What We Deserve

Part 37: Justice

We waited about twenty minutes before Julien came over to me with the results printed out and officially stamped.

"MDVP?" Max looks at me and I sigh.

"Bath Salts—basically." I state and he sighs.

"Could've been worse..."

"Could've...could've been worse?! It shouldn't have happened!" I flip and he backs up a bit. "I'm sorry...huh...I'm sorry. It's not your fault."

"J'enverrai ceci à mon ami et ils obtiendront un mandat pour que le Dr Mia Castries l'amène et fasse une descente chez elle. ne t'inquiète pas, je te tiendrai au courant ma chérie."
(I will send this to my friend and they will get a warrant for Dr. Mia Castries to bring her in and raid her place. do not worry, I will keep you informed my dear.)
Julien states confidently and Max simply shakes his hand and we leave him.

As we leave the entire building, I hold Max's hand as we walk down the block and around the corner. I lead us to the subway entrance and we descend quietly, go through the turnstiles and wait for the tram to arrive.

Max says nothing.

He looks beyond upset and I don't blame him.

He's still coming down from his drugged state and frankly I wish I could do something for him. When we get on the subway car, we go to the back two seats and he sits by the window with a very forlorn face. All I can do is hold his hand and try to think up something to make this better.

"Darling, what can I do?" I lean into him and he feels as though his whole body is humming and vibrating beside me.

"I just want to go home."

"Okay...we are...after we get Luna."

"Helen, how am I going to show my face at work after this? Be considered a good doctor?"

"Max-this wasn't your fault."

"I've been strung out on drugs without my knowledge. You knew right off the bat that there was something not right with the tea and...and I'm a complete moron who..."

"Who trusted that his doctor knew what was best for him and would treat him the way a doctor should. Take care of you and make you feel better. Treat you like a real doctor would. She was not a real doctor Max because she broke the oath we take. Do no harm. She broke that oath and she's going to pay for it. She's not a real doctor. She's a cheap trick with a hidden agenda. And none of that is your fault." His eyes are steeped and though he tries to maintain his tears, they still slip by him. "I love you, Max. I truly do. We will get through this and get you through withdrawls and everything will go back to normal."

"What if...what if I can't get off...what if I..." He begins to panic more and his shaking is more evident.

"They were micro doses. Just enough to keep you interested in her practice. You weren't jonesing or acting extremely needing of her sessions- so I'm going to talk a safe bet and say that you aren't going to be overly needing of more." We rise as the subway comes to our stop a block away from the Dam. We exit and Max is just beside himself.

He clings to me and I can't help but feel motherly in this instance.

"Let's just get Luna and head home- have a nice early dinner and shower and then off to bed. How does that sound, Darling?"

As we get up to the Dam, more panic sets in.

"Jesus! I went to work and...and treated people in this state! I...I can't...." He begins to pull from me, but all I can do is grab both sides of his face and kiss him for a few moments. He seems to calm down and when I pull back I still see his dilated eyes and the tremor still runs through him- but he isn't panicking as bad.