About a Boy
AN~
Me: I have just fallen in love with Max Steel (And by 'In love', is it weird that I find his appearance attractive?) Anyways, I like the whole plot, but I wish the episodes could be a bit longer, but eh, its a fine show. I personally love it, due to the fact that it does not sound too cliche like most series.
But I love Max's back story and during my time watching Max Steel series, I found many things that lead me to write this. As the further the story goes, it will not exactly follow the series there are some tweeks (I will only tell you) which are:
. Jim didn't "Die" till he was six.
I want it much longer. Hehe. Just sit and enjoy okay.
Max: Umm, are you forgetting something?
Me: ... Oh! Thank ya cutie pie!... Also, make sure you guys review and leave your thoughts, comments, love, admiration, and other sappy things that make me feel better!
Steel: yeah. Like THAT will ever happen.
Me: well if I am going to continue this story, I need support.
Steel: wouldn't that be forcing?
Me: *gasp* No!... It is not 'forcing'. Call it... 'motivation'... Now, Read and review please!
:::Disclaimer:::
When I was only a baby, Mom said that every time she and my dad looked down at me, they saw something special. She said that dad would spend hours upon hours holding me close and when she would try to convince him to place me down in my crib, he would get sad and hold me closer; he did place me in my crib, but he would stay at my side. He would glance at the window repeatedly as if someone or something would break through and harm or take me... Then he died... And everything changed, starting with me taking dark goals to avenge my father's death.
I am Max McGrath.
(Sixteen Years ago)
Cries of a newborn flooded the silence of the hospital room, soon followed by a male doctor exclaimed happily as he held a bundle in his arms, "It's a beautiful baby boy, Mr. and Mrs. McGrath!" The doctor gently passed the child to the sweating, tired woman heaving heavily from labor against her pillow; the fairly handsome man next to her had to help the wailing infant into his wife's arms for she was to weak to sit up. As soon an the infant rested cradled into Molly McGrath's arms, partially held in Jim McGrath's supporting hands, the tiny wails seem to settle down into soft whimpers.
"Oh," Molly croaked with a hitch in her breath as she gazed down at her child. The newborn looked back up at her with astonishing vibrant blue eyes and made a small gurgle as he reached a tiny hand into the air, then rested it down to weakly grip upon the baby blue blanket. "He's... He's..." Molly could not seek the words to explain the tiny bundle in her arms and she choked with tears.
"Beautiful," Jim finished, nearly choking up himself.
Molly gazed at her husband and smiled brightly, before leaning towards him and pecking him on the lips. Giving her child anothed glance, she tiredly pushed the bundle more into Jim's arms. "Here," she whispered, "let him see you too."
Jim hesitantly took the baby boy in his arms and cradled him like the parent mentors taught him, and as he stared curiously at the infant, he almost immediately felt something surge inside him. He knitted his eyebrows together as the child seem to meditate in his arms, snuggling his tiny head to his chest and making a small coo. Not a second later, the baby fell fast asleep.
The doctor and nurses smiled softly at the sight; Jim and Molly had forgotten about their presence. "We will just leave you three to attain a moment together. We will be back with birth certificate." With that, they were left alone.
Jim gazed at the door for a moment to make sire that no one would come in, before returning his studying gaze to the baby boy... his baby boy. Jim felt pride sink into his chest and he rocked gently back in forward. "Molly-" he looked to his wife to see that she had passed into slumber. He could not blame her. She deserved it. "You did good, Love," he whispered, then looked back at his child.
Removing one arm from under the child, the other securely holding their son, he lifted his free hand hesitantly over the baby's face, inches above the tiny nose. Jim pursed his lips, rethinking for a moment, then closed his eyes. Seconds later, his hand began to glow a bright blue that quickly brightened to a brilliant white and with such caution, he rested it upon the sleeping infant's chest. There was a small humming noise but the child did not awaken, just twitched and did a small wiggle by the touch.
