The fall out for Max after the season two final is a lot worse than anyone could have imagined, not everyone's home is one of safety and sometimes the toughest people are the ones struggling the most. Can anyone help Max before its too late? A Max Centric AU Storyline. Pretty much cannon up till the end of season two when El closes the gate but before the snowball scenes then very much in its own world.

Trigger Warning for heavy abuse from chapter one onwards.

Disclaimer; I wish I did, but I do not own any characters or stroylines in Stranger Things, only the storylines I have created myself for a fanfiction purpose.

Authors Note: So, this one is dark. Lets be honest most of my writing is. But please note the trigger warning, this story deals with physical child abuse, from chapter one onwards. Will be between 15/17 chapters.

I have no beta, all mistakes are my own and I do apologise if I haven't seen any.

Please also note, I am moving this one accross from AO3 currently, for some reason I forgot to post it here when I first wrote this and now I am posting it here and updating on both, please do let me know what you think, I adore hearing from you all with any comments, suggestions etc.

Preview -

Strangely it was Jonathan that noticed first months ago, by watching from a distance when picking up Will, or dropping him off. Noticing the small concealed flinches, or tense shoulders whenever someone was too close, too loud, had a hand held too high.

Will was next, likely due to Jonathan probing him, questioning about who the red headed girl that was now hanging around with them was.

She was truly thankful to them both now.

If they hadn't had noticed back before she knew about the upside down, then Will likely wouldn't have made such an effort with her and got Mike on side enough to let her join the little gang or 'party' as they called it that spent afternoons and weekends in his basement.

She wouldn't have had this small group of friends forming.

She likely wouldn't have had the danger that came with this group of friends but she also wouldn't have had the safety either.

Not from demodogs, or whatever it was Dustin called them, but from home.

Wills hell was the upside down and going back there, whereas Max's was home.

That word, home, usually fills people with a sense of calm and relief. Usually, not always, and for Max it certainly didn't. Till her - but we aren't there yet.

There will be safety and family, love even, but not yet.