"I'm sorry I haven't updated in almost two months! I had writer's block…and I had to make this chapter at least semi-presentable right? Also…I had to move countries…which was pretty tough…what with the new school, new people, new house, and new things to memorize…my mind was just spinning! I also want to apologize for not responding to the reviews…I want to get this chapter out as fast as possible. I'll just say…that really appreciate you reviewing. I love each and every one of you! And the people who simply just read my story…thank you for giving it a chance! I love you people too! Anyway…up next…chapter 10!"

Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon. As awesome as it would feel to say I do…I don't. Kapeesh?

Chapter 10: Guns and Roses

"Very well. I'll take care of it myself." Brendan reached into his jacket and pulled out a GP 35 handgunand pointed it at Blaziken.

Blaziken's muscles tightened as he braced himself.

BOOM!

Brendan's gun rang out… a bullet found a place in Blaziken's back and his hold on Roserade loosened.

Roserade swam back into consciousness as Rhyperior grabbed Blaziken by the scruff of his neck and threw him into a tree.

"R-Roserade…!" Blaziken started to drag himself towards Roserade, his wound was bleeding profusely now.

"Don't move! You'll bleed to death!" Roserade scrambled up.

Brendan pointed his gun at Blaziken again.

"No!" Roserade leaped to Blaziken.

BOOM!

Roserade slumped down, holding her side.

"Bas****!" Blaziken roared, his fists flaring. His eyes started to glow orange and his heart rate sped up ten-fold.

"Watch out! His Blaze ability just kicked in!" Swampert warned.

Blaziken rose up and glared at Brendan, his eyes red.

BOOM!

Blaziken cloaked himself in a huge fire, burning the bullet before it could reach his body. He charged towards Brendan.

Brendan was slammed into the trunk of a tree, but other than a few bruises, he was un-harmed.

"What?!" Blaziken's eyes widened.

"Heh. Surprised?" Brendan wiped his face. "I thought I might end up playing with fire." He grinned widely. "See this jacket, these gloves and these pants? They're completely fire proof."

Blaziken clenched his fist.

"So why don't we just help you end your misery now?"

Swampert, Rhyperior, Aggron, and Shiftry all assembled (A/N: Avengers assemble! Haha! Ha…nobody? Okay…) in front of Brendan and took their fighting stances.

May sat up on the bed, rubbing her eyes and standing up groggily to go to the restroom.

She washed her hands and looked to check if Blaziken was alright, he was acting quite odd when he came back from his search for Roserade.

May gasped when she realized Blaziken wasn't there.

"Drew! Wake up!" May ran to Drew and shook him frantically.

"What?" Drew asked in a tired half-awake voice, sitting up.

May ran to her dresser and pulled out a random pair of pants and her signature shirt.

"Blaziken is missing!" May was already changing out of her pajamas in a crazed frenzy.

"Oh-no…" Drew tumbled out of bed, tripping on the way to his clothes, which made it look like his clothes were miles away, while, in reality, they were only a few feet away.

"Hurry up!" May yelled, throwing her jacket on.

May and Drew have been zooming the skies on Latias and Flygon, respectively, for about 20 minutes tops. They've been flying at such a high speed, that May and Drew were forced to close their eyes and bend their heads downwards to protect their faces; they teleported occasionally as well, thanks to Latias.

"Hey…do you hear that?" Latias's eyes widened. "A gun shot!"

"I hear it too!" Flygon confirmed. "Look! A fire blast!"

A huge flare of light, obviously from a large burst of flames, suddenly flashed in the woods below them.

"It might be Blaziken! Let's go!" May yelled.

"More guests have arrived." Swampert told Brendan.

Brendan lowered the smoking gun pointed at a half-conscious badly wounded Blaziken and turned around.

He watched as May and Drew crashed through the forest and into the clearing. May bumped into a tree trunk and fell, panting, as Drew came in not long after her and came down to help her up.

