I'm back! Here's chapter 2! So yes, some scenes and dialogue are clearly going to be altered as I try and make room for the romance I'm trying to create, let me know if I messed up on something important though.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters of Final Destination.

They decided to meet in front of the high school for some reason. Carter felt slightly sobered up from the drive over here, but he still wasn't feeling up to this shit. He sat there alone on a bench, an unnatural chill in the air as the memorial loomed over him. To try and stop his mind from wandering, he began to read the names. It felt wrong to him, suddenly, that the dead survivors weren't on there. Yeah, Tod, Terry, and Ms. Lewton didn't die in the crash, but they were still dead because of it. Running to his car and retrieving his trusty pocket knife, he knelt down before the memorial and began to carve. It was harder than he expected, the school actually purchasing an expensive, durable stone for the wall. His knife only left faint scratches, the polished stone seeming to mock him.

"What are you doing?" Clear's voice mumbled from behind him. He paused in his attempts, realizing her and Billy were finally present. There was an edge to her voice, as if she thought he was vandalizing the memorial. He was pissed, but instead he tried to remain focused.

"Terry's name should be on this wall." He tried to keep it brief. They weren't friends. Hell, he had never really talked to Clear before, under the assumption she was some creepy, stuck up bitch. It got under his skin that he was now connected to these people.

"So, why'd you want us to meet you here? Now?" He asked to break the silence as he stood up, giving up on his endeavor. He hadn't expected her to call them together, but he was rather behind on what was going on himself. He was surprised to hear the FBI or whatever were following Clear, and of course Alex was now the main suspect in Ms. Lewton's death. That idiot.

"Why would I want to see him?" Just because he wanted to be a little shit and was rather reluctant to let them into his car just like that. Carter also had no intention of letting them know Alex was sitting in his kitchen with him an hour ago. He was still trying to sort out why he came to him, what kind of challenge was in his eyes when-

"Because he knows which one of us is next." It was hesitant but spoken with complete belief, as if it were fact. It made all the fears he had been oppressing since Tod's death suddenly come to life, and man how he wished he hadn't poured his Jack down the drain.

He stayed silent as he began to walk towards his car, the other two following behind him. They seemed wary of him, staying more than 3 feet from him at all given times until they reached his baby. Clear of course sat shotgun, Billy not even bitching as he crawled into the backseat.

His baby still had traces of Terry's perfume lingering about, he noticed as they approached the debris sight. He should've been more specific with Alex on where to meet, the debris sight covered miles of land.

"He could be anywhere from here to a mile down the shore. You guys drive down there, start this way and we'll meet around the middle. It'll take half the time." For some reason he sensed bullshit. He could tell she knew right where Alex was, so why was she wasting time and splitting them up? He let her get out of the car and walk into the woods without a word, but instead of doing as she said, he drove ahead to the next pull off and parked.

"What are you doing man? Clear said-" Billy started from the backseat.

"Stay here," Carter ordered, interrupting. He jumped out of the car and began to jog. He made his way into the woods, just letting his feet guide him. He kept his eyes on the ground in front of him, beginning to sprint while watching for obstacles. When suddenly the trees were gone, he looked up to see he was at the tree line that bordered the beach. Alex and Clear were sitting side by side down the beach a little ways from him, far enough that he could still see them fine but that he had no chance of overhearing them. He stepped back a little bit, for some reason feeling the need to be unseen as he observed them. Clear seems to be telling a story of some kind before she starts raising her voice. He wishes he could make out the words, but they're drowned out by the wind. He watches as they turn towards each other and seem to lock eyes. It's straight out of a damn romance movie when they begin to lean towards each other. Clear's hand lands on Browning's and suddenly they're kissing.

His stomach seems to drop, and he watches as they start to full on make out. She begins to grab his arm desperately and for some reason there are tears running down both of their faces. Without a sound he turns around and heads back to the car, for the first time wishing he had just been on that goddamned plane instead of it being drawn out like this. He should've never got involved when Browning started to have a panic attack.

