~SPIOLER ALERT~ This takes place AFTER Fang!! Do NOT read if you have not read Fang.

Here's my first Maximum Ride fic. I had to make myself feel better about Fang leaving, so here's what I came up with. I just needed some closure! Is that so wrong?

When Fang finished updating his blog, he checked his inbox. There was more from Nudge -- shocker! She had sent him an extremely strongly-worded message shortly after he had left the flock about two weeks ago and then continued to send him updates. Fang opened the email and read,

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Hi Fang. It's Nudge.

PLEASE come back. WAIT!! Don't stop reading. Hear me out.

You know we all took it hard when you left. Even Dylan is really sad (but I think it's just because Max is). Angel feels guilty; even though we all tell her it's not her fault, she's sad and mopey all the time. Gazzy hasn't blown anything up or cackled maniacally in... gosh, a long time. Iggy's having trouble adjusting to not hearing you, and he's really sad on top of it. Although he'd never admit it, but he misses you a lot. You were a really great friend for him.

I wasn't going to tell you about this before, but Max... Max is a mess. And that's putting it mildly.

For her, eating, sleeping, talking, moving, etc. are all rarities. Maybe that's a good thing though. Whenever she eats, she upchucks. Whenever she sleeps, she wakes up screaming or crying. Whenever she talks, her words turn into tears. Whenever she tries to move, she doesn't get far. But like I said, none of these things happen often for Max these days anyway.

She's, like, depressed or something. I don't know. She just sits in her room pretty much all the time. She's gotten really skinny and pale. Sometimes I'll hear her talking, but when I come into her room, she's the only one there. I don't like it, Fang. I'm worried about her. I'm scared.

Me, Dr. Martinez, Jeb, Angel, Dylan, and Iggy have all tried talking to her. Angel even used some mind mumbo-jumbo, which helped a little, but it didn't work for long.

I didn't tell you about this until now because I thought that maybe if we gave her time, she'd get better. But now I'm not so sure. It's been, what, two weeks? I'm getting really worried. Max is, like, indestructible most of the time. This is the worst I've ever seen her. Worse than those really bad headaches she used to get. Worse than that time she tried to cut her chip out herself. I've been thinking about it, and I think you are the only person on Earth with the power to hurt Max this much.

If leaving was supposed to help Max be a better leader, you were way off. She's not even Max anymore. Did you know she loved you this much? That she needed you this much? I'm guessing no, because if you did, you never would have left.

Love, Nudge

P.S. I just took a poll, and no one cares if we're in danger because you're here. We want you back even if you are putting us in danger -- which was NOT PROVEN anyway, need I remind you. I didn't ask Max for fear of upsetting her, but I'm positive I know her answer anyway.

---

Fang noticed that there was an uncharacteristic lack of exclamation points in the email. Nudge must be really upset. Fang shook his head. Nudge had described Max doing exactly what he felt like doing. But he had to be strong. Had to. After all, he was the one that left.

If he went back now... No, he just couldn't. He wouldn't put them in danger.

But without Max leading, the flock was nothing. What was the point of staying away?

Keeping them safe, he answered himself. It would be selfish to go back just because he wanted to. He'd be putting them in danger. Maybe.

But he wouldn't be going back for himself, would he? He'd be returning to slap some sense into Max. That stubborn little...

Round and round his thoughts travelled, circling in this way, unable to come to any conclusion. Fang gritted his teeth and decided he needed to get into the air and escape his thoughts.

But his thoughts seemed to be the only thing he couldn't escape from, even when he was flying. This time, he was thinking about Nudge's last few lines. We want you back even if you are putting us in danger. Well, that didn't matter. He wouldn't go back. He loved them all too much. He wouldn't take the risk.

Then again...

No! And that's the end of it!

But he knew it wasn't. Sighing and feeling slightly schizophrenic, he dropped to the entrance of the cave he was residing in and folded his wings in again. Leaning back, he shut his eyes without hope of sleep. This mind was working too fast for sleeping.

Did you know she loved you this much? That she needed you this much? I'm guessing no, because if you did, you never would have left. Fang wished that Nudge hadn't tried this guilt trip because it was working. But the truth was that he did know how much she loved him, even if she didn't say it out loud. He just knew. And he knew how much he loved her back. That was the hardest part of this whole thing.

This sucks! Fang thought. And for the first time he could remember, and tear rolled down his cheek.

"Max?"

Max looked up from staring at the floor intently. Fang stood in the doorway, looking concerned. Max's heart lurched for a moment, but then she thought rationally and her face fell. Max groaned as she forced her stiff limbs to help her stand up. Then she walked shakily towards the bathroom, holding onto anything she could reach for support. Fang followed close behind, worried that she might fall over, which was a distinct possibility.

When Max reached the bathroom, she grabbed a small cup and filled it with water. She tipped the contents into her mouth, gripping the vanity for support. "What are you doing?" Fang asked her.

In a quiet voice, Max responded, "If I stay hydrated, I won't hallucinate." She refilled the cup and drained it.

"Are you hallucinating?" Fang asked. He was confused. But one thing was for sure -- Nudge was right. Max was pale, scrawny, unkempt, off-balance. She was sick. The worst of it, though, was the blank, glassy look in her eyes. There was no spark, no soul. Her heart may have been beating, but Max was not alive. And worse yet, it was his fault.

Max gave him an accusatory look but said nothing.

"You think I'm not real?" Fang said, beginning to understand.

Max drank another cup of water. "I know you're not."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked.

"Because you never are," she stated simply. "I'll get my hopes up and then you'll just disappear. And then everything is worse than before."

Fang thought about this. Apparently Max hallucinated so much that she had figured it out and now knew what to do to make it stop when she did. That would minimize the pain.

Max drank more water. One cup, then another, and another. "Strange," Max said, furrowing her brow at Fang. "Usually you're gone by now." Then she refilled the cup.

"Max," Fang said, and waited until she looked at him. "It's me."

Max drank the water.

Fang came closer to her and took the cup out of her hand. Max looked mildly surprised. Curiously she looked up at Fang, narrowing her eyes. She reached out and touched his hand. Her eyes grew wide with wonder. "Fang?" she asked, barely audible.

And then she was crying in his arms. Fang rubbed her back between the wings, hating himself for everything he'd done and everything he hadn't. "Never again," he promised her quietly. It was a vow he never intended to break.

Aaaahh. Now I can relax. Don't you feel so much better now that there is closure? I know I do. My world is okay again because Max and Fang are together. In my mind, anyway. Who knows where JP is going with this? (I can't wait to find out though) Anyway, Max and Fang are forever in my world. I suppose that can be inferred from the story above... but whatever. Please review!