I was depressed. As per usual my parents were running late in picking me up. Why had I thought this was going to be any different? It was almost physically impossible for my parents to get anywhere on time, picking me up, dropping me off, getting to work, taking me to my various practices; they couldn't even make dinner reservations on time! Don't get me wrong, I love my mom to bits, and am starting to trust Jeb again, he and my mom Dr. Martinez and newly married, but, it's just sad, I always seem to be the only adult in the house. At least I can usually get to class on time, make dinner without burning the house down (my food may not taste as great as Iggy's but at least I don't burn down the entire house), and get all of my homework done before midnight everyday.

I mentally berated myself for not taking the offer to ride home with Dylan. Even he could tell my parents would be two hours late again, and he'd only known me for a month. I sighed quietly. This was just perfect. Giving in, I sat down on the side walk and took out my homework to start. There was a reason my parents needed to get themselves real cell phones, and it was so that I could at least call them and tell them to pick me up at the library when they're running this late so I don't have to stand outside the school looking like a creep. I, of course had my own cell, that I paid for myself, but my parents refused to buy one for themselves, being stuck in the past.

Someone plopped down behind me. I groaned, could this day get any worse?

"You could show some appreciation for the company you know." Fang's voice was pouty. It was getting less and less unusual for him to show emotion, well around me anyway. Of course I didn't need to even look up to know who it was, I guessed even before he spoke. Fang was the only one who was ever at the school this late, usually because he always had detention for being tardy. I honestly didn't know how he managed to be late so often.

"It's a lot of hard work. I have to purposely over-sleep, then walk really slow, linger and chat with some fellow stragglers, and then I have to mess up my locker combo about six times to waste time before class. It's totally a hard-knock life for me." Fang smirked. God, that smirk always seemed to melt it's way into my heart, no matter how used to it I was getting.

"Fangie! How many times do I have to tell you not to listen in on my internal narrations?" My question was both exasperated and rhetorical.

So was his response, "How many times have I told you not to call me 'Fangie'? The names Fang, I let you get away with calling me that stupid name the 'rent gave me, sometimes anyway, is that not enough for you?"

That was a cheap shot for him to pull. He knew I only called him that as a reaction to something he's done. So what else would I do but pull the oldest trick in the book and set my face in a heart-wrenching pout.

His smiled disappeared, "Hey, now don't do that! Come on you know what pouts do to me! I was just joking ok? Sorry!" Fang could never stand it when I pouted, my pouts were magical. They even worked wonders on Dylan, the new kids who looked like a teen wonder. Legit.

God did that boy whine a lot! But as always his whining melted the pout off my face and I smiled hugging him, "I know."

We went on chatting for a little while, while we both waited for our rides home. Fang had his permit, but he couldn't drive since he hurt himself fencing, go figure, the guy was a glutton for injuries. I wasn't old enough for my permit yet, but I'm still counting down the days till I turn 17 and can get it.

Fang's mom arrived first, big surprise. The three of us chatted a bit and then they left, leaving me once again alone. Fang was adopted and his mom was really nice, although it was a tad awkward when Fang told me his mom thought I was cute. I think she really wants Fang and me to date, because I'm kind of responsible and most of Fang's ex's looked like he picked 'em up off a street corner. The boy had awful taste in women.

I don't mind being alone, I've gotten used to it, having to rely on myself from a pretty young age, now it was kind of comforting in a way. Today, however, was different. I couldn't rid myself of a nagging feeling I'd had every since Fang left. It was almost like someone was watching me. That was never good.

I attributed that paranoia to my not wanting to be alone for once. I always felt that way after hanging out with Fang, it might be due to the fact that he's always hitting on me and I am almost painfully single, after all, but that probably wasn't it. Fang would chase anything in a skirt, literally. Once they dressed his brother up as a girl and Fang hit on him, poor Parker! His therapy is so going to cost a lot.

To try and rid myself of my nagging paranoia, I took out my phone and started debating who to text. Nudge was my best friend, but she was still probably at her swim meet or on the bus home having a ball and probably wouldn't answer. I could text Dylan too, he gave me his number but he didn't have mine so I felt like texting him would be really creepy. Looks like the only other person to text would be Fang. He wasn't my first choice but he always answered and texting someone was way better then being completely alone. The text I sent was only three letters long, 'Hey', but in the time it took me to send it, many things happened.

I fell to the sidewalk, my parents pulled in and someone stepped out for the shadows.

