A/N: 2022.04.22

Welcome back, all! Welcome to "Part 3"! I want to kick this off right and take it back to where we started: this first story of "Chronicles Part 3" is all about Terry and Max. I just still love writing just Terry and Max stories, plus I thought it would be fun to catch up with them after so much craziness in their lives. And the title is very much inspired by the Bill Withers song of the same name. He's one of my favorite singers ever. Enjoy!

Summary: Terry and Max go out to dinner, getting a chance to relax, talk, and enjoy one another's company. Pre-"So Far Away".

Just the Two of Us

It hardly felt like they got to do this anymore, but Terry and Max found themselves getting to have a date night. In a rare move, Terry asked the team if they could cover for a night and Max asked Sally if she could watch the kids. They were both surprised with how easily everyone agreed.

Terry and Max went to a nice restaurant, even dressed up for the occasion. Terry was dressed in, what he felt, was a very basic black suit. Max's dress almost made Terry cancel their plans to leave the house at all. She was always gorgeous and sexy without even trying, but, when she did try, Terry suddenly felt like a third child wasn't such a bad idea. And the red dress Max was wearing was again inspiring that line of thinking. For Max, Terry's suit was anything but basic; particularly, because he was wearing it. She knew he didn't much care for dressing up, but, when he did it just for her, she couldn't help but feel even more special.

They talked about any subject that came up and joked with each other like they always did. It relieved them both more than they could express that they hadn't lost that. They never brought it up but the fact that they could still be themselves after all this time made life substantially easier.

"So, Mel said with Eddy's raise," Max said, "they're really thinking about having another kid."

"That's awesome!" Terry smiled. "They're really great parents."

"Right? Oh! By the way…" she grinned, mischievously, "Helena said Lincoln called her again."

He laughed, "Can he just move to Gotham already?!"

"Right?!"

"You still giving it another couple of years?"

"If he doesn't move here, yes. If he does, I'll adjust my estimate."

Terry laughed.

"How's Michelle been doing?" Max asked.

"Pretty good. You'd never know she hadn't done this before. She really is a natural. She just needed a second chance."

"Hm. Reminds me of someone."

Terry scoffed a bit. "Yeah. Yeah, I saw a lot of my… old self in her, too. Always joking, putting on a brave face. Never really letting anyone see what was going on in your head."

"She definitely didn't have it easy. The crap she went through with her mom…" Max sighed. "God, Terry, I thought we had parental horror stories."

"Right?"

Max leaned forward, resting her chin on her interlocked fingers. "I'm proud of you, Terry."

Terry smiled.

"I mean it. I've always been proud of you but… ever since Basem moved to Gotham, you didn't take it any easier than you already did. You got all this on your shoulders… and you handle it." She smiled. "And… despite everything you've been through… you found some time to actually fall in love with me."

"Well, to be fair, that wasn't hard at all."

"Sweet talker."

"I try."

She giggled. "But… you're such a hero. To everyone. I honestly think the reason Michelle turned things around was because of you."

"I think it was because of Hayate," he shrugged.

"That started her on the right path. But you proved to her that she could change and stay there. You made some of the same mistakes she did, except you can't control fire and you never robbed a bank. But she learned she could be better because of you. You've been there for B, Sal, Hayate, Shell. Even Bruce and so many others. And you're still there for me and the kids." She laughed, "How do you do that?"

He chuckled. "Well… you make it easier than it is."

Max smiled.

"I mean it. It does get to be a lot, Max. You've seen it. But… your support means everything. It has since we became friends. I wouldn't be able to handle… half of this if it wasn't for you."

"I think you could."

"I don't know if I could." Terry gazed at her. "But I'm glad it's with you. And the truth… you don't get enough credit for it, Max."

"Me?" Max asked.

"You."

"Terry. I don't…"

"You do everything. I mean it." Terry scoffed. "I… I don't know how many times I would've failed without you." He looked around, then back at Max. "And I don't mean just as… ya know."

