How Severus Spends His Summer Hols

A/N: In this chapter we see a side of Max people rarely see. Sometimes people can be pushed too far. To the people that are interested in reading more about Echo and the characters, there is a livejournal community that you can join if you are over 18. http://community.livejournal.com/stirs_of_echo/profile is the link for it. Thank you to the lovely person that nominated this story to the Sorting Hat Awards, I just about plotzed when I got the email. Thank you to Draco's_dirty_secret for the beta.


Allie waddled across the kitchen, cooking dinner for Max. She'd made his favourites, knowing that he'd appreciate it. The heavily pregnant woman stopped and daydreamed for a moment, relishing in the fact that she would only have to endure another week of this incredible uncomfortableness. Max was going to make it all better because that's what he did.

Smirking, she remembered how angry he had been when she had told him how badly Damon and Severus had treated her. In all honesty, she may have exaggerated a bit. She should have never been made to be humiliated like that for speaking her mind.

No matter how hard they tried Damon and Grant and Harry and Severus were never going to be a normal family.

Max pulled his truck into the garage of his house, turning the big engine off and just let his head drop back against the seat for a long moment as he thought of what to tell Allie. He'd known from the moment they'd gone into Adam's office that his wife's obstetrician was going to veto the idea of inducing her and now Gregory‘s arrival as well.

Taking a deep breath, Max opened the truck door and thought about the pensieve memories as well. Allie had some explaining to do tonight. Although he did feel bad that she was uncomfortable, her attitude lately was pushing him past sympathy and into contempt.

"I'm home Al," he called out as he entered the house through the door in the mud room, setting his satchel on top of the washing machine.

Allie jumped and went into the laundry room, smiling widely at the big man. "Max." She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the kitchen. "I've got dinner made; it's your favourite. It's been a while since we could have dinner with just the two of us. Quiet and peaceful like."

Max looked down at his little wife and sighed. "Stop Allie, okay? Just stop for a moment, I have to tell you something." He planted his feet firmly in the kitchen and pulled his hand away from his wife.

"Adam refuses to induce you and I saw your behaviour from this morning," he said flatly as he watched her face. "You lied to me."

Allie narrowed her eyes at him. "What do you mean he won't induce me? What did you tell him?" She sighed, looked away and then looked at him again. "How did you see my behaviour this morning? Damon got a camera in the bar now?"

"Just what I said woman, he isn't going to induce you. There is not one medical reason to induce you. I agree with him, you are built like a damn brood mare and you are going to carry to term," Max growled softly, he didn't like losing his composure, but Merlin, this woman was pushing him. "I saw their memories in a pensieve, Allie. Damon never forced you to crawl anywhere. You told me he forced you to crawl through the bar begging, didn't you?"

He took a step toward her, his anger coming off of him in waves. Max had also stopped by and talked with Grant before he'd come home and gotten the story from him as well. At this point, he didn't believe a word the little Mississippi witch had to say in her defence. "You fucking lied to me."

Allie glared at him. "What does it matter? The fact of the matter is that I had to crawl after his arrogant ass all because he didn't have time for me. So he may as well have forced me. I told you how I saw things it's not my fault you believed that bastard."

Hands going on to her hips so she didn't reach out and slap him, Allie leaned closer. "I don't fucking care if I am built like a goddamned brood mare. Your child is in my lungs and it hurts and you swore you would do something about it."

Max looked down at her calmly. "Shut up, Allie. Things are changing as of now, you've been allowed way too many freedoms. I'm tired of your behaviour and it ends tonight," he said softly, his voice carrying a steel edge that matched the one in his eyes. He had reached his fill of the woman acting too big for her britches.

"You are going to relearn respect and humiliation. Bring me your purse and wand. Now."

Allie stepped back from the big man. "I will not be humiliated, Maxwell. This is not about some stupid game we play in the bedroom." She narrowed her eyes at him again. "Respect is something only given if you've earned it and I have none left for you."

Max narrowed his eyes at her for a moment and then raised his hand. In a rare display of wandless and wordless magic, he summoned the items to him.

Continuing as if she had never spoken, Max opened her purse and removed her keys and her pocketbook. "You won't be needing either of these until after the baby is born, not unless your attitude changes and you figure out how to behave once more." He fixed her with a glare.

"There will be no maid coming in, I called and cancelled her. You will be here, you will take care of the house. You will not be responsible for Sarah, I will not allow you to take your nasty petty behaviour out on her. I'll see you roast in hell first. Do you understand me, Allison?" Max asked as he stepped forward again and towered over the small woman. "You are going to learn to behave if I have to tie your whining ass to a chair for lessons in manners."

