((Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride, or any of the characters in this book. They all still belong to James Patterson, well, they still did when I last checked. Enjoy!

But I do own the plots, so PLEASE respect this story and the author and don't steal the plot(s).))

Chapter 6: Boarding to Australia

We reached our destination as morning broke. We had decided not to stay as we were all wide awake and pumped, no thanks to me. Angel had asked me, surprised, what had come over me. She said that I never acted like that. I almost grinned at her. Now she was watching me like a hawk, possibly to see if I was doing drugs when no one was looking.

To be honest, I don't know what came over for me. I've got not a clue. But I did notice everyone was in a way better mood, especially Max, who had a smile on her face that could've been painted on.

We found a cargo plane heading to Australia, so we bunkered down, Max and I taking the first watch. The kids and Iggy were tired and worn out, so we let them sleep.

"Thanks for today Fang. I'm really happy now. I'm hyper. You'll be my downfall boy!" I shrugged.

"All in a day's work. And you don't look hyper." I wish I hadn't said that. As the words left my lips, she started singing. I rolled my eyes.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," I smiled to myself.

"No, but I mean it Fang, seriously. I haven't seen those kids and Iggy smile like, in ages. It was really fun. Thank you. Look, I owe you heaps." I shook my head, angry.

"Max, you don't owe me anything. I owe you a lot. Trust me."

"Why on Earth do you owe me anything?" I sighed, now miserable. I lower my voice so much it was little less then a whisper. Max had to lean it to hear me.

"Because of Ari. I'm sorry. It's just, I was a complete hole to him and I hated him. I wanted to kill him. Then I made you choice between us. And he was your brother. I'll always owe you for that." Max put her hands in her face then straightened up again.

"How were you meant to know? I didn't know. Don't hate yourself for that Fang. You made me choice between brothers, but it was for better, not for worse. I screwed up, big time Fang. I physically killed my brother, that I didn't know and didn't know was my brother, and mentally killed the brother that was closest to me, and meant more to me then Ari ever would. That was more painful then Ari's first death, you know that? Don't beat yourself up about it Fang." Again we fell in to silence, each of us in our own little world, thinking.

Iggy looked up and I felt his stare on my back.

"Everything cool Fang? You're quite."

"Yeah." No one spoke after that, sensing that I didn't what to talk.

"When are we getting to Austria?" Nudge asked a little while later.

"Australia. It's a big island, but it's the smallest island. Get that. Cool huh?" Nudge nodded, thinking.

"How does that work?" Gazzy shrugged.

"Don't know. It must be pretty cool though. We're going to the NT. Everyone calls it the 'Outback' because it's so dry there. But, the NT has heaps of hurricanes, but they call 'em csiclones or something. They go the wrong way. It's pretty cool. It looks cool from the photos I've seen. I looked it up on Fang's laptop." I stirred at the mention of my name, but I didn't wake from my daydream. "I wish we could go to all the famous places" He looked pointedly in Max's direction, but Max, like me, was in her own little world.

"Maybe one day." Angel said, looking up. I had a strange feeling she knew something.

"You can see this really cool place from the air! And there are lots of gorges and mountains and National Parks. It's cool. I think we'll like it there. And it's open space for miles and miles. Sometimes neighbors are, like, miles apart. We'll be safe there." He feel silent when he sensed no one was paying attention. I was, but didn't show it. I wanted him to go on, to fill up the hole. It would be good in Australia, Gazzy was right.

"Maybe we could-Oh Fang! Have you updated the blog yet!" Nudge scooted 'round on her bum to face me. I shook my head no. I pulled out the laptop and updated the growing number of birthday greetings for Max. I looked at the blog to see when my birthday was. I remember now. I had picked the very last day of the year. 31st of December. Gazzy was the 1st of April; April fools day, Iggy picked Halloween, Angel picked 23rd of March and Nudge had picked the 9th of June. Iggy loved Halloween; that would be why he had picked it as a birthday date. The very last day of the year just, I don't know, appealed to me? It sounded good at the time, and I'm still happy with it.

"Hey, aren't you all supposed to be asleep?" That had escaped my mind. Nudge looked innocently up at me and Angel followed suit.

"But we can't sleep. We tried, but can't." I nodded. It wasn't my job anyway.

But it could be Fang. That's the problem with you. You always follow, never lead. Imagine how great you could be?

The Voice was back. But this time it was different, very different. It was Max in-side my head. My eyes winded.

You just sit there in your own pitty and watch yourself suffer. Did you stop and think how much the past year has hurt? Hurt everyone? No, because you only see your own pain.

I was hoping maybe that you'll get over yourself and see that I like you Fang. But it was just you. And it always will be. I'm stupid for thinking anything else.

And then it was gone, as quickly as it had come. I looked over to Max, who was building a tiny shelter out of small tings and leaves. It looked quite neat.

"What's ya building?" I leaned over, closer to her. She looked up at me, with a why-are-you-talking-to-me face.

"A house thing." She shrugged, putting on another leave.

"Cool. If we need one in a hurry I'll give you a call."

That's just the thing, you won't.

Why was Max in my head?

"What are you thinking?" She looked up at me again, her face blank.

"Why?" I shrugged.