There, Jim could feel it and softly gasped. The infant's eyes slowly peeped open, revealing the same color of light in his eyes. Jim nearly dropped the baby, but dared not to even think of doing so. Instead, he dropped the hand from his son's chest and held the baby securely to his chest. He held the newborn there for a moment, before slowly pulling him away so he could observe the half lidded eyes that returned to their regular hazy blues.
Jim sat there in shock for a moment, before whispering, "You... That can't be good."
Suddenly, the room door opened, causing Jim to grow alerted in his seat. When a nurse stepped in, he regained posture and settled back in the chair as he watched her come towards them with a clip board and pen. Jim turned to his wife, seeing that she was still sleeping, not awaking soon. The nurse looked down at Jim with a sweet smile, 'Judy' her name tag read.
"Congratulations on the new member there, Mr. McGrath," she spoke cheerfully, "I suppose you are ready to fill the charts."
Jim forgot to smile, for he was still in shock from moments ago. The nurse noticed and her jolly face softened, "It's alright, this is every parent's big step. It's a wonderful thing a life, Mr. McGrath; that precious baby boy will make you and your wife the happiest."
Her encouraging words made no use to Jim, but he knocked himself out of his daze and followed along with her, starting with a shaky chuckle, 'Indeed. Indeed he will."
Judy smiled and held out the clipboard to Jim. "If you and your wife have already discussed about your child's name- seeing that she is resting know- then may you fill this out, please?"
Jim studied the paper. Birth Certificate.
He gazed down at his arms, seeing that his hands were sorta full. But his son was so small, he could easily hold him one arm. Judy saw different. "Here, I'll hold him for ya," she offered, holding her arms out.
Jim immediately flinched back in his seat, away from the woman's arms, holding his baby boy closer to his chest amd stared at Judy with narrowed, cautious eyes. Judy seemed a bit surprised by this and held held her hands forward in a surrendering gesture. "Easy there," she said as if she were speaking to a wild animal, "I just want to be sure he doesn't fall from your arms while you are signing this, Mr. McGrath... I will give him back. I promise."
Jim stared at her for a moment, glancing at the sleeping infant in his arms once worse twice. Then, after having an internal battle with himself, he sighed and slowly handled his child to the nurse; his fingers gave once last brush against the soft blue cotten covered bundle leaving his arms once more, immediately regretting his decision. Without his son in his arms, he felt... He felt...
Nothing could describe exactly what he felt. Hallow? Frightened? Overcautious? Dread?...
The nurse took the baby boy in her arms and handed the pen and clipboard to Jim. She held the baby boy who now tiredly whimpered at the loss of his father's touch, but was rocked back into slumber.
Jim never realized how quickly he file out all the information on the Birth Certificate, nor did he ever give a damn, he just wanted his kid back in his arms. He could not stop glancing up almost every second at the nurse and by the time he filled out the last thing, he thrust the clipboard up towards Judy.
Judy smiled amusingly and gave the cute baby a small adoring smile. She brought him towards his father, "there you go to your daddy, cutie," she crooned. Jim snatched the baby from her arms and retreated the bundle back to his chest. The baby boy seemed to give a silent praise as he wiggled close to the now familiar body. Jim felt sudden relief and hummed in delight.
"Maxwell McGrath? Hm, a wonderful handful of a name," Judy crooned.
Jim ignored her, but Judy had no problem with it. "Mhmm... Enjoy your little Max, Mr. McGrath." Soon, she left the room, making Jim finally more at peace alone with his family. The soft croon of the child made the father looked to see Maxwell looking up curiously at him. Jim smiled softly and poked the tiny nose, causing the tiniest of sneezes to erupt the infant. The man laughed softly. Then he thought of what Judy had referred his son by.
Little Max. Max... It could be used for abbreviation for Maxwell... I like that.
"Well, kiddo," he cooed sadly, "I never expected that you'd carry a specific gene from me..."
Max blinked at him with a gurgle.
