Whoop. This chapter was much less forced and more flowy than the last one. You can tell because there's less random cut scenes and huge time skips. MY BRAIN IS BACK! ...kind of, yaaaaay!Though I dun like how this chapter ended, but you cant win them all, right?

Kind of sad though, I only got one review ='( Though that chapter kind of sucked, I guess, so you should feel bad about not reviewing. But it maded me sad before my uber shift at Subway. S'ok, i got a free cookie. Its all good ^^ Ah, nice, short AN. =P

Strawberry Shortcake: You get a whole review section to yourself! =D Thanks for reviewing. And lol on skipping to the end to read the last line first. I've done that a couple of times, I have to admit. Shame I didnt leave him undecided til this chapter isnt it? =P And I should really talk to Crazy about handing out crystal balls...like, not to lol.

Part 20

Max sat in the back of John's people carrier, trying as hard as she could not to scream piercingly loud and tear a hole in the side of the car. Yeah, car's weren't her favourite form of transport, and usually they were a fine way to go if you needed to be inconspicuous.

But stuck in the very back of a full seven-seater? Not so much.

Fang's hand was gripping hers as tightly as she gripped his, yet he looked a heck of a lot more composed, and less like he was going to tear the bodywork apart to get some fresh air. Anyone not having their fingers squished by his intense grip would probably think he was totally at ease.

"Not far now, just a few more minutes!" Barbera yelled from the front seat, trying not to be drowned out by the radio. Apparently they had a system for choosing what went on the CD player. Today was Anna's turn, so interestingly squishy and fairy tale sounding classical music was blaring out of the speakers.

"OK!" Max managed to swallow the growing scream and shout a reply, no idea if it was heard over the noise everyone else in the car must be hating. Minus Annabelle of course.

When Fang had told them he was going with Max, Barbera had asked them what they were going to do. He said they needed to go to a library or something, do some research. Instantly poor John was offered up to give them a ride into town before dropping the kids off at school, since they'd missed their bus. John had simply stayed quiet, face as still as ever. One Fang was bad enough and, though this bloke had a few lapses Fang wouldn't have, he certainly had the non-emotive thing down to a pretty fine art.

Guess horrible upbringings fine tune genetics, eh?

At first Max had told him to decline, tell them that they'd fly there, but of course they didn't actually know where the library was. They could go and find it, but likelihood is they wouldn't find it very easily. Since they found the last one by chance and all.

So here they were, stuck in the back two seats of this massive car, listening to the Barbie Nutcracker sequence on repeat for twenty minutes, barely resisting tearing at the cars interior with their teeth. The joys of little sisters.

The car turned another corner and pulled to a stop outside a small, rundown looking little place. John turned off the engine and grabbed his keys, popping the boot on his way back. He barely had time to lift the lid before the teens were scrambling out, taking in huge gulps of fresh air and savouring the sudden lack of music.

After composing himself, Fang leaned back into the boot and pulled out the two bags Barbera had packed for them. They had no idea what was in them yet. They hadn't been given them until halfway through the journey, when she remembered she had them in the front with her. Struck him it couldn't hurt to take them. After all, anything they didn't need that took up space could be discarded easily without her knowing.

"Will you visit?" As he pulled his head out from under the boot, Fang caught the gaze of his father. His face was still impassive, no kind of anything on his features as he asked a usually emotionally-charged question. Behind the façade, he could pick out a little sadness floating in his eyes.

Fang nodded once, and a half smile spread across both their faces.

They both stood there like that for a few seconds, smiling at each other with their hands shoved in their pockets. Then they broke apart, John quickly slipping back in the driver's seat and Fang hopping up onto the curb to join Max, who was studying the library inquisitively.

It was a complete opposite of the one in New York, which looked like it belonged somewhere more up market. This one looked like a crack house, to put it nicely. The windows were dirty with what looked like centuries of dust and grime, the roof was in a dire need or a re-tile. Even the people going in and out looked like they needed a shower and a good shave.

Even the women. Max shuddered slightly.

She turned around when she heard her name shouted, smiling slightly and raising a hand to wave at the family shouting their goodbyes in the car. Fang shuffled up next to her, his hands still deep within his pockets and he smiled a small smirk. The car stated to pull away, and the shouting got loader as they attempted to keep saying goodbyes despite the distance between them getting wider and wider.

