[Once again, I apologize from the bottom of my heart for accidently prematurely publishing this chapter and giving everyone a heart attack a few weeks ago. But anyway, I have completed it finally. I hope you enjoy and I'm sorry in advance for the shitty writing. -w.a.l.k.]

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Songs: OBESON - Friend to an Enemy
Jaymes Young - Feel Something
Amber Run - No Answers

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"Jonathan!"

Evan was still running despite how much the cold air was killing his throat. He knew exactly where the demolished garage was because he'd stared it so many times on the map. It always stood out with a big red circle around it and an 'x' marked through it.

Please, please, please be here.

His wishes went unanswered as he approached the building that was in shambles with no way inside. Evan came to a stop and coughed around the soreness of his throat. Glancing around at the quiet streets, he called his name again.

"Jon -," he choked on the dryness of his mouth, "Jonathan!"

He was going hoarse and was on the verge of crying his heart out when a figure appeared around the corner of another building. Evan's heart rate went through the roof again when Jonathan held his hands up in confusion at the sight of him standing there in the cold, shirtless.

They met in the middle and Jonathan asked him, "What the fuck are you doing out here? You're going to catch a cold."

"I . . ." Evan paused and took a deep breath that hurt a little too much. He felt so sick to his stomach, but he had to face this head on. There was no point in lying or trying to pretend like it was a truth that didn't exist. "There's something I need to tell you and you have to promise me you won't run off or shut me out."

Jonathan pulled his brows together and shook his head, not understanding the weight of the situation or what he was about to hear, "Why the hell would I run off? What's going on?"

"Just fucking promise me!" Evan snapped and Jonathan knew something was seriously wrong.

He stepped closer and gave him an uncertain nod, "Alright . . . I promise."

Evan let out the breath he was holding and paced a few steps, rubbing at his eyes, "Fuck, I don't even know how to say it."

"How serious is this?" Jonathan wondered, thinking maybe Evan was just being himself and doing an amazing job at acting before he broke down and laughed at whatever joke he had planned. But his stomach crawled it's way up his throat each passing second Evan stood there staring at his feet, nearly sweating in the cold.

Evan swallowed, "Pretty fucking serious," he finally looked up again. "It's about Tyler."

Jonathan's eyes snapped to his and he had his full attention. His fingers twitched, "What do you mean Tyler? Tyler's de-"

"Alive." Evan corrected him and felt the world settling on his shoulders. Jonathan was having trouble processing the situation because he had opened his mouth, searching for words that wouldn't form correctly.

Jonathan took a deep breath, "He's dead."

He said it with finality but he didn't even sound sure of himself. It sounded more like a question. Evan shook his head, keeping eye contact with him to let him know he wasn't screwing around, "He's alive."

"How?" Jonathan demanded and Evan detected just a flicker of anger. "I left him there and the building came down. I didn't fucking imagine that."

"I'm not saying you imagined anything, I believe you. What I am saying is that I've seen him." Evan brushed his hair back, his fingers were shaking. "When we went for the virus and we got separated in the rain . . . his mask came off when we fought, just before we shot each other. I could never forget a face like that. I saw the pictures on your phone and there he was, looking at me with those eyes . . . eyes bluer than yours. Jonathan I'm not lying to you, I know what I saw."

Jonathan nodded absently, cleared his throat, and pulled his mask up over his face, quietly heading back toward the garage. Evan watched him go and saw the tense, stiff demeanor settle back into Jonathan's shoulders like it had never been gone. The disappointment flooded him.

"Jon."

The runner turned his head slightly when Evan came up behind him, "I'm not running from you, Evan. If he's alive, then I'm not going to find him in here. So help me look just to be sure. Please?"

"Okay."

------

It was futile at first. The concrete was crumbled in a mess all around the building, but Evan knew that Tyler had got out somehow or someone else had got in and found him. There had to be a way in and once he found it, he followed Jonathan through the small gap beneath a thick sheet of wall that was leaning just right. It was a tight fit but once they were in, it wasn't hard to see how he managed to survive. Everything was being held up by the concrete that had fallen on it's side, keeping what was above from caving any further. It left breathable spaces that both of them could walk through and he paused when Jonathan knelt down in front of a car that was pushed on it's side, held up by a metal beam.

"He was here." Jonathan whispered distantly as he let his fingers press into the dust that had settled months ago. He rubbed it between his fingers, noticing some of it had been darkened with what he assumed was blood. "I should've come back."

"Stop." Evan sighed. "Don't think about what you could've done. It happened and there's nothing that can change that."

"So, what do you want me to do?" Jonathan stood and faced him. "Do you want me to overlook the fact that he's out there right now, leading a small army against us? You want me to ignore the fact that I left my best friend to die and now for some fucking reason he's trying to kill us any chance he gets? What do you expect me to do?"

Evan splayed his hand over Jonathan's chest calmly, "I expect you to think rationally, like you always do. I want you to think really fucking hard about how he got out and about why he hasn't recognized you anytime he's seen you."

Jonathan shut his eyes and sighed heavily, "His legs were under the car, he couldn't . . ."

Evan pulled at his mask, "The car looks like it got pushed out of the way when the building came down. It looks like his legs were freed, but there's old blood on the ground, so something may have hit him. He would've been unconscious for a while, days maybe. Perhaps someone found him or he crawled out on his own when he came to. But no matter which way he got out, he was bleeding. I'm thinking he got hit on the head and maybe that's why he doesn't recognize you."

Jonathan opened his eyes, staring blankly at Evan's bare chest in thought, "So you think he can't remember anything?"

"It's possible. Concussions can do that to people. I couldn't remember much when I woke up in the tower, but I wasn't laying alone for days, bleeding from my head. I got to recover and I owe you my life for that." Evan let his hand fall and grab hold of Jonathan's. "After all the things you've told me about Tyler, I know he's not the type of person who would try to kill his best friend even if he was a little mad at him. Would he?"

Jonathan squeezed his fingers, "No. He wouldn't."

"Exactly. Something happened to him and he doesn't remember. Maybe he remembers some things, but he obviously doesn't remember you."

The atmosphere was thick and Jonathan was holding it all in like he never had before. He promised he wouldn't shut him out but his thoughts were clouding everything and he was doing his best not to let his anxieties take over. Breathing was hard when all he wanted to do was scream.

"How am I supposed to deal with this?"

Evan slipped an arm around his waist and pressed his forehead against his, "With my help. Will the other's help. We'll try to resolve this peacefully and if not, then we cross that bridge when we come to it."

Jonathan nudged his head before he moved and tucked his face against his neck, squeezing his eyes shut while he tried to let his frustration recede. It helped, but it wasn't enough. He knew it never would be until he saw Tyler with his own eyes again.

------

"Arlan."

