Awake
Chapter 1
His head hurt. Badly. In fact, his whole body did. He felt horrible. Cold was all he really felt. Everything was cold. Everything was always cold. Constantly.
"Fang. Fang, can you hear me?"
He couldn't see well. He could hear someone, but he couldn't see them. His eyes slipped shut again.
"Why does he keep doing this?"
"It'll take time, Nudge. He won't just suddenly wake up. It's been over a year. You have to give him time."
"Can he hear us yet?"
"You ask me every time. I keep telling you that I don't know."
"Well, sorry, Dr. Martinez, for not being as smart as you."
Fang could feel it when a hand slipped into his.
"Can you squeeze my hand? Fang?"
He tired to open his eyes again, but he couldn't. He just wanted his head to stop hurting.
"Have you called Max? Maybe Max can get him to-"
"She was here all yesterday for nothing. She can't miss work for nothing."
"This isn't nothing. This is Fang's life."
"Nudge, would you calm down? We all want him to come back to us as much as you do, but it will take time."
And he was out of it again.
"I told you, Max, nothing's changed."
"Still, Mom, I want to be here if something does."
"You should be at home, sleeping."
"I can't sleep."
"Where are-"
"With Ella."
"You should be at home."
"I told you, I want to be with him."
Fang tried to open his eyes again, but they wouldn't now. He could tell by the breathing though that there was now only one person in the room with him, the other having left.
She was mostly silent as she paced the room, watching him. Max's mother had told her that it would take time for Fang to come out of this comatose state, but she had no idea how long. It was almost sick, the fact that they had been able to save him, but only in this condition. Daniel, Fang's little boy toy, told Max in passing once that it was just like the side plot of that stupid book series Fang liked, but she just ignored him mostly. After a year, he got the message and didn't bother her anymore. He was weird to begin with though.
"Oh, Fang," she mumbled, coming closer to him. The room was small, tucked away in that old building where they had originally done his surgery. "Why do you never open your eyes for me? You do for everyone else. And Mom says that might not even mean much. Maybe you really are gone."
But wasn't. He was still there.
"You always seem so sad, just laying here." Max took a seat in the chair next to his bedside, staring hard at his face. Reaching out, she brushed some of his hair out of his face. "I really wish you'd at least look at me. It would help me out in knowing what to do. Mom and I both think to call it, but Nudge…She still has so much faith in you. She loves you."
He felt her brush her lips across his forehead.
"I love you too though. I just don't want you in pain. Are you in pain? I wish you could tell me. I wish you could tell me what to do, what you want." She slipped her hand into his, stroking the back of it. "You were always so good to me."
She laid her head down then, on his chest, though it was only for a moment. He bruised so easily in this state. "I wish I could take you home with me. It's so hard to sleep without you."
She was quiet for awhile after that, in real life, but in Fang's mind she kept going. She kept talking. And talking. She never did seem to stop.
"Max."
Another voice. Again, Fang tried to open his eyes, but it was no use. What was the point anyways?
"Max, sweetie, wake up. You have to go home."
He heard her yawn. "No, no, Mom, I have to stay. I have to wait for him to-"
"It's two in the morning and you work at eight. Go home."
"But-"
"It takes two hours, at least, to get back. You need to leave now."
"What if he needs me?"
There was a pause.
"Max, when he finally does wake up, it won't be all roses. He'll need intense help. Help you can't give. It'll be for the best if you're out of the way anyways."
"You listen to me. The second he opens his eyes and can focus and respond, you call me. I don't care if you think I belong here or not. He needs me."
"He'll need help."
"I'm all the help he needs."
And he was gone again.
Sometimes, when Ella came, she would read to him. Fang wasn't sure why, considering that they both hated each other, but he knew somewhere, inside, that it was her. Even when she didn't announce herself to him like she tended to do, he would know.
She would read him all of his favorite novels. From Catcher in the Rye to Lord of the Flies, she'd read them all. Maybe she was making up for being such a bitch while he was alive. Maybe.
