A/N: More Albel and Fayt! Unfortunately, the lovely authoress/directress can't open her mouth all the way or bring her teeth together…I have jaw problems because of my wisdom teeth pulled…so all I can do is drink liquids and write. XD And that makes a girl love to torture Albel and make him OOC. XD

Disclaimer: Not yet…not yet…almost have it. –pounces- Aww, I missed. I still don't have Albel and Fayt. :(

Their reunion had been brief but happy. Fayt had been sitting on the porch, but he happily jumped up to hug Albel when he saw him. Fayt had not changed much in three years. His hair was a little longer and he was a little taller, but he was still the same Fayt. However, Albel had changed a lot, both physically and mentally, even though Fayt seemed not to notice.

Albel snuck a glance at Fayt out of the corner of his eye. They were both inside a house that hadn't been lived in for three years. Fayt had come prepared with flashlights since the widows were boarded up. It was dark and gloomy inside, even though it was 10 a.m. The furniture was all covered with white sheets and a layer of dust and cobwebs on top.

Fayt happily told Albel how he had been glad the realtor called him so he could come back to his old house, how glad he was to see Albel again and be in the old neighborhood. He didn't seem to notice Albel's silence.

Albel was certainly glad to see Fayt again, but he was anxious at the same time. He wondered if he could keep his secrets safe from Fayt even for one night. Fayt was awfully perceptive. Albel rubbed a finger absently along his wrist, right above his scars. If only Fayt didn't find out…

"hey, Albel?"

Albel nearly jumped as he tugged his sleeve down self-consciously before whirling around to face his friend.

Fayt smiled at Albel, completely missing the other boy's tense expression. "Would you mind helping me take the sheet off the couch so we can have a place to sit?"

Relieved, Albel relaxed. "Sure thing, Fayty."

Fayt grinned in delight. 'I remember now. That was your old nickname for me since I was so short. Now I'm almost as tall as you."

"Hmn," Albel muttered, dragging off the plastic sheet.

Fayt happily wandered around the room, touching picture frames and sculptures, reliving memories from his past. Albel sat down on the couch and glanced at the phone on the coffee table next to it. It was already nine years old, but it was still nicer than the one at Albel's house. Well, some people had all the-

The phone rang shrilly. "Oh shit!" Startled, Albel jumped up and backed away. "No one's lived here for three years," he muttered worriedly.

'Calm down," Fayt said cheerfully. "It's probably just the realtor wanting to see if her house key worked." He brushed dust off the phone and lifted the receiver. "Hello?"

Instead of Mrs. Traydor's high feminine voice, a raspy male voice answered him. "Hi, kid. How are you?"

Fayt frowned. "Who is this?"

"What? It hasn't been that long, has it? Fayt, don't you recognize me? I'm your father."

"No you're not," Fayt said firmly. "He's-"

"Dead, yes I know. Lucky for me, Heaven has a direct line to Earth so I could check up on you."

Fay was beginning to be slightly disconcerted. "Who are you?" he demanded. "How did you get this number?"

"Look, son. It's like I said-"

Albel gave Fayt a puzzled look. Fayt pointed to the cordless phone in the other room and motioned for Albel to go get it. Albel grinned and crept along noiselessly and carefully lifted the phone to his ear.

"Nice to hear from you again, Albel."

"Holy shit!" Albel yelped, nearly dropping the phone. He did a complicated juggling move that allowed him to at last catch the phone. He raced out to the other room.

"Fayt, he sounds just like you're old man," Albel hissed.

"I know." Fayt sighed irritably. 'That's who he claims to be."

"I'm pretty sure I believe him," Albel admitted.

Mr. Leingod chuckled. "Well, boys, how long has it been, a few years? I have plenty of catching up to do. Albel, are you still on the varsity baseball team?"

"That was in high school," Albel said quietly.

"Oh, that's right!" Mr. Leingod said delightedly. "You boys have finally graduated." His voice became sad. "I'm sorry I missed your graduation, Fayt."

"It's not your fault you died. You were sick," Fayt said softly.

"Well, anyway, are you boys in college?"

"Fayt is," Albel said quickly.

"Good for you, Fayt. I always knew you would make it. But, Albel, you should be there with him. You're a smart boy."

"Not smart enough," Albel said bitterly. "I'm lucky I graduated high school. I had a baseball scholarship, but then I had to pull a ligament and get kicked off the team. I wasn't motivated after that. The scholarship was my only hope. My grades just aren't good enough for college."

"A shame," Fayt's father mused. "What a waste of talent." A silence fell between the three. Fayt was the first to break it.

"Why have you decided to call now? You could have called me at Uncle Wesley's house."

His father sighed heavily. "Well, although I'm glad you're finally living in the old place again, I must warn you-"

"Whoa, hold on. Who said anything about living here? We're just looking over a few personal items before the house is sold."

"But you must stay!" Mr. Leingod cried. "You can only win by staying here."

"Win what?" Albel asked warily.

"You remember those cranky neighbors across the street, don't you, Fayt?"

"Yeah, but-"

"They used to live here. You were only two when they had to move out. Some kind of financial trouble. Anyway, we bought the place from them. Later on, they made enough money and tried to get the house back, but we weren't interested in selling. They took the house across the street and nursed a grudge ever since."

"They died a few months before you," Fayt whispered, his mouth dry.

"Exactly. They killed me off somehow. They then had the place to themselves since you had to be sent to a relative. But lucky for us, some crazy bastard wants to but this old place and you came back. Now is your chance."

"To do what?" Fayt asked tiredly. He glanced over at Albel.

Albel had wandered over to an old mirror mounted on the wall and as he reached out to touch it, something sinister moved in its depths. Albel recoiled in shock. "Shit! What's that doing in there?"

Mr. Leingod sighed. "Is that the only word you know, Albel? You used to have such good vocabulary."

"But I saw someone in the mirror!" Albel protested. "It was a scary-looking old lady."

"Ah, yes, Ethel Rodaime. I told you they were here. Now listen to me, you are both in grave danger. Ethel and Edward are willing to kill you to keep the house."

"We weren't planning on staying," Fayt said nervously. "We'll just leave tomorrow."

"No you won't. The house will be sold and that poor bastard will be killed. No, you must not go. If you stay here for a week, my heir, that'll be the end of them and you can sell the house after that. But if you leave, before the week, they can never be defeated."

"Right, dad," Fayt sighed.

"Well, I have to go, kid. My one free phone call from heaven is almost up. Be careful, boys. I'll be in touch." There was a click as he hung up.

Fayt looked at Albel worriedly. "Sounds like we have a lot to do."