Annabelle was crying as she yelled her goodbyes to 'Charlie'.

The car turned right at the next corner, the shouting suddenly stopping as the car got out of sight. She dropped her arm back to her side and watched the corner of the street for a few seconds longer, like she expected them to come back to say goodbye again, before turning to look at Fang.

He was still staring up the street as well, the slight smirk having fallen from his face as he thought something through. He seemed to jump back to reality, his eyes watching Max as she stooped to pick up the bags. Slipping one onto her shoulder and holding the other out to him, which he took, holding it by the straps rather than wearing it.

"So," she stated, nodding her head slightly towards the library. "Parents." He smirked, adjusting his grip on the bag before falling into step with her as she continued. "That was unexpected."

"Yeah…" He replied softly, his mind wandering back to his parents, his family, who'd just driven away from them. He hadn't expected the lead they had to get them anywhere. Now they had a home to return to when all the other crud had hit the fan and been shovelled onto a manure pile. It was kind of comforting, to know you had someone waiting for you to get home.

He took a side-glance at Max. She seemed to be looking at he library in front of her as they slipped through the already open door, but he knew that glazed look in her eyes. She was either thinking about something, or having a silent argument with the voice inside her head.

Both options about just as likely, but he decided it was probably the first one.

In fact, she had been thinking about Fang's parents. They seemed decent people, a nice home with a nice family. They also seemed genuine, not like they were trying too hard to fill a role, like Anne had. And they said they would be happy to take her in, a girl they'd only just met. It was almost unbelievable, yet she had a good feeling about them.

You shouldn't always follow your instincts, Max.

She uttered a silent groan as hey got to the front desk, letting Fang step forwards and ask about using a computer. She was beginning to doubt the run down shack of a library even had any, but then she spotted just two tucked into a particularly dingy corner.

I Don't always go with my instincts. She glared at a book on the shelf nearest to her, the spine tatty and well read.

You seem to do things just to go against my suggestions, Maximum. Even if it makes sense. Its not a good idea.

I spoke to Sam and Anne, didn't I? Who, by the way, I was right about. She thought back as she glanced over at Fang, watching him sign a log book for one of the computers. See? I do follow your suggestions.

When you see no other option, yes.

Is there a reason for this mind intrusion, or should I start ignoring you? Fang looked at her and furrowed his brow slightly. She mouthed 'Voice', and his face reset itself to its old, unreadable flatness as he nodded towards the computers. She nodded once, pushing herself off the bookcase she was leaning on to follow him.

Just making sure you're back on track. Parents were not part of the plan. You have to focus on saving the world.

I couldn't give a flying monkey-descendant what your plans were. Fang had a right to meet his parents. Max's footsteps became heavier and slower as she argued with the voice in her head, glaring in the hope it could interpret that in her mind.

There's a statement that makes you sound really sane.

You could have put them in danger.

I…didn't think of that… She stopped dead half way to the computers, her eyes unfocused on Fang as he slipped into a chair and typed in the login the woman had written on a piece of paper for him. They hadn't even considered they were being watched, being tracked.

Her eyes floated to her forearm, where the chip was, and she cursed under her breath.

That's why parents weren't part of the plan. Did the voice just sound particularly venomous then? If it wasn't usually as flat and monotone as boring lecturers, Max might have dared to say it was. Even so, now wasn't the time to be making fun of the little guide in her head.

Are they safe?

Go with your instinct Maximum.

I hate you. Fang looked up at her and raised an eyebrow, but she shook her head before stepping the last twelve feet between them, grabbing a spare chair along the way and plonking right next to him.

"S'up?" He asked, his calm and intense eyes boring into the side of her head as she watched the screen flicker into life. She took a deep, deep breath and closed her eyes. Fang raised an eyebrow again, tilting his head slightly as he continued to stare at her.

"Max?"

How do you tell your boyfriend his parents may now be dead because of a chip in your arm? Its not something normal teens have to tell their better halves, and even Max had been pretty sure it wasn't something she was ever going to have to say.

Jeez, she hated her life right there.

