A/N: Set a few months, years, something or other after one of the first three books, I guess. Haven't really thought that through. Use your imagination. xD Also, set a year or two before my fic, Max's Blog.

By the way, don't own Maximum Ride, obviously. ;3

'~*~'

He didn't like all this running.

Not at all.

The young boy, looking about six or seven years old, just could not take it anymore. All this running... It was just too insane. So he stopped.

He collapsed on the machine, done with all of this. He didn't want to run anymore. He just couldn't do it. He knew what would come next - those big men in those big white coats would yell, put him back on his feet, and the boy would have to run again. But it was different this time. Before anyone older could reach him, a young boy who was running beside him suddenly stopped as well, and ran over to the dark haired boy.

The dark hair boy looked up at the strawberry blonde haired boy, and no one moved. All of those big men in the big coats stopped, curious as to what would happen next.

"Are you okay?" the blonde said.

"I don't want to run anymore." the boy laying down on the machine answered truthfully.

"Are you hurt?" the other boy asked another question.

"Tired." the dark haired boy responded, out of breath.

"Me, too." the blonde boy nodded, then leaned in, his face almost touching the other boy's. "Do you need help?"

"I-" before the other boy could say anything else, anything at all, the blond boy closed the space, and gave him a soft kiss.

"Now you're better." the blonde boy smiled, right before the big men in the big white coats came, and dragged him away, deciding that there was enough of that, and the two should go back into their cages.

As the black haired boy got stuffed into his cage, he wondered who that other boy was, and if he had really seen wings on his back, just like he himself had. He also wondered why that boy had done that, and what was going on.

When the two cages passed each other, for only a moment, the dark haired boy whispered, "I'm better now. Thanks."

And for the longest time, the two never saw each other ever again.

'~*~'

Fang punched the flying Eraser, snarling.

These new ones were tough to fight, he had realized, and they were better at flying, better at fighting, better at everything.

He actually worked up quite a sweat.

Taking a moment to look over his shoulder, Fang smiled when he saw Max taking another one down, looking vicious and ferocious and down right beautiful.

He didn't regret ever asking her to go out with him, even if that was hard to do, always being on the run. But they were dating, in a way, and he loved it.

As he took down another flying Eraser, his eyes scanned the forest floor, looking for where Iggy was sitting helplessly.

It was only a few weeks ago Iggy had told them all the truth.

He could see.

Maybe not like they could, but he had always been able to see some things. Outlines of shapes, if you will. That's how he was so good at everything. He wasn't completely blind.

But a few weeks ago, when Iggy told them all that, he also said that he thought his sight was getting worse. And it was.

Tripping, falling, running into walls, falling out the air, having a hard time cooking, Iggy was definitely becoming fully blind.

It was only yesterday that it happened, however. He couldn't see a damn thing.

Fang growled, kicking another one right in the chest. He couldn't help it. His friend wasn't able to fight right now, because he had no clue what to do. Sure, he could use his hearing, and touch, but he had always had had a bit of his sight to help him. Now? Nothing. He needed to get used to it, that was all. But right now, he didn't trust himself enough to fight.

And so he stayed on the ground, while Fang totally just freaked out in the air, mad at the whole damn world at that moment.

So, he barely noticed when the Eraser took a gun from who knows where, pointing it at him. Fang only realized it at the last second, when he felt a killing pain in his right wing.

And then near his chest.

Falling out of the sky was nothing graceful, nothing amazing at all. The dark haired teenager could see his life flashing before his eyes, and wondered when he would splat onto the ground.

But another part of Fang opened his mouth, and screamed out the first name that came to mind, so that maybe that person could help him or do something or just be aware of what was happening.

"Iggy!" he screamed as he fell, the word burning on it's way out, but still eventually coming out.

Fang closed his eyes, preparing for impact, when two strong arms seemed to pluck him out of the air, and catch him.

"I've got you."

With a hurting sigh of relief, Fang felt as he was placed softly on the ground, Iggy beside him, freaking out.

The blind teen reached out, trying to find exactly where Fang's face was.

"Are you okay?" he asked, worried.

Fang just coughed, shaking his head painfully.

"Are you hurt?"

"I'm shot."

Iggy felt around, and gasped when he felt the blood coming from the other.

"Fang..." he whispered, freaked. "This seems bad."

"It is." Fang coughed out.

"Fang..." Iggy whispered, getting closer to him so his face was almost touching the other's.

Fang suddenly got quite a sense of Deja Vu.

But before the black haired one could say anything, the strawberry blonde haired one leaned down, and kissed Fang.

"I love you."

Fang, speechless against Iggy's words, just smiled, and whispered back, "I think I love you, too. Just don't tell-"

He coughed, and Iggy finished for him, "Max."

Fang nodded slowly, then took a shaky breath, whispered jumbled words that seemed to be "I love you" or something of that matter, then took his last breath.

When Max landed, wild eyed, she found Iggy crying against Fang's still body, mumbling words that she could not hear.

'~*~'

A/N: This is based on a dream-thing I had, so if it seems weird, and makes no sense, blame the oddness of my dreams, or my half-awake, half-asleep state of mind. xD