Insomnia [Complete]

[Gouki]

Title: Insomnia
Pairings: The real trick is to find a pairing which doesn't happen.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Except... sort of I do own one.
Notes: This story contains slash. You've been warned. It's also a sequel to Aftermath and then again to One More Finale, so you should read them first. Or not, I've mafe it pretty light on references to past stories. Basically, after shenanigans involving the mirror world blending with the real world Josie ran away.

Summary: Two months after Insomnia and One More Finale, the Science Club are finally beginning to realise that things will never go back the way they were. With Josie still missing, and Z looking for her the gang struggle to control their feelings when faced with new relationships, a new teacher and a larger threat.

****

Chapter 1- Reflection

Lucas stood over Marshall who sat on the end of his own bed, looking directly into his eyes. They were alone in the room; the only light was from the lamps on the bedside tables.

"I have something to tell you," Lucas said quietly. "It's really important."

Marshall swallowed hard. "Are you sure? I mean, it mightn't be that important."

Lucas shook his head, and chuckled slightly. "I… I really don't know how to say this…"

"Just say it," Marshall said edging him on. "Let the words flow. Like a, uh, river."

He took a deep breath and calmed his nerves. "I love you."

Lucas frowned. "I don't think that sounded convincing."

Marshall stood up from the bed and grabbed the script book. "Who cares if it sounded convincing. We're going to look stupid anyway," he complained flipping through it. "See here—you left out a line!"

"Would you have rather worked with Corrine?" Lucas asked knowing the answer and ignoring Marshall.

Marshall bit his tongue.

"The simple fact is we have to do this scene together or we fail drama," Lucas reminded him. "Despite it sounding all movie-of-the-week."

"I know. 'Like a river?' That is so tacky," Marshall concurred. "And on an entirely unrelated note, we're having the first science club meeting in a while. Remember?"

Lucas furrowed his brow in confusion. "Is Z back?"

"No, we decided we should try and get it all back to normal. At least as normal as it is here."

"Oh. Right," Lucas said. "But, that's the thing, nothing will be the same. First with the Mirror-selves and then with Josie taking off. Then there's the drama of you and Corrine and Vaughn's constant griefy-poor-me-mood swings. So, so tired of it, by the way."

"I think you and Vaughn have adequate drama," Marshall snapped. "What is this, a character study?"

They sat in silence for the next few minutes, something that had been happening a lot lately. They didn't know where they stood with each other anymore. It had been that way since the mind trip.

"We should probably go," Marshall said breaking the uncomfortable silence.

Lucas nodded in response.

The sooner the better. I just want it done.

***

Corrine paced back and forth in front of Stew, anger burning in her eyes. He had a cocky smile covering his face, as his arm shot out and grabbed her pulling her close.

"Don't touch me," she snarled.

He moved his head in close. "Or what? You'll scream? That'll just make it more fun. And then I can… um, erm, uh… line?"

She pulled away from him exasperatedly. "Look, Stew, if you're not going to do this properly, just leave. And I'll find someone capable of learning seven lines. Seven! It's not that many."

"Corrine, I've got practice soon. So, I've got to go," Stew said uninterested. "We'll do this another time."

She gave in. I don't need this now. "Good. Hopefully you'll have learned your lines by then."

Pushing him out the door, she glanced at her watch. It was time for the meeting.

Soon. I'll give into faux happiness.

***

The four members met each other in the science lab awkwardly. Closeness had been lacking lately between them. They'd been letting the distance grow and had no way of stopping it.

"Hey," Vaughn said to Lucas.

Corrine and Marshall looked at each other wordlessly.

"Alright, as fun as this is I think it's too soon," Lucas said looking at everyone else through the tension. "Let's do this again sometime."

"I'm all for that," Corrine said. "I'm meeting someone to go to the movies."

"Who?" Marshall asked.

She shot him a look. "It doesn't concern you."

"So, he's another new guy?" Lucas asked. "That makes four in a month and a half."

She shrugged. "And?"

With that, she walked off quickly, leaving the boys alone.

"Ouch," Vaughn murmured. "When are you to going to make up?"

"Looks like never," Marshall replied. "I guess we head back to the room, huh, Lucas?"

"Actually, could I talk to Lucas alone?" Vaughn asked.

Marshall arched his eyebrow and looked at Lucas.

"Sure, I guess," Lucas replied glaring at Marshall. "I'll see you back at the room."

Vaughn waited until Marshall was completely out of sight before he closed the door to the lab and pulled up a chair.

"This isn't going to end with drunk-ness and the aftertaste of a bad night of badness is it?" Lucas asked worried. "Because I've had nightmares like that. And… and remember when you got sick?"

Vaughn's eyes went wide with surprise. "You said you'd never bring that up again! You're not very good as keeping those sort of promises are you?"

"It's not like I brought it up in front of everyone," Lucas muttered to the side.

"Yeah, yeah," Vaughn conceded. "And no it will not end with a drunken night of sweatiness."

"Then what's it about?" Lucas asked, eager to leave.

The taller boy pulled an envelope from his side pocket. "This."

Lucas could tell by the writing. It was from Josie.

"It's addressed to me on the envelope, but the actual letter is dressed to both of us. Despite what she said before she left," Vaughn explained. "There's not return address or mention of a guest appearance on there either," he added seeing the look on Lucas's face.

He snatched the letter from Vaughn and opened it slowly.

"I'll leave you to it," Vaughn said getting up to leave.

"Thank you," Lucas whispered, quieter than he wanted.

Lucas/Vaughn

This is just to let you know that I'm alive. I miss you all. Don't tell anyone about this letter. And thank you. For everything. Even for trying to stop me from catching the bus. I'm sorry I didn't do anything.

Josie Trent.

He stared at the letter for a while, the words blurring into a large blob of ink as his eyes were filled with tears. He leaned down, scrunching the letter in his hands slightly.

After what she said to him, after the mind trip, after how close him and Vaughn had gotten since she disappeared, he didn't want to love her anymore, he knew that it wasn't really him—not at the core of it—he wanted to be able to forget her.

But, he knew he couldn't. He knew he wouldn't.

[Gouki]

Chapter 2

"Two months is a long time," Marshall said on the phone. "Lucas and Vaughn really took it hard. They've become surprisingly close. It's good… Of course, I mean that… you're just turning my words against me now… Alright, I'll talk to you later… Bye."

Lucas entered the room, his face slightly red. "Who was that?"

"What? Oh, just a friend," Marshall replied. "Did you and Vaughn have a good conversation?"

"It wasn't really a conversation," Lucas said. "It was… never mind."

Marshall knew something was wrong. "Tell me. I'm curious now."

"Can we just drop it?" Lucas reacted. "I don't want to or need to talk about it."

Raising his hands in defeat, Marshall let the subject drop. Lucas, thankful that he did, sat down in front of his laptop and opened it up. Attaching the headphones, Lucas blocked out everything around him as he started to watch some movies.

"Oh great, detachment guy again," Marshall muttered to himself angrily. "Vaughn must have had some news on Josie."

"I heard that," Lucas said loudly, over the headphones.

"Alright, if you're listening, then I've got to go and get some books," Marshall announced. "And a few CDs. I'll be back later."

Lucas turned around and pulled of the headphones. "Can I come?"

"I guess you can," Marshall replied. "I didn't think you'd want to."

He shrugged in response. "But I do want to. Okay? It's better than being here alone."

***

Vaughn sat in his room alone, loud music blaring from his speakers. A mixed CD of the most angst ridden music he could find in his own collection and on the Internet. People were so helpful. Victor was at a summit meeting for the next five days. He was alone. Again.
For the first month, Vaughn hadn't spoken to anyone. He spent all of his time trying to find John and Josie2—to make them put it back the way it was. It was fruitless though. No fruit for Vaughn. He still didn't talk to Victor except to say things like 'I'm going' and the like. But he'd started to talk to his friends again.

Or at least Lucas.

"… How stupid could I have been? A simpleton could see! The you're no good for me! But you're the only one I see!" Vaughn sang along to the song, as he went to the kitchen for some food. "Everything change, everything falls apart… Can't stand to feel myself losing control! Deep in my weakness I go!"

He didn't want to cook—it was too much work for him at the moment. He couldn't keep his mind focused. Whenever he tired to focus on anything, it would drift. Back to that day.
Hearing someone knocking on the door, Vaughn answered it—despite not wanting to—and was surprised to find Corrine standing in front of him, her eyes red and puffy. She'd been crying.

"Corrine, what happened?" Vaughn asked. "That guy you went to meet, he didn't?"

"He broke up with me. Humiliated me. I was just a game," she told him as she walked inside.

"When did I become like this?"

"Like what?" Vaughn asked getting her a drink.

"A sl*t."

"You're not a sl*t," he insisted sitting next to her, handing her a can of coke.

"Ever since Josie disappeared—No! Ever since the Mirror-selves came back I've been unhappy," she explained. "Just like it said. Remember?"

Vaughn looked away. He remembered.

She moved closer to him.

"You don't want to be abandoned," she whispered. "I want to be happy. We could both benefit."

He pushed her away. "I think you should go."

"I'm just kidding Vaughn," she said forcing a faux smile onto her face. "I wouldn't dream of doing that to you. But that's what it's been like. First Marshall, then Mirror-Marshall and finally Josie. I made them all happy."

"Corrine don't," Vaughn said trying to stop her from continuing.

It was no use.

"I wasn't happy though. And I didn't care," she said looking into Vaughn's eyes.

"This isn't my business," Vaughn replied trying to ignore her.

The words seemed to seep in this time. "You're right," she apologized. "I shouldn't have bought it up. It's not your business. I'll go. See you at school?"

He nodded. "Talk to Marshall," he advised as she left.

She said nothing.

***

Marshall and Lucas walked most of the way in silence. It wasn't as easy to strike up a casual conversation anymore. Not when you've been inside your best friend's head. Literally. Finally, Lucas blurted something out.

"She sent me a letter," he said casually.

"What?" Marshall asked, the sudden conversation catching him off guard.

"Josie. A letter. The sending thereof," Lucas repeated. "She's okay. At least, she was when she sent the letter."

Marshall stopped. "Are you happy about that? I mean, you know she's alive and well. Maybe now we could try and, well, try and repair everything."

Lucas half-turned and looked at Marshall, a stony look on his face. "Why do we have to repair everything? Why does it fall to us, Marshall? It's not our job."

"I never said it was," Marshall replied. "I just think that—every time Josie is mentioned. Every single time since she disappeared you become detached and angsty. I just…"

"We were in each others head," Lucas cut him off. "Inside each others brains. We saw the darkness and the light mixed into one. And we can't accept that. I can't accept that. I don't want to. I'm sorry."

[Gouki]

Chapter 3

Lucas turned his back on his friend and walked away slowly. He knew what he was going to do now. Get Vaughn, get some money and go searching for Josie. Not matter how much pain it caused him. Or the people who loved him.

Marshall sat down on the park seat behind him and buried his hand in his heads. "I can't keep doing this Lucas," he murmured. "I need you."

He slumped back and looked up at the darkening sky, caught off guard by Corrine sitting next him soundlessly. She waited for him to look at her—and for him to dispose of the surprised look on his face—before she even made an attempt to talk.

"Marshall," she started softly "We need to talk. I've been letting things fester. I want to be fester free." She stopped without warning.

"Um, okay," Marshall said, dreading what she would say.

"Now, we established two months ago that I liked you. That I loved you, you could say. And then Mirror-Marshall came along and I decided I wanted to be with him," she explained, as if Marshall was hearing all this for the first time.

"I'm with you this far," he assured her.

"And, our relationship deteriorated fairly quickly. Do you know why?" She asked.

He shook his head.

"You," she answered simply. "You're the reason. It's all your fault."

He shook his head again, not understanding.

"I'm sorry but, huh?" He asked.

"I can't make it any clearer than that," Corrine replied.

"You could actually," Marshall said. "You could make it clear. In anyway. That would be quite helpful."

