Fang,

If you think I am waiting twenty years for your sorry butt, I fear that your head has inflated a trifle too much. Meet me in the spot you mentioned, but in five years. You can't deny that that's long enough. What the heck were you thinking, twenty years? We'll be 35 and old. The flock sure as heck won't need me that long. Angel will be twelve in five years. I was twelve when I started taking care of all five of you. Plus, all the scientists seem to think the end of the world is happening sooner, rather than later. Who knows if that place will still be there in twenty years? And I will need your help to save the world. So five years, maximum. Maybe less.

Just so you know, the only reason I haven't tracked you down and killed you yet is because you're right. The flock does need me to lead them. For now. But I would rather have you be here with flock and me and force myself to just be your friend than to not have you here at all. Know that. And if you change your mind, find me. Oh, but one more thing. You know what you DIDN'T do, you sorry bastard? You DIDN'T DELETE FANGSTUFF off the laptop! So, thank you, thank you very much. You know I just love getting my heart broken twice.

But anyway, something you said on there, that I had the hots for Dylan...? Are you insane? You really think so? Well, I've got a news flash for you: you're dead wrong. And if you hook up with another girl in these five years, you will be in serious trouble and I will cheerfully beat you to death. Of course, next time I see you, I will kick your butt anyway for leaving. So that's all. Notice I didn't say any mushy and tearful goodbyes or proclaim my love or anything. Know why that is? I fully intend to see you again. You better not die. I will see you again. (And if you do die, I will bring you back and kill you again.)

~Max

PS. If your expiration date or mine shows up, expect a visit from me. I refuse to die before I kick your butt and chew you out for breaking your promise.

I sighed, typed "THIS IS FROM MAX SO READ IT NOW" in the subject bar, and pushed send. A thought suddenly crossed my mind - what if Fang had changed his email? Was he that opposed to hearing from me? Okay, he probably wouldn't have changed it. But perhaps he didn't go on his email right away? Or it got lost among the who-knows-how-many fan emails? Well, there was nothing I could do about it except hope that he got it and read it. And maybe send it a few more times over the course of like, a month.

I sighed again - I had been doing that a lot lately. Life seemed so dull, so meaningless without Fang near. And I'd been so depressed all the time. Which was really not like me.

I heard a soft knock on the door.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Can I come in?" Dylan. Ugh. He hadn't left me alone since had Fang left, trying to comfort me any way he could. It was annoying. But, actually, I was kind of impressed with him, too. I'd expected him to gloat a little and try to make the moves on me, but he really hadn't been romantic towards me at all. He was just trying to be the friend I desperately needed. It was still annoying.

"Whatever."

He opened the door and sat down on my bed.

"So. How are you?" he asked, concern written on his face. I quickly ran my finger under my eye to wipe out the tear trying to escape.

"I'm fine. What's up?"

"Are you sure you're fine?" Ugh. When was he gonna learn that I am NOT the mushy-gushy 'let's-talk-about-feelings' kind of gal?

"I'm fine Dylan. What do you want?"

Okay, I admit that I felt a tiny bit bad when I saw the hurt pool in his turquoise eyes. But not enough to apologize. For one thing, I don't apologize. Ever. For another, when would he get it through his thick skull that I really wasn't interested in him - not just as in a romantic relationship, but I was not interested in becoming his friend either. There were only five people - seven if you include my mom and Ella - that I needed in this world, and he would never be one of them. He could NOT replace the one of these seven that is currently AWOL.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Max. I just - well - I saw you almost crying so I wanted to help."

Ugh. Another annoying thing about Dylan is that he can see the future. Not in a long-term sense, but up to like, two minutes beforehand. It had started out only being a couple of seconds before something happened, but it seemed his little skill was becoming more advanced. And annoying.

"First of all, I was not crying. And second of all... I really don't need comforting, Dylan. Because I'm fine. And even if I wasn't fine, you trying to comfort me really doesn't help. You are a big part of why Fang left. And that hurts." Ugh. Did I mention how much I hate talking about feelings? Well, I do. Especially to Dylan.

"I'm sorry, Max. He was putting you - and the entire flock - in danger."

"Oh, like we haven't been in danger before. Like I haven't put the whole flock in danger before. Heck, I'm probably putting you all in danger now, just without realizing it. We know how to handle ourselves. And he wasn't putting anyone in danger, anyway. Angel's little prediction already came through. Fang was the first to die - technically. So now we don't have to worry anymore."

"You don't know that that was what it meant."

I stared at him. I could read nothing but careful sincerity.

"Shut up! You don't know anything! You-"

"Max?" I spun to see Angel in the open doorway.

"What?" I snarled.

"He didn't mean anything bad by it. But I have some - news."

The grave look on her face mad my blood run cold.

"What sort of news?"

"Well... Jeb is here. And he says we all need to leave. Now. Before it's too late."

I stood up.

"What do you mean, 'before it's too late'? Too late for what? What the heck does Jeb know?"

But I walked quickly out the door anyway, without waiting for an answer. Angel and Dylan followed me closely. I could almost feel the tension rolling off Dylan; he trusted Jeb and took anything he said to be the truth instantly. Another reason I found Dylan so insufferably annoying.

Nudge, Iggy, and Gazzy were already outside talking to Jeb when I got there.

"Max!" Jeb exulted, "Max, you all need to leave."

"Why?" I asked and crossed my arms. I, unlike Dylan, did not trust Jeb, not one little bit, and never would again.

"Your lives - all your lives - are in worse danger than they've ever been."

Author's Note: Please Review! I'm sorry that this is so short, but I'm still sorting out ideas for this story and the above is my definite beginning.