One Reason

The tension in the air was palatable as Brooke paced back and forth. “We can’t let Jeremy have Squip help him. That demon just wants to use him, we can both tell that much.”

“But what can we do, Brookie? We’re basically powerless next to Squip,” Christine asked. She clearly wanted to help, but Brooke could understand why she felt so lost. This was a big deal, something bigger than either of them had ever taken on.

“We are with that attitude.” Brooke went over and took one of Christine’s hands. “We have powers. We’ve learned that. We need to use them to help Jeremy.”

Christine’s expression was wobbly but determined. “You’re right. Maybe that’s why he can see us. We’re meant to help him! We’re meant to protect him and look after him and give him a home here.” Her determination solidified a little as she smiled. “He deserves a family who’s willing to fight for him.”

Brooke beamed as she nodded and held both of Christine’s hands. “We are going to be that family.” Something hit her then and she laughed. “Wow, your dad was technically right. He said our first kid would be a son. Jeremy’s like our son.”

Christine’s eyes widened and she giggled softly. “I love our adopted alive son.” She agreed, hugging Brooke and kissing her cheek. “After this, we should see if we can contact his dad or brother. We’re gonna be his family, but he also needs other alive people to love him too.”

“Oh, of course. He can’t be raised by ghosts,” Brooke agreed before cupping Christine’s cheeks. “That’s what we’re arguing against right now.”

“Let’s go save our son.”

A knock at the attic door startled them out of their moment.

“Hello? Is... anyone up there?” That sounded like Jeremy’s brother. Was he looking for Jeremy? But why up here, Jeremy was downstairs!

“If you can hear me, Marshal, you can come in!” Christine called before Brooke had properly processed what was happening.

The door was opened and Brooke heard then saw Marshal and his dad come upstairs. When Marshal saw them, he stared for a second before waving. It took his dad a few seconds and a nudge to follow suit.

“Hi.” Christine waved back awkwardly. 

“You’re the ghosts Jeremy talked about, aren’t you?” Marshal asked hesitantly. “Christine and Brooke Lohst?” Mr. Heere just sort of shuffled behind Marshal, seeming even more uncomfortable than Brooke felt right then.

Brooke nodded and took a step forward. “Why are you two here? You should have seen Jeremy on your way up here.”

The two men looked surprised, but Mr. Heere shook his head, taking over from his son. “No, we didn’t see him. And we were hoping for your help.” He took a breath. “We think that the freaky techno ghost guy Jeremy summoned last night has done something to his head. We need your help getting him back.”

Brooke looked at Christine before looking at the two men. “Only if you listen to what we have to say.”

Mr. Heere looked beyond relieved as he rapidly nodded. “Please, I’ll do anything to save him.” The desperation was clear in his voice, and on Marshal’s face. Well, Jeremy was clearly wrong about how much they cared.

"Alright, we'll need to be quick," Brooke warned before she started to explain the situation.

“So you’re sure this is the right spell I need?” Jeremy asked as he read over the pages. It didn’t make sense to him, the words kept moving all over the page so he couldn’t understand what this spell was about, but the spell itself was solid and stationary. He could read that clear enough. “I read this spell and Michael is brought back as a ghost.”

Squip hummed as he glanced upstairs. "You read it and then you'll get Michael back."

Jeremy nodded. Okay, he could do this. He started the spell, reading aloud slowly so he didn’t stumble or stammer on the strange, unfamiliar language.

As he started, he heard the sound of footsteps thudding down the stairs. "Jeremy, whatever you're doing, stop it now!"

"Oh, here comes the party crashers," Squip warned Jeremy.

Jeremy shook his head, not stopping the spell. He wanted Michael back, he needed Michael back. No one else except Squip understood. They didn’t know how broken Jeremy was without his best friend. They didn’t understand what it was like to lose everything that was keeping you alive.

"Jeremy," Christine cried, which made him falter for only a second before he finished the spell. He turned to face everyone, Squip by his side, but what he saw made Jeremy freeze.

