I swear, if I hear the word EXAM one more time I'm gonna scream until my face turns purple! OK, I'm calm…anyway thanks guys for reviewing! I love you all!

I do believe that someone, sorry can't remember who, asked about the newspaper clippings in a previous chapter and about how each of the gang was numbered. The answer to your question is, yes, they still have a part in this fic. Just read and see!

I've counted the votes and you've all voted for a yaoi…but quite a number of you said no. So what I'll do is, I'll make it a small yaoi, nothing serious. Some fluff here and there, maybe a few kisses…OK I'm not saying anymore, I'll make you wait! MWAHAHA!

A Life not worth living

Chapter 9 – Missing depression

It had been a week since the incident at the hospital and, even with the police force searching and working full time on the case, not a trace had been found of the missing teen or his captor. His friends were sick with worry and wanted to help, but the police wouldn't let them get involved in case something went wrong. All three were desperate to help despite being told over and over again that they weren't allowed. But the forth blamed himself for Max's capture and had been real quiet since he left the hospital, now able to walk again.

A certain blue haired boy couldn't stop thinking about how bad a friend he was. But that was only clouding a quarter of his mind; the rest was filled with questions about what Uncle had said. Did Max really have feelings for him? He wasn't even sure if had those kind of feelings for Max. And, if all that thinking wasn't enough, he was so worried about him that he was completely worried sick, literally. Kai had been throwing up now and then and his stomach was doing somersaults all the time. His friends kept insisting he go back to the hospital but he refused, saying he'd spent enough time in there. The cops were getting on his nerves, questioning him all the time about that day in the hospital room. He'd lost count of the amount of times he'd told the story.

He was sitting alone in the spare room where Ray and him were staying. He was just sitting on the mattress on the floor holding a cup of warm tea. He had only drank a small amount and now found just looking at it amusing. The silence in the dojo was killing him, Kenny was at his own house and he didn't know where Tyson and Ray had gone to, he didn't care really. He looked up from the dark liquid and scanned the room. So this is what he had been reduced to…mopping about the place blaming himself for everything bad that happens. 'What a great life I'm living' he thought, sarcastically.

He heard someone enter the dojo and walk about for a bit before Ray's voice called out his name. "In here" was his reply. Ray entered the room and sat beside him.

"You been here since we left?"

"You've only been gone for half an hour. Where did you go?"

"The hospital again, the cops searched the room again and…"

"And what?"

"And they found this" Ray opened his hand to reveal a silver chain. "When Max came out shopping with us he bought this…for you" Kai put down his cup and took the chain from him. "I thought he lost it but a cop found it under the bed this morning"

"He bought me this?" Ray nodded and watched his friend examine it before putting it on. He fiddled with it a little more and then let it fall, the real silver glistening in the sun that came in through the windows. "I'm never taking it off" he whispered. Ray smiled and then stood up.

"I'm sure Max would be happy that you like it"

"He buys me this and what do I give him in return? Certain death…" His voice trailed off and he looked at the floor.

"It's not your fault bud; there wasn't anything you could do. You could barely protect yourself" He just ignored him, stood up and walked towards Ray.

"I'm…not…weak" he whispered and left the room. Ray sighed and walked off to the kitchen.

Kai locked himself in the bathroom and slunk to the floor, hiding his face in his hands before running them through his hair. He sighed and took the chain around his neck into one hand. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against the door. He was weak…he just didn't want to admit it in front of his friends. He couldn't do anything to save Max. Who knew he would miss him this much, Max was the only one he hadn't had at least one fight with. He was the one that always seemed to understand what was wrong with him and how he could make him happy again…without wrestling him to the ground which seemed to be Tyson's favourite way of doing it. God, anything could be happening to Max right now, for all he knew his Uncle may have kil…no, he wasn't going to think that far. And what if that mad man came back for them? He wouldn't be surprised if tomorrow's newspapers had the headline…wait a sec…why did the word 'newspaper' have a ring to it?

He opened his and thought hard…then it hit him. He remembered the warehouse full of newspaper clippings and the one where each one of them was circled. He WAS going to come back. A worse thought came to mind as he remembered the order they were in. Max was one, he was second…and Ray was third. He stood up and quickly unlocked the door before rushing into the kitchen.

"God, if you want to run so badly then go for a jog"

"Ray, I've got to tell you something…"

In a locked cabin, 20 miles out of town, a young boy was handcuffed to a pole on the floor. He had small tears falling from his blue orbs as he struggled to get free. His clothes were ripped and he was freezing cold. His captor had left in the car he'd stolen a week ago, he did that everyday, left for hours on end and then came back at night. That's when it would begin all over again. The pain…the hands…he got scared stiff at the slightest noise in case it was his Uncle returning. He tugged a few more times before giving up once more and resting his forhead against the pole he had been handcuffed to. The only good thing about it was he had gotten used to the hard floor and found a comfy way to sit and his hands were tied in front of him instead of pulled behind his back.

He couldn't believe all the things that had happened since last week and when he was brought here he thought his Uncle couldn't take anything more from him…but he was wrong. He'd taken away his freedom, his childhood, his life and now he had taken the only thing he thought he could keep from that man…his innocence. That hit him the hardest. He closed his now red eyes and let out a soft sob as memories of it being taken from him the night before came flooding back.

He opened his eyes again and looked around the trashed and dusty cabin room. He'd lost track of time, didn't even know what day it was. He wondered what his friends were doing; they'd probably given up searching for him. He sniffed and rubbed his eyes on his sleeve. A small bang made him jump out of his skin but he was that it was only an old candle falling to the floor. God was he a nervous wreak.

He slowly calmed down and relaxed again. If only he could rewind time, go back to before the hospital incident, back to when he had that great day out in town with his mates. Then he remembered the silver chain he had bought for Kai. He'd lost it at the hospital, now he was never going to give it to him. Max heard a car pull up outside and he began to panic even though he didn't show it on the outside. The engine was turned off and the door slammed shut…footsteps…and then the cabin door opened. Max tightly shut his eyes as strong sunlight came in through the opening. His Uncle laughed. "You're such a vampire" He didn't answer him and watched him carry a small bag over to the table. He placed it down and opened it pulling out a gun. Max shifted uncomfortably on the floor and Uncle turned to look at him.

"Oh it's not for you. It's for any loser that trespasses into my cabin in the hopes of saving you"

"So you would shoot innocent teens, kids that had barely began their lives as adults?"

"I'm different from normal people, it doesn't matter how old they are to me, they're still people"

"You sad bas…"

"Uh, uh, uh, no bad language in front of me please" He set the gun on the table and then walked over to the small blond, kneeling down to his level. He ran a thumb along his cheek and down his neck knowing it couldn't be brushed away. "You know, I had lots of fun last night, wanna do it again?"

"No thanks, I'm busy tonight. I've got things to plan" Uncle laughed and then undid the handcuffs

"Tough, I wanna have some fun"

"Are you serious?"

"He told me himself"

"I don't believe this…" Ray sat at the kitchen table and his face in his hands. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you don't go through what I had to" The younger teen smiled at his friend when suddenly Kenny charged into the kitchen giving them both a fright.

"Chief you scared us"

"Sorry, but I have BIG news!"

"Well?" asked Kai.

"Max's Uncle has been spotted about 10 miles out of town!" They both looked at him with shocked faces.

"You sure?"

"Ray, if you don't believe me then go to the police station right now and ask them, Tyson's there now!"

"Let's go!" They followed the bluenette out of the house as their road to finding Max became shorter.

There, all done. I can't believe I've only got 9 school days left and then I've left. That's so scary! Anyway, hope you liked the chapter and don't forget to review!