Thunder: Back Through the Rain – Chapter 20
By MyNameIsCAL
---Fang's POV---
Rain rarely fell in the dessert, but today, it did. I was tired and hungry and every time I got up to walk, my leg would scream out in pain. Max should be waking up soon. I've been up all night, waiting and waiting. Somewhere between three in the morning and now, my anger had died away. This could be the beginning all over again. I could leave here, swearing to never forgive Max, but she meant the best. I could leave her here, helpless and more hurt than the last time she was stuck here, leaving her with Iggy.
But that would be wrong. And I would never be able to let Max slip away again to someone else.
"Fang…"
I stood and limped to Max's bedside. "Max."
She tried to sit up, but I put a hand on her shoulder. "I wouldn't try sitting up if I were you."
Max winced as she lay back down. "I feel like someone ripped a hole through my stomach."
I looked away. "That's because someone did."
---Max's POV---
Fang had all his weight on one leg. As much pain as I was in, he looked like he was in more.
"How long have I been out?" I asked.
His eyes were fixed outside, where it was raining. For a while, he just stood there, watching. "Since last night…since you got shot…" His voice trailed off.
"Sleep," I felt tired suddenly, but I was talking about him needing rest.
He took my hand. "Yeah, you should get some sleep."
But before I could protest, I passed out.
---Iggy's POV---
I sat in Max's room when Mom took him over to the vet's office so she could x-ray his leg without going through, well I guess, people doctors.
My feelings for Max had dissipated over the past few weeks, but being in here with her now, it was like a candle was being relit. But I would step outside later, and it would go out. Would it be like this forever? I hoped not.
"Fang?" Max stirred, her eyes flickering open.
I shook my head, resisting the urge to reach for her hand. "Mom insisted she would look at his leg. X-rays or something."
She let out a sigh. "Tell me something, Ig."
"Sure, what do you want to know?"
"Is he mad at me?"
"No, he's not mad at you," I assured her.
"Are you mad at me?"
I shook my head. "No."
"Don't lie, Ig."
I let out a sigh. "I was for a while."
Her voice shook. "I just wanted to say I was sorry."
I closed my eyes, fighting tears. This was closure for us, finally. "I'm sorry too."
---Fang's POV---
The FBI was here when I returned to the hospital. It took me a while to make it down the hallway and get to Max's room. Mom wanted me to go home to rest. Hell, she wanted me in a wheelchair so I didn't tear anything else up, but I refused, grabbed my crutches before taking off.
"Look, she's really tired," I heard Iggy say stiffly. "I mean, can't you ask us questions later?"
"No," a man's voice persisted. "We need to know now."
I opened the door to Max's room to see her with tears streaming down her face.
"Can you just tell me why you went out there, why Marian Janssen wanted to attack you?" It was an FBI agent.
"It's none of your business why we went out there," I interrupted. "Now get out."
The agent turned around. He wasn't the same one that visited us at Mom's house. I couldn't recall that agent's name. It was on the business card, somewhere in Max's room.
The agent in the room currently looked a little startled. He flipped his notepad closed and mumbled goodbye, closing the door behind him.
"Max," I moved towards to the bed. "Max, are you okay?"
She reached for my hand and I set my crutches against the wall, taking her hand.
"Shh…Max, it's ok, he's gone now," I whispered.
She sucked in a breath, cringing as pain hit her. Max needed to take things easy and crying wasn't going to help. "I was just thinking how st…st…stupid I was, Fang."
"You weren't stupid," I promised her, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
Her sobbing turns to shudders after a while. If that FBI agent ever came around without our permission, I was going to beat his head in.
---Iggy's POV---
It was awkward, being in the same room as Max and Fang, even though Max had drifted into unconsciousness again.
"Thanks for staying here with her," he said after a while.
"You're welcome." To me, it was a relief that Fang was talking now to me, thanking me.
He continued. "I'm sorry I've been…ignoring you."
I shrugged. I would have avoided me too if I were him. "Don't worry about it."
"I just thought it would be less awkward that way." Fang took a seat on the opposite end of the couch.
"Well," I said, trying to think of a way to apologize to him. "I'm sorry I stole Max from you."
He laughed. "No, she chose you. It's not your fault or anyone's fault. Let's just forget about it."
I agreed with that.
Thank you for reading! I'll have the new chapter up soon!