Hello everyone! This one is long…or, it is in my notebook…..

Mack's POV

The train was just like any other train. Jesus. Nudge didn't need to have an apoplectic fit or something.

"Come on guys." Fang's hands were clenched into fists and he looked like he was about to get a cavity filled. Well, okay, he looked like a tough macho man, but that was the vibes he was sending off.

What was his deal?

Scared of a train, Oh Mighty One?

Then it hit me. He was claustrophobic. They all were.

I was too, but usually I could keep my fear under control.

The kids all followed him up the steps and into the car though. Except Iggy. He stayed still, holding my hand.

"Um…" he began. I looked at him.

"How man steps are there? I couldn't tell with everyone going up at once." He finally whispered.

I smiled slightly. He was just so darn cute!

"There's only three. Want me to go first?" I offered.

Unlike the Great Black Rock, Iggy's emotions were written clearly on his face. He was embarrassed. He nodded, though. Unwillingly, I let go of his hand and climbed up.

Iggy listened a moment, then mirrored my movement perfectly, climbing onto the car without stumbling.

"To the left, straight back, then the last compartment on the right." I directed, spotting our…what? Group?

"Flock, Mack. We're a flock." Angel informed me when we reached them.

Iggy slid in next to Gassy and Fang, opposite me and the girls. He reached out confidently and closed the compartment door, smirking.

That smirk reminded me of my little fantasy, the one that had caused me to slam mental blocks down for the second time.

On this one TV show I watched, this guy came walking out of a building with a remote control in his hand. He was very calm, and cocky. When he hit a button on the control, the building behind him blew to smithereens. He just smirked and kept walking. Except, in my head, it was Iggy. Not that actor. So, just about the sexiest thing ever.

"Mack, what does that mean?" Angel inquired. My blood froze. I could feel my eyes go wide.

Uh oh. I hadn't had mental blocks down.

Oh sh…oot.

Angel's eyes widened too at that. "Is it bad?"

"n…no Angel. It's not a b…bad thing. Just something from a TV show."

Fang raised his eyebrows as the dark scenery outside the window flew past now that the train had started.

Nudge and Gasman looked confused….I didn't even wanna look at Iggy.

"Where are your mind blocks now?" Fang's voice was perfectly monotone, but I could sense the sneer meant to be behind it.

"Don't think that about Mack, Fang! Besides, I've heard the word in your thoughts too." Angel was quick to come to my defense, at least. But what had Fang thought about me?!

"Oh? What word?" Iggy asked casually.

"It sounds sorta like sexist…" Angel frowned.

"Sexy?" Iggy chuckled. My face burned.

"Yeah! Sorta. Only different." Angel frowned again. "Max will explain when she gets back." Fang interrupted quickly, giving everyone, including Angel, a shut-up-right-now look.

Coward.

Angel pouted a moment, then yawned.

"You sleepy, Angel?" I asked softly. God, she was so much like Elina….

It made me kinda nurturing toward her.

She smiled. "Yeah, kinda."

"Here." I said, twisting her little body until she was lying on her side on the seat, head in my lap. I looked at Nudge next, who was looking at me sheepishly. I smiled at her too.

"You can too, if you want." Angel was only occupying one leg.

She cast me a grateful look, then placed her head near Angel's.

They were asleep within seconds.

I noticed Gasman eyeing them enviously. He was trying very hard to look indifferent, but he was losing the hard battle to sleep.

"Gasman, you could use some sleep too," I said cautiously. If he was anything like twelve-year -old Gabe, he'd snap at me.

He was, apparently. "No I don't." He stuck out his chin stubbornly. Fang smirked, crossing his arms. His eyes clearly said I dare you to try.

I frowned at Gasman. "But gasman, if you don't sleep now, you won't be fresh and alert when we get to Knoxville."

He rolled his eyes. "So?"

"So, studies find that girls are really groggy and vulnerable when they first wake up. Don't you wanna protect them?" I asked innocently. Of course, his little kid brain prevented him from seeing the several flaws in my technique.

He fell for kit instantly, as I knew he would. "You're right Mack. I'll sleep now to protect the girls in Knoxville."

"Good boy, Gasman. You want to come over here?" I smiled approvingly.

He yawned, looking at me doubtfully. "Is there room?"

I nodded. "Right here, between Angel and the seat."

"Okay then." He shrugged and soon his head was in my lap too. Like the others, he was out in seconds.

"They're sweet kids." I whispered, stroking the telepath's blonde curls.

"How'd you do that?" Iggy asked in awe.

"I'm good with kids." I shrugged.

"I'll say." He mouthed. I just laughed.

"You think they're sweet. But you haven't seen them in a fight." Fang said lightly. I ignored him. I wasn't sure I wanted to know what he meant.

"So, um, tell me about yourselves. I know you all have wings, so I assume you fly. And Nudge talks a lot. Fang never talks. Iggy, you and Gassy set off bombs. Anything else?" I asked eventually, when the silence started to get to me.

Fang said nothing. Shocker.

"Yeah…I can feel colors." Iggy replied.

I sat there a second, absorbing that. Then I grinned. "Dipping you hand into a bag of Skittles must be torture."

He barked a laugh. The kids slept right through it.

"Nudge?" I asked next.

"She hacks computers. And if she touches something, she knows everything about the person who touched it last. She's also a human magnet. Sends spoons flying." Iggy briefed. I blinked a few times at the sleeping eleven year old in my lap. This innocent little girl could do all that?

"Nice. Gasman?" I went on.

"Well, he had to get his name from somewhere, if you catch my drift. Besides that, he can mimic any sound, and throw his voice. Not to mention he's a darn good apprentice. He has himself a future as a pyro."

He grinned and I laughed. "Ew. How about you, Goth Boy?"

And suddenly, just like that, he was gone. Poof. Disappeared into thin air.

"Uh…" Okay, that was the freakiest thing I'd seen all day. Wings included.

"I take it he turned invisible?" Iggy clarified.

"He does that a lot?" I asked, looking around the compartment warily. It was seriously creepy…

"Boo." Said Fang's voice right next to my ear. I shrieked and jumped. The kids blinked hazily a few times, but otherwise slept on.

And just as suddenly as he'd disappeared, Fang was back in his seat by Iggy, looking as much like a stone wall as he ever had.

"I guess I might as well say that Max flew faster than the rest of us. Way faster." Iggy went on. Hmm. I wasn't sure how that whole flying thing worked.

"That's all?" I asked.

He snorted. "No. but the rest you'll have to figure out on your own. It'll make things more fun."

I let myself absorb my insane day. The train ride passed quickly after that.

And then we were pulling into the station. Time to rock and roll.

So, there's that one. As you can see, Fang and Mack butt heads a bit. But it's all good. They'll learn to deal…eventually.