A/N Hello again. Now we start seeing what Karma has in store for us.

He was comfy. He shifted his hand to cover his eyes, he wanted to hide from the sun. The rustling of straw was noticeable as he moved.

It wasnt the only sound of rustling.

Steps.

He felt he was sleeping outside in the straw. What did his parents say. Hide if you hear someone coming. But he felt so comfortable. War doesnt care, if you are comfortable or not. He opened his eyes still remembering old memories as clear as the day. He tripped over himself, in a surprise he found he underestimated his own size. Wasnt he quite little? Little enough to hide in a crate? ... The steps stopped and a old voice shout towards him.

''Hey who are you!? What are you doing on my field!''

With the grumble of his stomach Jack Fenton catch up on the fact he wasnt a little kid with his family in war eating horse meat, but a adult man hunting ghost. ''I am Jack Fenton!'' He stood up to his full height, radiating pride at telling his name, why shouldnt he? He was doing his dream job, married to the woman he loved and had two great kids. He still felt a bit sluggish and behind. There was this feeling that a few impossible things happened at the same time, just before he woke up here. He was too hungry to wonder about it. Maybe after some fudge...

''Jack Fenton?...Like the inventor?'' The old man asked coming closer. The man with a straw hat and a overall came closer, one hand was caressing a short bread the man had. Leaning on a thick oak staff, it was the right leg that draw Jacks attentions to it, like flies to honey. It was mechanical with wood and gears turning with each of the old mans steps. Turn, step, click, step, turn... ''Yeah I am a inventor.'' Jack spoke not really paying attention to his mount at the moment, or the words leaving.

There was a long moment where both stared at each other. Each searching the other with their eyes up. For different reasons. Jack was seeing schematics in the back of his eyes, mostly mapping of the leg, but it all was like watching thought muddy water. Unclear. ''Um, do you know where can I get food? Fudge would be great, right about now.'' The old man pointed his stick at Jack, poking him in his orange chest with it.

''Listen, ...Jack.'' The old man said the name dragging it out. '' If you want food you will have to work to earn it. And if the knight army comes do not await me to cover for you. You are than on your own son.'' The man declared eyeing Jack with a mistrust in his eyes. He shrugged it off. He looked around himself noticing wheat fields left and right of him. He himself was sleeping in a hay stuck. Moving his hand to his hair he picked out a few straws out. That made him grin, god thanks he was in his jumpsuit, with out it he would have probably scratched his life out. The old man started to walk away down the road.

''Am I in Kansas?'' Jack asked as he wondered how he got here from his lab. As there was no answer he kept on going. Following the man, he talk.

''The last time I woke up in a completely different state was in collage after that party for V-man. That was a party to never forget. Well from what we remember and those photos, that we burned afterwards. I wasnt alone back than. The three of us, shared the biggest hangover in existence. The return home would have been harder, if not for Maddie being there. She was the best at hitching rides and V-man was quite good at getting people to invite us for a free meal here or there. Or sweet speaking the mads in cafes to give us the coffee for free. We teased him that he should became a lawyer, he always huffed at that. It was such a nice adventure. We even managed to come on time for our afternoon Monday lectures... Which reminds me back when I was a child my brothers and me on Monda-...''

He was cut half word when a staff hit hard against his knee. Jack wined and jumped rubbing the pain off his knee cap.

''And they tell me I ramble. '' The man pointed to four horses minding their own business. Jack didnt notice them up to that point. He would have missed them in all likelihood. ''Sure hope you can ride son. Take him, he is the strongest. '' The man simply indicating a black stead bigger than all the others, before the old man climbed on a smaller white grey horse, himself. Neither had a saddle neither the trims. They did have heavy carrying bags each. Which the man with skilled and experience rich moves removed so they could ride them, while Jack was busy retelling a story of his past.

''I can ride. '' Jack just as simply said and after the first try which ended in him sliding off the horse, he managed to get on the strong black back. The horse frowned but didnt protest, it started following the old man with out a word.

''You are not in Kan-something. '' The man said picking the question from the beginning.

''Kansans. And I am not?''

''Yeah that, you are on my farm, Joey Farmer is my name. You young people on the run are hopeless. When I was in your age I knew the whole country like the back of my hand, I could with a blindfold on find the way to the nearest city. ''

Jack grinned, the air was nice, quite different from the stale air in the city. His gloved hand touched his jumpsuit arm, before it moved to the pet the black animal carrying him, in thanks. He got a approving whine sound from him. He breathed deep in. Mads would love the fresh air here. Actually where was Mads?...And Danny?...'' Where is my little princes?...''

