Hey everyone! This is my first MR fanfic so be nice! I hope you guys enjoy it. I'm trying to work into Max's speech patterns and stuff so... Yeah. Also, I know this chapter is somewhat fluffy, but Max can be too, so it's all good... Right? Please R&R. It'll mean SO much!

I do NOT own Maximum Ride. If I did, Fang wouldn't have left and he and Max would be together

I didn't want to move, didn't want to do anything. Fang was not waiting for me out in the living room. Tomorrow morning, when I woke up, fang would still be gone.

I let go of Nudge, suddenly feeling an urge to be by myself. I'd better start getting used to it. Well, yeah, I'd have the flock, but no Fang. He was always different. We had a different connection, different perspective on things, and we were the oldest. He was always my second in command, there to have my back, one of the few people I trusted (until now). I guess Iggy would have to take over for him, being the next oldest.

Looking up, I saw everyone had congregated around the bed. The letter was still laying where I had set it down. I couldn't bear to look at it... Think about it...

I began to walk away and saw the look in everyone's eyes. Sadness. Anger. Concern.

"Just need a sec." I managed. I barely even heard myself say it. It seemed everyone else was on the same page, trying to understand what was going on. Processing that he wouldn't ever be back.

I jogged down the hall to the living room and went out to the porch. Jumping up onto the railing as I always do, I leapt and the cool night breeze came up to meet me. Flying always helped me clear my mind, process things, release my anger... Well, flying and kicking Eraser butt.

I don't know how long I was out there, aimlessly gliding over the trees and mountains, away from the house. Away from it all. My tears kept flowing as I kept remembering all the things the flock went through. The old flock. This would seem entirely different now.

Though I was so sad he wouldn't be around anymore and that had to have been the worst breakup ever and whatever, I was also really mad at him for ditching us. Congratulations with your whole "the flock's in danger when I'm here so I have to be all amazing and noble" stuff. What do you want, a medal? When aren't we in danger?

Part of me never wanted to see his stupid face again after all of this extra stuff to get over while we're already trying to save the world and destroy evil blah, blah, blah. Then the other part of me wanted nothing more than to be with him again. See his dark eyes and Fang-y half smile one more time...

"What am I doing?" I mumbled my thought aloud. "I can't stand this sappy brain of mine." Deciding that it would be better to escape my depressing mind and jump into the depressed minds of others, I flew back to the house.

Landing on the porch, I saw through the glass door that the rest of the flock had recovered from their tears (somewhat) and were going back to things as normal. Iggy and Gazzy had changed out of their fancy shmancy clothes and were sitting in front of the TV, playing video games as always. I remembered when Gazzy had excitedly announced he and Iggy were playing some car video game or something and how Fang was going to play the winner...

I opened the door and Ig, Gazzy, and Nudge looked up to see me.

"Hey." I greeted. I guessed it would probably be easiest for the 'somewhat normal' approach. A nice place in between the 'I am a depressed teenage girl whose boyfriend/best friend left me and my makeshift mutant flock-family in a time when we'll probably need all the muscle and brains we can get, watch me cry' approach and the 'Sorry, my brain was on hold for the past while so I missed everything that happened, me and Fang WHAT?' approach.

Suddenly, it just hit me, I was so tired. My brain had been on overdrive for so long, it was putting any physical feeling at bay. Till now. When I felt it hit me like a weight. Between the chaotic night with the wedding and everything, flying around for what I figured was about two hours, and all of this draining emotional crap, I was exhausted. Without a word to the boys or Nudge (who was on the couch listening to some fashion podcast, I made my way to my room.

I detoured, though. Since I knew Nudge and the boys were okay, why not check on Angel? She seemed to think this was all her fault... Unless it's some weird mind trick... But I did stop. It's my job to look after everyone and make sure they're okay.

Her door was shut almost all the way, but there was a little light coming through the crack. I knocked.

"Ange, sweetie? It's me." I opened the door and saw the little now-eight year old laying face-up with her arms crossed behind her head. I could tell she had been crying for longer than everyone else. Her face still looked sort of wet and blotchy. Yeah, I know, not a very original description. Whatever.

I went to sit on the end of her bed and she moved her legs aside. After a second, she sat up and hugged me. I hugged her hack. It was kind of becoming a hug-fest night. Even if it was hug-fest with a creepy mind-reading little kid.

She sniffled into my shirt and looked up at me. "Max?"

I looked down at her gently and leaned down to rest my cheek on top of her curls.

"Yeah?"

"It's okay. I feel the same way. We will all get over it soon enough. Some probably faster than others." I hated it when she read my mind. My mind is MINE. Hence the name MY mind. Instead of getting all mad at her about that, I figured the kid deserved a break so I just nodded and kissed her curls.

"G'night." And I shut the door gently and walked to my room. I guess on my way there I was half-hoping this was all a trick and that I'd see Fang sitting in my room waiting for me because when I walked in, I felt more weightiness.

I changed out of my dress and put some other clothes on that were better for sleeping in, fighting in, and suddenly waking up in the middle of the night to go on an immediate, unplanned escape quest in.

I laid on my bed and shut off the light. I knew I was tired but I didn't think I could sleep. My brain kept whirring and whirring and I kept playing and replaying thoughts, fantasizing about what now would never be, and worrying about the flock now, and if because of what happened, more of them would leave me. Eventually, I faded into sleep.

Hope you all liked it... Please press the little button and at least say yay or nay? It'll help me become a better writer and know what you guys like to keep the story good. Gracias :)