A/N: okay, so there are two chappies here, both really short…sorry. But the next chappie should come a little later, seeing as how (stupid) school is blocking me from writing. And some how I feel like I can't write in math class. Bleah.

Disclaimer: okay, don't own. Unless its me or Colin. Haha! I own a kid that I can turn into a Fang really easily!!!

Colin: you don't own me!

ME: shut up, yes I do!

Colin: no you don't.

ME: yes I do. Now shut up before I make your other shin bleed!

Colin: …

Chapter 28

I woke up early the next morning. No one else was awake – that I could tell. I could still hear the screaming of D'anette's music a few rooms down.

Who was this girl? Why did Max trust her so much? How did she know the story? There was something about that girl that through her off. Something made me think she was different. Hmm…I would have to talk to her about that.

A little while later, Max woke up, her eyes still closed, but her body tensed. I looked at the clock: 7:27 a.m. Not a bad time.

"Good morning, Beauty," I whispered in her ear. One of her eyes opened.

"Good mor'ng, Fangsy," she yawned. I smiled, brushing some her of her loose hair behind her ear. "Can I stay in bed?"

I chuckled. "Sure. After I eat my breakfast, I'll let Ig know he's in charge." She smiled at my idea and nodded her head.

"That sounds good," she mumbled, crawling down beneath the bed covers. She sighed and closed her eyes. She was trying to relax – I could tell.

"But if you stay in bed, you don't get any breakfast," I said. She shot up suddenly.

"I want breakfast. I'll get out of bed!" she exclaimed quietly.

"Fatty. All you want is food," I teased.

"Shut up. Food is wonderful," Max responded groggily.

I chuckled again. "Come on. Food is downstairs. And you can only get it if you get up and get it yourself. I won't get it for you."

"Fine." She swung her legs from under the covers to sitting on the edge of the bed. Then fell back on the bed.

"Get up. Get up, get up," I repeated. Slowly and not so steadily, she got up and made her way downstairs.

"This is stupid. Fang, carry me," Max whined, halfway down the stairs. I sighed and rolled my eyes. This is Max after she sleeps on an actual bed at night.

"You can make it. Trust me," I told her, slightly pushing her down some of the steps.

"I trust you enough that you can carry me," she continued. Jeez, someone needy and tired?

"Four more steps, Max," I groaned. Sheesh, she needs to learn how to walk for herself.

She sighed and walked the last few stairs. "Now will you carry me? I took the last four steps."

Damn, that girl never gives up. Seriously, never let Max sleep on an actual bed with a full night's sleep. She will turn needy!

"Fine. Piggy-back ride." I crouched down a little, letting her jump up on my back. Luckily, the kitchen was only about twenty feet from where we were. Once in the kitchen, I lightly let her down on the couch in the combined din.

"Morning, Ig," I grumbled. I am not a morning person.

"Morning, Ig," Max copied. Neither was Max.

"Morning guys," Iggy replied. "Bacon?" He pointed to the stove, bacon frying in a pan.

"Sure," I said. Great morning conversations. He handed me two plates, both with bacon, sausage, eggs and toast.

"Get your food, Max. We're eating in here." I pointed to the kitchen island. She got up almost immediately and shoved food into her mouth. Five minutes later, we were walking back up to 'our' room to get changed. As soon as we changed into our clean clothes (D'anette did our laundry the day before…weird), we walked down to D'anette's room to ask about that day's schedule.

Her door was cracked open a bit, so we opened it all the way…

To find D'anette and Colin making out. Not surprising, but what did surprise me was that they both had their shirts off. At age 12! D'anette was wearing a bra, but still. Geez. I immediately adverted my eyes.

Max noticed too, and quickly shut the door. She faced me, eyes wide. My eyes were also wide. So, we now know their relationship status.

I walked back into 'our' room and sat down on the bed. Max quickly followed, sitting right next to me, smiling. I couldn't help it – I smiled back. Hell, I started laughing. She joined in laughing with me.

Soon there after, our laughter gave our and Max leaned against me. I kissed the top of her head and said,

"That was both awkward and funny at the same time." Max giggled.

"Think they saw us?" Max asked, looking up at me.

"Probably heard us," I shrugged. She cracked a smile.

"Let's go check on them, see if they finished," Max suggested. I didn't see anything wrong with that, so we headed back down the hallway to D'anette's room. We slowly and slightly opened up D'anette's door. D'anette and Colin were fully clothed, whispering into each other's ears. There were whispering so low that neither of us could pick up on what they were saying. And to add to the list, they were also reading each other's expression.

Chapter 29

"So, do you think they'll figure it out?" D'anette barely whispered to Colin.

He shook his head. "They shouldn't. How could they figure it out? You've only told me and Heidi," he said back, barely audible for even D'anette. "Besides, can't you see anything?"

D'anette shook her head. "No. Like, I can only get a few voices here and there. They mainly say, 'I'm hungry' or 'Check flock, check flock'. It's really weird and hard and painful. But sometimes I see Harmony flying and then getting shot. And one time it was Maximillian that was shot. They weren't fatal shots, but a gunshot is still really painful," she recalled. "And they go by different names. Like, only Max goes by her actual name."

"What do you mean? Like, they gave us fake names?" Colin asked, a confused look over his whole face.

She nodded. "Yeah, basically. Like, I can only pick up on two names other than Max. Harmony is actually named Nudge. Quite interesting. And Maximillian is really Fang." Colin nodded, his face clearing from confusion. "And their names aren't usual names like ours. It's almost as if they picked out their names when their vocabulary wasn't finished."

Yeah, and D'anette would know about those kinds of things – she's always acing those kinds of tests, Colin thought sarcastically.

"Okay. Anything else you picked up from them? We need ever little detail that we can get," he advised. "We need to know who and what we're dealing with here."

"Well, I guess the only way to get them to trust me is to let them," D'anette sighed, "know everything." D'anette stood up. Colin followed.

"No, D'anette. That's practically suicide or –"

"Oh, and that worked for me before," D'anette retorted sarcastically.

"D'anette – last year has nothing to do with now. Pretend like that never happened. Because in all truths, nothing did happen except yelling and threats." He looked at her sorrowfully in the eyes. "Please – just forget about that. For me. For you. For us."

A single tear ran down D'anette's cheek. Colin caught it, making her look up at him. She nodded slowly. Then she brought him into a hug. "I will, Colin. I will. I promise," she swore into his shoulder.

"Come on – I'm hungry," he said, bringing her back to look at him in the eyes. She smiled. But as soon as it came, it fell. "What?"

"Max!" Anger was controlling her voice and actions. She stomped over to the slightly open door, swinging it hard enough to almost rip it off the hinges.

"Heh, heh…oops?" Max said, standing up straighter.

AN: okay…so what's going on here??? Haha! I know!!! Do you? Haha.

And no, D'anette is not emo. She just has…some…issues/problems with life.

oh, and i'm jsut going to be posting when i can...but don't stop reviewing!!! i love reviews!! they can give me wonderful wonderful wonderful ideas (yes i know i put wonderful three times).

rainxface

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