So, we're having Thunderstorms by the dozen where I am, and it's been driving me nuts. Heck, we're having one right now.

Fang: So, Saint's pulling a genius move by using electronics during a thunderstorm!

Me: I'm sorry, but the storm partially inspired this oneshot, and I had to type it up!

Fang: Partially inspired? What else inspired-

-thunder rumbles loudly-

Fang: -jumps-

Me: Your reaction to the storms...

Disclaimer....BOOM!: My man, Jimmy P wrote Maximum Ride, not yours truly. I wish I had. I'd be richer...Don't own Clue, Twister, CandyLand or Monopoly, either.

Notessss!!!: Takes place before The Angel Experiment. I'd say it takes place pretty soon after Jeb left. Max, Fang, and Iggy would be about 11 or 12, I think, Nudge would be 8 or 9, Gazzy 5 or 6, and Angel 3 or 4.

Also, for those used to my usual humor, this will be different. Very different.

Max's POV

Stating at the sky from the living room window, I was glad I'd made everyone come in. It was absolutely pouring outside. I'd gone out to check on Nudge and Angel where they were playing outside and had seen how dark the sky had gotten. Not to mention how the wind had picked up. The girls had grumbled about it, but I dragged them in anyway. In minutes, the sky had opened up and began pouring cold rain down on us.

Angel crawled into my lap as I sat on the windowsill. "Max? What makes it rain?"

I shrugged, stroking her blonde curls back. "I don't know, Angel."

She looked up at me. "Jeb would know."

I just nodded. I wasn't ready to talk about Jeb right now. It was hard enough just accepting that he wasn't coming back. Sometimes, I still hoped he'd come through the door, carrying some grocery bags and asking us what we looked so worried about. But I had to be a realist. Optimism tended to just break my heart.

Suddenly, a low rumble sounded outside, jogging me out of my thought. Angel clung to my arm. "Max? What's that?"

"It's just thunder." I told her, giving her a small, comforting hug. "It just means we're going to have a thunderstorm."

"What's a thunderstorm?"

"Well, it's just a really bad rainstorm. But don't worry, we'll be safe inside."

Another rumble of thunder sounded. Angel buried her head in my chest. "It sounds mean."

"I think it's bark is worse than it's bite, sweetie." I told her. "Why don't you go play with Nudge. I bet, if you get into a game with her, before you know it, this storm'll be all over."

"Ok..." She said, sounding a bit unsure. I brought her over to where Nudge had pulled out a couple board games.

"Ok, I've got Monopoly, Twister, and CandyLand." Nudge said. "I wanted to find Clue, but I couldn't, which is really weird 'cause I remember putting it right on the second shelf, right there! Or, maybe it was the third shelf...No, it was the second! Maybe it was the one in the other room, though, 'cause I played it there with Gazzy once. I remember because Gazzy was winning, but then I found out he was cheating, so I got ready to yell at him, but then he let out one of his-"

I put up my hand, stopping the endless flow of words from Nudge's mouth. "Just pick one of the ones you have, Nudge. We'll find Clue later."

"Hey! Max!" Gazzy yelled from the window. "There's a bright light flashing out there!"

"That's just lightening, Gaz." I said.

"You know, Max." Iggy said, coming up behind me. "I bet, if we set a lightening rod on the roof, and pointed it away from the house-"

I put up my hand, then, remembered he couldn't see it. "Iggy, this wouldn't have anything to do with explosives or destruction, would it?"

He gave me a sheepish grin. "Possibly..."

"Then I don't want to know."

Iggy shrugged. "Fine. You know, one of these days, my evil genius may come in handy."

I rolled my eyes. "Sure, you let me know when." I spun around quickly, counting heads. "Hey, where's Fang?"

Iggy shrugged again, heading back toward the kitchen. "I don't know. My guess would be that his royal highness of darkness crawled back into his cave."

"Iggy, lay off of him."

Iggy just ignored me, digging through the fridge for whatever he'd thought up for dinner.

I shook my head and headed for Fang's room. I had to admit, Fang's had become a bit annoying lately. He'd turned almost completely anti-social and quiet, his longest sentences containing no more than 5 words, and those were rare. He spent a lot of time in his room, and when he was with the group, he hung on the outside, being more of a spectator than a participant. It was frustrating, but I also understood. It had all started when Jeb disappeared. Each of us had had a different way of dealing with Jeb's disappearance, and this was Fang's. I just hoped he'd snap out of it eventually.

I got to Fang's door and knocked. "Fang? You in there?"

He might have answered, but there was a loud rumble of thunder. I saw lightening flash outside a window. This storm was getting bad.

