Wind whipped my short hair into my face. It was to my shoulders, and getting in my eyes while I flew again. The flock and I were flying again after a month of living with my mom and Ella, where I hoped we could stay this time. My fear was that the Director would show herself again, and start directing Itex to continue with the bi-half plan. Then, I would be expected to do that whole "save the world" thing again.

It was a dark, rainy spring day, and after a few hours of flying next to Nudge and Angel listening to their rambling, I flew beside Fang. For once his silence didn't drive me crazy. The Gasman and Iggy flew a few yards away, talking between themselves. I looked at Fang beside me. His hair flew around his face, obscuring his dark eyes. He had the hard expression in his jaw again that had disappeared over the past month. It was the cold expression he got whenever he thought of Jeb or Ari or the school.

"Please don't try to like, kill Jeb or Ari." I said, halting the silence.

"Huh?" Fang asked, wondering why I said that so suddenly.

"Last time…well, we know how things went with you and Ari. But he was on our side till the end. And he's my brother! Please don't hold a grudge against him. He just wanted to kill us because he thought it would please Jeb. But he's my father, so now we know he doesn't want us terminated." A few minutes passed before either of us spoke again.

"Max-" he said, faltering. "Ari has almost killed me before."

I started to speak but he held up a hand silencing me. "I know, I know, he's 'good now.' He wouldn't try to kill us now, but how am I supposed to forget that?" he paused and stared angrily at the ground. "And he hurt the flock Max. A ton of times. He hurt Angel, Nudge, the Gasman, Iggy, and he hurt you, Max. I can't forget that."

That was the longest speech I've heard him utter in the past week. I really wanted to just give him a hug or something. I spotted a sign below that said Larson road.

"Down here guys." I yelled, so I could be heard above the wind. The flock started descending.

"Fang" I said quietly. "I don't expect you to forget that. All I ask is you try to get along with him." I could tell he wasn't buying it. "For my sake. Please?" I added, knowing it was the only was he would agree.

He exhaled sharply. "Ok." He said, looking me in the eye. We settled gently to the ground.

"Thank you, Fang." I said, giving him a quick hug. Him not trying to re-kill my stepbrother was kind of important to me. He wasn't a complete unbending statue and put his arms around me for a moment, before turning to the road.

As I began to follow I heard a chorus from the Flock behind me. "Aww."

I rolled my eyes at them. "Come on." I said, walking to the side of the road. We waited behind the bushes, knowing that Jeb could drive by to pick us up at any moment.

I heard Angel giggle beside me. I looked at her, and she spoke to me in my head.

Max, guess what I just heard Fang think?

Here we go.

He thought that you were beautiful. Oh yeah, he also thought that he would rather be doing anything but this, and the only reason he's here is to make sure some whitecoat doesn't slice you up again. Because he really cares about you.

The flicker of a smile touched me face. I was getting way too mushy lately.

I saw Angel shiver, and Iggy must have felt her because he pulled her onto his lap into his arms. "Thank you Iggy." She said. Iggy smiled.

It was moments like this that had always kept me going. I saw Iggy slightly cock his head, signaling for me to listen as well. I heard the low rumble of a car engine and tires on gravel. We crouched lower beneath the bushes as the vehicle approached. It was a dark blue van with no emblem to identify it. I looked at the drivers seat and saw Jeb, driving slowly swiveling his head back and forth, looking for me.

I stood up so he could see me. The look of happiness that crossed his face almost hurt, knowing that I still hadn't completely forgiven him yet.

He pulled over to the side of the road, and got out of the drivers seat quickly. I stepped out from behind the trees as he jogged toward me.

"Maximum! I'm so glad to see you." He said, embracing me. I could tell he was happy, but I couldn't bring myself to give an equally enthusiastic hug back. "Let's get going, Ari is anxious to see you."

"She's not going without me." Fang said, rising from behind the bush. I look of unexpected surprise crossed Jeb's face.

"Fang, I didn't expect to see you here."

"Well, Max is here, why wouldn't we be?" he asked, a bit coldly.

"We?" Jeb asked

"Yeah, 'we.'" Nudge said, rising with the rest of the flock.

"You seem to have brought the whole gang." He said, surveying me and the Flock.

"Yeah." I answered. "They wouldn't let me come alone."

"Still don't trust me?" he said, directing the comment to Iggy.

"Maybe." Iggy said truthfully.

"I understand." He sighed. I could see that he really wanted to make peace with us, but how long would any peace remain when the Director showed up again? "We should get going."

I nodded and we got into the car. Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel climbed into the back, while Fang and I sat in the front with Jeb. I took the middle seat, while Fang took the window. Jeb's happiness had returned, and he was smiling as he pulled a U-ey on the deserted road, back towards the School. The place I thought I would never go to again unless I was tied up and unconscious or something like that.

"Aww." hahha. Was the slight Faxness too much? I thought it was just enough to show that they like each other, but that their friendship remains. (which is what I'm going for, cuz when I read REALLY sappy MR fanfics I wanna yell, "THATS NOT MAX AND FANG!!! IMPOSTERS OR CLONES ARE AT WORK HERE!!!") so yeah, I'm determined to make them sort of realistic. haha

P.S. James patterson owns MR sigh must I type this every chapter? It's very depressing.