Hey guys... Here's chapter 12! And sorry for any mistakes in this chapter or the ones to come!

Disclaimer: I (still) do not own Maximum Ride! This can do until I remember again :)

Nudge POV

I woke up, stuffed in a crate, with dried tears making tracks on my face. The room I was in was piled with hundreds of similar crates, some that held experiments just like me; it looked like a mass holding room. Oh God... some of the kids in here were so young.

I jumped (well, as much as a person can jump in a tiny crate designed for dogs...) as the lump in the row opposite me stirred and then sat up. I saw the experiment was a boy, using my helpful raptor eyesight. He rubbed his eyes and squinted at me- he seemed to recognise me- and out of nowhere, he started to throw himself against the bars, rocking the cage. I watched in horrified silence as he managed to tip himself onto the dirty floor, landing with a horrible crunch. The stranger didn't hesitate and begun to roll his crate across the row, towards me.

Panting, he finally reached my side just as the Erasers burst in snarling. I froze as they picked up his cage and put it right next to mine, stopping to snap their teeth at me and punch me through the bars in a crazed way. They finally left, leaving me with a few bruises, and suddenly it was quiet again. The boy, who was keeping well pressed back into the shadows of his crate now, cleared his throat loudly.

Then it hit me... I could hear again! My hand shot up to inspect the bandage they had placed around my face, my fingers skimming the gauze and feeling the dried blood that had soaked through. How long was I unconscious for? This was bad; I had been here for... I didn't know the exact number of days, seeing as I was probably out cold for most of them, but it was possibly almost a week and the Flock still hadn't come. They must be hurt or something important must have kept them from rushing to save me.

I was yanked out of my confusing thoughts by the boy coughing again. I finally realised he was trying to get my attention and turned to face him, my eyes curious as to why this slightly familiar person had gone to so much trouble to get to me. I stared at him, trying to put my finger on which he was; his name and where I'd met him were on the tip of my tongue.

'Who are you...? I recognise you but...' My voice was cracked and strained from me not using it for ages, my eyes searching his face for some kind of clue. I leaned forward, desperate to know his identity now.

'I-My name...' He stuttered, leaning slightly into the light that came from the dirty light fixture that hung above our heads. He had perfect blue eyes that were the exact colour as the sky and I could feel myself melting. 'I'm, uh, Collin Timmons...'

I gasped... It all clicked into place then. Collin had been in my class when we had been with Anne in Virginia. I grasped the bars of my cage, trying to get closer to him. 'But, how... When did they get you?' I was so confused and my heart was sinking, they must have snatched him from his family and brought him here.

'Do you remember Mr. Pruitt? The principal... From school.' I nodded, frozen with anger towards the man Collin had just mentioned. 'Well, um, he's my uncle and he captured me and brought me here... He tricked me into thinking he was taking me to the festival that had just come to town and, well, the rest is history. I've been here for around a year. I miss my sister, my parents, my dog... everything. That bastard Pruitt took my life away, I'm going to die in here, Tiffany!' His face was a terrible mask of sadness and loneliness, I wanted to give him a hug, but the stupid bars were in my way.

'Collin... I- We'll get out, I promise. My Flock is coming to get me and when they come we'll escape and-and-' I burst out crying for him and for me, both of us with our lives snatched from us in the blink of eye. He reached out his skinny hand to me and I took it, still sobbing. In the dim light we could see our intertwined hands, black and white, so different but yet the same. He was crying too now, holding onto my hand as if it was a life preserver and he was sinking in the ocean. 'I p-promise, Collin... If my Flock don't come for me, we'll bust out together and I'll get you back to your family. I swear.'

We stayed like that for what seemed like hours but actually wasn't long at all, soon I stopped crying and we stayed just looking at each other. Then I remembered something, 'Oh, uh, Collin... My name isn't actually Tiffany, it's Nudge. Tiffany was just my cover name in case anyone recognised us...'

He smiled at me and whispered softly, 'Nudge... That's an even more beautiful name than Tiffany...' My jaw dropped and I touched a hand to my mouth. No one had ever told me my name was beautiful. My eyes welled up with tears again, except this time it was tears of an emotion I just couldn't put my finger on. I didn't love him, but I really liked him, like a best friend.

