BABYLON //a.f.i//

• S E E I N G G H O S T S •

•••Cora•••
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"I love you too Calum."

It was like I could hear his voice, like I could feel those words on my lips. I pulled away when the memories invaded my consciousness. They flashed through my mind like an unwelcome slideshow; Ashton met my eyes.

"I'm sorry." I whispered, removing my hands from him. "I'm sorry." And for one horrifying moment, it was like I could see his face instead of Ashton's. I jerked backwards, and I felt my blood run cold.

Ashton's eyes filled with confusion and concern. "Cora, are you alright?"

I blinked. "I'm sorry." I shook my head, brining my hands to my head. "Fuck, I'm sorry."

"Why're you apologizing?"

Too much. It was all too much. I was wrong. I was wrong. I didn't like real. If this was real I didn't like it. All it allowed me to do was to remember. I could see their faces, I could feel the blood on my hands. "Jesus fucking Christ, I feel like I'm going fucking crazy!"

"Cora." Ashton reached out, but I jerked away again, afraid his hand would turn into Calum's.

"I'm sorry." I whispered again. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." I took a couple of deep breaths, my hands still shaking as I held them at my temples. I willed the memories away, slipping away ever so slowly as I began to calm down.

He was silent for a few minutes, my ragged breathing the only noise in the room.

"What happened just then, Cora?" I could feel his eyes on me, but I didn't dare look up. His deep voice had a calming effect on me.

"I'm sorry." I whispered. "Jesus I'm so fucking sorry." I took some slow breaths. "Sometimes I see ghosts, Ashton. Sometimes I see their faces in the lights and hear their words in the music. It's excruciating."

"You lost someone too, didn't you Cora?" He came over to me, slowly reaching up and softly taking one of my hands I had pressed against my temple. I tensed up, but he was gentle.

"I've lost a lot of people Ashton, but that doesn't matter."

"I'm a bit hurt that you'd lie right to my face like that, love." He brought my hand to his cheek and pressed it there. I met his amber eyes, a darkness growing in them. "Tell me about your demons, Cora. Let me know who I'm trusting. I want to know who you really are behind those secretive eyes of yours." I could feel the warmth of his being on my palm. "Let me know your pain."

There was a darkness in his voice. His strong hand over mine felt both comforting and threatening. The questions only kept building the longer I stayed with Ashton. What exactly had I gotten myself into? "There are far bigger issues at hand than any sob stories I have to tell. Where's Luke? Aren't we supposed to be looking for some man?"

Ashton tilted his head slightly. "You're doubting me now, aren't you? Are things getting too real for you, Cora? Are you starting to realize that maybe your worst nightmares were reality all this time?"

"Don't fucking mock me."

"Then don't fucking back down, Cora. Who are you really? Who are you under your flesh and bones? What runs in your blood and hides in the shadows of your soul?"