Brian's hands shot out and grabbed his friend as he collapsed into his arms. His fingers found the open wrist and closed over it. "Jesus Christ!! Oh shit! Nick! Nick wake up!" He slapped the sides of his friend's face, noticing the blue tinge to his skin around his eyes and nose and lips. Nothing. He didn't even flinch.

"KEVIN!!! KEVIN!!!!!! SOMEBODY CALL 911. OH CHRIST SOMEONE GET HELP!!!"

His voice ripped through the hallway, the sheer terror in it rising everyone from their beds.

AJ was the first one out of his room, his door just past Brian's on the opposite side of the hall. His eyes took in the trail of blood in the hallway, the streak of it that was painted halfhazardly down the wall. Then his eyes fell upon Nick lying lifeless in Brian's arms, both of them covered in blood. His eyes widened as he nearly felt his knees give out beneath him.

He ran to where his friends lay and jumped over the two into Brian's room, grabbing a towel from the bathroom. By the time he had gotten back to them, Kevin's voice roared through the hallway. "Oh sweet Jesus!"

More doors opened as people spilled into the hallway. Kevin charged down the hallway and into Nick's room. He saw the trail of blood leading to the bathroom and saw the package of razorblades scattered on the floor and one lying away from the others, one of the edges tainted red. His eyes snapped to the half empty bottle of alcohol on the sink and he swore. How was this possible? Why hadn't he noticed? Why hadn't any of them noticed it had gotten this bad?

He ran to the phone that lay on one of the beds and picked it up, dialing the front desk. He quickly explained the situation and hung up before he got a reply.

She sat there in the hallway, unseen by anyone, watching for some sign that he would be ok. She crawled over on her weakened hands and knees and sat beside him and his friend. She didn't know what to do. She had assumed that once she had gotten him to the safety of his friend, that whatever force had brought her to him would send her back. Yet, here she was.

If she closed her eyes, she could feel the pillow behind her head, the scratchiness of the blankets around her, the comforting swish of the snow on her window. She felt as if she was stuck in a dream, yet this was no dream. He was bleeding right there by her feet and nothing was more real than that. Why am I stuck here? How do I get back to where I'm supposed to be?

She pondered the last question. If she was there, then it must be where she was supposed to be. But she had gotten him to help, she had stopped him before it was past the point of no return. Her hand reached out and touched the tips of his fingers, then slid forward until her hand was over his. The edges of his larger hand showing underneath her smaller one.

She went to slide her hand off of his, knowing he couldn't feel her anymore. But when she went to move her hand, his fingers curled between hers, moving so quickly, in a jerking fashion like a muscle spasm. To anyone else, it would look like he just curled his fingers uncontrollably, but she knew he had done it to keep her with him. He knew she was there.

Everyone was too stunned to do anything, they all stood silent and watching as Brian cried and tried to rouse his best friend, cradling the still blond head against his heart, begging him to wake up. AJ kept the towel clamped over his wrist, watching as it soaked through with blood.

Kevin ran over to them and lifted Nick into his arms, noticing how deathly pale he was. "AJ, get Brian together and follow me." He held the boy close and ran down the hallway to the service elevator. Howie was right on his heels and ran ahead to press button and hold the doors if need be.

She followed along with this tall, muscular man who was holding the man who in turn had a hold on her hand.

Kevin groaned in frustration, the service elevator was taking it's sweet time as his friend bled to death in his arms. With stream of curse words, he spun on his heel and kicked open the door to the stairs. His footsteps rang heavily in the emptiness as he descended flight after flight, going as fast as his feet would let him without falling. The footfalls of the others drummed a panicked percussion as they all followed him down, yet no one spoke, it was too much for them to comprehend all at once.

Kevin leaned closer to Nick, whispering in his ear, "You hang on, do you hear me? We can't take losing you, Nick. Please, just hang on."

She was still weak after what she had done to help Nick get to his friend, Brian. Now it seemed the speed at which this new man was going down the stairs was aimed at finishing her off. She finally jumped on top of Nick in this man's arms, knowing he couldn't feel her.

Kevin got them down to the back of the hotel, a line of people still going down the stairs behind him. Waiting for them was a an ambulance, gurney already out and at the ready. Kevin laid him down, feeling the stickiness of Nick's blood on the front of his shirt.