Author's Note: WOW! I haven't been writing for awhile. Just don't know where to pick up since I've been away from it so long. Trust me, every time someone reviewed or even added the story to an alert list, I felt a need to try and write again. Since angsty boy love can only go on for so long, I hope that once the "plan" goes through, there will be more action. In future chapters, I really want to use Roger to his full extent. OH! And in this chapter, italics are used because the characters are heard, not seen.

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Chapter Fourteen

"Is he dead?"

"No! Of course not! Just please hold the flashlight still…"

"Not directly on the face. Don't put near his eyes!"

"OH! Sorry! SORRY!"

"His eyes are dilating again. Put another cloth on his forehead."

Jack could hear these three voices swimming in his head, and he tried calling out. My voice…Numbness kept away any pain, while heat covered his face.

"What's he saying? Can you tell?"

"Don't worry, it's alright. He might not be able to speak for awhile."

"Can I hold his hand…or…talk to him?"
"That's fine. Just stay here until we're back…We need to get medicine…"

"Don't open that door for anyone. Anyone…"

Two pairs of footsteps left the room. Jack couldn't even open his eyes to look, but his weight on a feather like bed assured him he was back at Sage's shop. He knew the voices, but they were so far away. Suddenly, two small hands closed around Jack's.

"Hi Jack, its Oliver. I will pray for you so much, so please don't die! Nicol would be so sad if you died and I would too! I was really happy that you were our friend. I don't have a lot of friends anywhere else…"

Jack immediately recognized the small voice. He repeated the name over and over in his mind, but the words never reached his lips. The voice he heard was quivering, begging him to listen.

"Sage said you would be going away soon. Please come back though! I want you to teach me more! And we had so much fun together! Re…remember when we…we got ice cream? I had so much fun and…and I don't want you to go away yet…I want a friend…"

The two small hands shook and small wet drips began sliding down Jack's hand. This time, a small whisper came from the bed. "Its okay…" Peering into the dim candlelight, Oliver saw two haunting blue eyes looking straight at him. "JACK!" The small boy couldn't resist crawling on the bed and wrapped his arms around the limp body below him. "Are you okay?!"

"Of course. I told you so before. Don't worry…" Struggling, Jack eventually got his arms around the shaking boy, breathing deeply. "I'm just going to visit a friend like before."

"But…Nicol said people who talk like that are liars…You're going away forever, aren't you?"

"Why would I do that? I promise, just a short visit and I'll be back…"

The heat was returning quickly to his forehead, and suddenly, the words he spoke to the desperate eyes above him weren't words. Oliver rolled off, sitting cross legged next to Jack. His small hands once again held to Jack's. "It's okay, Nicol and Sage will be back soon and you can have some medicine. Then you can go see your friend." Oliver sighed as the faint reflection in Jack's eyes faded as he drifted back into unconsciousness.

"We're back Oliver!" Nicol called as he rushed up the stairs. He slowly opened the door, squinting into the candlelight. Creeping closer, he found Jack still unconscious with Oliver curled up under his arm.

"Is he still alive?" Sage whispered from behind, shutting the door quietly. Nicol reached out, touching the free arm hanging off the bedside. "Yes, but we have to go faster. We don't have time. We don't even know if that small blonde boy will even show up." The tall boy bent down and picked up his little brother, sighing as he walked towards the door. "With the rain lately, it would be impossible to move Jack without leaving some kind of traces."

"Yes, but he can't even move at this point. I'm afraid his body succumbed a little too early," Sage replied, leaning against the outside wall. He put his hand against his forehead, listening to Nicol's footsteps go further down the hall. There's no way he'll make it unless he leaves now. After calming down, he reentered the dark room, kneeling beside the bed. Jack was mumbling something incoherent, his eyes half open and his fingers twitching. "Jack, Jack!" Sage took hold of his hand lightly. Please wake up…

The constant dizziness kept flowing over in waves. Jack could feel his eyes open one moment, then find himself in complete darkness the next. He could see the light hair beside him gleaming in the candlelight, but he couldn't reach for help. How long can I last like this…? Just before another heavy weight strained his eyes, a looming shadow appeared at the door, and the next thing Jack knew, he was sitting up, drenched in freezing water.

