A/N: Hi everyone! :3 Thanks for all your support! I don't think I'd be able to keep writing if it wasn't for you guys ^^ Also, I will be having exams until next month, so I'm really sorry if updates are irregular! I'll try my best not to make you wait too long though! Hope you all enjoy! ;)

Chapter 2

"Okay I'm sorry, run me through this one more time will you?".

Kenny looked over at Craig, who was standing in front of him, holding his head in his hand and furrowing his brow as he struggled to come to grips with what the blonde had been telling him.

"Like I said," Kenny said in a tone which was both disinterested and annoyed, "I really don't see how it's possible for you to be here. You've been dead for six months already".

"And you seriously expect me to believe that?" Craig muttered skeptically, more to himself than to anyone else.

"I don't see why I should lie to you." Kenny answered, gazing around in boredom.

"You're really trying to say that you're talking to a friend of yours who has been dead for six months, and you're this unfazed?".

"That's kind of what it looks like, yeah." Kenny answered, turning his attention back to Craig. "I mean, ours always has been an easy-going kind of friendship right? You never said anything whenever I came to hang out at your place uninvited. Why should I be surprised at your suddenly popping up on my metaphorical doorstep?".

Kenny smiled at himself, proud of his literary outburst.

"So what you're saying is…". Craig still had the face of one hopelessly struggling with an impossible math problem, "That I'm dead, have somehow, suddenly come back to life…".

"Sort of." Kenny intercepted.

" -And this doesn't in any way strike you as strange?".

Kenny shrugged. Then his eyes brightened as something occurred to him.

"You kicked the bucket before I did." he told Craig seriously, "I find that very strange".

Well played Kenny, Craig thought bitterly, Well played.

"You know dude, it's not really that hard. I mean, can't you just go along with it? So you've died. So what?".

"So what am I, huh? Why the hell am I even here?" Craig shouted, losing himself. "How can you be so calm about something like this? Do you really not give a shit about me?".

Kenny fell silent as he leaned back onto the wall.

"Should I?" he asked.

Craig looked up fiercely, eyes glinting, fists clenching, but before he could utter a sound, Kenny again interrupted him.

"You're back, right? Isn't that enough for you?".

He looked over at Craig, then turned the other way.

"I'm just glad you're back man" he said in the same disinterested tone. He wasn't able to keep playing it cool however, as after a moment of silence he suddenly found himself choked in a strange cross between a bear hug and a wrestling hold.

He turned to look at Craig, spluttering.

"Dude, what the hell are you doing!".

"Real men know it's all right to get emotional!" Craig answered with a grin as he released Kenny, who gasped for breath. "I just wanted to thank you man. It means a lot. It's been a rough day, you know?".

"I guess I can see where you're coming from." Kenny conceded, still red in the face and panting. "What I really don't get though," he added as he settled back into the comfort of the wall, this time however without half-ignoring his friend, "Is why I can see you and no one else can".

Craig looked up suddenly and seriously.

"I mean, when I saw you back there I thought I must have finally gone insane. I just turned over to ask Clyde what had happened after I'd left the guys last night and there you were squeezing in between him and Tweek, acting as though nothing had happened! I was like, that's it Kenny. Your brain has finally decided to die on you. I tried to ignore it, but I couldn't stand it. I came back for you because I wanted to make sure that it had all been just in my head. And here we are".

Kenny sighed.

"So the guys really can't see me then?" Craig asked. His face had darkened again.

"I'm sorry, but that's what it looks like." Kenny answered, shaking his head and shrugging, "I walked with them a ways before coming back here to make sure, and they didn't so much as mention you. Besides," he added, "Why on earth would they pretend? And how could they not have noticed you? If Clyde had been able to see you," he added with a snigger, "He would have killed you for getting so close to Tweek!".

"See, I don't get what that's all about," Craig said, shaking his head in confusion, "What's this whole deal about Clyde and Tweek anyway?".

"Who knows?" Kenny said with a smirk, "Only time will tell!".

Craig smiled absently in silence.

"Say Ken," he asked, lifting his head to look at him.

"Yeah?".

"What happened to me?".

For a moment, Kenny froze. Craig saw his muscles stiffen, and for a moment his eyes seem to glaze over as his mind flew elsewhere. But he was back with him in a moment.

"You're asking the wrong person Craig." he said, "I really don't know the details. It was all hushed up and kind of mysterious… All I know is that on your last day we were hanging out… At Token's place, I think… And then you left early because you had to do something, but you never told me what. And somehow you never made it back".

"Until now." Craig muttered quietly, more to himself than anyone.

"Until now." Kenny agreed, "In all your ghosty glory".

Craig fell silent.

"You really think that's what it is?" he asked silently, not lifting his head.

"I really don't see how it could be anything else." Kenny answered pensively, "I mean, you've come back to life somewhat, but apart from yours truly, no one can see or hear you. I don't think there's any other explanation. Still," he added, taking a step closer, "I'm surprised that you're not hovering around or whatever. You're not even see-through".

He absent-mindedly put out a hand to flick the strings of Craig's beloved hat. The strings lightly batted Craig's face.

"Ow!".

"Come on, that actually hurt you? You sissy." Kenny mocked.

Craig smiled gratefully and punched Kenny's arm weakly. The impact between his knuckles and his friend's arm felt strangely satisfying and new to him. He looked down at his hand, puzzling for a moment, then pushed the thought away.

"So, what now?" he asked.

"I don't know," Kenny answered, lost in thought.

Craig looked down at his toes.

"Is that really it then?" he asked aloud, "Will I just roam around forever, not knowing what the hell happened to me or why I'm even here? I mean, what am I supposed to do? Is there a reason why I came back, and I'm just wasting my time?".

He shook his head despairingly, visibly at a loss. Kenny looked at him, then lowered his gaze and sighed.

"Stop being so depressed all the time!" he said, putting an arm around Craig's neck, "Hell, we have nothing better to do right? If you really want to know, let's try and find out what happened to you. That'll make you stop moping around like an angsty goth kid, won't it?". He flashed Craig what he knew to be a winning grin, and he felt a weight being lifted within him as his friend's eyes brightened again.

"I mean, you may not like what you find." Kenny warned immediately, "If it was all hushed up, there's got to have been a reason for it right?".

One look at Craig, and he knew nothing he could say would change his mind now. Determination burned in his eyes, and Kenny knew that the only thing his friend could think of now was getting to the bottom of the mystery that surrounded him. There would be no backing out now. For the briefest of moments, Kenny asked himself whether getting into this mess had been a good idea. He found his answer in Craig's grin as he straightened up and came towards him.

"Come on, we'll be fine!" he said brightly, "Thanks Ken. I needed that. I don't know what's up with me today, but I'm glad you're here with me. You've always got my back!" he grinned again, putting his hand out for a cheesy but much-needed fistbump.

"You can bet your sorry ass I do!" Kenny replied, returning it. "Come on," he added, "Let's get out of here".

"Sure thing." Craig replied. As if to confirm his words, he leaned back one last time and lifted his gaze to take in his surroundings. It truly did feel nostalgic to be here, he realized. If anyone last year had told him a time would come when he would actually miss this dump, he never would have believed them. And here he was now, the sentimental fool.

He looked over at Kenny.

"So you missed me?" he asked, smiling.

For a moment Kenny opened his mouth to protest, then he thought better of it. He blushed, rubbing his neck.

"I missed you".