AN: OMtothefrickingG! This story is already getting so many reviews that I can't help but be amazed! I updated at night last time and checked my email in the morning. What was waiting for me? Oh, just 36 new emails from FanFiction, nearly HALF of them review alerts! I looked at it again later and noticed how it looks like it might do as well as (or even better than?) my most reviewed fic, CinderBella. We've broken FORTY! I am just in utter SHOCK and AWE! I LOVE YOU GUYS!
Ahem, anyway, I'm really glad that you guys like this story, 'cause I know I do. I write pretty much what I'm in the mood for, what I wanna read. I wanted a credible, set-later-on, Fax fanfic that wasn't just pointless fluff. I already read a lot of them, so now I'm making my own. And I actually like writing them better than reading them, 'cause I can change them to my preference. Mwhahaha...
Okay, I'll let you guys go now. The chap is mostly conversation and the first piece of FAX! Read and enjoy!
Maximum Ride: The After Years.
Summary: The world was saved and the flock parted ways. Ten years later, where is everyone? What will happen when the flock reunited? Old flames will be rekindled, old memories revisited, and old passions relit. Gotta be FAX!
Chapter Three: Sink Your Fangs into This
Long Island, New York
Fang
An immense wave of satisfaction overcame me as I clicked "Send." I had found Max, my old best friend and the girl I had once loved. I hadn't had any contact with her in the past ten years. She was living the good life in Arizona, as a politician named Madison Martinez. She was twenty-four and beautiful. She was Max. And I was anxiously waiting by the computer for a reply from her.
Sylvia had been hanging around when I clicked on the TV and saw Max's face. She hadn't much liked that I was doting over some other girl, but I ignored her annoyance and immediately started researching "Madison Martinez."
Finally, Max replied. She gave me a phone number and said we needed to talk, that she missed my voice. One more thing: she was engaged. To be MARRIED. Wow. I never would've thought that of Max. Heck, I never would've thought that of anyone in the flock, but here was Max, ready to walk down the aisle, and me, spending almost every available second with Sylvia. I really liked her and all, but...she wasn't Max. No one could surpass Max.
I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed the number that Max had provided. It would be wonderful to hear her voice. She picked up half way through the first ring. I could just see her waiting by the phone.
"Hello?"
"Max." One word and I was already intoxicated by her voice. It was incredible.
"Fang! You don't know how much I've missed you! I can't believe you got the email already!" Her voice melted around my name like chocolate, and it was just as sweet.
"Yeah, yeah. Max, calm down." I heard her breath even out at my instruction.
"Okay. So, Fang, what have you been up to these past ten years?"
"I'm Nick Jackson. What haven't I been up to?"
She laughed and my heart gave a squeeze. "I guess. But, don't be offended or anything, who is Nick Jackson?"
"Aw, Max, you're bruising my ego. I'm a webmaster. I make websites and take care of them."
"Oh! Well, I don't spend enough time surfing the web then."
I smiled. I still wasn't too emotional…but Max somehow knew how to override that. "What about you? Who would have thought that the incredible Maximum Ride would sink down to politics and then get engaged?"
She laughed again. "I know! I can't even really believe it!"
"So the engagement is going well then?"
She was silent for a moment, hesitating to tell me. "Um…well, I don't know. He doesn't know, actually."
The wings. Max's fiancé didn't know about her wings.
"You haven't told him?"
"It just doesn't feel right to. He doesn't even know about Maximum Ride!"
"It's not good to keep secrets from him like that." Great advice, I know.
"I just don't have a good feeling about telling him."
Neither of us spoke for a moment, only the phone lines between us producing noise.
"So, how's your romantic life, Mr. Jackson?"
I smiled again. "I've never gotten farther than a girlfriend and none of them have known about the wings."
"'It's not good to keep secrets from her like that,'" she echoed, attempting to imitate my voice.
"But I'm not engaged to any of them, Ms. Martinez," I retorted.
"Whatever."
Again, there was silence between us for a moment.
"Hey, Max, I know you're the leader and all, but I was thinking that maybe, if we found the rest of the flock, we could have like a reunion or something. We could just have it be like the good old days."
