Six month later, Max was still lost and not herself. She was either too jumpy or completely unresponsive, Randy and the entire diner family were extremely worried and nobody knew what to do. Nobody expected Caroline to leave, at least not leave Max, they were two peas in a pod, they were always together and it seemed strangely odd to not see the blonde standing next to the brunnette.

After the horrible night, Max went completely overdrive and demanded to fly to find Caroline but Randy stopped her, he had to physically stopped her, mind. Caroline could fly to literally anywhere, how will Max ever find her? Max demanded that she could check with the airline, of where and when Caroline had left and once away Randy had to physically shake her shoulder, telling her it was impossible for the airline company to let out information of passengers. Max was incoherent, she couldn't think straight, everything happened so fast and next thing she knew, her best friend was gone. Caroline who was her partner, who was there with her for every single moment of her life, whom she cared the most in the world, and whom knew her and could read like nobody could in the world, was gone just like that.

Funny how someone who emitted so much energy and talked so much could completely brightened Max's life, and made Max forget those days before she met the blonde, and now the blonde disappeared, she seemed to have taken all the lights and energy from her life. Max simply couldn't understand, she just felt like someone had taken half her soul away.

She drifted around aimlessly. The next few days when she was resigned to the fact that she could not get Caroline back, she had locked herself in Caroline's penthouse, hoping that Caroline would realize she couldn't live without her as well and come back to her, but a week later the chirpy blonde was never in sight. Max wouldn't eat, nor sleep, she lost her sarcastic jokes and comments, she only nodded or give a non committal grunt when people talked to her. Randy was worried sick, Max was so depressed she seemed to be just existing, he tried to or sometimes forced Max to eat something, and see a therapist but Max would not do anything.

Most of the time Randy tried to start conversations with Max, it only ended with Max asking if he found Caroline hopefully just to be let down. Randy was trying to be as understanding as possible, Caroline had been Max's best friend and partner for years, loosing her would be hard but deep down, he was still uncertain and confused why it was affecting Max this seriously, he felt that nowadays Max wasn't even Max anymore.

While Max and Caroline no longer worked at the diner after they became successful, the diner became a mother ship that connects all the people in the diner, Max and Caroline would still visit the diner on a weekly basic and criticize the food and tease Han. One week later, Max had ran into the diner hoping to find Caroline there. She saw a skinny blonde with curly hair in a ponytail, in the diner's uniform and her back to Max, Max gasped and whispered Caroline's name before dashing to the blonde. But when Max was about to call out Caroline's name, the blonde turned around and she wasn't Caroline. Max had fell into the nearby booth and broken down all over again, barely noticing the diner family had surrounded her in worry, glancing at each other but not knowing what to do to comfort the brunette.

Nothing cheered Max up, when she found out Caroline had changed her number, she became more depressed than ever. As if to further torture herself, Max frequently visited their old apartment that was now legally theirs as well the window shop, she knew it was going to hurt but she just needed to be near with anywhere where Caroline used to be. Memories after memories flashed by the brunnette's mind, so much Max felt that she was just reliving them in her head.

Max visited ChestNut frequently as well, it was the only time Mad was slightly herself but she would never let Randy be with her when she was with ChestNut.

"Hey, buddy." Max managed a tiny smile as she entered Chestnut's personal barn, she caressed his handsome mane and placed a kiss on Chestnut's face. The Mustang neighed at seeing Max and nudged her.

"It's been 6 months, has your other mommy came to see you? Do you miss her, Chessie?" Max asked and replied back in her Chestnut's voice.

"Yes, I miss her very much, when is she coming back?"

Max paused and swallowed the tightening in her throat. "I don't know, buddy. I miss her very much too, everyday."

Max fed ChestNut a carrot and as ever, remembered the day when Caroline and her rode the subway to Manhattan to take ChestNut home for the first time, Starbucks in their hand and that was when Caroline started a dream in her.

"No, I think we have a horse."Then there was also the day when they both rode ChestNut to find Martha Stewart to ask her to try out their cupcake. Caroline was so beautiful that night. Max shook her head and continue to pet ChestNut.

