Well, it seems you guys agree with me that this story is different from others with the same plot. Some of you are asking how Max could possibly keep this a secret and others are begging me to let Fang find out… Well, you will just have to read to find out what I decide to do. I'm mean like that.

My Secret

Chapter 2: Food Strike

It was morning now and I had no idea where we were going. Mostly, we were just moving from place to place to avoid the clutches of the Director and her evil posse of whitecoats. If we didn't know where we were going, how would they?

We had been roaming around for months without an eraser attack and oddly enough, Jeb hadn't decided to invade my head and give me lectures in awhile. He had picked a great time to make himself scarce, a week before Fang and I did the deed. Maybe if he had been inside my brain it never would have happened. Wow, never thought I would see the day when I wanted Jeb to be able to speak to me in my mind. I've officially gone crazy.

"Cereal bar?" Fang asked thrusting the food toward me to take. I shook my head, crinkling my nose in disgust. Food did not sound good. Hello morning sickness. Fang's impassive face moved into a deep frown. "You need to get something in your stomach."

"I'm not hungry." I pushed the cereal bar out of my view, but he moved it back in front of my face. "Fang, quit it."

"No. You eat it or…"

I looked up at his face from where I sat on the bed. He was standing in front of me with one arm holding the cereal bar toward me while the other rested at his side. "Or what?"

"Never mind that, just please eat." His eyes were pleading while the rest of his face stayed emotionless.

"I don't want to." I said looking away from him to scan my surroundings, looking for some way to get him off my back. Iggy and Nudge were playing war with a deck of cards they had found in the room. Gazzy was mocking the voices of celebrities and his new favorite person to impersonate, ter Borcht. Great, they had to pick now to actually start behaving.

"One cereal bar, that's all I'm asking for." Fang demanded, not giving up.

I shook my head. "No."

"Why are you refusing to eat?" He threw out his hands in frustration.

I stood up fast, a feeling of dizziness clouded my head, but it quickly faded. I stared Fang in the eye, trying my best to appear as nothing had happened. He was looking at me with scrutiny, obviously picking up on the fact that something was up. If he knew that I was feeling dizzy he would shove that cereal bar down my throat.

Swallowing my anger, I closed my eyes and admitted my problem. "I'm still feeling a bit nauseas."

His brow furrowed. "You still feel sick?" I nodded as he pulled me into the bathroom, closing the door behind us. "Why didn't you say so before?"

"Because it isn't a big deal." I played it off with a shrug. It took me a minute to realize I was hugging my middle, but I quickly took them away to rest at my sides. I didn't need Fang picking up on the small hints in my behavior. "I'm a little sick, that's it."

"Max, we don't get sick." His voice was straining to stay low. Neither one of us wanted the flock to know something was wrong with me, they didn't need to be worried.

"Well, I do!" I shouted in frustration.

His eyes closed, a sign that he was about to bring up something he didn't want to. "What if it isn't just a normal sickness like humans get?" He asked finally. "What if you're…" He may not have been able to state his cause for worry, but I knew what he was getting at. He was worried I was going to expire.

I felt terrible just then. I wanted to throw my arms around him and tell him everything, anything to take away the sadness etched on his face.

My hand moved to his cheek, stroking his cheekbone with my thumb. I stepped closer, so we were separated by an inch of open air. My other hand rested on the opposite side of the first, bringing his face closer to mine. Our eyes were locked on each other's, allowing silence to hang in the air as we spoke without words.

"I'm not going to expire, not yet anyway." I denied resting my forehead against his. I loved being this close to him, feeling his warmth surround me. "When Ari…" I trailed off, unable to stop the pain that came with this subject.

"You don't have to…" He started, about to tell me I didn't need to explain whatever I was going to say. He would willingly drop the subject to protect me from the pain I felt when I thought of Ari.

"Yes I do." My whisper was weaker than I intended. I needed to sound strong, so I could convince Fang that I wasn't going to expire and that everything would be fine. When did I become such an optimist? Oh right, I was halfway faking it.

I continued, "When Ari… expired. He… he never threw up or anything. He acted fine for the most part, enough so that I had no idea what was happening to him." I lifted my ponytail away from my neck and turned around so he could see the bare skin there. "See? No date of expiration. I'm ok."

I heard the rustle of his clothing as he moved closer to me. His fingers touched the skin there, making me shiver with pleasure. I loved his touch, it was so comforting and loving. Unlike anything I had known before. His lips pressed a tender kiss at the base of my neck, making goosebumps break out on my skin. His arms circled my waist and I turned, hooking mine around his neck.

I needed to think of something to make Fang feel better, just until I'm ready to give food a try again. It didn't take long to come up with an idea, I guess my mind enjoys being devious. "Maybe this is Jeb at work again. Last time he got in my mind and gave me those dumb brain attacks, I got nauseas."

He seemed to debate and I could tell he wanted to believe my supposed theory rather than his own. "But why aren't you getting brain attacks?"

I hugged him closer to me. "My body is getting used to the invasion and the nausea is still a side effect until it gets used to that part too?" Confusing, but I was just making things up as I rattled on.

He sighed and squeezed me gently. "Ok, I'll get off your back, but if you don't eat anything within a couple hours… I'm taking you to your mom's house."

I kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

"I don't want to lose you." He admitted, pulling me tight to his body as if trying to make us one person.

I looked into his eyes. "You won't." Little did he know, he was gaining a baby. I looked away from him on that note. I didn't want my eyes to tell him my secret. "Tell the flock to get ready. We're leaving in five minutes."

