I don't own Mad Max

also please note that I do have dyslexia. I'm not ashamed of it because it is something I cannot control but I am self-conscious about it. so a lot of my words are misspelled and many, many of the sentences are a little back to front. I can't tell you the number of times I've gone to reread something that I have written but couldn't even understand what I was trying to say.

Please, please, please leaves comments. I really want to know what you guys think.

Long Roads chapter 3. Harvest Moon By Neil young

Two weeks later.

'I never told Jim about the conversation I'd had with Bubba Zanetti, or the almost run-in I'd had with the biker gang. I didn't need him to worry about me. or to have the rest of them worry about me either. I'd gone to the Halls Of Justice a few more times since bringing them all lunch. but when I wasn't doing that I was at him either reading one of my books. Or in front of the T.V like Jim had suggested that first morning. I'd made them lunch a couple of times since then, but it was just being selfish. By the third time, I was bringing them all food because I didn't want to sit by myself in the house any longer. Every time I'd heard a noise I'd jump. I enjoyed company when I'd go, Charlie, and Roop was nice. Roop I found was more talkative than Charlie. He was always smiley, chatty, and up for a laugh. Charlie on the other hand just looked at me, smiled, and throw in a comment or two every so often. but it didn't unnerve me. that and he spent most of his time standing behind Roop, looking at the ground like a shy child. I heard from Jim that he was harmless. Fifi was one of the most interesting people I had ever seen. He didn't come out of his office a whole lot. Other than when I'd bring lunch or to say a quick hello if I were around. one time when I was trying to find the bathroom, I walked in on him watering his flower, with a little pink watering can. Wearing nothing but leather pants, a scarf, and a hat. There is two other copper around as well. I can't remember their names. I only saw them once. And they were only passing through on their way out. So I didn't get to meet them. but when I'd go to the station I'd mainly just stay around Jim and Max anyway. Jim had taken me out to dinner with Max and Jessie a few more times. It was always nice. They were a cool couple to be around. not to mention it was just nice seeing what a normal couple looked like. Sometimes…. Without meaning too. Watching them together made me sad. It just reminded me of what I almost had, and may never have. I think Jessie though… at the moment I would go quiet. She tried to question me about it when Jim and Max left the room. But backed off when she realized I wasn't gonna talk. but I know she knows something up with me. I think she's figured out that there was another reason I come here to live with Jim. But I also think she's too nice to say anything…'.

Dawn was knocked from her thoughts when the phone rang.

Ring, ring, ring.

She jumped from her stop on the couch and dropped her book. The gray-eyed girl got up and strolled over to the phone. picking it up and answering it.

"Hello?".

"Downy, it's Jim".

"I guessed". She giggled.

"Be ready when I get home. we're meeting Max and Jessie at the bar".

"What time do you think you'll be home?". she asked because there were a couple of times her cousin had to stay back late to get some extra work finished.

"just after Six".

"okay".

"okay. bye love". He hung up the phone.

Dawn gazed up at the clock.

2:30.

'three and a half hours to go'.

She walked back over to the couch and plopped down, picking up her and containing reading. She was happily doing that for about forty minutes before the phone rang again.

Ring, ring, ring

With a sign, she got back up. thinking Jim and been held back or had forgotten to tell her something.

She picked the phone back up.

"Hey Jim, held back again?".

"Dawn, Sweety". A slightly high-pitched voice said on the other side of the phone.

"mum". Dawn said in surprise. She hadn't spoken to her parents since leaving to live with Jim. They hadn't been too happy to hear she was going to live somewhere else for a while. Her father especially wasn't happy about the outcome. Spouting off about how he was the man of the house, and how only he could really protect them all.

'personally if what he says is true, that only he could protect me. by not believing me when it was first happening proved he was doing a shit job'.

"Is everything alright?". Dawn asked. worried something had happened.

"no love, everything's fine. I just wanted to hear your voice". The older woman said softly.

"Oh… okay".

"Are you not happy to hear from me?".

"no, no I am. I just didn't expect you to call".

"I know dear". Gretchen signed. "we didn't take the news too well…. Did we?".

"is daddy there?".

"no dear… he's gone fishing for the weekend with a few mates".

"Oh..".

"I know. I'm sorry. But I'm sure he would have loved to speak to you. he felt so bad after you left. Cursing himself, saying how he shouldn't have been so pigheaded".

"and….. what about you?". Dawn asked hesitantly.

