I have noticed recently that I haven't been putting the legal stuff on here. So, I am going to start putting the disclaimers up like I am supposed to. This chapter is really long by the way but I feel that it is probably my best.
Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride, Rio 2, or Macaroni Grill.
Fang POV
The next morning I wake up to my daughter jumping on the bed yelling, "Wake up!" repeatedly. I love my daughter, but sometimes I wish she wasn't such a morning person. But today she seems extra happy. "What's so important? You seem really excited this morning baby girl." Before she can answer Max wriggles out of my arms to grab Skai and begins to tickle her sides. This causes Skai to go into a fit of giggles making Max laugh. I decide to join in on the fun and get her feet and laugh while doing so. Then what I hear next shocks me: "Happy birthday, Princess!" That catches me off guard and I stop tickling Skai.
"What?" I ask. Max stops tickling Skai and looks at me.
"I forgot to tell you. Today is Skai's 5th birthday." She says as the smile drifts from her face. She looks at me and sees the look on my face. She then turns to Skai, "Baby, why don't you go play with Aunt Angel and Aunt Nudge. Mommy and Daddy need to talk." Skai jumps from the bed and runs from the room in search of her aunts.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." She says.
I look at her. "Yeah, that's something I would have liked to know."
"You never asked."
"I figured I didn't need to ask!" I'm near shouting now. "She is our daughter! I would like to know these things! They're kind of important, don't you think?"
"Fang-" She starts but I cut her off.
"Why didn't you tell me when I first found out? I mean, you told me everything else. How did you manage to leave out the date our daughter was born? Sure, I had a child I didn't even know existed. Hell! I didn't know you were still around! Everyone thought you were dead! Or were taken back by the School! We didn't know what happened to you! So finding out that you were alive and okay and have a daughter was quite the surprise! You could have told me everything the day I showed up at your apartment. Everything. You could have told me her birthday, her favorite food, animal, all of the important things a dad should know about his child. Not leave it out until the day comes around and make me feel stupid for not being prepared with a present or even a card! If I had known, I could have thrown the best birthday party for her I could. Now I can't because I had no idea! And I'm going to feel like a terrible dad when she asks me why I didn't get her anything and I have to say that I didn't know. So, yeah, it is pretty important for me to know these things. I want to be the best dad I can but I can't when you are leaving out important information like this."
She is standing on one side of the room while I stand on the other. I don't know how but I managed to get from the bed to the other side of the room throughout my fit.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you." She says quietly. "I have so much going on right now. With trying to find a way to tell my daughter that she can't go to school and see her friends anymore and having to learn to live with everyone again, especially being around you after so long of being apart. And the fact that Dylan is after me again. So I'm sorry that I forgot to tell you that it's our daughter's birthday today. You don't need to flip out on me like that after everything that I have gone through. I had to leave my best friend and make her distract Dylan so I could leave town with my daughter safely and not worry about him coming after us!"
I stare at her for a moment trying to digest everything she just said. And then I realize something. "Wait. Dylan? What does he have to do with anything?"
She seems to notice her slip up and tries to fix it. Key word: tries. "I- I didn't mean Dylan. I meant some- something else. I- I don't know why I said Dylan." She was stuttering. That's how I know she slipped up. She continues trying to explain but keeps stuttering.
"Stop." I say. "I know you're lying. You're stuttering." She looks at me in a defeat. "What about Dylan? Why would he come after you and Skai?" She stays silent. "Max," I walk over to her but she just takes a step back so I sit on the end of the bed. "Please explain this whole Dylan thing to me. You are leaving me in the dark with this."
She's silent for a moment longer but then sighs and walks to sit by me on the bed. "He showed up at the diner the day you left and we showed up at your front door. I wasn't planning to show up here so soon like this. I was going to wait until after her birthday that way we could at least be a little prepared and sell our apartment and everything. But then he showed up while I was working. He told me that he wanted me and when I said no he seemed like he was going to flip out. He basically chased me out of the diner. By the time I had the duffel bags for me and Skai he was already in the lobby talking with the doorman. He was asking which apartment was mine so he could get something from me but then my best friend was able to distract him so me and Skai could get out and then to the closest field to take off. Then we came straight here. There was nowhere else for us to go. I was honestly scared to come back here. But with Dylan looking for me I didn't really have much of a choice. I couldn't put Skai in danger due to my own stupidity. I should have never gotten involved with him after I left. And if he comes back and takes Skai from me in order to hurt me, I don't know what I would do because then, I will have lost my whole world. Skai means so much to me. I can't let him hurt her because I was stupid. I couldn't forgive myself. Anyway,, he showed up, seemed to threaten me, I ran out, grabbed Skai from her babysitter, flew off, and we came here."
