Topic: Reconnecting

Mataya

Date: 2011-11-11 15:43 EST
Max repositioned the bags he was carrying with a rustle as they went from one hand to the other. With a stomp of his feet against the mat, he cleared the mud from his shoes before opening up the door and stepping inside. "I'm home!" he called from the door as he closed it behind him. "And I've brought a very good little girl some presents! Now where is my Juno?" His voice was filled with happiness as he stepped deeper into the small apartment, the bags swinging by his side. "Come out, come out wherever you are!"

As always when Max was the one calling for her, Juno appeared in a pitter-patter of feet, hair flying as she scurried out from behind the screen that separated her little space from the rest of the apartment to fling herself into her surrogate father's arms. "You were ages and ages and the theater lady said you'd only be minutes, and she left and she wasn't happy you weren't here, but I told her I was okay and I am, and you're back!"

"I am back!" He reiterated and dropped the bags to catch her up in a hug. Picking her up, he spun around once. "I'm sorry I was gone for ages and ages, but I saw the cutest ballet shoes for you. And I had to get the leotard and tights to go with it. And then the lady with hair ribbons had just the right color..." He laughed and kissed her cheek before pulling his head back and looking at her with a smile. "Give your best sweetheart some sugar."

Her nose wrinkled up at the thought of ballet shoes and leotards, but the expression melted away when Max offered her a smile. It earned him a loud smacker of a kiss on his cheek and the warm, trusting twist of her arms around his neck, fingers holding clumsily to his coat. "You been spending money again."

"Guilty as charged." He laughed and walked over to the couch. He sat with her in his arms and arranged them comfortably so she could stay in his lap. "I just can't help it. I've always wanted a daughter and by some miracle, here you are." He turned a serious look towards her and bopped her nose with the tip of his finger. "You are my daughter, now and always. God help the boys when you get to be a teenager."

The serious little girl leaned away as his finger bopped her, her nose scrunching up again in unspoken protest at the playful gesture. Her feet kicked comfortably next to his knee as her arms dropped from around his neck to let her snuggle in close to him. "Why does the theater lady have to stay with us?"

"The theater lady has a name," he chided her as he held her close. "Mataya stays with us because I love her, and she loves me. We're going to be married someday." He left out the "again? part. "Don't you like Mataya, Juno?"

One shoulder rose and fell as Juno hugged him tighter, not at all sure herself how she felt about the woman who lived with them but never seemed to have any time to spend with them. "She's got a pretty voice," she said finally, "and she laughs a lot. Why doesn't she stay here and not go out, like you?"

"She's a very busy lady. Running the theater is hard work." Especially with certain people screwing things up lately. "And she does a lot of charity stuff, too. I'm just her playboy actor boyfriend who is leeching off of her, if you read the tabloids." Max chuckled and leaned his cheek against the top of Juno's head. "She's a special lady, Juno. A very special lady."

"What's leeching?" Her head tilted back finally to look up at him with curious hazel eyes, offering him an interesting view, given that her hairslides today had owl faces on them. Three pairs of eyes looking at Max, and only one of them was real. "I don't know how to be with her. The gray lady says she's nice, but she doesn't talk to me."

Max decided to leave the question unanswered in favor of responding to the latter part. The three pairs of eyes, all big and unblinking, almost made him chuckle. "Just be yourself, Juno. It might take some time, but you'll get to know her better, eventually. Besides, if not for Mataya, you and I may never have met."

"But she's never here," Juno insisted. "She goes before I'm all up, and she comes back after you put me to bed, and she spends more time with the other children downstairs than she does with me." A small pout appeared on her lips, together with a frown. "Doesn't she like me?"

"Of course she does, sweetheart." He placed a kiss to her forehead and hugged her more snug to his chest. "I tell you what. We'll enroll you in some of the dance classes. That way you can spend more time with her. Would you like that?"

Snuggled close to Max's chest, Juno wondered briefly if he knew she could hear not only his heart beating, but the buzz of his thoughts as well. Or was it only something she could do' "Is that why you went and got girly things for me?"

