DISCLAIMER: SeaChange and all its characters belong to Deb Cox and Andrew Knight. If I'd created them I wouldn't be writing fanfiction on the Internet, I'd be on set creating as many more seasons as possible. Don't sue me, I write because I love it and I borrow your characters because I think they're so realistic and great.

 

This is a 'what if' fic (I love doing these ones!). I'll give you the main basis of the story, so that you're not reading ahead thinking 'but this didn't happen!' I know it's VERY far-fetched and melodramatic, but I felt compelled to write something that was altering what we have already seen rather than pondering what could happen (I do that enough already!)

 

There are four main questions that are being answered in this fic:

What if Max and Laura confessed their love but didn't act further on it?

What if Laura hadn't told Warwick to shove off?

What if Max had left for the city?

What if the wedding had remained as planned?

 

Upmost thanks must go to Carolyn for helping me get the whole time span correct. I now understand completely what happened during the whole Warwick business! It's quite impossible to follow a storyline after missing 2 episodes and being visited by loud relatives during 3 episodes.

 

Dedicated to all the secret lovers out there, but in particular two who are knowingly observed together every day by more people than they think!

 

Forward, Together, Forever

By Casey

 

There was no way she could get out of this pickle easily. Perhaps she could lie to him, but something so significant as this wouldn't be easy to lie about. Laura drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, if only to prevent them from shaking so severely. It had been one night. One foolish night. But it was worth it. To be in Max's arms, fearless of the world, knowing that she was being loved had been all that Laura cared about that night. But now she was pregnant with Max's child, and only God knew where he was.

 

As if her conscience wasn't suffering enough. Warwick was too good. He didn't drink, so she couldn't blame a night that he didn't recall, because he never forgot anything. Laura looked at the wedding ring on her finger. It was all wrong. At first Warwick had seemed like the ideal man for her. But that was just the exterior. Underneath he was nothing. To Laura, Warwick was the most utterly boring person in the world. Max, however, was a many layered mystery. She had barely scathed the surface of his inner side, and she knew nothing.

 

Driving along the street at 5 kilometres per hour, if only to prolong the arrival at her home, Laura racked her brain for ideas as to how to tell Warwick. 'Perhaps I should just tell him outright', Laura thought.

            "Warwick, I'm pregnant…and we haven't even had sex yet"

That will not work, she told herself stupidly. There was nothing that could be done. Laura just had to face the fact that one beautiful night with Max Connors had probably caused her more trouble than it had been worth.

 

Max. How she longed to hear him call her name. Laura recollected his departure, not long after the wedding. Warwick had only attended the farewell because he was fearful she would run after Max. The whole town had been there, the majority of them crying. Laura hadn't cried. Not in front of Max, anyway. She had disappeared for the entire afternoon, sitting alone on a secluded part of the beach, just reminiscing every moment she had interacted with Max. It was then that the tears had come. There was no howling, just the sound of the waves rippling on the shore, as tears streamed down Laura's cheeks. Life was going to be empty without Max.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

            "I've been looking for you everywhere," came the voice. She recognised the deep voice instantaneously. "You're freezing" she felt the big hands on her shoulders, and the strong arms embraced her from behind. "What are you doing out here all alone?" he enticed her to lean back into his chest, and she accepted willingly. "You know I can't stay, I have to go" Max said emotionally. Laura didn't understand. What was he talking about? She began a fitful struggle, begging him to stay. Suddenly the vision disappeared in front of her, and all was quiet.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Even Max's spirit was fleeting from Laura's dreams. There was a sudden knock on glass, and Laura was jerked back into reality. Having lost all sense of location and time, she realised she was still in the car. Opening the driver's door, Laura was greeted by Warwick who was donning his usual neat attire. It was a Saturday, yet Warwick Munro still wore a shirt and tie.

            "I was wondering where you'd gotten to" he stated, placing a pathetic kiss on Laura's cheek. She forced away all desires to flinch away from him, and tried to play along. Thinking about Max for such a long period of time had been true bliss, but it also had helped her to realise just how lame life was without him.

 

            "Did you get the oregano?" Warwick asked from the kitchen.

