Max and Phoenix :The end

A/ N: This is the final chapter of their storyline. I had so much fun crafting their common past. I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did.

Xxxxx

Max didn't come back. He couldn't possibly come back to Phoenix after he nearly killed her. The whole moment was nauseating. He tried to convince her to leave his side and not participate in his vendetta and she ended up saying things that made him angry. The assassin hurt him with her dismissal of his personal tragedy and he couldn't contain himself anymore. He wanted to silence her, make her pay for insulting him and killing her came to mind. She looked at him, ready to die by his hand but the defiance in her eyes snapped him back to reality. Max couldn't do it, he refused to kill her so he left the motel room.

Phoenix chose to stay in that room and used her goggles to spy on the compound that was a couple miles away. Max and she decided that the best moment to attack Cesare and his men was the night, so she spent the day eating burgers and thinking of last night event and what it truly meant to her. She went too far, she was aware of that. Nobody in their right minds would accept the verbal abuse she forced on Max last night. She could have driven the point differential and was now wishing she had done that instead of trying to dismiss the man's pain. He lost his family and his pain was still very real, very palatable and she stomped on their memories without any regards to them or how it would make him feel. Then, he did try to kill her and she welcomed it without a fight.

Her neck recovered from his strangling. She still had the marks of his fingers on her skin but she didn't mind much. Those would heal but the damage she inflicted on Max would not wear off. As she was laying on the bed, waiting for the moment to move, Phoenix leaned her head against the headset of the bed, clenching her fingers at the thought of her behavior. Yes, she acted that way because she felt insulted that he tried to save her. Phoenix felt she was beyond redemption and always told him so. She had blood on her hands and while she didn't regret taking the lives of the crooked and criminals, she did have some serious regret about taking the lives of innocent victims. All the people she had killed regardless of their age and gender.. all those people who shouldn't have been dead were dead by her fault, their blood was on her hands, so dying in itself wasn't such a bad idea. She tried to take her life so many times since she wiped out the organization that turned her into this monster to being with. She tried, so what was one more try?

Her eyes closed as she leaned her head a little harder against the headset. Max was special. He was opening up to her just like she was to him. He went past her defenses and got close to her in ways many people couldn't. She let her fingers run over her plump lips, remembering the taste of his when he kissed her. Her eyes opened and she realized that her heart was aching at the thought as well. Phoenix felt her heartbeats get faster at the thought that maybe, just maybe she actually cared about Max more than she wanted to admit. Her eyes started to look from left to right and she cursed under her breath. «Shit! Shit! It's not true! » It wasn't ! she wasn't attached to Max! It couldn't be! She put her feet on the floor and pushed herself at the edge of the bed, her eyes were still wide open at the realization that actually yes, she did care about Max a lot more than she pretended to. Him leaving, not sending a text or giving her a call was more stressful than tonight's mission. Him leaving felt like a loss, it felt like losing Phaser the first time around and she hated that feeling.

She kept cursing under her breath and felt tears fill her eyes. Why was she like this? Why did she have to push him away after all that happened between the two of them? Did that mean she was beyond repair? Did that mean she was unable to actually build a life for herself? A life she could be satisfied with? What did Max have to do with her ability to find happiness? She couldn't breathe.. she started to take deep breaths and looked left and right, unfocused, unable to stop. Her heart started to beat faster and she ended up screaming. She held fists of honey hair in both hands and started to cry. It was indeed a loss, Max left to never return because she pushed him way too much, way too hard. How could she do something like that to him? Her tears kept rolling on her cheeks, warm, bitter like her heart at the thought that maybe, just maybe, she did actively sabotage herself.

Deep down, she knew that sticking by Max was her way to tell him that she cared for him and wanted to give him the support she thought he needed. Neither of them was good with emotional support, neither of them could give the other what they truly needed. Max needed to snap out of his vendetta before it killed him for good. He needed to give himself a fresh start and mourn for his family's loss. He should have but he couldn't. He allowed anger and despair to take over him, hence why he decided to avenge his family but with his body that dropped on his wake, he sunk further into his pit of darkness with no possibility to get better He was destroying himself but there still was a sliver of hope and he found it in Phoenix. She understood him, she was as broken as he was and yet, she was still trying to do the right thing. He felt guilty, for a brief moment, when he asked her to come with him when she wanted to stay in Boston. She had started to turn on a new leaf, saving lives rather than taking them and he took her with him in his spiral of darkness. He had her kill people again and pushed her in this path. He did that.

But she made him smile again. She made him laugh again. She made life better for him and it scared Max. It scared him because when he looked into Phoenix eyes, he saw a potential future. He saw himself outgrow his vendetta and actually invest in the future, believes in the future and that couldn't happen. It felt like betraying his family and himself. So he had to distance himself from her, push her away so she would return to a better life and to having a shot at redeeming herself by doing good.It didn't work, obviously but it wasn't just because of the way he said it, or the moment he chose to say it. It also didn't work because of her dire need to die and pay for her crimes. Part of him believed that she did it on purpose, rile him up so he could kill her. Better die by the hand of the one you love than one you hate, right? Right? Wait...Did he just assume she loved him? Or did he know already? Max couldn't say. He felt it, the connection between the two of them and the ways she looked at him, talked to him, touched him. He could tell she was attached by the way she kissed him, the way she said his name... They never had sex, they never went as far as a couple of kisses because she still had issues with being touched but they didn't need that to establish how attached they were to one another. They were. He was and coming to realize that he nearly killed her horrified Max. It made him think, it made him leave.

Standing in a room filled with broken pieces of furniture and in tears, Phoenix looked at the compound where Cesare had been hiding and glanced at her watch. It soon was the time she and Max chose to start their assault on Cesare. She cleaned her face with the back of her hand, vowing to herself that she would still carry Max' mission and eventually would meet him there. He wanted answers Cesare had so it made sense he would still go there and kill the man himself after he took the information he needed. She wore her white spandex suit she was infamous for, started to gear up and when she was ready, she looked through the goggles one last time and noticed suspicious movements towards the compound. Intrigued, she left the motel room and went on the rooftop where she would have a better view of what was happening and would have an easier access to the compound without being seen. She heard gunshots on her way to the rooftop and started to run to get there faster. What sounded like an actual raid gone wild. Once on the rooftop, she used her goggles to have a better view of what was happening and noticed FBI vans. She blinked and knelt on the floor as she realized that the feds were called in. Max called them, otherwise, they wouldn't be attacking at the same time the two of them agreed on.

Why did he do that? She sat on the floor, coming to the realization that her journey was abruptly stopped there. She couldn't go further with Max, he wouldn't be back. She couldn't help herself but sob, hard. Her tears kept rolling down her eyes as she realized that this was it. It was over. All she could do now was to move forward and think for herself once again. She would have to come back to the life she left in Boston, helping people again now that her appetite for Death and Destruction was sated for the moment.

