It's sprinkling lightly when they make it outside of the maintenance tunnel. The sun is just about to dip below the horizon, but since they're in the woods it's difficult to see much of anything. So Tim holds the flashlight in front of him and Jay as they walk back through Rosswood in the direction of Becky's car. Thanks to the two and a half hour drive to Rosswood from Becky's house (and a ton of the painkiller pills May had gotten him) Tim's injured leg had rested enough to the point where he had been able to walk to the hospital without much problem. Though the adrenaline from the whole situation and anxiety of finding Jay may also have helped push the pain out of his thoughts. However, now with the danger gone and the only task left walking to Becky's car, Tim's leg is starting to bother him again. Small sparks of pain shoot up and down his leg with every step. Not immense pain to the point he can't walk, but enough that he can notice it. He grimaces, trying not to focus on it.

Jay limps beside Tim slowly, his arm wrapped around Tim's shoulders and Tim's arm wrapped beneath his armpits for support. But even then, it doesn't take long for Jay's breath to become short and gasping, and his skin to pale alarmingly.

"Jay, do you need to stop?"

Jay shakes his head, his mouth set stubbornly. "No. No, I'm fine." His demeanor had immediately changed the moment they had climbed out of that damn tunnel and gotten into the fresh air. His shock wore off fairly quickly, replaced by a stony, almost angry attitude. And Tim knows exactly what caused the change: they had left Seth. They had abandoned Seth and let that monster take him. And Jay had given Seth the shot that condemned him to that creature's world.

Tim doesn't know how to tackle this one. He knows that what they had done had to be done. To save themselves. That shooting Seth saved Tim's life, and probably Jay's too. It was either them or Seth. At least, that's what Tim keeps telling himself. Still, he feels something nagging at him as they walk. Probably Jay. It's like Jay has become Tim's conscience – his very own Jiminy Cricket. How charming. And fucking annoying. Tim grits his teeth and shifts Jay's weight slightly, trying to shove off the irritating feelings tugging at him. Right now, their one concern needs to be finding a hospital and getting Jay help. But even that task seems impossible. What are they going to tell the doctors? Tim doesn't have medical insurance, how are they going to pay for it? Tim wonders if there's any way he could take care of Jay without going to the hospital.

Jay moans and starts sinking to his knees, jolting Tim out of his thoughts. "Jay?" Jay is wheezing, one hand gripping Tim's arm tightly and the other placed on the ground to hold himself up. "Jay?" Tim kneels beside Jay, whose head is bent down, partially obscured by his matted, uncut hair. Tim shakes Jay's shoulder gently. "Hey. Jay, look at me." His face tightened into a grimace, Jay tilts his head upwards.

Jay is sweating profusely, the front of his shirt already soaking, and the roots of his hair wet. They had been walking for about twenty minutes now, and Tim had been so focused on putting one foot in front of the other that he hadn't even thought to check on Jay more thoroughly. Idiot.

"Jay? Can you walk? Do you need to rest?" Come on buddy, say something.

Jay grits his teeth, his expression more of someone about to throw up rather than of pain. "Everything keeps spinning," he whispers, too tired to speak any louder. He groans and presses the hand that had been on the ground to his forehead. "I feel like I'm going to throw up."

"Hey, well we can stop a while if you need to."

"Don't want to…" Jay slurs. "S'almost dark…"

A sudden thought crosses Tim's mind; frowning, he sets the flashlight on the ground and sets his hand against Jay's cheek. Cold fear pools in Tim's stomach; Jay's skin is clammy, and horribly warm. Tim moves the hand to press against Jay's forehead – it's even hotter than Jay's cheek. Jay does not say anything to the intrusion of space; if anything, he leans into Tim's hand, taking comfort in Tim's cooler skin.

"Shit Jay, you're burning up."

Jay doesn't look surprised or – oddly – all that concerned. His mouth twitches. "I knew it was infected…" he mumbles.

"What?"

"My leg."

