Macy PoV

"Are you sure?" Stella asked, her hands moving quickly over my skin, ripping my clothes here and there and smudging my mascara.

"yes, of course I am sure." I said, letting everything I felt flow into those words. "I'm willing to do everything to get them back." I fiercely stared into her blue eyes and she smiled.

"I'm so proud to have you as my best friend." She said, hugging my close. "You're so brave…" The last part was whispered.

"So are you Stella." I countered, surprised by the hurt in her voice.

"No I'm not." She smiled. "I'm just the stylist and friend of JONAS. The fabric lover and crush-of-Joe. Nothing more."

"Stella! That is not true! You're the one that is always there for us when anyone has a problem and we will always be there for you because we love you. You're rational and just as creative as Nick is with his songs. You do more then just design. Or do I have to get your sketch-book and show it to you?" I whisper-yelled at my best friend now, tears in my eyes from how low she thought of herself. "We're going to do this, but we can't do it without you!"

"I know, I know… It's just. I'm scared, Macy." She whispered, fright in her normally so sparkly blue eyes.

"I know, I am too, but we have to do this. For Nick and the one that got him into this mess in the first place." I replied, hugging her close.

Stella softly laughed. "She can't help it, it's the idiot that holds her captive's fault, no one else's. We're going to get him." Her voice grew fiercer, certainty now crossing her expression. Her Horace Mantis Jumper almost as blue as the fake bruises on my skin. We looked at each other, the blonde and the brunette, as always.

"Hell yeah we're going to."

Joe broke the hopeful silence, walking up behind Stella. "Are you ready." He asked, so comfortable with the whole situation, pulling Stella up and pulling her into a fierce hug. He smiled at me over her shoulder, before burying his face in her hair for a second.
Kevin's form appeared besides him and reached his hand for me.

"Let's get our brother back." He simply said, hugging me too.

We all nodded, and as if reacting to a silent sign, we let each other go. Kevin and Joe retreating into the shadows of the buildings. Their eyes constantly on us.
Brown looked into blue for the last time, nodding.

Then I started screaming, bloody murder and agony. Pulling everything I had felt in the last days into that scream. The pain I felt for loosing Nick, the denial. The fright for having lost Joe and Kevin too, when we found them in the alley. I put it all into that one scream. The tightening of my stomach whenever I thought of what that man could do, what he had already done multiple times. The blood spilt, the dreams that had been shattered. I put it all in. Maybe to get a silent revenge, maybe to just get it out.

Stella's voice mixed with mine as she, for added effect, but with an apologetic smile scratched her nails over my exposed arms, pulling blood from the skin. Her other hand trailing along my face, carefully scratching to not leave any permanent damage. My hands returning the favour. Also smearing out some blood, it had to look real for this to work.

Then, the door opened and on cue, we let ourselves fall to the ground.

"Please, help us, he's after us!" I screamed to whatever monster had opened the door. Holding tight onto Stella. Real tears running over my face, not from fright, but from the intense hate I felt for those that inhabited this building and tormented others. The taste was bitter on my tongue, as I had never tasted it before. I wanted to scratch their skin until it bled. Until it was red and sore and they'd feel some of our pain.

"No, no. We can't trust anyone." Stella whined, untangling herself from my arms and stumbling backwards, actual fright on her face. "He will find us, wherever we go!"

Then, she scrambled up. Shivering and trembling on her feet, before turning and running. It had to be real.

"No, don't leave me, Ezzie! We can solve this, they can help us. God, no!" I pleaded, begged, my hand stretched after Stella, Estella… Ezzie.

"Shh… Shh. What happened? Calm down." A soothing voice said to me, but it sounded to me like snake's tongue.

"Her boyfriend. He.. He just snapped. I don't know what happened. Please, help her. Help us." I cried out. Pulling myself closer to the man that held me. He smelled like soft honey. I noticed his hair was brown. Could it be?

"Shh. I'll take care of you." He soothedly whispered, his hands trailing my back and then scooping me off the ground. Tears of hatred blurring my vision. But I kept up the act, who knew I was a good actress, when it came down to it?

