Hey y'all! Max is back! laughing evilly Today Max will go… Shopping! With Nudge and Angel! Doesn't that sound like fun? continues evil laughter Actually, it sounds rather scary… Anyways, to all my Kuro-fans out there, sorry he had to die. It's part of my story and things WILL work out in the end. Which is coming up, by the way. I'm excited for the ending, I have it all planned out! Hmmm… There was something else I wanted to say but I forgot. ends evil laughter

Disclaimer: Maximum Ride is mine. I bought it. Ok, it's not mine. I couldn't afford to by the rights to it. I bought the four books, though!

Claimer: Characters, plots, ideas, etc… are mine!

Credit: The credit for this chapter's flashback goes to my faithful reviewer, kale ride.

"Max?"

I turned my head towards the voice. It was dark, of course. I couldn't see the speaker very well. I knew the voice, though. It was Fang.

"Yeah?" I asked. He sounded scared. That was rare for him. Me too. "What's wrong? Did they hurt you?"

"No, well, yeah, but that's not it," Fang stammered.

"Then what is it?" I wondered.

"Iggy," Fang answered. "He's been gone for a really long time."

"Yeah," I agreed. "I wonder what's up."

A soft crying sound came from outside the room. The door opened and a few Whitecoats stepped in. I knew that they were carrying Nudge. The cries came from her.

The Whitecoats shoved the young girl into her cage and left the room. I turned my head to her.

"Nudge?" I asked, my voice soft and gentle. "What's wrong?"

Nudge whimpered. "Iggy," was all she said. She burst into tears again, sobbing louder then before.

"What's wrong with Iggy?" I demanded. My voice wasn't harsh. It was more… Urgent.

"They… they… they…" Nudge stammered. "They did something to him."

"What did they do?" Fang asked.

"I don't know," Nudge sobbed. "I heard him scream, then nothing! They said the experiment was a failure. Then they brought me back here. It was really, really, really scary."

Even at five years old, Nudge was smarter than the average person. Plus she could already talk up a storm.

"You don't think…?" Fang began to ask. I shook my head.

"No, he can't be," I replied. "No."

I felt Fang's eyes boring holes into the back of my head. I couldn't look at him right now. Not after he mentioned the possibility of… I couldn't bring myself to think of it. If I did, I would cry. Then I wouldn't be strong. I needed to be strong for Nudge. Gazzy, too, even though he was still too little to understand what was happening.

"We'll have to be more careful next time," muffled voices outside the door said. "We don't want the results to be so bad every time."

The door opened and in walked more Whitecoats. The cage next to mine, Iggy's cage, was opened. A body was placed inside and the door closed and locked. The Whitecoats left.

"Iggy?" Fang, Nudge, and I asked at once.

"What?" Iggy snapped, the effect ruined by the tiredness in his voice.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"I'm alive, aren't I?" Iggy demanded. "As long as I'm here I'm not ok."

Iggy fell silent for a minute, looking around wildly. His eyes widened as he looked at me. His eyes were unfocussed, but I knew he was attempting to look at me.

"Max?" Iggy squeaked. "Why is everything so… Dark?"

"It's always dark," Nudge whispered.

"No, I mean, I can't see anything," Iggy whined. "Why? Normally I can see stuff. Dimly, but I could still see! Why is everything so dark now? Why?"

"Fang?" I breathed, terrified.

"Ig," Fang whispered. "I think… I think you're blind."When I woke up I was in a bed. In a room. In a house. I almost flipped out, not knowing where I was.

My memory returned to me shortly. I remembered that I was at the Flock's house. We were… Safe? Wow. Hard to believe.

I climbed out of bed and moved to the door. I opened it softly. I stepped out into the hall.

"Max!" Nudge screamed. I tensed up, ready to fight.

I was attacked, but not by an enemy. Nudge, Angel, and Gazzy all jumped on me. I fell to the ground. Iggy and Raz were laughing their heads off, and Fang just smiled. I could see him containing laughs. He was failing miserably.

I managed to turn the kids on Fang. They attacked him. He just stared at me, shocked. Well, that's what he gets!

"Breakfast's ready, guys," Iggy announced after a minute. I smiled. I hadn't eaten Iggy's cooking in a year.

The blind Flock member had made us a feast. We had eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, and French toast. It was all s good! I was full, really full, for the first time in what seemed like forever.

"That was delicious, Ig!" I exclaimed after we were done eating. Iggy smiled, embarrassed, and almost blushing.

"It was!" Raz agreed.

"Ok, enough chit-chat!" Nudge exclaimed. "It's time to go shopping!"

I mentally groaned. Shopping with Nudge was not a good idea. Who's bright idea was this. Fang…

I turned and gave Fang the best death glare I could muster up. He smirked and walked outside with the others. With a sigh, I followed.

"This is it!" Nudge cried. "Max, you'll love this place! It has so many nice clothes!"

The shop was small on the outside, but surprisingly large on the inside. Luckily no one else but the Flock was there.

"Shouldn't you kids be in school?" a light, feminine voice wondered. I froze, as did Raz. Fang turned towards the woman, who looked to be in her early twenties.

"We just got home from a trip," he explained. The woman smiled.

"I see," she replied. "And I'm guessing your in need of new clothes?"

"Just our friends," Angel said. She pointed towards Raz and me. The woman nodded.

"Let me know when you're ready to pay, then," she responded. She left the store through a door that led to another room.

"That's Miss Lori," Nudge explained. "She's really nice! Now, come on, Max!"

I was pulled off towards the girl's section of the store. Unwillingly, I might add.

