It was brought to my attention just how long it has been since I last updated and for that I apologize. But honestly, it's because I wasn't happy with this story and I had jumped off the MR bandwagon. But I can safely tell you that I am going to rewrite this entire story and make it actually worth reading because let's face it, the writing is sloppy, plot is weak and my spelling was terrible.

I'd also like to state that I am changing the pairing from Fang/Max to Iggy/Max, mainly because I think Fang is an arse and all those kinds of things. Well, that and because I really like me a handsome ginger *dreamy expression at the thought of a ginger* Also, because I can't remember the last name I used for Nicole and Clary, I will be making a new one up for them. Many apologies.

So here I am, alerting you to the fact that this story is once again being written and is not in fact forgotten like some people think. I really hope you enjoy my rewritten version because honestly the original is absolutely horrendous.

Many thanks to those who have managed to stick with this story despite my incredibly long hiatus.

Love,

Taylah.

P.S the story isn't going to be long, it's based now in 2013, not when I first wrote it and the chapters are going to be named after songs, to you know, continue on with tradition. Also because I have no knowledge about the American school system I'm gonna base it on how I know high school to be as an Australian. Sorry, but I am, so there will only be four 70min classes a day and they'll start and finish early.

This chapter song is by Battleships. Check 'em out, I definitely recommend them if you're into indie.

.

Chapter One: Coming Back To You

Four Years Ago

'Max, no, let him go! Get off of him now!'

Her fists were thickly coated in blood; it was unknown whose blood was whose due to the split skin of her fists that poured out a steady stream of blood. Strong arms grabbed at her hips and tugged her away from the bloodied and broken man on the ground. Feet hanging off the ground Max struggled in the grip of the man, her own face streaked with the red gushing from her nose and a large gash above her eyebrow.

She was carried away from the man, the sound of a man's voice reading her her rights reached her ears before she thrown into the back of a police cruise, the sound of a girl screaming obscenities could be heard on the other side of the tinted windows. Sitting in the back of the cruiser Max sat in silence, head bowed and her hands laced together. The blood had started to congeal on her hands, the slip skin slowly releasing blood.

Sighing softly Max looked up and watched the outside world go by in a blur. She wasn't stupid; she knew what was going to happen. Nicole is going to kill me, she thought absently while watching the trees.

It was going to be a long couple of years.

Present Day

It was raining heavily when the red Minnie classic pulled up into the driveway of an old two story house with brass trimmings and a balcony that wrapped around both levels of the house. Thunder cracked overhead as both doors opened in tandem and the occupants jumped out, one reaching in to grab a bag while the other walked to the front door as if the rain was nonexistent.

Max stood up straight after closing her car door and rolled her shoulders before tilting her head back and allowing the rain to streak across her face for a moment before following in her adoptive mother's footsteps and walked inside the striking home that was familiar and alien at the same time. Nicole was turning on the lights when Max stepped into the long hallway that meet the front door. Wiping her feet silently she walked further inside, passing the staircase that was halfway in the hallway to her left, and turned into the living room on the right.

Gently placing the army green duffel bag down by the couch she walked to the adjoining kitchen and smiled softly at the sight of the large white British Bullterrier that greeted her when she walked around the bench that separated the rooms. Upon seeing her, the dog launched himself at her with a series of barking that caused max to laugh.

'Hey, Bones, hey!' Max sat down cross legged in the middle of the kitchen and allowed the dog to jump all over her as he licked her face. Nicole walked through the second entry way to the kitchen and couldn't help but laugh at the sight of Max spread out on the floor due to her dog energetically moving around her, sniffing at her clothes readjusting to her scent once again.

'Well someone's missed you,' she said as she stepped over her second daughter and opened the fridge to pull out a can of Sprite before moving to lean against the counter.

'Of course he missed me! I'm his mama and he is my beautiful mama's boy!' Max sat up and started to rough him up, rubbing his sides and playing with him all the while saying 'Aren't you? Aren't you?' Pulling away from the excited dog, Max drew herself up and turned to Nicole. 'I'm gonna go put my stuff away, I'll be down soon.'

.

Listening to the repetitive song Around the World by Daft Punk, Max allowed herself to zone out as she cleaned up her room, happy that it was as she had left it. The walls were still that dark blue that seemed electric and her curtains were still black and her darling step sister, Clary hadn't nicked her framed Indiana Jones posters or her numerous books. Sorting through her clothes and placing the neatly into the walk-in closet that was hidden behind her cardboard cutout of the TARDIS from Doctor Who, Max slowly made her way through clothes and collapsed on the fairy light wrapped, twisted brass framed, bed.

Closing her eyes Max allowed her mind to drift off into nothingness as her music flowed through her favorite songs. Just as Grease is The Word settled into its chorus, a loud squeal -'MAX!'- permeated the air before a girl ran into the room and dive bombed onto Max's stomach, effectively knocking the wind out of her lungs and causing her eyes to snap open.

'Clary!' Max cried out surprised before grabbing the girl and drawing her into a tight embrace before letting her go shortly after.

'Oh my god, Max, I'm so glad you're home! It's been too long and I missed you and you missed the ending of Harry Potter and you've missed like four whole seasons of Doctor Who and you aren't up to date on music and books and I really missed you and you have to meet my friends and we have to go out and get some ice cream and I really, really missed you!'