Allie swallowed. Never had Max spoken to her like this before. Changing tactics she forced tears to her eyes knowing he'd never go through with his threats if he saw her crying. "There's no need to be like them, Max." she said softly.

Max looked down at her for a long moment, his lips moving slightly as if he were wanting to say something and doing his best not to. "I should have taken you in hand several years ago Allie. I have had my eyes opened to your shenanigans today, the way you have treated people that have welcomed you into their lives is despicable. People that went out of their way to help you. Who do you think made sure you got your first apartment when you came to town even though you didn't have a damned dime to your name? Who Allie, who do you think did that?" he spat out at her, absolutely furious at everything she'd done.

Allie stared at him. "I had no idea my whole existence was owed to them. If truth be known I would have rather not known. If someone doesn't meet up to their standards then they are less." She sneered at him. "Oh it's not how they'll act but you can tell. I know they don't like me and they never have."

Max shook his head in disgust. "You have no idea at all how to show your thanks to anyone do you? Did you know Severus put the down payment down on the roof over your head? That Damon went to bat for you to get the job with the school?"

"No, I didn't Max. I'm just a lowly sub that doesn't get to know things like that!"

"You need to go to bed now Allie, I've had enough of you and I don't want to see any more of you tonight," Max said tiredly. "You have caused enough trouble in the past few days, that right now, I want to forget you are even here. You may come out of the bedroom only to use the toilet and if you want to continue this, you may take a coffee can in there to pee in."

"Fuck You Max. I can't help the way I feel and you won't help me do a damned thing about it." Allie pushed past him, went into the bedroom and grabbed his pillow and throw from the rocking chair. The little woman threw the things at the big man standing in the kitchen. There's your goddamned bed asshole because I refuse to sleep with you if I am so damned much trouble."

She stormed off again after giving a sharp squeal of frustration then slammed the door to the bedroom and wedged the rocking chair under the door knob.

Max glared in disbelief at the door in his face. How dare she behave like that? The more he thought about it, the angrier the already irritated Healer became. Curling one big hand into a fist, he began to pound the door hard enough to shake it in it's frame.

"Open up the damn door Allison, open it up right now dammit!" he yelled as he slammed his fist against the wood. Damon had been so right, he'd just let the woman get away with murder and it was all coming back to bite him in the ass now.

Allie jumped and screamed back at Max as she went into the bathroom. "No! Leave me alone, Max!" She turned on the faucet to wash her face. "I'm nothing but a disappointment to you!"

Hearing the water running in the bathroom, Max realized Allie was no longer near the door. He took two steps back and raised one booted foot, kicking the bedroom door open, the frame splintering as the door slammed into the wall, knocking a hole in the wall. Pictures fell to the floor with the harsh sound of broken glass.

"Allison, I am not finished talking to you. Why did you lie to me? Why? What did I ever do to you, huh? Answer me that, what have I done so wrong that you had to lie about people that look at me like family?" Max demanded as he entered the bedroom, staring at the woman standing in the bathroom.

Allie screamed and sank down to the floor, staring at Max. She covered her face with one hand and wrapped her other arm around her stomach. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" She cried. "Please, Max. Don't hit me. You never have before, please."

Shocked, Max immediately stopped and took a deep breath, calming himself before speaking. Silently he damned himself for forgetting the bastard she'd lived with before him. Slowly, his hands out in front of him to show her that he wasn't going to harm her, he stepped forward, bending down so he didn't loom over her.

"Allie, baby, hush," he said softly as he approached her, getting down on his knees as he got to the door of the bathroom. "I'll never hurt you, baby, never in a million years." He reached out and put a gentle hand on the crying woman's shoulder.

Allie jumped, looking up at Max as she tried to wipe her face and still protect her stomach. She searched his face and then bowed her head, sobs shaking her body. "I'm sorry, 'm sorry. I know and I'm sorry." She covered her face and turned away from him, tears running down between her fingers.

Max carefully reached up and pulled one of the hand towels from the vanity to wipe Allie's face. "Allie, come here baby," he coaxed as he settled himself on the floor with his long legs outstretched. "I'm sorry I yelled baby, I didn't mean to frighten you." With gentle hands, the big man attempted to pull the heavily pregnant woman to his lap.

Allie let Max pull her close and continued to cry. She rested her face between his head and shoulder and just cried, sniffling and snuffling occasionally then bursting into tears all over again.

Max carefully held her, running his large hands over her back and hair, soothing her as best he could. "Calm down Al, this isn't good for you or the baby. Sev made you something for your nerves, do you want some of it?" he asked softly as he rocked her in his arms, feeling more and more like an ogre.

"Y-y-yes, Sir." Allie mumbled and sniffled once more as she pulled away from her husband. She wiped her tear-streaked face and looked at her lap. "Sev really made the potions for me?"

