AN: So… I got bored. And, in the middle of Career Management, this is what came to be.

Enjoy!

(I will post last chapter on "Forever and Always" sometime soon, I hope.)

I own everything… besides Max, Fang, the songs, Jimmy Patters, and… everything affiliated with him. But I DO own the story line.

Steal it and I will break your face.

LOL.

FANG POV

I awoke to the sound of grunts, a sharp kick, and the squawking of a metal chain.

Most of you would be appalled by this sound, thinking of something else, but I knew immediately what it was.

Still, acting like I knew nothing, I slipped quietly into the kitchen, grabbed some breakfast, and then headed down to the gym.

My house- well, technically our house- consisted of three levels. Bottom was basement, top was kitchen and living room and all that crap, and then bedrooms was the third floor.

Being eighteen rocked, since you could buy your won things. Not like we hadn't before, but now it was legal.

Standing on the edge of morning,
Scent of sex and New Found Glory
Playing as she's pulling back her hair

My hand stopped for a minute at the doorknob, as I listened to Max's simultaneous kicks and punches.

She had probably been up since seven, exercising this way.

I had told her a few months ago that it would kill her, but she never seemed to believe me.

Smirking to myself, I entered the room, chewing on my chocolate Pop-Tart, as I grabbed a towel and began setting up my weight bench.

She drives away, she's feeling worthless
Used again, but nothing's different
She'd stay the night but knows he doesn't care

I snapped my mouth shut, keeping all comments to myself.

But I really wanted to announce that it looked as if the punching bag were a real person, and not just a warm-up activity.

My mind couldn't help but think of who the bag might be.

Another thrust from her leg at the bottom told me all I needed to know.

Our relationship was strange… one day we were best friends, next we were enemies.

And still, there was that uncomfortable and embarrassing place that lay after friends, which I hadn't found a name for, really.

Neither had Max, apparently, as she hadn't announced it to me.

At home by three
A deafening quiet
The porch light's off
Guess they forgot it
She'd cry herself to sleep
But she don't dare

The guitars in the song started striking up, as Max stepped back, narrowing eyes at the target.

I watched her intently as my hands gripped the padding around my machine, and I pulled my arms together, feeling my muscles flex.

There was a brief moment when I wished Max would turn around, and acknowledge what I was doing.

Then she would be impressed with me, instead of all those other losers she had dated in the past three years.

Hmm… maybe I wasn't too bad off.

Maybe that swaying punching bag wasn't me.

My eyes zeroed in on the way Max's hair flipped back every time she hit, and the sweat glistening off her tan back, from swimming in our pool this entire summer.

Unfortunately for me, summer was almost over which means no more Max in bikinis.

And she wants to be a model
She wants to hear she's beautiful
She's beautiful

Model?

Max had never said anything about model.

I doubt Tyra Banks would appreciate her "wonderful" attitude.

Stifling my chuckle, I continued to build up my muscles, eyes skimming over the rest of Max's toned body.

No wonder she had been fighting off boy's all year long at school.

I want to save you
I want to save you
I need you
To save me too
I want to save you

Wait…why had she been fighting all those boys off?

Was it because she didn't want to deal with them?

Or… something else?

I shook my head, choosing not to believe option.

Max didn't want those boys… cause she wanted someone else.

The one that was observing Max wipe the sweat off across her forehead, and head over to the tiny fridge that held the water bottles.

I smiled, knowing that she hadn't seen me yet. At least I still had a reputation around her.

"Mr. Dead", according to Nudge and Angel.

I stopped for a few seconds to remain quiet, slowing my breathing down, as she untwisted the cap of her bottle.

Suddenly, she grabbed another one, and tossed it in my direction.

My growl was caught in the back of my throat as she turned, facing me from across the room, smirking.

Her hand found its way to her hip, which was perfectly toned and curved, as she laughed,

"Think you could outsmart me, huh, Fangy?" She moved forward, about seven or eight feet away from me as I chugged some water,

"Well, next time, try to make sure I'm looking the other way, so I can't see the doorknob turn."

Dressed by dawn and out the door
No lights, she memorized the floors
So she could leave without being detected
She works till three it's uniform
She dreams that he'll come by the store
She prays for days when boys mean she's protected

"Nice song. Who picked it out? Nudge?" I gave her a look as she rolled her bright blue eyes, the corners of her mouth flexing up for just a second.

"Nope. Me. You got a problem with it?" Max lifted her eyebrows up, testing me to argue with her.

"Yes, actually," I stood up, bringing myself to walk up to her, as I could feel my heart leaping out of my chest.

"Well, I'm sorry it's not H.I.M. or friggin System of a Down or whatever the hel-"

Her lips were like to rest of her, perfect in every way, and curved to fit me.

My arms- on their own- slipped around her waist, as I deepened the kiss.

Might as well enjoy it while I can.

When we stopped, she would probably burst out of the room, yelling at me how I was her brother.

Leaving me like last time, on the cliff.

But… I had never felt Max to be my sister.

She was always… more. Even from the time we were seven. She had always been my best friend, my leader, which was why she was leader.

And she wants someone to see her
She needs to hear she's beautiful
She's beautiful

She pulled back, her eyes resting into mine, as our breath finally caught up with us.

