A/N: Alright, we get our first hints of Stretch and Kat in this chapter. It's going to be fun.

Also, I am taking some artistic license and will be bringing both Wendy and one of her aunts in. They will not be at all like the characters from the movie Casper meets Wendy. I redesigned them specifically for this story and will be more along the lines of a plot device than actual characters, popping in and out as I need them for exposition and explanations. So if you aren't a fan of these characters don't worry, they aren't hardcore investments.

There is also swearing and foul language in this chapter just so you know. Enjoy and if you like read and review!

Chapter II

Charming the Charm

Kat lay in bed wondering how the week ahead would proceed. Tomorrow, or today, since it was one in the morning, would be Halloween. She still had six days before her father returned and nothing stopping her from doing whatever she wanted.

The question is, as an eighteen year old without a car, few friends and ghosts for roomates there wasn't much she could do in the way of a good time. It was usually just her and Casper and honestly that is how she liked it.

There had been a few kids in her school who had tried to befriend her and even now, a girl named Wendy often still tried to hang out with her on weekends. But she had become more accustomed to hanging with the dead and truthfully she preferred it.

She glanced to the window which was cracked open and exhaled slowly as her mind went back over the events of the day.

The weird feeling she had gotten in the cemetery, the way Stretch kept hounding after her to invade her body and the odd feeling of being watched constantly. It was like the hairs on the back of her neck were resigned to stay standing on end.

Kat only hoped this week of freedom wouldn't be ruined by whatever creepy ghoul she had run afoul of. Hopefully it stayed in the town and had not followed her and Casper up to Whipstaff.

The thought made her instantly fill with anxiety as she recalled feeling that strange cold pull in her stomach, how that feeling from the cemetery had seemingly followed her along her route home.

Sitting up quickly Kat grabbed her charm and placed it around her neck before pulling the covers back and sliding on her slippers. As the weather was cooling she often slept in her most comfortable pajama pants and a tank top. It allowed for her maximum comfort level and gave her full coverage if the ghostly trio tried to yank her from her bed, something that had thankfully not occurred since she had created her charm.

A lesson she had learned rather quickly in this house was never think your alone, always take your clothes with you to the bathroom and never let go of your towel. The trio had nearly got an eye full of her on several occasions had Casper not been quick to come to her rescue.

Grabbing up a flashlight she left Casper snoozing lazily at the foot of her bed and headed for the main room.

She descended the stairs slowly, flashing her light around and stopping on the landing long enough to get a good view of the floor below. As she continued her journey down she was stopped halfway by that same feeling.

"Oh shit." she whispered as she realized quite suddenly she must have brought whatever found her in the cemetery home with her. She took another step down and the feeling intensified.

"W-what are you?" she asked softly, scanning with her flash light as her insides grew cold and her spine suddenly felt like it was vibrating out of her skin.

Stopping at the last step she waited for a response but when none came she took a deep breath and moved down onto the main floor, the red and black swirl of the floor catching her eye before she turned her head to the ceiling.

"Look, whatever you are, this isn't your home. It belongs to Casper and if you stay the Ghostly Trio will eventually catch you. Trust me, you'd be better off moving on." she whispered it all out, not wanting to wake up said brothers or her young ghostly friend.

Still, the presence stayed though all was silent and Kat felt her anger growing, "Hey, whatever-you-are, you aren't welcome! I want you to get out! Leave me alone and stop following me! I know you are there so just...get out!"

"Talking to yourself, Kitty Kat?" Kat jumped in utter shock and dropped her flashlight as she spun to see Stretch floating behind her, eyes hard and narrow, pale lips in a sneer and arms crossed over his chest.

"Oh thank god, Stretch! It's just you, I swore I thought I felt-" but she stopped when she realized that even though the more foreboding and slightly eerie vibe was gone, the ones she often felt when Stretch entered the room on his own were spitting to life.

Kat schooled her features, straightened her back and clenched her fists as the anger settled comfortably in her belly and certain parts of her body reacted to his presence.

It's just his ghostly aura, each ghost is different, this is what Stretch's aura does to me, just like Fatso makes me Hungry, Stinkie makes me have to go to the bathroom and Casper makes me feel hopeful. It's just a natural response-

"Felt what?" the tall thin ghost snapped as he eyed her carefully.

Kat swallowed and shook her head, "Nothing, I thought I felt- no, nothing just never mind. G'night." she said as she moved passed him and headed for the stairs.

"Forgetting something, Kitty Kat?" Came his rather mocking voice. Slowly she looked back to him, her hand clenching the stair rail as the tingling in her nether regions intensified and she had to clench her body tight to keep her knees from buckling.

She gasped as Stretch flew up to her suddenly and held out her flashlight. She eyed it warily before extending a shaky hand and taking the cool metal object into her grasp.

Her eyes met his cruel violet ones and the feeling of anger intensified as did the tingling, "Oh my-" she said under her breath as she looked away and blushed.

She felt a cold brush of her neck and looked to see Stretch was running a ghostly finger along her collar bone, sharply curving well away from the charm.

"Ya know, Kitty Kat. You could make this easier on both of us-"

Kat felt her anger flare and she took a step up and away from him, "Yeah? How so?" She asked, her voice betraying nothing of her bodies reaction to his proximity.

"Well, you could start by not playin' des games with me. Just take the charm off, let me take your body for a little ride and we call it done. No one has ta know. I won't even tell the boys, it could be our little secret."

Kat took another step up and looked down on him, "That doesn't sound easier on me. In fact, it sounds like you just want me to give up. To let you win." She said with defiance.

Stretch gave a wicked grin and moved closer, "It would be easier, to just let me take you for a little stroll. Besides, you don't even know what I will do. I could just take a few hours to eat some food, maybe go for a walk along da beach. Why not just let me have my way and this whole game can be put to rest."

