There were times, when the sky got dark, and the air was still that Nick would find nothing else in the world to do but sit and think. He used to value those times because between touring, recording, and being loved by the world he just didn’t find the time to sit and think. So it became special, those ritualistic moments when the moonlit sky and stillness called to him and he answered; paying his dues with his thoughts. He craved for the way it used to feel, the cool air, the shining stars, all of it. He just wanted to feel something, anything, the way it did before he’d died. Now that sleep never came he spent all of his nights staring up at the dark night sky, all of his nights not feeling wind, not enjoying the moon or the stars because they brought him nothing but the realization that he would never be whole again. He would never fall asleep curled up in a warm blanket on a patio just as the sun began to rise. He would never again fall asleep, or feel warm. It was discouraging, maddening, and motivating all at once.

As much as he wanted to stay with Brian, and hold on to that last little piece of how things used to be he knew he had to move on, but most of all he wanted to move on. It was those lost sensations, feelings, and emotions that drove him forward in their investigations. He wanted to find his killer not just for justice, not just for Brian, but so that he could go home and finally be at peace.

Nick sighed and looked back towards the windows of Valerie’s apartment, knowing that she was sleeping soundly inside. He didn’t feel like he had been able to contribute nearly as much as everyone else. All of his solo efforts ended up being finished by someone who was “able” and he never forgot that. He couldn’t do anything without Val or Brian and it made him feel like his entire purpose here was lost. Had his whole life lead up to this very moment? All he had to do was, answer a few questions and put together a few clues to find a solution and he couldn’t even do that. He could walk through things, and think himself into various locations but when it came to solving riddles where the key was staring him in the face he was at a loss.

“I have to do something!” he groaned out of frustration to the night sky. He continued to stare up at the stars, willing them to move and spell out an answer, “Tell me what I can do,” he begged of them.

Nick closed his eyes tight, and prayed for the guidance to find the truth. After a quiet, calming moment he slowly opened his eyes, taking in everything around him. The small sitting area and dining room in the distance…

“Wait,” Nick paused, realizing that just seconds ago he was standing on a balcony and now he was in someone’s living room, “Where the hell am I?”

His head whipped around at lightning speed, looking for anything that might be remotely familiar. This had happened before of course, but the last time he had found himself in the library. He remembered Flora telling him that someone could always hear what he was thinking, and would try to get him what he needed.

“This is what I need?” he asked himself, shrugging his shoulders. He didn’t recognize anything in the room. It was decorated in a very old style, a very rich style, but there were no photos or anything that could give him an indication of whose house it was.

Hearing noise from the other room Nick’s ears perked, concentrating on what direction the sound was coming from. Knowing he couldn’t be seen he ventured out into the foyer, following the echo of someone walking through the hall.

"Could you please take these upstairs? Thank you,” a female voice spoke and Nick’s eyes went wide with shock.

“I know that voice,” he said aloud, getting butterflies in his stomach at the thought. He continued to follow the footsteps and the voice as they got louder. He turned a corner, anticipating who would be standing there unknowing to his presence. He smiled a little as he watched her sort through some shopping bags, “Hi Toni,” he spoke, grinning now that he realized what he needed to do, “A stakeout!”

Toni was of course oblivious to the presence of her ex-boyfriend’s ghostly figure in her house, and went about sorting through her bags from her latest evening shopping excursion.

“Miss?” the housekeeper asked carefully, as she entered the foyer, “Mr. Antonio called, he said to tell you he is running late so he will meet you at the restaurant.”

“Okay, thank you,” Toni replied and Nick’s smile grew as he realized he was standing in the house where his murderer ate, slept, and fucked his ex-girlfriend.

“So, we’re going to dinner? Well I’d best snoop around while you get ready,” Nick announced loudly to an audience of none, leaving Toni in the hall while he went in search of something incriminating.

~*~

Valerie shivered as a chill blew through the room, waking her up enough to wonder where it had come from.

"Nick?" she called out, glancing at the clock to that that it was still only ten-thirty, "I swear sometimes I'm really sixty years old," she chuckled, wrapping a blanket around her shoulders.

She ventured into the living area, taking a quick glance around for her missing Polter-Nick.

"Nick?" she called out a second time as she spotted the open patio door.

Valerie poked her head out the door, a cool breeze hitting her warm cheeks, "Where is he?" she asked aloud, glancing back towards the living room sofa.

"Finding answers," the reply came out of the darkness of the quiet apartment.

Valerie raised an eyebrow, "What kind of answers?"

"The first step in the acquisition of wisdom is silence, the second listening, the third memory, the fourth practice and the fifth the teaching of others," the older female voice quoted.

"You’re using ancient Jewish philosophy now? Really?" Valerie chuckled, "You're always such a fountain of inspiration for a disembodied voice!" she remarked sarcastically, "So let's see... Nick would be on the practice stage right now. What could he possibly be practicing? Is he off trying some new tricks to ward off the Scooby gang? Using his ghostly abilities for the greater good? How could he be finding any answers from that?"

The voice chuckled heartily, "You'll see!" she announced with vigour in her voice, and then, as quickly as her presence was felt, she was gone.

"I hate when they do that!" Val muttered, making sure the patio door was firmly closed before retreating back to her room to wait for Nick's valiant return, or morning, whichever came first.