Chapter 12

It only took us about four hours to get to Arizona from where we were but it seemed longer, what with Total constantly whining about being tired and having to be carried. And my mind kept on traveling to Fang, to where he was and to what he was being put through.

As soon as we landed, I saw someone peek out from behind a curtain- it was my sister ELLA!!! Just as I was making sure the flock was alright, my mum –Dr Martinez- with Ella on her heels burst through the door and nearly bowled me over as they tried to hug me.

"Oh my God! Max, what are you doing here?" that was Ella.

"Aren't I allowed to visit my mum and sister?" was my oh-so light-hearted reply, though I was still panicky and scared on the inside. That was when I saw mum doing a head-count.

"Honey, where's Fang?" mum asked with concern in her eyes.

"They…they…t-took him a-and we couldn't g-go after him because he d-didn't w-want them to… to find-out," I managed to get out through the tears and the sobs wracking their way through my body. Mum came back over to me and gave me a hug, I seriously had no idea as to why I was crying so much lately, I never cry. That was when she stiffened for a reason which was unknown to me and pulled away.

"Max," mum said in a tight voice, through clenched teeth.

"Yeah?" I asked curiously, as she looked me up and down, her eyes lingering on my stomach. Then it hit me, it was merely hours ago, that Fang -I thought painfully- and I had spoken about how I was showing. One of the reasons I was here, was to tell mum I was pregnant and ask for her advice. I decided to tell mum before she could actually ask.

"Mum, before you say anything, I need to talk to you," so I grabbed her hand and walked out of the hearing range of the flock and Ella.

"Max, is…" I put my hand up for her to stop talking; I had to tell her before I could change my mind. Not that I had any choice.

"Please don't say anything until I've finished, I need to tell you something and it won't be easy- for me to tell you and for you to hear- but just hear me out okay?" I said in a rush. Mum nodded in reply and prompted for me to continue.

"I… Fang and I have… had started ding, er, stuff, going further with our relationship and well, we were being careful but something happened and uh…" Fang wasn't there to tell her for me, 'Mum, I'm Pregnant." I sighed, resigned.

"Oh honey," mum came closer to me, holding onto my shoulders, "I thought as much, you're showing, you know?" Mum told me quite matter of factly, her voice only filled with love and care for my well being. Then she hugged me once again.

"How long have you known?" she asked me, "you must be a fair way along to be showing as much as you are and I guess I haven't seen you in a while…" I looked at her, my mouth flailing like a fish out of water, not knowing what to say. "I found out last week, I'm two months along," now it was mums turn to gape at me.

"B-but Max!" mum gasped, "women don't normally start showing until they're about four, five or even more months along."

"And I'm just the perfect picture of normal, aren't I?" I added sarcastically. I'd come to her for reassurance, for her to say that I was normal and that there was nothing wrong with my pregnancy but all I'd gotten was enough information to tell me that I wasn't normal… not at all. I put on my mask of tough invincibility but inside I was worried and most of all scared. It was obvious that the avian DNA in both Fang and I had messed with our reproduction, but I was scared to find out as to what extent it would go to. Would our child have other traits of a bird, not wings? Would it have a beak? Would it be normal or would it be a deformed part bird child. I shuddered to think. Mum was trying to talk t me through my internal worries and I'd only realized once she'd started shaking me. Once I'd focused on her I'd realized that she had a very concerned expression on her face. She repeated the question that I hadn't heard the first time.

"Do you think this is why they took Fang?"

so....-nervous laugh- i know you proboably all hate me for not updating in so long... sadly i don't lave a legitimate excuse other than the fact that 3 weeks ago i had my deb... yeah that's not a good excuse- sue me...

I wanted to say a BIG thanks to everyone who has reviewed... i'm ecstatic to know that you guys actually enjoy reading my story...

I hope this chapter was worth the wait and i PROMISE the next chapter won't take as long as this one did...

R&R 'cos you love me...