Chapter 10

Gina was a ghost, an apparition, the rest of the week. Kelly got a glimpse of her only once and she didn't come to the two classes they had together. She wouldn't answer or return his calls either. His heart was broken into tiny pieces and he kept dreaming of her horrified look that day in the hall with Johnny. Why hadn't he done like his dad told him to? It had been too easy to think it would all work out, that somehow the right opportunity to tell Gina would present itself, but Kelly had been fooling himself. Now his reluctance may have costed him his best friend. Kelly never claimed to be all that smart, however this time, he was downright stupid!

It was Friday afternoon, when they had all been released, that Kelly found himself waiting around the front of Gina's bus for her to approach. After everything that had happened, taking her off guard was probably another asinine move, but he was desperate. As she came near, he watched her silky hair bounce while she spoke to another girl and when she turned Kelly saw a lingering sadness on her face that gripped him in the gut. He couldn't hurt her further, still she was his friend not his enemy and Gina needed to know that. "Gina...?" he asked gently coming out where she could see him. He saw the moment of panic in her eyes, continuing before she could flee, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I didn't want to lose my best friend." She hesitated with his last words.

"Grimms killed people like me," she responded in a shaky voice.

"Gina," Kelly started again his heart in his voice, "I could never hurt you."

"Bye, Kelly," Gina said and quickly flew onto the bus.

"Wait, Gina," he called, but she wouldn't stop. As the bus pulled away, he saw Gina with her head in her hands and her body was racked with sobs. Kelly wouldn't press her again.

After talking with James, they decided to catch the movie, just the two of them. "What happened between you two?" James demanded with disbelief. Nothing escaped him and James knew how tight Kelly and Gina had grown. Kelly half considered bringing James up to speed on all things Grimm and Wesen, but who needed to question their sanity in middle school. The brain was already getting it's wires crossed because of puberty. No, James didn't need to know about Kelly's baggage.

"We just had a misunderstanding," he tried to explain without explaining.

"Well clear it up, dude! Gina's one of us. The three musketeers remember? All for one and one for all," James reasoned, but Kelly knew better. This problem, this prejudice, was bigger than three kids and their friendship. Hadn't Kelly been raised on the stories Wesen told their children to warn them of people like him? The fact that that wasn't who Kelly or anyone in his family really were, didn't seem to penetrate the boogeyman reputation.

"I'm not sure I can," he answered sadly. James gave him a puzzled looked, throwing his hands up in consternation, but Kelly didn't elaborate. Switching subjects he said, "I'll be by your house at 7:15 pm."

He had convinced his mom to let him ride his bike to James' house and spend the night after the movie, but Kelly's real reason was he wanted to ride by Gina's house. The weather had been unseasonable warm and Kelly took off before dark, knowing his mother would never agree to it any other way. Just because he promised himself he wouldn't pester Gina, didn't mean he would ever stop watching out for her. Before that unfortunate afternoon, she had given Kelly her address so they could meet up that night. Taking the longer route, Kelly pulled up in view of her house as twilight set in, turning the landscape into shades of gray and dark blue. The February air had become crisp with night and he could see his breaths as puffs of vapor.

Lights glinted from the interior of Gina's home, as he got a view of her happy and carefree with her parents. How could he ever dream of ruining that peace? Kelly questioned his aching heart and he accepted the bittersweet understanding. Ready to leave the scene intact with Gina's family in the safety of their home, Kelly saw something move in the bushes beside the house. Then, from the other side of the yard, another movement caught his eyes. As a third figure registered in his field of vision, Kelly comprehended that the group was closing in on the house. The pounding of his heart nearly drowned out every other sound, as Kelly took out his phone and dialed his dad. "Capt. Burkhardt speaking," came his father's voice.

"Dad," Kelly started urgently, "There are three men surrounding Gina's house. They're getting closer!"

"Wait, son, what are you saying? I don't have time for games," his dad returned sternly.

"It's the truth, Dad," Kelly attempted to respond in a calm voice, but couldn't keep it from shaking. "Her address is 2105 NE Davis St."

The conversation went quiet for a moment before his father replied, "I'll be right there with Wu."

"Thanks, Dad. Please hurry," he pleaded.

"Don't you do anything crazy. On my way, just stay put," his dad ordered him before hanging up.

At that moment, one figure advanced into the light that shone from the window. Johnny! Kelly realized that the other men were bigger, but they had a resemblance to Johnny. A family of Skalengecks were stalking Gina's house because of him, Kelly registered a huge amount of guilt. They would not succeed in whatever scheme they had in mind, Kelly vowed as he crept up behind Johnny. His dad's warning flittered through his mind, but Kelly pushed it aside in desperation. His stomach clenched with the nauseous feeling he had been experiencing ever since Gina discovered who he really was. This was his fault, all of it and it made Kelly's head ache with an intensity.

All of the sudden, a very strong pair of arms latched onto Kelly around the waist, pinning his own arms to his sides. Johnny whipped around with the sound of the scuffle. "Well, what do you know," he began with a evil grin, "The wonder Grimm himself." The third figure joined their activity with a wicked chuckled. "Let's see how tough you are now," Johnny taunted as he made a fist to punch Kelly in the gut.

Everything went into slow motion, at least that was Kelly's perception of the next few seconds. His head felt like it was going to explode as he squeezed his eyes shut. He heard a gasp and chose to squint his eyes open against the pain. Johnny was frozen with his fist mere inches from Kelly's stomach, his eyes were wide in fright. Kelly shammed his eyelids closed again and tilted his head, trying to relieve some of the pressure in his skull. Something shifted in his whole body, a change Kelly couldn't explain. Feeling invigorated, Kelly's eyes flew open and he glared at Johnny, who abruptly flew through the air to land several feet away on the lawn.

The one holding Kelly loosened his hold briefly, but it was enough. Kelly wiggled free and the guy went flying as well. The third one Woged and exclaimed, "I thought he was a Grimm, not a Zauberbiest!" What?! Maybe Kelly heard that wrong, but before he could demand what the guy was talking about, his dad's car quickly turned into Gina's driveway. Kelly tackled the one guy still on his feet as he started to flee.

"Freeze," his dad commanded. "Portland Police."

Kelly rose to his feet as the front door opened with the commotion. Gina, right behind a middle aged man with salt and pepper hair, let out a strangled sound as the two of them Woged into Fuchsbau and all eyes turned towards Kelly.