Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Annie had been trying to decide whether or not to scare them off. She had been half tempted to try, but she had been alone in the house for so long that she actually liked the presence of other people and didn’t want to see them leave so quickly. It was a nice change from the lonely silence.

She was a people person after all. She loved the attention, even if it wasn’t necessarily directed at her. If she tried hard enough, she could pretend she was part of the conversation, and she enjoyed it.

They had a very normal life apart from the fact that they were nowhere close to normal. Seriously, one was a chaotic orderly mess who couldn’t handle people but could speak several languages, and the other was a hot 24 year old who in some ways acted like an emo teenager with absolutely no sense of style. It was definitely amusing. How they became friends, she had no idea. But the whole idea of the two being such close friends that they decided to become roommates was such an insane concept.

But she was starting to enjoy every second of it.

“George, I’m home.” Mitchell called from the doorway. “How about ordering some pizza and starting a movie?”

“Welcome back.” Annie tried her best smile and clapped her hands together. “Oh, that sounds lovely.”

“That sounds bloody brilliant.” George came out of the kitchen. “Except I already started making dinner so we are not ordering pizza again. Just because you hate cooking doesn’t mean we have to eat junk food all the time.”

“He’s right, ya know.” Annie nodded, watching as Mitchell took off his jacket. “It’s not healthy.”

“Yeah, yeah. What movie do you want to watch?”

Mitchell walked towards the living room and an empty feeling jerked at a heart as he walked through her. Her smile immediately fell.

Good job Mitchell, really ruining the mood.

She knew that he couldn’t see her. He couldn’t hear her. But she couldn’t help but feel like she wants to join into their life that’s so human and so normal and she just craves it.

Annie went up to her room and sat in her chair alone for the rest of the night.

*****

At some point, she had gotten over her bad mood and was off to do what she could around the house that hopefully didn’t have them too freaked out. She finished up before they had to leave for work and decided that she might as well make tea for them.

When they woke up, a warm cup was waiting for them.

“Didn’t think you were the type of person to like tea.” Was all George said to Mitchell about it.

“Eh. Not usually. But today it was a nice change.” Mitchell shrugged. “Tastes good.”

She guessed that they both thought that the other made it. Not like she could complain. And the compliment made her grin.

She liked to watch them eat their breakfast. Sometimes she would sit at the table and pretend like she was eating with them.

Of course, listening to them talk when they thought they were in the house alone might be considered intruding but after years of being a ghost, she really didn’t care anymore.

It was almost like a tv show. Getting to watch people live out their normal lives. But, it wasn’t all acted out, it wasn’t fake, it was all real and she got to see behind the scenes.

In fact, she might even know more about the boys than they knew about each other.

Or, so she thought.

She looked over to Mitchell who was reading the paper.

“You doing alright there mate?” George asked calmly, scooping some cereal into his mouth.

“Huh?” Mitchell turned his head to George, obviously confused by his question.

“Your hands.” George didn’t take his eyes off of the wall ahead of him. “They're shaking.”

Mitchell dropped the paper and crossed his arms, hiding gloved hands. “I’m fine.”

“Just…” George paused as if searching for the right words. “Tell me if you need something.”

Mitchell stood up and walked out of the kitchen. “Sure.” There was the noise of him putting on his jacket and grabbing his keys. “Heading to work now.” He called as the door could be heard closing behind him.

Annie watched as George let out a sigh and his whole body drooped. “Geez.”

“What’s up with him?” Annie questioned, knowing she wouldn’t get an answer but still wanting to know. She had gotten used to talking to herself out loud by now.

“That man needs help.” George scrubbed his face with a deep breath and stood up to go to work as well.

Annie decided that she was going to find out what she could do to be that help.

*****

“I’m home.” Mitchell said, not bothering to raise his voice.

Annie wondered if he knew if George was still gone. She smiled to herself, it was like he was saying it to her then.

“Welcome back.” She grinned. She had already cleaned up the dishes from breakfast, the whole kitchen in fact. Now she was ready for the boys to come home. “What do you want to do? Watch some telly?”

Mitchell, however, just walked straight up to his room.

“Wow. Party pooper.” She put her hands on her hips. He seemed down, she thought. Well, might as well do her best to cheer him up.

She ran up the stairs behind him and found him sitting on the bed of his completely trashed room. Annie wrinkled her nose. He was smoking again.

He was on his phone texting George, she guessed, to see where he was. Smoking.

She stood in front of him and crossed her arms. “No smoking in the house.” She frowned. “And it’s bad for you! You know better.”

Obviously she wasn’t expecting Mitchell to hear her. But somehow she must’ve gotten her point across because Mitchell looked up and paused for a moment.

Then he looked down at his hand with the cigarette and let out an almost sad chuckle. “Fine, you win.” He murmured. Then put the cigarette out and continued texting.

Annie stared at him.

Had he just heard her?

Slowly the biggest smile she’d ever remembered spread across her face.

*****

She was discovering little things.

George didn’t seem to notice her at all, besides when she moved things around and he did not like it at all. She tried her best not to move things so that he wouldn’t get upset with Mitchell, because Mitchell didn’t ever have a clue what he was talking about when George was trying to find something in the kitchen.

She understood why he would be angry though. It’s not like they had any guests. Ever. So to him the only person that could’ve moved what he was looking for was Mitchell.

Little did he know he was also sharing the house with a ghost who loved to clean.

She also was starting to notice that Mitchell could hear her every now and then. She didn’t actually have much proof, but she was sure of it.

He probably didn’t even know it was her that he was hearing. But still, it made her heart leap.

She wondered how much Mitchell could hear. Or if he could feel her presence. Wouldn’t that be cool? If he knew that she was there?

After a while, she started following him everywhere he went in the house, (besides the bathroom obviously, she wasn’t that nosy) and always tried to get his attention.

She decided that she would look after these boys. Like their guardian angel. Because guardian angels didn’t need to be seen, right? It was perfect for her.

So, when it was the middle of the night she would do chores and clean, sometimes she would finish and she would read a book or two that they had brought, because she had already read all the books that were left in the house before. She would only turn on the telly if they weren’t home, and weren’t supposed to be home for a while. Having it switch off and on all the time might have them thinking the house was haunted and she couldn’t have that could she? Even though their dishes magically got done, having the tv going seemed like a little bit too far. Besides, she was used to not having one.

She had their schedule mostly memorized. Sometimes they changed things up, and that’s what made things confusing.

One day, George and Mitchell came home while she sat in her chair reading a book. She got excited and immediately put her book down to walk downstairs and greet them. Maybe Mitchell would glance her way like last time.

“-can’t believe that she said that to you.” Annie heard Mitchell’s voice from down the stairs. “That was just plain rude if you ask me.”

“Yeah, well, I kinda deserved it.” George sighed. “I wish she’d have slapped me instead.”

Annie walked down the stairs, watching them take off their jackets and put up their keys while they talked.

“I can’t believe you’re having girl problems before me.” Mitchell rolled his eyes with a grin and jabbed George with an elbow. “You know, I can’t wait to-“

Mitchell’s gaze caught Annie’s for just a split second.

Annie straightened her back, eyes going wide and mouth dropping open.

Mitchell blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes before looking over where Annie was standing, but looking right through her once again.

“Mitchell?” George put a hand on his shoulder and leaned over into Mitchell’s view.

“I thought I saw-“ Mitchell shut his eyes tight and shook his head. “Sorry, I don’t know.”

George nodded. “That’s okay. You wanna sit down for a little bit?”

“I’m fine, you don’t have to act like I’m made of glass.” Mitchell scoffed.

“I just wanted to-“

“I’m fine, I promise.” He interrupted. “This time it was different- I thought I saw someone.”

Annie walked closer, waving her hands a little bit to see if she could grab his attention. Nothing.

“Who was it?” George asked.

“That’s just it, I don’t know.”

*****

This was definitely progress and Annie couldn’t sit still for a moment.

The rest of the day carried on like it usually did. The boys watched their stupid television show and then ate dinner and went to bed.

Mitchell was quieter the rest of the night, and kept glancing around the room but he didn’t ever look at her again like he had. She was sure that George noticed, but decided to keep quiet about this.

When they went to bed though? That was when things started to get interesting.

“Hello?” Mitchell whispered into the dark of his room. He had a lamp on, but that was it. “Is someone there?”

Annie almost bounced with excitement. “I’m here.”

Mitchell didn’t say anything. He didn’t look like he had heard her.

“I’m going crazy.” He said to himself this time. “I’m going insane.”

“No! No, no no! You’re not, I promise!” Annie looked around the room to see if there was something she could do to prove that she was there that wouldn’t completely terrify him.

“If you’re there, what’s your name?” He said finally. Still not acting like he had heard what she had said.

Then she found a pen and paper. She wrote her name and then placed it on the bed.

He hadn’t seen her write anything, and apparently he only noticed when the paper suddenly appeared on his bed.

“Annie?” He said breathlessly.

Annie’s knees almost gave out when he said her name.

No one had said her name in years. It made her want to cry.

“Are you the one that I keep hearing?” Mitchell asked quietly.

“Yes, yes that’s me!” Annie said in excitement. She knelt down in front of him. “It was me, don’t worry, it was me, I-.”

“I knew I was going insane.” Mitchell cut her off with a wobbly smile and wrapped himself under the blanket.

Chapter Text

“Hey, you doing okay?” George walked into the kitchen and placed a hand on Mitchell’s shoulder.

“Mm.” Mitchell grunted in response.

Annie watched George grab the blue mug of tea that she had ready for him.

There was a specific order to things now, whether they realized it or not. Mitchell used the green mug, and George used the blue one.

“Sleep okay?” George sat down next to him.

“Why are you acting all worried recently?” Mitchell shook his head and took another sip. “Is there nothing else you can stress over so you're choosing me?”

“No, it’s just cause I care.”

“Okay.” Mitchell shrugged. “Thanks for worrying but I’m fine, really.”

“Then why were you walking around the house in the middle of the night?” George questioned.

This raised Annie’s attention, because she had shut herself up in her room reading a book all night, and hadn’t noticed a thing.

“What? I wasn’t-“

“Yeah, you were.” George cut him off before he could argue. “You woke me up when you went downstairs, and I swear you didn’t go back to your room for at least an hour or two.”

“Okay, yeah. I just couldn’t sleep, that was all.”

“Are you having nightmares again? You didn’t go out, did you?”

Mitchell paused and started to look uncomfortable. “Why are you so concerned? I can handle myself. I didn’t go out last night.”

“Mitchell, you should really talk to someone about this.”

“I already do. You’re nosy enough that I talk to you.”

“No, you hardly tell me anything.” George rubbed his face like he was talking to a stressful child.

“I tell you enough.”

“No you don’t.”

“Fine. What do you want to know?” Mitchell leaned back in his chair. “But if you get to ask questions, then so do I.”

“Okay.” George agreed. “You see, that’s progress.”

“So, what do you want to know?”

“Are you okay?”

“I’ve been better.”

“That’s not very specific.”

“I didn’t say I would be specific.”

“Fine, whatever.” George groaned. “Your turn.”

“What color of underwear are you wearing?”

“I knew you weren’t going to take this seriously!” He squeaked, covered his face to hide himself.

“Come on, there’s no girls around. I answered yours.”

Annie chuckled at that.

George looked like he was going to argue some more, but he finally just gave up while his face made a surprisingly large amount of embarrassed facial expressions within the span of a few seconds. “I don’t like this game anymore.”

“You aren’t supposed to. We can quit any time. Now out with it.”

“…red.” He mumbled.

“Now that’s exciting. I can’t wait to tell Becca.”

“Oh my g- y-you wouldn’t!” George stuttered.

“Fine, fine.” Mitchell waved him off with a mischievous smile. “Your turn.”

George looked like he needed to wait a few seconds to cool himself down. Asking a serious question after something as embarrassing as that had made it ten times more awkward. Mitchell knew that, and was trying to get George to back down.

“Have you been having nightmares again?” George asked seriously.

Mitchell’s grin faded for a second before that stupid clueless smile replaced it. The one that George always said made him want to smack him. “Sure.”

“About what this time?”

“It’s not your turn.”

“Mitchell, I’m trying to be serious.”

“And I’m not?” He gave an offended look.

“If you were being serious then there is no way I would be friends with you.” George rolled his eyes. “Please, I’m trying to help.”

Mitchell deflated a little bit. “Fine, I don’t have another question.”

“What were they about this time?”

“It’s not like I want to think about it long enough to remember.” Mitchell stared at the mug in his hand, scowling. “Honestly, I just want to forget. I want to forget everything, and be done with it.”

Annie couldn’t help but start to feel concern build up inside her. There was something tight in her throat while Mitchell talked, sounding so frustrated and tired.

“Remember, jus-“ George started, but was cut off by Mitchell before he could finish.

“Just get through today? Was that what you were going to say?” Mitchell narrowed his eyes at him. “That’s what I’ve always told myself. I’ve told myself that for years. Years before I met you. And you know what? I’m sick of getting through the day. Why can’t I just have one day where I can get rid of all my problems and just live and forget.”

“Mitchell…” George sat up straighter, something sad and concerned in his voice.

Annie couldn’t help but admire how good of a friend George must be.

“Don’t talk like that.” Mitchell growled.

“Like what?”

“Use that voice. What, do you pity me? Is that it? I hope you realize how stupid that is. To pity someone like me.”

“Mitchell, I’m not trying to-“ George was cut off by Mitchell standing up from his chair and making his way towards the door. “Where are you going?”

“Work. We’re late.”

“Oh, bloody-“ George looked at his watch and let out a string of various mumbled curses.

Annie frowned as they both left in a hurry. She considered following them to work but decided against it. She hadn’t exactly left the house yet, and she wasn’t entirely sure if she could.

For now she would stick with a friendly haunted house ghost.

*****

They came home when Annie was doing a bit of dusting in the boys room. She had already worked in Georges and had moved on to Mitchells. She heard the door open and she perked up, dropping the duster and waiting for Mitchell to come in.

Annie watched as he opened the door to his room, looking very obviously exhausted.

He took off his boots, kicking them off in the middle of the floor, making Annie playfully roll her eyes.

“You look tired.” She commented.

She noticed his head jerk in her direction at the sound of her voice. His eyes were wide, and mouth shut tight.

“Can you hear me?” Annie asked excitedly.

“Hello?” Mitchell called. She wasn’t sure if he had heard her that time or not.

“Can you hear me?” She said a little louder that time.

Mitchell’s lips twitched upwards. “I really am going crazy.” He almost laughed.

“No, no, no! You’re not! I swear!” She clapped her hands together, trying to figure out what she could do.

Looking around the room, she found the same slip of paper that she had written her name on last time, and brought it over to the bed next to where he sat. She prayed that it didn’t freak him out.

Mitchell picked it up one more time.

He stared at it.

“Annie.” He read the paper aloud once again.

“That’s me!” She burst with excitement as he said her name for the second time. It was the most attention she had gotten in what felt like years!

Suddenly Mitchell’s eyes grew wide and he slowly brought his head up to face her.

He was looking at her.

He could see her.

Chapter Text

Mitchell’s gaze burned into her and Annie could only stare back. He could see her. Like, actually see her.

She didn’t even have the chance to do anything though, before Mitchell buried his face in his hands as quickly as he could. He dug his fingers into his face. “I’m going insane! I’m going insane- I’m going insane-!“

He was almost screaming now, and that was enough to snap Annie out of it. “No- Mitchell, no! No, no, no! I promise you aren’t!” She hurried over to him and tried to reach out and put a hand on his shoulder, but it passed right through him.

“Mitchell, look at me. Can you still see me?” Annie tried to coax him out of his panic, but it wasn’t working because suddenly Mitchell was sliding to the floor letting out quick panicked breaths.

There was a noise that came from the direction of the doorway and Annie twisted around to see what it was.

George.

“Mitchell!” He gasped as soon as he saw what had become of his best friend. “What happened, are you okay?” He was by Mitchell’s side in an instant and Annie didn’t want to get in his way, even though there was literally no possible way that she could.

What had she done?

“Hey, Mitchell, I’m here. It’s George. You need to breathe.” George said softer, as he crouched next to him. “Can I touch you?”

Mitchell nodded, and George put a hand on his back and started to rub circles on it. Mitchell’s breathing slowed and became steadier as time passed.

Finally Mitchell uncovered his face, but didn’t look at either George or Annie when he did. Could he still see Her? If he could still see her, should she leave so that he didn’t freak out again?

“Hey buddy.” George smiled softly after Mitchell stared at the floor for a few seconds. “You breathing better?”

“…fine.” Mitchell mumbled.

“You are definitely not fine.” George leaned closer. “Talk to me.” He pleaded

“I don’t know.” Annie bit her lip, Mitchell sounded so tired. “I just don’t know.”

“What do you not know?” George questioned.

Then Mitchell looked around. He looked up and around the room as if searching for something. He looked right past the ghost in the room, unable to see her once again.

“Can you ever hear her?” He whispered, after giving up trying to find whatever he was looking for.

“Who?”

Mitchell handed George a slip of paper.

“Annie?” George read out loud before questioning, “who’s Annie?”

“I don’t know!” Mitchell let out an exhausted groan. “I don’t know, I don’t get it!”

“You’ve never known an ‘Annie’?”

“No!”

“Then how do you know you’re hearing an Annie?”

“Because I found that on my bed the last time I heard her.” Mitchell looked at George seriously. “I didn’t write this.”

“Are you sure?” George looked skeptical.

“You think I would do this?” Mitchell scoffed. “And not realize it?”

“I don’t know, mate.” He apologized. “Sometimes you zone out, and don’t realize what you’re doing. Who else would have written it?”

“There was someone there! I promise! I saw her!”

“Then where did she go? I didn’t see anything. I didn’t hear anything besides you repeating ‘I’m going insane’ a million times!” He argued.

“No, I thought I was going crazy, but I don’t think it’s like that now. I- I don’t know how to explain it. This time it’s different.”

“Mitchell…”

“Do you think I’m going insane?” Mitchell’s gaze turned to his best friend. His brown eyes were full of hurt. “You think I’m crazy?”

George shook his head slowly and sighed. “I think you’re tired. I think we should head to bed early today.”

“It’s like 5:30.”

“Why do you make things difficult?” George chuckled.

“Cuz you aren’t my babysitter.” Mitchell rolled his eyes. “You don’t need to take care of me. You keep acting like I need to be looked after.”

“Well I am like 3 years older, so I should be the more responsible one.” George reasoned. “Not such a big deal now, but when we first met you were like, how old? 17?”

“Liar, I was like 18 or 19.” Mitchell finally smiled slightly.

“Well, at least I was in my 20s.” George laughed. “Well anyways, when we first met that age gap was a big deal. I had to be like your older brother! You were so cute back then, you know? You’ve gotten so old and emo.” He joked, nudging him a little bit.

“Geez, is that what you think of me?”

“Not what I think, I know.”

They both sat and joked for a bit, until George finally decided that they should go down and make some dinner. Mitchell insisted he wasn’t hungry, but George warned him that he couldn’t get out of helping him cook that easily.

Annie watched as George lifted his friend off the floor and they walked out to the kitchen. She felt all warm and soft inside as she watched them. Her boys. They acted like brothers. They were brothers, even if it wasn’t by blood. She smiled.

She would do anything to protect them.

*****

Annie decided that she should keep some distance between her and Mitchell. As much as she wanted to be seen by him and as much as she hoped that they could be friends for real one day, she couldn’t help but feel like if he saw her again then he would freak out again. She didn’t want that. The last time was scary enough, even for her.

So like usual, she ended up staying in her room reading most of the night. George didn’t ever come in and turn off the light in her room, which she was grateful for. That way she didn’t have to sit in an uncomfortable chair in the kitchen all night.

She didn’t have a clock in her room, but she was usually pretty decent at guessing times. So when she heard footsteps walking past her door and down the stairs in the middle of the night (she had to guess around 3:00 or 4:00), she was curious to say the least.

Remembering George mentioned Mitchell getting up in the middle of the night after a nightmare, she got up from her chair and went to see who it was.

Not surprised to find Mitchell standing in front of the sink, she quietly made her way into the kitchen.

“You okay?” The ghost asked without thinking.

Mitchell’s head swung around in surprise, but looked straight through her. “Annie?” His eyes were wide.

He didn’t seem as frightened, for some reason.

“Yeah, that’s me.” She answered as softly as she could.

“Are you the one I’ve been hearing and seeing?” He asked, still looking around the room to try and find her.

“You saw me earlier, yeah. I’m sorry for scaring you.”

Mitchell gave a tired laugh and rubbed his face in his hands. “I have to be dreaming.”

“You aren’t, I promise! You aren’t going crazy.” She reassured.

“What are you…exactly?” He sounded scared to ask.

“If I’m being honest, I’m not quite sure.” Annie shrugged. “A ghost, I guess.”

“Ghost?”

“I remember dying.” Annie spoke sadly, wrapping herself in her cardigan. “I don’t remember exactly how, but I remember dying in this house.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t your fault.” She chuckled awkwardly.

“Still, I’m sure you didn’t deserve to die.”

“Thanks.” She smiled. Then she realized something. “I think this is the first time I’ve gotten to talk to someone since I died.”

“Really?” Mitchell seemed genuinely interested and concerned and it made her heart fill with that warm fuzzy feeling again. “Sorry, I don’t know if I’m any good at conversation tonight.”

“That’s okay, I don’t mind.” Then she looked around at the clock. 3:42. “Oh, you should probably go back to sleep. You have work tomorrow, right?”

“How did you…”

“I try not to snoop around too much, but I live in the house too. So I know you boys schedule. I hope you aren’t freaked out.” She added that last part at the end when she realized how creepy she might seem.

“No, I kind of… well.” Mitchell let out a sigh, smiling just slightly. “I knew something was off. It felt like there was someone else living here. It’s kinda nice.”

“I hope you enjoyed the tea.”

“Oh, so that was you!”

“Yup!” She grinned.

“You make some pretty good tea.”

Annie felt her face grow hot at the compliment. “Th-thank you!”

“I should be off to bed now.” Mitchell started to walk up the stairs before stopping and looking back. “Will I be able to talk to you again?” He asked, eyes painfully looking straight through her.

“I hope so.”

She really hoped so.

Chapter Text

Annie spent the rest of the night pacing around her room. She couldn’t stop smiling. Mitchell could see her, at least for that moment, and they had talked. It was amazing.

It felt like a thousand years had passed by the time the sun started to peek through the window. It was the weekend too! They didn’t have work that day, so maybe she could talk to Mitchell more!

She ran downstairs as soon as it was bright enough to see without turning on the lights.

Being sure not to try not to make a lot of noise, she started making tea. A cup for both of the boys.

Hearing footsteps made her want to jump with excitement. Even more so when Mitchell came around the corner.

The tea was all ready, sitting on the cabinet beside the stove.

“Morning!” Annie beamed.

“Annie?” Mitchell looked around, searching for the source of the voice but found nothing.

“Yup, I made tea!”

“Thanks…” His lips barely twitched into a smile as he saw the mug.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s just weird.” He shrugged. “To know that there’s someone there and to not be able to see them.”

“Oh…”

“It’s nice though.” He grabbed the mug and sat at the table. “To know that we weren’t alone.”

Suddenly George walked through the plastic curtains. “Mitchell?”

Mitchell looked over to his friend. “Hm?”

“Who are you talking to?” George glanced around the room, similar to what Mitchell had done earlier.

“Oh, no one.” Mitchell waved his hand, brushing off the question.

“Okay…” George looked confused, but apparently decided not to question it. “By the way, I keep hearing footsteps going up and down the stairs in the middle of the night. Is that you?”

“I went down to get a drink of water, but that was about it.” Mitchell took a sip of tea.

“You didn’t go down more than once?”

“Nope.”

George rolled his eyes. “Who else would it have been? A ghost?”

“Maybe.” Mitchell smirked.

“Yeah right.”

*****

The day went by and Annie was having more fun than ever before. She had liked to watch movies with them before, but it was even more enjoyable when one of them could hear her comments and would crack into a laugh because of it (even if it extremely confused the other).

They watched a movie, George tried to teach Mitchell how to make apple pie— it ended in smoke and charred crust,— they read the paper, turned some music on, cleaned up their dishes. It was amazing.

Such normal things made her feel like she was on the top of the world.

On top of that, Mitchell could catch glimpses of her every now and then. She could see his eye catch on her, and then when he tried to take a closer look he would look right past her.

It was exciting, and new, and she loved it.

Mitchell went to his room that night exhausted, Annie not far behind.

“Sometimes, can you see me?” She asked. Curious, and excited.

“Yeah, kind of.” He confirmed. “It’s like, I can see a silhouette out of the corner of my eye. But as soon as I try to see it more clearly, it vanishes.”

“Interesting. Do you think you will be able to see me eventually?”

“I don’t know anything about ghosts, don’t ask me.” He shrugged, starting to unbutton his shirt so that he could change.

“W-well, I’ll leave you be.” Annie felt her face go red in embarrassment. “Goodnight Mitchell!” She appeared in her room within seconds.

After a few squeals of joy and a few punches in the air in victory, she sat her excited self down and got to think back of what a wonderful day she got to have.

*****

Annie snapped out of her thoughts in the middle of the night to the sudden feeling that something was very wrong.

She stood up from her chair and creeped out of her room into the dark hallway.

Sticking her head in George’s room, she saw that he was sound asleep in bed. Snoring, without a care in the world. She then snuck down to Mitchell room and wasn’t greeted with the same peaceful sleep.

“Mitchell?”

Mitchell was tossing and turning in bed, breaths coming out in short quick breaths. Mumbling words that were all jumbled together. He gripped the blankets in a fist and it looked like he would rip them before letting go.

“Mitchell, are you okay?” She whispered.

Suddenly he went still, breathing still coming out in small quick pants. Annie walked closer to see what had happened, but at the sound of her feet Mitchell was sitting up straight in an instant.

“Mitchell, it’s me.” She reminded him. “Annie.”

“Annie?”

She could hear how dry his throat was. He looked so tense. Warm brown eyes were wide open. He looked scared.

“I-“ He started to say something but didn’t continue.

“Are you okay?” She whispered softly.

“I- I think I can see you.”

That’s when she noticed that he was looking straight in her direction.

“What?”

“I can see a blurry outline of someone.” He looked like he wouldn’t dare to even blink as he pointed at her. “Is that you?”

“Wha- yeah- yeah, that’s me.” Annie said breathlessly. She would’ve thought she would be more excited, but she was just surprised.

“That's really you I’m seeing? That’s real?” He swallowed hard.

“Yes, that’s me-“ she tried to step closer but the second she did so he straightened his back and pushed himself away slowly, shaking his head.

He was shaking.

“Mitchell, what’s wrong?” She tried not to sound hurt. “Do you want me to wake up George?”

“No- no, no, no-“ he stammered. “No, don’t wake him up. He needs to sleep.” Raising a shaking hand to cover his mouth.

“Mitchell, I think he would want me to.”

“I don’t want you to.”

“Please.”

“No. No, please don’t.”

She let out a sigh. “Okay, then tell me what’s wrong.”

“Nothing. Just, let me go back to sleep.” He leaned over to the nightstand and flicked on the lamp.

Annie went quiet. What should she do?

She watched as he lay back down in his bed, and stared at the light of the lamp beside his bed until morning.

Chapter Text

The sun's light was barely peeling through the window when Mitchell’s eyes finally drooped closed, asleep.

Annie felt like she could finally breathe. She could let out a deep long breath, careful not to be too loud, and tip toe out of the room.

George woke up an hour or two later.

He walked loudly over to the bathroom, which was next door to Mitchell’s room, and started brushing his teeth.

Annie tried to shush him —to get him to stop stomping— but it was no use and all she could do was pray Mitchell could sleep through it.

George seemed a little confused when he walked downstairs and Mitchell wasn’t already there. He shrugged it off quickly though, making himself some tea (and Annie was happy that a cup of morning tea was becoming routine for him as well).

It was hours later, when Mitchell finally showed his face downstairs.

“Have trouble sleeping?” George asked from the couch, eyes still on the television.

“Nope, just thought it would be nice to sleep in for once.” Mitchell answered, grabbing some food from the fridge.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.”

Annie made her way over to Mitchell in the kitchen.

“Can you see me still?” She asked, coming up behind him while his head was in the fridge. Realizing a little too late that she had scared him.

Mitchell jumped, banging his head and letting out a yelp. “Geez!” He rubbed his head and turned around.

His eyes went wide.

“Everything alright there?” George’s voice called from the other room.

“Ye- yeah! Yeah!” Mitchell called back, not taking his eyes off of the ghost in front of him.

“You can see me?” Annie smiled.

“I can see you almost as clearly as George.” He whispered breathlessly.

“Really!”

“Like- yeah- I-“ Mitchell put a hand over his mouth, then glanced over his shoulder in George's direction. “Can George see you?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Oh then for sure I’m losing it.” He laughed, but there was little to no humor in it.

“Who are you talking to, Mitchell?” George asked, still in the other room.

“The ghost of a girl that died here a few years ago.” He said seriously.

“Fine, I didn’t wanna know anyways.” He grumbled back.

“Mitchell, you aren’t going insane.” She whined. “I promise. Why do you always think that? You start talking to me like I’m a normal person, and then start acting like you’re going crazy, what’s up with you switching back and forth?”

“Because my brain is messed up and it wouldn’t be the first time something like this has happened.” Mitchell turned back to the fridge, finally deciding to grab the milk in the back. Probably for cereal. “Besides, why would I be able to see you, and not George?”

“I-“ Annie tried to explain but cut herself off. “I don’t know…”

Then George poked his head through the plastic curtains that separated the kitchen from the living room. “You good?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Mitchell waved his hand as he poured his cereal into a bowl.

“Well, what if I convinced George I was real? Would that help?” Annie asked.

“Please don’t mess with him.” Mitchell replied to Annie without thinking about the fact that it looked like he was speaking to thin air from George’s view.

“Um, mess with who?”

“Nothing, forget it.” Mitchell mumbled angrily.

“But it would prove to you that I’m real! Also, that you aren’t going crazy.” Annie reasoned.

Mitchell shot Annie a terrifying glare.

George only stared at the one sided conversation, confused. “Mitchell, are you sure you..?”

Mitchell turned his glare towards George.

Annie walked over to the cabinets and was about to start opening doors.

“Stop-“ Mitchell started.

“But I-“ Annie reached to grab the handle.

“Mitchell, what-“ George tried.

“Both of you just drop it!” Mitchell shouted, storming out of the room.

“Oh boy…” George sighed.

“Well…” Annie grimaced. “I don’t know, I think maybe that was your fault.” She shrugged guiltily, talking to George even if there was never any response.

*****

They both gave Mitchell some space. Well, more like Mitchell distanced himself and they allowed it.

He locked himself in his room for most of the day, not coming out to finish breakfast or eat lunch. Annie wanted to know what he was doing, but had to remember that he could see her now so there wasn’t exactly going to be any sneaking around.

It wasn’t until around dinner time that he finally emerged from his room.

“You okay?” George asked, sitting on the couch in the living room waiting for him like a mom waiting for a teenager to come home late at night.

Mitchell walked down the stairs slowly. “Annie?” He called.

“What are you doing?” George questioned.

“Just a minute.” Mitchell raised a finger to shush him. “Annie!” He called louder.

Annie came out of the kitchen, hearing George mutter, “Mate, are you feeling alright?”

“Did you want something?” Annie said, confused at what Mitchell could be up to.

“Okay.” Mitchell let out a breath. “Okay. George?”

“Yeah…?”

“Can you see her?” He pointed to Annie.

“See who? Mitchell, is this some sort of prank? It’s not funny.”

“You really can’t see her?”

“What do you mean?”

“There’s a girl!” Mitchell shouted, pointing at Annie again. “There’s a girl, standing right there!”

“Are you being serious right now? You’re scaring me.”

“Yes, I’m serious!”

“Mitchell, there’s no one there!”

“But I can obviously see someone! She talks, I can hear her! She’s the one that keeps walking up and down the stairs at night!”

“Is that who you’ve been talking to for the past few days?” George stared.

“Yes. But before, I wasn’t able to see her. Now I can.”

“Mitchell, do you understand how insane this sounds? Do you hear the words coming out of your mouth?” George reasoned. “What is this really about?”

“I just wanted to see. I wanted to know if you could see her or not.” Mitchell took a quick glance at Annie before turning back to George. “Do you think I’m losing my mind?”

George didn’t say anything. Mouth twitching as if he wanted to say something, but wouldn’t.

Mitchell scoffed, grabbing his jacket and walking out of the house. “Good to know.”

Chapter Text

Annie had never left the house. So far, she hadn’t really had any reason to. Honestly, the thought kind of scared her. After years of not leaving and being stuck inside, no reason to stay at the house, but no reason to leave, she didn’t really know what to do with herself now.

Mitchell had left hours ago and she could tell that George was nervous and freaking out. He had left his phone at the house, and apparently didn’t exactly have many hiding spots out in Bristol that George knew about.

Did they even live in Bristol before they moved in the house? She didn’t know.

Annie had been so confident in herself, thinking she knew more about the boys then they did each other. She was starting to realize how wrong she was.

There was something big that she didn’t know. Something was wrong with Mitchell, something had happened and she had no idea what it could’ve been. George knew. He knew, and he had hardly talked to Mitchell about it. Shouldn’t they talk some things out?

She didn’t know. She didn’t know and she wished she did.

It didn’t even matter now though. Mitchell was gone, George didn’t even know where to start searching and wouldn’t know if he returned to the house if he left.

Annie wanted to go out looking, herself. George could stay and wait for him back at the house, while she went out and looked.

After deciding, she eventually left. She told George she was leaving, even if he refused to recognize her existence. She walked through the streets, calling his name, looking through alleyways. She started to realize how unfamiliar she had become with the area she used to live in. Everything had definitely changed, but she supposed she should’ve expected it with several years having passed.

Eventually, after what she guessed was around an hour or two of searching, and she was thinking about heading back to the house, she found herself next to a bridge on the edge of town.

She held her breath when she saw a single figure standing, looking out over the water.

“Mitchell?” She called, and let out a relieved sigh when the person's head looked up at the sound of her voice.

He looked down again, not saying anything.

“George is pretty concerned.” She said, resting her arms on the railing. Her shoulder barely brushed up against his. It didn’t go through him. “He looked about ready to burst when I left.”

