Disclaimer: Still. Don't. Own.

Maxoline: And the Trouble in Paradise

Caroline picks up the bill the last customer left and holds it in her hand. She fights the instinct to sigh. "Well, that was our last customer." She walks up to the bar where Max is cleaning the counter from her lime accident and smacks it down. "That man just left this on the table."

Max looks down at it. "That's one hundred dollars."

"It sure is!" Caroline beams. "If this kind of money keeps coming in, we might actually have extra. You just keep being amazing behind the bar and we are going to make it."

"Yeah, that's what you said about our first business and we both know how that ended."

Caroline's face draws back at her negative reaction. Max ignores this and continues cleaning glasses then putting them back on the shelf. Caroline told Max that the dessert bar would be a success before it even opened and now with the holidays coming, there would be even more customers coming in for seasonal desserts.

"What's up with you today?" she asks.

"I'm just worried you're going to be disappointed when business slows down, Caroline. Sure, we're doing okay now, but what about in a couple of months?"

"I want to focus on where we are right now. That one-hundred-dollar tip was a sign."

"You think everything is a sign."

"Max, stop being a Negative Nancy!"

"Uh, more like a reality-check," Max refutes.

This time Caroline does sigh. She knew Max had a fear of success, but lately she's been bringing the vibe down low. The only attitude in business was a positive one. That's what she had always been told and Max knew her Wharton upbringing was basically all she had to hold onto from the past – besides a couple goose feather pillows and her night guard. She would roll her eyes before she playfully hit Max thinking nothing of it when she would tease her for bringing it up. However, the Wharton put-downs seemed to be getting meaner and meaner as the weeks went on.

She loved Max. She loved her so much that she was willing to take the bad days with the good. That's what relationships were all about. When Max needed space, she respected that. When Max wanted to sleep alone, she respected that too, and on the off chance Max decided to blow off work and get drunk – she respected that. Caroline was hell-bent on making their relationship work. Clearly Max didn't seem like she was willing to do the same.

Caroline gives up trying to convince her and goes behind to start helping. Once everything is done, they close up for the night and head home to their apartment. Max throws in the towel without even saying goodnight to Caroline which was odd, but she thought nothing of it (like always) and pulled her bed down for some much needed shut-eye. Come morning, Caroline waits on Max to get ready for work so they can both walk there together. When a couple moments go by, the blonde steps into her room to find a note.

It said:

"Wanted to get to work a little early and didn't want to wake you."

Max

The note coupled with Max's strange behavior was enough for Caroline to start overthinking every little thing. Even when she got to the diner, Max acted like she didn't even see her. True, the diner's clientele began to increase, but Caroline still felt a little angry. She walked in the kitchen to see Max filling coleslaw cups. Caroline motioned to Oleg to "get out". He sighed then reluctantly left.

"Did you come in here to help?" Max asked.

"Mind telling me what the hell is going on with you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Max. I can tell when something's wrong, we've been together for three years," Caroline folded her arms while she waited for Max to put down the cup and face her.

"I think we should wait to talk about this at another time. We're busy."

"No, I think we need to fucking talk about this right now." Caroline snatched the ceramic cup out of her hand and threw it up against the walk-in door. Coleslaw flew everywhere like it was a bomb going off. Max stood where she had been, speechless. "At first I thought your shitty attitude was just a phase, so I decided to ignore it because I didn't want to fight. Then you disappear on me for hours last week and I shrug that off as well. Now you're acting like I don't exist and treating me like crap? What gives, Max? This isn't you." Max finally turned to look at her. "Max, what's wrong?"

"I don't know how to be any more obvious, so I'll just come out and say it," Max took a deep breath. "I don't love you anymore."

"Where is this coming from?" The look in Caroline's eyes resembled a kicked puppy. The fragileness, the hurt, the depression – it was all there. "How could you say that?"

"I'm bored, Caroline. Frankly, our relationship's just not what it used to be. I want more than this."

"So that's it? You're just giving up? How long have you felt like this?"

"Going on a year now."

"Wow. Here I was thinking we were fine, but now I realize I don't even know you anymore."

Max rolls her eyes. "Save me the drama, okay? I'm not the same person, get over it."

Max saw a flame go off in her eyes. Her expression flipped from hurt to anger yet again. Perhaps she went a bit too far. A sharp slap hit Max's cheek. When the shock wore off, it stung badly.

"You're a bitch, Max."

Max had been called many names by many people. She never let them get to her, but this one time. She honestly didn't know what hurt worse.

