I don't mean to sound horrible but can you ALL stop basically demanding me to make Rydel tell everyone about Taylor. FFS. Just stop. It is coming okay, but not yet. The more you beg me the more I'm gonna put the chapter off bc isg if one more person asks/demands for it, I'm gonna fucking lose it.

Disclaimer: I do not own R5, The Vamps or 5 Seconds Of Summer, all rights go to Hollywood, Mercury and Capitol Records.

Chapter 18
The Beginning Of The End

Ross and Brad stood in the doorway of Luke and Rocky's room (the one they shared with Ashton, looking over to where Luke was curled up in his bed - which was next to the bed Ashton use to sleep in. They had gotten back from Afghanistan yesterday, with the news to bring to everyone that Ashton wasn't coming back. That hit everyone he knew hard. Even Will. Sure Ashton pissed him off a couple times because of his humour and his pissing around, but deep down he loved Ashton the same as he loved Ross, Brad, Rocky and Luke.

Luke hadn't been the same the minute Ashton got shot dead. He turned into this unhappy, depressed guy. He hadn't missed a day without crying, sometimes it turned into an hourly thing. Luke was an absolute mess. And it didn't help that he had to be in the room he shared with him for months on end until he went home for a little bit on break.

Everything either changed or seemed different without Ashton around.

Rocky wasn't in the room, he'd gone elsewhere in the base to get a drink.

Something in the base had changed too. They didn't know what had changed but the way everyone was acting, especially in the science part of the base, suspicious and like they knew something the boys didn't. Or anybody else for that matter. Not even Will knew what the hell was going on. And he knows everything that goes on in the base.

Ross turned a little when he heard footsteps coming towards the door, he saw Rocky coming towards them with a drink in his hand. When Rocky got to the door, he looked in between where Ross and Brad were and over to Luke. He sighed "We've got to be able to do something," Rocky said, talking quietly so Luke couldn't hopefully hear him "why don't we try talking to him?"

Ross shook his head. They had tried talking to him individually but nothing was working. If anything Rocky made him cry more with what he said. Rocky Lynch isn't exactly the most sensitive person in the world so why the hell did Ross and Brad leave him alone with Luke? They had no clue why. Brad had tried twice, the day after Ashton died and yesterday. But nothing. Brad was doing his darn best to get Luke talking without having to mention anything Brad knew that the other two didn't. "Maybe we should get his girl-" Rocky stopped himself "ex-girlfriend..." Rocky corrected himself.

Brad shook his head "No. They were never dating, so I doubt she's going to care much." Brad accidentally let slip without thinking. His eyes widened when he realised, seeing the look he was getting from Ross and Rocky "it's a very long story that I'll tell you later. That's if Luke wants you to know... I'm not saying without his permission."

"Look, why don't we all try talking to him?" Ross suggested, to stop the rambling that was more than likely about to happen.

They all looked at each other and agreed with Ross's suggestion, soon making their way over to the bed. Rocky sat down on the end of it, Brad knelt down at the side of it in front of Luke and Ross stood behind Brad. "Luke?" Brad asked, being gentle. He didn't say anything. He looked at Brad with an emotionless expression with tears glistening in his eyes "Do you wanna come out with us for a bit? We're not doing anything important. Just outside, for some fresh air."

Luke shook his head. Ross sighed "C'mon, man. It'll do you good, having some air. You need some." Ross said, Luke didn't respond this time.

Rocky rolled his eyes "Dude, you can't keep yourself locked up in this room forever. You have to move at some point to go to the toilet, eat, drink, and have a shower. So you might as well start now."

"Rocky." Brad warned.

"Sorry."

Luke shook his head "I don't want to."

"Then what do you want to do?" Ross asked, Luke went to go answer but Ross stopped him "besides from lay in bed and do nothing."

Luke shrugged, burying his face into the cover he had over him as he felt himself going to cry again. Brad sighed again, looking down at him sadly as he stroked Luke's hair. "Can I talk to him alone?" Brad asked, looking up at Ross and Rocky. They both nodded, leaving where they stood or sat and left through the door.

