Ethan Nakamura's heart drummed loudly and quickly in his ears, he could barely hear his feet slapping against the cracked pavement as he ran. He tried to slow his breathing, to calm down, to do anything which would make his hands stop shaking long enough for him to shoot back.

He took a sharp corner and flattened himself against the wall as shots pierced where he had just been.

Panic rose in Ethan's throat in the form of bile but he forced himself to swallow. He took a deep breath and popped out long enough to fire twice before he ducked back hearing swearing in response.

He didn't stay still. He took off running again, around another corner. He needed to retreat and reorder his thoughts before he could try to come back. He hadn't been prepared for Luke to shoot at him.

No, that was a lie. He knew Luke had prepared to kill him, but he hadn't prepared himself to accept the fact. He had come ready to try to talk to Luke, to reason him. Because he didn't want to believe his best friend was too far gone.

Ethan swallowed as he rounded a corner quickly before he skidded to a stop seeing the dead end. He turned quickly to run back but he was too late.

He took a few involuntary steps backwards and in response Luke Castellan raised his gun.

Ethan's heart dropped at the action. He wanted to say something. To shout and say things didn't have to be that way. He wanted to scream and apologize for things never did wrong. He wanted to do something.

Something other than use the gun in his hand. Something other than shoot his best friend.

Ethan blinked backed the tears as he raised the gun to match the one level with his head. He hated how easily his body moved, how his hands had chosen now to stop shaking to ensure his shot was clear. He hated how much his instincts drove him despite his mind's refusal.

He hated it all. And he hated Luke for making him do this. No- he wasn't Luke... not anymore.

The thought rattled him. For so long he had told himself he could save Luke, that he could help somehow. But here and now with guns held to one another's head, Ethan finally understood. His friend had been gone for a long time.

In front of him stood Kronos, who would kill him if he didn't shoot first.

Ethan took a shaky yet steadying breath, his eyes on Kronos' fingers which danced about the trigger ready to fire if he saw Ethan twitch. Because one of them was going to die.

Ethan's emotions took over and he had to force himself not to laugh aloud at the thought, but he couldn't stop the smile on his face.

He heard Kronos mutter something in response, but Ethan ignored the sound. Instead he smiled wider as his finger tightened on the trigger.