…

Storming into the apartment early was a first for Caroline. She felt so enraged she didn't know if she should burn all of Max's things or cry. Maybe even a little of both. Before she could decide on what to do, her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Is this Caroline Channing?" an older man asked on the other side.

Caroline paused for a beat. Nobody ever called her.

"Yes, this is she."

"I am calling on behalf of your father, Martin Channing. He is being released today and all of your assets have been unfrozen. Please come down to the prison immediately."

"Is this a joke?"

"I don't make jokes, Ms. Channing. More information will be given to you when you get here."

"Okay! I'll be there as soon as possible."

Caroline's happiness overtook her anger. She began to jump up and down before running to Max's room to tell her the good news. She halted, remembering. "Oh, that's right," Caroline sighed to herself. Feeling depressed again, she threw her coat on and headed out the door.

Once she arrived at the prison, her father and an older man – she assumed was the one that had called her – were already packed up waiting. Martin dropped his things for Caroline to run into his arms. She squealed in delight as he picked her up off the ground like he used to do when she was little.

"I can't believe this!"

"Believe it," the older man said with a smile. "The judge rolled Martin as a changed man."

"I knew you'd get off for good behavior!"

"Well, I didn't get off completely. I still have to do at least an hour of community service every week for a year, but I won't have to rot in here and I get to be with my little girl."

"Daddy, this is the best day ever. I can't wait to be back in my room, snuggling with my silk sheets and wearing my Chanel robe while I watch the flat screen."

Martin chuckles.

"And I can't wait to never see an all-white jumpsuit."

As happy as Caroline was in the moment, she knew something was missing. Strangely, a part of her was missing and it held her back from truly being happy.

"The only thing is…"

"What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Caroline sighed. She decided to not bring the vibe down with her personal heartbreak. She'd just have to force herself to move on. After all, she had all her money back and her Manhattan townhouse. She could buy a new Max if she really wanted to.

Caroline helped her father with his bags after they said goodbye to the old man she learned was named Joseph. They stepped out of the prison together feeling all of the emotions from before. Caroline dreamed of this day forever. Now that it finally came, it turned out to be better than she could have imagined. A newly finished town car pulled up in front of them. They got in and Caroline immediately reached for the champagne in the drink holders.

"Before we go back to the apartment, I was thinking a celebratory lunch. Anywhere you want to go." Caroline didn't answer him right away. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Of course, but could we maybe order in instead? I'm kind of swamped from work."

"Oh, yes. The diner." Her father's disgusted tone, for some reason, offended her. It did keep her from living on the streets. Well, technically, Ma… Caroline stopped her thought short. There's no way she was going to ruin the first night back with her father thinking about her. Still, she couldn't help but wonder if she would have been nicer to her if she knew about her assets being unfrozen. "I know this will take some time getting used to again. Take all the time you need."

"Please, daddy. I was born rich. I haven't even thought about my old life." While her heart screamed "lies", her mind told her to move on. It couldn't be healthy to live in the past. That didn't stop her from hurting, though.

…

Max currently laid on her bedroom floor feeling too weak to move to the bed. The first thing she noticed was the silence. The second thing she noticed was the emptiness. She spent her time wondering how much Caroline loved life without out her and when she wasn't doing that, she cried. She cried at the diner, she cried at the dessert bar, and she cried on the floor.

"Fuck," she sighed. "I need her way more than she needs me."

Her cheek still hurt. Caroline had slapped her with a good reason. Max knew she had to be the biggest bitch that ever lived, but – believe it or not – Caroline meant everything to her and you know what they say about people you love.

One of the most well-known perks of being rich was getting what you wanted. Martin Channing laid down the law real quick when Max went to visit him. He called her out to the prison to tell her that they were releasing him and that granted him all his wealth back. Unfortunately, for Max that meant being kicked to the curb. It all started when she had a dream about this very situation. Caroline getting her money back and having to choose between being rich again and herself. Max tried so hard to entertain the idea that anyone would pick her over millions. It left her feeling so alone and depressed. So, Martin struck up a deal with her. If she was able to get Caroline to willingly leave her, he would give Max thirty thousand dollars. Max practically begged him to let her stay with Caroline, but he wouldn't hear her out. The "rich community" would see Max as pathetic and laughable, in Martin's words, if she was ever seen with Caroline. As harsh as it sounded at the time, Max knew the truth. They shook on it making it official moments later. She figured either way she lost, so she might as well get something out of it.

