Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride

A/N

Me: Hey everybody, I'm so sorry it took me so long to update! To say the last couple of weeks were crazier than the Joker on crack cocaine would be an understatement. Still I feel absolutely horrible about not updating sooner, especially since I left you off in a cliffy. Thank you to everyone who reviewed, your reviews were one of the few things that have been keeping me going these past weeks, thank you so much for your support.

BFF: Wander and I don't want to make you wait any longer for the chapter, so we're keeping this A/N short and hope you really like this chapter!

Max's POV

I stood in the darkness. I couldn't feel the grass between my toes or the breeze that rustled the trees around me. There was an old, wooden house to my right, a single light glowing from its second story window. The house was familiar, but it took me a moment to place it. It was Zeph's house.

I must be dreaming. I thought to myself. I hope it's not another nightmare…

My feet moved me toward the house. I wasn't in control of my own actions. I never was in this dream until it was too late to change anything.

I just hoped that this nightmare would be cut short, that Angel would wake me before it got bad. Then I remembered I was on Earth and she was in Heaven. There'd be nobody to save me from this. A sense of dread filled me. I didn't want to have to go through this nightmare again.

My wings spread out and I braced myself, knowing what was coming next. My body didn't prepare, however, and the demon easily caught me and threw me to the ground. My skin seared where he touched me, just like it had the first time. I screamed and the demon leaned down, his mouth next to my ear, a smile on his lips.

I knew what would come next. He would say that he couldn't tell me how long he had waited to hear me scream, but what he really wanted to see was me broken. Then the house would go up in flames and my precious, little Zephyr would die. I could feel the tears slid down my face even through the nightmare.

I'm sure you could imagine my surprise when the first words out of his mouth were:

"Max, you are broken, but you still fight. You still have light in your eyes despite all I've done. It is frustrating to no end."

He seethed and let out an angry cry, but then he calmed himself and continued.

"It's obvious that breaking you isn't good enough, so I guess I'll have to shatter you instead." Sam said with a malicious smirk on his face.

Suddenly a figure moved and stood behind the window.

My breath hitched.

Fang.

"No." I whispered, and then became frantic, thrashing about.

"No!" I screamed, struggling against the demon. "Fang! Get out of th—" Sam covered my mouth, the contact burned me. I struggled all the more.

Then the air filled with the scent of wood smoke. I gazed, horrified, at the building which was now engulfed in flames. Fang pounded against the window, his room began to fill with smoke and flames licked at him, but the glass would not break.

I went wild, punching at Sam, but I could not get him to budge, no matter how hard I hit him.

Then the screaming started. Fang was screaming. I felt myself tear inside and I fought all the harder, but as the screams died away, my strength, my will, they faded as well.

"Fang!" I cried out in one final outburst, and then he fell silent.

I sunk down into the ground and sobbed.

Sam pushed off of me and left, a triumphant grin on his face.

I woke up crying, sobbing and choking on my own emotions.

Slowly I became aware of my surroundings.

I was tucked under a brown, yellow, and white quilted blanket on top of a soft, queen sized bed. My head rested on a soaked white pillow and the fabric shimmered with my Light filled tears. That's why angels' tears were so special. They carried a bit of an angel's life force within them. Not enough to be of concern, however, an angel could cry for months without putting so much as a dent in his Light supply.

After that dream, I felt like crying for decades.

"It was just a dream." I whispered, trying to calm myself down. Crying never helps anybody. My job is to help people, to help Fang. I need to stop crying.

I sit up on the bed, phasing through the blankets. I turn and sit on the edge, wondering how I had gotten here, but all I could remember was Sam throwing something at me and then darkness.

I stand up and look out the window. I'm somewhere on the second story of somebody's house. Nudge probably found me and took me over to Iggy's to look after me till I woke up. She's a good friend. I thought to myself, but then my eyebrows furrowed and worry consumed me. Fang. I got knocked out and Sam had been there. He could have killed Fang while I was sleeping! I began to panic, but then I heard something downstairs.

"Bacon's ready!" A woman's voice called out. "Fang! Get in here and eat before it gets cold!"

I didn't even register that I had moved until I found myself at the bottom of the staircase, heaving a sigh of relief as I saw Fang walk toward the kitchen. I took a glance around. I recognized the room, this wasn't Iggy's house, this was Fang's house. Nudge must have known that I would panic and left me here with Fang knowing that if I stayed over at Iggy's with her that I would just fly over here in hysterics the instant I woke up and realized where I was.

Nudge is really considerate. I need to remember to thank her later.

Calmly I walked into the kitchen where Fang and the woman, I recognized her as his mother from his file, were eating a breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs and buttered toast.

Fang's mother had black hair, just like her son, and brown eyes. I looked over at Fang. He had black, obsidian eyes. He must have gotten them from his father I guess. Then I notice that his eyes are a bit bloodshot. He must still be recovering from his hangover. I sigh and turn my gaze back to Ms. Walker, I can only assume that's her last name, I don't know whether or not she had kept her husband's last name after their divorce.

