The red emergency light that spread above the door lit up. Doctors crowded around an hospital bed as it rolled into the emergency room.

"Um," Misty pulled one of the doctors aside, her voice was showing panic, "Is Serena going to be okay?"

The man in white shook his head, "We can not make any promises. The bullet pierced near her chest area, she is currently in a fatal state. But we will do our best."

And with that, he vanished into the room.

Misty clenched her teeth as the door slid close in front of her. The girls all stood in suspense. The sound of the ticking clock was the only audible source in the vacant waiting room. She took a glimpse at Ash, who sat on the bench by the side. She sighed irately.

How did things end up like this?

The moment Silver was announced dead, The Demons retreated immediately. Everyone was in the middle of commemorating their victory when Ash suddenly appeared with an unconscious Serena in his arms. His face was emotionless, and his eyes looked as if he was detached from this world.

The girls immediately rushed the honey blond girl to a hospital on the island. No matter what they asked to the raven haired boy, he would ignore them and stared into the distance.

Misty had thought of beating him up real hard, for her best friend was on the verge of dying and it was probably somehow related to him. But she decided not to. She was going to save the punch for when Serena wakes up.

"Misty," the orange haired girl felt a hand rested on her shoulder. She twirled around to see May smiling at her with confidence, "I'm sure Serena will be okay!"

"That's right," Iris and Dawn agreed, "She'll definitely be alright, so let's face her with a smile when she wakes up."

"Thanks," she flashed them a grin. Their words made Misty feel a bit better. She's grateful to have friends like that. The orange haired girl turned to Ash. He had his elbow rested on his thighs and his pupils were like an black void. Misty shook her head.

"Listen up," she jabbed a finger to his forehead. "I know you're probably hiding in your own little world right now, so I'm going to say this loud and clear. Don't hide from reality, face it head on! If your past is stopping you from moving on, then let go of it."

"That's right," Dawn agreed, "If you're not going to come out of that world of your, we'll have to drag you out!"

"Come back to reality Ash," May crossed her arms, "this isn't like you."

"Exactly!" Iris puffed out her cheeks, "get a hold of yourself already! We solve problems together, that's what friends are for!"

The raven haired boy only continued to stare into the distance, his mind drifted further and further away from reality.

The girls all sighed in unison and turned their attention back the the emergency room.

Serena's going to be okay... Right?

-----

When Ash opened his eyes, he could no longer see the world as a whole. Ash blinked in confusion. He was trapped in a small black cube, surrounded by nothing but darkness, making the only visible thing the screen that levitated in front of him.

Ash could see that a hospital hallway was displayed on the screen. Misty, May, Dawn, and Iris stood in front of the emergency room, all with a worried expression on their face.

He saw Misty walk up to him and jabbed a finger in his face. Ash wanted to say something, but his voice wasn't there. He watched as Misty moved her mouth, but he couldn't hear anything. Dawn walked up to him as well, then May, then Iris, but all the sound was muted.

The raven boy smiled bitterly. He had shut himself down to the point where he literally escaped reality. That's really pitiful.

Suddenly, the scene switched to a rainy setting. Rain drops splattered onto the ground of a dark alleyway. Ash could make out three figures that stood across from each other.

His eyes widened. He didn't want to remember. No matter how long it has been, it all seemed like yesterday.

The day of Silver's betrayal.

The raven boy wanted to look away, but he was forced by some strange gravity to continue to stare at the screen. He watched in horror as the same scene from eight years ago replayed on the screen.

Giovanni pointed a gun to Silver.

Ash aimed a gun to Giovanni.

Giovanni explained everything to him.

Ash shifted the aim to Silver.

He pulled the trigger, causing the bullet to go through Silver's stomach.

He shot Giovanni's eye.

They ran away.

The only thing that remained was Ash, Silver, and a puddle of blood under them.

Ash wanted to scream.

The scene was played over and over again and he couldn't take his eyes off the screen. It was like he was forced to face his own past.

Each time the 8-years old Ash pulled the trigger, he felt like a needle has been stabbed into his heart. Sinking to the floor, he pulled his legs tight against his body, hoping this would all be over soon. He wanted to cry, but no tears came. He could only sit there, watching the horrifying scene replay itself numerous of times.

Suddenly, the screen blacked out, leaving everything in darkness. Ash exhaled in relieve, for he thought it finally ended. But his relieved thoughts were immediately replaced by more despair when a different person appeared on the screen.

Serena Yvonne.

Ash's lips quivered and his body started trembling uncontrollably. With shaky hands, he frantically reached out to the screen, towards the honey haired girl. But just before his hand reached her, Serena suddenly slumped to the ground, her ocean blue eyes now icy cold. Her hair sprawled all around her head, and her clothes were tainted with the deep red colour of blood.

The raven haired boy shivered as a puddle of blood leaked under them. Tears rolled down his cheeks once more as he bent over, pounding the ground with his fist. From the corner of the screen he saw Silver clenching his stomach, tears streaming down his eyes. Silver was crying?

Why?

But Ash didn't think it mattered anymore. He watched hopelessly as Serena's body dissolved into mid-air. Everything was over. He didn't want Serena to get dragged into his mess, yet he was the reason this all happened to her.

Serena was a bit different from all the others Ash had met. Sweet, caring, kind were only some of the words that can describe her. But most importantly, she made him feel different. Whenever he was with her, his heart always starts racing and his stomach felt twisted. It was something he had never felt before.

But now he might never be able to feel that way ever again.

The raven haired boy slumped down against the wall in somewhat an aloof way. His eyes, now dull and lifeless, stared at the scene as it replayed itself for the 10th time. He flinched slightly as Serena got stroke by the bullet, but no movements other than that.

Ash had long given up on getting back into reality, for there was no longer any meanings for him to go back.

Everything was a game anyways.

After taking one last glimpse at the honey haired girl on the screen, Ash closed his eyes and smiled half heartedly.

Game over.

-----

Misty and the others paced from one side of the waiting room to the other. It's been 30 minutes since Serena has been pushed into the emergency room. Nothing has happened ever since. Ash was still acting like his soul has parted from his body, and the clock was still ticking.

Suddenly, the door slid open, revealing a doctor in a white lab coat. Misty hurried to him with a worried look expressed on her face. The man shook his head. She gulped nervously before looking at him.

"What's happening with Serena?"

The doctor sighed as he lowed his head.

"The patient has lost a lot of blood. She have a special type of blood that this hospital doesn't have a hold of. I'm sorry."

Misty took a step back in shock. Her hands trembled violently as tears filled her eyes. She couldn't believe this. She won't believe this.

"W-what do you mean?" She stammered, hoping that this was all a joke. The doctor bowed down to her.

"I'm sorry. Unless we could get that type of blood," he paused for moment in hesitation.

"She won't last very long."

-

[edited]

Sorry for the late update, again!

The wifi for my house was cut out for like 2 weeks ∑(ﾟДﾟ)

Anyways, as you can probably tell, this fanfiction is ending soon... After a few more chapters or so. I'll try to post another chapter or two this week, IF writers block doesn't stop me lol

BTW THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR SUPPORTING THIS FANFICTION FOR SO LONG I CANT SAYT THIS ENOUGH TYSM <3

~Lori ☆〜（ゝ。∂）