"I….. shouldn't have been too pig-headed either. You weren't feeling safe…. And I didn't listen…. we didn't listen".

Dawn stayed quiet.

"Beverly asked about Jim….. wanted to know how you both were getting on?".

' Aunt Beverly was Jim's mother. When Jim had left to find something better. Aunt Beverly and Uncle Walter said they weren't gonna speak to him again if he walked out the door…. and then he did. But I remember a lot of times when I'd be sitting at the table with both mum and Aunt Beverly. And she starts talking about how she missed her son. And wondered how he was doing now and what he was up to. Jim would send Christmas cards and Birthday cards to her every year. But that was as far as he went about contacting them. I only knew how to contact him because we would send letters back and forth occasionally. And in one of them, he told me what he did for a living and what his number and address were. when I read that he was a police officer, I figured then the safest place to be would be with him.

"yeah we're getting on here just fine. It's a nice town…. Quiet". She didn't think she needed to her mother about the bikers. She figured it was best not to freak her out.

"that's good dear…. I just wanted to see how you were settling in. and say I should have done it sooner".

"it's fine mum… you're doing it now".

There was a long, long pause before she spoke again.

"Mum?".

"Katie saw him yesterday".

Dawn's stomach dropped and she left like she was about to be sick. Katie was her much younger sister. Born a year after Jim left. So he'd never met her. she was a bright young girl, only eight years old. Very loud, very energetic…. Very, very naïve. She'd be very willing jumped in to a stranger's car, with the promise of lollies. they all worried about her and would never let her out of their sight when they were out with her.

'she just always wanted to see the people in people…. That was all.

"What happened?". She asked in a shaky voice.

There was another pause on the other end of the phone.

"Mum!". Dawn said a little louder.

"nothing honey… he just… he just..".

"he just what?". She cried.

"he asked her where you were".

"and what did she say?".

"that you were with cousin Jim. But he doesn't know where that is alright love. So there's nothing to worry about". Gretchen said in one big mouthful.

"How was he able to speak to her!?". she felt tears in her eyes as her voice become louder. "why weren't you with her!?".

"sweetheart I was with her. I had to go to the store and get a few things, so she came with me. just as we were leaving I remembered I needed more flowers. I left her in the aisle with the sweets, Thinking she'd be fine. He must have come out from one of the isles… I'm sorry Dawn".

"and what happened after that?".

"I grabbed her by the hand and pulled her from the store. Your father and uncle spend hours looking around town her him but couldn't find him. It wasn't until today she told me what he'd asked".

"but she's fine?". Dawn clarified.

"yes hon, he didn't touch her".

"don't leave her alone at the store again…. or anywhere. You need to be with her at all times".

"do you think he'd do anything to her?".

"he did to me!".

'Frankie Sanders….. Frankie was a boy with shoulder-length dark hair and the bluest eyes anybody had ever seen. He was one year above me and always smiled at me as I walked by. We never talked, not even a hello in the school hallways. Until the day we were seated next to each other in art class. And that's when it began. He asked me to be his girlfriend two weeks later. I'd only had one boyfriend before that. and that's when I was nine. He asked me to be his girlfriend at recess. And by lunch, he was engaged to Lacy Clark. I wasn't too broken-hearted though. I didn't even know what a boyfriend and girlfriend were really. it just sounded fun at the time. It was fun at first… Frankie and myself. We go to the beach and walk hand in hand for hours, collecting sea shells. listen to music and dance around. go to the drive-in, my head would be on his shoulder, and his arms would be around me. it was nice for a long time… until it wasn't'.

'One day we were in the back of his car, it was around midnight. I had snuck out without my parents knowing. It was fine at first, it was just kissing and touch. When I told him to stop I thought he would have, he did all the other times. It isn't that I wanted to wait until marriage. I honestly didn't see the point. But waiting until marriage had been drilled in to my brain since I could understand words. so every time we almost went too far I'd chicken out and put a stop to it. but this time when I told him to stop…. He glared at me. saying we had been together for more than a year and a half. And that it was time for me to be as good to him, as he'd been to me through our relationship. He began to get forceful but stopped when I slapped him. I didn't wait for his response. I pulled myself out of the widows and ran as fast as I could.

'I didn't see him for a few days. I guessed he didn't want to be with me anymore. And ya know what…. Fine by me. his reaction scared me enough, and I don't need to be on the receiving end of it again and I thought I wouldn't be. that was until one day I was walking home. everything was fine until I felt someone grab me and pull me in to the ally way'.

