Leave a “Haunt Me” in my ask, and I’ll write a drabble about my character watching over yours[as a ghost, watching from a distance, or otherwise, feel free to specify.]
He remembered hurting for a long time. But now there was a crisp fall breeze ruffling his hair (he didn’t know it could still do that) and he didn’t need his wheelchair, or even his cane. He was, by the very definition, at peace.
But he was still here. That was confusing. Peter stood at the back of the crowd, watching Winston say the last few words before they lowered his casket into the ground. A strange sort of sadness tugged at his heart. All these people were here for him, even Walter Peck. And he looked sad and everything. He'd never thought he meant that much.
But Walter was gonna be okay. They'd never been close, even when they had made peace at the end. No, his attention was drawn more to the back of the crowd where Jillian was alone. She didn't even stand close to Abby and Erin as Patty helped with the service.
He came to stand next to her. She shivered and pulled her jacket tighter around herself as if the stiff breeze had passed her by, but behind everyone else, she was shielded from the wind.
"Hey, Jill. It's awfully lonely back here. And the whole point of a funeral is to be with friends and family. You know, misery loves company." He might as well have been talking to a brick wall.
"It's uh...culturally significant. Going back to God knows when. I'm a little out of my depth here. I'm not an anthropologist, you know?"
Jillian stood quietly, swiping a sleeve over her cheeks to keep them dry. Peter sighed. Well, the pep talk wasn't working. He stepped through the crowd to find the other Ghostbusters.
They weren't hard to find. And as he expected, Ray was wearing just what he needed. He grabbed the cap from Ray's head, a little surprised he could do it. Perhaps it was all the negative energy around. Whatever it was, it kept the hat in his hand as he carried it back to Jillian. For all intents and purposes, it looked as if the wind had blown off Ray's cap and deposited it right into Holtzmann's hands.
"You go and be with your friends. Say something I would say. Kay?"
He smiled as she carried the hat back to its owner and stood between Ray, Abby, and Erin. As Winston concluded, he and Patricia came to stand by them.
Pete took a seat on top of his gravestone to watch the little group. Even as the rest of the crowd departed, they stayed together.
Holtzmann put an arm around Erin and Abby in turn, and even reached around Erin to take Patty's hand as they spoke. Peter found that he couldn't quite hear what they were saying over the wind, but someone laughed, and Holtzmann grinned like she usually did, and all seemed to be right with the world again.
Finally, even Winston and Ray had to part from the little group as they headed out of the cemetery, but as they split, a familiar face seemed to come forward to greet them.
The name froze on his lips.