After a while of arguing the two had finally stopped. Branch looked through the computer, still evident on his face how annoyed he was from their last showdown. Poppy stood beside Suki and Guy, angry. They both hadn't been in good terms since the last three houses they went into. Branch wanted to implement safety measures so everyone could still be alive for the next house, while Poppy did whatever she wanted. As the truck came to a stop, everyone sighed, tired and upset.

"Alright, everyone. This time it goes my way. Got it? I need everyone to do what I say." Branch announced to the trio, as he checks the whiteboard behind him for their new objectives. He was not gonna let anyone get killed tonight. That's his objective. Number one. He was fine with Suki and Guy, but he's gonna need to keep an eye for one pink haired girl for sure. If its gonna take a rope and a gag to get her to stop and listen to him, he's gonna do it.

"Specifically you, Poppy." He mentions, taking a side glance to her. She rolled her eyes and went to the shelves for a flashlight.

"Uh no. You led the group once and we all had to run back to the truck for almost getting killed." She accused him as she grabbed the EMF reader from the top shelf. Branch glowered at her. Suki and Guy stepped aside, as he stomped his way to her side.

"Only because you broke the safe circle and walked the other way while screaming for its name." He replied, annoyed how she took another item off the shelf, dismissing him.

"It's faster that way."

"We need safety measures."

"We need to separate to get the job done faster." She finally looked at him straight in the eyes, her resolve unwavering even after seeing his disapproving look, his hands on his hips.

"Safety measures."

"Se-pa-rate-ly." She pokes him again and again on every syllable, deepening his scowl more.

"Guys? Can we just finish the job tonight?" Suki almost whispered, feeling the tension in the air rising at each passing second. She had thought of maybe relieving that tension, but it seemed like it wasn't getting better any time soon.

"Yeah. My feet are getting a little sore-" Guy complained, but shut his mouth up when the two gave him deadly looks. Poppy focused her eyes on Branch again and said bravely, "I'm not going with you." She crossed her arms, and he knew he couldn't move her anymore.

"Fine by me." He replied and took a flashlight, a few items and the keys to the house. Like Suki and Guy, he was tired too. They have been ghost-hunting all night at the last house, and this fight was getting a toll on his patience. Poppy followed behind him as the other two had volunteered to stay in the truck to monitor them. Branch was a little grateful. At least some people showed a bit of consideration.

With the key in his hands, he opened the doors and without hesitation, they both stepped in. The two had silently agreed for her to go check upstairs while he stayed on the bottom floor. He still promised himself he'd protect everybody and nobody's dying on his watch, and the fact that he could hear Poppy's footsteps was enough to calm him a bit.

He shakes his head. No time to think, he thought as he comes in to the living room. As expected, it was quiet. Every step he took reverberated around the room. He could hear the sound of his clothes rubbing against his skin. Defeaning silence like all the other buildings they went in to. No living being to bring life to the home.

He grabbed the thermometer and scanned the room. Nothing as of yet until his eyes suddenly caught on an object from the coffee table. An ouija board. He gritted his teeth. He hated using these things, but it did give him clues of what kind of ghost their dealing with. He takes his walkie-talkie from his belt and asked the others for any ghost activity.

"Nothing yet. Why?"

"Found an ouija board in the living room. Gonna try it."

"Whenever you're ready." They replied, and Branch stared at the board, worried. He sits down on the couch and placed a hand on the triangle. "Mark Thompson... are you here?" He asked to the empty space. Silence. Out of nowhere, he felt a hand on his shoulder, he stood up as quickly as he could, and stared behind him. Nothing.

"Sugar honey ice tea..." he muttered angrily as he felt his heart racing, beating loudly in his eardrums. And before he could take out the thermometer from his belt, the ouija board moved on it's own and spelled out its warnings.

-xOx-

Poppy looked around the bedroom whilst listening through the static of the spirit box. Her mind didn't focus much on the investigation rather, she thought of Branch instead. He was being a drama queen. There were no fatalities for twenty years. How is this mission going to be any different from the other ones?

"Hey Suki. Got any ghost activity?" Branch asked through the radio.

"Nothing yet. Why?"

Poppy listened to their small exchange of information as she went out of the master bedroom. It's been a while since the last time anyone had used ouija boards. For the first time since her first day on the job, she was worried. They were always unpredictable. It could lure demons to come out or nothing at all. But if things will go down hill then she'd be ready.

"Branch? You okay there bud? Your sanity levels are dropping fast." Poppy heard through her walkie-talkie as she closed the bedroom door. "Branch?" Suki called one more time. If he wasn't responding then it could only mean one thing.

"Branch, where are you?" Poppy was the one to ask this time on the radio, walking quickly downstairs to where she last saw him. She heard her own voice echoing and saw his walkie-talkie on the floor and so his other items. Her breath quickened in pace. He was never the type to leave all his stuff.

