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Chapter 2

Taking another deep breath, I got ready to answer. "And do you, Maximum, take Fang to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do." I could clearly tell that there were more weepers behind me, the loudest obviously being Mom. But I could barely hear them over the thudding of my own heart. The priest began to speak again.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Fang reached toward me and gently lifted my veil. Gazing into his eyes, I leaned into his kiss. His lips softly pressed against mine, his fingertips stroking my cheek, until we locked lips a little harder, to end it so our audience could be spared the agony of watching our intimacy. My wings fluttered a bit, at quite a steady pace with my heart. We pulled apart, hands twined together descending down the altar, our magnificent wings spread out behind us. Many people gasped in awe. We must have looked like the happiest angels sent from Heaven. Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge and Angel crowded around us, more people drifting toward either the food table outside or the small cluster that had started to form.

Breaking through them all, Mom came and squeezed us both with all of her might. "Oh, Max, Fang, you haven't the slightest idea how happy I am! I can't believe it! You're married! You'll have your own place, your own kids, I'll hardly ever see you-" She seemed shocked at this last bit, as if just realizing it for the first time.

"Don't worry, Mom, we'll be sure to visit as often as we can... We'll be right around the corner, anyway!" Fang laughed. I noticed he had begun to have trouble calling Dr. Martinez 'Mom'. She really wasn't his mother in the first place, but she had taken care of us all like she was more than just mine. So seeing as Fang wasn't exactly blood-related, I could still marry him, though some people may have some southern marriage jokes in mind. Ugh.

"But you wouldn't want me coming around, no, of course not, and you'll both be so busy and you'll never have time to visit and then it would hamper your success in your project because you took time off and-" I cut her off with a finger to my lips. We'd heard this speech too many times to count.

"Mom, yes, we will want you to visit, but not every day," I explained for the umpteenth time, still pained by her expression- but still, who wants to see their mother every waking hour after they're married? Or even if they're not married? "And we will have some free time to relax and chill out with you, and it wouldn't be all that bad for our project if we took some time off, you know we have to eat and sleep, too." She smiled feebly, but her eyes betrayed her. Sighing, I reassuringly told her, "Don't worry about us, Mom. We survived too many fights-to-the-death and near death experiences to not be able to survive marriage." Finally, her shoulders relaxed, giving in to the losing battle.

With a look of contempt, she stepped back a bit to leave me some air to breathe, still clinging onto my hand, though. She whispered so only I could hear her, "I know you can." More people had begun to crowd around us, including my half-sister Ella. Squealing, she dived though the throng and into my arms. Grinning, I tried to laugh, but failing, as I was wrapped in a bear hug so tight all the air from my lungs left me.

"Can't- breathe- " I managed to croak.

"Oh. Sorry," Ella mumbled as she drew back from me. She leaned back to take me in up close, rather than seated in the church pews. I swear, if Nudge had been deathly ill that day and I needed another bridesmaid to scrutinize my outfit, I'd sure be in luck that Ella was around(then again, if she was on her deathbed we'd be by her side...). We had hit it off from the start, when I saved her from some arrogant jerks with guns, to say it kindly. The bas- sorry, kids present- the evil little twerps managed to clip my shoulder and a chunk of my wing with a stray bullet, 'cuz they weren't too happy about being beaten up by a 14-year-old girl. Thankfully, I found a house, that just happened to be Ella's, and her mom was a vet (very appropriate...) that saved me from God knows what infections, blood loss, death, etc. Together, we had the best few days of my life, including the best chocolate chip cookies that will ever be eaten- home-made. Ella and I had grown close instantly, like sisters. It wasn't until a while later that we learned that we really were sisters!

Of course, my flock comes first and foremost. But many people could say that lately I haven't been sticking to that rule. I looked over my shoulder at Iggy, Gazzy, Nudge and Angel. I knew they were happy for us, but I had sensed earlier that there was still some resentment going on. All six of us had lived together since the start, through everything together, even near death, and so for us now to break up the flock, just so Fang and I could be happy together, I guess that seems kinda rotten. But in my defense, they really did live right around the corner, in Maryland, which was as close to the Lerner school as possible without being in the city itself. We could see them any time of the day. But would they want to see us, if we would keep stealing looks at each other that were meant for us alone?

Looking around for where Ella had gotten off to, my gaze was returned by my dad. Smiling, he made his way toward me in the crowd. He gave Mom a pointed look, and she reluctantly let my hand go. He took her place and proceeded to attempt to start a conversation. Unlike Mom, Jeb wasn't all weepy over me, but ever since he led us to temporary freedom, he seemed to become rather attached to me, telling me that I'm the best when I was between a rock and a hard place, or completing one of Itex's idiotic "tests" to prove that my hybrid species is worth "keeping".