Kat studied him carefully, seeing the hungry look on his face and the way his ghostly fingers twitched in anticipation and Kat frowned, "No, I don't think I will. I don't want you in my body Stretch, so stop trying, as long as I have this charm you can't get in, and you don't have a way to get it so maybe you should make it easier on yourself and just give up." She turned away from him and started to climb the stairs but was stopped by the feel of his cold hand on her shoulder.

He jerked her around and she lost her balance, falling back onto her butt and looking up at him from her awkward position on the stairs.

"You know what I think?"

"I can only imagine." She said in frustration.

"I think you like playing dis game with me. I think you like having my attention and I think you want me to keep trying. You want to keep playing this game with me, see how far you can push before you force my hand."

The anger was boiling in her now and she shot up from the stairs and got right in his face, "Don't flatter yourself you transparent stick, I'm doing nothing but protecting myself from your perverse games. This is my body and I'm not going to give it to you just because you have some sick twisted fetish for teenage girls."

She waited for several seconds but Stretch said nothing so she scoffed and turned away again, "Yeah, that's what I thought." the further she moved from him the better she felt and the tingling reduced, the anger faded.

See, just a side-effect of being near him. It's his affect on people, anger and sex, big surprise there, he was probably a sex maniac when he was alive. He is one nasty ghost to be sure, but it never lasts, just keep as far away from him as you can.

Suddenly Stretch was before her and she jumped back in shock, losing her footing and nearly crying out as she rocked back. To her relief and regret Stretch gripped onto her arm and yanked her close, essentially stopping her backwards fall down the stairs but bringing her within less than an inch of his ghostly form.

Kat's body reacted accordingly, anger surging up through her stomach and into her chest, neck and face, "LET GO!" She yelled angrily just as her womanhood thrummed to life and she thought she might come undone right there on the stairs.

"You are going to let me possess you before the Doc gets back, it's for your own good and I won't take no for an answer. So you better start getting used to the idea because the instant that charm is gone I will be inside your body Kitty Kat, and you are going to thank me when it's over."

Kat leaned closer, her teeth gritting as she tried to keep these feelings caused by Stretch's proximity under control, "Eat. Shit." she seethed and then she yanked away and climbed passed him on the stairs.

"Piece of shit, mother fucking ass hole, deadbeat son of a bitch-"

He watched her go, his oblong face remaining neutral with no discernable emotion, until he looked back down into the main floor and just barely caught the shift of a shadow. He waited a few more minutes, his eyes narrowing sharply and studying the space below. In the silence and early hours of the morning he saw no further movement. Sneering, Stretch seemingly waved away nothing and headed up through the ceiling to go to bed.

Page Break

Kat crawled into bed, her entire body shaking and her emotional state on the verge of collapsing into herself. She was angry, disgusted with herself and still faintly aroused. It made her so-

She covered her head with the blankets and curled in on herself.

That was intense, far too intense. That cannot happen again, it cannot be allowed to happen again. No going anywhere without Casper as long as Stretch has it in his mind he needs to possess you. It isn't safe right now for you to be alone with him. You need to figure out what strange thing followed you home and get rid of it! It's creepy and with Stretch on the prowl for your possession virginity you can't afford to have your mind split.

"Kat?" Came Casper's sleepy tone and the girl felt her tumultuous emotions settle instantly, her body seemingly regulating itself as the little ghost grew closer.

"Kat? Are you alright?" his suddenly alert voice asked, though it was soft and gentle.

"Casper?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you lay down with me?" she asked, not sure at all how he would feel about her request.

There was silence for a few seconds and then she heard movement, poking her head out from under the blankets long enough to see him pulling an extra blanket from the closet and coming back to the bed.

"Bad dream?" he asked as he unfolded the blanket and then wrapped himself up in the thick fabric.

"More like a nightmare." she murmured as she felt her body start to relax even more. She held up her blanket and Casper scooted in next to her, the blanket around him meant to keep Kat from freezing while she slept. She wrapped an arm around him and they both sighed heavily in contentment at the same time.

"Kat?"

"Mm?" she asked sleepily as her body finally shed the rest of the twisted toxic feelings she had been soaking up from the unknown thing following her and the thin ghost of perverse pleasures.

"Will you be alright?"

"Mmhm." She hummed softly and seconds later she was sound asleep.

Page Break

It had taken Sade several hours to make it through every last shred of information they had in the old library, from basement to attic and as it turned out, the humans were even more violent and unpredictable than the last time he was up here.

They had finally accepted the ways of science, purged most disease, famine and plague from their cultures and had started to develop more advanced technology.

Good for them, they may prove more a challenge during the next Apocalypse, last time it was just embarrassing.

On a more positive note, he did find plenty of up-to-date information on the youths of the time, their courting rituals and how they prefered to dress. He was also quite satisfied to see that sexuality and the human figure was no longer something people tried to hide or suppress. This would be much easier given he could be much more straightforward with his advances.

The one thing he couldn't wrap his mind around was the clothes the youths of this plain liked to wear. He much prefer the older and more sophisticated look of the adults...well...some adults. He had found a very interesting novel in the library called Forbidden Fruit which had given him an idea of how best to win the trust of his wayward bride.

Now that the library was done and he had sucked up all the information he could the hallowed halls of academia should be his next target. The sun would be up soon so he would need to find a dark place he could rest until he could finish his work.

The baseline of a plan was formulating in his mind and as long as he could carry it out he might be able to interact with Kat face to face in the next few days. All he had to do was find a body that matched his needs.

PAGE BREAK

Kat stumbled into the kitchen around seven-fifteen, her head aching, her muscles sore and her brain a sluggish mess.

What the hell is wrong with me, I feel so drained.

The trio was already present, fighting over food they didn't need and making overly obnoxious eating noises. She sat with a plop into her seat and rested her head down on her arms, "Casper, please, tylenol, I beg you." she murmured and before she knew it the little ghost was back with a glass of water and two pills.

She took them gratefully and popped them into her mouth before draining the water and setting the glass aside. She leaned back in her seat and took a deep breath, closing her eyes and trying not to snap at the three across from her.

