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Chapter 16 "Taking the Next Step"

"Ah, Maxi...quit teasing." Amy moaned softly, squirming in the skunk's bed as Max worked her magic. She was knelt between her lover's legs, gently kissing and licking at the collie's inner thighs, always just barely glancing over her more sensitive folds. "I can't take much more of this. You're driving me crazy."

"Well, that's the idea babe." Max smirked, licking her lips hungrily as she nuzzled Amy's thigh. "I didn't want to rush things, but if you're going to be impatient about it..." With a mischievous smirk she leaned right in, pressing her lips against Amy's dripping flesh. The collie gasped with pent up bliss as Maxi's tongue ran through her sensitive folds.

"Oh god, Maxi!" Amy arched her back reflexively, one hand massaging her own breasts while the other grabbed at Max's head, her fingers tangling in her partner's hair. She tried to speak, but the pleasure was too much, turning her words into incoherent babble and moans of lust. Those only intensified as the skunk's tongue delved in deeper, lapping at her inner recesses and tasting of her hot juices.

Max felt Amy clenching and pulling at her hair, the sensation causing her to moan softly into Amy's pussy. She pulled out a bit, licking at her swollen clit with passionate determination.

"Maxi, w-wait." Amy pulled harder on Max's hair, pulling her away and finally getting a chance to speak. "Maxi, how do you do that... squirting thing?"

"Squirting?" Max chuckled, licking the taste off her lips. "I dunno. I've always just been able to do it. It doesn't happen every time, either. I have to be stimulated just right."

"Can you get me to do it?" Amy asked, almost pleadingly as she tried to flash Max some puppy dog eyes. "It always looks like it feels so good."

"I don't know if I can." Max admitted apologetically. "I mean, I don't know how I even do it, and I read that not everyone can." She sighed as Amy pouted at her, those big brown eyes tugging at her heart. "Alright, there's one thing I can try. I read online that this is supposed to work, but I make no promises."

She leaned over to run her tongue across Amy's pussy once more, truly enjoying the salty sweet flavor. Max then took that tongue to her own fingers, lubricating them with her saliva before slipping two in. "Even if this doesn't make you squirt, it should still feel really good."

Amy inhaled sharply as Max curled her fingers upwards, rubbing the tips against her swelling, sensitive flesh. She kept them curled, gently massaging her g-spot, feeling it pulse and push back as Amy's muscles convulsed from the pleasurable sensation.

Oh, Maxi!" Amy cried out with pleasure, balling the sheets in her fists and whimpering as she tried to hold out, wanting the feeling to go on forever. "Oh god! So... good!"

"That's it baby, "Max cooed, picking up speed while putting more pressure onto her spot. "Don't hold back. Let it all out. Cum for me."

Amy whimpered as her body tightened up, Max's command ringing in her ears and pushing her over the edge. She screamed out in carnal bliss, her back arching as an intense orgasm rocked her to her core. Her body continued to spasm as Max kept going, trying to extend the pleasure for as long as she could. Electric sparks continued to assault her mind as Max flicked her fingers across Amy's pussy, digging into her g-spot to really push her over the edge.

Amy couldn't stop howling with pleasure. Her body squirmed as the assault continued, the height of her orgasm being extended as Max worked her fingers. Her hips suddenly thrust upwards, her mouth open in another scream as she came a second time.

"Maxi!" She managed to cry out, despite the constant attack on her pussy. "I... I can't! No more, please!"

"Oh, alright." Max teased, pulling her fingers free then giving them a taste. "I couldn't get you to squirt though. You may not be able to."

"That's... okay..." Amy panted out, still waiting to come down from the high. Her legs twitched, and she could hear her own heart beating loudly in her ears. "That... was amazing. Oh Maxi, I don't think I can feel my legs."

"Good, that means I did it right." Max chuckled, crawling up to lay beside her spent lover." I told you it would feel good. Just hope you're not done yet."

"Yeah, I can go again," Amy gasped, finally finding her breath. "Just give me a minute. I don't think I can move yet."

"Sure thing." Max chuckled, feeling rather pleased with herself. She hummed softly, running her fingers through the collie's soft fur while she waited. "Hey sweetie, would you do something special for me?"

"Hm?" Amy glanced over inquisitively, blinking her eyes as her vision slowly focused. "Maxi, after what you just did, I'll do anything for you."

"Well..." The skunk bit her lower lip a bit, nervous to make this request, though she wanted it dearly. "I bought a new toy a little while ago, and while it is fun by itself it did come with a harness. So, would you wear it for me and, well, do me?"

"Do what?" Amy asked groggily, her brain slowly processing the request. "You want me to wear your toy, you mean?"

