Island Wolf: 8D ohmygosh, guys as always I can't thank you all enough for your kind reviews - I'm so giddy! The faves, the follows and the views, they are a great Christmas present

Also - holy crap I actually stumbled across mentions of this fic on Tumblr (yes I'm on Tumblr too, if you've posted anything related to Redorbshipping I've probably liked or follow you haha) and I just, oh my god I had to put my laptop down because I was squealing and blushing so hard! So Frozenmadame, Feministmaxie, Hybriddragoness, Aly-san, Meganefucker, Hollowcreeks and everybody else - you guys are awesome

Dude this chapter was so hard to write and I think you'll see why when you read it, but on the bright side I finally broke 100 pages with this story *pops the cork on a bottle of champagne* VICTORY!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot, blah, blah, blah

The next month went by so peacefully that Maxie had nearly forgotten that they were at war.

His mornings had become bright with May's smiles and her azure eyes lighting up more and more each day. Her speech continued to improve and her struggles became fewer, though she'd seemed to retain the habit of using her hands to talk, but it was a quirk he'd become fond of. She accompanied him on almost every outing, even when he went deep into the forest to harvest more wood. He'd been wary at first, when she'd asked to participate, but then she'd picked up two massive logs that probably weighed more than she did he promptly put a stop to his fussing. She had begun to read his moods better too, and to understand, if just a little. Much of what he tried to explain went completely over her head, but she seemed content in trying.

The best part, by far, however was that fact that he could sense some of her old spark coming back. It would appear out of the blue, she would look at him and he could see that gleam in her eye when she would respond to one of his comments with a surprising amount of wit. It was a pale shadow of her usual fiery banter, but every time she was borderline sarcastic made him ludicrously happy. It was one such verbal parry that had him smiling into the phone during his weekly phone call to Dr. Villiard.

"It's remarkable how far she's come. I can see her old personality starting to come through. I really think it's beginning to work."

"Yes, she does seem to be recovering at an exponential rate...however..."

Maxie frowned. He could hear the worried tone in Villiard's voice and it sent a cold claw of fear trailing down his spine. "However...?"

"She has been making wonderful progress that much is true – but only in one department of her emotionality. Almost all outward emotions, or the closest thing she can come to projecting, have been of a positive nature. She has yet to experience the darker side of things; sorrow, grief, rage...those are still locked away. This is a great concern now that I've been mapping her recovery rate."

"How so?"

"As I said before, the pattern has plotted an exponential curve – her episodes of true personality are becoming more frequent and more intense. I'm afraid that the longer it takes her to experience negative emotions, the more explosive the eventual episode will be. Whatever mental base she's managed to construct for herself may not survive the onslaught," the doctor said gravely. "Think about what she's been through – when she regains the full range of emotions the negative ones are going to, based on current projections, hit her like a psychological freight train. I had hoped that her recovery would be more linear, a slow and steady acquisition, but the way things are right now...to be blunt Mr. Asher, she's going to get one hell of a shock."

"Is there anything I can do? Should I try to – induce negative feelings?"

"No, no, keep doing what you're doing – forcing things could be disastrous. I just want you to be aware of what's likely to come. She'll be very unpredictable. Do you still have the sedatives?"

Unlike the last time he'd asked that question Villiard's voice was low and serious, devoid of laughter.

"Yes."

"Good, you still may need them. Her mental state may be delicate, but physically she is still quite dangerous."

"I'll keep that in mind. Do you -," It was suddenly hard to speak when he glanced back into the living room and watched her leaf through a book of Tennyson's works, resting her chin on the heel of her hand with an odd half-smile. "Do you have any idea of when this might happen?"

"Based on the current data I'd say – within the next few weeks, but realistically speaking it could be any day now."

"I understand. Thank you Doctor, I'll call you should anything happen."

Maxie ended the call and pocketed his cellphone. A heavy weight had descended on his shoulders and he found it difficult to look at the young woman sitting so serenely in his living room. May seemed to sense his sudden discomfort because she looked up from her book and tilted her head slightly to the side as she always did when she studied him. "Is everything – okay?"