“He’s used to me, he gets over it.” His voice was rough, but quiet. He buried his nose in his arms, still looking out over the water and the lights of the city.

“That doesn’t mean he’s any less concerned. George is always a nervous wreck, you should know this by now.” She smiled weakly.

He didn’t reply.

The silence stretched out for minutes, even with the noise of people still going about their busy schedules all around them. Annie took in the sights of the night sky and the water that stretched under the bridge beneath them.

It really was beautiful. She missed it.

“I’m sorry.” Mitchell whispered.

“What for?”

“I’m sorry for getting mad. Also, for freaking out so much recently.” The bottom half of his face was still covered by the thick sleeves of his jacket. His words came out muffled. “I think… Well, I think I keep going back and forth between thinking I’m insane and talking to you like this because it’s really hard to believe this sort of thing exists. Ghosts. Or, whatever it is you are. Honestly, I don’t want to believe ghosts are out there. The thought is terrifying.”

“Why?”

“I- well…” He let out a breath of frustration. “A lot of things have happened in my life. If ghosts exist, then no wonder I always feel like I’m being haunted. It just seems like knowing all this feeds the fear that I felt when I was a kid. I don’t really know how to explain it. Like all those irrational, imaginary, crazy things I thought my little kid head made up when I was young, might’ve actually been real.”

“I haven’t seen any other ghosts around you.” Annie told him truthfully. “Do you feel haunted because of me?”

“No, that’s not quite it.” He lifted his face from his arms and started fidgeting with his fingerless gloves. “When I was a kid, there was a lot of death happening around me. My parents died when I was pretty young, I think I was 12. I moved in with my uncle and he wasn’t a nice man. He, well, he was nice to me. For the most part, at least. But he would always leave a trail of death following behind him, and all those people that died, I felt like they would always come back and haunt me.”

Annie watched him as he avoided eye contact. Messing with his gloves, his rings, looking at the water, the city.

He was opening up.

“That’s why I came to Bristol with George.” He looked down at his hands, smiling slightly as if recalling a nice memory. “I ran away when I was 17, and I found George a little while later. We became friends. He’s like a brother to me, and I’ve never had a brother before. We moved here so that we could look after each other, and try to find some traces of what a normal life was like.”

Annie swallowed hard. She smiled gently at him as he finally lifted his head and met eyes with her. She didn’t know what to say, but hopefully she could get across what she wanted to with just her smile.

He smiled back.

“Thank you.” He said softly. “I haven’t told anyone this, besides George. So, thanks for listening.”

“I’ll always be here to listen. Call my name, and I’ll come running.” She put a hand on his shoulder. She could feel the fabric of his jacket. She could feel the steady breaths he was taking. She could feel him.

“Thank you.” He said with a tearful smile.

*****

“Oh my g- Mitchell!” George came stumbling up to greet Mitchell as they both entered the house. As soon as Mitchell closed the door behind him, making sure not to crush Annie, he was swept up in a huge hug from George. “You scared me half to death. Please don’t run off again.”

Mitchell chuckled a little. “I can’t promise anything. But, sorry if I scared you.”

“If! You did!” He squeaked.

“Well, then sorry.”

George finally let go of his hold around Mitchell while Mitchell quietly laughed a little at George’s strange overprotective behavior.

“I’m gonna go to bed early.” Mitchell pointed towards the stairs, a soft smile to let George know that he wasn’t still mad, and that he was okay.

“No you aren’t.” George grabbed his wrist and dragged him into the kitchen. “We don’t have to talk now, but there’s no way I’m gonna let you starve yourself.”

“Fine, mum.”

“Ha ha.” George rolled his eyes, pulling him into the kitchen.

Annie grinned as she watched them walk through the plastic curtains. She followed them into the kitchen. Mitchell’s gaze caught hers while George was running around the kitchen, and they both smiled.

Chapter Text

It had been a long day of fights and serious talks and George’s ramblings and concerns. Him and Mitchell ate dinner together, and then not too long after they headed to bed. Annie followed Mitchell into his bedroom to see if he wanted to talk. They talked for a little while, mostly commenting on George’s overprotective behavior, and how funny it was when Annie had moved things around while he was cooking, right behind his back.

Their conversations had been funny and light hearted, so when she turned to leave for the night she didn’t expect Mitchell to say anything.

“Can you just… stay with me?”

Annie looked back at Mitchell, who was sitting up in bed. The light of the lamp showed the desperation on his face. She had seen what he was like after nightmares first hand, there was no way she could refuse the plea.

“I mean- I- you don’t have to- I just-“ He stuttered, face going red.

“Yeah, sure.” She reassured him, walking up to the bed and sitting next to him.

He gave a nervous smile before burying himself under the covers. “Sorry. I mean-sorry, I-“ he mumbled under the blankets.

“Shh. Get some sleep.” She smiled, not wanting to hear an apology.

“Thank you.”

*****

At least it had been a good few hours before Mitchell woke up from some sort of dream or nightmare, she wasn’t sure which one, but it didn’t look like it was pleasant if he woke up holding the sheets with a death grip.

“Hey.” She slid down next to him, staying on top of the covers so she didn’t invade his personal space too much. “You want to talk about it?”

He shook his head. “No, just- can you just… talk? Like- what did you do? Before you… you know…”

“Well,” she cleared her throat but kept her voice to a whisper. It was like one of her slumber parties back in high school. “I have two sisters. One is married, the oldest, she was trying to have a baby, but I don’t know what’s become of that. My other sister is insane, not surprised if she’s still single either, but I guess I love her too.” She laughed slightly. “My mum and dad were against me moving to Bristol with Owen, Owen is- was my fiancé.” She corrected herself. “He was… I think he still is the love of my life. Which is funny, ‘cause I’m dead.”

There was silence for a while, Mitchell’s cheek pressed against his pillow, staring at her. Studying her. Their faces only being a foot apart.

“I miss them all sometimes.” She shrugged, tracing her finger along the seams of his pillow so that she didn’t have to look back at him. Tears barely stinging her eyes. She should be over it by now, but it was still hard to think about.

She thought the conversation was over, until Mitchell spoke up. “Annie?”

“Hm?” She hummed in response, finally looking up.

“How did you die?” He asked quietly. Eyes fogging with sleep, too tired to see Annie stiffen.

“Honestly…” She let out a deep sigh. “I don’t really know.”

*****

Annie was downstairs making tea when Mitchell woke up, a wide yawn escaping his mouth. Mitchell ate his cereal and drank the tea she made.

“You sleep well?” She asked, sitting in the chair beside him.

“Good- great. Thank you.” He bowed his head as if a little embarrassed by his actions.

“Do you even remember waking up last night?”

“Ummm… not really if I’m being honest. Please tell me I didn’t do anything weird.”

“No, you asked to talk. Just, about anything. So I talked about my family. It was nice, because I haven’t talked about them or to them in so long.”

“It sounds like you have a nice family.” He smiled sadly.

“Yes, I do- did.” Annie corrected herself. “I did. I think I was happy.”

“Think?”

“Well…” Annie shrugged. “I don’t know. The more I think about it the more I’m kinda sad I moved so far away from my family when I came here with Owen.”

“Owen?”

“You really don’t remember?”

“I’m sorry, I wish I did.” He laughed nervously.

“He was my fiancé. He’s a great guy.”

“Wait, Owen Norayan? The landlord?”

“Yup, that’s him.”

“Huh. I wouldn’t have guessed.” Mitchell stared at his bowl of cereal.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I- nothing.”

“Cmon, now you have to tell me!”

“Well… I mean, I just didn't really read him as being such a ‘great guy’ but I don’t know him well, so I could be wrong.”

“He was great! He got a little angry sometimes, but that was more of my fault really. I can kind of be a lot to put up with sometimes.” She shrugged.

“What do you mean angry?” Mitchell questioned.

“Well, he had a little bit of issues and all that. But, really, it was always my fault when I triggered it. I somehow was accidentally always able to set him off.”

“I’m sure it wasn’t your fault.” Mitchell reasoned. “You-“

“Mitchell, aren’t we almost out of cereal?” George cut off the conversation with a call from the stairs.

Mitchell playfully rolled his eyes with a smirk and replied. “Just ate the last bit of the box!”

“Noooo!” George complained, walking into the kitchen with a frown. “I was gonna eat that.”

“Too late, already gone. It’s first come first serve around here.”

“Sureee, remind me to go grocery shopping after work.”

“You got it boss.”

Chapter Text

George walked through the hospital, pushing a cart of dirty sheets and towels. He hadn’t seen Mitchell in a while, and he wondered if he should go looking for him. Mitchell had been acting weird recently, and it was becoming more than a little concerning.

All the one sided conversations he’d been hearing were really starting to creep him out. It’s not like he was deaf. It wasn’t some prank Mitchell was playing, he was talking to this person that he had been apparently seeing almost constantly.

When he wasn’t talking to them, he was always looking off to the side of the room where no one was, sometimes making a face, or holding back a laugh at something he was seeing. He was like some sort of cat that could see the demons peeking over your shoulder. It was unnerving and weird.

He was walking around the corner when he nearly ran into a group of people crowded together.

George glanced past the crowd to see what all the fuss was about, and noticed it was only a policeman doing magic tricks and before becoming immediately uninterested. Again, he began rolling the cart around the corner, out of view of the crowd. He then noticed Mitchell dash frantically through the door leading to the bathroom.

Curious, he left the cart off to the side and knocked on the door before realizing it was unlocked.

“Mitchell?” He called. “It’s George. Are you good mate?”

No response.

“Can I come in?”

Again, no response.

“You're scaring me, I’m coming in.” George pushed the door open to find Mitchell hunched over the toilet. “What in the- hey- jeez- what-!”

“I feel like I might throw up.” Mitchell mumbled.

“What! Why?” He rushed over beside his friend. Apparently he hadn’t thrown up yet, which he didn’t know whether that was a good or bad thing. “Should- should I get a doctor or something?” His hands fidgeted nervously, unsure of what to do.

“I’m fine.” Mitchell grunted. “Just feel a little sick is all.”

“Do you want me to drive you home? Can you walk to the car?”

Mitchell collapsed back onto the hard floor, apparently feeling a little more confident he wouldn’t lose his breakfast. “Lock the door please.”

“Huh?”

“Lock the door.” There was fear clouding his words.

George ran over and locked the door. “What is this about? Are you okay?”

“He’s here.” Mitchell whispered, eyes wide. “He found me- he- I-“ he buried his face in his hands. “He’s gonna kill me.”

“Who found you? What?” George was starting to become just as frantic as Mitchell.

“My uncle! He’s here! Herrick!” Mitchell uncovered his face, the look of absolute terror was written all over it.

George stiffened when he realized. “I can drive you home. I can check where he is and then we can get you the hell out of here.”

“He’s going to kill me.” Mitchell gripped the collar of his shirt, starting to have trouble breathing. “He’s going to kill me, he-“ He bit his lip to keep himself together.

“He’s not going to kill you.” George promised, putting a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. “We just need to get to the car and you can go home. What does he look like so I can try and find where he is to avoid him?”

“Police uniform- he- I don’t know. He’s-“

“Hey, hey, it’s going to be okay.” George immediately remembered the policeman doing magic tricks, showing off to the hospital staff. “I know who you're talking about, I’ll go see if he’s still there.”

George rushed to the door, closing it behind him and peeked around the corner. No one. The crowd was gone.

He investigated further, trying his best to find out where the man had gone. He rounded another corner and almost ran into someone.

Exactly the man he was looking for.

It was hard to imagine the person that his best friend acted so terrified of, was this little, polite, smiling man. He had gotten small glimpses of the horrible things that the man was capable of, and yet seeing him in person made George almost question if they were really true.

“Sorry to bother.” The man grinned, offering a hand for George to shake before he could run away. “I’m officer William Herrick, and I’m actually out looking for someone.”

“Oh?” George tried not to look interested. Tried not to look a little scared. He could tell he was failing by the pitch of his voice.

He needed to say as little as possible.

“I’m looking for a boy, well, a man, by the name of John Mitchell.” Herrick raised an eyebrow, while taking out a photo out of his pocket. “This is not a recent picture, one from several years back, but it’s the only one I’ve managed to find.”

It was a picture of Mitchell, probably around 16 or 17 years old. He looked dead tired, and was staring at whoever held the camera with no smile, it looked like he was biting his lip, and his knotted curly hair looked even more messy than it usually ever got.

“Has he done something wrong?” George couldn’t help but ask.

“Well, if you must know, he’s my nephew. Haven’t seen him in years after he went missing a while back. I just wanted to… catch up.”

A shiver went down George’s spine. “I haven’t seen him around, sorry.”

“Funny, because I’ve been told he works here.”

“Well,” he tried to keep his voice even. “That doesn’t mean I see him often. Again, I haven’t seen him around in a while.”

“Well, thank you for your cooperation anyways.” Herrick smiled again, this time narrowing his eyes as if studying him.

Herrick pushed past him and made his way down the hall.

The hall straight towards Mitchell.

George panicked but couldn’t think of a reasonable explanation on why he could steer him in the other direction.

He watched as Herrick slowly walked towards the bathroom door. He hadn’t locked it. If he found Mitchell in the bathroom, there was no telling what he would do.

George held his breath as Herrick made his way past the door.

As soon as the policeman rounded the corner, he let out a deep sigh of relief and quietly made his way towards his best friend.

******

Annie was about to burst with excitement as she pulled out a freshly baked pie out of the oven. She couldn’t eat it, obviously, but she could give it to Mitchell when he got home from work, and Mitchell could give some to George.

It was all so exciting. She finally had friends to bake for. Or, a friend. She considered George a friend, but it was kind of hard to do the whole “friendship” thing when he acted like she didn’t exist. (It’s not his fault though, so she forgives him.)

That was when Mitchell and George came bursting through the door.

Mitchell looked like he was about to collapse, and George looked like he was about to pass out.

“Mitchell?” She ran over to him. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Mitchell only slightly shook his head, pointing to George.

She took that as him signaling that he wouldn’t answer with George in the room.

“Mitchell, what- what- what’s going on? Why is he after you?” George panted.

“I don’t know! How does he even know where I am!”

“I need to call the hospital to let them know we left.” George pulled his phone out of his pocket. “He was asking for you, showing a picture of you when you were younger. I don’t think any of the staff is going to hold back on telling a policeman information. Especially if they have no reason not to.”

“He’ll be able to track me down within a day or two.” Mitchell slowly slid down to the door with his back to the wall, voice shaking. “He’s coming to kill me. Why else would he be looking for me?”

“Hey, hey, it’ll be okay.” George joined Mitchell on the floor, putting a comforting hand on his best friend's knee. “You can just stay at the house, I’ll stay with you today and then I can go back to work tomorrow to try and find out what he’s doing, while you stay here.”

Mitchell nodded, then looked up to Annie.

“If it’s okay, I need to make a phone call. I’ll be in the other room, okay?” George said, getting to his feet again.

“Okay.” Mitchell let out a deep breath. “Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“Tell me if you need anything.”

Mitchell nodded, then got to his feet as well.

“Mitchell? What happened?” Annie asked, following him up the stairs. George could be heard on the phone with some of the hospital staff.

“It’s…” He hesitated. “It’s my uncle. Herrick. He came to the hospital looking for me today.”

Chapter Text

“Why would your uncle try to kill you?” Annie paced around the room. Mitchell sat on his bed, hands covering his face.

“Because I know too much. And I’m not a kid anymore, his manipulation won’t work as easily.” Mitchell mumbled.

“But you're still family! Doesn’t he care?” Annie was on the verge of tears.

“He doesn’t care about family.” Mitchell scoffed. “He doesn’t care about anyone but himself.”

Annie stared at him.

“It’s the truth.” He said. “I hardly even met him back when I lived with my parents. He was the only other relative I had left, and I was practically thrown at him without anyone asking for either one of our opinions. I lived with him, but he didn’t care. The only reason he was ever nice to me was so that I didn’t rat him out.”

“Why didn’t you?” Annie couldn’t help but ask. “What kind of things has he done?”

“I didn’t rat him out because I was scared. Not only was he doing these things, but he got me wrapped up in it too. I was scared that if I got him caught, that I would be in trouble too. At least, that was what he always told me.” He explained. “He’s done worse things than you can probably ever imagine. He sold drugs, sold private information, killed for money, he was even mixed up in human trafficking for a while. He’s very careful with what he does, and anyone that could even possibly threaten to bring his secrets to light end up dead in one way or another. He’s a policeman, so he has access to information, and has the power to shut down or mess with whatever he wants.”

Annie was speechless.

“I am John Mitchell.” His voice shook, eyes wide but focused straight ahead into nothingness. His hands fisted in the bedsheets. “He wanted me to change my name. He wanted me to be a Herrick. I told him no. I didn’t want to be like him. I didn’t. I wanted to go by Mitchell to prove that to him. And to prove he didn’t own me.”

“Mitchell…” Annie’s heart broke.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

“What?” She stepped back, surprised by the sudden change.

“That sorry face, that- that face! Do you pity me? I don’t want your pity!” His voice choked with tears threatening to surface. “Maybe I didn’t want to be like him. But I still was. I did everything that he told me. I’ve hurt people, I’ve dealt drugs, I’ve even killed people! So take your ‘pity’ and give it to someone that deserves it.”

*****

The rest of the day was uneventful. Mitchell lay in bed and refused to talk to both Annie and George.

At first Annie thought he was angry, but then she realized that he was shutting down. He was spiraling in fear and dread and memories and she didn’t know how to help.

George could pick up on what was going on too. He would come to Mitchell’s room every so often to ask if he wanted anything, and if he was okay. Sometimes he would just stand in the doorway, a concerned look on his face.

It was distressing to see her boys in such a state.

That’s when she remembered her pie. Maybe that would cheer them up?

Annie ran down to check on it, warming it again before she gave it to anyone. Then making some tea to go with it. After all, what couldn’t go with a good cup of tea?

She was preparing the kettle when she heard a noise from behind her.

After turning around, she froze.

“Who the hell are you?” George said, an umbrella being held— very non threateningly— like a baseball bat in his hand.

“Wha?” Annie couldn’t help but stare. “Can you see me?”

“Of course- who are you?” He repeated.

“You can see me?” She started to get even more excited. She waved her hands. “Can you see me do that?”

“What- what are you talking about?” George was getting more and more confused by the second.

“You can hear me too?” She clapped her hands together, trying her best to hide a smile. “I can’t believe it!”

“You can’t believe it?” George stared. “If you don’t get out, I’m going to call the police.”

“This is incredible!”

“No, not incredible! I’m about to call the police!” His voice squeaked.

“No, no!” Finally she realized what George was threatening to do. “I’m Annie, I’m- well- I’m Mitchell’s friend.”

“Annie?” George’s mouth couldn’t seem to close. “Like the name on the paper that Mitchell was going on about?”

“Yes!” She jumped up and down, clapping. “Oh, I’m so excited you can see me! Would you like some pie? I was making tea. Would you like tea?”

“No!” He shrieked. “What are you doing in our house!”

“I’m a ghost.” Annie shrugged. “Ask Mitchell.”

“Actually, I think I will.” He slowly backed up, not taking his eyes off her. Then he called for Mitchell up the stairs.

Despite the urgency in George’s tone, Mitchell eventually came walking down the stairs slowly. “Huh?”

“Do you know her?” George pointed to Annie, umbrella still raised.

“What?”

“Her.” He pointed again. “Do you know her?”

“You can see her?” Mitchell raised his eyebrows, disbelief in his voice.

“Yes! Who is she? Why is she in our house?”

Mitchell turned to look at Annie, their faces locked with the same look of surprise, but not in a bad way.

“Her name is Annie. She’s a ghost of some sort.” He explained quietly.

“This isn’t funny!” George whined. “What in the world is going on?”

“That’s the only way I know how to explain it.” Mitchell shrugged, looking over to Annie. “Do you know of a better way to explain it? Cause I don’t.”

Annie made a face as if she was thinking really hard. “Yeah I think you covered everything.”

“You guys are acting so casual! This-this isn’t normal!” George shrieked.

“It kind of became normal a while ago.” Mitchell said.

“Yeah, for us at least.” Annie agreed.

They all stared at each other for a while. The room going quiet. Annie with a stupidly huge grin on her face, George with his mouth wide open, and Mitchell with his arms crossed waiting for someone else to talk first.

“This is great!” Annie finally squealed. “I made pie! George, do you like pie? Of course you like pie, everyone likes pie. Now I can finally give it to you myself!”

The rest of the day went by with the boys eating Annie’s pie, while she tried to explain everything in great detail to George about all that had happened.

After everything that had happened earlier that day, and all the stress that everyone had been under, George joining the I-can-see-Annie club had really lightened the mood.

George finally gave up on being suspicious, but couldn’t help but still be extremely confused.

Annie didn’t care. She loved it. George could see her, just like Mitchell could.

Her boys could see her, and that’s all that mattered.

Chapter Text

George being able to see Annie had basically saved the afternoon. What could’ve been a disastrous evening of Mitchell locked up in his room breaking down with panic and George left downstairs to stress, turned into a rather pleasant time with conversation and what Annie liked to call “team bonding.”

It had been a long day and while it was fun to mess with George and all, they were all exhausted. It had been one heck of a day.

They had all started to head to bed, Annie still babbling about whatever came to mind while the boys brushed their teeth. George asked where she slept, and she reminded him that she was a ghost and therefore couldn’t exactly sleep. She told him about her room, with the chair in the middle, and about how that was usually where she hung out while they were asleep.

George was out of it within seconds of his head hitting the pillow. Mitchell, however, couldn’t just fall asleep so easily.

“He could find me at any time.” Mitchell whispered. “What if he comes when we’re asleep and we aren’t prepared?”

They both sat in his bed, Mitchell with his knees drawn up but still under the covers, and Annie with her legs spread flat in front of her on top of the blankets.

“You really think I wouldn’t wake you up if something happened?” Annie nudged him slightly. “I would warn you the instant something was off. Maybe I could even fight someone off myself.”

Mitchell let out a shallow laugh. “They’d just go straight through you.”

“No! I’m more solid than I’ve ever been!” Annie argued. “I could at least take out one or two.”

“I don’t know about that.”

Annie shrugged. “Well, it's gotta be worth a shot, what are they gonna do? Kill me?”

“Please don’t say stuff like that.” Mitchell buried his head in his knees.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want them to hurt you.”

“They can’t. That’s the point.” She reasoned.

“I don’t care!” Mitchell cried back.

Annie snapped her mouth shut.

“They always find a way to hurt people.” Mitchell mumbled quietly. “Especially Herrick.”

Annie swallowed hard and tried to make her voice sound as determined as she could. “Well, I won’t let them hurt you any more. You or George.”

Mitchell smiled slightly, head removed from the blankets. “Thanks Annie.”

*****

Annie spent the night with Mitchell again. She was in the same position, same spot, all night. Mitchell woke up several times but for just a few seconds, most likely from nightmares, but never stayed awake longer than that. He mumbled some things during his sleep, but not many words she could understand.

The morning came and Annie didn’t want George to wake up and find her watching his friend sleep. Even she could admit that she would be freaked out if she found herself doing that.

Tea was ready for both of the boys when they came down that morning.

Mitchell was staying at the house and George was going to the hospital. They decided to call each other every thirty minutes to an hour just in case something happened.

There wasn’t much of a reason for Herrick to target George—unless he knew that Mitchell and George were housemates but how could he?—and leaving Mitchell at home with someone else, even if they were a friendly harmless ghost, seemed to calm George down quite a bit.

Mitchell was still stressed as ever, but having George be a little calmer seemed to help a lot. Especially when George was usually the one freaking out.

George finally left for the hospital, but still earlier in the morning, so that gave Mitchell and Annie time to figure out what they should do for the day. Annie suggested that Mitchell should clean his room. Mitchell insisted he’d do it some other time. Of course they both know that this would never happen, but Annie wasn’t about to point that out just yet. Instead Mitchell suggested watching a movie till lunch, taking a break halfway through to call George and get snacks. After the movie they could make lunch and decide from there what to do.

Mitchell liked older movies, apparently that was all he had to watch when he was a kid, and so that was what he was used to.

However, Annie had been going off of two idiot guys' tastes of movies for the past… however long they had been here, and she was ready to choose something herself. All Mitchell did was shrug and told her to ‘just pick something good.’

Annie had hardly watched any movies in years that she herself got to pick, and so she decided she was going to catch up on some new movies that were popular.

She grinned when she saw the first Twilight movie. That had some romance. It had a little action, yeah? Better yet, it’d annoy the heck out of Mitchell.

Perfect.

Mitchell practically begged her to turn something else on. She refused and had to fight him off to defend the remote, but by the time the movie got too far in they were huddled on the couch making fun of it all.

George called a little less than an hour in, and Mitchell picked up immediately. Apparently wanting any excuse to distract him from the movie Annie had chosen. George reported that he hadn’t seen Herrick back at the hospital, and that set a little relief in all of them. They didn’t know if he would still snoop around, but at least he wasn’t digging for information there anymore.

After the call, they resumed the movie. Getting into a very serious discussion on whether vampires could actually exist or not. Mitchell trying to be realistic— what in the world would ever make you think that vampires would exist?— and Annie showing her apparently new found belief in vampires. (After all, if ghosts exist, why not vampires?)

The movie was over before they knew it. They spent half the time talking and hadn’t watched the actual movie at all.

They moved their little set up to the kitchen. Annie started showing Mitchell how to make spaghetti before completely giving up hope for the poor guy, and telling him to just make himself a sandwich.

Mitchell was done with his sandwich, but they were still chatting in the kitchen when suddenly a noise snapped them out of the funny conversation.

There was a knock at the door.

Chapter Text

They both froze.

There was another knock.

Mitchell got to his feet and grabbed his phone, dialing George’s number as quickly as he could.

There was a silence, and Annie tapped Mitchell on the shoulder. “I’m going to see who it is.” She whispered so quietly that she was only really mouthing the words.

Mitchell grabbed her by the wrist before she could make any move. His gaze locked into hers with such intense terror that it would’ve made her heart stop if it had been still beating.

“They can’t hurt me. They probably can’t even see me.” She reminded him.

Mitchell swallowed hard and shook his head. “I don’t care.” He whispered back.

Annie frowned and didn’t even try to get out of Mitchell’s grasp before teleporting across the street from the front door of their house. Hopefully Mitchell wouldn’t be too mad.

She peeked over the side of a car and tried to hold back a gasp when she took in the sight of a short policeman knocking on the door once again. There were also three other men, not wearing police uniforms, starting to make their way around the building.

Appearing back inside the kitchen, Annie found Mitchell frantically looking around the kitchen for her while on the phone with his terrified best friend. He had also at some point grabbed a kitchen knife.

As soon as Mitchell caught sight of Annie, there was a breath of relief. It was replaced with horror when he saw the look on her face.

She ran towards him, grabbing hold of his shirt as tightly as she could. “Listen, Mitchell, it’s him. Herrick. He’s outside.” She tried to speak as quickly but as softly as she could. “He has at least three other men coming around the building. Probably to make sure you don’t go out the back.”

She could hear George saying stuff over the phone, but she couldn’t understand the frantic rambling. Mitchell didn’t even try to reply.

“John!” A voice rang cheerfully from outside. “I know you’re in there.”

Herrick.

Annie felt Mitchell start to shake. Then she felt his knees give way and somehow both of them ended up on the floor. The phone clattering across the ground. The knife somehow still barely in his grip.

“You know you’ve got some very pretty friends at the hospital.” Herrick said cheerfully. “What were their names again? Miss Drake I think? She is a very nice girl. So is Miss Pickering. They were able to tell me some directions! Isn’t that nice?”

“Mitchell, it’s okay.” Annie shuffled her way closer to him. She gripped one of his hands tightly, praying she could stay solid enough to comfort him. “It’ll be okay. It’s okay. It’s fine.”

“If you won’t let me in, I’ll just have to let myself in then.” Suddenly there was the sound of the door being bust open.

They both flinched, ducking at the sound, even if they were out of the way of the door.

They were in the kitchen. As soon as he entered, they would be easily seen.

The sound of boots stepping on the wooden floor boards. It made its way towards them. Slowly.

Annie tried to whisper ideas to escape into Mitchell’s ear, trying to get him to his feet. He sat on the floor frozen. His fingers barely twitched around the handle of the knife.

“Oh, poor John.” Herrick sighed.

Mitchell somehow went even more tense.

“He didn’t even try to run. Good boy.” Herrick walked closer. “It’s been so long! Why don’t you say hi to your good ol uncle?”

Mitchell didn’t look up, eyes fixed on the wall in front of him.

“Well, first of all, rude. I didn’t raise you to act so cold, John!” The policeman practically skipped around the room, laughing. “This is the saddest greeting I’ve ever received. But I’m glad to see you again.”

Herrick then knelt in front of him. Forcing himself into Mitchell’s gaze. “You’ve grown up quite a bit.” He said, examining him. “How long has it been, seven years? That’s a long time to be separated, don’t you think? Where’d you go off to? Huh?”

He never once acknowledged Annie’s presence.

He couldn’t see her.

Mitchell gripped her hand tighter.

“Go ahead and put the knife down.” Herrick said seriously. He didn’t even try to take it by force. “We both know you aren’t going to do anything.”

If it came down to a fight between the two, Annie was sure that Mitchell could win. Mitchell was in great shape, he worked out, he was tall, strong. Herrick was short, older, didn’t look to be in too great of shape, he might be strong but he surely couldn’t beat Mitchell.

It was scary.

She was sure that Mitchell could win this fight. But the only movement that he made was the shaking in his hands.

Suddenly a memory of something seemed to play in the back of her head. Understanding, almost. The memory of a feeling, something so much like what she was seeing.

The feeling of fear. Terror. Not because you couldn’t fight back, but because you didn’t want to. This hopelessness, this heart ache. She remembered it all too well.

Someone that was supposed to take care of you. The betrayal. The betrayal when they hurt you again and again, with no sign of stopping. You can’t turn back, you can’t leave, you can’t do anything, because they are all you have. They made you so dependent on them that no matter what, you can’t go against them, you can’t stop them.

You only do what you are told.

Why did she think back to memories of Owen? Owen wasn’t like that, surely. Owen wasn’t a monster…right?

She watched as Herrick took the knife from Mitchell’s hand with no real resistance.

“I know you share a house with someone. I forgot his name though, what a shame.” Herrick studied the kitchen knife. “It’s rather sad that when he comes home, he’ll only find a corpse.”

Annie gasped as Herrick flipped the knife in his grip to point the sharp tip under Mitchell’s chin, forcing Mitchell to look up at him.

“I’m sorry it had to come to this.” Herrick grinned. “If you would’ve behaved, you could’ve inherited everything.”

Annie tried to pull Herrick’s hand away. To push him back, force him to keep his distance from Mitchell.

She just went straight through him.

Trying to grasp for something —anything to just get Herrick to back off and leave Mitchell alone— she started to panic. Surely Herrick wouldn’t kill him, right? Surely not.

Herrick was Mitchell’s uncle. Mitchell was Herrick’s nephew. They wouldn’t kill each other.

The anger in someone’s eyes, the hatred and disgust, flashed in the back of her mind. Something she remembered, but not quite. That same feeling of betrayal.

Because someone you love, can, and sometimes will, kill you.

And that couldn’t be right, no. That couldn’t be right. She could barely make out Owen's face as she felt herself falling. Falling down those stairs and the panic and the drop in her stomach.

Herrick would really kill him.

Mitchell wasn’t going to stop it.

“Mitchell, don’t let him touch you!” She cried.

He only swallowed hard, doing nothing to try and block Herrick from slashing his throat.

“Mitchell, please!” She begged. “Run! Get up!”

She clawed at Herrick with everything she had but it was no use because everything she did just went through him. She was scared. Tears were starting to gather.

“Mitchell please!” She screamed.

Chapter Text

For some reason, Mitchell snapped out of whatever memory or haze he was trapped in. His grip on Annie's sweater tightened, like he was trying to ground himself.

Right before Herrick could try to slit Mitchell’s throat, the younger man had already bent backward and knocked the knife onto the floor.

Letting go of Annie, Mitchell slid backwards, away from Herrick and got to his feet without a sound. Once he was standing, he didn’t even try to focus on Herrick.

He glanced around the room frantically. “Annie?!” He called, looking straight through her.

“Mitchell, I’m right here.” Annie crawled closer to him, reaching out to grab his hand.

Her hand went straight through it.

“What’s wrong, John?” Herrick joked. “Still seeing ghosts, are we?”

“Annie!” Mitchell yelled, still searching the room for some sort of trace of the ghost.

“Look at poor John!” Herrick said, laughing. “He’s finally gone mad!”

“I’m not crazy!”

“That’s exactly what someone who’s lost their head would say.” Herrick grinned, getting to his feet too.

“I’m not!”

“Mitchell, can you hear me?” Annie kept trying to grab his hand, anything that would get him to see her again.

She didn’t want to be alone anymore. She couldn’t be alone. Please, help her to not be alone again.

Mitchell didn’t answer and Annie’s heart dropped. Tears sprang to her eyes. He was so scared, and she couldn’t do anything.

Then a man with short dark hair and a crooked smile walked in. “Finish quickly, before someone sees us.”

“I think I know what I’m doing, Seth.” Herrick stepped closer to Mitchell, apparently deciding not to play around anymore. “Tell the others I’ll be outside with them in a second. Don’t let anyone see your faces.”

“Got it.” Seth left without another word.

“Looks like I’ll have to cut this short.” Herrick sighed. “I’ve actually been keeping my eye out for you for a while. Now that I’ve finally found you, I can’t exactly let you keep wandering around. Not with everything you know. I can’t just let you go for old times sake, people will start to think I’ve gone soft. We can’t have that can we?”

Annie shouted again, but this time in surprise as Herrick sprang at Mitchell and was knocked to the floor again. The knife still in Herrick hands, pointed to tear into Mitchell’s chest but Mitchell was able to put his hands out to defend himself. Trying to force Herrick’s hand away, the knife hovering above his heart, Herrick pressed all his weight to try to drive the knife into flesh.

She didn’t know how to help. She could do something. Surely she could. But when she touched Herrick or Mitchell, she would just go straight through them.

The knife was slowly ripping through the fabric of Mitchell’s shirt. Mitchell had somehow shifted it so that the knife was digging into his shoulder instead of his heart.

Annie sank to the floor as a sharp cry of pain started to ring from her friend.

Then from the other room, someone yelled. “Someone’s here! Everyone go!”

