don't leave me this way

n i n e

It was almost midnight when Lisa called Tony and told him the news, asking him to come get her before he went to the rumble. She wouldn't let Riff get hurt with that as their last conversation, she wanted to help him and be there for him, take care of him, love him.
He had agreed quickly and within ten minutes they were on their way to the salt shed down by the river. They arrive and see the metal shutters are closed meaning they're all inside already. The pair try to lift up the door before they're joined by Chino, one of Bernardo's friends who helps them and let's all three of them in.
Tony sits Lisa down behind a mountain of salt to keep her hidden and tells her not to intervene. She agrees after a minute and he makes his way over to the jets. She watches as Riffs face lights up seeing his friend arrive and he passes the gun to him which makes the girl sigh in relief knowing that it was at least now in safe hands. But she still wasn't convinced he was safe, especially not when Tony approached Bernardo trying to talk him out of all this violence. He doesn't listen and instead starts taunting the taller boy before he starts to beat him up on the spot. Tony doesn't fight back through and that makes Riff mad as he stands in the way, but the older boy won't let him as he shoves his friend out of the way. Him and Bernardo continue to mess around and he takes a few hits before starting to fight back, punching his face over and over until it is bruised and bloody. Lisa's heart is in her throat wondering if Tony is really going to kill him but he stops and looks up at the current leader of his old gang. That's when she sees a look on Riff that she's never seen before. He's scared of what his friend can do. He doesn't know him anymore. Tony stands up once more before Bernardo goes to attack him again, a knife sliding out of his pocket and along the floor. He grabs it quickly and turns to see Riff has done the same thing. She watches from the sidelines frozen as the pair swipe at each other before Tony grabs ahold of the boy. He begs him to stop over and over before Riff pushes himself off and turns back to the fight. But all she hears is silence.
And through a small gap in the boys, that's when she sees the knife sticking out of his chest.
She lets out a blood curdling scream which makes everyone turn to her including her best friend who's eyes light up at the sight of her.
"Lisa" he breathes out as she starts running over.
He tries to make his way forwards but falls down to his knees. She reaches him and places her hands to his face, crying.
"Someone go get help now!" She screams and a few of the boys race off to go and find someone.
There is an anger that boils in Tony seeing his friends losing each other and he snatches the knife off of Bernardo before stabbing it into his heart harshly causing the girl to let out another shout.
"Tony no!"
She watches as Bernardo drops to the floor and looks up at her friend turned murderer with fear in her eyes.
"What, what happened?" Riff asks and she shakes her head.
She couldn't tell him what Tony had done, not as she was losing him in the same way.
"Nothing, just focus on staying alive" she whispers and he nods looking at her.
She still looked so beautiful as she cried over him, her hair falling out of its updo and her cheeks burning. She moves him so that he is lying down with his head on her lap. She does not want him to die, not like this.
"Maybe if I'd shown up five minutes earlier or if I'd kept you at mine for a few minutes longer, maybe this wouldn't have happened" she sobs and he shakes his head weakly.
"Nothing would have stopped me Lis, not even your pleas, I had this set in my head"
"It's not fair" she whispers and he shakes his head.
"I need you to know something" he says quietly and she looks to him as the surrounding jets start to come over.
"I never loved Grazie"
Theres a pause between them as she looks at him with confusion and sorrow.
"But you dated her and always got mad at me when I called her out-"
"I know, because I knew you were right, but I don't love her, I only love you Lisa"
"Riff" she starts.
"No listen to me, I fell for you when I first met you and I have never known how to tell you and everyone knew it, the jets, Tony, Grazie, even dear old officer krupke" he laughs before he starts choking.
She calms him and presses her forehead to his softly.
"I love you so much" she whispers and he smiles.
"I'm not saying goodbye yknow, I'm sticking around" he smirks and she sighs sadly knowing there is more blood soaking his clothes, the knife plunged in deep and they were still waiting on an ambulance.
"I won't say goodbye, you're going to be okay, we'll be okay" she whispers sadly as they cling onto each other's hands tightly.
She looks up to Tony who's staring down at the pair sadly.
"You better run, as far away as you can" she seethes and he nods before running out of the building.
"Everything okay?" Riff asks and she nods pressing a kiss to his forehead before placing her head on his whilst they waited.
It was a few minutes later when the ambulance arrived with the jets leading it to the bloodied boy. Paramedics pour out and start to tend to the boy who doesn't want to let go of his friend but the jets all hold her back. She falls down into their arms and cries as they all watch him being take away sadly.
She didn't have much hope. He was losing so much blood and he was weak. She couldn't see him coming home. She didn't want to go home. He wasn't there, the place would be empty, everything would be in top shape and she would hate it. She needed him. She loved him.
The boys all held her close and a few of them began to cry themselves. None of them knew if he was coming back.
None of them knew if the girl would fall apart without him. She would drop off the radar, they wouldn't hear from her again. She would resent them all for not talking him out of it and none of them could bare that.
She silently let the tears slip down her face as the police started to come into the building and one by one the boys ran off to hide from trouble, leaving her all alone.
Officer Krupke came up to her and bent down to see the sobbing girl and asked her to go with him to answer some questions which she agreed to before he stood her up and walked over to the car. She sat down and he put his hand on her shoulder to show her some sympathy.
"You got a place to go to tonight?" He asks and she nods.
"And where's that?"
"The hospital"
"Oh jeez kid, what happened?" He asks as they start driving.
"I couldn't stop it, and Bernardo stabbed him"
"I am so sorry Lisa" the officer sighs and she shakes her head.
"He told me he loved me"
"He did?"
"Yeah"
"Well it's about time" the officer says making her crack a smile, giving her a second of joy even if it did slip away after.
"You gonna be okay kid?"
"Yeah, just got a lot that I need to say"