Erin Ulmer:

I was fourteen. My parents hated each other, and used me as an excuse. Neither really cared what I did or where I went. I used to do ballet, but that stopped once the rumors began to spread. Dad's cheating on Mom with his coworker. Mom's cheating on Dad with her boss. I had a brother that killed himself because of me? I'm an alien. I was adopted. I'm not even related to my father-all lies that sparked my family's demise.

We were happy at one point. I was the adorable little redheaded deep blue eyed daughter of the happiest people on earth: Jim and Lori Ulmer. Until I was about ten, life was good. I'm the Spawn of the Disaster on Oak Road. Mom, Dad, Erin, the dog, Clark, and the cat, October, were all living in perfect harmony. Then Mommy started finding random phone numbers in Daddy's pockets. This started a HUGE fight, with neighbors calling the police for domestic disputes and everything! This sent my life spiraling downhill. What little friends I managed to make started making fun of me. Daddy got fired for all the rumors about him and his coworkers, leaving Mommy the Newfound Stripper as our only source of income. Well now, little Erin had to quit ballet and get rid of the dog. Because there was no money left to take care of anything. Luckily the cat could stay! Yay. So really, the only reason the miserable jerks were still married is because neither one could afford to raise me alone and live someplace else. As if we could find a smaller house. The master bedroom was the size of a half bath, that's where Lori sleeps. The pullout couch in the box sized living room is where Jim sleeps. And lucky Erin gets a room the size of a broom closet! The single bathroom was so small if you turned around, you were in the bathtub. The kitchen was tiny with a counter. There was just enough space to put a two person table, but that was it. Jim usually ate in the parlor, not wanting anything to do with us. We used to have a nice sized middle-class home, but when we became poor, that all changed.

I usually spent my life locked up in my room with a good book. Listening to my screamo or my hardcore music or anything to drown out the constant bickering of Jim and Lori. Whether it be face to face or over the phone, there was no peace in the Ulmer household.

I forced myself through the first days of high school. Reuniting with my tormenters, and getting stared down by the much prettier, blonde, perfect figured girls. I tried my best to ignore their sneers and smirks until Casey Ash, the most popular, good looking, perfect, and amazing jock in school tripped me at lunch, sending tuna salad that I had no desire to eat, I rarely did want to eat, all over my black hoodie and randomly ripped jeans. He, his perfect girlfriend Tayler King, and his buddies sure did get a good laugh. This was my second week of freshman year-and I hated it. I calmly walked out to the hallway and sat in the corner. Crying. That's when an unusually concerned guy tapped me on the shoulder. "Are you okay?" He asked. I knew who he was, rich little McKinley, I'd seen him before, sitting alone with his books. They always looked so good, and I always wanted to read them, but could never find them at the crappy public library. He was decent looking, but rarely talked to anyone, only to attempt to defend himself. The other kids always gave him a lot for being a McKinley, no one liked him for it, truthfully, they were all just jealous. Including me. I had no idea what he had to be so miserable about. Richest kid I'd ever see, ever, and he acts like he lives in a cardboard box on my front lawn. Revolting.

Ian McKinley:

My family's okay. My parents don't hate each other, or me, or my sister Dominique. They actually like us. We just don't see them too often. Work is a big deal for them. My father's all about values, and ethics-for me, they'll spoil Dominique to no end, and my father always treats me as if I'm worthless. I was never really...nurtured as a child I guess, and therefor have poor people skills. One could say I'm a bit of a loner. I'd rather keep to myself. It's just easier that way. My house is like a mansion. In ground pool, pool house, eight bedrooms, five bathrooms, but half the rooms are off limits to me and Dominique.

School's another story. Since I'm bad at socializing, I'm not the most welcoming individual. I'm kind of sarcastic-and I'll admit it. It was the first day and they already started screwing with me. I was so used to it, I'd learned to tune them out. If I had a book, I would just lose myself in it to the point where I heard nothing else but my own voice echoing the written words. It was maybe the second week of school and I was perfectly fine, reading some novel in Caf when I heard a whole bunch of laughter. I looked up to see a petite, scrawny, redhead laying face down in her lunch. Covered in it. Who else but Casey Ash was sitting there with hist foot kicked out, hysterically laughing at the girl's expense. When she stood up, I was intrigued by her. She looked as if she was going to burst into tears, but controlled herself. The lunch monitor yelled for her to clean up her mess-the nerve-as she took off her hoodie, revealing a black tank top, showing off her decent bust, flat stomach, hourglass figure, and her pale, skinny arms. Her wavy, bouncy red hair bobbed up and down as she calmly exited the Caf, brushing her ripped jeans off. For some reason she'd caught my interest. I had to follow her, just to see if she was okay. I had seen her in class, getting things thrown at her usually, but never actually heard her voice. I was pretty sure we'd gone to school together since kindergarten, and from sixth grade on were in the same homeroom.

I saw her in the corner curled in a ball, crying. I tapped her on the shoulder thinking, "why do I even care." "Are you okay?" I asked. She directed her gaze towards me but that was it. Her eyes were a deep blue mixed with gray, green, and gold. They were beautiful, and her hair was a pretty red, not flaming, not crimson, but a dark shade somewhere between the two. She was pretty.

The two quickly became friends. Erin stayed at Ian's house for three days, since her mom was working all night at the club, her father had no part in her life, and her stepfather Frank basically married her mother to get to Erin. She did not feel comfortable at her own house at all. She was standing outside school, talking to Ian, when Frank pulled up. "Where have you been?" He demanded, not angry, just demanding. "Away from you and her." "Your mother worries about you Erin. I do too," he said, pushing her hair behind her ear and rubbing her cheek with the back of his fingers. "Don't touch me." She said darkly. "Where were you?" "With Ian." "You tramp!" "Wha-" before she could finish her sentence, Frank knocked her down. "Stop!" Ian shouted. "What are you doing to my Erin." "She is not yours!" "Who says so?" "I do!" Erin shrieked.

