DISCLAIMER: "Please, come in…Mr. uh…Ride?" Gabby called.

"Yes, Ride," *Fang walks in* *crowd screams* (some random) "WHY DID YOU LEAVE!!!!?!?!?!??"

"Cause."

"Okay, Fang, why did you leave?" Gabby asks.

"Because- wait! You know why!"

"Okay…." She mutters.

"I can't tell you anyways!" *turns to audience*

"Why are we reading this anyways?!" some dude eating a pickle asks.

"Shu- wait, relax Gab. Disclaimer: I do NOTNOT sadly own Maximum Ride…." Gabby says.

3 YEARS LATER

You think the pain gets better, but it doesn't. When Fang left, my heart died. Well, what I owned. Fang still has it- somewhere out there, because I would know when he left it.

I still lay down, and cry for him sometimes, huddled in a ball, moaning, but otherwise I've been taking it…hard.

I haven't left my room for days, 3 exactly, but it doesn't matter anymore, time- it passes by slowly, sometimes it's difficult, others take it on head-first, but I think time is just some crap made to annoy me.

"Max! Angel and I are going to go to the pool!" Nudge called. It was safe for us to show our wings now, but it doesn't matter- not for me, at least.

"Okay," I called glumly. I wiped my face, which was blotted with tears. The bed squeaked as I pulled myself up into a sitting position. I yawned, and stood up. I turned to my alarm clock, which said 10:32. Wow, I slept in again. Well, it doesn't matter…anymore.

I walked over to my dresser. My blonde hair was frizzy, I had sunken cheekbones, and my eyes- well, let's just say I look like death.

I put on a smile, but it sunk back into a frown. "Um…have fun," I called, but she had already left.

I walked down the stairs, my footsteps echoing down the hall. Where is Iggy? I thought. No smart-aleck answer from the Voice. It had left me a month after Fang left. I had lost two vital friends in one year. Not too fun.

"Ig?" I called.

He stepped out of the kitchen (surprise) whisking away at a bowl filled with brown stuff. "Max! You're finally out of that cave!"

"Oh, shut up Iggy," I giggled. Wait…giggled? What the hell, Depression? "What 'cha making?"

"I see that smile! I mean…hear? Or- never mind," he laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…you didn't answer my question, 'What 'cha making?'" I asked again.

"Brownies. I don't know, so don't ask why," he pulled out the spoon. Brown goo oozed down the wooden scooper. "Want a lick?" He handed the spoon to me. I laughed lightly, then reached out my hand and slowly brushed my fingers on the spoon. Brown liquid ran on my fingers. I licked them carefully, making sure the batter didn't drip on the floor.

I followed Iggy into the kitchen and watched him pour the brownie mix into a pan, then helped him put the pan into the oven. We sat and talked for a while, waiting for the dessert to be finished.

We had peace for a while, but then Total came in. He was a dusty black color, fur fading with age. Akila trotted in after him, followed by a reddish-brown puppy, which yipped and whined.

Total hopped up. "Max, sweetheart, my dear, glad you could get out of your room! Could you get me a drink, preferably a Coke?" he said lazily.

"Sure," I got up, and the puppy followed me. "Who's this?" I asked, wiggling the dog off my leg.

Akila barked. Man, was that dog pretty, yet old.

Total chuckled. "Akila, you don't mean it. Max, he's a stray we found by the river a year ago. He didn't know his name, so we call him Anant. 'From the stream'. We kept him, because, well, we like him." (A.N. I found that name on google…I thought it was cool.)

I smacked my lips. "Special," I described him as.

I popped the coke, wiping off the mouth area. I took a sip, and Total frowned. I half-smiled, and handed him the soda.

And there we sat, for hours chatting away about nothing. I think I could get used to this, without Fang.

But inside, I cried.