I'm gonna play a game...

"Words that play, an 'ask' that kills. A child's mistake, and one that thrills. What do you hurt when you fall 'face-first'? And what would reaper, steal ye, worst? The bloody red lady, a methodical habit. To lose something 'mental', or something 'essential'? What lies over the heels?" Jack knew that Cat had to get this right. Should she not, within the next night, the prize would be stolen.

 

'...AAAHHHHHH! WHY DID I HAVE TO BE HORRIBLE AT RIDDLES!?!?!?'
'Just think...'
'Wait...' she thought 'that voice... '
'You've always been smart. This is easy, just think. What does a reaper carry? What are you afraid he'll do to you? What's that famous phrase that says "over heels"?'

'...I've got it! It's your head isn't it Lissy?

 

Jack smiled, and slowly took off her lace choker. Beneath lay stitching. "It's what she did to me after I died, you know. My step-mother separated my head from my body because of superstition. She thought I'd haunt her if I had my head." Jack Tapped her stitches. "The only way to get to the next level is to place me back in that room. My head must be removed, and take what's inside to the clock in the ballroom. Wait till' it strikes 12. Then the rest is in your hands. It is so releasing to know that I can be Lissy again. Thank you Catherine, you shall be the next Jack. Lead the way for others.... Don't let himout." Lissy smiled saddly. "The axe.... the way I got out... it's in the room with mirrors."

 

Cat couldn't understand what she meant about 'being the next Jack' or all of the directions that she spoke of.
'...NO! I can't do that... it may bring me back to life... hell I may be able to tell him how I really feel. We could be able to get married, have kids, and grow old together... but I don't believe all that crap about the end justifying the means. I can't go back knowing that I killed someone to do it. It... it just doesn't feel right...'
'C'mon, you've never been one to play the hero. Why start now?'
Just then a flash of bright light engulfed her and suddenly she was in that room. The room with the balcony and the beautiful view of the night sky. She was inside the room and the doors were closed. This time they had curtains that covered the glass panels.
'...'
Cat began to cry, just a little bit. She didn't make a sound though she didn't understand what was happening. She just wanted to do what she would always do at a time like this. Scream like someone would come running and hope that they did. This time though all she could think about was him. She knew that the voice she heard was his. She just wanted to run up to him and have him hold her in his warm embrace like if everything would be fine. Like if she could just go back to life now, without all the conditions laid out before her by Lissy.
'Well, going outside can't possibly make this any worse.'
She walked outside and to her surprise there was someone out on the balcony. They were wearing a jacket with a hood so she couldn't see their head.
'It's been a while... Cathy.'
Cat burst into tears at that name. There was only one person who had ever called her that in her life. At that point she didn't need any more proof but then he took off his hood.
'Why is it that you can't figure these things out for yourself? Haven't you always been the smart one?' He said it jokingly and instantly she ran up to him and pulled him in close, crying into his shirt like he had come home from a war that was all but lost.
'James... i'm sorry. For everything. I was being stupid and it's been killing me. I just wanted-'
She was stopped. He put his hand over her mouth and said this,
'Relax... i'm here now... and you've got to pull yourself together.'
She only held him closer and he continued speaking in a hushed voice, almost like a whisper.
'Listen to me, Cat. I'm breaking plenty of rules by being here, but i've got to go soon. This... this isn't easy to explain but i'll try as best as I can. I'm here because i'm asleep, people are more atune with spirits when they're asleep. But mine is a... er... special case. I'm able to do more than just see them. I can talk to them and even touch them, like now. But it only works when i'm asleep. When the sun rises i've gotta go, but i'll be back as soon as I can. I promise.'
'Don't go... PLEASE! I CAN'T LET YOU LEAVE ME AGAIN! I've regretted every moment of that day... everything I said... everything I did. You've gotta understand. I'm falling apart without you...'
'Cat...'
'You've always been so close to me... I never took the next step, never told you how I felt. How I FEEL. Now you know and I know for sure that you love me back. I finally know that this has never been one sided, and that you're all mine now.'
James was speechless, but this time there was no reason to chase after her because she was here with him. All he could do was hold her tighter as the last moments of the night faded away.
'I've gotta go now... but you're right. About everything. I'll be waiting for you to come back... and i'll be ready. And... that day. What you said... about my dad. You were right. He wants us to be together as much as you and I do.'
As the sun began to rise James started to glow. He was shining bright, almost like an angel. And he said these words before going back to the world of the living.
'I love you, Cat.'
'James... I love you too...'
And with that he faded into a million pieces of light. Cat was still crying, but not as much as before.
'James... i'm gonna do this... for us, for Lissy, and for everyone else. I swear i'll end this... once and for all.'
At that moment another bright light engulfed her and she was back in the hall with Lissy as if no time had passed. Immediately she ran to the door of the room hoping that Lissy would realize what she was doing and follow her.


OOC: Sorry for the super long post. Once I started writing I just couldn't stop. ^^'