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A.N. there is some strong language in this chapter, I had to, to make it fit.

*Chapter 31*

Zach gently picked Cammie up in his arms. No sound penetrated his ears, he couldn't see anything. Her hair swayed from side to side as he walked with her in his arms, red was spreading from her wound. The bag was still clutched in her arms, the plastic keeping the dress clean. He realised he was crying, he tried to stop but the pain in his chest made it start again. People began to crowd round him, he didn't know why he was standing up, he didn't know why he was alive. He tested her pulse, it was so weak he could barely get it. It was slow, very slow but she was alive just. People were still screaming, voice yelling and somebody was trying to take Cammie away. He turned around to see movement in the crowd and people running towards him. But it was wrong, he felt numb and wrong.

"ZACH! CAMMIE! PLEASE NO! NO! NO! NO!" A scream brought him back to life as three adults and 6 teenagers broke through the circle surrounding him. He looked up long enough to recognise all of them. He looked down at her closed eyes, pale face and blood stain, placed her on the floor, curled up and began to cry.

-/\-

"Zach?" The professor asked from the front of the class, everyone turned to face him but Zach wasn't listening, "ZACH!" He yelled, Zach didn't jump, Zach took his headphones out looked quickly up at the board.

"It's the poem Stop the Clocks in Japanese." Zach said, the Professor smiled.

"Thank you Zach, but I wasn't asking that. I was saying that you know how to work out how dangerous a member of the circle is." He looked at Zach with a perfectly blank expression, Zach took a moment to look into his eyes and sensed a lie hidden behind his words. He glanced at Grant who scratched his head, showing Zach the back of his hand.

He is teaching us about mental disorders and how to deal with them, he wants u to react. Go BIG!

Zach smirked, "You really want to know?"

"Yes Zachary." He said, and Zach decided to flip big time. He pulled out his pistol, pointed it calmly at the professor and scowled.

"Never, call me that." Zach hissed, he could see Grant subtelly clapping behind him, "EVER!" Zach yelled at his face, he was a bit taller than Richards, and Richards had taught him for years and knew that Zach would flip well. Richards face set into a hard line but his bottom lip was shaking very slightly. He had been a teacher at Blackthorn for years, a professor of public relations, but he was never going to be good in the field.

"Zach, please…" He started but Zach instead grabbed a knife threw it and walked out. He walked out to the students muttering and the professor muttering, "I didn't know he could do that." Zach glanced back as the door shut to see the man pulling the knife out of his hat which was pinned to the wall by the knife where it had been on his head just before.

The corridors were noisy, but empty. Noise spilled out of nearby classrooms and assaulted Zach ears as he let his heartbeat settle back down. He could hear the boys from the year below him teasing each other up ahead. Their voices light and unconcerned that in the hospital wing was a girl who wasn't going to make it.

She won't make it. He told himself, his heart sinking like it always did when he thought about her, he stopped in a patch of shadow in-between lights and squeezed his eyes shut, letting a single droplet of water come out before he wiped it away and went back to normal. The small bell went and Zach heard the scraping of many chairs around him, he grabbed his bag from the floor where he had dropped it and shot down the corridor to the meeting rooms. Sliding into the nearest room he shut the door and leant against it.

"Nice of you to drop in Zach." A female voice said, he turned to see 7 adults looking at him. 3 looked anxious, 3 angry and 1 grinned and gave him a thumbs up from the back, his scruffy dark hair gave him away as Townsend.

"Sorry, I didn't realise… lock the door… just escaping…" Zach reached for the door handle to let himself out. Buckingham smiled from her wheelchair, "Are you okay?"

"Just avoiding attention from students." Zach muttered and let himself back out where he turned and ran down the corridor, the doors flashing past him. It reminded him of something, he slowed then it hit him in the stomach like a bullet.

"Come on Z! Your normally faster than me!"

No, no. Zach thought, but the memories of her were painful in his head and stomach. He sunk down to the floor, his head throbbing.

"Not when I'm recovering from a broken ankle!" A young boy with messy brown hair laughed at the girl, her hair was light around her shoulders and she was grinning like the devil.

Zach put his hands over his head, even as a 5 year old Cammie had been pretty.

"Fine, do you need some help?" She stopped running ahead and slowed to be next to him, he then set off running, "Hey!" She squealed after him, running to catch up. His tattered jacket hung of his wrists as he ran and she knew her already dirty jacket would be the same. She was slowly gaining on him as they sped though the maze of corridors, all were identical except for the plaques on the doors. Cammie reached out with her right hand and caught Zachs left wrist.