"Yeah, hang on." Excited, Max retrieved her canine toy from her stash drawer. With a big grin she held it and the small harness out to Amy. "See, you slip this through the hole here and wear this."

"You want me to wear this?" Amy hesitantly took the toy, making a face as she handled it. "It's even a dog shaped one? Why do people like penises anyway?"

"Amy, please?" Max practically begged. While, she knew Amy was strictly homosexual, it wasn't like this was a real dick. Lesbians use toys all the time. "It's just latex, sweetie. Won't you please do this, for me?"

Amy sighed, slipping her legs through the straps. "Only cause it's you, Maxi. I can deal with a strapon I guess." Once it was on, the collie handled it awkwardly. "How do guys even deal with this all the time?"

"No idea." Max replied, not really caring. She was too busy fetching her lube from the drawer. "Now, let's get this big boy nice and slick, so we can get down to business. "Unable to stop smirking, she dribbled some of the lube on her hands before rubbing it over the length of the toy. "There we go, ready for action."

"Do we really need lube?" Amy asked, feeling a bit uneasy as she rubbed some of the lube between her fingers. "Smells funny. You usually seem wet enough for anything."

"Oh trust me babe, we need the lube." She turned around, presenting her rear to the collie. Max then teasingly slapped her ass, easily slipping a finger into her eager tailhole. "This hole doesn't make it's own, I'm afraid."

Amy watching, entranced for a moment, before her eyes went wide in shock. "You want me to stick this up your butt?"

"Oh yeah, baby." Max moaned seductively, sticking another finger in to stretch and lube her pucker. "I just love taking it deep right here, and I want you to give it to me so bad." She pulled her fingers out a bit, spreading her ass invitingly. "Come on babe, don't make me beg for it."

"But, it's your butt!" Amy countered, though she was unable to look away. "I mean, that's where... you really want me to put this in there? Won't that hurt?"

"Never did before." Max sighed, not liking all the delays. "This is how I like it. I'm just into anal I guess. Is it really that big of a deal?"

"Well, I guess not." Resigning herself, Amy moved in, pressing the tip of the toy against Max's eager hole. "As long as it's not my butt. You're gonna have to help me with this, though. I've never really thought about doing it like this."

"Sure." Max rolled her eyes, quickly losing the mood to frustration at this point. "Just slowly push it in, and I'll help guide you. Only go up to the knot though. I don't think I can take anything that thick."

"Why would you want to?" Amy cringed at the very thought. Trying to keep her focus, she slowly pushed the toy in deeper, watching it sink inch by inch into the skunk's tailhole. "This is so weird." She muttered as she finally got it all the way in.

"That feels so good." Max moaned, her body shivering at feeling so full. The skunk rocked her hips eagerly, gazing over her shoulder with desire in her eyes. "Start out slow baby, then give me all you've got."

Despite the encouragement, Amy didn't do anything at first, holding on to Max's hips as she tried to get into the mindset for such a thing. It wasn't something she had ever imagined herself doing, though she had never imagined getting this far this quick either. 'Well, here we go I guess.' Slowly she began moving her hips forward and back in an attempt to make love to her partner.

"Oh, that's it baby." Max tried to motivate her, rocking her body back and forth in time with Amy's moves. The slow, hesitant pace was almost excruciating, teasing her while falling just short of real pleasure. "Give it to me, Amy, Fuck my ass hard. I can take it."

The collie whimpered quietly, still hesitating as she humped the skunk's ass. "But, what if I tear something? I don't want to hurt you with this thing."

"You won't." Max sighed, burying her face in her pillow to mask her annoyance. "I've taken this toy before, Amy, and I know I can take it. Just don't overthink it, and give in to the feel of it all."

"But I can't feel anything with this thing." Amy argued, feeling a bit frustrated herself. "I mean, I know this is more about getting you off, but I have no idea if I'm even doing this right. It just feels weird to me."

Max sighed again, though she knew the collie had a point. She was determined to make this work, though, especially with that thick bone still pleasantly buried in her backside. "Maybe I should be on top then. I can control the pace, and you get a show. Sound good?"

"Yeah, I guess." Amy wasn't as enthusiastic, but it did sound better to her than doing it this way. She backed out with a wet pop, and did her best to sit back on the bed without touching the toy. "So, you just want me to sit here and watch? This might actually work better."

"Oh I know it will." Max smirked, crawling into her lover's lap. "Now, let's put this back where it belongs." Grinning, and glad to finally get what she wanted, Max took hold of the fake dick and lowered herself onto it with ease. Resting her hands on Amy's shoulders, she gave the girl a wink before getting to it, riding the toy with expertise. "You know, I think I like this better, too."

