A/N: If you're back, that must mean you liked it, right? Or you're just curious...okay, okay, whatever.

ENJOY!

Chapter 2:

When the ambulance pulled up there was a solemn hush about Blake Holsey High, strange even to its corridors, as wide eyes watched the white and red flashing lights. After speaking with the paramedics, Principle Durst had slipped into her office, not to come out again. Professor Z had disappeared as well, into the ruin that was once his beloved science lab. The four remaining members of the Science Club had taken up occupancy in the cafeteria, staring without appetite at their dinner trays and untouched food. They were unable to watch the ambulance carry away their friend.

"It's my fault," Corrine finally choked out, "It's all my fault…if I hadn't told him to…if I hadn't told him to look at that thing…if I'd told them to just stay away from it…"

"Don't do it, Corrine," Marshall croaked, "Don't do that to yourself. You couldn't have known. It's not your fault. You're not to blame." But moments later he squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head and letting a slight sob escape in the back of his throat, "I should have done something…I was close enough to…to get to him…I should have stopped him."

"Stop it, both of you," Josie snapped, licking her lips and narrowing her eyes at them, "We don't have any final word. He's probably fine!"

"He wasn't breathing, Josie," Vaughn quietly pointed out.

"He could have had the wind knocked out of him," Josie spat, "You don't know. You never know. Right now, they're probably cleaning him up, and he'll be walking through that door demanding dinner…you can't give up on him yet. You can't."

The P.A. system buzzed with static, clicking on and Josie grinned to her friends.

"That's probably Durst right now going to tell everyone that everything is fine and not to worry," she said, steadfast.

"Attention students," the principle's voice filled the cafeteria, echoing through the halls, "As most of you have probably gathered…there was…an accident this evening in the Science Lab," she paused, and for a moment, they thought that was it, but when she continued, her voice was almost unrecognizable, "A student was involved and has…has…Lucas Randall is…he is…no longer…he is gone," the grin slowly faded from Josie's face and dimness cast over her eyes, "I would like to request that all students report to their dorm rooms…that is all…" there was some shuffling, and a loud clack, as the P.A. system was shut off.

Corrine's eyes bristled with new tears, and another sob shuddered from within Marshall. Slowly and shakily they each rose from the table until Josie was left staring blankly into space. They paused, looking to her and Corrine started forward. Vaughn stopped her.

"Let me," he mumbled. She nodded as he moved to kneel in front of Josie, brushing her hair from her face with trembling fingers and telling her, "We have to go." She was silent, showing no sign of having heard him. "Josie," Vaughn attempted again, "Come on…we have to go to our dorm rooms." Still nothing. He brushed hair that wasn't there behind her ears, "Josie…"

"I…" she suddenly cut him off, "I…was wrong." She pulled from Vaughn's touch, looking at him strangely, as though trying to remember who he was. She blinked it away, taking a deep and unsteady breath, fixing him with her stare, "Let's go."

They watched as she lifted herself, walking past them, and slowly they followed her out the door towards the dorms. They paused in the hall, though Josie continued partway to her room before pausing and looking over at them.

"Will you be okay…?" Corrine began, her eyes on Marshall. He had found a spot on the floor that seemed particularly nice to look at. Vaughn put a hand on his shoulder and he raised his eyes, somewhat dazed, towards him.

"You can stay in my room, if you need to…" Vaughn offered. Marshall lowered his eyes, before shaking his head somewhat.

"No. It's fine. I'll be fine," he mumbled. He turned heavily, marching down the hallway towards the room he once shared with Lucas. The thought of stepping into it sickened him.

"Will you two be alright?" Vaughn questioned, glancing to Corrine and then Josie. Corrine murmured a 'yeah'. "Josie?"

"I will, thank you," she answered pertly, turning again and heading towards her room. Vaughn watched quietly as Corrine hurried to catch up. When they were out of sight, he too turned to leave.

Marshall stared out at his and Lucas's room with sullen eyes. He didn't want to be there. Maybe he should have taken Vaughn up on the offer, stayed in the other boy's room. He frowned. Everything was the same, nothing moved, nothing changed since that morning. He could almost imagine Lucas walking through the door, smiling broadly.

Hey, Marshall. What's with you, you look like you've seen a ghost?

Funny story. Thought you were dead.

Chillax. I'm fine. You're weird, you know that?

This coming from you?

The silence of the room was far too deafening. All of Lucas's belongings seemed to stare at him accusingly and he lowered his eyes, wrapping his arms about himself and making a hesitant path towards his bed. Principle Durst had probably called Lucas's parents by now. He could just imagine that conversation.

