AN: Well hasn't it been a hot minute since I last posted! *Ducks head in shame* Life happens and work happens and I was finding myself with no time left to write. I have reevaluated everything and I'm now in a new job which is a lot less stress (so far at least!) which has given me some time to breathe and get back to writing. It's fitting that this chapter has come out on International Women's Day because this chapter is my tribute to all the strong, raw and real women out there in the world. I hope you know that you are never alone. Always fight for the life you deserve :-D This one is for you! Sian Xxx

The Differences Between Us

Chapter 3 - Never Look Back

Max cringed as El dabbed at her cheek with a damp cloth, the luke warm water was soothing and yet the bruised cut stung even under the delicate touch of her best friend.

"Sorry," El sighed heavily, her brow lowered in concentration as she tried to be even more gentle.

"It's okay," Max swallowed, closing her eyes and trying not to show her discomfort.

"It's not okay," El whispered, her hand shaking as she tried to calmly soothe the wound. Her anger was evident, bubbling over in her voice, flaming in her eyes.

Max exhaled a breath, understanding El's fury. She felt it too, she always did. But perhaps she was used to this? Used to cleaning up wounds and used to hiding her pain. She couldn't call it strength, not like the strength that El had. No, Max felt as if it were a weakness. And she was tired of being weak.

"I know it's not okay," she mumbled, opening her blue eyes and looking back at El.

They were both standing in the bathroom and earlier when Max had stumbled into the warm home, she was thankful to find that Hop and Joyce were at Enzo's on a date and Will was happily preoccupied on the phone with Jen, his laughs just audible from his closed bedroom door.

El's teeth were gritted as she whispered "when I'm through with him - "

"No El," Max warned, worry filling her at her best friend's rage. Maybe when she was younger she would have been excited at the prospect of El giving Neil what he deserved, but even with the threat of the lab having calmed down, practically stopping to a halt, the risk of losing El was always there. And through the years Max and El had become close, more like sisters than best friends. It wouldn't just destroy Mike to lose El this time. No, she couldn't put herself on the front line any more.

Max exhaled a heavy breath and looked back at her best friend, seeing the confusion in her hazel eyes. "El, I know you could kick his ass. But it's not worth the risk."

El frowned, "but he can't get away with this Max."

"And he won't," Max breathed, her mind ticking away as she tried to think of what the best result would be. Despite her disappointment at her mom's choice to stay with Neil, her chest felt tight with worry for her safety, and she allowed this emotion to drive her towards what she felt was the best decision. "I'm going to do this the right way. I'll...I'll report him to Hopper."

El bit her cheek, clearly wanting to do more than report Neil. But after a moment she accepted Max's decision and slowly nodded her head, going back to dabbing at Max's cheek.

"Are you going to tell Lucas?" El whispered, her gaze remaining on her best friend's bruised skin, which was swollen and broken.

Max haltered unsure how to answer El's question. She swallowed heavily, knowing that in the past she had been adamant it was best to protect Lucas from the truth. He had always known what Billy was like, but Max had never mentioned Neil, it was better that way. It was easier. But life wasn't easy and it wasn't always fair. And a part of Max was starting to realise that if she just shared these emotions then just maybe things would feel better. She would feel supported by the people that she truly loved rather than feeling alone with the trauma.

"Yeah," Max said quietly before clearing her throat. "I'll tell Lucas."

"Good," El breathed in relief, her eyes losing some of their anger. "You can stay here as long as you need to."

"Thank you," Max swallowed, blinking rapidly as she moved her gaze to the wall, trying to stop the tears that blurred her vision.

El watched her for a moment, sighing as she put down the damp cloth and hugged Max, the redhead immediately accepting the contact and holding tight to her best friend.

They stayed like that for a while before El ushered them to her bedroom. They both propped themselves up against the headboard and flicked through comics, Max smiling to herself as El pulled out the comics she had given her when they had first truly become friends. When they had dropped the drama over boys and just been themselves.

Nerves wracked Max's stomach when the rumble of Hop's truck could be heard, the tyres crunching against the gravel. Her skin felt too warm and her head spun, but El's gentle squeeze on her hand and strong words of "tell him everything. Tell him the truth and make that monster pay" hit home with Max. She nodded, steering herself off the bed and following El through the small house to the living room.

