The sun had barely risen, and the heavy weight of the previous day was still tugging at Melanie's eyelids. She had barely gotten any sleep after the madness of the night before—Hank and Barb's sudden arrival, the pitbull running wild, Billy and Nora's unexpected appearance, and the utter chaos that had unfolded in the house. She had slipped into her room, buried herself in the ball pit, and tried to find solace in the silence, but it didn't last long. Eventually, the loud noises from downstairs had faded into a dull thrum, and she found herself drifting into an uneasy sleep.

But that was hours ago.

Now, her body felt like lead, each muscle aching in protest. She tried to stretch as she sat up in bed, but a sharp twinge in her back made her wince. I shouldn't have stayed up so late, she thought, rubbing her temples as the memory of last night's chaos flooded back. She sighed, glancing out her window to the soft morning light. It wasn't that she wanted to sleep in; it was just that her body had rebelled against her and refused to cooperate after the events of the day before.

The rehearsal for Swan Lake with Phoebe had drained her more than she expected. They had spent hours running through the choreography, practicing the intricate movements, and trying to perfect every pirouette and arabesque. As much as she loved ballet, the intensity of the rehearsal had left her exhausted. And while she had tried her best to keep up, the exhaustion weighed her down, making each leap and turn feel like a thousand pounds.

Melanie sat up fully now, pushing the covers off her body. As her feet touched the floor, she felt an unsettling numbness creeping up from her toes. She blinked, her body slow to register the sensation. Her feet felt like they were made of stone, like they had lost all sensation. She flexed her toes, but the feeling didn't return. Panic clawed at her throat, but she forced herself to take a deep breath. Maybe it's just the exhaustion, she reasoned, rubbing her feet in an attempt to coax some feeling back into them. But nothing changed. The numbness was still there, spreading slowly up her calves.

"What the heck is going on?" she murmured under her breath, feeling a small knot form in her stomach. She stood up cautiously, testing her weight on her legs. The numbness was almost unbearable now, and she felt a wave of dizziness wash over her as her legs trembled beneath her.

It's just sleep deprivation, she told herself. You're fine. You just need to relax.

But as she took a step forward, her legs buckled beneath her, and she collapsed back onto the bed, her head spinning. The sudden wave of dizziness made her eyes water, and she had to close them, willing herself not to panic. She tried to breathe deeply, but her chest felt tight. Her thoughts were a blur as she lay there, staring at the ceiling, willing her body to cooperate.

The door creaked open, and Melanie turned her head, seeing Max standing there. His messy hair and sleepy eyes told her that he, too, had had a long night. He had come over to her place earlier to hang out, but she'd barely seen him since their last chaotic moments together. His face softened with concern when he saw her sitting on the bed, her face pale and her body stiff.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, his voice gentle. His gaze flickered to her feet, still immobile on the floor. "You look... off."

"I'm fine," she lied, forcing a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. She could tell he wasn't buying it, and she cursed herself for even pretending.

"Mel," Max started again, moving toward her, "you don't look fine. What happened?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but the words didn't come. Instead, she felt a fresh wave of dizziness hit her, and her vision blurred. She tried to shake it off, but everything seemed to spin in slow motion. Max was beside her in an instant, his hand steadying her back, his fingers warm against her cold skin.

"You're not okay," Max said firmly, sitting down beside her. "Come on, let's get you to lie down properly." His voice was calm, but she could sense the underlying concern in it.

Max helped her adjust, sliding his arm around her back and carefully easing her down onto the bed. She couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed as she let him do all the work, but the sensation in her feet was only getting worse. She closed her eyes, hoping that if she just rested for a moment, it would pass.

"I should've told you to go to bed earlier," Max murmured as he sat beside her, his voice quiet. He gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face. "We pushed ourselves too hard yesterday."

Melanie shook her head slightly. "No, it's not that," she said softly, though it was hard to speak. "I think it's... it's just everything catching up with me. The rehearsal... the craziness with Phoebe and everyone..."

Max nodded in understanding but said nothing more. Instead, he stayed beside her, quietly letting her gather her thoughts. The room was silent for a long moment, save for the soft rustling of the sheets and the distant hum of traffic outside.

