The time around eleven in the morning when Gladiolus was woke up only to be greeted a dark room. He sits up rubbing at his eyes as he strains his ears hoping to hear the soft pitter of rain on the window, only to hear nothing except for the whistles of the wind as it blows over the house.

Yawning and scratching his belly, Gladiolus climbs out of the bed where he stretches and pops his back loosening himself up for the day. He looks over to the other two beds where he recalls Ignis and Noctis had called it a night the night before but only Noctis was his bed. Ignis's bed was empty and unkempt with the blankets strewn over it as if Ignis had been flailing around before getting out. Seeing this Gladiolus couldn't help but wonder if Ignis had suffered another nightmare. He knows the tactician would never admit to having one and only evidence Gladiolus could get to knowing that his friend suffered through one was ever growing ever darkening bags under Ignis's eyes. They were hard to spot when he wore his glasses but Gladiolus knew they were there, especially with the knowledge that Ignis wasn't sleeping like he should.

Gladiolus looks over to Noctis who was snoring softly.

The Shield knows he shouldn't, but he couldn't help but blame Noctis for Ignis's spiral downhill. The oldest knows that they are all suffering, that they each are handling their ache differently but the constant butchering of Ignis's feelings and constant chant of "It's your fault" in his face, Gladiolus knows it's not making things better for the second oldest. And he knows this as a fact for the simple fact that he's the one that has gotten up every night when he hears the soft whimpers, strangled gasps, and or the weak muffled sobs Ignis let's out every night.

Not Noctis.

Despite all the years the two spent together Noctis seemed to have tossed that out. Focusing solely on his anger taking it out on everyone. Gladiolus feels like he needs to make good on the promise he, Noctis, had made about apologizing. For once he does he knows that peace could would fall over their small group once again.

Yawning again, Gladiolus steps out of the room and makes his way down the stairs when he sees Iris sitting at the table with Ignis and Talcott. It looked like the three were having breakfast and it looked like they were discussing something.

"Morning." Gladiolus says as he walks up to Iris. He pulls his baby sister into a hug and kisses her cheek "Good morning Gladdy." She says giving him a soft sad smile. "You hungry? I made omelets and french toast." she adds getting up from the chair.

"I can get it." Gladiolus says as he walks into the kitchen peering into the various pans that sit on the stove. "You eat yet Talcott?" he asks gently yet the little boy only nods weakly as a small frown forms on his lips. He doesn't say anything for a moment as he looks over to Iris "Iris, is it okay if I go to my room?" He asks, his voice was so full of sorrow that the oldest of the group was afraid he would burst into tears.

With a nod from the young girl Talcott leaves making his way to his room. Gladiolus couldn't help but feel sorry for the little boy. He was suffering as much as they were, the little boy didn't know Prompto that long but in that short amount of time after having met they became inseparable. Gladiolus remembers the nights they would spend here after rather tiring hunts or they lacked the gil for for a motel and were to tired to camp. During that time Prompto had taught the young boy how to use the camera and how to get the best shot. But when he wasn't teaching him how use the camera Prompto was playing with him and telling him stories. For Gladiolus it reminded the Shield of himself when he spends time with Iris.

And Gladiolus knew that they had a powerful bond. Yet, Gladiolus knew the young boy hadn't planned on losing someone else he cared about. And losing Prompto had just tore open old wounds causing the little boy to isolate himself from the others. Seeing this the others had given Talcott Prompto's bracelets which the young boy had been wearing ever since he gotten them.

Gladiolus watches as Talcott disappears into his room. Sighing softly Gladiolus turns to Ignis seeing how he was hunched over the table staring at his phone before picking up the camera and looking it over. His features fixing into a puzzled expression as he presses one of the buttons on the back causing the screen to flicker before shutting off.

Huffing in frustration Ignis sets the camera down gripping his head "Ignis... it's okay." Iris says softly as she watches him shake "What's wrong with Iggy?" Gladiolus asks worried looking over to his baby sister "He's been trying all night to fix Prompto's camera." She says softly watching as the second oldest looks back to his phone and searches a new phrase.

"What's wrong with it?" Gladiolus asks.

"I don't know...it was working fine yesterday and...up until I picked it during the night...it just won't show the pictures." Ignis responds sounding defeated. "I just want..." Ignis hates that his voice begins to quake causing him to stop talking. "It was fine earlier." He whispers.

