3 comments/  23971 views/  14 favorites

Max and Megan

By: CambriaRose



**Max and Megan might be a story you remember. You may be wondering why it's showing back up as a new story. I was not fond of the first version. I wrote for what people wanted, not what I wanted. One night, I decided to take it down and polish it up to what I could be proud of. It is a bit different than the original, but in my opinion much, much better...Enjoy! **




It was late in the afternoon when Megan decided to look over her college report. It was due the next week, but she wasn't going to get a good grade by procrastinating. She was glancing through the stack of papers she had printed out earlier, when her door creaked open.

"Don't you know to lock the door?" A man's voice asked her.

For a split second she was afraid some man had broken into the house. She whipped her head around quickly. Her fear turned into joy when she saw who it was. She squealed and launched herself off the bed. "Max!"

He laughed at her, catching her in his arms. He hugged her tightly in his arms. "I'm on leave for the next week, I thought I'd come see you while I had the chance." 

Megan pulled back and looked up at him, beaming ear to ear. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too." He smiled warmly at her. He hadn't realized just how much he would miss her when he had left home for the Army. He had missed her more than he had missed being at home. The thought was a bit scary and odd to him. She was, after all, just his best friend.

He chuckled at the memory of how they had met. She was in second grade, he in fourth. Max had been out in his backyard playing a game of baseball when he hit a grand slam to beat all grand slams. It flew over the fence, soaring through the sky until it crashed through the neighbor's upstairs window. All Max's friends swiftly left in horror, afraid they would be in trouble. 

It took two minutes for a knock to sound on the front door. Max's mother forced him to open it, knowing it was going to be Mr. Peterson, the neighbor. When he opened the door, it was not a man at all. It was a girl, and she was red as a beet. 

"You broke my horse!" She screamed at him, her face red and puffy from crying.

Before Max could answer, she punched him square in the nose and left him bleeding on the doorstep.

Max hugged Megan one last time before letting her go. He stared at her. Had she tanned? Did she have more freckles? Her strawberry red hair was longer than he remembered. Her green eyes seemed brighter than before. She still smelled faintly like vanilla, a scent that even then was secretly driving him crazy. She wore a faded t-shirt and a pair of jeans.

"Are you going to stand there staring at me all day, Romeo?" She lightly punched him in the arm.

He snapped out of his trance. "No, I want to know what you've been up to lately."

***

Long after midnight the two ran out of things to talk about. Megan had told him all about college, and Max talked about some of the things he'd seen and done while away.

"I wish I could just stay here. I don't feel like going home. It's just an empty apartment with a bed and a TV." 

"So stay here. We're both adults, it isn't like you're going to jump my bones or anything." She giggled at the preposterous thought. He was nothing short of a gentleman.

"You never know." He winked. "Are you sure your dad wouldn't mind? I know you said he is on his fishing 'man-cation', but I don't know how he'd feel about it."

"Max, Dad loves you like a son. He wouldn't mind if you stayed." 

He knew she was right. Hal had always treated him as if he were an extended son. 

"Do you have clothes with you?" Megan asked, crawling off the bed and walking over to her closet. 

"No, I took a shower and came right over." He replied as he watched her pull a pair of red plaid pajama pants and a grey t-shirt out of the closet. "I get lonely sometimes."

Megan knew the feeling. She had thrown herself into her schoolwork to keep her mind off the fact that her best friend was in a dangerous part of the world, while she was all alone. She smiled at him as she left the room. "I'm glad you came to see me."

***

Freshly changed, Megan walked back into her bedroom. Max was on her bed, resting against her pillows. He glanced at her for a moment before speaking. 

"Hey, isn't that my shirt?"

"It was. Now it's mine." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh, really?" He jeered as he sat up. He leaned and with a long muscled arm yanked her forward by the shirt. Caught off guard, she fell against his torso. He stopped pulling for a second. They just looked at each other for what seemed like minutes but was merely a second or two. "It looks better on you." He said simply and let her go.

"Damn right it does." She stood back up and smoothed the wrinkles out of the shirt. 

"Can I sleep with you?" Max asked quietly looking up at her. He figured she would say no, but he wasn't ready to leave.

To his surprise, she nodded a simple yes.

Megan had crawled under the covers by the time Max flipped the light switch off. He undid his leather belt, unzipped his jeans and let them drop to the floor. He shrugged off his shirt. The bed dipped under his weight and the sheets rustled as he got in the tiny twin sized bed.

"Max?"

"What?"

"You are going to fall out if you sleep on the edge, silly." She giggled in the dark. God, he'd missed that laugh. He moved an inch closer to her. They lay face to face.

"I've missed you." Her voice had a sad tone to it. "I wish you could stay longer."

"Me too." His hand searched for hers under the blanket. When he found it, he rubbed his thumb mindlessly over her knuckles. He would give just about anything to not leave her. But, he had no choice. He would have to just enjoy the visit, no matter how short it was.

As Max rubbed her fingers, he could tell it was soothing Megan right to sleep. Her breathing changed to a deep, even breaths. As he idly held her hand in his, the tugging of sleep soon overtook him also.

***

The man was standing in front of him, his eyes wild. "I had your little girlfriend." He cackled in an unnatural voice. "She was really great, if you know what I mean. A real firecracker. "

Max growled at the foreign man, his vision going red with anger. He grabbed the man around the neck and began to squeeze. "Goddamn you! You better not have touched her!" 

"Max. Max. Max." The man's voice took on a weird muted sound. "Max, wake up!"

His eyes flew open. He blinked a few times in the darkness before he realized Megan was clawing at his arms and wrists. He had been choking her in his sleep. He let go of her, horrified. She coughed and gasped for air.

"Oh my God, are you okay? I'm so sorry Megan!" He rushed, disgusted at himself while being afraid he'd really hurt her. He rolled over and quickly turned the light on, blinding them both.

"I'm okay." She hoarsely explained. He cringed at the red marks he'd made on her neck. 

"I swear I was asleep." He grabbed her and hugged her to him. "I would never hurt you." He was near panicking. How could he have done that to her? 

"It's okay, Max. I'm alright." 

He could tell when she was afraid. She was playing brave but here she was, looking shaken at what he had done. He never was violent towards her. 

"Megan." He rocked her back and forth, rubbing his hand on her back. "I am sorry."

She pulled back and looked into his panic stricken eyes. "I know you didn't mean to."

"I am going to go home." He abruptly let her go. He grabbed his pants and yanked them on. "I don't trust myself around you." 

"No, stay." She reached for him.

Max fended off her touch. "I hurt you." He raked a hand over his short brown hair while he let out a jagged breath. "You are all I have, and what did I nearly do? You are so small and helpless and I could've killed you with my bare hands."

"But you didn't. It was nothing but a dream, it wasn't real." She placed a hand over his heart. It was racing under her palm. 

He inclined towards her until their foreheads lightly touched. It was slightly awkward because at six foot two he loomed over her. "I could never live with myself if I hurt you." 

Megan wrapped her arms around him and embraced him tightly. "Please stay."

He didn't reply, but he didn't push her away either. He laid his chin on her head and held her. How could he trust himself to not hurt her again if he stayed? 

After a few minutes of standing, he began walking her backwards towards the bed. Her knees hit the bed and she instinctively let him go and sat down. She looked at him for a moment before he shut the light off again. He dropped his jeans to the floor and climbed back in bed with her. He rolled on his side to face away from her. His mind was torn at whether he should leave or stay.

A cold hand ran under his arm and snaked around to rest on his chest. He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, placing a kiss on them. He felt her yawn against his back as she snuggled into him. He once again began to warm her hand until she was asleep.

Max rolled over to face her. A sliver of moonlight poured in from the window providing him enough light to see Megan's face. He reached over and moved a stray hair out of her eyes. She did not seem to notice when he brushed his hand lightly over her cheek. 

He had wanted to be more than friends for as long as he could remember. He was so scared she would reject him, and then he'd have no Megan, no friendship, and would be left with no one. She was the only one in the world who cared about him. He didn't ever want to lose that, even if it meant just being her friend. It would hurt like hell but it was better than nothing.

Without thinking, he moved forward and planted a tiny kiss on her soft lips. She stirred in her sleep, moving to face away from him. He put a protective arm over her and rested it on her stomach. He angled his hips away from her; it wouldn't be a good thing for her to wake up with her best friend's rod poking her in the back. Knowing Megan she'd probably knock him out. He chuckled quietly and moved her hair off her neck. He lightly kissed the nape of her neck. She let out a sigh.

"You like that." He continued placing butterfly kisses from her ear to her shoulder. He knew he should stop. Not only was it not helping his downstairs problem, it was going beyond what was okay for a friend to be doing.

He didn't even ask if she had met another man. What if she had? He couldn't bear the thought of another man holding her or touching her. Had she grown up in the sexual sense? His hand that lay on her stomach began rubbing in small circles. Her shirt rode up a little each pass of the circle. He wondered if she would let him rest his hand on her bare skin. He felt it best not to try and stopped kissing her neck. He needed to stop or he'd take advantage of her.

Max sighed and pulled her closer to him. He closed his eyes, vowing to himself he would not fall asleep. Her breathing quieted as she settled back into sleep. He glanced back at the clock on the nightstand. Three AM. He sighed and snuggled Megan close.

He awoke to an odd fluttery feeling. It was a brush of something on his chest. He cracked an eyelid to see Megan facing him with her hand on his chest. Her finger was rubbing a ragged scar he had received. She leaned down and brushed her lips lightly over it. It took all he had not to drag her up to him and kiss her.

She straightened and moved closer so she was cuddled up against him. Feigning being asleep, Max put his hand on her hip and slid it up under her shirt to rest on her bare side. Her skin was so soft to his touch. Her breathing paused, then resumed when she was sure he was asleep. She placed her leg over his hip lightly and closed her eyes, comfortable.

Before he could stop himself, he pushed his hips forward and ground them into her pelvis. He was as hard as a rock, he knew she would know but he didn't care. 

Her eyes flew open to stare wide-eyed at him. "Max!"

"You do that to me. You drive me crazy, Woman." He bumped his hips into her's for emphasis. "You are so damn sexy."

She didn't pull away from him as he pulled her close, placing a hand in the small of her back. He ground his hips in small circular movements against her. "I can't tell you how long I have wanted to do this." 

"Max?" She asked in a timid voice.

"Hmm?"

"Do you love me?" 

He stilled. Did he love her? Was she that crazy? He grabbed her back and pulled her to him. His lips brushed against hers. "Do I love you? I love you more than you'll ever know. I always have. I always will." He ran his tongue over her lips. He pressed his tongue and her mouth opened. Taking that as a sign of surrender, he plunged it in her mouth.

Max's hands rubbed over her back, grabbing her hips and pulling her in tight. His tongue melded with hers as they kissed passionately, the years of having denied the attraction adding the fuel to the fire. He broke the kiss, moving his lips to her ear. "You do this to me."

Megan arched her back into him, bringing them even closer. He reached for the hem of her shirt, lifting it slightly. "May I?" 

She nodded and sat up to take it off. He brushed her hands away. He wanted to do it himself. He pulled her shirt off to reveal her smooth stomach. Her breasts were perfect in the moonlight. He had never seen her naked in all the years he'd known her. Max didn't know what he had been missing. He pushed on her shoulder until she laid back down. 

He tilted forward, planting a small kiss above her pants. She gasped. He smiled against her and nipped the skin lightly. He ran his hands up from her hips to the sides of her breasts. Her skin was smooth and hot. He trailed kisses up to her belly button before dipping his tongue in it. Megan inhaled sharply.

He rubbed her stomach in small circles as he kissed around her navel. Her hand came to rest on the back of his head. He raked his teeth against her skin moving up, nipping gently here or there. It was hell on him to go so slow, but he wanted to savor every moment.

Finally, he reached the underside of her left breast. Megan squealed and arched her back up off the bed. Max chuckled. "That was girly. Just you wait."

"Wait....for...what?" She asked breathlessly. His mouth closed over her nipple. "Oh my God!" Her back arched off the bed. Her legs thrashed about. Her head tossed back and forth over the pillow. Her hands flew to the back of his head, holding him to her. She was squirming so much it was hard for him to stay latched on. Her hips thrust in the air as a silent plea. His hand trailed down to her stomach. He rubbed the soft skin and let his fingertips dip below her waistline.

He switched breasts, taking the other between his lips. With his one hand he massaged her breast, the other he tickled under her waistband. His tongue lapped at her hard bud. "Take off your pants." He said with his mouth full.

Megan sat up, struggling to free her pajama pants. "Max, I can't get them off." 

He tweaked her nipple between his fingers and she bucked against him. Reluctantly letting go of her nipple, Max put his hand on her tummy and pushed so she laid down. He grasped her pants and pulled down. Soon he threw them on the floor. He touched the band of her underwear but her legs clamped together.

"Max..." She started.

"I won't hurt you. I promise." He kissed her stomach. He trailed his kisses downward over the fabric of her dark colored panties. Her back arched. He kissed the slight bump of her pubic mound. Her audible moan fueled him on as he slid her panties off.

He looked up at her incredulously when he saw she was bare. "You shave?" 

She blushed red from head to toe. It made him laugh. Here he was, struggling not to just take her hard and fast, and she still had the decency to be embarrassed. Without hesitation he licked her pussy.

Megan nearly screamed and bucked her hips so hard she slammed her pubic bone into his nose. He rubbed it, and then wiggled it between her nether lips. His tongue ran the length of her slit. The skin there was as soft as the rest of her. Her breathing was erratic, her hips thrusting on his face. He took the cue and wiggled his tongue as far as it would go in her pussy. He sucked her sweet juices as they flowed out of her. Her hands pressed his head to her, her thighs clamping around his head.

With his free hand he rubbed at her clitoris. Feeling her so wet, he rose up to kiss her gently as he dropped his boxers to the floor, his erect penis coming into view. He couldn't wait any longer. Her eyes were closed, her neck arched back. 

He nudged her knees apart with his own, settling in between them. He grabbed the shaft of his penis and stroked it a few times. Guiding himself to her sweet center, he rubbed the head between her folds. 

She gasped and arched against him. "Max."

As he pushed forward, he saw her wince. Her hand shot to his stomach and shoved him back away from her. She wore a look of pain as she wriggled under him. He stopped before he was even in her. Realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Are you a virgin?"

