Run, run, run my darling.

Jack was running as though she was leaving her entire life behind her and escaping for something different, something better. Sometimes, she imagined this when she went out for a run. Sometimes, she focused on a tune in her head. Sometimes, she just ran. Today, she tried to kid herself into thinking it was just a run. But the fantasy of an escape dogged her like her own shadow, and that was something she could outrun.

Jack liked to stay fit, but lately, fitness was becoming close to an obsession. No one knew she was secretly training. She was close to decided. She was done with the Ministry, and she was ready to do one selfish thing. Quit, and take the Beating position that had been offered and waiting for her for two years on the Falmouth Falcons. All she had to do was beat the current Beater at trials, and she knew she could.

Still, the league was competitive. She didn't want to be the lesser of two evils, but the best of the best. So daily now, she would dress in her running attire, make sure she had plenty of weight in her knapsack for a challenge, and take off. Up and down her street, down the wooded path in the woods to the east of her home, then through the neighborhoods around her home. Sometimes she would measure by mile- four miles, five miles, six, seven. Others, by time. Thirty minutes running, forty five minutes, one hour.

She ran. Her face pink, sweat collecting at her back and brow, her read hair pulled back into a short ponytail, strands flying all over her face. Her breath was soft but full. Jack was determined. She would change her life.

Chase felt a pang of sadness as she stared into the water of the river that showed her the world. She knew of Jack's intention on being a beater, and she loved the thought, being able to watch Jack grow and get fit, train and become a wonderful Quidditch Player, finally do something for herself, that she denied herself for so long.

Chase took a deep breath and slowly reached down longingly, until she felt the weight of caution flow through her. That caution that told her not to touch the water, that caution that made her pause every time, that caution that kept her hand from touching the fragile surface of the veil. Finally though, for the first time, Chase pushed past that caution and touched the water. Immediately she was standing down on the pavement just mere feet behind Jack who was running straight past her.

Chase could even feel her clothes rustle in the wind that Jack created, and Chase had to turn her head to watch her, her red hair flying out beside her, as she let out a small gasp.

Chase wasn't a ghost.. she wasn't a spirit, she just.. was there. That didn't mean she was alive though, she had no body, no one could touch her, or see her, she could go where she wanted, see what she wanted, even show up where she wanted to. Chase nodded and appeared shortly ahead of Jack this time, watching her run towards her, as she passed, Chase simply whispered.

"Jack.." Just loud enough so if Jack wanted to, she could hear it.

Jack's knees cried, her feet ached, her lungs heaved- yes. This felt good. This felt like she was finally living, or something close to it. She briefly closed her eyes, continued running to the rhythm she had already struck. It was simple, natural, pleasant. Jack opened her eyes, picking up her pace, swinging her arms a little slower and more deliberately. She could feel her heart rate quickening.

And that was when it happened.

Jack had long suspected she was going insane. That suspicion needed very little evidence to prove it to her. But when she heard the diembodied voice of her dead best friend, even Jack was caught off guard.

She fell, twisting on her ankle, and heavily falling on the pavement. She could not think of the pain now, though. She immediately flipped herself around, looking around wildly. No one was there.

Jack swallowed, her heart rate slowing. She pointed her wand at her throbbing ankle and felt relief. She tucked it away and slowly stood, a little shakily. She looked around her.

"Chase?" she whispered back.

Chase let out a little cry of shock as Jack went sprawling to the ground in front of her, she very nearly ran to help her up again, when she realized that she couldn't see her, or even touch her, so she stood there as Jack mended her ankle and stood up, saying her name. Chase was slightly startled, she hadn't actually expected Jack to hear her whisper, she had been running pretty fast, but obviously it had startled her, the way she had fallen down anyway.

Chase had to clear her throat a moment, something that Jack probably wouldn't hear. Chase slowly walked up so she was standing nearly right in front of Jack, smiling at her best friend, her hand moving out to gently rest where Jack's cheek was, not feeling anything, and knowing Jack probably wouldn't either, well, if she was REALLY thinking, there might be a tingle anyway.

Chase felt like it was really hard to talk, like she wasn't quite able to make out words, and when she did, it was soft and nearly inaudible. "Jack.. it's me.. " Chase cleared her throat again and sighed, smiling at her friend. "Don't worry.. you.. aren't insane.. I just.. wanted to say.. hi." Her voice was broken up with a moment of silence, like there was interference with her voice and Jack's ears. "It's Chase.. can you hear.. me?"

