Never Surrender

Kennedy and Max pulled up outside the store that Kennedy managed about three and a half hours after they left his place. Max turned the car off and leaned his head back against the seat as Kennedy unbuckled and looked at him with expectant eyes.

"Are you coming in with me?" she questioned, tacking on that last part that had nodding without question.

He unbuckled himself and climbed out, following Kennedy into the store she'd always been so proud of. It wasn't really a place that Max would go to if Kennedy wasn't there. They sold clothes for women and children that were as different from Max as the sun was from a falling flake of snow. Kennedy herself hadn't ever worn anything that she sold, but she loved it just the same inside the walls of this place. It was hers and she finally had something she was in charge of.

She grabbed Max's hand and led him into the building, looking for a familiar face before the register in the back. A haired, thirty-something year old woman stood, grinning from ear to ear as she talked with a little boy and his mother who stood on the other side of the counter, her wallet in her fingers as her child spoke excitedly to Elise.

Kennedy dragged Max towards the back of the store and waved at the working woman, who was still listening to the child as she waved back, confusion on her features. The little boy looked back at Max and Kennedy as they approached and headed around to the back of the counter, Kennedy still leading an apprehensive Max behind her.

"Well, Alex, you better pay for that toy so you can go home and play with it," the little boy's mother said, smiling at her son and the three of them.

Alex looked at the plastic airplane in his hands and then trained his blue eyes on his mother. "I only have one dollar," he said softly, stilling his free hand into the little pocket of his jeans. He pulled out a crinkled dollar bill as proof and held it in the palm of his hand.

His mom frowned and bent down to reach into his other pocket. She gave him a pointed look when she pulled out a wad of crumpled dollars. "It's not nice to lie, Alexander," she reprimanded, "I know your daddy gave you some money before I picked you up."

Alex frowned at her and reached for his money. "But if I give it away I won't have no more," he bargained, holding it tightly in his hand.

His mom shrugged, casting an apologetic look at Kennedy and Elise, who both shook their heads with small smiles on their faces, as to say that it was no big deal, since it really wasn't. After a few moments, the little boy handed over the wrinkled money and let with his mom and his new plane. Elise didn't question what Kennedy was doing there as she fed the money into the cash register, so Kennedy spoke instead.

"I've got to leave for awhile," she said, cutting straight to the chase, "My dad really needs me home for the holidays and my brother's anniversary. I can't leave him alone again this year."

Elise closed the register and turned around to look at Kennedy and the man who stood behind her; a man she'd never met. Elise held her hand out to him. "I'm Eli," she said in greeting, "I'm sorry that my daft friend forgot to introduce me to you. She's a pretty rude like that sometimes."

Kennedy rolled her eyes dramatically and stepped back so they could get their introductions out of the way. Max chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, shaking her hand anyways. "Max," he introduced, "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah, yeah," Kennedy muttered, stepping between them, her fingers taking Max's again without really even thinking about it. Eli pursed her lips at the gesture as Max let go for a fraction of a second and then grabbed Kennedy's hand again in a more comfortable way, his skinny fingers locking around hers.

"So what do you want?" Elise questioned, looking at Kennedy finally.

Kennedy huffed. "I said I'm leaving for the holidays," she repeated, holding that Eli wouldn't get mad, even though she didn't have the authority to say no to her.

Eli nodded slowly, her eyebrows knitting together. "What for again?"

"My dad wants me home for the holidays," she stated, "And if we're flying all the way out to Rhode Island for Thanksgiving then we're just going to stay for Christmas too."

Eli frowned at the plural, glancing back at their conjoined hands. "Did you say something about having a brother?" she asked offhandedly, "You didn't even tell me you have a brother, or that he's married."

Kennedy frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about?" she questioned, leaning back against Max as if she was trying to push herself away from the subject of Konner.

Eli ran her fingers through her hair and called out to a group of teenaged girls who walked through the front door of the shop before turning back to Kennedy. "Your brother, you said you have one," she replied, "and that it's his anniversary."

Max wrapped his arm around Kennedy's slim waist as she pressed her back into his chest, trying to back away from the words that were spilling from Elise's ignorant lips. Max realized where Elise had gotten confused, so he shook his head and spoke for Kennedy. "He's not married," he spoke simply, "He died."

Elise's eyes dilated and then went back to normal. "Oh, I'm sorry," she stated, looking at Kennedy, "How come you never told me?"

Kennedy shrugged against Max. "It's not something I like to talk about," she muttered, "And not something that easily comes up in conversation. People tend to stay away from the topic of dead siblings."

Elise nodded. "Sorry I never asked," she told her co-worker, "I just-"

"How would you know?" Kennedy rationalized, putting a smile on her lips. "It's not big deal," she promised, "But I just don't want to leave my dad alone during the holidays again. I was working all last year and I can't do that to him again so Max agreed to fly out with me for a month or so."

