Catch and Release

Chapter 10

"Owl?"

"Shhh. Owl's sleeping."

"Owl!"

Suddenly, Fang felt a small weight scale his body before settling on his chest. Not yet wanting to get up, but also not wishing for Max to take that weight away, he wrapped his open wings around Carter, making her giggle.

"Owl. Robbie. Lockheed." She had both stuffed animals lying on his chest with her and wiggled around until they too were settled comfortably. Well, as comfortable as two inanimate objects can get, considering their eyes are plastic and their insides are stuffing. "Owl."

Fang heard Max let out a long sigh and could feel her presence as she stood over him, probably checking to see if he would arise. When he didn't, he heard her turn and walk away, the bathroom door closing behind her and the noises of the shower following soon after.

"Owl?"

"Shhh." Fang stroked the back of Carter's head, slackening his wings slightly, allowing her more freedom. "I've got you."

"Hi." She moved up from his chest so that they were face to face. "Owl."

Opening his eyes, he had to fight a smile when all he could see were hers. "Carter."

"S'eep? S'eep?"

"Yeah, I slept over. Just for the night." He couldn't pull away when she rubbed her head against his, but he wanted to. "What are you doing?"

"Owl. Dog."

"I'm not a dog, Carter."

"Woof. Hoo. Moo." She kissed his nose, giggling. "Hoo."

"Hoo," Fang mumbled, his eyes slipping shut again. "Hoo."

"Ow." She traced a few of his scars before reaching down, grabbing his hoodie sleeve. "Owl?"

"I have to wear it."

She rubbed her head into his arm. "Ows?"

"A lot."

Then she moved down the sleeve, but didn't push it up. "No."

"No," Fang repeated.

"No, Owl." She kissed his hand.

"What is up with you today, Carter? Huh?" He sat up, letting her fall in his lap.

"Owl." She patted his stomach before turning, pushing on his wings until he retracted them fully. Then, giggling, she jumped from his chest, leaving her toys behind. "Owl."

"What do you want now? I was sleeping, you know, Carter."

"Tummy." She patted her stomach before continuing on, leaving her stuffed animals behind. "Owl."

"You want me to make you something to eat?" Fang jumped up. "Then I guess I'll have to make us all something, huh?"

"Owl."

"We have the stuff for pancakes, it looks like," Fang reported after a search of the cabinets and fridge. "You like those, Carter? Huh?"

"Yes! Yes, Owl!" She hugged his leg. "Owl?"

"What?"

"Up?"

Lifting her into his arms, Fang turned and quickly sat her back down on the counter, making her promise not to fall down.

"What are you guys doing?" Max asked ten minutes later when she joined them. "Making breakfast?"

"Yes," Carter agreed, giggling when her mother came to stand in front of her and kissed her head. "Mommy!"

"What?" Max smiled at her before looking at Fang. "You should flip that."

"I know how to make pancakes."

"Hmmm." She patted her daughter's head before saying, "I have to go to work."

"You haven't eaten."

"I did, before I got you and Carter up. I ate some cereal." Max sighed a little bit. "Are you two going to stay here for the day?"

"Don't know."

"Well, just lock up if you leave, alright?" Then, shocking him, she came closer, resting her hands on his forearm, and leaned up, planting a soft kiss on his cheek. "I'll see you later, alright?"

Nodding was all Fang was able to do, as he was trying to keep down a blush. Carter, not one to be left out, began to whine.

"Me. Mommy, me."

"You want a kiss too?" Max turned to do as her daughter pleased before bidding them both goodbye and heading to her room to finish getting ready. Then, five minutes later, Max was gone.

"Owl?"

"What?"

"Tummy."

"You're food's almost done," he told her, shaking his head. Give it another five minutes and he and Carter were sitting on the floor of the living room, eating syrup covered pancakes, hers precut.

"Owl?" Carter was eating with her hands like usual and was getting very sticky. She seemed to like it though, so Fang left her alone.

"Yeah?" He glanced up, but kept cutting into his pancake. Dr. Martinez said he had to eat breakfast; it was one of her rules. Apparently, it helped you through the day. She should know, though, that Fang had gone many days without even water to start him off. Food wasn't a necessity, not a constant one at least, merely an occasional desire.

Licking her fingers, she said, "Good."

