-One month later-

Mark pov:

"You aren't coming into my home without a search warrant! I know my rights!" Darcy had a hand pressed over my mouth so I didn't scream as the police stood at the door. I felt tears running down my cheeks. It was almost over. I was gonna be saved.

I started struggling against Darcy, trying to scream, but his grip was too tight.

"Mister Miller, we are getting a warrant, and if we find something, you'll be placed under arrest." the cop's tone was firm. Jason's voice cracked at he bit back.

"You won't find anything! I have nothing to hide. I don't like people invading my privacy without a good reason." the cop reluctantly paused for a moment before the door closed. Jason came back down the stairs, glaring at me.

"They'll have the warrant in no time, Jason!" Darcy yelled. "Is it even worth it anymore!?"

Jason turned on him.

"I'm sick and tired of you putting your two cents in! I will keep that man until the day I die! I've worked too hard to give him up now! pack a bag for me! I'm going somewhere else!"

"AND THEN WHAT!?" Darcy screamed, his fists clenched at his sides. "You always do this, Jason! you never think things through! You spent so long chasing his dumb ass, you have nowhere left to go! you didn't consider all of the consequences! I warned you to never underestimate people! Roger is just as crazy as you are!"

I AM NOT CRAZY!" Jason screamed, and suddenly, he sent Darcy flying into the wall. My eyes went wide. "Don't you ever call me that! you're just like everyone else!"

Darcy stumbled, wiping the blood from his nose.

"What are you gonna do, huh!? face it! they have us cornered!"

Jason took one look at me.

"If I can't have him… then no one can.."

I felt my blood run cold. He wouldn't…

"Jason…" Darcy began. Jason cut him off.

"Get me my gun. I'm finishing this. I still have time to bail."

"YOU NEED HELP!" Darcy shouted, shoving him. "You aren't Jason anymore! The Jason I know wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone kidnap a fucking HUMAN BEING!" he glared. "You need to go back to the hospital! you need your medication!"

"I don't need anything! especially YOU!" he pointed to the door. "You wanna run away? be a good boy, and not get in trouble? go! go ahead! I don't fucking need you! I never have, and I never will!"

"I LOVE YOU, YOU STUPID ASSHOLE!" Darcy shot back. There were tears in his eyes. I froze. I didn't realize I was right. Jason froze too, quirking a brow.

"What?"

"You heard me Jason… stop… stop this… you want someone to love you so bad? here I am." his gaze turned pleading. "Give yourself up. Let the kid go…. get the help you need… and….. I'll be waiting for you when you get out…I care about you…" he moved forward, taking Jason's hand with a small smile. "I promise."

Jason stood still for a few long minutes. I saw his gaze flash with sadness. He looked up at Darcy, and scowled, yanking his hand away. It was almost as if I could hear Darcy's heart drop into his stomach.

"There's no help left me me anymore…" Jason said with a snarl. "Besides… the feelings aren't mutual… The only person I want… has to die…" he gave me a glance. "Now… go get me my gun… and let yourself out…"

Darcy stood there, looking pale.

"I said… go get my-"

"Fuck you." Darcy spat, turning around. "Get it yourself, Jason… I'm done with you…" he walked towards the stairs, and climbed up them, pausing at the top. "Have a nice life."

With that, the door slammed. Jason walked into his back room, and he emerged with something that made me feel sick. A handgun. I watched him with a pleading gaze.

"Well, Marky…. I guess we've learned something today, huh?" I could tell he was choking back tears. "Life…. life's not fair… is it?" he began loading up the gun with bullets, watching me with each one.

"He cared about you…" I said, still in disbelief. "This whole time… you could have moved on… like I did…"

Jason paused. "That's just it, Marky…. I didn't do this just to have you for myself… but to teach you a lesson…"

"What are you talking about?" I asked, shivering as he put the loaded gun beside him.

"I took you.. to show you what it was like…" he smirked. "How did it feel when you read that news article? to realize that Roger may have given up on you? to think he might move on? forget you? find someone new?"

My gaze dropped to the floor.

"Yeah… that's what I thought…" Jason spat. "You left me behind… you found him…. you were selfish… and awful… and you're getting what you deserve… I don't take too kindly to people doing me wrong…" he got up, walking over to the stairs.

"To be fair, I oughta give you some time to sort through your thoughts… to suffer some more before you get the release of death…" he smiled. "Just think of Roger dying alone… or even worse… in the arms of someone else… his last words aren't going to be your name, Mark… at least…" he laughed. "Not anymore…"

I looked down at my feet, closing my eyes tightly. It was as if my whole world was falling down around me.

This was it. It was all for nothing. Another hour, and my brains would be coating the walls. Months and months away from the love of my life, trying to stay hopeful, for what? for it to be cut short.

This had to be a joke. A sick, fucking joke.

At least if I was going to die, I would have had the best years of my life with the one person who meant more to me than anything. The fact that he had come so far, fought so long, just to find me, it made me start crying again.

I don't like myself. I never have, and I never will. But that didn't matter, because he did. He told me how loved I was every single day. He never let me forget. He chased away the demons lurking through my mind, and I chased away his.

We were just two stupid kids when we met, who came from shitty families, and awful situations, but we managed to fix each other, no matter how many times the other fell down or broke. To me, that was true love.

Having someone who wouldn't rest until they knew you were okay. Knowing that no matter what you went through, someone would be waiting to scoop you into their arms, and tell you how well you did. Having someone who would protect you, even if it meant their life was in danger.

I knew if Roger was here right now, he would take those bullets for me. I didn't have a doubt in my mind. I only wish I could have thanked him for everything.

For being the only one who wanted to watch my first films, no matter how late I finished them. For being the only one willing to stay up for days on end with me when my nightmares got bad. For never turning his back on me when I needed him.

Even if he ran away when things got too tough, he always came back. I choked back a sob. I would never see him again. He wasn't gonna come back this time. I would never hear his rare, but wonderful laugh, or see his bright smile, or look into his eyes again. I would never feel his warm arms around me, or hear his deep, growling voice in my ear when he wanted to show me how much he loved me instead. I would never again wake up screaming, and before I could even blink, I would be cradled against his warm chest, his massive, calloused hand engulfing mine in it's own.

Roger Davis would always be the love of my life. No matter what happened, it would never change. He made my worthless life… worth something. I stared at the wall miserably, continuing to cry. It was too late. We were close, but it was too late. Hours passed as I was left in that basement to rot.

It was too late.