I opened my mouth to say something back to him, but of course the whitecoats had to march in at that moment. Great... They pulled me roughly from my cage, laughing as I whimpered in pain at my broken and bruised body. Collin yelled at them, begged them to take him instead but they just laughed harder. I was dumped in a travelling cage, one that had wheels, and swiftly transported to a dull room with a table and two chairs. They flung me into the room and I landed near the table, sprawled out awkwardly on the dirty floor. The door was slammed shut behind me and I could hear the electronic locks clicking and making strange noises to show that it had locked.

I pulled myself up after a few minutes of heavy breathing, using the table as support, and limped over to the chair. If I was going to be here for long, I might as well sit down and rest until whatever they were about to throw at me came. My right ankle was killing me so I propped it up on the table and got my first proper look at it, the light in the holding room was too dim to see anything. I winced and had to glance away for a few seconds when I first saw it, it was sticking out a weird way and there was millions of scratches and cuts running up and down my smooth brown leg. I concluded it was either dislocated, broken or a dislocated break. Fantastic...

I had no freaking idea about how to go about fixing my ankle and I bit my lip nervously, afraid I would damage it more trying to help. But it would be disastrous if it healed wrong, so I took hold of it (trying to ignore the pain that threatened to consume me) and pulled... Snap! It was wretched into place and I stifled a shriek, telling my body to ignore the pain. When I felt I could move again without screaming, I tore off another strip of my shirt and wrapped my ankle tightly, struggling to stay quiet.

Just as I went to collapse back against the chair, I heard someone clapping softly, laughing a bit. I gasped involuntarily and spun around, nearly falling off the chair. A man walked out of the shadows, his expensive shoes 'clack, clack, clacking' on the wooden floor. I mentally hit myself, wondering how the hell I hadn't noticed him earlier. He was still chuckling as he pulled the other chair out and sat down, facing me head on.

'Feet off the table, experiment.' He ordered and I felt my anger well up within me. My feet remained on the table; my eyes dared him to make me move them. He leaned forward and repeated it quietly, his eyes locked in a silent battle with my big brown ones. Make me... Go on, Jeb, my eyes seemed to scream, with a half smirk on my bruised and battered face. He seemed to snap and in one swift movement, swept my legs off the table, sending them crashing to the ground with my body following. I inhaled sharply with the pain and, within in a heartbeat, I had flung myself on him, aiming for his throat.

Within twenty seconds, the room was flooded with guards that were restraining me, and adding a black eye and split lip to my ever growing injury inventory. They forced me into a chair with wrist and ankle shackles, my eyes remaining locked on Jeb's traitorous ones the whole time. When I was (painfully) under control, Jeb nodded at the others to leave the room, smiling with creepy pleasure when they reluctantly did his will. Slowly, he turned around to me, his eyes gleaming with sick joy, like a child who has just received a brand new toy.

'Now, Nudgie... we need to have a little talk about your behaviour, these last few days.' His face transformed into the kind mask that he had worn during my childhood and up to a few days ago. I couldn't believe it.

'Are you drunk?' I asked blatantly watching as he looked confused and shook his head of near greying hair. 'High? Poisoned? Because if it's none of those, then you have no possible excuse for doing any of these monstrous things to me. Wait till the Flock comes and wait till I tell them what you've done, you sick freak. They'll kill you...' My eyes narrowed in disgust and I spat at him.

'Now, N45g3... Be careful what you say to me, I could have you beaten for that. Oh, and as for the Flock, they aren't coming for you... Ever.'

'You're a terrible liar, Jeb. Of course they're coming for me... They're my Flock. We promised each other we'd never leave someone behind. Not that you'd know anything about loyalty or promises.' My mind was racing, my heart thumping against my ribcage. Could he be telling the truth? I was suddenly filled with dread and despair. Snap out of it... It's the Flock, of course they're coming.

'Oh, N45g3... I'm sooo hurt,' He faked a hurt expression and, mocking me, placed a hand on his heart and pretended to cry. 'Watch this tape and tell me what you think about them then.' He rolled a TV out of the shadows (Jeesh, how many things are going to appear out of shadows today?!) and slid a disk into the slot. I leaned forward, trying to get closer.

