Twenty-Eight
Max's POV
I flew off in the direction Nessie pointed me (lot of help that did *rolls eyes*) and scanned the airway. I needed to explain myself before he did something stupid.
Flashback
"Maaaxxx." I heard Iggy calling from the makeshift hospital room. I got up from my seat on the couch and gave Fang a nod in passing. Angel and Nudge were probably playing with Bex, while I knew that Gasman had already gone to bed, not feeling well.
When I entered the room, I wrinkled my nose. The room smelled horrible. I smelled the puke before I saw it, but that didn't stop the gag reaction I had.
"I…I don't feel good." He complained, covering his mouth with his hand. His no longer blind eyes met mine and I sighed. Back to Mommy Max.
It had been forever since any of the Flock had gotten sick, that I found it odd that two of my boys were sick at the same time, especially since I hadn't felt good yesterday.
"It's okay, Igs." I shushed him. "I'm gonna get you some stuff and then you'll feel better. You want me to get Nudge or Carlisle?"
Iggy panicked. "No, no, don't get Nudgie. I don't want her to see me like this." He moaned. "Not when I'm already so messed up." He said, referring to his vampire-ness. I felt bad for my pyro; suddenly my life didn't look half bad.
I went to the bathroom, grabbed a few washrags that I ran under cool water, and tried to find some sort of bucket. I had a feeling Iggy would need it. I finally found one under the sink and emptied the medicines out of it, leaving the bottles in the counter.
I was half tempted to grab the Aspirin but remembered what Nessie said about normal medications and how they would only work for a few minutes and then the pain would be back again.
I spotted Alice in the hallway and asked if she'd seen Carlisle but she said that he and Esme were at the hospital getting the blood results. I thanked her anyway, feeling weird when the words passed my lips. Being around people with old fashioned manners had rubbed off and I cursed the Cullens under my breath teasingly.
I washed Iggy's face with the washrag and put the barf bucket next to him on the floor for future use. I turned to leave but he caught my wrist.
"Please, Max, I'm scared." Iggy said uncharacteristically. None of the Flock ever showed weakness, that was something Jeb had taught us long ago. Now, my winged vampire brother was practically on the verge of tears.
"It's okay. I'm here." I said, trying to reassure him. He closed his eyes contently and I was reminded of a time not long ago when Fang had been badly injured and he made the same face.
My heart tore as I thought of Ari nearly killing my best friend. So much had changed since that day on the beach. Fang was now my boyfriend that I loved, um, I mean liked. Oh, who am I kidding, I love that boy.
I smiled as I said it in my head. I love Fang. I am in love with Fang. I am head over heals in love with my best friend. Suddenly, I couldn't contain my thoughts and I whispered happily, "I love you."
Iggy stared at me strangely and I shrugged him off. His eyes lit with recognition. "Ah, I see. You finally realized what I figured out three years ago in Colorado."
"I…I guess I did." I said, a smile still on my lips. I bent down and kissed Iggy on the forehead as he closed his eyes again. "Thank you for understanding, Igs. I don't think I'll be able to tell him the truth, but knowing that I'm not the only one who knows it helps."
"Anytime, Max." He replied, looking less sick than he had minutes ago.
Iggy was still looking a little pale, so I used my hand to try and smooth away sweat off his forehead. I had done the same thing to Gasman not an hour ago and I smiled at the similarities. He was looking so much better. Both of them were. I guess I have a magic touch.
Someone coughed behind us and both our heads snapped up to look at the intruder. Nessie was standing there looking like she had interrupted a moment and my cheeks blushed at the insinuation.
"What's going on?" She asked, gesturing to my hand still on Iggy's cheek.
"Iggy got sick and everyone said that Carlisle and Esme went to the hospital to get the blood results." I explained, raising my eyebrow at her. Why did I feel defensive?
I noticed the pillow tucked under her arm and asked, "why do you have a pillow?"
"Fang told me to give it to you. He seems to be under the impression that you are in love with Iggy." Renesme mumbled, looking ashamed. She didn't think…
My suspicions were confirmed when she mumbled. "I…I shouldn't have interrupted you guys."
"What???" I asked, clearly startled. "Wait, why would you think…me and Iggy?" A thought occurred to me and my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. "Fang….oh, god…he can FEEL my emotions…"
End Flashback
I finally spotted Fang up ahead, his wings beating powerfully in the night and he blended in with the dark sky. If I hadn't of heard the flapping noise, I probably would have passed him up.
He tilted his head so he could see which Flock member was in the air with him and stubbornly turned face forward when he recognized me. Jerk.
"I know you know I'm here." I said, flying slightly faster to catch up with him. He sped up too. "Real mature Fang. Honestly, I don't know why you don't go back to kindergarten. I hear they have coloring books!" I said with fake enthusiasm.
"Just leave me alone, Max." He said angrily. "You're better off with out me. You have Iggy to be your second in command now." He sneered Iggy's name and I nearly smacked him midair.
Instead, I shoved him to the side. His flying wobbled for a minute before he righted himself, angling his wings like the hawks did in Death Valley.
"I don't want Iggy." I said through clenched teeth, hoping he would just drop this. When he didn't reply, I punched him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him. No one ignores Maximum Ride and gets away with it.
He responded automatically, grabbing my hand and twisting it backwards to where I was facing away from him. I kicked backwards, and smiled triumphantly when he released my arm and was covering the part that I had hit. Bull's-eye.
We fought in the air for a good ten minutes before Fang spoke up. "Just let me leave, Max. It'll be better for all of us."
"Where do you think you're going, Fang? Huh? Mr. I-promised-not-to-ever-split-the-Flock-again?" I knew it was low to bring it up when he was already upset but I couldn't loose him. "Or did you forget about that too?"
Fang huffed. I think I had caught him off guard for he veered downwards. I followed him angrily, landing beside him gracefully.
"I can't stay here with the two of you, Max." Fang said, finally not beating around the bush. "I won't do it. I can't stand knowing that you chose him over me."
"I didn't." I said, getting in his face, my anger still rolling off of me. "You don't know what you're talking about, Fang, so why don't you just shut up? Or better yet, instead of running off like a coward, why didn't you confront me?"
"Were you even going to let anyone know you'd gone, or were you hoping that Nessie would spread the news for you? Huh?" I said, jabbing my finger at his chest accusingly.
"I left a note on our bed for you." He mumbled and my anger doubled.
"A note? You left me a note?" I was seething. Here I finally realized that I loved the boy and he goes and does something stupid like trying to leave me.
"I couldn't face you knowing you didn't love me like I love you." He whispered, showing more emotions than he had in months. "I felt your emotions when you were in the room with Iggy. I heard what you said."
"I was thinking of you, you idiot!" I said, raising my voice again. How could he seriously not know still?
"That's sick you know." He said and I was confused. "I know you kissed him, I could hear it from the hallway, Max. Don't try to deny it."
"I kissed his forehead because he was sick." I said slowly, as if I were talking to a little kid.
"You can't do this. You can't try to lie and get me to come back." He said stubbornly. "I love you Maximum Ride and I can't share you with him."
My heart soared and I forgot for a minute that I was mad at him. "I love you too, Fang." I said and his eyes met mine. "How could you ever think that it wasn't you?"
Suddenly, Fang's lips were crushing mine in a territorial-she's-mine-not-going-to-let-anyone-ever-look-at-her-again way and I reacted eagerly. The man I loved loves me back and no one can come between us again.
AN: Did anyone catch the foreshadowing in the middle of the chapter? : )
