So we all know the last chapter was well, not my best. I'm sorry, I don't know what happened there but I'm trying to make it up. I'll put that chapter down as a 'loss of insanity moment. Well as you may or may not notice (since it's only been what? Two days?) I'm updating more often for this story 'cause I want you to get to the current chapter I finished! I mean, I seriously want you to get to it. Like all the life in the story gets back right then and there. It's amazing (or at least, I think so...)
Challengers!:
nellabella41: Yup yup! (sorry if I came off as rude a couple of days ago)
Annoy: Thanks for trying :D
Extra Credit! So no one did my extra credit... that makes me kinda sad, just like a tiny bit 'cause for some reason I'm in an unexplainable happy mood. But if anyone guessed it in the back of their minds it's: Romanticism. The type of novel where love prevails and everything goes right while the reader goes 'wtf! be more practical!' but the author doesn't have to be.
O' Future Ruler Maria Larry: That was scary, please tell me you can't read my mind. How'd you know I was gonna update today?
Create A Chain
Chapter 6:
Interlude:
Birthday Invitation
To be human is a very hard thing. To have a heart that beats, sure that's easy but a heart that feels, that tastes, that knows… that is hard.
I suppose what I'm trying to say is: humanity is easily lost here. Sanity is a figure of one's imagination. Screams of pains from experiments become the lullabies that help you fall asleep.
I sometimes forget what it's like to be human here, not that I really ever was to begin with but my sanity stays in tact for the most part since Fang is somewhere in the School.
I wonder, when he leaves will my humanity disappear sooner?
As for now, I can only smile and nod my head...
"Happy Birthday." I set down a cupcake beside the potted plant that had grown over twice its size. Fang nodded as I stood there with a clipboard in hand.
Thanks.I looked at him wide eyes and he smiled calmly. You've finally opened your mind to let me in.
Then, I thought, can you hear me? Fang nodded. Crazy…
September 21st, Fang's birthday and almost four months since the road trip began, seems like we've made a pit stop, I thought to myself. I smiled a little as Fang ate the chocolate cupcake.
"Not my best you know, I can't really cook for the life of me." Fang nodded, hey! You weren't supposed to agree! He shrugged, an amused look in his eyes.
"I woke you up that day I left, didn't you?" I asked quietly, 'causing Fang's eyes to flicker up at me from his seated position. He didn't answer but I knew it was yes. " I remember a tug at the back of my mind trying to comfort me as I left the tunnel and then I remember feeling distressed in my mind and trying feebly to comfort it but that was you, I was trying to reassure you…" Fang's eyes remained trained on me.
"I've got to go." I muttered. And for once I did because I heard my beeper signaling someone needed me. I slipped from the room, blocking my emotions from the connection I deemed as the link as well as his thoughts.
"Batchelder, Experiment 1657 is convulsing, take a look at it." A White Coat told me as I was walking down the halls. I nodded, breaking into a run. I soon found myself in a dark room where I had been trapped long ago. I walked quietly through the room, the experiment's cries of anguish echoing through the room. The lights flickered on as I kneeled before a small crate where a baby avian hybrid wasn't doing so well.
The baby was pale, her eyes a painful violet. I was supposed to take care of her, they were slowly taking me away from Fang because he was meant to be forgotten. I cradled her in my arms before giving her medicine I had in my pocket before she quieted down a few moments later. She looked at me, asking me why. I held her close as she cooed, tugging lightly on my hair. Experiment 1657, how many times did they try to make a successful avian hybrid? What number was I?
Why are you wasting your time? The Voice asked me as I set the baby back in the crate. Great, now it's back. There was a reason for coming here.
Yeah, I rolled my eyes as I exited the room, to work for White Coats and let the Flock live freely.
That's not it. You can get into the Itex database, you can-
Put my computer hacking skills to work. I smirked at the thought.
What's your number? I asked Fang as I took my employee laptop to the lounge. Your experiment number, that is.
Why? Fang seemed a little annoyed that I blocked him out. Not planning on turning me over, are you?
Hardly. I nearly scoffed out loud as I settled on a small couch in front of the television blaring CNN. I'm doing a little research. Do you know my number and the rest of the Flock's? Mental images filled my head as Fang showed the experiment numbers that were on the crates the flock was trapped in months ago.
Sounds boring but at the same time more amusing that staring at a white wall. Couldn't you give me something to do in here, other than make sure a plant survives, like a ball that I could play with, you know, throw against the wall or something?
Chinese Water Torture, I'll pass. Last thing I need is have complaints that someone or something is throwing something in a constant pattern long enough for an experiment to commit suicide or a White Coat to go mad. I rolled my eyes as I typed in my code to access the Itex system. I typed in Fang's experiment number. Number seven… how many have they been making?