Brad waited until the door was fully closed and he could hear their footsteps down the hallway. He turned back to Luke "Talk to me Luke," Brad said, trying to be as caring as he could "please? I know you're hurting-"

"It doesn't even feel like I'm hurt. Try having a thousand bricks dropped on you."

"Oh, okay, little bit drastic there, not gonna lie," Brad said. He was going to be funny by making a remark of how Luke would be dead if that happened, but death jokes aren't exactly suitable right now. Brad got up from where he stood and climbed over Luke to the otherside of his bed that was empty and tried to fit on it as best as he could, without being squished against the wall. He sighed "Luke," Brad pulled him so that he was holding him, seeing he was beginning to cry again "I know it hurts, having your heartbroken by someone you love. Especially in this way, it hurts like a bitch. I know you're going to protest and say there are no words in the dictionary to describe how you're feeling right now, trust me, I've been through this before - but with someone else. I wouldn't know how you feel, because I haven't gone through losing someone to death, I only know what you're going to say. All you have to do is try your best to be happy and at least attempt to move on a little. I know Ashton would want you too if he was here right now."

"If he was here right now, I wouldn't be unhappy and there would be nothing for me to move on with," Luke said, through tears as he clutched onto Brad - like he was in pain "I don't wanna move on. Because moving on means forgetting."

Brad shook his head "No it doesn't. You'll never forget him no matter how hard you try. By moving on I meant moving on from his death."

"N-"

"Luke, please," Brad said, pulling away from him and looking down at him "you have to try something. You can't stay in this room all the time crying over him. Me, Ross and Rocky are trying our best we really are," Brad's voice cracked, starting to feel himself become sad and like he was going to cry any moment "we're hurting over losing him too. He was our best friend, Luke. We're trying our best to move on, so why can't you do the same?" Brad asked. He shut his eyes as he felt tears about to fall down his face.

Man, he thought he was done with crying. Brad had let it out the night Ashton died, he left the bunk he was sleeping in and went outside and cried. Throwing a couple things, hitting things. He did try to do it quietly, but Ross came out and found him kicking something and having a breakdown so he ran over and tried to calm him down. He calmed him down but both of them ended up on the floor on their knees, hugging and crying with each other. That's how horrible it was and how bad Ross is at trying to calm people down when he's hurting himself.

Luckily nobody saw or caught them. They didn't need the lecture off others and being made fun of. Cause from a long distance away that could have looked very wrong.

Luke nodded, sitting up in the bed and wiping his eyes "You're right, I'll try," he said, he turned to face Brad "but, can I do one thing before we go and do anything?" He asked.

Brad nodded, wiping his own eyes "Sure. Whatever you want."

Before Brad knew it, Luke fell into him and began crying again. He should have saw that coming from a mile away.

"Brad, Lu-Oh my."

Brad looked over to the door along with Luke and saw Will stood there in the middle of the doorway with Ross and Rocky behind him. "Don't you fucking dare get any ideas of what you are thinking." Brad said, seeing the way they were all looking at him and Luke.

Rocky shook his head "Wasn't thinking about any idea of the sort." Rocky said, trying to hide his grin.

Luke let go of Brad and sat up on the edge of his bed "What do you want?" Luke asked, trying for it not to come out harsh - but it failed.

Will came into the room with Ross and Rocky, he told them all to sit down "I know these past few days, ever since we lost Ashton, have been difficult, and I can tell it really has hit you all hard," Will said "so... I had a word with the head. And they agreed to let me let all four of you take a week off starting from today. But you have to be back by this time next week. What do you say?" he asked.

Brad nodded, Ross and Rocky agreed also. Luke shrugged "I don't know. I don't think I can get a flight back to Australia in time."

"Then come with us." Ross said.

Luke shook his head "No, I don't-"

"You're forgetting something Luke," Ross said "that wasn't a suggestion. That was an order. We're not leaving you on your own especially like this. So you can either stay here for a week without us and drown in your sorrows, or come with us and get away from this place and clear your mind. Not that I'm going to let you do the first option."

Luke glared over at Ross who just grinned back at him.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Ellington said, waving his arms around to get Ross to stop talking. He stopped and looked over to him. "How the fucking fuck did this 'base' I've never heard of start the freaking zombie apocalypse?" Ellington asked, confused.

