Ghost hefted her box down the girl's hall. She was realizing now that she was lumped into the girl’s hall. She didn’t mind too much, but the adults all seemed to be in the middle hall. She wondered what made her a girl’s hall girl instead of an adult. Maybe the fact that she wondered meant she wasn’t ready to be an adult. She trusted Neena’s judgement.

Maya entered the only open door on the hall and set the box beside the bed, frowned and moved the box to an inconspicuous place between the night stand and the bed. She took the pictures from her pocket and slipped them into the night stand drawer. She fidgeted and started to leave the room, but instead returned and unpacked the kimono and ihai. She pulled the silk layers from the ihai and left it wrapped in the under layers of the unfinished garment. She slipped it into the night stand as well and began to leave for a second time.

She didn't make it past the door.

Again she returned, unable to leave things as they were. She folded and refolded the pieces of silk and placed them in the very back of the drawer. She got up and closed the door. She almost never closed the door. She preferred the airflow that was created with the open door and the open window. Air conditioning always left a bad taste in her mouth. She only closed it for showers … or times like this. Not that she ever had times like this. She sat with purpose in front of the night stand.

Carefully she pulled out the ihai and fully unwrapped it for the first time. She discarded the initial yellow paper wrapping with which the mason had first covered the tablet. It lay naked, cold and heavy in her hand. The front was smooth, polished to a reflective surface and the words had been carved into the stone and then painted with ebony enamel. The sides and the back of the stone were rough hewn natural stone. The coloring was grayish and beautiful, but she couldn’t read the kanji through the wetness in her eyes.

Did Mom do this when Evan…? Was this what it was like?

She was sobbing a silent, body racking sob now. She had held it in for her dad. Things were so awkward in their house after mom had died. They weren’t any particular religion. In fact, Maya’s mom was a world religion’s teacher and sort of dabbled in anything sacred. Mom would have said that they needed to pick a religious ceremony that would help them to find closure. Her dad had seemed so numb to everything that it was easy to follow suit when they were together. They always seemed to dance around the hurt in her house, but she was angry now.

She had wasted a year of schooling because of that man. She had gotten permission from the school to postpone her first semester until the second semester due to family tragedy. She took care of her dad in that time- putting the house in order and cooking and cleaning like a zombie maid. She finally left that wretched place to start school and instead ended up in the camps.

Maya gripped the ihai with such strength that her knuckles where white. She had missed another semester for no reason whatsoever. She wanted to go to college. Her mother was outspoken about the idea. Meredith's daughter WOULD attend college if she knew what was good for her. Mom wasn’t here to make it happen, and Maya wasn’t sure what would happen now. She was completely cut off. This constant state of limbo was driving her crazy.

Ghost sniffled and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She carefully re-wrapped the stone in the cotton under layers of the unfinished kimono and tied it closed with the under sash.

She busied herself with putting her clothes away. She left the tags on them just in case.... well, just in case. She carefully made sure everything she brought back in the box had a place and then broke down the box and lay on her stomach to slip the flat cardboard underneath the bed. She lay very still, her arm still outstretched under the bed. She just didn't feel like moving right now. She lay on the floor on her stomach, breathing in the freshly shampooed smell of the carpet.