"Of course he did baby, why wouldn't he?" Max asked as he pulled the vial from his shirt pocket, opening it and holding it out to dose her. "Stick your tongue out for me. Sev said he tried to make it taste as good as he could, said he used raspberries as flavouring for you."

"Cause he's Severus." Allie mumbled, and nodded then opened her mouth, sticking out her tongue. "I like raspberries."

Max smiled gently. "He remembered how much you liked the raspberry truffles he brought you and tried to match the flavouring. He's not so bad Al. I know you don't care that much for him." He carefully tipped three drops of the calming potion onto the tip of her tongue and waited.

Allie swallowed the drops and shook her head. "He tried but didn't quite succeed. Bleagh." She laid her head on Max's shoulder. "I guess he's okay Max. I didn't like being made to feel like I had to grovel to your so-called family. Your mother would never treat me like that."

Max frowned for a moment, biting his tongue to stay quiet. "No one asked you to grovel Allie, no one. All I asked was that you apologize to them, that was all. You never needed to crawl on the floor, just simply speak to Damon sincerely and he would have listened," he commented, his voice getting a bit defensive. "No one asked you to do any different."

Allie yawned and toyed with Max's hair, twirling it around her finger. She had to say one thing about Severus, he could make potions, damn good ones. "I know." She pressed a kiss to the side of his neck. "You told me to apologize and I tried but they were stubborn."

Max shook his head, there was no use trying to talk sense into the woman at the moment. "Just don't treat them like that again, okay Al? They've done nothing but look after your well being." He stood carefully with her in his arms, shifting her bulk so she was resting easily in his arms. "Maybe you should stay away from everyone for awhile, at least until you are feeling better," he murmured as he walked to the bed and gently laid her down.

Allie blinked and looked up at him lazily. "Yeah, maybe. They are mean." She giggled and closed her eyes. "Sev does make good potions though." She reached up and tried to touch Max's face but missed. "Be still." She rubbed his face, gently. "Thank you for not hitting me."

Max gently caught her hand in his large one, pressing a kiss to her palm, his heart heavy at what he was hearing. "You know Grant loves you." Laying her hand back on the bed, he reached over, picking up her nightgown from the chair next to the bed. Carefully, he began to unbutton the robe she wore so he could dress her in her nightclothes. "I'll never hurt you, Allie, I promised you that years ago."

Allie rolled carefully on her side while Max removed her clothes. "I feel like a beached whale." She looked back at him as he put the gown over her head and slipped her arms through. "I guess. But I'm not like them, Max and I never will be. I won't ever be like one of your boy toys you had while you all went to Sturgis." She shook her head and closed her eyes as she yawned. "It was just one big ol’ happy gay family."

Max smoothed the material down over her and rubbed her tummy soothingly. "No one ever asked you to be like them Al," he said softly. "You shouldn't worry about what happened at Sturgis before I met you. You are the only one I want now, it doesn't matter who's come to live in Echo now, you are my wife and always will be." He leaned down and kissed her brow.

Allie opened one eye and looked at Max. "Huh? Who’s coming to live here?" She closed her eyes once more and her body relaxed, the deep breaths coming from her in soft sighs.

"Greg is the new Peds doctor for the practice and Blue Ridge, his husband is the new dietician," he explained as he drew the sheet up over her and continued to rub her body gently.

" 'M kay." Allie moaned and rolled over clutching Max's hand to her abdomen. "Leggy brat... kicking me... all the time. Night."

Max tried to extract his hand from hers, stopping when he realized she had him in a death grip. "Sleep well baby," he murmured as he manoeuvred himself to lie down behind her, curling around her protectively.

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Max woke with a start a few hours later as he heard the telephone ring in the other room. He rolled away from his wife, sitting up quickly without waking her, making his way to his feet and in to where the phone was.

"Hello, Sorens."

"Hey Max. How's it going? You still alive?" Severus chuckled lightly then sobered. "I'm sorry. You alright man?"

Max relaxed as he realized it wasn't the hospital or the answering service he used, sitting down in his chair he rubbed his eyes and grunted. "Hey man, I'm alright. What's going on? Everything alright there?"

Severus sat down on the couch and smiled. "Not much and I think we're alright. I told Harry about Davy with only minor consequences. What about yours?"

Max blew out his breath. "Well, I need a new bedroom door and I had to sedate her. I don't think she understands that it's Gregory that's moving here. Did Harry do alright?"

Severus frowned. "What? Why do you need a new bedroom door? You first, we'll talk about Harry in a mo. Are you alright? What did she do to you?"