Jim sighed and hugged his baby boy closer. "Oh well, it makes you special, I suppose. Either way, no matter how you would have came out to be, you would have been just as special..." He kissed atop his sons head and felt the soothing rub of tiny fingers against his cheek as the child cooed. Pulling away and holding Max in front of his face, Jim vowed, "I promise, I won't let anything or anyone, harm you or your mother. As long as I live nothing shall dare take you from my arms, my special child. But you must also promise me you'd be just as strong, Max."
What he got was just a tired yawn from the baby boy. Smiling, Jim once again cradled Max in his arms and kissed the soft head another time. "That's my baby boy."
(Six Years Later)
Jim walked up the stairs of the house, holding a stack of notebooks and writing utensils im his arms, wrapped with a red and blue ribbon. His eyes drooped a bit from the lack of sleep and his face could be in need of a shave, yet he still tried to look much alive and active when he stepped to a certain door. It had small distorted pictures of stars and planets taped to the dark surface and in the center of it all (barely) read, 'Maxie's room.'
Jim took a soothing breath before opening the door and walking inside, being revealed to a child set blue room. There on the small rug rested a clutter of toys along with crayons and drawn, scribbled over pictures. There was a bed at the far corner of the room and a desk by the diamond window. Above were a ceiling of glow in the dark blue stars with postures of action packed men from different cartoons (Mainly DC cartoons).
"Max?" Jim called, setting the papers down on the desk. When he got no response, something in his eyes flashed. His eyebrows bent a bit with discomfort as he looked around the empty room. "MaAx?... Maxwell, where are you at?... Son?"
No response still.
Jim felt his heart pace quicken and his chest heave a bit. Trying to remain composure, Jim calmly began to search the room, looking under the desk, bed, and closest, only to find nothing. Jim gasped and shot upwards with his tired face full of alert and a loss of color.
Oh no... Oh nononono... He's gotta be here! Maybe Molly has him? Yes, he could be with her in the kitchen.
"Max!" Jim rushed out the room and down the steps till he reached the kitchen. Molly was there, currently cooking dinner with a small relaxed smile on her beautiful face. When she sighted her husband, her face brightened even more and she quickly went up to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Hey sweety! Back so soon?" she chirped, giving him a small loving kiss.
"Yes, I suppose- where is Max?" Jim asked with his eyes darting everywhere. Seeing her husband's franticness, Molly placed a calming hand on his chest. "Ferrus is picking him up from tutoring, why, is everything okay, Jim?"
Jim relaxed a bit with a nervous smile. "Yes, of coarse. I just um, was only worried when I did not see him in his room."
Molly smiled sadly at her husband and was about to say something, when the sound of the front door opening followed by two voices- one deep and the other more child like, and before she knew it, Jim rushed out of the kitchen and into the living room.
John was met by the sight of a well built man holding the hand of a small boy with floppy brown hair and dazzling blue eyes. The small boy, the healthy energetic six year old Maxwell, brightened at the sight of his father and released his Uncle Ferrus' hand to run into Jim's arms. Jim crouched down to embrace his child, lifting the small body off the floor.
Relief overwhelmed the distressed father as he held his child safely in his arms.
"Daddy!" Max giggled, burying his face in Jim's shoulder.
"Hey, Kiddo! Gosh, is it me or you are getting much smaller every time you come home from school?" Jim teased, trying to keep the remaining strain of fear from his voice and replacing it with amusement. Max pulled his face away to look at his father with a toothy smile; his big baby blues sparkled with child joy and innocence. The child giggled and shook his head right and left, "No! Uncle Fewwus say I'm getting as big as you!" he retorted.
Jim chuckled and grinned at the man ahead of them. "Well, Ferrus can't even believe in his own height, so how does he know?"
Ferrus crossed his arms with a smirk of his own, "Keep talkin' Jim-bo, I can still take you on," he challenged.
"I'll like to see you try, Old Man," Jim shot back.
"Woah! Not in front of the kid, boys," Molly's amused voice spoke from beside Jim. Ferrus smiled at the woman. Max smiled brightly by the sight of his mother and stuck his arms out to her, "Mommy!'
