Jade, thanks for your review. As far as the autism thing, I never wrote it to be portrayed that way, no. I don't spend that much time around little kids though, ever, so maybe my portrayal of her is a little off, but I've done my best.

Catch and Release

Chapter 22

"If you could have anything in the world, anything at all, what would it be?"

"Right now?"

"Right now."

"…Pizza."

"Max," Fang sighed.

"What? I'm craving pizza right now. With pineapples, sausage, and onions."

"That sounds disgusting."

Max turned on the bed, staring at him now. It was the night before Thanksgiving and they were over at his apartment, Carter having stayed with her grandmother for the night. "Then what would you choose, if you could have anything? Huh? And don't tell me some bull about world peace."

"What? Maybe that's what I'd want."

"Fang."

"Fine, Miss I Want Pizza. Let me choose a real thing."

"Shut up and do it."

Sighing, Fang shifted slightly, his wings suddenly feeling cramped. "I would want, right now, for you to, uh-"

"Stop stalling. Just say exactly what you think, right n-"

"I would want you to grow your wings back."

The silence that fell around them made Fang want to cut his own wings off and surgically attach them to Max's stubs. It also made him want to go back in time and never say anything at all. Or, you know, maybe say that he wanted some pizza too.

Surprising him, Max turned in his arms, facing him now as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"That might just be the sweetest thing you've ever said."

Fang smiled widely. "You think?"

She leaned up, kissing his cheek. "I know."

"Oh."

"What else would you want?"

"… A pizza would be pretty good right now. Just without pineapple and onions. Pepperoni sounds pretty good."

"It does." She poked him in the chest. "Alas, it is also two in the morning, so I doubt that will be happening."

"It really won't," he agreed. "I have to get ready for work now."

"Mmmm." She kissed his chest. "I'll miss you."

"Ha ha." He nuzzled the top of her head. "Let me go shower."

"But you smell so sexy right now."

Fang kissed at her neck. "We could do that again, you know."

"How much joy could you really get from me touching you?"

"About the same amount that you get from me doing it for you."

It was her turn to laugh. "Ha ha." She pushed his shoulder gently. "Go get ready for work now, Fang."

"You stay here. Sleep here, in my bed tonight."

She gave him a funny look, taking his tone and words in stride. "Trust me, I wasn't getting up."

"Good." He stood slowly, stretching. "Good."

"Mmmm. Your spot is warm." Max wrapped herself up in the blanket. "You fart?"

"You're such a freak," he mumbled as he went over to his closet to pull some stuff out to wear. "Can I take your car?"

"Sure. I told you, I'm staying here all night."

"When I get off, I'll come here, pick you up, and then head over to your mom's."

"Sounds like a plan," Max mumbled. "We need to stop by my place first though, so I can change clothes."

"I'll take you anywhere," he mumbled as he popped one of his pills, using Max's soda that was sitting on the dresser to wash it down. "Night."

"Night."

After Fang's shower, he went back into his room to get his shoes only to find Max had passed out, curled up with his pillow tucked under one arm. Smiling when no one could ever prove it, he watched her for a moment before walking away, headed to work.

"Owl's gots big hands." Carter forced Fang to open his fingers, stretching them out. Laying her own flat against his, she measure their fingers with her eyes, shocked by how much bigger his were.

"That's because Owl's a man," Nudge told Carter as she walked by. Fang was sitting at the table with Carter, his current job to distract her from the fact she wasn't really helping with dinner preparations.

"Man. Man." Carter poked his chest with her other hand. "Man."

Ella rolled her eyes from where she was, sitting at the other side of the table, but Max just smiled at Fang. She had been given the task of mashing potatoes, which no one thought she could screw up. Fang was still holding out on that one though.

"Evan." Carter let go of Fang now, clambering out of his lap. "Evan."

"What are you doing?" Fang asked as she jumped down. "Carter, come back here."

"Evan!"

"He's sleeping," Fang told her as he stood, rushing to go grab her. "Leave him alone."

"No!" She bit at Fang when he tried to pick her up. "Evan!"

"Stop it." He finally just lifted her up, frowning at her. "I mean it, Carter."