"Dawn?... are you listening to me?".

"ya mum. I'll talk to you later alright. tell daddy I love him".

"okay…". Gretchen hesitantly said. Dawn thought she wanted to say more to her daughter. But then changed her mind. "I love you, Dawn".

"I love you to mum…. Bye". She hung up the phone.

Later that night.

As Jim drove the truck Dawn sat in the passenger seat, gazing out of the window, and watched as the trees zoomed by.

'I know Jim had every right to know why I'm here. I came here because I know he'd know what to do. I came here because I knew I could trust him and feel safe with him. and yet I couldn't let the words leave my mouth. I was enjoying my time here with him. I liked our morning routine. I'd wake up a little after him, I'd walk in to the living room to find him working out. So I would begin breakfast, we eat then he'd go to work. I'd stay back and read or watch T.V. if it got too messy I'd clean, and if I got too bored I'd go for a walk. Staying with cousin Jim was peaceful. And on an odd day, I'd bring him and the rest of the guy's lunch. as much as I knew I was going to be telling him soon, a part of me couldn't help but hold it back. she was thrown from her thoughts when Jim drove over a speed bump.

'Speed bump?. There weren't any speed bumps on the way to the pub'. Dawn frowned in confusion. Only now realized that he was driving a completely different way.

"Are we not going to the pub?".

"Did I not tell ya?". He glanced at her. "there's been a change of plan".

"we're going somewhere else?".

"sure are".

"will Max and Jess still be there?".

"sure will".

"Will anybody else?". Normally nobody else joined them on their outings. But she couldn't figure out the way they'd be going to a different place all of a sudden. 'maybe more people are going to be meeting us?. and Jim and Max wanted to go to a nicer place?. If wherever we're going is a nicer place?'.

Dawn noticed her cousin smirked. "there might be".

"who?".

He just looked at her and chuckled.

Inside the club.

Dawn had never in her life seen a woman with legs as long as the women's on stage. It seemed like they went on forever and ever and ever.

She was gobsmacked.

Dawn watched as the women on stage danced around and sang. She looked over to her cousin who was completely and utterly focused on the women.

'The singer who held Jim's attention had short curly blond hair. Was probably as tall as him, maybe even taller. And had a narrow face and nose. I wouldn't say it out loud…. But I kind of think she looks like a sexy spider. She just reminds me of an insect. I don't mean that in a nasty way. but she does.

They had been there for a few hours now. Max and Jessie had arrived a few minutes after they did. But were over by the bar together, doing their own thing.

It was a nice place, Much nicer than the pub. Dawn was enjoying her time at the nightclub. She'd over herself a chicken parmigiana with a coke. Jim had told her he wasn't hungry and went back to watching the women.

'I guess I know the reason we're here". she smirked to herself. As her eyes went back and forth between the singer and her cousin.

Jim looked up when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "look alive", Max signaled To the door.

Dawn followed their gazes and went stiff.

The bikers had just walked in.

"what the hell are they doing here?". Jim hissed, with a fire in his eyes.

"who the hell knows".

The big guy she remembers as Toecutter noticed the two men. He smiled at them when they made eye contact. The leader barely seemed to notice her, or at least she hoped he hadn't noticed her. the attention he was giving them didn't last long, as he headed off in another direction. His gang followed him like loyal wolfs they were. She saw a flask of black and white out the corner of her eye. And that's when she saw the second in command. He was coming in last and looked just as bored as the first time she saw him.

"Nah, they normally stick to the more rowdy places. This place is too nice for them". Max answered.

"then why are they here tonight?". Jim asked himself out loud.

"Jess and I were gonna take off". max rubbed the back of his neck. "but I'm thinking maybe we should stay".

Dan watched as the bikies ventured in to the back of the club, where a pool table was. Bubba Zanetti glanced back at her for a split second before following along. She didn't think Max or Jim noticed.

After a moment Jim spoke again.

"Nah,…. Go home. I'll see ta tomorrow". He finally said. "I don't think they'll be a threat tonight". he took a swig of his jack and coke.

"Are you sure?".

Jim turned to the singer and smirked. "yeah…". He laughed. "I think we'll be just fine".

Max nodded. He looked over to his wife and gave her a nod. Jess hopped up, grabbed her jacket, and come over. "Bye Dawn". The two ladies hugged. "we talk see okay".

"bye Dawny". Max tussled her hair.

"very funny".

