Venn pulled a batch of cookies out of the oven. "Family should be here any minute!" he called. "You done with whatever you're doing yet?"

Reed poked his head around the door and held up the giant knot of chains he was untangling. "You were the last one to touch these, you honestly think I'm going to be done in less than an hour?"

Venn shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe if you hadn't given them to me when we got home..."

"Hey, this is hurting my hands. You can shut up." Reed pulled back into the living room.

Venn fiddled with the rose he'd pinned over his heart. The subtle reminder that no matter what happened, he wasn't really alive. It wasn't exactly the kind of thing most people wanted to be reminded of, but for some reason it made Venn feel better.

Someone knocked at the door. Venn headed to answer it. From the living room, there was a rattling clatter as Reed shoved the chains under his chair.

Venn opened the door and was instantly swarmed by three little kids. They all screeched excitedly and hugged his legs "UNCLE VENN!"

Venn froze, looking down at the children in shock. Partly at the fact they were jabbering at him in English and partly because they had called him, an only child, uncle. He brought his gaze up to the other people in the door. His parents and a tall, blonde woman several years older than him. She had green eyes and a kind smile when she saw him.

The woman gave a small wave. "You must be Venn. I apologize for my children, they are... excitable."

Venn narrowed his eyes in confusion as she pulled the kids away. "I'm sorry... I don't understand."

Reed strode out of the living room and stood a few steps behind Venn. He watched intently.

"You must not have been informed. I am Vera, I was adopted by your parents a few years after you left." Vera smiled.

Venn stood there for a second, then he pulled her into a tight hug. "It is good to meet you Sorella."

Vera didn't reply. She only smiled as Venn stepped back. "Please come in. Vera, this is my fra- ah, good friend Reed."

Reed smiled politely, noticing that Venn stopped himself from saying "fratello." Reed shook Vera's hand. "The pleasure is mine."

Venn's parents followed Vera inside. Claudia greeted Reed with a bright smile. She had clearly learned some English, but not much. Vera introduced her children. Zoni was the oldest, Leo was the next, and Maria was youngest.

Venn's niece and nephews crowded around him again. They grabbed his arms and tugged his sleeves. Despite himself, Venn felt a momentary jolt of panic when he couldn't lift his arms. He managed to hide it from his family, but Reed gave him a concerned look.

"Can you tell us a story?" Zoni asked eagerly.

Venn, to the surprise of everyone around him, grinned. "A story? Ooh I suppose. I hope you all dont mind. We'll be by the fire." He repeated himself in Italian for his parents before guiding the children to the hearth.

Venn sat in front of the fire with the three in front of him. "So, would you like some real ghost stories? I fight ghosts, did you know that?"

All three looked awestruck. They all nodded eagerly when asked if they were sure they wanted to hear it.

Venn, excited to have such an interested audience, began to tell them about one case after another. He taught them about the types of ghosts as he went.

Reed walked in once, to make sure Venn was doing alright, and gave him a disapproving look. "Venn, they live in Venice. They'll never need to deal with ghosts. Don't tell them those stories."

Venn smiled sweetly. "Oh of course not."

Reed frowned, raising a skeptical eyebrow. He stood there, watching as Venn and the children sat there in silent innocence. Finally, he shook his head and returned to the kitchen

Venn continued his ghost stories as soon as Reed was gone. He skipped the most dangerous ones on which either he or Reed had come close to death or, in Venn's case, had died.

After finishing the last one he could think of, Venn leaned forward. "Can you three keep a secret?" He asked, dark eyes twinkling.

The three children, naturally, nodded enthusiastically.

"I am a type of ghost called a type four. I'm not evil like all the rest, I kept my memories and my mind when I died."

Zoni looked amazed, the other two looked confused.

"What was it like to die?" Zoni asked, his wide green eyes filled with curiosity.

Venn laughed quietly. "That's a story for another time, Zee. When you're older."

Zoni sighed dramatically and crossed his arms. Venn just smiled faintly and shook his head. "Should we go into the kitchen and see everyone else?" Venn asked.

He got up without waiting for a reply. The children followed him without complaint. They went into the kitchen, where Vera and Reed were chatting idly about London. Edvin and Claudia sat quietly, content to listen.

