A/N: Okay, I know what you're all thinking. 'What took you so long?' or something like it. Well, I must admit that I kinda forgot and now I've discovered that my beloved flash drive with this story typed on it has vanished. I have searched high and low, but I can't find it! Luckily, I had a hard copy that I'd printed for my friend, but unfortunately this means I must retype everything I had from this point on, so bear with me if I'm slow. I think I'm going to get carpal tunnel… Tragedy! But I will press on just for everyone who enjoys reading this! *poses heroically* Anyway, on with the chapter! It's not much, just some innocent Max and Flock bonding time, so I hope you like it!

~ The Angel Assassin ~

Chapter 14: Calm Before The Storm

"Max, Fang!" Nudge yelled bursting into Max's room without so much as a knock. "Oh sorry, am I interrupting something?"

As I pulled back from Max, my fingers fumbling for my shirt, I'm sure my face displayed a guilty look. This was the second time I'd been caught in an "interesting" position with Max. Not that I'd been doing anything, but Nudge's mind wanders quite a bit. I blame Max for her dirty mind just so everything's clear.

"Don't you ever knock?" I muttered under my breath.

"Oh sorry," Nudge retorted sarcastically. She quickly stepped out of the room, knocked on the door frame, and strolled back in. "Better?"

I rolled my eyes at her as I pulled on my shirt. There's no sense in explaining anything to Nudge, it goes in one ear and out the other. I doubt it even stops at her brain. She's learned to well from another stubborn, sarcastic Avian girl that I know.

"Well, anyway," Nudge announced ignoring me and turning to Max. "We're back from the store-"

"Obviously," I muttered sitting on the edge of the bed.

Nudge flashed me a glare but quickly continued. "We bought popcorn, drinks, and oh! I didn't know what you liked to drink Max, so I got your old favorite and I hope that's okay because I didn't know. If you don't like it there's other stuff, so…"

"It's fine Nudge," Max cut in. She had caught on quickly to the fact that Nudge could go on for hours. I still think we should try gagging her sometime.

"Okay, well we rented Transformers to watch," Nudge said. "Have you see that? I haven't but I heard it was really good and Gazzy said he didn't want a mushy romance movie, so we got it and… Anyway," she went on noticing my exasperated look, "we're going to watch it as soon as Jeb gets the DVD set up."

"Thanks Nudge," Max smiled. "We'll be down in a second."

"Or not…" I mumbled as Nudge skipped out of the room. "If I have to listen to that again…" I mimicked killing myself samurai style. "You'll have to cut off my head."

"Yeah, right," Max rolled her eyes at me.

"Please?" I begged. "Or maybe you could just make it quick with a bullet or something."

The moment I said it I regretted it. I'd easily forgotten how touchy Max was about that particular subject.

"No," she replied with a grin that didn't touch her eyes.

I quickly changed the subject, "Shall we go watch a movie then?"

"You haven't seen it before right?"

"Nope."

"Okay, thanks Fang."

"For what?"

She didn't answer me, but gave me a smile and took my hand, pulling me along with her. As we walked into the living room downstairs, Jeb glanced up with a frustrated look as he wrestled with the new DVD player. We'd bought it forever ago, but hadn't bothered to watch many movies.

"Can you remember where this cord goes Fang?" Jeb asked holding up one of many long dark cords.

"Sure," I shrugged moving to help him.

"Thanks," Jeb smiled. "I'm not much of an electronics genius. I can type on a computer and work a remote for the TV, but that's about it. So Max, Fang hasn't bored you out of your skull yet right?"

"Whatever," I snorted wiggling back behind the TV to reach the other various cords.

"Nope, I'm good," Max answered watching me in amusement.

"Well, that's good," Jeb said. "He's back to being himself again. I like that."

"So uh…Jeb…er…Dad?" Max began glancing over at me momentarily.

"You can call me whichever is more comfortable for you," Jeb assured her.