When he reached the car, he climbed in wordlessly and ignored Billy as he began to drive. It was best that neither Clear nor Alex suspected him of seeing their little love fest. He drove around, pretending to look for Alex with Billy until he finally emerged hand in hand with Clear from the trees on their third drive by. When they crawled into the backseat and Billy got shotgun, he couldn't help the feeling of betrayal that begin to set in. And as he seemed prone to doing, the minute he began to feel weak, he channeled that into being angry.

"We're taking you to a cabin in the woods, it's only a couple miles from my house." Clear is explaining the plan they had come up with on the way to the accident sight to Browning. The way she sounds confident that he'll be safer the closer he is to her makes his blood boil.

"Keep off the highways, they'll be looking for us." And now she had the nerve to lecture him. And what the hell, they were looking for her and Browning, they would never suspect them all to be together. When he glances in his rear view mirror, all he can see is Browning's eyes. He tries to focus on the road, but the more pissed he becomes, the more he looks in the mirror. When those eyes met his the next time he looked, all that frustration that had been building up finally boiled over.

"Alright, Browning, you fucking warlock, did you know about Ms. Lewton, or what?" He wasn't surprised when his words flooded out of his mouth, nor was he surprised at the hostile tone. Browning's eyes widen in the mirror, and if Carter didn't know better, he would think that he looked hurt.

"Why do you think I was hiding?" Browning seemed content to ignore the fact that the first place he went after Lewton's was his house. His tone was sarcastic, and those eyes were so bitter. The others go back and forth, nothing useful being brought up as he continued driving. He found that looking at the road was better for his mood than looking at those blue eyes.

"I'm not talking about if you did it, or if you knew she was dead. Did you know she was going to be next before she was?" He clarified his earlier question, interrupting Browning. The tense silence that filled the car made him tighten his hands on the wheel until his knuckles were white. He regretted the waver in his voice, but he needed an answer. When he was given the affirmative, it was like the rug had been ripped out from under him. His breath caught in his throat momentarily until he realized that one of them was next. He wasn't even aware that the words slipped out until both Clear and Billy turned to Browning for an answer. But he gave none. And suddenly Carter knew.

"Me, right? That's why you're not saying." He was surprised how even and emotionless his voice was. Browning's eyes met his again, pleading with him to let it drop. Billy is moaning and groaning in the seat next to him and can he get a fucking grip?

"What're you whining about? He said I'm next," he snaps at him.

"He didn't say anything. Just drive," Clear tries to distract him.

"You have a responsibility to tell me." His voice is starting to get louder. And he finally realizes that yes, a part of him blames Browning.

"You think knowing is going to make it easier? It just makes it harder, Carter." Browning finally vocalizes, his voice tired and frustrated. He normally would stop, but an image of Clear and Browning making out pops into his head.

"You get off having control over me. Let me choose how to deal with it." He watched as Browning rolled his eyes. Did he think this was some kind of joke, that Carter's life was a joke? Did he think that he couldn't handle knowing?

"It doesn't matter who's next, we're all on the same list," He insisted flatly. He seemed set on not saying anything else for the duration of the car ride, settling back into the seat. Carter sat in silence, considering and loosening his grip on the wheel slightly. They all needed to stick together, yes. But he was next, and there was no stopping death this time. He had nothing left to live for. To spend his life being his father's project? He and Terry were supposed to go to college together, him with a sports scholarship and her with an intellectual one. She could be an airhead sometimes, but she did rather well in school overall. But now she was gone. Browning had his own dreams and goals, and now maybe even Clear if he lived. He couldn't understand. None of them could.

"Then why bother? What's the fucking point? Terry and me will be back together on the other side, so why wait any longer?" He slammed down on the gas, and he had never felt this high before. There was fear, yes, but there was also a level of acceptance he had never had before regarding death. The others started to become concerned, hesitantly but loudly bringing up his erratic driving.

"What's your fucking worry if it's not your time? I could get nailed running this red light and you all wouldn't get shit! Only me, right?" He began to trail off, his thoughts only cemented that at least he wouldn't be responsible for their deaths like Terry's.