"Yes, fine. That was just Dr. Villiard checking in," he said, forcing a smile. One good thing about her lack of deep empathic understanding was that she couldn't recognize when the motion was feigned. He crossed the room and sat down on the couch next to her and retrieved his copy of 'White Fang'. This had been another development he'd come to enjoy – the fact they no longer sat apart, but spent the afternoons together on the couch. She'd been the first to make the move, surprisingly enough. About two weeks ago he'd gone to take up his usual armchair, but she'd wordlessly taken his hand and pulled him over to the sofa. He'd taken to sitting beside her ever since. Her small smile returned and she leaned against him.

It took quite a lot to keep still and composed when he realized that these days were now numbered and he might never get to enjoy such company with her again.

The thought was more than a little heartbreaking and Maxie desperately wanted to sweep her up into his arms and show her that no matter what had happened to her, no matter what she might face in the future that he would be there for her. He wanted her to know and to understand more than anything, that he cared about her and he would give anything to keep her safe.

But for now he could do nothing but pretend that everything was alright. He turned his focus back onto his book, but after realizing he'd read the same line six times he set it down and feigned falling asleep. May called his name softly and felt her hand on his arm, but he dared not move. He heard her put down her book and suddenly realized that she'd wriggled her way under his arm and was nestling herself against him. He couldn't stand it anymore.

He pulled her up into his arms and laid himself down on the couch so that she was on top of him, much like they had been a month ago, the morning after their first ride. She hardly seemed bothered by the sudden change in position and merely laid her head down on his chest with a contented sigh. He brought a hand up to stroke her soft brown locks and closed his eyes. Slowly, he started to slip into a real doze, lulled by the soft sound of her breathing and the warmth of her presence.

Nearly a week passed and Maxie was quite sure he'd never felt so anxious before in his life.

Every tiny motion, every look she gave him sent a pulse of absolute dread to his very core, but all she'd given him were easy smiles and offers of tea. If he came out of this without going grey he'd be very surprised. Today she seemed to be content in the kitchen, cleaning the morning's dishes while he pulled on his turtleneck and coat to head outside to cut more splits of wood for the wood stoves and fireplace.

"Are you sure you're alright in here?" he said, pulling on his tweed cap. She nodded and slid another plate onto the drying rack. "Alright, I'll be right out back if you need me."

He left her to her work and headed around to the yard to start his. Maria must have heard him coming because she whinnied a greeting and he ducked into the stable to give her a quick pat. "Hello old girl, no running today I'm afraid – too much work at the homestead."

The mare huffed and stomped her hoof petulantly, clearly disappointed. Maxie gave the pokémon a wry grin and pulled an apple out of his coat pocket. The horse immediately perked up and eagerly accepted the offering, looking far more content munching on the sweet fruit. "The way to your heart is through your stomach, isn't it you great silly beast."

The Rapidash bobbed her head shamelessly.

Maxie laughed and headed back outside, picking up the axe he'd left leaning against the stable door. He pulled a few larger logs from the pile and set them down next to the large flat stump he used as a base for splitting. He stood the first log vertically on the stump's surface, took aim and then slammed the axe down, cleaving it neatly in two along the centre grain. He kept repeating the process, pausing only to remove his coat when the vigorous activity caused him to sweat. He'd nearly gotten through the pile when he heard a high-pitched neigh ring out from the stable. Frowning, Maxie slammed the axe down into the splitting stump and went to check on his pokémon. When he stepped into the stable his irritation at being interrupted immediately turned into concern. The mare was stomping her massive hoof repeatedly, grunting and huffing through flared nostrils with her ears pinned flat against her skull and large brown eyes rolling in terror. "Maria, what on earth has gotten into you?"

