Ashley's going to be dead by the end of this chapter.

A week later…

Derrick opened the door to Ashley and Zack's room. They were huddled up together asleep. A/N: Friendship, nothing else. Derrick pulled Ashley's and Zack's arms and pulled them apart. They both woke up as he pushed them outside. Ashley shot a look at Zack.

'Derrick, don't hurt me please. I'll be a good girl.' Ashley said.

Derrick slowly turned his attention to her, breaking his gaze on Zack.

'You think you're pleads are going to stop me? Soften me up? You actually think I'm not going to hurt you?!' Derrick laughed.

'Not if I hurt you first!' Ashley jumped on Derrick, pushing him down. She punched and slapped him before he started to win. Zack dithered. He didn't want to leave a twelve-year-old like her with a man like him. Ashley saw his hesitations.

'Just go get your brother, Zack!' she shouted at him.

Zack gulped guiltily and ran off. He went back to the pantry. With one rough shove, the door swung open.

'Please don't hurt me, Derrick, please.' He heard the faint whimpers from his brother.

Zack climbed down the steps and went over to Cody.

'Cody? Cody?' Zack shook his brother. Cody looked up.

'Zack?'

'Yeah, it's me, buddy.' Zack said, hugging his twin. Cody hugged back, sobbing on Zack's shoulder.

'I didn't think I was ever gonna see you again.' Cody said.

'Me the same.'

They heard screaming from down the hall.

'Ashley! Come on, Codester.' Zack pulled Cody up and dragged him along.

'Wait! Who's Ashley? Where are we going?'

'Ashley's a twelve-year-old girl who's been here since she was eight.'

'Wow, that long?' Cody asked as they ran.

'Yeah.' As they rounded the corner, two gunshots rang out. They saw Derrick limping because Ashley had shot him in the leg. Her wound, however, was much more serious. She dropped to the ground, a small bullet hole in her chest. Zack ran over and Cody followed. Zack knelt down beside Ashley and felt her pulse. It was very faint.

'Zack?' her small voice came to his attention.

'Yeah?'

'I'm going to die, aren't I?' she asked.

'No. No, you're not. I promise.' Zack regretted it as it came out. How could he promise something like that?

'If you see my family, tell them I love them.' Zack took her hand and nodded. His tear fell onto her T-Shirt. She took her terminal breath and her hand went limp.

'No. No.' Zack whispered. 'Ash, Ash, wake up, please wake up! Ashley!' Zack tried to revive her but he knew the worst was already done. Ashley was dead. Her eyes were still open. Zack hugged the lifeless body against his chest. She was only twelve, she didn't deserve to die.

'You Son of a Bitch!' Zack screamed, dropping Ashley and taking hold of the gun she'd used to wound Derrick. Derrick turned around.

'You don't have enough guts to kill me, boy.'

'Maybe not. But I can still shoot you. This one's for Ashley.' Zack said, aiming and pulling the trigger. It hit Derrick on his kneecap so that he fell and gave time for Zack and Cody to run away. Cody started running but Zack stopped.

'Come on, Zack!'

Derrick got out his lighter in his pain and lit some of the building on fire. Then he ran, trying to get away as quick as he could.

'Zack, you have to get out now!' Cody yelled as the building started to crumble.

Zack picked Ashley up and gently closed her eyelids. He bolted after Cody into the sunlight. The smell of smoke was overwhelming. They ran as fast as they could to the nearest payphone.

Ashley's voice rang through his head.

Flashback:

'You know what my dream is, Zack?'

'To get out of here alive?'

'That will come or it won't. But my dream. My dream is to see the sun again. Just once. I just want to see sunlight again. I haven't seen the sun for four whole years. I'd give anything, absolutely anything, just to get one minute in those beautiful sunrays.'

End Flashback.

The sun was just setting. It was beautiful. Zack looked at Ashley. She said she'd give anything to see real sunlight again. And now she never could. Cody picked up the phone and put in the number, 911. Someone picked up after 2 rings. Zack watched as Cody told them everything. Eventually he put the phone down.

