Max watched Vivian in silence as she exited the police station, her expression vacant, her eyes dull with exhaustion. He held her things awkwardly in his hands as he walked beside her. Without saying a word, he opened the front passenger seat door of his car, his fingers gripping the edge of the doorframe to make sure her head didn't hit it as she climbed in. A protective reflex that came so effortlessly.
Vivian sat down in the car, her movements slow, and drowsy. Her silence filled the air, a heavy tension hanging between them as Max walked around the car, his steps unusually slow. He slid into the driver's seat, glancing sideways at her, but she didn't meet his gaze. Instead, she stared out the window, her face etched with a weariness that went beyond physical fatigue. It was the look of someone who had carried the weight of the world for far too long.
Max gripped the steering wheel, trying to think of something to say, but the words died in his throat. The car started with a low hum, the engine almost too soft against the quiet between them. He glanced down at his lap, where Vivian's belongings were still resting, her purse, papers, a few small items she'd been carrying when she was arrested. He wanted to hand them to her, but she didn't seem to notice them. She just kept staring out of the window, her eyes unfocused, lost in a world he couldn't reach.
Then, suddenly, her voice broke through the silence, so faint that he barely caught it.
"Give me..."
Max blinked, his brows furrowing in confusion. "Huh? Did you say something?" His voice was gentle but puzzled, unsure if she had spoken at all or if he had imagined it.
Vivian turned to look at him, her cracked lips moving with difficulty. "Give me... the things," she repeated, her voice fragile, as if every word hurt.
"Oh, right, yes, of course," Max stammered, flustered as he quickly handed over the pile of items. He tried to keep his movements steady, but his hands fumbled, and her purse spilled open in her lap, scattering its contents.
Vivian barely noticed. She began picking up the items one by one, her fingers moving with a shaky grace as she placed them back into the purse. Then her hand froze. Among the items was a small, folded piece of paper—an old note. Max glanced at it, but before he could say anything, Vivian's fingers trembled as she unfolded it.
Max watched her expression change, the color draining from her face as her eyes scanned the familiar handwriting. He could see her jaw tighten, her breath hitching, her fingers trembling more violently now as she read the words on the page.
The note was from her brother.
I love you, sister. You are my only one. Protect yourself. A woman has been approaching me under your name continuously. She doesn't know I'm your brother, but she knows I'm connected to you. I'm sorry for everything. I really am. But you know I'm bad with words. Goodbye.
Your brother
Vivian's eyes welled with tears, and suddenly, they spilled over, her body convulsing with sobs as the weight of her brother's words crushed her. She hadn't expected this—this sudden reminder of the one person who had been taken from her, the one person she had, her only family. She hugged the note to her chest as if she was trying to wake it with her warmth and her voice, she remembered every bit of their last encounter, how Vivian kicked him out of the car and how he was looking at her with a smile, the pain was too much to bear.
Max's heart clenched at the sight of her breaking down. His instincts kicked in, and without thinking, he pulled the car over to the side of the road. The tires crunched against the gravel, and he parked, but he didn't know what to do next. Should he reach out? Should he comfort her? He felt helpless, watching her sob uncontrollably, and the last thing he wanted was to make things worse.
So instead, he quietly stepped out of the car. He gave her space, standing a few feet away as she cried her heart out. His back was turned to her, and he wiped his own eyes quickly, the sight of her grief pulling at something deep inside him. Max was known for his playful, easygoing nature, but moments like these always reminded him how deeply he cared for the people he loved. And Vivian, despite everything, was one of those people.
The minutes stretched on, each sob tearing at his heart. Max took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. It felt like forever before the car went quiet again. He glanced over his shoulder to check on her, unsure if she was okay, only to find her slumped against the seat, her head resting on the window.
She had passed out, her body completely drained from the emotional toll.
"Vivian?" Max's voice was soft, full of concern as he leaned into the car. When she didn't respond, panic surged through him. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder, shaking her slightly, but there was no reaction. His heart raced as he rushed back into the driver's seat and started the engine again, his hands trembling as he turned the car around.
He drove to the hospital as fast as he could without causing alarm. The streets blurred around him, but his focus was only on her.
When they arrived at the hospital, he carried her inside, his voice cracking as he explained the situation to the nurses. They quickly hooked her up to IV drips, checking her vitals, making sure she was stable. Max hovered nearby, his heart pounding, watching as they worked on her.
Hours passed before Vivian finally stirred awake. She blinked slowly, her eyes adjusting to the bright lights of the hospital room. The first thing she saw was Max, sitting beside her bed, a look of pure relief flooding his face as he realized she was awake.
"Vivian," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "You scared me half to death."
Vivian looked at him, her eyes still red from crying, but a faint curve touched her lips as she saw the worry etched in his features. "m' sorry," she croaked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Max shook his head, reaching out to take her hand gently. "No, don't apologize. Just... rest, okay?"
Her eyelids heavy again, but before she drifted off, she squeezed the sheets as if trying to stay awake, but it was in vain she was sleeping again. Max sat by her side. Giving off a sigh of relief and then buried his head in his hands