His answer came in the form of a long, low howl. He immediately moved to the stable door and spied the lean, grey shapes ghosting through the trees on the edge of the property. Five ragged looking Mightyenas stood scenting the air at the fringe of the treeline. One of them, a big male even though he was all skin and bones, edged out into the open. Maxie frowned, this was a wild pack – one that was hurting from the hard winter by the looks of it. They must have come down from the mountains looking for food. He eyed the axe gleaming on the stump. He had no pokémon right now besides Maria, who had never been trained for battle. If the starving canines wanted to attack there would be little he could do to stop them except try to make a break for the house and retrieve his father's old .303 rifle and he doubted he could make the run without falling victim to five sets of long, hungry teeth. The prowling canines came to a sudden halt, their heads snapping up and ears perked as they detected something his human senses could not. Without warning they started cowering, ears back and tails down between their legs as they whined and whimpered before taking off at a dead sprint.

Maxie dashed out into the yard, trying to see what on earth had frightened the pack of Mightyena off. When he turned around he felt his blood run cold. The Absol gazed down at him from the roof of the stable, silent and ominous just as it had been in the forest. Eyes the colour of blood burned with an unholy fire as they bored into him. He felt a tremor run through him and he curled his hands into fists. "What do you want!?" he yelled raggedly. "What are you trying to tell me?"

The Absol remained impassive, gazing down at him coldly until it suddenly raised its head and looked directly at the house. Almost as soon as it had done so a blood curdling shriek cut through the stillness like a knife. The sound ripped into him with more pain than any bullet and he ran to the house, the Absol forgotten.

May watched Maxie pull on his cap and he asked her once again if she was alright staying in the house on her own. She nodded and sent him away with a smile. She still could not comprehend why he insisted on repeating his questions when she'd already given him an answer. Why would she not be alright in the house without his presence? There were no dangers here or anything she needed to be wary of. She shook her head and dipped a dirtied drinking glass into the soapy dishwater. What an odd sort of behaviour. Still, it was tolerable – Maxie had been very patient with her, taking time to explain things that she could not understand and making sure she was provided for. It always caused a strange physiological reaction when he looked at her, a warmth in her chest that she could not attribute to any bodily function and the strangest urge to smile when he did so. Those sensations intensified when he was near her and when he touched her they multiplied ten fold. She'd purposely started seeking out reasons to bring them into physical contact, though she couldn't fathom why – it served no purpose other than bringing up the unexplained reactions.

A long, quavering howl made her freeze, the water filled glass still in her hand. She leaned forward, peering out the kitchen window. There, ghosting through the trees she could make out the skulking figures lurking around the forest's edge. Mightyenas. One of them, the alpha male judging from his size and pattern of colouration edged out onto the property. He stood, tall and proud despite the ribs sticking out painfully beneath his dark fur and he turned to look directly at her with ruby coloured eyes that gleamed with a fierce intelligence.

It suddenly felt like all the air had been driven from her lungs.

The way the Mightyena carried himself, gazed at her without fear, so proud and strong – if reminded her of something...someone...

"Ga – Gabriel."

A sharp pain exploded behind her eyes she and felt a strange sensation in her nose – something warm was suddenly running down over her mouth. She reached up to touch it and her fingers came away smeared with blood. She inhaled and time stopped. Memories flashed through her mind like an unbidden flood, but they were no longer simple, recalled images and events. Every one had changed from dull sepia to terrifyingly vivid colours. Sounds and sensations became sharp enough to cut and her heart began to race. She couldn't breathe and the memory of crushing Gabriel's ribcage before effortlessly snapping his neck played through her mind with agonizing slowness - the sound of his bones breaking, the smell of his blood and the way it stained the floor. I did that...I hurt him...I betrayed him...the look in his eyes – the pain – oh god, I did that, I did that, I did that...

Ruby eyes filled with hurt dissolved away, replaced by a cold gaze of winter blue that gleamed savagely in the harsh fluorescent light as a whispered order came to remove her clothing. Her gut twisted with shame as she remembered sliding off the body suit, black neoprene pooling at her feet like a discarded skin while icy hands explored her bare flesh. I let him...how could I let him do that...how could he...