"I…I'll run the search on Itex," she half whispered as she scooted right forwards in front of the computer screen. Fang slid his chair to the side, an eyebrow still raised as he examined the back of her head with care. "You go check on your parents. Make sure you aren't followed."

"Ma-"

"Just do it, ok?" She couldn't bring herself to look at him, in case she burst into tears, or he burned her soul with a death glare when he figured out why. He didn't move. When she took a slight glance at him he had his arms folded across his chest, a defiant look on his face.

"Tell me why."

His face was set in stone, not an emotion passing though the stiff jaw façade. In his eyes, confusion washed over every other one. She saw a tiny hint of fear and had to look away. She didn't answer, but instead rubbed the part of her arm where the chip was embedded. Fang furrowed his brows a second, thinking, then shot out of his chair without saying a word, making for the exit. Max watched him leave, sprinting out the door to find a secluded place to take off, before she took a shaky breath.

If his parents were hurt, she'd never forgive herself.

*~*~*~*

When an hour had elapsed, Max began to get anxious. Would he stay out this long if nothing had happened? She should have gone with him, made sure he didn't get outnumbered by flying wolves or something. An image of Fang, laying lifeless by that tree in his parent's garden, sent a shudder through her body.

Focus, Max. Go with the flow and focus on your objective.

Focus my [insert swear word of your choice here] bird behind! She mentally yelled, almost shaking. He's Fang! I can barely manage this with him, let alone without him!

He's expendable. You are not. Focus.

That was the point Max lost it. She was glad Angel wasn't around to witness the seemingly endless spiel of swear words being thought to blot the voice out at that statement. She hurled mental abuse at it for a good five minutes, her hand gripping the flimsy plastic chair arm so hard it cracked.

She took a few moments to seethe. The voice had gone quiet, seemingly battered into oblivion by her steam of curses and abuse. Max let out a long, shaky breath as she composed herself, finally relaxing her hand on the arm of the chair.

Fang was not expendable.

Turning her attention back to the screen in front of her, Max selected another lump of text and sent it to the printer. She'd found so much information on the place she wasn't sure if she should be happy or incredibly depressed.

Itex turned out to be a shortened name for Itexicon, an already international company with headquarters in Germany. Google maps confirmed it was a hell of a long way away from where they were now, but there was a branch of it here in the US. Somewhere near Miami, probably a few days fly at the most away from where they were now.

The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she span her chair around as fast as its rusty cogs would allow, almost whacking her legs into the side of Fang's. Her heart did a small flutter, glad to see him again. Problem was, his face gave nothing away.

"They're fine." He said gently, watching the relief fall over her face as she crumpled slightly in her chair. He pulled up a chair and settled slightly behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder after she swivelled back to face the screen. "What you find?"

"What didn't I find would be a better question," she replied, flipping through all of the tabs she had open on the place. "They dabble in everything, from computers and NASA to food and stuff. My shirt even had their logo on the label."

"Seriously?" He leant a little closer to read the current page, an information fact sheet on the company with overall details. An address was written at the bottom, along with an email address to make a date to be taken around for a guided tour.

"Basically, we're screwed." Fang turned to look at her, catching her eyes with his own, intense, searching ones.

"That's not the Maximum attitude I love and adore," he mumbled, a small smirk gracing the corner of his mouth as she looked away, a slight pink straining her cheeks, and chuckling as he wrapped his arms around her middle and pecked her cheek. "So, Miami. I hear they have good beaches."

"Will you try not to die on one this time?" Max asked, turning her head very slightly to look at him. She smiled softly as he creased his brow, pretending to consider it. She raised a hand to his cheek and tilted his head back downwards, pressing her lips to his for barely a second. His eyelids fluttered shut, remaining so for a moment longer after she pulled away before he opened them, his piercing brown eyes staring back into hers as a small smile curved the corner of his lips.

"Depends. Do I get kisses if I die?"

"No. You wouldn't be able to feel them anyway," Max laughed before resting her head against his shoulder. She closed her eyes as he kissed the side of her head, feeling him rest his cheek against where he kissed. They sat in silence for a minute or so, enjoying the silence of the library they'd soon be leaving. Fang twirled them in their chairs a little and kissed her ear, whispering ever so softly into it afterwards.

"Dying's last on my to do list then."