I'm vowing not to make promises anymore. Have any of you noticed that I promised to update the day after I last updated, but I never did? And, I also promised to get your questions answered, but that never happened either. So I'm stopping making promises and just going to get to the story whenever possible.

By the way, I read Fang. *takes in a shaky breath* I cried. I really did *SPOILER ALERT* But did I cry when Fang died? No. I figured J.P wasn't that evil. Instead, I cried when he left her. I did. I cried for about five minutes before the sadness was filled with rage. How could Fang leave Max for twenty years?! Now Dylan is going to make a move and Fang'll be out of the picture. Oh, joy. Please note sarcasm.

FAQ

1. How is Fang able to get inside her head? I'm not really sure if I've explained this to you guys, so I'll just explain it now. The Archangels have a special 'web', so to speak, between them all. Once an Archangel has fully fledged, or are closed to fledging, the said Archangel's link is activated, and becomes a direct link to the person's feelings and sometimes thoughts, depending on how close you are to the person. Fang is very close to Max, as we all know. So Fang is able to access some of Max's thoughts and her feelings. Also, Fang has perfected this skill to the extent where he is able to enter her mind. Hence how he got into her dreams.

2. How come Fang's mom knows he's an Archangel? The Lady of the Archangels blesses specific people to bear the Archangels. And because they are Chosen by the Lady, they also know what their children are. The Lady tells them everything they need to know through dreams so that the mother and father are able to take good, special care of the Lady's beloved Archangels. Max's mom isn't doin' too well with that assignment.

3. Is Fang's mom an Archangel? No. She is still human.

4. Who is Fang's mom from the Archangel world? No one. Fang's mom is just a special human.

Also, shout-out to BlackAthena. I'm very, truly, deeply sorry you and your community is going through that. It's sick, it's cruel, and it makes me disgusted just to think about how many people actually attempt to do that kind of stuff. Absolutely awful. I'm praying for you.

On with the story.

MPOV

Fang arrived to school late.

I waited by his locker, wanting to hug him and hug him tight, just cause I felt like it. I wanted to smell is nice, clean, Fang smell he has. The one that isn't clouded with various colognes and whatnot that guys think 'attract the ladies'. But Fang didn't come, and I gave up when the first bell rang, and I rushed reluctantly off to Mr. X's room.

"Maximum, I honestly thought you were going to stop this tardy record of yours!" Mr. X gave me a disproving look.

"Sorry, X. I was waiting for someone."

"Who?"

"Fang."

"Did he ever come?"

My shoulders slumped and I let out a breath. "No."

Mr. X tsked. "Well, you'll have to thank Mr. Xavier for this nice little pink detention slip I'm filling out."

"No can do, Mr. X. I've got stuff to do after class today."

"Like…?"

"Like the detentions I'm serving out in the school musical."

Mr. X looked thoughtful. "Ah, yes. I heard about that. Don't you think Carp is such a hag?"

The class erupted into laughter. "More like a dinosaur, X. I mean, you take one look at her and you immediately imagine her all RAWR! I'M GOING TO EAT YOUR FACE OFF!" I imitated a giant dinosaur chomping and roaring. The class laughed some more.

Mr. X smiled. "I'm glad we see eye-to-eye on something. Well, I'll let you off the hook since I know Fang is a nice young man and it's healthy for you to be hanging around with an influence like that. After all, it's not his fault he didn't show up to class."

I gave him an odd look. "Uh…it kind of is. He chose not to come to school today."

Mr. X paused, rethinking his words. "I really need some more coffee."

I grinned. "Want me to make a coffee run, X? After all, I don't really need to be in this class. Too easy."

He looked thoughtful again. "True, true. Okay, Max. Go ahead." He took some keys from around his neck and handed them to me along with a mug. "Go to the teacher's lounge and get some more coffee. It should still be warm." Mr. X turned back to the class and began giving the day's lesson and I sauntered out of class, happy for the excuse to be roaming the halls.

Being in the halls during class and being in them after class are two completely different things. I feel as if I'm being watched as I walk down the empty corridors of the school. And it kind of gives me the horror movie feel, Like, the fluorescent lights give off an eerie sense as it shines down on the pale walls and floors of the school. My feet echo loudly, the soles of my sneakers making hard slapping sounds against the linoleum.