"Okay," Max replied. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Jeb said taking a seat on the couch and gesturing for Max to sit next to him.

"Can I ask about Ari?"

"Ah," Jeb nodded slowly. Talking about his son was still a painful subject for Jeb since he hadn't been the father of the year to him. Still, it was better for her to ask Jeb rather than me. "You deserve to know."

"I didn't know I even had a brother until Fang told me," Max said as she sat next to Jeb.

"True, you wouldn't remember him," Jeb said reaching for him wallet. He reached in a pulled out a worn photo. "That's one of the few pictures I have of all of us. That was back before I got you out of the School."

I finished what I was doing and moved to stand behind Max and Jeb, curious to see this picture. Jeb was in the center of the picture holding, I assumed, baby Angel, and grinning broadly. Max, who looked about ten, stood in front of Jeb with little Gasman and Ari holding both hands. Iggy, his perfect vision blue eyes beaming, stood with Nudge on his shoulders on Jeb's left, Nudge happily giving Ig bunny ears, and I was standing with my typical half smile on Jeb's right side. We were all so young and innocent in the picture, it took me a minute to recognize any of us.

Jeb handed the picture to Max and pulled out another. This one was of Max and Ari only. Ari was on Max's shoulders laughing about something and Max was smiling up at him.

"This is my favorite," Jeb said his voice cracking slightly. "I never meant for what happened to happen. I didn't want them to make him an Eraser, but I couldn't protect both of you. I wanted to, but I couldn't. I should've at least been there when it happened."

"It didn't hurt him," Max mumbled her eyes a million miles away. I quickly recognized the look of a memory. "I held him."

"I know," Jeb said softly. "I'm glad you were there, you were better to him than I ever was."

"No, I wasn't," Max said guiltily. "I hated him."

"You didn't hate him, you hated what he had become," Jeb said pulling Max into a hug. Surprisingly, she didn't pull away. "You hate what I let him become and I'm sorry."

"Let's watch this movie already," Ella grinned pulling Iggy by the hand into the room.

"Glad to have you back Max," Jeb whispered as he released her. "I missed you."

"Me too," she answered with a thoughtful smile.

"We've got popcorn!" Angel announced bouncing into the room. "I call to sit by Max, no battle!"

"That's no fair," Nudge said looking put out.

"Yeah, Angel," Gazzy piped up. "I get to sit on her other side then!"

"Sorry Gaz," I said with a shrug. "I claim that right."

"You can't do that," Gasman retorted.

"And yet I will," I replied watching him stick his tongue out at me.
"No fighting boys," Val said carrying a huge bowl of popcorn. "I don't think Max is going anywhere, so you'll all get to sit by her."

"Fang always does," Gazzy grumble with a sad look on his face.

"Here," Max said pulling Angel onto her lap and pulling Gaz down next to her.

"You pushover," I smiled sitting on her other side.

"Bit me," she shot back. "Just because you think you can keep me all to yourself."

"Can't I?" I smirked slipping my arm around her.

She simply rolled her eyes at me choosing not to comment.

"Any day now people," Iggy said impatiently. If you're wondering how Ig can watch a movie, I have to say his sight is improving quite a bit. He can make out shapes and colors so as long as the volume is cranked and Ella fills him in, he's good to go. You'd be amazed how much of the movie he can rattle off after it's over.

Finally, once everyone was settled, we were ready to start. Jeb, Val, and Nudge were on the couch, Iggy was in the recliner with Ella on his lap, supposedly for help with the movie, and Max, with Angel, Gazzy, and I were on the floor. We were all quite snug together.

"Just like old times," Nudge giggled happily.

"Shut up," Gaz muttered. "It's starting."

I rolled my eyes glancing over at him. He was watching the screen intently and I had to wonder how long that'd last. I swear he has the attention span of a goldfish sometimes.

"Hey Max," he whispered as a helicopter flew across the screen. "Have you ever been in a helicopter?"

