"Is Stacey home?" Max asked of the woman that looked him over scathingly when he had knocked on the door.

"Just a minute."

Did she actually shut door while she went in to get Stacey? I thought that was her mom, but it must be some Aunt or something.

"Hey, Max." Stacey had come out and shut the door behind her.

She sounds nervous. This was supposed to be a good surprise.

"What's with your aunt? She acts like you've never had a boyfriend or something."

She hasn't hugged me and why does she keep looking back at the door like that?

"Aunt? No, that's my mom. She-" Stacey looked back at the window from where her mother had been looking out at them. "Max, she doesn't know." Her voice had dropped down to a near whisper.

"Know what?" Max had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"About us."

Her admission made him dizzy. Stacey wouldn't- but here she was saying that- There had to be a good reason.

"Why not?" His eyes searched her face for answers.

"My mom- my parents, they expect me to be a certain way. They weren't so sure about me in school; I was such a basket case. Then when I went to college, they thought fresh start for me- so did I."

"Ivy leagues and pedigrees, not guitar picks and tattoos huh?" Max shifted his eyes slightly so that he was looking at the plant that was behind her. That sickly feeling was spreading even as his brain continued to try and reject what was happening.

"I wanted to tell them- really I did, but they just get so worked up about what they expect from me."

"Well we wouldn't want to disappoint the parentals, now would we?" His voice was completely empty and harsh.

"Max…" Stacey wanted to say something to make things right, but she didn't have anything. She had hurt him and that was never what she had intended.

He looked at her now. The daylight framing the features that he thought were exclusively his seemed to make fun of everything that he thought that they had shared. He turned and walked back to the Trent's car that he'd borrowed. Once inside he had to still himself from hitting the stirring wheel and having a tantrum.

Not now, that will come later. I am going to find Nick and get something really good to forget about this shit here.

Nick's room

"Mornin' sunshine," Nick's voice was sarcastically bright as he handed Max a cup of coffee.

Max flipped him off, but took the coffee. Nick smiled and waited, saying nothing.

"That was messed up what you did last night."

Nick sat there smiling and sipping on his coffee.

"If I want to use, that is my choice, not yours."

Still nothing.

"You use and its okay; anyone else and it's a problem? That's bullshit!"

Nick put down his cup and leaned forward so that he was somewhat in Max's face.

"First of all, we both know that I'm as far from okay as I can be- for now. Second you're not anyone else- you're my best friend, and third of all you- all of Spiral are my family and that IS NOT bullshit."

Max drank some more coffee.

"I get it man- She hurt you and you just wanted to numb the pain; I'm no stranger to getting faded to forget. So I know, but it's not for you. You still have to climb out of the drugs and back into your shit. I can help; Jesse can help; Trent can help. That's what family does."

Max grunted and continued to drink. Nick was right, but Max was loathe to admit it. A know at the door signaled the arrival of Jesse and lucky for Nick and Max he brought breakfast. Trent arrived soon after and they all ate breakfast and talked about finishing the tour. It felt good- all of them together. They agreed to meet later at The Zon- for old times sake.