Chapter 8

They don't do anything about Kal that day. After Finn being set on fire and the truth finally coming out Marie was too exhausted and overwhelmed to figure out how to get rid of a ghost.

The next day she isn't in a much better headspace to figure it out. She sits at her table in their apartment scrolling through different articles about ghosts and how to get rid of them.

"Why are you looking at ghostbusters stuff?" Evie asks. She hovers behind Marie, peeking over her shoulder.

Marie freezes. How is she supposed to explain this? Hey, so at my new job I'm basically supposed to be a ghostbuster? Maries pretty sure Evie wouldn't believe her. Or would write her off as crazy. "Um... It's inspiration for my next song?" She turns and looks at Evie. Hoping that she'll believe her.

Her roommate lifts an eyebrow. "Why ghosts though?"

Marie chuckles. "Roan is like, obsessed with them and thought a song about them would be cool."

Evie leans forward and rests her arms on the back of Marie's chair. "So your partner is finally showing up enough for you to get to know him?"

"Something like that." Marie chuckles and brushes her hair out of her face.

Evie grins. "Well, it's good to know he's finally working with you."

Marie nods. "Yep. Totally." She hates lying to Evie but she doesn't want her roommate to think she's crazy and kick her out.

Evie sighs and stands up straight. "Well, I'll leave you to it then. I have to head to work."

"Right... work." Marie glances back at her laptop.

"I'll see you for supper?" Evie asks as she makes her way to the door.

Marie nods. "Yeah. See you then."

***

"So, what have you guys tried to get rid of him?" Marie asks as she plops down on the couch next to Nayoko.

Now that the secret is out the whole cast can sit together and talk about it freely. Marie no longer has to worry about weird cryptic warnings, or weird sentences that get cut off once she enters the room. It's a relief for her.

"Well," Nayoko starts. "We've tried to just ignore him. But that only made him angrier."

"We've also tried cleansing the place," Amy says proudly. Then she slumps back. "But that didn't work either."

"We would have looked for an item that he had at the time of his kidnapping," Roan says. "But when he was taken he didn't have anything with him. So that wouldn't work."

Marie hums and nods as she listens to all the different ways they've tried to get rid of him and how none of it has worked.

She leans forward and places her arms on her legs. "So you've tried all these different things that work for most ghosts?" she asks.

They all nod.

"Have you ever considered something more personal?"

They all give her blank stares before looking around at each other.

"What do you mean?" Roan asks, settling his gaze back on her.

"While, I've noticed that anytime something... bad or weird happens that it always happens around music." She points at Nayoko. "She broke her leg when I was first practicing for my first performance." Then she points at Finn. "He got his burns when me and Roan were fighting over which song we were going to perform next. Isn't that enough to be a connection to something?"

Everyone is quiet until Mike, who just entered the room, says, "She has a point." He steps into the room. "But what if it isn't just music? What if it's also Roan?"

Roan looks taken aback. His eyes wide. He points at himself in bewilderment. "Me? How do you figure that?"

"Kal is your brother," Mike says. "And half the time bad things happen when you and your partner aren't getting along or working together." He looks at Marie. "We'd also brushed it off as the partner not being Kal's jam, but maybe we were wrong. What if he's acting out and waiting for someone who clicks with you?" He looks back at Roan.

"Then he couldn't possibly like me," Marie mutters.

"Click how?" Roan asks.

Mike shrugs. "Maybe like how you and him used to sing together?"

Roan looks at Marie. His green eyes seem to see something deeper within her. Marie tries her best to not squirm under his intense gaze.

Her mind flashes back to their practice room. To where he has the photos of him and who must be Kal sitting together and playing music. There must be a connection there. But what?

Roan sighs. "So if that theory is correct. How do we know if Marie is the right fit? Sure, Kal is acting out less but it's no guarantee."

Everyone is silent as they all think about it.

"Could we do what you and Amy did?" Nayoko asks.

"What did they do?" Marie asks.

"Absolutely not!" Mike yells.

"It's too risky!" Roan chimes in.

Amy snorts. "Please, she couldn't handle it."

The only one who doesn't say anything is Finn.

Mike sighs. "The last time we did that you almost didn't make it back, Amy."

Amy shrugs. "So? If Kal thinks Marie here is good enough he'll release her."

"Release me?" Marie's hand reaches up to her neck. "What are you all talking about?"

They all share a look. Marie thought that would be done once she knew what was going on. Apparently she had been wrong.

Roan sighs. "Who's going to tell her?"

Amy sits up straighter. A grin so sharp it could cut someone, grows on her face. "I will. After all, I'm the one who sat through it myself."

Marie gulps.

Amy turns towards her. "So. When I first started here I was in the same position as you. But Kal didn't take as kindly to me as he did to you." She rolls her eyes. Marie's own widen. He took to her kindly? "Anyways, one day I was just sitting here minding my own business when Kal decided to swoop in and possess me."

Marie's eyes widen farther. She leans back as if that can keep her from the way Amy talks so casually. "You were possessed?" she repeats.

Amy nods and hums. "Yep!"

"During that time Kal decided to talk," Roan says, taking over from Amy. Even he looks a little freaked out.

"Talk how?" Marie asks. She turns towards Roan, but still faces Amy just a little bit. She's not sure that Amy is sane.

He runs a hand through his hair. "He didn't say a lot. Or tell us anything. He just sort of... acted like a kid at the beginning and then... then he didn't."

"Didn't act like a kid?"

He nods. "He got... scary. He started acting crazy and started threatening to hurt people."

"It hurt me," Amy says, her voice low. "He started to compulse and my body just... went slack."

"It took an hour for Amy to come back to us."

"And you want me to do that?" Marie explodes. She can't believe that they would suggest that. Letting a ghost into her body and letting it have control of her? No thank you. She very much liked to be in control of her body.

"It might help us understand him!" Roan says.

"It could stop anyone else from getting hurt," Nayoko whispers.

"I know it's a lot." Mike stands and kneels in front of her. He places his hands on her knees. "But please think about it. If we can just talk to him somehow and find out how we're supposed to put him to rest then everyone can stop getting hurt and there won't be any more chaos here."

"It would be normal," Roan whispers.

Marie looks around at the group. Everyone looks down at their laps looking forlorn. If this were to work they wouldn't have to worry about themselves getting hurt. Or a fire breaking out.

Would it really be so simple to just let Kal into her body? To let them talk to him? Wasn't this why Mike hired her? So that she could help free Kal? And what if she just walked out? They'd be stuck in the same cycle over and over again, wouldn't they?

Sure, this isn't what she signed up for. She signed up for fame. Not ghost banishing. She'd only ever seen herself as a famous singer, everyone else saw her as a stuck up girl who couldn't get her head out of the clouds. Even her dad. If she did this it would prove them all wrong. Right?

"I'll do it."

Everyone looks up at her. Their eyes wide. Some with excitement - Nayoko - others with surprise - Amy, Mike - and the last with a mixture plus fear - Roan and Finn.

"Are you sure?" Roan asks.

She looks at him. There's a bright light in his eye. Hope. She can't let that hope die. Can she?

"I'm sure."

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