Followup/End piece to Broken Mirror.

Saying Goodbye

Feet hooked behind a log post fence, a warm sun and watching eyes…

"You're a brat!" pouty lips called out as dark eyes scowled and smoothed down the pink dress that she had been preening over since her mother dressed her in it that morning. It now had a grass stain on the front along with a few dirt streaks running down the back that she was unaware of.

"Am not! You're acting like a girl," the blonde haired boy hollered back at her.

"I am a girl," she screeched back.

"Since when?!" The boy's flabbergasted face nearly made their observer fall off her perch.

"MOM!" the young girl screamed as her brother sighed, she had looked like she was going to tackle him in the mud.

"You're such a tattletale," her brother informed her with scorn and wondered if he should throw himself in the mud pit.

Their mother with her graying curls and soft brown eyes walked out, wiping her hands on the apple apron that covered her blue plaid dress, "Now what in God's name is-Lilly," her eyes narrowed, "what happened to your dress?"

"He knocked me over," she loudly whined.

"Go up to your room and change," the mother sighed, "David, go find your father and tell him what you did."

"Yes Mom," he muttered, turning and kicking the dry dirt beneath his feet as he shuffled away, it wasn't the future punishment he was upset by, but his dad's face when he told him. Technically he hadn't hit Lilly and since when was she a girl anyway?

The woman on her perch sat up a little straighter as Lilly smiled up at the exiting guest of the B&B that had appeared in the doorway, the 6'2", pale green, freshly lasik-ed eyes, blonde haired love of both their lives.

"You're going?" the mother questioned up.

"Yea," he smiled and nodded, quickly glancing at her across the yard before remembering his manners and returning his attention to their host, "we're all set."

"Words can't thank you enough Logan," her hands clasped his.

"It's Max and I who can't thank you enough, Peggy. For the kids and your hospitality with us," he covered her hands that covered his left with his right.

"Oh psht, those kids were a blessing and it was lovely having two guests I didn't need to worry about the kids waking before the rooster did," she laughed. "Al and I wish you the best in life." Her hands bounced within his, "Lilly say goodbye to Logan."

"Goodbye Logan," her brown eyes filled with tears at the prospect of this.

His hands free from her mother, he bent down to her height, adjusting the single overnight bag Max had left in their room because he hadn't been done showering when she'd cleared out, "Goodbye Lilly, be good for your parents and don't give David too much flack, he loves you."

"I know," she grumbled.

He laughed.

"Speaking of," his mother looked around the yard, "Dave?" she called out when she didn't see him, "David!" she followed up with a moment later.

The boy shuffled back into view, "Yea Ma?"

"Say goodbye to Logan," she nodded at the man to her side, the whole family having already said goodbye to Max earlier.

His hand lifted in a half wave, "Bye Logan," he called without much enthusiasm. He turned to Max on her perch and gave her a bittersweet smile as he nodded his head at her once and gave her a short wave as well before turning to return to his dad in the shed.

Peggy sighed, "Boys. Go up and get changed sweetheart," she ordered with a hand on her daughter's back.

"Bye Logan," she repeated and then did as her brother, but with more enthusiasm and waved at Max.

"Al and I wish you and Max the best," her mother said the final farewell as she kissed his cheek. "You ever need us, you know where we are."

"Thank you," he nodded at her before smiling as he walked out the door and Max jumped off her perch and started heading towards the red pickup they were ditching when they hit Missouri and a contact by the name of Nolan. He tossed his bag in the bed of the truck as she climbed in.

"Any regrets?" he asked as he joined her in the cab.

She gave him a pointed look.

He laughed, "About Lilly and David. They're small, they could fit." They had only been with the Douglas family for 5 weeks before Max and Logan had also left Seattle. It had been difficult trying to move the kids out, even more so trying to find a family that would take 2. The kids hadn't even been settled in 2 months, despite the fact that they had taken to their new life so readily.

She rolled her eyes, "I'm debating asking Peggy if she wants a second daughter, that apple crumb pie…"

Logan laughed as he started the car.

"I'm glad they're ok, even if they aren't with Zack."

"They'll be happy here," Logan nodded in agreement.

"If they aren't Alec was right and they have some serious screws loose."

"Ready to go Max?" he looked over as he shifted the car into drive.

She shook her head at him, he was about to put the truck in park, "Max is…" she shook her head again and turned to look at herself in the side mirror. The once dark hair now held a myriad of colors from sandy brown, to caramel blonde, there were even a few near platinum framing her face that Original Cindy had claimed were to brighten it. Dark blue eyes courtesy of contacts were what studied the reflection of the preppy, sweet looking girl that stared at her from the mirror. They didn't show how she wanted to still do nothing more than scratch off the back of her neck after removing her barcode last night. The machine along with their stash of IDs had been hidden in the false bottom under her feet. Even if she had to do it the rest of her life, it would be worth it, for him, for them, for their future. At least she knew she'd get to junk the contacts once they started the final leg of their journey.

Her eyes were more than just her, they were what Logan sought comfort and reassurance from, especially during those long and horrible months, which they had been forced to remain separated, they were the final bit of Lydecker's humanity, she saw Lilly, Sam, the X7 that had changed everyone's lives, hell she even saw Krit, in them. Her eyes were everything, they told the whole story; she could hide everything else, but not them.

She turned to Logan with a small smile, "Max is staying," she nodded at him. Max had made her final stand, she had married her wonderful and perfect Logan in a ceremony that had been filled with their friends in Terminal City, had promised to always be his even though she had made that promise silently and unknowingly the moment that dark brown and light green had connected that very first night. Max had made sure her siblings, new and old, would be as safe as she could leave them before she did. Max though, leader of freaks and outcasts could never be anything more, she was on everyone's hit list and always would be and next to her name would always be Eyes Only.

He smiled gently back at her and nodded once, "Ready to go Kristin?"

"I finally am Jonathan," she nodded back.

He lifted his foot off the brake and started them down the dirt drive.

Kristin O'Conner popped her head out the open window and turned back when she heard a loud scream and saw a little boy being pummeled by his even littler sister. She pulled her head back in the window, her smile matching her husband's. Max could go now, she had gotten everything she had ever dreamed of, she had no idea how, but she had. It was Kristin's turn now; a life not lived in regrets, guilt and the past, but the future.

Ah yes and there is such a good chance this will be the last DA piece you see posted from me. Unless magically the spark returns, does not seem to ever be happening though. Thanks for being such excellent readers and reviewers (Umm Mari…as always you win as the best…those reviews kept me going inspiration wise for quite some time). -Mia