Thanks for the reviews! Sorry for taking such a long time updating this, I had to change my plot a bit.

Oh yeah, free sandcastles to Sazzy, Nicole, Sarah and deathofreek :-)

Not much happening in this chapter, but I think Doc needs a time out from all the excitement that he's had so far, right?

On to the chapter.

After a relatively quiet dinner (on my part), I went up straight to my room. I was glad that no one noticed my lack of contribution to the conversation, mostly due to Jake being late and Brad's refusal to clean the dishes, saying that he had cleaned it during lunchtime.

Sitting down at my desk, I picked up my schoolbooks, fully intending to do the essay for English even though it was due in two weeks. I had already done my other homework, and there wasn't any reason not to complete my essay especially since I have the time.

It took me a few minutes to realize that there was no way I could concentrate on the essay after everything that has happened today. The eclipse, meeting Jesse, going to Sean's house, talking to Karen…

I snapped close the books and made my way to the closet. I think a shower will clear my head.

After showering, I sat again at my desk, but proceeded to turn on my computer instead. By this time, the website that Ryan has set up should have gotten some response. Based on the photos that we had uploaded, I think the shots turned out great. After the webpage has loaded, I saw that the website already has 452 hits. I smiled and opened a new Word document before typing in more detailed, the stages of the eclipse as I saw it this morning, glad to have something to do to take my mind off other, possibly painful matters.

As I was almost finishing, I heard a knock on my door. I called out to enquire who it was, and a voice told me it was Suze.

I quickly cleared some clothes and books from my bed and from the floor, dumping them on the bedside table. Then I went to open the door.

"Hey," she greeted me, smiling a little.

"Hey Suze. Is there something you need?" I asked.

She said, "Is it okay if I come in? I need to tell you something."

I opened the door wider, allowing her to come in and sat at the edge of my bed. I sat on the chair, facing her.

Suze leaned forward a bit and said in a low voice, "Sean visited me again just now. Apparently the toy car is not the reason why he's still here. Now he wants me to look into his daughter's college fund or something, but I told him I couldn't do anything until Monday because the bank is closed tomorrow. It is, right? Closed?"

I was processing the information she gave me before I realized that she was asking me a question. I quickly nodded. "Yeah, the bank is closed on Sundays."

We looked at each other in silence for a while, before Suze spoke up.

"So…this must have been a little difficult for you to take in, all these ghost stuff?"

I shrugged. "It was at first, but if you can handle it, so can I. And besides, Jesse and Sean seemed nice."

She laughed shortly. "Well, Jesse is nice, but you're lucky that the first ghost visitor you met used to be a police officer. It wouldn't have been nice to meet a particularly violent ghost, especially one who killed herself just because her boyfriend doesn't want to –"

She stopped herself when she saw my expression, which I guessed must not have been too pleasant.

"Have you encountered a lot of violent ghosts?" I asked, feeling a little disturbed by this revelation.

"A fair few. Especially back in Brooklyn. Then again, I haven't been here long enough to be visited by many of them."

"So what do you do when you meet them?"

She shrugged. "I help them to…move on. By any means possible. Usually they leave something behind that needed to be done, like Sean. Once whatever that they need to do is done, they'll move on."

"And you've been doing this on your own?" I asked, feeling even more disturbed.

"Well, yes. But I've had help here in Carmel, thankfully." She smiled.

"You mean Jesse?"

For some reason Suze paused. "Of course. Jesse."

"You haven't met any other mediators?"

She was quick to answer this time, shaking her head. "Nope, not at all."

I paused to ponder this. "Why do you think he hasn't moved on?"

She sighed. "I don't know. It's a lot harder if someone who has a family dies suddenly, because his business could be not just about him, but also about his wife and kids. I mean, if he hasn't written a will to determine what should be done in case he should ever –"

I was shocked. "Jesse has a wife and kids?"

She looked back at me in surprise. "Jesse? Of course not! At least, I don't think so…no, no, he doesn't. What makes you think that?"

"You're the one who said it."