Max chuckled, talking Jessie's hand and leaving the club.

An hour later.

Dawn had been sitting at the bar for about half an hour. Jim had left her to sit closer to the stage, getting a better view of the lady with the long legs.

The couple who sat behind her had been making out most of the night. She was able to ignore them for the most part, but at some point, they had begun to get more handsy with each other. Forced Dawn to retreat to the bar.

She didn't mind sitting at the bar alone. Drinking her drink and listening to the music. The woman whose name she had yet to learn had finished on stage. And was now sitting upon Jim knell. Somebody else was up there now. a man with crazy bright red hair and a long bread was now playing a Bob Dylan cover.

'I wish I brought a book with me.

"hey Dawny". Jim appeared next to her, making her jump. "so Ummm…". He rubbed the back of his neck like he was a little nervous.

"you okay?".

"Yeah, yeah so I was thinking I'd take off with Robina for the night". he spoke awkwardly as he'd rather be having this talk with anybody but his younger cousin. "we haven't seen each other in a while…. And thought we'd catch up… ya know…. talk and stuff".

Dawn had to hold in his laugh, she bit the inside of her cheek and only stopped when she tasted blood. She thought it was funny The way he squirmed on the spot. That he was that uncomfortable mentioning sex to her. as if she didn't know what it was.

"oh yeah, I can drive back to the house".

"now, are you sure?. cos I don't want to disappoint you".

The gray-eyed girl chuckled. "no, I'll be fine go. go talk… to your friend. she slightly Grimaced at the implication.

He chuckled. "okay love". He dug his hand in to his pocket and pulled out his keys. He dropped them in to the palm of her hand. "last time…. are you sure you don't want me to stay with you".

Dawn looked over her shoulder to see the woman with the long legs waiting impatiently by the door. she looked back to her cousin and shook her head. "no point… I'm headed home now anyway".

Outside the club.

She watched as Jim and Robina drove away from the side of the road. Jim insisted on walking her out of the club knowing those bikers were still around somewhere.

She hoped in to Jim's truck and shut the door, rubbing her hands together. It was a colder night than usual. When she breathed she could see her own breath… inside the truck.

'it wasn't too long a drive. I must not be too far from home. I should find my way pretty easily. She thought to herself.

Dawn frowned wondering which way would be best to go. Hoping she'd be able to find her way home without asking for help.

'maybe I should have gotten Jim to write it down for me'. she put the keys in the ignition and waited for the truck to start.

"what the hell". She said out loud when it didn't.

She tried it again and again but was met with nothing.

"crap!". She banged on the steering wheel. "I can't believe this is happening. And why did it have to happen here". she looked around, feeling a little panicked. 'maybe I can find a phone box and call a taxi, or see if Max could come back and pick me up'. she bit her lip. 'I'll look under the bonnet first'. even though she knew nothing about the car, Dawn prayed that she'd be able to figure it out.

She jumped out of the truck and moved around to the bonnet. Lifting the hood she took a peek inside.

"nope". Dawn shook her head. "I don't know what I'm doing". She slammed it back down. "shit!, Fuck!". She shouted.

"didn't know you did that".

Dawn jumped and spun around. taking a few steps back. Bubba Zanetti stood a few steps away.

He was leaning on another car, and like before smoking a fag.

"cursed, that is. Didn't think you seemed to like that kind of girl".

"How would you know". she spat. Dawn didn't care who he was or what he was capable of at that moment. She was already irritated. "you don't know me". she crossed her arms.

He didn't say anything as he continued to smoke.

"where are the rest of your lap dogs?". She hissed. "inside robbing the place?".

"still inside….. did you want to meet them?". he glared at her.

She suddenly felt like snapping at him was a bad idea 'maybe I should rethink my bad mood'. "no…. I don't".

"yeah…. didn't think you would". he scoffed.

"why you out here?". dawn grumbled.

He held up his smoke and waved it at her. "why else, you want one?"

"no".

"where'd your cousin go?".

"off with his girlfriend". It crossed her mind that she shouldn't have told him that she was alone. But she suspected he already knew where he was.

He snorted.

"what's so funny?".

"it's just that your overprotective bronze cousin left you out here all alone. Didn't expect him to do that".

"well….. he knows I can take care of myself".

this time the big bad biker chuckled.

Which was something Bubba didn't do often.

"What now?". she demanded.

"you can't take care of yourself out here". he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"What makes you think that?".

