The next morning, I quickly got permission from my dad to take his truck and tried to sneak out of my driveway before Nick came out his parents house.

I put the keys into the ignition.

"Where do you think you're going?" Nick asked from the passenger seat.

I let out shriek, glad my car was still in park.

"Jesus Nick! You scared me! Why would you sneak up on me like this?"

"Why would you sneak away from me is the better question?" He countered. "I know where you're going Eva."

I felt my face go pale. "I'm, uh- grocery shopping."

Nick was not amused by my answer. "Get out the car Eva."

I furrowed my brows. "No."

"Eva—"

"Listen here Nick. I love you. I love that you want to protect me. I love how this is our first real argument as a couple. BUT— this is something that I need to do. If I don't do this it'll always haunt me. You can either come with me as my secret ghost weapon or you can sulk on that porch until I get back. Either way I'm going."

Nick glared at me, not saying anything for a long while.

"Fine. I'm only agreeing because I know I can't stop you, but know I'm very angry at you now."

I wide grin stretched across my lips. "Yes! Let's go Watson!"

His frown twitched up. "Stop making me laugh, I'm seriously made at you."

"But you still love me though," I raised my brows teasingly.

He rolled his eyes. "You know I'd never stop."

"I know," I smiled warmly reaching for his hand. He lifted it to his lips and placed a sweet kiss.

"Come on Sherlock, let's not waste daylight."

I grinned widely before shifting gears and hitting the road.

We walked along the lake, continuing our search for the mailbox in Nick's partial memory. Our follower was nowhere to be seen or heard.

"Maybe it's his day off," I teased.

Nick was not amused. He kept looking around us as if someone was going to pop up any second.

"Nick! You aren't even paying attention," I frowned. We could have walked past this mailbox and he would have never known.

"Do you blame me?" He took an angry step forward.

I shrunk before him feeling guilty. "Sorry."

We heard a snap. Both our heads whipped in its direction.

"He's here," whispered Nick, even though the man wouldn't be able to hear him.

"Go see his face," I whispered.

Nick nodded, taking a step forward.

"Hey! I know you're out there!" I yelled.

Nick whipped around so fast. "What are you doing?!"

I motioned for him to continue. "I know you've been following me for the past few weeks! If you've been watching closely you'll know of my ability to see the dead. Nick has told me everything. And no, I'm not crazy. I can prove it."

I heard another step. It was closer. He was curious. I looked at Nick who looked at me like I've lost it.

"Nick. Lift that log," I pointed to the log beside him.

Nick sighed before picking it up.

There was silence. Then I heard running. Our follower was running away!

I ran after him. Nick swore running too.

"Eva, don't chase him! He could be dangerous!"

I shook my head. "He's our only lead."

I could feel the burn in my legs and my chest constricting. God, I need to get into shape.

I could see the build of the person. It was not Amelia or Trey. He was rather broad and tall, hiding behind a black hoodie. He could easily over power me. He ran up the steep hill, and I ran after him.

"Eva stop!" Nick pleader from beside me.

I made it to the top watching the man run to his car. I ran to my car too.

"Eva! Let it go!" Nick tried again.

I got into my car not even bothering to wear my seat belt. I quickly did a u-turn following the black car.

"Come on Eva! Be logical! This is insane!"

"No, we got him Nick. This is the closest we've been. I have him spooked. People don't think straight when they're scared," I said getting on to the main road. The man was speeding, merging between the lanes trying to lose me. Not today mister. Not when we're this close.

The man got on to a highway leading out of town. "Eva, we can just go home. We don't need to follow him."

"He's going into the city, it's heavy populated. There will be lots of witnesses," I told him.

"God, you're a stubborn one aren't you," he groaned, ripping his head back. "Why did I have to fall for you out of all people? You're going to kill a dead man."

My lips twitched. "If the person you love doesn't do crazy stupid shit like this for you, do they even love you?"

He groaned again. "I don't even know how to answer you."

I followed every turn and road the man took. Even if there were cars between us, I never lost him. The man finally parked on the side of the road before crossing the street and walking to hospital. I parked anywhere, not caring if I got a parking ticket and ran after him. As soon as I walked into the hospital I realized I lost him.

"You see him?" I asked Nick.

"No," he shook his head. "Dammit."

I frowned. My insides were boiling. After this whole wild goose chase, everything was for nothing.

"Let's just go. You tried and I appreciate it. A lot. No one would have done what you've done. So thanks, but it's over now," he said, putting a supporting hand on my shoulder.

No. It's not over. It can't be over. This couldn't be for nothing. I wouldn't allow it.

Think Eva, think.

"What if your body is in this hospital? Maybe that's why he's here?" I asked.

Nick gave me a weary look. "I'm pretty sure the cops would have checked that out."

I walked up to the nurse at the desk. "Excuse me, but do you have any young John Doe's. He'd be in high school, the body of an athlete. He's handsome. Light brown hair? Caucasian?"

The lady furrowed her brows. "Sorry, I can't disclose this information."

"Please, someone told me he might be here. I'm family," I told her. She let out a sigh and began typing something on to her computer.

She frowned. "Sorry, no John Doe's by that description.... there is an odd case though. What did you say his name was?"

It couldn't be under Nick....

I played a wild card. "Kyle Sanders."

I used his fake ID name.

Her brows rose. "That's him. We found it odd that that was the only piece of ID on him."

A gasp left my lips. I didn't think it would work. Nick's body really was in this hospital.