The smaller man walked over in the lobby and took a seat across from Jonathan who sat waiting.

"What's up?"

"I want you tell me everything you know about the boss."

Arlan blinked, "Is there a particular reason why?"

Jonathan stared at the floor for longer than he intended to, "He was my best friend when we came here and I thought he was dead. But clearly he's not, so it'd be great if you could tell me everything you know and maybe I can begin to understand what the hell happened and why he doesn't remember me."

Arlan nodded nervously, "Where should I start?"

Jonathan crossed his arms and sat back, "The very beginning."

"Alright."

------

"Nick, keep up!"

He was trying, honestly, but legs that had been running for the better part of an hour without a rest were useless at that point. They were about to give out when Steven pulled Tony to a stop by grabbing the shirt on his back. Nick collapsed into a heap on the ground and Arlan whipped his head around to figure out why they had all stopped moving.

"What the fuck are you doing?! This isn't the time for a break! They're still coming!"

Steven shook his head and pointed in the distance at the men in green uniforms, "No. They stopped."

Tony was gasping for air, "Why? All they did was chase us inland."

Arlan ran his hands through his hair, "They're herding us. Getting us where they want us. Ten bucks they shoot us if we go too far out again."

Nick groaned from the ground, "This is bullshit. I didn't ask for this. I just wanted to see a fucking soccer game."

"You did. Congratulations, get off your ass, we need to move before the sun goes down." Arlan tried to hustle them along, but they weighed each other down and they were exhausted.

They found themselves walking down a street that was growing darker and more eerie by the minute. Buildings were in shambles and strange noises kept running past their ears, echoing off the brick.

"How are we going to find Anthony and the others?"

"I'm right here." Tony flung a hand up in confusion.

Steven rolled his eyes, "The other Anthony, that laughs like a hyena. Cody and the others. When did we even get split up? I can't remember anything after the second bomb the other day."

Arlan sighed into the hot night, "I have no idea. Shit happened so fast and please don't ask me what we should do because I am a terrible leader. All I know is that it's getting dark and those things are probably coming soon. We need to find somewhere to hole up for the night."

Nick stopped dead in his tracks causing everyone to run into each other, "Did you hear that?!"

"Hear what?"

"Somebody like, groaning."

Tony moved past him, "Probably just your stomach, dude. Or mine, I couldn't tell."

But then they all heard it at once and glanced around, standing stock still when they saw motion just ahead in a pile of rubble. There were hands grasping for anything, catching peices of concrete and pulling until a body emerged into the night. The guy was lying there gasping, unable to use his legs.

Steven shoved them out of the way, "Why are you guys just standing here?! Help him!"

They shook themselves from their shock and rushed after him, pulling the man the rest of the way out of the rubble.

"Holy shit, man. Were you in that when it came down?"

The guy sucked in another breath, "No, birdbrain. I just felt like going for an adventure under ten tons of concrete."

"Wow, okay." Nick stood back, totally unoffended by the snide remark. He just wanted to give them space to look him over.

"Are you hurt?" Arlan asked and he could tell the guy was holding back another sarcastic comment.

"Can't feel my legs right now and it feels like my skull is splitting open."

Arlan swallowed, "Well, it kind of is."

"Awesome." He lowered himself to the ground and sighed heavily.

"What's your name?" Steven asked and they all noticed the wild confusion on the man's face before it was replaced with nothing just as quickly.

"No idea."

"Do you remember anything?" Arlan pulled him into a sitting position until they could haul him up by his arms.

"No, nothing. Just screams." He glanced around at the scene, "Where are we?"

"Congrats dude, you woke up in a Brazilian zombieland."

------

Arlan bounced his leg as Jonathan took it in, "He didn't remember anything at first. It was slow, but he remembered the game and being with someone, but he couldn't think of your face or your name. He never remembered his own name either. After a few weeks he got the feeling back in his legs and that's when his personality split, basically. He turned ruthless, lost all of his sympathy, and began to take over. The moment he started weeding out the guys that weren't fit enough was the moment I told my friends to come up with a way to convince him that they were worth keeping, but not important enough to use them for slave work. Or we died. No questions, no hesitation. Just boom, dead."

Jonathan rubbed at his face and sat back, "So he's not even there anymore."

Arlan shrugged, "He's not entirely gone. Some nights I'd see him sitting up high away from everyone, looking at the tattoo on wrist, like he was trying to remember what it meant. But he'd fall back into his other state of mind just as quickly. You never knew when he would snap. It won't be long before he tries to come after us again, you know that right?"

"I know." Jonathan glanced out the doors at Evan and Murphy checking the fence again. "Maybe he'd remember if I talked to him. Maybe it would help . . ."

"Maybe. But it's impossible to get him alone unless he wants it that way. He's smart and cunning and he always has a plan." Arlan eyed his leader and clenched his jaw before he asked quietly, "What's his name?"

Jonathan looked back at him, "Tyler."

Arlan swallowed and gave a short laugh, "Yeah, that . . . that name suits him. He was a good guy, Anjo. But he got lost in his own head somewhere down the line and I'm sorry none of us could help him."

"There's nothing you could've done, don't apologize." Jonathan stood and made for the door, "Don't call me Anjo anymore. I'm not an angel."

------

Jonathan felt his world crumbling in around him all over again. The only thing that kept it from crushing him entirely was Evan because he knew when it was weighing heavily on his mind. Each time it got to the point where he couldn't focus, Evan was there squeezing his hand or taking his face and pressing his lips against his.

It always brought him back down to where he needed to be.

For a month it worked until he started to feel trapped in an endless cycle. Wake up, run, gather supplies, run some more, sleep, think about every mistake he ever made, repeat. He felt guilty because Evan was trying his hardest to keep him grounded but some nights it wasn't enough. It wasn't enough to keep the thoughts and dreams away. Sometimes he couldn't feel anything.

Until the night Evan cut their run short and forced him to sit down in a safehouse and breathe before it escalated into a panic attack.

"That's it. Slowly." Evan coached him gently with a hand running through his hair. "Now, what are you thinking about?"

Jonathan took a deep breath and closed his eyes, "Everything."

Evan pulled Jonathan's shirt over his head and pulled his shoes off, his socks and shorts. "Lay back, relax."

Jonathan obeyed and flinched when the tip of Evan's nose brushed his stomach before he placed soft kisses on his skin, working his way up to his chest. Jonathan sighed at the touch and tried to focus on every part of Evan that was ghosting across his skin. His mind cleared the longer he pictured his mouth in the dark, his fingers that pulled at his boxers, sliding them down his sensitive thighs.

Evan's breath was in his ear, warm and smooth as he lifted one of Jonathan's legs, slipping a finger inside of him. Jonathan let his head fall back further against the pillow when he added another and kept his other hand running over the rest of his body.

