Hey everybody! Just so you know, I changed my pen name to LaughingSenselessly because... I felt like it. So don't be like WTH/WTF (depending on the severity of your swearing vocabulary) when ya see it.

The inn's continental breakfast consisted of a box of stale bagels and fun-size packages of butter and cream cheese, and we all fell on it like hyenas. The staff member on duty looked pretty alarmed when we finished off the fifth box, and was probably thinking of charging us more. We took off pretty quick then.

Because of Fang's ground-bound members, we couldn't fly, and that was enough in itself to make me grumpy. What made me grumpier was Maya and Fang talking to each other. I mean, honestly! Plus, it painfully reminded me of days when Fang and I had been like that, leaders of the flock and best friends. Now, I was watching Maya take my place. As we walked, and Maya laughed- God, I don't laugh that high-pitched, do I?- I clenched my fists, feeling my anger starting to build.

And without any outlet, I was going to explode pretty soon.

"Max." I turned my head to see Dylan's warm blue eyes. "So where are we going? And why are we here anyway?"

I gulped, remembering my promise to Fang last night. "We're just looking for some place to hang, I think. I, uh-" I looked away, "have something to say when we get there."

Dylan shrugged. "Okay." He grinned, and his adorable smile made my heart all aflutter. For God's sake, why was I so lovey-dovey emotional these days? I needed to get a grip. Now. He lowered his voice so it wouldn't reach the others. "As long as we're together, it'll be okay."

Unfortunately, Dylan hadn't thought of the fact that Ratchet could hear whispers from miles away, so Dylan's romantic comment was probably like speaker feedback to his ears. Ratchet glanced at us from where he was walking with Star, giving me a weird look, and I felt myself blush furiously.

Dylan didn't seem to see this, just smiled to himself and squeezed my hand. I squeezed back halfheartedly.

"Are we going to plan how we're gonna take down the DG?" Iggy asked suddenly. I was suddenly glad for some reason that he couldn't see me holding Dylan's hand. I obviously had some issues to work out here.

"No," I replied shortly.

Iggy grinned. "That's my favourite type of plan-The no prior planning plan!"

"No, as in we're not talking about DG right now," I said back. "We're just looking for some place quiet to chill."

Just then, Fang glanced behind him. His face instantly darkened at the sight of me and Dylan, but he didn't say anything about it. Even though I was supposedly over him, I still felt guilty. He just nodded his head to a small field of abandoned grass- large enough for everyone to sit comfortably on, though. I nodded back; we'd walking to the edge of the small town and there wasn't a lot of people around.

After the group had settled into the grass, I wrenched my hand from Dylan's and stood to face the group, mainly my flock.

I took a deep breath. Beforehand, I'd mentally prepared a speech to hopefully dull the effect of delivering my news. But now, looking at their expectant faces, I decided it was best to just get it over with.

"My expiration date showed up," I said with my usual subtlety. "A couple days ago." And then, because my throat had decided to block on me, I just turned around and lifted my hair. I heard a few sharp intakes of breath behind me.

I turned back. There was a small pause of silence. Then Nudge burst into tears and ran to hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, fighting back my own traitorous tears. I stroked her hair for a moment, then lifted my gaze to look at everyone else's reactions.

Gazzy's face crumpled, and he looked down, trying to be strong, but there was no stopping the tears that leaked out. Iggy put his face in his hands. The earth-bound members of Fang's gang looked sympathetic. Maya looked totally shocked. Fang looked... like, well, Fang. No expression change whatsoever. That had been expected.

What hadn't been expected was Dylan's wail. It could only be described as a wail- He wasn't shouting or anything, just expressing his pain. Oh god, I felt so bad for him. I felt more sympathy for him than I did for myself.

Dylan's hands were tightly clenched in his hair, his blue eyes searching me. "Nooo!" He wailed, and leaped up. Before I could say anything- not that I'd had anything planned to say- He'd launched himself into the sky, his magnificent dark brown wings flapping him higher and higher, and he soared off into the distance as I watched.

I'd braced myself to have him weep, hug me, kiss me, or just stand there and ask me if it were all real. I hadn't prepared what would happen if he just took off. I'd never thought he'd be the type to run away from a problem, but apparently I was wrong. I shook my head; I had other people, people I'd known far longer, who cared about me and I had to answer to them.

"Why is this happening? What's going to happen to us?" Gazzy cried, coming closer to take my other hand that wasn't wrapped around Nudge.

I stroked Nudge's hair, making sure my hands didn't tremble. After I'd gotten a grip, I spoke in my best Mother Max voice. "Fang will take care of you all. You don't need to worry. He'll take care of you. It'll be just the same. You won't even notice I'm not there."

Nudge pulled back for a moment to look me in the face. Her face was tear stained and splotchy, and I tenderly wiped away a tear rolling down her mocha-coloured cheek. "You lie so well," she said, her lip trembling.

I didn't want to see her expressive eyes anymore, so I pushed her head back into my chest. So I wouldn't have to see them. I glanced over to the rest of the group, sitting somberly. "Go... go find some place for lunch," I said as steadily as I could to Fang. "I'm going to try and find Dylan."

His face gave nothing away, really, but I knew him so well I could read the tightening of the skin around his eyes and the slight wrinkle between his eyebrows. "You do that," he replied flatly.

I disengaged myself from my flock's arms, and whipped my wings out. "I'll go, then," I said briskly, trying to keep myself strong. I would cry when I was alone, flying.

And so, without giving a look back, I jumped and flew into the morning sky.

R & R guys! More chapters coming soon! :D