Max POV:

After Fang stormed out dramatically, though I couldn't blame him for doing that because I knew if he hadn't Iggy or I would have blown, everyone was silent. The chair he had flung across the room had landed on the side table. It collapsed immediately on impact and the picture frames that were placed on it shattered.

Everyone was silent, Mom and Ella frozen in pure fear. Gaz stood up and walked slowly over to the broken picture frames, his sneakers crunching the broken glass. We all watched as he singled out one of the pictures and brushed the glass of it. He hugged it to his chest and suddenly I knew which picture it was.

In the picture, we were all crowded around a table filled with goodies and junk food. It was Angel's seventh birthday and the flock's faces showed their happiness and joy, the whole flock. Nudge was looking beautiful in a short black dress and sparkly shoes. It was her first dress and she loved it. I had just handed her the Max Ride card and she ran into the shop and came out hours later delighted with the outfit she had gotten completely by herself.

I didn't even think Mom had kept the picture. But she had and it was in a place of honour along with Ella's school photos and different family events we weren't around for. Angel tiptoed over to him and slowly slid her arms around Gazzy. Soon we were all in the embrace. Well, all of us except Mom, Ella and Fang.

Fang. God I hope he's okay... I thought with a heavy heart. He had been so closed off, even more than normal when Nudge died. I think he blamed himself. We all had issues but Mom had just assumed we were ready too soon. And now the hole that had slowly started to heal had been punched though twice as hard.

I never really thought about what we would do now that she was gone. We would have to continue on with our lives, I realised with a start. But it just seemed so... wrong, I guess. She was the happy energetic person who filled awkward silences and always strived to be normal, fit in and make friends, normal human friends. She was the one we would have to do things without. Living a normal life seemed as though we were betraying her because it had always been her wish, and now that's exactly what we're about to do.

Max, Fang just said he would be back later... He had 'things' to 'sort out'.Angel placed the thought in my head. A mental breath I hadn't realised I was holding onto was suddenly released. As long as he was coming back eventually, I could deal with anything.

'We're going to head up to bed now.' My voice was tires and strained from exhaustion and worry for Fang and the rest of the flock. Mom just nodded mutely, realising the mistake she had made by assuming things were better. I grasped Ig's hand as we led the kids up the stairs to the room Gaz and Ange shared. He squeezed it after a few seconds and it gave me strength that I knew I would need to say what was about to come next.

'Now guys,' I started as soon and we were all arranged on Gazzy's camouflage bed. 'I know what Mom said was hard on us all, but, and I really don't want to say this, she was kind of right.' The younger kids immediately stiffened and I back-tracked quickly. 'Look, I'm not saying we are ever going to forget Nudge but sooner or later... We are going to have to start living our lives again. It's what Nudge would have wanted, I'm sure of that.'

Silence...

'Bu-but, I don't want to get old and not be able to remember her clearly... She was my best friend.' Angel's voice was small and scared.

'I don't want to forget her either. Like the way she used to scream at us when we exploded toothpaste in her face or got her clothes dirty. Or that time when she brought me shopping because I 'needed new clothes', I hated it at the time but now... I just want to do it again and again and again so I can be with her for just a few seconds longer.' The Gasman's fears joined his sister's in the silence of the room.

I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but I just couldn't. Iggy saved me by saying gently, 'Look guys we are all going to miss Nudge and the pain wont just go away like that, but Max is right. Sooner or later we are going to have to at least try and continue on. We can live our lives for Nudge. And I swear on my life, I will not let you guys ever forget her and I will kill or seriously injure any idiot who will try and take her away from us on purpose.'

His face wore an expression I had never seen on him before; Ig looked way older than his years. The kids nodded slowly and cried again for a bit before finally drifting off to sleep. Iggy and I stayed with them until they were safely in dreamland. I fixed the covers on Gaz's bed before we silently crept out.

In the dark hall, I suddenly threw my arms around Iggy and his arms held me in a brotherly embrace as the tears I had kept at bay for so long, flowed out of me. 'I-I don't think I can do it Iggy. I don't want to leave her in the past like all the others at the School and just-' I broke off hiccupping.

'Look Max, it hurts for me too. I loved h- she was my sister as well and my heart is breaking every second of every day without her in our family. But we need to at least try because if we don't, then we'll lose each other as well. I need this "distraction" or whatever your mom's suggesting because if I keep replaying that night in my mind, I think I might go crazy or die or something. The pain is slowly eating me apart and I can feel myself tearing apart at the seams... Please just consider it, for me because I really, really need to do something. Fast. '

A drop of water fell onto my cheek and I looked up to see, surprised. Iggy's eyes were pressed together tightly to try and stop tears from leaking out. I hugged him harder but he pulled away too soon and locked himself in his room. I heard smashing and things being thrown around but I decided to just leave Iggy at it because it was just his way of dealing with the pain.

