A/N:

It's Thursday! Thank you to all your kind words and reviews on the previous chapter when I told you about my placing in the TFFA! Love all of you bunches! You guys are the best readers ever!

So, Cetus is at it again, huh? Let's see how they'll handle him this time ;-)

I'm gonna continue putting the disclaimer here just be sure that everyone is aware of where this story originated.

This story isn't 100 % mine. I have transformed it into a story from an interactive story app called Choices and the creators are Pixelberry Studios.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

{Chapter 4}

Janvier tilted his head back and gaped at the sight. "Oh. Bloody. Hell."

"Ol' Nessie's harder to shake than mono," Edward mumbled.

I frowned angrily and yelled at the serpent. "Damn you, Cetus! Why can't you just leave us alone!"

Dark clouds began to gather overhead, and a peal of thunder rang out, prompting another ear-splitting roar.

The full fury of the storm erupted around us. Bright flashes of lightning filled the sky.

Peter held on tightly to his seat. "Yo, I don't think he came to mess around this time!"

"Get us back to the reef!" Garrett yelled over the sound of the storm. "He can't get to us in the shallows!"

Angelique and Janvier struggled to turn the boats, but a dark shape rose to block our path to the atoll.

"Oh god," Benjamin whimpered. "It's his tail!"

"The grinning devil has us trapped!" Angelique cursed from her boat.

Jacorel glared at Cetus with hatred. "Cetus! I swear on my mother's grave, I will cut off your head and mount your skull over my throne!"

A large wave caused us all to scramble to keep our balance in the boats.

"No! My bag!" Kate exclaimed.

Her backpack rolled across the boat and became wedged beneath an oar handle. The light of the Island's Heart streamed through the bag's half-zipped opening.

Cetus's horrible visage turned, drawn by the brilliant light.

Victoria used the momentary calm to boldly face down Cetus from the prow of our boat. "Guardian! I command you to leave this place!"

Her words got the monster's attention, but only appeared to enrage him again.

Garrett and Kate rushed forward to protect her, and Cetus unseeing gaze shifted to Janvier, who was edging closer to the prow.

"Stop him!" Jacorled exclaimed from the other boat. "He has the Heart!"

"What?!" I yelled in shock and whirled around toward the pirate.

Janvier raised the shining half-sphere toward Cetus. "Want this, do you, monster? Then take it!"

With a powerful arm, Janvier threw the Heart at Cetus who opened his maw and swallowed it before disappearing beneath the churning tide.

Benjamin stared at the spot where Cetus had disappeared with wide eyes. "He … ate it?"

"That just happened?" Edward asked with an incredulous expression.

I glared at Janvier angrily. "Janvier, you bastard! Do you have any idea what you just did, you selfish, double-crossing—"

"Plague-eating gut worm!" Angelique finished for me from the other boat.

Janvier crossed his arms. "I did what none of you wallflowers were willin' to do to keep us alive!"

As the thunder crashed and forked lightning hit the waves with loud pops, a piteous cry rose from somewhere deep below.

A hard wave hit the boat, and we all had to hold on tight.

"He's leaving, but the storm's only getting worse!" Leah cried out.

Tremendous waves began sending the boats soaring and falling like roller coaster cars, but our screams were drowned out by the thunder.

"Hang on! Just hang on, everyone!" I yelled, hoping they could all hear me. I grabbed the oars and tried to control the boat as best as I could, and when I looked over to the other boat, Angelique appeared to be doing the same there.

I rowed with all my might in the opposite direction of the tide, and it seemed to diminish the boat's rocking as we continued to climb and descend the waves.

A flash briefly illuminated a cluster of rocks directly ahead of Angelique's boat, and I knew that if I didn't warn them, they'd crash.

"Angelique! Bank left!"

She heard the urgency in my voice and pitched her weight to the side to turn the boat. They narrowly missed the rocks, and I exhaled with a tiny bit of relief.

The danger was far from over, though. Suddenly, the sea turned sideways and fell away.

"Guys, it's a tidal wave!" Peter exclaimed in terror.

Our boat was drawn higher and higher by the towering wall of water, and there was absolutely nothing I could do but stare at the tossing sea that looked like it was more than a mile beneath us.

