FAXness in this chapter for everyone of my lil' fax lovers out there…hell I am one. It's weird, but at least it's fax, okay? Good. Not as long as first chapter, i'm afraid. sorry.

XXXXXX EIGHT THIRTY PM. ELLA ISH SLEEPING AT FRIENDS HOUSE, DOESN'T KNOW THEY'RE THERE. XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The flock all went to sleep at around eight pm, because they were so tired. They didn't get informed about Fang, seeing as Max was afraid of what to say to them. So she just lay to sleep, only to find that she couldn't, due to the fact that she felt like someone was watching her. She was tossing around when she felt a familiar prickle on the back of her neck. "Fang?" She gasped to the silence, not to him, but because she was scared. Her gut reaction was to call for her best friend.

"I'm here, what's wrong?" He asked in a slightly dazed voice. His hair wasn't even sticking a little in the back like it usually did when he slept.

"…Weren't you in here a second ago?" she asked, trying to make herself less mortified. "No, Max, I was downstairs when you said my name."

"You weren't sleeping? You should be sleeping, Fang, you're sick." Max insisted, swinging her feet over the side of the bed. Fang sat beside her.

"I don't need to. I shouldn't. I should be watching you." He whispered, nuzzling her neck with his lips, nose and chin. She jerked away a little.

"You should be resting." His breathing had increased and he'd leaned closer again.

"I don't want anyone to be able to get close to you. I want them to know you're mine." He murmured. Max was tense as he breathed deeply against her neck.

"Why? I'm your best friend." She muttered.

"Are you? Is that all you are? If you are, say so…but I'll never be able to live, seeing you with someone else. You'd be…" he stopped as he found her main vein, and nudged it.

"I…I don't know how to react, Fang. I'm not…I don't…"

"I want to make sure guys know you're mine, Max. I want to…I'm thirsty, too. You don't understand the thirst being around you brings," he whispered, nudging her again.

"If you're thirsty, go ahead. I won't stop you." She murmured. "What ever is best for the flock…" she murmured, so quietly that she barely heard herself. Fang stopped moving, mouth still hovering over her neck.

"Max, I don't want you to do this only for me. If you aren't ready, I won't. I'll wait. I just wanted to make sure no one ever left a mark on you. I'm the only one allowed to do that." He murmured, backing away. She grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him closer again. "It won't hurt. I promise. I just want to leave a mark, just a little tiny mark…" He was whispering, leaning closer and closer. Max's breath was coming in short.

"Why? What will a mark do?"

"They won't ever touch you…mine, you're mine…" he murmured, then slowly sank his long fangs into her neck. He was right- it didn't hurt. It tingled, like she knew it should hurt, but other than that, she wasn't even dazed. He drank deeply, but it didn't make Max feel sick or weak. 'What's…he doing?' She thought.

'I'm marking you. Just wait and see…' he responded, flicking his tongue out on her skin when he pulled away. Then he stared at her for a moment.

"Did it hurt you?"

"No…" Now she felt dizzy, weak, and nauseous. Fang pulled her towards him, holding her for a moment. Then he tilted her chin upwards, kissing her slowly. He bit into his own lip, thick, warm blood flowing into Max's mouth. It was his, but it tasted different than she was used to smelling. It was the last of his blood, his human avian blood. She swallowed, the feelings of sickness wearing off quickly.

XXXXXXXXXX FANG, SAME TIME SORT OF…XXXXXXXXX

After that, Fang held her until she fell to sleep. Her breathing was off, but that didn't stop him from leaving the room. He could barely focus on anything, except maybe her. The mark on her neck was black, like his eyes, his hair, possibly his heart? It was just a black spiral, with a ruby red star in the middle. He sat on the couch, staring, unable to think especially clearly.

"Fang, what are you doing up?" He turned and saw Total, laying sleepily on the recliner with Akila.

"Can't sleep. You go to sleep- you all need your sleep, especially if you have to protect me." He gave them both a grin and lay down on the couch, pretending to sleep, but actually listening to Max's light breathing. Iggy and Gazzy were out, breathing deeply and soundly. Angel and Nudge were sleeping like they always did. Dr. Martinez was asleep, but her television was on.

