WHEN LEVI WOKE UP, he was surrounded by white walls and the strong scent of disinfectant. He moved to push himself up in the bed he was lying in, only to wince at the pang of pain shooting through his head. He looked down at the clean blankets around him, only to notice his friends sleeping on either side. What the fuck was he doing here? This was clearly a hospital, but how had he gotten here? The last thing he remembered he was bringing Eleanora home and then -

"We'll be taking your precious girlfriend along for a ride," echoed through his head then," don't forget to tell Vince we want our money back."

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck — The panic coursed through him like fire in his veins as he got out of bed, waking Alex and Will at once. He didn't have time to focus on them though, moving quickly as he tried to find his shoes and leave. Eleanora. He needed to find Eleanora. What if they had hurt her? There was no way he'd ever be able to forgive himself.

"Levi, what are you doing?" Alex asked, blinking the fatigue in front of his eyes away," stop moving so much, you're going to open your wound."

"What is going on, Levi?" Will said, getting up from his chair," who ambushed you? Sebastian found you outside, where is El?"

"I need to go," Levi said, his head pounding as he put his shoes on," I need to find her."

"Levi?" Alex asked, alarmed now," calm down for a moment, tell us what happened."

"Eleanora, she -" Levi began, but it was difficult to form the words when all that burned on his tongue was guilt.

"What about my sister?"

Sebastian was standing in the doorway, a platter of food in his hands, hair messy. Obviously Alex and Will weren't the only ones who had slept here, but at the mention of Eleanora Sebastian's smile had immediately fallen, a frown creasing his forehead. Despite all of it the only thing Levi could think of was them taking Eleanora away, the scene replaying in his head like his own personal hell.

"They took her," he breathed out," they smashed a brick against my head and told me my father owed them money."

"Are you for real?" Alex blinked.

"O my God," Will whispered.

"What the fuck, man?" Sebastian yelled, the platter falling on the floor as he grabbed Levi's collar," you lost my little sister?"

"Sebastian," Will intervened, trying to keep the two apart," please calm down."

"I understand your anger," Alex said," but shit, what did you expect him to do once someone hit him in the head with a brick? I doubt he was lying in a pool of his own blood for no reason."

Sebastian parted his lips, different emotions whirling in his eyes, like he couldn't speak without hurting himself, like the air in his lungs was the price he had to pay for failing his own expectations. He let Levi go, slowly, his shoulders hanging as he took a step back. There was no need for him to apologize, Levi understood. If anyone told him they had lost Eleanora all his rationality would be gone too, but him focusing on that didn't help her at all. Now was the time to think about how he could find her.

Oh, he was going to kill those guys.

"Was there anything on me?" he said, glancing at Sebastian," when you found me?"

"Yeah," Sebastian said, fishing something out of his pocket," this random Post-It note with a number on it. How'd you know?"

"They want their money back," Levi said, taking the note," for that they'd need to give me a way to contact them."

He searched for his phone in his pockets, before finding it on the bedside table. No one interrupted him when he started calling, the phone ringing in tune with his heartbeat. Someone picked up, the silence pressing for a moment before Levi heard a soft chuckle.

"You called later than I thought," the man on the phone said," here I was thinking you didn't care about that girl after all."

"Cut to the chase," Levi said curtly," where is she?"

"Safe," the man replied," for now at least. Her remaining safe all depends on how you act now. You were so arrogant before, I can't wait to press your face in the dirt with my shoe when I see you."

"Who are you?" Levi said, voice sharp.

"I told you your father owed me money," the man said," and you said to add your disrespect to his debt. I have, so it's time to pay up now."

Sebastian's patience was gone then as he took the phone, shouting at it. "Fuck that, scumbag, how much do you need? What will it take to get my sister back?"

"It would've been five million," the man said amusedly," but now I've been insulted I'll up it to six. Besides, I can't forget the cost of my wedding ring, the one you so graciously threw in the water. Seven will do."

"O my God," Alex whispered," I have like fifty cents."

"I don't have a million either," Will frowned worriedly.

