Ugly, by Sweetboxer
Chapter 1:
Disclaimer: I don't own Thirteen Ghosts, and do I look like the kind of person who would use my fanfiction in some evil plot to steal the credit for this movie from it's creators? I just wanna PRETEND that Dennis didn't die, and that he is in love with Kathy. IS THAT SO WRONG? It is? Fine. Then I apologize.
Author's Pre-Notes: In this chapter Dennis is 22. I've made the assumption that Kathy is 17 in the movie and that she turns 18 a few weeks after they survive the events of their night in the glass house. This chapter begins with what is Dennis's death scene in the movie, except he doesn't die. It follows the movie's plot with some minor changes and ends a little while after where the movie ends. Since Maggie survives the explosion in the movie, it's safe to assume that the lowest level of the house isn't destroyed in the explosion, in other words, the basement and everything in it is more or less intact. That is important later on in this chapter. All this will sound and look better in the story because I don't want to go into too much detail here or there will be no reason to read further! I felt that this chapter was needed not only to show how Dennis was spared from death, but also that he had been forgiven; by Arthur, by Jean(The Withered Lover), and by himself somewhat, so that the situations in the next few chapters would make more sense. This chapter also explains how he loses his seizure-like reaction to human touch and, so as not to interrupt the flow of the story, the Author's Post-Notes at the end of the chapter explain why.
I think I've explained enough for you to read the story without a problem, so go ahead and enjoy!
Chapter 1:
Prologue/Forgiven
"Dennis! No!"Arthur shouted, desperately trying to break free. After frantic pounding and shifting, Arthur had actually managed to unwedge the glass pane that was holding him back. He ran for Dennis, desperate to get between him and the ghosts. Dennis shoved him backward, knocking him off-balance and onto his side. "No, Arthur!" he scolded, looking back. "Stay there!" Arthur ignored the psychic's command, and recoiled so fast it felt like he was sprinting before he even got to his feet, but he froze in his tracks when he saw that one of the ghosts had reached Dennis first.
Dennis took a few gasping breaths as he felt an energy closing in. He was brave enough to sacrifice himself but too scared to open his eyes and watch. He waited...but it seemed that the energy had just...stopped in front of him, and was just standing there an inch or two from his face, and for some reason it hadn't laid a finger on him. Dennis was puzzled, if not a bit scared. Why wasn't he dead? Was the ghost toying with him? Was it waiting for him to open his eyes and look, then kill him? He wouldn't rule it out. After all, a ghost had done a similar thing to him earlier, though that time it had been from inside a containment cube. Dennis was afraid of what he'd see when he opened his eyes, but he did so, with hesitation, and slowly unclenched his teeth, His eyes went wide and his mouth hung open slightly in shock at what stood before him.
Dennis would have been dead at that moment, but his selfless protection of Arthur had earned him the respect of the ghost in front of him. Standing before him was none other than Jean Kriticose, The Withered Lover. She was the ghost of Arthur's wife, whom Dennis had helped Cyrus capture, keeping her from reaching true peace. He was the reason she wasn't in pure bliss at this very moment, the reason that she had to roam through this glass prison in her tortured form. And there she was, saving his life, when what he'd done had damned her to this purgatory.
Dennis couldn't process it. He kept telling himself it was a mistake; that she was protecting her husband, and that Dennis was just in the way. Jean had made her ghost body a barrier, eventually convincing the ghosts, with a cold stare, that she wasn't going to budge. So, they left to search for prey in other parts of the house. Dennis was speechless as the horribly burned wife of Arthur lowered her arms, and wheeling her IV, turned around slowly to face them.
Dennis just knew that when she'd faced in his direction, he'd see disgust in her eyes, if she even looked at him. He assumed maybe she'd ignore him and just go straight for Arthur, and he wouldn't blame her if she did. But when he saw that she was looking directly into his eyes with nothing but compassion in her's, he wasn't prepared for the overflow of emotions, some of them he'd been suppressing with sarcasm and pessimism for most of his life.
Dennis felt tears welling up in his eyes, and his voice cracked as he uttered the only words he could manage "I...I'm...I'm so sorry. Jean...Arthur...I...didn't know...I just– " Jean just smiled slightly and put her finger to her lips. Dennis couldn't help the tears now, and his throat was starting to ache. Jean gave him a look that said for him not to worry about it, that she forgave him. At that moment, Dennis vowed to himself not to do anything to hurt another ghost again, unless he had to. Dennis slumped down into a low kneeling position, overwhelmed with emotion, gasping sporadically and streaming tears down his face.
