A couple of hours later, Max and Jude knew what they had to do. It was tough for both of them, knowing they had to face the women they had been previously smitten with. But they also knew that they belonged together, and they didn't want to hurt anybody. They had already done enough of that.

Max had to tell Michelle.

Jude had to face Lucy.

And they both knew that today probably wouldn't be so grand. And if they both got their way, they would still be in bed, talking about everything and nothing, falling in love deeper every second. But this is life, and with life, you can't always get what you want.

“Good luck.” They whispered to each other before parting in the street.

Max slowly approached Michelle's apartment, the words he had to tell her replaying in his head. As he knocked on the door, he felt his stomach drop. It dropped even more when Michelle answered the door, a bright smile on her face, her hair glimmering in the sunlight. Oh, she was beautiful. Max would miss that, her beauty, her charm. But there was another person in his life who could offer that and so much more...

“Hi, handsome,” Michelle said, pulling Max into the apartment. She leaned in for a kiss, but when Max stood frozen in his spot, she raised her eyebrow. “What is it, Max?”

Max took a deep breath. “Michelle... we need to talk.”

Her beautiful eyes widened. “Um. About what?”

Max wanted to be a man and have the strength to look into her eyes and tell her that he didn't love her, at least not as much she deserved to be loved, but he couldn't. He had to look on the floor, focusing on the random pieces of lint that were on the carpet. They wouldn't judge him as much as Michelle was bound to. “I... I don't think we're gonna work out.”

“What?” Michelle's voice rose a bit. “Max, if this is about California, you don't have to come. I'll still love you, and I'll even stay here, and I'll--”

“Don't do that.” Max looked at her face, but he made a point to avoid any actual eye contact. “It's just...”

“Is there somebody else?” Michelle crossed her arms, her voice wavering a bit.

Max cleared his throat, ran a hand through his hair, and murmured, “Yes.”

Michelle's beautiful, tearful eyes narrowed. “Who? Is it... is it Prudence? Has she suddenly decided to be straight? Huh? Or is it some whore from your apartment?” Michelle raised her voice higher. “Is it that slut Sadie? Is it?!”

Max's eyes widened. He knew she was angry, but to assume that it was Prudence and call one of his closest friends a slut? That was pretty low. He never expected that from Michelle. “No, it's not them. And Sadie isn't a slut, Michelle.”

Michelle snorted a bit, which angered Max, and continued her blubbering rant, “So who is it then? Because I'm sure it's probably somebody I know, and you know Lucy will tell me eventually. So who is it? Ha! Is it Jude?” Michelle laughed without humor and glared at Max, but her face fell when she saw Max nod. She stopped laughing, and her face turned a bright shade of pink. “It is Jude, isn't it?”

“Yeah.” Max said, unashamed. Something about the way she called his friends sluts and whores made him no longer afraid of her. This was a whole new side of Michelle, and he didn't care for it one bit. “Yeah, I'm... I'm in love with him.”

“What?” Michelle whispered angrily. “You're leaving me... for a guy?”

“Well, it's not just any guy, it's ... Jude.” In spite of the argument, he had to smile at the name. Jude. Jude. Jude...

“I can't believe this!” Michelle exclaimed, tossing her hands in the air. “So what? You're a queer? Have you loved him all along? The whole time you were with me?”

“Yes... but it's more complicated that it sounds, Michelle.”

“Well, then I'll simplify it for you, dear.” Michelle said sarcastically. “You were in love with Jude, you dated me any way, and suddenly, you two homos want to be together, and I'm kicked to the fucking curb. Am I getting this right?”

Max glared at her. “Michelle, you're being immature. You act like this is the first time anyone has ever broken up with you.”

Michelle paused, looked deep into Max's eyes, and said, “Yeah, Max, I've been dumped before... but not by somebody I was actually in love with. You don't understand.” She wiped a falling tear. “You were my first love, Max. And now, it hurts to know that you don't love me. And it's even worse to know that it's because of another man.” She laughed ruefully a bit. “As if I didn't have enough competition with the rest of the girls in New York.”

Max examined her crying, frail figure, then gently touched her shoulder. He whispered gently, “Well, if it makes you feel any better, there was no other girl but you. You will always be the most beautiful girl in New York.” Then he smiled. “And now, California.”