He smiled, reaching over to poke her in the tummy. "I know."

After breakfast and a quick wash down, Fang got Carter dressed. Then they headed out, at Carter's request, for the park.

"You have to either be in my arms or holding my hand, okay?" Fang told her as they walked out of the apartment building.

"Yes- Dog!" Carter tried to take off when she saw a woman walk by with her puppy, but Fang caught her by the back of her collar.

"That's exactly what I'm talking about," he said, picking her up. "You pull that again and we'll be heading right back home. Understood?"

"Yes, Owl," she whined, wiggling.

"Will you hold my hand?"

"Yes!"

"Alright then." Fang sat her down, readily opening his hand to hers. "This isn't like at home. I don't want you to get hurt, Carter."

"Hoo. Hoo, Owl. Hoo."

The further they went into town, the more apprehensive Fang became. He couldn't control what happened out in the open. The government claimed to have destroyed all Schools, but Fang would be more likely to trust Jeb before he trusted the government.

"Ow! Ow, Owl!"

Fang slackened his grip on her hand, having been unintentionally tightening it. He was just worried about her and her safety.

"Sorry. I'm sorry, Carter."

She sniffled. "Kiss?"

"What?"

She wiggled until he lifted her up. Then she held her hand up to his lips. "Kiss?"

"And make it better?"

She nodded as he stopped at an intersection, waiting for traffic to clear.

"I'm not Mommy."

"Owl? Kiss, Owl?"

"No." He bounced her. "I don't do that."

She frowned at him for a moment before giggling. "Mommy kiss Owl."

"Don't talk about that."

Leaning towards him, she kissed his cheek. "Mommy."

"Stop that." Fang put her down again, grasping her hand the second his hands were off her.

Carter just giggled. Owl was so funny. She liked him.

When they finally got to the park, it was still so early that very few people were there. Even so, Fang was very vigilant of his (possibly) girlfriend's daughter. After all, even if she turned out not to also be his, she was still his responsibility. Not to mention, if he was going to be honest with himself, she was kind of, well…cute and funny. No need to ever see harm come to her.

Ever. He'd lay down his life for her. Gladly.

"Here you go, Carter," he mumbled as he sat her down in a sandbox. "You stay where I can see you, alright? If you want to move, tell me. Okay?"

Carter nodded before beginning to dig with her hands. Fang patted her on the head before heading over to the bench closest to her and sat down, watching.

"Owl." Carter came back to him after about thirty minutes. "Owl."

"What? What's wrong?" He had been keeping surveillance so carefully. What had happened?

"Home." She climbed into his lap. "No p'ay."

"You're done? Already?"

Nodding, she wrapped her sandy hands around his neck. "Owl."

Fang sighed, standing. "Alright. We can go. Where do you want to go?"

"Nest."

"You wanna go to my place? Yeah, sure." He shifted her to one arm. "If you want."

"Yes. Yes. Owl nest. Yes, Owl." She sighed. "S'eepy."

"How? You've hardly just woken up." Bouncing her, he did a quick look around for any enemies, but it was mostly worthless. How would he know what enemies look like? "You're kind of heavy, Carter. Yo know that?"

"No." She pushed his face. "Owl weak."

"Oh, yeah, that's totally it." Although, if he was going to be honest with himself, he wasn't nearly as strong as he one was, though that was understandable, considering. "It's okay though, huh? You like me just as much weak, right?"

"Yes, Owl." She patted his face. "Owl."

When they got to his place, Carter began to whine about having to go to the bathroom, which he quickly took her to. Again, glad she was over the diaper stuff. The only problem though, was that in her diaper bag, she had her toys, sippy cup, and snacks. Here at Fang's place, she had nothing expect for the few stuffed animals she had brought over two days ago.

"Owl no car'oons?"

"I don't have a TV, Carter. I have a microwave though, and some hot chocolate mix. Do you want some, Carter? Huh?"

"No." She rushed over to his sleeping bag. "S'eep."

"Are you sure?" Fang was always down or a good nap, but he had to do a check first. "Here, lay down."

He wrapped her into the sleeping bag with the stuffed animals that had been left over and made sure she was comfortable before going room to room, checking for any enemies.

"Owl?" Carter called for him.