"Well, well, well… if it isn't Drew, the cabbage patch boy; and lovely miss May." Brendan smiled eerily. "Welcome."

"What have you done to Blaziken?!" May demanded of Brendan, her eyes filled with fresh tears.

"Oh, nothing really. I just shot him a couple of times and had my pokemon attack him."

The hair on May's neck and arms rose, partly due to anger and partly due to the sudden cold gust that blew by.

"You monster…"

"But I did it because I love you May…so we can be together." Brendan walked up to May and only got within two feet of her before Drew stepped up and pulled a gun from the inside of his jacket, pointing it swiftly at Brendan.

"Since when did you have that?" May asked him, startled by its sudden appearance.

Drew didn't answer her. He only held his gun steadily pointed at Brendan.

"Heheh… guns should not be played with my friend." Brendan chuckled to himself, taking a few steps, with Drew's gun following his every move. "And there's really no need to overreact Mr. Rose." Brendan held his hands up, the gun still in his hand. "May…you are such a weakling aren't you? Having grass-head here protecting you…I've always thought you were stronger than that May dear."

May flinched, his words reaching deeper into her than she had wanted.

"Shut up. You don't know a thing about May. You don't know a thing about me. I'm not lowering my weapon." Drew growled, keeping aim at Brendan.

"Fine, fine! I just want to tell May… how much I'd love for us to be together as a couple again."

"We won't ever be together again…EVER! You aren't just a monster… you're a demon!" May screamed.

"But remember this…I'm the only demon that loves." Brendan smirked. "I love you May! Don't you ever forget that!" Brendan laughed crazily, throwing a black rose at May, as he retreated back into the darkness of the woods with his pokemon following.

Drew scowled and shot the rose in mid-air, letting it fall to the ground in pieces.

"Dam*… you…!" May's fists clenched tighter, but stayed frozen to her spot.

"We need to get them to a hospital fast!" Drew yelled, kneeling by Roserade and Blaziken.

May's anger left her, replaced by worry.

"Blaziken! Stay with me please!" May pleaded, rushing to his side and whipping out her cellphone.

Blaziken was already starting to close his eyes, feeling utterly exhausted. He turned his head to look at Roserade, who had already closed her eyes, but was still breathing.

Drew was right by her side, checking her wounds.

Blaziken let out a long exhale, which was a little painful due to his broken ribs, but felt refreshing at the same time. He glanced at May, who was practically yelling into the phone trying to get medical help.

Blaziken suddenly felt…safe. Like he'd be okay no matter what happens.

He slowly turned to face Roserade.

"And I think…she'll be safe too."

He just felt so tired; he couldn't keep this up much longer.

"Master…I need to rest."

He closed his eyes. The last thing he heard before giving into his exhaustion was May yelling at him to stay awake.

Blaziken awoke in the hospital with a crowd of doctors flocking around him, injecting needles here and there, attaching a mask on him and running about.

He looked to his right, and saw Roserade on a separate bed.

He simply stared at her for a little bit, until her eyes too, fluttered open.

She smiled at him, and slowly started to raise her arm to reach out to him.

He willed himself to do the same, slowly but surely reaching out.

Their arms extended to one another slowly, each of their arms smothered and dripping with their own blood, as the rest of their bodies.

As their hands finally reached each other, Blaziken moved his hand under hers, and rubbed his thumb over her hand.

She gave him a weak smile and closed her eyes, her hand dropping as her EKG monitor started to beep.

The sides of his lips curved up, as he gripped her hand one last time… and his eyes fluttered shut, his grip loosening completely, as his monitor started to beep loudly as well.

The lines that showed the pumping of their hearts…were flat.

"Here in this place…there are no troubles

Here in this place, rings the sound of new birth

We all rejoice to the sound of the music

We all come forth to the sound of our names…"

"What happened?" Drew immediately stood up once the doctor walked into the room.

May stood up as well, her hands crumpled together as if she were very cold.

The doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry, we tried everything we could. We tried reviving them…but they never came back…I'm really sorry." He walked out of the room to give them privacy, shutting the door behind him.

The tears started to drip to the floor from Drew's normally bright green eyes, as he slammed the side of his fist against a wall and clenched his teeth together, the salty tears streaming down from his closed eyes. "No…They aren't gone…they're still alright…" Drew repeated over and over, but the words only summoned more tears.

May's legs gave way, as if gravity had suddenly intensified under her feet, and she crumpled to the floor, a look of shock on her face. "I…I don't…They're lying…"

They walked the halls of the hospital wing, looking for the room titled with Blaziken's and Roserade's name written on the front.

They could not believe that they were truly gone until they saw everything for themselves.

They found the room and slowly opened the door, closing it carefully behind them. They made their way towards the two beds slowly, and quietly, as if not to stir even a bit of dust.

May's eyes started to glaze over in tears when she stood at the side of the bed covered in a white blanket with a body underneath it, entitled "Blaziken Maple" on the tag.

Drew stood expressionless, as he stared at the tag that read "Roserade Hayden."

They looked at each other and slowly pulled back the blankets.

The tears May tried so hard to hold back dripped one by one on the white tiled floor, as Blaziken's lifeless face emerged from under the blanket. She wanted so badly to just yank the cover back over his face, but something kept her going, making her peel the blanket all the way down until she threw it on the floor.

"Blaziken?" Her voice cracked. She touched his fur and the stinging feeling in the back of her eyes started to overcome her. She threw her arms around Blaziken's body and screamed and sobbed out his name as tears flowed down her face, dripping onto the fur of Blaziken's motionless, cold and lifeless body.

Drew had not yet even pulled the cover down 3 inches. Fearing what he might see.

He envisioned what Roserade would probably tell him. "Don't fear the answer. Sometimes, everything you need to completely move on… is right under the cover."

He yanked the blanket off with one mighty tug and flung the blanket in some random direction.

The sight that flooded his eyes was the sight of Roserade's un-moving body…already starting to lose its dark green hue, and the flowers on her hands starting to shrivel.

Tears started to drip from his eyes, run down his chin and drop onto the metal table that served as a bed for Roserade's shriveled body. He started to stroke the white tufts on her head, trying not to let any sounds escape his lips.

Roserade hated it when he cried like this for her; she saw it as if he thought she was weak and couldn't fight for her own survival.

"But there's no life you can fight to keep anymore…" Drew thought, as he took up one of Roserade's hands in his.

"It's not fair…" Drew chocked out. "You didn't even get to live to some of the best parts of your life yet…"

"I already miss you my friend…" May managed to say, her voice cracking, holding one of Blaziken's hands, his wrists no longer igniting in flames. "I didn't know what I'd do without you…and now I guess I know…I'd sit here and cry over you...wishing we could have had at least one more moment…"

"We didn't get to go to that huge garden you always said you wanted to go to someday and always pointed out in those gardener digest magazines…" Drew tried unsuccessfully to wipe the tears off his face, only to have more replacing it. "I promised you I would take you there one day…I'm so sorry I didn't keep that promise…." Drew's voice became only a mere quiet whisper as he said the last words of the sentence.

"I'm sorry I didn't get to give this to you yet…" May reached into her bag and pulled out an upper arm band with a fire symbol on it. "You always asked for it when we went to the department store…I promised I'd give it to you when your birthday came…but here it is now…Happy early Birthday Blaziken…I'm so sorry I didn't give it to you sooner…" May lifted Blaziken's arm and slipped the band on.

"I'm sorry…"

Blaziken opened his eyes, rubbing them as he sat up.

"Where am I?"

"You're here and that's all that matters." A familiar voice said behind him.

"Roserade!" Blaziken smiled, standing up to meet her, the lush grass soft under his feet.

They were no longer bloody and wounded, but rather, they were clean and glowing with youth and health.