Elise glanced at the black clad man and then back to Kennedy. "What happened to what's-his-face?" she questioned, thinking about a sun tanned, blonde-haired guy Kennedy had dated a few guys back.

Kennedy shrugged, thinking about Oliver. "He wasn't working out," she replied, completely oblivious to the fact that Elise was assuming she and Max had gotten together instead.

"Oh, well take all the time you need, boss," Elise offered, feeling slightly awkward standing there with them as the three young girls rifled through the bra and underwear section behind them, pointing and giggling as they showed off their lack of maturity to the world.

"Thanks Eli," Kennedy murmured, glancing at the clock on the counter near the register, "What time do you get lunch? Do you want to go out to eat with us?"

Elise thought about it for a moment as the girls made their way past the counter towards the younger section of the store. Then she leaned her elbows on the counter and called out to them. "If you girls would make your purchases, it would be much obliged seeing as we'll be closing up for lunch within the next fifteen minutes." She forced a smile onto her lips as one of the girls tossed a shirt back onto a random shelf and followed her friends towards the door. "So much for being polite," she grumbled, turning around with a roll of her eyes.

Kennedy shook her head as the three girls funneled out of the door and out onto the sidewalk along with the rest of the shoppers who were walking up and down the strip. "Don't worry about it," she encouraged, "Their moms wouldn't have let them buy anything from that section anyways."

Elise chuckled as she walked away from them. "They were old enough that they wouldn't have had to ask their moms," she defended, shaking her head.

Kennedy scoffed. "They were no older than twelve," she stated, following Eli into the employee room behind the counter. Max followed her on instinct, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans.

"Yeah, okay, Kennedy," Eli muttered, grabbing something from a bag that sat on the floor by a large, squished couch that was pressed against the back wall. "Where are we eating?"

Kennedy glanced at Max with raised eyebrows.

Max looked down at her in disbelief. "You're the one that lives around here, Ken," he scoffed, "Don't look at me."

Eli looked over her shoulder. "You don't live around here?"

Max shook his head, causing his hair to come forward. "Vegas," he corrected, a small smirk on his lips.

Eli looked at the dirty Converse on his feet, the tattered and patched jeans, the leather jacket that was zipped just high enough that his silver inverted cross necklace was still visible, and the tattoos that peaked out from under his sleeves. She gave a definite nod. "You look like you're from Vegas."

Max grinned and shrugged. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Eli nodded apprehensively. "I don't know if it was."

Kennedy reached out and smacked Eli's arm. "Shut up," she demanded, giving her a hard look.

Eli grinned and shook her head. "Sorry," she stated, although it was obvious she wasn't.

"Don't worry about it," Max replied, glancing her over, "I'm not so sure I care for your style either." He took in the simple flared jeans, button up blouse, and white tennis shoes with pristine white laces.

Elise spoke as she took off her name-tag. "So we agree," she said, "A mutual dislikeness."

"That's not even a word!" Kennedy exclaimed, "So both of you just shut up before I go to lunch by myself."

Max laughed, that honest, crooked grin on his lips. "How're you going to get there, Kenny?" he questioned, jingling his keys in his pocket as she frowned, sucking her bottom lip into her mouth.

"Maxwell Scott." She glared as they headed out of the building and into his car, having already locked the door.

Max rolled his eyes at her attempt. "Whatever, Kennedy," he brushed off, "Where are we going?" He listened as Elise told him directions to get to her face diner. He turned when he was supposed to, cutting the last corner very close as Eli shouted out "left!" and pointed in front of his face at the last second.

"Damn, Elise!" Kennedy shouted as she clambered out of the car, having been rattled.

Elise glared. "It wasn't my fault! If Max could drive properly then we wouldn't have clipped the curb!"

Kennedy marched into the building without them. "We also wouldn't have hit the curb if you wouldn't have shouted at the last second, you jerk."

Elise rolled her eyes behind her. "I heard that," she muttered.

Kennedy grinned as Max walked up beside her and slipped his arm over her shoulders. "You were supposed to," she replied, leading them to a table in the back, knowing that the workers would send a waitress or waiter over to their table soon.

Kennedy dropped down onto the padded side of the booth and Max sat next to her, his elbows against the table tops as he looked at the menu that was left there. Kennedy looked at it over his shoulder. "Shit, this stuff is getting more and more expensive," she said to Eli, surprised that prices had gone up on almost everything.

Elise nodded, looking at her own menu. "They're getting more popular," she muttered, "They think now that people like this place they'll be willing to pay more to get something."

"It must be working," Kennedy stated, "Because we're still here." She grinned.

Elise grinned back. "I guess so," she laughed, running her fingers through her thick hair.

Kennedy winked playfully at Elise and then rested her chin on Max's shoulder. "Max," she said softly, "Will you pay for my lunch?"

Max rolled his eyes. "You have money," he stated, the corners of his lips turning up.

Kennedy shrugged. "But you have more," she countered, pulling the menu from his painted finger tips.

Max saw the grin on Elise's lips and shook his head. "No way, Kennedy," he muttered, "You're not weaseling your way into my wallet."