Tim glances down at Jay's bloody leg. Oh no. "Oh you gotta be kidding me," Tim mutters.

Jay gives a weak snort. "Sorry."

"It's not your fault," Tim says gruffly. "You weren't the one who drove us off the road." I was.

"Don't even…start that bullshit…blaming yourself thing…"

Tim sighs. "Let's just get you to a hospital."

Jay groans again, though not from dizziness or pain. "How's that…even gonna work…"

"Doesn't matter – you need help."

Jay shakes his head and tries to push himself off of the ground. His limbs start to wobble and Tim immediately grasps Jay's arms, pulling him to his feet. He allows Jay to lean heavily against him, though he's exhausted enough to fall over himself. "Let's just go," Tim says quietly.

So they start off again. But the going is even slower than before. Jay's breathing is getting more irregular and short, and his arm wrapped around Tim's neck is trembling. Tim is just about to force Jay to stop when Jay starts to sink to the ground again. Only this time, he does not hold himself up on his knees. Tim cries out in alarm as Jay tumbles from Tim's grasp and collapses onto the wet grass below them.

"Jay!" Tim kneels beside Jay's unconscious form, terror pulsing through him. "Jay, come on!" No, no, I just got him back. I saved him. He's supposed to be okay. He has to be okay. Tim turns Jay over onto his back and presses two fingers to Jay's throat, just under his jaw. Jay's pulse is there – barely. Tim's gut feels like it's caving in on itself. "Jay, come on. Come on. I saved you. I saved you. I don't leave you and you don't leave me, that's how it works. Come on, stay with me, buddy!"

Tim gives Jay's shoulders a shake, but Jay does not respond. Glancing around him wildly – for what Tim has no idea – Tim leans down and pulls Jay off of the ground. He slings his friend's limp body over his shoulders fireman-style and picks up the flashlight. Having to use both hands to hold Jay up, it's hard to hold the flashlight as well. But with the sky covered in clouds, it's impossible to see without the light. So he awkwardly holds it in the hand that's also holding Jay's wrist, and uses the shaky light as his guide. He continues hiking through the dense woods, his tiredness now completely gone in his panic.

His phone is useless – there's no reception where they are right now. He'll have to wait till they get to the parking lot before he can call anyone, and that may be too long for Jay. I should've brought someone with me. I should've called the police. I should've gotten help. It's all my fault. My pride and stubbornness is going to kill Jay. He's going to die because of me. I can't watch him die again. I can't be left alone all over again. His hold on Jay tightens, and he tries to quicken his pace. Even then, it feels like they're going no where. Light drops of rain splat against Tim's face, dripping beneath his shirt collar and sliding down his hands, making his grip on Jay's wrist slippery. But he doesn't let go, and he doesn't stop.

Finally, finally, they break through the tree line. And just across the short turf of uncut grass is the parking lot. He can see Becky's car waiting beneath a street lamp…accompanied by another car. Two forms stand between the two cars, silhouetted eerily in the orange light. A third one – who looks rather small, actually – is sitting on top of the strange car's hood. Tim freezes, panic coursing through him. Should he go back into the woods and hide? Ask them for help? Who could it possibly be?

Then one of the forms turns so they're directly facing Tim. Before Tim can decide what to do, the person starts running towards them.

"Tim!"

"Becky?" Tim almost looses his grip on Jay in his shock. "But…how…"

"Marcus, start the car!"

Tim glances back to the other form still standing beside the car. He can see the person – Marcus – already opening up car door and sliding in. A second later the engine roars to life. The person who had been sitting on the car's hood has already jumped down to the pavement and begun sprinting towards Tim and Jay. It only takes a second for Tim to recognize the person's extremely short height and mane of wild curls as May.

Becky skids to a stop before Tim, her mouth gaping open at the sight of Jay hanging over Tim's shoulders. "Oh my gosh," she breathes in horror. "What happened?"

"A lot of shit, that's what," Tim answers bitterly.

"He looks like he got thrown off a cliff and then beaten up by a boxer," May comments in awe as she rushes up beside Becky. "Or the other way around; either way works I guess."