"What!?" Zach hesitated for half a second giving Cammie enough time to catch up before they both set of faster than ever. On the spur of the moment he grasped her hand in his and she grinned at him as they ran. "Bags!" He suddenly stopped, but didn't let go of Cammies hand, she spun round and over balanced. Starting to topple, her shoulder caught a door handle but he steadied her.

"Thanks Zach." Cammie smiled sweetly, "But why did you stop so suddenly?"

"Your hurt." Zach said touching a small patch of dark red on her shoulder. "Come on, lets get back, your mum has some first aid kits in her top cupboard."

"Fucking hell." Zach muttered to himself, his eyes closing. Stumbling down the again empty corridors he reached the kitchen store cupboards. Flinging the doors open he attempted to search though them, the tears were blinding him too much though and he wiped them away angrily. Finding the box he pulled it out and pulled out a bottle with the label marked 'Banks Bitter Beer'. Zach reached into his pocket and drew out his pocket knife to prize it open.

"Don't do that mate." Grant said watching him from the end of the corridor, he stepped into the light and took the knife from Zach's hand. He rarely saw his best friend cry, and the few times he had 90% were them both too drunk to think sensibly. He then took the bottle and put it back in the box. "Alcohol will just make you feel worse. You know that."

"You don't get it, you just don't get it, she has a 99% chance of not making it." Zach muttered, he reached for the box again, but Grant's extra inch height made all the difference for once. He placed it on a higher shelf and closed the doors. Zach shook his head again and tried to walk off but Grant grabbed his shoulder.

"I get it damn lot more than you think." The corridor was silent, they were in the basement of the entire building and no lesson noise could be heard, even the heating was silent, "I get it a damn lot more than you think." Grant repeated. Zach sunk down to the floor and Grant sat next to him. Silence stretched between them until Grant filled it.

"When I was 7 my sister died. I never talk about her, I never say anything about her. That's because she was my first kill, she was an accidental kill, I didn't mean to. I was showing mum and dad how to use the gun they had brought." Grant looked at his hands, and Zach looked at them too, remembering how he felt after his first kill, like he had blood on his hands, "I was showing them how to load it, I didn't know it had any bullets in it. But one was jammed in the barrel. That was the reason it was so cheap. Apparently they had tried to get it out at the shop but it hadn't worked. Well this time it worked. She came bouncing into the room, her new drawing from school in her hands; she was 5 when she died. I shot her in the chest, just above her heart. I thought I had fired a blank. So please don't tell me I don't know how it feels to lose somebody you are close to."

"I didn't know…"

"No shit Sherlock." Grant looked at him, "So go give her a goodbye kiss, go and do what I couldn't for my sister. Go and make sure Cammie's last thought is of you."

-/\-

A soft beeping awoke her, she turned her head to see a boy asleep next to her. She was wearing a small oxygen mask, a hospital gown, two IV lines and she could feel a bandage over her shoulder, just above her heart. Gentally lifting her none-IV arm Cammie ran a hand over her head and then her chest. She was alive, the words rung though her head, the pain was almost entirely gone.

"Zach?" She asked lightly, he stirred and mumbled in his sleep,

"No, no, a few more days." He didn't open his eyes yet but he did stretch and try to brush off a hand that wasn't there. "I'm staying here, and you will not turn it off."

"Turn what off?" Cammie asked quietly, she was obviously in a hospital room, outside was dark and a bag sat on the floor next to her, the only thing that wasn't white and clean like the room.

"NO!" He suddenly screamed, his eyes shot open and his hand flew to where her head had been before she sat up, "CAMMIE!" He searched around before finally looking up at her. She had to force her mouth shut at his appearance, gone was the cocky, handsome boy she knew. His skin was as pale as hers, his eyes had huge bags underneath and his hair was knotted. She noticed a tear sneaking from the corner of his eye and she brushed it away with her thumb.

"Hey, hey," She leant off the bed and placed her arms around his neck, he hugged back, he wasn't sobbing but she could tell the tears still came. He pulled away and she put a hand on his head, "Whats wrong?"

"You came back…" Was all he managed before his face split into a huge grin, a tear still hanging to his cheek, "You… you…" Cammie pulled him into a hug again.

