A/N: I don't know how many apologies need to be given to say sorry that I've posted so late. ... I'm so remorseful that my sentences are sounding screwed (not like that). :O

My excuse for posting late: my mom and sister both had the flu... and I was stuck home with them... surrounded by germs... trying not to get sick. I literally locked myself in my room for a week.

Anyways, I hope this chapter is okay. In my opinion, I felt like it was rushed but hopefully you think otherwise! :)

Thanks for reading and please don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: I could legally change my name, alter my appearance, and personate Kelley Armstrong at fake book signings, but I'd still not own the Darkest Powers series. Pathetic, I know.

"You feel like a ghost to me,
Come back and haunt my soul."

Tori jumped out of bed and hurried to my side. Her face paled and her eyes were enlarged, proof that she was just as frightened as I was. Adrenaline pushed through and I took a step forward, much to Tori's dismay. She grabbed onto my pajama shirt and pulled me back.

"Are you crazy, Chloe?" Tori said, words tumbling out. "Are you completely mad?"

I shook my head to let her know that it was okay, but how could I really relay to her that it was just a spirit and it couldn't actually hurt her? She was lacking experience in this area of supernatural. Whenever I came in contact with a ghost, I always brought Derek along. Other than a few encounters with some dead bats, Tori had never had a connection with a ghost. But, really, there was nothing to be worried about. Then again, in order to write on the window, this would have to be a poltergeist we were dealing with. And there were many things in the room it could hurl at us...

I gulped down my worries and ambled over to the window yet again. Tori took a step ahead, but she still was about five feet away from the window. I could feel the fear leaping off her flesh, making the air just more and more tense by the second. I held my face very close to the window, wanting to inspect everything around it. The smell of fresh dew clogged my nose while my eyes watered from the misty sensation projecting off the glass. Relaxation washed over me while I closed my eyes as a reverie rested in my brain. It was almost as if I was being transported to a garden far, far away from here; away from all worries and stress and danger. Suddenly, a field of flowers appeared and I was caught prancing through them, a bed of petals lying beneath my feet. If this were a movie, cheesy, yet inspiring, music would be inserted here while I fell back onto the flowers and drifted off into a deep sleep, free of nightmares and- Tori grabbed my arm and pulled me away from my manifestation. Well, I did say almost.

"Well?" Tori asked, irritation still finding its way into her voice. "Did you find anything?" Translation? Please tell me you found something that proves this is a human we're dealing with and not a soul-devouring monster because you scared the shit out of me.

"Nothing," I replied simply. "Absolutely nothing." I stepped away from the window as frustration invaded my thoughts. Who was this? It certainly had to be someone who knew who I was, someone who's been following me. Aunt Lauren? I did have that vision of her back at Andrew's real house, but it could easily have been a deception used by the Edison Group to lure me. But, what if it wasn't? What is she needed my help and was in real danger? I rubbed my temple. It just didn't make any sense.

I wasn't the only one that was puzzled because Tori said, "Who do you think it was? A ghost sent back from the grave to warn you about the perils that lay ahead of you? A fire-eating demon promising to help you, only if you free him in return? A-" I shot a hand up to stop her. She wasn't helping, especially considering she didn't even know that everything she had said was accurate, the experiences of this past week the perfect proof. Which brought me back to my memory of Diriel, all of the secrets she knew; her words like candy, sweet and sticky. But, it was true; Diriel could assist me to my advantage, possibly even helping me free Rae. Next time we showed up at the Edison Group headquarters -uninvited hopefully- it was my duty as a friend to save Rae, even if she did betray me. And maybe even check on Aunt Lauren if she was still alive. Diriel could give me all of the information I needed, plus some. I shook my head to rid of the thought. She was the least of my worries at the moment.

While I could tell that Tori was petrified of our current situation, she was also enthralled. Curiosity lit up her face as she said, "Maybe we should ask it some questions, you know, to see if it is still here."