… … … … … … … MAX AT AROUND FIVE THIRTY … … … … … … … … … …

"Mom? What are you doing up so early?" Max asked, walking out of her room, rubbing her eyes.

"Oh, I've got to go to work at six, Max. If Iggy feels like cooking, there are eggs, bacon, and sausage in the fridge. There's also bread for toast, and orange juice. If he doesn't, there's money in the jar on the fridge, just go order something. You can get delivery if you don't want to leave the house. Just be careful, honey." The doctor said, rushing around the halls as she spoke. She slipped her arms through her white lab coat, then took it off and rolled it into a ball.

"Okay, Mom…and thanks. For helping, for helping us and Fang." Max said awkwardly, finally wide awake. Mom smiled warmly.

"It's fine. I love helping you guys. I love having you around." She gave Max a hug, then looked at her watch. "Oh, shoot, I've got to go. I'll be home by seven and I'll bring dinner. Don't get into trouble, and don't let Gazzy or Iggy play with bombs or explosives near the- I'm sorry. I know you've been doing this for your whole life. I just-"

"It's okay, Mom. I know you worry. I'm going to start waking them up when you leave. I won't let Iggy or Gazzy explode the city, or the dog. Angel and Nudge will not max out the credit cards, and I'll keep them away from the stores. Can we use your computer? Fang…doesn't share the laptop." Max said quickly, wrinkling her nose.

"Sure, just don't leave any of the younger kids alone with it. Bye, honey." She walked out the door, leaving Max standing there, shaking her head.

"Shower, I've got to take a shower." She decided, walking back to Ella's room, then into her bathroom. She turned to the mirror and pulled down the collar of her t-shirt, trying to see if it was a dream, if Fang wasn't acting that weird. "Oh my goth." She whispered, staring at the black spiral. It had a red star in the center, and it made Max a little dizzy staring at it; it didn't look like a tattoo, but not like her skin, either. It was strange. So she wasn't dreaming. And he was acting that weird. What did that mean? What did he mean by marking her as his?

"I meant that I didn't want anyone to touch you, to kiss you, to be able to call you theirs…" his voice murmured through the bathroom. Max jumped and turned around, to find Fang standing behind her. She turned slightly, looking into the mirror. "You can't see my reflection, but I can." He said quietly.

"W-what are you doing in here?" she asked, shaking.

"Just answering you. You were talking aloud. Do you want me to leave?"

"Yes. I mean no. I mean, yeah, so I can shower. Don't wake anyone up. Did you need something?" She asked, regaining her composure. His red eyes softened, though still dazed, and he brushed his freezing fingers across her cheek. Then he walked away, closing the door behind him.

Max took a shower, brushed her hair and teeth, then went in a towel to Ella's closet. She grabbed the longest clothes she could find: a black hoodie and a pair of seemingly-too-short blue jean shorts. She walked towards the boys room, tying her hair in a braid as she went.

"Ig, Gaz, wake up. Come on, Iggy, aren't you going to make breakfast? You don't have to cook over an open fire! Moms got a stove!" She said in a teasing voice. Iggy sat up and ran a hand through his hair.

"Max, it's early. Why do you do this to us? It's been awhile since we slept in beds." He whined. Max froze.

"Iggy, just get up. You can sleep later." Fangs voice said. Iggy stiffened and got up, going downstairs in a carefully devised way of not hitting Fang or Max's shoulders, like he usually did subconsciously. "Why…never mind. Have you eaten yet?" Fang murmured very quietly, his voice dazed still.

"No, Fang, go down stairs."

"Okay."

"Get up, Gazzy, honey." Max gently shook Gazzy's shoulder. "Gasman, get up." She whispered. He groaned and sat up, then wrapped his arms around Max's shoulders and started crying hysterically. Shocked, Max stiffened, then she hugged him back, pulling him into her lap, rocking him slightly. "What's wrong, sweetie?" She murmured into his ear, trying to calm him.

"I…I t-thought F-Fang w-was g-g-gonna d-die!" He whispered just as quietly, trying to stop his tears.

'My goth, he's eight and he holds his tears back with a s much force as a normal fifteen year old…' Max thought guiltily.

