As the ceremony came to an end, the Stuart prefect was the last to leave. He knelt down next to the cold headstone, just staring at the name, remembering that night…
The prefect awoke with a jolt, the thick smoke stinging at his green eyes and filling his lungs. As dust from the last explosion swirled around in the air above him, he choked and sputtered, gasping for air. Unable to sit up, he carefully moved each of his limbs, finding acute pain his left forearm. Crying out in pain, he heard a small cough to the right of him. Instantly, he shot up when he remembered what had happened just a few minutes earlier.
"Julian!" he yelled, pulling himself across the floor towards his best friend.
In return, the brunet coughed several more times, but couldn't utter a single word.
"C'mon, Jules, stay with me!" Logan shouted, slipping his arms under the actor's legs and lower back.
Wincing in pain as he shifted his friend's weight to his good arm, the Stuart clenched his teeth and stood up.
"Logan! Over here," he heard the dark haired Windsor shout.
He followed the sound of the other boys' voices and heard Julian murmur softly. Looking down at the boy in his arms, he saw the flickering orange flames reflect off of the tears on his face.
I remember tears streaming down your face,
When I said, "I'll never let you go."
"Shut up, Jules. Talk later. Right now I'm getting us out of here," he whispered hoarsely.
"Keep up, Logan! And watch your step," Kurt shouted over his shoulder, coughing uncontrollably. Blaine gently patted him on the back as the pair helped their smaller friend descend through the wreck.
When all those shadows almost killed your light.
Above him, he heard a loud crack and impulsively jumped out of the way just in the nick of time. Next to him, a flaming ceiling beam crashed to the floor, sending vibrations throughout the building.
He could barely hear Reed's voice shriek, "Are you okay back there?" over the roaring inferno.
"Yeah, we're fine! Keep moving, we'll catch up!" he bellowed, dodging falling debris.
I remember you said,
"Don't leave me here alone."
"You're going to be fine. I promise," he whispered, clutching his friend closer to his chest.
As the boys raced across the burning floorboards, Logan cradled Julian in a way to keep him from breathing in the toxic fog. Nearing the exit, a huge beam dropped from the ceiling, narrowly missing the Stuarts. The encounter was very close. Close to the point that only the ends of Logan's hair had been singed.
But all that's dead and gone and past tonight.
Once they were on ground level, they helped their daring friends along the way, guiding each other to the exits. Just before the whole building began to collapse, the last conscious person was rescued from the rubble. As friends and family held onto their boys for dear life, backing away from the raging blaze formerly known as the Art Hall, the building gave way and tumbled to the ground.
Just close your eyes,
The sun is going down.
As the rubble fell to the ground with a final thud, Logan stumbled forward onto the grass, managing to set the boy in his arms down unharmed any further. Once on the grass, the actor's coughing and wheezing worsened. Logan grasped his hand, attempting to keep his best friend conscious and calm. When he began to cough up blood, the paramedics rushed over and gently moved his friend aside.
You'll be alright,
No one can hurt you now.
"Julian!" the prefect screamed as his friends pulled him away. "Let go of me, I promised him he'd be alright! I promised him!"
"Logan, they're going to do what they can to help him! You've gotta let them do their jobs," Derek yelled, helping the pair of Windsors hold him back.
At the sound of his best friends' screams, Julian's eyes fluttered open for a moment.
Come morning light,
You and I'll be safe and sound.
"Julian? Julian, stay with us," the doctor instructed.
Turning to look over his shoulder, the medic shouted, "Are you his friends?"
"Yes, sir," the shorter Stuart nodded.
"Come over here for a minute," he beckoned, returning his attention to the patient.
Racing back over to them, Logan immediately knelt down next to his friend, Derek following closely behind.
"Keep him conscious as long as you can," he directed as he and the other paramedics proceeded to treat the wounded Stuart the best they could.
Don't you dare look out your window,
Darlin' everything's on fire.
"Jules, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," the boy with green eyes apologized, nearly in hysterics.
The war outside our door keeps raging on.
"No… We're losing him. Keep talking to him!" one of the medics ordered.
"Julian, stay with us. Talk to us, please," Derek commanded in the calmest voice he could muster.
Hold onto this lullaby.
"Please… I'm so sorry. For everything. Just please talk to us," Logan begged, his vision blurring.
Even when the music's gone, gone…
Letting a few tears fall, he buried his face in his hands. After a few moments, the brunet opened his eyes halfway.
"I'm sorry too, Lo," he whispered roughly. "I love you. And I'm sorry."
The pair looked each other in the eyes for a split second. In that single moment, Julian felt a wave of emotions wash over him. Sorrow… Regret… But most of all, love. The brown eyed brunet allowed his eyes to droop shut, exhaling sharply.
Just close your eyes,
The sun is going down.
Again, the boys were moved aside. The medics rushed about, trying to revive him any way they could, but it was hopeless.
You'll be alright,
No one can hurt you now.
"I'm so sorry… We've lost him," the doctor announced grimly.
"No!" Logan cried, flinging himself over Julian's limp form. "He can't be gone, he just can't!"
Come morning light,
You and I'll be safe and sound…
Derek stood back with the others, his face buried in his hands. The Warblers gathered around the boys, comforting them apologetically.
The paramedics gathered their equipment silently and left the boys alone, moving on to the next person in need of their assistance. Little by little, the group dispersed to find their parents and spread the unfortunate news until only Logan was left.
Just close your eyes,
You'll be alright.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Jules. I should've known. I should've never let you leave all those times. I could've kept you from—" he stopped short, choking out another round of sobs as rain began to fall.
Come morning light,
You and I'll be safe and sound…
Now, he had nothing left to say. No thoughts left that he hadn't already expelled into the universe, hoping that somehow, his friend could hear them. Everyone was long gone by the time the blond began to stand, preparing to finally depart from the gloomy grounds. Brushing himself off, he ran a hand through his hair as he turned and left.
Not once did he turn back. At least, not until he was almost off of the cemetery's property. Pausing just before the gate, he hesitated and looked back up on Julian's hill one last time. Only this time, he could've sworn he saw a misty white figure standing next to the headstone with that stupid Cheshire grin he knew so well. Wide eyed, Logan blinked hoping he hadn't been seeing things.
One blink, and the figure had vanished.