Utah Park - Denver Colorado - Monday, 1:41am

Ezra stood close to the black car that was parked at the entrance to the park. He needed to be near her, he had to be near her just in case it . . . no, he couldn't leave her alone, not now, not when they were so close . . . not when they might . . . he shook the negative thoughts from his mind . . . they had to find her. Ezra knew her father sat in the car with her but he had made a promise, a promise that he intended to keep, he had to keep it. He'd never broken a promise before and he knew he had made a mistake making this one. You should never make a promise that you might not be able to keep. That's what he had done. It was a promise that he was now sure was going to be broken.

The rain fell through the darkness to the already soaked ground that he was standing on. The dry and cracked dirt from the day before was now beginning to turn to mud. It was making the search even more difficult. His hair clung to his scalp and the rain dripped from the protruding parts of his skull. He wasn't wearing a rain coat, he hadn't taken the time to put it on when he had gotten the call that they may have found her. His total outfit consisted of jeans and a white short sleeved shirt that wasn't tucked in and boots that would be ruined if he stayed out in this weather any longer. He didn't care at the moment, there was something more important out there than his shoes. He wanted to turn around and look at the young girl with the deep blue eyes and short brown hair but he couldn't look at the facial strain that made her look ten years older than she was.

Jasmine Simmons had lost a part of herself. Each and every day her reflection would remind her that her sister had been violently torn from her life. She needed to find her sibling so she could put her and her own torment to rest. Ezra hung his head, he didn't know why he had wanted to help her, he thought it was because she reminded him of himself when he was seventeen but the more he got to know her the more he was beginning to think that something was wrong. Chris had warned him about becoming emotionally involved but as usual he thought he didn't need help from his associates, that he could handle things alone as he'd done all his life.

He continued to watch as the lights bounced around the river bed as the searchers kept digging. They had been looking for nearly an hour and still hadn't found anything that would indicate that a body had been buried there. Ezra hadn't moved from his position of survielance, he was cold and shivering as the rain continued to fall around him. He had contemplated joining Jasmine and her father in the police car but she would begin acting in a way that disturbed him. A way that made him regret the decision to help her. There was an angry violent side to her that he had been unaware of until it was too late.

The lead they were following was given to them by the killer, it had been part of a deal but Ezra's instints told him that the man had been lying. It was game he liked to play with the relatives of his victims. Give them some hope then take it away from them. The worst thing about losing a loved one to a killer was the lack of a body. They couldn't bury them. A slight hope that they may even be still alive ate away at them. The mourners were unable to get on with their own lives.

This lead was their last chance, there were no other options left. He wasn't sure how Jasmine would take it, maybe he should have warned her that the killer was lying and her sister may not be here. Ezra knew he was going to pay dearly for his broken promise, he just didn't know how much.

"We got something!" One of the searchers yelled out.

His voice only just managed to reach Ezra. The rain and other noises drowned out most of his voice. Ezra turned to look at Jasmine. Her blue eyes stared back at him, they were full of hope and anger. He didn't know who the anger was aimed at, him or the killer. He turned away and began to walk towards the search site but stopped when he heard the car door open and close. Ezra stopped and waited. The seventeen year old walked straight passed him without acknowledging his presence.

"Shit." Ezra muttered to himself then followed her. "Jasmine . . . wait."

Ezra knew he was wasting his breath, the girl wasn't going to stop until she found her twin. Ezra ran after her, he slowed once he reached her and walked beside her. She put her hand out and he took it. He felt her grip his hand with anticipation of finding the one she couldn't live without. They stood on the edge of the river bank and looked down. The lights shown on an area the searchers were concentrating on. Water slowly ate away at the dirt bank causing small chunks of mud to fall into the fast flowing river. Men in wetsuits stood with the water flowing around their waists as they waited and watched. Trees blew wildly in the wind causing an errier noise that sounded to much like a young girl crying out for help.

The upper remains of a body looked back at them when one of the searchers moved away. Dirt matted blond hair ran from the rotting flesh of the victim's scalp. It wove it's way through the mud as though it wanted to join the flowing river. Long thin fingers curled up out of the mud, the nails were broken, the flesh was rotting away revealing the bones beneath the skin. Ezra's green eyes moved to the face of the victim. The eyes were missing, taken from the victim hopefully after death but Ezra knew otherwise. The other areas of the young face were left undamaged, except for the damage caused by nature's smallest animals.

"You bastard!" Jasmine turned to Ezra. "You fucking bastard! It's not her!" She began to slam her fists against Ezra's unprotected chest, he wasn't going to stop her from taking her anger out on him. "You promised me you'd find her! You promised!"

"I'm sorry." Ezra grimaced as the pain she inflicted continued.

"No your not. You lied to me, you knew she wasn't here, you knew you'd never find her. You fucking lied to me!" She yelled into his face causing him to flinch back. She moved away from him. "Your going to pay for this Ezra."

"What are you going to do?" Ezra asked her without looking at her.

"I'm going to find my sister." she hissed at him.

"Jasmine, you . . ." Ezra started but stopped when she faced him again.

"What, you think I can't do it. I can do a better job than you did!" Jasmine Simmons walked away from the SPI Agent with murder on her mind. "Fucking liar."

Ezra watched the petite figure move away and disappear into the darkness. He wanted to go after her but decided that he should wait until she calmed down. He'd seen this type of anger erupt from her on other occassions. It frightened him that someone so young could be capable of such anger. Jasmine hadn't shown any real violence towards him or anyone else that he knew of but something told him she was willing and able to commit a violent act.

SPI Headquarters - Denver Colorado - Monday, 6.30am

Ezra had been sitting in his car for hours, the darkness that surrounded him had allowed him to try and think things through. He still didn't know what he was going to do. He couldn't ask Chris for help, the leader of SPIT7 had told him not to get involved in the first place but he hadn't listened to him. Chris had then given him an order not to help with the investigation when his own work began to falter. Ezra had ignored the order and now he regretted not listening to his boss. It was like the term 'you should listen to your mother, she's always right'. His pride stopped him from going to his friend now and telling him that he had gotten in too deep, that he had made a mistake. Chris wasn't the type to say 'I told you so' but that didn't convince Ezra to go and talk to him. The ex-criminal had never had anyone to ask for help before and now there were six men that smothered him with a friendship that he had begun to accept and enjoy. They would also go to hell and back for him. But old habits were hard to destroy when there was still a touch of doubt in your mind.

He looked around the underground parking area. The rising sun was yet to invade and force the darkness from it's hideout. He needed coffee, strong hot coffee that was extra sweet. He let out a loud sigh and leaned his head back against the head rest. He had to think of something to explain his condition to his friends. The change of clothing he usually carried in the boot had already been used and he was yet to replace them. He couldn't think of anything though, his mind kept travelling to Jasmine. What was she going to do? How was she going to find her sister on her own? He didn't know. He no longer knew how to find her himself. He could face the killer and threaten him but it would only cost him his job and it might induce a possible jail sentence. How the hell did I get into this mess in the first place? He knew the answer to that.

The police had come to the Scientific Paranormal Investigations unit for help. Ezra had sat in on the conference with Chris Larabee and Vin Tanner but his leader didn't think they could help the police find a serial killer or a still missing body. Jasmine Simmons had also sat in on the discussion. She wasn't impressed when Chris said no. Ezra had approaced her later to offer his help and advice. She had accepted. Now here he was sitting alone in his car in the parking garage of the SPI building. A promise had been broken and a threat had been made.

Why did he offer to help her. He had known that there wouldn't be a strong chance of finding the body. Ezra had also thought that his past life might have been able to help them. He knew people on the wrong side of the law, people who were able to get information that the police couldn't. But every lead he had gotten failed until one of them finally led the police to the killer but not Jasmine's sister. Another reason he decided to help her was because he had felt a kinship with the young woman, something that hadn't happened before. He now knew he was mistaken, it wasn't a kinship that he had felt, it was something else, something unnatural. Before SPIT7 he wouldn't have said that but he'd seen a lot of unnatural things from the moment he joined Chris Larabee's team. He still wasn't able to figure it out. Ezra had always been able to read people, to see inside them and find out what made them tick. He thought he knew what kept Jasmine going but now she only confused him, he could no longer read her like he once had.

The need for coffee called him again, this time the urge was even stronger. He opened the car door and stepped out into the chilly morning air. It nipped at his already cold flesh, a soft breeze pulled at his drying hair. He moved towards the elevator but stopped when he saw a moving figure in the distance. He couldn't quite make out the countenance of the person who stood watching him as the darkness broke around them but he knew the body language. It was Jasmine Simmons. She turned away from him and walked back out into the sunlight. Great, now I've got real trouble.

The floor that housed the offices of SPIT7 were still dark and empty. Ezra turned the overhead lights on as he made his way to the break room. Chris Larabee wouldn't be arriving for another hour, the other five members would be right behind him. For some reason they enjoyed getting up at an ungodly hour of the day. It was something that Ezra wasn't use to. When you didn't have a nine to five job you were able to raise yourself from your slumber when you wanted to, not when you had to. No doubt questions would be asked when they did arrive as to why he was here before they were. He'd drink his coffee while he continued to think of an acceptable lie. When he reached the break room he put the coffee on to brew. He hated the instant crap the others constantly drank. The Southerner eyed the comfortable couch that sat against the wall. He moved to it and sat down, he'd just close his eyes for a few minutes until the smell of coffee began to drift around the room.

The minutes turned into hours. He was unware of someone placing a blanket over him, or the eyes that checked in on him as the hours passed by. The only thing that he was aware of was the figure that seemed to be just out of his reach. He could see them in his dreams but each time he tried to see the person's face they moved away from him. It caused his handsome features to crease up in concentration. Watchful eyes became concerned. He finally relaxed when his dreams moved on. He turned his head to the left as the rain began to fall. His features frowned when he realised where he was. He didn't want to get closer to the river but a force pushed him towards it. He couldn't stop himself, he turned his head in his dream and in reality to see who it was but the face was hidden from him. Ezra reached the river bank but didn't stop moving, whoever was pushing him, pushed him over the edge. He fell into the water, the force continued to push him down. He couldn't breath. Just when he thought he was going to drown the pressure on his back was removed.

Ezra lifted his head and gulped in the air that had been restricted by force. He used his hand to wipe the water from his face. He screamed at the site before him. It was no longer a stranger that was buried in the mud. It was Jasmine. Even though her flesh had been eaten away by the creatures that still lived within her skull, he was still able to recognise her.

"Lying bastard!"

Ezra screamed again and jumped up out of the water. He ran from the terror before him. The half eaten body was pulling itself from the mud and was reaching for him. He tried to get out but continued to slip down the bank. He couldn't get a good enough foot hold to get himself out. He felt Jasmine's fingers scraping against his boots.

"Your a liar and your going to pay Ezra Standish!" Jasmine screamed at him.

Ezra began to toss and turn on the couch under the watchful eye of Nathan Jackson. He pulled his gun and fired at the nightmare figure before him. The bullets did nothing to stop her. Ezra stopped when he saw another rotting figure behind her. There was something familiar about it, something that reminded him of . . . it was Jasmine's sister. It had to be.

"Aw shit!" Ezra spoke in his sleep.

He turned away from them as he felt his stomach begin to revolt at the sight. He knew he was going to be sick so he began to pull himself from the nightmare but it didn't let him go easily. The sisters managed to get a decent grip on his boots and pull him back into the river. The force was on his back once more. He began to choke on the water that found it's way into his throat.

"Ezra!" Nathan jumped up out of the chair he was sitting in. He ignored the crashing sound as it fell to the floor. He quickly moved to Ezra's side and pulled the cushions away and allowed his head to drop. The scientist knew Ezra was choking but on what he didin't know. He tilted the smaller man's head back and made sure his breathing passages were clear. They were. "What the hell . . . " He began to shake Ezra's shoulders in an attempt to wake him. "Ezra!" Nathan yelled at him. "Wake up!" He felt Ezra take in a deep breath, then another. "Ezra." he shook him more firmly.

Ezra thought he was dying. He knew it couldn't happen in a dream until he remembered the movie that JD had told him about. Something about a man in a red and black stripped jumper and steel fingers who went around killing teenagers in their dreams. He fought for air as the thought of death continued to tear through him. Then he heard a voice, it was familiar and he concentrated on it. The sound helped him to escape from the two women who were attempting to kill him.

"What the hell is going on?" Chris Larabee asked as he ran into the break room.

"Ezra was choking on something. Don't ask me what though." Nathan waited patiently for Ezra to fully wake. "Ezra?"

Ezra shuddered as a chill racked his body. He was cold. He pulled the blanket closer to his body but it didn't seem to help him. The smell of coffee wafted up to his nose. He opened his eyes and saw Nathan and Chris looking down at him. Chris held a cup of steaming coffee in his hand. Ezra reached up for it.

"God I hope that's not instant."

As he took the cup in his hand, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. The mug fell from his fingers and shattered on the floor. The twin sisters were staring at him from the corner of the room. They were intact. The flesh was no longer rotting or falling from their bodies. Their arms were reaching out for him. Both were beautiful but their eyes were full of hatred. He rubbed his eyes and looked again. Just like in the movies they were gone. Must have been the aftermath of the dream he had. He began to cough. The small waves in his stomach became a tidal wave. He stood up and pushed past his two friends, he didn't see their shocked expressions. Ezra ran to the men's as fast as he could. He made it with time to spare. He threw up into the toilet bowl and after a few minutes of exhausting convulsions he stopped.

