"Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else."
- George Orwell
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AN- To all my non-new readers, you might want to skim reader a couple of previous chapters so you know what's going on lol, my fault for not updating regularly, but if you remember the story up to now then go ahead :D

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"Bollocks!"

There's a crashing noise from the spare bedroom and Mr T yelps then hisses loudly.

"Don't bloody hiss at me like that! What a stupid place to-"

I appear in the room before he can finish speaking. Harry stops trying disentangle Mr T from his leg and looks over at me. For a split second a sheepish look flashes across his face before he assumes a look of false innocence.

"Hi Louis!" He sing-songs, smiling brightly. "How's everything going?"

"You!" I hiss.

He backs away slightly, attempting to shake the cat off his leg.

"Look, Lou-"

"How could you do that? How could you watch him hurt her like that and not let me help her?!"

"There are bigger things at stake! I've told you-"

"I thought you were supposed to be a force for good!"

"I am!" He looks indignant. "Anyway, don't get all high and mighty with me! Since when were you a bloody murderer?"

"I wasn't trying to kill him." I protest.

"Let me tell you what would have happened if I hadn't of stopped you; your precious little girlfriend would have been left with a dead body on her hands- try explaining that to the police- and you would have suddenly acquired a vengeful ghost to share your living space with."

I think about this for a second.

"I'm just scared he'll come back."

"He doesn't."

"What? How do you-"

"Please Louis, I'm an archangel." He says smugly.

"What happens to him?"

Harry looks round as if someone is going to be listening and I roll my eyes at his dramatics.

"He loses his home and job, spends a few years living rough, finds god and spends the last five years of his life working as a missionary in Africa-"

"Derrick?" I scoff, "working as a missionary?!"

"There is divinity in all of the lords creatures, all souls are unified by-"

"Alright, alright..." I cut him off, I can't be bothered with one if his long flowery speeches. He huffs slightly.

"I'm due to collect him in about 8 years. He dies of malaria."

I shake my head, trying to reconcile this image with the Derrick I know. How strange. He has no idea what's coming but I know how his life will go.

"What about Matthew?" I ask suddenly. I don't know why I never thought to ask before, of course Harry would know what happened to him.

"The little boy who used to live here?" I nod. "His mother became a proper alcoholic, she couldn't cope and he was sent to live with his grandparents not long after he left here. He had a happy childhood. He's 19 now, studying engineering at university. In about 4 years he'll meet Jessica and they'll have two sons. I'm not due to pick him up for another 65 years." Harry grinned suddenly. "You know... He remembers you."

"Really?" I'm shocked.

"Yeah, vaguely. You made him happy at a time in his life when there wasn't much to be happy about, poor little thing. Humans always remember kindness. He thinks you were one of his mothers boyfriends." He laughes.

Harry's never usually this open with me and my head is swimming with questions.

"So you're like the grim reaper?"

He laughs.

"Don't be daft Louis. That's just some medieval idea, there's no such thing. I collect the souls of the dead, well half of them. So half of the time, when you die my face is the first thing you see." His face splits into a dazzling grin.

"I work split shifts with Archangel Denziel... He's a bit of an arse actually, he started that whole 'angel of death stuff' ... I've told the others enough times that he's he's really not cut out for the job..." He mutters to himself.

"But... How do you have time? I mean... A million people must have died while you were stood here talking!"

"Time doesn't exist to me, I'm multi dimensional." He says smugly.

I can't wrap my head around this.

"So it's all mapped out, people have no free will?"

"Of course they do. We just know the decisions they'll make, they have all the choices, we don't plan it for them."

I think about this for a second before I notice a crafty look on his face and I realise that he's telling me all this to distract me. I shake my head and get back to the point.

"You better tell me what the hell-" Harry visibly flinches at the word- "Is going on... Why is Niall here?"

"Ah. Yes. That. Um.. You weren't supposed to find out about that."

I glare at him.

"The thing with Niall is. Well. He's not technically supposed to be here."

"What do you mean?"

He sighs dramatically.

"I think it's best not to worry about that for now Lou, you need to stay focused on-"

"No Harry, you need to tell me what's going on!" I shout in anger.

"Will you let me finish a bloody sentence?" He snaps irritably.

"Niall is irrelevant to you and the reason you're here." He holds up a hand to stop me protesting. "It's unfortunate, more than bloody unfortunate, but you can't help the poor bugger. More to the point, why on earth did you reveal yourself to Adele?!"

"Tell me about Niall." I demand. "They can threaten to move me on all they want but I'm not going anywhere."

A look flashes across his face, so quick that I almost miss it. But I saw, the panic in his eyes.

Realisation hits me and I laugh out loud.

"They can't, can they? They can't move me to the next place if I don't want to go!"

"Oh bugger." He mutters, angry with himself for revealing this to me. "I'm really not cut out for this crap. Gabriel's going to kill me..."

"They can't move me on can they?" I laugh, giddy with this news.

"It's not that... I mean they could theoretically... But it's too close to the point where you're needed. It'd be a nightmare to make changes now."

"Why did you tell me they would move me on?"

"Because I need you to do what I say! You're so bloody headstrong and I knew it was the only way to make you listen! You got no idea what it's like for me, trying to cover for you all the time because you've got no control!"

