I slowly walk towards the spot I left James at, feeling heavier with every step I take. I can only see Diana's terrified face, the tears streaming down her face. She was just scared, I don't even know if she really regretted what she did. She said sorry because she was afraid I would kill her. Maybe she lives with that fear, I can't know, but the thought doesn't comfort me. Even if her soul is eternally tortured, that doesn't soothe my pain. That doesn't change anything and noticing that now makes me feel worse.

I was so certain this was it. Making her pay, making her know I was still here and didn't forget what she did... but that didn't change anything. If that was my unfinished business, this wasn't the way to fulfil it.

I have no idea what to do now. Where to go. I was wrong and I'm even more lost now. Seeing Diana in such pain, feeling my own agony didn't give me any sort of peace. How... how can some people enjoy torturing others? How could she enjoy seeing me cry? How could she find amusement in pushing me, hitting me, humiliating me? Where is the pleasure in bullying someone else?

I see James standing there, watching the house as if he expected it to burst in flames any moment. Or maybe he is just waiting to see where I come from, because the moment his eyes find me his smile widens, his eyes sparkle and he breaks in a jogging to catch with me. But as he draws closer he notices my expression, he reads all my emotions and his own face mirrors mine.

"What happened?"

"I did it," I say. "I found her and I was so angry. I wanted to harm her do badly, but I didn't. I did touch her so she could feel my pain. She knew it was me. She said she knew I'd come for her one day. She cried and said sorry... but nothing changed." My voice breaks, more than frustration I feel disappointed and confused because I'm once again back to where I began. But I lost all direction now.

"Oh Paige," he laments, his own voice as broken as I feel now.

I want to cry. I want to sob and whine and just let it all out. But it's stuck inside of me, stuck forever, just like I am.

"I gave her my Mum's address and told her to go apologise to her. She can at least do that now that she's in town."

"That's a good idea," James points out and I just heave an exhausted sigh.

"I think I should give up on this whole unfinished business and just worry about Mum until the end. Can we go to my house and check on her? I've been so busy with this that I don't even feel drawn to there anymore," I say and he nods immediately.

"Yes, let's do that. In all honesty, you sound more regretful about her than anything else," he comments as I walk past him heading towards my old house.

"That's because it's my fault how she ended up. I feel so sorry to her. And if I'm stuck here to repent for what I did to her, then that would be fair and I should stop trying to escape my punishment," I muse and I hear James' steps cease.

"Don't say that, Paige. Don't become a martyr."

"Whatever," I mutter next, defeated. I can't even think of being positive or pushing away all my own sorrows, I don't have the energy. I can only see Diana crying, and as the seconds go by I feel more remorseful for falling so low as to torture her. I went to her house with the intent to cause pain, thinking that would give me peace.

How could I be so stupid?

For the rest of the way we don't say anything else. I try to focus on James' steps by my side, the constant rhythm of his boots against the concrete. It seems like three lifespans go by before we reach even my neighbourhood. And once we are there I stop thinking of all those conflictive thoughts or anything else. I can only see the commotion around.

Firetrucks and an ambulance, neighbours watching, in their pyjamas, wrapped in blankets and gathering around, whispering to one another. I feel dread consuming me, I'm not even able to take another step. I notice the smoke coming out and it takes me a while to understand that there was a fire.

Everything gets blurry around me because I cant see anything else. I'm just looking ahead, to where my house should be, and the firemen coming out. I don't care about all the people whispering and watching as if this were some circus exhibition.

"You think it was intentional?" I hear, somehow the words carried with the wind to my ears.

"No. The firemen said it was an accident. It seems she left the the iron on," I hear again. Whispers carried by the night wind, chilling me.

I start shaking, fear and horror taking control over me. All my selfish worries vanish because I can only think of my mum. Where is she now? Did they take her to the hospital already? To what hospital? What will happen next?

I don't realise how I start running until I'm in front of a burnt house. Smoke is coming out from every corner, but the flames have disappeared already, completely extinguished. Then it means it happened a while ago. My house caught in fire and I wasn't even aware of it. I was too busy seeking revenge to be around to stop this. Mum always left the iron on but it was me the one that unplugged it, making sure an accident like this wouldn't happen. But I wasn't around this time... now the house is lost.

