A/N: Hey again, guys. I have been receiving many emails telling me added this story to favorite and alerts, but I only got ONE review. Come on, guys, you can do better than that.
Also for those of you who aren't perfect Max Ride fans (Don't worry i'm not one either) CSM = Coalition to Stop the Madness. It's a group that Dr. M helped to start to fight global warming as stuff. Anyway, just some info I forgot to give you in the beginning of the story; Mrs. Daniels was also part of the CSM.
Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride or any of the characters used so far… at least not the ones you recognize.
Chapter 7, Worries
MaxPOV
The girls looked heartbroken after Fang's little speech. All except Ella who seemed to be having the freaking time of her life. I, being a true leader who cared enormously for the two sad little girls in front of her, did what any other responsible bird-kid leader would do. I sat there and grinned triumphantly from the couch. Fang didn't seem too worried about their crushed feeling either. Not that he was mean or anything, the girls would most likely get over it by tonight, when they had other people to focus on. By the way, I still wasn't thrilled about meeting these new "friends" they'd made.
I didn't know why though. Maybe it was because I was jealous that they had made friends and had been enjoying life here in Arizona while I was being miserable in New Jersey with one of my mom's CSM buddies. Anyway Fang wasn't being as polite as he could have been, not that he is great with words, I have to admit. Almost complete silence will do that to you. But his silence was great for other things, like keeping secrets. I remembered how I used to trust him with my secrets more than anyone when we were still trapped in those awful dog crates.
My mind flashed to the little white envelope in his bedroom wall and it felt like all the smugness I felt drained out of me and was replaced by… I don't even know what I felt but it wasn't a pleasant feeling. I decided I needed another chance to go through his room. I just couldn't do it when he was home, or anywhere near the house for that matter. Super bird-kid hearing is darn handy at times but in this situation it only made my life harder.
I needed to find I way to get him to leave for a couple of hours. Or you could just ask him what's in it. My muscles tensed and I almost thought my "voice" was back. Then I remembered that my voice would never come back, could never come back, thanks to those wonderful mad scientists at the School. No, this was just that annoying part of my mind that was always rational and patient and understanding.
Basically it was the part of my mind that I usually shut down, tied up and threw in a box.
"Max, you alright?" Fang asked pulling out of my twisted thoughts. He had been looking at me for a while now and must have noticed something on my face because his was …well, its always hard to tell with fang but it looked to me like he was worried… or at least curious.
"I'm fine." I lied cheerfully, smiling up at him. I could see I he knew I was lying – he always knew when I was lying – and I waited for him to call me on it but he didn't. Maybe he didn't notice after all, I thought to myself. Yeah, right. I was pretty sure he knew and it made me somewhat suspicious that he seemed to ignore it. I wouldn't be so calm if he lied to me, and up until know I thought he felt the same way.
The girls had recovered by now and were babbling about the movie we were going to be watching. Speaking of which, when were these friends of theirs going to arrive? It was almost six o'clock. Yes, we had wasted the entire day playing Barbie doll and I was getting tired of these stupid unnecessary clothes.
The shoes were the worst. The thin straps were cutting into my feet and the delicate heels (they weren't very high but their thinness made up for it) were not made for running from Erasers or Flyboys or ninjas or whatever the School would send after us next. I also had to keep from slipping on the tiles in the hallway so the mall would be down right dangerous.
I jumped a little when the phone rang and snapped me back to reality again. Fang gave me a meaningful look but stayed quiet, as usual. Angel rushed to answer the phone as Nudge and Ella went to dress up and get ready too.
It didn't take so long with them because they were practically experts at it and they didn't need to be held down through the whole thing. I felt a smidge of pride at being able to at least make their favorite pasted the slightest bit less fun for them.
Fang and I were suddenly alone on the couch and I couldn't understand why that made my blood boil and my heart race. I looked at Fang, who didn't seem to be bothered at all…and why should he be? I really wanted the answer to that because obviously I was being bothered quite a bit.
I jumped again –what the heck is wrong with me today anyway? Maximum Ride is never jumpy! – when I felt Fang's hand on my arm.
"You okay?" he asked softly and I found myself being sucked into his dark, dark eyes. I snapped out of it and quickly looked at hid shoulder instead.
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?" I asked and I noticed that I didn't sound very friendly. To my dismay, I saw Fang's face fall just I tiny bit.
"You seem a little tense." He said and I don't know if I imagined it but I could've sworn he sounded hurt. I only nodded back at him.
"The boys will be fine." He said, probably thinking that was what I was worried about. I just nodded again, even though it wasn't a question.
"What's wrong?" Man he was persistent.
"Nothing is wrong, Fang." I couldn't help the shiver that ran up my spine when I said his name. What the hillbilly was going on with me?
"Don't lie, Max" He didn't sound angry or anything but I wished he would drop the subject already. I didn't know what was wrong myself and that was part of the problem. I was just about to tell that to him when a very deflated-looking Angel trudged into the room.
