Sorry about chapter 3, by the comments I got, it hit a nerve.
In this chapter Max and Mikey find out what happened to their fathers.
And I will remind YOU, my dear reader, that I always end with FLUFFY GOODNESS, regardless of that one or two chapters that makes you want to hit me and scream "WHY?".
Enjoy.
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Max hugs Mikey, "Enough crying." He wipes his eyes, then gently wipes away Mikey's tears. He kisses Mikey's forehead, "We can fix this." Mikey nods. Max holds his hand as they stand up, "We will fix this."
Mikey looks around at the mundanes going about their day. He whispers, "How come nobody noticed us crying in the middle of the parking lot?"
Max smiles, "Invisibility glamour. Once you came over, I put it up, so we could have some privacy."
"Oh."
"I need a computer."
"Library?"
Max shakes his head, "No, library computers restrict what sites you can go to and you also aren't allowed to create programs on them. We'll go to Best Buy and get a new one."
"Buy one?"
Max smiles, "More like borrow. And I need a phone." He puts his hand in his back pocket and smiles. He pulls out a phone, "That was easy."
Mikey giggles, "That's Albert's phone."
Max sniffs as he looks at it, "He locked it? Idiot."
Mikey giggles, "He is you, Max."
Max rolls his eyes, "Whatever. Let's go shopping."
"What about the phone?"
Max winks, "Once we get the computer, it'll take me two minutes to unlock it."
Mikey smiles and kisses his cheek, "Then we bring our fathers back."
"Yes, and nobody better get in our way." Max opens a portal and they leave the parking lot.
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They arrive in Downtown Brooklyn, near the Barclay Center. They walk into the mall and go into Best Buy. They walk to the laptops.
A sales associate comes over, "Can I help you?"
Max nods as he points to his selection, "This HP model, please."
"Oh, can I interest you in a Dell instead?"
"No, thanks. This will do."
"Oh, I'm not sure if we have it in stock."
"Then I'll take my money somewhere else."
"Oh, let me check."
Max nods, "You do that." The associate walks away. Max rolls his eyes.
Mikey giggles, "Max, he was trying to up his commission."
"He can up his commission with somebody else, I don't have time for his shit."
Mikey nods as the associate returns with a box. The associate shows it to Max, "We had one."
Max restrains himself from rolling his eyes, "Good for you." They walk to the register.
"Would you like to purchase the five year warrenty?"
Max grabs the box off the counter and hands it to Mikey, "We don't have time for this."
The associate's eyes widen, "Sir..." Max snaps his fingers and everything stops.
Mikey giggles as Max flicks his hand and four $100 bills appear on the counter. Max winks at his brother, "Time to go." He opens a portal and as they leave, he snaps his fingers again.
The associate looks around and sees the computer gone. Then he sees the money and with a shrug completes the sale, leaving the change in the register.
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Max and Mikey walk out the portal into the empty loft. Mikey hands the box to Max as he looks around.
Max flicks his hand and the kitchen table and chairs appear. He opens the box and takes everything out. He plugs the power cord into the outlet on the counter. The outlet where the Keurig machine should be plugged into. He powers on the laptop as he sits down.
Max glances over at his brother, who is still standing by the front door, "Mikey, you okay?"
Mikey chews on his lip, "We are back in my world?"
"Uh huh. I need a familiar space, but if it bothers you, we can leave."
Mikey shakes his head, "No, it's okay. I guess." He walks over and sits to Max's right. He moves the chair closer, so he can rest his head on his big brother's arm.
Max kisses the top of Mikey's head and pulls out the phone, "While the laptop is getting itself ready, let me unlock this." He types in a few numbers then rolls his eyes, "What a moron."
Mikey weakly smiles, "You unlocked it already?"
"Yes, the passcode was '1234'."
"Wow."
Max shakes his head as he works on the phone, "No imagination." He sets the phone to the side, "Okay, the phone is ready." He looks at the laptop, "Now the computer." He starts typing.
Mikey watches Max type for a few minutes then whispers, "Could you find Maxine?"
Max stops typing and looks at him, "Both of us had different names, so I would assume she does as well. It would take time but I assume I can find her."
