A/N: Chapter two, up and ready.


'That was one of the best breakfasts I have ever had!' Gazzy belched and patted his stomach. 'And we have Iggy as a cook!' Nudge wrinkled her nose in distaste.

'Could you not be an animal please?' Gazzy just grinned.

'I am part bird after all.' Nudge threw a granola bar wrapper at him.

'Birds don't eat a lot, dumbo. And I think they have better manners than you.' Gazzy opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, a rumbling sound filled the air. Closing his mouth he grinned again. Nudge gave him a dirty look then promptly ignored him.

Oooh, touchy. I sighed.

Are you bi-polar?

What?

I said-

I know what you said; I just want to know why you said it. I shrugged.

One minute you insult me and act all moody, the next you're a child! God, sometimes I think you're worse than the flock! Silence. Hello? H-hello? Voice?

I sighed. Like I said. A child. I closed my eyes for a minute and tilted my face to the sky, letting the sun warm it and the breeze tickle it. At the moment we were in California. I'd had a look when we'd come out that morning. California. Sun, sun, sun. And sand. But I was hoping we could bypass that this time.

I was sitting on a wall, my back to the beach, the others sitting on a bench underneath me. It really was heaven. I was lost in the moment, so when I felt a pair of eyes on me I immediately knew who they were. Fang. I kept my eyes closed for a while longer, before the intensity of his gaze made me shiver in the sun. Sighing I opened my eyes and looked at him.

'So where are we going?' He raised an eyebrow at me.

'Don't you have an idea of where you want to go? I think that's a first.' I gave him a withering look and he smirked. Angel piped up.

'Let's go to the beach!' Nudge, Gazzy and Angel all grinned, and even Total seemed happy about it. Iggy wasn't paying attention. He was tinkering with something. I think it used to be a Palm Pilot. Hell knows what 'customizations' he was giving it. I inwardly groaned. No, anywhere but the beach! Whenever we go to the beach something bad happens, whether it's me going all emo and deciding that I was gonna be a surgeon with myself as my first patient, Fang and Ari trying to kill each other and Fang nearly dying or me kissing my best friend while he's cut up and bruised from said death fight! No, going to the beach is a bad omen. And thanks, but I'm enjoying my day today, I don't want Erasers to come and crash the party. I shook my head at the others.

'Sorry, no can do. No beach.' Nudge and Gazzy's faces fell, but Angel got a determined look.

'But I wanna go to the beach.' I looked at her. Again I shook my head.

'Uh uh. Anywhere but the beach.' I saw Nudge and Gazzy brighten up at this. I was basically giving them permission to choose any where in California for us to go. Angel wasn't having any of it. She frowned.

'Max. I want. To. Go. To. The. Beach.' She said this as if she was pressing the matter. And she sounded kinda angry. I was taken aback.

'Sorry, Ange, but no. No means no. And that's that.' I saw anger flash through her eyes, but as quick as I saw it, it was gone. It was replaced by steely determination. And then I knew what she was trying to do.

She was trying to control my mind.

Suddenly, I was overcome by the urge to say "I changed my mind. Let's go to the beach.". I was shocked. More than shocked, I was gobsmacked. Angel, my baby, was trying to control me? The urge came again, repeatedly, in waves. I clenched my jaw and gripped the wall. All the sounds around me faded away as I concentrated on this mind battle. I could feel the urge, just say it, everything will be okay, and I wanted nothing more than to give in. But there was a part of me, in the back of my mind, that was stubbornly refusing to. And this bit was winning. The thoughts came faster and harder, I swayed on the wall. Angel had broken into a sweat. Apparently she wasn't used to anyone defying her mind control before. First time for everything, right? She pushed it again, and this time, it hurt. Suddenly, I was angry. In my mind I gathered up her message and threw it back to her. I saw her expression change from angry determination to shock and horror. I saw her stumble, her mouth in an 'o' of surprise. Then sound came back to me in a rush. We were both breathing hard, exhausted. Everyone else was quiet. Gazzy broke the silence.

'What was that?' I looked at him. He looked like Angel. Shocked, bewildered…and scared? Nudge had a similar reaction, as did Total, and when I looked at Fang, his face was a mask of curiosity, darting back and forth between me and Angel. Iggy was still tinkering with his toy. I looked back at the six year old.

'Yes, Angel,' I asked her, 'What was that?' Everyone turned to face her, excluding Iggy. She was still breathing hard, and now she was blushing.

'I…I tried…to convince Max into letting us go to the beach.' The last bit was whispered, but they heard her. Shock again crossed their faces. Fang looked at me.

'And you weren't.' I was still focusing on Angel.

'I weren't what?'

'Convinced.' I shook my head.

'No. I threw the thought back to her.' I saw surprise in his eyes.

'You deflected her attack?' I laughed. It was short and bitter.

'Yeah, I guess you could call it an attack.' Angel winced at the harsh tone. I jumped down from my perch on the wall and crouched in front of her.

'Do you want to know why I don't want to go to the beach? Hmm? Because every single time we do, something bad happens. Fang got hurt, you all got kidnapped, and I attempted DIY surgery. Do you really think that I want to go through any of that stuff again?' I waved a hand around us, 'This peace won't last, and I intend to enjoy it as much as I possibly can. Going to the beach will screw it up for us, understand?' I whispered harshly. I could feel the surprised gazes of the flock on me, but I kept my eyes on Angel. She nodded, and I saw tears in her eyes. 'Stop crying.' She dragged her arm across her eyes before the tears spilt. 'Take a deep breath.' She did, though it was jagged, and I saw her visibly calm. 'Good.' I stood back up, still watching her. 'Guys, pick a place you wanna go. Anyplace.' Nudge mentioned a sea life centre. I nodded, and motioned for her to lead the way. She got up and nudged Iggy.

'C'mon, Ig.'

'Wha-?' He was grabbed by The Gasman and Nudge who started dragging him along the boardwalk. Angel started walking along behind them.

'Angel.' She turned to face me, slightly…humbled, 'Don't do that again.' I gave her a small smile, which she returned. She caught up with Iggy and the rest. I sighed.

'Well, that was interesting.' Said a voice behind me. I gave a small smile.

'You don't know the half of it.' I said, glancing at him. He bent down so his face was level with mine and he was looking over my shoulder, and then whispered in my ear, 'I think you have another skill, Miss Ride.' His breath tickled my cheek and I could feel his voice reverberating through my back, sending shivers up my spine. Then he straightened up and walked over to the others. I stood there, feeling like I'd just battled for control of my mind. Again.

What was happening to me?

That, my dear Max, is growing up. And the other…isn't even the beginning… I was frozen. Which was the Voice talking about? The feeling I just got when Fang was near me, or the fact that I just threw Angel out of my head when I haven't seen anyone do that before? I was so confused.

Quick, Max, or they'll leave you behind. I jerked out of my semi frozen state and decided that for now, I wouldn't think about either of my problems. I'd just enjoy the day as it came. Mind battles and all. Smiling properly I ran after the others. We had a sea life centre to go to.


Little more fax here, subtle, but I'm not a fluffy person.