Yo,

It's ok guys, no more cliff hangers. I'm serious. It's all good from now on... though the next chapter you find out something awesome and that will probably answer a lot of questions... but i won't give it away.

Your answers to the last Chapter Topic were awesome. My favourite ones were definatly "Fang's not real.", "It's impossible to have wings.", "I'll do that." and "I don't have my homework done on time." Very funny guys. :)

Ok, it seems we are getting on a roll with these Chapter topics (well, i like to call them that), so the next one is "Would you sacfrifice everything, but one item in the life you have now to live 'in your own story'/'Maximum Ride'?"

Note: If you chose Maximum Ride, I'm only counting it up to book 3. Any book after book three is crap.

And no i still haven't read Angel. As far as i know, it shouldn't exist.

My answer: Yes. Why? It's not because my life sucks (believe me I'm a lot luckier than most people), but in my stories, everything is perfect. All the comebacks i say, all the love... my stories will always have a happy ending even if I don't know it as a character. :)

Oh, and I'd keep a 500G hard drive with every story i had ever writtern on it.

:)

Fly On...

Heart of Diamond

Fang: The Black Hawk

Chapter 36: Waking up

Max POV

The first things that hits us flock when you wake up in hospital is undoubtingly the smell. Especially since the last thing I remember is the oil mine.

As the hospital smell filled my nostrils, I freaked. I sat up faster than anyone.

Mum was suddenly over me. "Max its ok."

I couldn't even say anything. I just breathed heavily as my eyes snapped around the room with a crazed look. I couldn't describe the room because I was on auto pilot looking for white coats and syringes.

So many things were running through my mind.

Blood. Fire. Pain. Screaming. Explosions. Metal. Dr. Mandock's heartless eyes…

Mum smiled softly at me wiping the hair out of my eyes. "You're alright. Sleep."

Like a heavy blanket, the word sleep made my whole body relax and my eyes droop.

I carefully laid back down on the hospital bed, my heart beating a million miles per hour. I felt myself drift again, when I remembered something.

"Fang," I whispered.

Mum gripped my hand. "He's alive. He's going to be ok."

That was exactly what I needed to hear.

The second time I woke up, I felt better. Both mentally and physically. The hospital smell filled my nose, but I wasn't nearly as stress and freaked out.

Fang was alive.

It was so good to hear that.

Of course I was still worried to death about him. He had a freaking bolt stabbed through his thigh for crying out loud.

But at least he was alive.

I opened my eyes, squinting slightly at the bright light of the white room. I tried to shift but winced at my incredibly stiff muscles. Not to mention the amount of pain that pulsed from my knees and my head. Ah, my head. God it hurt.

And the stupid heart monitor was annoying the crap out of me.

Yes, my hearts beating already. Get over it, you stupid machine.

I blinked as my blurred vision became clear. The first thing I noticed was the little baby dragon curled up beside me. I smiled slightly and petted its sleeping form. With a bandaged hand. And forearm. And my other hand was also bandaged.

I sighed. Of course, like always, I nearly kill myself. The usual. I looked beyond the bed.

My mouth fell open unconsciously.

Well one wall was flowers. Hundreds of multi coloured flowers. In boxes, it bunches. With balloons or cards. Ribbons, ties.

So many colours.

I didn't realise I was so popular.

There were also cardboard boxes. 7 of them, for what I could see. One was open and I was quick to realise they were all full of cards.

My eyebrows rose. I had 7 boxes of cards?

Ok, I defiantly wasn't that popular.

On the other side of the wall was my flock. Well, most of them.

They were dead to the world. Gazzy was slouched one end of the couch, snoring. Coco was curled up on the other end. Dragon was lounged in the middle of Gaz and Coco, lying on his back growling at some imaginary rabbit. Even Scales had her head just outside the window, her eyes closed and taking in deep long breathes.

But they were safe.

Mum was also in the room, asleep on the uncomfortable looking hospital chair. With, ELLA! Of course, Ella was dead to the world on Louis's shoulder, sitting on the second couch. Louis didn't have his glasses on again.

Only Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Angel, Accalia and Blaze weren't in the room.

