The Disbanded: Divided We Stand-Chapter 35
By MyNameIsCAB
---Max's POV---
I woke up the next morning to Fang's light snoring. Not wanting to wake him, I crept out of the room and down to the kitchen to get some coffee. Cal was sitting at the table, admiring her ring.
"Want coffee?" I asked, walking in.
"Oh, yea, thanks," Cal answered, putting her hands into her lap. "Sorry…I just can't stop looking at it."
"I can't either," I joked, pouring her a cup of coffee.
"I didn't think he would do it during Christmas," Cal smiled as I sat down. "I was pretty sure he was going to wait until I get out of college, and that's in like three years."
"He's had the ring for a while, I think," I said. I thought I remembered Messina showing it me once.
Cal just sat there smiling. After a while, she started to look at the ring again. "So what's up with you and Fang?"
"Us? Nothing really," I replied, not really knowing how to answer that question. "Our relationship never really worked out before. I guess we'll see how it goes now."
"Really? I never would have thought," Cal said.
I shrugged. "Yea, it was complicated."
Ted came into the kitchen a half hour later, his hair messy as always. Cal frowned at it and attempted to fix it again.
"So, has Captain Ramirez been calling you?" I asked Messina.
"Why?" he replied.
"Because he called me to see if I've heard from you. I lied to him and said no," I answered.
"He wants me to be part of this other FBI unit. But I'm here helping you and Fang and the rest of your family," Messina said with modesty.
"Seriously, Messina, but if you wanna go back to the FBI, go ahead," I said. "You don't have to help, but you know having you and Cal around is great."
"Max, I'd rather be here than working with the FBI. We oughta tell Ramirez we're done now," Messina said. "Whaddya think of that, Cal?"
"I think you'd be safer helping Max," Cal said. "Besides, FBI agents don't have wings to use to save you."
I just had to grin at that because I knew Fang would have been amused.
---Max's POV---
During breakfast, Messina's phone. He looked at it.
"Ramirez," he announced. "Should I answer it?"
"Tell him you're not interested," Cal replied.
"Hello?" Messina said. He listened as the captain talked. Then he spoke again. "No, captain. I think my work with the FBI is done….No I'm not going to reconsider…No….I don't know if Max is interested because I haven't talked to her since we disbanded….No….Yes, I'm resigning as an FBI agent then.....Phoenix on Thursday? Yea, I'll be there, you can count on it….No, I'm not reconsidering…Good bye Captain."
We all waited for Messina to explain.
"Well, Ramirez wants me in Phoenix to turn in my badge and stuff. It turns out Chuck was in California with Kerry to exchange vows," Messina explained. "And Ramirez is here in Phoenix, so we're handing over our badges there tomorrow. And Max, he should be calling you soon. Apparently most of the team has resigned too."
My cell phone began ringing and I picked it up. "Hello, Captain."
"Max, are you interested in…."
I cut him off. "I'm not interested in anything, Captain. I'm done with the FBI. I have personal issues to attend to."
"Don't tell me your going to resign. I've lost the entire team already."
"I'm sorry to hear that." Truthfully, I wasn't. After Carter's death, it was hard on everyone.
"So where are you?" the captain asked me.
"Why?" I asked, knowing he was going to tell me about Phoenix.
"I'm in Phoenix. Messina and Chuck are handing in their stuff for resignation. If you're around, I need your badge and gun too," the captain answered. "Thursday."
"Okay, Captain. I'll see if I'm around," I answered. "Most likely."
"Okay, see you then," the captain hung up without saying goodbye.
---Fang's POV---
"You're coming back right after, right?" Cal asked.
"Yea, of course," Ted smiled at Cal, leaning down to kiss her.
I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was Max.
"We should be back in a couple of hours," Max told me.
"Okay," I answered, looking up at her.
"You gonna be okay here?" I asked.
"Yea, I'll be fine." Max worries about me too much.
"Okay, call if you need anything," Max went on.
"Max, I'll be fine. I mean, Ella, Iggy, Cal, and Mom will still be here," I told her.
She shrugged. "Yea, I know."
