Nevermore: Epilogue

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride, or I wouldn't be doing this fanfic to begin with.

Well, it looks like this is it.

The end.

Still, at least I managed to save the world. And with all due respect, I think I did a pretty good job. For a teenaged mutant girl with wings, anyway.

Blood was pouring out of my wound, and I could barely think. But I still managed to get to the doorway of the room where I had left the others. With my free hand, I slowly pushed the door open.

Once they saw me in the doorway with blood coming out of my stomach, you can pretty much guess what happened next.

"Oh my God! MAX!" Nudge cried.

Yup. They all rushed over to give me a hug.

With my broken ribs.

As my appendages began to ache from all of the needless hugging, Gazzy started to cry in my jacket.

"Come on Max, stay with us! You can't die! You can't"

"You dumb idiot! Why did you have to go back!" Tears kept flowing from Iggy's lifeless eyes. He didn't bother to wipe them; you know, him being blind and all.

I smiled a bit. Those guys still didn't understand me after all this time. I began to explain to them:

"I had to face my fears," I started, tears flowing from my face as well. "I couldn't just stand back and let all those people die. It's not…" More blood sprayed out of my wound. "It's not who I am, Iggy."

Looking over at Ella, I winked. "That was pretty sweet, wasn't it sis?"

Ella smiled and nodded, doing her best to hold back the tears. "Yeah, I guess so."

For the first time in forever, a tear fell from Angel's face.

"A tear, my little Angel?" I held my blood-stained hand to her face and wiped the tear away.

"Thought you were a bit tougher than that."

Angel shook her head, the tears flowing much faster now. "I'm so sorry. I didn't want-"

"I know. And you are forgiven. Always and completely forgiven."

Angel nodded, wiping the blood from her face. "Thanks." She said with a hint of sadness.

My vision was beginning to blur. Everyone's faces were starting to vanish.

As I lay there, with my family caressing my dying body, I thought about all the good times we had. I thought about the endless battles we fought, all of the good times we had spent together

All of the people we lost.

I thought of before with Fang and Dylan, and my heart shattered. Through every bad time we went through, they had always been there for me. And I had for them.

I don't know why things turned out so bad. Truth be told, I didn't really care now.

All that mattered was that everyone was safe, and the world got a second chance, whether it deserved it or not.

As for me, I was going to take one last ride in the great big sky above.

The greatest ride of all.

The maximum ride.

A/N: Please review. I want to make this really good so I can submit it for the fanfiction contest. You're all probably pissed that I made Max die, but I think it's a good ending, even though it's not a happy one. I purposely left Fang and Dylan's fate's ambiguous (It can't be assumed that everyone talking in this fic were the ONLY PEOPLE IN THE ROOM), as well as their relationships with Max and who she finally ends up with. I don't know what James Patterson is planning for all of them, so I don't want to touch that plot line for risks of losing the contest and/or disappointing countless fangirls.

Oh and one more thing: DO NOT STEAL MY IDEA. If you do, and I know about it...well, you can fill in the rest. Sorry, just had to add that last bit; can't take a chance

So enjoy, review and tell me what you think. Happy writing!

The Masked Wanderer