Chapter 11: Asylum of Secrets


Still going. And now with the final person to round out the original 3 PGB


The Junkyard

"PULL!"

Chink- K-CHOOOMMMMMMM

"PULL!"

Chink- K-CHOOOMMMMMMM"

PULL!"

Chink- K-CHOOOMMMMMMM

"Nice shot. But I think you-"

Chink-FFZZOOM

"You were saying Leo?" Derek smirked looking back at his friend with his bandana covering his eyes.

Leo stood in the bed of a old truck that was half buried under scrap metal with a small remote arm throwing hub caps in the air. It was well over a month since Leo's first real time busting, and he's been gradually getting better. Mostly preferring to use the Mini Pack over any other gun they had. But as the month, now nearing the end of May, activity was increasing further north towards Pittsburgh. The level of animators, ghost that can create monster bodies, was growing. While monster activity as a whole was far and wide it still made many uneasy on the fact of the destruction one can do.

And that's why we find the two busters in the town junkyard. With so many ghosts captured under Derek's work bench was mountains of trap cartridges filled to the max with entities. The amount of money he was getting paid help make sure be had a substantial amount ready to go but he found himself having to order more and more parts that Leo has to unfortunately assemble. Figuring that if the time came where there would be too many jobs at once, if he and Leo had to stand side by side to fight at once, he made sure to build two more of each trap. One for him and the other as a spare.

And today was a very good day, for there hadn't been a single call for the past 2 days. It was strange how all this suddenly just stops; but the relief was embraced with welcoming arms. Now back in the same spot as when Derek first tested the proton pack the two were practicing in on their thrower control.

Leo stood behind with the machine dressed in kevlar armour around his torso and upper arms with the Mini Pack while Derek wore his behemoth pack in just his jeans and a red t-shirt. Letting himself air out in the cool spring wind.

Pulling his mask down from his eyes he smirk as he vented out the pack. "Nice try but sometimes you need to expect the unexpected."

Leo rolled his eyes, "Yeah? Like you having your identity discovered?"

Derek winced at the thought. Not even a week ago after another late job he had to be escorted via police to his bike to get out of the building. He didn't know what happened, but what he did know was someone had grabbed his bandana and tried to rip it off. It was too close even when he prevented it from falling off with his hand over his mouth.

"Let's… just hope I can make it to the end of Summer before that happens." Leo nodded. He knew that the moment it happens, the world will erupt into a shitstorm of mass hysteria.

But, they'll cross that bridge when they get there.

"You know now would be the best time in investing in a new suit. You're really not gonna go around looking like the garage-buster form of Blade. This padding is very nice." he jiggles the kevlar that stays tight to his person. "Anyways what's progress on the containment unit?"

Clipping his gun on the pack be reaches down to his back pocket and pulls out a large piece of red paper. Folding out the wallet sized fold into a giant drafting sheet. Jumping from the truck bed Leo stepped aside to let his friend place the paper down.

The design shown was of the future ecto containment facility that looked a lot like a single unit tanker truck container with a large port on the front with a second port on the right side that would serve as trap flushes. In case they're really busy and can't do the normal dumping process and inside places the trap in a socket to charge and unload multiple units at one time. On the left side in another box was a series of tubes side by side with cables leading from the main unit to them and to a generator out put station.

Leo was very surprised at how detailed the blueprints were to even the sized bolts they would need. "Impressive."

"I've worked out the major problems about power. It'll run on the same dampeners as the ghost traps do but in a larger scale that cycles it through coils and power itself and the laser grid."

Leo nodded. "Not Bad… what about space? First one showed it could get full and even the comics and shows do to that."

"I prepared, well, theorizied on that." Flipping the page over he reveals a massive set up wires and circuits that would be placed inside the unit along with a smaller grid that looks like the 1991 version.

"A Pocket Dimension. Completely housed inside by the laser grid."

"A pocket dimension...that's impossible. Even with how you're building this stuff it's scientifically impossible to house, let alone create, a whole universe in a metal tank."

"Half a universe. It's mostly just open space."

Leo just rolled his eyes at the correction to his argument. He knew Derek would like to bite the bullet but this was like hitting a rocket on the tip with a hammer.

"Again, I'm still working it all out. It's not like I can write this in a story and suddenly have the technology and science made and ready. That's just not how reality works."

