Hey everyone~ This chapter was so easy to write it was like a dream. It might help that I've been on a real horror kick lately.

Things were not going well for the search party. They had gone through most of the downstairs without finding anything that could be used to open the upstairs door. None of them found any exits that wouldn't take a lot of prying and breaking down wood, either. The best luck they'd had all night was the kitchen and that wasn't looking like much of an option anymore.

As they searched Matthew began to fidget, his concentration waning more and more. They had just started back towards the main entrance when he froze, gaze shooting up to the ceiling. "I need to go check on Alfred. Now!"

Arthur paused and looked back at him. "What's the matter?"

Matthew shook his head slowly, expression bordering on despair. "Something is wrong... Something is very wrong and Alfred needs me. He's so scared!"

"He's been scared since the first time Josephine called," Gilbert said, getting bored by the whole thing. This was no fun. "Ludwig has him covered. If I say he's fine, then he's fine."

"It's not the same!" Matthew sounded almost hysterical, panic and anger intermingling in his voice. "He's in danger! Alfred is-"

Matthew staggered suddenly, as if he'd been stricken. Kiku hurried forward to steady him. "What is the matter, Matthew?"

"I can't... I can't feel him anymore. Oh god... oh god I can't feel him!" By now Matthew was trembling, not bothering to explain what he meant by that.

Gilbert snorted, not liking the theatrics. "There is nothing wrong with Alfred and I will prove it!"

He strode towards the entrance, the other three trailing closely behind. Gilbert paused at the foot of the stairs and called up. "Oi! Luddy, Matthew here is having a panic attack. Tell him that he's being a wimp!"

There was silence and the four of them all felt colder. "...Ludwig! You fall asleep up there? Answer me, already!"

Matthew whimpered when they still didn't hear anything. "I told you!"

Kiku and Arthur shared a serious look as Gilbert took a few steps up the creaking stairs. His voice was surprisingly booming for someone of his size. "Ludwig, you answer me this second or I will kick your ass!"

The house seemed to groan and they all jumped. Matthew shook his head and started running up the stairs. Arthur hurried after him. "Stop, Matthew! Stay in the light, you don't want to hurt yourself."

But at that moment Matthew was not the least bit concerned with his own well-being. He needed to see for himself that Alfred was okay. He had to be, he just had to be! Matthew almost tripped over the fallen grandfather clock, noticing it just in time. A glance in either direction confirmed that Ludwig was nowhere to be seen.

Gilbert was now on the floor with them, looking around more persistently. "Ludwig? Where the hell are you? Ludwig!"

Arthur pointed the flashlight in either direction then at the door to the room Alfred had been locked in. It was ajar. Matthew seemed frozen for a moment, swallowing back his panic as he entered. "Alfred...?"

He walked further into the room and stepped on something that crinkled beneath his foot. He knelt down and picked it up. A cold sweat broke over him as he squinted and realized it was Alfred's protection charm, now ripped to shreds and powerless. He got up and turned to Arthur and Kiku, stricken. "Josephine has him!"

Kiku walked forward and took the shredded necklace, worry fluttering in his chest. "We should start with a quick check of this floor-"

"This is impossible!" Gilbert broke in. "Ludwig wouldn't- He isn't stupid!"

Arthur clenched his teeth then shook his head, thinking quickly. "Well, clearly something happened as he is not here. We can only hope they're both alright. But there's no reason to check this floor. There's only one place Josephine would take Alfred, after all. The place she died."

They all jumped as the floor creaked above them, turning their gazes up to it wearily. Gilbert's lip curled up into a snarl. "That bitch thinks she can mess with my brother and not feel my wrath?"

He snatched the flashlight from Arthur's hand and charged towards the attic. Matthew tried to hurry after him and Arthur grabbed him. They struggled violently as Matthew fought to escape his grip. "Let go!"

"It would be foolish for you to go up there! I don't want her to get her hands on both of you. Please, Matthew!"

Matthew shook his head. "No! I can't, I can't let her do something to Al! I have to protect him!"

Arthur turned to ask for Kiku's help only to see his outline disappearing up the attic staircase in the sudden darkness. Bracing himself, he continued to hold onto the other boy who was much stronger than he appeared. Arthur prayed that nothing had happened to Alfred, but the more casualties he could prevent the better.

Gilbert sprinted up the stairs two at a time and burst into the attic. He felt his anger stagger as the flashlight came to rest on his brother's back. He was humming something that seemed eerily familiar but that he couldn't quite place."L-Ludwig! Do you even know how seriously pissed I am at you right now?"