Nudge and Angel started tossing me shirts and pants that they loved, but I hated. My fashion sense wasn't exactly the same as it was last year.

I put back most of the clothes the girls handed me and took my time picking out some that I actually liked. I tried on my clothes, and, liking how they fit and looked, decided to get them.

"Max?" Nudge asked. "You should get some dresses."

"Why?" I wondered. "What would I possibly need a dress for?"

"Just because," Nudge answered. "What if you went to a dance? You'd need a dress for that."

"Why would I ever go to a dance?" I asked, not liking this conversation.

"If Fang asked you!" Angel answered. I widened my eyes at the words.

"Wh-what?" I stammered. "What are you talking about?"

"Ah, Max, you really need a dress," Nudge whined. I shook my head stubbornly.

"No way," I replied firmly. "I will never wear a dress. Not for all the chocolate in the world."

Angel giggled. I frowned.

"Ange, what are you laughing about?" I demanded.

"Nothing," the telepath lied. "But Nudge is right. You really need a dress."

Two against one isn't very fair. Especially when one of the two can do perfect Bambi eyes (Nudge) and the other can control your mind (Angel).

I broke. I couldn't fight the two girls. Well, I could, but that would end badly. I agreed to try on a few dresses.

"Goody!" Angel smiled. She and Nudge ran around the store, picking dresses that they thought I'd like. I was forced to try them all on. It was torture.

Angel and Nudge repeatedly would say, "That's beautiful! You should get it!" or "That really looks good on you, Max!".

After the twentieth dress I looked at the girls. I was worn out and really wanted a hot shower, not to mention Iggy's fantastic cooking. The girls looked back at me.

"Oh. My. Goodness." Nudge breathed. "That's it! That's the one!"

"Max, you're gorgeous," Angel whispered. I sighed silently. And terribly uncomfortable, not to mention vulnerable. Two of my least favorite feelings.

I shifted, wanting to change out of the dress as soon as possible. Sadly, Angel and Nudge were blocking the dressing room entrance. I would have to wait for them to stop gawking at me so I could put on my regular clothes.

"Could you two please move?" I requested. It was a demand, but in nicer words. The girls didn't move.

"Wow," a male's voice breathed. I tensed up. Just what I needed, the boys to see me so… Vulnerable.

"Max," Fang whispered. I bit my lower lip, not wanting him to see me in a dress.

I spun around angrily, the dress making a 'swish' noise as I did so. Fang, Raz, Gazzy, and the sightless Iggy were all staring at me in disbelief. Gazzy was describing me to Iggy.

"Anyone wanna say something?" I demanded, my voice full of venom. Gazzy looked down instantly. Raz looked past me to Nudge. Iggy poked Fang, who was still staring at me.

"Fang?" I asked. "FANG! Snap out of it!"

Fang blinked, coming out of his trance. I shook my head, turning back around and marching into the changing room.

I took the dress off and put on my original clothes. I handed the dress to Nudge after leaving the changing room and moved to the checkout counter. Raz piled his clothes on top of mine.

"This all?" Miss Lori asked, coming out of the back room.

"Yeah," I answered. The woman rang up all the clothes and packed them into four bags.

"That'll be one-hundred seventy-three," she announced. "Will it be going on your credit card?"

"Yes," Fang answered. He handed the woman the card. She swiped it, and held it out for Fang. I took it.

"It is my card, after all," I muttered. Fang looked away.

"Come again!" Miss Lori called out as we left the building.

"Where's Angel and Nudge?" I asked once we were all outside the store. Well, all except for the two girls…

"They're coming," Fang answered. I turned to see them coming out of the store, Nudge holding a small bag in her hand. A bag big enough to hold a certain something I didn't want…

"Let's go home!" Gazzy yelled.

"Yeah!" Nudge, Angel, and Raz agreed. We took off , behind the store, into the bright blue sky, heading home.

It felt so good saying that.

Home is where the heart is, Maxmimum, the Voice informed me.

Home is with my Flock, Jeb, I thought. And nowhere else.

Max, you need to make an important decision, Jeb informed me. It just might be a life-or-death decision.

I felt a cool breeze and coasted on it for awhile, enjoying the sensation of flying. Nothing could take me away from it and my Flock. Everything was perfect.

Why? I demanded. I'd like to just relax, Jeb. I destroyed Itex, what's left?

This isn't a save-the-world decision, Maximum, Jeb informed me. This is a save-the-Flock decision.

Do you have to bring my Flock into this? I wondered. They need to be free. We all do.

Max, if you don't return to the School, you're Flcok will be retired, Jeb explained.

I momentarily forgot to flap. I fell a few feet before instincts took over. I rose again. Only Fang had noticed me fall. Good.

Leave the Flock alone! I thought angrily. I just found them after a year! Why can't we just be alone? For once!

You have until the end of the week to decide, Jeb stated. Either come back or watch your Flock die.

Hmmm, I hadn't planned on leavin' y'all at a cliffy, but I did! What do ya' think? I'm almost done. Less than five chapters, I believe. I'm grateful to my reviewers, who will be rewarded at the end of this story. I hope you liked it. Remember, Max has changed so she's not exactly the way she is in the books. Anyways, thanks for readin', my awesome readers. Keep up the good work! Oh, and I don't think Total's in my story. No one mentioned it, so I'm not sure. I'm not gonna go back and check now. Let's just say Total's at the Martinez's house. Oh, and also, this whole story takes place after the second book. Max has no clue who her parents are. Just thought I'd mention that. Again, I don't know if I have or not. Oh well. That's all for tonight. Review if y'all want! -Max