            "It's in the bag with the ravioli," Laura said absently; too busy reading the book she'd bought while on her shopping expedition.

            "What about the wine?"

            "Oh. I thought we had some already"

            "Never mind. You can go by the Tropical Star and pick some up later"

Laura had to laugh at that remark, but resisted. 'How considerate of you' she thought with a spiteful frown on her face.

 

The plan for the evening was not in the least bit desirable to Laura, but she knew that if the overall plan were to work, she would have to begin tonight. Tea would be when the initial plan of attack would commence. Being ever so thoughtful, Laura offered to serve dinner that evening. Following the instructions for a divine pasta dish, she poured in the wine, poured in some more wine, and poured in just a little more for good luck. The sauce simmered beautifully, and Laura knew that this plan was going to work. It was her last resort.

            "Have another glass, darling" Laura cringed. She couldn't believe she was using the word darling in reference to Warwick. But it didn't count if it was forced.

            "Don't mind if I do. Would you like a refill?"

            "No, not just yet. I'll wait till the pasta's ready"

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The plan had worked. Although it could easily have gone down as one of the worst nights in Laura's life, she had finally made Warwick a man. It had been unpleasant, it had been unfulfilling, hell it had been boring. Laura knew that there was no way she could ever compare Warwick to Max. He was overshadowed by Max's tall stature extremely easily. Sex with Max was exciting, wild and uncontrollable. Sex with Warwick reminded Laura of the rides for 3-year-olds at carnivals. Slow, predictable and boring. But at least now there was some way of proclaiming that the child growing inside of her could belong to Warwick, or so it would seem to others. Laura knew it would be hard to lie. Hell, the little rendezvous between Max and herself had occurred at least a month before the first encounter under the sheets with Warwick.

 

All that was left to do was to figure out a way for Warwick to either miss all obstetrician appointments, or make the doctor lie. Prospect A seemed easier, but prospect B was looking mighty close to what would eventually happen. How would Warwick take the news, Laura wondered. They hadn't really talked about children before; perhaps he'd be devastated by the news. But he couldn't. Who would be angered or upset by the news that they were going to be a parent? That bought Laura back to ponder about someone else. Max didn't know he was going to be a father. Knowing that killed Laura, but she had no idea as to how to contact him. Firstly, she had to find a time when Warwick wasn't in the house, and secondly, she had to find a contact number. Was that possible? Hardly.

 

            "Good morning my little sex kitten"

Laura screamed suddenly, being snapped back into reality. Warwick stepped into the bedroom carrying a tray with breakfast on it. Laura's mind flittered back to her one night with Max. The next morning he'd stood before her in all his glory, yet here was Warwick, dressing gown cloaked upon him. How delightfully ridiculous, Laura thought.

            "Morning. How are you feeling?" Laura had to ask this one. To know that she'd been so utterly blessed to take Warwick's virginity the previous night (and well into the morning) was in some ways, fulfilling, even if it hadn't been a night Laura would care to remember.

            "Ravishing, darling, just ravishing"

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

ONE MONTH LATER…

 

Well, she'd made it this far without being detected. The morning, lunchtime, and evening sickness hadn't been easy, and Laura often considered just telling Warwick the truth and getting it all over with. But there was no way she was going to let go of him that easily. If Max was not going to return (and that was looking highly unlikely now), Laura was determined to hang onto Warwick, if only to keep her alive during the pregnancy and first year or so of parenthood. Although she would be put through agony knowing that Max was surely missing out on the life of his only child (that she knew of). But there were some things that made Warwick bearable. He had been very concerned over the month gone, and Laura had been comforted to know that he certainly didn't hate the idea of being a father.

 

Telling Warwick had been easy. Laura had sat him down and told him calmly and confidently. There was no way Warwick would have never guessed Laura had been keeping her secret from him for over a month. Laura would never forget the look on his face. Initially, he had been shocked. But as the truth sank in, Warwick had been delighted. Sitting beside him now, Laura wondered if he did have any suspicions. She was constantly telling herself that there was no way Warwick would suspect anything, but there was one underlying fear of all hell breaking lose. And little did Laura know; that exact fear was going to be unleashed sooner than anyone would have ever guessed.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

            "Max?"

