Wow, you guys are so mad at me. Look, again, I promise you, Writer's Honour, that Fang is NOT going to fall for Ellie and she is NOT going to take Max's place. Anywho this chapter is one of my favourite's and because you're all being so good and patient about no Fax for a long while I'll give you another two chapter's each day until Boxing Day sort of like Christmas presents for all of you ^.^ So one chapter for today.

Oh and I've written up to the part where Max and Fang are reunited and it is very sweet. I promise, that if you are all patient with me there will be a lot of Faxness on the horizon of this terrible plot line. I swear it.

Enjoy


"For the last time, no," Fang told Miss Alike as they walked to the auditorium. "I said I'd be in the play and I will. I'll be an extra and I'll sing along with some of the songs and I'll dance and what not but I won't be the lead. I refuse to do that…"

"Without Max?" Miss Alike finished for him. "I understand. Thanks for helping judge to auditions though."

"That's fine," Fang replied. He and Miss Alike went into the auditorium and to the desks set up at the front where Mr Callahan and Miss Elissa were sitting already. Miss Elissa was smiling and speaking happily with Mr Callahan and Fang remembered the announcement on the morning of the first day of school. Miss Elissa had replaced Mr Turner as their principal. The students were all ecstatic because they all loved Miss Elissa so much and hated Mr Turner with a vengeance.

In fact all the teachers hated Mr Turner too and they were happy to have him replaced with Miss Elissa.

"Hi guys," Mr Callahan said. "Thanks for helping out Fang."

"No problem," Fang replied, sitting down.

"Are you sure we can't-?"

"No, you can't."

Mr Callahan fell silent at Fang's dark look and nodded solemnly. All three of Fang's favourite teachers missed his bright, intelligent personality. They hated this new, sullen, dark and brooding Fang. They wished Max would come back and bring Fang's personality with her because it was clear that his real self was in LA with Max.

Fang knew this was the truth because Max was a part of who he was and when she was gone he took that part away. It happened to be the best parts so it made Fang feel like crap to have her gone.

"Alright, we're ready to start the auditions," Miss Alike said.

"Say, why are we performing in February instead of New Year's?" Fang questioned.

"We have a lot of work to do," Mr Callahan explained. "You saw Wicked didn't you?"

"Yeah on TV with…" Fang trailed off. "You mean all of the things like the bubbles, the smoke, the lights, the strings for flying monkeys and witch, the bubble thing to lift Glinda and all of the scenery?"

"Yeah, all of that," Miss Alike agreed with a frowned. "We're compromising in places but we're going to try and get it as close to Broadway as we can."

"Good idea," Miss Elissa smiled. She gave Fang one worried look at how he avoided Max's name and then looked at the stage.

"First!" Mr Callahan called.

Fang sat through the terrible singers, the okay singers who could pass as extras, the good singers who weren't spectacular, the great singers who went on the probably list for the two female leads and then the male lead. So far nobody had made them go 'wow, she's brilliant' or 'whoa he's amazing'.

"Who's next?" Fang asked, rubbing his temples. The last guy had the most awful voice and Fang was starting to get sick of tone deaf people who thought they could sing. Why hadn't their friends told them the truth rather than let them embarrass themselves?

"Eleanor Calhoun," Mr Callahan said. She walked out and Fang blinked. Ellie? She could sing? She'd never said anything. Fang frowned.

Every science lesson they'd sat together and she'd been quiet unless she had a random question for Fang. Sometimes he felt like she was doing a psych analysis on him. He felt bad whenever he saw her sitting on her own at lunch because she was nice and harmless and he thought everyone else were jerks for being horrible to her but Steve didn't like her so he didn't want her to sit with them and Fang couldn't be bothered arguing about it.

"Ellie?" Fang asked. She looked down at him and smiled. The smile was different from the one a lot of girls gave him. Her smile was the same one Ella and Nudge gave him: a smile of friendship and camaraderie.

"Alright, which part and what are you singing?" Miss Alike asked.

"I'm not that girl," Ellie replied. "I'm auditioning for Elphaba."

"Go ahead," Mr Callahan said.

Ellie took a breath and started to sing and Fang sat up straighter. She sounded so beautiful. Not the same kind of voice that had mesmerised him when he'd heart Adrian sing, not the same kind of beauty that came from Max's voice. But Ellie's voice was powerful and flowing. It had its own kind of beauty.

"Wow," Miss Elissa whispered.

"I think we found our Elphie," Miss Alike laughed, clapping her hands together, her eyes shining.

"Yes we have… but…" Mr Callahan was frowning. Then he looked at Fang with kind eyes. Fang's eyes narrowed in response.

"No," he snarled.

"Please Fang, just sing with her," Mr Callahan said. "I'm not asking you to take the part but I want you to sing with her."

"Why?"

