This is going to be a bit more ripped from the headlines (no psycho Max, abusive Kenny or supernatural weirdness) and more focused on the town as a whole. It will have my preferred Max/John romantic pairing and her charming friendship/partnership with Kenny, but both will be part of the umbrella story. This takes place on an altered timeline between seasons 2-3.

The Brock House

"Richard Marsh is vile."

Jill looked at her husband. "He's a visiting mayor and I'm the acting mayor. We need to be hospitable. It's one dinner."

"He raised property taxes to drive people out of Hillsdale. Their police chief sweeps brutality charges under the table."

"We can't discuss that with him. One night, Jimmy, I need support if I'm going to win this election."

He felt himself relenting at that. "One night."

"He wants public officials to attend to."

The District Attorney's Office

"Richard Marsh?" John asked. "Here?"

Jimmy nodded. "He's meeting with Jill…he wants some other public officials to attend."

"He's the mayor that cut funding for low income housing and school lunches from kids."

Jimmy nodded. "He wants to support her campaign."

"Is that the kind of support she wants?" John asked. "I can't support a campaign that Richard Marsh does. He's a bigot."

"Jill would really like you and Max to come."

He paused at that. My girlfriend of nine months, with the first four months was us being very private about it. How she is in my bed every night and Kara really likes her…and Max is surprisingly good with her. Doing their nails, arts and crafts, reading, I think she enjoys it as much as Kara does. This weird domestic vibe we have of late…how much I love having in my home. "Why us?"

"You're the district attorney and she's your girlfriend."

The bigot mayor of Hillsdale who cut low income housing, he thought, and she wants me and Max? Right. "I'll run it by her. Kara has ballet and we don't have a sitter."

We, Jimmy thought, they come in a lot together lately. Max has been very quiet about her relationship with John. She came in, disclosed that they were dating and left it at that. "Are Kara and Max getting along?"

He smiled at that. "I think Kara likes her better than me some days."

Squad Car

"What?" Max asked, feeling Kenny looking at her again. "Is something wrong?"

"You and Littleton looked really cozy last night."

"I suppose."

Kenny looked over at her with that, seeing her flush. He is good for her. Them in that back booth, laughing together, holding hands…not taking their eyes off each other. I've never seen her smile like that, or look that happy with anyone. She really likes him. "How serious is it? Really?"

I'm in his bed every night, she thought, we talk about everything. How he makes me laugh, think and…I love him. "It's…We're getting to know each other."

"Max."

She shot him a look. "What do you want me to say?"

Ah, she loves him, Kenny thought, it's why she's being so abrasive. I saw how they look at each other. "How about the truth? You and Littleton? It's been longer than you let on."

She squirmed a bit at that. "Yeah. We wanted to see if it was anything before…It's been nine months. We have fun together and…it's going somewhere. I'm really happy."

She is bright red with that. "Yeah?"

She sighed. "I'm bad at dating. You know that. We just…we picked at each, sniped and…I don't and…I didn't see it coming."

Does he know some of the comments she's been getting about them? She had to of told him…neither of them looked concerned. They looked wrapped up in each other. She giggled with him. He kissed her by his car and she just melted against him. Him opening the door for her, kissing her again, not wanting to let go of her for even a second. She looked at him like…ah, Max. "Are you going to be Max Littleton?"

"We're dating," she stated. "Just dating."

"You're going to marry him and be Kara's stepmom."

"Oh, stop."

"In a big white dress and crying through your vows, future-Mrs. Littleton."

She squirmed at that, despite it not being as scary as she thought. "Don't marry me off."

"Just invite me to the big day."

Sheriff Station

"Ah, Jimmy!" Wambaugh said. "I assume my invitation was lost."

"Your invitation?"

"For dinner with Roger Marsh. I see that my worth adversary and his comely girlfriend were invited."

With some arm twisting. I'm not sure how Max will feel about being called comely by Wambaugh. It's a relationship I don't understand yet, except they both seem really happy. Why did Jill really want them? John is the DA…they are an interracial couple. It has to be part of what they are thinking. "It's set Doug. You're not coming."

"You know I've run for mayor myself. I have some influence."

Jimmy sighed at that. "I know. Was there something else?"

Littleton House

Ah, John thought, looking at Max and Kara curled up on the couch and reading a book together. She is a softie underneath it all, and I love her like this. Max in leggings and an old t-shirt, with Kara pressed next to her side, ah, she's going to make a great mom someday to our kids. Our kids, really? Screw it, that's where we're heading, and she feels it too. "Hey you two."

"Daddy, we're reading," Kara stated. "Max is helping me with the big words."

She looked up, smiling at him over Kara's head. This kid makes me melt, just like that grin on John's face. "She doesn't need much help."

Kara giggled, hugging her tightly. "I want to be as smart as Max, Daddy."

He joined them on the couch and wrapped his arm around Max and kissed her cheek. "Yeah? She's really smart, Kara."

"And pretty."

"You two are good for my ego," Max sighed, as Kara snuggled close to her. This kid…she loves her dad so much and makes that hard nosed DA go soft. That smile right now, his gentle fingers on my face, I love this. I love him. "I missed you today. How was court?"

"Kiss her, Daddy."

"Well, Max is pretty kissable," he smiled, before pressing his lips to hers. Ah, she and Kara were eating ice cream, she tastes like rocky road. "Again, Kara?"

