Oh God. What was I supposed to say to that? I had spent all that time convincing Micah I didn't want to have kids, and now Fang wants them too? I was silent the rest of the night. Even when he tried to get me to talk to him, I wouldn't.
I woke up with Fang's arms around me. I tried to slide out without waking him up, but that didn't work. He instantly woke up. He just stared at me. I blinked a few times and then smiled.
"Good morning," I whispered. He put on a sarcastic shocked voice.
"Wow. You're talking to me now. Amazing." He rolled his eyes and stood up. I took a deep breath and I walked out to wake up Angel, Nudge, and Gazzy.
"Morning sweetie," I whispered. Angel sat up and looked at me.
"So, we're going to see Fang's parents, mine and Gazzy's, then Nudge's?" I nodded. I had given them each the picture of their parents, and they spent most of their time looking at them, and that's just while they were with Fang and me.
Fang walked in her room, saw me, and nodded. He then walked out and into either Gazzy's or Nudge's. I took a deep breath.
"Are you mad at him?" Angel asked curiously. I shook my head.
"No. Why?" She shrugged.
"That's just what he thinks. He's thinking, 'Dang, I think she's mad at me. God I hope not.'" I nodded and kissed her forehead.
"Get ready to go." She nodded and skipped into the bathroom. I walked out and into Nudge's room. Fang wasn't in there. She was up looking at me.
"Max, would you get mad if we choose to live with our parents?" she asked, almost in a whisper. I shook my head. Tears gathered in my eyes. I knew what they would choose now.
"No. Of course not sweetie. I just want you guys to be happy," I whispered. She nodded and hugged me.
"We were talking last night. None of us know what to do. We love you, and we really want to have parents, but we aren't sure if we could bear to be away from you, and Fang, and Iggy, and Ella, and Valencia, and—" I cut her off.
"Sweetie, I know you'll do the right thing," I said, about to burst into tears. She sighed and nodded. I stood up and ruffled her hair. "Who knows? Maybe your mom will be able to do something with your hair!" she smiled.
"Should I get ready?" I nodded. I walked out. I walked into our room. Fang was in there. I burst into tears. His head snapped up and he looked at me.
"Fang, I'm loosing them. I know it. Nudge—just—" he hugged me.
"Max, it'll be okay," he whispered. I nodded. Why was this bothering me so much more than it was with Iggy? I mean, I guess it's because then it was just him and now it's three.
"Just so you know, I'm not mad at you," I said quietly. He pulled back and looked at me. "It isn't always a good thing to have an eight-year-old mind reader. But…in some cases, it is. Fang, listen…" I sat down on the bed. "I just…I'm not ready for a kid." He nodded.
"Max, that's all you had to say. When I said or whatever, that meant we can wait for any reason. Max, I just…want to be with you forever. I want to start a family, as soon as possible. But only as soon as you're ready." I smiled and stood back up.
"Damn. You're a lot different from Micah. 'Max, I think we should have a kid now. Max, why can't we have kids?' God it got so annoying. Every time I would say no, he would keep asking. I wanted to shoot him! I mean, after the first time, you would think he got the message, but nope!" Fang chuckled.
"Trust me. I did." He tilted my head up to look at him. "I'll wait." I smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips. I walked out where Angel, Gazzy, and Nudge were waiting with their room keys. They were all staring at us, grinning.
"Since when are you screw buddies?" Gazzy asked mockingly. I froze and Angel and Nudge burst out laughing.
"Gazzy…you're…an…idiot," Angel said through fits of laughter. Fang was frozen.
"Let's go," I said reluctantly. This stop wouldn't make us lose anyone, but it just got us closer and closer.
"Oh my God, I can't believe it!" the lady squealed. "Isaac, it's our Nicholas!" Fang's eyebrows rose. She hugged him tightly. He froze for a second, and then hugged her back. His father, who looked almost exactly like him, was smiling. He nodded.
"You can tell just by looking at him!" Fang was silent. His mom let him go and gestured for us to come in. We all nodded.
