Through the Eyes of a Servant Chapter 9, a maximum ride fanfic

Through the Eyes of a Servant | Chapter 9 | by: Rachel / Chapter posted August 1st, 2010.

AU | Max/Fang | PG / 3,534 words

When Max accepts a job as a maid in Fang's household, will it be love at first sight? Or will anything and everything come between them?

The idea for this story is my own, and no one else's. Everything else belongs to Jame's Patterson -although I will be next in line for the throne when he retires xD-. I made no money for writing this story, I simply write for reviews.

Fang's face paled. Just who was this guy who thought he could walk in and steal Max away? Technically, they were going out. By all rights, Max was his. Or at least, he would have liked to think so. But Max was staring at this guy like he was a god. And when said guy confessed that he loved her, and wanted her to choose him, he lost his cool.

And before he knew it, he was visible again, totally forgetting about his secret. All he could think about was the fact that he couldn't even remember when Max hadn't been there. She was all he could think about all day. He had lived when he spent time with her, if only to learn what real life was like.

Something was screaming at him to intervene, and, well, reappearing might have been his way of doing that. But unfortunately, he happened to be right behind Max when he reappeared. Max's spinning head swiveled around to gape at Fang, who was in the natural eavesdropping pose, as if he'd actually been hiding.

She kept calm. She didn't want Sam to think anything of her being with Fang. Sam was a glimpse of her old life, the only thing she had to hold on to. She couldn't just let him go. If she could get her whole life back, her complete life back, of course she would. And suddenly, she felt terribly angry at Fang. Just for being himself and not a part of her old life.

"Fang? Do you have something you'd like to say?" Max asked politely. I am going to rip your head off. Terrorists will be taking notes, and serial killers will cower in fear. You. Are. Dead. And when you're finally dead, I will resurrect you just to kill you again!

"Um, no. Just, get back to work," he ordered, like she really was just another servant. He walked inside, fading back into that silent person he'd been for so long. But as much as he tried, he just couldn't. Max had changed him. He needed that silent version of himself to reappear. The silent one wouldn't have just stood by and let it happen.

Max turned back to Sam, still incredibly irritated at Fang, and more homesick than she'd ever known. She wanted to go back. But she reminded herself that you can never just take a step backwards. That was impossible. If she would be with Sam now…everything would be different.

"Who was that guy?" Sam asked hesitantly. The real question in his mind was why the hell was he kissing you but he'd take what he got. And he'd known when he came back that Max might have moved on. After all, it had been a couple of months since she left. And he knew that things changed.

Max quickly thought of a lie. "He's just my boss's bratty son," she rolled her eyes, and it wasn't incredibly false. "He keeps stalking me and sexually harassing me." Sam raised an eyebrow. "But, you know, not like that. Just, stuff like what you just saw." She looked down at her feet.

"Is there anything between you two that I should know about?" he asked. "Look, Max, I didn't come to tear your life apart. I came to put it back together, to see if there's still a chance. I stopped by your house and asked your dad where you worked, and he sent me here." Great, when Gazzy and Iggy find out, I'll never hear the end of it, she thought bitterly.

"But, if you want me to leave, I'll go," he added.

"No!" Max's hand shot out and caught his wrist, though he made no move to leave. She immediately yanked it away and smoothed her dress, embarrassed. "No, I want you to stay. It's just…just…"

Just what, Max? asked that snide voice inside her head. She'd always had it. Well, ever since she was two years old. It didn't seem like a conscience, because it always spoke in a male voice with no expressions, but she just pretended that it wasn't there. Just that you have a boyfriend? Just that this guy went after your friend right after you left? Just what, Max?

She internally snarled, but sighed on the outside. "Sam…I need to know exactly what happened between you and JJ. You say it was nothing, but right after my brother got shot and was in the hospital, she called and told me that you were together." Great, Max. Play it subtle, the voice teased.

"Max, nothing happened," he grabbed my hands. "I thought…because you were best friends…that she might be like you. It was a horrible thing to think, but I just missed you, and we couldn't be together because you moved here. But there's not another you, anywhere." Oh, that's a shocker. This one's slow, isn't he, Max? the voice remarked.

