[Cali's POV]

Vlad's mansion wasn't right either. The layout was all wrong; too many decorations. Also there was an old man wandering around, not old man Vlad, just some old guy in his pajamas. He looked a lot like the monopoly character only without the top hat. I followed him awhile. He was going about business normally, as normal as wandering goes, until I accidentally bumped a vase. It didn't shatter, just hit the ground. Not even a sound upon impact. Oh but Mr. Monopoly noticed. Immediately he grabbed the vase, and put it back. But then it was like something was wrong. Monopoly picked the vase back up, placed it elsewhere, and seemingly thought about it's placement.

"Hmm, odd lighting here," I sidled up next to him, high class accent in place, "Maybe Baltimore Avenue would look better this time of year."

I giggled when, as if in response, he picked it back up and set it on a different pedestal.

I smirked, "then again... the Railroads..."

My breath caught as Monopoly whirled around, facing me directly. His blank expression seemed to say otherwise, but I had to ask, "can you see me?"

He didn't answer just picked up the vase and left. I chose not to follow this time, and flew off to search for Vlad.

The house was all wrong though. Left, right, anywhere, nothing was familiar. I thought I would have to fly all the way to Wisconsin and check there when the room shifted. The walls crumbled, like an egg hatching. When it all broke away the interior underneath was revealed.

And it was Vlad's home. I checked; even the guest room looked the same as I left it. Rumpled sheets, indented pillows, dirty clothes. I thought about laying on it for a quick rest to see if I could actually sleep this time, but phased through the floor instead to find Vlad.

My heart leapt to my throat. There Vlad was. Mixing chemicals, clinking beakers together, and jotting down notes. Working like he wasn't dead. Actually, working a bit too well. My brow furrowed. He was way more lively than the other stiffs outside. Then I took a deep breath as understanding dawned on me. He just died. Those people outside must have been dead for years, cause I didn't know a single one.

"Vlad?" I tentatively called him.

He looked up, surveyed the room as if some random noise startled him, and went back to work.

"Vlad, hey!" I went closer, turning into my human form as I did so.

He squinted at his notes. Shook his head, then turned in my general direction.

"Vlad, it's me. It's Cali," I waved a hand over his eyes.

Again he blinked. Brought a hand to his head, and looked puzzled.

"You um," my voice wavered, "You kicked the bucket. Not literally. You died, you idiot."

"That is not very nice," he said aloud. His voice wasn't right. Very monotone, mechanical, as if he read it poorly from a script.

"Could care less about manners. Vlad!" I pleaded. "Wake up. Wake up! I came to get you out of here."

He stood up straight, eyes roving around the area where I stood. Like he was looking for me. "I am not trapped. This is my home."

"No, it's really not. You died. You're so stupid! I told you," I faltered when my cheeks felt damp. "You didn't listen. You just had to save me. The Jewel was suppose to kill me, I accepted that. I knew I was dying, what's your excuse?!"

"You are crying."

I threw my hands up in the universal gesture of no duh, "A little water never hurt anybody."

I don't know why I never thought about it before, I reached out and pulled Vlad to follow me.

Suddenly, a rush of people crowded at the entrance to the lab. Hatred now blanketing their once dazed expressions. I let go and stumbled backwards in fright. The result was immediate. They all dispersed, albeit slightly out of place, wandering around the lab.

While avoiding the dead like landmines, I swerved around the room back to Vlad.

"Vlad," I didn't care for the quiver as I spoke. "We have to get out of here."

He was tinkering with his lab stuff again. "Why?"

"Why?! Why not? Please come with me. Please wake up."

He dropped his work, and slouched over. "Should I wake up?"

I nodded furiously, "Yes. Wake up."

He shook his head. "But all of my research is here. The same as it would be up there," he spoke less monotone, and more like himself. "What's the difference? I'm already here, so I'll stay."

"But you can't!" Vlad was looking directly in my eyes now. I went on, "your so conceited. And so rude, but you helped me when I didn't even know I needed it. Heck, I didn't even know you were helping me at the time. But I do now. You showed me who my friends really were." I laughed. "You had all this cool stuff too. Spoiled me like some distant family member I didn't even know I had. And none of that really compares to this." I didn't transform into a ghost in fear of breaking whatever spell Vlad was under.

Instead I created a spark of fire, and to my surprise, it was actual fire. No weird color, just red, orange, and yellow. "You may have done it with different purposes in mind, but you gave me these powers. I've never known a better gift." I spoke in awe. "Being a ghost has allowed me so much freedom. Me. Who's been cooped up almost her whole life. When we moved to California, I could roam wherever I pleased. I could finally get away. So, let me thank you. Wake up."

