Catch and Release
Chapter 26
"Snow, Owl. Snow."
"I see," Fang said, watching Carter all decked out in her winter gear, heavy coat, mittens, and hat in all. "You're so good at playing in the snow."
Beaming, Carter went to work pushing snow around the front yard, trying to impress her Owl, who honestly wasn't even paying that much attention. Fang was currently sitting on the hood of a car with his friend, having an in-depth discussion on the paternity of Jon Snow. You know, the mature talks you have with your friend.
"I just don't think that Ned would have ever done that to Catelyn," Daniel went on. "I do, however, think he would have covered for his sister if-"
"You don't know that though. If it doesn't say it in the books, then-"
"There's a lot of things not said in the books that you just know."
"Yes. History. Jon Snow's paternity is just a theory though."
See? Mature.
"Owl," Carter interrupted again. She was now standing in front of him, frowning. "Owl p'ay."
"Carter-"
"You want someone to play with?" Daniel jumped down off the car before going over to the house. Fang frowned, wondering what he was getting. A minute later, Daniel returned with his dog, which he set free in the yard.
"Doggie! Owl, doggie!"
Fang had seen Daniel's dog before while they were watching his Game of Thrones DVDs one time.
"His name's Ghost," Danny told her as the dog ran in circles around Carter. She got so excited by this that she fell down on her butt, giggling as the big mutt began to lick her face. Daniel turned to Fang. "It's okay for her to play with him, right?"
"As long as he doesn't bite." Fang wasn't that concerned anyways. At least it would keep Carter out of their hair for awhile.
"Ghost." Carter had managed to stand again and was now petting the dog's head. "Ghost."
"Here's a Frisbee, Carter," Danny said, handing it to the little girl before climbing back up onto the hood of his car, next to the older male. "You throw it and Ghost'll get it for you. Like you've seen me do at work before. Okay?"
Carter nodded before attempting to toss the disk in the air. It didn't go very far, but Ghost was still excited to have someone to play with and fetched it like she wanted.
"Good Ghost. Good Ghost." She took the Frisbee from him. "Good Ghost."
Fang sighed, watching the little girl for a moment before glancing back at Daniel. "You know what I told you before? About Max telling me I couldn't have Iggy come?"
"Yeah."
"He bought his plane ticket. He'll be here tomorrow. Him, Gazzy, and Gazzy's girlfriend."
"They're all staying in your apartment?"
Fang shrugged. "I'm hardly there. I'm normally with Carter and Max."
"You won't be when Max finds out that you went behind her back."
"I'm the man. I make the final decisions."
Or at least that's what Fang had learned at church the other day. He had finally caved to the demands of Valencia, mainly because he had no choice. While he was there, however, he found himself flipping through the bible instead of listening to the pastor. Or priest. Rabbi. Whatever. The point was, Fang wasn't listening. It could have been the Pope for all he cared. It was so boring.
Anyways, as he was ignoring the message being shoved down his throat, he found himself intrigued by quite a few passages in the bible that claimed men to be high up on the totem pole than women. He hadn't brought this up to any of the women that he was stuck living in the same town with, but he was saving it in his back pocket for the right moment during a fight. Which, given the fact that he was directly defying Max by inviting Iggy to come, there was no doubt that fight would be fast approaching.
"If you say so. In my experience, that's the easiest way to get kicked out."
"She can't kick me out, we don't live together." Fang frowned as Ghost wouldn't give Carter the Frisbee back, instead making her chase him. "Besides, what kind of experience do you got?"
"Nothing like this. I just meant with my parents."
"Hn." Fang shook his head as Carter began to yell at Ghost. "Carter, let him have it if he won't give it back.
"Mine! Ghost! No! Bad!"
Danny sighed. "Ghost. Sit."
On command, the dog sat right where he was. Carter, clearly suspicious, walked over slowly before reaching out and trying to snatch the flying disk. Still, the dog wouldn't let go.
