The metalic taste of blood dripped on his lips, with his eyes covered by a dirty cloth. Jake felt his heart suddenly break at the thought of not keeping his promise to Caiden; the promise of being with him for as long as he wanted him, which Jake knew was forever.

He hadn't yet told him he loved him, and hadn't yet been able to touch him in more than just for the sake of lust. He could feel his legs and hands restrained by a thick rope.

He couldn't say he hadn't fantasized about being tied up and blindfolded, but it was in his room and with his boyfriend.

"You think he'll show?" he could hear a deep voice question, thick steps sounded as the voice paced the small area.

"Oh, he'll show, begging on his knees to let this little one go," another voice with a smirk laced in his tone responded. Voice two was confident and that caused Jake to roll his eyes, understanding immediately he was taken by Nick and Evan.

He wanted to speak, but his lips were shut with duct tape. Sounds and movement from the tattooed boy alerted the kidnappers. Voice one let out what should have been an evil laugh, but came out awkwardly, before undoing the blindfold.

"We didn't agree on that!" voice two spoke through gritted teeth.

Jake's expression was just short of annoyed with how predictable they must have been. His mind immediately went to Caiden, worrying that he would be panicking himself to death.

It had to have still been Saturday night, right?

What time was it?

Jake's phone was on a table to the left, which was far out of reach for him to grab. Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb were still arguing between themselves on whether unmasking the victim was the right thing to do. Jake let out a sigh, bored with this little misadventure he had fallen in to.

Jake managed to lick the tape off, removing the glue and letting it fall. Had they been paying attention, Evan and Nick would have noticed the boy had been playing with his fingers to try and open up the pathetic knots entangling him.

"Sorry to interrupt your brotherly quarrel, but may I know what day and time it is? I have some meds I have to take, and I don't think you wanna join little Theo in prison," Jake lied, though it must have worked, as their eyes widened in shock of what they had just heard.

"Also, why does it smell like sewer in here? You got an air freshener, maybe?"

Voice two, the confident one, composed himself with a smirk on his face, trying to sound more put together than he led on. Before he could defend the likes of the boy who had killed Mark, Jake continued.

"Yeah, I know your whole wanting to pin this murder on my boyfriend thing, but we're gonna drop that fake shit here, okay? Now, what time is it?"

Voice one took a deep breath, replying in a stutter, "I-i-it's one pm. Sunday."

"How the fuck did you manage to seduce Caiden, when you can't ignore this little boy's simple question?" Jake had noted that voice one was Nick, who had just questioned Evan.

Jake began to internally panic, though on the outside he was his bored self; thoughts swarmed through him, terrified of how Caiden had been feeling and holding up, or how Taylor was, knowing how easily she was ready to push her own thoughts and emotions aside to help others.

"Cool, so I should be dead in less than two hours," Jake shrugged, closing his eyes and focusing on sounds and smells around him. It couldn't have been too far from where he was. It seemed as if he had been drugged and hit hard, noting the blood, and that's why he hadn't woken up till much later than he usually would.

****

Fifteen hours and a helicopter ride later, Noah Lee had arrived to the lake house, his demeanor was poised and utterly composed. He held his head high, and looked straight ahead, as he knocked on the door towards the wooden cottage.

There were slow, heavy steps walking towards the front of the house, as Caiden, lifelessly, opened the door only to be met with his estranged father.

Noah would have usually excused himself at any sign of emotion, but at the sight of his son, he could feel his own heart tear. This wasn't like Caiden to be so broken, as he was like his dad; his emotions were shoved at all costs.

"Excuse me, please bring Caiden some water," Noah followed his son towards the living room, where the others sat. He spoke to anyone who had heard, and immediately Mike had gotten up to fulfill the request.

As Mike had returned, Caiden felt himself dishevel more and more into the ground beneath him. He hadn't had the single chance of looking into Jake's eyes and telling him how he was his entire universe and he wanted to spend every day until forever with him.

"Thank you," Noah said, before focusing on his son. Though, he couldn't truly talk at that very moment.

"Caiden, start from the beginning," he demanded, though the tone was more caring than his past conversations with his son.

Caiden sipped the water, slowly, taking a deep breath. His hands were shaking, and his body was weak and limp; it was as if he hadn't been fed in days.

"We don't have time to start from the beginning, Noah," Caiden's tone was vile and disrespectful, but Noah hadn't taken offense to it.

"Fine, then start with whatever I can help with," he nodded in understanding, removing his blazer, revealing his tight, white button down shirt he had worn for work the day before.

"My boyfriend might be killed by the same people who killed Mark," Caiden let himself go, throwing himself into his best friend's arms, as tears showered from his eyes down his cheeks.

Noah didn't have a single second to reply, as Caiden's phone beeped, indicating another text message from the kidnappers.

This time it was a video of Jake; his eyes red, his lips bleeding, and his legs and hands still tied back. He had been sitting on the floor tied to a pole in that space.

