Chapter 5

"Max?" I lifted my head up from the book I had been reading. As a bird-kid leader, you do need some time to yourself. Of course, that time never does last long. Angel, my baby, stood in the doorframe holding the hem of her shirt in her hands staring right at me. "Can we talk?"

"Of course," I scoot over on the small chair and she runs over to cuddle up beside me. I smooth the blonde curls on her head after I place the book on the end table beside me. "What's a matter chickapee?" (Hey, it's a word). Angel giggled at it. I smiled lightly. We were alone, everyone else was swimming.

You'd think as bird kids we do more flying…

But personally, we've done too much.

"You know how I lost all my powers?" I nodded my head. I remember- I thought she was dying. It had been one of the scariest moments of my life. Angel dealt with a piece of hair that was annoying her by tucking it behind her ear. I would have to cut it someday. "Well, I've been thinking. You know how Nudge's mom called me Subject 11? Then, how Fang was called 000002 because he had two lives. What if it meant I was supposed to have eleven gifts or something but I didn't get them all."

"What are you getting at Angel?"

Her blue eyes twinkled with amusement and she gave me an innocent grin. "Nothing, except for one thing…Max, I got a new power." Before I could ask anything or gasp or jump in shock, Angel was suddenly sinking into the couch. I watched as she stood up, I could see her. For dramatic effect, she ran at the wall full speed and then where she should've smacked the wall and fallen down, she simply went through it.

When she appeared, she jumped up and down with excitement. "It's so cool! I can control whatever I go through so I don't fall through the earth! Isn't that amazing Max?" I nodded my head, but it worried me. If Angel had eleven powers in all, did that mean more were coming? Was Nudge's mom right when she said that our new powers would be our own destruction?

"Sweetie, I think that's amazing, I have to go find Fang and talk to him all right?" She nodded her head. Together, we stepped outside into the bright sun where the rest of the flock was jumping into the waves. I instantly set Fang apart from the rest of them. His black wings shook water off as he smiled. Mela and A.J. were hanging off his arms and pulling him in opposite directions.

"Fang!" I called out, his eyes lit up with recognition with my voice. He smiled even wider- which is amazing for Fang. I waved my hand for him to follow. He ran out of the water, giving a warning to Iggy and Nudge to watch the youngsters.

"Angel, go play please." I got an innocent smile from her as she ran down the stairs that led to the beach. Fang passed by her and ruffled her hair as he did so. When Fang stood in front of me, I was slightly distracted.

Water was glinting on his perfect abs as he placed his hands on his hips right by the edge of his black bathing suit. He raised an eyebrow, "What's up?" He seemed to be hinting at something- like Fang and Max alone time, which would've been amazing and all but we had to focus so I led him inside.

"Angel got a new power and she pointed out how they called her Subject 11. She believes it's because she's suppose to have eleven powers. Like you had two lives so they called you 000002." He ran a hand through his wet hair and frowned in deep thought. For sixteen, going on seventeen in a few months, he looked a lot older. I saw the scars on his stomach from when he had been attacked- when he had almost died.

"Well, the mind reading, the changing into a bird, talking to fish, breathing underwater. That would leave six…unless flying counts and therefore it would be five." Fang seemed to believe it so I assumed it was true.

"What should we do?" I asked. He shrugged and then stepped closer to me. I tried to ignore it for the moment. "What does it mean Fang? They called me 000001 and I don't know what else Nudge, Iggy, or Gazzy, were called. One of us has a power that might end up hurting us all though."

Fang's hands made it to my waist, "We'll take care of it." He kissed my forehead and I sighed. He gave a light smile. "Hey," he leaned forward to whisper this in my ear, "We're alone."

We kissed for a very long, good time that we hadn't been able to do since the new, dependent flock members never wanting to leave our sides. It wasn't long though until we heard Mela calling our names. I rested my forehead against Fang's. He had somehow managed to get me to lean against the kitchen wall with his hands positioned over my head. He groaned, "And it was just getting good."

"Maybe we can go tomorrow. You know, get away," I suggested.

Fang gave me a grin that sent shivers down my spine.

"Sounds good."

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Fang and I were curled back up in the comfort of our bed. Mela and A.J. were in the room next to ours. I was in the curve of Fang's body with my head resting on his chest. I was thinking about how much I like sleep and how I wish I was asleep when I heard a faint whisper.

"Max?" A finger poked my side. I groaned and mumbled something. Whoever had intruded on my dozing off didn't understand it because I got another poke. A louder, "Max" came. I heard Fang shift and slowly start to wake up as well.

I opened my eyes slowly and almost jumped in surprise when I found two eyes staring at me. Black bangs hung in front as Mela whispered, "I had a nightmare. Can I sleep with you?"

"What about your brother?" I mumbled, adjusting so I could see her better. "You don't want him to wake up alone do you?" I thought of times when I woke up with the flock because they had gone to get breakfast. It still makes me panic. It's in my nature.

"He's here too," Mela replied honestly. Just then, light brown hair and dark eyes were next to Mela staring at me. "He wants to sleep with you guys too."

"If you don't wake Fang," I whispered.

"Too late," I heard Fang reply next to me. "Come on kids. You need to sleep." Fang- geez, he had grown to these kids. He pulled me closer towards his side of the bed as Mela and A.J. clumsily got onto the bed. "Be good."

A.J. nodded his head as Mela whispered, "All right. Good night Fang. Good night Max. Good night A.J." They were cute. I watched as they curled up next to each other to stay safe. To my surprise, A.J. had cuddled up close to me. We were all connected, just one big happy pile of bird-kids going to sleep.

"Goodnight," I whispered.

"Goodnight," Fang said as well.

Both of the children shut their eyes. I felt Fang's eyes on me. "Your really good with them," I said in a soft tone so as not to wake them. "Better than with the flock even." Again I felt that pang in my heart that reached out to the two children. I wanted to wrap my wing over them so all the danger in the world couldn't get to them.

Fang kissed the back of my neck, "You're good too. They're odd little ones." He whispered softly, his hand around my waist was flat on my stomach. "When we're old, I hope our kids are like them."

I blush, "You think about that stuff?" I know I did but I thought that's just what girls did. It never occurred to me that the guy could think the same way. "I do too," I responded to his silence. "When we're older though, right?" He nodded his head in the crook of my neck. "Good," I laughed lightly so only he could hear. "Fang?"

"Mmmm?"

"Did you ever notice Mela looks a lot like you?"

"Just like A.J. looks like you? Yeah."

But I was already falling asleep before I could question what that meant.