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Chapter 18: "The Beginning of Fall"

Despite his calm demeanor, the past few days had been a bit rough for Aiden. He was trying to act normal, to go about his business as if everything was alright, but inside he was faltering. It wasn't just the breakup, though that had certainly gotten to him, but what Cheryl had said to him that was really bothering him. Was he really that easy to use, and to take advantage of? He didn't want to believe it, but the more Aiden thought about it, the more he realised that it might be true.

And if so, who would be the next to use him: a total stranger perhaps, or someone he knew? The fox's eyes glanced across the dining table to Jacob, who had come to visit and look over the latest progress on Aiden's novel. The guy had already confessed that he had an attraction to Aiden, and the fact that the fox had been in a relationship only barely stopped him. Now that he was single, would Jacob make another go at him? Would Aiden even try to stop him?

'But, Jacob's my friend before anything else.' Aiden tried to reason. 'Even if he tried to hook up with me, he'd never take advantage of our friendship. He knows me too well for that, and there's respect between us.' Still, Aiden couldn't help but wonder, and worry. He found himself looking over the coon, really taking him in. He had never really thought about it before, but Jacob was fairly good looking, for a guy. He noticed the raccoon had recently dyed his bangs blue, and knew that there would be matching striped on his tail. It was an odd quirk that Aiden had always found interest about Jacob, but never thought to ask about before.

"Aiden, this stuff is great." Jacob suddenly interrupted the fox's thoughts, putting down the last page with a smile. "I'm no expert of course, but I think this feels much more natural than what you had before. Plus, it really seems to be going somewhere." Looking up, he noticed that Aiden wasn't reacting to any of this. He was just staring at Jacob silently. The coon felt a blush creeping in, and tried to dismiss it with a cough. "Aiden, you alright?"

"Oh, yeah. I'm just kind of spacing out I guess." Aiden chuckled softly, ignoring his own thoughts. "I'm glad you like it. I hope my editor agrees with you."

"I don't see why he wouldn't." Jacob said, trying to keep on topic. He had come over with the intent of reviewing Aiden's latest work, and to cheer him up after his breakup. Now he was wondering if it had been a good idea. The way Aiden had just been looking at him was putting some dangerous ideas in Jacob's mind; thoughts of crawling under the table and pressing his face right into Aiden's...

'No!' Jacob chastised himself. 'He just got dumped, again. I have to give him time to really get over that. Besides, it's not right to go after him when he's vulnerable. Look at him, sitting there, trying to hide his sadness behind those gorgeous eyes and that soft fur... and all those toned muscles... Dammit!' Jacob quickly looked away, blushing heavily. He needed to get out of here before he did something he regretted. "Oh wow, is it that late already? I, uh, should probably head home. I've got work in the morning."

"Oh, yeah alright." They both got up, making for the door. "Thanks for your help buddy. And, thanks for keeping me company."

"Anytime Aiden." They hugged briefly, Jacob enjoying the embrace more than he knew he should. "I'm... always here for you Aiden, don't forget that."

"I know." Aiden smiled as he took a step back. "I gotta admit though, I'm surprised you didn't... No, nevermind. Just, thanks for being a friend when I need one."

"No problem. I'm your friend first, Aiden. I won't take advantage of you like that." The raccoon smiled as he started to head out the door. "I have too much respect for you for that. Take it easy, Aiden. I know you'll pull through this."

They said their goodnights, and Aiden let out a sigh after Jacob had left. He was glad that Jacob wasn't actually trying anything yet. His mind was already distracted with his breakup, his novel, and preparing for his upcoming classes. Developing lesson plans was time consuming enough without worrying about relationships and being used.

Collecting his thoughts, Aiden noticed that it was already midnight. "Damn, it is late. Guess I should head to bed, too."

Soon the fox was slumbering quietly, his mind flitting through dreams he would never remember. He was expecting a quiet night's rest, but he was suddenly awakened by his cell phone going off, the ringtone he had set for Max rousing him. Half awake, Aiden assumed he had put the chain on the door, locking the poor woman out again. Though, he hadn't done that in months. With a groan he sat up, answering the phone. "Yeah, sorry, I'll be right down."

"Aiden, help me!"

Max's panicked voice instantly woke Aiden up, and he was quickly on his paws. "Max? What's wrong? Where are you?"

She didn't answer right away, but Aiden could hear her heavy breathing, and it sounded like she was running rather frantically. "Aiden," she eventually gasped, "I'm being chased. He's trying to get me. I... I don't know what to do."

"Calm down Max." Aiden was already putting his pants on. "Max, I'm coming to get you, but you need to tell me where you are. Now take a deep breath and tell me where you are."

"I don't know!" Max sounded like she was practically crying. "I got off the bus early, to get away from him, and I just ran! I-" There was a pause, and Aiden's breath stopped as he feared the worst. "Twelfth street! I'm on Twelfth somewhere. Oh god Aiden, they're coming! Aiden-"

"Max, who's coming? Max!?" The call had suddenly died, but now he knew where to go, and Aiden was already making for the door. "Hold on Max, I'm coming."

"Aiden? Aiden!?" Frantic, Max stared at the black screen on her phone. The battery had been low, and that last call had drained it. Now she was truly alone, lost in the city's industrial park. Empty office buildings towered overhead, and the desolate streets only enhanced her dread.

