Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Maximum Ride nor any of the characters mentioned they all belong to the talented James Patterson

A/n: I have only just gotten the book, and finished it. I read it in a day I was powerless I couldn't put it down. And already I have tons of ideas of how I can write what happens after The Angel Experiment ended. This is my first attempt at a Maximum Ride fic; I hope you all enjoy it.

Chapter one

As the wind rushes past my past my face and howls in my ears I look over at the flock. Angel is flying happily, close to Iggy with Total and Celeste under her arms. Iggy was as usual trying to get a feel for the air. Nudge was just below Angel and was happily chatting to Gasman although he didn't seem to be listening, it would surprise me really. Then there was Fang, at the front leading the pack, his face was so free, expressionless. He looked so free, so at peace with the world. He was born to be in the air, well obviously he was, but it suited him so perfect. In the air he could just let go, be whoever he wanted to be. No false pretences, no needing to act brave, no need to be the strong silent type that he normally does. He's just free, just gliding along like it was the most normal thing in the world. He looked over at me and I smiled at him, he gave me a small smile in return and continued to lead us to D.C.

That is where our journey will really begin, I say our journey loosely, it's not really my journey, and it's theirs. Fang, Nudge, Gasman, Angel and Iggy's. Thanks to The Institute of Higher Living we had their parent's addresses. Mine however wasn't there, was it really true? Was Ari my brother… his words still echoed in my head "You really hurt me; I would never have hurt you. Not like this." I still can't believe it; I had no intention of killing him whatsoever. I just wanted to make sure that the others could get away. Then of course there was Jeb. Shouting that I had just killed my brother, if that was true that would mean that Jeb would be my father, or that our mother was the same person. Possibly both, but it was just so hard to think about… Jeb had betrayed us. It was all a test I am beginning to think that he hadn't saved us from The School. More like the School had an extension.

If I did have a chip in me that made the erasers be able to track us, then why did it take four years for them to find us? Unless they had orders to stay away from us… It was just too much to think about… my mind was clouded with so many different thoughts. Ari, Jeb, Washington, what would the others find when they look for their parents? Would they want to stay with their parents? Would their parents just deny their existence, would they even be there? What would I do if they all decided to leave me, leave the flock to be with their blood families? Just then Ella and her mother popped into my head… I could visit them I suppose, stay with them for awhile while I was trying to figure out my next move. Which would probably to go after Jeb, after all that he had done… I need to know why? If I was his daughter why would he let me be experimented on? Why would he let the School do what they did, where was her mother?

"Max … I'm…" Nudge began.

"Hungry. Yeah ok, there are some trees over there, lets land behind there and look for something to eat, on the voice of course." I cut her off. She was always hungry, that was just one of the many things that I loved about her.

As we touched down everyone automatically retracted their wings and hid them beneath our clothes. As I looked around I saw that Angel was talking to Total, she was such a sweet heart, I didn't want her to grow up, I wanted her to stay sweet forever, but I knew that wouldn't happen. She is already changing, she is already starting to adapt to using her powers for personal use. Like when she got that woman to buy her that ridiculously expensive bear.

"Max, are you ready?" Nudge asked as she walked past me and began to walk towards a McDonalds. We all followed eagerly, hungry and exhausted from the flight. We would have to stop at some point to rest up, but I had the feeling that none of the flock would want to stop until they reached their parents.

As we walked into the café and sat down we immediately felt uneasy. I looked around, noticing Fang doing the same. I couldn't spot anyone who could be an eraser. However I did look up to see the kids who I had saved from Ella. They were together on a table, eating with what must have been there parents.

I stared in the opposite direction hoping that they wouldn't notice me. Fang gave me a questioning look, but I just shook my head and looked at the menu. "So, what is everyone ordering?"

Everyone's eyes automatically turned to their menus. Everyone except Fang that is, he was looking at me as if he knew something was wrong. We just stared into each other eyes, he trying to read me, me trying to not look away and act embarrassed. I know that I shouldn't have kissed him, but I just couldn't help it. I was just so relieved that he was ok that I just did. No thinking involved. I don't even know what my feelings are for him yet. I've lived with him for four years, and I should feel the same as I do about Iggy and Gasman but I don't, that much is obvious.

"Can I take your orders please?" the waiter asked as he came to the table. He must have been around 16 or 17 maybe, fairly tall. He had dark brown hair and bright green eyes. Not bad looking really. However, I felt Fangs intense stare.