"Look, do you remember what we were talking about before you left?" he asked, and she blushed. Of course she knew. They had been talking about getting married when they both turned eighteen, even though it was a tacky thing to do, that got the whole town thinking that he got you pregnant.

"Max, I still want that to happen. And it…it doesn't have to happen right this second. I just want to tell you why I'm here. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't serious about this. I don't want to mess around. I love you." And I felt an anxiety in the pit of my stomach. This wasn't where I was supposed to be.

"S-Sam…I need some time to think about this…I mean, this is a big decision," she stammered.

"I figured you would," he nodded. "And you can take all the time you need. You know how to call me if you need to." And before she knew it, he was gone, walking back down the driveway. She collapsed onto the bench behind her.

If Sam could make everything better again, get her out of poverty, and even marry her, why was she feeling so hesitant, almost like she didn't want to be with him? There was certainly nothing standing in her way except…Fang. But if she quit her job here, she'd never see him again.

But…would that be right? she wondered helplessly.

A few days later, Nudge decided that enough was enough. She had stopped going to see Iggy ever since the police had stopped by and asked what happened and who she was. She was afraid that her mother would find out where she'd gone, and punish her by never letting her out of her sight. But nothing strange had happened, and she was going out.

She opened her window like she always did, and crawled out easily onto the tree right next to it, which was convenient in so many ways. She shut the window again, and crawled down the tree, dropping to the ground. It was a pain to wear the heavy disguise in the summer, when it was boiling hot outside, but it had to be done.

As soon as she was on the ground and out of the sight of the gardeners, she ran for it, cutting through the neighboring yards and finally getting as far as she could from the house. She ran down countless streets making turns here and there. After that, she followed the highway road until she saw that familiar crummy-looking gas station.

And she smiled. Because she wanted to be back. Because three days of not seeing him seemed like an eternity, and because she really liked spending time with him for some odd reason. Maybe it was because he was always encouraging her and respecting her, liking her for who she was. Something that had never really happened before.

She walked in the front door, and relief flooded through her when she saw Iggy standing at the cash register, just like he always was. He had the sunglasses on and was flipping through a magazine, and she saw that he'd gone to lots of trouble to make sure people didn't know he was blind.

"Hi, Iggy," she smiled, and he looked up, putting away the magazine.

"Nudge, you're back." She liked the way he smiled when he said it. She nodded. "I thought I'd start coming back, since I figure it's safe for me to come out of the house now. But how are you doing? Is your arm better than it was a few days ago?"

"Oh, yeah, it doesn't even really hurt anymore. The bullet just barely scraped it, you know. It wasn't last time when I got shot in the shoulder. God, this place is a death trap. Just being in here takes bravery. So why is this all of a sudden your favorite hang-out place?"

"You're here," she answered truthfully, and she thought she detected a blush on the pale boy's face. "What?" We're friends, aren't we?" Well, after that kiss, I'd normally expect us to be more than friends. But that had been just for show, to get Brigid to leave. But she wasn't going to give up.

"Yeah, friends," he said absently, and thought of Ella. Was it really fair to lead Nudge on like this?

Max stomped into the house, trying not to let her rage show but failing miserably at it. The main lobby was very crowded, and she was instantly bombarded with questions from Julia. "Where were you after Jessica got fired? Where did you go?" she asked anxiously, and Max took a deep breath.

"Just outside. My old boyfriend's back in town. Look, this isn't a good time. I'm just going to go upstairs and fix the beds alone, okay?" she asked, and Julia nodded, still believing that pack of lies. She was going to find Fang, that bastard.

She walked through the hall until she came up to his room, and knocked politely on the door. It opened a few seconds later. "Oh, it's you," he said blandly, and closed it again, leaving her standing there. She rolled her eyes and opened it on her own, following him in. "I need to talk to you," she growled.

"You are talking to me," he pointed out. "Look, what the hell was that about? Batting your eyelashes and kissing his ass when the truth of it is, he found someone only a couple weeks after you left. He's a lying bastard, and you just don't want to believe it. So why are you acting like this?"

"Why am I acting like this?" she almost screamed. "Why were you listening to my conversation with my ex-boyfriend? That is none of your business! You don't own me, Fang!" He glared.

