Zach was dying, and Ryan could do nothing about it.

Ryan was a nervous wreck, sitting in a hospital waiting room, to either side of him sat Blake and Brandon. He couldn't manage to push any more tears out of his eyes, but if he were to open his mouth to speak, he'd most likely end up vomiting in the middle or the room. His stomach clawed at itself. He felt himself bring his feet up onto the small chair, putting his knees against his chest, and resting his head in between them. It was a painful sight. Ryan was stuck in a public space, breaking down as quietly as he could.

He half expected Zach to be the one to pull him out of his slump, like he always did.

But again, Zach was shot, and was clinging to life by a wire.

And, again, Ryan could do absolutely nothing to stop the nearly inevitable chain of events.

He was too distraught to even move when the doctor came out to give him information. Blake had gone up to speak with her instead, and Ryan stayed there for a good forty minutes, pondering the odd enigma this is Zach LeMense, and how their friendship came to be.

—

It was so freaking hot that Ryan wanted to plop down in the sidewalk and surrender to the fiery sun. He was in a black tank top, khaki shorts, and dark brown flip flops upon arriving to the dorms. He had stayed in that outfit as he brought everything in, including the poor boys heavy, heavy textbooks. He had them stacked in his arms so high that he could barely see in front of him as he trotted into the building. His muscles screamed at him to put them down, but Ryan couldn't put them down. He was almost there. He sprinted up the stairs, his fingers aching, his knuckles white.

But, Alas, on the last step, he dropped one, and heard a yelp come from the boy next to him.

Ryan set the books down, nearly crushing his fingers. "Oh, my God are you okay?" He questioned, quickly pulling the book from the other boy's grip. "These suckers are such a pain." He shook his hands out, looking at the person standing in front of him. "I'm Ryan."

The boy smiled, chuckling a little bit as he held out his hand to shake. "Zach. Do you need some help?" Zach picked up a portion of the books, letting Ryan lead the way to the door.

Ryan laughed a little when he entered the room, setting the books on a drab desk in the corner.

"Hey, cool! I'm just two doors down." Zach chuckled, setting his stack of books next to Ryan's. He smiled at him. "Maybe we could hang out, you know, once we all get settled 'n stuff."

"Yeah, Zach. that'd be fun." Ryan grinned. "Thanks for the help. Sorry for dropping a textbook on your foot."

Zach grinned. "Don't sweat it."

—

Ryan remembered the week after that. He adjusted to college life, making friends with all of Zach's friends. Zach made friends with all of his.

Ryan enjoyed having friends.

They were there for him when times get tough. They were there for him when his life got muddy. They were there for him when Sean was killed. They were there for him when he nearly starved himself to death.

They were there for him when his entire life got flipped upside down when he had to watch his best friend get shot in front of him.

Zach.

Zach was there for him the most.

He never felt like he could share such a profound bond with anyone. Zach was like his brother. They had their disagreements, but they were practically inseparable.

They are inseparable.

They won't be separated. Not if Ryan could help it.

He lifted his head at the sound of Brandon's voice, his face read and streaked with drying tears. The sudden movement hurt his neck, and Brandon noticed. He sat down next to Ryan. "They said he'll pull through." That was all he could say before he let a tear form and fall down his cheek. "You saved him, Ryan. They said if you hadn't stopped the blood like you did, Zach would have died." He paused, smiling a little bit. "You're a hero." Brandon pulled him into a large hug, letting tears seep into his shirt. "Ry, he's okay."

"They know I'm onto them." Ryan let his words come to a halt as soon as he said that. Brandon didn't know.

"Onto who?"

Ryan bit his lip, shaking his head. "Every murder, there has been a pair of letters carved somewhere on each body. They're the initials. As soon as I figured it out, Blake's brother was killed, and then I started getting quicker at recognition, and... and..." he shook his head, bringing his knees to his chest again. "They went after Zach." Ryan hissed. "It's all my fault. I never should have bothered with it. It's just... people are dying, and my roommate was first, and I just got too involved and—"

"Ryan!" Brandon shook him. "It isn't your fault."

"LG."

"Hmm?"

"LG were the initials on Veronica's arm." Ryan sighed. "Who could it be?"

Brandon thought for a moment, before sighing. "I don't know."

Ryan pondered, sighing loudly as he did so. LG. There was only one person he knew with a last name beginning in G. That's his friend Claire Greene.

Claire had a brother.

He was a sophomore.

His name was Lucas.

"I've got to call Claire." He pulled his phone out, fingers shaking. He selected the phone symbol right next to Claire's number and waited. It rang twice.

"Hello?"

"Claire, you need to find Lucas, now."

There was silence on the other line, and then a gunshot, and then an entirely different voice altogether. "Lucas is gone, Songboy, and Claire is a little tied up right now."

Ryan drew in a sharp breath. "What did you do?"

"Listen to me very closely." It was a feminine voice, masked by some sort of voice changer. "Step down, or next time I'll make sure my girls hit your pretty little best friend right between the eyes. It'd be a shame if he wound up right where he is, now, again, hm?"

"Who are you. The next set of initials is CB. If you go after it, I'll make sure every one of your pathetic little friends dies, until you're the only one left, and then, I'll slit those pretty little vocal chords." She chuckled to herself. "Ryan, If you know what's good for you, you'd leave it."

Ryan gulped. "Well, I can't just let you kill them."

"Suit yourself." She paused. "Christina!"

And then Ryan heard Christina Burnett's voice on the phone. "I'm so sorry, Ry. She made me do it. She said she'd kill my fa—" Another gunshot

"I guess I'm a little trigger friendly." The voice said. "This is your last chance. Give up, or I screw you over."

"You won't get the chance."

"Bet on it."

The line went dead, and Ryan was left with a blank expression. She killed Christina. She almost killed Zach.

She threatened him.

"Ryan, Zach's awake." Brandon smiled. "We can go see him."

Ryan nodded, holding his breath.

He was so damn screwed.