Alrighty, this ones up early! =D Doubt i get a prize for that, but its up, so ner. Now, this ones average sized, a little short, but generally the right length. I might make the next one a double update, as all of it kinda flows into itself. End of this series is getting kinda close...and i think i'mma do a sequel after this, maybe...Anyway. MAJOR FAXness in this one people, but the title of this chapter says it all really, lol.

volleyballgurl4HIM: Whoo, another reviewer =D I love you guys sometimes, ya know? Im not good at smart remarks, but i tried...hope its ok lol. Sounds interesting, your weekend =P I'm never gunna object to people telling me what they're up to, i put it in my ANs after all. Hope you have fun ^^ and no worries.

happyasusual4: S'ok, Fang feels better by the end of this one...and worse, but better =D

Part 14

They'd barely spoken a word all evening, the only communication between the bird kids being head nods or shakes and shoulder shrugs. Fang had never been a big talker anyway, but lately he'd opened up a little. Now here he was, sat close to a camp fire and staring into to, having reverted back into the silent, unspeaking Fang he used to be.

Max was slightly confused. He'd been fine until earlier that day, at the store, when he'd lent in so close. She'd been startled, really not expecting any of what had happened after they got their new clothes. Calling her beautiful. Pulling her close. Leaning in for a kiss…

Max curled up a little tighter. She was on her side on a beach somewhere off the coast, near the city. They'd bought some groceries using Max's card and then flown about looking for somewhere secluded to hide out for a few days. This beach was almost deserted when they flew over it, and it was certainly secluded from the rest of its inhabitants. Exchanging a nod in agreement, the pair had landed for the night.

Fang had taken first shift. It was the only thing he'd said all evening, and Max didn't have the morale to argue. So here she was a few hours later, supposed to be sleeping, but instead staring at Fang's back wondering what the hell had happened.

She wasn't even sure what she wanted anymore. Since the Flock had been taken, it had been just her and Fang, through thick and thin. Of course, it hadn't been long since they left the damned place known as the school, but she felt closer to her right wing man than ever before. Did she want to be closer to him than just an adviser? Its not like she had any motherly duties to take care of anymore, Fang didn't need babying any more than she did.

Did she want to stick a title on him? Boyfriend…it seemed such a definite word to her, like fiancée or marriage would to a normal person. It meant she agreed she liked him too. And she really wasn't sure anymore.

She remembered the small smile he'd worn in the trees, when she said he might keep that title. He wanted it. He wanted her. So what was holding her back?

That question was a toughie.

She noticed Fang turn to look at her, as discretely as he usually did, and snapped her eyes shut, pretending to be asleep.

Fang himself was anything but focused on his surroundings. Staring into the fire, he kept seeing the look of confusion and panic on Max's face when he went to kiss her dance before him. He'd let it run through his thoughts a few more times before this, but he couldn't quite come to a conclusion. He didn't want to believe she was playing with him. He was pretty sure she wouldn't, it wasn't very 'Max', but the doubt still niggled at his brain.

Was the confusion because she didn't think this is where they were leading, or because she seriously hadn't seen it coming? He peeked over his shoulder to look at her and saw her eyes quickly close, her breathing slow to a sleeping pace. He sighed, dropping his head into his hands and rubbing his temples, silently wishing her had Angel's mind reading abilities.

She was awake, so she was thinking about something. Probably the same thing as him. He knew all too well neither of them would actually bring up the point. He wasn't one for normal conversations, let alone difficult ones, and Max liked to avoid the issue than confront it.

Unless it was a life/ death thing. Then she kicked it really hard.

Images of her danced before his now closed eyes. Her smile, her eyes, the way she kicked an eraser in the chest so hard it stumbled. She was amazing. He wanted to be the one allowed to hold her. To kiss her. To try and protect her, even if she didn't need it or want it.

He wanted to be her boyfriend, her to be his girlfriend. He loved her.

The problem was how to let her know.

-

Fang had been exhausted, not that he'd let his face show it when he'd taken the first watch. It was almost inevitable her would fall asleep before he was meant to, leaving the camp unwatched and unguarded as he and Max both slept peacefully.

Max was woken by the sound of a bush moving, like a branch had got caught on someone and swung back. Her eyes sprang open, and she pushed herself up off the floor to look around. Half way there, a large boot met with her head, kicking it back to the ground. Before she could react the same boot pressed itself on her windpipe, holding her helplessly on the floor. In the half light of the morning, her attacker's features were outlines in a sickly orange-red glow.

