I think the chapter title says it all really...

(1) The Fray - How To Save A Life

Chapter 26
How To Save A Life (1)

Step one, you say, "We need to talk."
He walks, you say, "Sit down. It's just a talk."
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through

Vanessa smiled as she got up from her knees on the floor, staring down at Ross who was in a hoop on the floor, looking pale. Just admiring the scars on his bare arms from "certain" injections. It had been at least a week now ever since she managed to get him into drugs. And it was working perfectly for her. He'd be dead in no time, as time goes on she just keeps on giving him more and more till eventually he'd "accidentally" have an overdose.

She decided to just leave him where he was. He was his own problem now, she wasn't going to attempt to move him to a more comfortable spot. He was better off on the floor anyway.

She walked into the kitchen, deciding to get a cup of water to wake him up with. She wasn't gonna give it to him to drink, she was gonna throw it over him. Once the cup was filled to the top, she walked back into the room where he was laid on the floor and poured it over his head, his eyes shot open and he sat up, or at least attempted too "Wakey, wakey," she chorused "how ya feeling?"

Ross rubbed his eyes, beginning to itch himself on his arms as well as his chest, he felt so itchy around his body. Was that natural? Obviously not. Probably a side effect from the drug. He tried to keep his eyes open as he looked to Vanessa "I'm.. I'm fine," there was an obvious change in his regular breathing "just feel.. sick that's all," he continued to itch, even harder this time "and itchy. Are you itchy? I am."

Vanessa shook her head "No, it's just you." she bent down in front of him, feeling his pulse on his neck. His heart beat was irregular, meaning it was slowing down. She smiled at Ross "Oh, sweetie, your fine.." She stroked his hair "would you like some more?" She asked.

"I'm tired," Ross shook his head "I just wanna sleep. Maybe after.."

"Oh c'mon, it'll keep you away," She said, grabbing yet another injection. It was like she was on endless supply of all this stuff she had supplied, heroin, cocaine just stuff like that. Just feeding it to Ross like he was a hungry baby "it will.." She waited with an injection in one hand, and the other waiting for Ross to put his arm out to her.

Soon enough, he did it. Vanessa smiled as she began to inject him "Feels good doesn't it?" Vanessa asked.

Ross watched her as she injected him, his vision started to go blurry "Vanessa.. stop.."

"Almost done.."

"No.. stop.. I don't.."

Vanessa quickly finished off, looking at Ross "You don't what?" She asked. And with that, Ross fell backwards onto the floor from where he was sat. "Oh my..." She crawled over to him quickly "Ross, are you okay?" She asked, shaking him "Ross.." She slapped his face "wake up.." she let her fingers go down to his pulse. Her smile grew, looking down on Ross as she stood up.

"And that.. ladies and gents. Is how Ross Lynch's life came to cease."

Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
You begin to wonder why you came

Ratliff and Maia had been debating for about a week now on whether or not to tell Riker and Laura that Ross never actually done anything to Jenny, Vanessa just made it seem like it. They weren't going to lie, it was a tough one to get wrapped around everyone's head, though if they were smart and were the people they say they were they would know Ross hadn't done it. They'd both already been down to the police station and told Rocky about it, he almost flipped the table over, Ratliff and Maia could see Rocky was going insane being trapped in prison, they needed to get him out soon.

Right now, Ratliff and Maia were going to Riker and Laura's. They'd been putting it off for a week now, but they'd finally got the courage to tell them and everyone else. Even if they didn't believe them, they were both going to prove his innocence even if it was the last thing they did.

"Ratliff!"

Ratliff sighed, they were almost at their apartment when he heard Rydel behind him. He turned around as she approached him. "What are you doing here?" Rydel asked "were you coming to see me or something?" She asked, seen as though she lives here too and she has something pretty important to tell him.

Ratliff shook his head "No, I came cause I need to tell Riker and Laura something about Ross," Ratliff said, making Rydel roll her eyes, then Ratliff rolled his eyes "Rydel, he's innocent. He didn't do it."

"Then why did he admit it then?"