"No!" Browning yelled, though he sounded concerned for Carter instead of them. So yes, it was only him though. He looked in the mirror and Browning was right there, hand on his seat, leaning forward to be heard better. He could almost feel his breathing on the back of his neck. He looked away, back to the road. His car just narrowly missed being T-boned while running the light. But still nothing. Why wasn't anything happening? Did even death not want him? He took his hands off the wheel and put them up, whooping and smiling like he never had before. He mindlessly stopped anyone else from taking the wheel and casually responded to any threats or bargaining from the others. Clear tried some kind of emotional bullshit, but it came out with her basically calling him a coward and like hell that bitch knew him.

"We're afraid, too, Carter, but we're not going to quit. Maybe you are. You act like you're not, but you are!" He looked back at her words, meeting her eyes this time in his mirror. She looked pissed, but he could see the way her hand gripped Browning's. Seeing the approaching railroad tracks, he decided to fulfill her wishes when she tried to order him to stop the car. He stopped the car on the tracks just as the crossing arms dropped into place in front and behind the car. He turned off the car in silence as their relief turned into horror. He looked in the mirror to see Clear and Browning's reactions. Both were looking at Billy instead of him, and damn if that didn't make the high wear off a bit. He smiled as Billy finally got his door open, and they flew like bats out of hell out of his car. He watched in awe as they scrambled to the other side of the crossing arm just as the train came around the distant bend. All he could see was the light though.

"Carter, get out!"

"Don't do it! Don't do it!"

"It's coming! It's coming!"

Why were these people, well, at least Clear and Browning, so set on saving him? He didn't deserve it, and though he still didn't want to die, couldn't they see that it was his time? He looked away from the train to them. The light left white spots in his vision, and it kind of looked like Browning was sparkling. He was leaning over the guard, his arm outstretched as if he could reach him from there. Without even noticing, his hand with the keys gripped in it approached the starter. Maybe it wasn't his turn? Oh shit. He turned the keys, but all the car did was sputter. He looked to the door as the locks engaged. And of course his seatbelt wouldn't unfasten, what the fuck? The train just kept getting closer, that white light starting to engulf him.

"I can't get out!" Did he always sound that hoarse? He went back to tugging at his seatbelt when suddenly there was another hand next to his, trying to help him unbuckle. He looked up and Alex looked like an angel outlined in white like that. And suddenly Alex's lanky arms were around him, as if he could lift him out the window. It hurt his ribs but Alex was so warm, and damn did he smell good. He could see the actual train now and if Alex didn't succeed or give up in the next few seconds, he would die too. And with that thought in mind, Carter began to help, wiggling his way out of the window and trying to find a weak point to tear the belt.

One second he was in the car and the next he was falling out of the way of a train. He could hear the wind rushing by him and the crash of metal on metal. Alex was falling with him, his eyes shut as if prepared for impact. Football training kicking in, he grabbed him so Alex's back hit the ground. He winced as his head also hit the ground, but he was safer like this, with Carter's body shielding him from the debris from the crash just feet behind them. His back hurt as he hunched over Alex, feeling glass and sharp metal hit it. Some of it bounced right off, but some of it also cut through his jacket like it was nothing and imbedded themselves in his skin. He was also pretty sure he had lost a shoe too. He opened his eyes to check on Alex, only to see Alex trying to focus on him, his gaze momentarily dazed from that rough landing. The train was still going but there was no more flying metal, so Carter began to roll off of him. But he was stopped when arms encircled his neck and dragged him down until Alex was breathing into his shoulder and all he could see was the ground.

"You dumb jock." He sounded like he was close to crying, so he just stayed still for a second, letting Alex process that they were alive. When that second was up, he rolled off forcefully to break the grip on him. He watched, propped up on his elbow, as the train continued as if hitting his car meant nothing and as Clear ran over to Alex. She slid on her knees into him, engulfing him in a hug, though Alex's eyes remained on the train. He himself still can't believe he's alive, that Alex saved his ass. But the shred of seatbelt still clutched in his hand was all the evidence he needed.

"THAT'S RIGHT! HE'S RIGHT! YOU ARE NEXT! I'M GETTING THE FUCK AWAY FROM YOU!" Billy screamed as he scrambled to his feet and backed away from him. Way to break the moment, that ass.

