A few days had passed since Taylor was discharged from the hospital. In her apartment, there was now a strange mix of relief and underlying tension.

The apartment itself exuded a cozy comfort. Sunlight streamed through the windows, bathing the room in a soft, golden glow. Flowers sent by friends as get-well wishes were everywhere, and the scent of fresh coffee filled the air.

Taylor had made herself comfortable on the sofa, surrounded by pillows and blankets that gave her support and comfort. Her body was still weak, but she was feeling much better. She had put on Superstore, and since then, she seemed finally somewhat revitalized. That show really seemed to help her.

Harper and Charlie were in the kitchen, preparing a simple breakfast. The gentle sounds of the radio music blended with the crackling of the toaster and the soft hum of the coffee machine. By now, Harper had at least learned a bit about cooking, but she still didn't enjoy it. However, it kept her from thinking about the past few days, so she just kept cracking eggs and tossing them into Charlie's frying pan.

Sage was sitting at the dining table, absentmindedly flipping through a magazine and looking like he had always belonged in this apartment, he had settled in so well. His gaze kept wandering to the door, as he was waiting for his sister. Of course, he knew Vic, but he couldn't deny that a small part of him always thought that this time she might not walk through the door again. She would find her way to Hawaii and forget about Sage. So far, that had never happened, but he couldn't shut off these thoughts.

Colby was sitting upside down in an armchair, watching Taylor as she watched her show. Of course, he could also watch TV, he just needed to tilt his head a little to the left, but somehow it was nicer just watching Taylor. The issue with the FBI was gnawing at him, but every time he looked at his girl, he felt a little bit better.

The morning passed in peaceful silence, but the underlying tension remained. Each of them had their own worries and thoughts, which were all too present in this quiet setting.

Finally, Vic entered the apartment and greeted everyone half-heartedly. Her face was serious. She was carrying a small bag, and Sage felt a pang of fear in his chest. She sat down at the table with him, and he put the magazine aside. Without a word, she took his hand and squeezed it tightly. Sage knew she had made a decision, but he couldn't tell if it was the one he feared.

The others didn't say a word. Taylor pretended to keep watching her show, but everyone knew that her ears were solely focused on Sage and Vic. Colby, on the other hand, was staring directly at the twins. Harper and Charlie continued cooking quietly, but they too were keeping an eye on the two. After all, everyone wanted to know what Vic had to say.

The pirate took a deep breath before breaking the silence. Her voice was calm, but everyone could feel the tension behind it. "Sage, so, I..." She paused, searching for the right words. "I've been thinking." Her gaze wandered through the apartment, taking in the concern and empathy of their friends. "And I had decided that I want to go back to Hawaii."

Sage felt his heart clench. He wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat.

Vic squeezed his hand tighter and continued. "I mean, I hate tourists. Like the plague. I hate having to steal. And I hate that a filthy, half-sunken boat was our home. Which the police have probably already taken away. But Hawaii is my home. Just because I didn't like our life doesn't mean I don't love our culture. Our land. The sea, the air." She took another deep breath. "I thought about what I would do in Hawaii if I ever found a way back. Steal a new boat and sit in that cave again? Steal things on the beach instead of hotels now? So that I get caught there too and can't show my face in the core parts of Hawaii? And then keep moving places until there's nowhere left where I won't get arrested?"

"Vic, I don't understand, what are you getting at?" Sage asked, distressed.

"I'm saying, I had decided to go back to Hawaii. Had. I mean, what pirate would turn down a huge wad of cash? A wad like the one we're being offered here? By this terribly weird, crappy, but somehow also awesome group?"

Sage jumped up from the table and hugged his sister so tightly that they both, along with the chair, toppled over and landed on the floor.

The others in the room, who had been listening silently until now, let out relieved sighs. Taylor reached for the remote and paused Superstore before sitting up and giving Vic a smile. "Welcome to Proxley. And yeah, you'll get the money, we don't need it. Not that much. Use it to build a new life, that's where the money is best spent."

Colby grinned as the two got up from the floor. "But make sure to use it wisely, or I'll regret it."

"I actually have an idea of what we could do with the money," Vic continued, looking at her brother.

"Hmm?" Sage responded with interest.

"You have a black belt, I have a black belt. You're a good teacher—okay, maybe with surfing, but still a good teacher. And I have experience with injuries. And after Harper told me about that guy on the beach, this college town could really use some lessons... in self-defense."

Sage's eyes grew wide. "You want to..." He grinned.

Vic grinned back. "Yeah, you knucklehead. Let's open a damn martial arts studio."

