Hi all! I finally finished this chapter! Sorry it took so long! I hope you are going to like it!

Hunting past

(S01x09 – Part 1/2)

He stood frozen to the spot, unable to believe his eyes. He was shocked; like someone would have doused him with a bucket of icy water. It had been another chaotic day in Chester's Mill and he was the good guy again, standing beside Linda and watching Big Jim carefully making sure he had no funny ideas with the whole give us your gun so we will be safe from each other bullshit. Because he knew that it was exactly that, a bullshit. Big Jim had a hidden agenda, he was certain of it. He was the good guy Julia wanted him to be; Julia believed he was. And it had been like that all day, it was a new life, a second chance…. up until now.

He was staring at Max for long moments in disbelieve. How the fuck did she end up under the dome? How the hell was she there? Big Jim was slightly panicking too but Barbie couldn't care less. He couldn't even move from shock. This was a nightmare, a bad dream coming true.

"This is, uh, Dale Barbara. He…" Big Jim started, trying very hard to sound casual but he was nervous as hell. Still it was just like a background noise for Barbie, he was only focusing on the blonde woman in front of him.

Max was not listening either. She just walked up to him put her hand on his arm and leaned forward to kiss him. He didn't move. He didn't respond to the kiss but he was not pulling away… or moving aside. The kiss was short and cold. Just like his relationship was with the woman. Cold, up to the point. And this now was also more like a show. Max proving to Jim she had the upper hand. On everything. Barbie felt his heart freezing in his chest. The kiss left a nasty taste in his mouth; it felt like poison. He threw a glance at Jim. His eyes were wide with shock.

He felt like spitting on the ground to rid himself of the ugly taste of her. She wanted to push Max away but he did not. She was dangerous and he was not yet in the position to openly turn against her. He needed to find out what she was up to and why she was there.

"Oh, Barbie and I know each other" She said and Barbie kept staring at Jim. He felt her eyes on him but it only sent chills up his body and it made him feel sick so he decided to ignore her for now.

Finally she stepped away and the air was again fresh in his lungs. He folded his arms in front of his chest in defense, glancing from Jim to Max. As he watched her, memories of Julia and of last night filled his mind making the contrast so much clearer between the two women and between the two relationships. Guilt filled his heart and made him press his lips together to keep from launching out.

"You are not gonna say anything to me, Barbie? 'Long time no see?' 'Hey, you look great?'" She said with an ugly smile on her face. She seemed like she couldn't care less but he knew her better. She was already picking up on his zero reaction to her. She was a selfish, egoistic person she was used to getting everything and everyone and she was angry about his lack of interest. He looked her up and down. She did not look great actually. Her body was attractive as always, yes, but all he could see was his old life reflecting in her. She was absolutely nothing compared to Julia. Nothing at all.

"Hello, Max." He said at the end. It wasn't really so surprising she had now little to no effect on him. She used to be his type. Blonde, sexy body, no commitments. Now however….

"Anything to say to me?" Big Jim asked him. "After claiming all this time to be just a guy passing through, never been to Chester's Mill or anywhere around here?"

Barbie looked at him rolling his eyes all the way thinking how very much alike he and Max was.

"Oh, kind of how you claimed that collecting all these was your idea? Because she put you up to it." He said stepping closer to Jim and managing to take some steps away from Max.

"No, I did what is best for this town!" That started to sound really boring now…

"Oh yeah. Lying through your teeth every step of the way." Barbie snapped back but Max stepped between them holding her hands up.

"Girls, girls, girls, you are both pretty. Which is why I am cutting you in on our plan for Chester's Mill." She said glaring pointedly at him.

"Step one: disarm the opposition." Barbie said backing away from them. He had to realize he couldn't stand being near her. Just being in the same room with her meant his old life was creeping its way back to him. That there was a possibility he could turn back to who he used to be. But he would do anything to avoid that. Being here with Max was in itself a betrayal against Julia and he hated it already.

"Hard times mean desperate people. Especially in this pressure cooker. And everything that Big Jim said, that was true. We only want people to be safe and… happy." Her voice dipped with venom.

"Let me guess next, you are gonna give 'em a little black market to occupy their time, am I right? Huh? Some booze? Drugs? A little gambling?" He asked now turning to Big Jim and glaring at him.

"See? You have nothing to worry about. He gets it." Max said rolling her eyes. The fact that she thought he was the same guy as before, that if she said jump he would ask how high, made him angry. He wasn't that guy anymore and he couldn't wait to see her face when she realized it… like right now.

"Who the hell said that I am gonna help you?" He asked frowning at her in disbelieve. Now that he knew their plans he would just walk away and let Linda and the others know. They could stop them. Sure he would need to watch out for Julia. Max had never taken no as an answer easily, she was a little bitch always ready for revenge. If she was ever to find out he had changed because of Julia; that he was choosing Julia over her, she would try to hunt her down…. to get back on him.

"Who says you have a choice? You have quite a few secrets buried in your past Barbie. I would hate for those secrets to get dug up for everyone to see." Now that caught his attention and the blood froze in his veins. The way she just said everyone…

"Oh please, please, dig them up" Big Jim said. But Barbie ignored his comment. He gave a damn about what Big Jim might find out about him but he had a nagging feeling Max was referring to someone else.

