Well, here it is. The final chapter. I just wanted to say I loved writing this and thank you to everyone who faved and reviewed it. That meant so much to me. Anyway, enjoy.

Chuck shook his head and dove. Landing neatly on the roof, he instantly hid his wings before walking to the edge. He hopped down and landed lightly on the walkway. He stared at his door for a second, sent up a prayer that she would be there, and knocked.

It was Awesome who answered the door. He stared at Chuck for seconds, mouth open, before jolting into motion and pulling Chuck through the door. Startled by his sudden moves, Chuck landed in a heap on the couch. There was a gasp from the kitchen and he angled his head to see Ellie gaping at him with a very broken looking Sarah at her side. He felt a pang of guilt, knowing he had been the one who had caused her pain.

"Uh, hi." He said, trying to regain some composure as he scrambled off the couch. Morgan suddenly appeared from down the hall, dropping his comic book as soon as he caught sight of Chuck. Chuck smiled weakly at everyone. He knew why he was here and what to do, but he couldn't bring himself to do it; not yet. Not after seeing the fragile look on Sarah's face and the stunned anger on Ellie. They were the two women he cared about most in the world and Morgan was his buddy and Awesome was just… Awesome. He didn't want to cause any more pain then he already had.

Ellie was the first to break. She rushed out from behind the counter and nearly tackled him with a hug. He felt hot tears on his shoulder as he pulled her close and felt some of his own surface in response. "Where were you?" Ellie asked, her voice trembling as she looked up at his face with red eyes.

"Thinking." Was all he could reply. It was clearly not the best response.

Max and Fang crouched on the roof opposite of Chuck's house. They watched the scene in front of them sadly. Their friend was slowly destroying the family he had built after they had escaped. And the pain that they could virtually feel pulsing from their old flock mate was terrifying.

All this was because of the goddamn school. After getting out of the school, the flock had worried for Stone, but had been placed in the back of their minds. They had always assumed he had gotten free and was living on his own somewhere. They hadn't known he had actually found a family. And to learn years later that he was working with the CIA and NSA had been an even bigger shock. Fang had found documentation a few years back that both agencies had approved of their experimentation had ruined any trust the flock had had with the government. They hadn't hated Stone because they thought he knew and was just trying to do what he could with his life and the Intersect that had been forced into his head.

Then they had found out that he hadn't known and the school had recaptured. Max had tried to learn just what had happened there, but Stone had shot her down. All they knew was that his faith in his friends had been shattered; due to the torture or what he had learned from the flashes, they couldn't tell.

Eventually, Stone began to speak with Sarah. When the flock had rescued Stone, Max had seen just how much the blond agent had hurt for their flock mate. She could almost call it love. But the flock knew that he had lost all feeling and ties to his old life during the torture. Currently, Sarah had tears flowing freely down her face and looked like she was going to faint. She took a shaking step toward Stone when he said something else, but he turned and walked away. No one stopped him as he got to the door and left. With their enhanced hearing, Max and Fang couldn't hear any sound emerging from the apartment.

Stone shut the door quietly behind him and leaned heavily against it, eyes closed. He stayed there for a few moments, but Fang and Max made no move toward him. They could sense that he needed some time. He sighed and looked up at them. A faint smile played around the edges of his lips, but it faded quickly as he leapt up to them.

Landing neatly, he said, "Can we go?" His voice was strangely vulnerable and Max simply nodded, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Fang took off and circled, letting his mate help heal the hole in his friend.

They stood tall in synchronization and threw themselves off the roof. Stone easily caught the air in his wings and surged upward, Max holding back to give him space. They fell into a rough formation, flying away from the city. Flying away from Stone's old family to meet his true one.

The end. Hope you enjoyed.