A/N: Okay this chapter's mostly FAX as well, but it's all necessary in the scheme of things, so for anyone looking for action, don't lose hope! I apologize for any Fang OOCness, but it is and was kinda necessary. I really don't know how I am as a writer, so any review saying anything would be more than welcome! I hope you enjoy…(and I cant figure out how to upload this little bar thing, so I'm just going to use these ooooooooooo's)

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The next morning Fang and I explained to the flock what our plan was. We were going to head north to follow the few leads we had on our parents.

"You guys about ready?" I asked the flock. We needed to leave soon if we were going to cover any substantial amount of ground before nightfall.

The five other members of my flock slowly made their way over to where I was standing in the middle of the little clearing we had deemed home the last three days. They each had an overflowing backpack and a look of excitement on their faces, other than Iggy and Fang that is. Iggy wasn't all that excited about our new mission seeing as how things went with his parents. But Gazzy insisted that if we found his parents that Iggy would stay with him; the two boys were kind of attached (probably because of their shared interest in exploding objects). Although Iggy seemed a bit uncomfortable with this idea, he didn't altogether reject it. Fang on the other hand, just outright didn't want to find his parents, claiming they would probably turn out to be jerks. But I could tell it was something more. I had the feeling he wasn't ready to integrate with mainstream society, if he could at all. I had this feeling too, because I felt the same way.

"Alright guys, we're going to head north. I apologize in advance because I know this is going to be a long day. I just want to try and cover as much ground as possible today." I told the Flock. I honestly just wanted to get as far away from here as possible. In my opinion we'd spent way too much time down here, and I just couldn't wait to get out.

"U and A" I called out, and simultaneously each member of my flock rapidly ascended up towards the cloudy sky. It'd been three days since we'd flown, and the moment I felt the cool rush of air against my skin, I decided three days too long.

I had my eyes closed and was following the sound of the flock to guide me as I flew, wishing to be nowhere else but here, when my tranquil thoughts were interrupted.

"Storms inevitable" Fang said flying up next to me. I would have been mad at the interrupter had it been anyone else other than Fang. But the instant my eyes hit his mesmerizing brown ones, my anger quickly dissipated. Did I just say he had mesmerizing brown eyes? Since when is Fang mesmerizing? He's dark and brooding. Focus Max!

"I know" I said.

"We should land soon." he replied, stating the obvious. I looked back at the clouds and decided soon wasn't soon enough, it looked like it was about to rain any second. Looking down I saw a small town to my left.

"Descend nine o'clock. I'll head, Fang bring up the back" I ordered. Each of the flock quickly snapped out of their various thoughts to look up at the sky and nod in acquiescence. I began to rapidly descend heading towards the deserted parking lot of a shopping center. I landed with a slight thud on the pavement to only be greeted with a downpour of rain. This wasn't any downpour of rain either; this was a full-fledged town-flooding monster downpour. I turned around to watch the rest of the flock land.

Angel came first, her blond tendrils flying in the wind, landing with the softest of thuds. Next came Gazzy and Nudge, and then Iggy landing with such precision it would make one question his sure blindness. Last was Fang. I watched as he folded in his pitch black wings and landed with grace that I only dream of possessing.

"Follow me" I yelled, I had to yell in order to be heard over the roar of the wind and the pounding of the rain. I ran towards a group of stores where there was a most reluctant overhang barely holding its ground in the wind.

Once we reached our destination under the overhang I looked around at my flock and immediately began cracking up. I looked at Angel whose blond curls were plastered in front of her face like cousin it, than to Nudge who held the same appearance. Both Iggy and Gazzy looked deeply disgruntled, with there clothes plastered to their bodies. But what really made me laugh was when I took a glance at Fang. His unkempt messy hair was plastered in front of his eyes, no doubt seriously impairing his vision, making him look like a shaggy dog.

"Y-you look like a sh-shaggy dog!" I managed to say between bouts of laughter. The other four flock members all turned to take a look at the usually so serious looking Fang, and all began laughing as well.

Fang glared at me, than added, "At least I don't look like I wet cat…meow" Yes Fang actually meowed, making me laugh even harder. Out of the corner of my eye I was able to see a few pedestrians staring at the six soaked and hysterically laughing kids; we must be quite the site.

"Well now what?" asked Iggy, setting the tone serious again. I made a 360 scan of my surroundings and spotted a motel across the street. Our choices were either try to find a forest of sorts where we could spend a night miserable in the rain, or take advantage of the motel across the street. Noticing where I was looking, Nudge immediately piped up…here we go.

"A motel! Oh, can we Max? Please? It would be so nice to stay in a motel for a change. There would be beds! And Blankets! And real bathrooms! Oh, Max we could take showers, and we-"

"Nudge! Yes, we can stay in a motel tonight." As much as I hate being around other people, my paranoia would have to take a number for the night, because we really didn't have much choice; and with all the bambi eyes I was getting there was no way I could so no. I glanced at Fang who I noticed was getting the full effect of the bambi eyes as well (he was such a sucker for them), and he nodded.

"Alright guys, one…two…three!" The six of us sprinted across the street, getting drenched in the process once again, and through the motel doors. The clerk at the desk gave us the up and down upon our entry and just shook his head, probably thinking we were all lost cause runaways or something.

