Author's Tune: Between juggling life and work, I have not been able to write posts here much. But here I am now, and trying to make up for lost time. To whomever is still following: Thank you so much for your support and reviews. I have every intention of completing this series. So fear not.

SGJBMCfan98: Because hanging cliffs are fun!

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Wolfgirl2013: I know, right?

Fan Girl Of All Sorts: Here you go! :D

Flamelily274: I hope this answers your question. :)

Fluffy Disclaimer: I own Disney, and all related material, which now includes Marvel and Star Wars, amongst other things. It is inevitable that I would eventually rule all media franchises. This allows me to write stories exclusively in FanFiction Dort Net. Have a good day.

Chapter 24: Deception of Innocence

Nancy stumbled to Max's bedroom, followed closely by her little golem duplicate. She was excitable, running about, inquisitively staring at everything new to her. The young girl smiled, she was very much like a new pet puppy. Out of curiosity, she wondered if the golem needed feeding. She had better run that by Ben later on. For now, she just wanted to rest somewhere.

There was a lot of excitement going on in Alex's room at the moment, and she didn't want to get in the way of that. Though sensibly, she really should have somebody look at the extent of her injuries on her legs. Yet her every instinct told her to come here. To Max's bedroom.

Despite the fact that she was dizzy and really lightheaded, probably from all the blood loss, she was smiling, and feeling...somewhat euphoric. She couldn't understand why. Maybe it was because she was in Max's bedroom for the first time ever? And it was every bit a slob's dream come true as she was hoping it to be. When Max told his family that Nancy was pretty much a female him, they didn't really believe it, and thus far, she had done very little to vindicate Max's claims. It was mainly because unlike Max, Nancy was a little more inhibited about her personal habits around other people. Her own parents would have affirmed Max's claims if they were asked.

She sat down on his bed, and it made a delightfully squishy, gooey noise. The golem bounced up on the bed, and she glanced about curiously when her landing created the same squishy noise. However, the motions made Nancy feel even dizzier, and she nearly collapsed right then. Her pants, which was blue, originally, now looked more like a maroon color, and she took it off to get a better look at the extent of her injuries. The sight of all her torn flesh made the girl queasy, and she fought against the urge to throw up. Gross as she and Max were, she didn't think he'd appreciate her hurling in his room.

~~{(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)(O)}~~

Max took his time about trailing Nancy. He let her enter his room first way ahead of him with her new pet. His expression was one of perpetual curiosity and concern. Her legs were badly mangled. But he didn't seem too upset. Worried, yes, of course, but angry at Warren Nichols? Or upset enough to want to put some hurt on the rogue wizard for hurting his girlfriend? Not quite. Maybe it was just that he wanted to make sure Nancy would be all right. He waited for a while, gave the girl some more time to settle in. Then he walked in.

"Uh...hey Nancy, are you all...whoa..." Max just paused and looked at Nancy.

Sitting on his bed, with no pants on.

Nancy raised her head and smiled weakly at Max, "Heyyy...Max. Love your bedroom."

"Doesn't that hurt?" Max raced over to kneel down by Nancy, and he examined the cuts on her legs. Some of them went to the bone, it was a miracle she managed to walk at all.

"Not so much anymore." Nancy's eyes were closing, and her face was very pale, and a little green. Now Max was no expert on medicine and wounds, but he was pretty certain she shouldn't be looking like how Alex looked right up until they removed the pendant from her a few minutes ago.

"Hold on. Let me try something." Max took out his wand.

"Hey...that looks different..." Nancy observed.

Max looked at his ruby red wand, "What? This? Oh, it changes shape from time to time."

"Oh, that's...cool." Nancy's head drooped forward and she almost fell off the bed if not for Max who caught her.

"Nance? Nance?!" Max looked worried now. Maybe he should have called one of the others to check on her. He was just about to yell for help when he felt something with a tiny fist punch him in the leg. "Hey!"

Looking down, he saw the transparent pink golem that bore a strong resemblance to Nancy, if she were two-and-a-half-feet tall. The golem had punched him, not very hard, but enough to get his attention, and was watching him warily for some reason. "What are you?"

