All the way home.

Chapter 17

Jake woke up sleepily rubbing his eyes, 'it wasn't a bad dream.' He thought sadly, He really was in a strange place with two strange men. quietly he started to cry his missed his daddy, Grandma Wanda and Grandpa Bert.

He curled up as he felt the bed move and a hand grip him by the shoulder.

"Get up." Max growled.

Jake nodded not wanting the say the wrong thing. He sat up and pulled his shoes on as he was still wearing his jeans and t-shirt from the day before.

Max opened a chocolate bar and tossed it at Jake, "Here kid...breakfast…"

Jake looked at it, "It's a chocolate bar, I can't have that for breakfast, daddy makes me cereal." he said stubbornly.

"I'm your daddy and I say you're having a chocolate bar. NOW EAT!" Max snapped.

Jake took the bar and nibbled a bit as Marc watched the pair of them.

"Max?" he said moving over to the side of the room, "Do you really think that is good for the boy?"

Max's eyes flashed in anger.

"Outside." He growled.

Marc shot a sad look at the boy and followed Max outside.

Max walked around the corner, out of sight of the road and the other patrons of the motel and grabbed Marc by the throat. Slamming him up against the wall he pulled his gun from the small of his back and aimed it in his brother in law's face.

"You tellin me how to bring up my boy?" He snarled.

"He's my nephew, my sisters son too...How do you think she would feel about your treatment of him?" Marc pushed.

"He's a wimp...too soft...he needs toughening up." Max snapped.

Inside his head he could here Deeks screaming, "No! No! No! Don't do that to him!" Max shook his head.

"You ok?" Marc asked concerned.

"Shut up!" Max snapped, although he wasn't sure who he was talking to himself or his brother in law.

He shook his head and walked to a small copse of trees muttering to himself as Marc looked on worried.

"Max?"

Max turned and launched himself at Marc, punching him over and over again. Marc slid down covering his head.

"I AM NOT MY FATHER!" Max growled menacingly as the punches reigned down.

'Really?' Deeks snapped at the Image of himself in his head, Deeks was watching it as if it were on a movie screen, he could see the movements that Max's hands were making, but had no control over his body. He leant against a wall that really wasn't there and talked at the screen.

"You're just like him…" He taunted.

Marc watched, wiping the blood off his face as Max walked away from him again.

"No I'm not...not Brandel...Not!" he mumbled.

"You know you are acting just like him, give Jake back to Callen...if you're not like dear old dad, give him back!" Deeks pleaded.

"You'd like that wouldn't you." Max said looking at the Ghost image of himself that only he could see.

Marc scrambled away, hoping that he could sort himself out...or get away before Max noticed.

"Don't even think about it!" Max said not taking his eyes off the ghost image, but pointing his gun off to the right squarely at Marc.

"Let him go…" Deeks tried reasoning with himself.