A/N: I know I said this last chapter, but I seriously cannot say this enough. I'm so sorry it's been awhile since I updated. Blame work, blame school, blame life…I got a million excuses and none of them will probably please any of you who are waiting for a good Being Human, non US fic, to be updated. I have not, and have no plans on, giving up on this fic. I'd promise to update faster, but I honestly can't agree to that. I'm trying to do the series justice by keeping the characters in character and I often struggle with George especially, though the next few chapters will be George free so I might be alright on that end. I can't apologize enough to you guys and I promise to try harder to get this going. You keep reviewing, I'll keep writing. Deal? Also note, I'm not British/English or from Europe so I try and Google some terms that I know are different, such as "freeway/highway/expressway" in the US to … I guess it's the "motorway" in the UK? Anyway, if I make a mistake, it's all my fault and I try to catch the things I know are different terminology wise. Plus, I've never been across the pond, so I hope my "Death Location" has a real destination in the areas we're talking about in Being Human :-p Anyway, here it is, chapter 3! Thank you to those who are sticking with me and not giving up!

Chapter 3

"Are. You. In-sane?"

George yelled, his voice starting out calm and finally raising several octaves on the last syllable of 'insane'; his voice even squeaked a bit as he yelled and I had to wince at the noise.

"Not only are even considering this, oh no, you're actually going to do it!"

I sighed as George stared at me, his eyes wide behind his wire-framed glasses, his gaze pleading with me to see reason. I had to stamp my natural tendency to say something rude and sarcastic in response. I had expected this reaction from him and it wouldn't do well to lose control either. George had to know I didn't agree to this lightly. He had to understand I knew what I was doing. George had to know I was taking this seriously.

I took a deep breath, to calm myself before answering, and regretted the action.

I could smell the fear dripping off him and I had to fight the thing inside me as I felt my mouth begin to water in response. Right now, his heart was racing, pumping blood triple the rate it usually does. I could almost hear the blood rushing through his veins. The smell of hormones released during, what is now known as the fight-or-flight response – were released. The predator liked this. It knew how sweet that blood would taste, even if it was tainted by the filthy mutt that showed itself two nights a month. George's eyes locked on mine and it took me everything I had not to pounce. I could feel it, just beneath the surface. The need, the want for blood.

I closed my eyes and turned my gaze away from my friend. I couldn't look at him without thinking of the blood, of how good it would feel to sink my teeth into his jugular and drink my fill.

"I know what I'm doing, George." I told him, clenching my fists, cursing myself for my weakness so many months before in Bristol when I had slaughtered 20 people with Daisy, all with a song in my heart.

"Yeah, Mitchell, it really looks that way," George scoffed. "Don't you see what this is?"

"I'm not stupid, George."

"Sure sounds like it."

I counted slowly to ten and risked opening my eyes. I took a deep breath and the smell had went away…only slightly. It was bearable now. I shoved the dark thoughts out of my head and focused once more on George. My friend.

"How else am I going to do this, George?" I asked him, trying to get him to see reason. "It was right last night when it practically told me this was a fool's errand. Even if I managed to get to the other side…" I shook my head. "There would be no guarantee to come back. At least, this way, I have a way in and a way out."

"But why, Mitchell? What does it want?"

"I don't know."

"Exactly!" George yelled, throwing his hands up and looking exasperated. "We don't know. You mean to say that Death just….just…grew a heart and decided willy-nilly just to let you cross over and let you rescue Annie? And what for? Because it's lonely? Because it suddenly grew a conscious and a sense of mercy? After months of tormenting Annie? You don't see that this is a little insane?"

I shook my head and closed my eyes. I knew what George was saying. I knew there had to be a catch. This was too good to be true.

"What choice do I have, George?"

My voice sounded tired, drained. I was surprised how much defeat came through and it was then that I finally realized just how hopeless I knew this really was. I was determined. I wasn't going to give up. But I honestly wasn't sure if I would ever succeed.

George opened his mouth to say something and then closed it again. Silence stretched between us. I could see him struggling with himself. Struggling with wanting to keep us safe; with wanting to get Annie back; with not wanting to lose his first friend since the end of his normal life.

"You get her back," George finally said, looking at me like someone just killed his puppy.

"I will."

George gave me a sad smile and moved closer.

"You make sure you come back, too."

I couldn't help but smile back at him.

"Of course."

George let out a noise somewhere between a laugh and a sob and I shook my head before opening my arms.

"Come here," I said and we hugged for a moment.

When we pulled apart, George sighed.

"When is it?"

"I have to leave in 10 minutes."

"And you tell me this now?"

"I didn't really have a lot of notice myself, yeah."

"Do you know what's going to happen?" George asked and I shook my head.

"It only gave a time and a place. I was told not to be a second late or I'd miss my only shot. That's it."

"You best be heading out then," George said taking a shaky breath.

"Are you going to be ok?"

"Just make sure you both come back." George stated, not answering my question, but he gave me a small sad smile. "Nina and I will be here."