"I know I do." Amy licked her lips as she watched the skunk's breasts bounce in her face, not really caring about what was happening below. Entranced, she grabbed those massive mounds, squeezing them firmly before latching her lips around a stiff nipple.

Max moaned softly, glad Amy finally seemed to be getting into things. She wrapped her arms around the collie, finding her own speed as she rode the thick toy. "Oh yeah, this is more like it."

The room was soon filled with sensual moans and whimpers as Max took control, bouncing hard in Amy's lap as the young girl buried her face in the skunk's breasts. Amy could mostly forget about her worries or concerns with those fantastic boobs to distract her. And the sensation only enticed Max further. It didn't take her long to feel that tightness grip her body. She slammed down hard on that knot, crying out as she held on to Amy with all her might. Suddenly she arched back, letting out a cry of pure bliss as she came, a stream of juices squirting all over the unsuspecting collie.

"Hey!" Amy called out over the sudden, though not unwelcome shower. Max was still going however, riding her bliss out to the end and oblivious to the mess she was making. Her body twitched as she finally fell back off the dildo with one last squirt at her lover. Amazed, Amy ran her fingers through her wet fur, examining the skunk's sweet juices. "I wish I could do that. Hey Maxi, can I take this thing off now?"

Not quite able to speak yet, Max just gave a half hearted thumbs up, which was all Amy needed to slip the harness off and place the toy aside. "Guess that needs to be washed now, huh? I think I need a towel, too."

It took a minute for Max to return to her senses enough to get up, at which point the two moved downstairs to clean up. Amy tried to be quick, glancing through the apartment more than once as she tried to dry off the skunk's essence. Max found her nervousness amusing and somewhat endearing. "Don't worry, honey. Aiden won't be home for hours, so it's safe to be naked."

"I know." Amy whimpered, trying to keep herself covered with the hand towel. "I'm just not as comfortable being naked as you are."

"Hang arounds with me long enough and you'll get used to it." Max smirked as she cleaned off her toy in the sink. "Stick with me and I'll help you get comfortable with all this and more."

"Well, I won't have a lot of free time when school starts." Amy glanced away, embarrassed to watch Max lather and stroke the fake dick. "Gonna spend a lot of time studying and doing school work and all that."

"Oh it's not gonna be that bad." Max rolled her eyes. Content with the cleaning she lead the way back to her room, where Amy was quick to get dressed. "What school are you going to, anyway? I don't think you ever told me."

Amy didn't answer right away, keeping her back to the skunk as she acted distracted by her shirt. "Well, it's just a state school. Nothing too crazy or exciting." The collie took a sudden deep breath, bracing her nerves for the news she still didn't want to give, but knew she had to. "I actually got accepted to my first pick school; the University of Binghamton. They have a pretty good nursing school there, which will be a great start for me."

"Nursing, huh? That sounds fun." Max smiled at first, rather impressed. "Binghamton? I haven't heard of that one before. Is it far from here?"

"Kinda, it's in Binghamton." She fidgeted nervously, lowering her voice as the guilt crept in. "Binghamton, New York that is."

Max paused in the middle of buttoning her pants, glancing up in disbelief. "Wait, like New York state? That's hours away! We'd be lucky if we could see each other once a week."

"I know," Amy admitted meekly, "but it's such a nice school, and it's the one I really wanted to go to. And I'm okay with trying the distance thing if you want to."

Max was already up, half dressed, as she tried to sort this out. "Wait a minute, back it up here. How long have you known about this? This isn't something that just happens overnight." She looked hard at the collie, seeing the guilt in her eyes. "How long have you known that you're moving to New York?"

"Since... since May." Amy looked away, not able to keep eye contact. "I got my acceptance letter and finalized everything in May."

"May? That's before we even met. You knew all this time? Why didn't you say something right from the start?"

"Because I didn't know we'd get this far." Amy responded a bit more defensively than she meant to. "I never even imagined I'd get past a first date. I know I should have told you sooner, but I was afraid you'd get mad or something."

"Well I'm certainly not happy." Max admitted, crossing her arms over her bare chest. "So you knew this the entire time and didn't say anything, even when things started getting serious? Any other important secrets you need to share?"

"No... not from you anyway." Amy muttered, fidgeting and clearly uncomfortable. "I still haven't told my parents I'm gay yet. And I've certainly not told them about you. I don't even know ho to being to explain that."

"What's to explain?" Max raised an eyebrow, not sure if she should feel insulted. "Telling them you're gay might be tough, but you could at least just say I'm a new friend. What do your parents think you've been doing all this time?"

"I just tell them I'm staying with a friend. I'd like to introduce you to them as my girlfriend, but I don't know how to tell them I'm gay, much less that I'm dating a stripper."

