A/N: Hey guys! This story is for my friend, role model, constant source of inspiration, and one of the realest people I know, Kyoko M, also known as Kyoko Kasshu Minamino.

Let me explain why I praise her so much: I'm still working on writing my book. It's been a long process and several roadblocks of 2016 prevented it from being done this year. But, one person who I have always been able to go to for advice, encouragement, and venting has been Kyoko M. She is an amazing writer, a masterful guide through the writing and publishing process, a fantastic person, and, more than all of that, a phenomenal friend.

To Kyoko, if it was possible to say thank you enough, I would but it's not. So, take this as just a small token of my appreciation for you. Thank you a million times over.

Enjoy!

Night Under the Stars

"Terry, seriously!" Max pleaded. They had been driving for an hour and she was still wearing the blindfold that he made her put on.

"No," Terry replied.

"Come on! It's gotta be late by now! We didn't even leave until 10!"

"Yeah, it's late. So what?"

"Work?"

"Night off."

"And if you have to go?"

"We know how this works, Max."

"My point is…"

"Silence!"

She couldn't see him but she turned her face toward his direction. "I know you didn't tell me to 'silence'!"

Terry laughed.

"Ha, ha, nothing, McGinnis. The second this blindfold comes off…"

"Oh, calm down, Laila Ali!"

She smirked, "At least, you named me after one of the most schway women in history." She groaned. "Will you just…"

"It's a surprise, Gibson! Just be patient!"

"I'm a product of my society. I want it now!"

"Well, I've been groomed in the old school. And, trust me, this is worth the wait."

She groaned. "Stupid, awesome Batman training. Giving you patience and crap."

"You know just how to sweet talk me, Max."

Terry drove for a few more minutes then stopped the car. Max stayed sitting there, impatiently tapping her foot. She groaned when she heard Terry got out of the car. He opened her door and Max growled.

"Terry, can…" Max said.

"Yes," Terry replied.

She ripped the blindfold off with a grunt.

She couldn't believe it. It was a clearing in on a hill. She looked around and found no sign of Gotham. The air was crisp and clear. It was the cleanest air she'd ever tasted. It was quiet, as well. No horns, no clatter, no vehicles going by. She could only hear the wind against the nearby foliage and the occasional chirp of insects.

She looked up and saw the most wondrous sight: the stars.

They were so clear. She didn't know the sky could be so clear or that the stars could shine so bright.

"Whoa…" Max breathed out.

"I know, right?" Terry said.

"Where are we, Terry?"

"Hilltop. We're about 60 miles from Gotham. Commissioner Gordon told me about it. Said she and Dick Grayson liked to come here."

"And they diiiiiid?"

"She wouldn't tell me and, believe me, I asked!"

She giggled.

He got a blanket and some pillows of the trunk and laid them on the ground.

"You know, someone else might mistake this for romantic," Max said, slyly.

Terry just smiled. "One's own perception is one's own perception."

"Who said that?"

"Me."

"Work on being clever, McGinnis." She sat down on the blanket. "So… why are we out here?"

He sat down next to her and leaned back on his arms. "Because we've had a rough year. School, graduation, breakups, Batman, everything. We need a break. Even if it's for a few minutes, an hour, or even a whole night. We just need a break."

"You're right about that." She sighed. "I'm still sorry about you and Dana."

"It was rough, yeah, but I meant you and Jared. I know that was rough, too."

Max looked down, "A little."

She and Jared Tate tried dating and it all seemed to be going well for a while. But it all ended right in the middle of their last semester when Jared's new job to help out the family and Max's aiding Terry with his Batman duties cause their schedules to keep them from seeing one another. They eventually sat down and talked; as much as neither wanted it to end, it had to. Max remembered not crying, just a single tear as they separated. It was hard and difficult but far from the worst thing she'd been through. She was just disappointed.

Max sighed. "It wasn't that bad. It's not like I hate him or anything. It just sucked it didn't work."

"Well!" Terry lied down. "Maybe the next one will work out better."

"Yeah." She looked at him, "Thanks for being there for me through all that."

"What else was I gonna do?"

She smiled then exhaled. "So, what are we doing now?"

"Nothing." He placed his hands behind his head as he lied on the pillows. "No Batman, no school, no family, no drama. I just wanted to give you some stars."

"Are these different from the ones you see when Mad Stan punches you?"

"Oh, you're so hilarious. In fact, my laughter is so great it was delayed a year. Hold your breath and wait for it."

"Keep working on that witty thing."

"Shut up and stargaze with me."

