Hello again!

I suppose this is a bit of a disappointment - it's very short, but necessary to setting the scene for future chapters. Please be assured that the next chapter will be up soon, and it will be rather angsty.

Gazz was flying blind, his eyes nearly shut against the roaring rain. Fang was just behind him, vainly trying to wipe the water from his eyes so he could at least attempt to see. The wind was with them, however, so they made quick progress.

Despite the less than ideal conditions, and the fact that it was night, Gazz felt oddly calm. The act of flying in itself was something he enjoyed, but now that there was someone with him? Gazz was almost giddy. It had been so long since he'd had company on a flight – and that's all it really was. Just company. Gazz's mood died down a bit.

Company was someone that was a stranger – someone Gazz would have to understand and fight beside and lose a little blood with before he trusted him.

The fact that it was Fang just made everything more difficult.

That little peaceful feeling in his gut wasn't helping much, either. Did he trust Fang, or not? Could he trust him? Would he?

Gazz pushed the frustrating thoughts from his mind and angled his wings down, heading for the familiar lights below him. Fang was a heartbeat behind, obviously unsure about why they were stopping, and where. When he landed, Gazz shrugged.

"Rain's too thick tonight," he said shortly. "Monsoon season, freak winds, that sort of thing."

Fang nodded a little at that explanation, but eyed the building in front of them with apprehension. "But a diner?"

Gazz shrugged again. "I like this place." He pushed open the glass door, knocking the mud off his boots before he entered. Fang hesitated for a moment, but quickly followed. Gazz had to hide a grin. It seemed even fearless Fang wouldn't risk staying outside in the storm alone.

Twenty minutes and five hamburgers later, Gazz was more sleepy than anything. He hid a yawn behind his milkshake. It was one of his rules: never show weakness in front of unknown people. It had bluffed him out of more tight spots than he cared to remember. After all, strangers were people he didn't know, and couldn't trust.

Even if said stranger had raised him till age eight…

Gazz was so wrapped up in his own conflicting thoughts that he didn't hear Fang until the third shoulder shake.

"…Gazz?" Fang snapped his fingers in front of Gazz's face. The twenty-four year-old's head snapped up, blinking wearily.

"Huh? What?"

Fang studied him critically. "You were... drifting off. You had the look on your face that Max had whenever she was talking to the Voice."

Irritation at the words flooded through him, Gazz ground his teeth together. "Sorry," he muttered, "but I don't have a Voice. Only Max did. Maybe Angel, but she never told me. She stopped talking to me along time ago."

"Ah." Fang was quiet after that, and the two fell into an uncomfortable silence. Gazz played with the lid of his drink, eyes flitting between the table and the storm raging outside. It irked him that Fang could still talk about Max so casually. Like she was still alive. Like he hadn't ever left.

Gazz could barely think about Max without his throat closing up.

Finally, Fang broke the tension. "Um... Gazz," he started, sounding unsure and hesitant. "I have a… a question."

"Shoot," Gazz said, without humor.

Fang swallowed dryly. "You said that Iggy was dead, right?"

The cup lid crumpled in Gazz's hand.

"Where's his grave?"

Time slowed, and picked back up again. Gazz released a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding, a myriad of emotions flitting through him. Anger, hurt, sorrow. He didn't want to remember this – he'd locked it away a long time ago, and now Fang had the gall to bring it back up? Gazz cursed all the deities he could think of. He should have never stayed with Fang, he should have left the minute he saw him, he should have told him to leave and never return – but most of all, he should have known that Fang would have questions.

"It's… it's a long story," he said finally.

Fang flashed him the slightest of unhappy grins. "I've got all the time in the world."

Gazz barked a laugh. "Yeah, right. That's what he thought, too."

"Who?" Fang's voice was hesitantly curious.

"Iggy."

Short and sweet, I hope. Reviews would be lovely, and inspirational, because for the next few chapters, I'll be taking it back into Gazz's memories and expose how this all happened. I'm not sure if I should do the same for Fang - any ideas would be welcome! Thank you for reading!