A Night At The Gala

Part 2: Boiling Water

"No, Joe. No police. I don't know if there's a mole in there or if it's just a coincidence that Helen got picked up by the cops a while ago, but..." Joe makes interested noises over the phone.

"Ooo, Helen...hmm- so the doctor, friend- has a name. Ooo..."

"Enough. Don't do that. Listen I was wondering if, with your vast military background and now CIA access and hackery- can you delve through the system on Valentina Castro and find me everyone she has immediate access to. Cell phone pings, satellite imagery- anything. I want to know all I can about this woman, so I can keep my doctor safe." Joe contemplates this request. It's a serious enough matter for him to get involved. He has put in extensive time and effort learning hacking so he can hack into anything he wishes without a trace. He knows all the codes for government run systems and satellites, plus he's tactical so if need be- he could essentially take someone out without any indication of it being a murder. Max is definitely happy to have met him back in college.

"Only on one condition." Joe states boldly.

"Okay?"

"Tell me what this girl means to you. Give me a little inspiration to work my hardest cause I know there's something more." Max glances down at Helen asleep on his lap and can't help but smile.

"I love her...she doesn't know it and I won't tell her, yet- but I love her more than I've ever loved someone." Max says quietly into the phone. He finally verbalized his feelings and it felt good, but he won't tell Helen them. If she doesn't feel the same way and he's totally off, he doesn't want to lose her to his feelings.

"I knew it. You never call in the big guns unless it's a matter of the heart. I got you boo. Just text me the name of the target and I'll get started right away."

"Thank you. I feel so much better about this now. I owe you man."

"You can pay that debt later by inviting me to the wedding. Haha" He snickers and Max just scoffs.

"Haha, alright...deal. Thanks again man." They hang up and he texts Joe Valentina's name. If someone is going to do something about all this, it's Joe. Helen stretches out a bit and then snuggles closer into Max's lap. He doesn't want to think of possibly losing her. If Helen wasn't around, he wouldn't know what to do, because he was right before- when he said his plans only work because of her. He was right. He wouldn't even be alive if it wasn't for her. He doesn't know if this feeling for her is because he genuinely loves her or because of their situation as doctor and patient. Whatever the case, he feels strongly for her and that isn't going to change any time soon. She stirs again on his lap and he feels himself giving way to her. Before he can start pitching his tent, he pinches his arm once more very hard for at least a minute. The feeling subsides and another bruise is left on his arm. By the time this is all over, he's going to look like a leopard.

Helen's eyes slowly open and when she sees him, she smiles warmly at him. It's nice knowing that he stayed while she slept. It's relieving to know that she's safe with him. His eyes catch her peeking at him and he just smiles down at her.

"Hi..." He says quietly to her. She takes a long blink and rolls onto her back and stares up at him from his lap.

"Hi. Thank you...I needed that." She says through a yawn and stares at him in this new angle. A huge smile forms on her face and he looks at her, curious as to what she is so giddy about.

"What?"

"From this angle, your beard looks like it's one big nose hair extending down your face...you should pluck it." She jokes and he laughs through his nose and shakes his head.

"That's not cool. Haha, it's not. You can go now." He teases and she reaches up and feels the hair upon his face. He hasn't shaved in a while, but he isn't as ragged looking as he was when his cancer was at it's worse and she sent him home. He freezes as her fingers push through the course hair on his chin and then extending upward to his jaw. He takes in every inch of her finger and the feel of them deafly feeling his face.