A/N: Happy Holidays! (This is the third time I said those words. It's getting old.)

Chapter 4

As Max looked out the window of her bedroom window, she witnessed the neighborhood as they rushed to get prepared for Christmas.

It's tomorrow, that's why, she thought, with a sudden sadness inside her chest. With her right hand, she leaned on the window. She missed her mother and little siblings.

When Max and her kidnappers arrived two weeks ago, Max hoped for her dad to be enraged or furious, his shotgun aimed at Dylan and Fang. But no.

Jeb Batchelder hugged his eldest daughter, kissed her forehead, and thanked Dylan and Fang. Max was the one who got enraged. How can a girl's own father thank two kidnappers? Jeb, oblivious to his own daughter's anger, profusely thanked Dylan and Fang. Fang and Dylan nodded and left the two relatives.

It was an awkward two weeks. Jeb tried to connect with his daughter, but was epicly failing because Max wouldn't cooperate. Besides that, she rarely saw Fang.

Max's eyebrows scrunched together. Why am I thinking about him? she thought angrily. True, Fang was an unforgettable young man. He has an unforgettable face. And Max can't forget the times where Fang helped her when Dylan won't.

What is he doing right now? she wondered and sighed.

If anything, Max would like to see Fang again. With that annoying smirk on his handsome face and that mocking spark in his dark eyes whenever he looks at Max.

Oh, yes. Max missed him. Too bad she's very stubborn to admit it.

Jeb called for his daughter, who spent more time in her own room than with him. He sadly admitted that he and his own daughter never really connected. But he persisted to learn everything there is to know about his daughter.

His cellphone vibrated on his pocket. He took it out and smiled. He knew he could always count on Fang. The message said:

On our way. Dylan's coming in five. Need anything else, Jeb?

Jeb saw Fang as his own son, though he already have one. Still, Jeb took Fang under his wing when he was just 5. He was an orphan and was begging for money at his door. Fang was bone-thin, dirt covered every inch of his skin. His dark hair long and filthy. His clothes were colored with dust. He was utterly disgusting. But when Jeb looked at his eyes, Jeb saw courage. Not desperation. Fang was clean and well-fed seconds later.

Since Max grew up with her mother, she never saw Fang. Even if she visited, she wouldn't have seen Fang because he was staying in one of Jeb's small cabins in the woods. There, Fang learned about survival and grew to the man he was today.

Jeb was utterly proud of him, though he rarely said so because Fang wasn't the kind of guy who takes praises easily. He's the kind who keeps to himself.

Five minutes later, Dylan arrived, beaming. Jeb shook his hand. In Jeb's opinion, Dylan was too cheery and too optimistic. The opposite of Fang.

Just minutes after Dylan arrived, Jeb heard a car door open and close. Before the people on the other side of the front door can ring the bell, Jeb opened the door and ushered the guests in.

"Valencia, Ella, Ari, come in."

"Hi, Jeb," all three, in unison, replied. Fang, behind them, took their coats and hung them inside the coat closet. Fang stood away from the relatives. Dylan came to stand beside him.

"You look good in a suit," Dylan commented on Fang's attire. Fang glared a hole on Dylan's head. Dylan flashed his teeth. Fang felt like slapping him.

Ella, the dark-haired girl who is Max's half-sister, asked Jeb where Max was. Jeb pointed upwards. Ella smiled warmly and went upstairs. Unlike her sister, who is so cold, Fang noted in his head.

Ari, the blond boy who is Max's half-brother, helped himself to lie down on the couch in the living room. Valencia and Jeb went to Jeb's office to talk.

Once the guests were gone, Fang sagged his shoulders. It has been a long time since he wore a suit. He always felt the same way: hot, itchy, and irritated. Dylan asked Fang if he had seen Max. Fang shook his head no.

He turned his head away to hide his face from Dylan. Though he hated to admit, he couldn't seem to take his mind off Max. He kept remembering her warm brown eyes and sarcastic smile. Dylan finally walked away and went towards the living room with Ari.

Fang's dark head snapped up to the stairs. He heard laughs and heels clicking on hardwood floor.

"Come on, Max. Come. . . ON!" Fang watched as Ella pulled on Max's arm and dragged her out of her room. Max used the railing as her anchor, but Ella was stronger. When Ella let go of Max's arm, Max almost lost her balance, but thanks to the railing, she held on.

"You could have killed me!" Max scolded Ella. Ella just beamed. Ella grabbed Max's arm and they descended downstairs.