Corrine glared at Marshall. "I'll say it slower then. It. Is. All. Your. Fault."

"Yeah, I'm on that page," he told her. "I just don't have the rest of the book. How do we go from Mirror-Marshall abandoning you to me—"

"Because he started to take on your traits!" She exploded. "I couldn't be with him, because he started to be you! And you don't love me! You didn't even have the decency to tell me yourself! You're weak. I hate you."

Marshall was dumbfounded.

"I had a chance at happiness and you tore it away from me because you're a selfish I feel rejected," she hissed at him. "I'm glad we had this talk."

She rose to her feet and started to walk away, when Marshall grabbed her wrist. She spun around her eyes wide with shock. She said nothing. She didn't need to. Marshall's hardened face softened and he let her go.

"It's not my fault."

"Why are you lying to yourself Marshall? Of course it is," she said quietly.

***

Vaughn opened the door, angry that someone else had interrupted his brooding session. The anger faded away when he saw Lucas standing there, a faux smile on his face. He could tell it was there for decoration, but it was nice to see someone actually smiling.

"You told Corrine to talk to Marshall?" Lucas queried inviting himself in. "I saw her walking towards Marshall. One of the oh so many reasons I left."

"Responsible relationship councilor Vaughn," he replied. "Coming soon as an action figure."

"I want to find Josie," Lucas announced. "You're going to help me."

"Want a drink?" Vaughn asked.

"Are you listening to me?" Lucas asked. "This is important."

"Yes I am listening," Vaughn assured the smaller boy. "But, I think it's crazy. She will be found if and when she wants to be found."

Lucas scoffed at his answer. "You don't know that. Maybe she's dying. Maybe the CIA is using her for experiments. What if she's been abducted and being used as a sleeper agent?"

"And you scoffed at me?" Vaughn asked handing him a drink regardless of whether he wanted one or not. He sat down next to Lucas. "Look, Lucas you've got to understand that Josie isn't like other people. She's someone different. She's special. She's one hell of a woman and you have to trust in her. You can't—"

Lucas silenced Vaughn by covering his mouth with his own. Massaging his lips softly, he moved his hand down Vaughn's back. Lucas did all the work. Vaughn sat there astonished with what Lucas had done. Lucas pulled back slowly, licking his lips.

Vaughn blinked a few times.

Clearing his throat, Lucas started to talk. "So, did you enjoy that?"

"What? You kissed me. With no warning," Vaughn replied. "Why did you kiss me?"

"The love triangle. You, Josie and me. I love her. You love her. She doesn't know which but probably you. And the way you talked about her… My mind. It's not been the same since that day. And then I got thinking; we've gotten really close lately. And Josie-Two said I don't love her," he explained. "And that there were others I loved."

"Please stop," Vaughn pleaded. "I beg of you. Stop."

"But, I had theories and… stuff," Lucas complained. "I'm just saying that we were in each others bodies—"

"I said stop!" Vaughn cried. "Okay, now while it's good you're trying to sort everything out and move on from Josie… I don't think this is the way to do it. Also, you're being strangely mature about all of this."

Lucas looked at the ground. "I just…"

"Want someone to tell you it will be okay?" Vaughn offered. "We were all there."

"I guess," Lucas muttered. "I was hoping that it would go differently."

A smile grew on Vaughn's face. "So why were you so worried only a few hours ago? We're you feigning worry to seduce me?"

"Alright I'm done," Lucas said quickly. "Could we not talk about this again? I mean, not for a while anyway. I might actually go and get some sleep."

"It's four in the afternoon," Vaughn commented.

"I know, I haven't been sleeping well lately," Lucas told him. "So, if anyone asks, that's why I kissed you."

"And wave bye to the maturity," Vaughn said off handedly.

Vaughn waited until he was absolutely sure Lucas had left, before he turned back to the hallway. He looked at it for a while, before a female figure stepped out, a blank look on her face. Josie had returned.

"So, are you staying for a while?" Vaughn asked Josie. "Or just taking off straight away?"

"I didn't get the better part of this deal," Josie reminded him. "I'm on the outside looking in. And it hurts. Because you've all changed so much."

"You don't have to be on the outside. You could be very much on the inside," Vaughn countered sourly. "I'm glad you're happy to move on, but I'm not. So don't come back here just to rub you're new lease on life in my face!"

Her emotions flared up at this remark—something she hadn't had a chance to do since she fled. "How dare you accuse me of just coming here for that! I came here to see you!" She yelled at him. "Yeah, Vaughn, you! And I find everything changed so much. Would you be surprised if I left? Again."

"Josie—"

"No! Tell me, would you be surprised? Are you happy with everything?" She asked angrily.

He tried to avoid her eyes, but she followed his gaze.

"You're not answering me," she said impatiently.

"No of course not!" He boomed. "But it doesn't mean I want you to go."

She shrugged. "Why though? I don't fit in to your lives anymore! Everything changes eventually; it's stupid to keep them in the same place. It's cheating. And besides, you and Lucas—you make a good couple."

"That's not funny."

"It wasn't meant to be," she said softly. "I'm not staying here tonight. I'll find somewhere else to stay, but I doubt I'll be here for long. Not long enough to see where you and Lucas go with your relationship."
'
"I thought as much," Vaughn muttered. "And there is nothing going on with me and Lucas!"

[Gouki]

Chapter 4

"Marshall?" Lucas called apprehensively as he entered the room.

"I'm in the bathroom. I'll be out soon," Marshall called back.

"So much for soon," Lucas said angrily when he finally emerged fifteen minutes later.

"Hey, I was tired. It was a good wake up call," Marshall retorted.

Lucas rolled his eyes and sat down at the desk. He waited for another five minutes before Marshall came out of the bathroom, a towel hanging from his shoulders.

"What did you want?" He asked curious.

"Oh, uh, well, yeah," Luca fumbled over his words. "I think we should talk."

Marshall's eyes went wide with fear. "I am not having any kind of deep meaningful conversation with anyone. Not after what happened with Corrine."

Lucas furrowed his brow in confusion. "Details. Later. It's not about us or our friendship… it's about me and Vaughn."

"You and Vaughn? Was I meant to take that with innuendo?" Marshall queried. "You have a bad choice with words when emotions are sprinting high."

"Innuendo aside," Lucas said trying to get on with it. "I… Remember when he got sick?"

"He kissed you again?"

"Not exactly," Lucas said.

Marshall brushed his hand through his hair. "You kissed him."

Lucas nodded.

Surprisingly Marshall burst out laughing. "Yeah right! As if you, of all people, would do that!"

His friend couldn't find the funny side.

"Oh." Marshall realised he was telling the truth.

Suddenly everything was even more confused in Marshall's head. Lucas was putting the moves on Vaughn—as was his understanding and he wasn't really prepared to delve any further. He could also play the blame game—and he wouldn't even get a chance. It looked like all that practicing and thinking over the past two months had been a waste of time.

"I don't even know why," Lucas continued. "He was being so sensitive about Josie, and the angsty music was playing, and we've gotten really close and I've been thinking about us—me and Vaughn and Josie—a lot over the past two months… it just happened. It was an accident."

"Come off it Lucas. Hitting a tree with your car is an accident. Kissing someone is a plan," Marshall countered.

"Maybe it was," Lucas offered.

This stung Marshall.

"But it's irrelevant. It didn't mean anything. I was just confused," he tried to finish what he'd been saying. "I wanted to tell you… because I knew you'd understand. And help me. I mean, you're my best friend."

Bittersweet, Marshall thought. But I understand. You'd rather be with someone you hated… than with me.

"How would I help you?" Marshall asked. "Offer theories about it? Do research? Blame it on Josie or the Wormhole?"

"I don't know," Lucas said, giving up.

"Maybe it had something to do with you not sleeping," Marshall suggested. "For nine days."

Ouch.

"It's been nine days?" Lucas asked, unable to hide the surprise in his voice. "Are you sure? It doesn't feel that long."

"Oh it's been nine days alright," Marshall said, the edge in his voice obvious. "But one thing at time."

"Right."

***

The night passed uneventfully—with Lucas still unable to sleep and quite scared by the fact—until morning came. Class again. The most strained time they experienced now, with all four of them forced to be together. Or work together.

This morning was maths.

When Marshall and Lucas arrived at the front of the class, they were surprised to find Corrine and Vaughn blocking the entrance by being frozen on the spot.

"Oh crap," Lucas said. "Are they frozen? Are we thawing people out?"

"Did the wormhole do this?" Asked Marshall as they approached the other two. "Vaughn, Corrine are you—"

He didn't finish what he started to say. Both him and Lucas saw what they had. Josie talking to the teacher at the front of the class catching up on what she had missed in the past two months. Lucas pushed past them all.

"Josie!" He cried, happily embracing her. "I've missed you so much."

"But yesterday it looked like you'd moved on," she said coolly, her warm smile a direct contrast to her voice. "Kiss, kiss, Lucas."

He pulled back. "You were at Vaughn's?" He turned to face Vaughn. "She was at your place?"

"Please, take a seat everyone," the teacher said commanding authority. "You can do the teenage drama thing after class."

Obediently, the class filed inside and took their seats. Lucas backed away from Josie a worried look on his face. He smile was still there, as she sat down behind Madison.

"Oh, hey, Josie, are you over you trip back to the land of magical elves?" Madison asked with a faux smile. "I hear you're one of the taller ones. That must make you happy."

"Oh, hey, Madison, did you enjoy your trip to the street corner?" Josie countered. "I hear you're like a Hoover. That must make you happy."

The people that heard the remark snickered, as Josie focused her attention on the board.

"Now who can tell me the derivative of e-to-the-power-of-three-ex-plus-four-over-three?" The teacher asked going over what they had done last lesson. "Josie?"

She thought for a moment. "How am I meant to know? Uh, actually, it's three-e-to-the-power-of-three-ex-plus-four-over-three," she said proudly.

"Correct," he said. "Lucas, could you tell me how she came to this answer?"

"No," he said.

"At least you're honest about it," the teacher muttered. "Can anyone tell me? Come on, this is revision. Corrine, I can always depend on you."

"Uh, isn't it because the power of the e never changes, but you bring the first power down to the front of the e?" She asked unsure.

"Basically," he said. "Now…"

The rest of the class proceeded as normal. Except for Josie's new spunk filled attitude. She had more attitude than an entire ship of angry songwriters, play writes and poets. And she was more than willing to share the attitude around.

"I didn't think maths could be that boring," Josie said to Corrine as they left the classroom. "But, there you go."

Corrine laughed. "Josie, how long will you be back for?"

"I don't really know." She pointed down the hall, to an empty classroom. "There. We'll go in there and talk."

"Huh?"

"I can tell," Josie said. "You want to talk. You've been aching or it for so long."

"I have. None of them understand," she said softly.

Lucas watched the two girls walk away, while he chewed out Vaughn. "She was at your house yesterday? Why didn't you tell me? I would have liked to have been kept in the loop! I'm all out of the loop-y."

"She made me promise I wouldn't tell anyone," Vaughn said defensively. "I didn't know how long she'd be here for—and neither did she. No sense in getting you excited over nothing."

"You seemed to do that anyway," Marshall muttered.

Vaughn arched an eyebrow at him.

"She saw us kiss!" Lucas hissed at him. "Too loud. Far too loud," he muttered as some people laughed at him while they walked past.

"Maybe if you had of not impulse-d it and maybe put some thought into your actions," Vaughn countered.

"He does have a point Lucas," Marshall said. "You don't just go around like some kind of kiss slut."

"I'm not a kiss slut!" He thundered. "Could we go somewhere else and have this embarrassing exchange of images?"

"What does it matter is she saw us?" Vaughn asked as they went into the science lab. "It's all your fault. You—"

"How is it my fault?" Lucas asked.

"You said you kissed him," Marshall added, stifling a yawn with his hand. "With no warning. Thus fault is yours."

Vaughn's shoulders slumped. "You told Marshall? You're not very good at keeping promises are you?"

"You're telling me," Marshall muttered off handedly.