Struggling against his hold, she whined for a little bit before giving out. Owl's grip was way tighter than Mommy's or Granny's. She was caught.

"Owl."

"Be good." He frowned down at her. "You hear me?"

"Maybe you should take her out back, Fang," Max suggested. "Perhaps she wants to play."

"Perhaps?" He muttered as he carried Carter out the backdoor, figuring the only reason Max wanted him gone was so that she wouldn't have to admit in front of him that she had screwed up the potatoes.

"T'anksgivin'." Carter marched around the backyard the second Owl sat her down. "Turkey."

"Like the parade we watched this morning," Fang reminded her as he sat down on the porch steps. "Remember? With all the balloons?"

"Yep." Carter finished her march and came running back to Fang. "Owl?"

"What?" He pushed her hair back out of her face when she came up to him. "You okay?"

"Mmmhmm." She patted his knees with both hands. "Owl."

"You need a haircut." He smiled at her, not afraid to let Carter see him happy. She was the only one that that was acceptable with. "Mommy will have to take you to get one though, because I don't think I'd be very good in a barbershop. Or salon, seeing as you're a girl."

She pushed his hand away. "Owl girl! No me girl!"

"You are a girl." He poked her tummy. "A very cute girl."

Carter giggled as she moved away from him, holding her stomach. "Owl."

"Hey, Holden, have you thought anymore about me being your…" Fang trailed off, glancing behind him to make sure none of the women were coming out. "Have you thought about me being your daddy?"

"No." she reached up, using him for leverage, so that she could stroke his face, liking his facial hair. "Fuzzy."

"Carter, I just…I think you should rethink your decision. I mean, I wouldn't hurt you or anything. It'd be just like now."

She gave his face one last pat before jumping back. "No, Owl. No."

"Why?"

"No." She turned then, marching off again, headed over to the sandbox. Fang groaned as he had to stand to follow her. "Sand."

"Yeah." He watched as she sat down in the sandbox. "Why do you like this sandbox so much?"

She picked up some sand, letting it fall through her fingers. "Sand."

"You like the feeling?" Leaning down, he felt some of the particles. "It's nice, I guess."

She smiled up at him. "Owl."

He cleared his throat as he sat down on the edge of the sandbox. "You know, Carter, I never, uh, had a dad either."

"Cow. Moo."

"Yeah. Cow." He sighed a little bit. "You just don't listen to anything I ever say, do you, huh?"

Carter ate some of the sand. "Hoo. Owl."

"Oh. You'd listen better if I hooed?"

"Yes!" She smiled again. "Owl."

"You're so funny. So funny." Fang shook his head slightly. "You know, Holden, your last soccer game is on Saturday."

"Yes. Soccer."

"You can say soccer? I do not understand your speech patterns."

"Soccer."

Sighing, he went on. "And you know, there's that big sleepover thing that you got inv-"

"Yes! S'eepover wid Jess and Ally."

"Yeah. You and Jess are staying over at Ally's on Sunday." Fang shook his head. "I just…I don't think that you're ready for a sleepover. I don't want you to go over there and, you know, get upset. You do realize that I won't be there, right?"

"Yes."

"And you're just okay with that? 'cause I don't think you really are, Carter."

"S'eepover."

"Yeah, but I won't…Carter…" He sighed. "I don't think you really realize what's going on. You're gonna have to sleep. Sleep, Carter. Over there. Sleep over there. A sleepover. Do you get that?"

"Yes."

"No." He shook his head. "Max said that I can't tell you what to do though, that I can't stop you from doing this. It's not fair. I know you better than anyone. I know that you're not ready for this. Why won't they listen to me?"

Reaching over, Carter patted Fang's leg. Owl could get so emotional sometimes, it was sick. Poor Owl. He didn't have a daddy or a mommy or his own Owl. That's probably why he was such a baby all the time. He never had anyone to care for him. He keeps asking to be her daddy, but if anything, he was the one that needed a daddy. The big baby.

"No."

"But, Max-"

"No."

"Don't you think-"

"No, Nudge. No."