"Phew, finally, everyone's gone! I thought that flirt would never leave! Ugh I hate waiting as a shadow." The stranger chirped cheerily.

"Max, sweetie, get off the ground. It's really not a becoming position for a young lady like yourself." My mother admonished me.

My mouth dropped, "MOM! You just saw me fall to the ground and the first thing you say to me is that lying on the sidewalk is un-becoming? Not even 'Hi Max' or 'What happened sweetie' or better yet, 'Who the heck is that stranger, do you know him?' By the way do you know that guy because I sure don't and he seems to think he's friendly with someone here!"

Call me paranoid, and many people have, but that stranger creeped me out. I wanted away from him as soon as possible, or to at least know who the heck he is!

"Oh relax sweetie, of course you know him, he's your half-brother." She smiled and walked over to hug the stranger.

My eyes were about popping out of my freaking head, "My WHAT?"

"Max, love, stop being so dramatic." My father told me. Of course he's concerned with me being over-dramatic. I bit back the words to tell my 'father' off, saying that I wasn't being over dramatic but he wasn't being dramatic enough. Hadn't they ever heard of breaking news gently?

"I'm here to take you to your new school M."

The name was hauntingly familiar. I vaguely remembered someone calling me that when I was little, back when my parents I had lived in our old house.

I gasped lightly, "It's you! You're my brother? I remember you! We used to play together." I started pacing.

So great, my merry band of misfits was growing. I already had a half-sister and now I find out I have a half-brother, what gives? Who were all these half-parents? Did my mom like turkey-stuffers that much?

He smiled and bowed condescendingly, "One in the same."

Fang chose that moment to reply, "You really shouldn't bother hiding your intentions from me. I could have told you it was your brother and breathe. REMEMBER TO BREATHE!"

Even distance couldn't stop his mind-reading. My quick reply was mental, I knew he'd get it. It was a simple word 'Thanks'. He sent a smiley-face in reply, then my 'half-brother' started getting agitated.

I looked at him innocently, "What?"

He looked at me strangely, and then tilted his head to the side, "Don't lose him. He'll be a good ally in the future."

Another text from Fang 'Tell him, that he can bet his rear on it.'

I looked on from my phone, confused. "S can you stop having mental conversations with the afore mentioned, quote-unquote, 'flirt' and using me as a medium to translate? It gets confusing."

He smiled back innocently, "Sorry sis," I wasn't sure if I totally believed that apology but still nodded my head in acceptance. Fang of course texted back "Nope," the idiot sure was arguable.

My thoughts were running along the lines of 'Fangie stop being a smart alec' when I suddenly realized, I still had no clue why we were all here talking.

"So I'm guessing this is something really important we need to talk about and or do or whatever, but can't we do this at home? Or at least somewhere somewhat private? I've been at this place for nearly twelve hours I'd rather just go home." My voice was pleading by the end of my miniature monologue.

"Oh sweetheart," my mom's face fell, "Baby we met here to tell you, you can't come home. It's not safe."

Jeb added, "There are a lot of things going on that you don't know about yet, I'm sure Fang will use his better judgment in what he tells you as well as your brother; but the point being our house is no longer safe for you."

My mouth was almost quite literally on the floor by now and tears were starting to form burning pools in my eyes, that was a great thing about living in an abnormal town, those quaint little expressions everyone uses but no one thinks can ever happen, often do happen, so yeah, my jaw was way farther below the limit of most normal people's jaws.

"Cheer up champ, you get to live with your big brother again. And hey, with me I promise you'll get to be a kid more."

I was definitely crying now. It took a lot to make me cry. I may not have loved my life before but that didn't mean I wanted to leave it now. I loved my parents, how could they just abandon me like this?

Fang came out of the shadows and just hugged me. He held onto me as I sobbed, silently and tightly, while my family just watched on awkwardly. No one was surprised he'd be there. He lived within walking distance of the school; they figured he'd start walking as soon as he figured out something 'bad' was going to happen. Fang might have been an aloof, arrogant flirt at his best, but he wasn't a bad guy and when the situation demanded it, he could be a great friend.

He started lightly rubbing my back, right at the base of my neck, right where he knew always calmed me. "Shhh its ok Max. Don't worry, you're not going to be cut off from us, your just going to be house jumping a lot and home schooled. No big deal right?"

I sniffled, "Are you sure?"

He nodded and hugged me tighter. I curled up inside his arms. Somehow my mind started straying to wondering about if this was what it was like to have a boyfriend.

Fang started to chuckle. I could feel the chuckles in his ribs and they sort of tickled. "That's really what you think about right now Max?"