"What?" He was in what would one day, hopefully, be her room, looking around for anything suspicious. "Are you okay?"

"Brrr. Brrr."

Sighing, Fang rushed his inspection before returning to her.

"I have no blankets, Carter," he mumbled as he laid down next to the sleeping bag. "Here, though."

Opening his wings, Fang laid one across her, which seemed to be their customary sign of camaraderie. She kissed it and told it hi before finally falling asleep. Fang found sleep harder than she, however, and laid around for awhile before he too drifted off.

"Owl? Owl?"

He felt a poke in his side.

"Owl? Owl?"

Groaning, he opened his eyes to find her staring at him.

"What?"

"Vroom. Vroom." She reached down and patted his pocket. "Vroom."

"My phone?" He pulled it out, realizing it had probably vibrated, alarming the girl. "It's a cell phone. It's set on vibrate, Carter."

Checking his messages, he saw that Nudge had texted, wanting to know where he was at, that Dr. Martinez had called him multiple times, looking for him and Carter. He texted back that they were napping at his place before pocking his phone once more.

"Owl?"

Fang stretched slightly, reigning in his wings. "I've gotta eat something. You want some fruit with me?"

"Yuck."

"That's what I thought." Fang stood slowly before heading over to his kitchen area to grab an apple off the counter. He had just rinsed it off when his cell rang.

"Hello?" He answered, glancing around for Carter to find that she was back in the sleeping bag. When she saw his eyes, she smiled, waving. Fang almost laughed, but cleared his throat as the other person said his name.

"Nudge said you're at home," Valencia said.

"Yes, I am." He walked closer to Carter, staring down at her.

"I wanted to know if we were going to go look at any furniture today?"

"No. Not unless you wanted to."

"I'm doing this all for you, Fang."

"Then no."

"Owl," Carter whined, not liking him ignoring her. "Owl."

"You have Carter, right?" Valencia asked him.

"I do. She's right here." Currently, Carter was attempting to regain Fang's attention by rolling on the ground. She thought that she was being entertaining, but really, Fang just didn't want her to run into any walls.

"Has she been behaving?"

"Oh, yes. Impeccably."

"Fang."

"She hasn't thrown a fit today."

"That's definitely something to be happy about, yes." Dr. Martinez sighed. "Well, if you're sure that the two of you are fine, I guess I better go. I'll talk to you later, Fang."

"Goodbye." After he hung up and returned his phone to his pocket, Fang called out for Carter to come back to him. Quickly, she jumped up and rushed over, nearly running into his leg.

"Now what do you want to do?" Fang asked her. "You wanna go somewhere else?"

"Nope," she said, patting his kneecaps. "Nope."

"Then what do you want to do?"

"P'ay." She moved back over to the sleeping bag, where a small portion of her stuffed animals still sat, tucked into the fabric still. "Owl?"

Sighing, he sat down with her, taking a bite of his apple while he was at it. "We can do that, if you want."

Carter came closer, inspecting his fruit. "Owl?"

"You want a bite?" He held it out to her. "Here."

He had some reserves about sharing food with Carter, but if she was his daughter, who cared? And if not, he shared with Max all the time. It was the same as Max's spit, huh? Fang just hoped that she didn't inherit Max's spite.

"Teef hurt," Carter said after biting down and pulling some out. "Owl."

"Poor Carter."

"Poor me." She forced her way into his lap, whining slightly. "Owl."

"Poor baby Carter," Fang opened his wings, which always excited her. "Poor, poor baby Carter."

She cuddled into his hoodie. "Owl?"

"What?"

Reaching out, she stroked one of his wings. "Owl."

"Yeah." He took another bite of his apple. "If you were really a baby bird, I'd spit my food in your mouth after I chewed it up. For some reason though, I don't think that Max and your granny would like that."

Carter giggled at the sound of his voice, leaning into Fang even more. "Owl. Hoo."

"Hoo," Fang whispered to her, making her laugh even more. He liked that, making her laugh. "Hoo."

"Owl." Now content in the fact that she'd managed to amuse him, she jumped from his lap and went back over to her stuffed animals. "P'ay, Owl."

"Yeah, we can play now," he said, scooting closer to where her toys were. Holding out his hand, Fang waited for her to put whatever stuffed animals she wasn't using currently in it.

