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Part 17: Spent

We looked at the falls, went to Goat Island, went on the Maid of the Mist- where Max thought he could try and get me to recreate the scene from Titanic...

We ended up slipping when we got closer to the falls and I swear he gave himself a concussion, but he insisted he's fine.

The whole time we had fun, but I could get rid of the feeling that Max was out of it. Maybe it's a concussion, maybe it's the atmosphere, or maybe he is just more odd than I normally would have noticed.

Headed home, the children asleep from having a good meal at the cafe on top of the Falls, Max drives quietly- thinking upon something.

"You're unusually quiet." I say and the blue light from the radio illuminated his face in the dark.

"Oh...sorry."

"Where are you right now?" I ask and hold his hand gently in mine.

"I was just thinking about how this is the first time I ever put someone above the hospital I work at." Georgia.

She wanted him to slow down and he never did- even when he had cancer.

He just kept going.

"I never took off work just cause. Even when I was still in med school interning- I was always working. Dating Georgia- it'd miss dates to work. We barely had a honeymoon because the hospital over in Chinatown needed the help and the guidance. Today was the first time ever...that I...that I allowed myself to just enjoy being with someone and not for medical reasons."  He looks at me with those big blue eyes and his smile is unlike one I've ever seen before.

"It feels good...freeing yourself from the chaos- doesn't it?"

"Only for you and them. I don't think I could do it for anyone else."

"That's all very well—but you should do it for you. You have put in so much of your life into a very noble cause- but heroes need to rest too." His smile flickers slightly to a frown and I just kiss the back of his hand. "I love you and I loved today. But I don't want you to slow down because you think that's what I need or want. I want you to slow down because you need and want it."

The silence fills the car again and I feel I've pushed a button. He lets go of my hand and just stares forward. For about a mile and a half, I allow the silence to fill the blue lit cab, but finally I can't take it any more.

"If what I said pissed you off- I'm sorry. I don say it because I don't care. You above anyone else should know how much you mean to me. I just want you to take care of yourself is all before you end up having a heart attack or stroke because your body is overwhelmed." He pulls off into an empty rest area, parks the car and gets out without a word. I watch him pace in front of the car's head lights for a bit- his nerves seemingly heightened.

"Hmm...why are we stopped?" Mina asks as she rouses.

"I believe I've pissed him off." We watch him pace and then he suddenly startled us by throwing open my door, reaching over and unbuckling my belt, pulling me from the car."Max! What are you doing?!"

Mina's eyes widen and she watches through the window intently. Max shuts my door—hard, but it surprisingly doesn't disturb Luna- and he looks at me glaringly.

"What? What's wrong? I told you what I thought and it's perfectly reasonable to..."

"Stop talking." He says and I can't believe him right now.

"Honestly, Max if there's an issue just say it. Or leave me here- I don't really care which you pick. I've never lied to you and I won't now."

"Just stop talking..." He says again.