~Pete's POV~

Ryan and Tyler had just returned with their backpacks full of food and supplies. I stayed on the floor with Patrick while the others that were awake, minus Frank, hurried over to see the haul.

"Fuck yes! Nutter butters!" Spencer exclaimed, pulling a shiny red wrapper from one of the bags, "Oh it's been too long..."

"I remembered someone had mentioned them last stop." Ryan laughed, pulling different snacks and foods out of his bag. They were emptying everything on the empty bed. It looked like it had been a good day, because the crinkling of wrappers was loud enough to make Patrick lift his head tiredly.

"Are they back?.." He yawned, rubbing his eye.

I smiled and put my hand on his back, "yea, 'Trick. Sleep good?"

"Decent enough." He mumbled, rising to his feet. I frowned, holding out my arms. He rolled his eyes and pulled me to my feet, the blue glow of our touch completely bathing us.

Ever since escaping, our glow wasn't just centered on where we touched. It over took all of us. None of us could really explain it. Ryan's "soulmates" theory was the closest we could get to an answer, but even that was just a theory.

I followed Patrick to the bed of snacks and we began looking through it ourselves. Lots of candy and energy bars...Not that I'd ever complain. Some fruit flavored drinks and a couple apples...

"Who got the request for the red bull?" Josh asked, turning the can gentily in his hand.

"That was Frank." Ryan said, passing Brendon a twix bar.

I looked at Frank. He was looking down at his lap. He didn't even react to his name. He had just been so numb since we left that place...Only Gerard really got through to him...

"Josh, let me see the can." Patrick spoke up next to me. Josh nodded, passing the can to Patrick. Patrick smiled and walked over to the bed in front of Frank. "Frank?.." Patrick spoke softly, "We got your drink." He set the drink in Frank's lap. Frank looked up just slightly as Patrick's hand pulled away. Patrick smiled. Frank gave a slight nod and grabbed up the can to open it.

"That's more of a response than the rest of us can get..." Brendon said quietly.

"Don't start..." Ryan spoke under his breath.

Patrick came back up beside me and grabbed a bag of skittles. "I'm going back over there..." He said softly, letting his hand slip through mine. Our glow was visible for just a moment before he went to go sit back down.

"Pete." I looked at Ryan and he nodded towards the door. He walked over to open it and I followed. He shut the door behind me.

"How's Patrick?" He asked.

I sighed. "Patrick is alright..."

"I know you're lying." Ryan crossed his arms.

"You said you'd stay out of my head, Ross."

"I don't need to get in your head. I can see it on your face." Ryan shot back at me. He was quiet for a moment before he spoke again, "If you'd just try to convince him to let me see if I can help..."

"No!" I shook my head, "He's too freaked out by what happened a month ago. He doesn't want anyone, even you, in his head..."

Ryan nodded, "I get it...I really just want to help with his nightmares... I had to help Brendon so many nights after it first happened..."

"I know...thanks anyway, Ry."

Ryan gave me a small smile before opening the door to go back inside. Ryan had been rebuilding his abilities and was almost back to how he was before we lost him. He helped the others with any nightmares or memories that had been buried by that place.

Patrick refused help. He was terrified of the mere thought of anyone in his head. I couldn't blame him, but I wished he would let help in...

---

~Patrick's POV~

I was in the chair by the window with Pete sitting sleepily next to me. I had volunteered to be the night scout while everyone slept. I had spent much of the day sleeping, so I was wide awake now.

The only ones awake right now were Gerard, Pete, possibly Frank, and I. Gerard was singing soothingly to Frank while sitting next to him.

Pete was on the floor in front of me, holding my foot as he began to doze. His head leaned against my leg and his breathing was slow.

"Pete..." I tapped his head lightly, making him jump just a bit. I giggled and leaned down to kiss his head, "Go to lay down..."

"I am sleeping..." He mumbled nuzzling closer to my leg.

I rolled my eyes, "You'd be more comfortable laying down."