'I asked for a fire service, police and an ambulance.' He said.

'I don't need an ambulance.' Zack said, even though it was obvious from his fever-glazed eyes and all the cuts and bruises that he did.

But Cody didn't want to annoy his brother by disagreeing. Instead he just reasoned. 'Maybe you don't, but she does.' He pointed at Ashley.

'They can't save her. She's dead.' Zack didn't want to believe it, but he knew he had to.

'Mom's coming aswell.' Cody said, trying to lighten the mood.

'She'll be more interested in Derrick than us.' Zack said.

'She knows what happened, Zack. She won't love him anymore. With any luck, she'll throw the ring down the drain.'

'Maybe.'

Zack looked down at Ashley. He stroked her face. 'Why did she die, Cody? She was only twelve. She had a life ahead of her. Why didn't I save her?'

Cody didn't want to say it, but did anyway. 'Maybe you weren't supposed to. She spent a third of her life helping others, no doubt she helped others before she was kidnapped aswell. But…maybe she was supposed to die saving…us.' Cody said. 'Face it, Zack, she saved us and you should be grateful. You can still be sad, but make sure that you know…she saved us; she put her life at risk to save ours. She's a hero.'

Zack looked up. 'Thanks, Cody.'

Cody smiled. 'No problem, Zack.'

3 police cars pulled up. Carey rushed out and crushed both her sons in a hug. She was crying and making their bloody hair even more wet. Eventually she let them go. Then she noticed the girl in Zack's arms. She didn't realise she was dead.

'Who is this?'

'Ashley. She-she's…' Zack gulped. 'She's dead.' He whispered.

'Oh God.' Carey said through her tears. A paramedic came over.

'Can I have her, son?' Zack reluctantly handed Ashley over. 'Thank you, son.'

Carey sobbed and kissed Zack's hair and then she kissed Cody's. 'I-I didn't…I'm so sorry, boys. I promise you both that the police will get Derrick and we will make sure he gets justice for hurting you.'

'And killing Ashley.' Zack said, staring after her as they zipped up her body bag.

'Yes, and killing Ashley. How did you meet her, Zack?'

'Derrick separated me and Cody. I was in a room with Ashley and she cleaned me up and helped me. She saved me and Cody, mom. She died for us. She never got her dream, mom. She-she never got her dream…'

'What was her dream, Zack?' Cody asked, wrapping an arm round Zack's shoulder.

'Her dream. Her dream was to see the sun…just once. And she never got it, even though she helped everyone. She was twelve, mom, and she never even got anything in return for the agony she was put through.'

Cody moved out of the way as Carey encircled her arms round Zack in a warm hug.

2 days later…

Zack and Cody got a letter each that morning. It was court summons.

Zack took a sharp breath. Cody drummed his fingers on the table. Carey gave them a plate of pancakes. Cody took one but only ate one bite. Zack stared into space, listening to the steady beat of Cody's fingers and watching the TV screen blankly. He didn't care what was on until a picture of an eight-year-old girl came on. He knew in an instant who it was.

'Mister Derrick Freeman has been labelled killer of twelve-year-old Ashley Render yesterday. His trial will be held tomorrow at 2:15pm. Not only has he tortured and killed Render, he also has abused many others, his most recent victims being twins, Zachary and Cody Martin…' The reporter drabbled onto herself. Zack zoned out. He was thinking about Ashley. He thought about her hollow face, her lifeless eyes, her bravery. Zack took another sharp breath.

'Zack, honey? You don't have to go, you know, sweetheart.' Carey tried to make her son feel like he was in control again.

Zack looked up, the anger firing up in his eyes. 'I have to go. For Ashley. That bastard deserves prison, and I'm going to make sure that he gets there, even if it includes blood, sweat and tears.'

Aww...so Ashley's dead...but that doesn't mean she won't be mentioned. By the way, Zack does love Ashley, but like a little sister. The twins are supposed to be 14. I hope that has answered people's questions. If you have any more queries, send me a PM.

x- The Older Twin -x