Eventually all they reached the second floor, and headed for the stairwell leading into the entrance hall. Norman was already there watching the party.
"Well, you two go ahead." Dr. Babcock smiled.
"But what about you?" Courtney asked.
"Hey, this is your and Norman's party." Dr. Babcock shrugged. "Go do your thing. Go hang, or chill, kick it...whatever you call it."
Courtney chuckled a little.
"Thanks dad." She smiled.
She headed down and started to mingle. Norman however didn't.
"Norman? It's okay son go on ahead." Dr. Babcock said.
"I...I don't think I can without Aggie." Norman sighed.
"Hey, I know Aggie's sad that she's still dead but I doubt she would want you to miss out on a good time just because she's not happy." Dr. Babcock said comfortingly. "Besides, don't you have some living friends who'll want to hang out with you?"
"Hey Norman!" Neil suddenly called from downstairs. "Come on buddy, what's keepin' ya?"
Norman couldn't help but smile in spite of everything.
"You see?" Dr. Babcock smiled.
"All right." Norman said reluctantly.
He headed downstairs and went over to Neil and Salma.
"So, where are your ghost friends?" Neil smiled.
"Not coming. Three of them had to take care of something and the friendly one, Aggie..." Norman sighed sadly. "She doesn't feel like coming."
"Oh...is she worried that she might scare everyone away?" Neil asked sympathetically.
"Yeah." Norman nodded.
"Well, I'll talk to my big brother Mitch later." Neil pointed to a muscular teen who was talking with Courtney. "Maybe he'll let me stay later so that at least I can meet her."
"I'd like that. What about you Salma?" Norman smiled a little.
"Hm...I guess I could convince my parents to let me stay a little longer." Salma shrugged. "Sometimes they're more lenient about me staying up late during holidays."
"So, where's Victoria?" Norman asked.
"Dunno. Must be running late." Neil shrugged.
As a matter of fact Victoria was, and it wasn't by her own free will either. Remember her and Alvin sneaking in through a window earlier? Well...
"Hold still!" Alvin ordered.
"I'm trying!" Victoria protested. "Can't you weigh any more?"
"Shut up! And keep your head down!"
They stopped in front of a mirror so that they - or at least Alvin - could get a good look at themselves. Aggie was sitting on Victoria's shoulders, looking like a tall corpse.
"Oh my...you've gotta see this." Alvin grinned at how horrifying they looked. "People are gonna freak."
"Let me see." Victoria said.
Alvin pulled up the long white robe they were wearing.
"Wow...that actually does look scary." Victoria couldn't help admitting.
"Thank you." Stretch (Hopkins) suddenly appeared from Alvin's chest.
Stinkie (Hardwick) and Fatso (Prenderghast) appeared as well, and the Ghostly Trio laughed. Alvin and Victoria screamed and panically ran away into the party room. They bumped into a string of low-hanging party lights and Alvin ended up getting dragged away as Victoria got up and continued running away, the two of them still screaming. Everyone else applauded and cheered Norman, thinking it was a bit of entertainment he had set up.
Norman however just stared after Alvin and Victoria, realizing that Victoria asking him to the dance was nothing more than a prank. Hurt, he just went over to one of the chairs and started missing Aggie more than ever. Realizing that Norman had nothing to do with the screaming duo - especially since they knew Alvin pretty well - Neil went over to him with Salma following.
"Hey...sorry about...you know." Neil said.
"For what it's worth, Victoria doesn't deserve you for a friend anyway." Salma said.
"Thanks. I-it's okay." Norman lied. "You and Salma go ahead and enjoy the party, I'll be fine."
Neil and Salma looked at each other, believing otherwise, but decided to give Norman some space to recover.
Meanwhile, Aggie was hanging around her playroom trying to have fun with her toys but feeling way to miserable, heartbroken even, to really enjoy herself. She started bouncing her tennis ball against the wall with her racket...when she sensed a glow from above. She looked up and sure enough there was a glow that kept coming down...until it formed into a blonde woman who was smiling at her. Aggie's mouth fell open and she dropped her racket.
"You're..." Aggie couldn't believe it. "Courtney and Norman's mom?"
"That's right." The woman, Sandra, smiled. "That was a very noble thing you did Aggie, I know Courtney and Norman will never forget it. They need their father...and I know your father will never forget it either. You fulfilled his greatest dream, and I know he's very very proud of you. So is your mom."
Aggie actually smiled a little at this.
"I'm glad to hear that...I do miss them a lot." She said.
"And they miss you, but they don't want you to crossover just yet." Sandra said. "They also don't want you to mourn them for the rest of your life, since you have your whole life ahead of you."
"Um...don't you mean 'afterlife'?" Aggie corrected confusedly.
"No. You see because of your sacrifice I have been allowed to grant you your dream." Sandra smiled. "Originally it was just going to be a 'Cinderella deal', but a few details changed it into a permanent one. One such detail was your uncles, they actually asked if you could be brought back to life."
"They did?" Aggie was shocked.
"Yes, you see even though they act as if they don't care about you deep down they do love you. And they instantly felt bad upon realizing that their indirectly causing Perry's death robbed you of your chance at a second life."
Aggie smiled, touched.
"However there's a catch: you will only stay alive as long as someone truly loves you." Sandra admitted.
"Really? Why?" Aggie asked.
"That's...not for me to say. You'll find out why later." Sandra smiled before blowing some magical dust towards Aggie...