Ludwig's humming abruptly stopped and he tilted his head, turning slowly. His eyes seemed strange and Gilbert frowned. "Luddy? What are you doing? Where's Alfred?"

Ludwig turned around and Gilbert felt a choking sensation. His brother was supporting Alfred's limp body and around his throat was a noose attached to a long rope that was already strung up over one of the rafters. "What do you want?"

"What are you doing? Are you insane? Get that thing off of him!" Gilbert took a step forward and Ludwig held Alfred closer to himself.

"Stay back," he hissed. "I don't want you!"

Ludwig's expression softened again. "I have no interest in you or your friends. I will even let you leave if you like. I can open the doors. All I need is my beloved Jonathon. Let me keep him and you are free to go."

Gilbert stared, dumbfounded as Ludwig pressed a kissed to the unconscious boy's hair. "Ludwig, what-"

"That is not Ludwig," a voice stated at his side.

Gilbert jumped, glancing down at Kiku who had appeared out of nowhere. His dark eyes were narrowed at the two before them. "Josephine. That's who you are, isn't it?"

A few things flickered across Ludwig's face and then it settled on something wary. "Yes. I am Josephine. What do you want from me?"

Kiku kept his voice gentle. "Josephine, I know that you are lonely and angry that you have been abandoned, but-"

"I was not abandoned!" The room groaned loudly around them and Alfred twitched. Josephine calmed and rocked him lightly. "I always knew he would come back for me. And now he has. Please, just let us be."

Gilbert started to say something and Kiku quickly held up his hand to silence him. "I am so sorry, Josephine. I truly am. But can you do something for me? Think very carefully and remember what Jonathon looked like. Then look at the one you hold in your arms. That is not the same person you loved."

Josephine's expression darkened and she looked down at Alfred. "It is... It is him! You dare tell me I don't know my own beloved? If you do not leave this place peacefully then I guarantee you will never leave at all!"

Gilbert glowered. "You really think you can reason with her, Kiku? She's completely insane!"

"I am not insane!" Josephine spat.

Gilbert laughed mockingly and Kiku shushed him again. "Josephine... What do you intend to do to him?"

Her expression softened once more as she looked down at Alfred. "All I want is for us to be together. Now he's come home to me but we cannot truly be with one another so long as Jonathon is still alive."

Josephine's hand traveled down the lank rope attached to the noose, pulling it gently. "He will die as I did and then there will be nothing keeping us apart. I do not wish to make him suffer but it is the only way."

That infuriated Gilbert and he pushed Kiku's hand away when he tried to gesture at him to bite his tongue. "There's no way you're using my brother's body to murder Alfred! Get the hell out of him!"

Josephine glared pointedly at Gilbert. "I have changed my mind. You are a very rude boy and do not deserve to leave this place unscathed!"

Wood creaked loudly behind them accompanied by the thundering of footsteps on the stairs. Kiku and Gilbert winced and turned to check behind them thinking it might be an attack from behind. Instead it was Matthew, freezing as he saw his brother. "Alfred, no!"

A look of confusion crossed Ludwig's face as Josephine looked carefully from Alfred to Matthew, frowning. She carefully set Alfred on the ground, stroking his hair before straightening to look at Matthew. "Jonathon... What are you doing? Won't you please take that necklace off? We can't be together if you don't. Please, my love."

Kiku's eyes widened. "That's it, the necklace! Use the necklace against her!"

"Alright! Nice thinking, Kiku!" Gilbert took off at a full run towards Josephine, hitting his brother's body with his full weight. The two fell to the floor, Gilbert pinning Josephine down. "I hope you didn't make the mistake of thinking I wouldn't hurt Ludwig just because he's my brother."

"Get off of me you brute!" Josephine grabbed Gilbert's arms and winced, releasing him immediately. It hurt... It hurt to touch him!

Gilbert ripped his necklace off, smirking. "Go back to hell where you belong!"

Josephine gave him a panicked look and tried to push him off. Undaunted, Gilbert gave his brother a good punch on the jaw then threw his necklace around his neck. Josephine let out an ear-splitting shriek, clawing at the necklace before she was abruptly forced from the body. Her form, weak and nearly transparent, trembled a few feet away looking at Gilbert hatefully. Matthew and Alfred's cellphones crackled loudly and the room creaked so loudly it almost sounded like the beams might break. Then just like that she disappeared. There was the faintest sobbing from the phones and then they went dead.

It did not take Matthew long to throw off his stupor and run to Alfred's side. "A-Al!"

He hastily loosened and removed the noose, fingers shaking so badly he could hardly control them, tugging at the rope until it fell then throwing it as far away as he could. He quickly pressed two fingers to Alfred's throat and sobbed with relief when he felt the faint pulse of his heartbeat. Matthew pulled him close and rocked him. "Alfred, oh God, Alfred. Please wake up. Please?"

