A/N-Thank you to all who reviewed! This story is goint to be great to write, I can tell. The POV will change, but I won't make it clear who's POV it is, you'll just have to use clues to figure it out. Shouldn't be too hard. Also if I didn't make it clear last chapter, this is going to be a little more serious than my other stories. Lots of drama and decisions. Keep reading, I love ya' all! ^^

My Girl

Chapter 2

It was long into the night, somewhere in the early hours of the morning. The sky was pitch-black outside our window, with the stars just beginning to fade. I hadn't gotten any sleep in the hours that the other kids had, and Dylan himself hadn't moved. I wasn't going to go over there and check. After the other kids had walked in on us, no one had spoken for the rest of the night.

I don't think they were surprised. Angel definetly wasn't. They knew that Dylan was always kind to me, and they may have been expecting it for some time now, that Dylan would get his wish, which was to drive Fang out of my heart. Which hadn't happened yet, but in their opinion, it was all in good time. But they were probably wondering what had brought it on, and if I would reject Fang when he came back.

I didn't know what I would do, either. Was I just going to keep cheating on Fang until he came back in twenty years? Then would I spring into his arms and hurt Dylan in the process? I couldn't do this to either of them, and it was tearing me apart inside. I had the horrible thought that I could very well do that, see Dylan for as long as I wanted, then spare Fang's feelings by having secret relationships behind each other's backs.

I was then reminded that it would never work. Both of them would immediately know I was lying.

Easing out of the bed, so as to not wake Angel and Nudge, who were sprawled all over each other –and me- I made my way over to the window and gazed out, at all of the traffic and city lights, knowing that in the city there were a lot of people with problems, each more complicated than the next. At the moment, I didn't think any of them were as complicated as mine.

I felt a pair of slim arms wrap themselves around my waist, and I immediately froze. "Why are you still awake?" he breathed in my ear.

"Oh, I just couldn't sleep," I said nonchalantly, despite my being extremely irritated by the way he was so casually imitating Fang. If it wasn't Dylan, I would knee him where it hurts and slap him in the face for acting so casual about it. Arms around my waist, my foot.

"You couldn't sleep because you're worried about Fang again," he read my mind again. "Look, Max, I know that you're worried about what he thinks, and I know you're worried about leaving him because he's the only guy that you've ever loved. But did you ever stop to think that I could be good for you too, and most people don't end up with your first love? It's natural to find someone else."

"You don't understand," I said accusingly, bitingly. "Fang's always been there for me, and he still loves me."

"Fang left," Dylan growled, his voice rising, despite my trying to calm him.

"But he hasn't found anyone else. I can't betray him like that, no matter how right it feels to be with you. Either way I go, I end up breaking someone's heart. No, you don't understand, and you never will. This is a decision that I have to make, a choice that I have to deal with, and I choose him."

"Why?" the pain in his voice was overwhelming. "Why, Max? Why do you choose him? I know what you think about, and you know about this, too, that Fang cared more about his mission than you, and that's why he left. I would never, ever leave you, and you're first in my world. You've been first in my world for a long time, and I've been the only one that listened to you, your only friend. So why do you choose him over me?"

"It's complicated," I mumbled, the tears welling in my eyes.

"It's not as complicated as you make it seem. You want something familiar to you, something familiar to love, and that doesn't include me. You've made it so clear that you wanted nothing to do with me, and you've accepted my friendship and smiles without giving me anything back, you've been content to do so. And you spend all your time daydreaming about Fang, but when I kiss you, your initial reaction is to kiss me back for half an hour before the kids come back."

"I just…"

"Just what? Just lost control?" he said scathingly, and then his face became hard as stone. "Did you get through it just by picturing Fang when you were kissing me? Was it that horrible, Max, that you need Fang to get through it?"

"No!" I whisper-shrieked, and almost shattered the window with my fist, but thought better of it. "No, no! I meant it, Dylan! I always meant it, and I always knew that deep inside of me, I loved you too, but I will not, will not let it out, ever! I'll wait for Fang forever if I have to, because I love him, and there's nothing you can do about it!" Once again, I was lying to myself.

"Then why are you with me?" he groaned. "I can't ever leave you, Max. I tried to, because you treated me like a dishrag, but I never could because, for whatever reason, I love you. And I always will. I'll always love you, no matter what the flock thinks, no matter if they kick us out, because when you love someone, you don't leave, and you don't back out, no matter how much it hurts."

