Here is a new chapter, even if it is short. It'll make up for the time I didn't write.

Anyway- READ and REVIEW please-


I went to the front of our little flock, trying to see talk to Fang. He said that he wanted to talk to me. That was happening a lot lately.

"What up?" I asked, making sure that he was okay, not being controlled by his "voice".

He shrugged, an odd motion for one flying. "I'm good."

I rolled my eyes, he was being pretty cryptic.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

The next day, we were around a mile from the US/Mexico border. The temperature was around 106 degrees. I was sweating constantly. I could really use a shower.

"Max," whined Nudge, "It is so hot."

"No duh," I responded.

"Can we check into a hotel?" She pleaded.

"Sorry, we can't risk it," I said, "It's way too risky, being so close to Mexico."

"Can we go for a swim?" She asked again.

"Do you see any water?"

She was silent, I took that for a 'no'.

--- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---

That night, the heat had lessened. I was on first watch, but it was just past eleven. At least the sun was no longer out.

I had my back against a wall of rock. It was under the shade of this rock that we had decided to sleep. There were no state forests this far south.

It was late and I was tired. I must be losing my instincts, because before I knew it, I was dreaming.

Sometimes, when you first wake up after a light sleep, you get disoriented. This doesn't normally happen to me. I woke up feeling that I was waking up in a bed. Some part of my mind knew that I was asleep on the dirt in a desert. A warm hand was put on my shoulder. I jumped awake.

"Fang," I hissed.

He looked at me, eyes a light. "Come on."

"Where?"

"Just come," he mouthed.

I rolled my eyes and stood up; blushing when I realized that he had caught me sleeping on the watch.

We walked several hundred yards away from the others.

"What?" I asked, when we gave a silent agreement to stop.

He shrugged. "I wanted to talk to you."

"About," I hinted.

He looked at me, "Max, some thing is going on between us," when I opened my mouth he said, "Don't deny it."

I sighed, "Okay, do we have to have this conversation Fang?"

He frowned, "Why do you avoid everything?"

"I do not!" I muttered.

He rolled his eyes in frustration, "Do you remember when we talked in the hotel?"

"Yes," grudgingly.

He stepped towards me, "I care about…"

I bit my lip, "Fang, I don't know what to say to you," that was new, me admitting to a flaw, to being speechless.

"Then don't say anything," he said.

I opened my mouth and tried to speak, but he stepped closer again.

"We both know what to say Max," he informed me, "I know it's hard for you, but, you know what you want to say. I know what you want to say, because I want to say it too."

I started blushing. This was embarrassing and awkward. But, Fang had a point, I did know what I wanted to say, if I was brave enough. I bit my lip, I could fight any number of Erasers or whatever robots were replacing them this week. I could not, however speak to Fang about my feelings.

"Don't say anything," he repeated, then kissed me on the mouth.

For a minute, I just let it go, then I broke away.

"Fang, I," was my mumbled reaction.

He kissed me again, not answering.