'Ok I get it! You missed it,' Max said with a laugh before pulling Clary back into a hug and keeping her there,' I missed you too, Squirt. So tell me, what's the latest goss? Tell me, I need to know! It was incredibly boring in Clear Ridge, the only things I heard was who shagged who and who was sent into solitude. I'm deprived! TELL E!'

Clary laughed at her sister before rolling onto her back, head still resting on Max's shoulder. 'Ok, goss, what is there? Well you remember that guy you used to be semi friends with? The one who liked to be called Tooth?'

'Fang?' max supplied, amused at her sister's butchering of his chosen name.

'Yeah, him. Well he's turned into a massive player who is rumored to have more STD's than Ash has Pokémon *Max snorted in a laugh* and he's dating some skank named Lissa, a transfer from Virginia or something. Helmet came out and said she was a lesbian * 'I knew it! Good on her.'* and is currently in a happy relationship with a nice girl called Amity, you'll meet them later when you come to school. Not much has really happened aside from us getting a new student. Oh you'd love him, Max. Complete hottie, o' course, he isn't any Pike but still registers a ten on our one to Tennant scale.'

Max's eyes widened at that statement. The one to Tennant scale was serious, one being Snape and ten being the Tenth Doctor, David Tennant. 'He must be incredibly hot to register to high.'

'Defs. But how could he not be? Tall, amazing blue eyes, he has plugs too, they're not freakishly huge only about 14 mill but still, it's a hot thing, long hair – at least down to his collar bones, at least!- and have I mentioned the fact that he's a ginge? Honestly, ten outta ten, would bang.'

Max groaned and hid her face. 'Stop, Clar, just stop! Do you want me to squirm? You know how much I love me a ginge. God, it's the Weasley Twins all over again.'

'That, my dear, is why I told you. Erm, what else is there? Mum is dating someone, he's alright I guess, she could do so much better but eh, um, oh! There's a television show you just HAVE to watch! It's called Sherlock, you'll love it! So many DW people are in it and they've made a movie for The Hobbit. It's so good!'

Max lay there listening to Clary, eyes closed before something that she'd said finally registered in her brain. 'Wait, Nic's got a bf? For realzies? No way, that's huge!'

'You only catch on now? I mean I knew you were slow but come on. Anyway, yeah she does and he's coming over tonight, said something about dinner but iunno,' Clary shrugged slightly as she absently starred at the TARDIS. 'So you happy to be home?'

'Is that a trick question? Of course I'm happy to be home. I've got the people I love around me and access to every channel station, what's not to love?'

.

Preparing dinner had always been an experience when cooking in the Finnegan household. Music was always playing, jokes were always being told and someone was always in someone's way. Max sung along to What Is Love by La Bouche as she stirred the simmering mince mix for the pasta while Nicole was preparing the salad.

'Shove, love,' Clary called before bumping her mum out of the way with her hip and opening the cutlery draw to get the silver wear, just as there was a knock at the front door.

'Sorry, gosh I just wanna have a good time,' Nicole said as she moved back to the salad, pouring in the dressing.

Max laughed as she watched her mum and sister start bickering, Clary setting the table and calling out while Nicole went to check the door. Shaking her head, she turned back to the mince and lowered the heat right down before reaching over to the fridge from where she was leaning against the counter and withdrew a beer. Twisting the top, Max poured half of it in the pot before stirring lazily while taking the casual sip of the remaining liquor.

'Mike's here!'

Max turned to see a tall thirty something bloke walk into the room, he was well built and blond which caused Max to roll her eyes at internally. There was just something about guys with blond hair that just made her shudder, well technically there was a very specific reason as to why she severely disliked the blond male species but that was neither here nor there. Shaking her head slightly, she inclined her head towards him, receiving a nod in return before she turned back to the food and taking it off the heat and giving a whistle to grab Clary's attention.

'Oh, sorry,' she called, moving to grab a wooden cutting board to place in the center of the table.

'So, Max, tell me, where have you been for the past couple of months? I haven't seen you around before,' Mike, Nic's boyfriend, asked as he served himself a second helping of pasta.

Max paused from pilling her fourth helping to glance up at him before continuing in her serving. 'I was staying in a complex in Colorado.'

Mike looked at her in interest as he munched on the salad he'd shoved in his mouth. Swallowing thickly, he cleared his throat, 'What was in Colorado?'

'Clear Ridge Institute for Precarious Boys and Girls,' Max answered, before noticing his blank expression. 'Basically it was a place to straighten out kids, criminals.'

Mike looked at Max in surprise and just the slightest hint of trepidation. 'What were you doing there?'

'Oh, I almost beat a man to death when I was fourteen.'

Nicole cleared her throat loudly to distract from the awkward situation. 'So, desert anyone? I'll just get the cake shall I?' Without waiting for an answer, she stood and walked over to the counter to pick up the chocolate cake they'd baked earlier that day, after Max and Clary had caught up.

Needless to say, the rest of dinner that night was spent in a tense atmosphere without much conversation.

.

Okay L & G's, let me know what you thought of this reworked chapter. Should I continue to fix it up or just let it hang there suspended in perpetual nothingness? Because honestly, now that I've restarted this I have more ideas for it and I actually want to see how this turns out.

Anyway, let me know what you think and reread the original story to see where I'm coming from with the overall shoddiness of it.

Love,

Taylah.