Hey there, beautiful people! I realize it has been a while, but I actually have an excuse. My computer totally crashed on me! Bummerrrr! Yeah but anyway my parents bought me a laptop to replace my computer, but they forgot to get Microsoft Office! Eek. So that delayed me even more. But I'm back now and I'm here to stay!

This chapter I feel may be a little below expectations, but just bear with me here. I have to get my bearing back. Either way, REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! And let me know what you think! Your opinions are valued!

KarleeRay

"Here," I say. "Just let me do it." I pluck the massacred orange from Gazzy's fingers and begin peeling it for him. "Look you can't just dig your finger into the center. You're trying to peel it, not kill it."

The Gasman gives me a hearty grin before retrieving the strawberries from the fridge. Mom had made a fruit salad snack for us bird kids not too long ago, and Gazzy fell in love with the stuff, calls it "refreshing". Whatever. I'm not complaining. At least it's something healthy.

He bites a strawberry in half, leaving a trail of red juice rolling down his chin. "mmmm"

"Where's Iggy? I bet he would make you some awesome fruit dip," I offer, starting to slice some apples.

"He's talking to Ella." Gazzy makes a face. He has never been the biggest fan of their relationship. He's an eight year old kid who doesn't understand why his best friend doesn't have enough time for him anymore.

"You know he loves you, Gaz. He's just busy, that's all. You know? Big kid stuff." I drop my slices into the bowl, start washing the grapes in the sink.

Gazzy stares at me for a moment, small mouth quivering, before his face gets angry. "Whatever. I don't care."

I give him a reprimanding look.

"What?" He demands. "He doesn't care about me, I don't care about him."

I start to protest that this was not the case at all, but a knock at the door stops me.

I suck in a breath, pin Gazzy under my gaze. "This conversation isn't over," I tell him, wiping my hands on my sweatpants and heading to get the door.

I fling open the front door to find Carter. It's been three days since I took her to confess to her parents. I had given up hope that I would even hear from them until Carter was better.

"Hi," She says shakily.

I take in her messy bun, broken eyes.

"I just came to say goodbye." She gives me a small smile.

I lean against the door frame. "Where are you going?"

"There's a rehab facility on the edge of town. It's the only one, so I'll probably be in there with a bunch of old crazies." She gives a small, miserable chuckle. "Anyway, I'll be there for the next couple of months."

I study her, read her body language. "Are you okay with this?"

She sighs, glances quickly at her mother's car, waiting in the driveway. "It doesn't really matter what I want…"

"I didn't ask you what you wanted. I asked how you felt about it."

Carter swallows, gives a tiny nod. "Honestly, I think this is ridiculous. I'm not an addict. I don't belong there…" She sighs heavily. "Will you cover for me at school? Tell them I went to stay with some family friends for a while? I don't know. Just say something. You're good at lying."

I smirk. "Sure, sure."

She glances back at the waiting vehicle. "Well… I'll miss you while I'm gone. Try not to replace me?"

She pulls me into a fierce hug, and I hug her back just as fiercely, praying that things go well for her.

"Never," I murmur.

"Don't look so happy to be in my presence." Kace smirks as I sit down beside him at the lab table. He was moved into our class today, and Mister Chanel thought I would be the perfect candidate to show him the ropes of the lab, taking Fang away as my partner.

"You hush," I growl. "I'm so not in the mood." As if to prove my point, my stomach does a flip flop, sending waves of nausea through my body.

"You're never in the mood," He says simply. "Or so you say you aren't, but I'm beginning to think the whole thing is just a cry for my attention."

"You have quite the imagination," I commend, pulling latex gloves onto my hands. I close my eyes for a moment, ignore the way my stomach is raging.

"You okay, partner? You're looking a little green around the edges," Kace comments, examining my face intently.

I take a breath. "Look, you worry about you, and I'll worry about me. Got it?"

Kace shrugs. "Fair enough."

I sit extremely still for the next minute, praying that my stomach calms down. My heart begins to thump slightly, and I know I'm going to be sick. I stand quickly, jog across the room, grab the bathroom pass, and sprint down the hallway with my hand clamped over my mouth. I barge into a stall just in time to empty the contents of my stomach.

When I'm finished, I lean back against the stall door, allow myself to catch my breath. I blow my nose on some toilet paper and wipe the sweat from my forehead. Taking a deep breath, I realize I feel a lot better. The mirror disagrees, showing off a pale face and miserable eyes.

I decide I feel well enough to return to class, so I wash my mouth out in the sink, pop a piece of gum, and walk back down the hallway.

All eyes turn to me as I enter the door.

"Everything okay, Miss Ride?" Mister Chanel asks.

