AN: I still don't own Maximum Ride... If someone gets an Idea of how to TELL ME!

Chapter 10: Here Without You

Fang POV

'How do I get myself into these situations?' I thought.

Confusing? Well, here's what happened. I was walking the four drinks over to Sharon's table. I was going to have Mike do it, but he just gave me the tray back, shot said table in question two thumbs up, and took over my bar. My bar.

'Wrongo kid,' Bones "said" to me, 'it's my bar.'

...Okay, so it's Bones' bar. I'm still the only one who is most qualified to run it next to Bones. Then Zack after me. Then Faith after Zack. Then the squirrel outside in the parking lot after Faith. Then it's Mike. The guy is so under qualified, he could trip just by army crawling. It's sad really.

'I'll tell Zack to take over,' Bones said, 'You go put up the pretty-boy-single-father-act.'

'Eat me,' I thought while pulling my mask up. I really wasn't in the mood for Bones' sarcasm. Even though somehow he just made me feel better not fifteen minutes ago.

"Hi Nick!" The girl with a blue stripe in her blonde hair said, a little too enthusiastically.

"Hey," I said while putting the tray down, "Here're your drinks. Enjoy."

I made to move away when Stripe pulled me down next to her.

"No, please," Stripe said, "Stay."

"Get to know us," The black haired girl across from her said.

"Yeah, Yeah! You already know Share and Z," Stripe said gesturing to the blonde and brunette in question. Both waved to me.

"O-Kay," I said a little unsure. Then something started caressing my arm.

"So, uhh, two questions," I started, Stripe nodded her head.

"One: Who are you?" I asked.

"Brianna Gales, Mike's little sister. Call me Bree." Oh. I guess that explains the over-enthusiasm. Still...

"Right. Two: Why are you still holding my arm?" I asked her again.

"Whoops!" Bree exclaimed letting go of my arm. Now she was blushing and looking at her drink.

"It's alright, just wondering." I said. I looked over to the black haired girl, "So who are you?"

"Name's Celia Greco," Celia said. Hmm, an Italian. Cool.

"Nick," Sharon said hesitantly, "why don't you tell us about yourself?"

"Okay," I smirked, knowing exactly what I was going to say.

"I'm a Libra, my favorite color is pink, I love long romantic walks on the beach, I can fly, I have great fashion sense, and I play a mean harmonica."

All the girls at the table were laughing, hard. Must've been the comment about my harmonica playing. Why doesn't anyone believe that?

'I believe it, Fang' Bones said.

Wow. The mind reader believes it. Shocker! ...not.

"No seriously," Zoë giggled, "What do you like to do?"

'Fly, be with Flock, make Max smile, keep Faith happy, and write music.' I thought. Not Emo poetry, (ughh, *shudder*), I write rock or alternative songs. I can also play right or left handed guitar. I learned while watching street performers in the park during my watch. I practiced what I saw on Ella's guitar. She, Angel, and Bones are the only ones who know I can write music and play guitar.

"Keep Faith happy and play guitar," I said, without thinking.

'Bones,' I thought angrily.

'You are officially off for the rest of the night,' he thought back.

A chorus of "really?" echoed around me, in rsponse to my forced stement. I bowed my head and nodded.

And so that's how I ended up in front of the whole Bar & Grill, guitar in my hand, racking my brain for a song I wrote. I was about to start when...

"Wait! Wait!" Faith shouted. She was coming down the stairs, still in her P.J.s. Again the whole bar let out a chorus of 'aww's. Bones must've told her I was going to sing.

'Well there goes any Disturbed song,' I thought. Then I thought of the perfect song.

"Hi everyone this next song is called "Here Without You". It's by Three Doors down." I took a breath and started, (AN: The song is the acoustic version. Singing will be this)

A hundred days have made me older
Since the last time that I saw your pretty face
A thousand lies have made me colder
And I don't think I can look at this the same
But all the miles that separate
Disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face


'This song reminds me so much of Max' I thought.

I'm here without you baby
But you're still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby
And I dream about you all the time

'It also makes me think of the Flock.'


I'm here without you baby
But you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight it's only you and me, yeah

'Now it's just Faith and I'


The miles just keep rollin'
As the people leave their way to say hello
I've heard this life is overrated
But I hope that it gets better as we go, oh yeah yeah

'I do hope Faith gets to meet Max soon.'


I'm here without you baby
But you're still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby
And I dream about you all the time


I'm here without you baby
But you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl it's only you and me

Everything I know and anywhere I go
It gets hard but it won't take away my love
And when the last one falls, when it's all said and done
It gets hard but it won't take away my love, whoa

I'm here without you baby
But you're still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby
And I dream about you all the time

I'm here without you baby
But you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl it's only you and me, yeah oh yeah oh

Everyone in the Bar cheered as I got off the stage placing the guitar back. Bones and Mike were whistling. Zack was holding my, most likely, number one fan.

"Daddy, that was really pretty," Faith said, yawning. Not what I was going for, but, hell, I'll take it. I took her from Zack.

"Thank you, Baby Girl," I said, then I kissed her forehead. She nestled closer to my chest. Zack placed a hand on my back.

"Dude, that was awesome!" He exclaimed smiling.

"My band's been looking for a new lead, you in? You know what? Tell me tomorrow." He said pointing to Faith. She was conked out on my shoulder. I nodded my goodnight to Bones and mike and headed upstairs.

I thought about Zack's offer. Zack's a nice guy, and Faith took a quick liking to him. Getting her trust is almost as hard as getting mine. Harder in Bones' case. Maybe I should leave her with Bones tomorrow and scout the outskirts alone, so they could bond.

'Maybe she'll learn to trust me if I teach her how to make ice cream,' Bones thought to me.

I chuckled. Ice cream is to Faith as chocolate chip cookies are to Max.

'Maybe, Bones. Maybe.'

I decide what the plan was for tomorrow. I'd take Zack up on his offer, ask him to introduce me to his band, Bones and Faith meanwhile would bond by making ice cream.

'Good luck telling Faith that, Fang,' Bones thought at me.

'Oh that'll be easy, I'll let her take her anger out on you.'

Downstairs...

Bones gulped loudly. That would be too cruel of Fang. He wouldn't do that.

.......Or would he?

AN: Right on! I nailed that song chapter. I thought it would fit perfectly with Fang's current feelings about being stuck in Rufunsville.

Zack is going to have a POV in a few chapters.

But up next is an all Faith POV chapter.

Up next; Chapter 11: Bonding part 2

Read and review please.

P.S. I'm a Bear-Doctor.

HAHAHAHAHAHA...RRRRRRRAAAAAANDOMMM!