AN: Slightly AU…but not really. I just say it happened and Max and Fang never really talk about it again because they're embarrassed. There is no sex in this story…just making out. I promise, it won't get bad. Don't forget to R&R! Told from Max's POV

I rolled over and stared up at the starry sky. It was chilly in the Everglades at night. We were all camped around a small fire. Iggy was sprawled across a bolder, Gazzy at his feet, snoring loudly. Total was curled up at Angel's head, drooling on to his paws. Nudge was leaning up against a tree, with her mouth hanging open.

Fang was on first watch. He was staring into the weak fire, poking it with a short stick. I stared at Fang, my thoughts absently wandering back to the day at the beach, when I thought I was holding him in my arms for the last time, and I had kissed him.

I remember deciding then that I was going to have think about…us. Our messed up little relationship that wasn't really a relationship, which is weird, considering that I was in love with Fang. And he was in love with me.

Remind me, why was this complicated?

Oh yeah. Because we were both to proud to admit it.

I returned my gaze Fang, who was staring blankly into the flames.

I felt stupid. I was staring at him. Me. Maximum Ride is staring at a boy…

God, he had grown up so much. He now had shaggy brown hair, and dark wings that were cocooned around him. I could remember him when he was four.

Fang looked up, and out eyes met. We both immediately looked away. I rolled over again. This was useless. I could hardly sleep normally, but on top of that I had Fang on my mind.

I stood up, resolved.

Fang looked up as I walked away.

"Where are you going?" he asked, casually.

"Just for a walk. I can't sleep," I stuttered.

"I'll come with you," he said, jumping to his feet.

The common sense part of me was saying "No! NO! NO!" But the stupid, emotionally fueled part of my brain had control of my mouth, so I said "Okay."

He leapt to his feet and raced toward me. Every bit of common sense in my brain was saying "THIS IS A BAD IDEA!" But I ignored it, and started walking

"So," I muttered after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"So," Fang repeated.

"How's your life?" I asked stupidly.

"Ah, pretty good, just walking through the everglades trying to figure out where we're going next," Fang joked.

"No way, me too," I laughed.

Fang chuckled softly. Abruptly he said, "Are we good, Max?"

I was taken aback by the question. I thought for a minute, carefully choosing my answer.

"Yeah, we're great. Why wouldn't we be? We just have to figure out where to go next and…"

Fang cut me off, "I mean us. You. Me. Us."

"I'm not mad at you," I stated. I was trying to avoid the question he was asking.

"Stop playing dumb Max," Fang growled, "You know what I mean. Us. Relationship us. I know I acted like a jerk back at school…with Heather."

"Oh, so that was her name," I said impassively.

Fang rolled his eyes, "Max, even though I acted like I….like her, I didn't."

"Well then why did you act like you did? Why did you kiss her?" I barked.

"Hey, she kissed me, I just went along with it," Fang said defensively, "but, after you told us about that Sam kid, I acted like it was a big deal because….I wanted to make you jealous."

Luckily, it was dark enough that Fang couldn't tell how red I was turning, and he couldn't see the flicker of a grin that was teasing across my mouth.

"Well," I replied, slowly and carefully, "would you believe me if I told you I went out with Sam because I thought I didn't have a chance with the person who I really wanted to get with?"

Fang stopped in front of me. We were dangerously close. I could feel his breath on my face.

"That depends on who you really wanted to get with," he breathed.

I was fighting my instinct at that point. The instinct to grab Fang and start kissing him right here, right now. But I couldn't do that. If either of us was going to admit how we really felt, it would not be me. That much I could guarantee.

"What do you think?" I asked, smiling.

What he did then still shocks me to this day. It was very un Fangish.

He kissed me.

I expected him to jerk away quickly, but he didn't. He rough lips pressed passionately into mine. I shut my eyes.

I could feel Fang's warm arms enfold me. I ignored my brain for one second and enjoyed it. I had been dreaming about this moment for a while time. Even if I hadn't been consciously thinking about it, I had definitely wanted it.

Fang pulled away for a second. I didn't mind, I needed to breathe for a second. My eyes were still half closed when he started kissing my neck.

Follow you instincts Max said the voice. Ride the flow

I pulled away from Fang. The voice had surprised me.

Fang looked at his feet, embarrassed.

You know what voice? I thought, I can take it from here. I don't need your advice right now.

I jumped on Fang, slamming my mouth into his. His fingers were running through my tangled blonde hair and up and down my back.

After what felt like forever, but ended too soon, we stopped. He held me close to his chest. I could hear his heart beating.

"Follow me," Fang whispered, slyly.

"What?" I asked, confused.

Fang smiled, and then took off flying. Feeling a kind of crazy, hormonal adrenaline, I took off after him.

I never knew it was possible to kiss while flying…but we did. We were laying horizontal in the air. The tips of my wings were point straight down, as Fang held me in a tight grip, suspended in mid air.

I was so caught up in the flood of emotions, that I didn't even notice we had landed again, until I felt leaves under my again.

I wasn't sure when I fell. Or what exactly happened, but the next thing I knew, we were both on the ground, still locked together.

That was when my brain started to kick into gear. I had a feeling this could get really messy, really fast.

And again, I ignored the logic and listened to the voice. I rode the flow.

We could have laid there for hours, and it never would have been long enough. When Fang finally let go, we were both out of breath, like we had just a marathon.

Fang slid off me, and helped me to my feet. Immediately our fingers intertwined.

"We can't do this," I muttered.

"What are you talking about?" Fang asked.

"We can't…be like this right now. Now that we know what we're supposed to do. We can't get distracted with emotions like this," I mumbled, sheepishly.

Fang let go of my hand and whipped around to face me.

"That's bull Max. You're just too scared of everyone else seeing you like this. Just because you're too proud to admit that you like it when someone cares if you're alive or not," Fang growled.

I started to say something, but he cut me off.

"You know, go ahead. Have a good life. Just know you won't have my shoulder to cry into next time," Fang spat, and he stormed off.

I stood there for a few minutes, feeling empty, confused, hurt, and dejected. So pretty much like I just got punched in the stomach.