Okay, so I remember a reviewer asking about Max not sounding too hesitant about the twins, and wondering if we'd get to hear some deep thoughts on that… yup. Hit the nail on the head. Deep thoughts, coming right up! : P

And names. To whoever it was that asked that I please give them semi-normal names, you got that one right, too. Because… I think I'd feel weird naming a character, I don't know, Tree or something. Or… Poke. (Like Nudge?)

Anyway. Here, my friends, is another chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. Just the kids.

That night, as I took watch, I became an emotional wreck.

My eyes were fixed on my two kids, fast asleep, curled protectively around one another. There, in the quiet, without anything else to think about, it had hit me: these were my children. I had a daughter, a son. I was a mother. And the person I thought was my best friend in the world was their father.

The whole thing with Fang was really getting to me, too, as I mulled over these thoughts. Up until now, if the whitecoats had come to me and asked who I wanted to father my test tube children, I would have said Fang. Even before he kissed me twice and made me start thinking about whether or not I liked him as more than a friend, he's who I would have chosen, simply because I trusted him more than anybody. But now that it'd happened, he obviously wasn't good father material.

Suddenly I was overcome with too many feelings all at once: fear at being a real parent at fourteen, joy that I'd found my two kids alive, regret at arguing with Fang, distraught because said kids were only three and they'd have to live this life of running…

Tears started to well up in my eyes. Just when I thought my life couldn't be any more screwed up, this happened. I mean, I'd saved them, and I was glad. After only knowing them a few hours, I loved them. And even though I'd been taking care of the flock for years, this was different. It was like… the flock had parents out there somewhere. They may or may not ever reunite with them, but it was always a possibility. But these two were mine. I was the parent.

My eyes fell on my daughter. As I watched, she shifted a little in her sleep, and mumbled something. Thinking she was having a nightmare, I started to get up to wake her. But then her face relaxed, and her face broke into the cutest freaking thing I'd ever seen-- a sweet, soft smile.

I took in her olive skin, her mess of dark curls, and thought of Fang. The tears started spilling over onto my cheeks, and all I wanted was his gentle hand on my shoulder, letting me know he was on my side, we were a team. What if we saved the world and Fang left me alone to deal with the kids? How could I stand to look at her every day?

Enough of this, I thought. Fang's backpack was laying near me-- how he'd managed to get it here, I had no idea-- and I reached for it, removing the laptop. I powered it up, and then started surfing baby naming websites. Because if you thought I was going to refer to my children as Six and Seven, you thought wrong.

0000000000

"Come on, guys! Time to get up!"

The flock started groaning and rolling over, as if to drown me out. I continued. "We're leaving in ten. We'll go find a town and buy some new backpacks and clothes, alright?"

They all agreed with varied levels of enthusiasm. I walked over to where my kids were still sound asleep and knelt next to the little boy, since he appeared to be the more difficult one.

Like father, like son.

"Come on," I murmured. "It's time to wake up."

His eyes slowly opened, and he sat up, giving me a hard look. I said, "Hi, honey." Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Fang watching me carefully, but I ignored him. "Listen. We're here to help you. I really love you. You call me Mommy, okay?"

He gazed at me, looking a little more open. Since he seemed to be giving me a chance, for now, I launched right into the next thing.

"Six isn't a very good name. I picked out another one for you, if you like it." Now he looked slightly curious. "Devin. Can I call you Devin?"

I had seen it the night before and started laughing in spite of myself. It meant 'descendant of the dark-haired one,' and even though it referenced Fang-- something not exactly a plus right now-- I loved the name, so that's what I chose.

Devin studied me, sizing me up. I felt a swell of pride-- he would make a great fighter.

"Yeah," he finally said. It was the first word he'd said since we rescued him. "That's okay."

I smiled at him. "Good." I patted him on the head and moved over so I was beside my daughter. Her eyes were open now, and she was rubbing them with her tiny fists. "Morning."

"Hi," she said, flashing a toothy grin.

I subconsciously began to untangle her curls with my fingers. "Sweetie, I want you to call me Mommy."

"Okay," she answered brightly. Just like that. No thinking about it, no stares like those I had gotten from Devin. See, she was easier to deal with. I know who she sure as heck didn't get that from.

"And you need a different name," I went on. "Besides Seven. Would you like to be called Gracie?" Okay, so the flock and I didn't know much about religion. But finding these two kids, alive and healthy enough, was such a miracle that a name meaning "grace of God" just had to apply.

"Uh-huh." So agreeable. She may look like Fang, but on the inside…

By now, I could sense the whole flock pretending to be engrossed in other things, but really listening to me and the kids. Now, as I stood up, they all began carrying on awkward conversations that had obviously been halted for some time. From across the room, I caught Fang's eye and lifted my chin cockily into the air.

With only a few words, I had gotten both of those kids to trust me. I could do this alone. I could show him that I didn't need him, not at all.

Piece of cake.

Aww, stupid Fang. I felt kind of bad writing him as a jerk this, but… I could see it.

I love reviews. Like, a LOT. More than Fang and Max love each other. : D