Hey people! This is my very first MR fanfic. I actually wrote it a long time ago, I just joined the site. If you've followed along on the blog, you will know in Nov. 2005, Fang went to Virginia to try to find his mom. Well, he never described his homecoming... this is it, in Max's POV.

Disclaimer: I do not have the brilliancy required to come up with Maximum Ride and her flock, thus I am not James Patterson and I do not own them.

Warning: My friends call me Ms. Fluffikins. You have been forewarned.

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I stood on the ledge of the unfinished hotel, watching, waiting, hoping, worrying.

We've been staying here at the hotel for a while, because it's a great place. We can see everything- we're on floor sixty, I think. The workers leave at 5:30, and there's already plumbing in the rooms. Which means all six of us can get hot showers at once.

Make that all five of us. Fang has been missing for days, weeks... I've lost track of how many. No warning, no note, no nothing. Which is why I'm here.

Every night, just before the sun sets, I watch the horizon for anything to hint that he's coming back. Okay, okay, I'll admit, I'm worried. And sad. It's like someone cut off my right hand. Fang is the co-leader of the Flock. He wouldn't just leave forever... would he?

Which is what worries me. I've noticed before how he doesn't really depend on anyone. But I depend on him to help me lead and keep together the younger ones.

I scanned the New York City skyline once more when I heard a step beside me. It's Iggy. He must have known exactly where he was, because he stopped right in front of the ledge.

"Still looking for Fang?" His voice had an edge to it. "I don't think he's coming back, Max."

An angry reply came to mind, but disbelief crowded it out. Of course he would come back! Would he? I almost started crying before I caught myself. Whoa... crying? NO.

Not me.

Not the Maximum.

Iggy sensed my emotion and laid a hand on my arm. "It's gonna work out all right, Max. Somehow I know it." I shook my head, to the benefit of no one, and he turned to gather Nudge, Gasman, and Angel for bed.

I tensed. Iggy heard me gasp and came back. "What is it?" he asked in a low voice. "Your head?" I didn't reply, but watched the horizon.

A bird was flying toward us. An abnormally big bird. "Nudge? Gazzy? Angel?" My voice sounded like someone else's. They rushed to my side. Angel's eyes widened, and she said, "Really?"

"Maybe. Just wait."

Ten seconds later, I was in charge of the situation again. "Okay, you guys, back up, give him room to land." Nudge was jumping up and down going, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! HE'S BACK!"

Yeah, it was Fang. But he looked... different. Almost... can I even say this?... forlorn. His dark eyes were tired, but they lit up when he saw everyone. He put on a hint of a smile and gave a typical greeting. "Well, I'm back."

Everyone flooded forward to hug him. As usual, he turned into an unbending statue. It was my turn last. "Welcome back," I said, but I let him know with a look that it was not the end of our conversation. He nodded slightly. Then I hugged him. Was it my imagination, or did he unbend just a bit? I don't know.

What I do know is that I'm glad he's back. Very glad, but relief is starting to be replaced with rage. Tons of questions, but I bite them back. Later. When the Flock is asleep.

Finally. We stacked our fists, and there were six. The Flock. As a whole. That's the way it should be. Everyone said good nights, and everyone fell asleep.

Except Fang and I.

We need to talk.

I sat down next to him, and we stared over the ledge, our feet swinging over sixty stories of air. The city life was still going on below us, but it was faint, faraway.

"Why did you leave us like that?" Anger was in my voice. "You could have warned us. And where the heck did you go and why, anyways? Did you accomplish anything?"

He was silent. I looked at him. His face was, as usual, expressionless.

"I went to Virginia to find my parents, I didn't. Flying in the rain stinks."

Whoa. Lots of information in those clipped sentences. I processed it and looked at him incredulously. "You WHAT?"

For the first time he met my gaze. "I know you're not deaf." Oh, great. Sarcasm.

I swallowed what he told me and asked another question. "Why didn't you let us know?"

He glanced at me. "I didn't want you to come. This was something I had to do. Understand now?"

I nodded mutely. He looked away. "Like I ever thought I'd find her. And what would I have done if I did? The whole thing was just stupid. The maps got wet. All I know is that they live in some town that starts with A, so of course nothing worked as planned. Like I said, it was stupid." He turned to look at me, and with the full moon I could see him blinking.

Whoa.

Wait a second.

Fang? The mighty Fang? On the verge of tears? This was big. Like, as in maybe he hit his head while he was gone. I was so awestruck that I just gaped at him for five seconds.

Then, as any good big sister should, I slid closer and put an arm around his shoulders. He stiffened, so I gave him a side hug and let go.

Note to self: Even when Fang is acting like a different person, he still hates hugs.

After about a minute of total silence, he sighed and looked at me. His eyes were normal. The moment was gone. But I'm not going to forget that, no sirree.

"Well, why did you come back?" My voice sounded very small. "I mean, you could have anywhere..."

