Chapter Text
Alison woke up to a loud crash that shook the house. She sat up straight in bed and looked around wide eyed. Next to her, Mike still lay down but looked just as confused. They locked eyes and shrugged.
“What was that?” whispered Alison
“Dunno,” mumbled Mike.
“Think we should check?” asked Alison, still as a statue paranoid there were burglars again.
“Probably” said Mike. He got out of bed and held his hand out to her. Alison smiled and took it. Together they walked through the quiet house. When she entered the ballroom she frowned. The ghosts weren’t where they normally were. Alison sighed and wondered what had happened. “What’s up?”
“Mike, they’re not here. I’m gonna have a look around”
“You mean the ghosts?” asked Mike in surprise “Did they make that noise?”
“I dunno. I’m just gonna go check around to see if they’re okay. I’ll meet you in the kitchen?”
“Sure, I’ll make you a cup of tea” Mike kissed her forehead and walked off. Alison wandered the common room for a bit before heading down the hall to where Thomas and Kitty's rooms were. When she got there she frowned as she found them empty but the doors open. Frowning because she didn’t remember opening them she walked back downstairs only to hear a yell from Mike.
“ALISON!”
Mike walked into the kitchen and stopped dead in his tracks. He walked in and saw a bunch of random people standing in the kitchen surrounded by scraps of food and boxes.
“What the fuck” exclaimed Mike.
“You can see us?” asked a man with no pants on as he sat at the table.
“Who are you?” asked Mike
“We’ve never properly met. Julian Fawcett” the man stood up and walked over to him, holding his hand out. “I’ve been making your life hell for the last 5 years”
“As in the ghost with no pants?” asked Mike, taking a step back “How come I can see you? Oh god am I dead?”
“No no” said a man dressed in an 80s scout uniform walked over “We for some reason can touch and breathe today” he smiled “I’m Pat by the way, Pat Butcher, lovely to meet you properly”
“This is a dream” said Mike
“I can assure you it’s all too real'' sighed a dramatic voice. He looked over and saw a man recognised as Thomas from the painting Alison did a few years ago.
“Why… how…?” Mike took another step back before yelling “ALISON!”
“What Mike?” called back Alison from the bottom of the stairs. She walked into the kitchen and saw all the ghosts standing around, a huge mess on the table, and Mike backed into the wall looking absolutely terrified. “What’s going on?”
“I- they-“ Mike pointed a shaky hand towards the ghosts “I can see them”
“What?!” asked Alison
“Them. The ghosts. Or not the ghosts” Mike shook his head. “They’re not dead”
“Well they are” said Alison, she put a hand on Mike’s shoulder “Are you okay? Did you hit your head?”
“No” Mike pointed to them “They are alive. Living, breathing. Alive”
“That’s not possible” said Alison
“It is” said Pat “We don’t know what happened this morning Alison. We woke up and suddenly we could touch everything”
“What?” Alison walked over to them. “Uhh… can I touch you? No. That sounds bad. Sorry,” Julian sniggered from where he sat” But you know what I mean” Pat nodded and Alison cautiously laid her hand lightly on his arm. When her hand didn’t go through his arm and he didn’t gag, Alison gasped. “You’re really alive?”
“Yeah” nodded Pat
“Robin made sure” chimed in Kitty “He pushed Thomas into a wall” she nodded to the man who was sitting in a chair holding his very sore arm
“Robin really?” sighed Alison. The caveman shrugged and went back to rummaging through the pantry for food “Thomas I’ll get you an ice pack to put on that”
“Thank you Alison” said Thomas “you really are the kindest most sweet person ever”
“Uhh” Mikes jaw hit the floor at hearing Thomas’ dreaming of Alison “you’re gonna have to stop that mate” he said “she’s married”
“My sincerest apologies Michael” said Thomas “I shall try to cease my wooing”
“You’d better” grumbled Mike. Watching as Alison laid the ice pack on Thomas’ arm.
“So what are we gonna do?” asked Alison to the room at large “And where is the Captain?”
“We haven’t seen him” said Kitty “Him, Humphrey or Fanny”
“Oh god Humphrey” Alison’s eyes widened “wait, what are your injuries like?”
“The arrows vanished from me neck” said Pat happily “although it’s quite sore”
“Thomas?”
“Whilst there is still blood on my clothing there is no wound anymore” he rubbed the spot where he was shot “although it is awfully sore”
“I wonder what Humphrey’s like” said Alison “I’m gonna go look for the others”
“Alison” Mike grabbed her arm and pulled her back “What am I meant to do here?”
