Max & Noelle

"You feeling better, Honey?" Noelle asked, removing the headphones. "The music should help you."

I heard it, Max thought, I took a seminar on it...she's trying to brainwash me. I have to make her stop drugging me. I have to get away.

"I just want to help you, Honey. Why don't you want that too?

I hate her, Max thought, hold onto that. Nothing is stronger than that...except love. Fuck that, I don't love her. I loved John, I love my kids. Kara and Ava. Fight for them…

Noelle massaged her thighs. "I can't wait to have you touch me again. Hear your voice. I love you, Max. This is for us."

Love her...no, fight Max, fight. I'm not her sex toy. I'm not her girlfriend. All I wanted to do is raise my girls. John, I'm so sorry.

Noelle arranged her on the bed, stripping her down. "Oh, Honey, look at you. I'm going to enjoy every inch of you."

Rome

"Where is my mom?" Kara asked. "Ava and I want her."

The kids that Max adores, Kenny thought, the only time I see her smile is with them anymore. If Littleton...I think they would have been...she would have happily married him. They'd have more kids. She belonged with him. "I need to ask you some questions, Kara. I need you to think really hard. It's going to help us find your mom."

"Mom was scared. She let us eat junk food the night before. Mom is never scared."

Kenny looked at her. That sounds like Max. "She was taking you to your grandmothers?"

"She was mad at you for being there."

"Yeah?"

"She wanted to leave and your car was there."

Blocking her in, he thought, Noelle shooting me up with ketamine. "What else?"

"She locked us in the car. Told us not to move. That lady grabbed her….Mom fought her and she dragged her away."

"Where?"

Kara frowned. "The yard."

"Where in the yard?"

"Our backyard.."

Where her house backs up to the woods. Logger trails and… "Thank you, Kara."

"Will you bring my Mom home?"

"Yes," Kenny promised. "I'll find her Kara."

Noelle & Max

My head, she thought, the music soothing and relaxing her as Noelle smoothed the lavender lotion on her tingling body. It feels good...her hands...Oh.

"You like?" Noelle sighed. "Oh, I love you and you'll love me soon."

No...Oh, yes...oh this feels...oh.

"I love you Max."

3 Months Later

Rome

No sign of Max, Kenny thought, gone...She just vanished. Noelle wouldn't have killed her, she was obsessed with her. Maggie having a heart attack, her kids...I can do this for her. I can take care of them until...Come on Max.

Noelle & Max

"Honey?"

Max looked up, smiling as she wiped her hands on her apron. "Oh, you're home."

Noelle put the groceries on the table, as Max leaned in and pecked her on the lips. "You did all this?"

Max twirled her hair around her finger and nodded. "You do so much for me, Sweetheart. You love and take care of me."

Noelle smiled, enjoying what she created and watched being born over the last few months. Who she always should have been, she's so perfect with a few modifications. "You can take that off."

Max united the apron, revealing her negligee. "Do you like it?"

"You look perfect."

She smiled sweetly, draping herself around Noelle. "I miss you when you leave. I love you, Noelle. I need you."

Noelle stroked her cheek. Devoted and mine. "Undress."

Max slipped out of the lingerie and stood before her, smiling and twirling her hair.

"On the table."

She leaned back, spreading her legs for her. "Love me, Noelle."

Rome

"Where is Mom?"

Kids are exhausting, Kenny thought, how did Max make this look easy? Kara scowls at me and Ava cries herself to sleep. I'm sorry, Max. "We don't know yet."

"She wouldn't not come home. Mom wants to be here."

"Of course she does."

"Find her. Please find her."

Noelle & Max

"You are delicious," Noelle sighed, stroking Max's hair in bed. "This is what we dreamed of."

Max smiled, nipping her jawline and kissing her deeply. "I love you."

"Tell me again."

"I love you."

She is perfect now, Noelle thought, obedient, insatiable, and she will stay this way. "Close your eyes."

Max snuggled in closer, as Noelle put the headphones on her. "I love the music."

She switched it on. "Oh, and I love you, Max. I'm never losing you again."

Rome

"What?"

"Noelle King was spotted three hours upstate," Jimmy said. "They tailed her to a cabin."

Kenny felt his heart drop 10 feet. "And Max?

"No word yet."

Be okay, he thought come home to your kids. "She wouldn't have hurt her. She wanted Max to be her girlfriend again."

"Grab your coat. We're heading up there."

Noelle & Max

"No!" Noelle screamed. "You won't."

Max watched blankly, unmoving and not speaking as the cops threw Noelle to the bed and handcuffed her. Unfazed, she smiled sweetly, waiting for Noelle to come to her.

"Maxine Stewart?"

Max stared at him, her mind numb and waiting for Noelle.

"Max!" Noelle screamed. "Max, I love you!"

"I love you, Noelle," Max said automatically. "How may I pleasure you?"

"We're going to get you out of here," the cop said. "People have been worried about you."

"I love Noelle. I belong with Noelle."

"Did she drug you?"

"I love Noelle."

"Chief?" he said, pulling out the drug chest. "Yes. Then there is this."

He looked back at a docile and smiling Max. "We'll get you help."

"I love Noelle"

Jimmy & Kenny

Alive, Kenny thought, she's alive. Kara and Ava,they'll...they get their mom back. I'll Stay away from her if that's what she wants. Ah, Max.

"She was drugged out of her mind," the doctor said. "It seems like Noelle King was brainwashing her."

"What?"

"The labs are analyzing the music, but between the drugs and the messaging, she was attempting to alter Maxine's mind. She kept repeating she loved Noelle. That's all she said before we sedated her."

"Max doesn't," Kenny said. "It isn't permanent."