Laying on the floor now, Max wished she could take back that hand shake. Yes, she had thirty thousand more dollars than before, but she'd rather be broke with Caroline than rich without her.

…

Months went by without Caroline even thinking about Max. Her old, rich friends came back into her life almost as quickly as they left and she thought nothing of it. They'd grind on each other at night clubs while licking shots off each other's bodies (you know, like rich people do), they would spend frivolous amounts on jewelry at Tiffany's, and they would eat out at five star restaurants every night then come home and have sleepovers in their nighties. No doubt she was wearing her old mask well, but soon she felt her hand sting again. When that happened, she'd pick up a curvy brunette from a party or a restaurant and go back to her place to do whatever it was she tried to prove.

The two stumbled into Caroline's room giggling like a bunch of high school girls. Caroline made the first move by taking her top off to get a face full of her big boobs. Soon, they moved to the bed. Caroline went down on her yanking the red panties off with her teeth. She was so consumed by getting her ex out of her head that the other girl gained more momentum and flipped her over. She smiled down at Caroline before she began to lick all over her chest. Caroline moaned in relief as she got lower and lower and lower…

"Oh Max."

The girl stopped for a second. "My name is Jessica."

"I know," Caroline nodded.

Jessica resumed her motion this time being the one that ripped her underwear off. She inserted two fingers and that was enough to drive Caroline mad.

"Max…"

"Who the hell is Max?"

"She's nobody."

Jessica had only known Caroline for about two hours and already knew a lie when she heard one. She wasn't "nobody". Now not even getting drunk out of her mind was enough to forget her and she didn't know why that pissed her off so bad. Forgetting Max was the only way she could move on. Somehow, she needed some kind of closure.

Jessica gave her a warm smile. "You know what I think? Whoever Max is, she doesn't deserve you."

She quickly threw her clothes back on and walked out with that. Caroline threw her head back in anger. She got in the shower hoping to rub Jessica's scent off her body, but having no luck. Being in there just made her remember that one summer day when she accidently walked in on Max wet and naked. The first time she ever seen her naked and all she could think about was how beautiful she looked then. Hell, she was still just as beautiful now. Still having no luck, she grabbed every bottle on the shelf and wailed them against the shower wall. She couldn't be the only one fucked up about this.

Julio, her driver, ended up getting an extra tip that night for riding her around all over Manhattan. Seeing the same sites over and over again started to become tiring, so she asked him to take her to Brooklyn. He gave her a knowing glance in the mirror and she flipped him the bird on impulse which, turns out, wasn't the most offensive thing that ever happened to him.

They sat outside Caroline's old apartment building. It wasn't even about getting up the courage to go in there. Not knowing what she would walk into scared her. What if she saw Max fucking another girl? Or maybe she went back to guys…or what if it was both?

"Julio, this was a bad idea. I can't go in there."

"And why not?"

"I don't want to see Max doing better without me."

"How do you know she's better off?"

"Because – I don't know. She told me she wanted more. I blamed her for giving up, but what did I do? I gave up on her. I gave up on us. I was just so hurt I couldn't think about anyone but myself. Then I slapped her which I wish I never did. I'd rather stay not knowing. Just take me to a strip club so I can pay someone to be Max."

"If that's what you want."

Strip clubs weren't really Caroline's scene, but the chances of her running into someone she knew was slim enough for her to enter. The whole place smelt of booze and desperation. She definitely wasn't drunk enough to be there. After about twenty tequila shots she started to loosen up a bit. She searched all night for someone who had a structure like Max, but it was no use. She came close once with a girl that had blonde hair. She needed to get a grip before she drove herself to insanity.

The club blurred around her when she finally caught sight of a doppelganger swinging on a pole. She had big full lips, an amazing rack and – if she didn't know any better – she would think it was Max. The closer she got to the woman the more she realized it was her. Then the terrifying thoughts snuck back into her head. Drunk out of her mind, Caroline thought the best thing to do was head home. She wasn't thinking straight. She wasn't moved on enough to act upon something she'd regret doing later. Max jumped down from the pole right in front of Caroline. It startled her for a split second.

"Caroline?" she asked, surprised.

"Max?" Caroline couldn't believe her eyes. "Max," she spoke again with a giant grin on her face. "I've missed you so much. Please take me back. I'm a mess without you. I can be different."

She sighed. "Come on. Let's get you home…"

"No. No!" Caroline shouted. "I'm not leaving here until you take me back!"