"you are one little girl, outside of a club full of bikers and probably a few drug addicts. And you're out here yelling about a truck, drawing all kinds of attention to yourself. that's the first clue you're out of your elements here".

Dawn decided to ignore the trust behind his statement. "drug addicts?". She looked back at the club. "but this place…. It's so nice".

"Only by a bit, it's still a shithole. Just one of the nicer ones". The biker shrugged.

"how do I know you're telling the truth?". She crossed her arms again. she didn't think he'd lie about it but still didn't trust him.

This time he actually laughed. Which neither of them expected. Showing emotion wasn't something he did on a regular base.

"I don't have to lie about who's a drug addict and who isn't. All you'd have to do is look at them. but I guess inside the club is pretty dark. Making it hard to see all the marks".

She looked at the nightclub and back at him. really looked at him.

"no…. I'm not one of them". he smirked to himself. "can't control yourself on that shit. It's pathetic".

"Mmm". She nodded not knowing what to say.

"doesn't mean I'm helpless". She throws out there.

"do you have a weapon?... anything to defend yourself with?". he frowned.

"well….. no..".

"then you're dead".

"dead?".

"you wouldn't last three minutes out here alone. Your cousin would find you on the side of the road bloodied and beaten if you gave someone out here the chance".

"I'm sure I'd be fin..…". she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw what he had just taken out of his leather jacket.

He didn't point it at her, just lifted it up so she could see it clearly. "this is the only thing the people out here understand. I'd suggest getting one from your loving cousin. I'm sure he'd have a collection". He sounded sarcastic but Dawn couldn't be sure.

"is that thing loaded?".

"of cause it is". Bubba scoffed. "you really haven't been out here long have you?".

"so you just carry that thing around with you… all the time?".

"it's safer that way".

"so what you're out there to protect me?". Dawn should have been scared. but she wasn't. she knew he wouldn't kill her. Jim knew Bubba knew who she was to him. she didn't think he'd risk getting himself killed just to piss off a cop. That and she just didn't think he would kill her. she hadn't done anything to him. Bubba seemed different from the rest of them. he seemed cool and collected. Like he always had to be in control. While the other bikers acted like wild animals.

"just came out here for a smoke" Bubba took another drag. "but you don't seem too sickened with the company. You haven't driven away yet".

"not from lack of trying". Dawn glanced at the truck.

"want to get out of here?".

She looked at him confused. 'why would he want to help me?'. "with you? your joking right".

"I'm assuming you're staying with your cousin".

She shrugged her shoulders. Not saying it out loud. Already knowing he knew the answer to his question.

"if you don't show up back home you're all so loving cousin is gonna come sniffing around us. and we don't need no bronze around us". he finished his smoke. "and if you don't get home…". he paused to make eye contact with her. "it was probably would one of us".

"that doesn't give me the boost of confidence you think it does. and what would I do about the truck?".

"come back for it tomorrow". He glanced back at the nightclub. "I'd make your decision fast. They'll be wondering where I am, and come looking".

"why do you want to help me?".

"because if I don't one of the other guys will decide to. and believe me you won't make it home".

She shivered at the thought.

"it's up to you, but I would prefer if your cousin didn't bring the heat down on us".

"fine". She said reluctantly. "but how do I know you won't kill me?. for all I know this is just a ploy just to get back at Jim".

Bubba hoped on his bike, and motioned for her to get on. "because I don't want to waste bullets".

She glared at him. "very funny". Scoffing she hopped on to the bike. Feeling awkward as to where she'd have to put her arms. The last thing Dawn wanted to do was to put them around his waist. 'Jim would flip his lid if he saw me on the back of Bubba's bike'.

Dawn could hear the smirk in his voice.

"if you do try to kill me…. I'll scream".

"I wouldn't blame you if you did". He looked around at her. "it would be the sane reaction".

Bubba took off without any warning. Forced Dawn to grab on to him wherever she could, questioning her saintly as he sped down the street.

'Jim's gonna kill me.

Unbeknownst to them, johnny had been watching from the shadows. Toecutter had sent him to retrieve the second in command. He left the club thinking Bubba would be alone. But hid when he realized who he was talking to.

Johnny The Boy laughed to himself watching the two of them drive away.

"Toecutter's gonna love this". 'this will put the blond-headed tosser in his place, show him for picking on me all this time.

note

hey guys, please tell me what you think of the story so far.

and place tell me if you think Bubba has been in character or not. I really want to know, it's very important to me that I get him right :).