"I don't know why you like these books, Fang. They're too sad for me. I'd much rather watch TV. Although, that could be sad too, I guess. Like this one show I watch, when the main character found out that her husband was cheating with not only her best friend, but also her brother. So he was a cheater and gay. Could you imagine? It's like in that one book I read for you, that-"
Fang groaned loudly, opening his eyes again.
"Fang? Fang, can you hear me?" She touched his arm as he groaned again. "Oh, God, Fang, don't do this to me. Mom! Mom, get in here. I think something's happening!"
He could kind of see this time, but it was still blurry. He couldn't really focus on anything without his head getting sharp pains.
"God. Where is she?" Ella stood up and called out of the room one more time before coming back to Fang. "God, she said something about making you respond to me. Can you respond, Fang? Hello?"
Why wouldn't she shut up?
"Uh, gee, what else? Ummm…here!" She put her hand in his. "Squeeze my hand. Mom said something about you never being able to do it before. Come on, Fang. If you're really there, squeeze my hand. Squeeze-"
It was weak, but she felt it when he did.
"What does this mean? What am I supposed to do? Huh?" She reached over and ran a hand across his cheek. "Can you do it again? Can you squeeze my hand again?"
He did so, still not looking at her.
"Can you talk? Huh?" She was multitasking now as she texted her mom, needing her to get back soon. "Fang? Do something else. Can you see me? Huh?"
He couldn't though. His eyes were shutting again. He was tired.
"No, no, Fang. Please stay awake. Please."
He just kept squeezing her hand, not wanting her to think that he was giving up on purpose. He hadn't done anything on purpose.
He could kind of focus now. The only person coming in and out of the room though was Dr. Martinez. She would speak to him and stroke his head, making him follow her finger with his eyes. Just things like that. Fang kept trying to talk or move, but nothing was working. He couldn't do much at all.
That is, he couldn't do much until Max showed up. Dr. Martinez was in there at that point, writing things down on a clipboard while Fang watched her. Then there was a knock at the open door, causing Valencia to turn her head.
"Max, I don't think-"
Fang grunted then, staring at Max. He couldn't talk, but he had to let Max know that he was awake, that he was okay, that she shouldn't end it or give up on him. He grunted again.
"Calm down. Calm down." She almost looked like she was crying as she came closer, grasping one of his hands. "It's okay. I'm not going anywhere. Don't strain yourself."
He opened his mouth, trying to tell her something. All he could get out though was, "M…ax."
"I'm here. Calm down." She laughed slightly, glancing at her mother, who was still writing things down. "Is he-"
"Ma…ax."
"Shhh. I'm here." She looked back at him, watching as he tried to use his open hand to start pulling at the tubes connected to his body. "Uh, Mom?"
She glanced at him before reaching out and grabbing that extra hand. "No, Fang. No. You need to lay here, okay?"
"Max."
"She's right here. Can you see her?"
He hadn't taken his eyes off her.
Reaching out with the hand that wasn't in his, Max stroked his head gently. "He's scared."
"He probably won't stay awake long. I called Nudge. She'll be here soon."
Max just kept staring down at the man. "Ella has the kids."
"Good."
She paused. "When can he-"
"Right now, Max, we just need to be glad he's responsive."
Nodding, she leaned down to kiss his forehead. Fang wanted to keep watching her, but he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore.
"Mom, he's going to sleep."
"He'll do that. He's fine. I've told you, it's a slow process."
"I just don't want him to get lost in there again."
"He's tired. This has taken a lot out of him. Now that he's seen you though, I'm sure he's done for the day."
"As long as he wakes up again." Max leaned closer to him once more. "You hear that? Just wake up again. Please."
Max and Nudge were both in his room when he woke up, each sleeping their own chair, at his bedside. Fang wasn't sure how to get their attention, so he just laid there, watching them.
It was weird, being awake now. He couldn't really remember much, but knew that something must have happened. Not to mention, he was very much aware that he currently was hooked up to a catheter, with disgusted him to no end. He couldn't wait to get that disconnected and be able to pee and poop on his own again.
Some man came into the room at some point that Fang didn't know. He checked on Fang's vitals before leaving him alone, never waking the women in the room. Fang tried a couple of times to push himself up or move, but his muscles were killing him. It had been awhile since they had been used on their own and weren't cooperating very well.