"NICOL! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Sage cried, avoiding the icy splash that hit the bed beside him.

"We're leaving. No more time to let him suffer here. By the time I'm back up here, he's up and ready to go. His clothes are wet, put him in mine. Simple. Go." Dropping the bucket on the floor, the dark figure left coolly.

The drips of water tensed every nerve on Jack's body, and he finally felt aware. He looked over at Sage, who was already half way out of the room. "Wa...wait," a choking voice stammered from the bed. Looking back, the older man saw Jack shaking heavily, his eyes darting back and forth. "Don't worry, I'll be right back…"

Sage entered Nicol's room, stepping over to the dresser hurriedly. His hands shook as he pulled out the drawers, pulling out the first pieces of clothing he could find. Occasionally, his hands would run across a letter or small piece of jewelry. The more he tried to move past them, the more they seemed to roll his way. How can I do this to Nicol…? Putting him in danger this way. I'm so selfish…All of this for my brother…Is that why I'm doing this?

Jack began tearing off his soaking clothes, his muscles stinging with every move. He noticed red creeping up his pale skin. This is a disaster. Leaning back, Jack rested his weak frame against the wooden headboard. He watched the small flame in the candle twirl around the wick, giving him a warm solace from his aching body. Each dancing spark flew into the air like a shooting star, disappearing in a flash. It felt like the first time Jack had ever seen a fire like this. His memory burned with wildfires, but this small life was more than enough to keep him alive for a few more moments.

Smiling to himself, Jack thought of Ralph. Just like that small flame, he was beautiful and inspiring, bright and vibrant! Still, Ralph was hard to hold, painful to touch. He was still the boy that Jack could not keep. A trembling hand reached for the golden cross that rested faithfully on Jack's heaving chest. He held it to his lips for a moment. God, please give me one more chance. One more chance to repent for what I've done…to change my life. To leave that island behind forever. To be able to be myself, and be with Ralph... His eyes shut, imagining their hair, golden and fiery like the flame of a candle, twisting together endlessly. For that brief moment, Jack felt at peace.

Sage crept to the doorway, making sure to step louder on the floor before he entered. "Are you ready to go?"

"…Yeah, I'm fine."

Helping Jack edge towards the bed, Sage gently rested the clothes beside him and exited, sitting against the wall outside of the doorway. For a few moments, the only sound was that of the fabrics brushing together and a few deep breathes as Jack struggled to stay focused. Sage kept his eyes on the floor, his hands pressing into his forehead as he thought to himself. He didn't notice the slow footsteps until they were right in front of him.

"Sorry, do you think you could tie my shoes for me? My hands won't stay steady," Jack whispered, half embarrassed and half smiling. Slowly, he shifted his legs in front of him, resting against the opposite wall.

Sage silently worked, never looking into the eyes that were watching him. After he started tying the laces, he quietly asked, "Are you sure about this?"

Jack answered immediately, "I can't turn back now. I've already made my decision. I put everyone through too much to back out now. I can't do that anymore. Even if everything works out, there's still a lot to do, but I'm seeing this through to the end." He noticed a smile on the older man's face, almost covered by his blonde hair. "Sage, I don't think you ever really answered me when I asked why you were doing all of this…"

"I'm selfish, that's all. No matter what you'd have asked of me, I would have done it. I had to do all this for Simon." Jack looked down, staring at the hands that remained firm as they tied his shoes.

"That's okay…I was doing this all for me in the beginning. And Nicol's doing this for himself too. As long as there are other reasons, right?"

"Right, but it's hard to be optimistic in this situation. You're leaving us and you may not come back. Your friend still hasn't arrived here either. Even if things DO work out, we have your other friend to deal with. I can already tell that Nicol is ready to take your place, but his personality is a bit…impulsive."

"I know, and that's why I asked. If you don't want to get involved, then just tell me. After this is over, things are only going to get worse," Jack said, his voice lowering as loud footsteps began up the stairs.