"I'm proud of you, Max," Dad whispered into my ear.

I gave him a small half-smile. "How many times have I heard that one?" I joked. Laughing, he moved on to Fang. Following him with my eyes, I watched my new husband casually strike a convo, as suave and somber as ever. Thinking back to when we finally made our confusing relationship serious, I smiled.

It was three years ago...

On my last year of home schooling. I never really liked schools with people that could be plotting my death and destruction surrounding me, with limited escape routes, and no room to stretch my wings. And at recess, I couldn't make a quick fly-by to ensure the flock's well-being. So I convinced Mom to teach me. We could even have a home equity class, where we could bake chocolate chip cookies with melt-in-your-mouth burn-your-tongue sensations.

Anyway, at 17, still trying to be as much of a protector and mother/leader figure as possible, I couldn't deny that I had fallen in love. Fang and I had been through too much to be nothing more than friends or brother and sister. Like when Ari attacked him on the beach and I thought he was dying, and I kissed him for the first time. Much to the astonishment of all of us, including yours truly. Or when I was drugged during my mini-surgery of removing the microchip in my arm and I told him I loved him 'thiiiis much'. And when I had told him I hated him and we later kissed on a dock. I knew how I felt, saying all that stupid stuff to him, but did he really love me too? He had never said anything back to me.

After three years of attempted denial, and Fang looking like the only thing on his mind was regret (of what could have been, I hoped), I decided there was no way I could keep this inside any longer. It hurt. As my mother put it so well when she first suspected that there was more than brotherly love between us, "There are other kinds of pain besides physical." Every time I saw him happy, actually laughing and as jovial as a guy like Fang could get, I felt a pang of... what do you call it... ah, remorse. I wanted to be the thing that made him look that way. I wanted to be the one to tend to him, to heal his wounds when he hurt. But I couldn't tell him that. That's just who I am. I'm not much of a touchy-feely person.

But in those three years, no one tried to kill us, no one morphed into an Eraser, no flying robots came to shoot automatics at us, and no evil power-hungry mutant plexiglass organs-in-a-box freaks tried to blow us up via pepperoni pizza. We didn't need a leader anymore. We had time to have fun, relax, and grow closer together. My question was- did we have time to love? This question was answered when the school everyone else was attending had a formal dance.

Nudge had approached me after class one day to ask advice for her first date. Peeking into my room, she called, "Can I come in?" Without turning, I replied with a grunt. She entered and I turned to face her.

"What's up?" Trying to keep casual, she sat on my bed.

"Well, I wanted your advice. I was wondering..." I frowned. She seemed a little less talkative than usual. Very unlike Nudge. And after three years of her asking my advice and Mom's advice too, she had never asked permission for opinions. What could she be up to? "Um. There's a dance this Friday at school." Pausing, she looked up at me, as if to see if I had psychically figured it out. "And this guy, he...he asked me... to go with him. Y'know, to be his...date." She shifted uncomfortably, probably thinking that I would flip out. And I did. Mentally. Nudge had a date?! Was he her boyfriend? Did she really like him? Was he using her? Were they... in love? Of course, I had to expect this. She was 14, teenage, and beautiful. Someone out there must like her. I just never thought about it before.

Finally, I decided that for her sake, I must pull myself together. But which questions to ask? I had waaay too many. Giving her a weak smile, I asked her, "Nudge, do you like him?" She blinked. I guess she was expecting more of a motherly 'oh my God you can't date you're only fourteen what were you thinking have you kissed...' etc.

"Well, I guess so. He doesn't seem to mind my wings, and my being weird, and all," she spoke slowly. Weird. That's an understatement, I thought. "And... I think he's cute, and he acts nice, even around his friends. I really want to look good, Max! I want to impress him and show him that I'm not entirely a freak and that I'm nice too and I-" I had started laughing. That's my real Nudge.

We talked about the proper ways to impress a normal guy for a while, and all that time, I realized that I wanted someone to feel this overexcited and try to impress me. Why shouldn't I have a man to tell me he loved me? Yeah, that was one of my first mushy moments. Besides my failed attempt way back when we were on the run to get the flock to share three good things about their day. Hah. They had thought I was insane. With good enough reason, knowing tough-to-the-core Maximum Ride.

It was that day I decided to admit how I felt- everything. Wow, smattering round of applause, please! Max finally opens her personal bubble! Moment in history, everyone! But someone else beat me to the punch.

"Hey." I was in the kitchen, working on my home-school 'homework' as Fang drifted ever so casually in. I could never pull that off.