Hop and Joyce had just walked through the door, trying to contain their twinkling laughter, falsely assuming that their kids would be asleep by now. And of course being categorically wrong as usual.

Hop looked up first, seeing the girls nervously walk towards him. He was half way through pulling off his jacket as he shook his head slightly, "El it's late, even if Maxine is staying over you should really - "

"Hop," Joyce interrupted, her hand on his arm, pausing his speech as her brown tender eyes flickered between her husband and the marks on Max's face.

The Chief looked at his wife in confusion for a moment before he eventually followed her gaze to Max who was looking down at the carpet, her heart racing against her ribcage. She heard him exhale sharply through his nostrils and hesitantly looked up at him.

"Who did that to you?"

His words were simple, it was a question and yet it held so much consequence. Max looked at him, her lips slightly parted to speak but for a moment she couldn't. Was she doing the right thing? If Neil got into trouble what would that mean for her mother? But if she didn't tell Hop, would this continue to happen? But next time it would be her mom in the firing line, and maybe she wouldn't get back up like Max did. No matter the consequences, she knew this was the right thing to do. Jumping into the unknown was scary, but nothing could be worse than allowing this to continue.

"Neil. My stepdad."

Hopper closed his eyes, exhaling a heavy breath as he nodded. When he opened his eyes, they were softer than Max had seen them before. "Come on," he said gesturing to the couch. "Let's talk."

And so Max spoke up against the violence of her step father. El sat by her side, biting her lip either from worry or as a way to contain herself from getting up and finding Neil herself. Joyce of course made drinks, fluttering around like a nervous ball of energy doing anything and everything to make Max comfortable.

And just as she had suspected, it wasn't easy. Max had to go down the station, she had to make a statement and had photographs taken, Joyce by her side as a guardian. She kept her eyes tightly closed as she overheard Neil being brought into the small station.

"She doesn't know what she's talking about!" he shouted harshly, anger practically bubbling out of him.

"We'll see about that," Hopper responded, his own fury matching, if not succeeding Neil's.

"Is there anything I can get you honey?" Joyce asked after a while, watching Max nervously. The redhead was sat down in the small interview room, her knees tucked against her chest, her arms wrapped around them on the metal chair.

"No I'm fine," Max mumbled, her chin rested on her knee caps as she stared blankly ahead, her gaze not focused on anything in particular as her mind flashed from one thought to the next. The two dominating thoughts were about Lucas and her mom. She knew she had to tell her boyfriend but it wasn't easy. And was her mom okay? Would she ever forgive her for this?

She closed her eyes and tried to make sense of everything. It felt as if she was swimming in the rapids, and she was quickly losing her breath and her energy. There was only one way out of this, it was the hand reaching for her, wanting to pull her out of danger and into safety.

"Actually," Max spoke, her voice croaky as she opened her eyes and looked up at Joyce who was hovering by the interview door. "I know it's late but...can you call the Sinclair's? I...um, I need Lucas here."

Joyce looked relieved as she nodded, "of course."

But as luck would have it, as Joyce took a few steps towards one of the telephones on Callaghan's desk, the door to the office barged open and in poured a frantic looking Lucas followed by a worried Mike and nervous El, her eyes wandering the area for Max, and when she finally found her, there was a look of guilt in her gaze.

"Max I'm sorry, I told Mike because I was scared, and then - "

"Then I said Lucas had to know. I would need to know if it was El. So if anyone's to blame - "

"No one's to blame," Max sighed getting off the chair and moving out of the interview room, her eyes anxiously going to Lucas who appeared out of breath, he was panting, his shoulders rising and falling drastically as he stared at his girlfriend, his wide eyes quickly flickering between the injuries on her face.

"I had just asked Joyce to call you," Max said to Lucas, her voice wavering as she stared at him. She was worried he would be angry, that he was hurt she hadn't told him immediately. Her heart quivered, feeling his own pain. She tried to stand tall, to accept his frustration and yet there was none.

Lucas took three strides and then he was pulling Max into his arms, and for the first time in her life, she truly gave in.

She crumbled, her walls breaking down, her anger at the abuse, her fear of her mom being hurt, her guilt over never telling Lucas how bad it truly was. It all came down, like a ton of bricks, splintering, breaking and coating everything in dust. She cried, clinging onto her boyfriend, her head buried in his chest.

