A Month Later

Max and Fang pretty much skirted around each other since the fair. Fang only talked to her when he asked about the Gasman, and if they were assigned to be partners. He didn't come over to Dr. M's house as often as he used to.

Nudge noticed.

They were all gathered in Dr. M's dining room. Angel had invited her over. Max and Fang were there, too. Iggy wasn't, to Nudge's disappointment. The way he acted even though he was blind was...amazing.

She sat herself beside the Gasman, who was healing miraculously quickly. His upper chest was bandaged, where the bullet wound was. Max was sitting on the other side of Nudge. Fang was sitting beside Angel, who was sitting beside Gazzy.

"Aren't you going to--" Nudge started to say to Max.

"Nah," Max shook her head. "If I do, I'll drop a cookie and he'll be there to see it and he's going to remind me of something again." She smiled, but anyone could tell it was forced.

Her mom brought over a plate full of cookies. Nudge inhaled the scent, almost drooling. They seemed to have the same effect on everyone, especially Max. She was first to grab a cookie and eat it within three bites.

"Awesome," Max sighed, then dove for the plate again. For a second, Nudge thought everything was fine.

And then came the movie.

Angel sat on one couch with Gazzy, Nudge squished in the middle. Max and Fang shared one couch, Fang on one side, Max on the other. There was a gaping hole in the middle.

"On better days, they usually cuddle up with each other," Angel whispered over to Nudge. They both giggled, earning glares from Max, who seemed to have overheard.

The movie started and Dr. M had to leave for work. Fang offered to stay with Angel and Dr. M showered him with kisses and thank you's. Nudge could swear she saw Max roll her eyes.

--

"Do you like Fang?" Angel asked in her best 'innocent' voice.

"Of course." Max ruffled her hair as she closed the door.

"But you weren't cuddling with him earlier."

"Sitting together. We weren't sitting together."

"Whatever you say. Did something happen?"

"No."

"Are you sure?" Angel looked up at her older sister. She added, "Will you tell me?" right before Max said, "Yes."

"You will!" Angel squealed.

"No! It was an accident and nothing happened and..." Max groaned and slipped her jacket on. "Drop the subject."

"Will you tell me tomorrow?"

"No."

--

Fang gathered enough wits to talk to Max at school the next day. He found her staring out at the big windows in the cafeteria, her lunch untouched.

"Aren't you hungry?" He sat down beside her.

"Not today." She shook her head.

"Good."

"...What?"

"You're talking to me."

"Oh."

Fang ate his lunch in silence. When Max got up to dump her tray, he followed. They went out to the parking lot together.

"So...about the fair...," Fang began.

"Yeah?" Max asked, looking at him.

"I'm sorry," He whispered. "I shouldn't have..."

But to his surprise, Max was suddenly hugging him.

"I miss you," she said into his shirt.

He knew what she meant. "Can we go back to being friends?"

"Friends."

"Yeah?"

"Okay."

Fang thought he caught a hint of disappointment in her voice. Or was it relief?

He noticed the gold chain around her neck. He smiled. "You're still wearing that."

"The only piece of jewelry I actually wear." Max laughed. She lifted the necklace as much as she could.

Fang almost, almost kissed her cheek. Instead, he said, "Thanks. It makes me feel special."

"It should," Max said. "Because you are."

He couldn't help but blush. "Thanks."

"You said that already." Max smirked.

"Is it suddenly against the law to say something twice?" He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "I don't think so."

"One day, I'm going to be the world ruler and make it a law," Max said smoothly. She planted a soft kiss on his cheek. Fang pulled away and blinked.

"Is Max turning...girly?" He asked with fake shock.

Max rolled her eyes. "You like me girly?"

"You like me smiling?" Fang countered.

Max replied, "Yes." And then she turned and walked over to Iggy, who apparantly was still in his childish state. He was examining a worm. As in looking at it.

Iggy.

He's one of a kind.

--

Fang was kneeling beside Gazzy's bed, reading him a bedtime story.

"And they all lived happily ever after," He finished softly. The Gasman was asleep, cuddled up with a pillow. On the other side of the room, Angel was asleep in her own bed. Fang leaned over to kiss the Gasman's forehead. Then he stood and closed the book up and returned it on the shelf. He turned off the lights as he exited the room.

"Good story," Max said. She was sitting down on the floor, leaning against the wall. Dressed in pajamas and some strands of hair out of place, she looked like she hadn't gotten much sleep.

"Tired?" Fang sat down next to her.

"Absolutely." Max yawned. Fang turned her head to face his.

"Go get some sleep," he whispered.

"I've got to open the door for mom. Her house keys somehow disappeared from her keychain," Max answered.

"I'll do it," Fang offered.

Max ducked her head and turned away, chuckling nervously. "Okay." She turned back to Fang, smiling.

Fang reached out. He fixed her hair, smoothing down the strands that were sticking up and running his fingers through her hair once. Their eyes met briefly, and Fang felt time stop.

"I-I'm off to bed, then," Max stammered. She stood up a little too quickly and walked away. "Thanks again," She called over her shoulder. She shot a smile at him and entered her room, Once the door was shut, she leaned against it.

Running her hands through her hair, she couldn't help but feel so confused.

--

Fang leaned against Max's door, rubbing the back of his neck. "I love you," he whispered, and stayed there for a little more, savoring the feeling of her hair and the warmth of her smile.