"Now, what are you thinking about?"

Jonathan sucked in a sharp breath and gripped the sheets beneath him when his fingers brushed that spot that had his back arching from pure raw pleasure, "You."

Evan grinned in the dark and pushed himself against his entrance just as he took back his fingers. He waited for Jonathan's approval, receiving an insistent nudge of his heel against his back. Evan moved in inch by inch until Jonathan was breathing heavily, gripping his hips, nails threatening to pierce his skin.

"You okay?"

Jonathan nodded quickly and licked his dry lips, "Move."

Evan granted him that much and made the sway of his hips slow and fluid, thinking about how nice he looked laying beneath him, skin flushing a pretty shade of red in the dim light that swallowed the room. The cold wind whipped outside the window sending the blue sheet that hung in the air fluttering in waves, like the ocean that was never too far away.

"Faster." Jonathan gasped, "Feels better that way."

Evan gripped his waist and paused, "Say please."

Jonathan bit out a laugh, "Oh my god, do you have a kink?"

Evan slammed down into him one good time, forcing a far from silent groan to come from Jonathan's throat. Evan grinned not so sweetly, "Maybe."

"I knew you were a freak." Jonathan chuckled lowly before he bit down on his lip and said, "Please?"

Evan broke into a smile before he let it drop and picked up the pace like Jonathan requested. He always imagined what the man would look like beneath him, but seeing it with his own eyes didn't even compare to his wildest dreams. Jonathan was magnificent, chest heaving, skin shining with sweat, brows pulled together in concentration. Every now and then when Evan would change his angle Jonathan's mouth would fall open, his head would tilt, his back would arch, and he'd gasp sending sounds too erotic to be gracing anyone's ears.

He felt honored. Evan felt like he had the entire world beneath him and he didn't want to disappoint. He pulled one of Jonathan's legs up again and hooked his arm behind his knee, then he leaned in closer, falling even deeper into him.

Fingers were in his hair and he felt a sharp familiar tug at his roots and heard a strained whisper in his ear, "Oh fuck, Evan."

------

It was enough, only if for a night. It was enough to take his mind off of things so he could sleep for more than thirty minutes at a time and not spend every other waking second with Tyler on his mind, wondering what he did wrong, trying to fix it all in his head until the sun came up. But nothing could change what had happened, what was still happening, and nothing could make him feel any less guilty or responsible for it.

But Evan, bless his beautiful soul, he tried so hard and Jonathan had never been more grateful for one person in his entire life. Evan always knew what to do to bring him back from his dangerous state of mind. It never failed but Jonathan always feared that one day it wouldn't be enough. That all the kisses and conversations, the amazing sex and straying touches wouldn't chase it all away.

What would he do then?

Some nights that question kept him up even after they'd given each other all they had in terms of bliss and rough kisses, some hard enough to bruise. It made him feel numb all over again knowing that one day he'd be trapped inside of his head with no way out. But the only thing that was worse, the one thing that kept him from completely breaking was the thought of losing the man sleeping next to him.

Jonathan touched his fingers to Evan's cheekbone, his skin was cold from the air that still managed to come through the shut window. He couldn't imagine his world without him and he didn't want to believe that losing him was even a possibility. Yet the possibility was huge, astounding, and downright terrifying. Living without Evan, well, it just wasn't living. Jonathan told himself he couldn't lose his mind just yet because if he did, he couldn't be there to protect him, to fight off anything that came their way.

At any given moment someone, anyone out there could take them out, put a bullet through their brains, stick a knife in their guts. Yet no one had and it had Jonathan wondering what they were waiting for because they hadn't gone this long without an attack. In fact they hadn't been ambushed in two months and it was enough to etch worry lines across his forehead.

What were they waiting for?

"Jon."

Jonathan glanced down at Evan who hadn't even opened his eyes yet where he lay pressed against his chest, "Evan."

"You're thinking too hard." Evan yawned and rolled to his back, "And your heart was doing all the talking, felt like it was punching me right through your chest."

Jonathan grinned and rubbed at his eyes, "Sorry. You weren't there to stop my mind from wandering. I told you not to fall asleep before me."

"I couldn't help it. I swear I tried but after getting off three times, my muscles were reduced to the strength of wet noodles. Don't fuck me so good next time." Evan smirked and pushed himself up and to his feet, still feeling everything from the previous night. "Hell, you'd think last night was the first time we ever had sex. I'm so sore, dude."

Jonathan laughed and got to his feet, grabbing Evan's shoulders and digging his thumbs into his muscles in an attempt to alleviate his stiffness. "I'd apologize but you kept telling me not to stop, so . . . you have only yourself to blame."

Evan groaned, "Shut up."

"My, my, my, how the tables have turned." Jonathan smiled and kissed him beneath his ear, "You used to beg me to say anything, you know."

Evan felt the goosebumps rise on his skin, "Yeah, I know, but you need to stop or I guarantee we won't get anything done today."

Jonathan gave the side of his face one last kiss before he stepped away and began to get dressed. By then they were having to wear light jackets until the winter wore off and the spring began. It didn't slow them down any but Evan was really starting to miss seeing the sweat run down Jonathan's back as he followed along behind him.

The struggle was real.

------

It was closing in on another month gone by when Jonathan finally felt the hair standing on end on the back of his neck. His intuition was never wrong so they ditched their plans for the rest of the day and headed back to the tower that was miraculously still standing after all this time.

Marcel was there to open the gate, Lui at the front doors to greet them, and the girls gave them tired smiles as they entered.

"Hey, handsome." Murphy winked at them as they caught their breaths.

Langley on the other hand had no time for teasing because she sensed something was wrong, "What's up? Why are you back already?"

Jonathan pulled the bags off his shoulders and let them fall to the floor with a deep sigh and a roll of his neck. "I got a bad feeling."

Evan came up behind him and squeezed his shoulders, hearing him groan with approval, "His spidey senses tingled. Something's off though for real, I feel it, too."

The tension was already settling in the room as they gathered around. Scotty came up behind Marcel and slipped his fingers into his, "So, have you seen anyone out there lately or are they still playing hide and seek?"

Jonathan crossed his arms after he shrugged, "I don't know. I haven't seen or heard anyone. It's been quiet and it's just . . . unsettling. Feels like we're being watched."

"Wouldn't be the first time." Marcel mentioned and moved his arm around Scotty, tucking him under the safety of his grasp. "Should we go looking for them? They gotta be staked out all around us by now."

"If they are, then they'll see us coming." Evan shrugged, "I say we just wait it out until one of them makes a move. There's only so much they can do."

Jonathan rubbed his neck, "I'm drawing a blank right now. I have no plan, no strategy . . . no goal. I don't know what to do other than wait for the docs upstairs to come up with something. Maybe that's what the other group is waiting on, too. Who the fuck knows anymore . . ."