"I'm back, I'm back." She repeated over and over, "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing…" He looked at her and gave up, "I just, have eaten on and off for a month, haven't slept well for a month and have been worried sick that you… You had a 1% chance of making it. I thought… I thought… They need…"

"In a moment, come here." She shuffled to one side and Zach sat down next to her, she ran her fingers gently though his hair and wiped all traces of tears from his cheeks. He ran a hand though his hair and it looked like Cammie had always known it. "I would never ever leave you forever, remember that." She took a small breath and pressed her mouth to his, the kiss felt stronger than Cammie had ever known it. It felt magical, almost powerful, she pulled away and leant her forehead on his. He was smiling and she realised she was too.

"Can you ask Mace to bring my phone and some clothes, I really do hate his rag." Zach chuckled slightly, the sadness on his face lightening and brought out his phone.

Mace, could you bring Cam some clothes and her phone. Bring the others too, they will like this.

Is she awake!? Don't worry I will.

Cammie sat back against the pillows, brushing her hair with her fingers. Zach just sat watching her, the corner of his mouth curved upwards in a small smile.

"Wait, what has happened and what have I missed?"

"Nothing, literally, we can catch you up on lessons and you haven't missed anything important. We have found out you and I were kinda instrumental in the chaos. Without us nothing has happened. Our room has been decorated by Macey, Liz and Jonas again, but only because they were bored and had to distract themselves. We have brought a whole load of new clothes, apart from the ball wear, and Macey brought you some stuff. No baddies, no goodies nothing. Nothing nothing nothing."

"Oh… Was I really that…"

"Yes, you really ARE that important. And I haven't looked at your dress yet, don't want to. None of the boys have, none of the girls have either."

"Oh… A month?"

"Yes."

"Oh…" Cammie felt it sink in, everything, she had left them, she had virtually died. "What happened to you? Where did you go?"

"I went mad." He muttered before pulling her into a bone crushing hug.

"The others?"

"I don't know, none of us were really there. We just kinda survived."

"I'm so…"

"It's not your fault; all of those people are dead. Every single one. I made sure of it." There was a bitterness in his voice that Cammie had never heard before, a cold note that made her very glad they were on the same side. He kissed the base of her neck, then about an inch futher up and eventually met her lips. His hands were on her neck, hers on his waist. Heat rushed through her whole body, giving her energy she didn't know, giving her strength to go on. Voices outside got louder and they pulled apart, Zach finally smirking like normal.

"No, she is very ill. She already has one visitor!" A nurse cried outside her door, "You cannot go in!"

"I'm sorry!" Macey squealed, there was a small thump and then the door opened. The nurse lay on the floor, in the recovery position, a patch on her neck. "Cammie?" She didn't look like Macey McHenry, daughter of a makeup genius, she looked like a girl who had seen 100 years of pain. Her hair was brushed but not styled, she wore no makeup and had huge bags under her eyes. She stepped inside and the others followed. Bex, who was not in her chair anymore, had pale skin, her face seemed almost grey and her hair was lank and ignored. Liz also looked almost ill, extremely tired and even smaller than normal. Jonas and Preston all looked more alive, but looked exhausted and not as neat and slick as normal. Grant stepped just inside the door and walked over to Cammie and hugged her, the hug meant something to, a silent pain he had been going though. He then turned to Zach and hugged him too, a tiny movement of his back told Cammie he was crying. Zach whispered something in his ear and Grant nodded stepping away looking completely normal. Cammie looked at the girls and felt a lump choke up in her throat.

"Come…" Was all Cammie managed, she opened her arms and three girls filled them, all three of them were crying and hugging her.

"Your back." They all said, smiling and crying still again.

"Cammie, you scared us all to death!" Jonas said then hugged her, even Preston did.

"I think you killed Zach though." Jonas joked and Zach hit him, "Has he filled you in on the nothing that has happened?"

"Pretty much." Cammie grinned around at them, "What time is it though?"

"5:27 A.M. No we are not going back to bed, we are getting you checked out and then we are going to get back to normal." Macey sounded slightly groggy but much more like her normal self.

"Am I going to have to hit the gym?" Cammie asked, knowing very well that she would but she could hope.

"Nope, we came up with a serum of sorts that keeps all your muscles from going. If anything you will be stronger for all that rest." Liz clapped and jumped up and down like a small girl at Christmas. Cammie hugged her and Jonas again.

"Well, got you some clothes, not for today but temporarily." Bex handed over a pair of trackies and her sports crop top, "I basically stole your pj's."

"Thanks." She un-hooked herself, disappeared behind the curtain and got changed, ignoring the mirror in the corner. She reappeared again to find them all by the door talking to a very grumpy doctor.

