I can't wait any longer. I'm going to Ricky's. I know where he is. It'll take me a while to get there but I don't care. I'm going fast, I'm setting off every speed camera as I go. It's dark and the stars are hidden by the clouds. It's quiet, apart from the sound of my engine. All I can think about is Howard, getting to him, saving him - seeing him again.

I slam the breaks on and screech to a halt outside the front door of a small bungalow. Ricky never had any money to speak of. He gave it all to Jonny, who had always claimed that he needed it for 'equipment', but after seeing his house it was quite clear where that money had gone. Ricky was only in the game for the danger. He never needed anything else to keep him satisfied. He was born and raised on the streets and any kind of roof over his head felt like a mansion to him.

I get out of the car and slam the door. There's no point being quiet, Ricky probably already knows I'm here. The front door opens before I've even stepped foot on the path and Ricky stands there, expressionless. He is standing slightly to this side and beckons me in, silently. I walk past him, my hands buried deep in my pocket, just checking the gun is still there. I'm ready if Ricky tries anything funny. He shows me into the largest room, it's empty except for a small sofa, an arm chair and a bookcase in the corner.

"Sit down." Ricky orders from the doorway. I do as he says, perching uncomfortably on the arm chair. "You know," he continues "I'm surprised it took you so long to come here, I thought you'd have come here first. I didn't anticipate you killing Mitch."

"Well, I've always liked to do things a little differently." I snarl

"Don't try and me smart with me, Kid." he sighs, flopping down on the sofa and lying back. He's so relaxed, so calm, so cold.

"Why d'you do it Kid?"

"I wanted to teach you a lesson."

"You sound like a child."

"Well I am a Kid."

"You were never a Kid, you were the Kid."

"I still am." I snap.

"Oh, is that what this is about? You're trying to prove you're still the Kid."

"I'm not trying to prove anything." I insist. Ricky looks at me knowingly and we fall silent. Him, looking at the ceiling, playing idly with a piece of string from his jacket.

Me, staring at him, twiddling my thumbs nervously, looking around for anywhere Howard could be hidden.

"You wanna see him?" he asks suddenly.

"I want him back." I answer.

"That's not what I asked." he sneers.

"Yeah," I sigh "I wanna see him."

He sighs loudly, heaves himself up and walks towards the door.

"Don't move." he warns, turning back to me before leaving the room. I jump up and pull out my gun, pointing it towards the door. As soon as Ricky comes through the door, I'm gonna shoot him, then grab Howard and run away. Never look back.

I can hear footsteps outside the room. Closer, closer. Ok Kid, don't gasp, no matter how awful he looks, no matter how beat up, don't let Ricky see how much it affects you. It'll only make things worse. The footsteps are right outside the door now, they stop. I still can't see him.

"Drop the gun Kid." comes Ricky voice, calm as ever. I don't and after a while he says "I don't hear the gun hitting the floor Kid." I still hold it, pointing it at the doorway. "Okay," he says eventually, "Lets try this another way, either, you drop the gun or I put a bullet in Howard's head and he never see's you again." I drop the gun immediately. It clatters to the floor and I hear Ricky snigger. "So easy." Before appearing around the door dragging Howard behind him.

I gasp, I can't help myself. He's gagged and his left hand is bandaged heavily. He's got a black eye, several cuts across his cheek and his shirt collar is covered with dry blood. He looks tired too, weary. He can hardly stand by himself, but Ricky holds him up by his jacket."Howard." I breath, my hand reaching out instinctively.

"Hold in there." snaps Ricky, and suddenly his gun is pointing at me. I glare at him and he smirks back at me saying "Let's play a game."

"What?"

"A game, you like playing don't you Kid."

"No."

"But you wanted to play when you killed Mitch and Jonny." he says, pointing his gun back at Howard.

"H-how did you know that?" I stammer, losing my nerve a little.

"I know everything," he replies coolly, dragging his gun down Howard's face and resting it under his neck. He's trembling and seeing Howard like this scares me much more than having the gun pointed in my own face. "Anyway," he continues "that's your style. You toy with your victims. You play with them, you leave their destiny up to luck. So…" he fumbles in his pocket "Howard's going to flip this coin, heads he dies. Tails, you die. That seems fair to me."

"Don't you dare!" I spit.

"I hardly think you're in the position to be making threats." he snarls, pressing the coin into Howard's uninjured palm. "Flip it." he says, ramming the gun further into Howard's neck, who shakes his head, tears welling up in his eyes. "Flip it." Ricky yells, hitting him with the gun.

"Stop!" I shout, stepping towards Ricky and immediately the gun is facing me again. Howard squeaks through his gag.

"Love's a horrible thing," Ricky sneers "It makes you so weak. Now, Howard, you flip that coin, or I'll shoot him."

Howard nods, tears rolling down his cheeks. He's shaking furiously but manages to flip the coin into the air before allowing the coin to fall to the floor… heads. Howard.

Within seconds Ricky has his gun jammed against Howard's temple, his finger on the trigger.

"No," I scream "Take me!"

"Very noble." smirks Ricky.

"I mean it. He shouldn't even be here. It's all my fault. He should never have got involved in any of this."

"I agree, but it's done now. Say goodbye Kid."

I shake my head, I can't speak.

"I promised I wouldn't kill him until you said goodbye. Now say it."

I shake my head again, I can feel tears building up behind my eyes but I'm not letting them fall.

