in the shadows[open]

[Deleted]

Max smiled softly as he stopped at the light. "It's always nice to hear that someone was worried. Even if it wasn't nice for them at the time. I don't think you could have known how many people would be worried and praying for you. A lot of people care about you, son. There's a box with all the newspaper articles about your disappearance that were saved. Your family was able to cope eventually, but don't think for a second that they ever moved on. I've never seen your family fit together without you."

As the light turned green, he switched lanes and turned into the parking lot. When Dalton answered him, he looked at him, his eyebrows furrowing. The poor kid. He unseatbelted and when Dalton closed his eyes, he reached over and wrapped his arms around him again. "It's all right. Let it out. There's nothing wrong with crying," he whispered. Max remembered how many nights he spent crying after his kidnappers left. He knew how the boy was feeling. He pulled him closer, into a tight hug and rubbed his back. Poor boy. At least Max would be able to help him through it.

[Dalton Stone]

"There is?" And while Dalton didn't want his family to have to worry endlessly about him or to have to go about their lives thinking of what might have come of him, he was glad that they thought about him. He was grateful that there were prayers and people who looked for him, because he had felt so alone. He didn't know anyone looked for him anymore. In fact, he was told several times that no one was anymore. He thought that the only person he had was the man that he lived with. Although, deep down he knew it wasn't so and he wanted to go home. He wanted his parents and his siblings. He just didn't know how to get out of there and he didn't know how to have the strength to really try. And part of him cared about the person that had hurt him and taken him away from his family. He was so dependent on him, he couldn't help it.

As Max's arms wrapped around him, he practically fell against him, immediately sobbing because he couldn't hold it back. He tried. He wanted to be strong and to keep people from worrying. He didn't want his parents to see him as being weak or messed up. He wanted them to see him as they used to and to treat him normal, because he wanted so badly to be normal. "I didn't always say no..." He admitted quietly after he'd cried for a couple of minutes. Then, pulling back just so he could look at Max again, he looked scared for a moment, not of Max, but of himself and it showed in his next question. "Does that make me a bad person?"

[Deleted]

Max shook his head. "Dalton," he said, softly. "The idea that any of that could make you a bad person is just absurd. You're a child. You were going through a very frightening and confusing time that no child should ever have to experience. It doesn't matter if you said yes, no, or even begged for it. It does not make you a bad person. You know what it does say about you?" he raised his eyebrows. He knew that what he was about to tell Dalton was something that was strange to him. He was prepared for the teenager to not even believe it. But it was true, every word.

"It says you're strong. Stronger than the cowards who decided to steal you away. You went through all of this, and you are mentally stable, you were able to discern that you needed to come home, and you called your mother. My god, Dalton. You're a hero. Most kids wait to be rescued; you saved yourself. You're a real blessing, Dalton." he paused before looking at him. "And I would suggest you take part in some activities in my congregation. The good Lord didn't preserve you alive and stable for no reason. Please don't let your second chance go to waste. You can find so much happiness and purpose in doing God's will."