Episode 6

Everyday hero

There was a subtle click and a faint whir as the room filled with a flash of light, As Max's eyes adjusted the blue butterfly took off and flew out the window. "I'm back" She gasped to herself, Suddenly her head began to pound as she felt a trickle of warm blood leave her nose. "Ugh, I don't have time for this," She said to herself wiping the blood on her sleeve and stood up, the picture she had just taken fell from the camera and flitted down to the floor next to the bucket of murky water the butterfly had just been resting on. "I hope I won't need to but just in case," She thought to herself as she Knelt down to pick up the picture of the fateful little butterfly, Studying it she noticed something was a little different, It looked more alive than before. Or maybe she was just imagining it.

Her trail of thought was broken when she heard Nathan barge into the bathroom muttering to himself. "showtime," Max thought to herself pocketing the picture in the same pocket as Joyce's letter and waited, Chloe burst into the bathroom right on cue and began checking the stools and started talking to Nathan. Hearing her voice again made Max want to just jump out right then and there but she held fast. "Not yet Max wait for it," She told herself, As she listened to the drama unfold a thought suddenly popped into her head. "I could always just stop time and remove the bullets from the gun," She thought. But then remembered that that would put her fingerprints on it. "Wouldn't want that superMax" She replied to herself in a tone that Chloe would have used.

"Don't ever tell me" Max heard Nathans voice, "Now Max" she told herself and sprung from her rather obvious hiding spot the scene in the room slowed to almost a complete stop, Nathan was still partially leaning over the sink reaching his arm around his back, Chloe was standing against the wall a shocked look on her face but Max couldn't tell if she was looking at her or at Nathan. Just like with David little more than an hour ago Max had one hand Meet Nathans gun hand as he connected with his gun and her other hand slammed firmly into place in Nathans elbow joint before finally bringing her foot down on the back of Nathans' knee wrenching his arm up squeezing Nathans hand making him pull the trigger and letting time resume its normal pace.

BANG

The gunshot rang in Max's ears and down the hall as a scream was heard coming from the hall. Max glanced up to make sure where the bullet went, In the ceiling next to the light fitting a perfect little hole with slightly burnt edges. "Arrrrg" Nathan screamed and Max looked down at him noticing the odd angle Nathans' arm was at, It looked painful as he started to struggle, Shoving her entire body weight into the young man she forced him to his knee's, "Get off me bitch," Nathan growled as he tried to get back to his feet and gave her a shove, Applying more pressure to the back of his knee with her foot she forced him back down and summoned what she had left to lock his arm above his head as a chilling 'popping' noise was heard and Nathan released a chilling scream, "Not this time fucker,"

Suddenly the door burst open and David came in gun drawn "What the hell" David said taking note of the arm hold Max had performed to a T. Siding his firearm David lunged at Nathan relieving him of his firearm forced him to the floor and cuffed him. The whole thing was over in just a few seconds. David stood up dragging a whimpering Nathan up with him and looked at the two girls, "You two ok" he said as he noticed the blood coming from Max's nose. They both nodded at David and Max grabbed some tissue from the stool and cleaned up the fresh blood running down her face. "Too much excitement for one day," She thought to herself.

I'm going to need statments from both of you but that can wait till later" He smirked "I belive you two have some catching up to do" He looked at Max and then at Chloe. "I don't even know her," Chloe said still a bit dumbstruck, Max felt a stab of hurt when she heard Chloe say those words but she thought nothing of it. "But she just hella saved my life, David she was so fast" Chloe continued saying the last word as though it was impossibly true.

"David huh" David replied with a smile, "hm are you sure you don't know her Chloe," he said looking at the blue haired girl with a grin. Chloe looked at Max and then David and then back to Max. Max stood there with a weak smile "Hi Me hearty" she mumbled a bit quieter than she had intended. "MAX" Chloe shouted in disbelief as she rushed forwards and bear hugged Max catching her completely off guard but she didn't care she had done it. "Wha Maxine Caulfield" Nathan shot a look at Max. "Shut it, psycho, you don't get to talk" Chloe snapped back at him with venom. "We will be leaving you two to catch up, speak to you later Chloe," David said as he frog-marched Nathan towards the door, Nathan stopped and turned to the girls this time with a different look to him "Im.." he began and then shook his head "Thankyou Max" He said sheepishly. "I almost did something that I would have regretted"

Chloe and David's gaze on Nathan was understandable but Max had to make sure that at least this chapter was over for good, She prised herself out of Chloe's bear hug and walked over to Nathan and whispered into his ear "In the dark room" The color drained instantly from Nathans' face. Max took a step back and looked Nathan in the eye, "Tell them everything Nathan and get the help you need, it doesn't have to be like this" Max emphasized the words everything and doesn't as she looked at him knowingly. "Do you know something, Mrs. Caulfield?" David said with his typical questioning look. Max looked at David " Only he's being used dunno by who and his not receiving the treatment he should be getting" she replied.

David looked at Max then nodded to Chloe "ok then I'll be speaking to you later" And with that he dragged Nathan out of the girl's bathroom and down the hall. "Max" Chloe's voice came from behind her, Max turned around and smiled at her friend breathing a sigh of relief. "Max you just hella saved my life, Not only that you were so fast it was something out of a movie" She continued as she stepped forwards to hug her friend she had not seen in 5 years. "It's not the first time, but hopefully it's the last time" Max mumbled. Chloe stopped in her tracks midway across the bathroom trying to process what she just heard. "What do you mean it's the last time, you leaving again," She asked probably sounding more venomous than intended. Max was a little taken aback but then realized that Chloe had only heard the last part. "no fucking way, You'd have to kill me, Chloe, I am not going anywhere ever again" she said defiantly, fighting back the impending emotional tidal wave that was bubbling to the surface and launching herself into Chloe's open embrace and holding her tight.

And that's that. Does the struggle need to be a bit more, Or is it good the way it is.

As usual comments and critique welcome