"I bought girly things for you because I want to spoil you rotten." Max chuckled and responded truthfully. "And I think that you'll be a wonderful stage actress some day. You were awesome in Les Miz." He canted his head so he could look her in the eyes. "You did enjoy that, didn't you?"

"I got to wear a pretty dress," she reminded him in that oddly grown up manner that sometimes disconcerted anyone not familiar with her by now. "And I didn't have to do anything but stand there. But it was fun, and I got to see the gray lady, and sit in my safe place again."

Max's smile waned just a bit when she mentioned her safe place. "You're safe here, with me and 'Taya," he offered. "And anytime you want to see the gray lady, you just have to ask. I'll be happy to take you to her." And he was. He searched her eyes, wondering what was going on inside of that little head that seemed so grown up.

She gazed back at him, all kinds of trusting with the man she was beginning to accept as a father figure in her life after so long on her own. It was pure luck that had led her to the theater, she knew that, but luck had also brought fate with it, in her opinion. "Can I have a bird?" she asked suddenly.

"A bird?" His brows shot up and he blinked rapidly. "Uh, sure." Now this was curious. Max wasn't accustomed to the sudden twists and turns of a child's conversation. "What brought that on?"

Mataya

Date: 2011-11-11 15:47 EST
"I saw a picture." Releasing him, she wriggled out of his lap and padded off across the loft again, ducking out of sighting behind the screen. There was the sound of furious rummaging, and she came back with an animal encyclopaedia that was bigger than her own chest.

"Oh yeah?" He watched as she walked across the room, a man truly enamored with his child. She seemed to bounce, her hair floating behind her as she did. And when she returned, he reached for the book with one hand, his free arm outstretched and opened as well for her to return to where she'd been just a few moments before: in his lap. "Show me the bird you want."

Climbing back up onto Max's lap, Juno opened the book on her own knees and began to leaf through the bright pictures, passing elephants and lions and penguins to reach the tropical rainforest pages. And naturally, the picture she settled on was of a blue macaw, little fingers drumming on the photographed feathers as she looked up at him expectantly. "That one."

Max watched her face, so studious and serious, as she flipped through the pages. It was a marvel to him that somebody so tiny, so fragile, could be so tough and so independent. When she stopped and drummed her little fingers, he looked down to the bright blue macaw. "That's a beautiful bird. What will you name it when we get it?" Already he'd decided that whatever Juno wanted, Juno got. Even if it were a bird that could bite off her finger without a second thought.

"Spitz." It was an odd name, certainly, but one that sounded almost natural on her lips as she nodded firmly. "But you can't get it unless the theater lady says we can," she added solemnly. "'Cos she doesn't sleep properly and if Spitz wakes her up she will never ever talk to me."

"Spitz, like Mark Spitz?" He didn't really expect her to know who that Olympic swimmer was; Max barely knew who he was. "And what do you mean, she doesn't sleep properly?" This caused a tiny wrinkle between his brows, the only hint of a frown on his face. Max slept beside the woman and he'd never noticed anything amiss.

"Who's Mark Spitz?" was the inevitable question as Juno's eyes returned to trace covetously over the picture of the bright bird she had taken a shine to. "She doesn't sleep properly," she repeated herself. "She has nightmares and she cries in her sleep, and she wakes up if you look at her. That's not proper."

"He's a..." His voice trailed off as a true frown came to his face. Why had he never noticed 'Taya's cries in the night' He made a vow to himself to be awake when she got home, stay awake when she slept. He had to see for himself. Guilt rushed over him that he had been so caught up in his own good night's sleep that he hadn't even noticed his fiancee's trouble. "I'm glad you told me, Juno. I'll try to help her sleep." He curled his arm around her to pull her back far enough to kiss the top of her head.

"She didn't want you to know," Juno said quietly, looking more than a little guilty herself. "She doesn't want you to worry. But she keeps thinking about something ..." Her little brow furrowed further as she thought hard about what she had seen. "Something white, like sugar but not like sugar. It hurts her and she wants it, and she can't have it, and it makes her upset and angry because she wants it." Hazel eyes lifted to Max's once again, thankfully uncomprehending of the eternal dilemma of the former addict she had uncovered.