"Why the hell do you love me so much, if I treat you as poorly as you say I do?" I asked, my voice full of doubt.

"I ask myself the same question every day," he answered, and gave me my favorite half smile, a trait which I never made known to him but occasionally tried to goad out of him. My will crumbled in an instant as he leant down and captured my lips in a fiery kiss, and I thought nothing else of Fang, knowing I would deal with it all in twenty years.

-

I heard Max and Dylan talking about Fang with my back to them as I watched Angel sleep, and the familiar jealousy burned in the pit of my stomach. I had tried so hard to convince Max to pick Dylan, but she just wouldn't get off of Fang. I had endured her and Fang kissing and loving each other for months before he left, and I had tried my best to ignore it, but now that he was gone, I just couldn't take it.

I was in love with Fang. I had been in love with Fang ever since we had waited together for Max at the cave with the hawks and we had flown together. I had never told him, and he had never known. Now he wouldn't know for another twenty years.

I had done a very good job of covering it up. Around Max, I was perfectly normal and sweet, backing her up as I always had, making her think that I was on her side. I hated Max now. She was always controlling, and she didn't deserve Fang. If it wasn't for her, Fang and I could have been together.

She probably thought that I was into Iggy, just because he was pretty much my only friend. Angel knew how much I loved Fang, but she had always sided with Max, up until she left, when she just decided that enough was enough. I don't think she cared anymore who Fang ended up with, but of course, she was leaning more towards Max than me.

I understood how Max was in love with Fang. He was the best guy ever, but I was in love with him too. He was the only boy I had ever loved, and I was mad at her for taking him. Now, when I had just turned fourteen a few days ago –though no one remembered, Max included- and could be with him, he wasn't here.

I rolled over silently, pretending to be asleep so as not to draw any attention to the fact that I was awake. What I saw when I opened my eyes shocked the hell out of me. Max and Dylan were locked in a kiss, and he was cradling her against the window as she ran her hands through his blonde hair. Just as quickly as I opened them, I shut them tight, and just in time for them to break apart.

"I'll give you all the time you need," Dylan whispered, "but just consider choosing me. I'll never be Fang, but I'll always be yours."

Maybe there was a chance for Fang and me.

-

I threw everything I owned –which wasn't much, let me tell you- into a brown suitcase of Mike's. He came into the room, and what he saw probably surprised him. I was going as quickly as I could, because the less time I spent packing, the sooner I could get on the road –metaphorically, of course- and see Max again.

I hadn't liked leaving her. But it was something I needed to do for the flock. Give them a chance to get used to the fact that we were going to be together. Now that I had practically saved the world, because there was really nothing that we could do about global warming and pollution than we hadn't already done, I could go home.

Home. It was an unfamiliar word now. But it meant wherever Max was.

"Man, you don't have to hurry that much," Mike drawled from the doorway. "It's not like she's gonna spontaneously combust if she doesn't see you in the next five minutes, dude."

"If she doesn't, I will," I answered with a nervous laugh. "I don't know how she's gonna react to this. Will she hate me? I just left her a note, I didn't even have the balls to say goodbye to her face. Knowing Max, she'll probably rip my arm off and beat me with it."

"Huh. You're more of a weenie than I thought," he said nonchalantly. "Besides, isn't this a little human for you? Fang doesn't get happy or nervous or scared. Fang's above us all, the invincible Fang! Yet he's worried that his girlfriend's gonna rip his arm off and beat him with it! Geez, you're the king of testosterone, aren't you?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up," I chucked the alarm clock at his head. "I just need to pack. I want to see my family again. I feel like I just went off to a war I didn't want to fight, and I haven't seen anyone for years."

"You brave soul," he said dryly.

"All I know is that I have to go see her now, before it's too late."

"You know, I hate to tell you this, but most normal girls would just fall apart when the one they love leaves them. But this chick, I think she's tough. She's probably fine without you."

I gave a sad smile. "She probably is."

-

"Blllllarrrgggh!" I snorted as the hot water rolled off my face and nose. I couldn't breathe, and my head was throbbing. I picked myself off the floor of the hotel shower, realizing that I must have fallen asleep. How long had I been in there? Slowly picking myself up off the floor, I felt dizzy and groggy. I had been up all night, first thinking about Dylan, then talking with Dylan, then making out by the window, then in the hall with Dylan for hours.

