Max called her Papa around lunch time as she had left the bakery, she found an envelope with several hundreds of dollars in it that she knew he had slipped into her bag the night before. He chuckled and told her to buy some more clothes with it and since he had missed a few birthdays, Christmases, Easters and good school grades he did not want it returned.

Max sighed and hung up before walking into the department story and after an hour spent only some of the money her Papa had given her. She left with twos new pairs of jeans, one a dressy skinny pair and the other a basic boot cut, she got herself a new cropped black jacket, two sweaters and a few cheap scoop cut t-shirts. A few new bras, singlet's and some underwear she was a happy girl. She grabbed a pair of grey lace up fake converse style shoes and some black ballet slippers. She grabbed a long black and white stripped maxi dress, a red tunic, some leggings and a denim skirt that reached her knees and some denim shorts. A pair of black heels, she still had her some tops in her put everything away in her little motel room and changed into some of the new clothing, her boot cut jeans, her boots still on and the turquoise t-shirt with the cropped black jacket she went back out the door with her hair hanging low and sitting between her shoulders in her messy crazy curls went in every direction.

She climbed into her mothers old sedan and pulled into the garage, she climbed out and watched her father walk over kissed her hello before tilting his head to the space behind Max's car. She turned and noticed the line of different type but fine motorcycles, she looked at Tool a smile reaching her eyes and she walked over to the back bar area where she could hear deep voices talking.

She walked in and grinned as the men all beamed at her happily, she noticed they had not been there long, still dressed in their fatigues, they were dirty, they were unshaven and looked exhausted. She noticed blood on some of their clothing, on some of their limbs and she saw Tool med kit stilling open,

She rushed over to barney who was standing and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug, she continued over to all the men giving them a hug as they all starting chuckling and hugging her back. Barney smirked as Max wrapped her arms around Gunnar's neck pulling him down into a hug and his grunt of surprise. He placed his large hands in the middle of her back, almost covering most of the middle, he stepped back and Max gave him a kiss on the cheek. Gunnar smiled and when the others called out asking where their kiss was Max answered as she walked over to Tool

"He didn't want a good luck kiss so he gets a welcome back one"

Tool had returned to the med kit "Who's first? Who's bleeding on my couch?"

Max noticed the men looking at her out of the corner of their eyes and at each other

"Don't let me stop you from stripping" she smirked walking over to look into Tools med kit. Tool laughed and turned to Christmas

"Your bleeding on my chair man, you first" Christmas rolled his eyes and groaning painfully as he removed his layers.

Max picked up a few items from the kit, placed them on a near by work bench and turned to the men

"Barney" she stated pushing out a stool and looking at him sternly

Barney staggered over and pulled off his layers sitting down heavily, Max cleaned up the scratches, bandages and a few skin closure strips later he was done. He grabbed a beer and sat down watching Tool check over Yin and started Toll Road while Max bandaged a nasty looking gash on Hale's arm. Barney missed the look Max gave her father as she glanced at Barney and raised her eyebrows suggestively.

She finished up with Hale's quick and waved Gunnar over while rummaging in the kit, Gunnar looked at Barney and Barney looked at Tool didn't put up any objection. Gunnar walked over and sat down heavily on the stool, his long legs stretched out either side of Max, he had dried blood that had soaked through his t-shirt, he had removed his other layers in the plane. He had dried blood on his face that seemed to be covering a cut over his eyebrow and another on near his ear on his cheek. Max grabbed the shirt and gently as she could she Gunnar was sore helped him remove the clothing

"How come you strip Gunnar and not me" Caesar called out whistle crudely

"You weren't bleeding under it" she answered

"You wanna see my shirtless I can tell" he answered laughing

"How did you know?" She gasped and fanning herself before laughing and turning her focus back to Gunnar who was looking at her sternly

"What?" she asked as she cleaned the wound "your pretty too" she smirked tapping him on the shoulder briefly

Barney smirked and Tool laughed enjoying her easy banter with the men and at the fact blood and mess didn't seem to bother her.

"Thank you" Barney called out to her

"I gotta look after my boys" she answered back before turning herself back to Gunnar missing the happy smile on Tools face or the looks of surprise and affection of the others. She had fast become like a little sister to a few of them, more like a favourite niece or almost daughter to Barney.

She gently placed a hand either side of Gunnar's face and tilted it down so she could see and clean the cuts she saw. She reached around Gunnar to pick up the water bowl and a washer wondering while the guys were laughing, she leant back and realized that from Gunnar's height and with his head down he had a very clear view down her tshirt. Gunnar was looking at Max guiltily

"Close ya eyes" she snapped trying to be angry as the laughter continued

"Kill joy" Gunnar mumbled but closing his eyes none the less.

Max finished cleaning the cuts, a few more skin closure strips he was finished.

"All done, HEY!" She snapped when she felt a slap on her behind

"You do not get a cupcake now" she answered as she wandered to her car and reaching inside pulled out a large pastry box she had filled with some slightly damaged cupcakes from work she had made.

"Cupcake?" the men asked walking over and opening the box, each grabbed one, Gunnar smirked as she let him get one and she sat down biting into her own. She found she made pretty good cupcakes, cakes and pastries far better than bread but she wasn't bad at it in general, her mama had taught her well.

"Man!" Toll Road called out

"Dam girl" Caesar added "Did you make these? They are good!" he roared

"thanks" she answered "they are selling well at the bakery"

She had wondered over to her bag and she pulled out her cell phone she had heard buzzing, she looked at the unknown number and put it back inside

"Not talking to them today?" Tool asked

"Don't answer unknown numbers" she stated sitting down and pulling her legs under her Indian style.

The guys pulled out some beers, Gunnar sitting with a bottle of water and after another hour the men left seeking warm beds and some finally peaceful sleep.

"Nice clothes" Tool added as he walked her to her car

"thank you" she stated kissing him goodbye, Tool wandered inside and picked up his laptop he had closed earlier.

He opened the saved file and spent the night drinking as he continued to read Roy O'Brian criminal history, he had photos, police reports, school records and both his and Max medical records. He threw the empty bottle across the warehouse angrily as he realized the extent of Max spouse problems.