Author's Note: I'm sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes that I've failed to see this far into the story. A lot of you know how it is, though. You can only proof-read your work so many times before you get sick and tired of looking at it.

Chapter 11- So Close

Danielle's back hurt. She wasn't used to sleeping on a couch, but she didn't mean to sleep on the couch either. Opening one eye she quickly regretted it, closing it again. The natural light hurt her head. Where was she? Suddenly everything that had happened the previous day came flooding back. Scared, Danielle quickly got off the couch, nearly falling into the coffee table. She was stopped by Micky.

"Whoah! Now don't hurt yourself. Sit down." Micky demanded, setting Danielle back onto the couch.

"What happened?" Danielle asked, rubbing her head.

"You passed out on my couch."

"When?"

Micky shrugged her shoulders. "You were out when I came home, so I left you there. By the way, I've been thinking, if you ever plan to see the light of day again, you'll need a disguise."

"What are you talking about?" Danielle asked.

Micky laughed. "After everything that happened yesterday, do you think I'd let you get caught by the police? Besides, I'm pretty sure Davy would haunt me for the rest of my life if I did that."

Suddenly, as if on queue, a cup from the kitchen flew across the room at Micky. Shocked, Micky yelled, "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!" She sighed. "Gosharooney… well anyway, I'm not letting you just roam the streets. We need to figure out where this other 'Mike' is, and how we can help these guys. In order to do that, you can't very well stay in my house all day."

Danielle gave Micky a reluctant look. She was certainly grateful for Micky's sudden concern and surprising willingness to let her stay, but she felt like she was imposing. However, from her current impression of the woman, she wasn't going to let Danielle leave her life yet. "Why? I've only known you for a day and you've already taken me under your wing. I don't know anything about you!"

Micky shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know what it is, but I feel like I'm obligated to help you. You're not too much younger than me, and all this weird stuff that's been happening with Davy and our necklaces, I'd hate myself it I never found out how this ended."

"Oh." Danielle said. Danielle was almost afraid to admit it, but she said it anyway. "Does it feel like I'm meant to be here, because I feel like I'm not here by coincidence."

"Yeah, something like that."

"Okay, then I'm willing and able." Danielle smiled.

"Great!" Micky yelped. "Peri and I will go out shopping once she's done working."

"Peri?" Danielle had completely forgotten about her. She was the reason Danielle was here and she had forgotten about her.

"Of course! She's as much a part of this as you are." Micky smiled.

"Right." Danielle smiled. She picked up the notepad she was taking notes on. "Have you seen this yet?"

"Davy went over it with me last night. I suggested we look in Texas."

"Texas?"

"Yeah. It says right there that Mike's from Texas. It would only make sense if his counterpart was in Texas."

"So are you suggesting we go to Texas?" Danielle asked, standing.

"Of course! Hence the need for you to change your appearance-a disguise." Micky gave the Brit a bright, goofy smile. "So, breakfast?"

"Uh…" Danielle said awkwardly. "Sure." Danielle felt like she was imposing on Micky's life, but how could she not? Micky would have probably forced her either way.

Peri knocked on the door of the Webster's home. However, when no one answered, she knocked again, asking, "Mrs. Webster? Fran? Mr. Webster?" Suddenly Peri heard a wail from inside the house. The door quickly opened to reveal Fran standing there, her t-shirt almost soaked.

"You? Oh, um, you can have off today." Fran muttered, looking back into the house.

"Is everything alright?" Peri asked, concerned.

Fran sighed. She seemed to be debating whether or not to tell the house maid. After a moment she whispered, "My dad left my mom last night. They were having a party at the bank for his retirement and he bailed. He took a lot of money from the bank, too. He's a wanted criminal, now. Mom's not taking it too well right now."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Peri frowned.

Fran shrugged. "I'll take care of whatever you planned on cleaning tonight. See you tomorrow."

"Okay." Peri said before the door was shut. She shrugged and turned back towards Mr. Babbitt's to drop off her cleaning materials and pick up Grizzy.

Peri knocked on the door to Mr. Babbitt's house. Mr. Babbitt answered, confused. "Peri? What are you doing back so early? Did you get everyone?"

Peri nodded. "The Websters didn't need me today. I'll take Grizzy and go, I guess." Peri handed over her supplies.

"What's the matter, Peri?" Mr. Babbitt asked as he set the supplies aside and Peri called for Grizzy, who jumped on her, causing her to hit the ground.

After fending off the English Setter, Peri replied. "Mrs. Webster's not feeling too well. I feel bad for her. That's all." Peri knew she had no business to tell anyone else of Mrs. Webster's problems. Mr. Babbitt shrugged it off and Peri said goodbye. She and Grizzy walked straight over to 1334 Beachwood Drive.

Peri knocked on the door, try to keep Grizzy down. Micky answered the door. "Hi Peri, Oh. My. Gosh. Look at her! She is so adorable!" Micky kneeled down and petting the excited dog.

Danielle came up behind her to greet Peri. "Hi, Peri."