"A martial arts studio?" Charlie asked with a confused smile. "Really?" He could hardly believe what he was hearing, but when he saw the enthusiastic faces of Vic and Sage, he realized they were serious. The idea of a martial arts studio in this small college town seemed absurd, but somehow it fit perfectly.

Taylor clapped her hands. "That's great! A martial arts studio would be really special here. And who better to run it than you two?"

Sage was still completely overwhelmed by the idea. "A martial arts studio... that could actually work. The students here could learn self-defense, and it would be a safe place for everyone to stay fit and strong. Maybe even add a gym?"

Vic nodded energetically. "Exactly. And I can bring in my experience in first aid and injury treatment. We could offer workshops, classes for beginners and advanced students..."

Charlie's eyes widened. "That's it." He smiled broadly. "That's it!"

"Hmm?" Colby asked as he watched his best friend.

"That's it! My purpose! I think that's what I want to do!" Charlie slid across the kitchen floor to Sage and Vic on his knees, clasping his hands as if in prayer. "Could you guys use a ghost employee?! Please?!"

"You want to work with us?" Vic asked, looking questioningly at her twin brother.

Charlie nodded eagerly, his eyes shining with excitement. "Yes! I mean, I don't have a body, so I can't really fight, but I could do so many other things. I could handle administration, accounting, advertising. I've realized I want to do something related to sports. I mean, sports are awesome. But then I tried this jerk's equipment." He pointed at Colby, who was now sitting properly in the armchair. "And I realized the physical side isn't really my thing. His stuff is just too heavy for me."

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Colby grinned smugly and shrugged. "Sorry, but you're right..."

"Shut up," Charlie said quickly, then focused back on the twins. "But I like the idea of sports, you know? Movement to feel better. To feel stronger. To be able to defend oneself. Vitality. Life. It might be too late for me—if I could have defended myself back then, maybe I would still be alive. But that makes me want to help others even more. Please, please, please!"

Vic and Sage looked at each other, their faces showing a mix of surprise and emotion.

Finally, Sage broke the silence and nodded happily. "That sounds like a great idea. You bring so much enthusiasm and energy, even as a ghost. And if you take over the organizational side, Vic and I can focus even more on the training."

His sister nodded in agreement. "Sports require not just physical, but also mental strength. You're the perfect example that you can be strong without a body. You're in, you ghostly beanpole."

Charlie beamed with joy, jumping up and pulling the twins into a hug. "Thank you, thank you! You won't regret it!"

The day passed, evening came, and outside, only the night could be seen. The friends had spent the entire time discussing plans for the martial arts studio. They had counted the remaining money and weighed what they could afford and what they couldn't. Colby, of course, had offered to steal more money, but to everyone's surprise, Vic had forbidden him. Vic, of all people. She said that if they were going to do this, they would do it honestly. Honest from now on. She gladly accepted the previously stolen money, though.

Everyone was, of course, happy for Vic, Sage, and Charlie, who had decided to become three equal partners. Even Harper, who was unusually quiet. She still had something on her mind, but she didn't want to ruin the good mood. Just because she was unhappy. Unhappy with herself. In the hospital, she had once again had the chance. The chance to be the one who saves the day. Charlie had safely guided them through the hospital and then calmed Colby down. Vic had saved Harper's life, as without the pirate, she would have fallen to her death. And Sage, just Sage alone, had gotten the door open. But Harper? Nothing. Once again, the poor girl. Yes, she had been there, but she hadn't achieved much.

She waited for a suitable moment and then said goodbye. She wanted to be alone now.

With a weak smile that barely reached her eyes, she made her way home. The city was already dark and quiet. Only the occasional hum of a streetlamp or the distant roar of a passing car broke the silence. Sure, Proxley was full of students, but even students needed their sleep sometimes. Everything that was still open were the nightclubs and the amusement park at the pier, but they were on the other side of town.

As she walked down the street, the city felt different somehow. The familiar paths and buildings seemed strange and oppressive. Shadows danced in the corners, and every sound seemed amplified in the stillness. Harper pulled her jacket tighter around herself and quickened her pace involuntarily.

Normally, she found Proxley cozy and homey, but tonight there seemed to be an eerie atmosphere hanging over the city. The old houses, which she usually found charming, appeared threatening. The trees, whose branches rustled in the wind, cast ghostly shadows on the sidewalk. Harper couldn't shake the feeling of being watched.

She tried to calm her thoughts, but the uncertainty and doubts gnawed at her. The events of the last few days had left their mark, and even though she knew she was safe, she couldn't get rid of the uneasy feeling. She thought of her friends and the exciting plans for the martial arts studio, but even these positive thoughts couldn't dispel the darkness inside her.

Then she heard two voices. Harper looked around and saw two people talking on the opposite side of the street. Okay, no, more like arguing. A man and a woman.