There is a silence that passes between us before I speak up. "What did you do?"
"What?" She asks.
"You said that you should have never gotten involved with him after you left here. What did you mean?"
"Oh, that. I just called him and we met up for lunch one day. He tried to kiss me and invite himself into my apartment but I turned him down. I guess he didn't like that. He told me that I would regret it and then left. It scared me, honestly. The way he was holding me. It made me so uncomfortable."
"How was he holding you?" I ask.
Max POV
"How was he holding you?" Fang asks.
Flashback
"It was nice seeing you again." I say.
"Yeah," Dylan and I are walking up to the lobby. "I was so happy when you called and wanted to meet up."
"Yeah." We drift into an awkward silence. And then he leans toward me. "Woah. Hold on." I pull away. "What do you think you're doing?"
"What did it look like? Why don't we go up to your apartment?"
"Okay, number one: My daughter is upstairs. There is no way you are going up with her there. Number two: I don't love you, Dylan. I thought I made that pretty clear. We went to lunch as friends. If we are going to have a problem being friends, then you can just leave and never talk to me again. I won't have a problem with that."
"You have a daughter?"
"Yes, I do. Now I think it would be a good time for you to leave." I turn to go inside when he grabbed my arm, and not too kindly either. We were out in public so I didn't want to make a scene. "Dylan, let go of my arm." I try to jerk my arm out of his grip but it doesn't work, his grip only tightens. He has really gotten strong since everything happened. Then he gets up in my face.
"I will have you, Max. No matter how I have to get you. You will be mine."
"Let go of my arm."
"What are you going to do? We are out in public, you can't kick my ass. That would just cause a scene. You don't have Fang here, you abandoned him. There's no one here to protect you." Then Laura decided to come out of the building.
"Hey, Max. Skai is-" Then she saw Dylan and his grip on my arm. "Is there a problem here, Max?" She stepped down and came to stand by me. Dylan let go of my arm.
"Remember what I said Max. Don't forget." He then turned and walked away. I grabbed my arm and saw marks from where he was holding it.
"Who was that, Max?" Laura asks concerned.
"No one. Just someone from my past that's all. Nothing to worry about."
"Okay, I was just coming to say that Skai is taking a nap and I knew you would be back by now so I came down to see just to be sure."
"Alright, thanks." I fish through my wallet until I find how much I am supposed to pay her. I turn and start walking back to the building. "See ya later."
"Okay, bye Max." She shouts after me.
End of Flashback
Fang is just staring at me after I finish explaining. "And then he showed up at the diner last week. I don't admit this often, Fang, but I was terrified. Ever since Skai came into the world, I seem to get scared of a lot of things."
"It's okay to get scared sometimes. That's part of being human."
"Fang, we aren't human."
"Well, 98% at least. That's a lot. You can't be fearless. It's impossible."
"I always thought you were."
"God no. You should have seen me after you left. I was terrified over what might have happened to you. I'm scared right now because I just learned that I'm a dad last week. It's scary. And I'm not afraid to admit that I'm horrified about being a dad. I might mess everything up and I can't afford that."
"Mr. Tall, Dark, and Silent seems to be speaking an awful lot lately."
"Yeah, well, some things have changed. So, what do ya say we celebrate our daughter's 5th birthday. I can get Iggy to make a cake last minute."
"I was thinking that the three of us could go to a movie and have everyone set up for a kick-ass party. What do you think?"
"I think that's an awesome idea." I get up to leave the room but feel his hands grab my waist and smile to myself. I feel his lips on the back of my neck and hear him whisper, "I'm sorry I flipped out on you. I didn't know everything that was going on."
"It's fine." I turn around in his arms so I'm facing him. "Let's just forget it." I lean forward to kiss him but he turns his head so I get his cheek. "Hey!"
"What?" He asks with a smile creeping onto his lips.
"Fine, I guess I won't invite you to the movies where we are all alone in a dark theatre where no one can see you." I turn to pull away but he turns back and smashes his lips to mine. I smile into his mouth and pull away. "That's what I thought." I pull away and take his hand to leave the room and see the rest of the Flock.
-LINE BREAK-
"So, I was thinking that Fang, Skai, and myself will go to the movies as a little birthday present for Skai here." I say as we sit in the living room with the rest of the Flock. Skai is sitting in Fang's lap, I am next to Fang, Iggy and Angel are on the other couch while Gazzy and Nudge sit on the floor.