I blushed bright red, it took a lot to make me do that too. I wasn't very keen on those emotion things. I'd totally forgotten he could read my mind, in all honesty, I was too relaxed. My first thought was to immediately deny it, but it was a rhetorical question and he'd know when I was lying. So, considering the risks, I just stayed silent and nodded slightly into Fang's chest.

Fang was even taller then some of the teachers, so tall that even when I was wearing my four inch heels, he still was a head taller then me.

My brother was of a similar physique to Fang, except where S had ribbons of muscle, Fang was tall and thin. While Fang was calming me down, S was packing away my things.

"Hey sis, if you're done with your osmosis into Fangie, there's something else you should know," I opened my eyes and looked up at my brother, "My house isn't ready for you quiet yet and you still have to finish the rest of school this week. We were planning on pulling you out during break. So here's the awkward part, you kind of need to find a friends house to stay at for a day or two."

Fang offered up his house for me to crash at, he said "It's cool if she stays at my house, we've got plenty of room and my parents don't care who I have over as long as we don't trash the place."

This was the point my parents choose to raise a concern, "Now Max, I really don't think we're comfortable with you spending the night at this young man's house. He seems like a fine gentlemen, but you're a young lady, it's just not appropriate."

I detached myself from Fang at this point, "Lemme get this straight, you're all for shipping me off to live with my brother who I haven't had any contact with for the past nearly 16 years, but you are hesitant for me to spend two or three days with my friend I've known for the past 3 or so years? COME ON! Well hey guess what? If I need a house and Fang's offering I'm accepting his offer because at this point I don't want to live with you anymore!"

"Max." Fang was using his warning voice. That voice usually turned my knees to jelly, it was so sexy!

"No Fang, I'm not going to take back what I just said. I lived alone long enough, now I'm done. I'm ready to stop taking care of my parents."

He sighed but didn't push it further. "Alright, come on, let's head home. Mum's almost finished dinner."

I nodded and reached down to grab my bag and then blinked once. It wasn't there. Where could it have gone?

"Relax M, I already took care of them," S patted my shoulder; "if you need something just summon it."

I groaned, "I suck at summoning!"

S laughed, "I know sis, that's why I did that. To give you some practice." He stuck his tongue out at me.

I glared playfully back then muttered "Fine." Glaring was something I do well.

I turned to Fang and he nodded, we turned and started to leave, without a goodbye.

When I was almost out of hearing distance, my mother whispered, "I love you baby, this isn't goodbye, we'll meet again. I love you."

We all went our separate ways and the school fell to sleep with the relaxing quiet of the night bugs.

Fang and I walked in silence for a few minutes. The first sound to break the silence was a bemused chuckle from Fang. I was confused; my mind had been completely blank for the past five minutes, so he couldn't have been laughing at my thoughts.

Fang answered in his, new trademark pouty voice, "First off I was chuckling, not laughing, and you're right I'm not chuckling at your thoughts, I was bemused by something you did earlier."

Something I had done earlier? That perplexed and muddled my thoughts further.

"Ouch slow down the brain waves they're starting to give me a headache girlie. And do you really want to know?"

I nodded, waiting patiently for him to explain. Waiting patiently was kind of a rare thing for me, I'm really not that patient, so Fang knew better then to keep me in suspense, lest he want to end up sterile.

"You called me Fang. A few times actually, I think."

My eyes widened. We both stopped walking and stared at each other, my thoughts were racing again. The sounds of both of our hearts pounding seemed to echo on the quiet streets. Slowly and hesitantly Fang bent down, lower and lower. I tilted my head up and started leaning on my tiptoes. He kissed me gently.

That single kiss was enough to set my entire face ablaze and turn my knees to mush. The thing about mush was, it's never very stable. My knees started to give way under me. I fell onto Fang's slender chest. His arms wrapped themselves around me of their own accord and we just stood there for a while.

It took a while for me to realize I could hear Fang's thoughts. They were split between an old wives tale and me. The wives tale was that when two people fell in love and kissed, they could transfer their powers to one another. It was said that it was nature's way of balancing intellect with physical abilities. The tale also says that a couple should have no secrets and sharing abilities opens one another to learn what the other could have been hiding.

"Looks like it's not just an old wives tale." Neither of us was sure who said it first.

Well this makes communications easier. I thought.

Tell me about it, thought Fang with a smile.

