Catch and Release
Chapter 6
"B'eakfast."
"Mmmhmm." Fang moved away from the counter and Carter followed him. "Stir."
He sat the bowl on the table and she quickly scrambled up into a chair so that she could stir the bowl of eggs. After making sure she was capable of that task, Fang went to work on the bacon. Honestly, he only gave her that job so that she wouldn't be under his feet while he was frying the pork. He didn't want her to get hit by any flying grease.
He had just gotten off work about twenty minutes ago. That was around the same time that Max was pulling up. He had taken Carter inside, promising Max to take her straight to her grandmother. He wouldn't be doing that though. Dr. Martinez had overslept and if anyone deserved some sleep time, it was surely her.
"Owl noise."
He yawned again. "Mmmm."
"No, Owl." She banged her hands on the table. "No stir."
"Why not?"
"No."
"Are you bored?"
"Yes."
"Well, just sit there for a minute, okay? Then I'll take the eggs."
He had doubted that Carter would listen to him, but apparently she too was tired as she laid her head down on the table, yawning also.
"Bad."
"Bad what?"
"D'eam."
"You had a bad dream last night?"
"No."
"Then who?"
"Mommy. Cry. Sad. Sleep wid Mommy. Mommy sad. Car'er. Car'er sleep dere, in Mommy ba."
"Mommy's bed?" Fang swallowed a little bit. Max had had a bad dream last night. Why hadn't she called? He'd have come. He'd have flown. Hell, he'd fly through, well, Hell to get to her.
"Yes. Cry. No me. No me cry. Me no cry." She yawned again. "Owl."
"Hmmm?"
She just giggled. "Cow."
"Yeah."
After breakfast was all made, Fang sat down at the table with Carter, watching her more than eating his food. When she noticed his eyes, she just giggled.
"You don't like forks, do you, Carter?"
"No!" She continued to shovel the eggs into her mouth. "No."
"You wanna try something?" Fang stood slowly and went over to the fridge, getting a bottle of ketchup out. "Here."
Carter, always one for a mess, clapped her hands as he squirted the red condiment all over her plate, even on the toast.
"Now you mix it all together and eat it. That's what I liked. Or did like, when I was a…young." Fang got a sad look in his eyes, but Carter didn't notice as she began to mix all of the food up with her hands. Cater liked Fang. Mommy and Granny and her aunts hated when she made a mess, but here he was, giving her instructions on how to make one. In fact, he just stood there for a minute, watching her eat, randomly adding more ketchup to the mix. Once she was done, Fang only ate his bacon before tossing the rest, letting Carter have what she wanted first.
"Now?"
"Now we go clean you up." Fang put the pan in the sink to soak before heading to the bathroom. "Come on."
Once they were in there, Fang got a washcloth before washing her down, being as gentle as possible.
"Fang?"
He turned his head to see Dr. Martinez standing in the open bathroom doorway.
"What are you doing?"
"I made…We made…breakfast. You were sleeping."
Carter giggled as Fang ran the cold washcloth down the girl's face, getting the grape jelly off her cheek. "Nam-nam."
"She got messy." Fang scratched the back of his neck, clearly nervous.
"She does that. Do you want me to-"
"No," he said, a little too quickly. "We're…fine."
"No!" Carter jumped up and down. "Owl! Cow!"
Dr. Martinez hesitated. "I'm sorry I overslept."
"It's fine. We're…fine. I'm here for her."
Finally ceasing her jumping, Carter settled to playing with the washcloth, which Fang allowed her to have.
"You haven't slept yet."
"I will."
"Iggy's coming today."
"I'll find time."
When Carter started to suck on the washcloth, Fang reached down and gently took it from her. She attempted to bite him because of it, but Fang just said no, making her whine.
"If you're sure you've got her," the vet began with an edge of uncertainty in her voice. "I do have some errands to run. Nudge has Evan today, so it's just the two of you."
"P'ay."
"Alright, but Fang…don't just let her do whatever. And no matter what she says, under no circumstance is she allowed in the tree house. I really am afraid of her falling."
Fang nodded, knowing that fear well after the previous day's complications. "Alright."
After Dr. Martinez returned to her room to get ready, Fang took Carter to the living room to play.
"B'ocks." She overturned a box of blocks on the floor in front of the couch. "P'ay b'ocks, Owl."
