Everyone is born with a timer. The timers are invisible of course, they rest just above your head, so you can't feel them, or notice they are there. But Ashton sees.

He was born with the ability to see everyone's timers.

What are the timers exactly? They count down the seconds, minutes, hours you have to live. When it hits zero, you die.

Ashton has grown used to his new ability, but sometimes it's hard to know when your friends and family are going to die. Especially since no one except him even know the timers exist.

But it's weird...Ashton can't see his own timer.

And it's also weird that...Luke can.

Inspired by Nickelbacks music video Savin' Me :D <3

--------------------------------------------

Ashton pulled his hoodie over his head as he stepped out into the rain.

His eyes drifted to the space above people's heads.

They were bright orange. Easy to see in the rain.

He couldn't help but look at them, everywhere he went.

He saw an old man, sitting under the awning of a cafe. He smiled when he saw at least eleven more years.

He kept walking. He didn't know why he did this, he just did. He had to know. Somehow, seeing other people's made him feel like he was seeing his own.

He didn't know what they were at first.

Ever since he could remember, he saw bright orange flashers above people's heads. He would stare and wave his hand over them, but he couldn't touch them. People gave him weird looks and he realized he was the only one who could see them. The only one who knew they were even there.

He became more secluded after that. As he grew older, he realized they were timers, and that they were counting down.

Counting down to what, he didn't know.

Until one day, he found out the horrible truth.

It was nice out. A bright, normal day. He was on his way to school like normal, when he noticed an elderly lady sitting on a park bench, feeding some birds.

He stopped and stared. Her timer was at a number he had never seen before. In the one digit numbers.

He had never seen someone with that low a number. And then, it hit one, and vanished. The lady gasped, and bent over, falling off the bench.

Pedestrians ran over to help, but Ashton knew.

She was dead.

The timers counted down how much time you had left to live.

And suddenly he looked at the timers in a different light.

He stared at them more, his friends, family, teachers, completely unaware.

Random people off the street. Oblivious.

That day he ran home, skipping school.

He slammed his bathroom door shut and looked at himself in the mirror.

He looked at the space above his head.

The empty space.

No timer. No countdown for him. He hadn't ever noticed it before, but now he did.

He didn't have a timer. That, or he couldn't see it.

Am I already dead? He wondered. No, that couldn't be, people heard him, talked to him, touched him.

He was alive.

Alive without a timer.

What that means, he didn't know.

And then, another huge blow to his already abnormal life.

A boy moved in across the street. Luke Hemmings.

The boy who could see Ashton's timer.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Ashton was busy in his room that day.

He was calculating his moms timer. The orange above her head showed 148,920/29/07.

Meaning she had 148,920 hours, 29 minutes and 7 seconds left to live.

(Ew i just did math in the summer)

That equaled 17 years.

Today was September 6.

His mom was going to die on September 6, 2031.

That seemed so close.

And how was she going to die? Heart attack like that old lady? Murder? Some kind of accident? A disease?

He sat back in his desk chair and sighed.

"I wish I was blind like everybody else." He muttered. "I wish I wasn't cursed."

He went to the bathroom, checking the mirror again, as if his timer had suddenly appeared overnight.

But of course it hadn't. There was still nothing above his head.

He sighed again and sat at his desk, calculating his dad's timer.

-

"Luke turn off that damn thing and get outside."

Luke groaned. "But there's nothing to do outside!"

"There's plenty to do! It's a beautiful day, go outside."

Luke rolled his eyes at his parent's voices but slid of the couch and went outside.

"You can help us move, if you have nothing to do. Or else there's a boy across the street from us, you can go say hi." His mom said, carrying in her plants.

Luke looked at the moving van, filled with heavy stuff. "I'll go say hi."

He jogged across the street and rang the doorbell. He hoped the boy was his age, otherwise he would have to hang out with that 2 year old girl from next door.

"Ashton, get the door!" A voice yelled from inside. "My hands are full!"

"Of what?" A voice shouted back.

"Just answer it." The first voice growled.

A moment later the door opened and Luke came face to face with a boy.

His eyes widened and he stared.

The boy looked at him. "Uh hi, can I help you?"

Luke reached his hand out. "What is that?"

Ashton stepped back. "What are you doing?"

"What's that thing on your head? How did you do that?" Luke asked. He realized he was being creepy but he had never seen....what ever that orange thing was on top of someones head before.

Ashton stopped. "Wait...you can see it? You can see my timer?"

"Timer? Is that what it is?" Luke was confused. "What's it counting down?"

"Days until my death." Ashton quickly reached out and grabbed Luke's arm, pulling him into the house. "Come with me."

