A/N: So I just watched this movie for about the millionth time, and thought it was time to expand on the one scene that gets me every time. R&R lovelies!

Might be a one-shot, depending on the request rate.

-ACP-

The Choices We Make

"Marry me, Max." Penelope begged, tears welling up in those impossibly unreal eyes. A moment ticked past as Johnny tried to think of a way, any way that he could ever live with himself if he did. But could he live with himself if he didn't? No, no easy bid out on this one. He wanted to, even though that was insane and this was real life. Really, how long had he known her for? But god, he wanted to be the one to say yes, to make every single misguided dream she'd ever had come true. And if he did, what then? He would lie to her forever for the sake of being with her? Could he do that? "Marry me!" she cried, and he knew he couldn't. And anyway, it wouldn't matter. It was like he'd said. The curse wouldn't break. 'Then I'll kill myself. I promise, I will.'

He wanted to scream, to hit something, to knee ever son of a bitch that ever got her hopes up just to run away in the nuts for driving her to the point where she could even stand to say that, to consider it and promise to it. "I can't." he said as loud as he could manage, and in that instant he learned what heartbreak looked like. It was right there in her eyes, the tears about to fall, the shattering of a final hope, of a life that they had both been imagining for themselves together in two little words. Her face held all the betrayal of the world, and he realized that he was now one of Them; one of the many in a long, horrible line of men who wouldn't- couldn't- stay with her, for whatever bullshit reason or another. Except he was worse. She had let him in, and trusted him. And he let her down in the only way that he could.

"Get out."