Suddenly, the wave crested and we went flying through the air. I clenched my eyes shut, and it felt like an eternity before I plunged into the water. I didn't know what was up and what was down, and as my oxygen ran out, the world began to fade.

But then, the piercing light of day filled my eyes, and I felt someone's mouth over mine, blowing air into my raw lungs.

"Come on, Princess. Come back to me, baby."

Edward placed his mouth on mine again and then carefully pumped my chest with the heels of his hands, and I felt the salty water travel up my windpipe, and when it hit the back of my throat, I coughed and it spewed out of my mouth.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Edward breathed out and helped me over to my side. He stroked my back as the last bit of water left my body, and then he wiped away the tears that had started to fall down my face in response to almost drowning … again.

I couldn't even keep count on how many times the ocean had almost become my grave since we arrived on El Jardín.

Carefully, Edward helped me sit up, and I saw the rest of the group huddled around us. Garrett was standing by the shoreline and searched for any sign of other survivors.

"Angelique and Janvier haven't shown up," he said. "Maybe they washed up somewhere else."

Victoria suddenly tilted her head toward the jungle. "Um … do you guys hear that?"

A faint melody came from the rainforest lining the shore.

Someone was playing guitar nearby.

Edward's arms tightened around me as if he felt threatened by the melody. "Sounds like we ain't alone," he said cautiously.

"We should check it out," I said and asked Edward to help me stand up.

"Maybe you should stay here and rest. We can send a few to check it out on their own," he said, obviously not wanting me to strain myself.

I shook my head. "I don't think we should separate right now." I gave him a faint smile. "But if something happens, I'll stay in the background and hide, I promise."

He didn't like it, but he relented with the insistence that I leaned on him while we walked. I didn't complain about that because I still felt shaky.

A short distance away, we found a ruined structure almost completely overgrown with clinging vines. At the center of what must have once been an impressive courtyard, an amphitheater descended toward a small stage.

"I think these are Mayan ruins!" Benjamin gasped in awe. "I learned about them in Pre-Colonial Art History."

The source of the music was a young man sitting against a wall at one side of the stage. He stopped playing when he sensed our presence.

"Hello?" he called out. "Someone else here?" He finally caught sight of us, and he put away his guitar.

"He's kind of cute," Victoria mumbled next to me.

"More than cute," Kate agreed. "He's full-on dreamy."

Edward shook his head at them and his arm around my waist tightened. "Are you kiddin' me? I wouldn't care about his looks right now, ladies. That's a paratrooper kit he's wearing."

Leah nodded. "He's probably got some firearms on him. We'd better watch ourselves."

Garrett narrowed his eyes, which were filled with suspicion. "We should definitely watch ourselves," he said and glared at Kate and Victoria disapprovingly.

The man walked over to a small pot perched atop a campfire and stirred its contents merrily before calling out across the courtyard. "Plenty of room here if you'd care to join my camp."

I hesitated. "He looks suspicious," I said. "Can't say I trust soldiers a whole lot right now." Edward cleared his throat, and when I looked up at him, his eyes were filled with amused question. I rolled my eyes in response. "You know what I mean."

He chuckled quietly, but then got serious again. "We should find out what he's up to," he said.

Victoria huffed. "Oh, come on! Did you guys even hear that song?"

Jacorel nodded. "It was very beautiful."

Garrett shook his head and began walking warily toward the young man. The rest of us trailed behind him.

"Hey!" he shouted, and the man turned to him.

"Hey, mac. Pleased to meet you. I'm James."

"You with Arachnid?" Garrett interrogated harshly.

James looked confused. "Arach … what?"

"Don't try to play dumb, bro," Peter said. "McKenzie give you all this gear?"

"Look, don't snap your cap, pal," James said and held up his hands in surrender. "I don't know anything about any Arachnid or McKenzie." He sighed sadly. "I'm on my own out here. Have been since the Shenandoah got brought down by U-boats."

Edward's eyes widened in shock. "You're sayin' … submarine torpedoes sunk your ship?"

He nodded. "Germans really know what they're doing with those. We got hit in the zero dark hundred and were taken totally unaware."

