Kristoffer seems to be in a normal mood, showing the gaggle of people around him around the large office building. Ashton trails behind. Him and Kristoffer hadn't properly talked since their run-in with Niall, silence mugging the apartment as Ashton slept on the sofa every night. Kristoffer preferred his peace and quiet, but the bed felt cold and empty without him. As Kristoffer is talking, a rumbling sound shakes the floor. It comes from outside, a pinky-purple flash of flame from the empty parking lot. As a wave of shocked gasps ripple through the crowd, heavy breathing and fast footsteps approach them. It's Eddie, their tie askew and half of their collar poking up. tears are streaming from their eyes.

'Kristoffer, they're outside!' Eddie's tone is horribly desperate, the gravelly rasping undertone cracking under the pressure of their stress.

'Who?' Kristoffer asks.

'T-the AMI!'

A panicked rush of speech echoes over the group, causing a nervous flurry. Cheri shoves her way to the front next to Kristoffer to speak to Eddie directly.

'Can we help you out in any ways?'

'Yes. Help me fight this cause.'

Kristoffer looks back over his shoulder. He can see everyone except for Ashton. He decides he has bigger things to worry about. Him and Eddie begin to hustle everyone back outside. They flurry down, instructing people to go downstairs. Alexis reaches Kristoffer.

'Is this another one of these fights?' She rolls her eyes, eyebrows drawn together. 

'Yes.'

'Wait, where's Ashton?'

'Don't know. He'll be fine.'

*

Juno stares down the corridor, eyes intent on Ashton through the eyeholes of his porcelain mask. He grins, knowing Ashton can't see him at all. He pulls his gun carefully from his pocket, aiming just right; perfectly at his head. He fires, but at the last second he dodges out of the way by complete accident and luck, turning the corner into the large fifth floor room that the Halloween meeting had taken place. Juno curses under his breath, wiping a sweaty hand on his well-fitting suit and following after him.

Ashton is captivated by the room, eyes searching every inch, every corner. Juno looks around the corner, a grin under his mask. He points the gun at a perfect angle, and waits just until he turns around...

Ashton sees Juno.

Unfortunately for him, Juno saw him before. The sound of a gunshot cracks through the room 

*

Kristoffer isn't exactly sure what side he's fighting for, but he sure is fighting. He sends out dragons to rip off heads, and his pocket-knife to slit throats. There's plenty of blood soaking his clothes. Jamie and Cheri reach his side, eyes wild with terror. 

'Shut up...' Jamie hisses under his breath.

'We didn't say anything,' Cheri raises an eyebrow at him, 'Are you okay?'

'Fine... Yeah.'

Cheri looks to her right as she hears two sudden screams from the distance.

'Hey! Get off of me!'

'Oi, what's gotten into you, you dick?'

In front of the trio are two women with long blonde hair and porcelain comedy masks. Cheri takes in a gasp as she sees who the women are holding. The woman on the left has Alexis by her collar, the woman on the right is holding Hana by the throat. They both hold sharp blades to their throats.

'Cheri, help, please,' Hana whispers. The woman presses the blade against her throat Futher, choking her more. A bead of blood drips down into her shirt.

'You've made some many mistakes, Piercebridge,' The woman on the right hisses, 'Stop fighting and we'll let them go.'

Kristoffer's eyes flick from Cheri, to Jamie, to the women, to Alexis, to Hana, and back again. His eyes finally rest on Alexis. They devise a plan with just looks, which I think proves that they are better friends with eachother than they'd like to admit.

'Which one?' Alexis asks. Well, "Alexis". She's perfectly formed as Kristoffer. Same voice, same hair, same clothes. The only difference are his eyes, which are a brilliant shade of amber. In the shock of the women, they let go of both people. Alexis quickly shifts back into herself, taking a strong grip on Hana's hand and taking off running in the opposite direction. The women shriek at each other before running after them. Kristoffer quickly shrugs, grinning widely.

His glee quickly turns to confusion as Juno trails a cold finger over Kristoffer's shoulder, sending a tremble down his spine.

'Check the fifth floor,' His hoarse, cracked whisper echoes into his ear. Kristoffer shrugs at him in deep confusion. However, Cheri notices a pearly white feather clutched in his hand. She immediately takes off running towards the building, her shoes hitting the ground at sonic speed. Everyone shouts her name after her, but she doesn't listen. She isn't Cheri for the minute. She pelts up the long staircases. She hears a few sets of footsteps behind her. Maybe three, maybe four, maybe five, who knows. She reaches the fifth floor, the same room in which the dance a few months prior was hosted. Her hands tremble as she reaches towards the door handle, but a hand on her prosthetic wrist firmly prevents her. She looks up to the person to see Jamie, crazed terror in his eyes.