"Guys, you're sleeping? After calling me all the way down here to see him and you're sleeping while he's just laying here?"
Fang looked at the doorway, where Angel was now standing. Her voice startled Max and Nudge awake, who both looked around, confused.
"Wha- Oh, Fang." Nudge was at his side immediately. "Oh, look, Max, he's up. He's up!"
"I see, I see." She looked to Angel. "Where's my mother?"
"I dunno. She let me in."
Nudge kept stroking Fang's arm, but he was already focused in on something else.
"M…Max." He knew that he was hurting Nudge's feelings, but he couldn't help it at the moment.
"I'm right here," she said, coming over to him also, though she stayed standing behind Nudge. "You're okay. Look. Nudge and Angel came to see you. Did you know that?"
Fang didn't care, really. "Car…Car…"
"Carter?" Max smiled at him, her eyes watering up again. "She's okay. You saved her."
He rested his head against the pillow, suddenly feeling cold. "Car."
"She can't come here. I'll tell her though, that you were worried about her."
"Car." He looked at Nudge full on for the first time. "Erra."
"Error?" Nudge looked to Max, but she just shook her head.
"Erra."
"Evan," Angel said, still standing back, behind the other women. "Evan. Right?"
He just kept looking at Nudge. "Erra."
"He's fine." She smiled slightly. "He's perfect."
Max laughed slightly then, making Nudge glance at her.
"What?"
She just shook her head, stepping away, still laughing. "He doesn't even know."
Fang just watched them as Nudge shook her head at Max.
"Well, don't tell him now. He's still-"
"He's not freaking deaf," Angel told them while Max laughed into her hand. It wasn't long before that turned into soft tears.
"He doesn't even know," Max whispered, shaking her head. "He doesn't even know."
Fang just watched, not able to communicate. Still, he could feel Angel poking around in his mind, trying to talk to him, but it just made his head hurt. He had nothing to tell her anyways. All he was worried about was getting those stupid tubes out of his body, really.
Fang was tired. Valencia had had him test his muscles by trying to get up and move around. It did not go well. Currently, he was laying on his bed, just glad that she had given him something for his headache.
It had been a few days since he first woke up and she told him that he was doing exceptionally well. This pleased Fang, but he still wasn't doing so hot in his mind. He could hardly talk, though it wasn't really his brain that was the problem, not in his opinion at least. He knew what he wanted to say, he just couldn't do it. No matter how hard he tried.
"Looks like you have a visitor," Dr. Martinez told Fang as she was exiting the room. Looking towards the door, he saw Max coming in, a box of stuff in her hands.
"Hey, Fang," she greeted, setting the box on the floor. Fang just stared at it for a moment before looking back up at her. "You see this? This stuff is all from Carter. I thought it would liven up your room a little. It's just you, you know, and some workers Mom and Jeb hired in this stupid little building. That's so sad. I would have had her send you stuff before, but I didn't want…anyways, she drew you things."
Fang just watched as Max went around the room with a roll of tape, putting up little pictures that Carter had drawn. Randomly Max would look back at him and explain the picture, but others she just put up, probably not understanding them either.
"She's also started to like coloring books." Max came over to him and began showing him the pictures she had colored. "See? I know you don't know any of these characters, but you will. They're all from her favorite cartoons, you know."
Fang looked the pictures with interest, but Max flipped through them quickly. He knew she had to get going soon. It took a lot out of time for her to come all the way down here to see him.
"She also sent these," Max said after she hung up the coloring book pages too. "To keep you warm."
Fang just watched as Max laid two stuffed animals on the bed with him.
"You remember these? This is Robbie and this is Owl."
Fang frowned while staring at the bear and bird that Max laid on his chest.
"She kept Lockheed so that she would get something from you too." Then, going back to the box, Max pulled out a toy. "This is the Nerf gun she got you for your birthday. She thought you should have it here, with you. Then here's your egg. From Christmas? Do you remember?"
Fang just watched as Max laid the stuff around the room. When she was finished, she came back over to him.
"If I could stay here all day with you, Fang, I would, but I can't. I have to get home."