Kiku glanced back as Arthur came up the stairs. "Ludwig was possessed by Josephine. It seems she was intending to hang-"

For the first time Kiku's resolve seemed to truly be shaken and he covered his mouth, turning away for a long moment. Arthur waited patiently as he took deep breaths before turning back around. "T-to hang him. So that they could be together. But when Matthew came in she also called him Jonathon. It distracted her and Gilbert was able to use his charm to expel her from Ludwig's body."

They looked over at Gilbert, who had Ludwig's head cradled as he slapped his face. "Wake up, stupid. Come on already. Who do you think you are, sleeping beauty? Come on, Luddy just open your eyes!"

Kiku shook his head slowly. "This... this is very bad."

Arthur didn't need to be told that. He claimed the flashlight, which Gilbert had dropped as he rushed into the fray against Josephine. Kiku went to kneel beside Alfred, slipping his own necklace off and putting it around the other's neck. Alfred needed it far more than he.

It was a few minutes, both being encouraged by their siblings, before either of them finally regained consciousness. Ludwig was the first, his eyes opening sluggishly. "Gil...?"

No amount of bravado could hide how relieved Gilbert was. "About damn time, jerk. I thought you were going to sleep the rest of the night. What kind of idiot are you, getting yourself possessed by some woman? You were totally macking on Alfred and you will be old and gray before you live that down."

Ludwig frowned then tried to sit up, needing Gilbert's assistance to do so. "Alfred, is he...?"

"He's alright," Kiku said softly. Matthew was still rocking him, speaking so softly none of them could hear the words. "Unconscious, but alright."

Ludwig sagged in relief. "Thank goodness. I was... A part of me was aware but I didn't know exactly what she was using my body for at any given time. I... I could feel... It was eerie. She's so lonely. It hurts. It-"

"Stop it! You're seriously freaking me out, Ludwig!" Gilbert smacked his back sharply.

"Sorry." Ludwig rubbed his forehead. "More than anything she's desperate. It's horrible and even frightening. She also... Josephine can barely tell the difference between Alfred and Matthew. They... It has nothing to do with their looks. Something about them... feels the same. If that makes sense."

"Maybe because they're twins?" Arthur suggested.

Ludwig shrugged. "I don't really know."

Gilbert looked over at the twins, both of which seemed removed from the conversation. "So what, she's going to pick the one she thinks is more like that deadbeat husband of hers?"

"No." Ludwig's voice was suddenly shaking. "No. She doesn't know which one is the right one so she intends to kill both of them. Sh-she wants them both to hang because that's the way she died and... And she thinks that will make her less directly involved in their deaths. She... She needed to possess me because I'm the only one strong enough to support their weight properly."

Ludwig brought his knees up and pressed his forehead to them. Gilbert put an arm around his shoulder as an unsettling silence blanketed them.

There was a low moan and Matthew straightened. "Al?"

"Mm... Mattie...? I had such a bad dream. I..." Alfred opened his eyes and looked at all of them, expression shifting from confusion to dread. He let out a whimper. "It wasn't a dream."

Matthew hugged him tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay! What happened?"

Alfred hugged him back weakly. "I... I was waiting for Ludwig to return because he wanted to check something and... then he... It was Josephine and she was Ludwig but..."

He suddenly flinched as his eyes ran over Ludwig. Matthew rubbed his arm reassuringly. "It's alright. Ludwig is himself again."

"M-mm... I, well I mean... She... she- I thought it was Ludwig and he asked for my necklace and I thought it must be a really big deal if Ludwig was asking, you know? And I didn't want him to get hurt or anything so I threw it over. But then he walked right past it and up to me because it was actually Josephine and she had tricked me."

Alfred paused, body starting to tremble. "Then... then she started saying all this stuff like... like we would always be together because I promised. And like, asking if I- er, Jonathon had left because she had kept losing the babies and... and eventually I realized what had happened and the next thing I know Ludwig—or Josephine, I guess—was kissing me. And then I passed out."

"My god... you really did make out with him, Ludwig!" Gilbert smacked his brother sharply on the back again.

"Cut it out!" Ludwig sat up further, face flushing slightly. It was much more like him and made everyone feel a little more at ease.

"F-first kisses from ghosts possessing people don't count," Alfred stated softly but firmly.

"Oh man, you were each other's first kiss and everything!" Gilbert cackled wildly. "Now you can claim you're such a good kisser you knock people out!"

Ludwig elbowed him. "Shut up!"

