Chapter 14:

I started leaning forward carefully and slowly as a little warning. He leaned in a bit too.

We were less than two inches apart…

I sort of froze and stiffened. Fang did too on instinct. I could sort of see him staring at my eyes with concern and understanding. I was having a vision. I snapped out of it instantly and I sighed.

"What?" he asked.

I looked at him and stood up. I nodded my head toward Milo and then he started shifting like crazy in his sleep. Then he was crying. "That's what…,"

Fang got up and made his way to Milo. He woke him up and held him close as he stood up. Milo was set against Fang's hip and was sniffling into Fang's shoulder. I smiled at the sight of Fang bouncing slightly, trying to calm Milo down. He walked over to me.

"I don't…" he couldn't finish his sentence.

I smiled and nodded. I opened my arms and motioned him to hand over Milo. He complied. I set Milo on my hip and wiped his tears with my fingers. "Hey, kiddo," I murmured. "Would you mind saying what you dreamt of?"

Milo rubbed his little fists against his eyes and stared at me. "I dreamt about my family being taken from me." The tears started to form once again and he rested his head on my shoulder and silently cried. I rubbed his back.

"Hush, little baby, don't say a word," I started to sing. "Max's gonna buy you a mocking bird. If that mocking bird don't sing, Max's gonna buy you a diamond ring." I started to rock back and forth and Fang stared at me with an eyebrow raised. "If that diamond ring turns brass, Max's gonna buy you a looking glass. If that looking glass should crack, Max's gonna buy you a jumping jack. If that jumping jack won't hop, Max's gonna buy you a brand new pup," I gently poked Milo's nose when I said 'pup' making him smile. "If that brand new pup," I tapped his nose again. "Should run away, I buy you another one right away. Hush, little baby, don't you cry. Max's gonna sing you a lullaby." Milo was fast asleep in my arms.

I walked over to where Milo had been sleeping before and set him down and then walked back over to Fang once more.

"What was that?" Fang asked quietly.

I shrugged. "Every little kid calms down when they hear a familiar lullaby. Milo especially."

"Why do you know more about my kid than I do?" He crossed his arms; he was angry.

I tapped my forehead. "Because I have a connection to the future where he's from and you know now so…what's the big deal?" I shrugged and walked past him.

He grabbed my arm near my elbow. "The big deal is, is that I feel incompetent. I feel like I can't take care of my own kid. You don't know how that feels but it feels terrible. We all can't be the amazing Maximum Ride, you know." His voice was cold and the last sentence was heavily dosed with sarcasm.

I blinked a couple of times. "You're going to be an amazing father, Fang." I ripped my arm out of his grasp and walked away into the woods. He's never talked to me like that.

I walked far enough away where the Flock couldn't see or hear me. I sat down on the dirt floor and ran my fingers through the dirt. I didn't want Fang to be mad at me for something Jeb had done; he gave me my power way too early. A song popped into my head. I started humming and I wrote down the notes. I started to sing it out loud. It was called Start All Over (Originally by Miley Cyrus) and it was about starting the day, a friendship, anything really, over again and changing it.

I have to wonder if this wave's too big to ride
Commit or not commit in such a crazy tide
It's sooner than I thought but you called me out
I've lost control and there's no doubt
I'm gonna start all over

Out of the fire and into the fire again
You make me want to forget
And start all over
Here it comes straight out of my mind or worse
Another chance to get burned
And start all over
I'm gonna start all over

Fantastic and romantic all a big surprise
You've got the warning hesitation pushed aside
It's sooner than I want but you caught my heart
I guess I'm ready now to start
I'm gonna start all over

[CHORUS]

[x3]
It's so easy
You disrupt me
Can't complain

It's so easy
I'm gonna start all over

[CHORUS x2]

I really wanted to start over with Fang with this whole experience. I didn't want to see those visions of us together; I didn't want to know how to take care of his children and keeping him out of the blue. I wanted everything to be right again.

I heard a twig snap and I acted like I ignored it. I looked into the future to see who it was and I couldn't see. That was odd. There was a click that I recognized to be the safety on a gun turning off. I didn't react in time. Someone, somewhere around me, shot me with a tranquilizer dart. I started to go numb but I could still speak. I screamed my alarm and warning to the Flock but it was cut short with duct tape covering my mouth and rope being tied around my wrists and ankles. A man walked out of the woods into the second little clearing I was in and I saw who it was; Dr. Theodore. He had survived the explosion. I tried to scream again but I was electrocuted or something and I blacked out.

Fang POV:

I had just yelled at Max in a way I have never done before. I didn't feel capable taking care of my future son when she took over. I was about to follow her when I heard her scream and it was cut short. The Flock, Mandy, and Milo woke up and ran toward the sound. Milo didn't even look scared. We all rushed and I yelled to them all:

"I'm going ahead!"

They all nodded and I teleported to where we heard Max's scream come from. I arrived and there was nothing there except a piece f paper on the ground with Max's handwriting engraved in the dirt; it was a song. I sighed and picked the paper up as the Flock and Mandy and Milo arrived. I froze reading it to myself.

"Fang? What's wrong?" Nudge walked over to me and I cleared my throat.

"'We have Maximum Ride.'" I read aloud. "'There's no way you'll find us. She was a mistake to lose. If you do find her, she'll kill you all. Best not to try. My wishes come true, Dr. Theodore.'" I crumpled the paper and looked at everyone. "How in hell did that guy survive the explosion?!"

Mandy was trying not to show she was crying by putting her hand over her mouth and Milo was crying openly. I bent down and opened my arms for him. He ran over and cried into my shoulder. I picked him up and held him against my side. Nudge and Angel were sniffling and Gazzy was trying to be the little trooper Max called him. Iggy was extra pale and listening to his surroundings.

Mandy stood up straight and unfurled her wings, tears rolling down her cheeks. She didn't even jump, she just shot into the air like a speeding bullet. I looked at the spot where she had been standing and then at the air where she had flown and was hovering way above. "Well, she definitely inherited Max's speed." I mumbled. Milo squirmed out of my arms and flew up to Mandy. I looked at the Flock and they were staring at me expectantly. "U and A."

We all jumped up and flew to where Mandy and Milo were. "Don't worry," I told them. "We'll get her back."

With that, we all turned toward Iggy. "Iggy, can you hear anything that could lead us to them?" Angel asked.

He shook his head with a pained expression on his face. "No. No, I can't- I'm sorry."

"Angel, listen for Dr. Theodore's mind- or Max's." I instructed.

She nodded and took a look of great concentration. "They went East for twenty miles and then North for about two. I don't know exactly where they are though." She answered after a second.

"They left that fast? But she just screamed." Gazzy pointed out.

Angel shrugged, her eyebrows going up in sadness and worry. "That's what I heard. Maybe the bad guys are getting faster at escaping."

"Let's go. Mandy, Milo- are you guys sure you want to go?" I asked.

They nodded determinedly. "We're going. I have to save Mom!" Mandy said.

We left in the direction Angel had said.

Max, we're coming for you.