Kennedy touched the necklace that hung around her neck. It was the last expensive thing that he'd boughten her. It was just a simple diamond that was held to a silver necklace by a silver clasp. The backside of clasp were the three little initials of her brother's name. On Kennedy's most recent birthday she grew another year older than her older brother and showed up outside Max's house with tear-stung cheeks and a heavy heart.

Max had let her into the house and put her to bed. While she slept he clasped it around her neck and then crawled in beside her. In the morning she saw it for the first time but didn't say anything about it. She didn't have to.

"Come on, Max," Kennedy begged playfully, "I love, love, love you," she explained, "Please buy me lunch!"

Max smirked and looked her dead in the eye. "No," he said, pronouncing the word specifically just to tick her off.

Kennedy rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Don't you love me?" she asked, grinning as he groaned and tipped his head back.

"You know I do," he muttered, "We've already had this conversation."

Eli's eyes widened as she listened to them. Without thinking she asked, "What conversation?!"

Kennedy looked to her from Max. "What?" she questioned, "What are you talking about?"

Max knew were the conversation was going and he didn't want to be around to hear Kennedy deny it, so he slipped out of her arms and excused himself to the bathroom. As he walked away, he glanced back over his shoulders at them.

Elise smacked the palm of her hand against the table top and then winced, wishing she hadn't done that as the pain radiated up her arm. "What the heck, Kennedy?" she asked loudly, "How long have you know even known each other?"

"Woah, woah, what are you talking about?" Kennedy asked, wondering why Elise was mad at her.

Elise sighed and pushed her hair out of her face. "He already told you he loves you?" she repeated, "Didn't you just break up with that one guy?"

Kennedy shook her head quickly as she caught onto what Elise was saying. "Oh, god no," she muttered, "Max and I aren't dating!"

Elise paused. "Seriously?"

Kennedy laughed as she nodded. "Yeah, Eli. I've known Max for a long time. He's just my best friend. We're not dating, I promise." She laughed again and shook her head at the thought. "God, you really thought we were together? That's so weird!"

Elise chuckled too. "Well, the way you two are, I just kind of assumed," she replied, smiling as she shook her head at herself.

"The way we are?" Kennedy asked, still smiling, "What do you mean?"

Elise shook off the question. "You two are just really close," she defended, "It's no big deal."

Kennedy nodded tentatively. "Well, he's my best friend," she said with a shrug, "Most best friends are close."

Eli held in her reply as Max came walking back over. He slid into the booth next to Kennedy and wrapped his tattooed arm over her shoulders. Eli didn't say anything but she could tell that there was more than what Kennedy thought there was between her and Max.

And she could also tell that Max was the only one out of the duo that realized it too. "So, when do you guys leave?" Elise questioned after they'd ordered their food.

Max looked to Kennedy for the answer. She smiled smiled and rested her elbows on the table. "Soon," she said.

"How soon?" Max asked, "Should I start packing?"

Kennedy looked at his surprised expression. "How about next weekend?" she questioned, "I'll get our tickets when I get paid." She pushed a strand of Max's hair out of his face and gave him an expectant look, waiting for his reply.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Sounds good to me, Ken," he said simply, "I'll start packing when we get home."

Kennedy grinned. "Will you help me get my things from my room?" she questioned, her grin dropping from her lips as she realized she had to go back and see the woman who slept with her boyfriend.

Max nodded. "Yeah, of course. We should probably just do that today, huh? Do you still have your key?"

Kennedy nodded. "Yeah."

Elise changed the subject, not wanting to ask why Kennedy was moving out. She sensed it was none of her business, so instead she turned her attention to Max. "Do you have a job?" she asked bluntly, "It must be very flexible if you can go to Rhode Island for the holidays."

"I'm in a band," he told her, "It's called Escape the Fate, maybe you've heard of us?" He leaned his elbows on the table. He doubted Elise was the kind of woman who listened to his kind of music.

Like he suspected, she shook her head. "No, sorry," she stated, "Are you guys local or..?"

Kennedy chuckled and shook her head, inserting herself into the conversation. "No, they're pretty big, actually," she explained to her co-worker, "They've got a big fan-base."

Max told Elise about his band, feeling guilty about it the whole time. He hadn't told Kennedy about not being in the band anymore. It was one of her favorite things about him and he didn't want to upset her by letting her in on the life-changing news.

A waiter brought their food and Kennedy ate hers, scamming from Max's plate as well. The disgruntled bassist glared at her and held his arms over his plate, shielding it from the woman as she tried to snitch another bite from his plate.

Kennedy pouted but lost interest quickly. She turned back to her own plate and ate almost too quickly to be possible. They talked a little bit about Kennedy's hometown, explaining to Elise about what it was like growing up in a tiny town on the other side of the country.

They stayed away from the topic of Kennedy moving out of her house and instead focused on the upcoming trip, one that both Kennedy and Max were quickly growing excited for.