"Release," Daniel ordered and the dog did just that. Now with the toy she wanted, Carter ran away from Ghost, who waited for Daniel's command before chasing after her. Once that was done, Danny looked back at Fang. "Then, after she kicks you out, she won't let you see your kid anymore."
Fang snorted. "If that isn't the biggest bull ever. If you want to see your kid, you will. If you don't, you won't. It's that simple."
"Not always."
"Yes, always."
Daniel sighed as Carter ran over to them. "What's wrong, Carter?"
"No. Ghost bad." She held out the Frisbee to Fang. "Owl."
"Here." He took it from her before giving it a proper overhand throw, exciting the dog who immediately took chase. Carter watched in amazement as the white dog jumped into the air, catching the Frisbee. She took the toy back when Ghost came to her and began to toss it again, wanting him to catch it like he had Owl's toss. Owl was incredible. She loved Owl.
"What would you do if Max said that you couldn't see Carter anymore?"
Fang frowned at Danny as he brought the conversation back up. "She has before. And I gave it a week before trying again. Carter's not my daughter though."
"You could fool me."
"My only point was, if you want something, you'll get it. If you really don't want something, then you'll find some excuse as to why you didn't get it or do it. Whatever. There's always someone else to blame. Always."
"I guess you're right."
Fang clapped him on the shoulder. "I didn't really have a dad either, if it helps."
"You never had a dad," Daniel said, rolling his eyes. "That's different than having one and then him being gone. Very different."
"How did you know I didn't have one?"
He shrugged. "Probably one of those documentaries."
"Documentaries?"
The nineteen year old frowned, glancing at Fang. "Yeah. You know, about you guys? How you saved the world? How you got captured again?"
"There are documentaries about me?"
Nodding slowly, Daniel said, "Of course. You guys saved the world. You're famous. You mean, you've never seen someone taking pictures of you or-"
"No, I have, back when I first got out of the…School. And then the hospital."
"You guys were pretty popular, there for awhile," Daniel said with clear unease. "I'm sure we could find a few of them online if you-"
"No, that's alright," Fang said, though he knew he now had plans for the night.
If there were stories on his life, he was at least gonna watch them.
"You know, Fang, I could help you out."
"With what?"
"With your family coming in and all." Danny glanced back at the house. "It's just me in this house now that my Grandma died. You could stay here with me. Or, you know, some of them could stay with me. Whatever helps."
Fang glanced at him. "Is that how you got a house?"
"Yeah. It's paid off too."
"Hn." Fang shook his head. "Nah, I couldn't ask you to do that for me."
"It's really no big deal. I have two extra bedrooms."
"I wouldn't want to impose," Fang tried to backtrack.
"You won't be! That one with the girlfriend, Gasman?"
Fang nodded.
"They can stay at your apartment and then me, you, and Iggy can stay here. At my place. With Ghost." He smiled. "We can watch Game of Thrones together."
"I guess. I'll have to see how Max reacts to everything."
"From what you've told me about her, it won't go over well."
"Nothing with her does these days," Fang sighed. Wasn't that the biggest truth of all? If Max was in charge of it, she wasn't doing it. So how was he going to find his way out of this one?
"Do you like pizza, Carter?"
She didn't look up at her mother as she picked off a piece of pepperoni and stared at it. After a tentative sniff, she put it in her mouth. Did she like pizza? Not particularly, but at least she didn't have to use a stupid fork.
Fang sighed, glancing over at them from his laptop. "Could you guys be quiet? I'm trying to watch something."
Max rolled her eyes. "I cannot believe that you didn't know about the stupid documentaries."
"Shhh."
"Then use headphones, idiot."
"Owl. Id'it."
"See what you do, Max?" Fang grumbled, reaching over to grab his own piece of pizza. They were in Max's bed, a box of pizza sitting at the end of the bed while Fang was trying to watch one of their documentaries. Carter, for her part, was busy inspecting the pizza thoroughly, although she had eaten pizza numerous times in her short life.
