A/N Hi guys! Been a bit, but work's been gettin' to me. Anyways, I saw the first episode of the Ghost and Molly McGee and I just couldn't resist this story idea! I hope you guys enjoy this one shot!

R&R!

Promise Me

In the world of ghosts they had but one rule: the purpose of a ghost was to spread as much misery as they could in whatever little part of the world they ended up finding themselves in.

Scratch knew this fact well. After all, he had been haunting the small town of Brighton for centuries at that point. Always lurking in the shadows, always watching from afar as the living spent their days building, creating, imagining a better world; while he had come up with every way possible to set them back- to challenge them and build them up.

A ghost's job was not, however, to get involved with humans. Despite what one may assume, ghosts do well not to let themselves step too far out of line. Scratch however, didn't really care about that stuff much. After all, so what if he scares a human or two? It's no skin off his bones, right?

At least, that's what he would have said before he met… her.

There is a level of irony that cannot be lost when one thinks of them: they were human once. At one point they too were building, creating, imagining just as those living do, Scratch was no different.

Truth be told, it had been decades since he had allowed those thoughts to fill his mind. He had a job to do and by God or whoever creator had made their cruel reality he was going to do it to the best of his ability! And yet… when he first saw her…

No, he could not let them invade his mind.

He could not let her… allow him to fall again.

Alice…

The name echoed through Scratch's mind. As much as he wished to say that he had put the curse on her out of anger, in reality it had been an excuse. The "curse" for lack of a better term was nothing more than a "please take me with you" spell.

"Please, promise to take care of her…" her words echoed.

They say that ghosts are the souls of those with unfinished business. And if you asked him, Scratch would… not disagree with that assessment.

As he watched Molly run off to school and "drag" him along. She reminded him of her: a young girl full of energy going on to build a better future.

"I promise you Martha, I'll do my best no matter what. I'll watch over Alice all the days of her life…"

Scratch hated lying like that.

But as she jumped and played, he felt himself wander back to that day. The words he spoke and laced in red ribbon, he remembered the jokes and silly faces he shared with her and the child he cradled as she passed on.

Molly McGee was so much like her. His little wonderland.

Fate is a strange thing ya know?

It had been years since he had felt so much joy in a hug. If anyone ever cared to ask him what he thought the greatest joy in life was, he would answer: "a sincere hug from a child".

A joy that outgrew him one day.

He could still feel the soft summer heat as helped her pack her belongings; her words of reassurance as she climbed into her car and drove off towards her bright, though unknown, future.

And it was on that day he broke that promise.

Ask Scratch how it happened and he could never answer. His foggy memories eluded him, though his mind had been plastered by the image of a young, blonde woman and sincere hug.

He hated hugs… at least that's what he told himself.

Being dead was a bit of a downer at first, but eventually he just threw himself into his work. After all, better to wallow away on earth than to have to face them if he were to pass on.

At least… that's what he thought.

Until the day she entered his life. Her scarlet-black hair contrasted with the soft blonde he had grown accustomed to, though with the same life that he had once held in his arms.

"Maybe… just maybe…" he remembered thinking as he took a haunting form. He had expected her to run away- after all, everyone he had done that too soiled themselves before running away from his… their home.

And yet… this girl… she smiled at him before throwing her arms in a hug so familiar yet so foreign to him.

His "curse" curse was really the last test. Would she really not leave him?

Her ensuing decoration of their home was more than enough reassurance that she would stay… at least for a little while.

"Molly McGee…" tears had filled his eyes- though he quickly wiped them before continuing to heart-heartedly scare her. And so, when he was sure, he had left to tell the council, more out of courtesy than genuine concern.

That night as he rested in the playhouse she had given as a tribute for him, he watched her rest the night away, a soft smile overtaking him.

"Fate rarely gives you another chance, don't waste it."

And so, though he will pretend that he suffers every time he is called, he will always answer, after all:

"Molly McGee, thank you for my second chance."

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A/N Haha what a nice way to start in a new fandom! I thank my friends on the TLH discord server for giving me some feedback on this fic! I hope you guys enjoyed!