Ezra fell to the floor and laid his head on his knees. He was trembling as the chills continued to hit him. He jumped when he felt a hand grip his shoulder. He looked into Nathan's caring eyes and smiled. He knew it was useless, they obviously knew something was wrong.

"Come on Ezra." Nathan lifted him to his feet and walked him back to the break room. He gently pushed him back onto the couch. "Here." he handed Ezra a second cup of hot coffee.

Ezra looked at the remains of the first cup. Chris was cleaning it up. "Let me do that." he started to get up when Nathan pushed him back down.

"Your sick. Chris has something to tell you then we're taking you home. Got that!" It was an order, not an offer or a suggestion.

"What? I'm not sick." Ezra protested. He had felt fine and it was the dream that had made him sick.

"You have a fever Ezra, you just vomited in the men's room and you were choking earlier." Nathan told him.

"Choking on what?"

"Don't know." Nathan shrugged.

"Ezra." Chris threw the mess into the bin then turned to the ex-criminal. "Jasmine's father phoned earlier . . . "

"He told you about last night?"

"Yeah. Ezra . . . Jasmine died this morning." Chris sat down next to him. "She killed herself."

"Killed herself . . . " Ezra looked at Chris then Nathan. "Why . . . she . . . "

"I'm sorry Ezra. I know you tried to help her and her family." Nathan hung his head.

"I wasn't doing a good job." Ezra muttered.

"You lead the police to the killer Ezra." Chris reminded him.

"Didn't find her sister." Ezra remembered what Jasmine had told him. She was going to find her sister herself. He wondered if killing herself was part of her plan, maybe she had thought that it was the only way she was going to find her sibling. "You sure she killed herself?"

"Yes." Nathan answered him.

Ezra nodded. Nathan wouldn't lie to him. "She said she was going to find her, wanted to do it on her own, thought she would do a better job than me." he looked sideways at Chris. "I was going to talk her out of it when she calmed down . . . didn't think she would go that far . . . "

"I'm sorry Ezra."

"There's nothing for you to be sorry about Chris." Ezra tried to smile at him but he didn't succeed. "You told me not to get involved with her, should have listened to you." Ezra realised what he'd said, he quickly looked away from him and took a sip of his coffee and grimaced at the taste. No one in this team seemed to be able to make a decent cup of coffee. He didn't want to go to Chris for help, didn't want to admit that he'd been right and now he'd just admitted it without thinking. Now the lecture was going to start.

"You wanted to help Ezra, nothing wrong with that." Chris knew Ezra was feeling guilty, it was in the Southerner's nature to take responsibility for everything that happened around him. It was something he and Ezra had in common. Chris was taking the blame for Ezra's condition because he hadn't helped him when he wanted to help Jasmine Simmons.

Ezra continued to look down into his coffee. He refused to look at Chris. "I think it's time I caught up on some work." he shrugged the blanket off his shoulders and stood up.

"You can do that tomorrow." Chris ordered him. "Nathan's going to drive you home and you can get a decent feed and a good nights sleep."

"But . . . "

"No buts Ezra, it's an order." Chris nodded at Nathan who grabbed Ezra's arm and dragged him out of the room and towards the elevator.

"Jesus Ezra, how do you get yourself into these things." Chris muttered to himself as he watched the two men disappear behind the elevator doors.

Somewhere in Denver - Monday, 3:24pm

Ezra refused to allow Nathan Jackson into his home. He told the scientist that he was fine, he would make himself something to eat, take a hot shower then go to bed. Nathan was able to do nothing but accept the words as being truthful. He knew Ezra was capable of lying through his teeth when the need arose. The ex-criminal didn't like to be fussed over, he had taken care of himself all his life and found it hard to accept help now. Nathan had left promising to check him over in the morning at the office.

The words Ezra had spoken were lies. He had no intention of eating or sleeping. He had to find out more about Jasmine's death. His intention was to speak to her father. The Southerner quickly showered, changed and left his warm home behind to seek out answers to an unnecessary death. He had to turn the heater in his car on full, the chill was still residing in his bones. It seemed that since he woke up in the break room, everything around him was cold, very cold. Ezra felt the hairs on neck rise, he looked into the rearview mirror to see if he was being followed.

"SHIT!" He cried out as he slammed on the brakes. Jasmine Simmons was sitting in the back seat of his car, so was her sister.

Ezra's forehead hit the steering wheel with an incredible force, he hadn't had the foresight to put his seat belt on, he'd had other things on his mind. White lights danced around his vision as he tried to turn his neck to look into the back seat. It was empty.

"What the hell?" Ezra asked himself. That was twice he'd seen them. Something was going on. Maybe it was an emotional release, he was feeling guilty about what had happened and his mind was seeing Jasmine. But why was he seeing her sister.

Horns blared around him asking him to move on. He did but he had to pull over to the curb to wait for his vision to clear. It was at least five minutes before he was able to see more clearly but he was left with a headache and a large bruising lump on his forehead. He finally noticed the white knuckles that were gripping the steering wheel and relaxed his hands. His body was trembling with shock. He started taking deep breaths to calm himself down. He needed to be in control, to think straight and react to situations with more confidence.

Once he knew his nerves were calm enough to allow him to drive he pulled back out into the traffic. Ezra felt his forehead with long nimble fingers, the lump was the size of half a golf ball, he hoped that it would go down by the morning. He drove carefully to Harold Simmons' home, he'd been there once before and he hadn't wanted to go back. The house had been full of tension, there seemed to have been a wall between the sisters and their father. A pretense had continued while he was there, a growing lie that needed to be brought out into the open.

While Ezra drove he continued to look into the rearview mirror, each time he expected to see Jasmine and her sister. Maybe he should tell Nathan about the sightings, if that's what they were. They could be visions or hullucinations, probably the latter. He turned into the street that housed the Simmons home. Cars lined the street in front of the two story home. Ezra parked the car three houses down and walked to the front door. He rung the door bell and waited for his request to be answered.

A tall man with a receding hairline answered the door. The brown eyes were moist and red from the tears that had been shed of his loss. The man didn't recognise Ezra at first, his eyes looked him up and down for a few seconds then the identity of the man standing on his doorstep hit him.

"Agent Standish."

"Mr Simmons. I'm sorry about Jasmine. If I'd known I would have done something to help her." Ezra apologized.

"I think you did enough already don't you?" Simmons glared down at Ezra. The man was at least two inches taller than him. "You gave her hope when you shouldn't have and then when she knew what you'd told her was a lie she killed herself. You killed her with your lies!"

Ezra looked down in shame then felt a powerful blow strike his face. He fell to the cement pavement that led to the street. He didn't get up and return the blow, he fully understood the anger Jasmine's father was feeling. Ezra pushed himself away when the door slammed shut above him. He stood up and turned away without looking at the house that was full of mourning. He didn't know how long he sat in the car for, he refused to go home or back to the office. There was only one option left, he'd get drunk and hopefully forget what happened for one night.

The Four Corners Bar - Monday, 4:53pm

Again he waited in the car outside of the local bar. He checked the parking lot even though he knew the others wouldn't be there. They only came here on a Friday night or at the end of a case. There had been no new cases for two weeks so they were required to catch up with paper work and to check their sources for anything unusual. The parking area was only half full which meant the bar would be quiet, that's what he wanted. He got out of his car and locked it then made his way into the bar. After buying a bottle of scotch he headed to a corner booth and began to alleviate himself of his troubles.

But the alcohol didn't work. The nightmare he had earlier in the day kept repeating itself in his mind. The words of Jasmine's father were spoken over and over again. The man blamed him for his daughter's death. He accepted the blame, if he hadn't promised, Jasmine would be alive. Ezra needed to know how she died, what she did to herself, if she left a note. He pulled his mobile out of his pocket and dialed a familiar number.

"Larabee!" The voice growled into his ear.

"Chris it's Ezra." The Southerner paused for a moment.

"Where are you? Your supposed to be at home resting. Damit Ezra, don't you ever follow orders!" Chris practically yelled down the phone at him.

"I need to know more." Was Ezra's answer. "About what happened to Jasmine."

"You didn't answer my question." Chris told him.

"I can hang up without answering it too." Ezra smiled at the expression he knew Chris would be wearing.

"I'll tell you only if you'll tell me where you are when I'm done." Chris was wasting his breath, he knew it.

"Sure. I need to know how she died and if she left a note."

"She shot herself with her father's gun, right temple, her prints are on the gun. Coroner is positive it was self inflicted. There was no note. Her father said she'd been angry but didn't know why."

"Yeah he did." Ezra whispered. "Is there anything else?"

"No." Chris' voice softened. "Where are you?"

Ezra hesitated as he thought for a moment. "At the bar."

"I'll be there in twenty minutes." Chris told him then hung up.

"Thanks Chris."

Over the past six months Chris had proven himself to Ezra. His intentions were good, he'd only wanted to help him when help was needed but not requested. Ezra had decided to go against his upbringing and finally trust the man. Chris wouldn't laugh at him, he would keep the discussion to himself and he wouldn't do the thing that Ezra feared most. He wouldn't kick him off the team. Ezra was apart of the group, he belonged and the others had proven that to him. Ezra didn't want to leave.

"He can't help you Ezra." A soft voice whispered to him.

Ezra shifted in his seat at the sound, he knew it was Jasmine. He looked around for her and he saw her standing close to him. She held a gun in her hand. The weapon was aimed at him.

"Jasmine."

"Are you prepared to die Ezra." She pulled the trigger without giving him a chance to answer.

Ezra felt the pain tear through his chest. His only thought was that Jasmine was supposed to be dead. Ezra slid sideways onto the bench, his eyes travelled the ceiling as the pain travelled through his chest. He could feel the warm liquid as it flowed from his body. A face appeared above his. Jasmine. She was smiling down at him. He blinked slowly and when he opened his eyes again she was gone. The pain stayed with him. He waited for the screams to start, for people to surround him and try and stop the blood flow but he was left alone with his own pain. He tried to sit up but failed in his attempt. Why wasn't anyone helping him. Ezra attempted to move his arms, he succeeded. He put one hand against his chest. There was nothing, he didn't feel the blood that he had felt before. His probing fingers couldn't find an open gunshot wound. He lifted his head and grimaced at the pain that was still in his chest. He saw nothing. No blood and no wound.

"But she shot me." Ezra was in shock. "She was here, she shot me."

The pain eased slightly as the reality of his situation began to sink in. He managed to push himself back up into a sitting position. Ezra used his hand to rub his chest hopping to end the pain while he looked around the bar. People were watching him, but none of the faces belonged to Jasmine. He poured himself a large shot of whiskey and drank the entire contents without any hesitation. Something was happening. Then it hit him. Nathan said he had a fever, that he was sick. He must be delirious, that's why he was seeing things. But it seemed so real to him, the pain in his chest had been excruciating and it still hurt like hell. Either he was sick or something bad was happening. He had to talk to someone about this. He took another drink.

Chris Larabee stepped into the Four Corners Bar and looked around the smoke filled room for his friend. He found him sitting at a corner booth, a nearly empty bottle of whiskey sat in front of him. Chris walked to the booth and sat down oppisite the Southerner. He could see that he was drunk. His head was drooping, the clean shaven chin was nearly resting on his chest. The hand that gripped the whiskey glass was shaking.

"Ezra?" When he didn't recieve an answer Chris leaned forward and placed his hand under Ezra's chin. He lifted the head up and looked into a pair of green eyes that were glazed over. His gaze then moved to the lump on his forehead and down to his split lip. "Aw hell Ezra. Your comin' home with me."

Chris lifted Ezra up out of the booth and half carried him to the exit. The rain had begun to wet the damp Earth once more and by the time they reach his dodge they were soaked. The cold water did nothing to bring Ezra to a more coherent state. Ezra was no help at all when it came to getting into the car, Chris had to do all the work.

"She shot me." Ezra muttered to no one. He was unaware of what was going on around him.

"You've been shot!" Chris began to search for an injury.

"No." Ezra rolled his head to the side and closed his eyes. The sound of rain reverberated in his skull making his headache worse. He breathed with difficulty due to the pain that still squeezed his chest tightly. "Hurts still."

"Okay, I'm taking you to Nathan's. We'll let him look you over." Chris closed the door and made his way to the driver side. Once he was in, he started the engine and turned the heat up. Ezra's form was shivering so much he could hear his teeth rattling. He reached over the seat and grabbed a blanket, he coverd Ezra with it then drove away.

Home of Nathan Jackson - Monday, 6:12pm

Nathan looked up from his cheap meal when he heard someone urgently knocking at his door. The only person who would knock in such a way would be one of his friends. Something was wrong. His mind drifted to Ezra and he rushed to the door. He pulled it open to find two friends on his doorstep. Both were dripping wet.

"Why isn't he home in bed? I knew he was lying to me but I didn't think he was going to go out in this weather." Nathan chastised the younger man while helping Chris carry him to the spare room.

"He's had a bit to drink Nathan, keeps going on about someone shooting him but there's no injury except for the marks on his face." Chris explained to him.

