~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Fang P.O.V~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After I couldn't see Max's outline, even with the raptor vision, I sat on the edge of the cave mouth and watched the moon for what seemed like hours but in actuality it probably wasn't more than thirty minutes or so. This definitely did NOT go as planned, I thought to myself as I ran a hand through my dirty black hair. What was I supposed to do now? Follow her? After several heartbeats of silence my phone rang. Once I managed to get the damn thing out of my pocket and check the caller ID I took one look at the screen and threw it. Maya. I did NOT need her bullshit right now. After that I don't know how long I laid there, silently kicking myself before a heartbreakingly familiar scream of pain pierced the silence, causing birds in the nearby trees to scatter. In a matter of milliseconds I launched myself off the cliff and into the air towards the sound.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Max P.O.V~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I can't believe the nerve of that guy. After everything he's done he expects to fix it with a few nice words and a kiss!? I mean, sure I'd missed kissing him like that but a kiss couldn't fix my broken heart or Iggy's or anyone else's for that matter. Sometimes I wonder why I fell for him in the first place. He's a brooding teenage boy with a serious hormonal problem and thinks that anything he's broken, can be fixed with an apology and empty words (granted he doesn't talk much so it means something it just isn't enough).I had been so preoccupied with the internal battle in my head, I hadn't noticed the report of a pistol from somewhere below me.
Although I may not have heard it, I sure as hell felt it as it pierced my thigh just above my knee. I screamed in pain sending birds flying off in every direction. I managed to get as far as a nearby cliff before I started to see stars, and not the real ones in the sky. As soon as I landed I felt dizzy and it took all the strength I had in my bird-kid muscles to pull off my jacket and press the material over the gushing hole in my leg. "Shit." I mumbled as the fabric almost immediately soaked through. I needed help and of course with my stupid luck the only person near enough to make it in time was Fang. After the stars cleared a bit, I found my phone and dialed his number. It rang, and rang, and rang. Voicemail. I tried again with the same result. Frustrated I returned the phone to my pocket and scanned the area around me. Five minutes later my jacket was completely soaked and I tossed it aside. I was losing too much blood. I laid down on the dirt and tried to calm myself. Before I knew it I was slipping into cold darkness.
When I woke up I immediately bolted upright only to receive a massive wave of nausea and pain in my left leg. A strong hand gently pushed me back down onto the pillow. "Calm down Max. Everything is fine." That voice. Oh no. Oh hell no. I had to get out of here. I finally opened my eyes and winced at the bright light of the room. "Fang where am I." I demanded, as harshly as I could sound in my current state.
"The hospital." Was his only reply. With a frustrated huff I closed my eyes again.
"You know I hate hospitals. What the hell?" I accused, my signature scowl creeping into my voice. The antiseptic smell assaulted my nose and made my head throb with even more intensity than before and I winced.
"Max? What's wrong?" Fang asked, completely ignoring my question as soon as I showed signs of pain. "Do you need more pain medicine?"
I couldn't help but chuckle weakly at that. "Pain meds and I don't really mix Fang. You know better." I replied smirking, dodging his question as he had mine. "I'm fine. Can I leave now?"
I heard a strangled cough by the door and opened my eyes to see a very worried flock in the doorway. "Can we come in?" they asked and I nodded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Fang P.O.V~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After I found Max unconscious in a growing pool of her own blood I panicked and took her to the nearest hospital. She was out of it for almost five hours and I was starting to think she wasn't going to wake up. I held her hand lightly as she laid there. At some point I fell asleep in my chair beside her and didn't realize it until she jolted upright with a strangled noise. I gently removed my hand from hers and pushed her back down onto the bed. Now the flock was here and they wanted to see her. I excused myself into the hallway and leaned against the wall beside the door frame. It's completely cliché to think this was my fault but I couldn't help the little bit of guilt forming in the pit of my stomach. If I hadn't asked her to meet me and then pissed her off she'd be home safe with the others. I sighed and hit my head against the wall and dragged a hand over my face before heading down to the cafeteria.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Iggy P.O.V~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At first I didn't believe he had the nerve to call me, but sure enough, the third time he called, I picked up. "What do you want, Fang?" I asked coldly, knowing Max had gone to meet him and she was probably pissed as hell and I wouldn't be surprised if she cried all night tonight. The asshole…
"Max is hurt. Meet me at the hospital." Fang said into the phone and by the strain in his voice I knew it wasn't pretty.
"Give me thirty minutes." I replied and hung up before shouting at everyone to get into the living room. Once everyone had gathered I told them what happened and then turned to Dylan. "I think it's best you stay here and watch the house. Whoever shot Max may still be looking for us and I'm not exactly sure how well Max would take the stress if you showed up." He looked pretty peeved but nodded and went to his room. I loaded everyone into the car and Nudge drove (yes it was terrifying but I don't drive well at night. Or at least not as well as during the day.) When we finally made it to the hospital I didn't even wait for Nudge to park before I opened the door and hightailed it inside. Max and I had gotten very close since Fang and Ella left. We supported each other and it was easy to talk about how we felt since the feelings of betrayal and hurt were very similar. Even before all that though, I would've been worried as hell. Max was like a sister, mom, and best friend all in one she meant a lot to all of us. When I finally found her room, the scene before me made me sick. She laid there hooked up to an I.V and several machines. Worst of all, Fang was there looking completely helpless as she verbally beat him up about taking her to the hospital. I missed the way things were before we found out Jeb was alive. Before Fang left, and before Angel was taken. We all missed her terribly and there were days when we didn't think we'd ever see her again and it made me think of Fang. He wouldn't give up until he found her. Normally Max wouldn't either but she was different without her right-wing man. I made a strangled noise that sounded somewhat like a cough to let them know we were in the doorway. Fang left, leaving us alone with Max. I went to her side but only to find she'd fallen asleep again. We stood around her bed and Gazzy curled up beside her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Max P.O.V~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The flock came and sat around my bed and I felt bad because as soon as Fang left it was like I couldn't hold on to consciousness anymore and I drifted under again. I had several nightmares in quick succession. Some were of Angel, some of Fang, and a few of the flock. I was way stressed and it was definitely starting to get to me. When I finally woke up again, Gazzy was curled up and sleeping next to me, Iggy was passed out in a chair by the window, Nudge was sitting on the floor leaned up against his chair, also dozing. The only person awake was Fang who was in his chair by my bed again, his hand on my shoulder, gently shaking me awake and handing me a plate of food which I immediately took and started wolfing down. What can I say? Bird-kids gotta eat too.
A/N: I know this one is shorter but I wanted to get it up tonight before I went to bed. I'm SOOOOO sorry I haven't updated in FOR FREAKING EVER. Don't kill me please :O I sorta lost my inspiration and then I was dealing with some family issues for a while. But I'm back and I'm going to try again. Please review! I need critique to continue this story.