"Mercutio!" Benvolio raced down the sidewalk. 'Mercutio, show down! What's the matter?"

Mercutio eyed his friend, as Benvolio came panting up beside him. "Don't kill yourself, Ben. It's too hot to be running around."

"Yeah...(gasp)...I know." Benvolio leaned down to catch his breath. "Why the ...(gasp)...heck are you hanging...(gasp).. around in this murderous...(gasp)...heat? Let's go inside."

"Eh." Mercutio ignored him. "Tell me, Benvolio, where might Romeo be?"

"Why do you...(gasp)...ask?"

"Oh come on," Mercutio scoffed. "Surely you've noticed he's hardly ever around. I'm wondering if he comes this way and if he does..."

"Oh no." Benvolio grabbed his friend's arm. "Don't you even think about confronting him. It's too hot, and I don't want you two getting in a fight."

"Eh."

Benvolio sighed, then fanned his face with a hand. "Where are you going, anyway?"

"To the city."

"What? Why? Isn't that against the rules?"

"Your point?"

Benvolio groaned. "What about the construction pit?"

A week ago, the school had hired a team of construction workers to redo one of the streets that ran by the front of the school. Nobody was sure why - it was only the start of the first trimester, and hardly anyone ever used that road anyways. Never the less, the workers had come, and promptly banned any students from coming close.

Mercutio kept walking, undaunted. "What about it? It's a big hole. Unless you can give me a good reason why Romeo would be sitting in a hole, I don't plan on stopping there. Relax."

"Relax? Relax?"

"Oh right." Mercutio cackled delightedly. "I forgot. You never relax." He dodged Benvolio's half-hearted swing, and skipped away down the side-walk. "Besides, it's not like you need to come."

"Nice try." Benvolio folded his arms, his blue eyes glittering. "You aren't getting away from me. Who else would keep you out of trouble?"

Mercutio laughed again. They were approaching the construction pit now, a yawning hole in the ground. It was rigged with yellow safety tape, and had several safety cones around it. Mercutio kicked one out of his way. "Like you could keep me out of trouble, Ben."

Benvolio was about to reply, but stopped cold. "Oh no... Mercutio! Stop!"

Mercutio halted. His gaze followed Benvolio's, and his froze. His whole posture shifted around, and a thin smile spread across his lips.

A figure had been standing against on wall, completely motionless until now. When the boys had approached though, he had moved, coming out into the sunlight. He seemed causal enough, but there was a strange light in his eyes.

"Good afternoon," Tybalt said smoothly. "A word with one of you?"

Mercutio folded his arms, his smirk unwavering. "One word? With one of us? Are you sure you're not looking for something more...active then talking?"

Tybalt smirked right back. "Give me a reason, and you'll find out."

Benvolio stepped forward hastily. Mercutio wasn't the fighting type of person, but the heat wasn't doing any good for his mood. And Tybalt, suspended-for-fighting-five-times Tybalt, would never back down. Benvolio fixed the prep with a stare. "What do you want, Tybalt?"

Tybalt glanced at the Emo before him with cold brown eyes. "Mercutio, Benvolio, you both hang out with Romeo, right?"

Mercutio snorted. "So what if we do? Are you preps so arrogant, you think you can control the relationships of others?"

"Mercutio, stop." Benvolio put a hand on his friend's arm. To Tybalt, he said, "I don't know were Romeo is, and I wouldn't tell you if I did." He adjusted his stance too. "Now, let's just walk away, I'm not looking for a fight."

Tybalt was about to reply, when his gaze shifted to a place near Mercutio's left shoulder. "At ease," he said smoothly. "Here comes your friend."

Benvolio spun, as Tybalt shoved past him. No! Crimany, Romeo, could you have picked a worse time? Yet he watched, with growing fear, as his friend approached the place where the three Sophomores were standing.

Tybalt wasted no time. He'd been waiting five days for this confrontation, and the words sprang to his lips. "Romeo, there is only one name I can call you. You are a villain."