Victoria took a step forward. "We're stranded on El Jardín, too."

James smirked at her. "Now that sure is a shame. A pretty girl like you must have a lot of friends back home."

She giggled. "Oh, well, heh … actually, all of my friends are here!"

Edward leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Princess, his uniform's downright antique..."

I understood what he was getting at, and I tread carefully with my question. "James, what year do you think it is?"

He shrugged. "Last I saw a calendar, 1941. But there's not much use in keeping track of time here."

"So you are a World War II soldier," Benjamin said. "You were fighting Nazis before it was even cool!"

James looked confused by Benjamin's statement. "Something like that, I guess," he said with a small smile.

"Well, you got my respect," Edward said and held out his hand for James to shake. "Edward Masen, former Navy pilot."

"A flyboy," James said and accepted Edward's hand. "Pleasure." He returned to the pot and resumed stirring.

"So how long have you been here then?" Leah asked.

"Long enough to stop worrying about it," James replied with ease. "Can I interest you all in some chili or do you wanna keep beating your gums all day?"

Emmett grinned. "Dude's unflappable. I like him."

Garrett exhaled sharply and shrugged. "I guess he's alright." He appraised James one last time. "So you really don't know anything about the Arachnid paramilitary outfit? Or Cullen?"

James thought for a second, and then he nodded in realization. "You mean those machine men? Yeah, they've been around." He gestured toward a different part of the fallen structure around us. "I saw a bunch of them come out of the ruins. Looked like they were searching for somebody." He scrutinized us. "Is it you they're trying to find?"

I sighed. "Well, the short answer is … yes."

"Huh," James said in deep thought, but then he brightened up. "You can hide here for as long as you like. There's a vista over a waterfall a few minutes away that's good for scouting."

"Probably a good idea to send a couple people up there to keep a lookout," Edward said, and we all agreed.

James set down the ladle and wiped his hands. "I can show you how to get there."

"You need any help in the kitchen in the meantime?" Emmett asked him and walked over to the pot.

"Sure. More cooks mean more food. There are some mangoes you could slice up in that rucksack," he said and pointed at the bag.

Emmett winked with a grin. "Comin' right up!"

"I wouldn't mind helping to keep watch," Victoria said with a soft smile. "A waterfall sounds perfect right about now. You wanna come, too, Bella?"

I looked at her, and I realized with a start that she had developed such strength during our ordeals that I wasn't the least bit worried about letting her go with James by herself. "You go ahead, Vicky. I'm going to stay here and get some more rest."

"Damn right you are, Princess," Edward said and kissed my temple before helping me sit down.

A breeze wafted by and blew Victoria's hair in her face. James raised a hand and smoothly tucked it behind her ear.

"It's a beautiful view," he told her. "I'm happy to share it with a beautiful gal."

"Oh..." Victoria's cheeks flushed with color and then she smiled. "That's … very kind of you."

"You two have fun being lookouts! I'll take this chili from good to dope!" Emmett called after them as they started up the trail. He lifted the ladle and slurped a small sip of the broth. "Hm, what's in this? I've never tasted anything like it." He took up a jar and squinted at something written on it. Then he gasped. "Brachiosaurus meat?!"

I looked at him in shock. "Wait, we're eating dinosaur?"

Peter puffed his cheeks and exhaled with a goofy grin. "Damn. That's hardcore."

Kate wrinkled her nose. "Ew. I think I'd rather eat grass."

Emmett took another taste. "Actually, this tastes pretty good. Just let me see what I can do." He walked around the campsite and added what few herbs and vegetables James had on hand.

While the rest of us waited, Peter picked up the guitar and clumsily began picking out a melody, but when the rest of us couldn't take more of his playing, Edward took it from him to play instead.

Eventually, James and Victoria returned, both of them grinning ear to ear.

"What is that melody?" Kate asked with a hint of annoyance. "I recognize it from somewhere."

Edward chuckled. "Isn't it obvious?" he asked. "It's 'Over the Rainbow.'"

"Wow," I said in awe. "I had no idea you could play guitar."

He shrugged with a smirk. "Don't be too impressed. It's the only song I can play."

