I do not own Maximum Ride! :D

A Lifetime by the Bedside
Chapter 4: Max – Reunited?

After Ari had abandoned me I had scuttled into a nearby cave. The heavens had opened and an almighty downpour came hammering down. I then felt like a drenched street rat, hiding in the dark depths of my imagination. I wasn't so sure whether I would like what I found. I was apprehensive as to whether I knew myself well enough not to fear what could arise. I was alone.

Sitting cross-legged on the damp earth, I watched in awe. The raindrops rebounded off the ground and floated, suspended in the air, like bubbles. Managing a small smile, I poked one which drifted towards me. It exploded, forming an array of colours before disappearing completely.

'Geez,' I murmured, 'I certainly have an active imagination.'

I no longer felt tired, in fact, I felt high on energy, like I had just consumed a ton of coffee; and believe me I have come close to that on one of my bad mornings. Fidgeting for a moment, I finally surrendered and got to my feet. I needed to get out of here. Ari had said that I had been hurt bad, but that wasn't really giving me much to go on. I doubted this was one of those dreams where you could just pinch yourself and wake up. Sigh. I knew nothing, nadda, zip, zilch. Nothing was ever straight forward in my life, and now, it appeared that my life hung in the balance.

'Max?'

Someone had just called my name. I was certain. My attention piqued, I wondered deeper into the cave, attempting to find the source.

'Can you hear me? Most likely, not.'

Fang. Oh my God it was him, cynical as always. I felt so relieved my heart began to hammer harder inside my chest. I strained my eyes, searching, but I couldn't find him. His low timbre reverberated off the walls, but his sullen face was nowhere to be seen. Thunder rumbled outside, causing me to listen harder.

'Fang?' I called out into the inky blackness. 'I'm here!' Please hear me, I thought.

I needed some light. Light... light...

And heaven behold, let there be light! I never thought I'd be able to say that. The cave was then aglow from the heart of it. It grew until there was a healthy sized beam surrounding me. It was like I was in the centre of a stage performance, but I didn't know my lines, I didn't know my next move.

'Give her time,' I heard another, calmer, voice say. Iggy.

'She's had enough bloody time,' I heard Fang say. It was very bitter and sounded as though it had been said through gritted teeth. I winced.

'Come on Max. For God's sake I know you're a girl and all, but I didn't take you for one of those who took forever to get ready.'

There was some laughter then and I smiled through tears.

'That was pretty good,' Iggy complimented.

Although I thought I had been getting closer to them, their voices were growing fainter. It was some cruel trickery of my mind. Searching frantically, I ran to all corners, listening intently, sometimes even pressing my ear to the cool jagged walls. Their voices were then just murmurs and still fading.

'No!' I screamed, pulling at my hair, kicking the wall in disappointment.

They were gone.

Go home, Max.

'Aah, crap,' I muttered sourly. The voice, my voice, whoever or whatever it was, was back. Suddenly, without warning, the walls of the cave started to expand outwards, moving towards infinite until I was left unsheltered. I began to feel agoraphobic. The rain infiltrated my clothing and I shivered, staring at the sky. Staggering back, my eyes met several hulking bodies flying ungracefully towards me – Erasers. My hands clenched into fists, I set my feet firmly in the ground, ready to take my frustration out of them – the perfect anger management, I thought. These guys had inflicted enough pain on me and my family and they were here in my world too. Their existence had scarred my memory so drastically that they had seeping through the cracks into this world, my world. Bearing their ugly yellowed canines, they landed clumsily in front of me, as elegant as elephants in dire need of weight watchers' meetings.

'Bring it,' I challenge, flexing my hands, my breathing becoming deeper.

Without hesitation, they lunged for me, claws lashing out. Not in the slightest phased, I am so professional at times, I swiftly went into a side kick. One of the Erasers crumbled to the floor. It felt good to inflict pain. It grunted and spat blood, colouring the saliva that drooled from its grizzly mouth. The rain and mutt combination evoked the stench of wet dog and I moaned in disgust. Growling fiercely, another began to snap at my throat. My hair plastered to my face, view slightly obscured, I had to sweep it away with one hand whilst easily punching the mutt in the jaw.

'Come on guys, you are losing your touch. Show me what you've got,' I invited, lightly jumping on the balls of my feet, circling them, as if herding a flock of sheep. They growl at me in unison with the thunder overhead. A single bolt of lightning tore the sky open, leaving a red gash, as if the sky was wounded too. An Eraser went for the plunge - I could not decide whether it was brave or just idiotic. It clawed at my stomach, but I jumped back and it missed. Another tried to take out my knees, but I jumped high and its greedy claw scraped the ground. I landed several high kicks and smiled in satisfaction as I heard the breath forcibly escaping their lungs. Taken by surprise, one latched onto my back, tugging at my hair.

'Foul play,' I called through gritted teeth. In a struggle, I kicked out at the remaining Erasers whilst trying to unlatch the one on my back. Its claws seeped into my neck and I cried out in pain. After tugging hard for a good few seconds I eventually hurled it to the ground. It had scratched my neck and cheek and I fingered the wound.

They stared gormlessly at me and I screeched, 'come on!' But they don't comply. With one final snap they vanished in a blink of an eye. Groaning, I kicked the dirt, but gained no satisfaction. What was the plan now? Diligently scanning the area for any further dangers, I almost hoped there was so that there was something to focus on, I find nothing.

