"Max, WATCH OUT!"
I spun around, only to have my vision filled with black wings. The flock was in a full-out battle with the new prototype of Erasers (read: Erasers with big, awkward wings). We were beating them... again. Sometimes this seems too easy. My attention quickly turned from Fang to the Eraser who was making a last, halfhearted attempt to attack me.
When he slung a clawed hand in the general direction of my face, I easily ducked it by tucking my wings a little bit, losing altitude. Spreading them wide again and surging upward, I delivered an undercut to his chin. He wasn't prepared for it and nearly flipped over backwards. I quickly flew twenty feet above him, and while he was still turning in the air, I tucked my wings in fully and dropped on him. After another kick in the ribs, he hurtled to the woods below.
Sighing, I glanced around while wiping the blood out of my mouth. Angel had quickly disposed of about ten Erasers; none had touched her. She smiled at me. Gasman had a big bruise on his cheek, but he was fine. Nudge had a few scratches on her arm, but she looked okay too. Iggy... Iggy had used nine small bombs on Erasers. Nine bombs. How could he store nine bombs with him? And Fang...
A choked gasp came from Fang. I whirled around to see the Eraser grin evilly and join the remnant that was left, flying away. The Eraser that had attacked me. That Fang had saved me from. To my horror, Fang's wings folded and he began dropping. NO!
With the flock following close behind, I flew down to him. His eyes were closed, his face was pale, and he had an enormous wound to match the one Ari had given him. With another beat of my wings, I managed to grab him. He was totally limp, and too heavy for me. Wings outspread, I crashed through the trees, Fang draped pitifully in my arms. Can't drop him, can't drop him. My jaw clenched in silent pain as the branches ripped out several of my feathers. Finally I landed haphazardly on the forest floor.
I lay Fang on the ground as carefully as I could and checked his pulse. The rest of the flock came running up to me; they had succeeded in landing more conventionally. Please, please don't be dead. "Is he...?" Gasman asked quietly. I furrowed my brow in concentration.
After a second or two that felt like hours, I sighed in relief and sat back on my heels. "No. The pulse is there, but it's really weak." Ig, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel let out a collective breath. Total, who had been in Fang's backpack, licked his face gently. He didn't respond. "I think he's in a coma."
Iggy approached me at about midnight. I had been sitting there for hours, feeling my butt go numb, shivering with cold, feeling every part of me go numb. "I can take watch now, Max. You need to get some sleep."
I shook my head vehemently. "No." I had to be there for him if he woke up, or if... I wouldn't even let myself think it. He had always been there for me. Now, for once, I would be there for him.
"You sure?"
"Positive." I couldn't change my mind now.
He paused, then seemed to listen more intently. "Max. Are you crying?"
"No."
Iggy sat down next to me. "It's okay to cry, Max." He reached up to my face and wiped away my tears, but more kept streaming down. "Is there anything you want to say?"
"I just wish I had told him."
"What?" he asked quietly.
"That I- I- I love him."
He stood up. "Maybe you'll still get the chance."
I sat up the second night as well. During the day, I tried to give him some water, but it just dribbled out the side of his mouth. He had not changed at all.
When he was conscious, I avoided contact. It was awkward. Now I took his hand into mine and held it while talking to him.
Yeah, I know, it sounds stupid, but talking really helped me. I told him everything that I had kept hidden down inside me somewhere, for fear of rejection. Even though he couldn't hear it now. I wish I had told him sooner.
I had kissed him once, on the lips. At the beach. He had been so beat up; I thought he was going to die. When the thought of him dying hit my mind, I forgot everything else and kissed him. Now I thought back to what Angel had told me earlier today.
"He loves you, Max," she had said.
"I know," I replied, brushing her off.
"No," she replied, gazing at me. "He really lovesyou."
Could it be? Did I dare hope? Now I might never know, because he was there to save me when I might have been killed. So many times...
I leaned down and kissed him once more on the lips. What held me back? Why couldn't I have done this sooner? Why did it take such a tragedy to push me over the edge, to make me open up?
I yawned- I had been up for nearly two days. He was neither better, nor worse. I decided to sleep for a little while, after I had gotten Iggy up to watch. "Goodnight, Fang," I whispered to the closed eyes. "I love you."
Clump. Clump. Clump.
Tears streamed down my face as I watched Gazzy and Nudge fill in the grave. For once, I was crying unabashedly. We all were.
Clump.
Why couldn't I have told him? I, Maximum, unafraid of most things and brave in the face of danger, was scared. Scared of rejection. Scared of repulsion. Scared of avoidance. Scared of him turning away- or worse, leaving us.
Clump.
And now Fang was dead. Dead, because of me. Because he was there for me. All the time. I wasn't there for him. Not even when he died. Death is forever.
Why? Why? Why?
If only I had one more chance... if only I had been there... if only I didn't mess up with Sam... if only I had told him. Oh, for second chances! If only I could tell him, I would. If only...
The clumps of dirt, the flock, and the blue sky swirled together and the world turned into darkness, darkness...
-
"Max? Max..."
Wait a minute. Fang's voice? I sat up abruptly. Yes! FANG WAS IN FRONT OF ME!
"What? When? Who?" I asked confusedly.
"Shh. The rest are asleep." He crouched next to me. I looked at him like he was a ghost. "You must've had a bad dream. I woke you up." He added in a lower, gentler tone, "You were crying."
I put my hand to my face in horror. Sure enough, my cheeks were wet. But I remembered everything... remembered that one wish.
"You want to get some fresh air?" Fang motioned with his head to the mouth of the cave. I nodded. "Will you come with me?" He shrugged. "Sure."
After about ten minutes of silence, Fang spoke. "What was the dream about?" I turned slowly to him. He raised his eyebrows expectantly. Compassion was written clearly on his face, and... was that hope in his eyes?
"Fang, I need to tell you something..."
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FIN. Yes, this is a oneshot. You're supposed to fill in the blank. Yes, actually imagine the following scene for yourself. I don't feel like making one of those sappy scenes where it comes out... I have that enough in my other fanfics. :) Anyhu, review for me and... and... um, well, it shall make me feel warm and fuzzy inside.