Benjamin laughed. "At least you're better than Peter."

Peter narrowed his eyes. "My rendition of Wonderwall was beautiful!"

James looked into the pot over the fire with a broad grin. "Smells like you've been busy."

"Yup. Would love your feedback, dude!" Emmett handed the ladle to James, who took a hearty sip.

"This is … amazing! How did you get so much flavor in there?" he asked with a surprised expression.

Emmett grinned. "Coconut milk. Also, love. Always cook with love."

James grabbed a few shelled out coconut halves from his rucksack, and Garrett took the ladle and began serving everyone. "Sit down, Em. You've earned it."

When everyone had a bowl, we raised them in a toast to one another and dug in.

"Oh. My. God," Edward said and put emphasis on each word.

"This is the best chili I've ever had," Leah stated in wonder.

Peter had already inhaled his bowl and went back to the pot for seconds. "Buddy's still got his skills!"

Emmett blushed adorably. "Thanks to Grandma … and Bella."

Just then, an eerie noise came out of the ruins. Something between rustling, chattering, and shrieking. A chill crept down my spine.

"I'm not the only one who heard that, right?" I asked and looked around at the others.

"I heard it," Garrett said and looked warily over his shoulder. "What was that?"

"That's just the ghost," James stated nonchalantly.

Kate glanced at him with wide eyes. "Just a ghost?"

Jacorel looked interested. "How auspicious! Has it been here long?"

James shrugged. "I'm not sure. I've tended not to stay in one place for too long."

"So, uh, is this a Casper the Friendly Ghost situation or—" Benjamin said worriedly, and just then, the noise surged in strength and we had to put down our bowls to cover our ears. "Nope. That's definitely a Dementor."

A loud crash came from the trees on the other side of the clearing, and my heart started beating so hard I could feel it in my throat.

"That didn't sound like a ghost," I said nervously. "We should hide."

Everyone scrambled to flatten themselves to the ground or huddle against a ruined wall. I peeked my head out and saw a flash of Arachnid armor. I immediately met Edward's eyes and gave him a small nod to tell him my suspicion had been correct.

He groaned inaudibly.

The soldiers were too busy retreating to even notice the campsite, though. One of them shouted into his com radio. "Squad Beta Commander to Control, we need backup here! Repeat, requesting backup!"

As their footsteps faded, we carefully returned to camp.

"Nope, that is not a friendly ghost," Emmett said and shook his head.

Leah hesitated, though. "Actually … I think it might be."

Edward looked at her warily. "You did see the soldiers screaming like babies, right, Katniss?"

She glanced at me and then pulled out the photo of her family. "Remember the thing that approached me on the beach? What if that spirit is also this spirit?"

Emmett pulled out his Grandma's recipe book. "I hear you. That ghost thing helped me out of a real tight spot."

Garrett rubbed his father's watch on his wrist. "Helped me too. Whatever this spirit is, it's definitely a friend."

"Whether it's a friend or not, if the soldiers are here it probably means Cullen's interested in it," Victoria pointed out.

"Do you think it has to do with the Heart?" Garrett asked her.

"If Cullen wants it, most likely," I interjected.

Edward looked skeptical. "Alright, but how do we keep a ghost out of Cullen's hands?"

"Forget that," Peter said. "How do we get it to talk to us? Offer it a tribute?"

Benjamin brightened up. "On Dia de los Muertos, my abuelita would light candles and make sugar skulls. Would that work?"

Kate huffed. "Do you see any candles or sugar just laying around?"

"We could kill a small animal," Emmett suggested.

I shook my head, feeling very uncomfortable with the subject. "As delightful as that sounds, Arachnid could be back any moment. We don't have time for that."

James waved us all away. "This is too complicated. Why not just walk in and see what we can find?"

"We don't really need your help, but thanks," Edward told him, but it caused Victoria to glare at him.

"Edward, be reasonable!"

Emmett shrugged. "I mean, walking in seems like less work than making it mad. Or killing a squirrel."

"But how do we know this won't end like a horror movie?" Benjamin asked.

"Only one way to find out, right?" I said and plucked up my courage.

"I'm coming, but just so I can say 'I told you so' when we're about to get murdered," Kate said with a less than excited expression.