"Mmmm." Fang sat at the couch, watching her build for a minute before moving to lay down. He stopped himself, however, because he knew that if he laid down, he would fall asleep. He couldn't sleep with just him and Carter home. No telling what messes she'd get into. Bad to the bone didn't even begin to describe her.
"Cats." Carter hummed quietly to herself while randomly reciting words that she knew, trying to entertain Fang, it seemed. He just sat there with a blank expression, fighting the fatigue from a sleepless day.
"Fang?"
He turned his head slightly and saw the vet now all dressed for the day standing in the doorway of the living room.
"Mmmmm?"
"Are you sure that you'll be okay with Carter today? If not, I can always just take her. Honest. I'll be gone for a few hours."
Fang shook his head at the ex-doctor. "I'll be fine."
"If you're sure."
"I am." He glanced at Carter, who was now rolling on the ground. "Really."
"Okay. Goodbye, Carter."
She bounced up, rushing to go hug her grandmother. After that was all done, she ran for the couch, climbing up there with Fang. Valencia stood there for a moment, watching the two of them. Carter had wiggled her way under one of Fang's arms, cuddling against his side, while he just sat there, blankly staring down at her. It was at times like this that their lack of resemblance showed through the most.
"You be good for Fang, okay, Carter?"
"Yes!" She giggled loudly. Fang could tell that Valencia was stalling, but he understood. Who trusts a guy these days? For a few minutes, sure, an hour, alright, but more than that? "Owl 'n' me. P'ay."
"Call me, Fang, if you need me. You have my number. For anything, okay?"
He just nodded as Carter sneezed. Frowning, Fang got up to get her tissue. Dr. Martinez took one more look at them before leaving.
"Are you okay? Bless you." Fang came back over her to her, expecting Carter to take the tissue from him, but when she didn't, he realized that she was still just a little girl. Sighing, he held the tissue up to her nose. "Blow."
After that mess was done, Fang got her settled down on the couch again. Carter whined until he put it on a cartoon with some sort of fish in it. Fang was fighting his fatigue so hard that after about thirty minutes, he just scooped her and Robbie up in his arms, turning off the television as he went.
"Owl?"
"We're gonna go nap."
"No."
"Please?" He didn't wait for an answer as carried her into his bedroom. He was sure that she was too short to open the door, so after he closed it, he didn't have to worry about her making a run for it. Not to mention that the room was mostly bare, so there wasn't anything for her to injure herself on.
"There you go," Fang whispered as he laid her down on the bed. "Comfy?"
"Mmmm."
Then he grabbed a pillow, planning on sleeping on the floor. Carter frowned when she saw this.
"Owl?"
"What?"
"Owl s'eep?"
"Down here."
"Eye?"
"Well, because…you're not…you know." She wasn't his kid. Yet. It would be weird if he slept up there with her.
"Owl, no. Brrrr." She shivered.
"Then get under the covers."
"Owl." She jumped off the bed, landing on her feet. She quickly curled against his side. "Owl."
"Carter," he complained. "If we both sleep down here, we might as well both sleep up there."
"Owl."
"Come here." He picked her up again before getting into bed, taking the pillow with him. Carter giggled as he laid her down on the bed next to Robbie. When she tried to climb over him, Fang pushed her back.
"You sleep there, closest to the wall. I don't want you to fall."
"Catch?"
"Not right now." He rolled onto his stomach, cuddling into the pillow, also a little cold. Then he kicked down the covers, letting Carter pull them back up around them.
"Brrrr."
"Still?" Fang opened his wings, draping it across her, which of course made her giggle. "Better?"
"Owl!" She moved closer to him, Robbie between them. Fang could feel the bear's chewed up nose against his side, making him sigh. "Owl!"
"Yeah, calm down. It's just my wing. You'll be seeing them a lot more."
Carter laid on her back and leaned up, brushing her lips across his wing. "Hi. Hi."
"My wing is a part of me, Carter. It's not going to talk to you. And stop it."
She kissed his wing again. "Hi."
Fang just groaned, shutting his eyes. "I'm gonna sleep, alright, Carter?"
"Nigh-nigh, Owl." She reached up and patted the wing. "Nigh-nigh."
When Fang woke up, once again, he found that he was without Carter. Even with the door closed, she always found a way to escape.
"Carter!" Fang rushed from his room, running through his head all of the things she could have gotten into. He didn't even think about how much trouble he'd be in. His only worry was about her safety. "Carter? Come here!"
"Owl."
He hurried to the kitchen where he heard her voice. The kitchen? Everything bad happens in there!
