A/N Well...a lot of people said it was too fluffy, and I guess I agree. I just had to like, develop them further, I guess? I was gonna do something else now, but I'm just gonna go ahead and move forward. So, here is a not fluffy chapter:

Max POV

I was laying down on my bed later the next day, bored to death, when I decided to call J.J. We haven't talked in ages. I rang her number and waited.

"Hello?" I heard J.J. say. She sounded so tired.

"Hey, it's me." I said.

"Max! Ohmygosh hi." her voice perked up noticably.

"Is everthing ok? You sound weird." I said slowly.

"Um...well these people-I gotta go, sorry! I'll call you as soon as I can!" the phone clicked off.

Well that was short. And it had me worried. Something was definately going on.

Still thinking about J.J. I went downstairs.

_linelineline_

"Dude," Iggy was saying, "No way. You have to show me."

All of us had been at the park for a while, a great distraction from the J.J. thing, and were getting ready to leave

"Yeah, " Gazzy said, "I tried it with the cleaning supplies and BAM! The teacher went crazy but it was so worth it."

"We should try it, but amped up." Iggy said, grinning.

"Just stay away from my room when you do." I warned.

"Whatever you say, Maxie." Iggy called, jogging off in his eagerness.

"Shut up, Jeffrey." I yelled back, using his real name.

"Maxie," said Fang thoughtfully, "I kind of like it."

"You can shut up too, Nick." I said. He scowled. He hated his real name.

I laughed and we continued on our way home. We reached the house and went inside and into the living room. Nudge and Ella were already home, sitting on the couch obsessing over a magazine and Angel was on the floor singing quietly to her little stuffed bear. These girls walk fast.

"Hey, guys." I greeted them.

"Hi Max!" said Ella.

"Your phone was vibrating." said Nudge.

I always forgot my phone when I go places. Sure enough, it was sitting on the side table, the missed call sign flashing. I opened and it and saw it was from J.J. Excellent. I needed to talk to that girl.

I went into the kitchen and dialed her number.

"Hello?" she said.

"J.J.? What's going on with you?" I said, getting right down to business.

"Max I just-" there was a loud bang and a clattering sound.

"J.J.?"

"I have to go!" she squeaked fearfully and hung up.

What the heck? Something was going on. I knew J.J. really well, and if something bad was happening at that foster home she probably wouldn't tell. She'd told me it was because she was afraid the next one would be worse. Hmm...I decided to call her one more time, and go from there.

I went into the living room to wait until a reasonable amount of time had passed before I could I call her. Fang and the girls were arguing about what show to watch.

"People, people," I said, "We are obviously going to watch the The Mentalist episode I taped."

"Fine." said Nudge, handing me the remote.

An hour later I told them I'd be back in a minute and left the room. I grabbed my phone and sat down on the counter as I waited for J.J. to answer.

"Hello?"

"J.J. You need to tell me-"

"Max," she said, cutting me off, "Look it's a really bad time-"

"Every time I call is a bad time!" I said.

"I know, and I'm sorry I just can't-" she paused and I heard yelling in the background, "I'm sorry, I really need to-" there was a pause, then a snapping sound, and my phone started beeping, letting me know the call had ended.

Ok, something was definately wrong, I thought, J.J.'s been abused a few times in the past and the signs were always the same...but what if she wasn't right now? What if I like, called the cops but she was actually perfectly fine? She'd be so mad. And they'd probably take her out of that home on suspiscion alone. So, no authorities. Maybe...maybe if I found out her address I could go and stop by for a quick visit and see what was going on. Then I could help if it was something bad, and if it was nothing- then great.

I dialed the number of my social worker. She picked up on the first ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi Claire, it's Max." I said.

"Oh, hello Max! Why are you calling? Is somehing wrong there?"

"No, no." I said quickly, "I was just wondering if you could give me my friend J.J.'s address. You met her before, remember? I just wanted to visit if it was close by."

"Oh, uh, sure I guess. What's her last name?" Claire said.

"Aniston." I told her.

"Ok..." there was a long pause before she came back. She told me the address and city. It ws luckily not too far from here, only about fifteen or twenty miles.

"Thanks." I said.

"No problem, Max. Call me if you need anything."

"I will." I promised. We said goodbye and I hung up.

Looks like I was going on a little trip...but how? I doubted anyone here would let me go. Fang and Iggy shared a car, and I had my learner's permit and no qualms about taking the risk of driving wihout an adult with me. I decided to ask Iggy if I could borrow it. Fang would insist on knowing why.

I found Iggy in Gazzy's room. I opened the door, and both boys hurriedly shoved somehing under the bed.

"Oh," said Gazzy, seeing me, "It's just you." He pulled the explosive pieces back out.

"Yup." I said, "Iggy? Can I borrow your car for a few hours?"

"Why?" he asked suspiscously.

"I need to visit a friend." I said, keeping it simple.

"You don't even have a liscense yet." he pointed out.

"I have my permit. Come on, please? I promise not to get pulled over." I said.

He considered for a minute. "Fine." he said, "But don't you dare hurt my baby."

"How could I hurt that piece of- I mean of course not." I said. Better stay on his good side.

He was already obsorbed by his little...device thingy he was working on. I walked quickly down the stairs, not saying goodbye to Fang or the girls. They'd ask questions, and Fang would insist on coming in case my suspsiscions were right. And I just wanted to get this over with.

I pulled out of the driveway, and forty five minutes later I was at my destination. Her house was small and in a crappy part of town. How stereotypical. I walked up to the front door and knocked. I waited and nothing happened. I knocked again.

The door opened slowly, and there stood J.J. When I saw her I gasped. She had two black eyes and looked so thin and exhausted.

"Max!" she said startled.

"J.J.!" I yelled, "Why haven't you gotten out of here! Look at you!"

She hastily shut the front door. "Look," she said, "This isn't nearly as bad as some places. I mean, look at some places Callie's been." Callie was a mutual friend of ours.

"So?" I said incredulously.

"So, what if my next home is worse?" she said.

"Then you get put of that one too!"

"What if I don't want to keep moving!" she yelled back, ters forming in her eyes.

I opened my mouth to speak, but just then the door flew open, revealing a tall man with a serious beer belly. He looked like he really needed a shower.

"J.J? Whose this?" he said.

"Uh, she was selling something." J.J. said, warning me with her eyes.

"No I wasn't." I said anyways, "I'm her friend. I was just visiting. But I'll be going now-"

"No, no." he said, grinning evily, "We always invite our guests in." and with that he grabbed both J.J. and me by the arm, and pulled us roughly into the house.

I stared into J.J's wide fearful eyes and knew I was in deep trouble.

A/N So, there you go. Sorry this chapter was a little slow, but the next one should be better. And so sorry it was so shortXD Review! Please!