That night, she went home to an empty house. Frank was bartending at the club for extra money, and Erin's mother was working with him. She went into her room, locked her door, and laid on her bed, broken inside. She had stopped eating over a week ago. She couldn't tell Ian how bad things had gotten at home. Ian noticed she never ate her lunch, even if he had something of his own to give her. No matter how appetizing it was, she wouldn't touch it. Erin was having problems, and she didn't know how to deal with them. On top of that, she was as straight as a piece of cardboard. All the other girls had figures and decent sized boobs by now. She felt like she didn't fit in. She thought she was fat, and as a result resorted to drastic measures of self hatred. Eventually, Ian found out about what Erin was doing, and he alone, helped her get better. After Ian made her feel perfect, she didn't feel like she had to stop eating anymore. She began to resume her old habits, and soon enough, she was as good as new.

later..............................

It was the Friday before the last day of school. Forever. Well, at least school in McKinley. Ian's parents were on some retreat in the Bahamas, so it was just him and Dominique, who was two years younger than him. Ian had moved into the carriage house behind the mansion. Since he was first born, he'd be getting more of the family's fortune, meaning he'd inherit the Main House...when his parents were dead. When they weren't home, and Erin was over, they'd stay in the boarded off section of the mansion, Triphosia's room, Ian's great, great aunt, who went slowly, inevitably mad. Erin got into a massive fight with her mother and freaky stepfather Frank-her father finally moved out and cut off all contact with them- for putting her cat to sleep, so Ian got Erin a kitten named Midnight to try and make her feel better. He'd have to keep it at his house or Erin's mom would put it out on the street. Since Erin's parents told her to get out of the house, she had to stay at Ian's.

"Ian!" Dominique shouted when she saw Erin come upstairs from Triphosia's room in one of his t-shirts and a pair of his boxers.

"What Dominique!"

"Well for one, you've got your girlfriend spending the night, and Mom and Dad aren't even here!"

"Dominique, listen, her mom told her to leave her house. She has nowhere else to go. Okay?"

"Why is she wearing your clothes?"

"Her's are all at her house. Thank you very much."

"Zip," Erin started from the kitchen, "is she really starting that again?"

"Afraid so Pip, Dominique here is just so paranoid."

"Very funny Ian, now, are you going to drive me to school or should I get a ride?"

"Ask your boyfriend." He replied, annoyed now.

"I will."

Erin walked into the dining room with a bowl of cereal. "Are we going to that stupid Grad Night thing at the amusement park tonight?" She asked. "I guess so. It'll be fun. Right Pip?" "Course it will. Long as you're with me," she said kissing him, and Dominique made a gagging noise in her throat. "So Zip, do you have some clothes of mine here? From the last time?" "In my closet." "Thanks babe." She said, putting her's, Ian's, and Dominique's bowls in the sink and heading upstairs to change into her ripped jeans, a white Alesana t-shirt and black hoodie.

School was a drag for them both. Basically they just walked around and sat in different rooms with no learning taking place. The Ashes, Ashley and Ashlyn were chattering noisily about graduation and all the things they wanted to do over the summer. Erin had a few classes without Ian one was art, and at her table, The Ashes. The tall, tan, thin Bimbo Barbie Twins. "So Erin," Ashlyn started, "are you like," "Going to Grad Night?" "With Ian," Ashlyn added. "I guess so." Erin replied. Ashley looked at Ashlyn and giggled. Erin hated when they did that to her. One day Ian was telling Erin about something, related to marriage. So The Ashes just happened to be walking by and overheard Ian say "Marriage." Ashlyn turned to them and said, "you two are getting married!" "Uh –" Erin started but was cut off by Ashley, "that's so cute, but," Ashlyn finished, "But why would you want to marry her?" "I mean we are like so much better than her for you. Right Ashlyn?" "Yeah, and like we'd be so much better to go with all that money you've got, so why are you marrying her?" "Well Ashley, Ashlyn, we aren't getting married and I don't find either of you attractive. Plus, double marriage is illegal in Pennsylvania. Most of all, I love Erin to death." He said, wrapping his arms around her and kissing the top of her head.

Erin shook herself out of that thought and went back to finishing her banner for graduation. The bell rang and Erin met Ian in the hall. They passed by Wendy Christensen, who used to like Ian, when she first moved to McKinley, but gave it up when she saw how happy he was with Erin. She smiled at them, but Ian gave no response, Erin gave an acknowledging smirk, and quickly looked down. That was it .

After school, they went back to the carriage house for a few hours, then got in Ian's van and drove to McKinley Adventure Park. Ian hated how everything in McKinley was named McKinley.

"Pip, what shall we do?" Ian asked.

"Well Zip, I say-huh!" She exclaimed

"What?"

"Shooting gallery!?"

"Okay."

They were having fun until they saw Wendy heading towards them with her stupid yearbook camera. "Picture guys?" She asked. "No." Ian said. "No way." Erin concluded. Wendy snapped it and ended up with Erin covering her face with her hand, and flipping her off with the other one. Ian simply covered his face with his hand and pointed the fake gun, accidentally at Erin's head. Wendy unhappily walked away, not before saying, "don't you guys want to be remembered at all?" "Um, I have no choice. My last name is McKinley, remember." "Actually, we'd rather not, we'd rather just fade away into oblivion, like we never even existed." "It's going to happen one way or another." Ian concluded. They went to the concession stand and Ian got a coke while Erin got a candy bar.

"Zip," Erin started, "wanna go on the roller coaster?"

"Sure babe, whatever ride you want."

"It looks pretty sick."

"Yeah, it does."

They walked to the line and heard Jason Wise, Wendy's boyfriend trying to comfort her. Erin turned around and said, "A roller coaster is just elemental physics, a conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy." Ian said, "yeah, odds of dying on a roller coaster are like one to two hundred fifty million. You're more likely to die driving to an amusement park then actually dying," as Jason, Wendy, Kevin, and Carrie walked away, "AT ONE!" Ian looked over at Erin who rolled her eyes. "Why do we even bother?" He asked. "I honestly don't know."