Ross shrugged "Scientists being scientists and not knowing when to stop really. Only when they wanted to stop, it had gone way, way past their control."

"Couldn't you have done something to stop it?" Rydel asked.

Ross shook his head "Hell no. I didn't work for the scientists, so therefore, I wasn't allowed to see what was going on behind them big metal doors. I know what was in there and I heard from Will about what was going on. That was it."

Riker cocked his head, giving Ross a curious yet suspicious look "Why do I have a feeling when we get to Utah we're going back to that base?" Riker asked, making Ross look at him "and whatever it is we're going there for has to do with what is behind them big metal doors..."

Ross and Rocky glanced at each other. "So I'm right." Riker said, smiling satisfaction.

Rocky nodded "Yeah, half way there. Still not telling you all what we're-well, one of us is gonna do."

"One?!" Ross asked, snapping his head to Rocky looking at him disbelief "hell, no! Fuck that! I'm not doing it if only one of us gets to do it! And if it's me who has to do it, I do not want to be alone, Rocky. So we're both fucking doing it." He snapped. Was Rocky crazy or something? Having stupid thoughts like that. Ha. Not that he'd remember this conversation anyway to feel bad about it.

Rocky silenced himself, turning away from Ross and looking down "Alright, we'll both do it. I promise." Rocky said, even though he knew he was going to break that promise. Not because he had to, but because he wanted too.

"Good." Ross said.

Rydel sighed "Can you get on with it?" Rydel asked "I wanna know how you found out."

"Alright, well it started when we were coming back to Utah. And we were waiting for the bus to pick us up and bring us to the base..."

"C'mon..." Rocky muttered under his breath, starting to get frustrated.

He, Ross, Brad and Luke had been sat outside the train station for half an hour waiting for the bus to come pick them up and bring them back. It was 3:30pm. The bus was supposed to be there at 3:00.p.m. What the hell. The bus was never this late. Brad shrugged "Maybe they took it off or the driver didn't come in today." Brad said.

Rocky shook his head "No. The drivers always there. Even when he's not they always get somebody else," Rocky said, feeling like something wasn't right "it's only ever been late by fifteen minutes at the latest. Not half an hour."

"Rocky, stop stressing. It's a bus," Luke said, slouched on the bench with his arms folded "I'm sure if it doesn't show up we can walk or get some other transport there." Luke wasn't really feeling any better since Ashton died. He had cheered up thanks to Ross, Brad and Rocky - but he still felt sad and like he was missing half of himself with Ashton gone. But other than that, he seemed to be getting happier each day. That only kicked in yesterday.

Hopefully nothing would happen to bring this mood back down.

Ross let out a soft laugh and turned his head down the road where his eyes landed on someone. He scrunched his eyes a little to look at the person, given they were a fair distance away. They were all over the place. They couldn't walk in a straight line and they were walking like they had shit themselves. Not to mention they looked a mess. "Jesus Christ, it's only 3:30... Already somebody's drunk." Ross said.

"What?" Brad asked.

Ross looked at Brad and pointed, and the other guys looked. "Well, they must have gotten into some fight." Rocky commented.

"What do you mean?" Ross asked, looking at him.

"Cos they've blood all over their mouth."

Ross turned his head and looked. Rocky was right. Damn. People who lived in Utah were pretty messed up. Ross shook his head, picking up his bag "C'mon then," he said "might as well get started on walking."

"Are you kidding?" Rocky asked, like he had asked the most personal question in the world.

Luke and Brad didn't seem to be having any complaints or arguments against this as they had picked up their bags too and were ready to go. Ross shrugged "Hey. We're supposed to be back at the base in an hour. If we hurry up, maybe we'll get there within thirty to forty five minutes." Ross turned around and began walking, with Brad and Luke following behind him.

Rocky shook his head, having no choice but to pick up his bag and catch up. He rolled his eyes when he caught up to Brad, snatching the bandana that he had round his head "Take it off, it looks ridiculous." Even though Rocky had took it off.

"Take your face off, it looks ridiculous," Luke commented back "oh, wait. You can't. It's permanently stuck there." He said, making Brad and Ross laughed.

