Me: Hey everyone!

Fang: I hate you all.

Me: Oh, did I forget to tell you... It's a wig? -pulls off mangled wig-

Fang: -grabs at normal hair- Thank you!

Me: So, we are literally two chapters from the end. Maybe an epilogue or two, maybe not... We'll see...

Disclaimer: I own nothing. But my friend Shaymin687 from YouTube has an awesome channel you should check out!

Chapter 38

Fang POV

"I'm sorry," I muttered quickly. I couldn't believe I had let myself hurt her like that. I wanted to kiss her and be close to her, but not if it would put her in pain from my recklessness. I'd been stupid; let my emotions get the best of me... Yeah, not a word you heard that often from me... 'Emotions'... But, it was a reality. I loved Max, and I knew after watching her die before me, that I needed her.

I walked quickly into the bathroom and dragged out the all too familiar first aid kit. As I closed the cabinet I looked up into the mirror, to see Max walk in behind me. I looked at her for a moment, before I pulled away, grimacing inwardly at her fake smile. I knew she was in pain, but she didn't want me to know it.

"Really, Fang, I'm fine, honest," she pressed, wrapping her arms tenderly around my waist and resting her head on my shoulder.

"No you're not, you have a bite out of your wing," I said, directly avoiding what she meant. "And so, we need to wrap that up." I pulled out the bandages and began to shut the first aid kit.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it," Max said, stepping back from me, to turn me around so I was facing her.

"Then why did you scream so loud?" I whispered, letting the fear I tried to keep inside me when she shrieked in pain escape. I picked up the bandages, turned her to the side slightly so I could reach her wing, but still see her face, and began to wrap her wing.

I watched as her face fell, just barely hearing what she said. "I... I don't know..." she muttered quickly. I finished wrapping her wing and she faced me fully.

"Max," I soothed. "The only reason I spun out like that was because I was so afraid I had hurt you. I thought I'd lost you not two hours ago, so putting you in pain was awful, thinking I could lose you over something I'd done, it just... I hate it," I whispered quietly, pulling her carefully back into my arms. "I know it hurt you, didn't it?" I whispered to her, playing with the little downy feathers on her shoulders.

"It hurt, true..." Max said looking up at me, as she let her arms wander up around my neck. "But I was caught up in the moment, so it was half good, half bad." I watched a small smile cross her lips, telling me it was going to be alright.

"I hate seeing you in pain, you know that?" I said, as I wrapped my arms protectively around her waist, and pulled her up a little so I could kiss her. I'd grow over the past couple of months, but I'd really shot up in these past weeks.

"I know, sorry..." she said, like there was more on her mind than just the situation at hand.

"What's going through your head?" I asked, playing with the hair hanging on her face. I watched as her face crumpled up in confusion, before she smoothed it out again and she sighed.

"I'm just, I'm really worried about everything. The kids, the choppers, and everything happening... I just can't help thinking something bigger is coming. Something we should be scared of," Max whispered.

I started to look back behind us, when I got a huge sense of déjà vu when I heard screams.

"Kinda like that..." Max huffed, before leaving my arms to run to the source of the sound.

I raced after her, grabbing her arms as we neared the steps.

When I got down the stairs and looked around, I saw the Flock... But it didn't appear they were alone...

I pulled Max closer to me as she came to the same realization I had - we were severely outnumbered by bloodthirsty Erasers.

We walked outside to meet the Flock and to get a better look at how bad this was.

I watched wordlessly as the Flock tensed into battle mode. The bloodlust shooting through each and every one of their eyes, and as Max stepped forward to assume the position of the leader.

Standing at the front of the group was the one and only, Jeb Batchelder.

"Max, sweetie..." he started.

"Don't start," Max snapped back. I walked up and put my hands protectively on her waist. She smiled slightly up at me and laced her fingers in between mine.

"Listen, this can be different," Jeb pleaded. "I don't want to hurt you any more than ever, but I'm afraid time is up..."

"What the hell does that mean?" Max scowled. "Wait, don't tell me... It means that this is 'all for the best' or it's 'the best thing for the world, huh?" I loved the way she pulled one hand away from mine to emphasize her point. But then quickly returned it back to where it should be, intertwined with mine.
"Max," Jed said solemnly. "You've all performed excellently in this little experiment of ours, even though there have been a couple unexpected turns taken. But the time has come for you all to return to the School to continue our testing." Jeb extended his hand out as he finished, and I could tell it was going to hang there for a moment or two before he got the picture.

"Jeb, really?" Max laughed. "We're freaking gen 44! We're like thirty gens old compared to your new 'experiments'... Why do you want us?"

"Because you hold the secret to the world surviving... Besides, gen 79 isn't so easy to train, and they aren't the smartest bunch..." I couldn't help but laugh at that. And I noticed some of the Erasers look at each other like they thought he was talking about them, but shrugged it off quickly.

"Well, that's what you want is it?" Max asked, her good wing slightly nudging me to signal that she had an idea. I just hoped it wasn't too stupid... Then again, this was Max we were talking about... Anything was possible.

"Uh, yes it is..." Jeb said confused. "So does that mean you're going to come with us?"

"It sure does," Max said, peeling my hands off to walk over to Jeb. The rest of the Flock looked up at her when she grabbed his hand, all faces filled with shock, including Jeb's. But it straightened to a smile with just enough time for Max to flip him over her shoulder.

Me: So, what do you think? And for anyone who's read Nevermore and thinks this is related, it's not. I wrote this about three days before I got Nevermore, so it's not related... I got inspiration off it for the next two chapters, but it doesn't end like that.

Fang: She won't let me see how it ends...

Me: Because you might kill me for it... And I know all of you -gestures to computer- will probably kill me for it, but we will see...

PLQ WINNER: All of you, because there is no real winner for that one... I guess.

MY PLA FOR LAST TIME: I sing, play guitar, drums, piano, a little bit of bass, and used to have cello lessons.

PLQ: If you could have anything in the world, what would it be and why?

MY PLA: A pony, because ponies are freaking awesome! Plus I love horses... Or maybe I'd get a recording studio... Both?

FANG'S PLA: Max.

Me: AWW!

Fang: Shut up.

Me: So, again I'd just like to thank you all for everything you do for me, whether that's favourite-ing, reviewing, suggesting or just simply reading, it makes a huge difference for me to know my stories are read and enjoyed.

Fang: -claps-

Me: And as always, never feed the tiny purple porcupines.

RR&A!