Romeo blinked at the tall, black-haired teen in front of him. And he'd been having such a good day. Slowly, he said, "What have I done to deserve this name."

"Don't talk all fancy with me, freak," Tybalt growled, a threat dripping from every word. "Pretty words won't excuse what you've done."

Romeo sighed. He couldn't fight Tybalt. What would Juliet think? "I'm sorry, Tybalt, for whatever I've done to offend you. I won't fight you; I wouldn't dream of hurting you. Please, be satisfied with my words. It's all I can give you. I'll see you later." And with that, he pushed past Tybalt, walking away from the group.

Tybalt stalked after him. His words were calm, but he was shaking with anger. "You little coward. Turn and get your fists up, or get ready to hurt. I'm not walking away."

"He's right, you know."

Benvolio turned, watching with growing horror as Mercutio walked toward the two boys. "Your submission is pathetic," the emo taunted his friend. "Tybalt, you little brat, will you let your challenge go unanswered?"

Tybalt stopped, though he didn't turn around. "What do you want?"

Mercutio grinned. "Good King of Cats, nothing but one of your nine lives."

Slowly, a smile slid across Tybalt's face. He turned a half-circle, and faced his challenger. "I am for you."

"No!" Romeo called, hurrying toward them, but it was too late.

Mercutio leaped at Tybalt, who caught him by the forearms, and spun him around. Mercutio kneed the prep in the gut, and leaped away. Tybalt threw a punch, but Mercutio caught it. He moved to twist his opponent's arm behind his back, but Tybalt wrenched away. Nails scraped against both palms, as both boys tried to hang on to each other. They faced each other, moving in a slow circle.

Romeo caught Benvolio's eye across the fighter's heads. His friend stood, frozen in panic, watching as the two Sophomores leaped for each other again. Too late, Romeo tried to get in between them, but had to retreat. The fighters moved in a vicious dance, one that only they knew the steps to. Anyone who tried to get between them was liable to get hurt more then the fighters.

For a few moments, Romeo stood entranced. Both Mercutio and Tybalt were starting small, wary of each other. Mercutio was faster, but Tybalt was stronger. Yet, as they grew more confident, they began to get more daring. Tybalt fainted to the left, then grabbed Mercutio's wrists, twisting them painfully. Mercutio gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, then spun away, giggling at Tybalt's reaction.

But it was also getting more vicious. The more they knew about each other, the less the boys held back. Mercutio stumbled, and Tybalt hit him in the eye, scoring the first real hit. In response, Mercutio kicked his opponent in the knee, then shoved him backward. Tybalt grabbed the emo's wrists, and spun him into a wall. Mercutio grunted, then pushed off the wall and sent his feet hard into Tybalt's stomach.

"Benvolio!", Romeo yelled. His friend jerked up, away from the hypnotic movements unfolding in front of him. Romeo made a movement, which Ben understood instantly. He crept toward the fighters, then pounced.

Tybalt stumbled backward, yanked out of his daze. Benvolio had his arms wrapped around the other's waist, dragging him away from Mercutio. Furious, Tybalt twisted and turned, adrenaline pumping though his veins.

Meanwhile, Romeo dodged in front of Mercutio. "Mercutio! Enough!"

Mercutio bounced on the balls of his feet, trying to see past Romeo's shoulder. He could vaguely make out the shape of Tybalt, writhing against Benvolio's restraining arms. Was he coming closer? The emo narrowed his green eyes. "Romeo, get out of the way! I can't see!"

Romeo shook his head. "No. Leave it!"

"I'm serious, Romeo!" Mercutio shaded his eyes, glaring at his friend. "Get out of the way! You're blocking my v-."

Tybalt lunged against Benvolio's arms, and the surprised emo released him. Carried by his thrust, and the adrenaline, he thundered toward Mercutio, hardly noticing his surroundings.

His hands hit Mercutio full in the chest. The emo's eyes went wide, as he stumbled backward. The backs of his knees hit the safety tape, making him lose his balance. Mercutio tipped backward, falling.

