Disclaimer: Ugh...well, I'd better get this outta the way. I'd like to say that I own the entire Flock and their souls…but I don't. I'd like to say that I own Maximum Ride entirely…but I don't. They belong to James Patterson, who is awesome and unfortunately not me. However, I do own Blitz and his squad as well as Director Markus Hightower. Their souls are mine. Steal them and I will find you…

A/N: First off I must say that I love you all! I was worried that I didn't explain very well, but I underestimated you...sorry! Anyway, I'm really glad that you enjoyed the first chapter! So happy in fact that I'm posting the second one right now! I'm hoping to post a chapter every other day from now on or so. Also, I have the next few chapters set up as Max's POV then Fang's and then Max's. Basically they just switch off, but I'll still let you know who's POV it is so there's no confusion. And in case you were wondering, this is set after STWAOES and completely disregards TFW, in case you wanted to know. Now, I'll shut up and we'll get on with the story! If you have any questions, comments, or ideas be sure to let me know! I love reviews and constructive criticism, they make me that much better. Now I promise to shut up! Enjoy!

~ The Angel Assassin ~

Chapter 2: Dreams Don't Comfort Me

Fang POV

Fire and agony ricocheted from my wing down my left arm as the Eraser jerks my wing at an awkward angle. I bit my tongue trying to stay awake even as the intensity of the pain threatened to white out my vision.

"We're completely serious as you can see Max," the Eraser standing over me says. No emotion shows on his face nor is reflected in his words. The sunlight highlights the harsh lines of a face that has never smiled. "I'll keep hurting your boy here until you give me something else to do."

"Please stop," Max mumbles and even from where I am, I can see her knees shaking.

"No Max," I choke out. "Don't you dare go with them."

"If I want your opinion, I'll ask for it," the huge red haired Eraser next to me snaps. The back of his fist smacks roughly into against the side of my face and as my head snaps sideways, I taste the unmistakable copper tang of blood.

"No!" Max screams before the Eraser can hit me again. "If I do what you want, will you leave them alone?"

She asks with a bitter intent I see all too well. I won't, can't let her die for me or anyone else. I drag my self back up onto my knees facing her directly even with blood spilling from my mouth.

"You don't know what you're saying," I mumble through the pain.

"And I want a minute to talk to him," she goes on ignoring my protests. Still even I can tell that this is taking a toll on her. Strong, proud Max is trying violently not to break down. What makes it worse is knowing it's over me. I shouldn't have yelled her name, why hadn't I kept my mouth shut and left her out of this? Why hadn't I just left her alone in her room away from this hellish scene?

"Look I don't care what you do, just make it quick," the Eraser replies victoriously. "We're only here for you, not them."

"What're you doing?" I demand weakly as Max kneels next to me. "You can't do this… Please don't."

"I have to Fang," she says softly her eyes betraying her stony demeanor. There's so many regrets and loss. She reaches out, her fingers lightly grazing my bloodied feathers. "Please understand I'm going to save you and the Flock. Without you my life is nothing and I know they'll kill you if I stay. I'd never do this for them, never them."

"I don't want to lose you," I plead desperately trying to convince her to stay. I can already tell I'm fighting a losing battle. "I can't take care of them on my own."

"Yes you can. I know you can," Max says tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. "I've finally realized I can't live without you, it hurts too much. You keep fighting and I'll find a way to get back to you."

Without waiting for my response, she gently holds my face and presses her lips to mine. In that split second was packed so many different emotions and feelings that all at once gave me hope and yet dragged me down. I wanted this moment to never end, but just go on and on forever. Even if we both died, at least we'd be together in this moment forever.

Finally the Eraser jerks Max away from me and roughly shoves her towards the chopper. All I can do is lie breathlessly in a heap of agony. With a sudden burst of strength I drag myself to my feet and jump the Eraser closest to me slamming my elbow into his face. A feral yell echoes from my lips as I tackle him, roughly jerking his head into the ground. I vaguely hear Max yell for me to stop as two Erasers grab my arms wrenching my injured wing up.

