Tom didn't believe it. He wouldn't. Yes, he had seen the explosion and it felt like someone had ripped a chunk if his heart out as soon as he did but Archer must be lying, either that or he had misheard, maybe the concussion he apparently had messed with his head. Sam couldn't be dead. She just couldn't.

"Tom I'm so sorry…" Archer began.

"Save it. She's not dead." Tom spat, still staring back at the ruin of an army base and expecting her to simply walk out.

"Tom… the bomb went off in the room she was in…" Archer said sadly, "I tried to get in there before it blew but I was too late."

"She is not dead! She survived a hospital exploding, she can survive this!"

"Tom she… they won't even find a body."

"Well then how did you survive?" Tom shouted, rounding on him.

"The force of the explosion sent me flying backwards into a locked door." He replied.

"Well then maybe the explosion knocked her back too! Maybe she's unconscious or dying somewhere in there! Maybe-"

"She's gone Tom!" Archer said as firmly as he could, "Mate your in denial!"

"She is not dead!" Tom yelled back, knocking Archer to the ground and kicking him.

In a surge of anger he found he couldn't stop, and pretty soon there were three men wrestling him to the ground and Archer lying near him winded with a bloody nose. When he regained control of his senses he was horrified at what had done, and so shoed the hands that were restraining him off and sunk to the ground. Instead of fighting back Archer simply stood up and sat beside him, nodding thanks to the soldier who passed him a tissue for his nose.

"I'm sorry." Tom said quietly, holding his head in his hands.

"It's ok. I get it." Archer said solemnly.

"She just can't be…" He mumbled, tears beginning to roll down his cheeks.

"What did she say in that letter?" Archer asked gently.

"She said… she said she… URGH! Why did she have to put herself in danger?! Why couldn't she have just let it go?!" Tom exclaimed, raising his hands and staring at the sky.

"I think you know that answer to that one already," Archer replied, "I didn't know her for very long but I saw that giving up was not in her vocabulary."

"You're right… but if once… just once she could have let something go she may be still alive right now!"

Archer clapped him on the shoulder and stood up mumbling something about getting some ice for his sore head. Tom knew the real reason he had gone, everyone nearby did. There was nothing more anyone could say. Sam was dead whether he punched soldiers in the face or not and he was going to have to find the courage to deal with his grief, but that would come later. Right now he had a phone call to make.

…

Zoe had felt strange all morning thanks to a creeping sense of dread sneaking up on her in the early hours. Something was wrong, she could feel it. Pacing around Sam's house on crutches and wearing out her arms did not help, if anything it made her more worried.

There had been no updates on the news past the fact the two doctors had been confirmed to be still alive, but that was hours ago and the assault was apparently over, with the leader of the organisation who took over the base apparently blowing himself up. The report also mentioned another casualty, but had yet to mention their name.

When Zoe's phone rung she was staring intently at the news, and the sudden distraction made her jump. She immediately turned the volume down with the remote beside her and answered.

"Hello?" Zoe called into her IPhone, frowning at what sounded like a rush of static at the other end.

"It's Tom." The caller said in a flat voice.

Zoe frowned. His voice sounded devoid of life.

"Tom! Thank go you're ok! I heard what happened on the news. How's Sam?" Zoe asked, but for a reply she received another rush of static which she realized wasn't static but a sound that nearly made her heart stop, "Tom are you…. Crying?"

"I..." Tom began, but clearly he didn't want to start whatever sentence he was trying to form.

"Tom? How is she?" Zoe asked once again, making the link between Tom's crying and her question.

"Sam she…. She didn't make it." He said after a lengthy pause.

Zoe felt like the world was crashing down around her shoulders. She must have misheard. She must have not been listening properly, but no. She knew she hadn't. Sam Nicholls was dead. Her friend was dead.

"How…?" Was all Zoe managed to say.

"H-he blew her up along with himself, t-the man who killed her brother."

"Tom can I call you back?" Zoe said in a strange high pitch voice.

"Yeah." Tom said sullenly before ending the call.

Zoe's phone fell from her grasp and landed on the floor with a clattering sound. She didn't bother to pick it up. Instead she simply turned off the TV with the click of a button on the remote, threw it onto the floor then curled up into a ball and cried.

Sam was dead.

…

….Am I torturing you guys?