"May." Becky shoots May a glare, to which May shrugs. Becky looks back at Tim – and Jay – in concern. "Come on, let's get him to the car. The hospital's a twelve minute drive from here."

Tim doesn't even bother to answer; he pushes past Becky and May and hurries towards the car Marcus is waiting in. Marcus jumps out from the driver's seat and quickly opens up the back door as Tim comes up to it, helping Tim get Jay inside the backseat. Becky and May run up to the car, May climbing into the front passenger seat and Becky into the driver's.

"Marcus, sit in the back with Tim and Jay and try and help," Becky orders. Marcus nods and allows Tim to get inside the car while he runs to the other side of the car and slides in.

"Tell me everything you know," Marcus says as Becky speeds out of the parking lot and pulls onto the road.

Tim looks down at Jay, who is propped up against his chest. "His leg was heavily sliced open by something – I don't know, something from the car crash got him. It's infected, and he has a fever. He's lost a lot of blood. His hands – they're cut from glass, and his wrists are swollen and bruised from rope."

Marcus glances up darkly at that, but doesn't interrupt.

"He might have a concussion, but I don't know for sure." Tim bites his lip, looking down at Jay's sweaty face. He hadn't noticed it in the little light provided by his flashlight, but in the brightness provided by the car's dome light he can see just how colorless Jay's face has become. Even his lips are drained of their normal color; instead, a faint tinge of blue has started to creep into them. "I think he's dying," Tim whispers.

Becky's body goes rigid at that. Her grip on the wheel tightens and her foot presses down on the gas pedal harder, but she does not turn around to look at the three men in the back seat. May sits silently, staring ahead with wide, terrified eyes, any shadow of a smirk long gone from her face.

Marcus's mouth is set in a grim line. He turns Jay's hands over, examining them for a few seconds with a dark expression, but quickly sets them down, his concern obviously all for Jay's leg. "Do you have a knife on you?" he asks, bending over Jay's leg.

Tim shoves his hand into his pocket and pulls out the requested object, handing it over without hesitation. Marcus pulls Jay's leg onto his lap and begins cutting the fabric away from above where the blood stains stop – which is halfway between his thigh and knee. The majority of Jay's leg free from the ratty fabric, Tim can properly see the extent of Jay's injury.

The filthy makeshift bandage is clumsily wrapped from Jay's ankle to his knee. Blood has soaked through the majority of it, and it looks like it's about to fall off with the poorly done knot holding it together.

"Did you do this?" Marcus asks, studying the bandage with a look similar to one someone would have after having something unpleasant shoved under their nose.

"No," Tim answers. "His…kidnapper did."

Marcus scoffs. "Fucking idiot."

Tim suddenly decides he likes Marcus. A lot.

Marcus sighs. "I'm not going to take off the bandage though; it's best to wait for the doctors to do it where they can immediately dress it with proper materials in case it starts bleeding again, which I'm sure it will." He rubs a hand over his face, sighing. "Fuck. He's so fucking skinny, how's he still alive after losing so much blood?"

Tim almost chuckles at that, despite his terror. "I don't know. He's stubborn, I guess."

Becky jerks the car to the right, almost knocking the three boys in the back over. "Sorry!" she says in response to Tim and Marcus' annoyed glances. "But we're here." The two men look out the window and see a tall building looming over them. A long sign with the word EMERGENCY printed on it hangs from the lowest level before them.

Marcus doesn't even wait for Becky to completely stop the car before getting out and running around to Tim's door. Together he and Tim pull Jay out from the car.

"Marcus, wait!" The two men pause to see Becky getting out of the car and rushing to their side. "Remember what we talked about? You park the car and take May inside. I'll go with Tim." Looking fairly unhappy with this new assignment, Marcus takes Becky's place in the driver's seat. Becky turns to urge Tim inside, but sees that he's already pushing open the building's door, Jay draped across his arms. She hurries in after him.

