Hey thanks for all the reviews, this is a long chapter and so now I am exhausted, I'm gonna go sleep!
I do not own Beyblade, or Mars bars (well actually I own several mars bars but thats not the point!)!
When Hiro rejoined his brother and friends a couple of days later the first thing he asked was "How's Max? Eating yet?" The others shook they're heads sadly. Hiro wondered how to get Hilary's cookies to Max without anyone seeing, he wasn't sure they would work but she was expecting him to do this one job. "I think I'll go get checked up in the med centre, I'm not feeling brilliant"
"I'll come with you"
"Thanks Jordan but um, I have a headache, company wouldn't be appreciated." They all stared at him surprised Hiro saw this but moved quickly down the hallway avoiding their questions.
Once inside the infirmary he made his way to Max's room there was no one in sight, the only person there was Max staring with dead eyes out of the window. Hiro opened the door to his room and walked in, Max turned and looked at him.
"Hey Max" Hiro tried to sound cheery
"Hn" Max replied, he was starting to sound like Kai on a bad day.
"How are you?"
"I'm Fine" Max sounded cold and angry
"Great then you'll be wanting to have your present"
"Present" Max spat out the word as though he didn't quite know what it meant. Hiro walked forward and placed the cookies still in their container onto the bed. Max stared for a few minutes and Hiro getting impatient removed the lid for him, the smell that was released was so chocolaty it made his mouth water.
"Hilary's cookies" a sort of smile (the first smile Hiro or anyone had seen on his face in months) twisted his mouth "how…?"
"She says if you don't eat them she'll come after you" Max chuckled lightly
"I believe that! But I can't believe that you were allowed to go see her?"
"I wasn't supposed to, so please tell no one."
"I won't! Is she OK? I've been thinking about her a lot, worried about her I guess!"
"She's great, they all are, your family your old team!" Hiro watched Max amazed, this was the most he had said in ages, usually he just grunted or said 'I'm Fine!' or 'Leave me alone'. Slowly Max picked up one of the biscuits and smelt it, the smell alone was enough to make someone want to devour the entire boxful. Max tentatively bit into the chocolate confection and to Hiros surprise slowly ate the entire six cookies. Max gave him a small smile,
"Couldn't have the evidence that you saw Hils lying around could we?"
"I'll say," Hiro looked him in the eye the smile didn't stay on his face very long but the hollow look had left his eyes. "Max you ate!" unable to contain himself Hiro practically cheered the words, he was thrilled!
"I know,"
"You OK?"
"Yeah I think," Max paused
"How come you would eat those?"
"I don't know… Hey do you know the story behind those cookies?"
"Um No?"
"Hilary and I had decided to make cookies, we had everything done except adding the chocolate, we thought we had hidden it well enough but Tyson had found it"
"My brother is like a cadaver dog, only for chocolate" Max smiled slightly
"Anyway we were annoyed until Hilary remembered that we had some mars bars in the cupboard, we cut them into cubes and added them to the mix. They were amazing everyone said so. Hilary grinned at me she put on this knowledgeable face and told me that all things happen for a reason and Tyson eating the chocolate had led to us discovering a new way of making cookies, we giggled over it for ages. Of course that doesn't mean we didn't spend a lot of time throwing flour and water at Ty, he looked ridiculous" Hiro was beginning to understand why Hilary had such faith in those biscuits, it wasn't the food, although the box was now empty! Max had good memories attached to the biscuits. Good memories were what he needed right now.
"Perhaps tomorrow you could have something else to eat"
"Tomorrow" Max looked up shocked "are you kidding me I need noodles right now!"
"..."
The others walked in to visit Max a little while later and were shocked to find Max and Hiro sitting at the table each eating a bowl of noodles covered in mustard.
"Ty," Max called out his mouth full of food "I was telling Hiro about the time Hilary made you think that the marmite and Worcestershire sauce she had put on the ice cream were chocolate"
"How did you not smell it bro?" Hiro grinned at the surprised expressions on everyones faces.
"I had a cold!" There was a defensive note to Tysons voice voice but his face and everyone else's were filled with joy to see Max eating and talking again. Laughing they all sat down together reminiscing about happier times, and watching Max with renewed hope for his recovery.
---
Hilary looked around the Dojo, with Mariah's return home from hospital just three weeks ago it was getting more crowded than ever. Grandpa said he didn't mind but Hilary knew that he would prefer not to have his sleep disturbed by night feeding. She sat down quietly outside enjoying the warm breeze on her arms, Gou had finally gone back to sleep but Mariah was still pacing with baby Lin.
"Hiya!"
"Hi Emily, did we wake you?"
"Yes but I don't mind" Emily sat down next to her and leant back against one of the posts. Emily smiled as she looked out into the night, she had received good news today and wanted to share it "Hil's?"
"Yeah Em?"
"Mr Dickinson has offered me a job at the BBA" Emily watched Hilarys face for a reaction, the laugh that Hilary gave was the last thing she expected
"Me too"
"What?" they turned behind them stood an angry Mariah with her baby on her hip "You got offered jobs? What were you going to do take them and leave?"
