Another late update, but an update all the same. However, I apologize in advance. This chapter is not up to par. It's a little boring and uneventful, but I felt it was necessary. DO NOT GIVE UP ON ME! Anywho, enjoy and REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!

Oh and MERRY CHRISTMAS, beautiful people!

KarleeRay

"No! It's still my turn," I growl, yanking the remote control out of Trent's hand. He chuckles softly, leaning back in his hospital bed. My fingers move themselves to the correct position on the controls, and my eyes glue back onto Shadow of the Colossus.

"Max you're going the wrong way," Trent whines, and I resist the urge to smack him.

"Am not! Look, the light is pointing that way…" I hold my sword up to prove my point. (A/N: I've been playing this game all day with my boyfriend! It's friggin great and we just had an argument similar to this one I just used in the story!)

Trent snorts, but says nothing, and I smirk in satisfaction when I find the next colossus. Strategizing together, it takes us forty five minutes to defeat the beast.

"Whooo! Yeah!" I yell in victory, jumping off the chair as the colossus falls to the ground.

"Max! What have I told you about the volume level?" I look up to see Christie, one of Trent's nurses, chastising me from the doorway of Trent's hospital room. Her hair is disheveled, her purple scrubs wrinkled from a hard day's work. I had come to know her well since I spent a lot of my time by Trent's side. She shakes her head, exasperated, while I give her a rueful smile.

Trent has been a patient in Relaine Oxford Medical Center for a two weeks now. Getting comfortable here had been a long challenge. First of all, the antiseptic smells have never been my friend. Second of all, seeing Trent all hooked up to different machines was enough to make me run in the other direction. However, I had come to terms with whole thing, deciding that the only thing I could do in this situation was be there for him. I know he doesn't have long, probably only a couple more months. If you look really closely, you can see signs of him deteriorating… the pale skin, purple lips, bald head, shaking fingers. I don't like it, and quite frankly, it scares the piss out of me, but what can you do?

"I think that's enough video games for one day," Christie says, entering the room and pulling the remote control out of my fingers. I don't fight her. It's late, and I'm tired. I should probably head home. Even I will admit that I've been neglecting my family just a tad, but I think (hope) they understand that my heart is in the right place. I've hardly even seen Fang in a whole week. I come home late and leave early in the morning to check on Trent. Fang hasn't complained at all, though I can't help but feel distant.

With my family weighing heavy on my mind, I say my goodbyes to Christie and Trent.

"I'm home!" I call, setting my backpack down in the foyer. I hear the TV on in the living room and walk in to see pretty much everyone gathered in there together.

"Max!" Nudge exclaims, jumping up off of the ground and wrapping me in a tight hug. I chuckle softly as she releases me. Leaning over the back of the couch, I run my hand through Gazzy's hair and give him a quick kiss on the forehead.

"How was your day, sweetie?" Mom asks, looking up from a home improvement magazine.

I shrug, smiling softly. "Same ole, same ole." My arms wind around Angel, who's lying on the carpet. I pick her up by her thighs, turning her upside down. My lips find their way to the exposed skin of her stomach, and I shower her with kisses, making her squeal.

"Gee, I missed you too, Max," Angel chirps, and I set her down, feeling better now that I was around my flock. I'm on my way to sit in the empty recliner when I feel arms wrap around my waist. I turn to see Fang pulling me onto his lap.

"What? I don't get a proper hello now?" He mutters, huskily so that only I can hear, and I grin, giving him a quick kiss on the lips.

"How's that?" I ask, teasingly.

"Hmmm. Not quite there," He says, the smallest of smirks playing on the corner of his mouth.

I roll my eyes, leaning in to give him an even longer kiss, completely conscious of my mom who is sitting about three couch cushions down from us. However, Fang doesn't seem to care at all, angling his head to deepen the kiss.

"Keep it rated PG, kiddos," She tells us, without looking up from her magazine. I instantly break away from Fang, slightly embarrassed. The smug look on his face is enough to make me want to hit him.

"Tomorrow's Christmas Eve," Nudge chatters. "It's exciting, really. I can't wait to see what all I get…. Of course, it's not about the presents. I mean, I would be happy just getting to spend Christmas with you guys and like in a house not in a sewer tunnel or like a tree…. But the presents are a nice plus and I-"

"Nudge!" Iggy yells, dramatically throwing his hands over his ears as if he's in actual pain. Nudge looks slightly offended, but quickly shakes it off.