After a while, Melanie felt a small bit of relief as her body began to relax. The numbness in her feet hadn't entirely gone, but the dizziness had subsided. Slowly, she felt the sensation start to return to her legs, though it was weak and slow, as if her body was waking up from a long sleep. She sighed, grateful that the worst of it seemed to have passed, but she still felt strange, like her body was working harder than it should to regain its strength.

"I'm sorry, Max," she whispered, barely above a breath. "I didn't mean to worry you."

Max smiled, his hand gently squeezing hers. "Don't apologize, Mel. I'm just glad you're okay." He paused, brushing a hand over his face. "You really scared me there for a second."

She met his gaze, offering a weak smile. "I'm not going anywhere," she said quietly. "I just need a little rest."

Max chuckled softly. "Yeah, well, you deserve it. You've been through a lot lately."

"I know," she replied, closing her eyes again, the exhaustion creeping back into her bones. "It's just... everything feels so overwhelming right now."

"I get it," Max said softly, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on the back of her hand. "But we'll get through it. You don't have to do it alone."

Melanie squeezed his hand in response, grateful for his support. She wanted to say more, wanted to express all the feelings she had swirling inside her, but for now, she was too tired. Her body, already drained from the stress of the last few days, simply wanted rest.

With Max beside her, she finally let herself relax, drifting in and out of consciousness as her body slowly healed itself, her mind quieting for the first time in what felt like forever.

☆☆

Max stood in the middle of the backyard, his camera rolling as he set up his "epic fail" video. Billy and Nora were lined up, ready for their moment of chaos. Billy, as usual, had his own unique way of preparing.

"Are you guys ready to make the best epic fail video ever?" Max grinned, his excitement palpable as he adjusted his camera.

Nora, holding the bat with confidence, raised an eyebrow. "We were born ready," she replied, twirling the bat like a pro, giving it a few test swings.

Billy, however, was completely caught up in his own strange ritual. "Pig Billy. Boy Billy. Pig Billy. Boy Billy," he muttered, shaking his nose up and down, his mind clearly elsewhere.

Max rolled his eyes. "Focus, Billy. You're supposed to get hit with the bat. That's the point of the fail."

Melanie walked into the scene, her graceful presence adding a contrast to the chaotic energy of the backyard. She had just finished a rehearsal for Swan Lake with Phoebe, and despite being tired, she still looked put together, her ballet attire tucked under a loose hoodie. She smiled softly at Phoebe, who had walked in just ahead of her, as they entered the backyard together.

"Melanie!" Max greeted her with a sly grin. "You want to join in on the fail video? I could use another star."

Melanie shook her head with a chuckle. "I'm not part of this mess, Max," she replied with a playful roll of her eyes. She was trying to find a quiet corner to rest when Phoebe began her usual chaotic routine.

Phoebe, spinning with excitement, looked over at Max. "Oh, you want an epic fail? Just point the camera at your face."

Max shot Phoebe a look. "Oh, look who's back from rehearsal for the 'Buttcracker.'"

Billy snickered, "The Buttcracker? I see that ballet every time Dad bends over."

Phoebe rolled her eyes dramatically. "It's called Swan Lake, and I worked really hard to get the lead. Just a few more days until I become... The Swan." She flapped her arms like bird wings, twirling in circles, completely oblivious to the madness happening around her.

Nora, unimpressed, crossed her arms. "So it's going to be three hours of that?"

Phoebe, unable to contain her excitement, nodded. "I know! I'm too excited!"

Max, clearly losing patience, shoved the camera back in his face. "Clear out, bird brain," he said with a smirk. "I've got to get back to my epic fail video so I can win that Chirper contest."

Nora, still not convinced, chimed in. "The first video to get one million re-chirps wins $10,000."

Phoebe raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. You have some ridiculous plan for that money."

Max, grinning from ear to ear, puffed out his chest. "I'm going to buy a tiny island in the South Pacific and start a small dictatorship called Maxlandia!"

Billy, intrigued by the idea, leaned forward. "Wait. What do we get?"