That actually wasn't a terrible idea. Maybe having Tori as a roommate wouldn't be as bad as I thought. I made a note to act more generous towards her and then began down a list of questions, almost as if I was stuck in a "Ghost Hunters" episode.

"Can you tell us your name?" Tori tensed as I waited for an answer. A minute or so passed by but I didn't hear a thing.

"Maybe I should try summoning it, see if the spirit will come through." Tori nodded in agreement and I went into my "beckoning" mode. I sat criss-crossed on the floor, my eyes closing and my hand instinctively raising to grasp my impalpable pendant. If I had it, it would make my summoning much more facile... and safe. Who knows who I could call forth? Or even how many...?

I swallowed my uneasiness and began to imagine myself as a spirit, fighting and fighting to get through. A barrier was put up, blocking me from getting to my destination. I had to break through and destroy the wall, allowing myself to be free. Tug away from the blank darkness and into reality, into hope. Suddenly, I was suited with a shield and I used that to tear down the wall. Every punch, every hit had an effect on the wall until finally it crumbled and diminished in thin air. I kept pulling and pulling upwards until, in my imagination, I made it through to the other side, chances provoking. I threw open my eyes, satisfied with my performance. But what I saw was... nothing. No one.

I turned to Tori. "Did you see anything while my eyes were closed?" She shook her head. I lowered my face and frowned in disappointment. I thought I did a real good job...

Wanting to get in some words of encouragement, Tori said, "Try again." Surprisingly, her words were soft, almost as if they had true meaning behind them. It was something I've never heard from her so I nodded, thinking that it wouldn't hurt to give it one last shot.

This time, I ramped up the power. I didn't want to get through, I needed to. My being depended on that. I may not have had my necklace, but I could surely fight this thing one-on-one. Besides, I was Chloe Saunders, powerful teen necromancer. No one could deny that now. I pushed and forced myself forward no matter how much my body shouted otherwise. My eyes were squeezed shut while my forehead creased in concentration. A ringing noise developed in the back of my head but I didn't listen to it. I needed to do this...

Tori grabbed onto my pajama shirt, causing my eyes to whisk open, drawing me out of my vision. I stared into her face and I could see that the fear returned, exposing itself once again. I immediately got chills up my spine as the goosebumps trickled down my arms.

"Chloe," she said shakingly, "Stop."

I glared at her, demanding answers. "What's wrong?"

She raised her hand and pointed to the nightstand. "The table."

That was all she had to say because as soon as my gaze met the desk, I jumped up off of the floor and onto my feet. The pen... it was moving... by itself.

Tori cowered back into the window as I stayed frozen in my spot. We had asked for communication and this ghost was now giving it to us, fulfilling our wish. I stumbled over towards the nightstand, not bothering to listen to that voice in the back of my head stating that this was a terrible idea. I pushed all selfishness aside. I couldn't give up on this spirit when it needed my help.

When I made it over to the table, the pen dropped, almost as if it was scared of me.

"It's okay," I said. "Don't be frightened." Ironically, I was the one with the heart leaping out of my chest.

I noticed that the pen wasn't just moving, but it was being put into use. Laying on the table was a note with two small words sprawled out in ink, something that wasn't here before. I picked it up and moved it across my fingers. It was smooth but fragile, almost as if the right amount of pressure would send it to pieces.

I read and reread the letter. It couldn't be. It doesn't make any sense. Why...?

"Can't communicate," I whispered aloud, almost as if I was speaking to the wind. I doubted Tori could hear me, but that was okay. I needed a moment to absorb in everything in silence. I stared at the letter in my hand, written on tinted, aged paper. Each individual letter was written with care in the most beautiful calligraphy I had ever seen. The paper had that old musky smell to it and I wondered where it had came from. It certainly wasn't something I'd expect Andrew to keep around.

A sudden knock at the door sent my thoughts scattering and the paper swaying down to the floor. I stiffened as the door opened with a bang. Andrew appeared in the doorway, distraught clearing showing on his face.

