(Inspired by Howl Of A Werewolf's Always A War On Something, please read that before reading this)

"Fuck! Carly, you alright?!" Connor shouts, helping Carly up. Both were running from pissed off Altruist cult members through the Chiliad Mountain State Wilderness when one caught up with Carly, grabbing her and stabbing her in her right hip.

"Yeah… damn, that's a hell of a wound." Carly says, seeing the blood from her hip to her upper thigh. Connor picked her up into his arms as more gunshots were heard. The gunshots meant the cult was getting closer to them so Connor ran off with Carly, determined to get her out of here.

Five bullets slammed into Connor's back, making him scream in pain and accidentally drop Carly, both falling down an embankment.

The two remaining cult members caught up to them, Carly grabbing Connor's shotgun because her AP pistol had no bullets left and shooting both cult members through their heads, killing them immediately.

"Connor… wake up, buddy. Connor?!" Carly says, managing to stand up and walk to Connor to check on him. She crouched down and checked him for a pulse… he was gone.

Carly lowered her head and cried… all Connor was doing was trying to protect her and he ended up being shot to death. She leaned in and kissed him on his forehead one last time.

"Don't worry, my friend. I'll give the damn cult a reason not to kill anymore." Carly says, picking herself up and finding a nearby shovel. Carly wanted Connor to have a decent burial... he saved her, he was why she was still alive.

After that was done, Carly created a makeshift tombstone.

"My friend… find peace in heaven."

Carly's vision was blurring… before she passed out, she felt someone catch her.

Carly's eyes opened, the small brunette finding herself in Johnny's bed, her injured hip bandaged up and herself wearing Johnny's shirt.

"Connor's gone…" Carly says numbly, Johnny's hand rubbing up and down her back.

"I saw the tombstone… I know you want that damn cult to suffer but you need to let yourself heal up first." Johnny says, kissing Carly on her forehead.

The lyrics to Alive by Pearl Jam surface in Carly's mind… or rather, one in particular.

"I'm still alive!"

"Screw rest! Connor and I were defending ourselves and they murdered him!" Carly says angrily, getting out of the bed but almost falling down, Johnny catching her. Carly rested her head on Johnny's shoulder as his arms wrapped around her shoulders.

"I'm not gonna let you get killed. You mean too damn much to me, Carly." Johnny says, Carly's violet eyes closing for a few seconds before Johnny picked her up and put her back on the bed, pulling the covers over her.

Meanwhile, Liberty City…

Packie dialed Connor's and Carly's phone numbers with no luck. It was the 4th time he called but they didn't answer.

Dash decided to call Lester instead and have him track the two missing people down… Carly's phone signal was traced to the Lost MC campground in Stab City and she was still there.

Connor's was in the Chiliad Mountains… but it had been there for 16 hours and that worried Dash.

"Packie?" Dash says, Packie looking at her. "Something's not right here… I think Connor might be dead." Dash says, Packie's expression changing to one of disbelief.

"Connor… dead? He can't be dead." Packie says, Dash resting her hand on his shoulder.

"I had Lester track Connor's and Carly's phones… Carly's at the Lost MC campground, good chance she's with Johnny… Connor's phone is in the Chiliad Mountains… it hasn't moved in almost a day." Dash says.

"Maybe he lost his phone… maybe someone kidnapped him like the Triads kidnapped Michael…" Packie manages to say, fighting anger and grief… he had already lost too many friends, he didn't want to lose anymore.

"I'm sorry… no one has heard from him since-" Dash says.

"Maybe it's Carly who's dead and Johnny's hanging onto her phone! So he doesn't forget her, right?! Right?! Dashie, please tell me I'm right!" Packie yells, tears falling down his face.

Dash moved closer, wrapping her arms around him as Packie sobbed violently, tears were running down Dash's face as well.

"We'll call them, have them come to Liberty City… I'm so sorry, Packie." Dash says, rubbing her hand up and down Packie's back as he hung onto her, trying to be as careful as possible because of her gunshot wound.

Packie eventually wore himself out and Niko drove them back to the Mcreary house.

Gordon stayed behind with Roman and Niko though, having found Carly's number in Packie's phone and decided to text her.

'I'm a friend of Packie's, little lass, it's how I got your number. What happened?-Gordon' Gordon texted to Carly.

To his surprise, Carly responded.

'The Alturist cult members chased me and Connor through the Chiliad Mountains… Gordon, I'm sorry… he's gone.'

'You help us deal with Steve Erics's gang, we'll help you deal with this cult.' Gordon texted to Carly.

'You got it.' Carly texted back.

"Gordon? Where do you want us to drop you off?" Niko asks.

"Let's go find a bar… and don't stab me this time." Gordon says.

Niko nodded before pulling back onto the road and driving towards Hove Beach, where Comrades bar is.

The three needed time to calm down, clear their minds… before Packie's Los Santos associates leave their sun drenched paradise and head to the worst place in America.