Chapter 65 ~ The Choice.

''Stefan? Stefan!'' Rose tried to get through to the silent figure sitting in the alcove and clutching a book that he was reading at such a speed  that his eyes were almost a blur. ''Earth to Stefan?''

Finally, he looked up, smiling slightly and moving to make room for her. The smile only lasted a few seconds, though, before his expression became far away once more and his greeting to her was said emptily. ''Hey Rose.''

Rose, watching him carefully, took a seat. Stefan's face was even more grave than it had been over the past few days and he had a distinctly weary look about him, with purple circles around his eyes and a pale, pinched look to his face and Rose approached him warily. ''You look awful.'' She gave a small laugh, and he looked up and grinned slightly too, though his eyes remained still. ''Did you sleep at all last night?''

''It's just these dreams I've been having. Blame them on my lack of sleep and ghost-like appearance.'' Answered Stefan, attempting at humour but his voice becoming flat once more as he realised he didn't have the heart to keep up pretense. Thank god it was Rose, not Fauna, the latter tending to talk at him and be considerably less tactful, whereas Rose tended to be much more sensitive.

''So...that duel...'' Rose spoke after the pause, making a pulse of feeling run through him.

''What happened?'' Stefan questioned, looking up at her, face sober. The image of Theon and Maxine duelling together came to his mind and he felt sick, yet he wanted to know more. 

''What d'you mean?'' Rose replied, creasing her brow. 

''After the duel - what happened after the duel.'' Stefan pushed on, voice slightly stiff as he watched Rose, awaiting the answer.

Rose shrugged. ''They all got detention. And Avery and Ava are being banned from the duelling club.'' She looked at him,. ''That's what I heard, anyway.''

''Right.'' Was Stefan's quiet answer before he turned his head away to think again, focusing on the view from the window where they sat once more. He wanted to think now, not talk. Hopefully Rose picked up on that.

Unfortunately, she didn't. ''Look, Stefan - I can tell that duel affected you in some way. What happened? You just walked off.'' Rose questioned, looking at him concernedly.

''Maxine told me to go, and I did.'' Stefan answered quietly, though there was anger in his voice. ''That's all that happened. The rest you saw.''

Rose sighed and bowed her head before raising her eyes to look at him once more. Obviously she had realised how Stefan had interpreted Maxine's comment. ''Stefan, that doesn't mean she doesn't want you for a friend.'' 

''That's exactly what it means, Rose.'' Stefan answered, his voice hard and unforgiving. 

''No, look-''

''I've had enough of it.'' He cut across her, looking the girl straight in the eye. ''I've had enough of trying to be loyal and patient with her when all she does is push me away. I'm not standing by her anymore. Maxine can get by well enough on her own.''

''Stefan.'' Suddenly Rose's voice became solemn as she realised he was speaking truthfully, expressing how he honestly felt. ''Stefan, listen to me.'' He looked at her and Rose continued. ''You and Maxine are friends, whether you like it or not. Maxine and Theon, however, are not friends. Don't let him get in the way, for gods sake. Maxine does not care about him, she cares about you, and even if it doesn't seem so, she always will.''

''I appreciate your comfort, Rose, but that's not the case.'' Stefan answered, shaking his head. ''You haven't been around her when she's with Theon and I'm there. You don't know what she's like. 

''There's something wrong with her, Stefan.'' Rose's voice was blunt and she surrended all tact now. ''And you know that.''

Stefan swallowed, remembering the way Theon had slipped the ring onto Maxine's finger in the hospital wing and how it had affected her. ''Yes.'' Was his quiet answer.

Rose looked at him intently. ''Theon's done something to her, Stefan - I didn't believe it before but now I see it.'' She looked at him seriously. ''Something had to be done.''

''What convinced you?'' Stefan questioned her with intrigue. ''What convinced you that something's wrong with her?''

Rose stared him straight in the eye. ''She'd never push you away like this, and she'd never fully trust Theon.  Maxine doesn't work like that and you would do well to remember it.''