Lucas threw his hands up in annoyance. "What is this? Promises anonymous? I don't need an intervention. I need… actually, I'm not sure what I need."

"I think you need sleep," Marshall said, nodding. "What? He hasn't slept for ten days. It's affecting me."

Vaughn grimaced. "Is that even physically possible? It thought the longest you could survive without any sleep was three or four days."

"I read somewhere it was six," Lucas corrected. "Way to keep on track though, Marshall."

"This is getting us nowhere that's where," Vaughn deadpanned, leaving the room, and hopefully the conversation, behind.

[Gouki]

Chapter 5

Vaughn refused to talk to Marshall or Lucas anymore about the kiss or Josie's visit. Now wasn't the time or the place for that kind of torture—as was exhibited earlier. Corrine, on the other hand, was more than willing to talk to them all. Even Marshall. About everything.

Josie kept silent for the duration of the day. Until it was time for the last class—science.

"First day back, and already a science class," Josie muttered. "Go figure. At least Z will be happy to see me. Right?"

They all looked their own ways.

"Alright class," Durst announced. "Due to Professor Zachary's sojourn to elsewhere actual reality, we have had to look for a permanent substitute, incase—however unlikely—he doesn't return."

"I present to you Miss Meeder, a close friend of mine," Durst said moving out of the way for the younger, more attractive friend of hers.

Josie leaned back in her chair and dug her fingers into Vaughn's hand. "Z isn't here? Why was I not told Z was gone? Gone where? Gone why? Gone how?"

"First, I think you drew blood," Vaughn complained as she retracted her fingers. "Second, he left about a month ago—we think it was to look for you—and third, it doesn't matter."

For me? She thought, it seemed so unlikely. Yet, so obvious. "Why doesn't it matter?"

"Well, we haven't had a science club meeting since before you left, and we've had plenty of other teachers filling in," Vaughn replied. "Besides we—"

Miss Meeder cleared her throat to signal silence. She nodded for Durst to leave, and once she was sure she was gone, she began to talk. "Alright, now, I'm not sure what you're up to in science. I don't even care. Today, you're just going to pretend to do something while I get to know you all. Or you can leave. Your choice."

"Anyone else want to marry Miss Meeder?" Stew piped up.

"Get in line," Josie concurred, amidst the chatter.

"No one ever wanted to marry Z," Marshall said sullenly.

"My name is S. Meeder," she said. "Why don't I tell you my first name? Silly, silly, students. It's irrelevant. It all is. Everyone's just a shadow, so why get involved in that sort of chicanery?"

"I think I'll put the wedding on hold," Stew muttered.

Josie turned around in her chair. "Too complicated for you?"

"Phht. What do you know about complicated?" Madison said snidely. "I mean apart from your mental state…"

"This isn't a bar," Miss Meeder interjected. "Of course, I'm more than willing to take wagers on who would win if they fought."

Josie slumped down in her seat. Miss Meeder took out the role and seating arrangements, and pointed at random people around the room asking them about themselves—and what science meant to them. Overall, she didn't seem very passionate about science at all. Or teaching.

Until she reached Vaughn's name. As if she was caught off guard by it, she pulled back a look of shock on her face as she dropped the role. She shook her head slightly, as she picked it up, and gave a sideways glance at him.

"Sorry about that," she apologized. "I didn't realise there was a Pearson in this class. I… used to know a Victor Pearson—it ended badly. A relative of yours perhaps?"

"My father," Vaughn said.

She said nothing in response and continued on down the role.

"Weirdness, thy name is Meeder," Lucas whispered to Marshall.

"Hmmm," Marshall whispered back in response. "She's different to Z in every way, but… I… I like her."

"Of course you do," Lucas said.

Yawning loudly, Marshall muttered something under his breath that Lucas couldn't hear. He rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

"You okay?" Lucas asked, concern showing in his face.

The words seemed so far away. He wasn't sure if he even heard them correctly. He turned back around to answer Lucas when he noticed no one else was around him. His first instinct was to blame the wormhole.

"Marshall, you coming?" Josie asked. "Or are you just going to sleep for a while longer?"

"Longer?" Marshall echoed. "What do you mean?"

"She means, Mr. Wheeler, that you fell asleep in my class," Miss Meeder explained before Josie could answer. "And you looked so peaceful that I didn't want to wake you."

"Uh, thanks, I think," Marshall said quickly as he gathered his things and left the room with Josie and Lucas.

***

All five of them sat around a table in the cafeteria with Josie pushing Corrine to tell them something. Obviously, it was important, because Corrine wasn't about to say a word of it to anyone. Especially with Marshall around.

Finally, Josie was the one to break her silence. "Alright, you want to know who Corrine wants to get all sweaty with?"

A small gasp/scream escaped Corrine's throat as she clamped her hand over Josie's mouth. "Ignore her please. I'll tell you when I want to tell you."

"Kill joy," Josie muttered. "So, anyone care to elaborate for our hero… ine… why Z left for me? Come on guys, I've been gone for two months! Me, in and the filling thereof would be greatly appreciated."

"You didn't have to leave," Lucas murmured, not expecting her to leave.

I'm not getting drawn into this with any of you," Josie said adamantly. "I don't need to explain my actions. All you need to know is—"

"She's right. You're right," Vaughn said cutting her off. "We don't need to know, unless you want to tell us."

"See, if he understand, all of you should," Josie said, selecting her words with a certain evenness. "I just had some things going on in my mind."

And thus the conversation died. Silence ran rife through the group, as they all sat in their seats looking uncomfortable.

"Okay, I obviously offended you in all in some way," Josie commented softly. "I didn't mean to."

"I forgive you," Corrine said warmly. She looked Marshall directly in the eye. "Understand me? Our friendship, it will never be the same. You need to understand that as well. And… I don't think I have anything else to say."

Marshall looked around hoping someone else would say something. No one did. "I understand. I think it would be best if we didn't go into each other's rooms for a while. You know, not see each other outside of the school part of school. The part where we're not in class."

She nodded slightly.

"I'm not about to let the awkward silence creep back in," Vaughn said loudly. "So, Miss Meeder, interesting, isn't she?"

"She was friends with your dad," Josie reminded them. "That can't be good."

"Interesting, yes," Marshall answered him. "She won't replace Z though."

"Few teachers could," Josie said agreeing. "But she made an impact with the class. How many people will want her to leave?"

"She's a friend of Durst's as well," Lucas said. "And since Z went AWOL with little notice…"

"You think she might be a permanent replacement? In the Stone-Henge sense of the word?" Corrine asked. "I wouldn't be surprised. There's more to her than meets the eye, though."

Old news is so exciting," Josie said tartly. "Name one new person that hasn't been obvious and boring and normal. I mean we had me, god knows who before that, the Janitor, John and now Meeder. Noticing a pattern?"

"Not so much a pattern as a large number of strange individuals," Marshall noted, yawning.

"Sure you're okay?" Lucas asked, readjusting his glasses. The concern there once more.

"I actually think I might get some rest," Marshall said, rubbing his forehead. "You want to come with?"

"Yeah, I think I will," Lucas said quickly. "We'll see you all later."

And like that, they were gone.

"Nice to see everything getting back to normal," Vaughn remarked. "Except for the sleeping problem."

Josie swallowed hard. "It's been changed around more than you think."

Vaughn and Corrine looked at her, expecting more words like that to flow out.

"I'm… going to go see Miss Meeder, see if I can get some catch up work," Josie eyeing Madison. "And I'll try to dig up some dirt on her."

"You're such a nice girl," Vaughn said off-handedly.

She grabbed him by the front of the shirt and pulled him in close for a short kiss. "Don't I know it. Aren't you just getting kissed by everyone lately?" She asked amused.

Vaughn touched his lips as she hurried off.

"What's wrong?" Corrine asked.

"Her lips," Vaughn said vaguely.

"What about them?" Corrine asked, a flash of annoyance in her voice.

Vaughn glanced at her. "I have to go."

And as he ran off, Corrine was alone again. "It's okay, I have someone to see about passing a class."

[Gouki]

Chapter 6

Unsuccessful in her attempts to get any kind of information from Miss Meeder in regards to her past—she stood by her 'it's all meaningless' philosophy very strongly—Josie returned to her room. Where she found Corrine and Stew kissing passionately.

She pushed Stew into the wall, and held him close with her arm around the back of his neck. She moved her hand across his chest, until he grabbed it and squeezed it tightly. She pulled back and looked at him for a moment. Breathing heavily, she took a deep breath, thinking for just a moment that she hadn't even kissed Mirror-Marshall this way.

Stew leant down to her face before they could start again. "What do you have to gain from this? I don't want to go any further, Corrine."

Happiness, she thought, resisting the urge to scream it out. "What don't I have to gain from this?" She countered. "Just shutup and kiss me. That's all we're going to do."

She covered his lips with her own once more, and embraced him completely.

Completely caught off guard, Josie turned and ran down the hall. Straight into Madison.

***

Vaughn tore out folder after folder from the filing cabinet in his father's den. So far, nothing was useful. Not in the sense of what he was after at least, maybe if he knew what that was it might come easier. Even the detailed schematics of the experiment technology didn't help.

The fact that he was having trouble reading it all certainly didn't help.

And then he found it.

Something Victor had no doubt meant to destroy.

An experiment that mimicked the one he'd planned on using Josie for. Sarah Pearson had singed it. Just before she died. Or at least, everyone had thought she'd died. Could this mean?

Like a dagger in his heart, he ripped up the paper. He threw the pieces of paper in the air and as they fluttered to the ground he walked away.

He knew this was what John and Josie2 had been talking about all along.

And suddenly, he had an idea of what it had done.

***

Madison pulled herself from the ground, seething with anger. She didn't say anything until Josie got up as well. It was a stare down, as people gathered around them wondering what would happen.

"What the hell is wrong with you, you… freak?" Madison roared. "Can't you watch where you're going, not everyone has the time to make sure they don't step on you!"

"Oh, there's that shining wit again," Josie snapped. "Madison, you and wit are unmixy things. Don't try and mix them."

Madison took a step closer to Josie. "Apologize to me," she hissed.

"Phht. Yeah right," Josie said waving her hand flippantly. "Why would I apologize to you."

"I'll kill you," Madison warned.

Josie didn't say anything. Instead, she brought her hand up, slamming it into her cheek. Madison stumbled back, clutching her cheek. For a moment time seemed to slow down—almost stopping entirely, as Josie realised what she did. Despite the concern that flashed on her face momentarily, she quickly quashed it and stood back, her hand still clenched tightly.

"What, were you born in a barn?" Madison screamed, her words drowning in a sea of venom. "You don't just go around hitting people! You will so suffer for this, Josie. I swear. You will live to regret this attack."

"No I won't," Josie told her. "Because that was just a warning. I don't want you to come near me again."

"You do realise this is a school don't you?" Madison asked in disbelief. "As in we both go here. It'll be hard to avoid you."

"You'll find a way," Josie assured her. "You're personality is enough to repel most people."

"How are you human? In what way are you human?" Madison asked spitefully.

"I've asked myself the same question lately," Josie murmured.

A knowing, sardonic smirk appeared on Madison's face. "You know, I just remembered that you left at the same time as that Australian boy did. John? What's wrong, didn't the boy give enough? Or did he realise how pathetic you were?"

Josie fought the urge to kill Madison and let her blood reach a simmer before she walked off, leaving a triumphant Madison holding her blue cheek.

"What are you going to do now?" One of the Madette's asked their leader.

"Get her expelled," Madison said simply. "No one does that to me."

"That's kind of clichéd, don't you think?" Tyler asked blandly.

"I don't think I asked for your lack of knowledge," Madison replied sourly. "So, don't you have an elsewhere to be?"

Tyler gave a short laugh. "I'm sorry I missed the show. It seemed like something really special, to get you riled up like this."

Madison gave an exasperated sigh. "What do you really want, Tyler?"

"I have a little game for us to play," he replied. "Interested?"

