This is to clear things up but you see I was only going to make it a one shot but you guys wanted more, so this takes place after STWAOES and Fang and Max never got together. There will definitely be FAX later as I am a complete worshipper of it. What happened with Max being driven to cutting will become clear next but any ideas would be nice, as I am only starting to plan what's going to happen next.

SO THIS IS A FLASHBACK CHAPTER!!!

Lots of flying virtual love,

Beth.

I was lying in the cave, the flock were playing at the beach about three hundred feet below me. Fang was sitting near me, seemingly very interested in his first aid kit; he'd been avoiding me a lot lately. Well, ever since we'd left mom's house. I felt more alone than I had ever felt. I brought my knees up to my chest wincing as a pain throbbed through my stomach. I stretched out again and pulled my shirt out; blood was seeping through my bandage.

'Oh, brother,' I muttered, pushing against the wound and hissing under my breath. Fang looked over, finally breaking his gaze on the band-aid. He slowly walked over, eyes filled with concern.

'Max?' he asked, 'What's wrong?' I pointed to the bandage, he grabbed his first aid kit, it was pristine and all neatly packed away. I suppressed a giggle. Fang pulled out another bandage, took off my current one and re-dressed it. I smiled at him, in thanks and he nodded his head and went back to his position on the on the other side of the cave. He picked up his backpack this time, anything to stop me making conversation with him. Fang unpacked his backpack, replaced everything again, it took him an hour.

I must have dozed off. Because I was suddenly woken up by a scream, both Fang and I jumped to our feet and shot to the front of the cave, looking down towards the beach. I gasped; the flock was being dragged away by at least a dozen erasers each. There was no way Fang and I could handle fifty newly equipped erasers who were carrying two machine guns each. I broke down on my knees, sobs wracking through my body. Fang stepped behind me rubbing my shoulders with his thumbs.

'We have to go after them,' I whispered, Fang squeezed my shoulders as if to say yes. Just then pain burst through my head, I fell to one side, knees squeezed to my chest, tears falling out the side of my tightly closed eyelids. Then through the pain a voice, I recognised as Jeb's, roared,

'Don't go after them, if you do, this pain will destroy your soul and rip your life in two!'

The pain took ages to subside, or so it seemed. I finally opened my eyes, and Fang's face filled my view. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, I could just see my flock struggling to get away from the erasers who were flying into the distance. Tears rolled freely down my face and for the first time I threw myself into a rage, I hit the ground with my fists and pummelled the wall, tears running rivers down my face. I felt helpless and I couldn't go after them. I'd kill myself which would kill Fang and Angel would probably feel it. I thumped the ground one last time, before Fang held me down, to stop me doing any more damage to myself.

'What the hell are you doing?' Fang practically shouted at me. My sobs and tears subsided and I turned to face him.

'If we go after them, it would be my death, literally, my soul destroyed, my life ripped into shreds,' I whispered. Fang looked shocked. 'I found out during the attack, oh, I can't help them now, you must go and save them on your own, I… I just can't do it.' Fang stood up and walked away to the mouth of the cave and looked out towards the sunset, he didn't say a word but from his silhouette he was tense, which clearly meant he wasn't going to leave me. He dropped his shoulders and turned back to me.

'Now that's something I can't do,' he replied, his eyes hypnotising me, I shook my head away from the thought.

'Why?'

'I'm not leaving you, Max, I'm sorry, if you can't save them, then…then,' he stopped, his voice clearly breaking; I swore I could see tears welling in his eyes. I stood up and lay a hand on his shoulder; I felt a jolt of electricity pass through my hand. I retracted it at once, holding it in my other hand. What was that? I asked myself.

You're attracted to him

The voice had to comment then! I squeezed my eyes shut and then anger just seemed to take over. Where are my flock? I demanded.

Safe.

Safe, where?

The school

I jumped up. Screaming no in my head. I paced up and down the cave, hands on my head. I punched the wall. I swore out loud. Fang placed a gentle hand on my shoulder, I felt all the rage soak up.

'They're… they're at the school!' I sobbed. Fang's eyes flared in recognition. Suddenly my vision became blurry and then just readjusted but in that split second I thought I saw the flock lying in a white room in steel cages, Angel had a large bruise covering the left side of her face, Nudge's breath came out in small sobs, Gazzy was tucked in a ball, teats streaming, Iggy was looking straight ahead sightlessly, tears marks streaking his dirty face. I was quickly brought back to the present. Fang jumped backwards.

'Your eyes…your eyes, they just shone…golden!' he whispered failing to keep the surprise out of his voice. I was taken aback. But more so, what the hell had just happened?

Part two of the flashback coming soon!!!!!!!

Reviews are necessary for happy and updating authors!!!

Lots more love,

Beth

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