"Surely angels aren't supposed to lie?" I grin slyly.

"It was a little white lie." He huffs.

"Tell me about Niall."

It's his turn to look sly.

"I will. If..."

"If...?"

"You promise to do exactly as I say from now on."

"That's not fair!"

"Your choice." He shrugs pretending to be nonchalant.

"Angels are more bloody annoying than humans." I mutter. I consider turning him down but I need to know and he's the only one who can tell me.

"Fine. But I get three questions- about three different things- and you have to be honest."

"You can't ask me why you're here." He says quickly, as if he can read my mind.

"Fine." I roll my eyes.

"Fire away." He leans back against the wall, a smug look on his bloody perfect face.

"Niall first."

"That's not a question."

"Harry..." I glare at him, my patience wearing thin.

"Right." He sighs. "Remember I told you about rogue ghosts? Souls who either don't want to leave or don't realise they're dead?" I nod. "Well, that's what Niall became when he died. He didn't want to leave. Sometimes he's aware that he's a ghost... Sometimes not. He's confused, he drifts in and out of this house and the other place."

"Other place?"

"Yes. It's sort of... A point in space and time that he's created. The place and time where he last saw what he wants, the thing holding him to this earth. He spends most of his time there, because in his confused mind that's where he'll find it. It doesn't exist though... He's haunting a period in his human life that has passed. All rogues do it.
It just so happens that the night that little girl was here in the present day, he was too. It was bound to happen sooner or later I guess." He shrugs, pushing his long fingers through his hair.

"What's holding him to the earth?" I have a sinking feeling that I already know.

"You."

"But... Why?" I feel nauseous at the thought of causing my old friend so much anguish.

"Because he loves you. Remember when he was alive and his entire family were wiped out in that bloody awful plague? Your family took him in, you were like his brother. He worshiped you, but you were always so focused on getting more from life that you didn't notice. I mean, after you died he stayed in this house, even when it became too big for his family. He couldn't let go of you and he still can't."

I feel my heart ache for my best friend. Harry shrugs sadly.

"We've been trying to get him to move on for years... But he knows you're here. He can sense it."

"Why can't I see him?"

"Because he's haunting a different time period to you. You're fully aware of the present. Even when he's here he isn't. The ironic thing is that he could make himself appear to you if he was aware that he's in the present day. But he isn't."

"But-"

"Next question Louis, we could talk all night about this and I have places I need to be before the night's out."

I roll my eyes at his bluntness.

"How did I appear to Adele?" I need to know this, I need to know how to do it again.

"I can't answer that."

"You-"

"No." He snaps firmly.

"Well, why could you stop me helping her but not stop me appearing to her?" I feel like this is a wasted question and it's confirmed by the smug look on his face.

"Because I can physically restrain you. You appearing to her wasn't wasn't a physical thing, it was something you did with your mind, you didn't have to move anything. Unfortunately for me, I can't stop the things you do in your mind."

I'm annoyed with myself. I could have guessed that.

I think for a minute before asking my final question.

"When whatever it is, whatever reason I'm here for, when it happens... What'll happen after?"

He looks surprised at the question.

"I don't know."

"But you said it was all planned."

"It is. But I'm only told what I need to know, the same as you are. The difference is that I accept that." He adds with an air of superiority.

He looks at my face for a long minute.

"I guess you'll move on." He says finally.

I nod slowly. I don't want to move on. Not ever. Not without Adele. Maybe when the reason becomes clear, I can not act on it. If I don't do it then I can stay here.

"Is it Adele?" I ask.

"Is what Adele?"

"The reason I'm here. She's increasing my powers-"

"For the love of god Louis! Not everything revolves around Adele!" He suddenly seems stressed and I just watch him carefully.

"It does for me."

"I know."

He seems agitated and resigned at the same time.

"Why did you come tonight Harry?" I ask finally.

"Well firstly, because I needed to tell you how stupid you were to appear to her, you really could have messed things up..." He pauses and looks round frowning to himself.

He gasps and I roll my eyes, waiting for his next dramatic statement.

To my surprise he looks almost panicked.

"That energy..."

"What? What are you on about?" He ignores me and paces the room.

"Surely... Surely not..." He looks at me for a long minute. "I thought there was more time..." He says weakly.

"What do you mean?" I stare at him in confusion.

"She's been here hasn't she?" He says suddenly.

"Who?"

"The little girl, Lola-Rose."

I look at him in surprise, what's Lola got to do with anything?

"Yes, why? But you know that... You know Niall appeared to her!"

"Niall appeared to her? Damn. I stop watching you for one bloody minute and it all bloody kicks off..." He glares as if it's my fault, pushing his fingers through his hair. "It's started... I thought there was more time..."

"What? What are you talking about Harry?"

"Look Louis, it's started. The whole reason that you're here."

"What?!" I know I should be excited that it's almost time to move on but I'm panicked. I'm not going, I need to plan how to stay here with Adele.

"What do I have to do?"

"Nothing... Just wait. And Louis..."

He looks at me sadly.

"For what's going to happen... I want you to know that I'm truly sorry."

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AN- I'm dedicating this to the lovely Nialls_obsession thank you so much for reading my stories x

Told you I'd update soon... I hope this all made sense! ;) I know it's hard when I go so long between updates x