I owe you a DEEEEP apology. With some personal and social problems I am having, finding the time and/or motivation to write has been very difficult. I will do my best in the future. I am not giving up on the story and I promise I'm not stuck or anything. I love you guys and I hate making you wait. Thanks for all the support, it's been heavenly. I will be better in the future, I promise!

Love you!

-wise_yet_harmless

MAX'S POINT OF VIEW

Nudge and I finally asked Anne about her baptism. Anne had quite a few questions about the Mormons, but Nudge was able to answer them pretty well. I listened, having wondered a few things myself. It was a strange, but nice church. The people really emphasized family and service, which I was all for. They had to wear clothes that covered their shoulders, which I didn't really get. Nudge says it's just to be modest.

In the end, however, Anne just shrugged. I didn't think she would mind, especially if I thought it was okay. Anne usually looked to me for these things. Shocking, isn't it?

Though, I was shocked when Anne asked what she would have to wear for the baptism. Both Nudge and I did a double take. Anne had never, ever attended our activities. She would always have 'work' or 'a meeting'. She was always just too busy for that kind of thing, heaven forbid. Yet here she was, giving us both questioning looks like she did this all the time.

Nudge recovered faster than I did. "Uhm...well! I mean, you could wear anything, of course, but like, most of the time and for fancier occasions like this people usually wear a skirt or dress or something like not business, but close -ish. You could probably wear slacks or something if you wanted, but you don't have to. You'd look good in anything, really, even if you just went in pajamas. Not that you should, I mean, although you totally could, they just usually wear skirts."

Anne nodded, getting up to leave the room. Before she got very far, Nudge raised a timid hand.

"Anne!"

Anne turned around. Before she could change her mind, Nudge sprang out of her chair and wrapped her arms around Anne. Anne looked confused for a minute, not knowing what to do. She slowly embraced Nudge back, patting her back awkwardly. I stiffened, hoping Nudge didn't notice her odd way of hugging.

She didn't. I could see wetness around Nudge's shut eyes, her face in complete ecstasy. I had no doubt she'd dreamed of this moment for years. All Nudge- all the kids- really needed was a mother. A real one. The kind that patched them up even when they didn't deserve it and scolded them for eating before dinner. Someone who would embarrass them with how much she loved them. Their rock, their cheerleader, their biggest support. The person they would take for granted everyday for everything she did.

Nudge was finally able to experience a sliver of what that felt like. She couldn't have looked happier.

It broke my heart.

LATER THAT DAY...

"I still cannot believe I'm the first person to show you this," I said incredulously for the billionth time that night. Fang said nothing in return, for the billionth time.

"It's, like, classic! And not even in this country- but in the whole world."

Fang shrugged. You think he'd be a little more excited about seeing Harry Potter for the first time, but he seemed pretty level headed.

But come on. It's Harry Potter.

Fang claimed to have read the series, but he had never seen the movies. I found it a little blasphemous, so I brought my box set.

We were on year three. I hadn't seen the light of day in hours, but it was pretty fun as far as marathons go. Ella and Iggy had watched the first two with us, but there was so much background noise in the movie that Iggy couldn't keep up very well. They decided to go elsewhere before Iggy flipped out in frustration. That left me, Fang, a bunch of awkward brits facing the end of the world, and a half empty bowl of popcorn. I was jittery with love for the classic, while Fang looked like he could fall asleep any minute. I was a little bummed he wasn't really getting into it, but hey.

After the third, I suggested we do something else, since I was getting vibes that he was bored. He agreed, pulling out a deck of cards. We played cards everywhere, especially when we had something to discuss. It was the perfect way to keep our hands moving along with our mouths, I guess. The deck, so crisp and shiny not long ago, was worn and dull with use. The edges were curled slightly, and a few were ripped.

Fang shuffled them as he always did, insisting that I was as good as shuffling "as Iggy was painting." I had never seen Iggy attempt the art of acrylics, but it was a good enough analogy to give Fang all the rights to the shuffling. He gave me a stack and picked up his own, fanning the red backed rectangles in front of his black orbs.

"It's been a while," Fang said quietly, not looking at me. He put down a pair of aces, keeping his sight focused on our game.