"Shut up, Luke, or I'll cut off your quiff." Rocky said, throwing the bandana back at Brad "who even gave you that?" he asked.

"I did," Ross said "because Mom put it in my backpack as a joke, so I gave it to Brad who didn't have to wear it. But he said he would, just for me. So he would have the pleasure of saying 'my gay room mate gave it to me' when people asked where he got it."

Rocky smirked as well as Brad "Ashton use to wear bandana's," Luke said, making everyone think he was going to get upset about it "why did you never tease him about it?" he asked.

Everyone felt relief run through their body, knowing Luke wasn't going to lose it. "Because he suited it." Rocky said.

"So does Brad."

Rocky huffed "OH, fuck off."

45 minutes later

"Are we there yet?" Rocky asked, trailing behind the three boys and becoming out of breath - due to the fact they were now in the Escalante Desert and the heat was killing him.

"Yes." Luke answered.

"Really?" Rocky asked, getting his hopes up and a small smile of relief coming to his face.

"No."

"Fucking bitch."

"HEY!"

Brad turned round, facing Rocky who was trailing behind Luke who was walking on his own between himself and Ross and Rocky behind him "Now, now girls. Don't fight," Brad mocked. He laughed at the look he was getting from them "Relax, we're just going over this road and we'll be able to see the base from the top of there."

The road they were on was like a hill, they were walking up it. And once they were at the top they would be able to see the base from where they stood. Rocky put his backpack on his shoulders properly "Then I ain't wasting no time, I wanna get there quick." Rocky said before taking off running in front of them. Luke sighed, deciding to run after him as well. And then Ross decided to run too.

Leaving Brad.

"What?" Brad asked, holding out his arms "What is this?! Ditch Brad?!" He asked, calling over to them.

"Hurry up then!" Ross called, who was now a fair distance in front of him.

Brad sighed heavily, now putting his backpack on his shoulders so it didn't fall off before running as fast as he could to catch up. Dang those boys could run fast. Ross had over taken Luke, adn Luke was just about catching up to Ross and Rocky. Brad. He was at least a couple metres behind "Wait up! I can't run as fast as you!"

"That's cause you're short!" Rocky called back "short people don't have long legs!"

"Oh, wow. Height jokes. You're fucking hilarious Rocky!" Brad called to him sarcastically.

Brad stopped, bending over and taking a couple of deep breaths to get his breath back. Damn he was so unfit. God forbid the day if he ever gets chased and it's a life or death matter. He'd end up dead. Whether if it was a crazy axe murderer, gun man, zombies, serial killer, Rocky finally turning into a psychopath and trying to stop him with a pair of children's scissors... He'd be a dead Bradley Simpson.

Brad looked up after finally getting his breath back, seeing Rocky was the first to have reached the top of the hill - but he stopped. Then Ross... and finally Luke. Brad wasn't complaining, this gave him a chance to catch up. He quickly jogged over to them "Why did you guys stop?" Brad asked, looking at them. Ross didn't tear his eyes away from where he was looking, instead he put his hand under Brad's chin and turned his head so he could look for himself. "What the actual fuck."

That wasn't right.

There was smoke pouring from the top of the base as well as other parts of the base... and not to mention the fence looked destroyed. It looked like it was falling apart. "We left for a fucking week!" Rocky exclaimed, outstretching his arms "and it looks like we missed freaking Satan descend onto Earth!"

"C'mon, lets go." Ross said, beginning to run again.

Brad sighed "Wonderful, more running."

What the hell was going on.

As you can guess, it's gonna be a fun, action packed chapter next. Woo. Brilliant.

Oh, and I made an intro for this story like I did with Somebody To You. Except I haven't uploaded it yet. Damn. I'll upload it tonight and give you the link tomorrow. But as far as the song for the video goes, I'm leaning towards Wherever You Are or Amnesia by 5 Seconds Of Summer (both songs are by them). If you haven't listened to them songs, GO LISTEN TO THEM NOW LIKE OH MY GOD THEY'RE PERFECT. Ignore the little Lashton moment in the Amnesia lyric video on the 5SOSVEVo account. I nearly died watching it I just. But you guys don't ship Lashton so therefore it won't affect you. Oh well. But yeah. Go listen to them songs.

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