Jim passed the bouncy child to Molly, who engulfed Max in her arms, planting kisses on the floppy mess of hair. " Hey, moonpie! How was school?" she asked. Max pulled out a paper with a messy cute picture of an odd shaped... Thing?
"I dwew did for you and Daddy!" Max exclaimed, pointing wavering it in her face. Molly chuckled and gently took the photo, studying it with kinder eyes. "Oh, it's beautiful, Maxie. I'll hang it on the fridge."
Jim, who had been talking with Ferrus, narrowed his eyes. "Are you sure?" Jim asked. Ferrus shrugged. "I donno. Dredd said soon in perhaps three days, all of our work should be completed."
Jim nodded with a tired sigh, "Yes. We have to hope, Turbo energy is very dangerous. But if I can figure a way to process the ultra link, then many of the problems in the future shall be settled and cared for."
"I suppose you are correct. Hey, about Maxie boy... Has he, you know... Boom?"
Not answering Ferrus' question, Jim turned to the small child who had been placed down and ruffled his hair. "Hey, son, I brought you a new set of journals with some pretty new information about the stars and planets. Mind if you can go continue your exploration?" Jim suggested mischiefly with a sparkle in his eyes.
Max smiled widely. "Really?!" he squealed. Jim nodded with a shrug, "Aw come on, I can get anything for my own bright star," he said. Max jumped on his tip toes and wrapped his little arms around his father's neck, giving him a peck on his cheek. "Thank you, Daddy!" he giggled before crawling up the fairly big steps of the stairs. Once they heard the child's room door shut, Jim looked at his wife.
"Darling, do you mind if I have a private chat with Ferrus?" he asked.
Molly smiled and nodded, heading back to the kitchen.
Jim turned back to Ferrus with a more serious gaze, "No," Jim answered the question Ferrus had asked, "Max has not shown any of the... booming so far, and I pray he never does."
"Jim, we can always hope he never does. I know the kid would never wish to go through that. Does he even know?"
Jim lowered his gaze, "No he does not know, and it is best he never does until the time comes, which- like i said- would hopefully never come."
"You have to tell at least Molly-"
"No, Ferrus."
Jim glared at the other man, "Molly should never know. She will flip if she discovers such."
Ferrus frowned, "Well she should know. You tell each other everything, and if it especially has to do with Max, she has the right to know."
"If keeping a few secrets keeps my family together then NO. I will not argue with you, Ferrus. Soon in a matter of days we will be able to harvest Turbo energy, thus keeping everyone and Max safe. Until then, what Molly doesn't know won't hurt her."
Ferrus stared at the man in front of him, then sighed, rubbing his face for he knew there was no use to argue. Finally, he turned his heel and strolled towards the front door. "Fine. Secrets are safe. For now, an I don't mean I will say a damn thing, no, it will speak for itself, and you know it. Tell Max I said goodnight."
With that, Ferrus left. Jim sighed and sank on the couch for a moment, regaining a bit of meditation. He sat there for five minutes, before he stood to his feet and walked upstairs to Max's room. "Max?"
There was a small scuffle from the other side, then a twist of the door knob as the door pulled open. Max stood, already dressed in his PJs that had small pictures of cars imprinted on the fabric. "Daddy?" Max replied.
Jim smiled softly and lifted his child in his arms, walking all the way inside the room. On the boy's bed laid a clutter of the gifts, notebooks and all, on the wrinkled bedspread of Buzz Light-Year. Jim walked to the bed and settled on the mattress with his boy in his lap, and the man studied down at the open notebook. He was proud to see that his home planet's name, Tachyon, was spelled upon the heading.
His fingers brushed against the name and gazed affectionately down at the boy who took so much of his appearance. "Whatch'ya studying now, son?" he asked. Max purses his lips, looking down at his page and smiled. "Pwanet Tachy!" he replied with a chirp. Jim laughed at the name his son pronounced it.
