A/N: So, here it is...the story I posted about on tumblr. I've taken a bit of a different approach with this one and written in days instead of chapters so this will go from December 18th to December 24th. It's a modern AU set in 2002. I got the idea from a movie of the same name that I watched on Netflix. I've changed things up to fit my characters because well...I didn't want to simply write the movie with my characters lol. This 'day' sets things up and is over 2000 words...so far all the parts are but I hope the story will hold your interest enough to overlook my verboseness lol.

Isobel Crawley rolled her eyes. "You astound me! How could you believe in such stuff and nonsense?"

"I'm not saying I believe in it!" Edward Williams huffed at her. "I'm saying that I can't get anyone to contract to do the remodeling much less the other upgrades that the North wing needs to become a fully functioning part of the hospital. All of them are eager for the job until I say which wing it is. Their faces go pale and they stammer all over themselves coming up with excuses why they can't take the job that they'd been so eager for only moments before."

Walking to the windows, Isobel looked out over the grounds of the York National Hospital to the wing currently being discussed. "I want this wing. It's been promised to me as a new Pediatrics with the most up to date equipment and treatments available. There are babies out there that would benefit from it. It would stop so many small lives from being lost because the families couldn't get to London in time." Turning around, Isobel stared at Edward. "I'll prove the wing isn't haunted by ghosts or anything else."

"And how do you propose to do that?"

"The story is that it's haunted from today to Christmas Eve, yes?"

"Yes. Six days every December."

"Fine then. From now until the Christmas Eve Ball, I will stay in the wing. I'm sure there is an office I can occupy and I'll move a cot in."

"And what about heat?"

"The heat works on that wing, does it not?"

"Well, yes."

"Then I'll be fine. I'm sure it's on, just not turned up. There's always electric heaters as well. I'm a tough old broad, Mr. Williams, I can stand a little cold."

"You're crazy."

"No. Those that won't go near there are crazy for believing in ghosts."

"Whatever you say. And if you're proved wrong? If there is a ghost?"

"Then I'll make them leave. I'm going to have that wing come hell or high waters."

Edward stood up, mumbling, "May well be hell," as he walked from the room. He'd heard about Isobel Crawley before he'd been sent to this hospital as the president. He'd thought dealing with her cousin, Violet Crawley, when he went to the Downton Cottage Hospital was difficult…but that was before meeting the woman he'd just left standing staring out the windows to the haunted North wing. It was no wonder the two women live as far apart as they do.

They'd kill each other.

TSOC

"You're going to do what?!" Elsie asked in a raised voice she quickly lowered when she realized people were staring. "Come with me into my office," she hissed at Isobel as she grabbed her arm and drug her along behind her.

"Elsie Carson, let me go." Isobel fussed as she tried to get her arm out of Elsie's vice like grip.

Elsie ignored her friend until they'd reached her office and the door was closing behind them. "Now sit and explain to me just what in the world you were thinking," she commanded as she shoved Isobel into the chair in front of her desk.

"I'll thank you to stop shoving me about." Isobel frowned at Elsie. "What is the matter with you? Surely you don't believe all of that haunted nonsense."

"I most certainly do." Elsie told her as she sat in her own chair.

Isobel blinked in surprise at her friend's answer. That was not what she expected. "What? You're the most rational person I know besides your husband. Don't tell me he believes," she scoffed at the notion.

"No, he doesn't." Elsie sighed and sat back in her chair. "Isobel, I'm from the Highlands. While I'm not saying I'm a Highland witch, I am saying that I do believe in spirits of the dead haunting places. Do you know anything about that wing? Anything about why it was closed and has stayed that way for," she paused and looked at the calendar. "One hundred years?"

Isobel frowned. "It's been closed since nineteen oh two?"

"Yes." Elsie nodded then stood up and held out her hand. "Come on. There's someone you need to talk to before you go through with this."

"Who?"

"Charles. He knows the history of this place all the way back to its founders. I want you to know what happened in the North wing so that you're prepared."

"Prepared for what? The ghost? Elsie, I told you, I don't believe in that."

"And I told you, I do. Humor your friend will you?"

Isobel rolled her eyes. "Oh fine then," she huffed as she stood up and followed Elsie out of her office. She couldn't believe she was letting Elsie drag her to the damned basement offices just to hear a story about the ghost that supposedly haunts the North wing. "Utter rubbish," she muttered.

"I heard that." Elsie called back to her as she stopped at the lifts, pushing the down button and turning to glare at her friend. "Stop grumbling. The basement offices aren't the dungeons."

Wrinkling her nose at her friend, Isobel crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you sure you aren't a damned witch?"

Elsie smirked and shrugged, the dinging of the lift arriving giving her good reason not to answer. Let Isobel stew in her thoughts. She'd learn soon enough that ghosts did exist.

TSOC

Charles smiled at Elsie when he looked up and spotted her coming into his office. "Hello, Love. What brings you down to my domain?"

Elsie laughed. "I would think it would be more the pathologist's domain, Darling."

Charles winked at her. "We came to an agreement."

"Oh? And what was that?"

"He keeps his friends from going walk about."