"There's a Max in my head, telling me stuff." She frowned and gave me a look as if to say 'his gone crazy.' Yeah, well, she has a Voice in her head too. But I'm guessing it's not her. Or me.

"Like what? Good stuff?" I thought hard before answering.

"Yes and no. It's-she's telling me stuff that she wants me to do."

"Like?" I pursed my lips. Did I want to get in to this? No.

"Personal stuff. Like stuff you would think. About…me" I looked up at her to see her reaction. There wasn't one. She was concentrating hard on building the little house.

On building a home. Get it? You were never good at that. Never.

This was going to get annoying.

"Like what personal stuff? Give me an example." I thought again.

"Um, like just then, I thought of how hard you were concentrating on that little house you're building and it-she said 'building a home. You were never good at that,' or something. I don't know!" She looked up at me. She was frowning.

"Don't say that." She whispered. "You're perfect at it. You make me, me. Well, you help a lot." She tried to smile. "I need a hug." And then she leant into me. Nothing else, just sort of collapsed into my lap. Nudge looked up at us then continued whatever she was doing. I thought she might have heard some of it. Don't know.

"Does that make sense?" Max mumbled into my stomach. It made perfect sense. I knew how she felt. People strongly influence your life. Whether the come or go is nothing you have any control over. Nether is whether they make an impact on you, good or bad. Whether you choose to follow that path is your choice.

"Yes. It does." Who knows how long we sat there for, but I didn't want it to end anytime soon. These people before me where the closest I have ever got to family. I loved them for accepting me into it.

Max's head was warm against my stomach as a night breeze picked up around us. Gradually, everyone dropped of to sleep, sleeping were they fell. Soon it was only Max and I.

"You wake?" I shook her gently.

"Yes," she squeezed my leg with her hand. I put my hand in her hair, winding with the soft strands around my fingers. She got up and smiled at me.

"I'm sorry I upset you before. It was stupid of me to say anything."

"No, it was me. It was my fault Max." She smiled.

"Yeah, it was. Both of us." The breeze blew in our hair and around the clearing we had found. Nudge stirred slowly in her sleep and Gazzy licked his lips. I smiled to myself.

We all woke early in the morning. Max and I got up roughly half an hour before everyone else. I woke lying flat on my back, Max still sprawled across my stomach. No I idea how we ended up like that. Last I remember we were both sitting side-by-side, cross-legged. My stomach was warm, ether way. A few late stars were leaving the sky as Max stirred, then woke fully. She smiled to m, looking around the rest of the flock.

"What's for breakfast?" she asked, sounding like a child again, asking Jeb for scrambled eggs.

"Scrambled eggs? Out here. Yeah, right." I hadn't realized I had said it out loud.

"What?"

"I was just thinking of when Jeb used to cook us scrambled eggs, I didn't realize I say it out loud." Max snickered.

"Well, unless you can catch your own chicken eggs, we'll be having what ever I pull out of the backpacks, if there's anything left."

"What do you mean? We filled 'em up, what? 2 days ago."

"Yeah, but last night I caught Gazzy having a midnight snack/feast, whatever you want to call it."

"I must have been asleep sooner then I thought."

"Yeah. Your funny when you sleep. Like a little boy. I watched you for a while." She blushed deep red and so did I. I felt the hot rush to my face. I hoped I didn't sleep-talk or anything. More red joined the rest as I thought of the possibilities. She moved to find some food. I didn't move. I was enjoying just resting for once. I was pleasant with the breeze and-

"Gazzy! You didn't did you!" I looked up to see Max standing over Gazzy, who was grinning very evilly. Now the smell drifted over to me and I got up, choking.

"Oh man! Foul! No more mid-night snacks for you!"

"Hey! How did you-" He looked suspiciously over to Max. Who put on her most innocent looking face she could muster. It didn't work and Gazzy scowled.

"Come on guys, lets get on the plane now. I heard one luggage handler saying he would be the first one here at 11. Let's go." Max moved everyone one in to the cargo plane.

"Wait Max. There's something we want to show you. Don't worry-it's good."

"We hope." I nodded at Nudge who brought out the laptop and turned it on. I opened the blog and turned it around on the grass for Max to see. There were still heaps of birthday messages coming through. Each of us had written a personal message to Max, which was on the top of the page. There were 3 pages in all. Max gasped, hand over her mouth.

"You guys remembered! And posted some of these notes for me. And lots of other people posted notes for me. Wow! You are so dead Fang! Thank you guys! Thank you so much!"

"Happy birthday Max." I smiled at her and she hugged me. When everyone had got a free Max hug, we got up.

"Thank you guys. I'm so surprised you remembered! I'd completely forgotten. But now we have a plane to catch. We'll talk more in the plane."

"Talk about what?" I must admit, I was confused.

"How to kill you. Duh! You're so evil Fang!" She grinned at me, heading towards the cargo plane.

"I find that hard to believe," I looked at her frown. She didn't think I would retaliate! Ha, sucker!

"Oh, really?" Suddenly she threw a road-house kick my way. I cut her off, turning. I grabbed her by the neck.

"Tag," I whispered in her ear. She was completely screwed. If was Easter she would be dead by now. "Wow, you really get your guard down." I was surprised.

"I was taking it easy on you! Now let me go, we have a plane to catch," I let her go.