On A Horizon • •

[Maxwell Oscar Granger]

Max hadn’t exactly been himself since the unspoken drama in Australia went down. There was still no one in his life who knew the truth and he did a damn good job at hiding it whenever things seemed to be weighing heavy on his heart. In a way taking his university education to Sydney had allowed him to grow and change enough so that his move to New York and reunion with Caleb and Ayden hadn’t left him appearing suspicious to either of his old high school buddies. If he was a mess, then he could play it off pretty well.

Ever since that day in the park though, Max had been able to drag his thoughts away from the incidents on the other side of the globe and focus more on bringing Tabby out of her shell. Brooke already seemed to have that outgoing personality about her, but her mother was a lot more reserved than the mom’s Max was used to meeting around that area of the park. Children seemed to be a great conversation starter and once Max had confessed that the twins in the stroller were actually of no relation to him, but it was his job, the conversations seemed to continue, especially with the single moms who had a bit of a predatory thing for men who didn’t mind cleaning away throw-up and changing diapers. It had also landed him with some child-minding work of an evening so long as it didn’t clash with anything Ayden and Caleb had planned.

Tonight though, he was the one with the plans and he picked the snacks up on his way across the city to Tabby’s apartment that he already knew she shared with her twin. Tonight, apparently, said twin would be out and it would just be the two of them and Brooke who would be asleep before they started any of the movies that didn’t have animated characters in. The blonde haired man didn’t have any expectations for the evening and he didn’t intend to make a move on the single mom; he just wanted to hang out with Tabby and get her to relax a little bit, since she always seemed so tense to him. The journey wasn’t a long one, even with the brief detour to the store for snacks. Soon enough, he was parking up and crossing the street to her building, glancing down at his hand for the floor and apartment number; he had scrawled it there from his phone not long before he left his place. A strong knock on the door to make sure she heard him and the paper bag of sugary and salty treats in his arms, Max was ready and all Tabby had to do now was invite him inside and their evening could begin.

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• • •

TAGGED! Tabby
WORDS! 502!
OUTFIT! Cool Boy!
LYRICS! Forever Unstoppable - - - Hot Chelle Rae
NOTES! <3

[Tabitha Kyler Patterson]

In truth, Brooke was a lot more like her mother than Tabby cared to admit. The little girl had all the qualities Tabby had had at that age, and throughout her life; up until she'd moved to New York, of course. She was talkative and bubbly; full of fun and curiousity. Even in the short while she'd spent in New York, the toddler had been winning hearts and treats from almost everyone who met her. It was getting easier for Tabby to embrace her and every memory the girl brought up, but, now and again, she'd turn her head and give her mother a glimpse of the other genes she posessed. Little things, but, they were enough to drive Tabby insane with remembering events that she never wanted her darling daughter exposed to.

She'd been tense since Brooke had come around. It was the stress of settling her baby, working more hours without school to distract, and of trying to pay her half of the quickly-mounting bills. Her savings had been drained quite a bit in order to provide some comforts for her daughter, though KC had pitched in for the adorable baby clothes. It was still stress-inducing for Tabby though, and, even if she was spending time with a certain relaxed gentleman, she often found herself being forced into an unwanted panic attack at the smallest of things. Brooke's disappearence at the park hadn't helped her heart any and, even if her daughter had been returned to her, she had promised never to let the child out of her sight again while in public.

Tonight, Tabby was actually somewhat relaxed. KC was out for the night, Brooke was playing peacefully and not fussing, and Max was coming over for a movie night. The apartment was peaceful and homey and, after a quick round of cleaning, Tabby was prepared for her new friend to step inside for the evening. Brooke kept babbling his name as she chased after her mother, producing a smile from Tabby. The little mom brought out blankets and pillows to the living room, piling them on the couch and setting out a few DVD's. Brooke came toddling out with her favorite blanket, one that had arrived with her and that she hadn't slept without since being in the big city. She put it on top of all the others, grinning at her mom before trying to climb up the mound of fabric.

Tabby laughed and went to keep her from falling, her smile widening as she heard the knock on the door. She scooped up Tabby and balanced her on her hip and went to answer the door. Turning the knob, she grinned at Max and stepped aside for him to come in. Brooke squealed in delight, her eyes widening at the sight of so many treats. "I see you came prepared," Tabby teased jokingly. "You can set those on the counter. Brooke shouldn't be able to attack them there." Tabby kissed the side of her daughter's head, closing and locking the door and following Max into the tiny kitchen.

• • •

WORDS: 536!
TAG: Max!
LOCATION: Watching Movies, Her Place
LYRICS: Standing in Front of You by Kelly Clarkson
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Maxwell Oscar Granger]

Not many people realised when they first met Max that he had a shiny, spangly degree that was framed and hanging on his wall. He had yet to meet someone who wasn’t surprised when he told them that the piece of paper represented four years of hard work and that he was actually a graduate of law and social sciences. Back when parties and beer were the typical weekend for him, Max had actually planned on becoming a lawyer and practicing family law in the courts. He still thought about it now and one day planned on picking up those dreams that had temporarily been discarded. He just couldn’t throw himself into life the way he used to when everything had happened with Iris and suddenly he hadn’t felt like he could stand there and advise other families on their own problems and situations. If there was one feeling in the world that Max despised it was feeling hypocritical; he couldn’t very well help fix someone else’s life when his own was such a mess.

