Ban's POV

What happened yesterday was a big hit to me. Such a revelation being for shadowed. I stayed in the clock room with Elaine. Our date wasn't finished yet so we continued on. After that, we laid down on the blanket and watched as the gears of the clock work their magic. After a while, my head shifted to Elaine. She looked so cute even when she is napping. I thought about what she said and I felt happy for her. She was gonna leave this place, I am willing to help her if ever she is in trouble. I noticed that the room started lighting the color orange. "uh..Ban, why are the lights orange?" Elaine just woke up.

Normal POV

"check this out Elaine..." the two walked over to the nearest window and opened it. Elaine smiled at the sun setting. Jack-o-lanterns were being lit everywhere. She can see kids adjusting their costumes for trick or treating later on.
"after tonight, we'll join them and have our own Trick or Treat marathon." Ban got behind Elaine and whispered to her ear. Elaine leaned on him him as his arms wrapped itself around her. The two watched the Halloween night commence.

"I love you Elaine...."

That surprised Elaine. Her face blushed red from those words. "I...uh....well...I..l..love..." Ban shushed her. "it's okay if you can't say it yet."
"But I want to...."
"no need to rush...we have all the time we need...." Ban walked away to clean up the picnic mess they made, leaving Elaine there standing.

"No...we don't...." Elaine grew angry that she couldn't tell him. This was their last night together and Elaine wanted it to be perfect. She knows it was wrong and could make things even worse for her but she wanted this now. She was sure of it. Without a second thought, Elaine launched herself at Ban. He stumbled back when Elaine ran herself on him.
"Elaine, what was that fo----" he was cut off when Elaine smashed her lips with his. Ban could feel Elaine's desperation. He let the feeling cloud them both. This simple kiss turned into a hot make-out session in just seconds. Soon, clothes were discarded.

It was a night of pleasure. Ban never knew that he had it in him to bed Elaine. This was a whole new experience. He can worry about what will happen tomorrow. Let his Tomorrow-self deal with Tomorrow's problem. Tonight, it was him and Elaine joined as one.
"Elaine, finally...you are mine....."

*****

Meanwhile.....

Britannia Airport....

A maiden of silver hair and baby blue eyes casually walked out of the private jet as it landed on the Liones' soil. It took her hours to fly over from Camelot. Studying at a boarding school can cause great home sickness. But tonight, as the Halloween moon rises, she has come back Liones to complete the family legacy.

*****

Liones High School

@11:55 PM

White light illuminated against the clock's glasses. Elaine had woken up from this light. She hurriedly climbed up to the clock room to see what was happening. There it was, the Goddessa statue was loosing it's holy light. Elaine smiled as the statue glowed the brightest light for the last time before turning into stone. Elaine looked at the clock to see that it was 11:59 PM. she ran back to Ban and knelt right next to his sleeping figure. Elaine let out the tears she has been holding on. The guilt of her unspoken words eating her.

"I love you Ban......" she kissed his lips for the last time before the midnight bell rang.

Morning.....

Ban's POV

I woke up to the feeling of loneliness when I noticed that Elaine was nowhere to be found. "Elaine!" I yelled in the room. I went up the control room to see that the statue had turned to stone. What the hell happened last night? Wait..........Elaine must be outside! She must be enjoying her freedom right about now! I couldn't wait to show her around. Since it was a weekend, only a few students and teachers come to school for Saturday classes. It was a good thing that I packed some casual clothes.

Later on, I circled the whole school just to find Elaine. Everywhere! She wasn't there. Not in the classroom, the cafeteria, the gym, the field, the quad, the pool side, the janitor's closet, the library, the girl's locker room. Nothing! And don't me started on the girl's comfort room! Where could Elaine be?

I went back to the clock tower only to be greeted by a woman with Silver hair. She looked around for something.
"hey..this is a restricted area...." I promised Elaine that I would guard the Goddessa statue even if she's not around.
"I know..but that's okay. My Father owns this school." She answered.
"your Father?"
"yeah..Hello. My name is Elizabeth Liones. It's nice to meet you..uh..." she bowed to me.
"Ban Greed..." I too did the same. So this is Baltra Liones' daughter?

"what are you doing here, Princess?" Elizabeth didn't like me calling her Princess but did it anyways.
"I wanted to say goodbye to a friend...." she started. A friend? Living here? Could she be talking about Elaine?
"wait..are you perhaps talking about Elaine?" her eyes sparkled with joy.
"oh yes! Do you know where she is?"
"I don't know. I'm looking for her too. I thought that after the Halloween Midight, she would be free from this chamber. I thought of taking her out..."
Elizabeth's expression fell. "umm...do you like..Elaine?" My smirk says it all and I know she can see it. "Oh...I'm very sorry for your loss." Was her answer.

"what do you mean?" I glared at her. What was she talking about.
"she didn't tell you?"
"tell me what?..........I know why she is here, why she can't leave, why the treasure is important, and what happens during midnight...what else could she not tell me?"