"Gazzy," Nudge said now reprimanding him.

"Yeah, I have Gaz," Max whispered back to him.

"Oh, cool," he answered with a ridiculous grin plastered on his face.

I had a feeling he was going to be talking to Max through the whole movie. I wasn't surprised. Every two minutes he was asking her something. Even Nudge's record was almost in danger. Almost being the key word there.

"With the All Spark gone, we cannot return life to our planet. Fate has yielded its reward; a new world to call home. We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight, but watching over them in secret waiting, protecting. I have witnessed their capacity for courage, and though we are worlds apart, like us, there's more to them than meets the eyes. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars. We are here. We are waiting…"

The last line of the movie echoed around the room and I stretched out my legs. I smiled as Max gave my hand a tight squeeze.

"Angel's asleep," she whispered shifting Angel to her other arm, "and so is my arm."

"Want me to…?" I started.

"I think I can handle her," Max interrupted refusing to let me help.

"No sacrifice, no victory," Gasman said with a broad grin, perfectly mimicking Shia LeBouf as Sam Witwicky.

"Whatever you say kiddo," Jeb said tousling Gazzy's hair. "I think it's time for bed. It's almost eleven.'

"Already?" Val asked glancing over at the clock.

"Time flies," Jeb chuckled. "No pun intended."

"Sure it wasn't," Val laughed. "Well, come on then my mutant children. Off to bed."

"So I'm exempt from going to bed?" Ella asked looking overly comfortable on Iggy's lap.

"In your dreams," Ig said standing and nearly dumping her on the floor.

"Jerk," Ella retorted sticking her tongue out at him though her effort was in vain.

I smirked back at them before following Max's lead to the stairs as she carried Angel.

"Crap!" Nudge said quickly running ahead. "Our room's a disaster area."

"I'm sure it's nothing Max hasn't seen before," I said rolling my eyes.

After several minutes, Nudge reappeared to let Max tuck Angel in, amongst all the assorted animals and whatnot.

"I guess it's not as bad now," Nudge muttered softly.

I highly doubted Max cared what their room looked like, but Nudge looked almost insane as she eyed the clutter on the floor. Not that it mattered, Max was too busy looking at the pictures on the walls. Some were framed photos and others were drawn by Angel. I recognized the chain of pictures I also had in my room from the photo booth at the mall when we had all crammed in together. It had worked until we tried to get out.

"That was a fun picture," Nudge smiled following Max's gaze. "We should get a more recent one. In fact, we should go to the mall tomorrow."

"What about the mall?" Ella asked.

"We should take Max tomorrow," Nudge quickly explained.

"That would be fun. If you want to of course Max," Ella said elbowing me in the ribs as I opened my mouth to warn Max.

I thought someone needed to warn her. I mean Ella, Nudge, and Angel at the mall was fun and all…until they started to get you to try clothes and cologne on. Yes, they'd done that to me on more than one occasion. Of course we hadn't been in a long time, so I'd had a bit of a reprieve.

"Sure why not?" Max nodded. "If Fang comes that is."

She had to add that little ultimatum on, didn't she? Of course…

"Fang?" Ella asked turning on me with a look that said say no and I'll kill you.

"Do I get a choice?"

"That's the closest you're going to get to a yes," Nudge said rolling her eyes at me.

"Despite Mr. Party Pooper there, we're going to have fun. Promise," Ella smiled.

I was going to have to tell Max exactly what she'd gotten herself into later.

"We should go inform Iggy," Ella chuckled evilly.

"I'm sure he'll love it," I muttered sarcastically.

"Why?" Max whispered as I clicked off the light and led her to the door.

"I'll have to explain before we go tomorrow because there's no way to weasel out of it now," I said. "Believe me, I've tried."

"Oh."

"You're the one who said yes."

"Hey Max?" Angel's quiet voice called.

"Yeah?" Max replied turning around.

Angel was sitting up watching Max with a pleading look in her eyes, her head barely visible over the animals. "Will you…um…sing to me?"

