AN: Reviews were awesome! They made me happy!

…………………………………………Max's POV………………………………………

Two days had gone by since Fang had left. I felt completely alone, even with the rest of the flock all around me.

I hadn't been myself lately. Everyone noticed that I was down, and kept trying to make me feel better. Angel and Danielle invited me to their tea party, Gazzy and Iggy asked me to join them in their Halo alliance, Nudge offered to give me a make over (which I politely declined.)

They all seemed a bit down, too, but they kept on living. They all seemed to be having fun in Danny's house; she had many things to keep them entertained. Angel loved playing in Danny's dollhouse, Nudge went crazy with the bedazzler and used Danny's sewing machine to make her own stylish clothes. (She made me many fitted, mini skirts which were lined in rhinestones. I pretended to like them, knowing I would burn them later.) Gazzy was having a blast with Dylan's old skateboard, flipping and twisting and… crashing. Dylan was teaching Iggy how to read by teaching him how to sense the black ink on the pages and recognizing what shapes were what letters. (It sounds complicated, but it was cool to see Iggy's face light up when he could put all of the letters together to make a word.) Dylan has been pretty quiet. He was just being a good host, you know, walking around and helping everyone when he could. He'd kind of been avoiding me, but I'm sure it was nothing. And Total was… Well, being Total. You know, the usual. He's been writing his novel. (Oh, didn't I tell you? No? Well, he's writing The Under Appreciated Life of a Talking Winged Dog.)

After dinner, I quietly dismissed myself from the group. I got many worried looks since it was only seven, but I dismissed them, stating that I was tired. I was—I hadn't slept since Fang had left—but that's not why I went upstairs. I just wanted to be alone.

As I slugged up the stairs, I wondered what Danny had been doing for three years by herself. Obviously, she must not be a normal six year old. Was she another Itex experiment? If so, why would they let her live alone?

I opened my door and let myself face plant onto my bed. I just wanted to sit there and think about nothing.

I slowly turned my head and squinted at the glowing green digital clock that was sitting on my bedside table. It read 11:47.

I frowned. Had I really been lying there for that long? Well my plan had worked. I didn't think about anything for about five hours. A new record for me! I usually can't shut my brain down.

I flipped over onto my back and stared out the window. Maybe if I stared long enough, I would see Fang flying back to me….

Creak!

I jumped up from my bed and spun to face the door. My heart was beating fast. "Fang?" I whispered hopefully.

Dylan peeped his head around the barely opened door. "Sorry to disappoint," he said with a sad smile.

I slowly lowered myself back on the bed, sitting stiffly and quietly. "No, it's okay. If I stared at a coat hanger long enough, I would convince myself it was Fang," I sighed truthfully.

He chuckled and sat down in the desk chair across from me. "I'm sorry he left like that," he said.

I shrugged. "What would you do if you found out that you were going to die?" I countered.

Dylan looked me right in the eye, shocking me by the seriousness in his expression. "I would be with the people I cared about the most if I knew that I might not have much more time to spend with them."

Stupid Dylan and his stupid answers that make Fang look like the bad guy and make me feel guilty for liking him….

"Well, I'm sure he just… needed time to… gather his… thoughts… or something," I mumbled, unsure of where this conversation was leading.

Awkward silence.

After a few nervous glances, he decided to come clean with what was on his mind. "I know you don't… want to be with me… but maybe if you could just give me a chance…" he stuttered, while staring at the floor and knitting his eyebrows together as if he was in pain.

I caught my breath. This could not be happening. Not now, while Fang wasn't here.

"I really do care about you," he choked out. "I know I must seem like a creep, because I've been pursuing you ever since I've met you, but it's not like that… for me at least. I feel like I've known you forever, like I know we were meant to be together. I know you feel something for me. Please, tell me you feel something." He was practically begging me with his silver eyes boring into mine.

I had to hold myself together. Show no emotion. Turn him down cold.

I knew that I was a very convincing liar. I hardened my face and locked up all feelings deep inside me. I kept running through my mind that I loved Fang.

Dylan's face grew dark as he read my expression.

"I'm sorry," I responded coldly.

Dylan looked utterly disheartened. I felt really terrible for being that inconsiderate, but it had to be done. I couldn't lead him on any longer.

We sat in silence for what felt like a long time. I was forced to watch Dylan recover from my harsh words. It was painful. I knew full well the force of rejection and I felt awful for putting Dylan through the same thing.

I sighed and stared down at my hands. Fang really needed to come back now. Things were getting way out of hand.

As I tried to avoid Dylan's eyes, I glanced out the window. Curiously, I saw two dark figures approaching the house. I straightened up and tried to make them out.

"MAX!" Nudge yelled from downstairs.

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