Author's Note: Alright, you've met the two main characters of the story. And things are only going to get more and more complicated for them. This chapter switches to Max's POV. And I should mentioned before, but each chapter goes back and forth. So, for future reference, the odd chapters are Juliet's POV, and the even ones are Max's.
Now, onto Chapter 2!


"Merde!"

"What's wrong," the voice came through the speakerphone. He hit the button again and put the cell to his ear as he placed the woman back down onto the table.

"She's lost consciousness. We need to leave. I don't know how much blood she lost before she got here."

"Grab all her gear and get on your car. Your boss will be calling you any moment after I hang up. And please Max, call me later."

"I will."

He snapped the phone shut and ran back to the living room to get the gun. Then, after putting it, and the phone, back into her bag, he tossed it over his shoulder and picked her up in his arms once more. She didn't make a noise this time, and he realized she must really be out of it. He grabbed his keys and hurried out to his car. Placing her in the passenger seat, he buckled her in before tossing her bag in the backseat and getting behind the wheel.

He had just pulled out of the driveway when his phone rang. MARIO flashed on the screen and he flipped open the phone.

"Max, I don't know what you got yourself mixed up in, but Geno's here and mumbling about some woman with a gun? Tell me you're safe!"

"Some guy named Mac hasn't called you yet?"

"Mac? No, I haven't heard from him in… hold on!"

He heard the click of being put on hold and wondered if he should start to drive or wait. If she was right and people were following her, he should go. But where was he going to be driving to? The hospital? He figured that was a safe bet and threw the car into drive, winding around the roads to get to the highway. He was about to turn onto the main road when Mario came back on the phone.

"UPMC Max. Get there. Fast as you can. When you check her in, give her your last name."

"Okay."

He hung up and switched gears again, feeling the car come to life as he swerved in and out of lanes. They made it to the hospital in record time and he carried her through the sliding doors. A nurse looked up from the front desk, took one look at the two of them, and immediately called for a gurney. He figured Mario must've warned them or something because they whisked her away and he stood there, not knowing what to do.

He sat down and pulled her phone out, dialing Mac again. He told him what was going on and asked what his wife's first name was. After learning a few more things and making plans that she probably wouldn't like, he hung up and leaned back in the uncomfortable waiting room chairs. He'd thought that losing to the Senators would mean a boring summer. Two hours later he was approached by a man in green scrubs.

"Mr. Talbot?"

"Oui?"

"Hi, I'm Dr. Jackson. Your wife went through surgery just fine. There was no serious damage done, no fragments that we had to clean out, and the tissues should heal nicely. She'll have a scar, on both sides, but she should be okay."

"Can I see her?"

"Yes. They just moved her from recovery. She should be in her own room now. Fifth floor, room two-nineteen."

Max shook the man's hand, thanked him, and hurried off toward the elevator. He punched the 'up' button repeatedly until the doors finally opened. He was practically running as he stepped off on his floor and headed over to the nurse's station to get directions. After thanking them, he turned and tried not to look to anxious. As he stepped through the doorway, he was taken aback by the way she looked.

They had cleaned her up. Her face and neck were no longer covered in dirt. There wasn't any grass or leaves stuck in her hair. He stared at her.

She was beautiful. Slightly tanned skin. A mane of dark brown hair that was no long braided. Long lashes that sat on her cheeks as she slept. He didn't even take note of the fact that there were a couple bruises and scratches on her face, or that there was an IV in her arm… she looked so peaceful.

He sat down in the chair next to her bed and gently took her hand in his. As he rubbed slow circles over her wrist, he watched her eyes fluttered open. She looked at him, vibrant green eyes staring at him with clarity, and he knew they hadn't doped her up on pain meds.

"Max," she said in a raspy voice. He stood and grabbed the glass of water that must have been waiting for her. He held it to her lips and let her drink through the straw. As her lips wrapped around the plastic he felt perverted because she looked sexy to him.

God I need to get laid. Or get therapy.

He set the glass back on the table and she smiled up at him. He broke out into a grin as well and resumed holding her hand as he plopped back into the chair.

"You don't have to stay. I'll be okay. Did you call Mac? I can't stay here. I need to leave. Did he say if he was coming to get me? Sending in a team? What did he say?"

"Calm down mon chere. You need to just lie back and relax. No one is going to know you're even here. You aren't checked in under Juliet Forbes." He watched her eyes widen as he used her name. "As far as anyone here is concerned, you are Mariette Talbot."

"Mariette?"

"Oui. It means 'little rebel' so I thought it was rather appropriate."

She smiled at him.

"I like it. Now, no more beating around the bush. What did Mac say?"

"Well, it's like this. You need to be somewhere that these guys won't think to look. You'll wanna go after them I bet. And you can't. Not until you're healed. And you won't heal unless you're hidden from them. You'd probably go off, guns blazing, right now and get yourself killed during some revenge mission."

"You don't understand," she choked out. He could tell she was trying not to cry. But from what Mac told him, she was the last man… woman… standing out of a group of six. He'd said that they found the others. From the look of things, it had been a set-up.

"Tell me. Help me understand."

"Why are you doing this? You don't even know me."

"I want to."

"You want to know me?"

"Oui," he said at almost a whisper. It wasn't a lie. He did. He'd met her about six hours ago and he'd already volunteered to play 'babysitter' until she was healthy again. And why not? He lived in Montreal in the summers. No one would know her. No one would bother them. And he would be training, so she could work on getting her strength back as well. It was a win-win situation.

"Why? I mean, no offense… but I did hold you at gunpoint when we first met."

"No, dat was Geno. You just stared at me. And I know you feel something between us. Your pulse is jumping like crazy right now."

"Don't you have some hockey game to go play or practice for?"

"No. We were kicked out of the playoffs race. I was actually planning on heading back home for the summer. I was just spending time with my teammate before I went back to Montreal."

"Jennings was from Montreal."

He waited for her to continue, but her lips were set in a straight line and her eyes were staring at the clock on the wall behind him. He let out a breath and laced his fingers with hers.

"You need to talk about it."

"I don't want to."

"It does not matter what you want… it's what you need. You know I'm right."

"I'd like to rest right now."

Her voice was eerily calm. She didn't pull her hand away, but Max could feel her shift into a shut down mode. She was tense and pale. He sighed and patted her hand before standing.

"Well, you will have plenty of time to take me up on the offer to use me as your shoulder to cry on when we get to my house. It will help you…"

"Your house? What on earth are you talking about?"

"Mac said you need to be hidden while you're healing. And I thought... what better place to hide you than with me. We'll be out of the country. And no one knows that you and I are together."

"Did Mac put you up to this?"

"No… I volunteered."

"You… are you crazy?"

"It'll be over by the time I have to come back for training camp. You'll be safe."

"I won't be safe until every last one of them is dead."


Author's Note: Yikes! Seems like Max has bitten off more than he can chew... But maybe she will warm up to him*