Capri's Note: Thanks for the reviews. Sorry for the wait! It's short, I know and I apologize! I'll hopefully have a longer and more detailed chapter up over break!

Disneydork and MRACR: I think you're the only reviewers where each time I read one of your reviews, I burst out laughing. Your rants are welcomed greatly. Thank you for keeping me entertained in your reviews and for your support!

Mouse: I crack up when I read your reviews, not out of humor but because you get ahead of me most of the time. There is an explanation for the Shadows, but I haven't gotten it to it yet. It will come, I promise. Haha. As for Iggy, it's been over four years and he's matured quite a bit. He's always been stubborn, but he's also been a quick learner and very rational. I do very much enjoy our little conversations, don't you? It's pretty enlightening.

Reviews are love, people.

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Chapter Eight

It frustrated Max to no end when she got back to where she left Fang and he wasn't there. She took off in the direction where she felt he headed. After minutes of no luck, she through her hands up exasperated and headed back to the flock. She hadn't taken a mere few steps before she caught site of Fang sitting on a tree branch staring blankly into the sky. She quickly made her way over and was grateful for the fact that the branch was only about ten feet off the ground.

"Fang!" she slapped his hanging sneaker, causing his black eyes to flicker to hers. "We have to leave."

"Why?" Fang made no move to get down.

"Something happened to Angel," Max explained, wiping the invisible sweat from her forehead. "She said she saw someone and I think she had a brain attack, but it could've been something else. I don't know, but we have to leave. It doesn't feel right and we probably should get going anyway."

"Okay," he nodded. "Give me details in the car."

She nodded in agreement. In a swift movement that made Max dizzy, Fang leapt to the ground and started back towards the others, leaving her standing there like an idiot. Grunting, she followed, stomping somewhat like a little child the whole way back. She felt it necessary. Fang decided to call her on it halfway back.

"How long are you going to pout like a three year old?"

Scowling, she shot back, "I am not pouting!"

He could only direct a finger at her face to prove his point. She scrunched up her nose in a very un-Max-like gesture, trying her best to look pissed off. After a short glaring contest, Max turned on her heel and kept on walking. Fang rolled his eyes but followed close behind anyway. When the two reached camp, Gazzy was standing next to Nudge who was struggling under Angel's weight. Fang hurried over and took the unconscious girl from a grateful Nudge.

"Where are Iggy and Rae?" Max looked around and found no sign of them.

"They're packing the things in the SUV," Gazzy said. "Iggy wanted me to tell you and only you that when we get to the next town, he'd talk to Rae."

Max groaned and hung her head slightly. Sighing, she nodded and protectively took Angel from Fang. Rae finished packing up the last of the things while Iggy slowly made his way to where Fang, Max and the others stood.

"I know, I know," Iggy said to Max's oncoming lecture. "She's going to stay with us until we get to the next town. That way she'll at least have some idea of where she is. I don't want her to leave from the middle of nowhere and risk the chance of getting lost. I don't want her to leave at all, but hey, it's for the better."

Max ached for her friend as she watched him sulk back over to where Rae patiently stood beside the car. She hated having to be the one to tell Ig that Rae couldn't tag along anymore and hated it even more that it would hurt him not to have her by his side at all times. Shaking her head absently she gently laid Angel in the front seat of Fang's truck and gathered the flock together.

"Max and I are going to take Angel and follow you guys," Fang told the others. "We're going to keep our distance until we get to the next town. If you see anything or need anything, just radio us."

They all nodded in agreement and with Max telling them to be careful and stay safe one more time, they all got into their separate cars. Fang and Max waited until they could barely see Rae's car before they loaded up in Fang's truck and drove off. Max cradled Angel to her chest tightly, stroking her blonde hair as they drove.

"What exactly happened, Max?" Fang asked finally.

Max sighed. "Angel said she saw something...someone. Someone she couldn't have seen."

"Who?"

She didn't answer right away. Instead she stared out the car window and hugged Angel tighter to her chest. Fang leaned over and placed his hand on her knee.

"Max," he waited until she turned back to look at him. "Who?"

"Total." She rubbed a hand over her face and slowly shifted so Angel was lying on the seat beside her, her head resting on Max's leg.

"Where is Total?" he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Dead," Max swallowed. "He fell. A year ago. Angel and the others were out flying, Angel insisted on holding him and he fell. They spent days searching for him, but never found anything. She still blames herself. She changes a little bit more each day and not always for the best. She keeps to herself, she barely ever says anything and when she does it's like she's speaking in riddles that are far beyond our knowledge. She's always been a mystery, but lately it's been getting worse."

She closed her eyes and rested her head against the seat. Fang, his hand still on her knee, swerved the truck at the absurd thought that dared enter his mind. Max quirked an eyebrow and smirked at his blank and a little embarrassed expression. He quietly cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably.

"Look, Max," he started, not meeting her penetrating eyes. "About before…last night…" she gave him a moment to gather his thoughts. His eyes slowly glazed over, clearly deep in thought. "I saw you everyday."

She frowned at this. "What do you mean?"

"Your eyes, your face, the way you play with your hair when you're nervous," he shook his head painfully. "I saw your face over and over in my head. For four years I saw you and for four years I fought the irresistible urge to go back."

Her voice was just barely above a whisper when she spoke. "Why didn't you? Come back, I mean?"

"I couldn't, Max," he stole a glance at her. "If I left without warning they would've found me and I would've led them right to you and the others. The second year I was away, I started looking for an out. Looking for breaks in the wall that would let me get away safely and go back to you and the flock, but there was nothing. As soon as they threw me out onto the street, I knew it was only a matter of time before they found you. I looked day and night until I was weak in the knees. I hadn't slept but I had to get to you before they did. The thought of them…reaching you…" his hands tightened on the steering wheel and the truck accelerated much too quickly. His jaw was clenched so tight Max thought he might chip a tooth if he kept it up.

"Fang, relax," Max squeezed his arm lightly and that seemed to calm him. The car slowed back down to a normal pace and Fang's veins stopped their pulsing.

He looked down at her hand on his forearm, so delicate and frail. To his surprise he longed to take it in his own. The thought made him snap his attention back to the road and shrug away from Max to place one hand on the wheel and the other out the open window. His mind whirled as he watched Max from the corner of his eye; her hand softly stroking back Angel's blond curls while her own hair was being blown about in the wind.

The last time he was really able to look at her, watch her, was over four years ago. He thought he might as well take advantage of the situation while it was at hand. He never knew when he might get that opportunity again.