"Carter?" He found her on the counter. If he had paid attention, he would have seen that she was busy help Dr. Martinez make something, but Fang didn't see Valencia, only the little girl. "Carter."
"Hi!' She opened her arms to him, excited that he was so worked up. "Hi, Owl!"
"Carter." He enveloped her into his arms, sighing loudly as she reached out and poked one of his open wings.
"Hi," she whispered to his wing, not wanting him to know he was still talking to it. Fang shook his head, setting her back down on the counter. "Owl?"
"I would really appreciate it, Carter, if you stopped just disappearing on me. It's not nice."
"Eye?"
"Because!"
"Eye?" She frowned at his tone. Wasn't he just excited? Why was he upset now?
"Because, Carter, when I wake up and you're not there, where you're supposed to be, I get…"
"You get what, Fang?"
He noticed Dr. Martinez for the first time, which immediately made him lose his edge. He didn't want to be around anyone else right now. Not someone older than five.
"I, um, I…" He looked at Carter, who was staring at him with wide eyes. "Come here."
She held out her arms and he immediately picked her up, which in itself should be shocking.
"Mad?"
"No." He bounced her a little bit, retracting his wings. Just scared. Worried. Upset. "I'm fine now."
Carter leaned against him, frowning when his wings disappeared. "Bye-bye."
Dr. Martinez, who was still stirring something in a bowl, just watched Fang for a moment before speaking. "I'm sorry, Fang. I got home and she was awake. I should have told you."
He couldn't say anything as he just stood there, holding Carter. She moaned in his ear softly.
"What's wrong?"
"She doesn't feel well," Valencia explained. "She has a little bit of a cold. She said her head hurt when I got here."
Fang bounced her again. "You want down?"
"No." She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Make cake."
"Is that what you're doing?" He glanced in the bowl as she sneezed again. "You need to blow your nose?"
She wiped her face on his shoulder. "No."
"Carter," Fang complained as a sticky residue took claim of the fabric of his shirt. "That wasn't nice."
She just moaned again as a ploy for sympathy. Rolling her eyes, Valencia commented, "Carter, you do not feel that badly. You were fine until Fang came in here."
"Owl."
Fang fought his desire to make a face at the woman. Didn't she see that Carter was hurt? She shouldn't pick on her.
"She should go lay down."
"Fang-"
"She's sick," he said simply, shifting her to one arm so that he could get her juice. He remembered for some reason that children needed to stay hydrated. "Does she have any apple juice?"
"Here," the vet relented, going to get one of her sippy cups out of the cupboard.
"No," Carter complained, looking over that cup. "Star."
"Hmmm?" Fang bounced her.
"She wants the other cup," Dr. Martinez said, also giving into that, if only because she knew Fang would want her to. "Here."
Taking the cup in his free hand, he sat it on the counter before going to the fridge to get the juice. It was grape, but he assumed that would be okay.
"There you go," he whispered a minute later once he gave her the drink. "You okay now? You wanna go watch TV?"
She nodded, taking a sip of her drink.
"Carter," Dr. Martinez half-heartedly complained. "I thought we were baking a cake?"
"She's sick." Fang glanced at Carter as she leaned against his shoulder. "She should rest."
"Fang, she's not honestly-"
"Car'oon?" Carter smiled at Fang before remembering that she was supposed to be upset. She quickly turned her head into the crook of his neck, whining some more. It was almost funny, how quickly the two had bonded. Well, funny to anyone other than Fang. At the moment, nothing was funny. He was too focused on being upset for Carter.
"You want Robbie?" Fang asked as he carried her into the living room. He deposited her on the couch before going to look for the bear. Once he returned to her, Carter whined until he sat down next to her.
"Owl." Carter laid with her little head rested against his thigh, content in the fact that Fang was giving her his full attention. Slowly, Fang reached down and laid a hand over her tiny tummy. "Owl?"
"Feel better," he mumbled, not looking at her now. He was thinking about something totally different now. "Feel better."
Max hadn't been able to keep anything down. At all. It scared Fang. He knew how rampantly things spread through the School. Max wasn't so important to them anymore. They had allowed her to get sick. They had done this.
"Eat, Fang."
He glanced down at Max, watching her frail body as it turned on the ground to cuddle against his thigh. He was sitting with his legs crossed, leaning heavily on the wall behind him. He, too, had lost any muscle definition, now having only bones and stretched too tightly skin. Still, as Fang started at the bread that was across the room, he couldn't imagine eating it, not when Max couldn't.
