This chapter's sing is True to Me by Metro Station

The tension in the car was unbearable, but Fang was almost positive he was the only one feeling it. Jason-The-Asshole was obliviously chatting up Max—Max was acting like Fang didn't exist. Fang suddenly understood Max's jealousy over his infatuation with Lissa—and then again, his friendship with Brigid. Who had fought for her tooth and nail time and time again? Not Jason. Who had known her his whole life? Not Jason. Who would never leave her… again? Not Jason. Who would give his life for her? Not Jason. Who loved her? Fang did. Not Jason. Fang.

He stared out the window, a bitter expression distorting his features. Jason had tried a few times to strike up a conversation with him—to no avail. He could feel Max shooting daggers at him through the rearview mirror, but he pretended to ignore it. He didn't care if he was being rude, hurting his feelings… He deserved it.

Iggy and Dylan ignored him too—but Jason didn't try to talk to them, and Max wasn't glaring at them. So perhaps he wasn't the only one who hated him. He didn't know about the little kids, but he'd be sure to ask Iggy later…

With a jolt, the truck and the car in front of them that Nudge was driving, pulled into a long winding driveway, adorned with balloons to signal the party sight. Fang climbed out slowly, already dreading what was to become of the day. Fang fell into step easily next to Iggy.

"Hey, Ig—er, Jeff," Fang murmured under his breath, shoving his hands deep into the pockets of his black jeans. "Hmm?" Iggy asked, bowing his head down next to Fang's. "Does Jason know about the… wings?" he said, as they walked up the drive. Iggy shook his head. "Nah… Max never told him… um, Mackenzie." He corrected, as they walked up the front steps, the kids a few steps ahead, Max and Jason a few steps back.

Nudge was instantly herded into the backyard for team pictures, and the kids followed. Max almost instantly went after them, guarding her family like she always had. Fang let the ghost of a smile light his face, seeing her so unchanged, yet so different. Jason passed him, headed for the kitchen, rolling his eyes and muttering. Fang heard a snatch of his conversation with himself: "Damn kids…" he swore, practically stomping his feet.

The comment made Fang's blood boil—he had a lot of nerve, saying that about his girlfriend's family. Out of habit, Fang followed Max outside, knowing that just being near her would calm him down. She was leaning on the railing of the patio, making faces at Nudge to widen her smile, but at the same time, her eyes flickered back and forth between Nudge and Angel and Gazzy sitting at the table with a few other kids.

He leaned on the railing next to her and sighed. "They're all grown up," Fang murmured thoughtfully, watching his family—his younger siblings. "Yeah," Max murmured back, bowing her head. "And you missed it." She added bitterly. Fang sucked in a breath so fast it whistled. "Yeah… and I regret it."

Max's head snapped up, and for the first time since the night of his return, she looked him in the eye. Something hopeful lit behind her eyes. "You do?" she asked, arching one eyebrow. Fang nodded, swallowing hard. Were they still talking about the kids? "Good." Max said, and their moment was gone.

They went back to watching the kids, and Max loosened a little, knowing Fang was watching too. A few minutes later, Dylan and Iggy migrated outside, followed by Jase a few minutes after. The players, in the time Max and Fang watched, had finished group pictures and individual pictures, and were doing family pictures.

The coach, holding a clipboard, called out "Tiffany!" and Nudge bounced up to the photo area. The coach said something to her and she smiled hugely. A few seconds later, she was standing in front of Max, babbling.

"Mackenzie!" she cried, "We have to do family pictures!" Max sighed, her eyes flickering between the camera man and Nudge. "Fine." Max sighed, crossing her arms, "Who do you want in it?" Nudge smiled again, but this time, it was a cruel, twisted sneer. "Everyone except Jason," she said coolly, "Even Nick." Jason stiffened, but Fang smirked. "Nudge…" Max warned, sighing, "You can't exclude Jason; you've known him for almost three years—he's practically your brother."

Nudge's face turned stony. "He's. Not. My. Brother." She ground out. Fang had a feeling that Max and Nudge had had this conversation many times before. "And. He. Won't. Be. In. My. Pictures." She added. "Let's not make a scene, alright?" Fang swooped in, wrapping an arm around Nudge's shoulders. "These are her pictures—she gets to chose." Max sighed and looked up at the sky. "Fine." She said, throwing her arms up.

The ride home was tense, but Fang felt better then he had all day. Jason and Max weren't talking, and since Max and Fang's moment earlier, she was acting more like the Max he once knew—acting more like his best friend.

Fang allowed for a small smile, leaning his head against the grubby truck window, pretending to listen to Iggy's useless chatter—red wires and green wires and blue wires, blah, blah, blah—who cared anyways?

Once they dropped Jason off, Max lightened up, and talked to them, making jokes and teasing them like she used to. Fang climbed into the front seat for the remainder of the drive—and Max talked to him like he was an actual person—rather than a shriveled up piece of lettuce or moldy cheese. More and more, as the minutes passed, Fang could see the pieces of Max he'd left behind, coming back together and more and more, he could feel the pieces of himself piecing together as well.