They were sitting in their seats, and the ride attendant had just checked all the restraints. Suddenly, someone who sounded like Wendy started freaking out in the back of the ride. It was Wendy. Kevin Fisher and Lewis Romero got into a fight, and as Erin stood up to get off the ride, Lewis' hand slipped, smacking Erin in the cheek. Ian stood up and climbed over Erin to defend her. "Ian! Get off him!" She called as she pulled him up and flipped Lewis off, exiting the ride. As Ian, Erin, Wendy, Kevin, Lewis, Ashley, Ashlyn, and Frankie Cheeks were walking back to the parking lot, they heard screaming. Ian and Erin turned around in unison and saw the ride flying off the tracks. Wendy screamed in horror, "JASON!" Since they wouldn't let him off the ride. Erin was officially traumatized. All the things she had been through, and this was it. She snapped. "Oh my god," she whispered, barely audible.

Ian and Erin walked back to their van in silence. Finally, Erin broke the silence, halfway home. "Thank god we got off that ride. Together." Ian looked at her, noticing how upset she was, and took her trembling, pale, black polished hand. "I love you." He said. "I love you too." She said quietly. "Ian, if we didn't get off-" "babe, we did, and we're alive. Let's just go home. We're still here, alright?" "Mmhmm." "If we were supposed to die, we would've been together anyway. This is how it was supposed to be. We're supposed to be alive." "Are you sure about that?" She asked, too quiet for Ian to understand. To him, it was an inaudible mumble. Ian stopped at Erin's mother's so she could gather a few outfits and things for the next few days. Her mother was at work, and Frank, the Stepfather from Hell was probably with her. When they reached the carriage house, Erin immediately turned the news on. It was horrible, the wreckage. Ian got her a pair of comfy coal gray sweats and a black tank top to change into. She changed her clothes, put a sweatshirt on and snuggled up in Ian's lap. He stroked her hair with the back of his hand, soothingly. "You okay Pip?" "Yeah, just a little freaked. Aren't you?" "Totally. That was...wow." "I saw their bodies falling Ian, I saw people splatter to the ground, and it would have been us." She sobbed into his chest. "Pip, look, I saw it too, I saw people we've known since kindergarten die. Right before graduation, it's horrible, but we have each other, and that's all that matters." "I know, but, it's just so not fair that we get to smile and love, and live, and they're...gone. Forever. I mean, we always looked at death as something...unpredictable, but this was so...seriously...unpredictable. That sounded so uneducated, but it's the truth Ian. If that could happen to them, then what could happen to us?" "You just said it yourself, it's unpredictable." "Ian, do you realize that we could have died tonight! Ian, if Lewis didn't smack me, and you didn't fight him, we'd be dead right now. We escaped death by a fraction. Do you know how close we came to dying tonight?" "You think I don't? I do Erin, I do! And it scares the hell outta me at how quickly and easily I could lose you!" "It terrifies me to think about living without you, or dying without you. We made a pact to be together forever Ian, and I'm willing to do anything to keep my end. You?" "So am I Pip. I couldn't live without you...or die...I need you. I love you. Please stop crying and let's go to bed." "Okay Zip."

Ian held his arm around Erin as they walked to their bedroom. He knew neither of them would sleep that night. It didn't matter. It was a Friday night, and the only had work the next day. He held her in his arms the whole night, only allowing himself to fall asleep when he was sure she was completely off into another world that only she knew of.

Erin woke up at about noon to find Ian still sleeping, which was odd, he never slept in. "Ian," she whispered as she shook his shoulder. "Mmm," he mumbled. "Get up, it's noon, and we've got work." "Kay Pip." "I'm going to get ready." As she left the bedroom and headed to the bathroom, Ian grumbled some half asleep set of words to the effect of: "Idiots, McKinley, my father, Pip, babe, and money." Erin giggled quietly at her sleeping lover and continued towards the bathroom.

Erin pulled her fitted black tee shirt over her head, and tied her apron on. Ian did the same. They got in the van and drove to Build It Hardware. Their boss gave them the night off, since their "friends" were involved in such a tragedy.

"Now what?" Erin asked as Ian pulled out of Build It's parking lot.

"Wanna get something to eat?"

"Not hungry."

"Pip. You are always hungry. Plus you haven't eaten since lunch yesterday."

"I think I wanna go home. To just, be with you."

"Alright."

They went back to the carriage house, which was, by far, the only homely home Erin had ever had. Ian checked the answering machine and sighed. "Your mom called you six times." "Great." She replied. They were quietly sitting on the couch, Ian was borderline asleep in Erin's lap. The phone rang, startling him a bit, and making Erin giggle quietly. "Relax, I'll get it," she said.

She picked up the phone, without thinking, and was greeted by a very angry, drunken mother. "Hello?"

"Erin! I new you were over there, you little tramp! Tell that punk boyfriend of yours to take you home. Right now!"

"M-mom?"

"Who else could it be?" She was so drunk, her speech was pathetically slurred.

"I am not coming back to that retched dump! No! You can't make me!" Ian sat up, hearing Erin start to raise her voice, and gave her a quizzical look. She mouthed the words my mother, and continued her argument.

"I am not going back to you. This is my home-WITH IAN!" There was a loud muffled sound on the other end of the phone, as Erin hung it back up. "What's the verdict?" Ian asked. "She wants me back, or she's coming to get me herself. We don't want her to know we stay back here, she'll call the cops." "Want me to drive you?" "Please Zip."

Erin's mother was passed out on the couch, so she didn't even bother going inside. She hopped back into the van, and they drove back to the carriage house.

Erin curled up in a ball under the bed covers. "Ian," she whispered. "Yeah babe?" "Do you understand how a person could treat their child like trash and still call themself a mother?" Ian pulled back the covers that were muffling Erin's voice so he could look at her. "No Pip. I don't. But I love you. If that helps." "It does but, like when we have kids, I could never treat them like that. I'd love them too much." "You want to have kids. With me?" "Yeah. Why, you don't want to have any with me?" "No, I definitely do...What, do you have a whole plan for us or something?" Erin uncurled herself and lay her head in Ian's lap. She looked up at him and said, "yeah, of course I do. What is that weird to you?" She smiled. "No, but do tell about your little plan please." "Okay...well, I fully plan on marrying you, and having babies with you." "How many?" "Three. Two girls and a boy. Caitlin, Alexzandra, and Little Ian. We'll have a dog, and a huge house because you will make so much money as a renowned doctor, and I will be an English teacher. When we inherit the Main House, you're going to unseal it, and restore it's originality. Because you are a true McKinley. Not a money hungry jerk. And we'll live happily ever after." "Sounds good to me...and Little Ian?" "Yep." She giggled. Ian leaned down to kiss her. "You are truly brilliant Pip." "Are you saying you ever doubted I was?" She laughed. Erin gave Ian his goodnight kiss, and drifted off in his arms.