"Why should that matter?" Max asked, feeling a bit defensive herself now. "Why do they need to know that? Just tell them I'm a waitress, or a dancer. Or hell, tell them the truth!" She narrowed her eyes at the collie. "Unless you're ashamed."

"N-no!" Amy quickly stammered. "But, you don't know my parents! They'll double freak out if I tell them I'm gay and dating a stripper. They'll kill me!"

While Max couldn't argue the point, she didn't like it either. She made no secret of it, letting out a huff of discontent. "So, other than all that, nothing else you'd like to share?"

"No." Amy shot back, starting to feel untrusted. "Besides, it's not like I'm the only one keeping secrets."

"What?" Max raised an angry eyebrow. "I'm not keeping anything from you that you need to know about."

"Yes you are!" Amy suddenly snapped, wanting to at least divert some blame away from herself. "I know you've been having nightmares, and that something's bothering you. Yet every time I ask you insist it's nothing. You tell your friends this stuff, but not your girlfriend?"

"That... That's none of your business!" Max suddenly shot back, her hands clenching in tight fists. "Those issues are personal, and I only share them with my most trusted friends. We've only known each other for a month. Besides, this doesn't affect us, not like suddenly moving to another state."

"How do you know it doesn't?" Amy countered back, mirroring the skunk's anger. "You share these things with others, you have nightmares right next to me then act like everything's fine, you even call out other people's names in your sleep." She narrowed her own eyes back at Max. "Who's Danny anyway, and why are you dreaming about him?"

Max's eyes widened a bit at the mention of that name. She had no idea she had even called out his name in her sleep, and she felt a bit embarrassed about it. " Look, he was my brother, okay? He passed away years ago, and that's all you need to know. So please, I don't want to talk about it."

"But," Amy wanted to ask more, since there was clearly more to tell, but the look in Max's eyes told her that the conversation was over. "Fine. I won't ask anymore. Just, no more secret okay? I promise to be more open, too."

"I... can't promise that." Max admitted, falling back onto the bed. "There are things I just don't want to talk about, honey, and I need to keep it that way, for my own sanity."

"Fine." Amy gave in, defeated. "And about the New York thing; I'd like to try staying together if you want to."

Max simply shrugged in response, honestly not sure how she felt about the idea. "I need to think about it." Was the only answer she'd give, feeling a bit emotionally drained at this point.

An awkward silence filled the room, lasting until Amy decided it was best for her to just go home. It left Max feeling alone and a bit used. When Aiden got home, he found the skunk lazing on the couch, topless, and blankly watching television.

"Hey Max," Aiden tried to approach casually, though he was trying not to look directly at her, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes. No... I don't know." Max sighed, resting her head in her hand. "Amy and I had a fight or whatever, and I just... I kinda just wanna veg out I guess."

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. Is that why you're, uh, not wearing a shirt?"

"What? Oh fuck." Max slapped her forehead as she finally realised she was still topless. "Sorry, I was getting dressed when we started arguing and I just, I guess I forgot. I just haven't felt like getting up."

"That's alright." Aiden shrugged, offering her a smile. "Say, how about I make something really good for dinner? Anything you like."

"Thanks, but could we just get a pizza or something?" She returned the smile. "I just want to take it easy and keep things simple. My treat."

"Sure. Actually, I know a really good place that delivers here. I'll give them a call while you, well, cover up." He chuckled, already dialing the number. "What do you want on it?"

"Just veggies, please." She smiled a bit wider, feeling better at Aiden's kindness, though she had to chuckle as he rolled his eyes at her choice of toppings. "There's too much fatty grease in the meat toppings, Aiden. Veggies are better for you anyway."

She was going to retrieve her shirt, but as she approached the stairs, Max noticed a basket of the fox's laundry still sitting on the nearby washing machine. She hesitated for just a moment before giving in to impulse and grabbing one of his shirts from the top. She slipped it over her head, and the faint smell of the man filled her nose and warmed her senses. It was softer than she expected too, leaving her sighing contently as she hugged herself in his shirt.

"Alright, it should be here in about twenty." Aiden said as he finished the call and interrupted Max's thoughts. "Hey, isn't that my shirt from yesterday?"

"Um, yeah." Max admitted, blushing a bit as she snuggled the shirt. "But it was just sitting right here, and I'm feeling lazy. It's okay, right?"

"Yeah, I suppose." Aiden shrugged it off, not really caring. "Just put it back later so I can wash it."

"Thanks Aiden." Max smiled, sneaking another sniff when his back was turned. She was glad then that they lived together. No one had been able to calm her down and help her feel at ease like Aiden could in a long time. With so much uncertainty in her life right now, it was nice to have some safe stability at home.