Max groaned, leaning back against her pillow. "I'm not even that hungry."
Fang ignored her as pictures of different Schools flashed on the screen. He was watching it so intently that Max finally reached over and pressed pause.
"The heck, Max?"
"Carter doesn't need to see this. You wanna watch this, you do it at your own home, on your own time. Right now, you're with me and Carter, so you pay attention to me and Carter. You hear me?"
Fang stood up then, taking his laptop with him. "Then I'll be in the living room.
"No, Fang, you won't. Leave if you're gonna be like that."
He shut his eyes, frowning. "Why does it matter if I want to watch this?"
"Because I don't want to watch it, Fang. I don't want to think about the past."
"You sure it's that? Or is it that you just want to boss me around?"
"What?"
"You heard me. That's all you ever want to do is boss me around."
"Fang, this isn't even about that."
"It is now." He turned to look at her. "I invited Iggy, Gasman, and Gazzy's girlfriend down. They'll be here tomorrow."
For a second, all was quiet. Then Max sat back up.
"What?"
Fang took a deep breath. "Yeah. And I just think that-"
"What?"
"Well, I haven't seen them since-"
"Fang, you cannot just-"
"They won't even talk to you while they're here if you don't want, Max."
"I told you no."
"And I'm telling you right now that I'm a man. Granted, maybe not as strong a man as I should be, but I am a man. You can't tell me what to do. Number one, you're not my wife. Number two, even if you were, that would make no difference."
Max snorted. "Right now, you're not only bordering on being wifeless, but also girlfriendless."
He just shook his head, continuing out of the room. "They're coming, Max. Have fun explaining why you're too much of a bitch to show up to see your family."
It wasn't until Fang was out of the apartment that he really thought about what he had said and how maybe that last comment wasn't the best of comments. Still. It would all blow over soon anyways.
…Wouldn't it?
"You called her a bitch?"
Fang just nodded.
"All because you wanted to see Iggy?"
After hesitating, he threw down another nod.
"Iggy's that important to you? Really?" Nudge was skeptical but let him in anyways. "Wow. If she ever talks to you again, I'll be amazed."
"Nudge."
"What?" She closed her door behind him. "Max is vengeful. She's been taking it easy on you since you got out of the mental hospital, but-"
"If these past few months have been her taking it easy on me, then maybe we're not meant to be together."
"I-" Then, randomly, Nudge stopped herself. Shaking her head, she said, "Nope."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean what I said. Nope. Not gonna touch this one. Not taking sides. Not this time."
"Nudge-"
"I said no, Fang."
"What does that mean anyways, taking sides?"
"You know exactly what it means. It means that I'm not going to choose between you and Max. I care about you both, so I'm not gonna screw something up with her by telling you that you were right."
"But I am right."
"Perhaps," she agreed. "Still, I can't say if you are or if you aren't."
"But what if Max asks if she's right?"
"Oh, then I definitely have to say she was right."
"What?"
"Fang, you're a dude. You're not gonna turn against me. Ever." She patted him on the shoulder before going over to Evan, who was playing with some of his toys on the floor. "What's with the laptop?"
"Huh?" He frowned when he remembered that he had his old laptop with him. "Oh, yeah. This started Max and my fight. She thinks that she can tell me what I can watch and what I can't."
Nudge picked up Evan before sitting on the couch. "Porn?"
"What? No."
She gave him a pointed look.
"Not around her! God."
"Then what is it, Fang?"
He sighed, sitting down next to her on the couch. Evan reached over and patted Fang, smiling at him. Fang grabbed the baby's hand before continuing.
"Documentaries."
"On sex."
"What is up with you and thinking I'm overly sexualized?"
She just shrugged. "Just calling 'em like I see 'em."
"Well, I'm not, so cut it out."
"So what are the documentaries about?"
