First off:

I'm sorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry! REALLY! But you have to wait to understand it! I DO NOT REVEAL MY SECRETS!

To some of my err…more frightening reviewers:
HalesXxGriffiths …you know, Hate is a really strong word…-gulps- don't kill me….

Constant-Rae-of-Sunshine BUT SHE IS THE ENEMY! DID YOU MISS THE POINT IN THAT? ENEMY!

Flocklover19 No. You can't. No one can, except some people who know me so well they can read my thoughts (not kidding with one person…creepy). Seriously, to see what is coming, you'd need to know how my mind works and I don't know how it works. Heck, I don't think ANYONE knows how it works. I mean, even God is probably going, "UH…what?" So don't get too upset.

5253racer Really? Because apparently no one else likes me anymore –pointed glances- So I'm honored you still like it!

Babyixilyx3 Uh…what? That was gibberish and awesome!

Drama XXX I said I would, didn't I? –leans over to Jio and mutters, "Didn't I?"- -he nods- OKAY! YUP! I DID! :P

Girlgirl3432 I know, just wait until you read this chappie!

Crawdad90 Thanks for not murdering me! And anyways, uh…you guys do realize that they are siblings right? Just checking here.

Doesn't mean nothing will happen….patience, grasshoppers, patience.

I always wanted to say that.

NOW! I know you've all been waiting SOOOOO (im)patiently to get to the dang chapter already, so here it is: WOOT WOOT!

MAX

I tapped lightly on Fang's door. "Hey, uh…Fang?"

He was sitting at the window. God, that was the one thing about him I could still connect to. It was like…he'd been on my side before, but now…he didn't need me. Or want me, it seemed half the time. I was just…there. We barely talked, compared to how much we'd been together before.

He turned. "Yeah?"

"Uh…" I shifted my eyes down. "Dinner is ready."

"Oh, okay." He stood up and headed to the door.

I stood there uncomfortably, unsure of what to do-slink away with my head down or stay and wait for him, like I used to do.

He sighed impatiently. "What's up?

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean that you're standing in my doorway looking like a fool."

"With my pants on the ground?" I snapped coldly.

He smirked. "So you saw that too. How incredibly idiotic."

"Whatever," I walked away, feeling just a little bit broken-hearted. He came down a minute or two later and circled around the seat I'd saved him for the one by Iggy and Ella (who might have a thing…I could never be sure…). Nudge took his place by me. I ate my food quickly and quietly and sulked back upstairs to my room.

I tried to go to sleep.

But sleep wouldn't come.

The clock times ticked by: 7, 7:30, 8, 8:45. Mom and the kids came in to say goodnight. 9, 9:20. Dad came in and kissed my forehead. 10, 10:57. Fang never came to talk to me.

12, 12:23, 12:34. I sighed and dragged myself to the living room, where the piano sat. Mom kept it downstairs, far from the rooms for specifically this reason. She understood that sometimes we just couldn't sleep and needed to get it all out. We could bang on the keys as hard as we wanted when mad and no one would stir. We could play as loud as we wanted. No one would bat an eye.

I played softly, though, singing along with the song.

Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
They tell me your blue skies fade to gray
They tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carryin' on

FANG

I leaned in the doorway of the living room, listening to Max. I wanted to talk to her, but I didn't know what to say now. Should I apologize for beginning to talk? It almost seemed like that's what she wanted-for me to stop talking again. I just couldn't see why. Didn't she want this?

You stand in the line just to hit a new low
You're faking a smile with the coffee you go
You tell me your life's been way off line
You're falling to pieces every time
And I don't need no carryin' on

Because you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day

No, I guess not. She wanted me to open up, but it wasn't going to happen. So now, I was playing normal boy, and…well, that's where my answer ended. I could just ask her…

Yeah, right.

Will you need a blue sky holiday?
The point is they laugh at what you say

And I don't need no carryin' on
You had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day

I guess I could ask. I mean, I'm right here, she's right here, it would be so easy. But I just couldn't. We'd…separated, and I didn't know how to close the gap again.


Sometimes the system goes on the blink
And the whole thing turns out wrong
You might not make it back and you know
That you could be well oh that strong
And I'm not wrong

I stood and watched her silently. She never guessed I was there.

So where is the passion when you need it the most
Oh you and I
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost

Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
You've seen what you like
And how does it feel for one more time
You had a bad day
You had a bad day

I slid back down the hall a few feet in case she was leaving, but instead she just sat there. I heard a small gasp and realized she was crying. I took a step forward just as Iggy crept into the room, oblivious to me (for once I was glad he was blind.)

He draped an arm over her shoulders and she fell into him, crying. "I don't know what I did wrong," she whispered. "It's like he can't stand me anymore. What did I do?"

"I don't think you did anything Max," he answered softly. "This one's all on him."

MAX
"How so?" I whimpered.

"If you ask me, I think Fang has just been so anti-social for so long, that he needs to make his identity now. Give him some space."

"I try to," I blubbered. "But it's like he doesn't need me anymore. We were-but now we're just-I don't know, okay? I just don't know."

"You know," he said idly after a few minutes, "This is the first time you've cried in…forever."

"I don't do that much," I swiped the last tears off of my cheeks. "Thanks, Iggy. Now go get some shut eye. Good thing it's a Friday, or we'd be so late tomorrow."

"Yeah." He stood up, hugged me lightly, and went to bed. I crept to my room and found a note stuck to my door. Fang's sloppy handwriting. I do need you. But Ig is right, in a way. I need space too. Sorry. –Fang

Whatever. I crumpled it, tossed it into the trash, and flopped on my bed, letting the tears loose again.

FANG

I listened to Max cry in the room beside me. I'd been doing some thinking. She was my foster sister. I shouldn't feel that way about her. I mean, we weren't related, but we lived together and that could put her in danger from…some people from my past.

Maybe I could do something to…I don't know, separate myself from her.

I must have drifted off, because I blinked and it was 9:30 in the morning. I jumped up. I'd had an epiphany. I knew exactly how to distance myself. I went to find my cell phone and dialed a number scribbled onto a notebook page in my jeans pocket from yesterday.

"Hey, Estelle? It's Nick. Uh, Nick Ride. Want to meet up at the mall?"

…

"Okay. I'll see you in ten."

Later Max. Goodbye Fang, hello Nick.