"Noah, stop it..." Chief gritted his teeth.

But Noah wouldn't stop. He'd been going over everything he could think of for hours, ignoring his dad's warning every time.

Megan had never heard Noah so much. But she listened, genuinely curious about how much Noah actually knew; he knew an entire journal's worth of knowledge. And probably more.

"Noah, I mean it. Stop!"

Noah narrowed his eyes. "I was told by our ancestor that he went through the something I did. Except he got really mad and chose to learn the dark side of psychic powers and- Mmmm!"

Chief clamped his hand firmly over Noah's mouth, glaring at him. "I told you no. Does no mean nothing to you???"

Noah's eyes filled with tears but he didn't try to struggle, he just sat there, quietly. And then his eyes met Megan's, and she could read them clear as day.

Help me.

She bit her lip, shaking at even the thought of speaking up. She couldn't do it. She just... She couldn't. Ghost keeper? Yeah right, she sighed, I can't even stand up to Noah's dad!

"Megan, did you say something?"

"No!" She jumped at Chief's voice. "Uh... Well I," she thought maybe she could get something out, but her throat filled itself with choked-up fear again, and all she could do was shake her head.

She was afraid to see the disappointment in Noah's baby blue eyes, but instead, there was another unspoken message in them.

You tried your best.

Megan's stomach filled with guilt. No, she didn't do her best, she didn't try at all!

Noah exhaled slowly, then yanked away from Chief's hand as the car pulled up their driveway. "I'll say what I want to, Dad! I'm your son! I'm the kid you gave birth to!" His lips trembled, "and I'm sorry that you think I'm such a nutcase!"

"Noah," Chief put his freed hand on Noah's shoulder, grabbing onto the coat. "Let's go inside, okay? I think Megan's had enough of this. And then we can talk."

Megan looked away from them both.

"You mean stay quiet until Dr Duman shows up?" Noah rolled his eyes.

"Noah," Chief gritted his teeth, "get out of the car."

Noah's eyes sparked with rebellion. "Are you gonna force me out?"

Chief tightened the hold on his coat. "Don't test me, Noah! I'm very very upset with you!"

"Yeah, okay."

Chief opened the door and narrowed his eyes, "Now you're going to go in or I'm going to make you."

"Will you?" Noah raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "What if I don't believe you? What if you imagine that you're going to make me?-"

"Noah Jacob Seers, get out of this car!!" Noah looked at Megan again.

The tears were drying up on his cheeks, but Megan could still the leftover glassiness in his eyes. Brice was right; he was hurting. And now that hurting was becoming too much.

Megan couldn't blame him, but she also couldn't help him. She felt stupid.

So stupid.

"I guess," Noah breathed out, "I guess Megan's gonna go back to her uncle? And tell him she followed me to the city to save me? I mean, after all, that would get her out of all the trouble." Megan flinched when he winked at her.

"Noah, out of the car and leave Megan alone, you've given her enough to deal with."

"Dad please try-"

"Alright then," Chief yanked onto the black peacoat with so much force Noah fell over onto the seat. "We're going now!"

"Megan!" Noah reached his hand out to her, "Just say sane, okay? Unlike," he grabbed onto the car door to stop being pulled out, "unlike my situation- Elijah won't know if you just lie- ah!" His fingers slipped off the door, "DAD I'M NOT CRAZY! IT'S ALL TRUE! DAD!"

Chief covered Noah's mouth again, pulling him towards the house. With a grunt, he told the chauffeur to take Megan home. Then he frowned at her. "I'm sorry you had to go through with this. Just pretend it never happened, okay?"

Megan fiddled with her fingers anxiously. The sounds of Noah's struggles were too much and she had to look away.

Not to mention, Noah had told her to stay sane. That meant in Chief's eyes, she hadn't done any wrong.

She hugged her arms. "Okay..."

And then with the sounds of more struggling, the front door was slammed closed.
...

Megan wiped at a few guilty tears. Noah hadn't really wanted her to leave him like that; it was as if she'd failed him somehow.

But she would make it up to him eventually. And they would get to Jerson one day. She frowned at her hands in her lap.

Of course, it had to be soon; October was the one month a year when people could see ghosts, and people in fear were easier to control.

And with the Ghost keeper existing, of course, Genevieve would want to come to Parano and throw her in the portal of souls.

It has to be soon, Megan thought to herself, it's going to be soon.

The car parked in front of her home and she opened the door and nervously looked back at the chauffeur. "Um, th-thank you."

"Anytime," the man breathed out. "You know, I'm not supposed to ask about this stuff -Chief pays extra if I keep quiet about his son- but that kid? He sounds pretty much... Gone, if you know what I mean. Like, yeesh."

Megan's hands clenched up into fists. "Oh? I guess I never noticed." She jumped out of the car before the man could say anything else.

Walking up the stairs felt like walking to her execution; she could hear the rhythmic drums with each step. Of course, that could've just been her heartbeat.