"Oh God." Max's eyes closed and he groaned. He knew exactly what that sugary looking white stuff was that Mataya was craving. The urge to call her, to be with her, to hold and help her was growing stronger by the moment. His eyes opened and he looked to Juno with a forced smile. "Why don't you go get cleaned up and I'll order some dinner?"

Unaware of the worry she'd now heaped upon her favorite person, Juno nodded obediently, closing the encyclopaedia and hugging it to her chest as she wriggled down from his lap to put the book away. A moment later, she pattered across the loft once again, disappearing into the bathroom.

As soon as Juno was behind the screen, Max's phone was out of his pocket. First he called to order pizza and wings, then Mataya's number was dialed out. The green button pushed, he put the phone to his ear.

The phone was answered after only a couple of rings, the familiar sound of 'Taya's distracted voice crackling along the connection. "Hey, De Luca speaking." She hadn't looked at her caller ID again.

"Hey babe." There was relief in Max's voice. If she were busy, she didn't have time to go find a seller and start using again. "Juno and I are having pizza for dinner. Why not come by' I miss you."

The hestitation was obvious in 'Taya's voice as she answered. "I, uh ....Oh, what the hell, Ludo can look after the critics," she grumped finally. "Let me just finish up a coupla bits and pieces and I'll be home in about forty minutes?" There was a pause, and she added, "How's Juno?"

"Juno's fine." Max had noticed the hesitation and it would have hurt anybody else to know that their significant other had to think about whether or not to come home for dinner or stay at work. Max understood completely the pressure she was under. That sort of pressure could turn her back to her habit, easily. For this, he was grateful when she said she'd be home. "She gave me the ooky face when I told her I bought ballet shoes and a leotard for her." The small laugh was there, and he hoped it didn't sound as hollow as it felt.

The laugh that came from the other end of the phone was all natural, and all 'Taya, thankfully. "You bought the stuff without even asking her if she wants to learn to dance?" she asked in amusement, and it was obvious from the movement on the other end of the phone that she was already beginning the business of packing up.

"Well yeah, and oh, she is going to be in one of your classes. You know, spend more mother daughter time together kinda thing. You'll love it." He turned to look towards the bathroom. "And she will too. You'll see."

Juno was peering around the doorframe, watching him as he chatted on the phone with his fiancee, nibbling on her fingernails. Somehow, the little girl knew she shouldn't interrupt this conversation. "Grown up girl bonding time in front of twenty other students, huh?" 'Taya's smile was audible, the stress bleeding from her voice as they spoke. "It all depends if she wants to do it, Max. She doesn't seem to like me much."

Mataya

Date: 2011-11-11 15:51 EST
Max wondered if the women in his life realized they kept saying the same things about each other to him. "She just doesn't know you, 'Taya. That's all." He caught a glimpse of Juno and waved towards her, beckoning her to come out of hiding. "Once you two get to know each other better, I'm sure you'll love her and she'll love you just as much. You'll see."

"Is that the theater lady?" Juno asked as she came up alongside Max, tucking her hand into his pocket as she looked up at him. From the other end of the line, 'Taya laughed again. "See" She doesn't even know my name, Max," she protested. "And I refuse to buy her with presents, it isn't right."

"It is." He had tucked the phone under his chin to respond to Juno, then brought it back up to his mouth to reply to Mataya. "She does know it, she just doesn't feel comfortable enough to use your name yet. That's all." He smiled for Juno, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he knelt down beside her. "And I didn't buy her love, if that's what you meant."

"That's not what I ....Never mind. I'll be back later." And just like that, the phone went dead. Juno frowned lightly as she leaned into Max, little arms curling around his neck. "She didn't mean to upset you," she said quietly. "Something bad happened at the safe place and she didn't want to worry you and now she thinks she's made you angry. Why is the theater lady sad?"

Max sighed and pocketed his phone when it went dead. His arms were free to wrap around Juno and he lifted her up when he stood. "Some people were mean and wrote bad things about the theater and Mataya. But it'll be alright. Another play will come and the evil critics will love her again." He carried her to the door and only put her down long enough to pay the pizza guy and bring the food into the house.