He played a good role with the charming smile and the occasional flirty remark, but the truth was that Max just did all of that to try and convince himself that everything was alright. There was nothing he could do right now and there were days when it felt like he had no troubles at all, but mainly he just didn’t want anyone to see him or judge him for what he had done. It hadn’t been his proudest of times, but he also hadn’t really cared; he was just following his heart.

That was slowly moving behind him now, though. He’d never forget it and it would always be something that brought out a darker side to his character, but being in New York and back around friends did seem to be helping him. It also didn’t hurt that he had the likes of Tabby to hang out with when he could talk the pretty mom into it. He greeted her with a grin and then reached over to playfully “steal” Brooke’s nose. “Well, it’s only polite that I show up with enough sugar to have this little beauty bouncing off the walls in an hour.”

[/color] He said with a boyish grin, placing the bag on the side well out of Brooke’s reach. “I’m telling you, Cal and Ayden will regret it once the twins are old enough. I’m getting them both hyper as I can and then handing them back over.”[/color] It was the “threat” he often used back at the house and one that usually got a laugh from Cal and more of a glare from Ayden. It would be tempting to try it out though when the twins were older, at least just once. “So, what are we watching tonight?”[/color] He asked, clapping his hands together.
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• • •

TAGGED! Tabby
WORDS! 512!
OUTFIT! Cool Boy!
LYRICS! Forever Unstoppable - - - Hot Chelle Rae
NOTES! <3

[Tabitha Kyler Patterson]

While Tabby did regret all of the terrible memories from her brief time as a California girl, she couldn't bring herself to reget having Brooke. The dark-haired toddler was a curse and a blessing and, while Tabby did still wish she had the security and safety that had been promised when the frightened mother had given her up, she was glad the girl had found a way back to her. Brooke had been the light of her life since her arrival, even if she did turn the college student's world upside down. Day care, bed time stories, and midnight nightmares; all things the little mother had had to face. Tabby enjoyed every moment of it though, and, with some help from her twin, she'd gotten her daughter adjusted to New York life.

Max was one of the very few people Tabby felt comfortable around. She had friends of course, but, none of them gave her that feeling of calm that the flirty babysitter did. He was fun, and he got along wonderfully with Brooke; it seemed like he was winning over both their hearts at the same time. This was the first time Tabby had had a guy over to the apartment, and, while she was sure it wasn't a date, part of her was realizing that maybe it could be. She didn't want to complicate her life with a boyfriend; that could end badly, especially if the little girl got attatched and was devastated when the guy walked off. But, it didn't stop Tabby from wanting to feel that rush of romance again, those butterflies and silly giggles. Could she afford the cost if things ended badly though?

Brooke squealed again at Max's playing, clapping her hands and pointing at the sugary goodies on the counter. Tabby kept a tight grip on her and laughed fondly at the hyper little girl. "She's already bouncing off the walls; has been since her nap this afternoon," she said. Heading into the living room, she called over her shoulder, "Brooke picked out a movie first, but, after she's down for the night, we can watch whatever you'd like. KC left some she'd rented the other night, and I've got a few horror flicks stashed out of reach of little hands." Tabby smiled and set Brooke down on the couch, kissing her forehead and tucking her blanket around her. "Did you bring out your fishy?" she cooed, looking around for the well-loved stuffed fish that Brooke kept practically glued to her side. She found the plush in the pile of blankets and set it next to her daughter, smiling one more time at her before looking back at Max. "I hope you're not terribly opposed to Finding Nemo. That's all we watch around here somedays," Tabby said with a laugh as she went to pop the DVD into the player.

• • •

WORDS: 513!
TAG: Max!
LOCATION: Watching Movies, Her Place
LYRICS: Standing in Front of You by Kelly Clarkson
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Maxwell Oscar Granger]

If things had worked out differently, Max might never have come to New York. If Iris had let him be the father he was rightfully supposed to be then he would still be in Australia and probably working for a law firm in some capacity already. He wouldn’t need this time to “find himself” and life would probably be so very different for him. On the other hand, if those things he wished were real had been, then he wouldn’t have come to the city that never sleeps, would never have reunited with Ayden and Caleb and chose to look after their two children and he would never have met Tabby. He might still be changing diapers, but it wouldn’t be around those people and with the same laughs he was having now with them all.