"No."
"You starving isn't going to help me."
"No."
"Mmmm." Max turned slightly, her eyes closed. "Iggy would eat it."
"Don't," Fang whispered. Iggy had been transferred. Iggy was dead. Iggy had to be dead. Why did Max always do this? Always make things to complex? It was almost like she enjoyed taunting him.
He wanted to rely some of this to her, but as Max began her hacking cough again, he knew he couldn't. She was sick. Why did they let her get sick? She was Maximum Ride. She should be getting the utmost care.
Swallowing, Fang realized that if they were going to just let Max's welfare go to hell…nothing good would be left for him, Max's shadow. Nothing. At all.
"Owl?"
He jerked awake when Carter poked his side. "What?"
"Owl s'eep? Owl no s'eep."
Blinking, Fang looked around to find that he was no longer in a dank holding cell. He was in Dr. Martinez's living room.
"Owl?" Carter climbed into his lap and Fang quickly moved his hands to hold her, almost on instinct now. "Owl."
Fang leveled his breathing while Carter busied herself with the scars on his face. After tracing a few, she moved to wrap her arms around herself, shivering.
"Brrr."
"You're cold still?" Fang opened his wings, making her laugh. He quickly tightened them around himself and Carter, holding her to his chest with his arms. "There."
"Owl," she complained at the fact she was now restricted in her movements. "No."
"Shhh." He shut his eyes again for a moment, trying to think. "You're alright. They can't hurt us here. I've got you, Max."
Carter frowned, but just assumed his ramblings were part of that thing adults did when they spoke and expected you to listen, but you really would rather do something fun, like jump off things.
"Owl," she whined, wiggling. Then she pushed against his wings. Honestly, she had just told him how cold she was for sympathy. She really didn't want him to warm her up. "Owl."
"Shhh, Max. I've got you." His eyes slipped closed again. If he could just go back, go back…
"Fang?"
"Get back!" He jumped up with Carter, rushing towards the living room entranceway. He had to get Max….Carter…away from here. "Stay away!"
"Fang, it's me."
Carter was crying now, upset by Fang's outburst. Her wails were enough to make him realize that it wasn't Max, it was Carter in his arms. Of course. Carter. Fang stared down at her for a moment before back up at the person who had startled him to begin with. Dr. Martinez. Swallowing, Fang slowly retracted his wings. He had no idea how to console Carter, not when he himself was still so upset.
"Mommy," she was whining. "Mommy."
"Fang…give me Carter," the vet ordered gently, yet firmly. She did want to help Fang, but not at the possibility of harming her granddaughter. "Now."
Slowly, he held the little girl out, almost like an offering. The second Dr. Martinez had her though, Fang took off, never looking back. That was okay though, right? Leaving? He had to. He needed to.
He didn't realize where he was until he was there. Under it all he could remember flying, running, and almost getting hit by a car once, but none of that mattered now.
The key struggled a little bit in the lock, but that was probably just because it was still new. For a moment Fang feared that Max had lied and not even given him the real key to her apartment. Or worse; it really all had been a trap to catch him again. Alas, when he did a search of Max's apartment, he found it completely empty. He even searched under the bed, in the cabinets, and behind the shower curtain. Multiple times. Fang was convinced that this had all just been an elaborate scheme to get him back. The one thing that worried him though? Carter and Evan. If this was just a scheme, who were they? He had to get them out.
"This isn't a trick," he whispered to himself as he went back to the living room and sat down on the couch. "They're real. I'm real. It's all real. I just…I just…"
He just what? Why had he flipped out like that? The stupid dream? It couldn't be that, could it? He had dreams about the past all the time. That was nothing new. Maybe it had to do with Iggy coming. Maybe. Or Carter and her apparent fondness of him. That had to be it. It was so weird for him, having a little kid around again. When Angel and Gazzy were young, Fang had been young too. Max might have taken to that paternal role early, but Fang hadn't. Not until he was sixteen at least. This was completely different. He hadn't been in Evan and Carter's lives long, but he knew that they were part of his family now, that he had to protect them. Even if this is a trick.
"But it's not," Fang whispered harshly to himself. Max kept it dark in her apartment, probably due to all of their drawl to darkness after being kept in it for so long as children. Slowly, Fang moved to lay down on the couch, moving to lay on his back, wings stretched out like they were that day when Carter first slept on the couch with him. How could this all be fake? How could his feelings all be fake? How could Max's? And there's no way Nudge, in all her over gushiness was fake. No way. This had to be real. Didn't it?
