Disclaimers, ratings, name, etc can be found in prologue.

Author's Notes:

Someone, Danielle I think, asked how old Samara was in this story. Samara's age fluctuates, as she completely absorbed Becca's body in Nightmare Ring. In other words, she can still take on that form - look like Becca, be her age and stuff. So sometimes Samara is a little girl and other times she's college aged - neat, huh?!

More warnings…

WARNING: LANGUAGE

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Will Rollins looked at the beige ceiling of the cheap motel and wondered yet again how his life had reached this point. He couldn't even remember when his life had had a semblance of normality to it. But then it never really had, had it?

He'd been born to god only knew who and shipped off into foster home after foster home. Eventually he'd found himself in Springwood and it was there he found the first thing even remotely resembling normality.

Lori Campbell.

In her big doe eyes and short blonde curls he had had the first stirrings of love. Then, as if God was spiting him, it had ended with him 'seeing' Lori's father kill her mother, giving him a one way ticket to Westin Hills Psychiatric Hospital.

Through those four years of torture he'd at least been blessed with his first, real best friend in Mark Davis. When it looked as if Lori was in danger, Mark helped him escape and paid for it with his life. That's when boogieman had become real in the form of the psychotic dream demon Freddy Krueger and the massive zombie king, Jason Vorhees.

But that had, in a way, held its own happy ending. Lots of lives were lost, true but Will had finally found freedom from Westin and be reunited with Lori. He started working for Lori's Dad and things yet again became as normal for him as they could be.

Only to be torn again as Lori gave into an addiction of pills and his relationship with her ended, Krueger returned and what's more he had an accomplice in tow.

Samara.

She masqueraded in the body of a girl she possessed by the name of Becca Kotler and through that body, under the nickname of 'Sam', Will had found love again. He wanted to scoff at the thought. Had he been in love with Sam…Samara? He'd bearly known her and when she had revealed her true self he knew what little he had learned had been lies.

But the way she'd looked at him, the way they were when they'd been alone together…

In the end Samara had apparently died, but he knew that wasn't true, she was still alive but now she was yet again with Krueger on the dreamscape, probably happy partners in crime once more. Creating nightmares, taking lives.

The whole experience had left him drained and in the company of Krueger's previous victims. He sat up slightly; weight rested on his forearms as he looked over at Maggie Burroughs and Jacob Johnson.

Maggie was actually Katherine Krueger; Freddy's long lost daughter. Only days ago she had lost her best friend, Doc, to her father's clutches and it wasn't doing well for her nerves. The only thing she had to hang on to was the arrival of her fiancé, Michael Reeves, who had called just an hour ago to inform them he'd finally reached Springwood and was coming as quickly as possible. Maggie had been overjoyed to hear that but she was still all about business, her laptop open as she scanned page after page for information on Rebecca Kotler.

Jacob was doing his part as well. His mother had faced Freddy for the third, and last time, only to lose. Jacob was not dealing with his mother's passing well. He hadn't slept or ate in days and he kept pouring over Doc's old books, looking for ways to stop Krueger. Each tomb had a crazier title than the next and each read like complex medical manuals but still he searched through each ancient volume, looking for some kind of answer.

Angela Walsh, another member of this insane little group, was off at the campus, using her office to try and get answers on Kotler as well. Both she and Maggie had decided that it was important to look into Kotler and hopefully from there get some answers about Samara.

"Since she's helping Krueger she could prove to be a useful tool in his downfall. After all, she fought him to a stand still. She's obviously a very powerful supernatural figure. Now all we need to do is learn how to use her to our advantage." Angela had said, eyes gleaming madly and Maggie had looked just as hell bent.

Jacob too.

In fact they were all overly obsessed with their campaign to destroy Krueger and Samara once and for all. Obsessed to the point of madness. This left Will the odd man out. He wanted to stop them, true, hell - he'd lost friends to Krueger's recent escapade - even Lori - but his heart just wasn't in it. He wasn't as dedicated.