Helping Jack to his feet, Sage pulled him close for a moment, speaking in a low voice. "You can always come back here. We won't abandon you." "Sage…"

"TIMES UP!" The clunk of Nicol's boots hit the wooden floor, almost knocking Jack off his feet. "Nicol, don't be so…" "Sh! We're leaving now!" "But Jack can barely…"

Before Sage could even finish his sentence, Jack was over Nicol's shoulder and they were headed out the door. "If Oliver wakes up, tell him I'll be home later," he called over his shoulder. Giving a slight wave, Jack rested his head down for a moment as another swell of heat flew over his body. Even the cool night air filled with the scent of rain wasn't enough to keep him focused. He watched as Sage's blurry figure stood in the doorway, slowly disappearing into the melting portrait around him.

After watching Nicol sprint faster into the night, Sage looked both ways. The only sound was the sheets of rain beating against the windowpanes, but no footsteps. Sighing, the older man shut the door, walking back into the shop. His feet quietly moved up the stairs towards Oliver's room. Opening it, a dim lighting gleamed from the dresser beside the bed. Sage peered over the layers of quilted blankets to see the wavy locks of hair at the pillow. Good, still asleep.

He continued to check all the rooms in the upstairs before journeying back into the shop. For a moment, he stood by the fogged window, again waiting for a pair of footsteps to show up. Still nothing. Pulling away from the window, he entered the long corridor he had shown Jack. As he approached the image of his brother, he froze. Sinking to the floor, Sage stared into Simon's haunting blue eyes.

"You must be so ashamed of me brother. Playing this children's game. I can't believe I didn't try to talk your friend out of this. Even if Jack survives the night, there's no way I can assure that he will heal. And Nicol has the blood to jump into a situation so quickly that he'll forget what he's doing. He's an intelligent boy, but he thrives on such violent feelings. Just like that boy, Roger."

Sage never dropped his eyes from the photograph, pausing for a moment as if waiting for some sort of response. The chill of Simon's eyes just pierced forward, nothing more.

"That boy is a demon. He has no religion. I've only seen him once, but he is dangerous. I remember sitting in that courtroom and hearing about all the blood and bone traces found on the island. And he just sat there laughing. His eyes were bloodshot, and I couldn't have left this country faster. Oh brother, I don't know what I can do for these boys. Jack has changed. He's grown so sensitive and desperate. When he was sleeping, he clung to his cross for dear life. I'm afraid something more will happen to him if he lets Roger control him…and Ralph, he's too young for all of this. I was told he was still in school and adjusted normally. We've thrown him into an awful position. I can't even predict if he'll come here…"

Another stop and more silence. The rapping of rain tapping on the glass above the garden could be heard through the halls, bouncing around like rubber balls. A few muffled bangs echoed from the distance, but Sage paid no mind. His contact was still frozen on the picture. "Roger has a deep hatred for Ralph. It was obvious at the trial. Jack has told me all about that boy's sadistic tendencies and his psychopathic nature. If we do succeed, he will come to kill us, I know that. Jack and Ralph cannot handle him alone, but Nicol can, and that terrifies me as well. I've raised him and Oliver, but Nicol was already self aware. He is good, but he's so willing to dive into danger…and of all of them, he's definitely most interested in Roger. So, what can I do?"

The muffled bangs grew loud enough for the blonde to jump up and run to the door. His heart beat faster for a moment, clenching his hand around the door in anticipation. After waiting another moment, he opened it. Standing there, drenched from head to toe, was Ralph. His arms clung tightly to each other, unable to stop his body from shaking like a leaf. Short strands of blonde hair lay in all directions. His black shoes were caked in mud, which had sprinkled itself across his body. Sage covered his mouth, wondering how long the boy had been there. Before he could ask, Ralph clenched his teeth and spoke, "I…Is…J…J…Jack here?"

"45 minutes, and we're finally here." Jack's eyes opened slowly as Nicol spoke. The tall boy was standing before the ominous warehouse with Jack, barely conscious, over his shoulder. "Aren't you tired?" Jack whispered as his feet reached the ground. Nicol showed no signs of fatigue, breathing calmly and staring straight ahead with his arms crossed. His grey eyes were the same color as the metal of the building, and just as cold and firm. Meanwhile, Jack was falling to pieces, breaking apart with each drop of rain.