They watched him walk away without another word as he took the stairs and disappeared, leaving all of them feeling slightly more lost than they were before. Which wasn't out of the ordinary, they knew Jonathan was struggling, but then again they all were.

Lately it was harder for him. Evan had calmly explained why when Jonathan went silent in the middle of trying to tell the story and walked away like he was very fond of doing as of late.

Once they knew about Tyler, knew just how much Jonathan was dealing with, they had all tried to help lighten the load. They asked less, requested only what was necessary before they left on a run, and avoided certain subjects. All in all, they treaded lightly and Jonathan noticed. It made him feel worse about the entire thing and more like a burden than the leader he was supposed to be.

------

Jonathan wandered the halls, listening to the echo of his feet tapping lightly on the floor as his mind drifted to another place entirely. It was only getting worse, to the point where he was dissassociating every few hours as he stared off into nothing. Just like he was doing now. He had walked around the entire level twice without realizing it and he couldn't comprehend how cold his fingers were until he scratched mindlessly at a small itch on his stomach. Was he even breathing correctly?

He rubbed at his face slowly, with more force than necessary but it was enough to make him feel something for the time being. It was a scary sensation, being numb, not knowing what was real or if he was dreaming. Sometimes he wished he was asleep and he'd wake up to Tyler in the house stealing his food like he used to. It hurt to think about. He wanted that more than anything but if it was all just a dream, that meant he'd lose Evan.

Jonathan knew this was real, but the grey hazy hue of depression was overbearing at times and at any point it could drown him, take away every color that painted his world.

The weight on his chest felt too heavy.

------

David was working diligently alongside Brock and Anthony, running tests, performing small experiments. They had so little to work with but the three of them had enough combined brainpower to make it work. The virus was more complicated than any of them could've guessed, but it wasn't hard to figure out how it worked. The difficult part was whether or not the symptoms could be reversed.

It stimulated and rewired the brain for it's own gain, so the virus could survive and spread. But making it stop, eradicating it . . . was another story. If they killed the virus, would it kill the brain? Could anyone be saved?

"There wouldn't be enough for us to save more than a handful of people. This is all we have if it even works in the end." Anthony commented as they sat back for a breather. "We don't have much time left. I'm surprised we've got this far to be honest."

"We've got three months. Even if this is the answer, how do we know we'll be able to leave? I don't trust Patterson." Brock kicked his feet up, propping them on the edge of the metal table between them.

"It's our only option, so I suggest we get back to work. We're close." David sighed and pulled his safety glasses back over his own. His neck was aching and his shoulders were stiff. They all prayed it wasn't for nothing.

------

"Lang?"

Murphy pushed her way into the showers where she found only one running with no one standing in it. Her boots hit heavily on the tile floor, squeaking slightly as they tread over water. She glanced down at Langley sitting in the corner of the stall, blood running down her forearms where her nails were digging into her skin as she hugged her knees to her chest.

"Langley . . . you gotta talk to me."

"Why? It doesn't change anything." Langley lifted her head to reveal bloodshot eyes and a splotchy face from where she had clearly been crying.

"We'll go home one day and I need you to still be here when we do."

Langley shook her head, "It doesn't matter if we go home. My mind will always be stuck here. You really think we can just go home to California and live like we were never even here, like we aren't traumatized?"

"No, but we can try. That's all we can do." Murphy cut the water off and got to her knees in front of her. "I need you to try because I can't do any of this without you. Do you understand that? You are my best friend and if you lose yourself, so will I."

Langley sniffed, more tears falling before she grinned, "Needy bitch."

"But you love me."

"Unfortunately."

Murphy smiled, "Come on, get up. You need to sleep."

"I can't."

"You will."

------

Arlan was sitting on the edge of his bunk upstairs, grateful for even being allowed anywhere other than just the lobby now. Things had been moving so slowly the past few months, but he couldn't complain. Life in the tower was paradise compared to life with Tyler. Waking up each day and knowing he wasn't going to be killed for sleeping an extra hour was a weight off his shoulders.

He laid back and closed his eyes for just a moment, drifting off only to be woken up when the mattress dipped slightly with someone else's weight. Arlan shifted over, making room for Langley when she laid down and curled up beside him, slipping an arm over his waist, tucking her head to his chest.

Arlan ran his fingers through her damp hair until her breathing evened out and she was finally asleep after forcing herself to stay awake for two days. But he understood her struggle. Sometimes even he didn't want to sleep because he knew he'd dream of awful things. He knew he'd see his friends dying over and over again.

But this time there were no nightmares, just an innocent peaceful dream that left him weightless and rested. It was something he hadn't felt in a very long time.

------

It wasn't long ago when Jonathan had felt like things were looking up, that they were actually making progress, and life maybe wasn't so fucking bad. But that illusion shattered the moment Evan told him about Tyler.

It wasn't long ago but it felt like years of anguish had stacked on his shoulders in a matter of months. Years of grief, guilt, and relentless anxiety hounding him by the second until he couldn't even muster up enough willpower to speak when his world reached out to him in the empty hallway.

"Jon?" Evan was so worried and Jonathan couldn't do a damn thing about it. The weight on his chest was getting heavier with each breath he took and his eyes burned with tears. Jonathan struggled to even open his mouth, to form words, to do anything without choking.

"Christ, Jonathan. You're in so much fucking pain, just talk to me." Evan's eyes were just as glossy. "I know, okay? I know it's getting worse and you feel like it's smothering you. But I'm here and I know what it feels like. I don't want you to feel trapped or alone because you're not. I understand it, I understand you. I always needed someone to listen to me when I was on the verge of taking my own life and I never once got that. So I'm all ears and I'm not going to fucking lose you, you got that?"

Jonathan choked and his face was wet as the tears streamed heavily down his face, "Evan -"

"What do you need?"

Jonathan shook his head and gasped on a harsh breath, "I don't know. I can't feel anything."

Evan took a deep breath, collecting his emotions because he knew Jonathan needed him to stay together. It would only make it worse if Evan lost it, too. Which he was very close to doing. He'd never seen Jonathan cry before and he felt like there should be a new name created for the color that his eyes changed to. It was like bright grey crystal just beneath the water's surface.

"Come on."

Evan pulled him into a dark room and made him lay down on the hospital bed before he crawled in beside him and wrapped him up tightly in his arms. He rubbed his hand in circles over his back and listened to him cry, felt him shake with each sob that flowed through him. Sleep was hard for Jonathan to reach. Evan knew it would take a while because thoughts were running through his head ninety to nothing. But he got there eventually, an hour to be exact.

