The first new chapter of the story! (That has not been on the previous story)

Okay guys, there's been some confusion on this so here are their ages:

Nudge is 18

Iggy, Max, and Fang are 21

Angel is 13

Gazzy is 15

I Thought it Would be You – Chapter 10

Guilt

-:- Max's Pov -:-

A long time ago, I found a book. It was just there; no one claimed it. After a while, my curiosity got the best of me, and I read it.

I think that was the first time I realized that we had it lucky. All my life, I've said that we, as in the mutants of the world, had it the worst. My opinion drastically changed after I finished the last page. I remember crying. I felt horrible; it seemed that before that moment, I didn't understand pain beyond kicks and punches, or losing my flock. I guess, now that I know I'll have them forever, I took it for granted.

The story was about two boys, who would do anything for each other. The first boy, though, betrayed his best friend by not helping him when he most needed it. He ran away, even though he knew that it would haunt him for the rest of his life.

I remember that I was angry at him. How could he do such a thing, especially to a person who was like a brother to him?

He shunned his best friend, because he didn't want to relieve the memories of his betrayal. Soon, his friend left for a new country, and a new life. Later on in the story the boy discovered that his friend was shot. He died protecting the house he had once lived in.

I don't know how long I just stayed in my room that day, feeling sorry for that boy, his best friend, myself, and the Flock. I then made a decision, that I would always, no matter what the cost, be loyal to my Flock; I would do anything for them.

That was seven years ago.

I honestly can't believe that I stopped flying. I don't know how I actually stopped. It's too… Magnificent? Exhilarating? So good that I wanted to never land again? I couldn't decide. It was all too much, too surreal. God, I never wanted to go back.

I angled my feathers slightly and tilted downwards. I could see the light rays of the sun peaking out from the horizon; it was almost dawn. I frowned. No doubt the Flock (especially Fang) would be worried. I sighed in disappointment–I'd have to go back.

"Better late than never," I mumbled to myself, turning back to the direction of the house.

Ten minutes later the sun had fully risen and I was right above the house. Deciding that the window would be a less dramatic entrance, I dropped down to its level and pried it open with my fingertips. A rush of warm air hit me as I skillfully climbed through the window. I sighed when my feet hit the soft, blue carpet of my room. At the moment, I felt exhausted, and all I wanted to do was sleep.

What I didn't know was that I'd have someone waiting for me. And that someone happened to be very angry.

"Hi, Angel," I said uncertainly. "Can I help you?" She glared at me, hands on her hips in an all too familiar position. Her bright blue eyes were blazing. It was utterly obvious that she was angry, but I honestly had no clue as to why.

"Why? Why?" she cried. I cringed back; Angel didn't normally yell, and when she did, you had every right to be afraid.

"Max! What is wrong with you?" I blinked. Oh,so she wasmad at me. Her glare intensified. "Who else would I be mad at? How could you do that?" I sighed; we were getting nowhere.

"Angel, sweetie, before you yell, could you please tell me what you're angry about?" I said in a strained voice. She groaned, pacing back and forth in my room, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

Angel's long hair floated around her as she paced, her forehead creased with worry lines as she frowned. She was now thirteen, no longer a child, and more beautiful than ever. I looked at her, fully appreciating her age and maturity.

She stopped mid-step and turned her head to glance at me skeptically.

"Did you just get that? Wow, you're sharp, Max," she said sarcastically. I frowned. Her implications were right, of course. I haven't been paying much attention to anyone but myself lately. I blinked back tears as realization hit me. I had stopped tucking in the girls, playing with the kids, helping out Iggy when he couldn't find something…

I cringed at the thought. Was I that dense? Yes, I answered myself. I was a no-good egotistical, self-centered, pompous jerk.

In a daze, I walked over to my large, unmade bed, and sank down into its familiar mattress. Angel looked at me apologetically. In a few long strides she was at my side, a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Oh Max, I didn't mean that. It just slipped out. I didn't really–"

"But it's true." I said softly, cutting her off. "I've only been worried about myself lately. I could only focus on how I was in pain. I didn't even stop to think of you or the Flock." I looked up at her solemn gaze. "I've been really selfish, haven't I?" She sighed.

"Yes," she admitted shyly, "but that doesn't mean that you can't fix it."

I raised an eyebrow questioningly, "What do you mean?" She looked at me sadly. I wasn't so sure that I wanted to hear the answer.

"Do you know what you did to him?" she asked quietly.

Him? Dan? I scowled. "Yea, I beat his skinny little-" She held up a hand, silencing me.

"Not Dan, Fang. You have no idea Max, no idea what you've done." Her eyes held so much emotion. Anger, sadness, hurt, but I still didn't understand.

"You seem to be thinking that a lot lately," Angel said, with a sad smile on her face.

"Angel," I started, delicately choosing my words, "what did I do?" She looked down, not meeting my gaze.