The golem leaped up onto the bed and helped support Nancy, but she seemed to be trying to get Nancy away from Max. "I'm trying to help her." He explained.

"That's so...sweet..." Nancy smiled sleepily, her eyes still closed. "Max...I'm feeling cold..."

Max's eyes widened, but he froze on the spot, until another voice chimed in at the door to his bedroom. "Hallu! Is softpretty redhair here...?"

Angeline flitted in without invitation, in her fairy form, and squealed in horror, "Oh!"

"No no no no no!" She reverted to her human form and drew her wand, "If she is being taken by strife, do not take her life. Rejuvenate." A bright white sphere of light left her wand and engulfed Nancy. The spell's work was immediate, as the wounds on her legs began to seal up in reverse of the creation of the wounds. Shards of glass were magically pushed out and dropped to the floor, where the helpful golem immediately picked up the shards and left the room with them, making sure no one would step on them again.

Color returned to Nancy's face, and her eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Yay! Nancy's back!" Angeline cheered. "Bye!"

The odd girl left as abruptly as she had come, leaving a still puzzled Max standing by. And the little pink golem came back.

"Ah!' Nancy shrieked suddenly, making the boy jump, and she quickly covered legs with the blanket on his bed.

Ah. She was back to normal again. And after her face went from a furious shade of red to something a little lighter, he sat at her feet on the bed, "You okay?"

"Yeah..." Nancy was balancing the Nancy-shaped little golem on her lap. So it was clear to Max that she was not in pain anymore.

"What is that thing anyway?" Max gestured to the golem.

Nancy frowned, "She, is not a thing, she's a golem. My golem." The golem turned to glance at Max, and she gave a wary look.

Max chuckled, "Cool. What's her name?"

"Haven't thought of one for her yet." Nancy said, "Kind of just got her, after that...what's that wizard's name? Warren?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah, after his attack, she saved my life. And now I get to keep her." Nancy smiled.

"That's nice. Then she really deserves to have a name. Unless you wanna call her Golem." Max leaned back and reached out to pat the golem on her head, but the magical construct ducked her head and moved out of his way.

"Hey what's wrong? It's just Max. Max is nice."

The golem turned to look at Nancy, then at Max, then back to Nancy, and then just stayed still, looking at neither of them.

"Okay, now I do wish she can talk." Nancy said, but her statement caused Max to develop a look of relief on his face.

"She can't talk?"

"No, because Ben-Tzion said that she left her creation circle too early, and is incomplete, but she can't go back to be completed now, so she's stuck with whatever she has or doesn't have."

"That's too bad." Max said. The golem watched him again.

"She really seems to be bothered about something." Nancy frowned.

"Maybe she just needs to be given a name." Max suggested.

Nancy smiled lopsidedly at him, "You didn't even name your petrified lizard."

"What lizard?"

Now Nancy looked suspiciously at Max, "The one you gave me?"

"Oh, that, yeah."

"Max, are you okay?"

"Yeah yeah, I'm fine. Just you know, a lot going on."

Nancy nodded, "Yeah."

She looked the golem over, and said, "How about we name her Bella?"

Max smiled, "Sounds good, Bella."

Nancy matched his smile, "Bella. That's your name. Bella...Pink."

The golem smiled up at Nancy, seemingly approving of the name. Then she got up and leaped out of the way when Max drew closer to Nancy.

"Whoa, Bella! Where are you going?" Nancy watched the magical construct fleeing out of the room. "Max, something's wrong with her."

"Nance, you just got her. Maybe she's just got some habits you don't know of yet." Max shrugged.

"Oh..." Nancy looked at the door where Bella had fled, "...yeah, maybe you're right...M-Max?"

Nancy nearly leaned away, because Max was suddenly leaning so close to her face. But he reached up, his left hand glowing slightly, and he touched the side of her face, and she began to relax, smiling again, and the two kissed.

He held on to her with his kiss, and she did not attempt to pull away. He could feel her heart quickening, in their close contact. They both smiled through the kiss, feeling each other's warmth.

Unnoticed, Bella had returned, and watched quietly from the corner at the door, her face an expression of concern and fear.