I retreated into my own room and fell onto my bed. I promptly passed out from grief and tiredness and woke up eleven hours later with a seven and eight year old squished onto my tiny bed. I smiled and carefully hopped over them before making my way downstairs. I spotted Iggy with his head in his hands on the couch, a movie playing, and decided that, for a nice treat for everyone I would make breakfast.

I know what you're all thinking 'No Max! They don't want to be poisoned by your positively dangerous cooking!' but I wasn't listening to my common sense at that moment in time. How hard could it be, I was thinking to myself as I closed the kitchen and turned to face the room filled with food waiting to be 'Maxified'. I decided on bacon, toast, eggs and pancakes to be safe.

First, I found the bacon and somehow managed to tear the damn stuff out of the packet because someone hid the scissors from us children *ahem Mom ahem*. Anyway I finally got it and soon the bacon was safely in the oven turned up as high as the dial thing would go, just to make sure they would get enough cooking.

Toast looked easy enough and apparently only really culinary-challenged people couldn't cook it so I grabbed the slice-pan and shoved like five pieces into the toaster at once because I needed them to be ready at the same time; easy-peasy. A couple of pieces fell on the floor but I didn't really pay any attention because I was focused on my next challenge.

Eggs. The majority of us loved omelettes so that became my mission. Make an omelette... however that works. I was almost positive you made them in a frying pan so I somehow managed to find one in the mess of kitchen things that no one bothered to tidy up in the cupboards. I cracked the eggs into the pan –dropping a couple on the way over from the fridge – and picked out a few of those annoying shell bits.

I tried to remember what Ig did next, but I was coming out blank so I just poured some milk into the pan as well. That looked like... well, it just looked repulsing. I shrugged and fiddled with the hob yolks until I was sure I had the right one turned on. I did the same as the bacon; turned those babies up as high as they could go.

Right; pancakes. Hmm... You use flour and, uh, milk I guess. Oh and there's defiantly some eggs in there. I poured all those things into the massive bowl Iggy used for pancakes and stirred it round a few times. Okay, ew. That stuff looked even worse than the omelettes, or whatever they turned out to be. Cooking was turning out to be hard but I decided to keep going and with 'precise' hands poured half the contents of the mixing bowl into the blender – to save time stirring it 'round – and half onto the kitchen floor. Damn.

Build a bridge and get over it Max... C'mon is what I forced my brain to hear. I was going to make a nice breakfast for the Flock whether the food liked it or not!

I stupidly pressed the big green button on the blender and regretted it instantly. The stupid thing didn't say on it that you needed a lid! The disgusting stuff shot out of the blender like a fountain of water and went all over the kitchen and, you guessed it, me. At that exact moment, the oven started smoking like crazy, the frying pan caught fire, and the toaster burst into flames and the smoke alarm practically had a field day playing all its loud 'alarmy' sounds.

I went to sprint over the pan and the oven when I slipped on the eggshells, soggy bread and 'pancake' mix and fell into a massive puddle of yucky ingredients. When Mom, Ella and the flock ran in I had egg shells in my hair, bread pieces down my shirt and that disgusting concoction of stuff all over my entire body. They all skidded to a halt just before me and mouths hanging open, stared in disbelief at my catastrophe. I stared back, slightly embarrassed but too proud to show it. Mom quickly put out the fires and went back to staring at me in disbelief.

Iggy started it, damn him. It began as a snort and developed into a chuckle. Soon it was a full blown laugh. He was practically rolling around on the floor with the others laughing nervously beside him. I scowled and put on a pouty face. Snap. Snap. Gazzy had pulled out our ancient digital camera and was furiously snapping shots of me and the kitchen before I could leap up and stop him.

'Wha- hey! Gazzy put the camera down now... Stop laughing Iggy, you're going to get it now!' I jumped up to slip and fall again around 2.1 seconds later. This set them all off and some, in Ig's case, had to lean against doorframes to support themselves. Finally Mom was mature enough to catch her breath again and help me up... only to lead me over to the backdoor.

'I'm sorry Max, but you can't come into the rest of the house like that. Gazzy, dear, would you mind hosing Max down for me? Get Iggy to help you while Ella, Angel and I clean up the kitchen after... What were you trying to do again honey?'

'Breakfast Mom, it's called making a meal because I care; but seriously, Iggy and Gazzy with a hose and actual permission to use it? Please God, NO!' The torture and torment I would suffer at the hands of them with a hose and digital camera... Gazzy chuckled darkly, rubbing his hands together and stroking the camera.

'Hello internet...' Oh God; anything but this. I tried pleading to my mom with my eyes but she just made shooing gestures with her hands. I didn't move. Angel got on her tiptoes and whispered something in Ig's ear, his eyes lit up and he started towards me. I knew what he was going to do at that moment and started to scramble backwards.