Luke followed numbly.

Ashton led the new boy up to his room.

He paced, messing up his hair with his hands as Luke watched from the strangers bed.

"What do you see? What numbers?" Ashton asked, looking frantic.

"Uh...I don't know. What's going on? Why do you have this...timer thing?"

Luke asked.

Ashton sighed and sat beside him on the bed.

"Everyone has a timer. They start counting down the second you are born. No one can see them, no one even knows they are there. But I can see them for some reason. But I was never able to see my own timer."

Ashton looked at Luke. "But you can, you can see timers too!"

Luke looked shocked. "But, I can only see yours. I've never seen anyone else with a timer before."

Ashton looked confused. "This doesn't make any sense."

"You're telling me!" Luke exclaimed, jumping up. "This is moving way to fast for me. This...this is freaky weird okay?" He sighed and sat back down.

"What's mine?" He asked a moment later. "What's my timer say?"

Ashton looked slightly above his head. "You really want to know?"

"I...."

Ashton smiled. "It's not bad, I promise. But I'll only tell you when your absolutely sure you want to know."

Luke looked at the ground and nodded. "Okay, that's fair."

Suddenly he laughed. "This is crazy, all this happened and I don't even know your name."

Ashton laughed too. "Oh right, I'm Ashton."

Luke smiled. "I'm Luke."

"So you moved in across the street?" Ashton asked, looking out his window at Luke's house.

Luke nodded. "Yeah. Is there any other boys our age around here?"

"Yeah, my friends Calum and Michael live a few blocks down."

Luke looked at him. "Is it hard? Knowing when your friends and family are going to die?"

Ashton looked uncomfortable. "It kills me sometimes. I try not to think about it mostly."

"You wanna...stop talking about it?" Luke asked.

Ashton nodded, looking at the floor.

"Alright, we can go to my house if you want. I have Fifa."

"I don't like Fifa, but I'll watch you play."

Luke led him into his house. Everyone was busy moving things around.

"Hey mom, Ashton and I are going to play Fifa downstairs!" He called.

"Who?" A woman called from the kitchen.

"The boy next door."

"Oh, alright. Have fun."

Luke flipped on the lights to the basement.

He fired up the game while Ashton looked around.

"Hey, um...I know we agreed not to talk about this but, can you tell me what my mom's was?" Luke asked, biting his lip ring.

Ashton turned to him. "She's got a long time." He smiled. "That's all you need to know."

Luke smiled back. "Thanks."

Ashton watched Luke play for a while, until he had to go home.

"I'll see you at school right?" Luke asked as Ashton got up to leave.

"I think so, you're going to SeaCreast High right?"

Luke nodded. Ashton smiled. "Great, I hope we'll have some classes together."

-

Turns out they only had lunch together though.

"This sucks." Luke sighed as he sat beside Ashton the next day.

"Right." Ashton agreed.

Luke looked around. "So you can see when everyone here is going to die?"

Ashton nodded. "That lunch lady has about twenty years left. And that football guy over there has almost fifty four."

"Wow." Luke breathed. "That's an amazing gift."

"Gift?!" Luke flinched at Ashton's sudden harsh tone. "This is not a gift. This is a fucking curse. I wish I could make this go away. I'd give anything to make it go away." Luke put his arms around the crying boy.

"I'm sorry." Luke comforted as Ashton put his head on the table and cried.

"You don't understand! I can't take it anymore! I can't stand knowing when everyone else is oblivious!" He grabbed his sweatshirt sleeve and yanked it back, revealing red slashes across his wrists. "I've tried to kill myself seven times." Ashton whispered, staring hard at Luke, who was gaping at the cuts.

"I was stopped every time. My family doesn't know why. They think it's just depression. They tried sending me away. I tried running away.Nothing works. I'm stuck with this curse."

"Ashton I...I'm so sorry." Luke said, tears welling up in his blue eyes.

"Don't be." Ashton snapped, covering the cuts again. "I don't need your pity."

"It's not pity!" Luke grabbed Ashton's hands and looked him in the eye. "I want to help you. I truly do. Please Ash, you can't do this. Don't kill yourself. You may be stuck with this but don't make it a curse."

Ashton yanked his hands back and blinked back tears. "Lunch is over." He stood up as the bell rang and Luke noticed Ashton hadn't eaten anything.

-

Luke stormed up to his room and slammed the door, ignoring his moms calls if everything was alright. He paced, messing up his hair. He shoved things off his desk in frustration.

"I'm going to make you believe Ash." He whispered, staring out the window to the house across the street. "I'm going to make you believe life is worth living, curse or no curse."