The memories were coming thick and fast now, pokémon she'd put to death, the faces of men she'd never known contorted in pain as she'd been used to punish them for their failings, laying awake on a cold steel table as they bored into her skull and stripped her of humanity one brain implant at a time. A million voices screamed at her; liar, whore, weakling, monster, murderer. The glass shattered in her hand, slicing deep gashes into her palm, but the pain didn't register – her horror did and her vocal chords finally regained their power in the form of a long, wailing scream.

The door to the house was flung open and a man came rushing inside. Her body reacted long before her mind did, seizing a knife from the counter as she dropped into a predatory crouch. She skinned her lips back over her teeth and snarled.

"Get away from me!" she hissed. "Get away, get away!"

The man seemed undaunted and slowly removed his hat (red hair...why was that so familiar?) keeping his hands up to show he was unarmed. "May, calm down – you know who I am. It's me, it's Maxie."

"Stay – away!" she spat, trying to stay focused when the pain in her forehead returned with a vengeance. Maxie, that name – why did she know that name. He stepped forward and she slashed the air in front of her menacingly. "Don't come – any closer!"

He kept moving forward, talking to her in that low, even tone. Her entire body shook at the sound and she screamed again, but he kept coming closer. When he reached a hand towards her, her spring-taut muscles exploded into movement. She'd opened a long thin cut along his left cheek and stabbed into his shoulder before he even knew what was happening. His heavy clothing had stopped most of the force, but she'd still managed to jab in a solid inch trying to warn him off. The knife was slick with red – hers dripping down the handle and his staining the blade.

He staggered back a pace and his earth brown eyes widened in shock and hurt – the same hurt that had been in...oh god what had she done.

The knife hit the kitchen floor with a clatter as it slipped from her nerveless fingers. She clutched her head in her hands, wailing as she sunk down to her knees. "No, no, no, no," she screamed. "It's not real, it's not real!"

Firm, but gentle hands wrapped around her wrists, pulling her hands away from her face. "May, look at me – look at me," he said softly and she did. His dark eyes were soft and warm and she suddenly found herself desperate to lose herself in them, to drown in their depths and forget the world existed. He cradled her face in his hands. When he spoke his voice was low and rough as though he, himself were close to tears. "May, please say you know me. Please tell me you remember who I am!"

"Maxie." She could barely choke out his name and when she saw the blood rolling down his face and staining his clothing the tears started to flow anew. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, oh god – I'm a monster, I'm so sorry!"

She curled her arms around his neck and he held her in turn, rocking her back and forth as she screamed and sobbed until her voice gave out. He rubbed her back and kept one hand on the nape of her neck, murmuring over and over, "It's okay May. I'm here, I'm here."

May lost all sense of time sitting there on the kitchen floor, but eventually her body could not keep up with the tempest of her emotions and she grew too fatigued to even cry. When her sobs quietened Maxie pulled back slightly, holding her upright when he realized she could no longer support herself. "May, please let me help you. Can you let me do that?"

She barely had the strength to nod.

Carefully, handling her as though she were made of glass. He kept one arm behind her upper back and slid the other beneath the crook of her knees, lifting her up into his arms. He took her upstairs to his room and laid her down on the bed. He brushed away the sweat-dampened and bloodied hair that had fallen into her face. "I'll be right back okay?"

She felt an intense surge of panic and clung to his arm like a lifeline, ignoring the pain of the glass biting into her skin. He gently removed her hand, placing it over his heart instead. "I promise I'll be back. I just need to get some things to treat your wounds. Please, I'll be back I swear."

There was something in his voice, that overwhelming warmth and promise of safety – for whatever reason made her believe him. She nodded and laid back down as he left the room. Memories flashed behind her eyelids like lightning, the roiling tumult of rage and grief roaring like the thunder that followed. She whimpered and felt the tears start to come again, but they were brushed away by gentle hands. May opened her eyes and sobbed with relief when she saw him. He eased her into a sitting position with her back against the headboard and took her injured hand in his.