Once the pizza was sat down upon a table, he picked Juno up again and settled into a chair with her in his lap and the pizza box in front of them. He opened the lid and broke the pieces apart for her. "And try calling her by her name. That'll make her happy, too."

"Matty-ya?" she tried thoughtfully, playing with the melted cheese on her fingertips. Her head cocked as she listened to something Max apparently couldn't hear. "Maybe something bad is something worse than people saying mean things," she suggested very quietly. "Maybe it's real bad and scary and she doesn't want to talk about it."

"Close enough. We'll talk to her when she gets home. I don't like her sad and it makes me feel bad if she can't talk to me about it." The pizza wasn't nearly as appealing as it had been even ten minutes earlier and he left it for Juno to eat or play with. "I'm glad you can tell these things, Juno." His eyes snapped to the little girl and he smiled warmly. "You're helping me to help Mataya. That's pretty important."

"You don't think I'm a freak?" And there was a question that explained a lot about the past Juno either did not, or would not, remember clearly. Why would a child even consider the notion that they were strange, unless someone had planted the idea in their head" She took a huge mouthful of the pizza left to her, grimaced, and spent a busy few minutes picking mushrooms out of her mouth and off the rest of her slice.

"Of course not." Max gave her a puzzled look and nearly burst into laughter at her grimace. "You're a very bright, beautiful little girl. Nothing freaky about you." He paused, the mischief in his eyes. "Well, except the stinky bathroom when you've been sitting in there a while." He gently squeezed her middle with tickling fingers.

She stuck her tongue out at him, lurching away from the tickling fingers. The stinky farts episode was something Juno preferred to pretend had never happened at all. "Matty's at the door," she announced imperiously, gesturing for Max to go that way. Sure enough, the sound of 'Taya's keys in the door was heard seconds after this declaration, and the tired actress let herself into the loft. "Hey, guys," she greeted the pair at the table, waving a paper bag about. "I brought ice cream." Her eyes met Max's, trying to apologise for the phone call without actually saying anything aloud to unsettle Juno.

Max laughed at Juno's attempt to get away, and his hands fell to his sides when the door opened up and Mataya strolled in. Their eyes met, and the look he gave mirrored hers, to be forgiven for what he'd said on the phone. "Ice cream sounds fantastic." He smiled enthusiastically. Getting up, he sat Juno upon the chair. Max walked across the room and took the bag from Taya, then enveloped her in a hug. "I'm sorry, baby," he whispered.

'Taya leaned into Max, her arms coming up to hold on tightly for long moment as she buried her face in his chest, letting out a slow, shuddering sigh. "I'm sorry, too," was whispered back. "There's some things I need to talk about. Later." She pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, touching her forehead to his jaw fondly before releasing him to go and hang up her coat and bag.

Max held her for as long as she let him and merely nodded in reply before she went to hang up her things. He turned back to the table as he checked his watch. "Time for bed, young lady. Go get into your jammies and I'll tuck you in."

Pouting, Juno frowned up at Max rebelliously, but did as she was told, sliding down off the chair obediently. But she did make one slight detour before heading toward her bed space. She went straight over to Mataya and wrapped her arms around the woman's waist, hugging tightly. "Night, night, Matty-yaya." 'Taya's eyes went wide with pleased shock at the sudden, unexpected outpouring from the little girl, lowering her arms to hug back, to stroke the long hair gently. "Sleep tight, Juno," she murmured back, watching in amazement as the child disappeared behind the screen. Her gaze turned to Max. "Where did that come from?"

There was a proud gleam in his eyes when Juno hugged Mataya and it was reciprocated. "Good night, Juno," he called to her then moved to Mataya. "Get your coat. We'll go talk upstairs." He pecked her cheek quickly, then went to put the ice cream into the freezer. From there he trekked around the living room, putting his shoes and his own coat on. By the time he was done, he stood at the door, holding it open for his fiancee.

With her coat back on, and her phone left by Juno's bed in case the little girl needed them to come back quickly, Mataya slid her hand into Max's as they slipped from the apartment. She felt so tired after the last couple of days, and there was still so much to do to get everything smoothed over, but at least she thought she could talk about it now. And Max deserved to know she was struggling.