"M-mum," I breathe out, my voice so shaky even if it's such a small word. "Mum... where are you?"

In that exact moment I see another group of firemen, these carrying a stretcher with them and it looks like they've got something on it, but it's covered. Mum is walking beside them and the relief I feel is so strong my knees give out.

"Mum. Oh dear God, Mum," I cry out, my hands trembling as I touch my mouth, covering it.

But then my Mum's head snaps towards me, as if she heard me. Her eyes widen and I freeze again because it seems she is seeing me here on the cold hard ground.

"Oh shit," I hear someone from behind. James, I realise. He's standing behind me.

"Paige?" Mum says before I can even think she's just watching James. "Is that you, Paige?" she asks again and I can't even blink.

Mum can see me... she can see me now. She's calling my name, her eyes are meeting mine. Why can she see me now?

She stays behind whilst the firemen keep walking, and then she takes a step towards me, and then another, never ceasing to call my name. In the background there's a cacophony that sounds muffled, a small sign that the world keeps going on around, but I can't focus on anything else but my mum walking towards me.

"It is you, my baby. Paige... why are you here? Paige!" she cries out, running towards me, kneeling in front of me and grabbing me in her arms next, pulling me towards her.

It's electricity, just energy and nothing else. It's not like when James touches me and she doesn't seem to be in any sort of pain. She's not crying or shaking, she's just hugging me tighter as she keeps repeating my name. But I can't react, I can't even hug her back because my mind is working so hard to understand what's happening. I think I already know why this can be possible now, but I'm still trying to deny it. I don't want to believe this.

But my mum is finally hugging me, she can see me, and once again I'm in her arms.

"Mum," I whine, finally hugging her back.

"My girl, my baby girl," she does the same and I can't stop shaking. "Where have you been all this time? Why did you leave me?"

"I'm sorry, Mum. I'm so sorry," I beg, hugging her as tight as I can. "I'm sorry for what I did, Mum. I should've... I should've thought of you. I should've stopped."

"It doesn't matter now, you're here," she says, pulling back to just look at me. Her hands cup my face, fingers brushing my hair and her eyes looking at me with so much love. There's no resentment, even after what I did to her, she never blamed me. "We are together now. It'll be all fine. We'll find a new house and we'll be okay," she promises me. The lump in my throat is choking me.

She doesn't know. She hasn't seen the police and forensic team, the firemen carrying what now I realise was her body. She thinks she's still alive but she isn't... she's a ghost just like me.

"We can't," I breath out, confusing her. "Mum you... in the fire... I'm a ghost, mum. I'm not alive," I let out, not exactly making sense but trying to make her understand. "And now you..."

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Mum. I'm so sorry! I should've been here, making sure this didn't happen. I had to protect you. I'm so sorry!" I cry out again, but my mums shakes her head.

"No. How can you be dead? I'm seeing you, I'm touching you," she protests, shaking her head more firmly.

Why can't I cry right now? Why?

"I've been dead for fifteen years. You know that. You had my ashes with you. I'm sorry, Mum. I should've saved you from this fire."

Mum freezes, then looks around, taking into notice everything that's happening around. She sees how no one is paying us attention, despite what is happening between us. No one is actually dragging her to an ambulance or anything, despite she was in a fire. I think just now she realises she doesn't even feel dizzy or anything. She's not even dirty. She's perfect. And a person who was in a fire can't look like that.

"Mum," I breath out, feeling terrible for not saving her. I had to save her. That was my mistake, to be focused on seeking a pointless revenge instead of looking after her. Why do I keep making her suffer like this? Why can't I do anything good for my mum? "I'm sorry."

