Okay- so I know a lot of you are expecting something to go very wrong in this chapter in the restaurant.

Well, sorry to disappoint you, but no. No bad guy ass kicking, no getting re-captured. Just them eating.

However, I think you'll like the chapter anyway……several interesting things happen.

Mack's POV

"Normally, we tip waiters with money." Angel muttered, looking disgusted.

The kids were on Max's side. Iggy, Fang, and I were on the other side.

Iggy growled menacingly at that, sending a thrill through me that pooled in my belly.

A bored, tired looking waitress came up then. "What can I get ya?"

To say the least, she looked even more tired after getting all that down. Then she turned to me.

"You?" She asked warily.

I got a normal sized order.

The flock looked at me like I was nuts.

"Normal bird kids eat about 4,000 calories a day…"Max said slowly.

I just shrugged.

"Anorexic," Fang hissed, and I kicked him under the table.

Nudge giggled.

"You know, I'm going to have to learn to fly." I said casually after a moment.

"Yeah. We'll teach you, don't worry." Max said absently.

"And to fight. I'll be on top of you in no time." Iggy added; it seemed he was fond of innuendos.

I smirked at him. "Not if I incapacitate you first."

His mouth fell open with a little noise and I held back a giggle.

"But you seriously do need to learn to fight." Max said, as if struggling not to smack us both upside the head.

"I already know how." I said, shrugging. I didn't look at anyone.

"How?" Gasman asked curiously.

"Let's just say this- I didn't get all my cash working at a McDonald's." I sighed.

"I knew you were a hooker. What can seven bucks get me?" Iggy asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"I'll spit on you." I offered.

He just chuckled wryly.

"If you had known what would happen to you…would you still have went with my flock that day?" Max asked suddenly.

Everyone turned to stare at me.

I played with my fingers, then looked up with steel in my eyes. "Absolutely. Without hesitation."

Max looked totally and utterly taken aback.

"Then welcome to the flock, Mack." She nodded her head in approval of me.

It took extreme power of will not to burst into tears. She wasn't going to kick me out!

"Here you kids are." And all talking ceased as the food arrived.

Time Lapse-

Mack's POV

"If you knock on my door before nine am, I will beat you severely." Fang warned us, slamming his hotel room door on all of us.

"He's such a bright, cheerful soul." I snorted. Max grinned at me.

"You, you, and you. Shower, then bed." Max ordered, pointing at Angel, Nudge, and Gasman. (They were all rooming with her. Going through severe Max-deprivation, it seemed.) They scurried off to do her bidding.

Then she turned back to me. "Come on, newest bird/human."

I followed her to the room Iggy and I were sharing.

"Let me see your back." She commanded.

"I haven't showered or anything." I protested.

She rolled her eyes. "You think I care? Let me see. And no peeking, Iggy." She teased.

"Ha-ha." He said sarcastically, then sat on the bed with a worried expression.

I peeled my shirt off. My wings, it seemed, were stuck in a folded-up position. Ugh.

"Ouch." Max whistled appreciatively.

"Here." Iggy breathed. His fingers ran down my exposed back as I lay down on my stomach, my head resting on his thigh.

"Tell me what hurts. Don't lie, either." He said sternly.

"Yes, doctor," I mumbled.

"You're pretty badly bruised. And that's saying something, coming from me. Kinda cut up too. Does it hurt here?" He pushed down a bit.

"OUCH." I yelped in spite of myself.

"I take that as a yes," Iggy grumbled.

"Go shower, Mack. Now." Max ordered. She pulled me up, then shoved me into the bathroom. I heard our hotel room door click shut as she left.

"Uh…Iggy?" I called, standing there awkwardly.

"Yeah?" He called back.

"I don't….I mean, I can't…" I stuttered.

I could hear him chuckle softly to himself. This startled me; I would've never been able to hear that before.

"Need help?" He called.

"Yes please," I squeaked.

He came in and shut the bathroom door behind him. He looked in my general direction. "You're not undressed, are you?" he asked warily.

I laughed. "I'm not wearing a shirt. I am, however, wearing everything else."

He blushed faintly pink, then positioned himself behind me. "Okay. I'm going to open your wings. The space is big enough, right? Seven feet in either direction?"

"Yep." I nodded in anticipation.

Suddenly I felt his fingers on the new body parts- in my feathers?? Who knew.

He pulled just the tiniest bit and I felt it jerking where my wings met my back. Ouch….

"You okay?" He asked.

"Keep going," I managed, because even though it hurt like a mother, and everything was terribly sore and stiff, I needed to stretch.

He pulled a lot more, and this time I cried out.

"Shhh." He soothed, rubbing circles on my neck for a minute.

By the time he was finished, I had tears streaming down my face. Damn allergies.

"I'm sorry," Igs whispered over and over, in front of me now. He smoothed back my hair.

"Not you fault," I gasped.

"God, I hate this! You shouldn't be in pain." He groaned. I smiled, but it was watery.

"I've been in worse pain." I resisted the urge to shrug.

He scoffed. "Worse than having your DNA spliced?"

I frowned. "Did I say it was physical?"

He frowned too at that. I was too busy focusing on flapping my wings feebly. I couldn't even tell what color they were under all that dried gunk.

"God, that is so weird and so cool at the same time." I breathed.

Suddenly I felt hands on my face. Iggy's hands. What was he-?

And then his lips were on my face; my nose my chin, my jaw, my forehead, my eyelids. Anywhere but my lips.

I smiled and felt him smile too. Then he pulled back and gave himself a little shake.