"Planet Tachy, eh? Don't you mean Planet Tachyion?"
Max knitted his eyebrows together and tilted his head in an adorable way, "Pwanet Tachy... Tachyawn?" he tried pronouncing. Jim smirked and ruffled the tyke's hair. "You'll get it soon enough, Baby boy."
Max nodded and grabbed his notebook and a pencil, holding it to his father. "Daddy, does Planet Tachyawn weally exist?"
"Of coarse it does! Do you think I would ever tell you such a lie?" Jim gasped, giving Max's tummy a small tickle of his fingers. "N-No!" Max squealed. Jim smirked and took the pencil and notebook from the tiny hands. "You want me to draw it for you?"
Max's face enlightened and he nodded. Within a total amount of eight minutes, Jim had the whole planet sketched out in a spot on the paper and handed it to the child. "Wow! Is dat how it weally is, Daddy?"
"I believe so... Whatever is left of it."
"What do you mean?"
Jim smiled and pecked his son's head. "Maybe next time, Baby boy," he whispered, standing up. Max pouted, "Aw! But whyyy?! Can I just hewe a wittle peak?"
Jim smirked. "A little peek? Now I don't believe that would be fair on a Tuesday, Max."
"But-"
"No buts. Now, did you take a bath and brush your teeth?"
Max frowned sadly and shook his head. "No." Jim lifted his child in his arms. "Tell you what. If you can take a bath and brush your teeth in a matter of ten minutes, I will tell you everything you need to know about Tachyon, Friday." Max's eyes enlightened at the challenge. "Weally?!" he squealed. Jim nodded. "Yes but ONLY under ten minutes."
Max grinned. "Deal!"
Jim chuckled and with no effort needed, held the child out with his hand under Max's armpits so that his tiny feet were dangling to the floor. "Okay. On three... One... Two..."
...
...
"Daddy!" Max whined impatiently. Jim laughed. "Alrighy!... THREE!"
What Max did not expect was to be tossed onto his bed instead of being placed rightfully to the floor. Jim howled laughter by the sight of his son scrambling off his bed. "Daddy! You cheawted!" Max giggled, rushing out the door. Jim wiped a stray joyful tear from his eyes, "Life is not always about fairness, Baby boy!... 'Cause... There's always a monster to eat ya!" He roared and stalked out the bedroom, after the tyke who was trying to hop as fast as he could down the steps.
The tyke squealed as he was lifted off his feet by his dad who pretended to gobble him up, making funny monster noises. "Daddy! I'm twy'na huwwy!" Max giggled, squirming in his father's hold. Jim lifted the boy into the air like he was a rocket ship, swaying the child towards the bathroom.
"And off he goes! VROOOM! Will he make it?- could this be an end of Max the Unstoppable?!
"No!" Max retorted, playing along, "Go speed!""
Jim made a rumble and zipped through the bathroom doors, dropping the child onto the toilet. "Now go go GO! Before the Jim-bomb explodes!"
Quickly, the tyke undressed and hopped into the bath tub. Satisfied by his son's frantic scrubbing, he left the bathroom and waited.
In the end, Max was a bit over ten minutes and came out with a bit soap studs still remaining in his hair, but Jim let the tyke slide and had decided that Friday would be the day he would tell his son about his home planet.
That night, when he tucked Max in, he stood by the doorway like always and watches his babu boy sleep the night off, hugging his favorite toy robot to his chest. The child looked so innocent and so much like a harmless miracle. But Jim hoped that he would not be mistaken in the mere future.
"Don't worry, Max. If that day comes, I'll be there to stop anything bad from happening to you..." he whispered.
(That Friday)
Max sat impatiently on his bed, staring at both the clock and the door, waiting for his father to stroll in with a cool gift he always brought along or maybe this time a consolation map. But what Max really wanted was what Jim had promised. Information about that planet...
Tachyon.
Max stared down at the sketch Jim drew on his journal page in awe. The planet looked amazing. He wondered how it would just sound like by itself. Max sighed and in sake to kill time, he scribbled down a large star hovering above the planet. It looked like a comet, but in a more diamond form.