"Of course I'm a virgin." She placed her hands on his muscled chest.

"It's going to hurt." He started to shake with the effort to not just cum right there. She gave him a timid nod. He plunged into her. She screamed out in pain.

Max cradled her to him and kissed her. For the second time in his life, he saw Megan cry. He kissed the tears away. "I'm sorry." He held still to let her get accustomed to his large penis. He sneezed, and she gasped. "Sorry, I'm trying to hold still." He grimaced as sweat began to roll off his forehead.

"It felt good. Move again." She whispered.

He made a little thrust in her. She arched her back nearly knocking him off. The pain was subsiding. He made a deeper stroke and she squealed. Losing all resolve he plunged into her. He plunged to the hilt in Megan. She took every thrust, rising to meet him. She started to moan and was near screaming. "Let it out. Scream." He whispered in her ear and bit it. She responded with a guttural groan and wrapped her long legs around his back.

"Something is....I'm going to..." Megan squirmed.

"Cum, Megan, cum for me." Max thrust into her and she exploded. Her pussy contracted around his hard penis. She quivered and shook all around him. Her moaning and screaming was the end for him. 

"Megan!" He pleaded when he realized her legs were wrapped around his back, he needed to pull out he hadn't put on a condom. "Megan! Let me...I'm going to...Megan..." He tried peeling her legs off but she was zoned out in post orgasmic world and didn't notice. He felt the familiar tingly feeling starting between his legs. "Megan, I'm going to cum in you, move your legs!" He shook as he held back, but it was too late. "Megan!"

Wave after wave of semen shot from him as he lay above her. God he hoped she was on the pill; she was smart and a prepared person. She released him and he pulled out as the last spurt shot on her stomach. He collapsed beside her, both their breathing harsh and ragged. He grabbed her and hugged her tight.

***

Max rolled over in bed, a hand searching for Megan. She was no longer lying in bed with him. He got up and pulled his boxers and jeans on. He padded downstairs in search for her. She was standing in the kitchen getting a drink. He watched her silently and grinned. She was walking funny and had a rosy glow about her. 

"What are you smiling about?" She turned and questioned him.

Before Max could answer, his cell phone rang in his pocket. The caller ID announced that it was his dad. "Hello?"

"Max, your leave is being cut short. You have to be at the airport at eleven." His dad said grimly. 

"What? I just got here, why do I have to report back?" 

"I don't know, I just know they were looking for you. You better get a move on, it's already ten thirty. Be safe Son." His father hung up. He never was one to care.


Max and Megan Ch. 02



**Special thanks to Azure for editing.**




Max Roberts climbed out of the back of the cab. He set his duffel bag on the ground in front of him. He glanced up at the two story home in front of him. Its exterior looked nearly the same as the last time he had been standing before it. The grass was cut short, the bushes trimmed nicely to line the path to the door.

It was not his home. He had given up his apartment because it didn't make any sense to keep it, what with him not being around to use it. Maybe coming here was a bad idea, but he had nowhere else to go. He hoped they'd let him stay, or else he would be hoofing it to the next homeless shelter.

Max scooped up his bag and walked up the sidewalk. He nervously rang the doorbell and stood back. He waited a minute or two and when there was no answer, he turned to walk away. The door slowly creaked open. 

"Max! What a surprise, I didn't know you were home." Hal Peterson grinned. The portly man nearly knocked him over as he hugged him and gave him a stiff smack on the back. He didn't look like he'd changed a bit. He still had a beer belly and grey hair. "How long have you been back?" He practically dragged Max into the house.

"I got off the plane a few hours ago." Max told him as he followed Hal into the kitchen. The house looked the same. Pictures of Megan lined the wall as they always had. It was almost as if he had never left.

"Great!" Hal clapped his hands together and headed for the kitchen. "Come, sit down and have a beer." Max raised an eyebrow, Hal was being strange. The man usually was not as animated.

Max thanked him as he took a bottle and sat down at the oak table. 

A childlike screech came from the living room, followed by running footsteps. Max turned to look in the direction it was coming from. In ran a blur of a child. The boy came to an abrupt halt when he saw Max.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"This is Christian. And he is Max." Hal introduced them.

"Hi!" The little boy giggled and ran out of the room just as swiftly as he had run in. Max wondered idly if he had been that obnoxious when he was that age. He wondered what that age was as well. Hal must have been babysitting someone's child.

Hal sat down at the table with Max. "I assume you are here to see Megan."

"Well Sir, I was wondering, if it's not too much trouble, if I could stay with you for a while." Max was scared Hal would say no. Then he'd have nowhere else to turn.

"Of course you can stay here!" Hal replied as if it were a preposterous idea that he'd turn him away. "Why, I'd be a fool to turn a War Hero away."

"I'm not a hero." Max paused, taking a gulp of beer. "How was she, after I left?"

Hal's face seemed to fall. "She was depressed and decided to drop out of college. I tried to make her keep going but you know how she is."

Max did know. The girl was stubborn as hell. You'd tell her to go left, she'd go right just to show you that she was. 

"Is she here?"

"She went to work, but she should be home in a bit." Hal chuckled. "She'll be in for a shock."

***

"I'm sorry about the room." Hal apologized. "If I knew you were coming I wouldn't have gotten rid of the normal bed."

Max stood staring at the bed. It was a red plastic racecar. He didn't think there was any way it would hold his weight. He wasn't sure about sleeping on it. It seemed a bit absurd for a twenty seven year old to be sleeping in a twin sized car.

Hal grinned. "I can get you an air mattress if you don't feel like racing. The boy is crazy about cars."

"I can tell." Max looked around the room. Even the lamp sported a car with a racing flag themed shade. The walls were lined with a checkered flag border. The floor had a small track running the edges of the room. 

Before he could ask why the kid had a whole room, a door opened. Even though it had been many years, he knew the sound was the creaky front door. "Megan is home." Hal nudged Max towards the door.

Max was not sure if he wanted to go out the door, what if she hated him? Of course, he would not blame her for it. She had every right to after he left her like he had so long ago.

He did not have much of a choice as Hal nearly shoved him out the bedroom door and down the hall to the stairs. Max was a bit concerned the man would throw him down the staircase. When they had safely reached the bottom, they turned to the left into the kitchen.

As Max rounded the corner, he caught a glimpse of Megan. Her hair was short. Gone was the beautiful strawberry hair, in its place was a shoulder length blonde hair. She seemed to have gained a bit of weight, which was good since she was underweight when he had last seen her. He could not see her face; she was bent over the counter writing something on a notepad. He took a quick look at her butt and smiled, it was still cute.

"We are out of fruit snacks." She said nonchalantly. "Or so I was told." She shrugged, not looking towards them.

"That is too bad, 'cause I was really craving some." Max said, sounding cheesy even to himself.

She froze. It seemed like forever before she slowly turned to face him. "Max," She crossed her arms in front of herself and leaned back against the counter. "What are you doing here?"

"Your father was kind enough to let me stay here." Max replied stupidly.

"Mommy!" came the shrieking whirlwind child. Mommy? Megan a mom, the concept was mind boggling. Christian nearly launched himself at her. "That's Max." 

"I know Sweetie." She hugged the child to her.

"How?"

She took a moment to form an answer. "We were...friends, a very long time ago."

Hal seemed to sense the tension in the room. "Christian, let's go get ice cream and let your Mommy and Max have some alone time." 

"Dad! It will ruin his supper." Megan frowned. 

"Oh hush, can't a grandpa spoil his only grandson?" Christian jumped up and ran out the door, racing Hal to the car. Hal winked at them and left the kitchen. 

Soon the door shut behind him, leaving Max and Megan standing in the kitchen staring at each other.

"You look great. The blonde is different."

"Don't think that you can just show up after three years and expect me to be friendly." Megan nearly spat at him. 

Max frowned. "I didn't think you would. I needed a place to stay."

"Go sleep under the bridge. If you are really nice, I'm sure they will share their booze." She grabbed the empty bottle he had from earlier and tossed it in the recycle bin. 

Max closed his eyes, mentally counting from ten to one. "Megan, I know you are pissed at me. I had to leave. I had orders."

"Did you have orders not to call? Not to write a letter or email?" She glared at him. Her green eyes were nothing but tiny slits and her nose was crinkled. He would have told her she was cute that way, but it wouldn't have helped any.

Max didn't know why, but something drove him to close the few feet to where she stood. She did not back away, and he wasn't so sure she wouldn't try to hit him upside the head. His hand reached out slowly, until it touched hers. She withdrew her hand. 

"Don't touch me." With that, she turned and stomped out of the kitchen.

***

Dinner had been quiet. The only noise at the table was the clinking of silverware on glass plates and Christian who had not stopped talking since he got home. He talked about how many scoops of ice cream he ate compared to Hal. Max wished life was so simple that all he would have to worry about was out-eating his Dad at ice cream. 

After the awkward supper was over, Max took a shower and went back in the bedroom. Hal had forgotten to give him the air mattress, so it looked like he had two choices. He could sleep on the floor, or in the car. He sighed and crawled into the racecar. He turned off the lamp. 

The irony of the situation made him laugh in the dark. Here he was in a racecar bed, with a million thoughts racing in his head. Who was the little boy? Had Megan found another man? Did she hate him? She should, he thought to himself. She was right, he could've contacted her but didn't.

It wasn't that he didn't want to talk to her. He had written several emails but when it came to hitting the send button, he just couldn't do it. If he did, he'd think about being home with her. It hurt so much to want something he couldn't have until his tour was over. It had felt like an eternity. He knew she was such a great girl, that by the time he came home she would have found someone else and been happy with him. It wasn't right to make her wait.

His mind finally quieted and allowed him to drift off to sleep. 

***

Max moved silently into a grove of pine trees that hid his body from the pale moonlight. He found a large aspen on the edge of the thicket and braced against it. His eyes scanned the field in front of him. He did not see anything out of place.

A loud THWACK sounded near him. He looked over to see a large knife stuck in the tree trunk. It was only inches from his face. He glanced in the direction it had come from. A man wearing all black was standing in the middle of the field. Something, or someone, lay crumpled at his feet.

"Ah, how nice of you to join us Roberts." The man sneered as a slow smile spread on his lips. He reached to the lump at his feet and yanked it up by the hair. The girl he held yelped in pain. 

"Let her go." Max freed the knife from the tree and held it in front of him. 

"I'm afraid I cannot do that." He grasped the girl harder, causing the female to elicit a cry of pain.

Max moved away from the trees and walked forward until he was a mere five feet away. His heart stopped when he saw the person the man held with a rough grip. It was Megan. "Let her go." He growled.

The man produced another knife seemingly from nowhere. He waved it in the air in front of himself, as if to show Max that he too had a blade. He raked it along Megan's neck. Her eyes were wide with fear and she whimpered. 

"I could easily just apply more pressure and that would be the end of your little firecracker."

Max thought it was odd that he had called her that. But before he could figure it out, the man shoved Megan to the ground with a dull thud and launched himself at Max. The knife skimmed his arm drawing a crimson line on his skin. 

Max ground his teeth and struck him with his fist. It was odd to him that the scene was over so quickly. The man hit the ground, the well placed blow knocking his lights out. Max grinned and let out a sigh of relief. 

He returned his gaze to Megan. He briskly walked to her and scooped her up in his arms. She had bruises and scratches on her face. A new wave of anger washed over Max. How dare that man do this to her!

"Wake up."

His eyes flew open. Where was he? He scanned the room, finally realizing he was lying in the racecar bed at Megan's house. She stood hesitantly near the bed in a pink bathrobe. 

"What?" He blinked in the bright light.

"You were making horrible noises in your sleep." She replied. 

Max sat up, his shirt was soaked with sweat. He peeled it off and threw it on the floor and shrugged. "It was a nightmare. Happens."

Megan's face showed a hint of concern, which he thought was strange after her outburst earlier that evening. She frowned and reached down to trace the jagged scar on his chest. Her mouth opened as if she was going to ask him where that had come from, but thought better of it. Her hand was warm against him.

He couldn't say why he did it, but he pulled her to him and brushed his lips across hers. He continued planting light kisses along her lips. "I missed you so much." He whispered hoarsely against her mouth. The tip of his tongue touched her lips.

His hands smoothed her hair from her face as he continued kissing her. He drew her into the bed, mildly surprised it was so easy. He nipped at her neck and shoulder. Her back arched, pressing her closer. Her hands ran over his abs, tracing them.

Max began to untie the robe belt. Propping himself on one arm, his other dipped under the fabric. He ran his hand along her smooth skin up to her breast. He gently cupped it. Her back arched off the bed. He smiled to himself as he flicked her nipple with his thumb.

He pulled it aside, his breath exciting her skin. When his tongue flicked her nipple, she crashed violently up into him. He grinned at the contact, and clamped his lips around it. Her hands flew to his head and held him close.

He took the opposite nipple into his mouth, and ran his hand down her smooth tummy. He toyed with her waistband to her underwear. She tilted her hips up, silently asking for his touch. He slid his hand under them, over her smooth hairless mound. His palm slid all the way to the bottom of her slit, and slid back up, coating her with her own juices. His finger began probing her very hot pussy. She gasped when he touched her clit. She was so sensitive. 

"Max, we need to go to my room." She said breathlessly.

As Max stood up, his finger slipped into her. He wiggled it side to side as he turned her so he could scoop her up. With some difficulty, he managed to get her in his arms without taking his hand from her. He nearly ran the short distance to her room.

He dropped her on the bed, and began pulling her robe and panties off. She slid his underwear off, his dick sprung out, standing straight out. She reached out and wrapped her small hands around his shaft. He paused, relishing the feeling of the coolness from her fingers. She began to squeeze and stroke him slowly. Max groaned and pushed forward into her ministrations.

After a few minutes, he could take it no more. He reached down and began to rub her pussy. She laid back into the pillows, Max joining her on his side. He sucked a hard nipple into his mouth. His tongue flicked the bud, Megan arched up.

"Please." She whispered breathlessly. 

Max quickly rolled over her body and parted her legs. Leaning on one arm, he guided himself to her soft wet folds. He rubbed the head against her clit. She arched into him. Max pushed into her, sinking to the hilt. They both groaned loudly. Without waiting, Max went into a frenzied pace. It had been so long.

