Two wrongs don't make a right, but they make a good excuse. 

- Thomas Szasz

Leah was back in her corner seat with another beer in hand when Jared walked inside. She watched as his eyes found Ash and then his feet followed. The red mark on his cheek was shockingly clear, even from across the room, and it didn't take long for Ash to notice and consequently glare in Leah's direction. Usually, it would've been enough to make Leah disappear up the staircase. But not tonight.

Ash's anger was insignificant to the panic that waited in her hotel room. Leah knew, without knowing why, that her days of harmless dreams were over, that all the forgotten horrors of her past were reawakening. She could feel them creeping in the corners of her mind, and soon she'd have to face them.

She took another sip of her beer, pointedly avoiding Ash's gaze, and tried to vacate her mind of everything. The process had been somewhat accomplished when a guy sat down beside her.

Leah had seen him approaching out of her peripherals as a tall flash of blonde hair and a flannel shirt, and had presumed he'd continue past her table. The change in events was surprising enough for her to turn and face him.

"Hi," he said with a grin. "I'm Matt."

Leah stared.

Matt glanced down at her near-empty beer and cleared his throat. "Want another drink?"

"No, I'm fine," Leah said, eyeing him uncertainly.

"Okay."

He looked away, but didn't leave, and Leah wasn't sure whether she was pleased or annoyed about it.

"I'm sorry, is this your table?" she asked.

Matt looked back at her, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement. Words hovered on his tongue and she could see him weighing up whether to speak them or not.

"No," he said eventually. "I just think you're cute and you looked lonely."

Leah flushed quickly. "Oh."

Matt smiled, picking up a drink coaster and fiddling with it, and Leah watched him, trying to decide whether or not to get up and leave.

"Are you staying at the hotel?" she asked.

Matt glanced at her. "Nah, I live a block away. I come here for drinks on the weekends with my mates, but none of them are here yet."

"Right. So, I'll be ditched once they arrive?"

He laughed, a noise like water flung up into the air. "Not if you don't want to be."

Matt, Leah realised, was vacating her mind of anything and everything a lot quicker than her own attempt had. She sat back and grinned.

"What about you, then?" Matt asked. "Why are you here?"

"Stopover. I'm heading north."

Leah took another sip of her drink, glancing around the bar. Ash was no longer staring at her, but that brought little comfort as Jared was instead. His gaze was indiscernible, but Leah felt it like a hot rod against her spine, searing in its intensity.

"So, what is there to do around here?" she asked, turning back to the blonde beside her.

Matt grinned. "Depends what you like doing."

"Surprise me. I need a good distraction."

He eyed her for a moment.

"Want to see one of the best views in the city?"

Leah shrugged. "Sure."

Matt grinned and grabbed her hand, pulling her from the booth and out the door.

The recklessness of the situation was igniting that old, familiar feeling inside Leah; one that combined uncertainty, adrenaline and fear into an addictive concoction.

Matt pulled her down the alleyway and came to a stop beside Churchies, letting her go and pointing up. Leah followed his gaze to the roof of the hotel, five stories above their heads.

"The roof of the pub?" Leah asked in surprise. "Why are we out here then? Don't they have stairs inside?"

Matt grinned. "They do. But that's a bit boring, don't you think?"

The mischief in his eyes made a smile split Leah's face apart.

"This is the best place to climb," Matt said, walking towards the wall. "You can use the windows as handholds."

Leah eyed the building. It was old, made of brick with large window ledges. Some appeared to be crumbling away.

"Are you alright?" Matt asked, watching her closely. "We could take the stairs, if you want."

Leah felt a wicked smile grace her face. "Race you up."

Before Matt could move, Leah jumped to the first ledge and started climbing, his laugh following her up. The bricks were cold and Leah's hands became numb as she pushed herself higher, scaling the building quickly. Even without the windows, there were little dents in the cement to hold onto, or gaps where the brick had fallen away.

When she was a couple metres from the top she turned and looked down. Her head spun at the height, igniting another kick of adrenaline. She scrambled up the remaining distance, hauling herself onto the roof and lying back to stare up at the dark sky.

An uncharacteristic giggle hovered at the back of her throat and she let it out. She couldn't remember the last time she'd wanted to giggle, let alone actually done it.

As Matt pulled himself onto the roof, she rose and gave him a hand.

"Do you climb up buildings often?" he asked, his shoes scraping rubble from the edge.

"Not really."

He stood, brushing dust off his pants, and gave her a sidelong look. "I don't know if I believe that."

Leah laughed and walked to the far edge, looking out at the city. The view was beautiful, all twinkling lights and moonlit water. Matt moved to her side and pulled a cigarette from his jacket, looking out at the ocean as he lit it.

"Those things kill, you know," Leah said.

He took a drag and looked away. "I know. They killed me, actually."

Leah shifted, unsure how to respond. She'd never had this sort of conversation with anyone else. In fact, she had the distinct impression they were usually avoided.

"Why do you still smoke then?" she asked curiously. "Doesn't it bother you?"

Matt shrugged. "It probably should, but it can't hurt me here."

Leah didn't know what to say to that and they stood in silence as he finished his cigarette, watching the water lap against the rocks.

"Can I ask you something?" Matt asked eventually, flicking his cigarette over the edge and stepping closer. Leah could smell the smoke on his breath.

"Sure."

"Would you want to take a detour from your trip north? Spend a couple more nights here?"

"I can't," Leah said. "I have to be somewhere, the sooner the better."

Matt nodded, as if he'd expected her response.

"That's unfortunate. I know someone who'd like to meet you."

Leah glanced at him, her posture relaxed, but the words had made her wary.

"I don't know why anyone would want to meet me," she said.

Matt gave her a soft smile. "I can think of a few reasons. You've been headlining the news for the past week, after all."

Leah's gaze sharpened, and she spun to face him. Matt took a quick step backwards, hands raised beside his head as he took in her expression.

"Calm down. I know what you are, which means I'm not stupid enough to take you on myself. I just wanted to talk to you away from that guy you're with."

Leah halted, eyeing Matt cautiously as he edged towards her again, his gaze tentative. Against her better judgement, Leah found herself believing him. Every moment she spent with Jared was a power play. She'd forgotten how uncomplicated some people could be.

"Look," Matt said. "My friend's been searching for you and asked me to keep an eye out. He wants to see you before you go back to the live world, and I think you might want to see him too."

"Why?" Leah asked.

"Because he's —"

A bang cut Matt's sentence short, and before Leah could comprehend what was happening, he lurched forward, splattering her with warm liquid. She gasped as his body crashed into hers, the momentum tilting her backwards, and over the ledge she'd been standing on.

She scrambled to push her weight back onto the roof, to right herself, but she was already too off-balance.

Horror flooded her as she realised what was about to happen and her eyes squeezed shut. She wouldn't fall as far this time, maybe it wouldn't hurt so much.

But then someone grabbed her arm, wrenching her to the side and dislodging Matt's body from hers. Another tug sent her stumbling back onto the roof, falling roughly as Matt disappeared over the edge. She stared in shock as a sickening smack echoed from below.

For a moment the night was still, and then Leah lifted her head, staring at the person standing beside her.

It was Jared. And he was holding a gun.