"Help me with his clothes before we put him to bed then you can change into something warm." Nathan removed the dampening blanket from Ezra's shoulders then began to unbutton his shirt.

Ezra could feel the light touch on his chest, it brought the pain to the forefront of his mind. If he wasn't shot, why did he feel so much pain. He pushed at the hands that were causing the pain to get worse but he wasn't strong enough. Other hand's gripped his and held them down. He began to struggle against them but calmed down when he heard the soothing voice in his ear.

"Don't fight us Ezra, we're trying to help you." Nathan spoke to him gently. "Where the hell did he get that from?" Nathan carefully pressed around the area of the large bruise in the middle of Ezra's chest.

"Do you think a bullet did that?" Chris asked Nathan.

"Yeah but he wouldn't have been wearing a vest, probably something else. Same thing that caused the lump on his head and the split lip." Nathan pushed Ezra down into a prone position and covered him with a blanket. He felt the ex-criminal's forehead. The fever had gotten worse.

"Shot me." Ezra mumbled once more before he fell asleep.

"You don't have any idea what he's talking about do you?" Nathan looked at Chris.

"No, he called me, wanted to know more about Jasmine Simmons' death, then he told me where he was. He was in this condition when I found him. On the way over he just kept mumbling about some woman shooting him." Chris walked into the bathroom and took some dry towls from the wrack.

When he returned Nathan had a change of clothing for him. He changed while Nathan attempted to dry Ezra's wet hair. Even in his sleep, the Southerner kept trying to push him away. Nathan fought him but he gave up his attempt to make his friend more comfortable.

"We'll let him sleep. He's going to be pretty sick and sore in the morning." Nathan walked away and motioned for Chris to follow him. "Then we can found out what the hell is going on."

They left Ezra Standish alone, a man who was feeling too ill to defend himself against anything natural or unnatural, in the confining darkness of a small room.

A mist like substance began to fill the small spare bedroom in the early hours of the morning. It's tendrils crept slowly towards the man sleeping on the single bed. Bare foot prints appeared in the beige carpet only to disappear a few seconds later. A long slender hand reached out to touch the handsome face of the slumberer. The finger waved itself through the condensating mist as Ezra breathed. The forefinger touched Ezra's open lips, then the whole hand covered his mouth. The Southerner began to breath through his nose to compensate for the lack of air coming in through his mouth. Another pair of fingers pinched his nose.

Ezra attempted to push the suffocating hands away from his face. When he failed he began to toss his head. He woke quickly and screamed into the hand as he stared up into Jasmine's blue eyes. He began to fight back but Jasmine's strength was too much for him. He was pulled from the bed and slammed against the wall. A hand gripped his throat and began to squeeze. Ezra looked widly around the room, he had no idea where he was. The last thing he remembered was standing in the rain in Utah Park with Jasmine.

"Ready to die Ezra." Jasmine leaned closer.

Ezra could smell a faint odour of death. It drifted up from the person in front of him. "Your supposed to be dead." he gasped as he fought for breath. It was a battle he wasn't going to win.

"Do I look dead to you?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

Ezra stared at the young face that was full hatred and violence. She was too young for this and he was old enough to defend himself against her but he couldn't, she was stronger than him. His lungs started to burn with fire due to the lack of oxygen. Jasmine begun to squeeze harder and her nails bit into his flesh. He felt the trickle of blood as it ran down either side of his neck.

"I found my sister Ezra." She smiled at him and looked back over her shoulder. "I found Jacinda."

Ezra refused to look but his eyes didn't acknowledge his order. They followed Jasmine's direction until they gazed upon Jacinda Simmons. She was the exact image of her sister, the only thing missing was the rage in her blue eyes. She stepped forward and reached out for Ezra.

He would have stepped backwards if it wasn't for the wall and the strong grip that kept him standing. Ezra shivered in the ice-cold air that surrounded him. He watched as Jacinda's hand came closer to his face. Her long fingers ran down the side of his cheek. The coldness of the touch burned him as though he had been touched by a burning flame. He cried out in pain.

"You lied to me Ezra, I had to die to find my sister, it was the only way. Now we are going to kill you but we want you to suffer first for what you put me through. Your going to die slowly and painfully." Her grip strengthened and Ezra's knees buckled.

"I'm . . . sorry . . . "

"Not good enough Ezra." She let him go and Ezra collapsed on the floor. "Your going to pay with blood."

"Your dead?" Ezra looked up at her.

"Yes I am Ezra, it was the only way I could think of to find my sister."

"We would have found her, we just needed more time." Ezra told her even though he still didn't think Jacinda could be found.

"Your lying!" She yelled at him. "You lied before and your lying now!"

"I don't even know where my body is buried." Jacinda spoke up for the first time. Her voice was soft and caring, she didn't seem to feel the same way as her sister did.

"I'm not lying." Ezra tried to push himself up but Jasmine easily kicked him back down to the floor.

"Your going to burn in hell Ezra Standish and then I'm going to kill you." Jasmine warned him.

"You can't kill me if your dead." Ezra hoped out loud.

Jasmine knelt down in front of Ezra, she ran a finger nail along his chest. She pressed hard enough to draw blood. "If I can make you bleed, then I can make you die."

"If you wanted me dead you would have killed me by now." he grimaced in pain.

Ezra was scared but he didn't want the sisters to know it. He had to show some strength against them, to let them think that he wasn't afraid of them. It didn't work.

"But I don't want to kill you now Ezra." Jasmine stood up and looked at her sister then back to Ezra. "You need to be shown that we mean business."

"What are you going to do?"

"Your scared aren't you. You don't know how to fight me do you? I'm too strong for you Ezra. Things are different on this side, you can use your mind to do what you want."

"I'm not scared for myself Jasmine, I'm scared for you and your sister." Ezra pressed himself against the wall as Jasmine leaned closer towards him.

She pressed a finger against his shoulder and pushed it through his flesh. Ezra gritted his teeth against the pain but couldn't stop the scream when she pressed against the bone. Jasmine didn't remove her finger straight away, she allowed it to cause Ezra as pain as she could.

"Ezra, you okay?" The questioned followed the knock at the door. "Ezra?"

"Chris!" Ezra yelled out to him.

Jasmine smiled at Ezra and removed her finger. A ragged hole allowed the blood to escape and run down Ezra's chest. "Close your eyes Ezra." She used her fingers to close his eyes.

"Ezra." Chris opened the door and ran into the room to find Ezra on the floor. He was bleeding from two wounds on his shoulder and chest. There was also a large bruise spreading around his neck. "What the hell happened?"

"She was here Chris." Ezra opened his eyes and looked at Chris. "Jasmine was here."

"I'll get Nathan." Chris tried to get up but Ezra stopped him.

"Don't leave me alone." Ezra tried not to show the fear in his voice. This was something he'd never dealt with before. How do you stop someone who is already dead from killing you. He didn't think a ghost could harm a living person but the injuries he was suffering from were proof enough for him that they could. And he couldn't fight back, he was defenseless against Jasmine and her sister.

"Jasmine's dead Ezra." Chris pulled the blanket from the bed and covered Ezra with it. "Come on."

Ezra stood up on shaking knees and allowed Chris to support him as they left the room. "She was here Chris, so was her sister."

"We'll talk about it later Ezra. Let's get Nathan to have a look at you first." Chris still wasn't sure what Ezra was talking about, he wasn't making any sense. The injuries did though, but the question was, who caused them. There had been no one else in the room, he noticed that the window was closed. For a moment he wondered if Ezra had caused them himself. He knew Ezra would be feeling a lot of guilt over Jasmine's death. Maybe the Southerner was punishing himself for what happened.

"Ezra who did this to you?" Chris asked him as they made their way to Nathan's room.

The scientist's house was large and the guest rooms were located on the other side of the house to allow his guests some privacy.

"I told you, Jasmine." Ezra closed his eyes and fell against Chris' shoulder.

"Ezra!" Chris lifted the smaller man's head. "Ezra." Chris had to struggle to keep Ezra off the floor. The ex-criminal looked very thin at times but at the moment he seemed to weigh a ton. He bent down and lifted the unconscious form over his shoulder and continued on to the other end of the house. Nathan Jackson had purchased his new home only six months ago and some areas were still cluttered with boxes full of junk. Nathan though, didn't think of it as junk. Every piece he owned meant something to him and history. The others considered it to be junk and often told him so. It was during these occassions that he took great pleasure in discussing the pieces. To the rest of SPIT7 it was just like watching someone's holiday snaps.

"Nathan!" Chris yelled.

The door opened as he got closer to it. A dishelvished looking Nathan exited from his room in a hurry. "What's he done this time?" Nathan yawned as he rubbed his eyes.

"Let's just say he's got more injuries than when he went to bed." Chris grimaced under the weight.

"How?" Nathan motioned for Chris to go back the way he came.

"He doesn't want to be alone Nathan." Chris hadn't moved.

"We can stay with him." Nathan followed Chris down the hall back to the main spare bedroom.

"He said Jasmine did it."

"He was conscious when you found him?" Nathan placed a large hand on Ezra's damp head, he could feel the fever that was burning through him.

"Yes, and alone. I don't know why he thinks Jasmine hurt him. You don't think he did it himself?"

"He must have been dreaming, woke himself up, fell off the bed and hurt himself." Nathan explained before he knew the extent of Ezra's new injuries.

"You don't get a stab wound and bruising around your neck by falling off the bed." Chris growled.

"He was stabbed?" The larger man opened the door so Chris could moved through it freely.

"Yeah." Chris laid Ezra on the bed and stepped back to watch Nathan as he checked their friend.

Chris' blue eyes looked around the room for any indication that someone else had been there, he was hoping that his mind was headed in the wrong direction. His gazed drifted to the floor and landed on a bloody pen. He bent down and lifted it up. He knew there had been no one in the room with Ezra. He was going to keep silent until Nathan had finshed examining Ezra.

Nathan probed the wound on Ezra's shoulder, it was deep, therefore it was going to need stitches. His fingers gently pressed against the darkening bruises around his neck. Someone' hands did make the marks but he couldn't decipher them, he was unable to find the marks that would indacte a thumb or forefinger. He had some doubt as to whether someone else could have done it or if Ezra had done it himself.

Ezra moaned and his eyelids fluttered open. He looked up into Nathan's eyes and saw nothing but concern and worry. He opened his mouth to tell him that he was fine, but was he. Ezra was no longer sure. He had seen Jasmine and her sister. The teenager had hurt him and Ezra hadn't been able to defend himself against the young woman. Her strength had shocked him. She had claimed to be dead but how can a ghost hurt someone.

"We're going to have to take you to Emergency Ezra, this wound in your shoulder will need a stitch or two. Chris, can you get me the first aid kit, it's in the bathroom." Nathan watched Ezra while he waited for Chris. The Southerner's green eyes frantically looked around the room. "There's no one here Ezra."

Ezra looked back at Nathan. "You think I did this?"

Nathan said nothing but continued to stare at him. "There's no one here Ezra, there is nothing to show that someone was here."

"I didn't do this, Jasmine did this." Ezra tried to raise himself but Nathan pushed him back down.

"You have a fever Ezra, you could have been dreaming and somehow did this."

"I'm not lying Nathan."

"Here." Chris spoke as he walked into the room. He handed Nathan the first aid kit then looked down at Ezra. "How did she do it?" Ezra frowned. "Your shoulder."

"Her finger." Ezra continued to frown.

"I found this on the floor." He held the pen up so Ezra could see it.

Ezra looked from Chris to Nathan. The dark man held a look of 'I told you so'. "I'm going home." Ezra pushed up and tried to force his way past Nathan.

"Your not going anywhere except to the hospital." Nathan pushed him back down and grimaced as the pain crossed Ezra's features. "Sorry Ezra."

"Jasmine's dead Ezra." Chris assured him.

"So she said." Ezra looked down at his chest. The bruising was dark and painful. "Did you see her after she 'died'?"

"No." Chris answered him.

"Then how can you be sure?" Ezra wanted to know. He didn't get an answer. "I want to see her body, I need to see it."

"How did you get the other injuries." Chris pointed towards his forehead and lip.

"Slight car accident." He refused to give any more information.

"And?" Chris pushed him further.

"And what?" It was obvious that they didn't believe him. He was in this alone. He thought this time it was going to be different. He'd allowed Chris to come and get him, it had been a mistake. Everytime he went against his mother's upbringing he was proven that she was always right.

"I said I wanted to see her body." Ezra repeated.

"Alright. After we take you to the hospital we'll go to the morgue. Will you be believe it once you see the body?" Chris asked him.

"If her body is there then the only thing I'll believe is that you both think that I did this to myself." Ezra growled at them.

"Why don't we get you dressed Ezra." Nathan suggested.

"I'm quite capable of dressing myself." Ezra snatched the clothing that Chris had brought to him. Nathan's lack of confidence in him made him angry. The positions they held and the jobs they did should have made them believe him. They had seen a lot worse than a ghost. He looked at Chris but his leader looked away from him. Just great, here I go again.

"Get dressed Ezra, We'll meet you out front." Nathan moved to the door and waited for Chris.

Chris Larabee stood still as he saw the fear fill the green eyes stared up at him. "I'll stay with Ezra, we'll meet you out front."

Ezra was grateful for that at least.