"Terry…" Max said, breathlessly, as her eyes welled up a bit.

"I mean… school, work, being a dad… just life, Max. You've been there for me, in more ways than I can count. And I can't thank you enough." He sighed. "And you're so freakin' smart! How are you so smart?!"

Max giggled.

"You're a hard worker and… you're the best mom."

Max closed her eyes and let that compliment sink in.

"I know you worried about that," Terry said. "We both worried how we'd be with that. But… you are the best. The kids… they couldn't have a better mother than you. I know I'm blessed. And so are they."

Max wiped her eyes. "I put on all this makeup just for you to say all that!" She giggled.

Terry chuckled. "You never needed the makeup."

Max smiled. "I know you're always busy. I signed up for this knowing that, but… moments like this… just adds to it being worth it. I never regretted one thing about us since we met and I've regretted even less since we started dating."

Terry laughed.

"You're so strong, Terry. You're an amazing father. Whether you realize it or not."

"I'm trying. I hope I don't mess it up."

"You're not," Max reassured. "Just like with… both of your jobs… you're doing amazing!"

Terry smiled. "Thank you, Max. For all you do."

"Right back at you, McGinnis."

"Don't forget: that's your last name now, too."

"Took you long enough to give it to me!"

"Oh, we dated for a year before I proposed!" Terry argued.

"And?" Max countered. "You took forever!"

They laughed. After they laughed, they stared at each other, lovingly.

"No regrets about us?" Max asked.

"Not a single one," Terry replied, immediately.

"Same." Max looked down at the table, "When we were… trying not to make us happen… I just kept telling myself… 'he can do better than you.' 'He can be happier with someone else.' 'He needs you as a friend. And only as a friend.'" She looked up at him. "I'm glad I stopped listening to that side."

"Me, too."

"Because… I'm so… grateful for what we have, Terry. Despite all the insanity… I'm… really happy."

Terry smiled. "Me, too. I was scared… before we started… and, hell even now… that I'd… make your life worse. So… I guess that's part of what makes me work so hard. I don't ever want to ruin you, Max. Maybe I can't make you smile all the time… but I wanna try."

"No one smiles all the time, but you get me pretty damn close."

"Then I did something right."

"You do a lot right." Max stood up and walked over to him, "More… than you'll ever realize."

Max sat on Terry's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Whoa," Terry whispered.

Max smiled and gave him a long, deep kiss. She pulled back, still smiling.

Terry smiled at her, scanning the room through his peripheral vision. "Do you care that everyone's staring at us?"

"Do you?" Max replied.

"Not at all."

"Me, neither."

Terry grinned, mischievously. "I hope they're jealous."

"Me, too." Max matched his grin. "Ya know… Sally said… she'd watch the kids… all… night."

"Why are we blessed with such awesome people in our lives?"

"To be fair, you do have to dodge gunfire on a regular basis."

"True." He stared into her eyes. "But not tonight."

"No." She smiled. "Not tonight. You ready to go?"

"Uhh, I was ready when you came over and sat on my lap."

"Whatever. You didn't wanna leave the house after you saw me in this dress."

"This is also true."

Max giggled. She kissed him. "Let's go. Your night's just getting started."

"Sounds good to me."

She bit her bottom lip. "It's gonna be a long… long night."

"Oh, didn't you know?" Terry grinned, dangerously. He moved closer to her ear then whispered, using his Batman tone, "I can go all night."

Max smiled, seductively. "Oh, my, Mr. McGinnis…"

A/N: For the record, I know this is totally sappy and it really looks like Terry and Max have the perfect life but, given all the heaviness and emotional mess that is happening in "So Far Away" and the fact that Terry is still indeed Batman, I thought his life actually going well in SOME area is just as important.

I really hope you all like this. It was fun for me to take it back to just Terry and Max. I may do more with just the two of them soon. We'll see.

Well, thanks for reading! "So Far Away" will be updated very soon! Look out for it! See you soon!