The rain poured heavily on us as we made our way slowly back to the office, the sound of cars and sirens muted my groans and pants as I carried Sorren. He stumbled beside me as I helped him walk. I looked to him, unable to hide my concern with stoic silence any longer. His eyes were flutttering, his face was pale, blood from his head slowly dripped down his face along with the rain. I glanced down at his body, a steady stream of blood flowed out of his abdomen and legs like water.

Desperation rose in my heart as I realized the severity of his wounds, pushing us to pick up the pace.

“C’mon, were almost there!”

Sorren only panted heavily in response, nearly falling over completely. I caught him as his full weight was now on me, his legs not even holding him anymore. I felt my heart rate spike.

“No no no, **_Sorren_**!!” I yelled, my arms suddenly filled with strength as I moved his arm around my shoulder, wrapping my other arm around him to try and hold him up. Time seemed to slow down as we stumbled through the rain, every step felt like an eternity. I moved my com mic to my mouth, “**_Hello?! Can anyone hear me?!_**”

There was static, a voice came over my earpiece, “Renji? It’s Jax. What’s-“

“**_I need help, now!! Sorren’s down, I don’t know how much longer he has!! We’re in the alleyway on Hazel and Pier!!_**” My voice was frantic as I felt myself start to hyperventilate.

Jax immediately called for the others. “We’re headed there now. Minervas prepping the med room. Hang tight.”

I closed my eyes and breathed heavily, trying to provoke my adrenaline to use more Neo. But the thought of losing Sorren was enough to get my anxiety to skyrocket.

I felt another wave of strength rush through my body, blood started to drip from my nose as I threw Sorren over my shoulders. I started to run as fast as I could, my legs and lungs burning wildly as water splahed under my feet. I could hear Sorrens breaths become shallow and uneven, I groaned in frustration an kept running.

“_Please, please hang on_.” I pleaded, clutching Sorrens body tightly. A hover car suddenly whirred to a halt at the end of the alley, Jax opened the door, “C’mon!! Get in!!”

I gingerly set Sorren into the car, Jax pulling him in. I slammed the door shut and Taylor floored the gas pedal. He glanced over him, his eyes widening at his wounds.

“What the hell happened?!” Taylor exclaimed, forcing his eyes to stay on the road.

“We… we ran into Ruin… Sh-she…” I could barely speak, my body trembling from the amount of Neo that was flowing through me, it was almost too much.

“Hey. Focus.” Jax snapped his fingers toward me. He was holding gauze against Sorrens abdomen, though his eyes pierced into mine. I nodded and took a shaky deep breath.

“Ruin… She’s a survivor of the Braizer Trials… She’s Sorrens **_missing sister_**.”

Jax looked up at me in surprise, Taylor suddenly slammed on the brakes as we reached the entrance of the office.

“We’re here. Let’s move.” Taylor commanded. “We’ll talk about Ruin later.”

Jax flung the car door open, carrying Sorren by the shoulders while I carried his legs, quickly making our way to the med room where Minerva was waiting, her eyes widening in shock.

“_Sorren?!_ What the hell?! What-“

“**_Just help him!! Please!!_**” I yelled as we placed him on the stretcher. My head was pounding, feeling my heartbeat with every throb.

Minerva nodded, Raze pitching in as she started to help as well. I paced a few feet away from the bed, scratching my neck roughly.

I was panting heavily, Taylor put his hand on my shoulder, “Let’s give them some space.”

I shook my head, “N-no, I can’t leave him right now… I have to be here-“

“You need to calm down. You’ll hurt yourself. Come with me.”

My mind was racing as I kept my gaze on Sorren body as we walked away. Minerva and Raze started working quickly as time was of the essence, pulling a curtain to shield him from my peering eyes.

Taylor stepped in front of me and gave me a worried and stern look, “You need to sit down, Renji. You’ve overexherted yourself.”

I didn’t even notice the blood from my nose nor the dizziness I had. I panted and walked out of the room, sitting in a chair next to the med room. My body trembled despite my effort to calm my nerves.

The image of Sorrens bloodied body was seared into my mind, his pale and weak face haunting my memory. Taylor kneeled in front of me and grabbed my shoulders once again.

“Renji, you need to get a grip. You can’t help Sorren when he’s better if your also in a hospital bed. You—“

“**_I can’t lose him, Taylor!! I-I can’t!!_**“ I shouted as my vision started to blur.

Taylors eyes widened slightly, surprised at my emotion, “…He’s going to be fine, Renji.”

“You don’t know that. There was so… _so_ much blood…” Blood started streaming out of my nose again, Taylor took out his handkerchief and held it up to my nose.

“I know, I know… Min and Raze will do everything they can to help him. All we can do now is wait.”

I closed my eyes, seeing the image of Sorren again. **_I can’t think. I can’t breathe. I can’t… I…_**

Everything started to seem far away, Taylor turned to Jax, muttering something I could barely hear.

I could hear Sorren’s laugh, see his smile, seeing all of him fade as I heard Minerva frantic at the flatline noise coming from the med room.

“**_Jax!! I need you in here!!_**” Min shouted, item clattering as she spoke.