"There she is." Max turned to see a muscular pitbull, one of Schleck's goons, heading her way. She had perhaps foolishly gotten off the bus at the first stop they came too after the weasel revealed himself, and she had been running ever since. Now the chase was on again, and Max was growing tired. She wasn't sure how much longer she could run.

Desperate for help, or at least a place to hide, Max pushed herself to keep running. She barely felt the ache in her legs for the fear and adrenaline in her veins as she ran through the dark streets. She turned down a side street, hoping to lose her pursuer, only to slam hard into a ragged doberman, another of Schleck's lackies. He grabbed her before she could recover, and her screams for help went unheard as the dogs dragged her into a nearby alleyway.

"This is no way to treat an old friend." Schleck taunted as he casually caught up. Slowly he crossed the alley, approaching the struggling skunk, who was now pinned to the back wall, a canine firmly grasping each of her arms. "You're going to hurt my feelings."

"What do you want?" Max asked, wishing she could disappear right through the wall behind her. She kept trying to break free, but the thugs were strong, and she was too tired and frightened to break free.

"What do I want?" Schleck mimicked, pausing right in front of the skunk. "Ah, that's right; I want payback against you and that bitch you call a boss. Because of you two, I can't get a job anywhere." An angry scowl darkened his face as he leaned in closer to Max. "I warned you: no one screws with Walter Schleck and gets away with it."

Max tried to recoil, but there was nowhere to go. She was trapped and she knew it, and there was no way this creep was just going to let her go. "Please, Mr. Schleck, I've got over a thousand dollars cash in my purse from tonight. Take it, take the whole thing. Just please, let me go."

"You think this is about money!?" Schleck snapped, backhanding the girl hard for her insolence. "I can get money. No, this is about something more valuable: reputation. You and your boss ruined mine, and now I'm going to return the favor."

"Please," Max whimpered, tears starting to form, "I didn't do anything."

"Shut up!" He struck her again before reclaiming his calm demeanor. "That billboard was the first step in a big plan I had for you, Maxine. A plan that would have propelled you straight to the top of the adult entertainment industry. Both our reputations would have been set for life. If you had stuck with me, you would have been famous. But instead you chose to throw me under the bus for a short lived life in anonymity. You ruined us both girl, all to keep yourself hidden away."

"But I don't want to be famous." Max argued, quickly flinching at the anticipation of another strike.

Schleck didn't hit her this time, instead shaking his head sadly. "Exactly how long do you think this stripping career will last? Another ten years, maybe twenty if you're lucky. Then your age will start to show. Your fur is going to lose it's luster, you'll get some wrinkles, these breasts will start to sag, and you won't be able to move like you used to. Do you really think your Mistress is going to keep your around then?" He snickered, not really waiting for an answer. "Of course she won't. She's got a business to run, and needs pretty young girls to keep the customers happy. And you'll be out on your plump ass with nothing and no one to help you."

Max didn't say anything, but she did give up struggling as the harsh reality hit her. Could she really expect to be stripping forever? How long would it be before people no longer found her attractive, and she was out of a job?

Schleck was enjoying her despair. Now was the time to rub her nose in it. "If you had stuck with me, I could have gotten you out of there and into real adult video entertainment. You would have been a great young star. And as you got older, we would sell you as a hot cougar, or even a milf. There's a demand for every fetish, you know. It might not be too late. Leave Vanessa and come to work with me, and we'll both be at the top in no time."

"You mean, make pornos?" Max genuinely debated the idea for just a moment. It did seem to be the next logical step. She was already halfway there with the webcams anyway. But could she really leave the Mistress to work for Schleck? The very idea left a rotten taste in her mouth. "No," she finally decided. "Mistress Vanessa won't just abandon me when I get older. She cares about us, and I know she must have some plan for when we can't strip anymore. Besides, I'd never work for scum like you."

"You stupid bitch!" Schleck backhanded her again, harder this time. He was too pissed off now to hold back. "Fine, I was just going to steal you away from Vanessa, but since you won't comply, I guess I'll just have to take you by force."

Max's eyes went wide as Schleck pulled out a switch knife. She was filled with a renewed sense of fear and panic, but no matter how hard she struggled, the dogs were just too strong.

"Hold still now," Schleck taunted, "we wouldn't want anything to happen to that pretty face of yours." He held the knife under her chin, and Max whimpered softly, standing as still as she could. A wave of fear shivered through her body as the tip pressed against her flesh. "That's a good girl."

"Hey boss, look. She's pissin' herself." As the pitbull noticed, Max had indeed lost control due to fear. She whimpered again as the stream flowed from under her skirt to puddle around her paws. All she cared about though was that knife against her neck.

"Such a dirty girl, too." Schleck teased with a lewd sneer. "Let's see how dirty you really are." With one swift motion he slashed downward, cutting the skunk's shirt open. He calmly brushed the fabric aside, all their eyes locked on her breasts. "You really are gifted, Maxine. It will be a shame when these natural beauties start to sag.

Max flinched as the lech grabbed her breasts, fondling it through her bra. She hated the very thought of this man touching her at all, and that she couldn't move made it all the worse.

"Why don't we give these puppies some air?" Slowly the knife edge it's way up between the cups of her bra, and with a flick of the wrist the bra was free, Max's breasts tumbling out for all to see. "These are the best I've ever seen. Heh, you must like having your nipples teased, since you got them pierced." He slipped the tip of his knife through the ring, pulling on it gently. "So, does it feel good?"

