Wow, what's it been? Five months? If there's any old readers out there, thanks for sticking out my huuuuge writers block. Any new readers, hey, and enjoy! Okay, so this one goes out to you, Modano'sChick-09, I was re-reading old reviews, and yours inspired me. So here we go, this chapter is the scene where Max is cutting her wrist at the beach, with a twinge of Fax! Enjoy! (I know its not that long, but I've just got back into the writing mood, and there isn't much to sya about this part!

Max's POV

I had found it - a piece of broken shell, sharp on one side.

I quickly scooped it up. I tried to think back to the days when I had been educated in harming. Was it sideways, or up and down how I was supposed to cut? I suppose there is no actual rules to this, because you aren't supposed to do it, but whatever. I decided to work my ways side to side, and began sawing at my wrist. It wasn't like I was trying to kill myself, like the other people that do this, I just wanted the chip out.

'Don't do this Max' the Voice warned.

You know what, know this really isn't fair. As soon as I'm trying to get rid of it, it makes commetns like that.

'Oh yeah, Voice, okay then, so why shouldn't I do this?' Come on, thrill me! I snarled in my head, still cutting, but slower now. I could hear the beat of wings coming up uickly behind me, and I could also hear Nudge and Angel screeching my name, obviously alarmed by the blood.

'Because I told you not too. You need me, I can help you' It pleaded with me 'You could kill yourself if you're not careful!'

"I don't care," I whispered quietly, as sand sprayed up and I looked up quickly to see Fang's dark shadow crouched beside me.

"What the hell are you doing?" Fang yelled angrily, slapping my hand to make me drop the shell. "Look where you're cutting, you'll bleed to death!" It was then that I saw how truly scared I had made him. I knew I must look a sight, blood staining the sand around us, my arm bleeding from where the shell had ripped through the thin skin on my wrist.

"Wanted the chip out," I murmured quietly whilst Fang was wrapping up my wrist tightly.

"Well, it's not coming out. "You don't get off that easy. You die when we die!" he said, sounding a little calmer, but I could still see the shock written across his pale face.

"..Sorry," I managed to get out brokenly, before I broke down crying.

I could count on one hand how many times I had cryed in front of my flock.

Once, when Fang and I had been sparing outside, and he had kicked his leg around to fast for me to catch, ending with me bleeding from the nose and me wondering why my eyes had started leaking. (I was only eleven and I had never cried before, so sue me!)

Another time when I though Jeb was dead, although the others didn't see this, except Fang, of course he had been there to comfort me, what with hearing me through his raptor-sensitive ears.

I felt Fang's arms wrap around me, his soft hands pressing me against his rock-hard shoulder. I felt his hand rubbing my back with soft movements, when the others joined in. When I had finally finished crying, Fang's shirt made him look like he had been out in the rain to long. I couldn't look at him as I said my apology to the others.

*

"So what was that about?" Fang asked after a few moments of silence. The kids and Iggy had left to go play in the water, whilst Fang and I kept careful watch a few meters away. I didn't need to ask what he was on about.

"I'm just, really tired. I've been running on adrenaline without a master plan. Every day it's just, 'Keep the Flock together, keep us safe', y'know? But now there are pieces of information that just aren't adding up, and it's just too much,"

"Pieces like Ari and Jeb and Anne and the Voice?" Fang asked slowly.

"Yeah,"

"So, just walk away, let's find an island and drop of the screen. All just stay away until this whole thing washes over us."

"That sounds great to me. But I'm pretty sure the younger ones want to find their parents, and know I want to find out about that company Angel was talking about. It's really hard to be the leader all the time," I admitted. I would never have normally told anyone this, but if it was just between me and Fang, I could deal.

"You don't have to do it alone, Max. We can all be here for you. I can be there for you. How about you try sharing some of the responsibility. I can help to, in more ways than one," Fang trailed off suggestively.

"Oh. And what are these 'more ways than one', huh?" I asked, nudging him in the side.

"Well, I can be there for the flock, take more responsibilities with them. Help figure out a plan, so on." He paused as I nodded. "And I can also help with you,"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked as he pulled me in front of him, so I was sat facing the ocean, with Fang directly behind me. His hands dropped onto my shoulders, and began rubbing them methodologically. I sighed and let my head fall forwards.

"I can take the stress away, if only for a few minutes," he offered, one hand rubbing my neck, the other sweeping my hair over my shoulder before trailing his hand down my back to my waist.

"So I can exchange stress for a massage, can I?" I asked, my eyes closing.

"Anytime," he whispered and both of his hands came around my waist, holding me to him as he breathed down my neck. I tried to squirm away but he just laughed.

"Sorry," I suddenly said, rememebring. "About before, I mean."

I didn't expect Fang to answer as he held me to him. That was the thing about Fang, he never -

"You almost gave me a heart attack, when I saw you and all that, blood," he shivered, pulling me closer if it were possible.

"I'm sorry" I whispered truthfully.

"Don't do it again," he warned sternly.

"I won't," I said, as I felt his lips press against the top of my head.

I need reviews! And in these reviews I expect ideas for new chapters! The more ideas I am given, the more creative I will feel and then I'll be able to write more, Kay?