"I told you this wasn't a good idea," Laura said, grimacing as she rubbed her sore butt as John helped pull her to her feet after yet another fall on the ice. "I'm going to have bruises everywhere at this rate," she grumbled.
"You're gettin' better, Laura -- just keep trying," John said encouragingly as he steadied her on her ice-skates again. Then he looked over at his other student. "You too, Bud."
"Stuff it, Biebe!" Bud snapped as he clung to the boards at the edge of the ice rink. His ankles wobbled as he tried -- unsuccessfully -- to keep his feet stationary beneath him. "I'm with her; this was a bad idea."
"Bud, I keep telling you -- relax. Don't lock your knees. You're too stiff." John glided across the ice effortlessly and stopped beside him.
"Forget it; I've had it," Bud growled, slowly pulling himself along the railing that ran along the top of the boards, balancing precariously on the sharp blades of his skates as he made his way towards the exit off the ice.
"Aw, come on, Bud," Laura said as she moved clumsily on her skates, waving her arms to keep her balance. But she was managing to stay upright. "If I can do it, anyone can!" She stumbled forward, heading straight for John, unable to stop herself. "Whoa...! Where are the brakes on these things?" She flailed her arms, trying to change direction. But John merely turned, catching her around the waist, and the two spun 360 degrees together before stopping. "Thanks, John," she sighed.
"Anytime," he smiled as she steadied herself, clinging to his blue plaid flannel shirt, then pushed off him, heading towards Bud.
"Come on, Bud," she repeated. "Give it another try. It's fun!"
Bud muttered a few profanities under his breath, then sighed and looked at her. "Okay -- but this is it." He took a deep breath, then turned himself to the side, hanging onto the rail with one hand, taking small steps with his skates, gingerly moving forward. He kept swearing under his breath as he moved, but he stayed on his feet.
"Hey -- you're skating," Laura said as she slowly passed him by.
"Yea... Maybe I am," Bud muttered as he slowly drew his hand back, away from the railing, and skated a few feet under his own power. "Maybe this will actually work..." he said, managing a small smile.
"All right, Bud!" came a voice from the other side of the rink. John and Laura looked up to see Trisha waving and clapping. "Way to go!" Behind her were Michelle, Colin, Jeff Mitchell, Syrena, Stef, and Cort.
Bud, startled by the noise, turned sharply. It threw off his precarious balance, and he started flailing his arms, trying to stay upright. "Aw, shit!" he exclaimed as he lost the fight with gravity and fell back, landing hard on his ass.
The group laughed hysterically at the sight, the men clapping as they hurried around the edge of the rink towards the trio.
John and Laura came over to Bud. "You okay?" John asked.
Bud sat up with a groan, his hand rubbing the back of his tan trousers. "Get away from me! You set this up; didn't you, Biebe? What the hell are *they* doing here!?"
"Don't blame John," Michelle said, laughing as she stopped at the edge of the rink near them. "It was me -- I was looking for John earlier and saw what was going on. I *had* to get the others!" She laughed more.
"I'll get you for this, Michelle," Bud threatened.
Laura looked puzzled. "Did I miss something? What's the big deal about Bud skating...?"
John smiled. "The big deal is that no one's *ever* gotten Bud on the ice before." He shook his head. "I don't know how you managed it, Laura -- you must have the magic touch."
"Or maybe the bloke's gone soft in his old age," Colin joked. Bud just glared at him.
Trisha leaned over the rail near Bud. "Oh, Bud, I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to startle you like that!" she said with genuine concern.
"That's okay, doll," he said, managing a soft grin for her.
"Let me help you out," Trisha said. "John, can I borrow a pair of skates?" she called.
John pointed to a shelf full of skates nearby. "Take whatever fits -- that goes for everybody."
Laura stumbled over to Bud, passing him and crashing into the boards. "Ow...!" She reached down and rubbed her bruised shins. "Hey, sorry, Bud... I had no idea about all that." She extended her hand to help him up.
"I know; don't worry about it," Bud said as he climbed to his feet, then clung to Laura for support until he got his balance back again. Laura smiled to herself, enjoying the feel of Bud's strong arms around her, if only for a few moments.
The new arrivals all traded their shoes for skates, and joined the trio out on the ice. Michelle and Colin skated off together, Trisha helped Bud along, and Cort joined up with Stef. Sy chased after John a bit as Laura headed in Jeff's general direction. He was hanging onto the railing too, just like Bud, and Laura floundered over to him, grabbing the railing with a sigh of relief.
