I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing...

Okay lol that's shallow humor for you. Kind of a joke (not really a joke).

For those who have been keeping up with my stories, I'm really sorry I haven't updated in a long while. Shit happened and I got busy. (If you think going to back to school sucks, just imagine my look of absolute dread for my upcoming finals. Yeah, I think I take the cake.)

I'm still really busy, actually, but this idea just came to me out of nowhere and I had to type it up before inspiration escaped me. I also wanted to take a break from writing a character's death in one of my stories, and the mental breakdown of another character in my other story. Too much darkness isn't good for the soul. I wish I could've planned more for this, maybe stretched it out a bit more, but I think the idea befits a simple and sweet outline. :)

Let me know if you see any mistakes in this, as I only had time to type this up in a few hours and proof-read this once.

And lastly thank you for giving this oneshot a chance! Let me know what you think of this little pick-me-up.

Note: Set anytime in between TAE and SOF, when the flock was on the run.

Disclaimer: I wouldn't have ruined the series or the characters if I owned Maximum Ride.

Synopsis: "You're not seriously thinking of taking other people's wishes," Max said slowly, like it was some grave crime, taking the coins from a wishing well. "You know I was kidding!" Fang said. "Besides, I probably wouldn't be able to get out of the well. It's too narrow," he added, just to piss her off. "I'm going to freaking push you in, Fang." Fax. Oneshot.

Hope you all enjoy this! :)

There was almost nothing worse than getting laughed at by the girl that you've secretly been in love with since you were 13, but then again Fang would gladly look like an idiot if it meant hearing his best friend's unadulterated laughter and seeing her bright smile. It was kind of pathetic, the way he'd squelch the butterflies in his stomach at anything 'cute' she did, but it didn't matter. It was Max, after all.

On most days, the flock was running for their lives, sleeping in trees or caves; eating food from dumpsters; and trying not to get themselves killed by Erasers, or Whitecoats, or whatever the hell else was out to get them. They haven't taken a proper bath in days, and last night the older kids had only had two hours of sleep each. They could hardly catch a break.

But on rare occasions, the flock would wake up to a beautiful sunrise and everyone would just be pumped and ready for the day. They would all talk, and joke around, and just go with the flow of Max's plans without having to worry about whether they would live to see tomorrow. No one was biting another person's head off, or making a sarcastic comment, or questioning too much about their next move. Sometimes they would even allow themselves to relax for just a little while.

This was one of those times.

They were at a park, strolling down the cement path that wound around and in between trees. Most of them had just finished eating their lunch – delicious hotdogs from a street vendor just by the park gates – and were enjoying the peace as best as they could, knowing that it was fleeting. At one point, the younger kids wanted to play and check out the pond. After much begging and three pairs of Bambi eyes later, Max let them have their fun and made Iggy accompany them, knowing that he would enjoy the stillness at the heart of the park.

Fang noticed that Max was unusually cheery today, not that he was complaining. Not only did she buy thirds for everyone and allowed the kids to go off on their own to play, but insofar she hasn't been severely bossing them around or blown a gasket. Although it was only early in the afternoon, that in itself was a miracle.

Maybe it was because she'd broken Ari's nose two days ago when she decked him, or the fact that Fang had caught everyone their own squirrel for breakfast this morning, but he liked it. Fang enjoyed seeing Max laugh about some stupid joke Iggy made, and conversing with the girls with her arms around their shoulders. She deserved a break from this whole 'saving the world' shtick, and he liked it when she was happy. It made him happy.

"You look like a chipmunk!" she said, or at least tried to, pointing at his face while laughing.

Yes, he liked to see her happy – even at his own expense.

Fang had just stuffed the last of his hotdog into his mouth and was about to tell Max something when she burst out into a fit of laughter, holding a hand to her mouth to keep from spitting out any food bits. He could have easily said that she, too, looked like a chipmunk with her cheeks stuffed and her face flushed, sounding like she was choking as she laughed with her mouth full; but it was so rare for her to let loose. She looked adorable anyway.

As they walked side by side; their sneakers spraying pebbles as they shoved each other, raced down the straight walkway, or stopped to point out different things in the trees; they had unknowingly strolled down a forked, unpaved path that led to the most unexpected surprise.

Max and Fang both found themselves in the midst of a small clearing, all the trees and the bushes seemingly making way for the well in the middle of the expanse. The whole setting seemed right out of a fairytale, almost too perfect and cliché, that they could hardly believe that they'd stumbled upon this by accident.