"Okay. Bath time." He smiled.

What had he meant by kissing me? Did he want me like I wanted him?

He smiled as I continued to stand there. "Get in the shower, Mack. But please, leave a few articles of clothing on."

I scowled at him, then studied him intently. When he'd turned, something shiny had caught my eye…

I slipped my shoes and socks off, then padded over to him. Carefully I folded my wings in closer to my body, wincing when they protested.

"What?" He asked self-consciously.

I didn't answer. Instead I reached up to push his long hair behind his ear. Then I trailed my fingers down it (he shivered) to the golden loop hanging there.

"You have a pierced ear?" I asked casually, tugging on it a little. That tingle was back, spreading to my lower abdomen….lower…..

"Yeah. I got it in New York." He grinned.

"Huh." I said, and stepped around him to start the shower. I slipped everything but my underwear and bra off. I waited as the water got warm, then hot, then scalding, and stepped in.

I moaned when the hot water hit me. It felt so good.

Iggy laughed. "Need me yet?"

"Mmmm. Nope, not yet." I said, then washed my hair, and shaved, and everything else. I hissed when the soap stung my cuts.

"Okay," I said when through, "you can get in now. But please leave your boxers on."

"Yes ma'am," he said, chuckling.

Seconds later, he was right there in the water and steam with me.

I let me eyes roam over him. He couldn't catch me at it, after all. He was so perfect. I had the sudden urge to trace the paths the water droplets were forming with my fingertips…

"Turn around," he ordered after a minute.

I did so without question. I trusted him. Completely.

Soon, I felt his fingers carefully combing through my feathers, along with slick stuff I dubbed shampoo. Then his hands slipped under the folds. Ooh! So I didn't have to unfurl them! Cool!

"See?" He asked. There was something under his casual tone. Something I couldn't quite place.

I moaned a bit when the water washed the soap out and he withdrew his fingers.

"My turn," he grinned and I think I might've had a stroke.

I watched as he carelessly threw shampoo in his hair, revealing the soft skin of his sides, the hair under his arms…

I clutched at the edge of the shower curtain and tried to breathe.

"You want to do my wings? Just for practice, so you'll know how to do your own." He offered.

"Oh. Okay." I agreed, praying I did this right.

I slipped my soapy hands into his wings. They were white, with tan, blonde-ish, and strawberry colored patches.

He really was gorgeous.

"Like this?" I asked, self-conscious.

"Perfect." He smiled and I smiled too.

I brought my hands out, watching him. He hesitated only a moment, then moved, spinning faster than I would've thought possible in the small shower. He backed me up until I was pinned against the warm wall. His hands were on either side of my face.

"God, Mack. You're driving me crazy." He growled.

Hurt, I frowned and looked down. "Sorry."

Iggy found my chin with no difficulty. Using two fingers, he lifted it back up.

"It's the good kind of crazy." He breathed. He slowly ducked his head until his lips found my bare shoulder.

I almost collapsed. What was he doing? Did this mean he-?

Iggy's lips slowly felt their way up my neck and throat. I instinctively turned my head to the side to give him better access and felt him smile.

I tried to smile too, but my body had turned to hot candle wax, so I wasn't sure if I actually accomplished that facial expression or not.

Iggy's lips had found my jaw. Slowly, I titled my head back up and his lips brushed mine.

Oh, God….

His mouth worked slowly over mine at first. It took a couple of seconds for my brain to tell my lips, Kiss him back, moron, but it did. And I did.

Tentatively at first, I moved my lips against his. Normally I was very bold, but this was Iggy. I didn't want to screw it up.

I moved my hands until they were tangled in his wet hair. He seemed to like that. He forced my head up and back farther; tilted at a better angle for him to kiss me, I guess. I wasn't complaining.

His tongue brushed against my lip and I quickly opened my mouth. I could tell he wanted complete control over the situation, but I'm a fighter by nature. So I had my tongue meet his in the middle, barring his entrance.

After awhile, though, I got tired of this and just let him explore.

He didn't go very far at first- in for a few seconds, then back out. Teasing me. Eventually his hunger got the best of him, and I felt his tongue against my molars, the roof og my mouth….everywhere.

I pulled away and he frowned. I brought one of his fingertips to my lips so he could feel my smile. "Be patient." I whispered.

I kissed his fingertips, then kissed his lips, his jaw, that sensitive spot under his ear.

He groaned and I grinned.

Slow down, I cautioned myself.

Reluctantly, I detangled myself from him and shut the water off.

"I don't have any clean clothes." I frowned suddenly. My last pair of underwear was now soaked through.

"You could always borrow mine," Iggy grinned.

"Just for tonight. We'll find a washer in the morning." I nodded.

He wrapped a towel around my sore shoulders and then threw one around himself. The atmosphere was much less intense, and I found I could breathe again.

Iggy came back several minutes later dressed in just a dry pair of boxers. I bit my lip as he gave me a singed, oversized tee shirt that would surely swamp me. A pair of boxers, too.

Huh.

No wonder guys liked these. Very roomy.

Christian would die, I thought with glee.

I ran a brush through my hair, suddenly filled with an ache. I missed my brothers and sister. I hoped they were okay, alone with them.

Iggy was sprawled across the bed when I came out. The room was dark except for the TV, which was on mute.

"C'mere," he whispered sleepily.

I yawned, feeling suddenly very, very exhausted. I crawled into his arms, under the covers, and slept.

Yeah, this totally makes up for lack of violence. At least, in my opinion. And now you see why this may have to move up in rating……

Reviews????