Authors Note: I love starting new stories almost as much as I love finishing them. So here it is! I'm not sure there's anything I have to tell you . . . so I guess you can read on, and I hope you enjoy! If you have any questions afterwards feel free to PM or leave them in a review. Whatever you'd like.

And I shouldn't really have to leave a disclaimer, considering it's pretty obvious I DON'T own Maximum Ride, no matter how much I wish I did.

Love and War

Chapter One

Twilight was long past, and with it the twinkling stars seemed to diminish into the fading blue. The moon filtered out next to no light, the swollen clouds covering most of its shine. The air was thick with charged electricity, standing on end to strike the unsuspecting. Deep rumbles stirred from the depths of the sky, growling from their hidden chambers in the maw of night. The scent of rain was heavy, swirling in the inky blackness; a tangible, tantalizing sensation of foreboding right before the storm.

Thunder clashed in the distance, a jagged spiral of lightning piercing the atmosphere in retaliation, opening a thin crevice in the universe. They were at war with each other, battling for dominance of both their terrain. Soon their pace quickened, as they traveled across the vast sea of midnight. The clouds ripped open, unable to bear their weight any longer. The heavens wept their tears of sorrow, raindrops falling towards the earth.

The droplets caressed all that they touched, bringing promise of peace. Even so, they ravaged all where they landed, just as easily as they soothed. They fell in sheets of such enormous force they blocked all vision, creating a wall of silver-gray, in their haste to avoid the war above them.

Time passes. Slowly but surely the rain lets up, trickling downwards as each and every drop is squeezed from its womb. The battle that seemed so terrifying and never-ending before has moved on, leaving an aching silence in its wake.

It is then that we have time to recollect ourselves and move on with life, our memories already fading of what had transpired. The wind kicks up a soft breeze, blowing across the destruction; a gentle prodding that stirs us into action.

What we don't know is that we are, in fact, tiny in comparison to all around us. Nature has a way of bringing as much relief as it does death. Before the storm, though . . . Before the storm is my favorite time.

It arouses an adrenaline rush within me that is usually dormant now that my life isn't consumed with running for my survival on a daily basis. It no longer includes kicking Eraser butt, or defying power-hungry, crazed, psycho scientist's with the ability to massacre and end the world as we know it with my snarky comebacks and sarcastic wit.

Sometimes I miss those days to the point where the longing is unbearable. Maximum Ride wasn't made for the cushy life. I was too paranoid from years of traitors and killers on my tail, intent on the demise of mine and my family's. I had trust issues, and a serious problem with proper hygienic practices.

But you can't run from something that's not chasing you.

I won't deny that I'm happy. I am. There's something about having access to a shower, a bed and a warm breakfast in the morning that wasn't roasted on a stick that truly enlightens ones soul. Most of my days are filled with thoughts that I wouldn't trade the life I'm living now for anything.

Maybe I'm just conflicted. I should stop. It just leads to arguments in your own mind, your opposition being yourself. Somehow, I don't think that's very healthy, especially when you lose.

"I found her!" an exasperated voice called. I glanced down from my perch on the roof, smiling at the figure standing in the grass, their hands cupped around their eyes to see better.

"I didn't realize I was missing," I responded loftily, pushing myself to my feet. I shook my wings out, tiny droplets of water sliding off of them.

"What the heck are you doing up there?" they screeched. "Do you have an insane wish to be struck by lightening?"

I laughed, tossing my head back. Without answering I jumped into the cool night air, flapping lazily until I touched down on the slick grass. I was soaked to the bone, every inch of me moist from the rain. For the most part I didn't notice, until an icy wind slithered towards me, sending my teeth chattering. I hugged my arms to my chest, fighting off the cold as I faced the glowering Nudge.

"Or maybe it was dying of hypothermia you had in mind."

Even at fifteen Nudge hadn't changed much. Her hair was still unruly, a mass of curls impossible to tame. She still blabbed like air was unnecessary to her survival. Only now she was ten times more interested in boys and fashion, which was only a bigger headache for me.

"You'd be the first to know," I said sarcastically, patting her head. She shook off my hand, though I could see the small grin light up her face. It was then that I knew she had been genuinely worried. For what reasons, however, I didn't know.

"Just go inside before you start to turn blue. I don't feel quite up to playing nurse for you. You're not the best patient. You complain a heck of a lot, and you get really mean and cranky. Remember when you got food poisoning that time Gazzy tried to play a prank on Fang and you accidentally picked his bowl? Yeah, that sucked. You screamed at him for days, and glared at anyone who tried to help you."

I suppressed a groan, simply turning away as she jabbered on behind me, not yet noticing I had left. Sometimes too much Nudge-talk was too much.

I pushed the back door open, kicking my sodden shoes to the side. My worn sneakers looked pitiful amongst the mountain of other shoes the flock left lying in a heap, the laces limp and frayed and the edges scuffed. I really needed a new pair.

I passed the living room as I trudged towards the stairs, my bare feet chilled to blocks of ice against the cold hardwood. My pants dripped, making my feet squelch as I walked. I peeked in briefly, seeing Angel and Gazzy seated on the couch, their blond curls shining in the soft, muted glow of the television. They both looked over, giving me smiles. I returned the gesture before moving on.