"No." Max spat defiantly. "Nothing you could ever do would feel good. I bet you've never made a woman feel good in your whole life."

Schleck snarled at that, putting the knife away. "Or maybe I'm just going too easy on you. You slept with Vanessa, so you must like it rough." The man suddenly grabbed Max's breasts, squeezing and pulling on them roughly. "How's this, bitch? This feel better?"

"No!" Max cried out, fighting against her captors once more as the pain assailed her. "Stop it! It's hurts, please stop!"

Suddenly, the screeching of tires and a bright light filled the alley. They all turned to see a car idling at the other end, it's headlights aimed straight at them. The driver's door opened and a man stepped out, growling over the engine. "Hey you! Get your damn hands off her!"

"Aiden?" Max couldn't see for sure, but she knew that was his voice. Somehow, by some blessing or fortune, he had found her. "Aiden, help!"

Walter Schleck punched her hard in the stomach for that, knocking the wind out of her. "Take care of this guy, boys. I'll keep this bitch quiet."

Chuckling, the two dogs finally let go of Max, who collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath. As they stalked towards the car, Aiden stepped forward, revealing that he had come prepared with a bat. Ears lowered and teeth bared, the fox growled at the goons, ready to fight for his life and Max's.

"Now, where were we?" Schleck reached down to grab Max by the hair, ignoring the sounds of the ensuing fight behind him. "Since you can't seem to keep your mouth shut, let's put it to good use." Max yelped as her hair was pulled, not sure what he meant until she saw his dick pointing right at her face. "Now be a good girl and open wide."

Max shut her jaw tight. There was no way she was going to give Schleck oral. The smell alone was foul, and Max couldn't help but notice that the man was uncut, and that it seemed he hadn't properly cleaned his foreskin in ages. She'd rather die that have that thing in her mouth.

"Come on, don't clam up now." Schleck taunted, rubbing his dick against her face and grinding it into her fur. "If you don't use your mouth, I'll have to use something else. Maybe I'll blow all over your tits, or fill your dirty cunt. You'd probably prefer that, eh whore?"

That was the line. With a growl, Max finally did open her mouth, only to bite down on the weasel's dick with all her might, sinking her teeth into the soft flesh.

"Ah! Damn bitch!" Schleck pulled back quickly, slamming Max's head against the wall. "Do that again and you're dead! Now quit fighting; you're only making it worse for yourself."

The blow left Max seeing stars, and it wasn't until a sharp pain hit her breasts that she regained focus. Schleck had grabbed her piercings and was pulling them up, forcing his dick into her cleavage. She tried to push him away, but he was too strong and her head was swimming. 'I can't stop him.' She realized. 'I'm being raped and I can't stop it. Someone, please help me.'

Walter Schleck was enjoying this, the degradation of this stripper. Wrecking Max would be a devastating blow for Vanessa, too. The first step in his plan for revenge. He was completely lost in the thrill of it all when he felt someone tap on his shoulder. "What? Can't you see I'm-"

As Schleck turned, a fist connected with his face. The weasel stumbled to the ground, and Aiden quickly stepped in, kneeling before the dazed skunk. "Max, are you alright?"

"Son of a bitch!" Schleck spat, getting on his paws and glaring at Aiden. "Who the fuck do you think you are?"

Aiden ignored him at first, taking off his jacket and placing it on Max's shoulders. He then stood between his friend and her assailant, a fire burning in his eyes. "I won't let you get away with this." He growled, ready to strike at a moments notice.

Schleck took a quick moment to look around. Both of his goons were on the ground, probably knocked out. A baseball bat lay nearby. The interloper was unarmed and likely already winded, but still looked ready for a fight. The weasel pulled out his knife, determined to go forward with his revenge. "No one messes with Walter Schleck."

As if through a haze, Max watched as the two men charge each other. Their movements seemed fuzzy to her, but she watched as Aiden got in a few good blows. If this was real, and she wasn't sure yet, then Aiden was actually a pretty good fighter. They grappled for a bit, growling at each other, then breaking free only to charge again. Aiden let out a yelp that even Max flinched at, but he kept going, punching Schleck hard in the stomach, then again in the jaw. The weasel went down fast, Aiden kicking him the ribs one last time, for good measure.

Aiden limped over the Max, helping her stand back up. "Let's get out of here." He muttered, and they made their way to his car, Aiden grabbing his bat and Max properly put his jacket on, to stay covered. The feel of the denim was oddly comforting, like a hug she so desperately needed.

With a peel of rubber they left the alley behind, driving off in the night. Max was silent, her head still swimming with pain and torment. The whole thing felt so surreal, and she wasn't sure what had actually happened.

"Max," Aiden's voice cut through the confusion, "I think we should go to the hospital."

"What? N-no, I'm okay." Max had never liked hospitals, and she really just wanted to go him and forget this ever happened. "I'll be fine after I sleep it off, I promise."

"Maybe, but I think I might need more than sleep for this."

Confused, Max glanced over to see Aiden clutching his side, a dark stain on his shirt. She reached over to touch it, causing the fox to wince. "You're... bleeding?" She rubbed the wet substance between her fingers, and her mind suddenly flashed with images of blood soaked hands. "N-no..." She muttered, her eyes flickering before she suddenly collapsed in her seat, losing consciousness.

"Max? Dammit." Aiden sighed, putting his paw down on the gas. "Looks like we both need to see a doctor after all. Hold on Max, I'll get us there quick."