"Without being on the run of course."
I chuckled. "Don't worry, there won't be any Erasers or Flyboys at this party."
She laughed again. "Oh, and Fang, you will never believe who I just saw on TV."
I thought for a moment. "Miley Cyrus?"
"No."
"Britney Spears?"
"Nope."
"Um, The Backstreet Boys?"
"Not even close."
I sighed. "Alright, I give. Who did you see?"
"Monique Crystal Hart."
I smiled. "You saw it, too, didn't you?"
"You mean you knew?" Max gasped.
"Yeah, I figured out a couple days ago. Sylvia was watching the show and I was just thinking, 'Doesn't she look awfully familiar…'"
"I know! Wait, who's Sylvia?"
Crap. I hadn't meant to stick her name out there.
"Oh, uh, Sylvia's just…a friend." Dammit, Fang. You're such a great liar.
"She's your girlfriend, isn't she?" Max's voice was different as she said this, colder, more nonchalant.
"Uh, maybe."
"Whatever. Anyway, I just saw Nudge on TV right before you called. I can't believe it!"
"Funny how you two managed to stick out so much. You were easy to find!"
"If that's so, how come it took you ten years?"
"Um…good question. Here, have a sticker."
"Fang, you can't give me a sticker. I'm in Arizona and you are in…"
"New York."
"Ah, New York. Nice pick."
"Thank you."
"So, if you found Nudge a couple days ago, then have you talked to her yet?"
"Actually, I haven't."
"So I'm the first member of the flock that you've had contact with in the past ten years?"
"Yup."
"Why haven't you talked to Nudge? Why'd you contact me first?"
Crap. I knew very well why I had called Max first; she was the one that I'd missed the most. But I wasn't about to tell her that!
"I had more difficulty finding her contact information."
"Ah. I see."
"So, about this reunion thing, you down?" I asked quickly, changing the subject.
"Of course! Why wouldn't I go?"
"Alright. That's two flock members down, four to go."
"Fang, where exactly are you planning to hold a reunion for six human-avian hybrids? And, possibly, a talking dog that may or may not be able to fly?"
"Total! Of course! I forgot about him…"
"Where?" Max repeated.
"I was thinking Orlando," I replied indifferently.
"Orlando? As in, Land-of-the-Mouse Orlando?"
"That'd be it. Orlando, Florida. What, you don't wanna go?"
"Ugh. I'll still go, but you owe me big, Fang, you hear?"
"Yes, Maximum. I hear."
"Good. So how're we gonna get the rest of the flock?"
"Well, Nudge is in Hollywood, right next door to you, actually. So, if you could swing by there and then head back east, that would work. And then with Iggy, Gazzy, and Angel, we'll just have to cross our fingers and get lucky."
"When?"
"Can you leave Arizona tomorrow?"
"I think I can arrange that. We gonna fly it or go the slow way?"
"I think it'd be better to drive this one. It'll be easier to maybe stumble across one of the others that way."
"True, true. Alright, so I go to Hollywood, grab Nudge and then head off to Florida with her, by car. Works for me. What about you?"
"I just have to go south and cross my fingers. Maybe one of them is in Virginia, or D.C."
"Oh, and, by the way, how do you know that Nudge lives in Hollywood if you haven't gotten a hold of her contact information?"
"Oh, um, uh…" Damn. I just couldn't keep it together around Max, even over the phone when she was a good 1,000+ miles away.
"You just wanted to talk to me first, didn't you?"
"Um…"
"Don't worry. I'm glad you talked to me first." I could hear the smile in her voice as she said this.
"Okay…"
"Crap! David's getting up! Look, Fang, I gotta go. See you in Orlando!"
And then, Maximum Ride did the most amazing thing:
She blew me a kiss through the phone.
A kiss.
She had already hung up by the time I recovered from her little stunt.
"Bye, Max. I love you," I whispered to the dial tone. And I blew back the kiss.
AN: Told ya this had the first piece of Fax. Please REVIEW! Oh, and, as requested by Alienated2, the review button's new name is Bob! So make him (and yours truly) happy!
10/06/10 EDIT: This is probably all the editing I'll do tonight. More to come. Lots more to come...