A/N sorry I didn't update sooner, we had a lightening storm and everything got blown. Seeing as I couldn't type anything out I worked on some of my stories and perfected my plot on this FanFic, yeah and thanx to that stupid storm my friend has 30 more reviews, I have a sinking feeling that I'm going to lose this bet. I have till next Thursday to beat her, and I am going to try so help. Spread the word about this story and if people don't review, I shall send my personal ninja flying chimp to stand over you with a cattle prod till you type a review. I'm sorry if I'm being mean but my friend is going to cost me all of my money on this shopping spree if I lose, and I was trying to save up for a car. Damn my stupidness for taking bets. And damn her Twilight story for being so popular L

Oh, well. Enjoy this chapter, it came to me during the storm.:)

Chapter 8

We were sitting in one of those fancy pancy government private jets. And we all know how I love these modern sardine cans. I may have gotten use to them but I still don't like them.

I was standing at the window in the corner, keeping and eye on my flock. Angel was on the floor with Total and Akila going over wedding detail. Apparently I'm going to be a maid of honour. Please don't say I have to wear a girly prissy dress. Because it is going to be incredibly hard to fly and fight with silk wrapped around you and reaching the floor.

Mom was talking to Jeb at the table with some letters from the Welsh Government between them.

Iggy and Gazzy were making Nudge use her magnetism powers to race some metal toy cars, Iggy was listening intently to the silent scrape of metal so he knew where the cars were, Nudge was making the cars do flips and wheelies. Iggy could actually see it because the table the toy cars were on was pure white. It was as good as it was going to get for him, at least they were enjoying themselves.

And where was Fang you ask? He was sitting on the sofa with his favourite under age scientist. I wasn't going to let their little chats ruin my mood, I was optionally happy today and no one was going to take that away from me. Not even Brigid's flirting with Fang, although it did make my blood boil and simmer.

The more I looked at those two sitting so close to each other looking so comfy on that sofa, the more my jealousy grew. To calm myself I turned back to the window and looked out at the clear sky.

The air was fresh this high, I knew. I knew it would feel great washing over my body like a refreshing cool shower. The wind would tug at my hair and if I tucked my wings in I could freefall for a long time before I had to worry about opening my wings. Just like that my good mood was back and I was smiling.

The sensation of flying was incredible. Possibly even better than Fang's kisses. The first time I ever flew was a cherished memory of mine.

Without much thought I drifted off into that specific memory.

I was free. But not as free as I could be. Sky had been right, the sun was beautiful, it blazed across the sky and made everything seem wonderful, exciting and new. It almost made me think that there was no evil in the world. Almost. I wanted t be in the sky, my wings ached for the first time in my life to be used for what they were meant to do. I wanted to fly.

Sky could fly. She had beautiful burgundy wings. Mine were different. Mine where a clear light brown with splotches and mixes of light and dark colours. They were pretty wings, but not as beautiful or as amazing as Sky's.

I stood at the top off the mountain and flapped my wings. I even tried hopping into the air. I may have lasted a couple of seconds but gravity always won in the end. After ten minutes I huffed and sat down crossing my arms and legs, pouting.

A quiet laugh came from behind me. Immediately I got up, and with a huge smile on my face ran into Sky's arms. She picked me up easily and swung me around. She even started to tickle me, careful of my bandaged arms, legs and chest.

She smiled at me. "Were you trying to fly?"

I nodded.

"Max, your only four. You're too young to fly yet."

When she said that I hopped out of her arms. And stubborn but determined I started flapping my wings again. I tried rotating my wings and flapping them at different time and in synchronisation.

Sky sat down on a rock and started drawing in a notebook she had.

It took e three hours before I got into the air. I was wobbling a bit, but I had gotten the hang of it. You had to flap your wings at the same time and on the down pull you had to slightly turn your wings inside, the tiniest amount about this much -.

Sky looked up to check on me and saw I was in the air. Her jaw dropped and so did the pencil from her hand.

She stood up and yelled, "CHASE! Get up here NOW!"

A boy a little older than Sky came up through one of the tunnels in the side of the mountain. He had dark brown hair and dark blue eyes, navy coloured. He was tall and muscular with strong features. He was only wearing jeans a white vest top and scruffy grey trainers. But he was incredibly good looking.

"What? What's wrong?"

Instead of answering Sky pointed up at me, I was beginning to learn the basics of flying how to angle my wings so I could turn, go up or down, all sorts. Was in the middle of doing a mid air flip when Chase saw me. His jaw dropped open.

"She's flying?" He asked stunned.

"Apparently so." Sky murmured awed.

I looked at the ground and flew shakily over to them.

"How long has she been at this?" Chase asked.

"Umm, four hours roughly."

Chase turned towards her in disbelief. Sky just shrugged her shoulders.

My wings were starting to get tired but there was a problem.