As we approached the dark doorway at the end of the courtyard, the noise filled our ears again. I clenched my teeth and tried to block it out.

"It's not too late to turn around yet, is it?"

"Come on bro, we don't have time to chicken out," Peter said and elbowed Benjamin in an attempt to encourage him. "Let's just do this before it gets dark."

"You mean like you did at the haunted house sophomore year?" Kate asked him with a grin and winked.

He huffed. "I got no idea what you're talking about! The zombies led me out the emergency exit so I could see the real, hardcore part of the house."

I gently shouldered by Peter and began walking up the steps as calmly as I could, and it caused Kate to chuckle.

"See? Bella's going! You can't not go now!"

Peter grumbled and followed behind me.

As everyone walked through the shadowy doorway, rustling noises seemed to close in around us. A shiver went down my spine, and the hairs stood up on my arms.

"Is it just me, or did it get very cold for a tropical environment?"

"Hey, Spirit Dude," Emmett called out shakily. "Buddy, ol' pal, ol' friend. We're not here to hurt you. Be nice. Please."

"It's a ghost, Em, not a puppy," Kate gritted out, but I could see how terrified she was.

As we made our way down rough, uneven steps, I stumbled and caught my hand on the wall.

"You okay, Princess?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just—" I looked at my hand and it was very bloody. "That's not my blood." I glanced at the wall, and words were written across it in thick swaths of fresh blood.

STAY AWAY

"This is friendly-ghost-speak for 'Hi, be my friend,' right?" Benjamin asked and looked slightly nauseous.

"There's more!" James exclaimed. "Cast an eyeball at this!"

On the opposite wall was another message.

YOU DON'T BELONG HERE

I CAN TASTE YOUR FEAR

Edward looked suddenly doubtful. "What emo punk band is this ghost listening to?"

"Hopefully one that's pacifistic."

"Let's just have a look around and be quick about it," I said uneasily. "We don't know when Arachnid's coming back."

What appeared to be an old fountain filled with dark green water was mounted on a wall to my left, and behind me sat a makeshift shrine covered in bizarre trinkets and dead candles. Another wall was half-destroyed by a large tree.

I was about to walk over to the fountain when something on the shrine caught my eye. I turned and joined Jacorel and Benjamin who were already investigating the collection of trinkets that sat around a wooden idol.

"What is this?" Benjamin inquired.

"Do you remember the religious war that my people fought?" Jacorel asked him. "Some sects believed praying to individual Catalysts would bring them sooner."

With shaky hands, I picked up the tarnished silver pen with an engraving along the side.

Tanya Denise Miller

"This belongs to Tanya!" I exclaimed in shock.

"What?! She was here?" Benjamin asked.

"Perhaps," Jacorel replied and examined the idol closer.

Benjamin looked at the pen. "This pen looks old, Bella. This much tarnish on silver—"

"Nooooo!" Peter suddenly cried out from the other side of the room.

Everyone turned in his direction, and he was stooping inside a narrow alcove. In his arms, he shakily held a skeleton. An unmistakable black and red streak of hair was still attached to its decaying scalp, and all too familiar bracelets dangled from its wrists.

Victoria looked absolutely devastated. "Is that … that can't be Rosalie, right?"

Peter mournfully removed the bracelets from her bony wrists and held them up for everyone to see. His body was shaking. Emmett gasped, and Kate backed away, horrified.

"No..." she whimpered.

"There's writing over here..." Emmett said quietly. "It says, 'You'll be next.'"

Victoria started to cry and Garrett angrily kicked at the tree. Peter just stood there, his face red with rage.

"We had only just … I was going to..." He clenched his fists around the bracelets, for once in his life looking small and defenseless.

"Peter..." Kate tried carefully. Her hand reached out to his shoulder, but he stormed off in rage and punched at the wall.

He let out a roar and punched over and over until his knuckles were raw and bloody.

"Hey man, hold on—" Garrett attempted to pull him from the wall, but Peter pushed him back so hard, he fell on the stones.

"Peter, stop!" I exclaimed, hoping to get through to him. "You need to breathe!"

