A/N: Time to get some shit done lol. Happy Fourth! Enjoy! xx Mariah
"The Fourth of July has to be my favorite holiday. After Christmas and Thanksgiving, that is." Katie giggled as she set the pie she had helped her mother make on the table of desserts.
"That would be your third favorite holiday, then," Mackenzie said, setting down the jello she'd made with Lana.
Katie ignored Mackenzie's correction as she dipped his finger into a bowl of whipped cream. She sucked it off her finger before she said, "Ever since I was a kid, I've always loved going to the block party. And the fireworks have always been my favorite part of the night. I even have a special place to watch them at."
"Oh really? Do I get to see this special place?" Mackenzie beamed. "I love secrets."
"You're not old enough yet, sorry." She shook her head, looping her arm with Mackenzie.
"Everyone always says I'm too little," Mackenzie huffed, groaning. "Will I ever be old enough?"
"One-day little sis… one day." Katie teased, nudging her. "Don't be in a hurry to grow up Mack. It sucks being a grown up."
"Besides getting to do all the fun stuff," Mackenzie twisted the ends of braids as they walked through the street.
They could hear the baseball game starting. It wasn't anything special, but it was a fun pick up game. Their father would pitch, and every year, he and Aaron would wipe the competition every time. This year, the Clancy family had finally talked Ned into playing. Katie had been so excited when he'd told her. He wasn't much for team sports. He loved to watch, but he'd never been much of a player.
"C'mon we're gonna miss the opening pitch and you know how dad gets," Katie sighed and Mackenzie nudged her.
"Wanna race?" Mackenzie's face broke out into a devilish grin that reminded her of her father.
"You're on! Last one there is a rotten egg," Katie broke out into a full run, despite wearing ankle boots. Mackenzie had had a growth spurt this summer and passed her, not that Katie minded. Mackenzie had been in the dumps lately, she needed a win.
Her sister rounded the bleachers and stuck her tongue out as she ran up, out of breath.
"I win!" Mackenzie cheered and then bolted up the bleachers, sitting next to her mother and whisking little Emma into her arms.
She leaned on her knees to catch her breath. She hadn't run that far in such a short amount of time since high school.
"Hey! Why are you out of breath?" Ned came out of the dugout, in his jersey and matching pants. He looked good.
"Race," she muttered.
"A good old-fashioned Clancy sibling race," Ned laughed, walking toward her. "Should've known."
Katie ran a hand through her hair just as Ned wrapped her in a hug. She was wearing a festive tank top of the flag for the holiday and fashionable black shorts, along with her favorite pair of black boots.
"Good luck," she smiled at him.
"I'm gonna need it," he chuckled before she stretched up and pressed a kiss to his lips. Ned squeezed her waist as he pulled away. Before he could say anything else, a voice from the crowd caught his attention.
"Yo, Ned!" Aaron and a pretty blonde came forward. "Good luck out there today."
"Hey Katie," the blonde smiled at her boyfriend's oldest sister.
"Hey, Luc." She hugged the girl, squeezing her arm. They'd been dating since freshman year, she was apart of the family at this point. "I feel like it's been a year."
"Only since Ned's birthday party," Lucy shrugged, tucking herself back under Aaron's arm. "But still, that's like a whole month."
"We'll have to catch up then," she smiled at her. "I was thinking about going to get a pedicure tomorrow. Do you wanna tag along?"
"Yeah, that sounds like fun." Lucy nodded.
Katie turned to Ned and kissed his cheek, whispering to him, "If you need a pick me up… I'll be under the bleachers in the sixth inning."
He squeezed her side, kissing her temple as she slipped out of his grasp and entered the bleacher's area. Her mother and Delia had squared off enough seats for everyone. She'd sat next to Mackenzie, who was stilling holding Emma who babbled happily as she saw Katie.
"Hey Emma girl," she whispered as Mackenzie let her pull the little one from her and nudged her mom, who pulled a chapter book for her out of her purse. "How are you doing?" She breathed in the smell of her mother's perfume and baby lotion, reveling in the smell.
She should be holding her son like this every day.
Charlie.
But she wasn't holding him. She'd hold her sister and just pretend sometimes, pretend her hair was his as she pet it and that when she'd make those unremarkable words, she'd wish that they were coming from his mouth.
But Emma wasn't her son. He was gone.
Emma's bright blue eyes found hers and she laughed, as only a baby can laugh a sweet sound unblemished by the hurts of life. Her little face glowed from a light within, and her miniature fingers grasped hers and held tight.
Somehow it felt like the baby knew she needed comfort, Emma knew she needed joy in the midst of her pain. She held Emma to her chest, kissing her head as she watched the game.
Her father threw a fastball, gaining a second strike. The crowd cheered, her mother's voice prominent from down the bench.
Ter father struck out the man up at bat with his next pitch. That was the third. The teams switched and she watched Ned pick up a bat. He was warming up, swinging his arm, and she felt her breath shorten, her mouth going dry. She licked her lips, noticing Ned glance over at her and wink.