"Maybe if we give it a break it'll come back on." Gladiolus says softly "You know let the film absorb darkness or something like that." He adds making a plate "Oh you eat already Iggy?" He asks looking over the advisor who nods weakly.

"He had a single triangle of french toast...and that's it." Iris says softly as Gladiolus sits down next to her. "You're not hungry?" He asks causing Ignis to shake his head "No I just want to get the camera working again." He says softly.

"What's wrong with the camera?"

The voice of Cor causes the group to turn

"Or if you would've stopped messing with it then maybe it would be fine!" Spits Noctis as he joins them.

"Were you the one that threw it?" Snaps Cor his eyes narrowing on the dark King. Noctis simply glares back his eyes dark "Does it matter if I did or not? It's not going to change the fact that Ignis caused the only thing we had left of Prompto to be lost! His camera...with all the pictures of him on it...with our memories on it...th-the only thing we h-had that...that we had to..." Noctis pauses when he feels his throat tighten and his eyes sting "remember what he looks like." he says brokenly. Feeling tears well up in his eyes he raises a hand to his face as he sniffs.

Cor's features soften upon hearing the King break while Ignis looks away sadly as he goes back to scrolling through his phone hoping to find the fix for the camera. Cor sighs as he steps up beside Noctis and places a hand on his shoulder gently squeezing it "Noctis listen...I understand your-"

"No! No you don't! You don't understand any of my pain!" the King fires back as he shoves Cor back "You didn't know him like I knew him. You weren't with him when he poured his heart and soul out to me. You weren't there when-"

"I know exactly how you feel!" Cor roars "I held Prompto as a baby, I raised him until he was old enough to be adopted." he growls his voice wavering "I was the one who sat up every night with him when his parents could be there, I was the one who took care of him when he was sick, who gave him money for something a little to eat." Cor was breathing heavy at this point his face was red with anger whilst his were full of heartache "I suggested he train to be a Crownsguard, I was the one who worked endlessly with him. I dried his tears, patched up his wounds, and cheered him. I was there for him in the good and bad times." he says "You may have been his friend, but he was like my son." Cor adds. He looks Noctis in the eye "The only thing I have left of my son is his uniform. At least you have the memories of him."

With that Cor walks away quietly retreating to his room.

"You see were not the only ones suffering. We're all trying to cope with his loss. We're all hurting...we understand your pain but taking it out on us will solve nothing." Ignis says softly as he follows the instructions on his phone. He carefully opens the back of the camera only to have it make a popping sound followed by thick white smoke emitting from the film. Ignis out of surprise jumps and drops the camera onto the table with a heavy thud. It lands sitting upright no one touches it unsure of what to do to stop the smoke when black sludge begins pooling beneath the camera.

Seeing this Noctis is thrown into a raging fit fit "What did you do!?" He screams.

"He didn't do anything." Snaps Gladiolus.

"Don't you justify this! That camera was working fine until he touched it!" Growls Noctis.

"It was working fine until you threw it." Gladiolus fire back.

"I wouldn't have thrown it if he did spout nonsense! Making up lies and constanstly bringing up Prompto!" Roars Noctis as he steps closer to Gladiolus "So yeah it's Iggy's fault that the camera is gone. Its his fault that we don't have his memories anymore! It's his fault that we won't remember what Prompto looks like."

"Would you rather me lie? I was telling you the truth. I promised to only be truthful with you, and I stand by that truth. I did see Prompto, I took photos of him I-" Ignis was cut off by Noctis laughing and shaking his head.

"I'd rather you die!" He spits his words laced with venom.

In that instant the room becomes ice cold and the power goes out. It's silent causing the others to look at one another as their breath comes out in visible puffs.

"What's going on?" Iris asks nervously. She was about to ask another question the sound of something hitting the window causes her to scream.

Prompting Gladiolus to go to her side and hug her. Ignis stands and goes outside to investigate telling the others to stay put.

"Be careful Iggy."

"Yeah be careful."

Ignis nods before stepping out onto the deck. He visibly shudders for the outside and inside are drastically different, the cottage as cold as ice while out here it was incredibly warm. Rubbing his upper arms trying to rid them of the pins and needles feeling, he scans the area when his eyes land on something white laying motionless on the floorboards. Stepping closer Ignis can see that it was bird. He looks up and is able to see which window the bird had hit. The one directly in front of the table, for it had specks of blood on it.

Ignis looks back down at the bird when a loud crash catches his attention. Sending him back inside "What happened?" He asks.