"Where's May? And Drew?" Blaziken looked around.

Roserade shook her head. "They aren't here… it's not time for them yet…"

Blaziken looked confused.

"This is the place above the universe. The place the humans call "heaven"."

"If only I hadn't fainted when Swampert hit me with those ice beams… why couldn't I have stayed strong?" Flygon had her hands on her face.

"No Flygon…you were strong…you fought with your life. I was afraid…I didn't even have the courage to move out of the way when I saw that dark pulse headed straight for me… I am such an IDIOT!" Latias clenched her claws so hard that they dug into her hands. "And I still didn't have any sense to try harder to get up when I saw that rock slide above me! Maybe they'd still be okay if I wasn't so dumb…" Latias's eyes were shut tight, her face contorted into an angry scowl.

"I'll kill Brendan for this! The moment I can get my fangs in his neck…it's over!" Seviper hissed.

"No…that isn't right…it isn't right to think like that…" Gardevior said quietly.

"Gardevior, Blaziken and Roserade are gone because of him! I think we should return the favor!"

"He had it coming to him the moment he committed the crime. A wing for a wing! And a fang for a fang!" Salamence growled.

"And what will getting rid of Brendan from this Earth forever achieve? Nothing!" Masquerain argued.

"But-" Seviper started.

"It won't bring them back to us…" Beautifly interjected in a low voice. "They'll still be gone…it's too little too late…"

The group was hushed for a few moments.

"I haven't known Blaziken or Roserade for long… but I can't help but feel like they were my family." Latias spoke in a tone just above a whisper, staring down at the wounds she didn't realize she inflicted upon her own hands, with her own claws, in her anger and resentment.

The pokemon nodded.

"It will never really ever be the same after this will it…?" Milotic stared steadily at the ground.

"No…" Suicune let out a long breath, closing his eyes. "But at least they have each other."

Hogosha listened to them, perched on the thick branches of a tree, hidden by the leaves.

His eyes dropped, staring at the ground below him, he couldn't bear to look at the group anymore.

"I never thought this would've happened."

Drew's POV

I stood on the balcony, leaning on the metal railing. I stared straight ahead, trying to enjoy the sunset like I always did; only to fail miserably this time. I sighed, running my hand through my hair.

I looked down at the street below.

People and pokemon were up and about, cars went zipping by, business men and women scurried past people, still trying to stay on schedule even after work, and life pretty much just went on.

I frowned.

I had to say, I envied them.

I envied how normal everything still was for them…how life just kept on going…how nothing had dramatically changed for them.

Change was never really a simple thing. I liked to think of it as a landing plane.

The plane would first touch the ground, with a slight jolt, then, it would run for a few moments, shaking quite a bit with every pothole and bump it ran over, then, it'd taxi for a bit, smoothly sailing and gradually reducing speed until it finally stops altogether and gets settled.

The change of losing Roserade, the friend I've been with for almost every moment of the16 years I've had her…felt like a plane crashing into the ground. Add the loss of Blaziken on top of that, and what do you get? A crashed plane with jammed doors… unable to escape… or maybe I could describe it as a solid punch in the gut with a slap to the face.

It hurt…and it stung.

I hope the pokemon are coping with this a little better than I am at the very least.

May is the one I'm really worried about though.

She hasn't uttered one word, one letter, one syllable, ever since we left the room with Blaziken and Roserade's bodies. I tried to get a small conversation going with her a few times, but every single time, she'd just nod, shake her head, or stare into space.

She'd hold that expressionless look on her face the whole time…the look that I've always found so irritating because I couldn't as much even try to predict what she was thinking or feeling.

"This is my fault…"

If I hadn't been so shocked and angry at the same time, maybe I could've done more.

"Dam*!" I muttered under my breath, hitting my forehead with my hand.

I gripped my hair in my fingers, regretting that I didn't do what I should've done…that I didn't do enough.

