Go! She told him to go and Max didn’t need anything else. His body leaned toward the opening and he was ready to jump. He couldn’t get out of hell fast enough. At least his first thoughts and moves told him so. But something hit him hard as he was about to make that cross over. It felt like warm whispers. It was Thad and Veti. Veti was calling him back yet there was something in her voice that Max could hear as tired soft strenght. Sexy strength. He wanted to go there and see for himself this new power he felt from that fine woman. 

It was Thad that stopped him. Without words he let Max know he couldn’t come back without doing everything he could to bring Daisy with him. And Veti would agree. If she knew. If she could. 

“Shit!” Max swung back around and glared at that pink punk girl scout. She would be the muck that sucked him down. Again. He stomped away from the opening not a happy camper at all and stood grumbling beside the death chick,

“Much as I hate it, I’m not gona leave you here. Veti would never forgive me.” He made his stand wide ready to punch something. “Yea, this is me being some hero or just another dick in your way.” 

Max looked around trying to figure out what he should do. Just cause he didn’t take the chance to run through that opened portal doesn’t mean he isn't planning to rush them all back as soon as he could. No trade. Not anymore. Death best friend girl was going with him, sure as shit. Now he just had to make that happen. 

“I can at least distract Monster Mutt, while you work on this family crap you got going on.” This was her history or something in this gate of death that wanted her to stay home. Or something. 

 He took a turn toward Semyon. Was he a dick hero type too.? That guy had to make his own choice. With a nod of his head Max gestured toward the opening. He could go. No reason he had to stay at all. But Max didn’t say anything. Why should he? 

Instead he turned toward the growl that was growing. Max scrunched his face, lowered his shoulders and howled right back. Come on puppy.

Thad felt Max come and then go. That’s how it should be. That was right. And if Veti ever found out she would think so too. But something inside Thad felt his heart sink knowing he was so close to wrapping his arms around the woman he loved, really loved, and wiping her tears away. No, kissing them away. He could taste them. He could feel her. Yet he couldn’t. 

He wasn’t there.

So instead of trying to work through the ache of sensing Veti but not feeling her, he turned toward the space in the colors of things where the death hole had opened and he found himself cheering for those pink curls to make it back. Come on Daisy. Come on.