Chapter 12

Spirits Revisited

John had called to Danny's room to tell him about the damage to the homes in his area, along with his home and Bell's. He explained that had the Tornado been just an eighth mile closer both their homes would have likely been destroyed, the only thing John couldn't understand was, with all the vegetation that was stripped from the high winds and debris. Belldandy's newly planted flower box in the back of the house and unscathed. Literally untouched, John thought it was very odd to have no apparent damage at all. "It was like the hand of God protected it" were his exact words. Even Danny's yard was severely damaged by the storm. But to see the flower box untouched was akin to witnessing a miracle.

Danny: "That is really odd John, but stranger things have happened before you know."

John: "Yeah I know. It still sent chills down my spine though."

Danny: "So how bad are the houses? Mine and hers I mean."

John: "I've got my crew of guys working on yours right now. The roof is ok, had a lot of debris damage mainly. Windows and trim. But they actually will have it livable by the end of the day. Course power will be out for at least two days. I talked to Paul, the fellow I know with the power company. That's what he told me. A lot of lines and transformers down."

Danny: "And Bell's house?"

John: "Hers is about the same as yours. But it's got a bit of roof damage. I probably won't have it repaired enough for two to three days. I just don't have the materials right now, it's going to be tough to get a hold of the stuff since there's so much damage."

Danny: "How wide was the damage path?"

John: "At least a quarter mile wide. It's really devastated a few blocks from here."
Danny: "Well. Thank you for everything bro."

John: "It's no problem Danny. You know that. Say? What is Bell going to do? Does she have someone to stay with till I get her house repaired?"

Danny: "I don't know. I'll have to talk to her about it."
John: "Well ok. Talk to you tomorrow ok?"

Danny: "Ok John take care. Be careful out there."

John: "I will. Bye now."
Danny: "Bye."

Danny: "That was John, Belldandy. He said the houses aren't to badly damaged, but yours would take a couple more days to were you could stay in it again."

Belldandy: "What about yours? Is it ok?"

Danny: "I had no roof damage, but a lot of window damage and all. He said I'd be able to stay in it by tomorrow. Do you have anyone to stay with till the repairs are done?"

Bell: "Um. No. I d-don't know of anyone family here."

Danny: "I see. Well, if it's not to forward of me you can stay with me until it repaired. Still no word from Urd or Skuld huh?"

Bell: "No. Not yet. I guess I'm starting to worry."

Danny: "Well, with all the damage, the phones my not be working in the neighborhood either. I'm sure everything will be fine."

Bell: "Thank you Danny. I really appreciate everything you're doing for me."

Danny: "I like to help. Besides, I can say this way we'll at least get to know each other better, huh?"

Bell: "(giggled) Yes I would guess so. Still I worry about how to pay your brother back for all the repairs to the house.."
Danny: "Don't worry it's taken care of for right now. So don't sweat it ok? I'm sure you guys had insurance on the house, didn't you?"
Bell: "I-I don't know. Urd handled all those things so.."

Danny: "Just don't worry, ok?"

Bell: "Ok." Bell tried to smile, but it still bothered her that she couldn't handle anything like that on her own. She was very grateful to have met someone like Danny.

The nurse had been in, and given Danny his instruction on how to use his "crutches". Bell laughed at him while he complained to the nurse as she tried to help him use them properly. He snatched them away at first and told her he could figure out how to use them, he wasn't stupid, then tried to walk and almost fell on his face.

Belldandy helped him some, since he felt comfortable with her other than the nurse. He was soon getting around pretty well on his own some. That made him feel a lot better, since had had to ask Bell a couple of times to help him to the bathroom. To him it was embarrassing, but it was necessary before the crutches.

The next day was much better for Danny. He felt better because he could go home today. When he woke in the morning he let Bell Sleep as he snuck out on his own to the gift shop to get some air and to practice getting around with his crutches. When he got to the gift shop he found a little stuffed white polar bear that was really cute and very soft and he figured Bell might like something like that. So he bought it and carried it back up to the room. He put it carefully under her arm as she slept, she never stirred while he did. He got back in the bed and turned on the TV and watched for a while to catch up on current events.