"Say, ChestNut, do you think Caroline will come home?" ChestNut replied by letting out a sad neigh.

"I wonder if this is how she felt like the past years when Randy and I are together." ChestNut nudged her again. "I was so selfish, Chessie. I took your mom for granted, I thought I could have the best of both world, but all this while I was hurting Caroline. How is it possible I never noticed Caroline loved me that way? I mean we always joked about it, but that's what it was all about, just a joke!"

"I miss her, Chessie, I miss her so much. There was this constant pain in my chest, what should I do, buddy? Tell me what to do..." Max leaned her head to Chestnut's neck and whimpered.

Max continued to sit by ChestNut until Randy picked her up in the evening.

"Hey Max, ready to go?" Randy let out a forced smile which Max returned with a weak smile and nod. Max was hot and cold to him, she lost the passion she used to feel with Randy. Maybe some part in her unconsciously blamed Randy for this, but most part blamed herself for pushing Caroline away. Some nights Max was so sad, the thought of being intimate with Randy completely disgusted her; some nights Max was completely feral with Randy to satisfy her needs, but their sex was completely mechanical and lost all passion.

"What would you like for dinner?"

"I don't care, anything is fine." Max replied shortly and Randy clenched his jaw. Both of them knew the relationship between them was over long ago but nobody said anything. At first, Randy didn't want to leave Max at her weakened and depressed state, but one month had slowly dragged into six months and Max did not seem to get any better. Randy didn't think he could last any longer. He thought Max would get over it, and she would be back to the witty, sarcastic, lively woman he fell in love with but this Max was a complete different woman and didn't seem to be improving or trying to improve any time soon.

When hey got back home, Randy had finally had enough. He turned about and grabbed Max by her wrist, and siting here down by the dining area. Max was surprised at his rough action.

"Woah, Randy!"

"Max I need to talk."

"Oh." Max muttered. She shrugged, "What is it."

"I've waited for six whole months, Max but you don't seemed to be even trying to be better-" Randy started off but was cut off immediately.

"I lost my best friend, what did you expect? "She snapped but Randy snapped back.

"Not this! A few weeks maybe a month or two? But not this, Max! This is insane, Caroline was only a friend to you, I don't understand! We could have been happy or even start a family but most of the time it's like you were simply existing!"

"Caroline is not just a friend!" Max yelled in defense, and her heart clenched at the mention of starting a family with Randy.

"Not just a friend? I knew it! Then what is it, Max? Because the way you acted, you act as if you lost your soul or something, these days I could never talk to you and don't even get me started on the sex! " Randy raised his voice as well.

"Caroline is very important to me, okay? I don't know what she is, but she is more than just a friend! She's my family, and my partner and more than that.."

"Max, I'm your partner, and I can be your family."

"It's not the same, you don't understand!" Max started to get frustrated with the conversation, and tugged at her hair irritably.

"Well then make me understand! What's so different about Caroline? Do you love her?" Randy stood up.

Max opened her mouth to reply but completely froze. Randy kicked the chair and ruffled his hair in anger, Max jumped at that but kept her eyes on the table.

"Damn! I knew it! "

Max teared up, fat drops dripping onto the marble table, she tightened her hands into fist.

"I'm sorry..." When Caroline left, it switched on something in her. Sure, she always had a special feeling for Caroline, but she knew that was only because she never had a true friend like Caroline. She never really know it had built up through out the years because of how comfortable she was with their relationship. Then she got together with Randy, and she couldn't be happier with two relationships blooming steadily. She had been so used to Caroline being by her side, she never ventured what could have been between them. But when Caroline left, she only realized then Caroline had become more than any relationship she had been with, she love Caroline more than anyone in the world.

"If Caroline were to come back right now, who would you choose?" Randy asked harshly even though they both knew the answer, Randy wanted Max to say it in his face. Max looked up with a pained expression.

"Randy, you know the answer to that... "

"No, I want you to say it out loud."

There was a tense pause in the air before Max whispered.

