"Sully, he's gonna kill me," fear dominated his voice, causing his blue eyes to darken. "I know h-he is... I-I'm so scared." My gaze saddened.

"I feel scared for you too. I've never actually witnessed what he does to you, but judging by..." I trailed off as Alder's hand moved behind his back. "Alder. I-I love you," I said. "I do so much." He smiled, briefly.

"I do too... I want to say it so much to you. But I might never get to say it again." I placed my hand on his shoulder. He looked up. "If I never get to say it to you again, let me do this." He kissed me. He broke away. "Goodbye," he said, walking out of my door.

~~~

A few weeks passed and I was back in school. I hadn't gotten much sleep. I was dead worried. Alder hadn't shown up on the first day of school and that didn't help my worry. All throughout Transfiguration I couldn't concentrate without Alder. I saw all the couples, Benny and Oliver rubbing noses. Juan stopped me from leaving the common room, leaving just us two. I didn't feel like putting up with whatever he wanted right now. "You're worried about Alder, aren't you?" Juan asked. I gave him a sniff. He was sober.

"What makes you think that?" I asked, sadly and curtly.

"You seem off," he said. "You're usually biting back at me when I mention the rivalry."

"Oh..."

"I know what happened to him," he said, nonchalantly. I blinked.

"Really?" I asked, surprised. Juan nodded.

"While my mother and I were at a... muggle alcohol store, the owner mentioned something about a 'kid named Alner or something' at a muggle hospital, coughing up blood and bleeding from numerous wounds. I assumed by 'Alner' he meant Alder."

"A muggle hospital..?" Even though I wasn't sure if I could trust Juan, my voice cracked. He looked at me just as the tears began to fall. I was happy Alder was alive for the time being but also sad because I knew, his father had done that. His father had landed him in that hospital. Juan merely watched me sob.

"Woah! Are you okay?" Delayed reaction much? I turned away and walked to my bed in the dorm where I lay, sobbing loudly. I could hear Juan get up and leave. I lay there a while. Alder was in hospital. A MUGGLE hospital. What had his father DONE to him? But, how did Alder get to the hospital? His dad wouldn't have taken him.

~~~

I walked to this so-called 'hospital that Alder was supposedly in'. I was skeptical of Juan's truthfulness but I'd do anything to be with my boyfriend right now. I walked up to the receptionist. "Do you have an Alder Foley in your care?" I asked her. She checked her computer.

"There's an Alder Foley in room 312," she answered. I thanked her and walked to the room. I opened it and walked in. Alder appeared to be asleep. I walked closer.

"Who's there...?" A voice weakly asked. I looked around the room. There was no one in the room that the voice could've come from except...

"Sully Sense," I whispered in reply as to not scare the owner. Dull blue eyes were gazing up at me.

"S-Sully? Is that... you?" He asked.