~Patrick's POV~

"It was never Ryan?.." Pete shook his head in disbelief, "but... The spark in Brendon's eye..." His red glow was just slightly apparent as he spoke.

"If they're bothering to make a copy, he must still be alive..." Josh trailed off while looking at the floor. He looked back up, scanning over all of us. "Right?.." He added quietly.

I looked back at Frank. He was holding his knees to his chest and just looking down at the bed. I tapped his leg and he looked up at me with red eyes from his silent tears.

"Frank? Is there anything else you saw before the link was cut?" I asked him softly.

Frank shook his head. "It... It was someone Ryan introduced to the group." He said, his voice scraggly from its lack of use.

Phil looked up from where he had been sat against the wall, reading. "You said copies?" He asked. He covered his mouth when Frank nodded in confirmation.

"What is it?" Josh asked. Tyler held his waist tightly.

Phil looked torn to speak. However, he finally moved his hand away from his mouth. "I think I know who took your friends..." He spoke softly, with just a hint of shame behind his words. "What was his name?"

Frank's eyes darted back and forth as if he was searching for the answer in his brain.

"Was it Dan?" Phil asked almost silently.

Frank's eyes widened. He looked over at Phil and nodded vigorously.

"I was afraid so..." Phil whispered.

"Why?" Pete questioned, his energy's glow growing with his confusion anger. "Who's Dan?"

Phil looked down at his hands. He let out a shakey laugh before looking back up. "He was an old friend..."

~Brendon's POV~

I woke up with a gasp. I shot up into a sitting position and tried to move my arm so I could push myself up, but I was met by restraint. I looked down and saw chains wrapped around my arms.

"FUCK!" I yelled, tugging at the chains.

"Temper, temper..." I looked around the room at the sound of that british accent. I was in a large wearhouse type of room, with a row of metal cylinders running down it.

"Where are you!" I yelled out, looking around the room.

I heard laughter before Dan stepped out from around one of the large cylinders. He leaned against it and just smirked at me. "They treated you much too hospitable at that old facility..."

I tugged harder against my chains. "You're one of us! Why the hell are you doing this?"

Dan shrugged. "Can't beat 'em, join 'em." He said simply, "I certainly don't want to be locked in chains or frozen in one of these." He tapped the cylinder he was leaning against.

Frozen...

"Spencer..." I suddenly realized that he had been standing on the side of the room with Dan and... That thing.

"Oh, inside man." Dan continued casually, "Got real buddy buddy with you, but we knew he could never replace our finest prize..."

"Where's Gerard?!" I questioned, afraid of where Dan was going with this.

"Fine for the time being." Dan waved away my concern, "It's rude to interrupt a story, Brendon." He smirked again. "Didn't you want to know where Ryan was? Because Spencer locked him in that icy prison himself. He's better off with his powers than you'd think!"

"You son of a-"

"INTERRUPTING, BRENDON." Dan boomed. He sighed as I flinched back slightly. "What did I tell you about it?" He calmed remarkably. He nodded towards the containment cylinder he was leaning against. "Shush. Our copy groomed you to places like this, just for this reunion. I know you want to see him, Brendon."

I was silent. I didn't want to show anymore fear than what I had already shown... But I was afraid.

"Call off the chains." Dan said to no one that I could see. I felt my restraints loosen.

"I'll kill you." I said, shakily.

"I'd like to see you try." Dan taunted.

I tugged at the chains, and my arms slipped right through them. I pushed myself to my feet and ran at Dan. I took a deep breath before letting out an ear shattering screech. Dan didn't so much as flinch before he disappeared.

It wasn't Dan at all.

It was just another copy.

I screamed in frustration, stopping just outside of the container his copy had been standing by. What now?

My answer came with a rustic creaking sound. I looked at the metal contraption next to me and saw steam shooting out as a large door began to pull away from the main tube. I took a hesitant step back as it slowly opened. I stepped forward only when a cold, chilling mist began to spill out. The door had moved away so that I could see what exactly was inside. I had to wave the mist away with my hand before the dark brown hair began to come into view...

"Oh no." I shook my head, waving away more of the cold. "No, no no!"

I grabbed the still figure and pulled him out of the freezing cold. I got him just past the door, when he let out a loud gasp and began to shake.

I held the violently shivering boy in my arms. His skin was tinted blue and I almost couldn't hold onto him as bad as he was shaking.

"Ry, Ry...Hey ba-aby it's okay..." I tried to comfort him.

He shook his head, "N-n-no-oh. B-b-brendon... Th-the guys i-it was with wo-orked for th-e-e-em..." He could barely speak through his shivering.

"They left awhile ago, it's okay." I shook my head. So the ones that had helped us break out were really ones that were still trying to hurt us...

"Th-they s-s-saved me then too-ook me here..." He began to trail off as his eyes fluttered closed. I shook him in my arms.

"HEY! Don't do that. No, no, no. Ryan you are going to be fine."

His head shook again, his eyes fluttering. He weakly began to try and lift his arm up.

"Don't you fucking dare." I threatened him, watching his hand go back down with my words, "Not again. I can't do that again."

Ryan's face leaned into my chest as he continued shaking. He was so cold...

"I'm sorry..." His voice was barely audible. Not just from his slipping grip on life, but from hiding his face in my chest. "I jus...s... Wanted you...hap...py..."

"But I'm happy with you in my memories." I laughed with tears running from my eyes, "I was fucking miserable before you, Ryro..."

He just shook in response. I held him tightly. He wasn't coming back this time...They didn't need our trust this time... I wasn't ready for him to die in my arms again.

"L-l-lov-ve..." Ryan looked up at me with a weak smile.

"Not as much as I love you." I choked back a sob, trying to smile for him. A full bodied shake ran through him. He gasped in air.

"S-so fuc-c-cking cold..."

"I'm trying to warm you up, you'll be okay...I love you so much..." More tears fell as I held him tighter. I knew he knew I was lying...But what was I supposed to say?..

"Do-o-ont be s-sad..." He weakly gripped my shirt with his shaking fingers. His eyes were nearly closed as he held it.

I leaned my head against his. I couldn't compose comforting words to speak to him. This is all I could think to do...

"I know..." He breathed. His grip was slipping...

It's okay, baby... I love you...

His voice now echoed through my mind. A soft cry escaped my lips. He was so cold... He was so close to leaving me again...

Don't ever stop staying alive... For me... Please

"Baby, I promise..." I choked out, crying harder as I held him. One arm held him, while the other ran fingers though his dark hair. I filled my thoughts with happy memories with him... Whether that was really me or Ryan, I didn't know... But I didn't really care either.

I felt his grip slipping from where he clutched my shirt. I could only hold him, letting the memories continue to flow through my mind. I couldn't stand him leaving without some kind of slight happiness...

You've given me all the happiness I could ever ask for...

And with that, his hand slipped. He was gone.

He was gone and this time he wouldn't come back...

---
A/N~ yaaay update

Also IM SORRY RYRO I actually had this idea since the first book, but I still feel bad for my precious smol

I'm gunna try & be a better updater thou...prepare yourselves **evil laughter**

~Skittles Out~