Jonathan's breath was hot, making Evan's neck feel sticky and wet, but he didn't dare move. Jonathan was broken and he had to keep him together. Something deep down inside of him knew that if Jonathan kept falling down further than he already was, he would turn into the same man he had met a year ago. He would be cold, empty, and lost. Just a beautiful emotionless shell of who he once was.

Evan wondered if his decision to run with him was his downfall, if it would've been different if he'd just joined the civilian life instead. He wondered if he should've let Jonathan hate him instead of persisting and making him unravel at the seams.

Was this his fault?

Maybe.

Evan fell asleep with heavy thoughts and images on his mind and he dreamed of the city; foggy and desolate. No one in sight as he walked down a long road where the glow of street lights didn't even help. It was endless as he ran towards cries for help, realizing it was Jonathan's screams the closer he got.

At the end he was met with a scene he had always feared; Jonathan lifeless on the ground, his gorgeous complexion losing color as his dead eyes stared him down from where he was sprawled on the pavement, a bullet in his head.

Evan cried, knees hitting the ground, scraping, drawing blood. Screams rang out around him and he didn't even try to run from them as they drew near. The footsteps were getting quicker, the sounds echoing less and less as they got closer. Right behind him. The hair on his neck stood at full attention and he felt the ragged breathing in his ear just before he woke with a jolt.

Jonathan was still in his arms, breathing deeply with mental exhaustion. Evan let his head fall back on the pillow as he calmed himself as best as he could for the time being.

Time ticked by and nothing felt real in that moment. Like maybe they could be home and open the windows in an apartment they shared, to see the Atlantic or the Pacific in the distance. It was a fantasy and he knew it wasn't tangible, it was a wish at best. Perhaps they'd get there one day. It was the only thing he had to hold onto, the only thing that made him want to move forward and do whatever they had to do to reach that point.

"Where do we go from here?" Jonathan whispered as he woke, his voice deep and drowsy.

Evan hummed thoughtfully, "Anywhere we have to. Don't think about what we can't do, think about what we can. Until David comes up with something we can go off of, we keep doing what we've always done. Keep moving forward even it means we don't move up. There are still people here that need us. We have to do what we can until they're out, until we're out. Because one day I want you to cook me the best Hispanic food you have to offer."

Jonathan slowly smiled against his chest, breaking into a warm chuckle that reassured Evan that he was still there, that he was going to be okay.

"I do make some pretty spectacular empanadas."

"It's a deal then. We get out, you make me empanadas and teach me how to dance."

Jonathan tucked himself against his neck and left a soft kiss on his skin, "It's a deal."

Evan wanted to tell him right then that he loved him but it never felt like the right time or place and maybe he was putting it off for his own pointless reasons. Reasons that made no sense because it didn't matter if Jonathan didn't say it back, it wouldn't make him love him any less or change the fact that he would die for him in a heartbeat. He just needed a little reassurance that Jonathan was still going to be there if he said it.

Evan was worried that he would run. Because when he thought about the very definition of Jonathan, it was that. A man that ran for and from everything. Even though he'd stopped running from Evan, who was to say he wouldn't start again.

That kept Evan's tongue tied.

And the longer he kept quiet about it, the worse he felt about it. He could lose him at any given point in time so he didn't know why he was hesitating. Probably because he'd never loved anyone and the one person he did, was too important to scare away. Evan didn't want to distract him in any way from the task at hand, didn't want to add to the ever growing list of responsibilities and worries that Jonathan had stacked on his shoulders.

Even didn't want his love to be a burden.

------

Brock was making his rounds, checking on a few patients who were coming down with small colds. They always took precautions and put them in their own rooms to keep infection or viruses from spreading if it turned out to be more serious than a simple cough.

He took the stairs up to the restricted floor and made his way down the hall that his best friend's reanimated body inhabited. It never got any easier to stand there outside the door and listen to the stuttering footsteps within as he stumbled mindlessly around the room.

The chains that held him there rattled and dragged against the tile floor and Brock thought that one day he'd stop torturing himself by opening the door and looking at him. But he thought wrong as he turned the knob once again and watched Brian chew at a dead rat Jonathan had caught on a run. It would last him a week or two.

He let the door fall shut with a resigned sigh escaping his lips, jumping when he spotted Jonathan standing right behind him.

"Christ!" Brock clutched at his chest and laughed with him. "You're a sneaky bastard."

"So I've been told." Jonathan grinned, arms crossed as he got serious once more. "How are things going in the lab? Any progress?"

Brock walked with him back down the pristine hall, "Yeah, we've made a lot of progress actually. We've only got about a month and half left but we're pretty much there. Just need to run a few more tests and we'll see how the cells react to the injection. If it works, then it works. If not . . . at this point I don't really care anymore. My best friend is already gone, so I don't have much left to lose."

Jonathan stopped and faced him just before they reached the stairwell, "If it doesn't work, we find a way out regardless. I won't let you guys die here."

"Listen, Jonathan. I'm not afraid to die, but I at least want to say I tried all I could given the circumstances before I go." Brock shifted his weight to his other foot, "They have a doctor don't they? The other group, I mean."

"They do. According to Arlan, he's pretty much a slave. It's clear he wasn't working fast enough because they wanted David. Why are you asking?" Jonathan kept his gaze steady.

"What if we took their doctor? That's one more person that can clearly work under pressure and who probably knows more about screamers than we do." Brock bit at his lip, waiting to be berated for the mere suggestion.

"That's . . . not a bad idea actually. They've been quiet all this time, I feel like they're waiting for us to figure out a solution first just so they can ambush us and take it for themselves. So if they haven't found an answer and have given up, they've probably left the doctor less guarded so they can focus more on us and our movements. This could work." Jonathan smiled and clapped him on the shoulder. "You've got a brilliant head sitting on your shoulders, Brock."

"Don't thank me yet. Not until everyone gets back safe." Brock looked down the empty hall, "I know you can't promise that nothing bad will happen, but I'd feel better about ever bringing this up if I knew you guys would make it back in one peice."

Jonathan opened the door to the stairs, "Don't worry. Leave that to me."

------

Jonathan hadn't had a plan in a long time. Day by day it was just whatever happened, happened and they moved on, recuperated if they had to. He used to be organized, always had a clear goal and a schedule in his head the moment he opened his eyes each day. But then there was Evan and his goals shifted, his schedule altered, his life changed. Jonathan didn't mind it. He actually enjoyed it. It made him feel more like himself before Rio even happened.

Each day was new back then. Nothing held him down and he did things at his own pace, taking it day by day, enjoying his life. After the bombs, the screams, the daily routine and strict minute by minute detailed runs, he had lost himself. But Evan tore down the walls he'd built and pulled him out of the rubble and made him realize who he was again.