"Not to be cliché," the man continued," but you all do know what will happen if you call the cops, right? I'm not sure your girlfriend will like a scar on her face."

"You obviously don't know her at all," Levi scoffed," Eleanora would find nothing cooler."

"She'd rock that," Alex nodded.

"Still," Levi continued," don't you dare touch a hair on her head. I'll comply with everything you ask, I promise, but don't hurt her." He swallowed. "Please."

"That's what I like to hear," the man laughed," obedience suites you. Anyway, get the money ready, we'll meet at the address I'm going to text you in five hours. Don't be late."

With that he ended the call, leaving the boys standing there in silence. All of them locked gazes at once, thoughts in sync even without speaking a word.

"So, I'm going to call the cops," Alex said.

"Yeah, I'll call my dad," Will said.

"Time to incur my mother's wrath," Sebastian smiled wryly.

"I'll get weapons," Levi nodded.

Alex placed his hand in the middle, solemnly looking around at them. "I know a lot of people wouldn't have told anyone or tried to solve things themselves, but I am glad we have collectively decided that we do not have any honor."

"That's right," Sebastian said, placing his hand on top of Alex'," why would I care about the means if I get to the end?"

"I hope everything will be alright," Will said softly, placing his hand on top of theirs.

Levi finally complied as well, sighing as Alex continued to chant.

"Snitches don't get stitches," his friend said," on the count of three!"

They all repeated it, then scattering to do their respective tasks. That was until two nurses pulled Levi back in the room, the others leaving him behind as he had to officially be discharged. An hour later he was on the streets, with instructions not to overexert himself and a bandage on his head. He was obviously not going to listen to those instructions, but he did take the painkillers as he grabbed brass knuckles, a couple of bats and a brick. Okay, maybe bringing a brick along was petty, but he was not about to be whacked in the head and not return the favor. That shit hurt.

A couple of hours later they met up again, Sebastian pale as he waved at them.

"My mother is coming," he said," and she's absolutely furious. I hope they said their prayers, because she's about to kill them all."

"The cops are going to the address at the time we were told to meet up," Alex said," Will's father is joining as well. Anyway, more importantly, I forged a cheque, do you think this will fool them?"

"I don't think the criminals who kidnapped someone to get their money are going to look at your Monopoly cheque and think that it's real."

"Why, Levi? Do you have experience with scamming criminals? Didn't think so either."

"And you do?"

"Is that a fucking taser, Sebastian?"

"Don't ask questions," Sebastian said, threateningly zapping the taser on and off," it's time to kill some people before the cops come. Bzzt bzzt, motherfuckers."

Will grabbed the bat Levi handed him, Alex putting on the brass knuckles as they hailed a cab, the driver looking at them worriedly before deciding to ask no questions. Levi wrapped his knuckles as they drove to their destination, murder on his mind. He wasn't going to leave any of them standing. Fuck Vince for screwing him over again even when he wasn't a part of his life anymore. Levi knew better than to call him and ask for help, because the man did not have a paternal bone in his body. He had never asked him to be a father figure though, all he had wished was for that man to leave him alone and yet he still wouldn't do that.

His mother was doing better now, she was almost finished with rehab and she actually looked like she would stick with it this time. Her eyes had been so clear when he had visited last he almost hadn't recognized her, her face not hollowed out anymore and her needle scars healing. There was no way he was going to put that monster back in her life as well, not when she finally had a chance to start over. As far as he was concerned, he didn't have a father.

"We're here, Levi," Will said," we may not be brothers by blood, but that doesn't mean you're not family."

Alex and Sebastian nodded, Levi lowering his gaze. Sometimes it still felt like he didn't deserve this warmth, but he didn't allow himself to succumb back into that mentality his youth had taught him again. Now it was the time to hold onto that in whatever way he could. Her face popped up in his mind there, bright like the stars even in his thoughts. Eleanora made everything lighter for him: his frown, his worries, the world. He had meant it when he had said he loved her.

They stepped out of the car, all of them side by side as they looked at the house in front of them.

Time to get her back.