AN: Sorry this took so long, it was my last week of school before the winter holidays (It's winter here in Brazil). I'll post faster now, I promise.

Thank you all my wonderful reviewers I really appreciate your reviews, keep it up!

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride, bla, bla, bla, you get it. I also don't own the song, My Beautiful Rescue, This Providence does.

Here goes nothing.

Fang's POV

As soon as Max flew in, I paused the song and closed my laptop, hurriedly putting it on my nightstand. She said nothing so I took it she hadn't seen it.

We sat next to each other in comfortable silence for a while, her head resting on my shoulder and my arm around her.

"So, what are you hiding from me on your laptop?" she asked, not looking at me. Oh, so she noticed it. Crap.

"Uh, nothing. Just listening to music, that's all."

"If you were doing that, then why don't you want me to see it?" she challenged, her eyes fixed on mine. Oh crap. I really didn't want her to see that playlist; it was embarrassing and very mushy, and I have a reputation to maintain. And I didn't want my pride shattered, by the way.

I put on my best innocent face and tried to sound hurt. "Don't you trust me, Max?"

It worked – her face softened considerably. I knew Max was a sucker for guilt trips; the younger kids always used that to get whatever they wanted.

"Don't think for a second that I'm going to forget this, 'cause I won't," she warned. She stood up to leave the room, but I grabbed her waist and pulled her down onto my lap.

"Max, just let it drop," I said. I leaned down and kissed her.

"Fine, I will," she whispered against my lips. "For now."

"You're too stubborn," I complained, making her giggle. God, she was adorable. I kissed her again.

We'd been kissing for some time, Max was still on my lap and we were still on my bed, when suddenly this really loud music starts playing. Don't get me wrong, the music was good, but it was deafeningly loud, and it sounded like it was coming from right outside my door.

I've been jumping from the tops of buildings.

For the thrill of the fall.

Ignoring sound advice.

And any thought of consequence.

My bones are shattered.

My pride is shattered.

And in the midst of this self-inflicted pain.

I can see my beautiful rescue.

I stood up, placing Max gently on the bed, and went to see what the heck the others were doing this time, and why in the world they were listening to music this loud.

I'm falling more in love.

With every single word I withhold.

I'm falling more in love.

With every single word you say.

I'm falling head-over-heels for you.

When I opened the door to my room, five kids and a dog crashed to the floor where I would have been if I hadn't taken a quick step back. Behind them there was a stereo system blaring out the music through its speakers. While they still tried to untangle themselves on the floor, I stepped over them and turned the music off.

Max glared at them, waiting for their explanation. When no one volunteered one, she asked in a dangerously calm voice, "What were you doing?"

Gazzy gulped nervously, Nudge bit her lip trying to keep quiet, Total ran into Angel's arms while she shrank next to her brother, and Iggy took a careful step back, positioning Ella behind him protectively. No one spoke. Smart kids.

"What is this doing here?" I asked gesturing to the stereo.

They exchanged scared looks. "Sorry Max, sorry Fang! We just wanted to help! We thought you would like the music! We wanted to make up for when we interrupted you yesterday, so we found this really good song that's, like, perfect for you guys, and we thought that maybe with the song Fang would do it, but then we ruined it again and I'm so, so sorry and –" Thank goodness Gazzy put his hand on Nudge's mouth then, 'cause my ears were bleeding.

"Fang would do what?" questioned Max, confused.

"Nothing, Max," said Angel in her sweet little voice. "We were just messing around."

Max narrowed her eyes at me; I shrugged in an 'I-have-no-idea-what-they're-going-on-about' way.

"Whatever. There's something up and I'm going to find out what it is sooner or later," she warned, and then walked off to her room.

"That was close," said Ella.

"Too close," I said. "Don't let it happen again."

Max's POV

They were planning something. I knew they were. I just didn't know what it was.

Not only were they plotting behind my back, but also Fang was in on it. He was acting so weird lately, first when he was going to say something that made Angel get pissed when he didn't, then hiding things from me on his laptop, and now this stuff about him doing something. Gosh, this is so confusing!

I needed my own plan to find out about their plan, if that even makes sense. Problem is, none of them will help me with it, 'cause they're all in on it.

Argh, I hate it when I'm the only one that has no clue what's going on. It makes me feel stupid. Unless… What if I'm not the only one?

With renewed hope, I ran to my mom's room. "Hey mom, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure sweetie. What's going on?"

I sighed and sat next to her on the bed. "That's the problem. I don't know. I feel like everyone is scheming behind my back and I'm the only one that doesn't know what they're doing."

"Have you tried just asking them about it?"

"Yeah, it doesn't work. Even Fang doesn't want to tell me. And he's acting different lately, like he's keeping something from me. Today Nudge mentioned him doing something, but I have no idea what that means."

Mom looked like she finally understood what was going on, and whatever it was pleased her. Oh God, not her too! She smiled. "Did you ever think that it might be better to wait until one of them tells you what's going on?"

"No. Not really. Come on, tell me what it is. I know that you know, Mom, spit it out."

"Sorry Max, I can't. It's not my place to tell you. Be patient and you'll find out eventually. I promise it will be worth the wait."

"Fine. I'll try. But I hate this." I said, and then stomped back to my room.