"Look, Max, why didn't you tell him we were dating? He's asking about taking you back, and you didn't defend us when you had the chance. What part of breaking up with you doesn't he understand?"

"He only broke up with me because I was leaving!" she said, exasperated. "And now he's here! So what was I supposed to think? Gee, shoot me for actually wanting part of my old life, and wanting some comfort, which I never get around here!"

"Max, this is your life now! He can't bring your old life back for you! He can't fix past mistakes, and he can't bring back your mom!" He touched her shoulder, but she flinched away. "God, why are you doing this? He's over, and you and I are going out! So make up your mind!"

"You've never said that!" she hissed. "I had to fight you to get you to admit that we were 'more than friends'. But you've never straight-out said anything like that, barely even confessed that you liked me, and I don't want to have to keep my 'boyfriend' a secret from the world. Do you know how hard that is?"

"Max-"

"No! Just save it! I was wrong to come up here. We're done, Fang. I don't care if you fire me. You know why? Because Sam actually told me that he loved me, and asked me to marry him. I've made my decision. So, goodbye."

She was crying when she ran out the door.

He groaned and slumped against the wall. .

I loved him.

I lost her.

Nudge didn't know why he'd just suggested to a walk in the park across the street. She hadn't understood when he switched the open sign to closed, and grabbed her hand, but she thought it was a good sign, something to look forward to. So she laced her fingers through his, and followed him across the busy street, but he didn't get hit by a car.

In a matter of seconds, they went from a boring and grey gas station to a beautiful park. It wasn't beautiful like their garden at home, with the flowers and the gazebos and elegant benches, but it was beautiful with trees that stretched up to the blue sky, wildflowers, green grass and untamed hedges.

She followed him, and he seemed to know exactly where he was going, that was the funny thing about him. They walked in silence for a few minutes, just listening to the quiet. Finally, Nudge felt two hands cover her eyes. She started to protest, but he interrupted her. "Just listen. Forget that you can see." And she did.

She heard the birds chirping, and the soft rustling of the leaves on the trees. She heard the wind whistling around her, almost silent. She heard the soft chatter of people around her, and the sound of the swings in the park creaking as a child was pushed by a parent. She heard Iggy's breathing, and she heard her own heartbeat.

A few seconds later, Iggy removed his hands, and she felt emptier. "That's how I see," he said quietly. And she would have liked nothing more than to throw her arms around him and pull him closer. But she remembered her reserved attitude, and tried to enforce it.

It was no use. She found herself hugging him anyway. And a startled Iggy couldn't help but smile. She bit her lip. "I like you, Iggy," she admitted, and he groaned internally. "I have for a while now. And I know that I must seem like a stuck-up, spoiled brat to you, but…"

"Stop," he growled. "Don't say that. You're a good person. You have the biggest heart, and even though you talk more than anyone I've ever known…ever…you're still the best person I know. So don't say it's your fault that I haven't tried to kiss you or hold you since then." She blushed scarlet. He was referring to that time with Brigid.

"Nudge, I haven't been entirely truthful to you. I like you, a lot more than you think. But we just…we can't. I'm not in college because I don't have the money, but I have a girlfriend back home, and she's waiting for me. I can't do this to her, and it's killing me to do it to you." He looked down. He just wanted to crawl away.

"You could have fooled me," she whispered, and took off running, trying not to cry. She bit her lip, but the tears came anyway. She put back up the hood and sunglasses. Her mother was right. Nothing good could come of being outside her house, where things never changed and hearts were never broken.

No one had the nerve to speak to Max the next few nights. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't feel good about her decision, not when she had given up someone like Fang. She didn't even know what it was about him that made him so special. All she knew was that he'd made it even worse by not firing her. Would she honestly have to be reminded of her mistake every day?

She went straight to sleep without talking on those nights. She had called Sam to tell him, and she was seeing him the next day. She thought that it would make her happy. But when the next day came, and she was with him, she didn't feel any difference. Of course, the voice in her head kept butting in. It had always been silent with Fang.

