Chapter 3

"Are you out of your freakin' mind?" Iggy stood there outside the house with his arms crossed. He was not happy with why I had asked him to step out here for a moment in the darkness where the rest of the flock couldn't see who I had decided to bring home with me. I knew for a fact that Iggy wouldn't have cared if I brought home a rabid dog- this was another case scenario.

"Igs, relax," I held up my hands.

"Relax? Max, the guy tried to kill us. The wounds all over your face that I healed? HE did that!" Iggy threw his arms in the air. His eyes were on Fang behind me, standing there bleeding immensely with his broken wing about to collapse, with his hands casually in his pockets. "You don't even realize how stupid of a move this is Max, even for you."

I narrowed my eyes, "What's that suppose to mean? Besides, Jeb told us to take care of the ones that were like us, no matter what. He's hurt. We can't just let him be like this. The School did this to him." Iggy shook his head and rolled his eyes, which was quite impressive to know how to do for a blind guy.

I have to admit, even though technically I was the leader, I had let Iggy get a bit more control than I should've allowed him. It's just happened when you're trying to take care of a flock on your own so I had asked him to help being my age and all but, at times, Iggy was still more Gazzy's age in a way with all the bombs he built. I can say that a few explosions have been a result of Iggy having too much power.

"Max, I could care less where this guy came from." Then, Iggy stopped to think about it. Fang was in the same stupid sinking ship that we were in as a School experiment. It was our fault Fang was the way he was anyways because I was almost positive that he was the one we had left behind. We owed him for what we did to him (unless the school made other copies). "You know, he can stay but I want nothing to do with it. You can heal his freaking wing for him or what not. I decline any help." Iggy walked back into the house.

My ears caught twings snapping behind me and I instinctively turned around. I expected to see a whole army of Erasers but instead, all I saw was Fang with his back and wings turned to me. With all the trouble I just went through of arguing with Iggy, he was not walking away that easily. "Where are you going?" I took the few steps to reach him. He had stopped so it wasn't that hard. "I promised you could stay with us until you healed. Come on," I grabbed the sleeve of his tee shirt and pulled him towards the house.

All right, one flock member down, a few more others to go but when I dragged Fang in, I noticed that no one was in the hallway or kitchen except Iggy whose entire body language was telling me he was pissed off. I went straight for the stairs hoping maybe to inform the rest of the flock in the morning. "Keep him away from the knives," Iggy yelled loud enough for only Fang and me to here. I watched in the corner of my eye as Fang flinched a bit.

"Ignore him," I whispered. "We all have a bit of trust issues. This is just something I have to do." I pushed Fang lightly on the space between his wings to move him up the stairs before Iggy said anything else stupid. I knew Fang was listening to what I said. We were paranoid, the flock and I, but he shouldn't be surprised that I didn't completely have trust in him.

I lead him to my room which was the farthest on the left. I opened the door and watched him as he stepped in. I don't know what Fang was exactly expecting but I honestly didn't care. He wouldn't be here long if his healing powers were like ours. "Sit on the bed," I informed him. I then grabbed an old shirt from my wardrobe. I'd make a sling for his wing. When I began tearing the fabric, remembering everything Jeb had taught me, I turned to see Fang was sitting on the bed.

I went and sat at his side, "Can you move a bit so I can look at your wing?" He nodded his head and adjusted himself. More close up, his wing looked like a mess. The feathers were caked in blood from other injuries but I could only focus on the wing which was the most important. My hands went to where the wing dangled and wobbled unevenly. I felt where the break was and I heard Fang hiss in a breath. "Sorry, I know this hurts." With the strips of my tee-shirt, I adjusted the wing in the position it was suppose to heal in. My hands were unsteady and nervous, normally Iggy dealt with breaks. "I don't do this all the time, Fang. I'm sorry." I realized it was the first time I had said his name.

When I was done I instantly stood up and walked a few steps away. I didn't want to be in a close proximity with him. He remained sitting on the bed. Our eyes staring at the other, assessing the enemy, and I realized how we couldn't be on different sides, not when I could barely tell the lines on his face let alone understand what he's going through. Maybe, when I had apologized, I wasn't talking about setting his wing. I was talking about everything. I tried to tell him that in one look and the response he gave me told me that he had.

"You should rest, it always help." Fang went to stand as if expecting to be rejected to the couch. "No, you can have my bed. I'll be by the door to make sure you know- that you don't hurt my flock." He nodded his head in understanding. We were silent again.

"You have every right to hate me," I informed him.

Fang's POV

There it was, permission to despise her and want to kill her right there, but I didn't do anything of that sorts. Instead, I went to lie down on the bed with my back turned to her even though I wouldn't be sleeping tonight as comfortable as my first bed was. I didn't want to be here, I wished I had never agreed to come back with her. Back in the woods, I had every notion of getting my revenge until she offered her hand to me despite the fact that she knew I had tried to kill her.

My heart slowed down a bit, it had been racing when she was setting my wing. No one had ever touched me so carefully and then apologized when they hurt me, all except Max. Then, that look we exchanged. She was sorry for everything, leaving me behind. I couldn't quite forgive her but I was aware that she felt bad.

A few hours later, I turned on my side, still wide awake. I faced Max to find her sitting against the door, in a deep sleep. Her chest rising up and down, her head resting on her shoulder. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her eyebrows were digging in as if in her dream she was in deep thought.

Slowly, I got up, careful not to hit my wing. I stood up and stared down at her, hoping not to wake her. As it was, Max looked really exhausted but I wasn't going to risk her freaking out on me and think I was going to kill her right then. I had to repay her for her kindness first. I wasn't a jerk.

I bent down and placed her in my arms. Max groaned a bit and shifted to get more comfortable but she didn't wake up. Unknowingly, she buried her head into my chest. The smell of her hair made me think of flying with the wind in your face. I went and placed her on the bed knowing I wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.

A piece of Max's hair was in her face. I went and swiped it away, holding her cheek for a moment, before I instantly pulled away. What was I doing? I instantly stepped away from her and went to sit against the door. Just then, there was a light knocking on the door. "Can I come in?" The voice was light and sweet, a child no less. I knew it was her, the girl Max had so easily protected, would die for. "I know you're awake and I know you aren't the bad guy anymore."

What was she talking about? I was still going to kill Max, I was still going to get my revenge, but I couldn't do it now while I was still injured. There was giggling behind the door, "Just let me in or I'll tell Max that you were thinking about how nice she smelled." I back from the door and watched as the knob turn as she forced it open. The little girl stepped in. I didn't remember her name.

"My name is Angel." She said, she had in her hands a book. "Can you read me a story? I know you don't like talking but if you think the words then I'll just listen through your mind." I raised an eyebrow…was she seriously saying that- "Yep, I can read minds." Then she should know I can't read well. "Don't worry, it's a kid story. The words are really small and I can help you. I just prefer it when someone reads to me." Suddenly, she was grabbing my hand and pulling me down to sit on the ground. She placed the book on my lap. Wasn't this kid tired? "My mind goes beserk with thoughts when there's somebody new around. I can't sleep until I get use to the sound of your voice in my head."

All right, so maybe I didn't have to be nice to this girl. She didn't fix my wing or take me into a house even though I had tried to kill her. Max had done that. Still, I was intrigued as to why Max would so easily risk her life for this little girl. I had not come across one person or thing that I would do that for. I was use to fending for myself and myself alone. "Can you start reading please?" I began to think of the words. I stopped at a few and Angel helped me along. Eventually, she became tired and rested her head on my arm about to drift off to sleep.

In an instant, I could almost feel why Max protected Angel.

Then, it was gone just as fast as it had come.