Escape

They didn't talk in school, anybody who saw them in the halls would say that they were strangers. When they were in class, they didn't speak or make eye contact-it was like they didn't exist. It was safe to say that, when they were with the flock, they were friends-though they didn't speak often-but to outsiders they didn't even appear to know each other. The rest of the Flock saw them as what they tried to be-strong leaders-but never as what they truly were. The kids knew firsthand of the horrors they'd been through-at least they thought they did-but they didn't understand how much worse it was. At Dr. Martinez's house they barely spoke around the others, but that was how it always was so the kids did think anything of it. Only Max and Fang knew the truth.

Max still didn't know why she did it. It wasn't like she wanted to sneak into Fang's room every other night; it wasn't like she wanted to fall into him like she always did, letting go of everything she'd been holding in. She needed it like she needed water or food, it wasn't an option. She didn't care if he never gave it a second thought; she didn't care if he didn't mean it when he whispered I love you into her skin as he hovered over her-her frame molding to every line of his-because she did the same to him. She didn't care if he didn't care about her.

Tonight was one of those nights, when she'd woken with another horrible nightmare-shaking and sweating-and had needed an escape from it all. She wished-as she always did-that she could find another escape-one that didn't involve the boy in the next room over-but that didn't stop her from easing open her door and tiptoeing into his room. He was sitting up in bed when she shut the door behind her, his bare chest covered in sweat, and she knew that he'd had a flashback, too. It didn't take long for him to stand and make his way over to her, and then they did what they always did-they let go.

She was underneath him soon enough, her head resting on a pillow as he kissed down her neck and murmured so quietly she could barely hear him. Tears slipped down her cheeks, as they always did, and he wiped them away softly-his face a mask of emotion. This was the only time he ever let it show-how much the memories hurt him, scared him-and though he never let the tears fall, she saw them well up in his eyes.

Max barely listened as he told her she was beautiful-whispering it into her skin-and that he loved her, because she knew he didn't mean it and he probably never would; and Fang didn't pay attention when she told him she loved him, because he didn't think she meant it either.

She left before the sun had even thought about rising, and was soon back in her own bed with her wings spread out beneath her. One of Fang's black feathers had woven itself into her own, but she didn't bother taking it out. She didn't know he was awake when she'd unwrapped his arms from her body; she didn't know he was awake as she'd quietly pulled her clothes on and scrambled out the door, back into her own room; she didn't know he was lying awake thinking about her; she didn't know he was always awake when she left him every other night.

Falling asleep was impossible, as it always was on nights like this, so she lay awake until the sun rose and she had to go to school. The others didn't understand, they hadn't been there as long as she and Fang had been-they hadn't been tortured like they had. Sure, they'd had hell in the school, too, but not like Max had-not like Fang had. She still had the most scars-physically and mentally-from the school; and they never really went away, they always haunted her. The only time she could escape them-numb them-was when she was with Fang, as they ripped and tore and kissed with no regard for the world around them.

Iggy always got to ride shotgun on the way to school when Dr. Martinez drove them, and Fang always sat beside her in the back-sandwiched between she and Angel. They didn't speak on the way, they never did, and when they arrived for another day of school the only contact they had was his hand brushing hers before he left without a word for his class, his friends, his other life... The day passed as it always did-slowly-and when it was over the seven of them met in the front of the school, where Dr. Martinez picked them up and drove them home in silence.

She sat at the kitchen table with her makeshift family-the flock, her mother, and Ella-and shoveled down food as she always did, retiring to her room to 'do homework' as soon as she could. Everybody knew she'd already done it, but they shrugged their shoulders and let her go anyway.

Max wanted to like this lifestyle-staying in one place, feeling safe, being a family-and in the beginning she'd loved it; but as time went on she found herself losing her grip on what semblance of sanity she had, and she could tell Fang felt the same. Being on the run had given them something to fight, but this life took that fight away from them. Now the only things she could fight were her memories, which were far more difficult to fight than blood-thirsty erasers.

Iggy didn't understand, he hadn't seen what Max and Fang had seen. Blindness was a gift during their days at the school. She knew how hard it was for him-being blind-and she knew how much it hurt him to be unable to see the world around him; but in a way Iggy was saved by his sightlessness, he didn't have to see what went on in that place-Max and Fang had to see it all. That's why Max turned to Fang instead of anybody else, because he'd been through it all with her-he had the nightmares, too.

Slowly everybody went to bed, their footsteps padding down the hall and disappearing with the shutting of each door, but Max stayed up for a long while after. She sat on her bed, lost in her memories, until her door opened and a shadow eased its way into the dark room.

Fang shut the door with a barely audible click and looked at her for a long while. His shoulders slumped with the weight of his memories-his pain-and Max just watch as he removed his shirt and came towards her. His hand cupped the back of her neck and he brought his lips to hers in a slow, emotional kiss. She let him peel away her clothing, as she removed his, and she slowly felt her pain subsiding, the memories fading for a short time as every thought became consumed by him-by Fang.

And they continued as they always had, and as they always would: both of them trying to chase away the visions that would haunt them forever. This escape was temporary, and both of them knew that the memories would be back the next day and they'd be back here again in an effort to numb it all-even if for a short time.

She didn't know if she loved Fang, all she knew was that she needed him, desperately. He was her everything, and he always would be, because without him she was nothing but a broken girl with a past that nobody understood. Fang didn't know if he loved Max, either. He just knew that she was his rock-as he was hers-and that he'd always need her in one way or another. So he held her and kissed her and let her cry as they descended from their short-lived high, and Max clung to him with everything she had.

He left before the sun had even thought about rising. He knew she was awake when he unwrapped his arms from her body; he knew she was awake as he quietly pulled his clothes on and went out the door, back into his room; he knew she was probably lying awake thinking about him; but he left anyways, because both of them knew that staying wouldn't change anything and either way, she'd be in his room tomorrow and they'd be right back where they started: searching for an escape that could only be found in one another.

So hi...

I know it's been, like, eons since I've posted anything and I don't really have an excuse for it. So, I'm sorry guys! In the time I've been gone I've been working on MULTIPLE stories-one of which is going to be posted quite soon, I hope-and I've been trying to finish them so that when they're posted I won't have to keep you guys waiting but... now I see that that plan will take a VERY long time. So depending on whether or not I still have followers after I post this one-shot, I'll probably post my other story very soon!

Sorry for the long wait! PLEASE REVEIW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!

Thanks!

Hannah

P.S. I changed my username from 'maximumwriter19' to 'HeyItsHannah19'!