(FANG POV)

I tried desperatly to stop the bleeding from the shot in my thigh. Where was Max? Damn. Just got her back and then Ari has to go and screw it up again. He's going to die by my will, and by my hands.

I limped towards the tree where I remembered Angel fell. I found her, clothes tattered, and her breathing shallow. Quickly, I tore off a strip of my shirt, and tied it around my wound. You're supposed to do that right?

I picked Angel up, wincing at the pain it caused my leg. Limping, I slowly carried her in and gasped when I came into the house.

Everything was broken. The door off it's hinges. Windows smashed. Everything. But...where was Iggy and Gazzy? I set Angel down on the battered, torn couch, and headed upstairs. I opened the door to Gazzy's room and found him slumped aginst the wall,with a swollen eye and a dried bloody nose. Looks like he had passed out.

I knelt down and shook him softly. "Gazzy," My voice was hoarse. "Gaz, wake up."

He slowly opened his good eye and attempted to stand up. I helped him. "Thanks. I-I don't know what happened. One minute I was playing games, then the next-" He changed his voice to mimick Ari's. "Hey kid, Good night." I growled at how that sounded extremely close to the real bastard. Gazzy frowned. "I don't remember anything else after that. All I know is that I can't see out of my left eye, and my nose is throbbing." He paused. "Hey, where's Max? And Rose?"

"I don't know."

We had found Iggy in the bathroom, a huge gash on the side of his head, and a bruised body. Nudge was in the kitchen, with a busted lip and a big cut. Angel had woken up, and amazingly, Iggy cleaned her wounds and bandaged them up. Same for Gazzy, Nudge, and himself. He's working on me now.

"Are you guys sure that you don't remember anything?" I asked them, again.

They all sighed. I took that as a no.

Once we all were bandaged up, Iggy made us some food to eat. While he cooked, I mulled over where Ari could've taken Max and Rose. Rose, my daughter. I still can't get over the weird satisfaction I get from saying that. My daughter.

"When do we go?" Nudge asked, sitting next to me. I simply shrugged my shoulders. I honestly didn't know. Last time, I had found Max with the Voice's help. I don't think I'll be this lucky again.

I sighed. What am I going to do?

(MAX POV)

"Get your hands off me!" I screamed at the guard. Surprised, he let me go. I punched him in the face. I felt another man grab my hands, so I kicked him where the sun don't shine. He groaned and crumpled to the ground.

I scanned the grounds for Ari. He had Rose. All I knew was that we were deep in a dense forest. Where was he? Another guard came up behind me and recieved a kick in his gut, from yours truly.

"Max. Big no-no." I whipped around and saw Ari holding Rose up by her neck.

"No!" I started to run towards him, but he held a hand out.

"Max. Stop. Or I'll kill her. Give up Max. I have you now."

I crumpled onto the ground, tears in my eyes. How could I be so useless? Even I can't protect my own baby. Ari released Rose, but he held the back of her neck as if to guide her. I growled. How dare he put his dirty hands on her!

"Come with me, Max. If you do anything rash, I'll snap her neck. See? I'm not that horrible. It'll be quick and kind-of painless for her." He grinned, his canine teeth almost proving how crazy he was. Damn him to the deepest pit in hell.

I sluggishly got up and Ari stood beside me. He put a hand on my neck, and goosebumps rose immediatly. I tried to shake his hand off, but he only gripped tighter. My anger only rose the more steps we took.

"Where the hell are we going?" I grumbled.

"Wherever I want to."

I thought of knocking him out, just a quick hit to the back of his neck...But I couldn't take that chance with his hand on Rose's neck.

Damn. How am I going to outsmart him? Think, Max, think!

'What about Rose's ability?' The Voice said, intruding into my thoughts.

'Yeah, what about it?'

No response. Well, he can go fu-wait, that's it! Rose is able to become invisible and run fast. Does her wings work proberly enough to fly?

"Can I walk next to Rose?"

"Uh-no." He said, and kept walking.

I stopped. "Please?" I knew Ari liked me, and he had the brain of a 10 year old, a body of a 27year old. He had to fall for this. I turned on the charm.

"Pretty please, Mr. Ari? Can I pretty please walk next to my daughter?" I hoped it was working. I honestly felt like throwing up at the moment. I'd never sweet talk someone. Well, not this someone, some other someone. Am I confusing you? Never mind.

"No, Max. I can't trust you."

How could I make him trust me?

Oh god.

No! I won't do it! Am I that desperate to save Rose? That desperate enough to-

Wincing, I turned his body and pulled him to me. I went close enough to him, that our lips were a millimeter apart. I whispered: "Can you trust me now?"

He was trembling. Was I doing that to him?

Disgusted, I twisted my head and kissed him. I wove my hands into his hair, and his hands started wandering my body.

I could throw up right now.

We broke apart, and his mouth moved to my neck,while arching my head back.

During all of this, He had let go of my baby. I looked to her with eyes that warned her: 'Rose run! Use your ability and run away from him!'

I grinned when she nodded, a frown on her face, a crease between her eyes, like me. She turned and unfurled her speckled black and grey wings (From Fang). Was she going to fly away? But-she's never flown before and she could fall and break-

I gasped as she hovered in the air. She turned and smiled at me, eyes sparkling. Then she turned invisible and I saw a blur as she sped off.

Ari heard the gasp I uttered earlier, and brought his lips back to mine. I pushed him away, revolted.

"You little-" He turned and looked for Rose to threaten me with. "You-you bitch! You distracted me and let her get away! You'll reget this.."

He turned to me, and as the butt of his gun hit my head, I remember smiling.