---

"This place is just perfect." Max hummed warmly, staring off across the open green field. The clouds drifted lazily in the clear sky above and the occasional breeze would caress her face, filling the skunk with a sense of peace and serenity. "I never want to leave."

"Well, you don't have to leave if you don't want to," a calming yet masculine voice called to her. "You can stay here for as long as you like, Maxi."

"Danny?" Max looked up, smiling brightly as her brother approached. He was such a handsome man, with the kindest eyes. She just felt so much calmer with him near. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm always with you, silly." Daniel chuckled, sitting beside her. "Some one has to look after clumsy little Sissy."

"Don't call me Sissy." Max stuck her tongue out playfully. "Besides, I'm not clumsy anymore, and I'm definitely not little."

"No, you're a beautiful young lady now. But you'll still always be my little Sissy." He ruffled her hair, and the siblings laughed like they didn't have a care in the world. After the mirth ended, the two just stared off at the sky, enjoying the peace around them. It was almost like a dream, one Max never wanted to wake from.

"Why are you here, Maxi?" Daniel suddenly asked, though his gaze was still off on the clouds. "Isn't there somewhere else you should be?"

"But you said I could stay here." Max whined softly, falling back to look straight up at the sky. "Can't I stay here with you?"

"You could, but won't there be people who'll miss you? People who'll be sad if you don't go back?"

"I guess. I just... I want to be somewhere I can be happy. Really, genuinely happy. Like I used to be before you left."

"I can tell you how to be happy." Daniel smirked, leaning over to look into his sister's eyes. "All you have to do is wake up."

"What?" Mix tilted her head to one side. "Danny, aren't I already awake?"

"You need to open your eyes for me, Maxine." Her brother insisted. "Go back, and do the thing you love with the people who matter. That's what you have to do to be happy, and the first step is to open your eyes."

"Danny?" Suddenly, everything was dim and blurry. Her brother was disappearing again, but though she was sad to see him go, she wasn't afraid. "Okay Danny, for you, I'll open my eyes."

"Maxine, you need to open your eyes for me now." She heard a voice call to her; not her brother's, but one she somehow knew she could trust. "If you can hear me, open your eyes."

It took some effort, but Max was finally able to open hyer eyes. Her vision was slow to come to focus, and once it did, she saw an unfamiliar yet friendly face smiling down at her. "Well hello there, Maxine. You had us worried there for a minute."

"Where am I?" She groaned, a dull ache forming in the back of her head. "Who are you? What happened?"

"You're in a recovery room at the hospital, Maxine." The man explained. "I'm Dr. Richardson, the attending physician. You were brought in unconscious, with quite a nasty bump to the head. For a moment, I didn't think you were going to wake up." The doctor smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm glad you proved me wrong."

It took a while for Max to process all this information. She tried to remember the last thing that happened, and when she finally did remember, panic once again gripped her. "Aiden!" She tried to sit up, but the room lurched and spun when she did.

"Oh no, you stay put Maxine." Carefully, Dr. Richardson laid her back down. "You've got a concussion, so you're not leaving this bed. Now just relax and try not to make any sudden movements."

"But what about Aiden?" Max argued, though she did as she was told. "He was hurt and bleeding. Is he okay?"

"Aiden? Oh, you mean the man that brought you in. I believe they took him to the O.R. to stitch him up. I'll have to check to see how he's doing."

"I have to see him." Max stubbornly tried to sit up again, but the doctor once again stopped her.

"You're not going anywhere until we run a few tests. Besides, your friend is probably still in surgery, so you couldn't see him anyway." With that settled, the doctor pulled out a small flashlight, testing Max's ocular reflexes and asking her some basic memory questions. It took her a moment to answer some of them, giving her parent's address instead of her own when asked where she lived, but all in all she seemed alright. "Well, you don't seem to have any severe trauma, but I want to keep you here for a day, just in case. Is there anyone you'd like us to call?"

"My parents I guess?" Max wasn't sure if she wanted to worry them with this, or even deal with them right now. Her mother would just panic and overreact, and she had no idea how her father would react. Maybe it would be better to leave them out of this, at least for now.

"Excuse me," a nurse suddenly poked her head into the room. "There's someone here to see the patient. Is it alright to let her in?"

"A visitor already? Yes, I suppose that should be alright, as long as we keep things calm. I don't want Miss Douglas getting too stressed out."

With a nod the nurse stepped out and Max was quite surprised to see Mistress Vanessa walk into the room. "Maxine, they told me you were attacked! Are you okay?"

"Mistress?" She watched as the fennec sat at her bedside, still not sure if any of this was real. "What are you doing here? How did you even know I was here?"

"I'm sorry," the nurse interrupted again, "but I called her. The doctors weren't sure if you were going to wake up, so we needed to contact someone. Your boss's business card was the only number I could find."

"I'm glad they called." Vanessa sighed, placing a comforting hand on Max's arm. "Now, who did this to you honey? Tell me who did this and I'll make sure they get what they deserve."

Max didn't respond at first, glancing away from Vanessa and the doctor. Her head still felt in a fog, and it was hard for her to recall exactly what happened. And really, she didn't want to, but looking into the Mistress's eyes made her feel like things might be alright. She had to take a deep breath before she could find her words though. "It... It was Schleck."

