Although Astrid had believed that she was prepared to read the words that were written, it was just so much. She couldn't help but constantly glance at Nathaniel's ever fading form, wondering how awful it must feel to read these things from a person who he had once held dear.

By the end of it, Astrid was tearing up for Nathaniel's sake. How awful, and arrogant this man was! How dare he say such horrible things about a man who had loved and cared for him. For a moment, Astrid couldn't control the anger curling up in the pit of her stomach. She felt the betrayal as if it was her own, and without realizing it a tear had slipped down her face.

As she read the final words she looked over at Nathan, and shook her head sadly. "I-I am so sorry Nathaniel, this....this is awful."

Nathaniel was lost within his own mind. Although he had over a century to recognize and accept the fact that his brother betrayed him, it was another thing to see how spiteful and angry Christian had been. Astrid's watery voice brought Nathaniel back to the present, and he let out a low sigh, "I... I cannot say that I expected this, although... I suppose it wasn't entirely unexpected either."

Nathaniel fell silent. He looked around the ruins of his home, and despite the new hurt that rested inside of him, the constant and heavy ache his spectral form once held was greatly diminished, and grew weaker by the second.

"Astrid," Nathaniel startled at the sound of his own voice, like he took himself by surprise, "I can feel myself fading. I know I have asked much of you, but please, if I may request one more thing: spread the knowledge held inside this book. I do not... I do not want to be seen as the villain any longer. Show the country the truth - my truth. Please."

It was a great injustice that Astrid could not offer Nathaniel any physical comfort. Perhaps he wouldn't have wanted any anyways, but at least the option would've been available. Unfortunately , Astrid had to be content with just comforting him with her presence alone.

Nathan's voice startled Astrid from her thoughts as he suddenly turned intense. She listened to him carefully before slowly nodding, a determined expression slipping into her face. "Yes. Yes of course I will Nathan. I promise the whole world will know your name and your real story. You deserve it more than anyone." Astrid paused, her eyes downcast.

"I suppose this means that I will not see you again right? You said that you're fading so that means you won't stay here anymore. I-" Astrid took in a deep breath. "If that's the case then it was lovely to meet you and be your buddy." Finally Astrid's eyes looked up and she gave Nathaniel a sad, but true smile.

Nathaniel nodded seriously before cracking a smile. It wasn't all that visible on his quickly fading form, but in between the flickers, his face was kind, "Thank you.. and yes... I believe that this will be our final meeting. I am very thankful to have met you, and I am glad that it was you that freed me. I am forever in your debt."

With Astrid's promise, the final piece slotted into place, and suddenly, there was a new 'doorway' open. It drew him in, and in Nathaniel's final moments in his ghostly form, he placed a translucent hand on Astrid's, and for the first time, his touch was warm and solid, "Goodbye, Astrid."

And then... he was gone.

The warm feel of Nathaniel's hand on hers pulled a soft gasp from Astrid's lips, but she had no time to marvel over the new discovery because Nathan was already fading. Astrid whispered a hushed, "Goodbye Nathaniel," but by then he was all gone. The manor finally feeling at peace.

-

Over the course of three months, Astrid dedicated her time to getting the journal into the biggest museum she could find. The first thing she did with the journal was post about it on her social media. She had a big enough following that her discovery sent ripples throughout the country and appeared on multiple news channels throughout the globe.

Oftentimes she was asked how she'd managed to find the journal, and why she even looked in the first place. When asked such things, Beans would merely smile sadly and say that she had been tipped off by a reliable source.

Following a long, two and a half month period, the museum finally announced that they would be displaying the journal proudly in an exhibit dedicated to the life and legacy of Nathaniel Oxford Lockhart Balfour-MacAgee. This would even include the previous beliefs that he had been a horrible man, and would correct them. Something that made Astrid immeasurably happy.

Relaxing on her couch in the small flat she rented, Astrid was content to watch the unveiling of the exhibit within her own, comfortable, home.

As the unveiling of the exhibit finished up, and Astrid rose to try and start something up for dinner, a loud knocking came from her door. Without thinking about it, she immediately headed over to open it, wondering who could possibly be knocking at such an hour.

Despite Nathaniel wanting to pass on peacefully into the next stage of his afterlife, he had no idea what all it would entail. Would he see the pearly gates? A figure in black? Would his family be there? Could he finally see them again?

Or would Nathaniel go from a peaceful, if lonely, life in his manor to one spent in the darkness and silence, where his consciousness wasn't even strong enough to think?

...

It was a terrifying uncertainty - although he kept his fears from Astrid - and one that Nathaniel had been thinking about ever since he found out that there was a chance for his spirit to be set free.

When Nathaniel finally slipped away, his last sensation being Astrid's hand, it was a lot simpler than what Nathaniel had imagined it would be.

Death was... peaceful. Quiet.

Although, Nathaniel supposed, this was not Death at all. This was his afterlife - and it was his peace. It was nice - he had no needs or wants, and there wasn't even a sensation of having a body or figure, like he had as a ghostly apparition.

It was supposed to be perfect... but the afterlife was... lonely.

Perhaps, had Nathaniel been a normal case - someone who had not been trapped between the living and the dead for ages - the endless peace, and eventually absorbing of his consciousness into the nothingness around him, would have been appealing. But - it wasn't.

Nathaniel had lived - or at least been conscious - for centuries. He wasn't at peace, although he had been able to move on. He hadn't ever truly lived - that chance was taken from him by another - and despite this being Nathaniel's goal since he passed, he did not want to be here.

...

Nathaniel couldn't startle - he didn't have a body or enough of a conscious to be shocked - but he was surprised.

"Hello?"

Words were not possible, but Nathaniel got the feeling that they were unnecessary.

Nathaniel did not have anything to say to that, and the mysterious voice seemed to understand.

And so Nathaniel listened, and although he had no body to smile, his essence glowed.

---

Nathan MacAgee hesitated at the door, his fist inches from the wood. This was all so strange. He had an apartment, and a job interview in three days, neither of which he set up himself. At the apartment, his neighbors greeted him like they knew him, and there was clothing in his closet that Nathan did not pick out.

Sure, it had all been explained to him, but it was still strange.

However... this - this anxiety and hope, this tension - was different. It was a different sort of strange, that was also perfect and wonderful all at once.

Nathan took the plunge, and rapped on the door with a solid, flesh hand.

(Another strange thing.)

When the door opened, Nathan smiled in a way that he hoped seemed welcoming, and not like he had no idea what was going on.

"Hello. I wanted to thank you for all of your efforts... for all of the kindness... that you showed a lonely ghost. So, thank you dearly, from the bottom of my heart."

It was different seeing her with the knowledge that if he were to reach out, that there would be a connection - a human connection - and not just a cold chill at his touch.

"So... Astrid... May I have the honor of knowing you? Without my eventual vanishing hanging over us? ... I promise that I will not disappear on you again."