"Can't skate either, huh?" Laura said.
"Not ice skating -- never learned," Jeff said with a warm smile. "I've never been around for John's skating lessons before. But I can roller-blade, so it can't be all that different." He smiled. "Just gotta get the hang of it..."
"Maybe we can help each other out," she smiled back. "... Does John give lessons a lot?"
Jeff nodded. "Fairly often, from what I've heard. Just about everybody but me and Bud can skate, at least a little. Although I doubt that goes for Sid and Hando." Laura paled at the mention of Sid's name, and Jeff winced. "Oh, hell, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up. I, uh... I heard about what happened last night... I'm, uh, sorry Sid was such a jerk."
"Hey, it's okay; it's not your fault," she said. "I suppose *everybody* knows what happened by now, don't they?" Jeff nodded. "Well, I'm doing my best not to let the asshole get to me. Besides, it's half my own fault anyway," she grumbled. "But I don't want to talk about him." Jeff nodded again, and they both ventured out onto the ice tentatively. "Where's Rick?"
"Working, I'm afraid. I'm just waiting for him to finish his shift."
"Well, I'm glad to see you again, Jeff. I don't think I mentioned this before, but I really loved 'The Sum of Us'. Great movie -- you and your dad had a great relationship."
"Thanks." Jeff beamed at the compliment. "Dad's a great guy."
"Yes, he is. I thought it was wonderful how he accepted your lifestyle. 'Unconditional love' may sound a bit cliché, but that's what it was... You're lucky, Jeff. Not many people have that from the people they care about." She stumbled for a moment, but Jeff caught her arm, and they both steadied themselves.
"That's very true," Jeff said as Laura moved away again, but keeping within arm's reach. "I know so many people who were thrown out of the house or disowned when they came out of the closet." He smiled wistfully. "I'm damn lucky to have him. I just wish he... he hadn't gotten sick," he said quietly.
She patted Jeff on the back, then took his arm, pulling herself close. "He's a very lucky man to have a son like you -- if you don't mind me saying so," she added with a grin, not wanting to upset him.
"Thanks again." Jeff smiled warmly. "I really appreciate that."
"Well, it's true. I wouldn't say it if it wasn't. Listen, should join us some night, you and Rick."
"Us?"
"Max and me. We'd -- " She stopped abruptly, catching herself. She turned away, tears stinging her eyes. "Hell... I can't say that anymore, can I?"
Jeff didn't seem to know what to say. "Look, uhm... I'm sure thing's will work out. Maximus seems like a pretty reasonable guy...." He put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly.
"I hope so," she said quietly, trying to compose herself before she lost it in front of him.
"Hey, are you okay, Laura?" came Michelle's concerned voice from behind her. Laura turned around as Michelle and Colin skated up to them.
"As good as I can be under the circumstances." She directed a wan smile at Jeff. "I was just crying on Jeff's shoulder a bit..."
"Anything we can do, luv?" Colin asked.
"Yea," she said, forcing a smile on her face, banishing any lingering tears. "You can help teach a couple of 'rookies' like us to skate." She nodded at Jeff. "He can't skate either." She smiled, then took Colin's arm. "Can you help me out and let me lean on you for a while, cousin?"
"Sure thing, luv." Colin smiled back. The four formed a line, with Colin and Michelle on the ends, and Laura and Jeff in the middle, and the group set out across the ice, quickly loosening up again and starting to laugh and joke as Laura and Jeff tried to keep up with Colin and Michelle.
Meanwhile, Stef had joined Trisha in helping Bud along. They were about ten feet from the boards, with Cort hovering nearby as John skated towards them, backwards, circling around behind them in a broad arc. Sy trailed after him.
"See, Bud, it's not so bad after all, is it?" John said.
Bud threw him another dirty look. "Easy for you to say, Gretsky; quit showing off. Just because you were born on skates doesn't mean the rest of us are gonna be good at it..." He lost his concentration, and his ankles started to wobble. For a moment, it looked like he was going to go down again, taking the ladies with him. "Damn!" He struggled to stay upright, drawing them both against him tightly as they fought to hold his weight. Cort hurried up from behind and grabbed Bud's shoulders for a moment until he had regained his balance, then moved off. "Thanks, pal," Bud called over his shoulder, then turned to the ladies. "You too, girls."