"Schleck?" A scowl creased Vanessa face and it was taking all she could to stay seated. "Walter Schleck is the one who...? That bastard's gone too far this time."

"Mistress... I don't want any more trouble over this." Max curled up in the bed, hugging her legs in close. "I mean, my friend already kicked his ass so maybe we can just forget this ever happened, right?"

Vanessa put a soft smile on, patting Max's knee. "Don't worry, Maxine. I'm going to take care of everything. You just try to relax and get better. Take a week off, with pay of course, and leave all the messy details to me."

"But Mistress, I don't..." She tried to sit up again, but it felt like her head went in a different direction. "I don't... feel good." She fell back into the bed with a groan, afraid she might throw up.

"Alright, that's enough excitement for now." The doctor moved in quick, pushing the Mistress aside to check Max's vitals. "I'm going to have to ask you to step outside now. I think Miss Douglas needs to get some rest."

Vanessa, visibly concerned, reluctantly backed away. "You get better, Maxine. Don't even think about what happened; just rest and get better."

With the aid of some painkillers, Max was able to get some rest. It was a fitful sleep however, as Max never really felt comfortable in hospitals. Strange dreams and unwanted memories flitted across her mind as she moaned and tossed in the bed.

A few hours passed before Max came to again. Her head was throbbing, and she was still laying in the same hospital bed, staring up at the dull ceiling. It was hard for her to relax when everything felt so sterile. That annoying, repetitive beeping wasn't helping either. 'Where is that coming from?'

Searching for the source of the noise, Max discovered she wasn't actually alone. Another patient had been brought in while she slept, and it was someone she was actually glad to see. "Aiden, is that you?"

The fox's eyes opened slowly, and he smiled when he saw Max nearby. "Hey Max," he said softly, "how are you doing? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Aiden." Max smiled back, feeling a sense of relief. "The doctor said it was just a bad bump to the head. But what about you? They said you were in surgery. Are you hurt that bad?"

Aiden shrugged, then pulled aside the bedsheets to show Max the bandages on his side. "They had to give me stitches, but said that none of my organs were hit or anything. Aside from some blood loss I'm fine."

"Fine? Aiden, you were stabbed! You could have died fighting those guys, so don't just tell me you're fine." Max sighed; she couldn't help be feel responsible for his injuries, and his pain. "Aiden, does it hurt?"

"Nope, I don't feel a damn thing." A rather large, goofy grin spread across his face. "They got me on morphine or something, cause I feel pretty damn good right now."

"This is all my fault." Max sighed, wanting to sink deeper into the her bed. "Aiden, I'm so sorry for all of this."

"Sorry for what? None of this is your fault, Max. The only person to blame is that guy who attacked you. You shouldn't blame yourself for this." He looked at Max as directly as he could, and despite the drugs was able to look very serious. "If I could do it again, I'd still come to save you. I'll always risk my safety, my live even, to protect those that are important to me."

Max wasn't sure what to say to that, but she knew her cheeks were flush, and if she had been hooked up to a heart monitor it would have been off the charts. "Sh-shut up Aiden." She finally stammered, looking away from the fox. "You're just saying that because you're high."

"Maybe." Aiden chuckled, leaning back in his bed. "Say, do you think the food here is any good? I doubt they'll let me cook."

Max just rolled her eyes. She was glad he wasn't in pain, even if it was thanks to the drugs, but now she was completely flustered. 'I'm important to him? Enough to risk his life for?' She had no idea how she was supposed to feel about that. 'Though, we are friends, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, but still...' She glanced back over at Aiden, who looked half in a dream, and a smile crossed her face. 'I'm sorry Aiden, and... thank you.'

"Oh good, you're awake." The nurse smiled as she stepped into the room. "You have some visitors, Miss Douglas, if you feel up to it."

"Who is it?" Max was pretty sure she knew the answer, but she didn't want anymore surprises. "Oh, and what time is it? I don't know how long I've been asleep."

"It's almost eight in the morning, and it's your parents. You did say to contact them, but they arrived while you were still sleeping and Dr. Richardson didn't want you to be disturbed. They've been talking with the doctor and your boss in the meantime."

"My parents are talking with Mistress Vanessa?" Max didn't like the thought of that. She could only imagine what they were discussing. "Oh well, better get this over with. Yeah, you can let them in."

The young skunk didn't have much time to prepare before her parents walked in, her mother quickly coming to her side. "Oh Maxine, my poor baby, are you alright?"

"Yeah Mom, I'll be alright. The doctor said it was just a concussion, so I should be fine with some rest." She looked over at her father, who was standing stoically at the foot of her bed. Whatever emotions he was feeling lay hidden behind a mask of apathy. "Hi Daddy..."

"They said you were attacked!" Her mother cut in, giving Max a hug. "Oh I was so worried when the hospital called. I had feared the worst. Oh, I'm just so glad you're okay."

"Mom, I'm fine now." Max sighed, though she couldn't help but smile a bit. Her mother was frantic, just as expected, but at least it showed she cared. "Anyway, Aiden's the one who saved me. I owe him my life, if nothing else." They all looked over at Aiden then, who simply smiled back, offering a thumbs up. "Don't mind him," Max chuckled, "They've got him on morphine."

"Well, I'm just glad you're alright, both of you." Max's mother smiled at Aiden while giving her daughter a hug. "I was so worried about you baby. I'm glad it's all over now."