"Because he thinks he did it! He didn't! Vanessa told me and Maia a week ago! She made him and Jenny both think he did. But he didn't, just so she could see him suffer and now Vanessa's got Ross somewhere and we don't even know if he's alive."

Rydel looked at Ratliff, not quite sure to believe him or not. She then looked at Maia, now she's known Maia for a very long while to know how she feels about people who Vanessa is "framing" him for. She wouldn't be sticking up for Ross. Rydel sighed, looking away from Ratliff to something across the road.

Vanessa's house.

"Oh my god.. why has she got Ross's hoodie?" Rydel asked. Her eyes widened even more when she saw Titus coming behind Vanessa, dragging Ross out as if he was dead in fact he did look dead "RATLIFF HE'S DEAD!" Rydel screamed, immediately running over towards the house.

Ratliff turned and looked, his eyes widened "Jesus fucking christ... Maia, go into Riker and Laura! Tell them to come out!" With that, he took off following Rydel closely behind.

Vanessa unlocked the car as Titus was coming out dragging Ross's lifeless body behind him, that's when he accidentally knocked something. Vanessa turned around "Titus! We don't wanna get caught!"

"Get your hands off my little brother!" Rydel yelled as she ran over, with Ratliff followed close behind.

Titus looked over a Rydel, looking down at Ross. Rydel came up the steps and shoved Titus so he'd let go, which meant Rydel had to act fast and catch him herself, sinking to the floor with his body, his head in her lap. She let tears fall down her cheeks as she stroked his pale face "Oh my god.. what did they do to you..?" She asked quietly. She felt his pulse, seeing it was really weak and starting to fade.

She laid him gently on the floor as Ratliff came up and knelt beside him, standing up, walking past Titus to get to Vanessa, real close "What runs through your sick mind to do that?" Rydel asked. Making Vanessa grow silent, which just made anger rise up in Rydel more, so she pushed Vanessa with all the force she could "Answer me! What have you got against him that made you do this?"

"Everything."

"Jealous of his fame? Jealous he's loved more than you?" Rydel asked, folding her arms "jealous people actually like him? Or better yet..." She grinned "or are you jealous because he has a family to turn too any time he likes... and you don't?"

And that was Vanessa's last nerve snapped. All of a sudden she just pushed Rydel as hard as she could, sending her flying to the floor almost hitting her head. "No.." Rydel whispered as she hit the floor.

"Rydel!" Ratliff called as he rushed to her side.

"I'm f-ow."

Ratliff kept Rydel where she was "No your not Delly, leave it to me." Ratliff stood up with his back to Vanessa. He took a deep breath before spinning around and punching her as hard as he could in the face, sending her to the floor. He was almost sure she cracked her head off the floor as well, but she was alive still. Ratliff breathed in relief "Jesus fucking CHRIST you have no idea how long I have been waiting to do that!" He shook his hand in pain a little.

Titus went over to Vanessa, kneeling next to her on the floor as he looked up at Ratliff. "C'mon.." He said helping her off the floor, going down the street with her as quickly as possible "don't worry.. we're gonna get rid of the one person who made this all collapse on top of you..."

Ratliff turned back around to Ross, running over to him and gently tapping him on the face "Ross.. stay with us.. please.. don't leave us just yet." he looked down to Ross's bare arms, seeing small scars on them. Knowing exactly what they were and what had happened. An over dose. On drugs. He frowned, looking down at him "don't worry.. your free from her now. The ambulance is on it's way. You'll be okay." he quickly kissed him on the head and went over to Rydel.

Rydel was still on the floor, the pain had gone away when she realised it was a graze on her side. She was starting to think it was her stomach, and boy would that of been a disaster. She looked as Ratliff knelt down in front of her "You okay now?" He asked.

Rydel nodded "Just a graze... thought it was something else. Thought I'd hurt my stomach." She said, making Ratliff nod. "Um.. I need to tell you something.. and I think it's best I tell you now before you find out on your own," she put her hands on both of his "remember the one night stand we had the day after I found out about your little fling with Ross?" Rydel asked.