Fang paused, though if it was for dramatic effect or because he was mad at Nudge for what she had said, he wasn't sure. "Us."
"Us? You mean the U.S.?"
"How stupid do you really think I am, Nudge?"
"Again, I call 'em like I see 'em."
He just groaned. "You really annoy me, you know that?"
"So what are the documentaries about then?"
"Us, Nudge."
"Me and you."
"All of us. About saving the world, growing up in the School, everything."
"Hmmm. So why doesn't Max want you to watch them?"
"Because she doesn't want to watch them."
"…And?"
"That's my exact point!"
"…Oh yeah, never mind."
"Huh?"
"I'm not taking sides, remember, idiot?"
Fang rolled his eyes. "You know as well as I do that I'm right."
"I know that as long as you're here, I have no opinion. When Max shows up though-"
"You're gonna lose me one day, you know. I won't always be so nice to you."
Nudge just smiled sadly at him and it took Fang a moment to realize what he had said wrong.
"I've lost you once, Fang," she said softly. "I think I can survive another time."
He just sat there as she leaned against him, her son making noises from her lap. Fang wasn't sure how long they sat like that, but he didn't really care. He liked being that close to Nudge. It was…different than with Max or Angel. It always would be. He had always felt closest to Max and Iggy, but most protective over Nudge. Until Gazzy and Angel showed up, Nudge was the baby. Even though they were all stuck in cages most of the time, they still all looked out for Nudge. Max was Angel's baby, Gazzy was Iggy's buddy, and Nudge was Fang's…something. He was never sure.
"Mama." Evan yawned, patting Nudge's stomach. "Hi."
Nudge just glanced at her son before shaking her head. "Jonathan didn't care, by the way."
"About?"
"You taking me to the party."
"Hn."
"I love him, Fang."
"No," Fang sighed. "You don't."
"Then what do you call what I feel for him?"
"Lust. You're lusting for him. You lust for a lot of guys."
"If you're trying to insult me again-"
"I'm not. It's not your fault." He patted Evan on the head. "You're young. You'll settle eventually."
"Oh? And you've settled?"
"Not fully, no, but I've always known what I've wanted and it's Max. I don't need to look. She's been right there next to me the whole time."
"That's…cute. You're cute. I want a cute guy."
Fang just sighed. "I'm not cute."
"I think you are. Not necessarily around Max, but you are when you're not. You say such adorable things about her. I love it."
"I do not say adorable things. I just tell the truth. I want to be with Max forever. Even when we're in the ground, I want my bones right next to hers. I love her."
"See? Sweet."
"That is not sweet. That is creepy."
"Creepy and sweet."
"…Are you hitting on me?"
Nudge rolled her eyes. "If you think this is hitting on you, Max has not been giving you the proper attention."
Fang sat up straighter. "I get plenty of attention."
"Oh, Fang. Still living off those handjobs, eh?"
He faltered. "Excuse me?"
"Please. You really didn't think that we all don't know?" She patted his thigh. "It's okay, Fang. Not all of us can get laid. Just ask Ella."
"Why do you guys all pick on Ella?"
"What do you mean?"
"Every time I turn around, you or Max is throwing down how little actions she's getting. Last time I checked, Max wasn't getting any without me."
"That's different."
"How so?"
"Max was waiting for you. That's romantic. Ella's just lonely and a prude."
Fang cleared his throat. "Max thought I was dead. Max loved me and got her heartbroken. Ella loved Sebastian's father. He really is dead. She's heartbroken."
"It wasn't the same kind of love."
"How do you know that?" Fang shook his head. "I don't know who Sebastian's father was, but I do know that Ella loved him enough to have a kid with him, to marry him."
"That doesn't necessarily mean love."