Carter stared at his hand for a second before looking back up at him. "Mommy?"

"What about her?"

She handed him a stuffed lion. "Mommy."

Fang recognized the toy as one of the ones Max pretended to be when the two of them played. "You want me to…I don't play, Carter, I hold. You know that."

"Owl." She nuzzled the stuffed animal into his palm. "Owl. Hoo?"

"Hoo, but-"

"Owl." She left the lion there. Then, picking up a stuffed wolf, she said, "Hi."

"Carter-"

"Hi."

"I don't-"

"Hi!"

Taking a deep breath, he said, "Hi."

She rubbed the wolf's muzzle into the lion's mane. "Mommy."

"Hmmm?"

"Mommy." Carter then reaching up and rustled the wolf into Fang's chest.

"Mommy's the wolf too?" Fang wasn't sure he could handle being two things at once. That would mean he'd have to have two different voices, so that they could differentiate between the two stuffed animals. No way was he using another voice for anything.

"No. Mommy."

"Oh. The wolf is the lion's mommy, huh?" Fang stared at her. "Is that it, Carter?"

"Yes." She pulled back, looking into his eyes. "Owl."

"Carter, a wolf can't mother a lion. Silly."

"Owl."

"They just can't." He stared at her for a moment before sighing, shaking his head slightly. "You know what? Fine. Just for you, a lion can by the wolf's baby, huh? I'll make an exception for you."

Carter just smiled at him, having no idea what he was talking about, but liking his tone. Owl was so nice. Why didn't everyone else realize that?

It wasn't really Fang's fault. At all. Nor Max's. That didn't stop her from blaming him though.

"What are you doing here?"

There Fang was, sitting on the kitchen counter with Carter, eating pudding, when Max walked in. He hadn't even had a chance to call out to her before she pulled her shirt over her head.

"Me?" Fang frowned as Max hurriedly pulled her shirt back on.

"Yes, you! Mom said you were at your place."

"We were. Then we came back here. You have pudding." Fang held up his pudding cup, still frowning. "What were you doing?"

"I was getting undressed."

"We could see that," Fang said as Carter reached over, sticking her hand in his pudding cup. "Stop that."

She just gashed her teeth at him before going back to eating her own snack.

"I had to hurry. I still have to. I have to change into my other clothes."

"Other clothes?"

"My other work clothes," she called over her shoulder as she rushed into her bedroom. "And don't sit on my counter, Fang."

"You sat on my pillow," he mumbled, going back to eating, knowing that she couldn't hear him.

"I have to go," Max said when she came back out, dressed in something else, probably her waitress uniform. "Can you keep her late tonight?"

"I don't…I don't live here, Max."

"Then take her back home, to your house, or take her to Mom. I won't be off until midnight."

"You work too much."

"Yeah? Then start paying my bills."

Fang looked down at his container. He was out of pudding. Carter, once again, reaching over and ran her finger around the little, plastic cup, getting out any left over chocolate.

Max sighed, glancing over at them. "I'm sorry, Fang, I just…I'm tired today, okay? If you don't want her tonight, take her to Mom or Nudge. I'll see you guys later."

"Bye-bye, Mommy," Carter called.

"Bye, baby. I love you. Be good for Fang, okay?"

"Rawr!" She just jumped off the counter, landing on her feet in such a catlike manor that Fang was too impressed to be angry.

"Don't jump off things," he said weakly as Max departed. "You hear me?"

"Owl."

"You know I don't like you to do that. Though, I suppose, I shouldn't have put you up so high without expecting you to do just that, huh?"

"Owl." She marched off, dropping her pudding cup in the trash on the way. She was so smart. Shaking his head, Fang went to track her down before making her wash up. How she was able to get so dirty so fast was beyond him. He never knew anyone that dirty, ever.

He had just finished that when Angel decided to give him a call again. After how much damage she did last time, Fang was hesitant to answer, but then he remembered all those nights in the School that all Fang could think about was his family, the lost ones. Now they were all reunited. Why can't they all just be together? Huh? It's not fair.

"Hello?" He was now in Carter's room, watching over her as she picked out a book for him to read to her.

"Fang!"

Again, with the loudness and stuff. Sigh. She was worse than Carter.

"Hey," he mumbled, her cheeriness throwing him of. They were supposed to be fighting, be angry with each other. Why was she acting like the other day hadn't happened?