The well itself looked like the wells illustrated in picture books, built out of maroon cement blocks and finished with a red tented awning above it. Lush green grass grew around the circular structure, giving them the impression that not a lot of people have come across it, and Fang almost expected to see cartoon polka dotted mushrooms sprouting from the ground at how unreal this all looked.

In a trance, Max walked slowly towards the well, still in awe about the place but just as paranoid about a possible trap. Fang was quick to follow, right by her shoulder; and when they both looked down into the depths of the well, they saw the surface of the shallow water shimmering gold and silver.

It was an actual wishing well.

"Let's make a wish," Max blurted all of a sudden, spinning on her heel to look at Fang. There was a light in her eyes that resembled a little kid's opening his gifts on Christmas, and Fang was taken aback by how young and excited she looked just then. She should always be this happy.

"What?"

"C'mon, Fang. It's a wishing well," she urged, turning back to look into the water and all the coins that have been tossed inside. Looking back down into the well, he noticed that the bottom wasn't completely filled with coins. Only a few people must've found this place like they have.

"Yeah, and I'm pretty sure the people who threw their coins in wished they hadn't," he said jokingly.

"It's just a few cents."

"Says the girl who ate roasted squirrel this morning," he countered. Fang knew it would only take a few cents, but for a birdkid who went dumpster diving on a daily basis, 'a few cents' were practically twinkling diamonds to them. They couldn't afford to waste what they hardly even had.

"Don't be such a buzzkill," she taunted, smiling at him for a moment before dangerously leaning over the edge like a six year old. Fang was this close to putting an arm around her just to keep her from falling in.

"Seriously though, if we stole all those coins in there we could buy everyone another round of hotdogs." Max suddenly looked back up at him in horror, and he looked back at her with a serious expression. "We could even buy the hotdog stand."

"You're not seriously thinking of taking other people's wishes," she said slowly, sounding like he'd proposed they rob a bank or break into someone's house. Like it was some grave crime, taking the coins from a wishing well.

"You mean money," he deadpanned.

"Fang!" Max stood up and punched his arm, hard. "That'll take away the magic!"

"You know I was kidding!" he said. For someone who sounded like such a child, Max had a mean right hook. "Besides, I probably wouldn't be able to get out of there. It's too narrow," he added, just to piss her off.

"I'm going to freaking push you in, Fang."

"Fine, but don't come begging for a hotdog from me."

"That's if you can get your fat ass out of the well first."

Rolling his eyes and shoving his hands in his pockets, he let Max have the last say before turning to leave. He didn't believe in that stuff – about shooting stars and wishing wells. Heck, he would've actually laughed if Max wasn't so serious about it. The others should be okay, but he wasn't sure how much longer they'd last without him or Max without causing an incident. He's surprised they haven't heard the sirens of fire trucks yet.

"Wait!" He hadn't even taken two steps yet when Max grabbed his arm, yanking him backwards. "Now seriously, shell out," Max said when he faced her, holding her hand out expectantly.

"What? You're the one who wants to make some stupid wish. Use your own money!"

"I've only got bills," she said, giving him a 'duh' expression. "And I'm spending this for our dinner tonight. Look, I'm pretty sure you've got at least two cents in your pocket," Max reasoned, smiling. "One for you and one for me."

That almost made Fang smile. Almost.

"I'm hurt, Max. I've got at least ten cents. Ye of little faith," he replied sarcastically, still teasing her. "Use your own bills. Let it raaain."

The look on her face was priceless. "You're going to be eating a tiny pack of roasted peanuts for dinner. Just you, Fang. I swear to God-"

"Okay! Okay! Fine."

Pulling whatever he could find out of his pockets, Fang opened his palm and brought out a red paperclip, a ball of lint, a crumpled receipt from who knows where, a quarter, and a nickel. "Oh look; it's your lucky day," he said, smirking as he gave her the twenty-five cents, pocketing the rest of things on his hand, and holding onto the five cents.

Peeking over the edge of the well again, she turned to Fang with a huge smile that absolutely lit up her face. "Together," she said. "One…two… three!"

Fang dropped his coin almost instantly, a muted plop echoing from within the well. Max, however, took a bit longer; clasping her hands tight. She was concentrated on her wish, elbows on the edge of the well as she held the quarter tight in her palms. Her eyes were closed as she made her wish, and Fang watched her with a certain fondness.

Max was pretty much the most badass person he knows, and there was a beauty in the way she fought and the way she protected the flock. But sometimes he forgets that she's only 14, that she's still a kid. Her openness to vulnerability shocked him, but at the same time he liked to see this side of her. It only made him love her more.