Max grinned, tapping his fingers together. "You guys get to be one of the lucky few to be on the internet."

Nora shot him a look. "I just want to hit something with the bat."

And then, in the next instant, she swung the bat with all her might, connecting squarely with Max's groin. He gasped in pain, crumbling to the ground. Nora, satisfied with her work, swung the bat again, this time landing a hit on Billy, sending him crashing to the ground as well.

Phoebe, who had been watching the chaos unfold, let out a laugh, silently enjoying the sight of her brothers in pain.

Max groaned, clutching his side. "Camera wasn't rolling."

"I know," Nora replied flatly as she walked away, not even bothering to glance at him.

Max, Billy, and Nora entered the living room, nursing their wounds, their faces a mix of frustration and pain. Max grabbed his phone, checking the footage of his epic fail video, only to find his planned moments had come out completely fake.

"These epic fails are epic... fakes?" Max exclaimed in disbelief, looking at the video. "How dare they call my staged video fake?"

Billy, already planning his next move, scratched his chin. "Fail better? How about we skateboard down the stairs backward?"

Nora shook her head, crossing her arms. "Yeah, I'm not doing that."

Phoebe, still in her ballet tutu, was making her own video in the corner of the room. She stood in front of the camera with a bright smile and held it up, ready to sell some tickets for her big performance.

"To all my fans out there," Phoebe said with a flourish, "Hiddeville High presents Swan Lake this Saturday. Get your tickets now and see me become... The Swan!" She extended her arms and spun gracefully, her tutu twirling in the air as she danced around, adding a dramatic flair to her announcement.

Max groaned. "Get out of the living room, flappy feet."

Phoebe didn't take offense; in fact, she was used to Max's snark. "No way, Max. I'm making this video to boost ticket sales. We've only sold five so far." She continued dancing, completely ignoring her brother's antics.

Just then, Barb entered with a wide grin, holding five tickets in her hand. "I bought my five tickets, sweetie!" she called out with enthusiasm. "I'm so proud of you!" She walked away, looking satisfied.

Phoebe shot her a quick smile. "Thanks, Mom." Then she turned to Max. "Beat it, loser." She clicked record again, completely focused on her task.

Max, rolling his eyes, grumbled, "Okay, guys. We are still making our video, just ignore Phoebe and remember—this epic fail has to look real."

Billy, ever the performer, got ready. "Got it. Let's rock this!" he announced, setting his skateboard rolling toward Phoebe.

Phoebe stepped onto the skateboard, immediately losing her balance. She fell into the TV stand, knocking it over as she crashed to the floor, the TV landing on top of her. Billy and Nora burst into laughter, seeing the perfect fail unfold.

"See, Max?" Nora laughed, pointing to the scene. "That's the kind of video you should be making."

Max looked impressed but still frustrated. "Great idea, Nora. You're fired."

Phoebe, still under the TV, groaned but then realized what was going on. "Max, are you okay?" she asked sarcastically, trying to hold back a laugh.

"Uh, let me, uh, use your phone to call the paramedics," Max offered, but he quickly realized his plan had failed as Phoebe's telekinesis pulled the phone out of his reach.

"Nice try, Max," Phoebe smirked. "You're not posting this video of me falling. I worked tutu hard on it." She chuckled at her own joke. "Tutu. Ballet humor. You wouldn't get it."

Melanie, who had been quietly watching the scene from the doorway, shook her head in amusement. "You guys are impossible," she muttered to no one in particular, trying to stifle a smile.

Max, undeterred, growled, "I'll get that phone. FOR MAXLANDIA!"

As Phoebe continued to dance around, completely absorbed in her own world, Max huddled by the couch, trying to figure out how to salvage his "epic fail" video. He was determined, eyes fixed on the screen of his phone, unaware of the mess he'd caused in the process. Billy and Nora, still laughing, were pulling themselves together from their own epic fails.

Melanie stood at the doorway, arms crossed, her ballet slippers still on, the exhaustion of the long rehearsal clearly written on her face. She had watched the chaos unfold for long enough. Despite her usual calm nature, even she had her limits.

"Max," Melanie said, her voice steady but firm, cutting through the noise in the room.