"What's with you?" stinkie asked with rather snide voice.

"Yeah, you look like you got hit by a truck." Fatso chimed in and the two laughed gleefully at her discomfort.

"Fuck off, ya damn ghouls." She said with a groan.

Casper gasped, "Kat!" he sounded shocked at her language but she found in this moment she couldn't care. Still, she tried to make amends, "Sorry, Casper. I just didn't sleep very well last night. I feel...exhausted." and she tipped forward, Casper catching her before her head slammed against the table.

"You better go back to bed. I will call your school and tell them-"

"School!" Kat gasped, "The test! Oh my god, I forgot to study! With everything that happened last night at the cemetery, god I am so stupid!"

"Well I could have told ya that!" Stinkie called and the trio cackled wickedly. Kat ignored them and shoved up from the table. She was heading out of the room when she suddenly stopped and looked at the open doorway before her. Dread filled her and a cold chill ran up her spine, taking a wary step back she looked to her friend, "Casper, will you, uh, come with me upstairs...there's something I need to talk to you about."

The little ghost gave her a strange look but nodded, "Yeah, alright. I'll be right back uncles!" And the little ghost hung up his chef hat and left with Kat, the girl taking his hand as they entered into the main floor.

"That was weird." Fatso said as he looked down to his food and shoveled some into his mouth.

"Ya think the two are finally taking their relationship to da next level?" Stinkie asked casually thought he seemed more interested in the spider crawling along the floor over the piles of food they had eaten and expelled.

Stretch had said little to nothing since Kat arrived, his violet eyes simply watching her and taking in the scene before him.

"I think Kitty Kat is losing her mind." Stretch finally said as he took a bite of food and chewed it slowly.

"Finally! Maybe after all these years we have finally driven her over da edge!" Stinkie said happily.

"Yeah! Maybe the runt and her dad will be out of here sooner than we thought." Fatso agreed.

There was silence and then Stinkie asked his portly brother, "You really want d'hem fleshies ta go?"

Fatso thought about it a moment and then said with great regret, "No, not really."

"Me either." Stinkie confirmed softly, though seconds later he pointed his knife at his brother and said sharply, "But don't tell d'hem dat!"

"Agreed!" and Stinkie and Fatso cackled once again, shoving more food down their ghostly gullets. Stretch looked at them and after a second chuckled himself, "Yeah, keeping 'em around has kept the boredom away, but remember boys, where there are fleshies there is trouble."

"Right!" they chimed in together.

"We just gotta keep the trouble from bothering us." and Stretch glared out the kitchen doorway to the main room, his eyes catching the barest twitch of a shadow before it went still.

"Keep your eyes open, ya got dat?"

His brothers gave him a strange look but then nodded, "Mmhmm!"

"Good. Now, finish eating and meet me in our room." and with that Stretch flew through the ceiling, heading straight for Kat's and Casper's little love nest.

Page Break

Kat walked into her room and started packing her book bag with fevered stuffing and shaky hands. After she got it all packed she sat on her bed with a huff and put her head in her hands.

"Kat, come on, talk to me. What's wrong?" Casper asked, the pale ghost coming up to gently pull her hands away from her face and look into her brown eyes.

Kat stared a moment and then sighed, "Casper, I think….I think I brought something home with me last night."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Last night when we were at the cemetery, do you remember how I said I felt something really weird? I got super freaked out and I thought it was you pulling a prank?"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"You swear it really wasn't you? Promise?" She asked adamantly and Casper took her hand, "I swear, Kat. I would never try to scare you. You know that."

Kat nodded then sullenly, "Yeah, I know. The thing is, I don't think it was your uncles either. There was something in the cemetery with me last night. It was cold, near freezing and I felt like it was all around me, watching me. I heard it whisper my name and then… god I thought my heart was going to explode from my chest. I have never wanted to run so badly in my life, to just escape and get away."

"Do you know what it was?" he asked hopefully but Kat shook her head and after a moment said with worry, "I have never felt that way before. Not even with your uncles sneaking around. I mean, the fear I feel for them is nearly playful, kind of like fear for fears sake, a good scare to get the juices flowing, something you can laugh about a few weeks later."

This made Casper smirk a little but it soon faded at the level of worry in Kat's eyes, "Casper, whatever it was, this demon of a thing, this wicked evil nasty thing, I think… I think it might have followed us back here. In fact, I think….I think it's in the house...right now."

Casper's little mouth dropped open and he instantly shot up, "We need to tell my uncles!"

"Casper! Casper, no! Please! Just, just give me a few days to see if I can figure it out. Maybe we can resolve this on our own. Besides, right now, I don't think I can handle them making fun of me or giving me crap for inviting some kind of evil spirit into the house."

The little ghost thought a moment and then reluctantly nodded, "Alright, well, how about this, take a day or two to try and sort it out. See if you can maybe track down what type of entity it is. I will do the same here, we have a huge stockpile of books on the supernatural. Between the two of us I bet we can figure it out."

"And if we can't?" she asked already knowing what he was going to say.

"Then we tell my uncles and hopefully they will know what it is and how to get rid of it. Honestly, I'm shocked they haven't already sensed it."

Kat cocked her head to the side, "Wait, ghosts can sense other ghosts?"

Casper smiled, "Yes and no. Not like you can, I mean, we can't tell them apart. When I come into the room you know it's me specifically because of how I make you feel. For ghosts it's a little different. I can sense my uncles are close by or in the same room because they are also ghosts. Kind of like you know when someone walked by you on the street even if you didn't physically see them. You just feel them brush past, ya know?"

Kat nodded, she did understand. It was a very common thing for humans to ignore each other. You knew when someone came into a room even if your back was to them, though all you really sense is their presence, not their emotions or their current mood.

"So, wait, can you sense anything else in the house besides your uncles?"

This caught Casper off guard and he thought a moment, his blue eyes showing signs trying to recall the night before via flicking back and forth even though they were looking at nothing.