"And what about the smaller unit?" He pointed to the video game style unit.

"Thats a fail safe unit. Technically if it were come to the case where it was over capacity or the pressure was too much, we would dump the extra into here. I figured 3 of them would be good enough."

"And what's the cost up to now after all these upgrades?"

Derek opened his mouth to say, but lost the words when his mind couldn't remember correctly. Reaching down he fished out his phone and went the calculator app.

"The original count was just above 1.5 million, right?" Leo nodded. Derek then added in the new total.

"It is now at… $2,340,561 for just this design. And after all these jobs I'm probably closer to the original amount than this…" He sat on the old tail gate as his hand met his face.

Leo had been keeping up on the numbers for the past 2 months; and for what he was going through Derek was making a better profit than most starter businesses could make in their first 4 years. But because of the constant need of keeping and advancing the equipment, gas for now both vehicles, buying more and more traps, and at times having to pay a bit for damages (even though they know his equipment does very little let alone sand blast something) he still has to take it out of his cash. He paid a extra $76,000 to help speed up and pay off his mother's medical treatment to get her home two months early.

Now she sat in bed resting up from the treatments. It was a miracle how well it went; having to bust a metaphoric leg and a few dozen ghosts but it all proved fruitful. A week after she got back home he showed her what he did. He showed a his family it.

Even though he sister knew she was still shocked by how her brother got to this point. His father, John, however was astonished; he wondered for weeks what Derek was up to since he couldn't really enter Derek's garage. They had a agreement and stuck to it. But to see Derek build something he always brushed off thinking he was just being childish made him really feel the boot in the nut. His mother was actually proud that Derek had found something he always wanted to do.

To add another nail in that coffin he gave them a demonstration. With Leo manning the Mini Pack and trap they released a small Class 2 and showed off the equipment and his skills in capture and elimination. It frightened them, realizing there was dozens on dozens of angry spirits on their property within walking distance from their house. It was something put in their minds the surrealness of the situation. And another thing, their son was racing around fighting these things on his own.

It helped them to know that Leo was also doing this when it got too much for just him to handle. His dad was just inches away from pulling the plug, but knew his son was doing something for a good cause. But also he was to far in that of he did, God knows what could happen.

And so with what money they now had they were making some much needed changes. They retrofitted Leo's van to have equipment racks inside to hold the packs and gear when they would do a double bust. Derek's primary proton pack was now a lot more cleaner on the terms of look and function. Beefing up the coolant injector that allowed it to run a lot longer before overheating. It looked more and more like a pack but still had the open areas that one can see the wires and electronics inside. He even upgraded his motorcycle some so that it held an additional 4 traps on the back with a double J shaped rack that crossed into a brace to hold the pack on.

His suit was another important change. Having to ditch the overcoat look for a more padded jacket similar to his normal one. This time having more chest and shoulder padding tucked inside to make him seem more buff. His goggles now had a pivot band that reached further back behind his head. Now having a velcro strap that connected to a much bigger bandana that would be harder for anyone to rip off.

All in all, even Leo had to emit that he look more like a special ops Ghostbuster than David Tennant in Doctor Who. He was a lot more protected and his skill was rapidly climbing to a near instinct level.

Later that Night…

"What's the damages now?" Derek asked as he slipped on his new arm pads and shin guards. He had them ordered in all black minus a red lining along the length.

Leo walked over handing him his rifle and two empty traps, "Got a special one for ya. You know the old Railbrook Asylum?"

"On Hollow Run?"

"That's the one. Women on the phone said she was part of a restoration company that had taken interest in the building and wanted the place cleared out of any possible spirits."

Derek made the 'not bad' face at this. Standard areal sweeping. Fairly easy for houses since their a smaller base of land while larger buildings took more time to clear out parts of it at a time.

"After that you have 17 more calls lined up." he then groaned at how Leo just had to ruin his moment. ",and I'll notify you if you get any more."

"I swear you're like my secretary now." he said mounting his bike.

"And by secretary you mean the guy currently supplying you with traps and advancing for equipment ever so slowly." Leo knew he got Derek on that one. This grin and Derek's disappointed look told him all he needed to know before Derek gunned it out the door down the driveway.

The Railbrook Correction Station and Mental Asylum.

One long name to a equally strange place.

