Hiiiiii look who's back :) Yes, it has been like 5 and a half months? Ish? Give or take? Yeah, I am incredibly sorry about that. . . But I am back and ready to finish all 11 of my Maximum Ride fan fictions. That's right. . . after I finish writing these fan fictions. . . I'm saying goodbye to Maximum Ride. I am no longer invested in the fandom nor do I feel like writing these stories anymore. BUT, I hate leaving stories unfinished so that's why I'll be completely these before saying goodbye. Sad I know :(

Anywho, onto the story. . .

-Kath

Chapter Three: This Might Be a Bad idea

MAX'S POV

I close my eyes and smile, feeling the powerful wind blowing in my face and causing my hair to soar all around my head.

I tuck in my wings, dropping a few hundred feet before opening my eyes again to the similar terrain and unfurling my wings. A small clearing comes into view and the corner of the roof of my mom's quaint house.

As I get closer, I drop my speed slightly by moving my wings up and down more frequently. I drop to the ground, tucking in my wings.

My mom looks over and gives me a smile from where she is unloading groceries. I jog over and take the bags out of her hands as she grabs the last of the ones still in the car. She closes the door with her hip before we walk back towards the house.

"Well this is a nice surprise, sweetheart. Any reason in particular?" She says, glancing in my direction before shifting the bags in her hands to unlock the door. The keys jingle in her grip.

She opens the door and I hold it open so she can go ahead of me. I follow suit, letting it swing shut behind me. We drop the bags on the counter.

"Not really." I finally say, unpacking the bags.

"Well, you just missed everyone else. Iggy and Ella stopped by with Gazzy and Angel. Apparently they are all going on a cruise."

"Oh," I don't really know what else to say. I don't really talk to the other members of the Flock much anymore. Not since my career took off and the others decided that they wanted to venture off and discover the world.

My mom gives me a look before walking over to the fridge to place the cold stuff inside. I put the rest in the pantry.

"What?" I grab a bunch of the plastic bags and stuff them underneath the sink for future use before throwing another stack away.

She only shakes her head, grabbing her car keys and stuffing them back in her bag. "What is up with you and the Flock. I asked how you were doing while the others were here and the only replies I got were shrugs and 'probably fancy career stuff'." She says the last part with air quotes and a terrible Gazzy interpretation.

"Some people just drift apart, I guess." I shrug, grabbing a cookie off the island and stuffing it in my mouth.

"You all used to be so close."

"Yeah, well, we have Fang to thank for that." The words tumbled out of my full mouth before I had time to think them through. The two of us freeze and I finish chewing.

My mom sighs, taking a bottle of lemonade out of the fridge.

We stay silent but it's only awkward now with unspoken words hanging in the air. None of us really talked about Fang or the letter or the Flock going to see him everyday. It was just a quiet agreement everyone made but I could see everyday that my mom wanted to ask us what happened. She never pushed but we never gave her something either. She only ever knew the basics of what happened, not the details. I think I owe her an explanation after all these years.

"Look, Mom, a lot happened between the Flock and I after Fang left. They didn't handle it well and while I tried, there wasn't much I could do. So we never tried to mend what was broken and fractured. It hasn't left us and it never will." It's all I could really give her but it was the full truth. We haven't been the same since he left and we never will be. No matter what his new letter said. It sits heavily in my pocket and my hand itches to grab it.

She nods like it makes perfect sense but I could tell by the glint in her eyes that it doesn't. She's always been good at that. Hiding her thoughts and feelings but I also know her well enough that I'm the only one who truly knows.

Fang used to be able to do the same thing with me.

She takes a sip of her drink before going into the other room and turning on the TV. I stay where I am contemplating. Should I show her the letter or keep it to myself?

I slide my hand into my pocket, taking out the crumpled paper. I stare at its folded form before opening it up. My eyes skim over the words but my brain doesn't register them.

What should I do? It might be a bad idea because if I show her then she might make me go.

But didn't I already decide that I was going? Doing it for the Flock?

I guess I'm still unsure. Going might be a bad idea. A very bad idea.

I clutch the paper in my hand, squinting at Fang's name like he'll have the answers.

He always did before he abandoned us.

What the hell should I do? Should I go or forget about it?

For the Flock. Aren't I also doing it for myself?

Why did I come all this way if I am still unsure?

I don't really know what I'm going to do.

There you have it! Chapter three. I have no idea if that was where this story was supposed to go but I haven't looked at this since August and I never made an outline. I hope you enjoyed it! This is going to be one of my shorter fan fictions so only probably another few chapters. Maybe. I don't really know.

-Kath