Mr. and Mrs. Randall. We regret to inform you that there has been an unforeseen accident and your son is dead. We are very sorry for this inconvenience and hope that you will think of Blake Holsey Preparatory Academy when your next child is of proper age. We will try not to kill that one. Thank you for your time, and have a nice day.

Marshall felt sick, bile rising to the back of his throat.

"He's not dead, he's not dead, he's not dead…" he chanted, but the enclosed silence of the room said otherwise. He collapsed onto his bed, the words echoing in his ears. Lucas Randall…gone… There was something hollow inside of Marshall's chest. They'd faced consequences for their actions before. But this…science had never let him down like this before.

And then abruptly, Marshall lifted himself up. Science had taken his best friend. So science was going to give him back. Somehow.

He drew himself to his feet, walking with a newfound determination to the door. Running through his mind for anything he might know about bring back the dead. He heard a thunderclap outside and the rain began to pelt against the school windows. He made his way down the hall. Ducking behind a corner as one of the faculty members made rounds, checking on the students in their rooms. He had to think. He couldn't do this alone. Corrine was the smartest student at Blake Holsey. She would know.

After dodging the first teacher, getting to the girls' dorm room wasn't hard at all. There was no one else roaming the halls. He could hear the students in their dorms, though. There was talking, some laughter, as though nothing had happened. Maybe they didn't believe the earlier announcement. He frowned, his stomach lurching with disgust. Maybe they didn't care.

When he knocked on the girls' door, he was surprised to see Josie open it, so singular in his quest to find Corrine. But even more surprising was the apathy of her expression. She wasn't crying, and she didn't appear as though she had been. There were tear stains, on her shoulder, where Corrine had obviously been sobbing moments ago. He could hear the other young woman in the room, her painful crying causing an ache in his heart.

"Marshall? What are you doing here?" Josie asked, her eyes staring into his. He lowered his face, finding a place on the floor to glare at. What had he come down here for? He couldn't quite remember.

"I…" he started, his voice sounding foreign to him, so mangled with his own sorrow, "I…can't stay in that room," the dorm seemed to be spinning around him and his eyes fogged, "I thought I could…but I can't."

Josie opened the door wider and he stumbled through. She closed it behind him. He sat on the floor beside Corrine's bed, where Corrine was sitting, her eyes red-rimmed. Josie took a seat on her own bed, looking to her two friends wearily.

"I just…" Corrine began, plucking at her bedspread, "Can't believe he's gone." Her two companions murmured agreement.

"I know…one minutes he's there, talking, laughing…and the next…" Marshall mumbled, "It doesn't make sense…how could this happen…?"

"What did happen?" Josie piped, that gleam of curiosity brightening her eyes as she looked cautiously to her friends. Corrine shook her head and Marshall shrugged.

"I don't know, exactly," Corrine murmured, her words choked with sobs, "One minute he's looking at that Oubliette thing…the next…everything goes white and I was thrown to the ground." Marshall's cheeks colored at that.

"The Oubliette," Josie said, shaking her head, and some sort of realization caressing her features, "I should have known, it must have caused..." Marshall looked up, staring at her, mouth slightly parted in disbelief. It was quickly replaced with anger.

"I don't believe you," he stammered, rage and tears biting into his usually cheerful tone, "Lucas is gone and you…you're turning it into a black hole mystery! Josie…I can't believe you…just trivializing this whole thing."

"But think about it," Josie persisted, "This is Black Hole High! Nothing here is ever what it seems! Don't you think it's weird that…"

"Josie, stop it!" Corrine screamed, and the redhead fell silent, staring confused at her friend, "Just stop it…"

"Corrine…" Josie mumbled, "But I…"

"Josie," Corrine drew her brow together, staring with concern to her roommate, "You…you…don't think he's gone, do you? He is. You saw him…we all saw him. He's gone Josie! He's gone, and he's not coming back…no matter what you do…he's never coming back." Josie looked away, her jaw set firm, her heart pounding against her chest. Corrine broke into sobs again, and Marshall buried his face in his knees.

Slowly, Josie rose, crossing the room to her friends. She sat on the bed with Corrine and wrapped her arms about the sobbing form. Corrine curled against her, heaving from her tears. Josie placed a hand on Marshall's shoulder, comfortingly.

"I'm sorry, you guys," she murmured solemnly, "I just thought…I…I'm sorry." She was surprised to find that tears were seeping down her cheeks suddenly too, and she raised a hand, catching a tear with her finger and staring at it uncertainly.