"I'm most comfortable when I'm with you..." He mumbled sleepily.

I smiled and stopped arguing with him. We hadn't really separated since we had gotten out of that...place. Only a couple scouting missions where either he or I went out with someone else. I found more comfort when he was next to me, however. I felt safer...and more in control.

I glanced out the window for whatever threat could be coming for us. With our names and 'crimes' continuously splattered all over the news, it was just a matter of time...

I shook off the thought and looked back around the room. All the food from today's scouting had been placed back in the backpacks, which rested just by the first bed...Just in case.

I focused on one of the bags and breathed slowly. The lid of backpack slowly flipped over. I focused longer and willed the drawstring to come undone. I felt a small smile tug at my lips as the bag opened and a candy bar began to float up out of it.

"Come to papa..." I said lowly, willing it towards me.

My second gift had been one of the only good things to come from that hell...Other than Pete...and my new family.

The candy bar was just in front of me when I heard a screeching outside. I jumped and the candy fell onto Pete's head, causing him to stir slightly.

"What was that?" Gerard asked, stopping his singing to look over at the window. Frank, somehow knowingly, sat up beside him with a tired look in his eye.

I looked out the blinds, but couldn't see anything. I blinked my eyes and let my yellow filter cover them. I hadn't used them since that place...They felt tainted now because of it...But I knew I'd have to use them eventually.

It was a good thing I chose this moment.

I saw men in all black beginning to come closer to the room. I gasped and jumped out of the chair, accidentally kicking Pete and bringing him back to consciousness.

"Whass?" He was trying to blink sleep out of his eyes.

"They're here." I said simply, looking between Pete and the two on the bed.

Their eyes widened in understanding. Frank's breathing began to quicken as Gerard jumped off the bed to start waking the others. I ran over to the bags of food, quickly resealing the one I had opened. I threw one at Pete, who was scrambling to his feet, while I strapped the other to my own shoulders.

"We need out, now!" Gerard hissed lowly as Ryan shook Brendon awake.

"Josh!" Ryan called out to our strongman, "Back wall. We need a new door, please."

Josh grinned, "My pleasure." He hurried into the bathroom at the back of our hotel room.

"C'mere, babe, I've gotchya." Gerard hurried back over to the bed and lifted the shaking dark haired boy into his arms. He turned to the main group as I looked back out the window. The men were getting closer. I felt a fear I hadn't felt since that place rise inside of me.

"They're closing." I said, gripping the straps of the bag on my shoulder tightly.

"We have a door!" Josh exclaimed, running back into the room with his chest rapidly rising and falling.

Josh grabbed Tyler's hand and pulled him into the room. The rest of us followed suit. First Gerard carrying Frank, followed by Spencer, then Brendon and Ryan, then Pete tugging my hand. I was chasing after him, lead by our glow, when the glass window of our room shattered by something being thrown through it. A gas began to fill the room, following us as we ran into the bathroom where Josh had made a hole for us to get through in the shower.

I coughed as some of the gas found its way into my lungs as Pete scrambled through the hole. He quickly turned back to take my hand and pull me through. I hurried through it, still coughing at the foreign substance that was filling my lungs. I finally made it through and hurried to follow Pete's lead. I felt myself growing dizzy the more we ran.

Something was wrong. I knew this feeling. Something in that gas was drugged...or was it all of it?..how'd that work?..

"C'mon, 'Trick, just a bit further!" I could hear Pete encouraging me. His voice and hand pulling me forward were the only things keeping me going. The drugged feeling was getting worse, making me feel slowed and sluggish...But I had to keep up with Pete...

"Patrick, I won't loose you the same way they took me!" Pete's voice sounded like a scream, but it was faint in my ears. I felt myself stumbling, trying desperately to keep running.

I suddenly felt my legs get swept up from underneath me. I was in someone's arms as they ran, gasping for breath. Pete?..

I didn't know, because the next thing I knew, everything had faded to black.