"...Maddie...I'm so sorry..." Abby whispered between quiet sobs, "This is all my fault..."

"Don't...Don't say that..." Maddie responded gently, slowly stepping out to the hallway. As Maddie moved closer Abby backed away.

"No...no...Stay back." she whispered, "S-she's not dead....she can't die....she's just using me...to get to you..." Maddie stopped, forcing herself to stay where she was.

It killed her to see her best friend in such a state, scared and isolated, but she couldn't help her. Abby leaned against the wall, her eyes drifting to Adam.

"Adam...you have to do it." she whispered, looking to the revolver he still held. He too gazed down at the weapon, realizing what she meant.

"...It's the only way to stop her..." Abby continued, her voice trembling, "Please...you have to." Maddie began to speak in protest but stopped. She didn't want to accept it, but she had to.

It was a crushing choice, but in terms of lives they could save over preserving only one, it was a simple choice. Adam looked to her, getting a silent, slow nod. It had to be done. His hands trembled but he forced them to steady as he raised the revolver.

He struggled to correct his aim, his gaze constantly catching on Abby's face, her terrified and sorrowful expression, her pleading eyes. His arms faltered and fell to his side, a sharp exhale escaping him.

He couldn't do it. He couldn't look his close friend, in her vulnerable state, in the eye and pull the trigger on her.

"Please Adam...Do it." Abby pleaded through gentle sobs.

"...I'm sorry Abby..." he whispered in response, shaking his head slowly. He knew it had to be done, but he couldn't do it, he didn't have the strength.

"...Adam..." Abby started, "...Please..."

In a flash, an axe came down on Abby from behind, the blade burying into her back.

Casper.

Maddie yelped her friends name as the masked man yanked the weapon from her back. Abby buckled to her knees, falling silent. A rattling hiss echoed through the halls, and within moments green and white fur coiled around Abby's body as Syth reformed.

The Sergal stood and turned to face the masked man, growling aggressively. Adam pulled Maddie back a few steps as the two killers stared each other down. Casper twirled the axe flamboyantly, Syth barring her fangs with a sharp snarl.

The Sergal attacked first, Casper dodging backwards to avoid the swipe and quickly following up by slamming the axe down on her arm, lodging the blade down to the bone. He quickly jerked the weapon free and swung hard, burying the blade into her midsection and ripping it back out.

Syth screeched and swung back, catching him in the chest and sending him sliding backwards. Before he could recover, she lunged forward, grabbing hold of his leg. Casper extended his hidden blade, stabbing it into the creature's neck and twisting before forcing the axe into the opposite side of her neck.

Syth bellowed in pain and rage, taking the masked man by one shoulder and slamming him against one wall, forcing the hidden blade free of her neck and the axe from his grasp. She then tossed him against the adjacent wall for good measure, yanking the axe out of her neck and throwing it backwards to keep it away from him.

Casper staggered a bit from the heavy blows, attempting to stand only to fall back to his knees. He watched as Syth's wounds struggled to heal, the tissue shivering and straining only to remain damaged.

He smirked beneath his mask, knowing the plan was working. Syth growled sharply, giving the appearance of strength to hide the inkling of concern sparking in her mind. Abby's wounds were too severe, she couldn't sustain her and heal her own wounds at the same time.

She had to end this, fast. The Sergal lurched forward, Casper ducking to the side and stabbing rapidly at her sides as he stepped around her. He jumped back as she swung backwards at him and turned to face him. He reclaimed the axe and made a quick uppercut, but the beast was starting to learn from her mistakes, jerking backwards to avoid the swing.

Casper made another powerful swing for her torso, the creature reacting fast enough to catch the handle and force it upwards, allowing her to reach his throat and slam him into the wall, holding him at eye level with her.

He jabbed at her with his hidden blade, the Sergal catching his arm and forcing it against the wall, pressing it firmly in place. She snarled in triumph, staring down the masked man. Casper stared back, slowly letting his free arm drop to his side.

The two killers silently observed their foes, Syth coming to a quick realization. She knew what was about to happen, she had to think fast. Even if she could get to them all, it wouldn't be enough to hold her for very long.

Her host was dying too fast. It was inevitable at this point, so now it came down to a matter of preference. And to her, that decision was quite simple.