Four Corners Morgue - Tuesday, 7:33am

Ezra walked behind Chris and Nathan as they moved towards the morgue. He was angry, at the two men in front of him and at his situation. He'd just spent two hours in the Emergency room of the local hospital, an hour of that was in the waiting room. They had only put two stitches in his shoulder, it wasn't really worth the effort going there. They had checked his temperature saying it was three degrees above normal. He didn't care, it wasn't high enough to kill him. The bruising around his throat made it difficult to swallow but it didn't stop him from drinking six cups of coffee while he waited. The Doctor had told him that there wasn't any damage to his ribs but the bruising was sever and would be pretty sore for a few days. Ezra could have told him that.

The walls that surrounded the three men were white. The brightness caused him to squint against the glare. Ezra could still feel the chill that had worked it's way into his bones. He thought it was his fever, he didn't realise that he had a constant companion that wanted to follow him everywhere. His eyes lifted when he felt another presence. He searched for it but found nothing.

"You okay Ezra?" Nathan asked him. Ezra replied with a raised eyebrow. "I meant to do this." Nathan nodded towards the door.

"No, but I need to do it." Ezra waited for someone to make the first move to open the door, he didn't want to do it.

"You don't have to Ezra. I can go in for you." Chris watched him for a moment and the expression that Ezra was unable to hide told him that he wouldn't believe the result unless he looked himself. "Okay let's get it over with then."

Ezra hesitated before following them into the area that held the bodies that were no longer possesed with souls. He knew that one day he would be one of them. It was a part of life, it happened to everyone. He jumped when someone grabbed him and pulled him forward. It was Chris. Ezra felt like slapping him on the side of the head and telling him not to do that again. His heart beat began to beat faster as he moved closer to the cabinets that held the body he hoped wasn't there.

Chris showed his ID to the man in the white lab coat and spoke to him quietly. The man glanced over Chris' shoulder at Ezra and smiled. Oh great, the men in white coats are coming to take me away. He watched as the man moved to the cabinets and pulled one out. A body lay on the tray. The figure looked thin and young. He stepped forward then froze. A voice whispered in his ear but he couldn't make out the words. He felt even colder than he did before and he pulled the coat that Nathan had lent him even closer to his body.

"Ezra?" Chris called to him. He frowned at the expression on Ezra's countenance. "Ezra?"

Ezra could hear the voice calling him but something stopped him from going any closer. It was fear. What if it was Jasmine lying there. It either meant that she was now haunting him or he was going crazy. His friends seemed to think it was the latter. How was he going to convince them otherwise. He felt someone take his right arm and lead towards what could turn out to be a living nightmare.

Chris nodded to the man and watched Ezra for his reaction. The sheet was removed to reveal Jasmine Simmons. A large hole had been placed on her right temple by a bullet. Ezra was facing her left side and didn't see it. Chris was grateful for small mercies. Ezra paled at the sight. He stared at the face of a young woman who was once beautiful on the outside if not in the inside.

"What if it's not her?" Ezra asked.

"What do you mean?" Nathan still stood beside Ezra to make sure he was alright. He was pale and his cheeks were flushed with the fever that lived within him.

"What if it's Jacinda?" Ezra looked up at Chris.

The mortician pulled the sheet further down her right arm. There was a small tattoo. "This is how her father identified her. He was hoping the same thing."

Ezra looked at the man then back at Jasmine. She was dead. He moved his head around slowly as he realised he hadn't had any contact with her since earlier that morning. Was he wrong? Did he imagine her? In the light of the day it seemed less real. There was nothing, he didn't see her or hear her. Did I imagine what happened. But he was in pain, it had to have happened. He couldn't have done this to himself. He wasn't capable of it.

"Let's go Ezra. We need to talk." Chris left the room with Nathan and Ezra following him.

Ezra didn't want to talk about it, he didn't want to listen to them telling him that his fever was causing him to see things. He'd deny it. They would accuse him of causing his own injuries. He would then walk out before his anger caused him to say something he'd regret.

"There's nothing to talk about Chris." Ezra strode past him and left the cold room.

Chris grimaced at Nathan and followed Ezra out. This was going to be hard. How were they going to convince him that Jasmine didn't cause his injuries without making him think that they believed he did it himself. They had to work out what happened, why it happened and who did it.

Scientific Paranormal Investigations HQ - Tuesday, 8:24am

"Sit!" Nathan Jackson growled at the man and when the Southerner refused he pushed him down onto the couch and then covered him with a blanket. Ezra made an attempt to remove it but the larger man easily tore it from his shaking hands and put it back in place. "I want you to take this, it'll help keep your fever down." Nathan handed him a pill and a glass of water.

Ezra reluctantly took what was being offered. The fever was causing him to feel ill, he also had a bad headache. Not enough sleep and too many dreams. They had to be dreams, Jasmine was dead. He had seen the body himself. So what the hell was happening. He didn't know.

"What happened Ezra and start with the car accident." Chris ordered him.

"I told you it was nothing. I saw something that distracted my attention and when I looked forward I was going to hit the car in front of me. I put the brakes on and hit my head on the steering wheel."

"And?" Chris sat on the couch next to him.

"And what?"

"The split lip, the bruising on your chest, and the rest."

"I told you. Jasmine did it." Ezra looked down at his hands as he began to fidget. They weren't going to believe him, why should they. He was even finding it hard to believe but he had seen it himself. He had been there and suffered the pain.

"Jasmine's dead Ezra." Nathan told him.

"I'm not lying." Ezra retorted.

"You think you saw her. Your fever could be causing you to be delerious." Nathan explained.

"Have you seen her since this morning?" Chris took the glass of water from Ezra's hand.

"No." Ezra admitted to them. "I didn't do this to myself Chris. I wouldn't."

"It could have been a dream Ezra." Nathan looked at Chris then back at Ezra. "Maybe you hurt yourself without knowing it."

"I didn't do it!" Ezra growled at them as he stood up. "I can't believe you would think I would do this to myself, even in a dream."

"Ezra calm down." Nathan took his arm but Ezra pulled away from him and began moving to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"I feel sick, I think I'm going to throw up." Ezra lied.

"I'll go with you." Nathan started after him.

"No, I can manage or do you think I'm going to hurt myself." Ezra stormed out of the room. He didn't want to be on his own but he hadn't seen Jasmine all morning. He was hoping that he wouldn't see her again.

"I'll give him a few minutes then go after him." Chris stood up and began to pace the room. He had no idea what was going on. He didn't want to believe that Ezra had hurt himself but who else could have done it. Ezra claimed it was Jasmine but she was dead, they had even checked the body. "Nathan, give Buck and JD a call, tell them to get in here, I want them to find out everything they can about Jacinda Simmons' death."

"Sure. Don't push him Chris, just in case . . . " Nathan allowed his statement to hang in the tension of the room.

"You think he did it himself." Chris glared at him.

"No but just in case we're wrong." Nathan looked away from him. "We don't know what's going on Chris and until we do we have to assume that Ezra did it himself. Don't leave him alone for too long." He walked out of the room to follow the instructions he had been given.

Ezra stepped into the men's room and searched it for something he didn't want to see. There was nothing but white walls and empty stalls. The lack of silence unnerved him. He was aware of the tremors that his body was suffering from, it had to be a mixture of the fever and the chill that racked his form. It couldn't be fear, it can't be a fear of the unknown because he knew what was happening. Jasmine's ghost was haunting him, it was the only explanation. It had been her body in the morgue not her sister's, her father had indentified her. He couldn't be wrong.

He slowly made his way to the wash basin and turned on the cold water. His face was flushed with the heat of the fever but the rest of his body couldn't warm up. He filled his hands and shivered at the coolness of it. Ezra splashed it onto his face, it made no difference. He tried again and the attempt to cool his face failed again.

"Ezra." The soft voice spoke to him.

He was determined not to be afraid. Why did she have to show up when he was alone. Why now. Why not when the others were with him, they would believe him then. His head lifted and he could see her in the mirror, he turned around slowly. His hands continued to shake so he held them at his side.

"Jasmine."

"I see your fear is beginning to ease."

"I saw your body." Ezra told her.

"And?"

"Your a ghost. Why are you still here?"

"I told you Ezra, to make you pay for what you did to me." Jasmine smiled as she moved towards him.

"Why not your sister's killer, why aren't you making him pay for what he did."

"Oh he will, more than you." She got close enough to him to run a finger down the side of his face. It didn't burn like it had that morning when her sister had touched him.

"Where's Jacinda?" Ezra glanced quickly around the men's room.

"Couldn't make it, had something else to do." She smiled, an evil glint sparkled in her eyes.

"All I have to do is yell." Ezra warned her.

"And you think that's going to stop me."

Ezra's shoulders slumped, she was right. He couldn't do anything to stop her, he wasn't going to be able to protect himself against her. He berated himself for being so helpless. He reached out to touch her but she gripped his left wrist and twisted it violently. Ezra gritted his teeth and hoped she would let go. She wouldn't. He was beginning to feel real fear.

The hand turned and Ezra turned with it until his back was turned to Jasmine. He felt his body being lifted and before he knew it he was being thrown across the room. He closed his eyes as he saw the tiled wall coming closer to him. He felt something break when he collided with it, then his body slid to the floor leaving a bloody trail on the white tiles. The darkness danced on the edge of his vision. He watched as Jasmine came towards him. He struggled to push himself away from her but he couldn't. Another figure appeared in front of him. The touch burned against his skin.

"You have to find my body Ezra Standish, it's the only way to beat her. She will leave you alone once you've found me." Jacinda whispered to him.

Ezra stared at her, the face was angelic and he knew she meant him no harm, she wanted only to help him. He nodded and the movement caused the darkness to close in on him. The last thing he remembered was hearing Chris' voice.

Chris stood outside the men's room listening for any sounds that indicated Ezra was in trouble. Only silence came from behind the door. He was about to enter the room when he heard Ezra's Southern accent. He was talking to himself. Maybe Nathan was right. He didn't want him to be, the thought of Ezra losing it made his skin crawl. He leaned closer to the door, the words that reached his ears were mumbled, he couldn't make them out. He waited one second longer and opened the door. The scene before him scared the shit of him. Ezra had been picked up and thrown across the room. Chris winced as he heard the sound of impact. The smaller man fell to the floor then seemed to be looking at someone in front of him, he nodded then collapsed.

"Ezra!" Chris yelled out to him. He hesitated before going to him.

Chris stepped into the room and searched it, there was nothing but the prone figure against the wall in front of him. He rushed quickly to Ezra's side. His hands probed Ezra's body for injuries, he found two. The man's shoulder was dislocated and there was an open bleeding wound to his forehead. He knew Ezra didn't do this, he had seen what happened to his friend. He now believed Ezra's words, Jasmine had done it.

"Ezra?" Chris gently slapped his face. "Ezra, I have to leave you for a minute, I have to get Nathan." He touched his shoulder. "I'll be right back." Chris moved as fast as he could, he ran into the hall that led to their offices. "NATHAN!"

He didn't get a response, he looked to the still swinging door then back down the hallway. He didn't want to leave Ezra alone for very long but he had no choice. He ran down the hall calling out Nathan's name. After what seemed like an eternity Nathan finally poked his head out of Ezra's office. It had been the closest to the conference room and the office that had the most distance between itself and the men's room.

"Where the hell have you been, I've been calling for you, why didn't you answer me!" Chris growled at him. He knew it wasn't Nathan's fault but he was scared. "Ezra's been hurt and this time I saw it. It's not him Nathan, it's something else, something that I couldn't see. I think it was Jasmine."

"Where is he?" Nathan asked him.

"I had to leave him alone. He's in the men's room."

"What happened to him?" Nathan followed Chris' speed as he ran.

"Something lifted him and threw him against the wall." Chris shrugged as though it were an every day occurance.

"And you didn't see who did it."

"There wasn't anyone there except Ezra and he didn't throw himself." Chris growled as he rushed through the swinging door into the men's room. Ezra still lay as he had left him. The pool of blood that had flowed from his head wound had grown larger in size.

"Call an ambulance Chris. Now!" Nathan ordered him.

"Aw hell! Why didn't we listen to him." Chris pulled out his mobile and phoned for the ambulance. "They'll be here in five minutes."

"Ezra." Nathan checked Ezra over with his experienced hands. "I'm going to put his shoulder back into place." With quick effeciency Nathan put the socket back into it's correct position. "Get me some paper hand towls." He only waited for a few seconds before Chris returned. Nathan placed the towls over the head wound and applied pressure to stop the bleeding. "Help me straighten him out."

Chris moved to the top of Ezra's form and laid the smaller man's head on his thigh while Nathan straightened him out onto the floor. "Is it bad?"

"I don't know Chris." Nathan lifted one of Ezra's eyelids. "Definite concussion. His shoulder should be okay. We'd have to wait for x-rays and cat scans to make sure there isn't any serious damage."

"He asked me not to leave him alone and what did I do." Chris wiped the damp hair from Ezra's forehead and left his palm on his face.

"Don't blame yourself Chris, you heard Ezra, he said he didn't want any help."

"I know but I can't help but feel I should have been able to help him." Chris couldn't take his eyes off Ezra's slack face. He had to look around Nathan's large hand as he tried to stop the flow of blood.

"He's going to need more stitches." Nathan lifted his eyes to Chris. "If this was Jasmine, then she's a ghost, how are we going to stop her?"

