River.

Chapter 176

Cassidy's P.O.V.

I still hadn't told Max.

I'd been trying to get ahold of him for the last 4 days but he was nowhere to be found. Even Lindsay didn't know where he was.

I really didn't wanna pull the plug without giving Max a chance to say goodbye but I didn't know how to find him.

But today, Lindsay called me and told me that he'd finally come home.

Apparently he'd just got off of work and was gonna head to the hospital to see River until she broke the news to him.

And he wasnt taking it well at all.
So I decided to go over to their place to talk to him for a bit and try to put his mind at ease.

I pulled up to the house and saw Legend standing outside.

"Everything okay?" I asked.

He stared at me for a bit then reluctantly answered.



"Is anything ever really okay around here?"

I hugged him, realizing he was still hurting.

I went inside and heard Lindsay's voice upstairs.

"Hi aunt kitkat.." Morgan solemnly said as he and Harley hugged me.

"Hey guys." I replied, hugging them tighter.

Then I saw AJ and Sonny out of the corner of my eye sitting at the kitchen table.

"Should I brace myself before I go up there?" I asked.

AJ looked around uneasily. 

"I've never seen him this upset." He responded.

"So I take that as a yes." I retorted.

I made my way up the stairs and down the hall to Max's and Lindsay's room.

Lindsay saw me first then passed off a glance of relief.

"Talk to him." She whispered to me then walked out.

Max looked at me and I instantly saw the pain in his tearful eyes. 

"I didn't get to say goodbye..." He said, his voice full of heartbreak.

I soon found myself getting emotional again as I threw my arms around him and hugged him while we stood there, grieving together.

"I told him that his last day on earth would be my last day... Now he's gone."

"Max, River knew where your loyalty laid. He wouldn't want you going out just because he did. And I sure as hell don't want that either. I wouldn't be able to handle losing you both at the same time. I know how much this hurts, I do. But remember when I first started college here and you promised Xander you'd look after me? Well I need you now more than ever. I can't lose you too."

"I'm already gone." He said, pulling away from the hug then placing a kiss on my forehead before turning and walking out of the room.

The same thing River did before the incident that took his life.

...

Ca'sius's P.O.V.

I entered Raes's office and came upon a man that I hardly even recognized.

He sat in the chair behind his desk, eying a marble that sat on top of it.

"You couldn't have done anything to change the outcome." I stated, sitting on the edge of his desk.