Brooke was suspended a few feet in the air, her eyes replaced with that same purple that had been escaping the entrance of the Netherworld. She was glowing that same color as well. "Brooke?" Jeremy tried.

She let out blood-curdling scream as she fell limp, still hovering in the air, even as Christine tried to grab her leg and pull her down.

Jeremy dropped the book in surprise. It landed pages down, bending most of them and damaging the spine. “What’s happening to her?” He looked up at Squip desperately. “What’s going on?”

Squip smiled as he snapped his fingers. Marshal and Mr. Heere both got grabbed by chains, cuffing their wrists and yanking them to the sides of the room. "Exorcism. Death for the dead."

Jeremy grabbed Squip’s arm. “Let them go! And help Brooke! Please!” he begged. Did he do this? He never wanted this! “I don’t wanna lose Brooke! Please, tell me how to stop this!”

Squip held up a finger with his free arm before pointing it at Christine. She opened her mouth to speak, but it was covered by duct tape and she was pinned against the wall. "What I need you to do is to let us work together forever. Jeremy, let us become one by allowing me to possess you forever."

“You want to possess me?” Jeremy’s gaze darted over his family, then to Christine, and finally to Brooke. The blonde woman who he had started thinking of in a motherly way, was slowly starting to fade, her feet shimmering out of existence. “Okay, yes! I’ll do it. Just let them go! Please, don’t hurt them anymore! Don’t hurt any of them!”

"Perfect!" Squip snapped his fingers and Brooke dropped to the ground. Even if she was a ghost, she somehow made a 'thud.' Christine was let go from the wall, and she checked over Brooke. "I'll let them go properly now that they're no longer needed."

Before Jeremy could question what Squip meant, he took chalk from out of thin air, glowing green, before drawing a door shape on the wall. He knocked on it three times before standing behind it. The door started to suck both Brooke and Christine in, and the two ghost girls held onto the wall and floor. "Time to move on to the Netherworld, you two!"

“Wait!” Jeremy cried. “Let me say goodbye! Please!” He had to think fast. He couldn’t let them be taken. “If you’re going to possess me permanently, then I’ll be gone. Let me say goodbye to my family.”

The door to the Netherworld stopped trying to suck the couple in after Squip snapped his fingers again. “Alright, but make it quick. I don’t have all day, Jeremy, and neither do you.”

Jeremy scooped up the book on instinct. It felt wrong to leave something so dangerous lying around. Then he rushed over to Brooke. “Are you okay, Brooke? Please, you’re okay, right? I’m so sorry, I didn’t know, he tricked me,” he babbled, tears already building.

Brooke looked up at Jeremy from where she was being cradled in Christine's arms. "I'm fine, Jere-bear," she promised as she held out her hand for Jeremy to take. "I know you wouldn't do this to me knowingly. I'm not mad or upset with you, I promise."

Jeremy took her hand and squeezed it before bringing it to his cheek and nuzzling against it. “M’so sorry, Brooke. And Chrissy, I’m so sorry. I should have listened to you two.’

“Jeremy, you didn’t know,” Christine assured Jeremy before reaching a hand over and running it through Jeremy’s hair.

Jeremy leaned into the touch. Then he glanced back at Squip, who was watching on impatiently by the door. An idea occurred to him. Maybe if he got himself out of this house, Squip would leave the others alone. He wanted Jeremy. If Jeremy were gone, then maybe he’d leave too. And there just happened to be a door leading to Michael just next to his future possessor.

He stood and glanced at his dad and Marshal. They were watching on, shocked. “I’m sorry you came all this way for nothing, dad. I hope... I hope things go well with Penelope and Hayden. They seem really nice. And Marsh... Thanks for trying to change. Sorry it didn’t work out.” He sighed heavily. “I love you guys.” He looked back at the ladies. “I love you guys too.”

Squip raised a brow, offering his hand out to Jeremy as he walked over. “Okay, so everyone’s freed and you’ve said your goodbyes. Are we good to get this show on the road?”

