Shoutouts: lovemeforlife, No namer 44 2x, Unknown Writer O.o, fnick girl, lillypad22, carly, Noah Stark Dawnson, AnikaandAj, and girlreadsalot!

Chapter 12 Believing is Seeing

"How long has this been going on?" Max asked, glowering down at the two love birds who sat a foot away from each other on the ground. My Flock and I stood awkwardly a few feet away and other Gazzy stood a bit behind Max, looking between her, and them, and us, his face stoic.

"Well?" Max demanded, crossing her arms. "You know we weren't supposed to have contact. And if we did it was strictly within the confinements of the company."

"Technically I'm away on business," other Nudge pointed out, voice meek. Max's eyes snapped to her and other Nudge flinched. "And you?" Max snapped, turning to Iggy who's eyes widened. "Are you just out touring the city or was it business?"

"Both," Iggy muttered, not meeting Max's eyes.

"Oh I'm sure." Max snarled, eyes blazing. "Do you guys have any idea what is going on? What's happening?" Other Nudge and Iggy glanced at us, then back at Max. "I was actually hoping you'd explain that." they said.

"I bet you would." Max said, nodding.

She glanced at me then at Angel who still seemed a bit shocked. Though not nearly as much as Nudge and Iggy who stood as far away from each other as possible, putting all of us between them plus a matter of feet. Poor Kovu had had to run off (the tension in the air was driving him crazy) while Total just sat a ways off, watching all of us, waiting until he was called forward.

"Angel, can you show them? It'd be so much easier if-," Angel interrupted her. "Yes, it would be easier, I know." Angel said, a frown on her face as she stepped forward. I frowned too, knowing how much Angel disliked what she had to do, reliving the memories, the pain, the mistakes and the regret over and over. But maybe that's why she had to….

As Angel sat down beside a confused looking Iggy and Nudge Max jerked her head at Gazzy and the two walked over. "I'm sorry about all of this," she said, nodding at them. "I had no idea they were seeing each other. But hey the bright side is they say they've only been doing this for a month. Only got to first base, according to Iggy." Max amended, seeing the horrified look on Nudge's face.

"That doesn't really make it better." Iggy muttered, then shook his head. "Who am I kidding yes it does. Kissing is one thing, but…, well that's different."

"Can we not talk about that?" Nudge pleaded, her dark brown eyes wide. She looked at me and said, "Max, I-." But I just nodded and Nudge forced a half smile at me before turning and walking away.

"Where's she going?" both Gazzy's asked, mine looking at me, Max's looking at her. We looked down at them then at each other then back to where Nudge was disappearing into the trees. "To clear her head." Fang said, putting his hand on my shoulder. I looked back at him and smiled softly.

When I turned back around, I saw Max frowning at me though when our eyes met she quickly looked away. Don't worry, I thought, he's next.

"It could take Angel some time," Dylan said, coming up beside Gazzy with Ratchet behind him. He glanced at me, blue eyes calculating, and said, "It's nearly dusk. I think we should set up camp in the woods over there."

"No fire," other Gazzy said, his face serious. He looked at Max who nodded. "This area will be better watched. Especially at night."

"Well apparently they weren't too worried about being caught so it must be alright." Iggy pointed out, voice gruff.

I let out a small huff of laughter and pressed my back against Fang's chest, feeling his strong arms wrap around me before pulling back, his hands red. Fang turned me and his dark eyes widened the tinniest bit. I frowned, my eyebrow's furrowing, and reached up brushing my finger under my nose and pulling it away only to see it stained red.

"Dammit," I cursed, wincing as more blood began to flow. "Iggy," Fang said, voice level but demanding. Iggy moved to stand beside him and Fang guided his hand to me before I took it and lay his fingers gently on my nose. "Ouch, let me guess, it started bleeding again?"

I nodded and knowing Iggy could feel it didn't say anything. "Gazzy go grab my pack will you? There's a small first aid kit in it." Iggy looked back at me as Gazzy ran off. "At this rate Max you'll use up all my supplies."

"Hardiharhar." I laughed without humor. "Just fix it."

As Gazzy came back Iggy set to work mopping up the blood off my face. Max and other Gazzy looked on curiously. "Did Nudge do that?" other Gazzy asked, blue eyes wide. I glanced at him without turning my head and mumbled, "Yeah."

"Good to know she can still have my back." he said and walked off after Dylan and Ratchet who had gone to set up our packs near a stand of oaks.

