Bianca felt cold. It wasn't something she was use to. Her hands were shaking. She didn't try to stand because she already knew she'd fall over. Her breaths were coming in slowly, generated shock.

The hallway was silent, except for the hushed tones of Luke and a doctor. The harsh white light glinted off the tile floor. The calming green walls did little to help her relax. Just beyond that door was a dying man.

A dying hero.

Who would've thought? Octavian? A hero.

Luke whispered something to the doctor, who shook his head. Luke stared at him for a second and then his shoulders slumped forward. He stepped back and Bianca watched as he look up to the ceiling taking a deep breath. His neck was still red, a purple bruise was appearing on the left side. His wrist was wrapped with athletic tape, something about a sprain.

The Nurse said he was just lucky to be alive.

Bianca blinked back the tears that were starting to form behind her eyes. Her throat was thick, like she'd been trying to drink cement. She could feel the bandage on her cheek. The cut wouldn't even leave a mark, it didn't even really hurt anymore. They'd probably given her some pain killer.

Hades, They could've given her acid and she wouldn't have even noticed until she was a melted puddle of mortal.

One thought kept running through her head. One little thought.

Where was he?

Where was Ethan?

Luke sat down next to her on the complementary bench. His eyes were dark and glazed like he was a million miles away. The scar on his cheek stood out in the lighting. He stared at the door across from them, 214. Octavian's room.

Bianca could tell Luke was feeling like it should've been him.

"They don't know." Luke said quietly, his voice a little scratchy, like he was holding back tears himself, "They don't know anything." He knelt forward and pressed his hands to his forehead, "Octavian is going to have to fight if he wants even a slim chance of surviving. Ethan is no where to be found. My phone is about as helpful as this stupid decorative plant-" Luke nudged the stool the plant was sitting on and it wobbled almost falling over, "-They won't be able to get anyone on the freaking case until tomorrow morning which is...is..." Luke's voice wavered.

Bianca was shaking trying not to cry. She exhaled like she was choking.

Luke shook his head. "I don't know what to do." He whispered, "Every time...every time, I-I close my eyes...I s-see his..."

Bianca couldn't take it. She stood up and walked a couple paces away. She let a whimper escape between her lips. She pressed her palms against her eyes, trying to stop the tears, but she couldn't. They just kept coming.

Ethan. He had to be okay. He had to. She didn't know what to do if he wasn't. He was always there for her. He cared.She didn't care what he did in his past life. This was here and now.

The last thing she wanted to think about was him dying, alone somewhere. His dark eyes empty, unseeing, his skin paler than normal. With his glossy black hair swept to the side. She didn't want to think about his mouth being left open, his last breath being in pain or red staining across his chest bleeding through the green T-shirt he'd been wearing that afternoon. She never wanted him to be in pain.

Bianca didn't realize how hard she'd started crying. She was bawling. Her knees felt weak. Her voice echoed in the empty corridor. She didn't want him to die.

Anything but that.

Someone pulled her into a hug. She turn and fell into Luke. She couldn't see him, but it didn't really matter. She pressed her face on his shoulder.

"I-I can't..." She whimpered, "I can't lose him."

"You won't," Luke whispered, "You won't. We'll find him." He promised.

Instead of reassuring her it just made Bianca want to cry harder. Luke patted her on the back. Bianca cried into his shirt. The red fabric was already soaked.

"How do you know?" She asked.

Luke didn't answer at first. He sniffed. Then Bianca realized he was crying too. "I just do." He answered.

She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. Some time later she pulled away and wiped off her tears. Luke turned away and looked out the hall window. The sun had set hours ago and the stars were limited against the harsh lights of the hospital and the parking lot. Bianca swallowed hard.

"I'm kinda hungry." Luke mumbled.

Bianca sniffled, "...y-you smell l-like syrup, still."

Luke snorted. He might've tried to smile but failed, "We should get something to eat."

Bianca closed her eyes, "T-there was a vending machine around the corner. I think it had Poptarts in it."

"Strawberry or Brown Sugar?"

"Chocolate I think."

Luke let a small smile out "That's the only good thing that's happened all day." He patted his pockets searching for his wallet, and pulled it out, "That's....kinda pathetic."

There was a scuffling noise and someone cleared their throat, "Excuse me?"

Bianca and Luke looked behind them tensing, but Bianca relaxed a little. It was the waitress from the IHOP. She couldn't help but notice the girl's eyes were still a little puffy from crying. Her blond hair was down and she looked incredibly nervous.

"The...the guy who saved me..." She stuttered, "Is he...is he...?"

Luke looked at Bianca, "They..." He swallowed, "They don't know yet."

The girl brought her hands up to her mouth covering it. "It's all my fault!" She cried, "I didn't move fast enough! He-he....he jumped in front of me... and saved my life!"

"He's in room 214." Luke mumbled, "You're welcome to go in."

The girl looked grateful. She walked over to the door tentatively, like she was waiting for Luke to change his mind. She looked back at them, making eye contact with Bianca, "I'm so sorry."

"It wasn't your fault." Bianca told her, "He wanted to be a Hero."

The girl's eyes watered and she bit her lip to stop from crying. She turned and opened the door disappearing inside. The door closed with a gentle click.

Luke took a deep breath, "Soooo....Poptarts?" He offered.

Bianca gave him a half heart smile that didn't reach her eyes, "Sure."

"I'll be right back." He started walking towards the corner where the elevator and snack machines were.

Bianca glance back at Octavian's room's door. An icy feeling shivered down her spine.

"Wait!" She called to him, "I'm coming!"

***

Luke bought three packets of Poptarts. They both ate one each, but under a mutual understatement neither of them move to eat the last one. They didn't have to say it. They both just knew-the last one was for Ethan, when they found him.

Bianca tried not to think if they found him. It had to be when.

The hallway clock read 9 o'clock. Luke stifled a yawn. He had darkening bags under his eyes. Bianca picked up the Poptarts.

"We should stop by the apartment and get our clothes." She said

Luke nodded, he stretched, but he said, "That is a terrible idea. There's probably a nutcase with a gun standing right behind the door right now."

"Only one way to find out." Bianca walked towards the elevator, "I'm driving." She fingered the Poptarts like she was debating opening them, but she didn't. Instead she pressed the ground floor button and Luke didn't complain.

He looked so tired that he was about to drop and sleep right there in the elevator.

Bianca ended up filling out a page of paperwork before she could leave the Hospital. They gave her back her phone which Luke confiscated from her. Just in case that guy decided to call her now that Luke's was in the Police evidence locker.

The drive to their apartment was quiet. Neither of them talked and Bianca turned the radio off after Ethan's favorite song came on. He'd blare it from the boy's room whenever he was there and in the middle of a case. Most Often when Bianca was studying for her online school exams, in her room with the door open.

Luke fell asleep halfway there.

"Oh no." Bianca said. Luke shot awake like those were key words that meant "Immediate Danger".

She'd barely parked the car before both her and a newly awakened Luke, burst out running up to the forming crowd. Even though it was late, there was a decent sized crowd. The Police cars attracted a lot of attention.

"What the Hell happened?" Luke yelled shoving through the mass of people. The police perimeter officer tried to stop him then the Land Lord spotted them.

"Castellan! Di Angelo!" She called, "You're here!"

"What happened?" Bianca asked.

"It's horrible! Your entire place! Someone ransacked it!" Bianca felt her stomach drop as the woman continued, "One of the other tenets said they heard a lot of crashing and they called the Police to settle it. The entire apartment is wrecked! Mostly the boys stuff, but almost nothing is salvageable! Didn't you two have a third renter? Ethan right? Where is he?"