"Mariah, you're still hormonal, sit" Hilary grinned remembering how long it had taken her to get back some semblance of sanity after Gou's birth. "Look we got offered the jobs yes but I wanted to talk to you two alone before I decided anything" Mariah sat down cuddling Lin lightly
"So you're not both gonna go and leave me alone with the boys?"
"NO!" they both said determinedly.
Emily decided to speak first "Mr Dickinson offered me a job developing blades and helping to fix up damaged ones, it would mean working at the BBA head quarters three times a week but I would be able to do most of my work at home. Considering the fact that Kevin, Gary, Lee, Michael and Eddy are talking about teaming up together for the next championships I could do with something to keep me busy "
"My job would mean more work, I would be taking on some of my old jobs working with Mr Dickinson but I would also be working with the media doing press stuff and even helping to decide who plays the sport and who sponsors our events" Hilary couldn't keep the excitement out of her voice she had loved her job before and couldn't wait to return to it.
"So you both want to take them"
"For many reasons" Emily grinned "Look I love living here but there is no space, if Hils and I took the jobs we three could rent a place to live"
"But I wouldn't be working, I couldn't help" Mariah was looking low
"Mariah I will be at the BBA head quarters five days a week sometimes more, Emily would be busy most of the time, if you don't come who could I get to look after Gou?"
"Really, I'd be like a nanny?"
"Well I prefer to think of you as an unpaid live in maid but…" Hilary giggled as Mariah raised her hand and swiped at her head "Yes, look we need and want you to come too"
The three girls sat together for a few hours planning their trip to the estate agents and how much they could afford. When the others finally started waking up all three of them were playing rock paper scissors.
"What's going on?" Lee stared confused
"Rock"
"Rock"
"Scissors Damnnit" Mariah smiled weakly at her brother and turning back to the girls she asked pleadingly "best of nine?"
"No you lost again, deliver the good news" Mariah stuck her tongue out at Emily and turned to face everyone, time to tell them that soon they would be moving out!
---
Kai and Max were looking out over an unfamiliar view, they were standing on a mountain covered in olive trees, in the countryside around them they could see the occasional white dome signifying old air raid shelters. Kai sighed Albania had been a country that had seen enough warfare and trouble but now they were headed for more, Boris had a base located on the banks of lake Ohrid just across from Greece.
"It's a beautiful place!" Max looked around "who'd have guessed?"
"I just wish we were sightseeing" Kai looked down at the information they had been provided with, the centre was an old one it would take a couple of months before they would be done here "have you heard from anyone else yet?"
"Ty and Rick have arrived in the Pyrenees they are setting to work tomorrow, Ray and Kenny have finished in Quebec and will be relocated soon, By the way Ray said to tell you something"
"What?"
"He said that he thinks he's "got the one you asked for and has found the right one for him, you can see it when you get back" do you understand that?"
"Great" Kai smiled.
"Something you want to share?"
"I'll tell you when we get back" Kai looked down at his team-mate he had been pleased to be teamed up with Max. This way he could keep an eye on him. Max had been struggling these days and this was his first mission since Rome. Max was a shadow of his former self, physically he was fine but the sunny mood he had been known for seemed gone and this had worried the whole team. Kai was in command of a few dozen people but he knew that the person he would go back in for first would be Max his little "brother".
"Kai?"
"Yes Maxie" Kai tried to sound light hearted but it didn't sound right, lets face it cheerful was never his thing!
"I was thinking about Rome"
"Hey don't do that Max you got out your alright"
"But if I had died…" Max wasn't sure of himself "If I do die, you will tell my mom and Dad that I loved them right?"
"Course" Kai had a feeling more was coming
"Also I need you to talk to Emily for me"
"Emily?" Kai smiled "so that's who you…"
"Yes, she's so great Kai, I know she would never love me back but, I…" Max paused
"Can't help it" Kai offered
"I don't want you to tell her I loved her, just that I talked about her you know? So she knows I was thinking about her, that she was important to me."
"Max when we get back you can tell her yourself"
"Sir!" they were interrupted, behind them a man in his late twenties stood to attention, he was dressed in full uniform helmet included but Kai could tell from the sound of his voice who he was.
"Yes Hyde?"
"We are ready to go in." Kai nodded slowly he and Max stood. Max stared out into the distance taking in the view, if this was the last time he saw the outside world again he wanted to take it all in. Finally they both placed their helmets on so that they would be unrecognisable and Kai led them away from the lake.
--
It was an easy mission really, go in, get everyone out, retrieve office files, walk away. No big problem, No big deal, a nice easy mission to get Max back into the field.
At least it would have been if everything had gone to plan!
--
Kai groaned things had been fine at first they had gotten into the building and got everyone out, it was the retrieval of the office files that hadn't gone well!