Completely clueless as to where I was going, I really needed a map in this place; I dashed in any random direction, attempting to escape the downpour. The fight had taken my mind off my leg, but the thought of the pain on my neck meant that I had to partially limp through the rain, a faint pain threatening to surface. I was soon back on the country lane; the surrounding fields now a lush green. The grass began to grow at an alarming rate, stretching up to the heavens. It reminded me a little of Jack and the beanstalk, but if there was a hungry 'thee, tho, tho-ing' giant up there I was staying well clear. Flowers were blooming in the grass, a cacophony of reds, yellows, blues and lilacs. Reaching heights of about six feet, and it was still growing, I worried that it would burst the barriers like a flood of greenery and sweep me away with it.

Squelching through muddy puddles I looked down in despair at my ruined converse. Halting myself, I decided that I had had enough. Stubborn madam that I am, I folded my arms over my chest, puffing. If this was my world then I sure as hell could have some control over it, right? I opened out my arms, embracing it all, shouting loudly, 'a little help here?'

Right on cue, a black Porsche rolled up the road and came to a standstill to my left. It was still raining and the sky was a blanket of grey, suffocating me. The passenger door popped open and, without hesitation, I slipped inside. Stunned at the driver, I flung myself at him in sheer relief. I worried that my body weight would knock him back, but he was as steady as a rock. Gripping at his jet black hair behind his head, I try to inhale his familiar scent, but the smell of rain floods my senses entirely.

'Fang? What are you doing here?' I asked, still shocked at his presence. Wait... 'Oh my God, are you ok?' I barely breathed. My hands began to feel his form, patting his shoulders and chest. He rested his steady hands on top of mine and gave me a small smile. Gulping loudly, I continued, not soothed by his touch which seemed foreign in this world, 'I mean, are you trapped here too? What about the others?'

My mind began to be swamped with the possibilities, but Fang said calmly, 'I'm taking you home.'

'What do you mean, home? Fang?'

He didn't say a word, but started to drive down the country lane carelessly. He turned up the heater and I stretched my hands out towards them to melt away the cold that ran through my blood. We sat in silence and eventually the rain subsided, the pitter patter becoming sparser until it went completely. I watched his posture carefully. It was relaxed and partially slumping into the seat. He looked the same, exactly the same, but there was something different, something not quite right. Noting my gaze, he asked, 'what is it, Max?'

Careful, Max. Things are never as they seem.

Usually I would tell the voice where to shove it, but I had a gut feeling that I should keep my guard up, even when it was around my right hand man, my best friend, Fang. I shook my head, 'nothing. I'm just so happy you're here.' It wasn't a complete lie. Company was company and any form of Fang right then appeared preferable to none.

Serious, he tucked a stay strand of hair behind my ear and stroked my cheek bone gently. 'You've been missed. The others wouldn't stop asking where you are.' Nodding hesitantly, I could not suppress the sick feeling I felt from his touch. It took all of my energy not to flinch. Nothing was right here. It was all artificial. He removed his hand and set both on the steering wheel, eyes focused on the road, seeming not to notice my reaction.

In no time at all we pulled up on a rocky terrain. He cut the engine and declared, 'home sweet home.'

Very gentleman like, he walked around to my door and opened it for me. Stepping outside, I was hit with a wave of déjà vu. In front of me was our old house in the mountains, the house where Jeb had taken us before he had disappeared, then reappeared and everything went complicated from there. There was the memorable E shape of the building and the familiar décor and... and I actually felt somewhat at home. Sprinting out of the door I was bombarded by bodies, my family: Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy and Angel.

'You're back!' Nudge screamed, throwing her arms around me.

Stepping back from her force, vulnerable from overwhelming emotions, my eyes began to brim with tears. Angel began to tug at my hair, letting it drop on her face. She giggled, 'we missed you sooooo much.'

Gazzy interrupted then, 'you have got to see mine and Iggy's latest project! It is mega cool!' Iggy gave Gazzy a high-five and they began to laugh. Although I kept telling myself that this wasn't real and I shouldn't be weakened from the sight of them, I couldn't help feeling kind of happy. Fang interrupted then, leaning in close and brushing his lips past mine. Gazzy eew-ed whilst Angel and Nudge aah-ed and Iggy, well he was oblivious to the whole thing. My guard down, I kissed him back. It wasn't the same, but it didn't seem all together bad either. 'Don't leave us,' he whispered in my ear, his breath tickling.

I looked down at the others, at their hopeful faces and felt that there wasn't really an option. 'I won't,' I stuttered, gripping Angel and Gazzy's hands. 'I won't leave you, any of you, again. I'm so sorry.'

Later that same day, night had fallen, shrouding us in its darkness. Ruffling Gazzy's hair, I kissed his forehead and whispered, 'goodnight.' He was already out like a light and grunted in his sleep. Fang lazed against the doorframe, watching me, his dark eyes, darker than the night sky, followed my every move. I walked to the door and he quickly took my hand, wrapping me into a hug. At first I shrunk away, but, after a moment, I relaxed and wrapped my arms around him. I don't know how long we stood there, but eventually Fang led me into the lounge, sitting me down on the sofa. He slumped down next me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. In this world Fang seemed much more comfortable with these intimate gestures, emphasising to me how this really wasn't him, not the real him.

'It's ok, you know?' he said.

Still in a trance, I forced a smile, nodding, staring at the fire that crackled away in the corner of the room.

Lightly brushing his thumb against my cheek, he assured, 'I'm not going anywhere.'

A/N Hope you enjoyed this chapter :) Please let me know what you think ;) REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW :D:D:D

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