Dark Night Race | Lestappen

epilogue

It was roughly a year later when Max finally got the appointment for his operation. Well finally is relativ, as he had told me that it could take years, or maybe even a life time. But now he had gotten it, had his day, had his operation.

The last months, almost the last whole year, had been tough. While I got the drugs from Luke's dealer, with money, expensive watches and even cars from Max, I never bought more than the Dutchman needed.

I more or less didn't fulfill the promise I had given him that night, that I would run his business. I never reached out to his buyers, never even thought of doing so. This was for Max and Luke was in jail, not for ever though.

So Max and I had made a plan before he went to do his operation. As the whole thing with the splinter and the operation wouldn't allow him to race anymore, he had ended his career just a few weeks back.

The whole world didn't quite knew the reason, only knowing that it had some medical reasons. His family though had some more details, aware of the splinter by now. I also had met them a few times already, his sister Victoria and his mother.

They were extremely sweet and welcomed me with open arms. Still, our relationship, even though we never really labeled it, was not going too well. Max and I often fought, always because of stupid things, relating the drugs or stuff that had to do with it.

How much we just wished to have met under normal circumstances, but that hadn't been the case. And I really loved him, it was just, that... I couldn't even name it myself, it was all too complicated.

Still I had bought a house in the Netherlands a few weeks back, wanting to live there with Max after the operation would be over. Of course there was a, pretty high, chance that he wouldn't make it, but we never really considered that.

And as I surely couldn't work as a police officer in Monaco anymore, especially once Luke would get out and see what I had done, or better what I hadn't done, he surely would be mad and hunt me down.

So Max and I had decided that we would both go to the Netherlands, so he could also be close to his family in the weeks after the operation. As the whole thing took place in Denmark, it was a little travel to get there.

With me, also his mother and Victoria were with him as we had walked into the private clinic four weeks back. Since the day after, when the operation had happened, Max was in a coma. It was quite normal after such an operation they told us, but it still was a lot.

After two weeks I couldn't look at him, too heartbroken, too scared that he wouldn't wake up so I flew back to our house in the Netherlands. Max was already half living here so there were quite a few things of him, only making it harder for me to stay positive.

During the last two weeks I had spoken with Victoria, with who I was really getting along well, every day and she told me about the news, mostly that there weren't any. It was on a sunny winter day that she called me again.

"Hi Vic, are there any news?" I asked, trying to sound as normal as possible so she wouldn't hear the fear in my voice.

Every call scared me that this would be it. The call that would end everything. At the beginning there was the hope of the "he woke up" call, but as longer the weeks went, the more it changed into the fear of the "he's dead" call.

"Charles" she breathed into the phone and my heart stopped for a moment, not sure what would follow, "He's awake."

For another moment I held my breath, if she would mistake anything, but as she didn't took her words back, I exhaled deeply, tears running down my face.

"Oh my god, how is he?" I asked before I stood up, immediately grabbing my things, "I'm gonna fly over straight away."

"Wait." Victoria said and her words send shivers down my back, before she added, "He doesn't remember."

"What do you mean he doesn't remember?!" I nearly shouted into my phone.

"He doesn't remember you. The last thing in his memory is the season two years back, from when his pain started." she explained and I could hear how heartbroken she was as well.

"W... What?" I stuttered, sinking back down onto my sofa.

"I am so sorry Charles, but he has asked about his girlfriend. We only told him that they have broken up. I didn't say anything about you as the doctors said he should fully recover first before we overwhelm him with the content of the last years."

"I understand." was all I mumbled, "Keep me updated if anything happens, but I'll give him time."

And with that I ended the phone call. One one hand I was extremely happy and glad that he was awake while on the other hand I was sad and broken that he didn't remember me. His love towards me, our moments.

Hell he had asked for his girlfriend, maybe he didn't even remember being gay. It broke me but I loved him so much that I wanted to give him time. The last year had been such a mess, he didn't need to know that now.

In his eyes he just had been sick, he didn't remember taking all these drugs, doing these car races, nearly jumping from a bridge. I was the only person that had that knowledge, as also Victoria and his mother had no clue about it.

Max always told them that he would get normal pain meds from his doctor as everything else, everything we did, was highly illegal. And now he didn't remember it himself. I would say that I was happy about that, happy that he was fine, but hell I was angry.

Angry that he left me alone in that relationship, even though it wasn't even his fault. These thoughts stayed in my mind for the next weeks. Victoria always gave me some little updates every few days, even asking if I wanted to come over, but  I couldn't.

Maybe I was even the reason for all of this. I mean he wanted to jump from a bridge because of me. Maybe it would be better if he would live a life without me, maybe he would be happy then. Still I was obsessed with him.

As I still lived quite close to his sister's house where Max was staying at the moment, I once saw him at a little coffee shop, buying some ice tea. And it healed me, seeing him smile, seeing him happy as this hadn't been the situation for quite too long.

I think I even never had seen him that relaxed, that calm and just enjoying his life. It helped me understand and accept. Still it wasn't enough, I still loved him with all my heart and so one day I made a plan.

I found a way where I would make me happy again, with him, in a situation where he would never have to learn about this last year and all the mess in there. So on this day, I walked over the street from where I was normally watching, going right into the coffee shop.

"One ice tea and a cookie please." I heard Max say as I walked in.

"Sure, just a moment." the woman behind said and turned around, before looking over her shoulder right at me, "And for you?"

"Eh..." I stuttered as suddenly also max was looking at me, "I... I take the same."

The woman only nodded her head, focusing on the drinks again while the Dutchman chuckled and looked at me.

"First time here?" he smiled and gosh, I really had missed these blue eyes.

"Y... Yeah." I stumbled before I cleared my throat and smiled, "Hope you have a good taste though."

Max only grinned at me before his smile died slowly and he looked on me up and down.

"You seem familiar, do we know each other?" he then asked, giving me butterflies with his smile, cute puffy cheeks and messy hair.

"No we don't." I returned and stretched my hand out, "But I'm happy to meet you, I'm Charles."

The Dutchman just returned the smile while he took my hand, the touch sending shivers down my back.

"Likewise, I'm Max."

-

omg that was really a messed up fic haha but hope you like it even this was just a shorter (AU) one

the prologue of my new lestappen fic is out now by the way, it's called "Broken Speed" and it will be a longer and more detailed one again, so feel free to check that one out, I would be happy if you do so <3