-

(I dont know his parents ages so obv none of this is true)

His dad had 28 years left. Ashton did the math.

He wiped his eyes. "That's not bad, he'll go at age 73. That's not bad."

He sobbed into his hands. "But mom will die at 57. Oh God."

When he had calmed down some, he wrote down the number of Luke's timer from today at lunch.

He stared at it. Could he do the math? Figure out when Luke will die?

Someone knocked on his door and he jumped, hiding the pages of the timers.

"Ashton? Someone's here to see you."

"Okay, be right out!" He called, running to the bathroom and wiping his eyes quickly.

He went down the stairs when he was ready.

"Luke?" He asked when he saw him standing there (looking perfect in his American apparel underwear :D sorry)

"Ashton, why don't you show Luke around town?" His mom asked. Ashton's eyes drifted up to a space slightly above his moms head. "Okay." He said quietly, walking forward and giving her a tight hug.

"Oof, what was that for?" She asked, smiling as she ruffled her sons curly hair.

"No reason." He smiled up at her. "I love you."

"Love you too. Now go outside." She shooed him and Luke outside.

They walked down the street silently.

"How long does she have?" Luke asked after a while.

"Seventeen years." Luke faced him in alarm. "Really? A-are you sure?"

Ashton nodded, staring blankly ahead.

"I'm sor-"

"Don't." Ashton held his hand up, cutting Luke off. "Please don't."

They kept walking. After a while, Luke looked over at him. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

It turned out to be a grassy clearing.

"What are we doing here?" Luke asked as they laid down in the middle of it, facing the stars. (Yes it got dark quickly.)

"I like to come here sometimes. It helps to get my mind off things." Ashton said, hooking his hands behind his head.

Luke faced him. "It's pretty." Ashton looked at him then looked back up at the sky.

"Pretty lights, we're in the city of wonder." Luke said and Ashton smiled.

Luke stood up, offering his hand down to Ashton.

"What?" Ashton asked as he took it and Luke helped him up.

"Come with me." Luke grinned and started running, pulling Ashton with him.

"What wait!" Ashton laughed. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see." Luke winked.

They ran through the tall, cool grass, holding hands. The sky was dark above them, the moon reflecting in a small pond where the two boys skidded to a stop to in front of.

"How did you know this was here?" Ashton asked. Luke laughed. "I didn't! But since we're here, let's go for a swim!"

He stripped down to just his boxers in front of Ashton. Ashton shielded his eyes and laughed. "You have no shame."

"Your turn!" Luke called from the water.

"Can't believe I'm doing this." Ashton giggled, taking off his clothes and joining Luke in the water.

"This is cold." He complained. Luke picked up a floating water lilly and placed it in Ashton's hair. "It's not that bad."

Ashton smiled and blushed, putting his hand over the flower.

"Come on! Let's stay out here all night!" Luke called, swimming across the pond. Ashton followed. "And die of pneumonia?"

Luke smiled. "No, you got more time than that."

Ashton felt above his head. "You know, you never told me."

"Told you what?"

"How much time I have." Ashton said, coming to a stop next to Luke.

They looked up at the sky, their hands ever so slightly touching under the water.

"Do you want me to tell you?" Luke asked, scanning the sky. A star shot overhead.

"I want to tell you yours." Ashton said, squeezing Luke's hand. "Make a wish."

Luke gripped Ashton's hand back. "I wish you wouldn't tell me."

"You don't want to know?" Ashton asked, facing Luke.

Luke looked at him. He reached up and hooked a stray curl around the flower in Ashton's hair. "Why would I want to know how long I have until I'm not with you?"

"So you can enjoy every moment more." Ashton whispered, leaning in slightly.

Luke faced him fully and pulled Ashton into him. "I already enjoy every moment we have together."

He held Ashton tightly and slowly bent down. Ashton closed his eyes and went onto his tip toes to brush lips with Luke.

He hooked his fingers together behind Luke's neck. Luke put his hands on Ashton's waist and hip, holding him close as they kissed under the stars.

Ashton said yes to Luke's question after the kiss, and they were together every moment after that.

They went to the movies, Luke purposely picking a scary movie so Ashton hid his face in Luke's chest. They went rollerblading, holding hands so neither would fall. They played mini golf, Luke pouting when Ashton beat him every time.

Years passed, and Luke held Ashton's hand everyday when Ashton's mother was diagnosed with cancer.

September 6, 2031. Ashton cried into Luke the whole night in their bed.

-

"Here's your bag, don't forget your ticket!" Ashton called down the stairs as Luke got ready to leave.

"Ash, I'm 36! I can take care of myself!" Luke laughed. "I'll be back tomorrow afternoon."