Making of what? Fang's curiosity perked up, I could sense worry in the tug.
Avian hybrids. The experiment I have is 1657. I highlighted the pages and emailed them to myself. I clicked on the background of the experiment numbers.
Keep in mind that this isn't the only School, The Voice told me calmly.
What a crap-shit. I frowned, Fang could sense my annoyance and frustration through the link we shared.
What is?
The Voice told me that there's more than one School. Imagine just how many there are, I mean yeah the School belongs to Itex but-
Itex? Fang cut off my thoughts.
Yeah, what of it?
Max, Itex owns practically the whole world! They manufacture jeans, sodas, computers, everything.
I sighed aloud as I rubbed my forehead, typing in a few letters and getting data about Angel. Then I guess it's me against the world.
You're not gonna fight it alone.
Tell that to the dumb Voice. Soft chatter filled the room as White Coats gazed at the television, some sort of major explosion happened at a school near Washington D.C. If I knew any better, I would have to say that was Iggy and the flock. What say you?
Wouldn't put it past them.
"So maybe it was a bad idea to hide it near the water pipeline." Gazzy shrugged as the school began to flood.
"And maybe it was a bad idea that it was touch sensitive, it's crawling with rats down there." Iggy glared at nothing in particular as the classrooms were being evacuated. "But it's funny they think it's a terrorist attack." Iggy said quietly to Gazzy.
"You know, we destroyed half of the school." Gazzy muttered as the students began to stand near the edge of the road. "There's a big crater from where the basement used to be and the second floor has fallen in, the first really doesn't exist anymore."
"Sweet. So out of a ten?"
"Nine. The explosion wasn't loud enough and since it was designed to do real damage, it should have toppled more than just half the school."
"So, more of an eight?"
"Yeah." Gazzy nodded.
I slipped back into my office, hooking my laptop up and printing the researched pages. There was a time I planned running away from home, I thought as I typed in search engines for more information about the flock. There was a time that I swore that the second we got far enough, I'd marry Fang... but that was years ago...
What?
What, what? Don't tell me you were listening in on my thoughts. You weren't, were you? I felt mildly embarrassed at the thought.
It felt like you were sad so I went to figure out what it was and I heard, marry Fang. Were you planning on getting married or is it you don't want to marry me?
I was, I sighed rubbing my forehead, regretting some things.
So… you regret not marrying me?
Yes and no. I replied. But it doesn't matter now. I'm going to send Sam over later today, you okay with that?
Yeah, she's pretty interesting. She's kind of stupid at times but she's okay. But seriously, think about the ball.
I already told you no, I don't want to get in trouble with the White Coats. They hate me as is! I closed my eyes thinking of a memory to calm me down, Fang had won his first football game, he was covered in grass stains and dirt but he was beaming so brightly.
Great, Fang's thoughts sounded annoyed, I look like a jock.
You're the one who joined football. Not band, you said, band is too time consuming but you got dragged to band competitions anyway because I was part of colorguard. And you never stopped talking about all the bands we saw. I rolled my eyes.
My beeper went off again, signaling a code gray and my heart stopped.
Max? Fang pried my mind. Max? What's wrong?
A tear rolled down my cheek, my heart wasn't strong enough for this job. I typed in 1657 into the search engine and gathered data.
Baby girl born two months ago from an egg of 6 and sperm of 7 that were taken as samples one month ago. Rapid development may have caused flaws in the immune system.
Fang was 7… I was 6…
That little girl, the one I cradled just this morning, the one with violet eyes that would've been so full of life had she not been sick… was mine even if I didn't give birth to her.
I shouldn't be this attatched. I never gave birth to her and yet... she's my blood. I held her, I cared for her, and I saw her smile!
Max?
What would you say if I told you that you were a father? I asked numbly.
I would ask how and how the kid is. Why?
And if I told you I was the mother?
Congrats! You're not pregnant are you? I mean we never did anything like that and you never had morning sickness…
No,I shook my head, tears threatening to fall, experiment 1657 died just now. She was almost two months old. There were only 32 tries before her, she was the successful one. They created her from our DNA. I heaved a heavy sigh, standing up from the chair, getting ready to deal with the body. All failed experiments must be cremated. I shuddered at the thought. I would have to throw my child into a furnace.
I had a baby… a beautiful baby girl with such beautiful violet eyes.
I blocked out my emotions for the rest of the afternoon, feeling Fang's annoyance and persistence as he tried to get inside my mind.
"What's up?" I folded my arms against my chest, blinking through the yellow goggles. Fang was looking apathetic and monotone while banging his head lightly against the wall.
"Today's my birthday." He replied nonchalantly.
"Well happy birthday!" I beamed at him, clapping for a few seconds before I frowned in mild surprise that he wasn't happy about it. "You don't seem to be happy about it, going through mid teen life crisis?" I arched a brow, grinning slightly.