My whole body began to tremble. "Is... is he dead?"

She looked at me with a sad expression. "No, but he's been in a coma for the past month. Would you mind coming with me to properly identify him?"

I nodded, but I didn't know how to move my legs. I dared look at Nick who looked beyond frightened. He was in shock. I reached for his hand, finding strength for the both of us. He squeezed my hand and finally looked at me. He gave a brave nod. We walked with the nurse, going to the third floor. We went into the left wing, towards the end of the hall.

Then I saw him. The man in the black hoodie. He was reaching for a patient's door and I just knew it was Nick's.

"Hey!" The nurse yelled. "You can't be here!"

The men tensed before bolting to the other side of the hall. I wanted to chase him, but I couldn't leave Nick in this state.

"That man doesn't feel right. Can you call security?" I asked the nurse.

She nodded. "I will. Are you okay if I leave you alone? It's room 322."

I looked at Nick who nodded. We were going to do this.

I opened the door and entered. A gasp escaped my lips.

Nick was there. He had a cast on his arm, tubes connected to his nose and mouth, he had faded bruises- if they had last that long then they must have been bad. I stepped closer and could see a scar on his forehead that seemed like it might have been a bad gash- he probably needed stitches for it when he was admitted.

"Oh my god," I managed to say.

"What the hell happened to me?" Nick whispered. He was in shock. His eyes did not leave his body.

He still didn't remember.

The nurse walked back into the room looking alarmed. "Sorry, we weren't able to catch him. Do you know who that was?"

I shook my head. There was nothing I could do about the hooded man for now. "How did you come across him? How'd you find his body?"

The nurse sighed. "Someone brought him in, yelling for help. He said he'd been in a bar fight, but left before we could question him further."

I bit my lip. "You need to call the police. This isn't Kyle Sanders, it was a fake ID. This is the missing Nick Leighton."

"Oh dear god," the nurse looked worried. She ran out the room to make the call. I turned to look back at Nick, but he wasn't there anymore.

"Nick?" I asked looking around. Where was he? "Nick!"

I was growing worried. Could he possibly have passed? Did he disappear once he joined his body again? I looked at the heart monitor, but nothing seemed to change.

I went to Nick's body and held his hand. "Come on Nick. Wake up. Come back to me. Come back to your family. Come back to your friends. You have so much to live for. You have your writing program to go to so you can become this amazing famous author. You need to grow and get old. You— you— please come back."

I couldn't stop myself from crying even if I wanted to. I knew Nick would leave me soon, but I didn't want it to be this soon.

It took an hour for the police to get here, as well as Nick's parents. Nick didn't wake up.

The police questioned me. Asking how I found the body. I told them how I went to the lake to look for clues only to notice someone following me. I told them how I turned the tables and followed him, which led me here. They checked the security cameras to try and identify the man, but it seemed like he knew where they were and how to avoid them.

I slept at the hospital, partially to support the Leighton's and partially because I couldn't bare to part with Nick.

When morning came, the Leighton's tried to get me to go home and get real rest.

"No, I'm not ready to leave. I need to stay here. I need to stay with-" Nick. "With you. I can't leave you now."

Mrs. Leighton hugged me tightly. "Thank you Eva. This means the world to us."

"Honey—" Mr. Leighton tried calling his wife.

"Not now Bill, I'm talking to Eva."

"Nick just moved his finger," he said.

We both ran to the bed.

"Nick," his mother tried to call for him.

His finger moved again. My hand flew to my lips as I stifled a sob. He was waking up!

"Nurse!" Mr. Leighton called. "Nurse! He's moving his fingers!"

The heart monitor began to change beat. The nurse radioed a doctor.

Come on Nick. You could do it. Wake up.

His lip twitched. Then his foot. Come on Nick.

His eyelids moved, but didn't open.

Come on, open!

His eyes fluttered open.

His mother let out a chocked sob.

"Atta boy!" His father cheered.

Nick blinked several times. He looked lost before finally coming to his senses. He looked around before starting to panic. His whole body began to jerk. Nick clawed at the tube in his mouth, as if trying to remove it.

The nurses grabbed his hands as the doctor tried to calm him.

"What's happening? What's happening with our boy?" Mr. Leighton demanded.

"He's just in shock," a nurse said. "We're going to ask you to step out."

"No!" Mrs. Leighton argued. "I'm not leaving my baby!"

"Ma'am, please. I'm just trying to create a safe space for your son."

"I'm his mother! I'm no danger to him!"

The nurse looked troubled. "Please ma'am, the doctor needs to do his job."

Mr. Leighton put his hands on his wife's shoulders. She tried to fight him off, but he finally persuaded her to leave the room.

The doctor was running tests on Nick to test for brain damage. I had bitten my nails to the stub in worry. Finally, the doctor told us we can see him.

Nick looked much more calm when we entered.

His parents ran to hug him. His mother would not stop crying, even through her smile.

I stood awkwardly at the door, not wanted to ruin their moment. They deserved this moment.

Nick's eyes finally met mine. He furrowed his brows. "Eva? What are you doing here?"

My heart stopped beating.

"I uh— Nick, what's the last thing you remember?" I asked. It felt like I was drenched with cold water. I knew what his answer was and I didn't want to hear it.

"Leaving the movie theatres with Trent and Amelia... how long was I in this coma for?" He asked, looking more and more confused.

He didn't remember me.

I got him back only to lose him.

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