Author's Note and Disclaimer: Please see first chapter.
"What do you wanna show me now?" Jack asked nervously, not sure if he wanted to see it. Actually, he was sure; sure he didn't want and didn't need to have anything to do with it.
"Christmas Present," Simon replied. The pun occurred to Jack, but somehow it wasn't terribly amusing. Simon gestured to the streets and houses below and sky above them. "Look. It's snowing."
Confused as to whether he should be annoyed or relieved, Jack arched an eyebrow. "You wanted to show me snow?"
Simon grinned and shook his head. "No. But I thought it was worth pointing out."
Jack sighed. "You're as batty as ever." For some reason, he wished he could swallow those words up again the minute they were in the air. He tried to shove that feeling aside. "Well, what did you wanna show me?"
For a long time, Simon didn't answer. Then he said, "I bet you could guess."
Jack could guess, but he wasn't going to for fear of being right. "Why don't you just tell me?"
Simon smiled. "Why don't you just guess?"
This was absurd. Jack felt like a kindergartner. "Because I don't want to, that's why. Now where the hell are you taking me?"
Simon laughed. "You sure you don't want to guess?"
"Yes! I'm positive I don't want to guess. Where are we going?"
"To visit Ralph."
Jack felt sick. He should've just guessed; he would have been right. "Oh, no," he shook his head, "please, don't make me – "
Too late. "Hello?" Ralph's voice was saying into a telephone receiver.
"What's going on?"
"Why're you whispering, Mr. Merridew? He can't hear us." Simon tried not to laugh. "And you can come out from behind the sofa – he can't see us, either."
Muttering something, Jack crawled from behind the couch.
Ralph said, "The rent?"
"The rent?" echoed Jack. The rent? What about the rent?
"Listen," urged Simon.
"Yes," Ralph was saying, nodding solemnly into the phone, "yes, I understand…" He paused, frowned. Then, "I don't get paid until – " apparently the person on the other end of the line interrupted him. "Listen, I – " again he was interrupted. Then, "Look, buddy, I know I haven't been paying my rent, but – well, I have to work two jobs just to…yes, yes, I understand." He closed his eyes as he hung up the phone.
"He's got a college education, too," Simon said, sighing, "kind of sad, isn't it?"
Jack shrugged, trying desperately to retain a nonchalant, if slightly disgruntled, appearance. "Yeah, sure, sad. Whatever you say, Casper," he grumbled acidly.
Simon raised an eyebrow. "Casper?"
Jack's fingernails became suddenly interesting. "Not that you're – I didn't mean – what I'm trying to say is – "
"There's really no need to be afraid of me," Simon said quietly.
Jack realized they were no longer in Ralph's apartment, but rather, walking down a snow-covered country street. Just how had that happened? Of course, Simon was dead, so Jack figured he could probably do whatever he wanted…kind of spooky, really. Still, Jack Merridew was not afraid of ghosts. "I am not," he snarled, glaring dangerously at the spirit, "afraid of you."
Simon just grinned.
Jack flushed. He really didn't like being teased. "Quit it!"
"Quit what?"
"Messing with my head," Jack mumbled, "just quit it."
Simon laughed. "Right now?"
"Right – right now! This instant!"
Simon laughed again, but said nothing. It occurred to Jack that he might be arguing with a hallucination. Or a dream. Somehow, though, that just didn't seem possible…
"Take me back home now!"
Simon shook his head. "I've still got something else to show you, Mr. Merridew," he said softly, "I don't like scaring you, but there are some things you have to see." He smiled weakly and continued, "It's part of that gift I mentioned earlier."
Jack frowned. If this was a hallucination, it was a hallucination with a mind of his own.
"I'm not afraid of you, or anything you've got to show me," Jack retorted, a little too quickly.
~I'll try and get the next parts up soon!