It showed a series of images at the start and some made me want to cry. The flock hugging without me the Flock moving into a new house without me, the Flock having a movie night without me, the Flock trying on school uniforms without me, the Flock piling into a car with schoolbags on their backs without me, the Flock eating lunch in a school cafeteria without me.... It just went on and on. I could feel anger, rejection and pain building up inside my heart, threatening to burst out of me. The last thing was a video of the Max hugging Angel and the Gasman in an empty hallway, whispering things in their ears and then running to class with Iggy and Fang, a happy smile on her face. Warm, salty tears started to descend down my face, my calm exterior disintegrating.

'No... NO!' I was shaking, a cold feeling descending over me. They're leaving me here... They've forgotten about me. My Flock... Abandoning me forever... They don't love me any more... 'How long have I been here for?' My voice was shaky and weak, my body overcome by tremors.

'Just over three months, we had to sedate you for long periods of time... That's enough time for them to come, they've abandoned you. Guess you didn't mean that much to anyone after all...' His harsh mocking tone and glinting eyes did it. I snapped. My back arching, I let all the pain and hurt erupt form my fingertips, loving the burning thrill I could suddenly feel consuming me. I cried out with anger and rejection, loving how my cry made Jeb flinch in terror, how it echoed around the room, proof of my rage and anguish.

I was faintly surprised to see a kind of purple energy flowing from my fingers, wrapping itself around the TV that was still showing those heartbreaking images, over and over. I screamed with the agony of my heart breaking, shrieking with the satisfaction of watching the screen that held the evidence of my abandonment burn under my command. Jeb, a scared expression on his face was frantically calling for help, screaming as my purple energy/fire crept up around him. The TV was nothing more than a flaming lump surrounded by a purple glow when the first of them ran in. It had finally stopping playing but I knew the images were burned onto my heart forever.

I was seeing the world through a purple haze, watching with no emotion as the room flooded with people, injecting me with sedatives. I floated into submission, somehow stopping the energy with my mind, and slipped away into a darkness tinged with purple. I have a new power... Is that good or bad...?

I woke up in a white room, with one of those totally fake mirrors they use in police stations on one of the walls. Like, hello! Everyone knows the people are watching you from behind. My eyes darted around nervously as I pulled my knees up to my chest and rocked myself; I knew they would be watching my every movement now for God knows how long. What had I done? The only thing I remembered about the explosion of purple energy was that it made me feel in control and powerful, like I was the one in charge of my life for once. My eyes burned with the realisation that my Flock, my Flock, had moved on with their lives. They were leaving me here for good, forever.

The days melted into weeks, which faded into months. I couldn't tell the exact amount of time I was there for because the bright hospital white lights stayed on all the time. I got fed, sometimes, if they were in a good mood. I never tried using the energy again; I just accepted I was going to die in there. My life was over... But this time there was no one coming to save me, I was completely and utterly on my own.

My life sucks... Which was the understatement of the whole freaking century.

Iggy

I had another dream about Nudge, a different one. She was in a white room, just sitting staring into a mirror that was hung on the opposite wall. Then the dream sped up, in a kind of fast-forward mode, going so fast as if it was in x32. The days went past but still she remained in the same room, with the same expression that screamed 'there is no hope!' It nearly killed me to see my Nudge so hopeless, there were big black circles under her eyes that never changed but as the days slipped past, the terrible injuries that covered her body healed until they were just scars. She moved slightly when she went to sleep but apart from that, she didn't move at all, just stayed staring at the wall with her legs tucked up to her chest.

The last thing I saw was the 'camera' zooming in on her huge brown eyes, completely devoid of hope and happiness. I couldn't help it, I started screaming her name over and over, hoping she'd hear and see me. Instead, I woke to a half asleep Fang and Gazzy (we share a room) shaking me awake, and shushing me so I didn't wake the whole house.

'What's wrong Iggy? You were yelling N-Nudge's name for like five minutes...' Gaz trailed off and gave me a hesitate hug. He was still so young and I mentally hit myself for screaming out loud, I probably scared him to death.

'You alright man?' Fang's voice was low and worried; probably for my mental health. 'Do you want me to go get Max or someone...?'

'No, no, you're fine. I just... just want to go back to... I'm just... I'm fine guys, I swear.' They hesitated, obviously still doubting me. 'Seriously, just leave me alone and let me sleep. 'I'll be okay in the morning.' I rolled over and closed my eyes, waiting for the sound of their footsteps away from my bed. They eventually left me alone, and soon their breathing slipped back into the regular pattern that indicated sleep.

