"Max," Angel said, in that tone of hers. The one that meant "I know something."

"What?" I demanded, whirling around to face her. I looked in her eyes, and they were clouded over. She was seeing something in the futuret\.

"Fang," she whispered.

My breath caught in my chest, and it was hard for me to breathe. No, please no, never, ever say that name again…

"Fang," she repeated in a louder voice. "I can see him. He's… " she trailed off.

I stared at her. "Where is he?" I demanded. I needed him with all my heart, and I felt adrenaline pulse through my veins as Angel mentioned him.

She looked down, tugging on the flowers sewed on to the hem of her skirt.

"Angel," I stated, pouring as much menace as possible into that one word as possible.

She stared back up at me, her eyes cold. It reminded me of the time that she had "betrayed" us… Except this time, it was real.

"Sorry. I can't," she said, then stuck her chin out, narrowing her eyes at me, daring me to challenge her.

I couldn't take it anymore. Angel had been my baby, my little girl. What was happening to her? I cared everything about her… and she rewards me by stopping me from reaching my soulmate? I saw red flash before my eyes.

I took a quick step forward to Angel and grabbed her by her arm tightly. "You little… You little… imbecile!" I screamed. She looked taken aback.

Before I knew what I was doing, I slapped her across the face, and she screamed out, clutching her face. I looked back at my own hand, and felt a monster writhing within my body.

I could feel Nudge's eyes boring into the back of my head. What had I just done? This wasn't myself. I wasn't myself without… without… him.

"Don't defy me, Angel. Don't even try," I said, my voice soft, yet cold and steely.

Her glare faded, and a tear dripped down her face, and she moved the hand clutching her face to wipe the tear away. "Max," she pleaded, putting on her softest Bambi eyes. I almost gave in. Almost. But I was practically her mother – I could easily see past her façade.

"Stop faking it," I said sharply. "You need to figure your life. If you don't like being in the flock, then you're free to go. No one's keeping you here."

I really didn't know what I was saying. All I knew was that I was so angry, so desperate for … him … to just come back into my life. So that I could have back him by my side, so I could glance at him when I wasn't sure.

She looked into my eyes, and I could feel her going through my head, analyzing every thought and memory, finding every weakness.

Those big, blue eyes were deceptively innocent, and I started to feel relaxed. I could barely remember why I had been angry.

"Max, I'm sorry. You're busy," she coaxed, her voice laced with honey. "You don't have to worry about me."

"Umm, I…" I muttered. I couldn't remember what had happened earlier.

Angel just looked at me. Her eyes were like jewels, shining in the setting sun. They seemed to comfort me, and I felt like they were my last reason to live. Staring into her eyes, I felt complete, the way I would feel if … he… was still beside me.

And then, I didn't need him anymore. I only needed Angel, and her sweet innocence. I felt a smile spread across my face, and I was lost in a fluffy kind of feeling, like I was floating in a cloud. The world didn't need saving anymore. I could just relax here forever. Mmmm…

"Nudge! Don't touch the food! You can't cook any better than Max!" Came Iggy's voice, which yanked me out of my marshmallow cloud. The spell was broken, and everything that just happened rushed back into my brain, with the force of a ten-ton truck.

Once upon a time, I would've wasted a glare on Iggy for those words, but now, I didn't even realize that those words were offensive.

I was missing half of myself, the only part that really mattered to me.

You don't need him, I lied to myself. Him. I couldn't even think his name.

I turned and saw that Angel was glaring at me with an alien kind of hurt in her eyes. There were still marks from my hand when I had slapped her. It had felt good, to finally punish her.

What did I just say? I may be cruel and tough, but I loved Angel. I would never, ever feel good about hurting her.

I was scared of myself. What was happening to me? Who was I becoming?

Not to mention Angel. She seemed to be my number one enemy now.

-------------------------------BREAK------------------------------------------------------

He wouldn't have left me. Not ever.

He wouldn't have lied to me about never leaving.

He wouldn't have broken his promise.

But now, it all seemed blurry to me. He wouldn't have left… but he DID. He wouldn't have lied… but he DID. He wouldn't have broken his promise… but he DID.

I couldn't be sure of anything anymore. Angel had always been my sweet little girl, but she had turned into a mean brat. Even The Nudge Channel had been canceled.

Iggy didn't crack as many jokes anymore – he seemed to just go through the motions every day, with no thought, no emotion. Gazzy didn't make bombs as a hobby anymore. In truth, I missed punishing Gazzy and Iggy for destroying my clothes.

And Dylan was… I didn't even know him. He didn't belong. He might be my perfect other half, but the key to me already belonged to someone else.

But there was one thing that I was sure of – there was no way that I would wait 20 years.

With that, I shook Iggy awake, and whispered, "You're in charge 'till I get back."

Then I ran to the edge of the cave and took off into the daunting night.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------j

Review Review Review!

Review and I'll give you a bacon hairdryer! :) I'll post the next chapter if I get a few reviews.

Hearts with Wings,

Tammy