She suffered through dinner with his parents, who were saying all sorts of nice things about how wonderful their wedding would be and how they would all be happy. But she wouldn't be happy. The wedding wouldn't be for another year, likely, but it was with a heavy heart that she nodded and smiled through it all.

After that, he dragged her to a movie. Of course, it had to be one of those sappy romance movies, which Max was never a fan of, but Sam had insisted that it would put her mind at ease and get her in a good mood. He was dead wrong. Max wanted to vomit through all of it, and it was even worse when he held her hand.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, hugging her closer. But she wasn't sure that she wanted to be closer. She was afraid of being with anyone else but Fang. Fang should be the one next to her, wrapping his arm around her and reassuring her that everything would be okay.

Fang. When the couple on the screen kissed, it only made her miss Fang more, and the way he treated her. He wasn't careful with her, didn't treat her like a Ming vase like Sam did. He respected her for who she was and saw her for her true self, as a person and not the fact that she wore a dress.

When the couple on the screen embraced, it only reminded her of how Fang had held her close in that attic, how she had finally got him to admit that they were more than friends. And she shouldn't have expected any more or any less from a boy that didn't show his feelings to anyone, making her the exception.

And when the couple on the screen finally fought and split up, being the climax of most romantic comedies, her heart broke all over again, because she wasn't watching the movie, she was thinking of the worst possible mistake of her life, letting him go. She hadn't realized it, but at some point or another, he'd become her world.

As he was dropping her off, he tried to kiss her. But she didn't want anyone other than Fang to go there, and she pushed him away. His hurt look didn't affect her. "I'm sorry," she shook her head. "But…I'm already in love, and not with you. You were in my past. And I don't love you anymore."

He looked at her, and he saw the truth in her eyes. He was losing her. And even though it hurt him, he knew that it was going to make her happy, and in reality, that was all he'd ever cared about. He bit his lip, ignoring the stabbing pain in his heart, knowing that it would ease with time.

"Then, take care of yourself," was all he said as he smiled at her, and he was surprised to find that the smile wasn't forced. He had to let her go. "But tell that guy…that he's lucky to have someone like you." Little did he know that 'that guy' had known, and considered himself lucky every day.

He let her go. And she gave him one last hug, saying goodbye to the life she had known, as she watched him drive away. But she bit her lip, trying to stop the smile that she felt in her heart from coming out. She opened the door, and without a word to Iggy and Gazzy, who had witnessed the whole thing, she grabbed her jacket off the hangar.

"Can you drive me?" she asked Iggy helplessly, and he smiled, catching her in a hug. She smiled. He'd finally accepted Fang. She looked up at Iggy, knowing what he was thinking about. "I know you'll make the right decision," she said, thinking of both Nudge and Ella.

They got in the beat-up pickup truck, and they got there in one piece. When she was ready to get out, she looked back at Iggy hesitantly. "Go get him," Iggy smiled. And that was all it took. She watched the car back out of the driveway, and crawled up the tree that she knew was right next to Fang's window.

And looking in, she saw him there, lying on his bed and staring up at the ceiling. And she should have known. She'd been doing the same thing all that time. So when she lightly tapped at the window, and he looked up, she shouldn't have been surprised when she smiled. He opened the window and looked at her.

He didn't yell at her, didn't preach at her, didn't give her an "I told you so". He simply opened the window wider and helped her inside. And when she was finally in his arms, he leaned down to her ear. "Welcome back," he whispered.

Thanks for reading! I hope you all like me now! I'd like to thank smartiful, skyrunner27, Puppybluie, and IGGYSlover for threatening to kill me in their reviews! Seriously, I love you all. xD I actually got 'sharpen a stick and chase you with it', 'throw rocks at you' and 'kill you' repeatedly. :D Why does that make me so happy?

I'm VERY sorry if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes, but I swear to god, my computer is a piece of crap. Whatever your computer is, mine is your computer's GRANDFATHER. I type really fast on a slow computer, so I usually make spelling mistakes and grammar errors. I do NOT read the chapter over, because if I don't, you get faster updates. That's just how it is.

I also put up a new story (from the poll that some people voted on) called The Other Side. So check it out!

Review for the love of poking people with pointy objects! 8D

~Rachel