No wonder her mother had always come to watch her father play. Even on the hottest of days.
"Hey mom, take Emma will you?" Katie stood, transferring Emma to her with a kiss on her mother's cheek. Luckily, her mother had gotten there before they did and had saved seats in the first row, so all she had to do was walk to the fence, waving Ned over.
He walked over, looking delectable in the summer sun. His strong legs carried him to the fence, as he leaned in, grinning at her. "Hey you," Ned leaned on his bat, grasping the fence.
"Good luck," she smiled and kissed him through the fence, her tongue claiming his for a split second before she pulled back, smiling. "There's more where that came from later…"
"If you kiss me like that before I hit every time… maybe I'll make this spot a permanent thing," he chuckled, stepping back.
"I'd like that," she laughed, turning and sitting in her seat next to Mackenzie.
"Hey, did you ever cross over Amber?" Mackenzie asked nonchalantly as she flipped the page in her chapter book.
"No, I let that can of beans go when she disappeared back when Charlie crossed over..." she muttered, a bit of sadness creeping through her until she bottled it up in a kiss to Emma's sweet baby cheek. "Why?"
"I just saw her in one of my dreams… it came to me three times this week. She was angry. Very angry Katie." Mackenzie explained, holding her place in her book with her finger. "I'm scared for you Katie. You were there, and I couldn't tell what she was going to do because I woke up, but I just thought you should know."
"Have you seen any mysterious men in your dreams?" She asked as Ned swung, connecting with the ball and dashing to first, then second. She cheered, blowing him a kiss as her father stepped to the plate.
"I don't.. yeah, there was this one guy." Mackenzie muttered softly. "I can't remember his name. He was hooded, I couldn't see his face," her face turned pale as she remembered the missing piece to her dream. She looked at her sister, swallowing hard. "He was watching you from afar, and then the second he was there. You were sleeping and he touched your face. That was when I woke up."
"Great," she sighed and rubbed her forehead, a headache pounding into the front of her head as the crowd cheered. Her father ran to first, Ned dashing to third as Aaron stepped up to the plate. "Oh god, ow..."
"Katie?" Mackenzie's eyes widened and she turned to her mom. "Mom?"
Delia took Emma as Melinda went to Katie, kneeling in front of her. She kissed her hands, talking her through it. Aaron swung once, just a hair too late and Tim whistled, cheering Aaron on and only sending Katie into a deeper migraine.
The announcer for the raffle drawing at the block party nearby began to talk, reading off the first prize.
She grasped her head as the microphone screeched and everyone winced. Her vision blurred and she groaned in pain as she leaned her head into her lap.
When was this going to end?
"I see someone," Mackenzie said, standing up. Melinda turned her head, and despite being in pain, Katie stood. She focused on clearing her mind of Amber's negative energy.
"You still have everything," Amber seethed with anger and Katie grasped the nearby fence. "Let's see you lose something again… will it be Ned?" Her legs shook as Amber flashed behind her husband, who leaned off the base as Aaron prepared to swing. "Or your father?" She was behind her father, who nodded to Aaron in confidence as he prepared to dash to the next base. "Or how about your little brother?"
"Aaron look out!" Mackenzie screamed as Katie collapsed, hitting her head hard against the concrete.
Aaron looked over just as the Amber stepped into him and he too fell to the ground with a thud. Jim ran from his place, gliding across the field to get to his son. Ned had hopped the low fence, dashing over to his wife's side. Amber reappeared and laughed, flashing in front of Katie and looking down a Melinda.
"Get away from my daughter," Melinda sneered as Ned pulls Katie into his arms, checking her for her pulse before screaming for someone to call an ambulance as he touched her head, pulling back to see blood on his hand. "Let her go, you demon."
He pressed his ear to her chest, hearing nothing.
He began to perform CPR on his wife as Mackenzie stares Amber down.
"I wouldn't threaten me if I were you…" Amber whispered, leaning in close to her face as a wicked grin swept across her face.. "You have no idea what I'm capable of. None of you do."
Katie woke up in the back of an ambulance. The first thing she heard was a light being clicked on before the EMT checked her pupils. It burned her eyes and she turned her head, wincing, regretting her decision to move her head as it throbbed in pain.
A familiar voice came in and the EMT stepped back, letting her father take over as her vision came back and she tried to sit up.
"Whoa, bug, lay back. Just relax." Her father said, clearly, placing an oxygen mask on her. "Breathe in."
"Aaron?" She whispered, blinking her eyes a few times.
"Your brother is alright, a concussion. Your mom is with him." Jim explained quickly, punctually. Like he always did. "You, on the other hand, hit your head. Seven stitches." He paused then, sensing this didn't happen because she just fainted. His voice was softer, quieter, this part only for them. "What did you see?"