"Because you're the best male singer in the school," Miss Alike said. "Now get on that stage." Fang sighed but he wasn't one to disobey his favourite teacher. He went onto the stage as Miss Alike stood and Ellie stopped singing. Fang took one of the microphones from the set by the side and went to stand near Ellie.

"You sing?" she mouthed. Fang nodded once and Ellie smiled.

"Ellie, do you know As long as you're mine?" Miss Alike asked.

"Yes," Ellie replied, smiling. "I know all the songs from Wicked. It's my favourite musical."

"Oh, very good," Mr Callahan laughed. "We want you to sing with Fang here." Fang grimaced and Ellie nodded.

"Okay, go ahead," Miss Elissa nodded.

Ellie took a deep breath and sang. Fang wondered if they should be acting the scene properly but Ellie was just singing, she wasn't trying to act the scene out with him which Fang was glad of, he didn't want to give the traitorous teachers anymore reason to want him in the musical.

Then Fang started listening to Ellie and the way her voice wove around the words. It was very wonderful and he knew that she deserved the part but suddenly he had an urge that he hadn't had in a while. Yes he still sang but only with the band. He didn't sing as well as he knew he could either. But right now he wanted to sing as he used to. To give all of himself to the music and sing with all of his heart.

When it got his turn he opened his mouth and started singing. He remembered how it was sung on Broadway and tried to combine that with his own style, the way he did every time he sang… or how he used to sing.

Ellie jumped in and sang with him at her part and when they finished Fang found himself breathless and one corner of his mouth twitched up into a half-smile that felt so weird. It felt even weirder when he realised that smiling felt weird which made him laugh once. The sound was off but it was a laugh and when he peeked at the teachers they were all smiling.

"Okay, so I've changed my mind…" Fang started in a very formal voice.

"Yay!" Miss Alike cheered and Ellie laughed. Fang looked at her and she smiled at him and he nodded his head back, still not smiling properly but he did give her his tentative half-smile.

"Alright, results will be up on Monday," Mr Callahan informed Ellie. "Fang, get back down here." Fang nodded and put his microphone down and went back to the judging table feeling… well not happy but on the way, maybe slightly cheery, yeah that worked.

--

I frowned and stared up at the roof, my hands behind my head. I glanced across at the bedside table and looked at the photos of the Flock. I felt lonely. I missed them so much and I wished I could see them. I'd seen Mum and Ella once since I'd left but that was it, nobody else.

I heard the doorbell and jumped up to get it. It was probably Sam. He could never get it through his head that just because I was back did not mean I wanted to get back together with him. As if I would just suddenly fall in love with him when I moved back here. I had changed and that was not going away just because I moved back to La. The Flock had changed me for life.

"What is it?" I asked, wrenching the door open.

"Oh, fine then I'll just go home then!" Iggy stated, folding his arms, pretending to be offended. I froze for half a second and then I laughed and threw my arms around him in a tight hug.

"Iggy!" I shouted and then I noticed the others behind him. "Ella! Nudge! Angel! Gazzy!" I let go of Iggy and pulled Ella and Nudge into bear hugs each and then I bent down, hugged Angel and kiss her cheeks three times each and then the same for Gazzy.

"Oh my god! Come in!" I practically shouted. I ushered them all into Jeb's mansion (why we needed a mansion when it was just us two I did not know but whatever). "Why didn't you call? Not that it matters or anything but I would have done something to prepare! Are you going to stay the night? Where are your bags?"

"Whoa, calm down," Iggy said, taking my hands in his and stopping me from bouncing while everyone else laughed. "We didn't call because it was a surprise. We're here for the night if you want us to stay- I got my permit a couple of weeks ago so I drove us- and our bags are in the car."

"Of course I want you to stay! Damn it, now I'll have to get my permit! I can't have you ahead of me!" I laughed and it felt so good. I hadn't laughed properly and with true happiness in a while. I didn't look around for Fang and I didn't ask about him. Nobody mentioned him either as we went out and brought in their bags. I led them up to my room which was about three times the size of my old room and then Iggy and I brought in a couple of mattresses while I directed Nudge and Ella to the linen closet and they brought in blankets and pillows.

"This place is huge," Nudge breathed. "You weren't exaggerating."

"Nope, want me to show you around?" I asked.

"Sure," everyone trilled and I gladly showed them through the many bedrooms and bathrooms. I showed them the kitchen and dining room and the huge lounge room.

"Where's the TV?" Gazzy asked, holding my hands and looking around in wonder.

"Not in here," I laughed. "Come on." I led them into our theatre room and they looked around in wonder. It wasn't exactly a theatre because the screen wasn't that big but it was huge and there were a few comfy seats (better than the cinema) with bean bags and cushions and the carpet was so thick that it was comfortable enough to lie on. There was a candy and drink bar up the back.

"Can we watch movies in here?" Angel asked.

Ella had already seen this whole place but she hadn't seen this room. It was a new addition, it was finished after we left for Avondale and she was staring with wide eyes.