She softened up as they walked towards Durst's office. "Please do go on. As long as it humiliates a certain someone and gets me a certain someone, I'll be happy."

"Gee, transparent much?" Tyler deadpanned.

"Hey, at least I don't have a fascination with Marshall," she snapped.

"No, you have one with Josie," he muttered.

"You accuse me of being transparent?"

"Why do you think I'm helping you?"

"You've got nothing better to do," she suggested.

"One of the many reasons."

"Sweetie, no matter how hard you try, you'll never be as effortlessly tact as me."

"Or as effortlessly slutty…"

"And he comes out swinging."

"What do you expect?"

"This is business. You've got to expect the unexpected," Madison reminded him.

"Please, you're the one who will have to try hard to be better than me."

"I am better than you. So are my shoes."

"Business, huh? Let's draw up a contract."

"Straight to business. I like that."

"And you'd love getting what you want?"

"Absolutely. But I don't think you'll be able to get it."

"Try me."

"You're a remarkable guy Tyler," she said shaking her head with a false smile.

"And you're a vicious bit**."

"This little partnership is going to work out great," she countered.

"I know," he agreed.

***

Miss Meeder was talking quietly to Durst, when Madison and Tyler interrupted with news of—as Madison put it—Josie's complete wiggins and psyche out. Within minutes, the fiery red head was in the office awaiting her punishment.

"Notwithstanding Victor Pearson's obstinate view that you cannot leave the school—a view also held by your mother—despite a two month period of absence, I'm afraid we can’t just let this kind of behaviour occur in our halls," Durst said harshly. "And I—"

"Principal Durst, Amanda, listen, it's not Miss Trent's fault," Miss Meeder tried to explain. "During the science class, I, uh, explained to them to sort out there problems. And that in certain situations the end apparently justifies the means. Of course, I was talking about science results. I'm impressed that Miss Trent has enough initiative to take my lessons into the real world."

"Is this true Josie?" Durst asked.

"Yes, it's completely true Principal Durst," Josie replied. "And I completely apologize."

"I thought you might, which is why—due to your circumstances—I'm going to put you on probation instead," Durst conceded. "Understand? This means no slip ups at all, Josie."

"I understand," Josie said softly. "I'm really sorry. Is that all?"

"Yes, you can go. I'd head straight to your room and avoid Madison for a while," Durst said. "I'll try and find you some kind of loop hole."

"Thank you so much," Josie said on her way back to the room. Hopefully Corrine has finished her S&M game, she thought.

[Gouki]

Chapter 7

Lucas moved around in his bed trying to get comfortable. He couldn't even yawn. Tiredness didn't enter his thoughts one bit. Which scared him, especially after ten days. And it was starting to
affect Marshall as well. He was always tired. Since the group had gone their separate ways for the night—with everyone running off to find new meaning in their lives, or something—he'd had plenty of time to sit around watching over Marshall.

"Marshall…" he whispered trying to rouse his friend. "Marshall are y
you awake? darn, you're like sleeping beauty."

No answer.

He knew he couldn't wake him. Stupid insomnia. No doubt caused by the wormhole, he thought angrily to himself. Stupid wormhole.

Bored, he flicked the lamp switch turning it on and grabbed his glasses. As he looked around the room, Marshall's opened notepad. A devious grin crossed his face as he crept towards the notepad—it's pull too much to resist. "Just a little peek," he said, in an effort to convince himself he wasn't in the wrong.

"Looky what we…" he trailed off when he noticed the first few pages were actually photo montages of the Science Club, Magnet 360 and his family.

He turned the page over. And saw photo's of himself. Two whole pages of the two of them together or Lucas by himself. Slightly bemused by this, he skimmed over the next few pages with little sketches, letters, postcards and even essays stuck in there or actually written for it.

Musings, random thoughts, dreams—Lucas was surprised by how much Marshall actually wrote down. And how much of it was about the various relationships he had—then he found that songs that Marshall had written. Or was at least writing.

A large amount of them were about food. Others were unexpectedly bitter and sarcastic. Well, this explains where all of his anger goes at least, Lucas thought, glancing over his shoulder.

Lucas found one of them amusing—and hoped to see it done my Magnet 360 one day. Just for laughs. "Your love is better than ice cream, it's better than anything else I've tried," he read aloud, quite amused. "And your love is better than chocolate, and, oh, love is better than chocolate, better than ice cream… cause everyone here knows how to fight and it's a long, long way down to where we started from."

He snickered at the work-in-progress as he turned the page to find a complete song. Dedicated to him—'To my best friend, Lucas Randall-An eternal mystery'—Surprised, he continued on and started to read it out aloud. "You come out at night, that's when the energy comes, and the dark side's light and the vampires roam, you strut your Rasta wear and your suicide poem, and a cross from a faith that died, before Jesus, came… You're building a mystery."
Lucas couldn't help but smile. While he didn't know why Marshall put in the religious references—because of his disdain for it probably—it made sense with the mystery motif, and hey, if this band ever got anywhere, he knew it would help the money come in. He was never doing something obvious, he always had other agendas, to protect himself and his friends. And his money.
"You live in a church, where you sleep with voodoo doll's, and you won't give up the search for the ghosts in the halls. You wear sandals in the snow, and a smile that won't wash away, can you look out the window, without your shadow getting in the way? Oh, you're so beautiful, with an edge and a charm, and so careful when I'm in your arms."

Suddenly, Lucas didn't enjoy the song as much. He skipped ahead a bit. "You woke up screaming aloud! A prayer from your secret god, you feed of our fears, and you hold back your tears. Oh, you give us a tantrum, and a know-it-all grin,just when we need one, when the evenings thin. Oh, you're so beautiful, beautiful messed up man—"

He stopped immediately. And began to look at the ice cream song in a whole new light. Swallowing hard, he closed the book. Regretting reading it. And struggling to find a reason for it. A joke, he finally decided, it had to be a joke. Payback for what he did to Vaughn. A bit of fun.

Even Lucas knew that was pushing it though. It didn't add up. Marshall would have done something more physical or psychological. And he would have been awake to see it. But he was completely out of it.

Pushing the book back under some paper, he backed away to the bed and laid down on it. He had a lot of thinking to do. And in hindsight, it all made so much sense. Without thinking, he returned to the desk, almost subconsciously, and picked up the book again.
This time, he kept it with him and slid it into a backpack. He'd photocopy it later. Maybe confront Marshall about it—yeah right! His thoughts screamed at him—and try and find out why he'd do this.

Maybe ask Josie about it.

Maybe.

***

Miss Meeder moved along the shadows like a demon. She'd bided her time long enough. She needed to confront him now. Closure would be good for her. So she could put it all behind her, so she could leave this behind.

"The address hasn't changed at least," she murmured, feeling nostalgic.

Silently, she moved to the door. Holding her hand up ready to knock, she froze up. She couldn't disturb them. Now wasn't the time. She's waited this long. What would a few more days matter?

Regretfully, she retracted her hand, and turned away from the house.

"Later," she said. "I promise you."

[Gouki]

Chapter 8

Morning came, and when Marshall stirred himself from his deep sleep and was surprised to find Lucas gone. That disappointed him, he was hoping to talk about the sleep problems. And a very strange dream he'd had about Lucas and Vaughn.

He looked at the clock. He'd missed breakfast—and he'd miss a fair chunk of the first class unless he ran there without having a shower or getting changed. Nuts to that. He moved into the bathroom, grabbing a towel as he closed the door behind him.

He turned the taps, letting the water warm up, the pipes groaning as he turned the water pressure still up. The steam began to fill the room and he stepped inside, leaning his head against the wall.

"I need to talk to someone about this," he admitted to himself, as the warm water ran down his back. "The less Lucas sleeps the more I sleep. Maybe Josie will know something."

***

Lucas sat at a table in the library going through the notepad over and over again, paying more and more attention to even the most innocent of words, trying to find and answer to why Marshall had done this. So far, he'd come up with nothing. And it was about to get worse, when he saw Tyler approaching him a cocky grin plastered onto his face.

Subtly, Lucas tore the pages about him out and slid them back into his bag. He wasn't prepared to let anyone else find out about this. He leaned back in his chair looking casual. A little too casual, seeing that he started to fall.

Prepared for the impact, he was surprised to find that he didn't hit the ground. Instead, he found himself still on the chair, and the chair back on all four legs. Grimacing, he knew why he hadn't fallen. Tyler had saved him from more embarrassment.

"What are you reading Lucas?" He asked, fishing around for information.

"If you're after a business partner," Lucas told him, trying to hide the pad. "You're out of luck. I can ruin my ideas by myself, thank you very much."

Tyler sat down on the table, eyeing the notepad. "That's Marshall's isn't it?"

"What makes you think that?" Lucas answered, worried Tyler might know.

"His name," Tyler pointed out matter-of-factly. "Now, what I actually came to ask you was if you would like to help me. Not in a business sense more like a—"

"Sell-my-soul-and-curse-the-gods-sense?" Lucas offered innocently.

Tyler gave a fake laugh—attempted a fake laugh at least. "No, a mutual sense. You help me, I help you."

"How can you help me?" Lucas asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I can make people think of you as… as good as me," Tyler assured him.

Lucas tried to raise his eyebrow higher. "As good as you, huh? That's very impressive. In an unimpressive way."

"Think about it Lucas," Tyler said firmly. "You'd never be bullied again. You'd be like a king."

"A puppet head figure?" More faux innocence.

Tyler knew he wasn't getting anywhere. Not yet anyway.

"Alright, I concede, you've beaten me this time." Tyler raised his hands in defeat. "Don't hesitate to change your mind though," he said over his shoulder.

"Sure, whatever," Lucas murmured, throwing the notepad in his bag and heading off to class.

"Hey," Stew said to Lucas form behind him.

The problem with that being, it missed. When he heard Stew behind him, he jumped in surprise, throwing the notepad off to the side, just next to his bag. He picked up the bag, assuming it was inside and left.

"God, I'm popular this morning, I don't need Tyler at all," Lucas muttered to himself. "What's this Stew Kubiak in a library? I thought you're mind would have melted just from looking at it."

"Where's Corrine?" He demanded, his fist clenched.

"I don't know, probably heading towards class," Lucas suggested. "Which is where I'm going right now."

Stew narrowed his eyes at the smaller boy. "If you're lying to me—"

"Yeah, yeah," Lucas murmured. "I've heard it all before."

Just for good measure, Stew gave him a hard punch on the arm as he pushed past him. Lucas dropped the bag containing his books and clutched his arm in pain. He bit down on his hand to stop himself from cursing like someone in a Tarantino film, until he could find the right words.

"Son of a bit**!" He cried, dragging his bag along the ground as he continued. He stopped just outside the classroom and looked at his arm. It had already bruised pretty badly.

He stepped inside for another surprise. Corrine and Stew were talking like friends.

"Okay, did I step into bizarro world?" Lucas asked sliding into a seat behind Corrine.

"No, I'm just tutoring him," Corrine said, instantly knowing what he was talking about. "Why does it matter to you?"

"Because he hates me for one," Lucas replied. "He can barely string a sentence together. And he's… wait, why should I stop you. It's your life."

"I speaks good English well," Stew intervened.

"To read is makes our speaky English good," Lucas jabbed.

"Prove it," Stew countered.

Lucas stifled a laugh and looked around. Vaughn wasn't here yet, or Marshall. Josie rushed into the classroom. Catching a glimpse of Corrine and Stew going over the homework, she gave a Lucas a 'WTF?' look as she sat down. He shrugged in response, and kept his eye on the door as the lesson started.

***

Vaughn looked terrible as he sluggishly moved down the hall. His hair was messy and unkempt. His skin was pale, and large black bags had situated themselves under his eyes. His head rolled around on shoulder, like a puppets.

"Vaughn Pearson?" Miss Meeder called after him. "Vaughn?"

Slowly, he came to stop and turned to face her.

"Where are the auditions for Night of the living dead being held?" She asked, looking him up an down. He cocked his head to the side. "Never mind. You look terrible."