I sighed; it had been a horrible first week at school. Max and Fang had gotten detention in their first few hours there, which made Dr. M pretty pissed. I had laughed and slapped fives with Gazzy, betting on how long they'd last in detention. But it was hell getting around without Max or Fang, the humans twittered and giggled and whispered every time I headed to a class alone. I hated not being able to suddenly flash out my wings and show everyone there who was the more powerful, or not being able to see who was talking to me or who was making out with who in the corner beside my locker (and trust me, there was always people sucking face, according to the creepily loud sounds I could hear every time I got books from my locker – they were a waste of time anyway since I couldn't see the page! But the school didn't know I was blind so I just drifted off in classes I didn't have with people I know and hoped I wouldn't get asked to read).

'Ugh' I sighed, trying to convince myself that I was just having a bad day and that life in general would –hopefully- look better in the morning. I was such an idiot, my whole life still revolved around Nudge, even though she was dead. Yesterday, a girl had scurried up to me and asked me out. Yeah, you heard right. A. Girl. Asked. Me. Out. Right in front of Max and Fang.

Me, being stupid Iggy, had suddenly gotten a flashback of Nudge laughing with her perfect hair blowing in the breeze and blanked. Like, what was I supposed to do?! I quickly stuttered a reply, a rejection really, and legged it out of there. I heard the girl running as well, probably in the opposite direction as far away from me as possible, but I could only see Nudge's beautiful face. I had stumbled blindly through the crowds, hearing Fang yell my name, loudly, and start running after me.

I bolted out of school, not caring if I was run over something or hit someone, and down the road. But then... Wham! Fang threw his whole body on me to get me to stop before I outran him, with the force of like a thousand elephants. 'Nice tackle...' I wheezed when I could breathe again and he punched me, hard, in the arm.

'What the hell, man! You're so different these days and you just left that poor girl standing there... Everyone's worried about you and you never joke or make bombs anymore, Max is going to freak at you when we get home – so is Dr. M. actually, since we're technically missing school but whatever – and I can't blame Max for being worried. Nudge is dead Iggy, we all miss her to bits but she's gone. You can't let little things, like a hot girl asking you out, get to you like this.' His voice was low and sad; I scowled and pushed him off me, quickly getting to my feet.

'Fine, Fang! Nudge is dead, are you happy? Just leave me alone...' And with that I brushed some imaginary dirt I couldn't see off my coat and stalked off in a random direction. It took me a few seconds to realise I was going in the wrong direction, but I kept going anyway, silently cursing my crappy direction skills on the ground. It took me hours to get home, mostly due to my stubbornness about asking people for directions, but when I finally stomped through the front door, I could hear Max yelling at Fang. Probably about me.

'I'm home' I yelled to the house and ran upstairs, quickly locking myself into my room before anyone could pester me with questions or go all concerned on me. There was a crash over in the corner and a startled cry. Gazzy. He muttered an excuse, opened the window, and jumped out. I listened to make sure he didn't hurt himself landing, but when I heard him touchdown perfectly; I closed the window with a bang and got into bed, pulling the covers over my head when I heard the others coming up. That's when the dream started.

Oh God, they probably think I've gone completely mad... First yesterday and now this, maybe I was crazy. I just couldn't grasp of the idea of Nudge really being dead, it was probably a mixture of my weird dreams and my sadness over her death, but I just couldn't imagine the rest of my life without her. I was half expecting her to jump out whenever we went somewhere. I couldn't move on without her.

My life sucks...

Well, that's it! I hope it was up to everyone's high standards ;) I'm sorry if Ig seems kinda depressed and OOC in the chapter but he's just sad and confused by

Thanks to the following for reviewing the last chapter:
Constant-Rae-of-Sunshine
Zoey625
lunarecplise
BookFan22 a.k.a. GwenFan22
nequam-tenshi
MEGGEM
MaxRide05

I have no school for the next few days because of the snow in Ireland (It's the most extreme weather in 46 years!) so I will try and update before I go back to school... But I need reviews!
If I don't get more reviews than the last chapter (which was 7)... I'm not going to post the next chapter for a while... I'm mean, I know!

Please REVIEW!