"This is going to hurt a little," he said, his tone apologetic as he dabbed a peroxide-soaked cloth over the deep cuts the broken glass had made in her palm. It burned, but the pain paled in comparison to the absolute agony her mind was in. Once he seemed satisfied that the wounds were cleaned he used a pair of tweezers to pick out the shards of glass that had remained embedded in her skin. "Try to stay with me May. I know it's hard – but I need you to hold on for just a while longer."

He finished removing the glass and bandaged her hand as best as he could manage. "I want to take you to Lilycove. The doctors there can help you -"

"Don't leave me!" she blurted as the panic returned full force and clutched the front of his shirt. "I can't – I can't – "

Maxie shushed her gently and covered her hands with his. "I won't leave you May, I promise, but you need help that I'm unable to give. Let me take you to Lilycove."

She felt the muscles of her throat spasm from another dry sob. "You'll stay with me? You won't leave me alone?"

"I promise," he whispered fiercely. Fresh tears came hot and relentless.

"I – I can't – I don't think I can -" She started to tremble violently. "I can't handle this."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace. She bit her lip until she tasted copper and buried her face into his chest. Beneath the smell of blood and peroxide she could detect the scent that was uniquely him. He smelt of woodsmoke, pine resin, hay and the deepest glens of the winter woods. It was the smell of safety...it was the smell of home. She inhaled sharply when he pulled back and placed a soft kiss against her forehead. Beneath the dark memories that clouded her mind like oily shadows came flashes of light – reading with him by the fire, that first wild ride with him through the sunlit woods...waking up in his arms...

"Yes, you can," he murmured. "I'll be with you the whole time. I'm not going to leave you May, I'll never leave you."

"I know."

After a beat of silence he glanced at the bedside table. "...I can give you something to help you sleep for a while if you'd like."

May suddenly realized that there was a syringe filled with a clear fluid on the table and she went rigid with fear. Phantom pains radiated from her wrists and ankles at the memory of unforgiving leather straps and the chill of stainless steel beneath her back. His arms were suddenly around her again, pulling her close and rubbing her back soothingly. "Hey, easy," he said. "Easy, I'm not going to hurt you May. You don't have to take it."

The shadows were back, eating away the good memories with rows of savage teeth as the voices started to scream again. She didn't know whether she wanted to sob or snarl. "No – I'll take it – just make it stop, please!"

Maxie nodded and cleaned the crook of her left arm with peroxide before picking up the syringe. He felt for the vein and lined up the needle. Sliding his free hand beneath her chin he tilted her gaze up towards him. "Just keep looking at me, okay? Look at me and nothing else."

She did as he asked, keeping her gaze focused on him and his impossibly dark eyes. She barely felt the metal pierce her skin, but shuddered when she felt the injection surge into her bloodstream. It only took a moment for the drugs to take effect and the world started to blur before her. His arms were back around her, holding her steady while he spoke soft words of encouragement. His voice was like a lullaby, drowning out the screams and she went willingly into the darkness with the promise that he'd be there when she had to face the cold light of reality again.

When the medication finally started to work and May fell into blissful unconsciousness in his arms Maxie finally allowed the tears he'd been struggling to hold back, to fall.

He hadn't cried since the day his mother had passed away, so many long years ago. He never thought that seeing May this way would hurt him so damn much. How could he protect her when the monsters were inside her own head? He held her close and whispered things he desperately wanted to say to her – he knew full well that he might never get another chance to.

Composing himself he laid her back down on the bed to go tend to his own injuries. The dosage he'd given her would keep her down for several hours at least which was more than enough time to clean the cut on his face and hastily tape a wad of gauze over the knife wound in his shoulder. Christ he'd forgotten how fast she could be – he was just thankful she hadn't decided to go for his throat. He pulled on a clean shirt and turned back to May, still stretched out peacefully on his bed. Taking up one of the spare quilts, he wrapped it around her before hefting her up into his arms and carrying her out to the truck. After he secured her in the passenger seat he quickly jogged around back to the stable. Maria was wide eyed and still very nervous, ears twitching and nostrils flared as she huffed and grunted. He rubbed her neck soothingly to calm her down. "I have to go for a while, but I'll be back – I'll bar the door so nothing can get at you, alright?"

