A/N: So, Ohmygosh I just couldn't sit still! This story has a way of gripping you and dragging you in. Well, at least that's what it does to me, the author. Also, have I said thank you recently for the overwhelming amount of support for this story? Seriously guys, you're awesome.

Enjoy.

Sophia

Eyes closed in an expression of one who doesn't quite believe what they're being told, Sophia asked, "So, let me get this straight, a masked killer, with no eyes, chased you through the woods with a scalpel of all things, and you survived?"

"Yeah, I call bullshit." Ellie deadpanned, cold stare boring a hole in Spectra's pale terrified face.

Emily sighed in exasperation. "Guys shouldn't we at least give her the benefit of the doubt? I mean, after all, we're obviously stuck here with a serial killer. If she was just chased by our killer, this could be our chance to learn more about what we're up against."

With exasperation to match her Asian friend's, Sophia rolled her eyes in Emily's direction and, while gesturing at the taller, blue haired girl pointed out, "She says she was almost murdered and yet, there's not a scratch on her."

Jumping in to defend her friend, Bean retorted, "She got lucky. Are you really going to blame her for not dying?"

"Oh, we're not blaming her." Ellie reassured.

"We're as happy as everyone else that dear ol' Blue survived." Sophia's honeyed sarcasm clearly bit into Bean. "But the fact is, the only thing she survived was telling a tall tale meant to incur our sympathy."

"And that my friends," Ellie announced, "Is what I call bullshit."

Emily crossed her arms. "What other explanation would make sense? Why would she have screamed bloody murder if she was lying?"

"To support her story?" Sophia sounded like she was talking to a five year old. "That's what manipulation is Emily. Now I know it's a big word-"

"Bigger than you." Ellie muttered out of the corner of her mouth.

"-BUT you're a big girl and I'm sure you can understand it." Sophia finished, quickly shooting a glare at Ellie.

"I'm not manipulating you!" Spectra insisted, voice cracked and wild. "I nearly died."

"And you guys are complete idiots if you can't see that she's telling the truth." Bean's voice was raised, demanding everyone to end the argument.

"Thanks ever so much for your input Bean. We really value your opinion." Sophia's voice dripped venom.

"He dug his blade into the side of the house." Spectra said suddenly. "There's probably a mark on the wall facing the graveyard. If I show you, will you believe me then?"

"No." Ellie said instantly. "Because if this killer was that close to killing you, you would have had to walk through walls to get away from him."

Spectra opened her mouth then shut it again as tears started to form at the corners of her eyes. "I'm trying to help you." She whimpered. "I'm trying to keep you guys alive, the least you could do is extend the same courtesy to me."

"I am." Emily said, voice soft and reassuring. "Listen you two," She rounded on Ellie and Sophia, irritation in her movements. "I get that you don't like Spectra but this is going too far. The girl's clearly been traumatized."

"Sure, makes sense." Sophia's usual thin lipped smirk was hidden behind a falsely understanding voice. "Because of all the girls who have been attacked by a serial killer here, only Spectra, the mouse, has survived. Doesn't anyone else find that suspicious?"

"She isn't under suspicion anymore." Emily informed Sophia, voice deadly quiet. "You're stirring up trouble where we already have enough to go around. So stop."

"We're not adding more trouble, we're trying to fix it. Why can't you dumb asses get it!" Sophia exclaimed at Emily.

"None of what she said could count as evidence, any idiot with a slight bit of imagination could have come up with something as stupid as a man with no eyes and a scalpel." Ellie backed Sophia up at once.

"Enough!" Emily yelled at both of them. "There is a serial killer out there hiding in the forest and instead of doing something useful like, I don't know, barricading the doors or raising other defenses, we're arguing like we're ten years old at a slumber party. You two keep your speculations to yourselves. Spectra is not our killer."

"Doesn't mean that she might not be working with him." Ellie hypothesized.

"ENOUGH!" Bean roared, ire dripping from her like venom.

"No Bean, wait." Spectra stared down at Sophia, tears almost completely obscuring the rage in her eyes. "Let's hypothetically say I'm working with the killer. Why? Why Taylor or Mackenzie or even poor Catherine. Why would I waste my time killing them? If I were going to help kill people, my first targets would be you two." Tears rolled down her face as if she couldn't believe what she was rambling about. "I... I don't know anymore. I don't." Her weak legs finally gave up and she allowed gravity to take over and drop her to the ground.

Bean immediately rushed near her and supported her. "If anything, you two should've died instead of them. The minute you two stepped in this cursed cabin, you've been doing nothing but insult and humiliate everyone. There may be a monster out there destroying us, but you two are the ones eating us alive."