Before he knew it, Max had tilted her palm and the coin fell into the well, both of them watching it fall to the bottom with another plop.

"So what'd you wish for?" Fang asked, shoving his hands back in his pocket and leaning against the well. She scoffed.

"I'm not telling. If you say your wish out loud, it's not going to come true."

"Who told you that?"

"I don't know. It's like, the rule of wishing wells," she said, confidence in her voice even if she sounded like an idiot. That's Max for you.

"Must've missed it in the wishing manual. My bad." Fang shrugged, face impassive. He thought this would make her furious, knowing just how to push her buttons; but she just rolled her eyes and leaned back against the well, mimicking his position.

"Max, you have to say it," Fang started to insist, suddenly really curious of her answer. She raised eyebrow in question. "How else is the universe going to grant your wish if it doesn't hear it?" he reasoned.

Max opened her mouth to retaliate, but closed it a second later. For a moment, she stayed quiet, mulling over what Fang said. He could practically see the gears turning in her head, and when he figured she must've thought it made sense, her shoulders slumped.

"Fine," she relented, leaning her elbows back on the well as she looked off into the trees. "I wished to be a better leader, a better person. That I can take care of the flock and keep everyone safe. That we don't run into Erasers any time soon, and that we never get our expiration dates. I wished we could find some answers, like how Nudge wants to find her parents and how Iggy wants to find a way to be able to see again. And I wished that I can save the world; and that after I do, we can all be happy and just…just live," she finished, smiling to herself subconsciously.

Neither of them disrupted the peace as they both pondered about her wishes.

Fang would never tell Max, but he admired how selfless she was, always putting the others before herself. She wanted the flock's dreams to come true, wanted to help others, wanted to save the world and do all these things; even at the expense of her own happiness.

"Okay, throwing in a quarter doesn't mean you get a wish per cent." He broke the silence, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. Fang watched as her face turned red.

"Shut up!" She whirled on him, laughter in her voice. "It's not like I wished for a red Lamborghini to fall from the sky and drive us to our three-story mansion in Reykjavik, where our butler named Riccardo would massage our backs after a long day and hold our hands as we sing in falsetto."

Fang raised his hands up as if in surrender. "You caught me."

She rolled her eyes, fighting off a smile and a laugh. "And you? What was your wish?"

Now it was Fang's turn to scoff. "I'm not telling. 'Didn't you know that if you say your wish out loud, it's not going to come true?'" he mocked, holding back his grin.

"You're such a jerk!" She approached him and began punching him on his arm repeatedly. "Tell me!"

"Fine, fine," he said, trying to block her fists. When Max finally stopped hitting him, he crossed his arms over his chest and said casually, "I wished that you could finish your mission soon so that we can all find an island to just live together, and be free from troubles, and just be happy."

He had said it softly, looking down the path they came from and the bushes that surrounded them. Anything to avoid her brown eyes.

The silence stretched on for what seemed like hours, and he was scared that he'd said the wrong thing. Before he could brush off what he'd said with something else, she finally spoke up.

"Do you think I can? Save the world, I mean."

He looked down at her, standing next to him as she bit her lip and kept her eyes on her sneakers.

Fang has always known that she occasionally had her doubts, and it was in those moment that he wished his opinion meant more to her. That she believed he didn't just assure her because he was her second-in-command and he was supposed to believe it, but because he did believe it. He had faith in her.

"Never doubted you for a second."

Slowly, she turned to smile up at him, and it was only then that he allowed himself to smile back. She read everything left unsaid in his eyes.

A buzz from Max's pocket ended the moment before it ever even really began, and she pulled out the disposable cell phone that everyone in the flock had on themselves. As she read the text, she ran a hand through her hair and sighed loudly. It was back to reality.

"Gazzy threw his entire bread at a duck and now they're all chasing after him," she said with a roll of her eyes, shoving the phone back in her pocket. "C'mon."

As they retraced their steps down the path that would lead them back to the park, Max taking the lead; Fang couldn't help but look back at the wishing well right as they were stepping onto the main dirt road.

That was the first time he lied to Max.

Sure, he wanted those things to happen too. He wanted both Max's and his wishes to happen, but that wasn't the first thought that came to his mind at the count of three. That wasn't the thing he'd lovingly whispered in his mind as he dropped the coin in the wishing well.

And although he didn't normally believe in things like shooting stars and wishing wells, he hoped that this one would come true.

He'd wished for her.

fin.

So what do you guys think? :)

Yours,

.: Tiffany :.