There was a sudden click from the door, alerting Max. His eyes enlightened and the child jumped from the bed and ran to the front of the door. He felt excitement rush through him as he awaited for his father to walk in from work...
A figure stepped in... But it wasn't Jim.
"Hi Mommy," Max said with a pinch of disappointment in his voice. His mother looked slightly... Off. Her eye makeup had been smeared, leaving her eyes blurry and red, and her face was a bit more... Paler?...
She looked distraught. Molly sniffled a "Hey sweetie," in a heartbroken voice, smiling the best she could (and failing).
It was horrible. Max grew concerned and tugged on his mother's pant leg. "Mommy, what's wrong?" he asked. Molly lifted her son in her arms and walked to the bed, setting him down next to her. "Um, Maxwell, I uh- need to tell you something, and um- it is... You... My God." Her voice cracked and she buried her face in her hands with a muffled sob. Max placed his small hand on his mother's lap.
"Mommy? Is somefing wrong?" he asked again.
Molly regained her self and rubbed her nose with an empty laugh. "... Yes, Max... Yes..."
"What is it? Did you tell Daddy?"
Molly took a shuddered breath and closed her eyes. "Max... D... Daddy's... He won't be home tonight," she strained. Max furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. But the story! Quickly, Max replied, "W-When is he comin' home?"
Molly remained silent for a moment, then whimpered, "Never. He's never coming home, Baby..." She broke another sob, "Daddy's... He's gone forever, Max."
Max stared at the woman for a moment, gathering what she had said, and when he did, he nearly choked on his air, letring out a small gasp. Baby blues widened even more and flooded with water. Max took a shaky breath. Daddy... Daddy was...
Max jumped feom the bed and stared up at Molly in shock. "N-No..." the boy croaked, taking steps back towards the door. Molly broke into more tears, reaching towards to comfort her child. "Max-"
Max did not let her finish and with a whimper, he darted out the room. "Max!" Molly cried and followed after the tyke, but when she stepped out the room, Max's figure could not be seen. Molly felt her heart decay, then suddenly, heard a loud clutter in the bathroom. "Max?!" She ran downstairs and into the bathroom and was shocked to see that the window was wide open, with the wind blowing the drapes.
She gasped and stuck her head out the window. "Maxwell?! Maxwell McGrath, where are you?!" she cried helpless in the air. When she received no answer, Molly raced as fast as she could out the bathroom and out the front door of the house. As she ran, she pressed the ear comm.
"Hello?" the sorrow filled voice of Ferrus picked up.
Ferrus! Oh God, Max ran off!" Molly choked out. Tears of desperation ran down her cheeks.
"WHAT?! Why?!"
"I told him about... About Jim."
"Damn it, Molls... Hold on, I'll be there right away, keep searching. He couldn't have gotten that far."
With that, the line went dead and Molly ran even faster than she ever did in her life, screaming for her baby boy to come back.
Max ran faster than his little slipper covered feet could carry him. The pain in his chest ached so badly and every once in a second, he would rapidly blink away the tears and prayed this was only just a bad dream. All he could think about was Jim. His daddy was... He couldn't even think straight of it. He made it to the alley when he heard his mother's broken voice calling desperately for him. He- for a split second- urged to run back to her, but for some reason, he thought it would be best to be alone for a while.
Thinking quickly, Max spotted a small pipe beside a drainage and quickly squeezed his tiny body in the small space. He waited there until he could hear Molly's voice grow distant, the fade completely.
All was silent and the area around him grew darker. His big shocking blue orbs seemed like the only thing visible in the dark. Fully confident that he was alone, a small whine passed his lips and the child buried his face in his frail arms, shaking uncontrollably. "Daddy! Daaddy!" Max sobbed over and over as if his words would bring Jim back. He cried and cried for nearly an hour until he couldn't cry anymore. Sniffling, Max took his leave and crawled out of the tunnle. He looked around till he saw the faint white shade of his house.