Max growled, her arms reaching up to try and pull his boot from her neck. Ari.

"Look who decided to come to the beach," Ari sneered, pressing his boot a little tighter on her wind pipe. Max's growl became a strangled cough as she tried to pull his boot from her neck. He was too heavy. All Max could do was squirm helplessly, soundlessly, hoping Fang wasn't still asleep. Ari lent a little closer, his fowl breath filling Max's nostrils. She wanted to barf.

"Now now Max, no need to squirm," he tried to coo, his scratchy morphed eraser voice completely cancelling any soothing effect it may have had. Max tilted her head as much as his boot would allow as a claw came down to stroke her face. "My Max. Its almost wonderful to finally see you powerless." He laughed, but Max shook with anger at those words. She'd show him how freakin' powerless she was when he had to lift his boot.

Luckily for Max, he was too busy gloating to pay attention to his surroundings. Which means he didn't see the mass of Fang running at him full throttle. Until it spoke.

"Get the hell off of her!" Fang yelled, rugby tackling Ari right in the side. The force knocked him off his feet, and the two went rolling a couple of feet away. Max crawled onto all fours, coughing and gasping. Her lungs burned for fresh air Ari's boot had been depriving her of. Glancing up, she saw both of them scrabbling with other another. Ari outweighed Fang with ease, but that was without factoring in Fang's anger.

When he was angry, he came down like a ton of bricks.

Before Max could fully recover, eraser hands grabbed her roughly and yanked her to her feet, securing her arm behind her as her vision adjusted to the sudden disturbance. Focusing, she could see Fang and Ari wrapped up in a massive fight. Kicks and punches flew left, right and centre. Max was the most nimble of the flock, but Fang was still more flexible and speedy than a clunky eraser mitt. He was dodging most of the blows Ari threw at him, getting a light cuff here and there before pounding on Ari with a stint of his own kicks and punches.

Then it happened. Ari hit Fang at full force under the jaw, sending him flying up and backwards a few feet. He landed crumpled, but was quickly pulling himself to his feet as the eraser advanced on him. Fang blinked a few times, trying to refocus his now slightly bleary brain. He dodged another punch and delivered a roundhouse kick to Ari's chest as hard as he could.

Ari barely flinched before clapping Fang on the side of his face, sending him flying once more.

Fang remained in a heap on the floor. Max's cries were muffled by a hairy eraser paw as Ari advanced on the motionless form in front of him. In a last bid to win over the battle, Fang swung a leg up and kicked Ari in the face. Blood seeped out of the corner of his mouth, staining his fur a dark red. With not enough time to get to his feet, Fang got the full blow of Ari's next kick, jerking his face and his whole body to the left. He rolled a few more seet and stopped. Ari advanced on him again, picking up his lifeless form by the head.

Max's screams became louder and more terrified behind the paw as Ari began to smack Fang's head against a rock, laughing as he did so. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes, her body shook in anger and desperation as she struggled with the erasers holding her arms. They twisted them tighter behind her back until tears finally seeped down her face.

All she could do was watch.

Finally, Ari stopped smacking his head against the rock and dropped Fang's unmoving body back to the floor, a happy smile on his face. Max saw red. He would be dead if she wasn't being held so tightly. A movement off to her right caught her eye and she turned her head, eraser mitt and all, to see what it was. She was almost sick.

Jeb.

He walked over calmly, his face emotionless as he knelt in front of her, nodding at an eraser to remove his grubby paw from her mouth. She didn't hesitate to let him know how she felt about him, spitting disgustedly at his face. He jerked back slightly, the substance aimed for his eye instead hitting his cheek. He remained silent as he pulled a tissue from his pocket and wiped Max's present away. He then leant in a little bit closer, his non expressive eyes seemingly searching her own for something. He sighed when he didn't see it.

"Do you not understand this yet Max?" he asked, a hint of annoyance in his even tone. "Everything's a test. A game. You cant afford to get sidetracked by non important issues if you want to complete your mission."

"I don't want to play your sick and twisted games!" Max shouted, struggling against the erasers holding her steady. The only barrier between her and breaking Jeb's neck. He shook his head slowly, disappointed.

