The whole event was not lost on Max. He knew, he just knew, that she was coming around; and he was inwardly excited. The ice was melting. He just needed to keep the warmth coming. Conversation. That was the next step to win her over.

He just needed a subject. A real subject, not small talk. A sudden thought came to mind, and he jumped on it. "So, how's your brother?"

Since Ess sat down she had not made eye contact with Max. Now, forkful of eggs frozen halfway to her mouth, she shot him a surprised look. "My brother?"

"Yeah," Max got the feeling from the look on Ess's face that he stumbled onto the wrong subject. "Ah, I remember you were trying to raise money to help pay for doctor bills. You know, the lemonade stand?" He now had an inclination that things hadn't gone well.

"Yeah, well, it was a wasted effort." The fork finally found it's way to her mouth. She looked at her plate while she chewed her food.

Max's heart twisted. Here he was trying to warm up to her, and he managed to bring back a painful memory. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault." She glanced up and noticed the shame that was written all over his face.

"Ah, right." Crap, he said he was sorry again. What an absurd show of weakness. Why couldn't he keep his cool around this woman?

"He was beyond getting well at that point. I was just too young to realize it." She felt an unexplainable need to enlighten him. Maybe it was because of the concern that was evident on his face.

Max nodded, reflecting on what he had just heard. "It appears that you are endlessly hopeful, as well as kind."

Ess huffed out a short laugh. "No, I'm endlessly naïve. My brother's illness tore my family apart. My mom was consumed by his failing health, and she forgot about the rest of us." After the words came out of her mouth she regretted them. They didn't come out the way she meant them to. "Of course, I don't hold any grudge against anyone for that, least of all my brother. He was ill; and he was wonderful. I guess it's true that only the good die young."

"Huh?" Max looked astonished at her statement. He was shocked that she made such a conclusion.

Ess couldn't understand his confusion. "You know 'Only the good Die Young'?" Max's face was blank. "The song by Billy Joel?" she clarified.

Max just shrugged and shook his head. Ess couldn't believe he'd never heard that one. "What, were you born under a rock?" she joked.

Max laughed bitterly. "Ah, yeah, now that's one I've heard." And it was evident by the strange pain that tinged the features of his face, even though he smiled. Ess realized that he really must have had a difficult childhood.

She continued on about her family to divert the direction that the conversation had headed. "Anyway, she never got over it, so I got used to being of secondary importance in my family – I got used to being alone. Turns out it was good practice for adulthood." She tried to make a joke out of it, but found that loneliness was a poor subject for humor.

With that, she stopped herself, realizing that she was relaying too much to this stranger. He just gave off this unusual aura of empathy. What a dangerous talent he had. She needed to be careful or she might find herself baring her soul to him, and that would leave her nothing except vulnerable.

When Max realized she wasn't going to continue talking he ventured with, "Well, what you did for me was important. You meant a lot to me."

Ess froze again with wide eyes and a dropped jaw, which took a moment for her to recover and hide away; and Max realized he overstepped the obsession line, again. Why on earth did he have to say that out loud?

It didn't take long for that ever-ready rosy color to warm Ess's cheeks. She concentrated once again on her food.

Max wasn't sure what to say. How could he save the conversation? She had been warming up to him, and then he opened his big mouth. Would it be wise to say something more? Should he even attempt to correct or explain his lack of discretion? Oh, what did he really have to lose at this point?

"I, ah, I didn't mean for that to sound so . . . neurotic." Ess reacted with a raised eyebrow, but still made no further eye contact.

Then, an idea came to him. He recalled something he had thought of earlier, and decided to try it out on Ess. While he poured a cup of coffee he said, "You know this 'obsession' idea has been given a bad rep. Modern society has labeled it a negative psychological condition, but I can argue against that." He pushed the mug and the box of sugar towards her. After a moment, Ess accepted the sugar and began to prepare her coffee.

Max took that as sign enough that she would hear him out. "I couldn't help but notice your copy of Pride and Prejudice in your apartment last night." She stopped mid-stir and gave him a withering glare.

"OK, I can see how bringing up the home invasion doesn't help my case, but the point is, I know you know the story." He waited for an affirmative.

"Backwards and forwards," she responded, and then added, "Are you saying that makes me obsessed? Because I really don't think that falls into the same category."

"No, no, no. Let me explain." She wasn't getting his drift. "I know the story, too. I had to read it in college." He saw the smallest hint of approval on her face, as her eyes lit up ever so slightly. "I know that it's considered one of the best love romances of all times. Well, amongst women, anyway. Most of the guys in the literature class suffered through it in agony. I, however, found myself relating to Mr. Darcy."

Ess let out a short disbelieving laugh. "Relating? To Mr. Darcy?"

"Yes," Max was a little insulted by her reaction, "Believe it or not. Mr. Darcy was, in fact, obsessed." Ess looked offended that Max would suggest such a thing of Mr. Darcy. "Don't believe me? Look at the story, again. Mr. Darcy becomes infatuated with a girl he barely knows, he fights his feelings for her, but in the end he's willing to overlook every reason not to be with her to, well, be with her."

It did, in fact, make a little bit of sense, Ess thought – a very little bit. "OK, maybe Mr. Darcy's feelings were a little on the extreme side, but at least he contained them. He didn't kidnap Elizabeth and hold her hostage in the middle of nowhere."

"Ah, but he and I have something in common there, too."

"Really? I'm waiting to be amazed." Ess gave him a challenging look.

"Well," Max paused to consider his words, "When Elizabeth's sister intended to elope with Wickham, it threatened to ruin the reputation of her entire family. So, Darcy did what he could to save Elizabeth from social disgrace. He put forth a lot of money and effort, and he suffered with the knowledge that he had to give financial help the very man he despised, the man who had already tried to damage Darcy's own sister, in order to cover up the indiscretion of Elizabeth's sister. He did it all for the woman who meant the world to him, not expecting anything in return. It wasn't until his Aunt tried unsuccessfully to get Elizabeth to promise never to marry Mr. Darcy, that he even realized he may still have a chance with her.

I know you still don't understand the necessity of bringing you out here, but I was thinking of nothing but your safety. Even if I give up my freedom in the end and go to jail, I'll risk it to keep a dangerous man from getting his hands on you."

The realization hit Ess hard. She understood. He was a little unorthodox, but in a way Max was her version of Mr. Darcy. He was less distinguished in his actions and his feelings were unsought, but he fought against his better judgment when he kidnapped her to hide her from some 'dangerous man'. Ess's story was playing out a little darker, and she couldn't imagine the outcome could be as happy, but she somehow felt less afraid of Max now that she thought of him in this respect.