After standing quietly for a few moments, Jack knew their time was up and slowly turned towards his silent friend. "Well, I guess I'll see you when I see you. I don't know how I'm supposed to thank you for what you're doing." Nicol still hadn't moved, but Jack continued, looking at the building as well. "I hope I wasn't too much trouble for you, but it's nice to be carried once in awhile." A small laugh came from beside him, and the two finally made eye contact. "Tell me again why you do all of this," the deep voice murmured quietly.

"Because I think I deserve to come out of life happy. I need to repent and I know I've been going about it the wrong way. I just want to fix it…and make sure that Ralph doesn't die because of what Roger and I started."

"Is your little friend really worth it?"

"Of course he is."

Nicol sighed, shaking his head. "You'd better come back soon. I might kill him."

"Nicol, if you could do me one favor, please don't upset Ralph. He can't take your abuse like I can."

Jack tried to hold in his laughter as Nicol gave a slight smile, shaking his head. The two seemed completely unaware of their current surroundings until a streak of lightning lit the sky. "Here, Sage told me to give you this. It broke earlier." The familiar jingle of the odd ear attachment that broke at the hospital fell into Jack's hands. "It has the last of what you need," Nicol added in a solemn tone.

"Alright then…and as long as we're exchanging jewelry, could you hold on to this for me?" For the first time since they'd met, Jack removed the worn out cross from his neck, pooling it into Nicol's hand. It was as cold and beaten as Jack appeared at that moment. Nicol's eyes seemed a little brighter at that moment, as if the rainy moment had washed away his exterior. He reached it over his head, letting it slid down before smiling and laughing again.

"I hope it doesn't burn me." His hands reached back further, unlocking the thin chain to the jade necklace he mentioned before. "Here, hold on to this. It's lucky…" Jack happily accepted it, hiding the dangling stone beneath his shirt.

"I'm surprised; this seems a little cliché for you Nicol. When I told you what I said to Ralph, you laughed." Brushing dark hair out of his face, Nicol gave another throaty laugh. "You can have some nice 'last moments'. And if you wear that, it'll be easier to identify your body," he whispered jokingly, his eyebrow raising. Before Jack could respond, another light streak washed against the ink black sky. "Time to go…"

Their bodies completely faced each other. "Well, how do you want to do this?" Jack asked, reaching out his arms with the last bit of energy he had. "Handshake, hug, prayer?" Shadow hid Nicol's face as he changed his expression. "Well...what?"

"Here." In one fast movement, Nicol had approached, his fist already flying towards Jack's face, driving into his cheekbone. Stunned, all Jack could say was, "What was that?!"

The grey in Nicol's eyes was solid again. "I'm not sappy. You can give that to Roger for me..." With that, he turned his back and began walking off into the darkness. The choir boy watched him go, but couldn't think of a thing to say. His throbbing cheek reminded him of the pain that had been dragging him down. This is it…

Jack winced as every one of his muscles burned when he dragged open the door, entering complete darkness. "R…Roger?" His body stayed against the wall as one hand walked slowly over to the nearest light switch. A short click came from the other side of the room and Jack immediately stopped. The floor echoed as a piece of metal fell against it, and another click was heard. Little pieces rang as they fell to the floor, and the same clicking followed. "Roger, what are you doing?" Jack hollered as he flashed on the lights, his eyes widening.

The lights bounced off a barrage of shining guns that lay strewn across the floor. Roger sat in the middle, his face covered by his hair, which was oddly dripping with water. His entire body was soaking as well, and a pool of water had bled out onto the floor. Jack took a few steps closer, carefully pushing some guns aside. The dark form paid no attention and continued robotically to load the hand guns beside him and slide them around the floor. Slowly, Jack began crouching towards the covered face, squinting his eyes as the room began to spin.

"You can't just sit around all day. Get up. Where's Angela?" Click. "Roger…Come on." Click. "Roger!"

Without turning his face, Roger lifted his tan arm, extending a bony finger towards his bed. Feeling a lump grow in his throat, Jack inched away from the unmoving boy, closing in on the lump beneath the covers. Click.