Alfred looked around again. "What... what are we doing up here?"

There was another uneasy silence and the somewhat lighter atmosphere disappeared completely. Kiku cleared his throat. "Josephine... she brought you here."

"Why?" Alfred got very creepy thoughts out of some bad B movie of being sacrificed or seduced by Josephine. He couldn't decide which was more frightening.

"It doesn't matter," Matthew said softly, trying to be comforting. "You're safe and that's all that-"

"No," Ludwig broke in, voice loud and insistent. "He deserves to know exactly what sort of danger he is in. Josephine brought you up here so that she could hang you."

All of the color that had returned to Alfred's face immediately drained back out. "H-hang...?"

"You don't have to scare him more than he already is!" Matthew snapped.

"Ludwig is right," Arthur cut in. "He does have a right to know. And you should keep it in mind as well, Matthew. She intends to do the same to you."

Gilbert scoffed. "You know, Artie, you make yourself sound so wise and calm. Yet isn't it your fault they're here? Alfred didn't want to come and Matthew sure as hell didn't want either of them to go. It was only at your coaxing that they're in this predicament to begin with. Maybe you're working with the ghost?"

Arthur gave him a sharp look. "How dare you accuse me of such a thing? I will do everything in my power to make sure everyone gets out of here safely. If you want me to acknowledge the fact that I made a horrible mistake, I am more than happy to do that. Are you satisfied now?"

Kiku spoke up before anymore hurtful things could be thrown around. "Please! Stop fighting! Our best chances of getting out safely are if we all work together. We have enough to worry about with Josephine attacking us. We hardly need to be attacking each other."

Arthur and Gilbert looked away, neither looking inclined to apologize. Kiku continued. "We do not know when Josephine will regroup so perhaps we should concentrate on doing that ourselves."

Ludwig crossed his legs. He was starting to feel much more collected as the aftereffects of having Josephine control him started to wear off. "It was very strenuous on Josephine to possess me. Her control was already starting to weaken when Gilbert arrived. I think that blow with the charm did a lot of damage to her. It... seemed to hurt her, anyway."

"And you were all doubtful about it. Speaking of which, give mine back." Gilbert held his hand out expectantly.

"No." Kiku shook his head. "There are only three of them left and they are being worn by the ones who need them the most. Alfred and Matthew, neither of you should take those off for any reason. Ludwig should also wear one because clearly he is Josephine's main target for possession."

Gilbert was more than a little annoyed by this. "But-!"

"Kiku makes a good point. Or do you want to see your brother possessed again?" Arthur raised an eyebrow at him and Gilbert made a nasty face. "Then it's settled. Do you think we should move or shall we rest here?"

Ludwig cleared his throat. "I... It seems the possession took a lot of out of me, too. I feel very weak. I can move if it's necessary but resting here a few moments would..."

He was clearly embarrassed. Kiku's eyes flickered up to the ceiling, to the beam where Josephine had hung herself. "I feel uneasy being so close to the place of her death. But if she was really worn out then we most likely have a chance to rest as well. How does Alfred feel about it?"

Alfred and Matthew had been so quiet up until then that everyone had almost forgotten their presence. Now they all turned to look at the two for a reaction. What they found was Alfred sobbing silently, face pressed against Matthew's shoulder. Matthew mouthed words of comfort into his hair, rubbing his back slowly. Neither seemed even vaguely aware of the others.

Arthur cleared his throat. "Their cellphones usually crackle when Josephine is active. It should be warning enough. As soon as Ludwig feels up to it or once we hear that sound, we'll start heading back downstairs. I agree that it's probably best to get away from this room as quickly as possible."

Gilbert grabbed the back of his brother's neck and shook him lightly. "Slowing us down, now. Oh well, at least you aren't a sobbing mess."

"He's really afraid," Ludwig said softly.

Kiku nodded. "Alfred has had a very intense fear of such things as long as I have known him. Can you imagine being confronted with that which is most terrifying to you?"

"I confront it every time I see Luddy's face. Ow!" Gilbert rubbed his rib as Ludwig elbowed him again but didn't move away from his side. "Okay, I guess I'll cut him some slack as he's the target of a murderous psychotic bitch who thinks they're married. Oh hey, it's like that weird Russian guy and his little sister!"

Gilbert snickered but it soon petered out. Everyone else's mood was too heavy and weighted down his attempts at humor. The occasional audible sob from Alfred only seemed to drive home the bleakness of the situation.

They waited, resting and reflecting on their own personal thoughts. Each little creak or groan sent a shiver through their hearts. How long did they have before Josephine would resume her assault? And how were they going to escape this place before she could claim either one or both of the twins' lives?