"Josiah might be able to help us with an answer." Chris could hear a disturbance outside. Buck and JD's voices were arguing with two men.

"Chris."

"Yeah, I'll get them." Chris carefully laid Ezra's head down on the floor then stood up. His friend looked even paler than the tiled floor he lay on. He walked away without looking back. He couldn't look at the crumpled form that he should have protected. He exited the men's room to find Buck and JD arguing with the medics. "He's in here." Chris held the door open for them.

"Chris what the hell is going on? Those guys said they'd gotten a call that someone here had been hurt." Buck looked him over and was satisfied that he was okay.

"Ezra's been hurt . . . "

"What happened to him?" JD stared at his boss.

"I'll explain later. I want you to do what I asked. I need the information fast." Chris looked back at the door. "Nathan and I are going to the hospital with him. I want you to send Josiah over when he gets here."

"He's going to be okay isn't he?" JD was also looking at the bathroom.

"I don't know JD. He's suffered quite a bit over the last twelve hours." Chris shivered when he thought about what Ezra had been through.

"We'll get the info you want and meet you at the hospital." Buck looked towards the door when it opened. He stepped back to allow the medics through. Ezra lay unconscious on the gurney, an IV tube had already been inserted into a vein. His face was pale causing the injuries to stand out against the whiteness of skin. Blood soaked through the bandage that had been wrapped around his forehead. Buck lightly touched Ezra's hand as he passed him.

"Come on JD. We got work to do." Buck pulled him by the arm so he didn't have to look at Ezra.

"He doesn't look too good Buck." JD continued to look over his shoulder at Ezra. He could no longer see his face but the expressions that Chris and Nathan held told him that Ezra wasn't okay.

"Let's do what we have to do then we can go and see him." Buck used his arm to turn JD's head. He knew the youngster was going to worry himself sick over Ezra. He wasn't going to worry any less himself.

Denver Hospital - Tuesday, 9:13am

Chris only allowed Nathan to pull him away from Ezra's side because he didn't think Jasmine would hurt him while he was surrounded by Doctor's and nurse's. He had insisted that he be allowed to stay with Ezra as soon as he was going to be left alone. The Doctor had reluctantly agreed with him; only because Chris had threatened him with physical voilence. It was a threat that had always worked for him. He had been told by others that he had a look that could kill. His blue eyes turned violently cold and sent a shiver down the back of every person who looked upon it. Except maybe the other members of SPIT7.

Chris paced the floor of the waiting room while Nathan watched him. "I saw it Nathan. Something picked him up and . . . just . . . just threw him across the room."

"You think it's Jasmine like Ezra said." Nathan wanted to tell Chris to sit down but he knew it would be useless. The man always worried himself sick when one of them was injured. It was the trait of a parent, one that he carried well.

"Yes. Why didn't I believe him? Why did I leave him alone?" Chris berated himself out loud.

"Too many why's Chris and not enough answers. How are we going to get rid of her? How are we supposed to protect Ezra?"

"Maybe she won't hurt him if the people who care about him stay with him." Chris suggested. "Josiah will know, he use to be an exorcist."

Nathan nodded as his eyes lifted to the clock on the wall, it had been nearly an hour already. Why was it taking so long to do a examination and a couple of tests on a head wound. He needed to talk to Ezra, the Southerner was going to be angry that they hadn't believed him. Nathan was angry at himself for not listening to Ezra. Their lack of support had resulted in another attack. This one obviously more serious than the last.

Ezra woke slowly, the pounding in his head worsened as the light became brighter. He was confused and scared. Why was he scared, he couldn't remember. He felt the clean stiffness of sheets beneath him. He was in a hospital. Why? There was something he was supposed to remember. Maybe one of the others were with him, they would be able to enlighten him to his dire situation. He felt the confusion drift away as he became more alert. The last twenty four hours began to replay itself in his mind. Ezra's eyes flew open as the face of Jasmine Simmons became clear. Was she acutally with him or was she just in his mind. Something pulled at his arm and he screamed out in surprise.

"It's okay Mr Standish. Your in a hospital, your going to be fine." A sharp voice told him.

Ezra looked up at the homely features of an elderly nurse. Had he been here all the time, was it only a dream. No it wasn't. It was all too real. She had been there, she had put him here in this horendous place that he hated so much. The employees of this hospital and any other were only nice to you because they had to be. He could see the complaining look in her eye. She had better things to do than to look after a scared thirty year old man.

He didn't want to look but his eyes travelled the room. He knew she would be there. She was but in a different form, she was a corpse. Jasmine stood at the foot of his bed, a bloodied hand rested on his leg. Her face was covered in blood, the bullet wound was large, the brain was visible to his eye. Speckled pieces of flesh lined her shouler. It was brain matter. He did this to her, his lie was the same as pulling the trigger.

"Chris!" Ezra knew he would be nearby. He had to have someone with him. Maybe she wouldn't hurt him if someone was with him. "Chris!"

"Calm down Mr Standish."

"CHRIS!" Ezra yelled. "CHRIS!"

Ezra began to push himself backwards, his feet were running circles beneath the sheets. He could feel his back pressing painfully against the metal of the bed. The large nurse grabbed his forearms and attempted to pull him back down into the bed. Ezra refused to do as she wanted. She began to use her weight by leaning on him. The breath was forced from his lungs and he began to panic.

"CHRIS!!" He could still see Jasmine at the end of the bed, she hadn't left.

"Get off him!" Chris Larabee yelled after he entered the room to see what was happening. He had heard his friend call out to him and the fear in the Southern voice caused Chris to become scared himself.

"Chris!"

Chris forced the nurse to let go of Ezra. "What the hell do you think your doing?"

"I'm trying to calm him down before he hurts himself again." the nurse answered.

"Get out!" Chris ordered her.

"It is not your place to . . . "

"Get out." Chris told her calmly and gave her the look he was most famous for.

Nathan held the door open for her then slammed it behind her. He rushed to Ezra's left side while Chris was trying to sooth him with his voice on his right side. Ezra was staring at something that they couldn't see. Jasmine? It had to be. He looked back at Ezra who's green eyes were now looking up at Chris. He was nodding at Chris' voice but Nathan wasn't sure that Ezra understood what was being said. His body was shivering so he pulled the blankets up to cover the smaller man. Ezra jerked away from the touch but relaxed when he saw that it was Nathan and not Jasmine.

"Is she here?" Chris asked him. "Ezra! Is Jasmine here?"

Ezra didn't feel any of the fear leaving him. The presence of his friends didn't seem to help. He looked away from Chris to where Jasmine was standing. The corpse was gone and Jasmine stood there smiling at him. She winked then disappeared from his sight. He waited for the pain but nothing happened.

"Ezra!" Chris shook him to get his attention.

"No she isn't here." Ezra muttered as he continued to look where Jasmine had been standing.

"But she was, wasn't she." Chris demanded.

"No." Ezra lied. They didn't believe him.

"Ezra I saw what happened, I saw something throw you across the room. It was Jasmine."

"We believe you Ezra." Nathan rested a hand on Ezra's shoulder.

"You don't believe me, you believe Chris." Ezra shrugged Nathan's hand off.

"Shit." Chris' tone got Ezra's attention once more.

"I'm right aren't I. You didn't believe me until you saw it yourself."

"No." Chris admitted. "I wanted to Ezra but . . . "

"Whatever." Ezra sat up. "I want to get out of here."

"Ezra. We haven't even talked to the Doctor yet, we don't know how serious your head injury is." Nathan informed him.

"I don't care. I'm leaving."

"No your not!" Chris growled at him and pushed him back down. "Nathan, go and get some information on Ezra's condition. If he's okay we'll take him back to my place."

"I prefer to go home!" Ezra told him.

"Ezra stop being such an asshole. We didn't believe you but we do now and from what I saw you are in a lot of trouble. Your going to need our help and we aren't going to leave you alone. Do you understand me!?"

Ezra looked at Chris then at Nathan. Chris was right, he didn't want to be alone and he was going to need help. "Jacinda said the way to beat her is to find her body. She says once we find her, Jasmine will leave me alone."

"Now how hard can that be." Chris smiled down at him.

"Bastard." Ezra didn't like being reminded that it was going to be a futile effort.

Ezra sat in the back of the Dodge listening to Nathan give Chris a run down on his condition. He'd recieved a concussion that they would have to keep a close eye on. His dislocated shoulder was to stay in a sling, Ezra had already taken it off. And he had to be back in two weeks time to remove the eight stitches that were required to help close the large gash above his temple. His eyelids felt heavy, his body needed to sleep but he refused to give into it's demands. He listened as Nathan phoned Josiah to ask him to meet them at Chris' home instead of the hospital. The conversation began to become slurred as his body took control, he could no longer refuse it's need for rest. His head fell back and rested on the seat as his eyes closed. His mouth fell open and he slowly fell into a peaceful slumber.

Chris glanced at the rear view mirror and saw that Ezra had fallen asleep. His face was relaxed, he wasn't in a deep enough sleep to dream. The cut on his forehead was covered, his face looked pale in comparison to the bandage. The bruise on his forehead was already beginning to turn yellow around the edges and the swelling on his lip had gone down. Ezra's cheeks were red and his face sweaty. In other words his agent looked like hell. He was also going through hell and there was nothing he could do to help him. If the police were unable to find the body then how was he. Even if he did find Jacinda Simmons' body it could take weeks or even months, Ezra might not be able to last that long. Any normal person would be falling apart right now. Ezra wasn't normal but he also wasn't untouchable.

He quietly hoped that Josiah would be able to think of something they could do to get rid of Jasmine. Josiah had once been a priest that specialised in exorcism but this was different. Ezra wasn't possesed, he was being haunted by a very angry ghost. Chris flinched when his mobile began to ring. He looked to make sure the noise hadn't woken Ezra up. The ex-criminal had changed position but that was all.

"Larabee."

"It's Vin. What's going on? I just got here and Buck tells me that Ezra's been hurt." Vin's tone held a hint of anger.

"I didn't have time to let you know. We're on our way to my place. Hurry Buck and JD up then meet us there." He hung up, the last thing he wanted was to discuss the situation while he was driving. His hands shook at the thought of what Ezra was and is going to go through.

Nathan twisted around when he heard Ezra moan. The smaller man was shivering. "Can you turn the heat up Chris." He pulled his jacket off and covered Ezra with it. He noticed the blood on the original jacket he had lent him. He didn't mind, Ezra's drycleaner would be able to get rid of the stain. He leaned further into the back and placed his large hand on Ezra's forehead, his fever had gotten worse. Ezra needed to rest and get some fluids. He should have stayed in hospital but the stubborn fool never did what was best for himself.

"Do you think Josiah will know what to do?" Nathan asked him as he moved back into a more comfortable position.

"I hope so. I don't know if we'll be able to find Jacinda's body." Chris pulled into the driveway of his home. "What if it takes months."

"That's what I was thinking." Nathan agreed.

They got out of the car and while Chris ran to the front door of his home Nathan opened the dodge's back door to get Ezra. He leaned forward and carefully took the smaller man's arm. He jumped and hit his head on the roof when Ezra screamed. The Southerner fell to his side and began to use his feet to kick out at his opponent. Nathan tried to catch Ezra's legs without getting himself hurt but he was to quick for him. He stood back and waited for Ezra to calm down. The larger man watched as the frightened green eyes darted widly around. They settled on Nathan and he began to slow his movements.

"Sorry." Ezra looked down, he was too ashamed to look into Nathan's brown eyes.

"That's okay Ezra, not your fault." He reached out to take Ezra's arm to help him out of the car. "Come on, we're here."

"I must have fallen asleep." Ezra rubbed his eyes and grimaced at the pain in his shoulder. He realised he must have injured it when Jasmine . . . he left the thought alone and concentrated on getting out of the car. He allowed Nathan to help him, the nausea that attacked him drove his stubborness away. If he attempted to get out on his own he would end up falling on his face. He had enough painfull areas on his body, he didn't want any more.

"What did she do to me?" Ezra asked Nathan as they walked towards the open front door. Chris was waiting for them, the concern on his rugged features unnerved Ezra.

"Dislocated your shoulder and gave you a concussion. A couple of day's rest and you'll be fine." Nathan explained to him.

"Only if she doesn't do it again." Ezra spoke more to himself than to Nathan but the scientist still heard him, he'd also heard the fear in the Southerner's voice.

"We'll do what we can to protect you Ezra."

"How can you protect me from a ghost." Ezra walked through the open doorway.

Chris took his arm and led him to the couch. Usually he would have taken him to the main bedroom but he didn't want his friend to be alone. They needed to stay with him. Safety in numbers, maybe. He knew Josiah would be with them shortly and maybe he would bring some hope with him. Hope that they would be able to defeat Jasmine without having to go through the trouble of finding her sister. Chris left Ezra in Nathan's capable hands and went to the linen cupboard to get some blankets and a pillow. Ezra was going to be staying a while, so would the others. He was sure none of them would want to leave Ezra. If there was one thing about SPIT7, the members protected each other at the risk of their own lives. They would do whatever was possible to save them. Chris didn't know if there was anything to be done in this situation. Ezra was in for a period of hell and how long that period would be he didn't know.

