A silence hung in the air as Eli took in what Melinda had just said.

"And that's not all." Melinda said sitting back down on the couch.

"Of course not." Eli said, taking his place once again across from Melinda.

"The shooter, Terrance Williams."

"What about him?"

"Brother to none other than Hunter Williams." Melinda said wincing as she said the dreadful name.

"And... that would be...?" Eli asked.

"Well, basically the man who killed Jim." Technically, Detective Neely was the one who shot Jim. But Melinda no longer blamed him. He was there to try and save Jim. She placed every last bit of the blame on Hunter.

"Wait," Eli said "I thought you said that um... Trish? Was that her name?"

Melinda nodded.

"Right, well I thought you said that there family owned that cabin?"

'Yeah that's what I thought too, until I figured out that Hunter's family had bought the cabin from Trish's family to avoid being sued."

"Well sounds like that kind of backfired." Eli said." How crazy, I mean first one son kills a paramedic, so they buy the cabin to keep it on the hush-hush, and then the other son turns around and kills a cop. At the exact same cabin!"

"Eli!" Melinda said, frustrated. "Are you not finding this, just a little bit weird?"

"It's just a couple of coincidences." Eli said, going back over to his computer.

"So you're saying that you don't think it's weird that a cop dies at the same cabin where Jim was shot, shot by the brother of the man who killed Jim, and then the cops ghost starts giving me dreams and visions of the night Jim was shot, and all he has to say for himself is November 7th, which just happens to be the date of Jim's death?" Melinda said, exasperated.

Eli shrugged, "When you deal with as many wacko's as I do on a daily basis, nothing really throws you."

Melinda rolled her eyes. "Well I think it's strange."

Eli chuckled and continued to look at his computer screen. "I'm just pulling your leg. I'll admit that this is a little bit stranger than anything else we've ever come across."

Melinda nodded, laughing. "What're you doing?" Melinda said, referring to what he was doing on the computer.

"Imp figuring out where this Kathryn woman lives. That way you can go talk to her."

"Why just me? I thought you liked tagging along."

"Yeah..." Eli said, uneasily." I just think this ghost wants you to talk to her. Sounds like you two have a lot in common."

Melinda smiled softly and felt sudden urge of deep sympathy for Kathryn. They did have a lot in common.

"Alrighty." Eli said jotting the address down on a piece of paper and giving it to Melinda. "Anything else, Mrs. Gordon?"

"Well you know that whole economic downfall thing is kind of annoying. Think you could take care of that for me?" Melinda said jokingly as she grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

"Oh sure, right before my lunch break." Eli said smiling. "See you later."

Later, when Melinda was working at the store, she was surprised by a visit from Avery, a professor at Rockland, and a new friend of Melinda's.

"Avery!" Melinda said, happy to see her.

"Hey Melinda!" said Avery, who was lugging several heavy looking books.

"What's all of this?" Melinda said, admiring them they were probably a hundred years old, and leather-bound. They were gorgeous!

"I found these at a convention I was at last week. The owner was gonna toss them, but I figured I'd bring them to you and see if you could sell them." Avery said, putting the books gently on the counter.

"Are you kidding? They're beautiful. Probably worth a hundred bucks each."

Avery's eyes widen. "Man, if someone had ever told me you could make that much dough selling antiques, I wouldn't have wasted eight years of life learning about horror stories."

Melinda laughed, "I'll figure out how much they're worth, and give you a call."

"Sounds good to me," Avery said, "So how's the ghost busting going?"

"Why does everyone call it that?" Melinda said laughing, carrying the books to the back room. Avery followed her.

"You got a better name?"

Melinda thought about it for a minute. "No, actually ghost busting works."

"So...?" Avery asked anxiously.

"Well there is this one ghost I'm dealing with right now..." Melinda said, wondering if she should tell Avery. That would require Melinda to tell her everything. Everything about Jim and Sam and Hunter and the cabin. Melinda turned to look at Avery and saw someone willing to listen. Someone who wasn't as eccentric as Eli, and not as partial to her protection as Jim. And with Delia away... Avery was really all she had. Plus, Melinda could see herself being good friends with Avery. And suddenly the words just began to pour out.

