"I...well, kind of," he says. "This girl I dated in my senior year of high school. She was this total fucked up skid who snorted M and went to raves and partied all the time. This was long before I became, you know, straightedge. So we were at this party, and I was totally fucked up, and she was supposed to stay sober so she could drive us home. Well, she got wasted and ended up crashing her dads car into a tree. I broke my arm...so I broke up with her and she wouldn't leave me alone. She ended up...dying, a little bit after we graduated. Another car crash...except this one was fatal," he exhales. This is the first time he's had to tell this story, but it feels good to let it out. "I think she's why I became edge in the first place."

"A pretty big one," he says. "I guess...we just want to know why. The truth is, there's probably no other reason. Just some sick fuck or an obsessed fan.."

"Hey, Erica," Sam says softly. "It's been a while.."

"I.." he starts, but her crying makes him start crying again. "Oh god, I'm worried!" he says, holding her and sobbing.

"She's not!" he says vehemently, "She's...she can't be!" he says as he holds her.

"I...I mean, they will," he says, trying to calm down. "They have to. She's fine, okay? Just say that to yourself. She's fine...she's going to be fine," he says.

"I'm sure she does.." he says. "Nichole loves you, too. You're her best friend."

"I hope so too.." he says, wiping the last of his tears away and looking down.

"I'm good," he says. "I don't feel much like eating or drinking anything.."

"Yeah...yes.." he says. "I...I'll do it," he states. "As long as...as long as they're raised as siblings.." he says, and the thought that if Nichole isn't found he might not be having any children brings fresh tears to his eyes.