A ghost should be so Practical

Peyton had been in hospital for three days and the same faces kept a vigil by her bedside.

Dean hadn't left her side since the moment he brought her into hospital, he had sat there and waited as they rushed her into emergency surgery to remove the bullet.

Haley had refused to leave her sisters side but after a few arguments with Sam, she had finally left the hospital and gone home.

There was still no sign of Bobby, Sam had called the house a number of time but there was no answer he had called another hunter in the area who knew Bobby and he told Sam that Bobby had left with Rufus to go work a case in New Mexico but he promised Sam that we would keep trying to get through to him to tell him what had happened.

Brooke had been a constant visitor but her time was split between the hospital and being there for Lucas as it was discovered that Keith had been another victim of the shooting, the details surrounding what exactly happened to Keith weren't exactly clear but it seemed that Keith had tried to talk to Jimmy but with Jimmy not being himself at the time ended up taking Keith's life.

Dean returned to Peyton's room after the nurses and doctors left, she was still in a coma the doctors had successfully removed the bullet but now it was just a game of chance, there was a 70/30 chance that she may not pull through but like Haley, Dean refused to believe that this was it for Peyton's life, she was a fighter and she wasn't going to give up even with the odds stacked highly against her.

He looked at her and sighed as he turned on the TV and changed the channel as the local news was still talking about the events of Monday.

He looked at her and sighed.

'How about you wake up, Peyton I already know you will but I could use some good news right about now'.

'Still no change'.

He looked at Brooke as she walked into the room with a cup of coffee in her hands which she offered to him.

'No'.

She sat on the other side of the bed and sighed.

'Have you been here all night?'.

'Yeah, I want to be here when she wakes up'.

'I get that but you need to rest you've been here for the 72 hours, you need to sleep in a real bed not these hard plastic chairs'.

'I don't want to leave, I need to be here, if her dad turns up he's going to need to know what really happened in that hallway'.

'I still don't understand what happened myself, I know what I saw but I don't know what I saw it's all confusing all I know that if wasn't for Peyton or you, I could have been the one in this hospital bed not her'.

'It would never have been you,Brooke she would never have let that happen'.

'Have the police talked to you, yet?'.

He nodded

'Yeah they where here earlier'.

'Same, they where at Lucas's asking him questions that he didn't have the answers too'.

'How's Lucas doing?'.

'Not good, he's trying to be strong for his mum but he's in so much pain and I want to help him but he's pushing me away when all I want do is be there for him, it's hard but he's just lost the man who was like a father to him'.

Her voice broke and a tear rolled down her face.

'We're supposed to be graduating in four months, senior year is meant to be full of the best memories but right now all I can see is pain, my best friend is in a coma and my boyfriend is pushing me away'.

She looked at Peyton and held her hand.

' please don't give up, you know how to talk to Lucas you two have always had that connection and Haley needs her big sister what she's supposed to do with out you and I need you because your my best friend, please come back to us'.

Sam had just returned from getting some food for Haley, he unlocked the door and walked into the house.

'Haley'.

He called out but there was no response, he unpacked the bags and headed upstairs to her room where she was sleeping, she opened her eyes as she walked into the room and held her hand out for him.

He took of his shoes and under the covers taking her hand and holding it against his chest as she moved closer to him, he could feel her tears as they dampened his t-shirt, she hadn't been sleeping well since the shooting expect for when Sam was beside her side.

He kissed the top of her head and she tightened her grip on him.

It was too bright that must have been what awoke her as she fluttered her eyes lids a few time letting her eyes adjust to the light.

She looked at her clothing she was in a white dress with long sleeves, that was strange she thought to herself she had never worn a dress like that in her life.

She got out of the bed that she lay in and looked around the room which was also white.

She could hear her name being said and she headed towards the door and opened it and found herself now standing outside as rain poured all around her but something about the rain reminded her of tears.

Brooke had left again and now it was Dean alone with Peyton, he moved closer to her bedside and took her hand in his.

'I'm not good at this Peyton, you know that better than anyone, hell I don't even know if you can hear me but if you can don't give up, you can't leave your dad and Haley without you, who will keep bobby in check with his drinking and who will make sure that no guy is mistreating your little sister, Brooke's right people need you including me, your the only one that can keep me in check and you know that'.