They were both smiling a bit too happily, he realized. "You sure you didn't do that on purpose, Bud?" Stef asked.
His brow furrowed, and he was about to ask what she meant when he realized where his hands were.... And began to blush furiously. In his attempts to steady himself, he had grabbed hold of them both around the upper torso... with his hands firmly attached to a very feminine part of their anatomy. "Aw, hell..." He let go, dropping his hands to his sides. "I - uh... I'm sorry... I didn't mean..." His blush deepened. "I did *not* do that intentionally, I swear!"
"Sure you didn't, Bud," John grinned as he skated by, plenty of white teeth showing as he chuckled softly.
"Yea, right, Bud -- we believe you," Sy commented, voice heavy with sarcasm too as she caught up with John, catching his arm and spinning him around. They laughed together and sprinted off down the ice.
"Classy, Bud, classy," Jeff joked as he and Michelle and Colin and Laura neared, all of them laughing. "I haven't seen a move that smooth since high school."
Bud scowled. "Oh, for Christ's sake, it was an *accident*...!" He protested, but stopped when the two gals on his arms got his attention again.
"Don't listen to them," Trisha said.
"Yea -- who said we *minded* that at all, Officer White?" Stef said with a soft laugh.
"Oh, *really*, Stef?" Michelle giggled as she, Colin, Jeff and Laura sailed past on their way to the other end of the rink.
"I guess I'll give you three your privacy," Cort said, winking at them as he skated over and took Michelle's arm, joining the four.
"Oh, really?" Bud repeated, smiling at Stef and Trisha, and the trio moved slowly across the ice.
"Take a look at that," Laura said, pointing to Sy as she chased after John as the two skated quickly around the perimeter of the ice, gaining speed. "Think Tina ought to be jealous?" They watched as the gap widened between the two -- John Biebe might have been 'slow in the foot' compared to his teammates but not to the amateurs here.
John's lead over Sy quickly lengthened to nearly half a lap. "Oh, the hell with it," Sy muttered and cut across the middle of the rink.
"Hey, that's cheating," John said, laughing as he slipped away from her just as she was about to catch up with him.
"So whad'ya gonna do, Sheriff? Put me in the penalty box?" Sy smiled.
"No... But Tina just might if you keep this up, Sy," John replied, a twinkle in his eye as he skated towards the far end of the ice.
Sy scowled a bit. "... I'm just teasing, John."
"I know," John grinned, winking at her. He turned and skated to the boards, stopping alongside to open a small door. "Anybody mind if I practice for a while?" he called over his shoulder. No one objected, and John swung the door open all the way, stepping behind the boards to pull out a small, netted goal, a hockey stick and a dozen hockey pucks. He set up the goal, then picked up his stick, skating away with one puck as he headed towards the red line.
"You guys ought to stay on that half of the rink," he said to the group, who had all stopped skating to stand and watch the Alaskan. They all nodded, and continued to watch with keen interest as John moved with an almost fluid grace across the ice, guiding the puck in front of him with the hockey stick, picking up speed as he skated near the goal. He swerved at the last moment and swung around the net from behind, circling along the boards towards the red line before doubling back, advancing quickly towards the goal and sending the puck careening into the net with a powerful slap shot.
John had turned in a wide arc, heading away from the net and back towards center ice when there was burst of applause from his 'audience', the cheers coming primarily from the ladies. John scowled, stopping in front of them. "You mind telling me *what* you're cheering for? I'm playing myself -- I just took an easy shot into an untended goal. I'm practicing to keep my reflexes sharp."
"Come on, John," Stef said. "Give us a break. We just like watching you in action." The other women laughed, nodding their agreement.
John shook his head, sighing as his face turned a definite shade of pink. "Just go back to skating, will you please? I'd appreciate it if you didn't stare at me the whole time."
"All right, ladies, show's over," Colin joked as he herded them all back from center ice. "Give the man some room; you can watch the rest of us 'in action'," he grinned.
"I think it's getting a little deep in here," Trisha quipped as she hooked her arm tighter around Bud's, and they moved off together. The others joined them, laughing and talking amongst themselves. John kept practicing power plays on his half of the ice; the girls would stop to watch him occasionally, but eventually they almost forgot about him. After a while, John lined up a dozen pucks near the net, and started to hit them as hard as he could into the goal. Most of them found their target, but one of the last pucks went slightly awry. It hit the metal upright dead-on, ricocheting straight back at him. John tried to deflect it, yelling, "Heads up!" but it went sailing past him.
