(AN) Remember Sarah? If you don't, go check out WWR again… Also, this is the chapter from the poll ;-) I incorporated a little bit of everything into it. Also the poem is called "Love" by Nims

Chapter 24: The World

(SARAH)

They say death is just like sleeping. Maybe for most people that's true, but it wasn't for me. I never slept. I just watched. I watched the seasons change and the years pass, I watched my family grow and change without me, and I fell more deeply in love with all of them everyday.

But they couldn't see me, they couldn't hear me. I couldn't touch my little sisters or play with my brother. I couldn't feel the warmth of my dad's hugs, I couldn't smell my mother's perfume, and I couldn't even taste the dinners they had each night. But I always watched.

It was nice to know they hadn't forgotten about me, that my mother and father had loved me so much, that their love kept a part of me alive to this day. I could keep them safe, help as much as I could.

That wasn't a lot anymore. All I could do was hover silently in Echo's passenger seat while she drove down dark highways, tears streaking down her face. She couldn't see me…couldn't hear me, but that didn't stop me from whispering words of encouragement and support. They all got lost in the barrier between my world and hers, one so thick that I could only penetrate it for moments at a time.

And what good would it do anyway? If I could let her see me for a minute, tell her I loved her, assuming she didn't freak out when she saw me in the first place. What could I say to heal a broken heart, to soothe her soul?

Nothing. I was just one of the dead.

So I watched, and then I was gone in the blink of the eye, racing like a stream of color over the night landscape. And I found myself in my family's house, it almost felt like mine, even though I'd never lived there.

I watched as Blaze paced back and forth in his room, watched him run fingers through his messy hair. I watched when he checked his alarm clock, then looked quickly at his bedroom door before opening his window. He slipped out onto the roof and jumped lightly to the ground. I saw him stalk off silently through the trees, and I knew where he was going. I followed him too, hovering just inches behind him the whole time.

He walked onto Leah's porch, pulling the spare key out and twisting it in the lock. Leah was already there, at the bottom of the steps, one hand out reached uncertainly.

"Blaze?" She called as he ducked into the door frame. He crossed the room in two steps, pulling Leah to him. "You should back to your house, your mom…"

"I need you. I need to be with you." Blaze whispered, his lips capturing hers. I looked away, giving them their privacy, as I followed the all too natural pull up the stairs and slipped into Seth's room. He was lying on his bed, his eyes closed, his breathing easy. I hovered over him, uncertain of myself. I reached out to touch his hair. I couldn't, even though I wanted to more than anything in the world. A soft breeze just rustled over him. That's all I was.

I wish you knew me. I whispered, although there was no sound. Only a soft smile that instantly made his features lighter. I couldn't help but smile too, allowing myself to think that maybe I'd caused it somehow.

I stayed there longer than I should have, just watching him. The night was quiet, still, when I finally streaked back across La Push. Delilah had fallen into a fitful sleep, her sheets were twisted around her small body. I could hear their names fall from her lips, like calls for help. Echo, Blaze, mom, dad, Eva…

It's okay. I'm here. I tried again. I'm watching out for all of you. You're not alone. Despite my best efforts, nothing would comfort her in her sleep. She woke up minutes later, soaked in cold sweat. I could swear she was shaking. She stood, pulling her blankets and pillow from her bed and opening her bedroom door. She walked across the hall and into our parent's room, throwing the pillow on the floor. Dad stirred, his eyes opening sleepily.

"Echo?" He called groggily. Delilah choked back a sob.

"No daddy. It's just me." She said softly. He adjusted, sitting up.

"What's wrong?" He asked, holding out his arms. "Are you okay?"

Delilah stepped forward, burying herself in Dad's arms, shaking her head. "I had a nightmare. I had a nightmare that everyone was dead."

Jacob took a deep, shaky breath, crushing Delilah in his arms. "It's okay, we're all fine. Here, crawl in bed with your mom. I'll sleep on the couch."

"I don't want to kick you out…" She tried to protest, but Dad was already out of bed, tucking her under the covers and pulling them up around her. He kissed her forehead before leaving the room and going downstairs.

He didn't go to the couch, instead he stumbled outside and across the wet grass, into the garage. I watched as he flipped the light on immediately, taking a look around the deserted place as if he expected to find my sister, bent over a car engine. His eyes landed on the motorcycle and he looked away quickly. I watched as he shook for a moment, before turning and punching the wall next to the light switch. The lights flickered for a moment as he sat down among the strewn auto entrails and put his head in his big hands.

I left him to his anger, his worry, knowing I could do nothing to soothe it. Instead I wandered across the forest until I found Eva's window with the light still on. She was still awake, sitting at her desk. I knew I wasn't the only one watching her, I could feel Paul's presence outside in the forest.