I looked from Max to Angel wondering what was going through Max's head. She looked almost scared for a moment, but her face broke quickly into a warm smile. Only Angel could do that to Max. Then again, Max would only be caught singing for Angel.

"I don't know any good lullabies," she told Angel. "I'm not the best singer either."

"That's okay," Angel shrugged.

I leaned against the door frame so I wouldn't be noticed too much and watched as Max sat on the edge of the bed. Angel immediately snuggled up next to her.

"Well, here goes nothing," Max sighed with a nervous look.

Nudge quickly snuck past me and jumped onto her bed, silent for once. She seemed intent on hearing this too. But then, so did I.

"Your baby blues, so full of wonder," Max started to sing softly. "Your curly cues, your contagious smile. And as I watch you start to grow up. All I can do is hold you tight."

I glanced up from the spot on the floor I'd been scrutinizing. Not only was Max amazing at what she was doing, but I knew this song. It was a haunting melody from past days at the School. I remember being stuffed into our tiny cages, the only light from the slightly open door, the only sounds apart from soft breathing from a whitecoat's radio. My cage had been right next to Max's and she had started singing with the song playing on the radio. It had started for Iggy, he's lost his vision that morning, but it ended up for all of us. I had completely forgotten until now.

"Knowing clouds will raise up, storms will race in, but you will be safe in my arms," Max continued oblivious to what she was singing. "Rains will pour down, waves will crash all around, but you will be safe in my arms."

"Is that…?" Iggy whispered almost inaudibly appearing next to me.

I nodded quickly unsure what else I could.

"I almost forgot," Ig breathed easing to the floor.

"Me too," I said following suit.

Slowly, I noticed Gazzy meander in. He was completely focused on Max as he maneuvered past Ig and I at the door and climbed up on Angel's bed next to Max. It was just like it had been the first time Max had sung to us. Only we were much older and the cages were now gone. Finally, I understood. I understood why Max had gone with Itex two years ago. She had been accepting a cage, so that we could stay free of ours. As I continued to listen to her, I wanted nothing more to free her of her cage and keep her out of it forever.

"Story books full of fairy tales, kings and queens and the bluest skies. My heart is torn just in knowing, you'll someday see the truth from lies," Max went on unaware of the audience. "Knowing clouds will raise up, storms will race in, but you will be safe in my arms. Rains will pour down, waves will crash all around, but you will be safe in my arms."

I glanced around at the rest of the entranced Flock and noticed that Ella, Val, and Jeb had joined us. No one said a word, I didn't think anyone could.

"Castles they might crumble, dreams may not come true, but you are never all alone because I will always, always love you," Max finished the final chorus, her voice getting softer as she brushed Angel's hair from her face. "Clouds will raise up, storms will race in, but you will be safe in my arms. Rains will pour down, waves will crash all around, but you will be safe in my arms…"

"Oh Max," Val whispered. "That was beautiful."

Max glanced up and her face flushed red as she finally noticed the audience surrounding her. "Thanks," she whispered.

I slowly stood up and crossed the small distance to her. Her face continued to deepen in color as she waited for me to say something. "You remembered that song?"

"I guess," she shrugged. "It just came to me."

"Thank you," I said pulling her into my arms.

Iggy came up behind me to take his turn. Max hugged us both, though she looked confused as to what we were thanking her for. I'd have to explain later. Right now, with all of us together, I could almost pretend those two years without Max had never happened. The never should have. I wasn't going to let anything like it happen again.

Yet, somewhere in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake an uneasy feeling. A feeling like something was waiting to happen and this; this momentary peace was only the calm before the storm. That storm was going to bring us to our breaking point.

* * *

A/N: So yeah, there you go. Yay! I realized that it's nothing to dramatic, but I thought that I needed to add some serious Max and Flock time. So I did. Go me. I thought it was cute and I hope you did to!

~lightNdarkangel