Laura looked instantly towards the door of the bar. Her face was filled with anticipation and delight at just hearing the name, and upon seeing the love of her life her heart skipped a beat. Laura couldn't allow herself to move as quickly as she would have liked. Warwick was at her side, and any sudden movement would make him worry instantly. There was uproar as the man of the hour waltzed into the bar, and the town were to their feet to greet their old friend.

            "Wonder what he's doing back here" Warwick mumbled. Laura caught ear of the comment, and decided to press the issue further.

            "Since when has it been a crime for someone to return to their hometown?" Laura bitterly asked Warwick. Repressing all desires to bite back, Warwick stood, and disappeared to mingle with the crowd.

 

Watching as her 'husband' mixed with the locals, Laura noticed it again. Whenever Warwick decided to begin idle chatter, people would disperse. Not that she couldn't blame them, but Laura did wonder whether he actually noticed it. She just hoped that Max didn't say anything that he would regret. But for some ironically bizarre reason, Laura knew that not much would stop Max from saying how he felt.

 

            "Warwick, great to see you" Max strolled over towards the pair, shaking Warwick's hand while ignoring Laura. It had been a very forced greeting, and the handshake had been stiff and unwelcome.

            "Yes, likewise" Warwick forced himself to speak to the man.

Laura could see the sparks of hatred flying between the two, and didn't know what to do. Her heart was telling her to explain to Warwick that he wasn't wanted; yet her brain knew that was the wrong thing to do.

            "Laura" she was snapped from her thoughts when Max said her name. Blue eyes met green, and the soul mates were locked in a meaningful eye conversation.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

'I couldn't live without you'

'I can't love you'

'You already do though'

'I'm a married woman'

'But are you really happy? Because you certainly don't look it'

'I am happy. I don't need you to tell me how I feel'

'You've become an outcast. No one wants to know you when you're with him'

'Why did you come back here?'

'I came back for you. I love you'

'Look, that night; it was foolish. It meant nothing'

'It meant something to me'

'Well it meant nothing to me'

'You told me you…

 

            "Excuse me, Max, but I think it's time Laura and I returned home" Warwick could see the flames re-igniting between the pair, and knew he had to intervene before anything happened.

Laura wanted to turn around and throw her arms around Max. Her heart was burning in great pain; longing to be held by the man she truly desired. But what was she to do?

            "You told me you loved me, Laura"

She spun around to see Max standing in the centre of the room, looking desperate and lost. He was telling the truth, and Laura was now put in one of those extremely difficult situations.

 

            "Is this true?" Warwick demanded. He was infuriated by Max's statement.

            "No" Laura stammered. She had never seen such a vicious side in Warwick, and it scared her.

            "Yes it is. Tell him, Laura. Please" Max's eyes were pleading Laura to confess. She was being crushed between the two men and their egos.

Before any more words could be said, Warwick had advanced towards Max. "Don't say anything that isn't true" Warwick spat at Max.

            "I'm not lying" Max glared evilly down on Warwick.

            "I bet you're not," Warwick said in a low, curt voice.

It was then that something no one could have predicted happened. Warwick sent a punch to Max's face.

 

It was a natural reflex for Max to react. So he responded with a powerful blow at Warwick's nose. Before anyone could separate the pair, a brawl had begun. Everyone watched in amazement as the two men fought viciously. It was obvious whom the town was supporting. Max certainly had the upper hand of this fight, and it was apparent that he would be the victor. Meanwhile, Laura didn't know how to respond to the sudden onslaught of punches between the men. She knew that only one man had true reason to win the fight, while the other was only battling to protect what he already had. They were fighting over her. Laura couldn't be witness any more. She quietly slipped out of the room, leaving the rowdy crowd of onlookers and the two men.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

She ran. The sand beneath her feet was damp, from both the vicious waves crashing over the shore, as well as the rain that was pelting down heavily on the earth. Laura hadn't known what else to do. The man she loved and the man she was married to were having a brawl in front of the entire town. But she had known she didn't want to be there. Laura didn't want to be in the town anymore. While watching in despair as the two men fought, Laura realised just how wrong she was. She had cheated on a man, her husband. Infidelity. Jack had been unfaithful to her, and she had been unfaithful to Warwick. Laura was carrying Max's child. She hadn't told him, but instead told her husband that the child belonged to him. Lying. The two things that had brought down her previous marriage were probably going to destroy her current marriage and any chance at a future with Max.

