I'm not going to give a whole long shpeal about why I took so long to update. The truth is: LIFE.
Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride, Fang, or anything that deals with James Patterson's books. Only the plot :)
…they were anticipating…
Max POV:
"I'm so sorry for everything," I said first, wanting to be sure they know the remorse I felt for leaving them.
"Before you say anything else," Nudge interjected, "You don't have to be sorry. Everything you did was to protect us, and you couldn't have finished what was started if we were with you. We decided a long time ago that we forgave you for leaving us behind, and you need to understand that. We love you, Max. We could never hate you, nomatter what."
Nudge sounded so grown up and knowing that I felt even worse for not being there to watch the transformation. Neverhteless, I put on a regretless fascade and told them the story of my last three years.
"I missed you all every day, but I couldn't bring myself to look for you. I didn't feel worthy to know you anymore." My voice broke on the last word, and the tears that I refused to cry for so long came pouring out of me. Fang took me into his strong arms, and I felt even worse for what I must have put him through. I cried even harder into his chest and his arms tightened around me protectively; knowingly.
"Shh, it's alright. I'm here, we're here now. You're ok." He whispered reassuringly, too low for the others to hear. "I love you, Max. I never stopped loving you. We're gonna be fine, shh." I calmed my breathing, feeling guilty for crying not only because they didn't deserve to see me cry, but also because they had only ever seen me cry maybe once before. Fang continued rubbing soothing circles in between my wings, making me want to fall asleep in his arms, but I forced myself to sit up and wipe my eyes.
"Sorry," I said lamely, receiving four sympathetic smiles I so didn't deserve and one blank stare that only I could see behind. "I just…You're all so grown up," I smiled at Angel in particular, her face showing how hard she's tried to be a big person when I left; just like I knew she would. "I should have been there. To help you," I looked at Fang, who's emotionless mask was crumbling with every word I spoke. "To support you. I should have been there. But I wasn't." I sniffled again, forcing back tears.
"No, you weren't with us," Fang agreed, and I felt as if my heart were breaking as he (I assumed) expressed the anger and hatred I deserved from him. "Instead you were off saving the world, and keeping us from harm by staying away from us." He smiled as I realized he wasn't mad at me, but supporting the fact that my intensions were for the best. "You did it all to save us, Max. We can't hate you for giving yourself up to protect us. It's what any of us would've done if faced with the same decision. You did the right thing. Don't be sorry." He kissed my forehead and I relaxed again into his shoulder, shocked by how much he was talking. I basked in the fact that we were all finally together, and that my family didn't hate me for all I had done. We sat in silence for awhile, taking in everything that's happened, until my phone rang and I stood up to go get it.
"Hey, Mon." I said, deciding that if I answered now then she wouldn't call twenty times before leaving a lengthy message, as per usual. "Oh, hey! You answered the first time I called! Is everything ok?" She asked all in one breath, reminding me of Nudge and making me laugh. "Yeah, yeah, everything's fine. Great, actually, why? What's up?" There was a silence on the other line that was due, I assume, to Monica text messaging someone on her cell. "What? Oh!" She responded a minute later. I laughed again; usually I was the one distracted on these phone calls. "Nothing much. I just thought I should call and congradulate you personally on the success last night. Did you party till the sun came up? *chuckles*" I smiled into the phone and looked back at my family, all extreamely tired. They hadn't slept all night! It's 8 a.m. "Yeah, that's great. Listen, Monica, I have to go- grocery shopping- but I'll see you later, alright? Bye!" And I hung up before she could say another word.
""Guys, you need to sleep. I kept you up all night! Follow me, I've got a couple guest rooms." Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, and Iggy got up to follow me, but Fang stayed on the couch where I left him. "Uh…You can sleep there, I guess. I had something a little more comfortable in mind, but whatever." I said, teasing. He gave me a questioning look that I returned with a wink when the kids weren't looking. He then seemed much more eager to follow me. Hormones. I laughed and led the kids plus Iggy to the guestrooms down the opposite hallway from my bedroom. "Wow, Max, your apartment is humongous!" Nudge exclaimed as I led her and Angel into the first bedroom. "Why don't you two get comfortable and I'll find you some and get the boys settled, ok?" I smiled at Nudge and motioned toward the two twin beds. "I'll be back soon." They both nodded sleepily and I brought Gazzy and Iggy to the second guest room, giving them the same rundown before going to look for clothes.
It took me less than five minutes to find a couple t-shirts for the girls, but finding appropriate pajamas for the guys was harder than I imagined. I went out to the living room again to find Fang, sitting paitently until I came back out with the 'sheets and a blanket' I had promised. "Hey," I said when he didn't seem to notice me behind him. "I'll have that stuff out in a second, I'm just trying to find some pjs for the boys." He smirked at me knowingly, which surprisingly annoyed me as much as it did before I had left. Some things never change. "We brought our own stuff, you know. They've got boxers in their backpacks." I smirked at him, glad to find he was missing my point.
"Yeah," I rebuttled, "but I doubt they're clean and comfortable. The whole idea of getting them clean clothes is to get them clean clothes." His bravado faltered as I proved him wrong, and I wet off again in search of some baggy shorts or something for them to wear. Score one for Max. *chuckles*
Ta-da! I'll write the next chapter asap. I'm in the process of typing it up right now. The next chapter will be my final chapter, wrapping it up with a touching scene between…someones. So review if you want me to continue, and review if you don't. Review if you liked my story. Review if you hated it. Just review, alright?
KTHNXBYE,
-Bergatron