"So, how do you all know each other?" his mom asked. I opened my mouth to say something, but Fang beat me to it.
"We've been together forever. Just like me, they were taken too." She gasped.
"Do you know who you're real parents are?" they nodded.
"We're actually on our way to go meet them. We live with my mom," I explained. She smiled and nodded. She looked at my left hand and gasped. She kept looking between Fang and me. She started crying. Angel jumped up and started squealing. I gave her a look that told her to sit down.
'So you said yes!' she told me mentally. I rolled my eyes and nodded. Gazzy and Nudge looked at Fang and me too. His mom started having a conversation with him. Fang was glowing with happiness. Tears filled my eyes.
"Fang," I whispered. He looked up at me and his eyes got wide.
"No, Max," he said through clenched teeth. I stood up and ran my hand through my hair. He stood up and got in front of me.
"Together forever," he whispered, so softly I barely heard it. I shook my head.
"Fang, this is what we've all wanted our entire lives. You're happy here," I said quietly. He shook his head.
"That's not—"
"Fang, listen, I'm so sorry, but I think it's best if you…" he stared at me.
"Are you serious?" I nodded. "I knew you were mad at me." I shook my head.
"No! Look, I know and you know you want to stay, but you're not for me." I slid his ring in his hand. "I'm sorry." I nodded at everyone else.
"Come on guys," I whispered. I was aware of the tears streaming down my face. They gave me a puzzled look. Fang was shaking his head.
"No, Max," he managed to choke out. Tears were forming in his eyes.
"Do this for me," I whispered before running out.
"Max, why did you do that?" Angel asked once we got in the air.
"I want him to be happy. Now that he's met them, he wouldn't be happy." I knew this. I was well aware of this.
"Yes he would!" Nudge protested. Fang shot out of his house.
"Max—" I put my finger over his mouth.
"Please?" He shook his head.
"I—" I kissed his cheek.
"I'm sorry," I whispered. He shook his head.
"Max, what about what I want? It doesn't matter that I would much rather be living with—" I shook my head.
"Come on guys, let's go. Fang, I'm sorry." His eyes shot open wide.
"Max, I love you," I heard him whisper. I kept flying. Once he was out of sight, I burst into tears.
"If it's going to hurt you so bad, why don't you just let him come?" Nudge insisted. I took a few deep breaths.
"Because, I know it's what's best for him." They stared at me. "Let's just go." They all reluctantly followed. If it weren't for the fact we were going to visit their parents, I probably couldn't have gotten them out.
We arrived in Vegas the next morning. We had stopped in a hotel a little out of town, and now, we were there. I looked at the address under their parents' names, and I found it. Okay, be ready. Two more are about to leave your life forever Maximum Ride. Like F…said, 'Eventually people have to learn to move on and let go.' That includes him…right?
"So, Nudge, you're the only one left?" I whispered that night. I don't even want to go over what happened at Angel and Gazzy's house. I seriously don't want to talk about it. We had both been crying in the hotel room we were sharing. This was the last night I had with her. Angel had stayed in my room last night. Gazzy didn't want to share with me, but right until bedtime, that's where he was.
"Yeah. Soon, it'll be you and Iggy. I'm sorry Max." I shook my head and kissed her forehead.
"Don't be. I choose the same thing, remember?"
"But we got to be with you," she protested. I smiled.
"Sweetie, it's going to be hard at first, but I know this is what's best." She sighed and nodded.
"Okay." I hugged her.
"Get some sleep. We'll be arriving at your house around eleven." She nodded. Tears were still streaming down my face. Gazzy and Nudge's 'talking' was useless now.
"Ma'am, I think
I found Monique." That's what I said to her mom. It turns out,
Nudge's mom was a barber.
Funny, right? Well, she gladly took Nudge back, and so, I was left to
fly to Arizona…alone.
When I got home, it was dark. Iggy was
shaking his head.
"Max, why did you do that?" I looked confused.
"What?" I was confused.
"Why couldn't you just let him choose whether or not he stayed?" I sighed.