"So… you like the music that well?" Max smiled, her fingers delicately tracing my jaw.

Delicately dangerous. That was my Max.

"Yes," I nodded, feeling that we weren't exactly talking about the song anymore,

"I looooove the song, in fact."

"Since when?"

"Since… before time. At the moment I laid eyes on that song."

"Really?" Max acted surprised- hell, she might have been- as her body moved closer.

"Yep," I replied shortly, knowing that she would hate me.

If there's one thing Max doesn't like, it's short answers.

What can I say? I knew exactly how to tick her off.

I could see clouds beginning to form in her eyes, her eyebrows dipping down, as her forehead scrunched up, the sweat from her exercise drying.

And if there's another thing I know, it's how to apologize.

But Fang never apologizes.

He just wraps his arms around Max tighter, pressing his lips to her forehead first, and then back to her lips.

Thus, being exactly what I did. And- of course- it worked.

I want to save you
I want to save you
I need you
To save me too
I want to save you

The song kept playing around us, as I pressed Max's back against the gym's wall, one of my hands beside her head.

I licked the bottom of her lip, wanting more of her.

Hey, I had been held back for… three years? I was taking all I could get.

She obliged, smiling, as she opened her mouth wider.

Her hands found their way out of my hair, and up my chest.

Oh, boy.

There was a tingle up my spine, and my mind flashed very… vulgar things… throughout my whole brain.

I tried to break away softly, but every time I began to slip away ever so slyly, Max grabbed my sides with her strong grip.

And that didn't help the case at all, as her fingers danced across the beginning of my basketball shorts.

Then, my ever-so evil mind formed a plan, as I jerked back from Max, smirking.

And she won't sleep
She won't sleep
And she won't sleep
At all

"This song," I proclaimed, intertwining my fingers through hers, as I pulled her behind me, towards the stereo,

"Is getting very annoying."

"But I thought you 'loooooved' this song?" Max rolled her eyes, emphasizing the word.

"I do. But…" Giving her a quick peck on the lips, as I picked the CD out of the player,

"I don't want you playing it just to annoy me, so…" Max waited, eyebrow raised,

"I'm going to burn it."

With that, I dropped Max's other hand, and raced out of the gym door.

"FANG! GIVE ME MY DAMN CD BACK!" Max shouted behind me, as I threw off my shirt, shooting out my wings as soon as I reached the balcony.

I laughed, looking back as Max shouted offensive words.

"Perfect day to wear a shirt with no holes, Max!" I called, sweeping around, just out of her reach.

"Oh, yeah?" Max jumped onto the railing, peeling off her tank top to reveal another one, blue, and holes.

I want to save you
I want to save you
I need you
To save me too

Shit.

I was dead.

Taking off, my wings carried me about four miles, until she caught up with me.

"You really want this CD back, don't you?" I grinned, moving so I was standing- or flying- in front of her.

Her face went blank for a moment and I suddenly feared she was having another brain attack.

She had been having more and more of them recently.

Reaching forward, I was about to wrap my arms around her, just in case she fell, when her eyes grew huge.

Then… she started laughing. Tears were streaking down her face by the time she had gathered enough strength to stop.

Then she moved closer, wrapping her arms around my waist, her breath hot in my ear,

"So… Fang likes my kisses a bit too much, huh?"

The color drained from my face, then was replaced by fire.

"Um… Max… are you okay?"

Play it off, Fang, and she won't find out. Maybe she's just crazy.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," She ran two fingers down my naked chest,

"It's just… a little birdie told me that you… were having some…" She choked back a giggle,

"Problems. With me kissing you?"

Oh, man. This was more embarrassing than… no. This had to rate the 'Fang's Top Ten Embarrassing Moments'. For sure.

Sighing, I hung my head,

"Yeah. About that-"

A finger suddenly appeared on my lips, as my eyes looked through the chunks of my hair, to Max's mischievous face.

I want to save you
Let me save you
I want to save you
Let me save you
I want to save you

Leaning in, she laughed quietly to herself before continuing,

"Don't worry about it. It's not your fault I'm so damn sexy."

A noise came from the back of my throat, as I suddenly squeezed her to me tightly, emitting a surprised squeak from the girl I loved so much.

"Mmm… I have to agree with that one."


I want to save you
Let me save you
I want to save you…

Later that day, Max laid me down on the bed, a bottle of aloe in her hands.

I flinched at her hands at first, and then sank into her comforter, as the ice-cold gel ran down my back.

"See? This is what happens when you spend all day in the sun kissing me."

I grinned, turning my head so that she could see it,

"Well, at least you know you have a dedicated boyfriend."

"And how is that?" Her fingers massaged into my burnt skin.

"He's willing to get skin cancer just to kiss you."

She paused, leaning down to kiss my lips quickly.

And to think, this all started with a punching bag…

AN: Dude! This is so cute! Next chapter is hardfreakingcore… that is… when I get around to type it.

But… don't expect it very soon, since there is a new Ghost Hunters on Wednesday, and a new Gauntlet 3!

But look out for it!

Song: "I Want to Save you" by Something Corporate.

I actually worked out to it the other morning, so I was inspired while watching Golden Girls, and running on the treadmill.

:D