She looked up as I flitted through her room. I thought, maybe for a moment, she could see me. She examined the spot where I was closely, before she looked away, satisfied she had imagined whatever she felt. I sighed, it didn't surprise me that Eva would only barely not notice me. She was the most intuitive.

Of course, that didn't mean the most graceful. As she turned back to the desk, her arm brushed against a vase on its surface, sending it crashing to the floor. Eva tried to catch it, but only succeeded in slicing open her hand on the sharp shards of broken glass.

Before she could even swear, which I know she wanted to do, the window to her room was wrenched open. She jumped a little bit, her hand flying to her mouth. Paul crawled in gracefully though the window, straightening with a bit of an exasperated smirk.

"Paul…" She sighed, sitting back down.

"You hurt yourself." He said softly, crossing the room and taking her hand in his. "Evie…what am I going to do with you?" He asked playfully, leading her to her bathroom, running cold water over the cut.

"What are you doing here?" She asked softly. He looked down at her, all tenderness and love, as he started to carefully wrap her hand.

"I was watching to make sure you were okay." Just like I was. She nodded, accepting that answer, as he sat her on the bed and cleaned up the broken glass, dumping it in her wastebasket.

"Will you stay?" Eva asked, uncertain.

"As long as you want." He answered quickly, maneuvering her into bed and lying down beside her, letting her rest her cheek against his skin.

"You know me too well." Eva murmured softly. "I don't know anything about you. I don't know any of your secrets."

"I like poetry." Paul answered, running his fingers through her hair. She looked up quickly, disbelieving. He laughed, kissing her forehead. She shook her head, laying against him.

"I miss her already. It's like somebody cut off my right arm." Eva finally said, her voice drowsy and strained with tears.

"I know." He whispered, and they were quiet until Eva had finally fallen asleep. He took her hand in his, sighing.

"My clumsiest dear…whose hands shipwreck vases, at whose quick touch all glasses chip and ring, whose palms are bulls in china, burs in linen, and have no cunning with any soft thing. Except all ill-at-ease fidgeting people: the refugee uncertain at the door you make at home; deftly you steady the drunk clambering on his undulant floor." He smiled, smoothing her hair back.

Adorable. Something commented. I felt a chill in the air as I turned, catching just the essence of something darting around the corner. Something like me, some sort of lost spirit. I followed it, down the stairs, rounding into the kitchen. And there she sat.

I couldn't tell you what I looked like, I'd never seen my reflection. I couldn't say if I was beautiful or radiant, but the spirit in front of me undoubtedly was. She was tall, her hair spilling over moon pale skin in gentle waves. I couldn't tell how old she was…one moment her face seemed that of a child, the next one of an old woman. Her eyes glowed purple with power and magic. She hovered above the kitchen table, another spirit near the window, turned away from me. All I could see was his blonde hair, drifting in a wind that didn't exist.

What are you? I asked. I'd met other spirits, other ghosts wondering the world in between life and death, but these two were something different. The girl smirked, waving her hand.

Look, Stella left her cards out. Let's play a game. It was true, Stella had left a deck of cards on the table. They looked like tarot cards. The girl waved her hand again and the cards spread out, almost of their own free will, forming a circle. One floated up and flipped over and the girl laughed, delighted. Look, it's the Emperor. Oh, surely that's grandpa. Fathering, stability, authority, power…

What are you? I asked again. This time the boy waved me away.

Let her have her fun. He said, indulgently.

Oh, and the next one. This one is for you Sarah. Look, it's the high priestess. Wasn't I right? And the high priestess card floated upwards. Intuition, contemplation, mystery, unconscious knowledge…

I suppose. I answered haltingly. The girl smiled, looking up as the next card floated up.

That's the Empress. My mother. Health, sensuality, fertility, power again…She always took after grandpa. She said wistfully. You should tell me stories about her someday.

But who are you? I asked again, confused. The girl's smile faded, and she looked up. The next card floated up, twirling around above her outstretched hand. I could see it as it spun.

I'm the world. The end of the cycle. I am all things, I am life. I am completeness. She answered.

What do you want from my family? I asked, sitting across from her. She smiled again, reaching out to touch me. And I could feel her, under my fingers. She was warm and soft.

I want to live. I need to live, if ever the cycle is going to be complete. She answered warmly. I could. If the future goes the way it might.

And with that, all the cards folded themselves back up into a deck at her whim, stacked exactly the way Stella had left them. She looked up at me thoughtfully.

Sarah…I'm Eulalie. She commented. And I've been waiting…we've been waiting. She looked over her shoulder at the man still looking out the window. A very long, long time for this moment.