The mare nickered quietly and, sensing her trainer's sadness, draped her massive head over his shoulder and tucked in her chin, drawing him in and effectively pulling him into the Rapidash equivalent of an embrace. When she finally let him go Maxie rubbed her forelock affectionately. "Thanks old girl, stay safe."

He left the stable, bolting the door securely behind him lest the pack of Mightyena return and returned to the truck. He slid the key in the ignition, the Hemi engine roaring to life as he pulled out his cellphone and quickly dialled Dr. Villiard's number.

"Dr. Villiard speaking."

"It's happened," Maxie said as he put the vehicle into drive and started down the mountain road that would lead him to the highway. "She's not doing well – I'm taking her to Lilycove right now, can you call ahead and have someone ready to meet us?"

"Of course, call me as soon as you can with more details."

"Will do," he answered and ended the call. He glanced over at his unmoving passenger and felt his heart twist painfully. "It's going to be okay May. You'll be okay."

You have to be

They hit the main highway and Maxie promptly ignored the posted speed limit as they flew towards the city. Within an hour the lights and chimney smoke of Lilycove drew into view. The truck's tires screeched in protest as he brought the vehicle to an abrupt stop in front of the main doors of Lilycove General Hospital. He'd just managed to open the passenger side door when a team of nurses came running with a wheeled gurney, a man in a long white lab coat leading them. He was a middle-aged chap, late fifties probably with salt and pepper hair and eyes the colour of amber that would have seemed kindly with their multitude of laugh lines had they not been narrowed with intense focus.

The nurses moved passed him and proceeded to gently unload May from the truck and put her down on the gurney. The doctor looked him up and down once before extending a hand. "Bill Strickland, Marcus phoned me up right after you called him. Steven Stone is on his way down as well, but he won't get here until late this evening. Come on, Marcus told me it was important to keep you with Miss Maple as much as possible."

Maxie shook the man's hand, feeling slightly numb as he was led inside, through a maze of hallways. The sterile smell of disinfectant made him shudder, but he kept pace as they came to an isolated room that had bee presumably set aside for May. At least here should the worst happen the damage could be contained. Strickland's team made quick work of moving May from the gurney to the bed, hooking her up to an IV and other medical instruments in the room.

"What sedative did you use?"

Wordlessly Maxie fished out the small glass bottle from his pocket and handed it to the doctor who nodded appreciatively. "Alright, our plan of action here is fairly straightforward. I would like to do a few scans of Miss Maple's brain and forward them to my wife in neurology to make sure there is no damage, then I would like to bring her out of sedation to do a psychological evaluation. Are you in accordance?"

"Yes," Maxie replied weakly. "Do whatever you have to."

"You did the right thing bringing her here," Strickland assured him. "Would you mind waiting around here while we take her for scanning? We shouldn't be long, this case has priority."

"No, no of course not. I'll be here."

"Alright, I'll have one of the nurses tend to you while you wait," the doctor said and Maxie suddenly realized that he must look a mess with the cut on his face and the blood spotting his shirt where it had seeped through the gauze. He nodded somewhat ruefully.

"That would be appreciated."

With the cut on his face cleaned again and the wound in his shoulder neatly stitched up under a fresh bandage there was little he could do but wait. The mediocre coffee was little relief and towards the end of the hour he'd taken to pacing the room – anything to keep him occupied. The door suddenly opened and his heart leapt into his throat. May was still unconscious, looking pale and small in her hospital gown as they placed her back onto the bed and hooked her back up to the various monitors. Dr. Strickland wasn't far behind with a manilla folder tucked under his arm.

