After the Fall

You're here (Fluff and angst)

"So..." Max starts. "...are you still going to read me the sequel of your spider man comic?" Max questions.

Lucas looks up with eyes of shock, knowing he read those comics to Max while she was in coma. "You...you heard?"

Max smiles, remembering all of the countless things Lucas has read to her and said to her while she was still inside of Vecna's mind. "Every word Lucas, I heard every word." Max states. "It was you that made me strong Lucas, your words...they strengthened me."

Lucas sobs out at that, letting the tears go free because he just can't contain it anymore. He brings Max hand to his nose, breathing in her scent that he very well knows. He closes his eyes, his head hurting from crying so hard while he hold Max's hand tightly against his nose, fearing if he lets go he will loose her forever. He has never cried so hard in front of anyone like this, the last time he did he was very young and it was with Mike Dustin and Will. Lucas has never been one to want to cry in front of anyone, but as of right now, emotions are too overwhelming to contain, it is too much to keep in.

Max begins to cry as well, tears spring free from her eyes. "Lucas, Lucas please don't cry." Her voice cracks. She has never heard Lucas cry before, she has never 'seen' him like this and it breaks her heart. She knows that Lucas blames himself, she has heard him say it to her countless amount of times. "Lucas this isn't your fault." Max says, her voice soft.

Lucas shakes his head, having to wipe his eyes because his vision becomes blurry with tears. "But it is..." Lucas starts, his voice hoarse and small. "...I told you about everything, I showed you those goddamn demadogs, I brought you into this mess. I didn't stop you when you put yourself out there as bait, I wasn't there for you. This is all my fault Max."

"Lucas please don't say that." Max says while shaking her head.

"It's true Max."

"No Lucas don't say that! Please stop!" Max cries. "You are the one who brought me the strength to find a way out Lucas! You saved my life! And it pains me to hear the one who had a part in saving me is blaming himself for what happened to me."

Saved her? Lucas only feels she is telling him that only to make him feel better. He doesn't believe it, all he sees is what he didn't do, what he could have done but didn't do. Lucas looks down, still holding Max's soft hand on his nose, that being the only thing keeping him sane, her being the only thing keeping her sane.

"Lucas." Max says, her hand going to his cheek. He goes to look up at Max again, seeing her look ahead of her. "Vecna did this..Vecna caused this not you. He is dead now, he can't bother me again, he can't hurt me again. El made sure of that..." Max trails off, looking down a little. "...Will made sure of that."

A silence fills the room, Lucas taking Max hand in his own, both of his hands engulfing Max's. She smiles at the feeling, the warm feeling it makes her feel, the content feeling, the feeling of safety and security. He has always felt safe around Lucas, he is her safe place, her place to go when she feels scared, and she is glad right now she is with him right now.

"You saved me Lucas. You, El, Will, Nancy...all of you. But you, you gave me the mental encouragement for me to go on, for me not to give up to think that it was all over. You saved me from giving up, you saved me." Max makes sure to say again, she wants Lucas to know that he had a major part in saving her, in helping her when she was in the darkness. He was the light at the end of the tunnel, he is the light to her darkness. Most of all, she doesn't want Lucas to blame himself for something that was not his fault. "Plus I chose to accept this risk? Remember that? You asked me if I accepted and I did. Trust me after I saw those...things I could I left, but I didn't. I'm not one to stick around for things I don't want to do." Max adds in.