Home of Chris Larabee - Tuesday, 11:49am

Josiah Sanchez didn't bother with knocking on the door, he needed to see Ezra to make sure he was alright; at least physically. He knew how he would be mentally, he'd seen it plenty of times before in his previous line of work. A haunted look appeared in the eyes of the victim and stayed there for many months after the event had ended. This situation was different. Ezra knew what was happening. Usually when a person was possesed they weren't aware of what was happening to them, their mind even shut out the terrifying events that happened to them and around them. He was determined to do everything he could to end this quickly.

He walked into the living area to find Ezra asleep on the sofa, he was surrounded by Chris and Nathan. He looked at both men then knelt down in front of Ezra. The younger man's face was pale, too pale. Bruises lined his handsome features. A small amount of blood had stained the bandaged that covered the head wound he had sustained earlier. He wanted to lift an eyelid to see if the haunted look was there but Ezra would have to be awake. His mind was at peace and he didn't want to disturb him.

"How is he?" Josiah looked at Nathan.

"Physically he's fine, just needs a few days rest." Nathan shrugged.

"And?"

"Says we have to find Jacinda Simmon's body. Once we do that Jasmine will leave him alone." Chris drank from his hot cup of coffee, he was too worried to think about offering a cup to Josiah.

"That's not going to be easy."

"We were hoping that there was something you could do." Chris turned his blues eyes to Ezra's pale features.

"I have a few ideas." Josiah nodded. "My first plan is for Ezra to make contact with Jacinda, see if there's anything else she could tell us then I want him to talk to Jasmine."

"He won't like that." Chris assured him.

"He's not going to have a choice. It's that or nothing." Josiah warned him.

The three men were quietly discussing the situation when the front door opened once again. Three more men entered the living room of Chris' home. Each of the remaining members of SPIT7 stood before Ezra to assure themselves that he was alright. When they were satisfied they turned to their leader. The expressions that they held told Chris that they wanted an explanation and they wanted it now.

"We all know that Jasmine Simmons died yesterday morning." He waited for them to acknowledge them. He wasn't sure how they were going to take this. He hadn't believed Ezra, neither had Nathan, it was only after he had witnessed one of Jasmine's attacks that he believed the ex-criminal. "Since then Jasmine has attacked Ezra at least two times."

"She isn't dead?" JD asked. His caring brown eyes turned to see Ezra still sleeping on the couch.

"She's dead JD. We went to the morgue to make sure. Her father had identified her as Jasmine Simmons." Chris told him.

"Her ghost attacked him." Nathan enlightened them, the looks of confusion was almost humerous.

"We're dealing with a ghost here." Vin looked at Chris who nodded in return. "How are we going to protect him from a ghost?"

"I honestly don't know Vin." Chris stood up, he needed another cup of coffee.

"We need to talk to Ezra, he has to tell us what happened. Jacinda, Jasmine's sister, visited him as well. Told him to find her body, that would get rid of Jasmine." Chris spoke from the spacious kitchen.

"That's not fair, the police couldn't even find her. How are we supposed to find her?" Buck wanted to know.

"That's what I want Ezra to talk to Jacinda about. If she can give us some sort of clue then we might be able to find her." Josiah smiled, he thought it was a good plan. He just wasn't sure if Ezra would think it was a good idea.

Ezra didn't think it was a good idea at all. Couldn't they think of something else, something that didn't involve talking to a dead person. The conversation continued, Nathan was going through his injuries again. His mind began to drift away, he was trying to force himself to stay awake. Ezra thought he was safe amongst his friends but he would be alone in the darkness of sleep. What if Jasmine visited him in his dreams. He faked falling asleep, he didn't want to talk about what was happening to himself. He would have to explain the incident that resulted in the bruising of his chest. He felt foolish about that one.

His mind floated in a mist, someone was nearby, he could feel their presence. He thought it was one of his friends but realised he wasn't with them anymore. He'd fallen asleep. Ezra tried to push himself up towards the waking world but something pulled him back down. It was Jasmine, it had to be. He found himself in a small room, the floor was made of dirt. It was cold, damp and smelt of death. He spun around when a soft voice began to speak to him.

"I'm here Ezra, I was buried here." Jacinda told him.

"Do you know where here is?" He asked knowing that if she did she would have told him already.

"No." Jacinda actually shivered. "It's cold here Ezra and I'm scared. I don't want to stay here, I want to go to a better place."

"We'll do what we can Jacinda." Ezra refused to make a promise. The last one he'd made was causing him nothing but trouble.

"Wake up Ezra." Jacinda spoke quickly. "She's here."

Ezra felt a coldness creep up his spine. He turned to find the source of it. There was nothing. Movement caught his gaze and he looked down at the damp earth beneath him. It was moving. A hand began to reach up towards him. It gripped his ankle and began to pull itself up. A head appeared, then a pair of shoulders. White teeth shone through the mud. Ezra's heart froze, he couldn't move.

"Want to join me Ezra? It's nice down here." Jasmine's invitation was refused.

Ezra began to fight but it was useless, Jasmine was too strong for him. He used his own hands to try and remove hers but the mud caused him to lose his grip. He tried to kick the hand away with his free foot but another hand reached up and took it. Jasmine then began to pull him down towards her. The ground opened up for him. The loose dirt closed in around his body. It was over in a matter of seconds. He began to scream but his voice was cut off by the dirt that began to fill his mouth and throat. Josiah was the first to hear Ezra's struggles. He moved to the restless form and placed a large hand on his forehead. He could feel the sweat that the fever was causing. He began to pray, his words were quick but his attempt to calm his friend was failing. Ezra began to fight his demons with even more strength. Josiah bent his head and his words became louder. He stopped when Ezra screamed but he became silent too quickly. He lifted his head to see Ezra struggling to breath.

"Move Josiah." Nathan ordered him, he had been standing behind him in case he was needed.

Nathan knew it was the same as the day before. Ezra was choking and fighting for each breath. He moved him into a prone position and began to slap his face in an attempt to wake him up. It wasn't until the fourth physical blow that the Southerner's eyes opened. Ezra cried out in suprise and swung his arm at the man who was hitting him. Josiah easily caught the fist before it struck Nathan's face.

"Aw hell." Ezra's body began to tremble and he couldn't stop it. He was cold, colder than he'd ever been in his life. Somebody wrapped a blanket around him but it didn't help. He felt a hand against his face.

"He's freezing." Nathan placed another blanket around Ezra. "Get a fire going Chris, we need to warm him up. JD, get Ezra a coffee, make sure it's hot and extra sweet but don't fill the cup."

"What happened Ezra?" Josiah lifted his chin then took the smaller man's hands and began to rub them.

"Jacinda tried to show me where she was but Jasmine showed up. Buried me in the dirt."

"What did she tell you?"

"She wanted to go to a better place, where she is is cold and damp. She's in a small room, the floor's made of dirt."

"Did she tell you anything else?" Chris sat down next to Ezra and copied Josiah's moves by rubbing Ezra's back.

"She doesn't like it where she is, want's to go to a better place."

"Ezra?" Josiah frowned up at the man.

"It was cold, there was a smell, death, it must have been Jacinda. She doesn't like there. I have to find her. I wouldn't promise though. Don't want to be haunted by another ghost. One's eno . . . " He felt the open hand hit him. He blinked and looked into Josiah's eyes. "Josiah, she doesn't like it there. I don't know where she is."

"We'll find her Ezra. I promise you." He saw the smile on Ezra's lips but it was overshadowed by the haunted look in his green eyes. "Ezra. Do you think you could try and talk to Jacinda when you feel up to it. I want you to try and get some more details of where she is."

"Do I have too?"

"It's the only way Ezra."

"We don't have to have a seance do we?" Ezra tried to smile to lighten the mood in the room.

"That may not be necessary. If she comes to you in your sleep . . . well, we could do it that way." Josiah suggested.

"Jasmine also comes in my dreams." Ezra reminded him.

"I know Ezra, it's a chance we're going to have to take. You want to find her don't you?"

"Josiah, that was below the belt." Ezra grimaced and pulled his hands out of Josiah's. He reached out and took the cup of coffee that JD was offering him. His hands were still shaking, he was afraid of spilling it on Chris' carpet but the cup wasn't full. The black liquid swayed from side to side like a wave in a small pool. He took a sip and the warmth slid down his throat into his stomach. The shivering continued. He wrapped his fingers around the cup, maybe the heat will enter his fingers and travel through the rest of his body. It didn't work, he couldn't warm up. "I don't want to sleep."

Josiah looked down at his hands, he needed to convince Ezra that he had to do this. He lifted his eyes and looked into Ezra's haunted look. He decided to wait. The younger man needed time to get over his nightmare. "Get some rest Ezra, we'll talk about it later."

Ezra nodded slowly, he wasn't going to sleep but he needed to get himself together, he had to calm down or he wasn't going to get through this. He looked around the room at his friends and took some comfort in their presence. They wanted to help but what could they do? Nothing, he was alone in his nightmares. He couldn't fight this, why couldn't he have just been shot or something. It was easier to heal physically than to go through this. What if he went crazy, he'd end up in an instution strappted to bed. He would be alone again. At least his mother would put him in an expensive home.

"You okay now Ezra?" Chris asked him.

Ezra bit his tongue and nodded again. It was a lie, he wasn't okay. He was being haunted by a crazy bitch that wanted him to burn in hell while he was still living. No he wasn't okay but he refused to let them know that. He took another drink of the coffee and noticed that he was gripping the cup too tightly. Ezra losened his hold and his hands began to shake again.

"Good. Do what Josiah says, we're just going to be over here." Chris stood up and walked away from Ezra. He didn't see the look of anger in the green eyes.

I'm not a child Chris. Ezra glared at him then hung his head. The felt the others move away. Two of them touched his shoulder gently but he didn't look up to see who it was. He put the coffee down and pulled the blankets tighter around his body. In his mind he could still see the look on Jacinda's face. She hated it where she was. Why is she helping me? The sudden thought shocked Ezra. Why wasn't she treating him the same way as Jasmine. She had even warned him to wake up. Something wasn't right. He frowned, it was a stupid decision but he had to do it. He had to find out why she was helping him. Ezra made sure the others weren't watching him then leaned back and closed his eyes. He was asleep in minutes. Ezra's mind drifted in darkness. His body moved as though it was weightless, he didn't have to use his feet, a simple thought would cause him to go in a certain direction. He thought of Jacinda hoping that he would be taken to her. Ezra shivered as his surroundings became colder, he was getting closer to his quarry. His fear began to rise, he didn't want to be hear but he had questions that needed to be answered. The others would wake him up if something went wrong. If they didn't . . .

He searched the blackness but saw nothing. There was absolute silence, it filled his mind. The breath that travelled in and out of his lungs couldn't be heard. Ezra took a step forward, the sound of his boots hitting the floor sounded loudly in the silence. Hadn't his friends taken his boots off, he remember the old saying. 'He died with his boots on'. He felt a slight touch against his face and turned to find Jacinda standing behind him.

"Why are you here?" Jacinda asked him, the confusion on her features spoke a thousand words.

"Where's here?" Ezra returned with a question of his own.

"Nowhere." she began to walk away from him. Why would someone come here when they didn't have to. "Did you come looking for me?"

"Why are you helping me?" he still refused to answer her questions, he had too many of his own and he didn't know how much time he had before Jasmine showed herself to him.

"Helping you?" Jasmine looked around the darkness then back at Ezra.

"Will you stop that!" Ezra growled at her, he sighed when he saw the hurt look in her blue eyes. She looked exactly like Jasmine and yet her emotions were so different. "I'm sorry but I need answers, not questions. Why are you helping me?"

"You need it, how else are you going to stop my sister."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"I don't like what she's doing to you." Jacinda replied.

Ezra frowned in confusion. "That's it?"

"No there is something else. Jasmine is the one who . . . "

"You fucking bitch!" A third voice cried out.

Ezra jerked awake and his green eyes searched the room for the source of the noise. It came from his dream but something told him that she was nearby. His search stopped when he saw her standing in a corner of the large living room. Her greying features looked sickly against the pale blue walls. He pushed himself against the couch as she moved towards him. He no longer feared her but feard the pain she was going to cause him. He couldn't fight her, no one could, she was a ghost, how do you fight a ghost. Ezra turned to look at his friends, they were huddled together discussing something that wasn't meant for his ears.

"Guys," he waited until his soft voice got their attention, "she's here."

Six pairs of eyes lifted at the sound of the three words. Their attention had been caught and was now unwilling to let go. The men moved as one to protect their own. Josiah began reciting prayers hoping that it would send the unwanted apparision away. It didn't. Chris sat protectively on the Southerner's right side while Vin sat on his left.

Ezra stared into Jasmine's eyes, it was a mistake that he wasn't going to make again. He felt his chest tighten and his breathing became awkward. Not again. He needed help.

"Jacinda . . . " Ezra croaked.

"She won't be helping you anymore Ezra Standish." Jasmine moved closer to her prey.

Ezra could hear the other voices around him. Josiah was going on about some prayer, like that was going to help him. Chris and Vin were asking him where she was. He couldn't answer them. And Nathan was trying to help him breath. He wasn't helping much. But he couldn't blame them, they were doing their best and that was good enough for him.

"I've taken care of her, she won't bother you anymore. Your all mine."