Annie watched as most of the men scattered, making their way out the back door. Then a sharp scream made her freeze.

Herrick made his way out of the house, and Annie whipped around to see the knife embedded in Mitchell’s shoulder, right under his collarbone.

She sat more still than a deadman, staring in shock as Mitchell lay on the floor trying to hold back his screams.

Then another noise came as someone burst through the doors. “Mitchell!” Was a frantic call from the entrance of the kitchen, and George was there sliding across the floor towards his best friend.

George let out an endless stream of curses and pleads and questions as he grabbed towels from wherever he could find them. Not removing the knife, George pressed the towels around it, trying to stop the flow of blood with one hand and trying to call the hospital with the other.

“Annie?” George shouted in a high pitched voice, one that everyone knew meant he was absolutely terrified. “Annie!” He looked around the room, straight past the ghost on the floor staring back at him with wide horrified eyes.

George talked on the phone with someone at the hospital. Annie wondered how in the world they could understand what he was trying to say because his speech was so jumbled and confusing, or at least a lot more than George usually was.

Mitchell’s cries were finally dying down, he looked as pale as ever, and Annie was scared he would pass out. Blood was pooling on the floor but for some reason all she could think of was the fact that it wasn’t the first time in this house that the floor had been soaked with blood. She just hoped that there wouldn’t be where another dead took place.

It felt like she was falling all over again.

“No, no, no.” George ordered. “Mitchell, wake up. Stay awake. Don’t pass out. You had better not- I swear- you better not- oh my g- you better not- you better not.”

Mitchell mumbled something out. It was either a mumble or a whine. Annie couldn’t understand what he was saying but it scared her.

“Mitchell, where’s Annie? What happened- where- where is Annie?” George continued asking questions and rambling to keep Mitchell awake, not sure of what else to do.

Annie couldn’t move or talk. Ghosts couldn’t feel pain, right? They physically couldn’t feel. They weren’t supposed to. She didn’t know how, but she felt sick. There was this pit in her stomach, this emptiness inside her, that seemed to be taking her over. She could feel herself flickering. It felt like her spirit was collapsing in on itself.

She was absolutely terrified.

Everything went by in a blur after that.

An abundance arrived at the house, they put Mitchell on a stretcher, and all she remembered was him screaming again while they moved him. George had been crying. At least she thought he was. Or maybe she had been the one crying?

Annie stood in the doorway as they took her boys away.

She wondered how far from the house she could go. Could she go as far as she pleased, or was she stuck within a certain distance? Was she overthinking, or could it actually be dangerous?

At that moment, she couldn’t really seem to care. She couldn’t wait. There was no way she could let Mitchell out of her sight for more than a second, let alone wait for George to return with news, or Mitchell himself. She didn’t even know if either of them could see her anymore.

Then her thoughts trailed off, and she couldn’t help but wonder why.

Why was she not visible again? George hadn’t even gotten to see her for more than a day, but her heart still shattered when she heard him screaming her name and he couldn’t hear her answer.

She stood by the front door, slowly pacing back and forth.

Then she glanced up.

Her gaze slowly trailed down, landing slowly on the single broken tile at the bottom of the stairs.

She didn’t know why, but the same feeling that she remembered seeing when Herrick stared down at Mitchell —when Herrick was about to kill him— wouldn’t leave her head.

The terror and betrayal, yes, but also something else that was impossible to put into words.

Then Annie snapped to the present.

Right. The house. She was going to leave the house.

Annie let out a shaking breath and went out the door.

*****

George didn’t know what to do anymore. He was shaking and terrified and he didn’t think he had ever felt so overwhelmed or scared in all his life.

He was cramped in an ambulance with people crowded around, trying to work as best they could with Mitchell on a cot in the middle of them all. He was drifting in and out of consciousness by the seconds and they were trying to take the knife out of his shoulder without him bleeding any more than necessary.

He had kept his mouth shut, for the most part. When someone would ask him a question, he would do his best to answer, but half of the questions he couldn’t answer.

It wasn’t like he knew what had happened anyways. He got a call from Mitchell saying that Herrick arrived at their house and that Annie had even confirmed it, and that he was trying to get inside. Also that he had several guys with him that had been surrounding the house.

The real question was why Herrick and his men ran when they did. George charged into the building not sure what to expect, but certainly not for the house to be completely empty.

Annie was gone too. Had she left too? Or did they do something to her? He hoped that she was okay. Even though he was still extremely creeped out by the whole “ghost” part of it all, he really did like the girl. She was sweet, and he could see the happiness in his best friend's eyes when Mitchell talked with her, even in that short time.

His heart ached at the reminder of just hours ago. George watched as Mitchell’s eyes rolled back into his head once more and the blood soaked clothes were placed to the side and replaced with new ones.

He bit his lip as they came closer and closer to the hospital.

What was he supposed to do now?

Chapter Text

Annie arrived at the hospital, finding the ambulance pulling in as she made her way to the entrance. (The one thing that she did think was helpful about being a ghost was that she never had to run anywhere.)

She watched as they brought Mitchell out of the back and into the building.

George followed closely behind, watching through the crowd of people coming up to take the cot inside, calling things to his best friend but not wanting to get in the way.

Not surprised when George didn’t even glance her way, Annie ran up to Mitchell. Because she was able to go straight through any person, she wasn’t exactly in the way.

She whispered to him, trying to tell him that she was there but his eyes were slowly closing and they were fogged over with confusion, exhaustion, and pain. “Mitchell, it’s okay. Me and George are here. You’re going to be okay. Mitchell, it’s okay-“

Babbling nonsense was all she could seem to do, and since she knew that no one else could see her then it didn’t matter whether she stopped or not anyways.

Annie glanced back at George. She could see him practically vibrating with stress, panic, and fear. She didn’t know if there was anything that she could do to comfort him. He couldn’t see her, so how exactly could see help? Even so, she forced herself away from Mitchell’s side and towards the other terrified best friend.

“He’ll be okay. I know it.” Annie whispered, wrapping her hand around his. For a split second she could feel the texture of the skin of his fingers. Right before she slipped right through him once again.

She let out a breath. Even if he couldn’t see her, she still offered him up her best smile before chasing after Mitchell once more.

However, she missed when George started to search for the mysterious voice that had whispered in his ear.

*****

Annie watched as George finally walked through the door of Mitchell’s room. They had taken the knife out and had finished everything they needed to do. Annie had sat there and watched it all, no one even knowing she was there. George, however, had to sit in the waiting room while the hospital staff worked.

He looked absolutely relieved to see his friend again but distressed at the state he was in. Mitchell was stable for now, the heart monitor beeping beside him. He was out cold though. While Mitchell remained unconscious for the most part, he had woken up during some parts, and he had been anything but helpful. Almost looking like he was trying to start a fight with the people trying to help him. Pulling on tubes and trying to take off the mask clumsily and weakly, and just generally making peoples jobs harder than they needed to before he was unconscious again seconds later.

Annie watched, smiling sadly as George took the closest seat to the bed and nearly breaking into tears.

She stood on the other side of the bed, taking Mitchell’s hand and barely being able to feel the rough skin of his hands.

“What am I gonna do with you?” She heard George sigh.

“You’d better give him a piece of your mind.” Annie tried to laugh, but it came out sounding more like a sob, even if she was able to hold her tears back.

George didn’t answer, but that didn’t surprise her.

The light flickered, and suddenly Annie realized how dark it had gotten outside. So much time had passed, but it had gone by in a blur.

Then Annie turned towards the door, hearing footsteps approaching.

A short nurse walked through the door.

“Hey, George. I heard something happened.” The nurse called softly.

“Nina.” George let out a huge sigh of relief when he saw her. She handed him a cup of coffee that she had brought in with her. He thanked her and took a sip.

“Do you know what happened?” Nina sat down next to him.

“He was attacked.”

“Who would attack him?”

“I don’t know.” George shrugged. Apparently thinking that saying anything to her wouldn’t help at all.

“There’s always something weird going on between you two.” She said seriously. “First a policeman comes in asking for him, and now this? George, what is going on?”

“Complicated family stuff.”

“Are you involved in the ‘family stuff?’”

“By association, kind of.”

“That means I’m involved by association. I don’t like that. I-“ She was cut off suddenly by a buzzing in her pocket. “I have to get back to work. Sorry.”

Nina walked out of the room and George sat, coffee in hand, letting out a deep breath. Annie watched as he bit his lip and tried to hold back tears.

Who was “Nina” to talk to George like that when his best friend had almost died a few hours before? They were sitting in Mitchell’s room, waiting for him to wake, and the only thing she could think of was how she didn’t want to get caught up in anything? Couldn’t she have at least waited a few days before nagging at him?

Annie let out a huff of frustration.

*****

George stayed in the hospital room for hours, nearly falling asleep a few times.

Annie decided to sit at Mitchell’s other side, and they would be like his bodyguards. It had made her laugh at the time, but she didn’t think it was all that funny anymore.

She had hardly moved an inch from her spot in hours. Then, something caught her eye. Someone passed by the doorway. It wasn’t the fact that the person was super noticeable or striking that caused her to draw her gaze towards them, but the fact that they weren’t. They were almost… invisible in a sense?

Curious, she went to go follow whoever it was.

She didn’t know how she knew but she did. For the first time ever, she had found another ghost.

Chapter Text

Annie took one last glance at George and Mitchell before following the ghost in the hallway. Whoever it was had seemed to disappear, and Annie wondered if she had lost them. She rounded another corner before almost running into a girl.

“Sorry about that.” Annie apologized, not thinking twice about the fact that the girl couldn’t hear her.

“What?” The girl stared at Annie with huge concerned blue eyes.

“You can see me?” Annie’s eyes went wide. “Are you a ghost?”

“You can see me?” The girl said back. “Yeah I’m a ghost, so what are you?”

“I’m a ghost too I guess.” She shrugged.

The girl nodded, looking over her carefully. “How long have you…”

“Oh, a year or two now. I’m over it.” Annie waved her hand. She tried to keep her smile genuine.

“Sweetheart, no one can get over how they died. That’s a fact. You just get used to it.” The girl said seriously. “Trust me, I’ve been dead for seven years.”

Annie gave her a curious look. Finally getting the chance to observe her first ghost friend, she noticed how young she looked. She couldn’t have been older than 18. Her dark brown hair was short, she wore a cute red dress, and was barefoot. The dress was cute and all, but unfortunately very uncomfortable looking to have to spend eternity in.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why are you at the hospital?” The girl asked.

“Oh, my friend was attacked. He’s… well, he’s not a ghost. So, uh, yeah.” Annie stumbled over her words. “And what brings you here?”

“I’ve been looking after my dad ever since I died.” She shuffled her foot. “He’s got cancer, and doesn’t have too much time left, so I want to be here to greet him. I think that’s my unfinished business.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“I mean, you shouldn’t be sorry. I’ll finally get to talk to him again.” The girl smiled, however Annie could tell that she was still sad about it all.

There was an awkward silence for a few seconds before Annie decided she could change that. “It’s nice to have someone to talk to. And another girl at that. I haven’t exactly left the house much since I died, so I’m glad I’ve found another ghost that will always be able to see me.” She looked loved her shoulder. “I really should get back now, but the room I’m in is 308.”

“I’m in room 323.” The girl smiled slightly back. Annie wondered if it was just her young face that made her always look so concerned. “Oh what’s your name?”

“Annie Sawyer.” She said as she walked back towards Mitchell’s room. “And yours?”

“Josie Hunter.”

*****

Annie came back into the room finding George asleep in his chair. She smiled softly, wishing she had a blanket to wrap around him.

He was clearly exhausted. It was late at night and the day had been spent running around in panic and fear. She was tired herself, and she didn’t even know how that was possible.

She had only just sat back down in her chair on the other side of Mitchell when she heard something shift from across the room. Looking over at the source, she found George cracking his eyes open.

“Annie?” He whispered when he woke up.

She stood up, hope blooming in her chest, only to be crushed again when George looked straight through her.

“I feel like I’m going crazy talking to myself like this.” George said quietly so that his voice wouldn’t be heard outside the room. “If you're here, can you show me a sign of some sort?”

Annie looked around for something that she could do. She didn’t know for sure how solid she was. Maybe she could move a chair, but it didn’t seem like much.

George seemed to notice the lack of supplies as well, and ran out of the room but came back shortly with a notepad and pen. He set it down on the table near the door. Stepping back a few feet but still watching.

She couldn’t help but grin when she saw the paper. This way she could actually communicate.

Picking up the pen, she wrote, “I’m here” neatly at the top. After a few seconds she added, “I’ve turned into a real ghost again, haven’t I?”

George read the paper and let out a sigh of relief. “Are you okay?”

Annie scribbled a “yes” onto the paper.

“Why did you suddenly disappear like that? When did it happen?” George looked up at the air as if trying to figure out where he should be looking.

Annie took a few seconds to figure out how she would word things. “I don’t know why. Herrick came in and Mitchell froze. Maybe I just got too worked up or scared?”

George looked like he was about to ask another question but before he could Annie wrote out something else. “It’s late, you should get some sleep. I can watch over Mitchell. Set something on the table, and I can knock it off and make a crash when I need to wake you.”

He looked like he would argue, but exhaustion must have won because he let out a deep breath and nodded. Annie was surprised there weren't bags under his eyes. He looked awful.

“Take good care of him.” He mumbled, sitting back in his chair and managing to fall back asleep in seconds.

Chapter Text

Other than keep watch, there was nothing for Annie to do. She wished that her knew friend would make an appearance, but she guessed that they both had someone to look after, and that they both didn’t want to leave in case something happened. Even though their version of “something happening” might be a little different.

Annie wondered if she’d ever see the other ghost again. After all, if her unfinished business really was to watch over her dad, then when her dad died, she would probably move on with him.

She was happy for Josie, she truly was. That she could finish whatever wasn’t resolved about her death, finish whatever was left unfinished, but she did wish she could have someone to talk to again. Selfish, wasn’t she? After all, she’d had more conversations the past few days then she had for the past few years. She should be grateful that she was seen at all, even if it was just a short amount of time.

They at least knew of her existence now. She wasn’t forgotten anymore.

*****

Feet running quick. Click of heels and stomp of boots. He held her hand so that she wouldn’t fall behind, but also so he would know if she fell.

“Please- please- I can’t lose you too!” He begged. Tears shining brightly in huge brown eyes as they came around a corner. “You need to leave, get as far away from here as you can!”

“I won’t leave you!” She cried. Taking her high heels off so she could walk quicker. “Who knows what he’ll do to you!”

“If I go with you then there’s all the more reason for him to follow! I can’t! It’s too risky!”

“But you can’t stay with him! He’s insane!” She reasoned, shoving her bangs out of the way. “Who knows what he’ll do next!”

She held her red heels. Her face was blurry. Blue eyes pierced through the haze.

“I don’t care what happens to me, you need to go!” He snapped.

Boots heavy and loud. Eyes unfocused. Nervous and scared. Brown eyes staring back.

Blue stared at brown and there was so much hurt in both but the brown won and she sucked in a deep breath to admit defeat, but wouldn’t say it out loud.

Throat was tight. Bare feet scrapping the concrete.

“I just don’t want to leave you.” She whispered, making her desperation clear. “You don’t deserve this.”

“I was no good for you anyways.”

Bittersweet smile.

The last thing she remembered…

That stupid bittersweet smile.

*****

Annie lifted her head from her doodles on the page that George had left. At first she couldn’t see any movement that had drawn her attention, but then she saw someone just barely in the doorframe.

“Annie?”

She grinned, quickly getting to her feet and greeting Josie at the door.

“Hey! How’s your dad doing?” Annie greeted, standing in the doorway so that she could see into the room but also talk without letting it be awkward. Standing in a room with two unconscious boys practically cuddled together —because of how close George had pulled his chair up to Mitchell’s bed— was definitely a little awkward.

“Huh?” Josie looked completely distracted by her thoughts. “Oh! Yeah, my dad is doing as good as he can right now. How’s your friend?”

“He still hasn’t woken up.” Annie said sadly. “George has fallen asleep, and I’m just making sure no one interrupts them.”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt-“

“No, no, no!” Annie reassured. “I like the company. It keeps my mind off things.”

Josie let out a small breath that seemed to be somewhat of relief. The ghost seemed to always have a concerned look on her face, but this time she looked even more so.

“Is something wrong?” Annie asked softly, wrapping her cardigan around herself.

Josie’s head snapped up to Annie and then to the hallway. “I- I’m not sure.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, like…” she let out a huff. “I feel like I need to come talk to you. I don’t know why, but it feels super important. And then, I keep having these memory’s coming back to me of back when I was alive. That’s never happened to me before. When I first became a ghost, it was hard to remember things, but now everything’s coming back and when it happens it feels like getting hit by a train.”

“I think something similar has happened to me.” Annie thought back to her memories coming back to her when watching Herrick and Mitchell. “But I’ve never felt like I should go talk to anyone. That’s rather strange. Oh, but then again your one of the only people I’ve talked to since I became a ghost, so.”

Annie knew that adding up however many years that Josie had been dead with how long she had been alive that they were likely around the same age. Also, the girl had been dead for much longer then she had, so she probably had more experience with it all. Even so, she couldn’t help but feel sorry for her when she looked so distressed and confused. She had the strong feeling she wanted to protect her.

“What have you done since you became a ghost?” Josie’s whole attitude seemed to change, very obviously trying to change the subject. “I’ve met quite a few ghosts, and some of the stories I’ve heard are crazy.” She chuckled.

“Honestly, I’m on the boring side of it all. I only left the house I died in for the first time like this week.” Annie shrugged. “In the beginning, when people started to try and move in, I tried to scare everyone off. I was really mad and just wanted the house to myself. After a year or so of that, eventually two guys moved in and I sort of became attached. One of them started to be able to hear me, and then see me, and we became friends.”

“People can see you?” Josie’s mouth dropped.

“Yeah, they can!” She grinned, but then had to remind herself the events of yesterday. “Well, could, but not anymore. I’m not sure what happened.”

Josie gave a questioning look.

“I was staying home with of them yesterday, but then— well it’s a long explanation really— but some people tried to break into the house to kill him. They got inside and it was like almost all my memories started coming to the surface and I freaked out and- and- yeah… since then, they haven’t been able to see or hear me.”

“I’m sorry.” Josie frowned. “That must be something really hard to loose. I can’t even imagine how exciting it’d be.”

Annie laughed. “Yup. You should’ve seen their faces too.”

“Are the people in there the people guys that you’re talking about?” She leaned into the room to see the two figures.

“Oh, yeah.” Annie glanced behind her, talking in the almost-peaceful sight. “You want to come meet them? I mean technically not meet them, because not only are they asleep but they can’t see us, but- you know what I mean.”

Josie laughed a little. “Sure. Maybe sometime I can introduce you to my dad.”

The girls finally walked fully into the room. Annie’s eyes landed on Mitchell’s face. He was pale, and had tubes everywhere and bandages wrapped around the wound. His curl hair was ratted and messy and his expression seemed slightly pained.

That’s when Annie noticed that Josie had fallen silent.

“Josie?” Annie turned her head towards her new ghost friend.

She stared at Mitchell, and then pointed to him. “What’s his name?”

“Who, Mitchell?”

“What’s his full name?” Josie’s gaze didn’t flicker away for a second.

“John Mitchell.”

Josie took in one deep breath. “It really is him.” She whispered.

Chapter Text

“What are you talking about?” Annie let out a nervous laugh.

“That’s really Mitchell?” Josie walked up to the bed and grinned.

“You know him?” Annie’s jaw dropped.

“Wow! He’s gotten so big!” She looked back at him, eyes twinkling with excitement despite the state that he was in. “I swear, the last time I saw him we were basically the same height.”

“You knew him years ago?” Annie said, shocked. “What was he like?”

Josie looked back at Annie but didn’t have quite as wide of a smile anymore. “He was tricky to get close to. Didn’t trust anyone, even at such a young age. He was small, but could hold his ground well.”

“Were you guys…?” Annie trailed off.

“We were sort of together, but only for a little while, but I wouldn’t really go as far as saying we were dating or anything. He- well, things were really complicated for him back then so I don’t even know if it would’ve worked out. It’s long past now though.”

Then Josie’s smile faded, replaced with blue eyes wide with concern. “What happened to him this time? You said some people broke in and tried to kill him?”

Annie let out a breath and nodded.

“Was it Herrick?” Josie started to pace around the room. “He’s not still with Herrick, is he? I swear, if he’s still with him after all this time-“

“No- no, he said that he ran away.” Annie cut her off. “He told me that he ran away from his uncle when he was 17. Then, after that he met George.” She motioned to the man who was sleeping in the chair. “They became friends and eventually moved into the house with me.”

Josie smiled slightly. “I’m glad he has someone to rely on now. Years ago, he didn’t have anyone. I tried to be there for him, but things don’t always last forever.”

Annie watched Josie carefully as the ghost sat on the bottom corner of the bed.

“Josie?”

“Hm?”

“How did you die?”

There was silence.

Sad hollow blue eyes slowly traced back to Annie. “I…” She swallowed hard. “I don’t remember exactly what happened, but I have a pretty good guess.”

“You don’t remember how you died?”

“Not exactly.”

Annie felt something in her chest ache. “I… can kind of understand.”

“What do you mean?“

“I remember how I died. I fell down the stairs in our house and my head hit the bottom and I just sort of- sort of died? I remember the feeling of falling down those stairs, I remember it being dark, I remember being scared. But I can’t help but think I’m missing something.”

Josie looked over to Mitchell and put a hand lightly on his. Just light enough so that she wouldn’t go through him, but where it was so close to touching. “I remember running. I remember Mitchell being there. I remember being scared, but he was even more terrified than I was. His uncle had noticed me and thought that I would ‘brainwash’ Mitchell or something, and wanted me out of the picture before I knew too much. Mitchell was trying to get me to leave, but I didn’t want to leave him there by himself to stay with Herrick. After Mitchell said he wouldn’t come with me… he smiled. That’s all I remember.”

“You died with Mitchell?”

“I think so.”

There was something else that Annie was practically desperate to ask but felt like she should hold back. A few seconds of silence went by and finally she didn’t care. “Did you ever follow Mitchell as a ghost?”

Josie bit her lip. “Sometimes. Not for very long. I was more concerned about my family at the time, because after I died things started to fall apart. I was an only child, and apparently was the glue to my parents so after I died their marriage was going through some rough patches. I would come visit him a lot, but then not too much longer he disappeared and I couldn’t find him. I was so scared that Herrick had done something to him. I tried to find him to see if he was okay, but I didn’t even know where to start.”

Annie nodded thoughtfully. “One time, when he could see me, he said that it was scary to believe that ghosts existed because he felt haunted his whole life.”

Josie’s eyebrows drew together in concern. “I didn’t know he felt that way. I didn’t even think he knew I was there. I didn’t scare him, did I?” There was a pause before she let out a knowing breath. “Now that I think about it, there was always a lot of ghosts hanging around, when he lived with his uncle that is. Herrick killed a lot of people, and they were always looking for ways to get their revenge as their unfinished business. I didn’t think that included Mitchell though?”

“I don’t know. I was wondering if he was always able to sense ghosts. That would have explained why he could see me.”

“You said he can’t see you anymore, right? Why is that?”

“I’m not sure exactly.“ She laughed nervously. “But after thinking about it, I can kind of feel when it happens, somehow. It almost feels like I’m flickering.”

“Do you know what caused it?”

“I remember having some sort of flashbacks from right before I died. It was like I was frozen and I started to feel myself flickering. I think maybe it’s because when Mitchell and George came to the house I started to disconnect myself from my death. Like I was able to convince myself it hadn’t actually happened at all. But… then everything started happening so quickly and then the memories came back and it was like the terror of it all sent me right back.”

Josie nodded in understanding. “I don’t know that many ghosts could separate themselves from their death. I know I couldn’t. Even though I can’t remember that exact moment, I can’t deny that I’m still bitter about dying. I feel like I was robbed. I could be out shopping with my friends, or falling in love, or watching my parents grow old together.”

“That’s what I thought too. But then I just started living. Not truly living, obviously I’m still dead. But when George and Mitchell moved into my house, it was like I could see them trying so desperately to give themselves some sort of normalcy that I started to do the same. I played along with it, pretending that I was apart of their little world and that everything was fine. That I was fine.” Annie chuckled. “It was nice, and I liked it. Eventually I just kind of… forgot. I think that may be the reason why they could see me.”

Josie smiled softly, a pained look crossing her face. “They were really lucky to have you.”

There was another gap of silence and Annie was about to ask the other ghost another question but was cut off with the sound of movement on sheets. Both of them searching for the direction of the noise and finding it easily.

Mitchell shifted in his unconscious state. Annie sprinted to action, running up to a sleeping George and trying to decide whether or not to wake him. She doubted she could be seen, so what much could she do to comfort him.

His head tossing and turning, and his breath slowly picking up, Annie could recognize the signs of Mitchell’s nightmares easily now after the sleepless nights she watched over him. Trying her best to keep the nightmares at bay.

With Josie completely forgotten, Annie put a hand to the side of Mitchell’s face and his hand. Not being able to completely feel his skin against hers, but she hoped it was enough.

“Mitchell, hey, you’re okay.” She said quietly as she rubbed her thumb over his cheek.

His breathing was still coming quick and his eyelids twitched at the light of the room. Mitchell turned his head into the barely-there touch of Annie’s hand tracing his cheek as his face scrunched in pain.

Suddenly George stirred too and even with blurred sleepy eyes, was awake and up in moments. “Hey, mate, you’re okay. You’re in the hospital. You’re safe-“ he repeated over and over again, taking Annie’s place of grabbing his best friends hand.

Eventually Mitchell’s eyes flew wide as he jerked to consciousness. He searched the room immediately, eyes landing on the door. Still letting out quick breathless pants, he said. “They’re going to come.”

“What? No, Mitchell, you’re safe here.” George reassured in a rather non reassuring way.

“No, George.” Mitchell’s voice shook. “They’ll be here soon.”

Chapter Text

George started frantically running around the room, talking so fast that he could barely get a breath in.

Annie ran to the door to see if anyone was coming their way, but didn’t see anyone. She rushed over to Mitchell who was attempting to sit up and looking wildly about the room.

Josie seemed to freeze at the chaos, but Annie was too caught up in it all to notice.

Annie tried her best to calm Mitchell down but it proved to be quite a hard task when he couldn’t seem to hear or see her. Thankfully George noticed and tried his best to calm his friend down, even if he was panicking himself.

“Mitchell, hey-“ George argued, trying to gently get the other boy to lay back in the hospital bed. “Please, don’t get up. We need to figure out what we’re doing.”

Mitchell looked like his eyes would roll back into his head and he would pass out for another hour at any second. He paid no attention to George, only searching the room and yanking all of the tubes and machines he was hooked up to. “Do we call a doctor since you're awake? Should I get Nina? Mitchell, what do we do? We can’t leave can we?”

“I don’t care, just- just get me out.” Mitchell pleaded. Annie could see the pained expression on his face every time he moved.

“I don’t know how, Mitchell.” George cried. “Mate, you were dying just a few hours ago-“

“And we’ll both die here if we don’t go!”

“You can’t be sure-“

“I can! He didn’t kill me last time so he’ll be back to finish the job as soon as possible. He knows you came to get me and he knows what hospital we work at, along with which ones are closest, and so therefore which one we’ll be at.” Mitchell reasoned. “He won’t let me get away again. Especially since he’s shown himself to me already. He knows I’ll run as soon as I can, so he’ll be on his way.”

George scanned the room around them, clearly looking for something. “Annie?”

Mitchell’s eyes went wide. “Is she here?”

“She was earlier, but I can’t see her anymore.” George said.

Annie stood to attention, ready for whatever she was asked to do. She ran to the piece of paper and wrote a little note to confirm she was still there.

“Annie? Can- can you see if Herrick is nearby, and warn us if you see him?” George asked, nervousness starting to break though.

Right as Annie was about to go out the door she almost ran into a familiar short woman. Despite being able to walk right through her, it still made Annie jump. She let her pass then ran out the door.

“George, what’s going on?” Nina walked into the room with a confused look on her face as soon as she saw him trying to calm Mitchell and keep an eye on a piece of paper across the room.

“Nina!” George let out a breath he had apparently been holding. “I have some questions.”

“What?”

“I need out.” Mitchell groaned from behind George. “We need to leave. George, we can’t stay.”

“Excuse me?” Nina raised her eyebrows.

“Would it be possible…” George’s voice slowly began getting higher and higher. “Possible to like… move Mitchell somewhere else?”

“Like to a different room?”

“Like out of the hospital.”

“What! Why?” Nina said. “We’ve only just got him stable, he won’t be released for days.”

“It’s kind of an emergency.” George squeaked.

“He’s going to kill us!” Mitchell cried, sounding and looking delirious. “If we stay here for much longer then we don’t have a chance!”

Nina stared at Mitchell blankly for a few seconds before turning her gaze towards George. “Care to explain? Or do I need to call someone?”

“The guys that came and attacked Mitchell are probably on their way.” George said quickly. “He thinks they’re going to kill him.”

Nina’s jaw dropped. “What?”

“Can I tell her?” George turned to Mitchell. Mitchell responded with a groan that could most likely be translated as a ‘no,’ but then again George had no clue if he was even aware of the conversation in front of him. “Fine, never mind.” He waved his hands at Nina. “We just need to get out of here.”

“Where would you go?”

George hesitated. “Our house? No- well-“ he let out a long groan. “I don’t know!”

Nina closed her eyes and rubbed the side of her head with her palms. “I can’t have you running off with a patient without there being a nurse nearby for at the very least the next few days. You need the proper pain medicine and treatments, and someone that knows what they’re doing.”

Apparently finished with half-listening to George and Nina’s conversation, Mitchell started to try to get to his feet and run off on his own.

“Woah, woah, woah!” Nina cried. “What are you doing!”

“Getting out.” Mitchell said in a way that sounded like he was trying to sound threatening but ended up sounding more like he was drunk than anything else.

“You can’t just walk out!” Nina protested. “You have been stabbed in the bloody shoulder!”

Mitchell shrugged, trying to pull off the tubes that ran across his face. “I’ve had worse, I’m fine.”

George raised a finger, looking like he was about to say something but then his face fell at this new information. “I demand to hear the explanation to that statement later on.”

Nina tried to wrestle with Mitchell to get him to stop messing with the equipment but he was starting to become a handful.

“George, tell him to lay back down.” She grabbed one of his hands only to be helpless to stop the other.

“We need out of here!” Mitchell argued.

“For goodness sake, I’ve seen children who behave better than you!” Nina scowled. “Would you be happy if I took you to my apartment?”

“What?” George said.

“If he’s so convinced that people are going to find him then do you think he’ll calm down if you came to my apartment and stayed there so someone could look after you two and he wouldn’t die of infection, or bleeding out, or even a bloody concussion if he keeps up with this behavior.”

“But I thought you didn’t want to get involved?”

“Well, I can’t just stand by and let a patient kill themselves by running away when I could help.” She frowned. “I don’t agree with him leaving the hospital just yet, so I think this would be the best option.”

George let out a breath of relief. “Thank you, Nina.”

*****

Annie ran back into the room and found Nina and George helping Mitchell to his feet. Josie, who Annie was just now realizing and regretting that she had practically ignored, was nowhere to be seen.

Nina was distracted with Mitchell, and so was George, so she took the opportunity to write a note saying that a policeman (not Herrick thankfully) and a few other men were asking about Mitchell at the front desk. As soon as she finished scribbling out the words frantically she pushed the note off the table, practically throwing it at George’s feet.

George saw it immediately and while Nina took out the tube in Mitchell’s arm, he picked it up and read it quickly. He crumbled it, sticking it in his pocket, and glanced around the room for Annie with a panicked look.

“We need to go.” George said seriously. “Like now.”

“That’s what I’ve been saying.” Mitchell frowned, but his eyes started to droop.

“Yeah, well, you were right.” George squeaked. “Annie saw some guys asking for you, I’m guessing they’re probably with Herrick.”

“Annie’s here?” Mitchell suddenly perked up a bit. George tried to remember if he had asked that exact question minutes before.

“Who’s Annie?” Nina questioned, finally finished with unhooking Mitchell. “Who’s Herrick?”

“Ummm.” George bit his lip and helped his unsteady best friend to his feet. “No one, it’s nothing, we just need to go. Like now.”

Nina let out a huff and stuck her hand in her pocket. “Here’s the keys to my car, you take Mitchell to the car and I need to go talk to someone and get a few things and I’ll be right behind you in a few minutes. Please don’t leave without me.”

George nodded at Nina as she left and Annie watched Mitchell take a few unsteady steps before George slid his arm around his side to keep him from falling over. “Okay buddy, let’s get out of here.”

Chapter Text

Annie looked all over for Josie but couldn’t seem to find her. She wasn’t in the room that she said her father was, and Annie wasn’t sure where else to check. There was no way that she could leave her boys for too long though, so she didn’t get much time to look.

She followed George as he helped Mitchell down the hallway. Mitchell was apparently still out of it with painkillers and exhaustion, and to be honest neither of them trusted him to walk on his own in fear he’d fall on his face and break his nose.

There was no one suspicious looking to be found on the way to the parking lot just yet, but they tried to stay away from people all together. George had prayed out loud that they didn’t run into any coworkers, and it seemed like that alone was proving great difficulty. They were getting there with a minimum amount of setbacks.

That was until they got to the actual car.

George had trouble finding the car itself, and had to resort to pressing the lock and unlock button on the keys to figure out the direction. They got to the car just as Annie let out a gasp as she spotted a police car not too far away with a woman in black coming up to the door to talk to whoever was inside.

She opened up the door for them quickly. “Guys hurry. Someone’s here, hurry, hurry, hurry.” She repeated impatiently.

Mitchell must’ve heard her or something because his head snapped towards her and he started to quicken his sluggish pace into the car.

Then footsteps started from behind them, in the opposite direction from the police car Annie had been so focused on. They both swung around and froze.

“It’s George, isn't it?” The short man grinned.

Both George and Annie stood in shock and fear. Annie slowly took the keys out of George’s hand and made her way in the car to start it.

“Herrick’s here.” She whispered to Mitchell, who was in the backseat, hand gripping his shoulder in pain. His eyes came up to meet hers at the sound of her voice.

“I can see you.” He said back, quietly. He was obviously a little out of it still, and Annie decided that might be for the better. She never wanted to see him freeze in fear ever again.