"Iggy's coming," Fang whispered. "He'll be here soon. Then I can relax."
But could he? What made him think he could trust Iggy? What made him think he could trust anyone? Even himself? For all he knew those 'pills' they had been giving him had just been part of that elaborate scheme he had thought of before. Of course. They were drugging him. Duh. Fang was so stupid.
"But that can't be. Can it?" Fang felt his breathing get heavier and, though he fought it, somehow Fang ended up falling asleep on that possible traitor couch, not able to fight it. What was happening to him?
He was slow to wake this time, though it was because of a person like before. Only this time the person hadn't spoken to him, instead they were touching him. Stroking his forehead to be exact. Fang didn't want to open his eyes though, for fear of what he would see. It was then that he realized the person was talking. Softly, but still understandable.
"-broke your nose. Remember? I do. There was blood everywhere. It so funny now, thinking about how freaked out you were and Iggy didn't even realize what was going on. At the time though, it was very scary. For me anyways. You guys laughed it off later. Well, you didn't laugh, but you could tell that you thought it was funny. I didn't. Jeb had just left and I didn't like for you two to get hurt. I didn't like for anyone to get hurt. Who would like something like that-"
"M-Max?" He opened his eyes slowly to find her sitting on the armrest above his head, playing gently with his hair.
'What about the time that I ran into that tree? When we were first learning to fly?" She spoke right over him, as if he never said anything at all. Fang just stared up at her, shocked. What was she doing? "I wasn't looking. I was making sure that Iggy was okay. You know how scared he was of flying in the beginning. I mean, yeah, we all were, learning to use something we never had before, but he was so scared about not being able to see where he was going. It's kind of ironic, huh? He was afraid and I was fearless, yet I ran into something. Story of my life though, I suppose. You used to tell me-"
"Max, what is going on?" Fang pushed himself up. "Max?"
She bit her lip, now staring straight ahead, at the wall. For a moment, all was silent. Then she broke.
"I just wanted you to be okay, Fang. When I heard that you were coming back, I thought at first about how great it would be to have you back, to have you. Not this you, Fang. I want you, you. Not the one that scares the shit out of my mother and has bad dreams. I don't like this you. I'm sorry."
Fang swallowed as he turned to stare at her. "I-"
"I mean, I thought that you would just come back, accept Carter, and then we could-"
"I have accepted Carter."
"Oh, whatever." She sent him a look, but he could tell that under the hardness, she was crushed. Fang frowned, realizing that she really thought he didn't want Carter. "You just want her if she's yours."
"That's such bull." Fang felt his breathing pick up. How dare she question what he and Carter had? It might not be parental, but it was at least friendship. He cared for her. He really did. Why did Max have to push that? No way was he doubting this was the real Max now. Only she could pull this off. "Carter and I-"
"You're the one that keeps bringing up the DNA thing."
"Keep bringing up? I did it one time. One time, Max! And yes, I want to know. So what? It doesn't change anything."
"You don't get it! I needed you to be strong, like you used to. Now you're here and you need me."
"Like I wanted this, Max? Like I wanted you to have a kid? Because I didn't. I really didn't."
"See? You just-"
"But," he silenced her, "I want her. Now that I have her, I want her."
Max looked away from him, back forward again. "Iggy's here, at Nudge's. Go bother him now."
He sat there for a moment, waiting for something, though he wasn't sure what.
"Go. Now. Just leave."
"Max, I…" He what? Why was Max bothering him anyways? He hadn't hurt Carter. At all. And Max was the one who said he could use her apartment when he needed it. So what exactly had he done wrong? Try to protect Carter? For real? That's what the problem is? Seems like complete bull, if that's what Max's problem is.
"Fuck off, Fang."
She was cursing? At him? Fang took a deep breath before getting up, noticing for the first time that when he had left the vet's house, he didn't have any shoes on. His socks were threadbare to begin with and now looked horrible dirty too. Great. He needed new clothes.
If he was staying that is. Because right now, if Max keeps cursing at him, there ain't no way. He liked Carter and Evan, but if this was going to be their life, her yelling at him like he was still in the School, it was Texas all the way for him. Or New York to watch after Angel and her little interactions. Yes. Why didn't he think about that before? It's too late for Nudge and Max. Angel though, Fang needed to make sure that there was no intrusion in her life. Male intrusion that is. Yet here he was, looking after Max, who apparently didn't need him. Apparently he was too much for her. You know what? Fuck her then. Fang was restarting his life. He didn't need her dragging him back down.
