Set somewhere before season 2 finale and after Julia dies during the eclipse. Very AU (I think). In this world, Nora didn't come back.

She'd told them. Sally had warned them that something was wrong. Not that Josh needed her belated warning. He could tell that something was off about her. She was different more aloof, less her sanguine perky self. He wouldn't say a darkness loomed over her, but there was something tangibly different about her, but his focus was too torn to narrow it down or to even try. He was too mixed up with protecting Nora from the glamorization of pureblood wolf-life, and keeping tabs on Aidan. Things were going haywire. He couldn't take her seriously, she had to be doing it for attention or Sally must have been mistaken. Someone or something was after her, but he hadn't seen or heard of anything like what she kept describing, not even two centuries old Aidan had any idea.

How could they have known?

How could Josh have known she was as lonely as she was or losing her mind. He didn't find out the most important things until everything was out of control. Her possessions. She'd gotten stuck in the poor innocent woman before he knew she was even doing anything. Of course, he was insanely aware of the fact that he was always in a rush and barely had time for his own thoughts with getting Nora out of trouble, killing vampires for Nora, plotting to kill the purebloods to get Nora away from them, and deal with his ex-fiancé's return to his life. And need he reiterate how lost and wayward Aidan had become. The guy was over 200 years old; he should be more stable for crying out loud. He should be the most reliable of the three. He was a big boy, but not Sally. She was naïve and innocent. She'd been murdered before she had a chance to develop into the person she was meant to be. Essentially, she needed him more than Aidan did, but he couldn't take care of them both. Also, let's not forget that no one told Josh about any of this.

It was all new to Josh – he couldn't believe what he'd seen. She was the ghostly edition of Linda Blair – much more dangerous and terrifying. Sure, Josh was sincere enough when he'd offered some platitude of relativity, mostly to placate himself, but he wasn't having psychotic breaks and creating ghost murdering alternate egos because he was lonely and didn't know how to deal with his anger and frustration. At this point, he wasn't too sold on that relativity bit he'd fed her himself. Even Stu had told him being dead was worse. Could he be wrong?

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have helped."

Sally sat bundled in the farthest corner of the living room staring into space. She didn't really spring back into 'old Sally' after they'd rescued her from her spirit coma. She tended to amble around mostly silent and pensive; he assumed. She was still different.

She snapped her head in his direction causing the lights to flicker and the floor to tremble. "Because you're a little self-absorbed and not very helpful in the most conventional ways." Sally cocked her head then slowly rolled it back to what Josh thought was just an empty chair.

Josh's head reeled back, as if she'd just smacked him, as he stuttered and stammered before getting his first word out. "What? I am very helpful." He couldn't believe his ears. The ungrateful-

"No, Josh, you like to shove condescendingly helpful advice down people's throats. You don't actually do anything. For me. For Aidan, your best friend. What do you actually do besides complain, and whine, and reprimand until it's too late then you literally bleed for us – or should I say Aidan, or so I'm told. But Josh, have you ever heard of too little too late?"

She didn't raise her voice or turn to face him; she just sounded dreadfully bored and annoyed. All of which unexpectedly excited Josh who was ill prepared for the fury that flamed inside his chest. "Of course I have, Sally. That's been the leading theme of my life lately. With you, with Nora, with Julia. I'm always too late. And don't get me started on Aidan – he's-"

"You don't get it, Josh," Sally scowled flippantly.

Before the apathetic ghost registered any movement, Josh was on the floor with his face centimeters away from hers. If she could feel, she would definitely feel the heat of his breath on her face.

"What is there to get, Sally, huh? That while I was navigating my own twisted minefield, I was supposed to save Aidan from the she-devil he's sleeping with and his wily spawn, and stop him from killing innocent people, all while, what? Being your personal shrink to keep you from cracking? Because, Sally, nobody told me anything until it was too late. You and Aidan with your 'secret monster's club' – like the crazy and lost leading the psychotic. I knocked up Nora, then caused her to lose our baby the same day that I cursed her with my special blessing. Now she's gone – where to or if she's alright is anyone's guess – and I practically pushed Julia in front of the car that killed her. I'm sorry mind reading isn't one of my werewolf gifts."