Could he go back? His mommy must be worried about him. She probably called Uncle Ferrus and they were out looking everywhere for him. Max wiped his eyes and nose on his fairly dirty sleeve and began to walk back to his home, when he suddenly felt a tight grip around his upper arm and yank him up the ground. Max screamed and immediately began thrashing. "MOMMY! UNCLE FEWWUS!" he shrieked before a fairly large hand clasped around his mouth.
He was pulled to face a man with fairly disturbing red eyes and a sick complexion. "Now, now, there is no need for that, Maxwell," the man's gruff voice spoke. Max didn't obey and screamed desperately under the hand. Frightened tears tracked down the boy's face as he kicked and wiggled. The man made a growl.
"I said STOP, boy. I won't harm you," he spoke again. This time, Max did stop his struggling, but he couldn't halt the whimpers and tears from passing. He felt himself be lowered to the ground, but the grip on his arms still held in place, so no use to running. The man stared at him for a moment, then sighed, brushing the boy's locks from his eyes in a gentle caress. "There, there," he crooned, "no need to fear me, Maxwell. I understand you are distraught from the unexpected news about your father."
Max sniffled at the mention of Jim. "Y-you know m-my daddy?" he asked in a small voice.
The man nodded. "Jim McGrath. Yes. We were best of friends and co-workers. He was quite the genius. I am Miles Dredd."
Max still felt slightly shaken by the man. Daddy never told him about this man. Never. In fact, Max did not know where his father worked or what he did when he was away from home. But a friend of Daddy was a a good person... Right? Max used his manners Jim had taught him and reached his tiny hand up to the man, "I'm Maxwell McGwath. Nice to meet you Dwedd."
Miles Dredd shook the small hand offered to him with a grin. "My, my, you look so much like your father. And so polite," he exclaimed.
"What happened to my daddy?" Max asked.
Dredd sighed. "An incident during his work. Something went wrong and it caused him to lose his life, I suppose."
Dredd saw the water works starting in the boy and quickly added, "but before you get wishy washie, Max, he wanted me to tell you something very important."
Max sniffled. "What?"
Dredd leaned in and whispered something in the boy's ear then pulled away, satisfied to see something in Max's big blue orbs; it was mixed with a combination of pain, sadness, betrayal... And hate. Max glared up at Dredd. "Is dat twue?" the child questioned with a tear falling down his cheek. Dredd nodded and leaned his hand forward, wiping the tear away with his thumb. "It is what your father would want, Maxwell McGrath."
With a shaky inhale, Max bowed his head and meekly nodded. Miles Dredd could not hide the grin of victory and stood high, reaching his hand towards the child. "What do you say, Maxwell? Do you wish to avenge your father? If so, I am the key to your goal; I can teach you, train you, and make you something so lethal, your father's killers would never stand a chance. All you have to do, is accept."
Max looked up at the hand- his face a track of rivers and his eyes waterfalls- and after a moment of thought, he hesitantly brushed his tiny fingers against Dredd's palm, then placed all of his hand more confidently on the rough, cold, skin. Victory raged through Dredd, but he did not dare to show it as his hand wrapped around the child's.
"Come, Max. We have work to do," he crooned and lifted the boy in his arms, which Max immediately snuggled into the man's armoured chest. Then, Dredd walked into the shadows of the alley with the son of Jim McGrath in his arms; now at his full control...
Me: What did Dredd say to Max?! What is he planning?! What will happen to Max!?
Max: why you asking them? You ARE the author to this. Personally, I have a bad feeling to this. Me going with Dredd *shivers* GUH!
Steel: hey, where am I?!
Me: We haven't gotten to that part, Steel. Be patient!
Steel: My human is in the hands of a creepy nephew of Satan and not in the comfort of my arms! I CANT BE PATIENT!
Max: Uh... But Steel? You don't have arms.
Steel: shut it.
Me: okay? Um... Review lovely readers, please!