"Hi, Danny." Peri smiled. "This is my dog, Grizzy." Danielle gave a small smile as the dog began licking Micky excitedly, causing the girl to fall onto her back, laughing.

"Why Grizzy?" Danielle asked.

"Her full name is Grizelda." Peri responded. "I found her and she needed a home."

"Oh." Danielle tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear. "Where do you live?"

Peri blushed. "In an old abandoned bus."

"WHAT?" Micky said, suddenly sober, holding the dog in her arms. "You live in a bus?"

Peri shrugged. "It's a good place to live."

Danielle and Micky stared at the girl, wide eyed. After an awkward moment of silence, Micky replied. "Well, that's unacceptable. I've got three extra beds in this house. You can stay with me."

"What?" Peri asked. "There's no need for that. I'm perfectly fine with living there."

"If we're going to help Davy, then you should stay here with us."

"Micky, what about-" Danielle asked. Micky quickly jumped up from the floor, still petting Grizzy.

"Peri! Wanna go shopping? We need to make Danny here look not like Danny."

Peri rose an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Micky will explain on the way." Danielle declared, running to grab Micky's purse. "I'll stay and watch your dog, Peri. Just, please, be gentle with your choices." Danielle tossed Micky her purse.

"Right! Come on Peri, let's go!" Micky said excitedly, pulling Peri out the door.

"Wait, what?" Peri said before the door was shut.

Danielle gave a big sigh. She then quickly reflected what just happened. What did she just do? Why was she so insistent on getting them out of there? Could it have been the Micky's excitement or what it something else? She had a bad feeling she might find out why very soon. Danielle sat down at the table, taking a look at the necklaces again. She picked up Micky's sapphire and dangled it in front of her. She then readjusted herself so it sat in the palm of her hand.

"Miiiikkkkkkeeeeeee!" A faint voice cried. Danielle knew right away it wasn't Davy's. "Peeeetttttttteeeeeerrrrrr! Daaaaaaaaavvvvvvvvvyyyyyyy!"

"Davy? Davy, do you hear this?" Danielle asked excitedly, looking closer at Micky's sapphire. Danielle quickly stumbled to grab a stray fragment and held it tightly in her other hand. "Davy, can you hear this?"

Danielle heard Davy say, "No, what do you hear?"

"There's another voice. I think it's coming from Micky's necklace. Do you think it's your Micky?"

"I dunno. I can't hear it, so I can't answer that. Talk to him. Explain what's going on."

"Right!" Danielle took in a deep breath. "Micky?" She thought, hoping to replicate what she did with Davy the morning before.

"Huh? Who's there?" the voice asked.

"My name's Danielle Jones. I know your friend, Davy." Danielle scrunched her eyes as she thought to the voice.

"Davy? You know Davy? Where is he? Is he alright? Oh dear… I don't know where I am! I don't know where I am! Last thing I remember was Mr. Zero making Mike unconscious."

"Mr. Zero?" Danielle asked aloud. "He did this to you?"

"What'd he say?" Davy had asked. Danielle kept her eyes shut as she repeated what Micky had said. Davy shook his head and responded, "Mr. Zero is the Devil."

"The what?!" Danielle's eyes flew open as she fumbled to keep the necklace from dropping. "My grandfather is working with the Devil?" Danielle set Micky's necklace down and brought the crystal to her eye so she could see Davy properly. However, before she got a chance to search, a terrible knock came from the front door. Danielle froze in her tracks.

"Miss Dolenz? This is Mr. Zero from the Fire Stars Record Company. There is a serious matter I need to discuss with you!" An all too menacing voice called from the other side of the door.

"Davy, what do I do?" Danielle whispered, clutching the crystal tightly.

"For now, hide. See if he'll go away. Micky's not technically here so if he finds out she's not here, he will go away." Danielle quietly made her way towards the bathroom, slipping inside and ever so quietly closing the door enough so she could still see outside.

To Danielle's surprise, in a moment's time Zero was inside the room, thanks to a cloud of smoke. An evil grimace was on his face. "Miss Dolenz?" Zero spun around. A gigantic frown found itself upon his face. "Where could she be? She doesn't work for another four hours, so I don't see why she'd be out now." Zero spotted Micky's papers sitting on the table and smiled. He walked over to them, but noticed they were not filled out yet. The frown the papers on the table again, Zero snapped his fingers and in his hand there was a pen and a sticky note. He quickly jotted down a note for Micky and placed it on the papers. With a snap of his fingers he was gone.

Danielle slid out of the bathroom and ran over to where Zero had just stood. She looked down at the papers. "Fire Stars Record Company- You'll Be Famous for Life." Danielle fingered through the contracts. When she made it back to the top, she read the sticky note aloud. "Please fill out by Monday, June 6. Turn in at Mammoth Studios."

"Danielle, you can't let Micky sign those papers." She heard Davy warn. "She would be signing over her soul to him." A sudden shiver went down her spine.

"Can I destroy them?" Danielle asked, walking around to find some scissors.

"We can try." Davy replied.