The office he had entered had the toughest security system he had come up against. Even Kenny's disabling programme wasn't working. Kai was trapped inside a building that in ten minutes from now would be destroyed. Boris had obviosly gotten wise to the fact that someone was trying to destroy him and had put in the office some sort of self-destruct trigger. He the great Kai Hiwitari had accidentally set it off. Actually it was probably a good thing that he was about to die he would never have lived this down!
"Nine minutes and counting" a voice announced Kai smirked who knew that just like in the movies there would be a soothing female voice counting down the self detruct, he almost expected to see a bomb with bright red numbering any minute!
"Kai?" The voice came from behind the door
"Maxie" Kai ran to the door "Get out of here!"
"Not without you"
"Max I am ordering you out"
"No way Kai, I'm not leaving you"
"YOU HAVE TO DO AS I SAY! I GAVE YOU AN ORDER!" Kai was angry, it would be incredibly ironic if Max was saved from a bombed out building only to be killed in another one months later!
"Just like you were told to return leaving my body where it was?"
"That was different, this time we can't do anything"
"Speak for yourself!" Kai heard the whirr of an electric drill
"What are you doing?"
"I am trying to disable the system by resetting the security pass code"
"What?"
"Look this building, it's all on a certain system if I can reset the code we can get out"
"Where did you learn to do that?"
"Ow!.. Kai look do you mind I am playing with electricity here and your distracting me"
"Sorry" Kai slumped against the door, he had all the information he had to collect in his hands there was noting he could do. He suddenly jumped up and searched the room there behind that picture! A safe! Kai pulled a chair over to the wall and slowly began to turn the dial, he listened in satisfaction as his perfect hearing focused on the click of the lock again, again. Grinning he wrenched open the safe. Inside were files and a few memory sticks he swiftly filled his bag with them.
"Yes!" The doors opened and there stood Max a smile on his face
"Four minutes and counting" the voice echoed around them
"Alright!" Kai jumped down "we got to run."
Max and Kai ran side by side as they headed down the corridor, at the steps Kai pulled a rope from his waist and tied it to the top banister. "No time to run it" He tied off the rope and grabbed Max
"Hold tight!"
Together they jumped down the centre of the stairwell,
Max opened his mouth wide, "SHIIIIIIIIIITT" they slid quickly down the rope Kais gloves beginning to smoke with the friction.
"Just a bit further," Kai hissed the heat burning his hand. They landed, breathing sighs of relief the two of them began to run. Kai looked down at his watch as they made their way though the labyrinth of corridors shit thirty seconds
"There!" Max pointed and the two of them sprinted in a last ditch effort to get to the door, Max was slightly ahead of Kai and as they felt the explosion behind them they were thrown forward.
"Kai? KAI?" Max looked around worried where was he? Just then he saw a body lying a little closer to the destruction, "Kai, no!" Max ran to him he turned him over slowly "Kai?"
"Hey Max" Kai grinned slightly, his face was cut and blood dripped slowly down his cheek but he smiled at his friend
"I thought you were a goner"
"Takes more than that to get rid of me" Kai grimaced as pain filled his body
"Good cause if you had died Hilary would have killed me" Max flopped down beside him exhausted
"Thanks Max I owe you"
"Yeah well next time someone has to clean the toilets it's not going to be me, thank god for all Kenny's training programmes" he began to laugh.
Kai looked over at his friend and felt relieved to see him smiling, it was the smile he remembered of old, pure happiness covering his friends face it was not a thing he saw very often these days. Kai joined in with Maxs laughter as the two of them lay tired out starting to sound slightly maniacal.
"Sir" the radio interrupted their laughter "sir are you there? Over!"
"Lets get back to the others" Kai put his hand up to his cheek hissing in pain, he picked up the radio "we're on our way, Over!"
--
Kai and Max spent almost a month in Albania helping the local authorities to place the rescued children either with thier families or into suitable homes. Of course everyone had a different idea of what was suitable and Kai requested extra time in order fix up the local care homes so that they had a level of cleanliness and care that he was satified with.
---
When they returned to the main base they were welcomed by their friends, Kai watched as each of them greeted Max with a worried look that soon left their faces, Over the last few weeks Max had begun to be more like his old self and was on his way to a full recovery. Rick was especially pleased to see this, he had been worried about his old partner. Ray walked slyly towards Kai holding out a package, taking it Kai felt a strange feeling of worry and excitement fill him.
"Hey what's that?" Tyson was still a little to nosey for his own good but this time neither Kai nor Ray cared they each wanted to share their secret. Kai reached into the envelope and pulled out a small blue jewellery box, inside the ring was white gold, and at the centre was a small but well cut diamond.
"Wow" Kenny stared "Is that an …a …?"
"Engagement Ring" Kai stared down at it "thanks for picking it up Ray"
"Mine's nicer" Ray pulled a small white box from his pocket the engagement ring was a traditional gold but the diamond was pink!
"No need to wonder who that ones for" Tyson stared at his two friends over the last few months they had all gotten closer it surprised him that they would have done all this without the others having a clue. Kai was smiling oddly,
"I just hope she says yes!"
R&R please!