Fang POV

I watched Brigid disappear into the woods, wanting so badly to chase her down and beat the living tar out of her. But Max was not in good shape.

"Max," i lifted her head gently to sit in my lap. "Max, please. Stay with me, Max."

Her eyelids began to lift, only the bottoms of her brown eyes visable.
"Fang--" she whimpered, her voice weak.

"Max, i'm here. You have to stay with me, okay?"

"i'm sorry..." she sucked in a ragged breath. "i can't." the tiny visably portion of her eyes disappeared.

I heard the padding of feet hitting the ground behind me.

"Fang, what's the matter with Max?" Nudge shrieked.

I ignored her, but i heard Angel quietly explaining the thoughts she'd picked out of my head.

Iggy crouched across from me as soon as she finished, pulling the pack from his back for the first aid kit.

"What's the damage?" he asked urgently. His fingers brushed across her face, then moving to her abdomine. "Her heart is struggling," his fingers barely grazed her ribs before he gasped. "Almost all of her ribs are broken."

"Her spine, too." I nodded. i felt the moisture build up in my eyes. I was losing her.

"Max," Angel said, kneeling on the ground beside Iggy. "Max, open your eyes." Angel's voice was shaky and demanding. She was trying to use her mind control. I looked up to see tears flooding from her baby face.

"Can you hear her?" I closed my eyes, not able to bear the answer i was expecting.

"She's there, i can feel it." her frustrated voice made me hopeful. "But no, i don't hear anything."

Nudge gasped.

"God help us," Total whispered.

"Max needs to go to the hospital." Gazzy said.

Max's breathing was slow and jagged. I was running out of options. There was no time to get her to a hospital. She'd be gone by then. I was waiting for Angel to suddenly pipe in with the news that she'd suddenly developed healing powers.

"She must have punctured some of her arteries." Iggy's voice was panicked, never a good sign.

I leaned down closer to her face, "Max, can you hear me?" i whispered.

Angel gasped, "Fang, do it again."

Without asking questions i leaned closer to her ear, "Max, it's me. Can you hear me? Max, i love you. You have to stay with me."

"Her thoughts are responding to his voice," Angel explained to Nudge, Gazzy, and Total.

"Fang," she breathed. Her eyes tried to open, they seemed to get so close before falling back.

I smiled more then than i ever had in my entire life, "Max, stay with me."

"I'm sorry, Fang," she said drunkenly. Her voice was tired, "take care of everyone."

She took a raspy breath, her exhale short. Her chest sunk down, i waited impatiently for the sound of another jagged breath, to see her move painfully. Her body was completely limp. She was gone.

"No," Angel cried. "Fang, she can't be!"

"Her heart stopped," Iggy's voice was full of quiet surprise.

"Can't we do something?" Nudge knelt down beside me, "That can't be it! Max can't be dead!"

The word shocked me, i knew it was true, but to hear the word. It seemed so unlikely.

I had an idea.

"Everyone go back to Dr. Martinez's house," i instructed, ready for disobedience.

"Fang--" Nudge began, but i cut her off.

"Go back. To Dr. Martinez's house. Now."

"Come on, guys." Iggy said sternly. He took a few steps forward and unfurled his wings. Nudge, Gazzy, and Total hesitated slightly, but followed his lead.

"Angel i mean it." I glared at her, "you need to trust me."

"I do," she nodded. "Do you think he can do it?"

"He's going to try."