He looked at her and squeezed her hand.

'Peyton, you can't give up, please'.

'Dean'.

She could hear his voice so clearly and she followed it the rain had stopped and the ground underneath her feet felt dry and she soon found herself under a bridge.

She could still hear Dean's voice.

'Dean'.

She called out his name but there was no response but his voice was still clear.

'Dean, where are you?'.

She called again and turned around suddenly when she heard footsteps behind her.

'You can only hear his voice Peyton, he's not here'.

She looked at the women who now stood behind her

'Excuse me'.

The women looked at her and smiled as she stepped forward and Peyton stepped back.

'I'm not here to hurt you Peyton, I've been expecting you'.

Peyton looked at the women.

'Who are you, where am I?'.

The women's eyes widened.

'You don't remember what happened to you',

'No I just woke here'.

She looked around her surroundings again on one side of the bridge it was dark and raining and on the side she found herself it was bright and sunny.

'Where am I?'.

She asked the women again who touched her arm.

'Your in between life & death'.

'Why am I here?'.

She asked and the women looked away from her and to the other side of the bridge.

'Your here because your dying Peyton, in your real life your in a hospital bed in a coma, I'm here because your giving up and you need to be fighting back'.

'I don't remember what happened to me'.

'You will in time but for now, you need to see what life will be like without you, for the people that you love'.

'Haley'.

Brooke said as she opened the front door and smiled at Haley as she stood outside with Sam beside her.

'Hey Brooke is Lucas home?'.

'No, he's at the river-court he wanted to be alone'.

Haley looked at her and then at Sam.

'I need to go see him'.

'Haley if he wants to be alone'.

'Sam, please I'll be okay just stay with Brooke I'll be back soon'.

He nodded and kissed her once as she walked back to her car, leaving him standing outside Lucas's home.

'Come in'.

Brooke said as she stepped aside to let him into the house, she led him to Lucas's room as they walked past her room Karen came out and looked at Brooke and Sam who stopped.

'I'm sorry for you lose',

He said and she smiled but it failed.

'Thank you, is Haley with you?'

'No she's gone to find Lucas'.

She nodded.

'Is there any change with Peyton?'.

'No, she's still the same but we have hope she'll pull through'.

'Where are we?'.

Peyton asked as she found herself in the corner of a darkened room.

'You'll see'.

At that moment the door burst open and Haley came storming into the room, she had a piece of fabric wrapped around her forearm and it was bloodstained.

'Hales'.

Peyton went towards her sister but realised that she wasn't able to see her.

'What's wrong with her?'.

She asked as Haley walked past her and pulled a bottle of brandy out of a duffel bag and took a swig of it before undoing the knot from the fabric on her arm.

'After you died, your sister was inconsolable, she pushed away everyone in her life and left Tree Hill to get revenge for what happened to you'.

'She wouldn't do that Sam and Dean wouldn't let her'.

'Sam didn't want her to go but Dean understood her pain, he was crushed by losing you, he still watches out for her, they both do but for most of the time Haley is alone, with only revenge in her heart'.

'What about my dad, what is his role in her vendetta'.

The women fell silent and Peyton away from Haley as she started to stitch up the wound on her arm.

'What happened to my dad?'.

'Let me show you?'.

Haley knew exactly where to find him.

'You really need to work on your free throw'.

She said and Lucas turned and looked at her and dropped the ball on the ground as he went to embrace her in a hug, the only person who really knew what he was going through was her.

'I'm so sorry about Keith, buddy I know I haven't been around'.

'Don't be sorry, how's Peyton doing?'.

'Not good, the doctors don't think she's going to make it and I have to believe that she will but what if there right what if Peyton doesn't make it, what am I supposed to do without her, she's my sister'.

'She's a fighter, Haley you know that she would never leave you alone'.

'Even the strongest people don't always have the strength to fight back'.

She looked at the headstone in front of her, it couldn't be possible.

'What happened?'.

She asked leaning down to touch the cold stone.

Robert Singer

Father,Husband & Friend.

'After you died, your father slipped into a deep depression and with Haley not listening to him, it got harder for him to cope, he couldn't hunting but he wasn't at his best'.