"They can't make it anymore." She said miserably and I assumed she meant our movie group but I stopped myself quickly. Don't assume, Max I told myself it makes an ASS out of U and ME. I chuckled mentally at my own stupid joke and returned my attention to Angel.
"Sam and Mike are grounded for downloading illegal music and stuff. The girls are away on a surprise vacation to Hawaii with their family and they only left about an hour ago so they forgot to let us know. Lissa in busy with some kind of emergency which probably means she can't find her favorite shoes or something." She sighed and her golden curls drooped around her disappointed little face.
"What about Jake?" Fang asked and I vaguely wondered if they even knew I was still in the room and had no idea what they were talking about. Apparently they didn't think it important to explain anything to me so I just continued to listen.
"I don't know where the heck he is. Nobody's seen him." By the way she said that I got this feeling that nobody really wanted to see him. Guess Jake wasn't their favorite friend but I didn't say anything. Don't judge people too early and all that.
Fang didn't really respond to this and Angel left to go tell the girls.
***L***I***N***E*** ***B***R***E****A***K***
The girls still wanted to see the movie, so they left for the theatre at around six thirty. Fang was up in his room doing… well, Fang-stuff, I guess, while I was sitting on the little porch in the back yard drinking hot chocolate from a mug that said "Chocoholics are so Sweet" in some pink and red swirling letters with a smiling peace of chocolate. It was probably Ella's and it was definitely not my first choice but it was bigger than the other mugs in the cabinet so I took it anyway.
Along with my oversized mugs of hot chocolate I was enjoying a plate of my mom's delicious home made choc chip cookies.
I sat there in the semi-darkness looking out over the neighboring farms on one side and fields on the other but my mind was somewhere far away. An estimated guess would put it about 1000 feet above the ground somewhere near the border of Arizona. I couldn't get myself to stop thinking – more like obsessing – over Iggy and Gazzy flying alone across the country. Iggy, flying blindly and vulnerably through the dark sky with only Gazzy's eyesight and direction to rely on. And Gazzy wasn't really known for his great attention span… I sighed, again. I wondered what they looked like after three years, trying to get my mind off the topic of their safety for a while.
Gazzy should be around eleven years old by now and since Iggy was the same age as me and Fang, he would also be seventeen(ish). We weren't one hundred percent sure how old we were. Those thoughtful evil labcoats kindly forgot to tell us that little detail. I absentmindedly looked up at Fang's bedroom window. The light was on inside so I could see his dark form moving around through the half-drawn curtain. At least he was safe, I thought to myself, trying to cheer up. It didn't work.
I was pretty sure that we were all (relatively) safe here at my mom's house but the fact was that we could never be certain about it. There was always some kind of cooky millionaire who wanted us dead or to work for him and frankly I was getting sick of it. I was just tired of being a damn target all the time. Even if the bad guys only came after me they were still putting the rest of my flock, my family, in danger and that was something I wouldn't tolerate anymore.
My mental inspirational speech brought me to the decision that if the boys weren't back by tomorrow; I was going out to look for them. Hopefully the others would come with me but I didn't think I would've forced them if they said no…okay maybe I would but I guessed we'd see tomorrow.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and immediately tensed up; ready to remove it from me as well as the arm it was attached to. Just before I could do that, though, I recognized Fang's woodsy scent and when I lifted my eyes to his window I could see he had left his room. I relaxed and let out a long breath to steady myself but I didn't look up at him. Instead I spoke to the back yard.
"I wish you would stop doing that."
"Do what?" he asked innocently but he had moved around me and I could see his smug little grin in the almost complete darkness. Man, how I wanted to slap that grin right off his usually emotionless face. Fang had been acting much more…well, un-emotionless these past few days. At first I'd thought he had really changed since we split up but – and this could just be my normal paranoia talking – it kind of seemed like Angel and Ella noticed it too.
Like when Fang gave one of his uncharacteristic chuckles and they pause to stare at him for a few second, then exchange a glance before returning to they're usual girly schedule. Fang waved his hand in front of my face. Annoying!
"Max, you're thinking so hard I could here your brain work from my room. What's up?"
I just looked at him, still trying to figure out if I was just imagining this change in him or if had been there all along and I only noticed it now.
"Are you still worried about the boys?" he probed, trying to get me to talk.
I let out a startled laugh as I realized how ironic this whole thing was. I was mute while Fang was trying to get a conversation out of me. Since he had no idea what I was laughing about he stared at me like id lost my mind. I sighed as I turned more serious again.
"You've changed, Fang." I said, simply and this seemed to confuse him even further. That only proved my point, since when did Fang show what he was feeling on his face? That beautiful face used to be void of any and all sign of emotion, designed to keep him objective. Hold up, did I just say beautiful? Where did that come from? You know the answer to that, Max. I froze instantly, that was not my own mind talking, but it didn't sound like my old voice either. This sounded like me.
Fang snapped my out of my mind again.