Ghost tried to think of something… anything else. She tried to imagine what her mother would say about Otieno. She imagined the heart shaped face and the white-ish blonde hair of her mother. She smiled and opened her mouth to speak, but Ghost couldn’t hear anything that she might have said over the white static rushing sound that had been growing louder in her mind. It had been almost a year now. She started to drift to sleep laying face-down on the carpet, fully clothed. Would her mother be proud of the life she was choosing now?

~~~~~

((Continued from Someone's Gotta Do It.))

Ghost continued her excited bounds in through the kitchen and up into her room. She shut the door behind her and looked around. It was still fairly cookie cutter, though she heat-wilted flowers from Otieno did give it some personality at least. She opened the window as wide as it would go to assure that her room wasn't entirely stagnant and went to gather her things for a shower.

She was running out of non-Otieno bought clothes to wear, but she could recycle the shorts. They only had little paint dots from brush and roller cast off, they weren't really dirty. The last clean shirt was a light cream color with a pattern of small red pin stripes. The cut of the shirt was like a boat- it would expose all the skin from her neck to the start of the shoulders. It reminded her of a French person or at least, what she imagined a French person would wear. She wondered where Neena got these extra clothes.

Ghost tossed it all into the bathroom and turned on the water for a perfect, cool shower. She was glad that she was able to finally reach out and make a friend. Three days was a long time to mope and Garrett was like a gift. He was different than the others she had met. Not only was he her own age, he was someone that was easy to get along with. She didn't have to walk on eggshells around him, his company felt natural.

She tried not to compare Garrett to Otieno. It didn't seem fair. To either of them.

Ghost turned off the water and squeegeed herself off. She missed taking baths. She had thought that she had missed them in the camps because it was so rare that she even got to bathe. Things just worked differently here, she'd been gone so long she wasn't used to it anymore.

After a quick toweling, Ghost donned the last bit of free Neena-provided clothes. Either Ghost was going to have to wash a lot or give in a wear something by tomorrow.

She wasn't hungry for dinner - her stomach had shrunk considerably at the camps and the hard labor also didn't help. She would have to relax some before she would become hungry. Ghost re-opened the door to her room, it was usually ajar even when she wasn't 'home,' and pulled one of the few books she had decided to rescue from the desk in her room.

She toweled off her hair and left the towel draped there as she settled into the square of light that was cast onto the carpet in her room. The light wouldn't be there for long since the sun was beginning to set, but she wanted to soak up all the sun she lost in her time at the camps. She cracked open the well-worn copy of Howl's Moving Castle and settled down into one of her favorite tales.

The sun blazed across his face as he sat there looking down upon the lawn. His eyes just lingered there for a long time as he let the torrent of thoughts flow through him. He had brought a young mutant to the complex today and that was the only reason he had returned. He had gone to speak to Ghost when he got back but stopped when he had seen her with some guy. He knew it was most likely better to just step out and leave now but he couldn't do so without saying goodbye to Ghost. He sat there until the sun started to shift down and fade away. He slowly stood up and looked down at the ground far below. He didn't know how ot reach her room by going through the mansion so instead he dropped down and let himself hang from the side of the buidling. Then he let go and let himself free fall down to a window sill. He looked in and realized he had to drop down one more floor. He let go once more and dropped down to the window sill. Seein as the window was open he just pulled himself through the window. As soon as he looked up his gaze caught ahold of Ghost. He hadnt expected her to be back in here yet. He hadn't made almost any noise and her back was to him as she was using the light to read a book. He didn't say anything right away but instead just stood there to watch over. Finally he couldn't take it any longer and decided it would be better if he just left. So instead of saying anything he turned around and slipped back to the window. He pushed his feet out the window and got ready to drop out, not even thinking that his body would block the light and thus draw her attention.

At first, she thought the disruption n her reading light was a cloud or something natural, but no one escapes without a single sound. There was only one person who had come through her window so far and she she turned and saw him, partially through... almost escaping... She wasn't sure if she should push him out and grab him and never let him go.

"You're not even gonna say goodbye this time?" Ghost lay her book down beside her, but didn't move otherwise. She couldn't help but feel a little hurt. Weren't they at least friends after all of that?

He just sat there and stared down at the ground. He nodded his head slowly and collected his thoughts before he spoke slowly and deliberatly, "That is why I came to your room. But I realized if I said anything I might not be able to leave again."

