Practice has ended and the four roommates have arrived back at the Monarossabergie House. Right when they entered home sweet home, Max makes a dead sprint to his room.

“Maxi!” Joseph reaches out toward the hallway, but Brandon grabs his shoulder, pulling him back into the foyer.

“Let him be,” he tells him lowly, staring ahead at the now empty hallway. “Give him time. He’ll come around.”

Joseph gives the hallway a deadly look. “He'd better.” He then stalks across the foyer and makes the bend into the living room; Brandon follows behind him.

On the other side of the room in the kitchen, Nick is already at the refridgerator, searching through it. “What do we have to eat…?”

“Frustration.” Joseph plops himself on the sofa with crossed arms. Brandon stands next to him.

“Do you boys want something to eat?” Max is heard saying from behind them.

They all look toward the foyer, where Max is stepping into the living room.

Joseph, seeing that Max is finally talking to them, sighs with relief. “Yes.” His eyes look more heavy-lidded than before with tired relief.

“I want Cali Comfort BBQ,” Nick yammers from the kitchen. He is talking about the San Diegan sports barbeque restaurant and bar that supports their team. “Their ribs are good…!”

“I’ll order ribs for everyone.” Max pulls out his phone, turns around, and walks back into the foyer.

Brandon peers down at Joseph. “Well, at least he still cares about us.”

Joseph stares ahead with an apathetic mien. “Hm.”

---

Later on, the food has made its way to the dining table. Full racks of ribs and large bowls of cornbread, wedding beans, and coleslaw are spread out on the dining table. The four residents of the Monarossabergie House are serving and munching on the food that is displayed.

“Mmmmm…” Nick, with his hands occupied by a rib, runs his tongue around his mouth to collect the leftover barbecue sauce. “This is a yummy post-practice lunch!”

From the other side of the table, Joseph is sharply eyeing eying Max, who is next to him. Max is too lost in his thoughts while finishing up his cheese and jalapeño cornbread to notice that he is being watched.

“Can I have a napkin, Maxi?” Joseph asks him gravely.

Max continues eating, oblivious of his name being called.

“Maxi?” Joseph stares hard at him. “Max. Fribhead. Sir Max—”

Max jolts up, finally getting the message, and turns to his best friend. “Hm?” His eyebrows are shot up.

“Napkin.” Joseph extends his free, barbecue-covered hand out toward the pile of napkins that are next to Max.

“Oh!” Max picks a napkin and holds it out to him.

Joseph snatches the napkin and wipes his hands and mouth.

Max then mindlessly picks a bare, cold rib bone from the plate of bones and begins chewing on it.

Brandon notices the odd move by the Swede. “Um, Maxi…?” He eyes him with concern. “...that has no more meat.”

Max halts gnawing at the meatless bone. “Oh?” He peers at the bone. “Oh!” His face flares red as he begins to chuckle in embarrassment. “Heh heh heh heh…” He slowly puts the bone back in its place.

“That’s it.” Joseph thrusts his half-eaten rib, wipes his hands quickly with his napkin, then spins to his best friend. “Maxi, what’s going on?” he growls with graveness. “And don’t you dare run away.” He points at him with lowered eyebrows.

Brandon and Nick also turn to Max. Now all eyes and pressure are on the head of the house.

“Oh dear…” Max lowers his eyes with a sadden expression. “I-I-I don’t know how to tell you guys though…”

“Tell us what?” Nick cocks his head with interest.

Max slowly lifts his eyes up. “That I’m gonna be traded.”

Silence immediately engulfs the entire house. Joseph and Brandon begin gawking at him.

“Op!” Max’s hands fly over his mouth with wide eyes. “I’m sorry if that’s too harsh!”

Brandon is staring at him in a daze. “You’re gonna be…”

“...traded?” Joseph finishes off lowly.

Max nods his head as he straightens himself up. “I was told right before practice. That’s why Coach called me in. It was devastating news. And-and I didn’t know how to tell you guys…that’s why I was avoiding you, so that I can figure out the least hurtful way to tell you guys.” He dips his head with sorrow. “I’m so sorry.”

“No.” Joseph shakes his head with eyes as big as pucks. “No, Maxi. You can’t be traded. You can’t—!”

“I’m sorry, but I am,” Max cuts in tenderly. “I’m going to leave tonight.”