"No," Fang agreed. "It doesn't. But I just feel like she lost something and you guys all pretend like she didn't. And the only reason you guys act that way is because Ella didn't lose someone in the same way Max thought she lost me. You act like Ella can't feel pain. She can. Maybe not in the same why we feel it, but why should we hold it against her that her pain isn't as harsh as ours? It makes no sense. It wasn't her choice to be born second, to be Dr. Martinez's normal daughter. Why do you hold it against her? Or are you just jealous?"
It was Nudge's turn to blink. Then, not answering the question, she decided to speak to Evan instead. "I think it's time for your bath, Evan."
He just looked up at her before at Fang. "Hi."
Leaning over, Fang rubbed the top of his head against the little boy's before standing. "I guess I should go then."
"What did you need anyways?" Nudge asked.
"Huh?"
"Why'd you come over here from the start?"
Why? He came to find someone that shared his opinion. He stayed because he wanted Nudge to know that he was there for her.
"I dunno," he said with a shrug. "I have nothing else to do. I'm normally with Carter and Max right now."
"Maybe it's a good thing, you know?" Nudge stood to let him out of the apartment. "You being away from them now and again? Not just one of them, but both? Now, at least, you can get a good night's sleep, huh?"
"I guess so," Fang muttered, heading out the open door, laptop in hand. "See you later, Nudge."
"Bye, Fang."
He roamed around the town for awhile, debating whether or not he should go back to Max's. Then, when he thought better of it, he deliberated going back to Nudge's. She would no doubt let him stay the night. Fang really, really just didn't want to be alone.
"You idiot. Get in the car."
Fang frowned as Max pulled up next to him. Slowly, he climbed into the passenger seat. "Wha-"
"God. Do you know how cold it is outside?" Max had the heat turned on full blast and Fang was thankful. "Where were you? I went to your place and you weren't there. I called, I text you, I-"
"I was at Nudge's. I guess my phone is off."
"Doing?"
Fang shrugged before glancing behind them. Carter waved at him and he waved back, though he wouldn't smile like she was.
"Owl. Hi. Hi, Owl."
"Hi," he muttered weakly before looking at Max. "Where were you headed?"
"To find you, stupid."
"Oh…why?"
"Why do you think?"
"Um..."
"Whenever we fight, you whine about needing to hurt yourself." Max was staring straight ahead. "This in no way means that I'm forgiving you."
Fang buckled his seat belt. "Where are we going?"
"Nest," Carter answered. "Nest. Owl. Nest."
"Shhh, Holden."
Max shook her head. "I'm still mad at you. You directly disobeyed-"
"I know."
"You can't just expect me to-"
"I'm sorry."
Taking deep breath, she finally glanced at him as they came to a red light. "I know that you don't see Iggy enough, but that's not my problem. He and I aren't going to start getting along any time soon. If you want to see him, save up some vacation days and go do it."
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"I'm not…leaving you and Carter. Ever. Or Nudge and Evan. If we all don't go, none of us go."
"Fang," she sighed.
"Especially you and Carter. You're my family. Not my extended family, but my real family. That's the way it's supposed to be," he said with confidence. "If I left you, for even a weekend, and something happened I would never forgive myself. I've got a second chance at this and it's even more precious to me, now that I have Carter. I'm not going to blow it."
"Owl," Carter called, having heard her name. "Brrr. Brrr, Owl."
"We'll be home soon, Owlet. Then we can all get in bed and go to sleep."
"I feel like we do that a lot. Sleep." Max turned up the radio slightly. It was some rap station, but Fang didn't say anything, since Max tended to like that kind of music whereas he preferred silence.
"Carter and I play a lot. In the day." He looked out the window, liking the snowy scene presented before him. "We like blocks and stuffed animals. We helped Dr. Martinez with a puzzle once. Kind of. We were there for most of it."
Max let out a slow breath. Then, clearly guarded, she said, "It's been good for her."
"What has?"
"Having you around. She's not as…volatile as she once was." Max looked at her daughter in the review mirror. "She used to bite and fight and scream. It was…Hell, back then. I had the others, my sister, Nudge, and Mom, but still. Now, with you here, it feels…easier."