I watched him go but was distracted by a pop and a shot of pain through my face as Iggy cracked my nose back. "Ouch!" I hissed, wincing as Iggy pressed a wash cloth up against my nose as it started to bleed again. "Just hold it for a minute. It'll stop and you'll be good as new. You're lucky it just knocked it a little off center. I put it back as best I could. But they might be calling you Maximum 'Crookednose' Ride from now on."

Iggy grinned at me and Fang smirked. I smacked Iggy's arm and he held his hands up defensively. "Why don't you go cook something?" I asked him, my voice sounding odd and muffled behind the wash cloth. Iggy, who was packing his things away, looked up at me and said, "Well it looks like I'll have to. I mean we'd all rather eat dirt than eat whatever you might cook."

My eyes narrowed but I turned in surprise as other Gazzy burst out in a fit of laughter, clutching his sides as he bent over, face cherry red. "Oh my God! You can't cook either? Just like Max!" he started laughing again and my Gazzy chuckled, until he saw my face. "So what if I can't cook? I have to do everything else." I pointed out. But when the boys just continued to laugh I opened my mouth to speak again when Fang wrapped his arms around me and whispered, "And you do it perfectly."

Awe, doesn't every girl need one? A guy to make you feel nice and pretty when you're feeling down. You can get em' almost anywhere. Some half price. But I'd avoid those and go for the ones on the higher shelves. They're not always in the best condition but they're higher quality for sure.

I untwined myself from Fang, taking his hand instead, and together we moved past the others towards the camp. As we walked though I thought about what was to come. Now that we had Iggy and Nudge there was only two people left to get. And they were going to be the hardest to convince.

I wondered briefly what the other Fang was going to be like. Would he be quiet, like my Fang? Was he as tall and dark as the man who now sat beside me, his head in my lap as I played with his hair absentmindedly. Was he still in love with Max?

I looked back at where Max still stood with both Gazzy's and Iggy.

Did she still love him?

With a sigh I looked back down at Fang's peaceful face. I couldn't imagine loving someone else the way I loved Fang. It just wasn't in me. We'd been through too much together. Survived through so many obstacles. Faced the odds 1,000 to 1 and still come away able to stand.

But there in lay the problem….

In this world, Max and Fang, though they'd been through a lot, escaping the School, living with Jeb, living without Jeb, Angel being kidnapped, the journey to get her back, rescuing her, New York, Virginia, Florida and then the School again. They'd been through so much. But in reality they hadn't. Everything that had happened to Fang and I after that, had brought us to where we were today. From that first time I, kissed him, on the submarine to when he left and then came back. Then Angel's disappearance and my own death and resurrection.

Everything that had ever happened to us had landed us where we now lay. But for them, it had all been for not.

I closed my eyes and sent up a silent prayer right then and there.

Dear God, I know I don't come to you often enough, but you've really gotten me through some tough stuff over the years, and I could really use your help now. I need you to look after my Flock. For the ones here, and back home. I pray for my children, my mom, Jeb, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy and Angel. Dylan and Ratchet too. Along with Max and her Flock. Dear God please look after them. Keep them safe, bring them back to where they're destined to be. God I can't do this on my own.

But I'll do my damnedest.

So thanks, and, Amen?

I opened my eyes to see Fang looking up at my face, his dark eyes bottomless. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" I asked, my voice low because Dylan and Ratchet were sleeping a few feet away. Fang shook his head though, his dark bangs sliding over his face so that I had to brush them back. "No, were you praying?" Fang asked and I blinked, surprised. I debated with myself for a moment then nodded. "Yeah."

"You don't do that often. Is something wrong?" Fang asked, starting to sit up but I gently pressed him back down.

"No, nothing's wrong," I said, tucking a stray strand of blonde hair behind my ear. Fang's eyes narrowed on mine and he pursed his lips. "What? A girl can't ask for a little omnipowerful help every now and then?" I asked, voice layered with sarcasm though I kept my tone light. Fang just stared at me and I sighed. "Yes I was praying, no, nothings wrong, and I know I don't do it often but it just felt right okay?"

Fang still said nothing just looked up at me though I saw him nod the slightest bit. "Hey Max!" Gazzy called and I turned seeing him waving his hand. A little ways away from him stood other Nudge and Iggy, their eyes wide and faces slightly pale, with Max standing beside them with other Gazzy.

"Nap time's over, huh?" Fang said, giving me his signature half-smile. I grinned and he rolled away standing up and dusting off his pants before reaching down and hauling me to my feet. Together we walked over to the small group but when I stopped before them I found that I was the center of their attention, that being other Nudge and Iggy.