Monday was graduation. "Excited?" Erin yawned, stretching her arms over her head. "Ecstatic." Erin giggled and pulled her black pants on. She grabbed a black fitted hoodie, it was pouring outside, and pulled it over her head. Ian put dark jeans on, and a black shirt. Erin brushed her hair and did her eyeliner. Then they got in the van and drove to school.

Most of the day was dull, people were still grieving. At free period, last period, Ian and Erin had secluded themselves into a corner table. Ian was writing on his yearbook, while Erin flipped lazily through her's. Erin looked up and saw Wendy walking with her diploma in her hand. "Zip," she whispered. He looked up, then over at Erin. Erin couldn't help feeling bad for Wendy. She had apparently gone insane, and an odd coincidence forced her situation to seem as if she was a psychic or something. Being the cynical smart-ass he is, Ian however was less sympathetic. "Looks like McKinley's own low-rent Cassandra won't be at graduation huh Pip?" Erin slapped Ian's outer thigh with the back of her hand, rather hard, hushing him. "Zip!" She hissed. "I kind of liked that Pip," Ian smirked. The Ashes ran up to Wendy, and asked her to go tanning with them. "That's pathetic," Erin giggled to Ian. He nodded and continued writing in Erin's yearbook. She was still trying to find the right words to put in Ian's.

Back at the carriage house, Erin was slipping a black knee length dress on for graduation, since it was Ian's favorite. It was form fitting, complimenting Erin's figure, with a low cut neckline, exposing some cleavage, but not too much. As Erin was finishing getting ready for graduation, something on the news caught her attention. "At around 3:30 pm today, at The Phoenix Tanning Salon on Maycrest Avenue, two teenage girls, Ashley Freund and Ashlyn Halperin's lives were cut short when a fire sparked in their tanning room. We'll give the details as they are developed." The news reporter stated.

Erin grabbed Ian's shoulder and whispered, "oh my god." He looked down at her. His face said it all. Erin was tearing, not at the fact that The Ashes were dead, but just because they were dead. "Pip, we'll find out when the funeral is, and we'll go. Okay?" "Yeah."

Funeral rant...

"You really shouldn't have done that." Erin said, annoyed and embarrassed.

"I know, but sometimes, it's just so hard and you know it was all bull-"

"I know Ian, but their families just wanted to remember them in their way. You could've talked to me after or something."

"That'd sure help."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's face it Erin, you always end up going along with me. You never think of your own ideas on a topic I've spoken about."

"Excuse me?" Ian stopped at a red light and Erin opened the door and got out. "Erin! Where are you going?" "Away from you." "No!" he pulled the van over in a parking lot, and grabbed her arm. "Please don't leave me." He said. She looked up at him, and because she loved him so, she couldn't refuse. "Fine. You're forgiven. For now."

That night, Erin was asleep, and Ian was lying awake. He was trying to make sense of the events of the past week. Erin rolled onto her left side, her hand flopping gently onto Ian's chest. She mumbled something in her sleep about Ian and forever, making him smile to himself. He put his hand over her's and started to drift off. He thought she was adorable in her sleep, she made the cutest faces, especially when she smiled in her sleep.

Erin woke up about an hour after Ian. He was in the kitchen making them breakfast when she woke up. She wrapped her arms around him from behind, and rested her head on his back. "Morning," she sighed quietly. "Morning," he replied. They ate breakfast, and were getting ready for work when they heard that Frankie had died shortly after The Ashes' funeral. Erin was starting to go into a panic, so Ian turned the tv off and embraced her. He kissed the top of her head. "Stop watching so much tv Pip, it's not making this any better," he whispered to her. "This is too weird Ian!" She began to sob. "I know, it's because everyone is so messed up from all of the death. We just can't get wrapped up in it. Okay?" "Kay Zip."

Erin and Ian were sitting on the couch watching a movie, just waiting to go to work. Erin was sitting between Ian's legs, resting her upper half on him. He leaned his chin on top of Erin's head, and closed his eyes. "I love you more than anything Pip." He said softly. She felt a smile tug at her lips, and repeated the three word phrase she'd said a million times, and never got tired of. "I love you Zip." She was looking up at him, so he took the opportunity, surprising Erin with a kiss. Erin fell asleep in Ian's arms, a smile playing across her face, listening to Ian's heartbeat. Ian was awake the whole time Erin slept, admiring her, thinking about their future together. He smiled at his thoughts, and Erin's plans. He knew they had work, and he hated that they needed to go. "Pip," Ian said softly, tucking a few loose locks of her hair behind her ear. "Time to get up for work." "Uh..no...good–d-dream..." She mumbled. He kissed her lips and she mumbled, "it's getting better and better..." Ian chuckled, and kissed her again. "Too good to be true..." she sleepily said. "Come on Beautiful." Ian said, rubbing her shoulder. "Do I absolutely have to wake up?" "Yes...I want to look you in the eyes...and know it was me you were dreaming about." "Fine Zip."

Erin woke up and put a black spaghetti strap tank top on, and a pair of ripped jeans. She grabbed a blue pullover shirt and put it on. Afterwards, she pulled her combat boots on, and lay on her stomach on the bed, watching Ian get dressed. He pulled out a pair of dark denim jeans and a gray thermal shirt. He put his black and white converse on, and wrapped an arm around Erin's waist, leading her out to the van. He drove them to Build-It, and parked in the lot. They hated the six o'clock shift. It meant they'd have to lock up at eleven, giving them less time to go out afterwards.

Later on at Build-It, Ian was shooting pigeons with an electric nail-gun for their supervisor, while Erin restocked random items. She was in Garden, putting a giant clay pot on a shelf, when someone banged on the locked metal gate. "Ahh!" she screamed. It was Wendy and Kevin. "Where's Ian," Wendy started, "we need to talk to you two," Kevin finished. The way they said that, reminded Erin of the day The Ashes were trying to talk Ian into marrying them. Erin frowned at the thought.