"Not quite over I'm afraid." Mistress Vanessa interjected as she entered the room. "Sorry to interrupt, but I just got off the phone with the police. They're going to open an investigation and if there's enough evidence they'll arrest Schleck. If the can find him anyway. I'm afraid they'll need a statement from you, Maxine."

"I... have to tell them what he did to me?" Max sank into the bed, the very thought of having to relive that event making her feel ill again. "I don't know if I can do that."

"It'll be hard, I know." Vanessa came to sit at Max's side, placing a comforting hand on the skunk's. "You don't have to go into any unpleasant details, just the basics. Try to stick with what you're most comfortable with talking about, and if you want I'll stay by your side."

"You're not really going to make her go through all that again so soon?" Sofia objected. "She hasn't even recovered yet and you want her to make a police report?"

"I know it may seem like a bit much, Mrs. Douglas, but the sooner we get it over with, the sooner we can get this guy behind bars."

"But isn't there enough evidence or something to put this guy away without my poor baby having to endure that?" She was gently petting her daughter's head protectively. "Hasn't she been through enough already?"

"Well I'm hoping there'll be enough evidence so she won't have to testify," Vanessa tried to explain, "but we still need a statement for the police report."

"I'm not letting her do anything but rest and recover."

"Enough." Max cut in, massaging her temples in the hope of delaying another headache. Her head hurt bad enough as it was, and these two arguing wasn't helping. "I'll try to talk to the police when they come, if it'll help get Schleck arrested. Just please, no more arguing."

"I'm sorry honey," her mother sighed. "I just don't want you to have to suffer anymore. Reginald, please say something to your daugher. Talk some sense into her."

Her father said nothing at first, clearing his throat as he stepped up to Max's side. He looked over his daugher, laying there in the hospital bed. It was a sight he clearly didn't care for. "I think that if you're going to keep that despicable job, you're going to have to get a car. Taking this bus at that hour is just too dangerous." His eyes locked with Max's, his gaze stern yet with a hint of concern. "I don't like seeing my children in the hospital."

"Yes Daddy." Max looked away with a sigh. She definitely didn't want to argue with her father now, though she couldn't blame him either. "I'll think about getting a car when they let me out of here."

"But what about this police report?" Her mother interjected. "She needs to rest, without having to worry about statements and testimonials."

"She's never listened to me before." Her father shrugged coldly, heading for the door. "What makes you think she'll start listening now?"

Max cringed at that one, as if she had been physically struck again. Her father's scorn was perhaps the worst blow she had received all day. Not that she had expected anything else. Still, she was already in enough discomfort, and now they were all just making her feel worse.

Max looked from one woman to the other, feeling their unspoken pity. This was all too much. She was injured, and all Max really wanted to do was rest. She'd never recover with all these distractions. "Mom, Mistress, I know you guys mean well but could I get some peace and quiet? Why don't you guys just go home for now? And if you could, tell the doctor I don't want any more visitors. Except the police; if they come, I'll talk to them. Other than that, I just want to sleep."

"Very well, baby." Her mother sighed, giving her another kiss on the head. "If you need anything, I'm just a phone call away."

"As am I, Maxine." Vanessa nodded, squeezing the skunk's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll take care of anything you need."

"Thanks, but all I need is some rest, really." Max let her head sink into the pillow, already tired of all this worrying. It was nice that they cared, but now they were interrupting her recovery, so she was relieved when they finally left. "Finally , maybe now I can sleep this headache off."

"You're dad's kind of a dick." Aiden chuckled, letting the painkillers get the better of his judgement. "I mean, he didn't even ask if you were okay. What an asshole."

"Aiden, shut up." Max suddenly sat up, getting out of her bed and walking over to Aiden's. Without a second thought she lied down and curled up next to the fox. "Just shut up and hold me for a while."

"Sure thing." Aiden smiled, wrapping an arm around her as she got comfortable. "Go ahead and get some rest. Just watch the stitches."

---

Fortunately for Max, she only had to stay in the hospital for a day before the doctor decided she could go home. "But no working or driving for a week. You may experience some short dizzy spells, so try to take it easy. If you have any prolonged or severe pain, give us a call or have someone drive you back here."

Max was just thankful that she was getting released. The police had come by earlier as Vanessa had said, listening to Max run through the details of the assault. Now that it was over with, all she wanted to do was go home.

"I picked you up some nice clothes," her mother offered as Max was getting ready. "The police said they needed your old clothes as evidence."

"That's fine," Max said as she looked over what her mother had brought her from the apartment. "My shirt and bra were ruined anyway."

Her mother had to bite her tongue at that, resisting the urge to fuss over her once again. "I'll give you some privacy." She said instead, quickly closing the curtain around the bed. "I'll be right outside the room if you need me."

Max nodded, already starting to change. All she could think about was how nice it would be to sleep in her own bed after taking a long, hot shower. The only real downside was that she was going to be home alone.

"No wild parties while I'm gone." Aiden joked from his bed. "I expect you to be on your best behavior young lady."

"God dammit, Aiden. I can't wait for them to take you off that morphine." Max groaned, pulling the curtain aside as soon as she was dressed. "You are way too annoying when you're high."

"And here I thought it was an improvement over my normally boring and dull self." He smirked with a chuckle.

"Well I don't know about that." The skunk smirked back, sitting on the edge of Aiden's bed. "The confidence is nice, but you say such stupid shit."

"The hallucinations are pretty weird too." They both had a good laugh, which helped them feel just a little bit better.

