Time carried on as it always did and the police handled everything for a shock suffering Alison. The boyfriend was up on murder charges but there was the small issue that he was an American who'd murdered an American on English soil. Alison didn't care where he got locked up as long as he did. Halston had avoided her cousin in that time; she'd not wanted to make the sorrow and self-blaming any worse. Halston had no choice but to remain at Button house and come to terms with the fact she'd never again see her homeland. The American had died once, that didn't make the second time any easier.

Eventually Halston hadn't been able to avoid her English cousin, the two had sat down for a very long and very tearful conversation locked away in the library. It was hard for Alison o cope knowing her dead cousin – her only family – haunted Button House. She'd asked Halston to come. She'd been the one to put all the wheels in motion. However, Halstonhad friends there, had her cousin so she wasn't alone; there were worse places to end up. Alison had wanted Hals to stay and now she had to. Fate had granted Alison's silent wish but in a horrific way that she blamed herself for.

Steadily though, after months, the funeral, the courts, Alison and Halston had managed to fall into something that resembled normal. Things wouldn't ever be the same but the cousins would carry on. After a while Mike had started to grow paranoid that the two women were talking about him because … well, they were. It had become a joke and had done wonders for Alison and Halston coping.

Cap had avoided getting in Halston's way. He wanted her to be with Alison and not crowd her like Pat and Kitty were. Eventually though came the day he stumbled across her sat on the bed she'd been murdered on staring off into space. She'd been halfway through changing when she'd died, so she still had her make up and heels on but her hair had clearly been brushed through leaving it flatter than usual and she had her pyjamas on; a lilac racer back and matching sleep shorts.

"Are you alright, Halston?"

The Captain could have kicked himself. Of course she wasn't alright, she'd been murdered by a man who was supposed to love and protect her.

It took her a moment but Halston nodded and looked up at him with those stunning green eyes of hers. She patted the bed beside her and quietly he made his way over to sit. Alison hadn't set foot in the room since her cousin's murder so it still looked as it did that night, right down to the shattered glass from the lamp. Maybe Cap could convince Alison to have Mike do it; this was Halston's room, she didn't need it staying in such mournful disarray.

"I was just thinking is all." Hals told him softly.

He cleared his throat. "I know that feeling, I did the same when I died. I find myself doing it now still and I died-" he paused to think "... seventy-six years. Good god has it been that long?" He muttered the last bit to himself. "Hal, this won't sound helpful but – it doesn't get better, at least in my experience it hasn't. Eventually though, it does get easier."

He'd never been very good at comforting people alive or dead and in the back of his mind he wished he'd never said a word. Halston didn't complain though, she just rested her head on his shoulder; he could still feel that spark from her.

"Thank you. That does actually help."

Cap breathed out a laugh. "I don't see how."

She shrugged. "Well, you came in here to try and comfort me, that's better than if the words helped or not.

Halston Renner really was a mystery to the military man. He hadn't ever met anyone quite like her.

"I have no idea how you manage to be so positive about everything."

"I'm a realist, I just accept things as they come. We have little other option."

She cuddled into him then and much to the Captain's own surprise he wrapped an arm around her to keep her close; he enjoyed her touch. Halston was still warm and that surge of electricity he'd felt radiate off of her still clung to the new ghost; strange that she was dead and yet could still make him feel alive. Slowly the arm he had wrapped around her shoulders slipped down to circle her waist and press her closer to him.

"How are the others?" She asked curiously.

"Hmm? Oh, that are all fine. Fanny isn't very happy 'the American is staying', but that's about everything to report."

She nodded. "Pat's been very helpful, teaching me about the things I can do now like going through walls. Would be nice if Kitty would leave me alone a while though. That's why I came in here, I'm avoiding her a while."

The Captain grumbled. "I can order her to leave you be if you'd like, Hal."

Cap raised an eyebrow, when did I start calling her 'Hal'?

"No," she shook her head "it's okay. Kitty is just excited to have a new friends."

The American shuffled closer to the Captain seeking out his comfort that he was more than happy to supply. He tilted his head questioningly then as he stared down at her feet.

"How is it that you are in your night things and yet still have your shoes on?"

" My feet were cold so I put them back on after I got changed. I'd meant to take them off after I'd taken off my make-up but … you know. Never got that far."

" I'm sorry." He said trying to back-peddle.

H is sudden tone change got Halston to look up and rise to sit straight, her brow was furrowed somewhat and concern lingered in those polished emeralds.

"What could you possibly be sorry for?"

Cap sighed. "I could have come in here sooner, I could have gotten Alison out of bed faster. I-"

Suddenly Halston moved to straddle the other ghost and cupped either side of his face so he was forced to look at her; Cap's eyes went wide.

"No! You hear me? No. You did everything you could, as fast as you could. Yes, I'm dead but I don't blame you for that. You tried. You punched Matt in the face for fucks sake."

