After rereading the latest update to this story I realized that it really didn't help to move the plot along any, just provided more suspense for ya'll. Well, then, so as not to have you mobbing me to finish the story, on with the show...

Disclaimer: I do not own anything connected to the show "As Told By Ginger". The only thing here that is mine is the plot line.

Chpt. 5 – Friend In the Darkness

Upon seeing her sibling to bed, Ginger retreated to the serenity of the family room. Placing herself on the couch her mind began to drift aimlessly. It was only after many moments of "zoning out" brought on by lack of energy that she was quickly brought back to reality by the sound of the back door slipping shut. Not noticing the puff of red hair situated above the back of the couch, thus designating her daughter's position in the living room, Lois began to make the seemingly endless trek toward her downstairs bedroom, muttering all the while.

"How dare they... Who do they think...? Keeping them..."

Suddenly her voice calmed, as if she had just noticed a saint was listening in. In a rather somber and sorrowful tone, she continued to mutter, not noticing her daughter the whole time.

"They even hurt that poor man...can't stand to see them...Just can't believe..."

Ginger continued to listen as her mother moved sluggishly through the house toward her room. The sound of the door knob being turned and then the latch on said door clicking back into place could easily be picked up in the eerie silence left after Mrs. Foutly's mutterings. The quiet snap caused by the door latching into place not only signaled Louis' entry into her room, but also seemed to signal Ginger's mind to begin its analysis of what it just heard.

'Poor man?... What poor man?... she was in such a huff when she left, what happened over there?'

With that Ginger rose abruptly from her seat on the couch, one swift move to a standing position, and she was off in the general direction of her mother's room. Upon reaching the door she hesitated only momentarily before giving three sharp raps upon the wooden obstruction, sounds that seemed to echo off into the silence of the world around them.

"What is it Ging?"

Lois' voice rang from the other side of that which barricaded her entry into her mother's room.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Do you really think that Carl could manage to sneak down here with out a noise and then politely knock on my door?

The only response she got from the outside of her room was a silent smile. Suddenly, Ginger remembered what she had come for, and her mouth opened to ask the question when suddenly she startled backwards. The door suddenly swung open, revealing Lois' profile against the startling background of a single lamp, giving her an odd, ghost like appearance. Stifling a quick screech from the rather startlingly quick movement of the door opening, Ginger managed to pull herself together, but not quick enough for her mother not to notice. Smiling, Mrs. Foutly beckoned her daughter in to the room with the movement of a single hand, speaking at that same time.

"I didn't scare you, did I?"

The sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable. Ginger only managed to glare at her parental unit entering the room and seating herself upon the bed.

"So, how did things go?"

The question was rather out of the blue, and caught the older woman off guard.

"How did what go?"

"Whatever went on at the Gripplings, you know what..."

"Oh... that... well Ging, it's a long story, so to speak..."

"By long story, you mean rather short but full of things that I won't like to hear, right?"

The look of shock that crossed Lois' face would certainly have been a Kodak moment, should the situation have been any other than this. It was easy to see that Ginger truly was her mother's daughter; no one else could ever have been able to see the truth behind someone else's words as she had just done.

"Yeah, Ging, but I guess you still want to know...well I guess you should know then..."

Flashback

Lois pulls into the drive of the Grippling residence and follows the long, winding strip of pavement to the front door. Not bothering to worry about parking or any such lot Lois quickly shuts off the vehicle and makes her way up the steps, ringing the bell repeated times until finally the door was answered. Standing before her was a tall man, though not extraordinarily tall, with gray hair, wearing a tux it seemed.

"Hello Madam how may I..."

Looking up his words began to trail off.

"Mrs. Foutly, what a pleasure, it has been quite awhile since last we met."

Winston greeted the woman rather cordially and invited her in, asking what her business was, coming to the Grippling home so late on this eve.

"I've come to speak to Blake's parents."

The sparkle quickly left Winston's eye at this note, but quickly regaining his composure as a butler he stated the facts as if they were irrelevant to him.

"As is well know, Mr. Grippling is rarely home, yet you may speak with Mrs. Grippling should that suit you."

"Thank you, yes, she'll do just fine."

With that Winston made a quick bow and left Mrs. Foutly in the foyer as he left to retrieve Mrs. Grippling. Returning in only moments with the other lady in tow, Winston announced her visitor formally and then stepped off to the side to allow the others to speak.

"HOW DARE YOU..."

The shriek emitted by Lois echoed off marble walls off the large hall, and left the unfinished sentence hanging, but there was no reason to finish, the point had been made.

"How dare I? So you're saying that you approve of this madness."

Mrs. Grippling's formal speech proved to be no match for the common sense reasoning of Mrs. Foutly as the battle wagged on between the two.

"Since when is it madness to be on your child's side, to want the one's you love to be happy, since when is it madness to have a heart?..."

The color of Mrs. Grippling's face only showed her anger as it turned from slight pink towards the beginning of this last retaliation to complete scarlet at the end.

"You have no right to step foot on my property and harass me as such, Winston, remove this trespasser."

With that the blonde turned to strut away in a huff. Winston removed himself from hiding around the corner, a frown clearly evident on his face. Silently he motioned that they should begin to move toward the door. As they walked, he spoke softly.

"I'm very sorry for my mistress's reactions to you, she has been rather upset lately with current situations. It has rather upset each of us, thought for different reasons I'm sure..."

His voice trailed off as he went into what appeared to be a silent stream of thought. Glancing over at him Lois saw the sadden look that his face contorted into, the man seemed more distressed over the situation that she herself was.

"If only there were something I could do..."

She heard him mutter to himself. As they reached the door he opened the door for her as the gentleman he is, and offered to see her out to her car. She declined, her car being so near to the house, but did turn around to give him a hearty handshake goodbye. It seemed that she had found a friendly face in an otherwise unfriendly environment. Bidding her farewell Lois went to leave when she paused as something caught her eye. Off in the distance, hidden behind a staircase, it seemed she had seen a head of platinum blonde hair, and two stunning blue eyes.

End Flashback

Looking her daughter in the face, a moment of understanding passed between the two and nothing really needed to be said. Finally Ginger spoke.

"Well, as you said earlier, I'm sure they will work it all out..."

With that Ginger stood and abruptly left the room, leaving her mother wondering at the sudden calmness that Ginger displayed.

Back at the Grippling Household

Courtney lay sprawled out on her bed, surrounded in a world of foe-fur and pink. It was obvious that she was scheming, but what was running through her mind it is doubted that any man or woman would ever be able to decipher what goes on there. Rising suddenly she made her way toward the door. Wandering what seemed to be aimlessly through the halls of Grippling Manor she eventually found her self in the main hall of the manor. Just loud enough for it to echo throughout the halls Courtney calls out.

"Winston...I must request a favor of you..."

Well, that's all for now, folks. Please read and review, I do so enjoy your words of encouragement and corrective criticism. Flames just cause me to laugh like the mad man I am so unless you are attempting to give me a good time I would avoid them. Thanks for reading thus far. Until latta.

MK