"I like taking care of her," Fang assured Max. Then, picking his next words carefully, he said, "She's…different."
"From?"
"What I thought my first child would be like." He looked back at her too, taking in her bright smile. "She's helped me a lot too. If she wasn't here and it was just you and me…I dunno what would have happened. I'm sure it would have all turned out okay, but I just-"
"Shhh." Max reached over with one hand and stroked his thigh. "We're almost home. You don't have to talk about it."
He leaned against the window. "I'm glad that I have her. I couldn't imagine being without her."
"Owl," Carter called one last time. "Owl?"
He just smiled slightly, shaking his head slowly. "I'm here, Carter."
"Owl brrr?"
"I'm fine." He lifted his head slightly. "I am very glad that you were thoughtful enough to be worried about me. I mean, to come all the way out here, just to make sure I wasn't cold, that has to be the best thing anyone's ever done for me. Thank you, Carter."
Max, catching on to the double meaning, rolled her eyes. "Tell him he's welcome, Carter."
"No."
"Carter-"
"Owl."
"She doesn't have to. She doesn't need to." He took in a deep breath, slipping his eyes close. 'I know exactly how she feels."
"Wobbuffet."
Fang blinked before glancing at Carter, then her mother. Max just shook her head.
"Just go with it."
"Max, how can I tell a bedtime story about a…Wobbuffet if I don't know what it is?"
Carter reached over, pressing her finger against his chest. "Poke. Man. Poke. Man."
"Stop it." Fang grasped her finger in his hand before frowning at her. "God. You wanna hear a story? Once upon a time, a little girl wouldn't stop poking a man in the chest and he got up and left her. The end."
Carter jerked away from him, which wasn't hard as he wasn't holding her that tightly. "Mommy!"
"Fang, don't be mean."
He took in a deep breath before looking around. They were over at his place, all snuggly in bed as promised. For some reason though, they couldn't get Carter down for the night. Then she had to go and start all that poking business.
"I'm sorry, Carter. I'm just…grumpy."
"S'eepy."
"I'm not sleepy. Well, I mean, yeah, I am, but that's not why I'm grumpy."
"Eye?" Then, in her normal inquisitive pose, Carter stuck her fingers in her mouth, awaiting his answer.
"Because they changed up my pills again."
Max, who had been texting, glanced up at that. "Why?"
"I dunno. I'm getting sick of it though."
"Owl." Carter reached out with her spit soaked hand and patted his head. "Car'er Owl."
He chuckled slightly before shifting on the bed. Carter moved closer, snuggling into his chest. He was shirtless again and that worried her, considering his ows were still there. When would those be going away anyways? That's not even mentioning how cold he must be. Sure, he had his wings to keep him warm, but where were his jammies?
Fang leaned down and kissed the top of her head while Carter giggled. "You comfy?"
"Yes."
"Good."
"Wobbuffet?"
Shaking his head at Max, he began. "Once a lot time ago there was a guy named Wobbuffet that owned a magical donkey who could speak eight different languages. One day, the man and his donkey set out on an adventure of a life time to find the magical…box."
"Box?"
"Box of doom, Carter. Whoever possessed the box would become the magical rulers of the world and what not."
Max made a wrap it up motion with her fingers, meaning she probably wanted to talk after Carter finally fell asleep. Sigh.
"But then they never find it," Fang finished. "The end."
"End," Carter agreed, yawning. Fang stroked her back gently, trying to coax her into sleep. When it finally worked, Max began.
"I do not want to be around Iggy."
Fang sighed, figuring that this wouldn't be the end of their argument. "I know."
"I really don't."
"I know, Max."
"Or Gasman's girlfriend."
"Okay."
"And Iggy is not to be alone with Carter."
Now he was confused. "Huh?"
"You heard me."
"Why can't he be?"
"If I don't like him, I don't want my daughter around him."
