A/N: Well, okay. This is my second fanfiction. I have high hopes for this one. And yes, if you read the title, it does take place at the end of Nevermore, the last Maximum Ride book. I do hope they actually do save the world and don't fail, epically. Thanks for reading. The beginning's a bit wordy, but only because I wanted to explain Max's shock and stuff. The ending's a bit cliffy, but that's what the story needed. I will update the next chapters soon. (: Enjoy!

We saved it. We actually saved the world. I mean if you call, you know, the gray atmosphere, billions of mutants, who weren't really mutants, but robots piled up in heaps every two meters, chunks of debris falling of buildings and clashing to the floor, a saved planet, then sure, the world was saved. From the apocalypse. Huh. You'd think that after all that hard work and near death experiences, I'd be jumping up and down, lost in a victory dance. But, no. Instead I stood gaping at the ground, encrusted with fragments of cars (don't ask), building bits, and who knows what else.

The Flock behind me was whooping and cheering. Soon enough, one of them would come over to where I was standing, shaking from the repetitions of everyone I loved and the world that I loved, almost dying. They'd see me frozen from the shock of almost letting the world down, and letting those no-good-dirty-rotten-psychotic-dummy creeps, called The 'People Who Just Want to Boss the Whole Flippin' World Around' Generation. You just can't have enough of evil crawling in your world these days, can you? Actually, their real name was unknown, kept secret. The flock just thought it made sense to call them that. And it did make sense!

Suddenly, I felt someone's eyes on me. My neck twitched with the raised hairs. I clenched my fists, angrily. I was having a moment here. A scary one at that. Who dared annoy me with words right now?

I turned around slowly, only to find Fang staring at me. He had a look of wonder on his usually, impassive face and his obsidian eyes glittered brightly. The black shirt and jeans he wore were sheeted in grime and dirt. Stepping closer to me, he expertly flipped his hair to one side. What a showoff, huh?

Immediately, my fist relaxed, as did my tense body. Right then, I forgot how he stupidly, left m- the Flock. How he decided he was better off without m- the Flock. How he quickly went off, only to replace m- us, with other mutants freaks. How much he hurt m- (oh, fine!) me. His gaze seeped right through me and I stared back, dopily. I felt my face stretch out in a clumsy grin, which was no match for his smirk.

It was the same smirk he wore the day I remember he came back.

-Flashback-

It was a hot, summer's day. (I'm quite the poet, eh? *wink*) The flock was inside, just starting to wake up. As usual, I was the first one. Next was Iggy, who was prepared to make us some breakfast. Gazzy was sleeping on the couch, on the brink of waking up. I smiled and went back inside the girls' rooms.

Quickly, waking them up, I headed off next to find Dylan.

I was still confused about him. What with the whole perfect guy business, I usually tried to avoid him, nowadays. He would just stare at me when I faced him, like saying, I know you're trying to stay away from me. Ha! But, you'll come around… I hadn't talked to him in weeks, just trying to figure the stupid emotions bottled up in me. Fang, Dylan, Fang, Dylan, Fang, Dylan, Fang..?

I advanced on Dylan's room. It wasn't an actual room. Just a small walk-in closet which nobody used. Yeah, yeah. I know! That's no way to treat a Flock member. Not at all hospitable.

But hey! He wasn't really part of the Flock. He was just a guy who most of the time, got on my nerves. And excuse me for not being 'hospitable'. I didn't really acknowledge it as a life skill, you know? All I needed was my Flock, some food to feed 'em, and practice my Max-Kwon-Do on baddies. But then, you already know that! The only room not occupied was Fang's room. NO WAY was I going to let Dylan throw himself around in that sanctuary. Plus, he was happy to oblige and live in a coat closet. So there you have it.

I paused when I heard Dylan's bare whispers. Normally, I wouldn't care much about Dylan, much less care if he suddenly, started to talk to himself. Yet, I stopped just shy of his door way and pressed my ear to his wall. Sometimes being a mutant bird kid with super hearing and whatnot, really does save you the trouble of barging in and saying ''Hey! I'm gonna' eavesdrop on ya', 'kay? Just don't mind me. '' Dylan's voice was muffled but I could heard well, what he was saying.

''-not ready and hasn't picked yet! I'm sorry you came all the way, but you can't just barge in!'' He sounded irritated, which was rare.