He felt something take his arms and pull him to his feet, other hands were holding onto his arms trying to keep him on the couch. They weren't strong enough. He felt himself being thrown across the room. His back slammed into the wall and the pictured frame that hung on it. A sharp pain caused him to crying out. Ezra heard someone call out his name as he was picked up before he could hit the floor. He was thrown into the kitchen and he landed on the tile floor, the fridge stopped his slide against the slippery surface.

Josiah's voice grew louder in his ears. The ex-preacher was ordering Jasmine to go over to the other side, to enter the light that would take her to a better place. Ezra heard movement then a sound of pain. He tried to open his eyes and focus on what was happening but couldn't. His own body was once again full of pain. Was it his own voice that he could hear, he didn't think so. Ezra felt a sudden weight on his body, he struggled against it but calmed down when he heard Vin whispering in his ear. His eyes finally managed to open and he looked up at Vin. The security expert was looking at something else. Ezra followed his gaze to find Nathan and the others kneeling over Buck.

"Your hell is going to include watching your friends die Ezra." Jasmine smiled down at him.

Ezra jerked at the sound of her voice and Vin gripped him tighter. He refused to look at her, he didn't want her to see the sudden fear in his eyes.

"One by one Ezra then you."

"Buck." Ezra spoke through clenched teeth. "BUCK!"

"Calm down Ezra," Vin began to defend himself against the smaller man's struggles.

"BUCK!" Ezra tried to push Vin away but the pain in his back weakened his attempts. He had to settle for being held in a friend's grip while they both waited to see if Buck was okay.

Vin could feel Ezra shivering beneath him, he knew it was fear. He was feeling some of it himself. He released his hold and help the Southerner to his feet. He grimaced when he saw the blood soaking into Ezra's clothing. Vin pressed his hand against the area of torn material. The blood started to soak through his fingers.

"Come on Ezra. You need some help with this." Vin stood up and pulled Ezra to his feet and half carried him back into the living room. He sat him down on the couch and made sure that Ezra put his weight against him and not the couch. "You okay to stay here for a minute, I'll check on Buck." he watched as Ezra nodded his head and wrap his arms around himself. "I'll just be a minute Ezra." The ex-criminal nodded again and looked away from him. Vin patted his shoulder and felt Ezra jerk away at the touch. He moved away and knelt down next to the others. Chris lifted his head to look into Vin's eyes, his own held a question. "He's scared shitless." Vin growled at him. "Buck?"

"Just been knocked out." Nathan spoke up. "No concussion that I can see so he should be okay."

"Good. Ezra needs you!" Vin left them and went back to Ezra. "Nathan says he's okay, he's going to come and check you over."

Ezra just nodded again. His mind was going over what Jacinda had told him. She said that Jasmine was the one who . . . Jasmine had some sort of control over Jacinda. The murdered twin was scared of her sister. Ezra was able to see it in her eyes. But why. Jasmine acted as though she couldn't live without her - in fact she didn't - and now in death she was treating her as a person she hated.

"Aw shit." Ezra groaned.

"What's wrong Ezra?" Vin asked him.

"Jasmine killed Jacinda." Ezra informed him.

"But the guy the police caught admitted to killing her." Chris told him as he came over, he'd heard the end of the conversation.

"Jasmine killed her. That's why we couldn't find Jacinda's body. She kept leading us away from it." Ezra stared at the carpeted floor beneath his feet. "She killed her own sister and blamed someone else. She hated me for not finding a body when she knew where it was all the time. She's doing this to me for some crazy reason other than a broken promise."

"She doesn't remember Ezra." Jacinda spoke from an area in the room that was darker than the rest. The blackness hid most of her form from him.

Ezra's heart leapt into his throat and Vin and to hold him down before he ran from the room. He allowed Vin to pull him back down onto the couch. "Why?"

"I don't really know. She use to do a lot of bad things, some of them to me but she never remembered them afterwards. I didn't know from one minute to the next if she was going to break or not. She was sick Ezra."

Ezra nodded again, the words refused to make themselves into a spoken sentence. "You have to show me where you are."

"I don't know where I am Ezra. How can I help you when I don't know."

Ezra shrugged Vin's hands off his shoulders. He moaned as the pain in his back worsened with his movements. He knew the others were watching him but he had to speak to Jacinda before she left or Jasmine showed up again. If she did someone else was going to get hurt. He walked across the room until he was close enough to see into her eyes.

"Did she take you somewhere first? Do you remember where she killed you?"

"I remember being at home in my room, I drank something, then I woke up in a warehouse. I'm not sure where it is." Jacinda seemed to look off into the distance, she was listening to something that only she could hear.

"Is she coming?" Ezra asked her with a hint of fear in his voice.

"No. It was and old, dirty and full of machinery, not new ones but old ones." she shook her head. "It's cold where I am, the dirts wet, it smells. I hate it here Ezra, I want to leave."

"I know Jacinda." he watched as she disapeared from his view. He yelped when his shoulder was touched.

"It's only me Ezra." Nathan took his arm and led him back to the couch.

The Southerner watched as Vin and Josiah carried Buck into the spare bedroom. He grimaced at the blood on the side of the moustached face. "I'm okay Nathan."

"No Ezra, you've cut your back open." Nathan pressed gently on either side of the cut. "More stitches I'm afraid."

"Another trip to the hospital." Chris sighed. He wanted to keep Ezra in a familiar place where they could try and protect him. He looked at Ezra then at the door that hid Buck, they weren't doing a very good job at protecting him and now it seemed that the others may be in danger. Buck had been no where near Ezra when he had been attacked.

"Vin, Josiah, get Buck into a car and take him to the hospital, we'll follow with Ezra." Chris grabbed Ezra's arm and pulled him to his feet. "We don't leave either of them alone."

"You what!?" Chris Larabee yelled at the doctor that stood above him.

Doctor Levine looked around at the group of men who stood behind the intimidating man and saw anger that equaled the blond man. He began to stutter and took a deep breath instead. He was a doctor for christ sake, he knew what he was doing. He didn't spend all that time at medical school for nothing. He earnt three times as much as this man, he was the one in charge not this arrogant, violent, cold looking . . .

"Uh, I gave him a sedative to help him sleep." he answered obediantely.

"I asked you not to!" Chris continued to yell.

"I'm a doctor and I decided that he needed some rest."

"What you are is an idiot!"

"Chris." Vin took his arm and led him away from the doctor before he physically asualted him. He then pushed him down into the chair that sat beside Ezra's bed.

"Appareantly he checked himself out earlier when he should have stayed overnight for observations. This time he's staying." Levine continued.

"I'd get out of here if I were you." Buck warned him. "Chris isn't the only one who's angry."

The anger began to leave Chris' face once the doctor had left the room. He had asked them not to give Ezra anything that would make him sleep, he'd told them there were reasons for his request. He rubbed his face in frustration. What if she showed up in his dreams again. They won't be able to wake him up if he begins to choke like he did the last two times he was asleep.

Ezra stood in darkness, he blink his eyes but still saw nothing. The events that had occured to bring to this place were now a blur. He turned slowly and the darkness began to break, it allowed some light to enter his mind and he saw the walls that surrounded him. He was in a building. He could make out shapes in the growing light; machinery. This was were Jacinda died. Dirt, he had to look for dirt and his best place was to go downwards. He remembered seeing a set of stairs in the confined space where Jacinda was buried.

He made his way towards what he thought was a large door, it was the only door he could see. Maybe in her own way Jacinda was showing him where she was. He moved slowly and quietly, he didn't want Jasmine to show up, not now. If she did he could kiss his own butt goodbye. He knew he wasn't sleeping normally, they had drugged him without his knowledge. He looked upwards as he walked and saw the large broken windows that lined the walls. There were walkways that traversed the area above him. He didn't like the look of them.

He continued on until he reached his destination. Ezra opened the door and found the steps he was looking for. He took them one at a time. He stopped when he stood on a soft piece of dirt. She was here, he could feel her presence. Ezra got down on his knees and began to dig, the dirt clung to his fingers and he could feel the nails breaking. He didn't care, he had to find her. He stopped when he felt the earth move beneath him.

"Aw hell not again."

Chris stood up when he heard the muttered words and leaned over Ezra. The ex-criminal was lying on his right side. The injuries stood out clearly on the pale face and the bandaged back was visible to his searching blue eyes. He placed a hand on the exposed back as he heard Josiah's spoken words. He was praying again. Chris couldn't understand the muttered words but they weren't meant for him.

"It's happening again and we can't help him." Chris growled.

Ezra Standish wasn't a coward, he also wasn't stupid, he wasn't like the people on television. The man wasn't dumb enough to wait around to see what was being born from the dirt he was sitting on. As soon as the skeleton hand began to appear he ran. The Southerner ran for his life. He made it as far as the top of the stairs. Something grabbed him by the ankle. He screamed, he couldn't help it, he was scared shitless. Ezra kicked out with his free leg but the only response was a thin voice calling his name. He kicked again using all the strength he could muster. The leg was free. He continued up through the door way and entered the warehouse. Fearful green eyes searched for a way out, they couldn't find one.

"SHIT!" Ezra yelled into the blackness that had returned. "Shit, shit, shit!"

What the hell was he going to do now, there was no way out and no one to help him. He was on his own; again. Pain began to fill his head and back. Something wasn't right. His breathing was becoming too fast and he could feel his heart pounding in his ears. He couldn't stay here, he had to either find somewhere to hide or find a way out. Ezra didn't think the latter was possible but he wasn't willing to give up. He reached out to find to feel his way around but what he felt was cold and moving. He screamed a second time.

He moved backwards, quickly, too quickly, his feet tripped over something and he landed hard on the floor. A piece of machinery dug it's way into his back and he had to bite his tongue against another scream, this time though it was going to be one of pain and not fear. Ezra rolled over onto his stomach and began to crawl, this made him feel like a hopeless coward. He got up onto his knees then the balls of his feet. He knew what he'd touch was looking for him. He had to hide, he couldn't risk it finding him again. He couldn't see enough to find somewhere to hide.

A noise to his right caused him to turn in it's direction. He moved away from it. His head hit something low causing him to grimace in pain but he managed to keep any noises escaping from his mouth. Ezra felt around it and made out a small square shape. He pushed himself into it without making any sounds and settled himself in for what he hoped wasn't a long wait.

Chris and Nathan tried to hold Ezra down, he was struggling against their grip and talking at the same time. Both men recognised the profanity but didn't smile, at the moment it wasn't funny, maybe later. Chris jumped when Ezra screamed and used more force to keep him on his side. Nathan didn't want him tearing out any of his stitches.

"What's happening?" Buck asked as he rubbed his temples. Ezra's scream had caused his headache to begin to return. JD had explained to him what had happened and why they were here. He hadn't remembered how he had gotten knocked out, his last memory was trying to get to Ezra when he had been thrown across the room. Apparently the same thing had happened to him. He was lucky though, he'd only been knocked out. There was no concussion and no stitches needed. Ezra hadn't been so lucky.

"She's with him, Jasmine." Chris spoke as he shifted away from Ezra's struggling form. Even his strength wasn't enough to hold him down. Chris lifted his eyes to look at Nathan when Ezra suddenly stopped fighting against their hold. Nathan quickly checked the Southerner to make sure he was okay. Chris visibly relaxed when Nathan nodded that Ezra was okay.

The silence was killing him, he felt like shouting just to prove to himself that he hadn't gone deaf. Ezra had no idea how he'd been waiting but he wanted it to end. He still feared getting out of the box, she could be waiting for him. No he wasn't going anywhere until the daylight drove the darkness away. But will it, he was afraid that it wasn't going to come. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, maybe when he opened them it would be daylight again. He waited for what he thought were several minutes and opened his eyes again. The darkness had faded away, someone had listened to him.

Ezra stuck his head out of his hiding place, there was nothing, no ghosts and no people. He crawled out of the confined space and stood up. The bones in his spine cracked as he stretched it. He looked around his surroundings and smiled when he saw something he recognised. He now knew where to find Jacinda's body. There was hope for both of them.

Chris stood up from his seated position when he heard Ezra groan, the movement that came from the inert form caused him to smile. Ezra was finally waking up. He gripped his shoulder so the ex-criminal wouldn't roll over onto his back and smiled when Ezra began to fight him.

"Stay still Ezra." Chris warned him. "Your back, remember."

Ezra's eyelids fluttered open and he looked up in confusion. His vision cleared to reveal Chris Larabee standing over him. Hospital again. He groaned at the thought. "Not again."

"Sorry Ezra, would have taken you home expect the idiot gave you something to make you sleep." Chris grimaced at the expression on Ezra's face, the Southerner was actually smiling. "It's alright, I know where Jacinda is, I know where to find her body." Ezra smiled. "She took me there."

"That's great, where is she?" Chris asked him.

Ezra was about to tell him when Jasmine appeared at the foot of his bed. JD was there, his head lying near his covered feet. She held a knife in her hand. The colour drained from Ezra's face as the smile fell from his expression.

"Do you want to help Jacinda or your friend?" Jasmine asked him with a hint of humour in her voice.

"Shit." It was becoming a familiar word for Ezra.

"Ezra?" Chris leaned over to block Ezra's vision but the Southerner moved away from him, he was staring towards the end of his bed. "Is she here?"

