Jim and Ellie stood in uncomfortable silence in the living room. Ellie rocked on her heel almost in imitation of Jim. Jim looked at her, it always amazed him what a carbon copy she was of her mother. He tried to see Patrick in her face. Patrick was blond and blue eyed, so his physical image was hidden among Laura's in Ellie. One thing he did recognize in her was Patrick's personality. Ellie could wrap anyone around her finger that she wanted. She could be you best friend and worst enemy at the same time. You fell in love with Ellie and no matter what she did, you wanted to forgive her. Patrick had been the exact same way.

"Have you spoken to mother?" Ellie said a little fear in her voice.

"No, I think it's your responsibility to tell her about California." he sighed, remembering how hard Hollywood had been for the two of them.

"She should be home. I can't get her on her cell either." Ellie sat. She looked exhausted.

"You look tired, something the matter." He sat beside her on the couch. She didn't move away, he took this as a good sign.

"No, I'm fine, everything is fine. I just flew in from California, jet lag." she rubbed her face and arms. Jim knew she was jumpy for a reason. He had seen this before, she needed a fix.

"What are you on, baby. Why do you do this to yourself?" he leaned in toward her, reaching to put his arm around her. She didn't resist. Jim relaxed and hugged her.

"Daddy….." Ellie began to sob. "I can't stop. Then Mom called and said Patrick was gone. I can't stop."

Jim began to rock her. She had not allowed him to get his close to her in 10 years. He kissed her hair and let her cry.

"I'll get you help. You can come back with me. A new start, you need a new start." He released her and held her at arms length. "We need to go talk to your mother."

"I don't know if that's a good idea." she wiped her eyes and looked at him.

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"I don't know if that's a good idea." Ivy said as the group left the bar and headed for the campus.

"Come on it will be great. It's haunted by the ghosts of the serving girls and nuns that died there." Patrick said and tried to imitate the sound a ghost would make. He and Laura paced Jim and Ivy.

"She's fearless." Ivy said

"So is he. I guess they would make a great couple." Ivy said looking at Jim Brass. She thought he was cute. Dark hair, muscular build and a little taller than her.

They approached McQuaid Hall, Patrick and Laura trying doors and finding one in the back open. The pair slipped into the dark building.

Jim and Ivy sat on a bench outside the building.

"That's just like him. He jump and never looks." Jim laughed at his impetus friend.

"Laura loves fun." Ivy responded and laughed. "You play hockey don't you. I think I've seen you play."

"Yeah, you like hockey." this interested him. He worried that Patrick would make a play for Laura before he could and was contemplating following them into the building.

"Love to watch it." Ivy knew what he was thinking. "Hey why don't we go in and scare them. They would never expect it. At least, Laura would never expect me to do anything like that."

She jumped up and ran to the door. Tired of sitting with Jim who was obviously jealous of his friends actions with Laura.

As they wandered around the dark halls, Jim and Ivy became separated. Jim saw a shadow in the hall and waited. He reached out and grabbed as the shadow walked by him.

"Hey." the shadow grabbed him back and started kissing him, arms reaching around him. He ran his fingers through the hair. His tongue tasting her mouth. He felt her body responding to his. He pushed her against the wall and she moved her body against him.

"Jim?" Laura said catching her breath. "Oh my, I didn't think… my goodness."

He responded by picking her up. She wrapped her legs around his torso and he carried he through an open door. He pushed her short skirt up higher and undid his pants. He pushed her against a soft drink machine.

"Don't ….stop….don't …..stop" Laura whispered in his ear.

Patrick was drawn by the noise and hoped he could scare Laura. Ivy had also been drawn by the noise, just as Patrick was near the door, Ivy caught his arm. She knew what was going on in the room. Patrick jumped when Ivy touched him. She put a finger to her lips and led him outside the building.

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Jim went into the study to tell Ivy that he and Ellie were going to check on Laura. He knocked and got no response. He tried the handle it was locked. Jim braced himself and used his shoulder to batter the door into the room.

Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. Ivy was hanging from a timber in the mock Tudor room. A chair knocked over under her. He couldn't believe he and Ellie had not heard the chair fall. He turned and the final shock hit him.

On a chair in the corner of the office sat Laura slumped in a wing chair a phone cord wrapped around her neck.