**Warning lots of angst! A spin on 4x04

Chapter 10. Hold On To Me

The next day brought an anomaly alert at the high school, and Becker had a bad feeling before he even left the ARC.

The only upside was that it was a Saturday and no one would be at the school. They searched the school, but couldn't find the creature anywhere. Their luck wasn't holding out either, there was three kids in the school, two boys and a girl, the boys on one end, the girl on another.

"Split up, I'll go one way, the two of you go the other," Matt instructed Becker and Abby.

The school was in lockdown and they weren't getting anywhere, every door they tried was locked tight.

"Jess, you're going to have to get these doors open!" Becker said through the earpiece.

"I'm trying," she said desperately, "Okay, okay, they should be open!"

He tried it again and this time it opened, and he and Abby hurried down the corridor.

"Becker you have to get to the gym, fast!" Jess screeched, "The creature is in there with her!"

Abby and Becker exchanged panicked glances, and took off at a run down the hall. The burst through the gym door moments later. He looked around but saw no one.

"Where is she Jess?" he asked quickly.

"The stands…it dragged…her under the….stands," she choked out.

"Stay here," Becker said, putting a hand on Abby shoulder, if it was bad news, he didn't want her to have to see that.

"No…I'm coming with you…I have to know," she said firmly.

"Abby please," he begged, before heading off to the stands.

The girl was there…but it was too late. Becker closed his eyes, hating himself for not getting there faster.

"We were too late," he told Jess solemnly.

"Oh god!" Abby's cry came from his left.

He turned and saw Abby was right beside him, staring at the horror that lay under the stands. He quickly took her into his arms and she buried her face in his chest, sobbing.

"I'm sorry Abby, I'm sorry I wasn't fast enough…that you had to see that."

"It's not your fault, we…we did everything we could." she said quietly.

I should have done better, he thought.

Three Days Later

Becker fidgeted uncomfortably with his shirt collar, how he hated formal attire. He tried to straighten his tie for the hundredth time and managed just to, if possible, make it more crooked.

"What are you doing?" Abby asked coming into the room.

"Trying to get this damn thing straight," he muttered.

She walked over and put her hands on his,

"Let me," she said, taking it and managing to get it straight in two seconds.

"Thank you," he sighed, "Are you sure you want to do this with me? You don't have to."

"I'm positive, I think it's a really good thing we do this, I…I feel just as responsible."

"Alright then, let's go," he said extending his hand to Abby, who quickly laced hers through his.

Truthfully, he was glad she was coming, this wasn't something he wanted to do alone. He was incredibly glad to have her there as they watched the body of the girl they both only knew of as, Beth, be laid to rest.

"You can show me your weaknessAnd never be ashamed. Hold on to me when your world's turning cold, when it feels like your life's spinning out of control. You're hoping, praying, trying so hard to believe. Hold on to me when there's no middle ground, and every emotion is coming unwound" John Michael Mongomery