"Ah, Mr. Asher I have good news," he said, opening the folder and giving its contents a quick scan. "There appears to be no damage and it appears the implants that were still in her frontal lobe have completely ceased functioning."

"That's – that's good to hear," Maxie said, sitting down in the chair next to May's bed - he wasn't sure his legs were capable of supporting him at this point. Strickland nodded.

"Yes, it means nothing is holding her back any longer. Now comes the hard part, however," he said. On cue one of the nurses came forward with a syringe and stood ready next to the IV drip. "I want to bring her out of sedation so I can try to preform an evaluation on her mental state. From what I've gathered from the reports Marcus has sent me this is going to be the most dangerous part. She'll be confused and likely very upset – this is when we'll see her reacting on instinct rather than reason. I don't think I have to tell you how unsafe this will be."

Maxie nodded his agreement, moving to stand next to the bed and the doctor gave the signal. The nurse deftly injected the syringe into the IV drip and then moved to stand back against the wall. After a few moments the steady beep of her heart monitor sped up ever so slightly and her eyes fluttered open. For one brief, heart-stopping moment everything went still – and then he saw it. The tightening of her muscles was nearly imperceptible, but he'd been watching for it this time and quickly placed his hands on her shoulders just as she started lifting off of the bed, baring her teeth. She was strong, Christ was she strong, but he had sheer height and weight on his side and managed to pin her down. May struggled and lifted her hands as high as she could, burying her nails into his flesh through his shirt and raking them down his ribcage. He winced, but held firm. "May, calm down it's me! It's Maxie!" he said firmly, bringing his face close to hers. "You're safe May, you're safe. I'm here, just like I promised."

She was quick to calm down this time as she stopped clawing at him and drew her hands in close to her chest. She took one look around and started to whimper. He moved his grip from her shoulders and gently cupped her face, ensuring that she looked at him and only him. "Stay with me, okay? No one is going to hurt you, we're all here to help."

She was crying by the time he'd finished speaking, but she gave him a small nod nonetheless. He smiled and brushed away her tears before glancing over his shoulder at the doctor and nodding. Strickland quietly dismissed the nurses and moved to stand on the other side of May's bed. "Hello Miss Maple, my name is Bill Strickland. I'm a doctor here at the hospital," he said with a smile, keeping his voice low and soft. "If you don't mind I'd like to talk to you for a little while, ask a few questions – do you think you could do that for me?"

There was a long stretch of silence before May gave him the slightest of nods. Strickland smiled. "Thank you, now – would you mind if it were just you and me? I want to make sure everything we talk about is kept private, for your sake okay?"

May went board-stiff and her panic was palpable as she gripped Maxie's arm like a lifeline. What little colour she had drained from her face and she shook her head violently. Maxie quickly slipped his arm around her shoulders and took her hand in his. "Easy, May – easy. Dr. Strickland just wants to help you okay?"

"I – I don't want you to leave," she whispered so quietly he almost didn't hear. "I n-need you."

"May, I know you're scared – I am too, but right now Dr. Strickland needs to speak to you about what's happened," Maxie replied gently, though it hurt him deeply – he wasn't exactly keen on the idea of being away from her either. "He knows what he's talking about and he can help you. I'll be right outside that door, look you can see me through the window I'll be there the whole time. If you feel like you can't handle any more I'll be right in. Can you do this? For me?"

She was shaking in his arms and he could see that her eyes were glassy with unshed tears, but she looked at him and nodded. He pulled her into a tight embrace and placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Good girl, I'll be right outside. It's going to be okay, you'll see."

He reluctantly let her go and allowed Strickland to pull up a chair near the bedside as he made his way out of the room. The door had barely closed before he had turned around and was looking through the small window set in it. May was white as a sheet and her shoulders were shaking, but she was talking at least, often glancing at the window to ensure he was still there. He could only imagine what kind of horrors she was recounting in there. Dragging a hand through his hair and swore under his breath.

"How is she?"