Jeremy stared at his hand before he sighed and clutched the book to his chest with both hands. “What do I need to do?” he asked. He just had to find the right moment.

"You hold my hands and let me inside you-in a completely not sexual way-and then, once this is all done, you'll get to see Michael again," Squip explained.

Jeremy took a deep breath before he darted forward and over to the door. “Or I can just go get him myself.” He grinned, a bit of madness seeming to overtake him. “Since he’s dead, I’ll just head to the world of the dead. Bye!”

Squip's eyes widened as he seemed to be in shock. "Wait, Jeremy, he won't-"

Jeremy didn’t hear the rest of what Squip said. He tripped, tumbling head over heel down what felt like a tunnel. He was like Alice falling down the rabbit hole. Jeremy just smiled and closed his eyes. He could let himself free fall for as long as it took. Either way, he’d get to the land of the dead. He’d get to see Michael again.

From above him, there echoed the screams of everyone before it all cut off. Even if his eyes were shut, he could tell lights were flashing as he fell. He'd find Michael once he arrived.

The descent seemed to take forever as well as no time at all as he was suddenly standing. When he opened his eyes, Jeremy could see nothingness continue onward forever in front of him, to the left and right of him, with lights illuminating from nowhere and somehow everywhere at the same time. The light was a somewhat subdued bright white light, and it took Jeremy a moment to get his bearings.

“Hello?” The floor(?) felt solid beneath his feet, so he started walking. Surely there had to be someone or something here. This was the netherworld. There had to be dead people around. As an afterthought, Jeremy checked his pulse. Huh. Still beating, good to know.

"Jeremy?" Wait, how did his dad end up here? Jeremy turned around and saw his dad there, eyes wide as he hurried to Jeremy. "Jeremy, oh my god."

Jeremy froze and let his dad hug him close. He was beyond confused, how was his dad here? He couldn’t have- “Are you okay, dad?” he asked, his voice barely a whisper. He still felt warm, but they were in the netherworld, the rules could be different here. “You’re not-... are you?”

"No, no, I'm not dead. I followed you after in that doorway before it closed," his dad assured Jeremy. The sudden tension and nerves faded away as Jeremy was held closer by his dad.

“Why did you follow me?” Jeremy asked softly, hugging him back. “You and Marsh could have gone and been happy.” That had been part of the hasty plan Jeremy came up with! Marshal and dad would leave and get a new house, and be happy and better off without the shitty remains of their broken family member around.

"I could never be happy without you, Jeremy, even if you've thought otherwise throughout the years," his dad told him. "Neither of us would have been. We'd be devastated without you."

“Really?” Jeremy never thought he’d hear his dad say anything like that. “But you both kept ignoring me for so long. And mom said-“

"What your mom said was, excuse my language, bullshit. When Marshal told me what she was saying about you, what she was doing to you when I wasn't around, I forced her to go," his dad explained. He glanced to the side and sighed. "I should have told you this stuff sooner, everything, but you were so upset and I didn't know if it was appropriate or not to tell you these things, especially when everything happened with Michael. I'm sorry.”

Jeremy was shaking. Dad had ended things with Mom because of Jeremy, but it wasn’t because Jeremy as fucking everything up. It was because he was protecting Jeremy. Jeremy clung to his dad harder, dropping the book to hold his dad properly. 

“I thought you and Marsh didn’t care anymore.” Jeremy sobbed. “I thought I had fucked everything up and you didn’t want me anymore. I’m sorry dad. I’m sorry.”

His dad kept Jeremy close as he rubbed his back. "We both care about you so much, Jeremy. We haven't been there when we should have, and I should have been a better father for the both of you. I will be a better father for you both once we're out of here and that weird demon is dealt with."

“It’s so empty and lonely,” Jeremy muttered. He paused long enough to pick up the book before he took his dad‘s hand and walked with him. “Mikey must be hating it right now, he hates being isolated like this... He’s probably scared and hurting...”

