A/N: I'm sorry this chapter took so long, this week has been crazy with partying, graduation and job seeking, plus I'm a fairly slow writer in the first place.
I'm not a fan of original characters in general since they're hard to do well, but I needed someone for Lancer to talk to and the only appropriate person from Danny Phantom was Jazz, and that had limitations I couldn't afford. Kat, fortunately, is able to play a useful part in that other story that's running around in the back of my skull, which I intend to start writing once Phantom's Sketchbook is finished. I'm thinking right now that it's going to be called One Month, but that may change.
Anyway, that's neither here nor there right now. This chapter reads a little differently than the previous two, hope that's okay. It's also a bit on the short side, so my apologies, though I think it managed to accomplish what I wanted it to regardless.
To my readers, and particularly my reviewers, thank you so much. I cannot begin to tell you how much it means to me to have such a huge response to this story. To Shimegami-chan, thanks for the support and for 'William.' Everyone should go read her fic Estrelas, it's at 22 chapters and counting but is more than worth your time.
For anyone who is wondering, I got the last name Reilly from Spiderman's clone Ben Reilly, who is also known as the Scarlet Spider, I was going to go with something else, but I didn't like it as much.
On with the story!
Chapter Three: Coffee and Kat
Mr. Lancer was a man who loved books of all kinds and all genres. Non-fiction, fiction, romance, mystery, history, science, fantasy, poetry anthologies, plays, children's books, everything. If it was the written word Lancer had a love for it.
Which is part of the reason why one of his favorite places to go in Amity Park was a small bookstore/coffee shop. Alliteration was a recent addition to the city, having opened in September, though you would never know it from the way it and its owner fit into the community. The store motto was "Read, Relax, and Renew," which, outside of pleasing the English buff inside of him, Lancer considered singularly appropriate.
Having already ordered a cup of coffee, Mr. Lancer made his way to the two person table in front of the large bay-window. To his mind it was the best place to sit if you were looking to relax or clear your thoughts.
Laying the bag in his hand on the table, the teacher settled into one of the chairs and stared out the window.
"Hey, do you actually want this coffee, or can I keep it?"
Twisting his head to look at the new arrival, Mr. Lancer couldn't help the smile that spread across his face, "I prefer to have it, if you don't mind."
The women, who was holding two cups anyway, obliged by placing one of the stemming cups of coffee on the table in front of him, and then took the other seat with her own.
Lancer raised an eyebrow at her, "Shouldn't you be working?"
Her green eyes sparkled mischievously, "Probably. But I figure that since I own this place, and am paying people to serve customers, I can pretty much do what I like."
Katherine, who preference was to be called Kat, was the other reason Alliteration was one of Mr. Lancer's favorite places in the city. About the same age as he was, Kat was a short women with dark brown hair, vivid green eyes and a fondness for dogs. She and Lancer had become good friends shortly after she had moved to Amity Park.
The two sat in companionable silence for a few moments before Kat broke it.
"Okay, what's on your mind Lancer?"
"What makes you think that there's something on my mind?" Lancer shifted slightly under her scrutinizing gaze.
"Let's see, you're sitting here, not drinking your coffee, at a table you only use when you want to work something out in your head. Should I continue?"
"I think that covers it." The teacher idly stirred his coffee while gathering his thoughts. "Do you know Danny Fenton?"
"I know him," Kat's face had gone blank. "He likes to sit at this very table and draw, has talent, by the way. The boy is head over heals for that Goth friend of his and wouldn't know how to tell her if his life depended on it. Good kid, he's helped me out a few times."
"Yes, well, he's a troublemaker at school. He's always late, or skips class entirely. His grades aren't what they should be, probably because he's forever falling asleep in the classes he does go to, or running out during the middle of them. He's been the cause of some considerable damage to school property over the last three years. . ."
Kat waited for the frustrated educator to run out of steam, "But?"
Lancer sighed, "But I feel like I'm missing something. For a long time I put it down to Danny just being problematic and doled out detentions appropriately. Lately though . . . I just ran into him, and you're completely right, Danny is a good kid and none of this makes any sense. I admit that I get caught up in petty school politics sometimes, so I don't always see what's in front of me, but I like to think that I actually care about my students. Yet it took me three years to even realize something was wrong, and for the world of me I can't figure out what it is or what I can do to help."
