Chapter 11

As Monroe walked beside Joan through the burned village he watched her eyes scanning the damage around them, her face a mask of indifference. He knew she was hiding the pain she felt. She would never admit it but he knew it was there. Even during the Republic days he had seen the pain in her eyes when Militia soldiers would come in wounded or dead. He remembered not seeing it as much in the months leading up to her disappearance. He was jolted out of his thoughts as Joan stopped suddenly at the line of bodies, now surrounded by family and friends. He saw the mask start to crack just before she took a ragged breath and turned away from them, almost running into him. She stopped short in front of him, their eyes locking. She swallowed hard and reached a hand up to wipe at the blood still running from the cut above his eye. His breath caught at her touch. She seemed to realize what she was doing and dropped her hand back to her side, taking a nervous step back.

"Come on. Let get you cleaned up." She mumbled to him before walking towards the big house. It was strange how the fires or the fight hadn't touched it, thought Monroe, as he followed Joan through the door. The scene they walked into was enough to stop both in their tracks. On one of the couches in the living room sat the man he had just fought shirtless, eyes closed. Nahla was beside him, fussing over him with a rag and bandages. He felt a bit of pride as he noted the many bruises and cuts on the man's body. Monroe glanced at Joan just as she shook her head and closed the door hard, announcing their presence. The man didn't even flinch and Monroe couldn't blame him; the way Nahla was tending to his cuts and bruises, Monroe wouldn't have moved either. Nahla had now moved to straddle the man as she dabbed at a cut on his face. His hand moved to rest on her hip as a smile slid across his lips. Joan made a noise beside him.

"Get a room you two, jeez!" Joan said. The man's smile turned into a grin.

"We couldn't make it that far." He said still not opening his eyes.

"Ya well I…" She glanced at Monroe, "WE don't want to look at that!" The man opened his eyes and looked over at them. Every muscle in his body tensed and he tried to get up.

"Max." Nahla warned as she tried to push him back down, but he only picked her up and gently tossed her to the side. "Max!" Monroe felt the adrenaline coming back as Max advanced on him. When he was almost to him, Joan stepped in front of him.

"Max stop!" She commanded.

"Get out of the way Joan!"

"No." She said sternly.

"What the hell is he doing in my house!" He yelled back as Nahla grabbed his arm, trying to pull him back.

"Last time I checked it was my house too." Joan said with a slight smile; her eyes dancing, daring him to challenge her. Max stopped glaring at Monroe and looked Joan in the eyes. "He is my guest." A muscle in Max's jaw twitched.

"Max please don't." Said Nahla quietly. Max looked down at her, his hands clenching and unclenching.

"You're still protecting him." He said with a sigh as he looked back at Joan.

"He is staying so get used to it."

"Can I talk to you in the kitchen Joan?"

"Sure." She stiffened as he pulled out his handgun. He seemed to be thinking about just shooting Monroe and ending it but decided against it and handed it to Nahla.

"If he moves, shoot him." With that he followed Joan through the kitchen door. As soon as the door closed he grabbed Joan and threw her against the wall.

"Why is he here?!" He said angrily. Joan struggled against him. "Stop and answer the question!" She stopped and glared at him.

"Let go!" She snarled at him.

"Not till you answer me!"

"Let go now!" She said her eyes locked with his. After a minute like that, he loosened his grip on her. As soon as she felt him start to let her go she hooked her leg behind his and tripped him. He crashed to the ground her on top of him, pinning him. Her hand latched around his throat as she leaned down next to his ear and whispered, "don't you ever do that again!" She held him pinned to the ground for a few more seconds, letting her words sink in before pushing her self off of him. She turned and walked a few steps away as he picked him self up off the ground. Turning back to him, she met his glare with one of her own. He suddenly dropped his eyes and his shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." He said sounding tired.

"No you shouldn't have." She answered, frowning. "Why did you?"

"I don't know. I just saw red for a minute there." He said as he slumped into a chair.

"Because I was protecting him?" She asked. He nodded.

"That and just him being here period. Death and destruction follow him. Look what happened to the village."

"He didn't do this!" Joan said defensively.

"I didn't say he did. Its just…. Its like he is a jinx or something." He said with a slight laugh. "I mean look what happened to his city, his army! Then he comes here and bam!, look what happens!"

"That doesn't make him a jinx Max." She said shaking her head at him.

"I know but it is a hell of a coincidence don't you think?" Joan looked away.

"That's all it was, just a coincidence." They are silent again.

"He can't stay here." Max finally says getting up.

"He is staying Max and that's that!" She snapped at him.