Jack spoke aloud there was no one with him. Did they lost each other on a picnic trip? Last there were in the labs or...he coudlnt have been overshadowed...again... He really should start wearing a specter deflector at all times... Or maybe invent a Fenton ghost repel spray...

'' Dont tell me you are some of those rich spoiled brats.'' The man spoke, making Jack look up to him.

''No, I wasnt ever rich. I grow up with a big family. We hold together in good and in bad. Lots of the bad. My brothers and me would take care that our Mom wouldnt strain herself.''

He fall silent. He was really hungry, and distracted. But... he did remembered something more. They were show casing the portal. The second one not the ghost portal he told himself.

''War, is a awful thing.'' The old man Joey said.

''Indeed it is. '' Jack nodded to that statement. He was worried a bit for his wife and children but than, he relaxed his wife could take care of herself and his princess showed interest in ghost hunting and wasnt half as bad. Plus she was the cleaver one. That left Danny. His daddy side worried that Danny wouldnt manage alone, but his boy was probably the best in the world when it came to running away from ghost and hiding so no one ever could find him till the ghost attack was over and Phantom fly off and out the view. The boy will manage too. He trusted them.

'' See down there, thats my house. What can you do Jack? You look strong.'' Joey asked as they were coming closer to a not really a typical farm house. There were a lot of mechanical things. A windmill was spinning moving the parts attached to it, like a motor driving a car. Jack with a glance just knew that it powered everything from rain collector up to food disturber for the animals. ''Your farm is amazing.'' He answered again not paying much attention to the human riding beside him, instead too fascinated with the simply design of things and a complete lack of electronics and chips. Yet it worked in such a elegant way.

''Is it? ...I guesses it is, my oldest grandson build most of it to help me out. He is such a worry brat. All the time saying I am straining my self and shouldnt be doing this or that. ''

''Aw, he loves his grandpa a lot.''

''Not as much as my two little girls they do all the chores around the house and garden. You have to try my grandchildren apple pie. Its to fall over how good it is. '' The farm house was surrounded with a simple fence, the small gate barely standing out. Joey slid off the horse back, petting the animal once more, the horse nuzzled in response into his gloved hand, before it turned around going off somewhere. Jack assumed back to his friends. The gears in the legs of Joey turning to soften the hit to ground as he climbed off the horse himself. Watching the leg as it meet the ground a idea for a upgrade for the specter speeder pop up in Jacks head. He could see in his inner eye the blueprints. They were a bit wobbly and danced around but in general they were complete...mostly.

Now if he just figured out what the upgrade would do to the speeder.
''...Jack. Jack you there?''

''Huh? Sorry hungry got distracted. '' Jack automatically answered to have his stomach growl that it was indeed hungry. Joey watched him with a critical eye again. He moved his head to indicate that the orange clad man should follow him into the house, so Jack did it. There were no flowers in the front garden, instead there were herbs of all kind growing and decorating left and right of the walkway to the house. The two men entered the main house and Joey turned to the kitchen while Jack peeked in the other room, it looked like a living room noticing no TV. There were newspapers and a lot of trinkets all around the table. A old big radio sitting in the corner. A few glances over the trinkets and parts and he saw the weapon they could make if combined.

His eyes wandered his mind working in the back while Jack wasnt focusing on anything in particular. Maybe he should read the comic. He felt like that was the right action he could tell the newspapers were important once he glanced them over. He wasnt sure why, but he felt the impulse that he has to pay attention to them. Sitting on the couch, he opened the papers only to close them again. The front page catch his eye. He studied it.

''The Black and White field Daily newspapers. '' He spoke aloud, he really needed some fudge even sugar in itself own would help him. His eyes glanced over a photo of a man in armor like the knights in middle ages. The statistic under the photo was telling something about politics and approving ratings. He should show it to Vlad afterwards.

Vlad...

Jack raised his head from the newspapers and stared blankly in front of him. There was something impossible with Vlad! He hugged him and then... Vlad pass thought him.. But how... Intangibility! That what was bugging him! His best friend was overshadowed! The ghost must have feared their machine and tried to escape. He had to save him. He should keep his eyes on those papers. Confused with the last thought he obeyed his mind and looked down.