"Caroline. I will always choose Caroline." Randy squeezed his eyes shut and wiped his face with his palm, he turned his back on Max, breathing heavily.

"I can't live without her, you know that, Randy..."Max whispered.

"Yeah! Yeah I know that and I experienced that first hand. You don't know how much it hurts me to see the one you love completely crumbled."

Trust me, I know. Max thought back to the night but kept quiet. Randy stared at her for a moment as if he knew what Max was thinking. Finally he said, "I can find Caroline for you."

Max's head snapped up, her eyes shocked. "What?! But you told me we couldn't-" Randy cut her off

"I could pull some connection and find Caroline for you." Max's jaw dropped, her eyes showed disbelief.

"Then why didn't you do that when I asked you to help me? We could have found her in a week when she left!" Max stood up, filled with anger.

"I didn't want to, okay? I thought you would be okay and would be back to yourself in a month. But it's now clear to me who you belonged to, you would never recover from this loss and I can't sit and watch you destroy yourself any longer."

Max's jaw dropped again in disbelief, she couldn't believe Ranch could have found Caroline all this while but pretended he didn't know how.

"I can't believe you, Randy! You knew how much I was suffering, you knew how depressed I was all these months and you kept quiet?? "Max screamed.

"I know I was selfish, fine, but I wanted you back, Max!" Randy said again. Max kept quiet, she couldn't find the right words to describe how angry she was feeling at the moment.

"I'm sorry, Max." Max glared at him. "I found Caroline for you, she's currently at Venice, Italy." Max perked up and her entire face lit up. Randy watched her and knew he was no match to Caroline.

"I'm leaving tonight. I have to find her." Max breathed out and dashed into their bedroom, pulling out a small luggage.

"Max, I just want you to be happy. "Ready said, entering their bedroom and seeing Max pulling random dresses and clothes in them. Max paused and looked up, with a sad smile on her face.

"I know, Randy... I'm sorry too. I really am. "

Randy looked down, resigned. At least one of them could be happy. He smiled sadly back.

"Caroline is living in the Belmond Hotel, I booked the flight and room for you." Max snapped her head up again, a shocked look on her face.

"Randy, you don't have to-"

"I know I don't, but it's the least I can do after months of not knowing how to help you, and leaving the information out."

Max smiled, a genuine happy smile on her face.

"Thank you, Randy. " Randy smiled back, glad at the smile on Max's smile. He had not seen it in a while, and felt slighlty sad at what it took to make Max smile again.

"The flight is this Friday." Max opened her mouth but was interrupted.

"Don't worry, she would still be there, her next flight is not until next week." Max sighed.

Two days from now, she would be able to see Caroline again. She smiled to herself again, Randy watched her face sadly. Max looked up at the silence and saw Randy's face. Max walked to him and held his hands.

"You know I loved you, I really did." Randy smiled sadly.

"I know."

XXXXXX

11 hours later, Max finally checked into her hotel room. Caroline was in level 12, room 2078, Max was exhausted from the flight and she was slightly jet lagged as well. She was on the same floor, bless Randy for being so amazing even though he had been through so much for Max. Max looked down at her attire, a simple top with jeans with a tired look on her face and decided to just come back to see Caroline in an hour or two. She wanted to look alive and gorgeous to impress the woman, to win her back, so to speak.

Max looked longingly at the number plate on Caroline's door and walked past to her own room. She opened her hotel room and wondered at how fancy the room is, there was a queen size bed on the middle, beautifully decorated but what drew her attention was the lone bathtub by the windows. The view was breathtaking at well, with the Italian cultured building and brilliant flowers everywhere. Max didn't have the energy to properly look at the view, she closed the door behind her and collapsed onto the bed.

She took her phone and glanced at the clock, it has no adjusted to the time in New York. She looked around for a clock in the room and found one at the corner, showing 3:15pm. Max sighed, set her alarm for three hours and fell asleep.