Out of the corner of his eye, Bud saw the errant puck heading straight for Trisha, who stood beside him, her back to John. He pulled her out of the way just as she started to turn, but their feet became tangled up together. Bud twisted away, trying to avoid landing on top of Trisha, taking the brunt of the fall as the two went down hard. The puck went skittering across the ice, and bounced harmlessly away from everyone.
The whole group converged on the two, and John hurried over. "Everybody okay...?" he asked worriedly, stopping at Bud's side. "Sorry about that. I was picturing Sid sitting in the goal, so I guess I got a little carried away." He grinned momentarily, then sighed, "I guess I shouldn't have been doing that with you all here."
Bud glared up at him as he and Trisha sat up. "No shit, John..." He turned to Trisha. "You okay?"
She nodded. "Thanks," she said as she leaned forward to kiss his cheek. "Are you okay?"
Bud reached behind him, rubbing his hip. "Yea... What's one more bruise when I've got so many already?" he grumbled. "And that's the *last* one I'm going to get, because I'm leaving. Now. I'm going back to the tavern where I intend to buy all the ladies a drink to thank them for their assistance." He smiled at Trisha, Stef, Sy and Laura.... But when his gaze fell on Michelle, so did his smile. "All of you *except* Michelle, that is."
Her smile faded to a confused pout. "Me!? Why not?"
"Because *you* started this. Like I told Tina once -- I don't like 'stool pigeons', 'Chelle," he grumbled.
"Come on, Bud... They all wanted to come -- I didn't force them," she protested.
"But you *told* them," he scowled as he started to get up. "You --" His voice cut off abruptly as he winced, hands clutching at his left knee as he sat back on the ice again. "Damn."
"What is it?" Trisha asked worriedly, moving close and laying her hand on his shoulder.
"I think I did something to my knee," he muttered, using his hands to slowly flex the joint.
"Keep still," John said, moving beside him. "Let me take a look at it."
Bud glared, holding out his hand, palm towards the sheriff. "I think you've done enough damage already."
Laura spoke up. "No, Bud, let him see -- John probably knows more about these types of injuries than any of us."
"She's right, Bud," Jeff said. "Let John take care of it."
"Whatever you're gonna do," John said. "I'd suggest moving to the bench *off* the ice. And let us take you there so you don't put any weight on it."
Bud sighed. "Whatever. Just get me up off this damn ice before I freeze my ba--" He paused, face flushing as he glanced at the ladies. "Uh... freeze my butt off," he added, mumbling.
They all laughed as Cort and Colin helped Bud to his feet, and guided him off the ice. Trisha and Sy sat beside him on a bench as he took off his skates before rolling up the left leg of his tan pants above the knee. Sy whistled appreciatively, and the other women joined in. "Nice legs, Bud!" Michelle laughed as Bud ducked his head to his chin for a moment, his handsome face flushing a charming shade of pink.
John knelt in front of him, gently moving Bud's knee. "How's it feel?"
Bud winced slightly. "Like I twisted it or something."
"I can't say for sure, but I don't think it's too bad. Try putting some weight on it." They all helped Bud to his feet, and he slowly shifted his weight onto his left leg.
"I think it might be okay," Bud said, taking a few tentative steps. "I can walk on it. Just hurts a bit when I bend it," he said, wincing again.
"It's probably just a light sprain," John said. "I've got some knee braces in the locker room -- sit down, and I'll go get one. It'll help you walk until it heals."
Once fitted with the knee brace, Bud was able to move around with minimal discomfort, and they all headed back to the tavern together after changing back into their regular shoes. They strolled along slowly, keeping pace with Bud, who favored his left leg slightly as he walked, supported on each arm by Trisha and Sy.
John chuckled softly as he walked along with Laura, Michelle, Colin and Cort. Stef and Jeff were slightly ahead. "Bud's certainly milking this for all it's worth..." he said softly, so Bud wouldn't hear him. "Not that I blame him for letting Trisha and Sy hang on him, though."
"Careful, John. Better not let Tina hear you say that," Laura teased, winking at him. John just laughed.