«Damnit! Damnit, Max! What did you fucking do? »

She kept repeating, running her hand through her hair. What did he do? Did he actually save her life? Max liked to think he did. It became obvious that the only thing he could do to prevent Phoenix from wasting her life would be to tip the feds on Cesare's whereabouts. They would come and stop Phoenix from actually dying. He wouldn't need to physically be there when that would happen, although he actually did. Because he wanted to make sure she would not be stubborn and actively get herself killed. He hid well, on the rooftop of the building next to the compound and watched a distraught Phoenix, cry out of anger and confusion. He didn't expect her to nor did he enjoy it, but at least she was alive and she didn't try to stop Cesare by herself. At least she was alive and she would return to her old life. He watched as she kept cursing him and cry ugly and watched as she calmed down and just sat there in silence. Allowing Cesare to actually escape from him -he got arrested which at least gave Max a possibility to visit him later on and question him- and be handed out to a system he didn't believe in, was Max' way to actually move forward, try and not let the abyss suck him in. It was a tiny step forward but at this point in his life, he would have taken anything.

« We'll meet again Phoenix. » -He whispered to himself, turning on his heels and leaving the rooftop as he was now certain she survived the night. -

It was the end of their adventure together and both knew that despite taking different paths and being deprived of one another, they both gained something. He did, he found Hope again. He saw a glimpse of what his life could be, once he got his revenge and Max knew he would hold onto that thought. He would hold onto the idea of finding Phoenix again and building something with her. Someday...Maybe. She gained something too. She found parts of herself, of the woman she truly was. With Max she wasn't a fake identity, she wasn't pretending. She was herself, her true self and he unknowingly helped her accept that part of her life, at least, helped her begin to. With Max, she started to have Hope, yes, Hope for a better life. Hope for redemption. She considered a life by his side, something new and sweet with someone who understood and didn't judge her. It felt like a dream but she intended to go back to Boston and work hard to make sure it became true.

But was it an end?

-THE END-

Max and Phoenix: The night before the carnage.

A/N: All usual disclaimers! everything BUT Max belongs to me. Max belongs to a friend. A bit graphics.

xxx xxx

Weeks went by since Kara Morgan's rescue. Kara herself survived her OD and recovered enough to become a key witness in Cesare Marconi's traffic. She knew everything and started to cooperate with the Feds in order to stop the new drug's traffic and take it off of the streets. She also worked closely with the FBI to track Cesare and put him away for good. Phoenix recovered as well, quite fast given Max excellent stitching skills. She was quickly able to help Max in many ways like before, including fighting off and wiping out mob circles. Now that she saved a life, she had no qualms about killing again. Max and she worked tirelessly and after months of chasing down Cesare -who was pushed away by the feds- they finally located him. He was hiding in a small motel complex at the border with Mexico. He was planning to cross the border during the night and escape from the FBI.

It was going to be a stand-off, a pure carnage. Max was determined to kill this son of a bitch but he knew that the feds might have been tipped off too and might intervene.

Phoenix found him near the window, a cigar in his mouth as he was trying to smoke his frustration off. She had cleaned her guns and knives but paused in order to talk to him. His blue eyes looked at her, hard, empty and tired. Ever since he began his vendetta against the people who killed his family, Max never really stopped. He kept looking for clues and leads and was burning his whole life on each side of it. She tilted her head to the side and put her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged and wrapped his larger hand around her slender one. His leaned into her touch, his head rubbing softly against her arm. She planted a kiss on top of his head.

« Are you sure about tomorrow? » -He shrugged and shook his head-

« Not really. » -She crouched and looked up to his face. Her hand cupped his cheek and gently stroked it.-

« Talk to me. »

They could still cancel it. Tomorrow didn't need to happen.Max didn't have to die. It was a risk to take, of course, him getting killed in order to avenge his family and him taking so many risks just to have a piece of information about the murder of his family. What if Cesare didn't give it to him? He could very much keep his mouth shut and all of this would have been for nothing. Phoenix was aware of that element and she mentioned it to Max a while ago. He decided to keep going despite knowing there was a risk he didn't get what he wanted but now that it was close, His perspective changed. His worn out blue eyes looked at her and his large hand cupped her soft cheek.

« We might die tomorrow. » It was a declaration, it unphased her and she lifted a brow.

«So? »

« Are you sure you want to die for a cause that isn't yours? » He asked again, his hand still stroking her cheek. She looked away for a brief minute, her eyes staring at the wall and focusing on that wall for a minute. « I know we have already talked about it and I know what you said. »

« Then you know what I am going to say right now. »

She insisted, her hazel eyes now staring at him. Her gaze was cold, piercing like two arrows and it made him swallow hard. She was determined, always had been. She followed him in his crusade against the people who wronged him in order to avenge his family. She followed without many complaints. She followed without a word, to be honest, and it didn't sit well with Max. She had skills, he couldn't deny that, but she could put her skills in service of her community, of the women in distress in Boston like she had tried to do in the last couple of years. Her going with him, following him in this dark endless pit of darkness wasn't what Max wanted for her.

« Phoenix... » She leaned into his touch, eyes half closed as she relished in the rough sensation of his fingers against her cheek. « I don't want you to die for a lost cause. »

« Idiot... » She kissed his wrist and stood up.

Max wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a hug. The assassin wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and leaned her chin against the top of his head. He leaned into her, feeling her comforting weight against his. He wanted to say something witty about being able to touch her when not so long ago they were sleeping with pillows in between them. She grew close to him enough to allow this kind of intimacy and he grew close enough to accept it from her as well. She glanced past the window, to the compound a little further away from theirs. It was Cesare's and Phoenix was already calculating the outcome of tomorrow. She had studied the place, listed her arsenal and had several potential scenarios in mind about how things could unfold tomorrow. They had one chance out of 20 to come out alive and not apprehended by the FBI. Was it worth the try?

« I feel like I'm repeating myself over and over again.....I know he has a vital piece of information for me. He had a name. I need a name to keep on investigating. »

« I know... »

« I need to confront him tomorrow. I need to crack his skull. I need to kill this son of a bitch... » He repeated, exhaling smoke again.

« I know... » She repeated, her arms wrapped tighter around his shoulder.

« But then there's you. » He said, looking up at her face. She sighed deeply and pulled away from him. Her hands were on each side of her waist and she growled lowly.

« We're not doing this again. Max... I AM A KILLER. That's what I fucking do. I kill people. I'm an assassin.I have been all my fucking life! Let me CHOOSE the reasons I spill blood. Let me choose the way I fucking die. If we do die tomorrow, then so be it! Okay? SO BE IT! I'll get to die to fight for the right cause. »

« You could do BETTER than that! This is not your fight! This isn't your family! This IS NOT YOUR LIFE! » He was trying to push her away for reasons he didn't fully understand. Remorse maybe or maybe it was the fact she had a potential future. Maybe it was the fact he didn't want to have her blood on his hands? Maybe it was the fact... maybe it was the fact...She was pissed off and Max looked at her eyes turn into fire and fury.