He sat there silent for a moment. His eyes going to te darkening sky above, "I left because I had to think. When I was with you I realized that I was growing close to you. That I wanted to become closer and that I would do almost anything for you. I realized I was falling for you."

Once again he stopped and had to collect himself before he spoke once more, "I realized it is mos tlikely because I have never been around anyone before and you showed me kindness. That however doesnt change for how I feel. And when I came back and got the new student I brought back set up and went to find you... and I seen you with that guy... I got jealous... I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to hurt him bad. Goth didn't I did."

He stopped and sighed lightly and looked back towards the grounds below him, "Thats why I had to come see you even if I couldn't say anything. I wanted to see you one last time before I left. And I know I have to leave. Your someone I doubt I could ever see as just a friend. And I am someone that I know you couldn't be with. You deserve someone like that guy... someone that doesn't seem like he will go crazy and cut your tongue out."

Not once that whole time did he look back at her. Instead he let his gaze stay out the window and at the world he should be slipping back into and getting lost in.

"...I realized I was falling for you... most likely because I have never been around anyone before and you showed me kindness."

He had really thought about this. Had she given his feelings proper thought? She looked at the flowers he had brought. They were drooping. This was crazy. Did he expect her to... to reciprocate so fast? She wanted to love him for his sake. He so obviously needed someone to love him. Could she be that person?

"...I seen you with that guy... I got jealous... I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to hurt him bad. Goth didn't I did."

Ghost fumbled with the towel. She pulled it from where it hung around her shoulders. It was Otieno speaking after all. She felt like she had kicked his puppy. He wouldn't look at her. He was speaking in a way that hurt her to hear.

"Thats why I had to come see you even if I couldn't say anything. I wanted to see you one last time before I left. And I now I have to leave. You're someone I doubt I could ever see as just a friend. And I am someone that I know you couldn't be with. You deserve someone like that guy... someone that doesn't seem like he will go crazy and cut your tongue out."

"So you never deserve happiness?" She ran her fingers through her damp hair, unclumping the wet bits. "I get it. You're a very bad man... but you don't have to be, you know... It's not fair of me to say it, but it's true. You do have the capacity for kindness... and love." She looked at the sad flowers again. "You have the right to love... and be loved in return."

The hollowness in her chest was beginning to open up again, the roaring white static was growing louder in her mind. All the feelings she had thought she mastered were back... the seed she had carefully watered earlier had halted its growth.

"So you never deserve happiness?" She ran her fingers through her damp hair, unclumping the wet bits. "I get it. You're a very bad man... but you don't have to be, you know... It's not fair of me to say it, but it's true. You do have the capacity for kindness... and love." She looked at the sad flowers again. "You have the right to love... and be loved in return."

He sat there and listened to her speak. He nodded his head slowly, "But I will be happy knowing you are out there happy somewhere."

A slow smile spread over his lips as he turned and looked at her. His eyes shone as he slowly spoke. Each word coming out as if he were spitting out acid.

"Is that what you want me to say? Do you want me to be all sappy some more. I'm sorry but I can't. I have heard enough of his babbling. Did you know the stupid idiot has been awake since the day you met? Dumb ass just keeps popping caffiene pills. He figures if he is tired so are me and Christian. How stupid is that? We can rest whenever we feel like it."

He just started laughing as he slowly stood up. His eyes watched her as he stood there. He wanted another tongue on his necklace and she might as well be the donator.

He took a step but then his body wouldnt move. He growled lightly and then just stood there. A sheepish look coming over his face.

"Sorry bout that. Damn squirrels I rent the empty space in my head to kinda took over for a second there. Imma have to call animal control if they don't stop it."

She stood as he advanced. She wasn't afraid of him. She should be, but she wasn't. She was getting angry in her own way. Anger was enough for her to take action. She began pulling the oxygen rich air away from his face. She couldn't ever completely make him pass out with the door and the window open as they were. Her own air flow was sabotaging her.

"We weren't talking about my happiness... we were talking about yours... and Why haven't you slept!?" She was actually worried about that... it had been several days - no wonder he was a wreck.

She stepped slowly toward him, all she needed was to touch him. She was already siphoning the usable air away from him to make him light-headed. If she could touch him, she could force his every cell to exhale and he would pass out. It was for his own good at this point. She could sort out the good from bad later.