He held her like he never had before, she had always been so strong and yet even the strongest person sometimes needed someone to lean on, someone to remind them that they too were loved and cared for. It wasn't weakness to need someone.

"I'm sorry," Max sobbed, "I'm s-so sorry."

Lucas shushed her, gently rubbing her back in comforting circles, his face nestled into her neck so they were perfectly close, no one able to break them up. "It's okay," he whispered, his breath shaky. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

Mike, El and Joyce watched on as Lucas and Max embraced, eventually being ushered out by Flo who muttered that she would make them a hot drink.

Max watched the sky turn from pitch black to an inky blue through the small window in the deputy's office. She had no idea how long they had all been at the station, but Lucas hadn't left her side. His arm was draped around her shoulders, her cheek tucked against his chest, his strong heartbeat calming her nerves.

For a long time she hadn't spoken, only to say goodbye and thank you to Joyce, El and Mike when Hopper insisted that they go home. Lucas hadn't forced her to speak, his deep calming breaths made her feel like he was just happy that she was by his side, safe.

Max continued to stare out of the window for a while, her eyes strained from exhaustion and the tears that she had shed. She blinked wearily, pulling back slightly from Lucas so that she could look up at him. Her movement immediately caught his attention and he stared back at her, his beautiful dark eyes filling with care.

"Are you okay?" he asked in one breath, his gaze looking over Max's face, a small flinch evident in his posture as he reacted to his girlfriend's bruises.

"Yeah," Max mumbled, feeling insecure at Lucas's staring as she dipped her head in shame.

"Hey," came a whispered plea from her boyfriend, the touch of his hand under her chin so soft as he gently tilted her head up, so that their eyes once more continued their gaze.

"Please," Lucas begged, his breath choked, as he swallowed the lump in his throat. His watery eyes flicking between Max's eyes and the bruises so clear to him now. "I love you. Please...please just tell me the truth."

Max closed her eyes tightly as tears fell down her sore cheek bones. "The truth is hard," she gasped, every word feeling painful to get out.

"I know," Lucas sniffled, leaning forward so that their foreheads brushed together, the space between them feeling intimate and safe. "I just want you to know that you're never alone and that you always have someone to talk to about all of this. I want you to feel comfortable telling me whatever you want to."

Max felt the ache in her heart, the love that she felt for Lucas overwhelmed her, his words so raw and true that she didn't feel worthy of him. But she tried to think of everything they had been through the last couple of days, the way he had broken down her walls and told her that he accepted her for who she was. There was no need to hide.

"It's been going on for years," Max admitted, the words rushing out of the wound in her heart. "Sometimes it is just words, sometimes it's pushes, slaps, punches. Not always to me but to mom. They increased since Billy left, he used to be Neil's punch bag…"

"Explains a lot about him," Lucas muttered darkly, his body tight and on edge as he listened to Max.

"I can't count the amount of bruises that I have hidden from you," Max laughed harshly, her stomach twisting as she flinched, remembering all the pain.

Lucas frowned, sadness filling his eyes as he moved even closer to Max, carefully running his fingers through a strand of her red hair. "I wish you hadn't hidden them. I wish I could have been there for you - "

"But you were there for me!" Max insisted, her words filled with passion. She couldn't let Lucas believe even for a second that he hadn't been her rock. That his smile and his sometimes idiotic ways hadn't got her through the worst of times.

Max exhaled a sharp breath, trying to calm herself as she reached for Lucas's hand, squeezing it gently as her boyfriend looked at her in surprise.

"You were there Lucas," Max repeated, her voice softer this time. She hesitantly met his eyes, taking a moment to look into the depth of the dark chocolate orbs. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I promise it's not because I didn't think you would be supportive or understanding, or anything like that. It's just...you make me feel so...so normal."

Lucas couldn't help the way his lips curved at Max's words, he raised his eyebrow, "normal? Seriously? Considering the lives we've led up to now?"

Max laughed, this time more breathy and less angry as she smiled nostalgically thinking of the whirlwind that had been thrown her way from the moment she had entered Hawkins. From demogorgons, to the mind flayer, to her incredible telekinetic best friend.

"Well our version of normal," Max smiled slightly, shaking her head to try and remember what it was she wanted to say as she grabbed both of Lucas's hands this time in hers, bringing his attention back.

