WARNING: This chapter contains some things that readers may find upsetting or distressing, I apologise in advance if anyone is upset by the tone and nature of this chapter and chapters to follow.

The others had no idea what had just been said, they were too far behind, but John and Dawn's lives had been flipped upside down, Laurence's statement had completely thrown them.

"Yo-You're serious?" John said, looking at Laurence, who's head had lowered to the point that his eyes had been covered by the dark brown strands of his fringe,

"Everyone else is better with me dead."

Dawn almost couldn't take it, she almost spun Laurence round right then and slapped him, to scold him for thinking so foolishly, but she restrained herself, and fought back her growing urge to cry, wanting to hear more.

"If you were dead, we'd all be dead, and to me, that doesn't seem better," John replied.

"Hardly, think about it John, if I had died in that hospital bed, I never would've gotten the opportunity to flash about that I had survived, wouldn't have had the chance to aggravate him," Laurence retorted.

'What hospital bed?' Dawn thought, 'WHAT are they hiding from us all?'

"Had you died on that hospital bed, we all would've been doomed; the whole world would have been doomed! You have got to stop doing this to yourself!" John replied aggressively.

An awkward silence passed through the two of them, before Dawn noticed a droplet fall from Laurence's face. He was crying.

"Help me…" he pleaded, he turned his head a couple of inches so he could make eye contact with Dawn, who was startled that he knew she was there, "please… help me," he cried quietly, looking back and forth between Dawn and John.

Suddenly John gasped, and that's when Dawn's world flipped upside down, the blood trickled down Laurence's wrist, past the scars that were clearly visible due to the blood, onto his palm, from where it dripped onto the floor.

"You didn't… Please tell me you didn't?" Dawn shouted, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," Laurence whispered, before he collapsed to the floor, Dawn and John fell to their knees next to Laurence, Dawn wrapped her hands around Laurence's left hand, which was clasped shut, while John assessed the damage.

"Oh my god," John whispered, the others converged on the scene quickly.

"What happened?" Lily cried, tears were building in her eyes.

"Dawn… Lily… He's been doing it for ages… Look at this…" John said quietly, he pulled up Laurence's sleeve and the fresh wound had started to close, and the blood had started to dry, making the other scars visible. The inside of Laurence's arm was covered in white lines, Dawn couldn't take it, she put her head down on Laurence's chest and sobbed, she faintly heard one of the boys ringing an ambulance.

The world went in slow motion for Dawn, this was not the boy she had grown to love, this was not the boy who was everyone's rock, everyone's shoulder to cry on, and this certainly was not the boy who was mentally strong enough to get the group through the toughest of situations.

The paramedics arrived, and Dawn found herself being assisted out the mall, she could faintly see Laurence being wheeled into a nearby ambulance; she didn't know who was helping her, but they guided her into the same ambulance, where she sat, motionless, tears streaking down her face, clutching Laurence's left hand, which was still clasped shut. She could just about hear the paramedics going about their business, words flew around, she realised that John was in the ambulance with them, as was Ash. Dawn could feel warm spot on her back, and became aware of Ash's hand comforting her. She could feel another figure to her right, which she assumed was Lily. Their conversation was echoed and distorted in her shocked state.

"What happened?" one paramedic asked softly.

"We were walking and discussing… some things that have happened… and he started talking about how he doesn't want to live anymore, how he has to have a drink every morning to get through the day, then he pleaded for help, that's when I noticed the blood… how long has he been doing this to himself?" John asked, his voice strained, but he was keeping calm, almost taking Laurence's place as the source of strength in a dire time.

"Judging by the colour and size of the scars… I'd estimate a couple of months; he said he had a drink every morning to get through the day?" John nodded, "we'll need to run a scan on his liver…" the paramedic said.

"How could he put up an appearance of stability and mental strength for so long?" Ash said, his voice coming quiet and strained.

"Many people with mental instability manage to cover up their true feelings, they "stay strong" for the people they care about," the other paramedic informed the trio.

"Ash, who did George contact?" John asked.

"Umm… I think he contacted mum… he left a message for Professor Oak, Brock… I dunno who else," Ash replied, he sounded distant.

"Has no one contacted a parent or guardian?" paramedic one asked.

"He doesn't have any," Dawn choked out; the paramedics glanced at each other.

"Am I right in saying this is Laurence Roberts?" paramedic two asked.

"Yeah…" John replied.

"Don't worry, we'll keep it out of the media, we don't want a frenzy," paramedic one said kindly.

"What's gonna happen about the tournament?" Ash asked John.

"I'll contact Lance when we know what's going on… maybe it'll be postponed, I don't know," John replied.

"Is my brother going to be okay?" Lily asked quietly, her voice was also strained.

"Physically, he'll be fine, he hit an artery, not a hugely vital one, but the way he's been treating his body recently, the blood he lost was enough to make him pass out… but mentally… we can't be sure how much damage has been done to his psyche until we've done tests or he's woken up…" paramedic one explained.

"Could… could he have brain damage?" Lily asked, tears streaking down her face at the prospect.

"I'm sorry ma'am, there's no way of telling, if worse comes to the worst, it's a possibility," paramedic two said sympathetically.

Both Dawn and Lily burst into tears, Ash and John moved into positions to comfort the duo. The rest of the journey was made in silence, as the paramedics kept Laurence stable. Dawn felt a pang of sympathy for Lily, she'd found her brother and almost lost him in one day.

"How could I let this happen?" Dawn sobbed.

"Hey... it isn't your fault, sis," Ash said comfortingly.

"I noticed his change in personality, but never said anything, maybe if I had I could've prevented this!" she cried.

"Dawn, your just in shock, get some sleep, if there's any news I'll wake you up," Ash said kindly. Dawn nodded, and she placed her head on Laurence's chest, so she could feel his heartbeat, and drifted into a haunted sleep.

-TPLU-

The huge room was occupied by five beings, the huge creature at the far end barely fit into the domed hall, the mosaicked, marbled walls raised a hundred feet in the air, and met in a pattern of crosses and squares. Laurence stood in front of John, Ash and a humanoid creature, with a long purple tail, Mewtwo.

"You think you're so great don't you? All powerful? HA! You couldn't even put a puny little human to a permanent sleep!" Laurence taunted. The creature narrowed its three eyes, and Laurence grinned.

"Did I touch a nerve?" his smirk grew wider.

"Stop aggravating him Laurence!" John shouted.

"You're pathetic! You think you're all amazing coz you're the genetic spawn of Mew and Mewtwo, but you have an expiry date too! And I'll be laughing when that date arrives!" Laurence smirked as the creature stood to its full height.

"Laurence what are you doing?" Mewtwo cried, "what could you possibly be planning to do?"

"This!" Laurence said, pointing at the creature "is an abomination! And I'm planning to rid the world of it."

"That's a sickening point of view!" Ash shouted, "This isn't you Laurence!"

"Heh, those nights in the hospital have changed me, Ash, this world doesn't deserve things like that!" Laurence shouted, again pointing at the behemoth in front of them. The creature had heard enough, it roared, and a blue plasma ball started to form in front of its chest, Laurence smirked, and raised his arm.

Suddenly, the doors behind them burst open, and Dawn, carrying Sparks, May, Brock, George and Zach burst in.

The creature turned his attention to them, and Laurence's smirk faded, to be replaced by a look of horror. The creature fired, and the ball headed straight for Dawn and May, who screamed.

"MAY!" Ash shouted.

Dawn was blinded by the light flying towards her, and she awoke with a scream.

EOC

Short little chapter, trying to get back into the swing of things… would appreciate a review, even though this chapter is a crap filler :L