"Come on," Zach held out his hand to her and she took it. "I still can't believe how lucky I am sometimes."

"Cheesy much." She laughed and he pulled her out the door after their friends. The reception lady asked her how she was doing, asked her to sign three bits of paper and let her go. She didn't let go of Zach's hand but she did begin to run, her feet got faster and faster, she started to laugh. Zach, ran next to her, also laughing. They skidded round the corner into the dorm corridor and ran off down that too, ignoring the noise they were making. They burst into their room and stopped, "I love you, you cheesy bastard." She grinned at him and kissed him, he kissed back.

/_ (Y.Y)_\

"Cammie!" People yelled as she walked down the corridors 8 hours later. She wasn't wearing too much makeup, but enough to look human, she wore a neat little red skirt, black top and red Doc Martens. She walked with Zach, who looked like the happiest man alive. Macey, Bex and the others all looked completely normal. They had been sent out of the first lesson they went into because Graham had decided it would be better for them to train instead of going to lessons like COW or History of Espionage.

"Is it true you died?" A little year 7 asked timidly.

"How should I know, I was dead." Cammie smiled back, this celebrity hood was great, but slightly annoying. People stopped her every 10 minutes, and had done all day. "Can we find somewhere to go?" She asked Zach who nodded and turned suddenly into their meeting room. It had also been re-done in her absence. Either side of the main glass were piles of movies and the main table and chairs had been replaced with beanbags and pillows. Once they were all seated they all took a deep breath.

"I don't know how much longer I will cope here without doing something." Grant sighed and Bex nodded in agreement, "I mean I know we are doing stuff by staying out the way, but its so boring."

"Now I'm back we could go tomorrow for all I care." Cammie said.

"Well, I have a problem with that I did not nearly get shot trying to buy a dress for nothing!" Macey threw her hands in the air, "Even you should know that Cammie."

"And we need to have a vague plan, and train. I mean, the girls can't even fire a gun yet."

"We could train them in that; we can do that in our spare lessons."

"We can start to disconnect ourselves too." Preston said, they all froze at this, realising what he had said was true, even if it did sound very displeasing. "Not on the food front!" He waved his arms around, "I am not eating anything Bex cooked." Bex blew a raspberry at him and he grinned. Jonas stood up, turned on the front glass and pressed a small button marked AL. Everyone else started to pack the beanbags and pillows into a cupboard that had appeared from the wall and then stood by the door. The table raised out the floor and Bex pulled the section of carpet off the top and put it in place underneath instead. They then pulled the chairs out from another cupboard in the wall and placed some of the pillows and blankets in them to make them super comfy. Cammie copied them and curled up in her chair. Jonas pulled out a pen and Liz began to type on her laptop,

"Right we are now on a private system. They cannot see anything we are doing." She grinned and looked up.

"So." He started and Cammie grinned as she realised what they were going to do.

My now very emotional friends, im so sorry for the wait. I wasn't happy with this chapter and im still not tbh, but you know YOLO.

I have had so many lovely reviews im gonna be a little while:

Hey Colleen, i told you things would go well. But this chapter actually made me sad reading it (dont tell anybody but i might have cried a bit for no reason at all because i know whats comming but that doesnt make it any easier for me). I just felt that it needed to happen to show everyone whats going on.
Everything is spiffing over here, on this side of the overlarge pond, and i hope everything is equally good on that side.

BrownEyedSmirker- Darling, im so sorry! But i hope you dont whyyyyyyy so much now! THERE IS A BALL COMMING!

bubzchoc- Your name makes me crave chocolate, i blame you :P And thanks

gabergirl- yep! yep yep yep yep!

chameleon2019- Well orgionally i was gonna kill her off... Im joking i would have cried myself out of it, i love them too much!

LivforZammie- I'm like that too 'wallpaper girl' but sometimes magic happens, i got my Zach, even if he is nowhere near as quiet or dignifyed. And i hope that some of my magic gets to you as well because my theory is every girl needs a person (male/female) like Zachy

selena- I love you! You get it, loads of people (my friends at school which is like 2 but thats loads) hate it, so i now have backup that Cam being shot is a good thing!

LifeisGoode- As i said to LivforZammie, darling he will arrive on a magic rainbow one day with m&m's or skittles in a bowl with a adorable puppy or kitten. I'm sorry for not updating soon, i will get better over the holidays i promise!

Anyway, review on mon amies (WE GOT TO 81! That is an all time record and i literally love you all as much as i love selena!). Loving all the love,

Read on,

Charlie xxx