He gave me a somewhat condescending look. "Duh," he replied. "The Flock. If I weren't here, you guys would be toast." I punched his shoulder. "That all?"

"No," he continued, scratching his chin. "Mostly... nah, never mind."

"What?"

"Nothing." His mouth was set in a firm line, and he gazed at something far away.

"No, really, what is it?"

He looked at me strangely. "I said it's nothing."

"Why did you come back?" I asked insistently. "Come on, you can tell me." Yep, that's me, won't give up through opposition. In other words, I'm bugging the crap out of him.

He turned his dark eyes on me. They looked strange, too. Fang stared at me and I stared back, for who knows how long? He took a deep breath as if he was going to say something, held it in, then finally let it out.

Was he afraid to tell me? He looked like he was gathering courage to say something.

"Why did you come back?" I repeated in a whisper.

He was silent for another twenty seconds. Then he said quietly:

"You."

I couldn't help it. My mouth fell open and my eyes got really, really big. Fang looked at me almost apologetically.

He stood up abruptly and walked away, leaving me with my thoughts.

One word said so much. I replayed the moment over and over. Had I heard correctly? I finally convinced myself that's what he said. Fang came back mostly because of me.

Does that mean what I think it means? Nothing like this has happened since... um... the beach. Or maybe he really did suffer a concussion or something. I've got a lot of thinking to do...

Hello, Maximum. Just what I need now.

"Go away, Voice," I muttered.

Fang really surprised you tonight, didn't he?

"Yes!" I hissed.

But you had been thinking about him a bit more, hadn't you?

"Duh," I responded. "He's been missing."

Ah... but I think there's more to it than that, don't you?

"Shut up and stop bothering me," I murmured crossly.

The Voice chuckled. I'm afraid I can't do that. If you're going to save the world, you've got to learn some things first.

I sighed. I knew where this was going.

Ready, Maximum?

I braced myself...

Nothing could prepare me for this shock. My brain felt like it was exploding and burning and freezing all at once. Pictures flashed through my mind. Buildings. People. Jeb. Whitecoats. The pain got even worse. I heard something... wind rushing past my ears.

I had fallen out of the hotel.

My hands were clutching at my head, trying to hold it together. I saw a replay of Ari beating up Fang. But this time he killed him.

Wind rushing. I screamed. How long would it take me to hit the ground? Oh, God, please, please save me.

The pain was still there, but I felt something around me. I was going up, not down. Strong arms encircling my pitiful form. Fang.

My head eventually cleared. I realized that he was carefully putting me down in the hotel, my head on a pillow. I blinked. Everyone was awake, watching me. I tried to smile but couldn't. I said "Hello" but it came out as a croak. Angel walked away and came back with something cool and clear. Water. Sometimes I'm so grateful she's a mind reader.

I gulped it down as Iggy felt my forehead. "She's sweating. Wet a corner of my blanket, Gazzy."

I protested. "No, that's okay," I whispered hoarsely. "I'll be fine." But Gazzy did it anyway and suddenly the coolness of it was on my face.

"Are you okay, Max?" It was Nudge. "I mean, we heard you scream and that woke us up and we rushed out and you were holding your head, sitting on the edge. Then you just, kind of, fell, and Fang got this look on his face and jumped out and disappeared and we were all so scared..." Her lower lip started quivering.

"It's okay, Nudge. I'm okay. Okay?" She nodded slowly.

"Are you sure there's nothing we can do?" Iggy inquired. I shook my head and replied, "No. I'll be fine." Angel looked at me and said, "She wants to get to sleep."

"To bed. She'll recover, this has happened before," Fang commanded. "Goodnight, Max." "Night-night, Max." "Good night, sleep tight."

I opened my eyes and smiled. Gazzy was still sitting next to me. His eyes were huge and he still looked scared. I squeezed his hand and ruffled his hair. "Everything'll be fine, buddy. Just go to bed and get a good night's sleep, all right?" He nodded, hugged me, whispered "Night!" in my ear, then tiptoed to his pillow.

Finally, I slept.

I awoke when it was still dark. My eyes focused on the still form of Fang sitting in front of me. I started, and he said in a low voice, "You okay?"

I nodded, swallowing. "Have you been here this whole time?"

He nodded. "Couldn't sleep." He looked at me, then stood up and started walking to his "bed," actually his pillow and blanket.

"Wait," I called after him softly. He turned and came back, a question in his face.

"What you said earlier- did you really mean it?"

He hesitated, then knelt beside me and smoothed back my hair. "Yes," he said so quietly I could hardly hear him. He bent his head down and pressed his lips to my forehead for three full seconds.

Then he turned and walked to his pillow.

I lay there, dazed. Oh. My. Gosh.

Did Fang just kiss me?

He did.

Which means now I have so much more to think about.

No more sleep... for tonight.

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