The Runaways – Chapter 23

By MyNameIsCAL

-Fang's POV-

I found a place that looked like it had business, but a place that also didn't seem too crowded with people. The guy at the front desk seemed bored, giving me a room key without even glancing up at me, his eyes glued to a small TV that was playing some sports game. I made up a name and trudged back to the van. I got in, parking it in front of our room. Max pulled my jacket on around her, covering the bloodstains. After watching the occupant in the next room go in and lock their door, we filed out quickly into our own.

We got ourselves cleaned up, Max getting the bathroom first. For a motel, it was pretty clean. I guess we were lucky. I took a shower last, realizing how good it felt to be clean for once. After that, we washed our clothes, hanging them on the side of the tub to dry.

"I'm gonna have to get rid of these," Max sighed, holding up the clothes she had been wearing before. "I'm surprised all of your clothes stayed intact even with the explosion."

Max was wearing one of my shirts now. This was her second pair of clothes that she had lost. The first time being at the other motel where we had been attacked.

"We'll have to find a place to grab some new ones," I tried to sound reassuring. "You'll just have to make do with that."

She shrugged, taking a seat next to me on the bed. Angel was asleep on the other bed, Gazzy next to her staring up at the ceiling. Iggy settled on the couch, Nudge somehow squeezing onto it with him. We hadn't eaten dinner, but all of us looked like we were ready to pass out. Max checked the door and turned off the light, curling up next to me.

"Try not to think about too much," she whispered to me. "Goodnight, Fang."

"Night, Max."

She reached over, putting my arm around her.

"I mean it, Fang," she added.

I found her hand and squeezed it. "I know."

Of course as everyone started to drift off to sleep, I started to think. Had my Mom even cared that I just left? Was my father still there? Did either of them know that I was the indentified person running with the lost kids? Or they probably didn't care. I mean, how could you care after you rape your own son, one you hadn't even seen in years? How could you care if you let the same man repeatedly hurt you and leave time and time again?

I shut my eyes, trying to forget, but it was too late. As sleep took over, my thoughts took over my dreams, and I was in my old room again, my father behind me as I felt as if I were watching everything happen to me, under the influence of drugs, unable to fight back. And then the nightmare seemed to start over agin…

"Fang!" Someone was shaking me. "Fang…"

I opened my eyes, sucking in a deep breath. No one else seemed to be awake but her.

Max let out a sigh, turning towards me. "Same nightmare?"

I nodded.

"You were digging your fingers into my hand."

"Sorry…"

She shook her head. "I guess the not thinking thing didn't work out."

"No, I guess not."

"Well, you'll find a way not to think about it," she said. "I remember when Ari was little, well, he was always little, but he used to have nightmares about Jeb. He would sneak out of his room and come to my room and snuggle into my bed. I used to make up stories to tell him until he fell asleep. It was knights and princesses one night, then cowboys and bank robbers. I think aliens even once. But his favorite story, and my favorite story, was always the one about me and him and Ella and we had wings and we would fly away from Jeb who ended up being an evil scientist."

"I…I always wished I could fly." I felt myself relax.

"Yeah, me too," she sounded like she was smiling. "Just…how amazing would it be to see everything for miles, and above everyone else?"

"I bet it'd be really amazing," I said. "We'd never have to worry about people getting to us. Just, you know…"

"Fly when we gotta run," she finished for me.

"Yeah…" I breathed out.

"You gotta sleep, Fang."

"I know…"

She rested up against me. "Just think about flying. That'll be a nice dream."

I closed my eyes and she kissed me.

"Night, Fang."

"Night, Max."

-Angel's POV-

Max shook me awake. I felt like I had just gone to sleep.

"Why are we up so early?" Gazzy complained, rubbing his eyes.

"The police are here," Max whispered. "Someone got broke in to one of the rooms. We gotta get out of here."

Iggy and Nudge were already awake, standing by the door, the bags we had brought with our clothes at their feet. Fang was still on his bed asleep. Max went to him next, gently shaking him.

"Fang, we gotta go."

He muttered something I couldn't understand.

"Fang, c'mon."

He sat up, realizing that he hadn't planned to leave so soon. "What's wrong?"

"Cops are here," Iggy spoke up. "Someone broke into one of the rooms."

"We gotta get out of here," Max said.

He sat up and Max helped him off the bed, his arm resting around her shoulders as he stiffly made his way to the door. Max opened it and looked both ways. We moved slowly to the car, our eyes fixed on the cops who stood in a circle across the lot. Fang slid into the driver's seat, starting the car and driving past them slowly. They barely glanced at us as we went by. After we made it a few miles from the motel, Fang pulled over and Max switched with him.

"Where to now?" she asked him.

He slouched against the door. "Head to Los Angeles. Maybe it'll be easier to go somewhere with more people."

Thanks for reading! Next chapter should be up shortly.