Disclaimer: They belong to the BBC, not me.

Author's Note: Thx to paperclaire for pointing out some AE that sneakily sneaked in there :)

18. June 1958

There used to be a time when Hal enjoyed this. Back then he was usually the cause of it, too. But he was a different man now and this new man felt completely helpless and very uncomfortable in the presence of a crying woman. He licked his lips casting nervous glances to the living room door estimating his chances of making a run for it. But Pearl had very inconsiderately had her breakdown right between him and the door and was presently sitting on the floor in a messy heap of petticoats and blue fabric. Hal stood up tensely from his chair and walked slowly over to the ghost. His hands were clenched into fists by his sides aching to do something, anything, to make her stop but not sure what that something should be. When he stood above their new housemate he slowly reached out a shaking hand to awkwardly pat her shoulder. "There, there, everything will be alright", he told her in a strained and slightly shaking voice.

Hal wished Leo was there to take care of this, Leo was so much better at this kind of things, and Pearl was closer to the werewolf anyway. But Leo was downstairs happily snipping away at his customers' hair. Hal was sure the woman didn't like him which was only confirmed as she turned her eyes to him now fixing him with a glare that would turn lesser men to stone. "Alright? Alright? How can anything ever be alright again," she hissed at him. "I'm dead, Hal, dead and by this time tomorrow buried!" She picked up the newspaper she had dropped onto the floor and hit his legs with it repeatedly while new sobs shook her shoulders. Hal took the attack stoically letting Pearl take out her anger and fear on his trousers while he tried to remember whether they had any detergent that would remove the print stains from his clothes.

The day had started quite enjoyably with a quiet breakfast and Wagner on the radio. But as soon as Pearl sat down in the living room with him to read the newspaper things had gone downhill. Hal couldn't imagine what it must be like to read your own obituary since nobody had mourned his death all those long centuries ago. But apparently it was not a nice experience because Pearl had jumped up and started pacing while talking more to herself then him.

"Beloved daughter and sister? That sorry excuse for a brother wouldn't give me the time of day and now I'm suddenly his beloved sister! If I'd known that all it took for them to notice me was dying I'd have done that years ago! Now they finally realise they had a daughter when before it was Stevie this and Stevie that!" Hal had looked up at her diatribe with a confused expression unsure if he was needed in this conversation at all when suddenly she turned around and walked up to his chair gesturing at him angrily. "Do you know what it was like? He was always the perfect son, Hal! All they ever talked about was how Stevie was top of his class, how he bravely went to fight in the sodding war and returned a hero while I couldn't even find myself a decent husband. 23 and still unwed, Pearl, are you planning to enter a convent, mother asked me the day…the day I had that car accident."

Pearl had suddenly gone quiet and seemed to deflate slightly her eyes drifting to the paper again. "I'll never talk to her again, will I? I can never tell her that despite it all I love her." Pearl had slowly turned around and walked back to Leo's armchair but only made it halfway there when suddenly the paper slipped from her fingers and fluttered to the floor. Hal had itched to pick it back up and fold it when he'd heard her quietly sobbing shortly before she sank down to the floor herself. She'd been crying into her hands for a while before Hal had managed to scrape up the courage to try and comfort her.

"Would it help if you went to your funeral service", he carefully asked her now afraid that she would start hitting him with something more painful then a newspaper. But his question actually made Pearl stop her assault and look up at him with a thoughtful expression. "Do you think I could? I mean, they wouldn't see me, would they", she asked. "But wouldn't it be weird, attending my own funeral?" Hal lifted an eyebrow. "I think you're expected to attend your own funeral, at least in body", he said quite seriously and was a bit affronted when Pearl burst out laughing. But then again laughing, even slightly hysterical laughing was better then crying.

"It might help you to cope with your death, and it could be a chance to say good bye to your family, even if they can't hear you", Hal suggested. Pearl tapped her lips with a finger. "And they always say nice things about you at your funeral", she remarked. "I think this might be good, yes I'm sure this is a great idea. Thank you Hal!" She jumped up and enveloped the startled vampire in an exuberant embrace. Hal pulled a pained face at the sudden contact and went completely still and stiff. "That's a long hug", he finally managed to say as he tried to carefully free himself from the clinging ghost. "Oh, don't pretend you didn't like that, Mr. Touch-me-Not", Pearl said smiling as she pulled back and let go of him.

Hal started straightening his attire while Pearl picked up the newspaper to check the time of the service again. "It's at 9 o'clock, do you think we could persuade Leo to come with me? He could close the shop for a while, I think a funeral is a good excuse for that." She sat down in the armchair placing the paper on her knees going thoughtfully quiet. Hal walked back to his own chair, glad the drama was over for now. "I'm lucky I met Leo, I'm lucky I met both of you", Pearl said solemnly after a few minutes. Hal only smiled awkwardly before they slipped back into companionable silence.