Huffing, the younger woman crossed her arms. "Well, fine. When Carter doesn't have any good Christmas presents-"

"Santa." Carter looked up from mashing her food all together. She was seated in Fang's lap, mostly focusing on mixing up her dinner and feeding Owl, who would open his mouth whenever she held up her hand, accepting whatever she had to offer. "Santa, Owl."

"That's right." He patted her stomach. "Santa, Nudge."

Rolling her eyes, Nudge turned to look at her son, who was in his high chair next to her. "Well, I just think that we should all go out together tonight. Black Friday is a big event."

"I have plans," Ella said simply as Nudge monitored Evan's eating.

"What plans?" Her mother glanced up. They were using the rarely used dinning room, meaning they all got to eat together for once. Luckily though, Sebastian had been shipped off to his other grandparents house, which Fang found out happened every other holiday. He got rid of the little bastard for Thanksgiving, but he'd be stuck with him for Christmas. Fang could only look forward to Easter.

"Well, since Seb's gone, I might have a date."

"A date? On Thanksgiving?" Max shook her head, glancing at Fang to share a look. Instead, she had to frown when she saw Carter hold some sweet potatoes and corn mixed together, covered in brown gravy up to Fang's lips. "Fang, do not eat that. Carter, you come sit in this chair, next to me and eat your own food."

"No! Car'er feed Owl!" Since Owl didn't have a daddy to feed him, Carter figured she better before he threw another fit. You know, since he was such a baby and all.

"We're fine," Fang assured Max, opening his mouth for Carter. After swallowing the nasty concoction, he added, "Besides, she's eating too."

"Yeah." Carter ate a piece of a roll. "Me eat too."

Nudge looked at Carter. "You know, Carter, if Mommy went out with me tonight, she could get you tons of gifts. Huh?"

"Max and I have plans," Fang said.

"What?"

He glanced at Max, sitting up a little bit. "Remember, Max?"

Watching him for a moment before looking at her sister, she said, "Yeah. We have a date too."

"Together? Because I really don't feel like hearing about that," Nudge said. "Besides, what is up with you guys, huh? All of you going out on dates? On Black Friday Eve?"

"I don't think that's a thing, Nudge," Max told her.

"Oh, it is."

"We're gonna go see a movie," Fang said.

Max frowned. "A movie?"

"Yes. Remember?"

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Fine, but I get to pick it."

"Meh."

"Hoo." Carter held a piece of roll up to Fang now. "Hoo."

"By the time Christmas rolls around, Carter, I expect you to be able to eat with a fork," Dr. Martinez said. Carter just stuck her tongue out, quickly covering it by pretending to take a sip of her drink.

"That seems like a good plan," Fang agreed. He was kind of tired of always having to clean Carter up after meal time. It was very annoying.

"No." Carter force fed Fang some ham. "No."

"Well, Carter, you don't want Evan to be smarter than you, do you?" Fang smiled down at her. "If he learns to eat with a fork first, that'll practically make him older than you."

"No!" Carter forced some turkey down Fang's throat now. Why wouldn't Owl just shut up?

Max sighed, pushing some food around on her plate. Her mother took notice and asked if she was okay.

"I just have a headache, that's all." Max sighed again, which was kind of getting on Fang's nerves. "I don't think I slept well last night."

"Shocked you slept at all," Ella muttered, making Nudge snicker.

"What do you mean?" Dr. Martinez took a sip of her water before look at her daughter. "Ella?"

"Nothing, Mom."

"It was clearly something."

"I just-"

"I stayed at Fang's last night and her and Nudge were being disrespectful to our relationship," Max said as she stood, her tone tight. "And it's so nice, Ella, to pick when I have a headache. And what, exactly, are you doing on this date that can't be done with Seb's home? So check yourself before you speak to me."

"Max!"

She just walked off, into the kitchen to clear her plate before they heard her head to the bathroom, probably in search of some aspirin. Fang sighed, looking at each woman before him in turn.

"Now I have to go home with that," he said simply before standing, leaving Carter behind to finish her dinner. "Thanks, Nudge, Ella."

When he found Max, she was in the bathroom, reading the back of a pill bottle. Not even looking up as he came into the bathroom with her, she began.

"They know that I don't feel well, they know that I'm not completely comfortable with our relationship yet, they know-"

"Shhh." Fang came closer, leaving the door open behind them. "They're jerks. Jealous jerks, that's all."

