Salut!

Here, my friends, is the last chapter of Lifeline. I know you're all sad, but this chapter is awesome, if I do say so myself.

So... I hope you liked it, and please review!!

And I hope I didn't kill too many reviewers with suspense... -.-

After a long time of searching, Fang still couldn't find Max. He was trying to hide his rising panic from the others. He had returned to the warehouse, rested, and searched again for who knows how long. Fang walked back into the warehouse, sat down wearily, and took a long drink of his water.

"The wind's dying down. No sign of Max or Angel."

Gazzy had long since retired to a corner, not speaking to anyone. Iggy and Nudge were both trying to stay optimistic, and Iggy untied the knot from around Fang's waist. Nudge went and sat beside the Gasman, murmuring quiet words of comfort.

(Previously -

Suddenly, I heard a grating voice behind me. "Max, Max, Max, has your flock finally left you?")

I groaned and turned around slowly, realizing that I still had my backpack on. I had never seen the Eraser behind me, but I assumed that he was just one of Ari's troop who was sent to capture me.

"At least I have a family, unlike some people," I snarled back weakly, totally ruining the effect the words might have had. The Eraser grinned sardonically at me, then cut to the chase.

Literally.

It charged toward me, and slammed me in the right shoulder before I could react. I gasped, feeling my shoulder pop out of joint. I slung Angel onto my back with her arms around my neck, and turned and ran. The Eraser amazingly didn't run after me, but waited where he was. I assumed that he was just waiting for reinforcements. I ran on with stumbling steps, clutching Angel's hands, which were around my neck, with my good arm. I guessed that my shoulder was dislocated; it seared with pain every time I took a step. I squinted, wondering if I was hallucinating; I thought I saw a dark smudge on the horizon.

It can't be.

Suddenly feeling stupid, I spread my wings, careful not to jostle Angel too much, and used the last ounce of strength in my legs to push off the ground. Pumping my still strong wings, I rose carefully into the scorching air. My head was reeling with a mixture of exhaustion, water deprivation, and worry over my missing flock.

Fang paced worriedly by the door, stopping every so often to stare out the window. Iggy sighed with frustration, placing a hand to his forehead. "Fang, would you stop pacing? The noise is giving me a headache."

Fang ignored him, staring intently at the horizon. He suddenly threw open the door of the warehouse, calling back over the shoulder, "Wait here."

He stepped out, closing the door behind him. Fang looked up and outward intently, sure that he had seen a dark figure flying on the horizon. He waited for a few minutes, then the figure slowly came into view.

"Max!"

I had been flying for about an hour when I saw the town coming hazily into view. My shoulder was throbbing, and I would occasionally find myself dipping in the air, then catching myself and rising again. I was hoping against hope that my flock was waiting for me at the town, and that I had simply missed them in the storm.

As I approached the town slowly, I thought I was a dark figure standing in front of a building, but I couldn't be sure, my eyes had been playing tricks on me. I was almost there, and I was sure the person was real. My heart swelled with joy and relief as the person called my name.

"Max!"

I landed, stumbling toward him. He took off running, rapidly closing the distance between us. When he got close enough, I looked blearily up at him, wiping sand from my eyes.

"Hey, Fang."

I set Angel painfully on the ground, and slung the backpack off my aching shoulder. I nodded toward it, my head spinning. "There's the bandages you wanted…"

Suddenly the world tipped, and I found myself lying dizzily on the scorching sand. Fang sprang into action, yelling something back over his shoulder as he felt my forehead.

Pretty soon, I saw Iggy running over the sand toward us, and Fang pointed at Angel, saying something incomprehensible. Iggy nodded, felt around until he found Angel, and picked her up in his arms. Fang scooped me up, pulling himself to his feet.

"OK, Max, just hang on."

My head was still reeling, and I couldn't imagine how Fang could possibly keep his balance on the shifting ground. My skin felt hot and scratchy; my shoulder hurt like nothing had before.

As Fang carried me back to town, I cracked my eyes open into the glaring sun.

"Fang, flock." I managed, feeling my eyes slip closed again.

"They're fine. You and Angel were the only ones missing."

I sighed, satisfied, and let my head loll against his chest. He kicked open a door and we were greeted with surprised exclamations from the rest of my flock.

"Fang, what's wrong with them-"

"ANGEL!"

"Will they be OK-"

"Where did you find them?"

I felt Fang tense, and he said, "Guys! Just find a place for Iggy and I to set them down. Get some water and cloths."

The silence was immediate, and I was set down on a blanket with a pillow under my head.

I cracked open my eyes again, and Fang's face swam into view. My voice was still shot, as I discovered, but I croaked, "Angel?"

Fang glanced away, and I saw Angel lying prone beside me. He placed a cool, damp washcloth on my forehead. "She'll be OK, we think. What hurts?"

"Right shoulder."

Fang ripped the sleeve of my T-shirt off carefully, but not carefully enough to avoid agitating the sunburned skin of my arm. He cursed quietly, looking at my shoulder, touching it gingerly.

"Iggy, come here."

Iggy came over from where he was tending Angel, and knelt beside me. "Dislocated, I think." I rasped. Iggy nodded in agreement, his cool fingers ghosting over my swollen shoulder.

"Fang, give her something to hold onto."

"Like what?"

"Anything!"

My brain, still fuzzy, was trying to sort this out when Fang took my hand firmly in his, and Iggy slipped my shoulder back in place.

A wave of pain threatened to overtake me for a split second, and my hand convulsed, squeezing Fang's with all of my strength. Suddenly it was gone; all gone, and I almost cried in relief.

Almost.