Stefan didn't answer to her last comment but he heard it. Resolute, he stood up , leaving his book on the seat, and moved to walk down the corridor

''Where are you going?'' Rose called after him, sitting up, though she knew the answer and let out a sigh of relief before speaking.

He looked back at her. ''To find Maxine and get her away from the slimy snake who's poisoning her mind.'' And with that, he turned to walk away, expression firm as he set off to save his best friend.

*    *    *    *

"A drink to victory?" Theon's voice made Maxine jump as he appeared beside her on the desk in the library, holding out what looked to be a bottle of butterbeer. Maxine's expression soon switched from the brooding look she had previously worn and grinned as he slipped into a seat next to her.

"Where did you get that?" She said with disbelief, chuckling as she eyed the bottle.

Theon grinned. "Let's just say it's not only the Hufflepuffs who can get into the kitchens. The House elves there are great friends of mine."

Maxine laughed. "You'd better make sure Professor Greenwich doesn't see you with that in here - she'll have a fit."

"Well just have to drink it before she sees it then." Answered Theon, still grinning.

"Oh of course." Maxine answered, smiling at the memory of their victories duel against the golden twins whilst Theon attempted to open the bottle of butterbeer. Her smile faded slightly, though, as she regarded Stefan's involvement in the duel. Something about him being there had felt wrong, and she couldn't concentrate with Stefan around, her head aching for no reason when he was around her, her mind suddenly overtaxed whenever she set eyes on her friend. If she could call him that anymore. Suddenly it had become so difficult to bear him being close to her, almost painful, and the two barely spent any time together anymore due to her efforts to avoid him. Sometimes she forgot about him - because it was easier to forget Stefan than think about him and mess up her head again. Not seeing him, though, troubled her. But at the same time, she couldn't stand him any longer because of the way his presence seemed to affect her. Unlike Theon.

Theon had become her friend. Her confidant. Someone she could rely on, someone she enjoyed spending time with. Theon made her forget about Stefan and all her Grimm troubles, he was someone who made her feel safe. And she just couldn't say the same about Stefan anymore. 

Not that she was in remorse for long, because the moment Theon drew her attention back onto him, Stefan was forgotten. With a loud 'pop', the cork of the butterbeer bottle went flying and hit the ceiling. At the same time, the butterbeer fizzed suddenly and froth erupted from the bottle and spilled all over Theon's lap. Maxine met his gaze after he regarded the spillage on his trousers with horror and both burst out laughing at once, though as Maxine doubled up and broke eye contact with Theon, his expression turned a sour. He didn't have much time to stare at the girl with spite, though, as the unmistakable sound of Professor Greenwich patrolling the library was heard a second later and Maxine sat up at once.

"Greenwich!" She exclaimed, then snatched the bottle of butterbeer off Theon and threw her coat over it before turned bald to him. "Quickly - dry your trousers off!" She threw his scarf at him and he caught it with amusement whilst Maxine, well versed in avoiding the wrath of the usually-pleasant-but-terrifying-when-rules-are-broken Librarian, Sarissa Greenwich, searched the vicinity for any other giveaways that would tip the Professor off. It was then she saw the cork, having bounced upwards when Theon had opened the bottle, embedded in the ceiling. At this she couldn't help but let out an explosive burst of laughter. "Theon," she tugged on his sleeve and pointed to the ceiling. "The cork." She said, between gasps of laughter.

He started to laugh at once, staring up at the ceiling and regarding it with disbelief and hilarity, but suddenly the smiles were wiped off their faces as a voice called from the right. 

"May I remind you that noise should be kept to a minimum in the library?" Professor Greenwich eyed them as they turned, sobering their faces at once.

"Yes - erm - sorry, Professor Greenwich. We'll be quieter." Answered Maxine, praying that the Professor did not notice the cork embedded in the ceiling.