Slowly, Fang achingly lifted his hand up to pick up Robbie. "Car."
"What?"
"Car."
"She wanted you to-"
"Car."
Max shook her head. "If you want me to take it back, fine. It'll make her upset though."
"Can…can't."
"Can't what?" She was staring at him so pitifully that it almost made Fang sick.
"Can't sleep. Car."
"Carter can't sleep? Without this?" She laughed slightly, shaking her head at Fang. "I guess you're right."
He nestled back into his bed. "Max."
"I love you too." She leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "And I will see you soon. Okay? Nudge is off tomorrow, so I'm sure she'll be here. You stay safe, alright? For me?"
He just watched her leave before looking around at all of his new…art. It seemed weird, hanging there on the walls, but it made Fang feel safe. Safe enough to fall back to sleep, Owl nuzzled under his chin.
"She's really dumbed down the place for you, hasn't she?"
Fang just watched Angel as she came into the room, looking with interest at the drawings on the wall.
"Carter, I presume," she said, making her way over. "And aw, you ever got your own stuffed animal. How cute."
As he had no means of attack against her, being pretty mute at the time, Fang just looked away, towards the opposite wall where Max had hung a picture of what looked like some kind of bird with bluish wings flying over a town. One of the houses had Carter's name on it, probably in an attempt to symbolize the apartment.
"Hey now." Angel reached out to touch him, though it was just on the arm and very quickly. "I'm kidding, okay? God. Don't you remember anything?"
He looked at her again, watching as she walked around the room, looking at the drawings. Fang felt immensely protective over them, not wanting to Angel to criticize the only real things he had in the world currently.
Not saying anything about them though, she went to go sit down in one of the chairs, not speaking the rest of the time she was there. She had brought a backpack with her and had taken some kind of heavy, textbook looking book out to study, also writing in a journal.
"Oh. Angel. I was told to come watch him today."
She didn't even glance up at Ella. "Well, I'm freaking staying in town. I might as well sit with him some, huh?"
Fang watched the two of them before looking back down at his hands, where he was toying with his stuffed owl.
"Well, Fang, which book do you want, huh?" Ella pulled some novels out her bag before holding them out to him. Then, addressing Angel, she said, "He doesn't even remember me reading to him while he was…under. I did it at least once a week, if not more. And for hours."
"Yeah, well, I'm busy, so could you not read to him today?" Angel was still reading out of her textbook. Fang was honestly more concerned with what was in that than anything else. What could Angel be studying?
"Oh, Angel," Ella sighed as she handed Fang two of the books. He found that reading was too hard these days, so he just kind of made his decision off the cover art. Handing one of them back to her, he quickly dropped his arm once she had it. Everything tired him out recently.
"What? I was here first. Buzz off."
"What's up with your attitude? What did I do to you?" Now, talking to Fang again, she said, "Since she started taking these college classes a few towns over, Angel's been more of a bitch than-"
"Excuse me?"
They all looked up as Valencia came into the room. Ella rolled her eyes as Fang settled back into his bed. At least Dr. Martinez would make them either read to him or get out.
"Nothing," her daughter said, reaching over to take the other book from Fang also before putting it back in her bag. "I was just about to read to him. That's all."
"Max mentioned putting up pictures. I didn't realize she meant this many."
Valencia hadn't been in Fang's room since the previous day when Max had been there. Fang had other doctors now, ones more versed in the world of comatose patients and the aftermath. Heavily paid off to keep quiet, of course. Sometimes, Fang had to wonder just how much money Valencia Martinez made off torturing children at the School in her younger years, but figured it didn't matter. So long as she was using it to pay for the treatment off one of those kids it was okay, right? At least somewhat?
"Carter drew them all," her daughter said as Angel gave up on finishing her school work for the time being and started to put her stuff up.
"Obviously," the youngest person in the room hissed at Ella, but they all ignored her. Fang, for his part, took another look around at his pictures, happy that they were being recognized.
"That's just because she loves you so much," Valencia assured Fang as she came back over to pat him on the head. "I heard good things from Dr. Newberg."
He just nodded as the other women watched. Dr. Martinez, however, was messing with something on one of his machines.