"He's okay now, Gazzy. Calm down. He's fine. He's down stairs and up and walking around. He's just really tired. That's all. You can even talk to him now."

"Really?" Gazzy asked silently, wiping his eyes on Ella's shirt- the one that Max laughed about later, for having a stain on the shoulder.

"Yeah, just be really quiet- he was sick only a few hours ago."

'When should I tell them?' She thought to her self…guilty.

"Can I go talk to him? I promise I won't be loud." He said, quietly, as if to prove that he could be quiet.

"…Sure. Go ahead, but don't-" She was cut off by the door slamming open behind Gazzy. She smiled softly. It was good to know that her flock cared about each other. They would always have each others backs. Max shook herself out and went to the girls room, smiling when Angel was trying to get Nudge up lazily.

"I got it, Ange. I'll be just a few. Go down stairs and help Iggy with breakfast." She said happily.

"Okay, but Max? Is Fang…is he going to be okay?"

"He should be back to normal in a few days. Why don't you go and help Iggy?" She was clearly trying to get Angel to go down stairs. Angel nodded, then went out the door.

"Max? What's that?" Angel pointed deliberately to the mark on Max's neck. It was below her shirt collar, but Angel could see it.

"It's nothing. GO help Iggy," she ordered, trying to calm herself down. "Nudge, wake up. Wake up, come on, Iggy's cooking. On the stove!" Nudge sat up slightly, then straightened.

"It wasn't a nightmare…"

"It never is." Max said wryly.

"Fang, is he still sick? Because I hope not! I was so worried about him! We all thought he was going to die! And of course, you were crying so that made us worry. Then you pass out before bedtime, so THAT was so scary, I almost started crying. But I helped Iggy."

"Nudge, I'm…worried." Max whispered, looking at the younger girl. It was going to be hard to talk to Fang for a while, and Iggy wasn't the same. Nudge was next in line.

"About what? We already decided that your mom was safe, and we're safe here, until Fang gets better. So what could you be worried about?"

"Fang…he's so different. I want to be sure that I'll get my- our- Fang back." Max bit her lip, wondering if she should dump all of this on an eleven and a half year old. But Nudge nodded.

"Is Fang going to be alright, though? Do you know what happened to him?" The once completely happy, seemingly careless brown eyes looked at Max seriously.

"I don't want to lie to you, Nudge. I should tell you that I'm sure he'll be fine and to go to the kitchen with Iggy. But I want to tell you the truth." Max told Nudge all the details Jeb had given her, except the dead part. Nudge was shaking.

"But he's still our Fang, somewhere deep in there. He's just tired right now. He'll be back." Max was sure now.

"Right. I trust you. Both of yous. You're strong enough to get us through this, and Fang is strong enough to pull through." Nudge said confidently. Max was looking at Nudge with wide eyes.

"Thank you, Nudge. Now go downstairs. I think Iggy's done." Max shook her head as Nudge walked away. She didn't feel like herself. She slowly went down stairs and ate. It was sweet, watching Angel help Iggy serve breakfast.

"Hey, Max, isn't Fang gonna eat?" Gazzy asked. Max resisted the insanely strong urge to glare at him.

"Fang already ate- before everyone was up." She lied. Then she thought about Fang eating before they ate. Hopefully it would hold Angel over, too. Fang was watching them all from the couch in the living room.

"So, Max, what are we gonna do today?" Nudge asked around a mouth full of bacon. Max made a noise, then sighed.

"We definitely need new clothes." Max winced. Nudge and Angel looked at each other.

"Is that an invitation to go to the mall?" Angel asked slowly.

"No, it's an invitation for us to go to the nearest Wal-Mart and buy some easy to move in- cheap - clothes." She said with a ring of authority.

"Fine." Nudge pouted.

"Stop pouting. It's going to be okay." Max laughed. It sounded tense and shaky. Iggy cocked his head to the side, staring in Max's intermediate direction. He raised an eyebrow. "Later." She mumbled, too quiet for the rest to hear. Fang chuckled.

"So when are we going to the store?" Gazzy asked.

"After everyone finishes and gets dressed." She replied, eating.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Everyone was changed and ready, so they all started to leave the house. All except Fang. Max said that he was still too sick to come. "Guys, why don't you play in the back for awhile, while I go tell Fang his 'orders'?" Max asked, listening to their laughs and compliant responses.

