Making Amends With War (Sequal for Highway To Hell: Mad Max Fanfiction)

Chapter 12: Hello, Child

My eyes opened slowly, and I brought my head up slowly, my eyes squinting in the now bright sunlight. I held myself on my elbows, looking down at Max's Sleeping face in the light of the sun coming through the rear window. He looked calm, his beard was growing out a bit and he looked rough and rugged, but gentle at the same time. Dog sat in the passenger seat, looking back at Max and I, we were stuck here going on three days, and I was beginning to think we were going to die out here.

I stared down at Max, who still had his arms wrapped tightly around my waist and I brought my hand to his face, my heart was racing again for some reason and I felt his hands slide up my back as he shifted a bit in his sleep. I leaned down, pressing my lips to his again, my heart was pounding and my mind went blank, I didn't realize how much he affected me.

He woke up, and his rough hands tangled in my hair, holding me to him desperately, like if he let go he would fall apart. I pulled away from him, looking into his eyes, he said nothing, just stared at me confused for a moment before pulling me into him to kiss him again. "I'm sorry" he mumbled in between kisses holding me tighter.

Suddenly, Dog started barking and Max waved his hand at him "shhhh, shhh" he tried to shush the dog, and I laughed, getting up and out of Max's arms and out of the car. I climbed on the hood of it, pulling out my binoculars and looking in the direction Dog was barking and I could see a car coming this way, either an ally who would take us home, or an enemy we would beat the shit out of and take their stuff. "MAX" I called to him, taking out my sniper and readying it. He got out as well, looking through his binoculars at the approaching car.

I pulled the scope to my eyes, lining it up with the drivers seat, it was only then that I noticed Furiosa. I stood up, waving my arms hectically while Max looked at me like I was crazy. "It's Furiosa! Thank god!" Dog was barking again, running around Max who squinted his eyes in the desert sun. Her car made it to us, coming to a stop and she stepped out.

"Are you guys okay?! What happened?" She ran to Max, checking him out for wounds and then to me. Dog was more than happy to see her, jumping and licking her every chance he could.

"We ran out of fuel, and I was an idiot and forgot to bring an extra can..." I sighed, knowing that all of this was my fault. She walked to her car, taking out a fuel can and handing it to Max who walked to the back of his car, refuelling it. "I thought we were going to die out here..." I mumbled and she pulled me into a hug.

"Ariadne's got night fevers again..." She spoke low, rubbing her face stressfully "wanna get back as soon as possible." I nodded, getting into Max's car immediately and opening the back door for dog who jumped in happily, I gave him some food and water before Max hopped in, turning on the engine with a small smile on his face, this car was apart of him, and hearing her come to life just made him smile. We stayed silent most of the ride, not even talking about that kiss we shared, or what it meant for us, I guess nothing really changed.

We followed Furiosa down the dirt path, but we're stopped suddenly when she suck her hand out the window, giving us the signal to stop. She got out of her car, and so did Max and I.

"I... I saw something" she mumbled and squinted her eyes a little. "There" she pointed at a little figure in the sand, we all began walking towards it, but Max grunted in protest, going forward by himself. I bit my lip nervously, it could be a land mine for all we know.

Max approached the small figure, freezing in his tracks when he got to it and kneeling down gently. "WHAT IS IT?!" Furiosa called out, standing beside me protectively. Max didn't say anything back, just picked it up and started to walk back. It was then we realized, we found a small child, only about four or five, skinny and beat down. Max held him tightly to his chest, he was passed out and dirty.

"Oh my god..." I whispered, placing my hand gently on his soft cheeks. He opened his eyes and began freaking out, pushing away from all of us, kicking and punching.

"Hey, hey" Max spoke so gently it didn't even sound like him. "Hey we're not gonna hurt you" the kid stared at Max as he placed him on his feet on the floor and kneeled down. Furiosa and I followed.

"I'm Furiosa..." She smiled handing the boy her canteen of water which he drank desperately. He looked at me. "That's Phoenix" Furiosa pointed out, and then nodded her head towards Max, "and this is Max, we're gonna take you somewhere safe okay?" She spoke as gentle as she could. The kid said nothing and just stared at the three of us before walking to Max and putting his little hand in his, holding it tightly. Max picked up up and out him in the back of his car with Dog who was so gentle towards him. Furiosa got back in her car and continued driving.

Max looked over at me, then back at the boy who had his arms wrapped around dog, and dog just laid his head in his little lap. I wondered what the child's name was, where he came from and how he survived. I leaned my head back and Max placed his hand on my thigh again. My mind wandered to Ariadne, hoping to god she would make it through, she was strong, really strong, and I know Furiosa would take good care of her when we got back. I wondered what she would think of the child, I hoped he would open up to us, this wasteland was no place to raise a child, but we had no choice, we had to protect him and I promised myself in that moment, I could never let anything happen to him.