So there Jonathan sat on the tower's rooftop, legs dangling as the sun made it's way closer to the horizon to illuminate the other side of the world. He no longer wanted to fall down toward the rooftops below, instead he wanted to be sprinting over their unstable structures, sliding down old battered tin, wanted to hear the stirring of dust as his feet pushed him faster.

And he owed it all to one man.

------

Another day, another night filled with the faint echo of distant screams. It was their normal and the sounds that once kept him up at night, now put him to sleep. It was late in the evening when Evan woke from an afternoon nap. Lucah had stirred yet, still asleep against his side. Jonathan was nowhere to be found which usually meant he was in the highest place possible.

That's exactly where Evan found him at six just as the sun disappeared, painting in the glow of his flashlight that was still precariously clipped to his black hat. Jonathan clicked the light off when he heard him come through the metal door, feet crunching on the gravel that littered the rooftop in certain places.

"Can't sleep?"

Jonathan shrugged in the dark as Evan took his place beside him, leaning over and looking down at the two defenders keeping watch on the fence far below. "Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Where we go from here."

Evan leaned into his warmth, pressing against his arm before he reached out and tangled their fingers.

"I doesn't matter, Jon. Just know I'll be right there beside you."

Jonathan grinned sadly in the night. That was exactly what he was afraid of. It was what he'd always be afraid of. So he made a desicion and just as it crossed his mind, Evan interrupted his thoughts.

"Do you think any of this would have been easier for you if I had just left you alone?" Evan squeezed his fingers a bit tighter, holding on to what he could like it was going to disappear at any moment, "Would it have been better for you to keep doing your own thing and just hate me instead?"

"No."

Evan huffed in mild disbelief because at this point he didn't feel like he deserved Jonathan anymore than any of them deserved to even be trapped there. "Why not?"

Jonathan felt the wind tug at his shirt as the words rolled off his tongue so naturally that he didn't bother stopping them, "Because I love you and you're not so easy to forget."

The air around them was howling now, a new storm was rolling in to kick off the new season and Jonathan felt himself falling back into a state of mind that made him feel like he really had a purpose. Evan's hand fell away from his, the air cooling the skin that was left warm from the touch. He was quiet and it was almost impossible to make out his expression in the dark.

Jonthan turned his way, "What?"

"You realize you just said that you love me, right?"

Jonathan grinned and made their fingers reconnect, "Yeah."

"Are you going to take it back or . . .?"

"I can't." Jonathan pulled him closer, "Because I mean it, Evan. I love you."

Evan dropped his head to Jonathan's shoulder, heart pounding in his ears as he slipped his hands along his waist. But he smiled when Jonathan stayed standing firm and strong, no hesitation in the way he pressed his lips to Evan's temple. He really meant it. It made Evan sigh, "Holy shit."

Jonathan hummed, barely audible against the wind, "Do you want me to take it back?"

Evan pulled his head back quickly, "No! Fuck no. It's just that I love you so fucking much and I've been trying not to blurt it out for months. I didn't think you'd want me to. I didn't know if you even felt the same."

Jonathan chuckled and gave Evan's face a light pat, teasing, "Seriously? I said I'd make you empanadas and teach you how to dance. If that's not the Hispanic version of 'I love you' then I don't know what is."

Evan bit back a laugh before he pressed their mouths together in a soft kiss that ended in a slow twirl of warm tongues, wandering hands, and a lack of air.

He couldn't believe he had been scared of this and Jonathan ended up being the one to say it first. The man always had more guts than he did. Evan hadn't expected it but he definitely wasn't complaining.

Was absolutely not complaining when Jonathan had him pinned up against the wall in the showers just like he'd held him against the wall of the safehouse, laying into him like he'd never get to again. 

Evan's shouts bounced off the cold tile walls before Jonathan slipped his long fingers around the persistent heat between his thighs that was trapped between them. 

Evan sighed with relief but the ache only continued to build, harder and hotter than before until his legs were shaking around Jonathan's waist and he was fighting for air. 

He was almost completely done the moment Jonathan fingers left his cock and gripped his damp unruly hair instead and said against his ear, "I love you." His voice dropped an entire octave, "So much."

Evan whined, fingers searching for anything to hold onto, finding nothing but Jonathan shower slick skin.

"Shhh." Jon hushed him then let his teeth clamp down on the sensitive skin right beneath his ear.

Evan hissed at the sting. "Not fair! Fuck, you know how I feel about biting!"

"I do." Jonathan retracted his teeth and slipped a hand between them again, meeting Evan's eyes as he pulled him to the edge. "Are you gonna be a good boy and come for me?"

"Oh, fuck yes - " Evan sucked in a much needed breath and was about to say something else but the words were stolen by his climax that hit him like a fist. 

His voice left him as he rode the waves, Jonathan sliding into him like a hot knife through butter. He felt every muscle he had losing its purpose. 

Evan sagged, barely held up by Jonathan's arms beneath his knees and the divider behind him that he clung to for dear life as Jonathan kept hitting his prostate, drawing out the pleasure for him until it was borderline painful.

"I can't -" Evan whined.

"I think you can." Jonathan nudged his face with his nose. "Try for me, sweetheart."

Jonathan didn't stop and only fifteen seconds later Evan was screaming again, arching so far back he looked possessed as he came for the second time.

Evan clenched hard around his cock and Jonathan buried himself inside of him one last time and came with Evan's name on his lips. He moaned and gasped against his hot skin, feeling Evan's fingers reaching up and carding through his wet hair.

This time, Jonathan let him go and they both slid down to the floor with their fingertips tingling from the aftermath.

They caught each other's eyes and broke into a laugh. Jonathan hauled Evan into his lap and pulled him in for a wet and exhausted lazy kiss.

They made out like teenagers for five whole minutes until Evan had the tiniest amount of his strength back, just enough to stand with and shower properly.

Jonathan had to wash his hair for him but he didn't mind. It was adorable to see him so completely wasted. He loved the flush that peppered his tan skin, loved to see the subtle grin stuck to his face as he hauled him to their bunk.

Evan sprawled on the bed, taking up every inch of space he could. Jonathan crouched down by the mattress and brushed the damp hair off his sleepy face. He smiled at him fondly when Evan pried his eyes open, "Stay here, I'll go get something to eat. Okay?"

"Hn." Evan mumbled in response. But before Jonathan left the room he called out, "Hey!"

Jonathan turned his head and tried not to cringe at the horrible accent that Evan used when he said, "Te amo."

"Yeahhh, you need to keep working on that while I'm gone." Jonathan smirked, "But, I love you, too."

Evan fell asleep within seconds not even wondering about what Jonathan had said. Not until he woke up to no Jonathan and no food. For a moment he thought he'd only been asleep for a few minutes and that he was just jumping to conclusions but he checked his watch to find he'd slept for six hours and it was midnight and there was no evidence of there ever being a warm body beside him.

"Keep working on that while I'm gone."