"Shut up, Billy!" Let him catch his breath before he has to consider if he is still next on the list. Clear has finally released Alex and is kneeling over him slightly, checking him for injuries and completely ignoring Billy. Alex is looking at Billy as if he was an annoying yet interesting bug, and he could kind of relate with the way his face was contorted as he screamed.

"I DON'T NEED IT EVER! GET AWAY FROM HIM! HE'S NEXT!" He seemed to plead with Clear and Alex. Carter looked at them, slightly curious if they would heed Billy's words and leave him. It was shocking how much that idea bothered him. But when he met Alex's eyes, he just shook his head and suddenly Carter could breathe again.

"Fuck you, I'm not dead!" He almost wanted to add a 'yet' but had a feeling that wouldn't help his case. Suddenly, he could hear a sound. It sounded like when a car part wasn't properly installed, like rattling metal. He could see it under the train, a bent piece of debris shifting with the thundering of the train above it. And he felt it, the feeling of wrongness, of death, loom.

"YOU WILL BE! YOU'RE DEAD! YOU'RE DEAD!" And Carter watched as a chain under the train hit that debris and sent it flying. He tracked its path as it shot out from the tracks. Then suddenly it was in the bushes somewhere, but how did it get past Billy? He got his answer as Billy's head just fell off and his body fell over just as the train ended. Shit, but he couldn't look away as blood just pumped out of his body and onto the ground. He felt a hand grab his wrist in a vice grip, and he was relieved to find Alex right there, still on the ground beside him. Clear was now beside Alex instead of over him, and it looked like he had pushed her away slightly.

"You should have been next. After Lewton, you should've been next. That's the only pattern. You should be dead." He sounded breathless and rather crazed, his eyes shining as he looked over Carter. The way Alex said it though, like he was in awe, stopped Carter from feeling offended. The hand still on his wrist also may have been a factor.

"But I saved him. I intervened. Just like the plane. That's the design. That's why It skipped Carter and went to the next one in the path of the explosion; Billy." He sounded so happy as he worked this out.

"'Intervention?' What are you, God now?" He meant to sound incredulous, but it only came out as amused.

"Of course not! Gods aren't afraid to die! Gods don't die! We do!" Okay, so maybe Alex had lost some marbles in that fall. But he looked so fascinating right then, smiling but eyes darting around. It was like how he was before, like he was only half aware. But he was still here, here with him and Clear. So it was more a question of sanity than awareness.

"You're losing it. The police will be here soon. We have to go to the cabin. You can hide there. Get your head together." Carter could hear sirens in the distance now that he was paying attention. They all started to get up, but the moment he tried to even sit all the way up, he felt pain like nothing he had felt before. It felt like he was on fire, and his ears were ringing. Alex was grabbing his shoulders, keeping him upright and there were hands on his back.

"What's wrong?!" Alex yelled at Clear while trying to stop his screaming, though it was starting to cut out and break. He wanted to stop, but he wasn't really in control of his body right now.

"His back is torn to shreds! It must be from the debris!" If Clear was wondering why only Carter was injured when Alex was right there too, she didn't let it slip. He finally trailed off as black spots entered his vision. He swayed slightly but tried to focus on Alex's hands, which were on his face now.

"I'll take him to the cabin, he needs medical attention but if they take him in he won't get any help for hours. You get to your house. After me, it's you and if we're together, it only makes it easier." Alex strategized. Carter could see Clear was unwilling to separate from Alex, but when she glanced at the sorry state he was in, she only nodded. It took both of them to carefully lift him to his feet. It hurt so bad, but he was getting used to it. Well, at least that's what he told himself. He would never admit to having screamed some more.

They began to walk to the cabin, leaving the lights and sounds and Clear behind as they got deeper into the forest. Alex's hand was tentatively placed on the small of his back, guiding him as Carter focused on putting one foot in front of the other. They were silent, trying to listen for sirens or anything unusual.

He glanced at Alex, finally realizing that, yes, he did indeed have some feelings for the boy with blue eyes that was walking alongside him. And with that, he also realized that said boy was next to die. Well, shit.