The Weight of the World(Maximum Ride)

Chapter 1

A fire in a cave with Fang while it was raining. Sure brought back memories. Memories that made Max extremely uncomfortable. She didn't want to feel like this. Like an awkward teenage girl with a crush. She was supposed to be the calm, collected leader. Yeah, right. She'd been anything but the past few months. But she thought that maybe that was okay after everything she'd been through. Her life had been hell. Well, more of a hell than it always was, anyway.

The flock was all she had. They were her family. But now she didn't even have that. All she had was Fang. She would've already broken down if not for him. He'd always been her rock and now she needed him more than ever. He was the one constant even when everything else was changing.

But now it seemed like he had changed too. Or she had. She wasn't sure which. All she knew was the way he looked at her, the way he made her feel...It was different. Things had been different between them for a while. And, though she'd never admit it, it scared her. She was afraid. She didn't know if she wanted things to change between them, if he did. And she needed to stay focused, now more than ever. So she tried to ignore the tension between them. But that only seemed to distance them. And she didn't want that. She just- She didn't know what she wanted, dammit.

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Fang watched Max on the other side of the fire. She was sitting against the wall, knees pulled up to her chest, head in her hands. She looked exhausted. But strong. How the hell did she look so strong? And beautiful. So damn beautiful. After the last few months she should look like hell. She had every right to. But no. Not Max. She'd always been strong. Through everything. Every betrayal, every loss. Even when Gazzy...

Fang knew she'd been hurt more than anyone through the last months. One hit right after another. But she'd done her to best to protect the flock all the way up until there wasn't one anymore. Just Max and Fang. And damn, he wanted to help. He wanted to hold her and tell her it was alright. But it wasn't. Fang knew that. And he knew that he could only make it worse for her. She needed to figure out her feelings and until then Fang would wait.

He'd pushed before and it had only hurt her. And he just couldn't do that. So for now, he'd wait. Wait for an opportunity to get started on their plans to get the flock back together and eradicate Itex. And for Max to make the first move toward what they both wanted.