"How did I do that?" His voice was quiet; his brain still hadn't quite processed there was a woman straddling him. "I'm dead. I shouldn't have been able to do that."

Halston paused. "Em, when a spirit feels an intense burst of emotion, usually anger, they can funnel their energy into a solid form long enough to be seen or touch … or punch an asshole in the face."

He supposed that made sense. "Like when you kissed my cheek only I did this myself?" The American nodded. "That really was all me?"

"Yes. You were trying to protect me. Thank you, Cap."

It finally dawned on the Captain that she still straddled him and he blushed … actually bally blushed, which a dead man shouldn't have been capable of. However, when he looked back up at those stunning green eyes of hers they were shining and Halston had a gentle smile on her lips. So beautiful. In a single moment of daring the Captain leant in and pressed a chaste kiss to Halston's lips. For a split second he wanted to run but then she was kissing him back and snaked her arms around his neck. His hands found her slender hips and he pulled her to him but then – as quickly as it had all began – Halstonpulled away from him; Cap was horrified once again that this had been one gigantic mistake. He paled.

"Are you sure about this?" He raised an eyebrow; what? "I'm not a psychologist, Cap, I could have been wrong about you being bisexual, about everything I said. Maybe you are just gay and I don't want to start loving you only for you to realise that and then have to exist awkwardly in the same house for the rest of eternity."

It took the moustached man a moment to dissect what she'd said since Halston had basically spoken in a single breath. Hearing it like that he could understand Halston'sworries, he had the same concerns in all honesty. Cap paused as he tried to figure out to phrase what he wanted to say.

"Hal, I don't think any of that matters. I don't think any of that will happen … because, well," he took a calming breath more for his stress levels than because he needed the air. Halston just watched on. "... I think I already love you and I think that's why I got angry enough to manifest, as you put it." The Captain breathed out a laugh, quiet and somewhat mournful. I didn't realise any of that until right now. I know we haven't known each other very long and you have more important things to think about, but I care about you and I-"

Was he rambling? Yeah, he was rambling but the Captain couldn't seem to stop talking. Fortunately Halston appeared to grasp that he'd gotten stuck in a loop because she pressed her lips to his again. Cap clung tightly to the American; it had been a very long time since he'd been happy but she made him happy.

"Okay."

That one word was all she said, such a simple and short word but it meant so much to Cap. Okay, I understand. Ok ay, I'll help you stop talking. Okay, I care about you too. Okay, you're not alone. Okay, we'll try. Okay, I love you. So yes, Cap clung to her. He pressed his lips to hers again finally feeling like he didn't have to hide.

"Halston." He just had to say her name.

When they broke apart Cap rested his head on her shoulder and held her tight; she didn't object. Several minutes went by like that in total silence. Off in the distance they could hear Humphrey's head moaning at his body as it once again walked straight past him but Halston just threw up her hand at the door and it closed; that got the military man's attention.

"How did you-?"

Halston shrugged. "I think it's a sort of left over from when I was alive. I'm still a conduit for energy so … I think I might be like a, you know, poltergeist."

"Julian will be jealous." Frankly neither cared about that. Silence took over once again until felt the need to confess. "Hal, is it wrong that I am actually glad you died? No! No, not that you were murdered but that-"

She cut him off with a smile. "That I'm staying with you. That you can touch me without draining me." She shook her head. "No, Cap, that's not wrong. It's something happy from something horrid."

Yes, he'd never met anyone like Halston Renner. She pressed against him and kissed him again though this time it didn't instil fear in the army Captain, only happiness.

"What's your name?" She asked randomly. "You know mind and if we're going to try this I should know your name."

It had been such a long time since anyone had asked that. All the other ghosts had just seen the uniformed and stuck with Captain; truthfully he'd never felt the need to tell them his name. For a moment he wondered if he'd forgotten it. Halston cared enough to ask though and she deserved an answer.

"Em, Frank. It's Frank. Rather dull I know but things like Halston didn't exist back then."

She rolled the name around in her head a brief moment trying to get a feel for it and then, finally, she smiled.

"Frankie, I like it. Suits you."

"Frank." He corrected but deep down knew he wouldn't get a choice.

"Nope," she grinned teasingly "you're Frankie. Don't worry, I'll call you Cap in front of the others." He placed a kiss to his forehead.

"Thank you."

Her brow furrowed. "For what?"

"For being you."

That made the twenty-four year old beam and God was she stunning. It amused the moustached man that he'd spend the rest of his death in his pristine uniform while Halston would stay in scraps of fabric she called pyjamas. It certainly didn't bother him though, he could see those long legs – far nicer to look at that Julian's, all the ghosts would agree. He squinted down at her right leg when something caught his attention peeking out from her shorts.

"What is that? A tattoo." Fanny wouldn't be pleased; not that she ever was.