Evan slung his sore legs over the edge of the bed that still held a slight tremble when he tried to stand. "That son of a bitch!"

It was almost enough to make him laugh because it was probably the best plan Jonathan had ever come up with. He fucked him until he couldn't move and used that advantage to sneak off into the night knowing Evan couldn't follow without his knees buckling every two seconds.

Evan stumbled down the hall to the elevator because he couldn't be bothered to take two flights of stairs down. He shuffled out into the lobby where a good portion of the crew were still wide awake like they'd been waiting on him.

Evan narrowed his eyes at them and flopped his arms in the air, "Did that asshole at least say where he was going?"

Marcel shrugged, "Maybe. Maybe not."

"What did he do to you?" Scotty propped his legs up on the table by Marcel's blades, "You look like you got trampled by a herd of elephants."

Evan huffed, "He fucked me until he was sure I wouldn't be able to move just so he could run off into the night! He is unbelievable!"

Murphy raised a brow, "Unbelievable as in it was that good? Please don't spare us the details. Details are important."

"Or unbelievable as in you can't believe he had the audacity to take off like that after he screwed you into oblivion?" Langley twisted the knife in her hands, shoulder to shoulder with her best friend, failing to hide her smirk.

Evan put his hands on his hips and let his head fall back with an irritated groan, "Both."

"Damn." Scotty commented, shrugging at the look the girls gave him. It was the first time he'd been on their side about anything. "What? I mean, that's a pretty impressive plan."

Evan sighed and ran his hands through his hair before he took a seat and slouched in it pitifully. Lucah made her way over and placed her head in his lap to lick at his fingers like she was attempting to make him feel better, "Yeah, it was impressive from start to finish and no I'm not giving you any details because I feel like I was blacked out for the majority of it. He's . . . a god."

"It's unfair how hot you two are." Murphy grumbled before she sat on the floor between Langley's legs and demanded she play with her hair.

"Did he say anything to you guys or not?" Evan looked around at them avoiding his gaze, "No wait, let me guess. He told you, but made you swear not to tell me."

"Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!" Murphy smiled at him sweetly, "He'll be fine. He took Arlan with him, so he's not out there by himself. They said they wouldn't be too long. Or at least they hoped not."

"Thanks, Murph. That literally doesn't help me at all. But you're still my favorite, don't worry. Ow!" Evan yelped when Lucah nipped his hand, "I was just kidding, you brat! You will always be my baby girl."

He kissed her head and took her outside to do her business and stretch her legs for a bit while he stood at the gate and stared out into the night once again not knowing where the hell Jonathan was.

------

"How much farther?" Jonathan asked quietly so his voice wouldn't carry in the sewer tunnels.

Arlan pointed his flashlight upwards and spotted the manhole cover he had marked months ago with yellow spray paint. "We're here. Give me a boost."

Jonathan cupped his hands and hoisted Arlan up after he stepped onto his hands. He pried the metal lid open and glanced around the eerie street above, before he motioned Jonathan with his hand that it was all clear. Arlan crawled up and out onto the road, reaching back to help Jonathan up.

"This way." Arlan darted into an alleyway just as a third set of footsteps came around another corner. Jonathan pressed himself against the wall until they passed by unaware.

"They're still patrolling around the building, but it's not as many. It used to be five men, now it's only two. I think you were right." Arlan cut him a grin, "They gave up and focused on us instead. How do you want to do this? Take them out first or just sneak by?"

"I'd rather not kill anyone else unless I have to. We take the doctor as quietly as we can. Do these guys have a certain route they walk?" Jonathan peered around the corner to find the second guy coming down the road. "There's the other one."

"They just circle the building for a while and then switch out with someone every so often. Either way, it takes about three minutes for them to make a full circle." Arlan crept forward just as the rain started to fall like a mist around them. "After this one passes, stay close, we'll move fast."

Jonathan nodded and followed him closely, pulling his mask up over his face to keep the rain away. They turned the corner which cut their time in half to get where they needed to go. Arlan led them toward a truck, hopping the tailgate and reaching for the ladder above him that lead to the fire escape on the side of the building.

Jonathan lifted Arlan up until his fingers caught the edge of the rusty ladder and it came down louder than it should have. "Hurry up, we probably just shaved more time off. I'd say we have thirty seconds to get up to that window."

Arlan moved up the ladder with ease, Jonathan moving fluidly behind him, never once missing a beat. They sprinted up the steps until they met at the locked window with no time left. Jonathan whispered quickly,  "Don't move."

Arlan froze, eyes glancing down at the two men as they rounded the corner, rifles in hand. But they hadn't spotted them yet and if they were lucky they would just head home for the night, but of course that wasn't the case. Instead of rounding the corner, they opened the door to the building and entered.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Arlan whispered angrily.

"Listen." Jonathan pressed an ear to the glass of the window and he heard arguing below. "They're taking him somewhere. We have to get down there, now."

Jonathan clambered down the steps, feet hitting hard on the truck before he ran towards the door just as it opened again.. He put all of his weight into it as he slammed into the door, knocking one of the men completely unconscious when his head hit the doorframe. The other one was still in shock so Arlan took the opportunity to hit him with the clip of his own gun, sending him stumbling backwards and into a pole.

The doctor stood from where he'd immediately crouch when Jonathan had slammed into the door. He looked only slightly off put but he'd probably dealt with much worse. Arlan smiled up at him when the doctor realized who he was, "Hey, doc. Told you I'd bust you out one day, didn't I?"

"And I've been waiting patiently for a very, very long time." The man looked over at the mask covering Jonathan's face, "Wow, so this is the guy that got the boss's panties in a twist. I've heard stories about you."

Jonathan gave him a quick nod and pulled him by the arm, leading him away back the way they'd came, "I'm sure the stories were fascinating, but we have to get moving."

"I'm Dr. Robison, but just call me Sark. It's an old nickname that's stuck with me since high school."

Jonathan shook his hand properly, then rounded the corner and headed for the sewer, "It's a pleasure to meet you. How do you feel about working for us instead? We have three other doctors that are close to a cure, but I think an outside opinion would really help push us forward."

Sark almost laughed out loud but remembered at the last second to keep his voice down, "Do you know how much military grade dehydrated food packages I've gone through and how many days I've been stuck in that God forsaken building?"

Jonathan shrugged, "The whole time?"

Sark smirked, "Just about. It's a scientific wonder that I haven't gone batshit insane. So, to answer your question, I would love to help you in any way I can. Shall we?"

Arlan pried the manhole cover off and made the doctor go first and he was halfway down himself when he looked back to find Jonathan staring down a tall menacing figure just in the distance.