"You're a smart girl Max, I would have thought you'd have figured this out by now." He sighed, holding her gaze. "Its not about you. You have to save the world, Maximum. You need to save the world."

"You just let Ari kick the life out of my world," her voice came as a harsh whisper. Warm tears trickled down her cheeks. "Why should I save yours?"

Jeb simply stood again, motioning for the erasers to release her arms. He looked at her solemnly. "I don't want to upset you Max. Everything has its reasons and meanings. Everything must be ready for you save the world."

It took all of her willpower not to sock him in the stomach right there. She could have him on the ground with his neck broken before an eraser could even grab an arm. But she didn't. His eyes looked sincere, soft, caring. What was he getting at?

"I'm preparing you Max," he continued after a few moments pause. "Getting you ready. When the time comes, you cant afford to be distracted. But you cannot do it alone." He looked over at Fang, who was still motionless on the sand where Ari had left him, crumpled unnaturally. Fresh tears stung Max's eyes just from looking at him.

"Sacrafices must be made." Max looked back at Jeb to see him walk away, flanked by his eraser guards and his happy looking son trailing behind him. Max couldn't bring herself to move until he was out of sight, her body shaking with fear and anger. Once she was sure he was gone, her attention immediately jumped back to Fang, wasting no time in sprinting over to him and dropping beside his seemingly lifeless form.

She checked his neck wasn't broken, then for a pulse. There was a definite pulse, still strong despite the state he was in. All of his clothes had been almost shredded, small amounts of blood staining the shreds as cuts oozed his life fluid away. His face was bruised and swollen in places, deep cuts in his cheek dripping blood onto the sand beneath him. A small amount of blood tricked from his mouth. Max knelt over him, gently yet frantically stroking his cheeks, down his neck, repeating the action again and again.

"Please wake up," she whispered to his battered face, stroking his olive cheeks with her thumbs. "Please…"

He didn't move. Max could feel panic setting in. Her body was shaking, her breathing getting heavier as she stroked his cheeks a little faster, a little firmer. She wiped stray pieces of hair off his sweat coated brow before returning to stroking his cheek, looking over him for a more fatal wound. None to be seen.

"You cant die on me Fang," Desperation was creeping into her voice as she held his face in her hands. Tears streamed down her face as she resisted slapping him, trying to bring him out of it "You cant die!" Her body shook slightly as more tears flowed. Leaning closer to him, her strokes steadily became softer before she cupped his cheeks in her hands, her lips now barely an inch away from his own.

"I need you…" she whispered gently, closing her eyes as she leaned in, pressing her lips softly against his own. She tasted blood, but she didn't care. She continued to kiss him, willing him to kiss back as tears continued to fall down her cheeks.

After a few seconds, a tear dripped from her face into a cut on Fang's cheek, the salt stinging the wound. He drew in a lungful of air sharply, his chest touching Max's as she bent over him, his senses slowly coming back as the pain rudely awakened him. He hurt like hell, everything ached, and he was aware of someone leaning over him, their lips pressed to his own. He didn't need to open his eyes to figure out what was going on. Shakily, he lifted a hand and rested it on the back of her head, finally doing what Max was willing him to.

He kissed back.

Max felt him kiss back, and relief flooded through her. She kissed him with a little more fire, fresh tears of job slipping down her face as his hand tangled into her hair. After a little longer, minutes that felt like seconds, Max pulled away, letting him breathe. Fang immediately tilted the top half of his body, spitting a shot of blood onto the sand beside him Max continued to strokes his face as he laid like that for a few seconds, resting his pounding head. Finally, he looked back at her, a small smile gracing his bruised face.

"I should almost die a lot more often," he mumbled, closing his eyes against the pain in his head. Max laughed through her tears, wiping them away using her jumper sleeve before gently stroking his swelling jaw. He squeezed his eyes up slightly, trying not to groan, but Max already gathered it hurt.

"Painful way to get kisses…" she whispered softly, stroking the small length of his cheek that wasn't swollen or bruised. "It would be easier to ask…"

Fang opened his eyes slowly, trying to ignore the pounding in his head. "I can get kisses if I ask..?" he queried softly, lightly stroking the back of her head as a smile found its way onto Max's face.

"Of course," she whispered as she lent a little closer to him, softly kissing his his lips once more. Pulling away, she planted a gentle kiss on his forehead before looking back into his eyes.

"What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didnt kiss you?"