“That's right.” Annie smiled, trying not to let her excitement show. “Just focus on me right now.”

“You’re kind of faded.”

“I know, it’s weird isn’t it.” She tried her best to distract him so he wouldn’t freak out again. “Just look at me.”

“I’m sorry George, but you need to hand him over.” Annie heard Herricks voice from outside, and she could make out George backing up towards the driver's seat. “This business doesn’t have to concern you. I could have you arrested for helping a dangerous criminal.”

“He- he’s not a criminal. He’s my friend.” George stuttered out.

“Friend?” Herrick chuckled. “Oh, it’s been a long time since anyones ever said that to me. You see, being Mitchell’s friend isn’t something you’re just allowed to be. Mitchell doesn’t have friends.”

“Or do you just not let him?”

Herrick grinned. “Maybe I play a small role in that, yes.”

Then the policeman reached to his side and hovered over a small gun. “Sorry George, as much as I enjoy our chat, I would really like to handle this quickly, without any more delays or dramatic dialogue, even though that tends to be what I’m best at.”

“I won’t let you hurt him.” George narrowed his eyes.

“Oh goodie. I wasn’t planning to hurt him, so you can let me through. In fact, you could think of what I’m doing as putting him out of his misery.” Herrick stepped forward, and George nervously did the same. They were no more than a foot or two apart.

“I won’t let you take one step closer to him.”

“You wanna know something?” Herrick laughed, but then his voice was serious. “I don’t believe you.”

George swallowed hard, trying not to get scared from the short man in front of him.

“You see, what if I tried something like this?” Herrick put his hand out and pushed George slightly. “Can you imagine that? Oh goodness gracious, and what if I did it again!” This time he pushed harder.

Then George lunged at Herrick, pushing him against the car right next to Nina’s and grabbing him by the collar. The man only grinned with wild eyes, laughing. “This is so exciting! One on one, no weapons! Who’s going to win?”

But George pulled away, only going one step back, and lowering him to the ground with a scowl on his face.

“Awww, don’t stop!” Herrick said. “I came by myself! You could kill me now!”

George didn’t move.

Herrick frowned. “See, now you know why I don’t believe you. You couldn’t even kill me to protect your ‘friend.’” He spat out the last word like he was disgusted by it.

The sound of footsteps interrupted them and George’s head swung around to see who it was. Nina came around the side of a car with a box in hand and George’s heart dropped. Now Herrick would know that Nina was involved.

Then another group of girls came around the corner at the same time and they all greeted her.

Herrick noticed the group, but continued to look at George dead in the eyes.

“Oh, George!” One of the girls that was talking to Nina called out.

The group all walked over, noticing Herrick but that didn’t seem to stop them. Even Nina, who knew someone was very obviously freaking Mitchell out.

“And what’s going on here?” One of the girls asked. George tried to remember her name, Lauren, wasn’t it? “Are you arresting George on his crimes against fixing grammatically incorrect graffiti?”

“Did he actually do that?” Nina asked with a grin.

Lauren shrugged. “It’s only a matter of time.”

“Nope, we’re just catching up.” Herrick replied to the girls with a lighthearted smile.

“Oh! Aren’t you the one who was asking about Mitchell?” One of the other girls asked curiously.

“What’s up with Mitchell? Has he done something wrong?” The third girl questioned.

“He hasn’t done anything wrong so far, I’ve known him since he was little and was wanting to reunite.” Herrick chuckled lightheartedly. “But if you would like to inform me otherwise, feel free.”

“Aw! What was a young Mitchell like?” Lauren said.

“An absolute heathen, I’ll tell you that much.” Herrick laughed as though he hadn’t threatened to kill anyone five seconds before. “When he wasn’t causing problems then he was locking himself up in his room. He was always a loner, never liked people much. It really surprised me when I’ve come to hear he’s quite the ladies man now, eh?”

“He must’ve been so precious.” The second girl grinned.

“Definitely.”

The girls had started another conversation when Herrick rolled his eyes and let out a sigh as if his patience was growing thin. “Okay ladies, sorry, but I got to head out of here.”

All of the girls waved goodbye and told him how nice it was to meet him, and George watched as Herrick slowly walked back into the hospital without a second glance. Not long after he left, Nina piped up that they should get going, and George wholeheartedly agreed.

George couldn’t help but take a look over his shoulder a few times to try and spot someone watching before getting into the car.

Chapter Text

“I hope you realize that there will be consequences.” The older man growled. “Running off is not acceptable.”

“Sorry sir.” The boys bottom lip stuck out, just like you would expect from any child his age. “I won’t do it again.”

“That’s what you said last time!” He shouted, pushing some books off the table beside him and to the ground in his anger. “I don’t want you to leave the house without my permission. I don’t want you talking to anyone without my permission. I don’t want you to take food from my cabinets without my permission! Stay in your bloody room and do what you’re told, or I swear I’ll lock you in there myself!”

“Sorry sir, I didn’t mean anything by it, sir.” The boy started to cry.

“Sure you didn’t mean anything by it! If you run your little mouth to anyone then I’ll lock you in your own bloody prison before anyone could connect any dots! And while maybe I’ll be caught, I know for a fact that no one will bother looking for you.”

“We were just playing, I thought.” The boy tried to wipe away his tears.

The older man rolled his eyes and pressed his teeth together. “Go to your room.”

Small dirty bare feet made their way up the stairs, leaving the raging man to himself.

***

“It’s about time you joined the fun.” The older man grinned. “The longer you’re in the dark the longer you’re a threat.”

“No, sir, I don’t want to go in there.” The boy begged as he was grabbed by the arm and dragged towards the the dark open door in front of him. “Please, I don’t want to! Please!”

“I just want a little help with my job. I won’t make you do anything too hard this time.” He gripped the small arm tighter.

“I’m scared!”

“There’s no reason to be scared when you’re the one holding the knife.”

***

“I never wanted you in the first place, but I thought you could be useful when you grew up and learned to do what you were told.” The man’s voice said darkly. “I would’ve forced you out of the house if I would’ve known you would be such a pain and a little brat!”

Hardly even a teenager, the boy wrapped his hands around his stomach and waited for the older man to finish.

“If they’d let me kick you out of school then I’d do it. All those people are just bad influences.” He told the boy angrily. “Feeding you lies and building fake relationships just to get information and use you. You know that, right?”

“Yes sir.”

“I want you to stay away from this so called ‘friend’ you’ve thought you’ve made. He doesn’t care about you any more than I do.”

“Yes sir.”

***

“Have you finally lost it?” The man laughed.

“I’m sure that someone was there, I swear it!” The teen promised.

“Right.” There was another laugh, this time even louder. “Go ahead and keep this up so that I can send you to the crazy house.”

“I’m not crazy!”

“You’re seeing things! You’re seeing people that died and hearing voices from people who are gone, and you think that you’re still sane?”

“I’m not hearing things. This time there really was someone there, I swear it!”

***

“You’re hesitating.” The man whispered. The voice so close to the teens ear that he could feel the breath on his shoulder and a shiver went up his spine. “You don’t pull the trigger and there will be consequences.”

The hard cold metal in the teens hands felt familiar and terrifying. Fear creeping into his insides as a whimper of the victim knelt before him echoed in the small room. “But I-“

A slap cut him off. He ducked his head after, closing his eyes and letting the sting of his cheek wash over him to try and distract him from the freezing fear and dread and guilt.

“You dare question my authority?”

“No sir.”

“Then do it. Don’t make me ask again.”

***

Annie felt like Mitchell’s presence was grounding her. Before George even got into the car, she could feel Mitchell’s hand when she reached out to grab it.

She sat in the backseat next to him. His eyes were unfocused and pained, not just from his shoulder but some past memory that was haunting him. He dizzily took her other hand to steady himself. “It’s okay to close you’re eyes, I’ll be right here.”

“But you left me.” He said quietly. “You disappeared.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” She squeezed his hands and smiled softly when she could feel the texture of his skin. His hands were cold. “I’m here now. George is coming too.”

As if summoned, George opened the door to the driver's seat and Nina entered the opposite. George immediately looked back at his best friend to check on him and Annie tried to smile at him as he met eyes with her.

“Annie! You’re back!” George seemed to perk up slightly.

That brought Nina’s attention to the backseat, and the extra person startled her. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude but who’s this?”

“This is Annie.” George motioned towards the ghost. “She’s a friend of Mitchell.” Obviously deciding to keep the whole ‘Annie’s actually a ghost’ thing a secret, Annie decided to just smile and wave.

“And she’s coming with us?” Nina asked, glancing at Annie with a confused look.

“If that’s okay?” George’s voice squeaked.

“You know what? I really think we should get going.” Annie interrupted. “You can kick me out later.”

“Right.” George nodded, pulling out of the parking spot.

Chapter Text

They arrived at Ninas apartment after a longer drive than probably necessary. George wanted to make sure they weren’t being followed and took several strange roads to make sure of it.

Mitchell’s eyes were slowly drooping shut before they could even arrive and Annie had to softly wake him as they pulled into a parking spot.

Thankfully George parked closer to the entrance of the building, so that they didn’t had to walk far. Annie and George tried their best to help Mitchell out of the car as Nina stood back with a box full of things she might need that she took from the hospital.

George was the one that managed to get Mitchell to the right floor and Annie did what she could. Mitchell seemed out of it even as George was whispering him random things the entire way up. Annie and Nina got chatting, and Annie supposed that she might be able to forgive her for being so rude to George eventually. Not anytime soon though.

They made it to the apartment and Nina rushed in ahead of them to try and pick the place up before the guests could look too closely.

“I have one guest bedroom, but it’s pretty small.” Nina explained. “Mitchell can have that one, and I’m staying in my bedroom because this is my apartment and I said so.”

“That’s fine with me.” George nodded. “I can stay on the couch.”

“It wouldn’t be good for Mitchell’s shoulder to sleep on the couch, so thats why he gets the bed. It’s a twin size mattress, but if you boys really want to share then I guess I’ll allow it.” Nina smirked. “Annie, I’m sorry, you can stay in my room if you want to but there isn’t much space and I would think you would prefer the couch?”

“Oh, I’m fine. I can just look after Mitchell.” Annie shrugged.

“Try to get a little bit of sleep.” Nina said seriously but didn’t demand. “I know that it’s late enough now that the sun will be up in a few hours, but it’ll be better for everyone to sleep as much as they can.”

Annie nodded and kept her mouth shut about not being able to sleep.

In the end Annie sat on the floor next to Mitchell’s bed. The rest of the night passed by without much noise, and she hoped that quiet meant that there were no nightmares.

But for some reason she couldn’t bring herself to believe that was the case.

*****

It was late in the morning and Annie could hear Nina and George in the kitchen making breakfast and chatting. After hours of sitting on the floor she had moved to the foot of the bed and had sat listening to the soft noise that seemed so normal and routine after the quiet of the night.

“Are you listening too? Or are you thinking?” Mitchell’s voice startled her, coming closer and clearer than the ones in the other room. She didn’t know he had been awake.

Annie turned back to look at him. He was laying on his back to keep his shoulder still, with his head tilted towards the wall. He stared blankly at the blue paint, but he seemed more aware then the night before. “Yeah, I’m listening.” She said.

Mitchell didn’t say anything for a while. Probably listening again to the sound of Nina and George doing such simple tasks like making breakfast. Simple tasks that were so human.

Finally he spoke again. “I always thought George was better at that than I was.”

“At what?”

“Being human.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was never good at doing such regular, mundane things. Talking to people, making friends, getting jobs, cooking meals. Those were always things I struggled with.”

“This past year or so I haven’t gotten to experience those things.” Annie said softly. “It wasn’t until you and George moved in that I actually appreciated it all.”

Mitchell then lifted used his good arm to sit himself up. Annie tried to help but all he did was wave her off while trying to hide the obvious look of pain on his face. After he situated himself against the wall, he lay his head back while letting out deep breaths.

“Would George be better off without me?” The question was so faint that Annie almost missed it.

“What?” She didn’t think she heard him right.

“Nothing.”

*****

George came into the guest bedroom to check on the two, and found them both sitting on the bed with their gaze turned towards him as soon as he entered.

He snapped his fingers and pointed to the two of them. “You guys hungry?”

“I don’t eat.” Was Annie’s reply.

“Right.” George then pointed to Mitchell, and only waited for an answer for a second before cutting Mitchell off before he could say anything. “Actually never mind, I don’t know why I asked. You have no choice. We’re having eggs and bacon.”

It wasn’t too much later that George brought in the breakfast for both himself and his best friend.

“I thought you’d go eat with Nina.” Mitchell mumbled through a mouthful.

“Yeah yeah.” George rolled his eyes. “I’m sure she’s already had enough of me for one day. Besides I can’t just leave you two alone now can I? Who knows what’ll happen.”

Mitchell chuckled. “We’ve already come up with a plot to take over the world, I’ll have you know.”

“See what I mean.” George glared with a smirk.

*****

The day passed without much happening. Nina came in several times to check on Mitchell’s shoulder, and gave him something for the pain a few times, but eventually left for work. She left with clear instructions and an order to Annie to watch over the boys. Lunch passed, and it was almost dinner by the time any of them talked about anything serious.

“We can’t stay here forever. He’ll find us eventually.” Mitchell said seriously.

While they had moved around the house, they ended back up in the guest room, George sitting in a chair in the corner and Mitchell and Annie on the bed.

“What should we do?” George asked. “If we can’t go back to the house, does that mean we have to leave Bristol?”

Mitchell let out a deep breath. “I have a plan.”

“What is it?” Annie questioned, a strange feeling starting to swallow her.

“Before I tell you- I- I just…” Mitchell stumbled. He looked like he was trying to find the right words. “You guys don’t deserve being dragged around, moving from place to place.”

“Where are you going with this…” George frowned.

Mitchell ignored him. “I just want to be free of all this. I just- I don’t want to have to constantly be looking over my back, scared- terrified, that something from the past will come back to haunt me and tear my life apart and my friends lives with it. I don’t want to loose anymore than I already have.”

“Mitchell-“ Annie tried.

“So I’ve decided that Herrick needs to be stopped.”

“What- how would you-“

“I’m going to kill him.” Mitchell said as the room went dead silent. “And then I’ll turn myself in, and confess everything, and tell them everything I know.”

Chapter Text

“What!” George cried. “Mitchell, are you insane!”

“Herrick needs to be stopped. I need to so that you can go home and so he can’t hurt any more people than he already has.”

“Okay, but-“ Annie argued.

“I don’t think you understand.” Mitchell said coldly. “If Herrick doesn’t die, then there’s no stopping him. If we turned him over, there’s no knowing whether he can just squeeze his way out of it, or rise up with evidence against me instead. It’s better to just get him out of the picture all together and then tell them your reasons afterwards so that no one can stop you.”

“Okay, I understand why you think that, but you’re going to turn yourself in?” George reasoned. “Do you even understand the consequences that’ll have? You’ll be in prison for how long?”

“After Herrick is dead, his killer would probably be a lot safer in prison than out here with all his friends.” Mitchell said bitterly.

“Still…” George swallowed hard. “We’d be separated for years. Mitchell- I can’t protect you in there!”

“You don’t need to protect me anymore George. I’m the one that saved you, remember?”

“That’s still- that’s still insane!” It looked to Annie as though George was on the verge of tears. “Why couldn’t we just move somewhere else instead? That way he’ll know that we have no interest in him and he’ll get tired of trying to track us down, and-“

“That would be living our entire life in fear! I’ve already done that! Remember why we came to Bristol in the first place?” Mitchell started to get more frustrated with each argument. “That would also be turning a blind eye to all the people that are suffering because of him. We know about this, we can expose it and set it on fire. He’s killed and he’s stolen and he’s ruined and he’s destroyed. We can’t just let people suffer or die any longer!”

George’s lip wobbled and he stood up from the chair he had been sitting in. “I think you should think about this more. We can discuss it again later.”

Annie watched the two of them. They were so tense and both angry but for different reasons. George wanted to drop the conversation all together and come back to it some other time, but she could tell Mitchell wasn’t done. To be honest though, she didn’t want to hear it either.

George stomped out of the room and Mitchell crossed his arms and sat back angrily, and Annie could see him wince at the stress on his shoulder.

“What are you going to do?” Annie asked quietly.

“In a few days, I’m going to kill Herrick. I’ve made up my mind.”

“Even if we agreed, your shoulder-?”

“It’s fine enough.” He cut her off. “I can fire a gun still.”

“George would be sad.” Annie picked at the sheets. “I would be sad too, but George would be lonely.”

“You’ll be there with him though. He has you and Nina.” Mitchell let out a deep breath and rested his head against the wall again. “He’ll be just fine. Probably even better than he is now.”

“He won’t have me though, because I’ll be with you.” She tried to look Mitchell in the eyes but he was very obviously avoiding it.

“What?” He frowned and sat up straighter at the information, glancing at her a few times but not being able to make eye contact.

“I’ll be with you. Wherever you go, if you get caught or if you run. I’ll be there.” She shrugged.

“Annie, really, you don’t need to do that.” Mitchell whined.

“Apparently you need babysitting.”

“I can take care of myself! I’m a fully grown adult!”

“An adult who won’t let his friends help him and decides that murder is the only option.”

“Shut it! What if Nina comes back!”

Annie only scowled. “I think George is right. No matter what we end up doing, which I can guarantee that this whole thing will not be happening, but whatever does end up happening we’ll decide on it together.”

Mitchell let out a huff of frustration and rolled his eyes but didn’t argue anymore.

“Now, I’m gonna go talk to George. You move from that bed, young man, and you’ll be tied to it for a week.” Annie said while hopping off the bed and walking over to follow George out of the room.

*****

Annie made sure to shut the door behind her so that Mitchell would have trouble hearing her and George talking. She had plenty of things to say but no idea where to start, and the thought of Mitchell listening in on the conversation wasn’t helping.

“He drives me insane sometimes!” George growled from the couch. Annie came to sit next to him. His arms were crossed and he was slouching into his seat, sulking.

“Well, he’s definitely creative with his options.” She said.

“But why doesn’t he just let us help him out? We’re friends, so as long as we’re together then things will be fine, right?”

Annie wasn’t sure if he was meaning to include her in that statement or not. Either way she smiled softly at the thought. “I don’t know. At least we’re trying to talk some sense into him.”

George sighed. “I just want to help.”

“I know you do. You and me both.”

“I know there’s still a lot about his past that I don’t know, but from what he’s told me I’m sure I can be of some use to help him expose Herrick. Now is the time to work together, not push each other away.”

“Oh, speaking of Mitchell’s past?” Then Annie suddenly remembered. “Do you know of a girl named Josie?”

George closed his eyes for a few seconds, trying to think. “Oh, Josie was the name of a girl that he used to have a crush on. How do you know about her?”

“Well, you see.” Annie bit her lip. “When we were at the hospital and you couldn’t see me, I came across this other ghost and- and, well, she told me her name was Josie and we got talking and then she saw Mitchell and asked his name and she said she used to know him years ago when she was alive and- and- yeah…”

George only stared, and Annie was surprised his jaw didn’t drop by the look of his expression. “You met Mitchell’s old girlfriend?”

“She said they weren’t dating.” Annie clarified. “But… yeah?”

“I forget you’re a ghost. Let me just process that real quick.” He looked out across the room at the wall for a solid minute or two before zoning back in. “And there… there’s more ghosts? I mean that makes sense, but like- wow.”

“It’s a small world, right?”

“What happened to her?”

“She disappeared.” Annie said sadly. “Mitchell started freaking out saying that Herrick was coming and before I knew it she was gone.”

George thought hard, and looked as if he wasn’t paying attention to anything else.

“What’s wrong?” Annie asked when George wasn’t saying anything more.

George bit his fingernail. “Just thinking.”

“What is it?“

“I just… wonder if ghosts have always followed Mitchell around.”

Chapter Text

“Mitchell told me that sometimes he would feel like people were watching him.” George explained. “He said that sometimes he saw people that weren’t really there and heard voices that came from nowhere.”

“And you think those were ghosts?”

“The ghosts of Herrick victims.” George stated. “He said that once he ran away from Herrick that he didn’t see or hear things as often. Sometimes though, I’d have to talk him down after him freaking out over something that I wasn’t ever able to see. I thought it was just something like PTSD, but…”

“So Mitchell has always just been able to interact with ghosts?” Annie questioned. “Was he just born that way, or do you know if something happened?”

“Maybe, I don’t know.” George said. “Maybe a near-death experience, or something like that? Or he could be born with it, or even just having to interact with them for so long with Herrick, his senses were able to pick up on it more maybe?”

“You guys know that I can hear you.” A voice came from behind.

Annie and George both jumped and turned to see Mitchell glaring in the doorway of the guest bedroom. He gripped the doorframe tightly so that his knuckles were almost as white as his face.

“Mitchell, sit back down on the bed!” George cried. “The whole reason you got the bed was because you’re injured and need to heal! I don’t want you wandering around to ruin it all.”

Mitchell rolled his eyes, but his voice didn’t stay lighthearted. “Coming to shut you guys up from your gossip isn’t going to put another hole in my shoulder. You know what? I think it’s stressing me out more than anything. Stop talking about me behind my back.”

“What?” Annie grew hot. “We weren’t.”

“No use denying it, Annie.” George whispered. “He’s got the ears of a hawk, but only when it comes to things that have to do with him. Everything else is ignored.”

Annie snorted a little at that, but tried not to show any amusement on her face because she knew that Mitchell was being serious.

“Is that what happened though? Were we right?” George asked, clearly not minding that Mitchells mood was not in the best state.

“Is what what happened?” The other boy groaned. “The part where you thought I was born being able to talk to ghosts or the part where you thought it just magically happened one day?”

“Either.” George shrugged.

“I wasn’t born with any ‘special powers’ to talk to ghosts, I can’t see them more than anyone else can, I can’t hear them either, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“But you can, because you could see me?” Annie said. “And hear me, like when-“

Mitchell shut his eyes tight. “No, that’s different. That’s because you’re you and you wanted to get my attention.”

“But you said that in the past you’ve-“

“Those weren’t ghosts!” Mitchell argued. “They weren’t! They better not have been, because that means that they’re still here and- and they’re still suffering and they have- they watched their families grieve for them and-“

Mitchell cut himself off with a deep breath. George rushed to his side as he slowly sank to the floor trying to get his breathing right.

“Okay, okay.” George said in the voice he always used when he was trying to be sweet. When he was trying to be an older brother. “You’re right, I didn’t mean it like that. You’re right.”

“I’m not though am I?” Mitchell’s voice was tight, like he was trying to hold back tears as George had a hand on his shoulder. “I keep telling myself that they were just my imagination because that’s what I was always told. And- and I don’t know. I don’t know whether I want to be crazy or whether it's better to admit that I could see the ghosts of the people that died by Herrick’s hands. Or… or my hands.”

There was only silence as George grabbed his best friend's hand and held it tight.

“I said I killed people.” Mitchell’s gaze turned towards Annie’s for only a second before it flickered away in shame. “I remember it all too well. I was 14 when he first put a gun in my hand and told me that if I didn’t kill the man he put in front of me then there’d be consequences. He was always nice to me when I did what he said, so I always tried my best to do so. But that time I told him that I didn’t want to and that I was scared. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I was too scared not to do what I was told though and what he would do to me if I didn’t- because the threats he made were horrifying, even now I still freeze at the thought of them. Because even now I have no doubt that he would do it.”

George sat there as Mitchell pressed his forehead to the crook of his shoulder, hiding his eyes as he cried.

“I need to kill him.” Mitchell sobbed. “Not even that, I want to kill him. I want to pull his spine out through his mouth and watch him choke on his own bones, because that’s what he deserves. It might be what I deserve too, I don’t have a clue. All I know is that he needs to die.”

*****

The rest of the day went by in silence. There seemed to be no need for it, especially after everything that had been said hours before.

Nina came home that night, and couldn’t help but ask Annie what had happened. Annie had a feeling that she would’ve asked George, but he didn’t seem very approachable at the time. She told Nina that the boys had gotten into a fight.

The night creeped up and Mitchell was in bed way earlier than usual. Annie went to follow him. To just sit beside him like she had before but decided to give him a little space, and to come in later after Nina had given him some more pain killers and he had already fallen asleep.

Annie sat in an armchair and watched as Nina and George quietly talked, thinking over what Mitchell had said about them before. About how George was always better at being human than he was.

She had decided it had been long enough, walking over to the door of the guest bedroom when George whispered her over to a corner.

“Do you think you think we should tell him?” George asked quietly, making sure Nina wasn’t paying attention.

“About what?” Annie frowned.

“Josie.”

She bit her lip and considered the option. “I don’t think so. At least not now. I hope we could reunite them someday, but right now it would just upset him more.” Silently adding the other reason in her head that she never wanted to see Mitchell cry like that again.

Chapter Text

It wasn’t until Annie had tried her best to enter the room through a crack in the door to keep the noise down that she remembered that she could just walk through the wall if she wanted, or just appear inside.

It was too late however, and while trying to close the door it let out a long squeak that echoed throughout the room.

Creeping across the small room to the bed, she nearly jumped when Mitchell turned his head towards her.

“You don’t have to watch over me anymore.” He said without any heat in his voice. He just sounded drained. “I’ll be fine.”

Annie didn’t reply as she crawled onto the end of the bed.

He had the blankets pulled up to his nose and held it tightly around himself.

“You cold?” She fiddled with her cardigan.

He nodded.

Annie was almost convinced that he had fallen asleep before he spoke up again. Even then, he sounded half asleep. “What was it like?”

“Hm?”

“When you died?”

Annie let out a shaky breath. “I don’t remember what actually happened when I- you know… but I do remember afterwards. I saw things, and they scared me. It was like a bad dream, and right as it got to the scariest part, it cut off and I woke up next to my body.”

“What did you see?”

She hesitated. “I don’t know if I should…”

“Were there men?”

Annie’s head swung to the side to look at him, eyes wide. “…yeah. They had- they held-“

“Sticks and rope?”

“How did you know that?” Annie stared. Her body felt tense, and clenched her teeth to try and keep herself from twitching.

“I don’t know…” His voice got tight. He was lying, she could tell.

“How did you know?” She repeated, a darker tone filling her voice. This wasn’t something that she was willing to gloss over. She wanted answers.

“I just- I saw it one time.”

“When?”

“When I was younger. It- well- I… yeah.”

“But you aren’t dead, so how…?” Annie tried to understand.

“I was. My heart stopped for almost a minute straight and-“ Mitchell chuckled, but it was strained and it scared Annie. “I don’t think Herrick was very pleased that the doctors managed to bring me back.”

Annie’s heart ached thinking about Mitchell when he was younger seeing such horrifying things. Things that she was sure would always haunt her. No one, especially not a child, should have to go through that.

“You and George were talking about everything, and- I don’t know.”

The ghost pressed her lips together and then let out a breath. Her eyebrows scrunched together in concern as she thought.

After a little consideration, she crawled across the small bed and slid under the covers. Mitchell seemed to understand and moved over slightly, laying on his uninjured side so as not to hurt himself but also so he could face her.

Mitchell’s huge brown eyes studied her with some sort of concerned and sad look on his face. She smiled slightly, and brought her head closer to the point their foreheads were lightly touching.

“Mitchell?”

His eyes slowly slid up to meet hers.

She wasn’t sure what was coming over her, but she felt like it was something she needed to say. “There are so many people that love you.”

“Like George?” There was a trace of a smirk on his lips, but his eyes were shining.

“Yup. George loves you so much. You’re like a brother to him, it doesn’t matter if you aren’t related by blood. He wants to take care of you. Protect you. It’s his way of expressing that.”

Mitchell’s eyes flickered down. Like he was feeling guilty for something that happened in the past. Maybe some sharp words or arguments.

“However it’s not just George.” Annie whispered. “I imagine there’s some ghosts out there that followed you around sometimes. You may have felt haunted by their presence but they were really more of a guardian angel.”

Mitchell let out a breath that could be considered something like a laugh.

The ghost leaned over and placed a kiss on his forehead. “Get some sleep. Tomorrow will come eventually.”

*****

Dark empty hallway. Nothing. Nothing but shadows. There were doors. It was too dark to see them properly.

Getting to his feet, the sound of the floor beneath his shoes echoed.

His voice was clogged in his throat. It was too quiet. Way too quiet. He felt like he shouldn’t speak. Every time his body made a sound, he flinched. Whether it be his stomach or his jacket.

Hello?

He thought, but didn’t say. Something felt very wrong.

He turned around and froze at the sight of a dark silhouette down the hall.

Lip trembling, he sucked in a breath as if that would make himself quieter and whoever it was couldn’t see him.

It came closer and closer and he noticed it wasn’t a singular person, but many. Men. Tall men. They towered over him, half because he hadn’t really grown much yet but half because they themselves were so long, and skinny.

“Sir?” The boy didn’t realize he had said it until it was out of his mouth and he slapped his hand over it just a second too late. The sound echoing.

As soon as the first man was close enough for the boy to see the figure's face, he had the urge to run, but was too terrified to move so suddenly.

The distorted face and clouded eyes of the man were haunting.

Then he noticed the rope in the man’s hand. A noose. In the other man’s hand held pointed sticks, thick and sturdy. In another’s hand was also a stick but had rope wrapped around it to work as some sort of snare for an animal.

Brown eyes were wide in horror as the first man lunged at him with his stick, and the other tried to grab hold with a rope, but he ran away as quickly as he could, the men right behind him.

He ran down the hallways faster than he even knew was possible but it still seemed too slow at the same time.

The sudden brush of something on his neck was all the warning he got before he was yanked back off his feet and onto his back on the floor.

One had the snare around his neck, choking him. After that was done, the others hardly had any trouble getting his hands from him and pulling them apart and tying them with his hands splayed out.

They were laughing, or something similar to that, and it terrified him. Their sniggers and snorts echoed and they brought their sticks closer, some of them starting to poke and prod at him. Some the sticks only barely touching him and others deep enough to draw blood and if he could have screamed at the one driving deep into his side then I would have.

He had no hands to take the pressure off of his throat as the rope dug deeper and deeper and choked him and he gagged and coughed until he couldn’t anymore and he couldn’t make a sound and he was going to die- he was going to die- he was going to-

Mitchell’s eyes flew open.

He was facing the blank wall of Nina’s guest bedroom. Closing his eyes for a second to make sure he wouldn’t be sick, he turned around in search of Annie.

She wasn’t there.

Only then did he realize that he was holding his breath and he let out a huge shaking sigh.

Sweat soaked his pillow and he tried to collect himself. He tried to stop sucking in air greedily but he couldn’t and that fear was still ice cold in his veins. He still felt like he couldn’t breathe.

Mitchell sat up in bed.

He couldn’t breathe. His shoulder was on fire again and he needed to ask Nina for some more pain medication but at that moment all that he needed was to be able to breathe.

When everything finally calmed down, the small lonely dark room echoed with soft muffled sobs.

Chapter Text

Annie was in the kitchen making tea. The most recent conversation with Mitchell stuck in her head. She couldn’t just lay still.

She tried to be quiet, but the kitchen was connected to the living area with the couch where George was sleeping. Eventually she looked over at him to find he was sitting up on the couch.

The ghost walked over to him, two cups of tea in her hands. One for her to hold, and the other for George to drink. There was something in his face that told her that he needed someone.

When she handed the cup to George’s he looked up at her with a small grateful smile.

“Could you not sleep?” Annie asked quietly. “It’s late.”

“I’ve just been laying there. I haven’t been able to sleep.” George answered, hands wrapped around the warm cup.

“I had to get up and do something. Something to distract myself.” Annie admitted.

There was a small silence for a few seconds before either of them spoke again. Annie didn’t even know ghosts could get tired, but she felt exhausted. It was a kind of exhaustion that soaked into the bone and made her whole body feel heavy. She could see the same feeling mirrored in George with how his shoulders hung and his eyes were downcast.

“What do you think we should do?” Annie’s gaze fell back on the tea in her hands as the question came out.

George let out a breathy sigh. It almost sounded like a sob. He put the cup on the coffee table and covered his face with his hands. “I don’t know.”

“But we can’t- we can’t just let him…” Annie bit her lip.

“I just can’t lose him.” George’s voice was thick. “I can’t.”

Annie studied him. He sounded like he was about to cry.

“He’s like my brother. I can’t lose him.” George said. “It feels like forever ago when we met, even though it was only a few years. We were both young and had no idea what we were doing. He had been living out on the streets and I only just moved away from my hometown. We met and we could somehow tell that the other had no one and so we clung to each other like we were the last humans on earth.”

George laughed, uncovering his face to show tears dripping down his face. “Stupid, isn’t it? How fast you can grow attached. He was around 18 when we first met and I bloody swear I’ve never seen a kid look so young yet so traumatized in all my life. I gave him my lunch and he took it and ran only for me to find him again the next day. After we came across each other again when I got wrapped up in some guys fight, and he got me out, we started to actually get to know each other and then we started meeting up and I decided that I would protect him. I would be his friend, his brother, I didn’t care. We’ve made it this far. I can’t lose him now.”

*****

Mitchell’s eyes felt dry and itchy. His chest ached and his shoulder hurt.

His steps were slow, but being able to walk at all helped more than anything.

The cold of the night bit at his nose. He wished he had his jacket to bury his hands in, his gloves having been taken from him at the hospital, but at the same time he was glad for the numb feeling that was starting to spread throughout his body.

Has it always been so cold?

George’s phone buzzed from his back pocket. He didn’t have his own, not keeping up with what might’ve happened to it after the past few days.

He really did feel bad for taking it. Especially without George knowing. But Mitchell decided it would be best if he didn’t tell either George or Annie he was leaving. Slipping silently and unnoticed out the door.

Taking the phone from his pocket, he flipped it open and stared at the reply to the text he had sent out.

His face held no emotion as he slipped the phone into his pocket again. With dead brown eyes and numb lips, he continued his walk to the park.

*****

Annie had convinced George to try and get some sleep again. As soon as she got up from the couch, she headed for Mitchell’s room. She didn’t want him to be alone all night in case he woke from a nightmare.

Learning her lesson from last time, she appeared inside without using the door. The room was dark with the closed door, but as soon as she was in the room something felt off.

She squinted in the dark room to try and figure out what was wrong, but she could hardly see a thing. Walking closer to the bed, her heart dropped in her chest when she saw the blankets fall flat on the mattress with no figure sleeping under them.

Frantically looking around the room and finding nothing, she turned on the light.

