Chapter XVII: An Ocean of Us

They called a taxi from the payphone downstairs. And as they waited on a grubby, disgusting bench outside the apartment structure of similar condition, they waited in silence. Fang didn't know what to say, and Iggy seemed to be lost in his very own world.

On one hand, Fang was relieved they'd gotten this over with, and that Iggy had at least one parent ready to stick by his side. Yet, on the other, he was nervous about this new revelation, and what was perhaps going on with the rest of the flock.

How would these new found family members play into their lives, if at all? Would they have normal Thanksgivings and Christmas's with them, or would they be alone, as usual? Would they ever see them again… would they take them back?

He took a deep breath in and buried the tension, he didn't need to think about this now, it wasn't important. What was important was the here and now. He couldn't keep living in the past, as he'd realized again and again.

Slowly, Fang wrapped his arm and Iggy's shoulders and squeezed his arm affectionately, "What'cha thinkin' 'bout?"

Iggy sighed and momentarily rested his head against Fang's shoulder, "Just, life. And how quickly everything can change…"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Good change?"

Iggy nodded and bit his lower lip, "Mmhmm."

"I thought so." Fang nodded satisfactorily.

"One thing though," Iggy added quickly, "What about you? I mean… you know."

"Me?" Fang didn't get it for a moment, and then it slowly dawned on him, "Oh… I, well…"

Just do it, can't hurt anything…

Except me.

"You don't have to," Iggy cut in quickly, "I was just wondering."

Fang didn't answer right away, because he didn't have one.

On one hand, there was fear. Disappointment. Worry. Anxiety. And possibly hurt loomed on the horizon.

Looking on the brighter side, Iggy's little adventure into parenthood had turned out okay, hadn't it? He had a sister who cared, and a dad who definitely cared. A family, in its own sort of dysfunctional way.

Why couldn't he at least have some sort of happy ending to his story?

"If you were me…" Fang looked intently at Iggy, "What would you do? And don't say you don't know, because you do."

Iggy laughed quietly to himself, "I'd do it. Just because I wouldn't want to regret not meeting them. I mean, look what happened to me."

Fang nodded and sighed, then leaned over and kissed Iggy's cheek, "Yeah, that is a good point."

"So… what are you going to do?"

Fang couldn't help but laugh, "Of course I'm gonna take you're advice! You are the All-Knowing-Iggy, after all."

"I wish," but Iggy couldn't help grinning.

They sat in silence once again, but this time, peacefully. Without their raging thoughts and insecurities, they sat comfortably in each other's presence, and that was enough for both of them.

"I love you," Fang quickly spat out when the silence was at last so loud he couldn't stand it any more.

"I love you too," Iggy replied simply, and for some reason, Fang felt a sudden wave of relief wash over him. Though he couldn't place where it had come from.

Fang bit is lip and opened his mouth, because he suddenly felt a load of emotion rising in his chest, an indefinable, but seemingly familiar one. And Fang wanted to tell Iggy, but there were no words for what he felt, and therefore, he remained silent.

But before words could form, or action could rise, the taxi came. And Fang did as anyone with half a brain would do, he dropped it.

"C'mon," he said, coaxing Iggy up by the wrist, "Cab's here."

"And where's the cab taking us?"

Okay, this is it, Fang took a deep breath in, go with your immediate reaction. Don't think, do.

Fang looked down at the paper clutched between his sweaty fingers and read off the address, "444 S. Violet Avenue."

"Is that…?"

"Yeah."

As they settled down in the backseat of the cab, Iggy discreetly kissed Fang's forehead and whispered to him, "I'm so proud of you."

Fang felt himself blush a bright shade of red as he did so.

The driver, a relatively young looking man with a round face and pale blonde hair, looked at them through the rearview mirror, "Destination?"

"444 S. Violet Avenue."

The house was big, like, really big. Bigger than she'd ever expected it to be.

That was a little obsessive, she had to admit. But the house was pretty goddamn big. Three stories, she'd counted, a porch, three car garage, circle drive way. If Nudge never came back to them, Max wouldn't blame her.

