Max opened the door to her apartment and dropped her book bag noisily, leaving the lights off as she walked to the refrigerator and opened the door. The dim light revealed one pointy ear to her right, and she smiled. "You do in home visits now huh?"

"Depends on the person. I didn't see you all day." Terry slipped off his mask and turned on the kitchen light.

"Yeah? Well I got to school late and left before lunch." She fingered the pudding cup she suddenly didn't want, making it spin on the counter.

"Something wrong?"

"No, everything's just perfect." She said sarcastically.

"Max." Terry stepped closer and took her elbow, turning her around to face him. "What happened? What's wrong with you today?" He asked softly, concern in his eyes.

"You know, everything that makes me happy I end up losing. My parents, my sister…"

"Your sister?"

"She moved in with her boyfriend."

"I'm sorry Max." She didn't say anything, holding herself in her arms slightly as she stared at the linoleum.

"I talked to Dana today." A sinking feeling started in his stomach.

"Really…what did she say?"

"The usual. What party she wanted to be invited to, does anyone like her dress, whether or not she will take you back."

"Take me back?" Max shrugged.

"We were in physics today, and we started talking. She wondered if she made you "suffer" enough, and should she take you back. It took a lot of will power not to say anything. Besides, I couldn't deal with it right then. So I checked out of school."

"Max, you know what I feel for you. Why didn't you just tell her about you and me?" Max looked at him as if he grew another head.

"Because!" She said exasperated. "I still like Dana, and you just don't go out with your friend's ex boyfriend. It's like… I don't know, you just don't do it. Especially since she wants you back."

"It shouldn't have made you that upset." Terry started, but stopped when he saw the look on her face.

"It shouldn't have made me that upset? Are you crazy? Your ex-girlfriend talks to your new girlfriend or whatever, saying she might take you back, and I shouldn't worry? You didn't hear her. Like she just decided if you went back into style. It actually hurt to hear her talk about you as if you were nothing but a way to deal with boredom. Terry, what will you say if she asks?" He sighed and leaned against the counter.

"What do you think? I'll tell her the truth. I can't go back to her because I don't like her anymore. I mean, near the end, it was just an obligation, something to hold onto that linked me to the old Terry." He watched her hop onto the top of the countertop. "Look, I know you are still somewhat friends with Dana, and that would end if she knew we were going out-"

"Is that what we're doing? We usually stay in." Max smiled as he came closer.

"You know what I mean. So I understand why you won't tell everyone. But maybe she'll back off if you let her know." He stood right in front of her, almost nose to nose. A weak smile played on her mouth as Terry leaned forward. A brief kiss, a lingering touch of lips sweet enough to lift her spirits.

"Maybe." They rested their foreheads against each other.

"Good. Because I don't want you to be unhappy. Because you make me happy when I'm with you. Matt accused me of smiling like an idiot at breakfast."

"Did I do that?"

"Yeah." Max laughed slightly.

"You make me happy too McGinnis." She leaned forward and kissed him again when a small beeping sound came from the utility belt of the batsuit.

"Yeah?" Unable to keep the frustration from his voice.

"Terry, there is a situation. Can you get back over here from Max's place in under five minutes?" Bruce asked, smiling somewhat.

"Well…uh…um… Who said I was at Max's?" He said defensively.

"The heavy breathing was a dead giveaway. Hello Maxine."

"Hello Mr. Wayne." Max cringed slightly at the embarrassed look on Terry's face.

"Just get here soon." Wayne hung up and Terry sighed.

" I gotta go. I'll talk to you later." He kissed her again, quickly pulling on his mask as he jumped out the window. He flew straight up to the plane, which was in invisible mode, hovering near the roof. Max made it to the window to see it fly away, and she smiled a little.

"Be safe Terry." She shook her head and went to her room.

*

"Please tell me you're kidding."

"No. They didn't find his body." Wayne sat back, eyeing the teenager grimly. Terry paced back and forth, confused and angry.

"I saw him dead, on the ground. You know, a lot of blood, pale face, Death hanging over him saying "gotcha" in a loud Hawaiian shirt. He was dead."