She opened the door and felt the warmth of the entryway greet her inside. Turning around, she closed the door and heard a satisfying, click as it shut.

"Hi, Megan."

Megan bit her lip and put a hand up to her heart. Of course, he's right there, she thought to herself, just relax.

"Megan?" Megan took a deep breath and spun around slowly, looking up into her uncle's light green eyes. "Oh, Meg!" Eli rushed up to her and pulled her into a hug. "You have no idea how worried I was!"

Megan could tell he was thrilled to see her, but she couldn't say the same. She backed out of his arm, staring up at him with narrowed eyes.

She and Noah had been so close to leaving the city, only for rich men like Chief and Eli to find them. Eli had raised her to doubt her own destiny! And now when she tried to save the world, he reeled her back in again like she was simply a child; not the Ghost keeper.

"Megan?" Eli frowned, "why, why are you looking at me like that?"

Her hands shook into fists at her sides. They had been so close!!

"Meg?"

She pursed her lips tightly together. Stop it, she told herself, I have to stop this! Noah was telling me to act skeptic for Uncle Eli. I can't ruin that by glaring at him. Her eyes filled with angry tears, but she had no choice but to use them to her advantage.

"Oh, Uncle Eli!" She threw herself in for another hug. "I'm so happy you found me!" Those words made her stomach curdle; they couldn't be farther from true.

"Megan," Eli closed his eyes, burying his face in her hair, "I was so worried! The next time something like this happens you tell a grown-up, okay? Or call the police! Don't," he sighed, "don't run off to the city by yourself... Okay?" He pulled her back to face him. "Never, never, never, ever ever do that again, am I understood?"

No, Megan answered in her mind, I don't understand. But she couldn't say that. So instead she nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Uncle Eli." She looked at the stairs, wanting to go to her bedroom to be alone. And then a question popped up in her mind. "H-how did you find us?"

Eli breathed out, gently stroking his hand through her curls. "Chief called me yesterday, asking if I knew why Noah canceled his catered meals. I -like an idiot- brought up the camping trip." Megan cringed. "And I think you know how he reacted to that?"

"There was no camping trip..." She answered under her breath.

"Exactly," Eli frowned, "there was no camping trip, and he'd never signed a permission slip for one." He started tugging at the hair behind his ear, "and then I realized you left me! I didn't know where you were or why you left, but you weren't at any of your usual spots! I went to Noah's house to find it empty. And that was when Chief came back to town to help find you two."

"I'm really sorry I left, Uncle Eli," Megan bit her lip, "but I didn't have a choice."

Eli closed his eyes. "And then I had to stop and realize I'd signed a permission slip for this non-existent camping trip. And I came to one conclusion on where it came from."

Megan's eyes widened as he pulled something from his back pocket; her mother's grey and black beret. "I-I-"

"I think this is yours?" He put it in her hands with a stoic countenance. "I'm not blaming you, Meg. When you went to an adult about the situation I would've expected him to act like an adult!" He pulled at his hair, "but Walter will always be that silly kid that can't grow up!"

Megan's eyes filled with tears as she held her beret. "So you went to his house?"

"Went to his house??" Eli rolled his eyes, "more than went to his house! I finally gave him a piece of my mind and did what I should've done when you came into my life! I can't believe he forged that permission slip for you! Any reasonable human being would've called the police!"

"Uncle Eli-"

"You could've died!" His voice wavered, "Or you could've already been dead!" He started to pace the entryway. "I never should've let you meet him. The next time you get sick I'm taking you somewhere else!"

"What?" Megan breathed out, "What do you mean taking me somewhere else?"

Eli's eyes narrowed at her. "I mean I never want you to see Walter again." Megan gasped. "I'm sorry, Megan," he groaned, "but he's just a bad influence on you. And shortly after Noah and you go to his house? He runs off to the city and you're behind him! I should've seen the signs you meeting Walter was a bad idea, that's on me." He sighed, "I mean ever since you met him you've been more and more curious about Roland!"

"That not a bad thing!"

"It is when it comes to your friend," Eli shot back, "Megan, why did Noah go off to the city, and tell me truthfully."

Megan pursed her lips. You can't tell him everything. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at him. "Noah wanted me to go with him at first. H-he said that we needed to go to the city to stop some evil souls. And then we tried to leave Genoe because of a worse soul in Jerson."

Eli furrowed his brows. "You were going to go with him?"

Megan nodded. "I figured since we were already far away from home, maybe we could go a little farther. I never planned on actually going to Jerson."

"No, because Jerson doesn't exist." Eli pulled at his hair again. "And to think he was going to pull you into his delusions! I'm one word away from keeping him from you!"

"No!" Megan gasped out. Eli frowned at her. "You... You can't do that..." She clutched at her backpack strap for something to hold onto, "what if he needs me? What if-"

"He doesn't need you, Meg," Eli cut in, "what he needs is a lot of therapy. Which is what he's getting. But you tried your best and we now know how that turned out."

"Noah's my best friend, Uncle Eli..." Her tears bubbled up in her eyes, threatening to push over into her cheeks.