---

"Oh Marcus, this is so romantic." Terra smiled softly as they waited to get into a small yet cozy restaurant. She purred softly, clinging to his arm as they went inside. "Why did you pick this place anyway? I mean, I love it, but we haven't been here in years."

"Well, I think we were passed due for a return." Marcus explained with a smile, helping Terra into her seat. "This is where we had our first date, remember? We went to see that movie, came here for a lovely dinner, then finished the night with a moonlit walk on the shore. Not bad for a first date, eh?"

"Oh I remember that night well." Terra chuckled. "You took me to see an action movie, you kept staring at my breasts all through dinner, and then you tried to convince me to sleep with you right there on the docks." She rolled her eyes, though she couldn't stop smiling. "Not exactly a romantic first date, but fun nonetheless."

"Maybe, but at least I gave you an accurate idea of what you were getting into." Marcus winked. "I figured, best to scare her off on the first date than get into it and scare her off later."

"That makes sense, which is actually a little frightening." Terra mused, though she smiled warmly at the man. "Good thing I found your antics amusing, or else I would have missed out on a lot of fun, and I would have missed out on a really great guy."

"Hey, I'm the lucky one here." Marcus countered with a smirk. "I ended up with a smart, funny and beautiful woman after that night. Plus, most guys would kill to be dating a model."

"Well, maybe we're both fortunate then. I admit, if you had asked me then, I never would have believed we'd still be together all these years later." Her smiled faded a bit as she glanced down at the menu. "Certainly never thought I'd be just dating the same guy for so many years."

"Heh, yeah, it's been a long, fun time." Marcus cleared his throat nervously. He knew what Terra was getting at; she had started dropping hints a few years ago, but subtlety had been replaced with impatience, which had only made things even harder for him. Marcus cleared his throat again, trying to act calm. "You know, this is the same table we ate at on our first date."

"Is it?" Terra looked up, taking in the view to see how familiar it was. "Huh, it does seem to be the same table. What are the odds?"

They shared a laugh, but Marcus knew exactly what the odds were. Chances are usually pretty good when you request the table in advance. Marcus had been planning this night out for weeks now, with Aiden's and Jacob's help. He had set up every detail, right down to the restaurant's music selection. Despite all the planning though, now that it was really happening, Marcus found he was more nervous than he had ever been in his entire life. The last thing he needed was to let his nerves get the better of him now.

"Happy anniversary, baby." He smiled warmly, placing a hand on hers. "The years with you have been some of the best in my life."

Terra smiled back at him, taking his hand. "Happy anniversary. We have had a lot of fun over the years, haven't we?"

The felines locked eyes, smiling happily as they held hands and enjoyed each other's company, completely forgetting about all those around them. It wasn't until the waiter came to take their orders that they broke the gaze.

The dinner was going as well as Marcus had hoped and planned, which helped keep his nerves on ease. He needed this night to be memorable, and for Terra to be in a good mood, so the feline was relying on his natural charms to get through this smoothly.

"I still remember the first time I met your family." Marcus reminisced as they finished their entrees. "I was so nervous. I really had no idea what to expect."

"You were so worried about what Daddy would think of you." Terra chuckled before sipping her wine. "Of course, you had nothing to worry about with him. It was my sisters who really gave you a hard time."

"Oh god, yeah. Fiona would not let up with the questions: where I live, what do I do, how much do I make, what kind of car do I drive. She was asking me everything I was expected your dad to ask me."

"She was just busting your balls." Terra mused. "She was just trying to make sure her little sister wasn't getting into any trouble. Plus, she always gave me a hard time about my boyfriends."

"Yeah, but she was nothing compared to Ariel." Marcus started out laughing, but quickly hushed his tone. "You know, I think she was hitting on my that night. She even tried to feel me up under the dinner table."

"Yeah, I know." Terra sighed, rolling her eyes. "She gets that way sometimes. I wouldn't be surprised if she had been drunk, or high. Possibly both. You handled it well, though."

"Well, I thought it would be in bad taste to get a handjob from my girlfriend's little sister." Marcus said with a smirk. He glanced up as the waiter collected their plates, tapping a finger to his temple. The waiter gave a subtle nod in response before walking off, assuring Marcus that his plan was right on track.

His smiled widened as he gazed at his beloved. Terra was casually sipping her wine as she glanced over the dessert menu. Marcus knew she wasn't likely to order anything, always concerned about her weight and figure, but he wanted her to take her time. Just a little bit longer.

Just as planned, the song changed on the restaurant's music system, this one playing just a little bit louder than the others. Terra paused, smiling softly as she recognized it. "Oh, I love this song. It's so beautiful." She began humming along as she returned to the menu.

"I know." Marcus smirked, purring softly as he listened to her hum "Terra, you know I love you, and, I just want to say that you truly are the best thing to happen to me. I would be nothing without you."