Which led him to think of Samara again. Of Sam. He kept trying to tell himself she never was 'Sam' but still the feelings lingered and refused to die. He'd seen something in her. She'd been so familiar…

At first he'd written it off as his recognizing her for her true form, for while in Becca's body she'd been a teenager, her true form was that of a little girl. But both had had similarities - dark hair, pale skin and those eyes…it was as if Becca's body had been Samara's little girl form grown up.

But deep inside he knew there was more to it than that. She was familiar to him for some other reason but he didn't know why. It felt like it was on the tip of his tongue yet out of reach. Something buried. Something repressed. But how was that even possible?

Will sat up fully and sighed when suddenly the door to the motel room burst open to display Angela standing there. When Will had first met Angela he'd been immediately attracted to her and he'd be lying if he said he still wasn't.

Even with the revelation that she was his college guidance counselor and a few years his senior, he still found her to be very beautiful, her storm bluegreen eyes expansive and her chestnut brown hair always piled so gracefully atop her head. He wondered vaguely what it would look like down and about her shoulders.

As always she wore something fashionable, this time a black leather coat covering a styled blouse and long dark slacks. Unlike everyone else in the room she wore a dazzlingly smile, a folder under her arm, she dropped the folder before Maggie's busy typing fingers, "As they said in old mystery movies, I've cracked the case."

Maggie looked from the folder and then to Angela, dark eyes narrowed skeptically, "What?"

Jacob sat up noticeably too, and while his eyes were still bloodshot he looked more awake than he had in days. Will just watched impassively as Angela giggled, hands waving excitedly, "Well what are you waiting for, Maggie?! Open the folder! See what I found!"

Maggie opened the folder and scanned over a few pages, frown fixed firmly in place, "Angela, this is just the information Doctor Harris gave you about Becca, we all ready looked through this, honey, it's nothing new. He wrote about the kinds of drugs prescribed for her treatment, psychosis of her mental illness but nothing helpful to-"

"Au contraire, my friend, we looked through some of this information yes, but we overlooked something, something very important. Go to the very back and you will see a list of visitors," Maggie did so as she spoke, "Becca's grandparents are listed and guess what? They live here in Springwood. Or rather they did. If you keep going you will see their autopsy report, they were found dead in their home a few days ago…"

Maggie came across some newspaper articles and perused them with a quick eye, "Okay, so…Samara killed them, I'm guessing?"

"Most likely, yes, but that's not what's note worthy, check out what I highlighted."

Maggie found the section and read it allowed, "'No pictures were allowed to be taken inside the destroyed domicile but it can be reported that both victims were found horribly disfigured. Their bodies resting in arm chairs before a broken television set', Angela, what the hell does this have to do with-"

"We kept seeing it over and over again in Becca's file but brushing it off - the television. Becca was scared to death of TV sets. According to Doctor Harris, the hospital Becca had originally been committed to wrote of Becca's unnatural fear of the box."

"I still don't follow."

Angela knelled down to Maggie's seated height and looked into her eyes, a smile still playing about her face, "During her first days in the New York City hospital, she was reported murmuring about how she couldn't be near a TV because 'she' would get her. That 'she' could be Samara."

"So…"

Angela groaned and rose, rolling her eyes, "Don't you get it, Maggie! Samara was after Becca all this time - ever since New York City. That means there could be answers in New York dealing with her. So naturally I got into checking that out - got Doctor Harris to be even more cooperative, send me the information he received from New York, took a lot of buttering up but - well, it's in the back of the folder there."

Maggie flipped some more, then read aloud off handedly, more to herself than the others, "Only one visitor her entire stay in the other institution. A Rachel Keller…notes here say it was a very short but interesting interview…"

"I looked into Keller, she's a reporter and look what I found," Angela reached into her pocket and drew out a folded sheet of paper, she quickly unraveled it to show a printed internet article, the headline blazing, 'Cursed Video Tape: Fact or Fiction?'

Maggie took the article from her and her eyes darted over it, seeing that Angela had highlighted a name, "'Samara Morgan?'"

Angela nodded, "The article is short and vague, apparently Ms. Keller didn't want to write too much. In fact, from what little I managed to dig up on her, she was actually a reporter for a big City paper but this particular article of choice did not end up in her normal ledger, but instead a sci-fi/mystery magazine. Probably because it's more fiction than fact but as we know-"

"It's most definitely fact. Samara could be Samara Morgan."