Fang's mother has a kind face, a smile seems to be sketched into it and her eyes are bright. I can tell she's a caring and loving mother, but the faint, pre-mature wrinkles in her face tell me of the stress she has been under. I glance over at Fang. His mother doesn't deserve what he's doing to her, and I know deep down that Fang doesn't mean to do this to her. He's just confused and hurt and he doesn't know where to turn to.

That's why I'm here. To give him somebody to turn to.

But I have to be careful, and right now, I'm scared that I'm doing him more harm than good. After all, I had brought Sam into his life. Somebody who would do anything to hurt me and those I care about.

"Fang, time for school." His mother says to him, lovingly kissing him on the top of the head, he doesn't reciprocate the emotion. He just sits there and then turns to grab his bag. He heads for the door and I follow him. Fang opens the door and calls over his shoulder:

"Bye, mom."

At least he said goodbye before leaving. I sigh inwardly.

Soon we are outside and heading for his school.

Or so I thought.

As soon as we hit the end of the drive-way he turns and walks across the street. To. Iggy's. House.

Now I'm furious. I've been chasing him all over the place, protecting him from creepy bartenders and psycho ex-best friends, and dealing with his drinking problem for every single moment of my time since I first set eyes on him and now this? Can't I get a break? Okay, technically I was asleep for part of that, but that was due to getting knocked out protecting him, so it still counts as dealing with him.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?" I ask him as he opens the gate to his friend's backyard.

He smirks. He smirks!

Oh, if I could strangle him right now…

"I'm going to have an educational lesson with my friend Iggy." He says in a mocking voice, opening the gate and slipping inside.

I scoff.

"And how exactly is hanging out with your friend more educational than school?" I challenge.

He grins evilly, in a way that makes me want to melt—wait! What? Makes me want to melt? Oh, just forget I said that. What is wrong with me? I really need to go see the doctor.

"He's teaching me how to build a pipe bomb." Fang says.

I groaned and facepalmed.

"What?" He asks, faking innocence.

"Would it kill you to try to make my job easier?" I asked, letting out a sigh. "Or at least some appreciation for what I've done for you?"

"And what exactly is your job?" He asked me, closing the gate behind me.

I blushed, though I'm not really sure why. "To protect you."

He just laughed. "Protect me?" I felt my anger build up.

"Well obviously you suck at keeping yourself safe." I retorted. "In less than 24 hours I've had to save you from two people. Some girl who was willing to drug you in order to get into your pants and rape you," (Guys can get raped too) Fang looked extremely uncomfortable as I said that and I saw him visibly shiver in disgust. "And a de—" I cut myself off, realizing what I was about to say. Some people don't believe in angels and demons, if I told him a demon tried to kill him he might not believe me and blow off anything else I say. That would get him killed.

"And a what?" Fang asked curiously.

I choose my words a bit more carefully this time. "And a dude who wanted you dead."

"Dead?" Fang asked, shock registered on his face.

"Yeah." I replied rather lamely.

A minute or so of silence passed by awkwardly as we waited in the backyard.

Then Fang spoke. "You weren't going to say 'dude' when you first started to say it. What were you really going to say?"

I bit my lip. I didn't know how to respond. I couldn't lie. That was against my nature, and lying to him seemed like such a horrid thing to do. So I decided to simply remain silent.

"I can handle it." Fang insisted. I stayed silent and Fang stared in my direction. I knew he couldn't see me, but I shifted nervously under his gaze. He waited a moment for me to reply. I still didn't say anything. "What are you afraid of?"

Images flashed across my mind. Demons cornering me in Hell all those years ago. Sam "dead" on the floor in a pool of silver blood. Zeph's house going up in flames. My old best friend as a demon.

Fang dying.

My body shook a bit. I tried to still myself with no success.

Then I heard noise from inside the house. Iggy was coming and Fang was talking to me. He wouldn't understand why Iggy wouldn't be able to hear me. I turned to him and spoke quickly.

"Whatever you do don't talk to Iggy about me and only call out to me or talk to me if your life is in danger, okay?"

Fang looked startled and confused. "Wait, what?"

"Just trust me, please?" I said to him, climbing a nearby fence.

"Where are you going?" He called out.

"Don't worry, I'm not going far. I'm not letting you out of my sight. Just don't blow yourself up, okay?"

Fang nodded, confused, just as the backdoor opened and Iggy sprang out.

"Fang, my man, ready for a fun-filled day of blowing stuff up?"

A/N

Me: Hmmmm, I wonder if anybody caught my little clue?

BFF: Max sure didn't, she can be pretty dense at times.

Max: Hey!

BFF: It's true! I mean come on, how long did it take for you and Fang to get together? It was so obvious that you two were soul mates.

Max: *death glare*

Me: Okay, you two, calm down. Max and Fang are together now, that's all that matters.

BFF: But they're not together in your story! They haven't even kissed yet!

Max: How do you expect for us to kiss in Wander's story when Fang can't see or touch me?

Me: Hehehe *sing-song voice* I know something you don't. I know something that you don't!

BFF: Ahhhhh! Tell us!

Me: No, I don't think I will, or at least not yet, I want you to figure it out on your own.

BFF: *sigh* Well, as I die a slow and painful death from anticipation of what is going to happen next, PLEASE REVIEW!