Hey all my reviewers. :) Thank you for reviewing my first story even if I only have one chapter up.
I'm trying my hardest to get them done on time. But I'll strive to get them done as soon as possible.
Read and review please? :)
(By the way, I don't own Maximum Ride.)
It always was difficult for me to keep my feelings a secret, especially when everyone knew what I was trying so hard to hide. When you had a family like mine, they all knew what everyone was thinking. And for Angel, that was literal.
It was another early, cold morning in our house. I was the only one who was awake yet and I sighed, letting the peace help me calm down all the nerves that constricted me. Surprisingly, the cold helped me take my mind off of everything. I clutched the cup of coffee in my hands and shivered, not bothering to cover up with the blanket that lay next to me. I closed my eyes and shut out the world.
I didn't know how long it was until I felt a blanket fall over my body. The coffee splashed softly in my cup as I jumped, half-expecting to find Iggy or Fang standing in front of me. I snapped my eyes open and saw Max, instead. She wasn't smiling.
"Nudge," she said, hands on her hips. I frowned.
"I know, I know," I murmured, hugging the blanket close to me.
"Don't hurt yourself, Mama Bear," Max scolded gently, in a motherly way. "The baby needs to be healthy."
I sighed and looked down at the cup I held without an answer. Max sat down next to me and hugged my shoulders, calming me like so many nights she had done before.
"He's going to love the baby," Max whispered in my ears. "You know he will, Nudge."
I looked at her quietly, not knowing exactly what to say. She smiled at me for a moment and looked over my head quickly as I heard a soft shuffling sound. I snapped my head over and saw Gazzy, to my relief, walking sleepily into the kitchen.
"Morning Gaz," Max called happily to him. He grunted as an answer. I looked back to Max and saw her flash another quick smile before getting up from the couch to follow him.
Out of particularly nowhere, Fang popped out from the darkness by the couch and followed Max as well. I glared in irritation, knowing he'd realize.
It was warmer than it was the days before and I felt the urge to go outside into the sunlight. I looked around, noticing everyone was busy doing their own things while I strayed by the open window. I looked the longest at Iggy, who plotted what looked like more bomb-making with Gazzy in the living room. I couldn't help but to smile at the two, knowing they both were at their happiest. How could I risk taking that from Iggy?
I slipped outside onto the long porch of ours that wrapped around the two-story house. From the inside, it looked a lot warmer than it actually was despite the bright sun. I tucked my arms against my chest and leaned on the railing, ignoring my small shivers from the breeze.
I couldn't deny; this place was beautiful. Hidden from all civilization in the woods, it was a perfect spot to be free from the threat of the School. I hoped we never had to leave like so many other places before.
I stared off into the distance, arms around my stomach now, wanting everything to be right again. I couldn't help but feel my wings ache from wanting to fly again.
I felt someone's arms wrap around me from behind, causing me to jump softly.
"What are you doing out here in the cold?" Iggy's voice was concerned but on the joking side by a small bit.
I leaned my head against his arm that held the railing next to me, sighing despite myself.
"It's not that cold," I answered. "We've been in colder."
He chuckled gently and laid his head in the curve of my neck that connected my shoulder to my face. His breathing came softly through his lips and I couldn't find any words to speak to him. I closed my eyes gradually and laid my hand over his own carefully. He grasped it.
"I know when something's wrong, Nudge," he whispered. I stiffened. "I may be blind but my fingers feel everything."
I sighed and turned my face into his arm, as if I was trying to block out his way of figuring out my feelings. He kissed my cheek and held me tighter, laying his head on top of mine. I shivered.
"Nothing's wrong," I answered when I could speak clearly.
He didn't say anything and I bit down on my lip hard, almost causing it to break the skin. I didn't realize how fast time had passed until I noticed the sun beginning to set so far away behind the trees. I straightened up to head back inside.
But he held me there.
"Nudge," he whispered. I stopped moving in his arms.
"Yes?" I said once he didn't say anything more.
It took him so very long for him to speak again.
"I love you, Nudge," he said, close to my ear. "I don't say it as much as I probably should but I do. You're just about everything to me."
I gasped as quietly as I could through my lips, closing my eyes to listen to the words over again.
"I love you too, Iggy," I murmured.
He turned me around so I was facing him, his eyes just inches from my face as if he was trying so hard to see my own. I looked back at him and placed my hand to his cheek, not knowing any more to say.
"I wish I could see you," his lips barely moved as he said the words. I pulled my eyebrows together and bowed my head sadly.
"I wish you could see me too."
"But don't worry, Nudge," he said abruptly, afraid of my sad tone. He placed his hands to either side of my face, warming up my cheeks. "I don't mind that I can't as much. I can still feel you with every tingle of my fingertips."
I smiled and took his hand, guiding it over my lips so he'd feel them upturned. His answering smile could light up the whole forest in the dead of the night.
He kissed my lips softly.
"There's nothing wrong, right?" he asked me, worry still hinting in his blue eyes.
I looked at his eyes and I shivered gently with fear. He misinterpreted it as the cold wind and soon I found myself inside the house again. Everyone hadn't moved and they didn't look up as we walked in, hand in hand. I couldn't tell if they were just being polite or were truly into what they all were doing. Iggy smiled and lead me to the bedroom we shared, already pitch dark with the window shut up.
I removed my hand and lay down under the covers without a word, happier now that I was truly warm. Iggy wasn't far behind; he got in on his side of the bed and immediately wrapped his arms around me to pull me close to his chest like almost every other night.
Out of all the other times, anyone would think that I could explain the feeling I got when he held me close in the night. But the thing was that I couldn't. It was beyond anything anyone could ever feel in a lifetime.
I snuggled close to him and tried my hardest to get rid of the fear so I could tell him, the only person in this house who didn't know; the only person in this house that needed to know.
I felt him sigh against my hair with contentment and I opened my mouth to speak. My eyes were tearing up already.
"No, there's nothing wrong," I whispered to him.