I'm just about to end my recount when someone appears in the room. I'm on my feet even before I know what I'm doing.

A weird contraption is strapped to her waist, and it helps her to walk now, apparently. Her red hair is still wild and untameable, and Blake's arm is around her waist just in case she falls.

I almost run towards her, but then remember that Blake is a betrayer.

"What are you doing here?" I almost spit at him, but somehow manage to hold it together.

"I..." Blake stammers, but Chance stops me from getting to my feet and driving my fist into his face.

"He's on our side," he gently rubs the pad of his thumb over my knuckles, and I sag backwards into him, having been sick and tired of this drama.

Chance soothingly runs his hands up and down my arms, before kissing the side of my head and turning to Athena and Blake, who are statues currently.

"They're back," Athena breaks out into a wide grin, turning back to Blake, "they're back!"

"I'm aware," Blake smiles lovingly at her, and I have to turn my head away because I don't want to ruin their moment by being a third wheel.

"What's your plan?" Emily drawls boredly.

"We actually wanted to take Edit down today with the video again, and then search the globe for Chance's precious Amber," Xavier replies, wiggling his eyebrows at Chance, who tightens his arms around me even as he scoffs.

"That's one great plan, Xavier," Emily shoots back sarcastically, and Dakota sends a glare her way.

"Like you have something better," Dakota retorts.

"I do, actually," Emily smirks amusedly, "and remember, Kota, we're on the same side."

"I didn't say we weren't," Dakota rolls her eyes, moving to Xavier's side and snuggling closer to him. He immediately responds, his features relaxing slightly and his arm wrapping itself around Dakota securely.

"Whatever. So we have the drafts," Emily points to the side of the room, at the drafts who are murmuring softly to themselves. I have to force myself to look away quickly before I throw up.

"And you're going to show them to the public?" The man with graying hair, who I now know as Frank, scrunches up his brows.

"No," Emily shakes her head, and I cock my head, "I'm intending to show the creator of Edit what he's done."

"You mean the inheritor. He didn't create it." Frank points out.

I feel a sarcastic remark coming, but thankfully Emily respectfully murmurs a "yeah".

"So? He may see it, and then—" Chance raises an eyebrow.

"I plan to convince him to shut Edit down. I don't think he's as evil or whatever as we think. He was forced to start Edit." Emily leans forward.

"You're going to do it alone?" Dakota concernedly speaks up.

"No, silly," Emily rolls her eyes, and Xavier immediately interrupts.

"Dakota's not going."

"I am. We've had this conversation before, Xave. Edit plays a significant role in my life, more than anything else." She fights, before her face softens for just a moment. "I'm not that broken girl anymore."

After Edit, who is?

Life has that very interesting way of pushing you so hard that the only way is to become stronger. Everyone's like "oh, it'll be fine, you just need to hold on tight", but if you don't don't work or move or do something, you're never going to go anywhere, and that's the harsh reality of the world.

So that's how we become warriors. Not through training or battles, but through the undefeatable challenges in life.

"I know, but—" Dakota slaps her hand over his mouth.

"I'm going." She repeats, before turning back to Emily. "Continue."

Xavier lets out a groan of defeat, before leaning his head on Dakota's.

"We should go, but I think we should go through the plan in detail first." Emily stands up, and nods at Frank.

The duo moves to a corner of the room, along with the other strangers who've been listening in.

Chance nuzzles my neck, and I smile in content. It's in these little moments of life in which I finally feel safe and loved, and all my insecurities are thrown into the dump.

I know it's not going to last forever, and fear suddenly creeps its way into my heart.

What if I die? Will Chance move on? What will happen to the world? Will Edit finally fall?

It sucks that the only answer to those questions are "I don't know".

"Don't think so much, it's creepy." Chance mumbles softly, and I laugh.

"In what way, may I know?"

"It feels like you aren't exactly Amber anymore, isn't this really depressed, alone, weak Amber that I don't really know." Chance shrugs against my back.

"But that's a part of all of us, isn't it?"