His dad glanced at him for a moment before looking back ahead. "Have you really been thinking about Michael for this long after everything?" The way his dad asked wasn't spiteful or degrading in any way. His tone was genuinely curious and a little worried.

“Of course I have.” Jeremy sighed. “He’s my best friend... my only friend before Chrissy and Brooke. And he was the only reason I’ve survived this long. He took care of me when I didn’t take care of myself, he rescued me from my first attempt-“ The faded rope burns still stung. “-and I loved him. As more than just a best friend. He was my everything, because I had... nothing.” It felt good to admit this to dad properly. They used to talk about everything when he was younger but they hadn’t spoken at all since mom left. And the yelling matches didn’t count. “It’s only been three months, dad. It would take a lot longer for me to be able to move on from losing him.”

"I just wanted to make sure. It didn't seem like it for a stint of time, but it might have been a lapse in my memory," his dad softly said before he squeezed Jeremy's hand. "You know, I-"

"Hold on hold on hold on," a voice called out before, suddenly, there was a girl in front of them. She was wearing a sash that said 'Miss National Sweetheart' on it in sparkling, cursive letters, and had on a very flattering dress. Her two-toned hair was in curls and she towered over Jeremy, and was matching the height of his dad. Even without the heels, she'd at least be taller than Jeremy still. "Where are you two going? And where are your-" She looked at Jeremy's handbook. "Well, at least you have yours." She turned from Jeremy and looked at his dad before prodding his chest with a corner of her clipboard. "Where's your handbook? Unless you two died together. Did you?"

Jeremy frowned. Something about this girl was familiar, something in her face and her demeanour. Then it hit him. “Chloe? Chloe Valentine?” he asked slowly.

The woman looked at him, eyes wide as she looked over Jeremy. "Did I somehow know you when I was alive? Like, were you a little kid when I was around?"

Jeremy shook his head. “I know Brooke. She still has your jacket and you’re in loads of their special pictures, and they have your place card for the wedding.” He found it tucked into one of the picture slots. Brooke looked like she might cry when she saw it every single time.

Chloe froze as she stared at Jeremy. "You knew Brooke? How is she and Christine? You said they had a wedding, so are they married?" She went to take a step forward before stopping herself. "You need to let me know soon, before you guys have to go through the line-" 

She stopped herself as she properly looked Jeremy and his dad over. "But you two don't look dead." She walked over and felt Jeremy's pulse before doing the same with his dad. "Wait, you two are alive? But how?"

“It’s complicated. A demon called Squip tricked me and I ended up in here trying to get away from him, and hoping to find my friend...” Jeremy glanced up at his dad. “He followed after me.” Then he gingerly held up the book for Chloe to see. “Brooke was the one who told me how to open the door.” He hoped she understood what that meant.

Many expressions crossed Chloe's face before she seemed to decide on something. "You two need to get out of here now. Squip runs this place. If you go through the detector, it won't be good for anyone. If Squip wants you and you go through there, he'll have you captured," she said, shaking her head as her eyes started to shine. "Do you have chalk?"

Jeremy frowned before he reached into his pocket. There was the stick of glittery chalk from his tote bag. “I have this.” He gave it to his dad and passed him the book as well. “But... if we go through, he’ll just get us on the other side. He’s summoned, so he’ll just pull us back if we try to escape.”

Chloe opened her mouth to talk before voices started to echo around them. She quickly pushed them behind a corner (where did it come from?) and glanced behind herself. "I have to work, but they won't find you here. No matter what you do, do not come out if you hear any voices beside my own here."

“Okay.” Jeremy nodded seriously. “You’ll come back for us? And... has Michael Orville Mell come through here? He would have been my age. It would have been about three months ago.” He couldn’t help but ask. He had to know.

"So many people come through here, so I don't know. If he did come through that long ago, you wouldn't be able to find him, no matter how hard you search. Too many people die a day for you to find him now." A voice called for Chloe and she frowned. "I'll be back if I can," she said before getting up and heading back around the corner.

