DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything. Fo sho, mo fos. (Yeah, that's right, I'm gangsta. Just kidding, I'm the furthest thing FROM gangsta!)

I woke up the next morning disoriented. Fang was gone, and I was tucked neatly into my bed – weird, because I toss and turn like no other. I guessed he had to go back to his room so Mom wouldn't get suspicious and try to have another "talk" with me about Fang. Now THAT was the definition of awkward.

I stumbled to the bathroom, still half-asleep, and smelled the fragrance of freshly-cooked breakfast from downstairs. Mmm, smelled like huevos rancheros. Delish. I love eggs (ironically enough), but Iggy never seemed to get huevos rancheros quite right.

I ran a brush through my hair, brushed my teeth on hyper-speed, then went to Fang's room to tell him we needed to eat breakfast then get going. He wasn't there. I panicked, because after all I've been through, a missing flock member means trouble. I checked the circuit of rooms in the hall (Mom had added an addition on to her house when we moved in with her. We each had our own small room, which was awesome because we finally got some privacy, but sometimes we all ended up in one room, because we can't stand to be away from each other for very long.) Nada –everyone was downstairs eating breakfast. I checked my room – the last place I expected him to be – and he was lounging on my computer chair like nothing was wrong. I tried to act mad, but I couldn't because I was too relieved.

"Fang, we need to eat breakfast, and then get our feathery butts on the road. We need to leave as soon as possible so we can get back as soon as possible. Pack the usual."

The "usual" was food – usually granola bars, dried fruit, trail mix, beef jerky, and some chocolate (for when Fang got cranky); a change of clothes; first aid kit; laptop – Fang's blog was still going strong, even though we really had no encounters to report at the moment, thank God; money – Mom's job as a vet kept her pretty loaded, plus Jeb seemed to have a never-ending stash of cash when he came to visit; and his cell phone.

I had already packed my bag, ready to flee at a moment's notice. I had all the same, plus my own laptop and BlackBerry. Mom had gotten us all cell phones, because as she put it, "I never know what kind of emergency you might have."

We double-checked our backpacks wordlessly, the night before hanging in the room like one-hundred percent humidity. "All systems go," I said weakly.

Fang followed me out of my room as I went downstairs, out my bag by the door, and plopped down at the breakfast table.

"Mom, this looks delicious!" I commented, and I proceeded to pile my plate high with Mexican-cooked eggs. I shoved the hot food in my mouth and washed it down with two glasses of milk. The other kids were talking and fighting as usual. I ignored them, instead concentrating on fang. He didn't look worried or anything, but then again how could you tell?

I finished my breakfast with a meaningful glance at Fang, and then said, "Okay, guys, we have to leave now."

I was instantly bombarded by my entire flock, plus Ella and Mom. They were all saying things like, "Max, be safe!" and "We'll miss you so much!" and, notably, "Max, don't let Fang break your heart this time." That, interestingly and troublingly enough, came from Angel. She was one scary mind-reading kid.

I returned all of their well-wishes, and then I gave all of them a hug and a kiss. Then the same thing happened to Fang. I could barely see him through all the bird-kids and other people! When they all finally backed off, I walked toward the front door and hoisted my backpack onto my back. Fang did the same.

We walked outside and got a running start, snapping out our wings at the last possible moment. When we were a hundred feet or so in the air, I felt… home. And then I looked back down, and I saw tears in everybody's eyes. How could I leave them again? I resolved to get this over with as soon as possible.

Fang, who had been flying silently beside me for the last ten minutes, spoke up. "Max, you're doing the right thing. They'll be all right, we'll be alright, and we'll find this chick. It'll be alright."

I desperately wanted to believe him, but something was nagging me in the pit of my stomach…

AN: Yeah yeah, I know the chapter is long. But I couldn't find a good breaking point, plus I don't have time to mess with it. Darn Algebra!!!!!!

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MidnightWriterGrrl95, aka TheObsessedFanGirl