"There...Those!" Wendy shrieked pointing to wooden stakes that were on a shelf, just above Ian's head. Kevin pushed him out of the way, and in the fire of falling boards. Wendy and Erin started backing away. Wendy saw a stake flying straight towards Erin. Erin backed away, covering her face, but she lost her footing and flew back, her head meeting the nozzle of the nail-gun. As she fell to her demise, every memory she ever had flooded back into her mind. Her family, meeting Ian, kissing him for the first time, loving him for the first time, her perfectly planned out future--their perfectly planned out future, and finally the last times. The last time she kissed him, held him, laughed with him, and loved him. She wished she was still dreaming in Ian's arms, but at that moment, Erin knew she'd never fall asleep in Ian's arms ever again. The nail-gun fired about twelve nails into her pretty face, and she felt the whole thing. Before her final breath, she was allowed to whimper one last little pathetic sound: "Ian..."

Ian looked at Wendy with pain, anguish, and terror in his eyes, and screamed, "NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Ian remembered every memory he and Erin had ever made together. He realized, they'd never make another memory together again.

Ian, Kevin, and Wendy were taken to the police station. When Ian walked out of the room, Kevin and Wendy were sitting in the lobby, waiting to be questioned. "This is all your fault." Ian said darkly to Wendy. "Hey man, calm down-" Kevin tried to say, putting his arms between Ian and Wendy. "Calm down? Calm down!" Ian said, with a disgusted chuckle, ending in a sneer that quickly lead to, "Fisher, do you realize that you just told me to calm down, after you're little girlfriend is the reason that Erin's d-dead." He choked back vomit on the last part of that sentence. "I'm sorry Ian. I am, but it's not Wendy's fault. It's the Design." "Oh the Design! That makes it okay!" Ian said sarcastically." Kevin looked at Wendy, who couldn't take her eyes off the floor. She couldn't look at Ian, knowing that that stupid premonition was the reason Erin was dead. She had always felt a sharp pang of sympathy and a small sense of admiration of Erin. The girl had lost everything, never been loved, and yet, she'd found Ian, the person she was meant to live for. It made Wendy wish she had someone like that. She did once, Jason, but he was gone. When Ian was gone, Wendy whispered to Kevin, "the look on Ian's face was-horrifying. He looked like he wanted to kill me." "They've been inseparable since they first met. What do you want him to do? He must be lost without her. I heard they basically lived together." Wendy pushed back a few tears, remembering the gory site of Erin's final moments. She took a deep breath, "Kevin," "Yeah?" "D-did you notice a ring on her finger?" "Yeah, why?" "It was on that 'special' finger."

Ian's father picked him up from the station to drive him back to Build-It to get the van. It was quiet for about five minutes, then his father broke the silence, "I'm sorry Ian. I know how much you loved her." "No you don't." Ian said quietly. "I-I couldn't imagine seeing what you saw. I really am sorry Ian. I am." "I was going to marry her." Ian said starting to cry, his voice breaking a little. "Well now, I know you were in love with each other, but I wouldn't say that." "I know I was." "And how do you know that?" "Because I proposed to her." "You did?" "I bought her a ring and everything. She'd been wearing it. Her blood glittered off the diamond. I never wanted to see her in any type of pain. Especially like this."

Ian walked compulsively through the messy isles until he reached the isle where Erin died. He saw the blood stain from where she had actually died, and the splatter from where it had gushed out and shot out from her face. He fell to his knees, crying at what was left of his Pip. His boss walked up to him. "Ian," he tapped him on the shoulder and Ian turned his head to him. "You don't want or need to be here. Son, go home." "There is no home without her." Ian said blankly, still staring at the remnants of Erin. Parts of her brain were mixed in with the gore, and all Ian could think about was how Wendy did this to the girl he wanted to marry.

The first night was the worst. Ian walked through the dark carriage house, not wanting to see anything of Erin's. He walked into their bedroom, light off, and pulled his shirt off, he stripped down to his boxers and crawled under the covers. The bed smelled like her. The entire house did. Ian did not sleep at all. He was staring at the clock, waiting to die, when there was a knock on the door. It was Dominique. "What." He said. "Ian, I'm sorry." "That doesn't mean anything." He closed the door in her face and retreated back under his bed covers. He thought back a few weeks to the night he proposed to her. They had just finished dinner, and Ian was cleaning up the kitchen, and Erin was sitting on the couch, waiting for him to join her. He sat down on the couch an wrapped his arm around her, pulling her to snuggle up against him. "Erin, we've been together for a long time, right?" "Yeah. Four years." "Well," he said getting up, "I think it should be forever. Erin Ulmer, will you marry me?" He said kneeling on one knee and taking her hand, and showing her the most beautiful ring she'd ever seen. She started crying, as he placed the ring on her finger. "Yes, of course I'll marry you Ian McKinley." He pulled her into a hug and kissed her. She was admiring her ring when she giggled, "oh my god." "What?" Ian replied. "I'm going to be Mrs. Ian McKinley!" "What have I done!" "Hey, it's better than Erin Equinox." Ian laughed, "I still do plan on changing my name to that." "Sure...Ian and Erin McKinley. It sounds so-" "prefect," Ian whispered, kissing her.

His head snapped up, when he realized what was really going on. He was alone in bed, alone in the carriage house, and alone in life.

He never left the house. He was lucky he could drag himself out of bed. He was going to get back at Wendy for this...somehow.

Erin's mother had called a few times, demanding her things back, but Ian just let the phone ring. He didn't know what to do with himself, so he just sat in his parent's house, locked in his old room, waiting to die already. Kevin decided to stop by one day on his way to Wendy's house.