"Still." Max turned on the sink, cupping her hand under it to get some water before swallowing it with her pills. "I don't even want to be here anymore."

"Then let's go."

"I can't. I have to help clean up."

Fang sighed, watching her for a moment. "Do we really have to go to a movie?"

"You're the one that freaking said we were."

"Just because Ella was over there, bragging, and I didn't want you to feel left out." He shrugged slightly, his jacket causing him to feel kind of stuffy. "God, does your mother have to have the heat on?"

"She's your savior, remember?"

"Yeah, and I thank her for that. This heat? Not so much."

Max turned to him now, after putting the pills back in the medicine cabinet. Running a hand down his arm, she said, "Fang, if you're uncomfortable, take off your hoodie. I promise, no one will say anything."

"I'm fine."

"But-"

"Max, you'd think they'd leave you alone but they didn't."

She just sighed, reaching out to run a hand down his face, cupping his chin. "They're just being catty. It's what girls do."

"Girls." He snorted. "They're hardly girls. They're women."

"Women are worse."

With that, Max pushed him aside before heading out of the bathroom, back towards the dinning room. "Come on, Fang. Dinner's about over. You can help clean up too. Or at least watch the kids like usual."

Taking a deep breath, Fang followed along after, sweating under his thick clothing. It's a lot of work, hiding yourself away from others, but it was worth it. It was so worth it.

"We're not doing that again so you can cut it out."

Fang kept kissing Max's neck, his fingers slowly stroking her flesh, his hand pressed underneath her shirt. Without pulling all the way back, he mumbled against her skin, "Didn't you get mad at me, once, for assuming this meant sex?"

"I can feel you."

Fang rubbed himself against Max's thigh. "I want you to feel me."

She groaned, laying her head back against his pillows, staring up at the ceiling. "You have Mom to thank for this."

"Mmmm…nope. Not gonna talk about Dr. Martinez right now." Fang shifted his crotch again, groaning deeply. "What do you mean though?"

"She offered to keep Carter so that we could be here, right now, not having sex."

"Mmmm." Fang felt his eyes slip shut as Max indulged him slightly, reaching down to toy with him. "But, Max, if I hadn't mentioned that imaginary date, she wouldn't have offered."

"True, very true."

"So it's thanks to me that we're here now, having sex."

"We're not having sex."

"We never do."

"Or any form of sex."

"I don't know what you-"

"I'm not touching your dick."

Fang's eyes opened, now looking up at her own. "Who said you'd be the one to touch it?"

Letting out a loud groan, Max went back to watching the ceiling. "You're so witty these days. I love it."

"Do you?"

"Not really. That was sarcasm."

"I figured. Just thought I should ask to be sure."

"You know me so well."

Leaning over her face now, he pressed his lips gently to hers, but only enough so that they could barely feel each other's breath. "I do."

"I love you."

Fang bit into her bottom lip gently before letting it go. "I love you too."

"I love your bed."

"I love you in my bed."

It was the next morning and Fang had just gotten back from work to find Max still in his bed, which was becoming one of his favorite things to come home to.

"What time is it?" Max groaned.

"Ten in the morning."

"Why are you home so late?"

"Went to the store."

"Mmmm." She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "I've felt motherless these past few days. When are we gonna pick Carter up?"

"Soon. I'll get her when I go out to get us lunch." Slowly he came to sit on the edge of the bed. "So this motherless feeling, was it nice?"

"That not sex we had was nice."

"And loud."

"Very loud."

"Not that loud."

"No, not too loud."

Fang slowly began to take his shoes off before pulling his hoodie off too. "You naked under those covers?"

"Nope."

"Damn." Fang stretched, popping some of his joints. "Can you go wash my wings? Before Carter gets here?"

"Sure." Max pushed up slightly. "Come on."

As they headed into the bathroom, Fang said, "You know, I could help you too."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I could wash what you do have." He cleared his throat. "If you want. I love your feathers."

"Fang…"

"I do. I think that they're the most beautiful ones I have ever seen. Ever."

"That's such a freaking lie. Angel is-"

"Angel is boring."