A force blew Josh crashing into the seat behind him, the strength breaking it on impact. Sally dissolved and reappeared floating over Josh. No one knew the amount of energy it took her to remain sane. She was only a step outside of crazy and everything around her, within her, was pushing her inch by inch right back into crazy-ville. She wasn't insensitive. She knew what Josh was dealing with. "You still don't get it." She screeched and Josh felt pressure on his chest. "I don't expect you to fix my problems. It's a matter of consideration, Josh. Do you know why we didn't tell you about some of the crap stinking up our lives? Huh, Josh?"

"If I did, we wouldn't be having this gripping conversation right now."

Sally wanted to slap the sneer from his lips. She couldn't do that, but the pressure on his chest did increase. "You're such a self-righteous douche – do you know that?"

"That's news to me, but do regale me with your educated observations." Josh smirked at his roommate.

He was goading her but he didn't know how bad that could be for him. Sally crushed him into the rubble with her telekinetic angry spirit powers then popped behind the couch as far away from the obviously wolfing human as possible. She knew it was the full moon talking, but she wouldn't be able to restrain herself if she didn't put some distance between them. Taking useless breaths to calm herself, Sally settled somewhat. Arguing with Josh wouldn't get her point across. Not with him on edge as he was.

"Josh, we didn't tell you everything because we didn't want to burden you any more than you already were. We didn't think you needed to deal with our stuff too. We knew – I knew – how much junk you were dealing with. We all had crap. Despite what we lead each other to believe – I'm a ghost I hear and see things – we all still have crap. Difference between you and me and Aidan is that we consider you. We don't hound you, Josh, or condemn you for anything foolish you've done.

"Remember Ray? Beating up that Marcus guy? Killing that vampire cop? Any of this ringing any bells? Stupid stuff, but Aidan and I were supportive. We didn't kick out Ray even though we knew he was a load. No. We gave you what you needed."

Standing from the uncomfortable heap on the floor, Josh, toddled over to the sofa, plopping down in the middle. He didn't know what to say. This wasn't the first time they'd considered him. They'd locked him in the hospital basement instead of letting him murder Bishop. Just so he didn't have to become a murderer.

Sally walked around the couch landing beside Josh. She glanced at him from the side of her eye spying the recognition in his contemplative gaze. Maybe he'd had too much going on to notice the effort she and Aidan exerted to keep him on the right side of their wrong. Maybe it was just now dawning on him. She wouldn't know because she didn't even think Josh knew himself.

They stew in the silence around them that was neither comfortable nor tense.

It was times like this that Josh found himself wishing Sally was corporeal. He didn't think she knew it, but despite her uncharacteristic placid demeanor, her eyes embraced a sadness he'd rarely if ever seen her express in front of him. He wasn't Aidan. She didn't think he was strong enough, cared enough, or there enough o open up to. He was just Josh the roommate. Not her best friend. Sometimes he questioned whether they had a friendship at all. There were times when they were there for one another, but these moments were so infrequent that they seemed like flukes. And here he had an opportunity to prove that theory invalid but all he could think to do was grab her hand, an impossibility that kept jumping into his mind even though it would never happen.

"I don't think Aidan cares that you're not butting into his life or that you're not the kindest person we know." Josh cleared his throat at her soft, incriminating words. "He – you and him – you have it out and then you're fine. It doesn't change anything for either of you, but it's out there. Acknowledged. The secrets are minimal between you guys. The bromance is sickening by the way."

"Yeah, well, so is the secret society thing you and Aidan have. The secretive looks and code speak just oozes Spy Kids." Josh smiled but she didn't return it.

