I just want all of you AMAZING readers (who have given me the most AMAZING feedback! THANK YOU!) to know that I do not own anything, that the ages are a little jacked up because of the timeline I have started things at, and that I love you all for clicking the link that lead you to this crazy story. Thank all of you that reviewed and/or favorite-ed and/or followed my story.

Important-ish: Ok... sorry I made some of you upset... Here's the chapter... Sorry.

Chapter 45: Just Tell Me It's A Dream

Nicolette felt like her world came crashing around her as she stared at Max with the ring box, it was picture perfect... and Terrance's words came back to her.

They seem so sweet... when BAM! their ugliest colors come out of nowhere.

Nicolette struggled for words.

"Why?" Nicolette found herself able to say, wishing for the answer that she knew wasn't going to come.

"Because I love you and so we can be together and not worry about your controlling father, so we can love each other and not be afraid of what he might be able to do with the power he has." Max whispered.

"Is it his control issues... or yours?" Nicolette asked, Max was stunned into silence. Where is she getting this shit? Max wondered.

Then, without any explanation, Nicolette turned on her heels and ran. Max jumped up and ran after her... but for once in her life, Nicolette was able to be faster than him.

He blamed it on the shock.

Nicolette, however, was able to make it to her bedroom, slam-and lock- the door, check that the window was locked, before throwing her suitcase onto her bed and start packing all of her clothes, shoes and other items.

A knock echoed off of her door while she was in mid tears... the girls were right. Damn they were right. Nicolette thought, her mind in blurred lines.

If they were her friends they wouldn't lie to her. Max was bad news.

The knock echoed again, this time with a voice.

"Nikks talk to me please!" Max shouted through the door. Nicolette knew that this would end badly, and with the girls already gossiping outside the door. Against her better thought. Nicolette opened the door and allowed him in, not locking it in case of the need of a quick exit.

"Go away!" Nicolette shouted, behind the door she could hear her girls talking to him.

"Maybe you should go."

"Yeah, if you've upset her this much. You need to leave."

"Get lost, she deserves better."

Nicolette collapsed on the floor as she placed her last bag by her bedroom door, tears pouring down her face.

Why her? Why?

When day break came Nicolette hugged all of her friends goodbye, let Taylor put her bags in the SUV, and watched from the backseat window as Max drove back into the drive... and chase after the SUV, before the house and Haven disappeared.

"What's wrong?" Christian asked.

"Nothing... don't worry about Max and I anymore though." Nicolette whispered, Christian watched with a pang in his heart as his daughter let out a tear.

"When we get home you can look at apartments... you know... for your 'independence'." Christian offered, knowing that Ana would be pleased with his reasoning.

"Really?" Nicolette asked, now it was obvious to her... Max really was the one with the control issues. Her father was trying to protect her, now that the danger was out of the picture he was allowing more.

It was a wonder she didn't notice before.

Christian nodded, pleased with the hope and happiness gleaming in his daughter's tear stained eyes.

"Yes, really."

He really hoped that he could get over his control issues enough to allow his daughter to live on her own... Ok maybe not her own, security... and Gail... yes he'd have Gail there... and Taylor since Gail would be there too.

That'd be better.

A lot better.

...-... With Max...-...-

Max tossed a lamp across the guy's house. His frustration bubbling over again, how could she leave him a third time. They were better. A lot better. They love each other. What was wrong now? Why couldn't they just be happy?

Why?

Lee Anne, Tara, Jonathan and Mitchell sat in the kitchen of the boy's house watching Max throw things around, and waited to settle down before talking. Thirty minutes, two more lamps and an odd sculpture later Max leaned his elbows on the kitchen island an placed his hands over his eyes.

"What did I do wrong? Why do I keep driving her away?" Max asked.

"It wasn't you. You told us what she said. Somebody had to have convinced her of what she said." Jonathan reasoned.

"It's like Seattle is poisoning her mind. That girl that left, wasn't Nicolette. Someone, or someones, are confusing her. Blurring her reality." Tara agreed.

"Who would do such a thing? Why did they have to fucking take her? She was fine here! She was perfectly happy here! But they take her and they get her kidnapped, hurt and nearly killed there! The fuck!" Lee Anne cried.

"Lee, pull yourself together. We have to figure this out!" Tara said watching as Max buried his head in his hands again. A knock on the door had the strangely silent Mitchell walking to the door. Where a sheepish looking Sarah Beth stood.

"What can we do for you? Because Max isn't looking for another quick replacement of Nicolette." Lee Anne glared, Sarah Beth blanched, but looked straight at Max.

"I think I know who convinced Nicolette that you were bad for her."

"Come on in." Tara spoke up, Max now staring intently at the girl who would have answers.

Twenty minutes later Sarah Beth was done telling her story and the group of five looked like they were ready to kill someone.

"Those bitches!" Lee Anne hissed.

"How can you call yourself a church girl?" Mitchell snorted.

"Shut up, Mitch... They told her those things out of jealousy?" Tara gasped.

"That's what I got out of the conversation. Look I don't want to start problems, but I believe that Nicolette isn't in a good place. Christian may be her father but he and everyone else in Seattle are making her forget who Nicolette really is. We need to bring her back to her roots." Sarah Beth gave the group a smile.

"How? Christian has so much control over her it's like he's becoming her puppet master." Tara huffed.

"I don't know, maybe she'll realize it on her own. She's always been a smart girl." Mitchell shrugged.

"She won't, I've lost her for good this time." Max sighed. The teens and Max all said good night and went their separate ways for the night. Unaware of the future.