"Since?" I asked, putting down a jack and sliding the cards away. Fang ignored me, instead putting down a two. I responded by placing a five down, waiting for him to explain. He would, I knew, but I had to let him come on his own terms. Fang wasn't going to be pushed for information, he didn't work that way.

And yet, he stayed silent, playing with a smooth hand. I did notice however, that his strategy was horrible. He wasn't saving his good cards for big wins, instead he used them when he was already ahead. It was like he was trying to lose, trying to forfeit, giving up, throwing in the towel. It was either because he was attempting to be "gentlemanly" like, or something was on his mind.

After a particularly bad play, Fang sat staring at his cards for a very long time. I'd had enough. I put my cards down and held onto Fang's fist and slowly lowered his hand from his face. It was then I noticed he wasn't looking at his cards at all. He stared blankly off into the distance, his brow creased.

"It's been two months," he whispered.

"Two months," I repeated, not knowing what he was getting at.

"D'you think he's dead?" Fang asked flatly.

Oh.

"I think they'd find him by now, wouldn't they?" I countered, a small part of me still hoping he wouldn't ever have to come back.

"I guess."

I sighed. I pulled Fang's cards out of his hands, putting the cards into one big pile. When they were in a sort of neat pile, I got up and sat next to where Fang sat on the floor leaning against the couch and set my head on his shoulder, being careful not to jostle my arm or shoulder. Fang laid his cheek on the top of my head, saying nothing.

"Maybe he's gone. Far, far away somewhere. Then he'll never come back."

"And maybe all I'm missing is a pair of glass shoes."

I almost laughed, but it was true. It was foolish to think that Fang's dad was never coming back. It was silly to hope that Fang would be safe from the terrors of his past. Fang put his lips in my hair, sighing. I knew that the stress and fear of his father was only getting worse at time went on. The suspense that was building was only going to increase until Fang found out what lay ahead for him and Ella. Was there father changing, moving, dying or coming back for revenge?

I sure didn't know.

IGGY'S POINT OF VIEW

"El?"

I heard the sound of rustling as Ella sat down on the bed next to me, probably crossing her legs like she always did around me. It was as casual as she seemed to get, really.

"Yes?"

"I need to tell ya somethin'."

"Alright. Go ahead then."

"I'm, well, I'm taking that scholarship, right?"

Ella hesitated, her voice cautious and confused.

"Correct."

"Well, the semester doesn't start for like, a month, but because of my 'disabilities'-" I motioned to my eyes- "I have to leave a little earlier to learn where everything is."

"...Oh. Well, then when do you plan to leave?"

"A week, actually."

Then I heard the worst sound I could. It was the sound of silence. The sound of held breaths, still hands, empty space. It was the worst. I couldn't get anything from the people around me, couldn't understand where I was or who I was with. It was like the input of information had been cut off.

Not only was it frustrating, it was downright suspenseful.

"El?"

"I'm sorry. A week?"

"Ten days, really. I leave the twenty ninth."

"I see."

"You okay?"

"I'm fine. I just- my that seems like a very small amount of time, I just don't..."

"I know. It's hard to think I'll be gone that quick, right?"

"Right. Well, goodness, are you packed? Are you prepared? Have your books, your linens and do you know who you'll be with and housing and-"

Ella got off the bed and started to pace, listing off the various things I was going to need. I rolled my eyes and held out a hand.

"Ella. Ella! Sit down, you're going wear a hole in your carpet."

She did as I asked, making the bed creak a little.

"I'll have everything ready, okay? Don't freak out about that. I got it. What you should be worried about is how we're going to spend the next week. We gotta do some fun stuff before I leave, right? Isn't that how it works?" I was totally babbling, knowing neither of us had been raised to know how to handle normal situations like this. But it was something I had heard of on TV, so I rolled with it. Luckily, Ella picked up the idea and stood up again.

"Of course! We'll go do your favorite things here before you leave so you do not miss them as much. Because you may very well miss them and.." Ella trailed off, probably lost in her thoughts. I got off the bed and stood with my arms open, waiting as she slowly leaned into me and relaxed. I held her tight, knowing she probably needed it.

"I'm not gone yet," I reminded her.

"I'm not gone yet."

Shame on me for making it so short (AHM SORRY). Please leave a review and a prediction on what you think will happen next! Are you waiting for more suspense? A little action? Romance, perhaps? Let me know! You just might get your wish granted..

-wise_yet_harmless