"Angel showed us everything! I can't believe this! Max it just doesn't seem possible. I mean how in the world were we tricked so easily? Oh and we've been working for them all this time! Uh I feel so ashamed! Isn't this awful? We're the bad guys now! We were supposed to save the world not enslave it. Which technically we did after the By-Half plan because anyone who didn't die has been turned into mutants or are about to. Oh, Max this is terrible! What are we gonna do? Where do we go from here? Are we going to get Fang and Angel? Then Germany? But surely we can't just take out the Directors? They've got a huge army! And there's just a few of us? Max what are we gonna do? What-."

Both Iggy's hands snapped out at the same time and popped lightly as they covered other Nudge's mouth. The two looked at each other, sightless blue eyes on light, green eyes, and they frowned while other Nudge shrugged embarrassedly and pried their hands away with a muttered, "Sorry."

Iggy and other Iggy continued to look at one another while Max interrupted Nudge before she could get rolling again. "We're going to get Fang, and then Angel, and then we'll come up with a plan to get the Directors."

"Do you have a plan?" Nudge asked, eyes wide.

Max grinned and glanced at me from the corner of her eyes. "There's always a plan."

"And I can hear a crazy one forming right now." Angel said, coming up and looking at other Iggy with a small frown. "That's pretty risky," she added, as he turned to her, green eyes narrowed. "You know I'm right." he said and I frowned in confusion as Angel glanced at me. By now the others were listening and looked just as confused as I did. Iggy was staring at Angel then looked at other Iggy as he asked. "What are you two talking about?"

Other Iggy turned his head and looked my Iggy in the face. Then without answering he looked back to Angel. "I can do this. It will work."

"It's risky, we don't have time and you know it."

"So you would deny him this?"

Angel frowned and bit her lip, her eyes straying to my face. "No," she said, still looking at me. "It's not my decision. It's his, and it's Max's."

"What decision is this and what's it got to do with me?" Iggy asked, blue eyes wide. Other Iggy turned to him after a hard glare at Angel and said in a calm voice. "I can see."

"Okay…, and you're telling me this because….?"

"Because I was blind like you. But they were able to fix me." Other Iggy put his hand on Iggy's shoulder, green eyes blazing as he said, "And I can fix you too."

Iggy's mouth dropped open as did mine. "You can make him see again?" I clarified, my heart racing. I'd always wanted to give Iggy his sight back. Secretly, if they'd told me I'd have to go blind so he could see I would have done it. Iggy was like the brother I never had. And after seeing him suffer for so many years the news that he might be able to finally see again was beyond thought.

But there had to be a downside. I turned to Angel who was frowning at other Iggy. "Angel."

"Max this is dangerous. There's only a 65 % chance it works. Not to mention they'd have to get inside the School and then it would take a team of whitecoats to perform the procedure. It's just soooo, risky."

I nodded, my lips turned down in a frown as I considered. Glancing at Iggy I saw that he was still speechless, blind, filmy eyes widened in surprise and I knew that really, the decision wasn't mine.

It was his.

"Iggy," I said, repeating it until he looked down at me, still dazed. "Iggy this is your choice. You decide. If you're willing to risk it. I want you to go."

"Max I-." Iggy's voice sounded strangled and he coughed clearing his throat before nodding and saying in a breathless voice, "I want to see."

No comments today, straight to the Questions:

girlreadsalot: When you get the chance will you check out my stories?

Me: Yes I will. :)

AnikaandAj: What do you think of the new Sherlock Holmes trailer?

Me: Looks epic, I loved the first one. Robert Downy Junior as Holmes was a brilliant cast as well as Jude Law for Watson. They're both doing a excellent job.

carly: If you could live in another country besides the US, which would you choose?

Me: Well I gotta say first of all that I bleed red, white and blue. I love the United States, I will always call it home. Now, I would probably go Australia too, 'livin in the land down under!' lol. Or…, yeah I'm good. Haha.

No namer44: Do you get a lot of thunderstorms in the South?

Me: Yes, but they're on and off. It's so humid where I live you walk outside and start sweating. It's ridiculous. We go through these spells, it rains for a week, then it's dry for a month. *Rolls eyes* Mother nature is a b****. lol

lovemeforlife: If you had to to eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Me: Ha I like this one, it's different. H'm, I'd say chicken. That way I get my protein and if you eat it right (not fried all the time which I do admit I love) then you can stay lean and healthy. :)

Good night guys!

Sincerely,

Avenging Angels