"He wouldn't have chosen what's best. He would have picked something to make me happy. Life's not all about me!" I stormed inside. Life is going to suck.
Fang called a lot. I never answered. Nudge, Angel, and Gazzy did too. I answered for them. I wasn't quite ready to talk to him yet.
"Max, Fang really misses you," Nudge said Friday night. I sighed.
"I miss him too. A lot. I mean, I'm in love with him for God's sake. But it's what was best for him." I told myself that all the time. Was it?
"If you say so…" I took a deep breath.
"Nudge, I made a mistake. I know I did. I just…don't know how to tell him that." She squealed.
"Finally! You came to your senses! Call him and just tell him!"
"But, what if it turns out I was right? I call him, and he doesn't want to tell me that I was right, and so he comes back, and he isn't happy, and—"
"Am I anywhere near this bad?" she asked, annoyed. I sighed.
"Worse."
"My bad." I laughed.
"Yeah. Well, it's late sweetie. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay Max. Bye." Damn I wish I could find a way to talk to that boy.
party night
"Max, come on out," Mom said, banging on my bedroom door. I had decided he would come back if I was wrong, which I knew wasn't going to happen. He was better off there.
"Okay," I managed to choke out. I was not going to talk. I had made a huge mistake! I guess those are getting pretty common with me.
The party droned on and on. It was so horrible! I got to meet my grandparents, and even some aunts and uncles. Oh. I have a cousin named Rachel. She's my age. She gave me her number so I could text her. I put it in my phone. I didn't say much of anything.
That's when I heard it. Something I was afraid I'd never hear again. Fang's song. He was singing it. Angel was right! I turned on my heels towards where it was coming from, and I saw him. He looked up at me for a second, but then kept playing.
He played it while smiling. When did he…? He decided to look up at me, and he never took his eyes off me.
I was crying by the time it was over. He put his guitar down, and walked up to me. Everyone was smiling, especially Angel and…what? I stared at them in disbelief.
"We aren't leaving you," he whispered. Before I could respond, he kissed me. I wrapped my arms around him, and he tilted his head. I pulled back remembering my entire family was staring at me. He shook his head.
"Max, that's something you didn't know. I can't live without you. Not won't. Can't." I was breathing heavy. I looked around and saw the entire Flock. I burst into tears, and he hugged me.
"You were right. You told Iggy we need each other. We do Max. We all do. And over the past three days, we've figured that out." I looked up at him, and he smiled. "I need you. I know what you were thinking, and I know what's best for me. That's you. Max, I made a promise to never leave you again, and I intend on keeping that promise," he said simply. I hugged him again.
"You know me all too well," I whispered before kissing him again, despite my family staring at me. He pulled back and grinned.
"That can sometimes be a good thing," he muttered. Angel happily bounced up to us.
"See, I told you he would sing it at the party," she said happily. I nodded and hugged her.
"Yes you did sweetie. What are you doing here?" She pointed to Fang.
"We called his cell phone, and we all said we hated it in our new homes. He was already on his way back, so he just came by and we came back. Sorry it took so long. We had this all planned out." She smiled sweetly. I looked around. Gazzy and Nudge were talking…who knows. Iggy and Ella were standing with Mom's parents. Iggy looked up at me with a pouty face on, and I sighed. He knew. I know he did.
"Should we relieve Iggy?" I asked. Fang looked up and shook his head.
"Nah. Let's let him have his…fun." I rolled my eyes.
"Did he know?" Fang nodded.
"How could I keep it from my best friend?" he asked innocently. I shrugged.
"I don't know. You kept it from me," I reminded him. He nodded.
"That's different. It was a surprise just for you." I smiled, and he grabbed my hand. "Do you want this back?" He held up my ring. I took a deep breath and then pulled him inside.
"Yes," I whispered before kissing him. He wrapped his arms around my waist, and he tilted his head. I knotted my fingers in his hair, and he pushed me as close to him as possible.
"I don't need anyone but you," he whispered. "I need you. My Max. Baby, I love you."