So sorry :'-( Theres some violence in this, be warned, so maybe that'll help with any aggression you might be feeling towards me right now.

Thanks so much for all your lovely reviews!

"Well, well, well, look who we've got here?"

They both jumped apart when a sudden voice broke through the silence.

Spencer spun around, eyes widening in shock when he realized that Kyle and three others from his gang where suddenly standing only a couple of feet away. Anxiety slammed into him immediately, making him forget all else. Where had they come from all out of a sudden?

"Nice catch, Morgan," Kyle leered, smacking his lips.

Spencer felt his stomach turn at his words, turning to look at Morgan, painful betrayal filling his chest. The doubts he had just barely let go off returned instantly without him being able to do anything about it.

What did Kyle mean? Had Morgan known he would be here?

There was no doubt in his mind that Kyle and his friends had nothing good in mind if they had stopped here; it didn't surprise him.

But Morgan, too? After everything they'd just…

He didn't want to believe that, no, but there was a little voice in his head nonetheless, laughing at him, telling him that it had been stupid of him to trust a stranger, and that of course nothing about his situation had changed…

Feeling tears welling up in his eyes, he stared at Morgan whose gaze had darkened at seeing his class mates. For a second everything seemed frozen, and Spencer found himself wishing desperately that Morgan would just turn to look at him, so he'd be able to see in his eyes what he was thinking. See whether that sincere, trustworthy, w arm expression had lingered or if it had been a façade after all.

He didn't though.

Instead, he merely glared at Kyle, squaring his shoulders, "You know I have nothing to say to you, Kyle, I haven't for a long time. So why don't you walk on?"

At his words, Spencer left out a breath he didn't know he'd held, feeling a weight drop from his chest. So Morgan wasn't in on this? Judging by his face, which mirrored Kyle's scowl, he wasn't.

Just as relief washed through him, Kyle laughed, taking a step forward. His friends followed at his heels, through and through threatening in the collective.

"What makes you think I want anything from you?" he asked, then looked over at Spencer pointedly, "Mr. Smarty Pants and I still have an unfinished conversation. Don't we?"

Spencer immediately took a step back, flight instinct setting in. Of course they weren't finished with him yet after Aaron had saved him last time…this was what he'd been scared of all along. In his mind, he started to calculate how his chances of running away with his bad ankle were, coming up with Devastatingly low –it seemed like he was going to get beat up after all today.

When Kyle made another step towards him though, Morgan suddenly moved, stepping in front of Spencer, hiding him behind his bulky frame.

"I said, Beat it," he growled, hands clenched to fists by his sides.

While Spencer stared at his back in utter surprise –he had been hesitant to even hope that Morgan wouldn't hurt him personally, him actually going out of his way to defend him seemed ludicrous –Kyle's eyes narrowed in irritation.

"Watch it, Morgan," he threatened, "I've overlooked you turning your back on us so far, because we used to be friends. But you don't want to get in our way…especially not when you're all alone with no one to have your back."

The threat hung in the air between them for a long moment, both of them fixating and measuring the other. Morgan was tense, keeping an eye on the four teenagers as they slowly started to for a half circle around them.

Then he reached behind him, grasping Spencer's forearm urgently. He looked at the scared teenager intently, worry shining through his eyes, "You think you can run when I tell you to?"

Spencer immediately shook his head, half because he already knew he wouldn't be able to, but also because he suddenly realized what Morgan was planning. Was he actually going to risk getting hurt just to help him out of this? It certainly looked like it.

Suddenly he felt incredibly low for ever having doubted the other's sincerity.

He shook his head again, his hand automatically latching on to the Morgan's wrist. "No, don't, just leave, don't worry, I'll be fine."

It was the best he could do. He couldn't pretend that he didn't need help, but he could at least free a good person from the responsibility of having to be that help at his own cost.

To his dismay, Morgan was having none of it.

"Don't be ridiculous," he scoffed like the idea of him leaving was laughable, before gently but determinedly pulling Spencer behind his back again. Then he focused on the gang once more, eyes suddenly almost as cold as those of his former friends' as he grinned darkly, "You know, Kyle, I'm actually glad we came across your lowlife ass tonight. Gives me a chance to prove just how finished I am with you."

Kyle sneered.

"Finished you are."

Then, without so much as another word of warning, he launched himself at Morgan, crossing the remaining space between them and swinging his arm back to hit him squarely in the face. The dark-skinned teen saw the blow coming and evaded it swiftly, only to immediately lash out in retaliation. Five seconds later they were engaged in an escalating fist fight, kicks and blows being delivered on both sides with equal brutality.

Spencer stared at them in horror, his breath held, not knowing what to do. Morgan fighting like this looked very much like Kyle and the others like him, utterly frightening in their brutality. He had to remind himself that he had seen the softer side to Morgan in order to keep up the differentiation, to remember that Morgan was on his side.

