AN: Hi all! Now, I love Max and Fang. They belong together, end of. So I wasn't very happy with the end of Angel where all they got was one awkward hug goodbye. This is how I think the last chapter of Angel (book 7) should have played out.

Enjoy!

How They Should Have Said Goodbye.

I couldn't cry anymore. Nudge and I had crashed in a somewhat quiet corner near the blast site in the middle of Paris. Police and bomb deposal experts, who were being shadowed by Iggy and Gazzy, roamed the streets around us. The crazy Doomsday Groupies had gone now and not a moment too soon; I felt like kicking something or someone very hard.

Angel was gone. My Angel, she was gone. I was heartbroken and still, the world kept turning.

Through my stiff, blood-caked eyelids I saw a shadow loom over me. It was Fang, looking as bad as I felt.

"If we haven't found her body yet, then she's still alive," I said quietly, which was all I could manage. There was a tiny piece of my mind in the very back of my empty head that still believed what I was saying was true.

Fang shook his head. "No, Max, probably not."

Nudge must have felt my body tense up as she slowly woke up. She blinked and looked around groggily. I rubbed her back in a soothing motion but she was soon wide eyed when she saw my expression and Fang standing in front of us. She expected more fireworks.

Ok, never mind kicking DGers, can I kick Fang?

I stood up, very slowly. My body was stiff; I had been sitting down too long, doing nothing for too long. I faced Fang and gritted my teeth. He just looked at me, expressionless.

"We're… taking off," he said simply.

Immediately I suddenly thought, We? Since when has Fang been in charge? But past his shoulder I saw his gang, all looking battered and bruised but looking more like us than ever before. He meant them and not us. His flock, not mine.

"Ok," I managed a reply eventually. "Bye."

And with that I started walking away, leaving Fang and Nudge looking a little stunned. His last goodbye to me had been so hurtful, the least I could do was try and repeat it, try and make him see how a bad goodbye could tear you up inside. As if I wasn't suffering enough right now, he was leaving again!

I walked and walked, too tired to fly anywhere. I didn't know where I was when I stopped but it was a quiet empty street. Just what I needed.

"Max?"

I jumped out of my skin at the dark voice behind me. I spun around on my heels but Fang caught my hand, already knowing my right hook would be flying at his face. I paused, confused, my hand dangling in the air.

"What?" I snapped angrily. Jeez, Max, you sure know how to play it cool…

"Don't hit me," he said calmly. He cautiously released my hand.

"Fine," I growled. "Just don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Ok," he said and I suddenly wished that I hadn't agreed to not hit him. He was so calm and relaxed whilst I was jumpy and distraught. Again, not cool, Max.

"You're angry I'm going," Fang eventually pointed out.

"Well done, Einstein, your Nobel Prize is in the mail." I sounded bitter. Fang gave me a sympathetic look, like he understood what I was going through. Well he didn't! He didn't know how it felt to be abandoned again. Sure he knew my pain at the loss of Angel but he hadn't even been there for the last few months. He hadn't seen her change back into the wonderful little girl she is… was.

"Max," Fang tried again. "I have to go, me and the gang, we have to. You know we do."

"I know." I blinked. Who said that? Oh, my mouth did.

"You gonna be alright?"

"Always am," I smiled but it wasn't very convincing.

"You've got the flock," he said. I nodded. "And Dylan. They'll still be there."

I looked at Fang but he was still impassive. At least if I hit him I might see some emotion…

"Yes, I do have them," I agreed. "My flock - and Dylan - can be very… present."

I thought I saw a Fang smile (it was like a normal smile but Fang proportioned) but I may have imagined it. I smiled however, just to reinforce the fact that I was alright. I was fine. This wasn't the end of the world. Not yet, anyway.

"I miss you," Fang finally admitted. My heart did a somersault and then a triple backflip. He missed me!

"You have Maya," I pointed out coolly. Fang shrugged.

"She's not you," he replied.

"She's nearly like me."

"You're two different people," Fang said seriously, giving me a look. Remind not to insult his Max-replacement anymore. I shuffled. I wasn't sure what to make of the fact that the only emotion I got from him so far was by mentioning Maya.

"Tell her thank you," I said awkwardly. "For, you know, saving my butt. I guess I owe her."

Fang just nodded. From his expression I could tell he was deep in thought. About what, though, was anyone's guess.

"So what are you going to do next?" I asked, pulling him from his trance. He just shrugged again.

"I'm not sure yet. What about you?"

"Well," I hummed. "I've got a whole list of people, places and life-supporting planets to save. Stopping the Doomsday Group would be a start though."

Fang nodded. Suddenly, he gathered me into his arms one last time.

"It'll be alright, Max," he said softly.

My cool and composed persona instantly failed me as fresh new tears appeared. There in his arms, the world was blocked out for a few minutes. Angel wasn't gone, everyone was alright and most importantly, Fang was still there.

However long he held me, and it felt like hours or days, wasn't long enough. I felt his arms release me as footsteps began to approach us and the world came rushing back to me.

"I still love you, Max."

"I love you too."

"Max, are you ok?" Dylan called. Fang let go of me and I hastily wiped the tears from my face.

"Yeah," I smiled half-heartedly. "Is everyone ok?"

Dylan nodded. He eyed Fang suspiciously but Fang pretended not to notice.

"Yeah, we just wondered where you were."

"Ok," I said. "Let's go back."

Together the three of us walked back to the rest of the group in silence. Dylan had his arm around my shoulders in an attempt at macho, alpha-male dominance which Fang ignored all the way. My flock said a heartfelt and tearful goodbye to Fang whilst I congratulated Fang's gang on their valiant efforts. And then the time came when they left, one by one and I knew it was time to move on too.

Dylan took my hand and my flock and I got ready to fly again.

I hoped you liked it :) Of course you are entitled to your own opinion of how Angel should end and I would love to hear if anyone has any other ideas. So now go review!