Her form twitched and shivered, shrinking into itself. Casper was dropped to the floor as the Sergal reduced herself to a writhing pile of fur that shifted to form the suit head. Abby collapsed lifelessly, the head falling from her and rolling to its side.

Casper stared down at the head, puzzled by the beast's apparent surrender. He picked up the head, looking it over before a gunshot got his attention. A bullet tore into his shoulder, Adam already taking aim for a follow up.

Casper fled down the hall with the head in his grasp, Adam chasing after him a short distance before stopping. With the hallway now vacant of threats, Maddie was free to reunite with her friend at last, kneeling beside Abby as she coughed lightly, blood dripping from her lips.

"...I...I'm...sorry Maddie..." she managed to speak through escalating coughs. Maddie pulled her into a close hug, fighting back tears.

"...Don't be...You didn't do this. You didn't do anything wrong..." she whispered, pulling her into a close hug and fighting back tears, struggling to speak as her throat grew tight. Maddie held her close, trembling lightly as sobs began to break through.

Abby's coughing steadily grew softer, until they just stopped. She stared unblinkingly at the ceiling, her chest slowly falling before going still. Shel hid her face in Sam's shoulder as he offered her a comforting hug.

The only sounds to be heard were Maddie's escalating sobs as she cradled the lifeless body of her closest friend, not caring about the crimson pools staining her clothes. Flashlight beams shinned upon them, police officers making their way down the hall towards them.

Maddie didn't even look up as they addressed her, refused to let go of Abby as they tried to get her to stand. Even as Adam knelt beside her and attempted a consoling hug, she didn't respond, holding her friend close, trembling in silence.

Abby was gone.

As cruisers now swarmed the station, Casper was forced to stay in the shadows. He crept around the back of the building, able to move more freely with all the attention directed inside. He glanced down at the suit head he carried, taking off his mask so their gazes were unhindered.

After studying the head for a few moments, he folded his mask and stuffed it into a pocket of his jacket along with his gloves. Everyone would be looking for him after tonight, but no one would find him.

He made his way across town, taking out his glasses and situating them in their place to complete his everyday disguise. The streets were quiet that night, aside from the soothing sound of crickets.

He soon turned down the sidewalk a short distance before reaching the fence he was looking for, taking a quick survey of his surroundings to ensure he was undetected before climbing over the fence into his backyard.

He approached the house, able to keep a casual pace as he noticed no lights were on. He found the window he left propped open partially and pulled it all the way up. Slipping into the dark room, he made his way upstairs and down the dark hall.

As he entered the room he was searching for, he clicked the light on. He placed the suit head on the bed, taking one last glance at it as he unzipped and slid off his jacket and tossed it beside her before turning and sliding the doors of his closet open, kneeling down and pressing lightly on the side wall.

The panel popped out, allowing access to his hidden stash. He placed the mask and gloves in their usual spot, then began unstrapping the blade, stopped when a door closed elsewhere in the house, causing him to jump up and slid the closet doors closed.

He crossed the room, peering over the banister from the doorway, discovering the sound had come from the front door. Able to relax, he rested one hand on the banister and tucked his weapon clad arm behind his back, looking down at the four young people that had entered the house.

"Hey dad." Sam called up to him.

"Hey guys, doing alright?" He responded.

"Alive I guess..." Sam answered, "Hey, you mind if Maddie and Shel hang out here for a while tonight?"

"Of course not, they're as much a part of this family as you two are." Casper replied, "Maybe even more so." He smiled teasingly to his sons, Maddie almost breaking a slight smile for a second.

"I appreciate it Mr Hodges..." she mumbled quietly; the kind gesture highly welcomed in her current state. He noted the different clothes the girls now wore, peering through the downstairs window to see a police cruiser drive away.

"Don't wander too far, I'll order something for dinner." He called to them as they wandered to the next room. Once they were safely out of sight line he returned to his room and shut the door softly, the gaze of the suit head seeming locked on to him as he rounded the bed and knelt to examine her closely.

"Aren't you just beautiful?" he murmured softly, gently running his fingers across her snout and down her chin. He smiled lightly, picking up the head and sliding it into the hidden space before unstrapping his weapon and placing it beside her.

"Sweet dreams, darling." he whispered tauntingly to the head, covering the space with the panel and closing the closet.