He thought of the walk from the cemetery to the house, of going into and out of the kitchen and then going to watch t.v. before heading to bed. He hadn't felt any different and had definitely not sensed another ghost in the house save for his uncles.

"No. I don't think so."

Kat sighed and shook her head, "Great. Maybe I really am going crazy then."

"Hey, let's not give up just yet. Go do some digging at the library okay? I will go through some of the books here. We can regroup tonight. Are you sure you're up to going to school?"

"Yeah. Yes, I will be fine. I will just grab some coffee on my way out."

Casper watched her walk out of the room and in that second of her leaving felt the presence of another ghost. He looked around and then up to the ceiling. He didn't see anyone and suddenly the faint feeling of another ghost faded and Casper shrugged it off and went out the door after Kat.

Page Break

Sade was in the boiler room, he was greatful the school had such a place. Judging by the historical books he read most buildings had central air and heating. This school, being rather old, had not updated its heating and cooling system. The heat of it was soothing, the darkness was welcoming.

He pondered as he dozed between sleep and coherency whether or not he should try to seek out his young bride to be. She would be up in the main building, learning and interacting in her social groups. He could catch a glimpse of her in her natural environment, learn her personality so he could better win her over.

He was roused from his rest by the sounding of a bell in the distance and several minutes later one of his minions materialized in the shadows before him.

"Geerah, do you have something to report?"

The amorphous creature came close to him and their shadows joined so that Geerah could communicate with words, She has arrived this morning at school. The girl seems to have gotten ill from our presence. None have taken energy from her but she appears drained.

Sade contemplated his minions words for a moment before he asked softly, "Tell me, what have you learned about her sixth sense? Have you learned anything about that charm?"

Geerah growled in seemingly annoyed frustration as the shadow creature settled closer to it's master.

There is some news. She is no ordinary human, she has lived with those spirits for a long time and her senses have been sharpened and honed over several years. She seems to have a natural aptitude for knowing our kind, Master. She knew we had followed her home, can find us in a room and tell us apart from the other spirits.

"That is a very impressive ability given she was born mortal. It is something we may be able to exploit later if need be. What of the Charm?"

I came close enough to know it has the basic composition of a repellent charm. Salt, bone meal and dirt from the ghosts graves. It should not harm you but the girl must have added a few other things, perhaps Luridum moss and blood meal or a bit of stags horn and Saponaria. It won't hold you away for long.

"Very good news. Geerah, I thank you. Keep your brothers at bay, make absolutely sure none are feeding off her. You are my private guard for a reason, I don't want to have to replace one of you because you got hungry. Make sure she is safe, I will be approaching her soon and I don't want a zombie waiting for me, understood?"

Yes, master. As you command.

Sade settled down lower to the floor, his shadows stretching out to encompass most of the space around him. He admired the rusted pipes, the slime covered walls and the dirt floor and felt for just a moment like he had gone back in time to when the humans were far less advanced.

This room was becoming his new favorite haunt, perhaps this is where he would bring his bride to reveal his true self. Just as soon as he had her trust, as soon as her heart was melting for him. Perhaps he could send just a small piece of his shadow off to catch a glimpse of his bride-to-be. Just a small little peek.

Page Break

Kat felt like a member of the walking dead. All day long as she moved from class to class everything seemed extra hazey and she felt very unaware. The lights were too bright and the noises too sharp and she just wanted her head to stop aching.

The one thing through her daze she did remember to do was to very casually drop a few pictures from the night before in noticeable places all over the school. Before she had gone to bed originally Kat had printed out the best of the pictures she had to leave around the school.

While she felt a small thread of satisfaction knowing the douchebags would have to deal with being called chicken shit for a few weeks no one got hurt and the cemetery made it out unscathed. Her mission had been successful.

Around noon she chose to ignore lunch and go to the nurses office for some much needed headache relief. The nurse was happy to give her what she requested, but insisted on taking her temperature and checking her vitals.

Gerty the nurse was a very friendly woman, with curled wheat yellow hair, red lips and blue eyeshadow. Normally, most woman would look rather dubious with such makeup, but she somehow managed to make it look immaculate and stunning all at the same time.

Slightly thicker and often wearing some very strange heels, given she was a nurse, the woman was always warm, open and seemed to genuinely care about her students.

"Hmm, I think you should head home girlie. You have a fever and your heart rate is a little sluggish. You should be in bed resting." her voice, though raspy was soothing and calm.

"I have a history test today, I can't go home." Kat murmured as she swallowed her medicine and finished off the water.

"Oh no you don't. I am going to write you a get out of jail free card, right now. I will take it to your teacher and let them know you will need to be scheduled for a make up test. You can't fake something like this dear, it's quite serious. Would you like me to call your father?"

"Uh, dad isn't….dad isn't at home. He went on a...work….work trip." Kat said sluggishly, the words suddenly hard to find and she closed her eyes and groaned as a wave of nausea hit her.

"Oh dear, well is anyone at home who can come get you?" Gerty asked as she began scribbling a note out onto a yellow slip of paper.

Kat tried to focus on the question and managed to answer, "Uhm, my uncles and cousin are there, but they don't- they don't drive." she said softly not knowing what else to say.

"Alright then, looks like Wendy will have to take you." Gerty said as she whipped out another yellow slip.

"Wendy?" Kat asked, thinking of the small girl whom had asked to hang out on several different occasions.

Gerty smiled as she went to the intercom by the door, "Oh! Didn't you know? Wendy is my niece."

She pressed the little red button, "Will Wendy Lafay please come to the nurses office, thank you darling!" Gerty chirped and then crossed back to Kat, gently taking her by the chin and pressing the hair back out of her face.

"My my, you look like the energy has been sucked right out of you-" Gerty started and from the front pocket of her yellow cardigan she pulled a medium sized vial.

"Here, take this with you. It's a herbal soother, an old remedy of my mothers. It will help with the disorientation and fatigue."