"John," Max laughed, as he kissed her again. "I can't resist this."

He nipped at her jawline and murmured in her ear. "I can't resist you. How about I take you two very lovely ladies out for pizza?"

Brock House

"They don't have a sitter."

Jill looked up. "She can stay here with our kids."

"Uh, I think John likes to spend time with his daughter…and Max when they're not working. They come to work together most days."

"They need to be there. They show the diversity and tolerance in this town."

To Richard Marsh…who Littleton called a bigot. Littleton came back tonight, with Kara, to pick up Max. Max who just broke into a grin with them and didn't flinch when he slung his arm around her shoulders and they walked out together. "I don't think that's what is important to them."

"If they want me to win this election over Ed Lawson it should be."

Max & John

We're growing into the family thing, she thought, and I think I like it. Doing homework with Kara, John cooking, the three of us playing cards and…he makes me happy. Kara in that tutu really does me in with her cuteness. "What is this?"

He handed her a beer, as he scooped his tutu wearing daughter in his lap. "Us celebrating not being at that dinner. Drink up."

Max smiled at that. I'm so stupid happy on this couch with them…in my sweats. "Well you are a public official."

He looked at her for a long moment. "I can't endorse her, Honey."

"Okay."

"Max."

"We're not going to agree on everything…We…we always fought. We still do."

I do like arguing with her. How feisty and passionate she is. "No Ed Lawson either."

"Carter?"

He nodded, pressing his lips to the top of her head. "Yes. And this public official's girlfriend can support whoever she wants. And I think this one conked out on us."

Max smiled, looking at a dozing Kara. "She really is the most adorable four-year-old I ever met."

"Hey, you're great with her."

She flushed at that. "John, stop."

"You're all red, Honey," he teased, laying Kara on the couch and pulling her to her feet. "I mean it. I love watching you with Kara…and she adores you. She wants a mom, Max and…she doesn't remember Deanna and…it makes me love you all the more seeing this…Max."

She kissed him with that and snuggled up against him. "I never see you tongue tied. I love you too…and spending time with Kara. Seriously, she makes me melt."

"Softie."

"Don't tell anyone."

He hugged her tighter to him. "Tell you what…I'll put her to bed and then maybe we can…"

She nodded. "You know yoga has been making me very flexible?"

"I really hope you're naked when I get there."

"I think that can be arranged."

The Dinner

Vile, Jimmy thought, Littleton called him a bigot. I really think he and Max just didn't want to come and used not having a babysitter as an excuse. We shouldn't be doing this.

"You need to get rid of them," Marsh said. "They'll ruin this town. Cutting funding is the best option to run them out of town."

"Out of town?" Jill repeated.

"They'll lower the property values, ruin the schools, they don't belong in towns like ours," Marsh continued. "People pretend to be accepting, but what they really want is a nice, white town. You give them that, you will win this election."

Jesus Christ, Jimmy thought, really? "They were children."

"Who you pulled guns on, Sheriff," Marsh continued. "If you hadn't backed down, this town would be a better place."

"Jill, we should go," Jimmy said. "Right now."

She looked at her husband. "He's won re-election for 20 years."

"Is that how you want to win?"

"It's me or Ed Lawson. I don't have a choice."

"Run the blacks out, Dr. Brock," Marsh continued. "You have more supporters than you think."

Jimmy looked up at their shell shocked waiter. One of the Greenbay kids, he thought, who moved here to be closer to school. For a better life. Wincing, as he turned and walked silently away, we've made progress here. The town came back together and…Jill, no. Just no.

Max & John

Mine, he thought, as she laid wrapped around him in bed, resting after what they just did. I never want her to leave. Kissing the top of her head, he worked his way down to her mouth, feeling her smile as he kissed her. "I love you, Max."

She kissed him back with that. "I love you too, John. So much."

"I want you to move in with us."

She smiled again, brushing her lips over his. "Really? You want to live with me? You know I have stuff? Physical and emotional baggage?"

"I love your baggage. I love you. Move in, Max."

She nodded. "I'd love to live with you. Yes, John, of course yes."

The Dinner

"We're going to have to ask you to leave."

Jill looked up at that. "Why?"

The manager nodded at Marsh. "We have the right to refuse service to anyone."

"What?" Marsh asked. "I did nothing wrong."

"And we will be taking down your campaign posters Dr. Brock. We don't support racists in this establishment."

Damn it, Jimmy thought, damn it. "Jill, let's go. We're very sorry this happened."

"Sorry?" Marsh said. "He's one of them. He's the kind you need to get rid of. No one refuses me service."

"This isn't Hillsdale," Jimmy stated, shocked that Jill was still sitting there. "That isn't how we do things here. Jill?"

"They have no right to refuse us service. It was a private conversation," she said. "We aren't going anywhere."

"Yes, we are," Jimmy said. "They do have the right to refuse service and were not going to cause a scene about this."

Jill looked over at Marsh before back at her husband. "It's my campaign."

"That you shouldn't run on bigotry and fear."

"That's not what this is. We need to beat Lawson."

"You won't. Not like this."

"Sheriff, we will call the police and we don't want to do that," the manager continued. "Even if they are under your command."

He nodded. That we don't need. "Jill?"

She stood up reluctantly. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Stand your ground, Dr. Brock. This isn't over."

TBC