After the Fall

We will Rise, I will Rise (Fluff)

Everyone begins to put their luggage and belongings into the RV, them deciding that they would go on and get on the road that way they can go on and get home.

It was a good night last night, Max just poured her heart out to Lucas and he listened, he listened and he assured her just like he always does, the assurance that Max needs everyday that he loves her, he cares for her and he always will and that will never change. Every memory, every sorrow, every thought, every feeling, every moment she shared with Lucas, she just explained everything to him, and she is so glad she did because she feels lighter, she is able to move around more and actually smile more, she feels...

Rejuvenated.

Lucas as well told Max what really happened when they went to Chester, Max was shocked and it did scare her when he told her, but Lucas assured her that the gun wasn't loaded and it was all apart of the plan anyways and Lucas knew he wasn't going to die that night but he needed Chester to make it seem like he had a chance killing Lucas that way he could try and shoot and the police could catch him in the act.

Despite that Lucas shared with her how it wasn't easy, how he had to clench his hands together when he felt the tip of the gun against his head, how it brought back memories of the war and him almost committing suicide and him almost dying on top of that at the hospital. Something he never told Max before he told her of the vision he saw whenever he was in the hospital, how he thought he was in heaven and he died and Max was talking to him, telling him to fight.

That made Max smile, it made her smile to know that she gave him that strength and willpower to come back. Lucas also told her how it always pains him how she says she isn't enough and how worthless she is. It brought tears in her eyes, she never really knew how much it affected him until last night when he was crying so much while telling her about it, she never knew she was paining him when she was saying those words.

She made a promise to herself last night, that never again will she just say things without thinking, never will she give into her doubt and let people tell people who she is because Max is Max, she knows who she is and she doesn't need anyone telling her who she is. Things that needed to be said, memories buried deep into the past was shared, and Max feels relived that it was, both of them explained things that happened that they didn't share before and they talked about it, they genuinely talked about it.

"Is that it?" Max questions, watching Eleven put another bag into the RV.

"Looks like it." Vicki answers, going to breath out while putting her hands on her hips.

"Hey Vicki." Max says, motioning for her to follow her. They make it to the entrance of the hotel, then a few feet from Steve and the others putting things into the RV. "Thank you."

"Thank you thank me?" Vicki questions while pointing to herself, Max smiling while nodding. "For what?"

"Well the others told me that you thought of and explained the meaning of trust funds and Wills. Without you we wouldn't have known." Max responds.

Vicki smiles. "Thanks Max, it was a joint effort, without the others explaining all of the different things that Chester saw and their thoughts I wouldn't have guessed it." She replies. "You know our situations are not so different."

"How so?" Max questions.

"My Dad left when I was young too, I think I was like four or five. Never knew why don't know why now til this day. My mom got sick when I was sixteen, cancer. I cared for her for two whole years, I was eighteen when she died." Vicki answers.

"I'm sorry." Max says.

"Don't be, she had a good life, she was always happy, and I'm glad she is not in any pain anymore and she has peace." Vicki replies. "I'm telling you this because if my dad just waltz into my life then I would have done the same thing you did, because it is okay to have those questions and want a relationship with your parent. So lease do not scold yourself or think you were a fool because of wanting a relationship with your father because that is human, we are only human and we are only capable of so much. And yes everyone else saw something weird in him but it was easier for them to see because they weren't observing their own father, it didn't hurt for them too."