"You're drunk. We need to be going."

"I am not frunk…I'm not drunk. I'm fine." The blonde stumbles into her arms. She reeked of tequila and sweat. "I love you so much."

"Caroline! Caroline!"

Caroline's eyes snapped open to see her friend Julia standing over her. She offered her a hand up and she took it temporarily forgetting how to use her legs.

"What happened?"

"I found you passed out in the limo."

"So I never went to the strip club?"

Julia put her hands around Caroline's arms to help her steady. "You were at a strip club?"

"Yes? No…I don't know!"

She plopped down on her bed and began to ugly cry right in front of Julia. She didn't care what she thought of her in that moment. Julia sat beside her and began to rub her back. "Is this about Max?"

"How did you know?" Caroline mused through her sobs.

"Because you kept moaning her name in your sleep for the past two weeks," Julia laughed. "Max…oh Max." Caroline's cheeks began to burn as bright as Rudolph's nose. "Max, harder."

"Okay! I get it!"

She began to laugh so hard her stomach hurt. Caroline playfully pushed her and she ended up falling off the bed. Julia stopped carrying on long enough to drop to her knees. "Fuck me, Max. I need you."

"I'll kill you!" Caroline bellowed in rage. There wasn't enough time for Julia to move out of the way before Caroline lunged at her. Julia's reflexes were faster, however, and she was able to stop Caroline from punching her.

"Look at you! Don't you see what this bitch has done to you? What happened to classy, refined Caroline Channing?"

"Ugh! You just don't get it, do you?"

"Obviously," she rolled her eyes. "You are beautiful, rich, and young – you can have anyone you want! Why waste your life for some whore?"

"Max is not a whore!"

"Listen to me, Caroline. I didn't want to tell you this, but you leave me no choice." Caroline began to pout like a five-year-old. She folded her arms and huffed. "Max knew about you getting your money back."

"What are you talking about?"

"She met up with your dad weeks before he got out, Caroline. He gave her money and she took it."

"No. No she wouldn't do that."

"You need to face reality, Caroline. She was only with you because of your wealth."

"No. We dated for three years."

"And many stay longer hoping to get their hands on the money. Trust me, every guy I have ever been with only loved me for what I have in the bank."

"I can't believe this."

Julia gave Caroline a big hug as she cried even harder in her arms.

.

Martin came home from his community service early to find Julia curled up on the couch looking terrified as the sound of glass shattering was heard in the kitchen.

"What is going on?"

"I might have told Caroline that Max was only with her for her money."

"And she bought that?" he questioned. She shook her head. "How much did you tell her?"

"I just told her she took money and left."

"Okay good, because Caroline cannot find out about the deal."

"What deal?" her ears suddenly perked up. She honestly had no idea there'd been any kind of fixed arrangement.

He sighed. "A couple weeks before I was released I had Max come out to the prison. I told her that they didn't belong together, but she kept insisting that she really loved Caroline and that she'd give up everything for her and blah, blah, blah. So, I offered her thirty thousand dollars to break Caroline's heart. I figured that's enough money to make a poor girl happy." Julia was stunned at what she heard. Why would he do that to his own daughter? "None of this is said to her. Got it?"

"Got it."

More screaming and shatters echoed throughout the house.

"I probably should go calm her down."

Caroline was Julia's best friend. Sure, sometimes they got on each other's nerves, but this wasn't something Julia could keep from her. You had to be blind not to see the love Caroline had for Max. She didn't need to know Max to know she felt the same way.

After Martin got her to calm down, Julia decided to take her out for lunch. Caroline protested for hours before she was able to convince her to leave the house.

"I am so fucking mad at you."

"Why are you mad at me?"

"You couldn't just let me stay sad about Max. I didn't want to know that."

"Yeah, about that…" Julia trailed off giving an awkward glance.

Caroline throws her hands up to cover her ears. "Don't want to hear it. Don't want to hear it."

"Caroline, I was wrong about her, okay?"

"Wait, what?"

Julia sighed. "Look, I'm going to tell you something and you have to promise not to get mad at your dad."

"Okay?"

"Max took money to leave you…."

"I already know that."

"But she didn't have a choice, Caroline. Martin wasn't going to let her stay with you because he didn't think you'd want her anymore now that you have money again."

"That's crazy. I loved her. I wanted to stay with her!" Caroline started to get angry again. The more she raised her voice, the more stares she got. "Who does he think he is?"

"Um, not to play devil's advocate, but his intentions were good."