Kat slowly held the bottle and removed the cork, she brought it to her lips and took a small gulp before making a face at how sweet it was. Surprisingly, seconds later some of the haze seemed to disappear and she felt more alert and far less sickly.

"I feel- better. What is in this?" she asked holding the bottle up to see the liquid was an amber color and there was a sprig of both rosemary and mint resting inside."

"Just a little home brew. Works wonderings on the body. Take a sip every few hours and when the bottle is empty just fill it back up with some water and honey. You can take a small dose anytime you feel tired." and Gerty smiled kindly before looking to the door just as Wendy walked in.

Kat smiled softly and waved and Wendy waved back, "Darling, will you take Kat home? I wrote you a slip to excuse you for the next half-hour. Give it to your teacher when you return to school. And, drop this off with Mr. Hodgins, that way Kat won't get in trouble for missing her test and he can schedule her for a makeup this week."

"Of course, Aunty. I will grab my things." Gerty crossed to her bag hanging off a rack behind the door and dug out her keys, "Remember darling, don't grind the gears and third gear sticks."

"Yes, Aunty." Kat watched the two and realized she never noticed before how much alike they looked. Both had the same wheat colored hair and clean strong jaw. But while Gerty seemed a little thicker and tall Wendy was petite and rather short for her age. Her white blouse was covered with a bright red cardigan that matched her red jeans and her little black boots came up to her knees.

"Come on Kat, let's get you home to bed." The girl said with a happy smile.

Page Break

Kat watched the town go by slowly, though her mind seemed less hazy and she felt like she had more energy the sickly feeling had returned and she debated if it was too soon to take some more of nurse Gerty's little soother.

As they turned down a side road and passed the cemetery Kat shivered and looked down at her lap.

Wendy seemed to notice her discomfort and spoke softly, "Don't care for cemeteries?"

Kat glanced up at her and shook her head, "It's not that. I just, had a bad experience in there once. I don't like thinking about it."

Wendy nodded her understanding and went on to say, "Friendships cemetery is one of the oldest in the area. Over two-hundred and fifty years old, some of the gravestones are even older, makes you wonder who was here making them before the town was even founded."

Kat gave the girl a strange look and humed, "You sure know a lot about this town, given you only moved here last year."

"Oh yes, I love history. As soon as my aunty and I moved here I went to the library to read up on the towns beginnings. It's a very unique place, full of interesting little tidbits."

"Like what?" Kat asked, her interest honestly peeked.

"Well, for instance, did you know the house you live in was once the home of J.T. Mcfadden. He was a rather famous inventor." Kat nodded and said readily, "Yeah. I found all kinds of old newspaper articles about him in the attic when I first moved here."

"Oh! I'd love to see them sometime! Not much is known about the Mcfadden family. And a lot of the newspaper articles of that time pertaining to the family were blacked out or omitted from the archives."

This surprised Kat and she couldn't help but ask, "Any clue why?"

Wendy slowed the car at a stop sign, struggling a little to shift the old clutch down through the gears. The vehicle was an aged pick-up that still had the wooden bed and side rails intact. Upon starting it had sounded like it might explode but after Wendy got it on the road it had settled down to a soft purr.

"Well, as far as I could find the Mcfadden family had suffered a few rather tragic losses and Mr. Mcfadden seemed bent on resurrecting his lost family members. I couldn't find much else, but I assume the town didn't want to be connected to something so-"

"Insane?" Kat offered given she knew all about the Lazerus and had proof that it worked, though from an outside perspective most would think it sounded nuts.

"I would assume people in the time period would have thought something like resurrecting the dead more likely a form of witchcraft or devil worship. Not something most towns would support given the Puritan and Christian religions which were a dominant force in the area at the time."

"You're really smart." Kat said.

"Well, history has always fascinated me. I also found an interesting article on the Mcfadden brothers!"

Kat looked at Wendy and raised a brow, "Really?"

"Yes, apparently they were a rowdy bunch. Always causing trouble at the bars and hanging around the local girls home. A lot of people in the town had it out for them, thought they were nothing but a trio of reckless roughians who enjoyed stealing the virtue of the town's daughters."

Kat snorted at this and rolled her eyes, "Big surprise. Where was the girls home?"

"The old saw mill was converted after it was shut down. Apparently there were too many accidents and the owner went bankrupt."

"Sounds awful."

"Like I said, there's a bunch of interesting tidbits about Friendship in the libraries archives. The Mcfadden brothers were even arrested once."

Wendy pulled the old truck onto the road leading up to Whipstaff and Kat sat forward in her seat, "For what?"

"I guess they got blamed for the death of one of the girls. Everyone had their suspicions but it all fell on the eldest brother. Went to trial and everything."

"Stret- You mean Liam Mcfadden?"

"Oh, you know his name? Have you done some digging yourself?"

"Yeah, a little. I mean, Whipstaff has its own cemetery and Casper and I have gone a few times."

"Casper?" Wendy asked with curiosity.

Kat winced at her sudden slip and cleared her throat, "Yeah, ah, my...cousin. He is visiting for a week...with my...uh... uncles while dad is out of town." Kat lied quickly and Wendy seemed none the wiser.

"Ah. I'd love to meet him."

"Sure, maybe, you know how it can get when family visits. Always so busy."

"Oh yeah, I understand. Anyway, I guess the boys had been the last to see her alive, to physically be with her. Though, there was no evidence that could link the Mcfadden boys to her death so they were released. A short time later they all died in an accident."

"What kind of accident?" Kat asked getting a bad feeling from how it all sounded.

Wendy shrugged at this and turned the final curve leading up to the gates of the old manor house, "The paper I was reading wasn't very specific, but it seemed like some kind of car accident. Though, between you and me it seemed very mysterious and I wouldn't be surprised if the townspeople had something to do with it. Then J.T. was taken to hospital. Came down with a bought of Pneumonia."

"Is that what the papers said?" Kat asked incredulously.

"The ones I could find, yeah. He died there. Do the papers you have at home say something different?"