Being good with children was a talent that seemed to come naturally to the young man. He had taken care of his neighbour’s children since he was a teenager and moving about so much meant that he really did get a chance to deal with even the more troublesome children who thought being in the care of someone who wasn’t their parent meant that they could run wild and cause as much chaos as their imaginative minds could muster. Alas, Max didn’t stand for trouble and he could keep up with the kids. Still, it meant he had the job he had now and got to spend time with other parents without feeling uncomfortable or freaked out if their children threw a tantrum or grew upset by something. He didn’t really call those parents his good friends, but he did occasionally come through as an emergency sitter when they needed it. Really, Tabby was the only mom he hung about with without actually having any other reason than he wanted to be around her, help her relax and take some of the pressures of motherhood away from her, even if it was only for a few hours.

Grinning, the more flirtatious side of Max began to creep through. “What can I say? Girls can’t resist the charm.”

[/color] He joked, winking at Tabby before following her through to the living room of the apartment. “Sounds good to me. I’ll pretty much watch anything that doesn’t star Hugh Jackman; I can’t stand the man.”[/color] He didn’t know what it was about the actor, but he seemed to be so overrated in Max’s opinion and he didn’t like any of the films his name was attached to. Smiling again, Max took a seat on the couch and playfully tickled the little girl already seated there. “I like fishies.”[/color] He said, laughing as he played with Brooke and waited for Tabby to join them.
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• • •

TAGGED! Tabby
WORDS! 493!
OUTFIT! Cool Boy!
LYRICS! Forever Unstoppable - - - Hot Chelle Rae
NOTES! <3

[Tabitha Kyler Patterson]

California was supposed to have been Tabby's time to try and figure out who she was, and what she was going to do with her life. Sadly, no matter how many waves she surfed or where she travelled to, the young woman still hadn't been able to define herself. She'd tried her hardest while out there, but nothing had fit; nothing felt right. Even in New York, Tabby didn't feel content. There was something bigger for her out there, and she was going to find it one day, however long off that awaited day might be.

She popped the DVD into the player, laughing softly as she heard Brooke start giggling from the couch. The little girl loved Max, and much of her babbling included his name. He was so great with her, Tabby had to wonder how he'd gotten his knack for kids. Even she got frustrated more times than not with Brooke, if only because she was exhausted or stressed out from school. Still, Max seemed to have it all figured out when it came to children, but she didn't consider him a babysitter for Brooke. If she ever went out, he'd probably be with her, which therefore excluded him from the phone list in her cell.

Tabby came back to the couch and sat on the opposite side of her daughter, sandwiching her safely between the two adults in the room. Brooke was still giggling up a storm and talking in her baby-language at Max, hugging her fishy close and cuddling into her mother's lap. Tabby wrapped her up in a blanket and pulled one down for herself before shyly offering the other half of the fleece to Max. "Might as well get comfortable," she said, biting her lip and giving him a smile. Tabby pressed the "Play" button on the remote, kissing Brooke's soft curls as she squealed at the sight of her favorite movie rolling across the screen.

• • •

WORDS: 401!
TAG: Max!
LOCATION: Watching Movies, Her Place
LYRICS: Standing in Front of You by Kelly Clarkson
NOTES: <3 <3 <3

[Maxwell Oscar Granger]

Growing up around the globe, Max had picked up quirks and habits from the different cultures and places he had temporarily called home. Most of the time it was just language slips when he was tired or thinking of a certain place, but he was pretty certain that he had plenty of souvenirs and memorabilia filling his room that gave away the tales of his travels. Even now in New York he couldn’t say if he would settle down here or not; he was too used to packing everything up and moving somewhere entirely different every couple of years. One day that might change, but Max knew enough to know that if he was going to be happy then he would have to find somewhere where he felt like he belonged. For now, New York worked and there were that many transplants in the city that he didn’t stick out in the slightest if he accidently ordered a coffee in Italian or had a tainted accent when he pronounced certain things.

Family meant a lot to Max. He had been raised in cultures that valued stable family dynamics and put emphasis on parents spending time with their children. His mom had home schooled him for most of that time and even with his dad’s hectic work schedule, he still found the time to take little Max out to see the sights and attend the local festive events that they didn’t have in wherever had been their previous home. It was probably why his original intentions were to be working in family law, ensuring all kids got a chance at the best home and future. He didn’t like to see separated families, but it happened and Max wanted to be someone who helped bridge the gap. One day, maybe, he’d fall back into that, but until he could settle his issues with his own past he felt like he had no right to be guiding others on theirs. So, for now, he took solace in working with children and keeping them entertained when their parents were busy.

He leaned back against the couch and got comfortable as the film started up, pulling a silly face at Brooke as the little girl settled in Tabby’s lap. Max smiled across at Tabby and took the half of the fleece she offered him, draping it over himself as he settled in for the movie he remembered well. The twins were too young, but he had babysat back in Australia when Finding Nemo had first been released and there were scenes of this movie he could probably quote word for word if he sat back and actually tried. “So, if this is Brooke’s favourite movie, what’s yours?”

[/color] He asked, flicking his eyes momentarily across to where Tabby sat.
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• • •

TAGGED! Tabby
WORDS! 498!
OUTFIT! Cool Boy!
LYRICS! Forever Unstoppable - - - Hot Chelle Rae
NOTES! <3