"Didn't sleep at all last night," he told her. "I was busy. And… I'm not sure what I cooked for breakfast. It was in the fridge. And I don't know how long for."

"Maybe you should go lie down?" She suggested.

"No, I've got history," he said, almost slurring his words. "I should probably show up. I like the wars."

"That's surprising," she murmured, just low enough that he couldn't hear. "Well, I've got a class to teach, so are you sure you'll be right."

He nodded slowly, as if he was unsure of what to do.

"Okay then, I'll see tomorrow in science?" She asked. "Assuming you feel better."

He forced a smile.

She gave a small one back and left him alone in the hall.

Eventually, he made it to the classroom. Standing in the doorway, he took in a deep breath.

"Sorry I'm late, sir, I… I don't feel well," he apologized.

"You don't look well either," Josie commented, a flash of concern on her face.

Madison coughed into her fist.

"Yeah, that was subtle," Josie retorted. "Feel free to drop dead of a vile disease in the next twenty seconds, by the way."

"Ooh, and she takes a dive," Tyler hissed into her ear.

"You failed as well," Madison reminded him. "And Lucas isn't exactly a challenge. He's like a bunny that gets caught in a trap because he wants to see how it works."

Vaughn sat down in the chair closest to the door, and slumped down on the desk. He should have taken Miss Meeder's advice and lay down for a while. Too late now. He was stuck in the class.

***

Marshall jumped out of the shower, his towel wrapped around his mid-section, to get to his ringing mobile phone. Whoever was ringing would know that he was in class, so it had to have been important.

He searched through the desk for it, until he noticed the notepad gone. Instantly, his priorities changed. He swallowed hard, digging in every draw, and looking in every place in the room it could possibly be.

Eventually giving up, Marshall sat down on the chair frustrated that he couldn't find it. If someone like Tyler got hold of it, he shuddered to think of what would happen. He knew that he'd left it out on the desk the night before, though. And unless Lucas had invited someone in, which he doubted—Corrine wouldn't have come, Josie was too busy being distant and he seemed to be avoiding Vaughn in the one on one sense—that means he must have taken it.

"Lucas!" He boomed. "I swear to god if you've taken it!"

***

Jolting upright in class and knocking a pen on the ground, Lucas looked around, hoping no one else noticed his sudden movements. Most people were bored and focused on other things. The door, the floor, the sky outside, the inside of their eyelids, basically anything that wasn't the history class.

"Lucas are you okay?" Josie asked handing him his pen.

"Yeah, I thought I heard Marshall," he muttered.

[Gouki]

Chapter 9

When the pain that was the History class ended—the Cold War was just not that interesting compared to everything else they'd done. Especially after World War II—Lucas stepped out of the classroom last, after talking to the teacher about his marks dropping.

He had no time to react, as a hand grabbed him by the shirt collar and dragged him down the corridor and off to the side. He turned away, his eyes closed tightly, expecting it to be someone like Stew, about to hit him.

"Where is the notepad?" Marshall demanded a serious look on his face.

"What—"

Marshall pushed Lucas into the wall a bit harder. "You do have it don't you?"

Lucas nodded slightly, and ducked under Marshall's arms, picking up his bag. He unzipped it, and rummaged through it looking for the notepad. Each time he couldn't find it, the search became more panicked.

"Where is it?" Marshall asked, more concerned that he hadn't found it than angry that he'd taken it now.

"The library!" Lucas cried. "I left it in the library!"

"You were reading it in the library?" Marshall snapped at him. He grabbed his friend by the wrist and dragged him towards it. "Go find it. It has some very personal things in there. And some songs. They were very hard to write."

Lucas moved to where he was sitting and looked around for it. He couldn't find it. Anywhere, it was gone. Completely. He started shaking; he felt sick to this stomach. He began to regret taking it in the first place.

"It's MIA," he said softly, without looking at Marshall.

"Oh no," Marshall said, fear building up within. "I… The songs… I don't want them to get out. Not yet. I…"

Lucas pulled out five sheets of folded up paper. "They won't. I pulled them out when I saw Tyler coming this morning. And a page of photo's of me."

"Thank you," Marshall said, dispelling the most of the fear as he took them. "You didn't read them did you?" he asked the fear welling up again.

"No, I didn't get that far, it was kind of off putting as it was," Lucas lied through his teeth. "I didn’t have a chance to read any songs dedicated to me. I mean…"

Marshall clenched his jaw, stepping back from Lucas. He didn't say anything he didn't have to. His eyes said it all. Lucas had broken his trust and hurt him deeply. He'd broken the promise that he'd never read it unless Marshall asked him to, and then lied about it.

"Who are you?" he asked, feeling suitably dramatic.

"Marshall, come on," Lucas pleaded. "I didn't mean to."

He went to put his hand on Marshall's shoulder. Marshall batted it away and took another few steps back. "You promised me!" Marshall reminded him coldly. "You betrayed me!"

"This isn't funny," Lucas told him. "I feel bad, alright, but we all make mistakes."

"I don't know you," Marshall murmured.

"Oh god," Josie commented, breaking into the conversation as she walked by. "Did a wormhole get his head? Do we have to remind him about everything?"

Marshall didn't answer her he simply walked away. Josie watched him go and moved closer to Lucas. A little too close for his comfort.

"What did you do?" she asked bluntly.

"Why is it always my fault?" He asked defensively.

"Because," she replied.

"Yeah, that's a great answer," he muttered sarcastically.

"You must have done something pretty bad to piss him off like this," Josie commented.

"Oh don't worry," Lucas assured her. "It's many things snowballing into one."

"Like kissing Vaughn?" Josie suggested.

"Alright, yes, that was probably a factor," Lucas admitted.

"I'll got talk to him," Josie said. "Maybe he'll be the first one of you that I can establish meaningful dialogue with."

"He's storming off," Lucas reminded her. "It kind of doesn't work if he's followed."

Josie sighed, and narrowed her eyes at Lucas. She pushed him away and followed Marshall back to his room. Lucas didn't attempt to stop her, instead turning the other way, and went looking for Vaughn. Maybe he'd be able to offer some insight into this? Lucas knew it was a long shot, and risky, but he decided to do it anyway.

***

Josie didn't even knock. She just barged into Marshall's room without even checking to see if it was locked. Luckily for her it wasn't. Marshall was leaning on the windowsill, looking at the door. He'd expected someone to follow him. But Josie was not the expected.

"Marshall, Marshall, Marshall," she said casually moving around the room. "It's been a while since I was last in here. Although, you could say I never have been."

Marshall wasn't really paying attention; alternatively he turned his back to her and looked out the window.

"You skipped class," Josie told him. She knew he already knew that, though. Idle chat was such a pain in the arse. "The Cold war is really pretty boring. But, I think we'll be doing JFK soon. That could be fun."

He made a non-committal 'hmmm' in response.

"Fine, be a prick, but Mirror-Marshall doesn't suit your complexion," she spat angrily. "I just want you to know that—"

"I love Lucas," he cut her off.

"Okay… that… I'm…" Josie fumbled towards embarrassment, surprised by this statement. "Really? Is that what this is about?"

"Yeah. Weird huh? I bet that you're all going to think of me differently now," Marshall said dryly. "Can we get the vacuous comments out now?"

"You think I'd do that?" She asked. "I don't care. I don't care who you love. Go marry Tyler. Go… Go hit on Z. Ask Principal Durst out on a date. See if I give a kooky Marshall."

He turned to face her now, surprised at her bluntness. She normally wouldn't speak like that to anyone but Madison. And even then, it was rare. She'd rather play mind games with her vacuous enemy than out and out curse her.

"Josie, you don't seem to understand what I'm saying," he said.

"You love Lucas? Things have changed between you? He doesn't understand?" Josie asked, giving him all the right answers in question form. "I do understand. Because I know what you're going through. Not in a gay way. But, in an everything's changed it'll never be the same way."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I can't tell you," she replied stiffly.

"I told you my secret," he said.

"It's not a secret if everyone else knows!" Josie cried.

"Actually," Marshall corrected, moving away from the window. "Only Lucas and you know. And Lucas doesn't know the full story. I don't think. Only you know that."

Josie looked to the side. "Well, actually, I don't the full story. I want to hear it later though. As long as it's not too movie-of-the-week-teen-drama-show."

"I don't think it is," Marshall guaranteed her. "So are you going to tell me what happened to you?"

"Absolutely," she promised. "After I've talked to someone."

A weary look crept onto Marshall's face. He could take a guess who she was going to talk to. He didn't say anything, but she knew he wanted to.

"Don't try and stop me," Josie warned. "I need to do this."

"I'm not going to," he replied. "Just be…. Just be… just… be"

Josie's brow furrowed with worry and concern. "Are you okay?"

"Of course not," he growled before collapsing.

[Gouki]

Chapter 10

The first thing Josie noticed, as she moved Marshall from the ground onto the bed, was that he was ice cold. Panicking, she instantly assumed he was dead. She placed her head on his chest, and heard a heartbeat. Breathing with relief she covered him with blankets from the cupboard, and grabbed his mobile phone from on top of Lucas's laptop.

Shaking with fear, she moved through the menu's trying to find someone to call. Someone other than the ambulance. What was she supposed to say? Oh hi, my friend recently developed permanent insomnia and another one developed a sleeping sickness because of it?

"What do I do?" she screamed at herself. "Lucas! He'll… He'll know what to do."

She ran for the door, then stopped suddenly.

She couldn't leave Marshall alone.

The bell rang signaling the beginning of the next class.

"I never used to fall apart," she said disgusted with herself. "This is all your fault!" She threw the phone into the bathroom's mirror—impressed with the range of the throw—and brushed her hand through Marshall's hair as she calmed down.

"Don't die on me," she said.

And then she left to find Lucas.

***


Lucas sat next to Corrine and Vaughn waiting for the sport and teams to be decided on. Again, there was no Marshall. Or Josie. Assuming they were still talking, Lucas tried to strike up a conversation with Corrine about Stew.

"So, you and Stew, huh, that's," Lucas struggled to find the right word. "That's so… wrong."

"Hahaha," she bit out. "I'm tutoring him that's all. Since we're stuck together for the drama thing in two days, I offered to help him in other subjects."

"Corrine, you can't work miracles," Vaughn told her.

Lucas snickered at that comment, stopping when Corrine eyed him evilly, dropping the conversation entirely. She turned her back to the two boys and focused on the sky.

"Alright, now we're going to pick the teams," the coach said over enthusiastically. "Stew, Vaughn, you have the honours."

"And that's different from any other time how?" Lucas asked Corrine sarcastically.

When she didn't answer, Lucas buried his head in his hands, feeling guilty about what he'd done to Marshall. Corrine was too busy looking up at the sky and thinking to pay any attention to his self-pity.

"Uh, coach, I don't really think I'm up to it today," Vaughn pleaded. "I'm not feeling well."

"Afraid I'll beat you, Pearson?" Stew bated.

"No, I'm afraid I'll throw up on everyone," Vaughn countered heatedly.

Lucas looked up, hearing someone scream his name. He looked around; thinking it was a practical joke. Soon enough, he realised it was Josie.

"I've got to go!" Lucas called over his shoulder as he ran towards Josie as fast as he could. "What's wrong? This isn't a seduction thing is it?" he asked, panting slightly.

"It's Marshall," she said gesturing emphatically to the building with he head and ignoring his joke. "Something happened he just collapsed!"

Lucas didn't know what to say. So, he ran towards his room. Towards Marshall. With Josie tagging along behind him. Bursting into the room loudly, he came to a screeching halt next to Marshall's bed. He kneeled down and touched his friend's face.

"He's cold," he hissed, feeling the same fear Josie had ten-fold.

"He has a pulse though," Josie promised him. "He's alive."

Lucas clasped his hand tightly. Looking at Josie with wide-eyes, like a child, who had never seen death before or been in a hospital, he pleaded with her silently to find someway to stop this. She knew who she needed to talk to. Killing to birds with one stone wasn't always the smartest thing to do, though.