"What are you girls doing?" he snapped. Tori and I looked at each other, both of us too scared to answer. Andrew couldn't know about the poltergeist or any of it, for that matter.

Tori, please answer, I mentally begged, I can't do this. Tori is better with speaking and-

"I-I had a nightmare and T-Tori was helping me," I stammered, feeling like my response wasn't good enough. He'd see right through it.

"Helping you with what?" Andrew questioned. He stared right into me, almost as if he could see into my delicate soul. I glanced down at my feet, my being condescending by every daunting glare from Andrew. I suddenly realized that I couldn't dispel myself from his question and began to answer as gingerly as I could.

"I-I was scared so she was helping with calming down my nerves." I glimpsed up at him as I finished my sentence, hoping that he could find just a small piece of genuineness in my eyes. His eyes shifted to Tori's as she stared right back at him, fear not an option for her.

He swallowed and then said, "Go back to sleep." Then he closed the door carefully behind him and left. I tiptoed over towards the door and waited until I heard Andrew's footsteps finally retreat. I let out a whoosh of air as relief overflowed my body. Tori did the same and then let out a quivering laugh.

"That was close," she said.

"I know." I staggered over to the note laying on the floor and picked it up. I passed it to Tori and I watched as her expression change from relieved to confused. She was thinking the same thing I was.

"How-why wouldn't they be able to communicate to you?"

She looked up at me as I said, "I don't know. That's the weird part. I guess whoever this is is referring to my necromancer capabilities. But I thought that I was able to communicate with all spirits."

"Maybe there was something that the Edison Group left out."

I shrugged in response. But, I knew that she could be right. Why would they want me knowing even more about my powers when they already thought I was dangerous enough? Acquiring any extra information would be totally pointless and could possibly put their group in jeopardy. I just wished that for once everyone didn't have to be the bad guy.

My gaze journeyed towards the window. What I saw caused my heart to accelerate to one similar to a rabbit's. I did a double-take, my eyes still not believing what I was seeing.

"W-what happened to the w-words?" I stammered. Tori glanced behind her and let out another small laugh, but this time, I wasn't amused.

"Chill out. I swiped my arm across the window when Andrew came in so he wouldn't notice it. No need to get so scared all of the time." I glared at her before snatching the letter from her hands and setting it carefully on my bed.

I mimicked her words, "Chill out?" I shook my head at her, the look disapproving. "You just erased the best evidence we had! Proof inhabited to show that I'm not crazy!"

"Well, excuse me for wanting to save your sorry ass," Tori shot, her words harsher than ever. She'd never admitted this before, but I knew that it was how she felt. She always had to swoop down and save me, the trouble-magnet. And now I was acting ungrateful when I needed her the most? Some friend I was.

"Tori," I called out. "Wait. I'm sorry and-"

"Save it," she replied hastily as she crawled back into her bed, covers pulled up to her neck. She let out a weak, "goodnight" before she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

I was left alone standing in the room, my consuming thoughts the only thing occupying me from bursting into tears. I picked up the letter as vigilantly as possible before finally just ripping it into shreds. A tear shed down my face. What had I done? I meticulously retrieved every single piece before stuffing them into my pillow. The letter from earlier today was still hidden in there, fortunately.

I rolled up my sheets and then gathered into my bed, praying for a nightmare-free sleep. It would be a blessing if I got it.

Before I tumbled into unconsciousness, I whispered a barely audible "sorry" into the air. I didn't know who it was meant for, whether it be towards Tori or the ghost I failed to assist, I just felt like it needed to be said to get rid of all of the emotions bottled up inside, gnawing away at all hope and sanity.

Finally, I shut my eyes and wished for the best.

My prayer came true. Well, almost. I didn't have a single nightmare. No, instead, I didn't sleep at all.

