MelChenspeakssometimes

That made Andrew retreat, either from the comparison to Riko or giving up. Probably the first option.

Kevin coughed violently then looked in Andrew's eyes "You were always going to lose him." Andrew hit him until Wymack pulled him away. Abby was the only one allowed to go near Kevin for two days and he stayed at her place. Everyone equally wanted to kill him for keeping Neil's secret. Until Wymack and Abby forced them to accept him again.

One thing was obvious, Neil didn't run away. No. He was taken by force, kidnapped.

Photos of him spread all over PSU, then the media.

"Have you seen him? Please contact ---"

Seeing Neil's picture became some kind of torture. A constant ache in the chest, a squeeze of the stomach, heavy breathing. He wasn't simply gone, he was missing. And that meant there was hope he would be found, maybe even alive, and it made it worse.

Nicky was sorrowful and anxious, like the rest of his teammates, but after a week with no update he started accepting the worst option. That was when he started worrying for Andrew more than for Neil.

Andrew had his usual bored face, but his eyes were always red and he never slept. Once in a while, he would glance at Kevin with the most hateful look known to man, but usually he would just stare into the distance. As if if he stared hard enough, Neil would just appear. And he drank a lot. His only competition was Kevin who was never sober anymore.

"MISSING: NEIL JOSTEN"

They couldn't play anymore. Not against the Trojans, not against the Ravens, they simply didn't have enough players. And if Neil's disappearance and Andrew's hatred didn't break Kevin, that did.

Nicky wanted to help Kevin, but he cared for Andrew more. It was nearly impossible to talk to both, but at least Andrew was sober. And Nicky- like the other Foxes- still hated Kevin for hiding Neil's truth.

After the first month, seeing Neil's face all over campus didn't become easier for any of them, but Andrew seemed to get worse. Especially when he heard Kevin, drunk and tired, muttering "I'm gonna be next."

Nicky devoted himself to helping Andrew, it gave him a purpose.

Two weeks later, Wymack called everyone to his office. Somehow they all managed to squeeze in there. He looked at them one by one, his face unreadable. He had his phone to his ear and spoke slowly "this is about Neil," everyone tensed, "he is alive." He waited a moment longer and added "I'm talking to him right now. I'm gonna put him on speaker and all you are going to do is listen, nothing more. Understood?"

No one answered, no one moved, the whole situation felt unreal.

Wymack put his phone on the desk "go ahead, Neil."

Maybe it was because of how tense the Foxes were, but it felt like years before Neil's quiet voice said "I promise I will be back."

Dan collapsed in Matt's arms, she breathed in relief and they both quietly sobbed. Renee and Allison held each other, tears in their eyes. Aaron kind of almost smiled. Kevin, a very drunk Kevin, tripped back and leaned on the wall to balance himself. Nicky wanted to scream with joy, he flicked a look at Andrew.

Andrew launched forward, put the phone off speaker and took it to his ear "Neil?"

No one stopped him, no one even tried to.

Andrew listened, he held the phone with both hands, his jaw clenched and his breathing shallow. Then he put the phone back on speaker.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to call. I am in England with my uncle, who is... Kevin will tell you everything. I can't talk much, just know that I'm mostly fine. I'm- ...I have to go." And he hung up.

Everyone was quiet, then slowly turned to Kevin.

"I am happy that Neil is alive and well just like you," Wymack said and everyone's attention turned to him, except Andrew and Kevin who stared at each other. "And I am curious for answers too. That's why take yourselves ten minutes to gather your thoughts and we'll meet again for Kevin's explanation. Kevin, stay here. The rest of you, go."

Both Kevin and Andrew stayed back in Wymack's office, and ten minutes later all the Foxes sat on the couches and looked at Kevin. He looked terrible, like he had since Neil disappeared, it was almost hard to watch as he scrambled in search for the right words.

"You may not remember, two days after Neil went missing, the news talked about a serial killer that was found dead, Nathan Wesninski" he stared at the ground and only slightly lifted his gaze "that's Neil's father." He waited a bit and added "Neil's real name is Nathaniel Wesninski."

That was already the most any of them had heard Kevin speak since Neil disappeared.

They were shocked, too stunned to react, so Kevin continued.

The more he said, the more the Foxes looked visibly sick.

"So right now he's stuck in England, with his criminal uncle, and if he comes back to the states both the Moriyamas and his father's people will try to kill him?" Dan summarised. Kevin nodded "pretty much, yes."

The knowledge only made them worry more. Neil was alive, and he was anything but safe. They had no way to contact him, to know what he is- or was- going through. Maybe he was already dead.

Time passed like their lives hadn't stopped. Missing and worrying for Neil became the status quo. When someone asked for their well-being, the answer always started with "considering the situation-"

They could be happy again, they could practice and play and go to classes and do their homework. They could go to Eden's Twilight. They could live their lives. At first it made them feel bad- how dare they enjoy themselves while their precious teammate might not even be alive anymore. But even that at some point subsided.

Andrew met with Dr. Dobson more, and finally started sleeping again. Kevin focused on playing and was constantly on the court.

During their first practice after summer vacation, Andrew got a call that made him run outside, he didn't even bother to take off his gear. Wymack tried to call after him but gave up and ordered the rest of the Foxes to resume warming up.

By the end of practice Andrew was back, and he wasn't alone. Behind him, wearing a big dark hoodie that almost hid his scarred face, was Neil Josten. They held hands, as if supporting each other, as if without that constant touch and closeness they might collapse. They didn't let go, not when Matt and Dan jumped to hug Neil, not when Renee and Allison greeted him affectionately, not when Nicky lifted him from the ground with a big embrace, not when Abby and Wymack examined his physical condition, and not later, at night, when they shared Andrew's bed.