A/N: Hey, check out the new-and-improved chapter 4! What's different? I got fed up looking at those stupid lyrics to "Supergirl". They were bad compared to what I feel I can accomplish, and the tune was more like noise than music. So it's been changed! Yay! I hope you like this one better. This one's dedicated to aviator301, who sadly has been grounded. And I hope you like the band POVs! Plus for those of you who really wanted me to record the songs… I've started recording Rain, and I'm working on the webpage as we speak! Blood and Gore! MR

Disclaimer: I don't own Max Ride. If I did you'd have to pay me $23. 50. Go ahead, pay me, I dare you. I could use the money, too. Plus, now it comes with the Rain- Single (a $9.99 value)! (This is a joke! All but the " I don't own Max Ride." bit is sarcasm. I don't mean for you guys to actually buy this.)

Faye's POV (back at the hotel before MR and Gaz got there)

" My mother."

Now I'm definitely scared. He looks as if he's freaking out, too. Like he's remembering something he doesn't want to. " What is it? What did she say?"

"She promised she'd be there. She said she'd come back…" Tears were in his eyes now, and I was wondering if I'd struck a cord. I wonder if it's safe for me to go farther. " She said that it was just going to be a few minutes."

Now the tears rolled out the red carpet across his handsome face. He pretty much fell to the bed, and I sat down next to him, wrapping my arm around his shoulder. " Jack, it's okay. You can tell me."

" I… I was six. We were driving- moving, again. There was a storm. She said she was going into the gas station to get some Tylenol. She said it was going to be five minutes, and then she'd be back. So I was in the car… I was right there, on the road, about 200 feet away… watched as the tornado picked up the gas station, and threw it… I don't know, a mile? 10 miles? … It killed her, and I was alone. She left me, and I got shoved around like an unwanted kickball through foster care…" He finally composed himself. "Nobody adopted me. Now, I'm here, doing better than I can possibly imagine… and I don't want to lose everything all over again."

I hugged him, hard, and I whispered, "You won't lose everything. And that's a promise I can keep."

Then I kissed him, and walked softly out of the room. It was about time to get ready for the concert anyway, but truth be told, I didn't want to know what his reaction was just yet.

Mia's POV (Drama alert!!)

What does Faye have that I don't? I don't get it. Why do both Jack and Wash like her? I don't see much difference! Grr… I may be the girly girl, but that doesn't mean I'm not tough. And it's not like I really like them all that much, but still! It'd be nice to be liked for a change! I sit there in silence waiting for Jack and Faye to finish doing whatever, and I get a call on my cell." Hello?"

It was Aurelie, my half sister. And she was crying. "What's wrong, Aurelie? Is it… Is it Random?"

That made her cry harder. " Is it…"

Then I heard the words that scared me to death… "Yes."

Is it possible to die of shock, pain, loss, and utter horror? If so, I did. " Oh. My. God…"

It can't be cancer. It just can't! Random's only 14 for Pete's sake! Why? He's such a good person! He's never done anything wrong, really! He was normal and happy, and… Dear God, does Mom know? If she comes near him, I'll…" Aurelie? Lee? You there?"

"Yeah?"

" Is anyone there with you besides Mami?"

Mami is what we call our grandmother, who's been taking care of us since our mom, a lush and a slut, decided to do the right thing and desert the 6 of us at Mami's doorstep. I was 12. There was Gwen first; she's 28. Then I came along 7 years later. My half sisters Nicolette and Aurelie came next; they're both 19, and Aurelie has been staying with Mami to help with the last two and any others mom sends to our doorstep. Random and Chase were the last set of twins, and they are 14. Mom was drunk while they were born, so we had to get them out of there before she named Chase "Cheez whiz". She got to name Random, though. I wouldn't have forgiven her for it if I were him, but hey, he was a baby when she abandoned us, so I can't really say much about it. And then Random has a girlfriend, Kayla, that we acquired last year. "Yes. Kayla got here about 15 minutes ago, and Gwen is here. Mami's been sick lately so she's at home… Mia, I know you don't want her to be here, but if she comes and Random wants to see her, I will let her go in…"

I cut her off." No, you won't, Aurelie. No, you won't. I've raised him since he was a baby and I'm not going to let some monster come in and wreck his life even further. Just tell me how bad it is and then don't you dare let her come near him. But hurry up about it, I have to get ready for the next concert soon."

" Stage 2… So he has a shot, for whatever that's worth. But I can't say that it's huge. Kayla's not taking it well, and Gwen is having trouble keeping tears at bay… We really need you here, M."

