OoOoOoO

Max opened her bags after lunch and chucked just about everything around the room, occasionally picking something up to stuff it into her backpack. Right at the bottom she pulled out a small pouch holding the compass her father had given her when she was little. She smiled and placed it in the backpack with her water bottle and a few snacks. Making sure she had everything for a long walk she left her room only to almost walk straight into a wall.

"Wha-" she blinked stupidly up at the person she'd walked into and took a step back. "Wow, you actually left your room." She blurted out before she could stop herself.

His lips turned up at the sides and he nodded.

"Any particular reason?" she enquired shifting the backpack onto her shoulder..

He shrugged.

Max sighed, "You know, if I hadn't heard you talk to Angel I would swear you were mute or something." She noted not surprised when he didn't say anything. "As much as I'm enjoying this little monologue we've got going I have plans." She moved passed him to go down the stairs but stopped when he spoke.

"Do you think it's a good idea to go wandering off on your own?"

She turned around, "Is that a request to tag a long, Fang?" She mocked grinning at him.

His eyes sparkled with laughter, "Maybe."

"Well then, let's go."

"Dr M, we're heading out for a walk!" Max called into the game room on her way past.

"Who's 'we'?" She poked her head round the corner and her eyebrows shot up at seeing Fang following Max out onto the deck heading inland.

"She actually did it." Nudge gasped coming up beside Dr M.

"Alright, enough staring." Dr M ushered Nudge back into the room before any further comments could be made even though she was grinning from ear to ear.

OoOoOoO

Max let out a big sigh as she dropped into the thick grass beside the stream not bothering to check if Fang had followed. One thing she had figured out in the past two hours of trudging through the thick brush on the island was the he was silent. Dead silent. She honestly didn't know how he did it she had to keep glancing at him every two minutes to make sure he was still there. Needless to say they obviously hadn't talked during the walk but it was an oddly comfortable silence that neither of them felt the need to break. When Max had found the clearing though she thought it would be a good place to stop and rest not even realising how tired she really was until she'd dropped into the grass and the aches started to set in.

She lay listening to the birds and the water for a long while and when she opened her eyes Fang was beside her, running a hand through his jet black hair.

"Who did you leave behind?" Max found herself whispering before she could think it through five minutes later. It had been bugging her since yesterday, at first she'd just assumed he was naturally a loner but then she'd seen how he'd handled Angel and how she had been the only person he'd talk to. She almost wanted to take the words back, it was quite a personal question to ask and she didn't exactly know him all that well.

Fang didn't seem the least bit phased by her words but she saw him tense slightly. She didn't think he was going to answer and was just about to change the subject when he answered, "My sister."

Max nodded, "Were you close?"

He nodded, "And you?"

She shrugged and sat up, "Only really had my dad but we didn't exactly get along."

"No mother?"

She shook her head, "She died." Max lay back down again to look up at the crystal clear sky. There wasn't a cloud in sight. It had been a while since she'd seen a clear sky. Since the war had started the sky had always been filled with smoke or at night the huge spotlights were on keeping the stars hidden.

"I'm sorry." She heard Fang say softly.

"It's fine," She assured, "It happened when I was small. I don't really remember her." Lie. She could remember her mother just fine but she never told anyone that. She didn't tell them she still had nightmares about the day it all happened. After the first two years she'd stopped mentioning it to her dad because every time she did his eyes would fill with pain and she hated that. She glanced at the stream running through the clearing to distract her thoughts but winced when an image flashed behind her eyes but she quickly shook it off. Now really wasn't the time.

When she looked at Fang it was to find him watching her carefully like he knew she was lying but wasn't going to call her on it. She avoided his eyes and stood up, for some reason she knew that if she met his smouldering gaze she'd end up telling him everything, something she wasn't the least bit comfortable with.

"We should probably head back before Dr M has a heart attack." She said abruptly, afraid that if they stayed any longer she'd end up breaking down.

OoOoOoO

"We're back!" Max yelled, dropping her backpack down at the door a further three hours later.

There was a commotion coming from upstairs and seconds later Angel, Lisa, Nudge and Ella came charging down the stairs.
"Max!" Angel screamed running right into her legs almost knocking her over.

"Whoa!" Max's arms waved around frantically trying to keep her balance and Fang's hands shot out to steady her.

"We were so worried! You've been gone for ages! Geeze, Dr M was about two seconds away from sending out a search party for you two! You've been gone for five hours! What could you possibly have done that would take five hours?" Nudge babbled throwing her arms around Max in a tight hug.

Max managed to pry Nudge off before she could get choked to death and pulled Angel off her legs.