"Ian, I just wanted to see how you were doing." "What's it matter to you." "We all know how you felt about her, and I'm just a little worried that you might do something stupid." "Erin." "What?" "Her name's Erin." "I just didn't think you'd want me to talk about her-I mean Erin." "Read this," Ian said handing his yearbook to Kevin, on the last page of the book , Ian pointed to the last thing written in the book. It read:

Zip,

Even though I think writing in yearbooks is a little corny, and just so not Us, I'll do it for you. I'm writing in this book last rather than first, so I'll always be the last thing going through your mind when you flip through here. You started to write in mine the minute I handed it to you, I on the other hand have no idea what to say to you, other than I Love You. You're my Ian, and nothing will ever change that. I'm probably the happiest girl in the world right now. I want nothing more than to be with you forever, and being your future wife certifies that. From the day you showed concern for my existence, I knew you were something special. From the first time I talked to you, I was in love with you. I couldn't ever imagine being in a place without you. When I'm with you, it's like nothing anyone has ever done to me exists anymore, because you're with me. I don't think this will be half as good as whatever you write in mine, I'm not as poetic as you, but I can only hope that you know, I am proud to be the future Mrs. Ian McKinley, and I'm glad that I gave myself to you, and I'm glad that you're my first and last boyfriend. I don't know how or why, but I got my dream guy. You saved me Ian. Thank you Babe. Thanks to you, now I know to love outside yourself, is to live life to its extent.

I love you Ian,

Erin Ulmer *Zip and Pip-Together Forever*

"Wow," Kevin exhaled. "Yeah, amazing, wasn't she? That last line, just before she signed her name, is now on her grave. Thanks to Wendy." "Ian, she was a nice girl, but, Wendy didn't do anything to her." "No, you're right, Wendy only caused her demise. Not a big deal." "Ian, I know how much she cared about you, and you cared about her, but you are alive. You'll probably find someone else. Someone better." Kevin knew he made a mistake at that very moment. Ian took in a deep, annoyed breath, and fought back tears. Very calmly, he demanded this, "Kevin. Get the hell out of my house. "Someone Better" doesn't exist." Kevin exited Ian's room, and walked down the stairs. While Ian's father got his jacket from the coat room, Kevin looked at the expensive, fancy nic-nax around the foyer. He looked at the pictures of Ian and Dominique, who Kevin thought was pretty hot for being Ian's sister, and he looked at some pictures of when Ian was younger. He seemed like a nice kid, a nice kid that got pushed over the edge by some jerks, and he was, he tried to make friends, but just got made fun of for being twig-thin and extremely smart. Maybe if Kevin had tried to be friends with Ian back in grammar school, he would have turned out different. He took notice to the group photos, and how Erin seemed to be in almost all of them. There was one where Erin had a black v-cut spaghetti strap knee length dress and high heeled dress shoes, with her long hair pinned back, bangs done professionally, with some loose red curls cascading down on the sides. Ian was wearing a gray dress shirt and black dress pants. They did not look a thing like themselves. They must have been at a formal dinner party or something, because there was no way Ian and Erin would ever dress like that. They didn't even wear something like that to graduation. Kevin was intrigued by something in that one picture-Erin. She looked so beautiful and happy, her heart shaped face was glittering with a dazzling smile, and her blue eyes sparkled in the romantically lit banquet hall. Her arms were wrapped around Ian's neck, he was sitting at a table, and she was standing behind him, leaning her chin on his shoulder. Ian was smiling, with his hands placed over Erin's. Kevin got a cold feeling in his gut, a yearning for Carrie-or maybe it was Erin he longed for. He suddenly felt a pang of jealousy for Ian. He had all these things to offer Erin, but never did anything about it. Kevin wanted Erin to be alive. He sort of wished it was Ian who had died, not Erin. If that was the case, Kevin would have definitely swooped in and taken Erin over. Alarmed by his own thoughts, Kevin stopped staring at that picture, and looked at one from Christmas. Erin was sitting on Ian's lap, kissing his cheek with her eyes closed, Ian was looking at Erin sidelong, smiling, and blushing a little bit. "In a few years," Kevin thought, "they would have been the perfect little family."

"Kevin," Ian's father tapped him on the shoulder, "Ian asked me to tell you to meet him in the backyard. Dominique will show you the way." "Alright." Kevin replied. He followed Dominique outside and met Ian by the door of the carriage house. "I'm sorry I got so angry before, it's just, I know you were trying to make me feel better, and-" "Ian, listen man, you were completely right. Erin was perfect for you. I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry." "It's okay. There's nothing we can do to bring her back, you know?" "Sadly. She really was amazing Ian," "I know. I was with her for so long. I um, haven't been in here since that night. If you'll come in with me, it might make things a little easier. I have some clothes and things I need to bring to the house." "Sure dude."

Kevin looked around the tiny little house. "So you guys stayed back here." "More like lived. She did most of the decorating, I just drew up plans." Some of Ian's very own artwork hung on the walls, which was pretty impressive to Kevin. Ian walked through the house, closing his eyes or turning his head in some places to shut out memories of Erin. He picked up a sweatshirt, a yearbook Kevin guessed was Erin's, some pictures, a small black box with two dark red hearts on it, a sketch-pad, and a camera. Most of the tables and shelves were empty, so Kevin guessed Ian had brought all those things home with him. "Don't Erin's mother and father want some of her things?" "Her mother doesn't give a damn about her, her father left them a few years back, and doesn't talk to Erin at all, he probably doesn't even know about her, and her stepfather is a perv who just wanted to screw her." "That really sucks." "Yeah. That's why she always stayed here with me. She loved her mom, but never got anything in return for it. She even loved her real dad, but he just beat her, and left her for it. She absolutely hated Frank, her stepfather, he's a revolting man. Flat out awful." "She really had it bad before you, huh?" "I never really thought of it that way before." "If her life was that bad, and she says that you saved her, you had a really big impact on who she came to be." "I guess I did, didn't I?" Ian told Kevin to carry some boxes for him, and they brought the stuff into the main house, and up to Ian's bedroom.

Kevin was looking at pictures Ian had, and his fascination with Erin grew. She was perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and Ian McKinley certainly did not deserve to call her his own. "Ian," Kevin started, "what did you write in Erin's yearbook?" "Here, read it," Ian said handing Kevin Erin's yearbook, which ironically flipped to the "We'll Never Forget Our Lost Seniors" page, dedicated to the ten kids that never made it to graduation. Kevin saw Carrie, and felt guilty for even thinking about any other girls. He saw Jay, and thought back to being five years old, playing with Batman action figures in the schoolyard. He missed those days, with Jay and Carrie. He missed Ashley and Ashlyn too. They were always nice to him. He missed Lewis a lot, they had begun to become friends their senior year, but after the accident, Lewis stopped talking to him, only the night he died. He never really got to know Erin or Ian, but had a sharp interest with Erin, and who she once was. He even sort of missed Frankie and his sick ways.