"Ezzie… I have to.. She's." I muttered, faking exhaustion. Softly pushing myself away from him, struggling in his hold I knew I couldn't break even if I used all my sport-gained strength. But that was exactly what we had aimed for.

He carried me, bridal style to the black side-door. Opening it with his foot. I peeked through my lashes and could vaguely see two figures standing in the shadows. One holding back the other, like he was going to lunge if he didn't stop him. Then, I 'fainted' and went completely limp in his arms… fase one had officially begun.

Jay PoV

His pain was my pain. I felt the marks on my skin. I stared into his warm brown eyes, surrounded by black, sweaty curls. His brow still sticky with pain inflicted sweat. His shirt ripped, by himself, but mostly because of the torture and the knife.
He was on his knees in front of me. Staring at me in disbelieve as I moaned, the burning stung. I felt it burn through my skin, but I kept singing, kept staring into his eyes, that slowly came back to life as I drank his agony. He wasn't broken, he was still there, he was still full of love. That was all I needed, that was worth this.

"Jay." He whispered. His voice almost as agonized as the pain he and I now both had gone through.

"Not now." I whispered back, my fingers trailing his cheek and he winced, putting his slightly toned over my pale one.

Then, the pain fainted, dulled out till nothing was left, though I knew I would forever carry the marks. His marks.

Somehow, he managed to softly lift me to the bed, through his own exhaustion and fall down next to me, wrapping his arms around me. My arms finding his.

He was hurt. He searched comfort, while giving it at the same time. His face against my shoulder, inhaling with a shudder. Exhale, inhale, exhale.

I didn't know how long we lay there, wide awake and just holding each other. Not with love, not with lust, not with anything but comfort. We needed it and instinctively took it from each other. A primal instinct that made us dependant on each other, each others warmth.
Another human's warmth, it had been so long since I had truly felt it.

With a shudder, I came to my senses again. Untangling myself from his arms. Even though it was Nick, he was still human, with human skin and a human smell. I couldn't bear it. Even through the love I felt for those warm brown eyes. I heavily breathed. While he to regain composure after his traumatic experience.

"How'd you do it?" he suddenly questioned, his face snapping towards me with the gentlest of expressions. "How did you make it go away? How did you take it?"

He understood, on a level. He didn't deny it happening, he knew what he saw and didn't question his senses and eyes. That would come later, right now he was sane enough to be reasonable. Even locked up in this cell of darkness. My doomed cell, where I had spend countess hours, days, even weeks, when he felt like it. Friendly explaining to the school how I had a very bad case of asthma, while I suffered from the Sensophia Admentium. The toxic fluids that then coursed through my veins and caused exaggerating pain. Just for the heck of it, just for his fun.

I pulled my knees towards myself, looking towards our only source of light in this hell.

"I don't know." I told him, truthfully. "I have no idea how I do it. I just do, I sing, I feel the pain and take it. I let it flow away through the music. I don't know how, or why. But I am thankful it happens."

he looked at be with an unbelieving expression, though he did believe what I told him. What reasons did I have not to be truthful? He didn't understand how it happened and to someone like him, that was saying something.

"Thanks." He said, in conclusion. Not trying to come closer, but just leaning up on his elbows. I took every least bit of discomfort. Physically, he was perfectly fine. But his spirit was still hurt, not understanding the lack of pain.
"you did the same, you know." I informed him, still facing the small window. The small spot of hope, looking at him from the corners of my eyes, through a layer of slightly greasy hair, still getting used to the flaming red.
His expression surprised me, hadn't he known? Didn't he know? How strange.

"You took the pain away." I stated, because that was exactly what he did, giving me the greatest gift I could receive. "That's something the music has never accomplished. It stops the agony, but the pain always stays. The shadow of the torture is always there, you took that away. You're better then music."

His eyes stared into mine, an intensity and a layer of an emotion I didn't knew colouring the orbs. An unbelieving and soft expression on his face. Softly rising his hand, mine in sync with his and our fingertips brushed, bringing a smile to his features. Looking away, sadness screaming from him.

