Words You Wouldn't Say

Dread filled Max as his eyes swept the room, his father nowhere to be found.

"You let him in?" he heard Mike ask Heidi as he pushed away, searching the room, paranoia mixing with the dread.

"I wasn't supposed to?" Heidi whispered back, horror in her voice. Max didn't find anyone, and he heard a door slam. He turned to the hallway.

"Otis," he whispered in panic, throwing himself down the hallway, speeding toward Otis' room. The door was open and he rushed inside.

Otis was laying in his crib, perfectly fine. Max sighed in relief, gripping the rail of the crib tightly, knuckles nearly white. A hand brushed over his back and he looked up to see Mike, a grim expression on his face.

"Max," he heard a soft, childish voice say. He turned to see Tyler staring at him with wide eyes.

He stepped over quickly, kneeling in front of him. "What happened?" he said in a soothing voice.

"We were playing hide and seek, and I was hiding in your closet," he said quietly, like he'd done something wrong. "I heard the door open and I peeked out to see if I was about to be found, and I saw a man walk in. He..." he pointed toward the main bedroom.

Max swallowed and stood, moving Tyler behind him protectively before stepping over to the room. The door opened and closed, pushed by a cold breeze, and he opened it all the way, noting that the sliding glass door was left open before he turned and his eyes went wide, losing all of his breath in seconds.

"Call the police," he heard Mike say in a low breath. He heard Chester on the phone seconds later as Phoenix ushered all the children back to the living room. "Max," Mike said in his ear, trying to call him back.

His back began to burn, as if the word carved into his back was reacting to the same word smeared against his walls. He could hardly breathe, could only remember the way it felt when the knife dug into his skin.

"I'm sorry," he heard Heidi saying repeatedly in the background. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

Max pulled him out of the doorway, leaning him against the wall and cupping his cheeks. "Come back to me," he whispered, pressing a weak kiss to Max's lips. "It's okay, he's gone and you're safe and Otis is safe. Nobody's hurt." He took Max's hand and placed it on his chest before placing his own hand over Max's heart. "We're alive. C'mon, breathe with me." Max nodded weakly, breathing in deeply when Mike told him too, holding the breath until Mike gestured for him to let it out.

Amalia led him away from the room as the police arrived, continuing the breathing exercise as Mike dealt with them. Talinda handed him a warm drink as he was sat down in the dining room, all of the women around to comfort him as the police bustled around the house.

"Some Christmas party, right?" he muttered. Talinda chuckled softly.

"It'll be one we never forget." She kissed Max's forehead. "I better take the kids home, Tyler's a little shaken up." He nodded.

"Stay safe," he said softly. She smiled fondly at him.

"It should be me saying that to you, shouldn't it?" He smiled softly and Chester appeared, gripping Max's shoulder.

"I'm gonna stay and help you clean up," he said firmly. "Talinda can come back to get me when we're done." Max didn't bother to protest; Chester wouldn't listen to him and he wanted it gone anyway.

"Thank you," he whispered as she left. Phoenix and Brad excused themselves to take their families home. He watched them, suddenly feeling exhausted. Heidi stepped up to him tentatively, another apology tipping from her lips. He looked up at her and gave a gentle smile. "Don't blame yourself, Heidi," he assured her. "You didn't know how he felt about me, and you couldn't have known what he did." He took her hand and squeezed it gently.

She bit her lip but pulled away as Mike and Adam appeared, followed by a policeman. Mike had an annoyed look on his face, and he rubbed Max's shoulder soothingly as the policeman stepped up and said, "I'm sorry to bother you, sir. Your husband doesn't have the clearance to press charges, as the house is in your name."

Max blushed slightly and glanced at Mike, who was staring at the policeman with a raised eyebrow. He fought a small smile and looked back at the policeman. "I want to press charges." He nodded and turned away, walking outside.

"They're almost done," Mike said quietly. "Then we can clean up." Max nodded, tired again. "Don't worry about it. Keep being a good host, we'll take care of it."

"I can - " Max started.

"No," Mike said forcefully. "You don't need to go back in there, we've got it." Max swallowed and leaned back in his chair, nodding again. Mike and Adam disappeared back down the hallway, and after a few seconds Rob followed.

"I'll murder him," Max's mother said suddenly. Amalia sighed.

"No you won't." She stood from where she'd been sitting next to Max. "Max is gonna press charges, and then he's gonna place a restraining order, and then Dad's gonna go to jail for ignoring it."

"He wouldn't," Max said half-heartedly, but even he didn't believe it.

"He will." She stretched and rubbed Heidi's arm before turning to Anna, smiling charmingly. "Sorry, we haven't had a chance to talk to each other, have we?" Anna shook her head. "I'm Amalia, Max's sister."

Max couldn't help his smile as he listened, watching Amalia's face as Anna said, "Anna. Mike's ex-wife." Amalia's face blanched and she looked at Max, eyes wide. Max couldn't help his snort and he turned his head away, covering his face with his hands.

