Note: Sorry it took so long to update yet again. I've been really busy these past couple of weeks with work, family, and me graduating from high school last Sunday, that I haven't had a chance to even get on the computer until now! But things have calmed down a bit, and hopefully after this chapter I'll be able to update more frequently. Anyways, here's the next chapter finally and enjoy!!:-D **

Mark's world suddenly seemed to disappear around him, as all he could focus on was the destructed building that held his son and close friend inside. He slowly got up from the ground in shock, hardly noticing when Amanda ran up to his side in a panic. How could something like this have happened? And why Steve and Jesse?

As he was trying to sort out the answers in his head, he felt Amanda's gentle hand on his shoulder, but barely noticed as all he could think about was if he would ever hear his son's voice, or Jesse's humor, or anything about them ever again.

"Mark? Please... Say something," Amanda said in a shaky voice, as she tried to hold back her tears.

Mark continued to stare ahead in a trance, not sure of what to say or do next. "I... Mike's still alive."

Amanda slightly gasped. "What? Why would you think that, Mark?"

"Amanda, look around. Who else do you think could have done this?"

"Well, you do have a lot of enemies, Mark, I mean-"

"Yeah, but none that has been torturing us for this long."

Amanda slightly nodded. "Yeah, but Mike's dead, Mark. They identified the body."

"No, they identified a body, but it probably wasn't Mikes."

"Mark, that's ridiculous. His dental records showed that it was Mike Pearson."

"Yeah, but those could have been fixed."

Amanda shook her head. "No, they couldn't have because... Well, because we didn't just identify him by his teeth."

Mark's mouth dropped. "What are you getting at, Amanda?"

"Well, there was a scar up above his left eye. The scar that he had gotten from his cousin when he killed her. And it's a very specific mark that I've never seen anyone else with."

Mark stood there in silence for a moment, not sure what to do or say next. "So we've got a copycat on lose?"

"That's what my guess would be," she agreed.

Mark looked down at his phone and sighed. "Yeah, well, I won't hesitate to kill this one, too, if anything happened to Steve or Jesse."

Before Amanda had a chance to respond, a rescue worker rushed past them. Mark suddenly ran up to him and stopped him, a pleading look on his face. "What's going on in there? How are Steve and Jesse?"

"I don't know, the building is very unstable. If we don't get them out of there now, they could both be pancakes, soon."

Mark took a deep breath as he tried to comprehend what was just told to him. "Then you have to find them. Please. I'll do any... I'll..."

Amanda suddenly grabbed him, as he started to sway a bit and carefully guided him to place to sit. "It's okay, Mark. Just take a deep breath. Everything will be fine. They're going to find them."

"How- how can you be so sure?" he said, staring ahead at the building.

"Because, it's Steve and Jesse. They've both come close to dying before, but made it. And they'll make it now."

"I want to believe that, too, Amanda, but I-"

"You can, Mark. Just have faith."

"I did have faith... Until God took away one of my children. Now he very well could have taken the other one, as well. And if that happens, then I don't think I'll ever have faith again." **

"Mmmm... Steve? Steve, are you allright?" Jesse called, as he struggled to move.

He got no answer, making his worries grow by the second. He groaned as he felt pain all over his body, and finally managed to get up off the ground, his mind fully dedicated on finding Steve, and hopefully alive.

"Steve? Can you hear me? Allright uh, maybe you can't talk... That's okay, uh, just make a sound or something."

He suddenly turned when he heard a noise and his hopes were soon replaced with a scream when he saw a rat jump out from under some rubble. "Okay, then again, just a sound from your throat or something would be good..."

"Scardy cat."

Jesse smiled and gave a sigh of relief when he heard his friend's weak voice ring through his ears, and immediately made his way over towards him. "I wasn't scared, just... Startled."

"Mm... Sure."

Jesse smiled, although concerned as to how much destruction was on top of him. "So uh, what do you say we get you out of here?"

"Jess, I don't think even super man could get this stuff off me."

"Aw, sure he could," Jesse joked as he struggled to hold tears back at the sight of his best friend. "If he's able to get a hot chick like Lois Lane, then he can certainly lift some rubble from a building."

Steve grinned slightly. "Sure, Jess."

"Uh, look, we'll get this stuff off of you in no time," he replied as he coughed slightly from some of the smoke of small fires spread out through the building.

Steve took in a shaky breath and stopped Jesse in his tracks, by gently placing a hand on his. "Jess, look I-"

"Uh, you know, you really shouldn't be talking. You should be saving your strength," he replied in a shaky voice.

"Jess, please listen to me."

Jesse sighed and swallowed hard, finally sitting still. "Uh, sure. What's up?"

"Jess, look at me. I'm not exactly ready to sprint out of here. A-"

"Yeah, well, me neither!" Jesse suddenly interrupted.

"Yeah, but you're not pinned down like this. You're not practically being crushed. And... And I don't think I'll be able to survive to tell about this one, Jess."

Jesse quickly wiped a tear away from his eye. "Of course you will. I mean, what about the time you were shot? It didn't look like you were going to survive that, but you surprised us all."

"Jess, I can feel it. I can barely focus right now, and can hardly breathe or feel my body. Jess, please, don't make this harder than it already is. I- "

"NO!! I won't give up on you, and you're not going to either!! So you have to stop talking like that! Because I won't accept it and I won't listen to it!!"

"Jess... I love you, Jess. You've always been the brother I've never had. I don't think my life would have been as good if you hadn't been in it."

By this time Jesse let his tears flow freely down his cheeks, as he held on to his best friend's hand. "Steve-"

"Tell Amanda that I love her, too. And tell dad... Tell him that I'm sorry. But that I will always love him so much and that I'm in a better place now."

"Steve, no, I-"

"Jess, you have to promise me you'll take care of him. Please. Promise me."

Jesse shook his head and sniffed. "No. I'm not because you're going to be allright. Just hold on. Help will be here, soon."

"I'll always care about you, Jess. Always..."

Jesse's heart suddenly skipped a beat when Steve's hand went limp in his. "NO!! STEVE!!"

He then reached over to his neck, and froze when there was no pulse beating under it.

TBC...