Josie took a deep breath. Rubbing Marshall's shoulder gently and soothing Corrine with soft, encouraging words. "It'll be alright. Everything will be alright." Only once did Corrine protest, choking out, "it'll never be alright." Slowly the two drifted off to sleep. Josie lay Corrine down on the bed, covering her, and moved Marshall into a laying position on the floor, a pillow beneath his head and draping her own blanket over his shoulders. She crossed over to her own bed, sitting rigidly and watching her two friends' sleeping forms. She dug her fingernails into her mattress, tears still quietly streaming down to her chin.

"This isn't happening," she told herself, but her words caught behind the lump in her throat. She waited for sleep that wouldn't come, hearing the rain pounding outside and the roar of disgruntled wind, "Happy birthday, Josie," she whispered, before a sob worked its way out of her and she broke into a strangled weeping, trying to muffle the sounds of her own sorrow so as not to wake her peacefully sleeping friends with their damp faces. "I have to be strong," she kept telling herself, between gasps for breath, "For everyone…I…have…to…be…strong…"

-00000-

In the solace of the destroyed science lab, the lone figure stood blinking owlishly. He was completely unharmed by the explosion. And he was paler than usual, his uniform a bit wrinkled, hanging loosely on his body. He looked into the gaping hole, stepped forward, pausing every now and then to peer at everything, trying to take it all in. All he recalled was standing there at the front of the room. And then a searing pain, like none he'd ever experienced. But everything else from then on was a blur. Where was everyone? Why was everything such a…mess. For a moment, his heart was convulsed with fear. What if…what if everyone was…gone? Killed in the blast? But quickly that idea was squashed as the door to the lab opened and a form slipped into the room. The light was turned on and Professor Z stood there.

"Z," the figure spoke up, but gained no notice. He stepped forward, into the teacher's pathway, "Professor Z…professor…hey…it's me…" then uncertainly, "It's…Lucas?"

He waved his hand into front of the teacher's eyes, but Professor Z simply walked past into the wreckage, looking about warily.

"Can't you see me?" But the answer seemed apparent and Lucas felt his heart sink. What was going on?

"Lucas," Professor Z started, and Lucas's eyes shot up.

"I'm here, professor. You can see me?" he cried, leaping over to the teacher.

But Professor Z turned again, walking towards the large hole and staring into it with deep, saddened eyes. He heaved a heavy sigh, and when he spoke again, his voice was a harrow mingle of tears and sorrow, "This is all my fault. How could I build something…I don't even know what it is…and bring it to my students! I should have known better. And now…now Lucas pays for my mistakes." He cursed softly, before jumping into the hole, landing unceremoniously, straightening, brushing himself off, marching towards the center and scooping up the small metal object, shaking it in the air, "Lucas is dead because of this…this…thing!"

Lucas's eyes went wide, nearly popping from his head.

"What?" he gasped, before waving his hands in front of him, crying, "What are you talking about? Z…I'm not dead! I'm here…I'm right here in front of you! Can't you…why can't you see me?"

"I'm going to get rid of this…this…" Professor Z shouted, "Oubliette. I'm going to…" a ferocity overtook him, his eyes lit with bloodlust, "I'm going to destroy it."

"What?" Lucas cried, eyeing the object, a realization striking him. Whatever was going on, happened because of that box. And the solution to getting things back to normal, or as normal as things could be at Blake Holsey, probably had something to do with that box, "Z, wait. No…please, don't destroy it," he pleaded in vain, stepping in front of the professor who was headed towards the door.

But it did little to hinder the teacher as Professor Z passed through Lucas. Their bodies melded as one for a moment, and Lucas felt sudden stun. And that was all he felt. The touch of skin, the passing warmth, none of it touched him. Professor Z paused, shivering as though chilled. But his determined stride continued, as he left the room. Lucas stood in shock, breathing rapidly, his mouth dropped open.

"Okay. That was…really…really…creepy," he stammered, before his brain rushed back to the matter at hand.

He had to get to the gang. Tell them what was going on…somehow. If they couldn't see him as well, he didn't know what he would do. He stepped up to the door, and reached forward to grasp the knob. His hand went through it. He attempted again. And again. Failing each time and nearly collapsing with panic when an idea struck him. He took a running start, though one wasn't really necessary, and burst head first into the door. His body slipped right through. He checked himself for injury, grinning despite himself.

"Cool." He looked up, and his face fell. He was back in the science lab. "Not cool."

END A/N: Oooooo, Lucas isn't gone! Yay, right? If you don't like Lucas, I wouldn't suggest reading this, as it's mostly Lucas-centric.

Anyways, please excuse any grammatical or typing errors and REVIEW!

Thanks for reading.