Rachel, Ross, and the cop ran back up to the store with the money in hand praying that they weren't to late. As they made their way to the scene, however, they already knew that they didn't get there in time. The silence around the area was infectious as they walked up to Monica and Phoebe and embraced them in a hug. Lt. Daniels walked over to them.

"We've gotten word from inside."

"Did anyone die?" Phoebe asked weakly.

Daniels lowered his head so he didn't have to look them in the eye "There has been one more fatality." He sighed, "We have been told by the men inside that they killed the man who was on the phone earlier."

"No," yelled Ross, "No.. no..It can't be..It's all my fault, I didn't get the money in time!" Ross started to cry.

"I can't believe it... I can't believe it. This isn't real. It can't be real. He can't be dead. It's impossible." said Monica not wanting the truth. She began to cry as she walked away from the group. Rachel and Phoebe just stared blankly in front of them, not fully comprehending what they had just been told.

"The criminals also want a lot more since we haven't given them anything, and they only have two hostages left. They want a hell of a lot more than just $80,000, which is what the price is now."

"How much do they want?"

"Well they don't want more in money. They want a private flight out of the country, and they plan to keep at least one hostage until they get there."

"And do you think they will get away with this?"

"Absolutely not, but as long as they think they will, what does it matter? I promise we will do everything humanly possible to get your friend out, I give you my word."

"You promised us from the beginning that you'd get them both out, but that didn't seem to help Chandler." said Rachel angrily as she turned away from him and began to sob.

----

Lying still was all Chandler could do to keep from trembling. Pain hit him all over his body. He couldn't move, couldn't talk, couldn't do anything. He knew he had been shot, and it hurt. All he wanted to do was scream out in agonizing groans, or do something to alleviate the pain that had ripped through him. He knew however, that the only way he would stay alive was to not move. He knew the second he moved, they would shoot him again and make sure that he was dead. Before he realized what was going on, he felt someone grab him by the feet, and drag him to a far, partially hidden end of the store where all the other bodies were. Once he was certain that the man was gone, he opened his eyes, and tried to move but the pain was excruciating and quickly stopped as the world around him began to fade in and out. He had been shot twice, once in the leg and once in the left shoulder which is why, he figured, the criminals mistook him for dead. Once his vision came back to him, he looked around the store and saw the one criminal talking while the other had his gun pointed at Joey. He couldn't bare the sight and turned his back to the scene slowly as pain shot up and down him. He laid still as he drifted in and out of consciousness, the pain was too much to bare.

--

"Let him up."

"What if he tries something again?" he said indignantly.

"He won't. Because as soon as he does, I fire this gun."

Joey sat up slowly after the gun was removed. A bolt of fire ran lengthwise across his back where the bullet had grazed him, but he said not a word as he slid back up against the wall. He looked over at where Chandler laid not moving and covered in blood as tears came across his eyes. He's really gone. No! He can't be dead. He can't. I can't live without him, he's my.. my best friend. He leaned heavily against the wall, panting with exertion, he didn't know a bullet could hurt this much. Joey sat defeated, there was no point in trying to get out alive now, there was no point in living. He didn't want to live his life without Chandler in it. He realized in that moment, staring over at his friend's dead body, that he loved him more than anyone he had ever known. The thought caused him to gasp out in quiet painful sobs, as tears streamed down his face.

"Aww, I'm sorry.. did I make you cry cause I killed your little fag buddy."

Joey immediately swallowed his sorrow and turned it into psychotic anger. His eyes went wide, as he quickly stood up and started screaming.

"What if I am going to try something?" said Joey to the two surprised criminals. "Why don't you just fucking shoot me now, and get it over with? Or better yet I'll do it myself and save you the trouble!"

The criminals looked at each other with a cruel, satisfied look on their faces. They were breaking him down.

"First of all, we need you for our money. And secondly, it's so much more satisfying watching you suffer like this." said one of the criminals. " I got a great idea actually, how 'bout we drag your buddy back over here so you can get a better look at him."

The second criminal followed orders and proceeded to drag the unconscious Chandler by his feet over to where Joey was, leaving a trail of blood behind him. The two criminals snickered as they saw Joey grab his own face in grief, and went off to the front of the store to discuss their next move.

Joey was frozen in his spot as he looked down at Chandler's blood covered body. Immense pain from the site in front of him stabbed him all over as he began to shake. He slowly crawled over to his friend and gently placed his head in his lap and took his bloody hand in his own. He needed the physical contact of Chandler's body, he needed to feel the comfort that Chandler had always given him no matter what the situation. He needed Chandler.

"I love you," He said as he looked down at the face below him and softly wiped off the blood that was beginning to dry before leaning down and kissing him on the forehead. He stroked Chandler's cheek as the conversation between the two criminals got louder and broke his focus on Chandler. He looked up and watched them argue yet again. His emotions quickly changed to hatred as he looked up at the two men talking in the far corner who had caused him this pain. All he wanted to do was kill them both, or have them kill him. He had lost all hope in the situation, in his friends outside, in everything. Going through with his escape plan that he had told Chandler and the other hostage earlier was not an option for him anymore. He was not going to leave his friend alone and wanted nothing more to than to die with him. His mind was set as he continued to hold on to Chandler.