"Look, I'm going to kill him whether you say it or not, so, you may as well say goodbye. You know you'll regret it if you don't."

I swallow hard. "Goodbye Howard." I whisper.

"And…" Ricky drawls.

"and what?" I ask. I'm confused now.

"I'm holding a gun to his head, tell him you love him."

I stay silent.

"I'm about to kill him, Kid and you still wont say it. Well, Howard… how d'you feel about that, eh? You're about to die because you gave up everything for a man who can't even say he loves you." Howard's crying, he can't even look at me. He's got his eyes closed, his head back and the gun pressing against his Adam's apple.

"Ricky," I whisper "Please, kill me. Leave Howard alone. Please." I'm begging. I sound pathetic, but I can't bear to see Howard get shot and it's clear he hates me and if he hates me… well, I've got nothing to live for. I may as well me dead. Ricky considers me for a moment and slowly removes the gun from under Howard's chin and points it at me. "Fine. I guess you've had a good run Kid." he murmurs cocking the gun. I close my eyes. "But all good things come to an end."

BANG

The gunshot rings in my ears, but I'm not hurt. Oh no. Howard. I open my eyes to see the limp form on the floor but it's not Howard, he's stood up near by. He's shaking furiously and weeping loudly but he's alive. For a moment, I'm confused, then, my eyes rest on the bleeding body of Ricky on the floor. He's clutching at his stomach, his blood stained t-shirt sticking to him as he gasps for breath.

"Ricky." I shout, kneeling next to him. I don't know why. I should be running but I can't. Ricky was like a brother to me. I can't let him die alone. I take one of his blood covered hands and hold it close to me.

"Why the hell did you do that?" I ask, my voice is strained, and comes out as a hoarse whisper.

"I can't do this anymore, Kid." he rasps, coughing up blood. "I've grown attached."

"That doesn't mean you had to kill yourself."

"Well, I couldn't kill you. I just couldn't bring myself to do it, so it was either me or him." he nods painfully at Howard, who was pulling his gag down around his neck. "I just want you to be happy and I know you love him."

"Well, I… I" I falter."He loves you." Ricky wheezes to Howard.

"I know." Howard smiles. Ricky smiles back weakly, then winces and cries

"Argh! Jesus! This hurts!"

"Shhh," I try and sooth him by squeezing his hand.

"I'm sorry Kid."

"Hey, you said only fools and clumsy people apologize."

"I also said that I found you on the streets, when I didn't. I do lie Kid."

"W-what?" I stammer. "Where did you find me then?"

"I didn't. I kidnapped you from a posh family in a park. I asked for " He grimaces. "ransom money but it never came, because the day I kidnapped you, your parents were killed in a fire."

"What?" I ask, I feel numb. Everything I've ever known is being demolished by a few rasping words from a dying man's mouth. I'd always believed my parents had abandoned me. I thought they hated me. I thought Ricky had been my saviour. But I was wrong, so, so wrong.

"Listen," Ricky gasps, he's very pale now and his actions are jerky and irregular. He grabs my shirt and pulls me towards him so that our faces are inches apart. "Your parents were rich, very rich." He says, his words are so quiet I can barely hear him. "They left all their money to you in their will. Just go to a bank, tell them your name. You're worth millions."

"But what is my name?"

Suddenly, he's kissing me. And, to my surprise, I'm kissing him back. He tastes of blood and I don't want to do this but I can't stop, he's dying. It would be wrong. Howard's turned away from us, he doesn't seem angry. He just doesn't want to see it. Then, Ricky pulls away and collapses to the floor.

"Sorry," he pants "I've wanted that forever." I just look at him, the confusion must be apparent on my face. He gives me a strained smile and says "Your name is L-"

BANG

"Ricky!" I gasp, as a pool of blood gathers at the new gunshot-hole in his head. The shadow of the man who shot him, falls over us.

"You're not getting your hands on that money Kid!" says the shadow's voice. I look up.

"Roger? But your dead!"

"You never heard of a bullet proof vest?"

"Well, yeah but…"

"All you need to know is that I know your name and I'm going to get your money."

"But you can't."

"Can't I?" he smirks. "You're so stupid Kid. I've been planning this since before I met you. Who d'you think burnt down your house? 'The Millionaire Kid', they called you in the papers.It was easy to plan everything, Ricky's so weak. All I had to do was threaten to kill you and he told me everything I needed to know, did everything I asked him too. Except." he says, waving his gun at Howard "Oh well, I guess I'll have to finish the job." He shoots. Howard falls to the floor. I scream.

I dive to Howard's side. I'm crying uncontrollably, my face buried in his chest. Please don't be dead, please don't be dead. I can't live without him. I, I…

"Why?" I weep. "What's he done to you?"

"Nothing," Roger sneers, "I just want you to suffer." And with that he stomps out of the room, leaving me covered in Ricky's blood, tears rolling down my cheeks, sobbing into Howard's shirt. I can't breathe. I feel sick, my whole body is weak. My throat aches from screaming, my head hurts from crying.

"Please," I beg, "Please Howard, wake-up. Come on Howard. Please. Howard, Howard, I can't live without you. I-I need you, I'd give up anything for you.
I, I… I love you"

Please don't hurt me :D

I promised you a quick update. Hopefully, you'll all forgive me for leaving the previous update for so long.

Love ya all
Sisi…xx