Max, still glued to his phone, didn't initially notice her presence. "Just a few more edits and Maxlandia will be born," he muttered, absorbed in his plan.

"Max!" Melanie raised her voice slightly, her patience wearing thin.

He looked up from his phone, confused. "What?"

"You need to stop," she said, her eyes narrowing as she walked over to him. "This—this thing you're doing? It's not funny anymore. You're making people miserable."

Max blinked, momentarily stunned by her bluntness. He hadn't expected anyone, especially Melanie, to call him out like this. "What are you talking about? I'm just trying to win the Chirper contest. It's for Maxlandia!"

"Maxlandia?" Melanie echoed incredulously. She sighed, her exhaustion from the rehearsal showing now. "Max, all this chaos, all these pranks—you're pushing everyone away. This isn't funny. It's just you trying too hard to be the center of attention, and it's starting to get old."

Max's face softened, a hint of guilt flashing through his usual bravado. He had been so focused on winning, on making Maxlandia a reality, that he hadn't considered how it might be affecting everyone around him.

Phoebe, who had been filming her own video, paused and looked over at them, clearly noticing the tension. She shrugged but didn't say anything, sensing this wasn't just another playful sibling argument.

"Max," Melanie continued, her voice softer now, "I get it. You want to be something big, to stand out. But this—this is just stupid. You're getting people hurt, and it's not making anyone laugh. You're better than this."

Max opened his mouth to retort, but the words caught in his throat. The weight of her words sank in. He thought of all the times he'd gone too far—Billy getting hit in the groin, Phoebe falling into the TV—and realized she was right. He had crossed the line.

"I... I didn't mean to make anyone miserable," Max admitted, his voice quieter. "I just wanted to make something big, you know? Something people would remember."

Melanie's expression softened as she placed a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to go this far to get attention, Max. People will remember you for who you are, not for these stupid pranks. You're more than this... Maxlandia nonsense."

Max looked up at her, feeling a wave of guilt wash over him. "I guess I've been kind of... caught up in it, huh?"

"Yeah," Melanie said with a nod. "I get it. But you don't need to hurt anyone for people to notice you. You've got enough of a personality to stand out without all this craziness."

Max thought for a moment, his gaze flicking to Phoebe, who was now hovering by the TV, watching him with a raised eyebrow. He could tell she'd overheard their conversation.

"You're right, Mel. I... I'm sorry. I've been a jerk," Max said, finally letting go of his ego. He dropped his phone on the couch and turned to Billy and Nora, who were standing nearby. "You guys, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to make it so... chaotic."

Billy grinned. "Well, at least now we won't have to skateboard down the stairs backwards." He shot Nora a playful look, and she nodded, smiling.

"I still think the bat to the groin was a pretty good touch," Nora added with a shrug.

Max laughed, but it wasn't his usual smug laugh. It was genuine—like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Phoebe, who had watched the exchange, walked over with a teasing smile. "Well, well. Looks like someone finally grew up," she teased, nudging him with her elbow.

"I'm serious," Max replied, his tone finally matching hers. "I don't want to be the guy who causes trouble just for the sake of it. I don't know what I was thinking."

Melanie smiled at him, her exhaustion slipping away in the moment. "I'm glad to hear that."

Max looked around at the family, feeling a renewed sense of connection. It was strange to feel like he was part of something, but in a way, he had been pushing everyone away with his antics. It was time to find a balance—a real one, not one that came with pranks and epic fails.

"I guess I don't need an island or Maxlandia after all," Max said, half-laughing. "I've already got everything I need right here."

Melanie smirked, her eyes glinting with a playful challenge. "Now you're getting it."

The tension in the room lifted, and even Phoebe, who had been so caught up in her own ballet world, seemed to let out a little sigh of relief.

"Good," Phoebe said with a smile. "Because now, maybe you can help me sell some tickets for Swan Lake without pranking anyone else. What do you say?"

Max grinned, nodding. "Deal. But no more TV accidents, okay?"

Phoebe raised an eyebrow. "Only if you promise to stop making epic fail videos."

"Agreed."

And with that, for the first time in a while, Max truly felt like he was