Megan stared blankly at the television. After she had heard the reporter's first few words, her thoughts immediately went back to the dream she'd had that night.

"William Bryant was found in his room by his parents John and Elizabeth Bryant, who immediately called 911. It is reported that Mr. and Mrs. Bryant tried to resuscitate their son, but were unsuccessful. Although the tragedy of William Bryant's suicide was, of course, devastating to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bryant have expressed the desire that it not be in vain, and that it should be an encouragement to teens to talk with someone if…"

It's everywhere, Megan thought bleakly. But why?

"Megan, Mrs. Thompson is here to speak with you, about her daughter." Kate's voice sounded as though it was far away for a second. Megan shook her head and turned around to face the doorway where Kate was leaning in.

"Okay, thanks."

Kate looked quizzically at Megan.

"Are you okay?"

Megan nodded.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

Kate shrugged.

"Just… making sure. It's probably hard for you, working on Jenny's case, since she's right around Lacey's age."

Megan sighed.

"You're right. It is. But that's okay, I'm fine with it."

Kate studied Megan for a moment.

"If you say so. But if you want to pass this to someone else…"

"No. I like to finish what I start."

The case of Jenny Thompson indeed was troubling for Megan Hunt. She was a 15 year old girl who had been sleeping over at her friend's house the night of her death. In the morning, she was found with her throat cut. Her friend was gone. The back door of the house was wide open when the investigators arrived. Naturally, there had been a search for the friend, who had been found and questioned. However, the girl's mind was in a wretched state, and she unable to give sensible answers… it was almost as though she had witnessed something too awful to tell about.

What did she see? Or what did she do? Megan wondered. The ME wasn't convinced that it was just a "straight-up murder", as the detectives liked to put. The obvious cause of death was exsanguination due to the cut on her throat, but the who and why were still eluding her. One of the possibilities was…

Suicide. There it is again. But why?

Megan began to wonder if that was the reason for her nightmares: Seeing the body of a young girl on her table that had possibly committed suicide.

That must be it. I'm just dreaming about it because I see it all the time at work. Dreams get distorted, and your mind makes up a twisted story with people that you know, faces you've seen before. Like Lacey. That's all.

Megan pushed those thought to the back of her mind as she strode into the room where Jenny Thompson's mother was waiting. She put on a faked smile and proceeded to talk with a distraught Mrs. Thompson, telling her she couldn't see her daughter yet, the police were still working on finding the killer, etc. The same things she had said over and over again to many anxious parents, guardians, grandparents, uncles, aunts, spouses, brothers and sisters.

When the visit was over, Megan returned to her office to sort some paperwork. For reason, even in the air-conditioned room, the atmosphere seemed hot and hazy to her. She sighed and rested her head in her hands.

Am I in the twilight zone or something? What is wrong with me? Maybe Kate was right, and I should give this case to somebody else to I don't keep dreaming stupid dreams about it. I must be going crazy. No thanks to that stupid dream.

Megan's phone went off, startling her. She saw Lacey's number on the screen, and picked it up, her hands both tense and jittery at the same time from agitation.

"Hey Lace, what's going on?"

"Um… nothing really, I just wanted to ask you if I could stay over at Ruby's for the night? She said her dad would pick us both up and take me to the apartment get my stuff."

Jenny Thompson. She had gone to her friend's house so she could kill herself in secret.

"No, you can't, you're coming right home after school."

"What? Seriously? Why not? C'mon, Mom, it's just one night, we've been wanting to get together for ages. You've let me sleep over at friends' houses before, why do you have a problem with it now?" Megan sighed.

"Yeah, okay, sorry, Lace. I was just… thinking about something else. Nevermind. Go ahead, have fun. See you tomorrow, then?"

"Yeah. Sure. Thanks, Mom. You have to stop worrying. I'll be fine." Megan's heart began to beat faster, and she had to take a deep breath before she replied.

"Okay. Love you, Lacey!"

"Love you too, bye."

I just have to let her go. She's right. She's a perfectly normal teenage girl who just wants to have fun. The last thing she needs is me watching her every move. We've made a lot of progress, and I can't let some stupid dream mess that up.

Megan did not look forward to spending the night alone. Sure, she had been on her own since she had split up with Todd and before Lacey had moved in with her. But since last night's dream, she felt like she needed people… more than ever before.

She wished that she could just stay awake all night so she wouldn't have to worry about dreaming at all. But even coffee couldn't make that happen.

Megan tried to shake the gloomy feeling that settled on her again like a cloud above her head.

This is going to be a long night.

[Thanks for the reviews, everybody! I didn't expect to get that many. Don't worry, FaBbEr0oZ, the story will end on a happy note. After we leave the twilight zone… :) ]