"Well, I think that's kind of overly cautious."
"I don't care."
Fang nuzzled the top of Carter's head. "Iggy's my friend. My brother."
"I know."
"I don't like Ella. Carter's still around her."
"Carter's not your daughter."
Fang swallowed. "I know that. I just think that I should be allowed to make some choices in her life. I'm the closest thing to a father she has. I plan on being there for her like a father."
"But ultimately you're not."
"I could be."
"What do you mean?" Max got a text on her phone and glanced down at it before back up at him.
"Excuse me, but that's kind of rude. I'm trying to talk to you here, you know."
Max rolled her eyes. "It's Nudge, alright? Jonathan called her or something and she needed advice."
"For what? She doesn't need to be with that jerk."
"Anyways, how are you gonna be her father?"
"I just meant…" He sighed, wishing that he had never said that. "Max…"
"What, Fang?"
"When we, you know, finally, get together and everything, she'll be my-"
"Fang-"
"-and I could adopt her. Then, when you change your name, we could change hers and-"
"Okay, first off, I never agreed to marry you or let you adopt her. Secondly, change my name?"
"You know. To reflect my last name."
Max blinked. "You don't have a last name."
"I do though. I had to, to get citizenship and all that. Have you never seen my drivers license? Or pill bottles? They have my info on them too."
"What's your last name?"
"Caulfield."
"…I don't get it."
"Because of Carter."
"Carter Caulfield?"
"Because I call her Holden."
"So?"
"Never mind." Fang kissed the top of Carter's head. "You wouldn't get it."
She rolled her eyes. "Besides, Fang, what makes you think that I would want to change my name?"
"You have to."
"No, I don't."
"Why wouldn't you?"
"Because, Fang, I'm Maximum Ride. I always have been and I always will be."
"But you have to."
"I do not." She went back to her phone. "Besides, changing your last name shows that the guy owns you. You do not own me."
"If we get married, I will," he muttered.
"Excuse me?"
Fang cleared his throat. "It's in the bible. You'll be mine."
"No, Fang, I won't."
"Read it. It's in there. You have to listen to me. I'm the head of the household. You have to do what I say."
"Screw you."
"It's what it says!"
"Then I hope you like being single, because we are never getting married then."
"Fine." He looked up at the ceiling. "I never said that I wanted to marry you anyways."
"Good."
"Good."
"Good."
They both frowned, looking at Carter, who was now staring up at Fang. Max sighed.
"You were supposed to be asleep."
"S'eep. Owl say Hold'em! Car'er is Hold'em."
"You are." Fang kissed the top of her head, making her giggle and hide her face in his chest again. "Huh? Holden Caulfield."
"Car'er."
"Carter Caulfield."
"Owl."
"Owl Caulfield."
"Mommy."
"Mommy Caulfield."
Carter giggled before looking at her mother. "Mommy?"
"I'm not playing," she said, shaking her head. "And you know your last name, Carter. What is it?"
"Mmmm…Car'er."
"Carter's your first name. What's your last name? It's the same as Mommy's," she prompted.
"Car'er."
"No," Max groaned.
"See? She doesn't even know her last name yet. It can be anything." Fang rubbed his head against the little girl's. "You wanna have the same last name as me? Carter Caulfield?"
"Fang," Max warned.
"Or do you want Mommy's boring last name? Carter Ride?"
The little girl leaned up and kissed Fang's chin. "Car'er Owl name."
"Caulfield."
"Call'mill."
"Yeah." He kissed her head. "See, Max? She wants my name. It was meant for her."
"You're such a liar."
"What do you mean?"
"You probably had that last name before you coined her Holden, so knock it off."
"And if I did? Who cares?" Fang let go of Carter as the little girl turned and crawled over to her mother. "Maybe I knew my last name and then started calling her Holden. It doesn't matter now, right? Since apparently you won't even let me adopt her."
"Adapt."