I listened more. But then, when I heard that growl, my heart stopped and plopped up in my mouth. *gag* I recognized it immediately. It was 'him'.

''No! Dylan, we can't wait anymore. It's not a matter of who she 'picks'', I imagined 'him' doing air quotes. ''We'll only get the job done together. Let her decide what she feels, but, right now, we have to put it aside.''

'He' spoke in a husky whisper, which was barely perceptible. But I heard every word. I knew the meaning of every word. 'We' meant the Flock (Woohoo! *cheers*) and the Fang gang. (Boo!) 'Her' meant me. Wow, 'he' might as well have written on Dylan's door, Hey Max, you wanna' join our teams? Oh by the way, we're kinda' talking about you right now!

Lost in my own thoughts, I soon forgot to get away from Dylan's room. They weren't telling me about this so I'd better hide. Yeah right! Hide shmide. These two goofballs thought they were so smart, talking behind my back. I'll show them…

I walked alongside Dylan's door and putting my hand on the knob, I flashed the door open. The grim expression on my face soon dissolved into shock. Fang (GOD! There I said it! I'm tired of saying 'he' and playing charades!) stood there gawping. His face was smooth and tanned. The long, lush hair I was so used to was clipped short, yet he had a fringe flopped over his right eye. He looked soo hot at the moment. (Uhmm, I didn't say that.) The clothes he wore were sheeted in grime and dirt. Although, he still looked even sexier. Instantly, his dark eyes locked onto mine and I saw his guard crumble down.

We stood there staring, brown eyes drowning in dark ones. Did I say drown? Ahem. I meant look. Then, he smirked at me after what seemed so long. In the back, I could make out Dylan's hunched form, clearly annoyed at having Fang here. Go figure! He coughed slightly, which irked Fang a bit. But, he never took his eyes off mine. The goofy part of me wanted to stay like that forever. But, the sane part of me, and yes I do have a sane bone in my body, wanted to throw a sarcastic comment in his face and leave in a huff.

Fang saw my expression and read my thoughts. (no, not the Angel-reading-my-thoughts kind, the Fang-knows-me-too-well kind.)

''Just come out and say it, Max.'' he sighed, but his voice betrayed amusement.

I narrowed my eyes and folded my arms across my chest. ''You are here because?''

He ignored that. ''Did you find Angel?''

I had a feeling he already knew the answer. He was just playing me. Finding Angel was a big deal, so big that Fang, across the globe would've gotten the news somehow.

''What do you think?''I snarled slightly. He looked at the ground, then at me.

''Dylan, can I talk to Max alone for a sec?'' he asked softly.

Now, considering they both hated each other before, what with the jealousies and all, I was pretty impressed when Dylan wordlessly left the room, a smooth expression on his face. He stopped at the doorway and smiled at me, reassuringly like saying, in that annoying way that he has, I'm here for you.

That left me with this disaster. Fang wasn't the disaster. Nu-uh. He was a masterpeice. (gosh, forget I said that. What's wrong with me?). Our relationship was a disaster. I hadn't seen him since Paris when he left with his merry band of mutants. We had drifted apart since then. I wasn't really sure of him, nowadays. Seeing him now was just as painful as seeing him in Paris. Yet this time, I didn't get the gut-wrenching feeling that he was just popping in to say hello, and then he would be like, See ya'! So I was good. His movements when he moved across the room were smooth, but I could see his excitement.

''Max, why do you think I'm here?'' he asked, silkily. He settled down on Dylan's make-shift bed. I wasn't too sure how Dylan would feel about that.

''Too say you needed my help, and then woops, yeah, I got to go now.'' I put as much steel as possible in my voice, despite my suspicions of why he was here. Without my permission, my heart gasped and sped up. Fang seemed to notice.

''What's the real reason you know that I'm here for?'' he asked, clearly enjoying me writhe in agony of just giving in.

I glared at him. He gazed back, with raised eyebrows. His mouth twitched with a smile.

''You can just say it and spare us the trouble.''

''By 'us' you mean you.''

''Max… '' he lazily, smiled one of those rare Fang smiles that lights up his whole face and makes the world spin a little faster.

I felt my knees buckle and my heart kicked into high gear. I thanked the fact that Dylan had a small chair at the door and I sat down, before I could stumble down like a goof.