He thrust in and out of her, his balls slapping against her thighs audibly. She was writhing under him in pure ecstasy. His hand grabbed her breast, causing her to squeal. 

Max quickly pulled out and Megan began to protest. He rolled her over onto her back and pulled her to her knees quickly. She looked at him questioningly until he moved back in behind her and inserted his penis back in her.

He found a fast paced rhythm, slamming in and out of her sweet center. Her breasts lurched forward with each thrust, his hands found them and squeezed. 

His pace seemed to falter, he was dangerously close. He abandoned her breasts and reached a hand down to her clit and rubbed it fast. Megan nearly screamed, burying her head in the pillow to muffle it. That was all it took to send him over the edge. He grabbed her hips roughly and plunged as deep as he could. He shook as each spasm sent his cum deep inside her. He pulled out and collapsed on the bed. Megan fell breathlessly beside him.

Max snaked his arm out and drew her against him. "You are so sexy." He murmured against her ear.

***

"Mommy!" Max's eyes popped open. The room was still dark, and glancing at the clock it was only four in the morning. The boy was standing at the door. Max grabbed his boxers off the floor and slipped them on under the covers. He glanced over and saw Megan was sound asleep.

"What's the matter?" Max asked him quietly getting up putting his jeans on and going to the door. 

"I want my Mommy, I had a bad dream." Christian told him with a sob. Max scooped the boy up. 

"Mommy is sleeping, but you can tell me about it, I have bad dreams too." Max carried him downstairs and turned on the living room light. 

"Really? Is that why you were in my Mom's room?" 

Max chuckled. "Exactly. Now, tell me what it was." He sat on the couch still holding Christian.

"Well, there was a bad guy chasing me. I punched him, and he got mad." He told him all about his bad dream, bad guy and all. Max listened and compared in his mind his nightmares to the boy's.

"I like you, Max." Christian leaned against him and hugged him. Max rested his hand against his head, rubbing his short brown hair idly. The kid's hair was almost the same color as his own. 

"I like you too." He had never really been around children much. He wasn't sure if he really had done anything for the little boy. He just did what felt natural. They stayed like that for a while, Max realized Christian had fallen back asleep. Afraid to wake him up again, Max closed his eyes.

***

After a shower and shave, Max came out of the bathroom feeling refreshed. He made up the car bed, and headed downstairs. He saw Megan reclining on the couch and smiled. Walking towards her, he came to sit beside her. 

"Sup, Buttercup?" 

"Sup? What are you, fifteen?" She looked at him funny. "Just was thinking."

"About?"

"About what happened last night. Maybe it was a mistake." 

His smile faded and was replaced by a frown. "How was it a mistake? You didn't seem to think so at the time."

"Because Max, you left. You should not have come back here. I should not have done what I did last night." She stared at the carpet in front of her.

"I wasn't thinking right. It's been years since a man has touched me." Megan admitted. 

"Well since you have a kid, obviously that isn't entirely true. Speaking of him, where did he come from?" Max questioned.

Megan got up off the couch and walked over to a bookshelf. She pulled out what looked to be a photo album. Bringing the album with her, she sat back down next to him. Placing the album in his lap she indicated with a nod for him to open it.

Max opened the cover. The first page was of Christian as a newborn, mouth wide open, screaming mad. Underneath the picture written in blue calligraphy it read: Maxwell Christian Roberts. Max's heart sped up and he had the urge to throw the book from his lap, as if it was on fire.

His eyes flew up to meet Megan's. She smiled feebly at him. "Why does that say Maxwell Roberts?" 

"Because, he is your son." She answered him quietly. "We use his middle name instead."

"Why did you not tell me? Not one of the letters you sent said you were pregnant with my child!" He began to raise his voice in anger. 

Megan closed her eyes slowly and took a deep breath. "You left and didn't contact me. I figured you were done with me. I was sure that if you had known you wouldn't have wanted anything to do with him." She opened her eyes. "I wanted to protect him."

"Protect him from me? I am not that heartless, I would have sent you money. I would have helped raise him." He ground out. 

She reached across and flipped a few pages into the book. He looked down and saw a picture of Christian-Maxwell- whatever his name was, as a toddler, smiling up at a picture. The picture was of Max dressed in his uniform. "He knows the picture as Daddy. I told him you were in the Army. I'm surprised he hasn't figured it out that you are the man in the picture. He is mighty proud." 

Max's head was spinning. One day he was near homeless, the next he finds out he has a son whom he never knew about. Not knowing what to say, Max flipped through the pictures. There were pictures of Christian's first steps, his first birthday. All the 'firsts' Max missed and wasn't even given the option of having seen.

When he reached the end of the album, he closed it. "Why did you use my name?" The middle name was not the same as his, but it was close enough.

"He looks like you, except for his eyes. He has your personality, too. He is an exact image of you, only as a child."

Max stood up, unable to hear anymore. She had hid the truth for too long. He couldn't help but feel betrayed. He did not get in touch with her, but he did it to save her from the heartache of being alone. He thought she'd meet a man who would make her happy when he couldn't. Never did he once think instead she would hide a child, his child, from him for four years. 




Max and Megan Ch. 02



He stomped out the front door, slamming it behind him.



Max and Megan Ch. 03



History seemed to be repeating itself. Max stood once again in front of his ex-best friend's house, hoping once more Hal would loan him a room. Maybe he was a glutton for punishment, but it was the only place he knew he could go no matter what. 

He hesitantly rang the doorbell. He nervously shifted from leg to leg while waiting for the door to open.

The door opened to reveal a taller and more grown up version of Christian. "Hi."

"Little Man, what have I told you about opening up the door to strangers?" A male voice called. A guy appeared at the door. "Can I help you?" 

Max was unsure if he could. If it weren't for the boy, he'd think that they had moved away. "Is Hal home?" 

"No, he doesn't live here anymore." The guy told him and shrugged. "Last time I knew he was in Vegas. Megan would know where he is."

Megan. There was no way she was with the man in front of him, he must have been some long lost family member. He wore black from head-to-toe. His hair was black and spiky, with white frosted tips. He had about six piercings in each ear, two in his lip, and one in his tongue. He wore a black wife beater and black cargo pants with chains running from his waist to his knees. His arms were covered in tattoos, something he knew Megan detested.

"Is she home?" Max questioned.

"Naw, she went to the store, but she should be back any time now. You can wait inside if you want." Another shrug.

He thanked the man as he followed him into the all too familiar kitchen. "I'm Max."

"Jordan. Do you want anything to drink? A beer?" 

Max idly wondered how the guy walked with all the weight of the chains on his pants. "That would be nice, thanks." 

"I'll text Megan and see where she is." Jordan tossed him a beer and picked his cell off the counter. A blur of fingers later he announced it was sent. "If I was you I'd down that before she gets home, she hates beer."

"Will do." 

Jordan's phone rang some odd heavy metal music. He flipped it open and read the message. "She'll be home in ten minutes." He turned to the boy. "You better get in the shower, your mother will tan my hide if you don't."

***

Exactly ten minutes later the garage door opened then closed. A car door opened and shut. His heart jumped to his throat. The door connecting the garage to the kitchen rattled open.

"Jordan, I think the car-" She stopped talking mid-sentence, her eyes locking on Max's presence. Her mouth dropped open, then closed in a tight line.

"What about the car?" Jordan took the bag from her and set it on the counter. He glanced from her to Max and back. "You two look like you both saw a ghost." He shrugged and set about putting the groceries away.

She had changed in the two years since he had left. Her hair was no longer blonde, but a shoulder length black. Her eyes were still a piercing green. Her skin seemed a bit paler. Her freckles that were splashed across her cheeks were the same as ever. 

"What are you doing here?"

"I...I wanted to talk to you." He stammered. 

"About?" She replied.

"I'm not sure. I know I shouldn't have come here, but I didn't have a place to go and I thought maybe, maybe I could stay with you." He rushed. "I'll leave, sorry to have come here."

Megan sighed deeply. "Max, you can stay in the spare room, but only if you have nowhere to go and if Jordan is okay with it." 

He felt uncomfortable. He was sitting at the table with Megan, his ex-lover and baby's mother across from him. The very girl, woman, whose heart he'd shattered, and some weird kid with a bunch of holes in his face. "Only for a few weeks. Just 'til I find a job."

"You seriously look like you need a shower. I'll get some towels and put them in the bathroom." She replied and got up. Jordan got up too. "It's up the stairs, first room on the right." God, her old room. He nodded and she left the room with Jordan following her. 

Max climbed the stairs and opened the bedroom door. It did not look any different than it had as her room. A soft knock on the door caught his attention. "Towels are in the bathroom." And she was gone.

A shower would be nice. He dug through his bag and found semi-clean clothes and shampoo. He hopped in the shower. After he was scrubbed clean, he dried off and got dressed. He caught glimpse of himself in the mirror and groaned. He had a billygoat's beard. He ran water in the sink and began to shave his face.

As he drew the sharp razor over his skin, he began to hear people talking outside the closed bathroom door. He quietly leaned over and listened to them.

"Max is an old friend, as much as he hurt me, I can't just kick him to the street like that." 

"So I will." Jordan sounded peeved. "The man has some nerve to show up here expecting you'd just let him in."

He heard Megan sigh. "Because he knows I would let him stay. There is too much history between us."

"I can make him history, Meg. Just say the word." Jordan said in a low and hushed tone.

The door opened and nearly smacked Max in the face. Christian stuck his head in the door. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Shaving." Max said as he rinsed his face.

"Better?" He asked facing the boy. 

"Yep." He grinned. He came in and sat on the toilet.

Max had an idea. "How old are you?"

"Almost seven." He beamed, holding up seven fingers. A front tooth was missing from his toothy grin. 

"Wow." Max smiled at him and headed to the bedroom. Time had flown by it seemed.

"Christian, leave Max alone." Megan called to him when she spotted him following Max. The boy ran off to join Megan and Jordan. 

The rest of the day Max napped off and on. He hadn't realized how long of a day he'd had, but it certainly had been. A knock on the door woke him up. "Max, dinner is on the table if you'd like some." Megan called to him.

He opened the door and bumped into her. She nearly fell backwards, but he grabbed her wrist and steadied her. She smiled tersely and said a muttered 'thanks' and turned and went down the stairs. Following her, the smell of food made his stomach growl. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd eaten a home cooked meal. 

He sat at the table with the three others. Cornbread, chili and a variety of vegetables and fruits waited on the table. "Smells great." Max commented.

"Thank Jordan, he's the chef." Megan smiled at Jordan. 

"Compliments to the chef." They all ate in silence for a few minutes. 

For a conversation starter, Max asked about Megan's father, Hal. "Where is Hal?" He asked. "He ran off with some bimbo named LouLou. They bought an RV and travel around a lot. The last time he called, they were in Vegas." She shook her head. God only knew what trouble Hal was getting in.

"Oh, sounds fun." Max spooned some chili into his mouth.

Megan pushed her uneaten food away from her on the table. She stood up. "I'm going to go lay down." She kissed Christian on the top of his head and walked out of the room.

"I'm sorry if I caused problems." Max apologized. 

"You are lucky there is a kid in the house. She would kill me if I kicked your ass in front of him." Jordan shoved a piece of cornbread in his mouth. "She still hurts from her mom dying. You just made it worse by two times as much." 

"She told you that?" Max looked at him. 

"She tells me everything. That's what wives do." He stood up.

Wives? They were married? She didn't have a ring on, he'd have noticed that. Who was he kidding, of course she met a new guy by now. But married? He felt like puking. To busy himself, he cleaned up the table. He really needed to talk with Megan. "I will leave during the day." Max heard himself say. 

"Good, the less you are here the better." Jordan flipped off the light and went upstairs. 

Max went in the bedroom and closed the door. He stripped down to his boxers and peeled back the pink comforter that lay on the bed. How manly. He crawled in and shut the light off. His mind was racing with so many thoughts. It was a few hours later before he fell asleep.

***

Max woke up sometime in the night. He walked quietly down the hall to the bathroom. When he was done, he returned to the spare room. Someone was downstairs in the kitchen, a glass clinked on the tile counter. He decided to see if it was Megan, he really wanted to talk to her without Jordan around. 

She stood with her back to him. She wore the same robe she'd had the last time he was there. She turned and almost screamed from fright. "Max! You scared me." Her hand clutched her heart, as if it was going to jump out of her chest.

"Sorry," He grinned, but let it fade. "Your new boy toy wants to kick my ass."

Megan furrowed her brow. "Jordan feels he has to protect us."

"I would never hurt you." He'd said that before and had done exactly that. What a stupid statement.

"You left, twice in fact." If her eyes could be any more hostile towards him, he'd be afraid. "You left me. But you left your own child, which is unforgivable."

"I'm sorry." Max felt as if 'sorry' was never going to be good enough. She was right, he wasn't worthy to even be kind to and lend a room to. 

"I was lonely and sad. I felt like how I did when my Mom died. I was scared and alone, yet again." When her mom had died, her world died too. It took Max forever to get her to smile again after it had happened. 

"Please get a job soon." She whispered and walked briskly up the stairs and out of sight.

***

Megan climbed in bed beside Max. "Hey, baby." He said sleepily pulling her towards him. His hand snaked out and rubbed her butt. He pulled her hips toward his. His erection rubbed against her through her clothes. He never understood why she slept dressed. She sighed and rubbed her pelvis back. 

Max pulled up her tattered t-shirt. "Mmm, baby." He rubbed her breast. "So sexy." He ground his hips against her. "You ready?" 

She nodded.

"Good, because this monster wants you." He pulled her shirt off. Kissing her lips he ran his tongue across hers. He flicked his tongue against hers. His lips went to her neck, biting her nape. Her small hands went to his hardening cock. She moved it up and down, circling the head. 

His mouth took in her nipple and she stilled her hand. She was so sensitive there and he knew it. Releasing his hold on her, he gently rolled her so she faced away from him. "Max?" She questioned.

"Shh. You'll see." He molded himself to spoon with her. His erection came to rest in between her clothed bottom. He pressed against her and sighed. His hands moved to the waistband and tugged. She raised her hip from the bed and he slid them off. He put his arm across her, bringing it to her center. His other arm wiggled its way under her midriff and clasped onto her right breast. He gently squeezed.

