Hope everyone is doing okay in this crazy world we're living in!/p

Sorry it's been so long between chapters, motivation has gone on holiday without me! doesn't help that I'm supposed to be in Yellowknife (Canada) right now watching the aurora, instead, I'm working crazy hours, serving people that shouldn't be out and about and or people who are rude and ungrateful. Sorry, I know, first world problems, i also should be thankful i have a job, unlike thousands of people out there now!... rant over!

Anyway, hope everyone is safe and well! and let's all escape to the fanfic world! xx

Live and Learn

Chapter 16.

Maddie sighed as she picked up the remote to change the channel, Dutchy sat down beside her and dangled a glass of wine in front of her. She looked up unamused, assuming it was a tease, he rolled his eyes and shook it in front of her face.

"Go on, you're legal in a week, right?"

"Thanks…"

She took a sip and muted the TV as she turned to face him.

"I assume this is a ploy to get me to talk, so I might as well take advantage of it. So, what were they like? You know, back then?"

Dutchy hesitated, worried he would put his foot in it, but he wanted to give her something, a reward for wanting to discuss it. He took a moment to choose his words wisely.

"Well, they made the most incredible team, to be honest I don't think your mum would be the officer she is without his influence."

Maddie fidgeted in her seat, suspicious of his answer, it was too pro Mike.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I remember Mike telling me they were paired together on purpose. Fleet Command thought Mike could do with some black and white and your mum could do with some cowboy. I would say they're the best leadership team I have worked with."

She raised an eyebrow, still assuming he was trying to repair their relationship.

"You're just trying to make me feel better about them."

He shook his head insistently, placing his glass on the table.

"I wouldn't lie about that, Mads. Your mum only required 6 months on Hammersley, she was on the career path, but she stayed for five years. You don't do that with a CO that you hate, plus how much harder would it have been with your past staring you in the face every day?"

Maddie sighed as she swirled the wine around in her glass, thinking about it.

"I guess."

"Look, as much as I have opinions about their personal relationship, their professional one, I couldn't fault."

"And what about dad?"

Dutchy's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Jim.

"What do you mean?"

"I want her to be happy but, I don't know how she could do it with a guy that didn't like dad."

He didn't really want to get involved in that aspect of the issues, but he had come this far, and she seemed to be listening.

"I'm not sure it was a dislike situation, I think it was more jealousy. Your dad was like, the best guy, almost irritating. You know, if it wasn't for your mum they would have probably been mates. But seriously, all he wanted is for her to be happy."

There was silence for a moment, Maddie glared at him over the top of her glass.

"So, that first time he left, he obviously thought they were in love or something?"

"I wasn't there for that, but yeah, that's what I've heard. I just don't think you go through all of this for someone you don't love..."

"And you really believe people can change?"

Dutchy nodded.

"I am living proof, I used to be an angry, ticking time bomb... And, well, because of the right people, I'm happy and healthy."

Maddie sat back on the couch and un-muted the TV, Dutchy wasn't sure if the conversation was over, he reached for his glass, glancing over to her.

"Okay?"

She nodded and finished her glass.

The next morning Maddie packed her bags and exited her room, Dutchy handed her a piece of toast as she headed for the door.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you?"

Maddie shook her head and re-positioned her bag over her shoulder.

"No, the bus is fine, plus, it'll give me sometime to think..."

"Okay, well safe trip!"

He gave her a squeeze, wondering if he should push a little further to check if she was truly okay.

"Thanks for letting me stay."

"No problem, you're family. So, are you going to say goodbye to your mum?"

"Ah, yeah..."

She gave Dutchy a hug and walked over to Kate's house. She peered through the front window, not wanting to interrupt a PDA. She saw Kate and Mike standing in the kitchen, cooking breakfast, he stood behind her, his arms wrapped around her.

She wanted to forgive, but all she could think about was Jim, she needed more time, shaking her head she walked away.

The next morning, Maddie sat at breakfast playing with the inedible omelette of powdered eggs on her plate. Tyler nudged her, bringing her out of her mind.