“I’m sure all you guys are starving right?” the five people staring back at her nodded “Okay. Mike, could you make them food? I won’t be too long” she turned to the ghosts “Behave. Be nice. Listen to Mike” she looked at Pat “You’re in charge of them. Listen to Mike and control them”
“Of course” Pat smiled “Good luck Alison, Cap won’t take this well”
“I hope he’s okay” said Alison “I’ll be back soon” she walked out of the kitchen and Mike sighed.
“So what do you guys want to eat?”
Alison wandered into the corridor where Captains room was and saw his door still firmly shut. She walked down and gently knocked on the door.
“Captain?”
“Alison?” called back the man in a nervous voice
“Hi, it's just me. Can I come in?”
“Yes of course” Alison walked in and found the Captain perched on the edge of his bed with his swagger stick lying next to him. He was staring at it terrified.
“So something weird seems to have happened overnight” she started slowly as to not scare the man
“Damn right it has” said Captain “I got up this morning, and went to leave my quarters to do my normal perimeter walk and patrol, and I walked straight into the door” Alison nodded “And it seems I can touch and feel things. And I can put my swagger stick down and it doesn’t come immediately back” he shook his head “It sounds crazy to suggest, but it almost feels as if I’m… as if…” he stuttered, unable to find the words.
“Alive?” suggested Alison softly
“It sounds crazy to suggest that” said Captain “Impossible”
“It does” agreed Alison “But the others are downstairs all experiencing the same thing. Do you want to come downstairs and try to work it out with us?”
“Yes,” said Captain apprehensively. He stood up, glanced at his swagger stick that was still sitting on his bed, and sighed, picking it up again. He walked towards Alison and stared at her. She smiled and opened the door and he walked out.
“Have you seen Humphrey or Fanny?” asked Alison “Everyone else is downstairs but they haven’t seen those two”
“I haven’t” said Captain “Shall we check Fanny’s quarters?”
“Yeah I was thinking that. I’m just worried about how she throws herself out the window, I don’t know when you guys changed to humans” Captain nodded, a frown on his face “And of course I don’t know what's happened to Humphrey, with him being headless”
“I saw Humphrey’s body in the library last night on my evening patrol” said Captain “His head was in the ballroom”
“Okay” Alison nodded “I went into the ballroom this morning and didn’t see his head there. So we should check the library” they reached Fanny’s bedroom door and Alison sighed. “We’ll find Humphrey after this”
“Copy” nodded Captain. Alison held her breath and knocked on the door. When there was no response she frowned and knocked again. “Fanny?” called out Captain
“Captain?”
“Fanny, can Alison and I come in please?” asked Captain
“Yes” Alison pushed the door open and they found Fanny standing at the window, staring out in shock.
“Fanny, I say, are you okay?” asked Captain
“I- yes” said Fanny “I woke up and found myself walking towards the window like always. However, as I threw myself at the window, I just hit it with full force instead of falling through it. What's happening to me?”
“Well, Fanny, it seems something rather strange has happened overnight” said Captain “It seems we, the ghosts, have become somewhat… uh… alive”
“Alive?” asked Fanny
“Yes” said Captain “If you feel, you’ll feel your heart beating and you’ll notice you need to breath”
“How?” asked Fanny “Alison?”
“I don’t know,” said Alison “Everyone else is downstairs right now. You guys are alive though. Robin’s torn the pantry apart and pushed Thomas into a wall. Mike’s making some food. Do you want to go down and find them? I’m sure Pat needs help controlling them. I’ll go find Humphrey”
“Copy that” said Captain “Come on Fanny” he offered Fanny his arm and they walked out of the room together.
Alison walked into the library and gasped. She saw Humphrey sitting, in one piece, on the couch, looking around shocked.
“Humphrey?”
“Alison?” croaked Humphrey “What's going on? My heads not falling off anymore”
“You’re alive again Humphrey” said Alison with a smile “And in one piece”
“Alive?” asked the Tudor “How?”
“That's what we’re trying to work out” said Alison “Nothing like this has ever happened before”
“No” Humphrey frowned “How am I back together?”
“I don’t know, but I am so glad you’re okay” Alison looked at him “Is your neck sore?”
“Very” said Humphrey “but not surprising since it got sliced in half by a sword about 500 years ago or something. How are the others?”
“They’re all okay and in the kitchen. Do you want to go down and see them, maybe eat some food and we can work all this out?”
“That sounds like a good idea” Humphrey stood up and smiled “Woah, this feels strange”
“Can you go down there by yourself?” asked Alison “I might just go grab some pants for Julian” Humphrey laughed and walked off. Alison quickly ducked into her bedroom and found a pair of Mike’s track pants for Julian to wear, knowing they’d be slightly too short for the MP. Alison sighed and walked downstairs again, preparing for the chaos she was about to enter.