Iggy's Realization

We had reached the week-end. Anne was "working" on Saturday afternoon as usual so Fang had us all over. When I say all of us I mean, Iggy, Gazzy, Angel, and Nudge. My mother came too to remove Iggy's chip.

We were all anxious and nervous- Iggy wasn't here yet. Fang had slipped his hand into mine- getting a raise of the eyebrow from my mother. I had shrugged it off and just focused on running my thumb against the back of Fang's hand. I focused on that.

You may be wondering why we're so nervous? Well, you would be too if you had to once again, cut a chip out of someone's back. What if Iggy didn't trust us? What if he didn't believe us? Angel would have to mind control him (we had all decided that would be the best thing to do).

"Max?" Nudge started, "I'm thinking maybe just one of us should tell him." That sounded reasonable. Maybe Fang would be best, Iggy and him were best friends in their normal lives. Iggy might trust him the best. Ella, who still didn't remember for some reason, couldn't tell him of course.

"All right, Fang maybe you should?" That received a very skeptical look from Fang. Right, he sucks at words and Iggy would think he was kidding. Iggy never took anyone seriously though- that's just how he is. "Right, maybe I should-,"

Nudge cut in, "I'll tell him.

10 minutes later…

"Hey, why does it sound like someone died?" Iggy stepped into the kitchen. I stared up at him, I had been focusing on Fang's hand in mine trying not to worry. Iggy stopped, placed his hands in his pockets, and stared at us as best as he could for a blind kid. "Seriously, what's up?"

My mom had set up already in the bathroom to cut his chip out. Angel and Gazzy were in deep conversation (no one felt like introducing them to Iggy when he would remember them soon enough). Nudge stood up, "Iggy can I talk to you?" Iggy knew it was serious when Nudge said it in one sentene. He nodded his head and they stepped into the living room.

"It's all right," Fang whispered. I bit my lip about to question him. He squeezed my hand. "We got everyone else back didn't we?" I nodded my head, we did do that. Well- Angel and Gazzy did for the most part.

Nudge suddenly walked in, "I tried to tell him- I showed him my wings. He wants to see yours too." Then, she waved us into the living where Iggy was standing. He seemed panicked, running hands through his blonde hair.

"Fang, Max, what is going on? I mean, I felt Nudge's wings? What is going on?" I stepped towards him and he stopped ranting when he heard me approach. He tilted his head and waited for some form of response.

"Iggy, just, here- feel," I placed his hand on my partially opened wing. His palm ran up the arch, feeling the individual feathers and then, to the spot where my back and wing became one. No one could fake it. "Fang, you too," I said once Iggy was done expecting my wings.

Iggy did the same to Fang. "Woah, and you're saying that I'm the same way? This is weird…interesting…cool. All right, let's go." I let out a sigh- Iggy would be willing to get a chip removed from his shoulder to see if he had wings.

After the chip is removed….

Iggy sat with his eyes shut, shaking a bit from the pain of the memories coming back. My mom had already sewn his cut shut and he was all right. The chip was gone. I was the only one in the room. I asked the flock to give him some air while I talked to him.

"Iggy," I smoothed the spot between his now visible wings. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I didn't want to tell you. I wanted you to have a normal life." I heard him laugh.

"I'm blind- since when have I ever been normal." I wish he could see my frown. He had a thin layer of sweat on his face and I wiped it away with the edge of my shirt. "Glad to be back," he whispered. He reached out suddenly and held my hand. "Tan," he whispered, "I remember now." He was talking about my skin color. At least his powers were still intact. His hand was warm and he squeezed my hand as if trying to reassure himself this was really true.

"Iggy," he turned his head up to look at me.

He gasped.

Iggy's POV:

Max…her hair was a light brown dangling in curls along sculpted cheeks. Her brown eyes wide with wide and understand with thick lashes to outline them. Her lips were a soft pink on the top, closer to red on the bottom from constantly being bit when she was nervous. Her nose was small and I could barely see the freckles summer had given her.

Over her shoulder was the arch of her wings, tawny and light brown like her hair. A few random white feathers mixed in. Her arms were well muscled and her body had amazing curves. The tee-shirt that she had used to wipe off the sweat on my face was still in her hand to reveal a flat stomach. My eyes went wide with shock.

I was seeing this.

Instinctively, I did what I had always been nervous to do before. I leaned towards Max, placing a hand behind her head and pushed her towards me. Our lips locked and I felt a warm joy erupt through me. Max- I was kissing Max. I had never thought of it before- I had once considered her Fang's girl but she was gorgeous and my friend. She understood me. Damn, she got who I was.

I loved the way she got mad over my explosions. When she called me a sexist pig, I was asking for it. I wanted to her the anger in her voice. She sounded so…sexy…when she said it that way. To my surprise, Max didn't pull back. To my disappointment, she didn't kiss back.

And then, she did. Max kissed back.

Oh…my…God.

I pulled back for a moment and whispered, "Max, you're beautiful." She gave a faint smile as if she knew before I kissed her that I could see. Then, she patted my cheek and gave me a light peck to tell me the kissing was done and I was now ready to see the rest of the flock. She stood up but I reached for her delicate, tan hand and wrapped my hand around it. "Max, no." I sounded pathetic- I sounded like I was begging.

"Iggy," she replied. "I'm happy for you, but," she paused to think of the right words. "I'm in love with Fang. I'm sorry." I felt like I had just gotten my sight back as a form of torture. I would have to watch her walk away. Not the greatest first sight in the world.

I wouldn't take no for an answer. Instead, I stood up and stared at her. "What if I said I had feelings for you too? Always have. I just stepped aside for Fang because when I was blind I thought I loved you as a sister. Now, seeing you, knowing that you're going to leave me for him- even though he's my best friend- it hurts more than that." I took a deep breath.

"Iggy, you don't love me." She whispered. How could she say that? She didn't know how I feel? Sure, I had just realized it now, but I knew it was real. Fang- he left Max and hurt her. He would do it again. If I knew Max was mine, I would never walk away. I was the better choice. I just had to make her see it.

"But I do love you Max, I really do."

Then, she left and I watched as she went back to Fang.

That hurt to see.