Chapter 17

Oh my life! Chapter 17 already! I can't believe it! Wow! Thankyou all for your reviews! You are all fabulous! I love you all!

Note to Tohru (A.K.A. Nicole): I love, love, LOVE your drawings of the flocks swimsuits! I've got them tacked on my bedroom wall! I've just realised though, you've missed poor Gazzy out! (Like I have in this...) I love you Tohru! Loads-a-love Onee-chan! xxxxxxx

If anyone's wondering 'swimsuits? What the he-eck?' Well – when I was on holiday, I went to the beach (it was raining again) and I saw a girl who looked EXACTLY like Nudge – and she had this pink and silver one-piece swimsuit on , and I tried to draw it. Of course, with my drawing skills – it went poopy. What I forgot to do, was to take out my crappy little drawing when I gave Tohru my printouts of the chapters for her to read, she saw it (the crappy drawing) and she drew a swimsuit for Max, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Angel and Tia – Tia's swimsuit is my total fave! I LOVE it!!!! – and Tohru gave them to me today (Friday) at break in school – and they were ADORABLE!!! Her drawings are uber cute! I love you Tohru!!!! I think I might send the flock off to the swimming pool or something...FOR MAX'S BIRTHDAY! (When I get around to doing it...). Right, sorry, rambling...

Sapphirepaw -or Softkit-, your character comes up now! Woo!

Lyra xxx

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride, or her boyfriend (unfortunately), or any of her 'brothers and sisters'. Another thing I don't own (again, unfortunately) is the get-away car, a Porsche turbo 911, but one day, I'll get one, I will!

Claimer: What I do own though, is the plot – the extra characters are kind of mine, but not entirely (don't worry folks, I'll put up a list of all the characters and they're real owners at the end of the fic). So, yeah, no stealing. 'kay?

Tessa

Jocelyn's POV

Damn it, I hated being like this – but Jacob hates the flock, I had to feel the same.

Of course, my feelings for them are totally different from Jacob's – I had been fascinated by the flock ever since I first heard about them, a couple of years ago. I may only be 12, but it felt like I knew them really well – studying their every move, watching them, listening to their thoughts...I probably knew them better than they knew themselves. I loved them...and I hated having to act like this. But it was my job, Jacob didn't know how I felt, and he wasn't about to start. I didn't know what to do – I swear I heard someone at the door, but they must have just been walking past or something.

Nudge and Angel were amazing friends – Angel was so sweet, and Nudge felt like my sister – how could anyone be so cruel to them?

My phone rang, breaking me from my thought process – it must be Jacob.

"What?" I said icily.

"J-Jocey?"

"Tess? Oh God, Tess, are you okay?" Tessa was like me and the flock, just without the wings. She had had a rough life – she and some other experiments had managed to escape The Academy, that was a few years ago, and now she was the only one left. The main reason she was still alive was because she could turn invisible and the Director, my mother, said she would take good care of her.

"No, Jocey. Please come get me, they're-no!"

"Give me the damn phone Tessa!" I heard a male voice shout.

"No, please! No! JOCEY!" The call was cut off – the fact that anyone could hurt my best friend like that made my blood boil – I had to go get her.

I called campus and asked them to trace Tessa's phone – it turned out she was in Oxford, not far from where I was now.

I made a snap decision – the kind that everyone remembers later for being either the stupidest dumb-butt thing they ever saw, or else the miraculous saving of the day. I seemed to hear more about the first kind, so I'd probably regret it later – I grabbed my phone and, shoving it into my jean pocket, I jumped out of the window - heading for my best friend.

I got to Tessa's last known address about an hour after. The good thing about it: it was a small, simple house – the bad thing about it: it was in the middle of freaking nowhere. Looks like a lot of carrying and flying...unless – yes! There was a small yellow sports car on the drive – Tessa, looking 17, but only being 14 (almost 15), could drive us out. It was a very nice car, Porsche turbo 911, in yellow with blacked out windows – very quick, by the looks of it. Great!

I landed in on a branch of an oak tree, and quietly climbed down. Crouching down low, I crept to a small back window and looked in – Tessa was in there, she was facing me, I put my finger to my lips to be quiet, she blinked in response. In the room with her was...Jacob? That bleeping traitor! He was meant to be in upstate California at The Academy, talking mother into letting me free! Tessa rolled her eyes, which made me giggle – which in turn, made Jacob's head swivel my way – I ducked, damn – I hope he didn't see me, I crawled quickly under a nearby bush. Ouch, prickly! Ow! Man, I'm gunna have major scratches after this.

I heard the window open, I stopped breathing, becoming immobile. Please don't notice me, please don't notice me, please don't-

I heard a CRACK followed by Tessa screaming in agony, I jumped up – not caring if I got beaten with the horse whip too – no-one was allowed to beat Tessa up!

"Get that thing off her, Jacob!" I screamed, he turned around to look at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry, were you feeling left out?" He said, Bringing the whip up and hitting it against my leg, simultaneously, a sharp shot of pain speared up my leg, making me stiffle a scream.