"Where to now?"

"I don't know yet."

"Knowing Gazzy and Angel, they're going to try to talk you into Disney Land again." His smirk took a huge weight off my chest. He was acting like normal Fang again, my Fang.

"How about a day at the park?" I said not realizing the words were coming from my mouth. It just felt right. A day of relaxation, maybe we would even stay in the same hotel. Not likely.

"Sounds… normal." He nodded, giving me a smile. I loved receiving one of his rare breath taking grins, I melted into him right then and there. "I'll go spread the word."

I watched him leave, promising him I would be right out. I caught sight of my reflection, trying hard not to care what I looked like, but my mind screamed at me that I was too obvious. No wonder Fang was worried, I looked really tired… and weak. Yuck. There were bags under my eyes and my complexion was paler than usual. I needed to eat, but I wasn't ready for the food yet, soon though.

I turned on the sink and splashed some water on my face. "Get it together, Max." My eyes lowered to my stomach and my hand involuntarily moved there. It was a shock to believe a baby was growing in there, more extraordinary… Fang's baby.

I wanted to tell him, but I still didn't know what I was going to do. Abortion was not an option for two reasons… One, what if my baby has wings? They would find out my secret and bad things would result. Two, I was pretty sure I would hate myself forever, maybe Fang too if he found out. I didn't want Fang to hate me and I didn't want to kill something that was a part of Fang. I loved him and I was pretty sure I was starting to love the baby too. That scared me more than I imagined.

Adoption was a definite no. If my baby lives, there is no way I could give him or her away, not when I had been so angry at my parents and the flock's for doing that to them. I didn't want to be thinking about my baby out there with someone else. And like I said before… what if my baby has wings? That possibility frightened and excited me all at the same time.

Guess that meant I was keeping it. And eventually I would have to tell Fang. What if he didn't want it. It's not like we planned this… and I was the one who pushed for us to sleep together. What if he blamed me? If Fang chose not to help me and be with me, it might kill me. I don't think I could make it on my own.

A knock sounded on the door before opening. I snatched my hand away from my tummy, wide eyed. "You coming?" Fang.

"Uh, yeah." I said leaving the small room with Fang behind me. We filed out into the hallway, keeping our eyes focused on the front door. Then we pursued it and left, without any kind of confrontation. Another stay at a hotel without blowing anything up or getting discovered by erasers. We were on a roll.

At the Park

"I call a swing!" Angel shouted, racing toward the swing set. Gazzy raced after her, claiming the second seat for himself.

Iggy and Nudge started up a game of hide and seek, eventually all of us joined in. We were hiding inside play buildings, under slides, in the gazebo. Anywhere you could hide was fair game. Unfortunately that meant the lake, but after the first two times she hid underwater, she stopped. Partially because she knew it still worried me and the other because I gave away her hiding spot both times. I would stare out at the water, so when the seeker found me they found Angel too.

"Tag! You're it!" Gazzy yelled as he tagged me.

"Since when are we playing tag?" I asked in amusement.

"Since now!" Nudge yelled running away. Everyone else ran too, even Fang. I smiled and took off after Gazzy, laughing along with the others.

He circled the playground as I slowly gained on him. I felt a kind of light, like I wasn't in control of my body. My head was fuzzy and I started to slow down.

"Come on, Max!" Nudge yelled at my inability to catch the Gasman.

I slowed some more until I was walking, my hand touching my head. I blinked a few times, trying to make my blurred vision become clear again.

"Max?" Fang walked over to me, concern contorting the features on his face.

I wobbled a bit. "I'm ok."

"No you're not." He said steadying me. "What's wrong?"

"Just… a bit… diz…zy." I managed before all went black.

Flock P.O.V.

"Max!" Angel shouted, sprinting over to where Fang and Max were. He had caught her before she contacted the ground. He sat, hugging her to him, whispering words to her that the flock couldn't quite make out.

"What's going on?" Iggy asked hurrying over. "What's wrong with Max?"

"She fainted." Gazzy explained with wide eyes, staring down at their leader in disbelief.

"Nudge, get a bottle of water and a cereal bar out of my bag." Fang ordered, not even sparing the young mutant a glance as she did what she was told.

Moments later she was by Fang's side with the water and cereal bar, pealing it open.

"Max." Fang said to the leader of the group, his girlfriend. "Come on, wake up."

Movement could be seen behind her eyelids and eventually her eyes fluttered open. "Fang?"

He smiled down at her, hugging her tighter to him. "I'm right here. Are you ok?"

"Got dizzy." She said sleepily.

"That's because you have nothing in your stomach." He whispered harshly. "Now, you're going to eat this cereal bar, even if I have to shove it down your throat."

A weak smirk played on her lips. "No need for that. I'll eat it."

He helped her sit up and handed the food over to her, setting the water next to her. Max had almost finished the cereal bar by the time he looked at her again. "Nudge, go get a few more bars." He sent a look over at Max and she nodded in agreement.

"Here." Nudge said when she returned, handing Max three more bars.

"Are you ok, Max?" Angel asked softly.

"I'm fine, don't worry." Max ordered the group.

Max P.O.V.

I couldn't believe I fainted. I just hoped my baby was ok. Only time would tell, because I wasn't about to go to a hospital to check things out.

AN: Hope you enjoyed. The response this story has gotten has been amazing. I love you guys SO much. I enjoy writing, but you guys make it that much more special. If you haven't done so, check out my story, Coincide. Please review!