The nurse and the doctor came in to check him over and she had him sign his discharge papers, Bell had woken up as she heard him talking to the doctor. She noticed the bear he had placed under her arm, wondering where it had come from.

Bell: "Danny? Where did this come from?"

Danny: "I got it at the gift shop for you. I hope you don't mind."

Bell looked at the little soft bear as she smiled, then she hugged it tightly to her chest with both arms.

Bell: "Oh Danny! I love it! No one has ever given me anything like this before."

Danny: "Are you serious? Now that's amazing."
Bell: "I'll keep it forever. It's sooo cute, and it's so soft."

Danny: "I thought you would like it. That's why I got it."

Bell walked over and sat on the bed close to Danny and she hugged him and kissed him in thanks for the bear.

Danny: "Wow. I guess I need to get you things more often huh?"

Bell just giggled and blushed at what Danny told her. She couldn't quite put her finger on what was making her feel so joyous right now. Her heart was racing, her face was hot and she just felt very happy. Not the usual kind of happy she had experienced, but different somehow.

Danny: "We can go home as soon as John gets here."

Bell: "It'll be nice to at least get back to the neighborhood."

Danny: "Yeah. You sure it doesn't bother you to stay with me a couple of days does it?

Bell: "Not at all Danny. I just hope it's not putting you out."

Danny: "No way. Anytime you need to stay or just want to come visit or something, just come on over. My door's always open.

Bell: "Thank you Danny."

John: "Hey you two. You ready to go home?"

Danny: "What do you think? I've been here too long already."

Bell: "Yes let's go."

Urd and Skuld had gotten permission to return to Belldandy. They had taken care of the problems with Ygdrassil and returned the house, only to be confused and shocked by the damage to the house.

Skuld: "Urd. What happened here?"

Urd: "Bell! Belldandy! Where are you!"

Skuld: " BELLDANDY! Come on out! Where are you!"

Urd: "What on earth happened here?"

They had walked outside and observed the rest of the neighborhood. Debris and damage was everywhere.

Skuld: "Oh my. What happened while we were gone?"

Urd: "Looks like some kind of storm came through here. God I hope Bell's ok. Maybe she's at Danny's house. Let's go."

Urd and Skuld went to Danny's house just as John was bringing them home from the hospital.

Skuld: "Who is that?"

Urd: "Look! It's Belldandy!"

They ran over to the SUV as Bell was exiting the passenger side of the vehicle.

Skuld: "Belldandy! (Skuld ran up an hugged her)"

Urd: "Bell.. What happened here?"

Belldandy: "Oh SKULD, URD I'm so glad you're back! There was a storm, a tornado. It came through the Neighborhood and, well you can see what happened."

Skuld: "I'm so glad you're okay Belldandy."

Urd: "Me too. We have much to talk about later."

Danny opened the rear door behind Belldandy, and he turned his body to the side and stuck out his crutches to get out of the vehicle. He Stood up and came around the door.

Danny: "Hi Urd. Hello Skuld. How was your trip?"

Urd: "Hi Danny. DANNY? What happened? What happened to your legs?"

Skuld: "Are you ok? What's the matter with your knees?" (Skuld had walked over and put her hand on his arm)

Danny: "I'm ok. It's a long story."

Belldandy walked next to Danny and she put her arm around him to help support him as he walked into the house.

Bell: "Yes. We'll explain everything to you when we get inside so he can sit and rest."

John: "I'm John by the way. I'm Danny's older brother."

Urd: "Oh Hello. I'm Urd. And this is Skuld. We're Bell's sisters."

John: "Nice to meet you both."

Once inside the house they explained the storm that night and how Danny came into the house to make sure that they all were taking cover , but only found Belldandy there asleep. And the reason for Danny's hospital stay. Urd and Skuld were grateful that Danny took such interest in Bell's well being. After seeing her room in shambles she would have likely been seriously injured or even killed from all the glass and debris they found in her room.