'How did he die, just tell me?'.

She looked up at the mysterious women.

'He was setting a trap and it went wrong and he got hurt pretty bad, he would have made it if he was found sooner but he went off on his own'.

'That doesn't sound like my dad, didn't Sam or Dean offer to go with him?',

'Dean did but after you died, your dad blamed them for your death and he never forgave them, it was Dean who found him, two days later and it was to late for him'.

Peyton looked at the grave, it didn't look like it had been visited in years, as she looked at it, she saw something hidden beneath all the dead flowers and weeds, she moved the dead plants aside and picked up a photo and felt tears in her eyes.

It was of her,Haley,Sam,Dean and Bobby on his birthday, it was taken a few months before they moved to Tree Hill.

The thought of Tree Hill, triggered something as she could suddenly feel herself running away from something and then a sharp pain and everything went blank and again she heard voices but they sounded so distant.

Sam and Brooke where heading to Peyton's room when a couple of nurses ran past them in the direction of Peyton's room, they ran after them to find Dean standing outside.

'Dean'.

He turned and looked at Sam and Brooke, a tear rolled down his cheek.

'What' happened'.

Brooke asked as she stood beside him looking into the room, where doctors and nurses where around Peyton's bed.

'I don't know she was fine and then her heart rate started to drop'.

Sam looked at Peyton as the doctors worked on her.

'I should call Haley'.

Brooke looked at her and shook her head.

'No, just wait Peyton is a fighter'.

Brooke looked back into the room, she needed to believe that her best friend would make it, even though the odds where stacked against her.

She didn't know how but she found herself alone, sitting in the darkness of a empty hotel room.

The last thing she remembered was being in the cemetery looking at her father's grave.

She watched as the door handle turned and the door opened and he walked in, she didn't see the point in hiding herself considering she wasn't really there to him.

She expected his brother to follow behind him but he didn't like everyone else, he was alone.

He reached for the light switch the room filling with light and he looked over to where she was seated on the bed and dropped the bag he was holding, she looked around confused, he couldn't see her nobody could but if that was true why was he stepping closer to her,

He leaned down in front of her and raised his hand to reach for her face but he left it hanging in the air and she could feel the coldness from his hands on her face.

'Dean'.

She asked weakly and he blinked at her and then he touched her face.

'Your real?'.

He wasn't asking her but it was almost like he was telling himself, his own eyes burned into hers in away she never remembered them doing before but then to this Dean she had been dead for a while and now was sitting in front of him.

'Peyton'.

He said the words slowly as if he expected her to disappear which is what she expected to happen but she remained the same.

'Your really here?'.

She nodded at him, not knowing what exactly to say but she knew what she had to say considering she had no memory of how she ended up in between life and death.

'What happened to me?'.

He looked at her, his hand still on her face but his eyes seemed guarded almost unsure.

'Don't you remember?'.

'No, I woke up in a room alone and this women she told me I was in between life and death, she showed me things like Haley hunting on her own and my dad's grave'.

'Where is this women now?'.

He asked the change in his voice very apparent as he moved his hand away from her face and got to his feet quickly walking back over to where he was with his back turned to her as he unzipped a bag.

'I don't know she disappeared and I ended up here'.

There was no response from him, so she got up slowly and walked towards him.

'Dean'.

She said his name again as he turned around to face her a gun in his hands.

'Do you really think I'd fall for this, WHO ARE YOU?',

He yelled and she jumped back.

'Dean it's really me'.

'More like a demon riding her body for kicks, don't you think she's suffered enough even in death you black eyed bastards still need to find away to torture her'.

'No, that's not true it's really me'.

'Tell it to someone who cares'.

He pulled the trigger and the sound of the shot was all she could hear and then it changed.

She could hear the blood pumping through her veins, when he came into her view she felt relief and then her body was filled with a sharp pain that started in her back and tore through her stomach, she could smell blood and everything around her sounded so distant but so near.

She heard another loud sound and felt herself being moved and it hurt to be moved and then all the sound faded away.

She opened her eyes to find Dean looking down at her with worry.

'Peyton, can you hear me?'.

She sat up slowly and moved her hands to her stomach bur there was nothing there but where she touched felt painful and she winched.