The bright lights hanging over the damp setting were slicing into Jack's eyes, but the room was growing darker. Got to hang on. The lump under the covers made no movement and Jack could feel his hand tremble as he reached for it. Click.

Shutting his eyes, Jack pulled back the sheet swiftly. For a moment, he held his breath. What could he have done now? The sound of Roger still loading guns knocked against the walls. Click.

Finally opening his eyes, Jack saw only a black bag. The clicks in the background began echoing like a surreal clock. The zipper jingled as unsteady fingers pulled it down, revealing darkness. His hands slid into the bag without hesitation, wrapping around a round object and something warm. Click.

While attempting to swallow the lump in his throat, Jack brought his hands back into the light. His pale eyes found the round object to be a vial of grey powder and the warmth in his other hand came from another handgun. "Roger, what is this…?" Click.

The last click was closer. Slowly, Jack began turning around. A cold metal brushed against his bruised cheek, following his movements until he'd turned to face the gun completely. The demonic eyes that had been so listless lately were boiling into the misty color of Jack's. It was as if every single blood vessel had burst. As shaken as his breath was, Roger's dark voice was steady.

"Do you remember that conversation we had…?" His lips were curling back, revealing the feral fangs beneath them.

"We've had a lot of conversations," Jack replied calmly, shutting his eyes, still painfully dilated, from the glare of the gun.

"Remember when I asked you the difference between a psychopath and a sociopath?" A small squeak was revealing that Roger was about to fall off the edge into…

"Yes, I remember. Please, just put the gun down. We need to talk."

"No…No! I'm done talking! You've been gone for days on end and you expect me to talk to you?! Who do you think you are?!"

A bullet whizzed by Jack, whipping off a few strands of hair as it smashed through a window. "I was the only one who was ever there for you Jack, and this is how you repay me? You abandon me. Do you honestly think that your pathetic life is worth anything without my help? Who got you out of that hellhole? Me. Do you know how many people I had to pay off with my father's money just to get you into your school?"

Jack could feel his heart thumping in his ears as Roger's words rang clear as day against the fading background. He could hardly tell if he was even breathing, but the demonic voice that hissed at him resonated. "I've sacrificed everything so we could get revenge and then you do this. What does Ralph even mean to you? He'll just use you until you have nothing left to give, just like on the island!"

"And how are you any different?" The choir boy asked in a strangely loud tone. "You've been using me since day one. No matter how the plans worked out, I probably wouldn't have lived through them anyway."

"The difference is," Roger said in a cooler tone, his gun tapping the side of Jack's cheek, "I'm not afraid to admit that I'm using you. You used to be fine with that as long as your little sob story of redemption pulled through in the end. You would either turn up a martyr or some damn savior. Do you honestly think that any type of god would forgive you for all the blood you spilled?"

"Be quiet…"

"Now you want to stop? Jack, you were the one who stuck the first spear into that bloody Simon. You roasted the first pig and painted your face with the dirtiest of blood. And you think I'm wrong?"

Roger's black hair flew back as he laughed. The very heat of his presence felt like the opening to hell. The fierce intensity of the sociopath had crawled into the heart of the cool psychopath, and every part of his body was tense with hate.

Jack tried to keep firm eye contact with Roger, but constant pangs of illness were rocking him back and forth. The fight was dying out, but not dead yet. The laughter subsided, and Roger was closer to Jack's face.

"You just keep preaching, but sooner or later, you'll realize the situation you're in. The world hates you just as much as it hates me. Just like that entire courtroom hated us. The only way you'll ever live a decent life is through me. You can curse me until eternity, but it doesn't change a thing. We are still the same, you and me. The fact that your skin has lightened and you grew your hair back means nothing. My teeth are still sharp from all those pigs and their bones. My eyes are still bleeding from the sight of Ralph's face."

Roger paused for a moment, bearing his fangs again. "One way or another, someone is getting revenge. One way or another, one of us…one of the survivors of the island is going to die. It won't be me…It won't. I'm staying alive until the end no matter what I have to do. I've been keeping you alive since those days. You're either with me or against me. I saved you, but I can still kill you…Jack."

