Chapter 1:

I rounded the corner looking for Melinda Gordon. I needed her help to get Rick Payne to go back into his body. Stupid guy ended up stuck out of his body, in his astral form. He latched onto me like white on rice. But getting information as to who he is, where his friend Melinda lives, and more importantly where his physical body is, is like trying to pull teeth. Trust me, I know. I've been stuck with Rick Payne in my ass, pun intended, for several weeks now.

"There, that's her." Rick said making me jump. I sighed and looked in the direction he was pointing. I headed towards the fountain. "What are you going to tell her?"

"Nothing if you don't shut up." I muttered as I approached Melinda. "Melinda Gordon?" I asked.

"Yes?" She asked.

"Do you know a Rick Payne?" I asked. I could feel Rick's eyes bore into my head.

"Yes. Why are you asking?" She asked. I sighed. This is a lot harder than I thought.

"I need your help locating him." I said. She looked at me funny. "He, ummm, how do I put this. He is here now."

"Wait, what? Is he dead?" Melinda asked sitting on the bench. I sat next to her.

"No, far from it. But his physical body is possibly in a coma and his spirit is following me around. He led me to you to talk to you to find his body." I said.

"Why can't he go back?" She asked.

"He doesn't remember where he was when he went into the coma." I said. "He told me that he knows he left Grandview, but he doesn't remember where he ended up."

"He went on a sabbatical to Egypt. But why didn't he come to me?"

"Tell her that I tried. She couldn't hear me." Rick said.

"Shut up Rick." I said, and then I looked at Melinda again. "He tried. But from what I understand you can only see the earthbound spirits. Since he isn't technically dead, you wouldn't sense him."

"I don't understand. How can you see him then?" She asked. And here is where it gets complicated.

"I am a Witch. I am able to sense the dead, astral to the other realms such as the Otherworld where the dead are." Melinda looked at me funny. "Don't look so put out. You don't like it when people look at you like that."

"Sorry." Melinda said shaking her head. I smiled. "So how can I help?"

"Can you figure out where in Egypt he went to and what hospital he might be in?" I asked. Rick grinned at me. I rolled my eyes at him.

"Hey Melinda." A blonde guy said approaching us.

"Hey Ned. Aren't you supposed to be in class?" Melinda asked the guy. He nodded.

"Class got cancelled. Who's this?" He asked looking at me.

"My name is Leah." I said standing up.

"Ned? Man he has grown up." Rick said causing me to jump.

"You know him?" I said looking at him. He nodded.

"What is going on here?" Ned asked confused.

"Do you remember Professor Payne?" Melinda asked.

"Kind of." Ned said. "Wait if he's dead, why didn't you cross him over?"

"I'm not dead!" Rick shouted.

"Shut up Rick. Pain in my ass." I said sighing. "And yes that pun was intended." I looked at Ned. He is cute.

"Oh, no. He is so not your type." Rick said. I walked to Ned.

"For the last time Rick, I am not having an astral relationship with you. And besides, Ned just might be my type." I said grinning. It is so much fun to get a rise out of Rick like this.

"This is creepy." Ned said as I walked around him. I giggled.

"Please." Rick said. "Ned is like 15 now. And you are way too old for him."

"And you are how much older than me Rick? Isn't that like calling the kettle black?" I said.

"That is beside the point." Rick said.

"How old are you Ned?" I asked stopping next to Melinda.

"Nineteen." He said looking at me confused.

"Ha! See Rick he isn't that much younger than me." I said in triumph.

"Ok, I'm gonna go meet mom for lunch. See you later Melinda." Ned said leaving.

"Point taken, but I like you Leah." Rick said.

"Once we get you in your body and you still feel like that, tell me then." I said crossing my arms.

"Ok, are you done arguing here?" Melinda asked amused. I laughed and nodded yes.

"Listen, I have to get back to work. I will look into what you asked. Are you staying in town?" Melinda asked.

"Yea, somewhere. I haven't looked for a place yet." I said shifting my weight. I didn't want to tell her I was broke and homeless. I've been traveling the country for seven years now.

"Ok. I'll see you around than." Melinda said walking away. I sat on the fountain edge with a sigh. Rick sat next to me.

Later that day, I entered an alley to sleep behind the dumpster. I made sure no one saw me. Rick appeared next to me.

"Here to keep watch over me?" I asked him with a smile.