"Jonathan, that's Tyler-"

"Go, Arlan. Before they run ahead and cut you two off. Get him back to the tower as fast as you can." Jonathan ordered, "Don't worry about me. I'm going to try talking to him and if it doesn't work then I'll figure something out."

Arlan hesitated because he knew if he showed up with the doctor but without Jonathan, Evan wasn't going to like it and once he got worked up there was no stopping him. But he had no choice but to leave without him.

------

The rain had come to a halt, leaving the ground shimmering with a layer of water. It made the smells of the city burst to life and all that filled his nose was the fresh rainwater and warm pavement. His hands were cold and clammy, sweat was beading on his neck as he stepped toward the man ahead of him who waited until Jonathan was three steps in before he started to move forward.

They were only ten steps apart when they both came to a cautious halt. Jonathan's fingers twitched by his side before he swallowed and pulled his mask down around his neck, breathing in a lung full of crisp air.

"Do you know who I am?"

"You're a man who doesn't want to be a leader and yet you lead." Tyler responded, his voice clipped and harsh. But it was him, Jonathan could hear it so clearly now that he was so eager to hear it. His nerves twisted as Tyler stepped a little closer and pulled his hood down, revealing a half scarred face and a subtle limp. Jonathan assumed it was from when Evan had shot him in the leg. "What's the matter? You really thought you could take my doctor and get away with it?"

"Yeah, I honestly did. You never know until you try." Jonathan kept it together even though everything inside of him screamed at him to run and pull him into a hug, but he knew he'd probably die if he did. "I've got another question for you."

"Get on with it before you watch your friends burn."

"You won't kill them. Not yet. So stop bluffing."

"Oh, I won't?" Tyler laughed low and it was sinister, his tone sarcastic. It made Jonathan sick to his stomach.

"No, you won't. Because we don't have what you want just yet. But we're close and you know that, you've been watching us."

Tyler was getting frustrated but he didn't show it. He shoved his hands in his pockets like he was bored out of his mind. Jonathan knew better, he used to know Tyler like the back of his hand and he knew the signs. They were still the same. "Get on with your question so we can get this over with. I'm way overdue to kill someone for the hell of it and the probability of it being you is getting higher by the second."

Jonathan clenched his fists and asked, "Do you know who you are?"

Tyler went still and if Jonathan didn't know him before he would've been terrified. Tyler didn't say a word. He didn't have an answer but just like that, like the flick of a switch, his posture changed, his expression softened and he looked almost curious. It was exactly like Arlan described it. His personalities had changed like night and day.

So, Jonathan took another step forward, "Because I do. I know who you are."

Tyler sounded fragile all of a sudden, "Who am I?"

It broke Jonathan's heart. He reached a hand out, observing Tyler's eyes as they flicked from his hand back to his face, repeatedly. Tentatively, he reached a long arm out toward Jonathan's outstretched fingers and he asked again, "Who am I?"

Jonathan grazed his fingertips and his mouth was too dry, but he forced it out, "You're Tyler."

Tyler blinked and that was all it took to flip the switch back to where it had been. His eyes darkened in a split second and Jonathan felt his heavy hand wrapping around his neck, unwavering before he could even react.

"Tyl-" Jonathan's voice was but a breath in the wind as the life was slowly squeezed out of him. Spots were dotting his vision and he really wasn't objecting to dying by his best friend's hand because deep down he still felt like he deserved to die. He could feel the blood pulsing furiously behind his eyes, his sight was already fading from the lack of oxygen and he was desperate for it to just end already when suddenly Tyler let him go.

Jonathan gasped around the sweetest breath he'd ever taken as his knees hit the ground. But just as quickly he felt himself being pulled to his feet in a hurry. He looked back to see that Tyler was on the ground, his movements unsteady as he attempted to push himself to his feet. Jonathan had to blink for a solid thirty seconds until he could see straight as he was forced to move faster and farther away by hands.

Hands that were worried and insistent and strong. Hands he knew.

"Evan, wait-"

But Evan didn't wait, just climbed his way to the rooftops and kept moving forward. He turned back only to say, "I hope it was worth it. It's a long walk back, so you've got plenty of time to figure out how to apologize to me."

Jonathan sighed, his head was pounding and he desperately needed water, "You already know I'm sorry."

Evan spun around again and stormed his way, "You don't tell someone you love them and then leave with no explanation, Jon! Okay? I love you! That means I fucking worry about you every minute of every day! We are supposed to be a team that communicates like two normal human beings! I mean, did you ever stop to think about what would happen to me if something happened to you?!"

"Yes! I did and that's why I left without you! If I could get their doctor to help us finish this then it was more than worth it! It didn't matter if something happened to me, all I care about is you getting out alive and you wouldn't be able to do that if something had happened to you if you came with me!" Jonathan was about to puke, his headache was screaming at this point.

"Oh my God, that is bullshit. Listen to me," Evan took a deep breath, "we do this together or not at all. If I get out alive, so do you. If you die, I die. End of story. I'm not going to argue with you about who's protecting who. We protect each other and we don't do anything alone. You got that?"

Jonathan closed his eyes just so he could focus on breathing for a few seconds before he collected himself, "Alright. You're right, I should've thought about how you'd feel and I'm sorry. I really am. I just don't want to see you get hurt anymore."

Evan smirked, "I thought you said my scars were sexy."

Jonathan rolled his eyes and instantly regretted it, "They are. But you don't need any new ones. I can't make you empanadas if you're dead."

The rain was threatening to fall again but they didn't move, they just looked at one another under the foggy moonlight that barely gave them enough to see what was ahead. Evan knew that Jonathan wouldn't leave him again just by the way he let a crooked smile cross his face.

"I love you . . ." Jonathan shook his head, "And I don't know if it's the best or worst thing that's ever happened to me."

Evan threw his head back and laughed, "Um, definitely the best. You'd still have a stick up your ass if it weren't for me, Mr. Lonesome and Independent."

"Shut the fuck up."

"I love you, too, Angel Boy." Evan smiled over at him before he tugged him along to the next rooftop that awaited. "So, how did it go with Tyler? Other than the strangling thing that I conveniently interrupted."

"Yeah, thanks for that." Jonathan rubbed at the bruise he could already feel forming on his throat. "It went as good as you'd expect. But for just a split second . . . I think he remembered."

Evan grabbed his fingers in his and grinned over at him, "Well, that's something. Not a lot, but it's something. Now, let's get back. The new doctor seems like he has a lot to offer."

Jonathan nodded and picked his pace up to a jog, letting Evan's hand fall from his, "I hope this is the solution we've all been waiting for."

"Maybe." Evan readjusted the hat on his head as they ran further into the night, "All we can do is take it one day at a time. But I feel like it's almost over."

Jonathan prayed to the god he didn't believe in, prayed to the stars, to anything that would listen. He prayed that Evan was right.

He prayed that this was almost over.