The Life of M.R.

Alright people, here it is. You know the drill!

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Maximum Ride or any of its characters.

CLAIMER: I do own the fanfiction plot line and any self made characters.

Stefan has left the library again and the funeral is tomorrow. I hope to finish the last bit of the journal before it though.

...

Dawn's birthday party got crashed by the same group of people that destroyed the apartment. I had been in shock and seemed rooted to the ground, though could hear the screaming, the chaos. After a few moments of the numb shock, I snapped out of it and frantically searched for Dawn. I found Dylan, scratched up and covered from head to toe in paintball splatters. Yes, these arrogant people didn't have the balls to attack us with actual guns, and for that I was grateful. After seeing Dylan, he motioned towards the roof of the house. I nodded and took off, heading towards my baby girl. I find her cowering in a corner, absolutely scared witless and surely scarred for life. I bundle her up in my arms and head into the house, getting the emergency bags I had prepared in my paranoia. There are only two bags. As I leave the house with everyone fighting the baddies off, I don't look back and only hope they understand why I'm doing this. I think Fang calls after me, so does Dylan. But I keep flying, bags and daughter in either arm. I fly until the third town over and by now Dawn has fallen into a restless sleep. I check into a motel under an alias and start planning out my new life.

...

So that's how it went down, Mom was scared for me, and it's my fault that she got separated from everyone she loves...I skip a few days ahead to the infamous hawk cave meeting.

...

Today is the day that I go to meet Fang at the hawk cave, it's really been 20 years since that sad, sad day. Dawn is still considerably shaken up, though it's already been almost a week. I decide to leave her at the motel when I go to meet up with Fang. I get to the old cave and land at the entrance, Fang steps out of the shadows, as usual.

"Where have you been?" He asks stoically, though I can see the anger and worry in his eyes.

"Hiding." I answer simply.

"You can't just run off like that, Max."

"Says the man that left me with only a letter. At least I had a better reason." Fang sighs at this and pinches the bridge of his nose. Then he takes a deep breath.

"Max, why don't we finally do what we always planned. Find an island somewhere, live there with the flock, the original flock?" He asks me hopefully. I give a disgusted look.

"How dare you. How dare you say that when you have your own children. How dare you think about that when you have Maya. How dare you even consider that when you know damn well that there are people depending on you?" I hiss as him with eyes slitting in disgust.

"You know very damn well why I dare." He says sorrowfully, not giving up quite yet.

"Fang, there's no use. I'm taking Dawn far, far away from here. I'm going to raise her on my own, as a normal child. No wings, no hates, no flock." Fang winces when I say this to him. He knows I'm serious though. As I turn on my heel to go back to the motel room, not wanting Dawn to be alone for too much longer, he calls softly after me.

"Goodbye my one true love, Maximum Ride." I don't even flinch as I do and up, up and away.

...

What? How could she have been that cold to him? I mean, I know he abandoned her and all, but, just, what? AGH. I skip ahead another few pages.

...

Today I wrote to the flock to let them know we were okay and well. Then I contacted Jeb. Unsurprisingly, he responded immediately. We ended meeting up in a coffee shop, this time I brought Dawn with me.

"Ah, Max, my daughter. And that must be Dawn! She looks just like you and Dylan." Jeb coos as he wraps his aged hands around the coffee cup.

"Yes, she does," I smile softly. "So, I can guess that you have the gist of why I've contacted you." Jeb becomes solemn.

"Yes, I heard about the...encounter. And I'll be damned if I don't know you well enough to know why you're here today. So I would just like to ask if you're absolutely sure about this...?" Jeb says, rather professionally. I nod slowly. He sighs in sadness and tells me to come to his main office tomorrow to get the wings grafted off and then the beginning of the intensive therapy.

...

After reading that I skip the next months worth of pages, not wanting to read about the grotesque pain and depression that followed my mother after having her wings taken off and from watching me slowly forget all about my first 3 years of life. Then I find myself at the very last entry.

...

It's been about a year since Dawn and I left. The days are quiet for me, and often sorrowful. I'm in a dark place, but it's what's safest for my daughter. I send a picture of Dawn to the flock once every 2 months and make sure never to put a return address on the letters. I also follow them in the media. They are all becoming successful, and Nudge is going to get married. I hope things work out for her. Now where I'm living, I have a bit of a studio to exercise in, though I work during the day at a coffee shop. Dawn is getting bigger and smarter every single day, and it saddens me to think that the flock and Dylan especially will not be able to watch it too. But then I remember it's what's best and safest. Dawn will always come first.