A blue fold out cot was situated beside my bed. I shuffled over carefully, wincing at the pain in the movements. Inside the cot, laid Indi in a gorgeous pink jumpsuit that had 'Don't mess with the Angel' on the front (Bet you ten bucks Ella picked that out). She was on her back, her grey wings stretched out slightly wider than the cot length. She had a dummy in her mouth and a small rattle in her hands. Her feet were up touching the rattle.

Her eyes looked up at me. Suddenly, she lost interest in the rattle and threw it aside. She reached her hands out towards me.

I moved carefully to bring back the blanket.

"I don't think that would be a good idea."

I jumped even though the voice was quiet. Pain rippled through my body and I winced, squinting my eyes. My heart monitor jumped slightly (Goddam machine). When I opened them again I saw Jeb standing in the corner of the room hidden by flowers.

I smiled slightly. "Hey Dad."

Dad smiled as he walked to Indi's cot. Without a word, he carefully picked Indi up and turned around to face me.

"Here," He whispered handing me Indi.

Indi slipped into my arms. She instantly brought her hand up and touched my face mumbling something under her dummy. I smiled even though it did hurt to have pressure on my arms and hands.

I glanced up at Jeb. "Where are the others?"

Dad smiled again. "Fang's in the room next door. Blaze and Angel are sleeping. They're exhausted. Especially since they were frozen in Dr. Mandock's mysterious mixture for over two weeks."

"Frozen?"

"Dr. Mandock had created this blue goo with some of the oil and sea water mixed with various other chemicals. It froze... time almost... to anything inside it once it lost air. Dr. Mandock had sealed Angel and Blaze in the goo."

I winced, but not with my own pain. No wonder they had no energy.

"Where's Accalia?"

Jeb smiled. "I managed to find her parents. They've gone back home south now. She wanted me to tell you to get better. She also gave you a letter, but I'll let the kids give it to you."

I managed a small smile. Accalia would have to be thrilled to be with her parents. It's a shame I didn't get to say goodbye.

"Is Fang ok?"

"The bolt missed his artery which was good news. He hasn't woken up yet," Dad said carefully watching my reaction over my glasses.

Breathe Max. Fang's ok.

"What's happened to the oil mine? Where are the other experiments? How long have I been out? In fact, why the hell am I alive?" I asked shaking my head ever so slightly bringing my bandaged hand to my forehead, thinking back to what I last remembered.

Dad chuckled and sat on the end of my bed. "You've been out for about 4 days. As for the experiments, they've camped themselves in the park waiting for you to wake up. Every single one of them is there. Ariel in waiting in the bay."

Indi pulled on my hair, mumbling something. I prayed my hair from her fingers. I didn't want her to develop habits.

"But… I should be dead," I whispered. "I was falling…"

Jeb smiled. "Scale's saved your life. You fell and she managed to catch you. I have no Idea how she knew you were there. Perhaps we will never know but that's one smart cookie you have right outside your window."

I looked over to where Scales was sleeping outside. I smiled slightly. "She's not the only one with secrets. We all have our own."

I wasn't only thinking of Fang. Our whole lives were one big secret.

Dad nodded feeling my deep thoughts again. "Anyway, Nathan's crew arrived. It took them a while to settle your army down since they were demolishing the whole place, but they managed not to completely destroy it all. They had to call in cargo ships to take the crates to shore..."

"Wait, what crates?" I felt left behind.

Dad frowned. "Dr. Mandock had crates of Mutants to be loaded into the spaceship. Over a hundred, full of thousands of frozen Mutants. They've counted them. Max, Dr. Mandock had nearly 300,000 Mutants stored."

My eyes widened. "How on earth are we going to find homes for 300,000 Mutants?"

Dad put his hand on the blanket where my knee was. "Nathan is taking control of that. It will take a while, but I think he can manage. Seeing that all of the experiment groups are here, Nathan is sorting it out."

I nodded glancing down at Indi again. "What about Dr. Mandock?"

Dad sighed. "Vanished. No remains what so ever. It would be impossible to survive after that last explosion. It is most likely his body fell in the sea. Forensics are having terrible trouble finding anything."

I sighed with relief closing my eyes briefly. He was gone. Completely. I didn't feel anything but relief. There was no need to worry about the danger of Dr. Mandock anymore.

He was fish food.

Thank god.

I looked at all the flowers. "What on earth are they?"

Dad smiled. "They are from your supporters. We have had to refresh your wall every day. If we kept all the flowers you got, you would have a whole room full of flowers and cards."

I nodded to the boxes, wincing at the movement of my head. "And the boxes of cards?"

Dad grinned. "Schools."

I raised an eyebrow. "Schools?"

"Schools of kids who have made cards to send to you."

My face paled. "Oh god, this is all over the America then isn't it."

Dad looked the roof. "Try all over the world. You're probably the most politically discussed person at the moment. All the stuff on moral issues, human rights and debates on whether mutants can be classified as humans. Hell you beat all the American presidents put together."

I groaned and pressed my fore head on Indi's. Fantastic. Not only was I stuck in hospital, but I was now the world's most popular celebrity.

Well joy to the world.

Indi shifted in my arms. She pulled on some of my hair and mumbled more into her dummy. Again, I pulled my hair from her small hands and passed her my flock band that was sitting on the bench. She took it in her hands studying it for a second before putting it in her mouth.

Of course.

The nurses must have taken my flock band off when they bandaged my arm.

They really shouldn't have taken it off. Not only is the flock band a symbol of the flock, but it's a symbol of identity and recognition.

In other words, I value my pride as a flock member over a scratch on my arm.

But at least they kept my ring on.

"But Dr. Mandock's campaign has fallen. Nathan basically has a clear path with no opposition. He also owes you," Dad said.

I sighed.

"But you'll be thankful to know that Nudge's pregnancy still hasn't be discovered by the reporters. Neither has Indi. For now, they are convinced that she's another one of Mandock's experiments, though I'm not sure how long that's going to last."

"How did Mum take Nudge?" I whispered.

Dad chuckled. "Probably better than Nudge who just kept crying and curling up in the corner."

I'm going to kill you Iggy...

Of course when the others woke up, they were onto me in an instant informing me everything. From Scales 7 bullet wounds that somehow managed to slip under her scales to being all over the news.

Ella came over and hugged me awkwardly with one arm. "Good to see you awake."

I nodded. "You too. How's your arm?"

Ella shrugged, wincing. "Alright. Mum said it will be a bit weak for a year or so. If I was human, I would probably be weak in the arm for the rest of my life."

I smirked and glanced at Louis. "Thanks for helping out back there."

Louis shrugged. "I hardly d-did a thing."

Ella smiled at him. It was strange to see those too so close together. The way they looked at each other it was as if nothing could step between them.

"Max, Max, Blaze is here!" Coco said excitedly coming up to the side of the bed. "He's alive! So is Angel!"

I chuckled. "I know."

"We've had DOUBLE the amount of interviews wanted than last time Max! No, I recon a zillion more!" Gazzy cried.

"Really?" I said trying to sound interesting. Don't get me wrong, I love it when they're like this, but I really just wanted to sleep.

"Accalia gave you this," Coco said handing me a letter. "She told me what to write."

I smiled and unfolded the letter seeing Coco scrawled lopsided but cursive hand writing.

Deer Max,

Hope you get better. Your Mummy and Daddy manged to find my Mummy and Daddy. They thout I was dead and they were very hapy to see me. I was hapy to see them too. They told me I still looked prety even with my wlfan face.

Mummy let me gave Valencia her number so you can call me all the time. Plese call.

Love Accalia

P.S. Gazzy and Coco say you and Fang are geting maried. Can I come and watch? Plese?

I couldn't help but grin. I love Accalia to bits. She was so adorable.

I was glad when Jeb had mentioned Accalia got her own flock band. She was defiantly part of the flock.

Scales woke up too. She only had one eye looking at us, but it just about took up the length of the window. Every now and then she had to turn away and growl at people and media stepping too curiously close. It was kinda funny to see them all scatter.

Ella was comforting Scales, going over and talking to her occasionally, making little contribution to the story the kids were telling me. Louis hardly left her side.

Basically everything that was said, Jeb had already told me, except in extreme detail.

Of course they talked until the nurse came.

There was a knock on the door. Mum got up unlocked it and pecked outside.