Pulling into the large weed infested parking lot in front of the building, Derek pulled his bike up along side the left wing of the 4 story hospital. Tapping on his earpiece he opens a link to Leo.

"I'm at the site, Leo. What do you got for me?" he asked dropping his ecto goggles to scan the outside of the blue and white building.

"Got something special for you. Originally built in 1953 as a normal hospital it was later converted into a middle school 6 years later."

"Well… that's… unfortunate to some."

"Indeed. After the school was damaged in the '74 tornado outbreak it left the entire building in ruins. They rebuilt this place just behind where the original building was but no one took the offers. Not until it was sold at a statewide auction did it become a asylum in 1980. For 13 years it had a pretty nasty reputation of being failed by building inspectors with unsafe conditions that would sometimes lead to patient's' deaths."

Halfway through putting on his pack Derek took a double glance at the building. "So it's structurally unstable. Great… Who in their right mind would want to fix up a place like this."

"Large floor space, reasonable location, nice parking. If done right it could recoup its money."

Derek didn't answer as he slowly walked up the steps to the smashed front door. Carefully drawing his thrower and pushing the right side door open. Inside was what you'd expect a abandoned hospital to be like; tile floor, random medical equipment with a layer of dust on e everything, the drop ceiling missings pieces that actually dropped and etc. As it was Derek was more afraid of getting a disease than being attacked by a ghost.

With such a right area to work with be optioned to switch to his stasis stream and shock blast incase anything tried to get the jump on him. Turning the small dial on the top of his gun he flips the modes as the cyclotron changed from it's red to a dark blue color with a cold hiss.

"Tell me about activity. What can I expect?"

"Strangely the new building itself doesn't have a record of any known activity. The old place, yes. But many believe the spirits were freed after the original place was torn down. So your guess is as good as anyone else's."

Sighing at the news Derek pressed on. He didn't like going in blind, information beforehand is what determines a much more narrower zone of possibilities and is easier to prepare for.

Heading down the left side he figured to start from the left side of the building and work his across. Using the goggles so that he had a better advantage to seeing things he normally couldn't and have both hands on his thrower. Entering the first room where the door was completely missing he began his sweep. Simply standing in the middle of the room as he turned his head and body from the door completely around both ways as his goggles' bright green LED projectors gave the room a heavy green glow. After working on them to properly function with the meter he had them linked so that if there was something heavily charged by paranormal energy he would see it as a purple glow.

He did the same procedure for the next 20 rooms in the building's left wing. Moving closer and closer to the main hallway that T'd off from the entrance. As he came into the next room, his face suddenly snapped over to a large cracked mirror on the wall. Nearly blasting it when he jumped back, feeling a lot less manly from being scared of his own reflection, he slowly approached the mirror; flicking his lights of as he pulled the goggles back to his forehead so he could get a good look of himself with his own eyes. With all the equipment, the bandana and goggles, the all black styled suit and pack made him look a lot like a special ops dressed as a GB.

Though as he looked closer his eyes locked with his reflection's own and he suddenly noticed a important missing detail.

Tapping on his ear pieces he opened the linked to Leo, "Leo, problem."

"What is is?"

"I forgot my eye lenses."

…"Yeah you did. They're sitting here on the table. Just wear the goggles and try not to be seen by anyone."

"...yeah, 10-4 on that." Dropping his goggles back he walked out.

*Thump. Thump. Thump.*

Though narrowing his eyes he stopped in his tracks. Letting nothing make a sound but his pack and breathing. He slowly shifted his gaze looking for what was near him.

*Thump. Thump. Thump.*

He spun around to look behind him. Down the hallway he just came down from at the intersection. Moving as swiftly but quietly he stayed close to the left side for the sound was coming from the same direction. Stopping briefly at each door he past just to make sure it wasn't coming from a room.

Leaning back on the corner of the hallway he held his thrower tightly to his chest as the footsteps came closer and closer. Taking in a deep breath he flicks his goggles up to his forehead and keeping his thumb on the trigger.

* . .thum-*

He looked a little to his left. Not hearing the footsteps reach even half way to him.

But taking the chance he leaned around with his gun nozzle going around first and finally poking his head around. Swinging himself around to face… a empty hallway.

Dumbfounded by this he lowers his gun just a little and peeks down the corridor. From what he could tell there was nothing out of place. No noise, cold wind, a door that shouldn't be open or closed or even his Pke detecting something.