"Not just 'could', is. Read the whole article if you want, Maggie, everything connects. Unfortunately Ms. Keller must have doubted the whole ordeal herself as it's so short and tight-lipped, which leaves us with only one alternative"

Jacob finally spoke, voice nothing more than a withered croak, "Are you suggesting-"

"We're going to take a bite out of the Big Apple," Angela replied confidently, crossing her arms, "And pay Ms. Keller a visit."

Maggie stood up and ran a hand through her hair, "It certainly is a plan, more than we've had thus far. You did a great job, Angela."

The two women hugged and Will almost wanted to groan aloud in disgust. Only days ago these two had been at each other's throats and now they were best friends? But then situations like this did draw people close together. And he imagined he was just cynical because he needed rest.

Doc had uncovered a load of valuable information before he died, including the truth behind beings called 'Dream Angels'. Dream Angels inhabited humans and provide them dream powers. If the person learned of this, they could use them to protect themselves from Freddy when they fell asleep.

At first it'd been theorized that Doc, Alice, and Angela were all Angels and for the most part this had rung true - save that Doc's low mental stability had led to his death and apparently Alice was not an Angel but instead her son, Jacob was, having protected himself and his Mom unconsciously from Freddy for years.

With Jacob so strung out they couldn't trust his state of mind to protect them should they chose to sleep, Angela had been depended on as the sole Angel. And since she'd been running on some kind of mad fuel, she hadn't slept in days so neither had any of them. Not that Maggie or Jacob would have wanted to sleep as they too seemed empowered by whatever was driving Angela.

This once again singled Will out. He had nothing behind him but being worn out and exhausted. Too much blood had been spilt, there was too much pain. All he wanted was rest. He noticed that Jacob had stood up and was now hovering around Maggie and Angela, giving a weak grin.

Poor kid hadn't cracked any kind of happy facial expression in days. Not since the death of his mother. Will felt for him, he really did. Having never met his own real mother and father, never having parents who had loved him, he couldn't understand what Jacob was going through but he had something of an idea.

Maggie tousled Jacob's hair and kissed the top of his head and Will felt a smile take him. Maggie had become something of Jacob's surrogate mother and Angela his older sister, maybe he could consider himself Jacob's brother? It was so weird, their pseudo-family…

Suddenly a body flopped down on the stiff mattress next to him and a hand played with his sneaker, "Hey Mr. Tall, Dark, n' Handsomely Quiet, why aren't you up celebrating?"

Will looked into Angela's expansive eyes and swallowed, "Do you mean why am I not celebrating or why have I not been helping with the research?"

Her head cocked to one side, "Did I phrase the question that way?"

"Not aloud, no." He didn't know why he was being so bitter but Angela just shook her head, "Will, no one really expects you to be hands-on. Besides, there were only so many research jobs to do. Sure, it would have been nice if you wanted to help out but…Will you were upset over - over what happened."

Will sighed, "Jacob, is upset over what happened. He lost his Mom for Christ's sake and here I sit…"

"Hey, you lost people too, all right? A lot of your friends, your ex-girlfriend, your current girlfriend-"

"Current?"

"Sam, Will."

He scowled, "Sam…Samara, wasn't my-"

"Yes, Will, she was. You wanted her to be, in your mind you had her set as that. I mean you were on a date with her when - when all hell broke loose. It's understandable that you'd be hurt. You trusted her with something special."

"Oh? And what's that?"

Angela smirked and poked a finger into his chest, right above his heart and made a funny little noise in the back of her throat like she'd pushed a noisy button. Will couldn't help but chuckle, feeling even more tired than before, "I didn't mean to snap at you…and to not help…I've just felt so…"

"Will," she touched his shoulder and he looked at her hand resting there, then into those mesmerizing eyes again, "I told you. It's okay."

Her voice was soft and he swallowed again when there was a knock at the door. Maggie opened it and nearly screeched in joy as she threw herself into the arms of a tall, dark haired man.

"Whoa! Baby! You're killing me! Easy, easy…I'm happy to see you too!"

Much to Will's disappointment, Angela drew her hand away and giggled, "I'm guessing this is Michael."