"Why!? How can you even be in the same room as him after everything he did!?" He look a step towards her, "I won't lose you to him again."

"You're not going to," she replied.

"Your so sure about that aren't you? And what about Nahla? You being with him puts her life at risk."

"He saved Nahla's life yesterday." She answered quietly. Max froze.

"What?"

"I couldn't get to her." She took a breath and looked him in the eye. "If it weren't for him, Nahla wouldn't be here." Max blinked in surprise trying to take in the information.

"What happened?" He asked. Joan told him what she remembered about the battle and about turning around to find Nahla hurt but alive; saved by Monroe. When she finished he only nodded and walked back to the living room.

Monroe watched Nahla lounge on the couch, the gun on the table beside her. She had put it there with a sigh as soon as Max had disappeared. They had both looked at each other when they heard the sounds of a struggle. She glanced over at him.

"What?!" He asked. She had been glancing at him like that for the past couple of minutes. She turned to face him, pulling her legs up so she sat cross legged.

"Why'd you do it?" She asked.

"Do what?" There were many things she could be asking about, none he was sure he wanted to answer.

"Why'd you save me?" He looked at her in surprise; that had not been one of the things he thought she meant. "I mean if Joan hadn't stopped me I would have killed you already. So why?"

"Pay back for not killing me." He said with a chuckle. She looked at him to continue. "And…" The door to the kitchen swung open and Max walked through; Joan trailed behind. He looked tired as he dropped down next to Nahla. He laid his head back and Nahla begin to tend to him again. He felt Joan push him in the direction of the other couch. He gladly accepted the invitation and sat down heavily on the soft cushion. He noticed Max was just watching him now instead of looking like he wanted to kill him. What had Joan said to him? He jumped as a cool cloth touched the cut above his eye. He turned to Joan beside him.

"Would you rather do it yourself?" She asked sarcastically. He gave her a small smile and shook his head. She rolled her eyes and pushed his head away from her before going back to cleaning the cut. With her soft touches, Monroe's eyes began to droop. He was just nodding off when he heard Nahla cry out. His eyes flashed open and he noted the confused look on Max's face and his hand on Nahla's back.

"Did I hurt you?" He asked worriedly.

"No no I'm fine." She said quickly with a tight smile.

"Nahla?" Max sat up and moved his hand under her shirt, till he found the long cut that the sword had made during the battle. Monroe heard Max's breath hiss through his teeth when he raised her shirt up and saw the wound. Pain and anger flashed across Max's features. Nahla nervously licked at her lips before turning Max's head towards her.

"I'm fine," she mumbled against his mouth as she kissed him. As they got more passionate Monroe and Joan looked away. Joan cleared her throat and as if on cue Max lifted Nahla in his arms, carrying her upstairs.

Joan turned back to Monroe to catch him staring at her. He smiled and looked away.

"What?" She asked with a smile.

"Nothing." He said with a chuckle.

"Come on. What is it?"

"That was almost us last night." He said running his hand through his hair. She snorted and got up, rolling her eyes.

"Oh come on. You know its true! You wanted it!" He said grinning as she whirled around and tossed a wet rag at him.

"You really think I would have let things go any farther?" She asked.

"I know you would have." Said Monroe getting up. Joan laughed.

"Your so full of yourself." She tried to push him back down on the couch but he caught her wrists and pulled her with him into his lap.

"Why don't we find out for sure?" He said with a smirk. She glared up at him, but she couldn't hide the smile that crept across her lips as she leaned forward to whisper.

"Lets not." She pushed herself off of him just as the door opened and Lily walked in. Her eyes went from Joan to Monroe and back. "What is it?"

"Some of the men are getting a little rowdy and talking about going after Sinclair's clan tonight." Joan shook her head and ran a hand over her face.

"Ok I'll be right behind you." She waited till the girl had left. "You can sleep in my room upstairs. It's the last door on the left." He arched an eyebrow at her and the smirk returned. She noticed and smiled down at him.

"Sorry lover boy but I will be out all night."

"Why?"

"Lily and I are going to do some scouting tonight."

"All night?"

"Depends on how far we go but yeah probably." She laughed, "Your not afraid to spend the night here without me are you?"

"Well considering you're the only one keeping me alive and I have no weapon, I am a little worried."

"Don't worry you're safe here. No one will go against my orders."

"If you say so." He said glancing around.

"Go get some sleep Monroe." She said with a smile, "and I might let you help plan the attack tomorrow." She added as she was closing the door.

So they were going to fight back, thought Monroe. Was this really his fight? He wondered as he trudged up the stairs.