"You look like hell." Iggy commented coolly, walking into the room with a half-eaten apple in hand.

"Thanks, Iggy." Max snapped glaring at him half-heartedly as he made his way into the game room, winking at her before he disappeared into the room.

"Ok, some space please!" Max announced and took a step back from everyone and got a big pout from Nudge and Angel. She took an exaggerated breath and smiled, "I can breathe now."

As if on cue everyone started talking at once all shooting off questions like 'where were you?' and 'what took you so long?'

Max held her hand up and everyone stopped. "We went for a walk, didn't realise what time it was and came back. Everyone happy?" She asked then quickly hurried on before they could answer, "Great, I'm bushed so if you don't mind I'm going to have a shower."

"Wait!" Nudge gasped jumping up and down on the spot, her hand shooting out to grab Max's wrist.

Max raised an eyebrow at her in question eyes flicking from Nudge to Angel to Lisa and back again.

"We're doing a fashion show tonight and you have to get ready!" Lisa informed her happily.

"Huh?"

Ella grinned deviously, "Did you know they have enough material in this place to clothe a country?" she commented casually but the glint in her eyes made Max nervous.

She didn't like the sound of that at all and took a step back. "Oh you are not thinking what I think you're thinking." She said determinedly but then added in a squeak when none of the girls said a word, "…are you?" she gulped and ducked behind Fang who stood awkwardly, the only thing separating the girls from Max and Fang had to admit the girls looked like they'd rip him to shreds if he didn't get out their way.

Ella, Nudge and Angel rubbed their hands together evilly and edged closer.

Fang sidestepped out of their way and Max let out a betrayed cry when they lunged for her.

"No way! I refuse! Flat out NO! FANG! Fang, help me!" Max yelled when she was dragged away by the three girls who all giggled and pushed her towards the stairs. Instead of going up them, though, Ella pressed a button on the railing that Max hasn't noticed before and the floor gave a hiss and it slid away to reveal another spiral staircase right beside the first that lead down.

Wide-eyed and shocked Max let the girls push her downwards shooting one last desperate glance at Fang who was biting back a laugh.

She shot him a glare for good measure before she disappeared. "Where are we going? Geeze how many damn floors does this house have? And what the hell is down here anyway? Are you guys planning to torture me or something? Because, you know, I'm not a big fan of pain."

Angel laughed and jumped off the last step onto the long wide corridor. "This is the recreation level." She sang bouncing off to the right to a metal.

"It has everything!" Ella gasped.

"There's an art room, which has everything from canvases to clay and a workshop with a whole lot of bits and bobs and a garage filled with cars and of course, the design room!" A shiver ran down Max's spine when all the girls seemed to get more excited at the mere mention of the room.

Ella threw open the room and Max ever so hesitantly stepped inside with her hands clasped over her eyes. She had no wish to see the horror that no doubt awaited her. Of course she couldn't hide forever and peeked between her fingers like a little kid when She was guided forward. "Aaah! It Buuurns!" She wailed taking in the piles of feathers, sequins, sewing machines and material surrounding her. It never ended! "No! You can't do this to me! It's too cruel! You have hearts don't you? Have mercy!" She whimpered in a last ditch effort to get them to let her go.

They all just laughed and pushed her into a chair in front of a full length mirror.

Someone save me!

…*peeks over fortified pile of pillows* and? Is it ok? So Max is bringing Fang out, yay! Lol, and they got some alone time! YAY! Hahaha! So, love triangle/parallelogram/square/whatever-the-hell-you-want-to-call-it starts next chappie!

Since you're all so amazing and I have 51 reviews for 3 chappies do you think we could go for 17 reviews? Pwease?

Here is the current status of my Q's (Italics are in the lead)

Iggy+Nudge – 2

Iggy+Ella – 6

Iggy+Lissa – (I didn't put this one up. anyone think it shud happen? Hahaha!)

Max+Fang – that's a given so I didn't put it up.

Max+Dylan – 1

Max+Sam – 5

Lissa+Sam – 3

Lissa+Fang – 1

Lissa+Dylan – 1

Nudge+Sam – 2

Nudge+Dylan – 1

Oh yeah, and yes I am aware I spell Lissa wrong but my computer autocorrects it, I'm pretty sure you'll live if I leave out an 's' ;-)

If you loved it REVIEW!

If you hated it REVIEW!
If you can't wait for the love triangle/parallelogram/square/whatever-the-hell-you-want-to-call-it to start REVIEW!

REVIEWS=LUV

LUV=INSPIRATION

INSPIRATION=UPDATES

Fangrules