4

Though they did wake up and start moving about an hour later, he saw that she was dragging with the relaxation that was still steeped in her muscles, but she wouldn’t finish and go to bed until everything she wanted to get done was almost completely done. He helped her move through the house and pick things up and put everything away. With the dishwasher now going and the clothes moved to the dryer again. She was almost ready to retire for the night.

“Michelle will want a bottle in about fifteen minutes.” She said softly to him. He went and made it, so he was ready to feed and change the baby girl. While he did that, he saw that Deanna had pulled out clothes for both of the kids and laid them out for the next day. Max began to wonder how he never noticed all the small things she did to make sure the mornings ran smoothly.

He looked at Deanna again and really watched her for a moment. In the past month, she had changed though nothing was too much of a change. She had always been a little too serious for someone her age, he thought, having known her from years prior. That was one of the things that drew his eye to her over the rest of the newcomers to the university. She had stood out not only in beauty but her attitude about life in general. He looked around and wondered if she would still be here with him if he had gone against everything he stood for then and made a move on her.

“What are you staring at?” She asked softly as she looked up at him.

“I was wondering honestly if I had made a move on you when you took my class, would you be with me now?” he asked, and she shook her head.

“No.,” she said.

“Why do you say that?” he asked, surprised by the quickness of her answer.

“Max, I wouldn’t have gone out with you then.” She said, “I honestly never thought I would in the first place but I didn’t have much of a choice did I?””

“Not that you minded.” Max countered.

“Not the same.” She replied as she rolled her eyes at him. “The answer would have been no back then. I was barely able to take care of myself and balance my own life. Though I liked you and was in awe of you back, then I wouldn’t have been able to handle any type of relationship.”

“Awe of me?” He asked with an eyebrow up.

“Max, you were rather impressive as a professor, a police detective, and a man in general. You were young and successful. It was hard not to be in awe of someone like that.” Deanna countered.

“oh, so it was all because of my career.” He chuckled.

“Well, you already know you are good looking. That didn’t help anything.” She laughed.

“I honestly don’t see it,” Max said as he looked at her.

“Maximillian Anderson, you know the students at the school see a handsome professor when they look at you,” Deanna replied, knowing where he was going next in the conversation. It was time to stroke his male ego, and she didn’t mind it knowing he felt the same about himself that she did about herself. It was nice to hear the compliments every now and again.

“Really?” he asked, and she looked up to see him confused. “I know a few, but that is playing the odds.”

“Max, you are every little’s girl dream. Tall, handsome, and someone who cares. It is like you walked off the fairytale pages and into this life.” She said with a slight smile as she watched him try an accept her words.

“Baby, I was a soldier first, then a cop. That isn’t exactly fairytale material.” He said with a slight laugh.

“Do you think that matters?” She asked as she walked over to him. “Max, you are perfect now. At least for me.”

“So when we get married, does that make me the king of the elves?” he chuckled as he looked at her, “Or Emperor?”

“Neither.” She said, giggling, “Only pure blood can hold the crown.”

“Whelp their goes any chance of our children being accepted by your people.” Max said with a sigh, “I guess that is a risk we will have to take. You know, this human loves you too much to lose you.”

“I know.” She said with a slight smile, “this elf loves you the same way.”

“I am glad you finally excepted the fact.” Max said as the baby let out a wail right on cue, “Now this little elf wants some attention too.” He went over and picked up the baby carefully as the baby blinked open her eyes. She looked at Max and waited as she made some more noise because he wasn’t being fast enough for her. “Though this one is slightly more demanding than you are.”

“Well, she is only trying to do one thing, and that is growing,” Deanna said softly as she also went to the couch and sat with them as Max finally gave Michelle the bottle.

“You know I can’t remember my sister at all, but I hope she was like this one,” Max said softly.

“I am sure she was happy, Max,” Deanna said. “She was loved and cared for and was even mostly protected by your parents. One slight mistake in a pool it could have happened to anyone, really.”

“I know,” Max said. “I hope Michael rots, though.”

“I know.” She said as she leaned her head on his shoulder and looked at the girl who would be their daughter.

“I can’t thank you enough for what you did, though,” Max said softly.

“Max, I only thought it was right. I wasn’t going to their funeral, to begin with. It wasn’t anything really special to do. I wish you would stop thinking it was out of my way to do.” Deanna replied.

“My love, you skipped your parent's funeral altogether and planned the day so we could go to my sister’s grave instead. That is something that is out of the way to do.” Max said. “it meant more to me than you will ever know.”

“Well, you deserved to finally remember her,” Deanna said. “I have memories of all my sisters and brothers, unfortunately. Michael took those away from you. He took the chance to have someone else who had to deal with him. I mean, I feel the same way about David because of Justine. He took her away. She was the one who was quiet and fair. She probably fought for her life as well. I will never understand why he did any of this. Michael is the same way.”

“They both wanted control and power.” Max said, “Sad but the type of power and control they wanted they could never have.”

“I don’t understand,” Deanna said softly as she looked at Max.

“The power they wanted comes from respect. When you respect someone, they have a certain amount of real power to influence you into doing something. Neither of them could get that respect. They could never have that power or the control that comes with that. Michael knew he was different and therefore thought he was better. My parents, instead of getting him the help he needed when he was younger that could have changed how he was, turned a blind eye and tried to separate me from him so he couldn’t hurt me too. They erased their daughter from history, so he wasn’t reminded of what he did. I understand the concept, but they did it wrong and have to deal with the consequences of their decisions now. My parents are torn with themselves now that Michael is awaiting trial and everything.” Max said as he moved the bottle slightly, and Michelle began drinking again. She had stopped and looked at him as he spoke, “in your family, it is slightly different.”

“Slightly?” Deanna laughed.

“At the heart of it, yes slightly. I mean, your mother opened a whole new can of worms with what she did, but it is basically the same thing. She gave to much power to David with her actions, and he had her to back him up, but he never earned that respect or power.  He simply had it because of her. Even your father let him get away with it because of your mother. Then your mother gave into him or took from him since we don’t know exactly who started it. I know David will now say your mother did, but to be honest, I will put money on it that he pushed this idea onto her. His problems run deep with the woman he is related to, and I think they were all there well before the sexual relationship with your mother began. By not saying anything, she taught him it was all okay. He then transferred that control and power to the other woman. Only one was not from your family. I still wonder who she is since they haven’t figured out who she is, but she had to have some connection to him to be in the basement like that.” Max went on to say, “He was given the power though it wasn’t earned. Most people don’t know the difference and how to use it correctly, either. Those two didn’t.”

“Max, I had an idea,” Deanna said as she looked up to him. “I know you don’t have anything to do with the case now, but I think they should look at Cheryl’s family for her identity.”

“You know, my love, that isn’t a bad idea,” Max said as he kissed her head. “But no more talks of nightmares. We need to go to bed and start fresh in the morning.”

“Shower first,” Deanna said with a smile.

“Shower first,” Max repeated as he got up and laid Michelle back in her crib in their bedroom. She moved her head to the side, and her eyes fell slowly. He turned around and looked at Deanna, “Come on. I put the princess back to sleep now to help the empress get some rest as well.”