Beep…beep…beep…beep my alarm clock screamed as I woke up on a warm Saturday morning. I turned off the alarm and slowly stood up, taking the time to stretch and let my wings unfurl a bit. I opened the window and stepped outside on the roof, enjoying the warm of the sun on my feathers. I unfurled my wings all the way and sat down, my legs dangling off the edge of the roof.

Since my flock's latest attempt at saving the world in Antarctica, we've been hiding with Dr. Martinez, my mom, and Ella, my sister (I'll never get tired of saying that) at their house in Colorado. It's kinda hidden in the mountains and forest, so it makes a pretty good hiding spot. Anyway, since we've been here, I love to go out on the roof in the morning and just think. It's the only time in the day when I can just be alone (sort of, Angel can hear everything that's going on) and relax, of come as close to relaxed as I'll ever be.

It seems I've been coming up here a lot more lately. Since New York, Virginia, Antarctica, things between me and Fang have been…different. He used to be my right-hand man, my best friend, the one who understood me better than anyone else. He was like my brother---was, but things changed. I kissed him---on the beach in New York , but I thought he was going to die, so that doesn't really count, and, he kissed me in the cave and on the dock in D.C. What was going on? He's like my brother, (not really my brother, but he's always been like one), always there to protect me, though I'll never admit I need protecting. God, what was I doing kissing my brother? But I loved it; I love him. The Red-Haired Wonder tore me apart; I almost killed Brigid on several occasions and I know Fang really wished I told him that Sam was a jerk so he could beat him to a pulp. Things were perfectly fine and then they got so complicated.

Angel, you better get out of my head right now; I have some choice words that I don't want you to hear I thought incase she was listening. I sure she was; I'm sure she still is, but right now isn't the time for confrontation. Right now is the time for me to sit, relax, and think.

I closed my eyes for a moment, hoping some answers would magically appear on my eyelids, when I heard a latch open. I turned my head slightly and saw Fang smoothly and silently climb out of his bedroom window and walk towards me. He sat down next to me an unfurled his wings one barely overlapping mine.

"Morning," he said, trying to be casual, like nothing was going on. The tight, barely perceptible clench in his jaw told me something was on his mind.

"Morning," I replied, hoping that we wouldn't have to have this conversation. That I wouldn't have to admit I was totally in love with him. That he was completely right all along. That I needed to stop running and let things happen the way they were supposed to.

"Max, we gotta talk," he said. I knew it was time. Time for me to say what I really needed to, what I was really feeling, but I didn't know if I could.

"I know," I said. I really wish we didn't have to.

"Do you remember back in Virginia?" he asked. "When I was kissing Lissa and you were…." he paused, "…kissing Sam?"

I took a deep breath. "Yeah," I said, my heart pounding in my chest, unable to make eye contact.

"Well, haven't you ever wondered why it bothered us so much; you that I was 'stuck to her like glue' and me that you were…with Sam?"

I looked up at him. "I wasn't wi-." I started to say, but stopped myself. Fang looked at me with those eyes. Those eyes that were usually dark and expressionless, now deep and full of emotion. "Yeah," I said, feeling my checks start to heat up. I looked back down at my lap.

There was a long parse while Fang searched for the words to say. "Max, may-." he started to say, but stopped. He tilted my chin up so I was staring into his eyes again. My heart jumped. I wasn't sure how much more of this I could take. "Maybe we have more than just brother/sister feelings for each other. Maybe I-."

"Stop," I said, startling him. I pulled his hand away from my chin. "Just…stop." I started to get up nearly in tears. "I can't do this, I just…can't," I said, and took a running leap from the roof.

"Max, wait!" he called after me, his voice fading as I flew higher and higher up, farther and farther away. I looked back for a split second, a split second too long. I saw Fang watching me, hurt in his eyes again. He folded his wings in and sat on the roof, his legs dangling as mine had done minutes before. He punched the roof and ran his fingers through his hair, waiting for me to come back, to finish this. I looked back at the direction I was flying and kept going.

I found a cave not too far from Ella's house. I don't know why, but it seemed kind of familiar. I landed on the ledge and dropped to my knees sobbing, watching my tears make wet spots on the dry rock. Why do I keep doing this? I thought as I folded my wings back in. Why do I always run? I wished the Erasers were back so that I could take them all out right here myself. I stood up, walked into the cave, and slid down one of the cave walls, letting out a deep breath as I sat down, trying to think something coherent. I looked up at the cave ceiling, naively praying that the answers to all my problems were written up there. Maybe the word 'gullible' was written on the ceiling, but I thought I saw something. I stopped crying and stood up, wondering what it could be. The cave wasn't very tall, maybe 25 feet or so, but it was dark compared to the outside. I unfurled my wings and jumped up, letting myself hover in place as best I could until I could make out what was on the cave's ceiling. Ashes.

Ashes? I thought. Why are ashes on the ceiling? I looked down and saw something sticking on the ground. Curious as to what it was, I landed and started brushing sand off of it. It was a piece of wood. Fire. I thought. Someone started a fire here, and they could come back. I looked around to see if I could figure out whom it was and that's when I saw it. In the corner of the cave, opposite of where I had been sitting, I saw a piece of fabric. I walked over to it and picked it up, studying it carefully. It was a black, torn piece of knit fabric, like a t-shirt. I looked up and saw a blood scrapes on the wall.

Fang, my voice said.

Voice, long time no hear, I thought sarcastically. Wait, Fang?

Then I remembered. Before Antarctica, before Germany, before Ari split us up, before all of that, Fang and I had been here, at this cave. We were searching for a place to live if the flock decided to not save the world. I was completely against it. I was told I needed to save the world and, whether I wanted to or not, something told me I had to. I left Iggy in charge of the rest of the flock and Fang and I went off to find a place to live. After searching all day, we came here to rest and talk. This is the cave that Fang kissed me in, for the first time. Where he tried to 'convince' me to give up on this whole 'saving the world' gig that we're into these days. Where I ran away for the first time.

I stood there staring at the piece of torn fabric for what seemed like days. That's why this place seemed so familiar. Fang and I were here. This is where Fang and I kissed, where I realized---where I realized I loved him. And just like that I had my answer.

I shoved the fabric in my pocket and ran off the edge of the cliff, unfurling my wings as I jumped. I poured on the speed, racing to get home, hoping I wasn't too late.

When I got back to Dr. Martinez's house, Fang was still sitting on the roof, waiting for me to come back. I landed clumsily on the ledge and ran towards him, feeling freer than I had in a long time. He saw me and stood up, slightly confused as to why I was suddenly happy.

"Max, I…" but that was all he had time to say. I plowed into him, hugging him tightly, never wanting to let go again He tilted my chin up and stared into my eyes, staring everything without saying anything. "I love you," he said and kissed me. I didn't pull back, knowing for the first time exactly what I was doing.

"I love you too."