« So what? Your family wasn't special! Your family was one of the many families I had decimated. Yeah! Yeah! I went there! » She said, furious against him. Max's eyes grew wide as she spoke, her venom stung harder than if she had stabbed him in the back. « Your wife and kids are just ONE story. One of the many stories I am responsible for. I kill people since I was 5 years old. What else do you want me to say? I remember every kill, every name, every face and every way I ended people lives. It's right there in my fucking mind! I close my eyes and I see the blood, the guts, I hear the screams and the cries... I hear children at night..as old as I was or younger that I killed without remorse because I was told to. Your family is a couple of names I scratched on my ledger. Stop treating them as if they were special. Stop acting as if you were special. »

He couldn't take it anymore and grabbed her neck. Her eyes grew wide as she felt the lack of air. She didn't struggle that much, instead just pushed his chest away from her as if she was encouraging him to strangle her. He used his other hand, grabbing her neck harder, clearly suffocating this woman who insulted him. His eyes were a thin white line as anger took over and he held tight, strangling the assassin who insulted the memory of his family in order to spark a reaction from him. Just like that, he could have snuffed her life and the realization that his words were hypocritical hit him hard. He kept holding her neck, urging her to fight back but she didn't, she let her hands fall on each side of her body and looked at him with a judgemental gaze. See what you're doing ! See how hypocritical of you it was to dare say « I deserved better ». it shocked Max who released her neck and watched her fall onto the ground, coughing as she finally felt a rush of fresh air into her lungs. He nearly killed her and the horror of the moment, coupled with her resignation and determination to die had him leave the motel room to clear his mind. He couldn't come back, not now.. not until his mind was fresh and clear.

-TBC-

Max and Phoenix: Stitches

Max and Phoenix: stitches

xxx

A/N: Ah.. these two. Finally talking about the elephant in the room without actually naming it :p All the usual disclaimers! Max belongs to my friend M. and Phoenix belongs to me.

xxx xxx

Max, once they arrived at his apartment, helped an injured Phoenix walk into it and sit on the couch. She leaned her head against the headrest of the couch and looked up at the ceiling. She wanted to know if Kara made it but knew that she should not go the hospital and take the risk of being busted by police or even walk into a trap. Whatever happened from now would, either way, be a victory against Cesare? Kara would have died if she didn't intervene and if she hadn't then her death would have fueled Phoenix need for revenge. Saving her thwarted Cesare's plan to come legit or at least try and win the hearts of his target audience. Saving kara was saving a little bit of her own soul. Even if Kara died now, Cesare would have lost an asset. 

Nevertheless, she realized that Max sacrificed a perfect opportunity to get Cesare. He came to her and rescued her from a certain death. It became crystal clear as soon as she entered his car and she couldn't shake her guilt off of her mind. Cesare was Max's end goal. He wanted to find him and make him pay for what happened to his family, so she realized how big of a sacrifice he actually made to save her life. Her eyes grew wide and she looked at her hands and injured knee. Max walked around, she didn't pay attention to him and instead moved her leg away to take a better look at her injury. After a while, Max finally puts a stool in front of Phoenix and sat on it. He grabbed her leg and poured some alcohol on a large cotton disk. She looked at him, chewing on her bottom lip as she anticipated the pain He started to clean the wound, making her hiss at the sensation of the stinging alcohol on her torn flesh.

« Max.. max... » She began with before Phoenix rolled her eyes and bit her bottom lip.

« You're used to worse. C'mon, don't be a baby. » He said with a chuckle before he stroked her smooth leg. « Considering what you went up against, it's great you didn't get more injured. »

« The toughest job I've ever had to do...keeping someone alive,... » She sighed and leaned into the couch. « I'm a killer... that's what I do. Saving Kara....if I have saved her... »

« You did your best. You saved her back there, from the OD, from her bodyguards. Don't be so hard on yourself. » He said as he'd cleaned up the whole leg area from her blood. He pushed himself a little further so she could rest her whole leg on his and he used a wet towel to clean her leg from all the blood that rolled down her soft skin.

« If you say so... »

She said, crossing her arms over her chest. She wasn't convinced that she did enough to protect Kara but he was right about something, she at least... tried. She hissed again and watched as he grabbed some needle and some surgical thread to start stitching her up. She glanced at his hands, working fast and steady on her leg and stitching her up quite fast. Max was right, she had been hurt in way worse ways before and endured extreme pain, this was almost like a peck on the lips and she didn't feel much. As he worked on her leg, the brunet looked up at her face, seeing guilt she didn't want to express just yet.

« Maybe we can talk about the elephant in the room? » He said, putting the final touch on his stitches.

« Which elephant? » She asked as she rolled her head to the left. « Oh... you mean that one. » She said, looking back at Max.

« Yeah. I mean that one. I know you've been trying to say something since you got into my car, so say it. » Phoenix pursed her lips into a pout and watched as he put her leg back on the floor now that he was done stitching her up.

« You didn't have to come back to me. » Phoenix finally said, her voice barely hiding her guilt as she spoke.

« Of course I had to. » He countered and sat on the couch next to her.

« You didn't have to. I had it under control. You.. you helped me and Cesare escaped you. It was a-- »

« I chose to come back. »

« It was a one time opportunity! You could have killed this son of a bitch instead of coming to my res...help »

« I /chose/ to come back. » He repeated but she grew more agitated and sat straight on the couch.

« I don't care! You let him run away and what for? »

« I did it for /you /! I chose to come back for you! It was a suicide mission and you know it more than I do. I couldn't let you die.»

« What the fuck? »

She was dumbfounded by his words and looked at him with eyes wide open. Max scratched the back of his head and growled, unease at his own words. He admitted that he decided to go back and find her rather than let Phoenix handle the rescue mission on her own. Of course, he knew she was a very capable assassin, he heard about her reputation, he saw her in action. He just couldn't live with himself if she simply died while trying to do the right thing. Her hazel eyes stared at him, almost getting wet from unshed tears as she didn't understand what his words implied, or maybe she did but refused to acknowledge it. He cupped her left cheek to make her stop moving and stroked the soft skin with his thumb. Phoenix was shaking, internally screaming at what she'd just heard. He gave up his one shot at revenge to save her life? He did it for her? Because he wanted her alive? Why did he want her alive? She looked confused, scared even but his hand on her cheek was soothing so Phoenix held his hand there, leaning into his touch while she kept giving him questioning looks.

« I did it for you. » He repeated again, cupping her other cheek. « Because I couldn't live with myself if you had died back there. I couldn't. I refused. Do you understand? » She nodded softly and then shook her head.

« I do. I think I do.. I'm not sure I fully understand why you did this Max. I'm an assassin...I have so much red on my ledger... I deserve to die. » She looked down and shut her eyes tight. « Are you saying you care about me? That you couldn't let me die because you care about me? » -He lifted her face so she would look at him and nodded-

Max wasn't ready to say too much, these kinds of things took time and he wasn't even sure of how he truly felt for her. All he knew was that holding her face, being in front of her, being sure she was living and breathing was enough to put his mind at ease. He knew she would have done the same, how many times did she come back to save his ass when they were working together? How many time did she put herself in danger just to ensure his safety? She would have come back to him just like he did and he would be in her shoes wondering why she did that when she didn't have to. His heart was beating faster in his ribcage and he wrapped his hand around the back of her neck. Her lips were still trembling but she nodded as he answered her truthfully. He cared for her and because he did, Max came back and saved her from a certain death. She rubbed his hands and gently pressed her lips against his inner wrist.