"Angel is far from boring."

"Angel's just another one of those try hards that constantly need to feel different, ignoring the ways they are really set apart, and pretending to be something they're not. They want so bad to be set apart from the crowd that they don't realize they're just like the people standing next to them. It's sick."

Rolling her eyes, Max stepped aside, allowing Fang to sit down on the edge of the bathtub. "You just don't understand her."

"No. You don't understand Angel. You never have."

"Excuse me?" Max picked up some of the shampoo sitting on the bathtub, shaking it at Fang, to which he just shrugged. As she poured some on a washcloth, she got back to the conversation at hand. "I know her better than anyone."

"No," Fang said as he pulled his shirt over his head, opening his wings the second the cloth was gone. "You think you do. You've always thought that you do, but you never really get it. You're blinded by that weird love thing you have for her."

"Oh yeah? What am I blinded from seeing?" Max got on her knees in front of him, which always excited Fang for one reason or another.

"From how…stupid she is. She acts like she owns the world and, my God, she could have, back in the day, but now? Now Angel's nothing. She just hasn't realized it yet. She's a nobody, just like me. You? You're name's legacy will out live you, but not her. Not me. Not Iggy, not Gazzy, not Nudge. You. Always you."

"If you're trying to get oral out of this-"

"Angel's nothing."

"You sure do hate her now, huh?"

"No," Fang said slowly, fluttering his wings as Max stroked his left one. "I just…I can't deal with her anymore. She's so fake."

"That's your opinion."

"Whatever."

They stayed silent for awhile as Max worked on Fang's wings, neither wanting to speak to the other. When Fang's phone went off in his pocket, he pulled it out to find that it was a text from Iggy.

"Dylan's gonna be a daddy."

There Max was, now washing off the shampoo, when Fang throws that at her. "Excuse me?"

"Possibly. He's not a hundred percent sure it's his. Well, Iggy's not sure."

"The hell?" Max jumped up, throwing the washcloth down. Fang just watched her with big eyes. "He freaking tells Iggy and not me?"

"Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm the fuck down, Fang. That douche."

Groaning, Fang shook his wings slightly. "Easily aggravated boyfriend here."

"Dylan can't be having a stupid baby. He can't."

"What? You think that he was being celibate for you or something?" Fang sighed, turning to turn on the shower, realizing that Max wasn't going to finish his wings and he'd need to wash them off.

"Shut up." Max stomped out of the room, in search of her own phone.

"Don't go call him," Fang yelled after her. "Iggy wasn't supposed to tell me!"

A door slammed in response, making Fang sigh. You'd think that Max wanted Dylan or something. Talk about sick…

"Dylan's not having a baby, dumbass."

Fang frowned at Max as he came into the house. "Holding Carter, Max."

"Hi, Mommy."

Reaching out, Max took her daughter and one of the fast food bags from her boyfriend. "Hi."

"Then who's having a baby?"

"Dylan."

"I don't…what?"

"Dylan is the name of one of Iggy's hoes."

"Max," Fang grumbled as they headed into the kitchen. "Stop using bad words."

"He's not sure if it's his baby, not Dylan. My Dylan is fine."

"Your Dylan?"

"You know what I mean."

"No, Max, I don't think I do."

"I'm with you, aren't I? And I've been with you, forever, so just shut up, okay?"

Shaking his head, Fang sat the rest of the fast food bags on the counter. "Anyways, Max, Carter has her last soccer game tomorrow. I was wondering if you could come."

"I wish." Max kissed her daughter's head. "Mommy's sorry, but she has to work."

"Max," Fang complained. "It's her last game."

"And I just said, Fang, that I would go if I could, but I can't. Okay?" Max bounced her daughter a little. "Carter understands that I have to work. It's not ideal, okay, but it's just me working for the two of us, alright?"

"You know as well as I do that if you needed anything-"

"Oh, yeah, I'm gonna take money from the security guard that can barely stay above the water because he has to pay for a million different medicines because he has shit health insurance."

"What is up with you and cursing, huh? Since you thought Dylan got a girl pregnant, you won't stop saying bad words. Carter is with us now, okay?" Fang handed Max Carter's food. "Go sit her down on the couch to eat."