I knocked again. "Fang? Hey, let out a yell or something?"

"...I'm in here."

"Well, are you going to come out?" I asked. "Iggy's working on dinner."

"I....will."

I sighed. These short, useless answers were beginning to get annoying. "Are you ok in there?"

"Fine."

"Then come out! I need help getting the kids ready for dinner!"

"I will."

"Yeah, you will..." I muttered. I grabbed the doorknob and was pleasantly surprised to find that Fang had, for once, forgotten to lock his door. I slipped into his room.

Well, Fang sure had earned his 'Prince of Darkness' title. His room was, well, dark. Everything was either black or in the darkest shade possible. I could barely see. Finally, there was another flash of lightening and I was able to see Fang's bed.

And the big lump under the blanket in the middle of it.

I walked over. "Fang? You in there?"

For a moment, I thought he was going to try not to answer me. He did something worse. "No."

I rolled my eyes. "You're a bad liar, Fang." I lifted up the blanket and crawled under myself. I found myself face-to-face with Fang. "What are you doing under here? Meditating?"

He glared at me. "No."

"Then come on out." I held out my hand.

He pushed it away. "I will."

I was about to say something else, when there was another loud rumble of thunder. I noticed Fang's wings bristle.

"Fang, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Leave me alone." He tried to turn his back on me, but that wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do under a blanket. There was another flash of lightening and I noticed Fang grimace slightly.

Then, it hit me. "Fang, is this storm....scareing you?"

He gave me an 'are you crazy?' look. "Max, it's just a storm. I-" The thunder rumbled again, closer this time. Fang's wings wrapped around him and he shut his eyes tight.

Feeling that I needed to do something, I put a hand on his shoulder awkwardly. "Fang, it's ok to be afraid of something."

Fang was silent. Lightening flashed again and I felt Fang shiver. Normally, this would be something for Jeb to handle. I could picture it all in my head. I would go get Jeb, he'd come in and talk Fang through the storm, then he'd make up some hot chocolate for everyone and just, somehow, make everything better.

But Jeb wasn't here. I was. And I needed to step up to the plate and do something.

I scooted over closer to Fang, putting my arm around his shoulders. I felt him start to pull away, but the thunder crashed again. Fang shivered. I heard a small whimper-like sound escape from his mouth, but he cut it off.

I just figured 'To Hell with it' and wrapped him in a hug. "Fang, it'll be alright."

I felt him stiffen the moment my arms went around him, but lightening flashed outside, and I felt him scoot about a centimeter closer to me.

"Is there anything I can do, Fang?" I asked, wanting to help him somehow.

He was silent for awhile. I didn't even really expect him to answer me, so I was surprised when he started to speak. "Well, Jeb would've-" He cut himself off.

Jeb. I felt a small lump in my throat. I wanted him here to help. I pulled Fang closer and rested my chin on his shoulder. "I miss him, too, Fang."

I could hear Fang's soft breathing. "Yeah." I felt him relax the tiniest bit.

Then, the big one hit. A crash of thunder sounded right over the house. In that instant, Fang's arms tightened around me and he buried his head in my neck. I could hear his already fast heartbeat quicken.

I forced myself to get over my shock and stroked his wings as comfortingly as I could. "Hey, it'll be alright. These storms don't usually last too long, anyway."

I felt him nod. "Yeah..."

I smiled. Maybe I could deal with this. "We could just stay here 'till it's over."

"Won't the others wonder-" Fang started, but lightening flashed again and he stiffened, a small whine escaped him before he could stop himself.

"Let 'em wonder."

He relaxed in my arms again. We stayed that way for a couple hours, ignoring Iggy when he knocked on the door. It was kind of awkward, sitting under a blanket and hugging each other all night.

But, it felt kind of right, too.

"Max?" Fang asked, after a while.

"Yeah?"

"This never...Well...Don't tell the Flock I-"

I hugged him tighter. "Consider it our secret."

Where his face was buried in my neck, I thought I felt him smile. "Thanks."

You know, Fang may be a guy of few words, but sometimes, a few words was all you needed.

Me: Romanticish.....

Fang: Patheticish....

-thunder rumbles-

Fang: -gulps-

Me: You need a hug?

Fang: No.

-lightening flashes-

Fang: Uhhh....

Me: Come on, I'll make you hot chocolate....

Fang: With the microwave?!

Me: I don't fear electronics as much as you do. Foolish of me, I know, but hell.

Fang: ....Ok.

Me: -huggles-

Fang: -sigh-

R&R??? -thunder booms-

P.S. Did anyone catch my foreshadowyness? Lightening rod? Iggy? Book 5?