Greenwich was silent for a minute as she eyed the damp patch on Theon's trousers, then looked up and spoke with a humorous glint in her eye. "Mr Hallow, I also suggest you attend to you clothing and pay a visit to the bathroom."

Maxine held back a grin as Theon blushed red, though she didn't notice the amount of fury in his eyes that was unlike the version of him she knew, though Greenwich did, raising her eyebrows to herself before turning to address Maxine.

"Also - Miss Lestrange, I meant to ask you - although I have no problem with you reading your own books in here, please so not leave them lying around." 

Maxine looked up at Greenwich with confusion, then saw the book that the Librarian was holding out, freezing as she did so. It was a Wesen book she and Stefan had studied a few months ago that had actually gone missing. But she was certain they hadn't left it in the library because they had never brought it down there. Gulping as she was both reminded of her Grimm circumstances and disturbed by the fact that someone could easily have read the book, she answered Greenwich in stutters. "Erm - yes - ah - sorry, Professor. It - it won't happen again."

Standing up, Maxine walked forward and Greenwich placed the volume in her hands. Maxine looked at the Professor sidelong as she took the book. "Erm - Professor Greenwich - did you read this book?"

Professor Greenwich shook her head. "It's got a lock on it, I figured it was private." Maxine let out a small sigh of relief. "Just make sure you don't leave it lying around again, Miss Lestrange. It can be unlocked using a simple unlocking charm, so anyone could read it."

"Yes - er - Sorry." Maxine smiled quickly and nodded, though she was still simply sighing in relief. 

Professor Greenwich eyed her then looked to Theon. "Now, I shall leave you to your reading. Lestrange, remember to put your book away and Hallw, please visit the bathroom, you look most uncomfortable." Smiling humorously, Greenwich turned and walked away, heels clacking on the wooden floor as she went. Maxine watched her go for a second, then let out a sound that was half-sigh of relief, half-laugh.

"I can't believe she thought you wet yourself." She said, still laughing as she fell back into her chair beside Theon.

Theon drove the angered look off his face and grinned. "Well, at least she didn't see the cork." He glanced at the ceiling. "That would have been a real giveaway."

Maxine chuckled and was about to look up at ceiling again when the Wesen book, which she had placed on the desk, caught her eye, and she hastily moved to slip it into her bag. Theon, however, noticed it before she could do so and placed a hand on it as she tried to take it away.

"What is this book?" He questioned, picking it up before Maxine could grip it properly and inspecting the lock before looking back to her. "Is it really yours?"

"Yes." She said tensely. "But it's private." She said, trying to imply that he should give it back to her.

"Hence the lock." He said with a grin, purposefully not picking up on the fact she wanted the book back and enjoying himself as he ignored her unsaid request. "It's really old - must be from at least a couple of centuries ago."

"It's made to look like that." Said Maxine, denying in quickly and watching him tensely. "I only got it last year. Now-"

"What - is it a diary?" He cut across, grinning and attempting to open it.

"Theon, please don't try to read it." She said desperately.

He looked at her and moved to place the book on the other side of him on the desk, speaking after a pause and smiling briefly as he finally appeared to realise she really did not want him taking a look at the contents. "Apologies." He left the book to his right, out of Maxine's reach. "I didn't mean to invade your privacy."

Maxine smiled breifly, then rose to try and get round to get to the book. Unfortunately, in the process of getting up, she kicked the bottle of butterbeer, still hidden under her coat, and Thein only just saved it by diving to the floor and propping it up at the last second.

"Oh god - sorry." Maxine stepped back as Theon brought the bottle into view. Suddenly she had become tense and her head had began to throb again, reminded of Stefan and her problems concerning Grimms and Royals. Looking at Theon again, though, she calmed down a little, the ring dispensing of the thoughts that troubled her as he spoke.

"Shall we finally have that drink to victory?" Theon asked with a grin, producing two glass from has bag and placing them on the desk beside the bottle of butterbeer. "I fancy toasting our kick-ass attack on Avey and Ava. The look in Avery's face when you hit him with that pimple jinx."