"I know, Meg," Eli whispered, "but we've talked about this. He can't be your friend forever. And now after this whole city stunt of his, that's really starting to become a possibility."

"Don't take Noah from me," Megan stared at the blurred floor, "please don't."

Eli exhaled slowly, letting a few seconds pass between them. Then he rested a hand on her shoulder. "Alright. We'll see how he does with Doctor Duman before I make any decisions. But I'm standing with what I said about Walter; you aren't allowed to see him again."

Megan wiped at her wet eyes. "I understand..."

"Good. I just hope that boy can get some sense into him. It would almost be better if he jumped off a cliff because his imaginary friends tell him to."

Megan held her backpack straps tighter. "Noah doesn't have imaginary friends... I already told you that."

"Well," Eli ignored her and offered a weak smile, "want any supper?"

Megan let go of her backpack and shook her head. She was too miserable to eat with him. "I think I'll just take a shower and head up to bed."

"Megan," Eli's eyes glittered, "you know I love you, right? And that everything I'm doing for you is because I love you?"

Megan pursed her lips. "Mr Seers says he loves his son, and then he forced Noah against his will to go into their house today..."

"About time," Eli sighed, "in my opinion, Chief should've given Noah a good hard hand from the beginning- Meg?"

Megan froze at the bottom of the stairs. So close.

Eli gestured with his index finger for to her come back. "Where are you going?"

"T-to my room?" She pointed a shaky hand at the stairs. "I'm tired."

"That's always your excuse," Eli frowned. Megan tried not to wince; of course, he knew that. "Megan, how many times do I have to tell you not to lie to me?"

She bit her lip. "I lied to Noah for you..."

"That's not the same thing," he countered. "You were helping him. Those lies were for treatment, not trickery. And if you don't want to end up like your dad you'll stop confusing the two!" Megan gasped and he cringed. "I-I didn't mean it like that."

"That's what it sounded like," she looked down at the floor, feeling her hand shake more. "And how can you be completely sure that Dad and Grandfather weren't crazy?"

"Wha-?" His eyes widened, "what did you just say?"

Oops, Megan tapped her foot against the floor, "I didn't say anything-"

"More lies??" Eli groaned at the ceiling, "Megan Elenore what's gotten into you??"

Her eyes narrowed. "What's wrong with me is that I want to go to bed! And you won't let me!!"

"Fine!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms out, "Fine you can go to your room but we're going to talk about this tomorrow! I don't know what that boy has gotten into your head while you were together but I'm telling you right now that it's all lies!"

"Goodnight, Uncle Eli," Megan held onto her arm and dashed up the stairs, slamming her door behind her and running to her bed.

"Someone will bring you supper!" He yelled up.

"I don't want it!" She threw a pillow at the door. Frustrated, she marched back up to the door and locked it. "And don't come up here!!"

There wasn't a reply.

She flopped onto her bed and picked up her teddy bear, holding it close. "What do I do?" She stroked its ears, "What am I supposed to do?? He doesn't want me to see U.W.? And it's all my fault that he got in trouble!"

The tears flooded her cheeks. "What am I supposed to do?" The bear simply stared at her with its shining black eyes.

Megan bit her lip. "If there was something I could do. If there was some way I could talk to U.W. about everything and apologize for making him help me! How can I do that?" She ran her fingertips along the bear's pink bowtie.

Looking out the window, she saw the sky slowly darkening into blue and purple, making tiny white stars pop out of it.

She wiped at her eyes and sighed, "I should give you a name, shouldn't I?" She frowned, "Did Mom give you a name? When dad gave you back to her?" She tapped it's black eyes.

The bear didn't talk back.

"Okay then," she rolled her eyes, "you aren't going to tell me, Roland?" She froze, looking down at the bear. "Did I just... Call you Roland?" She dropped the bear and it fell forward. "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry."

But then she lifted the teddy bear again, tilting her head as she stared at it. "Roland..."

Megan kept her eyes on its black ones. "Roland...?" It still wouldn't answer, but Megan had already decided; in a strange way, Roland fit the bear perfectly.

"Well, Roland," Megan hugged the bear again. "I don't suppose you have a way to help me, do you?"

Silence.

"I mean," she laughed, "if you were actually my dad you would probably know exactly what to do. You would probably tell me to talk to U.W. And then I would say it's impossible because I can't leave the house. And then you would say something clever like 'you should sneak out'.

Immediately Megan's eyes lifted to her window. "And you would be exactly right." She grinned at the bear. "Thank you, Roland!"

She hugged Roland and laughed. "I'll sneak out tonight and see Uncle Walter! Then he can explain what happened and I can tell him I believe in my destiny! He'll be so thrilled!"

She grinned. "When I go to bed, make sure to wake me up at eleven o'clock, okay Roland? I have to talk to him tonight, don't let me stay asleep, alright? It's very important. But first,"

She giggled and pulled on an oily curl, "I have to take a long shower!"