Waking up the next morning, I felt the best I had in a long time. I don't remember falling asleep last night but I think I may have passed out with pleasure overload. I'll give Jay his due. The boy had stamina. I don't think there was a position last night that we didn't try.

I stretched my body out in the bed, waking up my muscles while feeling for Jay. A pleasant ache burned through my body making me blush at the memories the soreness conjured. 

Disappointment quickly filled me when I realised I was alone in my room.

Opening my eyes, I rubbed away the sleep and looked around my room for him. It was also empty and judging by the sun coming through the window it was round midday. I had slept most of the day away!

Something didn't feel right. Something felt off.

Reaching over I pressed my hand into the mattress at the opposite side of the bed. The spot was cold, meaning that Jay had been gone a while and I was alone.

I didn't like the feeling. Not because of a clingy, insecure way. But because ever since I met the guys, I have never been truly alone. There was always some with me. Someone nearby. A sound, a squeaky floorboard, talking. But now, there was nothing and the silence sent a icy shiver down my spine. My gut roiled, telling me something was definitely wrong.

Raising to my feet from the bed, I quickly headed over to my dresser and grabbed my dressing gown. I wasted no time throwing it on and heading out in to the living room.

The room was cold and dark as the drapes were still drawn. But worse than that, this room was also empty. Panic and worry began to fill me. Where was everyone?

Heading back into my room, I grabbed a pair of shorts out of my drawer and grabbed a shirt out of my closet. I began dressing on my way around my apartment. Hopping into my shorts and pulling the shirt over my head. I grabbed a hair tie from the bathroom and threw my wild red hair up into a messy bun rather than take the time to deal with it. I had the feeling that there wasn't going to be much time for anything. I didn't even check the mirror before heading out of the door and down the hall to Jay's apartment.

I knocked hard when I reached the door and waited. But there were no sounds coming from the other side of the door.

"Please just be taking a shower." I prayed aloud.

I tried the handle and the door gave way.

I walked into his empty living room before trying the bedroom. Nothing. The last room was the bathroom.

Pushing open the door, the scent of Jay washed over me, soothing my nerves but only a little. He had been in here this morning. Water still dripped from the shower and his clothes from yesterday were on the hamper but when I touched the pipes of the shower, they were long cold.

Sure that Jay wasn't here, I headed down to Connors apartment. My breathing now coming a little faster as I became more fearful and a feeling of foreboding washed over me. I will not panic yet. I told myself in a mantra. They're all just at Connor's making breakfast or lunch or whatever. Nothing has happened, I am just being paranoid.

I don't bother knocking on Connor's door, I just walked right in.

Relief washes over me when I see Connor sat with his back to me on the sofa. But his posture doesn't look right. He was slumped forward with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. His fingers buried deep in to his thick shaggy red hair. Gripping it tightly at the roots.

"Connor?" I asked tentatively.

Connor's back straightened at the sound of my voice but he didn't turn around. I didn't like this. I would give anything to see that smug smirk on his face right now but he was refusing to show me more than the back of his head.

Making my way around the couch, I knelt on the floor in front of him and tried to look in to his eyes but he still didn't look up.

"What's wrong?" I ask, trying to keep the panic out of my voice which was now becoming nearly impossible. He still didn't look up or make a sound.

"Please, you're scaring me." I place my hands on his wrists and guide his fingers out of his hair and away from his face. Thankfully he didn't fight me but I wish I had. The tear soaked, desolate look on his face nearly destroyed me in an instant.

I pulled my hands away from his as if he had burned me and dropped back onto my haunches. Air escaping me in a rush.

"Where's Jay and Blake?" I ask through gritted teeth. Too scared of the answer but needing it anyway.

He still didn't speak but pointed to the muted television instead.

The second I saw the headline flashing across the screen I felt sick. I knew what had happened in an instant and the world spun at the prospect of it all.

I grabbed the remote that Connor was no holding out to me and turned the volume up high. Ensuring that I didn't miss a single world.

The country is rejoicing this afternoon as the scientists at the ARC institute based in Alabama have made a huge break through this morning regarding a cure for the infected. They have refused to go into detail on how the cure was obtained as only yesterday they were appealing to the public for help. But I'm sure I speak for the whole world when I say, we don't care where the cure came from as long as it works. The ARC have said, further testing is still needed but they envision that they will be able to begin human testing by the end of the week. For the first time in over a week. The world can breath a little easier.