May's POV

It was sunset, Drew's favorite time of the day.

I tried to clear my mind and appreciate the beautiful blend of colors that filled the sky, as I sat on the wooden park bench, but I couldn't. Every time I tried to clear my mind, a memory of the times me and Blaziken shared together over the years would push its way in.

It made me happy and sad at the same time; happy that those good times and happy memories have not been forgotten...and sad that those kinds of memories were of the past…no longer happening in the present, and no longer to be made in the future.

I got up, heading in no particular direction, and to no particular place.

I saw a fountain ahead, and decided to take a seat there. Maybe the flowing water will help quell the emotions threatening to burst out and spill all over the place at any moment.

I checked to see if the spot was dry by running my hand over the stone, and sat down. I adjusted my body in order to peer into the water. I stared at my reflection for a long moment, until a droplet of water hit it and made it ripple.

I turned around and sighed. Placing my elbows on my knees and propping my head on my hands.

I felt a drop of water on my head, then another, and another. I looked up and was greeted by a torrent of rain. I close my eyes and feel the drops hit my face and roll down. I turn my head back down, wiping my eyes. I stared down at the ground and swallowed.

"What have I become?"

I just sat there, staring at the ground, sitting on a fountain that was starting flood, not even attempting to protect myself in the pouring rain, like a moron.

End POV

Drew collected the pokemon from the roof gardens once he noticed it was going to rain and returned to the room, his worry intensifying when he didn't see May anywhere to be found.

He saw a bright flash of light through the window, with the sound of thunder following only a mere several seconds later.

"Sh*t it's close!"

He bolted out the door without bothering to look for his umbrella.

"I have a jacket anyway." He told himself as he ran to the elevators and pressed the button.

He tapped his foot impatiently, only letting 3 seconds go by before heading for the staircase. He zipped down the long flight of stairs from the 12th floor to the lobby, nearly falling a few times along the way.

"Young man…sir, sir! Don't go out there!" The receptionist lady shouted after him.

Other people turned to watch him as he pushed his way through the crowd of people flooding in the door.

Somebody grabbed his wrist.

"Dude, that's not a good idea."

Drew didn't turn to face the person who stopped him. He just glanced down at the floor.

"It's not the smart thing to do. You can actually see the lightning bolt itself out there…"

"Then I guess I'll be stupid tonight." Drew twisted his wrist out of the person's grasp and ran out into the rain.

Drew's POV

I hardly noticed how cold it was with my clothes completely soaked, clinging to my body, and the water splashing around in my shoes. My brain seemed to have turned into some sort of computerized robot, having a set of functions and focusing on one, and only one, command at a time. The sole command I had been given was this: Find May. And I was more than willing to oblige.

I shouted her name, which proved to be useless; as the frequent thunder drowned out any sound I could possible make.

I squinted, peering into the darkness, only the flashes of the lightening providing brief light.

I saw a small amount of movement in the distance, and I could make out the outline of a fountain of some sorts.

I padded closer. The lighting flashed and I saw red and white on the fountain.

"May!"

I ran as fast as I dared on the slippery concrete.

I bet the look on my face would've made fear itself feel sorry for me the moment I saw it was only May's bandana sitting on the fountain, not May herself. I picked up the bandana and clutched it in my hand. I was utterly terrified. What if something bad had happened to her? What if Brendan got to her? And I wasn't there?

I felt like I wanted to shout.

I knew I shouldn't have ever left her alone! Brendan was running loose and I let May out of my sight.

May's POV

I was scared...actually more like absolutely petrified.

I couldn't stop mentally slapping myself for being stupid enough to stay out this long without my pokemon. My phone was soaked, rendered useless. So that didn't help the situation much.

I was cold, I was lost and I was alone…outside…in the woods… in the middle of a thunder storm…at night.