'What happened to me?'.

'What's going on?'.

Dean asked as a doctor walked out of the room.

'We're preparing her for surgery, she's bleeding internally'.

'What?'.

'It seems as though the bullet may have done more damage'.

'But after this she'll be okay?'.

Brooke asked but the doctor's eyes said it all.

'We can't be sure but after her heart failing like that we can't be sure if your friend will make it to the end of the day, her condition is getting worse, she's stable now if you want to go in'.

He looked at there faces before walking away Brooke moved to the room slowly and looked at Sam who was looking at Dean.

'Dean, are you coming?'.

But Dean didn't respond but instead turned and walked away from the room.

'You where shot by a demon, three years ago, the doctors they tried everything but your heart failed after a emergency surgery to stop your internal bleeding'.

Dean told her as he sat beside her and she looked at him.

'I never had a chance to say goodbye, I was just so mad at you for giving up that I didn't come back to the hospital and when I did it was already to late you died with Haley and Bobby by your bedside'.

'What's the point of me being here with him, if I'm still going to die'.

She shouted as she stood up turning away from Dean but when she looked back Dean was no longer there and that she was under the same bridge that was she was under before but now there was darkness on both sides and the women now stood in front of her again.

'Your not going to die, Dean couldn't really see you, ever since your death you've appeared to him on the anniversary of your death and you have that same conversation every time'.

'So every time he shots at me?'.

'Yes but in his mind your there but your not really'.

'I could feel his touch, how was that not real'.

'It wasn't you both felt what you wanted but it wasn't real'.

'Fine so tell me if none of it's real do I really die from internal bleeding'.

'Yes, but only if you let yourself, it was never your time to go Peyton, that's why I'm here to show you what will happen if you don't fight back, your not meant to die at the age of 18, you have so much more to achieve in your life and your life effects others if you die, what you saw won't happen if you fight back but if you don't everything you saw will happen'.

'There will still be demons and pain'.

'Yes but your faith in the people around you will keep you going through the darkest moments, it will keep others going when they want to stumble and fall'.

The room was quite as Brooke sat beside Haley and Sam, Peyton had been in surgery for the last two hours, Dean still hadn't come back and now they where sitting there waiting for news.

'Haley'.

They all looked at the door and Haley got to her feet and ran to the older man in the doorway, his face withdrawn and his eyes sad.

'Daddy'.

She put her arms around her father and started to sob quietly, Sam looked at Bobby who met his gaze and nodded before sitting down still holding his younger daughter.

Dean was sitting in the hospital chapel, holding a bible in his hands, he wasn't exactly a believer but he had to believe that she would make it.

He held the book so tightly in his hands that it hurt but the pain he felt from the book was nothing compared to the pain he would feel if she died, he had wanted to leave the hospital but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

He had got to his car and put the keys in the ignition but he never started the engine instead he had just say there in silence.

Haley and Bobby where sitting beside her bedside, she had come out of surgery a little while ago, the doctor had prepared them for the worst after she crashed on the operating table.

'What if I'm not strong enough?'.

She asked and the women smiled at her.

'You will be, you've always been strong enough'.

Peyton looked at the bed she woke up in before and moved to it slowly and lay down.

'Will you at least tell me who you are?',

'I can't do that but you will find out one day'.

She smiled at Peyton as she moved down and touched her face.

'Close your eyes'.

Peyton looked at her and then slowly closed her eyes slowly the light fading into darkness and everything around her fell silent.

He walked back to the room slowly, he saw Sam at the coffee machine with Haley who was crying and he knew that something had happened as he slowly approached the room.

He walked past the window to find Bobby and he took a deep breath as he walked into the room.

'Bobby, I'm sorry'.

He said and Bobby turned to look at him with a smile and as he moved Dean saw why he was smiling.

There she was sitting up smiling with her dad when he came into her view as he moved slowly to the bed, she smiled at him as he leaned down and kissed her head and she sighed.

'I thought we where going to lose you there for a little while'.

'I'm not going anywhere, I'm stronger than I look'.

Sorry for the delay with this chapter I was having a few issues with the out of body experience parts of the story and I finally found a way to write it which I was happy with.

The next chapter is going to take place a week later around the time of Keith's funeral.