Rachel crossed her legs, leaning her elbows on her thighs as she stared at the dark wall. Beside her Puck let out a heavy breath before turning on his side, one of his hands tucked underneath the pillow that Rachel had insisted be put between them. She studied the planes of his face in the soft darkness, wondered whether he saw the same things she did when she was asleep.

Taking first watch had been her idea and Puck hadn't pushed her much on the subject, simply agreeing before collapsing into bed beside her. Rachel noticed that he made an effort to give her some space, and this made her smile. Despite his crass nature he was really a sweetheart, she decided, pulling Puck's jacket over her shoulders. The house felt incredibly cold to her and Rachel wondered what exactly she was supposed to be looking out for.

'A ghost and poltergeist aren't the same thing,' Puck had explained, laying a ring of salt around the bed. 'Ghosts aren't usually angry and shit, unless they were fucked up before they died. What's left is a kind of spiritual existence while they try to move over. Poltergeists, on the other hand, can hurt. So far the Kane's haven't had the thing try to mess with any of them, but I'm not taking any chances.'

Great. At least this one has a nice ass.

Rachel sucked in a deep breath at the woman's voice, eyes widening when she saw what looked like a dark shape move closer towards Puck.

Ooooh salt. As if this could – holy crap!

The loud, thundering sound echoed through her eyes and Rachel waited for Puck to dart upright. Instead the man slept on.

'Hello?' Rachel whispered, tentatively. The dark shape stilled.

Did she just…

'I can hear you,' Rachel remarked softly. 'Are you…the ghost?' She winced at how awkward that sounded.

You can hear me? Really?

The words seemed to be spoken right by her side. Rachel spun around, this time letting out a startled shriek when she saw the shape in front of her. She scrabbled backwards, collapsing into Puck who bolted upright with his Beretta. Rachel stared aghast at the weapon.

'Was that underneath your pillow?' She demanded.

'The fuck is going on?' Puck said instead, eyes flittering around the room.

Hi. My name's Annie.

'Noah…the ghost is talking to me.'

'What?'

It's not really talking if you're not answering, is it?

The chill inside the room seeped into Rachel's skin and she tightened the grip she had on Puck's legs, scooting backwards a bit more so that her back was pressed firmly against his pants.

'Can't you hear her?' Rachel asked as the dark shape hovered in front of her, the moonlight from the window passing through…Annie.

'I can't hear shit.'

I'm not going to hurt you! It's just nice talking to someone.

Maybe it was her imagination but Rachel could hear the sincerity in Annie's tone.

'My name's Rachel.'

'Berry who the-'

Rachel silenced him with a quick slice of her hand, tentatively edging towards Annie. The abstract shape hovered a few paces away from the salt circle.

'You aren't going to hurt me?' Rachel asked, recalling what John Kane had said. 'But what about what you've been doing to the people who live inside this house?'

In the back of her mind Rachel knew she should be wondering how she was able to communicate with a ghost. Rather why it seemed perfectly natural for her to be conversing with a ghost who was supposedly hell bent on haunting a nice family.

Puck grabbed her wrist and Rachel looked back over her shoulder. Puck's brow was furrowed and the Beretta was still pointed vaguely at the window.

Could you tell your boyfriend to put down the gun? I swear on my grave I'm not going to do anything to either of you.

'Noah,' Rachel cajoled gently. 'You can lower your weapon. Annie said she won't hurt us.'

Puck gave her a look bordering on incredulous, his fingers still curled around her. Rachel conceded, staying in place but shuffling forward as close as she could to Annie.

'How…how can I hear you?' Rachel asked, toes skimming the floor.

I have no clue. I'm still kind of new to this whole being dead thing. Been six months since I bit it.

'All those sounds the Kanes spoke about…was that you trying to contact them?'

Yeah I was trying to talk to them. It gets kinda boring being cooped up here all day with nothing to do.

'Why don't you go outside?'

I've been trying but for some reason I can't. I'm just stuck in this stupid house.

'You died here then,' Rachel mumbled absently, dredging up what Noah had told her.

Totally. Come on. I'll show you.

Annie seemed to float towards the entrance, waiting there expectantly.

'She wants us to follow her,' Rachel told Puck, who tightened his grip on her.

'Are you serious? Ghosts don't sit there and talk to people.'

'You don't believe me?' Rachel bit out, hurt. 'I'm not making this up!'

'Shit Rachel. How do I know she isn't gonna fucking possess you or some shit once you step out of this circle? Fuckin' think would you?'

'You told me not all ghosts were malevolent. She clearly isn't a poltergeist or she would be expressing her displeasure at us right now,' Rachel countered. Turning towards Annie she politely requested that the ghost move the door.

I can't touch anything.

'See Noah! She can't do anything!' Rachel repeated, tugging at her wrist. Puck held on firmly, mouth flattened into a thin line. Annie seemed to waver at the door before drifting towards the direction of the stairs. 'Noah please. I'm asking you to trust me, just as I trust you!'

Puck flinched back minutely at her words, but Rachel didn't have time to dwell on that when she felt his fingers dance away from her. Springing eagerly from the bed she heading towards Annie, only for Puck to stand in her way.

'You stay behind me. Don't argue,' he told her firmly. Sighing Rachel nodded her head, Puck's hand lingering on her waist as he pushed her back. Rachel leaned over to the side, spotted Annie at the foot of the stairs. Poking Puck in the side, she gently guided him over towards the ghost.

'See. She's not doing anything,' Rachel thought she should point out when they reached the last step.

There's a crack in the floor. That's where it happened; however I died.

Remembering the light switch she had seen earlier in the day, Rachel stepped out from Puck's protective shield to flick it on.

'Shit Berry didn't I say-'

'Look,' Rachel interrupted, crouching down. An indentation, the size of a large coin, lay between two tiles. The cracks webbed out unevenly in all directions.

I think I fell or something.

A finger hesitantly touched the spot and Rachel let out a small scream at the images that flooded through her head. There was so much anger, hate and confusion, Rachel thought as she clutched at the leather of Puck's jacket like an anchor. Something warm cupped her palm and traced her cheek, and Rachel drew in a short gasp as the images stopped just as suddenly as they came.

'I'm gettin' tired of asking whether you're okay,' Puck seemed to mutter under his breath.

Woah. What just happened?

Rachel glanced up to see a woman with mocha skin staring back at her, black curls piled high. The woman turned around and Rachel saw the back of her head, a hand flying to her mouth.

It looked like her skull had caved in at the back.

'Annie?'