 

Having reached the only place she knew was safe, Laura stopped at the door to her house. She couldn't go in there. It wasn't her home anymore. It was the house that she shared with Warwick. The man that she'd cheated on. Lied to. There was no possible way to denounce everything that she'd done. Looking at the lounge room, Laura knew that her life at present was one big lie. There was no love clinging in the room, no warmth. What had she gotten herself into? Laura snatched the keys off the table, and departed the house without a second glance. The road was looking like the only safe possibility. No one would be able to talk to her if she was a thousand miles away from them. Laura unlocked the door, and sank heavily into the driver's seat. It was then that she cried. All the mistakes she'd made over the past two months were disgusting. Lying, infidelity, adultery. All terrible, all resting on Laura's shoulders.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

She was out of all the hassles that had begun back there. None of it was ever going to touch Laura again. She was moving back to the city and no one was going to stop her. If she had to live with a man she did not love while carrying the child of a man she could not have, then there was no reason to stay in Pearl Bay. The speedometer was nearing the 110 km/h mark, although Laura didn't notice. All that she knew was that she wasn't going fast enough to get away from all her evils. The words were being chanted over and over in Laura's head. Cheating, lying, adultery, infidelity. The tears were streaming down her pallid cheeks now. Nothing would stop them from falling, either.

 

The rain was heavy, and the dark skies were being lit up by spectacular bolts of lightning that hit the earth. The land around her was barren, plains of dry grassland with herds of cattle grazing surrounding the road. Laura didn't know what she was exactly going to do upon reaching the city. Check into a hotel, get something to eat and a fresh set of clothes. The clothes that Laura was wearing at the moment were soaking wet, and she was beginning to notice just how drenched she had become during the downpour. Even with the heater on its maximum temperature of 35 degrees, Laura was still shivering.

 

Hailstones were pelting heavily onto the car now. Laura had a sudden fear that one would shatter the glass, the intensity and power behind the hailstones being incredibly fierce. The roads were empty, the horrendous storm being a great deterrent for motorists. But not her. Laura had been in too great a hurry to worry about the weather. But the weather had become considerably worse since her departure from Pearl Bay half an hour ago. Laura angrily wiped away the tears that blurred her vision. The windscreen wipers were working overtime, the rain coming as quickly as it was being wiped away.

 

Suddenly the rear tires lost traction, and Laura felt the car hit the skids. Knowing that not much was going to save her, Laura clasped the steering wheel tightly and tried in vain to correct the car. All attempts were futile though, as the roads were slick and covered with grease and water. She closed her eyes, believing that God had chosen today to be her day of fate. There was no one around to hear the blood-curdling scream cease abruptly.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

He hastily leapt into his new four-wheel drive. The white Land Rover discovery drove beautifully, and he loved the car to death. But that was the least of Max's thoughts. He had to find his beloved magistrate before it was too late. Max hadn't noticed Laura's absence for some time, as he had been intensely pressuring Warwick to leave and never return. Just how long had she been on her own for? He regretted getting so wound up about Warwick now. But seeing the man had brought up so much spiteful anger. Warwick had what Max had always wanted, and he knew that Laura didn't love the man. There was no way even she could try to deny it.

 

Arriving at the house, Max hurried inside. He called her name, over and over, but there was no reply. Then something clicked. There had been no car outside. Max didn't think Laura would be stupid enough to go out in this type of weather. But then again…Max rushed back out to the car and decided to head towards the highway. He didn't exactly know why he was taking that particular route, but he did know that Laura wouldn't have bothered puddling around in Pearl Bay. She would've gotten away as quickly and as far away as possible. Max started the car, and disappeared down the road.