Vlad smiled, "are you sure?"

"Yeah."

Vlad reached out, "Alright." He grabbed my hand, and vanished.

...

I blinked.

But I was still there.

...in the Realm of Sleep.

Before I could question it, I felt before I saw Monopoly pulling my arm.

"Hey!" I pulled away, but only managed to force him closer. Soon the others joined in, and suddenly I realized how claustrophobic I actually was. The feel of his hand put my skin to sleep. Pin-pricks running up from my shoulder to my fingertips. I backed away in desperation right into the boy who previously owned my room. They surrounded me. I wanted to understand why, so that maybe I could devise a solution. But when I looked at their faces all I saw was discontented horror. An odd mix that twisted their faces to express a bitter outrage, like they were mad that they were sad.

They reached for the flame in my hand.

"No, you can't touch that," I hid the fire behind me, but the lady from earlier stole it.

A breath I didn't know I was holding escaped as they left. Somehow they held the fire, and huddled around in a circle, mesmerized. But then that wasn't enough. They lunged at me again, and I could feel myself being ripped apart. I wouldn't open my eyes. I couldn't. If I saw the damage they were doing to me it would make this real. Time slowed, or sped up, I lost track while they did as they pleased. When I knew they were getting close to my heart I screamed.

At that moment someone grabbed my bracelet, and I remembered.

And then we were on the floor.

"Cali," Danny said breathlessly from beneath me. I must have knocked him to the ground upon returning. He dropped his head to the ground with a thump, his arms falling with it as he sighed in relief.

"Almost pulled you in. That was close," Sommeil commented.

I gazed around, I was back, I escaped the Realm. The orb was mere inches from us. Then I raised a brow, "what was close?"

"Nothing," Danny and Sommeil chorused, one exasperated and the other oddly amused.

I glanced down at myself. The bracelets faded from my and Danny's wrists. But all in all, I was still in one piece.

The tension fell as I flopped on the ground next to Danny. "Oh thank goodness," I said, closing my eyes.

"The one you awoke has returned to the living," Sommeil informed me. "I'm amazed that you made it back."

"Yeah," I smiled.

We sat there for ten minutes, neither regaining the energy to move. When it became apparent we were dozing off Sommeil clapped his hands.

"Love the company," Sommeil said, "but you kiddies have places to be."

"Yeah..." we agreed, but made no effort to stand.

Sommeil crossed his arms, resigning himself to slumping slightly in his chair.

"You think it worked?" I asked Danny, ignoring Sommeil's comments that 'yes, it did work' followed closely by 'no, stop it. I know you're ignoring me' while Danny replied anyway with a nod.

Danny abruptly tugged my arms, forcing us into an awkward sideways hug. He squeezed tighter and said, "never do that again." He pulled back, and it was then that I could see his jaw clenched, his brow furrowed, and his eyes so full of worry. "I thought you went and died in there for a stupid cheesehead. A cheesehead, Cali, do you have any idea how much guilt would be weighing on my head for letting you die like that?!"

I giggled. He was overreacting, or so I convinced myself, cause I probably looked worse than him. I could still feel the sting in my eyes from crying earlier. So, with a grin I replied, "probably about the same weight as a block of cheese."

And then he was kissing me.

I'm pretty sure my sarcasm ticked Danny off, but he only flickered with irritation for a second, and then he was... and we were... And that's about when my brain shorted out. And I'm pretty sure I should have closed my eyes, but Sommeil was yelling something about hanky-panky. And I think my hands should have gone somewhere, but I was pulling off a rather impressive impersonation of a plank, my brain was thoroughly broken to do otherwise. And my heart was everywhere, beating wildly like it was trying to escape, and I vaguely thought maybe I was having my first heart-attack. And I thought about responding, just thought about it. And then I was pretty sure we were suffocating before he pulled back.

Danny's face was flushed. We were gulping in breaths, but he pulled me to my feet, and then promptly caught me before my jello legs tossed me back on the floor. Then he was saying goodbye to Sommeil, Sommeil might have said a few choice words about our actions, but my awareness hadn't kicked back in yet. Sommeil asked for us to visit despite it all, I may have responded with nonsense ('Sure' came out sounding more like "guh"). Then Danny flew us through the orb back to home.

PunkPrincessHP: Thanks! :) One chapter to go after this!