"Hmm, oh, yeah. It's my Celtic cross." She lifted her hair and spun partially, still in his lap, so he could see the back of her neck. "I have a little butterfly too. Dad used to call me his little butterfly."

Quite how they'd gotten onto that subject Halston didn't know but when Cap pulled her back to settle against his chest she stopped caring and instead just settled into happiness. For a time anyway, after about three or so minutes Mike broke the quiet.

"Halston! Halston!"

The pair of ghosts raised an eyebrow as they glanced over to the closed door. Why on Earth would Mike call her? He couldn't see her. Slowly they got up and went out into the hallway where they found Mike wandering very slowly down the hall.

"Halston, I don't know if you're even up here. Hell, I could be talking to myself but Ally is crying again and she wants you." He finally came to a stop with his back to Hals and the Captain. "I'm talking to the air, aren't I." He sighed. "Yep, I'm being an idiot."

Carefully Halston walked over to Mike and placed her hand on his shoulder, as though he'd been burnt the black man jumped around but all he saw was hallway. His eyes looked panicked.

"What the-? Halston, is that you? Or is it the army dude I saw?"

Cap just watched her open mouthed. "How are you doing that?"

"Told you, I think I'm a poltergeist." She shrugged. "Think it doesn't matter which side of the vale I'm on I can still manipulate energy." Halston leant in until her mouth was right next to Mike's ear. "I'll go."

Mike jumped again, though this time almost into the wall. He brushed a hand at his ear quickly as though a bug had tried to crawl inside.

"Holy crap! It is you. Okay, any doubts that this place is haunted are officially gone. I em, I heard that. Guess it means you'll go see her. She em, she's in the library and she just wants you. Could you, I don't know, tap my chest if that's you and you're going now."

Halston did as asked then headed off down the hall with Cap trailing behind as Mike tried to get used to the idea of what had just happened; or, more correctly, had a mini freak out.

~X~

Months went by and building work got under way once again. People went this way and that as they hauled through equipment and lights. Mike flitted about checking on things, or at least that was what he said, in truth he was just wandering around trying to look like he was doing something productive.

"Are you certain we have to go through all this?" Complained Fanny. "I still don't like the idea of a boarding house."

Alison rolled her eyes as they watched the builders. "You'll like it once it's done, Fanny. Trust me."

Fanny just folded her arms across her chest clearly unimpressed that Alison still insisted on this whole renovation plan. They'd soon be over run with people treating her house as though it were their own but at least it wasn't getting broken down into apartments. Lady Button wandered off to grumble with Mary while Alison spotted Cap and Hals by the piano.

"Thank you." She said once she was by their side. "Really, Hals, thank you. We never would have been able to do any of this without you."

Halston just shrugged. "Well, I'm dead so I don't think I really need a trust fund now. Besides, you're my only family so of course you inherit everything I've got. That and this is a good cause."

Hals held the Captain's hand and he used it as an excuse to pull her close so she was pressed against his side. Cap kissed her cheek.

"I love you, Hal."

She smiled. "Love you too."

Julian cast them an unimpressed glance at the pair as he passed through the wall from outside and went to sit at the chess table with Robin; he wasn't exactly a fan of Halstonand the Captain being together.

"Alison?" Called Jack from the other side of the room. "Can I have a word please?"

The living cousin nodded with a bold smile that was only a little forced.

"Yep, coming, Jack." She discreetly turned her attention back to Halston. "I like him more than Terry." With that She headed off to talk to Jack.

Meanwhile someone caught Halston's eye and she easily led Cap over to the doorway where the pair stood watching as a young Asian man moved a load of coiled wires around in a rather tight blue t-shirt.

"That is the best example of arm porn I've ever seen."

Cap still had his arm around Halston's slender waist to keep her close. Before Halston had arrived he'd have cowered of or been overly outraged, not anymore though.

"Indeed. Should have tossed him out into No Man's Land. Jerry would have been ogling him a week."

"You can sat that again. Mmm."

The pair heard a throat clear behind them then and finally pulled their eyes from the young builder to glance over their shoulders where they found all the ghosts stood watching them. Fanny looked mortified while the others just looked curious.

"What?" Questioned Halston.

Cap seemed timidly but suddenly found some confidence and spoke boldly.

"He is rather handsome. Very attractive really. Shame I can't touch him."

That seemed to either satisfy their questions or – in Fanny's case – made them feel awkward. Either way they went back to whatever it was they'd been doing before Halstonand the Cap had drawn their attention. The military man couldn't quite believe he'd just said that. He felt eyes on him then, he looked down to see his darling Halston watching him.

"You're pleased, what did I do?"

"You didn't hide who you are from them, you just said 'this is who I am, if that is shocking to you hen so be it'. I'm so proud of you, Frankie."

She rose up onto her tip-toes and kissed him. Cap hadn't ever really been happy. Not when he was alive, not when he was dead. Now though, with Halston, he was happy. He'd fought in a war but she'd made him brave.

THE END