Urd: "I'm just glad that you're both going to be alright."

Bell: "Danny offered for me to stay herem but I guess I won't have to now with you both home."

John: "No. I think all of you should stay here, until I can finish the repairs, the house is in no condition to live in."

Danny: "You can all stay until the repairs are done. Please. It's fine with me."

Skuld: "If you're sure it's alright."

Urd: "Yes, I guess that would be best. How much will we owe you for the repairs?"

John: "I don't really know yet. We'll worry about that later, so don't sweat it right now."

Urd: "Well, if you insist. That's very sweet of you both."

Danny: "Nah. Think nothing of it."

Bell was sitting very close to Danny, Urd noticed this and couldn't help but comment on it.

Urd: "So Bell? Anything "else" happen while we were gone?"

Bell: "Um. Not really. Why?"
Urd: "Let's just say I'm "curious" is all."

Skuld: "So there's no power yet huh?"

Bell: "It doesn't appear so."
John: "You'll have power soon. In the mean time I do have generator set up out back. So you guys will at least have power to cook and lights until then. Of course, all the stuff in the refrigerator had to be thrown out. It was spoiled from no power."

Urd: "That's ok we'll handle getting some things to eat in just a while. Leave that to us."

John: "Ok. Danny? I'm going to get some things in the morning to start on their house. So I'm gonna split for now. If you need me, just call me on the cell phone ok?" (he whispered into his ear before he left) "You lucky dog. Now you got three beautiful women to take care of you. Lucky boy. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Danny: "Haha. John, I'll see you tomorrow ok. Tell Greg to come with you in the morning ok?"

John: "Yeah I'll bring him. He needs the money anyway so I'll put him to work."

Danny: "Alright. Bye."

John: "Bye bro. Good Evening Ladies."

Bell: "Goodbye John."

Urd: "Bye-Bye"

Skuld: "Nice to meet you. Bye."

Urd: "Do you have enough rooms here for us Danny? Skuld and I can share a bed you know." Skuld cringed at the thought, the last time she ended up on the floor all night.

Danny: "I'm sleeping right here. So you girls get the bedrooms. Bell can have my room."

Urd: "No Danny. You can't sleep out here."

Danny: "Yes I can, to tell you the truth right now, being like this, it will actually be more comfortable this way."

Bell: "But Danny you should sleep.."
Danny: "No "buts" Belldandy. You can have my room, I just hope it's comfortable enough for you. That goes for Urd and Skuld too. I hope the beds are satisfactory to you."

Urd: "So shall we go to the market and buy some food? I need a drink myself."

Bell: "Sure we can do that."

Danny: "I'll go too, if it's ok for a cripple to come along."

Bell: "Oh Danny, you're not a cripple. Haha! You're more than welcome to come along."

Urd: "Sure. The more the merrier."

The four of them piled into the car, Bell had insisted on sitting with Danny in the back to keep him company. Urd drove, she smiled when Bell insisted she sit in the back with Danny. She knew that Bell had taken to him quite well. It didn't necessarily bother her, except for the fact the time may come for her to return back to who she truly is, and she knew that Bell could be heartbroken again. But she hated to interfere with her feelings at the moment. It had also crossed her mind, that Danny may begin to figure out that the truth was being withheld from him about who they really are. She decided to cross that bridge when they came to it.

Danny: "You know what I find really strange?"

Skuld: "What Danny?"

Danny: "That flower bed you planted Bell? You noticed it was unharmed? That was really strange. It was like God himself was watching over it."

Urd almost choked to death, thinking of an excuse as to why the flower bed remained unharmed. Of course she knew why, but there was no way she could tell him that.

Urd: "Well, I guess that is quite, umm, strange. Isn't it Skuld?"

Skuld: "Yeah. But I, I guess maybe the winds somehow were blocked by the house in such a manner that it was protected."

Danny: "Yeah. I guess so. But it was probably just plain luck huh Belldandy?"

Bell: "Sure. I guess it was luck. Lucky me!" Bell laughed at herself, as well as the others.