Kat nodded and felt a wave of dizziness hit her as the truck came to a stop at the gates.

"He was...he didn't get sick. He was arrested for his experiments and wild claims that he had developed a way to bring back his dead son. He was committed to an insane asylum and died there."

"Whoa! Really?"

Kat nodded and grabbed the handle of the truck door, "I wonder why the papers lied about it. And why the ones I have told the truth."

"It's like the town tried to erase all evidence of it." Wendy agreed and they sat in silence a moment before the small girl asked with worry, "Can you make it from here? I'd be happy to go open the gates and drive you the rest of the way."

"No, it's fine. I'm fine, your aunt's medicine is helping. I feel a lot better. Thanks for driving me home." Kat said with a smile.

"My pleasure! It was really fun to talk to you. If you ever want to hang out let me know, here is my number." and the girl pulled a piece of paper from her bag and handed it over to Kat.

"Thanks." Kat said with a smile and then she grabbed her bag and got out of the truck. She watched Wendy pull a u-turn, a very daring feet considering how narrow the path was and then the truck was descending back towards the town and out of sight.

Kat waited a few minutes more, simply standing in the thick forest around her and enjoying the crisp clean air. She had always enjoyed nature and fall and winter had always been her favorite of the seasons. The sky seemed stunning blue today and the leaves had already started to change color and share the beautiful spectrum of saturated reds, yellows and oranges.

Taking another short look at the bottle in the palm of her hand she sighed and turned towards the gate. Her mind was abuzz with all the new information Wendy had given her about the Mcfadden family and she made a mental note to ask Casper about it and see if he knew or remembered any of it. Given how young he was when he had died she doubted he had been much aware of any of it.

Still, the idea that the ghostly trio, during their life, had been held on suspicion of murder made her feel very uncomfortable. Maybe her father and her should have tried to do some digging after they had decided to stay in Whipstaff.

Given the fact Stretch seemed to be dogging to inhabit her body now that she was eighteen, the idea that he or his brothers could have been sexual predators in their former lives didn't seem so unbelievable. They did take a certain amount of twisted pleasure in making her and every other living human as scared or uncomfortable as possible.

Would it be so far fetch to think they were just as nasty in their past lives?

When Whipstaff finally came into sight she swallowed and tucked nurse Gerty's little home remedy away before pulling her charm from the pocket of her coat and grasping it tightly in her palm.

Less than thirty feet from the door she spun when she thought she heard the sound of rustling behind her and caught sight of a strange shadowy shape moving amongst the trees. Upon seeing nothing else she put it down to a deer but when it happened a second time she looked again and found herself frozen. The overpowering feeling of dread and an aching cold running up her spin made her suck in air and she fisted her charm tighter.

Move your feet, Kat. Get inside! She mentally screamed at herself but still her feet wouldn't move. Her head started to swim again and she felt like she might get sick where she stood.

"Leave me the hell alone! Stop following me!" She yelled loudly and to her utter shock, leaves exploded off the ground near the edge of the woods to her left, almost like some big unseen creature had snorted in defiance.

"I don't know what you are but you aren't welcome here and I want you to leave me alone!" She yelled back.

A high pitched but faint screech seemed to echo up the hill at her and with another gust of icy air her feet finally moved and she sprinted towards the front door, her hands fumbling with the keys as tears filled her eyes and her heart pounded like a chaotic drum in her chest.

Something was creeping up behind, she could sense it and she let out a blast of noise in duress before finally shoving the key into the lock, turning it sharply and bursting through the door into the main room.

She tripped as she went and turned over onto her butt quickly kicking the door shut before she collapsed back onto the floor and let out a sob.

"Thank god." She nearly wept as she curled in on herself and lay there prone for several seconds.

"Kat? Kat, what's wrong! What are you doing home so early-" Kat sat up, looking to see Casper floating in the center of the room with the ghostly trio just behind.

Kat felt the adrenaline leave her and she looked to the door. Just on the other side she could feel the wicked thing prowling, as if it was waiting for it's opportunity to find a way in. Panic hit her again and she scooted away from the door as she whined in utter fear, "It's here, that thing is here! It's been following me all day, Casper I swear-"

"What the hell are ya talking about you crazy Fleshy!" Stretch asked with a sneer.

Kat was about to turn around to explain when suddenly she felt the entity shift and change direction, heading up and around the house.

Her eyes followed it, not seeing it but sensing its course and then realization set it, "The window! It's going for the window in my room!" Kat shoved herself up and sprinted to the stairs, "Casper! Get to my room, shut the window! Don't let it in!" She shrieked and the little ghost took off without question, Kat in hot pursuit.

She was stopped on the landing by Stretch who crossed his arms over his chest and glared, "Hold it, Kitty Kat, what's dis all about?" Stinkie and Fatso joined him seconds later and they also looked rather annoyed, "Yeah, why you acting like the house is unda attack?" The smallest of the three asked.

"Out of my way! Please! I can't let it get in! It's trying to get in!" Kat yelled desperately as she tried to dive around them. Stretch grabbed her by the wrist and swung her back.

"No ya don't, you're going to stay right here and tell me exactly what has gotten into that thick fleshy head a yours!" the self-imposed leader of the trio ordered angrily.

"Please! Just- just make sure everything is locked, windows, doors everything! Nothing can be open or unlocked!" Kat urged as she tried to yank away from him.

Stretch eyed her carefully for a moment and then scoffed, "Boys, go help bulb-head lock dis place down, Kitty Katand I need to have a little chat."

The two other ghosts saluted with a resounding, "Right-o!" and "Okay!" before they shot off in different directions.

"You goin' ta come quietly or do I have to drag you?" Stretch asked eyeing her quizzically.

Kat glared at him had told herself she wouldn't be alone with Stretch again, that Casper needed to be present anytime she was around him. Yet, as she looked into those violet eyes and the feelings of the entity were muted and replaced by the anger and arousal Kat always associated with Stretch, she frowned and yanked her arm away from him, "Fine."