Maybe he had gone to the bathroom? She raced out the door and towards the bathroom down the hall. The door was empty and the lights off.

Her neck craned trying to find signs of where he could be, finally she came back to the kitchen.

“What’s wrong?” George asked, sitting up again. Probably hearing her running around the house.

“Did you see Mitchell leave?” Annie shifted on her feet nervously, but tried not to have George panic. When he started panicking it was like the world was ending.

“No.” He frowned. “Is he not in his room?”

“I can’t find him.”

*****

Trees stretched out to touch the cold night sky. Mitchell stared at them, watching them blow in the wind and the way that the moonlight would shine on the leaves.

He was snapped out of it by another buzz of his pocket. He picked it up and flipped it open and answered the call.

Mitchell refused to be the first to talk, so it took a few seconds for the voice on the other end to say anything. “This is Seth.”

“Yeah, I bloody well know who this is.” Mitchell huffed.

“Wow, someone’s gotten rude after all that time out in the real world. You said you wanted to talk?”

“I wanted to ask you a favor.”

“Oh?” Seth suddenly sounded curious.

“I have a deal for Herrick.” Mitchell explained. “I’ll turn myself in, if he doesn’t get anyone else involved. Let George go. Everyone at the hospital too. They have nothing to do with this, and they don’t know anything. Only if he promises not to do anything to them, will I turn myself in though.”

He could practically hear Seth’s smile. “You think it’ll matter? You turn yourself in or not, he will find you.”

“But not in time. It may take another five or six years to find me again. Is that really worth the risk with everything I know?”

Seth scoffed. “Fine. I’ll pass on your message to Herrick. See what he has to say about it. Keep in touch.”

Mitchell was about to hang up the phone when Seth spoke up again. “Oh, and Mitchell?”

“Hm?”

“Why didn’t you just call Herrick directly?”

Suddenly the cold air felt freezing against his skin and a shiver went up his spine. A familiar feeling of sinking terror was suddenly overwhelming.

“Just didn’t feel like it.” He answered.

Chapter Text

Annie was surprised that Nina hadn’t woken up and came in asking what all the racket was about because George was just about losing his mind. That was the only way she could describe it.

He was frantically running around the apartment, looking in closets and around corners. His expression reminded Annie of a mom looking for their child, repeating “I’m going to kill him” over and over again. But then when the child’s found they break into tears and hug them like they thought the kid had been dead.

Among the things that they were missing (along with Mitchell and their sanity) was George’s phone. Not that they could call Mitchell, because neither of them remembered where the younger one's phone had even gone in all the chaos of the past few days, but it would still be useful to have.

After about five straight minutes of searching the apartment way too thoroughly, Annie decided to tell George to stay there and she would go out and look for Mitchell. She told him that she went out and looked for him, and found him, the last time he had suddenly gotten up and left the house without a word, and she had been able to get him to come back. George was very against it, but didn’t have much say in her decision anyway.

Annie walked the streets nearby, looking for her friend. She found many people, but not the one person she was trying to find.

However, she did find a familiar ghost.

*****

That bittersweet smile.

But this time it wasn’t the end. There was more. She remembered more.

They had been running towards a vehicle. Running to get away. They were standing in front of an old blue truck when he gave her that stupid smile and she wanted to cry with how sad that face could look.

But then someone came up behind them. They had been followed. Both brown and blue eyes jerked their attention towards the man that had been following.

“Don’t bother with getting into the truck unless you plan to drive off a bridge, little missy. Getting yourself killed would make the paperwork a bit easier. There would be less stress all around.” The man said, gun in hand.

“She has nothing to do with this, sir.” Brown eyes glared, but with more worry and terror coming through than anything else. “Let her go. Just this once.”

The man raised an eyebrow. “You know the rules. I’m not one to break them.”

“She doesn’t know anything about you! And I promise, she won’t tell anyone about this encounter right now. I’ll stay away from her, I promise. I’ll do whatever you want!” He tried desperately.

“I think not.”

The man raised his gun and a gunshot rang out.

“Please-“

“No, no, no-“ Ringing. Blurry. Everything’s fading. “-o, no, please- please.” Mitchell pleaded. His brown eyes full of tears.

It hurt.

Until it didn’t.

*****

Annie ran over to the familiar face as fast as she could.

“Josie!” She called after her friend. “Josie, hey!”

She barely registered the rest of the crowd that Josie had gotten caught up in somehow. The focus was to see if her new friend was okay after everything.

After somehow getting the other girl's attention, she was almost able to catch up to her. As soon as her face came into view Annie almost froze.

Her blue eyes were glassy but angry.

Annie felt the crowd become more intense around her. More people were walking the street, blocking the path to each other, and knocking Annie back and forth.

She was about to call out in frustration to the people that were bumping into her but then she realized that she was solid to them. They could touch her.

Looking around, she noticed something else. Something she didn’t even understand how she knew.

They were all ghosts.

“Josie?” Annie tried to call through the crowd.

Then, Josie walked up to her. They stood face to face.

“They’re all…” Annie whispered, gaze fixed on the people around them. Young and old.

“Ghosts.” Josie finished. “Like us.”

“Why?”

“This is our unfinished business.” Her blue eyes were icy. “We’ve all been killed, and we want revenge. We want justice.”

Annie went to say something but her mouth snapped shut when she noticed that the crowd had quieted and all the eyes were on her.

“Who killed you?” Was all she could manage to say.

“William Herrick.”

*****

The light of the city was brighter than it was at home. Walking around the city, even staying in the darker areas of the streets, everything was still so bright.

Mitchell remembered long ago, he would look out the window of his house into the darkness of the outdoors. Out in the garden there would be little fireflies that would flicker and he would watch their lights. His dad tried to convince him that they were fairies, and he believed it for a while. His mom was the one that talked some sense into him and told his dad not to trick him into believing fairytales.

Then his pocket buzzed again.

Mitchell took the phone and flipped it open again. The light hurt his eyes a bit.

‘Herrick accepts your offer.’ From Seth.

He stood for a minute. Taking a deep breath before numb fingers typed a message in reply.

‘Meet me at Somerset Park, 5:00am tomorrow. Alone.’

That should give him time. He needed a ride back to his apartment to get his gun. A taxi would do just fine, although he didn’t have any money with him. Also, the house was probably being watched. He shouldn’t go back there. He needed to find his weapons elsewhere. A handgun would be ideal, considering his shoulder, but those had been banned in the uk a while ago. Herrick had more than he could count, he was never the type of person to follow the law.

Mitchell tried to think of where he could get something with hardly any supplies or money. Surely he could come up with something.

Chapter Text

“We’re going to take down Herrick.” Josie announced, her voice sounding serious and dark. “You can’t stop us, Annie.”

Annie stared at the ghost for a second in shock before snapping back into reality. “Okay- okay… okay, Josie, that’s nice and all, but Mitchell’s gone missing. He was with us staying in a friend's apartment, and he said he was going to kill Herrick and we told him to wait and let us discuss it first and take time to heal but the next thing we knew he was gone.”

“Mitchell’s missing?” Josie’s face crumbled instantly.

“Yes, and I can’t find him on my own. He couldn’t have gone too far with his injury, but I have no idea what direction he might’ve taken off in.” Annie explained. “Can you help me find him?”

Josie looked around at the other ghosts that were gathered around the street but nodded. They could kill Herrick at any time. Their friend's safety came first.

Both of the girls were able to find help in the other ghosts. Josie told them all that they needed to search for Herrick anyways, and so while they were looking to keep an eye out for a man in his early twenties with curly dark brown hair, and an injured shoulder.

They all scattered.

Ghosts wandered the streets.

*****

Mitchell was glad that it was cold outside. The pain medication that Nina had given him had started to wear off and his shoulder was flaring like it had caught on fire. His head was starting to ache. His stomach felt empty yet sick at the same time.

The only thing that he could do was let the numbness of the cold consume his body. It wasn’t hard considering he wasn’t dressed for the weather and he had been outside for hours.

He needed to make a plan. He knew he did. Figure out where to get his weapon of choice, and a plan to get it. But Mitchell’s mind was making it hard to concentrate. Thinking too much hurt. His brain was foggy and slow and it frustrated him.

Pulling back the collar of his t-shirt, he took the best glance at his wound that he was able to, only barely peeling back the bandages. He noticed that the bandages were slightly bloodied and he just barely ran his fingers across it only to flinch at the surprising amount of pain it caused.

Suddenly feeling lightheaded, he sank to his feet against the wall of the nearest building. Probably not the best place to rest, and he could feel the strange glances he was getting. It was best not to draw attention to himself but he knew he would fall over if he continued.

He needed to get off the sidewalk. Into an alleyway, or somewhere more hidden. He was completely exposed there, and was drawing too much attention.

Thinking to himself that he only needed to close his eyes for a minute to steady himself, he pressed his head against his knees. He let out panting breaths and the cold air burned his throat.

What felt like only a second later, but he could never be sure, his head jerked up and he tried to figure out if he had fallen asleep.

Getting to his feet too quickly didn’t help either.

Mitchell headed for the first alleyway he could find. By the time he got there he was out of breath and his vision was swimming. He sank to the ground again, trying to think of how he was going to take on Herrick when he was acting so weak. He almost scoffed at the thought, and tried to remind himself that he still needed a gun.

Then he got an idea.

Herrick always had a stash somewhere nearby. Close enough he could get whatever he needed easily, but far enough people wouldn’t immediately connect it with him.

Abandoned buildings tended to be places he would go for. He would go above and beyond to figure out secret ways to hide things. Under floors, in walls, you name it. Those stashes could be impossible to find.

Then another idea came to him. This option was just a call away. He had bought a gun from him in the past and would be able to find anything else necessary.

Carl.

He picked up his— George’s— phone and started to dial the familiar number in.

He sat there as he let it ring in his ear. And ring. And ring.

And ring…

“This is Carl.” Was a groggy voice from the other end.

“Hey, mate.”

“Mitchell?”

“Who else?”

“You realize it’s 3:00 in the morning, right?” Carl sighed.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Mitchell said. “I need a favor.”

“Mate, you know I’d do anything for you but can’t this wait until morning?”

“Nope.”

There was another sigh. “Fine. What do you want?”

“I need a gun.” Mitchell explained. “Something that I could keep hidden and carry with me, and that I could shoot with a bad shoulder.”

“Okay, I have a few ideas. When do you want it?”

“Now.”

“Now!” Carl exclaimed. “It’s 3:00 in the morning!”

“Can you do it?”

“May I ask what the rush is?”

“I’m killing my uncle.”

“…well.” Carl cleared his throat. “That’s definitely urgent.”

“I meet him at 5:00.” Mitchell said. “I’m going to blow his brains out before he can even ask any questions.”

“5:00 as in two hours from now?” Carl choked. “And you said you were injured?”

“Just said I had a bad shoulder. I didn’t say I was injured.”

“How much sleep have you gotten? Are you sure that’s a good idea? Where even are you right now?”

“An alleyway about 10 minutes drive from Somerset Park.”

“Why are you in an alley?”

“Cause I was drawing too much attention to myself just sitting there.”

“And an alleyway is better?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, fine- I’ll bring you a few options just in case, but I think I know exactly what you’re wanting. You want to meet me halfway or?”

“Sorry mate, I don’t have a vehicle.” Mitchell laughed nervously.

“How did you even get there! Don’t you live across town!”

“Was at a friend's house. Then I walked.”

“Walked?” Carl let out a long deep sigh. “They don’t even know you left, do they?”

“What makes you say that?”

“Jeez, Mitchell. I can’t imagine being your flat mate.” Carl said. “I’m on my way, I just need to grab a few things. You’ll need to text me your exact location. Anything else you need?”

Mitchell thought for a minute. “How about a bunch of painkillers and a jacket?”

*****

George paced in the kitchen. Annie said that she would go out and look for Mitchell, and convince him to come back. In case he came back on his own, he needed to stay there.

He was thankful Nina hadn’t been woken by all the noise and chatter before. Now though, the flat was silent and it made George nervous and jittery.

He just wanted his friend back.

Chapter Text

Mitchell woke to the feeling of something tapping his cheek. His eyes flew open in an instant and his whole body went tense.

He didn’t remember falling asleep.

“Hey, mate, it’s alright.” Mitchell was greeted with a blurry figure that he vaguely recognized. “It’s just me.”

“Carl?” Mitchell’s voice was thick and he blinked so that he could see clearer.

The sharp pain in his shoulder was all he could concentrate on.

“Yeah, that’s me.” Carl confirmed. “You okay?”

“Yeah- yeah, fine.”

“Okay. I have what you’re looking for in the trunk. I’ll get it for you.”

Mitchell nodded and tried his best to get to his feet. He was out of breath by the time he was able to do even that though.

He stood and waited for Carl to bring it into the alley. It only took a few minutes before he came, a jacket wrapped in his arms. He handed the jacket to Mitchell carefully.

Unwrapping the jacket and revealing a small pistol, Mitchell smiled. “This’ll do.”

“I’m glad.” Carl grinned back. “I got painkillers in the jacket pocket.”

“How much do I owe you? I don’t have anything with me now, but I promise I’ll-“

“Mitchell.” Carl said seriously. “Killing Herrick is enough. You’ll be saving everyone, including me, a whole life of hiding or suffering. You don’t owe me a thing.”

Mitchell looked up at Carl. A smile twitching at his lips, but couldn’t quite meet his eyes. “Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me yet.” Carl smiled and headed back to his car. “And put that jacket on! It’s freezing!”

Mitchell waved and put the jacket on carefully before carefully placing the gun in the huge pocket. In the other pocket however, he found exactly what Carl said he would.

It wouldn’t be enough to take away all of the pain, but it would surely help. He threw his head back as he swallowed the pills without any water to take them with.

He flipped open George’s phone.

4:12am.

He still had time.

*****

Annie searched with Josie. The other ghosts were looking too.

She bit her lip and glanced around, looking for any signs of life and back to Josie. Annie was starting to get nervous. Where would he be? Where would he even go? Should check with George real quick to see if he had come back?

Dread was starting to set in her stomach and she couldn’t help but feel it eating away at her.

Why would Mitchell run? Was he taken? Kidnapped? That wouldn’t make sense though, because they would’ve heard someone come in. But there again, if Mitchell left then they should’ve heard him leave. Annie and George had been so distracted.

She was trying to think of everything that she could have missed or would need to know. Surely he hadn’t gone to kill Herrick. He had only just decided and would have had little to no time to plan anything.

There was only one thing she knew for certain though.

Whatever was going on couldn’t be good.

Then Annie was torn from her thoughts as a ghost that Annie recognized from the crowd came running towards them.

“We found something.” He said.

*****

Mitchell started to walk towards the park. He knew that Herrick wouldn’t play fair, but he was reasonable (or, as reasonable as one could be in his line of business) and wouldn’t want to ruin his reputation.

Most of all though, Herrick wouldn’t take any risks.

If he felt cheated or things got even slightly out of hand, then he wouldn’t hold back.

Mitchell hoped though, that Herrick still thought he could control him. Herrick would pull out all of his cards of manipulation and try out every last one of them. Mitchell didn’t doubt it for a second.

He needed to keep both eyes open for how many people came with Herrick, but it would be impossible to know for sure. He became pretty good at recognizing the people that were following or watching him though. Sometimes his uncle wanted someone to keep an eye on Mitchell, and eventually he would be able to pick out in a crowd who it was.

Just then something caught Mitchell’s eye.

He thought it was one of Herrick’s men, but that didn’t seem right.

They were watching him though. Staring.

Mitchell quickly rounded the corner.

Someone else walked closer this time, trying to get close enough to see his face.

His breath hitched as he looked around and there were three more people hanging around the streets, looking straight at him. He could feel his hands start to shake and his body go tense.

Then he ran.

He ran as fast as he could, making his way to the park like his life depended on it. There was more people watching him now, and he had that twisted feeling in his stomach. Everyone’s attention was on him. Not just the ones that felt off. Everyone.

He got to the park and stood in the middle of the grass. Mitchell watched all of the families walking along the sidewalk and the men walking their dogs and the girls out on their runs and couples out on walks. Something was wrong.

“You’re a bit early.”

Mitchell spun around only to lock eyes with the man that he had been dreading to see.

He felt sick. He felt scared. He felt disgusted. He wanted to run.

“What’s wrong? You look a bit pale.” Herrick grinned. “You looking at ghosts again?”

Mitchell opened his mouth to say something but couldn’t find his voice. He wasn’t prepared. He didn’t have time to prepare. He didn’t want to talk this soon.

His hands slid slowly to his pockets, trying so desperately not to grab the handle of the gun and give away the fact he had a weapon.

“So.” Herrick said cheerfully. “Where should we begin?”

Chapter Text

A ghost came running towards Annie and Josie.

“I found them!” He said between deep gasps. Why he didn’t simply teleport, Annie didn’t know. She supposed that not everyone thought about that specific ability as much as they should.

“Found who? Mitchell or Herrick?” Annie asked, trying to clear up the vague statement.

“Both.” The random ghost replied, eyes wide.

“Together?” Annie and Josie said at the same time.

“You might want to see for yourself. They’re at the park not too far from here.”

*****

George was about to lose his mind if Annie didn’t come back with news soon. He had been pacing around the kitchen for what felt like hours with no noise or news or distractions.

His thoughts were spiraling and he didn’t even know which of his theories of what could’ve happened was worse.

There was so much happening but yet nothing at all. He felt so useless, like he had been thrown to the sidelines.

Was there really nothing he could do?

*****

Mitchell didn’t move or speak. It was like he was frozen. He couldn’t even breathe.

“You suddenly lose your tongue, boy?” Herrick raised an eyebrow.

Mitchell opened his mouth slightly as if to try to say something but his throat was dry and tight. He couldn’t even let out a breath of air so how was he supposed to talk?

“Seth told me about your little deal. Did I hear him right or was he making things up?” Herrick grinned. “Because I really thought you would’ve come to me directly instead of using that big of an idiot as your messenger for something so important.”

“No… I- I just…” Mitchell struggled to get out any words at all, even to defend himself. It felt like it had been so long since he had talked with Herrick.

Then the figure of another person coming just a little closer caught his attention. His head whipped to the side as his wide eyes scanned the area frantically.

“Huh?” Herrick tried to see what was causing so much distraction but could only see the empty park, abandoned park benches, and dying trees. The only people were the ones walking outside the gates on the sidewalk. Even then there were few. The man chuckled.

“You really are insane, aren’t you?” Then he started fully laughing. “What are you seeing right now? A guardian Angel? A demon? Ghosts?”

Mitchell turned back to Herrick and shook his head slightly, eyes still wide. “No, there’s someone-“

“Someone there? Bloody hell John, you really are insane.” He wiped his eyes like he had laughed so hard he was crying.

There were more people appearing. All over the park. It was crowded and he didn’t understand how Herrick could pretend they weren’t there. He let his fingers slide further into his jacket and wrapped around the trigger of the gun.

He was getting hot. His mind was fogging and he tried to blink a few times so he could see clearer. He needed to shoot Herrick now. Now, before he became too unsteady on his feet. He could feel his energy draining from the run and even if he had just taken something to help control the pain in his shoulder, it was still flaring up at the stress.

The people were coming closer, slowly but surely. It was still dark outside, why were there so many people out this early?

He didn’t want to shoot Herrick out in the open. He didn’t want to shoot Herrick with so many to witness the death. If not for his own sake, then for theirs. So that they wouldn’t have to live with that horror in the back of their head for the rest of their lives.

Then there was an almost familiar voice that was so small, as if it was only barely carried by the wind. He heard it and stiffened. “Mitchell?”

He glanced from side to side to try and figure out where the voice came from. Taking his attention off Herrick was dangerous, but he needed to find the familiar voice.

There was a silhouette.

Someone was there, but just barely. Like Annie in the car. How he even remembered that, he didn’t have a clue, but he did.

‘Faded.’ That had been the word that he had used to describe her at that moment, right? It was the same.

“Mitchell, get back, you’ll get hurt.” She cried, panicked with tears thick in her voice.

He knew that voice.

Josie?

The voice came from a ghost… a ghost like Annie. Josie- Josie was a ghost.

He felt sick.

“Josie?” He stared at the figure.

“John!”

His head whipped to the side at the sound of his name on Herrick’s lips. Herrick hardly ever called him by his name.

“What are you trying to pull?” Herrick scoffed. “Are you trying to prove to me that you aren’t a threat to me with how pathetic you’re acting? Crying and whining like some child. Really? And I thought you had grown up since we last met.”

“You know the deal.” Mitchell tried to fire back but he didn’t have it in himself to yell. “Will you leave everyone else out of this?”

Herrick chuckled. “What’s the catch?”

“No catch. If you leave George and the other people at the hospital alone, I’ll give myself over willingly.” Mitchell explained.

“As if my word would make a difference. I could take you right here and now. I see how weak and tired you are. You can’t and won’t fight back. Even if you wanted to, you couldn’t.” He smirked. “Because I’m all you have left. You still love me. You may be insane but you can’t deny that.”

Mitchell’s heart clenched and he clutched the gun in his pocket just a little tighter.

There were people all around. People he was starting to recognize. Faces that he knew. Voices that were familiar.

But all of them were faded.

Ghosts.

There were ghosts… everywhere.

Ghosts of people he knew. People he saw die. Mitchell remembered each and every face clearly. How could he forget?

His hand shook as he got ready to take the gun from his pocket.

“Maybe I am insane.” Mitchell said, his voice deep and serious. “Maybe I’ve lost my mind. Maybe- maybe I am crazy.”

Herrick raised an eyebrow, curious of where he was leading to.

“But I sure as hell never had you!” He shouted. “You are one awful person. Uncle, father, whatever the hell you called it. You made me do things that no one should ever do, just for your entertainment and so that I would keep your bloody secrets! We were never family.” Mitchell glared daggers at Herrick, tears starting to build up and drip. “I don’t care if we were blood related. You never asked to have to take care of me, I get it. But I never asked for you either, so why couldn’t you have at least treated me like a human being!”

Herrick’s expression fell flat. He didn’t seem affected by the words in the slightest. He wasn’t even amused.

“I wanted to be normal.” Mitchell cried. “I wanted a life and friends. I wanted a family. You were supposed to be that, but not only were you not, you took that opportunity from me.”

That gave Herrick a venomous, disgusted look.

“You never loved me.” Mitchell stated. Tears dripping, but slowly coming to a stop. “And I never loved you. I could have. But you missed your chance.”

Herrick and Mitchell stood several feet apart. Ghosts surrounding them. Josie somewhere within the crowd.

He would avenge them.

He would do it.

“I am insane. But don’t think that I’m going to kill you because I’ve lost my mind. That’s not the reason. This is what you made me do.”

Mitchell’s shaking hands took the gun from his pocket and aimed for the policeman in front of him.

He aimed for Herrick, and he would not miss.

Chapter Text

Annie shoved her way to the front of the crowd of ghosts, trying to get a look at Mitchell. Her heart shattered at the conversation she heard echo.

She elbowed her way to the front as soon as he drew the gun.

All she could see was the tears and horror and brokenness in his eyes, before all chaos broke loose.

Herrick’s hand flew to his side to grab his own gun but didn’t have time before ghosts surrounded him, grabbing his arms and legs and hair. There were enough to completely swallow him.

Mitchell stepped back in shock. Mouth dropping open and eyes going wide.

Herrick screamed.

The man couldn’t see the hands grabbing at him, raking across his skin, tearing at his clothes and his eyes.

Annie stood in horror, watching the ghosts claw at their killer. The man that caused their families to mourn, caused them to suffer, caused children to go without parents and parents to go without children. Herrick had brought so many people to hell and back.

Josie stepped forward. She stood in front of Mitchell, as if to block or shield him.

Suddenly, the ghosts calmed, but not without keeping him in a tight hold with scrapes and bruises forming from each of them.

“William Herrick.” Josie spat.

Herrick’s eyes locked onto Josie, and the whole crowd went silent. How could he see her? Nobody knew.

“You have killed every single one of us. Whether it be directly or through ordering your men to do it for you.” Josie scowled. “You took our life away from us, so it’s only fair that we are the ones to take your life away from you.”

The girl only had to nod to get the ghosts to continue trying to tear him limb from limb.

Annie ran up to Mitchell and grabbed his hand, and he dropped the gun. She wasn’t very solid anymore, she was slightly faded.

Mitchell’s gaze fell on her. His dark brown eyes looking lost and terrified.

She held his hand tighter, before realizing it wouldn’t be enough, and pulled him into a tight hug.

His knees slowly gave out beneath him and Annie knew she wasn’t solid enough to hold him up so they both sank to the ground.

There was a tap on Annie’s shoulder and she looked up. Josie was there.

As screams and yells, that were slightly being choked and muffled, came from behind her, she blocked the view. “Mitchell.” She her sad smile wobbled. “I missed you.”

His head lifted from the spot buried in Annie’s shoulder and his mouth opened to say something, but nothing came out.

Suddenly, around them all, doors started appearing. All kinds of doors. Red ones, brown ones, white ones. Wood doors, metal doors. They started appearing, one after another.

Josie looked up, and right behind Mitchell and Annie, was a white door with a foggy window.

They all turned to see Herrick forced into one of the many doors surrounding them. He screamed as he was dragged into the darkness.

“He got what he deserved.” Josie said harshly, looking at Mitchell in the eyes. Her face softened as Josie’s blue eyes looked into Mitchell’s brown and there was something understood but not said between them. “He’s gone now. You don’t need to worry anymore.” She stood up straight and walked around to her door.

“Josie, I-“ Mitchell reached out for her but she opened the door and he quickly looked away so he didn’t see what might be past it.

“Don’t forget me.” Josie grinned, eyes shining. “You were my first and last love after all. I know I was your first too, but I hope not the last. You deserve to love and to be loved and to live your life to the fullest. Don’t rob yourself of that.”

Josie gave Mitchell one last knowing yet sad look. The door closed then, and it disappeared. Josie disappeared with it.

All of the doors vanished one by one until they were left alone in the park. It was quiet. No screams or birds or laughs. No people or ghosts or animals.

Annie stared at Mitchell.

The tear stains on his cheeks made her heart hurt but when he broke into tears once again it felt like it would explode.

She understood.

Mitchell said he never loved Herrick, and that might’ve been true. But he was practically the only father that he remembered having. No matter what Herrick might’ve done to hurt Mitchell, it still hurt him to see his uncle suffer.

Sobs shook Mitchell and he slowly dropped his head and tucked in in her shoulder, clinging to her like a small child.

The child inside Mitchell was heartbroken at the loss of the closest thing to a dad that he remembered. All she could do to reassure him was hold him tight, ruffling his hair and rubbing his back like she did when she used to babysit.

It was a while after, when they had sat there for what felt like hours before his cries were starting to settle down a bit and she remembered George waiting anxiously for them at Nina’s flat.

There was no way she could carry him but he doubted he was up to walk much, so she quietly asked over his sniffles if he had a way to contact George.

He nodded, took George’s phone from out of his pocket, and set it in the grass.

She took the phone and opened it up, trying to decide whether or not to text Nina or call. She decided to just to call so that she could have Nina hand the phone over to George and she could go back to sleep, instead of possibly waiting for her to wake up to find it, and then having to explain.

After finding the number, the phone rang and took a second for someone to pick up. Nina seemed very confused at first but handed the phone over to George who was all over the place. By the time the phone call was over, and she hang up, she looked down to find Mitchell asleep on her shoulder.

Chapter Text

He almost stumbled while he walked. He pushed his glasses out of his face and rubbed his eyes.

No one should ever have to get up early, in his opinion. Maybe that option would change in a few minutes. Not all mornings made you feel dead tired and like every little inconvenience would make you want to scream. But it was one of those mornings and nothing seemed to make sense.

Having to walk to a job that he hated didn’t help the tiredness in his eyes, but he still flipped his glasses over onto his nose again and continued walking.

He kicked a pebble on the sidewalk and scoffed at himself. A cafe? Seriously? He finally moved away from home to go to some fancy college, only to drop out because of the cost and end up working at a cafe? Wow, surely his mum was so proud.

Then he heard a crash from the alleyway he had just passed and his head swung in the direction of the sound.

A sane person would probably walk away, but his mind was foggy from sleep and so he didn’t worry nearly as much as he was curious. Anything to get out of work, he supposed. Even if it meant being murdered.

When he poked his head around the corner, he was very much surprised to find a boy half in the dumpster. The boy was dirty from head to toe and completely distracted with whatever trash he was digging through.

He cleared his throat, hoping to get the boy's attention.

The boy's eyes were on him in less than a second, and was already jumping down from the dumpster, a box of leftover food from a familiar cafe in hand.

“Hey, what are you doing?” He asked calmly, trying not to scare the boy off.

Taking a step closer, he noticed the huge terrified brown eyes. His chest ached just a little bit. He looked so young. Then, after a second he realized that “the boy” was probably a lot older than he thought.

He was skinnier and shorter, but they were probably round the same age. Maybe he himself was a few years younger, but not by much.

He stuck his hand in the bag he was carrying with him to work.

“Hey! Stop!” The boy shouted, fear creeping into his voice. “Put your hands where I can see them!”

Then he pulled out a sandwich in a plastic bag.

Wide brown eyes stared at it. The younger boy slowly inched closer, taking in every bit of suspicious behavior that could be found.

Then the brown eyed kid snatched it from George’s hands and took off running. He watched and sighed as the boy ran.

Well. There went his lunch.

George almost fell out of his chair when he heard the phone in Nina’s room go off. The noise snapped him out of his daydream and he rushed to his feet. He heard Nina murmur something and pick up the phone.

Then a few seconds later, the sound of the wood floors squeaking and the doorknob wiggling.

Nina almost jumped at the sight of George watching her intensely.

“It’s… for you?” She looked him over with a confused look. Nina handed him the phone and turned right back around to her bed.

“This is George.” He said to the phone, shaking with anticipation.

“It’s Annie.”

George nearly cried when he heard Annie’s miraculous voice. “Annie! Have you found Mitchell yet?”

“Yeah, he’s with me.” Annie said quietly. Not quite as if she was whispering, but close to it. “A lot happened, can you come pick us up?”

“Where are you?” He was already picking up the keys. Surely Nina wouldn’t mind, right?

*****

Annie was stroking Mitchell’s hair when she noticed that his breathing wasn’t as even as it had been before. She tried to lean back to get a look at his face to see if he was awake, but with his head on her shoulder it proved a bit complicated.

Then he shifted, sitting up so that he was holding himself up even if he was slouching with his head down.

She watched Mitchell’s shaking hand slowly move up to hers and she took his hands in hers immediately. She pressed her forehead against his and let her eyes close as she listened to the sound of him breathing.

“Annie?” His voice was a lot quieter than usual, something off about it.

“What is it?” She tried to look around his dark curly hair that blocked his face.

“I don’t let them take me.” He mumbled.

“What? Hey- Mitchell, what do you mean?” Annie asked softly. “Cmon, look at me.”

Mitchell’s brown eyes looked up through his hair but it didn’t look like he had paid any attention to what she was saying.

“What’s wrong?” Annie asked again, but no less soft.

“-don’t want them to take me…” He closed his eyes as if concentrating really hard, but he wasn’t able to piece his thoughts together.

“Who?”

“Men… with the sticks and rope.” His head slowly fell back into her shoulder. He took in several deep breaths. “They- don’t let them find me…”

She stiffened slightly at the mention of the men, but nodded after a little bit. “I won’t let them take you, it’s okay.” She reassured him.

“Mhm.”

Annie guessed he must be exhausted. After everything that happened, the crying, the running, the walk he must’ve had to get so far from Nina’s flat.

That was probably it.

He was just tired.

*****

Annie rocked back and forth in the grass until she heard the sound of footsteps running towards her. She opened her eyes and was greeted with George’s worried face as he rushed over.

Raising her head to greet him, she smiled and tried to shush him before he got too close and ended up scaring Mitchell, who she was pretty sure was asleep again.

George seemed to understand to be quiet and tried his best as he knelt down next to them.

“Hey buddy.” He greeted softly, leaning into Mitchell’s view when he opened his eyes.

When Mitchell didn’t respond, George brought his hand up and rubbed his back. “Mate, it’s time to head back. We need to get you to the car before too many people come out.”

Mitchell cracked his eyes open slightly, but they were foggy and distant. “Jus… don wanna…” He whined.

George’s face scrunched with confusion and worry. “Huh?”

Slowly, George’s hand made its way up to Mitchell’s forehead.

“He’s burning up.” George said, heart in his throat.

Annie stiffened. “I- I didn’t know-“ she panicked. “I can’t feel heat- George- I didn’t know-”

“It’s okay, Annie.” George bit his lip, looking nervous. “Let’s get him back to Nina. Quick.”

Chapter Text

Annie helped George get Mitchell to the car. He stumbled a bit, and almost fell on his face, but George was there to catch him. For the most part though, he could walk on his own. That was, aside from the tripping and the constant need to hold tightly to Annie’s hand.

Then Annie looked back to see if they had left anything behind and she saw two black blobs in the grass. Her heart almost stopped when she realized it was George’s phone and the gun.

She whispered to George to go get them before someone saw the gun and his eyes went wide when he saw it sitting in the grass.

They got into the car with no problems, however George was especially nervous with a gun in his pocket.

Once the car had started and they were moving in the right direction, there was silence.

George cleared his throat a few times, as if he was waiting for Annie or Mitchell to say something. She didn’t.

“So are we just not going to talk about what happened?” He frowned. “I’m just going to be left in the dark on this one?”

Annie opened her mouth to explain but then she couldn’t find any words to even begin to describe what had happened.

The ghosts. Herrick. The doors. The screams. The gun. Mitchell’s cries.

“I ran into…” What did she even say? “I ran into someone while I was looking for Mitchell.” That was a start, she supposed. “More than just someone- actually. Lots of people. They were all ghosts too.”

George nodded, trying not to say anything and interrupt her train of thought when she was already struggling so much to find the words.

“And… I mean… I saw Josie. She told me they were all trying to hunt down Herrick.” She wasn’t sure what she should say in front of Mitchell. But she didn’t want to hide anything. She looked to the side and Mitchell stared ahead blankly. “They wanted to kill Herrick, because he had killed them.”

“What?” George squeaked.

“Herrick was the one that killed Josie and the other ghosts. We- we found Mitchell ready to kill Herrick.” She bit her lip, trying to figure out how to describe what happened next. “Before he could shoot… the ghosts dragged him into one of the doors.”