I had just placed my hand on the banister when there was a thump, followed by Iggy thundering down the stairs in that annoying way of his. He did it on purpose, because he knew it got on my nerves.

"Iggy," I said in a warning tone, letting him know I wasn't up for his nonsense.

"And the lady of the house returns," he said mockingly, stopping at my side. He turned his eerie, cloudy blue eyes on me with a scary precision. It just wasn't something you could get completely used to.

"I never left. I was on the roof."

"This whole time? You did realize it started raining, didn't you?" he demanded, gazing at me like I was stupid or something.

"No Iggy, I didn't. I suddenly came to notice that I was immune to any feeling what so ever," I replied, rolling my eyes even though he couldn't see the action.

"That sucks," he said so seriously I paused, almost thinking he had believed me. Then he cracked an impish smile that set the record straight crystal clear. I punched his shoulder, making him stumble back.

"Go make some hot chocolate. I'm going to need it," I ordered. "Do something useful for once."

"Ouch, that stung," he said, mock wincing. "I thought my culinary skills had melted that stone-cold heart of yours, but I guess I was wrong. Nothing could fix that black vortex."

He jumped the few remaining steps, fleeing down the hall before I could hit him again. I ground my teeth together, picking up the familiar mantra in my head. You will not kill Iggy, you will not kill Iggy, you will not kill Iggy, and so on. I had a similar one for the Gasman, as you can imagine. You'd think Iggy being eighteen would have matured him some, but apparently that was too much to ask.

I shook my head, pushing the incident to the back of my mind. At the end of the day, Iggy would be Iggy, and there was nothing I could do about that. I ascended the stairs at a sluggish pace, my body temperature still low. It felt like my muscles had locked into place, making it hard to move. Eventually I reached the top, though, turning right to access my bedroom.

I meandered through the disarray. Clothes were tossed in growing piles around the perimeter, and barren dishes took refuge on any available surface. The blinds were drawn tight, allowing no illmuination through, leaving the room dim. I flicked the light switch, watching as the shadows slunk back to their hiding places.

I kicked a passage through the wild tundra of my bedroom floor, twisting the knob of the bathroom door. The relief that came with the soft carpet was soon replaced with the pricking of cold tile. I found it gave me cause to move quickly, closing the distance between me and my refuge.

The cool marble of the clawfoot bathtub was barely noticeable under my numb fingers. I fumbled with the tap, breathing a sigh of relief as the water rushed forth, the sound of its approach deafening in the silence.

I rid myself of my sodden bearings, stripping down as the layers of rain-soaked clothing dropped away from me. The pressure encompassing me disappeared, leaving me feeling weightless and airy. I pushed them into a limp pile in the corner, rivulets of water already beginning to cascade from their pores. Then slowly, and with great care not to slip, I lowered my body into the steaming pool beside me.

There was no immediate relief. All the other parts of my body began to tingle though, after some time passed. Feeling returned to the water-logged, frozen limbs. A sigh of relief escaped between my chilled lips, still slightly tinged blue. Taking a big breath I submerged myself fully, letting the warmth rush all around me.

When I came up spluttering I was like an entirely new person.

I stomped my foot around until I felt the pressure of the drain give way, the water being sucked back to wherever it had come from. I stood, dripping, and stepped onto the thin cloth rug. Without looking I groped around until my fingers came in contact with the light, fluffy towel I knew was hanging on the rack. I wrapped myself in it, letting my tangled hair fall down my back.

Once I had dried myself off I dressed quickly, feeling the chill returning at my nakedness. I pulled a comb through my unwilling hair painstakingly, reminding myself that at least I didn't have Nudge's head. When I was finished I lifted the blinds, letting light filter in from the now starry sky outside. I stood, just staring out into the night, letting my mind wander for a few minutes.

Maybe the flock and I would go and see Mom and Ella tomorrow. They would like that. Plus, I could really go for some of Mom's chocolate chip cookies right about now, though Iggy's had become a close second.

Inevitably this turned my mind to the one thing it never strayed from for long . . . Fang. I wonder where he had gone off to. He disappeared as often as I did, but nobody really noticed when he was gone. Not that I was more important, or that they cared more or less about him. His presence, or loss there of, just wasn't as commanding as mine. He slipped so silently to and from places, it was hard to keep track of him.

It seemed to be just as I was thinking this that my bedroom door creaked open slowly. I didn't turn my head, knowing who it was. Everybody else had learned to knock by then, but he never did.

A few moments later strong arms wrapped around my waist, hugging me to a hard torso. I suppressed a smile, leaning into him. He laid a kiss on my damp hair, his smell washing all over me. He had such a distinctive scent, like the air after it rains. Before and after the storm.

"Where have you been?" I asked, tilting my head so I could see a flash of his black hair.

"I could ask you the same thing," Fang replied, his voice resounding deeply within him.

"Fair enough," I conceded, turning in his arms. I propped my hands on his shoulders, twirling a lock of his dark hair in my fingers. His obsidian eyes glowed in the stark lighting, giving them a new luster. I smiled up at him, and he smirked in return.

Some things never change.

Authors Note: So obviously not a lot happens in this chapter. You're just given some insight on the flock's new life. Is it any good? Should I continue? Tell me in a REVIEW, please! (: