Word Count:932

Time Started: 1:14 PM 1June.07

Time Finished: 12:17 AM 2June07

Rating: PG

I can't remember what book this takes place during, I know some of you guys could probably answer that for me. Obviously, by looking at the times I put at the top of this I wrote this a while ago. I just reread it and thought it was good enough to put up here. Enjoy my random outburst from Max, and forgive me if Fang sounds too out of character. :)

EDIT – I haven't posted on here in so long I forgot to post the usual DISCLAIMER – I DO NOT OWN MAXIMUM RIDE. JAMES PATTERSON DOES. kthxbai

--Enjoy

Even in the pale moonlight, he could see her face; shiny tears rolling down her quivering cheeks as she sobbed quietly. The salty tears trailed at a steady pace either down off her chin or into the far corners of her mouth. Her lips quivered, she was trying her hardest not to let anyone hear her. Using the back of her sleeve of her overlarge windbreaker, she wiped her eyes and nose of her tears. The wind blew around them, causing her blonde hair to flow into her eyes, and for his scent to encase around them. He took a quiet step forward into the clearing, the moonlight hitting him so that he looked like the angel of darkness, his wings folded behind him. She stiffened at the faint sounds of him coming closer and she sniffed, her nose stuffy.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked in a quaky voice, her back to him.

"A while," he answered back, knowing it was no use to lie to her, she'd just get mad. Though, he thought, she was pretty when she was mad.

"I'm fine," she lied, her voice harsh. "So you can leave me alone."

"Are you sure?" he asked, arching an eyebrow. She turned and glared at him.

"When I say I'm fine I usually mean it, don't I?" she spat. He knew her well enough to know that something was wrong. His eyes studied hers as she spun around, trying to appear fine, then he nodded, knowing what was bothering her and why she was crying.

"Your arm again?" he asked, coming closer to her. She nodded, glaring down at it, trying to move it. It didn't budge. "I told you not to do it. Even Dr. Martinez said…"

"Fang, I had to…I had to do it. What if it was a tracker?" she asked.

"Then we should stay tracked! You've lost usage of your left arm and hand. Max, did you think this through at all?! You were being impulsive and—" he stopped, her tears filling her eyes and falling down her cheeks again.

"Why do you care? It's none of your goddamn business! Just leave me the hell alone!"

"What and have you saw at your arm with a seashell again? My god, Max, you're a freaking time bomb!" he quieted, realizing he wasn't helping. "I understand you want what's best for the flock, but—"

"You don't understand!" she spat, "Why me? Why us? What right did they have, Fang? Because of them we're claustrophobic, scared of needles, modern science and the smell of bleach and antiseptic! What right did they have to do this," she fluttered her folded wings at him, "to us? Who told them that it was humane?"

"I can't answer that, Max," he said. She didn't like that answer.

"I—I mean…those kids well never be the same…we're stealing cars and eating out of dumpsters…no baths…who let them do this? If there's a God, why did he let this happen?" Fang remained silent. "And—and…right now…we're flying across the country trying to elude Erasers and to find Itex…we need a permanent home…you're right. But how can we settle down and watch all this happen?" she clutched at her useless arm, a grimace on her face. "I hate this…"

"I'm not too keen on it either," Fang grumbled. She looked at him confused.

"I was saying 'I hate this' about you seeing me like this…" she said, eyebrows raised. He nodded in understanding. Emotions were never his strong suit, especially ones of distress. "Are we ever going to see them again?"

"Of course," Fang said, astonished that she had given up on the Flock. "They're fine."

"Little Angel…Gazzy and Nudge…and Iggy…we shouldn't have left them!"

"What happened to them was fate," Fang said. "Look at it this way, if we were there with them, we'd be captured with them back at the school. This way we can go and save them."

"And you're fine with just sitting back and relaxing while they might be dying?" she looked shocked.

"They're fine. It's not like you to underestimate them," he said, "Are you done crying?"

"Huh?" she wiped at her eyes again in habit.

"Unless you like looking vulnerable," he went on. She shook her head.

"I…wasn't…crying!" she said through gritted teeth. He walked over to her and brushed a thumb over her cheek.

"Then what's that?" he asked, looking down at his wet thumb.

"It…it…it rained," She lied.

"Mmm—hmm…"he rolled his eyes.

"Thinking you could've been the macho hero or something?" she tried to laugh it off.

"But you wanted me to find you," he said, an amused look on his face.

"What are you trying to say?" she asked. He smiled a rare smile, noticing the blush flow into her cheeks.

"Do you want something?" he asked quietly. She shook her head.

"Not from you…" she said rolling her eyes.

"But…you loooove me…"

"Assface…" she brushed past him, purposely hitting his shoulder with hers. "And all assfaces around here get the first watch." She ran from him and took off, leaving him alone in the clearing.

He sighed, looking up at the sky, studying the moon. He had been prepared to do anything to make her stop crying…and in the process of making her spill her soul he lost his chance to hold her and tell her it was alright like he partly wanted to. 'Well…' he thought, before taking off after her, 'there's always the next catastrophe for that…'

And oddly enough, he was looking forward to it.