Blond hair. First thing Haley woke up to was blond hair. Immediately she jolted, but was quickly shushed.

It… it was Nessie. Nessie was here.

Before tears could well up in her eyes again, Nessie gestured for her to follow. The girl hesitated only for a brief moment before doing so.

Quietly the duo sneaked out of the house. And the moment they got out, Nessie picked her up. Even though Haley was nine, Nessie was strong enough to carry her.

Especially for a long period of time, as it turned out. Because it felt like ages until they got to Mike's car.

"Oh thank god you found her." Mike whispered, as if someone could be listening in.

"Yeah." Nessie then went to buckle Haley in the back seat, right behind the shotgun spot. "Looked like I managed to get in when Luke was out."

Haley watched as her fellow actress moved into the passenger seat, and how Mike's face grew anxious.

Who wouldn't be? Snatcher was out there. And he wouldn't like how 'Hat Kid' disappeared on him.

"Okay…" Mike sighed. Almost carefully, he had his car start. Glancing through the rear view mirror, concern was clear as day in his sparkling blue eyes.

Haley always thought he had pretty eyes. They reminded her of stars when the light hit them right through his glasses.

"We're going to head back to the studio." He said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

She only nodded.

And then they started to drive.

The ride was quiet for a while. Until Haley asked the question that was burning within her. "How did you find me?"

She did not miss how the two glanced at each other.

"Well…" Mike trailed off.

"The studio actually went on a search for you. Different people got different areas around town. Mike and I got the forest." Nessie continued for him. "We decided that it was best I went searching while he stayed in the car."

She didn't elaborate more on that.

The car grew silent again. It was as if they were afraid to speak. They didn't even put the radio on.

Then they heard it. A dreadful, awful, horrible, inhuman screech that rattled the whole forest. Even the car.

No doubt the town would be able to hear that.

Fear gripped them all, and Mike dared to drive faster.

Snatcher knew Haley was gone. He would be looking for her.

He would be hunting down any kidnappers.

They drove and they drove and they drove. The trees rattled in the wind. The moon shining down on them. The shadows were long, almost as if reaching for them. Ever so slowly did the forest began to recede as they got closer into town.

They were almost there.

Almost.

A giant serpentine black mass blocked their way as bright yellow light blinded their eyes. Crying out, Mike slammed on the brakes, causing the tires to screech as it was forced to stop.

"WHY HELLO THERE!" Haley's blood ran cold at the voice. "YOU'RE AWFULLY FAR FROM HOME, HM?"

Frozen to her seat, the little girl saw the large, enraged form of Snatcher bend down to look through the windshield.

"I HAVE TO SAY, I'M SURPRISED VANESSA! I DIDN'T KNOW YOU WOULD ROPE SOME POOR, STUPID SOUL INTO YOUR SCHEMES! IN FACT YOU USUALLY FREEZE THEM FIRST!"

Terror shook her up. She couldn't see Mike's or Nessie's faces. She could only see Snatcher's furious smile.

"NOW! I SUGGEST YOU GIVE ME BACK HAT KID OR I'LL DO WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE YEARS AGO!"

This seemed to have broken any spell that was on Nessie. "Luke! Are you hearing yourself?! This is nonsense!"

And it was Snatcher's turn to be in shock.

"Nessie-" Mike tried to calm their friend, but she went on.

"Haley isn't Hat Kid! I'm not Vanessa and you're not Snatcher! Your name is Luke Pryce and we are actors for a tv show! Luke, you need to stop!"

Quickly did the smile transform into a scowl. "Listen here." He snarled, voice low and deadly. "I would appreciate you stop it with all these LIES you're so insistent on telling me. Now. Give me my kiddo. Or. PARISH!"

A sharp cry was heard after that last word was shouted. Haley didn't know who had done it, until she realized it was her.

"SEE!" Nessie started to shout. "YOU'RE SCARING HER! SHE'S NOT HAT KID!"

Fire erupted all around. The car grew hot.

"SHE IS! SHE IS AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE WHAT LITTLE HAPPINESS I HAVE LEFT YOU WITCH!" Snatcher screamed.

Haley never felt so powerless in her life. Snatcher… Snatcher was going to kill Nessie and Mike. And she couldn't do a thing. She wasn't Hat Kid, there was no contract to-

Wait.

"Snatcher!" Her voice shrill as she yanked his attention to her. "Let's make a contract!"

The flames died down.

It was hard to see, but she knew confusion when she saw it. "What do you mean kiddo?"

Haley ignored the looks of horror Mike and Nessie sent her way. Instead, she gulped and said, "I wanna make a contract. If I go back with you, you'll have to leave Mike and Nessie alone. No killing, no hurting, no stealing souls. You can't even make other people hurt them. You have to let them alone. Just-just stay with me. And I won't leave." Her voice wobbled at the very end of it.

Snatcher stared at her. Mike was about to say something, when Nessie grabbed a hold of his hand, silencing him.

"You don't even have a pen or paper." Snatcher finally said. Of course he had to point that out. Of course.

"Then I'll find some!" Quickly she turned to Mike and asked, "you have a pen and paper in here right?"

He jolted in his seat, clearly not expecting the turn of events. "I-I."

He and Nessie shared a look. Shoulders sagging, Mike said with a defeated tone of voice, "I do."

Sorrow filled him as he gestured to the compartment in front of Nessie. She hesitated for a moment before nodding. Her hands shook as she opened the compartment. There, she reached in, and out she came with a few pens and a notebook.

"Are any of these still working?" Nessie couldn't help but ask.

Mike shrugged.

Regardless if they worked or not, Haley took them all. She quickly picked a random pen and tested it.

It was working.

Then and there she began her first contract.

Haley was mildly surprised that Snatcher was letting this all happen, but… small miracles she supposes.

After a good moment of writing, Haley was finished. She stared down at the contract, looking it over. She needed to make sure there would be no loopholes. Not on Snatcher's end.

They needed to save Luke. Somehow.

Nodding in determination, Haley unbuckled her seat, and got out of the car.

No longer was it hot out in the woods. Yet it wasn't freezing either. It was at a comfortable temperature.

It was silent. No animals to be heard.

She walked up to Snatcher. He stared at her. He bent down. She held the newly made contract.

"Here. Sign it." She said.

He did not. Instead, the ghost looked it over as he plucked it from her grasp. Snatcher was gentle as he did so.

Haley's breath was caught in her throat. Maybe he wouldn't sign it…?

Then he did. Summoning a pen of his own, he scribbled his signature onto the dotted line.

"There." He said as he gave it back to her. "Now you put a stamp or some sort of indication that this contract is now in effect."

Nodding, Haley thought of a moment for what to draw. She had no wax or stamp, so a drawing would have to do…

An image popped up into her head. Well, she might as well use it.

Doodling, Haley made the image of Hat Kid that was used after Hat Kid wrote her signature with Snatcher's contracts. After all, what better use for it than on her own contract?

Together, the duo looked at the paper. It was now in effect.

Scooping the child up, Snatcher held her close as he moved away from the road.

"Leave." He said simply, with no emotion.

Nothing could hide the tears in Nessie's eyes or Mike's as they reluctantly drove away…

Snatcher tightened his hold on her. "Come on, kiddo."

And Haley let him take her away.