This idea came to me at a very random time, during Geometry class, I think. It takes place after the "Leave Ending" in Silent Hill 2, when James finally realizes what he's done, 'forgives' himself, and promises Mary in her last few moments that he will run away with Laura and adopt her as his daughter-in-law. I'm sure many people have thought if they've gotten this ending or heard of it - whatever DID happen to James? Nothing is for sure. Nothing is confirmed. I was just thinking of possibilities, and came up with this...it's a rather short piece, but nonetheless, I'd still love reviews.

"If you ReaLly want to sEE Mary, you shOUld just DiE.

But You mIght be hEadiNg to A diffErent place than MARY, James."

-- Neely's Bar, Alternate

I can't really describe it. It's like…like a drug. An addiction. Something's holding me in this town…no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to get myself to leave. What's holding me back? I don't…I'm not even sure I want to stay.

"So where are we going?" James turned his head towards the voice of a child, innocent eyes looking up to him out of pure curiosity. This little girl, he thought. This little girl is so guiltless, and yet…she could not be hidden from certain things. James knew his past did not only affect himself. Laura…I wish I had your eyes.

The fog was still as present as ever, not only floating amongst the air they breathed, but also lingering in the depths of his filth-ridden mind. After all that had happened, he knew he'd never be the same again. His life had somehow become like water, but it was the murky kind of water no one wants to drink, or even wash their dirty clothes in. He'd tried to help. He'd given all his efforts to save others in hope that he'd cover up the unforgiving mistake he had made, but somehow, all of it had gone completely wrong. Eddy, a young man tortured all his life, finally was brought down by the only friend he probably could have had. James tried to take the knife away from Angela—but he couldn't take away the fire. And Maria…ah, Mary…

Now he only had Laura, which to say the least, made him rather lonely.

He felt a tug on his the bottom of his green jacket. "I'm hungry. Where are we going?" Laura repeated, complaining like most young people do when they're not being paid attention to. James had other things on his mind—food was nothing special to him anymore—and so he merely shrugged, staring blankly around the street they walked along. "Away." He murmured simply. "Away from the hotel…away from everything." He had, at times, felt an impulse to turn around and run for the hotel again, it was true. Everything was there, and then again, nothing. The tape, their room, their memories…all destroyed. Nothing but ashes. But they were still there. He wanted to watch it one more time. Just one more time, he begged the town, just once. It replayed over and over in his head, but in moments of doubt he couldn't help thinking it was all just his imagination. Had this really happened? Was it all over? …Had he in fact killed an actual human being? Two?

He shook his head, trying to rid of these bewildering thoughts. An infection, a disease. That's what he had. He looked back down to Laura. "Would you like to get something to eat?" Might as well stop for a rest. He could walk on forever, off the face of the earth and never notice, but he knew Laura definitely wasn't willing to, and he couldn't just leave her here. He thought he'd known this town—he'd been here before, but it seemed as if the exit had just…moved. He couldn't find the way out. Did he want to find the way out?

"Well, duh," remarked the little brat, turning and pointing up at a familiar sign. "Let's go here! They've got some really good pizza!" And she took off, opening the entrance door to a building called "Pete's Bowl-O-Rama" and disappearing inside. James slowly followed from behind. He didn't need to run anymore. The monsters he'd so bountifully seen before had vanished, surprisingly, as if sucked into an enormous black hole he'd dug himself.

He felt like a wandering corpse as he made his way to the main hall where the bowling rows were located and the tables set in lines. Laura had already grabbed herself some food and was settled down in the same chair he'd seen her in before. Across from her lay the untouched box of pizza, where a few large bites had been taken hours, maybe even days before. He had no way to track the time.

"I thought I'd forgiven myself. I thought I was clean," he mumbled, staring at Laura, but not really speaking to her. He took the seat opposite of her, avoiding the box and not even bothering to touch it. What could he say to her? She wouldn't understand…that's why she couldn't see. Was this all just a game to her?

"What'd you say?" Laura lifted her head, chewing obnoxiously as she scrunched up her face in puzzlement. She leaned on the table, bored, her eyes drifting to try to find something to do. "When are we gonna leave this town? Go somewhere else?"

James jerked out of his dreamy state, a bit startled she had asked such a question. She was going to ask it sooner or later anyways, he figured, but he didn't know how to answer. He felt something in this town was calling him. "Soon."

"When's soon?" she prodded, crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes into a glare. "You said 'soon' before, too. You keep saying that but we never leave." She waved a hand in front of his face, her brows raised. "Hello? I'm tired of this town! Let's go somewhere else. It's your job to take care of me and you're not doing a very good job!" She always liked to guilt him into things, but this time, he wasn't quite sure it worked. "Jaaames!"

"Soon," he repeated, firmly. "Right now I'm just trying to find a way out of the town. We still haven't come across one yet." She looked at him, a bit confused, as if he was some kind of fool speaking nothing but nonsense.

Something's calling…

"Just give me time, all right?"

But what?

His mind seemed to go white, a void of vacant paper waiting to be written on. Getting to his feet, James turned to leave. He glanced back over his shoulder briefly at the bemused, blond girl, and sagged his shoulders in a shrug. "I'll be right back, all right? Bathroom. Don't go anywhere while I'm gone, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," Laura had left her half-eaten greasy pizza and went to go explore the bowling aisles to see if there were any stray balls or pins left from a previous game—which, he noted, had probably not been played too recently.

He made his way out of the main area, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket, his eyes searching for the bathroom. Finally, he spotted the almost-hidden door, way in the back and the Men sign rusted. The door opened easily and he entered, shutting it behind him silently, carefully.

Slowly, he walked over to the mirror and gazed fixedly at the reflection, which glared back just as intently. The mirror was dirty, stained, although he could see his image clearly, and all of what was behind him, although he hardly paid any notice to that. From his jacket, he gently took out a crumpled piece of paper, opening it and trying to straighten out the aging wrinkles that seemed to wear it like a coat. He read the words under his breath, a letter—a message. A letter from Heaven, he could almost conclude.

He forced his head back up, his eyes directly to the mirror. The twin on the other side of the glass stared back at him questionably.

A letter from Heaven.

He could not leave.

"…Mary…could you really be in this town?"