Melinda told Avery everything. Everything. Not just about Jim and Sam, but everything before that too. She started by telling her about the first ghost after Jim and her got married, to Jims car accident, to Andrea's death and the plane crash, to Paul Eastman and her father, and finally she came to the night Jim died. She watched Avery's eyes widen in amazement as she told her about Jim jumping into Sam's body and losing his memory and the miraculously getting it back. When Melinda was done talking, she found herself with Avery across the street at Village Java. She waited for Avery to say something.

"Wow." She finally said.

"Yeah," Melinda said.

"That was probably the coolest story montage, I have ever seen." Avery said, sitting back in her chair.

"Thanks?"

"I mean just... Ahh!" She yelped, causing Melinda to jump slightly. "All the things you've done, the people you've helped, I just... "

"It's not all it's cracked up to be. Trust me there are a lot more cons that pros."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that it really takes over your life, along with the lives of the people you love" Melinda said thinking of all the drama and damage ghost had caused in the past.

"Tell me about it," Avery said, who had some ghost history herself, "Sounds like that husband of yours has really taken a beating over the years."

Melinda nodded solemnly at this. Out of all of the people in her life, Jim had suffered the most because of ghosts. Yet he never complained, much, and he was always there for her when she needed him. And as Melinda sat there, drinking coffee with Avery she had a sudden chilling thought. For the first time in her marriage to Jim she began to question, how much more he would take.

When Melinda got home that night, Jim was already there cooking dinner. He came to the door, and kissed her sweetly.

"Hey gorgeous." He said handing her a glass of wine. "How was your day?"

"What? Oh yeah it was good. Busy." She said absentmindedly. She didn't want to tell Jim anything, not yet. She didn't want to burden him.

"Babe, what's wrong?" He said. They went and sat down at the kitchen table.

"Nothing." She said, looking away. She wasn't gonna tell him. No matter what. No way.

"Melinda..." He said. And then he was looking at her, piercing her with those blue eyes that took her breath away everyday. After that she lost all train of thought. All she saw, all she heard, all she felt, was him. He began to stroke her cheek, and Melinda found herself leaning into his touch. He took her hand in his and kissed her fingers one by one before saying, "You can tell me anything."

And with that Melinda gave in, and told him everything she had learned about Aaron Thompson, all the similarities she had discovered. He listened intently, holding her hand. Finally when she was done, he got up to check on their dinner.

"Jim," she said, "Are you... I mean... do you..."

"What is it Melinda?" he said gently.

"Are you sure that being with me is worth going thought all of this, on a daily basis?"

This took him off guard. "Of course not," he said walking back over too her kneeling in front of her. "Honey, what would make you say that?"

"Well it's just you deal with so much, and I just wish that I could give you a normal life," she said, her hands fidgeting. "One where we can take weekends away and have uninterrupted evenings. You shouldn't have to be married to someone, who causes you this much worry, and chaos."

"Melinda..." He said sitting in the chair across from her, and drawing her into his lap. "Did I ever tell you about the first time, that I realized I was in love with you?"

Melinda shook her head, leaning into his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, and began to rock them both back and forth.

"It was on our first real date," He said. "We had just left the restaurant, and stopped for ice cream before walking back to your apartment. It was some sort of rainbow concoction, sherbert, I believe, anyway you got it all over your face and on your nose. And when I showed you your reflection in a shop window, I expected you to run into the bathroom, freak out and wash it off, because any other girl would have. But instead, you threw your head back and laughed. And I thought to myself, now that is a sound I could live with, for the rest of my life."

Melinda was crying now, unable to speak.

"I fell in love with you because you were different, and quirky. Ghosts or no ghosts, everyday with you is an adventure. Sure, our life together isn't exactly normal, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I just wish I could give you as much as you give me."

Melinda almost laughed. She couldn't even think of a way to explain to him just how inaccurate that statement was. "Jim..." she said. Then, she kissed him, saying everything she needed to say. She pressed her body against him, and began to nibble his neck and smiled when she felt him shudder. Running her hands along his arms, over his chest, down his back, loving how his skin felt beneath her fingers. This drove him crazy, and she knew it. His kisses became more feverant and slowly he stood, carrying her bridal style up to the bedroom. All Melinda's worries were gone for now. For now, all she saw, all she needed, was Jim.

Okay well… im a little iffy about this chapter. Please leave me reviews! A lot is about to happen in the next chapter… some big shockers coming up. Any way, yeah reaview.

Much love,

Daisy.