"Thank you, Eric, that'll do." Chris stepped out of the carriage. The skies had gone grey during the ride here. Electricity crackled and made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. It was probably going to storm soon.

"Are you sure, Master Hartley?" Eric stroked the nose of one of the horses. "I could carry your trunk in for you."

"No, you should head back before the storm gets here." Chris pulled the trunk down himself. "If you go now, you should be able to beat it, at least until you reach the next town."

"If you insist, sir." Eric patted the horses' cheek before climbing back on the bench. "You're sure you don't want me to stay with you until you return home?"

"No, Eric, that won't be necessary." Chris smiled lugging his trunk up the steps. "I have a feeling I'll be here awhile."

"If you insist, Master Hartley."

The horses' hooves clacked against the cobblestones as they trotted away, pulling the carriage behind them.

Dead leaves had begun to gather in the pool of the fountain that resided at the center of their courtyard. That was odd…usually they'd have the fountain drained before the leaves could start clogging up the waterworks. The wind shook the trees around the house. Chris had forgotten how enormous the grounds were, even without seeing the back garden. Washington Estate was nestled in the middle of the forest at the base of Blackwood Pines; one of those places that you had to know how to get there to find.

"Chris?"

He turned to see Hannah Washington coming down the steps. Her hair was down, glasses pushed up the bridge of her nose. Once she was sure it was him, she was running down the steps before launching herself into his arms.

"Chris, you came!"

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, hugging her close. "Of course, I did, Han."

"We haven't seen you in ages!" She squeezed him tighter before letting go to look up at him.

"I've been busy." He went back to pick up his trunk. "No offense, Han, but I thought it would be Josh greeting me at the door, not—"

"I wrote the letter." She looked down guiltily, folding her hands in front of her. "Not Josh."

"Not—" He blinked at her. "Hannah, why would you—it looked so much like his handwriting."

"He's my older brother; his handwriting isn't that hard to duplicate."

"But why did you?"

She sighed, folding her arms over her chest. "Why don't you come inside? It's a bit chilly." She bent down and helped him carry in his trunk inside.

"Finlay, carry that up to the guest room nearest Josh's, would you?"

The older man pulled the trunk up before smiling. "Of course, Miss Washington." Then he turned to Chris. "It's so nice to see you again, Master Hartley."

"Likewise."

"Come on a walk with me, Chris?" Hannah smiled, setting her hand on his arm.

He looked at Finlay before looking back to Hannah and holding his arm out to her. "Sure."

She looped her arm through his and began leading him through the house. "I'm sorry I faked the letter from Josh. It's just…we needed you, is all."

"Needed me?"

"Beth is…ill."

"I'm not exactly a doctor, Hannah. I make toys."

"That's not…" She sighed and looked down. Chris looked around the room. He remembered this room. Josh and he used to stay up reading and playing chess over the holidays whenever they were still in college together. He'd fallen asleep in the couch in front of the fireplace more than once. He looked up at the painting over it.

He remembered that, too. The painting of the Washington's, unlike most family portraits, wasn't creepy to look at. The twins sitting in the front with Josh between them, and then their parents at either one of his shoulders. They were all smiling.

Hannah was looking with him before she shook her head. "Chris, ever since Mother and Father died, it's been hard, you know that. And Josh has always been…different, but it got worse after the accident. And then he got sick—"

"He was sick?" Chris turned to look at her. "Why didn't you—"

"He was still sick when I sent the letter." She shook her head. "But in the time it took to get to you and then for you to get here, he got better. But then Beth…"

She sniffled and covered her mouth before shaking her head. "She must've caught it from him, except it's been so much worse. He was only sick a few days…she's been sick for almost a week, and it doesn't seem like it's getting any better."

"Hey, I'm here." He pulled her into his arms. "I'm right here, Han."

She pressed her face into his shoulder and he rubbed her back. She let him for a moment before she sniffled and pulled away. "The worst part is the way Josh won't leave her side…he's going to get sick all over again if he doesn't—"

"I'll talk to him." Chris set his hands on her shoulders.

She wiped at her eyes before nodding. "Thank you, Chris."

"Of course." He held out his arm for her and they started walking again. "You know I'd do anything for you three."

"Why do you think you're the one I wrote?" She smiled before patting his arm.

"I have to warn you." They were standing outside Beth's room, her hand on the doorknob. "Seeing her like this is more than a little shocking."

"I saw Ash give birth. Nothing can be quite as shocking as that."

Hannah turned to give him a look, suggesting that he was wrong before she pushed open the door, stepping inside. "Josh? How is she?"

