3- like last time

She felt the blood as it left her face.

He's alive!

It can't be! His mother... Kailey covered her heart that was about to leap out of her chest, with her hand, while the other covered her mouth. Both hands were shaking.

'Is it a ghost? No... They don't knock.'

"Open up Kai. It's Max," he said somewhat weakly.

More flashes of memories.

She froze.

The last time she saw him she got married. He congratulated her! And she only saw him because he came to seek medical help. It was of sheer coincidence that he showed up at that time. All those pills he took! The syringes. He had been so sick that she was scared he would die!

The night before she was to get married Max showed up just as he did now. Kailey watched as the hand doting a gold-plated wristwatch knock again.

She was shocked beyond brain functions. The Walkers often spoke as if Max was just a memory to them. And always telling her to pray for his soul. Max's mother, Kailey felt, often was a bit extreme at times...this was definitely one of those times. She had gotten the impression that she wasn't going to see him for the rest of her life!

As if he was dead!

'Was it possible to have a heart attack and still stand?'

"I need you."

She heard how softly he said it.

"Please open up."

And just like the last time...she did.

He almost fell through the door but caught himself and held on to the door frame.

"Lock up Kai!" Just as the last time.

He staggered to the couch and collapsed dropping a knapsack on the floor leaving a light trail from his wet boots. Kailey was speechless. She didn't move.

He watched her. Blinked a few times then closed his eyes. He moved as he lived here as he also did back at her parents' home. Like then he had a simple look. She froze taking him in.

"Dammit Kai!! Lock the fucking door!"

She moved then.

Locked and bolted.

She turned around and looked at him. He was just the same as last time except now he was drenched from the rain. He hadn't aged one bit. He even looked like he wore the same clothes too. Blue jeans and a faded black t-shirt and boots. His hair now fully black, still wavy and still a few inches long. How she loved his hair. His perfect lips. Red. His jawline was covered with facial hair. Just a shadow of a beard.

'And very much alive!'

It almost looked as if the past years never happened!

Last time he was feverish and delirious. And in constant pain. He vomited and complained of his stomach aching so badly he felt as if he was being stabbed! He had handed her a duffel bag then and when she opened it she found syringes wrapped in a small hand towel with his only clothes. Two t-shirts and one pair of jeans pants. A hairbrush, deodorant, and one pair of underwear and socks!

"Kai it's the same as last time." He was sweating a bit. She watched the beads above his lip, memories of them on hers instilled in her brain.

She didn't move. How did he find her? Her parents weren't in the country and none of the Walkers knew where she lived!

He breathed in and out slowly as he tried to level his lungs. He slowly opened his eyes and turned to her.

"I need painkillers, Kailey. Check my bag!"

On auto, she went straight into the bathroom and opened the door. Got the pills she needed and filled a glass with water. Quickly she rushed back to him putting the glass of water in his hand. He watched her.

"Bag. I need the syringe. The tablets don't work."

She opened her eyes not realizing what she did and give him the bag. When he was finished, she made quick work of removing his worn boots. Clarks.

He was too tired to move. He just watched her. She knew what to do. His Kai. She always knew.

His eyelids felt too heavy to keep open. He closed them. He felt her taking off his pants and t-shirt. Even his underpants! He sensed her absence and he knew she was going to wipe him off with cold water.

And she did.

And he knew she would pause by the tattoo on his arm. A dream catcher.

And she did.

He felt her go still at the sight of the black ink, which barely took five inches of his skin but he knew by her reaction to it that she decided she liked it.

He also had a swallow on the inside of his ring finger but she won't see it as her ring covered most of it.

And she didn't.

A silver band with a swallow and two stars on it. It really looked old and dim now as he really never took it off, just as he had promised her. A thick leather band he usually likes to wear, on one wrist, while the other had a wristwatch. She removed the watch.

He trembled when the cold cloth touched his skin. He also knew it wasn't that cold. It was him and part of the side effects. He didn't even remember sleeping away but he knew HE was calm for now and that was okay with him. Louis was a pest to him, especially now as it came down to Kailey!

She quickly showered and changed back into a p pajama bottom, and a t-shirt. She always wore big t-shirts to sleep in. And checked on his clothing to see if they were finished washing. She rinsed them and put them in the dryer before returning to her little living room. Next, she searched his bag. Same as before but no t-shirts and more syringes.

Kailey stared at the man on her couch. He looked so tired but his grayish color was leaving his face so that's a good sign! So handsome. He hadn't changed a bit just a slight stubble of a beard now. She covered his body with a blanket but not before she took her fill of his slightly hairy chest and set off toward the kitchen. He shaved his chest she noted! Her thoughts were somewhat relaxed with the knowledge that he was out of the danger zone. She knew that was the doctor in her. She knew she would set into a worrisome state in a bit- probably not she figured as she never worried about her ability to do her job.

But it was him so she didn't really know where her emotions stood. He looked tired so she assumed that he must be hungry and decided to make him a sandwich.