''You can just get to the point, you know.'' I said in a quiet voice, which I swear was nothing like mine.

''I'm here because I think that it was the stupidest idea to leave,'' he said. I felt like blurting out a sarcastic comment like, Oh really? You think? So, I'm not the only sensible mutant in the room? But, I squelched the instinct to. God, sometimes even I surprise myself. ''Max, you have to understand I had never considered the fact that if we're divided, we're even more vulnerable. All I thought when I... left was if we're divided we have a better chance of surviving.''

He paused, like he was waiting for my reaction of something. But, I didn't give anything away. So, he sighed and went on.

''But I was wrong, Max.''

Relief flooded through me. He was staying! He was really coming back! WOOHOO! Despite, the wild party in my mind, I remained calm, like the great leader I am.

''What was that? Didn't catch you.'' I held a hand behind my ear.

He rolled his eyes. ''I was wrong. W-R-O-N-G. Did you hear?''

I smiled and came to sit beside him. ''So you're coming back? No catch?''

He nodded and gazed at my face. ''Only if the Flock wants me to. If you want me to.'' he replied, casually, but I could tell he was tense.

My mouth fell open and I closed it in time. ''Of course, we want you back, you big doofus!'' Huh, so much for coolly brushing past him with a mild, ''We'll think about it.''

Fang smirked and stood up to go tell the others. But, I stood up just as fast and tackled him into a rare-Max-hug.

''I missed you.'' I mumbled. Gosh, what happened to the bottled-up-of-emotions-Maximum-Ride, I knew?

He was startled for a second, but then his strong arms slid up my back, in a way that made me shiver. I felt his face burying itself in my hair. ''Same here.'' he murmured into my hair.

And just like that, the Flock screamed and tumbled into the closet, hugging us. I was confused. We never group hugged, or whatever. Although, here they were laughing and squeezing the heck out of Fang.

''What? You get to hug him and we can't?'' Nudge laughed, reading my expression.

''Yeah! Or did you want him all to yourself? '' the Gasman giggled. I blushed furiously and before I could punch him in the gut, they all turned and hugged me too.

I figured they had been eaves-dropping. Wonder where they learned that from?

''You of course!'' Angel trilled, reading my mind.

Laughing, I realized how fast a family could become whole again and suddenly, I was so grateful.

''We're a family, now Max. We're us, again.'' my little mind reader, assured.

I glanced over to where Dylan was standing, at the door frame. He made a smart choice not to come anywhere close to me, or hug me. I was would have literally, bitten his clone arm off. (Gross!) Same went for Fang. So, you can imagine how surprised I was when he said, ''Come over here already, Dylan. As much I as I hate to admit it, you've got no choice but to be part of the Flock now.''

I stood, gaping as he hesitated, but then glanced at me and came over. Although, he made another smart choice to 'group-hug' opposite and away from me. I went and leant against the wall and took a look at my family. (yes, stupid Dylan included!)

Then, I glimpsed at Fang. He was in the middle of Iggy's, Angel's, Gazzy's and Nudge's scrawny arms. They were busy squealing with delight. He caught me looking and exchanged a silent thought with me. It's 's all okay. I beamed at him.

-End of Flashback-

''What?'' Fang asked, with a slightly dumbfounded expression.

''What?'' I asked. I didn't notice how close he was to me. I could feel his forehead on mine. So, I was dang furious to feel my cheeks burn up, so he could tease me. But he brushed it aside.

''You're looking at me funny.'' His arms slid behind my waist and he gathered me to him.

''Just, um. You know…'' I lost my train of thought when my eyes were lost in the intensity of his expression. His lips were, suddenly on mine and stumbled backward a bit, but he caught me and grabbed me back. I stood there with one hand on his chest and one on his neck, kissing him with everything I had. This was the first we had kissed since he had left. Eventually, I forgot how to breathe, so I was thankful when we broke apart. The Flock stood behind us, wooping and ging 'oohh', much to my annoyance. Nonetheless, I didn't get to wack them personally upside the head because Fang put his two fingers under my chin and made me look at him.

''So am I forgiven?'' he asked, searching my face.

I knew what he meant, even though he didn't say it. ''What do you think?''

He grinned and kissed me on my forehead.

A/N : So? Good? Bad? R&R!