"Max, please? You said after breakfast- I'm thirsty…" Fang whispered. Max grabbed his shoulder and offered her wrist as she dragged him away from the door. He slowly bit into her wrist after she nodded.

'Why are you so stressed, Max?' Fang asked in her head, gently lapping up the blood that flowed freely from her veins.

'I'm fine, Fang. Just a little worried about every thing. As per usual.' She replied dizzily, letting him drink more than she should have. Then he pulled back, lips bloodied. Max sighed and let her eyes droop, falling forward onto him, her head hitting his chest. She felt exhausted. Fang kissed her forehead, her lips, once, once…Then she felt fine. Fully alive.

"They're wondering where you are."

"Bye. Don't leave the house."

"We're in Arizona- where am I going to go?" Fang snickered.. Max shrugged and walked outside. The sun hurt her eyes for second before she shook it off and gathered the kids to go to Wal-Mart.

XXXX

"Max, this is so cute! We have to get it." Nudge said, holding another pink t-shirt.

"It's adorable…" Max mumbled, letting the pink hail storm pass. It did. She was happy to see Nudge get distracted by another shirt, with no pink in it. It was purple.

"Okay, guys. We really need to work together here. Iggy, Gazzy. You two are up first. We're getting you two outfits- one to put on when we get home, and one to put on tomorrow when those are getting washed. You'll have three outfits. That should be enough until we leave." Max snapped. Iggy and Gazzy nodded.

"Why's it so quiet in here, Max?" Iggy asked, sounding twitchy.

"I don't know, but I don't like it." Max murmured, leading him towards the boy clothes. "Jeans and t-shirts, guys. Get two outfits and some comfortable sleep clothes. And remember- we're thinking practical here."

"Right. Practical. I have to remember that, because Gazzy and I were so thinking of getting kilts. Man skirts." Iggy sighed, rolling his sightless eyes. Max squeezed his arm, hard. He winced.

"Oh-Kay. Somebody is in a bad mood." He whispered. Gazzy laughed. Max let out a little snort. Yeah, if that was the only thing wrong, she would be fine.

"Alright, Iggy, Gazzy, start finding clothes." Gazzy searched around, but to his disappointment, only found a plain pair of blue jeans, and a pair of army colored shorts. He found a plain blue t-shirt, and one that had skulls and wings on it. Max smiled when he merely got a pair of boxers with cartoon characters on it and a t-shirt for bed. Iggy grabbed some plain white shirts- mainly so that he could see them- and jeans. He got AC/DC PJ pants and no shirt.

"Kay, guys, we're gonna have to get Fang some new clothes." Max said, looking around. She grabbed a plain black shirt- resisting the urge to get orange- and a pair of tall black jeans. Angel and Nudge picked out his other outfit.

"Journey? Are you kidding?" Max snorted. The girls just shook their heads and forced the shirt into the cart. "Alright, boys, come on, we're going to the girl section." Max said with a shake of her head.

"Max, do you realize how horrible it is for us to go to the girl section? Sure, it's okay for you to go to the guy section, because girls can wear guy stuff without it being weird. But when we go into the girl section, it's totally emasculating. You're going to make poor Gasman suffer?" Iggy asked, earning a punch in the arm from Max.

"Shut-up before I get your head."

"You can't reach." Max back handed him, lightly. He laughed a little. People were quiet, but staring. "I swear if you don't stop drawing attention, I will beat you." She hissed under her breath. Iggy stopped talking. They were in the girl section. Max laughed under her breath when Iggy would brush against something pink and cringe.

"Max, can I get this?" Nudge held up a skirt that was attached to a pair of jeans. The skirt was light purple with darker purple vein like things all over it. The jeans were blue.

"Nudge, I said practical."

"IT IS! I mean, okay, it's a skirt, but it also has jeans. I am eleven, not a hundred and eleven. I'm only a pre-teen once. I mean, I don't want to be mean, Max, but please!" Nudge pleaded. Max rubbed her temples and looked around.

"Fine. But get a pair of shorts, too. And two shirts. Angel, you can get a pair like that in your size." Max looked to her right, but Angel wasn't there. Nor on her left. "Nudge, where's-?"