"No," she says. "You don't have anything to be sorry about. It's not your fault," she says. I want to refute, to tell her it is my fault. To beg for forgiveness. "Nothing is your fault. It is mine. I should've taken you away from that place the first time you came home with that broken look in your eyes. I should've taken you away from this town when kids didn't stop bothering you. A mother is supposed to protect! I didn't protect you. It was my fault, Paige. I should've heard the truth behind every time you lied saying you were fine. Please, forgive me, my girl. I should've protected you from all those other kids. I'm so sorry," she is the one begging now, stroking my hair, cupping my cheeks and smiling so sadly. "I'm so sorry."

I shake my head now. "It wasn't your fault, Mum. Don't... You did all what you could. You always loved me."

"I'll always love you, my girl," she corrects me and the desire to cry is breaking me.

"I love you, Mum."

Her smile is sad and broken, but it's a smile, and for the first time in so many years, she looks alive. She looks like the women I remember, the one that hugged me and told me things would get better in the future. She's the one I tried to protect by hiding the magnitude of what was happening. This is my Mum.

Someone else approaches us, but then I notice it's not someone. It's just... a blur. It has the shape of a person, but nothing can be distinguished. There's no face or hands, just a blurry image of what a person should be. That thing approaches us and stops behind Mum. It doesn't say anything, but Mum tenses, as if she knew.

Then it's hand is on her shoulder. Mum faces relaxes, her whole body language changes.

"I have to go," she says and I panic. She rises to her feet and I do the same, the thing behind her never breaking the contact. "I'm done here."

"But I can't... not yet," I whisper and she nods.

She knows now. Her expression has changed, it shows a serenity that avoided her for so long. She looks as if everything is sorted out and her smile is a reassuring one.

"But you're not alone." She looks at James who is still behind us, giving us space. "Take care of her. She isn't done here, yet."

"I will," he says. I can feel him closer to me now, right behind me.

"Paige," Mum speaks to me again. "Don't worry. Everything will be sorted out when it has to be. Your time on this realm isn't over yet," she explains.

"Why am I here? Mum, answer me that before leaving, please."

"You died before you had to. You have to fulfil your time here before crossing over. You need to learn your lessons first, only then we will meet again," she tells me with her reassuring smile, her motherly one. "For taking your own life you soul has been punished to stay on this realm, alone, until you learn your lesson. Here but not quite," she continues. "Only when your soul learns the lessons you were supposed in this life, you will be forgiven and admitted where you belong."

"We'll meet again?"

"Of course we'll do, my girl. And it'll be forever then," she replies, cupping my face once again. "And even then, it'll depend on you. It's always your choice."

"I'll meet you again," I blurt out. "I'll learn my lessons and I'll cross over. We'll be together again."

"Yes, we will," she smiles at me once again. "Until then, My girl. Thank you for staying by my side all these years. I knew you were there."

"That harmed you more," I mutter but she shakes hear head.

"Thank you, Paige, for never really leaving me. I'll see you again," she bids her goodbye, smiling one last time and kissing my cheek. "I love you, my girl."

"I love you, Mum," I reply. I hear a little meow bellow and find Luna, rubbing herself against Mum's legs.

"Time to go, little Luna," she says, grabbing her in her arms. "Say by to Paige."

My eyes widen in horror, realising what this means. Luna meows to me and with a shaking hand, I pet her head one last time. She purrs and I start shaking.

"Bye, Luna. Thank you for being with me all this time," I say.

The thing behind Mum takes a step back this time. Mum turns around with Luna in her arms and starts walking away. I stay where I am, watching her retreating figure that gets blurrier with every step she takes away till she's as blurry as the being by her side. Eventually, they disappear. I can't even say a word, it's all stuck in my throat. My mind can't even process what's happened.

"Mum," is all I can say, a broken and pitiful cry that reflects the shattered pieces of my heart and soul. "Mum..."

>>>·<<<

I uh... Sorry. But I swear next chapter will make it up for this one. I wrote it already and yes, you all will love it. I swear! And even if the 2K votes weren't reached before Thursday, I'll give you a chance to play again! Get 2K votes before Monday and you'll get the anticipated chapter 30. One word to describe it: FEELS!

Dedication to ladydiana99 for all that love for the story and it's also your birthday. ¡FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS! Espero tu día fuera excelente y disfruta tus dieciséis. 

Bel, xx