"How are you?" Angel asked.

"Fine."

"What are you doing right now?"

At that exact moment? Sitting cross-legged on Carter's bedroom floor, holding her and a picture book in his lap.

"Owl," Carter complained, angry that he was on his phone again. What was up with him and this phone, huh? Didn't he realize that it was ruining their fun?

"I'm about to read to Carter," Fang told Angel, pushing Carter's hand away gently when she grabbed at the phone.

"Ooh. You're with Carter again."

"Max works. A lot. I work nights, so I have my days free to watch her."

"Owl," Carter cried, cuddling against him. When that didn't work, she patted the book in front of her with both hands. "Owl!"

"Is that her? What's she saying?" Angel asked.

"Nothing. She's just whining." Fang opened his wings to distract her and it worked. For the moment anyways. "Angel, I'm kind of busy-"

"Fang, you're always busy when I call you." Apparently, it was her turn to whine. "I've only been able to see you once and you never call. I miss you, Fang."

Sighing, he shook his head. Carter reached out and began to stroke his wings gently, not wanting to get corrected for pulling on them.

"Angel, you're the one that lives so far away. Why did you move? When did you move? No one wants to tell me about what went on while I was gone except for Nudge and all she'll tell me is that Ella's a whore."

"Isn't that the kettle calling the pot black?" Angel muttered.

"Rawr!" Carter giggled, glancing up at him.

Grimacing, Fang tried to decide if she was attempting to say whore or really did want to roar.

"Why did you leave?" Fang repeated.

"I left long before you and Max showed up. A person needs grow and they can't grow around regressive and oppressive people like Valen- I'm sorry, Dr. Martinez."

Fang frowned. "I meant what I said about respecting her, Angel."

"She'll get to you too, Fang. Just wait for it."

"She's my savior."

"Jeb was our savior too. Look where that got everybody." He heard her take a drag of something. "You can't hold someone to such high esteem without expecting the to fall. We all fall, Fang. One by one by one. Just wait."

"What are you smoking, Angel?"

"Fang, Fang, Fang. You never lose that loving tone, do you?" She laughed at herself, as if something were funny. "How's that book coming along, huh?"

Looking down, Fang realized for the first time that the book Carter had brought him was the same one that he had read her the night before. He figured he was a favorite of hers or something.

"You know, Angel, I used to like you. I used to miss you too. Recently, though, every single time I talk to you, you screw it all up." He snorted. "Why did you tell Max that I was with Ella?"

"Because, Fang, you yelled at me."

"You nearly screwed up everything that Max and I had going."

"Oh, go slit your wrists again, Fang. All you do is whine."

He wanted to hang up on her again, but first he wanted to get some things off his chest.

"You've always been a little, spoiled brat, Angel. Even growing up the way we did you were a brat. We'd go without being fed for days, but when we finally got food and you ate yours too fast, you would whine until Max handed hers over. When we were living in that house, with Jeb? And someone got something you didn't? You would yell and scream and throw a fit until Max made us give you whatever it was. She treated you like you were better than us. And maybe you were, Angel, or at least maybe you were designed to be, but none of that matters now. You get that right? You can live in as many expensive places as you want, you can have as many friends as you like, and you can do whatever you please, but you're not better than me. You're no freer than me. You just hide it better."

"Fuck you, Fang."

"You wish, right? You have Daddy issues, you have brother issues, you have mother issues. It's not me that needs to slip my writs, oh no, it's you. It's definitely you."

Angel hung up that time, not saying another word. Fang didn't count that as one of his outbursts, if only because Angel was probably too high to recall it. Or drunk. Whatever the heck she was on, he didn't care. All he knew was that he needed his medicine. Fast. Alas, he was stuck babysitting. What else was new?

"Owl." Carter finished with his wings and turned in his lap, patting her book once more. "Owl."

Taking a deep breath, Fang hugged Carter to him, liking how she felt in his arms. She was so tiny… Angel had been this tiny once. As had Gazzy. And Nudge. Iggy, Ella, Sebastian. Even Max. When they were small, who knew their future? Some thought they knew. Especially Max's. But none of them did, really. Even Fang, sitting here, all grown up, with a kid that very well could be his, sitting in his lap, had no idea what would happen tomorrow. Eventually, it just doesn't matter anymore.