My eyes shot opened and I stood up, rushing to the med room. Taylor grabbed my arms and held me back with all his might, my body writhing as I felt my eyes become clouded with tears.

“_Sorren!!_”

Jax disappeared behind the curtain, Raze swapping places with him as she sped towards me with a syringe in hand, Taylor shouting at her to wait.

But I couldn’t. I couldn’t just sit and watch Sorren deteriorate and fade away. I squirmed violently until I swung my fist at Taylor’s face, my anguish and anger overtaking my sanity.

Is it too late? To tell him how I feel? How much I’ve changed because if him?

It should’ve been me on the table. It should’ve been me… I let him get hurt. **I let him go**.

**_It shouldve been me_**. **_It should’ve been me_**… **_It should’ve_**… _been_…

——

I jolted awake, sweat dripped from my head as I panted back to life. Taylor was sitting next to me, surprised at my sudden alertness.

“That was quicker then I thought.” He said in a defeated tone.

“W-what happened? Where’s Sorren?” I demanded, feeling my heart start to beat faster again.

“He stable, for now.”

Minerva walked out of the med room, sighing softly. “But, I’m not sure for how long.” Her hair was in a mess and she had blood on her shirt.

I shook my head, “What are you talking about?”

“He’s hypotensive and tachycardic. I risk him dying on the table if I try to do any type of surgery. I managed to stop whatever bleeding he had with the tech we had but… the moment I cut into him, he could die on the table. He’s already lost too much blood. He…”

“He doesn’t have much time.” Raze took off her scrubs and turned to me, concern written all over her face. “He has hours if we don’t get him somewhere where they can properly treat him.”

“You know we can’t do that. _Especially_ with him.” Minerva hissed, crossing her arms as she glared at Raze.

Silence fell over us, the EKG in the other room reminded us every second the gravity of the situation.

Taylor sighed and rubbed his eyes, “How did this happen…?”

I haven’t felt like this in years, a heart wrenching feeling that was paralyzing. I couldn’t move. My voice was gone. I ignored my own injuries, my body feeling like it was beaten to a pulp. I let out a shaky sigh and covered my face with my hands, my body starting to tremble again.

I could feel everyone’s eyes on me. No one could ever get this much emotion out of me, not even Min. But Sorren did.

Jax raised his head, tapping his hand impatiently on his leg before blurting out, “What if we gave him Neo?”

Everyone turned to him, stunned by his suggestion. Taylor whipped his head to him, “No. Not a chance.”

“Have you lost your mind?!” Raze growled, stepping towards Jax.

Jax sighed, “We’re wasting time. If we want to save Sorren, we have to act now.”

Taylor stood up and gave Jax a nasty look, “You know better. Neo is unpredictable, unmanageable. It could shut his body down entirely.”

“Neo was made to enhance to body, make it into a impenetrable weapon to its host.”

“With the **_right_** host. With how weak he is… he could code. We don’t have the right equipment here to help him if he does.” I added, my voice raspy and low as I looked up to Jax.

Taylor turned to me, seeing how I was slightly swaying in my seat. “How are you feeling?”

“Dizzy. I’ll be alright.”

The EKG alarm went off in the med room, Minerva and Raze rushed back to Sorrens side, “He’s crashing. If your going to do something, **_do it now_**!!”

Jax, Taylor and I exchanged glances.

“We can’t risk it. We’re taking him to a hospital.” Taylor concluded, walking towards the door.

Jax immediately grabbed Taylors arm, “If we take him to a hospital, he’ll draw attention. He’ll turn into a **_target_**, Taylor.”

“He won’t make it if he stays here!! We have to go now!!”

Their voices and the sound of the EKG drowned out in my racing thoughts.

Neo could save Sorren, if his body accepts it. But if it doesn’t, he’ll die here. If we take him to a hospital, he’ll be on the nations headlines. His status will draw attention and he’ll be public target number one.

“What if we used Refined Neo?” I inquired.

Taylor sighed and rubbed his face, “It _could _work. It is safer, but it won’t have the same potency as Raw Neo. But his body still could reject it.”

“We have to try.” Jax pleaded, “Sorren’s my friend too. I wouldn’t take the risk if it didn’t mean he could live.”

Taylor paced a bit, slicking his hair back before he spoke, “Alright. We’ll do it. But where the hell are we going to get Refined Neo in the time we have?!”

I stood up and leaned on the wall, “From me.”

Taylors eyes widened as did Jax’s, shaking their heads as they glanced at me, “Your outburst drained you. It could a while to refine-“

“I don’t see any other option. Prep the goddamn IV.” I argued, walking into the med room. I let my adrenaline rush through me as I walked towards the other stretcher.

Taylor and Jax rushed towards cabinets and drawers. Jax prepped the centrifuge on the counter, whirring it to life as I sat on the stretcher.

Taylor stood on front of me, needle and tube in hand, “We can get Neo elsewhere. You don’t have to do this.”

“We won’t have a second chance. There’s no time. Just… just do it.”

Taylor nodded and I held out my arm, feeling cold metal pierce into my skin. My head throbbed and my nose started to drip again, the life-giving blood flowing from me into the centrifuge.

My mind went blank.