She was broken.
Maximum Ride had fallen. No longer was she the powerful leader the flock had come to know and love. She was sad and defeated, and forever grounded.
Maximum Ride had lost her wings.
It wasn't in an epic battle against erasers, or flyboys, for Itex had been defeated a few years ago. It was a much quieter, and much more deadly enemy.
Cancer.
Cancer was what brought Max down in the end. Cancer in her wings. If they removed the wings, she could survive. If not…
Of course she chose life. For the flock. Of course.
Now she regretted it.
The rest of the flock tried to avoid flying when she could see them, and did not dare speak of it. But when they flew above the trees behind Dr. M's house, where the flock and Jeb now lived, Max secretly watched from the windows.
Then, Jeb started studying. What he was studying, no one knew, though he often asked Fang to let him observe his wings, which Fang did. Fang asked questions, which Jeb refused to answer. He just said it was important. He spent most of his time at his lab, which was really just a big empty building he had bought and stocked for research.
They were losing Max, that much they knew. She looked wrong without her wings, like she wasn't whole. And she wasn't. To any other person, she looked normal.
To the flock, she looked wrong. Alien.
Max felt wrong. She felt like there was a gaping hole in her back for the world to see. She felt disabled, worthless.
Where she felt the hole in her back, she felt it in her heart as well.
Then one day, Jeb came home looking tired and overworked, but so happy that he practically glowed. Valencia regarded him with confusion.
"Where's Max? Nevermind, find her and tell her to go to the backyard. I've got a surprise."
Valencia doubted whatever he had would elicit much excitement from the now apathetic ex-birdkid, but she called Max down from her room anyways, and directed her daughter to the backyard.
"Jeb?" Max inquired in a soft, uninterested voice.
Jeb held something large and mechanical behind his back. Fang was there, along with the rest of the flock, who looked curious.
"Turn around," Jeb commanded, and, sighing, Max obeyed. She felt Jeb pulling straps around her torso, and he fastened them. She was now wearing what felt like a harness, but it was a bit heavier in the back.
The flock gasped. Now Max was mildly curious.
Jeb pulled down the back of Max's tank top and began putting what felt like stickers on her back. Now she was really confused.
"All right, Max. Go take a look in the mirror."
Max tried not to run, tried not to show she was dying to see what he had done to her, and as she charged into the bathroom she gasped.
A pair of wings. Mechanical, metal, yes, but still wings nonetheless. The "stickers" had really been sensors to help motorize the wings.
Jeb appeared in the doorway, smiling.
"Move your shoulders," he instructed. Max did as she was told, and was amazed when the wings gave a small flap.
She wasn't aware she was crying until she tasted the tears. She then turned and flung herself at Jeb, the first physical contact between the two since Max was a child.
He wrapped his arms around her as best he could with the wings obstructing her back. "Thank you… thank you so, so much," Max said with more passion than she had exhibited in months.
"You're very welcome," he replied, and kissed the top of her head. "Now go try 'em out." Max's eyes lit up and she ran out of the room.
When Jeb made it to the backyard, Max was flapping her new wings experimentally. The flock stood by her, giving suggestions and encouragement.
And when Max took off, and hovered for a few seconds before crashing to the ground, the flock cheered so loud that they could have easily been five thousand people, rather than five.
"Go, Max!" cried Gazzy, and Nudge and Angel had tears in their eyes, while Fang and Iggy gave her high fives.
And Max was whole again.