"She was just there!" Nudge exclaimed, looking at her side, as if she would materialize suddenly.

"Iggy, Gasman, come here!" Max hissed.

"What did we do?" Gazzy whined."Where did Angel go?"

'Angel, where are you? Please don't wander off!' Max thought, trying to be loud.

'Max, erm, I'm behind you.' Angel thought, her voice a little confused. Max whipped around, seeing- with a shock- herself. Her first thought was that it was her clone, so she shifted to a fighting stance.

"What do you want?"

'NO! Max, it's me!! It's me, I swear!' Angel's voice said in her head, suddenly frantic. Max looked at…herself and sighed.

"You sure?" It was supposed to be a joke. It wasn't funny. Then Angel appeared, the hair changing from straight to curly, dirty blond to light blond, eyes from brown to blue. She shortened. "That was cool!" Gazzy said, using Max's voice.

"I can't change my voice, though." Max sighed and looked at the siblings.

"Well aren't you two a diabolical pair?" She said, smiling.

"Max, can I really get one of those?" She pointed to Nudge's skirt.

"Sure, just hurry, kay?" All three girls got one of the skirts-with-jeans-attached-and-pretending-to-be-a-skort sets. Max didn't want to, but Angel and Nudge did Bambi eyes, saying that it would be cute if they all matched. So she got one that was blue where Nudges was purple and Angels was pink, and the jeans were black. Both of her shirts were blue, one had a set of large wings on it, one was plain. They all got new jackets, new bags, and the girls picked out their PJ sets. They all also got the new, necessary…undergarments.

"Okay, go put your stuff in your bags. Take a shower, and CHANGE!!" Max yelled. "Gazzy first; Angel you can shower in my and Ella's room. Nudge go to Dr. Martinez's room and use her shower- she won't mind." Max ordered, sighing as they grabbed bags from her arms. She sat on the couch, then lurched to her feet and looked around for Total and Akila.

"Total, come here." She said, looking at him.

"Yeah?" He sighed.

"Do you know if there was a bucket or something?"

"I don't think-"

"Never mind, I'll go find one." As she got up, Fang appeared, holding a metal bucket that was about the size of a small tub.

"Here you go." He said quietly. She took it, sighed and headed out side. She turned the hose on and went inside while the tub filled up.

"Akila, Total, come here." She saw, on the dining room table, dog shampoo and flea remover. "Fang…" she breathed.

"Yeah?" he asked, appearing with two large towels.

"Thank you."

"I can help you give them baths, if you want." Max shrugged and started outside. She looked back and saw Fang hesitate, then walk back towards the living room. Total and Akila appeared, tongues lolling out, even though they weren't even in the sun for very long.

"Who's first?" She asked. Akila stepped forward and leapt lightly into the tub. Max wet her, then started scrubbing shampoo through her fur. The dog sat perfectly still. "Good girl." The dog licked her hand affectionately.

After everyone was through with their showers, they were all wearing shorts and too big t-shirts, ones that would hide their wings- slits or not.

"Max, can we go to the park?" Gazzy asked.

"…" Max looked up from the TV. "How about after lunch?" She suggested lightly. He nodded and started pulling Iggy up.

"Let's go make lunch." He said. Iggy grinned and followed him.

"Max, can you brush my hair? It's getting really knotty." Nudge whined. Max sighed and took the brush.

"I don't see why you can't just cut it."

"Because, unlike you, I like my hair. I like your hair, too, but you seem to think it's horrible." Nudge sighed, waiting patiently as Max ran the brush through it. It really was knotted.

"What did you do to it?" Max asked, face concentrated. The brush snapped in half. "You killed it!" That got them both laughing. Angel even giggled. A key turned in the front door, a sound that had the whole flock on their feet. All except Fang, who was nowhere to be seen. They were tensed and ready, even the dogs (excluding Magnolia), and the door opened.

"What's wrong, kids?" Dr. Martinez asked. Max sighed and fell onto the couch.

"Nothing, Mom. We weren't expecting you until seven. Why are you here so early?" She looked at a clock on the wall. 1 PM.