"Yeah!" Skai shouts, bouncing in her father's lap. I love to see her so happy but, honestly, I kind of feel bad for Fang with Skai jumping all over him. I can see him wincing slightly.
"Alright," I say, laughing a little. "Calm down. We'll go to the movies while everybody else hangs out here. As a matter of fact, Iggy, can I speak with you in the kitchen?" I get up from the couch and walk to the kitchen with Iggy following behind me.
"What's up?" He asks.
"I was wondering if you could make a cake for Skai while we are at the movies and have everyone set up for a surprise birthday thing. Do you think you guys could do that without burning the house down?"
"Sure. So that means no bombs or confetti cannons?"
"Definitely no bombs or cannons of any kind. I would like the house to be in one piece when we get back. We will probably go to the movies and go out for dinner that way you have enough time. Do you know any kid appropriate movies that are out right now?"
"Umm..." He says thinking. "There's the Lego Movie. And probably Rio 2. Why don't you check the local theatre's website?"
"Why I didn't think of that?" I mutter to myself. "Could you also have Gazzy and Nudge go to the store or something to get gifts? I can give them the money and tell them what to get for her from Fang since I already have a present for her."
"Yeah. Don't worry about it. Go pick a movie so you and Fang can make out in the theatre. Just make sure-OW!" I smacked him. "What the hell was that for?!"
"Don't be such an ass and it won't be a problem. I'm gonna go pick a movie. Y'all should probably start right after we leave and fill everyone in on the plans." I go over to my bag and pull out my wallet. "Here is the money for the gifts. It doesn't really matter what they get her. Probably just stuffed animals and such. But NO BOMBS. Age appropriate. Remember, she is only 5." I call to him as I walk out of the kitchen.
I go over to Fang and pull Skai out of his lap. "Alright, let's go pick a movie. Fang, could you pull up your laptop?"
"Yeah," He walks out of the room towards our bedroom with me at his heels and Skai in my arms. I put Skai on our bed and she crawls to the end to look over Fang's shoulder as he looks at showtimes at his desk. I walk over and sit on his lap. "Well," he says, "We could go to Rio 2. How does that sound, Skai?"
"Yeah!" Skai shouts and starts jumping on our bed.
"Okay. What time do you guys want to go?" He asks.
"What's the earliest time?"
"It looks like in about an hour. Want to go then?"
"Yeah," I say. "That sounds good. I can help Skai get cleaned up and then I'll get cleaned up. Come on, Baby. Let's go get you dressed all pretty." I get up from Fang's lap, take Skai's hand and lead her out of the room for her special birthday.
-LINE BREAK-
Iggy POV
"Well, we will be back later," Max says as her, Fang, and Skai walk to the front door. "The house better be in one piece when we get back. I'm talking to you, Iggy."
"Hey!" I say. "What about Gazzy?"
"Him too." She says. "See you guys later." And then she closes the door.
"Alright," I say, turning around. "Max has put me in charge of throwing Skai the best birthday party ever. So, everyone in this room has a job to do. I'm in charge of food. Nudge, Gazzy, you two are going to get the presents. Max has given me the money to give to you. But you only get the presents, Nudge, Nothing else. Angel, I want you to call Dr. Martinez and Ella and invite them over for the party. Okay, everyone understand?"
I heard a chorus of 'Yes's' from everyone. "Then lets hop to it!"
Max POV
We walk into the restaurant after the movie. Skai seemed to like the movie. I think Fang dozed off a little. We were now walking into the restaurant to have a nice dinner. We walk in and the hostess greets us.
"Welcome to Macaroni Grill! How many?" She seems just a little too perky for me. And she keeps eyeing Fang.
"Just 3." Fang says. "And could we get a kid's menu?" She looks down at Skai. She must not have noticed her when we first walked in. She was too busy eyeing Fang.
"Oh," Her sudden perkiness drops. She grabs 2 adult menus and a kid's menu. "This way." She leads the way down an aisle full of tables. Skai is basically skipping in front of Fang and I. I feel Fang slip his hand into mine and weave our fingers together. I look up at him and see him smiling down at me so I smile back. The hostess leads us to a small table back by the kitchen.
"Your server will be right with you." She says as she places the menus down and turns and stalks off. Skai sits on one side of the booth and Fang and I sit on the other. Skai seems so amused by the fact that the tablecloth is made of paper and she is drawing in every space she possibly can. Then our waitress shows up.
"Hi, my name is Lissa and I will be serving you this evening," She says as she takes a crayon and writes her name on the table. "Can I start you off with something to drink?" She then looks up from the table to grab her notepad and notices Fang and I.