"At home I had this shit situation going on, it was a place I dreaded going. They made me into someone that I didn't want to be, they had me playing a role that I didn't want to act. But with you I can just be myself. I didn't have to think about any of that crap. I could just be Max. I could beat your asses at the arcade, I could moan about homework and have sleepovers with El and just be normal."

Max stopped to take a breath, she looked down at their joined fingers and closed her eyes as an ache wracked at her insides. "I just didn't want to be the victim. I didn't want you or anyone to look at me differently. I didn't want to hear the whispers of 'oh look it's Max! She's the girl who was beaten up by her stepdad' I don't want to be looked at that way, I just want to be me."

"Babe," Lucas whispered, his voice deep with emotion. He released Max's hand and moved his palm to her cold cheek, being so careful of her bruises and cuts. "How many times have you told me not to care about what people think? When I don't get jobs because of fake excuses, when I know it's because of the colour of my skin. And when people whisper under their breath when I walk past. You always tell me that it doesn't matter what they say or what they think, because they are small minded."

"I believe I said small minded ass wipes...but okay, I get your point," Max mumbled.

Lucas smiled, his eyes lighting up at his girlfriend's humour before he continued passionately. "Yes I'm not going to lie and say that people won't be sympathetic, especially me and the party. But that's only because we love you so much Max, and we want to make sure that you're okay."

"Even Wheeler?"

Lucas snorted in amusement, "yes even Mike. You two fight like siblings and love like siblings. But anyway, the other people that just wanna gossip about what happened? Max they don't matter! They aren't worth a moment of your time okay?"

Max nodded quietly, warmth filling her tight chest, loosening her muscles.

"And I promise this won't change who you are, it's going to make you even stronger. If that's even possible. You were amazing before and you are still amazing after."

Lucas placed both hands either side of Max's face and brought her in gently for a soft kiss, their lips brushing only for a moment, but the feeling of Lucas's warm lips on Max's sent fireworks through her body. Her heart felt free from the ice that had surrounded it, her wound slowly closing so that she would only be left with a scar to remind her of what had happened.

Lucas smiled against her lips and Max couldn't help but sigh in relief, her breath shaky and uneven as the emotion of the long day overtook her senses.

"I love you," Max gasped, opening her watery eyes to stare into Lucas's. She wanted him to know how much she meant it. That he was everything to her and without him and the love of her friends, she never would have gotten through this.

He seemed to understand the meaning in her eyes, the gratitude could be understood by Lucas because he knew her more than anyone else. He smiled softly, "and I love you. I'm always gonna. So you can dump me five times, seven times, whatever. But I am never giving up on you Max."

Max sniffled, smiling as she allowed Lucas to wipe her tears. "Thank you."

Lucas nodded, his thumb pushing away a fresh tear. "Always."

The couple broke apart as heavy footsteps could be heard. Hopper stepped into the dimly lit room, leaning against the door frame as he glanced at Max and Lucas. He looked weary, his already lined face more strained than usual.

Hopper cleared his throat, focusing his attention on Max, knowing she was desperately awaiting a response. "Neil's been cautioned Max."

"What does that mean?" Lucas interrupted, his voice a little higher than usual.

"He's been let go," Max answered, her heart sinking.

"What?!" Lucas yelped, standing up immediately as he looked in horror at Hopper. "How could you let this happen?!"

The chief sighed moving away from the wall as he rubbed his hands over his tired face. "Kid it isn't all down to me okay? If it was, that son of a bitch would be behind bars."

"But you're the chief!"

Hopper exhaled sharply, "don't you think I know that kid? The prosecution service doesn't see this as grievous bodily harm. Look, he had a damn good lawyer in there and because it's his first offence he has been given a caution. But if he ever did it again - "

Lucas exploded with outrage, "oh so you're just supposed to wait for him to do it again?! What if next time he kills Max! Or her mom!"

"Lucas!" Max interrupted, also standing up as she reached for her boyfriend, her fingers tugging on his sweater, pulling him back. She took a tense breath, "just...just let him speak."

Lucas opened his mouth to retort but shut it again, his jaw tight as he nodded in agreement and sat back down, Max slowly joining him as she looked up at Hopper who had pulled up a chair and sat down too so that they were all the same level. The tension in the room seemed to ease slightly, but Max was sure that she could feel Lucas's heart racing. Or was it her own?