Fang's breath was caught at the back of his throat. He wasn't prepare for the vision that descended the stairs.

While Max was oblivious to Fang, Fang was busy trying to breathe. Max was wearing a simple black cocktail dress with puffy sleeves. Yet, it made such a huge impact on Fang that his heart was threatening to beat out of his chest.

Fang was trying to look away, but obviously can't. When Max had the feeling she was being watched, she turned her head and saw Fang. She could feel her face heating up. All Max wanted to do was to run down the stairs and hug Fang. What the heck am I thinking? she scolded herself.

"Hey," she said, her eyes fixed on top of his head because she can't bring herself to look at his dark eyes.

Fang just nodded. Typical. Fang hid his hands behind his back because all he wanted to do was to grab her and kiss her. What the hell? he thought. Leave! She's trouble!

Ella noticed the awkward atmosphere and decided the lovebirds wanted to be alone. She slipped behind Max and went to the living room with her step-brother Ari.

"Merry Christmas," Max said and smiled.

Fang smirked. "It's not yet Christmas." The tense atmosphere eased a bit.

Max dismissed Fang's reply. "Oh, you get what I mean. What are you doing here?"

Fang waited 30 seconds to reply. "Your dad told me to." Fang gripped his hands hard. They were shaking.

"Oh. Are you staying for dinner?" Max secretly wanted him to.

Fang nodded. He walked away because Jeb called for him, but not before saying, "You look beautiful tonight."

Max's brown eyes widened. Her skn tingled from her neck to her cheeks. Her pink cheeks now turned red.

Christmas dinner was cheery because the boys were playing with their food and Max laughed at them. She was also happy because her mother and siblings were here, and her mother brought her homemade cookies that Max oh so loved dearly.

After dinner, Jeb and Valencia went to Jeb's office again. That left the kids to their own.

Dylan nudged Fang to the grand piano. Fang glared at Dylan. "Come on, Fang," Dylan taunted. Fang shook his head. Dylan practically shoved Fang on the seat in front the piano. Fang wanted to break Dylan's little neck.

Dylan stuck out his tongue and sat down on top of the piano. "Fang, play 'All I Want For Christmas'," Dylan cleared his throat.

"When hell freezes over," Fang replied between clenched teeth.

Dylan ruffled Fang's dark hair, even though it was already messy in the first place. "You're such a scrooge. Just play the song. It's Christmas!"

"It's not Christmas."

"You're being crap and critical. Just play the freakin' song because I'm feeling the Christmas cheer."

Fang smirked. "You're horrible singer."

Dylan's blue eyes twinkled in amusement. "Maybe they'll have a different opinion." He motioned his blond head at Ella, Max, and Ari who were seated at the sofa just a few feet away from the piano.

Dylan once again cleared his throat and started singing, as soon as Fang played the first note.

What happened afterwards was world pandemonium. As soon as Dylan sang the first sentence, his audience wanted to die before their ears fall off their heads.

"DYLAN!"

"TURN IT OFF!"

"MY EARS ARE BLEEDING!"

"WHAT IDIOT WOULD DESTROY SUCH AN INNOCENT CHRISTMAS SONG?"

Dylan was offended at the last sentence. He was even more depressed when he realized that Max said that. His blond head hung low and Fang just patted his shoulder, awkwardly.

"Thanks, dude. At least you didn't call me an idiot," Dylan said, while faux-crying.

Max grinned and walked over to Dylan. She knelt in front of him and patted his knee. Dylan looked up and pulled back because her face was inches away from him. His face flushed and he turned his face away from Max.

"Hey, idiot," Max smiled at what she assumed was Dylan's embarrassment. "I'm sorry. But you definitely made my day." Dylan turned his head when Max pulled away.

Max was a gorgeous girl, yet one could see that she liked Fang more at the way her brown eyes twinkled at his direction. Dylan obviously noticed, but was not going to be left alone. He was determined to make Max like him too.

Fang didn't notice, for he stubbornly refused to admit that Max liked him, that he had feelings for her. He imprinted on his mind that Max is his boss's daughter and that she's trouble.

For Max, Dylan was just a friend. And Fang. . . Fang was a Rubik's cube. Complicated and mind-boggling. And the feelings he was making her feel. It was an impossible code she can't crack.

How was she going to survive Christmas with Fang just few feet away from her?

A/N: Feliz Navidad! :D RnR?