"I'll be back soon," she said softly, before she left, she ran back, kissing him warmly on the lips. "Try and keep him warm. In anyway possible."

"You're kiss was warm," Lucas told her in a slight daze.

"Like I said," she reminded him. She halted momentarily. "Don't think we can ever be more than friends, though. I'm sorry."

***

Cheerfully, Miss Meeder walked up the driveway of the Pearson residence, looking at the sky, and surprised by how blue and clear it was.

"I'm so glad I don't have a class now," she said, relief on her voice.

"It's been a long time since I saw a sky like this. The best sky I've seen since I got here."

She walked past the front door, and around to the back of the house, stopping in front of the largest window she could find. Digging through her bag, she pulled out a thick glove, and placed it on her hand.

She pulled her arm back, gathering strength, and then let it fly through the glass. She cracked her neck, as she removed enough glass for her to fit through. She climbed through the window quickly, and immediately headed for the den.

"Vaughn, you always know just what you want," she murmured to herself happily, upon seeing the room a mess. "I hope you haven't taken what I'm after. I've been waiting patiently for twelve days."

Foraging through the mess of papers on the desk and through the files, she quickly came to the realisation that it was gone. Whatever she was looking for was not here. She couldn't help but be impressed that Vaughn had beaten her to it.

Giving up for the time being, she slid out of the front door casually leaving the area and returning to the school grounds. She had plenty of time to wait another few days wouldn't matter. And people to see.

***

Lucas paced back and forth around the room, waiting for Josie's return. Every few minutes he'd return to Marshall's side, thinking he'd woken up.

"Marshall," Lucas started. "Marshall, listen, you've got to wake up. I need you here. I mean, if you're gone, who am I going to talk to about everything that happened? Who else am I going to watch Star Trek and Star Wars and Farscape and everything with on my laptop? Who am I going to team up with for pranks? How will I know if those songs meant anything? Or if I feel the same way?

"I think I already know that though. I already know how I feel. I think. I just need to sieve all the thoughts through like a pasta dish. Right?" Lucas stopped talking so he wouldn't start to cry.

It had been an hour since Josie left, with no change at all in Marshall's condition. He didn't really care though, if he cried. If people saw him. He had so much to say.

"If I go to sleep, do you think you could wake up?" Lucas asked. "This is all my fault. I know it is. Don't hold that against me Marshall. Or do if you want. Just wake up."

"Fine," Lucas said angrily.

Without warning, he punched Marshall in the shoulder as hard as he could.

Marshall's eyes shot open, and instantly glared at Lucas for hitting him. "I… feel… like… I'm dying."

Lucas could sense the fear in Marshall's wavering voice. "I won't let you. I'll be your knight in shining armour," he promised.

"Are you… trying… bribe me?" he asked weakly. "For… reading it? And betraying… me?"

"Is working?" Lucas asked.

"Don't let me fall asleep," Marshall told him. "And we'll see."

The bell rang. Lunch was upon them. Lucas pulled a chair next to the bed, and got comfortable.

"Why is this happening?" Lucas asked.

Marshall shrugged.

"It's got to be my fault," Lucas said, moving in closer, still holding Marshall's hand tightly. He looked into Marshall's eyes, only centimeters away. "It has to be!"

"What's got to be your fault, Lucas?" Tyler asked clicking away with a camera. "Oh, don't stop on account of me."

"Leave!" Lucas thundered. "Or I will—"

"You'll what?"
"I'll… I'll… think up a threat later," Lucas said. "Just go."

"As you wish," Tyler said bowing mockingly. "Oh, uh, these photo's, they look really good. I hope you two are happy together."

Lucas wanted to rip his head off, but Marshall wouldn't let him go. "Stay here. He… won't do… anything. He's just full of… hot air."

“Fine," Lucas conceded. "I just hope Josie brings some answers soon."

***

Tyler moved down the hall feeling very pleased with himself. He'd already beaten Madison at her own game with the ultimate trump card. All he had to do was get the photos printed off, and he'd won. Completely, undeniably, brilliantly.

"Oh, Madison, how are you going?" Tyler asked falsely. "How goes the Josie hunt?"

"Fine," she replied. "Why do you ask?"

He twirled the camera around his finger on the handle/string. "No reason. I mean, except that I've just won. In this camera, I hold the evidence that will destroy Marshall's life. Much more than book I found—" he paused for a second to glare at her—"which I want back, by the way, and trumps anything you could produce."

"Oh really?"

He gave a nod, and she gave a kick to his groin. Snatching the camera as he toppled over. She smiled intensely at him, looking completely innocent as she walked away, pulling the memory stick out and snapping it in half, then tossing the camera in the bin as hard as she could.

"I'll send you the bill, babe," she called out sardonically over her shoulder. "You had a good idea, though. I hope this teaches you!"

Tyler struggled to his feet, and hobbled to his room slowly, already prepared with another plan.

***

Vaughn, feeling worse after sport, retreated off campus, back to his home for a period of rest. At least, that's what he'd planned on doing. If it actually came to that, though, he'd be surprised with himself. He arrived home to an unlocked front door.

Alarmed, he ripped the door open, running in as fast as he could.

Right into Victor.

"Dad?" he asked, surprised he was home so soon.

"Someone broke in," Victor reported to his son. "They didn't take anything though."

"Well, that's good," Vaughn said dropping his bag. "I thought you coming back later. As in not now. As in enough time for me to clean up. Uh, I couldn't help but notice, you have a gun?"

"I couldn't save your mother, Vaughn," Victor said without hesitation. "I will not lose you. No matter the cost."

"I thought you might have done this," Victor murmured. "Is it for that Trent girl? Has she returned yet?"

"Wow, I can really feel the love in this room," Vaughn bit out in response to his fathers’ coldness. "Yeah, she's returned. And she's different. We have a new teacher as well."

Victor was uninterested. "Really?"

"Yeah, she said she was an old friend of yours," Vaughn replied. "Her names S. Meeder. She's pretty nice. How do you know her?"

"We're old friends," he replied, more interested in her than his own son. "She loved word games. Intelligence was her forte."

"Okay, well, uh, you seem to know her very well," Vaughn said, a hint of anger on his voice. "When did you lose contact? I mean, sounds like you two were pretty heavy on the band candy."

"Around the time your mother died," Victor replied. "I… I have to go."

Vaughn slumped into a chair. "Fine. Have fun," he said, to no one in particular. Victor had already gone. "Oh, and by the way, I'm skipping school because I was going through your personal files last night and didn't sleep. Thanks for asking."

Again. No one.

[Gouki]

Chapter 11

Madison waited patiently for the photocopier to start copying the pages of Marshall's book. She would use Josie's friend's inner most thoughts to bribe her into doing whatever she wanted and then, would go ahead ruining Marshall anyway.

Tyler would also learn not to play games with her.

The copier started to hum loudly, as the sheets flowed from the other side of the machine she heard giggling and snickering from behind her. She turned around, surprised to see the Madette's laughing. They gave her various photos of herself. Just waking up. Looking ugly. Looking… un-Madison.

They all had the same message from Tyler on the back of them. Love ya, Madison. But give up now. I have plenty more. Tyler. She didn't say anything; she stormed away, looking for blood.

Thanking the girls with a nod, Tyler stepped out from behind the door, and grabbed the photocopied sheets, shredding them all instantly.

"Thank you very much," he said casually removing the book and walking away.

***

Madison stormed down the hall her anger growing with each person who hadn't seen the I feel rejected she would tear to shreds. She pushed people out of her way, not moving for anyone. Then she ran into Miss Meeder.

"Whoa, Madison," she said grabbing the girl by the wrist. "Or someone will get hurt."

Wrestling free of the teacher's grip Madison ignored her and continued her search-and-destroy mission.

"She's like the Terminator," Miss Meeder said to herself. "Without any charm, or human parts, of course. But, she's fiery. I like that."

Letting her go nonetheless, Miss Meeder was about to go talk to Principal Durst. Until she saw Victor push through the door. Something she didn't need just yet. Briskly, she walked past the office door, avoiding being seen and stopped just before the basement where Josie emerged from, looking defeated. She called to the red head politely, before journeying into the basement stealthily.

"How very Luke Skywalker of me," she muttered, waiting for everything to go wrong.

The Janitor moved to face her.

"Hello there," she said, an air of familiarity in her voice. "How have you been?"

"What do you want?" he demanded turning his attention back to the papers given to him only recently. "I'm kind of busy."

"Ooh, would they be about Pearadyne?" she asked leaning over him. "I know these. I can guess who gave them to you as well. Against orders, no doubt."

He gave her a sly look, but said nothing.

"Did you tell her what I asked you too?"

"Of course," he replied. "She asked, and I delivered. Just as you said she would."

"Excellent," she murmured.

"She knows there's something wrong with you," the Janitor reminded her. "Be careful. We don't need another screw up like Josie-Two."

"That was mistake I will rectify," she promised. "No matter how much I don't want to be, I'm here now. I'll undo what she did."

"The Superiors," he started. "They worried that they—"

"They are irrelevant," she stated coldly. "This mission is completely self-contained, self-involved and their input is inconsequential to it's success. I should know. Just don't forget who's in charge here."

"Of course not," he muttered sullenly.

***

Victor stood in front of Durst's desk, waiting for her to look up and start talking to him. And he was prepared to wait a very, very long time. As long as he needed to get what he wanted out of her. After about fifteen minutes, she looked up at him.

"Victor?" she asked surprised. "I thought you were out of town! You said you'd be gone for a while."

"I say a lot of things Amanda," he said. "But no one ever pays attention to them. So, why not keep people surprised?"

"Well, of course, I guess," she said quietly.

"I want answers." He picked up a penknife from the desk and admired it. "It's a nice knife. Very well crafted."

"You want answers about the knife?" she asked confused. "I don't really know much about it."

"No, I want answers about the new teacher, Miss Meeder," he snarled. "I don't have time for idle chat. Now tell me everything about her. And everything she did to secure a job here."

"She's an old friend of mine," Durst explained. "She needed a job, I needed a science teacher, and she was qualified. Ergo, hiring and bad classroom assigning choices."

"Interesting," Victor muttered non-committal. "Now, tell me why you expect me to believe that very poorly thought up story."

"She had information on you, on the wormhole, on Pearadyne and other things," Durst explained. "She also really was qualified. She said she had orders. Showed me official looking documents and such. I had no choice in the matter. She's very persuasive. She also mentioned the Science Club and that Australian boy who was here for a few days and then disappeared."

"He didn't disappear as far as you think," Victor commented.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing. Does she have a class at the moment?" Victor pressed.

"I don't think so," Durst answered. "But, she does teach science tomorrow afternoon."

"Where does she stay?"

"I don't know that."

Victor cursed. "Very well. I'll find her myself. Tomorrow night, we'll have to get together. Like old times."

"She did mention she was an old friend of yours," Durst said, remembering suddenly. "I guess it's true then."

"Absolutely."

An awkward silence drifted through the room. Victor didn't move, but Durst shifted around in her seat uncomfortably. A powerful smile crossed Victor's face, increasing Durst's uncomfortable feeling.

"What's wrong Amanda?" Victor asked. "What scares you more? That I have friends? Or that I have old friends?"

***

Josie entered Marshall and Lucas's room slowly. She was defeated, and not prepared to hide it. Why give them false hope when it was this serious? Trudging over to Lucas, she shook her head, signaling the no and badness of it.

He looked at Marshall with wide, sorrow filled eyes.

"I can't stay," Josie said, her tone filled with determination. "I need to see someone."

"No way," Lucas said. "I think Vaughn might be able to let me in on some secrets of Pearadyne. You know, something that might have something to do with… something."

"The insomnia?"

"Right," Lucas confirmed. "I guess I could give him an excuse for the kiss as well."

Josie frowned. "You're just going to use some tacky excuse blaming the wormhole and you sleep as an extension of what Marshall felt for you?"

"I don't like that you know my thoughts so well," Lucas complained. "He's kind of inside scoop guy. I figure I'll get that inside scoop from him."