There was more. Scratching his head he placed them down and leaned over them, carefully looking the newspapers over over.

''The Black and White field Daily newspapers. First March 2155 A.L.D'' Jack read aloud. That sounded a bit off...

''First March 2155 A.L.D...'' Jack reread it again.

''uh-oh...'' Jack squinted his eyes making sure the printed symbols are real.

''Two thousands...one hundred...fifty...five...'' Jack slowly read number after number. He heard gears turning and clicking from the contraception on top of the home. It felt like those background noises were clicking and turning a answer into his head.

''UH-OH!'' Jack eyes shot wide open.

Jack jumped with the newspapers in hands and run out the living room. Joey was in the hallway whispering angrily with a young man with messy honey hair. Both stopped as they saw the wall of the man all but run into them.

''Um, Joey how old are this papers?''

''Two days, what happened my son. You look pale?''

''So today is the 3rd of March 2155?''

The young man frowned his hands crossed over his chest. ''Yes.'' Jack missed the unfriendly tone. Instead he scratched his head.

''What went wrong?'' He asked himself, confusing both people in the hallway. The younger man huffed, whispering a we are not done with this talk to the old man Joey, walking away and out the view. Leaving the older man to take Jacks by the arm and heard him to the kitchen where a plate with beans and a piece of apple pie was sitting.

Jack started with the pie, all but grabbing it as if it was a solution to his problems. He had many problems. He wanted to solve them all at once. That never works. He had to choose one to work on and then...Mads was good at choosing...He missed her.

''Jack.'' Joeys voice managed to come thought the inventors mind making Jack look up from the newspapers still clenched into his hand at the worried looking Grandpa. He worried him.

''Sorry.''

''I will not ask, but if you need to talk to someone about anything. I dont mind listening, my son.'' There was such a soft expression, one that assumed the worst but still pushed with hope against it. Still was ready to put up a fight. It was the face of someone who lost someone dear to them but fight on for the sake of the rest of their family. Jack closed his eyes, he was restless, he knew it, it was because he had yet to decide what to prioritize. His mind was jumping around, dropping one idea for another. He was so bad at prioritizing things... He will just have to face the things that are directly in front of him then. With that decision his mind cleared a bit.

''Thank you, the pie is great. What do you want me to do to pay it off?'' Jack smiled his goofy smile showing he was all but ready to work. He licked his glove clean.

Joey put him on animal care, so Jack spend the day checking on the cows and chickens. Cleaning the stables and giving hand to Joey as he operated some of machines, the nightfall came around in a fly. The whole family was now sitting on the kitchen table. The young man, Klaus honey hair and blue eyes, the man who would stop in mid job to write a note down in his notebook for later. The two girls around Danny's age. They had black long hair collected in piggy tails. It made them look like two adorable bunnies. Ana and Bella were such a proud couple of girls. Jazz never liked to have piggy tails. Jack found them just adorable on his princess as anything else.

And last a young boy barely six or seven years old. Messy blond locks and piercing violet eyes. The boy, Randy was shy but had a air of happiness around himself. When Jack watched him help around Klaus bringing this and that the ghost hunter couldnt help but think of the boy as a bundle of joy. Old man Joey started to speak with his hands clasped. A prayed Jack assumed and clasped in respect his hands too. Today passed and he didnt do much of useful things. He did found a small storage that wasnt used by the family, that he planed to start working in. He asked about it and Joey allowed him, not minding what Jack needed it for, or what he wanted to work on.

'' We praise the beating heart and living breath. We are thankful another day of our lives has come and gone and hope another will come just like that. Please protect us and let the war and battles end...''

''Wait? War and battles? Which war?'' Jack interrupted not really able to hold back. Everyone gave him funny looks. Jack Fenton was too used to getting funny looks to care about them anymore.

''The war, my son. Arent you a deserter on the run from the war?'' Joey spoke placing his hand on Klaus shoulder, giving him a gently squeeze. Klaus who was sitting straight like arrow, eyes piercing in Jack direction.

''Where I come from there was no war... at least not at that moment. ''Jack said, he kinda hid the fact and his theories that came with the date. No one questioned him so he didnt find it important to tell them.

''Ah, are you from the American continent then? ''Joey asked, continuing to speak as Jack answered positive and added they didnt hear about any wars.

''I wouldnt have thought that the media would keep their people in the dark like that.'' Joey shock his head. ''My son, you see here on the European continent there has been wars for the last two decades. The knight armies are fighting the Alliance of the pirates and the Dead. ''

''Dead, as ghost?''