« You would have done the same. » He finally said, searching for confirmation from her. Phoenix nodded quietly and looked back to his face.

« I would have. I would have done the same thing... I would have come back for you too. I wouldn't be able to live knowing I let you die and I could have prevented it from happening. »

She finally said, collecting her thoughts and saying what she was the most comfortable saying. He grabbed the back of her neck and gently pushed her face closer to his, so his lips could crash on hers for a kiss he had been wanting to give her since she left him. She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him towards her as she laid on the couch. It was the first time she didn't stiffen against him, the first time she kissed him in such a soft fashion. Max made sure he didn't press his whole mass against hers and kept giving her small pecks, all the while stroking her cheeks. She sighed in the kiss and closed her eyes again as he rested his head against her chest and wrapped his arms around her waist.

« I will get Cesare. Missing this opportunity won't make it any less easy for him. I'll have another. »

« I'll help you. My journey with Kara is... » She picked up the radio that was playing in the background, talking about the events of the evening and how many people really got injured. Curiously, the only injuries that occurred were the ones that involved people being stomped on by running victims. Nobody died but there were many injured. Kara was said to have OD'd but thanks to a good Samaritan, she survived that night. They also reported the heavy presence of police to ensure the reporter's protection since it was common knowledge that the mob had kidnapped her, which made Phoenix sigh in relief and run her fingers through Max's hair. « Yeah.. just like I said, my work here is done. She's safe now... Cesare and the drug traffic need to be stopped...for good. »

« You need to rest up. You've done enough gymnastics tonight. » He said, planting a kiss on her chest and then her neck. He smiled at her and gently pulled away from her. « Are you hungry? » She nodded and rubbed her belly. « Gotcha. I'm gonna getcha burgers so you can have your fix. » He said, standing back up. « Phoenix... »

«Yeah? » She asked, tucking some black locks behind her ear.

« You did great tonight. »

She gave him a sheepish smile and waved her hand as he left the apartment. Now with herself, she leaned back on the couch and wrapped her arms around her waist. A lot had just happened in less than an hour and her mind was confused as to how to proceed all that information. She ran her fingers over her plump lips, relishing in the taste of Max. A smile crept up and she covered her face with her hand. How on Earth could she, an experienced assassin, find someone who actually cared about her to the point of coming back. She chuckled at her own situation and curled into a ball to a corner of the couch, falling asleep a little bit while waiting for Max to return with food. They still had a lot to deal with, but tonight eventually, they could rest some and enjoy what they had: Each other.

-TB C-

Phoenix and Max: Unexpected turn of events

Phoenix and Max: Unexpected turn of events

A/ N: Finally getting there. Phoenix is having trouble protecting Kara. She thinks she's going to die. But is she? All the usual disclaimers

Xx

Chicago, Hepstein Awards, 9:45 pm

Everything was prepared, from the fancy black cocktail dress to the exact timing of Kara's presence. The assassin had rehearsed her plan several times in her head. Kara would come, followed by several bodyguards. Given the size of the event and its importance, Phoenix estimated at least seven armed men to enter the building. Three would be assigned to the target's close protection while the other two would scout the place and survey any strange move. In truth, they were one man short of meeting her expectations. Kara was supposed to speak shortly before the break and then she would eventually go to the ladies restroom. Phoenix would meet her there, would inform her about her mission and the two would leave the restroom. There would be a fight of course, but Phoenix was used to fighting and killing henchmen. What could possibly go wrong?

Kara's reaction! That was what went wrong. When Phoenix finally got into the restroom, Kara swallowed pills to kill herself. She fell to the ground and started to OD, forcing Phoenix to call an ambulance and fight the two bodyguards that were guarding the bathroom door, inside. She got rid of them quite easily, breaking one's neck and turning the gun (with a silencer on) against the other's belly to have him shoot himself. She then turned Kara on her side to help her throw up without suffocating in her own vomit and cursed as she realized that there was no way she could get Kara outside. She would have to protect her until the ambulance came and took her away, which basically was suicide.

There were innocent people in the building and the risk to have them injured was becoming more and more certain. She bit her thumb, wishing Max was there so he would have helped protect her while she would have taken Kara to safety, at least, to the ambulance. It was getting out of hand and her heart was racing in her ribcage. She and Max didn't say goodbye the way Phoenix wanted to. She shouldn't have left the motel room without at least kissing him one last time. She shouldn't have left the motel room without at least telling him that she was falling in love with him. She shouldn't have left the motel room without telling him that she knew both were broken beyond repair but she believed they also deserved to be happy...Words died at the back of her throat on that day and she buried her feelings deep in her heart. What was the use of doing that, now that it was certain she was going to die? He wouldn't know...He would never know.

Curling her fingers into a fist, the assassin groaned to give herself some strength. It didn't matter anymore because Kara was in trouble and she needed to get her out of the ladies' room and out of that place so the medics could take care of her. The difficulty wasn't to leave the bathroom with an unconscious body to carry over. The difficulty was to fight against the remaining three bodyguards WITH a body she had to keep alive. It was her first rescue mission and for someone who was used to taking lives, it certainly was something she wasn't used to doing. She stroked Kara's face, chewing on her bottom lip.

« I have tried my best. I am not sure we're going to escape alive but just in case we don't, I want you to know that I tried my best. I really did. »

She dropped her head, gathering a second to think of herself and Max.. always him.. popping into her thoughts. She was hoping he was still alive and his mission with Cesare would go well. She was hoping he survived his mission and avenged his family. She was hoping he wouldn't forget her. Her eyes opened wide at that last thought as a shiver went down her spine. Why were her last thoughts to a man she'd just met a couple of months ago? She furrowed her brows and stood back up. She would carry her mission to the end and get Kara to the hospital to save her life. She grabbed the body and threw it over her shoulder while she grabbed the gun of the bodyguard who tried to kill her in the bathroom. Phoenix left the bathroom and started to walk towards the exit. No one rang the alarm just yet and she prayed not to face any of the guests who would definitely start to panic. Just when she thought they were safe from trouble, the fire alarm rang. 

People started to pour into the hallways, screaming, and bumping into one another, and before Phoenix could even curse, she was met with two of the three remaining bodyguards in front of her. It was one thing to be an assassin and another one to become a bodyguard. Saving lives never was Phoenix's forte and she didn't know if she would be able to both protect her target and kill her enemies. She pointed a gun at the head of one of them and shot him in the face but the other one had fired on her leg -in order not to kill Kara-. Phoenix screamed and knelt, the weight of her target pulling her down. It made her lose her focus for a brief second, enough for her to hear the noise of a gunshot. She froze in place, expecting to be hit by the bullet but blinked when she saw the body drop in front of her and another more familiar presence step forward. He outstretched his hand for her to take.