"Well, I guess I should get going." Max smiled softly, patting the fox on the arm. "You get better quick so you can come home too, okay?"

"It'll just be a couple more days. The doctors want to make sure I can't pop a stitch or anything."

"Yeah, let's try to avoid that." She smirked before leaning over to give Aiden a small kiss. "Thanks for everything Aiden. I'll see you when they let you come home."

Even with the painkillers Aiden was momentarily stunned. He could only watch her walk out the door, not sure what to say until after she was gone.

Since Max wasn't yet allowed to drive, her mother had volunteered to take her home. Unfortunately, it meant her mother also had her trapped, unable to escape whatever conversation she wanted. "You're boss seems very nice Maxine, but I was wondering; why do you call her mistress?"

Max was groaning already, pinching the bridge of her nose. She should have known her mother would want to know more about Vanessa. "I don't know, Mom. That's just what she tells us to call her. She's into the whole bondage thing... I think." She was quick to add that last part in, not wanting to explain to her mother how she knew of her bosses proclivities. "Anyway, Vanessa is a really great employer, as you've seen, so it's not really a big deal to us."

"She seems nice enough." Sofia nodded. "Very... interesting. Miss Thema seems very sure of herself. Might be nice to get to know her better."

"Mom, no." Max already saw where this was going, and she didn't like it. "You don't need to make friends with my boss. The fact that you're not giving me an hassle about working at the strip club anymore is fine enough for me."

"One dinner won't hurt anything, Maxine."

"It will if Daddy's there." An overwhelming silence filled the car then, her mother knowing she couldn't argue with that. Max was just happy that the conversation was over, though the quiet itself wasn't much of a comfort. It wasn't like the skunk didn't want to take with her mother, she just wanted to talk about more pleasant things if nothing else. "So, I had an interesting dream," she said to break the silence. "It was about Danny."

"It wasn't the one you used to have I hope." She briefly glanced over at her daughter with a bit of concern. "That dream always made you so depressed."

"No, this one was different. It was very calming and almost... happy." A small smile traced her lips as she remembered the dream. "We were sitting in a field together on a warm spring day, just talking. It was like he was with me again, Mom. He even said I could stay with him." She sighed, staring off into the distance. "It was so nice, but then he told me to wake up so... that was the end of that."

"He told you to wake up?" Her other smiled, patting Max on the knee. "That doesn't sound like just any old dream, Maxine. That was your brother watching over you."

"No Mom, it was just a dream."

"It was so much more than that, Maxine." Her mother was insistent on this. "The doctor told me that when you came in, you were unconscious. They tried everything they could, but you just wouldn't wake up. They weren't sure what to do, but then you just woke up all on your own." They pulled to a stop in front of the apartment building, and Sofia turned to look at Max directly. "It was your brother looking out for you. He wanted you to get better and keep living."

"Mom..." Rolling her eyes, Max tried to get out of the car, but her mother stopped her, a rather serious look on her face that made Max pause.

"Did he tell you anything else? Your brother; did he say anything else to you?"

"He..." Max took a deep breath, debating on if she wanted to indulge her mother or not. "He just told be that if I want to be happy, I need to do the things I love, or something like that. Mom, it was just a dream."

"Sounds more like good advice to me." With a smile, her mother leaned over to give her a kiss. "Dream or not, it's worth taking to heart. Now go, get some rest, and if you need anything you know where to find me."

"I know, but I should be fine. I don't plan to do anything but relax. I'll call if I need anything though."

She sounded confident, but as soon as she was alone in the apartment the emptiness seemed to envelope her. Even the warm shower she so desperately craved did little to ease her discomfort. She found herself laying on the couch in a towel with the television on as background noise. While Max had gotten used to being alone for a part of the day, having the whole place to herself felt daunting, especially after all that had happened.

Without thinking she got up and grabbed the phone, dialing a familiar number automatically. She twisted a few strands of hair around her finger while she waited for an answer. "Good afternoon, and thank you for calling the Goodwin Bakery. How can I help you?"

"Hi Cheryl, it's Max." She found herself wavering at the sound of her friend's voice, which brought more comfort than she expected. "Haven't seen you in a few days. How have you been?"

"Maxi? I've been doing alright, all things considered. Sorry I've been so distant, I just needed some time alone, y'know?"

"It's okay, I understand. Say, do you want to come over tonight, after work? I could really use the company."

There was a pause on the other end, and Max twirled her hair tightly as she tried to keep quiet and wait. "Yeah, I guess so, though I don't know if I'm ready to see Aiden again. Is everything okay Maxi?"

"Yeah... well no, not really. I'll tell you about it tonight, okay? I just... I don't want to be alone right now."

"Alright, then I'll come over right after work. We'll make a girl's night out of it. I have to get off the business line now though, so I'll see you tonight."

"Okay, see you soon." Max let out a heavy breath as she hung up the phone. She knew she could count on Cheryl for support in most anything, and now all she wanted was a friend to help her through this.

As promised Cheryl came right over after work. Max was thankful for that, as she wasn't sure how much longer she could handle sitting around alone. "I'm glad you could come. I've had a rough couple of days and I really need your company."

"Of course, though I wasn't really sure if I'd come by. I need a bit more time before I can talk to Aiden again." She glanced about the apartment, noticing how empty is was. "Where is Aiden anyway?"