"Hmmm…" As he turned around a hooded face suddenly fills his vision. "Boo!"

"AHHH!" jumping back Derek accidentally fires the blast into the ceiling as a few new holes gave way to falling plaster. Staggering back his bumper nearly penetrated the rioting wall as his hands flew back to stop him. But inadvertently dropping his thrower to the ground.

One hand suddenly latches onto the spot above his heart as a laughter echoed out from a arm's distance away. "HAHAHA! Wow that was a blast!" the clear girl laughed out holding herself up on the wall with her hands on her knees. "But WOW!"

As the girl continued, Derek slowly managed to slow his breathing down before it could form a way spot on his mask.

"MISS," He yelled trying to return to his more serious tone. " Never… Never… sneak up on a man with armed particle equipment.

"That's why I came up from behind and not in range."

"You still don't do it! Gah! Who the hell are you anyway?" The girl reached up and pulled down her black hoodie. Both when Derek saw who it was, he become more nervous than when he first went to Westmore. Those blue eyes, the shoulder high, dirty golden-brown hair.

"I'm Rachel, Rachel Bucker." she introduced herself with smile.

Derek honestly felt his heart start skipping every other beat as he tried to think clear. 'ohshit, ohshit, oh-SHIT! This is NOT good. I need to get out of here and get Leo on the phone.'

"You know," she said making him break from his thoughts. "It's polite to introduce yourself when someone else does."

"Hmmm…. Hi, I'm the Ghostbuster…" she deadpanned at the answer. 'That oughta do it, good job; Stewart.'

"Yeah, I can see that. But I mean your Name... Or are you just to scared?"

This honestly made Derek a bit frustrated. But he had to play it cool. A few lies to a few questions, say he's needed else where and valla.

"Look, Miss-" "Rachel." "-Rachel, I'm very busy at the moment and-"

"Derek Stewart." he froze up completely. This was it. He and Leo jinxed it today and now it's happening. "There's a guy that goes with me at the high school and he has had crazy thing for this stuff." She gestures to his outfit.

"He always spoke about building a real working proton pack. And for months since the whole 'ghost outbreak' he's been exhausted every time I see him. Hell, his friend Leo had even been more scarce for the past month since that time I caught, well kinda caught, them testing something."

She was getting close. Holy damn was she close. Derek could just imagine what her thoughts were when her eyes scanned over every detail he had. Until her eyes locked with his. She leaned closer, almost like she was about to kiss him. But stopped 4 inches away due to her lower height as they stayed like this for a good minute.

Then her eyes suddenly expanded. Just like how someone would react to discovering something.

"Oh my God…" she whispered. But it only grew. "Oh my God… OH MY GOD!"

She cheered in his face making him look to the side. "Is it… No Way!"

"Uhh… miss? Is there something you would like to share or-" before he could finish he was met with something unbelievable.

Rachel jumped up latching her arms around his neck and brought her face straight up to his as he felt contact on the part of his bandana that covered his lips. He felt like his heart was playing hop scotch now as his eyes threatened to breach out of their sockets. It wasn't 'the kiss' that one would expect from a girl they know greatly. But more like the 'I finally figured it all out' kind of moment.

Finally getting over those facts he brought his hands up and carefully pushed her off. Still feeling the cloth smashed up against his mouth as he readjusted it. Rachel on the other hand had the biggest shit-eating a human being could get.

"Miss." He said trying to recollect himself from the sudden action. "Mind explaining why you-"

"Oh, Stop it. I know you enjoyed it, Derek." He felt his eyes lock on hers again. He just lost one of his biggest secrets, one that for months he has made sure to hide it. And yet in the matter of minutes if not seconds the one other person he's known for years suddenly figures it out.

He knew he couldn't get out of this one; his reaction to her was all she needed to solidify that theory. Even as she reached her hands up again to his mask, he made no attempt in stopping her. Merely bending his head down so that she had easier access. Reaching behind under his goggles' straps she pulled away the velcro and like a superhero revealing their identity, slowly pulled both sides of the bandana away till it completely left his person.

Once he didn't feel the cloth anymore he looked back at the girl with a shy look as she scanned over his face. The clear look of stress and exhaustion was evident and even further added with the clear sign of a slightly shaved 5 o'clock shadow covering his chin.

