Disclaimer: I do not own any of Max's flock, Fang or the concept of Maximum Ride. It all belongs to James Patterson! C:

It was today.

After being apart for five years, he was going to meet Max again. Fang hated to go back on his promise, but Jeb had called in a favor, or rather, had blackmailed him into doing this. Seeing Max, even after all this time, well, it still hurt to think about what could've happened. But surely, she was better off with Dylan, who had been created for the sole purpose of being her perfect match. Fang. . . couldn't compare with that.

He knew that by being with her flock, he would put them in danger. Their faces flashed through his mind; Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, Iggy, and. . . Max. They had gone through so much together, but what Angel had said, along with Dylan's warnings, made Fang realize that he wasn't needed there anymore. He had to create his own flock.

At first, he thought it was idiotic to post on his blog calling for his kind to join him. Yes, they were Avian-Americans, 98% human, 2% bird. It was what gave them that extra touch to their charming personality. He had found Sydney shortly afterwards and they had grown close over the past year or so that they've been together.

After Sydney, Fang began sporting more hope for his 'flock'. And now, his flock consisted of four people, including Fang himself. They were all avian-human hybrids, Fang having rescued them from various branches of the School.

"Fang? Can we leave yet?" A small redhead poked her head out, the sunlight making her straight red hair shimmer. Sydney.

Fang continued watching the blue sky for any signs of them coming, giving no sign of hearing her. Jeb hadn't given him any other details about this favor, only that he and Max had to stand together. He would've considered that as too vague an idea to follow on, especially with his flock in tow, but somehow, Jeb had sounded serious about this.

Sydney took a few steps out, towards Fang, irritated that he wasn't giving her his full attention, or his attention at all. They had been at the caves for a few days now, waiting. Fang had even flew with the hawks that were here so long ago. It brought back a sense of deja vu, reminding him of the time Nudge and him stayed here, thinking the rest of the flock was dead.

Everything had been so simple back then, with their only objective to stay alive and save Angel. Angel... that evil little mastermind had turned out so scary after they had saved her from the whitecoats at the school. Between her dire death predictions and her mind reading powers, Fang was pretty sure that she could've ruled the world if she wanted to.

"Yeah, I guess. Stupid Jeb. He must've forgotten to tell them." Fang muttered, though still unable to shake off the hope that they would come.

"Really? Yay! I'm going to tell James!" Sydney was the youngest member of his flock, like Angel, yet she gave off innocence while Angel could appear menacing.

James was Fang's second in command and fifteen. He was reasonable younger than Fang, which made it easier for him to take over the flock if Fang ever had to leave. Sydney had already proposed to him, and he had, jokingly, accepted. Now, she thought of him as hers and wouldn't even let anyone sit next to him during meals. Of course, when a ten year old proposes to you, it's hard to say no. Still, it wasn't hard to like James, even for someone as un-trusting as Fang. He stood a little under Fang at 5'11'' and had a lean build. His sandy blond hair covered his emerald green eyes slightly and he almost always had a lazy smile on.

Fang smiled slightly at the younger girl as she skipped inside the cave that they called home for the last three days.

Softer footsteps replaced Sydney's as a dark haired woman stepped out, a scowl on her face. "Don't give her false hope Fang." She said disapprovingly.

She and Sydney were blood sisters, six years apart, though one could never tell. Besides their eyes, which were both the same shade of chocolate brown, the two were nothing alike. Anna had dyed her hair black when she first joined his flock, and although it wasn't the jet black that she hoped for, it still set her apart from her sister.

"Whatever. I'm going for a fly. If we really do leave, I'll know." She gave Fang a wry smile and spread out her wings. They spanned 14ft and sported tawny colored feathers that probably belonged to an eagle, between the majestic coloring and the huge wingspan. Anna also had the uncanny ability to foresee decisions, which proved both annoying and helpful. It was how they got in contact with Jeb, or rather how Jeb got in contact with them. But he wasn't going to elaborate on that now.

Fang sighed. It seemed like Anna didn't trust him or his decisions. He tried to tell himself that it just needed time, but sometimes, he wondered if she resented him for ruining Sydney's life. He didn't have much time to think about this as a shout from above snapped him out of his thoughts. Anna had come back, followed rapidly by six condemning figures. The black-haired girl shot Fang an almost evil grin. "What do you know? They made it." She stepped out of the way, to reveal the five people, and one dog minus a certain pretty boy, greeting them.

The one in the middle, after tucking in her tan colored wings, stepped forward, her eyes searching Fang's dark ones. "Fang, it's been a long time."

Author's Note: My first fanfiction! How goes it so far? Are you bored out of your minds yet? Please review and tell me what you think! C: