This just popped into my mind, and I had to type it up and post it. I always imagined Angel having some awful nightmare leftover from the School and Max comforting her about it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or Angel, either. Or Jeb, Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy...I also don't own my computer-it's a family one...although I'm getting my own laptop sometime in the next year...

Angel, sweetie, what's wrong? She ran into my room, woken by my screams from my nightmare. Because she's her.

I…it…it's the…it's the nightmare! She instantly knows what I'm talking about and pulls me into a hug. I'm safe when she's hugging me. She smells like her smell, green tea and cinnamon, and I'd know it anywhere. Because she's her.

Shh, shh, sweetie, it's not going to come back… She lifts me into her lap and pulls me into her shoulder, where I let the tears fall. She strokes my hair, whispering that it's going to be okay. Because she's her.

Why…why won't it go away? I asked, my eyes wide. She lets go of me for a second and meets my eyes. Because she's her.

Because you won't let it go. Of course she says that. She says it every time I have that nightmare. Because she's her.

Then he comes in. Why aren't you in bed? He asks. It's late, you two should be in bed. He didn't even notice the screams. But she did. Because she's her.

She had a nightmare! I was comforting her! She defends me, and his look softens. Of course it softens. It softens-because she's her.

I guess its okay then. He's her dad, but she's like my mom. Because she's her.

Go to bed when she's okay, alright? He tells her. It's for your own good. She nods in agreement, but she won't. Because she's her.

It's alright, sweetie. I won't go. She tells me and lets me curl up in her arms. Still rocking me slightly, she sings a soft lullaby. It's a lullaby she made just for me. She did it for me and only me. Because she's her.

Hushaby, Angel dear, she sings, and I slowly drift to sleep, smelling her tea and cinnamon scent, listening to her special song, falling asleep. Because she's her.

She takes care of me-because she's her.

She smells like herself, green tea and cinnamon-because she's her.

She tells me that it'll be okay-because she's her.

She tells me the truth-because she's her.

She knows when I have to understand-because she's her.

She notices the small things-because she's her.

She knows that she's loved-because she's her.

She is my only parent-because she's her.

She knows when to give in and when to fight-because she's her.

She sings me to sleep-because she's her.

She knows when I need help to sleep-because she's her.

She loves me for me-because she's her.

Because she's her, she's strong.

Because she's strong, she's everything to me, and she loves me for me.

Because she's her, she thinks she has to do everything to keep us all safe and happy.

But she doesn't. All she has to do is hug us close and sing us a lullaby. But now, even when she's gone, I hug her pillow, smell her scent, and I let myself cry.

Shh, Angel, it's alright. I'm here, everything's going to be okay…She strokes my hair and hugs me close. Just like when I was four and needed help with nightmares. I forget that I'm nine and just hug her back.

Thank you, Max. I whisper, and I know she hears it. I whisper it…because I'm me, and I need to thank her for all she's done for me.

I always imagine Max that way, like a mom, but she doesn't realize her family doesn't need her to do anything. What do you think? Review...and I might extend it...maybe...to like, Gazzy, or Nudge, or something...