When Max woke up, she was glad at her choice to take a nap. She was completely alert, she took a quick shower and redid her name up. Dressing herself in a casual but a low cleavage black dress. For once in so many months, Max smiled at herself in the mirror, feeling confident for once, she put on the perfume she used when they first met, it was a more expensive version of it and most importantly it was also one of the first gifts Caroline bought her after they were rich. Max smiled at the memory and adjusted her dress again.

Her heart was beating very fast, so many months spent wondering how Caroline was, if she had changed, if things would ever be normal again between them. She couldn't wait to see her best friend again, she was nervous and excited. She missed Caroline so much, she didn't know what to label the blonde but all she knew was that she couldn't live without her, and she loved Caroline with all her heart.

Max took a deep breath, trying to think of her rehearsal in her head and all the things she wanted to tell Caroline. She looked at the clock and see that it was almost seven, wore on her high heels and was out of her hotel room with only a purse in her hand. If all things go well, she wanted to start their first reunion with her asking Caroline out for dinner.

Max stopped in front of door 2078, her hands trembled slightly as it raised to the door bell.

Here goes everything.

Max rang the door bell and immediately covered the peep hole, exhaling a shuddering breathe. She did not want Caroline to reject her before she could even explain things to her. She heard heels clicked against the floor before it stopped before the door on the other side of the brunnette, Caroline was probably looking through the peep hole just to only see a block of darkness.

Max's heart was jumping so hard she felt like the entire hallway could hear her, hell, she was even half tempted to run back to her room and hide. She held her breath as the door clicked open.

Max's jaw dropped open but the breath she held in wouldn't be let out.There she was, Caroline Channing, more beautiful than Max remember. Caroline's hair style changed, she was still blonde with long curly hair, some were clicked back giving her her usual elegant and classy look. She was dressed in a halter neck white top and a skinny jeans, topped off with her signature heels.

Caroline gasped in shock, never would she expect the brunnette of her dream world appear on the other side when she opened the door. Time stood still and the women stared at each other.

"Max?" Caroline breathed out in disbelief. "How did you-" she asked but completely cut off when Max flung her arms around her waist and hugged her tightly, her face in the crook of her neck. Caroline's hands were left in the air in shock before she used one hand to close the door and awkwardly touched Max's back. Before long, Caroline thought to herself : "if this is a dream, I might as well dream it to the fullest " and hugged back the brunnette just as tightly. Caroline inhaled and the familiar perfume filled her senses and she sighed happily, this felt so real.

Caroline was the first to pull back but Max remained her tight grip around her waist.

"Max...?" Caroline softly asked and finally Max pulled back to look at her, the brunette's eyes were tearful.

"I missed you so much, Caroline." Max said with a trembling voice, Caroline's heart clenched in pain.

"How did you get here, Max? How did you find me?" Caroline gently laid her hands on the wrists surrounding her waist, the brunnette still refused to let her go.

A tear dripped down and Max quickly wiped them away, she took a deep breath before answering.

"Randy. "

"Oh." Caroline's face changed. "He's here too?"

Max saw that and quickly shook her head, "No, no, I came here alone to find you. I came to tell you, Caroline, that I couldn't and can't live without you. The past 6 months were hell, I merely existed with severe depression, without you, I couldn't eat, nor sleep or do anything. Please come back to me, Caroline. Please. I'm begging you."

Caroline's heart beat painfully, she was torn between returning back to Max and lived as before or reject Max, her choice would either ruin Max or herself.

"Max, I-" Caroline swallowed and touched her hand to Max's face, "I can't live with you being with Randy, watching you two together killed me and I just can't-" She was cut off with Max holding her hand against her face.

"No, listen Caroline, Randy and I are no longer together. In fact, we were over a few months ago but he finally confronted me a few days ago. He found you for me and paid for my flight here!"

Caroline was confused, she stepped back, letting her hand fall from Max's face.

"I don't understand, Max... are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Max nodded eagerly, a tender look on her face. " I love you, Caroline. I will always choose you."

Caroline pinched her arm, thinking this was a dream. She winced in pain but was more surprised that Max was still in front of her. Max slowly stepped closer.