"I cared – care. I – Josh you're the most sane – stable person I know. I talk to Aidan because he listens; he tries, but he's not quick to tell to me why I shouldn't do something because there are ten things he's already doing that I couldn't imagine existed. But he listens. He's kind of there."

Josh's left brow raised and Sally rolled her eyes. She didn't want to discuss Aidan's nefarious conduct or how often he did them.

"He's always in a rush, in and out, but in between the in and out, he sits down, checks on me, then he's out again with a trail of broken promises following."

"Oh."

"Yeah, but it's better than nothing. You, on the other hand, were either absent or delivering grand patronizing self-righteous speeches. I didn't need that, Josh. I needed you." She allowed the statement to hang in the air before picking up again. "I believed you when you said you would be there for me-"

"Sally-"

"I know you were – are living in your own personal version of hell, but who isn't. I created a psycho murdering alternate ego. Tall creepy – albeit sexy – man named Scott." Her eyes flicked to a spot behind Josh. "Who, after Aidan poke-ironed me, hijacked my mind. What's worse, Josh, this alternate world surpassed my reality in general.

"I was happy, and loved, and touched. I wasn't alone. I had friends and Scott – my fiancé or whatever. I could feel his hands on my body, his lips, someone loved me-"

"We love you, Sally."

"Yeah, conveniently. That was different. I know I didn't remember being a ghost or you or Aidan, but somehow I knew there was better." Tears filled her eyes, but she tried to smile through them. "Being alone, sucks."

A lump rose in Josh's throat as he saw a tear slide from Sally's eye. How did they get to this point? So far away from where he'd imagined they'd be after their first serious conversation. If only he could touch her. Sally needed a hug; as juvenile as it seemed, it was true. But hecouldn't make that happen. If he could, he would.

"Sally – are you-" he felt her hand slip into his. He wasn't shocked – a little – he knew she could pick up things or open doors sometimes, but it took so much effort.

Forgetting his thoughts, Josh gripped her hand fiercely hoping he wasn't hurting her but unwilling to lessen his hold. Eloquent wasn't exactly an adjective that applied to him. He too often stumbled over his words and came across as judgmental or goofy when neither of those things was his aim. He was more like his father than he would have ever realized without the woman sitting beside him. Everyone else just let him be, but rarely tried to make him take a look in the mirror. Sally had never done that, and she'd had to bear the brunt of his wrath because of it, but it didn't stop her.

Josh looked down at their hands. This was happening. Glancing up at Sally, Josh laced his fingers with hers. Time didn't stop or stall it pressed on as he observed the younger woman concentrating on their first physical connection. Her delicate features, her almost frail physique. Josh just looked at her, finally seeing her. The hurt, the loss, the determination. She peered up at him, and when her eyes met his, she smiled tightening her hold on his hand.

"I thought dead people were cold." It wasn't the first thing that came to his mind, but it was a thought.

"I'm not?" She asked furrowing her brow dropping the smile from her lips.

"No. More like room temperature." Josh informed quietly.

"Makes sense." Sally giggled and her hand dissolved under the pressure of Josh's hand. She laughed heartily then, as Josh stared on in shock. "Welp, I guess I can't focus and laugh at the same time."

Josh couldn't speak already missing the feel of her hand on his. The sight of her laughing again after everything took his mind from the absence. Before now, he didn't know if he'd see this Sally ever again.

Sally held on to the sliver of joy circulating within her as she rose from the couch. A visit to the park would do. "Thanks, Josh."

Josh turned his head to her retreating figure. "For what?"

"Being here."

Josh's lips split forming an "O," but there were no words that came to mind except maybe you're welcome, which seemed so inappropriate and too self-righteous.

Sally shook her head and rolled her eyes. "It's okay. Everything. It's okay." She spun around to face the door, before she phased through it, she yelled over her shoulder, "Bye, Josh," leaving him on the couch wondering when he'd become the least understanding person he knew.