Michelle looked at him painfully, but forced a smile. “That doesn't help at all.” She sighed. “But thanks.” Then she shook her head and murmured, “I think you should go now, though.”

“I think I should too.” Max made his way towards the door. Before he left, though, he called, “Good luck in California though. If you see Doctor Robert, tell him that I think that he fucked us over.”

Michelle smirked in spite of herself. “Max, it's 1970. You haven't seen the guy in three years. I don't think that scene will be around anymore.”

Max chuckled a bit, walked out of the apartment, but never looked back.

Jude made sure that he went to Lucy's work when she was on break, and like clockwork, when he walked over to the diner, he saw Lucy standing outside, a cigarette in her hand, gazing off softly. When she saw him, she visibly tensed, her lips forming into a straight line, her eyes shadowed a bit. Jude stood next to her in uncomfortable silence for awhile. Finally, he looked at her and forced a smile onto his face.

“Lucy, are you going to speak to me?”

“I'm not going to give you the silent treatment for not loving me.” Lucy looked back at him, taking a drag of her cigarette. “But I don't exactly want any details.”

“I understand. I just... I don't want things to be awkward for us.” Jude smirked a bit when Lucy offered an amused expression. “Well, okay, I don't want us to be awkward forever.”

“We won't be, Jude.” Lucy replied quietly. “I'll get used to this. I have to. He's my brother, you're my... er, friend, I guess... and I have to be cool. It's just too soon to expect everything to be okay between us, though.”

Jude sighed. “I know. And I do love you, Lucy, it's just--”

“You're not in love with me?” Lucy smirked in spite of herself. “Jude, I understand. You don't have to continue.”

“You do?”

Lucy shrugged a bit as she sighed. “Okay, maybe I don't understand. At least not yet. Give me time Jude. Don't expect so much so soon.” Lucy looked at the ground. “I'm not over this. I'm still mad, very mad, but I can't hate you or Max for loving each other. Just..” Lucy tried to search for the right words to make the following words not sound so cruel, but there was no other way to put it, “can you get your stuff from the apartment sometime when I'm not there?”

Jude caught his breath a little, then muttered, “Yeah, sure. I'll, ah, come by for it tomorrow.”

Awkward. And harsh.

They stood around in silence, until once again, Jude spoke, “I just... I want you to know that you'll never lose me, okay?”

“You make it sound easy, Jude.” She sighed, then glanced at her watch. “I'm off my break. I have to go. Bye.”

They didn't know whether to hug or just wave, so they evened it out by awkwardly shaking hands, but before Lucy went inside the diner, Jude said, “I'm glad we talked.”

Lucy shook her head, causing a strand of blond hair to fall in her face. “It doesn't make any difference.” Then disappeared inside the restaurant.

Jude arrived at Sadie's apartment shortly later, only to realize that everyone else had gone out—except, of course, for Max.

Jude loved how it felt to come home and plant a kiss on Max's lips before resting beside him on the couch, which always felt more comfortable when Max was beside him. Jude loved the way Max's head always seemed to find the perfect spot on Jude's chest, and he loved the way Max said, “I can hear your heart beating faster.” He loved the way Max seemed to hum a little bit, which would tickle Jude's chest. And Jude loved fiddling around with Max's hands, or whispering sweet little things to him. And of course, Max would eventually close his eyes and drift off (which, of course, Jude loved) and Jude would just sit there and realize how good it was.

But most of all, Jude loved knowing that he could do this everyday, and he loved knowing that no matter how much life could shit on him, he could always come home to the beautiful blond that seemed to always find the perfect way to fit with Jude.

Oh yes. Jude loved it.

This chapter is blahh. Even I was expecting more from the whole confronting the exes situation, and I'M THE ONE WHO WROTE IT. Oh well. Maybe the next chapter will please your souls?

P.S-- When Michelle says that it's 1970, I figured that was a safe year to make this story take place, because I heard somewhere that Across the Universe took place between 1966-1969, so I thought that 1970 would be a safe year, no? And you can tell by Lucy's clothing at the end of ATU that the seventies were coming... or is that just me?