Mataya

Date: 2011-11-11 15:56 EST
Max grabbed a quilt from the back of the couch, then led Mataya up the stairs to the gardens on the roof. Leading the way to a bench, he sat down and opened his arms to her. "Talk to me, baby. I want to know everything that's going on." He gave her a serious look, but it wasn't admonishing or judgemental. The blanket was held out, as well, to cocoon her once she settled down.

She sighed again, sliding down onto the bench beside him to cuddle close. "Things are just ....really hard right now," she murmured uncertainly. "There was Hugh dealing at the Shanachie, and then being shut down for the RBF thing, and just when things got back on track, Jon lost it and we got those awful reviews, and then ..." She shook her head, hugging tighter. "I don't even know how to begin telling you what happened last night. I'm losing control again, Max, and I don't like it."

His arms settled about her and he pulled her back to his chest. As she spoke, he lowered his chin to her shoulder and pressed a soft kiss to her jawline. "Things aren't as bad as they seem. Jon will get over whatever's happened this time and will be back and as good as ever for the next show. I have faith in him, 'Taya. And I believe in you. You whipped that condemned, decrepit building into something wonderful that people keep coming back to. Even for the off shows, it's always sold out." He stopped for a moment to take a breath. "You don't need that stuff, you know." His attempt was as gentle as he could possibly make it. Max just hoped she took it as such.

She stiffened, shocked that he had leapt to the correct conclusion. She hadn't taken anything, hadn't even bought anything, but the need had come back to haunt her. "I know," she managed quietly. "I haven't done anything, Max. I swear I haven't. I just ....The hunger's back, and working just isn't drowning it out anymore."

"I know you haven't," he murmured quietly and began to gently rock her back and forth. "Juno saw your dreams, can read thoughts, I think. She saw the powder that's been making your sleep not so good." Another soft sigh, his hands gently caressing her abdomen through the quilt. "What can I do to help, baby' I'll do anything."

'Taya squeezed her eyes shut, her expression shutting down with guilt. "Oh God, I didn't want her to know anything about this," she groaned softly, not even questioning that their little adopted orphan had powers neither of them would comprehend. "She's got enough to worry about without me off-loading onto her all the time."

"Shhhh," he remained quiet, doing his best to keep 'Taya calm. "We're a family, baby. You don't have to face all of these troubles by yourself. I've got a pretty wide set of shoulders. You can unload onto me all you want. And as far as Juno goes, she's learning to trust us. I think we should do the same with her."

"I need a break," she admitted quietly. "I've been working non-stop for over a year, I never let myself up. Maybe ....maybe we could go away for Christmas" Just the three of us, go somewhere quiet and warm where no one expects us to be anything but a family?"

"You read my mind." His smile was audible and he strengthened his embrace with a tightening of his arms. "While I was out, I picked up some travel brochures. We can go anywhere you want to go. Rhy'Din is like a cross roads to all sorts of different worlds. We don't even have to go to our era on Earth if we don't want. Just pick a place."

Her own smile lit up her face, wiping away some of the weariness that marked her expression. "Somewhere with no press and no vampires," she said firmly, a slow shudder going through her. "Definitely no vampires."

"Vampires?" Now this had Max curious. But, he set it aside with a soft chuckle. "How about opening day at Disney World" We weren't even born then. Nobody will know us." He smiled and nuzzled against her cheek. "I love you."

"You want to take Juno to the Seventies?" Mataya couldn't help laughing at that. "Can you imagine what she'd make of free love?"

"It'll be groovy, baby," he chuckled, her laugh was infectious. "And no vampires or paps around to bother us. Think about it, you and Juno can have a spa day while I watch football at the resort." He felt content and happy now that things were coming back in focus for them both. "Doesn't that sound fun?"

"You know what I'd really like?" she asked softly, tilting her head back to smile up at her fiance fondly. "A really long trip around Europe. We could go to Disneyland Paris on the way through, and see Italy and all those places we never really saw properly."