“But we have a game tomorrow!” Brandon cries out, throwing his hands out from his side. “We need you for the game!”

“I can’t stick around. I must be in St. John’s by tomorrow morning.”

Joseph slams his hands flat on the table, halfway from standing up. “ST. JOHNS?!” he bellows. “ST. JOHNS!?”

Max nods his head. “Yes.”

Joseph is now on his feet, hunched over his dinner with his eyes glued on his best friend. “Out of all the teams in the league, you’re going to St. John’s!?”

“Yes, Joseph,” he replies calmly. “That’s my new team.”

“NO!” Joseph slams his hand against the table, then points to the table passionately. “This is your team!” He slaps his hand over his heart. “WE are your team! No other team will be your team!” He jabs his finger at Max vigorously to the rhythm of his speech. “You are going to stay here and never leave! We need you!”

Max has great posture on his chair with a soft gaze on him. “Trust me, Joseph, I would take you guys over any other team any day. But-but I have no say in this. There’s nothing else I can do.” He shrugs with a sigh. “I must go.”

“Will you come back?” Brandon asks with a frightened mien.

Max slumps down in his chair. “Most likely not. I won’t be able to see you guys again during the season, not even play against you guys.” He lifts his eyes up at his roommate.

Joseph has now seated himself back down. His eyes are casted downward with his mouth zipped close.

“We’re gonna miss you a lot,” Brandon tells Max, almost in a whisper.

“I am too. I hate to say this, trust me.” Max lifts himself back up in a straightened position. “But it’s the truth and that’s how this league goes.” He shrugs. “It’s a monster.”

Silence comments on Max’s statement. Max then slowly turns to his best friend. “Joseph...do you understand?”

“I’ll take you to the airport,” Joseph murmurs to the floor.

Max spreads a crumbled smile on his face as his eyes turn glassy. Joseph pulls him into a side hug; Brandon joins in on the hug from Max’s other side.

Nick continues eating his dinner as the three former Admirals absorb the supporting hug during the dawn of this arduous time.

---

A lonely Jeep rolls through the upper level of the San Diego International Airport, where the drop-off area is located. Max is observing out the window for the station where the sign of his airline is hanging above.

“Right here,” Max tells Brandon, who is the driver, as he points to the station that is at the end of the road.

Brandon pulls the car over to the right curb and puts it in park. Max opens the door, steps off, and rounds the Jeep to the back. He opens up the trunk and unloads his luggage.

Joseph hops off as well and joins Max behind the Jeep as Max straightens up from placing his luggage on the road. He pulls him into a strong hug for a moment, then lets go and gives him a sturdy handshake.

“I’m gonna miss you a lot, my best friend and roommate,” he tells him meaningfully in a low voice. “The Habs got a great player.”

Max tilts his head at him with pursed lips and longing eyes. “Aw, I’m gonna miss you, too. Make the Ducks proud.” He places a firm hand up on his shoulder. “For me.”

Joseph dips his head, then lifts his massive eyes at him and nods without a single word.

Brandon appears from the side of the Jeep. He squeezes Max into a side-hug. “Bye, Maxi.”

“Goodbye, Monty.” Max pulls him into a full hug. He then pulls away with a pat on Brandon’s back.

Max turns to his best friend. “Hej då, Joseph,” he tells him in Swedish.

Joseph facial expression mimics one of a child being left behind by his family. “Hej då, Sir Max,” he forces out quietly in a perfect accent.

Max grabs onto the two handles of his suitcases and pulls them up, ready to roll. Then with one last look, he turns around, steps onto the curb, and paces toward the ticket stands. He stops in front of a stand and talks to the airport worker that is on the other side of it.

Brandon and Joseph stand in the place Max left them, their eyes glued on their leaving friend.

After communicating to the worker for a bit, Max hands his luggage to him, who places the items on the conveyer belt that is behind him. He then turns to his left and walks down to the end of the station, where the opening of the tunnel that connections to the airport’s main building is located. And there he enters into the darkness, no longer able to be seen.

That is it.

Max is gone.

Notes

E.2 "Here Comes Trouble...!"
Part 5/7
Episode 2/20

PS In the AAOOOSC! world, when one is notified s/he is traded, s/he can still practice with the team before leaving.