Megan sighed and parted her legs, grounding back against his member. He rubbed her slit. Dipping a finger in her wetness, he plunged his index finger all the way inside. He added his middle finger. "God." She groaned and turned her head back to face him. His lips locked onto hers, he thrust his tongue in her mouth matching his fingers as they plunged in and out of her. The hand on her breast squeezed and gently pulled on her pert nipple. Her breathing picked up.

"Please." She whispered.

He knew what she wanted. Quickly he raised her top leg and placed it on his own. He rubbed his head against her, causing chills to go up her spine. He aimed himself and gently pushed through her folds.

Immediately he went into a fast, hard pace, slamming into her. The hand that had been in her, held her tight against him. His other hand squeezed her breast almost painfully. He grunted and groaned with each thrust. Megan pushed back to meet him. She started panting.

She was so close, her back arched. Max began rubbing her clitoris roughly. He breathed in her ear. Against her best attempt to stay quiet, the feelings overwhelmed her. She began to moan loudly. He continued assaulting her clit while slamming into her. His moans mixed with hers.

With one final thrust, Max nearly shouted with the sensations rushing through his body. His hand still rubbed her clit, and he sent her over with the loudest moan he'd ever heard her make. Her pussy clamped on his slowly shrinking penis.

After she settled down, Max whispered in her ear. "Are you alright?" She squeezed her inner muscles on him and smiled into the darkness. "Good." He kissed her neck and snuggled against her, still buried inside. 

Moving slowly, Max slid in and out only an inch. It was a gentle slow pace, in stark contrast to the hard version they had just finished. He leaned forward and nipped her ear. Pulling out, he resumed his place behind her; both exhausted, they fell asleep. 

Max became aware of a wet and sticky feeling he had not felt since he was a teenager. His eyes opened in the darkness. Great, he'd had a wet dream and now had a mess to deal with. He got up and took the sheets off the bed. After he made the bed as best as he could, he laid back down. Closing his eyes, he imagined Megan snuggled against him. He fell fast asleep.

***

A week passed and Max finally had found a job. He got hired into a construction company, it was all grunt work. He didn't mind so much, it kept him away from the house. He needed to find his own place. Find a girl. Move on.

One morning he sat at the kitchen table, waiting for one of his new co-workers to give him a ride to the site. "We need to talk." He looked over to see Jordan standing behind him. 

"About?" 

Jordan ignored him. "When do you get lunch?"

"At noon." Max answered.

"Fine, I'll pick you up at noon." Before Max could ask why, he was gone. A car horn beeped. Max got up and walked out the door. 

Noon came around and sure enough, the black sports car Jordan drove was out front of the site. Max walked over and climbed in the passengers seat. "What is all this about?" he asked, snapping the seatbelt in.

Jordan said nothing as he drove away from the curb. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he began to speak. "I want you to move out. Megan will never force you out, but she doesn't want you there."

"I am working on it, believe me." Max replied, watching the houses go by.

"Work on it faster." His hands tightened on the steering wheel. "I want you gone."

"I understand."

"You don't. You left her and your son behind. She loved you so much and you left her. Twice!" 

Jordan nearly yelled at him. "She still has feelings for you."

Max was taken aback. How could she still feel anything for him when he had hurt her in all the ways he had?

"She is mine now. " Jordan growled at him.

Jordan reached in the backseat and produced a yellow manila envelope. He handed it to Max. "These are papers to relinquish your rights as Christian's birth father. Fill them out so I can file it and get the court date set up. At the hearing, you will tell the judge that you no longer wish to be a father to him." 

"No." As much as Max had never been in Christian's life, he still was his son.

Jordan began to turn red. If they were in a cartoon, he'd have steam blowing out his ears. "Sign the papers, or I will hurt you until you do. I don't want to have to resort to that."

Despite the situation, Max found that humorous. The little punk kid was going to hurt the Army guy. He could sure try. "If you would please take me back to work, I'd appreciate it." He threw the pen and envelope in the backseat.

"Sign the papers." Jordan lowered his voice.

"No, I'm not going to sign anything." Max didn't feel like dealing with him anymore. He unbuckled himself, threw the door open, and began walking back towards the construction site. 

Who did Jordan think he was, demanding Max sign over his parental rights? Christian was his son, even if he had never been a good father to him. How could he be a good dad when he was off fighting in the war? He was home now, and things were going to change. He had missed too much. He had done things he was not proud of. He treated people poorly, not thinking of anyone but himself. The only thing he could do was start over and hope Megan and the boy, his boy, forgave him for his mistakes.

(A special thanks goes to Azure for editing)



Max and Megan Ch. 04



Max Roberts walked as fast as he could towards the construction site he was currently supposed to be working at. Megan's new boy toy had left him no choice but to walk back. He hoped the supervisor wasn't going to be a dick to him today for being late back from lunch. He hadn't even gotten to eat.

As he neared the site, he saw the man in question. And boy, did he not look happy. "Look, I'm sorry. The asshole I left with dumped me out, and-" He was cut off abruptly.

"Save the bullshit. Go home. We finished up while you were off with your boyfriend." There was a time when Max would have decked him for that comment, but now he realized it wasn't worth losing a job over. He said nothing and began walking towards Megan's house.

"Want a ride?" Jack, one of his Army buddies asked. It was thanks to Jack that Max had gotten the job at the construction company.

"Thanks." Max climbed in the car. 

After a few minutes of driving, Max was once again in front of the faded blue house. Jordan's car was parked in the driveway behind Megan's little red car. 

Steeling himself for the worst, he went into the house. When he shut the door he was quickly aware of the fact an argument was going on upstairs. Jordan's voice carried down the stairs, and Max guessed they hadn't heard him come in.

"You let him come in here. If you won't take care of it, I will. I've got too much in this house for you to be letting strangers into the damn place!" Max wasn't sure what Jordan had meant by that. The house looked the same as ever, just with new pictures of her husband and a myriad of photos featuring Christian. He quietly climbed the stairs in order to overhear them better.

"He's not a threat. He's just an old friend. That's all." Megan's voice took on a pleading tone. "Please, don't do this."

Max heard the unmistakable sound of a pistol clip being snapped into place. His blood went cold. Was Jordan so threatened by him that he'd try to murder him?

"Please Jordan! I'm sure he'd leave. Don't do this!" Megan begged.

Max backed down the stairs and went back out the door. Before he could decide what to do next, Jordan appeared in the doorway. Megan followed behind him. As far as he could see, Jordan had the gun hidden and not in plain sight.

"I want you to leave." Jordan hissed at Max as he closed the distance between them. 

Megan grabbed Jordan's arm and tried to hold him back. He glared at her and pointed towards the front door. "Go inside."

"No. Leave Max alone." 

"I said go inside." Jordan spun around angrily and grabbed her arm roughly, shoving her towards the house. He slapped her face when she refused.

Max had seen enough, he lunged for Jordan. He yanked his arm from Megan's. "You leave her alone." With his free hand, he pushed her out of the way and blocked Jordan's path to her. "You don't ever hit a woman!" Max threw a right hook, smacking him in the jaw.

Jordan was not expecting it, and the force sent him backwards onto the driveway, crashing into the side of his car. Reaching back into his hair, he brought his hand back in front of him, a crimson red stain on his fingers. "Why you son of a bitch!" He jumped off the ground and grabbed the gun from his hip, aiming it right at Max's head. "I swear to God I'll blow your fucking brains out."

"Just put the gun down. You don't want to waste your life for nothing." Max said calmly. "You aren't going to hurt anyone by killing me, except yourself and your family."

"Shut up, Max." Megan begged. "Jordan, please. He'll leave!" She looked frantically at Max, trying to get him to do just that. "Just settle down, please, let's talk."

As the trio stood outside in the front driveway, they suddenly became aware of screeching tires in the distance. As they momentarily forgot their own situation, they watched a silver SUV round the bend at a high rate of speed. Jordan suddenly dropped his gun and ran towards the house. Max thought it was strange of him to do that, but before he could fully process it, he found out why.

The vehicle slowed and the tinted rear window rolled down. Max saw the long barrel of a gun poke out and seconds later the person holding it began spraying the house, the cars, and even them with bullets. Max dove for Megan after grabbing the abandoned gun Jordan had dropped, shoving her out of the barrage. He shoved her against the front of the car, bullets wedging themselves into the metal with ease beside his head. He covered her body with his, hoping that they didn't get out of the vehicle. He aimed and fired, but the shots he fired missed as the SUV quickly sped off, tires screeching.

A choking sound came from under Max. His face turned pale with the sound. He'd heard it before, too many times before. He looked down to see Megan's eyes wide in shock, and then she collapsed against him. Blood was gushing from her neck. 

"Megan!" He screamed. Tearing his shirt off, he shoved it roughly against her neck, putting pressure on the gushing wound.

Jordan appeared at the front door. 

"Call 911 before she bleeds to death!" Max yelled at him. Jordan turned and ran back inside the house.

"Megan, you need to stay awake." Max ordered. Her eyes flashed open, looked at him for only half a second, then drifted shut.

"You are not going to die on me. Do you hear me?"

"Megan, please." She was starting to look very pale, and her breathing was shallow and ragged. She had lost a lot of blood it seemed, his shirt was soaked thoroughly. "You have a boy to take care of, you can't just leave him."

'Or me.' He thought, but didn't say aloud.

"Christian and Jordan need you." Max didn't know why he had said that, but he was scared she would die. He knew how serious it was. She only had a minute or two before it'd be too late. He held her as carefully as he could without shifting his hand from pressing on her neck.

"Come on now, you can't expect us guys to raise Christian. You're good at soothing nightmares and all the mom stuff." 

As he finished, the paramedics and police rushed to the scene and took over. As quickly as they had rushed in, they seemingly ran back out moments later taking Megan, leaving Max alone, shirtless and covered in her blood. 

***

After what seemed like forever, the police let Max go. Jordan was with Megan so Max had to grab Christian from school. The poor boy was already crying when he picked him up.

Max's mind was in a million places at once. How had this happened? Would she be strong enough to pull through? What about her son? Their son? Max glanced over at him. He had settled down enough, his face beet red from crying. 

Soon, they reached the parking lot to the hospital. He parked the car in the only spot he could find and got out. Christian stayed in the car, looking towards the door. Max went around to the passengers' side and opened the door. "Come on, kiddo." He didn't get out. Reaching in, he unbuckled him and with some difficulty picked him up. 

Max walked quickly into the emergency room entrance. There was a desk straight ahead, with a waiting area on the left of the entrance. A big fish tank lined the wall, the colorful fish were in stark contrast to the clinical white tiles and wall color. A single TV hung from the ceiling, some sort of cartoon was on. 

A stocky woman sat behind the desk. "May I help you?" She asked as he neared.

"They brought in his mother. She had a gunshot wound to the neck. Megan Peterson, at least I think it's still Peterson." He rushed. 

The woman told him just a moment, picked up the phone on her desk and talked to what he assumed was a nurse or doctor. She thanked them and hung up.

"I can tell you she's in surgery, you can find her husband in the surgical waiting room, and he can tell you the rest. Legal reasons, I'm sure you understand. It's on floor number two." 

Max thanked her and carried Christian towards the elevator, which was on the right side of the entrance. If she was in surgery then she was still alive. It was small comfort.

"See Christian, your mom is a fighter. They are fixing her up." Max told him on the short ride up to the next floor. 

When they rounded the corner of the surgical ward, they saw Jordan sitting in a chair. He was starting to have a bruise on his jaw. 

Max tried to set Christian down, but he squealed and held on tighter, so he just settled for sitting with him in his lap. "How is she?"

"Bad." Jordan said quietly. He refused to look Max in the eyes. "They don't even think..." He didn't finish. He didn't need to. "I called Hal, he's going to catch a plane."

"She is a fighter." He didn't know if she still was, but maybe there was a chance. 

"Is my mom going to die?" Christian looked up at Max with sad green eyes. His momma's eyes. 

"No." Max said forcefully. 

"Don't lie to him." Jordan countered. "She lost a lot of blood, it nicked her artery. She was nearly dead when we got here."

Christian began crying into Max's shirt. Max glared at Jordan. "Don't tell him that. You don't know her. I've known her since she was little. She wouldn't let go like that."

Jordan got up and went over towards the receptionist's desk.

Christian leaned back, and sniffled. "You knew my mom when she was little?"

"I sure did." Max nodded. "She was my neighbor for a long time."

"Really?" He sounded flabbergasted. 

"Yep, she was the little girl next door." 

"I think you need a Band-Aid." Christian told him, and then pointed it out on his own face where it was. "You have a cut on your face and there's blood."

"That's not a cut, it's a scar."

"From what?"

"Well, I was in the Army and the bad guys tried to hurt us." Max left it as plain as he could. They had been waiting on a side street when a suicide bomber had ignored warnings to stop and tried to kill them. The blast had killed two of his buddies and had sent shrapnel into him, burying him under the wreckage. 

Christian thought about it for a while. He snuggled up against Max. "My dad is in the Army."

Jordan walked back over with something in his hands. It was a wad of wet paper towels. He handed them to Max. "Here, you have blood all over your face and arms." Max looked down. He was right. He set about wiping it off.

"Did you find out anything?" 

"No, they are still working on her. She's flat-lined twice." Flat-lined, meaning she'd died twice. Max swallowed hard.

He would never forgive himself if she died. It was his fault it had happened. If he would have just signed the papers Jordan had thrown at him, she wouldn't be here. She would have been inside, instead of standing outside. But he didn't want to sign them. He had never thought about being a father, or even wanting to be one. Holding Christian, he seemed to be doing an okay job of it.

***

Four hours later they still sat in the chairs waiting for any news. A doctor walked out of the swinging doors that closed off the public from entering the surgical hallway. He was dressed in green scrubs and was clean shaven. 

"Mr. Winters?" He questioned the men.

"That's me." Jordan stood up quickly. 

"Your wife is out of surgery and is in recovery. The bullet hit her carotid artery; she lost a lot of blood and is very weak. She's not breathing well on her own. If she has any family, you might call them and tell them to come say goodbye." He looked apologetically towards him. 

"Her father is on his way. Can I see her?" Jordan asked. 

