A/N: Ok, in this chapter, I added Rick and Delia. I'm a bit abusive againts Delia, but its for comedy porpuses for the site I originally posted this on. Enjoy :)

~Chapter Four~

-"NO!" Melinda yelled, sitting up.

Jim grabbed her.

They were both in bed, and Melinda just had her usual dream.

-"Mel! Melinda, what is it? What happened honey?"

Melinda begun crying.

-"Nothing, just go back to sleep."

-"I can't go back to sleep until I know what's wrong."

Melinda was silent.

-"Melinda, speak to me. Every night, I need to watch you suffer from whatever is going on in your head."

Melinda was about to get up, but Jim pulled her back down.

-"Mel, please, I'm begging you. Talk to me, or I'll send you to a shrink."

- "Jim, this is a dream I don't care to talk about to anyone."

-"Why?"

-"Jim, it's just so awful. It seams to become more realistic, like, if its going to happen or something."

-"Baby, you can't just keep this all inside. If it's that bad, at least talk to your precious daughter." the last sentence, he begun raising his voice.

-"Jim, why are you so mad all of a sudden? And, no, I will absolutely not tell her about these dreams, especially since they revolve around her."

-"Melinda, is that why you never take my side on anything about her? Because… you think something will happen to Maria-Annabelle?"

Melinda slowly nodded.

-"It's part of the reason, anyways."

-"Alright." then, he hugged her.

He could feel her tears running down his back.

-"I love you so much, Jim Clancy, and I don't know how I would live without you."

Jim begun crying too.

-"You told me the same thing when I proposed, the second time."

-"I know…."

then she had another flashback…

It was nearly a year ago, and Jim and Mel were sitting in her kitchen in Grandview.

Maria-Annabelle was back in Carleton Place, being taken cared of by Faith for a few days.

Jim told everyone he was visiting a cousin in Philadelphia, which was a lie.

He came to Grandview to visit Mel, who was presently his girlfriend.

A few months back, Jim came to Grandview on business.

They ran into each other, and old feelings came back, despite the nasty divorce they had a few years ago.

So, Jim travelled back and forth for the past few months spending long weekends with Mel.

They both knew it was wrong, but they couldn't help themselves.

-"So Jim… how is Maria-Annabelle doing?"

-"Oh, great, I guess. She's still driving me insane, though."

-"Just give her time, Jim, she'll forgive you."

-"I hope so. The years that I had her so far were just brutal."

The custody arrangement for Maria-Annabelle was one year at Mel's, one year at Jim's.

it seamed fair, since they both wanted Maria, and also Carleton Place is in Canada, and Grandview is in the USA.

It was easier for her.

But, now, for Jim and Mel, not so much. -

"Jim, what are we going to do? We both want to be with each other…."

-"I might have a good idea."

-"Good, but please, don't let it be anything selfish and stupid." then, Jim reached into his pocket, pulled out a small leather case, knelt down on one knee, then opened the case.

It revealed a new wedding ring with a bigger rock.

-"Oh, my god, Jim, no, that wasn't what I was looking for. But, good example, though."

Jim just rested in the same position, mortified.

-"You want wine?" she asked him, opening a bottle of wine.

Jim got up and walked over to her, frowning.

-"Ooh, I guess not."

Jim just looked even angrier.

-"Oh, ok, I'll pour you a glass, gosh." then, Jim hit a fist against the kitchen counter.

-"Tell me what you want Jim, I can't guess."

-"MELINDA! STOP BEING SO DUMB!"

-"Was I being dumb?" she asked, in shock.

-"Ooh, yes I think you were. Why wont you marry me?" she was silent for a moment.

-"Jim, the timing doesn't seem right. Besides, what would Maria-Annabelle think?"

-"I don't care what the hell she would think! I find it's a great idea! Besides, I love you so much, and I never stopped loving you."

-"I never stopped loving you too."

-"Well, c'mon, marry me." he took her hand.

-"I promise you I'll make it better this time." then, Melinda pushed him against a wall and begun kissing him.

-"Yes, I'll marry you. I love you so much, Jim Clancy, and I don't know how I would live without you." she told him between kisses.

Then, they went upstairs….

Then, Mel was back.

She let go of Jim.

-"Hey, Jim… want to take a shower with me before you go to work?"

-"Sure… but don't you have a shift today?"

-"No, I got the day off."

-"Oh, right."

-"When will you be done yours?"

-"Um… around two. Why?"

-"I was hoping to spend time with you, like go for a hike, or go out for dinner or something. We never have time alone."

Jim smiled.

"I'd love that very much." then they took a shower, and Jim left for his shift.

It was around six, and Melinda snuck into Maria-Annabelle's room.

She wasn't in bed.

Worry begun to rise in Melinda.

-"Maria-Annabelle Elizabeth Clancy! Where the hell are you?" she walked around the room and looked out the window.

Maria-Annabelle was out there, in her housecoat and slippers, hugging someone.

Melinda couldn't believe who.

She screamed, then scrambled out of the room to the stairs.

She went down them, the ran out the front door

-"RICK!" she screamed at the tall blonde man who was hugging her daughter.

-"Oh, hey, Mel!"

-"What the hell are you doing here?!"

Rick let go of Maria.

-"Is that the way you greet your guests?"

-"No not really!" he smiled.

-"Oh well. Come here and give me a hug."

she jumped off the porch and ran into his arms.