Skuld: "So what are we going to get at the store? Can I get ice cream?"

Urd: "I guess so. What would you like Bell?"

Bell: "Hmm. I'm not sure. I guess I'll decide once we get there."

Danny: "I can cook too you know. Trust me I'm pretty good."
Urd: "I haven't met a guy yet that could cook with any skill. You'll have to prove it too us. Heheheh."

Danny: "Alright you'll see. I'll get what I need to make my specialties. Heh."

Skuld: "What are they?"

Danny: "Not saying. You'll just have to wait and see."

Skuld: "That's not the answer I was looking for!"

Bell: "I'm sure it will be very good. Hehe!" Bell put her head on Danny's shoulder.

They arrived at the store, Urd and Skuld started wandering around with their own buggies as Danny and Bell got just one of their own. They quietly walked around looking for the things they wanted. Urd went straight to the beer and wine isle and proceeded to load down her buggy. Skuld went to the ice cream and the snack and chips isle. Bell and Danny just went all over the store looking at fruit, and produce. Picked up some fish and meat along with soft drinks and milk and juice.

Skuld came by them and laughed at them, because they looked like a married couple going through the store like they were. Bell and Danny looked at each other and laughed. It seemed they heard that themselves quite a bit in the past few days.

They finished their shopping and headed back to the house, where they put everything away. Skuld found her way to the nearest TV to watch the latest episode of the program she'd been watching. Urd made herself something to eat, and promptly started to drink her "usual". Danny made something quick for himself and Belldandy, between all the comments by her to let her help and he should sit down and rest. They sat at the kitchen table and ate and talked. Bell cleaned up and they both went into the living room and sat on the sofa and watched Television together. They talked and laughed together until Danny succumbed to the exhaustion from the day and had fallen asleep on the sofa. Belldandy smiled at him as she sat with him while he lay sleeping on the sofa. She gave him a kiss on his forehead, and got up to check on Urd and Skuld. Skuld had fallen asleep in the bedroom adjacent to Danny's room. Urd was still awake and motioned for Bell to come in.

Urd: "Bell? Come in. Close the door behind you. We need to talk."
Bell: "Yes, Urd? What's wrong?"

Urd: "Nothing wrong. I need to tell you about what we have found out about getting you back to normal."

Bell: "Oh. Please tell me then."

Urd: "Okay. While we were home combating the problems with Yggdrasil, we noticed that your signature, your "place" in the system, was still active in the system. This is a good sign. But you see, with the system not knowing where you are at all times and what your status is, well it makes the system unstable. What we have done, is re-written the program that makes up your signature."

Bell: "And just what wil that do to help me?"

Urd: "Well, since it can't know where you are at all the time. We forced it to only know that you were "here" at the house we were living in. That way the Yggdrasil knows it can check on you when you are there. When you are away, we just forced to consider you temporarily offline. So it won't interrupt the systems functions. What this will do to help you, is while you are "home" the Yggdrasil can still communicate with you in your subconscious. You may never even realize that you being contacted in a way. But it is possible while you sleep that the system may send you memories, sort of "download" them to your subconscious so to speak. We hope that this will eventually correct the non-physical aspect of your lifeform. It's sort of a heuristic way of hacking your DNA. Your physical makeup. It will still take time. If we do this too quickly. Well."

Bell: "Well? Well what?"

Urd: "Done to quickly, it could destroy your mind, worse it could corrupt your DNA and kill you."

Bell: "I see. So you really think this will help me back to being a goddess I once was?"

Urd: "Yes. As I say it will take time. The earliest projected time the system gave us for a total reconfigure, was six to eight months. Likely longer."
Bell: "That's not bad is it? "

Urd: "No not at all. But I have another question."

Bell: "Yes?"

Urd: "Do you. Do you "love" Danny?"

Bell: "I. I think I do. I feel so warm and secure when I'm near him. He makes me laugh. I like him so very much."

Urd: "I see."

Bell: "Why? Is it wrong to love him? Is there something about him I don't know Urd?"

