A/N: Hey guys! I hoped you liked my previous chapter! This chapter is a little more sentimental.. I haven't included Angel or Nudge in it too much. Next chapter, they're all in it though. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

P.S. James Patterson owns the series, Maximum Ride and Maximum Ride characters. All OC's will be mine.

-Shyla

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Chapter 2:

I looked down at all the city lights and couldn't help but wonder… What are people without wings doing right now? Going on a date, watching a movie… who knows… eating pie maybe? I look to my right. I see Iggy and Gazzy- Iggy being closest. On the left of me is Fang and past him is Nudge and Angel. Angel always prefers to be farther out than everyone. Even though she is still only 7 years old, she seems as if she is older than me… and I'm 16 years old. Sometimes I wish I could read minds like her. But, knowledge is a burden and unfortunately, the littlest bird had to carry that burden.

I looked at Fang and tried to read his mind. His hair had grown a bit since his last hair cut and it was now at a perfect length. His bangs were covering his eyes but not completely. His brows were slightly furrowed in and he seemed to stare blankly ahead. Then he looked at me and smiled smugly. I gave a small smile and looked ahead again. Then I realized something… the constant chattering on my right had stopped a while back. I gazed to my right and only saw clouds.

"Guys, where's Gazzy and Iggy?"

Everybody whipped their heads to my right. I looked in all directions but couldn't see them.

"Gaz? Ig?" Silence. "Guys! This isn't funny!"

Okay don't completely panic yet. Be calm.

"GAZZY! IGGY!"

Keeping my face stoic, I instructed. "Nudge and Angel, search a bit ahead and behind a few times. Fang and I will go down a couple miles. If you see anyth-" CRASH.

Then, before I knew it I was barreling towards the ground at a terrifying speed. Extended my wings completely out to catch the air. I bent the tips of them to make a vertical U-turn in the air and shot back up. A flash of blonde hair and a battle cry was all it took to realize what had happened.

"ARE YOU BOTH CRAZY?" I was so mad at those two. "WHAT were you guys thinking? I thought that the flyboys had taken you or something! Next time a flyboy really takes you, DON'T expect me to come after you guys."

Iggy was shaking with laughter. Gazzy puffed up his face and tried to look girly. "What were you guys thinking? Are you guy's crazy? I almost had heart attack!" He waved his hand around and put both hands on his chest for a dramatic element.

Gazzy's talent of mimicking voice was not the least bit amusing right now. "That was not right Gazzy and you know it!"

Defensively, "Why are you only yelling at me? Iggy did it too!"

"But it was your idea wasn't it?"

"Well yeah… but-"

"NO BUTS. Iggy you were just as much as part of this as Gazzy was."

Then, interjecting my rant, a thought came to mind. I remembered that we had only been flying for a couple hours and that the motel was only a short distance back. That means that the white coat might have waken up by now and is calling for backup.

"We've got to get a move on we can't be in the same area for too long. We slowed down because of you two. If the white coats catch us and take us back to the school, it'll be your fault." I glared at them and shot forward.

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We had been flying for an hour since that whole ordeal. It was almost midnight and I knew that everyone was tired and need to sleep but I really didn't want to be the first one to speak after that whole incident. I was still waiting for an apology from Gaz and Iggy.

"Don't you think you were a little harsh, Max?" A deep, husky voice asked.

"No. They scared us half to death, I could have gotten injured, and they slowed us down."

"They're just kids, Max."

"Iggy's the same age as us."

Fang gave me a look that I knew far to well. It's that look that he gives me when he thinks I'm being stubborn.

"Okay maybe I was a bit harsh on them with bringing up the school everything but they did slow us down."

"Max." He gave me a rather disappointed look.

"What?"

He nodded towards the boys. I turned my head and realized that I really hurt them. Gazzy had his eyes fixed on the city lights down below and his hair was covering his eyes. Iggy was fiddling with his watch and was talking quietly to Gaz. I couldn't make out what they were saying but I think Ig was comforting him?

"Oh." Wow maybe I did go too far with bringing up the school.

I looked back at Fang but he was staring ahead again. I glanced at Angel and Nudge. They were fighting hard against their sleep but it looked like they were losing.

"Looks like we could all use some sleep. Lets head down."

I flew downward at an angle towards a well-lit side of a town. As we got closer we spiraled inwards in huge arcs, getting narrower as we lowered our altitude to avoid from being seen. Even though it was almost 2 am, you never know who might spot us.

After walking in silence for a while, we came across a wooded area and decided to crash here for the night.

"Alright everyone. Two in a tree and stay nearby."

Angel and Nudge practically passed out right there of exhaustion. They flew up to the nearest tree they could find. They would be out within a minute. I looked at Gaz and Iggy. Iggy was carrying Gaz, which is really strange since we haven't carried him like that in ages. I knew this was my fault.

"Hey Ig, I'll take Gazzy. Why don't you and Fang find a tree? You can take first watch."

Iggy hesitated before giving Gazzy to me.

"It's okay Ig. I got this."

Iggy understood that I was trying to make amends with Gazzy so he finally gave him to me.

Iggy whispered without looking me in the eyes. "He's really bummed out Max. You really hurt him."

"I know Iggy. You know I would never mean something like that right? I just got really freaked out when I could find you guys. You know, especially since a white coat just found us out couple hours ago. I was on edge but I shouldn't have reacted like that. I'm sorry." I felt really bad. I don't show emotion very often so saying that I'm sorry was a huge step for me.

"Did Max just say sorry? Fang! She just said she's sorry!" He exclaimed in mock surprise.

I gave him a soft glare and walked off to find a tree. I picked one right next to the one Fang was in. I knew Iggy would be joining Fang in a few seconds. I settled on a wide branch, near the middle of the tree. I placed Gazzy on the branch next to me.

A quiet Gazzy spoke out. "Hey Max, I forgive you. I know you just care about us."

I stared fixated at a leaf. "You heard?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry Gazzy. If we do get caught and get taken to the school, it'll be my fault. Not yours. It's my job to protect the flock and I would have failed you IF that ever were to happen."

"Its okay Max."

I looked over at the half-asleep Gazzy. He looked so innocent and young with his blonde hair over his eyes like that. I pushed his hair out of his face and kissed his forehead lightly.

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I leaned back and looked around. Iggy was on watch first so I looked over at him. Was he falling asleep already? I made sure Gazzy wouldn't fall out of the tree and flew over to Iggy.

"Yo Ig, I change my mind. I'll take first watch. You need to get some sleep."

"What about you? You need some sleep too."

"Come on, when was the last time I couldn't function without sleep?"

Iggy sighed sleepily. "Thanks Max. And thanks for apologizing to Gaz."

"We are never bringing up the apologizing thing again."

Smiling, Iggy snuggled in and his breaths became steadier. I flew back to my tree and sat up next to Gazzy. I glanced at Angel and Nudge who were fast asleep. I looked at Fang and almost fell out of my tree. He was staring right at me.

"You scared me!" I mouthed to him.

He just smiled knowingly and leaned back.

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A/N:

FAX or no? I need some input on the plot of the story... It doesn't have a particular plot cause I'm just thinking of the chapters as I go along.. I'm not a big romance fan so I'm not sure If I wan't to do Fax.. What do you guys think? Should Max and Fang be a thing or not?

I have some free time nowadays so I'm going to try to upload every 2 or 3 days. Or maybe even everyday if I get time... :)

-Shyla