I smile despite still feeling wet tears on my face. “Is this your way of trying to cheer me up? Being a dick?”

“Is it helping?” he asks.

“A little.” I sigh. “And she turned off location services.”

He frowns. “Did you try texting?”

I show him my phone. “I’ve sent a few. I just thought she was giving me a minute, but now I’m worried, and she’s all—“ I choke up. “All I have is her and you, but you’re being a dick, so I really need to find my forever right now.”

His face falls. “I’ll find her.”

“How? Magic?”

“Money.” He shrugs. “Same thing.”

I almost laugh. “Okay, Tony Stark.”

“Avengers assemble.” He winks. “Will you be okay by yourself for a few minutes?”

“Are you asking me if I’m going to slit my wrists?”

He sobers. “I’m being serious.”

The elephant in the room is literally holding a sign that says. “You know because you lost your dad and mom so close together and nearly died from a psycho ex-girlfriend who raped you as a freshman, but yeah sure, how’s your day going?”

We’re both quiet, except for the hum of the machines around us and the smell of antiseptic, medicine, and bleach.

I look up at him, really look at him, and I can’t take it anymore. It’s like the world shatters around me, and all I can see is him.

Quinn’s on my bed before I can stop him, and I’m in his arms. He’s holding me so tight it almost hurts to breathe, but I want to shout that I need the physical pain.

I need it, so my heart doesn’t feel like it’s breaking.

My world doesn’t feel like it’s fallen from the stars only to crash into infinity.

“I love you,” he doesn’t whisper it. The words are forced, his lips against my neck, the graze of his teeth against my skin. “I. Love. You.” He holds me tighter, his arms nearly choking me from my neck down. “And so does she. It’s going to be okay. You’re my best friend. The best.”

“I don’t deserve those words.”

“But you do.” He hits my shoulder with his fist, and then he pulls away. I think he’s going to stand up. His eyes search mine. “Too bad there’s this wonderful girl between us. I could probably rock your world.”

“You could try.” I wipe my tears, and he hugs me again. “I love you too.”

“I know, man, I know.” He rubs my back. “And I’ll find her.”

I don’t trust my voice, so I just nod.

He gets up and gives me one last look. “Keep your phone on, try to sleep, enjoy the morphine.”

“Sleeping sounds nice.” I lean back against my pillows.

He opens the hospital room door and looks over his shoulder. “Ambrose, it’s going to be okay, maybe not right this second, but it will.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah well, you’ve got a kickass best friend and girlfriend, plus you’re actually not horrible at kissing, so the world is your oyster.”