Josh blinked, his eyes blurred as he stared at Tyler. He could barely make out what the boy was saying, and his mind was getting cloudier and cloudier. The pain radiating throughout his body slowly melted from his skin, seeping into the floor until he felt nothing but bliss. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and the world lost its balance as he fell into a state of unconsciousness.

Josh opened his eyes. He looked around, eyeing the black nothingness that surrounded him. He stood up, surprised to not feel any pain. He wasn't sure why he was even expecting to feel pain, though. He wasn't sure or anything. He didn't know why he was there, or where he was before. He didn't even know his name. Everything felt like it was on the tip of his tongue, just waiting to fall.

A sudden burst of noise made Josh cover his ears. His knees buckled, making him fall to the ground as the sound of yelling pounded into his skull. He squeezed his eyes shut, and when he opened them he could make out a boy. The boy was dragging him along, his face twisted into a terrified frown as him and another man carried Josh to an unknown destination. Josh gasped, memories flooding back to him, before he was suddenly thrown back into the black abyss.

Josh looked around, disoriented by the view and even more so by the sudden rush of context that he had just received. It was like he had been cut off, though, before it could be completed. There was still so much left unanswered. Who were the people carrying him? Why were they scared?

The sound of gunshots zipped past Josh's ears. He turned frantically, trying to find the source of the noise to no avail. He could hear them, like they were right next to him, but he couldn't see them. He couldn't see the guns, or even the bullets. It was just sound, taunting him as his breathing grew heavy. His chest tightened, and he gripped at his hair as an overwhelming flare of pain erupted in his body. He looked down at himself, eyeing the blood seeping through his shirt. Why was the pain back? No, what was the pain even from? Why was he hurt?

Nothing made sense as he gripped his stomach, willing the pain away as his lungs grew weak. The blackness around him was slowly turning to colour, morphing into whatever scene he was supposed to be apart of. The boy reappeared, holding his face and sobbing. Josh mumbled something that even he wasn't sure of and blinked, his vision growing stronger and stronger but the second.

It was as if his mind refreshed. Suddenly, all of his memories were back, and it was as if he had never lost them. All that he could remember was seeing Tyler, and then waking up in his arms. Josh sat up slightly, looking around, and noticed that he was in a car. He looked at Brendon, who seemed stressed as he drove. Tyler let out a sob and pulled Josh's head to his chest.

"Wha' happened?" Josh slurred.

Tyler sniffled. "We got you, Josh. We got you. It's okay."

Josh shook his head. "How- how'd you- but the man-"

Tyler began to gently stroke Josh's hair. "We took care of it. We're goin' home, okay? Don't worry."

Josh shifted slightly to properly look at Tyler. There was a bruise forming beneath his eye and a cut in his nose. His lip was split and his breathing was shallow, as if he had just been winded. Brendon looked to be in a similar state. They had definitely put up a fight- and won, apparently.

"Are you okay?" Josh mumbled.

Tyler let out a watery laugh. "I'm fine. Are you okay?"

Josh looked down at himself, noticing the blood on his shirt. "Doesn't hurt."

Tyler nodded. "That's good." He turned to Brendon. "I think he's concussed, B."

Josh snickered. "How the tables have turned."

Tyler titled his head. "What?"

Josh tiredly rubbed his eyes. "When- when Bren knocked you out. You got all weird. Am I like that now?"

Tyler smiled. "I think you're a little confused, sweetie. Just try to rest, okay?"

Josh turned to Brendon, who's grip was tightening on the steering wheel. "Bren? Don't you- don't you remember?"

Tyler looked at the man in the front. "What's he talking about?"

Brendon's eyes shot the rearview mirror to meet Tyler's. "We're not talking about this right now, okay?"

Tyler tightened his grip on Josh and pulled him closer. He didn't reply to Brendon. He began running his fingers up and down Josh's arm, relaxing the older boy into his eyelids grew heavy.

Josh sighed and practically melted into Tyler's touch. He let himself fall asleep once again, this time into a more comfortable, natural sleep. Everything was okay, and he was sure for a moment that it would stay that way.