Walking into school that day, Crystal suddenly realised how Alvie must have felt. Everyone was staring at her and clearing paths for her whether it was on the grounds or in the corridors. Nobody talked to her other than the teachers wishing to know how Alvie was.

Some people handed over get well cards, which Crystal initially found strange, considering nobody sided with Alvie except for her. And now… twenty people were wishing him well? Crystal decided some people needed some sense slapped into them. A lot of sense slapped into them hard.

Lessons were boring and lonely without Alvie to pry for information about him. At lunch, people waved her over to sit with them, but she barely acknowledged them, automatically heading for the table she and Alvie shared during lunches. People passed, attempting to worm words out of her, but failing miserably.

At some point in the fifth lesson, Crystal put her head on the desk and ignored everything.

If Alvie were sat next to her, he probably would have done the same and fallen asleep. He may have trouble sleeping when it was actually time to sleep, but in Geography, he was the sleeping champion.

Two weeks passed in this state and she felt more and more miserable and lonely every day. How the hell had Alvie managed this for years?

Well, for starters, he didn't have his closest friend lying in a coma after risking their life to save him. He didn't have the guilt of that weighing down on his shoulders and assurance that she was not to blame had no effect.

Joy picked her up from school in the shiny, new white Peugeot 2008 e-HDi 115 Feline, as Joy would say proudly whenever someone asked her about it.

"We're going to see Alvie. Is that OK?" Joy asked carefully, searching her daughter's face for any disagreement. Crystal nodded mutely, recalling the number of get well cards in her bag. In total, there were about sixty or more from the previous fortnight. About fifteen of them were from teachers and fellow staff that knew Alvie and his family fairly well.

His parents would be pleased.

Opening the door to Alvie's room, Crystal sensed tension in the air and her skin crawled with a bad feeling.

Looking at Alvie, she saw that he hadn't changed since when she saw him two days ago- obviously. What caught her and her mother's attention was that Annabeth was nearly in tears while frustratingly arguing with a doctor. Percy was sat in a chair next to Alvie's, his face hidden in his hands.

"We have to, ma'am. There isn't much more we can do for him."

"You can't! I won't let you!"

"Ma'am, I understand you're upset, but it's for the best." The doctor looked unsettled and ready to bolt from the room with the glowering and teary blonde screaming at him.

"Percy, back me up on this! They can't-" Annabeth saw Crystal and Joy and her anger faded into a breakdown of tears.

"What's going on?" Crystal looked from Alvie's parents to the doctor and back again. The doctor sighed.

"I'm afraid we'll have to turn off Alvie's ventilator."

"No!" Crystal screamed, bursting into tears. The doctor paled slightly, aware he could have another one or potentially two other females crying and screaming at him. It wasn't his fault; he was just doing his job. "Please, don't! Give him another chance, please!"

The doctor hesitated.

"Alright, alright- we'll give him four more days and then we'll take him off the ventilator. After that, there isn't anything more we can do other than keep the pain at bay." Annabeth stifled a sob behind her hands, tears flowing freely. Percy looked up then, uncovering his eyes alone, his hands over the rest of his face. He stared at the doctor with those intense emerald green eyes and the doctor suddenly mumbled excuses for leave.

Joy held Crystal for what felt like hours as sobs wracked her body. Eventually she reached the nauseous, hiccupping phase of extensive crying.

Looking round, she saw Percy had gotten up to comfort his wife. Annabeth was crying into Percy's chest, her hands covering her face. Percy's expression was carefully blank, but his eyes burned with emotion, fires flickering and snapping. There was a power in his eyes that Crystal hadn't seen before. Accustomed to the cheeky and laid-back gleam, Crystal was frightened somewhat at the sudden and darker change in his eyes.

Percy was suddenly talking to Annabeth in low tones. Crystal did her best to quieten her hiccups in an attempt to listen, but she still couldn't hear what he was saying.

News about Alvie's last four days spread like wildfire throughout the school. Many asked where their get well soon cards had gone. Crystal told them she had set them out in Alvie's room at the hospital, but in truth she had handed them to Alvie's parents. Annabeth had turned them away, but Percy offered a small, grateful smile, lifting Crystal's mood slightly at the same time.

That's when Max came back.

It wasn't his best decision, considering people chucked various items in hand at him along with name-calling and threatens to his life. Max was constantly accused for causing Alvie that level of injury. Max didn't respond to anything, simply carrying on to his locker to clean it out. His expression was cautiously emotionless and he revealed nothing.

Crystal wanted answers.

"Max?" He stiffened at the sound of her voice, half-turning to face her. Instead of the blank mask he had put on; guilt, shame and depression could be read clearly. He didn't speak however, staring at her fearfully as if she was to be the cause of his downfall.

Crystal held his gaze, keeping her face blank of any emotions that had controlled her for the past few weeks. She thought about what she wanted to ask him, rewording it several times in her mind before, "What's your side of the story?"

Max blinked at her, confusion fading into his eyes. Crystal stared him out.

"I… I was going to let you go." He mumbled, looking down in shame. "I… I didn't… I didn't see A- him until… until it was too late and I just… I panicked."

"Is that why you ran?" Wincing, Max nodded mutely. "Who pushed me?"

"Kane did." He replied quietly, holding her gaze briefly before looking down again. "Crystal, if I could change it all, I would." Crystal was shocked to see tears in the older teen's eyes. "I never meant to hurt anyone… I just… it…" Max closed his eyes and shook his head. "Oh, it's all messed up." Before she could get another word out of him, he turned and ran.

"Honestly, I thought you had better taste than to talk to scumbags." Crystal turned sharply, meeting Tobias's gaze. He had his arms folded and was glaring after Max.

"It's not his fault." Anger flared in Tobias's eyes and settled in his features, startling her. Crystal mustered her courage and squared her shoulders stubbornly.

"You're sticking up for that little git?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Why? Look what he did to Alvie!"

"He didn't do that. He had all intentions of letting me go."

"It was his stupid friends that did this! I told him not to hang out with them and look what happened!"

"I know what happened! Of course I know what happened! This," She raised her arm, which was still in the sling, "Is a constant reminder! I can't get the image of him lying motionless and helpless in that bed out of my head! But I know for sure he wouldn't want you and Max tearing each other's throats out over this!" Tobias didn't respond; fuming as he reluctantly considered what she said. "Just talk to Max, please." Tobias made to protest. "Just do it for Alvie." His protest faded and his expression softened in desperation.

Sighing, Tobias gave a nod and stalked off after his brother.

Crystal looked up at the sky through the floor to ceiling windows, thinking about Alvie's heritage. Was that all true?

Miserably, Crystal offered up a silent prayer, wishing for Alvie's recovery and his brothers resolving their current predicament.

She just hoped someone was there to listen.

Is this OK? I've got a splitting headache and I can't think straight. Please review and let me know what you think!