Peter whipped his head around and glared into the dark recesses of the ruin. "Hey! Ghost! Come out so I can kick your ass!" He beat his fist against another stone when suddenly a loud snap echoed across the plaza.

The floor beneath all of us began to shake.

"Uh, Big Guy … I think you made it angry," Edward said and looked around the room in fear.

Before we could do anything else, the floor sank a foot, and we all screamed in fright and surprise.

"Hang on to something!"

The stone groaned as it somehow pulled apart, and it left us less room to stand on by the second.

"I told you so..." Kate mumbled.

I turned away and grabbed onto the uneven stone bricks of the wall which created sturdy handholds, and then worriedly looked over my shoulder at my friends.

Everyone scrambled up the tree or onto the wall, except Peter, who just stood there as the floor receded.

"Peter, don't be stupid!" Kate yelled at him. "Get to safety!"

Before anyone could stop him, he jumped down into the space under the floor.

"Peter!"

I heard a thud as he landed, and suddenly, the gap in the floor began to close back up again. Kate broke away from the group and scrambled over to the edge.

"What are you doing?!" Garrett cried after her.

"I am not letting him get stuck down there alone!" she replied determinedly, and then she let go of the ledge and disappeared.

"Hold on! I'm coming!" Garrett said and leaped from a tree branch to the sliding floor. He hooked his arms around the edge and swung down.

As Edward helped Emmett down, Benjamin gulped at me. "All for one and one for all, right?"

"Here goes nothing!" I turned against the wall and launched myself into the gap. The stone snapped closed above us and left us all in darkness.

I stumbled and landed in a pile with the others. We all groaned as we tried to detangle our limbs from each other.

"Who's elbow is in my back?"

"I can't feel my arm!"

"This is not an ideal cuddle puddle."

Slowly, we were able to separate and stand back up to look around the dark cavern. A small shaft of light illuminated Peter as he, once again, beat his fists against the wall.

"Come out, asshat! I need to punch you out of existence!"

"Dude, the ghost may not have a corporeal form," Emmett pointed out to him.

"I don't care!"

Garrett's powerful hands seized Peter's upper arms and forced them to lock eyes with each other. "I know it hurts, man. I know. I feel it too. We all do. We all cared about Rosalie. But just take a second. Breathe. Let yourself feel whatever you're feeling."

Peter's bloodshot eyes slowly softened the longer Garrett looked at him. He struggled out of his grasp to collapse on the stone stairs.

I sat down next to him. "Peter, we have to focus," I said, but he didn't like that.

"Screw that, Bella! Rose is dead. Don't you understand?!"

"We're all in shock, Peter," I tried again. "We don't know how to process her death either, but we can't avenge her if we don't survive whatever has trapped us here. Or keep Cullen from getting it."

"Bella's right," Leah agreed somberly. "We're all with you, Peter. We know it hurts, but we need to focus on surviving right now."

Peter slumped to his knees. "I'm just … so tired of never being good enough. I wasn't good enough to get drafted—"

Garrett gaped at him. "Wait, what?"

Peter ignored him. "I wasn't good at school, I wasn't … I couldn't get to Rose fast enough." He shook his head. "It's just … why couldn't it have been me?!" He broke down completely and started to sob, something I'd never seen him do before. "She beat me at everything! She was smarter, cooler, always knew what to do … why is she gone, and a dumb, worthless loser like me still here?!"

Tears spilled from his eyes, and his sobs were the only sound echoing around the cavern.

Benjamin's sudden gasp cut through the silence. He slowly raised a finger at a glowing rock wall. "Is that what I think it is?"

"That's it!" Leah's eyes widened as the same ghostly form we'd seen before approached us.

Peter's eyes followed the bright figure in disbelief. "You! You killed my friend!" He swung at the luminescent figure when it floated down the stairs, but his fist passed through it. "I hate you! I hate you! I—… why isn't it hurting me?"

"Because it's Rosalie?" Kate suggested with uncertainty.

"What?!" Victoria gaped at her.

"Think about it. Who else's spirit would do things to try to help us?" Kate went on.

Garrett nodded. "Of course..."