"Well, I came home for lunch, to check on you guys." She smiled, then leaned back outside for a second. "Iggy, honey, you don't have to cook! I brought lunch!" Mom called, coming in with bags of food. "Angel, Nudge, can you help me?" She asked as Max looked around for Fang. Dr. Martinez had went to a Mexican restaurant and brought them all food. When Max returned from her search of Fang- he was in Ella's room, staring at the wall …?- she sat down and ate, thinking quietly to herself.

"Max, I asked if it was alright if we went outside to play!" Nudge said, waving a cheese stick in her face. Max yelped and toppled off her chair, looking up at them. Iggy laughed and helped her up.

"Sure, as soon as your done. Don't get your clothes dirty." She replied, then looked down at her food. Iggy didn't go outside with the kids. As soon as Dr. Martinez walked into the kitchen to do the dishes, he sat in the chair beside Max, glaring.

"What's wrong with Fang? You said you'd tell me later." She looked at him, glaring right back. She couldn't lie to him- she did tell him that she'd tell him later. And he deserved the whole truth.

So she told him everything that Jeb had told her. Iggy was paler than average. She didn't say anything about the blood drinking though- he would want to let Fang rotate between them and putting him in danger was not acceptable.

"So…he's…what is he?" She almost replied 'vampire' but that would imply blood drinking, and- see the paragraph above.

"I'm not sure, Iggy. But I know that he's going to be fine. He'll be better in a few days." Max insisted.

"How, Max? You just said that Jeb told you he's dead. How is that alright?" Max flinched, and Iggy must have realized what he said. "Look, I'm just-"

"Getting me back to my place. I know. That's fine- because it's true. We're going to be fine, Iggy. He's just going to have a lower body temperature than average." At this they both laughed shakily.

"So what now?"

"We rest- make sure the others think that's what we're doing. Letting Fang rest. It's at least a part of the truth." Max sighed. Iggy nodded and walked away.

"Max, I have to go back to work. Just call if something happens, kay?" Mom asked, looking at her warmly. Then she sighed. "Or at least leave a note or message." Max took a shaky breath, then leapt into her mothers arms, hugging her hard. She was shaking. Her wings extended a bit. "Max?"

"I'm fine. I think I just needed a hug." Max whispered, holding on tight. Dr. Martinez tightened her arms around her.

"Max?" Fang called, looking around the corner. "Oh." He said, backing up. Max straightened and waved to her mom before walking over to Fang.

"What's up?" She asked casually, walking to the computer room.

"I was worried- your mind felt stressed." Max's brow furrowed.

"Can you read my mind?" She asked curiously.

"No- more like sense it." She shrugged and sat in front of the computer, turning it on and typing the password. "What are you looking for?"

"I just feel like looking for some books to read." Max said, going to Barns and Noble dot com. Fang nodded and sat down, watching her. She felt her back stiffen and she sat perfectly still, typing in titles of books.

She found a few more books, but really wasn't interested. Finally she turned around on the chair, gasping when she saw Fang standing too close. "You scared me."

"What's wrong?" He demanded, looking at her.

"Nothing- I'm just worried about you." At this she tried to walk around him, but he was at the door before she knew he'd moved.

"Why?"

"I don't want you to leave us." She lied. Her mind was serene. Fang paused, thinking, or sensing into her mind. Then he relaxed, and his face became the dazed mask it was a few hours ago.

"Max…" he breathed, coming close to her. He was breathing in her scent, and he stopped just above the mark he'd left on her neck. Max's breathing was hitched. "Could I…maybe…just a little…"

"Sure. Go ahead." Max whispered, trying to hold still. It didn't hurt this time, and he only drank a little bit.

'You need to relax.' He told her.

'What about you? This thing is two way-ed, ya know. You're stressed, too. Why?'

'You may be surprised by this, but I do worry about you guys. ' Fang replied, pulling away. He looked…full, if that was the right word. He licked his lips, eyes dazed. Max touched his cheek, then started walking away.

"Thank you." Fang said quietly, catching her wrist. She tried pulling away, but he was stronger than her.

"You're welcome, can I go now?" She asked quietly, not meeting his eyes.