She opened the door wide for a nurse with a trolley of food. Behind her though were about 50 news reporters, camera men, photographers, journalists and those weird guys holding up those sticks with grey pompom microphones on the end. They were shouting my name along with Dr. Mandock's name or Nathan's.

Mum of course slammed the door on their faces as they tried to enter. She locked it.

I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding.

The door knocked again. Mum groaned and opened the door. Iggy, Nudge and Total were there. Mum was quick to usher them in and slammed the door on reporter's faces again before they could get any decent pictures.

Gotta love Mum.

The kids all dived for the trolley. After Little Dragon had eaten, who Dad said was a girl though I haven't given her a name yet, she climbed carefully up my arm and perched herself on my shoulder comfortably as I fed Indi a bottle.

I don't know why Little Dragon seemed to like me. I mean she did save our lives really.

I didn't even want to think about what would've happened if she wasn't there.

Nudge walked over to me. She was wearing a baggy top, but she was holding her stomach the instant the door closed. She was defiantly pregnant now.

That's how I was. Constantly touching my stomach. Hardly believing that I actually had a life in there.

I could tell that's exactly what Nudge was feeling.

"How are you Max?" Nudge asked gripping my bandaged hand lightly.

Little Dragon chirped cheerfully. I smiled glancing at it briefly before looking back at Nudge. "Better. He's gone."

Nudge grinned. "Forever."

I let out a breath. "Where were you guys?"

"Checking on Angel and Blaze. They're both awake, though they're still pretty weak. Angel is annoyed that Jeb said that she shouldn't use her powers yet. But they were both happy to hear that you were awake," Nudge said happiness clear in her eyes.

Iggy slipped a hand around her waist. I looked at the two of them. "And Fang?"

Nudge's face slipped slightly as she looked at Iggy, pressing her forehead into his shoulder. Iggy sighed. "His still unconscious Max. He's lost a lot of blood. I had to donate some. Our blood is different to the average human."

I closed my eyes briefly. Breathe Max. He's still alive. Asleep but alive.

I opened my eyes. Total in terrier form jumped up on the bed and sat on the end of the bed. Nudge gave me a sympathetic look before she and Iggy dug into the food.

Of course, how could I not think about Fang. The longing to be with him was there. My heart was hurting even though everyone else was saying he was going to live. I sighed as Indi met my gaze. She never stopped talking, humming tunelessly as she drunk from her bottle.

She could've passed for Nudge's child with that motor mouth.

Mum looked at me. "You alright?"

I sighed. "Can I see Fang?"

Mum smiled slightly. "I thought you might be saying that."

She pointed to a door across the room. "Fang's just in there."

Mum offered me some crutches. Of course, I refused. I mean have you ever seen Superman or Spiderman in crutches? No. If I'm a super hero, I don't have crutches.

So Iggy carried me instead. With Little Dragon following me.

Coco opened the door and we quickly moved into the room.

Phoenix looked up from her perch above the bed. She gave a soft squawk.

There was Fang.

He laid in the bed like a rag doll placed on a mantel piece. Unmoving. He had a pipe under his nose, a bandage wrapped around his head and another around his bicep, but apart from that, there was no other damage to be seen apart from the occasional scratch. There was also an IV strapped to his wrist where his flock band had been removed and placed on the bench beside him.

Almost like a guardian angel.

"Max?" Nudge whispered, taking my hand.

I breathed out. "Can you put me on the bed, Ig?"

Iggy didn't say anything as he walked over. Silently and gently he placed me on the bed beside Fang. He patted my arm and I smiled at him before looking back at Fang.

I don't know how long I sat there just staring at him. At one point Mum brought in Indi's cot along with some of the flowers. Scales had seemed to have realised that we had moved rooms and now had her massive eye through Fang's room.

When mum asked me if I wanted to go back, I refused. Instead I curled up beside Fang, my head on his chest, willing him to wake up.

xoxoxoxoxooxxooxoxoxox

Awww! Who recons Fang will never wake up? *scans crowd but no hands are raised... exept for the guy wearing the 'Fang must die t-shirt'* Fan Girls, ATTACK! *guy is obviously taken out by fan girls* REVEIW!