Peter's face twisted with anguish, though he tried to hide it. "Rose? I'm … I'm so sorry." His voice cracked and his hands almost looked like they were clasped in prayer. "I didn't find you fast enough. I wasn't there when you needed me. I was so sure that you'd be okay, and then I, I..."

The figure didn't react, and Peter's mouth contorted in grief.

"I failed you."

The bright silhouette leaned down and held out a small, silvery ring. Peter turned his eyes to me and gulped hard.

"I don't know what to do. Help me out here, Bella," he pleaded with me.

"Take it, Peter," I encouraged, and Leah, Emmett, and Garrett agreed with me.

Peter reached out and held the ring in his hand. "It's … my class ring. My parents picked this one out a while ago. They were gonna give it to me at graduation." He held it out to show us.

I was suddenly standing on a football field packed with fans. Super Bowl was emblazoned on the grass. The Eagles lead the Rams by four points, and five seconds were left on the clock.

"We can still pull this off," Garrett said. "Peter, can you make a hole for me?"

"All day, every day, bro," Peter grinned.

"Alright, let's do this … 64, 96, Fireball … Hut hut!"

The defensive lineman barreled down toward Garrett, but Peter pushed him hard to the side. "Oh, no you don't!"

Garrett scrambled up the middle and flew past the front line, but two defenders came from the side and began to pull him down.

"I'm open!" Peter yelled.

Garrett lateraled the ball to Peter before he was taken down. Defenders tried to stop him, but he rolled through them straight to the end zone.

"I don't believe it! The Rams win! The Rams win the Super Bowl!"

The field goal flew between the posts, and Peter and Garrett pulled into a tight hug.

"That's what I'm talking about!" Garrett cheered.

Fireworks exploded overhead as they brought out the trophy. Peter and Garrett lifted it aloft and then I was drawn away from the field and into an airy, modern loft office. The guys were putting their game controllers down and high-fived one another.

"You are just as good a lineman in a game as you are in real life, man!" Garrett praised.

Peter chuckled. "Maybe real-life me five years ago. Not a lot of lineman training behind this desk." They shared a laugh as Peter closed the test rig. "For real, bro, thanks for coming in for our cover photo shoot. You've become Touchdown 2021's biggest selling point."

"Anything for you! Just gotta make sure the game only has my good plays in it," Garrett said and winked.

"We literally had to nerf your stats in the game because real life you is OP, dude. I think you're fine."

Garrett glanced around Digital Sports Entertainment's game studio with a small smile. Peter went silent and stared at the photo of the two of them in their college football uniforms which he kept on his desk.

"Hey, G?"

"Yeah?"

"How do you know when you're good enough at what you do?"

Garrett looked surprised. "Where's this coming from?"

Peter shrugged. "Well, you're literally one of the best athletes in the world, Emmett basically owns the Cooking Network … sometimes, I just … don't know if I can keep up, you know?"

"Dude—"

Peter waved it away. "I know, it's dumb."

Garrett gestured at the controller. "You're working on one of the biggest game franchises in the world. You found a life that makes you happy. Honestly, man, I'm really proud of you."

"Really?"

"Since getting this job, I gotta say I feel like you've come into your own. You stopped trying to pull people down, and found something you loved. I think that's awesome."

Peter grinned. "I haven't even told you about CheeseFry-day."

"Let me guess, you get cheese fries on Fridays?"

"It's the best!"

A photographer came up to them. "Alright, Mr. Gayle. We're ready for your shoot. Follow me, please."

Garrett smiled at Peter. "I think that's my cue."

"Yeah, and I got a meeting coming up. But hey—" He clasped a hand on Garrett's shoulder. "Thanks, man. I mean it. I don't know how I would've gotten here without you."

"No, man. This is all you, Peter."

In the blink of an eye, I was back in the cavern with Peter. Everyone was staring at the two of us and the ghostly figure.

"Did you just see—?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I did."

Peter turned to the spirit, who seemed to shine brighter. "I think … I know what she's trying to tell me." Despite his watery eyes, Peter smiled up at the spirit. "Rosie, if it's you, I just wanna say something, before you go." Peter swallowed. "I think I'm in love with you, and I don't know how to stop. I don't think I can." He sighed. "I just started to think that I could be your Player 2..." He cracked again and covered his face in anguish. "I wish I could've stopped this from happening. But I know why you showed me the future. You want me to keep going. So … I'll do my best."