"Say nothing!" Jasmine ordered him.

"No she isn't." Ezra looked down at the hands that were still holding him and he pushed them away in frustration.

Chris took Ezra's physical reaction as an answer, Jasmine was here and obviously Ezra was either to scared to admit it - Chris doubted that - or she was threatening him in some way.

"Relax then Ezra, there's nothing to worry about." He hoped that Ezra would look up at him to see his expression, it would tell him that he knew she was here but Ezra refused to look at him. He continued to stare at what Chris knew was Jasmine Simmons. He placed his hands back onto Ezra's form and frowned when he felt tremors go through his body. "Ezra it'll be okay."

"Like hell it will be." Ezra growled at him.

"It will be Ezra." Jacinda surprised everyone with her presence, including her twin sister.

The younger twin by three minutes grabbed her older sister and pulled the knife away from JD. The young man still hadn't woken. Ezra winced at the profanity that came from Jacinda's mouth. She began to struggle with Jacinda.

"Get out Ezra. Now!" Jacinda ordered him. "Help me to help yourself."

"Bitch! Let go of me!"

Ezra didn't have to be told twice, he still wasn't stupid. "We gotta get out of here Chris. Now!"

Ezra pulled the covers aside and ignored his lack of clothing, it wasn't the time to worry about the two women in the room, embrassement wasn't the issue here. He took the long jacket offered by Chris and began to move. He was out of the room while Chris was still yelling at the others to get out.

Again Ezra ran for his life, but this time he had somewhere to go and something to do.

Chris stared at the large wharehouse that stood before him, his six men were standing beside him. They were surrounding and supporting the ex-criminal that was being haunted by a young woman who had obviously suffered some sort of mental illness while she was alive. Chris turned and looked at Ezra, he could see the tension and fear that were being held by the handsome Southern features. He knew this was something that Ezra didn't want to do but he had to, he had no choice.

"Are you ready?" Chris asked him.

"No, but let's do it anyway." Ezra smiled but the fear still showed in his green eyes.

Chris nodded and moved towards the door. His men followed him. Ezra wasn't allowed to stray to far from his protectors, they had no intention of allowing him to be hurt again. Ezra was grateful for what his friends were doing for him. He'd never been supported in such a way during his entire life. The attention tore at his heart but his was greateful for the tear, it would allow the blackness of loneliness and betrayal to leave his heart.

Ezra stopped at the doorway into what he knew was Jacinda's tomb, the fear gripped his heart. The tightness in his chest made it difficult for him to breath. He had to do this, he had to help Jacinda. His fear was for her, if he failed her she would stay in the cold soil for enternity. He couldn't do that to her. The Southerner felt a hand on his shoulder and he actually jumped high enough for his feet to leave the ground.

"You alright Ezra?" Josiah didn't allow his hand to fall from Ezra's shoulder, the younger man needed all the support he could get.

"I just want it to be over Josiah, she doesn't deserve this. Not to be buried in a place like this." Ezra told him.

"She won't be for much longer Ezra." Josiah strengthened his hold.

Ezra nodded. But I have to get to her first. He grimaced at his own thought and saw the flash of concern cross Josiah's rugged features. He replaced it with a smile, he didn't need his friends to become anymore worried, they were alreadly worring enough as it was. Ezra took a deep breath and silently groaned at the pain that raced through his back. I really must stop helping people.

The first step was the hardest, his friends gave him courage but not enough. The nightmare he had kept replaying itself in his mind. There was something here, he knew that but what he didn't know was what. And it was that lack of knowledge that scared him. A part of himself didn't want the others here, what if they got hurt. The other half wanted and needed them close to him. It was the latter part that had won the argument.

Once his eyes adjusted to the darkened bowels of the large building Ezra looked around. His gaze wondered over his friends and towards the back of the building. The door that he had entered was there. That was the direction that he intended to tak but something else had other ideas. The sudden chill reached him as he took another step towards Jacinda. Something moved in the corner of his vision, he turned to find nothing. It was playing with him. Whatever it was was playing with him. Another flash of total blackness caught him by surprise. He turned and jumped away from the vision before him.

An evil side of Jasmine was standing in front of him, her face was full of anger. Her hair was a mess, the blue eyes were now red. If this was hell then Ezra was in it. The eyes that were glaring at him had murderous intentions. Ezra - his commen sense having left him already - and again lacking in stupidity ran. He left his friends and the ghost of Jasmine Simmons behind him. He ran for the door that hid Jacinda.

"EZRA!" Jasmine screamed. "YOU SON'OF'A'BITCH!"

"That's putting it midly." Ezra muttered as he ran.

The door was suddenly in front of him and so was Jacinda. Ezra jerked to a stop and fell onto his haunches. He began to crawl backwards. His mind wondered where his friends were, he hoped the silence that came from them didn't mean that they had been hurt. Jasmine quickly moved towards him, her hands grabbing at his clothing, the long finger nails scraped against his skin.

"Ezra!" It was Chris' voice, then more hands grabbed him. "Ezra it's me! Chris." he struggled to hold the ex-criminal still but he didn't have Ezra's street experince. He felt the back of Ezra's head slam against the side of his nose, the pain told him that it was broken. He then felt an elbow force the air from his lungs. Before he knew it another fist split his lip open.

"Ezra!" Buck and Vin grabbed both of his arms before he could do anymore damage Chris Larabee but the smaller man kicked out at them. Both legs hit their intended targets.

Once the weight was off him he stumbled to the door. The dampness on the front and back of his shirt told him that he was bleeding again. The stitches had been torn from his back and deep scratches lined his chest and stomach. He thought he heard his friends screaming for him to stop but the blood punding in his ears made it difficult to make out the words. He couldn't stop, he had to reach Jacinda before Jasmine redirected her anger towards his friends. The elder sister would come after him then his friends would follow him down into the depts of the warehouse.

He heard a scream, it was full of terror. He shook voilently at the sound but he wouldn't allow it to stop him from succeeding. A strong force grabbed his shoulders and threw him, he felt as though he had been in the air for minutes but his flight finally ended. He yelled out in pain as his back hit the dirty floor. Ezra blinked the tears of pain from his eyes and saw the box that he'd been hiding in the night before. He thought of how he had hidden himself from the danger. His fear had gotten the better of him. The thought of his cowardness made his stomach turn.

Ezra pushed himself up onto his knees and clenched his teeth. He didn't hesitate but started walking back to the door that would lead him to Jacinda. Arms tore at him and he turned to fight. Buck and Josiah were staring down at him. Anger was evident on both of their faces. What the hell did I do?

"Where?" Vin asked him. Ezra nodded towards the door. "Let's go then!"

Ezra found himself being dragged by the two men to the door. Just as he thought he was about to make it Vin was pulled from his grip. Ezra didn't have a chance to see what happened. Josiah pushed him towards the door then stood in front of him. He then heard Josiah's grunt as he opened the door. Ezra closed it behind himself then turned to the stairs. The small room was dark and was he unable to see the stairs beneath him. He fell. Ezra knew that if he survived this he would be covered in bruises from head to toe. He felt the damp earth as soon as he hit it. He also heard Jasmine. She was here with him.

"I won't let you find her."

"Your too late, I know where she is." Ezra smiled at her. He knew the smile wasn't his usual best but these were different circumstances. He was allowed to falter with his poker face, he was only human after all.

"I won't let you find her!" Jasmine growled as she moved closer to him. "You won't find her. You'll die first Ezra Standish."

"I . . . " Ezra started when he felt the earth move beneath him. "Aw shit!"

He backed a way from the movement as quickly as he could. His eyes stared into the darkness but he couldn't see anything. His first thought was to run but he'd suddenly become stupid, he had to stay and see what it was. A warmness started to run through his body, it drove the chill that he'd been feeling for the last few days away. It also brought a comfort that cloaked his heart like a thick blanket.

"Jacinda." he whispered.

He ignored Jasmine and began to dig with his bare hands. The dirt gathered around his knees and feet. His body waited to be torn from his position while his hands continued to dig.

"NO!!"

Ezra heard the scream, he hoped that it wasn't going to be followed by a physical attack. He didn't care, somehow Jacinda had given him the strength to release her from her grave. He attempted to keep going but something pulled him away from the shallow grave and forced him down into the dirt. Ezra's nostrils and mouth instantly began to fill with the damp mixture.

"If I go Ezra, you will be coming with me." Jasmine warned him.

Ezra heard the words and he understood them. Jasmine knew she was losing, it was her final attempt at trying to stop him. Ezra began to struggle even more but the pain in his body and lack of oxygen entering his lungs weakened his attempts to free himself from his impending death. He used his hands to push himself upwards but the force became stronger. The light behind his eyelids began to flicker on and off. He had to do something or he would die.

"Ezra!" A voice called out to him in the darkness. It was familiar but the owner of the voice wouldn't come to him. "Ezra!"

It drifted away from him. His last thought was something grabbing him. He no longer had the strength or the life to fight it.

"Get him out now!" Chris ordered Vin and Nathan. "NOW!"

Chris ignored his own injuries and began to help lift Ezra's body out of the dirt. They rolled him over then waited while Nathan checked the Southerner's condition.

"He's not breathing. Get him out of here!" Nathan lifted the limp legs while someone took Ezra's upper body.

"Vin keep looking for the body." Chris ordered him.

The two men stumbled up the stairs into the daylight that caused their eyes to squint in protest. Nathan allowed Ezra's legs to fall to the floor. Chris was more delicate, he laid the ex-criminal down. Nathan pushed him out of the way and ripped open Ezra's already torn shirt. His experienced hands then tilted the slack head back and opened the mouth. He had all intentions of administering CPR.

"SHIT!" Nathan swore. He rolled Ezra onto his side and forced his fingers into Ezra's mouth and began to remove the dirt that had filled it. "His mouth is full of dirt."

"Can you clear it?" Chris asked him.

"Trying to."

Chris jerked his head up when he heard a scream, it was female. "Jasmine." He twisted his head to find JD and Josiah hovering over them. "Go and help Vin. I think he's found her."

Ezra began to cough then breath freely. His body lurched as his lungs recieved the air that they had been deprived of. His eyes opened revealing the intense but confused green orbs. Ezra blinked and smiled at the beautiful vision before him. Jacinda was dressed in a flowing white gown. Her wavy blonde hair floated around her angelic features.

"Thank you Ezra Standish." Jacinda smiled at him. "You have freed me."

"Ezra?" Nathan looked down into the face of the man at his feet. Ezra was staring at something. He lifted his head and fell back when he saw the young woman standing before them. "Chris." he used his hand to get his attention.

Chris looked up to see what Nathan was talking about and caught a glimpse of white before it disappeared. He turned back to Ezra when he heard the Southern accent.

"Goodbye Ezra." Jacinda began to drift away from him.

"She's safe now." Ezra murmurred before he closed his eyes.

"Where's the dirt gone?" Chris questioned Nathan. A shrug was his only answer.

"Found her." Vin's voice caught both men's attention. They looked up and saw the dirt that covered his hands and clothing. Josiah and JD came up behind him, both were in the same sort of condition.

"Safe." Ezra told them. "She's okay now."

"What about Jasmine?" Chris put a hand against Ezra's forehead and wiped the hair away.

"Gone, not here anymore. Can't feel her."

Ezra lay on the couch that sat in the middle of Chris Larabee's home. He'd been there for most of his three day stay. His eyes were closed in an effort to fall asleep. He knew he would soon, the amount of alcohol he'd drunk was lolling him towards a peaceful slumber. His friends were being loud, obviously too drunk to see that Ezra was trying to sleep. He had tried often to recall the events of the days that led him to this situation of staying at Chris' home. Ezra remembered Jasmine and Jacinda but not a lot of everything else. The remaining members of SPIT7 had repeatedly told him what had happened but by the next morning he had forgotten most of it. Nathan knew their wasn't a physical reason for the lack of memory, it would be more emotional than anything else. The Southerner smiled at the argument that had begun. Voices were raised, sarcasm thrown, insults caught and returned.

"I'mm tellin' ya. I got the biggest bruise, that bitch threw me against a wall." Vin's voice was loud and slurred. "My back is black and blue."

"Nearly broke my ribs, two of them are cracked." Josiah retorted in a heavy tone.

"Don't know what the hell you two are talking about!" Chris growled at both of them. "I got my nose broke, my lip split and a rib in my chest cracked."

"That doesn't count." Buck told him with a winning smile.

"Why not?!" Chris stood up and over Buck Wilmington.

"Ezra did that." Vin's smile was almost as large and long as the others.

"Southern Bastard." Chris said with a chuckle. "Certainly knows how to throw a punch." he rubbed the bruised area around his eyes.

"I died." Ezra muttered.

Everyone stopped and looked towards Ezra then each other. The silence was uncomfortable. The ex-criminal hadn't said a lot after what had happened, he'd said that he didn't remember much. They knew why, he'd been drunk most of the time since they'd brought him home. They knew the acohol was an attempt to stop the memories and it seemed to be working. None of them had known what really happened at the end, their wasn't an explaination for it, sometimes there never was. They accepted that as part of their job. But they thought Ezra was having trouble with it.

"Shit. He always wins." Buck complained.

Ezra put out his hand. "I believe that fifty dollars is mine gentlemen." his own face grew into a smile.

The End

SPI Fiction