He found the inscription made by Ian to Erin on the last page:

Pip,

I could never sum up everything you've done for me. I never want to part with you, next year will be a test, but having each other will make everything alright in the end. You are, from your head to your toes perfect. I love you more than anyone else in this world, and I want you to know, getting off that ride together was the smartest thing I ever did, besides ask you if your were okay four years ago. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I wouldn't trade you for the world, and I'd never, ever change a single thing about you. I cannot wait to marry you, and have you be all mine, for eternity. You're the most beautiful girl in the world, and I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have you.

Erin, I'll love you forever,

Zip (Ian)

"You really loved her, huh?" Kevin asked. "She was my world...my perfect little redhead." Erin was the only redhead at school, and Ian loved it. He loved that she was naturally different than the blonde and brunette girls, and he loved that Erin didn't ever even have to try to be beautiful. She just was. The question in his mind was, "Who's going to be my Pip." And Erin's beyond the grave question, "Who's going to be my Zip?" They needed each other for survival, Ian or Erin without the other was a horrible thing.

Kevin continued looking through pictures until he saw the time. "Oh man, I was supposed to be at Wendy's three hours ago. She probably thinks I'm dead." "Go." Kevin left the house, got in his car, and drove to Wendy's. Once there, Kevin and Wendy sat in her room, discussing the past events. "How's Ian doing?" "He's...alright, look, I'm not gonna lie to you. He's a mess. I don't think he's showered, he doesn't smell or anything, but he's pale, and his hair is greasy. I think he needs someone to talk to. Aside from Erin, he really had no one." "I feel so bad for him. Erin was his rock. When we used to talk, she'd tell me about him. He really was a sweet guy to her. He was good to her. He loved her. And I took her away from him..." Wendy looked down, tears began to well up in her eyes. "It's my fault Erin's dead. It's my fault they're all gone." Kevin put his hand on Wendy's shoulder, rubbing it soothingly." "Wen, look you didn't ask for this. None of us did." Wendy opened her pictures on the computer. She viewed all of them, and came across a picture of Ian with his arm around Erin. They were smiling. This picture was a rarity. Kevin let his eyes linger on the photo for a little but longer than necessary. "Do you think she was pretty?" Kevin asked Wendy. "Who? Erin?" "Yeah." "I guess so. She wasn't ugly. Why, do you?" "Yeah. Ian was a lucky guy." "Well what about Carrie? Don't you think people felt that way about you two?" "I don't know. Maybe. But Ian and Erin were already engaged. He never had to worry about her leaving him. She was beautiful, and she'd never leave him. But now she's dead." "Okay...uh Kevin, I think you need to go. My mom'll be home soon with Julie. I'll um...see you tomorrow." The way Kevin spoke about Erin slightly unnerved Wendy.

Ian felt a little bit uneasy about Kevin, like why he was so concerned about Erin and what her life was like, and why the hell he showed up at his house.

As he walked out of the carriage house, and to his father's sedan, he pictured the funeral. There couldn't be an open casket, because the nails went through her face. Only a small amount of people would probably show up.

He was right. Kevin was there...which irked him so badly. His family paid for everything. They used what Ian and Erin had been saving for their wedding, for her funeral. Ian didn't cry. He was passed that. Something inside him snapped, he was out for revenge. Wendy was lucky she wasn't there. Ian would have avenged Erin right in the middle of the service if Wednesday Marie Christensen dared show her face at Erin Nicolette Ulmer's funeral.

On his was home, Ian passed a sign that advertised the McKinley Tricentennial. "Perfect," he thought. Wendy would end up at a place like that, being the paranoid little miss goodie goodie she was. It was in two days. He had to go...he needed to. For Erin.

While going to Wendy's house to wait for her, Ian stopped by Erin's grave. He put a bouquet of red roses at the base of the stone and said, "for you beautiful." He heard whimpering coming from a distance. He looked around and saw who it was. Wendy. She should not be allowed near all these people's graves. She put them there. He looked longingly at the grave in front of him. "I miss you Pip," he whispered huskily, barely any sound coming out. "I'm going to fix this baby. If I can't bring you back, I'll make her wish she stayed home that night. I love you Pip." With that, he kissed his finger and laid it on the stone. He walked back to the van, sitting there waiting for Wendy to get in her tiny red car and drive away. When she finally did, Ian was ready. He had Erin's favorite song at the time, Slow Suicide by JamisonParker playing as background, and she was the only thing on his mind. "I love you baby..." He kept repeating in his mind.

He waited in the parking lot, fingering Erin's black and white diamond spider pendant necklace that hung from his mirror since that night at Build It. Then something caught his eye. People were running away from something. "Probably Wendy," he thought amusingly to himself. But it was Wendy and Kevin and her sister Julie everyone was running from. "Perfect," he once again thought to himself.

Even though Ian was threatening her life, Wendy did not want to be responsible for another death. Though, maybe he'd be happier in death, where he could be with Erin eternally. Wendy saw the sign snap and rock. "IAN!" She shrieked. He looked up, just in time to see the McKinley Tricentennial sign flying toward him. As a reflex, he jumped to the side, and out of the way. The sign plummeted down and crashed just where he had been before. Wendy thought that maybe, just maybe he'd be grateful to her. Instead, she got a very angry Ian. "You couldn't just let me die?" He screamed. "I-I" "you-you what Wendy? What?" He said mockingly. "I just wanted to save you!" "Why? To torture me even more? Without Erin everything is hell! Why didn't you just let me die!" Ian fell to his knees, hysterically weeping. "Ian," Kevin started toward him. "Look man, it'll be fine. We're in this together. We survived." He said patting him on the back. "No Kevin. I didn't. I died with Erin. There's nothing left for me. No one needs me the way she did. No one wants me the way she did." Ian looked up. Kevin had extended his hand to him. Ian took it and stood up. "I just don't know how this happened." "None of us do man. Look, we both lost our girl. I was gonna ask Carrie to marry me. Right after graduation. I did everything already. I even went to Jared." Ian felt a smile twitch at the corner of his lips at the unintentional pun in Kevin's words.

