The second wave came harder.
Doors slammed open.
Footsteps rushed in from every side.
This time—
They weren't holding back.
"Stay together!" Percy shouted.
Aries moved instantly beside him.
Keifer stepped forward again, blocking Jay without even thinking.
The fight exploded.
Punches.Crashes.Shouts.
Percy fought like a storm—wild, powerful, unstoppable.
Aries was different.
Silent.Precise.Deadly.
Keifer?
He was something else entirely.
Every move calculated. Every hit controlled.
But his eyes—
Always checking Jay.
Always making sure she was safe.
One by one—
The attackers fell.
The last man hit the ground.
Silence.
Heavy breathing filled the room again.
Percy wiped blood from his lip. "That's the last of them."
Aries scanned the room. "Clear."
Jay stepped forward, heart still racing.
"Is everyone—"
A click.
Soft.
Deadly.
No one noticed.
Behind them—
One man slowly stood up.
A gun in his shaking hand.
Pointed directly at—
Keifer.
Jay's eyes widened.
"KEIFER—"
BANG.
The sound echoed like thunder.
Everything froze.
Keifer's body jerked slightly—
Then he collapsed.
"KEIFER!" Jay screamed.
She ran to him instantly, dropping to her knees.
"No… no no no—"
Her hands shook as she pressed against his chest, where blood slowly spread.
"Stay with me! Keifer, look at me!"
Her voice broke.
This wasn't the calm, smiling Jay.
This was panic.
Real fear.
The kind no one had ever seen before.
Percy turned slowly toward the shooter.
His eyes darkened.
"You…"
Before the man could even move—
Percy punched him so hard he dropped instantly.
Aries grabbed the man, slamming him against the wall again.
And again.
And again.
No control.
No mercy.
Keigan had to step in. "Aries! He's out!"
Aries stopped—barely.
Breathing hard.
Shaking.
Jay didn't notice anything else.
Only Keifer.
"Keifer… please…"
Her voice trembled as she held his face.
"Don't do this… don't you dare leave me…"
Tears streamed down her face.
Her strong, confident mask—completely gone.
Jane covered her mouth, eyes wide.
"…I've never seen her like this…" she whispered.
Keifer's eyes fluttered slightly.
"Jay…" he whispered weakly.
"I'm here! I'm here—don't talk!" she cried.
His hand weakly lifted, brushing her cheek.
"You're… safe…"
Her heart shattered.
"Don't talk about that! Stay with me!"
He gave the faintest smile.
"Told you… I wouldn't let… anything happen to you…"
"Keifer please—"
His voice dropped lower.
"…don't cry…"
Jay shook her head desperately. "I'm not! I'm not—just stay!"
His fingers tightened slightly around hers.
"…you look… better when you smile…"
Her breath hitched.
"Then wake up and see it!" she cried.
But his eyes slowly closed.
His hand went still.
"Keifer…?"
No response.
"KEIFER!"
Sirens filled the air moments later.
Paramedics rushed in, pulling Jay back gently as they lifted Keifer onto a stretcher.
"No—no I'm coming with him!" she cried.
Percy held her shoulders. "We're right behind you, Sunshine."
Aries stood silent, fists still clenched.
His eyes on Keifer.
As the ambulance doors closed—
Jay held onto Keifer's hand until the very last second.
Tears falling nonstop.
For the first time—
She realized the truth she had been avoiding.
She didn't just care about him.
She couldn't lose him.