After rolling her eyes, Max followed his instructions as he came behind her with their food. "Your cable works now?"

"It does," he said simply as Carter pointed at him, trying to get him to sit next to her. Shifting the little girl to the middle seat, he did so, allowing Max to sit on the other side of her. "I don't have a lot of channels though. Not as many as Nudge."

"That douche that knocked Nudge up pays all her bills."

"Max, seriously?"

She sighed slightly, glancing at Carter. "I know. I usually watch my mouth better than this, huh?"

"Yeah," Fang said as Carter tried to eat the toy that came with her kid's meal. "Stop that, Carter."

"Rawr!" She bit at Fang before tossing the toy to the ground. Just as quickly, she moved on to eating her real food. Fang just sighed before eating his own food.

"You work today?"

"Yeah. I go in at four. Night shift." Max sighed a little bit. "I still have a massive headache though."

"Maybe you got Carter's flu."

"I doubt it." Frowning, she looked down at Carter as she started to whine loudly. "What's wrong?"

"Nnnrrgg." Carter held up a packet up ketchup. It was Fang's time to sigh as he had to open a few for her. "Owl."

"You know, Carter, it's probably high time that you learned to tell him thank you instead of just saying his name." Max patted her daughter on the head. "You know how to say it."

"No."

"It would make Owl feel good to hear you say it sometimes, you know."

Glancing up at him, Carter just watched for a moment before smiling. "T'ank you."

Leaning down, Fang kissed her head. "You're welcome."

"Aw." Max made a face at Fang. "Ain't that cute."

"Get over yourself, Max," he said gruffly before turning back to his television. "Put it on the news."

"Don't order me around," she told him before doing as he asked.

Carter poked Fang's side.

"What?" He asked looking down at her.

"Say."

"What?"

"Say!"

"She wants you to say thank you, Owl."

Fang narrowed his eyes at Max. "Thank you, Max."

Leaning over her daughter, she kissed his cheek. "You're welcome."

"Don't play with me."

Max just rolled her eyes. "So anyways, what are you and Carter eating for dinner?"

"I dunno."

"Just remember, if it's not finger food, she has to use a fork."

"All I have is plastic forks."

"Those are fine. Just make her eat with one."

"I will."

"I mean it, Fang."

"I will, God." He shook his head at Carter while she just smiled at him, each thinking the shared stare was for a different reason.

"Evan teef?"

Fang shrugged a little bit. "I'm sure he has some teeth. I guess. I dunno."

"Owl lotta teef."

"I do, huh?"

He and Carter had just had a rousing game of shooting at each other with a Nerf gun before crashing on his bed. It was about dinner time now, but Fang was too lazy to do anything about it.

Carter hit him in the thigh with her gun. "P'ay?"

"I'm resting."

"Owl 'azy."

"I am. I get tired easily. Sue me." He smiled as she curled against his side. "For the longest time, little one, I didn't do anything all day except get tortured. Now, here I am, Carter's playmate."

"'morrow see Jess and Ally. Soccer."

"Yeah. Soccer."

"S'eepover."

"Yeah," Fang sighed. "I don't know what I'm gonna do without you all night. I'll miss you until I see you again."

"Miss Owl." She cuddled into him, moaning. "Tummy."

"You're hungry?" He glanced at the clock. "Mommy said we had to eat something with forks."

"No!"

"Yes. We'll eat…pasta, huh? That pasta? That comes in the cans? You like that. It'll be your first time having to eat with a fork. It'll be great."

"Mmmm…no. 'morrow."

"Tomorrow? You wanna start with forks tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"You promise?"

"Yes."

"Alright then," Fang said, getting up finally. "Come on. You don't have to use a fork tonight, so long as you keep your promise."

"Car'er keep p'omise!"

"Good," Fang said, though he had a sinking feeling that it wasn't a good idea to trust the promise of a person who still hadn't mastered tying their shoe. But hey, you know. Sometimes you just have to go out on a limb and hope for the best.

Late, I know, but I've been working on some of my other stories. As shocking as this may be, Maximum Ride isn't the only fandom to house my stories. I know, I know, shocking, isn't it?