"Yes. But before you go to sleep, can I talk to you?" He asked. I set my pack against the wall and nodded. "I want to thank you for helping me even though I've been a pain at times." I smiled.

"You're welcome. See you soon." I said closing my eyes. I felt myself leave my physical body. I tried to astral when I could so I could help Rick find his body and go back into it. Rick stood when my astral body stood next to my curled up physical one.

"What now?" He asked.

"Egypt. Do you remember going there?" I asked as we walked out of the alley.

"Sort of. It's all a bit fuzzy. I remember taking the sabbatical. Something happened then I saw you." He said as we appeared in Egypt.

"Well, we are Cairo now. Does that ring a bell?" I asked. He looked around but didn't answer. His astral body fell in pain. "Rick? What's wrong Rick?" I asked.

"I think my body is being moving. It feels like I am moving but I am right here."

"You're experiencing the bi-location. I think we are close to your physical body." I said.

"I hurt. I feel the pain." He said sitting down. I sat with him.

If he can feel the pain, I wonder if he is in a medicated coma. They would lessen the medicine to move him or if his injuries healed enough to let him wake up. Several hours later we were back to my physical body. His pain had lessened, which leads me to agree that he was moved.

I woke to cars honking. I groaned as I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I looked around and didn't see Rick. Unusual, but I kind of figured he would wonder around his hometown. I stretched as I stood than shouldered my bag. I wondered around town a little before I caught sight of my astral friend. He was standing in front of an antique store. I smiled and approached him.

"Morning sunshine." He said not looking at me. I smiled at his nickname for me.

"Why are you here?" I asked. He pointed inside the store. I saw Melinda inside. "Is this her store?" He nodded. I entered the store. Might as well give her a point in the right direction.

"Good morning Leah." Melinda said looking up.

"Yea, hi." I said looking around. "I think his body is in Cairo, Egypt. We took a trip there last night and he could feel his body."

"Wait, flying there and back would take more than 24 hours." Melinda said.

"We went astral. Meaning I left my body and went there." I said.

"Wow. Your gift sounds so much better than mine. I lead the boring life by crossing ghosts over." She said with a smile. I laughed.

"You have no idea. I have to ensure my physical body is protected and then that nothing follows me back to this realm. But of course Rick won't stop following me to the other realms anyways." I said with a shrug.

"Ok. Other than his body is in a Cairo hospital, what else do you need me for?" She asked.

"I was hoping you could confirm him being there and see if his body could be transferred back to here?" I asked hopeful she would help.

"Please Melinda?" Rick chimed in. I didn't even look at him.

"There's not much I can do, but I will try to find which hospital he is in." She said with a smile. The bell chimed as someone entered. "Hey Ned and Eli."

"Who's the couple?" Eli asked. He is short with dark hair.

"Wait you can see him?" I asked looking at the guy.

"Yea, looks like Professor Payne, but he's in Cairo isn't he?" Eli asked.

"Physically yes. His body is in the hospital over there." Melinda said.

"Would it be possible for him to be put into a medicated coma?" I asked bringing the attention to me again.

"Arrogant ass." Rick muttered.

"Hey, I resent that." Eli protested.

"Rick, don't. It's weird enough he can see and hear you." I said causing Rick to look at me than disappear. "Great. Now he's mopping. Thanks a lot. Back to my question."

"It is possible. My husband Jim would know more about that. Maybe we could get him to help us." Melinda said.

"What is that smell?" Eli asked.

"Me. It's hard to keep clean when you're poor and stay on the move." I said walking out of the store. Ned followed me.

"Hey Leah, wait up. Why don't you stay with my mom and I?" Ned asked. I looked at him.

"Why? I hit on you yesterday to prove a point to some guy's spirit. Why do you want to help me?" I asked.

"Let's say it is the pay it forward thing. You are helping a stranger out, why can't I? On top of that, you get a bed, shower and at least two guaranteed meals a day. Let's go ask mom." He said leading me to the real estate store across the square. I sighed and let him do it.

"Hey Ned, whose your friend?" A lady asked when we entered the shop.

"Mom this is Leah, Leah this is my mom." Ned said. "Can she stay for a bit? Melinda is helping her with an occult problem, but Leah has nowhere to stay."

"Way to broadcast my life there Ned." I said laughing.

"Sure, but you can call me Delia." Delia said putting her hand out. I smile a shook her hand.

Chapter 2: