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Max POV

I heard water dripping from the faucet, feet stomping upstairs, heat being pumped to the vents upstairs sounds like a dull thrum, and what is that last sound its different from the air vents, but it still sounded like air ... was it ... breathing?

I opened my eyes determining it was safe to announce I was awake to whoever was down here with me I looked around the room and saw a silhouette sitting against the wall with their head propped in their bent knees, once I saw the hair I realized it was Iggy, were they still here? How long was I out? Was Fang still here?

I took a more careful look around the room and just about jumped when I spotted him right next to my bed with his head laying down on my mattress and his hand outstretched just a foot away from my hand, I froze looking at him.

He was so close but sound asleep, his even breathing sounded so peaceful, it was a different side of him more open, unprotected and ... adorable.

I blushed heavily at my thoughts but before I could help myself my hand stretched out and careful to not make contact with him I brushed his raven black hair out of his pale face and a slow smile stretched across his face in his sleep, my breath caught in my throat I couldn't tear my eyes away from his face so close to mine.

Mentally slapping myself for being such a bimbo girl tripping over my hormones I sat upright and stopped myself halfway up taking in a deep breath I leaned on my elbows trying to hold back tears threatening to escape as my stomach exploded in pain, I was surprised it wasn't my back causing me problems but then I remembered the boiling water I looked down the head hole of my shirt and saw I was covered in blisters, painful red blisters.

I took a deep sigh and looked at the clock and saw we had a decent hour until school so their guardian must still be here, maybe he can give us a ride, I tried one more time to try and get up I almost made it before I fell in a heap on the floor with an small but embarrassing whimper, but it didn't go unnoticed unfortunately.

Two heads whipped up at my direction and tried clumsily but swiftly to try and rub sleep out of their eyes and make it to my side like a damsel.

"You ok?" they asked in unison.

"Peachy" I replied sourly

"You said your dad was a doctor right? Well I need him real quick, please." I asked looking at the ground hating I looked so damn week right now with two eye witnesses, I would need to dispose of them I thought to myself with a smirk, no surviving witnesses.

I started to laugh at my own thoughts.

"Maybe we should get Terry." said Iggy, great another witness to get rid of, I started to laugh harder but had to hold my stomach with one hand and one hand held me up from falling completely on the floor.

Iggy ran up the stairs three at a time and opened the upstairs door with caution but urgency, couldn't blame him I heard voices but couldn't make out the words before I heard multiple feet stomping down the stairs not caring that it was 7 a.m. and there was a child still sleeping, wait he was at a friends never mind I guess make as much noise as you please, carry on.

Terry stood next to me I looked up at the man next to me for the first time ever he had a small weasel look about him his hair was stringy and thin but he had a small beer gut he stood roughly 5'8" if I had to guess from the floor.

"You called?" he said with annoyance, then Jeb spoke up "The hell you want this early?" with a lot more annoyance I glared at him.

"Do you have any burn cream?" I asked with forced politeness because he could very easily just say suffer and walk away so I tried to not be to rude.

"How bad is the burn?"

"Bad" I ground out between my teeth he rolled his eyes.

"I need to see so I know how heavy the medication has to be to treat the wound." He spoke official like I was an actual patient in the doctors office I laid on my back and stared at the ceiling but lifted my shirt up to my chest and heard a gasp but just one, sounded like Iggy.

I felt on display and humiliated "Did she at least learn a lesson?" asked Terry to Jeb obviously as I lowered my shirt but refused to take my eyes off the ceiling but I could hear his smile as my stomach churned with rage instead of pain "Probably not, stupid and stubborn as a mule but hey I found out she can hold her breath for two whole minutes!" he sounded so proud of that fact my eyes started to tear up with so much anger but I made them dry back up before anyone saw any more weakness from me,

"Yeah I have some cream but you wont be able to go to school today, probably won't be able to leave the floor." he said it matter of factly with no empathy I just nodded not trusting my voice just yet to come out as strong as I needed it to.

"Fine" sighed Jeb begrudgingly as if it was a hassle.

"Okay then it's settled you two get ready for school you can walk from here were close enough, and you can call the school tell them shes sick and I'll go to the pharmacy and get you'r cream." Terry told everyone with authority before walking upstairs.

Jeb looked like he had a mixture of emotions cross his face finishing with acceptance as he trudged upstairs mumbling "Tellin me what to do ... know how to call the damn school ... don't need to be told." he kept going but was finally out of ear shot.

I felt Iggy and Fang stare at me for a minute before Iggy loudly cleared his throat obviously uncomfortable "So better get ready I guess." he started shuffling around and finally settled on occupying himself in the bathroom after he was out of sight Fang walked over to me.

