Last chapter and last time writing for this account :') Over the last couple of months I've kinda slipped further away from this fandom and I don't feel right writing these stories anymore but I wanted to finish this because of the support everyone gave me. I couldn't let ye down. So I hope you find this a fitting end to the story. I'm going to apologise in advance. (Also sorry if there's minor continuity issues, it's so long since I've written this story. I re-read it but just in case I missed something, sorry)

Thank you all sincerely from the bottom of my heart. 3

Joe cut the ignition and the soft purr of the engine fell silent. They'd tried ringing Lauren, Julia and Joey's phones and had been surprised when Joey picked up. He'd left the girls apartment not long after Joe and Brian but for some reason that only made Joe panic more. It was just Julia and Lauren on their own. At least they'd managed to persuade Joey not to follow them instead insisting that he checked in to make sure everyone else was ok. He'd eventually accepted. There was no point dragging another person into danger, especially when the police were no longer a reassurance to fall back on. They'd no one to trust and Joe felt overwhelmingly alone as he removed his hands from the wheel.

A soft misty rain had begun to fall casting an eerie haze above the lake. The note had lead them here, to the storage units on the West bank but as Joe's eyes scanned the empty lot, his heart sank. What if they were too late? What if…? It seemed to be the only question going around in his head. The sound of the car door opening alerted him and he quickly climbed out after Brian. Aside from the phone call the car ride had been mostly silent. Joe knew better than anyone that you can't force someone to talk , when they're ready they'll come to you - so he'd left Brian to his thoughts.

For months Joe had endured the countless, "It'll be ok" promises. But no one can know that for sure. Perhaps there is nothing you can say that will make things any easier.

They walked down between the rows of storage units, their footsteps sounding agonizingly loud as they kept their senses on high alert. Brian suddenly came to a halt, causing Joe to stumble clumsily into him,

"This is the one. 443."

Joe's gaze shifted up to the faint white number, printed on the metal unit,

"It's locked," he stated bluntly, "shit."

Brian was staring at the unit through narrowed eyes,

"This is our storage unit," he said suddenly, "The Starkid one. Nick and I came down here 2 summers ago to rent it for props."

"Do you have a key?" Joe asked, now starting to get impatient.

Brian pulled a set of keys from his pocket and using his phone, shone a light on the metal mass,

"I don't know, it could be one of these. Try this one,"

Joe took the key and with shaking hands tried to insert it into the lock. The clang of metal reverberated around them, assuring Joe that their entrance was not going to be a surprise,

"It doesn't fit," he hissed, frustrated.

Brian grabbed the keys and picked another one, this time stepping in front of Joe to try the lock himself. The key slid into place and Joe watched as it turned effortlessly this time, with a satisfying click. H released a relieved sigh. They were in.

Together, they pulled the grated metal across. Brian felt along the wall until he found a switch and a single bulb illuminated the space. Joe's throat constricted as his eyes fell on a single chair in the centre of the room. A figure was slumped over on its wooden frame, her limp body supported by rope and her blond hair shielding their face,

Joe looked at Brian but he seemed equally as perplexed,

"Who is…." Brian dared to question as they shuffled closer.

Joe bent down to get a look at her face and found himself staring at the woman in shock. He'd dreamed of seeing this face again for months: of getting revenge… because she was the one he held responsible for everything that had happened. And she was dead? It didn't make sense,

"Kate," he said quietly,

"Fuck, this is bad," Brian mumbled, looking around in panic, "I mean, if she's dead, then how the fuck do we expect them to show any mercy towards us? Why kill HER?"

"I'm afraid that's personal. But, not all relationships work out, right?" a deep voice spoke from behind them.

Joe and Brian swivelled around to see a tall man leaning against the door frame, a cigarette perched habitually between his fingers,

"Marcus," he introduced, "I believe you met my son the last time you chose to play superhero. Except by all accounts, it sounds like you ended up playing the sidekick while your 5ft girlfriend delivered the fatal blow."

Despite Marcus's calm demeanour, an excited energy seemed to radiate off him. He enjoyed seeing them squirm,

"Where is she?" Joe growled, struggling to control his emotions as well as Marcus. While he'd never met Marcus before, what he'd heard of him from Lauren had sparked an immediate loathing.

Marcus only smiling slightly before continuing, completely ignoring Joe's question,

"I'm a very fair person," he reasoned, flicking the cigarette to the ground and stamping his boot down over it just a little too hard, "I believe that what comes around goes around."

"Then you'll see sense in me putting a bullet through your head," Brian spat, "a life for a life."

Marcus chuckled, "well, maybe next time you won't stick your nose in where its not welcome. I asked my men to do whatever needs be to get your attention, it's not my fault if they took that as an invitation to open fire."

"You're sick," Brian snarled,

"Some might call it ambition. I'm not afraid to go after what I want. I won't let people walk all over me."

The intensity of Marcus's gaze seemed to penetrate through them as he stepped closer. A tense silence separated them for a moment,

"I'm presuming you're not here alone," Joe said calmly.

As if on cue, the sound of approaching footsteps identified itself to Joe's ears and a moment later two burly men appeared and stood behind Marcus, who now looked positively bored,

Joe was growing increasingly agitated,

"Cut the crap," Joe spat, "What do you want?"

