Chapter 4:

Hello! I know I haven't updated in a while, but I've been wrapped up in school (again). I hope you like chapter 4!

Previously:

"Wow, to think we were friends for a solid month, and I didn't rub off on you at all. Is that really the best you got?" I asked crossing my arms over my chest. I saw his smile falter and turn back into a smirk.

"No it isn't Maxie. In fact I brought you a present." He whistled which signaled, you guessed it, the whole football team out of their hiding spots. I just hope the kids made it home.

Fang POV

Me and Iggy started walking to his house, after Max and Nudge went to go pick up their younger foster siblings. We made small talk on the way there. Fifteen minutes later, I could've sworn that we were on our way to my house. Turns out I live right across the street from them.

"Hey, Iggy, I live right across the street you know?"

"Really? That's so cool! We should hang out at your house sometime." Iggy said.

"Yeah, that'd be cool." I said. "Iggy, does Max hate me?" I ask.

"Uh, well, her past was kinda...harsh. So it takes a while before she opens herself up," he says. "It took her six months before she started talking to any of us. I don't blame her though."

"So what-" I was cut off by the others running down the street towards us.

"Iggy! Max is in trouble! Dylan showed up at school after we got Angel and Gazzy! She said she would be right behind us, except she wasn't. She also said to run. Iggy, max is in trouble, If she weren't she be here right now." Nudge said starting to break into tears. I can tell that the little girl with her, which I assume is Angel, has been crying for a while. The boy that looks a lot like her, Gazzy I assume, was comforting her and trying not to cry.

"Where is she?" Iggy asked, starting to panic.

"I don't know, somewhere near Angel and Gazzy's school." (For your information, I was actually panicking on the inside. But my practice in showing no emotion on my face helped.)

"C'mon Fang, we should go help her." I nodded in response. "You guys stay here, and if we aren't back in twenty-five minutes, uhh, call someone. Like, Jeb, or the police?" (Jeb, their foster dad? I'll ask later...)With that, Iggy and I started running to where Max might be. Since the elementary school was closer that ours, we were there in ten minutes. We couldn't find her, or Dylan anywhere.

"Where are they?" Iggy asked me.

"I have no-" I was cut off (again) by a bloodcurdling scream. I couldn't tell where it was coming from though. "Max!" I yelled hoping that would give us a clue. "Where are you?"

"Crap. Guys lets get outta here!" Dylan said. We then saw a group of guys coming from an alley nearby. The football team I'm guessing, since most of them had letterman jackets on. We rushed to where they had just exited. When we go there we saw a bloody Max writhing in pain.

Nudge POV

We were all wondering where Max was, and if she'd be okay. Angel was real worried since they're really close. "Ange, Max is gonna be all right. I promise," I said trying to calm her down. She nodded slightly in response. Gazzy was using comforting words to get Angel to calm down. He was trying especially hard to be strong for his younger sister.

I didn't know what else to do except change the subject. Hoping that would work. "So what happened at school today?"

"Not much," Angel said wiping away some tears. "We played with our class pet, Luna. It was funny watching her roll around clumsily in her ball." She started to giggle. I smiled because my plan to change the subject worked! I'm a genius!

"Hey Nudge? Who was that guy with Iggy?"

"Oh, that was Fang. Iggy and Max's new friend."

"That was him? What's his name?"

"His name's Fang. He's the one coming over for dinner. If it even happens..."

Fang POV

"Max! Are you all right?" Iggy asked rushing over to her. Clearly worried.

"Do I look okay to you?" Max asked in a hoarse voice.

"I'll call the hospital." Iggy suggested already taking out his phone.

"No Iggy...If you do, they'll wonder how this happened. I don't wanna answer stupid questions." She said.

"Alright," Iggy said sounding unsure. "Should I call Jeb to give us a ride back home?"

"That'd be a good idea."

"What happened?" I asked, finally speaking up.

"When we get home I'll fill you in." She said trying to stand up, but failing. I caught her, steadying her on my side.

"Jeb will be here in about five minutes. He was on his way back from work." Iggy said hanging up the phone with Jeb. "How bad is it Max?"

"I-I don't know," Max stuttered. How does it look?"

"Bad. A lot of blood. You sure you don't want to go to the hospital? We can make up some lame excuse-"

"Iggy, I said no! We are not going to the hospital!" Max yelled while she winced.

"Max, Jeb is gonna make you go to the hospital since there is so much blood anyway. You might as well suck it up and go!" Iggy yelled back.

"It's not up to you! I'm not going. I can't."

"You can, and you will." A man said getting out of a car and rushing over. "Who are you?" He asked nodding his head towards me.

"He's a friend from school." Iggy said simply. The man nodded

"Max, you need to go to the hospital in your current condition. But you are right, it isn't your choice, but it is mine. And you're going."

"But Jeb-"

"No, Max. You have no choice. Now get in the car and I'll drive you there," Jeb stated.

"Fine." Max said harshly. I led her to his car and she sat down in the back seat. I slid in next to her. Iggy taking shotgun. "Where are the kids?" Max asked.

"Home. I should call them so they don't call the police..." Iggy trailed off pulling out his cell phone.

~Time Skip: The Hospital (Still Fang's POV)~

"Mr. Batchelder?" The nurse asked walking into the waiting room.

"Yes?" Jeb answered.

"Your daughter will be fine. She has some bruises and cuts, but has lost quite a bit of blood. She'll be able to go back home later this evening," she informed us.

"Thanks you very much. May we see her?" Jeb asked.

"Yes, you may. She's in room 21, but might be sleeping."

"Thank you again." We made it to Max's room, and no doubt, she was sleeping. But she woke to the door closing. Max didn't say anything.

"Are you feeling better Max?" Jab asked walking up to her bed.

"I guess you could say that. I wanna go home now."

"We can once the doctors let you. They said later this evening."

"I can't wait that long! I need to get out!" Max all but yelled at Jeb.

Jeb sighed and said, "Max, I know you don't like hospitals but they won't hurt you here. They try and help you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand that they try and help people but let them die! I don't want that to happen to me like it did to my parents! I want to leave. Now." (AN: Wow, something on her family! Finally!)

"If you want I'll go ask a nurse or doctor?" Iggy suggested.

"Thanks Igs. You're my hero! Get me out of this deathtrap!" Max said anxious to leave.

"Anything for you Maxie, dearest!" Iggy said before leaving Max's room. There wasn't much conversation after he left. He was back within minutes, but I could tell it seemed like hours for Max.

I could hear her muttering, "Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up," under her breath.

"They said, you can leave when you're ready." Iggy said.

"I'm way past ready!" Max quickly said jumping out of her bed. It was like I wasn't even there, or she didn't want to acknowledge me. We checked her out of the hospital and we were back at their house in twenty minutes. Nudge, Angel, and Gazzy ran up to the door when we were walking in. They engulfed Max in a huge bear hug. She gladly hugged them back.

"Max! We were so worried about you! Are you okay?" Angel asked still teary eyed.

"Yeah, I'm okay sweetie. It was nothing really."

"Max, you had to go to the hospital! That isn't 'nothing'!" Nudge exclaimed.

"To me it is. Now, wasn't Iggy supposed to make us pizza for dinner?" Max asked changing the subject.

"Yeah, and you can tell us what happened back there at the same time." I said, startling Max. Ha! She forgot I was here!

"Oh, right." She sighed. "Where do I begin?"