((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 18: Running

"I'm not going to ask you if you're ok, because I know you're not. I'm not going to say anything until you want to talk, if you ever want to. I'll just sit here, ok?" I nodded, not looking at him.

I wanted to talk badly to him, ask him what I could do, what happen when she got back to camp. What she said to them. What I could do to make everything alright.

But nothing came and we just sat there, in the dark, both of us silent and mopping. What a pitiful life I lead.

So we sat there, two friends, in the dark waiting on each other to break the silence. Then I heard footsteps. I looked up to see Iggy walk up to us.

"Guys, dinners ready if you what it."

"Ok, thanks." Jazz dusted his hands on his jeans. Iggy turned and walked off, saying nothing else. I sighed.

"Go have dinner. Tell them I'm not well." Jazz nodded and left, giving me a I'm-sorry look, before heading off.

I waited 'till he left. Then I stood up, ignoring the crutches on the ground. I started running, not looking back. However, it wasn't long before the pain was too much. I kept on going, full speed ahead. I didn't stop until I actually couldn't but one foot in front of another. I sat down and cried, thinking of Max.

She was everywhere. In my head, around me in shadows. everywhere. I hated this, what she had said. I felt myself getting more tired as I sat there so I flew up to the highest tree I could find and slept.

Basically, I whined and then slept. Enough said.

I woke up just before the sun came up. There were a few late stars hanging around. I quit looking up at the sky and unfurled my wings. I shook them out, letting them air. It was painful still. There was still a hole in my freakin' wing. I sighed, and jumped off the branch, beating my wings hard. Yep, there was the pain.

I flew for about 4 hours before I stopped and ate, having a rest by a small lake. There was a large alligator near the waters edge. On closer inspection, I found it looked nothing like an alligator. An older man came up behind me, startling me.

"It's a lovely old animal, it's he?" I nodded, watching it with one eye.

"Waters full of 'em at this time of year. The Croc Jumping really gets a kick out of it." I nodded, playing along.

"Yeah, it's cool." The man nodded, then kept walking, fishing pole in hand.

A croc eh? I raised an eyebrow at it and was on my way.

I didn't see the man again, but I didn't look ether. I just kept walking, flying being to painful. And when I say it's to painful, it would possibly kill a human. I have a high pain tolerance. I chewed on a muslie bar until I remembered what Max had said.

You bring me up, then you let me down again. You play with me like a chew toy! What am I supposed to do?

I threw away the chewy bar.

I almost fell into a billabong at one point, not watching were I was going. I was thinking about what I was going to do. Go back to Max and the flock and pretend noting ever happen?

I continued on until I fall off the face of the earth? Or go back to Tara. I hate me more then possible sometimes. And yes, it is possible. She would think I was using her. Well, tactlessly, I would be. Using her to make myself feel better about Max. Maybe even get Max jealous so she would come back to me.

And was any of that going to happen? Maybe? No, it wasn't. It wouldn't even work. I can't believe I'm having a fight with myself in my head. I'm going insane. Maybe I am? I remembered kissing Tara. And then what she said after.

"Seeing someone else?" She looked up at me.

"Sorta, I guess." I shrugged.

"Me too!" She grinned up at me.

"Think of it as a….thank you kiss."

Inside, I was kicking myself. I'm an arse, it's official. You what a badge or something? Oh, it's written on my forehead? Ok then.

I wonder how Max was going? If she was kicking herself too. I doubt it seriously. I thought of something else to take my mind of everything.

Arriving in Australia, Max want- fighting the Easers when we first got there and Max- possibly finding my Mother and Max was here-Ahhhh! I was going to kill myself trying not to think of Max! She was everywhere! Everything came back to her! Everything! Ok, fine then. I'll think of Max. You happy?

I thought up things the flock could be doing as I walked, paying no attention to the landscape around me. It wouldn't help anyhow.

It wasn't until about 4 or 5 days later that I realized where I was actually going. It scared me a bit, when I finally figured it out. Why the heck was I going there? Trust me, I don't know. Really, I don't. I was just walking, following my senses.

Then it sorta hit me. I was like 'holy crap!' I know it's stupid of me to be going back there, but hey, where else am I supposed to go? I've got now where. I'm hopeless and familyless, which is sorta the same thing. Fang, the big softy. Yeah that's me. Drowning in it's own self-pity.

Sound familiar Fang? Gee, I wonder why?

I was going home.

I stopped mid-step and back-pedaled fast. I thought I had just seen Angel hiding in the bushes. Maybe I had? Who knew? Again I tried to think of something else. I wonder when my birthday is? What's the date? Or the time even. Metal Note to Self: Buy a watch and a calendar next time I'm in town. When would that be?

Soon enough, maybe like 3 hours later, I walked into a small shop and bought food, a watch and a calendar, just as I had promised myself.

The girl serving me was a little older then I am and was talking to me, trying to find out my name. I ignored her, completely uninterested. I walked out of the store, feeling miserable.

"Hey, emo! Yeah, you!" I turned to find a group of 4 boys walking towards me. Trouble. I shoved the gear into my pack and looked up.

What the heck was an emo anyway? These guys didn't look like the type to ask. Stay away from trouble Fang. You don't need this. Yeah, that was true. But at the same time I was sorta looking out for a fight to calm me down.

"You! Give us ya money now!"

"Yeah right buddy. Dream on." I stood my ground, even though it was possibly theirs. They didn't think I'd retaliate. No one did.

"What ya say? Did ya just say 'no?'"

"Maybe. What's it to you?" The 'leader' snarled at me through rotten teeth. Wow, he needed a good brushing of his teeth. Or stumps.

"Hand it over now, or we'll freaking beat it out of you." Oh will he now? Careful Fang. Nah.

"You wanna try?" This was the excuse he was clearly looking for. Oh well, to bad.

Just completely ignore the Voice in your head. Why not?

The big guy swung at me, which I dodged. A few people had stopped to watch. It would appear that not everyone back answered to this gang. Well, they haven't meet Fang yet have they?

I threw a roadhouse kick his way, sending him flat on his arse. I almost laughed at the stupid look on his face. Clearly didn't spend a lot of time down there eh? I punched the second guy, once in the stomach then punch his jaw.

I kicked his legs out from under him. He hit the first guy with a thud, just a he was stating to get up. The third guy came for me fast but I clapped my hands over his ears. He yelped and covered his head with his chubby hands. I sent a stomach-high kick his way, watched him double over. I kicked him sideways into the fourth guy who was coming for me. I swung a house kick in to his chest, pushed him 'round, and knocked him to the ground. I kicked his nose and heard it break for good measure.

The second guy sprung up and grabbed him from behind. Shit! He held my arms as the first guy punch me again and again in my stomach and face. I suddenly swung the second guy around, causing the first guy to knock him out cold. It wouldn't have had the same effect on me, but it would have hurt. I slammed the first guy's head and the fourth guys head together.

Then I straighten my shirt, stretched and walked off, leaving the gang in a pitiful heap of the concrete. I felt a bit better after that. The small crowd watched me go, in both awe and fear. I didn't look at anyone as I left.

I woke with a start to find a small dog leaning over me. Ahh, slobber, yuk. I wiped my face with a sleeve. Which recked by the way.

Note to self: Find new clothes. Where? A local pub? Yeah right. They'd kick me out before I could say 'boo.'