Colin pulled Michelle closer, his arm snaked around her waist as he leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Don't worry, luv. *I'll* buy you a drink -- as a little 'thank you' for *your* assistance out there on the ice." He glanced over his shoulder at Bud. "Some people have no manners..." He stared pointedly at Bud, but the cop didn't seem to notice, all his attention occupied by the ladies on his arms.
Michelle glanced over at Bud too, shaking her head. "Bud's just being Bud; he doesn't like to be embarrassed, Colin. I'm not upset." She started to smile. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat -- getting to see him fall on his ass was worth having him pissed at me for a while." She chuckled. "He'll get over it." Colin just grinned and pulled her closer.
Jeff, who had been laughing and chatting quietly with Stef, suddenly slowed his pace, muttering "Uh-oh..." The others, following the direction of Jeff's gaze, looked off to the left and saw a figure approaching.
It was Maximus.
They were all headed down converging paths on their way back to the tavern, and it was obvious they were all about to merge onto the same path at the same point. John noticed Laura's face pale slightly, and she grabbed his arm for a moment. He could feel her hand tremble before she released him again, moving away from him and Cort.
Maximus, dressed in a simple brown Roman tunic and leggings, glanced over in their direction, but did not seem to be looking at any one person in particular. His face wore a neutral expression, betraying no hint of emotion.
They all stopped when they met. Cort spoke first. "Been out riding, Max?" Maximus nodded. "How's Argento doin' today?"
The Spaniard's eyes brightened slightly at the mention of his beloved horse. "Much better; almost like his old self -- the infection's gone, thanks to Ilaria and Wendy, and the leg's nearly healed. He still needs a few more days rest, though, so I took Scato out instead."
"Glad to hear it," Cort said. "We haven't been ridin' together in a while, Max -- let me know the next time you go out."
"I will." Maximus' eye swept quickly over the group, and he nodded curtly to them. "If you'll excuse me..."
Laura observed the exchange between the two, feeling as though as though it was all some horrible nightmare. Maximus wouldn't even look at her, his back to her as he spoke with Cort. She wondered what they were talking about; Argento, Maximus' beautiful black stallion, was the calvary officer's pride and joy, along with Scato, the equally beautiful chestnut stallion. "Maximus," she found herself saying, her voice sounding far away, even to her. "What happened to Argento?"
The group seemed to hold its collective breath, everyone looking back and forth between the two as the Spaniard paused, his back stiffening slightly. He glanced briefly to the side, but never actually looked at her. Looking at Cort, he said, "I believe you know all the details." With that, he turned and continued on his way. No one said a word, or even moved until Maximus had climbed up the steps of the tavern and disappeared through the door.
Feeling as though someone had just kicked her in the gut, Laura felt the sting of tears as they welled in her eyes again, and she turned her face away from the rest of the group. She took several deep breaths, willing herself to stay calm, in spite of the heart-wrenching pain of him turning his back on her like that.
As the men hung back, talking quietly amongst themselves, the women gathered around her.
Michelle spoke, "Laura, I'm sure it'll work out. Max just needs some time; in the end, he'll realize how much you mean to him."
"No, I don't think so. You weren't there last night; you didn't hear what he said." She sniffled, and Sy handed her a Kleenex. "He's not going to forgive me for this, and why should he? I was a fool to let myself be taken in by Sid -- I knew Max hated him but I did 'it' anyway." She blew her nose.
"So you had a little quickie with the guy?" Sy said. "So what? It's not the end of the world. The only way Sid is going to ruin your life is if you *let* him."
"...What?"
"Don't let Sid win -- this is *exactly* what he wants, you know," Sy continued. "He's probably watching this whole thing right now and laughing his ass off." They all glanced up at the tavern windows, but there was no sign of Sid. "Give Max some time -- his pride's been wounded. He may be a helluva guy... but he's still a *guy*. He needs some time to sort it out and brood a while and maybe even fight it out with Sid..." She sighed. "I know it sounds cliché, but it's a 'guy thing'."
Laura shook her head dejectedly. "You didn't see the way Max looked at me last night... It's over. He doesn't want to see me anymore..." She sniffled again. "You know I love this place, and I've made a lot of great friends here, like you all," she smiled briefly at the gals, "But I don't want to stay here without Max. If he won't talk to me, then there's no point in me staying. Especially now that Sid's being so creepy." She looked up at them. "Did John tell you what he did yesterday?"