"I was talking about Sean," she said incredulously.

"I was asking about Jesse," I clarified, shaking my head.

"Oh…okay. Jesse. Well, I don't know why he hasn't moved on. I think it must have been something to do with the way he died, but he has never given me anyinfoon that. So I basically stopped trying to help him move on."

"Have you asked him about it?"

"I did. But he wasn't too interested on talking about his death." She paused, then brightened up. "Hey, maybe you can ask him about it."

"I can," I agreed. "But don't you think it is an advantage having him around to help you handle other violent ghosts?"

Suze looked reluctant, but admitted that it was true. "But I can't stop him from moving on if it is his time. And don't worry, I'm used to working alone anyway."

I smiled. "Maybe you won't be alone. I can help you."

She returned my smile. "I appreciate that."

As Suze got up to leave, I decided to ask her the question that has been in my mind. "Suze, if a ghost has moved on after finishing the thing that he needs to do, can he come back again to do another thing?"

She sat back down, looking puzzled. "What do you mean?"

I struggled to explain, feeling my heart starting to beat faster. "Well, you said a ghost moves on when he has finished whatever he needs to do. So can he come back if there's another thing that he has to do?"

She thought about this for a while. "Honestly, I don't think so. Usually after a person dies, he or she becomes a ghost for the sole purpose to finish their incomplete tasks. Only after all that are done will they move on. And once they move on, they'll finally be at the place where they're supposed to be, and it's unlikely that they will return as a ghost again."

I nodded, a heavy feeling in my stomach. "I see."

Suze stared at me. "What's this about, Do- David?"

"Nothing. I'm just curious. You know how I am." I tried to smile, but I couldn't shake off the gloom I was sinking into.

"Is this about…your mom?" She whispered cautiously.

I wanted to deny it, but I knew there was no point. Already I could feel my eyes stinging, and I blinked them rapidly. Looking up at Suze, I said quietly what I've wanted to say ever since Suze came to my room and told me that she met my mom.

"I just want to see her again, even for one time. Just for one time."

Then I felt the tears forming in my eyes, and I looked down to my hands, feeling my face heat up in embarrassment. I couldn't believe I was crying in front of Suze again.

I felt her standing beside my chair, her hand patting my back. "It's okay, Doc. It's okay."

I wiped at my eyes. "I just wished that this…ability to see ghosts had come a few weeks ago, when my mom was here. I could have seen her then, and talked to her. I just…I missed her."

Suze sat back on the bed, facing me. I looked at her, and she said, "Look, I know this might not sound much, but there must be a reason why it didn't happen the way you wished it to be. Maybe if you see your mom again, it'll be much harder for you to move on and accept the fact that she cannot stay with you forever. It will only bring back all sorts of memories…and you'll probably end up hurting."

Sniffling, I asked, "Do you feel that way with your dad?"

Suze didn't say anything for a while. "Yes, I suppose. The day he moves on…I don't really want to think about that."

I nodded. "I hope you don't think that I don't like your mom, it's just that…"

"No one can replace your mom, I understand." Suze smiled slightly. "No one said you have to replace your mom with my mom. Your mom will always have a place in your life, just like my dad has a place in mine, along with your dad."

"Thanks, Suze," I said, meaning it. I felt like a weight has been lifted considerably from my shoulders, and the pain that was in my heart was slowly subsiding.

"Don't mention it," she smiled, getting up to leave again. As she reached the door, something occurred to me.

"Suze?"

"Yeah?" She half-turned towards me.

"Did you call me Doc again?"

She sighed. "Oh, what the heck. Yes, I did. I nicknamed you after one of the dwarfs in Snow White, okay? Remember one of the dwarfs is called Doc?"

I felt a little surprised, even disappointed by this. I thought she had meant that because she thought I would make a good doctor someday or something pertaining to that. Wait a minute…

"Is the dwarf called Doc the wise one?"

"Yeah. Why else do you think I call you that?" She rolled her eyes and left my room.

I grinned at the door she just closed.