Clockwork stared at the mirrors, watching the ghost-boy, the boy who had the worlds' fates laid on his shoulders far too many times. As the young halfa soon met up with his girlfriend, the full ghost looked away, not just because He didn't wish to pry into the boy's life - the press did that enough - but also because, whenever he saw a couple, his core would ache.

============C&S============

Clockwork sighed. "Come on in, Spectra." That was the 10th time.

"Oh I knew there was a depressed ghost this way." She smirked, knowingly. "I just never thought it'd be you, Clocky!" The blue ghost resisted the urge to put her in permanent timelessness, a state in which one could see all, hear all, smell all, but do not a thing, and no one knowing you were there. Clockwork, actually, had only done this once before, when Dan nearly escaped the thermos.

"Is that it?" As things are, his teeth grind.

"Oh Clocky. You know I can help." She touches the shoulder of Clockwork's adult figure before he shifted to old. She pauses, but then speaks again. "You do have that one . . . issue but, as I say, that's no reason to not-"

As the ghost shifted to and infant, he said, "No. For the hundredth time, no. We cannot."

"But, Clo-"

"Just go." She imitates his earlier sigh, almost mockingly.

"See you tomorrow, Spectra whispers as she passes him - currently as an adult - and her hand wemt from one shoulder to the other.

============C&S============

"Clocky!"

"I told you, Spectra - no!"

"Oh come on . . ." She sat down, giving him a sideways smile, and pushed on his nose, gently. As the female ghost went to pull down Clockwork's hood, he drew the line.

"No. Just . . . no." He flew back quickly, startling her.

"Clo-"

"I can't. Not . . . not since . . . her." He sighed, remembering.

"Ah, yes, the poor girlie." Spectra almost laughed. "I know it bothered you but, you know, when people die, a buffet appears for me." Clockwork, for the first time ever, hit her.

"I. Forbid. You. To. Talk. About. Her. Demise. Like. That." He glared at her, his shoulders shaking slightly. No doubt that, if it was possible, he would be breathing hard. "Leave, now, Spectra."

"Of course, Clocky. Just don't forget I'm coming back."

"Oh really? Maybe Walker should come visit too, then." Spectra gulped. "I believe you have overstayed your welcome," he stated, phrasing it as a question.

"Y-yes, of c-course . . ." She scurried off, actually scared."

============C&S============

Clockwork sat, head in hands, remembering her. The only one he could get along with. The feistiest person he'd ever met . . .

"Penelope! Where are you?"

"C-Clocky . . . Help . . ." Clockwork dashed into her room and saw she was buried under a pile of rafters that had fallen in the eartquake just now.

"Penny . . ." He reached for her, about to pull her out.

"I-If I die," she wheezed, "d-don't change the t-time stream . . ." Her eyes closed.

"No! Penelope, you can't die!" He began to sob, shaking uncontrollably.

============C&S============

"So that's what happened?"

"Sp-Spectra? I thought I told you to-"

"You did, but I came back. And, thanks to your mirrors, I now know who you were in love with." She smiled. "Me."

"What? No! You can't-"

"Actually, I can. Don't you recall my original name?" She smiled softly at him. "My name used to be 'Penelope Sauvage'."

"No . . . Impossible. You can't be her, can you?"

"We both call you the same nickname."

"But . . . but still . . ."

"Don't you have a way to check on the past of a particular ghost? Like me?"

"I-I guess I will . . . just so I know for sure . . ."

"Thank you, Clocky," Spectra whispered, her hand on his shoulder.

============C&S============

"Clocky . . . goodbye . . ." The ghost turned so as to not witness the death of the one he loved. "I . . . I will see you a-again . . ."

Why does this happen to me?

"Because, Clockwork, you became personal, you fell in love. But you mustn't change the time stream as she asked."

"Observants . . . please, go . . ."

"Be won't. Not until we are sure you will not change the time flow."

"I won't. Now go."

"We can't until you are back in the clock tower." As the two sides spoke, no one noticed a red haired ghost leaving the girl's body, looking old and frail, although the body she had just floated out of was young and fresh.

============C&S============

"You . . . her . . ."

"Yes, my dear Clocky, we are one and the same." Clockwork, for once in a long time, reached for the woman he once and always loved and kissed her right on the lips. It was short but it made the two happy.

"I'm glad we found each other again," He whispered.

"Me too . . ." They kissed again.

"Stay with me?" And again.

"I'll never leave." And again.

============C&S============