Thunder: Back Through the Rain-Chapter 4

By MyNameIsCAL

I caution that this fanfic is going to be borderline on Miggy, not this chapter, but there will be close calls. Ah, but don't worry, it won't always be like that.

---Iggy's POV---

I don't know what Max was trying to do, but I knew it wasn't going to do me any good to turn her against me. If only I could see. This past week I felt like I thought that more to myself than I ever had before. Maybe I was being paranoid.

My hand felt around and brushed up against Max. Oh. I forgot I had been dragged in here. She stirred and sat up next to me. It wasn't so bad, sleeping in Max's room. Her bed was more comfortable than mine. Compared to hers, I felt like I had been sleeping on a rock.

"So, today's the day," she said out loud.

I nodded. At least she could see me nod.

"Well, you gotta go soon." And then she lay back down.

---Fang's POV---

Mom has signed all the papers. Iggy is waiting at the door. There's wheelchair waiting for me and the nurse handed me a pair of crutches. Here I was, crippled Fang, once again. I'd end up being one of those people you saw on the news, or on the streets, and you looked down at them sadly. I would reach a certain point and end up going insane. And then Max would be sorry.

"Are you ready to go home?" Iggy sounded anxious.

"Sure. Is Max ready?" I countered.

He shrugged. "It's not like you want to see her either."

I frowned and allowed the two nurses to help me into the wheelchair. Mom took Iggy by the arm and led the way to the elevator. A couple of the nurses and doctors said goodbye. I tried to smile, but I was neither happy to stay or leave here. In fact, I was indifferent to all of this really.

---Iggy's POV---

Max would probably be hiding in her room. If Fang wasn't ready to see her, then she wasn't ready to see him. In fact, this was going to be stressful for both of them. They cared so much about each other, yet Fang's stubbornness got in the way and Max's insecurity stopped her from standing up to him. Pushing them would cause a delicate situation. I might push them farther away rather than closer.

Fang had to be talked into using the wheelchair by Mom. His leg hadn't fully healed yet because of the excessive damage. In fact, the doctor had ordered him to bed rest, but I doubt he would follow that. Not that Fang gave off that rebel persona, I just got that feeling from him.

The car slowed down. I guessed we were home now.

---Fang's POV---

Mom and Fang got me out of the car and pushed me inside the house. Everyone, but Max of course, sat at the kitchen table. They seemed happy to see me. That made me feel a little better. Before I left the hospital, the doctor had given me my last dose of morphine. It would wear off soon. I had to get onto a couch or a bed.

"Are you hungry?" Iggy asked.

I sighed. "No. Well, sorta."

Iggy moved towards the fridge. "I'll bring the food to your room when I'm done cooking."

"Thanks." I muttered and let mom push me to my room.

---Iggy's POV---

Cooking was simple. It was easy. It was one thing I had to myself when Fang and Max weren't pulling me in two directions. Ella tapped my arm she stood next to me.

"What are you making?" she asked.

I wondered if she was jealous like Nudge. "I'm making grilled cheese."

"Oh," she said. "Cool."

Ella stood there for a long time, not saying anything. I really didn't know what to say to her. She always made me anxious.

"Hey, Iggy," she began again. "I was wondering, you see the school band gets people together and plays at one dance every year. And its live music, so I thought you might like it. Did you want to come with me?"

I felt myself smiling. "Of course."

---Fang's POV---

I need ice, or morphine, or anything that would ease my pain. Or I needed something to distract me from it. My bed provided no comfort. I was going to sweat through the sheets if I didn't find a way to calm down. My heart was racing.

"Hey, Fang, are you ok there?"

I looked up at Iggy who stood with a tray.

"Can I have a bag of ice?" I replied, taking the try from him. "Maybe a soda."

He nodded. "I'll be back in five."

I think I could wait five minutes.

He came back like he promised. I felt my leg was burning up. The ice cooled it down a little. Before I could thank Iggy, he was out the door and gone.

---Max's POV---

Fang's room is right next to mine. Iggy came in with my food and sat at the edge of my bed.

"Fang is home." Iggy stated flatly.

"I know." As if I didn't know the obvious.

Iggy looked like he wanted to say something else, but he got up and left, mumbling that the others needed to be fed. I looked at the food and felt hungry for once, so I started to eat it. No one could beat Iggy's cooking. Well, except for Mom's chocolate chip cookies. But then again, that was totally understandable.

---Fang's POV---

I thought I was delirious when Mom came in just before dinner time. She felt my forehead.

"Jeez, Fang," she said. "You're burning up."

It was so hot in my room, or maybe it was just me. Either way, I was sweating buckets.

"How bad is the pain?" she asked.

I couldn't say anything, that's how bad it was. The kind of pain I was in made me wish I was still in the hospital.

"Hold still," Mom ordered.

I stopped moving and tried taking deep breaths. In and out. Slowly. She pricked me with something.

"Morphine," she muttered.

I felt a little bit better. But even she knew that eventually whatever poison that ran through my blood would adapt to that.

And then I'd have to deal with the pain all over again.