Maximum Ride is property of James Patterson.

This is my first fic. My cousin O' Future Ruler Maria Larry is co-authoring this fic. If you have any suggestions, feel free to review with them. Thank you, now onto the show!

Max's POV

"Max!" Fang hollered.

I growled under my breath, "What do you want?!" Fang and I have had a rocky relationship lately. Guess where we are? Thats right, hiding out in the peaks of the Appalachains. We were back in Virginia. Yes, that's right, I was dragged here against my will, again. Whose idea was it this time? Jeb! No, I haven't saved the world yet! Now that I'm finally back on task, he throws me in a completely different direction. I am telling you, the minute that I can, I'm "blowing this pop stand." Gazzy's new favourite quote, by the way. A little fun fact there for ya. So you're probally thinking, "Oh great, Headhunter all over again," right?

Well, I'm here to tell you that... you are absolutely correct. Same school, same kids, same bad attitude except now, we're older and kinda ticked off.

"Where are my- I mean,where'd you put the contents of my suitcase?" I couldn't believe he didn't just say underwear out loud. I mean, our youngest was freaking seven and a mind reader. It didn't kill him to just cut the code words and speak English for once?

"I don't know. Ask Ig." I shrugged. He sighed.

"Whoops, those were yours?" Iggy called, "Thought they were Gazzy's," Then he started cracking up. "Fang's goin' commando!"

Gazzy laughed along with him, "Put 'em in a bomb, needed fabric to soak up the lighter fluid. Sorry."

I couldn't help but giggle. Fang shot me a look. I shot one back. This continued for five minutes until Nudge started rambling about how demented we looked and we stopped. "When do we leave?" She whined, "Why can't we leave now? I miss my friends! I wanna learn! Max, I'm hungry. Max. Max, did you hear me? Oh no, now you're mad aren't you? I'm sorry, Max. Don't get mad! Please don't give me the silent treatment, you know I hate that! Waaaaah, Max!"

"Nudge." Fang snapped, "I'm leaving early. You can go with me."

There was silence. We hadn't discussed him leaving early. I didn't want him to leave early. I wanted talk to him about his behavioral issues. I wanted to talk to him about Anne and how to avoid her while we were there. I wanted to talk to him about what happened on the cliff and how that affected our relationships with Lissa and Sam. I wanted him to say he wanted me instead of her. I wanted to tell him I wanted him instead of Sam. But! I sort of couldn't... I wasn't like Fang. I was just beginning to figure this out. Fang, who knows why he likes Lissa, why he chose her over me and if he would again. But me, I wasn't shallow like that. I liked Sam for who he was. But I liked Fang too... I really just wasn't sure who I liked more, I was hoping that he was trying to make me jealous by acting like he liked her I didn't see how they connected, but I was guessing that it wouldn't be too long until we found out.

"Catch you later, guys." We watched as he unfolded his wings, they glistened in the sunlight, and took off. Nudge glanced worriedly back at me.

"Go on, honey. I'll see you when we leave." I smiled at her, hard as it was to do so.

Eventually we'd all gotten to school, and would you look at that, we were early. That, for some reason, made me really mad. I guess I wanted my reentrance to the school of doom to be dramatic and I would've liked to arrive fashionably late. But I wasn't really much of a drama queen and I was anything but fashionable so both those thoughts went out the window fast. Of course, unlike me, those ideas didn't have wings.

"-okay?"

"Huh?" I asked.

"Are you feeling okay?" Fang propped himself up against the wall of the school and stared down at his backpack. Well, lookie who's showing his sensitive side, this goes in my non-existent diary.

"I'm fine..." He chuckled softly to himself, "What?" I said, surprised. First worrying, now laughing, this state was posessed.

"Damn right, you are." I blushed furiously, thowing my backpack at him.

"Stupid!" I stomped off.

"Well," as he laughed, "That's a great start to the day."

I rolled my eyes. He's just toying with me. Well, at least he isn't mad today. Or... I don't think he is. "Hey! Max, no way! Is that you?" Ah! It was J.J.

"J.J! You're seriously here! Hi!" We ran to each other. Then we stopped, not really wanting to hug, and shook hands. She laughed sweetly and pointed at me.

"You know, today we don't have school. It's track and field day. Only the athletes are coming today," Then she frowned, "And the cheerleaders. Goodness knows why they come. They don't give a hoot."

"Oh." I felt kind of dumb.

"Ooh, look who's grown!" She looked me up and down. "You're even TALLER!" She giggled at me, "You've got curves." She poked me in the arm and I punched her in the arm.

"That's not funny," I grumbled.

She looked over my shoulder, a light shade of pink sheilded her cheeks, "You're not the only one maturing," She whispered, mostly to herself. I didn't need to look to know who she was talking about. Fang.

"Yeah... F-Nick's gotten taller."

"And his cheek bones, and his hair, and... he's even more perfect than he used to be! Is that even possible?!"

"No droolin; on my shoulder, please." She punched me in the arm, pretty hard actually. I rubbed it.

"You guys were adopted by missionaries... right?" J.J. recalled. Well, that's the story.

"Uh huh."

"You should totally go for him." She hissed.

I felt like I'd been smacked in the face, "Excuse me?!" I cried.

"You guys aren't blood related! And he's staring right at you!" I made a disgruntled "is-that-moldy-cheese-I-smell" look.

"We've grown up together! I mean, we're not just like brother and sister, we legally are." Well, no we weren't. We were actually bird kids on the run and Fang and I have known each other since about four years-old. We're a lot like brother and sister... except sometimes... when our lips touch and my heart pounds so fast I could swear I was about to have a heart attack.

I shook that thought out of my mind. Then she leaned over my shoulder again, but this time, not to look at Fang, "I saw it. I saw it all. I was outside. Your wings, I know. Most of us do. Some choose not to believe it. You took a risk coming back here, Max. But I promise you that I will protect you no matter what." She leaned back, "So seriously, what's your name? And his, and all of your 'siblings.'" She used air quotes.

C-R-A-P.

End of first chapter. This is my first ever fic so don't be harsh on me. Please Review!