'He's coming back?'

I stood at the head of the kitchen table, four stunned faces and one slightly furrier stunned face staring at me.

'He's coming back?' Gazzy repeated, looking as though his eyes were about to pop out of his head.

'They all are,' I replied, trying to keep my tone as calm as possible, to not let them know how uncertain I was. 'Him and the rest of the gang.'

'When exactly was this decided?' Dylan asked. I looked over to where he was sitting on the work surface, arms folded over his chest and face twisted in a mixture of confusion, pain, and anger.

'Last night,' I said, holding his gaze. I'd relayed a slightly modified version of the conversation Fang and I had yesterday to the flock just after he left, telling them about Fang's proposition and what had happened to Maya, but leaving out some of the more personal parts of the discussion. Their shock on my behalf was kind of encouraging, but that night I sat up thinking through all the reasons why I should and shouldn't let Fang back into my life. When I called him, I couldn't tell if I was doing it because it was right or because I just wanted to do something about the muddled up thoughts that were taking a joy ride around my head. It didn't make it any easier to sleep; I think I passed out at around four, and when I woke a few hours later my eyes were dry and irritated. The light from the computer screen in front of me had dimmed, but the page I'd been looking at right before I feel asleep was still visible: a page from Fang's blog, dating back to the first time he'd left, when the flock had been broken apart by my choice to keep Ari with us. Most of it was just him replying to random overenthusiastic readers, but there were a couple of lines at the start of the post that I must have read a gazillion times (if we're being precise about it) during the night: We're on our way to rejoin Max. Don't have time to rehash all the details, but let's just say that I've decided a flock ought to stick together while they can.

I was brought back to the present by Dylan's voice.

'And you're sure this is a good idea? After everything he's done?' The grip I held on the back of the chair in front of me tightened, and I looked away from him, biting the inside of my mouth to stop myself from snapping. No judging – you'd be irritable too if you were being run through the emotional wringer and not getting any sleep. Then Iggy piped up, a slight grimace on his face as he stared blindly at a patch of wall.

'Max, I've gotta say the same on this one. I mean, I want the flock to be together as much as the next bird kid, but things weren't so smooth-going last time. Are you sure that-' I felt myself flushing in frustration.

'No! No, I'm not sure. Look at me – I'm a wreck. I'm nervous as hell. I don't know how it's gonna turn out, I don't know if I made the right decision, I don't know if it's a good thing. But the way I see it, he left to protect us, and I don't know about you guys, but since he's been gone I certainly haven't felt any safer. Seems like crap happens whether he's around or not, so we might as well have everyone together. And what with Angel not being here anymore-' Gazzy made a small, pained noise in the back of his throat. '-it feels as though not keeping a tight hold of everyone we have left… Well, it's just feels real stupid.' I shook a little at saying Angel's name, but it was starting to get the slightest, tiniest bit easier; now I only felt like throwing up whenever she was mentioned, rather than actually throwing up (sadly not an exaggeration considering the first couple of days after she died).

'You crazy kids,' muttered Total, shaking his head then resting it on his paws. 'So much drama.'

Nudge was nodding her head, a small smile on her face for the first time in close to a week. I could practically see the old animation coming back to her, and the relief almost made me want to cry. Almost.

'I agree with you, Max,' she said. 'We're a flock. We shouldn't be split up.'

Gazzy sniffled, then looked up at me, his eyes sad but resolved, his mouth set in a tight little line.

'Yeah,' he said, voice wavering just a bit.

I don't think I'll ever stop being amazed by these kids.

Iggy's head bobbed slightly, and I could tell he was still uneasy, but I noticed the hint of a twitch at the corners of his mouth; as much as his head might have been saying it was a bad idea, he wanted to see the family reunited. There had been a few things on my list of reasons to make that call to Fang. This had been one of them: I'd hoped that maybe bringing about such a big change would force the flock out of their stupor and kick start some action that had actual purpose behind it. Watching them now, it looked as if it had worked – they were more alive than they had been in days.

Only Dylan seemed to be in outright disagreement.

'This is a mistake. I don't think you're doing the right thing,' he said, his turquoise eyes boring into me.

'Okay,' I said agreeably, heartened by the change I was starting to see in the flock. 'That's allowed. But at the end of the day, I'm the leader here. I may not know for sure that this is the right decision, but I made it with everyone's best interests in mind.'

It is the right decision, Max. I started slightly as the Voice sounded in my head, but right now it was like nothing could throw me off my stride.

Voice. It's been a while.

So it has. Things have been… Unrested. It was too dangerous to try and contact you. But I can tell you now that you have made the right choice.

Just like that? No riddles, no puzzles that belong in a cryptic crossword? When the Voice piped up again, it sounded faintly amused, as though it might have been laughing at me.

You don't see what's interesting about the way in which Fang is returning to the flock?

Aaand there we go. Puzzle time. No, I don't see what's interesting about the way in which Fang is returning to the flock. Please, deign to enlighten me. This time I could've sworn I heard a chuckle.

How many times did you run away from him? I frowned, and at the edge of my awareness I knew that the flock was still sitting in front of me, watching me carefully, waiting for an explanation. I held up a hand; they would just have to hold on a minute.

Run away?

From the cave, from the dock... I felt a hot flush spread across my face as I realised what the Voice meant.

Don't you think there's something just a bit twisted about watching in on that sort of thing? If thoughts could sound scathing, mine definitely fit the bill.

That's twice you ran from him. Then the third time, in the desert, you stayed. How many times has he left you? Just him, of his own accord? I huffed grudgingly.

Twice, I guess.

So this is the third chance he's getting. And this time he'll stay.

How can you know that? And since when were you a supporter of the flock being together? Last time I heard, you agreed with Fang going away.

Times change. Circumstances change. You had something to learn from Fang leaving you. And now that you've learned it, it's time for the flock to come together again. For good. I know it because things tend to have a funny way of falling into a pattern. History repeats itself. Connections are everywhere. You ran twice, he ran twice. The third time you stayed, and so will he. It's a strange sort of symmetry, don't you think? I gave my head a shake. Clearly I thought too soon when I asked where all the riddles were.

So that's why you piped up now? To tell me that I'm making the right choice?

That, and to remind you that history is important. Sometimes you need to look back in order to move forwards. I shall speak to you again soon, Maximum, situation permitting. I rolled my eyes.

Can't wait. I'll pencil you in. Then the Voice was gone, and my head belonged to me again. The flock was staring at me, eyebrows quirked, waiting for my account of what had just happened.

'Well, the Voice has decided to join us again.' Iggy leaned against the table, watching me with what seemed like unnerving accuracy until I remembered that the kitchen walls were white.

'So what was it saying?'

'The usual bundle of cryptic comments about connections and patterns and junk. It said something about things being unrested, but God knows we knew that already. And it agrees with Fang and his group coming to join us.' At that, Dylan gave a small grunt of scepticism. I turned to him, and something about having taken charge of what was happening, having made a decision, gave me a surge of energy. I tilted my chin up, looking at him calmly and feeling the most in control that I had in what seemed like ages.

'Dylan, I'm sorry that you're not happy with my decision. But it is my decision. I've thought it through and I have my reasons. This is what's happening.' With a firm nod to really seal the deal, I took another look at the flock sat around the room in front of me, then turned and walked out of the kitchen. As I went, Total's voice floated after me into the hall.

'Someone's got her fire back.' I felt a grin start to spread across my face. It was a little strained, as if the muscles that made it happen were rusty from lack of use, but it was there. Maybe I have, I thought. Maybe things were finally starting to look up.

Two hours later, the doorbell rang.