A/N: Hi guys - again, sorry I haven't been posting a lot. But HERE IT IS: another chapter, this time in Max's POV.
The tiniest creak in the floorboards of my tree house woke me up.
Now I'm sure most of you readers out there are pretty skeptical of this. How can a tiny noise wake me up, you wonder?
But here's the thing - I've been on the run for, oh, about 4/5ths of my life. I have crazy good reflexes, not only because of my DNA, but also because I trained myself to wake up at even the tiniest of noises. A twig cracks halfway across the forest from where I'm sleeping in a tree?
I wake up, because you never know what could have cracked that twig. Could be a squirrel, could be an group of children starved into finding me by an evil organization. *COUGH COUGH THAT HAPPENED BEFORE*
I turn over and see Haven standing a few feet away, looking very guilty. "Wha?" I ask groggily. "What are you doing, sweetheart?"
"I got scared in the hosp'il." Haven says. "Can I - can I stay in here with you?"
I smile, getting the warm fuzzy feeling I associate with little kids I love. And I can assure you, I don't get that feeling a lot.
"Sure, sweetie. Where's Ryder?"
Haven points to Fang's treehouse. "He went to see Daddy."
I nod. "Okay. C'mere."
I open my arms, and Haven pads over to the bed and climbs into my lap, hugging me tightly. "Hi, Mommy."
I kiss her head. "Hi, sweetheart."
"Mommy?" Haven says, pulling back. "Where did I come from?"
I wince. It's not like Fang and I have gotten to that part of our relationship yet, so we're actually not sure where the kids came from. Maybe from the future? I mean, I'm only 17 - I don't think I should be having babies until I'm in my mid-twenties, at least.
"I'm not sure, sweetie." I answer. "That's a good question. But Dr. Martinez is going to figure it out."
Haven looks at me with her huge, trusting eyes. "Are you sure?"
"No." I reply. "I'm not sure. But we can only hope, right?"
Haven nods, then yawns.
"Okay, someone needs her sleep. You lie down here and I'll go check on your brother."
Haven nods, her eyes sleepily blinking until they flutter shut. I kiss her forehead with an uncommon display of affection - but hey, she's my daughter. It's not like I'm going to ignore her.
I wait for a few minutes longer, making sure she's asleep, and then I go out onto the balcony and leap into the air, my wings unfurling as I fly over to Fang's.
Back in Max's treehouse, Haven's eyes fluttered open.
Mission complete.