her mind rolled back the Joshes death, how it affected her.

*flashback

"Max?" Alec entered the room with bloodshot eyes.

Max looked up at him, just then a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"Alec, what's wrong?"

Alec sobbed a little louder, unable to fight back the tears. Max just stood there, waiting for him to talk. Dread filled her heart. What had happened?

"There was an incident, on our supply run." He paused, unable to find the words "Josh was killed. He died saving me."

Alec fell to his knees and cried uncontrollably. Max could only stand and stare. Shocked by what she had been told.

"How?"

Alec didn't answer.

"HOW?" she screamed as she ran up to him, grabbed his jacket and pulled him up so he was staring her in the eyes.

"I was fighting off some guards. One came up behind me. He had a knife. Josh grabbed him but ended up with the knife in his gut."

Max let out a strangled gasp as she threw Alec to the ground.

"You were supposed to protect him." She said as she kicked him in the ribs.

"You fucking screw up, you got him killed." She said as she kicked him again and again.

Danny entered the room and was shocked by what he saw. Max beating Alec something terrible but he wasn't fighting back.

When he saw blood spill from Alec's lips he knew he had to stop her.

"MAX," he said as he grabbed her, trying to pull her back "MAX STOP, YOUR KILLING HIM."

"HE DESERVES IT."

"I know what happened to Josh and its not Alec's fault."

Max pushed Danny away and ran from the room.

Later she had gone to visit Alec in medical. She had done quite a bit of damage but he was going to be fine.

She had practically begged for Alec's forgiveness but all he had said was that he'd deserved it and that she was right.

But she knew she wasn't.

*End of flashback

"How do I let someone I love go?"

"Max?"

Max turned her head to face the voice.

"Dalton."

"Who do you have to let go?" he asked, fear flooding his features.

"Alec," she replied.

"Why?"

"Because he's not getting better," she paused "its been six weeks and nothing has changed."

"We just need to have faith."

Alec had become Dalton's idol, he worshiped the ground the man walked on and he couldn't bare the thought of losing him.

"I had faith Dalton. I thought he was going to get better."

Dalton nodded in response.

"I am going to tell them to turn the life support off. There's no point prolonging his suffering."

With that she stood and left. Her destination. Medical.

Once she arrived there she found Hope checking Alec's vitals.

"Still no change." She said as she looked at Max with sorry eyes.

"I want you to let him go."

"Are you sure? This is a big decision."

"I'm sure."

Hope moved to the Ventilator. With one flick of a switch it was off. The click stopped. Alec's heart stopped.

Sorry it took so long. College is manic and I have so much art course work to get done. Plus it's my birthday this Wednesday, so everyone is begging me to meet up with them, which makes a change. Everyone wish me luck for my job interview on Wednesday. Please leave a review.