Disclaimer: We do not own Maximum Ride, or it's characters and plot. Which is why Max is fawning over Iggy instead of Fang, like she usually does.
A/N: Miniature drabble-like thing that probably shouldn't be posted. Due to...well, many things. Over-use of italics being one. We try. XD If you spot them, please mention any typos.
Review, whether it be praise, constructive critiscm, or flames.
Her heart absolutely ached, and she knew why, but she wished so desperately that she didn't. It was unfair, all of it, that this had to happen to them. To her.
Iggy being gone was a blow to the whole flock, sure, but to her it was like everything was breaking up into bits and pieces so small that no amount of duct tape could mesh them back together. Everything was falling apart bit by freaking bit, and it just was not fair.
It didn't help matters in the slightest that it was her job to comfort everyone else, forsaking all issues with self that might exist.
Max sighed softly, as she smoothed a hand over Angel's hair and tried not to let the tears pressing behind her eyes spill over. She blinked and stared at the white wall, trying not to see his face. Pale face beneath blonde hair, those sightless eyes, pale like the rest of him, and somehow deeper than anything. It had been that way ever since he lost his sight; it was like he was seeing something the rest of them couldn't even imagine.
Iggy had always been her solace. He was less of an obnoxious presence than Fang was, and he was quieter than Nudge. He kept Gazzy distracted so she could actually get something completed once in a while. Of course, he annoyed the hell out of her with those bombs, the constant sarcasm, and the general guy-ness, but…He was comforting in some odd, strange way.
Especially as of late, when it felt as if everything was going wrong.
When there was a mom figure taking her place as caretaker.
When Fang was off with that red-haired chick.
When she felt like they were being watched, but no one would listen to her pleas to leave because they didn't feel paranoid. When it felt like everything was caving in on her, when it felt like everything that could go wrong would, when it felt like she was going to lose her mind.
He was there. To ease her mind in the smallest of ways. Those touches as he passed her in the hall at that stupid school, the help he gave at "home" when no one seemed to want to cooperate, all the little things like that had helped her survive through one more day. He was always there.
Or he had been.
Iggy had left the flock to go live with his parents.
Yes; she was happy for him to have found a real family. Max was undeniably glad that he had a chance to have what none of them had ever thought possible. She wanted him to have real, biological parents who loved him, cared for him. She wanted that for everyone.
Max had just not imagined that it would be so hard.
She didn't know how to fall out of love, and no one was around to tell her.
After Angel had calmed down, and Max had untangled from her, Max went to her room, fell onto her bed, and pulled the covers up over her head. She allowed herself this one moment to cry for what she had lost.
Because Iggy had left the flock.
Iggy had left her.
***
Those few days later, when the adrenaline was in their air around them, and nothing made any sense in this new attack on their lives, he came back.
Max didn't think she had ever been happier in her entire life.