"I don't know, the whole cupboard just fell down." Iris says sounding spooked.

"The thing was old. It was bound to fall." Grumbles Noctis.

"No way, the cottage is old but Dustin installed new cupboards." Iris says.

"What? You guys think it's Prompto?"

Ignis looks away not wanting to hurt further.

"Well all this did happen after you told Ignis to die. You think that will sit well with Prompto." Gladiolus says coldly "You think Prompto likes the idea of you being cruel to Ignis. Or how how you're talking to him. Ignis would never do this to you."

However Noctis simply rolls his eyes and retreats to his bed.

Ignis sighs as he moves to the pantry and pulls out the dustpan and broom as Gladiolus grabs a trash bag as he has Iris stay put while they begin to clean up the collapsed cupboard.

It was around eight at night when Gladiolus and Iris returns from picking up dinner from the Crow's Nest. "Guys foods here!" Iris calls out as she helps her unpack the food from their bags.

Cor and Talcott come down with Noctis following after them dragging his feet. They all sit down as they each check the to-go boxes for their requested meal. When Gladiolus notices that Ignis didn't come down.

"Is Iggy sleep?" He asks earning him unsure looks from two of the three. "I can go see if he is." Talcott says softly as he hops down and makes his way to the room which the brothers stay in when they visit. Carefully and quietly Talcott opens the door just enough to peer inside.

"Ignis, are you up?" Talcott calls out softly once he spots the advisor laying on his side in the closest to the window.

Yet the little boy was greeted by silence.

Stepping further into the room Talcott approaches Ignis's bedside "Ignis?" he calls again. But Ignis still didn't say anything and only when he steps closer and around where he could see his face did he see why he was being ignored.

Ignis was indeed fast asleep.

Talcott looks sadly at him for a moment before turning to leave only to be stopped by a dog with white and black fur.

The dog's tail was thin and black. All four of its legs and both ears were also black along with rings around its eyes resembling the mask of a raccoon. While the rest of it was white.

"Hey." Talcott says softly. He wasn't sure where the dog came from but he didn't feel scared of it. It actually made him feel safe like Prompto used to. He was about to say something to it or move towards it when the dog vanished before his eyes.

Talcott could only stare at where it had been sitting in awe. He smiles a bit nodding happily as he exits the room. He wanted to tell the others what he say but he feared what they would say, especially Noctis. For the little boy had heard him yelling at Ignis. So for now he'll just tell the others that Ignis was sleeping.

Heading back downstairs and sitting next to Cor Talcott clears his throat "Uh, Ignis is sleeping." He says picking up a chicken tender. Gladiolus nods "Oh okay." He says picking up Ignis' food "Well, lets let him sleep. He needs all the rest he can get." Gladiolus says sticking the meal in the fridge so Ignis could eat it later when he woke up.

"So anyone wants to explain why the cupboard is missing?" Cor asks.

"If we told you you wouldn't believe us." Iris says shaking her head.

"Tell me and I'll be the judge of that."

"Okay, well after you left Noct and Ignis started fighting about Prompto...well Noctis said something really nasty then there was a bang and then this fell." The young Shield explains.

Cor simply nods chewing thoughtfully "Well if that's what happen...then we should set to work on fixing it later so Dustin doesn't have to do it when he gets back. For now let's just finish dinner." He says softly as he cuts into his salisbury steak.

"Yeah." Gladiolus says softly as he tucks into his meal.

Neither person says anything for the rest of the meal.

It was late in the night, all throughout the cottage it was silent save for the soft creaks and moans produced by the old home that they all grew accustomed to.

Despite his ability to sleep at any given moment Noctis found himself unable to sleep. He rolls over his back facing the bed to the right of him. His eyes locked on Gladiolus who was sleeping soundly in the bed next to him. Sighing, Noctis rolls onto his back his mind refusing to settle down as he couldn't help but think back to moments leading to the cupboard falling.

'So yeah it's Iggy's fault that the camera is gone. Its his fault that we don't have his memories anymore! It's his fault that we won't remember what Prompto looks like.'

He looks over to his left towards the bed where Ignis was sleeping in nearly an hour ago, the bed now unkept and void was cooling. Noctis had watched Ignis leave and neither said a word to one another. Ignis simply looked at him sadly before shaking his head with a heavy sigh, while Noctis sucked in air through his teeth.

'I'd rather you die!'