"You'll be off these soon enough, you know," she told him. "Then you'll have to learn to use the bathroom on your own again and-"
"I'm out." Angel stood up, taking her backpack with her. "This was a waste anyways. He hasn't even said anything to me."
He glared at her while Valencia just sighed.
"Well, maybe it's your attitude."
"Excuse me?"
"From what Dr. Newberg told me, his speech is improving greatly." She smiled at Fang. "Once we get that worked out, then we can move back on to your literacy, huh? Then you can start reading your own books again, instead of having to wait for Ella to show up to do it for you."
He smiled softly at her while Angel just left, not saying anything to anyone. After she was gone though, the vet leaned closer to him and spoke in a hushed tone.
"Fang, if you don't want her, or anyone, to come here, you just tell me. This is about your comfort. You just let me know who it is you don't want here and I'll make sure they follow. Until you're well, this is all about you."
He took a deep breath. "O…kay."
Patting his leg, she looked at her daughter. "There is enough going on currently. This is a time for joy. Fang's awake. Fang's okay. Do not fight Angel."
"I-"
"I mean it. This time is about Fang and only Fang." She smiled at him again and Fang was starting to feel awkward. With that, she was gone.
Ella just sighed before beginning to read as Fang settled in for his story time, one of the few joys he got around here. Though, having Carter's art up on the wall would definitely become one of those joys.
"Have you told him yet?"
"Shhh, Mom. He's asleep."
"Exactly, Max, he's sleeping. So have you told him?"
Max groaned and Fang had to keep his breathing in check to not let on that he had yet to fall back asleep. He had been sleeping when Max came in, but she accidentally woke him up while hanging up more of her daughter's work. He hadn't let on he was awake, if only because he honestly was tired and did need the rest. Now though, he hoped he would not accidentally fall back to sleep.
"I can't."
"Max, you have to. He's not going to live in this room forever. He's going home with you in a month or two."
Month? Or two? Dang. Still, even though he was shocked, Fang still couldn't let on he was up.
"I know. I'll tell him by then. I just…It'll change things."
"Things are changed."
"It'll change them even more."
"Then it's best to get it over with, huh?"
Max just made a noise in the back of her throat. "Carter wants to come see him. I don't want her here though."
"It's best if she doesn't see him until he heads home anyways. He's still so unstable."
Letting out a long sigh, Max added, "I don't know if I can do it."
"Do what?"
"Take care of him. He's going to need me to take care of him, isn't he? I don't know how good I'll be at that."
"He won't need you always. He'll be independent. He'll just…I don't yet, Max. And if you can't, then someone can." She paused. "We owe him for Carter. I don't care if you ever fall out of love with him or not. He will forever be a part of this family."
Max laughed in a sad kind of way before reaching out and resting a hand on his arm. "I'll never stop loving him. He's given me a lot. More than he knows."
Fang couldn't keep up the rouse anymore and needed to open his eyes. To save himself, Fang let out a loud groan as he pretended to wake himself up.
"Did we wake you up?" Max was staring at him when he opened his eyes. "Huh?"
"Max," he groaned before slipping his eyes shut once more. "Sleep."
"Shhh." She stroked his arm. "I bought you more stuff. From Carter. And there's one from Evan now. He doesn't really remember you, of course, but Carter made him draw you a picture. It's really just scribbles."
"Car."
"She talks about you everyday."
Fang opened his eyes, watching Max. "Me?"
"You." She reached up, stroking his cheek. "You're all she cares about, currently. Every day I come home, even if I haven't gone to see you yet, she wants to know where you are and when you're coming home with me."
He looked at Valencia for the answer. She was able to figure out what he wanted with just one look.
"It all depends on how quickly you recover, Fang. You could be here for months, you could be in here for a y-"
"Bet…ter." Fang forced himself to sit up before trying to unattached one of the tubes in his chest. "Better."
"Fang, no. Sit down."
"Woke."
"Woke? What?" Max looked at her mother.
"Walk. He thinks walking will show me. Fang, I know that you can walk some now. I know that. That doesn't mean you're ready to go home." She grasped one of his hands. "Lay down."
