Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to "The Ring" and the song belongs to Eve 6.

A.N. My first "Ring" fic. R&R! No flames, just helpful suggestions if you've got any.

"Shadows"

Chapter One: "Requiem and a dream"

It was a typical cold and rainy Seattle day. But for Rachel Keller and her young son Aidan, it seemed even more somber than usual.

"I can't believe it." Rachel thought as she and Aidan got into the car. "Noah's really gone." Yet here she was, on the way to the cemetery. She turned the key in the ignition and drove out of the parking garage. The rain beat softly on the windows and although

the volume had been turned down really low, music from the radio could still be heard.

"So denied so I lied are you the now or never kind
In a day and a day love I'm gonna be gone for good again…"

"Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well"

Rachel sighed, her thoughts drifting back to the last time she saw Noah.

Even after all of their fights and all the harsh words they exchanged, something happened that final week that made them realize what they had.

"But it was too little too late" she mused.

"Here's to the nights we felt alive
Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry
Here's to goodbye
Tomorrow's gonna come too soon"

"I just wish I could've told him that I…"

She forced herself to concentrate on the road, and to keep her composure in front of Aidan.

"…All my time is froze in motion
Can't I stay an hour or two or more
Don't let me let you go…
Here's a toast to all those who hear me all too well

Here's to the nights we felt alive
Here's to the tears you knew you'd cry
Here's to goodbye
Tomorrow's gonna come too soon"

It was then, that Rachel noticed the song that happened to be playing and quickly reached down to turn off the radio. While her eyes were off the road, she almost didn't see that the car next to her was trying to turn. With a shriek, she grabbed the steering wheel and turned sharply away from the oncoming car. The other driver blasted the horn angrily as Rachel pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the car.

"Shit!" she cried and let out a frustrated sob.

Aidan watched from the backseat. He knew it wasn't road-rage that was making Rachel so upset.

"You miss him" he observed. Rachel nodded. There was a soft click as Aidan undid his seatbelt, reached up, and hugged his mother.

0000000

After the funeral service, the mourners quietly headed back to their cars. But, Rachel stayed behind.

"Are you coming?" Aidan asked.

"Just a minute, sweetie" she replied "Go on ahead."

Rachel stood at the grave for a short while before whispering "Goodbye."

As she walked through the cemetery, one headstone in particular caught her eye. She walked up to it. The grave had a single vase of flowers sitting on it and the headstone read: "Samara Morgan"

Rachel glared. "Are you happy now?!" she thought angrily. "I hope you rot!" Out of spite, she kicked the flowers over and turned on her heal.

Just then she felt something clasp around her ankle. Rachel looked down and to her horror, she that saw a rotted hand, protruding from the grave was holding fast to her foot. She screamed. Everything was getting blurry. She heard Samara hiss. "It's your fault! He'd still be alive if it wasn't for you! You killed him!"

"Stop it!" Rachel cried, when suddenly she heard Noah's voice.

"Rachel... Rachel…Wake up!"

0000000

Rachel gasped, opening her eyes to find herself in Noah's car and apparently on the way back from Shelter Mountain. Noah pulled over and slammed on the brakes.

"Rachel, are you ok?" he asked, putting his arm around her reassuringly.

"Samara…" she rasped.

"Don't worry. We helped her, remember?" He started the car as Rachel leaned back in her seat.

"A Dream?" she thought. "It couldn't have been. It seemed so real…It might've been a premonition. But then, that would mean…Oh god..." She glanced nervously at Noah, who smiled at her.

"Make a copy of the tape, is that all you have to do?" she wondered. "No, you have to show it to someone else... Should I tell him? No, I can't. He'd never do that to someone… Then I'll make him do it. But, how?" She knew that she'd better think fast. Aidan's words echoed in her mind.

"We don't have enough time…before we die."

0000000

After picking up Aidan at Ruth's house, they arrived at Rachel's apartment. Everything was happening just like in the dream. Rachel's stomach was turning flip-flops. Time was running out and she still had no idea how to warn Noah without telling him the truth. She put Aidan to bed and walked to the doorway where Noah was standing.

"Call me sometime," he said "unless you're renting a movie." He kissed her gently on the forehead. "Call me tomorrow and the day after that…"

"How about now?" Rachel asked, trying to buy more time. "Stay for a while?"

"Aw, Rach, I'd love to, but it's late. I really should be going."

Then, a perfect, yet awful, solution popped into Rachel's head and out of her mouth. "That assistant of yours, Beth was it?"

"Yeah, what about her?"

"She's a film student, right? Well, I thought she could look at the tape and help us find out how it was made. If it's over, what's the harm?"

Rachel went back into the apartment and grabbed the original tape from her purse. She handed it to Noah. "I can't find the copy I made you and I'm gonna need this one back. You have a duplicator right?"

"Yeah, but..."

"Great, you make her a copy and we'll all meet up at your place tomorrow at around seven A.M."

"Ok, sure" Noah said. "See you then." He started walking down the hall as Rachel closed the door.

The sick feeling that had come over her earlier had not diminished. In fact, it had worsened. "I can't believe I just did that!" she thought. Exhausted, she flopped down on the couch.

"You had to…"

Rachel sat bolt upright. She could've sworn that she'd heard a voice and it defiantly wasn't Aidan's. But after a few seconds, she decided it was probably nothing more than her guilty conscience. Probably…

A..N. To be continued, when my muse returns. I'm having serious writer block right now, but I'll see what I can do.

I figured if, someone else watched the tape it would open up a whole new Pandora's Box. Bwhahahaha!