"I'm afraid not Sir." The doctor looked at him weird. 

Two police officers stepped out of the elevator and walked towards him. "Jordan Winters? You need to come with us."

"What the hell is this?" Jordan yelled at him. "My wife is in there dying and you're having me arrested?"

"I fucking hate you!" Jordan twisted and yelled at Max as they walked him towards the elevator. "It's all your fault she's going to die."

Christian cringed and began crying into Max's shirt. 

"Shh, it's ok."

"Who are you to her?" The doctor asked him.

"She's my son's mother." 

He nodded and looked at the boy. "He can say goodbye in a little while." Even though it was said quietly, it caused him to cry even harder. "I'm sorry. I better get back in there."

"Your mom will be okay. It's just in case, it doesn't mean that she will, Christian." Max hugged him. At least, he hoped so.

"You told him you were my dad." 

"I know."

"Are you?" He asked. 

Max thought about it. He could say yes, and risk hurting the kid, who probably thought of Jordan as his father by now. Or he could say no, and keep the lie a secret. 

"You look like the guy in the picture, only older." Christian commented, wrinkling his nose.

"Hey, you little brat I'm not that old." Max chuckled and poked him in the arm.

"Older than me." He giggled. "Papa!"' Christian launched himself off of Max when he saw him step out of the elevator. 

Hal hugged him and walked over to Max. "How is she?"

"Pretty bad. She's lost a lot of blood." Max filled him in on all that had happened, and what he had overheard them telling Jordan. 

Christian climbed back in Max's lap. Snuggling up to him, he looked at his Papa who sat next to them. 

"He looks like you, but with Megan's eyes." Hal commented, getting up from the seat. "I'm going to go talk to the nurse."

***

An hour later Hal had somehow convinced the nurse to let him in to see Megan. He came out looking ragged and pale. He sat heavily in the chair beside Max, who had the boy asleep in his lap.

"She looks terrible." He wiped his red eyes. "They have her attached to all sorts of machines. Have you been in yet?"

Max shook his head no. "I'm not family."

"Oh, nonsense. You've been family all your life. She'd want you in there." 

"She'd probably want Jordan. They took him to jail. Something about drug paraphernalia in his car, I guess." Max explained. He'd gotten that bit of information from overhearing Jordan being arrested.

"Good, I hope he rots in there." Hal said angrily. "I'm going to go have a chat with the nurse. You should be in there."

***

A few minutes later, Max was led through the swinging doors and down a long sterile hallway. The nurse pointed to a closed door. "It's this room. You can be in there for fifteen minutes."

He thanked her, took a deep breath and pushed the door open. It was a small room, with only a single window on the far wall. The blinds were closed. He saw her pale form under a white sheet. Machines of all kinds lined up beside the bed. Tubes ran from seemingly everywhere above her, some ended on her arms and some disappeared under the gown she wore. 

The bed was set at a diagonal with the foot of it a few feet from the door. He did not realize he was holding his breath until then. She was so pale. Her eyes were closed. 

A hose ran from a machine to the right of the bed, and ended right at the base of her throat. It was attached to a small contraption that stuck out from under her skin. He knew from his Army experience that it was a tracheotomy. It helped her to breathe when she couldn't breathe through her throat normally. It let out puffs of air at timed intervals.

He walked over to the bed, unsure of what to do. He was afraid to touch her, lest he hurt her, she looked so fragile. "Hey Megan, it's me." 

'Wow that was original' he thought to himself. 

He reached out and touched her hand which was lying by her side. She was freezing cold. He swore he felt her squeeze his hand, as light as a butterfly but all the same. His eyes flew up to hers. Her eyes were open only far enough to show she was aware he was there. "Hey, you." 

She opened her mouth to say something. Max stopped her by placing his finger over her lips. "Shh, don't talk. You have a tube in your throat." She blinked and closed her eyes. 

"Don't give up on us, Meg. You keep on fighting." He leaned over and gently kissed her forehead. He had never felt like crying as much in his life as he did now. Somehow, with some difficulty he managed not to. 

The nurse cracked open the door, quietly telling him he needed to say goodbye and go back out to the waiting area. He nodded. "They are booting me out of here. I'll be back soon, you rest up, and don't you even think about letting go." He watched her eyes flick open, then close.

He kissed her forehead again, and went back to the waiting room, feeling like he had a million pounds on top of his shoulders. Even though he had never been the best man to her, he was finally feeling all the guilt for it.

To be continued...

(Thank you to A.G. for looking over the story for me.) 



Max and Megan Ch. 05



**A special thanks to bikoukumori for editing this chapter**



Max Roberts yawned. He was dead tired and completely worn out from worrying. His ass was numb from the uncomfortable plastic chair. It didn't help that Christian had been glued to him the whole time, he'd become used to it.

The elevator dinged and the door slid open. A skinny elderly woman with electric pink hair, sporting a black spandex dress walked out of it. Max choked back a laugh.

"LouLou, over here." Hal waved at the woman. 

The obscenely bright red lipstick she wore illuminated her smile from across the room. She wiggled her fingers at him and sashayed over to them.

Max looked from Hal to her, then back to Hal. He was at a loss for words. She had to be in her sixties, dressed like a teenager from the seventies. 

"How is she?" She asked in an obnoxious, high pitched tone.

"Really bad." Hal filled her in on what the doctors had told him.

"Can I see Mommy now?" Christian asked, yawning and stretching. 

Hal hefted himself out of the chair. "I'll go and see Buddy." He walked over and said something to the receptionist. She giggled and picked up the phone. After a short conversation, she hung up. Hal returned to the group.

"They really don't want him in there. They said if one of us takes him he can go in for a few minutes." Hal held his hand out to Christian. 

He shook his head 'no'. "I want Max to go with me."

Hal shrugged. "Then go with Max. I'll sit out here and cry about it."

"Girly." Christian giggled.

Max set him on the ground, rubbing his backside. "You'll have to walk. My butt is numb."

***

"We really do not want children back here." The nurse explained as she led them back to the same room Max had been in already. "It scares them."

"He's brave enough. Plus, she's all he has." Max said, feeling guilty that he couldn't say the same of himself. He wondered if that horrible nagging feeling would ever subside.

"I will be back in five minutes. That's all we can do." She said sternly. 

Before Max opened the door for them, he wanted to warn him. He knelt down to his level. "There are lots of tubes and machines. They are helping to make your mom better. It might be a little scary."

Christian nodded and went in first. Max followed him in and shut the door behind them. Christian's eyes bounced from place to place in the room. Tears welled up in his eyes. 

"Talk to her. She can hear you." Max held his hand.

"Mom?" When she didn't respond he started crying. "Why isn't she waking up?"

"She's very sick right now. She can hear you. When I was in here before, she squeezed my hand when I talked to her." 

Christian walked closer and reached out to put his hand on hers. "Mom?" 

Her eyes opened a little.

"She can't talk yet, so you'll just have to talk to her instead." Max told him quietly.

"Papa is here. LouLou is here. Max is here beside me." He sniffled. "I'm sorry. I wish you didn't get hurt." He leaned over the bed and laid his head near her hand. Megan's hand lifted enough to rest lightly on his hair.

"See? She knows you are here." Max spoke for her. 

"I want you home." 

"She will as soon as she's better, won't she?" He looked at her. Her eyes were little slits but he could see she was looking at him. Her eyelids drifted shut.

Suddenly, the machine on the right of her started screaming an angry high pitched tone. Max and Christian both jumped back, startled. Before they could comprehend what it was, several nurses and doctors ran in. One of the nurses ushered them out quickly.

"Mom!" Christian screamed as the door shut. "I didn't get to say I love you." He tried to yank the door open. A nurse told him to stay out of the room. "I forgot to say I love you!" He screamed at her. 

Max grabbed him, dragging him away from the door. He hadn't remembered to say it either. Christian struggled to escape Max's hold. "Let me go! I want my mom!"

Max picked him up and began walking back towards the waiting room. He began kicking and screaming at him to let him go. When that didn't work, he started to hit Max. 

"Christian, stop. I know you're scared. I didn't get to say it either." He struggled to not lose his grip on the boy. Seeing a chair in the hallway, he sat down on it before he accidentally dropped him. "I'm scared too." 

"I didn't say it." He cried to Max. "Mom always said to make sure to say it. I forgot." 

"It's alright." He hugged the boy tight, afraid he was going to lose what little control he had on his emotions. "She knows." He looked back at the room's door with a lump in his throat. No one had come out since they had been thrown out. 

"I want my mom." 

"I want your mom, too." He admitted, realizing for the first time in years just how much she had meant to him. 

While he was away, he thought about her every day. He cherished every letter she had sent to him. He had picked up a pen on several occasions to write Megan a letter, but when the pen touched the paper, he lost all words to explain why he had been so terrible to her. The same thing happened when he read her emails. He couldn't find the words to say to her.

He couldn't say why he had acted the way he had. Maybe it was fear that like his father, he would end up regretting being a dad to anyone. His father had never really spent one-on-one time with him as a child. With Christian clinging to him, he began to think it might not be so bad. His thoughts wandered to all he had missed in his son's life.

He'd missed the first steps his own baby had taken, the grins and giggles, even his first day of kindergarten. His first scrape or cut that needed a kiss to cure. He didn't even know his favorite color or toys. That was something every good father knew.

"I'm sorry." He said aloud without thinking.

Christian stirred in his lap. "Huh?"

Max glanced down at him. "I'm just sorry." He hugged him and lapsed back into a silence, unsure of what to say or do.

***

A few days had passed since Megan's heart had stopped while Max and Christian were in with her. The doctors had managed to successfully revive her, and she eventually became somewhat stable. She was still not out of the danger zone, but they were no longer telling them to call in her family.

The nurses helped move her into the Intensive Care Unit, where she would be monitored almost twenty-four seven. To Max, the room appeared the same as the last. There were new doctors and nurses to care for her. Some were talkative, asking how they were related, some assumed they were married. He'd corrected them, knowing she'd probably smack him if he didn't.

The ICU's rules were a bit more lax, which meant that one family member could be in there from seven in the morning until nine at night. While Max was not technically family, Hal had made it seem that way to let him stay with her. 

"Why don't you want to be in with her?" Max asked Hal, after he had come back from taking a shower at the house.

Hal ran his chubby hand through his short grey hair. "It reminds me of her mother. I love my daughter, I really do, but it is still hard to be in this setting." His eyes stared sadly off in the distance, before returning to Max. "I need to go get Christian's homework from the school, and see what the damage is at the house."

Max nodded in reply. "I'll sign in and go sit with her."

He walked over to the nurses' station. They handed him a sticker with large blue print stating he was a visitor. He slapped it on his shirt, and headed towards the corridor that led to the room she was in. After a short walk he reached room 111. 

Opening the door, he was semi surprised to see her almost fully awake. The last few days she awoke very few times, a few blinks of her eyes and she'd go back to sleep. Her color was slightly better, the grey tone in her skin more subtle. 

"Hey beautiful." He smiled.

Megan rolled her eyes, unable to talk because the tracheotomy tube was still in place. Her oxygen levels were not high enough to satisfy the doctors. Instead, she flipped him the bird.

"Now is that any way to treat a guest." He joked, pulling a chair that sat in the room closer and sat next to the bed.

She grinned. When she did, the weight of the three days of worrying incessantly seemed to fall off his shoulders. There was hope for her after all.

She tried to say something, but it came out garbled. 

"Don't talk." Max reprimanded her sternly. "You aren't supposed to talk."

She closed her eyes, clearly frustrated. Max had an idea. He searched around and found a notepad and pen. He grabbed her hand and put the pen in it and sat the pad in her lap. "Write it."

Megan opened her eyes and shakily attempted to write. It looked like a bunch of squiggles. 

"I've seen your kid write better than that." He teased. After pondering the wiggly lines, he realized it said Christian.

"He's with your Dad. They are picking up his homework from the classes he's missed this week."

She wrote a few more squiggles, but before she was finished he knew what it said. Jordan. "He's still hanging out in the county jail. I haven't heard anything since they picked him up."

She looked horrified. More wiggly lines were written in haste. Max took the pad and read it.

'Bail him out.'

"Megan, you are on a million different drugs, you don't know what you are saying." Max was getting angry. How could she just want him back, for God's sake he was the reason she was shot in the neck!

She yanked the pad away from him and wrote "Fuck you". She threw it on the bed and closed her eyes, unable to look at him. 

"You don't mean that." She had never in the whole time he'd known her said those words to him. Her icy silence towards him did not help ease his mind that she did not mean it. Maybe she really did mean it. After all, he had left her, not helped with their child, and treated her terribly by leaving.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for leaving you. I never should have." He rambled. "I shouldn't have walked out. I was angry you hid the kid from me. When you said that you didn't want me to hurt him, I knew we had grown apart. I walked out and refused to come back to you two. I didn't want you to have to worry about me hurting your son, or even you." Max didn't even know if she was listening. The thought that she may not even remember what he was saying seemed to make him relax.

"I remember when we were little, the summer your aunt asked you to go to her house a whole state away for a month. I was so lonely without you to get into mischief with me. You called me up and told me how you missed me and wished you could come home." He paused. "I felt that way the whole time I was away from you."

"I lost my best friend. I lost the love of my life. I lost out on watching my own child, our child, growing up. I missed out on everything because I was stupid and ran from them. I made excuses to cover up my own cowardice." 

Max looked at her, falling into a silence. Her eyes were open, she was looking at him. "You will never know just how much I loved you. The thing is, I still do." He said so quietly she barely heard him. 

He watched a single tear roll out of the corner of her eye and run down her cheek. "Don't cry." He grabbed her hand gently in his.

Max could tell she was drained, emotionally and physically. She closed her eyes and fell back asleep. He sat there staring at their joined hands. He wanted to scoop her up and hold her, never letting go, but he knew her heart really belonged to someone else now. He had missed his chance; he would have to settle with chastely holding her hand, being there for her until the other man could be.

***

"Mom! I got an A on my science test!" Christian nearly ran across the hospital room to her bed. Max stood back, letting them have their time alone.

"That's very good." She smiled. 

"Max helped me study." He beamed.

Megan had been improving little by little. Her oxygen levels had normalized enough for the breathing tube to come out. Her voice was scratchy and quiet, but she could at least say a few things. Her gunshot wound had begun to heal. The doctors moved her out of the ICU to a normal hospital room with less supervision. 