Kat leaned back in her chair and seemed to consider this for a moment. "Well, I wouldn't worry too much about not making the connection. For someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, Danny doesn't let very many people get close, and it's not like he trying to advertise whatever it is."
"Are you sure about that? Making trouble is an age old method of getting attention." Lancer took in the expression on Kat's face, "Okay, so maybe not. But that still leaves the fact that something is going on with him, and has been going on for a long time."
"You know," Kat began hesitantly, "the first time I met Danny a bookshelf nearly fell on me. Don't laugh. It's true and was scary at the time since I'm taking about one of those huge units against the wall. Anyway, the stupid thing must have been less secure than I thought, because it came crashing down, and I, being an idiot, completely froze."
"What happened?"
"Danny pushed me out of the way. Unfortunately he didn't get fully out of the way himself and his leg ended up under the bookshelf. He claims it didn't hurt that much, but for a moment I thought his leg was broken. Anyway, the point is that he didn't hesitate to put himself in danger to save a complete stranger. His heart is in the right place. That counts for a lot, especially combined with the fact that he's got two of the best friends I've ever seen and a family that loves him. Plus he's got something else."
"And that would be . . ."
"People like us. People who aren't entirely in on his life, but who care about him and are cheering him on from the sidelines."
For the next few minutes both adults drank their coffee while Mr. Lancer took in the conversation. She's got a point. Maybe all I need to do is let Danny know that I'm there for him.
Lancer shook his head in bemusement, "Thanks, Katherine."
"You're welcome. . . you know, you're the only person in the world who can get away with calling me by my full name."
The laughter of the two friends rang throughout the store.
"So, now that the serious mood is broken, can I ask what's in the bag?"
"Huh?" It took a moment for the change of topic to make sense in the teacher's mind. "Oh, that, just something I picked up earlier. Feel free to take a look."
Opening the bag that Lancer had put on the table earlier, Kat removed the contents with a flourish. What she found was a framed charcoal image of a ghost in a jungle setting, he appeared to be hunting. " 'Skulker, the Ghost Zone's Greatest Predator,' " she read out loud. "What's up with the little blob of a ghost sitting on his shoulder?"
Mr. Lancer shrugged, "No idea. Some inside joke by the artist, maybe?"
Kat accepted the explanation, then read the paper that accompanied the image.
William Reilly is a young local artist who specializes in depicting Amity Park's ghosts and ghost related things. Reilly is best known for his series of four paintings entitled "Ghost Hunters of Amity Park," the proceeds from which went to children's charities. The series contains the only known portrayal of Danny Phantom by Reilly, an occurrence which caused much speculation amongst the artist's fans. All of Reilly's works are unique and are solid exclusively by AGTG.
Mediums: Graphite, Ink, Charcoal, Pastel, Watercolour, Acrylics, and various others.
"Nice piece. Dare I ask what prompted the sudden interest in ghosts?" Curiosity shone on the bookstore owner's face.
"School project?" Lancer hedged unsuccessfully before giving in. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Try me."
"Well, I'm sure you know of Danny Phantom."
Kat nodded, "Of course, everyone does. He's a cutie, for a teenage ghost. I met him on my first day here, he chased away some box ghost, and then I pulled a guilt trip to get him to help me unpack the boxes that had been put into disarray by their fight."
Mr. Lancer stared, "You what? Never mind, I'll ask later. Well I had a case of insomnia on Thursday night, so I went for a walk in the park . . ."
With that the teacher told her the whole story.
"Well then." Kat murmured after he'd finished, her gaze on some point outside of reality. Then she a asked a question that Lancer hadn't been expecting at all. "Is he any good?"
"What?"
"Is Phantom a good artist?"
The expression on her companion's face told her everything she needed to know. "You haven't looked? Oh man, I'd be dying of curiosity if I had something like that. I'm practically keeling over right now just knowing that you have it! Can you call me before you take a look? I want in on this."
Mr. Lancer flushed, "I'm not planing on opening it. It's Phantom's private property, even if he is a ghost."
Kat looked disbelievingly at him, then shook her head.
"Well, you're officially a saint." Getting up, she took the coffee mugs, "I hate to leave, but I need to get back to work."
She turned to look back before heading into the kitchen, "Good luck with the Phantom thing . . . and try not to worry yourself sick about Fenton. He's okay."
"Oh, and one last thing, Lancer. Do you want to catch a movie tomorrow?"