"Does everyone have all of their shopping done?" Mom asks, and we all nod. I had gone out and taken care of everything one day before I went to visit Trent. Ella had been as easy as Nudge… makeup, Cosmo magazines, perfume, and a hot pink Victoria Secret hoodie. Fang, on the other hand, had been a slight challenge. Mostly, I just ambled around the mall trying to find something that spoke to me. After about an hour, finally, something did. I was walking past another regular old jewelry store when something in the display case caught my eye. It was a dog tag necklace. I knew it was perfect the moment I saw it. I got wicked looking black wings engraved into it, and on the back, written very very small in diamonds, it says "Forever". I know, cheesy, right? But I mean it. I want Fang forever, always, no matter what.

Christmas Eve is hectic to say the least. Apparently, you're supposed to have a big ole five course meal not only Christmas night but the night before Christmas also. I know, weird right? Don't ask me. I'll never understand the ways of the humans.

Anywho, Mom spends the whole day bossing us mere young ones around, telling us to clean and go fetch things from the grocery store. Though, I am not complaining. The fact that I even have a house to clean is enough for me.

By the time everything starts to die down, it's 5 o clock, and Mom and Iggy are hard at work in the kitchen.

I snatch Fang's black hoodie off of the back of the couch and slip it on over my tank top.

"Where are you going?" Mom asks, surprised.

"To see Trent. I have to give him his gift."

Mom's smile falters, and I feel guilt creep up in my stomach. It's Christmas, I know, but Trent needs me, at least for a little while.

"I won't be gone long. Promise," I tell her and walk out the door before she can protest.

I take a running start as soon as I step out the door and then leap into the air, snapping open my wings. The feeling that someone is watching overtakes me, and I turn to see Fang standing in his upstairs window, eyes trained on me as if he expected this all along. I don't know what he's feeling, if he's angry at me for leaving, but I wave anyway, and then go into super speed.

"Max! What are you doing here?" Trent exclaims, bolting upright in his bed.

I shrug. "Eh, I had nothing better to do."

He grins, and I immediately reciprocate. "You didn't have to do this." He gestures to the wrapped present in my hand.

"It's nothing big… I just… you know," I say, placing the gift in his hands. He smiles, and I try not to notice how much his appearance has changed in the few weeks he's been admitted here.

I pull up a chair, watching his hands tremble as he un-wraps my gift. His face takes on a look of wonder as he pulls out the navy blue Beats by that I got him. They were ridiculously expensive and most would say that the kids going to die soon anyway so it's not worth my money. Well, those people would be Wrong with a capital W. Trent has an obsession with music, always says that music can take any kind of pain away. I figure he's going to be in a lot of pain these next few weeks and anything I can do to ease his pain is worth any amount of money.

Trent is silent, and I begin to ramble, nervously. "Um the guy said they were high quality. I mean, they better be because they were friggin expensive…. If you don't like them, I can always take them back…. You said that music was your escape when I'm not here…. So I figured…."

"Max," Trent cuts me off, grinning. "These are amazing. Seriously. I'm never taking them off."

I sigh in relief, nodding. "I'm glad….." I pause, looking around the empty room. "So where's your fam?"

"Mom's at work. She'll be by later with my sister…. Don't know where my dad is," He replies, turning the Beats over in his hands.

A pang of guilt strikes in my stomach. No one should be alone on Christmas. I sink back in my chair, kicking my feet up and grabbing the play station controller off the bedside desk.

"Max," Trent says and when I completely ignore him, he continues. "Max. Go home."

"Nah."

"I'm serious. Go home. It's Christmas. Go be with your family," He insists, pinning me under his stare.

"I'm not going to leave you all alone," I tell him in my best no-nonsense voice.

"I'm not alone. I have my music now remember?"

I sigh. He's right. My family will be missing me. Standing up, I lean over and kiss him on the forehead. "Merry Christmas, Trent."

"Merry Christmas, Max," He answers. "I don't want to see you back here tomorrow either! I mean it!" He calls after my retreating form. "I'll tell security not to let you in!"

"Yeah, yeah," I mutter, and then walk out the door, anxious to get back to my family.