47. She can't believe how cramped this room is. The sofa alone occupies almost a third of it. Another third has been claimed by a line of locked, metal cabinets, leaving about a foot's space of walking room in between. Tom said it was okay for her to wait in here if she wanted. It's where they keep their files, he said, as well as where they eat lunch on occasion. It's rarely used for the latter, though, and for good reason. She feels as though she can barely fit in here, let alone a six foot grown man. The idea of Shizuo or Lin coming in here and hitting their heads on the low ceiling comes to mind, which makes her smile, but she turns back to her phone and dials the number again.

"The number you are trying to reach is not in service at this time. Please-"

She snaps it shut with a forlorn sigh and leans back against the sofa.

"You're gonna wear your phone out if you keep doing that."

Managing a small smile, she drops it into one of her deep, coat pockets and sighs. "I just wish I knew where he was. I mean, yes, I'm sure he's just fine. It's not as though he calls every morning, but….well, I really need to hear from him right now."

Tom nods in understanding, although she can tell he's bewildered. And that makes sense. After all, he doesn't know about her nightmares and the significance they hold. She closes her eyes, and once again, she's back in the moment, remembering the cold knife that ran through her. Her body always felt cold when she bled in dreams. She remembers the hands over her face, feebly trying to fend off the attacker, whose face she did not see. Whose hands were those? Did they belong to someone she knew? Or was it just a stray soul that attached to her when it fled its body.

"Hey, you all right?" Tom snaps his fingers in front of her to bring her back down to earth, and she relaxes the grimace she didn't realize she was holding.

"Sorry." She apologizes. "And I'm sorry for being such an inconvenience."

"It's fine." He smiles at her. "You're nowhere near as obnoxious as some people we get in here. But for what it's worth, I'm positive Shizuo's okay."

She smiles. "Thanks." Her friend stands and heads out into the main office to take a call. He appears back in the doorway to shake his head at her, and the dreadful hollow in her stomach reappears. Shizuo's probably fine, she tells herself again. Why wouldn't he be? She wraps her arms around herself. Why wouldn't he be?

He's Shizuo. What could happen?

-0-0-0-

Author's Notes: So, here it is, the revised chapter with hopefully smoother content.

Ghost Hunt is owned by Fuyumi Ono and Shiho Inada.

Durarara! is owned by Ryohgo Narita, Suzuhito Yasuda, and Akiyo Satorigi.