The skunk sank a bit at the question. Of course Cheryl hadn't heard any of what happened, and now Max had to deliver the news. "Let's sit down first, then I'll tell you everything."

They adjourned to the couch where Max did her best to tell Cheryl about the attack. The Torgi listened with growing alarm as Max recounted things with minimal details. "Oh my god." She muttered after Max was finished. "Oh Maxi, are you okay?"

"I don't know." Max admitted, twirling her hair around her finger once again. "I know I'm supposed to feel something, but I don't. I just feel kinda numb."

"Well, it sounded pretty traumatic. Maybe you just haven't really processed it yet. I think I'd be in shock for days after something like that."

Max nodded, though she wasn't so convinced. "I just feel bad for Aiden right now. He got hurt while trying to save me."

"Is he going to be okay?" Cheryl couldn't hide her concern. "Maybe I should visit him..."

"You can if you want, but he'll be home in a couple days. Like I said, he needed some stitches but it's not too serious." Max let out a soft sigh, a slight blush creeping over her cheeks. "I can't believe he fought all those guys to save me."

"I'm surprised he can fight at all." Cheryl admitted. "He seems like such a softy, like he'd never hurt a fly. I guess it's different when your friends are in danger. If I had known, I would have tried to fight them too."

"I'm glad you didn't have to." Max chuckled softly. "I prefer you being here with me now, to help me just forget about it. I just... I want thing to go back to normal as soon as they can."

"Of course. We'll just watch some movies and eat ice cream and move on with our lives." Cheryl smirked, leaning into the skunk's shoulder. "We'll have you back in good spirits in no time."

Max let herself laugh at that, wrapping an arm around her best friend and holding her close. She was glad to have a friend like Cheryl to forget all about what what was done to her, and what had been said.

---

Aiden only had to wait a few more days for the doctor to let him go home. He was thankful for it too, as they had taken him off morphine some time ago, and the food was less than desirable. He finally had to tell his family where he was though, as the doctors wouldn't allow him to drive himself home.

"Here we are Aiden; home sweet home." Jessica chimed as she tried to help Aiden through the door. "I still say you should stay with us until you're all better though."

"I'll be fine, Jess." He insisted, limping himself into the apartment. "I can manage on my own so long as I take it easy."

"Your sister's just looking out for you." Their father cut in as he and their mother entered. "You know how much she idolizes you."

"Dad! Sh-shut up!" Jessica shoved at the man, blushing heavily. "I just want him to get better, that's all."

"As do we all." Their mother cut in. "I still don't understand why you waited so long to call us though."

"Because I didn't want you guys to worry." Aiden explained with a shrug. "I didn't want you to see me like that if I could avoid it. Besides, I was apparently a real idiot while on that morphine, so it was probably for the better."

"Aiden?" A voice called softly from the landing, and they all looked up to see Max standing at the top of the stairs. She adjusted the oversized shirt she had been sleeping in and offered a smile. "So, they finally let you come home?"

"Yeah, and about time, too." He chuckled, throwing a confident smile her way. "We didn't wake you up, did we?"

"No, I was just sleeping off a headache." As she made her way down the stairs, Max noticed the look she was getting from Jessica. While the others weren't really paying attention to her, the young girl was shooting the dirtiest, most hateful scowl Max's way. She could practically feel the daggers being hurled at her, and the sting was quite profound. Not that she could blame her; it was her fault the girl's dear brother had been injured.

Aiden seemed to notice as well, as he suddenly cleared his throat rather loudly, giving Jessica a stern look. "So, I guess I should introduce you guys." He said, trying to keep the mood positive. "Mom, Dad, this is Max; my roommate."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs Snowtail." Max smiled, trying to ignore Jessica and her own guilt.

"Oh please honey, call me Judy." The older woman smiled, shaking Max's hand warmly. "Tony and I had heard about you, but it is nice to meet you in person."

"Yes, but I think it'll be a short meeting for now." Aiden's father smirked. "Unless you need us son, we'll be heading out to let you two get some rest. Give us a call if you need anything. Come on Jessica, leave your brother to get better."

"But, maybe I should stay here, just in case Aiden needs anything."

"I'll be fine, Jess." Aiden chuckled, ruffling his sister's hair and making her blush. "Go home; you have to get ready for your first semester of college anyway."

Grumbling, but unable to argue with her brother, Jessica conceded and left with her parents. Once they were gone, Aiden let out a groan, falling onto the couch. "God dammit that hurt."

"Aiden, are you okay?" Max rushed to his side, which only brought on a slight dizzy spell, forcing her to sit as well. "Dammit... this sucks."

"Yeah, I'm fine." Aiden shrugged, wincing a bit. "The painkillers wore off a little while ago, and I've been ignoring the pain so they wouldn't worry even more."

"Stubborn ass." Max chuckled, leaning against the fox's shoulder. "I'm glad you're home though. It was weird without you here."

"Glad to be home." Aiden agreed. "Much rather sleep in my own bed than that hospital again."

"Speaking of sleeping," Max said nervously, "would it be alright if I sleep with you tonight? I just... I really need to be around people I can trust for a while. I haven't had a good night's sleep since I got home."

"Yeah, no problem." Aiden smiled, putting his arm around her. "I think I can understand why. If it helps you feel better, I don't have a problem with it."

"Thanks Aiden." Max sighed softly, making herself comfortable. She wasn't sure why, but being there, in his arms, she felt safer than she had in years.