At first his eyes grew scared as the air started being pulled away. That lasted just as long as it took him to realize she wasnt stripping it all away. If he regulated his breathing and just slowed down he wouldn't have to worry about running out of breath. He had no clue why it was like this but it was so he wouldn't waste time wondering why. So he stood there and slowly spoke to her.

"If you would knock it off then we can talk. Otherwise I am going to sit here and concentrate on breathing. Knock me out... and I promise you... You won't like me when I wake up."

He left it unsaid who would be waking up. Otieno... Goth... With how he spoke it was difficult to tell who the speaker was. Was it Goth telling her he would be going after her? Or was it Otieno threatening her... not of physical harm but perhaps then he would leave. Maybe it was Christian telling her she won't like his morning breath. Who knows.

Her hand hovered over his arm. She was ready. She was sure that he needed it and deserved it. She sighed in moderate exasperation and released her hold on the air around him. It rushed back to equilibrium with a slight whoosh as she folded her arms and turned her back on him.

"Why haven't you slept?" She reiterated her question a bit harshly. She was growing more callous to the situation as it continued. She had forgotten how tiring he was to be around. She would give him a few more chances to explain everything clearly, but even if he wouldn't be pleasant when he 'awoke' - she was willing to take that risk if she thought he needed it.

"The reason I haven't slept would be beacuse I have been taking caffiene pills which keep me wide awake. Cause and effect I guess would be the reasoning behind that."

He smiled lightly as he spoke. He knew that wasn't the answer she was asking for though.

"I haven't slept because I haven't felt the need to sleep. I had alot of things to think about. Besides like He told you. I figured if I was awake they would be too. I figured if I was tired they would be tired and thus unable to come out."

He shrugged lightly and sat back down on the window sill. He put his feet back out the window and just sighed lightly. Perhaps it was time for him to go now. He seemed to just aggitate her. Part of him found it funny and that part of him he just told to shut up because he was an asshole. That part of him was the part that would think tap dancing midgets wouldnt be funny unless they were on fire.

She touched his arm and it was only that... just a gentle touch.

"You should take care of yourself." She had no right to say so. She had no right to worry. She wasn't mad anymore... just... confused. She rather felt like throwing up it was getting to be too much all at once.

He just gruffly replied as he started to slip out the window, "You too." Then he was slipping out the window. He felt lightly and alnded with his wings spread wide open as always. He slowly stood up and started to walk away. It was like deja vu. But this time as he was walking towards the gate he had to. He looked back at her window. His eyes searching. He didn't want to leave but he couldn't stay. There were just to many reasons why he shouldn't.

Garrett had returned to his room and had a long, hot shower. It was good to be clean. So good, he was trying to not get too spoiled, fearing it would all be taken away from him. It was early yet, but things might actually be okay this time. After he got out and dried off, he looked at the pile of filthy clothes at his feet with disdain.Oh yeah, these are the only clothes I have. He wrapped the towel snugly around his waist and peeped out into the hall. With no one in sight, he crept into the hallway and found a closet in the hallway. There were several items in here, jeans, shirts, pretty average. He looked both ways, fearing it to be a trap or someone's belongings. He took a pair of jeans and shirt that looked about right, checking them for tags of ownership but finding none.

They fit rather well, actually. He was surprised at it but then he decided that this was just another karmic reward, so he left the guilt in the closet with the clothes. He threw his dirty clothes into the corner of the bathroom and closed the door. He had a look at himself in the mirror. He didn't look half bad when he wasn't covered in sweat and trash. He headed out into the girl's hallway, looking into half opened doors while trying to not seem like a pervert.

He arrived at the right door, after a few gasps and angry looks, to see a figure..fall?...out of her window. She stood there, staring out of the window. Perhaps he had come at a bad time. Was there ever a good time or a bad time? No. there was only the present and its time for action. He knocked quietly on the door. "Ghost? Are you alright?" , he asked.

"Jerk." She mumbled to herself... she didn't mean it, but it kept her from doing something petty and/or cruel.

She heard the knock and the timid question if she was okay, but she leaned out the window anyway and shouted with her good lungs, "Go to sleep you big dummy!"

"Gah!" She began to shut the window after him.... on second thought she left it open. Leave it to TA to know just how to get under her skin.

She waved Garrett into her room. Her stomach churned as she walked in an agitated pattern from the flowers to the window. She was tempted to dump them out after him - she hadn't asked for them anyway.