 

Road conditions were shocking. Visibility was extremely poor, and the road was terribly greasy. Being the ever so cautious person he was, Max tried to keep to under 80km/h, but his attempts were poor. There was no way he could travel at a slow pace, knowing that Laura was trying to escape him. But that wasn't how it was, Max told himself. She wasn't running from him, she was running from Warwick. Max didn't know what had happened during the few month he'd been away, but something rather drastic had taken place, and he knew that he somehow had a stake in it. Laura hadn't said much to him since his arrival in town, and he knew that if all were calm and happy, a million words would have already been shared between the pair.

 

The rain hadn't completely stopped, but it had eased off noticeably, and was now steadily falling. Max was thankful for this, as he could now hasten his pace without being too worried about collecting another car in his chase. What would he do if he couldn't find her? Max hadn't thought that far ahead, and the situation suddenly struck him. Laura could be anywhere, for all Max knew, and he wouldn't stop searching for her until the pair was reunited. How foolish he'd been, leaving Laura after their glorious night together. It was from that night that Max had come to the conclusion that he did love Laura. But by the time that one particular night had arisen, it had been too late. Warwick was on the scene.

 

If only Laura had told Warwick to leave. She could have easily called off the wedding, told the man (if one could call him that) to depart. But Max knew that for Laura to do such a deed would have been rather pressuring for her. He knew Laura's family history all too well, and imagined that she didn't want to be like her sister. Max had been tempted to tell Warwick of the true passion he and Laura had shared. But he had known that it was up to Laura to tell Warwick. And she hadn't. Max regretted that side of the dilemma. But there was going to be a light at the end of the tunnel, Max could feel it.

 

Max had always been fascinated by the swampland that he passed whenever going to the city. The road basically intersected the middle of the land, which was isolated, yet full of bird life. There was something ahead of him that was in need of a second glance. Upon further investigation, Max knew instantaneously what had happened. His stomach lurched, and he moved the engine into overdrive. Reaching the scene, Max pulled over onto the gravel, jumped out of the car, and sprinted towards the one he had been chasing.

 

            "Laura, what are you doing?" Max wrapped his arms around Laura's shoulders. She was drenched and trembling.

            "The car won't start" Laura stated, confused. Max immediately recognised the signs of hypothermia. He placed a hand to her cheek, which was cold. Her skin was pale and she was shivering quite visibly.

            "You're bleeding" Max gingerly touched Laura's temple, which was a deep crimson colour.

            "I am?" Laura asked and attempted to feel the wound. Her balance faltered, and Max carefully steadied her.

            "Come with me. Let's get you warm" Max gently guided Laura towards his car, and upon reaching the vehicle, he sat her down on the back seat. Max hadn't yet had a chance to unload all his belongings, and had been fortunate enough to have a doona within easy reach. He grabbed it and wrapped it around Laura. Max then lifted her carefully into his lap.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Laura lay wearily against Max's body, her head resting on his shoulder. She hadn't felt so safe and protected for a very long time, and it was reassuring to know that it was Max who was with her. Laura was beginning to re-orientate herself, and there was some warmth, although not as much as she would have liked.

            "Max"

            "Yes, Laura?"

            "Are you back for good?"

            "Do you want me back?"

            "Yes. I need you"

            "I need you too"

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Max listened carefully to Laura's breathing. Her breaths were shallow and slow. Max knew he had to get her to the hospital, but he didn't want the moment to end. He may never get the chance to be near Laura like this, and he wasn't about to pass the opportunity up. She shifted in his arms, and Max knew that she was becoming more alert.

            "Do you remember our night?"

            "I do indeed. I'll never forget it"

            "I'm having your baby, Max"

 

Initially, he was stunned. Max was incredulously pondering why Laura hadn't told him. But his thoughts above that were how she had kept it from Warwick. Memoires of that night came crashing back, and a smile spread across Max's face. It had certainly been foolish; filled with too much wine and a great deal of fervour. But the immense fire that had burned all night would never be extinguished.

