Jack started skating at Mark's side whenever they both began their laps, before quickly gaining more speed that allowed him to easily lap Mark since Mark was moving slower than usual, his expression preoccupied. Jack's recently dyed neon green hair flew back behind him and he could hear the wind whistling in his ears. For a brief moment, he closed his eyes and pretended that he was flying, even though he was afraid of heights. He allowed his arm to extended in front of him and for a moment he felt like a superhero.

Until he heard something hit the glass.

Startled, his eyes flew open as he managed to skid to a halt, scanning around him. He could hear Anti laughing at him at a distance, but he tried his best to ignore him. It took Jack a moment to see Mark lying on the ground surrounded by a halo of blood pooling around his head and shards of glass.

Jack felt his blood turn cold, fear gripping his heart tightly as he knelt down by Mark and watched his chest to see if he was breathing. Mark's chest rose and fell, but the breaths were shallow. Mark's face had already started to lose color due to blood loss, red staining the ice around him.

Jack searched his hoodie pocket for his phone, only to find the phone lying on the ice completely shattered. He hadn't even realized that it had fallen out of his pocket.

Jack muttered curse words under his breath as he quickly skated to Mark's bag and dug through it in hopes to find Mark's phone so he could call for help.

Except he didn't know the number to call for help. It was a different number in Finland than Ireland.

"What happened?"

Jack turned around to see Dark kneeling by Mark, pressing two fingers to his neck.

"I-I-I...." Jack couldn't seem to get a single word out, his entire body shaking as panic began to take hold, the situation sinking in. His friend was hurt and it was his fault.

"Anti talk to Jack, I know you're the doctor, but he'd be more comfortable with you." Dark commanded, not glancing away from Mark as he pulled a piece of white cloth out of his duffel full of equipment and tried to staunch the flow of blood pouring from Mark's head the best he could. Almost instantly the fabric was stained crimson.

Anti nodded and ran over to Jack just in time to catch him before he fell to the ground, tears streaming down his face as he clutched the sleeves of his hoodie as if they were life preservers. Jack wanted to tell Dark that he would feel more comfortable just being left alone and calling Signe, but he couldn't seem to say the word as Anti sat by him on the bench after moving his duffel of equipment onto the floor. Jack's knees had curled into his chest, his chin resting in between them.

"He's going to be fine, I can take care of him to the best of my abilities until it's safe enough to move him." Anti assured Jack, offering him a sympathetic smile in hopes to calm Jack down slightly.

"W-Why are you d-doing this?" Jack stuttered, his heart pounding in his chest like the drums he used to play years ago.

"Because what you said earlier was true, I am no better than everyone that bullied me last year because of my eyes. I thought if I did the same to you, it would make me feel better, and for a while I did...but now I feel worse if anything. I-I never realized that I could cause so much hurt by just saying words." Anti admitted.

"Words are the most powerful weapon anyone has." Jack felt his grip on his sweatshirt sleeves ease, his heart beat slowing down to a normal pace.

"You probably know that better than anyone." Anti comfortingly patted Jack on the shoulder before standing up, helping Jack up as well.

"I called the ambulance, they'll be here in about twenty minutes." Dark had Mark in his arms bridal style, Mark's still bleeding head resting against Dark's chest.

"See, I told you that knowing a bit of first aid would be helpful." Anti smiled.

"So you're a doctor?" Jack asked Anti, mainly to think about anything else but the fact that his friend was hurt.

"I had started training in Ireland, but then after last year, I moved to Germany with Dark and finished my training there." Anti explained.

"We met at competition, and after it was over he asked if I would move to Germany with him and I said yes. I don't deal with failure well, and I didn't think I could make myself go back to the country I failed." Dark's voice faltered slightly.

"He had been skating as part of America's team for five years, and I had skated as part of Ireland's team for a little over four years." Anti continued.

"I had just learned how to skate a couple weeks ago, and yet here I am."
Jack sighed, gesturing around him.

"I just...I still don't understand why I was picked out of all people. I'm a freaking YouTuber that plays video games for a living, not a professional ice skater!" Jack continued as he ran a hand through his hair in exasperation.

"Smith and Murphy had talked to us and asked if we wanted to come back. They were expecting us to say yes, but we didn't, leaving them little time to find substitutes. So, I guess they chose the first people that agreed to skate in competition even with so little time to prep." Dark guessed.

"Do either of you have a phone I can borrow? I need to call-"

"Mark!"

Amy ran towards him, tears gathering in her eyes as she grabbed his hand. Mark stirred, but didn't wake up as he groaned softly in pain.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?!" Signe yelled at Jack as she ran up to him and hugged him.

"It broke." Jack gestured over to the shattered phone still lying on the rink.

"Don't scare us like that bro!" Felix not too lightly punched Jack in the arm while Marzia and Signe attempted to console Amy. 

In the distance, Jack could hear ambulance sirens growing closer much to his relief. Mark would be fine, he always was.

As the paramedics carefully laid Mark down on a stretcher and whisked him away, Dark offered to drive everyone to the hospital since his car was large enough to fit the seven of them.

"Just stay alive, that would be enough." Jack whispered to Mark as he watched the ambulance drive away, soon only barely visible as a white dot in the distance.