I can hear the chopper taking off and there's nothing I can do as the Erasers drop me and race to the chopper. I still get up and against all better judgment I flip out my wings ignoring the torturous fire in the left one. I leap into the wind, airborne in seconds. The helicopter is gaining speed and it's obvious I won't catch it.

"Max!" I yell after it until my lungs burn.

Finally as the chopper fades from view, hot pain fills my limbs and I let gravity take me. I calmly let it pull me towards the cold unforgiving ground; back into someone's waiting arms.

I jerked back to reality tangled in the sticky sheets on my bed. Yes, before you get all confused, I do indeed have an actual bed these days. All of the Flock does since we're staying with Dr. Martinez or Val as she prefers.

After disentangling myself from the thick sheets I pull on a shirt and plop back down on my bed. It's hard to believe that it's been two years since that dream was a reality, probably because I see it perfectly and relive it ever time I go to sleep. Apparently my brain is unwilling to let the memories stop taunting me in horrid endless cycles. Whenever I think of her, I end up choking on grief and anger over my own weakness. I should've been able to save her and I didn't.

My memory seems determined not to let me forget it either.

"Hey Fang, breakfast in five," Ella calls passing my door.

I'm so tempted to call out that I'm not hungry and it wouldn't be a lie. I know better though. If I don't come down, Val will come up and drag me down. Her or Jeb, and probably knowing that I haven't exactly warmed up to Jeb, she'll send him. I slowly threw some jeans on and walked hesitantly downstairs to join the Flock.

"Hi Fang," Angel smiled brightly as I plopped down in the nearest chair. Her eyes met mine for a small moment and I nodded in the briefest recognition.

I looked around the rest of the table. Iggy was talking to Ella who had walked in behind me. Iggy was feeling Max's loss much the same as I was. Max had always been like a sister to Iggy as had the Flock. Losing her was like losing family since his had never cared. If he was anything like me, then his heart was just as mangled and ravaged beyond compare. Nudge was a lot the same and some nights I had heard Angel or her crying and the other would go to comfort them and they'd end up crying each other to sleep. Even Gazzy wasn't the same; I figured that Max's absence had touched him more than he ever let one. It had gotten somewhat better over time, but the scars were still there.

I couldn't help but think that Max was dead even though she'd promised to come back. If she'd been able to escape, she'd be here already safe and hopefully in my arms. Make no mistake about it, I'd looked for her with a fiery determination, but finally my resolve had slowly seeped away. I would've gone to hell and back to find her and probably lost my soul alone the way, but luckily or not for me, Iggy had been there to save me. It was hard to face the defeat, but I couldn't figure out what else they could've done with her.

"Glad to see you joining us Fang," Val said sitting at the opposite end of the table.

I merely shrugged, I guess I can't honestly complain since Val didn't have to let us stay, but she had nonetheless despite losing her daughter. It was hard to think that Val was hurting as much as the rest of us. Besides it wasn't like she'd forced us to do anything we weren't comfortable with. School of course was a good example of this.

We tried school for a while, but it didn't exactly work out. Unfortunately every girl had either become infatuated with Iggy or me, regardless of whether or not they already had a boyfriend. In fact one of the cheerleaders, who was also dating the football captain, had started flirting with me and begging a date. This had resulted in the football star trying to break my nose. Let's just say I did a lot more in return and we never went back.

Angel nudged my elbow and jerked her head toward Iggy, who was searching for the syrup. That was Iggy for you, too proud to ask for help. I reached over and quickly scooted the syrup to where he could easily reach it.

"I don't need any help Fang," Iggy said coolly realizing what I'd done.

"So you'd rather grope around for it and end up making a huge mess?" I asked coldly as I shoved pancakes into my mouth.

Iggy and I fighting was so wrong, but lately our battles had gotten worse. It was like we were both suffering from a black poison that seeped through our veins and we had to release it somehow. Unfortunately we took it out on each other, each taking turns painfully ripping shards of dagger like glass from the others unhealed soul.

Iggy sat in silence for a moment, his hand clenching around his fork. Doing this to him was killing me inside, but then there wasn't much left to kill. I was hollow already so there wasn't much he could do to me that would make things much worse.

"Shut up," Iggy growled his voice icy. "I don't need you."