Urd: "Oh no. Danny is very nice. Nothing wrong with him. It's just. That if you go back to being a goddess. You would no longer be able to be with him. We have duties that have to be taken care of. Unless you had a "contract" with him. You would no longer be able to care for him. It would require him to have all memory of you, wiped from his mind. You would no longer be remembered by him in the slightest, tiniest memory. Could you handle that if you went back to being the wonderful goddess first class that you were?"

Bell: "OH! I. If I had to. Are you sure? I don't really want to hurt his feelings, ever. Oh this is just getting so complicated." Urd noticed Bell had tears running from her eyes.

Urd: "Bell. Please don't be alarmed just yet. I simply had to make sure you understand what will happen if you do go back to being our goddess, our true sister."

Bell: "But you both "are" my true sisters, anyway!"

Urd: "I know Bell. I didn't mean to say it in a manner that would sound like we aren't sisters just because of your situation right now."

Bell: "I guess I should..i should. Um. "

Urd: "What Bell? What's wrong?"

Bell: "Oh nothing. I was just thinking of something."

Urd: "I also don't want you to forget. That we may never get you back to the way you once were. At least not until you naturally died, that is. If that happens, I want you to be happy with your mortal life. With someone you "love". Do you understand? If that were the case. Skuld and I would have to leave, should nothing else be available for us to do. You would be here, alone with only those you know while you've been here. You'd never see us again. At least, until the afterlife that is."

Bell: "Th-the afterlife? What then?"

Urd: "Actually the system would have a easier time assembling your program again. You would be back to your former self and stature."

Bell: "I see."

Urd: "Don't even think about it. It doesn't work that way Belldandy!"

Bell: "Huh?"

Urd: "You CANNOT commit suicide. If you do you WILL be lost FOREVER! Please, PLEASE don't ever think of that again."

Bell: "But how did you kn.."
Urd just looked at her with sad eyes.
Bell: "I'm sorry. I forgot. I'm going to bed now, ok? I. I d-don't feel so well."

Urd: "WE love you Belldandy. Please, just rest and relax ok? Don't try to understand everything I've told you at one time. Just be the Belldandy you are in the here and now. You truly haven't changed much to us. Only that you no longer have the powers you once had. You are STILL Belldandy. Okay?"

Bell: "O-okay, Urd. I'll see you. In the m-morning."

Urd watched as a very upset Belldandy, went to the room next door, she looked inside at the bed, then went back to the living room to check on Danny. She walked around to the front of him, staring at him with those beautiful blue eyes, for hours it seemed. Urd had snuck a peek at her as she stared at Danny. She knew now what Bell was thinking about, and why she was upset so much. Urd went back to he room and closed the door. Belldandy kissed her hand and blew at Danny, "sleep well Danny." She thought as she left to his room to sleep. She entered the room and closed the door behind her. She stripped off her clothes and folded them neatly and laid them in a chair on front of a desk with his computer on it. She realized she had no nightgown or shirt to put on, so she simply slid into bed in only her underclothes. She noticed the sheets were cool and felt nice against her skin, and as she lay her head on the pillows she could smell the scent of Danny on the pillow covers, his cologne, was still strong on the pillow casings. She took one pillow in front of her and held it tightly to her as she cried. "Why me? Why can't I just be normal? I don't want to hurt anyone. But I know I need to be my..myself. I don't know what I should do. I like Danny. I-I Love him. But if I become a goddess again.. I don't know what I should do. I just want to be happy. I'm so afraid." These thoughts ran through her mind as she quietly cried herself to sleep.

Bell had thoughts and dreams again that night, some were so completely abstract, it was like a series of computer programming figures, running through her mind, then images and scenes from her former life that she couldn't remember. People she once knew but had no names to remember them by. She was restless most of the night, tossing and turning and even waking up in a cold, profuse sweat a couple of times. She just wished that she could get some rest, without these dreams for a while. She just wanted a break, a nice dreamless sleep.

Next Chapter 13

Mood Swings and Jealousy