"He taught me a silly saying for planets. My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pies. Except Max said that the Pie planet, Pluto, is not one anymore." Christian told her. "He said it was one when he was growing up."

Megan nodded gingerly, her neck was still sore. 

Jordan walked through the door carrying a bouquet of flowers in a glass vase. It looked out of place and mildly cheesy. "I got these for you." 

Max glowered. What the hell was he doing there? He was supposed to be in jail.

"Thank you." Megan smiled up at him, admiring the flowers as he set them on the bedside table. 

Max kicked himself mentally for not thinking of it first. Then he kicked himself for being jealous of the loser. He almost felt like running to the hospital gift shop and buying one of the three-foot-tall teddy bears to outdo him.

"Anything for you, baby cakes." Jordan sat on the bed near her. "Miss me?"

Max couldn't watch him any longer or he'd be sick. "Hey Meg, I'm going to get going. Do you want me to leave Christian?" 

"I want to go with you." Christian answered himself. Megan smiled at him and nodded that it was alright. "Bye Mom, I love you."

"I love you, too."

***

"I'm named after you, you know." Christian told Max matter-of-factly as they drove out of the hospital parking lot.

"How do you figure?" 

"My real name is Maxwell." He made a disgusted face. "So is yours. See?" He held up Max's wallet which contained his license. 

"Guess that's the last time I let you hold my wallet. How much did you take out of it?" Max kidded as he stopped for a red light.

"Five dollars." He grinned, waving the bill in the air.

Max pulled into a park they had frequented as kids. He shut the car engine off and climbed out. They walked to a picnic table and sat down.

"Why aren't you with my Mom, you love her." Christian asked innocently.

"It's complicated. Grown up stuff." He left it at that.

The sound of some kids singing some odd song started to play near them. Max looked under the table.

"Hello?" Christian had produced a black cell phone from his pocket. Max was perplexed that a seven year old would be carrying a cell phone around. "Dad took me to a park." Max could hear a sharp noise come from the phone. Christian held it out to him, the caller still screeching. "Mom wants to talk to you, and I think she's mad."

Max took the cell and held it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Why is he calling you Dad?" Jordan's voice answered. "You aren't his dad."

"The hell I'm not." 

"Look, I don't know who you think you are, but you need to bring him to me. Right now." 

"Put Megan on the phone, please." Max said simply instead of answering him.

"No."

"Very well." Max pressed the red 'END' button and handed it back to Christian. He didn't feel like listening to idle threats from the punk. 

"Want to get some ice cream and eat 'til we get fat? Then, we'll have a discussion on why you have a cell phone at your age." 

Christian giggled and said yes. Max could get used to hanging out with Christian and being a real father. Maybe it wasn't as difficult as he had originally thought. He seemed to be doing alright with it.

***

Max knocked lightly on the hospital room door. He opened it and walked in. Megan sat in a chair across from the door. 

"Hi, glad to see you up." 

"Hey."

He crossed the room. He sat on the edge of the bed. "I have great news."

"Like what?" She asked.

"I am moving out of your house. I found an apartment across town." He explained, shrugging. "It's small, but it's a place to live." 

"That's great." She smiled, happy for him. 

"Christian loves it. There's a playground and a pool. I promised I'd take him when I get unpacked. I got a two bedroom so maybe in the summer and on weekends he could stay with me." He added.

"Max," She paused. "I think you shouldn't spend so much time with him. He thinks you're his father." Her green eyes locked with his.

"I am his father."

"Jordan is. He has been for over a year now. He may not be his biological father, but in essence he is. He was there for us." She would have hurt him less if she'd have stabbed him with a knife in the chest.

"Do you even hear what you are saying? That guy you think is so great - he nearly got you killed. He was going to kill me. And you want someone like that raising our son?" Max nearly yelled at her. 

"He made a mistake." She answered simply. "He didn't mean to."

"I saved your life. The least you could do is let me be in my own child's life." He glared at her.

"What do you expect, Max? That you would come back and everything would be alright? You left us. I needed someone constantly there for me and Christian, and Jordan came into our lives and did that." Megan said quietly, her voice still raw.

"You want to throw away twenty years of friendship for him? For someone who you've known a year. How long was it before you married him?" 

"It isn't any of your-" He cut her off before she could finish.

"Just answer the damn question!" Max asked, restraining himself from screaming at her. "How long did you know him before you married him?"

"Six months," she clarified. "we dated for six months before we got married." 

"Six months?" Max repeated incredulously. "That's not even enough time to get to know someone."

"It was enough time for us."

"He is a replacement, isn't he?" It dawned on Max why she might have rushed into such a committed relationship so quickly. "That's what it is, you were mad and hurt by me, so you got a new boy toy to fill the gaps."

"No, I love Jordan." She didn't sound so certain. "He was not a replacement."

"Bull." Max countered. "I've known you for all but six years of your life, and you would never shack up with some random dude unless something pushed you into it. Well, guess what honey? I'm home, I'm not going anywhere, so you can ditch the loser and be with me."

Megan didn't reply. Instead she just stared at the white speckled tiles on the floor. After a long time she finally spoke up. "Don't make me choose." She said so quietly it was almost a whisper.

"You have to choose, Meg. But if you choose him, I will take you to court for rights to see my son." He wanted to be in his life in some shape or form. The boy had really grown on him the last few weeks.

"Max," She paused. "You don't understand. How can I ever trust that you wouldn't take off and leave us again?"

"Just by trusting me, and letting me show you." He shrugged. There really was no way of proving her wrong, other than by showing her he meant what he was saying this time.

"I always trusted you. You let me down. Twice. Trust is fragile."

"Tell me what I need to do to earn it back." He rushed. "How can I fix this?" If he had any chance, he'd walk through hell to get her back. She meant more to him then she would ever comprehend.

She was quiet for a few minutes, driving him mad. "Maybe you can't fix it." She said at last.

"Megan, you don't get it. What do you want? I'll do anything for you." He begged, trying to hold back the emotions that threatened to boil over. 

"Please, think about it. We can be a family, you, me, and Christian. We were meant to be together forever, and I know I screwed that up by hurting you. I can admit that. I'm here now, and I'm not going to leave you or our son." 

He leaned over and grabbed her hand in his. "Please? Pretty please with lots of cheese and a cherry on top?" 

She made a disgusted face at the sound of cheese and cherries being together. Then she laughed. He wasn't exactly a Master Chef. One time he tried to be cool in the kitchen and flip a grilled cheese sandwich without a spatula...it resulted in a cheese stain on the ceiling that finally had to be painted over.




Max and Megan Ch. 05



"Don't make me get down on the floor and beg. You know I will." He threatened.

"Max." She said simply, rolling her eyes at him.

"Alright," He groaned standing up. "You asked for it." 

"No. Don't do it." She laughed at him. "Stop."

"A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. Caveman stuff, you know? Good thing we're in a hospital, I might not be able to get back up." He grinned.

"If you get down on the floor I'll use your nickname." She threatened back.

"Ooo scary." Max quivered, feinting being afraid of her. "Anything but that. Meggie Poo." 

She glared at him. "You're lucky I can't run, or I'd kick your ass. Maxi Pad."

"That does it. You're gonna get it." He got up from the bed he'd been sitting on and crossed the short distance between them. 

She looked like a sick little kid, shrieking and cringing in anticipation from the dreaded "tickle torture". He knew he shouldn't get her all worked up since she was still recovering, but he thought if he stopped, she'd go back to having her guard up around him.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Jordan's voice interrupted Max right before he reached Megan.

Megan jumped to his defense. "Max was just trying to cheer me up." 

"Sure looked like it to me." He grumbled and went to stand near her. Caveman for: 'Me Woman'

"Where is Christian?" 

"He's with your dad." He shrugged.

"I'll go pick him up. I want to pick him up some things. I have no clue what kids are into these days. I think pogs and slammers are no longer the coolest thing." Max turned and went towards the door.

"Max..." Megan trailed off. "Thanks."

"No problem."

***

"I can get whatever I want?" Christian asked, astonished at the idea.

"Yep, anything your little heart desires. Just don't go over four hundred dollars, 'cause I'm not that rich. You can count now, can't you?" Max followed him as he stopped at the store entrance.

"Of course I can count." He announced in an indignant tone, as if Max should have known.

"Good, then you keep track of the prices, because I don't want to know how much I'm spending." Max grabbed his shoulders and steered him through the automatic doors.

Christian's green eyes were as wide as saucers when he realized there was a whole store of gadgets and toys, and he could get any of them. 

"Just remember-"

"Four hundred dollars. Does that include a new bed for your place?" He asked looking up at him.

"No." Max groaned to himself. Who could say 'no' to those piercing green eyes. 

"Awesome!" Christian squealed and took off down an aisle. 

Max watched as he went from aisle to aisle picking out the newest video games and toys. He couldn't even say what half of them were for. But if it made the kid feel happy and made up for what he didn't give him in the first seven years, then so be it. 

If only his mother could be sated in a similar way. An idea popped in his head. Maybe, just maybe, there was a way to do just that.

***

Max hung the only picture he had of his family together on the wall. He stood back to make sure it was straight. 'Good enough.' he thought to himself. He went back to unpacking the few boxes his life had been reduced to. 

It had been a few weeks since he had seen Megan, she had been released from the hospital and was on the mend. He figured they both needed the space to think about things. He called her when he knew Jordan was working, though. He didn't want her assuming he was leaving again.

Their conversations were short and nonchalant. He kept hinting that he'd like to take Christian for the weekend, but she told him she was not ready for that yet. He'd reluctantly dropped the subject, wondering abjectly if it was a test.

Max had already purchased furniture for him to stay with him. It wasn't the racecar bed he had at Megan's, but it would do. She had insisted the things he had gotten the day Max took him shopping stayed there. All of his toys were laid out on the bed, waiting for him to be able to use them.

He sat on the bed, remembering something he'd forgotten to ask Christian the last time he saw him. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed the number to his cell phone. Just this once he would have to be thankful he had a phone at his age.

"Hello?" He answered after a few rings. 

"Hey kiddo, I need your help doing something top secret. You can keep a secret, can't you Agent?" He said mysteriously, as if he was giving him a real mission.

"Yeah. I mean yes, Sir."

"Good, here's what I need you to do." Max gave him very important instructions on his secret mission.

About an hour later, Max pulled up in front of Megan's blue rambler house. Christian appeared at the window, and ran out the door. He carried a bundle of a red blanket. 

"You got the goods?" Max asked with a wink.

"Yup." Christian grinned and handed him the bundle through his window.

"Great, remember, don't say anything at all. I was never here. Right, Secret Agent?"

"Right. Bye, Dad." He waved and ran back into the house.

"Bye, Junior."

Max unlocked the door to his apartment and hung his keys on a tack sticking out of the wall by the door. He gently set the blanket bundle on the table. He sat down and carefully unwrapped the secret package. When he had finished, he held the item up. It was in rough shape, it'd take a lot to fix it. He would need to go online and see what he could do to set about doing just so on his new project. 

***

A few rainy nights later, he pronounced to himself that the secret project he was working on was finished. He set it on the table and looked at his handiwork. It looked as near to new as it was going to get. He smiled. He hoped Megan would love it.

He walked it to his bedroom and sat it on his bedside table so that he wouldn't accidentally bump it. Who knew he could be so handy and creative?

Yawning, he flopped on the bed. He was extremely tired. As he lay there, all his thoughts subsided and he eventually drifted off to sleep listening to the rain falling outside on the roof.

A loud banging noise on the front door awoke him. He nearly hit the ceiling out of fright. Realizing he was in his room and it was just the door, he glanced at the clock on the table beside the bed. Two-thirty in the morning. 

He got up and flipped the light on. It blinded him for a second or two before his eyes adjusted. He turned lights on as he made his way to the front door. 

"Hold on just a minute." He grumbled at the knocking. Good thing he didn't have a doorbell, the person would wake the whole neighborhood.

He yanked the door open to see who it was. 

"Megan?" Max opened the door to see her standing in the rain that was down pouring seemingly all over her. Christian was standing in front of her, soaking wet too. He nearly dragged them both out of the rain. He shut the door behind them. 

"What's going on?"

"I caught him cheating on me." Megan cried, her short hair plastered to the side of her face.

Max was going to kill him, if only mentally. He swore. "Do you have any dry clothes?" 

"No, he wouldn't give me the car keys. We walked here, I had nowhere else to go." She sobbed.

"Damn him. He should rot in hell." He growled. "You'll have to just wear something of mine. Christian has some clothes here." Max told him to go get his dry clothes and a towel and dry off. 

He did as he was told and wandered off, leaving Max and Megan alone in his living room. Her face was beet red, her eyes showing brilliantly green against the redness. She was shivering. Max grabbed her and hugged her.

"They were doing it in my bed." She gushed, collapsing against him. The water from her wet clothing soaked into his where they touched. "She is supposed to be my friend. He is supposed to be my husband. But they were having sex in my house, in my bed, with my child in the house."

"It'll be alright." He said gently. "You need to get out of those wet clothes or you'll get sick." 

She looked down at herself and began crying again. 

Max scooped her up and walked down the hall to his room. Shutting the door behind them, he set her down on the bed. She seemed to be lost in her own world. She looked like a banished little girl, sobbing on the bed. He picked out an old t-shirt and went back over to her.

"Here, I'll go out of the room. You can sleep in here. I'll sleep on the couch." He tried to hand her the shirt. She didn't look at him or respond. She just sat there crying.

"Megan, you need to get out of those clothes. Your body is still healing." He sighed. He took the shirt and sat near her on the bed. He didn't know how she'd react if he tried undressing her. He tugged at her shirt. 

"Lift your arms up." She did as he told her. He threw the wet shirt on the floor. She had on a pink lacy bra that under any normal circumstance would have turned him on, but now was not the time. He reached behind her and went to unsnap the hook.

"Max?" She whispered.

"It's ok, I'm just taking it off since it's wet." He assured her. She nodded feebly. He unhooked it and without looking quickly put the dry shirt on her before he could catch a glimpse.

He moved to her front and reached for her pants zipper. She looked at him, mildly concerned. "Relax, I'm just trying to get you out of your wet clothes. I promise. Besides, it's nothing I haven't seen before." He grinned. 