"Amber," her voice broke and he knew why. He hated what Amber brought back every time she reappeared. It was never for actual help. Only to cause a ruckus. "She was taunting me. Going from Ned, to you, to Aaron, asking me who was I going to lose next."
Jim's eyes flared with anger as he dabbed ointment on her forehead, somehow he was keeping calm. He let her talk and focusing on beginning to stitch her wound closed. He kept tight lines, not wanting to leave a heavy scar. She winced when he pulled a little too tight, but reassured her it was almost over.
"I think she had something to do with Charlie's death," she sunk then, looking away.
"Oh Katie," her father squeezed her hand, pulling her back, even if just for a split second before going to cut the suture. "There. All clean and stitched up." He put the scissors down. "I'm sorry."
"Where's Ned?" She asked.
"He's calming Mack down. She was shaken up, you just fell. You were gone for two minutes," her father was quiet then. "Ned brought you back."
She met his eyes then, seeing the sadness there. "I don't remember anything," she strained her memory, trying to remember if she'd been on the other side. She had to of. "It was just black."
She felt her dad smooth a piece of gauze over her forehead and kiss her there. "Feel okay?" Jim asked her, finding her hand again.
"Yeah. A little woozy, but can I go back to the cabin?" She asked softly, looking over at him with a smile.
"Ned'll bring you," Jim said and kissed her cheek. "We'll just have to watch the fireworks from the deck tonight."
"Yeah," she sighed. "Sorry for ruining everything."
"All that matters is that you're okay, bug." He helped her stand, her legs a little unstable, and she grasped on him. Her father was strong, always had been, was capable of holding her up as he helped her walk over to Ned. "Is she still here?"
"I feel her," she muttered, her head throbbing. "She's gotten stronger. Not just in what she can do, but her energy. It's like poison."
"Katie," Ned rushed to her side, touching her face. "You scared me. I thought I was gonna lose you. I did lose you." He hugged her, and she held onto him. Her husband. Her anchor.
"I'm okay," she whispered, squeezing his shoulder, kissing him there. "It was just-" she winced and the smiles at him. "It was Amber. Her energy has gotten stronger."
"I don't like this Katie," he muttered. "She's never been like this before. I don't want you messing with this. This is a can of beans you shouldn't handle alone," he sighed, knowing she had to do something about Amber, but if he had any say in it, she wasn't doing it alone. "Promise me you won't do this alone?"
"I promise. I have my whole family here," she squeezed his hand. "We've got this."
He nodded and kissed her softly. She tasted his altoids and smiled, he only chewed on those when he's nervous. When he had nothing else to do but wait. "I'm going to go pull the car up," he whispered, kissing her bandage. "Then we can go back to the cabin."
"That's all I want to do right now," she smiled at him, thinking about laying in bed. Ned would wait on her hand and foot if she asked, and she would, for a little bit at least. "You have no idea."
He kissed her again as she leaned back on her father as he left. Amber appeared beside her with a smug look on her face. Her energy was poisonous, it drained her of everything she had. She sank into her father's hard muscled arm, groaning as Amber touched her arm, pulling the last bit of energy she had.
"Katie? What is it?" Jim felt her balance waver, her weight pressing heavily onto him. "Baby?"
"Miss me?" Amber snickered, pulling her hand back to give her strength. "I've missed playing with you. Thought it was about time I paid you a visit."
"What do you want?" She winced, her words coming through her teeth as she bit back her anger.
"Is she here?" Jim looked around, even though he couldn't see, he knew he held a presence in their world. He was Melinda Gordon's husband after all, and her father. "What can I do?"
"keep a hold of me, just in case." She whispered, closing her eyes. She held together, gathering her inner strength. Her mind cleared as she released a breath, her eyes opening. "I asked you a question. What do you want?"
"I want your life." Amber scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You have it all. You don't deserve it."
"Amber, I'm sorry about what happened to you. I really a-" She whispered, grasping her father as another wave of pain hit her.
"I don't want your sympathy." Amber yelled, cutting her off. "I want what you have."
"I don't have anything for you to take! You already took my son," she scoffed, turning away from her. Her father held her, whispering her favorite bible passage. Psalm 46:1-3. "Please just go."
"You're gonna lose it," Amber chuckled.
"Lose what?" She winced as Amber touched her forehead. "No. You don't get to touch me." Amber's hand repels off of her and she asked again, slower this time. "Lose what?"
"I'm testing a theory." Amber smiled.
"What theory?" She asked as Amber stepped closer.
"Oh, you'll see." Amber chuckled.
She felt her energy be ripped from her body, her eyelids feel heavier, and her body feeling lighter. She leaned into her father, muttering something inaudible about Amber. He didn't quite catch it, and he had told everyone to this day he regretted not listening harder.
"You are breakable Katie. I watched you unravel once, and I'm gonna do it again." Amber whispered in her ear.
She felt lighter, sleep was going to claim her and she didn't like the thought of sleep right now. Sleep meant a vision, something with Amber, and that didn't mean anything good.