"Lucas, the Janitor, he told me some things about Miss Meeder," Josie said, her eyes doing the pleading thing. "At least I think he told me some things. I kind for got lost between the rhymes and rhythms. Either way he said 'she's not really here.'"

"So, you want to check it out," Lucas murmured crushed.

"I could get Corrine," Josie offered meekly.

He shook his head. "That has the potential badness of a fire. It has more potential badness. Badness has less potential badness!"

"That's great Lucas," Josie muttered. "What we need is more melodrama."

"You think I'm melodramatic?" Lucas asked, with faux hurt on his face.

"Hi, for those who have just tuned in," Josie jabbed. "Welcome to narcissists anonymous."

He turned back to Marshall, who had been enjoying the conversation immensely. He propped himself up in the bed. It was taking more energy to stay awake. Unlike Lucas who had more and more energy to burn.

"It's alright," Marshall murmured to them. "Corrine will be… fine."

"Are you just exhausted? Annoyed? Or really, really British?" Lucas teased grabbing a coat. "Josie, go get Corrine. I'm not going near her with her new puppy dog."

"Stew?" Josie quizzed.

"Yeah," Lucas confirmed. "How did you know?"

"I saw them try and see how far they could fit down each other's throats."

Lucas, unsure of whether or not she was joking, tried to hide his surprise and ran off to get his scoop on the insomnia from Vaughn.

"Corrine will be here in a second," Josie said to Marshall. "Just don't feel sleepy."

[Gouki]

Chapter 12

Corrine sat down at the desk with a textbook and a notepad. She glared at Marshall with a 'too bad I'm busy' look. She didn't take to kindly to having her tutoring session interrupted. Not that it really mattered, she didn't even care about Stew that much.

But her made her happy.

"Corrine, I need to talk to you," Marshall started. He hesitated for a moment waiting for a response. "I…"

She spun around on the desk chair to face him, and wheeled it over to the bed. "You what, Marshall? Want to apologize?"

"For what?" he asked. "What I wanted to tell you was I've met someone."

She blinked hard.

"I'm in love," he said. "With…"

"With who? Lucas?" she spat.

He stifled a laugh. "How did you guess?" Yawning, he listened hard to what she had to say in response.

"I don't know what to say," she choked out eventually. "I mean…it's so… obvious. You're always together. You're always talking about each other. You're very seize the day with each other."

"You're taking this better than I thought you would," Marshall coughed out. "But there has been no seizing as of yet."

"Marshall, why are you telling me this?" Corrine asked.

"I don't know," he replied. "Because you're my friend. I don't want that friendship to be ruined."

"I think it's too late for that," she remarked. "You and your Mirror-self saw to that."

"That's unfair," he protested quietly.

"That's life."

"Corrine…"

"We're not okay," she said over the top. "I mean, I can accept this. But, I don't understand it. I don't want to understand it. Let's get one thing… straight. Our friendship is not okay. Things are not okay between us. But I don't want to lose you."

Silence descended on Marshall, as he tried not to say anything back to her. She was right, though. Just like they'd all said constantly for the past two months that nothing would be the same. He hated hearing it. But it was so true.

"I'm glad you're not wigging on me," Marshall told her. He inhaled slowly. He winced in pain. "Oh… that cannot be good…"

Corrine hovered over him attentively. "What's wrong?"

"It just hurt to breathe," Marshall explained.

She shook her head. "I don't think so. I'll go get help," she said turning away.

"No," he said simply. "Just… stay. Tell me… how it's my fault."

"Do you really want to know?" she asked, brushing his hair from his face. She was surprised by how cold he was, especially with all the blankets on him. "I loved you, and I couldn't accept you didn't feel the same way. We just seemed so right for each other. But, I wasn't getting anywhere with you. So, when Mirror-Marshall kissed me, and professed his love for me, it's seemed so right. And then, you couldn't even tell me how you felt. I had to hear it from him."

"I thought you accepted this," Marshall commented neutrally.

She retreated into the chair. "I do. Like I said, I don't like it. I still have feelings for you. And that you like Lucas more than me makes it sting. I digress, though. And I was going to go back with him, you know? Back with Mirror-Marshall. To the Mirror-world. And then he refused to let me go. And I blamed you. Because he was you. He is you. And you were going to be merged."

"So, it's game of place the blame, huh?" Marsha murmured.

"Look at it from my point of view, Marshall," she said. "I lost the guy I loved. Twice. I didn't know why. I couldn't talk to anyone about it. Josie was gone, I couldn't talk to you and Vaughn and Lucas were no goes."

"I just, I panicked," she admitted. "And that's why I've… I've found someone, who I think will make me happy."

"This is the fifth guy in two months," Marshall reminded her.

"Josie told me it didn't matter," Corrine said, remembering the conversation she's had with her friend. "As long as I was feeling. As long as I was happy."

"That's… disturbing," Marshall said, with a hurry up tone. "Who is it?"

"Stew Kubiak."

***

Tyler slid the notepad along the table and into a corner where Madison couldn't see it. She approached him, her face dark and cracking with rage. He still had the same cocky smile whereas her lips were upturned in a snarl.

"Hello Tyler," she said, drowning her words in venom. "Don't ever pull a stunt like that again."

"What's wrong? Afraid you might lose?" Tyler teased. "You were fully aware of what would happen. And now you want out. I don't think—"

"Who gave you permission to think?"

"You aren't on the debate team are you?" Tyler asked. "I mean, you're arguments are amazing."

"Yeah, yeah, just keep that big mouth of yours shut and stop it from flapping, and we'll get along fine," she countered acidly. "This isn't the sort of game you just abandon, buddy. I will win. I will stomp you into the ground. Now give me the book. Now."

Tyler grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her away from where he'd put the back as she moved towards it. He opened a door—to a stationary storage room and pushed her inside. He followed her and closed the door behind him.

"I win," Tyler announced proudly.

"You don't win. You'll never win," she told him. "You'd never hurt me. That's the only way you could win."

"I thought we were trying to hurt other people," Tyler said.

"There you go thinking again," Madison admonished. "This was never about anyone else and you know it. Otherwise we wouldn't have been going behind each others backs."

"You think I'm finished? You think you've won?" Tyler looked up at the ceiling and laughed. "You haven't even come close to hurting me. And I have a trump card."

He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her in close, kissing her. Caught off guard, she didn't even attempt to stop him. After a minute or two he stopped. She rubbed her lips, a look of horror on her face. She went to say something, instead opting to cover her lips with his once more.

Tyler broke off this kiss as well. Only this time, his cocky smile had become a gloating beacon of superiority. "You fell for it. Remember when you said, I'd never ever be good enough for you?"
She nodded.

He pointed to the corner of the ceiling. It was shielded mostly by darkness, due to only one light globe in the room, and not a particularly bright one either. She strained her eyes for a second.

Then she saw it.

A video camera.

Still recording.

***

It had started to get dark by the time Lucas actually had summoned enough courage to actually see Vaughn. Somehow, romantic entanglements always made things harder. Especially when in the last two days he'd kissed Vaughn, been kissed by Josie, returned to pining for her and found at Marshall loved him. Quite the adventure.

He knocked on the door loudly. And jumped back with a mixture of fear and surprise when Victor answered the door.

"Hi, is Vaughn home?" Lucas asked nervously.

"He is."

"Could I speak to him?"

Victor moved away from the door and let him enter. "He's in his room. Tell him I won't be back until late."

Lucas gave a sardonic grin. "Yes sir!" He saluted Victor as he left.

"Don't be too smart," Victor warned him off handed. "It doesn't work out well if you end up looking stupid."

Lucas readjusted his glasses, and moved off to Vaughn's room. The door was open ajar, so he pushed it open completely, and stood in the doorway a sheepish smile on his face. Vaughn put down the magazine he was reading and stopped the blaring music.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I wondered if you could help me," Lucas said. "I thought you might be able to dig up some files about what happened last time we were all in Pearadyne. And if it has anything to do with the insomnia. Maybe, a side effect of the wormhole zapping us all."

"Of course," Vaughn muttered. "I'm the mole, huh? Well sorry, but I don't have anything. I tried to find something's earlier—hence the loss of sleepage and the eating what I think might have been food."

"That's alright," Lucas said, disappointed. "Oh, I have something to tell you."

"Really?" Vaughn was interested. "What?"

And Lucas recited to Vaughn the very thing Josie guessed he might. He didn't really believe it. Lucas hadn't expected him to. But it was enough to get it off his chest. And, he was going to see how far he could run with it.

"Wow."

"I know," Lucas said, acknowledging the polite response. "I guess, that if you've got nothing, I should go. Back to Marshall. I couldn't pump anything out of you, so I figure I'll keep Marshall warm."

Vaughn's entire body dropped, as his eyes grew wider at what Lucas had said.

"I really just said that, didn't I?"

***

Corrine and Marshall had agreed to leave it alone and drop the subject entirely. They had promised each other to never being it up amongst themselves. Marshall had also convinced Corrine to go back to Stew and tutor him some more, if she was only with him out of guilt.

She walked into Stew's room, surprised, when she saw him still at his desk working on English, maths and science. That wasn't something she had expected to see. For a second she thought she'd leave him to it. Instead, she crept up behind him, shaking away the slight dizziness that had suddenly appeared, and put her hands over him.

"How are you going?"

He looked up at her. "I think I got this wrong."

Of course, you did, she thought, not at all surprised. "That's why I'm here."

***

Josie stood in front of the mirror in her room's bathroom. She opened the draw, and pulled out an old jewellery box. It was locked. She moved her hand underneath it, scratching along the bottom of the draw. After a moment, she hit something.

The key. Scratching it down into her hand, she inspected it before unlocking the box. Relief filled her mind when she saw it was still in there. The gun Joie2 had left for her. Already loaded, it just needed to be fired.

She looked it down. She made sure no one is in the room and she left to find Miss Meeder. After fifteen minutes, she found her leaving school grounds. If it hadn't been for a passing car, she never would have seen her. She moved like a shadow.

"Miss Meeder!" Josie called.

No answer.

"Miss Meeder!" She tried again.

And it reaped the same result.

"Sarah Pearson!"

This time, she froze.

[Gouki]

Chapter 13

Lucas arrived in the room, burning with rage that Corrine had left Marshall. He ran to the bed, to be by Marshall. Chances were, he was going to day. Every single thread they had hoped to use had turned out to not exist or lead them to a dead end.

They didn't even have that many threads to begin with.

Marshall was sleeping soundly. As soundly as someone who would probably never wake up could sleep. Lucas shook him a few times with no response. He shook him harder. Then punched him. In desperation, he grabbed a glass of water from the bathroom and threw it on his face. He was still cold, and his pulse was getting weaker.

Giving up, Lucas kneeled down next to his friend. "Wake up. Just wake up!" He slammed a fist on Marshall's chest. "Come on, don't you want to here about what I think?"

He laid his head down on Marshall's midsection, defeated. He'd tried everything he could think of to awaken him, next to medieval torture. Sobbing lightly, Lucas started to murmur to himself about how much Marshall meant to him.

Lucas took off his glasses and laid them on the bedside table and wiped his eyes. He wasn't about to show any weakness this time. He was going to be strong and supportive. And he was going to make Marshall wake up. Even if it killed him.

***

"So it is you?" Josie asked, fairly sure she knew what the answer would be.

Miss Meeder turned slowly, her hands raised. "It is."

Josie raised the gun at her head. "Why and how are you here? The experiment didn't work properly!" Josie was shaking she couldn't stop. Miss Meeder—Sarah—tried anything she would have to kill her.

"Are you really going to shoot me?" Sarah asked warmly. "Do you really want to tear that happiness away from Victor? Away from Vaughn?"

Not wanting to get drawn into that argument just yet, Josie continued on with her own questions. "How did you make Marshall sick? Some kind of chemical? Food poisoning? Arcane magick's? Why did you do it?"

"There was no other way," she replied calmly. "I needed to do it."