Jack felt a small breeze pick up, skittering across her cheek and giving her chills. Jack shook the feeling and turned, quickly dropping to a knee to retie each of her shoes, attributing a loose shoelace to the sudden lack of agility. Jack had never tripped while running before. She wasn't exactly graceful, but she was pretty athletic. It was a tad eerie- the random fall.

She stood and that was when she heard her own name on the wind. She turned. Insane floated into her consciousness and she took a step back, buffeted by this strange and terrible accusation. I just.. wanted... Jacks heart rate increased. "Just wanted what?" Jack whispered.

Chase.

Jack paled. "You can't have her," Jack hissed. "She's gone." And she turned and began running, more furiously, more determinedly. She had to escape these demons.

Chase looked seriously confused when Jack started to get freaked out, and she realized not all of her words may have gotten across. "Damn.." Chase disappeared and reappeared down the way in which Jack was headed, and stood right in her path, and said her name over and over again, as well as. "It's me!" As loud as she could, screaming at the top of her lungs, "I'm here!" Chase stood there, waving her arms, doing anything to get Jack to stop, to understand that it was in fact Chase who was waving her arms and trying to be seen.

"Jack! I'm Chase!" She screamed, staring straight at Jack as she came running at her. She knew one other thing she COULD do, but she'd rather not do that.. at least not now.. later she might, but she'd rather not risk hurting Jack at the moment. Especially if it did what she was afraid it would do. "Jack! Please!"

Jack had to continue running. The ghostly noises of her own name and disembodied words rang in her ears. She closed her eyes, and swung her arms up to her ears, jamming the heels of her hands into her ears. She ran like this, but it could not keep out the words that seemed to come from within her, and yet simultaneously, from everything around her exuded the words and phrases.

Jack ran, ignoring it all. This was some angry ghost, or Vito, or the universe, finally punishing her for all of her crimes. She must escape, she must. She could outrun this, surely. Jack believed in her own strength.

And then she ran through some invisible field and cold flooded into her- her bones turned to ice, her blood frosted over, and she stopped, wavering slightly. Her eyes shined with frustration.

"Chase?" she whispered helplessly.

"Jack!" Chase yelled, tears in her eyes because of how Jack was reacting. "It's me! It's Chase! YES! IT'S CHASE!" Chase screamed, waving her arms again, and putting her hands on Jack's shoulders. "It's me!" She said calmly, her face inches from Jack's as she stood there, gently stroking her hand over Jack's cheek repeatedly, staring into her eyes, willing herself to be seen by Jack.

"Jack... don't worry.. it's me!" Chase whispered, staring at her scared and upset friend. "You aren't insane.. it's just me.. I'm sorry.. I shouldn't have come." Chase said, slowly moving away from Jack, her eyes wide. "Please.. see me.. I'm right in front of you.. Please.. see me, I'm RIGHT here.. Jack.." Chase said, staring at her friend, her eyes filled with tears, angry and sad with herself for having caused Jack so much pain.

Jack felt rooted to the spot. Her green eyes seemed to mist over, for she could not properly see anything before her. She wavered on the spot, as though she were become the mirage you spotted down the road when you had been driving too long. She was going insane- now she had proof. She needed no evidence because she had it right here. Jack Dyllan now knew she was unbalanced.

She tried to move, but a chilly force held her there. She could hear a ringing in her ears, but she held her hands firmly against her ears. Her lips trembled from the cold. She could feel a sincerity in this insanity, a familiarity, a feeling she hoped for and wanted to feel again. She began to lower her hands and the haze before her seemed to glow.

Teddy, her partner at the Ministry, burst through the haze, panting. "Jack?" he said. "I spotted you from the bar over there. You fell and you looked strange. You okay?"

Jack blinked a few times. "I... Y-yeah. What's up?"

Teddy stared. "Let's get you a drink." The man slipped his arm in hers and led her towards the bar.

Chase couldn't help but feel exhausted from trying to get Jack's attention. And just when she was almost sure that Jack was going to see her, she looked up, took her hands down, and suddenly.. all she could see was black. Chase took a step back and looked at the back of some guy's head.

Great..

Someone had just walked into her.

Chase sighed and watched the man who obviously knew Jack come up and convince her to get a drink. So close.. But Chase wasn't about to give up yet.

Chase followed after them, intent on getting Jack to notice her, even if she got herself noticed by the whole bar, rules no longer applied to her after death, the wizarding rules of secrecy, it didn't matter, so why not have some fun with muggles while enjoying Jack's voice and presence around her as she did? Chase followed closely behind the two, straight into the bar, leaning forward and placing a gentle, comforting hand on Jack's shoulders as they walked.