Megan relaxed enough to let him yank her wet jeans off. He let her take off her own underwear. That would have been the end of him being a gentleman towards her. 

"Better?" He asked after he had fetched a towel to dry her hair with.

She nodded, still shivering. Max stood up and pulled down the covers. "Climb in, you'll be warmer." She hesitated. "Meg, I'm sleeping on the couch, I'm not going to ravage you." Not that he wouldn't do that if she asked him to.

She crawled up the bed and got under the blankets. He tucked her in, and gave her a chaste kiss on the forehead. "Try to get some sleep. I'll get Junior to bed." He gathered the clothes off the floor, shut the light off and went out of the door.

Christian was already in his own bed, fast asleep. Max flipped off the light and went into the bathroom. He threw Megan's clothes in the sink, along with Christian's. He'd have to wash them down in the communal laundry room in the morning.

He walked back out into the living room and laid down on the couch. He closed his eyes and began to try to fall asleep. Of course, knowing that his ex-lover was lying in his bed wearing just his shirt was not helping him any. He suddenly was aware he was not alone. He opened his eyes to see a pair of long legs.

"I'm lonely in there."

Max sighed and sat up. Was she trying to drive him crazy? "Sit." She sat down on the cushions beside him. He hugged her, bringing her up against him.

"Thanks for letting us spend the night." She mumbled into his shirt.

"You and Christian are always welcome here."

"I'm sorry I'm a mess, and crying into your shirt." She sniffled. "It's just, he just..." She couldn't finish.

Max finished for her. "He's an asshole, that's what it is." 

"She was my friend, how could he just do that with her?" She began sobbing again.

Max didn't have an exact answer. He stayed quiet, just sitting there holding her while she got it off her mind. He had hurt her too, however he never would have done that to her.

After she had settled down a little, Max stood up. He held his hand out to her. "Come on, let's go to bed." 

"Max, I'm married." She looked up at him, her face slightly swollen from crying. 

He knew even if Jordan cheated on her, she'd never do the same while being married. He supposed that was a good thing. "I didn't mean sex. I just meant to sleep in the same bed, as friends." 

She took his hand and let him lead her into his room. She crawled in bed under the blankets. Just to prove to her that he had no intention of messing around, he laid on top of the covers. They soon fell asleep.

***

Max stirred when Megan rolled over. He watched her through slit eyes, knowing she would see his surprise sitting on the bedside table. He heard her gasp when she did.

"I fixed the broken chips and where you had it glued. I repainted it, too." Max rolled over towards her and propped himself up on his elbow. He watched her inspect the newly repaired horse figurine.

"Max it looks just like it did before you broke it." She said, speechless. "How did you do this?"

He reached over, gingerly grabbing her hand that had her wedding band on it. He slid it off her finger and threw it on the table. It clinked a few times around in a circle before it came to a rest. No words were said, but the meaning was not lost on her.

"It's time for us to be a real family, Meg." He said quietly, as she set the horse back on the table.

"Max, I'm still married."

"So get divorced." He shrugged. "Jordan is a loser. Take the house back and kick his ass out. If you want, I will." He wiggled his eyebrows.

She sighed and turned to look at him. "I don't think I'd want the house. Too many bad memories there. I wasn't comfortable being home as it was."

"And here, with me?"

"I'm not sure yet." She admitted. 

Max saw the concern in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Max, really, I'm fine." She stood up. "Do you have eggs? Do you even like eggs, I forgot."

"I can cook." 

"Like hell." She waved him off with her hand, placed her ring back on, and padded her way out to the kitchen.

***

"Mmm, something smells good." Max commented later that day when he came home from work.

Christian threw his backpack on the ground. He walked over and hugged his mom. "Hi, Mom."

"Hey, sweetie." She hugged him back, asking him how his day went at school. 

Max hopped in the shower and washed away the grit from his work at the construction site. He had missed half the day, but Megan had needed him to drive her to her house. She refused to let him come in, he had to wait in the car. At least he'd noticed she'd left her wedding band behind. He dried his short brown hair off with a towel and threw it over the curtain rod.

He exited the bathroom and walked down the hall out into the kitchen. The apartment had a very open layout, allowing him to see Christian sitting on the living room floor working on his homework. He quietly walked up behind Megan who was stirring something on the stove and slid his arms around her midriff. 

She inhaled sharply, clearly startled. "You scared me." She wiggled out of his grip. "Stew for dinner. It won't be much, I didn't have my car so I could only bring home what I could carry from the store." She shrugged.

"Smells good to me."

"Of course," She turned and grinned at him. "Anything would smell better than you are used to." 

"Hey, I'm a great cook." He grabbed the large spoon from her. "Where's the microwave again?"

The sound of her laugh filled his apartment. Something so unimportant, but yet it filled him with hope for a second, or fourth, chance. 

"You're a good cook alright." She rolled her eyes and went back to stirring the stew.

"I saw that."

"Good." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Do that again and you won't like what happens." The look in Max's eyes went from playful to burning desire in a few seconds flat.

"I'm married." She walked past him and went to the living room.

Of course she was married. To a bastard. Even though she was not with him, and completely intended to file for a divorce, she still was going to carry herself as a married woman. Max supposed that it was a good show of how her characteristics were, but at the same time it was driving him nuts. The woman he wanted, needed, was in his home and life, but he couldn't have her. 

Yet.

"When are you going to get that taken care of?" He asked.

"I have to find a lawyer. I want my car and belongings, of course. My dad will want the house back probably. That will be messy." She cringed. "I'm not looking forward to it at all."

***

"It's bedtime for you." Megan told Christian as she put away the dishes she had washed. "Go get ready for bed. I'll be in there in a minute to tuck you in."

"Can Dad do it?" He asked. 

Megan froze for a second. "Yes, I suppose so. But I will still come in and say goodnight."

"Yay!" He ran off to get ready for bed. Megan smiled as she watched him go. 

After Christian had been put to bed, Megan had wandered out into the living room where Max sat on the couch. She sat on the opposite end from him. "He likes you."

"I know. I like him, too." Max confirmed.

"He probably will be unhappy when he can't see Jordan anymore. He really liked him." She sighed. 

"Meg." Max saw a tear threatening to fall. He reached over and pulled her to him. "It's not your fault."

At first she resisted, but after a minute or two of him holding her, she gave up and settled against him. "I know. It's just, how could I have been so blind and stupid? I knew he liked her, they always flirted but I trusted him." 

"He's a fool." Max squeezed her. "But you have me, now."

"But for how long?" She quipped. "I didn't mean that."

"You did. You have every right to think that Megan. I've left you more than I ever should have." His hand rose up to touch the bandage that still covered her healing wound. "I blame this on myself."

"You didn't do it. If anything, you saved me." She looked up at him.

"It was my fault, not directly, but if I'd have never left in the first place it never would have happened." He sighed, the guilt from the shame washing over him.

"You're my hero Max. Without you, Christian wouldn't have me, he'd be alone." She soothed.

"I'm not a hero." He said with a little too much force. "I've done things that heroes don't do."

"It doesn't matter anymore. You can only be who you are, and let your past stay in the past." She placed her hand over his.

He looked down at her for what seemed like forever. Slowly, he leaned closer until his lips rested lightly against hers. He was afraid to move, to break the spell he had her under. She just as lightly kissed him back, and then snuggled closer to him. 

Settling for all he could, Max simply hugged her tight, and drifted off to sleep.

***

"Mmm, something smells really good in here." Max walked through the apartment door. Christian followed Max inside, followed by Megan's father, Hal. 

"Hey everybody. Dinner is warm and ready to eat." She tossed an oven mitt on the counter. She had impeccable timing it seemed.

Hal walked over and gave her a quick hug. "Hi Angel, how are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm good, Dad." She hugged him back briefly. She steered him towards the table. "Sit. I don't want the food getting cold."

After everyone had a plate full of scrumptious food, Hal broke the silence. "Ok, spill. You have a strange look on your face, like you did when you always were hiding something."

Megan stared at him for a second. A smile spread across her face. "Well, if you must know, I am no longer a married woman."

"Good. I never liked that boy." Hal smiled at her. 

"Since when?"

"Since he waltzed into my house toting fifteen pounds of chains around his waist. I thought slavery was abolished, but maybe not." He shook his head.

"Max, you're being really quiet."

He looked at her. For a split second, their eyes met - his blazing with unmentionable flames, her's a brilliant green. 

"I'm glad." He said simply.

A few moments of silence ensued as the group ate their meal. They soon were discussing all the latest news in each other's lives. Hal was still touring the country with his bodacious love, Max was busy all week with building a house, Christian had school, and Megan had been cleared to go back to her job.

"Maybe I should kidnap Christian and leave you guys alone." Hal wiggled his eyebrows at Max and Megan. 

"Dad." She admonished him. "That's just wrong."




Max and Megan Ch. 05



He chuckled at her. "What? Just because I'm old doesn't mean I forgot what it was like to be young. And besides, I didn't mean that, I just meant to celebrate."

"Oh." 

"Me and Lou were thinking of going on a special trip. We'd have to have a special boy to go with us because we would look entirely odd going to a theme park by ourselves." Hal leaned in.

"Papa! Really? Can we? Can I? Please Mom, I'll clean my room!" Christian nearly bounced off his seat.

"For a week. California." He added. 

Megan grimaced. "He can't afford to miss any more school. That's a week out of school." 

"He can take his work with him." Max chimed in. "School is almost out for the summer anyway."

Megan looked at him as if she didn't know whether to agree or slap him. "That's a long time. He's never been away from me that long."

"Please, Mom? I'll be with Papa. I'm a big boy." He walked over and began hugging her. Laying on the Roberts charm no less. He made Max secretly proud. 

She hugged him back. "That's the problem. You're growing up too fast."

"It's settled then." Hal pushed his chair back from the table. He gathered his dirty dishes up. "We'll leave in two days."

"Dad!"

***

The two days flew by so fast. Or so Megan had told him. Soon Hal and LouLou came to pick up Christian to go on their RV trip.

As they left, Max came to stand in behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist. "It'll be ok. He'll be back before you know it." They watched them drive out of sight.

"I know that. It doesn't mean I don't want him to come right back and not go." She muttered.

"I had an idea last night while you were sawing down the house, I mean sleeping." He laughed. "Let's go camping. We haven't gone in forever."

"Camping?" She turned to face him. "Why would we go camping?" 

"For something fun to do. Get away from home." He shrugged.

The last time they had gone camping was way back before they were out of high school. They had gone up to the Grand Mesa in western Colorado. It had been cold, she got a sunburn, and they came back with fifteen million bug bites.

"Why, so we can come back looking like we caught the mumps?" She giggled.

"No." He cringed. "I had to get a blood transfusion because of all the mosquitoes. I was thinking somewhere else."

"You're such a liar." She grinned at him. She yanked on his shirt collar to bring him closer. She gave him a light kiss. "But, I still love you." 

"I love you, too." He scooped her up and pulled her back inside the apartment.

***

Megan reluctantly agreed to go camping with Max. He somehow managed to procure vacation days on a whim, so they could go camping for the whole week. 

After the car was loaded with all the camping gear, they began heading west. Max had an idea of where to take her, somewhere she'd never been. 

"Where are we going?" She asked as she watched out the window.

"Somewhere." He replied simply. 

"Well, I'm not an expert but we are running out of Colorado to camp in. Grand Junction is only like thirty miles from the border." 

"Who said we were going to camp in Colorado? Where is the fun in that?" He winked at her.

Megan crossed her arms in front of herself. "You better not be taking me all the way to California to camp."

"I'm not. But, you will see." He glanced at her. "You look cute pouting." 

The car ride seemed to stretch on and on. Sure enough, Max drove right out of Colorado and into Utah. Megan again asked where he was taking her. He refused to say, so she was forced to just stare out the window at the barren landscape.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Max steered the car onto an exit ramp. 

"Um, there is nothing here." She commented as she noticed there were no buildings, save for one or two abandoned looking houses. 

"We're not there yet, silly." He reached over and messed up her hair.

He continued to take them along a stretch of a narrow road. Finally they came upon a turn on the left. Max slowed down and signaled. 

The ride soon changed from a flat wasteland to rolling hills. The rolling hills soon led way to red rocky terrain, boulders strewn all over the reddish orange land. 

"Wow, it changed so much from the highway. Those rocks look familiar." Megan commented as they made their way.

"See that big funny rock with three tower looking things?" He pointed at it. "That's Fisher Towers. You can hike up to it, but that isn't where we are going. Onion Creek and all that area is the famous red rocks they show on TV. This stretch of road is in a ton of movies and commercials." 

Soon they were weaving their way beside the Colorado River. It was green and lush by the river, but on the other side of the road, it was an angry red rock wall. She mentioned it made her slightly nervous, as the road was narrow. But as nervous as she was, it was still so beautiful. 

The air was hot and dry outside, but the shade from the rock wall and coolness of the river helped. Soon they reached an intersection.

"Moab." Megan read the sign.

"Yep. Moab, Utah." Max signaled and then turned into the small town. It was a small, but bustling place. There were lots of souped up vehicles parked along Main Street as they drove past. The air seemed to be hotter, as the river had taken a different direction. 

Max pulled off of Main and onto a side street. Kane Creek Road.

"Where are we going?" She asked again. There were more houses and apartment complexes on the road. 

"You'll see." He grinned. "I know the perfect spot. That is, if it isn't taken already."

The river appeared again, this time the road had potholes and cracks, not the nicely paved highway. They crept along the two lane road, following the river and rocky walls again. 

"Look, Meg." He pointed up towards her window.

"What are you- wow." She looked and finally saw what he was pointing at. "An arch in a rock. That's neat." High above the river in the red plateau an arch had formed. "Too bad it's so small you can't see it very well." 

"You can, but you'd have to get up on the Poison Spider trail to see it." He told her. "There are lots of them around here."

"Poison Spider? I really hope you aren't planning on driving me up some cliff with spiders." She looked at him, concerned.

"Maybe." He smirked.

The road soon branched away from the river, and soon they were driving in a canyon on a dirt road, with red and brown cracked walls on either side of them. They rounded a bend and a giant cliff appeared on Megan's side. "There's no guardrail." 