            "Well then," Max began. "I…" then he lost the words. What could he say? Max had never been faced with this prospect, and he certainly was at a loss for words.

 

Laura panicked. Why wasn't he saying anything? Was he not pleased with the news? There was an internal nagging that Laura tried to ignore. But when a burdening question arose, Laura couldn't withhold it.

            "Max, say something" she bit her tongue to refrain from asking her question.

Again there was silence. Oh my god, Laura thought. He doesn't want the baby. Laura prayed that that wasn't the case.

            "I have never wanted anything more in the world" Max finally spoke, and Laura's fears were abolished from his statement.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Max paced outside the hospital room anxiously. His fears were growing larger, and he forced himself to cease thinking of all possible problems. Max knew there had been nothing wrong, even he could have diagnosed that. So why were they taking so long? His thoughts were answered when the doctor exited the room.

            "Is everything all right?"

            "Everything's fine. The hypothermia was only slight, but I want to keep her here for 24 hours' observation, just to be sure. The bang on her forehead caused a concussion, but no internal bleeding, thankfully" the doctor explained. Max thanked him, and hurried into the room to be by Laura's side.

 

            "The prognosis is bleak, I hear" Max debated what his first words should be, considering that Laura was now more coherent than since their previous conversation, and decided that humour was his best card.

            "For you, maybe" Laura returned the joke with the sharpness she knew Max needed to hear. He took a seat in the chair beside the bed.

            "So…how do you feel?" Max asked, still at a loss for words.

            "Warmer" Laura replied, a slight waver in her voice.

Max wasn't fooled. He knew that her burdens were weighting heavily, and he didn't know what to do to ease them.

 

            "Do you remember what we talked about?" Max asked cautiously. He was positive Laura would remember, but wanted to hear it again, just to be certain.

            "I was hypothermic, not drunk "

            "What's the difference?"

Laura sighed. "I know what I said, and it was all true"

Max sensed that Laura was tired, and he figured that she wouldn't be able to get any sleep if he continued to ramble on.

"You just rest, okay? Go to sleep, I promise I'll still be here" Max reassured her. He saw Laura relax, and she closed her eyes. Even from just their one night together, Max could tell when she had fallen asleep.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

There were two paths to take. One was covered with weeds and thorny bushes, yet there was a rainbow at the end of the winding path. The second path was neat and straight, but a fierce storm brewed at the end. Laura suddenly realised she had to choose a path, before something caught up with her. Turning, Laura could see nothing chasing her. But when she returned to the paths, Laura had the uncanny feeling that she was being followed. The paths were beginning to divide, and Laura knew she had to choose before she was forced down one path. To the left was the windy path of thorns with blue skies ahead, and to the right was the tidy straight path with stormy weather at the end.

 

Voices suddenly echoed from nowhere. From the straight, neat path came the voice of Warwick. He beckoned to Laura to walk down his path. The simple, carefree, straightforward path that held bad weather at the end. Max's deep voice called longingly to Laura, and she looked down his twisted path of untidy weeds and vines, but saw the rainbow in the blue sky at the end. Warwick's path held an easy route, but ended in a troubled place, whereas Max's path was difficult to defeat yet reaped many rewards at the end. Laura knew she had to make her choice, but didn't know which path to take. There was a burning desire in her heart to take Max's path, yet her brain was demanding she take Warwick's path.

 

Laura wanted to follow her heart, yet common sense told her to take the easy way out. Taking a sketchy step towards the right, Laura heard booming footsteps from behind her. Suddenly the beast came into view, and she hastened her pace down the clear path. Laura's feet pounded on the gravel path, the ground vibrating with every step the beast took. She could see the end of the path now, and was relieved. Upon reaching the end of the path, there was nowhere for Laura to go. She was cornered, and the beast was closing in on her. Laura sunk to the ground, knowing her flaw was going to cost a great deal. And as the beast lunged towards her, Laura let out an almighty scream…

 

            "What's the matter?" it was Max. Laura struggled to focus on him, perplexed as to where she was. She calmed though, sensing that there was no beast and no paths to choose. Well not at the exact moment.

            "Just a bad dream, nothing to worry about" Laura explained, trying to ease Max's panic.