Fang knew the second that he walked into Dr. Martinez's house that he was staying. Soft crying could be heard outside and when he walked in, it got loud. He could tell it was Carter. Great. He had left her sick and now she was worse. He should have stayed. How could he have left her? Why was he so stupid? Huh? Huh?
"Oh, Carter, don't cry," he heard a gentle male voice soothe. Iggy. "It's okay."
"No." She was moaning as if she were sad or in pain. A pitiful sound. "No. No."
"He'll be back."
"No." She sniffled. "I wan' 'im."
"He'll be back."
When Fang walked into the living room, he found Iggy sitting on the floor with the little girl, trying to comfort her by rubbing random stuffed animals in her face. Dr. Martinez was sitting on the couch, looking on. When she noticed him standing there though, she didn't look any happier, but she did speak.
"Carter," she said softly. "Look who it is. Who is that? Huh?"
Sniffling loudly, Carter looked away from Iggy and at Fang. For a second she just stared miserably at him and Fang felt like the biggest douche alive for ever even thinking about leaving her. Then Carter was up and rushing towards him, her tears still obvious.
"Owl," she wailed. "Owl."
"What?" Fang frowned at her. "What's wrong? Are you still sick?"
She just wrapped her arms around his legs, rubbing her face into him. "Owl."
"What happened?" Fang looked to Valencia. "Is she still sick?"
"No. Well, I suppose, but that's not why she's upset."
"Then what?"
"You, Fang." Iggy stood up then, facing Fang's general area. "She thought that you were mad at her or something. What happened?"
Ignoring Iggy, Fang got down on his knees in front of Carter. She liked that, them being on the same level. She swiftly wrapped her arms around his neck, having to jump up slightly to do so. Fang allowed her to do so, sighing slightly as it turned into a hug.
"Owl. Hi." She sniffled loudly and Fang suddenly remembered before, when she had rubbed her snot filled nose on him. No need for a repeat. "Owl."
"Carter, I wasn't mad at you." He moved his arms to wrap under her legs, holding her up. Carter relaxed into his hold, now smiling against his neck. "It was something else. Okay? You're alright now. Okay?"
She didn't say anything for once, content in the fact that Fang had her. He had scared her earlier, by screaming and what not. After being sure that Carter was fine again, Fang addressed Iggy.
"Max said you were at Nudge's."
"Max hates me. She probably thinks Dr. Martinez does too."
"You never told me that the two of you were fighting."
"You didn't ask. Besides, I didn't say anything too bad. You know Max. She's just overly emotional. Constantly."
Fang knew all about that. Besides, at the moment, he wanted to say a few choice words to Max as well.
Valencia cleared her throat, making both guys look at her. She only spoke to one though. "Fang, you probably need to take your next dose of medicine, huh?"
He held down his desire to snort. Those damn drugs were what made him that way. No way. Not anymore. He was never going to spend his money on that crap again. No. His money had to go somewhere else now.
"Owl." Carter wiggled, wanting down again. After taking a deep breath, Fang set her free on the ground before standing again. "Owl. Ig."
"We've met," Fang said dryly. Why was he mad at Iggy? Shaking his head, he attempted to clear it. He had no reason to be angry with Iggy. At all. Well, maybe the Max thing, but Max would have to fight her own battles now, after cursing at him like that.
That just made the little girl giggle. It seemed that Owl knew everyone to her. Walking over to Iggy, Carter picked up Robbie, holding it out to him.
"She wants you to take something, Iggy," Valencia whispered to him as she too stood. Then, looking at Fang, she said, "Carter hasn't realized that Iggy can't see yet."
Fang watched as Carter slipped Robbie into the other man's hands. "Why'd she give him that?"
"I gave it to her," Iggy said, feeling the fur and recognizing it from how worn down it was. "Robbie."
Fang felt an unexpected possessiveness over Carter. He wanted to give her something too, something to replace Robbie, something that he would be able to tell people he gave to her. Who was Iggy anyways, as far as Carter was concerned? He hadn't gotten a nickname like Fang had. She didn't cry for Iggy while he was in Texas. Clearly, Fang was more important to her. Right? Clearly. Duh. Okay then. So why was he still so rattled?
