Blackbird by Ashily

Title: Blackbird

Author: Mercy Me It's Ashley

Summary: Iggy is lost without his Blackbird to guide him.

Rating: PG13 for implied gay/bisexual relations, and suicidal thoughts.

Pairing: Iggy/Fang, slash.

WARNING: Yes, two males are going to engage in romantic activities. You have been forewarned. Any anti-slash flamers will be met with my personal wrath.

Disclaimer: MaxRide is James Patterson's, but I have temporarily clubbed him over the head and stolen the characters for my own amusement. Just don't tell anyone, okay? The song belongs to the genius of Lennon/McCartney.

A/N: This story is dedicated to my friend Indigo, who's heart wrenching version of this song gave me the inspiration. Thank you.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly

The thing that Iggy remembered most about Fang's wings is that they were black. A deep, midnight black, and whenever they'd take a night flight at the School, his wings would fade in the sky... just like a beautiful blackbird. His beautiful blackbird.

His beautiful blackbird with the broken wings.

All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arrive

Tears welled in his eyes, both from the wind and the memories of Fang's sky like wings beating against the backdrop. He swallowed, remembering how they flew out the night before his surgery. Sneaking out into the small testing area, and they flew higher and higher, as high as they could before they got caught. He remembered how Fang held his hand through the entire night, waiting for the time for his surgery to come.

And the happiest day of his life. Nearly four year ago. When Fang had held his hand again, but for an entirely different reason.

They'd laid under the stars, without Max to boss them around, or Nudge to talk over them, Gazzy to tag along or Angel to interfere, and just like that, Fang held his hand, pulled him closer and kissed him. It was the happiest Iggy could ever remember being.

Just like that, they fell in love. Deep, endless love. They were everything to each other, and nothing could ever come between them. When Max died, they held each other and cried until they could move on. Together. And when they uprooted out of Florida to Colorado again, they had each other in the now unfamiliar state. And that was all they really needed. Each other and no one else.

The affair went on nearly six months before they worked up the courage to tell Nudge, who had become a miniature of Max. But as for Max's soft side, it was not there. It was no secret that she had held a candle for Iggy since they were very young. But now that the candle was extinguished she felt angry and hurt. She left with Gazzy and Angel that night. In the dead of night, and they were alone. Iggy and his blackbird.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these sunken eyes and learn to see

He could clearly remember Fang's voice, whispering soft words to him as the sunset and night came over them. How he'd wished to see him. Right then and there. Just once.

They'd lived alone together for the longest time. An abandoned cabin in the woods became their home, and they were at peace. They saw Angel once. She was now almost thirteen, she'd come by to find them and tell them about Gazzy's suicide. He and Nudge had become lovers, and when she left him for a human man named Jake, he'd hung himself. She hadn't stayed for more than an hour, or mentioned the funeral, before her walkie-talkie buzzed and she reported to Nudge she'd almost finished buying the milk. She left quickly, promising to keep in touch. But promises could be broken. This one was.

But they didn't mind. They had each other. That was all they needed.

All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to be free.

But then, the worst happened. Flying through the night sky, a bottle rocket ripped through the air. Iggy didn't see it, but Fang did. He didn't say anything though. Not even as it ripped through his right wing.

All Iggy heard was the bang, and the sound of Fang's body crashing into the trees below. Before he could even hit the ground, Iggy was there, catching his body and breaking his fall.

He could feel the blood... it was everywhere. It was like a bath of blood and tears between the two of them.

He still remembered scooping him up in his arms and flying the entire two miles back to their cabin with Fang bleeding in his arms, despite his protests.

"Baby, I'm fine-"

"No, you're not! That thing ripped right through your wing, don't lie, I know it did. We have to get you home."

"I could fly-"

"Shh, it's okay."

For three days, he took care of his blackbird while he fell in and out of a feverish sleep, tossing and turning, crying out and just plain crying. He'd hold his hand, stroke his hair and kiss his cheek. Comfort him in every way imaginable, as his blackbird slowly began to slip away from him.

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of a dark black night.

Then, the day came when his blackbird didn't wake up.

Blackbird fly, Blackbird fly
Into the light of a dark black night.

For another three days, Iggy hardly dragged himself out of bed. Eventually, he was able to track down Angle's alias, Magdalena, and force himself to leave a message on her answering machine. The next day she arrived, and they buried him together. Just as she and Nudge had buried her brother.

Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly

He'd thanked her for her trouble, and before she'd even gotten into her car, he was off. Soaring through the air. Wishing his blackbird was there, flying with him. Wanting to scream, to cry, to laugh, to fall. And for Fang to be there to catch him.

All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise

"Wait for me..."