"Sure we can," I laughed. "We could move everything from my room to here and sleep in here. Do you want to?"

"Yes!" Iggy said and everyone else nodded.

"After we're done with the tour," I promised. I pointed out the door to the bathroom from the home cinema and then showed them our indoor pool with the spa. They loved the glass roof and walls and then I led them down the glass tunnel to the sunroom that opened out to the gazebo in the middle of the gardens. The gardens were made up of a huge canalled pond with islands and bridges. I loved it, it was very exotic and the gazebo floated on the water and you could see the fish beneath.

"I know why you wanted to come and live here," Nudge laughed.

"I prefer my house in Avondale," I replied. "This place is big and beautiful but I'm a girl of simple tastes… though I do love the garden and the pool."

"So do I," Ella agreed. "We sometimes went swimming in here instead of the pool."

"Really?" Angel asked, looking around. She looked at me. "Could we?"

"Tomorrow," I promised. Angel beamed and my heart swelled. But as I took them back inside and finished off the rest of the mansion and helped cart the things from my room to the home cinema I felt empty.

Fang should have been here, teasing me about being a rich daddy's girl. He should have been around to push me in the pool when we went swimming as soon as our sleeping quarters were set up. He should have been laughing, smiling and having fun with everyone else.

Suddenly my smile felt really forced and my happiness half fake. But I kept both up because I was truly happy to have most of my family here to have fun with me… but it wasn't the same without my best friend.

--

Fang stared at the phone where it sat next to the fridge. Angel had written down Jeb's house number and it wouldn't be too hard to call but what if Max picked up? He could call Iggy's mobile. That would work then he'd be able to talk to Angel. She'd told him that she didn't need him to check on her but he couldn't help it. He had to talk to her. She was his baby sister. And secretly, though he'd never admit it, the hope that maybe he'd hear Max's voice in the background was just too strong.

"Okay, you're just calling to check up on Angel," Fang told himself. "Max has nothing to do with it." He winced at her name. "She's not a part of the reason. Only Angel."

Fang dialled Iggy's mobile and waited.

"Yeah, Fang?" Iggy asked. He didn't have to say his name. Fang knew that Iggy was warning Max who was on the phone and he felt grateful. He didn't really want to have to deal with something that would occur if Max didn't know who was calling.

"Can I talk to Ange?" Fang asked.

"Sure you can," Iggy replied. "Angel, your brother wants to talk to you."

"I told you not to check on me!" Angel growled. Fang usually would have laughed at his baby sister trying to sound serious. Angel was eight now and she was starting to act like a mini-Max. Originally it would have been hilarious but now it was downright painful.

"I couldn't resist," Fang teased. "How are you sweetie?"

"I'm good! Max's house is huge!" Angel said and Fang winced but Angel didn't notice. "The garden is like all water. It floats! We're sleeping in like this home movie thing! It's just like the movies only smaller!"

"That's great," Fang replied as Angel went on.

"I'm going to go for a walk…" a voice said in the background and Fang's whole body reacted to the sound of her voice.

His heart ached and beat double-time and did a triple somersault all at once. His body froze and then his blood ran faster and hotter through his veins. His emotions went through everything he felt for Max from anger to longing. His arms ached like they wanted told her but his legs reacted like he wanted to walk away from her voice. It was a very confusing reaction.

"Okay, see you," voice responded in the background.

"Fang? Fang are you listening?" Angel asked.

"Yeah, sorry sweetie," Fang replied. "Go on." Angel kept talking and then she asked how Fang's day was.

"Boring, actually," he replied.

"I bet you wish you came with us."

"Nah, I prefer being bored to seeing floating gardens." Fang hoped that his new found use of expression in his voice was enough to fool Angel but she knew better. She'd seen how cut up he'd been about Max leaving and how he avoided her name. One thing his sister was not was stupid.

"No, you just didn't come because you don't want to see Max," Angel replied. Fang didn't reply. She'd hit the nail on the head. He instead picked at a loose thread in his jeans. He needed new ones. "I'm going to go."

"Alright, have a good night," Fang replied. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye," Angel replied, her voice sad. She hung up and Fang put the phone down, his heart aching. He really needed to get some air. Fang jumped up and went to his room. He grabbed his keys from his bedside table and went to the wardrobe. He grabbed his bike jacket and pulled it on, zipping it up and grabbing his helmet.

He left the house and Peter looked around and followed him to the door where Fang pulled his boots on and laced them tightly.

"Where are you going?" Peter asked.

"I don't know," Fang replied. He looked at his Dad and realised what Peter was seeing. He was seeing his son- who had always been good, strong and reliable- turning into the complete opposite of himself. "I'll be back soon, I know it's late."

"Thankyou," Peter said. Fang nodded to his father and went into the garage and hit the button that opened the garage door, put his helmet on, started the bike and sped off into the night, trying to lose his emotions in his speed and the sound of his bike.