"Better then music, hard to accomplish." He almost chuckled. The sound was mocking, like he refused to believe how much he had actually done for me. He believed he had still done nothing.

"Music is everything to me. Music was the only thing I had for years, just my voice, the occasional piano at school, for as long as I stayed, a guitar when Matt was away, knowing I wouldn't, couldn't run away. More then once it has saved my life, mentally, though it stops the physical fire too."

He looked up, agreeing with his eyes. "Music is a beautiful thing." He whispered. "You can just let everything go. Scream what you feel, without anyone hearing. Making people feel the same without knowing."

"Exactly."

There was a silence, both of our thoughts mixing in the air. We just sat and lay there, next to each other. Waiting for the next apocalypse, or so it felt, to come.

"If it weren't for the melodies, I wouldn't have survived." I continued. "If it weren't for having that. I would've given up ages ago. He doesn't know, but that has always been the only thing to keep me sane."

Nick nodded, he understood. I was sure the music had helped him too, though in less dangerous situations. His whole torso was lifted now, towards me. He seemed like he was keeping himself from comforting again. He seemed to question what he should do, not trusting himself.

"then you came." I turned my head towards him and slightly smiled. "You came, just like that. Somehow appeared and tried to make everything right, no matter how hard I shoved you back. You came and erased all of the pain, for those little moments of time. You were better then music."

He didn't reply, but instead just stared at the opposite black wall, thoughtful, before gazing at me again and opening his mouth, not knowing what to say.

"It's gladly done." He finally said.

"No it's not. Because of what you did, you're fucking locked up in this place." I scoffed. Standing up and jumping off the bed. Feeling the slight ache and remains of Nick's torture, but not caring either way, worse had coursed through my veins, literally.

I paced the room. His thoughtful expression seemingly having shift to my face.

"There it is again." He muttered.

"There's what again?"

"Your attitude. I missed it."

He was downright smirking when I looked his way, apologetic, but smirking. I had to get him and that happy smirk out of here. This instant or the world might never see it again.

"Great, you noticed." I replied. Walking over. "God, I really need a change of clothes."
I looked at the bloody mess of fabric that covered my skin. Not that much, but at least it covered something.
Nick didn't look that great either. His clothes were ripped and burned and also stained with blood, though I wasn't sure whom it belonged too.

I sank down next to him on the bed and he sat up behind me. Both silent again until the exhaustion from the pain-drain finally kicked in and I fell asleep. Asleep against something warm and barely cloth-covered.

Great.

Stella PoV

Carefully, I opened the door. My hands holding the wood tightly, ready to slam it closed, preferably in someone's face, as soon as was needed. I felt the boys' gazes on my back when I softly called: "Maria?" Macy's code name, as mine was Ezzie.
A soft voice replied. "There's no Maria, how can I serve you?" with a dull and dead voice. A girl stepped out of the shadows inside, closing her eyes to the light. But before her eyes fluttered closed, I saw the broken blue colour. So close to my own colour that I shuddered. Her thin, skinny hands were holding onto the frame.

"I'm looking for my friend, she's wounded. Brown hair, brown eyes. Her clothes are ripped." I said, pretending to be oblivious to the girl's own ripped clothes.

"Please, I need to find her." I pleaded. "Let me in." The last part was said with a more stern voice.

And like we had expected, and very sadly. She gave in, opening the door for me immediately.
"Come in, please. Let us take care of you." She whispered, her voice to weakened to speak out loud. She had no idea I was different from the others that usually came here.

She was small, skinny, though the ghost of a well filled body shimmered through her appearance. Her hair was a mix between blonde and black, lifelessly hanging around her face, though once, it might have jumped around it. Her clothes were like those of a whore and it was probably what she was. Without caring, without emotion. Overly short black plaid shirt, bra and leather vest around the small shoulders. Paled out leggings running into stiletto-like heels. Bruises around her ankles from constantly tripping over them, or from chains, I wasn't sure.
What a horrid place was the building, breaking these young women and… I couldn't think, this was unlike everything I had ever experienced and I felt the urge to hug the woman slash girl in front of me, but I knew that was useless. There wasn't anything left to hug, the spirit that had inhabited this body had retrieved deep within, from all that had been done to her. By men, by her owners. I shuddered as she motioned me to come in.