"Owl," Carter said again randomly. See? Fang's nickname, or real name as far as she was concerned, was the only one she said constantly. "Owl."
"What?" Fang glanced around nervously. His adrenaline from his fight with Max and then worrying about Carter was beginning to fade and was left with emptiness. Why couldn't he and Max just get it right? It shouldn't be this hard to be with the person you were meant to be with. Unless…maybe…they weren't meant to be together?
"Eye?" She opened her arms like the wings of an airplane again, running in a circle in front of Iggy. "Owl?"
"Not today." His wings itched from thinking about Max crying over wings. He still hadn't found out what that was all about. Maybe now he never will, if they're fighting. "Why don't you use your wings, Carter?"
She giggled, coming over to him. "Wha'?"
Fang reached down again, patting Carter's back. "You have them, huh?"
Putting her fingers into her mouth, she nodded while staring at him. Owl was so cool. So much cooler than Grandma. Not nearly as cool as Seb though.
"Max doesn't like to see them," Iggy told him, moving to cross his arms. "She-"
"Iggy." With one word, Valencia silenced him. Apparently, Fang noticed, he wasn't the only one under the old woman's spell. "Come here, Carter."
She rushed over to her grandmother, who was now walking towards the wall, where Carter's shoes where sitting.
"Come on, baby. We're going out to eat with Iggy and Nudge." She helped her put her shoes on before getting her jacket.
"Seb?"
"Yep. Him, Ella, and Evan are coming too."
The second she had her jacket on, Carter rushed over to Fang.
"Mommy?" She asked her grandmother. Dr. Martinez hesitated.
"I'm not sure."
"Owl?"
The vet looked to him for an answer. Fang ran his hand down the back of his neck.
"Uh…No, I don't…do you want…Carter?"
"Owl come." She patted his kneecap with one of her hands. "Owl come."
"Then I, um, guess so." He cleared his throat. "Were we, uh, leaving now?"
Nodding, she headed out of the room to get something. Iggy came closer to Fang, speaking in a hushed tone around the little girl.
"What happened?"
"What?" Fang took a step back. If Carter didn't know what personal space was, Iggy didn't know what any space was. He thought being blind meant he could just hang around anywhere, no regard for the person in that area. Not in Fang's world. He had had enough of people in his space, thanks.
"Why did you leave? No one would talk about it to me when I got here, but you had Carter freaked when I showed up. Max is upset too. Though, really, she's always upset."
Fang let out a long sigh. "I…it's not important, Iggy."
"Fang." Iggy sounded so sincere, but still, Fang couldn't open up. "I'm here for you. If you ever need to talk-"
"I don't want to talk to you." Fang picked up Carter when she was close enough. "I'm fine."
"Owl." Carter leaned against his shoulder. "Owl."
"Are you still sick?" He mumbled to her. "Wanna stay home?"
"No!" She snuggled into him. "No. Tummy."
"You're hungry?" He shifted her to one arm. "Huh?"
"Yes." She reached up and patted his pale face. How could he ever think about leaving? Huh? Now, standing right here with her, he couldn't even imagine leaving her. "Owl. Teef."
"Not now."
She moaned, but he just bounced her slightly before turning to go find his shoes. After locating them, he then took Carter out to the car, where Valencia and Iggy were now waiting. Ignoring both of them, he got his first chance to buckle her in. It went well.
"Owl." She patted his head as he was bent over her car seat. "Hi, Owl."
"Fang," Valencia called from the front of the car as he took a step back to admire his work. "Can you go back inside and get her diaper bag? And Robbie? Please?"
Nodding, he headed back in to do as asked. When he got back outside, Max had pulled up in her car and was getting out. For a second their eyes locked, but she turned away first. That was fine. He was still upset that she had cursed at him.
"You're going to have to squeeze back there," Dr. Martinez told Fang as he climbed in, Max now in the middle seat. Fang couldn't understand why Iggy had to sit in the front or Max had to go in their car, but whatever. He wasn't a whiner.
"Owl," Carter complained as he put the diaper bag at his feet before closing the car door. "Owl."
"Here." Fang reached over Max, which wasn't necessarily fun, handing her Robbie.
"No." She kept the bear though. "Owl."
"Look, I'm right here," Max offered up as Dr. Martinez pulled out of the driveway. Fang buckled his seatbelt before leaning against the car door to sleep a little bit. "Carter, Fang doesn't want you right now."