In that moment, Kyle landed an especially heavy punch to Morgan's jaw, splitting his lip and Spencer's stomach turned; suddenly he realized how serious this was turning. He looked around hastily, trying to think of a way to end the situation. He needed to help, but he knew he wouldn't be able to do much except be a distraction…

He winced when Morgan landed a particularity hard blow to Kyle's stomach who wheezed, his knees buckling. Well, at least for now it seemed like Morgan didn't actually need help…

Or at least he thought so until suddenly the rest of Kyle's gang got in on the fight, all of them attacking now, without scruples it seemed. Outnumbered, it didn't take long for Morgan to lose the upper hand and soon he was on the ground, one guy kicking him in the ribs, the others not far behind. Horrified and suddenly very much scared for Morgan, Spencer yelled at them to stop, but no one reacted. They all seemed hell bent on teaching their former friend a lesson about loyalty. One of them used his boot to kick his face and blood smeared across Morgan's face, a pained groan echoing in the street.

Without thinking any further, Spencer screamed and launched himself at the guy, trying with all his strength to push him away, stop him. To his credit, it did have the effect of Morgan being left alone for a moment; instead he felt himself being grabbed and shoved to the ground, a kick to the stomach taking his breath away. His hands chafed from the concrete but he barely had time to register the pain before he was grabbed and hauled up again by his collar. He blinked, finding Kyle staring into his face with a cold sneer.

"Can't wait to get your ass kicked, you little punk? No problem."

Another, harder, slap to the face sent him to the ground again, and this time he hit his head on the floor so hard that his vision swam. He gasped in pain, feeling blood on his face from the impact and fearfully scrambled back when Kyle's shoes came closer.

"Don't you fucking touch him!" Morgan yelled from somewhere nearby, breathless, clearly in the middle of his own fight.

Kyle only laughed.

"Clue me in now, how do you get all these guys to fight your battles for you?" he shook his head, grimacing, "Or don't, I'd rather not hear details actually."

Somehow, Spencer found it in him to glare up at him for that comment. He struggled to get up again but his head was still reeling. He barely registered that now there seemed to be other bystanders. From the corner, one man was yelling at them, and there was a woman who seemed to be talking on the phone.

Oh please, call someone…

Spencer turned his head, looking for Morgan to see if he was alright but couldn't see him; he yelped when a large hand closed around his throat, lifting him from the ground. He thrashed in Kyle's grip, nails clawing at the fingers cutting of his air supply. His vision began to blacken.

This was it, he thought, they were toast, done, dead.

He was close to passing out when out of the corner of his eye he suddenly saw Morgan shoving the guy who'd been holding him down hard, making him stumble. Immediately, all three of Kyle's goons made to jump at him again but suddenly froze when Morgan pulled something out of his pocket.

Spencer blinked, seeing something glint silver in the light of the street lamps. His heart dropped into his stomach; this had just gotten as bad as it possibly could. He opened his mouth to speak, yell, plead maybe, but there was no oxygen left in his lungs, his brain. He didn't even see Morgan shoving the suddenly scared gang members aside, stalking towards them with large steps and pointing the knife at Kyle threateningly. He only registered the grip on his throat suddenly giving up and then the pain of crashing to the ground yet again. He gasped for air, clutching his throat and trying to get his brain to stay focused, and not switching into panic mode completely.

A glance upwards showed him Morgan, giving a truly scary impression with his eyes flashing furiously and blood running down his temple. He was standing right in front of Kyle, the knife pointed directly at him, ready to attack. Kyle had gone pale, clearly not having expected this turn of events; he lifted both hands, appeasing, "Hey, chill man, don't do anything-"

"Shut up!" Morgan snapped, eyes blazing and wild, "Get the fuck out of here, Kyle, and don't come near us again or I'll finish you."

Spencer didn't look at Kyle to see whether he was complying; his eyes were glued to Morgan's murderous expression until his vision blurred, then he found himself very much distracted by the fact that he suddenly couldn't seem to breathe, his chest constricting, painfully. Panic attack, he brain offered uselessly, hyperventilation. He forced himself to close his eyes and take deep clam breaths, trying to get his body under control again. Unsurprisingly, it didn't do much good.

The next time he looked up, Kyle was nowhere to be seen and there was only Morgan, kneeling next to him, talking to him…. He was pulled up from the ground, strong arms supporting him and didn't resist when he was pulled against a broad chest. There was the sound of something metallic hitting the ground and then a warm hand touched his face, gingerly ghosting over the cuts on his forehead.

He thought he heard Morgan's voice, mumbling hushed, apologetic words, but before they could make sense the night was suddenly filled with the sound of sirens and blue light flared up, making him cringe when it hurt his eyes. He felt Morgan tensing against him, but the older teen didn't move, not even when there were tires screeching close by and then heavy, hasty footsteps approaching.

Just seconds later it seemed, he blinked in utter confusion when he heard his father's voice yelling his name.

So what do you think?

What's gonna happen? And how much trouble are our heroes in?

Please review :-)