“Doors?”

“Like- I think- well, I don’t know. I think the door appears when your unfinished business is complete. It’s your way to the other side.”

“And they dragged Herrick into a door?” George asked skeptically.

“Yeah, I don’t know how else to explain it. I think we should talk about it later.” Annie tugged her cardigan around herself a little tighter and turned her attention towards Mitchell.

Even though Annie was trying to be considerate of talking about it all around him, he didn’t seem to have paid any attention to the conversation at all. Honestly, she was kind of glad, because she didn’t want to upset him at all, but it also worried her.

She wished she could be the one driving, or that she could at least feel heat, because now she was starting to see Mitchell’s face drain of color besides the red of his nose from the cold, or at least she hoped it was the cold. She hoped it wasn’t because of a fever and didn’t want to think about how much crying he had just let out.

He sat in the car with a blank stare.

She sucked in a breath and pressed herself up just a little bit closer to him. In the silence, she shut her eyes tightly trying to ignore the roaring thoughts in the back of her head of ghosts and screams and doors. Slowly, she lowered her head onto his uninjured shoulder.

Annie felt him stiffen at first, but then his head slowly drifted to the side. The ghost opened her eyes and looked up at his wide haunted brown gaze.

She smiled as best she could.

Mitchell’s lip shook for a second before he took a deep breath and rested his head on top of hers.

If she could fall asleep, right then and there, she would’ve.

*****

They arrived at Nina’s flat and Annie looked at the time. It wasn’t even 7:00 yet.

She felt bad when they came bursting into the apartment begging for Nina to check Mitchell over. Mitchell headed straight for the room that was given to him with shaking legs and that’s where Annie followed him while George was trying to wake up his girlfriend. She wasn’t going to leave him alone for more than a second now.

She helped him take off his boots as he took off the jacket (which, speaking of jacket, that was new?).

George came in a bit later with a long sigh. “Nina’s coming.” He reassured.

Mitchell just shrugged slightly and fell back onto the bed as best he could without jarring his shoulder. He brought the covers up like he was debating covering his head like a little kid but eventually decided not to.

By the time Nina came in, he was facing towards the wall and wrapped up in a ball.

“It’s too early to deal with a fully grown man that acts like a rebellious toddler.” Nina snapped. “Sit up, Mitchell.”

Annie glared at Nina a little bit, but the other girl didn’t seem to notice. She understood that they were waking her up, but she had no idea what had all happened.

When Mitchell didn’t move Nina snapped at him again. “Mitchell, sit up!”

Slowly, he shifted under the blankets and turned towards her with his eyes downcast. It was only then that Annie realized how dirty he was. His hair was matted and clothes were stained.

What had he been doing? Rolling on the ground?

Nina seemed a little surprised too, but kept her mouth shut this time.

Mitchell turned his head towards her with a brown eyed glare and Annie saw how noticeable the tear stains were even now when his face was dry.

Nina cleared her throat then. “Here… let me see your shoulder.” She said in a more considerate voice this time.

Mitchell didn’t move and Nina sighed, apparently not being able to act not slightly annoyed.

George helped Mitchell take off his shirt so that they could unwrap the bandages that covered it. Mitchell scrunched his face trying to bite his tongue at the pain. Annie swallowed hard when she saw blood slightly peeking through.

Nina seemed a little bit more concerned when she looked at the stained bandages then back up to Mitchell’s face. His eyes were closed and his face was pale for the most part, his eyes, cheeks, and eyebrows were all red, again probably from the cold outside and the crying.

Then Nina brought her hand up towards his face and Mitchell’s eyes flew open, jerking his head away as she pressed her hand against his forehead.

Nina tensed a bit by the reaction, but didn’t seem to mind too much, and Mitchell let her touch him as long as he could see who it was and what they were doing.

Annie pulled her sleeves up over her hands and grabbed the cuffs and gripped it tightly so that her hand was trapped inside. Her hands were fists of the grey material. It hurt her to see Mitchell so scared.

The bandages were pulled back and Annie sucked in a breath at the sight of the wound. She hadn’t had the chance to see it at all so far besides when it had just happened and it was impossible to see through all the blood.

Mitchell shut his eyes tight as the bandages were completely taken away. Some of the last layer stuck to the dried blood and had to be peeled away.

Both George and Annie glanced at each other for a second before their gaze settled on the wound again.

It was red and angry. It was still slowly oozing blood. Puss was starting to seep from it too.

Annie couldn’t help but look away with tears pricking her eyes as he let out a pained sound when Nina touched it. Her gaze set on George now, he didn’t look back at her this time. His eyes were set on his best friend, and he flinched every time a pained sound escaped, but he didn’t look away.

“George, get me a clean cloth and a bowl of warm water and another extra bowl.” Nina ordered, but seemed a bit unsure.

A few seconds passed and George didn’t move. He just stared.

Nina looked back at him, glaring, but Annie shakily put a hand on his back. “I’ll get it.” She said quietly.

It was in the kitchen by herself that she was finally able to cry.

Chapter Text

George sat on the foot of Mitchell’s bed. Both Nina and Annie had left after what felt like forever of watching Mitchell struggle to hold back his cries while the wound was cleaned and bandaged again.

He hadn’t seen the wound since it first happened. What he saw in that kitchen was a knife and lots of blood. After that there were bandages covering it, and then he was never there when Nina checked on it before. He never wanted to. He was never a fan of blood, and it made him feel like he’d faint just hearing what happened each time.

So much has happened and he still had such little information about it all. He wanted to know. He wanted to know so badly so that he could help.

Annie said that Herrick was dragged through a door. Did that mean that he was dead? Or at the very least gone?

He still didn’t understand.

Looking over to Mitchell, he pressed his lips together and then let out a long breath through his nose. Mitchell was curled up under a blanket facing towards the wall. Was he asleep now?

Nina had said that he was running a fever and there was the beginnings of what looked like the wound getting infected. Going out and running around did not help him at all. However, she said that he should be fine for now, they just needed to keep a close eye on it.

As George’s thoughts drifted, he started to wonder about the gun that still sat in the car, and where Mitchell got it. Why did he think it would be a good idea to kill Herrick? Was he trying to get himself arrested?

“Do you want something?”

George jumped at the mumble coming from the pile of blankets. He looked over to see Mitchell squinting at him.

So he was awake.

“I… well, just checking on you.” George huffed nervously.

Mitchell slowly turned himself so that he was laying on his back.

George watched the other boy's eyes flicker back and forth at different spots on the ceiling and then back to him. His mouth was pressed into a constant frown. His lips trembled slightly like he wanted to say something, but couldn’t quite make himself open his mouth. He really needed to take a shower and brush his hair, but that was normal for the most part.

At some point Annie had mentioned going back to the house to get them both some changes of clothes. George strongly agreed with that suggestion.

“You’re really here to babysit me again, aren’t you.” Mitchell said finally.

George shrugged. “That’s not the word I personally would use to describe it, but I guess that’s sort of true.”

He waited for the protest of ‘I’m not a child! I don’t need to be looked after!’ It never came.

“You doing okay?” George asked instead.

Mitchell stayed quiet for a bit before he answered. “I don’t know.”

“And what does that mean exactly?”

“I feel like I got hit by a bus and then stabbed and shoved in a casket.” He closed his eyes and rubbed his face with his hand. “It’s awful.”

“Yeah, I bet.” George agreed. “But, that’s not exactly what I was meaning.”

Mitchell caught his gaze and swallowed hard before looking away.

“So, how are you holding up?”

Then Mitchell turned to his side again, facing towards the wall and away from George. “Fine. I didn’t care about him anyways.”

George nodded slightly. “Yeah, but still...”

“I said I don’t care.” He said a bit louder this time. “I just- I don’t.”

The older one stayed quiet for a while so that his best friend would continue. He was about to give up when Mitchell finally spoke again.

“It’s just- well…” Mitchell huffed. “I don’t- I don’t get it.” His voice started to get thick. “I don’t…”

George watched him start to fiddle with a loose thread on the quilt on the bed.

“I hated him. I did. I never missed him once after I ran away. I never once felt sorry for him.” Mitchell’s cracked as he spoke. “I don’t get why- why I…”

“I mean, I understand.” George said. Mitchell looked up at him with a disbelieving gaze. “He might have been an awful person, and he might have hurt you and done terrible things, but he also raised you. There is always those small moments where things seemed almost normal, and you think back to those and go, ‘huh, maybe it wasn’t so bad.’ But you can’t forget all of the bad things either. It’s like you’re being pulled in both ways, to mourn or to be grateful. But it’s okay to do both.”

Mitchell chuckled slightly, but his smile wasn’t anything more than a twitch of his mouth. “When did you get so wise? You got some experience?”

“Eh, not really. Or at least not this extreme.” George shrugged. “When I was younger, a family friend died. He was the coolest guy when I was younger, his name was Tully. I thought he was tough and he gave me lots of advice, and he scared off the other kids that were mean. But then he left for a while. Him and my dad must’ve had a fight or something. Then, next thing we know he’s out doing some sketchy stuff. I remember kind of being disappointed. He wasn’t the man that I thought he was. Then, at some point he went to prison. He died there. I was crushed, but at the same time didn’t mind. The things he did- they- well, it just wasn’t good. But I remember feeling so confused.”

Mitchell nodded a bit. “I always feel confused.” He admitted. “I feel like I’m always changing my mind and switching what I think last minute. Another reason he called me insane, because I was always all over the place. That, and the whole ‘ghosts’ thing. Almost locked me away with all the other crazy people a few times.”

“Herrick tried to convince you that you were going crazy?”

“Well- I mean- not like he’s wrong.” Mitchell said it like he was joking but there was a bit of seriousness to his words.

“Mitchell, you aren’t insane.”

“Sometimes-“ he cut himself off like he wasn’t sure he should continue. “Sometimes I feel like I am.” He admitted quietly.

“Why?”

“Because!” His lip trembled and he choked on his words. “I can see bloody ghosts, I can hear them talking, whispering in my ear. I see them running around the streets, see them trying to talk to me, trying to communicate with others, trying to kill my uncle. Then, sometimes I just accept it like it’s normal. I accept it and then move on before I realize that it’s far from normal, and it’s not something I should just accept! I switch back and forth between decisions like it doesn’t matter at all. I can’t go one night without nightmares, I can’t go one day without remembering something I wish I never had to see. Sometimes I even get trapped in my own bloody delusions and think I’m back somewhere and I’m dying- or- or someone else is dying- and I panic, and I should know it’s not real, but my stupid head can’t wrap about that and I get stuck. I- I definitely feel like I’m going insane.”

George shifted slightly at all the information. He hoped he didn’t screw this up. “Mitchell, look at me.” And he waited for him to do so. “You have been through too much hell to be able to just forget. You can see ghosts, but, me and Nina can see Annie too. Somehow she’s different, and can be seen like everyone else sometimes. That- as much as I want to deny it- proves that there are ghosts and that what you’ve been seeing over the years wasn’t just your imagination.”

“How do I know that I’m not making up you saying that?” Mitchell mumbled, sitting up slightly.

George huffed and thought for a bit. Then he smirked slightly and poked his best friend in the cheek.

“Ow?” Mitchell smacked his hand away.

“Well, that proves it, doesn’t it?” George said.

“Proves what?” Mitchell’s face scrunched in confusion.

“That I’m here. You can feel me. You aren’t alone. You aren’t making me up. And that fact that I’m trying to prove this to you should show you that I mean it. I’m not a ghost. I’m not your imagination. Never have been.” He smiled.

For the first time in what felt like forever, even though it had probably only been a few days, Mitchell smiled back.

Chapter Text

Annie sat on the couch as the sun finally began to rise. Her mouth twitched and hands fiddled with a cup of tea as she thought over what happened to Josie. She tried to wrap her head around everything.

Was that what she was waiting for? A door for her?

Again, she wondered what her unfinished business could possibly be. What did she need to do? What did she want to do but never had the chance?

A few things were rather obvious. She wanted to get married to Owen, have kids, grow old, and live happily ever after. That wasn’t exactly possible anymore though. It’s not like her unfinished business could be to grow old with Owen when she couldn’t grow old? Right?

Then she jumped as there was a crash right underneath her.

She looked down, and she had to blink several times and clear her head before she understood what had even happened.

On the floor was the mug that she had been holding. It slipped through her hands. Literally.

Looking back and forth between her empty hands and the broken cup on the floor, her heart sank and she shut her eyes tight to remind herself that she probably shouldn’t think about ghost related things.

Annie took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Everything looked the same. But there was this nagging terror inside her. The fear that those few thoughts had messed everything up and she would be invisible yet again.

Standing up shakily, Annie walked over to the room with Mitchell. She barely processed her wondering thoughts that if Herrick was dead, maybe they could move back to their house. She didn’t like being so far away from her house for so long.

Her body moved on autopilot as she walked towards Mitchell and George’s voices.

She stood there for a moment, listening a bit to the conversation they were having so she didn’t interrupt anything super important for private. It seeming as good as a time as ever, she opened the door and walked in.

Mitchell and George immediately looked over to the open door and Annie stood there wide eyed as they made eye contact with her.

As soon as they were both able to focus on her, she deflated a bit with relief.

“You okay?” Mitchell asked, genuinely looking a little worried. It made her heart swell and she nodded. She tried to open her mouth to say something but nothing came out.

George sat on the edge of the bed and Mitchell up against the wall. He had his head leaned up against it as if he was about to fall asleep until Annie walked in. Now he was sitting up looking a bit tense as well.

“What happened?” George said after a second.

“No-“ she choked on her words for a bit. “No- wait- sorry, nothings wrong.”

“Why’d you look so freaked out then?” Mitchell didn’t relax in the slightest at her words.

“Sorry, no.” Annie stuttered, trying to reattempt her explanation. “I just wanted to make sure you were still here. You went missing last time we left you alone remember?”

Immediately, Annie regretted her words. His face fell and he leaned back against the wall a bit more with a guilty look.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to-“ Annie huffed, realizing she should just shut her mouth. “Sorry. I’ll just- yeah.” She made her way to exit the room.

“Hey, wait Annie.” George called from behind her.

She jumped a little, but then spun on her heels. “Yup, you need something?”

“Can you go to the house and grab some stuff for us?” George shrugged. “If you don’t mind.”

“Sure!” She grinned, slightly grateful to have something to distract herself with. “What all do you need?”

“Some clean clothes for the both of us, Mitchell’s phone if it’s there, umm, I think that’s it. I just want to change and I bet Mitchell does too. Also, if you can, scout out the house to see if anyones waiting for us, and if we can go back soon. I don’t want Nina to have to put up with us for much longer.”

“Yup, I can do that.” She thought over the list of things in her head. Yeah, that sounded doable.

*****

Appearing right in front of the stairs, she turned around and looked out of the window to see if there were any cop cars hanging around. When she found none, she went to gather her stuff before fully exploring.

Then she walked past the kitchen.

At the sight, she froze.

Everything was exactly the same. She didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. A good thing to know that no one had been there, messing with anything. Or so it looked like. But a bad thing because it made her think to one of the most horrifying experiences in her life.

There was dried blood smeared all over the floor. Footprints and George’s jeans that had knelt in it for too long. Mitchell’s handprints, messily and painfully dragging along the floor as she tried to search for something to hold on to, someone to hold on to, as the pain grew to be too much. Searching for her, and finding nothing.

Nothing.

Not even when she was sitting right there.

There was evidence of so many things that had taken place. But not a single fingerprint or smear was caused by her.

She swallowed hard.

There was a weight inside her that started turn into fog and it seemed less heavy and more like she was choking on dull smoke.

Annie didn’t want to think about that.

So she hid it. She dropped a towel over it, hiding the evidence for pain and blood. But also the evidence that she could no longer interact with the world around her.

As soon as she was done, she turned and collected the things George had asked for. She found Mitchell’s phone, grabbed a few changes of clothes for both of the boys. Her hands were full and she was just about to go back to Nina’s when there was a knock on the door.

Annie nearly dropped everything.

Then she remembered that even if it was one of Herrick’s men, they couldn’t hurt her. They probably couldn’t even touch her. If they did, she could get away easier than they could ever even imagine.

So she set the pile on the bed and crept downstairs.

Who she saw walk through the door was the person she least expected. And that’s when she was reminded of everything.

Owen?

Chapter Text

“What is this?”

“I didn’t I swear-“

“Why’d you always have to ruin everything!”

“Will you marry me.”

“It’d be better for everyone if you’d just shut up and listen to me! Do as you’re told!”

“Do you love me?”

“If you really loved me you wouldn’t be asking. I don’t need to tell you anything.”

“Owen, please!”

“Go to hell.”

*****

Annie opened her eyes and she was back in Nina’s apartment. She stood there for way too long, with her hands out in front of her shaking.

The moment she unfroze, she took in a gasping breath, and then she couldn’t stop. She couldn’t get enough air.

Her eyes hurt. She was crying. She couldn’t breathe.

“Mitchell-“ she tried to call around her hyperventilating and crying. “George?” She sank to the floor, curling up in a ball and hiding her face in her knees. “Guys- I-“

She was dead. She was really dead and Owen killed her. Owen was the love of her life and he killed her. He killed her but he said he loved her, right? She could never be with him again, she could never see her friends or her family. She didn’t even know how to move on. She was stuck like this forever.

She broke into a sob and hugged herself a little tighter.

“I’m headed to work now. Keep Mitchell in bed while I’m gone.” Nina said from around the corner of the island.

Maybe Nina would see her. Maybe she would try and help.

Annie raised her head slightly, still crying, and watched Nina walk around the corner of the island. Walking right past Annie in order to grab a pair of keys.

Nina couldn’t see her.

The nurse left without saying anything else. Leaving the ghost on the floor.

Annie sniffed and tried to calm herself down a bit. Taking slower breathes and closing her eyes to try and stop her tears. After that, she she leaned up against the island and sat there for a while.

There was a few noises, talking, laughs. It was quiet most of the time. Annie sat on the floor for hours. She tried to process what she remembered.

Processing the day you died can be a lot.

She supposed she would sit there in silence until she figured things out.

*****

By the time George woke up he was so close to just laying down on the bed next to Mitchell and falling back asleep. The whole not sleeping all night because of worry and stress thing was really starting to get to him. After yawning and sitting up to pop his back and neck because of the uncomfortable position he had been in while he napped, be pulled up his sleeve and looked at his watch.

It was getting pretty late in the day. Nina should be back soon.

He looked around, blinking a few times before realizing the missing presence of the familiar ghost. At first, he wondered where she had gone, but then he remembered he sent her out to scout the house out and bring back a few things.

That was, until his tired brain remembered that he had sent her to do those things several hours ago. Huh.

After a bit, he sat up straighter and tried to think over why it would take her so long. He supposed she could be trying to be really thorough. Maybe she couldn’t find Mitchell’s phone.

He suddenly remembered that there was still that whole mess that they had left the house in. She was probably cleaning that up. After all, it never occurred to him how often the house looked nicer when they came home from work until after he realized who was cleaning it. The ghost seemed to think that cleaning was her job.

George nodded to himself. That was probably what ended up happening.

Getting to his feet, he went over to the head of the bed. He put the back of his hand onto Mitchell’s forehead to check his temperature and frowned. Mitchell still seemed way too hot.

The younger one shifted under George’s hand and cracked his eyes open. Squinting, he looked up at George through foggy and unfocused eyes.

“You feeling okay mate?” He smiled gently.

“-ere’s Annie.” He mumbled, eyes falling shut as if it was too exhausting to keep them open.

“She’s not here right now. She’s gone to the house to pick up some things.”

Mitchell made a sound that could only be described as a whine. “-nnie left?”

“No, no, she’ll be back.” George assured him.

“Annie?” He called, eyes slightly open but looking straight past George. “Annie?”

“She’s not here right now Mitchell, she’s just running some errands.” He didn’t know how else to explain.

“Annie!” Mitchell started getting a little frantic, trying to sit up to find her before the other boy easily lay him back down.

“Mitchell, calm down.”

“But- she- she said. She said when I called for her that she’d always come.” His voice was tight. “She’s not here? She left? I- where is she?”

George’s hands hovered over his best friend, trying to understand what he should do. Was he delirious? Did the fever spike? Did the infection get worse somehow? Was he going to die? He better not die, Nina said he would be fine. Nina said he should be fine, so what was going on?

Mitchell buried his face in his pillow, gripping the pillowcase with his hand, like he was trying to ground himself.

“Hey, buddy, I need you to tell me if you’re getting worse. You need to tell me, okay?” George rambled. “I can call Nina- should I call Nina? How are you feeling?”

He unburied his face just for him to look like he was having trouble looking at George straight. The whole world must be spinning for him. “I- I want A-Annie.”

“I know, I know mate. She’ll be back soon, I promise. You need to tell me if you’re getting worse.”

Mitchell heaved out something between a sigh and a sob, even though he wasn’t quite crying yet. “She left. She’s gone.”

“Okay, yup- I’m calling Nina.” George was already picking up his phone.

“I don’t want Nina.” The younger one mumbled.

“Yeah, well, she’s a nurse. So hopefully she’ll know what the hell is going on with you.”

“Where did Annie go to?”

George waited as the phone rang a few times, trying not to be too obvious that he didn’t know how to answer Mitchell’s question. He could lie, but he was always a bad liar.

“She left me.” Mitchell mumbled. “I called, but shes gone.”

*****

She hadn’t been asleep, she was sure of that. But she certainly hadn’t been awake either.

It was hours after Annie had curled up in the kitchen that she snapped back into consciousness. She blinked a few times, her eyes feeling dry and like they were sandpaper against her eyelids. Taking a breath, her lips almost had to peal apart, and the inside her mouth felt like liquid cotton.

Looking around a bit, suddenly a bit of fear started to creep in.

How long had she sat there? Probably not too long, but how long could she have sat there if something hadn’t snapped her out of it. And what had brought her back?

She tried not to think about if she found herself falling into one of those frozen not unconscious but not-quite-conscious state, how long it could last.

The sound of talking distracted her from her thoughts. George’s voice was clear, but there was a mumble in the background that she was sure had to be Mitchell.

Her face was stiff from trails of tears mixed with makeup that had dried all over her cheeks, so it felt strange when her lips twitched upwards at the sound of her boys.

When she heard her name being spoken, she slowly got to her shaking numb feet.

This all sucked, but at least she had them.

At least that’s what she thought.

Chapter Text

Annie opened the door, walking into the room and trying to think of how she could explain her appearance, disappearance, and what had happened.

That’s when she found George on the phone with Nina, face in the corner. Mitchell was breathing heavily on the bed, eyes having trouble staying open.

She stepped closer to the bed, not caring if she scared George for suddenly appearing behind him. “What happened, is he okay?”

And while it wasn’t a question directed at Mitchell, and George was on the phone, her heart sank when she received no answers.

“Mitchell?” She placed a hand on his uninjured shoulder and then moved it to his forehead. She couldn’t feel the heat radiating off him, but she saw the sweat soaking into his pillow. Running her fingers through his hair, and biting her lip when George didn’t turn to her at the sound of her voice.

“Was I imagining her?” Mitchell said suddenly.

Eyes looking straight through Annie.

George’s head swung around and he set the phone down immediately. “No, no, mate. She was here. She’s real.”

“I don’t see her anymore.” Mitchell frowned. “Can you hear her too?”

“What?”

“When she’s gone, I can hear her sometimes.”

“Okay, Nina better hurry up because you’re starting to go ins- to freak me out.” George corrected himself with a cough.

The ghost watched.

Just watched. There was nothing more for her to do. Because that was all a ghost was capable of doing.

Something inside her broke.

Trying to hold back a sob, she got to her knees to kneel next to Mitchell’s head. She rested her cheek on her arm as she started to mess with his hair. She would pick up the strands with the tips of her fingers and then they would slowly fall back onto his forehead. They fell through her fingers slowly.

She sniffed, tears starting to drip again but she tried her best to make the corners of her mouth twitch upwards for him. She would smile for him. He was alive and laying there in front of her. He was there, and so everything was okay.

Even if it wasn’t, he made things okay.

“I’m here.” She whispered, closing her eyes made them sting more. “Don’t worry. I’m here now.”

*****

George watched Mitchell’s gaze slowly turn upwards and trace something that was there in front of him that was unreachable to everyone else’s eye.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t like the other times when he would freeze in terror. His breath didn’t hitch and he didn’t start to shake and reach for George’s hand as he slowly averted his eyes.

He stared out into the blank space and his eyes slowly fell shut from exhaustion. The strangest part being the fact that his lips were slightly curled upwards. Not quite a smile, but a content and relaxed look remained on his face as he fell asleep once again.

He sat back and sighed. It was fine, everything was fine. They just had to wait for Nina.

*****

Nina came into the apartment not too long afterwards. Annie felt bad for dragging her back and forth all the time, but she was willing to do anything for Mitchell to heal and feel safe.

The nurse examined him, not wanting to have to take the bandages off again but feeling like it was necessary. Mitchell woke up to her peeling them off, barely being able to hold back a sound. Once she was able to look it over, clean, and bandage again, she sighed.

“His fever has gone up and we need to keep a close eye on him.” She explained to George. “We need to keep the wound as dry as we can, but clean. I’m going to try and only change the bandages once a day. He’s still going to be needing lots of rest, and will probably still be in a lot of pain, but it will get better slowly. Right now there’s no reason to worry too much, as long as he gets the treatment and care he needs.”

“Okay, thank you Nina.” George nodded, a breath of relief clear in his voice. “He was starting to freak me out. I’m sorry for us being such a bother.”

“It would be a lot easier if he was in an actual hospital. He would have more supervision and options available to him. I still don’t understand why he’s so freaked out by that option, and I will demand some sort of an explanation later, but for now he’s just a patient that needs to get better.”

“I can’t explain how much what you’ve done has helped. Thank you.” He said genuinely.

Annie listened to them, just talking. Mitchell was almost asleep again, and she played with his hair some more. She hoped Nina wouldn’t notice. Then again it didn’t really matter if she did. Wasn’t like she could do anything about it.

“I can feel you.”

Annie blinked back into reality as she heard Mitchell’s whisper.

Annie shifted her head so she could look at him straight, not leaning against her arm. She smiled. “Can you see me?” She whispered hopefully.

Then Mitchell shook his head ever so slightly. “Not anymore.”

“But you can hear me?”

“A little.” His eyes fell closed and it took a second longer than it should have to open them again. “You’re quiet. Just a whisper in the wind.”

Annie chucked a little. Softly, quietly. Sadly. “Well, I am kind of whispering so.”

“What for?” He whispered back.

“Because Nina is here, and I don’t want to freak her out.”

Mitchell shrugged with the slightest move of his uninjured shoulder.

The conversation between them went quiet and she watched his eyes search for her. They carefully traced the wall behind her and looked straight through her more than once.

“Why did you disappear?” His voice was tight. “You said- you said…”

“I was here. I never disappeared.” She reassured him but there was a gnawing guilt inside her. She didn’t really leave him, but she did sort of. She went to the house, and then vanished and sat in the kitchen the rest of the day, without them knowing what had even happened or telling them anything. “I’ve always been here, don’t worry.” She lied. “Just because you can’t see me doesn’t mean I’m not there, remember?”

After a moment of consideration, he nodded slightly.

Annie watched as his eyes got heavier each blink got longer until he was as close to sleep as one could be before falling into it. That’s when she turned her head and saw Nina and George observing them. Or him. Probably just him.

Nina came up a bit closer, walking straight through Annie and putting a hand to his forehead. “Usually it’s normal for people to be a bit out of it, but this is the first time I’ve heard a full one sided conversation with a fever this low.” The nurse commented.

George shrugged nervously, scanning the area. “You’d be surprised. He talks to himself a lot. It’s really not that odd.”

“I always knew he had lost it.” Nina huffed, her voice not serious but George took offense all the same.

“He’s not crazy.” George glared, sounding a lot harsher than he probably meant. “Don’t say that.”

Nina gave him a look of confusion, not quite understanding why he would get so worked up. Usually he could tell when someone was joking or not. “Okay, sorry. I didn’t actually mean it.”

Chapter Text

It was much later in the day now, Nina had gone back to work and already come back home. She was in the other room with George. Annie thought that George knew she was here, thats why he left Mitchell on his own.

Annie didn’t leave Mitchell’s side after everything that happened. She didn’t know why she didn’t go straight to him in the first place. Her whole world seemed to be coming down crashing down around her, yet, while she sat cross legged at the edge of the bed, she didn’t mind as much.

There was something for her now. Something to keep her from falling apart. If she had found out about Owen just weeks before, she probably would have let herself drown in her memories and the depression that they caused, and would have been near impossible to get out of it. More recently, she had somewhat forgotten that she had been dead in the first place. The fact that she was dead might’ve smashed her chance at a life like the one she had before, but things ahead didn’t seem so bleak.

She needed to figure out what to do about it now. So that she could find her door.

What did she do? Owen killed her, sure, but did she deserve it? Had she really been so annoying and hard to love, that the one who swore she was his one and only would kill her?

What did she do wrong?

“You still there?”

Annie almost jumped at Mitchell’s tired voice beside her. “Of course. I would never leave you.”

Mitchell nodded slightly, as if taking that bit of information and storing it away to think about later. “What are you doing?”

“Thinking.”

“About what?”

Annie hesitated. Should she tell Mitchell about her death? Would it just set him off again, and make him leave the house on another murder mission? Surely… not? But she wasn’t quite certain.

“Annie?”

But then again, maybe he could help her. She didn’t want to be alone anymore, and that selfish part of her wanted him to know, wanted to be able to tell someone. She needed someone to help her figure out what she had to do with the information she had found. What exactly was her unfinished business?

“I was thinking about… how I died.” Annie said truthfully.

“You remember?” He asked quietly.

Annie was surprised her remembered that conversation. She had thought he had been asleep. “I do now. That’s why you can’t see me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Another ghost explained it to me.” Annie tried her best not to say it was Josie. She didn’t want to have to see his heartbroken face any longer than she had to. “That I might be able to be seen because I had forgotten my death. Well, not quite forgotten, but moved on. While I didn’t finish whatever needed to be finished, I did somewhat move on and was able to live without it affecting me. I kind of forgot I was dead I guess. So, I could be seen and heard. But now, I remember and I can’t stop thinking about it. Now, no one can see me. And- and only you can hear me.”

Mitchell closed his eyes as if trying to understand. “Wait… but, how did you die?” His mind was still foggy and so she assumed that he didn’t realize how rude that question could be. But, then again, she didn’t mind.

“Owen killed me. He- well, he was the one to push me down the stairs.”

“What?” His eyes opened, and grew wide. He tried to scan the room and find her. They say there for a while, everything sinking in for Mitchell. “I’m going to kill him.” His voice was hoarse and angry.

“No! Don’t kill him!” Annie say you straight and shook her head. “It was probably my fault anyways!”

“What do you mean! How could that be your fault!” He started to rise a little bit, his face twisting in pain as he sat up. “Annie- you can’t really believe-“

“I- no, no, I just-“ Annie wished she hadn’t told him. There was no way he would rest after this. “Lay back down, you’ll hurt yourself.”

“There is nothing you could have ever done that would have caused someone to kill you, and it just be okay. There is no way that it was your fault.” He said seriously, and if he didn’t have a fever and had been saying nonsense a few hours before, she might’ve believed him.

She bit her lip as she thought this over. Owen wasn’t a murderer. It wasn’t his fault she made him get stuck with her. He was the love of her life. So, he wasn’t a bad person, was he? “Lay down.” Annie wished she could push him. “I don’t want you to hurt yourself.”

Finally, Mitchell lay back onto the bed, his face relaxing a bit as he did, finally being able to breathe without feeling the knife stab into his shoulder all over again. “What are you going to do about it?” He asked quietly.

“I don’t know, but I’ll figure that out soon.”

*****

The day passed and Annie still didn’t know how to feel. There were so many questions that she didn’t know the answer to. Late at night, she was able to do her thinking, but no matter what, she couldn’t come to any conclusions. She didn’t know what her unfinished business was, or could be.

Did she want Owen to confess? Was that it? Did she want him dead? Did she even want revenge?

It took her hours to try and figure out what she even wanted. She didn’t want him to be killed. She didn’t want revenge. She- well, she just didn’t want him to hurt anyone else.

She wondered if Owen had moved on. If he even felt guilty. Maybe he did, maybe he didn’t mean to. At the same time though, she knew that wasn’t the case.

Owen was probably already dating someone else. Maybe even engaged. She wondered who it could be. Maybe Janey Harris.

Annie had always hated Janey, but the more she thought about it the more she realized that it was less what Janey did and more of what Owen did. How could she save Janey? Make sure that whoever he was with now, or will be with in the future, was safe from him.

Maybe she could tell someone that she had been murdered. She could say something, hint at it, to make them figure out whether she had been killed or not. Even if they couldn’t prove anything, at least people would be warned. People would know.

Going over who she could go to, who she could tell. She never once said anything to anyone while she was alive. Surely coming back as a ghost would give her some credit to what she was saying, but who did she even tell?

Maybe her sister? Or even going to Owens girlfriend herself. If- if they had a relationship similar at all to what she had with him when she was alive, then it wouldn’t be too far off. They would probably, hopefully, believe her.

It was decided then. After Mitchell was getting better, she would go to either her sister, or Owens girlfriend.

Chapter Text

The infection was starting to fade, and Mitchell’s fever was too, coming and going off and on throughout the night. George stayed with his best friend for most of the day, and Nina went back to work. George still couldn’t see Annie. Neither could Mitchell. But she could be heard by Mitchell, and that was enough.

All of them wondered how much longer they should stay before being able to return to their own home. While Nina was nice and all, they had basically flipped her home upside down and George was starting to forget the beauty of what an actual bed felt like.

Annie could tell that Mitchell felt a little uneasy about being in someone else’s house. It was far better than the hospital though, that she somehow knew didn’t sit well with him.

The ghost, just like the others, missed her home. Her little chair in her room, and being able to make cups and cups of tea without fearing to trash someone else’s apartment and waste their stuff.

Once Mitchell was able to hold a nice long conversation without falling asleep or causing a painful headache, George came in to discuss it.

“Will we be able to go back to the house?” The older boy sat on the floor with his legs out in front of him and his arms crossed. “Do you think Herrick’s men will be after us?”

“I don’t know for sure.” Mitchell took a deep breath. “Seth helped me set up the meeting with him, but I don’t know who else knew about it.”