Taking a step back Rachel now looked at Derek completely before speaking, "You're… a Ghostbuster?"

"Yep."

"You… actually go around fighting ghosts?"

"Yep."

"So your pack thing," she grabbed his arm and spun him around to show the cyclotron activate. "It actually works?"

Turning back around he picks up his dropped thrower. "Yep. Just like the video game." Taking aim a fires a stasis stream down the hallway as it hit the wall. As it did the whole area was filled with a bright blue light before Derek shut it down. The look on Rachel's face was exactly how Leo's was when he first showed off the equipment; priceless.

"So I'll expand upon my previous question. Why did you kiss me?" he looked down at her now blushing face. Reaching over he carefully takes his bandana back.

"I…"

*PEEWWWPEEWWWPEEWWW-*

"What is that?!" Derek shouted.

"My truck!" Rachel yelled as she raced to the front entrance. Derek following closely behind as he switched the pack into the blast stream as he tied the cloth back over his face.

Weaving around the messy halls he make it to the front doors that were closed. Rachel went up to try and open them but they only rattled as she yanked on them. Pulling her aside Derek stepped forward.

"Stand back!"

Dashing forward he raised his right boot high on the air. Kicking the door in at the divide his momentum causes the old rusty hinges to snap apart. As both doors collided with the staircase Derek and Rachel jumped from the top to the parking lot where the alarm was blaring the loudest.

To the left of them was a dark green 2009 Ford f250 with his lights flashing and its driver side door open with glass littering everywhere.

"On my God." Rachel ran to assess the damage of her vandalized vehicle.

Looking around Derek looked around for any sign of the person who could've done this. But then his gaze looked down at his bike that was now 20 feet away from where he originally parked it now sitting on it's side.

"Oh hell no." Pacing over he came around and lifted up the resting side. Angering him at seeing massive scars slashed all over. "God dammit! What's your case?" he glanced back at his friend.

"They didn't steal anything. The alarm must of just scared them off." she replied shutting the door in frustration.

But unknown to them a hand was slowly snaking it's way out of the truck bed and grab onto her arm. "GOTCHA!"

"AHH!" she jumped from the touch. Making Derek spring up and take aim at whatever it was.

But what he got was something worse than what he wanted. Two of that for the price of one. Hopping out of the bed was a teenager greased in grease stained jeans and a black hoodie. His face had slight dirty look a his green eyes broke that trend. His hair was a fairly short, brown patch that got slightly thicker along the back.

"What the hell are you doing here Danny?" Rachel yelled resisting the urge to scream out.

But Danny was unfazed. Simply smirking, "I was just checking up on you. You know how these places have weirdos everywhere." he leaned against the truck not knowing Derek was standing there.

"No. You don't just 'check up on someone' out in the middle of the forest."

"Well I do." he said moving closer. Rachel instinctively backed up; But suddenly heard more footsteps behind her. Looking around to the front of the truck was another term boy dressed in the same attire as Danny but wore a lighter blue t-shirt. He was noteable shorter than the other 3 with a more childish look on his face. Realizing that she was blocked both ways she quickly started backpedaling away from the truck.

"Oh, sorry about the truck. The door was locked and we needed in." Danny said as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Wait, WHAT!? YOU BROKE INTO MY TRUCK!"

"Well the window was busted." he tapped the area where the outline of glass once was. "How about he take it down to our place and we can did it. For free…"

Danny's words began trailing off as his gaze shifted away from Rachel to the man standing behind her. Derek had gotten closer with his thrower raised so that the vent light on the top lite up his covered face. Though he decided not put his goggles down since the Smiths were incredibly stupid when it came to identifying people by their eyes. And both Derek and Danny's locked on each other.

Stepping forward Derek reached out hooking Rachel's arm as he pulled her to his left side. Making sure she was mostly behind his pack but still visible. "Sir, I'll give you this one warning. Leave now, or I'll make you."

Danny only blurted out a laugh, "HA! You're a cosplaying nerd you just goes around doing light shows. What are gonna do, sing your theme song?"

Thankful that the mask hid his frown, Derek's thumb reached up and turned his mode dial. The pack shifted into its slime blower function as the core rods faded into a barely visible green light. Since he didn't have any slime to really call it a slime blower, he did use a 5 gallon tank of water in replacement of that with it hook up to a compressor in the nozzle with more water leading from the injection reservoir in the booster tube through the hosing that added another 2 and a half gallons.