"Where is Nina, by the way?" I asked, glad I didn't have to get a lecture from her too, but surprised George hadn't wanted her around for a 'house meeting'.

"Work. She got an emergency call early this morning. Must have been something big that she's not back yet."

"Ah."

Silence fell between us. I knew I should leave but I wasn't sure I knew how. I knew I should tell George something, about how grateful I am for our friendship. At how he doesn't know just how many times he's saved me from myself, from my darkness. I felt like I should let him know, just in case, but at the same time…

"You should go." George said. "You don't want to miss your chance."

"George—"

"No. Don't say it, because if you say it, than that means you're not coming back and you are coming back. You and Annie both. So…don't." George said sternly. I nodded in response.

"George…if something….if something does go wrong…"

"Mitchell, don't."

"No, George. If something goes wrong…I'll find a way to tell you. They can send messages through electronics. I'll figure it out."

"You won't need to." George stated, sounding like a petulant child, but I couldn't help but smile at his assertions.

I just hoped he was right.

"Good bye, George."

"See you later, Mitchell."

With that, I turned my back on my best friend and the life we had come to build, and was on my way into hell. Literally.

Death's directions lead me to the side of the motorway. I had taken a taxi out and now sat by the side of the road, looking around. There was nothing here but a stretch of motorway for miles and an open field separating the East and West drivers. So that's what it is then. Car accident on the motorway. How original.

I sighed and glanced at my watch. I had less than a minute according to the time given to me last night. I glanced up at the traffic once again, had time to wonder which one it would be when the world seemed to explode. Everything happened so fast, it was hard to tell what started it and what ended it, but as soon as it had started, it was over.

A lorry lost control and slammed into a small compact car. Tires screeched as those behind the scene tried to stop and avoid the collision. The horrible sounds of metal crashing together rang in my ears. Some drivers were lucky, some weren't so. There was a car flipped over in the median, a couple others littered the once undisturbed grass from either trying to avoid or that's where they ended up. Several more were just hunks of metal twisted together in formations that defied physics. Broken metal and glass littered the scene. I knew it was coming, but it was horrific.

I sat in my seat, frozen as my mind tried to wrap its head around the damage. The wind shifted direction and I could smell it.

Blood.

Lots.

And lots.

Of Blood.

Gallons of it.

I wanted to throw up.

I wanted to drink it.

I wanted to lick it off the pavement and roll in it.

The beast wanted to be un-caged and I was too in shock to control the impulses that ran through me. I found myself moving towards the scene, enchanted with the stench of injury and death. My mouth was watering. I knew my eyes would be black as the night if I could see them in a mirror.

I saw movement of people getting out of their cars. I heard people shouting for help. Some on cell phones.

I was standing next to the wreckage, the first car. The victim's blood was all over everything. I could almost taste it. The smell was intoxicating. The fear around me…oh how the beast loved it.

"Ex-excuse me…"

I spun around and hissed at the person who interrupted my hunt. She stood there, looking all the part of the lost little girl. Was maybe 28. Good, a young one. The beast thought. It was about to lunge when her words stopped me.

"Am I…am I dead?"

It all came back to me, why I was here. It was like a bucket of ice cold water had been splashed on me as I stood, looking at the ghost of the woman's blood I was about to lick off the car seats.

"I'm sorry." I said, not really sure what else to say to the ghost before me. She looked to be in shock. I think anyone would be after seeing the devastation around her.

"Oh." She said, looking even more lost.

I looked around, trying to spot it. Where was the Door? I felt panic beginning to rise. There should have been a Door. Did I miss it? Did I lose myself too long? Why wasn't there a Door?

"There should be a Door," I whispered, trying to wrap my head around the fact that there wasn't one. That I was too late. I had let the monster take control and I had lost my chance.

"You mean, like that?" The Ghost asked, pointing behind us.

I turned around, so fast the world tipped a bit, but she was right. There was a Door. I couldn't help but smile and let out a laugh of relief. I turned back to the woman and held out my hand.

"Come on, we go through the door."

"I…I don't know…"

"Do you really want to hang around here?" I asked her.

She glanced back at the car, at the accident around us. I could hear sirens coming and I knew I had to leave fast.

"I guess you're right." She stated, taking my hand. "Are you a ghost too?"

"No. I'm…I'm trying to find a friend."

"Oh," She looked confused but I didn't offer her any more than that. Pulling the Ghost along, we raced to The Door. I put my hand on the knob and turned.

It didn't move.

The Door was locked.

"Shit."

"What?"

"It's locked." I told the Ghost, feeling devastated once again as I realized we really were too late.

"No it's not." The Ghost said and I turned to look at her and sure enough, her hand was on the door and it was partially open. I smiled. Of course. It was her Door. Not mine.

"Let's go." I told her, and she looked reluctant and a bit unsure, but nodded her agreement.

We stepped through the threshold and The Door slammed shut behind us.

This was it.

This was Hell.