"I haven't really made up my mind yet," Marcus mused, "I could just take Lauren back, she was just starting to get used to the place."

"Not. Going. To. Happen."

"I'm the one in control here," Marcus reminded Joe sharply,

"You don't want to kill her?" Brian asked hesitantly,

"Death means nothing. Helplessness is much worse. Which is why I have an offer…"

Joe felt his mouth go dry. Why was he hopeful, what was he expecting, a fair deal? One of the "henchmen" for lack of a better word, passed a small gun into Marcus's hands and behind him Joe felt his chest tighten as a third accomplice appeared, shoving Lauren and Julia ahead of him,

"Lo," the name escaped Joe's lips in barely a whisper as their eyes met.

Marcus turned to Julia,

"Pick one, Joe… or Lauren?"

Julia froze and looked him horrified, "why?" she stuttered,

"That's up to you, now choose."

Julia's eyes moved from Lauren to Joe. She'd been friends with Joe for years and she loved him ... but Lauren was like her sister, her other half. Life without Lauren hadn't been a life… She was also acutely aware that for Lauren and Joe, life without each other wasn't a life. There was no victory to be had here,

"Joe," the word was barely audible but it was out before she could change her mind.

She froze as she realised what she'd just done and felt an overwhelming weight descend upon her. What had she done? Marcus turned his attention away from her and nodded to one of his men. A gun was loaded and Joe suddenly found himself grabbed from both sides and forced to his knees. Lauren screamed out in anguish as she launched herself at Marcus trying to swipe the gun from him, her eyes blazing. But strong arms had soon wound themselves around her waist as she was lifted back.

Brian too had been dragged to the side, leaving Joe in direct firing range. He looked at Lauren who was fighting to run to him, but to no avail. He could see her mouth moving, shouting words at him, but fear had blocked out sound completely.

All he could see was the pain that was etched into her face. As long as it was him and not her,

"I love you Lo," he said, his voice catching.

He closed his eyes, not wanting Lauren to see the life leaving his eyes. The seconds seemed to pass by in slow motion until finally a gunshot rang out, followed by a dull thud as a body hit the floor. But it wasn't Joe's and when he opened his eyes he saw Lauren's still form in front of him. Marcus looked mildly astonished as he stepped forward his gaze slowly rising from Lauren to Joe,

"Believe it or not, she got the better deal," he said slowly and deliberately, "The guilt will destroy you."

A soaked cloth covered Joe's mouth and he felt Lauren's name on his lips as a curtain of darkness consumed him. If this is what death felt like, it was easier.

Joe opened his eyes groggily and heard someone sobbing softly. A few feet to his left he saw Brian coming around. His head was pounding as he tried to retrieve the memories of how he'd come to be in this position. For a minute there was nothing and then it all came crashing back to him like a tidal wave ready to cause destruction,

"Lo."

He scrambled up, his stomach twisting as the sight of her small body greeted him. Her head was resting on Julia's, her blood pooling around her. Julia lifted her head and stared up at him. She looked worn and exhausted,

"She's really gone this time," she croaked.

"Marcus?"

She shook her head and Joe felt rage flare inside of him. However his rage quickly dwindled into despair then guilt and torment as he sat staring at Lauren's body. He couldn't will himself to go any closer. The memory of that day in the morgue, now over a year ago, flashed across his mind. He'd thought it couldn't get any worse. How naïve he'd been.

Joe placed the lily at the foot of the headstone and stepped back, shoving his hands into his pockets and refusing to let the tears win,

"I feel like I'm losing more and more of her every day," Brian said suddenly, staring at Meredith's neatly engraved name on the gravestone next to Lauren's,

"I'm… I'm scared that one day I'll just lose her completely. I woke up last night crying because I couldn't remember her lucky number. I lay awake for hours, trying to remember and then around half six I remembered, it was 13."

Joe didn't answer, listening as Brian continued, this time more softly,

"I'm terrified that someday, I'll be left with nothing."

2 years. That's how long it had been since they'd lost the loves of their lives. At the beginning Joe had visited the graveyard everyday but as time passed it became every week. Now he was lucky if he could will himself to go once a month. It was too painful.

It's a weird place, the graveyard and he was always confused as to why people felt close to their deceased friends or relatives there. For him, it just felt cold and empty. Everything about the place was deprived of life; the grey colour of the headstones, the decaying wreaths and the cold remains of people whose souls have long since vacated their bodies.

At the beginning he'd wondered why he was allowed live, why they'd all been allowed live. But now he understood Marcus's words. Sometimes death is the kinder option. Everyone felt the pain of losing Lauren and Meredith but for Brian and Joe that agony was amplified a million times over.

Julia lived with her choice everyday.

Joey lived with the guilt of leaving the girls apartment minutes before they were taken.

All of them endured the constant reminder of their absence... but for Brian and Joe, they'd lost a part of themselves,

"Do you ever wish you could just join them?" Joe asked gently.

"Yeah, but I know Mere would go crazy. She'd want me to live, for the both of us. So that's what I try to do… I just really suck at it. But maybe someday, I'll get better… we both will."

"Well… someday is not today."

"No," Brian agreed, "it's not."

That's it guys, thanks for all ye're support x