"Ban, Elaine died 5 years ago.........."

Ban's POV

"No...you're lying! Elaine isn't dead!" I yelled at her. Princess or not, Elizabeth is just playing sick.
"Ban..I'm serious...." she walked over to me.
"No! I refuse to believe that! She is real! We spent the whole time together. I don't see her floating like a ghost. You are wrong! Elaine! Where are you?!" I kept on yelling in the room. Elizabeth had her hands on both my cheeks. She made me look at her in the eye.
"Ban.......................................Elaine.....is gone..............." she said it directly. I stopped being paranoid. My feet felt like gelatin as I slid down the floor clutching my head. "I'll tell you what really happened after you calm down......" Elizabeth gently patted ban's back.

*****

Normal POV

"The Elaine you saw is a living soul wandering in this school. My Father, Baltra Liones, gave her the position to guard the statue. To everyone, it was an honor but to Father, it was a curse. You see, the Goddessa links its lifespan with the chosen guardian. The Goddessa is the Liones' family's sacred treasure. Father built this school and the clock tower to shield it from corrupted families who wanted the to keep the statue for themselves. I think you've seen the beauty if that statue."
"I have. I admit, it surely was a treasure. it was like millions of unbreakable diamonds joined forces" Ban exaggerated.
"that's why its so valuable. Anyways, the Goddessa was the only object heavy enough to act as a spare gear to keep the clock working. That's why its been stored here."
"what is it with the clock?..and why do you say it's valuable?" Elaine keeps saying that the clock is important. How?

"In my family's long line of Liones history, think of it as a belief, we believe that the clock was a portal to the spirit world. I didn't believe it at first but seeing my dead nanny's soul, I had to believe it." Elizabeth let out a small chuckle at her stubborness. "Elaine was a ghost. The only reason why I can see her is because I'm a Liones."
"But I'm not. So why can I see her?" Ban wonders about it.
"I believe that she was getting lonely. I can't be with Elaine everyday. My sisters shipped me off to boarding school. I hardly see Elaine. The laptop's video camera won't work on a ghost. But i promised her that every year I would come back and spend time with her. I guess I was too late now." Elizabeth frowned. "Ban, thank you for being there for Elaine when I wasn't. I'm happy that she finally found a friend...more importantly, a lover...." Elizabeth wiped the tear off her face.
"I Never knew that the Liones were into the whole supernatural act." Ban had a poker face on.
"neither did I, but this event only happens once every century. The Goddessa statue has finally expired, now I have to wait another 100 years for a new statue to be born."
"how do you do that?"
"No idea. I'll ask my elders about that some other time."
"so you're telling me that.........last night..when Midnight came, the Goddessa's lifespan is linked to Elaine. So once it turned to stone, Elaine was free....as in, she disappeared?" Ban couldn't believe this strange explanation.
"I believe that the clock opened a portal for her to cross-over to the afterlife. She has done my Father a major favor. Therefore, she deserves the greatest pleasure. The afterlife must be the reward."

"what happened? You never told me how she died." Ban's voice was low and sad
"Elaine got the guarding job five years ago. At that time, one of father's corrupted enemy families found out about the statue. They proceeded to burn down the building."
"wait....are you referring to the building next to the clock tower?" the one Ban complained on the first day of school.
"the one that is still under reconstruction? Yes....it's been five years and that building still hasn't been fixed." Elizabeth confirmed.
"why?"
"I guess Elaine did a little haunting. You see, the building is connected to the tower. If any worker where to step into this room and find the statue, it would be exposed to the world. Now that the statue has expired, It's time to rebuild the old building.

Doctors told me that Elaine suffered from inhaling too much smoke. Elaine died protecting the statue. She didn't leave the room at all. I call it stupid. Her life was on the line there yet she ddn't bother running out. She is so stupid..yet amazing...." Elizabeth kept on wiping the tears away. "Elaine is that loyal to my father...I am so happy that she was my nanny."

Ban remember that there was a burnt wall in the control room. It was covered by the red blanket. Is that the entrance to the control room? If so, he'll need to cover that up. He is doing this all for Elaine. "I'll protect the statue..for Elaine."
"no need. It has already expired. It has no value anymore." Elizabeth stated.

"It does to me!" she flinched at his sudden burst. "sorry......I just...miss her so much...it's only been a day and it hurts...." Ban wonders about this feeling. He has never experienced something so deep for a person before. Especially a girl. This must be the power of love. Never has he experienced love like this. Never has anyone given him love like this, never has anyone accepted a person like him..Elaine did. The woman he loved was gone forever.
"Ban..." Elizabeth rubbed circle son his back to comfort him.
"Elaine....one day, I will definitely make you mine again........." He said to himself as a tear slid down the side of his face. But Elizabeth can clearly hear his words.

"she is already yours Ban..." Elizabeth whispered but Ban could not hear it.