Before Venn had the chance to sit down, Maria ran over to Claudia. Speaking in fast Italian, she bounced excitedly. "Nonna, nonna! Venn says he's a ghost!"

All conversation halted everyone looked to Venn. Reed looked confused. He had understood Venn's name among Maria's words and the word 'fantasma' likely meant ghost, but nothing else.

Venn had one hand on the back of a chair, about to pull it away from the table when he stopped. He looked at Maria, excited and innocent, and found he couldn't even be upset with her. He sat slowly, not saying a word.

Claudia gently turned Maria around, urging her and her brothers to go play. Once the trio was gone, Claudia turned back to Venn. "Is it true?"

Venn leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He closed his eyes. "Yes... it is." He slowly opened his eyes and looked up. "I'm dead."

The three across the table looked skeptical. Seeing no choice, Venn told them how he died. He glossed over most of the details and Reed noted that he left out large chunks of information. He still had to pause several times to regather his emotions as he relived the pain and fear again.

When he finished, the room fell silent. The children could be heard shrieking as they played upstairs. Vera looked shocked and horrified, as did Claudia. Edvin, however, still looked unsure. He studied Venn with an intense gaze.

After a moment, Edvin let out a long breath. "That's ridiculous."

The shocked silence that fell next became hostile.

"Ridiculous?" Venn growled.

Edvin didn't reply. Claudia reached out a hand, about to say something to try calming Venn down.

"You will never know what it's like to stand on the brink of the afterlife and the place between knowing that if you leave your best friend will DIE!" Venn stood, slamming his fists on the table. His voice slid back into Italian as ghost fog gathered around them.

Claudia pulled her hand back at Venn's outburst, looking at him with a nervous expression. Vera seemed relatively calm, but she eyed the fog with a concerned eye. Edvin blinked in surprise. He hadn't expected this reaction from Venn.

"Venn..." Reed said in a warning tone, standing slowly.

Venn ignored him, leaning over the table. Cabinets rattled behind him. "And you will certainly never know what it's like to wish so desperately for the pain to stop but it just DOESN'T!" Then came the ghost lock. His family stared at him, all looking equally terrified.

"VENN!" Reed snapped, forcing away the ghost lock. "Stop!"

Venn rounded on Reed, scowling, then stopped. The cabinet stopped shaking as he realized how thick the green fog in the room was. It was curling around his legs and arms like snakes. The floor was lost beneath a sea of shifting green. Venn stepped back from the table, horror creeping into his expression. The ghost lock dropped off almost instantly, the fog fading slowly.

Reed reached out a hand slowly and stepped forward, as if approaching a skittish horse. "Venn... don't run. Please."

Venn looked like he wanted to do nothing more than bolt out the door and away. He shook himself and slumped back down into his chair. He hunched his shoulders, dropped his head, and closed his eyes. "I'm so sorry... I'm not...stable."

Reed lowered his hand and pulled his chair over to Venn's. "I'll be back, alright? I'm just going to grab the papers." He touched Venn's shoulder, looking down at him in concern. "You gonna be alright?"

Venn nodded and took a deep breath. "I'm fine," he said shortly, then instantly grimaced. "Sorry. I'll be good..."

Reed slipped away to retrieve the newspapers he had kept since Venn had died.

Silence fell in the kitchen again. The children could be heard upstairs moving around, likely playing hide and seek from how quiet they were.

Claudia leaned over to Edvin, keeping her eyes on Venn. She whispered something that Venn missed most of. He caught his name though and two other words. Ospedale psichiatrico.

Mental hospital.

The word stung. His shoulders tightened and his silence grew cold again. He couldn't deny that therapy was probably the actual smart choice, but what his mother suggested seemed extreme. He didn't want either option.

Vera managed to coax out a hesitant conversation about ghosts from Venn. She knew nothing about nighttime safety, which drew Venn out of his shell with relative speed. Venn wasn't about to let her do the same thing he did when he first arrived.

Reed returned with the papers. He slid them to Claudia and Edvin before sitting next to Venn. He joined Venn in educating Vera. Slowly, the mood between three of the five grew lighter, but Venn's parents remained somber and sad.