In Protection

Chapter 21

Max Pov:

The 4 items sat in front of me. Staring back. Blank. Urghhh why is this so hard. It should be easy.

Give clues to cops. Sit back. Watch them catch bad guys. Go back to vestiges of old life.

That's what I should want. The trouble free way of getting what I want. But thing is that's not what I want. I want revenge.

Now a logical person would go "isn't helping the police catch the murders revenge? Why do you need to risk your life? You don't. "

But I do.

Scooping up all the items I place them back in the hole behind the couch. I heard Val call everyone downstairs for dinner. I rubbed my hands which where still lightly traced with scar marks before heading back downstairs. It seemed to be a quiet dinner tonight. This family seems to be a fan of the dramatic and highly sociable. Nudge and Iggys family had been making recent visitations and it would be nice not to have to fake conversation. Well I might have to do a little bit of that. Dr M was still in a rotten mood and it was starting to dawn on my why. She blamed me. To tell you the truth I kind of blamed me.

I sat down and Fang slid in next to me on one side. And Dr M sat down next to fang on the other side. I swear she was glaring at me slyly under his chin. I only say under because Fang is at least a head taller. No wonder she wears heals so much. The ladle came down hard on my plate, mash potato clinging to the china. I looked up and saw Val wielding the utensil.

Deciding to act as if her obvious distaste for me was not a blatant as she was making it. I gave a smile "Thanks"

No reply.

All right.

Next came a chicken leg.

I prefer thigh.

But that's ok because I don't want her any more pissed of. The tension now could be cut with a knife and everyone could taste it in the air. This could make for awkward dinner conversation.

Dr M moved on to serving the next person, much less forcefully.

The next morning I woke up myself (yes, I actually got an alarm clock). Walking down the stairs in oversized trackies and a singlet shirt. I had taken the bandage off in the night since it was bugging me and I did not want a shirt to rub the stitches. So now the cuts on my arm, new and old where visible. But to tell you the truth I didn't care much. Entering the kitchen Gazzy and Fang where sitting down while Dr M was standing at the stove making porridge. It smelt horrible.

Fang nodded in greeting when he saw me. Gazzy smiled and tried to talk, some milk trickling out of his mouth. Cute and disgusting at the same time. Only Gazzy could accomplish that.

Dr M seemed oblivious to me as I went to the pantry getting out some cereal. I closed the door a bit to loud and Val whirled. At first there was only that familiar slight look of distain then her eyes widened.

"Max cover up!"

"Wha-?" I looked down at myself, the singlet was respectable enough and she was showing more cleavage than me. "The shirt isn't showy"

"Not the shirt-" she hissed, "The scars" she cast a frantic look at Gazzy.

Behind me I could see him trying to talk through a full mouth of cereal. That might teach him to eat smaller bite-full's.

"Val" I said carefully, "I think its ok". I did not want to show to obviously how silly I thought this was but. That's so Petty!

I saw her glare it me although she seemed to be trying to keep her outrage under control. Then from behind me I felt a jacket drop on my shoulders. Looking down I now saw that I was covered by a casual-black-blazer. The one Fang has been wearing.

Dr M stared slightly surprised at Fang before giving me one last look over and returning to her cooking. Still lightly stunned I turned around to face Fang who was now sitting down working through a piece of toast as if nothing had happened. I moved towards him lightly touching his shoulder murmuring "Thanks".

He nodded his head in recognition.

Fang Pov:

Later that night after school we where all sitting down watching the TV. Angel and Gazzy and had gone to bed Ella retiring soon after. Muttering something about a test tomorrow.

Buts it's doubtful that was true.

They all just wanted to get away from Max and Mum. It was like some type of one-way fight between them. Mum was throwing out every type of veiled no-descript insult in the book and Max was just ignoring it

Finally Max stood up, "I' m going got bed"

When she was no longer visible on the stairs I turned to mum.

"Alright what's the problem?"

"Problem? What Problem? I have no problem", She said picking up a few scattered bowls of popcorn

"Yeah you do, you just repeated Problem 3 times"

Sighing she sat down "Its nothing really"

I stared at her letting my eyes show my disbelief.

"Alright fine I have a bit of a problem with Max"

"Whatever for?"

"She put you in danger-"

"I thought you where over that!" I said my voice rising- if only slightly.

"Over that, how am I supposed to get over my son nearly dying?" Her voice was now a shrill shout and I could imagine everybody upstairs ears pressed to their doors.

"By remembering that it's not her fault"

"But it was"

"Its not like she called those people there. She got hurt too"

"But that's just it. I am angry you got in danger but she also put herself in danger", her hand smoothed my unruly hair " I see what's happening. Its Bridget all over again"

"Its not" I replied coldly, somewhat thrown of by my mums observations that I wasn't sure where true.

"But it's heading that way"

Max Pov:

I stood up the top of the stairs. Listening to Fang and Dr M talk.

Talk about me.

Who is Bridget?

I AM SUCH A BAD UPDATOR! But I have been sick still with the same thing. Ah well I wont promise anything because my focus is still on school but I will try harder.

Review PLEASE!

Thanks,

Ruby