AN: So sorry that I haven't updated this in the past few months. I kinda lost my inspiration for writing it, and I was swamped with college. Then, I moved and started writing other stories, so this one got put to the side. But, now I'm back and plan to finish this story to the end. So, here's Chapter 7, and it's kinda sad.

Chapter 7-Misery

Anna barely left the room for the next week. Even though search parties were being conducted, Anna still felt hopeless. She knew that her Griffin was a fighter, but the Paladins could've killed him on the spot now that they had him.

David and Millie never left Anna's side, and both tried desperately to bring her out of her depression. She was grateful for that, but she wouldn't feel whole again until she was reunited with her fiancé.

Little Ruby was the only one who actually made her smile, but the little girl had that effect on everyone. Ruby would make Anna color pictures with her and they would watch Disney movies together. Even though it helped make her slightly happy, it only made the idea of marrying a Jumper more impossible. As long as Paladins still existed, Jumpers would be hunted till the ends of the earth. She and Griffin could never have kids, since it was very likely that their children would be Jumpers, too. It was a sad fact that Anna had to live with.

Xxx

Griffin had just about reached his limit. His whole body was sore, bleeding, and broken. The Paladins had tortured him, beaten him, belittled him, and more, but Griffin fought them at every turn. He wouldn't die without a fight. He was born a Jumper, and he would die one.

The Paladins that had captured them were nothing but cronies, workers following orders. But who was leading them? Why wasn't he here? It stumped Griffin to no end. In the past, Roland and Roger appeared once they had gained what they wanted or did the hunting themselves. This new guy was steering clear of this place. Why? Was he afraid of what Griffin was capable of?

Maybe he wasn't their target for now, Griffin thought. During his torture sessions, he was asked time and time again of the whereabouts of the U.R. hideout, but Griffin would spit in their faces or kick them in their groins. He would never tell. Because in the end, even if he died, he would protect Anna no matter what.

He felt sorry for Cole, though, as he had never experienced such pain and misery in all of his life. Whenever they were done with Cole, they would throw the kid's broken body into Griffin's cell as if to say, "See what you have done? This kid will pay for your actions and defiance, too."

Cole would cough up blood and whimper in pain, but he never shed a single tear. This caused Griffin to respect the kid even more. Most inexperienced Jumpers would have cried their eyes out and begged for mercy; anything to relieve the pain and misery, but not this kid. He was trying to prove that he was as tough and strong as Griffin himself.

Griffin used the little strength he had left to help Cole up onto his dirty matress, and ripped the bottom of his bloody t-shirt. Griffin went over to the small sink to wet it, before dabbing it on Cole's forehead like Anna used to do to him when he was bleeding. Cole coughed up more blood and Griffin handed him the rag.

Griffin could almost hear Anna's voice in his ear, murmuring about internal bleeding. Griffin still couldn't believe how the Paladins had managed to outsmart him. He sighed and went back to that day that he and Cole were captured.

"One advantage of being a Jumper, kid, is that you can be one step ahead of a Paladin. As long as they miss their target, you, you can beat them or escape, depending on the situation," Griffin mumbled to Cole as they made their way down an back alley.

Griffin always avoided these places as they were hotspots for Paladins. Younger Jumpers, such as the one they were trying to find, always thought that the darkest, grittest places were the safest, but Paladins almost always found them there. They were just too smart.

Cole nodded and continued onward. "The guy said that a group of Paladins had chased him down this alleyway a little over an hour ago. But, there's no one here, and no sign of them either. What is going on?"

Griffin glanced around, suddenly feeling vulnerable. They were exposed, away from the public where no one could find them. It vaguely reminded him of when Anna was kidnapped, except now she was safely away from here.

Then, Griffin thought of another scenario of when the U.R. was attacked, having followed a distressed call from a troubled Jumper. Except she turned out to be working for Paladins. Something didn't feel right. Something was off. Cole continued on, and realization hit Griffin. It was a setup. They were trapped.

As if on cue, Cole gasped and fell to the ground, unconscious. Griffin quickly grabbed Cole's phone and crushed it, before clutching his bat tightly. He had upgraded to a metal one, and swung behind him when a Jumper dressed in a Paladin uniform appeared behind him.

The Jumper hit the ground cold, and Griffin yelled, "Clever, boys, but not clever enough! C'mon, at least make it a challenge for me!"

More Paladins appeared, and Griffin fought each and every one of them until a dart entered his neck and his mind fell into darkness.

Griffin awoke to the sound of the loud grunts and his eyes widened at the sight of two Paladin guards on the ground. Cole had the cell door opened and was peering for oncoming Paladins.

Griffin winced as he stood up, he was rested, but he was still sore. "Good job, kid. I didn't think you had it in you," Griffin acknowledged.

Cole shrugged, "Thanks, but I learned from the best. There's no one coming so I think we can try to get out of here."

Griffin smiled, "Sounds good to me."

Xxx

Today, Anna decided that she had been sad long enough. Life goes on, and it was continuing without her. There were people in her life that depended on her, and she needed to show them that she was strong. She could do this. Griffin would want her to.

The first thing that was different was that it was quiet, too quiet. With all of the people buzzing around, the house was never quiet. Then, Anna could hear sobs, and whispers down the hall.

She slowly entered the hospital room and saw a crowd of people holding onto each other and crying onto each other's shoulders. As she made her way through the crowd, she spotted the Bensons sobbing. She stopped when she saw Griffin staring down at Cole, who was lying on a hospital bed. His eyes were open, but he wasn't moving.

Anna gasped. He was dead!

"What happened?" Anna asked in a low voice as made her way to the edge of the bed.

"After we managed to make it out, they found us. We were almost free, but Cole couldn't go on. The poor kid was already on his last leg, but he told me to go. I didn't want to leave him, but there was no other way. The kid saved my life, so I went back to get his body," Griffin asked as he tried not to cry. Anna walked over to him and gave him a long hug.

"I'm proud of you. I love you so much," Anna whispered in his ear.

A few days later, there was a brief funeral for Cole, and Kyle and Mr. Benson burned his body. Everyone in the U.R. was given a few ashes and when the wind picked up, they released Cole's ashes into the air.

AN: Please Review!