"He is being cautioned, if anything like this ever happened again then he will be prosecuted. He's got a criminal record now. He is not to go anywhere near you Max, and if you're willing, we can put in a restraining order."

Max nodded in agreement. It felt extreme but she couldn't deny that Neil not being able to come anywhere near her definitely made her feel safer. Her heart ached though as she thought of the other person affected by all of this.

"What about my mom?"

Hopper shook his head, "Powell and Callaghan have been speaking with your mom. It's her decision if she chooses to go down that road."

Max sighed bitterly, betrayal bubbling up inside of her. Her mom should have been here at her side for this whole process. She should have left with her daughter and never stayed with that monster. What did it say about Max if her mom chose that parasite over her own daughter?

"Now in regards to where you want to live Max, you know you can stay with us. I'm sure El will be more than happy to share a bedroom with you."

"Or you can stay at mine?" Lucas interrupted, turning in his seat to look at his girlfriend. "We've got a spare bedroom and my mom did already say at dinner that you could stay whenever you wanted."

"I don't think she meant permanently," Max laughed gently, smiling slightly at Lucas. He was incredibly sweet and so was his family.

Lucas paused, his lips slightly pursed for a moment as he thought. Max loved how his eyes lit up and his eyebrows raised when he had thought of a new idea.

"How about you stay at mine half of the time and with El the other half of the time?"

Max lowered her brow, taking in Lucas's offer more seriously this time. "You really think your parents would go for that?"

"There's no harm in me asking," Lucas replied, trying to hide his excited smile.

"Okay then," Max agreed, relief filling her chest. It was the type of relief that she had needed for the longest time. She was never going to be abandoned. She had people in her life who would stop at nothing to protect her and to be at her side. She really did have a family, but it wasn't one that had been forged by blood. No it was one that was forged by love and that meant more to her than anything.

Max smiled at Lucas, "thank you." She turned to look at the exhausted chief who had been fighting to protect her all night. She knew it was not usually in her character to do this, but she couldn't stop the gratitude that encompassed her heart. She got up from her chair and within a stride or two she was in front of Hopper, he was so tall that she didn't even need to bend to hug him. He seemed shocked by her slender arms wrapping around him in a tight hug until his bear-like arms surrounded her too. And in that moment Max finally understood what El meant about Hop's hugs being the best.

As Max lay in bed next to a slightly snoring El, the sun practically risen, she thought about the words of love that Lucas had said to her only a few hours ago when Hopper had dropped him off home. How he had held her, kissed her and told her everything would be okay. How El had embraced her when Max and Hopper got back to the house. How the Chief had patted her gently on the shoulder and Joyce had stayed up too to make sure they were both safe.

In the ways that they had all embraced her, Max knew that Lucas's words were true. She was going to be okay.

The sun beat down on the old rickety porch of the Byers house, the stereo placed on the table between two of the deck chairs making the wood paneled floor vibrate slightly as the beat of 'Boys of Summer' blasted out.

The party had just finished a water balloon fight, the warm rays coating their skin as they now relaxed on the porch and dried off. Max sat on one of the deck chairs, El in front of her, the red head concentrating as she worked her best friend's curly locks into french braids under the close supervision of Jen who stood over her and would comment now and again if Max had gone wrong.

Lucas snoozed on the deck chair next to Max, the laziness of a summer's day taking over them all. It was rare in the summer for the whole party to be off together, they all had summer jobs, saving up for college, concerts and road trips.

Mike, Will and Dustin shouted and laughed as they raced one another. Mike usually winning, which Dustin put down to "your legs being longer than a giraffe!"

El giggled watching the boys, her boyfriend looking back at her with that hopeless smile, the one that said he still couldn't believe she was his. The party rarely even pretended to vomit anymore when they saw the look. It was one of Mike's faces now, a permanent part of his features any time El was close by or when he talked about her.

Max usually would have found it sickening, but as her blue eyes moved to her boyfriend, his mouth open as he slept, she couldn't help but smirk knowing that she felt the same way. The last month had been rough but Lucas had been by her side, helping her adjust to living between her best friend's and her boyfriend's. She had enjoyed it for the most part. Yes she woke up when El snuck out of the house to be with Mike, or when Max grumbled with Hopper when they fought over the remote control. But she was thankful for the love and hospitality they had all shown her, especially the Sinclair's who hadn't been awkward at all with her staying in the house.