The first thing that struck Chris was the way that the room smelled; like sweat and death. Beth was on the bed, sheets twisted around her body. She was pale, so pale, her veins black and spidery, standing out against her skin. Her body was coated with a sheen of sweat, or at least what he could see of it. Her hair was damp with sweat, too, sticking to her forehead, face, and neck. Her lips were cracked. There was a bucket next to the bed, splatters of black coming up the sides. She was moaning, thrashing, like she was having a nightmare. Her eyes kept fluttering open and closed, but remained unfocused as she attempted to look around the room.

Josh had a bowl of water on the nightstand. He was wringing out the cloth when they walked in before he pushed Beth's bangs from her forehead and laid the cloth across it.

"She won't drink…" Josh brushed his fingers against her cheek, eyes never leaving Beth's face. "And anything I can get her to swallow keeps coming right back up."

Chris thought of the bucket full of black and the putrid smell coming from it.

"It comes up whether she swallows anything or not." Josh sighed, brushing hair away from her cheek. "She hasn't even been conscious today."

Chris still had hold of Hannah's arm. He leaned in close to her. "Shouldn't she be in a hospital?"

Hannah shook her head. "None of the doctors would take her. They couldn't figure out what was wrong, and they don't want anyone else to catch it."

"Who's that?" Josh still hadn't looked up. "Is that another doctor? Did he bring medicine?"

"Um, no, Josh, there aren't any more doctors." She let go of Chris and came closer to Josh, placing her hands on his shoulders. She leaned forward, whispering in his ear. "Josh, Chris is here."

"Chris?" His brows furrowed and he picked up the cloth to wet before wringing it out again before smoothing it against Beth's forehead. Josh's fingers were pale, like Beth's, and shaking. It had to be a trick of the light. The room was so dim…yes, that had to be it. Or maybe he was still a bit pale from being ill before. "No, no, Chris lives in Hillcrest. Hasn't been here in years. Chris is at home. He isn't here."

Chris cleared his throat. "Josh, I'm right here."

Josh stopped, turning to look at Chris before he stood, knocking over the chair he'd been sitting in.

"Chris…" He swallowed like his throat had gone dry before looking at the floor. "You're here."

"I am." Chris shrugged before managing as much of a smile as he could while Beth writhed on the bed. "Hannah wrote me."

"Hannah wrote…" He looked at Hannah before turning to look back at Chris. "Well, I'm terribly sorry you had to come all this way, my friend. I'm a bit occupied at the time."

"I can take it from here, brother." Hannah smiled before pushing a strand of Beth's hair from her cheek. "You should rest. When's the last time you ate, honestly?"

Josh swallowed again. "Hannah, I can—"

"Let Chris walk you to the kitchen for something to eat before you head off to bed." Hannah smiled at him again. "I can take care of Beth, Josh. And I promise to wake you if anything happens."

Josh sighed and pushed his fingers through his hair. "You aren't going to let me out of this are you?"

"Absolutely not."

He turned to look at Chris. "Is that why she brought you here?"

Chris half-heartedly shrugged before nodding. "We haven't seen each other in a while. Besides, we can come back to take care of Beth after you've slept."

"Fine." Josh ran his hands over his face. "You'll be the death of me, Hannah, I swear."

She wrung out the cloth and placed it back on Beth's forehead. "Get some sleep. That's an order."

He held up his hands in defense before walking back over to the bed, kissing Beth's forehead. "It'll be alright, Beth." He whispered, stroking her hair. "I promise."

"Nnn…" She moaned and her eyes fluttered. "Josh…"

"I'll be back soon." He ran his thumb over her cheek. "I promise."

Then he turned to Hannah, kissing her cheek. "Take care of her."

"Of course." She nodded.

"And you'll—"

"Wake you if there's any change, I promise." She squeezed his hand in one of her own, smiling at him sadly. "Now, go on, Josh. I can take it from here."

He nodded and then Chris led him out of the room before he could change his mind.

"She really faked a letter from me just to get you all the way out here?" Josh raised his brows and Chris nodded. Josh only shook his head. "Stubborn girl. She gets it from—"

"Her brother." Chris smiled as he walked alongside him. "We all know."

Josh managed a small smile. "Yes, I suppose she does."

Chris had noticed on their way to Beth's room, but now he was noticing that all the curtains in the house were drawn, not just the ones near Beth's room. It was odd. Josh had always loved the sunlight and being outdoors.

"Is there a reason all the curtains are drawn?"

"Pardon?"

"The curtains." Chris walked over to one, feeling the heavy velvet in his fingers. "When did you start keeping them closed like this?"

"I…I started getting headaches…the sunlight makes it worse, so we had Finlay close the curtains. It helps."

"Did that start when you were ill?"

"Hannah really did tell you the whole story, didn't she?"