"Of course you would pick his side! You've always hated her."

"Wha…I-I never said I hated her."

Caroline stormed out of the restaurant leaving Julia there speechless. She quickly looked around before Julio pulled up with her ride. They rode off in a puff of smoke when Julie ran out of the doors watching her go. "You're seriously going to leave me here!"

…

"Where to, Ms. Channing?"

"Wherever Max is."

Julio chuckled. "You're going to have to be more specific."

"I guess we could try her apartment."

Julio drove as fast as he could without the threat of an arrest. Still, he may have drove through a couple stop signs and one or two red lights to get Caroline to her stop in record time. She threw her whole wallet at him before unclicking her seatbelt and barging into her old stomping grounds like she was in a dramatic role. Her heart was racing while her mind was rattling out of control. Her underarms were sweating bullets down to the floor. At least Julio would be able to follow the trail to her body if Max killed her.

Caroline paused at the door. This was it. Moment of truth time. She knocked on the door and waited a couple of minutes before an older woman opened the door. Caroline was obviously just as stunned to see the old lady as she was to see Caroline.

"Can I help you, sweetie?"

"Um, yes. The woman who used to live here – Max Black – do you know where I could find her?"

"Was she a brunette with big lips?" the woman shook. "I saw her the day I moved in. She gave me the keys and told me it was all mine. Such a sweet young lady. Quite the looker too."

"Sounds like Max. You have no idea where she went?"

"None."

Caroline thanked the old woman anyway and barged back out of the apartment and into the limo. The next stop was the Williamsburg Diner. It's the only other place she could think of her being at. If she wasn't there, she'd cut her losses knowing she gave it a shot at least.

Earl was the first person she came in contact to when she entered the establishment. Same old headphone-wearing Earl. She walked down the steps to see customers whispering and nodding over to her. She attempted to ignore the chatter and sought assistance from the cool cashier.

"Hey, Earl. Remember me?" she smiled.

It took him a moment to slowly pull his headphones down to his ears. He gave her a look then picked up a menu. "Table for one?"

"Oh, I won't be eating here," came Caroline's response sounding a little more snobbish then she intended. Earl shrugged, put the menu back on the stack and put his headphones back on his ears. She dejectedly took the hint. Han came out of his office a second later to address Earl. "No, I haven't seen Max."

Han sighed and was just about to go into the kitchen when Caroline stopped him. "Han!" He turns around to take in "rich Caroline."

"Ms. Channing?"

"Where is Max? Why isn't she here?"

"She hasn't been in here the past couple days. I've been stepping up. Try the dessert bar. She's usually "not" in there."

Caroline bolted to the back and got slammed with old memories she wasn't prepared for. The bar looked just how she remembered it, except a little more worn down. Her eyes gave up looking as soon as she walked in already seeing no sign of her. She wondered to the shelves and started to lightly touch the organized liquor when a familiar voice said:

"Don't touch them."

She jumped. Her body twisted to face a tired Max who appeared to just be coming out of the bathroom.

"Sorry. I just noticed how well you've been keeping the place nice."

"That surprising?"

Caroline chuckled. "How have you been?"

Max shrugged and met her the rest of the way. "I've been okay. How have you been?"

"I've missed you like crazy."

"Missed me? Why? I thought you hated me."

A tear escaped Caroline's eye. "I could never hate you, Max. I know," she said softly. Max's ears perked. "I know about the deal."

"I should've never accepted it."

"I'm not mad."

"You're not?"

"Hell no," Caroline chuckles. Max slowly moves toward her and softly puts her lips to the blondes. Caroline entangles her hands in Max's hair and Max lets out a moan of pure pleasure. "I've missed this. I've missed you. I couldn't not think about you for a second."

"Me too," Max smiles.

"I have to ask though, what happened to the apartment?" Max shrugs then goes silent for a moment. She turns her head to have Caroline gently turn it back. "Why did you leave?"

"The memories, I guess. I had to get out."

Single tears start to fall from Caroline's blue eyes again. She quickly wipes them with her sleeve. Her hands fall down Max's back and grasp hers. "Come live with me."

"Are you crazy?"

"No. Come live with me."

"How would I-

"Just say yes, Max."

Max pulls her lips up to her signature smile that Caroline was missing like crazy. Her eyes sparkled and her nose crinkled slightly. "Yes. I'll live with you."

Caroline passionately kissed Max harder and harder with each motion. "I have nothing without you. I hope you know that."