"Adopt," Fang corrected Carter, though he was still looking at her mother. "That would make me your Dad."
"No. No Owl Daddy!" Carter spit at him before turning back to her mother. "No. No, Owl."
Max frowned. "What is wrong with her?"
Fang just shook his head. "I asked her, before. She said no. Multiple times."
"You what?"
"You told me to," he defended.
"No. I told you that it was up to Carter. I didn't say that you should ask her without me being around."
"I thought it would be for the best. So that you didn't influence her into saying yes or no."
"Yeah, well, you made the wrong choice."
"I can tell that now."
"You probably confused her. Dang it, Fang."
"She wants me to be, I'm sure. She just doesn't get it yet, that's all." Fang moved closer to them. "Right, Carter?"
"No. Owl is Owl."
"I can be both though. That's what you don't get."
"No!" She wrapped her arms around Max's neck. "No."
"You're upsetting her."
"I'm trying to explain."
"Well, you're doing a bad job."
"Then you explain it. Tell her about how I can take care of her. Tell her about how I basically am her daddy. Tell her. Please, Max?"
"No."
"Max-"
"Fang, she doesn't want you to be that. Respect that."
"Just explain it to her. Maybe she doesn't get it."
Max sighed before looking down at her daughter, who was now sucking her thumb. "Carter, do you know what a daddy does?"
She nodded.
"What?"
Removing her thumb, Carter said, "P'ay. S'eep. Eat. Poop."
"Well…yes." Max glanced at Fang who just shrugged. "Do you know what Fang does?"
"P'ay."
"He also sleeps and eats too. And poops. Huh, Fang?"
"Well, yeah."
"So why can't Owl be Daddy?"
"Mmmm…No Daddy. Owl is Owl." Carter looked back at the man behind her. "Owl is Fang."
Fang's eyes widened. "You can say my name? All this time, you could say my name?"
"Owl." She shifted in Max's arms to face him. "Owl."
"Fang. Say it again."
"Fang."
"Then…why do you call me Owl?"
Max snuggled her daughter's back to her chest, staring at her boyfriend. "Maybe, Fang, to her, Owl does mean Daddy. Maybe it's not that she doesn't want you to be her daddy, maybe she just doesn't want to call you something new. You've been Owl since she knew you. Whenever she heard the word Fang before it was because Nudge was calling Evan by his middle name. He's Fang. And she's never heard anyone use the word Daddy. So you're not that. You're Owl. Why isn't enough for you?"
He closed his eyes tightly before opening them again shocked to find that Carter had wiggled away from Max and was in his face. "Of course she's enough for me," he mumbled as he pulled Carter to him, kissing her cheek. "You both are."
"Owl." Carter giggled, sticking out her tongue and licking his hand. "Owlwet."
"I am, aren't I?"
"Yes." Reaching up, she patted under his eyes, which could arguably be considered wet. "Owl sad?"
"No. I'm happy." He rubbed his face into her hand.
"Owl cry. Owl baby."
"Sometimes."
Carter made a noise before reaching towards the pillows, where Robbie and Lockheed were. Then, handing him her trusty bear, she finally settled down for the night, now content that Owl was fine. The big baby. But he was her big baby.
"You're crying?" Max whispered, coming closer so that Carter was completely sandwiched between them.
"Not crying, really."
Reaching out, his girlfriend ran a finger under one of his eyes. "Just a few tears?"
"A few."
"I like that…Mr. Caulfield."
"You like my tears?"
"I like that you can get so emotional over my daughter."
"Your daughter means very much to me."
"What about me?"
"You? Without you, I could have her. You mean a lot too. You both do. You're my world." He let go of Carter to run a hand down Max's face. "Now, on a more important note, Iggy is very sorry about-"
Max leaned over her daughter, pressing a gentle kiss against Fang's lips. When she pulled back, she said simply, "Don't ruin this."
He just stared back. "Aye-aye."