'You don't know what's behind that door.'

'Neither do you,' Cheri retorts, shoving him backwards a step and opening the door.

The room is tall and wide, empty spruce floor space for whatever meetings they want to hold, professional or not. There are wooden chairs with green cushions stacked up on the left, another the door on the right. It has high and ornate windows. Quite a beautiful room.

It would've been more beautiful.

So much more beautiful.

If Ashton wasn't propped up in a small alcove corner, trying to stem the blood from a gunshot wound on his stomach. His eyes are glassy, slowly moving towards the door as they come in. He's barely holding on, his skin ghostly paper white.

'Oh shit...' Jamie hisses, hand searching for Cheri's. But she's already at his side, quick as lightning.

'Cheri. I could tell you were here. I don't know anyone else with red hair other than you,' Ashton stretches a trembling hand towards her face, trying to muster a smile. Salty tears are running down her cheeks, rapid sobs racking her body as she falls to his side on her knees, 'Hey, don't cry. Don't cry, I'm fine.'

'You've been hurt, Ashton. It's a good reason to cry,' Jamie is welling up, but he doesn't really want to admit it.

'I guess so. But I'm going to die.'

A louder sob shakes Cheri's shoulders as he says it.

'Get Kristoffer, please. Please, Jamie,' He begs, eyes struggling to stay open and awake. Before Jamie can even take a step in the direction of the door, it flies open again.

'Cheri, I told you not to run off, and you-' Kristoffer is in the doorway. He freezes as he sees the scene, features softening. For the first time in all of their lives, they see a tear form in Kristoffer's eye. He's over to them quick as a flash, worried eyes searching all over Ashton's face, 'Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I thought you be okay even though you were missing from the group and...'

Kristoffer's hand grabs Ashton's shoulder, burying his face into his slowly breathing chest. He begins to cry. You rarely see men cry. Sure, all men cry, it doesn't any less or more of a man. But to see a man like Kristoffer, who barely shows anything but neutrality or happiness, cry, rocks Cheri and Jamie to their cores. Jamie places himself next to Cheri, offering her his arms for support.

'Hey. I'm fine. Don't worry,' Ashton soothes, using his free hand to stroke Kristoffer's arm. He places his forehead on the top of Kristoffer's head.

'What if you die?'

'I think it's my time to die.'

'How? You're still young. So am I. So is everyone else!'

'Then they can grow and forget about me.'

All Kristoffer can focus on is Ashton's heart rate. It's slow, unnaturally slow, and he's almost totally sure it's gradually going down. He can just make it out over the sound of his own sobs and the rain that is beginning to batter down outside.

'Where's Alexis?' Ashton asks, his voice weak and hoarse and scratchy. No one gives an answer. He looks to Jamie, who seems to be the only person keeping a sane fucking head, 'If she doesn't show up, tell her I love her. And that I always will.'

Jamie quietly nods in response.

As Kristoffer looks up at Ashton's face, he notices his eyes beginning to close, heavy lidded like he is in desperate need of sleep.

'No, Ashton, please, stay with me...' He pleads, sitting up and holding Ashton's freckled face between his hands. He can just muster enough strength to give a weak, shaky, half smile.

'If there's another side, I'll wait for you there, Kristoffer,' He whispers, only loud enough for Kristoffer to hear.

'No. Please don't, don't do this. Don't leave me, Ashton,' Kristoffer is begging through his tears, shouting his words so they bounce around the hall, 'Ashton, please, stay awake...'

Kristoffer shakes his shoulder – nothing. As he keeps begging, he feels his chest for his pulse, his heartbeat, the drumroll he lived his life by.

Nothing there.

'No... no... No!'

Jamie places his hands over his ears, trembling with nerves. Cheri looks on as Kristoffer desperately looks for any sign of life. Kristoffer's clenched fists fall to Ashton's chest.

It has clicked in his brain that Ashton Piercebridge is dead. And with Ashton Piercebridge, the person who also died is Ashton Rockwell.

'Ashton! Please, come back!'

Cheri can only let the tears fall down in bucket loads down her face and cling onto Jamie as she watches Kristoffer. He is covering his face with his hands, his pained, sorrowful yells piercing her brain.