"You alright in there, Max?" came a voice and a knock on my door. Oh, speak of the Dylan. I mumbled some lame excuse and scrubbed myself quickly, practically falling out of the shower when I got out. Scrambling around for a towel and tired as hell, I heard him say, "Well…okay. Just, don't hurt yourself," in an amused voice.

Things got even more amusing when Iggy got into the picture. "Maybe Dylan wants to go in there and help you, Max?" he asked, then cackled as he walked away. I wrapped a towel around myself quickly and yanked the door open. "What's your problem, Iggy, I almost just drowned in the shower-"

And I ran headlong into Dylan. Interesting things can happen when a person's standing right there, but nothing as interesting as this. Him being larger than me, he didn't flinch when I ran into him. But instead, I let go of the towel and grabbed him to steady myself as I was falling backwards, pulling him down on top of me without the towel, which was flung somewhere in the room.

I screamed.

Dylan gaped a full two seconds before I pushed him off of my –very- naked form and crawled into the bathroom. Shielding their eyes, Iggy and Dylan scrambled for the towel, but the door was shut before they could blink, and I was leaning against the other side, breathing heavily and scared out of my wits. Well, I guess this was a way to take our relationship to another level. I just thought it was gonna be a while before my 'boyfriend' saw me naked.

"What the hell did you do to Max?" I heard Gazzy ask on the other side of the door.

"Go away," I groaned as I slipped into the change of clothes that I was so glad I had brought in. "Go blow up something, go play in the pool, I really don't care!" I stalked out of the bathroom after applying at least some makeup, and Dylan shot me an apologetic look. "Not one word," I growled. "Not one freaking word."

I refused to speak to anyone the rest of the day out of sheer embarrassment. Even now, we were staying in the hotel all day, specifically because it would make it easier on me to be away from home like this. They were treating me like they would a work of art, as if I was fragile and would easily break. I probably would have.

Angel had been unusually quiet that day. She would stare blankly into space for no apparent reason, then wake up suddenly and remember where she was. Everyone tried to calm her down and ask her what was wrong, but she wouldn't respond to anyone. She appeared closed-off and unfeeling, and I realized this is what I must have looked like, only much, much worse.

Nudge had been quiet too, which was out of the ordinary, because, as we all know, Nudge has always been the motormouth, and my depression hadn't changed anything about it. She'd constantly be caught staring at me strangely and then look away as if nothing had happened. Coldness emitted from her, and it was unfamiliar.

Iggy went about his business despite the tenseness, earning multiple groans from all of us at his lame jokes from two or three years ago. "How do you wake up Lady Gaga?" he asked, and, not even waiting for the answer, replied, "You Poke 'er Face!" He crowed with laughter and we simply endured it.

Dylan was the most encouraging. He shot me winks and loving glances when we were alone, or when no one else bothered to look. He'd toss his arm around my shoulder as if he'd been doing it always, and elbow Iggy when he made any rude or inappropriate comments about what had happened this morning. He let me live in silence that day.

I glared at Iggy as he fired off another round of jokes "Why doesn't Lady Gaga like sushi? Because it's rah-rah-rah-ah-ah" and grinned childishly at me.

"Don't you ever pick on someone besides her?" Nudge asked as she applied another layer of hot pink nail polish while lying on the bed watching American Idol. "Yes, Tim got in!" she punched her fist in the air.

"Tim?" Iggy asked, clueless as usual.

"The hot one," Nudge informed him.

"Who lost?"

"I don't know, I'm watching it, shut up!" Iggy winced at her outburst.

I stared at Angel, sitting on the floor with her eyes closed and her legs crossed Indian-style. I walked over and picked up the pink iPod nano in her lap, and plucked the earbuds out of her ears. Justin Bieber's One Time was playing –so typical of Nudge and Angel, I swear to God he was their new obsession- but it didn't look like she even noticed that I took it out.

"Angel?" I asked, tapping her on the shoulder. She didn't blink, or even open her eyes. Unflinching, her eyes remained closed and her breathing stayed the same. "Angel, honey, are you okay?" I moved my hands in front of her face, but she did nothing. "Angel!" I shook her lightly. I was starting to get worried.

Her eyes snapped open, and she stared straight forward, as if she was possessed. Slowly, the color came back to her face and the humanness came back to her eyes, and they widened in fear and shock and surprise. She whipped out her phone and started texting. She was texting Nudge. She ran into the bathroom and locked the door so the rest of us couldn't see Nudge.

