me: I'm sorry I haven't updated! There's a lot of health issues with some of my friends and I'm really nervous about them. See Ch. 6 of 4010: Duel to the Death for more details. And I've had serious writers block.

Angel: She doesn't even know how to start this chapter.

me: Nope I don't. *thinks* Eh... Maybe.

Total: She wings all her stories. This isn't unnatural.

me: But somehow it all works out!

~-Line!-~

-Katrina POV-

"I'm very disappointed, Katrina," Aunt Ella said, shaking her head. "I will call you mother immediately."

I stared at my feet. Not only was she upset about losing the house my parents had worked to pay off for sixteen years, I had also been so mad coming out of the theater that I whipped my wings out in front of everyone. Now I was on the cover of Mesa Weekly, and about half the magazines on display at the store.

"Why didn't me and Andie get wings?" Andrew asked, crossing his arms and plopping into a plush chair. I glared at him.

"Stay out of this, young man," Uncle Iggy hissed, tighten the grip his arm had around Aunt Ella's shoulders. His glare cut through me like a knife. "You're lucky Fang isn't here. What would he say about you hiding your wings from us all these years?"

"He wouldn't like it," I said, not taking my eyes from the carpet. This lecture had been going on for about twenty minutes, and I was just about sick of it. I wanted to scream at them that I understood, and to quit talking to me like an eight year old, then stalk up to my room and lock the door. So what is I snapped my wings out? It's nothing all of them haven't done. That is, before their wings were cut off... That wouldn't be pleasant.

"You're parents never wanted you to have wings," Aunt Ella said. "They didn't want you to have them removed the same way they did. They wanted you have have a normal childhood, like they never had." She clenched her jaw. Something snapped in me.

"Well, that was their fault then, wasn't it?" I yelled, jumping up and glaring at both of them. "They weren't normal, how could they expect us to be? 'Oh, my mother had wings! She was a freak like my father and their brothers and sisters!' They decided to have kids! Theyknew that there was a big possibility we would have wings! Did they care? No!"

Aunt Ella gasped. She stood up, tearing from Uncle Iggy's grasp, and stormed down the hall.

Uncle Iggy's face was red. "That's it, young lady! You're grounded! I will call you're mother, and add a month to her punishment! Go to your room and don't bother coming out until Ella gets you for dinner!" He turned and stomped down the hall after Aunt Ella.

I growled under my breath and glanced at the twins. They're faces showed they were terrified as they held each other in the chair. I didn't bother to comfort them, but stalked off to my room, slamming and locking my door. They could do anything they wanted.

-Iggy POV-

I may not have been able to see how upset Ella was, or how mad Katrina was, or how scared the twins were, but there was no doubt I could hear it. And sometimes sound is worse then sight. Remember that, you'll see some day.

Actually, I was glad I couldn't see how upset Ella was. Hearing it was enough for me to want to break into Katrina's room and make her apologize for yelling at her aunt. But I didn't, I sure didn't want Ella mad at me. But as soon as I walked in her room, I heard her crying. Actually, it wasn't crying, she was full out sobbing.

She laid her head on my shoulder. "How could she be so rude?"

"She's Max's kid," I said, kissing her head. Ella chuckled. "She's just like her Momma. It's uncanny."

"She's as hardheaded as her momma, I'll give 'er that." She looked up and glanced at the door. "It must be hard on her, hiding her wings, thinking her daddy's dead. I should go talk to Andrew and Andie." She stood up and walked out the door.

Ella was always soft on Max's kids, when really she had no reason to be.

I sighed and pulled out my cell phone. I wasn't going to take back my comment to add a month of grounding to whatever punishment Max gave her. She needs to learn that we have the ability to punish her just like her parents do. I quickly dialed Max's number.

-Ella POV-

Andie and Andrew were still sitting side by side in the chair, knees pulled up to their chests, looking down the hall at Katrina's door. They still looked scared, poor kids. I hadn't meant for them to see that nasty scene. I didn't think to tell them to leave.

I sank to my knees beside their chair. "Andrew? Andie?"

Andie's eyes whipped to mine, but Andrew's stayed glued to his big sister's door. I laid a hand on his foot and he slowly turned his head, focusing his eyes on mine.

"What are you gonna do to Katrina?" he asked, his voice shaking.

"Katrina will be punished for keeping secrets from us, and for exposing her wings when she knew she shouldn't. I'm sorry you had to see the bad side of me and your uncle." I forced a smile on my lips. Poor kids. They must be scared to death.

"I know," Andie said. She glanced at Andrew. "Is Mommy gonna kill Katrina?"

"No, no." I couldn't help but laugh. "Max - I mean, you're momma is not going to kill Katrina. I'll make sure of that."

-Max POV-

Paula grinned, looking at the view from the moutaintop. "There it is!" She pointed to a city in the valley. "It'll only take... maybe three days?"

"Three days?" I repeated, walking forward to stand on the cliff beside her. The city was too far away to see any people, you could hardly see any houses.

"It won't be as long as you think," Paula said. She caught my glare and said, "Max, we'll find Nick. I won't stop searching until we find him. I promise, and I never break a promise." I didn't say anything, but sighed and looked at the town below. All I could do is pray that Fang is down there. I wish I still had my wings...

"She never breaks a promise, Max," Sam said. Paula turned and walked to Sam, leaving me alone on the cliff. "We better get going if we want to find a place for a camp before dark." I caught a touch of sadness in his voice, but no worry.

I nodded and turned to walk away from a cliff, but froze at a loud crack! that echoed in the valley. Before I could respond, the ground below me crumbled and I went tumbling down the cliff!

me: Hope you liked it!

Angel: MAX!

Total: Poor Andie and Andrew!

me: Hope you had a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year! Please tell me I'm not the only one nervous about 2011... R&R?