Tessa turned invisible, suddenly, Jacob was clutching at his throat – Tessa was super strong, especially when she was angry...

Jacob's now unconscious body fell to the ground and Tessa appeared, throwing her arms around me.

"I was so scared Jocey! You've always been the brave one – and I'm older than you! Oh God Joce, are you okay?" She looked me over.

"I'm fine Tess – but look at you, you're a mess!" She was covered in cuts and bruises.

"I'm fine. Now, we need to get out of here – any ideas? And no, you are not flying me, so don't even think about it."

"Well, do you remember how to drive? Cuz your fave car is out on the drive..."

Tessa squealed, "My Porsche?!"

I laughed, "Your Porsche."

"What are we waiting for, then? Lets go already!"

When we got back to the mansion, Tessa was worried that she couldn't stay.

"Don't worry, Tess. Esme'll be okay with it, honest."

Esme's POV

I heard the front door slam.

"Esme? Where are you?" I heard Jocelyn shout.

"Coming!" I replied, jogging down the stairs.

"Esme, this is my friend, Tessa. Can she stay here, please?" Jocelyn asked, looking like she was on the verge of crying.

I nodded, "Yes, yes, of course – take her to the bedroom next to yours."

I knew I shouldn't trust Jocelyn – but something told me that she was going to be a great help.

"Oh, and um...we kind of stole a car to get Tess away from...um...someone who was...um...trying to hurt her. It's a real nice car, and the guy who owned it is a total jerk. Sorry." Jocelyn and Tessa ran off up the stairs, leaving me worried about what actually happened to them.

Fang's POV

It's Max's birthday tomorrow...a Sunday, and I've got the perfect present for her. Or at least, I hope it's the perfect present...that's if she still likes me – she's seemed extremely quiet over the past couple of days. I can't think why though- Oh, maybe it's Jocelyn...in that case, I better get her something as well as the CD's I got her...maybe a silver locket would be good...

"She'll love that," Angel said, reading my mind, "and, actually – she's worried that you don't like her any more. She's been crying at night for the last couple of nights. If I were you, I'd go talk to her, Fang."

Oh. Was all I could think, before sprinting up the stairs, two at a time, to Max's room."

Max's POV

Homework was the only thing keeping me from curling up into a ball and crying...again. I know, homework – crazy, right? But it was the only thing saving me from insanity. I bet Fang has got feelings for that Jocelyn. No matter what Angel says, no matter that we've found out that she's a traitor.

I heard a soft knock on my door, "Max, can I come in?" Crap, it was Fang – probably coming to break up with me.

"Go away."

Fang's POV

"Go away." I heard Max reply – she sounded like she had been crying, I hope she was okay.

"Max, please let me come in." I tried the door – locked.

"Why should I? You can break up with me from behind the door, I'm sure."

I was surprised, I guess Angel was right.

"You mean to say I'm not usually? Jeezums Fang, I can read minds, you know." Angel pushed the thought into my head.

Angel, what should I do? She won't open the door.

"Try walking through it." This was a different voice from Angels.

Jamie?

"Yes. Now, think about making yourself invisible and walk through the door."

Um...okay then. I thought about becoming invisible, and walked through the door. Oh my God, it worked – and Max hadn't seen me. She was glaring at the door, not at me, at the door. Tears running silently down her flushed cheeks.

"Fang, just go away." She put her head in her hands, "Just, break up with me if you want – and go back to little Miss Traitor."

"Max, I don't want to break up with you – what in hell made you think that? I love you." I made myself visible again.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Her voice was think and she was glaring at me.

"New power. Look Max, I couldn't hurt you – you mean everything to me. Look at me." I knelt down on my knees in front of Max. She looked up, not looking into my eyes, her own eyes red from crying.

"Then why...?"

"Why what?"

"Why weren't you doing anything when Jocelyn was flirting with you?"

"I did. I told her to leave me alone – told her that I loved you, and nothing could change that. And Max, it's true." She searched my eyes, looking to see if I was telling the truth.

"Oh God, Fang!" she threw her arms around my shoulders, "I'm so sorry, Fang, please forgive me, I'm such an idiot. Angel told me not to worry about Fanlyn."

Fanlyn?

"Fang and Jocelyn merged together, Fang." Angel told me.

Ahh.

I cradled Max in my arms until she fell asleep. Lying her on the bed, I walked out the room, closing the door softly behind me.

Now to go get that locket.

Sorry about all the POV changes at the end, but I don't think it could really be helped.

So, Max's birthday in the next chapter, I've decided. Then I can describe to you all of their swim costumes – they're AM-A-ZING, I really won't be able to describe as well as they have been drawn, but I'll give it a go. Did I mention that I loved my Tohru? Well, I do – she's like my lil sister and my best friend rolled into one!

Please review!

Oh! I'm going to be posting character profiles 3 and 4 today – as soon as I submit this, actually – they are Pandora and Skye's profiles! Until next time, tata my luff-a-lees!

Lyra xxx