When We Two Are Parted by Ashily

Title: When We Two Are Parted

Author: TearsOfEcstasy

Summary: After Iggy dies, Fang has regrets.

Rating: PG, for implied homosexuality and character death.

Pairing: Iggy/Fang. One-sided-ish.

WARNING: Character death, slash, sadness...

Disclaimer: Maximum ride belongs to James Patterson, I am in no way making any financial gain nor infringing on any copyright. "When We Two Are Parted" is a poem written by a poet by the name of Lord Byron, in no way am I trying to at all infringe on Lord Byron's work.

Dedication: to Beccy and Angel of Death, my lovely slash writing friends.

They're lowering him now, down into the ground. Max and I are. But some how, I'm not there. Because it can't be real, I know it can't. It's a joke, a horrible, sick joke that they're playing on me. That coffin has to be empty, because it can't be real.

When we two parted

In silence and tears,

She says something to me, but I'm not listening. I remember, only two days ago when he'd been there. Laughing and smiling, just like he always did. And it doesn't make sense, what happened that he's not here? But then I remember, and it feels like my heart has stopped.

Half broken-hearted,

To sever for years,

They came in the night, when we were asleep. The Erasers, dozens. Iggy was the first to know, he heard them coming breaking in. He woke Max, and Max woke me. I woke Nudge, and Nudge woke Gazzy. Gazzy woke Angel, but it was all too late. They blocked the doorways and lit fire to our walls. They tried to kill us, they really did.

Pale grew they cheek and cold,

Colder thy kiss;

Max and I fought the best we could, sending the younger ones off to try and escape. But they were too strong, and we were trapped. I could hear Iggy yelling... that there was one behind me, but I wasn't quick enough. I could feel something ripping through my shoulder, tearing through my muscles, and I hear a second shot. And I thought, my God, this is it. But it never came.

Truly that hour foretold,

Sorrow to this.

Because I'd been pushed away, sprawled across the floor. And Iggy was next to me, but he wasn't moving, and there was blood coming from his head.

The dew of the morning

Sank chill on my brow

Gazzy asks me what's wrong, but I pretend not to hear. I'm looking at the coffin, the long cardboard box we'd put him in. And I'm thinking about Iggy, and I'm thinking all the things I should have to told him. All the things he never knew.

It felt like the warning

Of what I feel now

I guess he might have known, it would have been hard for him not. But I never said it a loud. So it never really was as it should have been, it was only a shadow of what it could have been.

Thy vows are all broken

And light is thy fame

I pick up a shovel, pushing a dirt load into the grave. And then another. I'm thinking, please come out, please be okay. But he doesn't, he stays in the coffin. He doesn't wake up. And I find myself angry, because he swore he'd never let me be alone like this. Alone, without someone to come to when I felt angry, or scared. Sad or confused. And I realize, that he's never going to come back. And I realize, it'll never be the same.

They name thee before me

A knell to mine ear

The grave is almost filled now, with dirt and leaves. The wet leaves after fall rain, and they're joined by sweat and tears. From all of us, each and everyone. Because we miss him, and he's only just been gone. They don't know what I felt when he'd died, and before.

A shudder comes over me

Why wert thou so dear?

We're turning away, walking from him. Leaving him. I want to tell them to stop, because we're leaving him. And I can't do that again.

They know not that I knew thee

Who knew thee to well:

The first time I left, the first time I'd been without since I was ten-months-old, was in Colorado, when Max and Nudge and I went after Angel. And I remember, when I saw him again, that everything lightened, and everything was better. Because Iggy was there, and he was my best friend.

Long, long shall I rue thee

Too deeply to tell.

As we board the bus, I can feel their eyes on me. Max's, and Nudge's, Gazzy's and Angel's, they're watching me. They know something's wrong, but they don't know what, and it bothers them. But they'll get over it, they have other things to worry about. As do I.

In secret we met

In silence I grieve

I remember the night, I guess one could call it the night he found out. We were sitting alone on an old couch we'd found and we were talking about life, and things in general. He asked me about the future, and I said I hadn't thought about it. He asked me if I wanted a family, and I said I had one. He smiled and he put his arm around me, and I never want to forget that.

That thy heart could forget

Thy spirit deceive.

I look out the window and it's starting to rain. There's a couple across the street, running from the clouds. And there's a man and his wife, walking under and umbrella. I watch them, and I think about all the times the flock and I slept outside in the rain. How Iggy had never complained as Max and I did, how he'd always found it so wonderful. To feel the rain running down his face. I remember how happy he'd looked, and how happy that made me.

If I should meet thee

After long years,

As we step off, Max hides under her jacket, as does Angel, Nudge and Gazzy. The rain splotches their sweatshirts and coats, leaving their faces untouched. But I let the rain wash down on me, because I know it made Iggy smile, and I'd give anything to make him smile again.

How should I greet thee?

With silence and tears.

I don't say a word as we walk down the street, because I'm looking up and thanking God for the rain. Because it made Iggy smile, and it's hiding my tears.

Fin.