"So that's how it's going to be." Sophia said. "You'll shield yourself behind tears and dead people. That's low Blue, real low, even for me."

Bean gritted her teeth as though fighting the urge to punch the short girl in the face. Luckily, Emily stepped in befor her.

"That's it!" She commanded from everyone. "I don't want to hear it anymore. It's getting late, and we're all tired." She looked at Ellie and Sophia with narrowed eyes and ordered "Starting from tomorrow, you two will zip your mouths and will stop with the whole whodunit game. Because if you don't, then you'll deal with me." She stepped in front of Bean and Spectra, shielding them from the Geek sisters.

"Ooh, an Asian. Scary…" Sophia muttered, a bit halfheartedly. Truth be told, she was tired of pointing out such obvious things to such ignorant people.

Probably too lazy to start up another fight, Ellie just shrugged it off "Whatever. I thought you were brighter than that Emily." Grabbing Sophia's hand, the two climbed the stairs and soon the other three girls were out of sight.

"God, I'm sick of them." Groaned Sophia, pulling a face as she did so.

"Come on, they aren't all bad. Admit it, this is the most fun you've had in a long time." Ellie joked, poking the side of her friend's head lightly. "The murders make everything better."

"You know, if I didn't think it was Spectra, I would be convinced you're the killer." Sophia teased lightly.

"Why do you keep picking on her that much. If I didn't know any better, I would say you have a personal vendetta." Ellie playfully made a show of thinking before offering, "Let me guess, you liked her, but she turned you down."

Sophia rolled her eyes. "Let's just say, she's not trustworthy." Wanting to change the subject she opened the door to their room and stepped inside. "Come on, I'm bored. Let's play Crossy Roads or something."

"So what was it that drove you. The unnatural eyes, the dyed hair or her ghostly skin, which I know you're into."

"Fuck. Off." Sophia pushed Ellie as hard as she could which barely made Ellie move. "Why don't you spend all that energy putting some music on."

"Will you tell me later?" Ellie asked mischievously.

"If it will shut you up."

"Then what'll it be, Hollywood Undead? Slipknot?"

Sophia groaned. "You know I'm in a foul mood."

Ellie grinned and turned away. "Monstercat it is then."

Slenderman

"Naw, I'm not trying to blackmail you, I'm just wondering if something's up." Eyeless Jack's calm tone, while preferable to Jeffrey's raspy one, was still managing to irk Slenderman. He would have liked to say it had nothing to do with the subject matter but in all honesty, it did.

"A fluke, I am sure. Something I hope to remedy sooner rather than later." He said smoothly, gaze falling almost instinctively on Bean's picture that once again had taken up residence against the pen well.

"Ah well, I guess I didn't do too good a job of offing my girl myself." Eyeless Jack said reflectively.

"It was supposed to be a team effort." Slenderman reminded the blind boy.

Eyeless Jack smiled thinly before getting out of the chair in front of Slenderman's desk and casually meandering to the door. "Be grateful you don't have to work with someone. If you did I'm sure you'd feel my pain." Laughing he added, "Good luck," before exiting the room.

As the door quietly snapped shut behind him, Slenderman massaged his forehead and sighed softly. Eyeless Jack was right of course, something was wrong, he just was not sure what. After all, this had never happened to him before. Usually killing came as second nature to him. Slenderman sighed once more before attempting to push the matter from his mind completely.

The tasteful chime of the grandfather clock in the corner of the room brought him to attention once more. For a moment he debated whether to get some rest or go pay a visit to Bean.

It only took a fraction of a second to make the decision. Getting to his feet, Slenderman found his nearest proxy, Hoodie, and told him that he would be back shortly. Leaving it at that he winked out of existence, only to reappear outside of the cabin.

Looking up at the building Slenderman noted the distinct change in the feeling surrounding it. Whereas before it had held host to an almost frantic energy, it now had become the graveyard of paranoia and loss. Curiosity sparked, Slenderman silently vanished, only to reappear in the cabin's interior.

Cooly he took in his surroundings. The tasteless blend of comfortable furniture and stately containment was irritating, but not overly so. Thoughts of a smile tugged at Slenderman's brain as he noted a dead girl, Catherine if he was not mistaken, hanging from the ornate chandelier. Clearly, The Puppeteer and The Bloody Painter had already had their fun.

Without any rhyme or reason there was a sudden flash as a fire lit itself in the grand fireplace. Slenderman gazed at it for a second before deciding that the cabin, while not entirely adversely affected by the dimension shift, was still adjusting. As if drawn by the warmth or the crackle of burning wood, a presence ghosted into the living room. Even without turning, Slenderman knew who it was.