"Aw, I love you too, sweetie." Terra smiled back warmly, placing the menu aside. "Hm, maybe we should skip dessert and go home. Then I can show you just how much I love you."

A playful smirk crossed her face, and Marcus jumped when he felt a paw moving up his leg. This wasn't good. Well, it was good, actually. Terra was in the perfect mood now. But she was rushing things, and Marcus needed to keep her here for just a bit longer. "That sounds great, but I already pre-ordered a dessert. Something special just for you."

"You did? Well, then I guess I'll just have to tease you until later, then." That paw soon found it's way between Marcus's thighs as Terra watched with an amused grin.

'Fuck.' He needed to do this and fast, before his dick got the better of his sensibilities. "Actually, there's something I want to say. Terra, we've been together for years now, and I feel like I've finally found someone who's a perfect match for me; who completes me. I truly believe that you must be my soulmate, and if you'll have me, I would like to spend every day of the rest of my life with you."

"Marcus, what are you...?" Suddenly the waiter appeared beside her, having been waiting for his cue, and placed a small plate before the siamese. Terra looked down, expecting to see a cake or pastry, but what she found instead was a small gold ring affixed with an emerald. "Marcus... is this?"

"Yes." Marcus moved to kneel beside her, unable to stop smiling despite his nerves. "Will you marry me, Terra?"

She didn't answer at first, disbelief mixing with the tears in her eyes. "For real? This is real?" When he nodded yes, she screamed with joy, wrapping her arms around him "Yes! Oh yes Marcus of course I will!"

They embraced as the tears fell, oblivious to all those around them. For the time being, the only people who existed in the world to them were each other.

"So, did he pop the question yet?" Aiden asked Jacob as he stared off into the night's sky. "I don't want to stand out here forever."

The two were just a few blocks away from the restaurant, standing on a footbridge that gave them a good view of events. Jacob held the binoculars up, watching as Marcus slipped the ring onto Terra's finger, the woman unable to stop smiling. "Yep. Looks like we've got a wedding to plan."

"Good." Aiden smirked. "And about time, too. Terra's only been bugging him to propose for like a year now. C'mon, let's go. Spying on them like this is creepy."

Jacob nodded and the two started back to their cars. "Say Aiden, do you think you'll ever get married?"

"Well, someday I hope, but not anytime soon." Aiden shrugged, not seeming to care at the moment. "Maybe if I ever find the right person."

"So, Cheryl isn't the right one?" Jacob knew he sounded more hopeful than he should, but didn't think it mattered anymore. "She not your type afterall?"

Aiden just shrugged again, not sure of the answer nor wanting to talk about it. "What about you, Jacon? Think you'll ever get married?"

"I dunno. Gay marriage is such a big issue right now. I'd be worried about others making a big deal out of it and ruining what's supposed to be a special day."

"Eh, I doubt that would happen here, especially since it's not illegal." Aiden glanced over at the raccoon with a smile. "You ever find the right guy, I say go for it."

Jacob just blinked and glanced away. He had never thought as far ahead as marriage before, and had no intention to start now. Especially when he still couldn't have the one guy he wanted. Maybe if that were to change, though.

"Well, goodnight Jacob." Aiden called as he unlocked his car. "I guess next time we get to plan a bachelor party."

"Yeah. Hey, you wanna go get something to eat?" Jacob tried his best to sound casual. "Watching those two love birds made me kinda hungry."

"Maybe next time. I really should get back home."

"Back to Cheryl, you mean?" Jacob could barely bite back the venom.

"No," Aiden admitted with a sigh. " But, Max had a fight with her girlfriend a couple days ago, and she's been in a bit of a dark place ever since. I just... I don't want to leave her alone for too long, y'know?"

"You worried she might do something serious?" Jacob asked, his dismay replaced with concern.

"I don't know. I just would rather be safe than sorry. I'll talk to you later. Goodnight, Jacob."

"Yeah, goodnight." Jacob watched Aiden drive off with a bit of longing, but he knew the reasons were good. Part of the reason he liked Aiden as much as he did was because of how much the fox cared about others.

---

"I still can't believe she did that to you." Cheryl said as she and Max caught up during one mid-August afternoon. The skunk had just spilled the events of the other day to her friend, who was a bit surprised that their relationship had taken such a turn. "She seemed so meek and innocent. I never would have thought Amy would be the lying type."

"The idiot type is more like it." Max fumed, arms folded across her chest. "All this time she knew she was moving to New York, yet she said nothing, just strung me along for her little fling. God, I feel so used."

"Are you sure she really meant to use you?" Cheryl asked as she helped herself to a drink from the fridge. "I mean, she must have given a reason for not telling you."