My thoughts were constantly stirring around in my head, making sleep nearly impossible. Who was this spirit? What was the history of the house? What was Andrew up to? And why was Simon acting so suspicious? I thought all along that he had trusted me, could confide in me. Now it felt as if we were slipping farther and farther apart, the only thing we now had in common was the death-wish above our heads.

Tori's bed was vacant as she was probably downstairs, wanting to put as much distant between us as possible. I couldn't blame her; I was just as disgusted with myself as she was. If my main goal was to lose all of the few friends I had -NOT to make it out of this house alive- then I currently had well-accomplished that. The only one I had left was Derek and I had almost wrecked that this morning.

Derek. Brooding, unsociable, baffling Derek. I still hadn't figured him out yet. He was a challenge to me, one that seemed nearly impossible. I had all of the pieces at hand but they just didn't fit together properly. One minute he was shouting at me, the next worry taking over. He ruled on logics and instincts, not emotions. I had never met another boy like that. It wasn't like I hung out much with them anyways; they were like a completely different species. But, the sterotypical guys that could be commonly found at A.R. Gurney were always the same: arrogant, daft, selfish. While Derek, on the other hand, was sharp and considerate, always thinking about others before himself, diving down and helping me feel better, sometimes even greeting me with a small smile that made my insides turn wrong side-out and-

I blushed even though no one was watching. No, this couldn't be how I started me day. My perplexing hormones would not get the best of me.

I marched downstairs, my determination and drive for an improved day getting the better of me. Put on a smile, throw out your most decieving lies, and set up your decoys. Everything has to fall into place eventually. Plus, if all else fails, Derek has promised to help me with my necklace situation anyway...

Oh boy. I was turning into one of those mutant lovesick teenagers.

As I entered the living room, I could see that Derek was stretched out on the couch while Tori was eating breakfast at the table. While this may not have been the best idea, she was alone and I couldn't leave her there. I knew how she felt. When I arrived at Lyle House, I hadn't known a single person. Moving a total of nine times could also fit in as an example. Discomfort was not a wonderful feeling, I knew. I was making my way into the kitchen when Andrew popped out from behind a door. And not just any door: the locked door I saw yesterday.

He noticed my distress and quickly plastered a smile onto his tired face. If there was one thing Andrew was good at, it was faking contentment. I copied his motion, letting him know that two could play at this game. He walked into the kitchen, a hand waving for me to follow him but I didn't budge. Instead, I called out to him.

"So, Andrew, how's your day going?" I saw Derek freeze at my words.

He eyed me then said, "Well, It hasn't been much of a day yet, now has it?" Before I could question him some more, he sauntered into the kitchen and rambled through some cabinets, possibly searching for some food to serve to me. I frowned in frustration. He was like a brick wall; you just couldn't get through to him no matter how hard you pushed.

I was about to go join Tori when soft, cold fingers tickled my forearm, causing me to jump high in the air. When I turned and saw that it was Simon, it caused my pulse to decelerate a bit but it still didn't keep me from placing a hand over my heart.

"Simon," I declared. "You scared me!"

He looked down at his feet, his cheeks taking on a reddish hue. "Sorry. After all we've been through, I didn't know you'd still be this jumpy." This caused all thoughts to cease. What was he implying there?

The corners of my mouth twitched upwards. "Is that a blush I see?"

He raised his head and took a quick glimpse at me before glancing away. His hands were shaking slightly as his breathing accelerated. I was getting a little worried.

"Simon? What's wrong?"

"It's just- I know-" he started, obviously having trouble finding the correct words. After about a thirty second pause, he began again. "This is really important to me and I don't want to screw it up." Derek tensed at this.

He turned his head and this time gazed straight into my eyes. I raised my eyebrows to indicated that he could carry on. He took that as encouragement and hesitantly took my hand in his, his fingers shifting comfortably against my knuckles. His hand was chilly, causing goosebumps to form in rows down my arms. Of course, they added on to the ones I already had from the current situation.

"Chloe," he said, this time with much more confidence. "How would you like to go on a date with me tonight?"