Suddenly, Maxine's cares fell away completely, her mind distracted and her expression being replaced by the 'chummy' look once more, caused by the ring whenever she was with Theon. The feelings she held for Theon were mainly influenced by the spells on the item of jewellery and wee much stronger now, actually convincing her she was best friends with the big despite the obvious flaws in his character and loyalty. Now all it took was one more push and shed trust him completely and Stefan would be out of her head. A push that had been planned carefully by the scheming Golden Twins only the day before the supposedly unscripted duel.

"I will admit, that was satisfying." Maxine took her glass of butterbeer and laughed, thoughts concerning Grimms and Stefan dispersing. 

"You were so great in that duel." Theon went on, looking at her admiringly. "How on earth do you react that fast?"

Maxine laughed embarrassedly. "You were pretty good yourself, Theon."

He shook his head, grinning. "If you hadn't had my back I'd have surely failed."

"Oh, stop criticising yourself." Maixne pushed him good naturedly. "You were great, trust me. Especially when you hit Ava with the stunner at the end as well." Maxine laughed. "I shall treasure the look on her face forevermore."

Theon smiled quickly, but his face became sober and his answer was devoid of humour and quiet in volume. "Yeah, that was good."

Maxine looked at him with concern. "Theon, what's wrong?" 

Theon continued to stare down at the floor, sighing. The truthful reason for this sigh was due to the amount of effort he was going to have to make to convince Maxine in the next few minutes, but Maxine interpreted it as difficulty to say what was on his mind.

"Theon, you can tell me. We aren't friends if we can't help each other." Maxine's answer surprised her, it was so genuine, and certainly made Theon smile. 

"Look, Maxine, do you trust me?" He looked her straight in the eye. "Honestly?"

"I-" Maxine paused, Stefan's previous efforts to convince her otherwise coming to mind. But the power of the ring, the image of Theon battling Avery and Ava without hesitation and striking Ava down confidently, won her over and suddenly she was convinced. Suddenly, Theon had succeeded. "Yes." She looked at him honestly, energy buzzing through her from the ring. "Yes, I trust you Theon."

He smiled slightly at her, then spoke after a pause. "I just thought...well, your friends have suspicious opinions of me." He said, pushing his luck and testing her loyalty.

"And I have my own opinions as well." Maxine answered, becoming more resolute by the second. "But why question my trust of you now, Theon?"

"Because I know you haven't fully trusted me most of time we've been friends." He answered, looking at her gravely. "And that she you are influenced by your friends."

Maxine sighed, then confessed. "You're right, I didn't trust you at first. But you have to understand - you dated Ava and-"

"And...thought I still had feelings for her?" Theon cut across, looking at Maixne intently.

Maixne had been about to add more reasons on, but, staring into his dark eyes, the ring compelled her to answer with a single: "Yes."

Theon sat up and laughed bitterly. "Yeah, I once had feelings for Ava. But, as you can see, I find her utterly unbeatable now. I don't know why I ever dated her in the first place." He looked at Maxine. "You believe me, right?"

"I already said I do." She answered. "Theon, you don't have to prove anything to me anymore. After the duel, I trust you. Honestly." Impulsively, Maixne put her hand on his.

Theon met her gaze and suddenly time stopped again. Energy flowing through her body from the ring, willing her to bend closer, Maxine and Theon stared into each other's eyes, bending close still...

And Stefan arrived just in time to heard Maxine tell Theon she trusted him with what sounded to him like utter conviction. He watched as they bent closer, and as he coughed and the two looked up to see him, knew what he had stopped from happening. And as he walked away, he vowed to himself that he would stop Theon from going any further.  

Now was the time to take action and find out what Maxine's ring did to her. The time to work out what exactl was influencing her. The time to follow Theon Hallow and find out what exactly he was up to - after dark.