"No." He replied, as he hit his head at the same time. "I had a baby, a baby girl, just two months old."
"Don't tell me, you slept with some chick at a rock show and you got wind of it before you were taken here? Why didn't you mention it before?" A flash of worry crossed my face as I masked the pain of losing a child.
"No." He repeated. "She was an experiment, I learned about her today because she died today." A look of horror replaced the worry and my gaze weakened.
"I'm sorry." I muttered, my gaze turned downcast. The room fell silent and I could only hear the two of us breathing.
"You won't let me in." Fang said after some time, his voice held a saddened tone. My head snapped up in an instant, my brows furrowed.
"What?" I nearly shouted, causing Fang to stop hitting his head and to gaze intently at me. "If you're talking about something crazy, like you expect me to have sex or something-" I cut off because Fang was suddenly nose-to-nose with me, his dark eyes serious beyond my belief.
I suddenly saw white as his face disappeared from my view and I felt him burying his nose in the crook of my neck, his warm breath on my collarbone, causing me to shiver. I stiffened, I was supposed to be a stranger to him and here he was being, un-Fang-like. He hates physical contact that shows love. "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." He murmured as I felt him breathe in. My heart raced and I felt myself flush.
"How long?" I managed out in a mere whisper. How long had he known?
"The moment you told me the house plant theory." Fang replied quietly, kissing my neck gently. "I'm sorry about our baby." He whispered.
"I got to hold her and see her smile. She had such a tight grip and so full of life until recently. And when I saw her, lying there cold and gray…" I couldn't finish and I felt tears running down my cheeks. "You should've held her." I bit my lip so a sob wouldn't escape my throat.
"I wish I did." Fang mumbled, burying his face deeper, his arms wrapping around my waist. "But it makes me hope I can hold a baby of ours in the future." He kissed my neck once more and I felt myself flush again.
"But that won't happen." I told Fang quietly. "I have to stay here… you have to go to the flock and help them-"
"We will get out of here," Fangs eyes were suddenly staring at me with such ferocity I wanted to look away, "and we will get back to the flock." I felt at a loss for words.
"Watch out Nudge," Gazzy elbowed Nudge, causing her to glare at him, "Chris can't stop looking at you, what happens when he finds out you can't stop talking?"
"Oh ha, ha." Nudge glared at Gazzy only to let out a squeak of surprise as Chris began heading towards her.
"Reports." A White Coat entered my office and I handed him the report on 1657. "Oh, Anne wanted me to give you this." The White Coat sneered tossing me a white envelope. I caught it as he slammed the door.
I ripped it open distastefully, skimming the contents of the letter. My eyes widened at the end before I read it again, this time slowly, taking in every detail.
Dear Samantha Batchelder,
I would like you to join me for Thanksgiving dinner in two months time. Your family, Nudge, Iggy, Gasman, and Angel are here going to a public school and seem to be enjoying it.
When you come, bring along Nick Falcon, or as your family calls him, Fang. He will be staying here with your family after Thanksgiving and will start college at Harvard a semester late.
This is not a request.
Anne
And Done! So how much you wanna bet I get a bazillion reviews on how much they hate Max and Fang had an unintentional kid? I sooo didn't want to put that there, should I say this is an interlude chapter then? Totally not important, as in, there are about five paragraphs important to this chapter. Five. Awaiting the flames. I think there's only one more chapter in this I've lost my mind chapters. the last one, this one, and maybe the next one.
Challenge: fill in the X's: Myrah is a X/X lover while I'm a X lover and supergirrl is a X/X lover.
Preview:
Road Trip
"Because growing up means letting go." The words escaped my mouth before I could think of anything, my gaze was as defiant as his as my eyes bore into his. He looked away, unable to stand the intensity. I saw frustration etch in his impassive face, anger hidden in it too…
"Letting go?" Fang asked, slowly bringing his head to face mine again, his gaze softer and cooler. "Max, there's nothing to let go."
"There are plenty of things to let go of, you just have to know when you have it and when to let go." I held back a glare and gave him a calm look back.
"Then what do you have to let go of so you can 'grow up'?" Fang made quotation marks in the air. It seemed like Dr. Phil or Oprah between us but we both knew we were hiding our childish temper tantrums.
"The flock, my freedom, my old life, and you." The last word came out so soft I thought he didn't hear.
He heard.
"Then don't grow up!" Fang suddenly shouted, shooting up from his chair. He was glaring at me now and I glared back.
"What do you expect me to do? Fly to Neverland?!" I exclaimed throwing my arms up as I shot up from my seat too.
"That's exactly what I expect you to do!" My mind raced at Fang's words.
Adieu
Nightwing