Max had noticed that her grades were going up too. She wasn't distracted at home anymore, no she had people pushing her to do good. She would sit with Lucas at the table and actually focus, knowing how much he was working towards his goal of getting into the police academy would make Max sit up a little taller as she narrowed her eyes and focused on her textbook. He made her want the best for herself. No matter what that ended up being.

"And done!" Max said proudly as El grinned, touching the back of her head to feel the intricate braids.

"Do they look good?" El asked, turning her head to Jen who was the professional of the girls when it came to hair styles.

"Oh definitely!" Jen beamed touching one of the braids. "Nice work Max!"

"Thanks," the red-head responded, unable to stop the pleased grin from curving her lips. She tried to pass it off like it was nothing, but it was nice to have created something that had caused such a happy smile on her best friend's face.

"Mike do you like it?" El called to her boyfriend as he beat Dustin and Will once again, the boys panting as they gripped at their knees and took sharp bursting breaths.

"It looks great babe!" Mike shouted, his smile so wide as his eyes flickered over a blushing El.

"It looks great babe!" Dustin snickered before being shoved in the shoulder by the Paladin who muttered a curse word at the bard.

There was a distant rumble of a car engine and the now familiar sound of crunching gravel as a car got closer. Max like the others expected it to be Joyce or Hopper, maybe having left work early.

It wasn't though. Max's heart jumped into her throat as she recognised her mom's car. The party all stopped what they were doing as they watched the vehicle get closer and park.

El nudged Lucas awake and he grumbled, rubbing at his eyes and muttering why he had been awoken before he sat up, his eyes widening slightly in surprise as Susan Hargrove got out of the car, her expression one of slight panic as she looked up at the group. Her tense face lessened slightly as she spotted her daughter, her tight shoulders lowering as she exhaled a breath of relief.

"Max." Her daughter's name was said in a pained voice. In that one word there was a complexity of emotions. Happiness, sadness and guilt.

'With or Without You' started to play on the stereo and Max flinched, her stomach feeling too warm. She felt sick as she stared at her mom, not knowing what to say or what to feel.

Almost in unspoken agreement the party all hesitantly moved towards the house, El biting her lip as she looked back at Max, Mike ruffling his hair nervously and Will crossing his arms, hurrying into his home. Jen and Dustin followed them but Lucas lingered, awaiting Max's response.

His girlfriend sensing his gaze, turned to him, she didn't know what to say but she nodded, her jaw tight as she accepted the fact that she was going to let her mother speak. The pain inside of her bubbled away, her stomach only getting more uncomfortable.

Max stayed in her deck chair, her hands moving to the chair arms, her fingers tightening around the handles as if they were the only things keeping her stable. She watched silently as her mother clutched her purse strap and slowly made her way up to the porch. Her shoes making the wooden panels creak slightly as she hesitated by one of the pillars.

"Hi Max," Susan said quietly, her voice shaky as she stared at her daughter, her eyes vulnerable and desperate.

There was a moment of silence before Max responded, moving her gaze onto her legs, not wanting to meet her mother's eyes.

"Hi mom…"

The tension in the air was so thick that Max felt like she could practically feel it pushing against her skin, longing to be cut and cleared.

Susan cleared her throat, "you...you look good honey. How...um, how have you been?"

"How do you think I've been? My mom picked an abusive dick over her own daughter. " Max shot at Susan, her blue eyes narrowed with anger before she forced her gaze away and back onto her legs.

The only sound that could be heard was Susan's heavy breathing before she sniffled and spoke once more. "I deserve that. Max...I am so sorry. You don't understand what it - "

"Then make me understand!" Max interrupted, getting out of the chair so that she was facing her mother. She didn't realise that the wetness on her cheeks were from tears, her body shaking with anger. "Make me understand how he could be more important than me! Your own daughter! How could you stay with him?!"

Susan squeezed her eyes closed as tears rushed down her own freckled cheeks. She opened her eyes again and they were filled with sorrow and regret. "Max I've left Neil."

Her words shocked her daughter into silence, her surprised gaze flicking over her mother's face looking for a lie.

