Sorry for the delay! Things have been crazy even with my online classes being done. . Hope you enjoy! I promise to work harder to get season 1 complete. I have deprived myself watching season 2 until i finish writing and its been so hard! Thanks to all who have reviewed, followed, and favorited!

CHAPTER 11:

I'm working on my article in my office the next day. I decide to hold off making any appearances upstairs until after Ms. Grant is done with Kara over the Carter situation. I can only imagine the yelling. I've got my fingers crossed she keeps her job. She did redeem the night with games so hopefully he gives a shining review that covers up losing him.

"And we bring you Maxwell Lord's response to the incident." I hear on TV and turn to watch the coverage of last nights drama.

"Yes, the bomber did work for my company, and we did fire him, but we never anticipated he would react this way. I try to build in fail-safes for every situation. But in the end, you can't control people. And I take full responsibility for that." Max announces to everyone and I smile at his apology.

You can't help if people go crazy with revenge when they get desperate. If someone wants to cause chaos and destruction they will find a way no matter the precautions others take against them. I know Kara and he certainly don't see eye to eye on how things should be done but they both ultimately want the same things in life. a better, safer world.

I finish up and send my finished Superrail article off to editing happy with the content I was able to produce. Hopefully Cat will feel the same way so James doesn't get in trouble for letting me run point on it. Considering I ended up front and center to almost exploding on the train I don't see Cat being all too unhappy with it. She certainly wouldn't think I was working hard enough without near death happening.

At lunch I have to go to Max's office so they can do blood work to ensure I'm fine for the procedure. I'm not happy about it even if he has promised me a large piece of chocolate cheesecake for brave facing it. Let's see how big a piece it is when I'm crying or have fainted. I hate having to adult. Kara likes to tease my needle fear but she's one to talk considering needles can't even puncture her skin. She's never needed a shot in her life.

Paulina leads me to a room where Max is already waiting for me when I arrive. He has me sit in a comfy office type chair that looks very out of place in the room. I narrow my eyes and stare him down as I sink into the plush cushioning.

"This is specially for me isn't it?" I ask him.

"Figured comfort would help. Especially if you faint," he says with a smile and I glare at him harder.

A white lab coat clad man entering the room interrupts any further comments between us and I try to shake off my unease. I take a deep breath in and then out trying to prepare myself. This was good. It meant getting rid of my hearing aids and all the stigma that I face when people see them on me. I won't lie and say that even though I care very little for what people think it doesn't make life easier when people act funny once they think you can't hear properly.

"Aria this is Dr. Lenardo he will be taking your blood and testing it. He's also the doctor who performs the implant procedure." he introduces and I shake the doctors hand.

Max pulls up a stool beside us and I try to keep my breathing calm as I watch him start prepping a needle. He pauses and looks up at me and realize I must be failing at the calm part of my breathing. I give a awkward half smile trying to show I am fine but I am certain it fails epically.

"Mr. Lord informs me you are afraid of needles" he says kindly.

"I hate them with a fiery passion" I tell him with a sarcastic smile.

He laughs. "Well I will do my best to make this as painless as possible. Though you may want to look away and squeeze something. Just keep this arm here relaxed," he tells me as he puts my left arm on the table beside me.

I turn and glare at Max who smirks at me.

"Here you can squeeze my hand. I'm sure I can handle it," he tells me.

"How kind of you Mr. Lord" I tell him sarcastically.

I refuse to look as I feel the doctor tourniquet my bicep and wipe down where he will place the needle. I stare right into Max's eyes and will myself not to look like a complete fool. I can already feel my emotions getting the better of me like they have around needles my whole life.

"Just lean your head back and relax. Think about something else. Something happy" he tells me squeezing my hand.

I tilt my head back like he says and focus on counting my breath in and out. I feel the doctor take my arm and my breath hitches.

"Talk to me Aria. Focus on that not him" I hear him say but refuse to meet his gaze. I feel the needle begin to prick and squeeze his hand.

"Ouch" I hear him whisper but in the moment I can't find it funny.

My eyes water and I keep breathing. Thankfully Dr. Lenardo is good at his job and he is successful on his first try as my blood begins to go down into a tube. I do not look down for watching it happening will surely be my doom.

"That cheesecake is going to taste pretty incredible after this" Max says hoping to distract me.

"Punching you in the face would be pretty incredible after this" I counter forgetting we're not alone and he laughs along with the doctor. I'm to freaked out by the needle in my arm to be embarrassed or worry about it though.

Soon the tube is full and I grimace as I squeeze even harder as the needle leaves my arm. I'm bandaged to stop any bleeding and that's when I finally look back level with the room. My body is too warm from the adrenaline and I can feel that my eyes are watering.

"Thank you for trusting me Miss. Summers. I'll get this started so we can get you ready for surgery sooner than later" he says with a smile before leaving.

I finally release Max's hand, which I watch as he shakes out and rubs with a frown.

"You're pretty strong," he tells me.