Bean, clad in a fresh hoodie and nightshirt, blearily stared at the fire as if she had never seen anything like it before. "What the hell?" She muttered to herself, seemingly not alarmed by the oddity of the event. Shrugging she walked to the fresh blaze and sat down on the edge of the hearth, taking a moment to bask in the warmth, still oblivious to Slenderman's presence.

For a moment Slenderman watched her. Every movement fascinated him. What was it about this odd girl that intrigued him so? As he watched, she slowly let her body slump over until she lay draped across the flagstones, as content as could be.

As she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling she wondered aloud, "How many people are trying to kill us? One? Three? Twelve?" Mumbling something unintelligible, Bean buried her face in her hair and continued, "And why am I not dead like the other three? I should be, but I'm still here. Still breathing." Another sigh. "Is he playing with me?"

That gave Slenderman pause. Was he playing with her? It was true she interested him but he was loathe to think of it in such shallow terms as 'playing with'. Victims living their last moments were those he played with, in the twisted sense of the phrase, but Bean…

"And now someone's after Spectra, my only friend. Is this new killer just one of his pawns that he's using to mentally torture me? Is he even involved at all?" Her musings were enlightening, but limited. Slenderman felt an impatience well up within himself at her instant supposition that he was involved. Had he not pulled back the last time he had come in contact with her?

"Who even is he?" She whispered, staring out at the room, blue eyes heavy. As though a gust of cold air had just blown through the room she shivered and sat up. Getting to her feet she mumbled something about going to sleep before slowly starting to stumble away.

"Good evening." With all the grace of a gentleman, Slenderman stepped from the shadows.

Bean spun on her heels, nearly falling over in her shock. Whimpering she scurried back away from his looming figure. "What- how did you- why-?"

Still suffering from his earlier impatience, Slenderman advanced on her quickly. "That is none of you buisness." He informed her shortly.

"Why are you even here?! Isn't it enough that you killed my friends? Is scaring me now just another way to break me down?" When he took another step forward she dug in her pocket and pulled out a small knife only to point it at Slenderman shakily. "S-stay away from me. I'll hurt you!"

If Slenderman had possessed eyes, they would have been sent rolling. Stretching out a tentacle Slenderman plucked the tiny blade from her grasp. "Do you really think that a toothpick like this would stop me if I wanted to kill you?" He asked, voice bordering on anger.

"I sure as hell can try." Bean's stubbornness, her stupid determination, made Slenderman step back and give her some room. He knew that Bean could not actually hurt him but the very fact that she was willing to try, despite the fact that she would lose, gave him pause.

"I am informing you that I do not wish to kill you." He said softly. "If I did, you would be dead, do you understand?"

Bean took another step back, bumped into the couch, and slowly sank down. "Yes, I understand that you are messing with my mind right now. I'm not an idiot."

"I never said that you were." Slenderman watched as she tentatively began to calm down and could not help but feel that progress had been made.

"So, you're not going to refute the mental torture you're putting me through?" She asked, eyes mistrusting and furious. "Because that's what this is, torture."

Slenderman stared at the tiny knife that he still held and muttered, "It is not as if you are not also bothering me."

"Oh, I bother you, is that it?" Her face went from closed off to outraged in a second. "Do you know what it's like waiting for someone to kill you?"

"No actually, I do not." Slenderman admitted.

"You are impossible! Why haven't you killed me already? Why do you keep playing with my mind like this? What did I do to deserve this?" Bean grabbed fistfuls of her own hair and pulled as if it would calm her down. "I've minded my own business for years! I learned to be normal. Why now of all times would some monster pop out of the woodwork to kill me?"

"What exactly did you have to learn?" Slenderman asked, choosing to ignore the rest of her angry words.

"You know very well what." She snarled, still quiet for all her ranting. "You're the one who fucking ripped my nightdress open to find out."

"I was curious." He said simply. "Why should I not be?"

"Fuck you!" Bean hissed.

"That was not an answer my dear." Slenderman said, a touch of humor in his voice.

"You want an answer, how about this: It's because you have no fucking right whatsoever! I didn't ask for this. All I wanted was to forget my fucked up life and live in a happy fantasy of lies. Why can't you understand that?!"

Taken aback for a moment by the sudden outpouring, Slenderman thought for a moment before answering, "Because I do not have the luxury to do so."

"And why is that?"

"It is because you were supposed to be my victim." The moment the words were spoken Bean's entire demeanor quieted. The ire was replaced by fear, the frustration, terror.

