Okay, so new story! I thought of this during my stump, but I thought it'd be unfair to release this before the next chapters so I just held it back. I got part of the idea from Charming Junkie which is a manga I remember reading before. And some scenes in this story might be from the manga.

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride or the idea-which came from Charming Junkie.

Note: Max's appearance has been slightly altered, and Iggy is not blind.

Iggy POV

"Iggy, sweetheart, have you heard the great news yet?" was the first thing I heard that woke me up from my nice, dreamless sleep. I opened my eyes slowly, becoming aware that my bedroom lights were on, and looked over at my mother in a daze.

"What news?" I asked groggily. I groaned slightly as I pulled myself up and into a sitting position. My mother's doting eyes lit up when she spoke.

"Well-"

"Iggy! Wake uh-up! Rise and shine sleepy head! I'm dying of starvation here!" Nudge's loud sing-songy voice broke through my mom's sentence. Chuckling to myself, I stood up out of bed and walked toward the bathroom to get ready.

"I'll just tell you later." I heard Mom's voice gradually get softer as she left the room.

"Kay then!" I yelled after her vanishing figure in the hall. Tiredly, I randomly grabbed for things in the bathroom, completely forgetting my purpose in coming there.

"Oh yeah," I mumbled to myself and brushed my fingers against my toothbrush. I spread some toothpaste on it and brushed my teeth, then washed my face; I took a quick shower and put a green tee shirt and black jeans on.

Descending down the stairs, I could hear voices floating my way from the kitchen. My mother, Valencia Martinez Ride, was talking to our neighbor and long-time family friend, Nudge Hunter. I stayed and sat at the top of the stairs, silently watching the daily routine.

Ding dong! Ding dong! Knock! Knock!

"I'll get it! Keep on makin' coffee, Ms. Ride," Nudge shouted and ran to the door. There was an exchange of greetings between her and the guests, their feet pattered on the floorboards. I recognized two other voices that weren't theirs. It was Zephyr and Angel Hale, the twins from across the street since a few years ago.

"Good morning, Ms. Ride. How is your day so far?" Angel politely asked as she went to the kitchen. Suddenly, she paused and glanced around, her azure eyes gleamed as she scanned the room. Finally, her orbs found my hiding spot, even though I was so quiet. I put a finger to my lips, soundlessly asking her not to tell the others I was there. She gave me a curt nod and swiftly turned away to face my mother.

Zephyr, or Gazzy, was a whole 'nother story. Apparently, he heard me give out a sigh of relief because his head jerked to my direction. He came closer to see me even clearer. Gazzy's eyes widened in surprise and then had a mischievous glint as he sported a lopsided grin. My ultramarine orbs expanded as I realized what he was going to do; I violently thrashed and shook my head, but he still had that teasing grin on his face.

"Hey, there's Iggy, Ms. Ride!" Gazzy called in the direction of the others. I got up to run back and hide somewhere, but ended up clumsily tripping over my own two feet and falling head first to the ground. In those split seconds, I waved my arms around frantically to rebalance myself. It didn't work so I fell down all those stairs and made a great big commotion. Next thing I knew, Angel, Nudge, Gazzy, and my mom were surrounding me while I tried to focus my eyes. I kept seeing three of each of them and it really gave me a migraine.

"Oh, sweetie, are you alright?"

"Oh my gosh, Ig, are you okay?"

"Did you bump your head?"

"Sorry, man, didn't mean for you to fall. Just wanted to play a li'l joke."

I blew my strawberry blond bangs out of my eyes and saw blonde and brown hair. Slowly, I apprehended that the blondes were the Hale twins, and the brunettes were Nudge and Mom.

"I'm fine, no I don't think I did, and you're so gonna get it later," I answered all the questions at once. My mom and Nudge lost the worried looks, Angel nodded- relieved, and Gazzy backed away from me slowly. He gave me the universal 'I-didn't-mean-to' hand signals, which was just raising your arms to be parallel to your face and showing your best innocent face. I narrowed my eyes and shook my head slowly, then turned my attention away.

"What'd I miss so far while I was hiding?" I asked Nudge, who was the motormouth of our little group.

"Oh, your mom told me-"

Ding dong!

"-And that must be Fang. Gazzy, you go get the door," Nudge said.

"Why I gotta do it?" Gaz complained.

Angel rolled her eyes. "Obviously, it's because you made Iggy fall." Grumbling, he reluctantly went to open the front door for Fang Hunter, Nudge's cousin and my best friend. He was leaning on the wall beside the door and ambled in with his hands in his black jeans, which matched his black shirt, black shoes, raven hair, and onyx eyes. Fang's not the most... colorful one, but he's a good bud.

Curiously, he quirked up one of his eyebrows. "Why's Iggy on the floor?" Angel went up to him and briefed what happened and dragged him closer to where I was.

"Anyways, as I was saying before I got interrupted," Nudge threw a pointed look at Fang, "Ms. Ride has some great news." Everyone's attention went from Nudge to Mom.

"It'll be a lot easier for me since everyone's already garnered around. Well, Iggy, you'll definitely be the even more delighted and happy than I am," Mom said. I swirled my hands as if to say, "Spit it out already." I didn't mean to look or sound rude, but I was just eager and impatient to hear what she has to say.

Mom took a deep breath and her face glimmered with glee, optimism, and everything else you can name that's similar to that category of feelings.

"Iggy, your sister's coming back home! Max is coming back!"

So, how was it? I know, I know, it's kinda boring right now. It'll be interesting soon, I promise.

Like it? Hate it? Love it? R&R! :)