The only thing I saw before she took off were the words 'SOS, HE'S'…

Who? What? I was so confused.

-

I turned my phone on silent before Max could see that I had gotten Angel's text. I had known this would be coming, I had just expected it to be nineteen years from now. This was an emergency situation. Angel had seen a vision. It had just started after Fang left, she could see bits and pieces of the future, and sometimes, she could see something big coming. Once, she had seen the moment before Iggy crashed our truck into a tree, and she had been right. We had rushed down there just in time to make sure he wasn't hurt.

But this was even bigger than that. I knew what this meant. With dread and excitement building in my heart, I flipped the phone open, and I saw the message. I opened it hastily.

"SOS, HE'S COMING. FANG IS COMING. HE'S DESTROYED ITEX, AND HE'S COMIGN BACK FOR MAX. HE DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT DYLAN, BUT HE'LL BE HERE SOON, VERY SOON. YOU CANNOT TELL MAX. NOT IF YOU EVER WANT TO BE WITH FANG."

This surprised me. Angel wanted me to be with Fang? Could it be true, could I really end up with Fang? My heart soared as I realized that anything was possible, and that it could work out between Fang and I. He would come and see that Max was with Dylan, and that would leave him for me. It was a childish dream, but a dream nonetheless.

Max walked up to me and snatched the phone from my hands, but I'd already deleted Angel's text. "What are you hiding from me?" she spat. "Why else would Angel be texting you in secret?"

It was time for lying mode. I grabbed her arm and dragged her into the hall. "Look, Max, I heard you and Dylan together last night, and so did Angel. We're really happy for you, that he treats you so well and you kissed him. I know that you didn't want to hear about it, because you still have to make a decision between him and Fang, so we were just talking about it over her cell."

"It seemed like she was having a vision," Max said skeptically. "Was she having a vision? Did she see who I'm ending up with? Because it's going to be my choice in the end."

"Oh, no, Max, she didn't have a vision. She was pretending at first so you'd leave her alone." I nodded, smiling, at Max, who still appeared skeptical. The bitch. You stay away from Fang. I've put up with too much from you over to lose to lose to you now.

Angel snorted from the bathroom, and I knew that I had won her over. I grinned in my mind, and sent her a mental picture of Max and Dylan making out, cupids and little hearts floating around them. I knew it was all she could do not to burst out laughing and blow our cover.

"Okay, but I got my eye on you two," she said suspiciously, then retreated to the chair that Dylan sat in front of, where she absently stroked his hair. I mentally cursed at myself for missing American Idol. It was probably all over by now. I came back into the room just as the show was ending.

I stamped my foot angrily. "Okay, Ig, did you see who got voted off?"

"Maybe…for the right amount of money."

I forked over a ten dollar bill. "It was Andrew and Katie," he chirped. [1]

-

It was late at night when I had finally gotten myself into the sky. Flying with a backpack full of cans was hard enough, but flying with a suitcase was super hared. I had taken a break only a half hour ago, and now it felt like my back would break. Luckily, I was almost there.

Home. It would be so good to get there. It was my only dream while I was gone, being home, being with Max, making jokes with Iggy. I missed them all so much that it hurt, and I was dreading and looking forward to seeing Max again.

Approaching our hometown, our house, I remembered so many things from right before I had left, which were the only memories I had of the house.

There it was. I zoomed down from the sky, fanning my wings out and gently floating down to the front door. I took a breath before knocking on the door, and held it until I was sure that I could do this. No one answered, and I started to panic. Don't worry, Fang, they're gonna let you in. I knocked again, and waited patiently, only to be rewarded with silence.

I went around the back and then finally just decided to break the front window. I searched the entire house, which smelled painfully of the flock, but they just weren't there. None of them were. It was like they had just vanished.

Walking out the front door, I grabbed two fistfuls of my hair, bowed my head and screamed. "No!" I shouted. "No, no, no!" I punched the sidewalk with each word, bloodying my hands, but I didn't care. Let them do whatever they wanted to me. Let me bleed to death.

But give me back the flock.

Max, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, Angel, where have you gone?

[1] I don't watch American Idol, and I don't plan to. I had to go to google for a lot of this. Tell me if I flubbed anything up.

As always, reviews are loved. xD

~Rachel