"Car."
"Carter is fine. She'll be waiting for you."
"Pic."
"Pick what?"
"Pic…ture."
"Yes. She did make you some nice pictures, didn't she?"
Fang shook his head, hating how demeaning the tone she was speaking to him was. "Pic. Car."
"A picture of Carter?" Max looked at him and he nodded. "Oh, Fang, I can get you that. If you want."
"Yes." He laid back. "Yes."
Valencia looked hard at him. "No more trying to push yourself, Fang. You going and getting yourself hurt isn't going to make me release you any sooner."
"Car."
"And she's fine, where she is. Just like you're fine, where you are."
Max looked at her mother. "When will he be off the IV and catheters? He doesn't like them."
"I'm sure he doesn't, but he can't feed himself and he can't use the bathroom on his own, so they're staying."
With that, Valencia left, leaving the two of them alone.
"Are you okay?" Max kissed his cheek. "Huh?"
"Max."
"I'm here." She kissed his cheek. "Do you need anything?"
Shaking his head, Fang shifted back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, his hands folded across his stomach. "No."
"Oh, Fang." She reached over and patted his chest. "Things'll get better. Just wait, huh? Just wait."
"Oh, wow, Fang. Really?"
He nodded excitedly, not realizing that Max's excitement was partially fake. "Alone."
Valencia had just finished telling Max all about how Fang no longer needed to be hooked up to anything. He was now able to not only eat his own, prescribed food, but he could also walk the short distance to the bathroom with no problem.
"That's a big accomplishment, Max," her mother said, picking up on her uncaring attitude. "He's getting better everyday."
And maybe he was. To Max though, it had been weeks since he woke up and this was just another thing to tack on the wall as she spent gas money at least every other day to come see him. She wanted him home, now, not up here, wasting away as her mother's friends took care of him. She trusted her mother, of course, but she also knew that she was once a Whitecoat, as were most of the people she had in and out of this building. She didn't want anything to happen to Fang that didn't have to.
"Clothes."
"What, Fang?" Max looked back at him.
"Clothes."
"Close what?"
"He wants clothes," the vet told her. "I told him now that he doesn't need to be hooked up to anything, he can wear jeans and t-shirts again instead of this hospital gown."
"Clothes," Fang repeated, nodding his head widely. "Max."
"I'll get you some stuff, okay? Some shirts, some jeans. Some boxers, I guess."
Fang looked back up at the ceiling. "Shoes."
"You want shoes? I can get you some of those."
He shook his head. "My shoes."
"Your shoes?"
He nodded. "My shoes."
"He wants his old shoes," Valencia told her daughter. "I think I have them, Fang, still. I would have to look."
"Like."
"You like them."
"Yes. My shoes." He wiggled his toes under the blanket. "Max."
"Hmmm?"
"Woke?"
"You want to walk?"
He shook his head. "Woke…woke…wor…work. Max?"
"Do I have work? Today? No."
"Car?"
"She's at daycare."
Fang frowned. "Daycare?"
"Yes."
"No. No." He patted his chest. "No."
"When you get better, sure, you can watch her again."
"Car."
"I know you miss her." Max looked to her mother. "You said he could eat again?"
"Yes."
"Then, Fang, what do you want? I can go out and get you-"
"He can eat when I give him, Max. You don't want to shock his system."
"Then what can he eat, Mom?"
Fang perked up. "I eat. Alone."
"I know, Fang. I just wanted to know what it is that you're eating."
"Mushy." He laughed slightly, which made both the women smile slightly, though it was obvious to both of them that this was not Fang. This is what Fang had been transformed into. He wasn't the same. "Not good."
"It tastes bad?" Max was grinning at him, but Fang just nodded.
Then, to be sure that Valencia didn't think that he would need the IV again, he quickly added, "Good. Good."
"It's good though?"
"Yes. Good. Yes."
Valencia laughed slightly. "You know, Fang, Dr. Newberg told me that you walked all the way to the front of the building today and back."
"Yes."
"That's very good. Very, very good."
"Fly."
"Hmmm?"
"I fly?"
"Will you fly?" She glanced at Max, but she just shrugged. "I'm sure you still can, once you get out of here."