And chaos breaks loose.

/

The sun sits on the horizon lazily, casting a bright glow over the hospital parking lot and spilling through the open window curtains. The small number of clouds left in the sky are small and cheerfully white, no longer threatening to pour rain upon unsuspecting walkers.

Tim sits in an uncomfortable armchair, head in his hands. The back of the chair is broken and is permanently in the position of the lowest recline setting, so Tim doesn't bother leaning back. He is completely still, to the point that his body is far too rigid for someone to mistake him for sleeping.

It's silent in the room. And annoyingly bright. Tim has half a mind to pull the window curtains shut, but part of him enjoys the sunlight. It's comforting actually. He always did like sunrises better than sunsets. Something about them always seemed so pure, untouched. It's one of the rare things left that Tim can draw real peace from anymore.

Jay looks smaller then ever in the hospital bed. He's propped up by large pillows and surrounded by thin sheets – all stark white. The whiteness of the fabric is almost blinding, and it does no good for Jay's complexion. It makes him look almost sickly by comparison. But Tim isn't concerned – he knows Jay will heal, thanks to the doctors.

It was terrifyingly close for a while. Jay had lost an incredibly dangerous amount of blood between the time of the crash and the arrival at the hospital. And the infection had not helped matters in the slightest. Combine that with Jay's already malnourished body and…well, it was quite the challenge for the doctors. It took hours, but the doctors were finally able to stabilize Jay and properly treat the infection.

Being Jay's cousin, Tim was allowed to stay with Jay for the entirety of the night. Tim smiles at the thought of his new "relation" to Jay. Becky's uncle Carson (who owns the auto shop Tim's car is currently at) apparently has very good medical insurance. He also happens to have a son in high school. Being so small, Jay was easily able to pass as Carson's seventeen year old son. Tim reads the name written on the clipboard hanging over the end of Jay's bed – Luke Keaton – and wonders how he could ever being to repay, or even properly thank, Becky.

It's all because of her that Jay is even able to be in that hospital bed. She had explained it all to Tim last night, but he had been far too anxious about Jay to properly listen. From what he remembers though, apparently Becky had gone straight to her uncle after Tim had left in search of Jay. She had explained the situation to him and he agreed to help pay for the hospital bills. Tim was surprised that he had agreed so easily to help people he had never met, but Becky waved it off, muttering something about she being more "trustworthy than his own son" and his extreme affection for her through their mutual love of cars. Carson had later called the hospital to ask about his "son" and then saying that since he couldn't be there, his nephew Carl would have to be allowed to stay with Luke.

"It's a good thing you have so many cousins," Tim had commented upon hearing his new, temporary identity.

"Hey, talk to my grandparents. They're the ones who decided to have seven kids."

"Christmas must be a blast."

Becky had just laughed at that.

"Hey."

Tim lifts his face from his hands to look up at where the curtain had been pulled around Jay's bed, cutting them off from the other patients in the hospital wing. Becky stands there, one hand holding the partially pulled-back curtain, and the other absentmindedly tugging at a lock of her hair. "How is he?"

Tim glances over at Jay, who continues to sleep. "He's fine. He looks a lot better than he did last night, of course." He looks back at Becky, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Hey, um…thank you. For everything. Jay would have died if you hadn't been there when we got out of the park – you saved his life."

"No," Becky says with a small smile. "No, you saved his life, Tim. I'm just the one who decided that listening to your advice wasn't good enough and chased after you anyways."

Tim chuckled. "Yeah, well, I'm kinda used to my advice not being followed." He pauses, amusement on his face. "Did you even try to stay at your house and wait for me to call?"

"I considered actually waiting for about fifteen minutes. Then I decided 'forget it' and knew that even if I couldn't go into Rosswood Park with you, I knew that you would probably need help once you got out."

"I feel like I should feel vaguely insulted by that last comment."

"Yeah, well you and Jay have an incredible talent for getting into the worst kind of trouble."

Tim sighs. "That's true." He smiles up at her gratefully. "Thank you though. Thank you for coming after us."