She looked more closely and shuddered. Wait. No, that can't be. It was the man. The I-just-wanted-to-see-if-your-toes-were-long man. And he was talking to a woman who looked a bit younger than Harper. And she looked clearly frightened, especially as the man kept getting closer to her.

Seeing this, Harper abruptly stopped, her heart pounding faster. A cold shiver ran down her spine as she observed the scene. The creepy man seemed to be harassing and intimidating the young woman. Harper felt a rising panic but also an unexpected surge of determination. This was her chance.

She took a deep breath, tried to suppress her fear, and quickly considered what to do. Call the police? Ask someone for help? There was no one in sight. Finally, she decided to intervene herself, even though she didn't know if she was capable of it.

She took a deep breath and spoke quietly to herself. "Okay, fuck it. I'm from Proxley. Drunk students are worse than that old creep."

She ran. Across the street. To the man and the woman. When she reached them, she grabbed the woman by the shoulder, who, of course, was terribly startled, and instinctively pushed her a bit away from the man.

Then she smiled playfully. "Hi, girl. Where have you been so long? I've been waiting for you all this time." The woman said nothing and looked traumatized at the ground, but Harper didn't let that deter her. She glared at the man with a death stare. "And who is this? Do I know this guy?" The man looked at Harper confused, and Harper quickly made eye contact with the woman. "Do you know him?"

"I... I just wanted to ask if she washed her feet," the man stammered, perplexed.

"Do you know him?" Harper asked again, and the woman shook her head slightly. "I don't think we're going to get to know him. Let's go!" She grabbed the woman by the arm and took off.

The young woman let herself be led away by Harper without resistance, while the man watched them with a sinister look. Harper felt his eyes burning into her back as they hurried through the streets of Proxley. She was aware that she had intervened in a terribly dangerous situation, but she couldn't let the man continue to harass the woman.

"Thank you," the woman whispered softly and breathlessly as they had put a safer distance between themselves and the man. Still, they didn't dare to stop.

Harper smiled weakly and tried to suppress her own fears. "It's okay. Are you alright?"

The woman nodded, but her expression was still worried and frightened. "Yes, thank you. I... I don't know what I would have done without you. He had been following me for a while and... I tried to avoid him, but he wouldn't give up. Then he suddenly started talking to me."

And then Harper almost had a heart attack. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him. The man. He was following them. And he was right behind them.

Her pulse quickened again, and she forced herself to stay calm to avoid further alarming the young woman. She was certain they wouldn't make it home. There had to be another way out.

Harper quickly glanced around and an idea sprouted in her mind when she saw the lit windows of a nearby building.

"Come on," she whispered to the young woman and quickly pulled her toward the building. She didn't dare look back. After all, she knew the man was still behind them. Their only hope was to make it in time before he could catch up.

The two reached the entrance door of the building and rushed inside. Only when they stood in the light of the lobby did Harper turn around. The man had indeed followed them this far and was now also inside the building.

Harper confidently pointed at the man and started to shout. "Help! We don't know this man! He has been following and harassing us!"

It was only now, as two uniformed officers ran towards him, that the man realized he had walked directly into the Proxley police station.

The officers grabbed the man, and he resisted, but he didn't stand a chance. He ran his tongue aggressively over his entire lower face, drooling. "Y-y-your toes! Your toes!"

The officers didn't hesitate and immediately arrested the man as he kicked and struggled to break free. His words still echoed disturbingly, but the officers were undeterred. They quickly brought him under control and led him away while Harper and the young woman sighed in relief.

Harper felt her knees begin to tremble slightly as the tension slowly left her. She turned to the woman, whose eyes were filled with gratitude and relief. "Thank you," she whispered again.

Harper smiled weakly and shook her head. "It's okay. I'm glad I was there to help you." She tried to sound calm, though her heart was still racing. "I've actually had a run-in with that guy before. That's how I knew what kind of person he was and that is why I came to you. Girls supporting girls."

"What a creep..."

Another officer approached the two and politely asked if he could question them about the man. Harper and the woman immediately agreed and followed him.

As the two walked into one of the offices, Harper smiled at the woman again. "By the way," she began to whisper. "My friends are planning to open a martial arts studio and offer self-defense courses and such. So far, it's all just theory, but when it finally opens... it would be cool to see you there." It didn't take long for the woman to nod enthusiastically.

The two gave their statements and answered all the questions the officer could think of. Harper felt strangely relieved and proud at the same time for having intervened. It was not just a moment of heroism but also a confirmation that despite her self-doubt, she was capable of doing good. Finally, she had seized her chance. Finally, she had protected someone. And without a strong man by her side. No. All by herself.