"You hurt him. You hurt him badly. What you said to him… I heard it; he kept replaying it in his mind all night." My heart clenched at the image of Fang in pain. I knew what I said would affect him; I knew it would hurt, but it needed to be said. Even so, I hated hurting him. It violated every promise I'd ever made myself.

I looked up at her, not wanting to hear more, but for some reason unable to be left in the dark. Her eyes seemed reluctant to meet mine. Continue, please, I begged in my mind; my throat seemed to be swollen shut.

She nodded, "Fang, well… gosh how do I say this…" she stood again and resumed her pacing. What could possibly be this hard to say?

Angel whipped her head to the side, her eyes boring angrily into mine. "God Max! Don't you get it?" she started angrily and resumed her pacing. "Fang cares about you! All he's ever wanted was for you to be happy! And you yelled at him for changing, Max! You changed!" She threw her hands up and spun around to face me. "He changed for you!"

I narrowed my eyes. "I didn't ask him to change! I didn't want him to change! I loved him the way he was!"

"Exactly! You didn't ask! And he knew that you would never ask him to do anything like that! He wanted to fit in with you Max," she said tiredly, not having the will in her to yell anymore. "He's never really changed. He's still the same, it's just an act."

I looked down, pondering this for a moment. If this was all an act, if Fang didn't really change, then… oh god. I looked up at Angel in horror, praying that she'd prove me wrong.

She shook her head solemnly. "You yelled at him in the forest Max. You told him you weren't best friends anymore. You accused him of changing." Her words pierced through my heart.

"How is he?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"He stayed up past two in the morning." She paused, as if unsure whether or not to tell me what's next. "He cried, Max." The guilt in me was completely overwhelming. Fang didn't cry. At all. I shook my head violently.

"No..." I whispered. "That's impossible. How could I do that to him? Fang never cries, Angel. That can't be right." I was desperately trying to prove her wrong, though I knew it was in vain. I refused to believe that I could have caused him that much pain.

Angel stared at me gravely, suddenly seeming much older than thirteen.

"Don't you realize how much you've affected him? What you've done to him?" I closed my eyes against the flow of tears. I didn't mean for this to happen. She gently placed a comforting hand on my lap.

"You can still fix it, Max." I looked up at her, my eyes pleading.

"How?" My voice sounded rusty. I swallowed to clear the access tears in my throat.

Angel looked down at my pitiful form on the bed, giving me a sad, crooked smile.

"You'll figure it out. Don't forget that even though this is your fault Max, we all still love you. That should make things easier." She placed a light kiss on my forehead and walked out of the room, gently closing the door behind her.

I don't know how long I sat there, crying and staring at the wall connecting my room to Fang's.

I couldn't stop replaying Angel's and my conversation in my head. I think I was in shock. I hadn't felt that guilty in years.

God, what was the matter with me? I shook my head in a feeble attempt to clear my thoughts.

Fang's face popped in my head, not for the first time that day. His expression was sad, miserable; just like it had been in the forest. I was such an idiot.

I got up slowly, still in a daze, and carefully made my way out the door. The floor creaked under my light footsteps as I made my way across the hall to Fang's room. I hesitated, standing in the quiet, empty hallway in front of the doorway.

Should I check on him? Would he want me to?

Whether or not he would, I decided to go in.

I turned the knob, and gently pushed open the door, wondering if he was awake. It seemed very quiet in the room, but with Fang, that wouldn't exactly make a difference. Fang was quiet; too quiet. I almost chuckled, but then froze in my steps as I saw Fang's sleeping form.

The book that I had read, the one I found seven long years ago, immediately popped into my head. That stupid little boy, betraying his best friend, when all his friend wanted to do was help him.

The tears that I had managed to stop earlier came back full force as I took in Fang's curled up position, his arms wrapped around his torso. He was still fully dressed, shoes and all, on top of the covers. His lips were pulled down at the corners, in a deep frown.

He looked so… sad, so fragile. I walked over to him and gently pulled his comforter over his cold, shivering body. He didn't wake up at my touch.

Almost instinctively, I brushed his long dark bangs off to the side. His forehead was wrinkled in what seemed like pain.

I wiped away a few remaining tears from my cheeks, but my eyes seemed to be filling with fresh ones. I honestly do not know what could have possibly provoked me to do such a thing.

How could I cause so much pain to a person I loved so much?

I lightly ran my hand along his cheek, down to his jaw. His features relaxed slightly, but the small frown remained.

Don't you realize how much you've affected him? What you've done to him?

A stray tear ran down my cheek.

"I'm sorry Fang. I'm so, so sorry."

Alrighty then! Here's the chapter. I'm terribly sorry I didn't get it in sooner. I just finished school, and now I have to get ready to move to a different country! I'm leaving July 7, so I'll most likely have a chapter up before then. I'll try my best.

Just so you know, I'll write much faster if you review! And lets try for at least 10 reviews before the next one, ok? I'll throw in a preview as soon as I start writing the next chapter to those who review, too.

But don't count on getting it right away, because currently, I'm in hot water with my mom. I snuck on the computer right now, so lets hope I don't get caught!

Meepisms

:D