Becky returns the smile, a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks. "No problem." The curtains surrounding Becky suddenly start rustling loudly and Becky starts in surprise, raising her arm in response to a small form trying to dig their way out beneath the curtains. A second later, May pops through the curtains, a bright smile on her face.

"Hi Tim!" she exclaims. "Sorry I couldn't stay with you all night. I wanted to, but Becky said it 'wouldn't be appropriate' or something dumb like that." She shrugs, and continues rambling, talking so fast it becomes almost difficult for Tim to keep up. "Anyways, Marcus brought your car to the hospital parking lot (since you gave him your keys last night, do you remember that?). I looked through the medicine bag I had packed for you and saw you ate like none of the candy I put in there! I get you were being a superhero and stuff, but I thought you'd want them now. So here!" And suddenly the large pink bag is shoved in Tim's surprised face, its contents rattling obnoxiously. "Is Jay awake? Would he want some too?"

"May, shush!" says Becky. "Jay's trying to sleep."

"Not anymore…"

All three heads snap to the hospital bed, where a drowsy-looking Jay is trying to push himself into a sitting position.

"Jay!" Tim shoots to his feet and holds his hands out in front of Jay, as though wanting to stop Jay from moving but not exactly sure how to. "You shouldn't be –"

"Moving? Talking? Being conscious?" Jay frowns slightly, though not from annoyance. More from concentration, or from the effort of pushing himself up. "I feel a lot better Tim, don't worry."

Tim lets his hands fall to his side, but the concern does not leave his eyes. Finally in a semi-sitting position, Jay leans back against the pillows, his gaze traveling over the three people surrounding his bed. "So, um…anyone wanna tell me how I got here? And where did you two come from?" Jay blinks at Becky and May in surprise.

"Well –" Becky starts.

"Want some candy?" Before Becky can stop her, May jumps onto Jay's bed, making Jay bounce slightly on the mattress. He has to grab a pillow to steady himself, but he doesn't look irritated in the slightest. May settles herself beside Jay, pulling the pink flowered bag onto the blankets between them. "I got M&Ms, Milky Ways, Skittles, Baby Ruths (I don't like Baby Ruths, but Becky does. I think they're more of a grown-up candy, so maybe you'll like them), and…Jolly Ranchers. Which one?"

Jay's smile is the biggest Tim has seen it in days. "I think I'll take…a Jolly Rancher."

"Good choice," May bends over the bag, pursing her lips together as she digs through its contents. She plucks the desired candy from the bag and hands it over to an extremely amused Jay. "Here's a watermelon. That's the best flavor – trust me."

"Thanks, May."

May grins, throwing a smug look at Becky. Becky sighs, but the beginning of a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. "May, come on. Let's get some breakfast for Tim and Jay; Marcus is already waiting in the cafeteria."

"Why do I have to go? Can't I stay with Jay and Tim?"

"Nope. You have to come with me."

"But –"

"I'll let Marcus play his 'boring country music' the entire way home if you argue any further."

May sticks out her lips in half-pout, half-frown. "Fine." She scrambles down from the bed and walks over to Becky, who holds the curtain open for her. Casting a quick wave back at the two men, May allows Becky to usher her through the curtain and into the open area of the hospital wing. The curtain flutters shut, leaving Tim and Jay alone.

Tim returns to his seat in the armchair, adjusting his body so he's fully facing Jay. "How are you feeling, really?"

Jay shrugs. "A lot better than yesterday, that's for sure." He glances around the enclosed space they're in, his eyes lingering on the window for a split second. "So…want to clue me in on what's been going on?"

So Tim tells Jay all that's happened, how Becky found them, and that her uncle is taking care of the hospital bills for now. Jay's expression immediately wilts at that.

"We have to pay him back somehow," he says.

Tim sighs. "Yeah, I know."

"I'll get a job – two jobs. Something."

"We'll work on that together, Jay. Maybe I can get Sean to hire you. If he hasn't fired me by now."