"I remember flowers and warehouses with little kids playing tag," Jake had a half smile on his face, speaking into the camera. While the curly haired lad was speaking, Caiden ran towards the bathroom, throwing up water and nothing else, as he had already let out everything earlier that morning.

Evan and Nick could be heard in the background of the video, arguing on whether the video was the smart thing to do, or if they should have sent another picture with a threat.

"A picture isn't cool, Nick," Evan was sick of his brother's demanding tone.

"Y'all are worried about being cool? Who taught you to be the bad guys? Disney wouldn't even hire you," Jake looked up, breaking up their brotherly war, once more.

"I think I know where they are," Taylor spoke up. She could recall a time where they would run further into the forest and there were several campsites with sheds; they would play tag and hide and seek with Ezra and Kyle. Until one day, Kyle touched a sunflower, which he was allergic to.

"You know where he is?!" Caiden sounded desperate and hopeful all at once, as he made his way back to the others.

"Yeah; it's not far from here. The issue is, we have to make sure we don't go into certain areas within that space, because there are bears and bobcats and they're not afraid to attack."

Noah nodded, devising a plan with Taylor on how they would rescue Jake.

****

The curly haired lad could feel his heart beating at a rapid pace, as the kidnappers began mixing up random alcoholic drinks, drinking away. He had hoped they had forgotten about him, as he was really not in the mood to visit a hospital, once again, and dying.

Once the video had been shot and sent, Jake knew it wouldn't take long for Taylor to pick up on his subtle hints. He was certain that they would find him that day, they just had to stay clear of the man hunting animals running about that deep into the woods.

"Give him some; I'm sure he wouldn't mind a drink, or two," Nick suggested, and Jake's eyes expanded in fear, closing his mouth tighter than he usually would.

Evan complied, pouring some of the concoction into a plastic cup, placing it by Jake's mouth. Jake shook his head, denying a single drop of the liquor to enter his lips.

"Force it," Nick ordered and Evan nodded, obliging.

Evan used his free hand to open the closed mouth, but was instantly bitten by the tattooed boy. The kidnapper slapped Jake, before opening his lips, once more, and spilling in what was in the plastic cup.

Instinctively, Jake spit what had been poured into his mouth at the boy kneeling before him. He could feel himself slowly slipping into the darkness, once he had unwillingly swallowed the smallest of drops from the drink he had been forced upon.

Evan looked angry, and was ready to attack, when his phone went off; it was a collect call from Theo. Nick had his brother put the call on speaker, so he, too, could join in.

Had they forgotten about their hostage?

The conversation had consisted of Theo wondering when he would be set free and if the boy had signed the papers, yet. It was then that Nick let it slip that it had been a set up and they never had his fingerprints on any knife. Theo was angry and dismissive, hanging up the call on the two kidnappers.

It had taken some time, but Jake finally was able to release his right hand from the knotted rope. Recalling he still had the little gadget in his pant pocket, the curly haired boy reached into his pocket, clicking the device; his thought process was smart and simple. When the others were near, Caiden would be the first to know it.

He kept his finger on the button, as his eyes were forced shut, and his heart had stopped beating regularly.

****

"It's been four hours, Tay; where is he?" Caiden was losing his mind, searching with Noah, Taylor, and Ava, as the others were split into teams of three or four, as well.

"I'm just as worried as you are, Caiden." Taylor was out of tears, out of words, and out of thoughts. She was ready to slowly give up, when she heard a strange sound coming from the raven haired boy walking beside her.

"Caiden, this isn't the time," Noah's look of amusement was very apparent, as the pink haired girl had spoken.

"I think he's close," Caiden shrugged them off, feeling a familiar sensation fill him. "Remember the little thing he stole, Va? I'm pretty sure he's using it so we can find him."

Another hour and a half of looking through the area they were meant to be in passed, and the group was able to find the shed which the boy had been in. Noah had them halt in place before entering, as he had called his friend in the military and someone he had known as a cop. They were already awaiting instructions, as they followed the lot of friends, breaking down the door of the small garage.

"Put your hands up and get on your knees!" One of the cops ordered the kidnappers; the two were still drinking away, unaware of the unconscious boy in the room.

Once apprehending the brothers, Caiden's eyes landed on the boy on the floor, his eyes closed and his body limp. The raven haired boy called out for the paramedics to check for the curly haired lad's heartbeat, but was left panting and crying tears of blood, as he was told he would be rushed to the ER.

After insisting without backing down, the paramedics had agreed that Caiden could sit in the back with Jake, as they headed to the nearest hospital. Taylor smelled alcohol on the boy's breath and could feel deja vu reoccurring.

"Sir, since you need to check the tracker, we will be going to that hospital," Paramedic person number one spoke into his phone; he was definitely speaking to Noah, but Caiden wasn't sure what he had meant by that.

It was when they arrived at the hospital that Caiden was sure he had lost his mind for good; laying on a bed near the one Jake had been in was someone he had lost years go.

Mark Lee was alive.

Or, at least that's what the beeping sound from his vital machine had shown.