Chance sighs deeply. "I think we have a choice in that. You can choose to be optimistic about the whole situation, or be this really pessimistic and dark creature that nature tells you you are. You know it better than me, baby girl, that life is about discovering the different possibilities, the 'what if's."

"I'm scared, Chance," I admit, my cheeks heating up. "I'm scared of dying."

"Why should you be?"

"I don't know," I reply, suddenly feeling absolutely stupid.

"It's good to have things you don't know," Chance says, and I can practically hear the smirk in his voice, "then you have more things to uncover."

"It ends in tradegy, Chance," I look away.

"Not always," he uses the pad of his thumb to stroke my waist.

"It's not like that—" I'm silenced when my mom slaps me across the face, white-hot pain and dizzyness the only things I comprehend.

"You are not allowed to go see him ever again," she threatens when I collapse, sobbing. "It's for your own good, Amber. There's something strange about his family, and being too close to Chance won't do you any good."

"He's my friend!" I scream, shooting up as my mother vanishes into the kitchen, returning with an ice pack and placing it on the table before walking away.

I pick up the cold bag, and place it against my already-swelling cheek.

No one ever listens to me. It feels like I'm this nobody, just another figure in black and white, walking through a colorful cityscape.

I close my eyes as the tears threaten to spill over my eyelashes.

Why can't I ever be with the people I want to, be who I want to?

I think I know now. It's because society is going to judge us for what we do, and how that looks for them.

And just then Emily walks back, and motions for all of us to get up. I climb to my aching feet, slip my hand into Chance's, and prepare myself to walk into the battlefield...

One that I may not emerge out of.

*

"He's near," Dakota whispers to us, and Chance tightens his hold on my hand. I close my eyes, hope for the best, and press a kiss to Chance's lips for a quick moment.

Emily signals for us to advance, and my heartbeat speeds up.

I'm actually doing this.

As we walk out from behind a wall, Xavier's father looks surprisingly calm, his eyes calculating.

"Robert," Emily gives him a fake, sarcastic smile.

"Emily," his lips twist into a greasy, phony grin.

"Call Security and have them killed," Robert says with an eerie calm, his eyes sweeping over our group and landing on me.

"Hello, Miss Evans," and yet again, chills run up my spine.

Then someone grabs me from behind, making me scream.

It's not Chance. It's definitely not anyone I know.

It's someone who wants to kill me.

His touch is cold and slimy and creepy, and sends goosebumps up my arms.

Like a switch has been flicked off, I kick back on instinct, I manage to free the person's grasp slightly. Chance, who's fighting off someone else, spots me and we exchange a glance temporarily before a sharp pain blasts in my thigh and I fall to my knees, my breath coming out in one large whoosh.

I attempt to get back on my feet, thrusting my elbow back sharply to hit the person. My attacker staggers back, and I spin around in time to kick him, but it goes over his head and he tackles me to the ground.

My back hits the floor with a crack, and pain shoots through me, as fast and sharp as a lighting bolt. My vision goes black at the edges, but I force myself to get up.

Emily's shouting, screaming at Robert, showing him the drafts, what a terrible, stupid person he is, showing him the drafts. She's fighting against others, too.

I'm brought back into the present when something smashes into the side of my head, and I start choking when I'm slammed against a wall.

"Such an idiot," the man scowls, "for believing you could go against Edit."

Robert walks up to me, laughing, as I am let go of and slump to the ground.

He bends down. In a panic, I realize that I'm the only one left conscious.

Chance. Oh sparks. What happened to Chance? Is he alive? Is he dead?

"Stop it," I manage to choke out. "Let go of Edit."

"I will," he breaks out in a smile.

"But we shall perish together."

Dedicated to wwwdotgoogle , BurningFlame123 and dillychong       for just being themselves. You guys have no idea how many things I've done that were inspired by you guys. Also shout-outs to all the people who've voted and read Edit. You guys mean so much to me.

Song attached is City Lights by Bridgit Mendler—one of my favourite songs currently.

I'm so sorry for not updating for so long...there's been so much going on lately.

The next update will be the Epilogue, and you guys shall find out what happened to Amber...;)

Much love,
-NeverEverGiveUp-