I decided to make this a multi chapter fic. So we'll see where this goes. Let me know what you think. And *Changed Summary*.

Chapter 2

"What, what is it?" Max quickly questioned with as much strength as she could muster.

"Im sorry, Max. I've got to go, I'll be back soon." Ryan said, his facial expression showed anxious worry, Max knew something was wrong, but she also knew Ryan wouldn't tell her what was going on.

He placed a light kiss on her forehead and ran out of the room, he found Mike waiting in the waiting room. His fingers were at his mouth and his gaze held the ground, a slight rock was evident and Ryan began to realize the strong unseen bond between Mike and Max.

"Mike, I just got another video."

"Let's watch it."

Ryan had a gut feeling they shouldn't, his better side told him to take it to FBI headquarters, but his curiosity took over without another thought. His thumb tapped the screen and the video began playing.

His eyes swept the screen as Lily Grey's blond locks and devious smile filled the rectangle. Immediately his demeanor changed and his face creased into a hard glare.

"Hello, Ryan Hardy. I'm really sorry about Max, she has been a great loss." Lily's face met a half closed lipped smile as she began to move around the room. Mike grabbed the phone from Ryan's hands and began stuttering.

"Wait, I-I know this place. This is my dads house."

Ryan reached for the phone but Mike swung it out of his greedy grasp.

"Mike give me the phone." When Mike failed to answer, Ryan knew something was deathly wrong. "Turn it off Mike!"

Mike slowly turned to face Ryan, his blue eyes glistened as tears began streaming down his face. His expression expressed perfect shock and a distant gaze as Ryan's face fell. A slight shake of his head and Ryan feared the worst.

"My dad. They killed my dad." Mike said dead panned.

"No.." Ryan trailed off as the information sunk in.

It had taken a good hour to get Mike calmed down enough to talk to at least Mendez. Ryan had already explained what happened and as Mike talked to Mendez, Ryan watched as the elite team went through the video tape.

Obviously Lily was unaware that Max survived, but what bugged Ryan was that this time she didn't even give them a chance to save Mikes dad.

Why?

Clearly, she was narcissistic and sadistic. It was thrilling to see Ryan fret and worry about not knowing what happened to Max, yet she was even more thrilled to kill Mikes dad with out a "fight", she wanted the immediate pain and fear it brought. She also knew that targeting the two people Ryan cared about, she would cause the maximum amount of pain.

Well she nailed her mark to the dot.

Seeing the people he loved in so much pain, what heartbreaking. Whether Ryan showed it or not, he was breaking inside along side Mike and Max.

At the thought of her name, Ryan realized he had abandoned her at the hospital. He made a quick exit and found Mike and Alvarez making their way back to the conference room.

"I think Mike should come with me." Ryan said in a matter of fact tone.

"I think that's a good idea." Gina Mendez agreed.

"What are you talkin about? We need to find Lily Grey and make her pay." Mike said with fire he had been lacking since being put back on Joe Carroll's case.

"We will, but you need some rest, and to take your mind off...everything." Alvarez said.

"I was just about to go see Max again, I'm sure she'd love to see you." Ryan said with a tiny hint only noticeable to Mike. Ryan was picking up on their little secret, whether they knew it or not, Ryan was beginning to see something. Now the question was, did they?

Mike hesitantly nodded and followed Ryan out of the building. Ryan causally put a hand on his back and patted him comfortingly, followed by a series of soothing and methodic circles of rubbing.

"It'll be okay." Ryan mumbled.

Whether his point got across or not, he was unsure, but he didn't press. He drove in silence as Mike released the last of his unshed tears.

As they arrived at the hospital, Ryan observed Mike. He seemed to slightly perk at the thought of seeing Max. God knows he had been just as worried as Ryan when Max went missing, but she was safe now, and Mike couldn't wait to see her big brown eyes.

"I'll let you guys have a minute." Ryan said with a curt nod, he found a seat in a nearby chair and let his head fall weakly into his arms. His eyes fluttered closed and a seemingly unconscious state took over.

"Max?" Mike said lightly as he knocked on the door and entered.

"Mike." Max said with an evident smile.

Mike crept around the curtain and looked over at the battered brunette.

"Oh Max." Mike said he kneeled at her side and grabbed her hand, squeezing it tight.

Max's eyes creeped closed and a small smile escaped her lips.

"I got ya didn't I?" Max laced her voice with sarcasm followed by a weak chuckle.

Mike chuckled back and looked up from the floor to meet the chocolate eyes that melt his heart. "You got me Max."

"What's wrong?" Max questioned. She started to really look at him, his eyes were red, obvious sign of recent crying. Something was very wrong.

"Max, you don't have to worry about anything." Mike answered quickly.

"God, all of you, stop treating me like a little kid you need to protect. What the hell is going on?"

"Lily." Mike growled.

"The video, it was from her?" Max asked hesitantly as the clues began to click.

"Yeah, she-she was at my dads house." Mike said. His head fell to his hands again as he fought with everything he had to be strong in front of this beautiful girl.

"What happened?" Max asked with a hard look.

"She killed me dad." Mike said as his voice cracked with emotion. He collapsed on the ground as more tears fell. He thought he had cried himself out, but as the warm tears continued to release, he realized it would be a long time before the tears would completely stop. His dads loss was more painful than any of them would ever know. As a hand crept around his neck, Mike looked up to see Max grimacing as she fell out of bed onto the ground next to him. He caught her just before she fell onto the cold linoleum floor. His hand protectively wrapped around her waist as his body turned to lean against the wall behind him, Max fell weakly into his arms with a grunt of pain, and her head found the crook of his neck. Mike held tight and laid his own head on top of hers, Max's eyes closed in painful exhaustion.

"Max-" Mike started but she cut him off with a simple "shhh".

"Hold me." Max whispered.

Hope you liked this chapter, please let me know, if you have any ideas for the rest of the story please PM me!

Thanks.