I don't answer and he rolls his chair closer so our knees touch and he leans in.

"Hey that wasn't so bad was it?" He asks and I roll my eyes at the parent like question.

"That cheesecake better be here already," I inform him and he laughs before standing.

"Get up slowly. We didn't take much but it can still make people dizzy. Let's go get some food in you" he says offering me a hand.

I do feel off but that's probably more the stress of the process than the actual blood loss. I let him guide me by a hand on the small of my back to his office. We enter and I spy the take out boxes with glee. We sit on a couch and I ignore the true food and pop open the desert. Max goes to say something and I glare at him and he laughs raising his hands in surrender. I happily eat the entire piece of cheesecake as my lunch and slump back into the couch staring at my arm.

"That can probably come off now," he tells me reaching for it.

"Don't touch it," I warn him placing my other hand protectively over it.

"You're acting like a child," he says staring at me.

"Says the guy who didn't get a needle jabbed in his arm today" I say sticking my tongue out at him only further proving my own childish behavior over a bandage.

He puts his food down and quicker than I expect pushes me back into the couch and kisses me. He has me pinned so I can't move my arms and it's infuriating as he deepens the kiss laying on top of me. He finally relents to my squirming and gives me enough room to release my arms, which I wrap around his neck. I run one down his back to shoulder and down his arm. We continue like this for what feels like forever but is only about five minutes and break apart when my phone rings loudly across the table to the jaws theme. I freeze.

"What is that?" He asks me staring down at me.

"Kara's sister"

"Do you not like her sister?" He asks laughing as he lets me sit up to grab it.

"No I do. She's like my own big sister. She's just scary intimidating and likes to big sister me. The ringtone is a joke from a drunk night," I tell him with a laugh as I grab the phone but it stops ringing and I groan as it goes to voicemail.

"What's my ringtone?" He asks and I smirk.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Hmm I think I'll just call you quick" he states.

"Oh you don't have one of those yet." I say trailing off.

"Ah so it's a text I should send. Intriguing." He says and pulls out his phone.

"No don't." I laugh as I try to reach for his phone. "You won't even get the reference" I try to argue though it's a lie.

He turns trying to lean away from me causing us both to fall with him laying back on the couch and me on top of him.

"Ha" I call in victory snatching his phone while he groans out as my weight takes some air out of his lungs. I laugh at the look on his face.

"You're heavier than you look," he says and I push my elbow down into him in revenge causing him to groan.

I slide his phone into my back pocket before leaning down with arms above his head.

"Still mind the weight?" I ask inches from his face.

"Mm no I could get used to this" he tells me and leans up to meet me as another round of making out begins. His hands move along my sides and I relax deeper into him.

We continue on like teenagers for a while longer before the ringing of Max's phone in my pocket makes me jump. I laugh as he slowly slides it out of my pocket before looking at the caller ID and groaning.

"I didn't realize the time. I have to take this. The car can take you back to work," he tells me as we sit up. He gives me a quick kiss as he answers and moves swiftly to his desk.

I grab the remainder of my real lunch and my bag. I give him a wave before heading out the door. Paulina finds me and leads me to the lobby through Max's maze. I swear his office is that difficult to get to on purpose. I ride back to work and continue with my latest projects for the day. I grimace as I realize I still have the cotton ball taped to me and reluctantly pull it off and glare at the little blood scab where the IV had been. I hate needles.

Theres a knock at the door and I look up as Kara enters the room. She eyes my arm and grimaces.

"Everything go okay?"

"Besides having a needle stab me and my blood drip out an IV?" I question sarcastically.

"Yeah besides that" she laughs.

"All right I guess. I met the doctor who will do my surgery. I won't hear back about my blood work til tomorrow though at the next round of tests."

"What's tomorrow's testing?" She asks taking a seat on my couch.

"More sound tests to get a better gauge on the how much loss I actually have in each ear. I guess that way they can know if one ear needs more aid than the other."

"Sounds smart. You see Max Lord?" She asks.

"Yeah he was present for the testing. Got to have him watch me cry over a needle like a child. I think it's destiny." I tell her and she rolls her eyes at me.

"Well I can't wait for you to have the surgery. Anything that can fix my mistake I am all for."

"Kara we've been over this a million times since we were 13. I don't blame you for what happened. I egged you on. We were kids we had no idea the damage it would do. You have got to stop blaming yourself." I tell her moving to sit beside her on the couch. "Besides I got to meet Superman and it's not like he's bad to look at. It's a shame the age difference and his undying love for Lois Lane will keep us a part." I tease her with a wink causing her to quickly go from guilty to disgusted.

"Oh my gosh! Ew! You did not just say that about my cousin" she exclaims shoving me over.

I laugh happy to have changed the mood of our talk. Kara always wanted to help everyone. She would take the weight of the entire world on her shoulders if she could. She was the best friend a girl could have.

"All right well I have to get back upstairs before Ms. Grant flips out." She tells me rising up.

"Later Kara" I call as she goes and I return to work for the remainder of the day.