"We don't know yet. The paralytics didn' do any permanent damage, but we won't know more until the drugs are out of her system."

"Her kids want to see her."

"Not yet. She was," the doctor started. "Very robotic. We need to know the extent of the damage."

No, Max, no...she has to pull through this. I'll leave her alone, I'll do whatever she wants. Ava and Kara need her and she needs them. She loves them so much...I don't think she'll ever be over Littleton. "Can I see her?"

"She's sleeping."

"I just want to make sure she's alive with my own eyes. She's...my partner and best friend."

Max

Let me out. I can't breathe.

"No, Honey, no," the voice whispered in her mind. "You belong with me."

I belong to you.

"You love me."

I love you.

"You'll always be mine, Max.

No...No...I can't…

"Don't fight it. You don't want to.

Max struggled, fighting against the soothing words squashing her independence. I'm trapped...I'm hers. She made me hers.

"Mine. All mine."

"Max?"

"Stay with me."

No…

"Max?" Kenny said again. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

She stared at him blankly, unsure of where she was.

"You're safe."

"He wants to keep us apart."

"You had me worried. Kara and Ava are fine. They really missed you and...you have great kids."

"You don't need them."

"Kara never gave up. She knew you would come home."

"We don't need or want them."

Max just stared at him, his words conflicting with the soothing voices in her head.

"You don't have to say anything. Just rest," Kenny said. "No one can hurt you here."

"Max…"

"They love you so much. You made it look way too easy, taking care of them? Ah, Max, you made a great family."

"Not your family Honey."

Get out of my head, Max thought, struggling and feeling like she was drowning in her mind. I love Noelle...I love Noelle...my kids...I love my kids...Noelle...I belong to her. I am hers. My kids…

"Max?"

She stared at him. "I love Noelle."

Noelle

"Of course she loves me. We belong together."

"You brainwashed her!"

Noelle smiled. "She'll never be over me. Just let us go away together. Max will never leave me again."

Max

"How are you feeling?"

Max twirled her hair around her fingers and smiled dreamily at the doctor. "I love Noelle."

"Maxine," the doctor said. "Do you have any aches? Pains."

"Hmm, Noelle."

"Look at me."

Max looked up, smiling broader. "How may I service you?"

This isn't Max, Kenny thought, whatever is in her head...what the hell?

"Whoa, hold on," the doctor said as she began to peel off her hospital gown. "You don't need to do that."

Max stopped and folded her hands on her lap. "How may I service you?"

"You need to rest," the doctor said. "Your friends and family are here for you, Maxine. We know you're still here."

Help me, Max thought, wading through the slush in her mind. Help me...I can't find my way out. Kenny always saves me. Save myself. Fight Max.

"Max?" Kenny pushed. "I'm here for whatever you need."

She smiled at home, twirling her hair again. "I can pleasure you."

"No," he said. "I just want my friend back. Kara and Ava need their mom."

"I'm made for pleasure."

She made her into a sex toy, Kenny thought, obedient and smiling. Come on, Max.

Honey…

No, Max, thought, no...trudging through her foggy and broken mind. I'm here. Ava and Kara...he talked like they are alive. Alive...my babies.

We don't need them.

She gritted her teeth. I need them...my babies. Ava who was never a mistake, who made John's eyes light up and made all my mistakes worth it. Kara who is mine, just not biologically. They need me.

"Max?" Kenny asked, seeing something flicker in her eyes. "Max? You there?"

Don't, Max. You belong with me.

Max slapped her back. You killed John.

We love each other.

I love my kids. I loved John.

"Max?"

I'm here.

Kenny wiped her tears. "Hey there."

I'm here.

"You're safe."

Kenny.

"I'm here. Ava and Kara can't wait to see you. They love you so much, Max. Please come back."

Ava and Kara.

"And I know how much you love them. That's stronger than anything that happened to you. I never knew you could love that much, I saw it every day, Max. You made me want to have kids. Please, Max, say something. Come back to us."

She smiled sweetly at him. "I love Noelle."

Noelle

"Oh, what did I do to her? I made her realize how much she loved me."

"We saw the videos," Jimmy said. "You drugged her."

"She needed to relax."

Fully paralyzed, Noelle dressed her up, touching her, using subliminal messages until Max...she became that docile, smiling, devoted...it never fully stuck. Noelle kept playing the music, drugging her. "She doesn't want to see you again.

"Oh, Sheriff," Noelle sighed. "I'm all she wants. I'm all she'll ever want now."

Max & Kenny

"Do you remember?"

Max stared at the photo. My kids. My heart. Why can't I say it?

They don't matter.

"They made you this," Kenny said, laying the card in her lap. "They want to see you, but...they need you, not...Max?

My babies. Us in the hammock. The beach. Soccer. My babies. With John right after Ava was born. My heart. John...I can't leave them alone.

John tried to ruin us.

Shut up. I loved John. I'll always love him.

You love me.

"Max?" Kenny pushed, watching as she traced their faces. "You have great kids."

She felt the hot tears on her cheeks, causing her vision to blur as she let out a sob. My babies. I left them alone.

"You're okay."

Max wiped her tears. Say something. Not what she wants me to say. She doesn't control me.

Max...no. You love me.

No music. No drugs. I'm locked in my head. I hear Kenny. He's begging me to come back, even after I treated him so badly after having sex. I know he wanted more from me and...wake up. Go home.

Stay.

She stared at the pictures. My babies. They need me. Fighting against her conditioning, she intertwined her fingers with Kenny's and felt him squeeze her hand. I'm not Noelle's toy.

You love me.

She cleared her throat, her head hurting as she heard Noelle screaming at her to stop. "Kenny?"

TBC