"Hey, you okay?"

She shook her head and got up from the table, dumping the contents of her plate in the bin she walked out of the dinning hall. Tyler sat at the table for a moment, confused about her behaviour, he soon followed, concerned for her.

"Maddie, hey, seriously, what's the matter? I haven't heard from you all weekend."

She stopped and healed sharply, turning to face him.

"I had a fight with mum, I big one, I ended up staying at Dutchy's..."

He reached out and grasped her hand for support.

"Ah, do you wanna talk about it?"

She let out a groan, pulling her hand away.

"I'm so sick of talking..."

Tyler didn't know what to do, he re-grasped her hand, and walked her to her room. Maddie flipped on to her bed, he sat next to her hoping his company was enough. Maddie sat back up and ran her hands over her face.

"She lied to me, she's never lied to me."

Tyler could see she was on the verge of tears and pulled her in close, running his hand over her arm.

"She would have had good reason, it's your mum, she's not stupid. Are you sure there's not something else?"

"Like what?"

He broke eye contact, focusing on the floor, he couldn't bring himself to ask about her true feelings.

"Nothing... so, ah, what did she lie to you about?"

"She's dating Mike Flynn, he said they were just friends, but I went home, and he was in my house."

"Well, they used to be friends, didn't they? He could have just been visiting?"

"He was in mum's bed."

"Oh…"

"Yeah, look, I don't care that she's dating, it' just that shes dating him, there's a whole history, and he was a complete jerk and…"

"What if he loves her?"

She jumped up from the bed, frustrated, why was no one on her side?

"So that excuses all his shitty behaviour?"

Tyler shook his head as he stood close.

"No, but..."

She stepped away from him, pacing the room.

"Oh, don't tell me you're on his side cos of Nate."

"Hey, I've got no idea about the situation, little own being on sides."

"Yeah, that's right, so why are you defending him?!"

"Maddie, I'm not, I'm just trying to help…"

"Well, you're not."

She threw herself on to the bed and pulled the covers over her face, attempting to hide her tears.

Tyler sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her back.

"Is there anything I can do?"

She flung the covers back, sitting up.

"Got any booze?"

"Maddie, that's not the way to deal with this."

"Well, you can just leave me alone then…"

She fell back into the bed, recovering her face. He sighed and walked to the door, he looked back at her feeling helpless and left.

An hour or so later Maddie dragged herself out of bed, she tidied herself and found herself standing in front of Nate's door. Before she knew it, she had knocked, and he stood before her with a shocked expression on his face.

"Maddie, ah, hi…"

She barged her way into his room and paced around.

"Have you got anything to drink?"

He frowned as he closed the door.

"Ah, no…"

She rummaged around his desk, looking for any signs of contraband.

"C'mon, resident bad boy, you've gotta have a stash."

He approached her cautiously, trying to decipher her strange behaviour.

"Is this some kind of trick?"

She plonked herself on to his bed, folding her arms over her chest.

"Nope, just need a drink, preferably vodka."

He sat next to her forgetting all their past tension, he was genuinely concerned.

"What's going on for you to need vodka?"

"Oh, you haven't heard? Your dad is sleeping with my mum.."

Nate's brow creased, tilting his head.

"What? But, he said..."

"Well, I don't care what he said, I went home on the weekend and they were in bed."

She shook his head, waving his ha did in the air.

"Okay, stop I don't need to hear that…"

"I didn't catch them in the act, but…"

"Since when?"

"Who knows, she doesn't tell me anything anymore. And by the way, your dads a jerk."

"Hey, no argument from me here…"

"So, do you know about the past?"

He nodded, she whacked him on the arm.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Ah, well, if you haven't noticed we haven't really been talking."

"Yeah, cos you've been a jerk, like father like son I guess."

"Hey, you're the one in here asking me for a favour."

"Yeah, well, you can't help me can you?"

She rose from the bed and headed to the door.

"Can't I?"

He smirked as he pulled a bottle of vodka from underneath his bed, Maddie's eyes lit up as she jumped back on to the bed.