All through this Arthur had stared lovingly, but curiously at the ghost of his wife, unsure, yet not caring if she was real or not. He wanted to be with her so badly, but the look in her eyes said she knew already, and felt the same longing for him. She gestured softly in Dennis's direction, giving Arthur a look that now said "He needs someone to be there for him." Arthur understood, and after nodding he headed over to Dennis, knowing that if his wife could forgive him, he had no reason not to do the same. Not thinking, he placed his hand on the psychic's back to comfort him, not remembering what a single touch could do to the guy. Oddly enough, nothing happened, but Arthur didn't think twice about it. After Dennis had calmed down, the two of them turned to face Jean.
Arthur felt peace for the first time that day, just smiling at Jean, but without warning there was some sort of chanting noise, and she started to fade. "Shit." Dennis griped, actually sounding like himself again, "Do you hear that? A drawing spell. We gotta get to the eye NOW!" Arthur was still staring at his fading wife. Starting to feel tears himself, he breathed out "No! Jean! Don't go! I'm nothing without you! Please!" Dennis grabbed Arthur by the shoulders and calmly spoke to him, "Arthur, your wife just saved both of us so that we can save your kids. Kalina and Maggie obviously didn't stop the machine, and they might have died trying. That means it's up to me to get you to the Ocularis. If you still want to...sacrifice yourself..." He looked at the ground, then slowly back at Arthur, "...then I'll need to protect you from the other ghosts so you get the chance to." Dennis was now looking directly in his eyes, and could see the questions in Arthur's mind, so he reassured the man, "Don't worry, you'll see Jean again. I 'm pretty sure she's only a ghost because she's waiting for you to join her. You know, so you can both go to the other side together. Oh, and uh, Don't worry about your kids. I'll take care of them. I owe that to you and Jean." Arthur gave a weak smile and nodded.
Dennis looked at his hands, suddenly realizing that he wasn't in pain or convulsing from the human contact. He wasn't even slightly dizzy. Confusing. But Dennis din't have time to figure it out, simply assuming that his encounter with Jean had stopped his seizures somehow. Dennis and Arthur pushed onward, and reached the stairway to the room with the wildly spinning and shifting Ocularis. Dennis refused to go past the stairway, not particularly wanting to watch Arthur die. Arthur understood, and headed up alone.
Dennis sat there at the bottom of the stairway, pondering his life after the glass house, how he could possibly convince the court to let him raise two kids he'd only known for a few hours, how to convince the kids that he wasn't insane. His thoughts shifted through the past couple months he'd spent capturing the ghosts with Cyrus. Thinking about what a waste it all was. When he got to the last capture, the Juggernaut's capture, his mind slowed down a bit. Kalina had said something about the thirteenth ghost there, too. But now that he thought about it, it wasn't the same. In the library she had called it a failsafe; the only way to stop the machine. He tried to remember what she had said in the junkyard. Then it suddenly came to him word by word: "You'll never do it Cyrus, not without the right spells; That and the thirteenth ghost!" Dennis felt like he'd been woken up with a slap to back of the head. He'd felt so stupid for not seeing it before. Kalina had lied to them. She was probably another one of Cyrus's lackeys. If that was true, who knows what she could've done to Maggie. And worse yet, Arthur was about to sacrifice himself to complete the Ocularis Infernum instead of destroy it! He had to get up there and stop him.
He ran up the stairs but stopped when he heard the scratching and eventual halt of the recorded spells. Something was up, so he continued his run up the stairs. Reaching the top, he saw Arthur first on the ground. He ran for Arthur, and upon reaching him he noticed that the ghosts had all gathered around something. When they lifted it up he could see that it was his former employer, Cyrus. Dennis knew that the ghost of Cyrus would never have made it to the glass house. Spirits are rarely that free-roaming. They either cling to their place of death or in some rarities resort to possession, and make their host's body and mind their territory. That meant that the Cyrus in front of him wasn't a ghost. Dennis wasn't really surprised, though. It somehow fit Cyrus like a glove that he would fake his own death just to get all of them into the house. So Dennis just stood by Arthur and watched coldly as the angry spirits tossed Cyrus into the spinning blades of the Ocularis.