"Did you check for a pulse?"

"The blood did it for me. I wasn't too worried about him at the time anyway. The doctor could have moved the body." He was grasping at straws, anything.
"No, he couldn't have. He's back at the Asylum."

"What?! They gave him his old job back?"

"He's there as a patient now." Terry blinked.

"What?" Bruce smiled vaguely.

"It seems he won't stop babbling about his dead brother always watching him from across the room, staring at him. He's been crying ever since they found him."

"So…Billings isn't dead."

"No."

"So Max could still be a target." Terry crossed his arms and glared at some rocks.

"Most likely. I want you two to be cautious."

"I won't let her out of my sight."

*

The knocking on the door became almost insistent as Max tried to burrow herself back underneath the cocoon of dreams that buffered early morning reality. The pounding continued and she threw off the covers, slightly irritated, but she knew the only person who would knock on her door at…she glanced at the clock. Three a.m.

She threw open the door and raised one eyebrow. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Some where along the lines of three. Can I come in?" Max shrugged and allowed him past. Terry looked tired, up all night patrolling. He had an arraignment with his mother, he would spend the weekend with Wayne to help out, and when in actuality he did all night patrols and slept in the day, to keep rested.

"So, what's up?" He plopped down on the couch and sighed, eyes closing. She waited for him to say something. "Well?"

"Guess who isn't dead." Max blinked and sat down beside him.

"Trick question at three in the morning? You are sick."

"Spellbinder."

"But I thought the Grim Reaper played for keeps." She said slowly, frowning.

"I know, I did too. I mean, he was lying in his own blood when I came in, you know, the crazy commando to the rescue thing I do. You saw him too."

"No…I didn't." Terry looked confused.

"I thought you were right there…"

"I was, but I couldn't see anything. I just heard it. I was horizontal. Couldn't see anything, and soon afterwards, couldn't hear anything either." Terry became angry at the memory of seeing her on the table, the surgical slab looking large and cold as her body laid on it, not moving. He was afraid he was too late for a moment, and something inside of him snapped. "Hey, it's over now. You saved me like you always do, and everything is fine."

"No Max, everything is not fine. That creep is still out there, and he has new and improved mind control." Max moved closer to him, and his arm went around her shoulders without him thinking about it. They stayed that way for a moment, each giving the other some of their strength.

"I know. When he used it, no one could even hear me. It was weird. It was like a bubble, and everyone saw what he wanted him to see. But Terry…he didn't have a device at all…I remember he said something about he has a new weapon, and it's inside of him."

"Oh this gets better by the moment." He yawned. "But he won't get you. I won't let him."

"I know. I've trusted you so far." She reminded him. "Wanna crash here?" For a moment Terry was wide awake.

"Thanks. I don't think I could fly like this. I'd need a quintuple latte just to seem human." He smiled, looking down at her pink hair. Max looked up, a question in her eyes.

"What?"

"Nothing. It's just that you're beautiful." She started to grin.

"Really." Terry leaned down slightly and kissed her. The passion flared between them, and they shifted on the couch.

*

He had failed, and the first mistake he made was to trust the doctor when he was released. That was foolish. The alpha amplifier was painful at first, to the point where he didn't think he'd live. But his mind compensated, and now he was back, fully. He didn't dare go back to the Jacobs house, but he had one picture left.

She was smiling, arms flung straight out in the sunshine. She would be his soon enough. And only his. He smiled as he closed a little package. Time to deliver a message. He was untouchable.

*

"You didn't come back last night." Bruce said without turning around. Terry's shoulders slumped as he petted Ace and reached the floor of the cave.

"I know. I was too tired to drive…fly, whatever."

"I see." He frowned as he came to stand beside him.

"What, you don't believe me?" Bruce sighed and turned to him.

"You know, I was once your age."

"Really. I thought you were born old and bitter." He ignored the comment and continued.

"So I know how it is to have hormones." Terry stopped and almost choked.

"Wait a minute. You think I didn't come back last night because I was having sex with Max?" He asked weakly.

