Introducing…

The silence was bad enough to kill. Fang could feel the dark aura throughout the safe house. Max had died, and it's wearing the Flock down.

Nudge was crying her eyes out in her room, every now and then he would hear her running back and forth from her bedroom and the bathroom, she slammed a door with every exit and entrance. Angel was sitting quietly on the back porch, holding Total tightly. She was so still... she hasn't spoken since that fateful night.

Gazzy was in his room crying into his pillow, Iggy with him and trying desperately to comfort his little buddy.

Fang sat in the living room, the television off, no images scrolled, no voices spoke, no music rang. Fang was just sitting in the eerie silence on the disgustingly fluffy couch, his chin resting in his palm as he leaned on the arm of the couch, frowning down at the floor, his face portraying more emotion than ever before.

This scarred silence was interrupted by the sound of Dylan coming down the steps. Dylan didn't act as traumatized as the others but Fang can feel the sorrow within him as well. Dylan casually stuffed his hands into his pockets as he scanned the shelf of movies. Then decided it was probably best not to watch television and he plopped down on the couch, the end opposite of Fang's.

Fang averted his eyes from the dark blonde boy when he looked up at him. "How are you doing?" Dylan asked and Fang said nothing, and made no movement to hint at his emotions toward this entire situation. Dylan hated this disfigured silence more than Fang did. Dylan leaned forward, fully facing Fang. "C'mon man, you can't just sit there wallowing in yours and everyone's depression…" he tried to say as kindly as he could. Fang glanced at him, hesitating.

Dylan waited and waited for Fang's hesitation to end. "She's… really dead…" Fang's voice was just barely an audible whisper, Dylan nodded, "Yeah…" Dylan murmured, recalling the horror. He could still see her expression, those chocolate brown eyes turned watery as her skin paled almost instantly, those pink lips staining with the blood that trickled up from her lungs, her body shaking from head to toe… she was more terrified than anyone had ever seen her.

Dylan forced the memory as far back as he could, the projected image of the past causing his chest to hurt. "Yeah," he repeated more strongly, "she is."

Fang bit his lip, his face tightening as his eyes shimmered with distressed tears that struggled to pour. Dylan could feel the sudden burst of emotion emanating off of Fang. They both loved her dearly, and they watched her die slowly and painfully, and they couldn't do anything about it.

Fang released several vulgarities, his voice choked up. Dylan's chest began to hurt unbearably again, an uncomfortable lump forming in his throat. "Worthless…" Fang murmured, appearing to be midsentence when his voice was audible.

"What's that?" Dylan asked as he swallowed hard against the lump that started to dry his throat. "I feel worthless…" Fang admitted, but continued before Dylan could say anything. "I feel like someone took a stick blender to my insides, only leaving my heart intact so it can sit there, bleeding painfully and alone…" his voice was very slowly raising. Dylan took a shaky breath.

"That's a very accurate interpretation," Dylan said and Fang gave a heavy and trembling sigh, his chest rising and falling with his breath. "Yeah well… it's the best I can do on short notice…" he said. Dylan reached out to touch his arm reassuringly but hesitated and pulled back. "Fang, I… I know very well how you're feeling… it's… these feelings are… destructive," Fang scoffed as if that barely summed it up, "I mean… watching her… watching it all go down… she…" Dylan felt the tears in his eyes; they felt as heavy as his chest.

"It wasn't supposed to happen," Fang said "her future was supposed to be different… you know that, I know that. That 'Big Picture' involved her on massive levels and she… she died just like that!" rage and absolute sorrow filled his voice.

"I know… I know…" Dylan said, clenching his eyes tight as the tears finally escape, "She's left us…" Fang said as if somewhat accepting this truth, "She left the Flock."

Dylan took another breath and let his turquoise eyes open, they were bloodshot and a never ending flood of tears streamed down his cheeks. "It's not like she meant to…"

"I know… god… I know…" Fang said, closing his eyes to let out a shuddering breath, as if he were just about to really cry. "But, c'mon Fang, the rest of the Flock needs you, you're Max's next in line, it's only when you die when things will spiral…"

Fang began to curl into himself, pulling his knees to his chest and hugging his legs. As he rested his head atop his knees a single tear spilled. "Even if I was going to die, or if I am dying… don't tell me…"

"I won't, I promise," Dylan said in a kind whisper. Fang's dark eyes that shimmered with his tears finally looked to the dark blonde, "Dylan, I don't know what you've had planned, I don't care if you might just be a spy…" Dylan said nothing to that; he didn't know Fang had thought of him in such a way. "…but stay here with me and the Flock, be my second in command…"

Dylan said nothing for a long time, but finally he reached out and took Fang's hand. "I don't care if you hate me, think I'm a bad flyer, or don't trust me…" he began and Fang only stared down at the hand that clasped his, "but I'll stay with you."

Fang then looked into Dylan's eyes that still poured with silent tears. "One more thing?" he said and Dylan inclined his head for him to go on, "Kiss me."