A/N: Okay, A/Ns are now at the top. Because I said so. I love this chapter, Max is so vulnerable and Iggy is so strong. Oh Iggy... Well anyways, I didn't forget! Yay me! I'm not going to really have much of Gassy, or Nudge or Angel in this chapter. Nudge'll get a bigger part a bit later, but for now it's gonna be mostly Angela and Fang, and Max and Iggy. I got some nice reviews on the MaxRide site, so I'm pretty happy. I hope I get some good reviews here. Anyways... up coming... more on Fang's recovery, Max gets sick, moving... um... a funeral... romance, hot tubs, a very special Fang/Iggy chapter, babies... yeah. I'm getting way ahead of myself. Anyways, hope you guys like.

xPokyNoMikox: I'm gonna call you xPNMx, because that's a hard penname to remember. M'kay, confusing? How so? Well, as long as you get it m general direction we should be fine. Good guys or bad guys? Isn't that the question? That's the best part! cue evil laughter Short? Mmm... well, I thought it was a bit longer... Sailor moon? I've never seen it! But maybe I should, if my characters look like them. Anyways, thanks for reviewing. (it's maximumride dot com. Arg, URL's aren't allowed I guess)

Yesterday's Hope: Thank you! What's your username on MaxRide?

Chapter IV: Here's To Mourning.

"In other news, the funds from the Nirvana tribute concert that occurred-"

Iggy did Angel the favor of changing the channel. He could hear the small girl choke back tears at the mention of the concert, as she had done whenever concerts, Fang, death and missing people were brought up. He himself felt a pang of sadness as well. They hadn't seen Fang since that night... Iggy's head snapped in the direction of the door, from which there had been a loud rasp. The blind youth stood and walked slowly to the door as there was a second loud knock from the other side. As he opened the door he felt a bag of groceries forced into his hands. "Back with the groceries Gassy?" He asked stepping aside. The smaller boy brushed past, followed by another body. Nudge. She hardly ever spoke since Fang went missing. She sat herself in front of the tv with Angel and the two sat in silence for hours. Gassy would spend that time scanning the papers for a mention of Fang, and Max... well she was the worst of the lot. "Yeah." Gassy mumbled. "I'll get Max, why don't you get dinner started?" Iggy said as cheerfully as he could muster, but he knew he sounded hollow and fake. "Yeah, yeah, I'll do that..." He heard the Gasman mutter softly. Iggy smiled, at least there'd be one less moping soul around.

Iggy edged slowly his way to the bathroom, Max's new found haven. He softly knocked with his ear to the door. "Max? Max, come on out." He said in a hushed voice. From the other side he heard a muffled sob. "Max, I'm coming in to get you." He said a bit quieter, still she did not respond. He reluctantly turned the knob and cracked open the door. Iggy slipped in, "Max?" He said softy. Once again all he heard was her desperate sobs. Iggy eased onto his hands and knees, he felt a sticky liquid on his palms and a cracking sound under his sneakers. He paused, rubbing the substance between his index finger and thumb. Blood, and under his feet? Glass. Iggy sighed and crawled to where he thought Max might have hid herself from the rest of the world. "Max? Max, it's Iggy." He said settling himself next to her. He sat, pressing his back against the bathtub with his knees to his chest, listening to her sobs. "Max, please tell me what's wrong." He said putting his arm around her thin shoulders. He felt her press her cheek into his collar bone, still crying. He gently pulled her into his lap, taking her bloody hand in his. "Please tell me what happened, Max." He said quietly. His voice was soothing and calm, as if he was simply reprimanding a child for not saying 'please'. "I-I don't know... I guess I-I just got mad or something and- and I smashed some of the glasses on the counter." She choked. Iggy felt her ribs shaking with every word. "I'm sorry, I'm bleeding all over you." Max said, she gave a sort of half laugh, half sob.

"Do you really think I care about that stuff?"

Max didn't answer.

"Max, why did you smash the glasses in the first place?"

"Iggy... Iggy I don't know... I was just mad at him..." She didn't have to say the name, he knew she meant him. Fang.

"Why?" Iggy cooed, stoking her hair.

"F-for dying."

Iggy felt his heart stop. He slowly thought over the words. Fang. Dead. Those two words rang out in his ears. Was... was Fang... dead?

"It wasn't suppose to be like this!" Max said with sudden rage.

"I know, Max. I know."

"He wasn't suppose to die!" She cried, pushing away from her fellow flock member. Iggy let her slid off his lap and crying with an abundance of new tears.