...

As I read the last entry, tears come to film my eyes over. So much, she sacrificed so much for me and she never complained or resented me for it. I close the leather journal an swallow my tears as Blythe comes into the room to see me. It's the first time I've seen her in days. I beckon her over and have her sit in my lap, and I just hug her and cry silently into her hair. I guess she understands, in her own way, and wraps her arms around me and pats my back. Eventually she gets called by Simon to do her homework and she leaves, but not before putting a manilla envelope on my desk.

"Grandma told me to give this to you when you finished the journal." She says curtly in her 13 year old way. I thank her and wait till she is out the door to read it. When I open the envelope, pictures of the flock and of me with the flock fall out. There's about 20 aged photos in the envelope as well as newspaper clippings and a neatly written final letter from my mother.

Dearest Dawn,

By now, you've more or less finished reading the journal. I hope you don't resent me for taking you away from everyone, and I hope you aren't struck by grief and depression as I was for that first year. Please, don't be scared to get close to the flock, it's safe now. And please, don't worry about how I was. I didn't regret my decision for a single moment. Grow old proudly, my Darling, and know that you come from a brave family. Society is indebted to our family, always remember that you are a Ride.

Love Always,

Mom - Maximum Ride

I shakily put the letter down and find that a single tear has landed on the page and blurred a bit of the pen ink. I put the letter and clippings back in the envelope before going to sleep, because that's what you really need when you're sad.

The next morning I wake up and know that today is the dreadful day that I put my mother in the ground. I dress myself, do my hair, and wait for everyone else. When they are ready, we ride in separate cars to the cemetery. Like any typical sad movie, the day is dreary and rain is lightly falling an splattering the casket that appropriately has a pair of wings carved on it. After many eulogies, the flock, including Maya and my cousins, spread their wings in a sign of respect and then go to lower the casket in themselves. Just as they are about to, they're stopped by a rather rough landing from a mystery guest.

"Wait, don't, not yet." The voice says hoarsely as they pick themselves up off the ground. Every one turns sharply to look at him and everyone seems to know who it is by their shocked looks.

"Fang..." Dylan says quietly. Then he yells. "You asshole! You knew she was dying! Why didn't you go see her!?" Fang looks down and his surprising amount of hair falls to cover his face.

"She told me to stay away, she told us all to stay away." Then he walks towards the casket, midnight black wings still spread. He kneels in the muddy grass beside the casket and wraps his arms around it as best as he can.

"Max, oh Max. I thought we were supposed to die together." His voice becomes choked up before he can finish whatever he was going to say. At this time I look around and every one is silently crying. After a few moments, they ply Fang off the casket and begin burying my mother.

Later, we're all back at the house for coffee and other refreshments. Eventually everyone leaves, last is Fang though, who stays to talk to me.

"Your mother, she was a strong woman. I grew up with her, she was my best friend, my other half." He begins. I stop him though.

"She had me read the journal, Fang. I know, really, I do. Thank you for respecting her wishes. Really, thanks." He nods, both of us are choked up again Then he leaves and I go once again to sleep, this time with Simon hugging me tightly as I drift off.

The next morning I'm awoken by the shrill ringing of the home phone. I groggily pick up to hear Maya's sad voice.

"Dawn, is that you?"

"Yes, it's me, Aunt Maya. What's wrong?" I can hear her gasp on the other end and swallow hard.

"Fang...he passed away in his sleep with a note on his side of the bed. It read: Maya, my dear, if you're reading this, then you will have found me dead in my sleep. Please know that you really did always have a place in my heart, although it was never as big as the one I held for Max. I am sorry I could not love you as much as I should have, and thank you for loving me more than I deserved. Please know I'm okay now, than I'm happy." Aunt Maya's voice shakes at the end and she begins sobbing. I frantically console her and drive over to the hotel where she and everyone else is staying.

...

I watch Dawn as she finishes the phone call with Maya, Fang hugging me from behind, whispering sweet nothings in my ear. Up here, wherever here is, we're young again, in our prime, and able to watch out loved ones. I hope she'll be okay, though I really know she will be, she is a Ride after all.

So there it is guys! The end of yet another fanfictions, it's sad, I know, but it works.. I hope you've enjoyed reading this fic and read my others. Please Review.

-JAMZD