Tyler woke up the next morning due to his alarm going off. He had forgotten to turn it off and once he was awake he couldn't fall back asleep. He was too upset.

At around 7:45 his dad came into his room. "Hey, bud," he sighed. "Ya still mad at me?"

Tyler didn't respond.

Chris sighed and walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge of it. "'M worried about leavin' ya here alone but I gotta get my hours in at work—"

"You have your fuckin' hours you're never home," Tyler scoffed.

"Watch your mouth," Chris replied before continuing. "Anyway I feel uneasy leavin' ya here so 'm givin' ya this."

Tyler turned so he could see what his dad was offering him. He recognized that it was a police radio.

"If somethin' happens ya just press this button 'nd speak inta this. Ya ain't gotta say no fancy code or nothin' 'm lettin' the station know ya have one of these so they know what's goin' on. Ya can hear any issues with this too so if there's somethin' happenin' nearby ya can do what ya need ta do."

Tyler accepted the item and kept it next to him. "Got it," he sighed.

"Tyler please don' hate me," Chris said and Tyler heard his voice crack. "You're all I got, bud. That's why we're movin'. If I lose ya I don' know what the hell I'd do. Ya saw how Debbie 'nd Greg were after Jenna 'nd they've for four other children outta the house. They got each other too. It's jus' me 'nd ya, Ty. It always has been."

Tyler felt tears gather in his eyes. He was tired of crying but he was so hurt by the situation. "I love him so much, Dad," he sobbed out, putting his head in his hands. "I love Josh with my whole heart. He loves me too. He makes me feel safe. I trust him wholeheartedly and he makes me feel normal. It hurts to love him as much as I do. I can't leave him."

His dad looked torn. He wanted Tyler to be happy but knew he couldn't risk anything. "I'm sorry," Chris began crying as well. "I'm so sorry, Tyler."

"Me too," Tyler's lip wobbled. "Me too."

He felt Chris pull him in for a hug and he cried in his dad's arms just like he did with Josh last night. This felt different though. Last night felt like a goodbye. This felt comforting. His dad was right. They did only have each other.

The broke the hug and Chris pressed a kiss to Tyler's forehead. "I gotta get goin'. I love ya."

"I love you too," Tyler whispered, watching his dad leave and shut the door.

As soon as he heard his dad start the car and drive away he began crying again. Why him?

Tyler laid back down and let the tears run down his face, not even bothering to wipe them away since they'd just keep on falling anyway. He let his mind wander and analyze the situation over and over. Was it because he liked boys? Was this the universe getting back at him for being a fag? Did he deserve this?

Tyler decided the answer was yes. If he wasn't gay he probably never would have been targeted by Frank or Gerard and he'd probably be dating Jenna and she wouldn't be dead because he would have protected her. He'd no doubt still be living in Scarlettesville.

But he wouldn't have gotten to know Josh like he has either...

Tyler truly believed Josh was his soulmate. He felt like they were destined to be together. How could they not be? They brought the best out in each other.

All of his thoughts began to contradict one another and it made his brain hurt. He was exhausted from being at Josh's until early in the morning so he closed his eyes in an attempt to escape from reality for a little bit.

---

It was around eight at night before anything relatively interesting happened.

Tyler had woken up around one and he spent the day watching TV, sleeping some more, and eating. He had just finished dinner and was laying in his bed, bored out of his mind. His dad had texted him at least once an hour to make sure he was fine but other than that it had been a pretty lonely day.

Josh had texted him after school to see how he was doing and Tyler replied. He asked Josh if he wanted to come over because Tyler wasn't technically leaving the house but Josh hadn't responded. Tyler started to get a little worried but he brushed it off. Josh was probably just dealing with shit at home or hanging out with his friends and couldn't get to his phone.

However, Tyler's theory was proved wrong. He was in the middle of watching a show on his laptop when the police radio cracked next to him. It had been silent all day so when it began making noise Tyler jumped, forgetting it was there.

He paused his show and grabbed the radio, listening intently. "10-62 at 1472 Kingston St. 10-62 at 1472 Kingston St. do ya copy?"

Tyler froze, his breath hitching.

He didn't know many police codes but he knew that one. Breaking and entering in progress.

He also knew that address very well.

It was Josh's.

Panic filled his whole body. He didn't know what to do. Obviously police would show up eventually to stop it but Tyler couldn't just wait around helplessly. He didn't know what he could do or what showing up at Josh's house would accomplish but he knew he had to be there. He had to make sure Josh was okay.

He quickly got his shoes and coat on before grabbing his phone and hurrying out of the house. He began running to Josh's house hoping it would cut the 15 minute walk down to less then ten minutes.

Yet, the brunette only made it about a block before he had to stop and catch his breath. He had started out at a sprint and that choice was quickly catching up with him. He kept speed walking towards his destination, hoping he could get there in time.

The thing was, Tyler was so concerned with Josh being okay that he didn't even hear the figure approaching him from behind.

And he obviously didn't know he was going to get struck on the head by whatever object until everything went black.