“Who’s Seth?” George asked, curiously. Then he realized that Mitchell might not want to answer. “I mean- sorry I- you don’t have to answer if you don’t want- just- just curious.”

“Herrick’s right hand man basically.” Mitchell answered, not making eye contact but not trying to hide anything either. “I mean- Herrick didn’t choose Seth as his right hand man, no one would choose him. Seth is just obsessed with Herrick. Thinks he’s the coolest. So he sticks to Herrick’s side like a kid and his mum. He may be stupid but he is a real jerk too. Knows how to punch, that’s for sure. He never liked me. Thought Herrick spent too much time with me, and he was kind of jealous.”

“Well, he does sound stupid.” George agreed, trying not to bring up anything that could cause another meltdown. “But, being jealous of you I can understand. I mean look at that face.” He said, pointing to his best friend.

When Mitchell laughed a little, George grinned.

“Do you think it’ll be safe to go home?” George said finally, after a short moment of silence.

“I think so.” Mitchell said softly. “I hope so.”

“They don’t think that you killed him, right?” George couldn’t help but ask. “Because you didn’t, and no one else saw what happened, so they have no proof.”

“If they do think it was me, then I won’t be alive for much longer. There’s no guarantee either way.”

George frowned and looked around the room. “So… how can we stop them?”

Mitchell sat for a while, trying to come up with something he could do, but nothing came to mind. It’s not like he could just walk up to the police station and confess all of Herricks crime. There was no way of knowing who was on Herrick’s side there. Even if they weren’t working with him, then the man’s charming facade would most likely completely fool them.

“We’ll just have to see.” Mitchell sighed.

*****

Annie was bored. So bored. Mitchell and George had done nothing entertaining for hours, and then Nina came home and so her and George were in the kitchen cooking and flirting so awkwardly that it physically pained her to be in the same room.

Mitchell was taking a nap again, because apparently the several hour long discussion about the Real Hustle with George had tired him out. She didn’t want to leave him, but at the same time she wanted to do something to keep herself entertained.

It wasn’t like Nina could see her snooping, so eventually she got up and walked around, looking through the books Nina had.

She scanned through a shelf or two, cringing when she saw a copy of the first Twilight book, and ended up picking a copy of Pride and Prejudice because she knew that her mum had always wanted her to read it. After all, she did love some romance every once in a while.

Annie hadn’t even gotten more than three chapters in before Mitchell was stirring. He opened his eyes and yawned, eyes sleepily looking around the room.

They landed on her.

“Annie?”

The ghost felt like her stomach did a flip and her heart leaped in her throat. “You can see me?”

He smiled slightly, still tired from just waking up. “You aren’t even faded. You’re just… there.”

Annie grinned back at him, holding out her hand to poke him in the side of the leg. “Could you feel that?”

“I don’t know.” Mitchell said, yawning again. She huffed and put her book down. “What are you reading?”

“Just a bit of romance, why not at this point.” She shrugged.

Mitchell nodded a little bit. “You know, at this point you could probably spend the entirety of your time as a ghost dedicated to reading all the books you’ve always wanted to read, but never got the chance.”

“Oh, for sure, and you could watch all your shows and movies. That’d take you an eternity.”

Before the conversation could go any further, the door swung open and both of them turned their heads to see Nina walking in with a plate with a sandwich in hand. “Okay, I wasn't sure what kind of sandwich you would want, but George helped me so-“ she looked up and her gaze came to meet Annie’s. “Oh. Annie, there you are. I was wondering where you went. Did you go out?”

Mitchell looked over to Annie to see her grin even wider. “Yea- yeah- I just… went out for a walk.”

Nina handed Mitchell the plate as he slowly sat up against the headboard. “Huh, didn’t see you come back in. Oh- also, do you want something to eat too?”

“Oh, um- no, I already ate not too long ago. Thank you though.”

The nurse nodded and closed the door on her way out.

As soon as she left Annie squealed. “She can see me!”

“She can so see you.” Mitchell chuckled back.

“Should I go say something to George? Let him know that I’m here?”

“Oh, I think he knows you’re here. Might let him know he can see you though.”

“Okay, I’m gonna go tell him!” Annie practically jumped off the bed, going for the door excitedly before turning back to Mitchell. “I’ll be right back, don’t choke or anything.” She pointed a finger at him.

“Sure, okay.” Mitchell laughed slightly.

*****

“What are you thinking about?” Mitchell asked, Annie couldn’t make out his expression in the dark. It was long past time for him to be asleep. She looked to the digital clock, finding it to be the middle of the night.

“Just about what I’m going to do.” Annie whispered back.

“Do?”

“About- about Owen.”

“I’ll kill him if you want me to.”

Annie shut her eyes tight. “Don’t. Don’t ever say that.”

“It’s just what he deserves.” Mitchell reasoned, his tone sounding so casual.

“I’m not- I don’t want to kill him.”

“Then what are you going to do?” He questioned.

“I was thinking about going to my sister, or Owen's new girlfriend.” Annie explained. “Tell them what happened, if they can see me. Explain, and maybe they can get him to confess somehow.”

He looked like he was thinking over the idea for a bit and then nodded his head. “What can I do to help?”

“I don’t know.”

Chapter Text

George was enjoying getting to talk with Nina more. Not only that, but he got to spend time and help cook and he just loved cooking. Things were so orderly and organized he just loved it. (Well, it was all but relaxing and organized when Mitchell was helping, but that wasn’t the point.)

He did like her a lot, she seems to understand his organized chaos and did her best to find her way through it.

It was all the better with the fact that he knew that Annie was in there with Mitchell. He didn’t have to worry, she would be there with him if something was wrong.

It was the perfect afternoon. At least he thought it was.

“Who’s calling you?” Nina asked.

It almost surprised George after the comfortable silence of the past few minutes. “What?”

“Someone’s calling you.” She pointed to the island where his phone was buzzing.

George nodded, finally understanding, and went over to pick up the phone. It was an unknown number. At first he was about to just let it ring, but then he stopped himself and l picked it up anyways. “George Sands, who is this?”

“This is Seth.” A man’s voice said over the phone.

“Seth.” George repeated before he could stop
himself. He recognized the name. It was who Mitchell talked about. “I’m sorry, do you need something?”

“I thought this was Mitchell’s phone.”

“Nope, it’s definitely not. He did steal it from me not too long ago though.”

“Course he did, the little thief.” Seth hissed. “Let me talk to him now.”

“I can pass on a message.”

“No.” He insisted. “I need to talk with him. Now.”

George looked up to see Nina staring at him with curiosity. He huffed, he really shouldn’t be discussing things over the phone in front of her. “Fine, give me a moment.”

Holding up a finger to let Nina know he would be back, he walked over to Mitchell’s room. He could hear talking, and awkward laughter but it all stopped abruptly when he opened the door. Mitchell and Annie both looked up at him blankly.

“Got a call for you.” George said, the phone pressed to his chest to muffle what he said to Mitchell. “From Seth.”

Mitchell’s face fell, looking a lot more serious than he did seconds before. Then he held his hand out, ready to take the phone.

“Hello?” He said, sounding like he was trying hard for his voice to have no emotion.

“Finally!” Seth could be heard from the other end. “Your stupid nerdy friend was getting on my nerves. I thought you were too cool for people like him?”

“Did you have something to tell me, or is that it?“ Mitchell let out an annoyed huff.

“No, I wanted to ask how your little visit with Herrick went.”

The room went silent. His eyes scanned the room, searching for something to say. “I never showed up.”

“So you left him hanging? You called and caused all this trouble in order to meet face to face, and then you just didn't show up?”

“Don’t pretend like he wouldn’t have killed me. I was going to try and talk him out of it, see if we could come to an agreement, but after thinking about it a bit more, I know there’s no way he’d let me live. Even if I never said a thing, hell even if I asked if I could come back and join you all again.”

“Well.” Seth huffed. “Do you know if Herrick went to the park?”

“I’m assuming he did, I didn’t exactly tell him I was ditching, why?” Mitchell held his breath, waiting to be blamed for Herrick's disappearance and death.

Seth’s voice over the phone went quiet for a minute before revealing. “We can’t find him.”

“What? You mean you lost him?”

“He’s not responding to anyone. Hasn’t shown up at work. The last thing we heard was that he was leaving to go meet with you. He insisted he could handle it himself, and no one else needed to come. He said that there was no way you would have the guts to kill him.”

“And you still think that I did?”

“Yeah, no.” Seth laughed. “If you’re anything like the kid I used to know, or what Herrick thinks you still are, then you couldn’t. You’re too soft. But some of the other guys think you did.”

Mitchell closed his eyes, talking a little softer so that Annie and George didn’t hear, even though he knew they probably did. “Why can’t you just let us go?”

“For now, I’m in charge.” The older man explained, sounding more serious than he ever had before. “Until we find him, that’s not going to change. And I’m going to try and find him, don’t get me wrong, but as long as you didn’t do anything, then I have no reason to come after you. Herrick may have been strict enough to think getting you out of the picture would have been better, but I think he taught you better than to go and tattle on us. Especially after you haven’t said a word for all these years.”

“So you aren’t going to try and kill anyone?”

“I’m searching for Herrick, if you had anything to do with his disappearance, then I’ll kill you. But as long as you’re innocent, and this trail doesn’t point to you, then you and your friends are safe.”

Mitchell let out a shaky breath.

“I can’t talk for all of the guys here, but I know that most of them respected you, even when you were younger. You were Herrick’s kid after all. Those who didn’t like you, or didn’t know you, I can’t speak for them. As far as I know though, with no Herrick to give orders, you’ll be safe.”

“Thank you, Seth.”

There was a pause over the phone, like Seth was trying to figure out if he should say anything else or not. But finally he spoke. “I know what it’s like to be thrown into this world at a young age. I may have been a bloody mess back then, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t experience it too. Being Herrick’s kid would’ve been rough. I was jealous of you for a long time, and then I saw what it was actually like. I think I get it now. You wanted out. I respect that.”

Mitchell smiled, and after a bit of silence, there was a click as Seth hung up the phone.

Chapter Text

The next day they all headed back to the house. Nina drove them all by, taking a few things that she wanted to give to George for Mitchell’s recovery. As soon as they walked through the door, Annie suddenly remembered the blood on the kitchen floor and it made her freeze for a second before she calmed herself and decided to get to work on washing that away.

Mitchell went to get some sleep, excited to have his own bed back, and George sat in the kitchen with her and helped out a bit.

The ghost was on her hands and knees, scrubbing at the floor with George picking up the kitchen in general. They hadn’t been here to finish dishes or put away food.

It was a while before she noticed the running water and clanging of dishes had stopped. She turned to see George leaning against the cabinet staring at her. Or more specifically, the floor she was cleaning.

“You okay?” She asked, slowly stopping her vicious scrubbing.

He looked tired. Finally he met eyes with her and then nodded slightly.

Annie sat back and waited for him to explain further.

“It’s just- it’s just… this.” He motioned to the spot on the floor where Mitchell’s blood had dried into the cracks. “That- that was the scariest experience in my life.”

She understood, even after remembering her death she couldn’t say she had ever been so terrified. It was one thing for her to be scared for her own safety, but to be so uncertain and scared that someone would kill your best friend in front of you? That was a horror she never thought she would have to experience.

“He’s okay.” She said, “That’s what matters.”

George looked away, up at the ceiling trying to blink away tears that gathered in his eyes. “Yeah. That’s what matters.”

*****

Several days later, George was comfortable enough with going back to work, knowing that they needed to start back up sooner rather than later. Annie was looking after Mitchell but the infection had cleared out and he supposedly was feeling better every day.

Since things were starting to become somewhat normal again, she decided to focus on her unfinished business. It was tricky. If she became too focused on it, then she would start to become all flickery. So, she decided to just work on it, brainstorm a bit, but only for a little while at a time.

The ghost decided to visit Owens' house. He had given his address to Mitchell and George in case they needed him for anything, and she recognized the location. It was a house his grandmother used to own. She planned on visiting sometime soon. She wanted to know for sure who Owen was with now, and wanted to warn them. That wasn’t something she could just put off.

Annie waited until George was home after work so that he could make sure Mitchell didn’t do anything stupid. She mentioned to them what she was going to do, but didn’t mention it would be so soon.

It only took a split second for her to open her eyes and see a neat little house in front of her. It made her stomach twist when she saw it. Even after she died, he could continue living the life that she always wanted.

After entering the small building without any problems, after all she was a ghost, she started wandered around. Exploring her ex-fiancées house without the worry of getting into any trouble was definitely interesting. Of course there were a few things she accidentally stumbled across that she would rather not have, but after a while she came to the conclusion that Owen was in fact with Janey Harris.

It seemed like forever before her attention was turned towards the direction of the front door as she heard it slam closed. She took a deep breath to prepare herself before peeking around a corner to see Janey tossing her keys aside.

“Heyyy!” She said, fully revealing herself which had Janey’s attention focused on her.

Janey stood there, her eyes slowly growing bigger and bigger as she processed who was standing in front of her. Then, after way too long of awkward silence, Janey screamed.

The ghost tried to talk her down from her screaming, rushing towards her and shushing. As soon as Annie got too close, Janey fell to the floor, apparently having fainted. Annie winced at the sound of the girl's body hitting the ground.

“I- yeah, honestly I should’ve been expecting that.”

Annie dragged her over to the living room, and put her head up on a pillow. Were you supposed to take their shoes off? She didn’t remember. Couldn’t hurt, right? She rolled her eyes as she slid off Janey’s overpriced shoes, and sat back with a magazine to wait.

It didn’t take more than a minute for her to wake up, she looked around, looking extremely confused. Annie came over to her line of sight and smiled. “Hi.”

Janey’s eyes grew wide and she screamed again, frantically crawling away and then booking it towards the upstairs bathroom.

“Hey- Janey, wait, I’m trying to help you!” Annie huffed as she followed her up the stairs.

*****

“Have you seen Annie?” Mitchell asked from the other room.

George continued cooking dinner without thinking too much about it. “Nah, not for a while.” When Mitchell didn’t reply back, he walked into the living room to see what Mitchell was doing.

Out in front of him was an old stack of mail and an address book. “What’s this?”

“It was sitting out here when I came down.” Mitchell continued looking through all the papers.

“Okay, well, why is it out?”

“Annie.” Mitchell looked over with a worried look on her face. “What if she’s going to confront Owen?”

“I’m sure she would’ve told us.” George reassured him. “She’s probably somewhere around here.”

“No, she’s not here. I can’t hear her.” Mitchell seemed so genuinely upset that George couldn’t seem to argue with him. That panicked Mitchell even further. Mitchell got up and started searching the house, starting in the kitchen, then the bedrooms, even in the bathroom, calling her name.

“Mate, calm down, I’m sure she’s fine. She's probably here, we just might not be able to see her.” George tried to get him to sit down. “She’s always disappearing and reappearing.”

“No, if she was here then I would be able to tell. She’d find a way to show us.”

“How do you know? There’s no way to know with this whole ghost thing.”

“She’s not here!” Mitchell cried as he entered the kitchen after rechecking basically the whole house all over again. “George, she could be in trouble. She’s going to meet Owen, I just know it.”

Before George could even stop him, he was grabbing his jacket and heading out the door.

*****

“No no no, you’re dead!” Janey’s voice was muffled behind the bathroom door. “Owen said you died! He said you fell down the stairs and cracked your head open!”

Annie took a deep breath. “Yeah, I did die.” She sank to her knees so that Janey might be able to hear her clearer. She could just go through the door but she really didn’t want to freak Janey out anymore than she already had. “But, that’s not exactly what happened. Owen, he… Owen killed me.”

There was a moment of silence as Annie’s words sank in. For both of them. Saying it out loud hurt.

“No.” Janey whined. “He wouldn’t do that.”

“Janey.” Annie said, a little more quietly this time. “If you can honestly tell me that he’s never touched you- that he’s never made you feel scared- I’ll… I’ll go away right now.”

The ghost heard Janey let out a breath that sounded close to a sob. “You aren’t real. I’m going mad, I’m going mad.”

Annie shut her eyes tight, trying to push back her memories of Mitchell trying to convince himself that he wasn’t going crazy. “I’m real, and I’m trying to help you.”

“No.”

“Yes, because I need to warn you before he kills you next.”

“He wouldn’t, he loves me.”

“That’s what I thought too. Listen, Janey, I need you to listen to me-“

Before she could finish Annie, she heard the front door swing open. Apparently Janey must’ve heard it too because there was movement from inside the bathroom and the door flew open.

“Owen!” She cried, jumping down the stairs and launching herself towards him.

“What?” He asked, sounding extremely confused.

“It’s Annie, it’s Annie! I’m seeing things!” Janey buried her face in Owen’s shirt.

Annie stood up from her spot by the door, and she could see the exact moment that Owen’s eyes came to land on her. She made her hands into fists, hoping that her hands didn’t shake. She tried to hold her head up high and to look down at him from the top of the stairs without any fear. He couldn’t hurt her.

Owen’s dark eyes traced her, and Annie felt a shiver go up her spine.

“Do you see her too?” Janey asked Owen, lifting her head to see Owen’s face. His expression was all Janey needed to see before following his gaze to the ghost on the stairs.

“Janey, remember what I told you.” Annie said, trying to ignore Owens' eyes looking her up and down.

“You’re just trying to use my own girlfriend against me?” He narrowed his eyes. “Is that all you got?”

Annie tried not to show how nervous she felt. She didn’t want Owen to be here. His eyes were dripping with anger and it was terrifying. “I’m not talking to you. I’m talking to Janey.”

Then Owen lunged towards Annie, pushing Janey to the side. “Owen stop!” The girl shrieked. “Don’t hurt her! Owen stop!”

Annie stepped back, but she realized that Janey had grabbed onto Owens shirt in an attempt to stop him. He swung around with a crazed glare. “Shut up or I’ll kill you like I did Annie.” Owen growled. “You’ll be next Janey, I swear.”

Janey’s grip loosened and she stared at Owen in disbelief.

Chapter Text

Owen came running towards Annie. The ghost was so shocked that she tried to step backwards in an attempt to escape, forgetting that she was standing on the stairs. She tripped and fell to the top of the stairs putting her hands up to defend herself and wrenching her eyes shut in preparation for some sort of blow.

That was when she heard the sound of the door slamming open. When she didn’t seem to feel any pain, she opened her eyes and looked up to see Owen distracted by something else. Someone else.

“What are you doing here!” Owen shouted angrily.

Annie stared in disbelief at who it was.

Mitchell came running past Janey who sat on the floor crying, and towards her and Owen.

“Back the hell up!” Owen screamed. “Get out of my house, this is none of your business!”

Then Annie saw the look on Mitchell’s face. Pure, terrifying, relentless rage. “I suggest you get out of my way. Let Annie go.”

“What are you trying to do? Save a ghost?” Owen spat. “What are you, friends with her or something? Wait, you aren’t a ghost too are you?” He laughed at that. “I knew I should’ve gotten references. You know what? Let me just tell you something.” He smiled, pressing a finger up against Mitchell’s chest. “You know why she’s a ghost? That’s because of me. I’m the one who killed her. And you know what? I can do it again. I can get away with it again. So I would suggest you leave.”

There was quiet for just a moment. Annie stared at them, holding her breath. She couldn’t believe that Owen could seem so evil. How could she not see it before?

Her gaze shifted to Mitchell and her eyes widened as her fingernails scraped the wooden floor. Her fingers curled into a fist, knuckles turning white, with goosebumps running up her arms.

Mitchell was smiling.

The smile must’ve thrown Owen off because he suddenly looked a little nervous.

“Let me tell you a secret.” Mitchell leaned in a little closer so that his voice was only a slight whisper. His eyes were dark and threatening. “You don’t know anything about what it means to kill someone.”

Annie could see Owen try to lean back away from him but Mitchell grabbed him by the collar of his shirt so that he stayed put. “Have you heard the sound of a bullet going straight through a person's skull? Have you seen the blood bubble up in their mouths as they bleed out? Have you felt a person's broken bones under their skin?”

Owen no longer had his tough, cocky grin or an arrogant stance. His mouth gaping and brown eyes wide, he was trembling slightly.

“You’re so pleased with your grubby little murder. I want you to know that when it comes to pure, naked evil, you're an amateur. You know nothing. I’ve killed dozens before I was 16. I would demonstrate, but I don’t think you would want that, now would you?” Mitchell finally leaned away, that dark look still masking his face as he looked Owen over one more time. “I’ll let you go this time, and I hope you know it’s only because Annie asked me to. However, if I hear a word out of you, I’ll leave it up to your imagination of what I’ll do. So go. Leave. Now.”

Owen stood completely frozen for only a split second before he glanced one more time at Annie. Then, after Annie saw the fear in his eyes, he ran out the front door.

After Owen was out of sight, Mitchell turned and bent down next to her. The ghost could see the darkness that had overshadowed him before was gone. There was no trace of it. Huge brown eyes stared at her with worry and concern. “You okay?” He offered his hand to her.

She took his hand, inhaling softly as she felt his rough hands around hers as she was pulled to her feet.

“Are you okay?” She asked, reaching out and touching his shoulder, wondering how George let him leave the house.

“Ow.” Mitchell flinched when she touched the bandage.

Suddenly she remembered that they weren’t the only ones in the room. Janey was still crying on the floor.

“Oh, Janey, did he hurt you?” Annie rushed over to her.

“No- no.” She sobbed.

“Are you okay?”

“No!” Janey sniffed. “He- he killed you! Annie, he killed you! He- he could’ve killed me too.”

Annie let out a breath of relief to know that she wasn’t hurt. But she knew all too well how Janey was feeling. “Yeah, but he’s gone now. You can bring what he did to the light so he won’t hurt anyone else again. Talk to my sister. Tell my family what happened to me.”

Janey looked up at Annie then. Her lip trembled but she nodded. “I will, I’ll tell them.”

“Thank you. They can help you too. They’ll help you figure out what to do, who to talk to about it.”

Annie stood up and looked over to Mitchell who had gone to the front door. “Did you see where he went?”

“Drove away I’m assuming.” Mitchell said with a sigh.

“Where’s George?”

That was all Annie needed to ask before a guilty look crossed his face. “Did he know you were coming?” She narrowed her eyes.

“Oh he knew.” He reassured her.

“And… you left him.”

“More or less.” He shrugged.

Annie could practically see Mitchell driving away with George screaming behind him. “You’re a mess.” She chuckled.

“I do feel bad.” Mitchell mumbled.

“Oh, do you now? I’m sure he’s stressed.” Annie raised an eyebrow.

“I know he is.”

“Well, anyways.” She huffed, changing the subject. “Thank you.”

“I just wanted to help.“ He said seriously. “I couldn’t let you face your demons on your own. You were there for me, and I want to be there for you.”

She leaned forward, pressing her forehead against his as she closed her eyes and let out a long deep breath. “Thank you.”

Chapter Text

They came home to George about to have a panic attack with worry. Very quickly they were able to reassure him that they were both fine and while a lot had happened, no one was hurt.

They explained what had happened, how Annie went to talk to Janey, and this things spiraled from there but Mitchell was able to take care of it for the most part, and that Owen confessed in front of Janey.

It all relied on Janey now to get the truth out. Annie was sure that she would have help, they had talked to her more after she told them that she would talk with Annie’s family. Annie had told Janey that it would probably be best if she was able to leave Mitchell out of it. No matter what happened, she didn’t want Mitchell to get into any trouble, and Janey agreed. Janey thanked Mitchell for saving her and promised that she wouldn’t mention Mitchell.

After that things were finally able to get back to somewhat normal. George had to leave for work, leaving Mitchell and Annie at the house alone. Even though George had argued for what felt like hours, Mitchell insisted that he wanted to go back to work soon. The older finally agreed, just as long as he had at least a few more days to rest and heal.

One of the things Annie loved most about Mitchell having to stay home with her was that they would get to spend so much time together. The days were filled with long talks and laughing and making tea and she was thrilled to experience every moment.

By the time George got home, the two had already made dinner and had set the table. The whole meal was amazing, it Annie could say so herself. She may not have been able to actually eat the food, but it seemed like the first time in a while that they had the opportunity for all of them to get together and just talk. They did all live in the same house, but it didn’t seem like that happened very often.

That night Annie let them all get ready for bed as she started reading a book, telling them goodnight as they finally settled down to go to sleep.

It was hours later when Annie looked up from her book. There were no noises to draw her attention away. Nothing that moved out of the corner of her eye. Just a feeling.

She stood up, walking around the house to try and figure out what seemed off. She peeked in the kitchen, but found nothing there, and then wondered upstairs. George was snoring as loud as ever in his room, so she headed down the smaller set of stairs towards Mitchell’s room.

As soon as she came closer, she could tell that’s where she was supposed to go.

“Mitchell?” She called as she opened the door slowly.

Mitchell sat at the edge of the bed. He wiped his face with his sleeve and sniffed quietly as soon as he noticed her presence. “Annie. Sorry, thought you were downstairs.”

“I was.” She said, “Just came up to check on you.”

“You don’t need to babysit me.”

“Oh, well we both know that isn’t entirely true. Can't have you running off again, now can we?” She came over and sat beside him on the bed.

He huffed. “I guess that’s fair.”

“You okay?” She asked carefully.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” He shrugged.

“I don’t know. These past few weeks have been a lot.”

“If that isn’t the understatement of the year I don’t know what is.” He let out a bitter laugh.

“So, are you okay?” She looked at him, wanting to study how he delivered his reply. “You can tell me anything. It’s just me and you.” She expected another lie. She expected another ‘I’m fine’ answer.

“I just… I can’t believe he’s gone.”

That hadn’t been the answer she was expecting.

“Who?”

“It- it’s stupid. I know it’s stupid. It’s just- it’s Herrick.”

And then the ghost finally understood.

“I hated him. I wanted him to die. I did. I was willing to do it myself. To finish him off.” He sighed. “But, I guess I always thought I would be the one to die first instead.”

She couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

“And I know- like I know it’s insane because- because now that he is gone, I shouldn’t care. I should be relieved. And- for the most part I am. I am… but…” he took a deep breath and then there was a moment of silence as he tried to find the right words. “I don’t know. No matter how much he hurt me, or locked me in my room so he didn’t have to deal with me, or forced me into doing drugs to make me think that I’d be dragged down with him if I told anyone, or ruined my relationships, or made me kill for him, or- or anything- I- he still raised me. He said I would be thanking him in the future, glad that he did what he did. Is that what’s happening? Is that why I can’t get over it?”

“No.” She stopped him. She leaned over and put her head on his shoulder. “That’s not it.”

“Then… what is it?”

“When I found out Owen… he- he killed me, I was shocked. I didn’t know what to do.” Annie explained. “It wasn’t until later that I understood, I was able to process that fact that he didn’t love me. He never did. But that doesn’t mean that it was any harder for me to let him go. To move on. And I’m still not really over it I guess. I get what you’re feeling, but don’t think for one second that he did everything because he cared for you.”

Mitchell shifted on the bed, so Annie lifted her head. She watched as he raised his feet up and sat cross legged on the bed, and so she did the same, sitting right across from him “How am I supposed to feel about it? He’s- he was… and- and I feel like it’s wrong for me to be upset.”

“It’s not wrong.” Annie shook her head. “If anything it proves how good of a person you are. It proves your humanity.” She took his hands and held them in hers. “You have been through hell because of him, and the fact that you still care? You wanted him dead because you didn’t want him to hurt anyone else. Everything you do is for others. Mitchell, you are amazing. You deserve so much more. You deserve all the love in the world, and if I could give you the world then I would.”

She looked up from their hands tangled together to see his face. Dark eyes were swimming in tears and his bottom lip trembled.

“What?” She gave a watery smile. His face almost bringing her to tears. The disbelief and grief in his eyes crashing over her like waves.

“I can’t believe you would think of me like that.” His voice was tight. “Annie, have you forgotten what I’ve done? I’ve killed people. I’ve hurt people. So many have died just because they were associated with me.”

“That wasn’t your choice. Herrick made you do things that you would have never done otherwise. And now that he’s gone you won’t have to again. It wasn’t your fault he killed. You don’t take that responsibility. That’s on him. Not you.”

“But, Josie died because of me. It was only because she got close to me that he killed her.”

“That was not your fault and you know it.” She said with a voice hard enough for him to take her seriously as she spoke. “Josie made a choice when she started to become close to you, and I’m sure that if she could do it again then she would have wanted to get to know you all over again.”

He was quiet.

“You think?”

“I know. Josie wouldn’t want you feeling guilty for her death.”

Finally he let out a breath. He closed his eyes and then smiled sadly. It was like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Something that had shadowed him for years was finally falling away. “Thank you.” He whispered.

*****

They talked for a long time before Annie started to notice how tired Mitchell looked and she told him to go to sleep. After he had crawled under the covers, he asked if she would stay with him. Just until he fell asleep.

The ghost smiled, nodding at the request.

He was asleep within the next few minutes. He slept on his side, facing towards her and she couldn’t help but smile. Annie shifted so her face would be a little closer to his.

He stretched a bit in his sleep, moving his face deeper into the pillow. His eyes were still slightly puffy from crying, and his eyelashes still damp, but he slept with a face that showed no signs of nightmares. He looked so peaceful. She brushed his curly hair out of his face.

“I love you.” Annie whispered as she lightly pressed a soft kiss on his forehead. “That’ll never change.”

Chapter Text

“Hello, this Carmen, who am I speaking to?” The voice rang over the phone.

“Mrs Sawyer, I’m sorry, can I talk to you about something?”

“Yes, who is this?” Carmen asked again, sounding a little confused.

“Janey. Janey Harris. Do you remember me?”

“Oh, yes! You were Annie’s friend. How have you been doing, Janey?”

“I need to tell you something.”

“Oh?”

“I need your help.”

“Oh honey, how can I help you?” She sounded concerned.

“It’s Owen.” Janey whispered. “It was all him.”

“What? Sorry, I’m not quite understanding you.”

“Me and Owen, we were fighting, and- and he told me what really happened to Annie.”

There was a sharp inhale and a pause. “What are you talking about? What happened?”

“Owen- he…” Janey swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “Owen killed Annie.”

*****

As Annie lay next to Mitchell, she started to think over everything that had happened. She was dead. Owen killed her. That fact still hurt. But, it no longer controlled her.

She saved Janey from a fate like her own. Saved her and anyone else that Owen might hurt. Saved her and anyone else having their lives cut short.

Her family would soon know the truth of what happened to her. It would be hard for them, especially after all these years. It would be like opening up a slowly healing wound. But after this, it would be better. It would be better for them to know the truth, because she all knew that her mother had questions, her mother never really liked Owen, and her death had stirred up something. The lies were preventing them from being able to truly move on. She wanted them to. She wanted them to mourn for her and grieve, and to know the truth, but she didn’t want them to be so focused and stuck that they couldn’t continue to live their own lives and move on.

Because she had.

She had lived more within the past few months with the boys than it felt like she had her whole life. She was able to experience everything. Joy, happiness, mourning, fear, love.

Real love. Not the twisted version that she had with Owen.

It was like after all these years, she finally understood what it meant to be human and to live.

She had no regrets in dying. She wasn’t bitter anymore, she wasn’t upset, she wasn’t lonely.

And with that realization, a weight lifted off her shoulders.

*****

“I need help.”

“What can I do for you?” A tall dark haired man in a police uniform with a sly grin nodded and stepped forward to listen.

“I need you to help me, to protect me.”

“What’s your name sir?”

“Owen Norayan.” Dark eyes looked around frantically.

“Okay Owen, what do you need protection from?” The officer asked.

“I killed my fiancée. Then- then I saw her. In my house. She was trying to turn my girlfriend against me. Then- then a guy came in and he threatened to kill me.”

“Do you know who this man was?”

“Yes, he- his name is John Mitchell.”

The officer laughed. “Oh. Oh, Mitchell.”

“You know him?” Owen questioned.

“Oh I know him very well.”

“Then can you help me?”

“Sorry but I can’t. You see, the John Mitchell you’re looking for ran away when he was 17 and was found dead within the year.” The man shrugged. “I know because I was the one who changed all his files.”

“What?” Owen took one shaking breath.

“You’ll never catch this man you’re looking for, because he doesn’t exist anymore. He’s off the hook. You however… I think I can come up with plenty of ways to… keep you safe from him.”

Seth smiled again. “You’ve come to just the right person.”

*****

Annie was able to take everything in. Every sound. Every movement. Every feeling.

Mitchell’s slow steady breathes in his sleep. The twitching of his eyelashes in dreams that looked unaffected by nightmares. The sound of his beating heart, the sheets and blankets over the top of them both.

She could feel the heat of his body, the texture of his hand and hair. She could feel her chest tighten and the butterflies in her stomach. She could feel the vibrations in her throat as she hummed.

It was then that she realized that she had never felt so alive. So loved. So human.

Annie was finally at peace.

Everything was over. The stress and fears that had gathered over years and years had all vanished.

At that moment, the world was perfect.

And that was the moment that the creaking of a door sounded from behind her.

She turned around at the sound, and realized that a large wooden door had appeared. A door from her childhood home. One that was out of place but also so right.

The ghost sat up. She brushed her fingers through Mitchell’s hair as she sat there staring at it.

Her door had finally arrived.

Chapter Text

Did she wake him? Did she leave a note? All the excitement bubbled up to the surface and she stood up to examine the door.

Annie decided that she needed to wake Mitchell up. Should she wake up George too? It was all too much.

Finally she turned around and whispered to him. “Mitchell, wake up.” She grinned, brushing his hair out of his face again, in an effort to not hurt his shoulder but get his attention all the same. “Mitchell, look, wake up!”

Finally his eyes blinked open and he squinted at her in the dark. “Hm? ‘S something wrong?”

“Look, it’s here!” She whispered.

Mitchell sat up, a confused tired look on his face. “What?” He tried to blink the fog of sleep away. “What happened?”

“My door.” She said in awe, staring at it.

He sat there and looked at it for a while, as if trying to process what he was looking at. “What?” His voice cracking slightly.

“My door!”

“Your d… wait you’re going through it? Like- now?” Mitchell then looked at Annie.

“Well, that’s what I’m supposed to do, right?” That’s why you helped me with my unfinished business.”

“But- sorry, I…” Mitchell was at a loss for words. “What’s on the other side? Is it- it’s not the men, is it?”

“No. No, I think this time it’s different.” Annie stood up, walking over to the door and touching the wood to make sure what she was seeing was real.

