Author's Note: Sorry about the holdup, I blame track and homework. I am almost done with the third chapter, so hopefully the wait for it won't be so long as it was last time. There is a shout-out to a Max. Ride fanfiction in there, tell me if you catch it. The winner wins "invisible" root beer and Hot Tamales (the candy)!

Max's POV

I had fallen asleep on the couch, in Fang's arms. Now, if I had a choice of either falling asleep in his arms, or sleep on a bed. I would have chosen Fang's arms, hands down. But, life just seems to be cruel. Fang had woken me up earlier, saying that he knew that I didn't want the Flock, or my mom for that matter, seeing us on the couch together, so he walked, actually carried, me upstairs into my bedroom, then kissing me goodnight, or rather, good morning.

Now, I was eating breakfast in the kitchen with my mom. I had slept in late, and, luckily, missed the morning rush hour. Cereal was fine in the morning, not my favorite, but the privacy made up for it. Mom just sat there, drinking her tea and staring at me. It was sort of creepy.

"Why are you staring at me?" I asked.

She snapped out of her reverie. "What?"

I sighed. "You're staring at me, Mom. I don't know what I, or the Flock, did, but I promise the culprit will clean it up."

She laughed. "Oh, it's nothing like that. Nothing. I was just wondering why your bed looked barely slept in."

I looked away. How was I supposed to tell her why I was awake? All my nightmares. That Fang had held me in his arms and comforted me. That we had unmasked our feelings last night. "I just didn't feel like sleeping last night. Nothing to it."

She stared at me, like she knew I was lying. I hate it when she does that. Hate it.

I sighed. Might as well tell her. "I had some bad dreams last night, so I came down here to think them out."

"Much better," she said. "Max, I prefer you to tell me these things. Now, I won't ask what the dreams were about, because you probably won't tell me anyway. But, just know, I'm here if you need me."

"I know."

She smiled at that, then got up and went to clean the dishes.

Nudge suddenly burst into the room. "Max! You said you would help us fly that kite we made yesterday. PLEASE!!!!!!"

"Okay, I'll come. Get the Flock ready; I'm going to pack us a lunch to take with us. Now, get!" I said.

Nudge fled the room, and started to chant that we were going to have a picnic to the Flock. As I started to pack up the lunch, Fang crept up behind me.

"Can you pack some of your mom's chocolate chip cookies? That's all I want," he said.

I dropped a container, containing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, on the Pergo floor.
"Can't you NOT sneak up on people for once? One of these days, there will be glass in my hands, and I will break it when it drops, because of you."

Fang chuckled. It was nice sounding. Nice and deep, but still it was probably the most beautiful sound I've heard. Ever.

"But, where's the fun in that?" he replied.

"Just get going; I need to finish packing up this lunch, or we won't have any food, let alone my mom's chocolate chip cookies."

His face held an extremely adorable and hilarious pouting look on it, as he left the kitchen, by way of the back door. If he kept looking like that, I don't know what I'd do.

Sometime Later (still in Max's POV)

We were sitting atop the park hill, laughing while Gazzy and Iggy were flying a kite. The Flock had eaten their share of the picnic basket in about five minutes flat. Fang and I just sat there, next to each other. He didn't hold me in his arms like last night, but our hands were entwined (behind our backs). I was watching the sky behind Gazzy and Flock when I saw them. Erasers.

AN: CLIFFHANGER!!! If you read Believe, you will know about my evil plan, dealing with cliffhangers. If you don't, THEN DO SO NOW! But after you review, please? Thanks for reading!

jedigirl627 out.