I shook off the feeling as the teacher's lounge came into view. I unlocked the door and stepped inside, closing the door softly behind me. Inside, I got a little surprise.

"Iggy?"

Iggy's sightless piercing blue eyes looked up in my general direction. "Sorry, I can't quite place your voice, though I know I've hear it before."

I smiled a little. "Max. The girl who got stuck in the musical because of a detention?"

His face brightened. "Oh, I remember you! Funny how you're only there for detention, and yet you got the lead."

I laughed. "I know. I'm not even sure if I want the role."

"Well, just come to practice tonight. I promise you you'll have bunches of fun."

An awkward snort of laughter bubbled out of my chest. Iggy bit his lip hard, trying no to laugh.

"What was that?"

I laughed fully this time. "I'm sorry. It's just you really sounded like one of the people from those Honey Bunches of Oats cereal commercials."

Iggy shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Oh Max. What will we ever do with you?"

I smacked him upside the head and plopped down next to him on the couch. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

He shrugged. "Didn't really feel like dealing with first period."

"Why?"

He hesitated. "Well- there's this girl I like, okay? But I don't know if she likes me back."

"Oh, well, who is it? Maybe I could ask her for you."

"Ella Ride."

"Ella? Dude, you're crushing on my sister?"

He sat up ramrod straight. "Whaaat?"

"Ella is my sister!"

"Whoa. Wait, Back up. You're saying your last name is Ride, which means Ella is your sister."

"…Pretty much."

Suddenly, a grin broke out across his face. "That's great! You could totally ask Ella if she likes me!" He frowned. "That is, if you will allow me to date Ella."

I rolled me eyes. "Such a gentleman these days. Jeesh. I don't care what you do, as long as you don't hurt her. She's fragile."

He grinned again. "Thanks, Max. You have no idea what this mean for me."

"Anytime, Ig."

We sat in silence for a couple of minutes before I remembered why I came here and jumped up. "COFFEE!"

Iggy quirked an eyebrow. "Maybe you should switch to decaf, Max."

"No, Iggy, coffee!"

"I wasn't aware there was a double meaning to the word coffee."

I smacked him upside the head again. "No, idiot, I came in here to get X some coffee and I completely forgot."

"Get lost in my sexiness, Max."

"Uh…"

"Don't be ashamed, I know my hot looks can be hypnotizing."

I rolled my eyes. "Rolling my eyes, Ig."

"Don't deny you're turned on by my just being in this very room!"

I finished pouring the black steaming liquid into the cup and slipped out the door.

"Oh, yes, Iggy. I just can't get enough of you."

"See? I told you. Oh, Fang is going to be up-set," he said in a singsong voice. "Maybe we just shouldn't tell him about this little incident-"

I shut the door and started walking back down the hall towards X's room. When I opened the door, Mr. X was in the middle of lecturing a poor soul about how they shouldn't fall asleep in class. I set his coffee on his desk.

"Thanks, Max."

"No problem." I walked to the back of the room and made myself comfortable in my seat, kicking my feet up on the desk. "By the way, there's a blind kid in the teacher's lounge talking about how hot he is. You may want to do something about that."

FPOV

"Thank you."

I walked out of the door and got in my car. After putting my buyings in the back seat, I decided to check on Max. I reached out, found her psychic link that was alive with energy. I grabbed onto it and pulled myself into Max's head.

"Maximum Ride, I want you to actually run this time. Not in slow motion, not jogging, not speed-walking, and no pretending that you have asthma when I know you don't."

Max grinned and put on an innocent face. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Mr. Redd."

"I'm surprised you knew I was even talking through that thick skull of yours."

Max pretended to wince and put a hand to her heart. "Ouch. That hurt down deep."

Mr. Redd rolled his eyes and blew his whistle. Everyone began to run laps around the track. Except for Max, that is. She started out running as slow as physically possible. Gradually, though, Max's pace increased.

What the…, she thought.

Her pace steadily began to increase until she was the fastest person there. Max whipped by everyone, going way too fast than what should be even humanly possible.

Key word here, humanly.

I snapped myself out of Max's head and sighed. I started up the car and began to drive home, already plotting out how I would control Max.

For, she has officially begun to fledge.