"Where's Blake?!" I shouted at Connor. Already knowing the answer but needing to hear it anyway. Connor looked crestfallen as he tried to get the words out but failed.

"What did he do?!" I pushed.

"He-he-he." Connor stuttered before a fresh cascade of tears fell down his face. My heart broke for him. At seeing his pain. I rose up from the floor and climbed into his lap, straddling his hips. In an instant, his arms banded around me and his head buried into my chest as he released loud and pain filled sobs.

"He's g-gone." Connor muffled into my chest a few minutes later.

"Where'd he go?" My patience now wearing thin.

Connor lifted his head from me and for the first time since I arrived, looked me right in the eye.

His eyes were red rimmed from crying and bags the size of suitcases hung from them. He looked as though he hadn't slept in days.

"It's ok-" I soothed, stroking his face. "Just start from the beginning." 

"When you left yesterday, Blake tried to talk us into stopping you from whatever you were planning. But we convinced him that one way or another you will find a way and it would be better if we helped you rather than hold you back." Guilt bubbled deep within me knowing that this was all my fault. "We threw about ideas on what to do, on how to get a cure to the ARC but we were coming up empty. That's when Blake suggested that we take the night to think on it and we will re-group in the morning and see what we came up with. He sent Jay up to check on you on the premise that he was worried you would sneak off and do something stupid."

I gulped and felt sick at the thought that Jay had been sent to be my babysitter.

"I should have known that was what he was planning to do instead." 

It dawned on me then. Blake had sent Jay out of the way so he could do what he was accusing me of. Sneaking away in the middle of the night. Blake had the cure pumping through his veins thanks to me and he was going to use it so I didn't have to.

"Why didn't you stop him!" I accused, not really meaning the harshness in my words. My guilt increased at the shame that crossed Connor's face.

"Because I didn't figure it out until Jay came back this morning. He'd poured us both a drink last night and he must have spiked it with one of his sedatives as ten minutes later I was out like a light. The next thing I remember is Jay shaking me awake this morning and Blake being gone."

"Where's Jay?" I asked with tears now streaming down my face.

His next words froze me to the core.

"He went after Blake."

He went after Blake. He went after Blake. He went after Blake!

Guilt was now eating away at my insides. This was all my fault. If I hadn't of tried to martyr myself, Blake wouldn't have felt the need to go take my place in order to keep me safe. And then Jay wouldn't have gone after them. The one idea I'd had to selfishly keep theses guys to myself had backfired massively and now not only had I lost two of them, I had potentially gotten them killed. If it wasn't for me, they would be sat here happily living their lives non the wiser of the destruction I had caused them. I couldn't let this happen.

Breaking myself of Connor's grip, I climbed out of his lap then leaned down, grabbing his sad handsome face in my hands. I stared deep into his stormy blue eyes and whispered my goodbye.

"I love you-" I kissed him with everything I had.

His face was stunned when I pulled away but before he could respond, I turned on my heal and headed for the door. It took him a second for his brain to catch up and within moments he was following me up the stairs back to my apartment.

With an eerie calmness, I pushed open my door and headed to the kitchen. I pulled open the utensils drawer and pulled out the biggest kitchen knife I owned. Grabbing the keys for Ed's car from the unit, I turned tail and headed out of my apartment.

Connor blocked my door. Worry etched deeply on his face when he saw the knife in my hand.

"Where are you going, Red?" He asked warily.

I decided the truth was the best thing to tell him right now. I couldn't hide what I was about to do, chances are, he already knows. It didn't matter. Nothing he could say would change my mind right now. My mind was set. I would not let Blake sacrifice himself for me.

"I'm going to get them back." I stated matter-of-factly

"Well, what are we waiting for then?" Connor said, surprising the hell out of me. And that's why I fucking love him!

Together, we headed down the stairs. Calling into his apartment to get his gun from his safe before leaving the building and crossing the road to Ed's car.

Connor took the keys out of my hand and opened the passenger door letting me climb in before closing it. He headed around the hood before climbing into the drivers seat.

Gripping the hand in my lap he pulled my attantion to him. A steely determination behind his eyes stealing my breath away.

"Are your sure you want to do this?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." Was all I said before he leaned over the console, giving me a chaste kiss then starting the engine. His head turned back to me.

"Oh and Red? I love you too."

And with that, he threw the car into gear and we headed to the ARC to rescue Blake and Jay together.

TO BE CONTINUED...

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