"And if you can't, I'm sure Nudge or Angel will teach you," Max said, patting his hand. "Nudge told me that she came to see you yesterday."
"Yes. Yes, Nudge. Yes."
"And Angel told me that she had some free time tomorrow. Would you like for her to come see you?"
Glancing at Dr. Martinez, Fang said, "No."
"No?"
"No. No. No Angel. No." He shook his head. "No."
"Well, okay." Max looked at her mother who was busy looking at something on a clipboard again, which Max was noticing she would do when she didn't want to talk about something. "Mom, can I talk to you? Outside?"
Her mother sighed, following her out of the room. Now alone, Fang slowly sat up before moving to stand. He was getting stronger and stronger everyday.
Going over to where Max had left him his Nerf gun, Fang picked it up before looking towards the door. Timing it right, he was able to fire off a shot the second Max walked in.
"Hey!" It hit her squarely in the chest. "Cut it out, Fang. God."
"Car." He smiled at Max, holding his gun up again. Max put up her hands to shield her face.
"I mean it, Fang. God, you're like a little boy."
He lowered the gun, staring at Max. Still, she just came over and took the toy from him.
"Lay back down."
Fang frowned. "No. No."
"Fang-"
"No. Woke."
"Work?"
"Woke."
"Walk."
He nodded before taking a few steps towards her, wanting his toy back. "Max."
"What?"
He pointed at the gun. "Max."
"Only if you don't shoot it at me anymore."
Nodding, he held out one hand. "Mine."
"It is, isn't it?" She handed it over. Shaking his head again, Fang held the gun, now pointed away from her.
"Mom?"
"What?" Max frowned.
"Max mom?"
"My mom? What about her?"
"Go?"
"She had something to do. Why? Did you need something? I'm sure one of your other doctors is-"
He shook his head before shooting off his toy at the wall. "Dark."
"What?"
"Dark. I…don't like."
"It's dark in here?" Max looked up at the florescent light which shone brightly in the dank setting.
He shot off another dart, this time hitting one of Carter's drawings. "No light."
"You have a light, Fang."
He frowned, not sure how to tell her what he wanted. Then, thinking, he slowly made his way over to one of Carter's pictures that was within reach. Pointing to the house drawn on it, he traced a window. "Light."
"You want a window? You want to see outside?"
Turning to look at Max, he nodded his head. "Light."
"You saw light today, huh? When you went on your walk? Mom said you went all the way to the lobby."
"Yes."
"And now you want more," she concluded. "I don't know what to tell you, Fang. I can talk to Mom, I guess, about moving your room."
"Home."
"Yeah. There are a lot of windows there."
Fang turned, shooting off another dart. This one hit one of Carter's photos too, but it was so heavy on the paper that it caused it to rip. Fang made a noise in the back of his throat.
"Oh no," he mumbled, heading over to it. Max glanced at him.
"What?" She had been texting and hadn't noticed his accident.
"Rip." He reached up, un-taping the photo and holding both pieces out to Max. "Rip."
"Oh." She was trying to understand why he was so upset by this, considering he had so many pictures on the walls, but she couldn't. 'I could tape it back together, I guess, but is it really that-"
"I rip." Fang felt his eyes get wet. "Max…"
"What, Fang?"
She didn't understand though and Fang gave up, going over to his bed. He dropped his gun to the floor before laying down on his side, away from Max, the two pieces of paper in his hands.
"Are you okay?" She came over, covering him over with his blanket. "Fang?"
"I rip. I rip it."
"I know. It's okay though. It's fine."
"Car. Car."
"Fang, she won't mind. She won't even know."
He just shook his head. Max didn't get it. He had ripped it. He had ripped something that Carter gave him! How could he?
Max stayed around for awhile, rubbing the back of his head and whispering things to him. She left after awhile though, because she had to. As she was leaving, she turned out the light, figuring that he would be going to bed soon. Fang just laid there, in the dark, staring at his picture.
"Light," he whispered, closing his eyes. "Light."
You guys asked for it, so here you go. I still like the open ending of Catch and Release, but if you guys want another story, how could I deny you?