Ruby was laid down carefully on Poe's couch.

"Ruby!" Iris screamed, throwing her arms around her. "I'm so happy to see you! We..." Iris saw that Ruby didn't hug back. "Ruby?"

"Hey, Ruby!" Frank and Len shouted, strumming their guitar loudly.

"Boo!" yelled Boo Boo. No scream in response.

"Ruby? Are you okay?" Scardey tapped on her hand. Doom hopped on top of her, licking her face to wake her up. She just laid there still.

"Hello? Ruubbyyyyyy it's me, Miiiissseerryyyy," Misery said, balancing an ice pack on the bump where the block of ceiling hit her.

"Skull Boy why won't Ruby listen to us?" Iris demanded. Skull Boy slowly walked over to Ruby's still body, and felt her wrist.

"There's suppose to be a throbbing," muttered Skull Boy.

"What?" Asked everyone, puzzled.

"Her pulse! Her heart beat! Some sign that she's still alive!" he yelled at them. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell," he turned around to look out the window. "But...she's gone," his voice cracked and a lump in his throat formed.

"Didn't she already die, Frank?" Len asked, confused.

"Oh yeah! She went through the five stages of death and turned into a ghost and then brought us cucumber sandwiches," Frank recalled.

"Can you die twice?"

"Of course, Len, you have to use a silver bullet," Frank said like Len was the stupidest person in the world.

"Isn't that for werewolves?"

"Seriously, Len?" Frank groaned. "You use garlic for those." Iris burst into tears and darted out of the room.

"This is all my fault!" sobbed Misery, following Iris.

"Poor Ruby," Boo Boo and Scardey said together. They loped out of the room with Frank and Len right behind them. Only Doom Kitty and Skull Boy stayed. Doom was curled up on the lifeless Ruby, unable to leave her best friend. She solemnly hummed Ruby's song, making Skull Boy remember her sweet voice singing it moments before the disaster.

"Doom, Skull Boy, Iris wants you in the kitchen...or what is left of it..." Scaredy's voice made them jump, but they didn't move. "She would like you to come now, if you don't mind." Doom hesitated, then gave Ruby once last lick on the cheek, and walked out the door with Scaredy.

"Are you coming Skull Boy?" Scaredy said while waiting at the door. No response. "Okay...if you need us we will be in the kitchen." And with that, he wiped his watery eyes with his wing, and sadly flew away.

"I kept my promise Ruby," Skull Boy whispered to her, who could not hear him. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry for leaving you for the Skeletunes. I'm sorry for being so wrapped up in who I am to not be as good a friend to you as you are to me...and I'm sorry for not being brave enough to tell you all those years..." Skull Boy knelt down by her side. "I love you." He felt like whole life now had no meaning, no light, and no happiness. It was as if the gravity holding him to the ground had been taken away, leaving him floating in space: nothingness. He pressed his lips against her soft lips, holding them there, imagining that she was alive. After a minute, he slowly got up, and began to walk away.

Something snapped. Whenever Skull Boy touched Ruby, her heart would accelerate uncontrollably. The feeling of their lips touching triggered something, something deep inside of her. Memories flashed through her head.

They were on a train.

'Hey guys! What's up?' Ruby ran to Skull Boy and flung her arms around him.

'Oh Skull Boy, it's you!' she exclaimed. Suddenly, she was on the porch of a falling house.

The house slammed into the ground. 'They did it! They did it! We're safe on the ground!' Ruby announced. Skull Boy wrapped his arms around Ruby and they hugged each other. Then, she was on the balcony.

'...when you love-when you like something set if free!' sang Ruby

'Cause you'll always have a friend in me,' Skull Boy chimed in.

'When you look on the bright or the barley enough light side!' Their song faded and the scene went blurry. Colors flickering wildly, until blackness engulfed them. Sounds burst out everywhere in her head...then, silence, accept for a faint thumping. Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump.

Skull Boy reached the door when he heard the only voice he'd ever want to hear. It made him stop dead in his tracks.

"Sk-Skull Boy? Is that you?"