Jamie was frozen in shock, rooted to the place as his astral body refused to move even an inch. Over the course of the time he had been in this strange state, Jamie had come to accept his spectral nature. How many people in the hospital had walked right through him, the only sign that they had even slightly perceived his presence being a faint shiver that could just as easily be coincidental.

How? How, how, how could she see him? She wasn’t supposed to be able to see him. Why her, and not Jenna, or Derek, the people in the world he most wanted to be able to comfort. He was frozen by a paralyzing rush of emotion and confusion, and all he could do was slowly turn his head to track Laurel’s panicked flight away from him.

What was he going to do? He hadn’t been prepared for this. It had taken him long enough to grow comfortable with the idea of looking at her, even safe in the knowledge that she wouldn’t be able to see him. Except that safety blanket had just been forcibly ripped away from him, leaving him floundering. He wasn’t ready for this. Wasn’t ready at all. But he had no choice except to deal with it.

Slowly, not wanting to spook her any more than she was already spooked, Jamie worked his way to his feet. It took a surprising amount of concentration, considering how easy it had been when he had still been in his body. Now he had to concentrate to make sure that everything was moving in a way that would be perceived as normal.

He didn’t move any closer to her, but reached out a hand, trying to draw her back. “Laurel,” he said softly. Or, at least, he tried to say. He felt his lips move, but no sound emerged. A panicked look entered his eyes, and he tried to speak again, his lips moving in a rapid, unintelligible babble of words, but still no sound emerged. Gradually, a realization began to form. Of course no sound would emerge. Sound was vibrations in the air, and he had no way of affecting the world around him.

He dropped back to the ground suddenly, no longer concerned with moving in a manner that wouldn’t alarm Laurel. Let her be alarmed. He didn’t care. It was her fault he was like this. He buried his head in his hands, and wished he could cry.