Right. Here it is. The final chapter. Please R&R. This is it. End. Fin. Completion. Done. Not the other one, but this, chapter eleven, is it. Hope you liked it. I enjoyed writing it.

The two words that had never failed to constantly haunt me again ran through my head.

Why me?

I've heard of girls and guys liking each other, without having to cheat on violent boyfriends, getting everyone into trouble. So why does the one that likes me have to?

I've heard of parents who love their children, and would die for them, and care about them, and respect them. So why not mine?

I've heard of heroes, people who really are good and who save helpless children, without turning back to their dark past, and who have truly turned over a new leaf. So why not Jeb?

Six billion people in the world, with hundreds more born everyday, and almost none of them are turned into genetic freaks of nature. So why me?

It's not very often someone will come across a blind in their life, because blinds are so rare. So why me?

I was just pitying myself, I knew that. I knew I had it better than all the other poor kids trapped back in the school.

I brought myself back to the situation at hand. My thoughts had run wild while I was flying, and I reminded myself that, without the flock, I was at a huge loss as to where to go, and how to get there. My only clues were the sounds below, and the hope that I remembered them as landmarks. I knew I was on the right path after a half an hour when I heard (and smelled) the field of cows that I distinctly remembered on our way in.

I followed hints like that. The hard part was staying close enough to the ground to catch the hints without being seen by too many people.

Surprisingly, I found that I was steadily on my way there, and only had to change direction twice. I just had to remember how to get back to their school.

The excitement increased steadily the closer I got. I was leaving the last six days behind, and coming back to my real family. Max, Gazzy, Angel, Nudge, Fang – even Total would be nice to see, surprisingly, though I'd never admit to that little mutt.

Oh, and Anne, the woman who'd even given us that home. Then I remembered how much trust I was laying in Anne. She was from the FBI or something, right? There was no reason to trust her, the same way there was no reason to trust Jeb, or the Griffiths, or anyone.

There was a familiar smell of hot dogs, which, for some reason, were right next to the school. I dove down, quickly, into where I thought some woods should be. Sure enough, I found myself scraping branches and leaves. I landed softly on the dirt, then followed the sounds of shouting people. My heart rate went up as I walking closer, becoming more excited that the flock was so near. The sounds grew louder, and I heard police sirens, among other noises. Everything was panicky and confused.

I walked out of the woods, and into plain view of the school. The noises were much louder here, and I heard adults trying to usher confused students back into the school, though from the shouting and sounds of defiance, it sounded like they weren't succeeding.

What the heck-?

"Jeff!"

I jumped.

"Jeff, where've you been? Everyone's been so worried about you!" some random student I was apparently supposed to know said. Oh, right, my name here was Jeff. "You went missing, and we assumed the worst."

"I was visiting some people," I answered, sneering at the last word. "What the heck's going on?"

"We're not sure. It has to do with your friends, I think," he said.

I paled. "What?!" What trouble did they get into?

"Jeff!" someone else shouted. "What's going on? First your friends, now you–"

"I don't know!" I shouted above the other noises. "Someone tell me what's happening!"

"The girl," the second person finally answered, "Matt? Max? Something like that. She was running through the halls shouting something 'bandana'." Oh, god, bandada. Bad news. "Then all five of them ran outside and – this part I don't get. It was like something out of a sci-fi movie."

"What happened?" I demanded, my patience running very, very thin.

"These werewolf things came – it was so weird–"

Werewolf things. Erasers. "Aw, man!" I groaned.

He stopped. "You…know what I'm talking about?" he asked in bewilderment.

"Of course I do," I said. "Did my family leave?"

"Yeah, they left a little while ago, and let me tell you, it was weird. They freaking sprouted wings and–"

I groaned again. This was all really bad timing. I would end up coming now, just barely missing the flock. And then again, maybe the timing wasn't so bad. Erasers here meant that the flock would have to leave, and travel somewhere else. If I left right now, maybe I'd be able to catch up to them before they disappeared for good.

"Jeff, what is going on?"

"Jeff Walker!" a teacher exclaimed.

I needed to take off. Now. There was too much confusing noise here, too many people standing too close.

I backed up a little. "Everyone get out of the way!" I shouted, cupping my hands around my mouth, yelling as loud as I could.

There were little surprised exclamations as people finally saw me, and connected me with what just happened. I started running, not caring if there was anyone in the way. I heard someone yell and jump out of the way from right in front of me. After about ten steps, I opened my wings, pouring on as much speed as possible, and took off.

People shouted below me, marveling at me, no longer trying to keep things in control. Which confused me, because the kid said that the flock already took off like I did. Maybe it was just because I was missing for a week, came back for a minute, then sprouted wings? I didn't know. People are weird.

I left the confused people far behind. The excitement in me was welling, after that disappointment. I went faster, as fast as I could. I needed to get back, quickly, or I might never see them again. At that moment, I wished I could fly with Max's unbelievable speed.

As I flew, my thoughts were targeted on the flock. I was heading back to them, back to home.

It suddenly occurred to me that home was back with them – and yet, we wouldn't be staying at Anne's house, not with all these Erasers running around. Since I was heading home anyway, Anne or no Anne, that meant her house meant nothing.

Home wasn't a place. I had thought it was – I had thought we had no home, the six of us. Home wasn't the house in DC I'd stayed in for the last week. Home wasn't the mansion of a house I'd stayed in on the estate for the last two months. Home wasn't the E-shaped house we stayed in for four years before we were forced to leave it behind.

Home was where we were comfortable, and happy, and safe – with each other.

Sounds loomed up ahead, and I flew faster. I heard Erasers fighting, and I heard some gunshots. Most importantly though, I heard the sweetest sound my ears had ever come upon.

It was Max's voice shouting commands at the flock. I heard her ringing, authoritative voice clearly, and getting clearer every second.

They were a little below me, and I flew directly down behind Max.

"Yo," I greeted, hoping to scare the living crap out of them. Which I successfully did.

I was so happy. The next few minutes were spent on happy reunion with the closest people to my heart.

This is where I belonged. I didn't belong with rotten scums who wanted money off me, or trying to find solace with a girl who wasn't worth it.

Flock. Six. Not five. Six. And that's what the number was back up to.

And that's the number it would always stay at. No matter what.