"Do we have to go in?" Nudge's voice was painfully nervous as the two girls stared up at the monstrosity from a safe distance.

"You're decision," Max replied, eager to leave the rich neighborhood where her torn clothes and messy hair felt awkward and out of place.

Then, again, she'd rather be here than Angel and Gazzy's place.

Angel and Gazzy's parents, who willing gave them up to the school, were possibly the absolute worst parents in existence. Though they were no longer together, Anne Marie and her ex-husband Gerry lived in the same apartment building, Anne Marie on the fourth floor, he on the second. From what Max had gathered from the accounts of the neighbors of both parties, they were drunk, disorderly and neurotic, often having loud parties, promiscuous sex in public bathrooms and would go disappearing for days on end. Like today for instance.

But Max was thankful for that. She would have been extremely upset if Gazzy and Angel had been forced to face the fact that their parents probably couldn't give a shit whether they were dead or alive.

And now it was Nudge's turn.

"No… I want to go in," Nudge said, more to herself than anyone else, "They are my parents, aren't they?"

Max nodded, "That's what the sheet says."

"How can we trust the sheet, I mean it could be wrong. Maybe Anne Marie and Gerry weren't Gazzy and Angel's parents, or we could have gotten the houses mixed up, or the names mixed up. What if Jeb is just trying to trick us again? There could be Erasers in there! Maybe we should just-"

"Nudge," Max said loudly, "breathe, and make a decision."

Nudge did just so, taking in a long, deep breath, and then letting it out in the form of a regretful sigh, "I'm going."

Max nodded and gave Nudge a reassuring smile before turning her attention to the six- and eight-year-olds now reeking havoc on the block's peaceful feeling by playing a game of tag with a talking dog.

Oh, the joys of life, right?

Total yipped his doggy yip and bounded up to Nudge, hopping up in her arms and licking her cheek reassuringly. And Max had to admit, maybe he wasn't so bad all the time. Only most of the time.

"Hey!" Angel cried as she recaptured Total in her arms, though Max couldn't be too sure exactly what that "hey" was about. Her thoughts, or the fact that Nudge had been holding Total, whom Angel had claimed for herself.

"Are we gonna go inside?" Gazzy asked curiously, peering up at the big house with eyes filled with wonder. Max supposed the two younger ones had never seen any place like this, or even imagined it existed. A place with perfect lawns, big houses and shiny cars. It was the kind of place you dreamed about, but never could quite picture.

"Mmhmm," Max said with fake cheer.

Gluing a smile on her face, she squatted down on the balls of her feet to the eye level of both kids. If- if- they were going to go in that big house, some rules definitely needed to be laid down. She wouldn't have Nudge's parental experience ruined by the fact that two overly curious blonde haired children had broken her mother's priceless vase or something of that nature.

"So," she almost cringed at the sugary sweetness that had become her voice, "you and Angel, and Total," she added the last bit quickly when she saw the dog open his mouth to protest, "have to be really nice and extra polite when you go inside. Because we don't want to make Nudge's parents mad, okay? Do you guys promise to be on your absolute best behavior?"

Gazzy nodded, "Of course."

"Mmhmm!" Angel chorused brightly.

"Yeahhh," Total drew out the word in his classic, sarcastic way, "we'll be good."

Max cocked an eyebrow and gave Total that sort of 'I could fucking murder you' look before she spoke again, her eyes drilling holes into the little dog, "I mean it. If any of you touches anything, especially if it's rare, expensive or if I don't see it, then I'm gonna have to cut T.V. privileges."

There was a chorus of gasps and "no!"s before any of them could actually form coherent sentences again.

"For how long?" Gazzy's eyes were wide and fearful. Oh the power of the TV.

Max almost wanted to laugh at that. All of them- the terrible three especially- would usually spend two hours and upwards glued to the TV. Game shows, soap operas, sitcoms, cartoons- in any language- would rivet them in place for hours on end. And it was extremely laughable, the way they responded when that aspect of their evenings was threatened.

