Ethan’s heart was pounding in his throat. He white-knuckled the steering wheel, taking turns like he was a trained stunt driver, which he certainly was not. On two occasions, Ethan felt the cheap rental lift up on its wheels and slam back down as he took a corner. He only pressed on the gas harder. He threw glances at the map displayed on Rod’s phone, making sure to never lose the blue dot that signified his phone. He was so fucking happy he dropped his phone in the bus, because the Find my Phone app was now leading him directly to Crow. He had left a copy of the app on Frankie’s phone so that he could give it to the cops when they showed up. For Ethan though, they were taking too long. He grabbed the keys to the car and took off, the group protesting behind him but Ethan peeling out of the parking lot anyway. There was no way he was going to let this happen. He was not going to lose Crow.

The roads started getting more serpentine as they climbed in altitude. The bus had gotten a head start, but Ethan was now only a mile behind it. He stepped on the gas, passing around a lone car that had ventured out onto the roads this late at night. Ethan saw the man flash his headlights at Ethan as he sped past, but there was nothing he could do except say a sorry out loud and continue speeding.

“There you are.”

The bus was just ahead of him. The rental’s headlights lit up the back of the all-black tour bus. It was driving fast, but slowing down now that the roads were much more treacherous. Ethan matched the speed, tailing as close behind the bus as he could.

Fuck. What do I do now?

He had to get the bus to pull over. He had no idea who was even behind the wheel, but he needed to see if he could yell some sense at them. He sped up and pulled into the other lane, making sure there were no oncoming cars. The road started to curve in half a mile, so he didn’t have much time.

He matched the bus’s speed and looked across, shocked to see Angela in the driver’s seat. She looked strangely calm for someone hijacking a tour bus. It took her a second to see Ethan. He lowered his window in hopes of yelling for her to stop. She flipped him off and sped up the bus. The curve was coming. Ethan had to pull back. There could have been another car turning that corner and neither would ever see each other coming until they crashed headfirst.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Ethan said. He made a split second decision. He gripped the steering wheel tight and pressed down on the gas. The car shook and the engine groaned as it accelerated. A shitty car was still faster than a huge bus. He managed to cut in front of Angela just before the turn hit. A car came around the bend right then, its headlights almost blinding Ethan. His blood pressure was through the fucking roof, his pupils were probably the size of quarters; he was sure of it, his doctor instincts kicking in.

Being in front of Angela gave Ethan some control. He slowed the car down, hoping that he would force Angela to do the same. There was no way she could switch lanes anymore. The roads were too narrow and curving way too frequently. She would tip the bus right over the edge.

She started inching to the left. That bitch was going to risk it.

“Fuck,” Ethan sped back up again. That’s when he looked in his rearview mirror and saw Crow for the first time. He was sitting in the passenger seat, fear painted across his face, his hands tied behind him. It made Ethan want to stop the bus with his damn fist, Superman style. He was filled with powerful adrenaline. It coursed through him. Fueling him. His senses were sharp and his reflexes quick.

He knew he had to do it. There was a wide bank of bushes to his right where the mountains opened up onto a valley. He significantly slowed down, almost braking, but not stopping so that he wouldn’t get rear-ended. Angela spotted it and did exactly what Ethan thought she would do. She swerved the bus to the right, away from the edge and into the bank of bushes. They weren’t going as fast as earlier and so the bus managed to come to a stop in a huge cloud of dust and dirt, bushes trampled flat in its wake. Ethan pulled over onto the dirt, the car bumping along the bushes as he raced to where the bus had stopped.

He pulled up and practically fell out of the car. His first instinct was to vomit, but he held it back and straightened up. There was no way he was showing an inch of weakness. He had to stay strong. For Crow.

He hurried around to the door of the bus, but before he got there, he heard it hiss open. He turned the corner and saw Angela holding up Crow, a knife pushed against his throat.

Ethan swallowed back the fear. He stuck his hands out, as if he had bumped into a rabid dog. “Calm down. No one needs to get hurt, Angela.”

“Oh please, Ethan. You’re a smart cookie, you know how this has to end. I’ve already been hurt enough. It’s your turn.”

Crow’s eyes were wide with dread. It made Ethan feel like that knife was pressed against his throat, like it had already cut through. It was pain. Pure and simple. He felt physical pain at seeing Crow in such a state. This was his worst nightmare personified. He didn’t think the world could be this cruel. Could take two loves away from him.

No. No. It’s still not over.

The look in Crow’s eyes made him want to fight until his very last breath. He was going to get them out of this alive.