"She said she was afraid to, and that she never thought we'd get as far as we did." Max rolled her eyes, clearly not buying it. "Sounded like a bunch of bullshit to me. Of course when I call her on it, she tried to turn things around on me."

"What? No way."

"Oh yeah." Max stood, pacing in front of the couch as she vented. "She started accusing me of keeping secrets, and starting asking about my nightmares, and about Danny. It's like, if I wanted to tell you about that stuff, I would have."

"So, you are keeping secrets from her?" Cheryl didn't want to agree with Amy over Max, but sometimes the hard truth was the only way to counter overly emotional logic.

"Well, technically yes," Max admitted, "but that stuff's personal, and has nothing to do with our relationship. It's not like I'm planning on leaving without telling anyone." She collapsed back onto the couch, her expression softening. "You don't just abandon the people you care about."

Cheryl sat down next to Max, placing a comforting hand on her friend's thigh. There was probably another issue going on here, she knew, one that went deeper than just being lied to. But the Torgi knew better than to walk down that road. Better to just keep the skunk calm. "So, what are you gonna do? Are you gonna break up with her or try the distance thing? I mean, New York's far, but it's not that far."

"I don't know." Max admitted, softly tugging at her hair. "I do like Amy, but I don't know if I can deal with that much time apart."

Cheryl nodded but said nothing, after all she couldn't argue with Max's feelings. Maybe if the two had been together longer, or if there seemed to be a really deep connection it might be worth sticking it out. But that wasn't the case with these two.

When Max's phone suddenly went off, they both half expected it to be Amy. But a surprised smile crossed the skunk's face when she saw it was actually Terra calling. She promptly answered, flipping on the speakerphone. "Hey girl, haven't heard from you in a while. How're things?"

"You'll never guess what happened to me last night." Terra's excitement was evident, but Max could only quietly shrug at Cheryl. The hybrid just stared back blankly, having only heard Terra's name in passing before. It didn't matter though, as Terra had no patience to wait for them to guess. "Marcus proposed!"

"He did? Oh congratulations Terra!" Max beamed a smile, momentarily forgetting about her own plight. "That's wicked awesome! I'm so happy for you."

"Thanks honey. It's about time he did it, too. If he had made me wait any longer I was about to propose to him." They shared a brief laugh, which helped to lift Max's spirits a bit more.

"So, Max, I'm throwing a party to celebrate at my parent's beach house this weekend, and you have to come. We'll have drinks, there'll be a big bonfire, and we'll make a weekend out of it. Please say you'll come."

"Well, I dunno if I can." Max hated to bring her friend down, but her work schedule usually got in the way of such things. "You know I work on the weekends."

"Oh please Max? It would really mean alot to me. Can't you at least get Saturday off?"

"Well, I guess I can see about getting someone to cover for me."

"Oh I will love you forever if you do." Terra practically squealed, clearly unable to contain her excitement. "I promise you won't regret it."

"I suppose Aiden will be going too, and Jacob." Cheryl muttered, not sure if she liked that idea.

"What? Max, did you put me on speakerphone? Oh my god why didn't you tell me? If I had known you had company..."

"Terra, it's alright," Max chuckled. "This is Cheryl, my best friend. You don't have to freak out because of her."

"Cheryl? Oh, Aiden's girlfriend, right? Well, you're invited too, honey. I wanna see you and Aiden there together, alright?"

"Oh, I'll be there." Of course she was going. No way was she going to let Jacob get Aiden alone on some beach at night. Especially if there was going to be alcohol.

"Great! Well, I've got to go prepare and call a few more people. See you both Saturday!" Terra hung up with just as much enthusiasm as she called with.

"Well, at least that will be fun." Max smiled softly as she put her phone away. "I haven't been to a beach in a while. Oh, we should go shopping for bathing suits."

"Yeah, it's gonna be so much fun." Cheryl muttered sarcastically, not really as enthused. "I'll get to spend the night making sure Jacob keeps his hands off my Aiden, and who knows who else."

"It can't be that bad." Max rolled her eyes with a chuckle. "Sure, other people are gonna flirt with Aiden, but he's trustworthy, and way too loyal to cheat."

"I know, but I don't want all those people making moves on him. And he doesn't do anything to stop it either. He just lets them flirt and touch and never says 'Oh sorry, I have a girlfriend'. He can be so oblivious I swear."

"Oh he's just a big goof, Cheryl." Max smirked dismissively, getting up as a soft knocking came from the door. "Are you sure you're not just being overly possessive again? You can get pretty bad sometimes. You should relax and stop worrying so much."

Max's smile vanished when she opened the door, somewhat surprised to find Amy in the hallway, looking particularly nervous and pathetic. "Amy? what are you doing here?"

