Recap:

"I know you're not evil because..." Jeff started. "Because I don't hate you at all. In fact..."

You leaned back as he closed in the space separating your faces.

"I love you, (y/n)," he whispered. "I truly do."

And with that, both of your fates were sealed.

-+-

The morning sun was always cruel on your skin.

"Hey!" Jeff called as you sat up, stretching your arms.

"Good morning," you mumbled.

"Sleep alright?" he asked.

You nodded and picked your knees off the ground. The grass tickled your leg like happy sunflowers. Your surroundings radiated a harsh light. Feet firmly planted, you glanced at the boy walking down the hill towards you.

"Good," he sighed. "'Cause I think we need to pack up."

"Yeah," you mumbled. "Best not to stay in one spot, I guess..."

Jeff eyed you as he pulled up his sleeves. "You're still not feeling okay," he declared.

You looked away for a moment.

"How many times do I have to say it?" he asked. "How may times do I have to say that you are the most perfect and innocent thing that ever walked this earth?"

You took a deep breath as you shifted the cream hoodie on your torso, almost pricking your finger on the tip of the syringe.

"It's kind of hard to believe a statement like that," you said. "Especially since I've committed a crime greater than-"

"No," Jeff interrupted. "You're just tricking yourself, (y/n)."

"Why do you even stay with me?" you asked. "I might get you killed in the end."

It was true. If Smiley was after your life, it would likely effect Jeff too. Considering that Smiley already made a grudge against him prevalent, you didn't doubt that Jeff's life almost depended on yours.

"That's not true," he said.

"You know nothing about me," you mumbled.

He shouldn't remember you. You didn't even remember you. You both were in the dark about the past.

He shook his head as he said, "Actually, I-"

"Silly (y/n), always asking questions and such," a strange voice rang out.

You jerked your head in the direction of the trees and clung to Jeff's shirt. He did the same.

A white, long jacket moved in the breeze. Underneath it was a man capable of murder. He was so red, you almost felt the need to shield your eyes.

Smiley laughed.

"You two really are cute," he sighed. "If only it was meant to be... See, that would have been a story worth telling."

You glared at him.

"You almost killed me again, you sick bastard," Jeff growled.

His grip on your arm got slightly tighter, making you more secure. Maybe he really did care about you. But was he putting you first?

"That's a bit ironic, but," the doctor chuckled, "this isn't my fault."

He was right. It wasn't his fault. If he had a grudge, it was something someone else did to him.

"It's mine, isn't it?" you questioned with an angry tone. "I cut the string, didn't I?"

Smiley laughed harder than he ever had.

"No, (y/n). There's nothing you could have done to change any of this," he said.

"But-!"

"This is all his fault," he declared, pointing his finger at the boy hanging onto you. "That monster right there is the one that caused you all this pain, not me."

His wide eyes soared directly into your feeble, little soul.

You shook your head and looked up at Jeff. He stared straight at the killer with an infuriated look in his eyes. His hair blew back and forth, simply adding intensity to his glare.

"I'm gonna kill you! I'm gonna rip your head off!" Smiley mocked. "Don't you remember saying that, Jeff?"

You started to breathe heavy air.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot," he continued, laughing. "You don't remember much about that. My mistake."

His grin crossed the line.

"I know what you're doing," Jeff called. "I know exactly what you're trying to pull."

The doctor retaliated, "Well, I'm certain that you also know it would be a stupid move on your part if you spoiled it."

"Maybe I'm done with this," Jeff said.

"But you wouldn't say it, would you?" Smiley asked. "You wouldn't want to cause any more harm, right?"

You wished to be one with the trees. At least they didn't affect one another. They carried their burdens on their own.

"What's he talking about?" you asked innocently. "What aren't you guys telling me?"

Smiley chuckled with a smirk.

"Everything," he said.

"Why aren't you killing us?" Jeff asked. "Why are you here if you don't mean any harm?"

"I came to warn you," Smiley said, "about Blair."

That can't be right. He joined forces with her. Well, he was on her side, but maybe she kicked him off the team for the lack of motivation. He didn't really help her at the graveyard.

"She's coming, isn't she?" you asked.

The doctor grinned as he shook his head.

"It's worse than that," he muttered. "Your life's about to fall into the depths of hell."

You pitied the broken, faded, red rose trying to stand straight out of the ground.

"Good luck crawling out."

Only a moment later, the sick doctor was gone.

Jeff glanced down at you.

"Do you trust me, (y/n)?" he asked.

Why would he ask that? What's was he planning? Didn't he know that you were willing to follow his lead? Wouldn't he have realized by now that you didn't doubt him at all?

"Of course," you replied. "Why?"

He sighed, "Because I know what we have to do."

That can't be good. His plans never actually meant escape. They always ended with you getting caught or hurt.

"What if it doesn't work again?" you questioned.

He looked away.

"Oh, this will. Without a doubt," he said. "We just have to go to the cliff."

It's a reckoning he calls for.

And it'll be the death of you.