Tick. Tick.

Rory stared at the clock watching the second hand circle slowly. By June, history class was so unbearably boring that time seemed to stop for an hour. Rory glanced out the window at the warm sun. Beautiful, fluffy clouds dotted the bright blue sky. The kind that makes one want to be able to fly. What a beautiful summer day.

Rory grimaced as he tore his gaze from teh window and looked around the room, impatiently waiting for break. Only forty minutes to go. And only ten more days until he was out of high school forever! Rory smiled at the thought. He was ending his years at McKinley with good grades, a first place Nationals show choir trophy and a perfect boyfriend! Rory stole a glance across the room at Sam.

Oh god, he is stunning. Rory thought. Sam's face was silhouetted by the sunlight streaming in through the window, making it look to Rory as if he was glowing. Rory studied Sam more, watching Sam's fingers twitch and fidget ever so slightly.

My boyfriend is just the cutest, sweetest thing on the planet. God bless America. Rory thought happily, staring at Sam, thinking of the way he would hold his hand or smile at him or laugh that gorgeous laugh.

Sam yawned slightly, twisting away from the desk, catching Rory's eye. Rory blushed in the embarrassment of being caught staring, but Sam just smiled at Rory before turning back to his desk.

Only thirty nine more minutes Rory thought tiredly as he turned back to his own paper. Just as his pencil touched the paper a loud bang – something that sounded all too much like a gunshot- was heard. Rory jumped visibly, dropping his pencil on the ground. Everyone's head snapped up at Mr. Roberts, looking for some kind of reassurance or clarification. Instead, Mr. Roberts stopped his lesson and went to the door, locking it up and closing the blinds on the window.

A rumble of discomfort swept over the room, and people began to talk amongst themselves. Was that a gunshot? Can't be a gun! I think that was a gun. Is it a shooting? Are you sure that's a gunshot? I hope not!

Mr. Roberts closed the last set of blinds as the intercom crackled.

Dr. Redfater, please come to the main office, Dr. Redfater.

Rory froze. That was the school's code for full lockdown- something was endangering their lives. They had had one lockdown drill before, where they practiced what to do in the case of a lockdown, and nobody took the drill seriously. People were taking and laughing and joking, but not this time. Everyone was dead silent as they made their way to one of the two 'safe places'- by the bookshelves or behind the heavy teacher's desk.

Another gunshot sounded, this time followed by multiple other shots and screams. Rory felt a warm hand slip into his own, squeezing gently, and Rory relaxed a bit; he knew without looking that it was Sam, but he looked anyway, just to make sure. He immediately felt comforted seeing the familiar green eyes, and Sam looked quite comforted seeing Rory as well. Sam led Rory to the desk and pulled him in close. Rory shuddered as Mr. Roberts flicked the lights off and the room descended into absolute silence. Rory leaned into Sam, resting in the crook of his neck and wrapping his hands around his waist. In response, Sam pulled Rory in even closer, draping his arm around Rory's shoulders, pressing a kiss into his hair.

For ten horrible minutes, they sat. They heard the screams and gunshots grew louder and louder, closer and closer. Thuds and crashes and bangs and screams and cries seeped through the walls. Sam buried his head into Rory's hair, trying to block the sounds out as they held each other, listening to the horrible sounds decrease. But things got a lot worse when they head their own doorknob jiggle. After a couple seconds, the doorknob fell still, but it wasn't over yet. Gunshots, louder than they ever were before, flew at the door. Mr. Roberts stood in front of the door, barricading the door in a final effort to protect his students.

A masked man bust into the room and the first bullet to fly was aimed at Mr. Roberts. Before any of the students could think, their teacher fell backwards, a red stain spreading across his chest. Rory turned to Sam, and the two looked each other in the eye. Sam pulled Rory in for a tender kiss that lasted about half a second before the classroom was thrown into utter panic.

The next thirty seconds were total chaos, a total blur. Bullets flew. People screamed. There was blood.

Somehow, Rory and Sam got seperated in the mob. Looking around for Sam, Rory tripped and got his foot trapped in a desk. Panicking, Rory shook his leg, but the desk held him fast. He was struggling when the masked man turned and looked straight at him. He brought the gun up and Rory cringed, terrified, waiting for the shot, knowing that he couldn't get away fast enough. He heard the shot, but he didn't feel the bullet.

In shock, he opened his eyes and saw Sam doubling over onto the floor, hands clasped over his side as the gunman left the room. Seconds later, quiet blanketed the room again, but the scene had completely changed. Classmates were checking wounds, some people were helping their friends, others were panicking slightly at the sight of unmoving bodies on the floor, but Rory had sights for only one person. He yanked his foot out of the desk, ignoring the blood and pain this action caused and bolted over to his boyfriend's side, tripping slightly over his feet in his hurry to get to Sam.

"Sam!" Rory said, reaching his hand out towards his friend.

"Sam? Sam! Please tell me you'll be alright." He whispered, sweeping Sam's blonde locks out of his face. But he saw Sam shake his head and lift his hand to reveal a bloody wound in his stomach. Rory gasped at the bloody mess that decorated Sam's torso. Rory tore his jacket off, slipping it under Sam's body in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding.

"Rory. It's no use…" Sam murmured.

"What are you talking about, Sam?" Rory said panicked, almost angrily. "Don't talk like that, you're going to get better! The doctors will be here soon!" He looked around the classroom desperately, wishing medics would just appear out of thin air, or maybe run into the room this very instant.

"Rory…think about it. The doctors aren't going to be here too soon, the crazy gunman is still here." Sam murmured. "Rory, I love you, but just have a feeling I'm not going to make it." His voice quavered a little as he gazed into Rory's eyes. "I think it's… my time." Rory's eyes widened and tears started streaming down his face.

"No. N-no. You can't leave me. Sam, no! I-I love you! Please…" he was almost begging, holding Sam's hand tightly. "No way! Please, this isn't how it was supposed to be… we were supposed to graduate together, marry, have kids, grow old together… I can't do that without you, Sam."

"Rory… my little leprechaun." Sam's smile was faint, but his eyes still had that twinkle that Rory loved. "I'm not leaving you, I'll be watching you as you do great things. You're going to be a famous singer or something, and you're going to find another guy, that someone else to love and grow old with."

"But… I want you, Sam." Rory pleaded.

"I want you, too, Rory. I love you. But that's not going to work anymore, you must see that." Sam's voice was getting fainter and quieter as he spoke. "You're going to do something great with your life, you're going to make a difference. Don't hold back, Rory. I took that bullet for you for a reason, make it count." Sam brought his hand up to Rory's cheek and Rory brought his head down for a soft kiss.

"To you… I'll give the world…" Sam sang softly, so softly Rory barely heard it. They looked at each other for a long moment. Rory drinking in Sam's beautiful eyes, his soft voice, his being for the last time. "To you… I'll… never be cold…" Sam trailed off, running out of energy and breath to sing.

Rory picked the song up, stroking Sam's hair with one hand and clutching Sam's hand with his other as Sam closed his eyes. "Cause I feel that when I'm with you, it's alright."

Rory brought Sam's hand up to his cheek and watched Sam's chest rise and lower slowly, thinking of all the comfort and happiness Sam had ever brought him.

"And I love you, I love you, I love you…like never before." Rory murmured.