AN: Okay. Let's do this thing.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN MAXIMUM RIDE, NOR ANY OF HER BUDDIES. I only own this alternate ending. (Which I think will be pretty cool, if you know what I mean.)

SO. I'm gonna start off on chapter 87, just so you guys can catch up. I think you'll be able to tell when I start…. writing my OWN way.

Oh, and by the way, you need to remember that Iggy's not with them right now. He's with his newly found parents, 'member?

…… No? You don't? …. Maybe you should reread the second book…. (Pssh, loser.)

………………………………………..Chapter 87…………………………………………

I ran as fast as I could down both classroom halls, yelling, and saw Nudge and then Fang burst out of their rooms. I felt both frantic and incredibly pissed: Here was the proof I'd needed all along to convince the others to leave before now.

Other kids were streaming into the hallway, wondering what all the commotion was. Angel! Thank God, there she was, racing out of her classroom in front of me. She looked back, nodded, and poured on the speed toward the exit.

"Max! In here!" I saw Sam twenty feet ahead, standing in the doorway of an empty classroom. He motioned urgently with his hand. "Come on! Through here!"

But he was starting to look kind of Erasery around the edges—teeth a tiny bit too long, hair a shade thicker? I couldn't tell and couldn't take a chance.

"You can trust me!" he said, as I saw the Gasman rush out of his room, almost running into Nudge.

…………………..……… This is where my writing comes in ………………………….

Did he just say that I could trust him? Did he really just say that?

I knew that I couldn't trust anyone. Ever.

So why did those few words make me stop in my tracks?

Maybe it's not what he's saying, it's who's saying it, the Voice chimed in helpfully, as usual.

But could I trust him?

"Max!" Fang yelled at me. "We gotta go! Now!"

I looked past him, at the parking lot filled with students, teachers, and possibly Erasers. Maybe that wasn't the safest way to escape…

I glanced back at Sam. He seemed like a nice guy. I really liked him. He seemed really down to Earth, not like he wanted to rip my guts out.

My instincts were telling me that we shouldn't go through the parking lot, but what other way was there?

Apparently, Sam's way.

So I made one of my snap decisions.

"Abdrehen!" I screeched. "Abdrehen!"

The flock turned around, wide eyed.

"What?" Fang said incredibly. The other members of the flock were fighting against the current of kids who were racing to the parking lot.

Fang paused, glaring at me with a fierce look that would've frightened me if I'd had any less adrenaline pumping through my veins. But when he saw Ari's van pull up to the school, he followed suit right behind Gazzy.

I nodded tightly at Sam, and then slipped into the empty classroom.

The rest of the flock came in, Sam closing the door behind him. Angel slipped her hand through mine.

"So… What now?" Gazzy asked. "How are we gonna get out of here?"

"I say you wait it out," Sam suggested, still keeping an eye on the busy hallway. I noticed how his eyes were brightly shining out from under his shaggy hair.

I blushed furiously, realizing that what I just thought was completely irrelevant to the situation we were in right now.

Fang saw, and he was glaring at me, then turning to glare at Sam, who was completely oblivious to the harsh gaze.

"We can't wait it out," Angel said. "They'll find us."

"There's got to be another way," I mumbled.

Sam brought his gaze to mine. "There is," he blurted.

"Really? Where?" Nudge asked excitedly.

Sam hesitated, his hazel eyes sparking with doubt. "There's… There's a roof access, but I don't see how you could possibly get down safely…"

A smile spread across my face, and I beamed it at Sam. "Brilliant!" I gasped. "Where? Where is it?"

He looked taken aback, but he pointed to a door across the room. "Max, there's no way…"

But I was past listening.

"C'mon guys! Let's go! Quick! Quick!" I motioned the flock to the door and they obediently filed up the narrow stairs.

When we reached the roof, we all knew what to do.

But the flock hesitated when they saw Sam coming up onto the roof top. Of course, they weren't sure if they should expose their wings yet.

I held up my hand, telling them to wait.

Sam walked up to me.

"Thanks, Sam. Thank you so much for helping us. I'm glad I can trust you," I whispered once I'd embraced him in a hug.

"Max, what's going on?" he whispered back, completely bewildered.

I pulled back and smiled sadly at him, wishing I could explain. But I knew that as soon as I did, he would run away. He would run away kicking and screaming.

He sighed. "I can see that you don't completely trust me yet. But that's okay. I can wait."

A shadow passed over my face. How could I lead him on so cruelly? He probably thought that we'd see each other again. He probably thought that I'd be coming back.

I had to make him run away from me. Then he would never have to think about me again. He could live his life in peace.

"Sam…" I started. "Sam there's something you should know."

Fang stepped forward, not liking where this was going. "Max, don't--"

"No, he deserves to know the truth," I cut Fang off.

Slowly, gently, without taking my eyes off of Sam's expression, I let my wings shake out behind me.

I watched as Sam's face become confused, and then watched as his eyes expanded to the size of dinner plates.

Would he run?

He should.

But did I want him to?

I desperately looked into his wide eyes, trying to read signs of fear, disgust, or complete hatred. But I wasn't seeing any.

"Whoa," he breathed.

I didn't dare breathe.

Was this a mistake?

Should I have just run him over in the hallway and continued with our original plan?

Seconds seemed like decades as I watched different emotions dancing across his face.

"That's amazing!" he exclaimed, completely and utterly shocking me.

I could feel the tension around me rolling off in waves.

"Really?" I asked him, not really believing it myself.

"Yeah," he said, flashing me his cute smile. "Really."

We smiled at each other, but then I was pulled back into reality when Fang cleared his throat with an annoying, "Ahem."

I jumped back, and tried to look in control. "Alright… Well… Uhh… Let's go?" I stuttered, sounding real leader-like. Way to go, Max.

One by one, the flock took off, staying low in the sky to avoid being seen by the mass of a crowd gathered in front of the school.

Just as I was about to leap, Sam grabbed my wrist.

"Wait, Max," he said, reaching into his pocket.

I tensed, ready to twist his arm behind his back if he pulled out a needle.

I let out my breath slowly. Good. Not a needle; just a sharpie.

"Call me when you can," he muttered, leaning over my arm and scribbling a number down. "I want to know that you're okay."

He released my wrist and I smiled at him.

Feeling awkward, and completely aware of the four hovering figures watching me, I turned to take off again.

But Sam grabbed my wrist and turned me around again.

Before I could react, his lips were on mine in a gentle good-bye kiss. I closed my eyes and kissed back, truly meaning it. I didn't know when I was going to see him again. If I was going to see him again.

I broke the kiss and took a deep breath.

"Bye, Sam," I said, my voice barely coming out in a whisper.

"See ya, Max," he breathed back.

And then I took off.

I felt his eyes on my back as I rejoined the flock.

"Well," Fang mumbled. "Glad we all said our farewells, but I'm ready to get outta here." There was something in his voice… Something I couldn't put my finger on.

"I agree," Gazzy admitted. "It was nice for a while, but school-schmuck just isn't my thing."

Everyone muttered an agreement, but for the first time ever, I wasn't exactly eager to leave.

For the first time ever, I looked back as we were flying away.

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SO??? How was the first chapter? I think I like it… Hehe. Oh! And you know how the flock makes up weird words as signals when they don't want other people to understand what they're saying? Well, "abdrehen" means "changing course" in German! Isn't that COOLIO? I'm sneaky. So would you like, review and give me some feedback? It motivates me to write quicker! :D