Yup, this is the sequel to my other story, Cut. If you haven't read it, you don't have to, but it might make things clearer.
Special thanks goes to BlackAthena for encouraging me to write a sequel!
Disclaimer: sadly, I don't own Maximum Ride.
Fang POV
No.
It can't be.
This must be some kind of trick.
But I was holding the evidence in my hands; seeing the evidence with my own two eyes.
Max had killed herself.
Her lifeless body lay before me, her pale face—beautiful even in death—was serene. The worried faces of the Flock, Dr. Martinez, and Ella stared at me with expressions of fear, sorrow, and disbelief. Max's letter, her last words, was in my hands as I scanned down the page, my incredulity soon turning into sadness.
How could she? How could she take herself away from us, from me? And, more importantly, why?
Hoping to find some reason, some explanation, I read the letter out loud.
'By the time you read this, it would be too late. You can't stop me, nobody can now.
'It's not because of you that I'm doing this. In fact, you're the only person that I trust, completely and without question. That's why you hold this in your hands. That's why I'm entrusting this to you, and no one else. The reason of this is something I cannot say; it's a secret that no one should know. Not even you.
'I'll say this, though. I'm doing this for you, for the safety of all of you. All I'm asking is for you to lead the rest, to keep them safe. You're the leader now.
'I'm trusting you to not panic, to not go around blaming yourself or anyone else. I'm trusting you to comfort my Mom, as she would definitely need comforting. I'm trusting you to do the right thing, both for yourself and the others.
'What else can I say? About all the wonderful things that we have done together? About all of the great times I have had with you? Yes, my times with you has been the best in my life. You are my life. What else can I say?
'So, sorry. Sorry for everything I had put you through. Sorry for doing this. But alas, I have no choice. Sorry.
'Goodbye. I love you, forever and always. You have been always so good to me, goodness I do not deserve, but I love you always. I love you.
'From, Max.'
By the last sentence, my voice was hoarse and I was biting the inside of my cheek to keep tears from spilling.
I looked around at everyone around me—my family, now—to find some consolation in their expressions. Surely one of us would be keeping their head, not drowning in a lake of despair like the way I was feeling?
But, no.
Nudge, for once, had nothing to say. Not a word. Her eyes just held fear and sadness and tears were beginning to pool at the edges.
Ella, Angel, and Gazzy had tears streaming down the sides of their cheeks.
Dr. M was busying herself in tidying the room up a little, but I could see her blank eyes and quivering lip.
Iggy had turned his sightless eyes to Max, and his eyes held the same question we all had.
Why, Max, why?
Something warm and wet trickled down the side of my face. I brought my hand up to it and, with a jolt of surprise, found tears. I haven't cried since Jeb had left the Flock and was presumed dead, all those years ago.
As if through some unspoken agreement, everyone got up and left the room, leaving me alone. I paid no heed to them; for me, there no one else in the world except for me and the girl I love.
"Why, Max? Why did you do this?" I whispered through silent sobs. How did I not see this coming? How did Max hide this so well that none of the Flock had ever expected this to happen?
Was it because of something that the Flock had done? Was it something I had done? Did Max kill herself because of me?
No, it can't be. She must have thought that this was for the benefit of the Flock; there was no other reason for this. She had spent her life taking care of the Flock…would it not make sense for her to end it doing that as well?
"Oh, Max," I murmured, before bending down to kiss her lips. She did not run away from my kiss this time, nor will she ever run again.
I spent a few more minutes just drowning in my sorrow, reflecting on Max, on the times I had spent with her. Then, I wiped away the tears, gave her one last kiss on the lips, and walked out the door, looking for the rest of the Flock.
I would wipe away Angel's tears, comfort Gazzy, talk some sense into Iggy. I would make Dr. M some tea, get Nudge to laugh, console Ella. I would do as Max had always done: taking care of people.
She would have wanted that.
I think that's as much as I can write without turning it into a multi-chap story (which is a bad habit of mine), but I can if you guys want. Just say so in a review or PM me!
Sorry for any suckiness/OOCness.
Review?