"Yeah and you didn't need Max either," I shot back making my own wounds ache. There was a silent hole in my heart that was slowing killing me from the inside out and no matter what I did, it wouldn't close.

"I didn't ask for your help or hers," Iggy yelled now in full fighting mode. "I might be blind, but I don't need to be catered to. I don't need your damn pity!"

"Likewise," I shot back standing up quickly. I stabbed my pancakes with my fork and turned on my heel.

"Fang, don't do this," Nudge pleaded knowing I wouldn't listen.

I unwittingly caught Angel's eye and almost broke down over it. Her eyes pleaded silently with me to stay, to come back. "Please don't," she whispered in heartrending tone.

"I'm not hungry," I mumbled feeling guilty as I stomped up the stairs.

I headed straight to my room shutting the door behind me and flipped on my stereo. I fell onto my bed listening to Linkin Park Rest and hating myself for what I was doing. I was in pain, but did that really mean I had to take it out on everyone else? I did it because I hate silence; I hated not having something to clutter my brain because without that clutter my thoughts automatically drifted to her. It drifted to happier times with the Flock all together, not emotionally and physically torn apart.

"Fang, I'm coming in whether you like it not," Val said knocking on the door. I figured she would come up here to find me; it was only a matter of time.

She opened the door proving her point and sat on the end of my bed. Her eyes were a calm mask that couldn't cover up the throbbing pain underneath. I immediately turned away unable to look her in the eyes. We sat in an awkward silence as she turned down the stereo.

"I'm sorry about Iggy and stuff," I said blandly hoping all she wanted was an apology.

"I know you are, but what really bothers me is that you just don't seem to care anymore. This isn't you, but I don't know how to help you," she countered sparking something in me.

"What's the point of caring? Max is dead and a part of me died with her," I explained coolly. "I don't want to keep being reminded that I'll never see her again. So unless you can bring back the dead, there's nothing you can do."

"What?" Val said sharply jerking my head up to face her. "I don't ever want to hear you give up so easily ever again. You say she's dead, but what evidence do you have to prove it? You've just convinced yourself of that fact in the hope that it will ease the pain. Have you figured out yet that it won't?

"I've seen you two together and it's obvious to everyone but you two that you were made with each other in mind. So you can sit here and choose to believe your mind or your heart. Then when you've figured it out," Val paused momentarily letting it sink in, "you come tell me whether you really believe she's dead."

I sat there speechlessly watching Max's mom rise to leave. It was days like this that I saw where Max got her personality from.

"You're not the only one hurting," she added, feeling to me like a final blow.

As much as I hated to admit it, she was right. As many times as I'd told myself Max was dead, a part of me wouldn't, couldn't believe. I knew for a fact that I would never care for anyone like I'd cared for her. Did Dr. Martinez understand this?

As I watched her turn to leave, the door swung open to Jeb standing in the doorway. His eyes were a façade of calm that I immediately saw through. The last few years have taken their toll on the man I had once admired as a father. His hair had taken on a silvery sheen and worry lines creased his forehead. I guess losing Ari and then Max in quick succession did that to the guy.

"Val, Fang," he said his eyes flashing to my window, "we've got a serious problem."

"What do you mean?" Dr. Martinez asked sounding unsure if she really wanted an answer.

"Itex has taken it upon themselves to send professional assassins here," Jeb said his tone agitated. "Let's say Senator Dempsey's death was no accident. They're eliminating all competition against their plans."

With that hanging in the air, Jeb turned and raced back down the stairs with Val in close pursuit. It took me a minute to process all this. I had to get downstairs and protect the Flock. Dr. Martinez was right about all this. Max wasn't dead, I'd know first thing if she was. Besides, I'd promised to keep the Flock safe. If nothing else, I owed her that much.

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A/N: Eeek! They're sending professional assassins! I wonder who that could be hahaha! By the way, I'm sorry if Fang got a little OOC there. I just needed to make him more pissy and reclusive than normal for the moment...sad, I know. Anyway, hope you liked it! Don't forget our little buddy, Bob the Review Button! Please push him, he's lonely!

~lightNdarkangel