Noctis blinks his eyes stinging with regret "I...didn't really say that to him did I?" He whispers. "Why did I say that!? I don't really want him to die...but I'm just so angry and I know I should apologize but...I just can't." He says rolling onto his side.

Noctis closes his eyes with the hopes of falling asleep, unaware of the door to the bedroom slowly opening. In the middle of the doorway a dark figure closely resembling a shadow manifests. Standing there it silently watches Noctis unmoving.

Noctis opens his eyes blinking. He frowns as he shifts a bit trying to comfortable and when he closes his eyes he couldn't shake the feeling of eyes on him. Rolling over Noctis looks towards the door and freezes.

'What is that!?'

The shadowy figure continues to hover before vanishing. Sitting up Noctis climbs out of bed and tip toes out of the room making his way to the rail "I bet that was Ignis..." Noctis mumbles as he peers down at the dining table.

Yet he finds Ignis sitting alone at the table quietly playing King's Knight with the sound off as he nibbles on the fried steak sandwich that Gladiolus had brought him. His only source of light being that from his phone and the moon which spills in from the windows.

"Wait...if he's down here...then." Noctis whispers as he looks back to the room and its doorway where the shadow figure was. "He couldn't have gotten up here and down there so fast without making a sound." Noctis tries to reason "Maybe it was Cor?" He steps back into the room and climbs into the bed "Yeah...it had to have been Cor." He says pulling the blankets up and over his head feeling exhuasted suddenly.

In the room shared by Talcott and Iris, the door quietly opens. Both children were fast asleep but that didn't stop the intruder from venturing further inside and stopping at the foot of Talcotts' bed.

Talcott is woken up to feeling something hop up on his bed. He doesn't think much of it at first for he assumes it was just Cactuar, the white stray cat that he plays with and sometimes brings into the house. He was about to go back to sleep when he hears a soft whine and feels something paw at his leg. Nervously the little boy sits up and in doing so he's met with a familiar sight.

Sitting at the foot of his bed was the in the hallway. Getting to his knees prompts the dog to approach him with a wagging tail and only when it was close enough does it nuzzle Talcott under his chin.

Talcott wasn't sure what made him think this but he felt that this dog was sent to him to help reassure him. Hugging it Talcott begins to tear up "I miss him so much." He whimpers into the thin wirey fur. "I miss my big brother so much...but I'm happy knowing he's up there with Grandpa. I know Prompto is watching over us, but I'm sad what if he know's that Prince Noctis and the others aren't getting along. I don't want Prompto to be sad." Talcott whispers.

"Please Prompto. Don't be sad."

The dog however simply blinks staring ahead as it lays his chin on the boy's shoulder.

'I'll be happy for you Talcott.'

When Talcott had gone back to sleep Ignis had returned to his bed where he lays under the blankets shaking as if a cold chill run up and down him. Wiping at his eyes he pulls the blanket up further around himself as burrows deeper into the thick sheet. He was physcially and mentally exhausted but his body and mind refuses to let him rest.

'I wish to sleep...but I can't.'

Sniffing he shifts a bit trying to get comfortable hoping that in doing so he'd fall straight to sleep seeing how tired he was. He thought given the fact he hadn't had a full nights in weeks this would be easier. But he was wrong.

Ignis sighs pitifully as he closes his eyes, assuming that if he stayed like this sleep would come for him.

However his rest was interrupted when he feels movement beside him. Whatever it was moving was crawling up beside beneath the blanket and before he could question it or investigate it he saw the head of Pryna pop out beside him.

Her appear was diffrent. A everything from the nose up was black. But Ignis didn't to much of it mostly because he suddenly found himself hugging the dog. The dog huddled next to Ignis, looking up at him.

"I know its foolish...but I can't stop thinking about what Noct said to me. About me dying. I- what wong had I done?" Ignis swallows thickly feeling a lump form in his throat which now stings with every swallow.

He sniffs "I just want to be able to sleep and forget this day." He says nearly sobbing. With that Pryna lifts her head and licks Ignis's chin before lowering her head onto her paws closing her eyes for the night. Almost instantly Ignis could feel his body grow heavy and his eyelids begin to feel incredibly heavy as well making it a struggle to stay awake.

Giving in to his exhuastion, Ignis closes his eyes falling asleep.

'I just want to rest. Why must everything change? Why am I so angry?'


Fun Fact: Noct's little ghost experience happen to me in real life when I was little :3 yep...can't forget seeing something like that. Its probably why I love paranormal stuff