No one show any understanding about it. Instead they settled on just explaining what they knew. ''The alliance is ravaging our homes and cities. Its believed the war is close to a end...but it was close to a end several times already and it has yet to truly end.''

The dinner passed in Jack thinking, not following the conversation all that much. Every time they would ask him something he would end up rambling about ghost. Or ghost weapons, he didnt have to pay attention when he spoke about those topics knowing them by heart. It gave him the time to figure things out in peace.

It was night, Jack was out in the small storage house with a bunch of trinkets he picked from around the house in his arms. He took a cat nap for two hours and was ready to start working. Just the question on what first.

He started putting things together. He wasnt really sure what he was putting together but he trusted his hands to make what he needed the most. He missed his Maddie, she could always make list of what to do and tell him on what to focus first, or tell him what he is building.

''What are you making there mister Jack?'' A small voice came from behind him. Randy was standing there his violet eyes curiously going all over the place.

''...Its a secret.'' Jack lied to the boy grinning friendly at him. It sounded better than saying I have no idea. The boy came closer and climbed on the table on the side of the room. His small legs swinging as he kept on looking around, he had a clear view on what Jack hands were putting together.

''But tell me Randy isnt it a bit late to be out? You should be in bed and sleeping.''

''I dont like sleeping. '' The boy pouted as if sleeping was insulting. Puffing his cheeks he pointed at Jack.

''Ana told me that you are a liar. ''

''Huh? A liar? I am not. Fentons do not cheat or lie! Neither do we give up.'' Jack said puffing his own cheeks back at the boy. The boy giggled tilting his head.

''Bella told me that Jack Fenton was a famous inventor. She told me that he and his family died in a boom and fire. So Ana says you must be a lair. ''

That stopped Jack in his trucks that was new information to him. He died? They all died? His heart felt heavier than lead. His cute children died?... It cannot be true. It must be a lie from the government trying to cover up the truth.

''Mister Jack. Why are you crying? '' The boy asked a bit of guilt could be heard in the boys voice as he asked that and Jack put up his gloves to hide his puffy eyes. His family couldnt have died in the explosion of that portal...

''Am not crying.'' He responded to the boy, more rudely than he wanted.

''Klaus think you are here to steal from us. Or are a Dead trying to do bad things to us.'' Jack frowned he a dead, as in ghost? Nonsense...overshadowed...boom... He started to cut a piece of spring.

''What do you think? Am I a ghost? Am I dead?''

Maybe he was, as he died, didnt move on and now is a ghost with strong enough ecto signature to have a stable body. He looked at his hand and imagined it going invisible when nothing happened, Jack wondered if he was evil. Ghost were inherently evil. Would that mean he had to destroy himself molecule by molecule? What about Jazz and Danny? If they were ghost too, he should des-... There was no way he would be able to do that. The pang of parents pain was too strong. No way he could ever harm his children. Ghost or not. Maybe he could ask Vlad to do it for him. V-man is strong, his best friend would be able to do what needed to be done... if Vladdy was too a ... But if they were in 2155...

''I think you are funny, not evil.'' The boy responded making Jack turn his head at him. The boy grinned a happy smile towards him. '' I think you are alive. '' The boy added putting his head to rest on his small hands. The violet eyes reminded Jack of Maddie. He grinned back happily. They were all alive for sure. He will make weapons to fight the ghost, a machine to return them home, a ghost shield for this farm, a Fenton invention to help his best friend, a invention to find his family and reunite with everyone. Everything will be fine. He will make sure of it. He really wanted some fudge.

He worked in silence till sunrise, the boy helped him out till the odd hours when he fall asleep on a old chair. Jack placed a blanket to keep the small body warm. He started to recognize what he build even before he made the decision in his head. It was a ghost shield. He will have to find a way to power it thought. That may be the hardest part. He will figure it out somehow. Steam engine sounds good.

A/N

This chapter was a bit harder to write. It took me a while to get into Jack head and write it in a way that sounds good. I just didnt want to write Jack as a simple idiot, as I do not see his character as such. I see him more as a genius in the pelt of a idiot, prone to distraction and having a mind working too much for him to always keep up with it. Making him forget and not understand things. I really hope I got the feeling over XP

Thanks for reading, reviews are always nice to get.

Guess who will be in the next chapter~