"All good," I mutter, going to sit down at my lab table. I feel Fang's gaze on me, but it can wait.

Kace stares at me as I sit down. "Think you're pregnant?" He asks suddenly.

I snort. "Get outta here."

He shrugs. "If you say so."

The thought is so ridiculous that I immediately dismiss it. Pregnant? Me? Haha.

Fang catches me on the way to lunch. "Hey Max! Max. Hey what happened in class?"

"What? Oh, yeah I don't know. I just got sick." I shrug.

Fang frowns. "But you're okay now?"

"Yeah." I give him a smile to prove my point, but he doesn't look convinced.

"You didn't have a head thing, did you? Think you should see a doctor?" He drapes a protective arm across my shoulders.

"Why because I'm dying? Or maybe I'm pregnant?" I joke.

Fang goes completely rigid beside me. His eyes travel to my face. "What?"

"It was a joke, Fang. Relax." I chuckle.

"Why would you say something like that?" He persists.

I stare at him, try to read him the way I've been doing since he was… born practically. "Kace said something about it after I came back in the classroom. Ridiculous, right?" I grin at him as we walk into the cafeteria.

"is it?" Fang asks, stopping me by the trashcans so we can continue this conversation before we reach our table of friends.

"Is it what? Come on, Fang. I'm starving. I lost a whole meal this morning, and all I want to do is eat," I complain, looking over his shoulder to see what they're serving in the lunch lines.

"Is it ridiculous? I mean really?" He stares intently into my eyes, and I realize what he's asking.

I falter. Just for a second, but I know he sees it.

"I- It's ridiculous, Fang." I reach for his hands, wrap them around my waist. "I promise."

He nods, kisses my forehead before leading us over to where our friends are waiting.

"I'm coming in, decent or not," Fang calls, walking into the bathroom.

I try to stand before he can see me, but I'm not fast enough so I just stay there, on my knees in front of the toilet. Concern flashes in his eyes, so I give him a small smile. "Must have been that awful cafeteria food."

I expect him to chuckle, smirk, something, but he doesn't. He's all serious.

I turn back to the toilet, sit still until I'm fairly sure nothing more is coming up. I stand and brush him out of the way, grabbing my toothbrush and shoving it into my mouth.

I notice him standing rigidly, arms behind his back. "What's that?" I ask around a mouthful of toothpaste.

He takes a grocery bag from behind his back, places it on the counter. I raise my eyebrows at him, waiting for him to reveal the mysterious object.

His jaw tightens as he takes the box out of the bag. I turn to spit into the sink, and when I look back I find him holding a pregnancy test in his hands.

"What the hell is that?" I ask calmly, but my voice is filled with tension.

He shrugs, as if the answer is obvious.

"Why are you taking this so seriously?" I hiss. "I told you it was ridiculous! God, what is wrong with the good old fashioned stomach virus? I'm not immune, you know! There doesn't always have to be something more to the picture!"

"You hesitated," He says, determined. "I asked you if it was ridiculous, and you hesitated, Max!"

"I did not," I insist, though it was clear that I had.

Fang softens. "Please. Just- just do it. It'll give me some peace of mind. Don't turn your face away just because you're scared. If this is real, then we need to know."

"I'm not scared! This is just stupid!"

He places his hands on either side of my cheeks. "Please," He whispers. "I have to know."

I throw my head back, sigh. "Fine. Open it."

I watch as Fang opens the box with slightly trembling fingers, and I realize that he thinks there's actually a possibility that I'm pregnant…. But it's impossible right? We took all the precautions….

A tiny flutter of fear starts in my stomach, and I swallow hard. What if those precautions weren't enough? I can't be pregnant. I can't.

Fang turns to hand me the test with a taut jaw.

"Okay, get out," I tell him.

"Why?"

I huff. "Fine. Just turn around."

I squat down over the toilet and pee on the end of the stick. Silently, I pull my pants back up, place the test on the counter.

Two minutes. Everything could change in two minutes.

The thought is too much for me to handle, so I go over to Fang, wrap my arms around his waist from behind. "I'm sure it's fine," I whisper.

He turns in my arms. "I just need to know."

I nod, and he tucks me into his chest. We stand there for the next two minutes, knowing that we'll be okay as long as we have each other.

"It's been two at least, right?" I ask, hesitantly.

Fang grimaces. "Longest two minutes ever."

I walk toward the counter, my heart thundering in my chest. Please. Please. Please. Let me have been right.

I take a breath, try to slow my breathing, before I flip the stick over.

I almost faint right then and there.

NOT PREGNANT.

I smirk. I have got to stop doubting myself. I'm Maximum Ride. I'm always right.

HAHA! Had you going there didn't I? Review! Tell me what you think!