Disclaimer: I claim no right to the Maximum Ride universe. So, I have decided to completely rewrite this story because it isn't going where I wanted. Much will be similar or even the same, but I need to make adjustments to create the story I originally intended. Thank you for your patience. Much Love!

Nick woke on the morning of his genetics midterm with a pounding headache, a queasy stomach and nothing on but his boxers and a tie around his forehead. He also held an empty handle of Cuervo in one hand and the other was encased in his left shoe. Jason was going to go to hell and Nick was going to make sure of it.

His heart almost stopped as he realized that it was the morning of his genetics midterm and after checking the clock, he felt even worse than before. His exam began in exactly ten minutes. He scrambled around the room, thankfully finding all of his clothes with all of his personal belongings still in them. He checked his phone, ignoring the messages from Lissa and cursed loudly, causing distress to both himself and the various other hung-over denizens of the living room in which he had woken. Nine minutes left.

He dashed outside, hissing as the sunlight burned his retinas and immediately emptied his stomach into the bushes next to the walkway. Oh, what a beautiful day, he thought darkly as he raced across the quad to the science building. He had to be nearly incapacitated on the day of the hardest midterm he had to take. Yeah, life was great.

Finally, he could see the doors of the lecture hall and he pulled out his phone. Two minutes to go. He intended to run into the doors, knowing they opened inward and would give under the impact, but instead they opened for him and he slammed into someone coming out.

He got a flash of blonde hair and the sensation of a soft body under his before he rolled to the side so as not to crush the woman he had just tackled. He staggered to his feet and yanked her up with a very hurried apology. No time to waste.

"Hey," she called after him as he rounded the corner, but he didn't stop. He would try to find her later to make up for practically killing her.

He burst through the doors and dropped into the first available seat. He ignored the stares of the other students as he tried to calm his breathing and keep from puking. He glanced at the clock. Right on time.

A packet of paper and a pencil case hit his desk. "I guess you weren't kidding when you asked me to keep this just in case. Congratulations on making it."

Nick grunted. "You don't know me very well then, Batchelder."

Professor Jeb Batchelder grinned. "I know you better than you think, Munroe." He raised his voice to the rest of the class. "All right, people. Two hours starts NOW." He glanced at Nick with an odd expression, which the boy didn't see because he was already involved in the exam. Then he headed back to his desk to keep an eye on the more suspicious characters of the class.

One hour and fifty-eight minutes later, Nick dropped his pencil and sauntered up to Jeb's desk to drop off the exam.

"What did you think, Munroe?" The professor asked.

"I didn't," Nick said. "It kicked my ass. I hope you're pleased with yourself."

Jeb shrugged. "As a matter of fact, I am. Now go home and rest up. You look like crap."

Nick rolled his eyes and waved. "Later." He scooped up his pencil case on the way out. As he reached the main doors of the hall, he reached for his phone. And came up with nothing.

Some guy standing near the doors had his phone in his hand, so Nick asked if he could borrow it. The guy handed it over and Nick quickly dialed his own number.

After two rings, someone answered. "Hello?" Someone female.

"Hi, yeah, um. This is my phone. I'm Nick Munroe. Any chance I can have it back?" Nick said.

There was a pause. "I guess, but I am looking for some compensation." She sounded attractive. Something about her voice made him want to listen to her.

"Compensation?"

"Yeah. You totally sacked me like I tried to run off with your girlfriend's purse. Gave me a fucking awful headache. You owe me more than a few rushed words. How about dinner?" she said.

Nick blinked in surprise. She wanted dinner? Lissa would not like that. "Um, I don't know how my girlfriend would feel about that."

She laughed. "I figured. She doesn't seem like the laid back type. Thought I'd try for some free food. Can I just bring your phone by your place later? I'm kinda booked most of today, but I can swing by around nine."

"Sure, I guess." He gave her his address. "I'll see you around then. Wait, what's -" The line went dead. He handed they guy his phone back. He would discover her name later. "Thanks, man. Can't live without my phone, you know?"

The guy nodded.

Nick took off, anxious to get home and sleep off his hangover. He walked back to the house much slower than he had left. He fished his keys out of his pocket and slid into the driver's seat of his car with quiet relief. Just a few more minutes and he would be home.

Ten minutes later, he twisted open the lock of his top floor apartment and stepped into the coolness of his living room. Faint sunlight filtered through his blinds, but not enough to make him uncomfortable. He immediately took five Motrin, downed a large water bottle and passed out on his couch.

He felt as though he had just closed his eyes when a loud pounding made him open them again. He glanced blearily at his DVD player to check the time. 8:43 PM.

"Hey, Nick Munroe! I've got your phone for you. You have to answer the door if you want it back," a woman called through his door.

Nick growled and rolled off the couch. "Coming," he called. He flipped all the locks, jerked open the door and froze. The woman standing there had not at all been what he expected. For one, she was tall, tall enough that her eyes were on level with his chin. And she was very attractive. Dark green eyes glittered with intelligence and amusement from beneath fashionably side-swept aurulent bangs as she took him in. Her mouth hung slightly open and he just barely suppressed the urge to help her close it with his own mouth. He loved the Rolling Stones t-shirt she wore and the dark jeans that seemed painted on her slender frame. He closed his eyes, trying to regain his sanity. He had never reacted to a woman like this. He was not some horny teenager. He was twenty two and about to graduate college. He was responsible. He was fricking hot for her. Shit.

"Hey," she said. She held up his phone in her left hand. "I, um, have your phone. Are you okay?"

Nick shook his head to clear it. "Yeah, just a little hungover." He rubbed his hand through his hair. "Wanna come in?" He stepped back to allow her inside.

She glanced behind her. "I'd like to, but I have to be somewhere. Here." She slapped the phone in his hand. Her fingers lingered on his wrist. "I'm Max, by the way. And , uh, if you ever change your mind about the dinner, I put my number in. Just in case." She smiled. "See you later, Nick Munroe."

"Bye," he mumbled, like an idiot. She waved, and just above the bangle on her wrist, he caught sight of a dark, puckered slash. For some reason, the sight caused an odd feeling of fear to rise in his stomach. Fighting it down, he closed the door and stared at his phone.

"Max…"