Jack remembered the heated metal in his hand, and his heart dropped for a moment. Ralph hadn't come yet…Before he knew what he was doing, Jack had shut his eyes and pulled the trigger. Oh God…

He could hear the splash of liquid hit the floor, gushing out nonstop. "Roger!" Opening his eyes, Jack realized he had shot the waterbed that had been behind Roger. A horrible laughter came below as Roger began rising up from the crouched position he had taken. "You lost the reaction to kill. What good are you that way?" Roger said with the grin returned to his face. "I even warmed the gun up for you."

Unable to believe what he was hearing, Jack had to break their connection. The malice in Roger's eyes could swallow him in a second. He still couldn't handle Roger alone. "Where's Angela?"

"Who?"

"Where's Angela?!"

The haunting laugh crawled around Jack's shoulders. "She's in your hand."

The water that leaked from the bed had begun to seep into their shoes, but to Jack, it felt as though his blood were draining. In one hand was a gun. In the other was a vial of grey. "What…What is this?"

"Come on Jack, you're a Christian! You of all people should know what ashes look like."

"You…you didn't. Your sister…I don't understand. Why would you do this?"

"We weren't getting along as well since you weren't around, you know?" Roger scratched his head with the end of his gun, pleased at the fact that Jack was literally withering before him.

"She'd been depressed lately. Something about her and Ralph. She said she felt "guilty." I called her a liar and we got into a fight. That's when I gave her the same choice I gave you. With me or against me. Guess how she answered."

Numbness. The cool of the water filling his shoes was carrying away his life. It was because Jack wasn't there. Whenever he took his eyes off of Roger, something always happened. "Don't worry about it Jack," Roger said as he leaned on Jack's shoulder, "She had it coming sooner or later. Just a girl."

"She was your sister!"

"A traitor is a traitor. Which reminds me, you still have a question of your own to answer. Are you with me or against me? Simple as that."

The end of the gun was massaging down the back of Jack's neck, bumping against the grooves of his spine. Once again, his heart felt as though it would tear out from his chest. It was beating against his entire body. His vision was almost completely gone and there was nothing to focus on. "What did you say?" Jack heard Roger say behind him. Was I talking?

The pressure on his forehead began increasing and the heat began flushing through his body. Jack's eyes dropped, realizing that his entire body was shivering, but he couldn't even feel it. His throat had dried out, and the sounds coming out of his mouth were unintelligible again. Roger simply watched, his dark eyes following every wrenching movement Jack made as he tried to move away. Jack clenched one hand around the other, pushing them into his pocket. "R…Roger…"

Roger stayed where he was, peering through the dark coils of hair as Jack stumbled into the puddle of water that had streamed across the floor. A small jingle rang as Roger saw Jack put his hand over his mouth. He coughed, clenching his fist tighter as he took a deep breath and turned around. Any color in his already pale face was gone and his lips were becoming as blue as his eyes.

For once, Roger seemed surprised. Stepping closer, he could see how wide Jack's pupils had gotten and how empty they looked. "Roger, I'm with you, okay? Don't…worry about it…Just you and me…" Reaching out his hand, Jack dropped something onto the floor before his eyes rolled backwards and he fell heavily onto the wet concrete. The fight was over.

The splash sprayed a few drops of water on Roger's face, but he didn't flinch. He dropped his arms, letting the gun fall to the floor with a loud crash. "I just…" His boots shuffled to the unmoving figure. Jack's red locks uncurled into the pool of water, almost as dark as blood. Moving a few strands of hair, Roger could see Jack's half open eyes, pupils almost as wide as bullets. His body was still jerking every few seconds as the last bit of warmth drained into the water. "Don't do this you idiot!" In the first desperate attempt he'd ever shown, Roger pulled Jack's head onto his knees and held his hand. "Don't abandon me!" His dark hair pressed into the empty chest. Nothing. With all the strength left in him, the panicked boy let out the most horrible howl, broken enough to shatter the hidden moon itself. No!

The only ones Roger's voice was reaching were the two shadowed figures waiting outside of the building in the rain. Here we go… Click.

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Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I'm looking forward to finding time to write chapters with a lot more action.