A/N: Bit of a time jump :)

The next four years, RL spent miserable, countless hours curled in the cove.

The morning that RL woke up, and RS was gone, he cried. He cried hard, beating the ground in anger, anxiety and grief, throwing himself at the waves and cursing into the wind. DPS and DYS kept an eye on him – making sure he wasn't about to drown himself, but they both knew he needed time.

By nightfall, he was just sobbing, sitting on the shore, hugging his knees and sobbing.

With the reassurance that it was just a bad break up, his friends took turns baby-sitting him back into society, until he wasn't about to break down on the street.

Some days were better than others – easier to cope with and to face – but some days RL didn't get out of bed, spending it eating ice cream and watching his favourite movies.

Every night – no matter the weather – he went to the cove.

He sat with his legs in the lagoon, staring into the horizon and waiting for him to come back, for four years.

It was the fourth year anniversary of RS' departure, and RL was sitting in the cove, silent tears making tracks down his face.

"It won't happen, you know." He whispered, his tears falling into the lagoon.

"You won't come back….and I know it. I knew you weren't coming back the morning you left…and I knew…but I didn't want to know."

"RL?"

His eyes snapped open and he almost fell into the water. A dark, multi-coloured head popped out from behind a rock, and RL's eyes almost popped out of his head.

"CS2?" he gaped, and she bit her lip, swimming slowly towards him.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. "I'm sorry I had to show myself to you, but you're so sad…"

RL shook his head. "Wait…no…I don't understand. Why are you here?"

She closed her eyes. "I've…I've been coming here for four years…I've been watching you cry for four years…"

"But…but why?" he whispered, his fingers starting to shake.

Her eyes closed, and she took a breath. "RS asked me to."

RL went silent, and tears flooded his eyes.

"He's okay. But…he can't come. He's been put on watch with a couple of the guards and he gets corralled if he says or does anything wrong."

RL paled.

"The only reason I got out so easy was because I'm bonded to BG. She's been put on the same treatment – being royalty…but they let me go."

RL couldn't speak – couldn't move.

"And nobody has even seen RYS and CS since they escaped the night we all got corralled. They distracted the guards and never came back! The guards did…they lost them…and…" she paused, swimming up to where his legs dangled in the water. "RL…he still loves you. He asked me to do this because he cares about you, and he hates it when I tell him you're still sad."

RL's head hung, biting his lip and tugging the regrowth at the back of his head.

"Tell him I'm sorry."

CS2 shook her head. "I can't. I promised him I wouldn't speak to you."

Tears were welling in his eyes and he nodded at her. "Please. Please tell him."

CS2 gave a little sigh. "He'll be angry." RL let out a sob, and CS2 rested her head on his legs. "Why are you so sad?"

"I miss him." He gasped. "I miss him so much."

She glanced up at him. "Why can't you forget?"

"It's not that easy." He managed.

"It is. Trust me. It is. Distract yourself. Find someone else."

RL watched her in horror. "What?"

"He wants you to move on. To forget him. RL, he's never coming back. Even if he does get off house arrest, there is no way he'll ever come back."

"You don't know that." RL muttered, another sob escaping his lips.

"I know RS. He's stubborn." She sighed. "But…he has one request…for you."

RL nodded, his eyes brightening.

"Never come back to this cove."