"What are you talking about? Like a game? Like a fucking game with our lives!" Bean was shaking but she did not look away. "Is that why my friends died?! Because they were some sort of trophies for you, you sick bastard!"

"No, not precisely." Slenderman muttered.

"Not 'precisely'?" Despite her words Bean was caving in on herself, she was hunched over, her legs were drawn up to her chin and her jaw trembled. "You're playing with our lives! What did we ever do to you."

"Nothing." Slenderman admitted. "Very few of those we kill have done anything to us."

"Hold on a minute, who's we? You realize how twisted it is to kill innocent people and yet you don't even give them a chance?" Again her expression was morphing, now turning from fear to confusion.

Ignoring her first question Slenderman softly said, "It is not twisted, it is life. It is how we survive."

"How you survive?"

"You keep repeating me." Slenderman pointed out, amused.

"If it's how you survive, why haven't you killed me?" Bean asked.

Slenderman had no answer for that. He merely stood there in silence.

Bean blew a forceful breath out through her mouth and asked, "Is there any way for my friends to survive?"

That answer was almost too easy. "Unfortunately, no."

"And are you going to leave me alone?"

"Not at the present moment, no." Slenderman said.

It was almost as the air had left her. Bean wilted onto the couch, as defeated as it was possible to be. "I might as well talk to you then." She muttered, almost to herself. "At least I know you'll be upfront about it when you kill me."

Deciding to take her words as an invitation, Slenderman sat down on the armchair by the fire. He could not help but be curious at her change of heart. Humans could be such mercurial creatures. "That is an odd way of looking at things." He observed.

Face pressed into the cushions to the point where her words were almost indistinguishable, Bean mumbled, "Welcome to my life."

Bean

Giving up was an interesting process. It started slowly, the realization of the overall gravity of the situation, then it eventually snowballed into the true feelings of helplessness which finally gave way to almost bland acceptance. If there was nothing Bean could do then there was nothing she could do. Unwilling to face the monster before her but still unable to look away, Bean peered through her hair and lashes at him.

The man sat there, elbows resting on the chair's arms and hands folded before him, completely at home. Bean couldn't help but wonder if he often sat like that, contemplative and quiet. It wasn't particularly hard to imagine.

"So," She said at last, struggling to sit up on the sofa. "How many pawns have you sent to kill us?"

Turning to face her, the man softly corrected, "They are not my pawns."

"But you sent them didn't you." Persisted Bean. "You set up this game."

He was silent for a long moment before saying, "It was not my game but all the same I did not stop it."

"Who's game was it?" She asked immediately . "Or would telling me break the rules."

"Technically, this right now is breaking the rules." There was the cadence of amusement in his voice. "It is my turn to ask you a question, Where did you get your wings?"

"None of your business." she grumbled.

"At first I thought you might be part angel, part devil, but that did not fit entirely. It did not explain the ears or tail," he mused. Bean could feel his gaze as he said, "You are a most curious being."

"I never asked to be like this." She whispered, words somber. "I wish I was normal."

"Believe me, it is easiest to accept who you are rather than change." With a well mannered wave of his hand, the man said, "I have found that change, while universally desired, is very rarely enjoyed."

Pulling her knees to her chest Bean muttered, "If my wings were gone tomorrow, I would enjoy that very much."

"Why were you not scared of me?" He queried. "You are the first human to not run away from the sight of me."

Bean shrugged and hunched her shoulders. "You're not the first monster that I've met. You get used to it after a while. Besides," She looked at the crackling fireplace. "I was curious. Why are you so interested in me?"

"Because you defy explanation." He said softly. "Every human I have come into contact with has fit into neat little boxes but you do not."

"I'm just special like that." She muttered sarcastically.

"Indeed you are." Unlike her tone, his was absolutely sincere, if oddly calm.

They were silent for a moment as Bean processed what he had said. Special? A monster more like. Her foster father had drilled into the difference between special and different. Those painful lessons weren't going to go away any time soon.

"There is something on your mind." It wasn't a question. Bean looked at the man before looking down again.

"Maybe." Biting her lip Bean muttered, "I've always got a lot on my mind."

"Another thing that sets you apart." He commented.

"You know, I'd love to be just like everyone else, stop reminding me that there's something wrong with me." Bean snapped.

"Like everyone else. What does that really mean to you? Hating yourself and pretending to be someone you are not?" His words hit her hard. The truth in them was almost overwhelming.

"Maybe I do hate myself for what I am." Bean mumbled. "In my position wouldn't you?"

"I am quite comfortable with being a monster." The man said dryly.

"I meant as a human. You know," She waved her hand around her face. "With an actual face. Going to school and having friends and whatever normal people do."