Maggie began frantically kissing the man and Jacob stuck out his tongue in disgust, scratching the back of his head, "You want we should leave you two alone in the room for a while?"

Angela and Will both laughed now. This evening was full of surprises, first with the revelations and then with Jacob and Maggie showing more spirit and life than they had in days. Will even began to feel a bit more jovial.

Or maybe he had been starting to feel that way ever since Angela had touched him, included him…

Maggie's death grip on Michael loosened and she drew him inside, "Michael, let me introduce you to my friends. This here is Jacob Johnson and over there is Angela Walsh and Will Rollins. Everyone, this is Michael."

"Yeah, we kind of guessed that. You don't normally treat everyone who comes through the door that way," Will tossed in.

"I sure hope she doesn't," Michael laughed, "Those kinds of warm welcomes are reserved just for me."

He dived in and captured another kiss from Maggie then looked around the room, taking in all the disarrayed papers as well as the faces of the people in the room. They all looked worn out, beat up and tired. Even his beloved Maggie seemed a little worse for wear. He frowned. "So what's going on here exactly, you all researching for some big project."

The seriousness returned and Angela replied dryly, "You could say that."

Maggie cleared her throat and pushed a few loose strands of hair behind her ear, "Michael, honey, we…we actually have to take a trip."

"Oh?"

"Yes, to - to New York."

"New York?! Jeez, you have me fly all the way here and now you want to go to-"

"It's very important, sweetheart."

"But why New York?"

"We have some…business there. It - it has to do with why I flew out in the first place."

"Oh yeah? Well where's Doc? Is he here? 'Cause I have some questions for him about," Michael's voice dropped off as Maggie's eyes began to water. He frowned, concerned, "Baby? What's wrong…why are you…"

"Oh Michael…"

"Is Doc…?"

Maggie just shook her head and one tear escaped. Michael shook his head, "I don't understand…what's going on and why are you all…I mean why New York? I was reading the paper on the flight over and watched the news and there's some bad stuff going on over there right now that-"

Maggie's head snapped up and all tears seemed to vanish, fear taking its place, "What do you mean?"

"Well," Michael now scratched the back of his head and reached into one of his bags, drawing out a folded newspaper, "I mean this. You haven't seen it on the news? Or in the paper? It's real big right now-"

Maggie took the paper from him and read the blazing headline aloud, "'Mysterious Deaths in New York.'"

Angela gasped, "Do you think-"

"Obviously they went on a trip too," Jacob muttered, "Location change, that's why we haven't heard about any more deaths around here. Why there hasn't been…shit. Shit!"

Jacob threw up his hands and continued cursing a blue streak. Angela got off the bed and patted Jacob's shoulders but he brushed her off. Will stood up too and dipped his hands into his pockets, saying resignedly, "That clenches it. We've got to go to New York. If they're there, we have to stop them."

"If 'who's' there? And why do you have to stop them and - and Jesus, Maggie, I've been patient up to this point but I'm at my wits end, I chase you across the world only to find you need to leave to go half way across the continent, Doc isn't here and you won't tell me where he is and I get the feeling something bad happened."

Maggie let out a dry scoff, hysterical at the words, "Yeah, yeah, I'd say something bad happened, Michael. And its still happening and it - it won't end unless we stop it."

"Maggie-" Michael was about to speak again with Angela interrupted, "Listen, you two need to talk alone. Maggie will fill you in and - and I'll take Jacob and Will out to get a bite to eat. We'll be back in," she looked at her watch, "Five hours?"

"Sounds good." Maggie whispered, head bent.

Angela ushered the other two boys out the door and shut it behind her. Leaving Michael and Maggie inside. Michael frowned, hands on his hips, "Maggie, what's going on?"

Maggie sighed, trying to think of where to begin. She rung her hands, eyes watery again as she sat on the edge of the bed and gave a shaky laugh, "Oh nothing, nothing's going on except a little…family dispute."

"What do you mean?"

She locked eyes with him and let out a hushed breath, "Oh Michael, he's back. He's back and he's killing again."

Michaels' eyes widened, "What? W-who? Who's killing again?"

"My father, Michael, my father."