Max sat in the hospital in Nebraska watching carefully as Zack, er… Adam, was wheeled out of his room. She knew she should have kept the magazine up higher to hide her face, but she couldn't help it. He saw her. There was a flicker of recognition but her face wasn't enough to bring back the memories and Max thanked her lucky stars. She really didn't want to have to break his heart again or electrocute him again, but she still couldn't help the tears that silently streamed down her face as she watched him get wheeled away. Forever.

She sat in the chair curled up crying for only ten minutes before she sensed him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, attempting to sound angry but it just came out broken.

"I thought you could use a friend," he told her simply taking the seat next to her and wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

Normally she would have shoved him away, told him to leave her alone. And maybe she should have. But she couldn't stand to push someone else away that day. So she leaned into him, letting her tears soak his black t-shirt. And when she was all cried out she allowed him to lead her out to her bike and back to the motel they were both booked in. He walked her to her room but as he was about to leave she grabbed his arm desperately.

"Stay," she begged quietly.

He nodded with a gentle smile and followed her inside closing the door behind him.

"Why don't you take a shower, Max? Make yourself comfortable."

She nodded and moved around the room in a daze gathering her clothes and towel and moving into the bathroom. The shower helped a lot and she was even able to muster a smile when she saw the food on the small coffee table.

"Hungry?" he asked.

She nodded and came to sit beside him. Even though the couch was quite large she left barely any distance between them, pressing her left side against his right as they ate. He made no comment, instead handing her the egg rolls with an easy grin. His presence comforted her even more than the shower had and she soon found herself full and leaning back against the couch still pressed flush to his side, watching some mindless show on television.

"Did I do the right thing?" she murmured after a while so quietly she wasn't even sure he heard her, but then she felt his hand close around hers and squeeze tightly.

"Yes," he answered her confidently. "You always do," he added after a moment before kissing her forehead sweetly.

She smiled for the first time that day and curled up against his side as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Thanks for being here, Alec," she said quietly after a few minutes.

"Anything for a friend."