The ride was filled with mostly awkward silence. Anna held Spike in her lap as the dog peered outside the window of the left-back seat while Max fidgeted around a bit next to her, the uncomfortableness of the silence getting to her.

“Soooo,” Max drawled out. “You're some big shot Police officer now, huh? When did that happen Jase.”

“Officer Garfield,” the man corrected as he drove the vehicle smoothly towards the station.

“Jeeze, what do you have up your ass Mr. respect my title,” Max muttered a bit jokingly causing a stifled laugh to escape Baughn's lips. One look from his superior told him it was best to fix himself fast.

“Sooo, you two know each other,” Baughn asked after another period of silence. 

“Oh, man. We go waaaay back,” Max said with a coy smile.

“Unfortunately,” Garfield muttered.

“This guy's brother used to date a friend of mine,” Max said as she leaned around Garifelds seat and pointed at him.

“Oh,” Baughn replied curiously.

“How is that  dirtbag doing nowadays anyway?”

“He’s….” Garfield's voice trailed off as his face took on an unreadable expression causing Max to raise her brows in response. “What’s it to you.”

“Nothing just wanted to know how the jackass is doing, that's all.”

“Don't mention him.”

Another period of silence. 

“So. You’re really taking us in,” Max said in a faux whine.

“You speed through the middle of a market on an electric scooter and trashed a man's stand. So what do you think.”

“Aww come on. You’re acting like I killed someone.”

“Oh yeah, let’s just ignore the fact that you nearly hit a bunch of pedestrians on your little rampage. And just to get a dog.”

“Well… uh.” Max struggled to find a counterargument to his assessment but he did have a point. “Okay, maybe I did go a weee bit overboard, but…”

“A weee bit,” Garfield responded incredulously. Max adopted a sheepish look as he said this. “I swear man, it’s like nothing has changed with you over the years,” Garfield started in an aggravated tone.”

“And what is that supposed to mean.”

“It means exactly that, Maxine,” Garfield bit out. “You're still running around acting like a God damn irresponsible child. And here I am wasting my lunch break having to deal with you, glitter girl.”

“Well, better than turning into a Grinch,” Max shot back.

Garfield stopped the car in front of the station then immediately shot his gaze back. “When are you going to learn to grow up, girl. This is no different than back then. Always getting yourself and others into trouble behind dumbshit.”

“Oookay, dad. I’ve learned my lesson.”

Garfield shook his head and sighed. “I don’t even know how Beatrice deals with you.”

Max narrowed her eyes a bit at his comment. “Because I am actually there for her. Which is more than what I could say your hayseed ass brother accomplished.”

Garfield smacked his hand on his steering wheel causing his partner to flinch back in surprise. “That’s it! You really had to fucking do it!” 

“Maaaax,” Anna whined as the man exited the vehicle and come to the back.

“Let’s go! Everyone out, now!”

Max, Anna, and Spike stared blankly at the duo of officers as they closed the door to their temporary holding cell. 

Garfield stomped off after locking up the cell door leaving Baughn to stare at his fuming form. 

“Sorry about him,” the young officer apologized.

“What got up his ass,” Max asked as she folded her arms and stared down with an annoyed expression. 

“Well…” Baughn seemed to be considering something for a moment before he spoke again. “Don’t tell him I told you this but,” he said with a sigh.

“His brother apparently has gotten into some trouble recently. At least that’s what I’ve overheard him say a little while ago. So any mention of him tends to be really touchy for Gar.”

“I see,” Max replied. Feeling a bit guilty.

“Yeah. Well then,” Baughn said as he passed the group a wave before walking off.

“Aww man, this blows,” Max whined. All she could think about is what Beatrice's reaction to all of this was going to be. She was sure that her friend was going to hear all about this at some point.

Max stared down at Spike who returned her gaze happily. “I hate you,” she said to the dog with a scowl. Spike replied by hopping off of Annas lap and trotting over to Max’s spot on the bench they sat on and hopping up on her to lick her face.

“Ok, I get it, your sorry. Now stop,” Max complained. “I said stop.” Soon her complaints turned into laughter as the dog continued to lick her face.

Max took the dog away from her face and held him out. “Okay buddy, you are forgiven.”

After setting him down and giving him a pat on the head she looked over to Anna noticing how incredibly quiet the girl had been since they got tossed in here. She caught Anna staring down at the blueish flower Spike had taken from that flower stand with a distant expression.

“Is being locked in here bothering you that much,” Max quipped, breaking the girl from her thoughts.

“Huh,” she replied looking at Max. Max tilted her head slightly.

“That’s a cute flower.”

Anna returned her gaze back to it and clutched it a bit tighter.