PAGE BREAK

The school was silent, the rooms empty as the fading light left the halls cool and dark. Sade pressed through the school, gliding silently over the glossy floor as he went from room to room in search of more information that could work to his advantage. His plan was set, all he had to do was play this game of chess carefully, and he would be more than ready to lay his trap for Kathleen.

Sade stopped when he came across the door to the office and he easily slid under and into the large room. He went to the filing cabinets and started looking for the files on the teachers.

If anyone had been watching all they would have seen was a black shapeless entity encompassing the cabinets and slamming drawers open while paperwork went flying. It took him little time to put together which teachers Kat had for her curriculum and which one would benefit him to remove.

Suddenly a low growl could be heard coming down the hall outside and Sade waited as Geerah came bursting in, the door flying open and the glass window shattering at her sudden forced entry.

"Geerah, what is it?" he hissed, realizing by her agitated state that something was wrong. The shadow creature quickly flung over to him and merged with him so as to speak quickly and clearly.

We have been following the girl all day, but we fear that there is something odd going on around her. We sensed witch's magic, and the girl was able to keep us out of the house by simply locking the doors and windows. We think she was given a protection draft or some form of enchanted witch's brew.

"And which one of you slipped up and let her see you?"

Both Clarich and Greely have been sloppy in their pursuit of her but we have remained nothing but shadows to her, she has known about our presence since she left the graveyard. I fear she is telling the ghosts about us, she will be difficult to catch should they decide to protect her.

"Very well, do try to keep them in line Geerah. Now, about the witch, do you know who it might be?"

We are not sure, but Clarich suspects the nurse and her niece as the child gave your bride an escort home from school early and that is when the trouble began.

"Why did my darling bride leave school early?" Sade mused with annoyance as he grew suspicious of his own minions.

Someone is draining her, we do not know who. I have checked with my brothers and they swear they have done no harm to your bride.

"Do you believe them?" he questioned with indifference.

Yes my master, they are speaking truth.

Sade mentally sighed as he thought of all the complications arising from simply trying to keep his bride under a watchful eye.

"It will be worth it, she is worth it." he murmured softly before addressing his minion once more, "A very interesting predicament. Well, we musn't let this stand in our way. Surround the house, keep track of her, between her charm and the witch's I think we have little fear of my Kathleen being possessed. Ensure her safe transport between her home and school. I will be able to monitor her from here starting…..tomorrow, I should think. Send Greely out to find a Mr. Hodgins. I need him out of the picture and bed ridden for the next few weeks. Do not kill him either, the last thing I need is the town going up in arms over a suspected murder. If any of them get antsy about food send them to a different town, I can't afford any suspicion to fall towards us, especially with my sweet Kathleen on our scent. Understand?"

Yes, Master. I swear it shall be done.

Then Geerah was gone and Sade looked to the picture of Mr. Hodgins, an older man with nasty teeth but kind eyes. He was a favorite among students because he was nice and graded fairly. Apparently he also enjoyed making history "fun."

Well, the teens of Marshwood High school were going to be getting a new teacher tomorrow and Kathleen would be made to swoon for him.

PAGE BREAK

When Kat was shoved into the library by the cold hand of Stretch she stumbled and caught herself on the desk. Turning to give him a hateful glare he scoffed and flew down to float in front of her, "Don't give me dat look, Kitty Kat. You're d'he one who brought home a shadow creature. Now we are d'he ones who have tah deal with it."

"You know what it is?" Kat asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, I knew the first night ya went huntin' for it, I was doing the same thing. Felt it when it first came in." Stretch said with a smirk of superiority.

"Why didn't you say anything last night!" She barked in reference to their confrontation on the stairway.

"What fun would that be?" he asked softly.

Kat openly stared, shock and awe keeping her from saying anything for a few seconds until finally her anger erupted and she screamed, "That thing has been torturing me, sucking my energy! It has been making me sick! Why didn't you offer to help me!"

"And why would I do that?" Stretch brought his face close to her own and she felt the anger in her gut grow stronger, the quivering between her legs intensify. She swallowed as she tried to keep herself under control.

"Because….because…..my dad asked you to look out for me! To treat me like your own!" It was a last resort, rather weak for someone like her to fall back on being a "daddy's girl", but she was desperate to find some form of protection from this strange shadow creature.

"Last time I checked I don't owe d'ah Doc any favores." Stretch said gazing hooded eyes at the tips of his fingers, though they both knew he had no nails to actually examine.

"You asshole!" Kat hissed angrily but Stretch was quick to nip her rage in the bud, "No, Kitty Kat, I'm not an asshole, you are stubborn! So how bouts we compromise, eh?"

Kat felt the anger pool and wash through her body and she took several steps back from him before she tried to speak again, "What type of compromise?" she found herself breathing heavy and felt her nethers ignite and quiver and she clenched her teeth and groaned into her hand which cupped over her mouth quick.

When she looked up she saw Stretch staring at her with curiosity and a small smirk, "Well-" he started, "How bout we start with you tellin' me just exactly what you feel when I am in the room with ya." and Stretch moved a little closer and Kat made a noise before trying to scoot further away.

"Ya see, I was listening into your conversation with Casper this morning. I didn't realize you knew us so well, Kitty Kat. Just what do you feel when I come into d'ah room?"

Kat felt a shudder wrack her body and she turned away from him and moved swiftly towards the steps leading to the upper level of books. She knew she couldn't escape him completely like this but she needed-

Stretch appeared in front of her and Kat jerked back, "Give me space!" She said with frustration as she changed direction and headed back down the spiral and across the room. However, Stretch seemed to get the idea he had the upper hand in this situation and so took full advantage.

Kat found herself at the doors but when she went to open them they slammed shut and shortly after she was spun around and two cold hands had her shoulders, holding her in place against the doors.

"Alright, here is d'ha compromise, you tell me what you sense off me and in return I will see what I can do about the shadow creatures you got following you around, deal?"