I couldn't believe the extreme amount of stupidity I have demonstrated today. I left my pokemon behind, stayed at that dang fountain until it was dark, even if it was starting to rain hard, and went into the WOODS because I thought I knew a shortcut back to the hotel.

Once I saw light flash in the sky and the sound of thunder boom, I knew I was as good as dead from extreme terror if I didn't get out of here soon.

I narrowed my eyes, trying to find anything familiar that might help me. I walked on, hugging my arms to my chest. As I went, I suddenly realized how bare my neck felt. I touched my neck with my fingers and found that my bandana was no longer there.

I sighed.

"Oh well…that was the new one I bought recently anyway."

I was so glad I decided to keep the bandana I wore on my first day as a trainer in my bag at the hotel.

It was also one of the few things I could hold in my hand that reminded me and re-told to me the memories I had with Blaziken. From the day he was only a 6 moon (month) old Torchic to the day he became a Combuskin and to the day he died at 15…yesterday…

It's so hard to believe that he only left this world yesterday. It feels like it's been years…

I looked up and found that I ended up in the same spot I started from.

I felt that feeling you always get when you're about to cry, but you don't want to. The back of my throat clenched so much that I felt as if I could hardly breathe, and the stinging feeling in the back of my eyes started to intensify.

"Dammit!" I yelled, swiping angrily at the tears I failed to hold back.

I plopped myself down under a tree and hugged my knees.

The rain continued to pour, drenching me further. I could feel the rain seeping into my bones, the thunder vibrating in my ears, and all this lightening nearly giving me epilepsy.

A cold gust decides to drop by and makes me shiver uncontrollably.

I close my eyes, wishing I could just escape.

Memories start to flash before my eyes, so I snap them open, staring at my knees.

Keeping my eyes open doesn't help much. I still continue to think back to that one day I got stuck in a storm almost like this with Blaziken. I realize that trying to suppress the memory only made it more vivid, so I stop and just let it come as it is.

~Flashback~

"Ugh! I hate this rain!" Blaziken groaned.

"Don't hate! Just dislike!" May grinned.

Blaziken pouted.

"Come on. Let's go find some shelter."

They walked around for what felt like ages to Blaziken and found a small slab of stone with enough room underneath it to cover both of them.

"Oh dry-ness! I will never take being dry for granted ever again!" Blaziken dropped to his knees once he got under the stone and held his arms up, like some sort of preacher.

May shook her head, laughing a little.

"Come here Blaziken. Let's dry you off." May pulled a towel from her bag.

"There's no need for that! I got this all taken care of!" He shook his fur and the water droplets were flung into different directions.

May smiled and dried herself off as best she could and wrapped the towel over herself.

Blaziken ignited his wrists and May felt the place warm up a bit.

"Thanks Blaziken!" May scratched his head affectionately.

"No problem seniorita!" Blaziken gave her a big smile. "Besides, it's getting dark, so I might as well create some light! Flaming wrists are so awesome! I don't know how I lived without it when I was a Torchic or a Combuskin."

May laughed.

They just stared out into the rain after that, enjoying each other's company, and listening to the steady rhythm of the rain drops hitting the ground.

~End of Flashback~

Drew's POV

These woods were the only place near the park that I haven't checked yet. I'm positive May said she'd be at this park, so I'm sure she can't be too far…

I trekked into the woods, not really knowing which way to go first.

I heard a rustle, and jumped, reaching for the pokeballs on my belt, only to remember that I didn't bother to bring them in my rush.

"At least they'll be safe…"

I only had the dark green Swiss army knife that I carry wherever I go and the leather belt around my waist to use as weapons. My bare fists and my brain were the only things I had to defend myself with if I lost those two things.

I kept on walking, the sound of the thunder vibrated through me, making me feel like I've swallowed a cellphone that was set on vibrate.

I watched the leaves of the trees shake violently from the sudden gust of cold wind. I stopped and stared as the leaves swirled in the wind, some making it to the ground.

I was reminded of Roserade.