"I knew you'd have some!"

She snatched the bottle off him and took a large gulp, wincing as it burned all the way to her stomach. He snatched it back.

"Hey! Calm down, if we get caught we're dead."

"Oh, who cares…"

She attempted to take the bottle again, he pulled in from her reach.

"You do, whatever you're going though you'll get over it, but you won't get over being kicked out of here."

She scrunched up her face at his wise words and grabbed the bottle, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, okay, who are you? I thought you were all about having fun?"

"Yeah, but I'm not gonna be blamed for getting you kicked out, okay?"

He grabbed the bottle back and picked at the label, Maddie sighed, looking around the room, trying to summon up the courage to ask her question.

"So, have you been mad cos you like me?"

He swallowed his mouthful, pretending the idea was absurd.

"Sure, whatever you think, McGregor…"

"Hey, not my words, their Liv's… so then why have you been weird?"

He took another swig, hiding his face with the bottle.

"I haven't…"

"Yeah, okay then…"

She glanced at him out the corner of her eyes and grabbed the bottle back, silence filled the room, Nate cleared his throat desperately wanting to talk about something else.

"So, you still having your party of you're mad at your mum?"

She nodded as she took another sip.

"Yeah, Dutchy's offered to have it at his house."

"Cool."

"So, you gonna come?"

"Didn't know if I was invited."

She handed him the bottle and flopped back on to the bed.

"I just don't get it, your dad, my mum..."

"Umm, yeah I'm sorry about saying stuff about your mum."

He lay back on the bed, she slowly turned to face him.

"And I'm sorry, you know, about your face..."

He flinched as she reached out and ran her hand over his bruised cheekbone.

"I deserved it..."

They lay there gazing into each other's eyes, Maddie's heart beat faster as he placed his hand on top of hers. A few moments later she snatched it away and sat up, grabbing the vodka she took a large swig, not wanting to acknowledge the moment they had.

"Anyway... got any snacks?"

The next morning the sun beamed in through the blinds, causing Maddie to wake. Her mind was foggy, a dull thump pulsated through head. She slowly sat up and stretched, letting out a groan.

She rubbed her eyes looking around, she wasn't in her room. Her eyes widened as they caught a glimpse of Nate asleep in his office chair. She lept out of the bed and shook the chair, Nate fell to the ground with a thud.

"Ugh!"

She yanked him to his feet, his eyes barely open.

"Shit! It's 930!"

He opened one eye and winced.

"What?"

She shoved him back on to the chair.

"We're in deep shit..."

They froze as they heard a knock at Nate's door, he went to answer it but Maddie pulled him back shaking her head.

"Don't answer it..."

Mike's voice beamed through the door.

"Nate, are you in there?"

Nate rubbed his hands over his face and reached for the door handle, Maddie grasped his arm harder.

"Nate!"

He shrugged off her grip.

"He knows I'm here, where else would I be?"

She grit her teeth and flopped back on the bed, knowing they were about to cop it.

Nate tried to make himself look presentable as he opened the door, Mike stepping inside the room and froze seeing Maddie.

"McGregor?"

She stood from the bed looking terrified.

"Sir."

Nate stepped in front of her, attempting to take the heat.

"Dad, nothing happened."

"I hope not..."

Maddie shook her head and ran out the room, Mike stepped closer and sniffed his breath.

"Have you been drinking?"

Nate took a step back, breaking eye contact.

"No?!"

Mike knew he was lying, he grasped his shirt, pulling him close.

"Nate, what the hell do you think you were doing?"

"Dad, she was upset, you're making her upset, you and her mum..."

The stern look dropped off his face, and he released his grip.

"She told you?"

"Yeah, and she's pretty upset! Dad, please, I was trying to help her. Just cut her some slack, blame me. "

Mike's nostrils flared, he was glad he was trying to be supportive, but he didn't like he was asking him to compromise his authority.

"You sure you want to use your one get out of jail free card on her?"

He nodded, unable to look him in the eye.

"Yeah, she's worth it."

End Chapter 16.