"Hey, Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome. How much work do you have? If you don't have much, wouldja mind helping me with this math? It's killing me." He sat down and pulled my paper toward him. With a pencil eraser against his mouth, he looked soooo hot. It took all my self-restraint not to attack him that very moment. But I managed as he whipped through my calculus and handed the page back to me. "Wow, you never told me you were good at calc! I should hire you as my personal assistant. Just please, don't tell Mom about this, will you?" I looked pleadingly at him.

Chortling softly at my Bambi eyes, he nodded. Then, trying to regain his composure, he turned to face me. With a stern look, he said, "Only for a price." This, I was not expecting. Fang never really cared that much for retaliation before. He must have seen my puzzled look, for I saw a small smirk cross his lips. "Come with me to the dance on Friday, and my superior services are at your disposal."

My mouth must have dropped a mile. I swear I felt my bottom lip brush the floor. Though I hurriedly attempted to shut it and breathe regularly, Fang still noticed. "Not thinking of flying off agin, are you? I don't bite." He shrugged and blinked innocently. Even more to my utter shock, he rose and came to stand by me. I must have jumped up when I dropped my jaw. Can you say embarrassing? "In fact," he whispered, taking my limp hand in his, "I can prove I don't bite. Let me show you..." Taking my chin in his hand, he kissed me. Man, from a guy like Fang, you don't expect that much romance! My head swirling, I couldn't help myself. It was what I had wanted for so long, so to give in was like a dream come true. I didn't run away this time. Or wonder if it was how I really felt. I just went with it. My heart, I mean. Blood pounded in my ears, Fang's lips pressing eagerly against mine. Trying to shut out all other thoughts from my brain, which would have been screaming with questions if I had let it open up, I returned this soft, and I gotta say- seriously wet, kiss.

As Fang wrapped his arms around my waist and I threw my arms around his neck, we heard a door close in the next room. We jumped apart, as if repelled by opposite magnets. "I'm home, everybody!" Mom was coming close to the kitchen.

Fang leaned back toward me, and for a second, I thought he was going to kiss me again. Ignoring my obviously bewildered face, he whispered, "Let this be an incentive for Friday," and sat down as Dr. Martinez strode through the doorway.

"How's that homework coming, Max?" Fang stole a glance at me and cracked a huge grin.

Back in my present, I gazed at my husband adoringly as the murmur of the crowd buzzed in the May breeze. A loudspeaker began to relay the latest music from a live band under the high white tent and the packed jam of wedding attendees shuffled to the dance floor. I grasped Fang's hand and pulled him with the flow of the crowd. Everyone parted to make room for us.

Together, we swayed in the center of it all, my gown sweeping the floor, arms around his neck. Our eyes met, and I was reminded of a dance three years ago...

I had confided in Nudge to help me calm my nerves and to get us into the dance. At first, she had reacted just as I had when Fang asked me to the dance, mouth ajar, blinking rapidly. But when she got over the fact that the two people she looked to for guidance the most had decided they liked each other better than her, we got down to business- the formal dance attire of makeup, hair styling, and strapless dresses. Ugh. Dresses. The rest of the flock knew of our prep time, except for poor Gazzy. Fang told Iggy, his wingman, and Angel read our minds. I guess we all were too shocked or embarrassed to admit it out loud to Gazzy.

Sooner than I anticipated, Nudge and I arrived arm in arm at the Lerner school for gifted students, where the cafeteria was transformed into a dimly lit, over-the-top-ly decorated dance floor. We checked in with the ticket people, Nudge explaining that I was her sister and therefore had access to any events there, and swept into the room, music already pounding.

More people flounced in, brightly colored dresses popping up between black suits and ties. As the room began to fill, I became nervous. Was he actually coming?

Then I saw him.

His hair was gelled, tamed as much as was possible with such unruly, spiky hair, his tie straight, suit dashingly charming. I almost forgot where I was and who I am, for I had bigger problems at the moment- for instance, my knees turning to rubber. Nudge whispered a good luck in my ear and shoved through the tightly packed bodies toward her date. I would definitely need it.

Fang seemed as awed by my appearance as I was of his. He wiped the shock off his face faster than me, though, of course. He was always better than me at hiding emotions. I finally managed a cute half-smile and took his outstretched hand. We twirled around and around, lost in the moment, until a slow song came from the DJ's speakers. Nervously, I flattened the crease in my purple dress(ugh) and looked up at Fang expectantly. He smiled one of his rare smiles that made the world spin a little bit faster and held me close as we swayed in time to the music. I couldn't help it. And apparently, neither could he. As the song drew to a close, our lips locked and we kept swaying, swaying...

And I was brought back again to our audience applauding our dance.

Fang leaned in to me and whispered, "I love you, Maximum Ride."