Author's Note: FINALLY! A new chapter!!! You should read my A/N preceding the new chapter of my story "Big Ghost on Campus" to get the full apology…. Anyway, I really hope you like the update. It only took me 6 months to write ;-) There's TONS of good chapters coming up, so I hope that makes up for the extra-long hiatus. As usual, read and review! And if you have any suggestions for upcoming chaps, please let me know!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3 Emily

Previously on GW:

"Mr. Clancy, I'm afraid your wife has slipped into a coma. I'm going to page a specialist to check up on the baby, but unfortunately for now there's nothing we can do but wait."

Jim let out a quiet sob, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry." Dr. Cullen said.

Jim woke up dazed, and took a minute to register when and where he was. He lifted his head, and saw Melinda… His love, his life, his everything… And she was slipping away from him. Now it was Jim who put his head in his hands and cried.

Meanwhile….

Melinda looked around. She was on the beach. It was beautiful. Sunset, with the waves slowly lapping against the white sand of the shoreline. There was a warm, soft breeze blowing and she could smell the scent of the ocean in the air. She sighed contentedly. But then she heard something in the background. It was so quiet, she could barely make out the sound. She followed it. Walking barefoot across the sand, she found a plain wooden door. She slowly opened it. Inside was a hospital room. She heard the slow, steady beeping of machinery. She saw herself lying in a bed, looking ghostly pale, with various pieces of life support equipment attached to her. Next to her was Jim, her Jim, sitting in a chair with his head in his hands. He was sobbing quietly and brokenly. She stepped closer and reached out for him. When she tried to touch him, though, her hand went right through him.

"Mel…." He cried. "Please…. Please don't leave me. I love you. Come back to me, baby."

"Jim!" Melinda shouted. "I'm here! I'm right here! I'm okay! Please see me!"

But Jim couldn't hear her. He didn't know she was right there, and he continued to cry. Melinda broke down as well. She couldn't bear to watch this… She ran to the door she came in through, back out to the beach. When she got there, she saw a familiar face awaiting her.

"Melinda."

The watcher stood before her, her dark skin glowing in the dim light of the setting sun.

"What…" Melinda stuttered. "What's happening?"

"I warned you, Melinda." The watcher replied.

Melinda closed her eyes and a flashback played out before her.

The watcher spoke: "We can send you back to the beginning of the end. To the event that triggered it all."

Melinda looked at her questioningly.

"The shooting at the lodge." The guardian said. "Jim will live. But you will both have the knowledge of what has happened. You'll both remember his death, your death and everything in-between."

Melinda let out a short laugh. "If that's the only consequence…."

The guardian quickly interjected. "It's not. We're doing this because all of the spirit world depends on you, Melinda. With you being gone, so is the light. All souls will be trapped. Earthbound for all of eternity."

"Why?" Melinda asked.

"Because you are the one." The guardian said. "You're the balance between light and dark, life and death. That's what we've been trying to tell you all along. That's the reason that Romano wanted you on his side. You have just as much power as he does. And with that power, you can stop him and free all the souls he's worked so hard to trap. And in doing so, you would leave him powerless."

"I still don't understand." Melinda said.

"If we send you back, you need to find him and put an end to what he's done." The guardian explained. "And if you don't… You'll end up back here, and you'll be trapped like all the others."

A chill ran down Melinda's spine at the thought of being trapped here forever. "Okay." She said softly. "I'll do it. Just please let me go back."

Melinda opened her eyes, and looked at the watcher fearfully.

"You see, Melinda… Romano needs to be stopped. And only you can stop him."

Melinda felt her cheeks grow red with anger. She gritted her teeth. "How can I stop him if I'm in a coma?!" She demanded.

The watcher laughed. "There's no need to be angry. This was the plan all along."

Melinda glared at her.

The watcher grew serious again. "You can only go up against him if you are on the same plane as him. Death was not an option for you, so this is the only way…"

Tears streamed down Melinda's face. "But Jim…" She cried. "I need to be with Jim. He needs me."

"You can return to him as soon as you finish what you are meant to do." The watcher explained.

Mel took a deep breath to calm herself before she spoke. "Okay." She said rationally. "Tell me what I need to do."

A/N: To Be Continued VERY soon!!!

P.S. ~ The Flashback is from my story "Still the One" which precedes this story. If you have not read it yet, I suggest you do so =)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~3 Emily