"He wasn't suppose to die." She repeated softly, once again curling into a ball of tears. Iggy felt what Max was feeling. She was feeling vulnerable for the first time in a long time. For the first time she couldn't hide her emotions from everyone, and for the first time since she was quite young, she needed someone. Iggy knew how that felt, he knew it all too well. Someone always had to lead him around, read to him because the School never bothered to teach him braille, tell him what was happening, save him. He hated it... but he didn't know where he'd be if it wasn't for the people who led him around, read to him, told him what was going on, saved him. Without the flock... he couldn't even picture it.

Now in Max's time of need everyone was wallowing in self pity? That really wasn't fair to her. Especially after everything she'd done for everybody. Maybe Iggy was crazy but...

Iggy extended his arms out in between him and Max. "Max." He said firmly.

"Oh, Iggy, I'll get blood all over you."

"Max, I. Do. Not. Care." He repeated unwaveringly.

"Oh...oh okay." She reluctantly embraced Iggy. Gradually falling into Iggy's arms in tears.

"I feel like it's all my fault!"

"Shh, Max, it's okay. It's not your fault. Shh." He said rubbing her shoulders affectionately.

"I just, I didn't think he would die!" She cried in sorrow.

"Neither did I Max, neither did I." Iggy cooed softly.

The girl then pulled away, saying, "Iggy... I'm sorry about this... I mean, I'm suppose to hold everything together and..."

"No, Max. Your not suppose to do that. No one asked you to do that. You are allowed to be human."

Max let out another half laugh at this.

"Max, put your arms around my neck."

"Iggy..."

"Please Max." he pleaded. She complied. He wrapped his arm around her back and he hooked his other under her knees. Iggy gently lifted her up. He felt her body relax as he nudged open the door and lay her down on the bed. He leaned on the edge of the bed and pushed her hair out of her eyes. "Max, I'm gonna be right back, okay?" He said gently, as if speaking to a very scared child. Her eyes filled with panic, unbeknownst to Iggy, and her breath went short. "I'll be right back, I'm just going to be in the other room, Max. I swear I'll only be a second." He said as he stood up to leave the room. She whimpered but didn't protest. Iggy trampled his way back into the kitchenette of the hotel room. "What are you making?" He asked as he felt along the wall for a first aid kit they kept at hand. "Grilled cheese sandwiches." Gassy said hollowly as Iggy grabbed hold of the first aid kit's handle. The blind boy scurried over to his friend saying, "Gimme a few." He felt a plate shoved into his gut. "Thanks Gassy." He said sarcastically, attempting at provoking the younger boy into shedding some type of emotion. The Gasman remained silent. Iggy sighed and returned to the bed room. He sat on the end of the bed and pulled Max up by the wrist. "Give me your hand." He said gently. She opened up her bloodied palm to expose her many cuts. He opened up the first aid kit and gently blotted off the blood with a tissue. He pressed a folded cloth against her hand, using medical tape to hold it to her skin. He did the same with her other hand, then handed her a grilled cheese sandwich, commanding she eat. He knew she looked thin. She hadn't eaten in two weeks unless someone shoved something down her throat. Usually Iggy.

They sat there in silence for a few minutes. Iggy heard Max fall back unto the pillows of the hotel bed, as she gave a weighty sigh, Iggy laid down next to her. He combed through her hair, matted with tears and blood, with the tips of his fingers, "Max, you can't carry on like this." He said heavily. She looked at him with tear strained eyes. "At least I'm not ignoring the fact he's... he's gone!" She choked, her throat obviously burning with tears. "Max... Max, Fang... he was -is- my best friend. I'm... I'm not ignoring his death." He said quietly. "Then- Then what are you doing?" She said sitting up as her voice got stronger.

"I'm... I'm-"

"Well? What are you doing?" She said louder.

"Max, please just-"

"What? Pretend he isn't dead? 'Cause I won't!" She yelled, stand up.

"No, no, Max. Calm down!"

"Calm down? Iggy! Fang just died!" She picked up a roll of socks and threw them at Iggy.

"Max! Max please!" He said as a lamp shade came in contact with his shoulder.

"He's dead!" She shrieked, "He's dead!"

"Max! Don't do this!"

"He's dead!" She choked, falling to her knees.

Iggy rushed to her side, petting her hair and tenderly rubbing her shoulder.

"He's dead... How can he be dead?" She cried.

"Max, you and I both know that Fang would have never let a hoard of Erasers take him without a fight."

"He can't be dead! He just can't be!"

Iggy paused, thinking of his words carefully.

"What if he isn't?"

Max, my dear Max. sigh Review?