"Let me at least help you get comfortable in bed instead of leaving you on the ground all damn day." he looked anywhere but me as he rubbed the back of his head showing he was uncomfortable but when I nodded I realized it's because he didn't know how to grab me, literally my back was damaged my front was damaged ... I was damaged.

I giggled a little as he started shifting weight between his feet then he looked at me and scowled but I saw the slight blush before he could hide it with his hair as he looked down, which made me smile even more but at least I stopped mocking his awkwardness out loud.

I pulled myself up to a sitting position without screaming out loud which let me tell you was a huge success "Could you ... could you like uggg" I sighed out loud in exasperation "I don't know drag me back up on the bed by my shoulders?" I said while waving my arm in the air above my head in an attempt to grab a better idea, why did I have to sound so dumb in front of him, I mentally tore myself apart for feeling this self conscious.

I saw him smile and not try to hide it but he rolled his eyes and walked over to me he bent down so he was crouching but eye level with me "Do you trust me?" he blurted suddenly he looked like he hated himself for saying it but didn't break eye contact.

"Like trust to what?" I had to ask ruining the moment, idiot "To not hurt you" he said without missing a beat my breath hitched in my throat I didn't know how to answer that he was my demon at school, but .. he never really .. hurt me .. I guess I mean not physically sure there were mean taunts but hey it's high school and compared to my daily life was I really gonna complain about some words, still struggling to find an answer I saw hurt in his eyes but I still couldn't answer I was just getting to know this side of him the side away from school.

As I was lost in my thoughts he gently snaked an arm under my back perfectly avoiding the knife wound and an arm under my knees he lifted me slowly to not jerk my body the he leaned me into him I put my head into his neck I froze then without thinking at all I lifted my arm that wasn't pressed into his very ... muscular chest mmmm, no Max stop bad then I firmly but softly cupped his jaw in my hand and made him look at me "Thank you" I whispered "For everything" he looked shocked but almost happy?

"Your welcome Max" he replied softly then laid me on my bed and quickly turned on his heal and headed upstairs followed closely by Iggy who just came out of the bathroom.

As I heard then click the door shut behind them it opened again and Terry walked downstairs with a small brown bag in his hand swaying side to side he paused at the bottom of the stairs and looked at me I squirmed under his harsh stair scrutinizing me from head to toe all my flaws and how his eyes lingered on my face I looked away at the ceiling again.

"Ok lets get this on you." he said finally walking towards me "I can do it thank you" I spoke quietly he looked at me and smirked "Calm down Max I'm a doctor remember" I didn't forget but the thought of his hands on me made a want to vomit he knelt down by the bed and rolled my shirt up and poured a small amount of white liquid from a small tube into his steady hand then put his hand on my stomach and started rubbing it in while looking at me his hands started reaching higher and higher I couldn't help it I squirmed hard and stuttered, I Maximum Ride stuttered!.

"R-r-really I c-can get it." he didn't even look at my eyes as he replied "Do you want to know something about me Max?" I couldn't reply my throat closed up on me "The state has deemed me to unreliable to have female foster children" he smiled as his hand suddenly slipped right under my bra and cupped my breast kneading my tender nipples in rough circles between his thumb and pointer fingers I chocked out a sob as I reeled back my hand and slapped him as hard as I could across the face.

His head whipped to the right he removed one hand and looked right back at me and I saw the mental snap he pulled back his hand and slapped me across my face in return I tasted blood in my mouth he wrapped his hand around my throat and pushed me hard into the bed I could take in small breaths but that was all as he leaned down holding his face right against mine his tongue lolled out out of his mouth and he licked me from my collar bone up to the bottom of my ear his other hand still on my breast.

Suddenly he released my breast but kept hold on my neck he looked me right in the eyes only two inches away from my face his breath was a horrendous mixture of morning breath and alcohol "I will let you go today but I will have you my little blonde beauty, I like the chase, build up the suspense but I. Will. Have. You." he spat out with lust and anger then he roughly shoved his lips on mine and bit my bottom lip slowly pulling away and painfully releasing it when he was farther then my lip could stretch with force.

He lifted himself up and adjusted his shirt threw down the bottle of medicine next to me walking away with pride and arrogance he left, as soon as the door closed I let out a shaky breath but as I drew in a breath it shook, hard.

I couldn't blink away my tears anymore they leaked out one after another playing a sick game of follow the leader the the sobs broke though oh God I'm a mess but at least its just me in my lonely basement bedroom with no more witnesses to kill later.