Elsie chuckled as she shook her head. It had been a running joke about the hospital that the morgue's occupants often went walk about in the basement after a couple of bodies disappeared during a black out. They'd been found in Charles' office, having been put there by Tom who was the resident prankster. "Well, that sort of brings me around to why I'm here," she said then stepped out of the office and shoved Isobel inside. "I need you to tell this ridiculous woman the story of the North wing."

Charles' eyebrows shot up. "The North wing? Whatever for?" he boomed.

Isobel felt herself shake a bit in her shoes at the strength of Charles' voice. "Heavens above, man," she hissed. "No need to shout."

"I wasn't." Charles scowled at her. "Now why do you need to know about the North wing?"

"Because I'm going to be staying there for the next twelve days."

"Are you daft?" Charles boomed again making Isobel scowl and Elsie cough to cover the fact that she'd nearly snorted in laughter. This was going to be more entertaining than she thought.

"I'm not daft and I'll thank you to stop that!" Isobel glared at the big man sitting behind a ridiculously large desk.

Charles looked at Elsie. "Are you encouraging this nonsense?" he asked.

"Of course not! You know what I think of that wing."

Charles sighed as he nodded. "I do, and we'll not be getting into that discussion again."

Isobel looked from one to the other, finally settling on Charles. "Elsie said you don't believe the haunted nonsense."

"No. I don't. Though I still think you're daft. You can't possibly think it a good idea to spend one day much less six in that place. It's damp and musty and…"

"I'm staying." Isobel interrupted with a glare. "Just tell me the bloody story. I have to go pack a few things at my flat."

Charles huffed and looked at his wife, narrowing his eyes at the mirth he found reflected back at him. He'd have a go at her later for this mess. She was enjoying it entirely too much. "Fine then," he grumbled as he turned his attention back to Isobel.

"And make it the short version."

"I'll tell the damn story how I see fit." Charles growled. The woman was insufferable!

"Stop it!" Elsie shouted and frowned at the two. "Just tell her the story, Charles. She isn't going to listen, but at least we can both say we tried."

TSOC

Isobel looked around the office she'd chosen to work from and live in until the hospital's Christmas Eve Ball. It wasn't in as bad a shape as she'd expected. As a matter of fact, most of what she'd seen of the North wing wasn't at all what she'd expected.

Moving back out into the hall, she turned left and wondered about until she came into an open area. There was dust in some places, cobwebs in others, but the wood work still looked to be in wonderful condition. She snarled her nose as she looked up at the wallpaper. It was peeling now, of course, but it had never been a great wallpaper even when it was new. Tacky was the word that came to mind.

Continuing to roam, Isobel found herself standing at the foot of a dual staircase that led to another staircase, but it wasn't the odd configuration of the stairs that caught her attention.

"Who are you?" she asked. "How did you get in here?"

Looking up at her, the stranger seemed to stare right through her. "Why are you here? You need to leave."

"I'll do no such thing." Isobel huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. "I work in this hospital and I've never seen you about. I suggest if you've been living here, you vacate immediately before I call security."

Glaring up at her, the man huffed then turned and walked away. "You'll see," he muttered as he walked through a wall. "You'll leave before the night's up."

Isobel could hear muttering but as she raced down the stairs and followed the same path the man had followed, she couldn't seem to find him. She could hear his footsteps, and his mumblings, but he was no where. It was as if he'd simply…she shook her head. "Oh no. You don't believe in ghosts, Isobel Crawley."

Clearing her throat, she squared her shoulders and continued her exploration. Maybe she'd done enough with her threats to scare off the intruder. The last thing she wanted to deal with was a vagrant squatting in the wing and causing trouble.

TSOC

"What the bloody hell?" Isobel hissed when she came back to her office hours later. All of her things were boxed up, the cot she'd had brought in, folded with the linens sitting neatly stacked on top of one of her bags. Pulling out her mobile, she dialed housekeeping's office. She wanted to know just what they thought they were doing and why anyone was in this wing in the first place.

Ending the call a few moments later, she frowned as she looked around at her stuff once more. This was ridiculous. Housekeeping had insisted no one had been in this wing. Narrowing her eyes, she dialed another number. "Elsie Carson, is this your way of trying to scare me out of staying here?" she asked by way of greeting when her friend answered. "What do you mean you don't know what I'm talking about? I came back to the office I chose as my space while I stay in the North wing and all of my things were packed up, the cot folded up and ready to roll out. You made it quite clear you don't think I should be doing this, so I'm asking if you're trying to make me think there's a ghost." Isobel listened to her friend curse at her in Gaelic and realized she'd really angered Elsie if she was slipping into her native language to do her cursing. "Fine then. And I better not find out it was your husband, either. Enough with this nonsense, Elsie. I don't believe in ghosts, and that's that."

Ending the call, she huffed as she laid her mobile down on the desk and began to unpack her things once more. Whoever it was that was playing this game wouldn't like the consequences if she found out who they were. "This is ridiculous," she mumbled to herself. She knew of no one that had any reason why she shouldn't get this wing for the new Pediatrics center she'd been promised if she could find the space. Well, she'd found the space and no one and nothing was going to keep her from getting it.

"Not even some vagrant skulking about," she grumbled as she made up the cot once more.