"So let me get this straight." Allie held up a finger after Danny had finished explaining the entire day to her. Hard to believe that so much had happened since lunch the previous day. Not even 24 hours and it felt like an eternity. He also found himself surprised at how easily he spilled his guts to this ghost he'd only met twice. He couldn't figure out whether it was desperation or trust; probably a little of both. He tended to trust people until they proved they didn't deserve it…like with Vlad.
All of this flashed through his mind in about two seconds as Allie continued. "You got rid of the magnifying things—."
"Magnifiers," Danny muttered.
"Whatever," she waved a hand through the air, brushing it off, "you got rid of them. They were what made you go evil—" Danny cringed at that, but she either ignored it or didn't notice, "—before, and you didn't have any problems until these two ghosts showed up?"
Danny slumped even further on the glowing green couch she'd offered as a seat. "Yeah," he sighed.
"But you said you changed to your ghost form just fine to talk to them, right?"
"That's what I can't figure out, and that's why my sister thinks they're behind everything."
Allie tapped her lips thoughtfully. "I can see why she would think that, but from what you said of them, I doubt it."
"That's what I told her." Danny smirked slightly, staring at the floor.
"That doesn't mean she's not right," the ghost sighed and curled her legs up under her. "It wouldn't be the first time a ghost, or two ghosts in this case, manipulated the feelings of humans and other ghosts." Danny didn't answer, still refusing to meet her eyes. "What do you think?" she finally asked.
He looked up for the first time since finishing his story. "I don't think they are. I mean, yeah they can be a bit annoying, but no more so than me, Sam and Tuck at our worst…and Jazz at her best. They seem like decent ghosts to me. A little weird maybe, but what ghost isn't?"
"Thanks," Allie folded her arms and shot him a dry look.
"Er…sorry," Danny stuttered. "I didn't…I mean, I didn't mean…I mean…"
Allie's laugh cut him off. "Don't worry about it." He looked down again with an embarrassed smile as her own features sobered.
"To tell the truth," she sat forward, "I have one other thought as to what it could be."
"What?" Danny asked in a tired, resigned voice.
"It almost sounds like you've developed a 'soft spot'."
"A what?"
"You know how I have problems with people…insulting me?" she asked, taking a deep breath afterwards as if just saying those words had been difficult and upsetting.
Danny remembered back to when he'd first met Allie. He'd been walking home with Sam and Tucker when his ghost sense had gone off. He'd found her in a pawn shop, levitating practically every item in the place and hurling them in turn at the front desk where the cashier had been hiding.
"Yeah." Danny nodded slowly. "I remember…I think." He'd found out later that the cashier had accidentally insulted Allie. For a ghost, Danny thought she usually seemed like a very normal person, but Allie's friend, Clarice, had explained that insults were Allie's 'trigger.' Every ghost had one, she said. Some of them called it a 'soft spot,' but whatever name it went by, it meant a topic that never failed to set off a ghost's temper, turning them malevolent and dangerous no matter how benign they normally seemed.
"Maybe it's something like that." She shrugged and leaned back in her armchair. "I don't know if a half-ghost would have a problem with that, though."
Danny bit his lip, thinking back. "I guess it could be…" he said uncertainly. "But then, what would my 'soft spot' be?"
"What were you talking about at the time?"
"I…er…don't really remember." He rubbed the back of his neck, feeling embarrassed and annoyed at the same time.
The dark-haired ghost looked up thoughtfully. "Hmm," she puzzled to herself, and stood up. After a glance at Danny, she crossed the glowing, but otherwise perfectly normal one-room apartment to a fridge and opened it. "Doing things helps me to think," she explained. "Would you like something to drink? Eat perhaps?"
Danny blinked and shook his head hastily. He'd seen what ghosts ate when he'd been captured by Walker, and he wasn't sure he ever wanted to see it again. "No thanks."
She shrugged and went about getting herself a glass of some glowing liquid. Did EVERYTHING have to glow? he thought to himself.
"Has it happened again since then? Even in your human form?" she asked as she returned from the other side of the room.
Danny looked away, choosing once again to find something interesting on the light-purple, carpeted floor. "Yeah." He couldn't seem to make himself speak above a whisper. "It seems to happen whenever I mention my friends."
"I see." She took a sip from the glass. "Well, what's been happening with your friends recently?"
"Well, everything's fine with Tucker. He's been my best friend since grade school," Danny shrugged. "He's annoying sometimes, but he's always been there for me. I couldn't ask for a better best friend."
"Okay," his hostess urged. "And your other friends?"
Sam's face flashed across his mind and he felt his hands tighten into fists. "My other so-called friend quite literally blurted out my secret in front of the entire school when she got angry," he ground out. He expected an answer, but when none came, he simply continued. "I can't believe she would do that. She's never done anything like that before. It's not like her…but she did."
"You know, Danny," Allie said slowly from across the room. He looked up, still seething, to see her point to her own eyes. "Red is not your color."
"Huh?" he asked, too preoccupied with rage to make the connection.
She raised an eyebrow as she returned to her chair and sat down, eyeing him warily. "Looks like half-ghosts can get soft spots after all."
He figured it out, fury abating in the face of deep thought. "So…it is Sam?" he asked, suddenly unsure of what to think of this information. It seemed right…except when Jazz had threatened to expose his secret. "But it also happened when I was talking to my sister—."
"How did you feel?" Allie interrupted, setting her glass down on the floor beside her chair and leaning forward.
Now she had him really confused. "Huh?"
She smiled and rolled her eyes. "How did you feel? When Sam did that."
"My best friend betrayed me. How am I supposed to feel?" he growled.
"So you feel betrayed?"
Danny blinked. Hadn't he just said that? "Yeah…I guess so."
"Think back on all the times you changed. Did you feel the same way then?" Danny closed his eyes, thinking back. When he'd been talking to the twins, it had been about Sam and their fight, he remembered that now. Then Jazz threatening to expose him to his parents…and then both of them with Skulker.
"Yeah…" He opened his eyes in surprise. "Yeah, I did."
"You are such a typical guy," Allie laughed and shook her head again.
"What do you mean by that?" Danny asked, confused again, and not sure if he should be offended or not..
"Don't worry about it." She sat back in her chair, still giggling.
He watched her, mystified. After a few seconds he cleared his throat and spoke again. "So, what do I do?"
Allie looked over at him incredulously. "Isn't it obvious? You talk to your sister and your friend until you've forgiven them, or you don't feel betrayed anymore."
"That's it?" Danny asked.
"It's not as easy as it sounds."
"It never is," he muttered.
"Look." Allie smiled and stood up again. "Why don't you go home and sleep on it. You'll figure out what to say."
Danny sighed and stood as well. "Thanks. I really appreciate your help."
"No problem," she grinned and brushed off his thanks while seeming to take it in at the same time. "Any time you have a ghost-related problem you can talk to me."
"That means a lot to me," Danny smiled as he walked towards the door. "Thanks again," he grinned and launched himself back into the ghost zone.
Allie stood at the door, waving at him and shaking her head.
"Boys," she said under her breath, and closed the door.
As promised, here is the next chapter. :D Hoping to get up more by the end of the week That's dependant on wether my beta reader is really busy or not. crosses fingers
Note: I have a friend (WingsofMorpius) who had her story stolen twice, by two different people, and since then, she has not continued to write the story. To show our support, my friend (with some help from me ;) ) has put up a petition. If you want to check out the story (totally worth it) check out my favorites page, and under "favorite authors" (So I can't spell...so sue me ; ) and then check out "Frights, Camera, Action". If you want to help and show your support for her, let me know and we'll put your name on the petition.
Thanks:hug:
Obi-