-"Oh, Rick, I've missed you so much! My life isn't the same without you!"

-"Mine isn't either."

Mel and Rick met at University many years ago, while she was studying to be a doctor and he was studying to become a college professor.

When they met the second week of their first year, they were both at the library researching both on the occult and such.

He was for fun, and she, because of a ghost problem.

They clicked instantly, mostly because they have the same interests.

They tried dating for awhile, but they just agreed to be best friends at the end of that school year.

After they both graduated, they both moved to Grandview, and Mel met Jim and Rick met Kate.

Mel and Jim got married and left town, and Rick wed Kate, and they had a son, Austin.

But, Kate died, and Austin is now eighteen and gone off to school.

Mel and Rick still keep in touch constantly, but it still isn't the same.

So, Rick is pretty lonely.

It doesn't surprise Mel when he tells her about the stunts he does, including what he brought with him this time.

-"HEY RICK! DON'T LEAVE ME IN HERE!" they heard someone yell.

-"Who was that!?" Mel exclaimed.

-"Oh, it's just Delia."

-"Who is she? Another chick you're sleeping with?" Mel asked.

-"Oh, GOD no! She's just a mother of a student that works at Rockland."

-"Where is she? Why is she here?"

-"She's in my car; I brought her with me because Delia's blind, and poor. She can barely afford the apartment she's living in now. She's lucky she's not on the streets yet."

-"And?"

-"Well, she wasn't always blind. She had a husband, and her and him were at a bank machine when a bunch of guys came and shot her husband, then attacked her. They took out her eyes then mocked her."

-"Oh, how sad."

-"So, now that she's blind, she can't get a job, so since her son has a job at the University, we pay him extra for his school and we take care of Delia while he works. Unfortunately, this was my week."

-"Oh, so the blind pig gets a free trip?"

-"Mel, why are you being so mean?"

-"Because from her name, she sounds like a pig."

-"Yeah, true. Anyways, yeah, she gets a free trip."

-"Does she need to stay in my home?"

-"No, we were planning to stay in a hotel."

-"Good, because this isn't a place for hobos to stay."

-"I'm not a hobo!" Rick exclaimed.

-"I'm not calling you a hobo, you idiot."

-"Mommy, stop being so mean! Poor Delia must be a nice person and you didn't even meet yet! Give her some respect!"

-"Ok, sweetie, I'll try. See, when mommy is around Rick, mommy is always like this. Ok?"

Maria nodded, and went inside.

-"So, are you coming in?"

-"Yea, but is Delia allowed too?"

-"I was hoping Rick that we could bring her out then put her in the garage. I don't want any animals in my home. Or, we could just leave her in the car with the window creaked open."

-"Mel, c'mon, stop!"

-"Rick, she's blind. I'm sure she wont tell the difference. I know, because I'm a doctor."

-"A very b**chy doctor, too."

-"Oh, Rick, you know how nice I am."

-"I know you're nice, but try to be nice to Delia, please."

-"Ok." then, they walked up to the car, and Rick opened it, revealing Delia.

-"Rick, where the hell are we? Where's Ned?"

-"You're on my property." answered Melinda.

-"Who the hell are you?" Delia asked.

-"I'm Melinda Gordon-Clancy. You don't know me."

-"Ok, good, because I don't like you."

"Well, you know me now. So, too bad. Now, come inside, I'll fix you up some coffee."

-"Oh, ok." then, Rick handed Delia her stick, and he helped her get out and walk up to the house.

They went inside, and Maria was in the kitchen, eating a bowl of cereal.

She came over.

-"Hello, I'm Maria-Annabelle. May I get you something to eat?"

-"A doughnut from village Java."

-"You're not in Grandview anymore, Delia." Rick answered.

-"But, I want a doughnut."

-"Can I get you one from Starbucks or Tim Hortons? It's all we have here." then, Delia whacked Maria-Annabelle with her stick.

-"THIS ISN'T FAIR! I DESERVE A DOUGHNUT FROM VILLAGE JAVA! DOESN'T ANYONE WANNA GIVE ME SOME RESPECT!?" then, Rick reached into his pocket, and brought out a needle.

He put it in Delia, and she was knocked out.

-"Delia has anger issues because of her husband's murder and all; we need to carry these at all times." Rick explained, and Mel went over to Maria-Annabelle.

-"Oh my god! Baby Angel, are you ok?"

-"Yeah, mommy, I'm fine. I'm going to go get the mail." then, Maria-Annabelle stormed out.

As she was flipping through the mail at the end of the driveway, she noticed a piece of mail that wasn't theirs.

It read: Piper Ezlord.

That was all.

She wondered why it didn't have a correct address, nor returning address.

She then thought that it could belong to the new neighbours.

So, she shyly went over, climbed up the steps, and knocked at the door.

Twyla answered.

-"What do you want?" she asked.

-"I- I got a piece of mail that does not belong to me or my family. Is this yours?" she handed Twyla the letter.

-"It's my moms. Thanks."

-"You're welcome. Good bye." then Maria-Annabelle smiled then headed back home.

Twyla watched her leave.

Piper came behind her, and shut the door.

-"Is she the girl, mother?"

-"Yes, Twyla, she's the one."

-"Are you going to hurt her, mother?"

-"No, not until I find out why. I need to stop this torture." then, Piper went down the hall to her room.

Slammed the door, and looked around the room that was filled with pictures and information on the Clancys.