"No," Stef said, "But Bud did. I weaseled it out of him late last night." She looked over at the tavern. "That rat. Sid's such a scum-bag," she said, shaking her head. Then a smile crept onto her face. "A cute rat though..." She turned back to Laura, serious again. "Look, I wouldn't beat yourself up over this. I can't say as I blame you for wanting a quickie with Sid, even if he is one sick puppy."
Laura smiled briefly, letting out a small chuckle. "Thanks... I think." She sighed. "Sid really scared me yesterday... The way I feel right now, I just want to get the hell out of this place, and never come back. If I never see Sid again, it'll be too soon."
"Give it some time," Michelle insisted. "Give Max a chance. Don't bail just yet."
She sighed. "I won't, I promise. I need to talk to Tina first, see what she says." She looked up, staring down the road. "She said she was coming this afternoon; I hope she gets here soon..." She wiped the corners of her eyes, collecting herself. "What did happen to Argento anyway?"
Trisha spoke, "He and Max took a little spill the other day. Luckily, Max walked away without a scratch, but Argento had a nasty cut on his foreleg. Ilaria was able to help, because she owns horses too, and Wendy's studying to be a vet, so she helped. Argento seems to be fine now, from what Max said. It happened when you were away."
In the meantime, the men were huddled together nearby. Visibly agitated, John paced across a small section of grass. "We gotta do something about this."
"Whoa, John," Colin said. "Leave them be. Let them work it out for themselves -- you're just asking for trouble if you stick your nose in this."
Bud leaned on a post that lined the path, favoring his injured knee. "Colin's right -- when the dust settles, let *them* pick up the pieces. Max has every right to be upset." He shook his head briefly. "I still can't believe it -- Laura and Sid..."
Cort sighed. "We shoulda seen this comin' the first day they met; the way the sparks we're flyin' between the two, we shoulda known somethin' was up."
"Look, of course I understand why Max is upset," John said. "I would be too under the circumstances. But I'm worried about this, guys. This is serious -- very serious. We could lose her -- and Max could lose her -- permanently."
"What're you talking about, John?" Colin asked.
"I'm talking about her packing her shit, getting in that car and *never* coming back. She's so upset that that's exactly what could happen."
Bud scowled. "Don't you think you're exaggerating. Laura, leave the CrowesNest? No way; she loves this place."
"Yes, she does. But why does she love it, Bud? Who brought her here in the first place?"
The men all looked at each other and said, virtually in unison, "Maximus."
"Exactly," John continued. "Take that away, and add Sid being the asshole that he is, and stalking her on top of everything else, and what possible reason does she have to stay? Do you really think that the rest of us bunch of idiots is enough to hold her here?"
He paused briefly, and from the women's group they all distinctly heard Laura say, "I just want to get the hell out of this place, and never come back. If I never see Sid again, it'll be too soon..."
"You see? That's the 3rd or 4th time I've heard her say that in the last 24 hours." John ran his hand through his hair. "Do you think Max realizes what that means? We've all been here long enough to know that without them --" he pointed at the ladies, "we ain't got shit. If they all bail on us, then we just fade away."
The men all looked at each other. "Don't you think that's going a bit overboard?" Jeff said. "We're just talking about Maximus and Laura here."
"No, I don't think I'm going overboard. And I AM talking about Max. He hasn't been here long enough to understand how things work here."
"And YOU have?" Bud countered. "Look, John, the rest of us have been around a lot longer than you -- we understand just fine about what you're saying."
"Do you? Then maybe YOU can go in there and make him understand what's at stake. I'm tellin' ya, there's a damn good chance Laura's gonna walk. She's new here too -- she hasn't had a chance to really settle in either. Sid spooked her last time, and she disappeared for a week. Now, Sid's being a psycho, and with Max not talkin' to her, I don't think she'll ever come back if she leaves again."
"And just how do you know that, mate?" Colin asked.
"I'm not sure -- I just know, that's all. It's a gut feeling I have..." John looked over at Laura, who was wiping her eyes. "I'm gonna go talk to Max right now."
Colin shook his head vigorously. "I wouldn't -- he's still steamed. Give him time to cool down."
"I don't think we have time to wait." With that, John turned on his heel and strode briskly towards the front door of the tavern.
"John..." Bud called, but the Alaskan didn't even slow down, instead opening the door and disappearing inside. "Damn," Bud muttered.
