Eric led Serenity's Dad up the second flight of stairs. Hearing Mrs. Houper suddenly burst into laughter down below. He held open the door and let Clark walk past them.

"Now, what's this about?" Eric asked as he shut the study door.

"You threatened my parents?" Clark snapped.

"Yes, I don't get involved with personal matters when my employees are involved." Eric said as he walked to his desk. "However, if your sister keeps interfering with Serenity's ability to work, then it becomes my problem. So yes. I exercised my right as their employer."

"Are they contracted?" Clark asked. Eric paused, he sat at this desk and started digging around in his cabinets.

"Huh, I guess not." Eric said, seeming genuinely surprised. "When they get back, I'll fix that."

"What if someone figures out that they aren't sixteen?" Clark asked, "my parents can access their birth records!"

"Seal them," Eric said plainly. "Call the hospital and have their records sealed to everyone who isn't us."

"Us?" Clark scoffed.

"Yes. Us." Eric said sternly. "I need their vaccine records."

"I'll bring them to you, you don't need access to their records." Clark said sternly. "You aren't related to them."

"Suit yourself." Eric readjusted his files and stood up again. "But I expect to see you here next Monday with that information and those records sealed."

"Fine," Clark said.

"Is that all?" Eric asked.

"No, it isn't." Clark said, walking closer to the desk. "My mom said you were fishing for information on both of us. Why?"

"Because, as you've pointed out, Serenity is underage, and I thought it was important to jog my memory of you."

"I'm sure," Clark said unconvinced.

"You should be." Eric sat down and brought out a thick binder, “Honestly, I’m not sure what we’re arguing about. I stepped in and extended protection for Serenity. Would you prefer Jasmine continue her rampage with them as a target?”

“No,” Clark said defeated. Staring down at the ground “Thank you,” it took Eric aback, unsure what to do with such a response.

“Well. You’re welcome.” He said, quickly opening the binder and pretending to look busy. “I’m sorry your parents tried to intimidate you.”

“That’s fine. They didn’t intimidate Seren at all,” Clark said. He blinked and looked up aggressively again. “Why did you go over there? What were you looking for?”

“Nothing really,” Eric said. “You’re surrounded by a lot of speculations and I just needed to clarify.”

“I Didn’t-” Clark started but was stopped by Eric’s response. “What was that?”

“I said, I know.” Eric repeated. “The evidence supports your account of events. I believe you.” Clark couldn’t quite understand the words he was hearing.

“Oh,” He managed to say. “Thank you.”

“Mmhm.” Eric said. “I have other work to do today, so if we’re done here.”

“Yeah. Right.” Clark agreed, still wildly thrown off balance.

“Oh, actually.” Eric said. “I have one question. Unrelated but it’s bothering me.”

“Yeah?”

“Back in the academy, I think it was my last year, someone painted a giant mural all over the cafeteria walls. The mural consisting of naked men and was very reminiscent of historical religious art.” Eric said holding up a single old and suggestive photograph. “Was that you?” Clark went bright red.

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“Yes.” He mumbled embarrassedly.

“I thought so,” Eric said, placing the photo back into the binder. “It was very nice.”

“Thanks,” Clark shifted awkwardly.

“Did they ever find out it was you?” Eric asked. “I imagine the staff were very upset.”

“Oh they were livid, but I never got in trouble for it.” Clark snickered in part of fond memory and in part of shame. “Cafeteria was closed for an entire year while they cleaned it up.”

“That’s all,” Eric said. Clark nodded and left the study. Once the door was shut, Eric picked up the photograph of the artwork painted illegally. Laughing to himself as he remembered that day. The staff and educators were pink in the face from embarrassment and rage.

“What are you relaxing for?” The haunted voice of Acoran appeared. Wiping the smile off of Eric’s face. The phantom took a hold of the photo and tossed it into the room.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake. What do you want?” Eric nearly yelled.

“I want you to be miserable!” Acoran yelled

“I don’t need you for that,” Eric slammed the binder shut. “I can be miserable all on my own thanks!” There was a tentative knock on the door.

“Come in!” He snapped. Mrs. Houper peeked in the door.

“Is everything all right in here?” She asked, surprised at the empty room.

“What do you need?” He sighed, rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses.

“I heard yelling?” She said, entering the study.

“It’s nothing.” Eric dismissed, he pointed at the photo on the other side of the room. “Bring me that,”

“Excuse me?” Mrs. Houper asked, raising her eyebrows.

“Sorry, bring me that, please.” Eric mumbled. Mrs. Houper nodded and picked up the photo. She looked at it and immediately looked away with her cheeks turning pink.

“What am I looking at?” She asked.

“Kid at the academy painted it on the cafeteria walls.” Eric said, holding out his hand for Mrs. Houper to place it in.

“Ah, that explains it.” She nodded, handing the photo over. “Are you sure you’re doing all right? You look terrible.”

“I’m fine.” Eric said. Putting the photo back in its binder and then the binder back in his desk.

“Have you seen a doctor lately?” She asked, “Perhaps it’s serious.” Eric looked past Mrs. Houper where the unseen outline moved about the study to a bookshelf.

“I think it is serious but I don’t think a doctor can help.” Eric said. “Though if you know an exorcist, that’d be helpful.”

“Ah, are you dealing with a guilty conscience?” Mrs. Houper asked.

“No.” Eric snapped. “I have nothing to be guilty about,”

“Oh, well.. Maybe whatever phantom you’re dealing with is trying to make you aware of something?” She asked. Eric stared at the bookshelf.

“Is there anything else you need?” He asked. “Or do you have something you could be doing?”

“There is something I could be doing,” Mrs. Houper planted her fists on her hips. “And I will let you know when your doctor’s appointment is.”

“I don’t have a… oh.” Eric said. “Fine. I suppose it won’t hurt.”

“Good,” Mrs. Houper said. “Oh, Seren said the cutest thing to me today.”

“Oh, did they?” Eric sighed.

“They really are a good kid.” She said.

“Are they?”

“You don’t really care do you?”

“Do they?”

“Eric Asche!”

Eric sat up in surprise at Mrs. Houper’s severe tone. She glared at him and Eric quickly realized he’d said something wrong.

“If your conscience isn’t bothering you, then maybe it damn well should be!” She yelled.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” He asked, standing up over his desk.

“It means you might as well be blind and deaf!” She snapped.

“You’re stepping over the line, Mrs. Houper.” Eric warned. She pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes. Without another word she turned and stormed out of the study.

“Did you just threaten your childhood nanny?” Acoran appeared again, laughing a little.

“Piss off.” Eric snapped. Though the realization that he did. He sat down and removed his glasses. Placing them on the desk and covering his face.

“You know, I actually wonder if that kid will join me…” Acoran sat on Eric’s desk.

“What are you talking about?” Eric asked tiredly.

“That kid, Serenity, when they die.” Acoran elaborated. “I bet you they’ll join me in haunting you.” Eric sat up, it hadn’t occurred to him that Serenity would fail catastrophically.

“No…” He said. “Serenity isn’t like you, they-”

“They just got the piss beat out of them by someone with a vendetta.” Acoran laughed. “I betcha they’ll come back for revenge. And is it easier to target you? Or a kid unattended in a back alley?” Eric groaned and picked up his glasses again. He rooted through his files until he found his contacts books. As he flipped through the pages, he pressed the intercom.

“Mrs. Houper?”

“Yes.”

“Can you bring me the ledger I left in the library? And an aspirin?”

“Yes.”

Eric took up the receiver of his phone and dialed the number.