            "About what? I've never heard you scream like that before" Max stated.

            "I'm not exactly sure, to be honest" Laura lied. She wanted to think about it herself before she disclosed any information to Max.

            "What's today's date? Are you sure you're all right?" Max was getting too worried for Laura's liking.

            "Max" she took his hands. "I'm not glass. I won't break that easily. Now you just calm down and I think I should be fine" Laura couldn't help but grin.

 

The pair sat in silence for some time. Laura was running the events of her dream over and over in her mind, yet nothing seemed to stand out as being significant.

            "I love you" Max said unexpectedly.

Laura looked at him, bemused at his sudden statement. "I love you too," she said with a warm smile.

            "I would like to be able to say that I wish none of this ever happened, but I can't" Max explained. "Had I not dragged you onto that boat, I would have missed out on the one thing that will be forever important to me. You"

            "Did anyone ever tell you how much of a mushy romantic you are?" Laura asked with an inane grin.

            "Numerous times" Max said with a fading smile.

The room was once again plunged into silence.

           

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Max had disappeared to grab a coffee. Laura felt like vomiting even after just hearing the word. Only her thoughts were not about coffee, but of the dream. Something Max had said had triggered her lateral thought. The dream had been a parallel of the past few months. Laura could see how Warwick's path was clean and tidy to begin with. He had been easy to win over, neat and straightforward. Yet the end result was a brick wall - Warwick. Bland and boring, a dead end. Max's path had been overgrown with vines, inaccessible and difficult to conquer. Yet once reaching the end, there were many rewards in store. A bright sun and glittering ocean - Max.

 

The beast that had been chasing her still confused Laura though. Could it have been time? As it grew closer, she had been forced to make a choice before being captured by the beast. It was even possible that the beast had been the truth. The closer it got, the more pressure Laura felt to make a decision. There was no way to deny the dream's truths. Warwick was easily won over, yet as boring as hell. Max, on the other hand, was difficult to reach into, but once conquered, was full of love and delight.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Returning home the following afternoon, Laura knew what to expect. She knew there wouldn't be any Warwick lurking about. Her assumptions had been correct. The house was tidy, and any evidence of another man having lived there was now gone. She wandered through to the bedroom, and immediately noticed the tidiness of the room. All of Warwick's clothes were gone. It suddenly dawned on Laura that Warwick wasn't going to return. She didn't know how to feel about it. Gently lowering herself onto the bed, Laura pondered her decision. She had Max, but she felt extremely guilty about misleading Warwick.

 

Max followed Laura into the house. He sensed this was a difficult moment, and didn't know whether to give Laura some space or remain there for her. Placing the car keys on the table, Max noticed the envelope addressed to Laura. He picked it up, and entered the bedroom.

            "Laura" Max said, gaining her attention. He could see her trance like look, and hoped that she was okay. "I found this on the table" Max handed Laura the envelope, and sat beside her on the bed. Slowly, Laura opened the envelope, and peered inside. Max heard a quiet gasp, and looked at the gold ring and the small note that Laura procured from the envelope.

 

            "What does it say?" Max asked softly. He didn't wish to pressure her, but he wanted to know what Warwick had said.

            "It says," Laura began, hands visibly shaking. "It says, I know more than you think" and with that, she broke down into a trembling mess.

Max wrapt his arms around Laura's petit form, and held her while she cried. He tried in vain to understand how she was feeling, but to no avail. Max knew there was no way he'd ever know Laura's anxieties, and what they were about. Well not to the extent that made him fully aware. Max could only look towards the future, and that was what he planned to do.

 

            "Lau" he whispered in her ear. "You've done the right thing. Everyone will say the same thing as me, but you've taken the path less travelled, and in the end you've come out better than anyone else" Max had no clue what to say.

            "I've got you" Laura took Max's hand, and she knew he was right. Maybe she had been cruel to Warwick. Now Laura did see that what she was planning on doing was wrong, and perhaps Warwick was better off not being in her false presence. All Laura knew to do now was to look towards the future and reassure herself that everything was going to be all right.

 

THE END