Jeremy sat on the ground and curled up, pulling his knees to his chest. So that was it. He’d never see Michael again, even if he died right this second. There was so much left unsaid, so much he wished he could have done. Michael still deserved to live more than Jeremy did. He didn’t deserve to die.

"Private?"

“I’m never gonna see him again, dad.” Jeremy sniffed. “All this shit and it’s for nothing.” Jeremy felt that familiar hollowness creeping into his chest once more. It was familiar. Comforting in a way. It was the feeling he’d been living with since the day Michael died, the same feeling that melted into some strange form of hope after he found out about ghosts and the afterlife.

"It's not for nothing, Private. Can I tell you something I should've told you sooner? Well, it's a lot of somethings, but... yeah."

Jeremy sniffled and looked up at his dad with teary eyes.

His dad looked down at him with a smile. It wasn't a big one, but he was trying and there were tears in his eyes too. "I know things started to go to shit after your mom left. She was the big money maker in the house. Marshal gave up going to college to help me, and I asked him not to tell you that we weren't well off. You were hurting, and when Michael got sick, I just... I felt like it would be too much. Somehow, I thought you couldn't handle it.

"We tried to be there for you, and I blame myself for this. Because of me, your brother had to get those two jobs. I told him you didn't need to know about the second one. He wanted to tell you that he found you that night, but I got it so ingrained in his head that he had to hide these things from you that he asked Michael to come over after he found you. I thought hiding everything we knew and were dealing with from you was good so you wouldn't be as stressed, but I was wrong."

His dad shook his head and let out a wet sigh. "I know this is a mess, but I want you to know that we care. We've noticed what you've done, everything you've done for us, and I'm sorry for making you feel like we don't care for you. We do so much. That's why Marshal's still here and didn't leave for college, and why we wanted to move on from that bad therapist, that reminder of everything in New Jersey. A new, fresh start to give you a healthier outlook as well as get better paying jobs and have a cheaper but still as nice house. I just..." He let out a sigh again. "You deserve to know all of this, Jeremy."

Jeremy rubbed at his neck. “Marsh is the one who found me?” he asked softly. “But... after the funeral. You had to have known...” They had to have known that Jeremy tried to drown himself in the pond. His suit was ruined, and it had been Ina who rescued him. He almost wished she hadn’t. Then at least no one would have been in danger. And he could possibly be with Michael. “Why didn’t you say anything to me then?”

"We helped after, when you were unconscious. After not bringing up everything for so long, it... I couldn't do it. So I mentioned the suit," his dad admitted, not looking Jeremy's way. "I am sorry for how badly I've handled this and how I haven't helped you. I thought I was helping but I was making things worse."

Jeremy relaxed his legs and scooted closer, taking his dad’s hand. “I... I dunno if I can get better straight away. I’m... I’m suicidal. That won’t go away overnight. And I’ve got trust issues and paranoia and depression and anxiety and probably a butt load of other problems too” He squeezed his dad's hand with a weak chuckle. “But if you’re gonna try, then I will too... I just wanted to feel like you guys saw me. Like you knew I was there. I just wanted... to be wanted. Loved. And now I get that you do, it’s just been... hard.”

Jeremy knew it would take a lot more talking to sort this out, this was a messy tangle of issues and pain and trauma, but he was serious. If his dad and Marshal wanted him, loved him, and were genuinely going to try, then Jeremy would too.

“Yes. It’s still no excuse. I’m going to work to fix my mistakes,” his dad said before squeezing Jeremy’s hand back. “Plus, you have your cool ghost friends to go back to...” He paused before groaning. “I left your brother there with that demon, oh my god.”

“Well you came after me. And now we can work on a plan. If nothing else, we have the book to use. Maybe we can find something in there,” Jeremy suggested.

His dad looked at the book and flipped through it. Wait, how was he-

The spine was broken. Maybe he kept it from properly closing by doing that. “Well, let’s see what we can find in here. Surely there has to be something to take that guy down.”

“Let’s also see if we can find out what the whole possession thing is about because that’s confusing me.”