I suddenly felt very tired…I just wanted to drop myself right here, but I didn't. I just…couldn't.

Roserade's voice rang through my head.

"Don't you dare sit down! We've gotten this far! We're not giving up now are we? You better listen to me or you won't have a bottom to sit on!"

Drew took in a deep breath and forced himself to move forward.

Third person POV

May suddenly heard a crackling sound to her left and smelled the scent of smoked wood. She turned her head and looked closely. A faint orange glow gleamed at her through the thick trees.

As May put two and two together, her eyes widened.

Fire

May jumped to her feet and darted away from the orange glow as fast as she could.

She looked back and didn't see the above ground root of a tree in front of her.

She let out a little squeak as she hit the ground.

Scrambling up, May forced her legs to run faster when she felt a tongue of fire lick her back. The back of her shirt had caught on fire, and the fire only grew the more she ran.

She prayed for the rain to put the fire out, but the lightning struck consecutively, one after another, after another.

Tears fell from her eyes as the fire burned her skin.

She slipped in a pool of mud and realized the mud would put the fire out.

May flipped around, having her back in the mud. The fire on her shirt stopped burning, but the burnt skin still stung. She didn't have time to baby herself, she had to RUN. Pulling herself together, she got up as quickly as she could and sprinted.

The fire was getting stronger, the heat and smoke seared her lungs, making her lungs work extremely hard to get enough oxygen. Her breathing became erratic and she retched, the force of it made her shake violently.

She collapsed to the ground. Gripping the wet blades of grass beneath her fingers and breathing heavily. Looking up, she saw the thick branch of a tree above her, looking like it was just about ready to break off.

She looked back down and closed her eyes.

I guess…this is it.

Suddenly, she felt another body covering her own, shielding her from the branch as it fell.

"Ugh." The person let out, when the branch hit their back.

May opened her eyes and slowly looked up. She saw Drew throwing the branch off his back and bending down to pick her up. He placed her over his shoulder, potato sack style, and made a run for it.

"Drew…?" May rasped.

"I won't let you die here." Drew said in a strong and clear voice, which surprised her, but he then coughed loudly afterwards. "Don't try to talk."

May wanted to tell him not to talk either, because it was obvious it was hard for him to speak in such a clear voice; but she felt so out of breath that she couldn't bring herself to say another word.

A bright blue lightning bolt hit the ground less than two inches away from them, making May jump; but Drew just picked up his speed, blast of adrenaline pumping through his veins, his feet pounding into the ground.

Drew coughed again, covering his face with his free arm as the smoke and steam continued to thicken around him.

He felt like he was going to faint.

Shakily, he set May down and fell to his hands and knees, coughing viciously. His limbs started to tremble, and soon gave way underneath his weight. He hit the ground, with a grunt. Drew looked at May, her body was lying still on the ground, eyes closed, eyebrows knitted, and breathing shallow.

Drew gritted his teeth and dragged himself to May using only his arms.

"She's so close, yet so far…"

He reached for her, stretching out his arm. He grasped her wrist, curling his fingers around it. Drew's eyes abruptly suddenly rolled back and he was plunged into unconsciousness.

"Drew…" May forced her eyes open at his touch. "Drew!" Her eyes opened wide at the sight of Drew laying there, his hand on her wrist, and his eyes closed. "Oh no…"

May looked up and saw the fire spreading wild and fast through the thick trees. Pushing herself up, she picked Drew up as best she could, grabbing both his wrists and placing his arms on her shoulders. Part of his legs and his feet still dragged along the ground, but it was the most she could manage to carry without completely immobilizing herself.

She pressed her feet into the ground and took each step with all her might, as fast as she could. Using the slippery mud to her advantage, to drag Drew along easier, she was able to cover more ground, but perhaps…not fast enough.

The fire was rapidly catching up to them, and May just didn't know what else she could do.

Angry tears started to form in her eyes. What if her best wasn't enough to save them? Drew had done so much and tried so hard…

"I'll have to try."