"How many?" he said.

"Excuse me?"

"How many rooms?" He replied, skipping any and all introductions. I looked to Fang and he just shrugged his shoulders. Much help he is.

"Uh, I guess we'll take three of your cheapest." I decided. There was no reason to spend any unnecessary money.

"Alright, that'll be seventy-seven dollars, here's your keys." He said, handing me three different keys. I paid with our credit card and didn't bother waiting for the receipt. When we got to the rooms I stood in front of them with the three keys.

"Can Nudge and I share a room please? It'll be just like it was in our old room we used to share!" Angel asked me giving me the bambi eyes for the second time today.

"Fine, but you two better be good, and be on alert! You never know…" I said, giving in and handing them the key to the first room.

"I guess me and Ig'll share then. Thanks Max!" Gazzy said, snatching the key out of my hand before I could even make up my mind. The two of them ran into the second room, but not before smirking at Fang and I, and saying something under their breath that made them break into hysterical giggle's. This made me blush when I looked at Fang.

"Alright, I guess we're in here" I said turning towards the third room. The two of us walked in, in silence. I dropped my backpack on the bed, and then took a double take. Great, one bed, as if it wasn't weird enough already! I tried to hide my shock and laughed instead looking at Fang.

"What?" he asked slightly annoyed.

"You still look like a wet dog."

"And you still look like a wet cat" He retorted with a smirk, and I swear I heard a "meow" under his breath. I began laughing harder when a sudden yet familiar explosion of pain hit my head. I doubled over on the floor grasping my hands to the side of my head. The pain was unbearable, coursing through every fiber of my being. I couldn't contain myself anymore and let out a heart shattering scream. At the same time I felt strong arms wrap around me and pick me up. I could faintly hear words spoken in the background, though I could not make them out. I instantly welcomed the warmth they provided. This thought was quickly wiped form my head when a new wave of pain came, stronger than the previous. The pain was so enormous, I found myself wishing to die – anything that would make the pain go away, it was horrible! I vaguely remember my toes curling up and my knees drawing into to my chest before I blacked out.

"Max! O God, come on Max! You can make it through this! Wake up!" I could vaguely make out the anguished cries of a smooth and husky voice. It didn't sound right, for whoever this was to be so anguished.

"It's ok…" I said in a barely audibly mumble.

"Oh Max, you're ok! What happened?" That's when I noticed it was Fang who I was talking to. And then I remembered. We were joking, and then the pain, and then the warm arms, and then more pain, and finally everything went black.

I couldn't hold it in anymore and began to cry. I curled up in Fangs arms and grabbed his shirt, sobbing into it. He wrapped his arms solidly around my waist.

"Its ok Max…you're ok now" He said

"Oh God Fang, that was worse than any of the others!" I sobbed

"Brain explosion?" He questioned. I nodded my head in response. My sobs began to subside as I sat curled up in his lap. We sat in silence for a few minutes, him rubbing my back to calm me. He was the first to break the silence. "You scared the shit out of me Max." Okay not quite what I was expecting. I lifted my head off his chest to meet his gaze.

"I'm sorry" I mumbled.

"Are you okay?" He asked

"I think so" Other than feeling completely wiped out, I was relatively okay, and definitely scared. Thinking back to the pain, I let out a few silent tears fall down my cheeks.

Seeing this, Fang removed one of his arms from around my waist and wiped away my tears with his thumb. After the initial shock of witnessing Fang do something sentimental, I closed my eyes, taking in the full force of his touch. And than I felt his lips on mine. They were soft and warm, and more than welcome at the moment. Although I didn't quite know how I felt about Fang, I did know that right now I wanted his lips on mine. In response to his kiss I reached my hands up around his neck, running them through his hair. At this gesture he deepened the kiss, filling it with more passion than I thought Fang was ever capable of feeling. I felt his tongue press against my mouth, and immediately opened mine, allowing for an even deeper kiss. I quickly repositioned myself, so I was basically straddling his lap and he pulled me closer towards him. Our lips were moving in sync and I felt his hands at the bottom of my shirt circling my waist; I eagerly welcomed the feel of his warm skin against mine. And then we broke apart.

Our foreheads were touching, and we were both breathing heavy, and that's when it hit me just how tired I was. The whole brain explosion thing had completely wiped me out. Fang leaned back and looked at my face and noticed the exhaustion as well. He picked me up bridal style, pulled the covers back on the bed, and placed me under them.

"I'll take the floor" he said. Was he crazy? There was no way I was letting him sleep on the floor, after the long flight we'd had today. I'd take it.

"No way" I mumbled, making a move to get up from the bed. He placed his hands firmly on my shoulders keeping me pinned to the bed.

"I don't think so," he said, "you're exhausted."

"Then stay" I replied, shocked at my own forwardness; I blame it on the exhaustion. He smiled at my request (a very rare occurrence for Fang – he who shows no emotion), and lay down in the bed next to me. I turned over so I was pressed against his body and lay my hand and head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around my waist pressing me even closer, than kissed my forehead.

"Good night Max"

"Good night Fang" I said, and fell asleep snuggling (yes I said it, snuggling) next to Fang; the last way I ever expected to end this night: in complete shock.