"Sky, Chase?" When I had their attention I continued. "How do I stop flying?""Easy just stop flapping." Chase said in a 'duh' voice.

"No, don't tell her that!" Sky shrieked alarmed.

It was too late though. I had closed my wings and I dropped like a hailstone. I tried to flap my wings again. I didn't want to have an impact with the floor, I was already hurt enough as it was. The floor got closer and I thought 'this is going to hurt'. Then arms pulled me up from behind, I cried out as the arms banged against my bandaged ribcage. Chase lifted me entirely into his arms and I curled up against his chest. Feeling safe.

Chase flapped his brown wings with silver tints till we were level with the ground.

"You okay Max?" He asked worried.

I peeked out through the hair that had fallen over my face and saw both Sky and Chase looking down at me.

I smiled at asked "Teach me how to land?"

They both smiled and we shared a hug. Chase taught me how to fly, swerve in the air, do running landings sudden drops, take offs from a spot, everything. Sky sat back drawing sketches of us.

We had even gathered an audience, the people that lived in the mountain with us knew about us, like we knew about them. We were friends. Accidentally I landed right on top of Anthony, the man in charge. He had black hair mussed over his head, pale skin and green gleaming eyes. I tumbled down his back and over the side of the mountain. Quickly he snagged my shirt before I got out of reach and he had to dive after me.

I giggled as he pulled me up to his face.

"Having fun Max?" He asked.

I smiled and spoke for the first time to him. "Yes."

He smiled more and his eyes crinkled at the side, giving him a fatherly look.

"How's about we give Chase a break and I teach you a few things about flying?" he snapped his raven black wings out and flew with me in his arms.

Chase landed gracefully and sat down next to Sky taking a bottle of water from a young boy.

"Don't drop her Anthony." Chase called up to us playfully.

I waved down to Sky and Chase but other thought I was waving to them and waved back. I hardly ever spoke to anyone but Sky and Chase, now Anthony as well.

Anthony flew higher than what I had been able to manage. It was fun I even tried to reach out and grab some of the clouds. I looked around at the mountains that towered up beside our mountain, the acres of woods that surrounded the mountains. I thought for a mad moment that if I could see everything, could they see me. I didn't want to ever go back to the Arena. But I felt so vulnerable right then, I curled up in Anthony's arms and we stopped in mid-flight.

He must've guessed what I was afraid of. Because he raised my chin so I could look into his eyes that seemed to old to belong to him. They had seen too much.

"Never be afraid of living Max, otherwise they have won. Death holds freedom for us, not an end. We will always be here for you. You may feel like you're alone but you're not."

I felt safer with Anthony, the way I felt in Chase and Sky's arms. It was a comforting feeling.

Anthony chuckled to himself and grinned at me.

"I just came up with a motto for you kid."I looked confusedly at him at he carried on regardless.

"Live life to the Max, and have the Ride of your life. What do you think."I grinned with him not understanding what he just said but liking the way it sounded.

Then he let go of me and I started flying, he was beginning to direct me on how to do a spiral when falling, when I -

I pulled out of the memory. That was definitely something I didn't want to think of. My first time flying had been a wonderful experience, one of my best moments. But it then turned out to be one of my worst and most horrible.

Anthony may have said that they would be there for me, but the fact is, you can't be there for someone when you're dead.

That was final for us, and I hadn't seen any of them in over ten years. They had to be dead, even death was an escape compared to what they would do to us. Like Anthony said, even death holds freedom.

I opened my eyes and leaned my forehead against the window.

If it wasn't for those three people I would have given up a very long time ago.

But now I had my flock. Could I survive without them? Could they survive without me?

I rubbed my hands up my arms to get rid of the goose-bumps that had flooded across my skin.

Maximum, your flock will always need you.

Great just what I needed a stupid Voice in my head. At this particular time and moment.

I hope not because if they are still living with me when they're 30 I think I might be worried about them. They must want to go out and live their lives somewhere, to be someone.

No matter how you feel or think you are needed Max.

Yeah whatever voice. As if I'm going to believe someone I haven't met and loves running around my head say who needs me and who doesn't.

I thought I heard the Voice sigh.

This was getting old, if the world was saved all ready why was the Voice still hanging around. Couldn't it just go and annoy someone else and make them insane instead if me?

I wrapped an arm around my waist and felt my hand brush across the cotton padding taped to my side it was still there?

When I went comatose, my body didn't heal the wound but it should be right as rain by now.

I walked passed my flock to the toilet. I locked the door behind me and lifted up my top to reveal my side. A square chunk of cotton padding was tapped to my right side across my bottom ribs.

I quickly ripped the padding off, stuffed it in the bin and left to enjoy watching my flock enjoy trivial things.

If I had paid more attention I would have noticed that were I was shot in my dream a black unidentifiable smudge was forming.

But I didn't notice till much later.