So, slowly and unsurely, Fang opened the book and began to read to Carter. Even though she had no doubt heard the story before, thousands of times, she sat there, leaning heavily back against him, not caring either about the future. She had never imagined that she would end up with Owl as a protector and that had to be the best thing ever, so clearly the future would take care of itself. Why worry about it?

"Are you making a habit of sleeping on my couch?"

"Only if you promise to come in with your shirt off once a day. At least."

"Ha ha. Angel called me."

"Angel's mean."

"Fang."

"She is."

He stroked Carter's head. He had meant to send her off to her bedroom before Max got home, but they had both fallen asleep. Now, lying on Max's couch and without his nightly medicine, Fang was feeling pretty…playful. He wanted to talk to someone, joke with them. No, not someone. Max. Always Max. Forever Max. He'd tried before, with others. Not even Max's clone, a mimic of her flesh, brought him the same enjoyment. Not in a mental way and not even close in the physical way.

"She sleeps there, on you now? Is there a new bond? That was my spot forever. You should know by now, Fang, I'm rather selfish."

He tightened his wings around himself and Carter. "I offered, last night."

"Oh, you're witty now, are you?" Max walked further into the apartment. "She have a bath?"

"I figured it'd be indecent, me bathing her. I'm a guy, you know."

"I trust you, Fang. God."

"She can have one in the morning. She doesn't stink anyways."

"So I take it that you haven't showered either."

Fang just sighed. "I have work in two hours."

"Then let me see her." Suddenly, Max was back next to him, holding out her arms. Frowning, Fang did as asked of him, giving Max Lockheed and Robbie also.

"Angel was the one who was wrong, Max, not me."

"Shhh. The baby's sleeping." With that, Max walked away and Fang relaxed his wings. That was what left him open, vulnerable, to a Max attack.

"Oof."

"I've got you."

She had taken a running jump and landed on his chest.

"Max." Fang sat up, not ready for this kind of intimacy. Did she not realize how much strength it took to kiss her the night before? Did she? Sure, he was in a joking mood, but this was too far. Way too far.

"I told you, Fang, I'm possessive."

"You said selfish."

"I'm also forgetful."

He just shook his head at her. "Get up."

"No. What? Were you not the one trying to fuck my brains out last night?"

"That's not what I-"

"Fang," she whined, pushed herself up with her arms supported on his chest. "Do you not love me anymore?"

"What's wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with you?" She asked back. "I'm trying to be seductive over here, Fang."

"You could take a few lessons," he mumbled, lying back down. "Besides, I leave soon."

"In two hours, was it? You have pretty high hopes for how long you will last. Or you too have a bad memory. Perhaps it is that, hmmm? I remember well. Every time. Every single one."

"Well, I would hope so," Fang mumbled. "I would hope that you remembered every time we were joined and will be joined."

"You speak like an old man sometimes, you know that?" Max leaned heavily into his chest. "Since we both know that nothing's happening tonight other than this, when you leave, lock up. And try not to wake me, okay? I'll just sleep out here."

Fang tentatively wrapped an arm around Max, as unsure of his movements now as he was with his ability to read. Max didn't seem to mind. She just cuddled into him, sighing slightly. And when they both closed their eyes, they could pretend that this was years ago, right after the world was saved, when all there was in their world was the Flock, Max's family, and each other. Now, with everything so screwed up, if either opened their eyes, they'd know it wasn't true. As dumb as it may sound, saving the world was a lot simpler than rebuilding a life that should have been destroyed long ago.

"If I could stay all night-"

"Don't get all mushy with me, Fang. You'll be back." She glanced up at him. "No more fighting with Angel. I don't like it."

"It's not my choice. She-"

"Just don't, huh? I held off on Iggy while he was here, you should return the favor."

Fang just pulled his wings tightly around them, burying his nose in the top of her head. He wanted to tell her something, like how much he loved her or how much he needed her. Something deep and meaningful like that. Instead, he just laid there, holding her until it was time for him to go. And when he left, he did so swiftly and quietly, not wanting to wake either of the girls. He left Max sleep there, having to be careful when he pulled out from under her, but he managed.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Max," he whispered to her, before departing, knowing she'd look after Carter until he returned.