A life less ordinary ||~~Elax/Elmax~~||

Save us

A/N second update in a row, so make sure you read the previous chapter (sorry, I know you guys are clever but just in case) xx

"GET OUT!"

El looked devastated and slowly made her way from the room, stumbling downstairs. She barely made it to the bottom before the world started to go dark. "El, you ok?" Lucas asked just before she passed out, luckily he was there to catch her. "Dustin, help me" he said, struggling with the dead-weight in his arms. They managed to lift her over to the couch and tried to make her comfortable.

"Max?" said Will gently, glancing at Mike who squeezed his hand in return before letting go. "Max, what happened?"

She slid down to the floor in tears, "Billy" she said, "he...he attacked me...he was going to..." she couldn't finish her sentence, not quite believing what had happened herself.

Mike and Will sat either side of her and comforted her until she calmed down. "It's ok Max, El got here before he could do any more" said Mike, not completely oblivious to what he'd seen, but not totally understanding either.

He felt Max stiffen next to him, "she promised me she'd never look, never search my mind, she promised...so how did she know to come?" Max ranted to herself as much as anyone, "she broke her promise, she lied to me."

"Max" said Mike calmly, "El was asleep on the couch, she had a nightmare. I tried to wake her up, and when I did she just said your name and bolted...she ran the whole way here" he explained. "Whatever she did, she did by accident, she would never break a promise on purpose, never" he insisted.

Max held her head in her hands, she knew deep down that what he said was true, she also knew that she'd been focusing all her thoughts on El, focusing on her to help survive through the night. She'd shouted at the one person who'd risked everything, risked exposing her secret, to rescue her. Despite how she had treated her recently, El was still willing to do anything for her. "I need to find her" she said.

"Maybe you should leave her for a bit, I think you hurt her feelings...she looked pretty upset when you shouted at her" said Will.

"No, I need to see her, I need to tell her I'm sorry and I was wrong...about everything that's happened recently" said Max, "please, I need her..." Mike and Will looked at each other questioningly. "Please help me find her, help me...help me tell her how I feel."

"What..."

"Help me tell her that I miss her, that I was wrong to push her away. I've caused her such pain because I was scared."

"Max...what the hell are you talking about?" asked a confused Mike, however Will had a look of realization dawning in his face.

"Max" he said gently, "you and El?"

She just nodded, looking up at the ceiling, unable to contain the tears that started to fall again.

"Come on" said Will, pulling Max up, "let's go find her" he said smiling.

They went downstairs and found Dustin and Lucas standing in the kitchen, deep in conversation.

"Hey guys, did you speak to the chief?" asked Mike.

"Yeah, he said he'd set out personally to try and find him. He'll be over on the morning to talk to you about what happened, ok Max?" replied Dustin. She just nodded and sniffed, feeling emotionally wrung out.

"Did you see which direction El went?" Will asked, glancing at Max.

"Uh" said Lucas, looking at Dustin. They both just nodded their heads towards the couch in the living room. Walking around it they all saw El, passed out, blood still on her face by her nose and ears. Will watched Max as her breath hitched, she closed her eyes almost unable to look at her, the feeling of guilt overwhelming her.