John paused inside the front door, letting his eyes adjust to the muted light in the tavern. It was not necessary to search for Maximus, however; the Spaniard was sitting at the bar, near the door, nursing a crystal glass half-filled with whiskey, staring blankly at the wall behind the bar. The rest of the place was thankfully empty. He glanced up at the second floor, half-expecting to see Sid appear, but a check of his watch told him it was just past 11. Miraculously, Sid seemed to be sticking to his word that he wouldn't bother anyone before noon.
John approached Maximus quietly, sliding onto the barstool on his left. After a long pause, he asked softly, "How're you doing?"
The Spaniard did not respond at first, taking a slow sip of whiskey as he kept staring straight ahead. Finally he replied, "I've had better days..." His voice was flat and dull, not at all like his usual rich, vibrant baritone. He never took his eyes off the spot in front of him, his gaze hooded, betraying the hurt that lurked just below the surface.
"I - I know about what happened with Sid and Laura... She told me last night before she talked to you." John saw Maximus' jaw tighten. "And then Sid broadcast it to everyone in the place last night... I tried to shut him up, Max, I really did... But it didn't do any good; everyone knows all about it now." The Spaniard took a deep breath, sighing, but still said nothing, his face a stoic mask. But John couldn't help but notice that his knuckles were turning white as he gripped the glass in his hand. "She was in tears last night when she left; she's devastated about what happened between you two... Sid *is* out of the picture, pal. He made a total ass of himself last night, and she's told him -- on numerous occasions -- that she doesn't want anything to do with him again..."
John hoped that would make his 'brother' feel better, but Maximus' expression hardened further, jaw clenching, and John sighed. "Look... I know you're upset, and I know you're hurt... But, please, give her a break, okay? Don't you think you're being too hard on her?"
Maximus finally turned, looking John up and down with a cold, unforgiving eye. "Taking her side too, John? She been with *you* too?"
John let out a small gasp of surprise and shock. His blue-green eyes blazed momentarily with anger... But then he calmed himself, yet replied tightly, "You know, I ought to take your head off for that..." Maximus glared back, then resumed staring at the wall. "I know you're hurt, but that doesn't give you the right to treat her like dirt now. The woman is so upset she's ready to leave again -- permanently. Is that what you want? To drive her out of her so she *never* comes back?"
John paused, waiting for some kind of response, but there was none. "If that doesn't mean anything to you -- fine," John sighed. It was beginning to feel like he was talking to the proverbial brick wall. "But think about this before you write Laura off. Think about what *you've* done. Remember Tina's first night here?" John raised an eyebrow, and Maximus looked away. "True, Laura wasn't here yet, but *I* was. We all decided Tina should be with you, because that's what *she* wanted... And I know you haven't forgotten Tina's third night." John paused and let that sink in. "Since then, it's been me and her -- but I don't have a problem with the fact that you were with her, pal. And Laura doesn't have a problem with the fact that you were with Tina either."
Maximus' eyes narrowed in confusion. "Why would she? As you said, we hadn't even met yet."
"But --"
Maximus held up his hand. "I understand what you're trying to say. But it's hardly the same thing at all. It was a *mutual* decision between the three of us. No one went behind *your* back, John." Anger and hurt blazed in his eyes.
John stared down at the bar, nodding, "Yea... I see your point."
"A woman should not behave in that manner. A Roman lady would never have done such a thing."
"From some of the things I've read about Rome, I wouldn't be too sure about that," John quipped. Then he cocked his head, focusing on the inflections Maximus had used. "A *woman*...? As in it would be okay for a man...? Do I detect a bit of a double standard here?" Maximus said nothing. "This isn't the 2nd century, and you're not in Rome anymore. Have you forgotten that little talk we had a while back about the 21st century? This isn't the world you left."
Maximus turned sharply. "If that kind of behavior is 'acceptable' now, I do not think I wish to remain here any longer."
"Look, I never said it was 'acceptable'. Laura shouldn't have done what she did. But there's such a thing as extenuating circumstances. Life isn't as black and white as it was in the Roman world. You've watched TV with all of us -- things like this happen sometimes.... The rules are different, especially here in the CrowesNest -- it's not like the Rome you knew... You need to get past this and get over it, Max."
The look Maximus gave John bordered on the incredulous. "'Get over it'...? Sid is a lying snake!"