"Look, Max is a very beautiful girl, and I know how feelings can get out of hand in an instant. But-"

"This is so not the conversation I want to have right now. Or ever actually." The worse teenaged feeling coursed through him. To be embarrassed by someone so much older. If he could have left he would have, but he had work to do. Bruce smiled slightly, wanting to laugh, but controlled himself. He punished him enough.

"Just be careful okay?" Then he changed the subject quickly. "No sightings of Spellbinder, but I think if he didn't want to be seen he wouldn't. No sign of Billings either. He's given up the pretense of a normal life."

"So, what would he still be after? Money, maybe revenge against the doctor from what Max told me." Terry scratched his head. "I think they had an arrangement, and Crowley went back on his end. There might be a little payback coming."

"Maybe, but Crowley is the least of our problems. He's in the asylum, well protected. We need to know if he still wants Max."

"He does." They both turned at the voice. Commissioner Gordon walked down the stairs with the always unhurried gait of someone who knew what life had to offer, but didn't seem to enthusiastic to receive it. Terry felt a slight wave of admiration. She still knew how to get into the cave without anyone knowing.

"How do you know?" Terry asked, and caught the folder she threw at him.

"Barbara." Bruce said cordially.

"Bruce." She turned to Terry. "We received those this morning. Spellbinder walked right in and we didn't realize. Until he left. By the time we came to our senses he was no where around." Terry opened the folder and inside was wallet sized pictures of Max, with a note. Just one sentence. 'The game is afoot, and I will have her.' Those words sent a chill up his spine. "So what is your plan?" She asked.

"You're asking us? I thought you didn't want us out there on "your" streets." Bruce asked dryly, his look unwavering.

"Look, I don't want the young lady dead. We all thought Billings was until the morgue attendant said the body wasn't there for its scheduled autopsy. So he's walking around with an obsession and a want for revenge. My men are well trained, but they couldn't protect her." Barbara sighed. "He's becoming more and more bold. Spellbinder is going in and snatching things from stores. The only way we know it's him is because he wants us to know. He fooled us all. Kid," she turned to Terry. "Don't get hurt." Gordon left without another look back and something inside Bruce's eyes flickered.

"Go check on Max, make sure she's safe. Spellbinder will make his move soon." Terry put down the folder and walked out of the cave.

*

"Terry. Back so soon." Max smiled and let him in. Closing the door she turned around, and was enveloped in a deep kiss. "Well, someone's in a good mood." She teased as they broke apart.

"Not really, but now I am." He left his arm around her waist as she went into the kitchen and opened the microwave.

"Good. Hungry? You left before breakfast." She smiled a little as he kissed the spot behind her ear while she sliced up the pizza.

"Starved. I had to go talk to Wayne. You weren't mad were you?"

"No. It's not like we had sex. Then I would be mad." An awkward pause. "I'm kidding." Max handed him half the pizza. "So what are you plans for the day? Sleep?"

"No, actually I had a great night's sleep. Slept on some very soft pillows. Big pillows." She laughed and shook her head.

"What's with guys and boobs?" Max asked conversationally. Terry shrugged and dug in, picking off the olives.

"We don't have them, so they're interesting. Besides, they look really good. Well some of them." He added as an afterthought.

"Makes sense. So what are we going to do about Spellbinder?"

"We? Oh no. Not we. Max this is serious. He wants you." He frowned and put down his pizza.

"For what?" She asked.

"I have no intention of finding out. You're staying here." Max sputtered.

"What, I shouldn't go to school until he's caught?"

"I don't know! We have spring break coming up on Monday. That gives us a week to find him before school starts back. I'll catch him." Terry said, determined. Max sighed.

"I can't go anywhere?"

"No."

"But I wanted to go to the beach."

"Why?"

"You know, the sand, the air, the ocean…my new blue bikini I bought two weeks ago." She smiled as he started to smile.

"Well, I don't know why we couldn't go early in the morning. Like when it's deserted. Then it will be just you and me."

"If you can get away."

"Oh, I'll make the time."