"I'm so sorry it took me so long to tell you this, Caroline. Will you accept my apology?" Caroline searched her eyes, opened her mouth but nothing came out. Could this be happening? Could this be real? Could Max be right here in Venice with her, telling Caroline she loves her?

"Please wake me up if this is a dream." She squeezed her eyes and whispered but before she knew it, two hands gently held her face and pressed her lips against hers. Caroline shot her eyes open, Max's full lips were pressing hard on hers. Caroline wanted this to happen all her life, but after everything that had happened to her, every heart break she had been through, she didn't dare to bare her heart out again.

Caroline did not return the kiss, after a few seconds Max frowned and pulled back in confusion. Caroline stared back blankly.

Suddenly Max's face fell, tears pooled in her eyes and her lips trembled violently.

Was I too late? Has Caroline moved on?Max could physically feel her heart break into a million piece, she could hear the glass hitting the pit of her stomach. She clenched her fist around her dress, just when her heart had started to slowly heal upon knowing she could see Caroline again, just when her heart started to beat purposefully at the thought of being near Caroline, just when her heart was filled with hope at the thought of them having a chance of being together. Had this been all for nothing?

I think I'm dying.

Tears dripped down her cheeks, Max wanted a hole to appear and swallow her. Caroline watched at Max, more confused than ever, one second Max was kissing her, the next second she was... crumbling?

"Max, I-" Caroline started but Max interrupted her quickly.

"You've moved on, I was too late." Max choked on a sob as she tried to breath in deeply. She was looking down onto the floor.

Oh. Caroline understood now, and she was not going to let Max go again with an misunderstanding. She stepped forward and placed both hands on tear stricken face, she gently raised Max's face to her.

"No, Max. I will never get over you." Then Caroline kissed Max. She really kissed Max, she softly moved her lips against the other pair of wine red lips. She didn't allow Max to pull back, she just softly kissed Max until the brunnette put her arms around her neck and kissed her back.

Suddenly, everything is right in the world. Caroline moaned into the kiss when she allowed Max's tongue into her lips. Nothing else mattered, all that matters right this moment was two souls rejoicing at their sweet reunion.

What seemed like forever, the two women broke apart to catch their breath.

"I love you, Max. I will always love you." Caroline smiled and cried at the same time.

"I love you too, Caroline Channing." Max said tearfully and bursted out in laughter, her infectious laughter making Caroline laughed as well.

When their laughter ceased, Caroline kissed Max again, combing her hair through the brunnette's hair. Smiling into the kiss, Caroline directed the brunnette to the bed. Just when they were nearing the bed, Max tripped and fell onto the bed, pulling Caroline with her. They bursted out laughing again.

When they stopped, they mutually turned onto their sides and stared lovingly into each other's eyes. Max intertwined their fingers together.

"I really miss you, Caroline." Caroline smiles softly before lifting Max's fingers to her lips. She was well aware that there were no rings on her fingers.

"I promise I will never ever leave you again."

"Good, 'cuz if you do, I'd just die and then I would rise from hell to haunt you for the rest of your life."

Max said with her usual smirk, Caroline smiled happily. They continue to look at each other in comfortable silence.

"You know, I was planning on asking you out for dinner if things went well." Max said with a smile.

"Then?" Caroline raised one eyebrow.

"Will you go out with me, Caroline?" Max asked softly.

"Yes."

The couple went out for a romantic dinner near the canal, glancing at each other shyly but at the same time still managed to make little jokes just like old time. Then they had a walk along the canal, with soft yellow lamp lights illuminating their skins. They held hands as they walked, not only because they wanted to be near but also needed the contact to ground them, making sure the other wouldn't disappear if they ever let go. They talked about everything, just like the old times but they tried to stray away from the sad times they both had been through, that could wait.

That night, they made love. It was not awkward but the complete opposite instead, it felt so natural for them. The slow kisses, the shy hands gently prying each other's clothing off; the sighs and moans as they explored each other's bodies. Letting their desire and love guide them, Max and Caroline met in the middle together.

That night, their souls reunited.

After all, soul mates belong together.