" We have a concert in LA in a week. I can visit then, but that's about all I can do…"

God, I wish I was Max. She can go anywhere she wants to and see her family as much as she wants. I need to be there for my family, too. Why can't I?

Wash's POV

I sat down on the couch and stared out the window. My sisters' pleas kept ringing in my ears. " Wash, please! She's gonna get drunk one of these days, we all know it! She's gonna get drunk, and then what? You want us to die, like Amy? She gave up her life for us. For you, Wash. Get us out of here! If not for us, for Amy!" I could hear the tears in her eyes as Natalie continued, " It's what she would've wanted, Wash. She would've wanted us not to relive her life… Please."

" What would I do then? Take care of 3 kids, by myself, while touring! I can't leave you guys without anything, but I can't get custody! I'm only 20, Nat! Here… Put Deirdre on the line…"

My oldest sister came on the line with a huffy attitude, annoyance perfectly portrayed in her usually calm voice." Come on, Wash…"

" Don't start that, Deirdre. You know all about the legal systems. You know about the statute of limitations. Now, I know you can talk some sense into them. Please, just talk them out of it…"

I only remembered that much, as there was a scream and the sound of glass breaking. I hung up, scared and shaken from the conversation that happened 2 hours ago. I looked out the window for any idea as to how I could have overcome this and then to be so horrible as to leave others to the same fate.

Then I started thinking about Amy. Amy…She was the best little sister anybody could have. Then again, she was only 3 minutes younger than me, but that didn't stop me from calling her "little"… That was the night I walked out of that godforsaken house for good. I remembered it all too clearly…

Flashback

I was the only one with my own room. And I'd sit in there, quietly concentrating on the sounds that came from the main rooms. This was Chicago, so there were no pesky basements to deal with, and I could hear everything that went on in the other rooms of the apartment.

The door slammed, and a drunken, high-pitched laugh echoed through the emptiness that followed her arrival. Mom, actually, I refused to call her my mother any more… so, Rachel wobbled over to the kitchen. Probably to fix another Bloody Mary. I heard pixie-light footsteps towards that room. Oh, god, no… Amy! What is that girl doing? She knows how much Rachel doesn't like her when she's drunk. Actually, Rachel never liked Amy. For a while she pretended she did, but not anymore. Rachel gulped something and spoke in a slurred and sloppy voice. "What are you doing here, bitch?"

Great. Set Amy off, why don't you? When I heard the voice though, I was completely astonished. It was Lauren, the youngest. " Mommy, I want a hug."

" I hate you, you stupid bitch."

Lauren started to cry. Then Amy came in and started another rant. "Why don't you think about somebody besides yourself for once? Think about how much Dierdre and Natalie and Lauren all need a mother to care for them, Mom! You can't keep doing this to us! And I know that's just the booze talking, so I forgive you…"

My twin always did like sticking up against Rachel, and although I usually joined in, I could never amount to the outspoken Amy. I cringed as Rachel shattered the glass, and spoke something incoherent as I leapt up from my spot on the floor in my room. I can't say that I agree with what either of them are doing, but I know it's because of the abuses they've received. Amy started moving slowly in an arc, and I knew there was going to be a fight. I was the strongest in this house, so I went out there to make sure only words, and the occasional light jab were the only things thrown. We don't have enough money to let something get broken, what with Rachel using it all to buy booze.

I jogged into the kitchen of our tiny apartment only to watch as my twin was stabbed in the gut by my mother. Whether or not I disowned her, this hurt way beyond imagining. Amy fell to the floor with a thud, and I rushed to her side, while Rachel laughed haughtily. " Amy, God. Amy! Wake up!"

She looked up at me sadly. She knew. Oh, God. Oh, God, no! " Amy, stay with me. Come on, you can get through this. It'll be okay."

" Of course it will... because you're going to save them. You need to get them out of here. It's what we do."

And then she went limp on the cold tile of the kitchen, her last breath no more than the sound of a pin dropping. I got up from my knees, filled with rage, and a hatred to fiery to keep within the depths of my soul. " You did this to her! You killed your own daughter, and you're laughing? You're laughing? I can't believe you can even stand yourself, you evil bitch!"

Against what Amy had said, I packed up my stuff, and ran out the door, away from my troubles, and the people who needed me to protect them. But I was safe, and, at the moment, that was all that mattered.

Max's POV

I was having trouble concentrating as I flew back to the hotel that the band was staying in. I couldn't help it. The doctors told me that Fang had only a slim chance to come out of the coma, and that it would be better if I spent some time away from the hospital to start to cope with the impending loss. But apparently, Fate had a little more in store than I had in mind.