Jerry and you are holed up in one of the conference rooms of the hotel, the door blocked by the Colonel's goons. You're quite literally trapped, a bird in a cage as you pace the room frantically.

Jerry bangs against the double doors furiously, the sound making you jump.

It makes no sense, you think, what is the Colonel doing? Why would he abuse his biggest asset this way?

"C'mon you sons a bitches, let us outta here!" Jerry shouts, fists resting against the door.

"What the hell are we gonna do?" You ask frantically. There's no phone, no windows, no back doors. You check the clock- you only have an hour before Elvis goes onstage.

Jerry steps back from the doors, eyes searching around the room just as yours had done a moment before. His bushy eyebrows raise after a moment, and you follow his gaze upward, eyes landing onto a ceiling vent. The two of you look at each other.

"Oh, no." You blurt, catching on to what he's thinking.

"It's the only way, Y/N, and there ain't no way I'm getting my shoulders through that thing." He points to the vent, the size of it square and slender.

Your heart drops into your stomach.

"You aren't serious, Jerry."

Jerry doesn't respond, dragging a chair out under the vent, using a pen he found on the conference desk to pry open the grate.

Okay, you think, he is serious.

"Y/N, I love ya, but get in the vent." Jerry says, gesturing to the now open vent. You comply, sighing as Jerry lets you up onto the chair.

"You're gonna wanna go left, that'll take you to the side hallway." Jerry explains as you step into his cupped hands. "You'll be outta sight of Parker's goons. Find Candice, and once y'all are together get Charlie, Sonny, and Red. Tell them what's going on, and then bring them back here!"

You shimmy yourself up into the vent, the metal cool against your skin. Luckily, you're small enough that there's a good gap between you and the ceiling of it. You tuck your knees beneath you, scooting forward. It's dusty and uncomfortable, but you're desperate at this point.

"Which room are they in?" You call back.

"517!"

You nod, though Jerry can't see you. You stare ahead, the vent dark and uninviting. You're scared to death of getting trapped up here, but if this is how you get out of here and to Elvis, then so be it.

You crawl on.

*

*

*

Elvis is barely standing on his own two feet as the elevator goes down, leather hot and uncomfortable against his skin. The Colonel stands next to him, cane in hand, frown painted across his face. His father is on his other side, unsure of how to comfort his son, hands hovering above Elvis's shoulders uncertainly.

"Think of all of the profits we will make, my boy." He's saying, but Elvis isn't listening. His head spins, the movement of the elevator making him queasy. He wants nothing more than to be home, back in Graceland with you. He steadies himself by placing one hand on the wall.

"Are you listening to me, son?

Everything sounds like it's underwater- his fathers voice, the hum of the elevator, the Colonel's cane tapping against the floor. Elvis turns his head towards Vernon, eyes swimming.

His father's eyes brim with tears.

"You gotta make it through this set, just make it through and I'll get ya on the first plane home." Vernon promises, but Elvis knows better. His father's promises are rarely kept.

He nods anyway, eyes closed.

The Colonel, jovial as ever, slaps him on the back. Elvis tries not to stumble forward.

"That's the spirit!"

Vernon reaches into his pocket, pulling out a green bottle Elvis knows all too well.

"Take a couple of these, son. It'll help."

Elvis doesn't open his eyes, letting the little white pills fall into his open hand.

With little effort he swallows them down, the taste bitter against his tongue.

*

*

*

The rusty grate of the vent makes a loud CLANG sound as it hits the floor below, and you cringe at the noise. You put both hands on either side of the opening, poking your head out to look both ways down the hallway. With cobwebs in your hair, scrapped knees, and one broken nail, you hoist yourself out of the vent.

"Shit!" You shriek, getting your feet out underneath you as not to fall flat on your face.

Luckily, the drop isn't high.

Once you're on the ground, you look at the signs in the hallway, and quickly make your way to the elevators.

"517, 517." You mutter under your breathe, head spinning.

All you can think of is getting to Elvis, getting him out of this situation, getting him home.

"Y/N?"

You whip your head around just as the elevator doors open.

"Candice!" You yell, waving her over.

With no hesitation she hurries over to you, taking your hand in concern.

"I've been looking all over for you!" She says. "Have you seen Jerry? He said he was coming to see you and that Elvis wasn't feeling well, but that was two hours ago!" She takes in your appearance, brow furrowed. "Y/N, you've got spiderwebs in your hair."

You shake your head.

"Neverminded that, Jerry and I were basically kidnaped by the Colonel's goons." You say, and the confusion on Candice's face deepens.

"He's forcing Elvis to go on tonight, Dr. Nick injected him with something." You explain, getting into the elevator with Candice close behind you. "He's so sick, Candice, I think it's really serious."

"What?!" She exclaims, anger apparent on her face.

"We have to find Charlie, Sonny, and Red. We've got to help Elvis."

Candice nods.

"I just passed them on the third floor, they should still be in the hall!" She exclaims. Your heart soars with energy, adrenaline filling your body as you practically punch the third floor button

"Whatever you need me to do girl, I got your back." Candice tells you, and you take her hand.

"We're in this together, right?" You ask, and she smiles.

"Through thick and thin. Now, lets go save your man."