"I would like … The chicken Burger and chips, a side salad, and lemonade please. We'll order dessert later."

The waiter nodded and wrote down my order and looked expectantly at the others. As they all started to order their food I looked at Fang. He was looking from the waiter to me with his eyebrows raised. I just shot him a glare and got up to go to the toilet.

I had to walk past the bully's to get to the toilets. I looked straight ahead at the toilet door, trying to keep any contact with them to a minimum. I heard them whisper, but I don't think it was about me, well I hoped anyway. There is no reason why they should recognise me, I mean I had that makeover and all; I looked completely different from the girl that they had seen.

I walked back towards the table and they didn't even look at me, so far so good. We sat down, ate, a lot and then paid. Just as we left I heard one of the boy's immitating a gun noise. I chanced a glance back and saw that they were looking at me and the one who must have been the leader started to get up. The parents paying no mind to what their children were doing carried on eating and chatting to each other. I walked out and told the others to go and look for a map so that we could find out exactly where there parents were. Fang looked suspicious but wanted to find his parents so he left too. I waited, I knew that the boys would be after me, it was only a mater of time and if I could keep the flock out of my mistakes, I would.

"Hey bitch. We still owe you for the broken bones you gave us." I turned around to see the leader or the so called gang advancing on me. I decided not to run, just yet.

"Really? How do you plan on repaying the favour when you are too slow to catch me?" I asked cocking my head to the side trying to give a look of seriousness on my face, when I was really dying to laugh. They wouldn't get their guns out, not when their parents were inside and when the street was pretty crowded.

"Well I personally want to break every single one of your ribs, both arms and legs. I will let the others do what they want after that." I laughed at him. I decided that I was already humouring him, and while I was here chatting to them, the flock could be back at anytime.

"Whatever, I have to go. Nice meeting you guys again though." With a little wave I turned around, I knew that wouldn't go down well. The leader grabbed my arm and swung me backwards towards him. He reached his arm back and sucker punched me, making me lose breath. This kid could definitely punch. His mates stood watching, while the leader tried his best to hurt me. I turned and spun out of his grasp. I grabbed his arm as a turned, span around and pinned his arm behind his back. The others thought it was time to get involved and came at me. I kicked the one in the leg and he fell to the floor. I brought my knee up and cringed as I felt his nose break as my knee connected with his nose. He was lying on the floor clutching his nose.

Meanwhile another of his friends had circled behind us and grabbed me from behind, using the same technique I had just used and soon had my arms pinned behind my back, the leader spun around and started punching my stomach and face as his friend held both arms. I tried to kick, but it was useless, I struggled but was powerless to do anything, I just had to wait for him to tire out. All of a sudden my arms where free, I punched the leader in the face as he hadn't realised I was loose. He soon dropped to the floor. I turned around to see why I was let go, only to find Fang on top of the who was holding me and was punching him repeatedly in the face, I looked back to the café to see the parents standing looking around for their children. Finally I thought.

I turned back to Fang who was still punching this kid, who was now just a bloody mess.

"Fang! Come on we have to go." He didn't reply so I grabbed his arm and stopped him punching, he growled and looked up into my eyes; he was angry, worse than I had ever seen him before. "Come on"

We ran back to the woods, were the others were waiting, Fang had offered to go and find me and found me being punched to a pulp. Luckily my face wasn't bleeding but my stomach felt like hell, at first chance I would check it out.

"What happened back there?" Fang asked as soon as we were air born and out of hearing site of the others.

"Just some stupid kids playing up, nothing major." I said with a shrug.

"Nothing major? Max they were beating the crap out of you." I looked into his eyes and for the first time ever, he looked away. He had never backed out of anything before why did he start now.

"You know you didn't have to keep punching that kid, you only had to get him off me." I said as we passed over some huge houses with swimming pools in the backyards.

"Well he was holding you while his mate was using you for a punching bag; I wasn't going to let him get away with that."

I smiled at him "Thanks. Listen about what I….."

But he cut me off "Not yet Max, they can still hear us remember, we have sensitive hearing, especially Iggy."

I nodded, that wasn't really the reason he didn't want to talk I knew that. Was he embarrassed? Did he feel guilty because he doesn't feel the same? How does he think I feel? How do I feel? Great, just great, more question to wrap my head around.

"My parent's house is just ahead of us." It was Nudge.

A/n: Hope you liked it; drop me a review to let me know what you think.