«Max? » Was all she could whisper as the brunette grinned at her.

She wanted to speak but couldn't, given the pressing matters. They couldn't stay around for longer in fear of being caught by the police. She gave him Kara, he carried, bridal style, and stood back up. Her leg was profusely bleeding, so she tore her dress up and wrapped the fabric around her wound to stop the bleeding. She made a hand gesture to let him know he could move while she would follow. Kara was still unconscious but she was still breathing, which reassured Phoenix who walked with a limp right behind Max. Adrenaline was rushing through her veins and she knew there still was one last bodyguard that would try to find them. Max was stopped by a woman who pointed her gun at him. Phoenix pointed a gun at her, knowing full well she only had one more bullet she could use. *

Max noticed she let her guard down and used the opportunity to shove her so he could walk past her, Phoenix then kicked the gun out of her hand but the woman punched her hard in the face, and then punched her chest, making Phoenix take a few steps back. She then ran towards her and tried to kick her face but Phoenix grabbed her legs and fell on her back to throw the woman on the floor. She then rolled and straddled her. Phoenix punched her hard in the face, drawing blood off of her nose, and kept punching until the woman grabbed her wounded leg and pressed into the wound, making the assassin scream. The bodyguard then grabbed Phoenix's neck and started to strangle her. People were running everywhere around them, making it difficult for the assassin to find room to manœuvre. She kept telling herself that Max found the paramedics and that Kara was in good hands. She tried to remove the hands from her neck but the bodyguard was hugging harder, blocking the air from her lungs. Phoenix tried to punch her but she realized that she would not be able to do serious damage,

So instead she let her left hand search for the knife she kept hidden inside her dress. The bodyguard noticed and went harder, holding tighter on her neck until Phoenix stabbed her. As soon as she felt the knife sink into her skin, She released her neck and started to cough blood. Phoenix caught her breath and rubbed her bruised neck before she managed to stand back up, her leg bleeding again profusely, and ran towards the exit. She noticed the ambulance closing its door on Kara and looked around for a sign of Max but couldn't see him. Since the Police were almost at the crime scene, she decided to run to her rented car but was caught by Max who grabbed her arm and took her next to the wall.

« What the fu--! I need to go to my car! »

« It's compromised. Follow me. »

«Max! » She didn't resist much as he took her hand and took her to his car. It was a new one, one that didn't stick out in Chicago. She entered the car and put her seatbelt on while Max started the engine. He put his belt on and left the place. « Why did you do that? » She asked, her brows furrowed. « Why couldn't I go back to my car? »

« Because cops were already there. They would have wanted to question you and with your wounded leg? They would have been suspicious... » He paused and kept looking straight forward. « You're welcome by the way. »

« I...Thank you. I didn't expect to see you. Why did you... » She looked at him and realized that if he was with her, then he wasn't with Cesare. Her eyes grew wide at the realization and she leaned into her seat, speechless. « Thank you... For rescuing me. »

« You're welcome. » He was calmer, his hand held onto her knee as he was still concerned about her injury. « I have a safe place in town. I'm taking you there. You need stitches. » His voice didn't leave room for arguing and she would not want to anyway. Her heart was beating faster than when she was in the midst of action because he was near her. She was very aware of his hand on her knee and swallowed a lump.

« Okay... » Was all she could say, she looked at the window and wrapped her arms around her waist. « I hope she will make it. »

« You saved her life back there, Phoenix. You saved her life... » She shrugged and nodded. Her eyes looked at his who was holding onto her knee and she put her hand over his, only for a brief moment. She wouldn't talk, she usually didn't talk whenever she was looking away so he wouldn't force her to talk as of now. She needed to have her wounds tended to before they inevitably talked about why he intervened and the fact he let Cesare escape. They would have the night to talk about it... or would they?

-TBC-

Phoenix and Max: two different road

A/ N: Plot thickens, They're getting close to Cesare but they would have to choose between staying together -and choosing between saving the journalist or catching Cesare- or split up and take more risks. 

xxx xxx

« I am ready » -Her voice echoed through their motel room- « I just need to drive to the Airport. »

Several weeks after the kiss Max and her shared, Phoenix had fully recovered from her gunshot. They went to San Diego after local news broadcasted information a breakthrough of Deaths among drug users and the existence of the new hit drug called « the Serpent ». When cleaning up the streets of the Serpent traffic, they found leads about Cesare and Kara Morgan whereabouts. Kara announced on a video she sent to a friend of hers that she would appear at Chicago, at the Hepstein Academy awards, a ceremony in memory of Audrey Hepstein, one of the toughest and most acclaimed reporters of the late 80's, Phoenix told Max that she needed to save Kara from Cesare's hands and would attend the ceremony to find and rescue her. Unfortunately, Cesare himself, would not be in Chicago and instead, it was said that he would be at Lawrence, visiting his dying mother. It would be the only opportunity to have him less protected than usual. They decided that it would best if she went after Kara and he went after Cesare so they would have a chance at achieving their goals. The first reaction both had once they verbally agreed on that plan was to regret saying it.

« Are we sure we're doing this? » -Max was concerned and for the first time since they met, he didn't even try to hide it from her.-

« We talked about this, Max. Your main target is Cesare. I don't know what you plan to do with him, but this is your only shot at taking him down. This is the only one I have for Kara. She's my main goal. » She paused and looked at him straight in his chestnut eyes « ... Her rescue is. » She said, chewing on her bottom lip while her fingers fidgeted randomly.

Max glanced at her, with her bag on her shoulders, her leather pants and tight black t-shirt and black boots. You wouldn't believe she was an actual assassin if she didn't show her skills. He was wearing a black t-shirt, a pair of grey pants and his leather jacket. He stood up from the chair he was sitting and walked towards her. Max didn't want to let her go, somehow, he knew that if he let her go it would be the last time they would see each other. She was right however, Cesare was known to be extremely cautious and almost paranoid with his protection. The only reason his security detail was so light was that Beatriz, his mother, didn't like the life of crime he chose for himself. He didn't want to upset the old woman in her final days. Max clenched his jaw and fidgeted with his fingers as he refrained from pulling her into a hug. Phoenix wanted to touch him, ever since he kissed her, it became easier for the two of them to touch one another. It would be the random hand on her knee, the arm wrapped around her shoulders the nights both were frustrated about their fruitless hunt for information. She didn't need to put a pillow in between their bodies when they were sleeping next to one another. Contact became easier but added more water to their windmill. They grew close to one another and they both knew their respective missions could end up with one of them -or both, or neither- dead. Yet, both were frozen on their spot, looking at each other seriously as if nothing else was possible.

« I know. I guess this is when we say goodbye then. » She nodded at him and tucked some honey strands behind her ears.

« I guess so. » Her voice was on the verge of cracking.