"She didn't do anything to me, but I kicked the bedroom door in because she locked the door and wouldn't open it. Fuck Sev... she thought I was going to hit her," he said softly, running a big hand through his hair and sighing.

"Oh what a load of bullshit, Max. She played you again. Just like always." Severus sat up and leaned forward pulling the glass of tea to him and taking a long swallow. "Didn't she pull this same stunt before the last time she was pregnant? Crying and cringing and I would bet you anything that she came right to you when you backed off, didn't she?"

"It's different Sev, okay? Look, I know she pissed you off, but she's had it rough, you know?" Max said, making excuses for the sleeping woman. "I scared her and I know better." He still felt like an ogre when he thought about how Allie had huddled on the floor trying to protect herself.

"No Max it isn't." Severus sighed. "Look I know I don't have a leg to stand on but even when Harry backslides he's never done anything like this. It's been years since she was with the arse that brutalized her and yet you allow her to treat you like yesterday's rubbish. The moment you back down, she straightens back up. Personally, I think she needs a good swift kick in the arse."

Max closed his eyes, in his mind he knew Severus was right. Allie was playing things to her advantage, but still, she was his wife and he would protect her. "I know Sev, but not everyone can be as wonderful as your Harry," he said, a trace of bitterness in his voice.

"Dammit Max. Don't let her do this to us." Severus stood and paced around the room as he talked. "I know Harry's not perfect and Merlin knows I let him get away with alot Max, but at least we have respect for each other. Look at what it's doing to you, my friend. You are eat up inside because you feel like a monster, don't you? I know the feeling Max, I've been there."

He sighed and hung his head while he talked. "I've been the Morgan's and Bubba's of the world. Max and I can tell you that you aren't one of them. Don't let her make you think that you are."

"I'm sorry Sev. You're right. I know it, I just want to get her through this pregnancy before I start changing a lot of things with her. And you aren't a Morgan or a Bubba," Max said as he picked up the remote and turned on the television. "Stop pacing Sev."

Severus snorted and chuckled darkly. "Max, you know what I was. It wasn't just an act. I joined of my own free will. Somewhere inside I was those people." He sat down and shook his head. "You don't need to apologize to me, Max. I'm sorry she has done this to you. My offer still stands you know, Harry and I would love to have you and Sarah stay with us."

Max smiled in the dim lit of the television and nodded. "I know it does, and thank you. I might have to take you up on it when she realizes Gregory is really here," he said with a laugh.

Severus cleared his throat and shook his head. "You know Max, that's not even funny. What are you going to do when she hurts you or worse, hurts little Sarah?" He sighed. "It's subtle Max, but it's still abuse, only you aren't the one doing the hitting. She is and it's below the belt and aimed directly at your heart."

"I going to make sure she's not with Sarah, Sev. Even if I have to ask Mom to keep her out there in California until I can get things settled here. I don't care what she says to me, you know I let things roll off my back," he said with a forced smile. "She won't be around anyone else for awhile either, not until she settles down."

"You are going to allow her to split up your family? Allow her to remove Sarah from your life?" Severus asked softly and swallowed. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" He stopped and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Max I shouldn't have said anything."

Max was quiet for a long moment before speaking softly. "Maybe you shouldn't have."

Severus groaned. "Max, I... I'm sorry. Look, I know you love her and I'm sorry I said anything. But... I care about you all and I'm worried for you as well. This isn't good for any of you."

"I'll be alright Sev, don't worry. Most likely Sarah will just stay over to Damon and Grant's while I'm at the office. Who knows, I may stay with them."

Severus closed his eyes wondering if his big mouth had done something irrevocable to their friendship. "Max..." he sighed. "I'll try not to."

Max turned the television off with a sigh and rubbed at his eyes. "I'm sorry Sev, I never meant to snap at you," he said softly.

"You didn't. I said some things I shouldn't and I deserved it. It was none of my business to question your decisions."

"I'd be doing the same thing and you know it," Max said gently, almost wishing his friend was there so he could just curl up with him for a while. "Sometimes I envy you not having interest in women."

Severus snorted. "Max, mine's pregnant too. Got some of the same parts as you well know. The hormones are the same even if the package is different." He sighed softly. "I just wish things could be different for you, not necessarily better but different."

Remembering what Allie had said about everyone being a happy gay family, Max shook his head. "Even if Harry and Grant have the parts, they aren't women. They aren't like them. Things used to be so much easier," he sighed.

"I know. Then we grew up, fell in love and complicated things. Sucks being an adult doesn't it?"

Max's laughter rang out in the living room. "Yeah, things used to be so much simpler. Want to run away and join the circus with me?"

Severus shook his head as Max's laughter came through the phone lines. "Only if I can drive, Max."