The first time he tested it's water cannon function he blew through a gallon jug in seconds. So having to readjust the valves so that it shot out at a greater force with as little water as possible he could make the 7 total gallons last around 4 minutes max. Literally making it a on-board water cannon. It was originally meant to be a emergency mode if his equipment caused any fires but he so far didn't have that problem.

His problem now was the two teens in front of him. His equipment had gotten stronger, so using any of the proton, meson, or stasis modes on a human was to be avoided since he didn't know at all the possible effects. So Water Cannon was the best option.

But Danny nor Ben took the warning serious. Instead they stood side by side walking quickly at them before almost breaking into a sprint. Pulling back the release valve that was a red hand on the side of the blower it spurts out a spit of water before erupting like a opened fire hydrant. The force nearly makes Derek lose his footing but he holds firm.

The boys however, not so much.

The force of the sudden blast of water was enough to cause both teens to stop in their tracks and be flown backwards. Drenched from head to toe as they were sent sliding across the parking lot past the truck into a concrete divider that stopped them. Letting the whole system drain as after 2 minutes on high force the vent alarm sound signaling an empty system.

Without any more to use the pack automatically reverts back into Proton mode. Once they felt the torrent stop, the two sluggishly with wobbling feet stood up.

Looking at the man with fire in his eyes Danny prepared to jump at him, "WHY YOU PIECE OF-"

*FZZOOMMM*

Danny suddenly jumped back as he see a long glowing rope of red light erupt from Derek's gun as he dragged it in one swift motion across the pavement just a foot away from their shoes.

Letting the shock sink in he then did a quick vent while turned enough for them to see the cores jet out and vent in a burst of steam. Once it was done he then took aim at them at the spot where he could see the concrete.

"Last warning. Leave."

At first neither of them moved. Only sending death glares at him. Then he felt something grab onto his belt. Feeling his rifle slide out of its gun track as Rachel held the thrower in the same position one would a shot gun. Tempted to rip the highly dangerous tool from her he opted to drive the point home and reached over activating the on switch. Hearing the rifle power up actually made the boys flinch in fear they were about to be shot.

"Now I'm one not to go popping a few protons off someone's ass. But from the looks of it, I can't say the same for her." He nudges his head towards Rachel. Who only lowered the thrower closer.

Not wanting to find out what could happen, both boys frantically got to their feet and ran. Running some distance before disappearing around the corner of the building.

"YEAH YOU BETTER RUN!" Rachel shouted pointing the gun in the air.

But in one swift move Derek snatched it out of her hands and powered it down. Returning it and his thrower to their respectable places. Turning back he makes his way back to his bike.

"Damn that felt great." Rachel sighed as she followed behind. Derek completely agreed; though he wished he could've tested out the wrangler on them.

Reaching down he pulled up the damaged motorcycle. He was thankful that the gas tank didn't blow, but it would take a chunk of time to fix and repaint it. "I'll send a check to have your window replaced." He said switching the bike on. "Just try and avoid going near them for a bit."

"Yeah, and if they bother me again I know who to call."

Derek stopped mid step when mounting his bike. Looking straight at Rachel and ripping his mask down past his jaw. "Do Not tell anyone about me and this. It's bad enough that now another knows."

From the venom in his voice Rachel took an instinctive step back. "Why not? They would definitely leave you alone finally knowing what you can do and have. Everyone would wanna hear about your crazy jobs and so on. You're already a celebrity on the media."

"Because this is something that I don't want to explode out in the open. Getting all the unwanted attention will only cause more problems than I have busting right now." Reviving the throttle he sighed once more before glancing up to her. "Just… keep it to yourself. If you need help you know my number."

Not muttering another word Derek speeds out of the parking lot and on the road. A loud screech echoed through the forest around them as he zoomed on past Rachel's line of sight beyond the trees. Rachel stood there completely still from the moment. She was a bit surprised at how assertive Derek became so quickly and how his demeanor had changed. Reaching up she brushed her hand across her lips. A sudden flash of the kiss came before her mind as she tried pushing it away but failed.

She didn't know why she did it. It was part of the moment that made her just want to do it. It just clicked in her; and now she just couldn't stop thinking it.


Might make a single chapter about Rachel before all this.