"W-wait, creatures...as in-"

"More d'hen one, yeah. Ya got a nasty little fan club outside Kitty Kat, so I suggest ya tell me what I wanna know so I will give ya my help."

Kat swallowed and she thought about it for several seconds. She knew her charm seemed mostly ineffective to the demons outside, though it was doing it's job keeping Stretch from taking her over. If she told him what he wanted to know he would help her and Casper figure this out. She also didn't need to tell him everything she felt, she could avoid the part about arousal and just focus on the anger.

She glanced up at him and met his eyes before gritting her teeth and saying with venom, "When you enter the room the only thing I sense is anger. Pure rage and anger. Someone died very pissed off!" she yelled and then she shoved him away and grabbed a small bust of fraud that she then threw directly through Stretch and it slammed into the door leaving a dent.

"You are one pissed off spirit, Stretch!" And Kat went to pick up the picture of her mother resting on her father's desk but before she could pick it up and chuck it at the window Stretch had her by the wrist and was dragging her away from the desk and into his icy grip, "Anything else ya feel Kitty Kat? Rage and anger are expected, I was born angry, it's not new to me, though I control it much better d'hen ya do. What else, tell me d'ah truth, fleshy, what else do I make ya feel?"

Kat felt the anger surge and her arousal grow and suddenly her shaking hands were reaching up and wrapping around his neck and she whispered, "You really want to know?" she asked though her mind screamed no. She was being propelled forward and couldn't seem to stop.

"Spill it, Kitty Kat." he said with frustration and Kat, who felt out of her mind, laughed wickedly, "Turn tangible and I will show you-"

Stretch gave her a doubtful look but his body seemed to become a little less translucent and she knew if she hit him her fist would not pass through.

Kat leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, noticing how cold they were and even though Stretch was making himself tangible it felt little more than kissing firm smoke. It was a strange sensation and when she pulled away she leaned next to where his ear would be if he had one and she whispered softly, "Arousal. Anger and sex, drives me absolutely crazy. You must have been a very naughty person when you were alive."

For the first time since she had met him four years ago Stretch actually looked shocked and she felt his ghostly hands gently shift down her body to hold her a little less aggressively and with slightly more tenderness.

"I was." he said softly and Kat smirked as she looked up at his violet eyes, "It's funny, too much time alone with you and I feel like I want to murder someone, while simultaneously have extremely aggressive sex. Were you a serial killer? Is that why you make me feel so crazy Stretch Mcfadden?"

Stretch smirked, "I knew you wanted me." and he brought his lips to her throat and Kat moaned and giggled, "Yeah, maybe a little. Will you help me though, the monsters outside, they-" her voice caught in her throat as she swore she felt teeth nip at her neck, "H-how can you do that?"

"I have plenty a tricks, don't you worry bout d'at. How bout you get rid a that charm and I'll show ya." he said gently, near soothingly.

Kat chuckled as she ran her hands up the back of his head and pressed closer to his cold ghostly aura, "Good lord, it's like you're a floating orgasm." and she wiggled closer. She was lost in it, the overpowering anger which seemed to be causing her mind to blurr and the gripping arousal which was urging her to give herself to the mercy's of this spirit.

"I promise ta make ya feel good." Stretch said so softly and one of his cold hands took hold of hers and guided it away from his shoulder and down to her hip where the pocket containing the charm was.

"Yeah?" she asked desperately as her body quivered and the heat of the anger started to turn into another kind of heat. Kat moaned desperately when Stretch kissed her throat and then whispered, "So good, Kitty Kat, just pull that charm out of ya pocket for me."

Kat felt her fingers gently tug on the string the charm was attached to, her eyes closing as she exposed her neck further and her mind zoned in on Stretch's voice in her ear, "Take it out a your pocket, Kitten."

Something in the back of her mind was trying to scream through the haze of it all, through the anger, rage and arousal but she couldn't bring herself to focus on it.

"That's my girl, now, drop it on d'eh floor." and her fingers twitched but didn't let go of it.

"I said drop it Kitten, or I can't make ya feel good. And I promise I can, I can make ya feel so damn good, ya won't know what hit ya." and her fingers started to open.

"Drop it!" Stretch suddenly bit between clenched teeth and Kat's fingers seemed to come back under her control and she gripped the string tightly. Just then the windows in the study gave a violent jerk and a loud roar was heard from the outside.

It was like having a cold bucket of water dumped on her and she looked down to see herself entangled in Stretch. Literally, as his ghostly tale had wrapped around her legs, his arms holding her firm and close to him with his face inches from her own.

She jolted at the sudden realization and Stretch lost his focus, his body once again going intangible and Kat fell to the floor. She clutched her charm to her as she gazed up at him with wide eyes and utter shock.

"W-what did I do? What were we doing? Did I, did I-" and Stretch's eyes grew narrow and a sneer appeared on his face, "You just came on to me Kitty Kat, begging me to touch ya. Ya almost dropped d'hat charm a yours to make it happen."

"What? No! I would never! You lier! What kind of trick was that!" Kat jerked up from the floor and suddenly her head swooned and she tilted sideway. Stretch caught her but the sudden spike of anger and arousal at the contact made her jerk away and moan, "No, don't touch me, don't ever touch me again. In fact, just, get away from me!" and Kat moved towards the doors, hands reaching for handles she couldn't see from the dizzy spell and tears in her eyes.

"It's like I said Kitty Kat-" and she froze with the doors just barely opened, "You need ta stop playin' d'hese games wit' me and let me have ya. Ya want me ta have ya, Kitty Kat, ya just won't admit it."

Kat swallowed, steeled herself and said from between clenched teeth, "Fuck. You. Stretch." and then she was through the door and slamming them behind her.

Stretch looked to the window and sneered, holding up his middle finger. Though the windows didn't move again Stretch swore he heard the barest rumble of an annoyed beast and then he shot through the ceiling towards his room.

A/N: There you go, chapter two. Hopefully ch. 3 will be along in the next day or two. Read and review and let me know what you think.