She pushed herself forward, a look of grim determination on her face, Drew being dragged behind her.

Sweat was pouring down her face, mingling with the rain that fell upon her. The fire was gaining on them, and there was hardly anything more she could do, she screamed at herself in her head to try harder. She was biting down on her lip so hard that it started to bleed. The smoke swirled around her, stinging her eyes. She clamped them tightly shut for a few moments, staggering blindly, and opened them again when the stinging ceased.

She knew she couldn't go on for much longer.

Her vision started to get incredibly blurry, and breathing never felt so painful, or so hard, in her life. She slapped herself hard on the cheek when she started to feel dizzy.

'There's no way I'm blacking out now."

She suddenly tripped on something, and fell. She groaned in pain, but then realized what she was laying on.

"It's…solid concrete."

May lifted her head up and looked to the left and right. It was a long concrete sidewalk. It was the park sidewalk.

"I made it out…"

A huge clap of thunder snapped her out of her brief moment of relief.

She looked behind her and saw the burning forest. Realizing that the fire was going to spread through the grass too, she lifted her own and Drew's body up and moved away as fast as she could, following the sidewalk.

The wind howled in her ears, making everything seem scarier than it already was.

Her legs shook terribly, making it seem as if it was near impossible for her to still be standing on her own. Every step she took was like a miracle.

Her luck had run out though. She tripped over her own foot and landed ungracefully. Drew rolled off her to the left, lying on his side, still not moving an inch.

May pulled herself to her hands and knees, and proceeded to crawl towards Drew's body.

"Please Drew! I can't do this alone! Wake up!" She wailed, gripping his wet shirt. "I'm sorry I'm not strong enough for you…I'm so weak…Brendan was right…" May buried her face into the crook of his neck.

"No." Drew said in a blunt tone after a few moments. "Don't you ever believe anything Brendan tells you."

"You're…awake…" May sat up, surprised, and was feeling so many other emotions at the moment that her voice came out small.

"Listen." Drew struggled into a sitting position. "Look at me May." He brought his hand to her chin and turned her head so that she was looking straight at him. "He doesn't know anything about you if he says you're weak…remember that." Drew drops his hand and looks away. "I was the one who wasn't strong enough…for the both of us…for either of us."

"But…"

Before May could get out what she wanted to say, Drew got to his feet and scooped May up in his arms, running down the path.

"I'll get her out of here alive…even if it's the last thing I ever do."

May looked up at Drew. His jaw was tight, and his eyes were set straight forward, sheer determination burned in those eyes.

"You…You're… hurt…" May reached up and gently touched a large, jagged scrape that ran from right under his eye to his jaw line.

"Yeah? I didn't notice."

May frowned. "Drew. This isn't anything to be joking about."

Drew's throat muscles tightened. "This isn't about me anymore May."

May didn't know how to respond, so she responded in the only way she could think of…with silence.

"I promised myself that I would protect you, and I failed." His eyes started to water.

"No Drew…"

"You got hurt didn't you?" Tears started to roll down his face, stinging his face wounds a bit. "The only thing I have left to do now is get you out of here alive…even if it costs me…my own life."

"Don't think that way…"

"There are other ways to think?"

May knew she couldn't win an argument against Drew if he was like this, so she gave up altogether. She didn't realize how tired and sore she really was until her exhaustion started to set in. Her eyelids suddenly grew very heavy, and shut over her eyes.

May could feel the rain pouring on her face and the thunder exploding in her ears, but amazingly, sleep started to creep into her system, and soon…took over.

"Congrats. You have reached the conclusion of chapter 10! Please review and tell me what you thought! Reviews are one of the only things we writers get in return for these stories! So feel free to write what you thought in that smexy box below! How's life been for you guys? I hope it's been good! For those of you who celebrate Christmas…Just a few more days until then! Excited? I sure am!"

~Sierra Lobo~