"Trust me," he said after he'd recovered. "We didn't start off friends." Anna gave a soft chuckle.

"No, we didn't." She rubbed Max's shoulders. "But Max has been a good dad to Otis, and he's good for Mike," she cupped Max's chin, "and how could you not love this face?" He stuck his tongue out at her and she pinched it. "Don't tempt me, Maxwell, you'll get both of us in trouble with our boyfriends."

He laughed as Joe appeared from outside, closing the door. "They've got prints," he said. "Your dad left all his trash outside, which included the receipt from where he bought the pig's blood." Max's nose scrunched because, gross. "So they're on the way to analyze it and then arrest him." Max nodded and Joe kissed Heidi's cheek reassuringly before heading down the hall. "Better tell them they can clean up now."

Once the room was cleaned, Joe and Heidi left, a worried expression still on her face. Rob emerged from the hallway shortly after, offering to take Amalia and his mother home. They accepted gratefully and hugged and kissed Max a few times before leaving. Anna and Adam left next, and Max thanked Adam quietly as they walked out of the door. He offered a small smile.

"I thought Anna was exaggerating when she said there was always something to do when you're around," he said. Max chuckled softly.

"My life wasn't this turbulent a year ago." Adam patted him reassuringly on the shoulder and they left.

Chester approached him, smiling slightly. "He's kinda a dick, huh?" Max laughed softly. "But he's alright. He didn't have to help."

"No," Max said softly. "I'm grateful that he did." Talinda pulled into the driveway and Chester ruffled Max's hair.

"Have fun with Mike's parents tomorrow. We'll see you day after next." Max nodded and Mike stepped up, calling his goodbye as Chester got into the car.

"It's been a long day," Max sighed as he closed the door and locked it. Mike pulled him into a hug and Max closed his eyes, holding onto him tightly. After a few seconds he pulled away, rubbing his face. "Let's get everything cleaned up. I want to go to bed." Mike nodded and brushed his fingers over Max's hip before moving into the kitchen to get trash bags.

Max cleaned steadily until there was nothing left to clean. He tied up the trash bag and made a short sound of surprise when Mike took his hand and pulled him close, right under the mistletoe he'd hung earlier.

"It's Christmas," he said with a small smile. Max glanced at the clock to see that it was 12:01. He smiled slightly.

"I'd nearly forgotten." Max chuckled softly.

"You definitely have a reason for it." He pressed a kiss to Max's forehead before he took a deep breath and looked down, almost shyly. "It's been a long night," he started. "And a long year. But... god, I'm so glad Chester ran into you that day." Max smiled softly. "I love you, Max. I loved you then, too, I think. I was just too young and dumb to admit it." Mike ran his fingers through his hair before placing it back on Max's hip. "Not having you those thirteen years, it sucked. A lot. And after you nearly died - " His voice broke and he cleared his throat. "I knew I couldn't be without you again."

He looked up at Max through his eyelashes and Max couldn't help but smile at the endearing expression. "And we've spent months together," Mike said with a smile. "Being something like boyfriends." Max laughed softly. "It's felt totally normal. It's right." He sighed shortly. "Even if I wish that you'd be a little more open with me sometimes."

"Sorry," Max whispered, smiling. Mike pressed their foreheads together.

"God, I love you," Mike said with a soft sigh. "And some would call me an idiot for rushing back into this, but..." He pulled a ring from his pocket and held it out to Max. "I really wanna marry you." Max lost his breath again, staring down at it in shock. "I knew making a big deal out of it, making it flashy, that would just put you on edge. So I wanted to make it special some other way." He looked up at the mistletoe, then the clock. "How did I do?"

"Yes," Max breathed. Mike looked down at him in confusion and he couldn't help the laugh that slipped out of his mouth. "You were so busy anxious talking you forgot you asked me to marry you, didn't you?" Mike gave a short sound of surprise and looked down at the ring in his hand, then up at Max before bursting into laughter. Max laughed with him.

"I did," Mike said finally. "And you said yes."

"I said yes," Max confirmed. Mike smiled wide, eyes crinkled as he slipped the ring onto Max's finger. Max smiled down at it, a short sound of surprise slipping from his throat when Mike nudged his chin up and kissed him hard. He smiled into it, happy despite the way the turn the night had taken.

After a while, Mike pulled away, kissing Max's temple before leading him down the hallway. "We're staying in the guest room until I can call some painters and get new furniture for the room." Max nodded, stepping inside to find a pair of his pajamas on the bed and some of their clothes hung up in the closet.

"Is this why you and Chester took so long?" Mike brushed his fingers over Max's neck.

"You don't need to go back to that room," he said gently. Max looked up at him, warmth rushing through him.

"I love you," he said softly, wrapping his arms around Mike tightly. Mike held him gently, and Max could hear the smile in his voice when he replied.

"I love you, Max. I'll spend the rest of my life proving it to you."