Max has not changed a bit since I last saw her. The only thing different would be that a nurse changed the gauze on her shoulder and arm from the stray bullet. Everything else was the same; the pale and yellow skin, the black veins, the bruises, the peaceful look of sleep on her face. She was just laying there, asleep to the steady sound of her heart monitor.

"How do I get signed up to sleep all day?" Steve said from next to me. I glared at him slightly, making him put his hands up in defense, "I'm just making a joke."

"We can all sleep for days when this is over." Grace nodded, keeping her eyes on Max. It looked like she hasn't slept for days anyhow. I didn't exactly blame her, her daughter and husband were both infected and in comas. My sleep schedule could be worse than it is if I was in her position.

"How long do you think it'll take for the M cells to hold and multiply?" I asked.

"Not long." She shook her head, "They're quick lil buggers. Once introduced to blood, they immediately multiply and heal the cells around them, giving us a better look."

A tickle in the back of my throat made me cough slightly before I talked, "The science kind of makes sense I guess. I don't understand how you do it, Grace."

There was a chuckle from her and she snorted, "Sometimes, I don't either, honey."

My eyes went back over to Max. Almost instinctively, my hand rose to touch the glass. The glass fogged under my touch slightly as I watched Max lay there. I felt a tug on my chest as all I could think about was the night she turned. She looked so scared and spoke as if she was dying. I didn't want to think of it that way, that's why I didn't say what I wanted to. What I needed to.

You're not going to lose her.

I turned my head to see Steve and Grace farther down the hall. They were discussing something in hushed voices, glancing over at me every so often. It was like they were giving me space to be alone with her.

Looking back, I felt words slip from my lips, "Hey, Max. It's gonna be alright. I'll see you soon. We're almost there."

My hands fell from the glass, leaving behind the imprint in the fog. I was about to turn when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Focusing on Max, I saw her hand start to move. First a finger, then two, then her whole hand twitched. Slowly, every muscle in her body tensed up and released.

"Grace!" I called out, keeping my eyes on Max. Her back suddenly arched, making her come off the bed. Her mouth was wide open as if she was releasing a silent scream. Her body slammed back on to the bed and she started convulsing. I ran towards the door, swinging it open as Grace was right on my heels. I went to Max's side and held on to her head as she shook. Grace rifled through the stand next to the table, finding a syringe and a vial, which was the sedative she's been using this whole time. I tried my best to keep Max still so she wouldn't hurt herself as Grace pulled out the sedative.

"Max." I said softly, looking at her face. Her eyes moved wildly under her eyelids. Glancing up to see Grace inject the syringe in to the IV bag, I looked back down. "Max, it's okay. It's alright. I'm here."

As soon as I said that, her eyes flew open. Green eyes stared as recognition filled her eyes. They weren't cloudy or blood shot like the rest of the infected. They were clear. Her body slowly calmed down as her eyes drooped. I kept my hands on her cheeks as she blinked once, looking up at me.

"Ash..." She breathed out before her eyes shut completely. Her heart rate returned to normal as she laid there, steadily breathing and back to her immobile state.

I let my hands move away from her face, keeping my eyes on her, "She said my name."

"How many today?" Grace asked the young nurse that came in.

"This is the third one today, Grace." She said, "The last two lasted a shorter time than this one."

"But she gained consciousness." Grace mulled that over, "She's fighting."

Looking up at her, I shook my head, "But she's still going in to fits. And having many in one day? That's not good."

"We know." Grace nodded, "But as far as we know, all we can do is keep her sedated so she won't do it again, or at least make it less frequent."

My eyes glanced back down at Max. Her eyes moved once under her eyelids before I looked back up to Grace, "Whatever I can do to help, I will."

***

The sun was setting when Steve and I were walking out of the hospital. On my arm was a cotton ball and tape over the vein. I felt a bit woozy, but that could either be from blood loss, not being able to handle needles, or just hunger. After seeing Max freak out, I wasn't afraid of giving my blood. If it can help Grace get a better look at the cell, then I was more than happy to help.

For Max.

"Damn I'm starving." Steve muttered as his stomach agreed with a rumble, "Let's get tacos."

"Ah, yes, I'll stop by the Taco Bell down the street." I snorted softly.

Steve stopped in his tracks and stared at me with wide eyes, "There's a Taco Bell down the street?"

Rolling my eyes, I shook my head at him, "No, you dingus. I was just being sarcastic."

"But what if there's actually a Taco Bell down the street?" He asked me.

I shrugged slightly, putting my hands in the pockets of Max's jacket, "There might be, but I'm pretty sure the food would be spoiled by now."

A pout settled on Steve's lips, "But I want Taco Bell."

Opening my mouth to speak, my words were killed as gun shots rang out. They weren't coming from our borders. The shots sounded a while away.

"What the hell?" Steve muttered.

The both of us jogged towards the East border. Thor stood there with Hawkeye next to him. Seeing that guy made my blood boil, but I put Steve between us.

Thor was looking through binoculars, watching a sentry at one of the posts. Putting them down, he glanced to us, "Apparently there's a group out by the highway. Briggs said there's probably twenty. Guns and armor. A tactic team."

"Heading for us?" Steve asked, sounding a bit pissed off.

"Yup." Thor sounded casual.

"Let's get 'em." Steve took off towards the stash of guns.

Looking from Thor to Steve quickly, I took off after Steve as more gunfire sounded in the distance.