“Does it mean something to you,” Max asked.

“Mean… something?”

“Yeah, like. Does it hold any sentimental value or something like that?”

Anna stared at the flower as she thought over Max’s question before nodding.

“A friend of mine gave me one just like it once. He told me so long as I had it, he would always be with me.”

“Something happened to it,” Max asked, noting the glum expression on Anna’s face.

“It died.”

“I see,” Max replied. “Well, I’m sure that friend would be glad for you to have it.

In the distance, they heard a door open up and the sound of heels clicking against the floor at a fast pace getting louder as the figure approached the cell. 

Max, in her curiosity, glanced over at the cell door when the footsteps seemed to stop at their cell Her blood froze.

“H-hey, B-Beatrice. What’s up, pal.” The woman laughed nervously at seeing the Beatrices form on the other side of the cell. Her arms crossed and her hazel eyes piercing her.

Max gulped as she began sweating bullets. The aura around the cell became thick and foreboding. Even Spike felt it as he let out a whine and hid under the bench right behind Max’s ankles.

Beatrice stared at Max with an unreadable expression, then to Spike below her, then to Anna who too was sweating bullets at the anxiety she felt from Beatrice being there.

“You have a lot of explaining to do,” she said forebodingly as her eyes drifted back to Max.

BEATRICE'S APARTMENT

Anna lay huddled under the cover of Beatrice's bed as she listened to the aforementioned woman going in on Max for today's events.

“WHAT THE HELL WHERE YOU THINKING,” she heard Beatrice yell.

“Well, Spike just,” Max’s shaky voice started before Beatrice cut her off.

“YOU STOLE AN ELECTRIC SCOOTER AND SPED THROUGH A MARKETPLACE JUST TO GET SPIKE WHO YOU CARELESSLY LOST IN THE FIRST PLACE! AGAIN!”

“I know, I screwed up but…”

“Oh, you got that right. Why would you even drag Anna into that mess? She could’ve been hurt. It was bad enough that you had her in that cell with you, but the fact that she wasn’t supposed to be out in the first place, Max! She’s on her period and was feeling out of it for Christ's sake. That’s why I had her here, where she wasn’t supposed to leave!”

“Max stared downward and clutched her hands tightly together in shame. “I’m sorry. I just wanted her to have some actual fun for a change. You know, to feel like she has a normal life.”

“That’s no excuse for such irresponsible behavior, Max. For the love of God, you’re twenty-two years old,” Beatrice rubbed her forehead with her index and thumb in hopes of slightly relieving her frustration. 

“This is the type of shit we would do as kids. But that time has long passed. It’s time for you to grow the hell up.”

Max could no longer find the courage to reply. She realized that she royally screwed up.

“I want the spare key that I loaned you back,” Beatrice ordered as she stuck her hand out.

Max wordlessly retrieved the key from her bag and handed it to Beatrice. 

“Now leave,” Beatrice bit out.

Max trudged over to the door and opened it. “Tell Anna that I’m sorry,” she said without looking back. Max exited the apartment room, closing the door gently behind her.

Beatrice sighed as she tossed the key on her kitchen island and walked towards her room. She raised her hand to knock on the door and paused for a minute. She was sure that Anna heard all that and knowing how close of a relationship she and Max had developed, she’d be worried.

“Anna, I’m coming in,” Beatrice announce as she knocked on the door. She opened the door to her room gently before walking inside. Anna was pretending to be asleep.

“Hey. Anna, uhm. Are you ok,” Beatrice asked awkwardly. 

Anna didn't reply. 

“Look, I understand if you are upset about all that but…”

“She just wanted me to have fun,” Anna cut in. Her back was still to Beatrice.

“I understand but the way she went about it was reckless and dangerous. You could’ve been hurt.”

Anna didn’t reply.

“Anna,” Beatrice uttered as she reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. Anna immedialty shook her hand off and remained facing away from Beatrice.

She had forgotten that Anna was still uncomfortable with being touched like that. Or maybe it was because she was upset with her. Either way, Beatrice could read the room. Anna didn’t want to be bothered. 

Beatrice gave her one last look, seeing so much of her younger self reflected within her before she stood up. She opened the door and glanced back once more.

“She said she was sorry,” Beatrice said to the girl before closing it completely.

Anna remained in bed. She held onto the flower Spike gave her, the one that was so reminiscent of the one Marckus gave her before.

She thought about today's events. Despite Max’s recklessness in the latter half of the day, she could genuinely say that she had fun. That for once she felt like a normal girl. That the troubled life she lived before was long gone like it never happened.

She place the flower on the Chesser next to the left side of the bed and stared at it lying there.

“I hope I’ll see you again.”