He laughed loudly, pinpointing my location and proceeding to throw me over his shoulder with strength only a mutant bird-kid has. 'Iggy! Put me down now! I'll-I'll... Tell Fang when he gets back and he'll, uh, do something to you! Mom, anyone please make him put me down!' They all laughed as Ig carried me out to the yard. He threw me down gently on the remains of the trampoline Gazzy blew up last week.

'Max, do I have to tie you to something or will you let us hose you down... And maybe get some great internet footage?' I seethed silently, wishing Iggy wasn't blind so he could get the full force of my amazing glares. The Gasman, being able to see and get the whole effects of my glares, backed away. 'Crap Gaz, is she doing that staring thing again? Max... Do I have to bring out the duct tape...?'

'Iggy... Will you please just give it up and let me go damnit! Seriously, Fang is going to be mad when he gets home. C'mon!' I whined, stupidly not seeing Gaz creeping behind with the hose full of, wait for it, freezing cold water. 'Aiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiie! That's so cold!' I screamed while the water was aimed directly at my body. That was some pretty damn cold water, let me tell you.

The rest, safe in the house, looked out the windows and laughed at the sight of Gaz with camera in one hand and hose in the other, while Ig forcibly held me down as I struggled furiously. I shrieked and squirmed around but Iggy was a good bit taller than me and was resting all his weight onto me. 'Smile for the camera Max!'

Thirty minutes later, I plodded into the house, shoes squelching, and wrapped in a fluffy towel. Iggy followed, also sopping wet but with a sprained wrist and a few broken fingers from where I finally managed to flip him off me, hard, and run away from the ice cold stream of water. Gazzy was close behind after being instructed to burn the tape but everyone knew he had no intention of doing so.

The rest of the day passed in a blur waiting for Fang to return. At eleven at night, I finally sent the kids to bed and went to wait in my room with Iggy. I curled up in his arms, in a sisterly way only, and he rested his head on mine. 'Today was good Max, like the old times. The pain was- we felt like a family again for about an hour...'

'I know Ig... I felt it too. When Fang gets back we'll discuss it more.'' I turned to stare out the window, almost expecting Fang to just be there. I sighed and curled back up on the bed in disappointment when he wasn't there.

'He's gonna come back Max, I promise. Don't waste your thoughts worrying about him; you have others in your flock ya know.' Iggy hopped off my bed and walked to the door before adding, 'Call me when Fang gets in,' in a slightly bitter tone. I opened my mouth to call him back but left it, he was a big boy, he could handle it. I suddenly felt a pang of guilt, was Ig hurting more than we knew? He seemed so different at times now that Nudge was gone... Did he lov-

Tap. Tap. Tap. The tapping noise on my window distracted me and all thoughts of Iggy went out of my head. I rushed over to see a slightly bloodied Fang hovering outside. My heart leaped and I frantically pulled him in. 'Your hands!' I gasped. They were bloody and the skin was cut and torn like, everywhere. He half smirked and tried to hide them. By this time, everyone was in my room, fussing over Fang.

'Leave it Max.' He murmured at me, trying to get up and out of the centre of attention. I ignored him, trying to find the bandages in the first-aid kit while attempting to force him down with one hand. The others were hugging and joking with him having not seen the full extent of his hands that were half behind his back.

'Sit down, shut up, and let us fix your damnit hands!' I screamed at last. He gazed at me and I glared back. Ange and Gaz noticed the blood and gasped, while Iggy had already located the bandages and was wrapping Fang's hand up. I smirked at Fang; one-nil to me.

He jumped up as soon as we were done and made his way out to my mom. The rest of us crept slowly behind him, anxious to see who would do what this time round. 'Look Dr M... I-I think you sprung this on us way too fast and that was, quite frankly, really stupid.' He glanced over at the younger kids and closed his eyes for a second. 'But I think, at least for the younger kids, we should give this a shot.'

There was silence as Fang turned on his heel and stalked back into his room. The kids and Ig followed as Mom sighed and sat back down. 'I've really ruined things haven't I, Max...?' She sighed with her head in her hands.

I sat down too and rubbed circles on her back saying, 'Not completely Mom... they just need time to adjust and get used to the idea, and they'll come round eventually. And Fang, well, Fang just needs time and hopefully he'll come 'round as well.' I slowly stood up and made my way over to Fang's room where the rest of the flock were. 'G'night Mom...'

Well... How was it? I tried to add a bit of humour in for some of you guys so tell me if it works or if I should just stick to writing depressing stuff!

This chapter was kinda important coz it's where they all realise they have to move on and start life again... Anyway PLEASE review and leave me comments, critism or any things you want to see happen!

So REVIEW! I swear it makes me write faster! I will be back hopefully next weekend with the next chapter... Only if I get a certain amount of reviews!

Peace out... :)