Fang's dark eyes peered into mine. "Better?" He asked, almost smiling. I nodded, letting out a deep breath and settling down into the blanket.

I shut my eyes for a second and then took a deep breath, heaving myself up. No dizzy waves crashed into my skull, and I rubbed my temples, pleased.

"Angel." I crawled over to where she was laying and examined her anxiously. "Is she OK?"

She was sleeping, her face red and lips chapped. Her breaths came evenly and normally, and she seemed to be resting peacefully.

"She'll be fine, Max," Iggy said again. "We just need to stop in a store and get some aloe or something; both of you two will be feeling that sunburn pretty badly by tomorrow."

I nodded, realizing that arguing wouldn't help either of us get any better.

I noticed Fang looking at me with an indecipherable expression on his face. The only thing that I could discern from his stony features was that he was not happy. He had been scared, I realized with a jolt. And when Fang gets scared, he gets mad as heck.

Greaaat.

"Fang. You, me, outside. Iggy, watch the kids, will you?" I said, standing up.

Iggy felt the tension between the two of us and shook his head, muttering to himself. "Yeah, yeah, go fight then make up."

I ignored him and led the way outside. Once I heard the door slam shut behind Fang, I turned around, arms crossed. "OK. Get it out of the way."

Fang glared at me. "Do you realize what you are doing to the flock?" he growled.

My arms fell to my sides as my jaw dropped in shock.

"Yeah!" I managed. "Keeping them from dying."

"No." Fang stepped forward. "Every time something like this happens, they worry so much about you that they can barely function. What do you think would happen to us if we finally lost you for good?" His eyes snapped at me.

"You would survive!" I grated back. "That's what I've been trying to do all along. Help you survive."

Fang snorted. "We're not just surviving. This -" he spun halfway around, upraised hands gesturing to the abandoned warehouse, concrete walls, abandoned streets, "-this is our life." His fingers raised to poke me stiffly in the shoulder and I tried not to wince as my shirt grated against my sunburned skin. "And you are our lifeline." Fang's arms shot up and he shoved my shoulders, making me take a half step back.

I gaped. "Yeah, sure, whatever." I snapped, shoving him back on the last word.

Fang's eyes darkened and his voice was low and intense. "You didn't see the Gasman's expression when we realized that you were missing. You didn't see Angel fretting over you every time you had a brain explosion." Fang punctuated every word with a step forward. "You didn't see Iggy looking completely lost when you weren't around to have everything organized for him."

Fang took a deep breath before continuing, his eyes closing at the memory. "You didn't see Nudge's face when I walked into the warehouse, carrying you limp in my arms. Heck," he ran his hand through his dark hair in exasperation and frustration, "you didn't see me making a mess of trying to lead while you're not here."

I tried to speak, but Fang carried right on going. "You have got to realize what happens when you take risks." His voice was steadily rising again. I pulled my arms around me as if to protect myself from the harsh words. "You are the only one that holds the entire flock together! Without you, Angel, Nudge, and Gazzy would be in an adoption center. Iggy would be completely lost. I would probably be alone or dead, you've saved me so many times."

I winced at the last part. I turned away so that Fang wouldn't be able to see the pain in my eyes. With an exclamation under his breath, Fang grabbed my shoulder and pulled me around. Before I knew it, I was pinned between him and the wall and being kissed thoroughly, his rough hands cupping my face. I sagged against the warehouse. I could feel the heat radiating from Fang and surrounding me.

Fang pulled back, his narrow chest heaving as his dark eyes searched my face through the curtain of hair that fell in his eyes.

"Now do you understand?"

I nodded and looked down. "I never realized.." I trailed off, my voice quiet. I glanced back up at him. "You have no idea how shocked I am right now." I said, shaking my head and laughing a little bit.

"Why?"

"I'm not even sure."

"Max..." Fang hesitated, this kind of thing being way out of his comfort zone. He steeled himself. "I could help you."

I looked at him - really looked. He stood there in front of me, his tall frame standing easily with his hands in his pockets. His dark blue jeans were ripped and torn on the hems where he stepped on them all day because they were so long. His black long sleeved t-shirt was pushed up to his elbows, showing his strong forearms. His sleek black hair fell carelessly down on his neck and strong shoulders and into his eyes. Dark eyes looked out from his tanned face with no expression, his high cheekbones casting shadows on his face. A knot of muscle stood out on his jaw where he flexed it unconsciously as he waited for me to make my response.

The way I saw it, I had two choices. One: I laughed it off, denying that I needed help, and everything stayed the same as it was. Two: I accepted his help and comfort and allowed him to see my fears and weaknesses.

Fang shifted slightly.

I made my decision.

I nodded weakly, and he sighed heavily. I stepped forward tentatively, and his arms folded around me securely. I rested my cheek against his warm chest, feeling the softness of his shirt. Fang's chin rested gently on the top of my head, his thumbs rubbing small circles on my back. At the moment, I didn't care about anything else. I didn't care that we were standing outside in the desert in Arizona, I didn't care that there were probably a squillion Erasers tracking us, I didn't care that I was an avian-human hybrid teenager on the run. I finally relaxed.

Iggy banged on the window from inside. "Oi! You two break it up and get in here! Angel's awake!"

Fang squeezed my hand quickly, his eyes reading my expression. He grinned at me a little bit sheepishly, and I had to laugh.

"Come on, let's go see Angel."

Come on, you know you liked it. Unless you don't like fax. In which case you don't like it. Too bad!

That description of Fang is how I picture him all of the time. :) I wasn't sure if his hair is black or dark dark brown.. but I like black better so I went with that.

Review, s'il vous plait, mes amis! Je t'adore!