"Um, can we talk Maxi? I think it's kinda important, maybe."

"Yeah, come on in." The skunks mood was starting to tank again, almost afraid of what Amy might want to talk about. "So, what's on your mind?"

Amy didn't answer right away, glancing over at Cheryl. "I'm sorry but, could we maybe talk in private?"

Max pondered for a moment, twirling her hair around her fingers. "Yeah, I guess so. Cheryl, would you mind?"

"But..." Cheryl started to object, but changed her mind when she saw the look in Max's eyes. "Alright, I'll leave you two alone. If you need me, I'll be on your computer, watching porn."

As Cheryl made her way upstairs, Max and Amy sat on the couch. Silence filled the room as the two fidgeted nervously, each waiting for the other to speak first. It was Amy who finally broke the silence. "So I... I came out to my parents."

"Oh?" Max was admittedly surprised. "How'd it go? Well I hope."

"Well, it didn't go as badly as I thought it would." Amy admitted with a light hearted shrug. "We ended up talking about it for hours. They weren't completely receptive at first, but after some yelling, and some crying, and a lot of hugging, I think they finally accepted it. It's just gonna take some time to really settle in though."

"Sounds like things worked out pretty well." Max offered a small smile. "That took a lot of courage Amy. You should be proud."

"I don't know about proud, but I definitely feel relieved, like a huge weight is lifted off my chest. I'm still worried about them getting used to it, but I guess I can't be scared of that."

She paused to take a deep breath, glancing over at Max. "I have you to thank for this courage, Maxi. I don't know why, but being around you seems to have given me a bit more confidence. Because of that, I'm really sorry about... about lying to you. I should have told you I was moving to New York sooner. I was just... I dunno. I'm sorry."

Max just stared straight ahead, tugging on her hair as she took it all in. Eventually she blew out a sigh, turning her gaze to the collie. "I forgive you, I guess. It's not like we can do anything about it now anyway."

Amy nodded, glad that Max at least accepted her apology. "So then, like I said the other day, I'm willing to try at a distance relationship, if you want. I mean, we can talk everyday on webcams, and see each other probably most weekends. It wouldn't be so bad, right?"

Max got up, making her way to the patio door. She stared out at the view of the city, her hair wrapped tightly around her finger. "I don't know, Amy." Max said after a moment of thought. "I don't know if I can do a distance relationship. I'm a very physically needy person, I admit that. I need to hug and cuddle, and not be alone." She turned to look at Amy, a bit of sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry, but I don't know if I can do without that."

"But, we could try." Amy stood, a bit of desperation in her voice. "I mean, couldn't we at least give it a shot first?"

"Would you introduce me to your parents?" Max asked, suddenly very serious. "Would you introduce me to your friends, openly, even the part about me being a stripper? Or would you be too embarrassed?"

"I..." Amy started to answer, but hesitated as she thought about how that might go over; telling her parents that she was dating as stripper. They'd probably be furious, and she knew it.

Max knew it, too, as the girl's silence spoke volumes. "I'm sorry Amy, but I don't think it's going to work out." She turned to look back outside, hoping Amy wasn't going to make this harder than it already was.

Amy didn't say anything. She just padded her way across the room to wrap her arms around the skunk from behind. "Well, thanks for everything anyway Maxi. I loved the time we spent together. I'll never forget it."

"Neither will I." Max admitted, turing to return the hug. "Take that courage you have, and find yourself someone great at college, okay?"

"I will Maxi. I hope you find someone really good, too. Someone who can stay by your side every night."

Not another word was said as they hugged, and as Amy left she did her best to smile and hold back her tears. Max was finding it a bit easier to take, though she did have to wipe a tear away after the girl was out of sight.

When Max went into her room to get Cheryl, she found the girl at her laptop, watching porn as promised. "Really Cheryl? You better not have downloaded anything weird onto my computer again."

"Nah, just some pics of well endowed horses." Cheryl teased. "So, how'd it go?"

"It's over." Max said as she fell onto her bed. "We've said our goodbyes, and now I just want to move on."

"That kinda sucks." Cheryl sat next to her friend, giving the skunk a hug. "Too bad, I kinda liked that one."

"Me too." Max admitted. "But, I need to be with someone who can accept the whole package. Someone who'll stay by my side everyday, no matter what."

Cheryl smiled, giving her friend a squeeze. "I think you'll be alright, Maxi." She offered a smirk, already working to cheer her up. "Come on, let's watch some porn together and forget this ever happened."

Max chuckled, ruffling Cheryl's hair. "Fine, but I pick what we watch. You have some weird fetishes." They spent the rest of the afternoon critiquing bad porn, while doing their best to keep their spirits up.