After the episode at the tricentennial, Ian went back to the carriage house. He'd forgotten something. He knew he did. He looked under the bed, and found it. That brown jewelry box Erin never let him see. He felt bad opening it, but he needed to. Inside he found every note they had passed in class since freshmen year, and every picture they had ever taken.. There was something else he'd never seen. A tape. He closed the box, and took it back to the Main House with him. He closed his bedroom door, and popped the tape in the VCR. Erin's voice immediately flooded the screen, sending a chill down Ian's spine. Ian could hear the shower running in the background, so he figured he was in the shower at that time. She was sitting on the edge of the messy, unmade bed, clad only in a soft white bathrobe.

"Hey Ian," she started, "wow, this is so stupid, but I kind of just got this feeling of needing you to know this. I love you, and I know you know that, but I don't think you could understand how I love you. I love you as more than just a boyfriend, I love you as a best friend, a lover, a person, and my world. You're all I've ever known, and you're all I want to know. Without you, I honestly don't think I'd be here now, because before I met you, everything was hell...everything was hell. You got me away from my step-dad and my mom, and you gave me hope when my dad left. Because no matter how much my life sucks, as long as I have you, I have everything. I need you like a needle needs a vein, I hope you can understand that. You fixed everything for me." She took in a deep sigh, and wiped her eyes. "You made my life perfect." She looked sharply to the left, hearing a door open. "I guess your shower is done. Okay, I really don't know when or if you'll ever see this, but I just, I just needed to say this to you. So you'd never forget it. I love you babe." She blew a kiss at the screen and smiled. "Love you Zip." Ian kept replaying the tape, laying there listening to Erin's voice, imagining she was right next to him. He was still holding her jewelry box, thinking about her. The most perfect girl in the world, who was now dead.

The next morning, as Ian was attempting to prepare himself a breakfast, something Erin confronted him about, about three months earlier flashed into his mind.

(Flashback)

"Ian," Erin started softly from the bathroom. She was wearing sweat pants and a sweat shirt, which she never did unless she was troubled about something. "Yeah?" "I need to talk to you...I just took...that," she pointed to a box in the garbage can, "and I can't look at the result." "Okay..." Ian took the object out of Erin's shaking hands and read it. "It's...pink. What does that mean?" Erin began crying quietly. "Oh no...it's positive." "What. Erin are you p-pregnant?" "I think so......what are we gonna do..." She whispered through her tears. "But we were always safe!" Ian fretted. "We-we can't afford a baby, and school and college! What are we gonna do Ian!? We should have never had sex! This is so wrong...oh god, what are we gonna do!" "Erin, babe, listen," he started pulling her into a hug, "we'll be fine. We love each other, and we'll love this baby. Plus these tests aren't always accurate. We'll go to the doctor tomorrow morning okay?" "Okay." She whispered burying her face in Ian's chest.

They couldn't get an appointment until the next Wednesday, three days later. Erin held tight to Ian's hand, while the doctor ran his tests. "So how long have you two been married?" The doctor asked. "Um...we aren't." Ian replied. "Oh...just out of curiosity, Miss Ulmer how old are you exactly?" "Seventeen." She spoke quietly. "Oh...you just seemed as if you two were married already." "No. Not yet at least." Ian smiled over at Erin. "Well," the doctor started, "it appears to be a false alarm." "What?" Erin asked confused. "You're not pregnant. You've got your whole life ahead of you to worry about having a baby." "Then why am I so late in getting my period?" "That happens sometimes. Sometimes your body does strange things, and being late is one of them." "Oh," Erin said quietly. A few tears escaped her eyes. "I'll give you two a minute alone." "Thank you," Ian said. "Pip, what's wrong. You should be happy." "No...I know this might sound a bit off or even crazy, but I actually kind of wanted to be pregnant. I wanted to have your baby. I wanted to be the mother I never had." "But Pip, one day you will, we will. When we're married and we have a house, and we've got solid jobs." "But I already started loving it." "How can you love something that never even existed?" "I was picking out names, and clothes, and I started designing a nursery." "Erin. We knew there was a chance you might not have been pregnant. Why'd you fill your head with all these ideas?" "Because I really thought we were having a baby." Ian held her to him. "We will one day. We'll have as many babies as you want, and they'll be perfect, we just aren't ready now. Think of the disadvantage it would be to the child." "You're right. It was stupid to get attached anyways...I love you Zip, and I can't wait for the day I have babies with you." She kissed him and smiled. "I love you too Pip."

(End flashback)

"She wanted a baby. She wanted to have our baby, and I talked her out of it." He thought. "We weren't too young for anything else. Why couldn't we have a baby? If she was pregnant, we wouldn't have gone to the amusement park!" Ian was finding new ways to blame himself everyday. He was making himself crazy. "But...we both knew it would be wrong to have one......if Wendy wasn't at Grad Night, my Erin would be here, and we could have a baby in the future. We'd have a future." He thought. "I hate Wendy." He said coldly to no one at all. In his mind, he saw Erin next to him with everything he did. When he'd eat, she'd be in her seat across from him, sharing their meal. Watching television on the couch, she was snuggled under his arm, and finally, in bed, she was right next to him, as she always was.

Erin watched Ian cautiously. She wanted to be in the same place as him, physically. She just couldn't. There was no way for her to get back to him. He was holding on to her so tightly, he couldn't release her, and she hated holding him down. She hated being without him, the person who saved her, is the one she'd hurt most. The love of her life, gone in an instant. All because she was such a klutz, and lost her footing. Ian was blaming everyone, Wendy, Kevin, Build It itself, but worst of all, himself.

She was so fearful that he'd kill himself, or someone else, so she payed extra attention to him on the day of the tricentennial, knowing what he was planning on doing. She wasn't going to let his life end, especially if she could somewhat control it. She knew that Ian living without her was a slow suicide.