"A week, maybe two if it's really bad. It all depends on what happens." Max drew out the sentence lengthily, emphasizing her seriousness.

They were more gasps and moans, but in the end, they all made their promise, to be good.

She didn't' believe them, but they did promise.

Ringing the bell of 444 S. Violet avenue, Fang couldn't help but wonder if there was a specific reason why he was going through with this, or if he was really, truly, going inside at long last.

Violet avenue, was a street filled with pastel colors and lovely gardens, old Cadillacs and two-seater bicycles. He half-expected to see Edward Scissorhands appear out of nowhere with the entire cast chasing after him.

Iggy pushed the bell again, bouncing on the balls of his feet anxiously. Though Fang had no idea why he was nervous, it was his parents they were meeting after all. Iggy had already met his with astounding results, so why should he be standing there, rubbing his hands together and bouncing like that? It made no sense, really.

Fang slyly leaned over towards Iggy, "If we run now, they'll never see."

Iggy slapped at his arm and smirked, "Fang, don't be an ass-"

"Yes?" the door to the small house cracked open, and a small face appeared in the space. It was a worn, wrinkled, pale face with shimmering brown eyes that shone with bright intensity. And oh god, looking into those eyes was so familiar. He might as well have looked into a mirror. For that's what their eyes were to each other, mirrors.

"How can I help you boys?" Her large eyes blinked as she spoke, and they darted nervously between the two.

"Um… does Alice Adams live here?" Fang looked down at the sheet, reading the name off with stuttering and awkwardness.

The door cracked open ever wider, revealing her full, pastel pant-suited body, to be small and rather petite. A small, thin arm reached out and rested against the doorframe tiredly- sadly.

She sighed, her eyes following the cast of their shadows on the ground, "She did, fifteen years ago."

Fifteen years ago? Fang's mind suddenly began to buzz again, and a lightness of shock and horror came over his body. And though he could see Iggy's hand reaching for his, and he knew it was there, he could not feel it. It was as if his whole body had gone into a state of shock, at the news that the woman he had assumed to be his mother, had died. Fifteen years ago.

"I'm sorry…" she said unsurely, "Er, why is it you were asking for her?"

Fang sucked in a quick breath and looked back up into those glassy eyes, "Um… we have… there is… reason to believe that she is- was- my mother."

The small woman jumped, and for a moment Fang thought she'd given her a heart attack. Her hand fluttered to her chest and her eyes closed for a half second, "Alice Adams. You believe, she- my… my daughter- was your mother?"

"Your daughter?" Fang heard Iggy whisper to himself.

"Yes," she breathed, mustering up as much pride and dignity, not to mention as much height, as she could, "My name is April Adams, and Alice is- was- my daughter."

Fang bit his lower lip, hesitating only for a moment, before taking in a long deep breath and sticking out his right hand, "My name is Alexander Aaron Adams, but most people call me Fang."

"Oh," her hand flew to her heart once more, "Oh."

As those shimmering brown eyes welled with tears, and those tiny arms outstretched, Fang found himself pulled into one of the tightest hugs he'd ever been pulled into. And all at once he found tears streaming down his face, and his throat being choked with a half sob, half cry out.

And suddenly, he was throttled away from her, held at arms length apart, she eyed him approvingly, breaking into a warm smile, "Come in side, both of you." She addressed Iggy for the first time. Who responded with a smile and a nod.

She shuffled into the house, beckoning them forward and calling to someone named Al.

Fang put his arm around Iggy's waist and kissing the base of his neck, pulling him into the doorway with the hugest grin plastered on his face. He felt like he'd won some kind of contest, what kind, he wasn't sure. But he sure as hell was pleased.

It would have only been better if his mother had been there.

A/N: Yes, Fang's family has a lame way of naming kids, I'm aware. But they're one of those cutesy families that do that kind of thing.

Anyways, I'm pretty sure the next chapter will be the last... or maybe I'll have to do one more, I'm not sure.