And when he saw the ghosts disperse, Dennis realized that the spinning of the blades was changing it's pattern. There were periodic moments where it would be safe to jump into the eye and get the kids. He looked at Arthur, and he saw it too. They nodded, Arthur waiting til just the right moment, and then running, jumping, and landing safely on the middle platform with his kids. There was a tremor that ran through the house. They all felt it, but Dennis took it as a sign. He had a feeling that something big was coming, and he wanted to be near the kids, in case Arthur couldn't protect them alone when whatever it was happened. With a deep breath, Dennis jumped into the opening, missing the blades and landing next to Kathy in what little space was left in the center of the eye. Afraid for everyone's life, including his own, he positioned himself around the two kids, protecting whatever Arthur couldn't on his own. The machine exploded, the explosion ringing through the house, but at the center of the eye, all four of them were safe.
When the dust cleared, they all shared astonishment at the fact that they were saved considering the devastation around them. Jean's ghost appeared, scar-less, burn-less and looking more at peace. She smiled at them for a long moment, before slowly passing on. The moment of peace was broken when Maggie stormed past them. She was completely nerve-wracked, not even stopping to talk as she walked by, babbling frantically "I'm sorry Arthur, kids, but I-I can't do this anymore! I am through! I QUIT!". Before Arthur could convince her to change her mind, she was already out what was left of the doornever to be heard from again.
Great, she was gone. Now what would Arthur do? "Dammit. She was all I could afford! What now!" He sat down on the floor and put his head in his hands. "Arthur, uh..." Dennis muttered, "Look, I said I'd take care of your kids if you died, and I don't see why I can't now– I mean, I still don't have a job and I was already kicked outta my apartment, and I could move close by, and– " His rant was broken when Bobby interjected "Everybody! You gotta see this!"
He was running up the stairs, panting, and hefting his tape recorder and scooter. "There's a dead guy in half and a suitcase with money!" Noone really heard him, too concerned with what to do next to listen, except Kathy, who picked up her head, "What!". Bobby dropped his scooter at the top of the stairs and took a breath. "I went lookin' around downstairs for my scooter and I found a dead person split in half, and he was holding a suitcase with money in it!"
Kathy stood up, not too excited about the dead body, but with all she'd seen today, the basement could be a giant swimming pool full of blood and headsas long as there wereno ghosts. She ran up to Bobby. "Money in a- I mean, a dead body?" She pretended to be more interested in the body,just to pleaseBobby,"Can you show me?" Bobby smiled and nodded. Kathy sighed, trying to prepare herself and she followed him down the stairs. "You better not be lying!"
Kathy was the first one to return up the stairs moments later, followed by Bobby. She was holding the briefcase Bobby spoke of, and she was beaming even more than she was when she first saw the inside of the house. Practically squeaking, she skip-walked over to her Dad and Dennis. She stood there for a few seconds holding the case up and lightly bouncing before Arthur asked "What?" Kathy was grinning from ear to ear, "Open it Daddy! Just open it!" Arthur sighed, grabbing the briefcase, and setting it down on the floor. He got on his haunches and unlatched it slowly.
Dennis stared strangely at Kathy, who looked like she was trying hard not to explode, then returned his gaze to Arthur. He couldn't see over the man's shoulders, but he got an idea of what the case held when Arthur trembled a little. Arthur moved over and turned slightly, allowing Dennis to see the money, all the money, inside the case. Smiling, Arthur grabbed a wad of bills and lifted it up next to his face while smiling at Dennis, "How much did Cyrus owe you?" Dennis got red in the face. laughing a little, he smiled back"You know, I'd settle for ajob and a place to stay..."
To be continued...
Author's Post-Notes: The reason Dennis stops experiencing seizures and pain from his visions acquired through human contact is because in my opinion, and to serve this story(eventually a DennisxKathy fic), the seizures and pain are mostly connected to his self-loathing and other psychological issues. After he is forgiven and forgives himself somewhat, the seizures and pain that accompany his visions stop, except with extremely violent visions. It's kind of like in Family Guy when Brian "wets the bed" , finds no apparent medical problems causing it, then discovering the cause is mid life crisis, and/or the fact he's in love with Lois. Ha ha! Sorry! I couldn't think of any other example (Sweatdrop)
Please review! Every time someone reads this story without leaving at least one review,the Jackal will eat a kitten! The story takes a big turn from here on! Next chapter comes as soon as it can! It will concern the budding romance between Dennis and Kathy, anda certaintype ofhaunting by afamiliar ghost. I have to write now, but I still need support, so every review will get the next chapter here that much faster.