Hey guys! I understand that the first two chapters may have bored you a little but I promise it will get better! Keep reading and REVIEWING!

KarleeRay

"Max! Max wake up!" Angel chirped in my ear. I slowly began to stir and then noticed that there were arms wound protectively around my waist and I was tucked neatly into the rock hard chest of my smoking hot boyfriend. Fang's even breathing made me want to go right back to sleep and I began to close my eyes again to do just that.

"What?" I groaned, snuggling up to Fang's chest. God, he was so warm! I never wanted to leave this place. He was just-

"Max! Listen!" Angel tried again. My eyes snapped open at her giddy tone of voice, and I felt Fang begin to stir.

"What Ange? I'm listening," I manage to mumble, my voice muffled.

Angel grabbed my wrist and started trying to pull me to my feet. "Trust me, Max. You're gonna want to see this."

Seeing that she wasn't going to let this go, I stood up, my muscles groaning from sleeping on the hard ground. Fang, feeling the absence of my body, sat up and blinked up at us groggily.

He looked at me with a question in his eyes. 'What's going on?' I shrug and turn my attention back to Angel.

"Max wake up!" She laughs, reaching up on her tip toes to slap my cheeks softly with her hands. "Look! They're coming! They're almost here! I can hear them again!"

My heart begins to pound. Them? She can't mean—

My thoughts break off as Angel lets out an ecstatic squeal. She grabs my hands and starts to run. "Come on!"

I follow her, confused. "Angel, I-". My sentence is stopped short as I look up in the direction Angel is pulling me. It's still dark out, but I can just make out the faint outline of seven people walking towards us far off in the distance. I quickly put two and two together, Angel's giddiness and the seven new people on this deserted wasteland. It's got to be my flock. It has got to be!

Before I even know what's happening, my feet are carrying me as quickly as they possibly can towards these figures. I hear Angel's laugh ring out behind me as her little legs struggle to keep up. I take a glance back as I'm sprinting and see Fang and Dylan breaking into jogs to come after us. I consider waiting for Angel, but quickly dismiss the idea. I am a momma bear who hasn't seen her cubs in a full week. I am unstoppable.

Three of the figures ahead of me break into sprints toward us too, and I know, I just know that it's my Iggy and my Nudge and my Gasman.

A mere thirty seconds later, I find myself being picked up and twirled around by Iggy. He winds his sturdy arms around me and I hold him tightly, my feet not even touching the ground.

"Thank God," I murmur into his shoulder and he nods in agreement. He then sets me down, and I turn and sweep the Gasman and Nudge into a fierce hug, holding them as close to me as I possibly can. I notice with a start that both of them are crying silently onto my shoulders and my own eyes start to water. "Hey…It's okay. We're all okay. Everything's fine now."

"I didn't think we were ever going to see you guys again," Nudge gushed through tears. "We were so scared, Max. So scared. We didn't even know if you guys were alive, and I started to picture my life without you all and I got really sad and I realized I don't tell you how much I love you enough because I do, Max. I love you so so much. I wouldn't survive without you! I'm sorry it took us so long. We tried and tried to come, but they said we had to wait. I bet you were scared out here too. I don't like it out here. It's kinda creepy. And its sooo empty and sooo cold. ZOMG! How did you guys stand it out here? I mean-"

Laughing, I wrap my hand over her mouth in an attempt stop her motor mouth and she gives me an embarrassed smile and then leaps out of my arms and over to Fang who has just arrived. She hugs him tightly with both arms. He lets her, though he goes rigid and only returns the hug with one arm. Yeahh… he's not the huggiest person, but we make do. A half-smile hangs on his lips and I know how happy he is to see them again.

Reluctantly, I release Gazzy and watch as he hugs Fang, Angel, and Dylan. A huge smile is plastered onto my face. They're okay. They're really okay.

My thoughts are so consumed with my flock being together that I forget all about the four other figures we saw until they approach us.

"Mom!" I cry, making my way towards her. She envelopes me in an unbreakable hug, well okay I could have broken out of it if I wanted to, but I didn't. She strokes my hair and I feel her tears soaking into my shirt.

"Max… I was so worried about you! We came as soon as possible! Let me see you… Hold still, let me see you." Mom pulls back so she can study my face closely.

"I'm fine, Mom. I swear, we're all fine," I assure her. She looks skeptical but releases me. Glancing around, I see Iggy standing off to the side, holding Ella's hand. Her eyes are trained on me. She's waiting her turn, I realize.

"Ella!" I run toward her and her face lights up. She pulls her hand out of Iggy's and pulls me into a hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Max," She whispers, softly.

"Yeah me too," I say, laughing. "You and I have lots to talk about." My eyes dart quickly to Iggy and then back to her, and she blushes bright red.

"I'll tell you everything once we get back," She promises. "Oh Max! You just have to see it! You have to see how well prepared they were for all of this. It's huge!"

"What's huge?" I ask, confused.

"Well the city, silly. The underground one. It is enormous. You have to see it to believe it really, but it's amazing. You have to give them kudos. It's like a real city. There's shopping and restaurants and doctor's offices and hospitals and entertainment and hotels and houses. Oh and they're still adding on to it! I know you're probably nervous about being stuck underground but uhhh the ceiling is high enough so that you guys can fly and stuff. Plus, there's a ton of uhh enhanced people so you guys will fit in great!"

My eyebrows are raised. Interesting. I have to admit, I'm impressed. I search Ella's face and realize that there's something she's biting back.

"What? What is it?" I interrogate her.

"Well, um there's also schools and uhh we have to go. Iggy, Nudge, and I are already enrolled at Oxford High and mom said we'll enroll you and Fang when we get back."

My shoulders sag in defeat. My experiences with schools are not great.

"Max, I think this will be good for you, really. You can finally be a normal kid with me." Ella smiles. "You don't have to hide who you are anymore. You'll be accepted. Promise you'll give it a chance?"

I want to say no. I don't want to go to school, at all, but Ella just looks so hopeful and happy that I can't resist. Slowly, I nod, and her smile immediately grows.

"Thanks Max! I can't wait to go to school with you! We start next week!" She pulls me into another fierce hug and then returns to Iggy's side and takes his hand again. Iggy's smile could light up the whole world, I swear it, and I feel my own lips mimic his.

Suddenly, there's a strong pair of toned arms encircling my waist from behind. I know without looking that it's Fang. I would know those arms anywhere. He rests his head on my shoulder and I lean into him, grateful that he's not still upset about earlier.

"Ready to go see our new home?" He whispers, right in my ear, and I can't stop the delicious chills that run across my body. I turn around in his arms, go up on my tiptoes, and press my lips gently to his. I want more, and he wants more, but I still feel slightly embarrassed with the whole couple thing around the flock. So, I pull back and smirk at him.

"Let's do this."