The outside of the building wasn't much different from what I saw on the inside. It was dark and it smelled like sigar-smoke. A lot of actual smoke in the red coloured air, the red coming from fluorescent red coloured neon tubes. It could've had had an undeserving atmosphere of innocence to it, had it not been for the shelves and boards full of whips and sex toys. Buckles and god, knives?

I felt vomit come up my throat, not knowing if it was from that, or the look of the young man in leather pants, sitting at the feet of it. Whip marks on his exposed chest and arms, as the girl lead me further.

"Stop." I ordered. And her body halted immediately. "go do whatever you were busy with, okay? I wasn't here."

I hated talking to the unfortunate soul (ha- ha..) like that, so I couldn't help but ask her approval, receiving a stare of confusion, this girl wasn't used to people asking her approval for something. People took with her. They took and never returned anything.

So I just brushed past her, trying to look as indifferent as possible. Feeling the tears burn behind my eyes. I walked deeper into the darkness that beheld this doomed place. Deeper into what could be the last place I ever entered. I should've told Joe I loved him. Very, very badly.

Joe PoV

The devilish people who ran this place didn't even suspect anyone trying to get in, so it was easier then getting a pencil from thousands of fangirls. They had no clue as to why anyone would want to get in. They didn't suspect. They never left a trail. So it wasn't necessary, right?
They thought wrong.

I smiled at Stella when she let us in. Our shadow's disappearing from the outer-view. Disappearing from our last way out, but I couldn't care. I wanted my brother back, nothing was going to stop me. So I stepped into the darkness, all of us in. No way out, unless it was with all of us.

? PoV

I saw them step into the house that resembled so much of the hated haunted house in Disney-Land. Only worse.
I saw their dark hair and shadows disappear inside and knew this wasn't good. Not pretty at all. As I knew spying on them was wrong too.

When they all disappeared, I ran back to where all of us came from, towards the fire house. Towards the only one sneaky enough to help me.

Nick PoV

My arms embraced her once again, I knew the cheesyness of our position, every time again. But I couldn't pry myself from it. I couldn't let go. Couldn't avert my eyes from her face, even troubled in sleep. Stroking her flaming hair from her pale face. Exposing the scar over her left eyebrow. I trailed it with my fingertips. It too, felt soft.

My fingers trailed lower, over her throat. The remains of a harsh hickey still there. Not completely healed by her spell, apparently there were flaws in that talent. It stopped the pain, cleared away the evidence, most of the time. Sometimes it didn't, sometimes it did. But the pain always stayed, throbbed beneath the skin. As she had rather harshly told me.

I trailed over her arms, there also were scars, though I knew there was way more skin cut open there. But a lot of it was just flawless. Normal skin, what was up with that?
I trailed the scars. Feeling her softly move against me, breathing out. Not relaxing one bit, ever. Constantly on edge.

The door opened, but I didn't move. Didn't acknowledge the man that held us captive here. The man that had ripped me away from my family. The man that had tortured so many souls. Broken them all except for the two strong souls in this very cell.

"You know I'll kill her if you don't co-operate, right?" He said, softly. Almost sounding like he regretted his words, but when I finally looked up and met his icy eyes, I just saw the insanity and pleasure for our obvious discomfort. The idea of having us completely at his mercy.

"Yes, I am aware." I answered.

He smiled, his lips were crooked as he walked over and planted a kiss on my mouth. To say I was disgusted was an understatement. It was repulsing, but I kept my body still. For her sake. All for her sake and for mine. I had to get out of here, I needed to get out. So co-operating was my only option. Leave him clueless. That was my only hope. Our only hope.
I looked back down to the fierce form in my lap. Her lioness bravery evident behind her closed, I knew to be green, eyes. She sensed him.

"Good boy." Matt whispered. Menacing, his voice full of promises. Promises of pain.