"Sean?"

"My manager. I work at this music store back in Texas. If we want to go back there, that is."

"We?"

"Yeah, you and me." Tim pauses, glancing at Jay with uncertainty. "I mean, if you want to. Not to be frank, but you don't really have anywhere else to go. So if you want to…you're more than welcome to live with me."

Jay's face breaks into a relieved smile. "Thanks Tim." Tim shrugs, looking embarrassed.

Jay frowns slightly, thinking. "Tim…"

"Yeah?"

"I mean, if you don't want to, I understand. But…I was just thinking about all those people from YouTube who had been trying to contact us about seeing the creature." He stops a moment, looking uncomfortable. "As much as I hate to say it out loud, we didn't stop that creature. It's still out there, and it's still a danger to many people. I don't know how much good we can do, or if we'll just mess things up even more, but…" He runs a hand through his hand, searching for words.

"You want to find those other victims," Tim says.

Jay glances at Tim with an expression that's almost one of shame. "I know it's selfish of me to ask you to come with, but if you did, I mean…I don't know…I just think…"

"Jay."

Jay's mouth snaps shut.

"If you think that I would just let you go off on your own like that, and possibly face that monster alone, then you obviously have a more serious concussion than those doctors thought. I'm coming with you."

Jay's eyes stare at Tim intensely, gratefulness and guilt wrapped up in them. "But Tim, I don't want you to come out of obligation –"

"It's not that. I want to be there, and I want to help those people too. I was selfish before, but maybe…maybe we can do some good. And maybe someday we'll find a way to stop this thing – permanently. But until then, I have no problem road-tripping with you all over Alabama, and wherever else we need to go."

Jay's whole body seems to sag in relief. "Thanks, Tim."

Tim shrugs. "I was kinda bored of Texas anyway. After a while, that desert landscape can really get to a person."

Jay smirks. His eyes travel down to his leg, which has been properly bandaged now. His smile drains away, and a mournful expression crosses his face. "I still can't believe we…sacrificed him like that."

Tim grimaces. He had hoped Jay would have waited to bring that up; he is in no mood to discuss Seth right now. He shifts uncomfortably in his seat. "We didn't sacrifice him Jay. He was going to do the exact same thing to us – we did what we had to."

Jay doesn't look comforted at all. He frowns. "Seth was able to get into the creature's…world or whatever, and get out, taking me with him." His frown deepens, a thoughtful expression in his eyes. "I wonder if it's possible for us to do the same thing."

"What?"

Jay turns his bandaged hands over, studying them intensely to avoid Tim's gaze. "Not now. But maybe someday…maybe someday we can do what Seth did for me. Maybe we can get him…and Alex…out."

Tim has no desire to see Alex again, especially after he's been in that creature's hell for two years. He grimaces. "Let's take it one step at a time, Jay. First we'll find the other victims. Then we'll see what we can do about that monster – and Seth and Alex."

Jays nods silently. An awkward moment passes before Jay tilts his head up to look at Tim. "I'm glad you found me, Tim. I'm glad I have you for a friend."

With his thoughts still trailing on Seth and Alex, it takes a second before a smile spreads on Tim's face at Jay's comment. But when it does, it's as genuine and heartfelt a smile as Tim's ever given. "Me too, Jay."

/

/

Alrighty guys, I have just an epilogue left to write and then Resuscitate will be finished. If some people feels like it ended a little too soon, I'm sorry about that. :3 But I wanted to be sure that I ended the story strong rather than trying to drag it out to the point where it becomes a weak and muddled mess. But don't worry! I'm gonna upload a "deleted scene" I have, and I might write little oneshot stories of Tim and Jay's adventures after the ending of Resuscitate.

Thanks for being so awesome and reading this story. I hope you enjoyed it. :) And thank you so much for all your reviews! I appreciated every one, you're all the best!
(Special shout-out to Ark fan and syntheticaesthetic – you guys rock, thanks so much for taking the time to give me feedback, I loved every review)