"Maybe so. But the 'lying snake' is your brother -- *our* brother. Like it or not, we're all part of one another. In time, you'll learn to accept that, just like we've all learned to accept the fact that there's a little bit of Sid in *all* of us..." The corner of Maximus' lip curled up, and he snorted derisively. "The gals all see that a lot clearer than we do -- because of Russell... And that's why things like this happen, because sometimes the lines between our characters are a little blurry for them..." John's voice dropped to a low whisper. "Max, I know you won't like this -- *none* of us here really likes the idea... But when Laura looks at Sid, she sees a lot of *you* staring back at her."
As John paused, Maximus turned a harsh eye towards him. "Sid is *not* a part of me." Then he turned away again, his expression hardening further.
John sighed as his chin dropped to his chest, and he shook his head. "All right, fine; Sid's an asshole." He looked up again. "Nobody's gonna argue with you on that point. But just because you hate him doesn't mean everyone has to feel the way you do... She's not marrying the guy, for god's sake. She made a mistake *once*, and now she regrets it, but you're acting like she committed some unforgivable sin... It was her *first* visit here. You remember how odd it was for you when you first arrived. This place takes some getting used to, for the ladies as well as us. You're being way too hard on her..." Maximus looked more thoughtful, but still did not say anything. "Look," John continued. "I'm telling you, she's seriously considering leaving and never coming back. And if she does that, you're screwed, pal, because she can come and go here as she pleases, but you can't, not into her world."
John stared at Maximus, waiting for a response, but when it came, it was not the one he had hoped for. The gladiator's voice was cold as he said, "I do not need to be lectured, John."
John threw up his hands, shaking his head. "Why do I even bother...? Well, you can't say I didn't try. If you want to be a stubborn son of a bitch, that's your choice." He slid off the barstool and turned his back on Maximus as he headed for the door.
When John came back out of the tavern, the whole group was clustered around Bud, who was sitting on the picnic bench beside the building, enjoying the attention as some of the girls fussed over his sore knee. Yet the cop looked decidedly uncomfortable as he sat at an odd angle; apparently his butt was just as sore as his knee.
Colin noticed John approach and walked over to him. "You talk to Max? Any luck?"
"Yes and no." John shook his head, running his fingers through his long auburn hair. "I don't know if I got through to him at all... He just wasn't listening."
"I told you that before, mate -- it's too soon."
"Is that the only thing you can say?" John snapped. "'I told you so'?"
"What's really goin' on here?" Colin asked, eyes narrowing. "You look like you're worried about more than just Max and Laura..." John didn't say anything, and Colin nodded in understanding. "I get it. You're afraid if it happens to them, it could happen to any of us... or you..."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means that you might be afraid that *another* certain someone could leave too. They're both relatively new, they're friends... If Laura leaves, maybe Tina might too," Colin said.
John turned sharply. "Ain't no way that's gonna happen. It's two totally different circumstances -- Sid isn't involved. And just 'cause they're friends doesn't mean they're joined at the hip. Tina's got a mind of her own, in case you hadn't noticed."
"Oh, I've noticed..." They looked at each other, and Colin raised an eyebrow. Sticking his hands in the pockets of his jeans, John wandered away from Colin, kicking at a few stones on the ground. Then he sighed. "Yea, maybe you're right. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but the thought has crossed my mind lately... And that's why I don't want to see it happen to Max, because he doesn't *know*..." He turned his eye on the Aussie. "Doesn't the idea of 'Chelle leaving and never coming back scare the shit outta *you*?"
Colin swallowed hard, glancing towards Michelle. "Hell, yea, mate," he said quietly. "How do you think I knew that's what had you all fired up...?"
The two men looked at each other, then John began to smile softly. He patted Colin on the shoulder. "Let's just do what we can to make sure Max doesn't throw it all away... mate."
Colin grinned back. "Sure thing, mate." He turned slightly, eyes narrowing as he looked out at the horizon. "You may be right about one thing..." John looked puzzled. "It ain't gonna happen." He grinned again, nodding towards the road.
John turned around, and smiled broadly when he recognized the Chrysler Sebring in the distance as it drove down the road towards the tavern. "Not if I have anything to say about it."
Colin patted John on the shoulder. "I didn't think so," he said, still grinning as he moved away, heading back towards the rest of the group as John sauntered over towards the parking lot.
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