"How so?" he asked forcing me to postpone my panicked mental debate until later.
"You, know…" I said lamely, "I don't know how to describe it." I added as he looked pointedly at me.
"You're just different." I shrugged.
"Explain, please." He ordered.
Usually I responded poorly to any kind of order but this was Fang and for the first time in my life I decided to let it go.
"Well, uh, you seem a lot…happier these days." I felt like a complete idiot for saying it but as soon as I did a scary thought entered my mind. What if Fang was happy because he was finally living a safe, stable life? That would mean that he might not join me again, when the time came for me to gather the flock and leave again. This lead to an even scarier thought; what if none of the other were willing to go with me? But I didn't have time to think about that now.
"I am happier." Fang said, smiling a little for emphasis.
"Oh." I said. I probably sounded surprised but my mind was sluggish. He was allowed to be happy right? I asked myself. So why did it bother me so much? Because, when he said those words he confirmed everything I'd been thinking just a moment ago and it sent ice cold spikes down my throat.
I had a million questions but I had to wait until I was alone to try and figure out some answers.
"What's wrong now?" Fang asked, sounding tired.
"What do you mean? Why does something have to be wrong?"
"It doesn't but I can see something's bothering you."
He looked at me expectantly but I didn't say anything. It wasn't a question so I wasn't obliged to give an answer. That's me, Maximum Ride, stubborn as ever.
Fang let out a frustrated groan that scared me a tiny bit.
"Max, why do you have to make it so hard?"
"Make what so hard? I didn't do anything." My voice shook a little and I had no idea why. I was very surprised at his little outburst but that wasn't my biggest problem at the moment.
I looked back at Fang. He seemed almost angry but I had no idea why. I mean I was fairly sure he was angry at me but I wasn't sure about the reason yet. He stared at me for a few minutes but he didn't say anything and I didn't try to start a conversation.
"Max, please don't shut me out like this." He said suddenly. "I want to help you."
My opened but I couldn't find my voice before he spoke again.
"I know you're used to coping on your own but I can try to make it easier if you'd just tell me what's wrong." I was stunned and could just stare as he went on.
"Please, Max. You're killing me with all this silence. Just let me in."
"I'm sorry, Fang." I said quietly. "I don't know how to do that anymore."
His face softened and he came to sit next to me, putting his arms around me. I lowered my head onto his shoulder and hugged him back. We sat there for another few minutes before I spoke up again.
"I want to go look for the boys if they don't show up by tomorrow at noon."
"Okay." He said simply. "Is that what you're worried about? The boys?"
"Partly, but I don't think the girls would want to come with me."
I didn't look at his face, choosing to speak into his neck instead. I was too afraid to look into his eyes.
"I'm sure they won't argue if you tell them to come."
"I guess not, but I don't want to make this into a big thing. It's probably just me being paranoid anyway." I said, loving the feel of his arms around me, his steady breathing next to me and most of all, the safety I felt with him.
"Well, I would be happy to come with you if you want." He said.
My chest felt like it was going to burst with relief as I realized that Fang would indeed be with me through everything.
"Thank you." I said fervently, hugging him tighter for a second. "But I think you should just stay with the girls if they don't want to come. I don't want to leave them alone."
"You think someone's watching the house?"
"No, but you can never be too sure." I said, sitting up again. He loosened his grip on me so I could move but he didn't let go and I leaned into him a little.
"Okay," he said again.
After a while we got up and moved into the house. We sat on the couch in front of the television, watching some funny show about two brothers trying to take care of one of the guys' son. Then the girls came home from their movie and spent the next fifteen minutes relaying the entire thing to me and Fang.
It sounded interesting enough. Some little guy who's always wanted to be in the army and agrees to be some kind of test subject for this serum that enhances everything in is body and becomes a super soldier. I made me think of our own lives and the way everyone wanted to experiment on us and how we ourselves were the results of some twisted experiment.
The difference was that in this movie the scientist was the good guy, which made it very unrealistic to me. Regular people, who don't have to constantly run from crazy labcoats, probably didn't share out view though.
They finished right when my mom came home with enough Chinese food for twelve people (or four bird-kids). We all gathered around the table and enjoyed being together and safe for the moment.
Fang shot me a few looks fro time to time but I had decided to wait until tomorrow to ask the girls if they wanted to look for the guys with me.
Tonight I just wanted to be happy and you know what? It wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be.
A/N: Hey, sorry guys. I had too much to say in this chapter so the boys will be returning in the next one. Thank you to everyone who reviewed and please don't think that means you shouldn't do it again. I really, really, really want you to.
As always, feel free to criticize or give your ideas. It make writing the story much easier.
Then I was also thinking about answering reviews in chapters, but I know it annoys some people so tell me what you think about that too please.
Kay, so thanks again and I hope you all have wonderful weekends. I might be able to get the next chapter up on Tuesday? We'll see.
Remember to REVIEW. I want more this time.
Lots of smiles!
Janxi