"Fang?" And here comes flirty Lissa. "Oh my gosh! What are you doing here?"
"We," I say. "Are here celebrating."
She seems to notice me completely now. "Wait. Max? I thought you guys were brother and sister."
"Well, we aren't. We are actually here celebrating our daughter's birthday." Let me just say, her face was priceless. I would do anything to see it again. I was trying so hard not to laugh. I think Fang was, too, because I think I heard him cough to cover up a laugh. It took a minute for Lissa to register what I said and she looked between Fang, Skai, and I. Then everything registered through the look on her face. It took her a couple glances between the three of us for her to recover.
"Right, anyway drinks?" She asks avoiding my gaze.
"I will have a coke." I say.
"Me as well." Fang says.
"Can I have a apple juice, please?" Skai asks. I look over and smile at her. She has always had good manners when she isn't hyped up on sugar. But she still has to work on her grammar.
"Sure, sweetie." Lissa says smiling. I internally groan. I don't want that bitch calling my daughter sweetie. I guess Fang picked up on the vibe I seemed to be giving off because he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. Lissa wrote down our drinks and turned to go get them.
"Mommy?" I turn and see Skai scribbling with her crayons on the table.
"Yeah, baby?" I pick up a crayon and begin to draw on the table with her.
"When can I meet Grandma?" She asks innocently.
I tense thinking of my mother.
"Um, I don't know, babe. Soon." I say then think for a minute. "Hey, Skai. How do you know about your grandma?"
"The other kids that were in my class talked about their families. All I could say was that I had a mommy when everyone was talking about their aunts and uncles and grandmas and daddies. I felt so left out so I thought I would ask. Also, I have this feeling that I would be meeting Grandma soon just like I did the same day Daddy came home."
Fang and I look at each other for minute then Fang turns to Skai. "What do you mean you had this feeling the day I came home?"
"Well, at school I kept thinking about what it would be like to have a daddy so I asked Mommy about you and she said that you weren't coming back but I knew she was wrong. But then you came home. Now I have a feeling I'm going to meet Grandma soon. And another aunt. Mommy? Do you have another sister?"
Fang turns to me. "Call Iggy." He says. I pull out my phone and dial his number.
He doesn't answer. I look over at Fang. "No answer."
He seems concerned for a minute before turning to Skai. "Okay, I'm sure everything is fine. We are going to have a nice dinner and celebrate your birthday. Then we can go home and watch whatever movie you want. How's that sound?"
Skai smiles and nods excitedly. Just then Lissa comes over to take our orders and then leaves to go put them in. So far this night has been amazing and I think Skai is enjoying it, too, based on the big smile on her face.
-LINE BREAK-
Boy, was that some good food. Definitely one of the best Italian restaurants I have ever been to. We are walking down the sidewalk outside the restaurant and Skai is on Fang's shoulders while he walks down the street, purposefully bouncing her every now and then and her giggles ring out in the night air. I look over at Fang and see the huge smile on his face. Ever since Skai and I have showed up, I haven't really seen him mad or upset unless we are fighting. I love seeing the happy glint in his eyes when Skai runs in the room laughing or when she tells him that she loves him. The best moments are when he tucks her into bed and kisses her forehead. I can just see the love in his eyes. It's absolutely the most beautiful sight I have ever seen.
I notice Fang staring back at me and realize that I had been smiling at the memories. "What?" I ask.
He just smiles and shakes his head, "Nothing." Then turns his head and continues walking towards the house. We walk in silence to the house except for Skai's happy giggles and screams. When we reach the house the lights are still on. Good, I think. Nobody went to bed because they got bored.
I walk to the front door and put my key in the lock as Fang takes Skai off his shoulders. I open the door and everybod yells, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SKAI!" Everyone rushes forward to hug Skai. Everyone except two people. My sister and my mother. Well, this just got real bad.
Ooh! Cliffy! Sorry but I thought that would make things a little interesting. Sorry for such the long wait, but this chapter was my longest and it was the hardest for me to write. Believe me, I could have made it a lot longer, but then decided I wanted a cliffy. Fang is such a good daddy! I'm thinking of throwing a twist in here. Give me your thoughts on these ideas:
a) Max gets pregnant again and Fang can be there for everything like he wanted.
b) Max's voice shows up because it thinks Max is making bad choices.
c) Dylan shows up and there is a big throw down between him and Fang.
What do you guys think? Review your thought to help me throw the twist in there!
~Dauntless Reader