Joey decided she could just skip out on her little ghost- if that's even what Derek was...
He had a knack for vanishing for sure.
Instead, she got in her canoe and paddled it home. Their house was at the mouth of the creek emptying into the lake. She and Bessie's dad had built it for their mom, but he was in prison for peddling drugs.
If it was only that she could forgive him...
Her thoughts returned to what she'd witnessed between Mrs. Leery and Bob. She still hadn't told anyone, and she wasn't sure what to do about it.
With that wash of thoughts, Joey stepped out of the canoe, hoisting her backpack onto her shoulder.
Bessie was on the porch of their house, but she looked down about something.
Joey let out a gasp when the boy suddenly appeared. Derek...
He was looking at her angrily and accusing, and then his gaze went to Bessie.
"Bessie watch..." Joey attempted to warn.
Derek gave her sister a shove, sending her tumbling down the porch steps, and landing right on her pregnant stomach.
Joey ran to her sister, and looked at Derek furiously. The boy glared malevolently and then vanished like a flame popping out.
"Bessie are you alright?" she asked, reaching for her sister's shoulder.
"No," her sister choked through tears.
"Bessie what..."
Bessie struggled to stand, and placed her hand on his stomach, sobbing loudly.
"I felt it," she sobbed, placing her hand over her mouth. "My baby..."
Joey's eyes widened in horror.
"B-Bessie, I'm gonna go call for help."
Bessie remained sitting on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably, while Joey ran inside.
When the screen door slammed shut behind her, she let out her own sob, and wiped at her eyes.
Her fault...
0ooo0ooo0
Stiles sighed and fell back against his bed, still thinking about that boy he'd seen in class. Joey said she'd seen him too...
"I know I didn't imagine him," Stiles said aloud to himself.
A soft knock rapped at his door, and his mom stuck her face in with a grin.
"Stiles honey, I brought pizza."
"Oh hi mom," Stiles greeted, eyes lighting up. "Awesome!"
He followed her down the stairs, his thoughts returning to the boy. The boy troubled him...
"How do you like your new Jeep?" she asked him.
"Oh its the best," he said, not sounding enthusiastic.
She glanced at him with a frown and a knowing look.
"What's wrong Stiles?"
"Nothing," he said quickly.
"Now honey, you don't have to lie..."
Stiles sighed, wondering what she'd think if he really told her. Would she think he was seeing things and needed psychiatric help?
"Alright," he said finally. "You won't laugh?"
His mother looked brightly at him, and her smile emphasized the little moles on her face- so like his own...
"Do I ever laugh at you, Stiles?"
"Only when I'm an idiot," he muttered. "I guess...the truth is...I saw something that shouldn't have been there..."
His mother looked at him with confusion.
"What's that mean dear?" she asked strangely.
"I saw a boy in Mr. Harris's class."
"Ohhhhh," his mother said with a giggle. "A boy you liked!"
"What!?" Stiles snapped. "No mom!"
He looked at her scandalized, and she chuckled at him.
"I'm sorry," she said with a shreik of delight. "That was mean wasn't it?"
"This is why I never talk to you about anything!" he snapped at her, and turned around, running back up the stairs.
"Stiles wait!"
His bedroom door slammed closed in reply.
0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0ooo0
Dawson bounded into the hospital room, and his face fell immediately.
Bessie was lying in a hospital bed, but her expression was dead. She was just looking ahead, and he knew...
"She lost the baby," Joey whispered to him, and Bessie's expression crumpled.
"Oh god," she gasped.
Dawson watched Joey attempt to calm her down with a helpless look on his face. Then his gaze raised, eyes widening in surprise.
There was a little boy with jet black hair in the corner of the room.
The boy looked up and fixed Dawson with innocent eyes.
"Little boy..." Dawson began, and he was gone with a pop.
"What did you say?" Joey asked in surprise.
"I thought I saw..."
He fell quiet, realizing how ridiculous he would sound- seeing a boy that couldn't have been there...
Joey only fixed him with dead serious eyes.
"You didn't think," she said, with a strange glance. "You did see him..."