"Why?"

"Because I would have died otherwise," she said, regret flickering onto her face and sorrow in her voice. "But not just died, died. Torn apart molecule at a time from the inside died."

"What are you?"

"I'm a shadow." Josie was surprised she was answering all the questions so openly. Which meant she knew she couldn't stop this, or she was lying. "Basically, it means I feed off of light. Or in this case, light energy or emotions and mental states. It gets very metaphysical if you go any further."

"So, you what," Josie asked, "find someone who's angry, feed of them and make them more angry and feed of them some more?"

"It's not always anger," Sarah said quietly.

"Yeah, I know that. You said—" Josie didn't finish what she was saying. It clicked in her brain. Sarah was killing Marshall, and possibly Lucas. "You… you're the one killing them. Lucas should be dead. No one can survive thirteen days with no sleep whatsoever. I don't think he's even been blinking lately. And then Marshall came into it. And you suddenly have an all you can eat deal."

"And Corrine, and Madison and Tyler," she said, moving closer to Josie as she lowered the gun. "But not you. I couldn't even feed off you if I wanted to—not that I did. You are one of the people responsible for this… existence—there's too much in your mind."

Josie nodded. "So, that's what saved me from you. And all this time I thought it would be the death of me."

"It probably will be," Sarah murmured. "Now, Miss Trent, I have to go see my family."

"They're not your family anymore!" Josie yelled. "You're not in their lives anymore!"

"You'd be surprised how much I actually am involved," she said, her hand darting out and grabbing Josie's wrist like a snake. She pulled it up, pushing the barrel of the gun into her own chin. "But, you're more than welcome to kill me if you can."

Josie pushed the gun slightly further into her chin, as if to warn the older woman that she could do it.

"Come on Josie! Shoot me! You don't think I deserve to be in my family's lives, then you take me out! Because otherwise, I'm going back!" Sarah cried at her, challenging Josie. "What's wrong are you afraid? Are you going to risk everyone else you know and care about?"

Still saying nothing, Josie avoided her eyes.

"After a while, the body and the mind," Sarah said, "the body can't take it any more. It just crumbles under the pressure. They die. Marshall should be there now. Or soon enough, anyway. So why don't you do it?"

"How do you feed on them?" Josie asked, finally breaking her silence.

"All I have to is be in their vicinity," she explained. "Or I can touch them physically and then I can feed any time."

"You're sick," Josie spat.

"No, I'm just trying to survive," Sarah said. "Come on Josie, I can make Vaughn happy. Don't you want that? I can do so much for you all."

"And I can take your life," Josie deadpanned. "So, who has the better bargaining chip?"

"I might be able to help you," Sarah said, playing on her emotions. "You know, get rid of your roommate upstairs."

"I can do that just fine on my own thanks," Josie bit out. "I don't want your help."

"Well seeing as that's what was going to happen to you," Sarah said, "I think that—"

"What do you mean happen to me?" Josie cut her off. "Since when was that always the plan?"

"Why do you think Victor was so adamant that you want to do this?" Sarah asked her. "Because that was his plan from the start. Two birds with—"

She never finished as two gunshots rang out, tearing through the night's natural silence. Josie stifled a gasp. Sarah fell to the ground, already dead, blood streaming from the wound at the base of her skull. Every time Josie looked away, she found herself staring at it seconds later.

She looked up, and through the shadows saw the man she never expected to see. Victor Pearson. He looked her up and down. Before sweeping away majestically. An air of sorrow trailing far behind.

By the time she had found her voice, he had already gone.

[Gouki]

Chapter 14

Josie ran straight to Victor's, desperate to talk to him. She wanted answers. And she wanted them now. While she couldn't kill Sarah, she still had a fully loaded gun, and Sarah had been right, her mind was starting feel the pressure. And seeing someone, just get shot and dissolve right in front of her didn't help one bit.

She banged on the front door continuously, until Vaughn answered. He looked at her for a moment, wondering what was wrong. She said nothing, but tears had begun to well in her eyes. She looked at him pleadingly. Talking to Victor could wait. This was much more important.

Vaughn embraced Josie warmly. "Josie, what's wrong?"

"I can't tell you," Josie said. "I'm so sorry I haven't been around. I just… I didn't know what do to. If we even fit in each other's lives anymore."

"It doesn't matter," Vaughn consoled her, as he brushed his hand through her and wiped her tears away. "I love you Josie."

"I know," she said. "And I love you. And that's the problem."

He stepped back, letting go of her. "Problem? Love is a problem now?"

"I can't be with you. Not now," Josie murmured. "It's too much at the moment. I can say I'm ready. I can pretend I'm ready. I can even imitate my old life. But it's not mine to imitate."

"Josie, please," Vaughn started. "It doesn't matter. I want to…"

"We're never going to be just friends, you know? We never were." She looked him directly in the eye. "I can fool my friends, I can fool my family, I could even fool you," Josie said, her voice getting quieter every time she took a breath. "But I can't fool myself. No matter how much I try. And right now, we can't give each other what we want or need."

"Is this you talking?" Vaughn asked. "Or the mirror?"

"It doesn't matter," Josie replied. "Because what I need, is for you to stay away from me. Not completely. And not forever. We just can't be anymore than friends. And I'm not even sure if we can be that. Can you be around me without loving me—despite what I just said—can you prove me wrong?"

"No," he replied shortly.

"I see," she murmured sadly. "I'll see you at school later. I guess. As classmates then. One day, though, Vaughn. One day we might…"—she paused just for a second—"it'll be hard. But that's what living is."

Her hand brushed his face, as she turned away and left the house. Vaughn closed the door slowly behind her, wrestling the urge to chase after her. To change her mind. Victor stood in the den, locking his gun away, listening to everything. A triumphant grin across his face.

He turned around, sliding the key into his pocket. Josie's face red from emotions, and her eyes puffy from the tears now streaming down her face.

"It was never your plan, was it?" she asked, quietly.

Victor shook his head.

"She was insane, wasn't she?"

An affirmative nod.

"And... she wasn't really Sarah Pearson, was she?" Josie asked, finishing her original trilogy of questions.

Victor sighed heavily. "She thought she was. That's all that mattered." He looked at his cabinet, then his computer, then back at Josie. "I'm not the bad guy, miss Trent. Despite what you may think."

"We'll see, Victor," Josie murmured, slinking away from him. "I do love Vaughn. And one day, we will be happy together. I just hope you're around to see it."

***

Tyler sat on a storage crate watching Madison try and grab the recorder. She filed miserably every single time she tried. And he enjoyed seeing it. He was suitably amused. But the one note joke was wearing thin.

"Sorry Madison, but I'll see you later," he said. "I've got something better to do."

She said nothing, and kept her focus on the camera. She jumped again, and missed. She started to gather some boxes and try it that way—again—hoping she wouldn't fall this time. Tyler shook his head and turned the doorknob. The door didn't open.

He laughed to himself, and tried it again. It still wouldn't budge. Panicking slightly now, he began to push and pull on it, trying to get it move. But, there was no way her could do it. He was stuck. Defeated he resumed his seat on the crates.

"What's wrong?" Madison asked sardonically, giving up on the camera for the moment.

"The door won't open," Tyler told her.

"What?"

"The door won't open," he repeated.

"Oh this is great," Madison fumed. "I'm not spending the rest of the day in here with you! I'm getting out!"

"What, are you going to do?" Tyler asked. "Bang on the door, and then explain to people why you were locked in here with me, and now your sweaty and puffed out? And I do have proof of you kissing me as well."

"Well done Tyler. You actually did beat me," she congratulated him. "At the cost of your own dignity, but you beat me nonetheless. What do you say to a truce?"

"You must be kidding me," Tyler said. "I'm not that stupid. Just sit down and shut up. We'll be out soon enough. And then my sweeping victory over you will become public knowledge."

***

Laying in Stew's arms on his bed, Corrine looked over his English writing folio piece. And the other work he'd been given. It wasn't very impressive. But she couldn't say that to him. She leant her head back, about to kiss him, when she stopped. The dizziness had gone.

Instead, she rubbed his hand. "Stew, the writing piece is pretty good. But the other exercises, aren't so impressive."

"I know," he admitted sheepishly. "But, I don't understand it very well. I mean, why are they called nuns? Why not just words? That's all they are?"

"Nuns?" she asked. "Oh, nouns. Right. I don't know why they call it that but you still have to know it."

He nodded his head.

"But, it's not that bad. You're getting better," she said warmly. "Where's the maths work?"

"Here it is," he said handing his book to her. "The albrega is stupid. I'm never gonna use that. Ever."

"Most people won't," she admitted. "And it's algebra. Not albrega."

He blushed slightly. "You're the best looking tutor I've ever had."

Corrine coughed and sat up straight. "I think I should go."

"No, please don't," he pleaded. "I like you. You're smart, and not dumb like me."

"Thank you," she said. "But, I can't be anymore than a tutor. What I was doing before. When we were kissing… It was wrong. It was selfish and wrong. And I'm sorry."

He shrugged. "It was nice. It made me happy. It made you happy too."

"You're right it did make me happy," she said, surprised at how sensitive he was being. "Thank you for everything. Can we sill be friends?"

"Yeah, sure thing," he said enthusiastically. "And anytime you want to feel happy, just tell me."

***

Still sobbing on Marshall's midsection, Lucas didn't even notice his best friend stirring from his sleep, until he coughed lightly, and touched Lucas's shoulder.

"Any other time Lucas," he said, "you can rest your head there. But now isn't really the time."

Lucas furrowed his brow until he realised where he was laying. He shot up chagrined at Marshall's laughing and where he'd been laying. He turned a crimson colour, and stopped himself from saying anything in response.

"You're awake!" He cried. "You're really awake! I can't believe it! You're not dead!"

"No, I'm not," Marshall confirmed. "I don't think I want to sleep ever again though."

"I thought I'd lost you," Lucas said quietly. "Never do that to me again!"

"Oh don’t worry, I don't plan on," Marshall assured him.

"I can't believe Corrine left you here," Lucas muttered.

"I told her to go."

Lucas didn't follow.

"It was easier if she left. We'd sorted everything out. I think. So, I told her to go elsewhere," Marshall said. "Somewhere she'd be happy."

"Hey, Marshall, how about tell me," Lucas said taking in what Marshall had said, "what everyone else has been told."

"You already know," Marshall said.

"I want to hear it from you, though," Lucas countered.

Marshall sat up; any doubts he'd had were gone. After all, enough people knew about it. "Alright, I'll tell you; I love you. All my life I've never loved anything else as much. I am yours."

"That's all I needed to hear," Lucas murmured.

Marshall, dreading the worst waited for Lucas to leave. One of the reasons he hadn't said anything sooner being he didn't know how Lucas would react. A few minutes passed and Lucas was still by his side.

"I'm not going anywhere," Lucas affirmed. "I need you in my life. I'm not going to throw it all away."

"So, you feel that same way?" Marshall asked. "My mind really isn't functioning on the higher levels. It's kind of foggy."

Lucas nodded. "Yes. I feel the same way. I mean, I thought I knew what I wanted in life. I had all that sorted out. Josie, a family, a good career in the F.B.I—or something that pays very, very well. But, I was wrong. Because that didn't include you. I know what I want in life. You're it. Everything else is just a bonus."

Marshall felt a tug at his heart. He hadn't expected that response. He'd had a day or so to think about it. He'd almost lost Marshall, and he wasn't about to let him slip through his fingers this time. He moved around in the bed.

"You know, Lucas," Marshall said innocently. "You look tired. And it's really cold tonight…"

"Are you trying to seduce me, Mister Wheeler?" Lucas asked teasingly.

"Is it working?" he replied, moving to the side in his bed.

"Yep," Lucas said quickly, and he moved into the bed with Marshall.

Marshall kissed him lightly on the forehead. "Do you think Josie and Vaughn have gotten back together?" He moved further under the covers.

"Of course," Lucas said a hint of annoyance in his voice. "They're meant for each other."

Fin.