Epilogue

We all wore black, it seemed like the appropriate, normal thing to do at the time. My side and wing weren't done healing so I was numbed mostly from that pain which is why this heart pain didn't hurt so much. For the last time, I, Maximum Ride, had to face the last, greatest journey of them all; life.

Dr. Martinez, my mom, was the flock's official guardian now as we strode through the woods of dampened soiled from days and days of rain. One week ago, three people had died who I cared for. As for the other death, it was a result by my hand that had changed me forever.

You probably wonder why my world seems to be falling apart on top of me. I had just saved the world but it came at a terrible price. Trying losing your father, even if we weren't that close, your seven-year-old brother, and a friend who had suffered with you. Jeb never did prepare me for the aftermath. I had been trained for the fight and now that was in the past. As an Itex experiment, I was truly obsolete.

Three large upturned piles of dirt were by the edge of the cliff were they died. In the secrecy of the woods, they were buried here. The government, however, felt like making this place a monument of sorts. The point where six mutant children and others prevented one man and his army from polluting our world. Except, what's so great when people are dead and a certain red-headed human/robot was still walking free.

Angel and Nudge cried really hard, the hardest out of all of us. Gazzy hugged Angel and protected her like a brother much stronger and older than he was. Iggy and Ella held on to each other, their eyes casted down on the new graves without headstones yet. My mother stood in front of us, as if she was the leader and I wasn't. Fang was silent, the farthest away from me, a stone in a world of windows waiting to be broken. He had broken me once or twice. I held everything back, I still felt like Maximum Ride, must be strong to save the world. I guess that's a feeling you can't erase.

Poor Iggy, a month with his eyesight back, and he had to see this. Poor Ella whose life would've been easier had she never had a sister like me. Poor Total who never was suppose to be with the flock but had no one else to take him in as the flying, talking dog that he is. Poor Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel who have seen too many terrible things in their short lives. Poor Fang, for breaking up with a girl who still loved him and needed him although he didn't feel the same way anymore.

My said some pretty and lovely words for all them of them; Jeb, Ari, and Mela. I protectively held myself and kept my feelings back. My mother, the scientist, finished her speech with the words, "Enjoy heaven and God, we will see you again." She said that, I believe, for the parts in us that wanted to hope for the best. We all stepped towards the graves and placed white roses on to the piles of dirt.

God…I haven't thought about him much in my fifteen years of life. I wanted to believe in him for the hope of seeing Mela, Ari, and even Jeb again. But that would mean God had intended for my flock and me to have wings. He meant for us to suffer. He wanted Fang and I apart. God, if he was real, had just handed me a normal life and destroyed it all at once. For the moment, I needed him to be real.

I'd like to high-five Mela.

I hope to hug Ari.

I wanted to tell Jeb he was a better father towards the end.

One more time, even after death, to see them so I can just do those things.

"Max?" Everyone was heading off to leave now, their backs facing the graves as they walked towards the forest. I wasn't done yet with my goodbyes. I had to stay longer.

Unlike them, I needed to apologize.

Fang watched in despair. Wind pushed her shirt along her side and highlighted the curve of her stomach. Her legs were in a fighting stance without her knowing. The tawny feathers, the one he had memorized perfectly to each individual one were pulled in tightly on her back. Curls of brown with hints of gold that he loved so much were flying up along with the breeze and showed off the skin of her neck. His lips tingled to kiss her there.

Slowly, he stepped towards her in the quiet ambiance that he had done since they escaped. When he remembered the note, his secrets, and his past, Fang held back and let her stand there.

As much as he loved her.

As much as his heart, body, and soul wanted to grab her right then.

As much as he remembered the most amazing days of his life that centered around her.

As much as she was his world…his universe.

Her life was in danger if he loved her. He couldn't hold on to her and let her know that he was there. Max had a life now and she could find someone else. After all the world and news passed by, when Max was just a girl with wings and didn't have to save the world, she would find a nice boy. Fang's jaw tightened with acceptance that it wouldn't be him.

So, he remained behind her as her shoulders shook and she collapsed on her knees. She moaned and screamed "Why" a thousand times into her hands. Fang held tight to where he stood through the pain of watching her suffer.

People believed Maximum Ride was indestructible. Fang knew better for he loved her completely and without a doubt. She ran from her feelings a lot, not so much now as they grew up. She sometimes had a temper. She didn't see the beauty that she was. She broke and cracked like any human.

People only saw that 2% bird in her that was suppose to make her strong.

Fang saw only the 98% human, the raw and beautiful person that she was and occasionally the other percent when she flew or he stared at her bare back with wings.

Before Max would get up and see him, Fang turned around and disappeared into the woods after the rest of their family. He had to tell himself a thousand reasons not to run back and tell her he lied. Fang would rather have a Max that hated him than never having her at all.

He couldn't live without-

Her smiles.

Her laugh.

Her beauty.

Her heart.

Anything about her.

Fang needed it all.

In the car, the rest of them waited patiently. Hopeful eyes of the children rested on him, maybe thinking that he had gone back to her. They wouldn't understand the note that he kept permanently in his pocket that burned as a reminder of what would come if Max and Fang were together. He couldn't explain to them his terrible past, the reason why he chose silence. But Fang never had to say a word.

The flock understood, Fang and Max may never be together.

Stupid, I was so stupid for breaking down like that knowing that Fang was right behind me. I knew he wanted to be invisible but after all that we had shared I could feel his presence. Whether he was right behind me or miles away, I had the notion to where he was as if our heartbeats were radars reaching out to each other.

Walking back in the silence of the forest, I knew then that nothing would ever be the same. I was weaker because I had no purpose to be strong anymore. My support system had stepped back and let me fall. My destiny was over and I had nothing laying ahead for me. My family was now under legal guardianship.

No more running.

No more fighting.

No more Maximum Ride.

But I thought then, why did Jeb never prepare me for this moment? Was I suppose to die in the final battle like all the good endings of the stories. Should I have been the one buried in the grave because it felt like it? Now, I was left giving normal life a try and there was no one who wanted to stop it. A long time ago, heroes were said to be indestructible and self-ritous.

Heroes save the world.

But who will save us?