Phoenix wasn't as confident as she used to be when she went on a mission. This mission was akin to suicide in her case because of how different from her usual missions this was. Usually, when she entered a room, every person inside was dead. She wouldn't need to worry about keeping anyone alive because her job was to literally kill her targets and their goons. This time, she would have to be stealthy, make sure that no innocent was killed -and there would be an entire room filled with innocent people- and save Kara from her captors. Being shot a couple of weeks ago was enough to shake her confidence up. She only needed to be distracted once, like when they tried to catch Martin Greene. Just one second of distraction, because of an innocent boy happened to be in that car, she nearly died. Max swallowed a lump, holding back words he knew he didn't want to say. 'Be careful ', 'Come back to me' and even that sneaky 'I'll miss you' wanted to come out of his lips but he swallowed those words back and gave her a long nod instead. He couldn't say anything and neither could she. Words were peculiarly difficult to say, his throat betrayed him as it kept the words stuck inside.

« We'll see how well you do in a few days then. » He said moving his head to the tv on his back. « Go make one hell of a show. » He smirked, a genuine gentle smirk she had rarely seen on his face. The assassin eyes seemed bigger than usual, wet from the unshed tears she refused to cry.

«  You too. » -Her voice was still broken but this time, he couldn't miss it. Her hazel eyes averted from his face to his hands and she ran her hand through her curly hair before she turned on her heels. « I'll hear from your murder in the streets. I promise I'll clean Chicago streets from 'The serpent' » She said with a slight nod of her face. She shut her eyes tight as if to give herself some strength to leave. « See you around Max. »

« See you around Phoenix. » -He said as he watched her leave the motel room.-

Those last words felt wasted, the moment became a non-moment. Max shrugged it off as nonsense and a waste of time. Feelings had no room in the life he was living. He refused to think of her as more than an ally in his quest for revenge. Sure, they had been working together in several months now, shared several motel rooms, killed goons left and right together and even got rid of one mob boss -only to find him replaced by another more cunning and dangerous crime lord.-. She had been in his mind ever since he noticed her softer side. She had been in his mind ever since they shared that kiss. Max didn't want to think too much about it, about how right it felt to finally feel her lips against his, how good it felt to have her frame against his. She who didn't like to be touched searched for it, demanded it up until he realized he was giving into something he swore not to look at again. Phoenix was extremely competent as well, so Max decided to ignore his fears of losing her. That was ridiculous.

As she entered her car and started the engine, Phoenix herself couldn't shake the feeling of a wasted opportunity to talk to Max one last time. She had the opportunity to watch him over the few months they spent working together and she knew that he couldn't get out of his vengeful loop. He couldn't see past his revenge and she couldn't blame him. After all, Cesare took part in the slaughter of his family. He didn't do it himself per say, but he worked for the people who did. Getting to him was Max' chance to get closer to his goal but she knew that he could take inconsiderate risks. He would die, consumed by his anger like she was by hers. She held tighter on the wheel, reminiscing her own killing-spree in the name of revenge when she set herself free from the BEO. She remembered how empty and lost she felt when she achieved her goal. How could he rebuild himself if he didn't have someone by his side to either guide him or give him the support he needed? Her fingers unclenched and clenched onto the wheel for a minute before she turned the engine on and drove off to the airport. Her ship had sailed, her mission was clear: save Kara Morgan or die trying. It was the most important thing to do for her because Kara embodied the truth, justice and the fight for the voiceless. Saving her would allow Phoenix the redemption she was seeking. Or so she thought.

Or so she thought. 

-TBC-

Max and Phoenix :Christmas Break

A/ N: After she got shot in the back and their lead escaped from them, Max decided to take it slow and let the street talk to him. It gave some much-needed recovery time to Phoenix. Now, Christmas Eve is here and with it, lots of questions and impulsive decisions are made. This is one of them. I'm feeling mellow

xxx xxx

Phoenix woke up in their motel room. Two weeks after the fiasco that was confronting Martin Greene, which resulted in Phoenix being shot, Martin's son being traumatized, Martin being taken to prison and Max being pissed off because he had lost their first solid lead on the case. The Assassin tried to forget about what happened right after they left the crime scene. They found out she was shot and was bleeding out and while he patched her up they argued about her freezing at the sight of the kid. She thought Max was pissed off because of the failed mission but he actually was upset because she could have died. To have him worry about her life disturbed her, but she didn't say anything. She didn't want to acknowledge that she confessed what she did as an assassin and he listened to her and comforted her. She didn't want to remember how much in distress she felt at that exact moment and how badly seeing this kid impacted on her. But it happened. She rolled onto her side and looked at Max who was fixing them dinner. He was pretty simple when it came to food. It was either takeouts or cans. Tonight, he left and grabbed some Chinese takeaways. Her hazel eyes glanced at the watch on her wrist and she groaned quietly.

« How long did I sleep? » She asked with a sleepy tone.

« Two days since we arrived there. I've just changed your bandages. »

« Thanks. » She yawned and put one foot on the floor while the other remained on the bed. He handed her the Chinese takeaway. «Chinese? » He nodded.

« Not really a Christmas meal uh? »

« Who cares about Christmas? » She grumbled while she started to eat. « Do you have something new about Cesare? »

« They're laying low. I haven't heard anything, except that the drug is still in the fucking market. I guess we'll have to start over and ask the small guys about their bosses. » He said, chugging down his beer while she watched him from the bed. « How d'you feel? »

« Better. » She said, looking at her fresh new bandage. « Much better... You said it wasn't a Christmas meal? Are we on... »

« It's Christmas Eve. »

He sternly said, looking away from her disheveled honey hair. He hated the holiday season, mostly because it rubbed some salt on his very open wound. His family was dead and every fucking time the holidays reminded him that he was alone. After all these years looking for the people who killed his wife and child, he always spent the holidays on his own, ruminating his vengeance and reminiscing the good times he had with his loved ones. He would always get angry, break everything in the room and cry while looking at the only picture of his wife and daughter he kept in a locket that belonged to his wife. He would, every Christmas Eve, just do that. This year was different because he wasn't alone. Phoenix was there. She still was mysterious to Max, but as time went by, she started to reveal a little bit more of herself.

He didn't forget what happened a couple of weeks ago when she cried in his arms about the life she was forced to lead. He already thought she might have been a trained assassin or a special agent or both since the differences were blurred in his mind. She was a killer, a straight up stone-cold killer who had been forced into this life of crime ever since she was born. He suddenly understood why she was wary of being close to people, why she didn't want to be touched but insisted on sleeping next to him and all of her oddities. He understood her dire need to redeem herself.

« Christmas Eve uh ?....Have you ever celebrated it? » She genuinely asked while eating her noodles.

« A long time ago... » He turned the chair so he could look at her. « And you? »

« Once. I went on a mission and I had to attend a Christmas gala or some shit like that. It was the first time I ever saw a Christmas tree with all the lights on. It's... pretty. » She said as she put the noodle box on the night desk.

« Yeah.. it's bullshit most of the time. » He cleared his throat as she cleaned her lips with the back of her hand.