Falling straight into the construction pit.

Benvolio watched, almost in slow motion, as his friend tumbled down the side of the pit, half-sliding, half-bouncing. Mercutio's body hit one rock after another, until he finally skidded to a halt on the bottom of the pit.

Benvolio raced forward, his heart stopping. Romeo was already leaping the safety tape, racing down toward his fallen comrade. Benvolio cleared the tape in a single bound, almost falling down himself. He knelt by Mercutio, hardly aware of Tybalt, racing to the edge of the pit too.

Staring down with horror in his eyes.

"Mercutio!" Romeo could barely breath. "Say something. Please! Say something!"

Slowly, Mercutio opened his eyes. "Jeez, Romeo," he muttered. "I never thought I'd see the day when you'd say that."

"You're alive!" Benvolio pulled out his phone. "Just hang on. I'm calling the ambulance."

"Nah, no need to do that." Mercutio attempted to put some of his usual swagger back into his voice. It didn't work very well. "A scratch, a scratch. Trust me, I'm fine." He tried to move, then grunted. "Well, maybe not."

Then his eyes settled on Romeo, and his gaze hardened. "You. Why didn't you move when I told you to? If I could have seen, then maybe I wouldn't be in this position!"

"I was only trying to help," Romeo was distraught.

"Help!" Mercutio snorted. "It's your fault, you know! Yours and Ben's, and Tybalt's and your brother's and Capulet's and all the other people in this stupid rivalry." His voice went up a notch. "A plague on both of you, you idiots! Can you hear me?! A plague on all of you! Tear each other to pieces for all I care! Yeah," he added, sounding drowsy. "Tear each...other to..peicesssss..."

His eyes rolled back in his head, and he lost conscious. Beside him, Benvolio hung up. "The ambulance's coming," he said tightly. "All we need to do is - Romeo!"

For Romeo had gotten up, and had begun to climb the rocky walls of the pit. There was a terrifying purpose in his walk, and his eyes gleamed with an awful light. One phrase echoed in his head.

Your fault. Your fault. Your fault.

Tybalt stumbled backward, as Romeo stepped calmly over the safety tape, his eyes fixed on Tybalt's face. Tybalt held up his hands. "W-wait. Hang on. I didn't mean to-."

Romeo dived at him, slamming him against the wall. The emo swung wildly, a red haze descending over his vision. Mercutio's fall played over and over again in his head. The way his body slammed into the rocks. The way his hands gripped fruitlessly at the sides, the dirt crumbling away at his touch. His expression, as he tumbled backward, shocked and surprised and confused.

Yourfaultyourfaultyourfaultyourfaultyour-

Romeo felt hands gripping him, pulling him backward. He spun, swinging out wildly. His fist stopped inches from Benvolio's frightened face.

"Please," Benvolio whispered. "You're going to kill him."

Romeo stopped, breathing hard. Slowly, he turned to where Tybalt lay, slumped against the wall. The prep's face was bruised and bloody. His stylish clothes were torn, and he seemed to be unconscious. Romeo watched his chest rise and fall, a sickening feeling rising in his chest.

What have I done?

He slumped to the ground staring at his trembling hands. He heard Benvolio's voice, as if from far away, saying, "Romeo, no. Get up. There are people coming." Then, "Romeo! Listen to me! If Tybalt's friends find you here, they'll tear you to pieces! Don't give out on me! Run! Go!"

Romeo stumbled to his feet. Benvolio gave him a push, then watched him race away into the dust. His heart was slowly sinking into his chest.

He didn't remember the details of what happened next. Capulet was there, and so was Mercutio's brother, Valentine. Principal Esculas was there, asking Benvolio over and over again what had happened. Benvolio repeated his story again and again, hardly paying attention. Standing there, watching the chaos unfold around him, all he could think about was something Mercutio had said, just before Tybalt had appeared.

Like you could keep me out of trouble, Ben.