"You speak as though you think I know what normal is." The man chuckled. "What makes you think I have the barest notion of the terms meaning?"

"I.. I honestly have no idea. I think it's just," She rubbed the side of her arm. "I've never actually talked or even seen someone like me."

"Did you not say that you have seen monsters before?" The question was phrased delicately but it's matter was heavy.

"I've seen them from a distance. They follow me but there's never been any real contact. Personally I've always wondered if I was just crazy. At least," She sighed. "That's what I would think if I didn't know better."

"And you know better how?" Another dangerous question.

"I don't have to tell you." She stated belligerently.

"That is your prerogative. I shall find out one way or another." Idly staring up at the ceiling, the man commented, "They always did have a flair for the extraordinary."

"Who did?" Bean asked at once.

"It matters not, they will not come back. They have finished their part of this game." His statement was so blunt, it was hard to believe he was talking about the death of one of her friends so casually.

"Why did you target us? If what you're saying is true, and there are more of you, then why of all the people us? Was it me?"

"No. Your involvement was nothing more than mere luck. How do you say it, the wrong place at the wrong time." He tapped a finger against the arm of the chair and commented, "I would asume you and your friends were targeted because you were easy prey."

"Please, is there any way you could stop them? I don't want to die and I sure as hell don't want my friends to either."

"Do you speak of those same friends that humiliate you at every turn?"

"Ellie and Sophia might be mean but they're not bad. They're what teenagers are, stupid and naive." She might've hated their guts, but she wasn't going to stand around and let them die without at least trying.

The man's stare sent shivers down Bean's spine. "The wish to survive is a false and temporary hope. It is a foolish wish that is rarely answered." Leaning forward slightly, he added, "If you are a human, you will die, whether it is here or somewhere else. We're just accelerating the process."

"Then why haven't you killed me yet!" She asked, needing a straightforward answer more than ever.

"It is as I said…"

"Yeah I'm freaking special, I got that. Now why don't you cut the crap and tell me the real reason."

"It would do you well to watch your tone." He advised gently. "I am not obligated to tell you my reasons behind my actions and that is something you should strive to remember."

"You're threatening me but you talk like we're best friends or something. Don't you understand? I don't want you to be here! I don't want to die! I just want answers." Her outburst was followed by a brittle silence that stretched into a thin plate of ice that hid what could only be an eruption.

"I wish for answers as well." He said coolly as if she hadn't just cracked. "But you are not willing to give them so why am I expected to extend the same courtesy to you?"

"Because I deserve to know! Have you ever thought about that! You kidnap me. You rip my clothes off and then you interrogate me about why I'm fucking different. If you hadn't noticed, I don't like to talk about it. Yes I have wings. Yes, I have ears and a tail that come out when I lose control. Yes I'm fucking different. I don't have to explain myself to you because frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."

The aura in the room shifted from one of tension to one of amusement. "My my, you are fascinating."
"Fuck you." She muttered sourly. "Unless you have something useful to say, get out of this house."

Glancing up once more at the swinging Catherine he softly said, "While I can not tell you how to save your friends, I can help you with your deceased ones."

"Don't you dare touch her!" Bean ordered, furious. "She's not yours to play with."

Ignoring her the man got to his feet and moved to stand beneath the chandelier. Reaching up long black tentacles, the man unhooked Catherine from the ceiling and gently lowered her to the couch that Bean was sitting on. "As a show of goodwill." He said simply.

Unsure of how to respond Bean muttered, 'Th-thank you?"

The man nodded before looking out the window of the cabin. "I really must be going. It was a pleasure to speak with you my dear."

A sudden thought struck Bean and she held up a hand. "Wait, if you're serious about coming back, at least give me your name. I'd like to know what to call my murderer if it's all the same to you."

There was a delicate chuckle that was almost drowned out by the steadily increasing static in the air. "You may call me Slenderman." He was gone.

Bean blinked once before staring down at Catherine's peaceful face. Up close, she almost looked as if she was smiling. "What the fuck have I gotten myself into?"

Catherine didn't answer.

A/N: Finally! I hope you people are properly grateful. I made IDG sit through two perspectives of Bean x Slenderman for you guys.

IDG: And you'll pay for that, someday. But seriously, *Talks in a dark grim tone* you better not do it again.

Q: *looks away nervously* Yup, that was totally it…

IDG: *Continues in the same tone* Death will be a mercy for you the next time I come across something like that.

Q: Well, if I survive I'll probably update next week. Thanks to all of you people for your lovely comments, they fill me with joy.

IDG: More like filling your soulless body.

Q: Grump *sticks tongue out at IDG* To everyone else, goodbye!