“Fine,” Ethan said, taking a step forward. Angela took three steps back. The cops were on there way, but Ethan felt like he had to finish this before they even showed up. He was scared that Angela would end it all at the sight of flashing red and blue lights. She lost it. The thread that tethered her to humanity was snapped. Ethan wasn’t sure when it happened, but he could tell in her eyes. “Take me.”

“No,” Crow managed to get out. Ethan could see a scarlet ribbon form across his throat.

Angela didn’t seem as put off by the idea. Ethan saw it in her eyes. A weakness. He needed to work at it. “Take me. I’m the one that fucked it up for you, wasn’t I? I stole your man, accused you of being a psycho. I’m the one you want to hurt.”

Crow was shaking his head as much as the knife would let him. Crow’s hands were free but it was clear there wasn’t much he could do with a throat ready to slice off his Adam’s apple. There was no way he could fight his way out of this. Ethan needed to get in there. He had to swap places. If the cops did get there and Angela was willing to end it all, he wanted to be the one that was in her grips, not Crow.

And for a moment, Ethan thought his plan was working. She smiled and shook her head. “No.” With a chuckle, she moved back a few more steps. “Although, you’re right, you are the one I want to hurt.” Her grin was maniacal. “And I know exactly how to do it.”

She raised the knife. The blade reflected the moonlight in a morbid display of beauty. Ethan had seconds to react. He jumped the distance between them, using all the force in his legs, and outstretched his arms. By doing so, he was able to push back on Angela’s shoulders, knocking all three of them down toward the ground. He used a free hand to push Crow to the side, away from the sharp blade.

It was exactly what Ethan wanted to happen. He also knew what would happen next. With Angela still holding onto the knife and all three falling, Ethan was exposed. He felt the searing icy-hot pain first before he realized it had actually happened. Angela, who was laying on the floor with Ethan on top of her, was looking up with glee as she blew a kiss and pushed the knife deeper into Ethan’s back.

Ethan cried out as the pain intensified.

“Ethan!” Crow cried out. He was on his feet. Ethan could see him from the side of his eyes, except they were beginning to cloud over from the pain. Angela gave a twist. Ethan had to fight back. He grabbed her by the throat and tried to squeeze, but the pain in his shoulder was unbearable. Angela pulled the knife out. Ethan gave another scream as the blade exited flesh, blood flowing down his side. He knew what was coming next. He tried to roll over but couldn’t get enough strength in his arm to manage it. Angela was going to plunge the knife right down Ethan’s neck and end it all.

“Fuck you!” Crow cried. He grabbed Angela’s wrist and yanked it back, the sound of snaps soon following. Angela’s face contorted with pain. The knife dropped to the ground as she writhed on the ground, her knees coming up to hit Ethan. He managed to roll off of her then, feeling the grass underneath his back. He looked up at the night sky. Police sirens started echoing through the mountains. They were getting close now.

“Holy shit, holy shit.” Crow ran to Ethan’s side. He knelt down. Ethan looked up, wincing as a pulse of pain shot through him. The adrenaline was doing a decent job of tamping down the pain, but it was impossible to shut it all out. Even with Crow’s big brown eyes looking down at him, making him feel like everything was going to be ok. “What do I do? Are you ok? Can you breathe?”

Ethan shook his head. “She didn’t puncture a lung,” he said, gritting his teeth as another wave of pain hit. “I’m almost positive she didn’t get anything vital. If she hit an artery, I’d be done by now.”

“Fuck… Ethan.”

Ethan worked himself to sit up. Crow helped him. “Can you wrap your shirt around it? Add some pressure.”

“Of course, of course.” Crow sounded scared out of his mind. He practically tore off his shirt and tied it as tight as he could around where the blade had entered. “You know you didn’t have to go through all this to see me shirtless, right?”

That actually got a laugh out of Ethan. It was fucking painful, but oh so worth it. Even in Crow’s freaked out state, he still knew exactly what to say. Angela groaned from the ground near by, holding her broken wrist in her hand and beginning to cry loudly. Crow held onto the knife with one hand and Ethan with the other. His wrists were raw and bloody from where the straps had been tied. Angela must have cut him free to get him out of the bus.

“Are you ok? Did she do anything?” Ethan asked, concern in his voice. He didn’t care about what happened to himself, he wanted to make sure Crow wasn’t hurting.

“I’m good.”

The cops pulled up then, bright lights shining on the scene, flooding the entire valley in eerie white and black shades. Ethan looked up at Crow. With as much pain as he was feeling, he still couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief.

“It’s over,” Ethan said. Crow came down to sit on the ground next to Ethan. “She’s done. We’re together and no one’s ever going to change that.”

Crow smiled, tears running down his cheeks. “You saved my life.”

“And you saved mine.” Ethan smiled. “We’re even.”

“I love you, Ethan Winter.”

“I love you, Crow.”