The man who she could've called her father is dead.

She looks to her left. Jamie's eyes are wide, ears covered by hands.

The man who was one of his friends is dead.

She looks at Kristoffer, who is now sat silently on the floor next to him. She notices him looking down at his left hand, looking at his ring finger.

His husband is dead.

Gone forever.

*

Eddie waits outside the door for the people. Cheri arrives first, quietly gripping both of her hands together. But, as her eyes meet Eddie's smug grin, her face contorts in rage.

'You! You! You killed him! You killed Ashton! How could you? I trusted you! How could you do this?' She yells, clenched fists shaking at her sides.

'Pity, isn't it?' They respond, giving Cheri passive-aggressive tap on the nose and a pinch on the cheek.

Now, I feel no need to tell you that teenage girls can be violent. All teenagers are violent at times, but angry teenage girls could take down an army of full grown men. Speaking from experience. So I feel no need to tell you that Cheri was very, very, very violent. Eddie howls in pain as Cheri sinks her nails into their face, scraping her human hand down their cheek and kicking them in the stomach. Eddie hits the concrete ground, feeling a cold metal fist and a bony human fist raining into their face, leaving no mercy upon their eye sockets and their jaw.

'What the fuck... Cheri, stop!' Alexis yells, grabbing Cheri's fist before she can land one more punch, 'What's going on?'

'They... he's dead! They killed him!' Cheri grabs onto Eddie's throat with her free hand, restricting the air from their lungs.

'Who's he?' Alexis attempts to rip Cheri away from Eddie, but it's no use.

Jamie exits the building. He looks empty. His eyes meet Alexis's, full of tears.

'She's right, they did,' He rasps, chewing his bottom lip and falling into Alexis. Her arms welcome him awkwardly.

'Who? Who? Kristoffer?'

Kristoffer sees the scene he has let play out. Concrete rubble lines the ground, people fighting in little huddles. Jamie is collapsed in Alexis's arms, Cheri beating the living daylights out of Eddie. He feels his stomach drop lower than it ever has.

'Who's he, Kristoffer?'

Kristoffer looks at Alexis. He's scared to say it. He just toys with the gun in his belt. Alexis looks from Kristoffer to the building, and back to Kristoffer again. Her eyes widen suddenly, a moment of horrific realisation.

'No... No, what the fuck, he's not dead,' Alexis let's go of Jamie, pacing around in quick circles, making frantic gestures with her arms. She laughs hysterically as she cries, 'That motherfucker was immortal! That must be the only way he would put up with all of us. He could fly, for fucks sake!'

She looks at Kristoffer. She suddenly wails in horror, hiding in Kristoffer's arms. He wishes he could hide in Ashton's. Just one more time. 

Cheri finally lets go of Eddie, letting them get up.

'Whatever, Juno killed him,' Eddie admits, coughing horribly, 'Leave me and my gang alone, and we'll leave you. How about that?'

'Fine,' Kristoffer says, tone trembling in Alexis's shoulder. He looks up, seeing Niall and Juno together, maskless and laughing to each other. As Eddie stands up and limps away, shouting to the people "Alright guys, party's over. Let's get out of this place!", Kristoffer locks eyes with Juno. He grins and the pair stroll over to Kristoffer. Alexis is sitting with Cheri and Jamie, trying to comfort them and find Hana in the mess. Kristoffer pulls the gun from his belt, pressing it to Juno's head.

'You motherfucker. Rot in hell. You might see me there one day, don't worry,' Kristoffer hisses, firing right at his head. Niall leaps backwards, covered in Juno's blood. His body falls to the floor, a bloody suit with not much of a head left.

'Juno...' Niall begins to stammer.

'Do you want to get shot too, Trenton?' Kristoffer asks. Niall looks back at him, and doesn't see the little boy who joined the AMI for spare change for his mother's treatment. He sees the man who lost his world approximately ten minutes previously.

'N...no,' Niall begs, 'Please, Kristoffer. I'll join your side. I'll do anything.'

'Then go. Get far away from this place. From here, from me. Get out of London. Never try to be part of however much life I have left.'

Niall doesn't need to be told twice, promptly turning on his heel and running away, past Eddie's team regrouping outside the premises. Alexis has the whole team gathered back together.

'Have we got everyone?' Someone asks.

'Yeah. You guys go without me, I'll catch up in a minute,' Kristoffer tells them. A tear rolls down his cheek as they walk away.