Hazel opened her eyes to meet black eyes staring into her own. Eyes full of darkness, eyes full of sadness, eyes full of curiosity. As the boy stared at her, neither could look away. Those eyes... They were beautiful, even if they were broken. They were beautiful.

"Who are you, sir?" Hazel finally asked, noticing his pale skin but unaware of the noose mark around his neck. "Are you a friend of Master Newport?"

The boy above her gave her a small smile. "I'd never be caught dead as a friend of his." Why did he look like he made such a clever joke? "But I live here."

"You live here... I'm sorry, but I've never seen you before." Hazel sat up, her eyes widening when she felt...well, when she felt the difference. "What did you do to me? What happened...what happened to all those whip marks, and the bruises, and-"

"You don't feel them when you're dead." the boy replied. "You have no pain when you're dead. That's one of its only perks."

"Dead...?" Hazel looked down at where she was laying, shock freezing her in place when she sat her body staring up at her. Beaten features, lifeless eyes, bloody and bruised. "What...what..."

"You're dead." he kneeled beside her. "Sorry to say it, but it's the truth."

"I don't even remember..." Hazel stared down at her hands.

"It'll come back to you." he gently took her hand in his own. "It's going to be okay. You're not alone. And I think that's all anyone needs to know. You're not alone."

Hazel looked into his eyes again, felt herself relax in his presence. "Who are you?"

"Nico di Angelo." he introduced. "Want to come to the attic with me? Nobody's up there."

Hazel looked around her. "Frank...where is he?"

"I think he's still alive," Nico admitted. "Sorry."

Hazel looked down at her body, looked at the body of her lover beside her. "There he is... He's still alive? He...he doesn't look good..."

"He'll probably die soon." Nico kneeled beside Frank and looked him over. "He's as hurt as you were. That was quite a beating."

Hazel moved a hand to Frank's forehead, felt the heat that his body still held. "He's so warm..."

"All living people are going to feel that way from now on." Nico himself was gripping onto Frank's arm. "It's nice, isn't it? The warmness."

Hazel nodded. "Is...is being dead bad? I...I'm scared..."

"It's going to be okay," Nico promised. "Remember what I said? You're not alone. I'm here for you. We'll get through this together."

Hazel smiled. "Together."