"Careful what you wish for, Jimmy, because while I am digging I might accidentally reveal a few of the pies you have got your fingers stuck in around town."

There was a silent in the room and Max let out a tired sigh.

"You both have been working for me, even if you didn't know about each other and now is not the time to grow a conscience unless you want to face a jail cell. Or a lynch mob or… whatever it is that passes for justice around here these days." She had that fucking annoying I know everything and can do whatever I want to do with you kind of smile on her face which made Barbie see red from anger.

"You are not bulletproof, Max." He said finally narrowing his eyes on her.

"Which is why I have an insurance policy in place. Anything bad happens to me, your secrets still come out." She said and Big Jim shifted from one leg to the other clearly uncomfortable with the situation as well. They were trapped. "All right. Like I said, great job today. Jimmy, make sure these get loaded up and delivered to the cement factory."

"Truck's waiting out back." He murmured and moved to take the guns, having obviously no other choice than to oblige. "Give her a kiss good-bye for me, will you?" He turned to Barbie with a knowing smirk.

All the while, Barbie was analyzing his situation. No matter if Max actually knew his secrets about killing Peter, Big Jim knew he and Julia were together. And he saw the kiss Max gave him. He would not hesitate to share that piece of information with Julia and his comment made it pretty clear he was well aware of his advantage. Big Jim and he were both in disadvantage and Max had all the power to pull them around however she wanted but he was now in an even worse situation.

"Look at us." Max gave him a seductive smile moving closer. "Back in business. And to think, it all started with you buying me that drink, oh, so many months ago." She walked around him in a small circle and he folded his arms again with a disgusted smirk.

"No, you bought me that drink." He said as she stopped in front of him.

"And then two days later, we came up for air" She was pissed, now it was clear, for having no reaction out of him. She tried to evoke the memory of their relationship. That was not working however. For once it wasn't a relationship what they used to have. They used to have raw, quick sex whenever they'd felt like it. He did not care about her one way or another. She had a nice body and she wanted no commitment. It was a great match and exactly what he needed at that time. That was it all. They both had other one nightstands; sometimes they didn't even see each other for weeks... not that they cared. He took a step back with smug smirk when he saw the annoyance in her eyes for his obvious rejection.

"Look, whatever you and Jim are up to here, you are making a huge mistake." The town had people like Julia and Linda. They wouldn't let them rule like kings.

"And you are right there with us." She snapped back her eyes narrowed.

"No, I don't think so." He answered shaking his head. He suddenly had the upper hand here, Max was starting to be furious about the rejection. She nodded and turned away and he felt a small tingle of hope filling his body.

"So, you don't care if Julia Shumway hears you murdered her husband?"

That hit him hard and the hope turned into shocking fear. "E-Excuse me?" He tried to make it sound like she was crazy but his body gave him away. His eyes were so wide he thought they were going to pop out of his head.

"Oh please. You called me from your car afterwards. You were frantic because he fought back. And then I start hearing rumors that Dr. Shumway has vanished." Crap she really knew it. "The pillow talk between you and Julia is gonna be done when she finds out you are the reason why."

He took a step aside to recollect himself. Damn it… he had hopped against all odds that she didn't know about it but she did… she knew about Julia as well.

"What?" She trailed of that ugly smug grin yet again finding its way to her lips. "Oh, you are surprised that I know you are screwing the widow, too?"

The muscles in his jaw clenched and unclenched. He lost that upper hand he had thought for a moment he had. One wrong move from his side and he could put Julia into danger. Max did not like to lose and did not accept no as an answer… It could easily turn into a dirty game for her… she always got what she wanted. Let it be business, money, or men. There was a possibility she could hurt Julia, or walk up to her and tell her the truth. She could take everything from him in one single moment.

"For the past eight days, I have been watching you. And Big Jim, and everyone else in this hellhole. So keep that in mind before you even think about opening your big mouth." she said finally.

Barbie shook his head with narrowed eyes. He never really cared about Max, he had no feelings for her; he didn't like her but he didn't hate her either…. before. But now his heart started to fill with hate, anger and disgust.

"Now then, I will see you tomorrow sweetheart." She said taking a step closer to him to give him one of her emotionless kisses. He took a step back. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "You are pissing me off Barbie. I would be careful in your place. You know I always get everything I want. And I do mean everything." She ran her fingertips down his cheeks before she turned on her heels and walked away.

Barbie bit down on his lips with such an anger it started to bleed. He needed to do something. Anything… His heart beat so fast as if it wanted to get out of his chest. He was on the edge of losing everything that mattered to him. To lose Julia. Did he try to play along with Max to bury his secrets, he would end up betraying Julia and that was something he could never ever do. He could not lie to her… cheat on her. His body shook with anger and frustration. He had never really been the monogamy type but with Julia everything was different. Did he choose to tell her the truth… he would lose her anyway. In frustration he turned and hit the wall with such a force it left a hole on it. What the fuck could he do?

So that was it about the Max part. I really hope you guys liked it! I was always wondering what Barbie might have thought during this scene. I hope he stayed in character (:

knuckles99heidi, Romantic in Denial, Guest, Luvs2Ship: Thank you soooooooo much for your reviews! It really means a lot to me!