A/N: I got some positive reviews, so here's the next chapter. In response to Flyingtothestars' review, I would probably say that it's set after the fourth book. Thank you for reviewing!


Chapter 2: Home, Sweet Home

Max's POV

"Of course you can come in!" my mom said immediately. "Do you really think I'd leave you standing on my doorstep?"

I grinned. "It's not polite to barge into other people's residences," I recited in my best 'strict adult' voice.

My mom smiled at me. "This is your home too, Max, whenever you want it. Now, come in. I'm just fixing dinner."

At the word 'dinner', there was a stampede to get through the door.

"Hey, no pushing!"

"I was here first!"

"Quit shoving!"

"Gazzy, Nudge, Iggy," I said loudly. "Be nice. The food will still be there, whether you go through the door first or not."

"Not at the rate Iggy eats," Nudge muttered, but she stepped out of the way to let the boys through.

"I heard that! And I don't eat that fast," Iggy protested, walking past her. "You're worse than I am."

Nudge opened her mouth to argue, but Fang interrupted her.

"Let's just all get inside and have some dinner, all right?" he said placidly.

"Okay Fang," Nudge said, lowering her head ashamedly. "Sorry."

I looked over at Fang with a questioning look in my eyes. How had that one sentence managed to shut Nudge up? He just shrugged and followed Nudge inside.


I yawned and pushed my chair back from the table. Dinner had been excellent, and Mom had obligingly made a lot more food than she'd been planning to in order to sate our enormous appetites.

"Are you full?" my mom asked me.

"Overly so," I replied, groaning. "I need to sleep. You don't mind us staying here for the night, do you?"

"Of course not. We've got plenty of extra space."

"Well, I don't know about plenty," Ella said, laughing. "It may be a bit cramped."

"A bit," my mom agreed, beginning to clear the table. "We've got the guest room, the couch, and someone can share Ella's room. You'll all fit."

In the end, Fang got the couch, Gazzy and Iggy camped out on the living room floor, Nudge and Angel took the guest room, and Ella cleared a spot for me on her bedroom floor. She tried to convince me to take the bed, but I just reminded her that I was more than used to sleeping on rocks, and that her carpet would feel like a feather bed.

The Flock gathered in the guest room to do our nightly routine of stacking and tapping our fists. Then we went our separate ways to bed. Fang caught up to me in the hall as I was heading to Ella's room.

"How long are you planning to stay here?" he asked.

I hadn't really thought about it. "I don't know. As long as necessary, I guess."

"But how long is 'necessary'? What are we doing after this?"

I frowned. "Well…"

He shook his head. "You don't have any idea what we're doing, do you?"

"No. I mean, we're not completely safe here. I'm still supposed to save the world, but how? And where do we need to go?"

"The Voice hasn't said anything?"

"No." I sighed in frustration. "It's been unbelievably quiet. I would usually welcome the silence, but how else am I going to find out where to go or what to do?"

He leaned against the wall, looking thoughtful. "Maybe that means we aren't supposed to be doing anything right now. I suppose we could just try to enjoy our brief respite."

I looked at him. His dark hair fell over his eyes, but I thought I caught a glimmer of amusement in his black eyes. I sighed with…what? I wasn't really sure. But seeing Fang standing there, perfectly nonchalant, grinning at me, with his eyes anyway, made my heart jump in odd, erratic patterns. I looked away, took a deep breath, and turned back to him.

"I suppose we could," I agreed.

I could tell Fang had noticed my pause, and my sigh. I thought he looked slightly confused, but that could just have been my overactive imagination. Then the confusion, which might not have actually been there, faded, to be replaced by something I couldn't quite identify. It some sort of mix between happiness and sadness. I decided not to ponder it, since it would probably get me nowhere.

Fang smiled at me. "Well then, good night Max." Then he turned around and headed for the living room.

"Good night Fang," I murmured. He didn't turn around, but I could tell that he'd heard me. I saw him smile slightly as he turned the corner.

I sighed again, and headed upstairs.


A/N: Please review!