"…Did I do something wrong?" He asked, sounding hurt. Max sighed and hugged him, trying to assure him that he'd done nothing wrong- he was still part of their flock. A little different, but still part of the flock.

"Nah--I'm just a little tired, Fang. I'm going to sleep." She walked away, and felt Fangs cold lips on her cheek before she made it to her room. When she turned, he wasn't there. She shook her dizzy head and went to lay down for a bit.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When Max woke up, she was confused. She shot out of bed, looking around. Nothing. The clock on Ella's night stand said that it was eleven. The kids would be asleep. She walked down stairs, in search of left over's, and looked around. She went to the kitchen, and grabbed a crystal cup from her mothers cabinet.

"What's wrong?"

"GAH!" She jumped, dropping the cup. Fang caught it, though he was just on the other end of the kitchen a second ago.

"I'm sorry." He apologized, looking down as he set the cup on the counter.

"It's fine- you always do that, anyways."

"Max, what's wrong with me?" His eyes were pleading with her, as if she would have the answers.

"Nothing is wrong with you- you're going to be fine." She said, and her mind was racing. He knew it.

"Max, you're not telling me something…Why? I feel so…out of it and I can't think right- I know that I hurt you, already. I don't want to hurt you." He was whispering near the end. Max looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise. She felt so bad, that this had happened to him. Why couldn't all of her flocks pain, all of it, everything be all on her? Then she wouldn't have to worry about them getting hurt- they wouldn't be hurting.

"Why are you guilty?" He asked, grabbing her chin.

"You're hurting- I don't like it when anyone is hurting." She sighed, getting orange juice out and pouring it in the cup.

"I hurt you, though, Max. I told myself that I wouldn't hurt you again…but I almost killed you…"

"What are you talking about?"

"I took too much blood, but I didn't even realize it, until your mind was…calm. Deathly calm. You slept through the kids yelling at the TV, through the dogs barking…and I couldn't get you up. I was so worried…and it was because of me…" He was whispering still.

"Chatty, aren't we?" She murmured, too low for him to hear. Or, so she thought.

"Worried, is more like it. I'm sorry, Max." She jumped when she felt him leaning on her.

"What are you worried about?"

"I'm worried I'm going to take too much- that you're not going to be able to…" then he stopped, waiting. Thinking. She felt his mind begin to race.

"Don't worry about me- I'll be fine. It's you who everyone's worried about."

"Because they don't know what's wrong with me." He said, voice sounding regretful.

"That's okay- if you want to tell them, we will. If not, then we won't. They're happy being lied to, anyways." Max whispered, turning around and putting her hands on either side of Fangs cold face.

"I want them to know- but I don't want them to…want me out." 'Because you will choose them, always…' She heard him think. He was too close, or she wouldn't hear them.

"No, Fang, they won't. You're their brother, father figure, everything that means- they won't decide that you're too strange for them."

"But I'm dangerous!" He hissed, ripping her hands off his face roughly. He was pacing now. His mind was reeling, distressed.

"No, you're not. You're just not completely in control of your new senses yet. Because, well, you're new at this. When you get better, we'll be normal again."

"Right, on the run, and oh, we can't forget to tell them that you'll be sleeping a lot, because I have to have your blood to survive." Max tilted her head at his sarcastic comment.

"He never said that you need my blood to survive."

"But I don't want anyone else's…" he said quietly, suddenly the new Fang again. Max wanted him to go back to angry and ranting.

"That's okay, though. It's fine. I can handle it." She said, protective of her flock.

"What if you can't?"

"I can." She insisted, resisting the urge to tell him that maybe the world could live without a few rabbits or deer.

"If you say so- tell me if you get to tired." Fang said, cornering her. He was coming closer, making Max trapped between the counter and him. She was worried, now. "Are you scared of me?" He whispered, face very close to his.

'Yes, but only because I don't know what to do with you…' She thought, hoping he couldn't actually read her mind.

"Your mind is scared…why?"

"You're…really c-close, Fang." She murmured, trying not to bring herself that much closer to his mouth. She'd seen the fangs those things held.

"I know…" He whispered, eyes almost normal- except they were red. "Can I kiss you?" He asked softly.

... ... ... ... ...

"Yes…" Max murmured, leaning closer.

…

…

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