Finally, chapter 3! Sorry for the delay! I don't even know if anybody reads this story! This is kind of a filler chapter but I hope ye enjoy. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed/followed/favourited so far, I really appreciate it. Please please please let me know what ye think and revie x

Joe looked down at the bullet shaped wound in his chest and watched as the blood stained his Spiderman t-shirt. Slowly he raised his head and met Lauren's horrified gaze,

"Joe," she whispered

Joe raised his hand and cupped her face in his palm. He smiled sadly as a single tear escaped Lauren's eyes and he wiped it away with his thumb. His lungs felt like they were burning up and he could feel his eyes drooping. The pain wasn't as bad as he'd imagined it would be but the numbness that replaced it was far from reassuring,

"Oops," Kate smirked, "I never really liked him anyway."

Lauren felt Joe's hand slipping from her face and sobbed,

"Joe pl…pl.. please, please, don't die. I love you Joe."

Joe's eyes flickered open and he took a deep rasping breath. However despite his condition he managed to choke out a small laugh,

"You… love…me?" he asked incredulously, each word requiring immense effort, "I've been… waiting…years to…hear you…say that…to me."

His voice was now barely more than a whisper. He opened his mouth to continue but Lauren shook her head and hushed him,

"No, save your energy. Do not give up."

Joe examined her face and cursed the hope that still lingered in her eyes. Black spots began to cloud his vision and he knew that this could be the last time he saw her face,

"Lauren?... I love you too... always."

These were his last words before the darkness consumed him completely and the feel of Lauren's lips on his forehead as he slipped into unconsciousness.

Joey kneeled forward and gently prised Lauren away from Joe.

"Lo …"

"No, he isn't dead! He's not," she cried, pushing him away.

"I never said he was."

"You think he's going to die though."

Joey bit back a response and bowed his head, unable to look at Joe's lifeless body or face Lauren's heartbroken expression. Kate had long since gotten bored of their sobbing and was now at the bottom of the carriage speaking to one of her accomplices in hushed tones. Two of the other men were standing together watching them and it struck Joey as odd that they hadn't said anything yet or pulled Lauren away.

Jaime watched in silence as she watched the life slowly slipping away from Joe. He had always been the strong one. She'd forgotten that there were a number of other people on board and she could feel the pity in their eyes as they watched Lauren mourn.

Out of the corner of her eye, Jaime saw a small figure move and as she turned she saw it was Kate's daughter. She watched, along with the rest of the Starkid's as the little girl approached Lauren and tapped her gently on the shoulder. Lauren turned hesitantly and stared at her in shock,

"Here," she said, thrusting her teddy into Lauren's hands. Kate stopped talking and watched through narrowed eyes as her daughter tried to comfort one of her hostages. Lauren's eyes, now swollen and red from crying, flitted between the little girl and Kate. She swallowed bravely and wiped her cheeks,

"No sweetie, you keep him… he's your friend."

The little girl began to shake her head and continued to try and shove the teddy into Lauren's arms,

"When I cry he helps me lots…. He can help you too," she insisted.

Lauren nodded this time and took the bear,

Thank you," she whispered softly.

"Alice!"

The little girl jumped as she heard her name and scuttled away from Lauren. Kate gave her a disapproving glare before turning to the Starkids. Lauren slowly got to her feet and stood between Joe and Kate,

"He needs help," she said, stuttering slightly, however there was a strength behind her words, "please? Let him go. I'll stay until the very end. You'll need one person to secure your escape without the police attacking. Let me be your security"

"Lauren, NO," Jaime insisted, going to get up however Joey stopped her. She knew Lauren was practically booking herself a death sentence. Once these people got away, they'd have no trouble discarding any excess weight. Kate's lips curled upwards slightly,

"Fine," she said menacingly, "I doubt he'll make it anyway."

She turned to two of the men, "Marcus, Shane? Take him up."

Lauren watched as Joe was lifted from the floor and carried away. How ironic, she thought bitterly, only an hour ago I thought that maybe both us could make it out of this thing alive

"Lo? Next time the phone rings…"

"No Joe, I know what you're going to say. We leave together. Neither gets left behind."

"Lauren … please?"

She turned her head to face him and saw the desperation in his eyes. Why did he have to do this to her? For the first time in a long time she felt old feelings begin to resurface.

"Ok, but if I go," she stuttered, "you have to promise me something."

Joe nodded,

"…that you will make it out too as soon as you can."

"Promise," he responded, plastering a fake smile on his face.

Lauren had seen the lie in his eyes. He'd had no intention of leaving until everyone else was safe. It was a quality she'd always admired in him, his selflessness. If she could do one thing, it was this. By abolishing her own chances of surviving, she could try and save Joe's.

She sat down slowly and pulled her knees into her chest. She looked across to Meredith who was staring at her like she was a ghost. Meredith seemed to realise that Lauren was watching her and tried to stop the stream of tears that were flowing down her cheeks. Everything she needed to convey to Lauren was expressed in those tears and Lauren felt her stomach churn sickeningly at the thought of not seeing her friends faces again. She loved them all so much.

No one said a word. There was nothing more to be said. The phone rang frequently and with each phone call more passengers were escorted out. Each time two of Kate's men would return with a small black bag containing the ransom money.

Eventually, it was only the Starkids left. It was inevitable now that one of them was going to die. They stiffened as the phone rang again and the freedom of five more people was secured. Looking around, it was non-verbally agreed that Meredith, Brian, Jaime, Brian(Rosenthal) and Dylan would go. Joey had immediately shaken his head and bravely volunteered to stay with Lauren until the end.

Despite the endless hours of waiting for this moment of safety to finally come, Jaime felt cold and empty. She felt a sharp jab in her back as Marcus pushed her forwards however she stopped and looked back at Lauren's small vulnerable figure curled up on the floor,

"Please can I just say goodbye?" she asked desperately. Marcus looked to Kate for approval however Kate was talking quietly to her daughter and didn't seem in any way interested in the current departures. Marcus nodded curtly and stepped aside. Jaime lunged towards Lauren and engulfed her tiny friend in her arms,

"Why does it have to be you?" she whispered into Lauren's ear.

"It just does Jaime, it just does," Lauren replied softly, "make me proud Jaime Lyn. Record an album, get on broadway… achieve your dreams. Could you do one thing for me and tell my parents I love them?"

Jaime nodded before Lauren continued, "Also... don't tell Joe about the bargain I made to keep him safe. I don't want him blaming himself. If he's even still alive..." she trailed off.

"He is, I just know he's still alive Lo," Jaime reassured her, "Lo? Keep Joey safe for me."

Lauren pulled back and, "I promise." Promising anything meant very little though and Lauren knew this. Her own promise to Joe hadn't exactly worked out. However as she looked into to Jaime's beautiful blue eyes she vowed to make sure Joey stayed safe.

Jaime now stood up and followed the rest out. Lauren watched until she could no longer see her and was only able to relax when Marcus and the other man returned alone. "Just one more person to keep alive," she whispered to herself.

Joey wrapped his arm around her and rested his head on hers.

"Two people," he corrected her.

"What?"

"You've got two people to try to keep alive. Me and you," Joey sighed, "we've never given up without a fight before and we're not going to this time."

Lauren didn't say anything to this and instead chose to cherish her last moments with Joey. Of all the people to stay with her, she was glad it was him. He would keep her calm. However she was aware that as the clock ticked, the final phone call was fast approaching and soon she would be left alone.

There are so many twists to come! ;) What do you guys think?