"Owl!" She continued to whine, which Fang noticed she did a lot in the car. Finally Dr. Martinez told her to stop before she got in trouble which eventually got her to calm down. Then they ran into traffic.
"Well, crap," Valencia said. "Max, call Nudge and tell her that we'll be late. There was a wreck."
Fang never knew how bad his claustrophobia was…until that moment. For about three minutes, no one said anything. Then Max had to go and poke his side.
"What?"
"Are you awake?"
"Clearly." Fang sat up slightly. "What did you want?"
Max glanced around the cramped car, but Iggy and Dr. Martinez were talking while Carter was busy chewing on Robbie. In a hushed tone, she said, "I just think that you should apologize."
…What? "Me?"
"Yes, you," she whisper hissed. "You yelled at me."
Fang snorted. "Yeah, okay. Yeah, that was totally my fault."
She pinched his arm. "It was."
"Ow." Fang pulled away from her, leaning more heavily against the car door. "What is wrong with you? Huh? God."
"You're just so…God, Fang."
"God me? God you. You pinched me." Fang looked over Max at Carter, who was now watching them, Robbie's poor little bear arm hanging from her mouth. "Look. Now Carter knows how to pinch."
He got an eye roll for that. "Trust me, I haven't taught her anything. She already knows. Believe me, she knows."
Fang let out a long breath. "I'm sorry, Max, for not being everything you want me to be. Okay? I'm sorry that I'm not some sort of fairytale guy that's gonna come in and make tons of money, so you never have to work again. Sorry. I can't protect you from everything. I can't even protect myself! I can't take care of you and I can't take care of your daughter, okay? Sorry. I'm freaking sorry."
It wasn't until then that Fang realized he was no longer speaking in hushed tones. Instead his voice had grown louder and in such a confined space, there was no way that everyone didn't hear him.
"Owl loud," Carter complained, clearly the only one able to speak. "Shhhh, Owl. Owl no tawk! No tawk, Owl."
"Fang, are you-"
"Why do you have to fucking ruin everything, Max?" Fang cut Valencia off. "I mean, God, everyone else is just freaking fine with how things are going. I thought that we were all fine! Not you though. Never you. Nothing's ever fucking good enough for you, is it? God, Max, Dylan can have you. I don't want you."
"Hey," Iggy started, apparently going to intervene. "You guys don't need to be cursing in front of-"
"I don't need this. I really don't."
And, as they were already at a standstill, Fang just opened the car door and got out. He heard Valencia call out his name, but he ignored it as he took off, quickly changing from running to flying. He heard people honking their horns, but who cared. Not him. Never him.
"Do you know how hard you make things? I'm going to catch so much hell from my sister and mother for this."
Fang glanced up from the ground and stared at Ella for a moment. "I can stay with Nudge-"
"Come in," she dismissed him, walking around him to get to the door. Sebastian made a face at him, but said nothing.
"I work in the morning and Seb has school," Ella told him as Fang came into the house. "I've heard that you work nights, so don't wake us up. If you do, you're out. If you have anymore of your weird outbursts, you're out. You curse, you're out. And don't eat any of our food, alright?"
Fang nodded as he followed behind her towards the bathroom.
"Bathroom's there. Seb has his own bathroom, so if this one gets messed up, I know it was you. You clean it yourself. Stay out of my bedroom and Seb's. You know what? Stay out of everywhere except for your room, the living room, kitchen, and bathroom. Alright? And if you mess it up, clean it. Anything. Don't use our soap either. And you can't watch TV unless someone else is watching it. Alright?"
Fang nodded again as she opened one of the doors. "Okay."
"I'm serious. You break any rule and you're gone. I don't like that you're back, Fang. I don't like what you're doing to Max and Carter either. Got it?"
"I've got it."
"Good." She turned and walked away. "And it's up to Seb if you get to stay or not. If he tells me that you're bothering him, you're gone. You're totally just gone."
"Got it," he said again before going into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. It was much smaller than the one at Valencia's house. And it was way smaller than Max's whole apartment. It was, however, more than he would have had at Nudge's tiny place. Plus, it was a lot more restrictive. That's what Fang needed. Restrictions. He needed rules. He had had them for years now. How did he ever think that he could live without rules? It was madness.
"Don't get too comfortable."
Fang turned around as the bedroom door was opened to find that spiky haired punk standing there.
"You won't be here long, faggot. Trust me."
With that, Sebastian turned on his heels and walked away. Fang shook his head slightly, turning on his heels too, looking back at his room.
"Trust me, I know."