"How can I not?" Ratliff laughed.

Rydel laughed also, and stopped letting a small smile creep up onto her face "Well.. I don't know how you feel about being a Dad again... but.. that one night stand may of just made me pregnant. Again."

She awaited his response, at the moment he looked shocked for about ten seconds before he smiled and gave Rydel a quick tight hug "That's great!" He said happily "I'm glad you could tell me before anything bad happened."

He heard the distant sound of sirens in the back ground, only vaguely though. Ratliff pulled away from the hug "C'mon, we better get near Ross for when the ambulance comes." He stood up, helping Rydel up by her hands.

Rydel stood up smiling at Ratliff, her smile faded when she looked behind him "Ratliff watch out!"

Ratliff quickly spun around to see what Rydel was panicking about when immediately Titus's fist connected to his stomach. But... it wasn't just his fist he had in his stomach. He had a pocket knife with him also. Titus held it in tightly, holding Ratliff closely so he could speak into his ear "I think it's been a long time coming now.. don't you?" He let go of Ratliff, pulling the knife out too, before just casually walking away to go get Vanessa from where he'd left him.

Rydel let tears rapidly fall down her face, grabbing Ratliff quickly before he fell to the floor, sinking to the floor with him in her arms and lap "Oh my god.. I'm so sorry," she said through tears "this wouldn't of happened if I hadn't of ran after Vanessa"

"N-no, you did the right.. thing... Ross was in.. danger." He said, soon becoming short of breath. Holding his wound where he'd just been stabbed "s-shit this... hurts!"

Rydel let out a small laugh "Well, you have been stabbed." She said, letting tears roll down on and off her face.

"Thanks D-Delly... I really needed... a drink."

Rydel wiped her face and eyes "I'm sorry."

"I-I'm sorry for w-what I did to you with.. Ross. I was.. just.. upset and angry because of... Titus."

Rydel shook her head "No, no, I understand. I forgive you. I'd of done the same if it was one of your old girlfriends or friends trying to do what Titus was trying to do to us. So, don't worry about it. Please?"

Ratliff nodded, soon feeling like his eye lids were becoming like weights. Rydel saw and slapped his face "Ellington Lee Ratliff don't you d-d-dare close your eyes. We've already got one almost loss today, we don't need another."

Ratliff waved it off weakly "I-it'll be.. it'll be fine.." Ratliff then smiled slightly "least I know I died.. for the right.. reasons."

"Which is?"

"Clearing Ross's name.. and.. it could be you.. laying here right... now." He said, as his voice sounded like he was becoming in more pain in which he was. So Rydel began to press down on his wound on top of his hand.

Rydel nodded as she looked down at him smiling "Yeah..." She wiped the smile off her face and began to sob "No! Your not g-g-gonna die!"

Ratliff let out a small laugh "Your sweet Rydel... always telling people what they want.. to hear in... bad.. situations that are.. impossible to.. get out of," his smile faded from his face and was then replaced with pain as he tried to speak "don't.. change. I love you."

"I love you too.." She said with a smile.

Ratliff nodded, struggling to take one last look over to Ross. He lent back and looked at Rydel once more "M-make sure he... gets help and.. lives."

"It'll be the last thing I do."

He gave Rydel one last smile before she watched as his eyes rolled to the back of his head and his eyes closed "Ratliff.." She said, shaking him "are you awake? Don't joke with me," she shook him again "stop playing games with me.." she tapped his face "Ratliff."

Just then, Maia, Laura and Riker came round the corner noticing them but Rydel didn't as she had her back to him.

"Ratliff.." she felt his pulse. Never had she felt her heart drop so fast down to her stomach before "no.. no, no, no,no!"

"What's wrong? What's going on?" Riker asked, coming over, noticing Ross over in a hoop on the floor not looking his best and Ratliff in Rydel's arms unconscious.

"H-he's dead." she only managed to get out in a whisper.

Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life

So much for happy Rydellington or Rosslington happening. Just when you thought everything was going to be okay, huh?

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