Flock POV

Highly unusual. The house was awfully quiet today, our temporary house that is. We had just settled in to a little cabin DEFINITELY NOT eraser or fly boy proof. Then again all fly boys in existence were toast. The flock crushed their metal asses. A run down with any evil right now would put me, yes me the impenetrable Maximum Ride over the edge! My breaking point was coming up fast. I had to find a way to keep my flock safe, out of sight and keep them from killing...each other. Yes, I know. What could possibly be going through my mind if im letting the flock actually almost kill each other? Ha, well lets just say, battle training. Each time anyone hits anyone, it sounds like a huge clap ofz thunder.

"Heeeeeeeyaaahhhhhh! Take that Gazzy! And that!"

"You hit like a girl Nudge!"

"I AM a girl whats YOUR excuse!"

Nudge and Gazzy had been whacking at each other all morning. Fang was hiding away, being his usual emo self totally lost to the real world, or at least our world. I walked across our large front lawn, which now was full of...craters from constant smack downs between members of my brutally strong, and mutated family with my hands in my pockets. I came up alongside Iggy and put my arm around his shoulders. He seriously buffed out this summer. I don't know how I never saw the change until Wednesday of last week. Like any other guy he was trying to be the muscle man 'every' girl dreams about. From what I know, bird kid girls and girl vampires can flip the guy and humiliate them, we don't need protecting. Men are so stereotypical.

"Hey Ig."

"They've been at it all morning..."

"Oh, I know..."

"Did you put away my cloths yet?"

"Do YOU want to be the one to break them up? I could use you as bate." Iggy raised his arms in surrender.

"Fair enough." I chuckled and headed for Nudge and Gazzy. I walked right between them and ducked just in time to miss one of Gazzys jaw busters. I can still take everyone of my flock members out, even though i would never lay a finger on Gazzy, he is just as buff as Fang is right now and hes nineteen! We actually found Fangs birth certificate at one of the many schools we have been to and he is actually a year older than Iggy and I. Gazzy is only 14. If only every one could see Fang. He is so ripped, all girls would be jealous. Stop, Max! Don't think like that.

"Next person to take a swing at me in any way gets a mouthful of Max fist! Got it?"

"Sorry Max, my bad."

"Damn right Gazzy. Now to be in specifics, and I really hate playing referee, NO more battle training on each other."

"But Max, we already broke all of our practice dummies! Im tired of punching and kicking trees when i need to train. I already had to redo both my manicure and pedicures."

"I really could care less about your nails Nudge. This is your life on the line, everyday I have to watch yours, Gazzys, Iggys, Angels, Fangs and myself. You need to be tough."

"Well maybe I don't need you protecting me anymore. Im not a baby! I've fought my whole life its time you give a bit of well earned respect!" everything was silent.

"Nudge..." warned Iggy. She glared at him.

"I do respect you Nudge, a lot, you are a very experienced fighter, you have one of the best judgments I know, a wicked fashion sense, who else could fight of Fang on steroids over here in four inch heals other than you? Granite your not as experienced as I want you to be, but I still couldn't be more proud, and I know, me complaining is not gonna get us anywhere. I love you all and protecting you all is my job, yes i would appreciate a vacation but I would never give it up for the world." I looked over to Gazzy and all he could do was smirk. He looked a hell of a lot like Fang at fourteen, but on steroids. Nudge gave me one quick glance, mouthed im sorry and headed for the house.

Dinner time was soon. I need to get my flock some food. Maybe I should go ask Ig to make something edible. We all know how my cooking turns out. I went to the kitchen hoping to find Ig already there, ahead of me. A smile flashed on my face when I saw his now shaggy hair around the corner. It faded when I saw a dead eraser on the floor. I was about to run to him when I heard...kissing noises. Nudge had REALLY filled out her chest this summer and had some more womanly assets. I already had to have the talk with her since she turned the age of women maturity. She turned sixteen a few months ago so she wasn't exactly a kid anymore, but all of the air in my lungs left when I saw than Iggy had one hand on her ass and the other up her shirt, making out with her...

He had her pinned against a wall and she was enjoying it! Since when were they a thing? Did I miss the memo? He towered over her and was basically down her throat. I cleared mine at the exact second he tried to take her shirt off and go to far with it, but I wasn't the one the heard or were paying attention to. Fang melted out of the shadows from the back door, sneaking in ever so quietly. And apparently he was in on it.

"I know you two like each other, thats fine, but one Ig control yourself. Shes a women, some respect is due. Two, you might want to dispose of...this...thing and tell Max right away and three if your not careful shes going to catch you. Clear?"

"But Fang, he was holding a knife to her."

"Stupid eraser then if he though a knife would work on one of us."

"He is right though Ig. Max could catch us and I was fine." Iggy pointed towards the cut on her arm.

"Actually Max DID catch you and is going to take you to the first aid kit to help clean that gash before it heals..." I came through the door way and almost laughed at the two shocked faces of Iggy and Nudge. Fang did laugh, and then like any guy, cracked a soda took a drink, belched and left.

I walked upstairs with Nudge in silence. I listened to her unsteady heart beat and heavy breathing.

"Are you mad?"

"Yes."

"Shit."

"Not about you and Ig. I actually found that a smart match up. That explains Iggys tension when you and Gazzy were goin at it today."

"Yeah he can be a bit protective."

"Of course I wish you would have come talked to me about it other than going behind my back. As long as your being safe and making the right choices for you."

"...then why are you mad?"

"The erasers know where we live."

"Oh! Right those bastards."

"Ha!"

Nudge and I went to the bathroom and cleaned her wound. I went to the roof later when everyone was in bed. That was the first attack in months. He was probably sent to check out the scene and to report back. When he doesn't return they will send another. That gave us about a day to get ready to leave.

"Having thoughts?" I jumped and turned around to see Fang standing, facing the wind with his hair blowing away from his dark eyes.

"Jesus Fang!" he chuckled. I turned back around when he came to sit beside me.

"I don't usually come here to think. I go to the beach. Wanna come?"

"For a swim? As if."

"We don't have to...swim." I looked into his eyes to try to get some sort of read off of him. Nothing it was very frustrating. Angel was lucky to be able to read his mind.

"Race yah!" I jumped into the air and flew as fast as I could to the beach. I landed softly. Thank God it was a deserted beach. However still in very nice condition. I looked around for Fang, the reason I came here, nothing. Then out of nowhere he dropped from a tree and tackled me.

"What is this, some sort of way to teach me not to let my guard down?" I said from underneath him.

"Yeah, you could say that." then out of nowhere again, he leaned in and kissed me. Softly, romantically. It was like nothing I ever felt before. Then it stopped. I opened my eyes to see him smiling above me. I reached up and tangled my fingers in his hair before crushing his lips to mine. Then before I knew it we were rolling around in the sand both shirt less and breathing hard. Our hips intertwined. Then we both lay there in the sand thirty minutes later, breathing heavily.

"Well, Ms. Max, you've certainly earned an A."

"Oh, shut up Fang." I smiled and punched him in the arm. I rolled over to look at the stars.

"Ow. You know you got a lot stronger don't you?"

"Sorry did I hurt you?"

"No,no. Nothing like that. I was kidding, about the ow anyway. Your sexy as hell, you know that?"

"Oh I have heard it a few times. I might take you up on that swim now."

"Really, follow me." We walked towards the water hand in hand to clean up before heading home.