"I know I should have left him a long time ago. I know and I am so sorry baby." Susan shuddered as she was consumed by her tears. "You don't understand. I was scared. I wasn't just scared of my life with Neil but my life without him. What do I have without him? Do I have a home? Where will I work? How will I pay our bills?"

Max huffed out an angry breath. "So you just let him abuse us because you were scared that you wouldn't get to stay in the book club and the housewives club?! That you would actually have to work a day in your life?! It's pathetic!"

Susan wiped at her tears and shook her head. "I know I wasn't thinking straight, but when you're treated like that for so many years you start to believe what they're t-telling you."

"What do you mean?" Max muttered, her eyes weary as she watched her mother.

Susan looked up at Max, her heaving chest calming slightly. "You believe them when they say you're worthless without them. That you're nothing without them, that you will have nothing. I have never felt so alone in my entire life."

Max blinked releasing the next layer of tears, these ones not filled with anger, but with sadness. "You weren't alone," she whispered, gasping at the heaviness in her chest. "I was going through it too mom. We had each other, we would have made it work out."

"I k-know that n-now," Susan sobbed, reaching her hand out to Max who shook her head and backed herself up against the house. "My baby g-girl," Susan gasped, "I'm s-so sorry I let this h-happen to you, to us. I'm so sorry I didn't leave with y-you. I love you."

Max cried, shaking her head, "he might have hurt me physically, but you h-hurt me too."

Susan nodded her head, closing her wet eyes for a moment as she accepted this harsh truth. "I know I did, I know the moment I sat back and let this happen that I had lost any right to be your mother."

She opened her eyes and moved closer to Max, who watched her wearily through swollen eyes.

"I don't expect you to love me or to want to live with me. But please, find it in your heart to one day forgive me. I will make this right, even if it takes the r-rest of my life. I love you. Max I've loved you from the moment I found out I was carrying you. You...you are everything to me and I'm so s-sorry I let you down. That I broke your trust and let this happen. I promise I will never let you down again."

Max sniffled, wiping at her running nose and shuddering a breath as she tried to calm her racing heart. She looked at her mother through blurry wet vision. She looked defeated, broken. But there was a flicker of something in her that Max hadn't seen for the longest time. There was fire. There was a fight within her now. A fight to make things better, to not allow anyone to walk over her or her daughter again. It was powerful, raw and it spoke to Max.

"I'm always going to love you mom," she whispered through a vulnerable voice, allowing the anger to leave her. It was exhausting but it released the tight band around her chest, she felt like she could breathe for the first time in a long time. "It's going to take time to forgive you and to work at a better relationship…"

Susan nodded in agreement, shakily wiping at her tears.

Max took a deep breath as she looked at her mother, taking a purposeful step closer to her. "But I do want to give you this chance mom. I missed you."

Susan cried out in relief as she reached for her daughter, this time Max accepting her embrace as she fell into her mother's arms, unsure who was clutching onto who tighter as they cried.

"I'm so sorry, I love you," Susan repeated again and again as she cradled her daughter, kissing her hair and holding her tight, never wanting to let go.

Max closed her eyes, breathing in her mom's perfume as a feeling rushed through her body that she hadn't felt since she was a little girl. Comfort, safety, love.

A month later.

The mall was crowded, the food court bustling with people as they queued for Burger King and Scoops Ahoy ice cream. Max moved to the side for three young girls rushing towards the movie theatre, screaming they were going to be late, she squinted her eyes slightly at the blonde in the group, positive it was Holly Wheeler.

Smirking she turned her attention back to her boyfriend who was carefully making his way back over to her, this time holding two ice cream cones, his arms laden with shopping bags. Mainly Max's of course, but with their California road trip only a week away, the red-head had been eager to get some new swimwear for some real beaches.

It wouldn't be the quarry this time, no, it would be powdery white sand and turquoise water, and that Californian breeze Max had missed so much. She sighed happily, knowing it was going to be a trip of a lifetime with her best friends. And the excitement at getting to see her dad was only building.

"Strawberry ice cream my queen," Lucas teased as he did a little bow and offered out the ice cream to Max who laughed as she pretended to curtsey, taking the cone out of his hand.

"You're so cheesy."

"I prefer charming."

"You get what you're given," Max shrugged as she licked her ice cream. Lucas snorted in amusement and the red-head couldn't help but smirk at her boyfriend as she grabbed his free hand and started to move towards the exit.