« But you're supposed to spend it with people you care about. »

« That's why I say it's shitty. How do you think /I/ feel? »

He shot her a dark glare, making her swallow a lump. That was silly of her to not take into consideration that he literally LOST his family and the holidays were just reminding him of what he lost. Phoenix cleared her throat and took another bite of her noodles

« I'm sorry... » She paused. He lifted his brow because it was the first time she ever apologized for doing something.- « ….I guess it never really rang a bell to me because I didn't...well..it didn't until I had someone I cared about. » -Max curbed his brow.-

« What happened? » Phoenix clenched her fists and stood up.

« I'm going to brush my teeth now. If you want, later on, we can watch the drug dealers of the town and see if we can find something about their suppliers? » He gave her a faint nod and watched as Phoenix walked towards the bathroom.

She took a deep breath and stared at her reflection in the mirror. Truth be told, she had dreamed of spending Christmas with Phaser, long before he faked his own death and forced her to go on a rampage against the rulers of the organization that kidnapped and raised her to become one of the most ruthless and skilled assassins in the world. She had dreamed of the Christmas trees and the treats and the mistletoe, long before she realized that Phaser was using her as a pawn to destroy the competition and build a new organization with him on its head. She dreamed of that before she went after him and killed him.

Rebuilding her life was more challenging than she thought and she realized since Max told her that he cared for her, that saving lives wasn't the only way to have a new and better life and atone for her past deeds. She also had to make herself happy. Max and she were broken souls, made of the same cloth. She empathized a lot with him and she knew he understood her as well. Phoenix felt it, the chemistry between the two of them when they were hunting criminals and killed their goons. She felt it that other night when he held her in her arms and had her hug him back. She splashed water on her face and turned on her heels to look at the tiled ceiling of the bathroom.

Max was confused as well. He hardened his heart, made sure that nobody could ever enter it. What he felt for Phoenix was confused and even he couldn't quite say what it was. He cared for her, wanted her to stay alive, wanted her to succeed and have a better life. He understood what she went through and was angry she experienced it. Her life was unfair, a string of mistreatment and violence.He recognized in her a kindred spirit, someone who could understand the broken man he was today and who wouldn't want to change him into his old self or a man he would never be. She also was as broken as he was and he recognized in her the will to eventually die as a way to atone for her life of crime. He himself had thought of dying several times.

His personal vendetta against the men who killed his family could end with his own death that he wouldn't care... but there she was, making it difficult to think of an « end » instead of a « beginning ». He couldn't stop but think of how nice it actually was to hold her in his arms. He couldn't stop but think of how beautiful she was that night, a beauty he acknowledged already in the past but never really admired than that night when he was stitching her up. He looked at the takeaway on the table and then realized she had been silent for quite some time so he stood up. He opened the door of the bathroom, only to look at her, wearing only black panties and a black thin strapped top. Her honey hair was cascading on her shoulders and teased the small of her back while her hazel eyes were looking straight into his blue ones. Max was panting softly and watched as her ample chest heaved up and down as she stared at him. Her sugary lips were half-opened as she intensely stared at him.

He looked handsome just right there, his stubble on his face, his square jaw, his deep piercing glacier eyes and the intensity of his gaze. He looked at her from head to toe for another second before he grabbed her cheeks and pressed his lips to hers. She moaned in between their lips and shut her eyes tight. The kiss was bruising, hard, demanding. She tasted good, sweeter than he expected her too but with a hint of metal since she was always firing guns and using knives. He tasted like menthol and cinnamon, somehow, and as she pulled away to take her breath back and stare intensely at him, Phoenix put her fingers to his lips. Her eyes shifted from left to right, her lips still half-open as she wanted to say something but words died at the back of her throat. Shivers went down their spines as he pressed his lips against hers. He used his powerful arm to lift her up so she would sit on the sink and he would push himself in between her legs.

Phoenix gasped and pulled away again. She was slowly getting overwhelmed with emotions she didn't welcome yet and so was he. The kiss was random but so desperately needed by both of them that it became a moment of truth. At this exact moment, both knew how they felt towards one another but it was too early, too young, too big for either of them to actually try and look into it. Phoenix closed her eyes. His hands held onto her face before he leaned his forehead against hers. Suddenly, the sharp pain in her belly reminded her of her last predicament and she groaned painfully, thus breaking the magic of the moment. Max chuckled to himself and put his hand on her taut belly before his lips pressed against hers one last time. He pulled away and left the bathroom to let her regain her composure. As he closed the door behind him, Phoenix stood back up and turned around to look at her image in the mirror. She ran her fingers over her plump lips to relish in his taste, just like he did for a minute before he sat back on the chair and worked on keeping a stern face. That was a one-time accident... Or was it?

Max and Phoenix: the plan didn't work out

A/ N: That's for listening to Logan's OST. Fuck ! That made me think of Phoenix and Max. Max belongs to my friend, Phoenix belongs to me.

xxx

« Let me see. » -Max ordered but Phoenix shook her head, ashamed.-

A few weeks after they decided to leave Boston and chase after Cesare Marconi, Max and Phoenix finally got a credible lead as to where the crime lord was hiding. So much was at stake, between the end of the new drug's traffic to the rescue of reporter Kara Morgan and neither Max or Phoenix wanted to screw it up. For Max, it was a personal affair since Cesare was connected to the people who killed his family. He needed answers and Cesare was the best shot at learning the truth Max had. Phoenix wanted to find the crimelord to make amends for the life of crime she led. She was a victim of the Blue Eagle Organization. A child who was kidnapped and trained to become an assassin with nothing but violence and death. Saving lives became her obsession, her only raison d'être as she wanted to wash the red she had on her hands.

If Big Tony was known to be paranoid and very cautious, Cesare was every bit as cautious as his former boss. It was difficult to track him down but fortunately, the drug was easier to find. Chicago was the next stop. Their indicator led them to Martin Greene, one of Cesare's most trusted men would supervise the drug traffic in Chicago. Questioning him would eventually help Max and Phoenix know where Cesare was hiding. Martin Greene was a middle-aged brunet with brown eyes. He was fit, tall -taller than Max- and always wearing tailored midnight suits with sunglasses -even at night- to contrast with his sweatpants wearing goons. His routine was quite simple and a week after they learned of his existence, Max and Phoenix devised a plan. He was the most vulnerable on Wednesdays because of around 11 pm, he went to the gym he rented for the night so there would be no witnesses save for his goons. Because he was very careful, the man always had 6 bodyguards with him

« No. » She groaned, shrugging her arm so he wouldn't touch her. Max furrowed his brows and grabbed her arm, making her slap him in the face. Phoenix hated when she was being touched without her consent, even more, when she actually refused to be touched. He knew it but that didn't prevent Max from holding her arm because she needed to have her arm fixed. He took it but didn't flinch. « I said no. » She wasn't furious or upset as she usually should have been. Max noticed how empty her gaze was and how she tried to avoid looking at him.