The spirit extended its hand toward Peter and continued to do so as it faded into the wall.

"Goodbye." Peter stifled his tears into his battered hands. Garrett and Kate rushed forward and wrapped their arms around him.

"We're right here, Peter. Right here."

"I'm such a wuss. Why couldn't I..."

As Peter's mutterings trailed off, I heard two soft footsteps, followed by an unmistakable voice.

"Why couldn't you, what?"

Everyone whirled around in shock.

"You're alive!" Victoria exclaimed.

"Then what just..." Leah said as she tried to puzzle together the pieces of everything that had happened.

Peter wiped his eyes and stared at her in disbelief. "Rose? Is that you?"

She looked slightly different. Her hair was shorter and her blonde roots were quite visible. Her clothes were torn and dirty, her piercings were gone, and she had obviously lost quite a bit of weight, but it was definitely Rosalie.

"Peter, did you, uh … mean all that stuff? About me dying?" Even in the dark cavern, I could see the glimmer of tears in her eyes.

Peter bolted forward and pulled her into a tight hug. "It's you! You're not dead! You're really not dead!"

"Peter, you're crushing me," she groaned out.

He set her down, but didn't pull away. "Sorry about that. Actually, not sorry. You're alive!"

Rosalie tried to regain her aloof attitude. "If I do die, you're not allowed to speak at my funeral. That was cheesy as hell."

Peter pressed his lips to hers and held her close.

I grinned. "Should we turn around, or..."

Rosalie flipped a middle finger to us as she passionately returned the kiss. Eventually, they reluctantly broke apart and she appraised him. "I guess it's cool that you're not dead or whatever either."

"Rosalie, you were the ghost this whole time?" I asked her.

She grinned. "Yep."

"The spooky noises? The floor opening up?"

"Speakers, playing sounds on a randomized time interval," she replied, shrugging.

"The blood?" Edward asked cautiously.

"I've had to eat a few squirrels the last few months, and figured the blood was a nice touch."

Emmett blinked. "A few months?!"

Rosalie looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, let's just skip past that part."

"But … the floor!" Kate pressed. "How did you do that?"

"You mean my masterpiece." Rosalie dug out a flashlight and pointed it at the ceiling. A large series of wires and supports rested under each stone square.

I chuckled. "You certainly seemed to fool those Arachnid troops."

"Did they piss their pants this time?" she asked hopefully. "I hope I got it on video."

Victoria spoke, and she was still confused. "I get pretending to be a ghost, but why fake your own death?"

Rosalie shrugged. "Cullen can't kill me if he thinks I'm dead."

"You convinced us," Garrett pointed out.

"Yeah, well." She brushed it off. "You're here. I'm here. It all worked out."

"That still doesn't explain the glowy thing that's trying to give us stuff," Emmett said, and it caused Rosalie to frown.

"Glowy thing? I didn't have a glowy thing."

Edward crossed his arms defensively, the way I noticed he did when he was uncomfortable. "Okay, then … who the hell is Beetlejuice, and why is he coming after us?"

That's when I heard heavy, metallic footsteps coming down the stairs. All of us huddled together protectively, and I turned to see who it was.

"I'm afraid there's something else you need to worry about."

A/N:

Sorry for the cliffhanger, but I have to keep you on your toes somehow to make you come back to me next week, ya know ;-)

Cetus ate the Heart :-O Do you think that will have consequences? In that case, which kind?

Bella should stay out of the water. She always almost ends up drowning. She's damn lucky Edward is always there to save her.

James has joined our little gang. What do you think? Is he telling the truth? Can he be trusted? Remember to not judge him by other stories standard. Only judge him from what you've read of him here, key? :-P

We thought Rose was dead there for a second, but she's not, and she'd been on her own for months? What the hell is up with the time loop?

All of them are back together again, except Tanya who is still with Alistair and Cullen, but who was that coming down the steps of the cavern?

Give me your thoughts, please! I live for them :-*

Until next week,

Stay Awesome!