To Guest- you must be psychic! :D

This will probably only be a short chapter 'cos it's all I can think of at the moment and I still haven't found that one previously written…


Tension was slowly seeping from Tobias, much slower than his blood was. A pained and weak moan escaped him and Max snapped back to his senses. He threw himself back, scrambling away from semi-conscious Tobias. He was scarily pale and the blood that had just been so delicious now tasted bitter in his mouth.

"Tobias…" Max wanted to help, but he didn't trust himself. Blood was still trickling down Tobias's neck; a thin, scarlet line contrasted violently against the whiteness of his skin.

He could die, a voice screamed in his mind, you'd have killed the one person you could always rely on! DO SOMETHING!

But what could he do?

Tobias was dying, he couldn't help him. Not without hurting him more.

Ava was awoken by a strangled cry from Max. She rolled over to see him fighting the covers and shaking his head. He was so tense, his muscles felt like iron.

It took her a second to realise he was crying.

"Max!" She grabbed him by the shoulder, calling his name again. "Wake up, Max, wake up!" Desperation was settling in now, flooding through her as he choked and arched his back in pain.

She hadn't meant to slap him; she just reacted.

His eyes shot open and he scrabbled blindly for her, struggling to draw breath. She snapped her arms about his shoulders, one hand one the back of his head. He was shaking tremendously, his arms around her, so compactly she felt as though her ribs would break, with his fingers coiled in the back of her shirt.

She shushed him gently. "I've got you, Max, I've got you." She assured. He clung to her tighter, drawing a ragged breath and articulating a frightened whimper.

What had his nightmare been?

With some difficulty, she managed to turn his head up to make him face her. "Max?" She said softly, holding his face gently in her hands. He had turned a sickly grey, tears streaming unashamedly down his cheeks. He was breathing now, sharply and shortly, but it was an improvement.

Resting her forehead against his, she sighed. "Tell me what's wrong, Max." She breathed softly.

"Tobias…" He croaked, staring blankly at her hair over her shoulder.

"What about Tobias?" She encouraged delicately. Max seemed to crumple against her, defeated. His hands fell from the back of her T-shirt and he gave a shaky sigh. "Max? Talk to me, I want to help." He only mumbled his brother's name again and she figured he wanted to hear Tobias's voice to reassure him entirely.

She made to get up, but he grabbed at her again, catching her eye with an urgency that scared her. "No…" He wheezed.

"I'll call Tobias, yeah?" She soothed. He watched her sceptically and then his grip slackened and he collapsed against the pillows.

Ava rushed from the room, snatching the phone from its cradle on the stand next to the TV and punching in Tobias's number.

He answered on the third ring, groggy and tired.

"I didn't do it, I swear."

"No, no, it's Max."

"What?" Ava explained as quickly as she could. Tobias instantly demanded for his brother to be put on the phone.

"Max, look, Tobias is on the phone for you." Max opened his eyes and held out a shaking hand. Ava sat next to him, doing her best to eavesdrop, but Max had slipped into Ancient Greek and she didn't understand a word he said.

"Don't you worry about me," She caught faintly from Tobias, "I'm Tobias Jackson." Max gave a soft snort of laughter, rubbing at his eyes and murmuring something in Ancient Greek again. "Well, if you're going to be like that…" Max replied hastily in his other language and she heard Tobias cackle with maniac glee.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Ava questioned kindly, taking his hand once he'd put the phone down.

"I'm OK." And he did look a bit happier, relieved almost, now he had talked to Tobias.

"I want to help."

"I know you do." He looked at her. "And you did."

"I rang your brother. He did most of the hard work."

"You woke me up." He countered simply, yet gratefully. Ava made to retort, but he was holding his arms out to her and she felt it best not to push him just yet.

She'll talk to him tomorrow.


Yeah, sorry it's short, but it's all I've got at the moment. I'll try and find that chapter tomorrow.