« You're bleeding, it has to be taken care of. » -His tone was dry, leaving no doubt that he didn't want her to resist him. She glanced up at his face and shook her head-. « I am not asking you. » -He said as he took her to the bed and made her sit on it. He grabbed his bag and sorted out the first aid kit he always carried around with him.-

That mission was supposed to be easy peasy. They would rough him up until he gave her the information they were looking for and then they would waste him. He was a ruthless man, one who didn't hesitate to kill the teenagers who worked for him. He was deeply involved in the drug traffic and had expressed several times his will to expand the empire of his friend. Max and she showed up at that parking that night. She pulled her infamous black and white guns with silver phoenix engraved on it. Max pulled his Desert Eagle. Automatically, the bodyguards pulled their own guns and started to shoot at the pair. Very quickly -and because both Max and Phoenix were excellent marksmen- All the bodyguards were down. Max then proceeded to threaten and punch Martin's face to get the information he needed. Martin proved to be hardcore. He refused to give the information despite Max punching him out. Phoenix decided to search the car, in hopes of finding the information on papers or anything left behind. That was when she noticed the little boy who was hiding in the car. That was something they didn't plan. She didn't even know that Martin had a family. The boy was roughly 6 years old. Way too young to be aware of what was happening but old enough to remember the scene. He was shaking and covered his ears with both of his hands when his gaze crossed Phoenix who froze.

She didn't notice that one goon who wasn't dead yet. He slowly took his gun and pointed it at her chest. He was aiming at her head but the combination of him being exhausted due to blood loss and his boss yelling no because he could have killed his son, made him lower his arm and aim at her belly instead. He pulled the trigger, the bullet tore her vest and pierced her skin, making her gasp for air. The kid screamed and curled up inside the car. Phoenix didn't move, she looked at her shirt that was quickly getting soaked with blood and heard another gunshot, this time it was Max killing off the goon. Martin refused to snitch on his boss and the kid called 911. She could tell because he was yelling « Police please help daddy. » And while she should have searched the car, the woman simply couldn't. She was unable to make a move because of that kid, which was something Max didn't notice up until he heard the sirens of the police cars. He reluctantly left an injured Martin on the floor and grabbed Phoenix by the arm. She followed him, blankly staring at him until they reached their car. Phoenix zipped her vest up and put her hands into her pockets. This way it would distract Max who wouldn't realize she was bleeding out and sat on the car while Max drove them to their motel room. Tonight was a failure. They didn't get the information they were looking for. Martin Greene wasn't dead and there was a chance that he either would go to prison or walk a free man and tell Cesare about Max and Phoenix tracking him down. Max was pissed off and was about to yell at Phoenix as they entered the motel room when he noticed she'd been bleeding all the way to their safe place.

« …........... » -She didn't say anything as he pulled her top up to look at her wound.It was a nasty wound, the bullet didn't go through her skin so Max knew he would have to remove it with forceps. To help him work faster, Phoenix pulled her shirt off and looked at her belly. Max wasn't bothered by the sight and under different circumstances, he would have been appreciative, but she was still bleeding and if he didn't work fast, she might pass out or just die. She didn't flinch when he grabbed the bullet with the forceps and gritted her teeth as he pulled it out of her back. She shut her eyes tight and clenched her fists to control the pain she was experiencing.Max looked up at her face, his eyes cold as ice as he was trying to figure her out. She snarled and looked away from him.-

« Why didn't you tell me you got shot? » He inquired, pulling the bullet and extracting it from the bullet wound. She bit her bottom lip and looked away from him. Why didn't she? She was distracted by the kid. The sight of him shocked her so much that she lost her edge and could have died. The implication of what could have happened was slowly getting into her head. « You could have died back there. »

« You think I don't know? » She finally said, her hazel eyes stared at him. Her chest was heaving up and down at a fast pace due to the adrenaline still pumping through her veins.

« What happened? » He asked again, quickly cleaning her wound before he grabbed the needle holder and started to stitch her up. « Phoenix ?! »

« I can hear you just fine. » She said, snarling at the sharp pain from the wound. Her blood was still dripping onto her belly and her lap but he controlled the blood flood and she knew that the stitches would stop it. « The kid. We didn't anticipate the kid. I didn't even know he had a kid. »

« We'll have to plan again. Everything's changed now that he's alive and in prison. He might die before he talks or Cesare might know we're getting closer to him. Either way, we're screwed. » He grunted and closed the wound before he cut the thread.

« Are you saying it's my fault? What should have I done? Kill Martin in front of his kid? Kill his kid? » She sneered and stood up. He watched as she stumbled and stood up to help her.

« I didn't say that. »

« You thought it! You are angry, I can tell. You are angry and rightfully so. Cesare will know we're after him and we got very close to know where he's hiding. We lost our lead. They would be more careful. » She grunted and shook her head. « There was a kid in that damn car and I didn't expect it. I froze! That's what happened! I froze Max! » She ran her hand over her blood-soaked belly and considered taking a shower to at least clean herself up.

« I know. It isn't like you to freeze. I don't give a damn about the plan. I give a damn about your life. You could have died! I don't want you to die. » He growled at her, making her straighten up and look from left to right. What was that? She was baring her back at him, lips trembling as she realized that indeed, he was being worried about her. She felt tears fill her eyes and wiped them off of her face.

« I....did despicable things in my life Max. I have blood on my hands. I have killed indiscriminately, men, women, old, young and infants even. That was the only life I knew, when my masters pointed a target at me and gave me orders, I did it without questioning myself. They... »She choked up. « I remember when I was this young boy's age. How terrified of holding a gun I was, how terrified of these evil people I was. They made me kill my first target when I was 4. Seeing this little boy....reminded me of what it was to be afraid. It reminded me of the children I have killed. I couldn't move because of my shame and guilt...I don't want to be this person anymore, I am working hard to make amends for my old sins. » She covered her face with both her hands and tried her most damn not to cry but it was too late. Max's eyes grew wide as it was the first time she actually confided in him. He had clues here and there about her past but never did he imagine it went that far. His glacier gaze turned even colder as he was considering what she went through, the torture she refused to talk about, the way she was forced to become the infamous White Phoenix and her mental breakdown. She was good, deep down because if she wasn't, she wouldn't feel remorse and wouldn't want to turn a new leaf and make amends the way she did. She was good and her tears proved it. She was good and nearly died in front of him.

« Phoenix... » He said, walking closer to her. She shook her head, wiped the tears with the back of her arm and turned around to face him. Max never saw her be this vulnerable in front of him, but she was clearly distraught by what happened. He wasn't a man of words, so he didn't know what to say to make her feel better. He cupped her cheeks, both of them with both his hands and stroked them with his thumbs. « It's okay. It's okay. You're okay. » He pulled her into a hug and ran his fingers through her black curls. Phoenix was tense but she slowly brought her arms around his waist and allowed herself to cry. « I got you. I got you. » He repeated. So many thoughts crossed his mind at this moment, There was so much to say but so little time and he didn't know how to express it anyway. He didn't even want to express it. The thought of her dying had him upset because they formed some sort of bond. After months fighting side by side and tracking their common enemy, he grew close to the woman, to the point of allowing her where she shouldn't be. His mind. He cared for her in ways he didn't want to but here he was, infatuated and knee-deep into that thing called « feelings ». She should have died, she would have, but she didn't so he decided to focus on her tonight rather than his emotions.

-TBC-