We walked the rest of the way home hand-in-hand, mentally conversing. I was pretty sure I could get used to this. It's a natural feeling. Fang seconded the thought. It was a good thing both of us are usually honest people. Well, not just usually honest, we were what some people would call brutally honest with the people we trusted. Needless to say there were few people we trusted.

Fang swears he only listens to teachers when they ask questions purposely knowing no student would be able to answer them. I think that's a bunch of bull poopie but hey, I may end up doing the same thing, so who really cares?

I of course still thought out loud, a lot, "Hmmm…. If both halves of the couple share powers, what'd you get from me?"

"I don't know yet, maybe you're a thought projector," he nuzzled his chin in my tangled hair softly, "You're thoughts have always been the easiest for me to read."

I contemplated this slowly on the walk home. There were so many missing variables in the equation.

At Fang's house we were finally an official couple. He actually asked me out while we were walking. I hate to admit it but it was kind of really romantic, just the two of us walking alone in the moonlight, after slowly growing closer and closer over the years we'd known each other, holding hands, clinging to each other. Then he gently pulled me to a stop and in the most gentle and sweet voice asked me to be his girlfriend. It was totally surreal in an I-don't-ever-want-this-to-end sort of way.

I wanted to be ecstatic but it felt too normal for me to be anything but calmly happy. No one thought it was weird I was too happy to be excited, but I didn't pick up on what they did think of me, it didn't occur to me that that was strange. I'd never been called pretty so many times and known that the people meant it. It felt amazing to me.

I spent the first night on the couch at Fang's house and the next in the spare guest room. Some out of town friends were there when I got there so Fangs parents gave me the option of the couch or the floor of someone's room. The couch was easiest on my back. No need to add pain into the equation. And I also didn't want to add in the awkward factor of sleeping on someone's floor. But man, was the guest bedroom nice! It was so plush and totally furnished.

Staying at Fang's house was pretty cool, his parents actually made breakfast in the morning and were around when we woke up. Not only that, but they ate with us and talked at breakfast. It was like having a real family. I was really starting to like that, I could totally get used to being there.

The third day there was Friday. It was my last day of public school, and my last day at Fang's house. That day at school was one of those days I would eventually long to forget but remember for ever. And let me tell you, if you're one of those lucky people who never get the unfortunate luck to experience a memory like that, YOU ARE ONE LUCKY BUTTHEAD! I've had more then my fair share of those stupid memories.

It happened at lunch on Friday. Fang and I were in line to get a hot lunch when my Nudge walked up to us. Nudge, who was usually bouncy and bubbly, looked nervous and flighty, like a bird almost.

"Hey Nudge" I warmly greeted my best friend.

"Hey don't eat that." Was her reply

"Awe come on Nudge, do you really think it's poisoned?" Fang chimed in.

"It. Is." Nudge was adamant. Gosh, the girl could be more stubborn then Angel, who most resembled a very stubborn, 8 year old.

"Fine Nudge," I put back the lunch I was going to get, "What can I eat then?"

"Stick to the vending machines if you need to but if you can avoid it don't eat at all, drinks are ok." Nudge breathed in a rush then ran off, probably to warn her other friends. We were all friends, with Gazzy, Iggy and Angel, but it was really Nudge who kept the peace and got us all to be friends in the first place. How Fang and I became friends, is a totally different story, one that's way too long to tell her.

Fang and I exchanged glances, and then shrugged. It took some mental begging but I got him to put his lunch back; we both bought waters, and then stopped at the vending machines to grab some snacks.

We sat down and ended up talking through most of lunch. With less food there was a lot more time to chat, not that we really needed lunch to chat, we could talk at anytime during school and in any class without getting caught. Telecommunication beat texting any day.

We were walking back to class when we stopped. The line to the nurse's office was out the door and down the hallway. Usually there were never more then one or two kids, maybe four tops in the office, but today it seemed like half of every grade was in there. How'd we figure out about this line? I nearly walked right into some freshmen standing there. I was no Michele Kwan, I could hold my own in a fight, but ask me to look like a graceful girl and you might as well ask a pterodactyl to come out of being dead or hiding or whatever and let you ride it.

Whoa. Maybe Nudge was right! Was both of our thoughts.

Fang and I looked at each other and then immediately began searching out the nurse's thoughts.

"…good lord what are they serving to these kids? A school wide epidemic where every kid that bought lunch today. Oh lord what if someone poisoned them!"

A school-wide epidemic? How had Nudge known about that? What's happening?

That day S showed up after fifth period to pick me up. He said he was going to wait until the end of school but it wasn't safe at all any more.