Another bad title, it's becoming a habit with me. Okay so this is a Post-Freak Nation story, it's part of a different story I had been working on as like a Season 3, but it was too flawed and I didn't feel like having to fix it all. This also just pulls out one aspect I had liked in that story and made it larger.

Freak Nation I've seen set at dozens of different times (why they couldn't have made the dates clearer throughout the season I do not know. I mean honestly one holiday…haha, this be a main reason behind my flawed season 3 that I scrapped, damn pregnant Gem, totally forgot about the whole 9 month thing).

Max and Logan have been dealing with this virus for at least 7 months. 7 months is a long time to keep up that hope for a cure, a hope to get their lives back. This is their story of letting go…I hope you enjoy…Oh and this is going to be a longer story, so if you want more, if you like this idea, please let me know, please leave a reply. Oh and any criticisms always appreciated. Hey if anyone has the exact dates down and wants me to change the ones in this story, just tell me. I can still adjust them.

Chapter One

When Hope Is Lost

Max Voiceover (Watching the flag)-

I don't know why I've come back up here, long after everyone's left. I don't think it's to admire Joshua's talent. I don't know what this feeling is coursing through me, I don't know if it's determination, resolve, or a responsibility to this so-called family of mine.

Maybe it's that I can't ask hundreds of people to run like I ran, I can't do that to them. This world only became important to me when I stopped running, until then I really was just a number, I wasn't somebody that would be missed. I guess I want them to have that chance, to actually matter.

I don't want to run anymore, I haven't in a long time. It's how they ended up out of there, me wanting to be free set them free, so I guess I'm responsible now.

It's funny though, I'm standing here looking up at this flag as the dusk is settling on it for the first time ever, I realize that my future probably won't be as bright as theirs.

I know some will fall in this stand, Cece already has, but there's a real life out there for so many. There will be families, there will be loves, there will be friends, they'll have years and years…But what do I have besides responsibilities? I mean I know I have friends; I have the best friends in people like Original Cindy, Logan, and Joshua, hell even Alec and Sketchy.

My love, that's gone and I think it's gonna stay gone. As hard as that is to admit. It's almost March, in a few months it'll have been a year since we took down the lab at Manticore, mine and Logan's second anniversary.

(brushing away tears)

A year since my future seemed so bright, I really thought when I left that night that I would do what he said, that I would come home.

I mean I guess I did, 3 months later I was standing in his apartment, but one thing was proven, they're right you can't go home again. As much as I want to, that life is over. 7 months of this virus. 7 months and seeing him and having to stay away. One month of him believing I've moved on. I kept up the hope really long that we would find a way to beat this, that this damn bitch would go down. Part of me still believed it as I walked out of his apartment leaving him shattered. I believed one day I could knock at his door and raise myself up for a kiss.

That one day as he slept I would just slide in between the sheets and be there for when he woke up.

One day that I would grab his arm as he grabbed mine and laugh at him as he freaked out waiting for the virus to take over and then seeing that relief as he realized he was fine. Watching that smile spread across his face, that smile that warmed me in a way I had never known possible.

I stopped believing today; one day is never going to come.

They raised the flag as he held my hand and all I was thinking is remember what this feels like. Remember this forever because it's going to be gone soon.

(tears allowed to freely fall)

I don't why it is I feel this. I don't know what happened as they raised that flag. I was closer to him in these past three days than we had been in months, maybe even ever. In that moment, it didn't seem like anything was separating us, but I knew it was coming. I knew that it was the end. I've been trying to understand it all day. I can't figure out this feeling, I can't figure out why all of my hope has died. 7 months of hoping and praying and it's gone.

I know I've lost him.

This is my life now and while I know he'll never abandon me or these people or this cause, I know that my days of hoping are gone. Seven months, seven long months without anything to show for it except that this is one hell of a bitch of a virus and he's almost died twice.

So today as everyone celebrated their freedom and this fight, I was saying goodbye to everything I had ever dreamed of, everything I fought against, everything I denied wanting.

Logan's gone.

It's time for us both to move on.

-o-o-o-

The roof door opens, "Hey Maxie, been lookin for you."

Max brushes away her tears "Something happen?"

"No same old same old, just hadn't been yelled at in awhile so I started to worry." Alec says walking over

She laughs

"Hey you okay?" he asks looking down and seeing the red eyes and tear stains.

She nods, but allows herself to be engulfed by his arms.

The door opens again and they separate quickly, she turns to see Logan, no visible emotion on his face, "Original Cindy's looking for you, Max."

"Where is she?"

"Mess Hall."

"I'll be right down."

He nods and allows the door to shut.