“How do you know? Are- are you sure that it’s safe?”

“I don’t know if it’ll disappear. This might be my only chance to cross over.” Annie explained, but then she suddenly realized what that meant. She would be leaving them for good this time. This wasn’t something you could come back from. It wasn’t something that you could just pop in for a visit afterwards, there weren’t any letters, there was no calling, this was it.

This would mean goodbye.

“Oh…” Annie glanced at the door then back to Mitchell. “I guess I didn’t think about…”

“It’s okay. If this is what you want, don’t let me be what’s holding you back.”

“What?” Annie said, disbelief accidentally seeping though her tone. “No, I mean- I don’t what to leave you alone…”

Mitchell huffed. “I won’t be alone. I have George.” He said, rolling his eyes.

“But I-“

“You deserve this.” He gave a watery smile. “I don’t know what I’d do if I was the reason you wouldn’t move on.”

“Well…” she bit her lip, unsure of what to say. “Do I have to say goodbye then? I- I don’t know anymore.”

“Yeah.” Mitchell laughed, but there was something so upsetting about it. “A goodbye for now would be fine.”

“Oh.” Suddenly her eyes started to sting as she stared at him. Was this really what she wanted or would she be giving up the happiest days she’s ever had for nothing? “Well…”

“It’s okay. We’ll see each other again.”

“Yeah.” She smiled, tears finally starting to drip down her nose. “We will.” And she had no idea if there was any truth in that statement. She didn’t know what was behind the door, she didn’t know anything about the supernatural stuff, so there was no way to know for sure. “I-I don’t know what to say now. I- mean…”

“I’ll miss you.” Mitchell shrugged, eyes shining with tears that had yet to fall.

“I’ll miss you too.” She said back immediately. The idea of being away from him still sinking in.

“Don’t have too much fun without me.”

“Impossible.” She chuckled, trying to cover up how close she was to bursting into tears.

As silence started to creep in, neither of them knew how to fill it. How did you say goodbye to someone when you were so unprepared? Why had this moment never crossed her mind?

So instead of talking, she ran up to him, and he stood up just in time to catch her. She wrapped her arms around his waist with the tightest embrace she could manage. She treasured the feeling of his shirt within her clenched hands and his face in her shoulder and his arms wrapped around her too and his tears soaking her cardigan because it almost made her forget she was a ghost. She tried to keep from sobbing.

“I don’t know what I’ll do without you.” He mumbled.

“Go on a vacation.” She joked.

“I’ll take that into consideration.”

“Tell George I’ll miss him, and not to forget me.” The ghost requested.

Mitchell nodded. “I promise.”

Annie didn’t ever want to let go, but then eventually, Mitchell did first. She let out a huge breath as she loosened her grip.

She leaned forward just an inch or two then, closed her eyes. “You won’t forget me, will you?” She whispered.

Then she heard him lean forward too and felt his forehead touch hers. “Never.” He said with such emotion and conviction that somehow she believed him.

She let out something between a laugh and a sob and then finally turned away.

Walking up to her doorway, she took deep breathes, steadying herself, before reaching out to touch the doorknob.

Before she could turn the doorknob though, she looked back at Mitchell. He stood alone in the room, tears dripping everywhere. Dark brown eyes watching her closely. “When I open the door, don’t look inside.” She told him.

“Okay.”

Annie then finally turned the doorknob, a bright light coming through as soon as it was cracked open. She stood there for a moment, trying to decide what to do. If she should go through with it.

If she was being honest with herself, she wished she could stay with them. Have fun with them, help them, live with them. But she couldn’t. They were human. They weren’t supernatural beings like she was. If she stayed then she would stay frozen in time, frozen in that moment, when she died, forever. She couldn’t do that. She couldn’t just watch them move on and fall in love and get married and have families and grow old and everything she could only dream of doing. She wanted to experience it with them. Be human with them.

But that would never happen, because while they may still have the chance to be human, she was only a ghost.

Annie took more glance at Mitchell, seeing him mouth something too her and then smile, she smiled back at him.

Then she stepped through her door and into the light.

*****

What Annie didn’t see as the door closed behind her was Mitchell crumble to the floor. Sobs shaking his entire body.

He understood why she did it, so why did it feel like she was just another person to abandon him?

Chapter Text

George woke up and could tell something was off. Something was missing. There was presence or feeling or just something that he always remembered being there, ever since they came to the house. It was gone.

The house was warmer. He was hot under his extra layers of blankets. Usually it was cold.

He sat up trying to figure out what the empty feeling was. While brushing his teeth and trying to clear his head before he headed down for breakfast, he still couldn’t figure out what it was that was different.

Entering the kitchen, he walked up to the cabinet where a green and blue mug sat, not even having to think about what he was doing. It was all routine at that point.

Picking up the mug though, he realized how light it was and looked to find it empty.

There was a second delay before he processed what was wrong. Annie always had a mug of tea waiting for the two of them in the morning. No one forced her to, or even asked for it, it was just something she did.

George set the cup down, starting to make breakfast before thinking too much about it.

After frying himself an egg and eating all that he wanted, he sat at the table in silence.

Where was Annie?

She was usually so excited that someone was awake for her to hang out with that she’d be down before the sun rose and talking faster than ever once she heard you coming down the stairs.

He started to get curious, if maybe something had happened with Mitchell and she had decided to stay the night in his room.

Eventually he made his way up to Mitchell’s room, opening the door quietly so that he didn’t interrupt anything. For a split second, he froze, staring at the empty bed as panic started to take hold, until he looked over to see Mitchell leaning up against the bed. He let out a breath of relief.

George walked over to his best friend and knelt next to him. Mitchell’s head leaned against the mattress, eyes red and puffy, hair messier than ever, with his knees up.

“Mitchell?” He reached out to set a hand on his friends shoulder.

Mitchell flinched, opening his eyes instantly. “What?” He said when I saw it was just George.

“Why are you on the floor?” George asked, pulling Mitchell to his feet. The younger one groaned as his limbs protested at the sudden movement. “Mitchell, where’s Annie?”

It wasn’t until George had asked his question that Mitchell’s head started to clear, and the fog of sleep finally disappeared from his eyes, even though he still looked beyond tired. Dark eyes widened as if he remembered something, and then tears started to gather.

“What is it? What happened?”

“Annie.” Mitchell said, his voice quiet and unsteady. “She- she’s gone.”

“What?” George was confused. Could Mitchell not see her anymore? Was that what was going on?

“She went through her door. Last night, I watched it happen.”

“Her door?” George remembered Annie trying to explain how she thought the whole ‘unfinished business’ thing worked. It never made much sense to him, but now he wished he had paid just a bit more attention.

“Her door. She’s gone. She finished her unfinished business and now she’s passed on.”

“Oh…” George tried to soak in the information. Was she gone for good? She was never coming back?

He began to wonder how different things would become now that she was gone, but then remembered that he had only just became able to see her a few weeks ago. Then again, even when they couldn’t see her, she was always there. She had always been there, ever since they had moved to the house. As much as that idea had freaked him out at first, it made him also realize that they might not be able to go back to ‘normal’ anymore. Their normal, in this house, was one with Annie there from the start, even if they hadn’t known she was there.

Could things go back to the way they were? Back when it was just him and Mitchell. Back when it was just the two of them against the whole world. Back when just the two of them didn’t seem like it was enough, back when they spent long hard nights talking and thinking and running away from their problems.

Annie had only been there for a short period of time, but she had changed everything. George could see the change in Mitchell. He seemed more comfortable in his own skin. Like he could relax a bit more, knowing that they weren’t all alone in the world.

“Can you tell me what happened?” George tried, not sure if talking about it would help or not.

Mitchell took a deep breath. “She- Annie, she woke me up last night. I saw the door was there, and she was so excited, but I wasn’t sure what was going on. She told me she was going to go through and I- well I couldn’t stop her. We both talked about what might happen, but we didn’t know if the door would disappear, or how long it’d stay there, or if it would come back. It might be her only chance, so I told her to take it.”

“Then what?”

“She went through. The door disappeared as soon as it closed.”

“Are you okay?” George asked, not knowing what else he should even say.

“I don’t know.” Mitchell replied. For once it seemed like he was telling the truth.

“She’ll be okay.” George reassured him, putting a hand on his arm as a form of comfort.

“Will she?”

“Yeah, she will. I’m sure she will.” George said with as much confidence as he could manage. “And you will too. You’ll do what you do best. Survive.”

“And then what?” Mitchell’s voice was thick and heavy. “What happens after I survive the day? What happens after I’m done with needing to just get through everything one day at a time.”

“Well then we can go out.” George explained, looking over his best friend closely. “We can go out and maybe go to a beach, watch a sunset, go for a drive. Once you don’t have to get through things one step at a time anymore, then we can go out and enjoy it. We can enjoy life for what it is, instead of just trying to survive.”

“Is that really all there is? What if there’s nothing left to enjoy?”

“There will be. I’m here. You’re here. There’s so much to be thankful for. So much to enjoy.” Finally George leaned over, wrapping Mitchell in the biggest, tightest hug he could manage. “You know that she loved you right? And so do I.”

George heard a sniffle. “I don’t know.”

“Well we do.” George closed his eyes, somehow hugging the younger one just a bit tighter.

Chapter Text

George walked home from work. He felt tense with worry, and was practically jogging in a strange stiff way. He’d been gone all day, after he woke to Mitchell having lost his ghost companion. He had wanted to ask off one more day, to help Mitchell through everything that he was dealing with but he knew he couldn’t risk it.

They were already short on money with hospital bills and Mitchell not being allowed to work quite yet, not even mentioning the days George took off to take care of him. He just couldn’t take the day off unless it was absolutely necessary.

Of course, that didn’t stop him from worrying. He called Mitchell every few hours, but he never answered, and when George finally left a voicemail and a few dozen texts threatening to come home if Mitchell didn’t answer back, he received a text stating simply, “Sorry, just don’t feel like talking.”

George had asked for a voicemail at the very least, to make sure he wasn’t on his deathbed or something. A few minutes later, he got one as requested. “I’m not dead, George. Haven’t been kidnapped or anything either.” His voice sounded tight and George could immediately tell he had been crying not too long before. “I’m okay, it’s just- just like I said- I don’t feel like talking right now.”

He accepted that answer. He understood that, but it didn’t keep him from wanting to get home as fast as possible.

Finally, when he arrived at the old pink house, he stepped into the entryway quietly so that he didn’t wake Mitchell up if he was asleep. Ever since he got sick, Mitchell seemed to sleep a lot.

That was when he heard talking from upstairs, and so he carefully made his way towards the noise, trying to be as quiet as possible.

“-ello?” Mitchell’s voice could be heard from inside his room.

George wondered if Mitchell had heard him come in.

“Annie?” Mitchell’s voice cracked as he called her name. There was a pause for a few seconds before he said anything else. “Is anyone there? Was anyone ever even there to begin with?”

George stood at the top of the stairs, listening to his best friend talk to himself. He bit his lip, wondering if he should interrupt. But what could he even do to help?

“Answer me!” Mitchell yelled, so suddenly it almost made George jump. “Was anyone ever even there! Annie, please answer me!”

George couldn’t take it anymore, he made his way to Mitchell’s room. He burst through the door to find his best friend collapsed on the bed.

“Hey mate. I’m here.” The older one said, sitting next to the younger, setting his hand on top of the trembling one that gripped the sheets. “What can I do?”

“No… nothing.” Mitchell’s head hung low, it was clear by his voice alone that he was holding back tears. “Just- ‘m just done. Wanna be done.”

“Hey- hey, don’t talk like that.” George said. “We’re okay now. Just because Annie’s gone, doesn’t mean you have to give up. We’re okay, you’re okay. Herrick is gone, your slowly healing-“

Mitchell scoffed. “How do you even know?”

“Know what?”

“How do we know that Herrick is gone?”

“Because- cause you saw him go through a door. You saw all the ghosts dragging him through it. He’s gone, Mitchell, we’re okay now.”

“Did you see it?”

“What?“ That wasn’t the response George had been expecting.

“Did you see it happen?”

“No, it was just you and Annie. Remember?”

“Then how do you know?” Mitchell narrowed his eyes. “How do you know that I wasn’t just seeing things?”

“Annie was there too, she saw it. She told me what happened.”

“Did I just make it all up?”

“No, Mitchell, you didn’t. Annie was there.”

“How do I know that I didn’t just make her up too?”

George sat quietly for a second. He bit his lip, looking around the room for some sort of idea for an answer he could give. Then he spotted it. He got up from the bed and picked up the piece of paper that Annie had written on what felt like years ago but it had only been a few weeks at most.

The slip of paper that simply said “Annie” on it.

The slip of paper that George talked to him about, thinking Mitchell was going crazy because of it.

“This.” He handed the paper to Mitchell. “See, she wrote that for you. She did that.”

Mitchell stared at it, reading the writing and tracing the letters with his fingers. “But- but you told me- you said I was going insane.”

“I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry I said that, but then I met her too.” George explained, with a sad smile. “I met her and we became friends. All three of us.”

Mitchell still looked up at George, still the faintest bit of doubt in his eyes. Whether because he wondered if George was lying, or if he was making up George all together.

“I’m here.” George said, in a soft yet stern tone. Letting his friend know that he wasn’t backing down from this. “I’m here, I’m real, and I would never lie to you. I may be wrong sometimes, but I wouldn’t lie.”

Finally, after letting Mitchell take it all in, he sat down and leaned over to give Mitchell the biggest, tightest hug he could manage without hurting him. George knew that Mitchell always appreciated to be able to touch and feel something after a serious conversation. It grounded him, telling him that it had really happened.

He felt Mitchell’s fingers brushing against his back, feeling the material of his shirt and then finally hiding his face in the hug.

Chapter Text

Nina had given Mitchell the clear to start going back to work, as long as he promised not to overdo it and if he wasn’t feeling up to it then to either call her or George, or ask for the day off. She explained that she was sure the hospital staff would understand. George wasn’t even upset about it, in fact he was rather relieved. It meant Mitchell was healing, and also that he could keep a better eye on him.

While the older one could tell that Mitchell was still depressed about Annie leaving, he seemed to be slowly coming to terms with it.

Things weren’t normal.

They would never be normal with Annie gone. Even back when Annie wasn’t visible, she had always been there with them in the house. Without her, just being in the house made you feel like something was missing. Both of them could feel it.

Some days they could feel it more than others. Especially Mitchell. Those were days that George could tell that he was struggling.

He then realized that it had felt like forever ago when he’d last seen Mitchell smoke a cigarette. So when he saw his friend with one in hand, sitting outside on their doorstep, it seemed rather strange.

Mitchell smelt like smoke more times than not. George supposed that it was slightly better than to go out and start drinking again when it had already been so hard for him to quit before.

The thought that things could start becoming what they were before they moved to Bristol kind of scared George. Mitchell had been struggling then too. The scenery, their old jobs, just the whole world seemed a little too much like it had been before had gotten away. He had been depressed and trapped in memories and regrets and fear. It left him resorting to drinking and smoking and whatever else he could get his hands on. Back then it had been rare to come home and find Mitchell sober. George hated even having to remember it.

Things had been going so well, he hated the fear of things going back to the way they had been.

He couldn’t let his friend get that bad again.

“Hey.” George said, walking up to the house after work finding Mitchell on the front step again smoking. The sight only surprised him slightly, considering it was cloudy and lightly sprinkling.

“Hey.” Mitchell responded.

“What’s going on?” He asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

His best friend just shrugged.

After a bit of silence, George knew there was no point in waiting for a proper response. “Wanna talk?”

“About what?”

“Stuff.”

“That’s very specific.” Mitchell huffed out a cloud of smoke.

George finally sat down next to his best friend, not caring that the concrete was damp.

“What do you want?” Mitchell asked, not in a way that sounded annoyed, but not curious either. Just… sad.

“I want to know if my friend is okay.”

“‘M fine.” He looked down at the cigarette in his hand.

“Maybe, maybe not.” George said. “But something is going on.”

“Says who?”

“Says me. I can see it.”

“See what exactly?”

“That you’re upset. You aren’t yourself. And I’m not stupid, I know why.” George tried to explain himself. “I just want to know what’s going on in your head. What you’re thinking. If you’re okay.”

Mitchell was quiet again. “It’s been a while.” He said after the long pause.

“A while?”

“Since she left.” He clarified, his eyebrows drawing together with a slight frown. “And I feel numb. Just- just like nothing matters.”

George scooted a little closer, but looked up to the overcast sky. “It does matter though, you know that right? You matter.”

“Sometimes. I just- I don’t know. I haven’t cried, I haven't broken down, I haven't gotten upset, not since right after. Just nothing.” Mitchell said, voice tight. “I feel nothing.”

“I think you’ll feel it soon enough.” George sighed. “It might hurt for a while, but you will. And you’ll make it through it all the same”

“How do you know?”

George could feel Mitchell’s gaze on him. “I don’t. But I know you. You always get back on your feet, even after everything you've been through.” He looked over to his best friend and they met eyes. George could see so much hurt in his friend's dark eyes. Anything but the numbness he was describing. “Mitchell, you survived the day. You made it through it all. You’ve always told yourself to ‘just make it through the day’ and you have. You’ll be okay. It doesn’t mean some days will be hard, but the biggest threat is gone. You made it, you’re alive and I’m so happy because of that. I’m sure Annie is too.”

“What do we do now?” Mitchell asked.

“We’ll figure it out. We always do.” George smiled.

“Will it ever go back to the way things were?”

“What do you mean?”

“With her. Annie. Will it ever be like that again?”

George’s gaze softened. “I don’t know.”

“I mean- I know it’s stupid. We didn’t even know her for that long. But it feels so wrong without her.” Mitchell pressed his lips together in a way he did when he was trying to figure out how to say what he was wanting to say. “She made me feel- I don’t know… like everything was okay. Safe. And even when it wasn’t safe or we weren’t okay, I didn’t really mind as much.”

“Yeah, I understand.” George nodded.

“I mean… I guess I just kind of thought that it’d be us three. Most of the bad stuff had come to an end, so I wouldn’t lose anyone else.” Mitchell’s cigarette had gone out by now, so he started picking at the fuzz on his green fingerless gloves. “Guess I was wrong.”

“You weren’t wrong to think that. I thought that it’d be like that too. We all seemed to forget she wasn’t a normal human anymore. It hurt to find out she had left.”

“Yeah.”

They sat for a while, George could feel his clothes slowly soaking in every drop of water. His hair was soaked and he took off his glasses to dry them off so he could see out of them again.

“I miss her.” Mitchell let out a deep breath.

George nodded. “I do too.”

After they waited there for another to speak, George finally took his hand and ruffled Mitchell’s wet curly hair. “C’mon mate, let’s go inside. You’re soaked.”

Chapter Text

“Anyone else with you?”

Mitchell looked up to see a tall skinny dark haired man. He sighed. “I’ll leave that up to your imagination.”

“I admire your confidence to agree to come meet me.” Seth said. “I didn’t expect you to actually show up.”

“It was long past time we talked.” Mitchell shrugged.

“Aren’t you scared I’ll like- kill you?” He grinned, chuckling a bit.

“It may have crossed my mind.”

“And yet you’re still here.”

“Not for much longer if you don’t get to the point.” Mitchell huffed, shuffling his feet against the concrete sidewalk. People walked past, slowly and regularly. Not close enough to hear them speak, but enough to be just a little reassured that someone wouldn’t just blow his brains out with so many witnesses. “Did you find something?”

Seth’s smile finally broke. “No, they haven’t. In fact, that’s what I’ve come to discuss.” The dark haired man looked Mitchell over. “We’ve found nothing and it’s been weeks. Narrowing down suspects of who would want him gone is literally impossible. You may be one of those people, but I am confident when I say I don’t think you could ever be the one to kill him.”

“Why is that?”

“You’re a good person Mitchell. Nothing that he made you do was by choice.” Seth explained. “Even if you wanted to, even if you set your heart to it, I don’t think you ever could. You could have a gun pointed to his head, and you still wouldn’t be able to pull the trigger. That’s why I feel like you deserve to know. While I will still search for him, everyone else has declared Herrick as dead. A man named Ivan is taking over. I guess the throne was nice while it lasted, yeah?”

“Ivan, huh?” Mitchell mumbled, trying to think of if he knew who Seth could be talking about. “Who’s he?”

“He’s not from around here, I think he lead a separate group for a while until he supposedly retired with his wife. He knew Herrick well, and a lot of people respect him. Some more than Herrick. However he’s shutting down a lot of the side businesses that Herrick had going for a while.” Seth lowered his voice a little. “He’s completely getting rid of any and all connections that we had with a lot of our most dangerous sources of money, which Herrick was so secretive about. I’m not disappointed or anything but it’s strange to think of a man who wanted to lead all of this with any sort of moral compass.”

Mitchell nodded, trying to think over the new mysterious ruler. “Where do you think he’s going to lead everyone towards? He’s not shutting it down completely from the inside, is he?”

“I don’t know, and honestly I don’t really care.” Seth let out a deep breath. “I understand why you wanted to get away now. All of this is exhausting, even with Herrick gone.”

He shrugged. “Should’ve come with me.”

Seth snorted. “Yeah right, I’d rather die than be your bloody housemate.”

“Sure.” Mitchell rolled his eyes. “Is that all?”

“Almost.” Seth said, suddenly looking very serious. “Mitchell, you’re off the hook with the whole situation that happened with Owen Norayan, and I don’t suspect you at all in the situation that happened with Herrick. Most people have forgotten about you by now, if they even knew of you in the first place, but if someone comes seeking revenge I can’t stop them. We have moved into the area, Bristol is crawling with our men. While the whole situation with Ivan has everyone busy and tense, I would still suggest either keeping your head down for a while, but it would be best if you moved.”

Mitchell thought this over.

“Obviously you don’t have to take my advice, but you’ve earned my respect and I would rather not have to do more paperwork for more murders that I’ll have to help cover up than I have to.”

“Thank you.” Mitchell gave a grateful smile.

Seth bowed his head and he shifted on his feet, signaling that the conversation had ended and that he was about to start walking away. “I hope I won’t see you ever again.” He said as he walked past.

“And the same goes for you.” Mitchell nodded.

*****

After walking home bundled up in his coat, Mitchell came in to the house with a small feeling of relief but also a newfound tension.

Would they have to move again? They had only just found connections with coworkers and found a few friends with the neighbors. Better now then later he supposed, but still.

As soon as he walked in and closed the door behind him, he was drawn out of his thoughts by the sound of talking and laughing in the kitchen.

He rounded the corner curiously and found George and Nina cooking.

“Oh- there you are!” George grinned as soon as he noticed Mitchell had entered the room. “Where were you? I’ve been calling you down for the past hour or so.”

Mitchell took in the sight of Nina cutting up tomatoes and peppers on the kitchen table with George standing next to the stove, cooking some sort of meat. He had no idea what they were making but it smelt amazing. The entire scene was so normal, so human. “I went out for a bit.”

“Out?” George asked, only a slight bit of concern coming through in his voice.

“Yeah, someone wanted to talk.” Mitchell said, taking off his coat.

“Couldn’t have just called?” Nina joked.

“Some things are best said in person.” He shrugged.

“So how did it go?” George turned around and started stirring around all of the food on top of the oven.

“Good enough.” Mitchell said, deciding to keep the talk of moving for later.

“Guess what we’re getting ready for!” Nina cut in to the conversation, turning in her seat to better see the two boys as she talked.

“Lunch? Dinner?” Mitchell guessed. “I don’t know.”

“Tell him what’s going on George.” Nina smiled excitedly.

“W-we probably should’ve told you sooner but it was kind of a last second decision.” George started, talking at lightning speed. “Also you weren’t here so we just kind of took matters into our own hands and- and um we last minute decided to invite some people over for dinner?”

“What kind of people?”

“Like, I saw you talking with that one girl at the hospital.“ George explained. “Nina said she knew her and it sort of spiraled from there-“

“Lucy.” Nina confirmed, trying to make sense of George’s ramblings. “She’s sweet, and then we invited Becca, Hugh and his girlfriend. So it won’t be too awkward. We invited a few others but they couldn’t make it- oh, Becca works at the hospital, and Hugh works at the pub down the street.“

“Yeah, I know Becca and Lucy.” Mitchell tried to remember if he had met Hugh. “Why the sudden urge to invite random strangers from around town?”

“Thought, you know, ‘why not.’” George made a face hinting that it was more of Nina’s idea than his. Did she always just go inviting people over to houses that didn’t belong to hers? After a second or two, he realized that had been what they had practically done themselves not too long ago with her. Maybe it was payback.

“I thought you two could use a bit of a change. But this way you’ll still be in the comfort of your own home while you try something new, and get to know people you probably know, just not well.”

“I know some of them.” Mitchell frowned. “And throwing a party isn’t really anything new.”

“Oh so you’ve thrown a party before?” Nina raised an eyebrow.

“I mean- no, but-“

“Perfect!” Nina smiled. “They should be showing up in about…” She looked at her watch. “Thirty minutes.”

“What!”

*****

“What do you think?” George asked his best friend as they sat on the couch in a messy dark empty house, staring at the telly. “Was it bad, or was it fun?”

Mitchell had trouble keeping his eyes open. It was late at night, they had work the next day so they probably should have been asleep by then anyways. “Wasn’t too bad. Wish I would’ve been warned a little sooner though.”

“Yeah, I would’ve liked to clean the house a bit more, or at least to have been at least a bit more prepared.” George mumbled.

There was silence for a while, neither wanting to speak but neither wanting to actually have to get off the couch to move to a bed. The blue light was the only light source in the house it seemed like, and silence and darkness was somewhat comforting with the each other’s presence.

“You doing okay?” George asked.

“Yeah.” Mitchell said, taking in a deep breath. “I think I am.”

Then George turned his head to look at the younger one. “You know you’re my best friend, right?”

“What’s this have to do with anything?” Mitchell gave an uneasy laugh, feeling his body unintentionally going tense at how out of nowhere it had all come from.

“Just wanted you to know.” George pressed his lips together. “And I wanted you to know that I’ll be here to help if you aren’t okay. In any way I can.”

The tension drained a little, knowing that it wasn’t some sort of way George was trying to explain he was leaving too. He couldn’t lose George too.

“I know a lot has happened, but I’m here. I’m not much but I’m here.” George said. “I’ll always be here and I’ll always love you.”

“Thank you, I love you too.” Mitchell smiled, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. “That’s all I could ever ask for.”

*****

Mitchell lay in bed, blankets wrapped tightly around himself. He stared at the piece of paper on his nightstand. It had one word written on it.

‘Annie’.

It was all he needed.

And as time started to pass, and he still lay studying the piece of paper, he started to understand.

In the end, he thought he understood why she did it.

Understood why she crossed over.

He understood her want for an end. Endings were everything. The eternal cycle of thinking to himself to just get through the day, just one more day, if he could just make it just one more day then everything would be fine.

It was exhausting and sometimes he wished for that end too. And someday it would. And when that day did come, when his fight to survive one more day finally ended too, then they would see each other again.

He couldn’t wait to see her again.

It could be days, months, years. He could have the best days of his life ahead of him, and he might have the most painful death of all, but it was okay.

He had George, it wasn’t like he had no reason to live. He just had no reason to fear death either.

Either way was exciting. One of his best friends would stick with him until his dying breath, and the other would meet him again after he was dead and gone.

He stared at the page, a small smile twitching at his lips.

He already had so much to tell her about.

Chapter Text

“Mitchell!” George’s voice came from downstairs.

Mitchell looked up from his current project in his room, trying to figure out what laundry was clean and what was dirty. “What!” He called back.

“Your phone is down here, someone’s calling!”

Mitchell sighed and got up from sitting crisscross applesauce on the floor.

He came down the stairs slowly. “Who is it?” He asked, coming around the corner to the living room.

“Lucy.” George held his phone with a smirk.

“Ha ha, give me the phone.” He deadpanned.

George threw it over, and Mitchell just barely caught it. He flipped it open and held it up to his ear. “This is Mitchell.”

“Hey Mitchell!” Lucy’s smile could be heard in her voice. “I wanted to call to see how everything was doing.”

“Hey, yeah, everything’s good.” Mitchell walked into the kitchen to avoid George’s mischievous look, trying to mess with him in any way possible.

“How’s Barry Island treating you? Oh, and the pub?” She asked.

“It’s going good.” Mitchell shrugged. “The only place we could find in a good price range has a Hawaiian theme though, so we have a whole wall that’s got the beach painted onto it.”

“Oh that’s great!” Lucy laughed.

“It used to be a Bed and Breakfast, so we have a lot of extra rooms.”

“Ooh, nice, so you have plenty of room for visitors. Maybe I’ll drop by sometime.” She joked.

“Yeah, that’d be great. I’m sure George would agree as long as you bring Nina along.”

“Oh, I will.” Lucy agreed. “So, how is the pub?”

“It’s going great actually.” He shifted his weight. “It's my day off today, but I’m able to do everything on my own now. I honestly kind of enjoy not having to wake up at the crack of dawn to go to work, I’d much rather have to stay up late.”

“Yeah, I bet. That is one of the worst parts of working at a hospital. So what about George? Does he like his new job?”

“I think he’s liking it.” He peeked through the window in the door, seeing George looking over homework. Mitchell grinned. “It’s really different from what we were doing, obviously, but I think he likes teaching. I didn’t even realize how much he liked to study different languages. I mean, he had to have liked it to learn so many of them, but he comes home and will not stop talking about it now!”

Lucy chuckled. “It sounds like you’re having a lot of fun. You sound… happier.”

“I am, it’s different, I like it.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear it.” Lucy said, her voice sounding like she really did mean it. “I’ve got to go, I’m getting off early and I plan on putting up Christmas decorations.”

“Already?”

“It’s December! I wish you could’ve come to my party last year. Nina will tell you, it was definitely something.”

“Yeah, maybe this year we can come back to Bristol for a visit.” Mitchell thought over that plan, it might work depending on when and if George’s language classes got off for a winter break again. “Honestly, it’s kind of crazy, it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long since we moved, but it’s been about a year.”

“Yeah, well, we all miss you here a lot.”

“Yeah, I miss Bristol a lot.” There was a tight feeling in his chest at the thought of their old house, where so many memories took place even if they were only there for a short period of time. “Sorry, I’ll let you go now.”

“Okay, I’ll talk to you later. Bye!”

“Yeah, bye.” He hung up the phone and walked back into the living room with George.

“Soooo…?” George looked up as soon as he came into the room. “What was all that about?”

“She just wanted to know how things were going here.” He shrugged.

“Sure sure.” George smiled. “You have a look on your face.”

“What? What look?”

“I don’t know, you just look excited.” George explained. “You’re okay?”

Mitchell thought over his answer, trying to think if he would be telling the truth. And he was. “Yeah, I am. Are you?”

“I’m okay if you’re okay.” George told him.

They sat for a while, talking for a bit more as George looked over papers. Then the older one stretched, apparently wanting to take another break from the work in front of him.

George let out a long breath. “Wanna go for a drive?”

*****

“What’s this?” George questioned, a little confused.

“I don’t know, I just like this place.” Mitchell said, putting the car in park. He leaned forward and set his chin on top of his hands that rested on the steering wheel. “I’ve come here a few times. It’s nice.”

They both looked out over the rocky beach and watched as the sky turned colors. Blue faded to pink and then orange, all over the breathtaking waters that reflected it like wavy glass.

“It's beautiful.” George let out a deep breath.

“Yeah.” Mitchell smiled, wishing that Annie could be there with them to see it. He found several places that he would’ve loved to show her, this was one of them. “It is.”

*****

They got home later than planned, but neither of them minded. They stopped by a cafe and talked with some of the guys that worked there. Both Mitchell and George were regulars there, so they had gotten to know the two guys that worked there pretty well, Tom and Hal. They stopped by the pub that Mitchell worked at since they were in the area, so that he could pick up his green gloves that he had left. They got to say hello to some of his coworkers, like Sasha and Alex, some of them getting to meet George for the first time.

It was a breath of fresh air and it gave them time to slow down and enjoy life without worrying about work or papers or anything like that. It was nice.

It was something he seemed to appreciate a lot after he moved to Barry.

If only his younger self could see him now.

As a kid living with Herrick, he didn’t really think he’d have much of a future at all. He thought that he’d have a short life, and that if Herrick didn’t take him out then he’d end up doing it himself eventually. Because what else could there possibly be to look forward to?

Then he met Josie, and he was able to find a little bit of hope. Hope that things wouldn’t always be the same forever, that maybe there was a way out. After Josie was gone, he took that chance, he had nothing left to lose. But then George came along and things started to look up, and then Annie showed up and after a while things were perfect.

Now, things may not be perfect but they were getting better every day and he was learning and having fun.

Another thing was he hadn’t seen any ghosts since Annie left. If it was because there simply wasn’t any to see or if it was because the part of him that was connected to the world of the ghosts left along with her, he didn’t know. Maybe it was because his mindset had changed, just like Annie’s. Maybe it was because he didn’t think of himself as just a dead man walking, he was able to separate himself from his past now, but he would never know for sure.

After they got home, he went up to his room and changed into sweatpants and a T-shirt. Eventually he wandered towards the bathroom and George came in and joined him while he was brushing his teeth.

They got ready for bed, and eventually went to their own rooms after talking and joking for a little longer than they probably should’ve.

He came to his room and moved his laundry that he had been sorting and left completely forgotten in the middle of the floor to the side in order to make a path to his bed. Before turning off the lamp that was still lit on the nightstand, he saw a piece of paper that he had taped to the wall not long after they’d moved into the house.

The scrap of paper said one thing on it.

‘Annie’.

He had kept the piece of paper, because when he looked at it he remembered. He remembered it all, the good the bad, and how lucky he was to be alive and how lucky he was to have found a way to be happy, even after everything. Most of all though, he remembered her.

Mitchell’s lips twitched upwards into a smile as he reached out his hand and touched the paper. It was real.

She was real.

And he would promise to fight to live for her.

*****

Annie got up and pressed the power button to shut the telly off.

She stepped back, smiling softly to herself.

He still remembered her, even after all that time.

“Annie, we’re here!” Josie’s voice from outside her room sounded. “Gilbert brought snacks, I brought drinks.”

“I have records!” Gilbert could be heard not far off.

“Coming!” Annie replied with a grin, opening her door and walking out of her room.

The ghost would be waiting for him.

But until he came, she would be going out and having fun. After all, she needed to have something to tell him about, didn’t she?