Maxie turned sharply on his heel to see Steven Stone walking up the hall towards him. Hoenn's Champion looked beleaguered and weary, with dark circles under his eyes and a few strands of white threading through his slate grey hair. He offered Maxie a tired smile, though he refrained from returning it. "Not good. How much do you know?"

"Not a lot," Steven admitted sheepishly, "as soon as Marcus said there'd been a development and May was in hospital I was already half-way out the door. What happened?"

"She was doing so well," Maxie sighed, as much as he disliked Steven at times he could respect that the younger man cared deeply about May and really had her best interests at heart. "Perhaps too well. Villiard warned me something like this could happen, but I never thought it would be this bad. From what I've gathered the last of the implants in her frontal lobe failed, rather catastrophically and she was hit with the full range of her emotions. She had to remember everything about her ordeal and all the negative emotions attached to them all at once with no warning. It's hit her very hard."

"I can imagine. What's going on now?"

"She's talking with one of Villiard's colleagues – the head of psychiatry here, Dr. Strickland. He wanted to evaluate her mental state."

"That's brutal," Steven said, shaking his head sadly. "What on earth did she ever do to deserve this?"

"Bad things happen to good people."

"It still hardly seems fair."

"I know," Maxie admitted. The two men lapsed into a tense, uneasy silence, leaning against opposite walls. Steven was the first to break it with a huffed laugh.

"That's the fourth time you've looked in there in about thirty seconds," he observed with a wry smile. Maxie raised an eyebrow and Steven smiled, though he was looking beyond him and through the window into the room beyond. "You really care about her, don't you."

"...Yes."

"Do you love her?"

Maxie glanced into the room and watched May. She'd drawn her knees up to her chest, like she'd done so many times when she'd been upset before, but she was still talking through her tears – despite it all, she still found the courage to speak. She glanced at him and for a brief moment their eyes locked. He thought about they very first time they'd met all those years ago, when she'd been a stubborn child and burned his empire to the ground. He thought about the night they'd met in Lilycove ten years later when she'd fearlessly offered herself as collateral, the way she'd challenged him in shows of verbal fencing and through the raw power of her pokémon. He thought about how she'd come to his room the night he'd killed a man right before her eyes, not to judge him, but for comfort and support of all things. He thought about their capture, how despite the suffering she was going through that she'd wanted to know if he was alright. He thought about the last few months of bliss, living with her at his side. He thought about the way she smiled at him, the way she held him, and the way she trusted him implicitly.

"Yes."

He loved everything about May Maple. He loved the way those azure eyes would soften in the gentlest of smiles and then blaze with righteous fury, he loved the way she would raise her chin in a gesture of challenge, he loved the way she laughed, he loved the quick bite of her fearless wit, he loved her endless compassion...He loved her, wholly, completely, absolutely, and unconditionally – he loved her.

Steven smiled and clapped a hand on his shoulder. "I'll get us some coffee."

"Thanks."

Island Wolf: phew, okay that's finally done. Finally got the big admission from Maxie, woohoo! I feel it noteworthy to mention and remind readers that my characterization of Maxie is based off of the original Ruby. I wrote the original version of this fic years ago, when Redorbshipping was even more unpopular than it is now - I was one of the first few to attempt anything more than a drabble (that I know of) here on ff, so I was a wee bit of a pioneer. I can see why people might be thrown off by how I write Maxie due to this fact; Redorbshipping has really taken off thanks to the excellent people on Tumblr, but almost all of it features the post-remake versions of Maxie and May. Now, don't get me wrong - I adore the Omega version of him, the idea of his primary identity being that of an intellectual and a scientist is nothing less than spectacular and people have written him incredibly well (holla to Teammaxie on Tumblr yo) in that sense. I have yet to fully immerse myself in the new games and as such I'm not yet comfortable writing in the mindset of this latest incarnation of Maxie. So for the time being I will stay old school with RSE ;P

And for anyone worrying that Maxie's been a bit too soft the last few chapters don't worry, you'll see his badass side again soon!

P.S. Who wants a Christmas one-shot? :3