No Matter the Risk
A Maximum Ride Fan Fic
Fang. Bane of My Existence. Mr. Rock. Tall, Dark, and winged. Whatever you wanted to call him, he was gone, like a vanishing act. Just left the flock after one of the hardest times for me (and the rest of the flock, too, of course), and during one of the happiest times for us. Yes, I know, it was only a dog wedding. But Total and Akila were like family to us. I thought of how amazing Fang had looked in his midnight blue suit, his black hair like silk, and his dark eyes intent on mine…
A sob escaped me as my throat closed and tears filled my eyes. God, I was such a girl. Furiously, I wiped them away, trying not to think about him. I stood up from my bed and sighed. Only one thing could help me deal with this: flying. I walked to the window and threw it open with such force it rattled in the frame. I could almost hear Fang's voice in my head, 'Go ahead, Max, take all your anger out on the window. What did it ever do to you?' I gritted my teeth, stood on the window ledge, and jumped.
As I fell through the air, I snapped out my thirteen feet wing span. Wind ruffled my feathers and I soared upward. My wings weren't as light colored as Nudge's, not as dark as… Tears spilled out of my eyes, flying behind me. God, I have got to stop thinking about him. Of course, the brilliant way the human mind works, I thought about him even more. The way his hair fell into his eyes. His beautiful wings, the way they shone in the sunlight and sparkled in the moonlight. His dark eyes boring into mine, his hand rubbing the special spot between my wings…
More tears flew and my adrenaline kicked in. I flew over two hundred miles an hour, not even seeing where I was going. Jeez, I hoped I didn't crash—
WHAM! I smacked into a lean muscled chest. I squeezed my eyes shut not daring to look up. It couldn't be. Gathering courage, I looked up into the face of—
"Dylan," I said dejectedly. His turquoise eyes widened as he took in my features. I'm sure my eyes were all puffy and red and my face must be tearstained. He smiled sadly at me.
"Hey," he said. "Aren't you supposed to be in Colorado?" Dylan had left the flock and moved to New York, where he worked on his flying and bird-kid-ness with Jeb Batchelder. I had moved the flock to New York,(without thinking about Dylan and Jeb) in an abandoned, but really nice, hotel building. I shook my head.
"We moved," I said stiffly. "Just taking a little vacation after…" My throat closed and tears threatened but I fought them as fiercely as I had once fought Erasers. I guess I was more successful at killing Erasers than feelings. Tears flowed down my face quickly, a waterfall of emotions. Dylan's eyes widened again and he gave me a sad, knowing look. Before I could protest, he pulled me into a hug. I sobbed profusely, soaking his shirt with my tears.
"Shhh…" Dylan murmured. "You're okay, Max. It's hard, I know. It'll be okay."
"No!" I managed through my excessive tears. "It won't be okay! He's gone, Dylan, gone…"
Dylan was quiet for a moment. Then, without a word, he slowly landed us in a small deserted park. He guided me to a bench and I sat down heavily.
"You miss him?" he asked, stating the obvious. I was past tears now. I nodded slowly.
"I guess I took him for granted, you know?" I said shakily. "I figured we'd be together forever. And now, I just feel like he took half of me with him. Oh God, Fang, I just can't live without you." I whispered the last part to myself.
Dylan nodded. "You know something?" he inquired, changing the subject. I shook my head, grateful for the distraction. "Now that I'm not with Dr. Hans anymore, I don't have feeling for you. At all, except for sisterly. You get it?" I nodded. Good, I could invite him back to the flock without feeling weird about it. I asked and he said yes right away. As we flew back to the hotel—not really talking—I noticed how much his flying had improved. He took the empty spot beside Iggy and I reassumed position next to Nudge.
***
Fang was in the hallway at school in Virginia, the Red-haired Wonder stuck to him like glue. I was hyperventilating in the bathroom, after witnessing this scene. Fang was on a gurney in the hospital, after Ari had shredded his side. Fang was punching a flying Eraser with every word, "You…are…a…fridge…with…wings…We're…freaking…ballet…dancers." Fang and I were kissing, flying holding hands. Fang was pale and still, I was stabbing a tube of adrenaline into his chest. He was waking up and I was sobbing on his chest. Fang, in his midnight blue suit…
I woke up in the morning, my dream haunting me. The flock stirred around me and I couldn't help smiling. But my smile faded as I realized one of us was missing.
***
Max was sobbing into my shoulder after she had tried to cut her chip out herself. Max was beating the crap out of an Eraser. Max was lying on Dr. Martinez's operating table, loopy from the Valium, telling me she loved me. Max was kissing Sam back at Anne's house in Virginia. I was punching the wall as they sucked face. Max and I kissing in Hawaii, Las Vegas, you named it we've kissed there. Her tearstained face as I spluttered to life, as a fight raged around us. Max, looking beautiful in a fancy dress, flowers woven into her hair…
I choked back a sob and pain filled me. Max, my beautiful, strong, stubborn Max. I couldn't live without her. I needed her. I was such an idiot to leave her. I decided then: I, Fang, would find Max and the flock and return, to stay. No matter the risk.
***
"Max?" Nudge looked up from the computer, sadness plain across her face. I walked over to her. We were getting used to this whole hotel being ours thing. Good thing too, because Iggy was in love with the kitchen. It was enormous and full of every kind of food you could imagine. And knowing us bird kids, we needed all the food we could get.
"What's up, honey?" I tried to sound like Invincible Leader Max. The flock didn't know I dreamed of him and cried for him. Tears welled in Nudge's eyes and spilled over.
"Is…is he…" she started, then took a deep breath. "Is he ever coming back?"
I swallowed, fought away any emotion. "I don't know, sweetie." I told her. "I don't know." Angel saw us at the computer and picked up on our thoughts.
"Max?" she came over to us. I tensed. I didn't know how much I could trust Angel. Just a few days ago, she was holding me at gunpoint, after she'd kicked me out of the flock and proclaimed herself leader. But she'd seemed genuinely sorry and she'd cried when I'd read his goodbye letter aloud. Tears were streaming down her face, too. Great, this was turning into a sob-fest. Just what I needed. Thank God Dylan, Iggy, and the Gasman were downstairs playing air hockey.
"What's the matter Ange?" I asked her, my voice tight with wariness and emotion.
"I miss him!" she sobbed, making Nudge cry harder. Tears fell down my cheeks as well and I enveloped my girls in a hug.
"I miss him, too, Angel." I said brokenly. "I loved him. I still love him."
"Oh, Max!" Nudge exclaimed. "It must be harder for you than us. I mean, you love, love him. We love him like a brother." Angel nodded, sympathy in her teary blue eyes.
I looked at the girls. I decided right then that I would find Fang and bring him back to the flock, dragging him if I had too. No matter the risk.