"But we need to fix this."
Max nods, "Yes, looking for Maxine is not as important as ending this nightmare. Aside from having the wrong names, we were doing okay, so we can assume it's the same for her."
Mikey takes a deep breath, "I hope so."
Max kisses the top of Mikey's head, "You okay?"
Mikey shakes his head, "No." He holds Max's arm.
"We got this, Mikey. Between your powers and my computer skills, we got this." Max resumes typing.
Mikey looks at the empty counter, "My powers couldn't stop this from happening."
Max stops typing and holds Mikey's face in his hands, "Do not blame yourself for this. Some asshole decided to fuck with the timelines. We will get Maxine and our fathers back. I guarantee it." He kisses Mikey's forehead, "Okay?"
Mikey nods and kisses Max's cheek, "Okay."
"Good." Max goes back to typing.
Mikey holds Max's arm tight as Max types. After a few minutes, he whispers, "Why is it so quiet?"
"No coffee machine, no tv, no fridge. Just us."
"I don't like it."
Max kisses his forehead, "Almost done."
Mikey nods and holds his arm tighter.
Max sits back, "Hopefully it works right away." He taps a finger on the keyboard as they wait. Max smiles as the program runs, "Okay, first hurdle done, now let me type up the other program."
Mikey whispers, "How are you so calm?"
Max kisses his forehead, "I have faith in us, Mikey. Every time I wake up in a fucked up timeline, I allow myself one good cry, then I get to work."
Mikey nods, "When I first got here, I cried in their room. Then I went to your world and found myself in that parking lot. I didn't even realize that was were the loft was supposed to be. If I had looked around I would have recognized the neighborhood. I just thought my portal had screwed up and sent me somewhere else."
"How did you find me?"
"I prayed to Mistress Destiny and asked her where you were. And an address popped into my head."
Max smiles, "Interesting. Mistress Destiny must be pissed right now."
"She's not the only one."
Max kisses Mikey's forehead as he sits back, "Fingers crossed that she makes this work right away." He taps on the keyboard as they wait.
The program runs perfectly.
Max smiles and hugs his brother, "We are in business, Mikey." He starts typing, "Since we are here, let's find out what happened to your fathers first."
Mikey nods and holds Max's arm.
Max shakes his head as the program gives him the new timeline for Mikey's world, "Not good."
Mikey closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, "Tell me."
Max sits back, faces Mikey as he holds his brother's hands, "They were killed in the Institute."
Mikey nods, "Okay. When?"
"When your Daddy was seven."
Mikey swallows as tears start to run down his face, "That is when they first met."
"Yes. After they finished in Alec's room and came downstairs, they were killed."
Mikey wipes his eyes, "How?"
Max nods, "Your Daddy's throat was slashed, no surprise there and your Poppa had his heart ripped out."
"But who would do that?"
"I can't tell."
Mikey closes his eyes, "Okay. I guess the loft was emptied afterwards by Catarina?"
Max shrugs, "No idea, Mikey."
"Okay. Anything else?"
Max looks at the screen, "The Lightwoods left New York and moved permanently to Idris afterwards. Hodge was made Head, then Aldertree took over."
"Okay. What about your fathers?"
Max nods. He types for a few minutes. He stops and rubs his thumb across his fingers as the program gives him the new timeline for his world. As he reads, tears run down his face.
Mikey holds his arm tight, "Max?"
Max glances at Mikey, as he wipes his eyes, "Daddy was killed in the Institute and Poppa was trapped in the loft. Both buildings were then destroyed."
Mikey's eyes widen, "Holy shit. When?"
"When Daddy was seven."
"What about Aunt Izzy and Grandma?"
Max takes a deep breath as he glances at the screen, "They were in the Institute when it exploded. About thirty ShadowHunters were killed."
"Holy shit, Max."
"Yes, killing both pairs of fathers at the same point in the timeline, can't be a coincidence."
"How are we going to fix this?"
Max kisses his forehead, "We are going to need help."
-tbc-
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Yes, another angst filled chapter, but I promise that's it for the angst.