"Of course there are no guardrails. You're in the back country, Hun." 

Max watched as she tried not to look down. The dirt road was awful narrow. It was a five hundred foot drop on her side.

They drove around yet another bend, and the scariest 'S' curve she had ever seen in her life lay ahead of them. It was on a slope, and they had paved it. For pavement to be in the middle of nowhere on a dirt road, well, it was darn scary. 

"Please be careful." She closed her eyes as they made their way down the curves. It was only big enough for one car, and she could hear the tires slipping on the pavement. 

"You'll be fine." He just laughed at her. She looked green.

They drove down further into the canyon, and came upon a creek bed. In the middle of the road. Max stopped to wait for a few passing vehicles that appeared from the trailhead near the creek bed. 

"I hope where you were taking me wasn't on the other side. It looks flooded." 

"It's not. That's a creek. Kane Creek, actually." He began edging toward the water.

"Max, you can't be serious. Don't drive through that, don't you watch the news?" She shrieked.

He mashed the gas, sending water flying from under the car. Megan's face went from pale to red in five seconds. 

"You are an idiot." 

"Maybe. That's always there unless it's dry out." He laughed. "We just have to go around this rock and the camping area will be on your side."

He pulled over next to a sign and pointed down a little further. "See that tree and bare patch over there? That's where we'll stay. It'll be nice and cool during the day."

There was a tall tree with red sand all around it. A rock wall lay not even ten feet away, that was so tall she couldn't even see the top by looking up. There was a small creek that trickled nearby. Across the road, another rock wall protruded from the ground to the sky. 

"It's pretty." She agreed.

Max paid the camping site fee and pulled the car closer to the path they would have to walk down to get to the spot. He opened the trunk and pulled out the gear.

"It looks like we'll have to walk across the creek." Megan said as they made their way down the sandy embankment.

"Yeah, there should be rocks to step across it." He followed her down to the edge of the crystal clear water. Sure enough, there were large rocks to step across.

Reaching the spot where they would camp, Max tossed the tent and sleeping bags on the ground. "I'll set up the tent. I brought some burgers in the cooler, I'll start a fire so you can cook them." 

***

The sun was setting, casting a red glow against the vast canyon. Max stoked the fire and threw another log on it. It was cooling off and the air had gotten a bit chilly. 

Megan was sitting on a log watching the fire.

"Come sit over here." Max gestured to himself in a folding camp chair he had brought. 

She walked over and settled in his lap. She placed her arm behind him. 

They said nothing, both staring into the fire, enjoying the closeness. Their thoughts wandered in different directions, but both felt that it was exactly what they needed. A chance to get away and become more bonded.

"You've lost weight." Max broke the silence.

"Have I? Must be from all the stress of the last few months."

"Well, that is all over. You have me. I'm not going to hurt you like that." He squeezed her. "Or in any way. I've realized what I've done wrong with you. So much time lost."

In the months following her moving in with him, he'd said that many times. He hoped she could tell he was genuine when he said it. He tried hard to prove it to her each and every day.

Yawning Megan stood up. "I'm tired, I think I'm going to go in the tent and lay down."

"I'll be in there in a minute, I just have to put out the fire." Max stretched and got up. He grabbed a bucket and walked down towards the creek.

***

They awoke the next morning bright and early. The sun was already up, blindingly so. 

Max groaned and put his face in his sleeping bag. "It should be outlawed that it be that bright out this early."

"I have to use the ladies room. Don't suppose there is one around here, right?" 

"Yeah, it's called a bush. Watch out for snakes." 

Megan smacked him with her pillow. 

"What? There are snakes here. You are in a desert, Honey." Max peeked out from under his sleeping bag. "Not to mention spiders, scorpions, and lizards."

"Max!" She smacked him again.

"Keep that up and you'll have to worry about me attacking you." He grinned.

"Men." She muttered under her breath as she unzipped the tent and stepped out.

***

--12 miles southwest of Moab, Utah - Canyonlands (Hwy 191)--

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Megan asked. She was standing in front of a huge red rock. 

"It's fine. Just climb up it. You'll stick like glue." He grabbed her hand and began pulling her up the slickrock. True to his word, she did not slip, but was able to climb up the steep surface. 

"This is weird." She commented.

Max continued up the rock until he reached the top. "You'll get used to it."

"Where are we going? It feels like we've been hiking for hours." 

"We have." He put down the backpack he had put water bottles and snacks in for them on their hike. He grabbed a water and tossed Megan one.

They soon got back to hiking. They walked up an outcrop of rocks, weaving their way around boulders. Soon the rocks gave way to a low plain, with red dirt as its base. The brown grasses waved in the breeze that was blowing from the west. Max could picture bank robbers and outlaws hiding behind every rock.

Little lizards ran from them, hiding in between the rocks. "I really hope there are no snakes in these rocks."

"Snake!" He yelled.

She nearly screamed and jumped in his arms, until she saw the big ass grin on his face. "You are a jerk." She marched past him.

"But you love me?"

"Unfortunately." She stuck her tongue out at him, and continued to climb another hill.

Max ran up to her and grabbed her. He threw her over his shoulder. She squealed. "I'm going to find the nearest snake pit and toss you in." He zigzagged through the rocks, pretending to search for a nest.

"Put me down." She giggled.

He set her down, but before she could get away, grabbed her shirt collar. He gave her a quick kiss. "As you wish."

She smiled at him, then bolted towards the top of the hill. 

"Hey, get back here!" He called after her, feinting not being able to keep up. He watched as she reached the top. He stopped for a moment. She was gorgeous against the bright blue sky. He climbed up after her and captured her.

She looked up at him and smiled that old smile he was used to. He lowered his head and gently kissed her. His arms wrapped around her, holding him to her. He deepened the kiss, playing lightly with her tongue.

His right hand drifted down, skimming over the front of Megan's jeans. He rubbed it lightly, teasing, then slid his hand inside them. He found her warm and wet. He grinned against her lips, and rubbed her in short strokes. Megan moaned into him, pushing her hips up into his hand.

Max nipped at her neck while he undid the zipper on her jeans. He ran his hand over her pale pink panties, while resuming his deep kiss. His free hand cupped her breast. Megan reached her hand inside his boxers once she had his jeans undone, wrapping her small hands around his hard member. 

He groaned into her mouth and pulled her closer. 

His hand prodded her nether lips until they parted and allowed him to push two fingers into her hot center. She leaned heavily against him, panting in his ear. When he began moving them with quick, small thrusts, her head tipped back. He grazed her neck with his teeth.

He let her go for a quick moment to adjust his pants, then he scooped her up in his arms. Instinctively she wrapped her legs around him. He moved her panties to the side and rubbed his cock against her clit. She moaned and pushed her hips towards him, causing his head to sink into her center.

Max grunted as he began furiously thrusting up into her. His legs and arms were burning, but he didn't care. He moved as fast as he could, reveling in the feeling. He hadn't slept with anyone since they had been together so long ago. It felt like coming home.

Max laughed at the thought. It earned him a strange look from Megan.

"What is so funny?" She panted.

He shook his head and kissed her. She protested when he pulled out of her. He moved her to stand in front of him with her back to him. He lifted her up and yanked her pants down to her knees, and buried himself in her. 

With one hand on her covered breast, and one hand furiously rubbing her clit, he began pumping into her with all his might. He felt like he couldn't get close enough to this girl in his arms. Like he would wake up and she would have been just a dream.

His dream seemed to be having multiple orgasms on his throbbing rod. Her pussy rippled on him each time, causing more pleasure for him. His quick pace began to falter. He thrust up into her, yanking her towards him by her hips, and buried himself deep inside her. Pulse after pulse, his semen gushed from him.

After what seemed like forever, he pulled out and collapsed to the rock. Megan followed him, curling into his arms. He hugged her and gave her a tender kiss. 

"Hey Megan?" He questioned.

She looked up at him with those satisfied green eyes.

"I know I don't have a ring or anything, but will you marry me?"

She hesitated and Max was sure that she was going to say no. He knew he shouldn't have asked. It was all too soon. He didn't even know where the question had come from. It came out on its own. But in his heart, it was what he wanted. A life with Megan.

She finally broke the silence after what felt like an eternity. "Yes!"



Max and Megan Go Camping



**Authors note:

Thanks to my 'fans' who have loved M&M so much, I decided to humor you with another go-around! This story is meant to be a stand-alone from my Max and Megan series. This story happened in no particular time or order from the real series. **

Max watched Megan as she stared quietly at the flickering flames of the campfire before them. She seemed lost in her own thoughts, of what he did not know. She was so beautiful in the firelight, her strawberry blonde hair and pale skin taking on the orange glow. 

They sat together in one camp chair under what seemed like a million shining stars. The canyon walls, brilliant red by day, were now a dull orange color. The fire crackled and popped in the background. It cast off a warm radiance around them, in contrast to the cool breeze of the arid desert night. 

"This is perfect." Megan sighed as she leaned back into Max's warm chest. 

"Yes it is." He agreed, hugging her tightly to him. He gazed down at her, his eyes seemed to sparkle. 

They both sat quietly for a while, basking in the comfort of being near each other. They were away from the real world, from all the problems they had to face day to day. Here in the middle of nowhere, they were free to just enjoy the precious time they had together.

Megan's eyes drifted shut. She felt so safe in Max's arms. He'd never let anything or anyone hurt her if he could help it. Yes, he had hurt her terribly before. But that was in the past; he'd more than made up for it. 

As Max sat there with her in his arms, he realized she had fallen asleep. Her breathing had deepened, and she looked utterly relaxed. He planted a small kiss atop her head. He closed his eyes and let out a happy sigh before he too, fell asleep. 

***

Max was vaguely aware his rear end was numb from sitting in the chair for who knew how long. He yawned and tried not to disturb Sleeping Beauty on top of him as he shifted into a more comfortable position. She shivered.

"Are you cold?" He asked.

"A little." She answered, groggily. 

He tucked her in his arms and stood up. He crossed the short distance to the tent that he had set up earlier that evening. 

"I'll drop you if I try to go into the tent carrying you." He explained as he set her down on her feet.

Megan crawled in, sliding into her sleeping bag that lay on the tent floor. Max followed her, stopping only to throw water on the fire, and to zip the door closed behind him. He looked down at her.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" Somehow, they had forgotten to grab two sleeping bags.

"On the ground?" She offered.

"Move over, Princess." He grinned as he reached for the bag's zipper.

She laughed at him and tried in vain to keep him out. "It's mine! You should have brought your own." 

Of course, she was no match for him and soon he wriggled in with her. 

"I don't think this is going to work." She shook her head. Max had managed to zip the sleeping bag up, but they were nearly on top of each other. "It's too small."

"That's not what you say." He flashed a quick smile and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"I'd smack you but I can't breathe- let alone move."

"Lucky me."

Megan closed her eyes and rolled to her left side. Crickets chirped and a slight breeze rustled the old cottonwood tree. The sounds were oddly soothing, once again Megan found herself falling asleep.

Until a cold hand crawled up inside her shirt.

Max suppressed an evil grin. He knew full well that his hand was ice cold. Her skin was warm in contrast. 

"Max."

"Megan." He nuzzled her ear.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "What are you doing?"

Max did not answer her. Instead, he rubbed his hand back and forth across the smooth skin of her stomach. Every few passes, his hand would dip down to her waistband. He could tell she was getting turned on; she pressed her hips back into him.

"What do you want?" He whispered in her ear, bringing his hand closer to the place she wanted it most. Her hips arched up to his wandering fingers. 

"Please?" 

He reached further down into her black lace panties and ran his hand across her hot center. Her back arched and her hips bumped into his, silently wishing he was inside her already.

Gently at first, then progressively getting faster, he worked his fingers in her. He began with one, and when she was thoroughly wet, he added a second. 

Megan moaned quietly, and began to move in time with his ministrations. As quickly as he started teasing her, he stopped.

"What, where are you..."

"Hold on a sec." He silenced her as he wiggled around in the sleeping bag like a worm.

She shot him an odd look. He grinned and threw his shorts onto the tent floor. "I'm just that good. Now for yours."

With some difficulty, Megan's shorts and underwear followed his. The sleeping bag was cool on her skin, but where their skin touched, there was no coldness.

Max's penis nestled in the hollow of her back, as he once again reached around to tease her. He brought his free hand to her breasts, gently kneading them. 

Her hips tilted backwards towards his pelvis, her legs parting slightly. It was enough that his penis nestled in between, bringing it to touch her soft, wet entrance. They both groaned at the contact.

Max pressed his hips toward hers out of instinct. He rubbed her up and down, then plunged into her warm depths. He let out a sigh of relief. It felt so good to be inside her. He pulled out, and then slowly lunged back in. He continued his slow pace for a few minutes, knowing it was driving Megan crazy.

Megan arched her back, the feelings overwhelming her. He was well endowed, a full nine inches long. He seemed to hit all the right spots inside her. It was like he knew exactly where they were, and knew to hit them at the right time- though she had never told him.

Max's pace quickened, short little thrusts that didn't allow him to pull back far. His breath was labored, his skin covered in a sheen of sweat. He wrapped his arms around her middle and thrust hard, deep, and fast.

She began to feel that gnawing feeling in between her legs. She was getting closer and closer to the dramatic ending, the one they had shared so many times. Max seemed to sense this, his pace faltering in his own attempt to hold it off. 

Megan couldn't last any longer; her body tensed up, the feeling so strong it took over her body. It sent her over the edge, into a spiral of the most intense feelings she had ever felt. It left her weak, tired, and utterly satisfied.

He soon followed Megan slamming deep inside her, not bothering to pull out. His penis jerked and spurted for what seemed like a few minutes. When he was finished, he sighed and snuggled her closer to him.

"Max?"

"Hmm?" He answered sleepily, planting a kiss on her ear.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."



Max and Megan



Max looked at Megan. A lump formed in his throat. "I have to leave already."

"But you just got here!"

"I know. I'm sorry." He did not want to leave yet, but what else could he do. He'd be pronounced AWOL if he didn't obey the direct orders. "I don't want to leave." He hugged her tightly.

Tears streamed down her face as he said one last goodbye and walked away. He hated that he had to leave, but he also had signed up for it. He could only take it a day at a time until he could return. If he returned alive, that is.