Max smiled and laid down next to him, placing her hands behind her head as she laid on her own pillow. She crossed her ankles and just stared up. She was amazed. She'd never done anything like this. She found herself relaxed and, for not being around a computer, not anxious at all.

"Schway," she breathed out.

"I know, right?" Terry asked.

"I mean… it's like their close." She lifted her hand up in wonder, "Like you can touch them."

Terry just smiled.

Max moved her hand around a little more. "Have you done this before?"

"Like, just stopped and stared at them? No. Going on missions, I tend to find spots where you can look at the stars. Like that time I was in the North Pole and when I was actually in space."

She lowered her hand, "I hate that your life is so freakin' awesome."

"If it helps, I didn't really get to enjoy the stars then and I got my butt kicked both times."

"Oh, shut up," Max giggled. She was quiet for a while, taking it all in as she got lost in looking at them again. "They're so… beautiful."

Terry smiled, "Yeah, they are."

They stargazed and talked for a long time. They didn't even know how much time they spent looking up at them. After a while, Max became curious as to how long they had been out there. She checked her phone and saw that it was after one in the morning.

"Wow," she said. "That went by fast."

Terry looked over and saw the time. "Yeah. I'm used to nights zooming by. This was one of few times that it was doing something fun."

"Being Batman isn't fun?"

"Well, yeah, save the times I'm not getting blown up or poisoned," he looked back up. "But, this is better."

She put her phone down and looked at him, "You really mean that?"

He looked at her, "Of course, I really mean that, Max." He shrugged, "Who else would I rather spend time with than you? You're my best friend. And way more. You hold me down more than anyone else. I don't know what I'd do without you and I never want to find out. You mean the world to me."

She felt her heart skip a beat at hearing that.

"It's why I wanted to take you out here. I may need a break every now and then but so you do."

"Like, how do you mean?"

He raised an eyebrow, "Really? Ms. Maxine 'Straight-A-Plus-Grades-Colleges-Begging-For-Her-Valedictorian-Who-Also-Helps-Me-With-Being-Batman' Gibson?"

Max laughed, uncontrollably. She managed to get a hold of herself and said, "That's too long to put on an application. I'll just stick with 'Maxine Gibson.'"

"Might as well. The name 'Maxine Gibson' means all of that, anyway."

"You forgot to add 'Incredibly-Sexy' somewhere in there."

He stared at her. "No, I didn't. Trust me."

She leaned over and looked at him. "So, you did this just for me?"

"Yep. I have plenty of ways to relax, believe it or not. This was all for you. Like I said, this is just us, away from everything. This is you away from everything. No one's asking you for anything out here. No one needs you to be a straight-A student. No one needs you to solve a problem. I don't need your help with a case." He looked back up and waved his hand, "It's just you, me, and a billion silent stars."

"Yeah." She looked up then whispered, "Just you and me."

Max stared at the stars for a few minutes then looked at Terry. He did all of this for her; drove her all the way out to most peaceful place anywhere near Gotham, he even took her out of Gotham to get away from it all for a little while. He took the one of the few times he ever had off from being Batman to do this for her and he stayed with her just to enjoy the peace with her. He asked for nothing. He wanted nothing. He cared. Pure and simple.

She couldn't ask for more if she tried.

This whole night, this whole experience made her see him in a different light. As more than a best friend. Far more. It was risky to think of him as more. But she didn't care. It was a risk she could take. And, something told her, it would pay off.

He looked over at her and saw her staring. "What's wrong?"

She smiled. "Nothing."

"Okay. So, why the look?"

She shook her head, "You can be so dense sometimes."

"Duh. What did I do this time?"

"You don't recognize the opportunity you have."

"Opportunity?"

"Let me show you." She moved over him and pressed her lips against his.

Terry was surprised but only at first. Slowly, he fell under the spell of the kiss and placed his arms around her and pulling her closer. He should've felt awkward about this if it wasn't a part of him that wanted this happen. A very large part of him. For the longest time, he had wondered what her lips would taste like but fear kept him from making any moves to find out. It was worlds better than he ever imagined.

Max didn't know that she wanted this as badly as she did until she had it. Kissing Terry made this entire night perfect. He always made her feel special. She may have kissed him first but the way he kissed her back made her feel like the most important woman in the world.

After they broke the kiss, Terry looked up at her. "Not what I was expecting when I brought you out here."

Max stared into his eyes, "A bad thing?"

"Not at all," he whispered back.

"Thanks for giving me the stars, Terry."

"I'm glad I could."

"Think we can plan another trip out here?"

"Oh, absolutely."

A/N: Thank you, again, Kyoko. I hope you liked this. You rock!