The couple moved through the crowds, Max noticing the looks they were sometimes getting by some of the older passersby.

"Does it bother you?" she found herself asking Lucas who looked around at the glances and then back to his girlfriend.

He shrugged taking a bite out of his ice cream. "Not really. Well...not as much as it used to."

"Good," Max sighed in relief. She jerked Lucas's hand so that they paused in the middle of the mall. She smiled up at her boyfriend, rising on her tiptoes to kiss him, tasting the chocolate ice cream on his lips. "Because it doesn't bother me. I love you stalker."

Lucas beamed, his eyes getting brighter in that adorable way that just melted Max's heart, if she admitted it or not.

"I love you Mad Max."

Hearing those words from Lucas never got old, and Max couldn't help but grin happily as she pulled her boyfriend along, continuing their journey back to her mustang.

"Do you think our kids will be alright with the staring?" Max found herself asking, surprised at herself for bringing up children. It wasn't something that they talked about much, but she had always thought it was a given that some day they would get married and then the little demons would follow.

Lucas's eyebrows raised in surprise at Max's question and she rolled her eyes when a big grin appeared on his face. "You think about our future kids?"

"I do not think about our future kids…"

"You just asked - "

"Will you just answer the question?!"

Lucas sniggered, "fine." He pursed his lips for a moment in thought as they carried on walking. Eventually he shook his head, smiling at Max. "I think our kids will be just fine."

"You do?"

"Yeah," Lucas said with more vigour, nodding his head and grinning to himself. "Because they will have your resilience. You are going to show them that they can do anything and everything that they put their mind to. And nothing, especially the colour of their skin is going to hold them back."

Max could do nothing but smile with pride as she imagined her and Lucas's future family. He was right of course, there would never be a moment when they didn't know that they were special and that they could chase their dreams. Nothing was going to hold them back.

"I mean, if they look anything like you they're gonna be stared at anyway for being so gorgeous," Max flirted, winking at her boyfriend who laughed, chocolate ice cream around his mouth.

"I'm not gonna argue with that," he teased, making them both grin.

They walked for a little while longer, pausing to wave at Susan who was now working in Claire's. She was hanging up necklaces and smiled at them both, waving happily before going back to her task.

Things had changed drastically over the last month, Max was spending more time with her mom who was letting an apartment downtown. They had movie nights, laughing and crying over a pint of Ben and Jerry's. And then there were the meals, Susan had made a real effort to get to know Lucas, telling Max afterwards that he was a gentleman and a great catch. Not that the red-head didn't already know that.

Max's cuts had healed physically, but it would take a lot longer to get over the years of emotional trauma and even more time for her and her mom to get through all their issues. But they were both trying, and that was all Max could ask for. Neither of them were perfect, but who was?

As they got to the doors of the mall Lucas turned to look at Max, "how is your mom doing?"

"Better," Max replied without hesitation. She looked back at her mother who was more of a silhouette in the distance now, only distinguishable by her own red hair. "She's going to be okay."

Max moved her attention to Lucas. She couldn't believe she had never felt good enough for him. They were perfect for each other. He was her strength and she was his. And no one would ever make her doubt that again. Max squeezed Lucas's hand and smiled, "we're all going to be okay."

"I'd say more than okay," Lucas winked as he pulled Max along to her car. Practically running to the mustang when she reminded him that there was an empty apartment calling their names.

Max let Lucas drive her car as she sat in the passenger seat, letting the breeze rifle through her hair as she finished her ice cream and turned the radio up, 'Don't Stop Me Now' by Queen blasted through the air as Lucas drove down the quiet roads of Hawkins, his girlfriend's hand in his.

The world was a crazy place full of darkness, and yet for that moment Max only let in the good. It was her and Lucas against the world. And she couldn't think of a better partner to take it on with. There was no stopping them, and she was never going to look back.

The End

AN: I know I have been away for so long that there may be no one left interested in this story. But it was very important for me to finish this story and not just because it wouldn't have felt right if I didn't. But because the issue of abuse is so important to tackle. It doesn't always have a happy ending but it's so important to know you are never alone and there are so many good people out there that will be your helping hand to get you back up. You are worth the fight. Sending lots of love out to everyone reading this, thank you so much for taking the time to do so because it means the world to me.

Until next time! :-)