"B-Branch..." her voice cracked, trying to report the situation as every part of her being shook. "He's MIA. I can't-" she stopped as soon as she heard her EMF reader going off for a level five as the door closed shut, locking itself.

"Poppy, hide! Activity is on high level!" Suki said through radio and in shaky breath, the girl ran her way to the storage room and hid inside. She sat on the floor, and covered her mouth. She could hear heavy footsteps coming closer.

Closer.

Closer.

She squirmed to the corner and hugged her knees. Her tears flowing, not from her impending doom, but to Branch. If only she had listened. He would still be here with her. He'd know what to do. Her thoughts stopped as she heard the doorknob turning. She held her breath, her eyes staring at the shadowy figure. Branch smiled, looking down at her in confusion. She felt all sorts of emotions as she stares at him.

Happy to see him alive.

Angry for making her think he's dead.

Terrified from almost losing him.

She stood up, anger burning in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him. "You stupid idiot." She mumbled, her tears coming out faster than it was.

"Poppy? You're sanity is at thirty percent, dropping to twenty-five. Where are you?"

She felt her body stiffen, her eyes widening in horror. Phantoms can take the forms of other people. They can look like other people. A phantom can look like Branch. She looks up to see his face as she screamed as loud as she could. Her arms back to her side as she fell on her butt, staring at the still smiling face coming closer, arms extending for her neck.

A flash from a camera had suddenly went off and the phantom disappeared as quickly as it came. Now standing from the doorway, was a worried and terrified Branch. Without warning, he grabs her wrist and took her from the living room til out the front door. She watches him as he finally stopped walking, and checks on her head to toe, asking questions of her condition.

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

"Do you feel faint?"

"No."

He pauses, quite agitated from the events tonight. He ran his fingers through his hair, obviously stressed.

"Branch... I'm sorry." She didn't dare see his expression, and she felt his gaze fix on her. "I didn't think quick enough and you're right. We should've been careful. I should've been careful."

Branch sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, but smiled. "It did feel nice to know you're finally listening to me but... I'm not mad." He offers her his hand and this time, she knew it was real. "Just try not to hug someone else." She returned his smile as she follows him to the truck.

"Are you two alright?" Suki asked, befuddled to see the two smiling without a care when they just lost a huge chunk of their rationality.

"Kinda." They replied in unison, their hands still entwined together. Suki and Guy shared a look, happy to know their friends aren't fighting and still in one piece.

After regaining some of their wits with pills and relaxation, the two had volunteered to finish up the rest of the mission. With them inside the phantoms abode, Poppy and Branch was left to monitor them and the CCTV's for ghost orbs.

"Hey." Poppy nudges him with her arm, curiousity in her eyes. "Where were you when Suki called you?"He smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I was planning to scare you." She raised her brows, unbelievably hearing his confession of a failed prank. "I saw you at the bottom of the stairs and I put all my stuff on the floor to get you to try and come find me."

"But I wasn't at the bottom of the stairs."

"Yeah. I saw my breath and the room got really cold. When Suki said my sanity was dropping, I knew it wasn't you." He knitted his brows together, upset. "She looked too much like you." He glances at her, wondering still if it really is her. "I took my camera and hid before it could see me so I could take a picture of it. Then..."

"It saw me instead." She was unamused. She really had thought it was him, and that look, empty eyes with a manic grin. She'll never get it out of her system. It stuck in her brain like a broken record. The feeling of its fingers, lingering on her neck. She almost died.

Branch took her hand and squeezed gently, reminding her the real one was right beside her. "I'm sorry for yelling at you... and almost getting you killed." He admitted, looking very sorry. She kisses his cheek, reminding him he was still her boyfriend.

"I don't even remember it." She laid her head on his shoulder, enjoying the alone time they recieved without ghosts to worry about. From her response, it was obvious it was her. He reprimanded himself for doubting she wasn't the real one. He kissed her forehead, his nose catching the scent of her strawberry and watermelon shampoo. How he thought it wouldn't be her is beyond him.

There's no way it wasn't her. She was here. Holding his hand and making his heart feel lighter. It was her.

Isn't she?

A/N:

oof. I didn't upload for two months. I'm very sorry. I had a lot going on and... my procrastination was too strong as well XD Partial of this was made in the middle of my online math exam while thinking for a formula. I just thought, "Wow, wouldn't be cool if Poppy and Branch played "Phasmophobia" or something?" That was literally the idea that popped in my head until I settled for what is now in your screen.

F's in the chat for my math exam. Both meme and literally. Don't be like me. Please finish your schoolwork and stuff.

Anywaysss. Be safe out there guys!