"See," he whispered a kiss to the base of her ear and sighed happily. "I'm marrying an absolutely brilliant genius. I love the idea. Most of the time we were there we were either working or running away from the press." Gentle kisses were turning into soft nips of her earlobes as he spoke. "Sounds wonderful."

"And private rooms," she added, her head turning to catch his lips with hers. "It's been way too long since I got you naked and all to myself." Chuckling, she slid her arms around him lovingly, deepening the kiss she'd offered to him only a moment before. "But right now ....we gotta get back downstairs."

"Mmmm, yes," he whispered, eyes fluttering closed to the deepened kiss. He groaned when she pulled away and it was his turn to pout. "'Taya, promise me something?" He looked at her with such earnest that he was sure she would know the question before he asked. "Promise me that you won't keep everything bottled up any longer."

Her eyes lingered on his for a long moment, open and honest as she could possibly be. "I can't promise I'll tell you everything, Max," she told him softly. "Some things ....some things I can't. The words won't come. But I will try."

The words stung, and he wasn't fool enough to try to mask the slight narrowing of his eyes at the sting of it. If he wanted Mataya to be truthful in all things, Max had to lead by example. Nodding slowly, he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Alright." She gave him what she could, and he accepted it for what it was. He rose from the bench and gently put her to her feet. "She should be asleep by now. If we keep quiet..."

Mataya

Date: 2011-11-11 15:58 EST
"I'm sorry I can't give you more," she whispered as he rose with her, leaning into him in the chilled air. She pressed a kiss to his lips lovingly. "Let's see if we can move on without being angry again, darlin'. Juno needs us." A wicked little flicker touched her smile. "And you seriously think you can keep quiet while I lick you all over?"

"I'm not angry, and God no." He laughed and kept her within the folds of the blanket as he kissed her tenderly. "You're a woman of mystery and intrigue." There was a soft chuckle as he bent to kiss her again. "Keeps me on my toes."

She giggled against his lips, the sound deepening into a loud laugh as the phone in his pocket began to vibrate between them. "Looks like Juno got bored of waiting for us," she grinned. "That, or that teddybear of hers is developing a real personality."

Max was happy that Mataya was relaxed enough to laugh out loud. The phone was ignored; they were only a few steps from their own doorway. He scooped her up and carefully made his way out of the gardens and down the stairs with her in his arms. The moment was too golden to let go of it just yet. Into the apartment he carried her, careful to turn sideways so not to bang her head. "Yes, Juno, darling?" He called out as he gently lowered Mataya to the couch.

"Did you ask about my bird?" the familiarly imperious voice asked from the shadows where she was supposed to be sleeping. If they looked hard enough, they might just be able to see Juno's head and hands as she peered over the top of her privacy screen, watching them curiously. Mataya blinked, a confused smile coming to her lips as she looked up at Max. "What's this about a bird?"

"The bird!" Max bent backwards at an impossible angle before righting himself and then dropping to his knees in front of Mataya. It was theatrical, clown-like and meant to keep a smile on both of their faces. "Please, can we get a bright blue macaw that she can name Spitz" Please oh please oh please?" He brought his hands together, fingers interlaced in the age old pleading gesture. "Oh please?"

'Taya stared at Max as he went down on his knees, unable to keep from laughing again as she watched him play the luvvie card for all he was worth. Her eyes lifted to look over at Juno's shadowed face, seeing the hope written all over the little girl, and rolled her eyes, knowing when she was beaten. "If we get a bird," she told both of them, "I will not be responsible for cleaning or feeding it. Understood?" A little squeal of delight echoed from the other side of the screen, and the barefoot, pajama-clad Juno came rushing out with her arms full of her teddybear to fling herself on top of 'Taya, taking the if as a yes.

Max laughed when Juno squealed and when she landed upon 'Taya, he joined in to hug her tightly. "Understood. But you didn't say anything about water." He snickered softly and gave them both a resounding kiss to their cheeks. He leaned back then and gazed upon the two women in his life. There was that proud glint in his eyes again and his smile was dazzling. Looked like his two best girls were starting to get along.

((Thank you, Maxie!))