Ashton came down the stairs and kissed his fiance.

"I know, but you're Luke. You always mess up somewhere." Ashton smiled and Luke smiled back. "Good thing I have you then." He checked his watch.

"Shit, the train leaves in fifteen minutes, I got to go now!" He picked up his suitcase and hurried out the door.

Ashton waved goodbye as Luke got into the taxi. He watched it drive away before shutting the door.

He went up to the bedroom. A number suddenly flashed in his head. He remembered it, the number he wrote down the night Luke asked him out.

That was seventeen years ago.

Ashton sat at the desk. After all these years, he was going to figure out when Luke would die.

"Let's see, that was 17 years ago, so minus 148,920 hours..." Ashton did the math. (Im not doing more math so lets pretend this is accurate.)

"W-what...no! No no no no no no no! Oh God, Luke!" Ashton cried.

He ran out the door and hopped into the car.

He picked up his phone and dialed Luke's number while he drove.

It went to voicemail and Ashton threw it behind him in frustration.

He swerved through traffic and tried not breakdown.

He should have done this sooner. He should have noticed. He should have seen Luke's timer before he left. He should have....

He left the door open and the car idling in his haste as he pushed his way through the crowd of people at the train station.

"Luke!" He cried. "Luke!"

A voice boomed overhead. "Now boarding Train C to New York. All passengers board now."

And then he saw him.

"Luke!" He cried, shoving people out of his way.

He saw Luke's timer.

6, 5, 4 seconds...

"Luke!"

Ashton dived, tackling his boyfriend out of the way as the train suddenly exploded.

The heat was searing. Flames were every where. People screamed and cried.

Luke gasped beneath him. "A-Ashton? W-what the hell just happened?"

Ashton coughed as smoke filled the train station. "Tell you later. Come on we got to get you out of here!"

Ashton helped him up and they stumbled out of the burning station.

Police cars, ambulances, and news trucks were already pulling into the scene.

"We're fine." Ashton shook off a first responder.

"Ash, how did you know?" Luke asked shakily as they sat on the sidewalk.

"Finally figured out your timer. Seventeen years." Ashton gasped out, clutching his side. "Oh God, ow..."

"Ashton? Babe, are you alright?" Luke asked worriedly, crouching down in front of him. "Ashy, what's wrong?"

"Don't feel so good..." Ashton breathed heavily, resting his head on Luke's shoulder.

Luke glanced up and his heart stopped when he saw Ashton's timer.

"Luke...your timer. It's gone. But you're not dead." Ashton clutched Luke's shoulder. "What does that mean?"

Luke stared at Ashton's timer. The timer that was at zero.

"Ash, oh my God Ash, we need to get you in an ambulance. NOW." Luke shakily helped him stand, and had to carry him bridal style when Ashton couldn't stand.

"What's the matter? Lukey?" Ashton asked sleepily.

"No no babe, don't go to sleep, you can't sleep! Keep your beautiful eyes open for me, please babe!" Luke sobbed.

"I'll just rest a minute, it's okay." Ashton mumbled, his hands falling down from Luke's neck.

"No! Ashton no!" He looked around the scene. "Help me! Somebody, please help me!"

An officer ran up. "What happened?" "

"I don't know, he just collapsed!" Luke cried as the officer took Ashton, carrying him to an ambulance.

Okay, it's okay, he said your timers at zero and your alive, so he'll be okay. Luke thought helplessly.

He climbed into their car which had miraculously not been stolen.

"Where are these ambulances going to?" Luke asked a helper.

"Mercy hospital, about a mile up from here." He said and Luke thanked him, speeding off.

-

Ashton groaned and opened his eyes.

"Ashton!" A familiar voice gasped. Ashton felt hands pet his face, hold his hand.

"Luke?" He opened his eyes fully and saw his boyfriend staring worriedly down at him.

"Oh Ashton!" Luke cried. "I thought you were dead! I thought you died!"

"Nope, the doctors said my appendix just burst from the stress and adrenaline." Ashton smiled and Luke collapsed onto him.

Luke looked up. "Your timers gone. I-it's, there's nothing there!"

"Same for you." Ashton said. "What does this mean?"

A nurse walked into the room. "Oh good, you're up! I'll alert Dr. Roberts." She smiled and left.

Ashton and Luke looked at each other.

"Did you see a timer for her?" Luke asked. Ashton shook his head.

"Me neither."

Ashton grinned. "The curse is gone!" He hugged Luke tightly. "I guess near death experiences get rid of seeing them."

"Guess so." Luke smiled and hugged his fiancé fondly.