"She just said she wrote me when you took ill, but then you got better and—"

"Beth didn't." Josh sighed, looking at the carpet while they walked.

It was Chris' turn to swallow nervously this time. He didn't expect Josh to be so…different. Sure, it had been five years, but he never remembered Josh being so sullen. Beth's illness must've really been bothering him. At least Hannah had managed to smile and laugh with him.

"Let's talk about something else." Chris turned the corner, remembering the way to the kitchen from the last time he'd been here. "You still aren't married, I take it?"

Josh exhaled through his nose hard. That might have been a laugh. "I'm not really the marrying type, unlike you. How is Mrs. Hartley doing by the way?"

"Ashley's fine; still writing. Most days she keeps to the house."

"I'm sure you keep her plenty satisfied." Josh quirked an eyebrow, corner of his mouth turning up like he was sharing an inside joke with himself.

"O-Of course I do." Chris stammered, cheeks feeling hot.

"I'm only teasing you." Josh elbowed him. "How's Junior?"

"Smarter than ever."

"He takes after his father." Josh grinned, pushing open the kitchen door. Chris followed him inside.

"Do you want me to find Finlay?"

Josh rolled his eyes. "I'm capable of finding something to eat, Chris."

"Since when?"

"Since always." Josh shook his head. "I used to spend a lot of time in here when I was younger. Our maid at the time, Eunice, she would sneak me cookies. She loved having me in here."

"Ah." Chris hopped up on part of the counter, folding his hands in his lap. "Didn't know you were so talented. I thought you just managed the estate these days."

"I do, mostly." Josh was looking around in the pantry, which might as well have been a separate wing of the kitchen; the house was enormous. "But I do have to find things to keep myself occupied."

"I wish I had time like that."

"Still making those trinkets of yours?" Josh reappeared with a loaf of bread, a few apples, and a knife.

Chris nodded. "I'm not sure that's exactly what Hannah meant by eating.

"I'm not all that hungry." Josh sliced into the apple, holding out a half of it to Chris. "Don't tell; she'll get mad. She already thinks I don't eat enough."

"You don't." Chris bit into his half.

"How do you know?"

"You're so scrawny, now."

"I'm not scrawny. I'd beat you in a fistfight."

"That's not all that much of an achievement." Chris said, laughing at his own joke.

Josh only shook his head, taking a bite of his own apple section, chewing fast and swallowing before he probably even tasted it.

"So, what about the hedge witch we met a few years back."

"Samantha?"

"That's the one!"

"What about her?" Josh raised his brows, chewing another section of apple insanely fast before swallowing it.

"You two seemed to get along quite well."

Josh shook his head, actually snickering this time. "Samantha the hedge witch isn't exactly the marrying type either. Don't be that friend. Beth is bad enough about introducing me to ladies."

"I'm just saying—"

"I don't need to be married to be happy." Josh shook his head. "And like I said, I'm not the marrying type, Chris."

"Alright." Chris held up his hands in defense. "I won't say anything else." He paused. "Except for it's only fair, because you introduced me to Ashley—"

"Chris." Josh groaned. "That was different."

"How?"

"Can we talk about something else?" Josh tossed the apple core into the trash chute before tearing off a hunk of bread.

"Sure." Chris held out his hand and Josh pressed more than half of the bread hunk into it. "Anything you want."

"I really do appreciate you coming at such the drop of a hat." Josh smiled as they walked towards there room. "I've missed having you around."

"I've missed you, too. Perhaps I'll be around more once Beth recovers."

"I'd love that. But you must bring that delightful boy of yours; I haven't seen him since he first started walking."

"Oh, he does a lot more than walk, now.'

"I'm sure." Josh stopped. "I believe this is where Finlay put your things?"

Chris opened the door, and sure enough his trunk was sitting at the foot of the bed. "I'll see you in the morning?"

Josh nodded. "I'm right down the hall if you need something."

"Thank you."

Chris opened his trunk, sifting through it for his night things. When he turned, he realized Josh was still standing in the doorway, shifting from foot to foot.

"Did you need something else?"

"Sorry." Josh cleared his throat and looked away. "I guess I'm just not used to seeing you here, again…with me…"

Chris smiled. "I'll be right here when you wake up. I'm not going to disappear."

"Right…" Josh trailed off. "Um, I'll let you rest. Goodnight, Chris."

"Goodnight, Josh."

Josh closed the door behind him and Chris rocked back to sit on his heels. He just hadn't been around Josh in a while, that had to be what it was. Five years was plenty of time for a person to change. And Josh had still been…well…Josh. Off, but lovable and kind. Once Beth was well again, everything would be better.

It had to be better.