Okay, I'm really really really sorry. Its been a long… erm, summer, and in between writer's block and my laptop's monitor being fried…

But hey, I've updated, so please don't throw tomatoes at me. *shields self anyway*

Disclaimer: I own Riley Poole and company. In my dreams. *huge grin*

BENBENBENBENBENBENBENBENBENBENBENBENBENBENBENBENBENBEN

"What do you mean stay here?" Abby protested, taking Riley's arm as he stepped out of the car. "Riley, you are not going to look for Ben alone." Abigail's eyes followed him, glaring daggers. What is this? Riley if this is another one of yours and Ben's pranks…

Of course, she knew it wasn't. Riley was acting too jittery and too worried for this to be just a prank. Riley could hide his anxieties well, but Abigail knew him long enough to figure out that something was bothering him.

She hated being kept in the dark.

Riley gently removed Abby's hand. "Look, Abigail, if Ben is in trouble it might not be safe."

"You think Ben's in trouble?" Abigail's voice raised an octave, her nerves starting to show. "Riley, what's going on?"

Gosh, she was so worried. Riley's projected calm didn't help either; it just showed that he – they, Ben and Riley, were hiding something from her.

She was confused, and Abigail didn't like it one bit.

Riley shook his head, and moved to get out of the car again. Abby stared after him, and repeated her inquiry. "What's going on, Riley? Answer me!" Somehow, she felt like she knew what Riley was going to say.

Riley looked at her gravely. He peered through the window, and shook his head again. "I don't know."

Abigail sighed. Well I'm not going to wait here for something to happen. I have to do something. She unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car.

Riley jogged to the sock, and picked it up. Ben, what in the world happened? Riley's eyes darted left and right, looking for any other sign of Ben, and spotted another sock. And his shirt. A few meters – further into the dark alley – a small metal thing glinted in the streetlight. He made his way to the next sock, squatted beside it and stared at it for a moment. Riley turned his attention to the dark alley in front of him.

Should've grabbed a flashlight. "What…" A woman's voice – Abigail's, Riley's brain corrected numbly – trailed off behind him. Stubborn… I thought I told her to stay in the car!

"I distinctly remember telling you to stay in the car…" Riley moved closer to Abby, his body unconsciously taking a protective position in front of her.

"I think I could handle myself, Riley." Abigail answered softly, all traces of irritation gone. Riley heard a subtle shake in her voice. She's just as nervous as I am – maybe even more. "Riley, can you tell me what's going on? What are all these clothes doing here?"

"I don't know." Riley really didn't know. What else was he supposed to tell Abigail? "Socks… shirt… and are those his suspenders?" Riley shook his head and gave a nervous laugh. "If I spot his pants, I think I'm going to be scarred for life."

"Riley." Abigail placed a hand on Riley's shoulder. He could feel Abigail's hand tremble a little.

Riley turned to look at her. "Riley… if… if these are all Ben's clothes…"

It clicked. Oh hell no… "Then he's not wearing anything. And it's freezing."

"It's snowing." Abigail provided.

"That doesn't help." Riley muttered under his breath. He inhaled deeply. Nothing good will happen if I panic. Breathe. "Abigail, I think I have a bunch of blankets in the back of my car, could you please get it for me?" He handed over his keys, and noticed his hand tremble a little. Well, at least we know where my panic went.

"I am not going anywhere, Riley."

"If he doesn't have any clothes, Abby, he'll need them." Besides, I don't want you heading in that dark alley alone. And I know you would. Riley heard Abby huff with annoyance behind him, and the shuffling of her coat as she left.

He grabbed the next item – Ben's shirt. Riley examined it for a moment: some buttons were missing, a few of the stitches seem to be ripped... It was like something – or someone – ripped it off Ben. Ben, what happened here?

Abigail tapped him on the shoulder, and Riley stood up. She handed him a couple of blankets. "What are these doing in your car?" Abby's eyebrow was raised suspiciously.

"Uh, mom shipped them to me; forgot to pull them out of my car." Riley offered lamely and grinned sheepishly, momentarily forgetting Ben.

"I also grabbed this flashlight from your trunk. I won't even ask." Abigail sighed, and turned it on. Riley took the flashlight from Abigail, who handed it without protest. They both headed into the dark alleyway, Riley holding on Abigail's wrist and leading the way.

I hope we find Ben soon…

Ben groaned, blinking. He thought he heard the roar of a car engine earlier, and that brought him out of the stupor he was in.

"Abigail? Riley?" He murmured, and shifted in his position.

A sharp pain erupted from his stomach, spreading to his back and ending by his shoulder. He screamed, but nothing but a small squeak came out. Oh hell… what happened? He racked his brain for information, trying to remember what was going on.

It hurt even to think.

He glanced around, wincing with each movement. Ben thought he saw something move in the distance, and thought he heard hushed voices speak. Ben tried to zone in on where everything was coming from, but he was so dizzy, everything was out of focus… And there was this dull, annoying buzzing in his left ear that was driving him crazy…

"These are his suspenders."

What? Where… who…

Ben blinked. Someone was looking for him.

"We have to find him. He'll die without any source of heat…"

"You think he just ripped his clothes off?"

Was that Riley? "Riley!" His voice croaked. Ben knew they couldn't hear couldn't hear him no matter how much he screamed – because he couldn't scream.

"We're not going to find him here, Riley."

"Frozen to death. That's where we started, and that's where he'll end. Talk about the irony…"

Hushed whispers. Ben finally singled out the shadowy figures in the distance, and they were heading off back into the street.

No. "Riley! Abigail!" Ben screamed, at least tried to scream. He ended up squeaking out the names. He wanted to hit something, anything to get his should-be rescuers' attention. But adrenaline would only let him whisper out names and follow shadows with his eyes. Ben was even amazed that he could open his eyes.

But he was not giving up. Dammit, Ben Gates! You found two treasures in your lifetime and survived one-too-many near-death experiences! You are not going to die like this!

Ben tried screaming again.

This time nothing came out.

He watched the shadows vanish slowly into the distance. Ben groaned. No no no no no! "Riley! Abigail! I'm here!"

A croak came out. Nothing more.

Ben thought he could just see his grandfather's outline in front of him. Well, Ben, this is it. This is your last chance. Don't give up now. He heard his grandfather say. Ben groaned.

Maybe that was all the shadowy figures were. Hallucinations. Like his grandpa in front of him. "They won't find me, grandpa. They won't." He whispered. His eyes started to droop.

Ben, Ben listen to me. Don't give up. Why don't you tell me something about your expeditions to wake you up? Ben?

Ben exhaled, and started talking, relating to the figure in front of him what happened in his life. So this is how it ends… He thought vaguely. Freezing to death, talking to a ghost.

He had completely lost sight of the shadowy figures now.

Ben sighed wearily. I didn't even get to say goodbye to Abigail.

To be continued…