Partners in Crime - Max Mayfield

A Good Dream

"How about you Max, will you tell me?"

Max blinks away the memories of the nightmare. She was certain of it now, more then ever:

She had less then 24 hours left to live. 

Vecna was coming for her, the clock was the warning sign, she would be foolish to ignore it. She didn't sleep a wink that night, she had too much to do before Vecna killed her, and she wasn't going to waste her precious hours of life on sleep. 

She couldn't

Max suddenly feels the eyes of the three boys on the back of her skull. She sighs as she places the final letter inside of the envelope, flipping it over and signing it.

Chris

Max looks over her shoulder slightly "I know you guys are staring at me." The three boys advert their eyes from Max. "What, sorry?" "You said you needed something?" "Just hanging out." Max rolls her eyes "How you think your eyes boring into the back of my head is protecting me from Vecna? I don't know." Max gets out of the chair and walks over to them, holding letters in her hands.

The three continue to focus on what they are doing which Max huffs at. "You can look at me now." "Sorry" The three apologies before placing their things down and looking at her. "For you" Max hands Dustin his letter. "For you" Max hands one to Steve "And, um, you." Max hands a letter to Lucas. "Oh and uh, give these to Mike, El, and Will. If you can ever get a hold of them again."

The boys go to open their letters and Max's eyes widen "Wow, what are you doing? No, don't. That's not for now. Don't open it now." "Oh, okay." Dustin says before looking at it again. "I'm sorry, what is this?" "It's um.." Max flinches at the words forming on her tongue, hating how much the idea hurts. "It's a fail-safe...for after." Her throat tightens but she squeezes the words out. "If things don't work out." "Woah, wait, Max..things are gonna work ou-

"No" Max's eyes were turning glossy as she stops Lucas. "No, I don't need you to reassure me and tell me it's all going to work out. People have been telling me that my entire life and it's almost never true!" 

Max berries herself in his shirt, being careful to watch out for his wounds. "It's okay, everything will be alright, I'm here, you'll be okay." The two stay like that for several minutes, with Chris grip becoming softer and softer. "C-Chris..?" Max looks up to see Chris' head leaning against the pillar, a small trail of blood leaking from his mouth. "No, no, no, no, no, no! Please Chris, don't do this to me! Chris!!" Max screams "Someone call an ambulance! Anything!" She pleads as Chris' hand touches her face, making her look at him. "W-why is this happening." She begs and Chris smiles softly "I think those tentacles did a lot of..internal damage." Chris coughs softly "Y-you'll be..okay.." "No, no- Chris don't talk like that! Just stay awake, okay?"

"I'm sorry ma'am but the boy has passed away." A doctor tells Max who stares at the doctor in horror. "No..no, no, no, no, NO!" Max cries out and falls to the floor, with El and Will giving her a large hug while they shedded their own tears.

Max blinks back tears and huffs "It's never true. I mean, of course this asshole curses me." Max flinches again and she looks down "Should of seen that one coming.." Max swallows the lump in her throat, turning away from the boys who look at her with pity. She picks up the walkie talkie on the table, glancing at the boys. "If we go to East Hawkins, will this reach Pennhurst?" "Of course, yeah." Dustin tells her and Steve butts in "Wait, why are we talking about East Hawkins?" The three teens stare at Steve who starts to understand what Max wanted to do. "No, no, no!"

Max briskly walks up the drive way while Steve marches after her, with Lucas and Dustin in tow. "Max, Max! Seriously! Seriously, I'm not joking. I'm not driving you, anywhere." "Steve, if you think I'm going to spend what is most likely the last day of my life in the armpit that is Mike Wheeler's basement, then you're out of your mind. So either take me where I need to go or you're gonna have to tie me down, which is technically kidnapping of a minor. And if I live to see another day, Steve, I swear to God, I will prosecute." The two arrive at Steve's car and attempts to open the door before glaring at Steve.

"Open the door."

"Uh, no."

"I know a good lawyer."

Steve gives her a dumbfounded look before shaking his head with a sigh and fishing out his keys. "Henderson, that super walkie of yours better reach Pennhurst." He unlocks the car and the three boys get inside.

Chime   

Max stops and turns towards the house as the chimes continue. Despite being as soft as the breeze in the air, Max could hear them like they were right next to her, playing in her ears. She gulps before getting inside the car, the chimes fading as she slams the door shut.

The group continues to drive and Max gazes out the window, watching the scenery of Hawkins blurring together. Moments later, the blurring images and the lack of sleep forces Max asleep.

Max?

Maxxxx?

"Max, wake up my love." Max's eyes flutter open, finding herself in her old bed. The bed she use to have when she lived on Old Cherry Lane. Her body was snuggled inside of the blankets and covers. She turns her body, coming face to face with Chris. His dark hair was cut at a medium length and his eyes were a beautiful color of blue. "Good morning, did you sleep well?" Max blinks a few times. Her head shakes with disappointment. "This is a dream, this isn't real." Chris smiles and tilts her head up with his index and pointer finger. "If this a dream, then you're having a good dream." Max smiles and the two close the gap between one another, pressing their bodies together as they kiss one another.

Max didn't pay attention to how long they kissed, simply missing the taste of his lips on her own. 

Even if this was a dream, she had no desire for this dream to end.

The two pull away from one another and Max feels Chris' hand on her cheek. She smiles and leans into his touch, the two smiling at each other: love ever present in each other's eyes. "I'm scared.." Max breathes out and Chris smiles softly at her. "Scared?" Max nods softly "About Vecna..I don't want to die." Chris pulls Max to his chest and he softly rubs her back. "You won't die, Max." Max looks up at Chris, tears bubbling in her eyes. "H-how? How do you know?" Chris smiles and kisses her forehead. "Trust in our friends, they're not going to let you die." Chris moves his finger under her eyes and wipes her tears away. "Everyone loves you Max, and they don't want to lose you." The two kiss once more, though Chris pulls back sooner then Max would like. "You're here, time to wake up."

Max shakes her head "I don't want to leave." Chris smiles and chuckles "Every dream has to end eventually Max, even the best ones." Chris kisses her one last time, the two closing their eyes as they kiss.

When Max wakes up again, she was back inside Steve's car. "Turn here." Max says and Steve takes a left turn into the Trailer Park. Max exhales and whips her tears away from her eyes. She collects her bag and as soon as Steve parks the car. "Alright this better be fast Mayfield." "Twenty seconds." She tells him as she opens the car door and gets out, heading towards the entrance to her trailer door. Steve glances at Dustin while he and Lucas watch Max. "That thing has batteries in it, right?" Dustin glances at Steve before looking back at Max, shaking his head. "I'm not even answering that question." The two sit in silence before Dustin looks at Steve "Yes, it has batteries in it." "Yeah, I got it."