Back downstairs, Norman was still sitting on the chair, still sad and still feeling a big ache in his heart. Especially since a slow dance had begun, with almost everyone dancing as couples. Including Neil and Salma, but not including Mitch and Courtney since Mitch was gay (Courtney got over this quickly though).
Then a pretty girl headed towards Norman. Norman didn't notice her at first, until he sensed someone standing in front of her. He looked up and couldn't help staring at her. To him she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. There was also something strangely familiar about her, but he was too mesmerized by her to really think about it. The girl then offered her arm and Norman automatically accepted it. They headed towards the dance floor and started to slow dance, Norman still not able to take his eyes off her. The ache in his heart had even started to fade away, and his heart started to beat a little harder and faster.
"I told you I'm a good dancer." The girl smiled. "Can I kiss you?"
Norman was shocked.
"Aggie?" He couldn't believe it.
Aggie just nodded. Norman beamed and hugged her as they continued slow-dancing.
"I love you Norman." Aggie said.
"I love you too." Norman said. "But...I was afraid that you being a ghost and me being alive would..."
"So was I. That's why I was 'dead-set' on becoming alive." Aggie giggled. "I wanted to be with you that badly."
"So then..." Norman drew back a little, even more touched than ever. "I-I kinda figured but...you gave up at a chance of being with me...just to bring dad back?"
"You and Courtney do need your dad...and I just couldn't stand seeing you so upset." Aggie explained. "Your sadness hurt me more than the thought of never being with you ever did."
Norman was so moved by this that he kissed Aggie, this time a real kiss. Aggie stiffened a bit, never having been kissed before, and after a few seconds returned the kiss.
Meanwhile, Dr. Babcock had been watching the whole thing from the staircase. He was glad Norman found someone to love, although he was also lost in thought about Norman not being a child anymore. He then sensed a breeze behind him and turned around...and the angel of Sandra appeared before him.
"Hello Perry." She smiled.
Dr. Babcock was speechless.
"It's all right." She said, moving closer to him. "It's just me."
"I... I thought I'd have a hundred things to say when I..." Dr. Babcock said almost breathlessly. "How?"
"Let's just say you know three crazy ghosts who kept their word." Sandra smirked. "They found out from me about Ms. Crittenden's death when they asked for Aggie to be brought back, and so then asked me to visit you since you had been looking for me. But there's something you have to understand: you, Courtney, and Norman loved me so well when I was alive that I have no unfinished business. Please don't let me be yours."
"But Sandra...I don't...I don't really know what I am doing." Dr. Babcock admitted.
"What parent does?" Sandra chuckled a little. "Perry, Courtney and Norman are growing up beautifully because of you."
"No wonder I miss you so much." Dr. Babcock smiled.
"Just a couple things though: french fries are not a breakfast food, and don't make Norman wear-"
"A t-shirt along with his swimming trunks." Dr. Babcock finished. "I know, our son is becoming..."
"...A teenager." They both finished.
A.N. Courtney was already a teenager when Sandra died, so Dr. Babcock already knew what not to do with her (like picking up the extension everytime she gets a phone call). Dr. Babcock didn't need to know about the 'french fries not being a breakfast food' back then because Courtney was more into healthy eating.
Sandra affectionately petted the side of Dr. Babcock's head and he gently grabbed her hand. They then shared one last kiss...
The clock suddenly struck ten, and everyone disappointedly stopped dancing. The party was over, at the insistence of their parents, so they all started to leave.
Sandra started to float away too.
"Wait...where are you going?" Dr. Babcock said sadly, holding onto her a little tighter.
"Where I can watch over all three of you until we're together again." Sandra smiled back.
Dr. Babcock accepted this, and let her go.
"Goodbye Perry." Sandra smiled as she disappeared.
However, not everyone had gone. Neil, Sandra, and Mitch were still around due to Neil and Sandra having convinced their parents to let them stay longer.
"That was a really good party." Neil smiled. "So Norman, where are your ghost friends?"
"Here's one...except she's not a ghost anymore." Norman gestured to Aggie. "That reminds me...how...?"
"How did I get brought back to life?" Aggie finished knowingly. "Your mom."
Norman and Courtney gaped at her.
"Yeah, it was to reward me for sacrificing my one chance in order to bring your dad back." Aggie confirmed with a nod.
"What?" Salma said.
"Er, we were partying with Doc when he accidentally got himself killed." Stretch (Hopkins) explained, suddenly appearing along with Stinkie (Hardwick) and Fatso (Prenderghast).
Mitch gave a startled cry and almost ran but Courtney grabbed him.
"Chill Mitch, they're not gonna hurt you." She said.
Mitch stopped, but still kept his distance.
"These must be the three ghosts you told us about earlier." Neil smiled to Norman.
"Yeah." Norman nodded.
"So...how was it possible for your dad to be brought back?" Salma asked.
"My dad invented a machine that can turn ghosts back to life a long time ago." Aggie explained. "Originally it was for me, after I died from an illness, but dad was taken to an asylum before he could use it."
"Well, at least everything apparently worked out for the best." Neil noted.
"Yeah, it did." Norman smiled. "Thank you mom." He then thought.
"Yup, you deserve it Aggie." Courtney smiled.
"We're happy for ya too." Stretch (Hopkins) admitted to Aggie.
"Really?" Aggie said.
"Well yeah, just because we love being ghosts at least we lived a full life before dying." Stinkie (Hardwick) pointed out. "Well...at least in comparison to when you died anyway."
"Yeah, it wasn't fair that you died when you were still a child." Fatso (Prenderghast) nodded. "Say Stretch, can we sing a song now?"
"You bet." Stretch (Hopkins) smirked.
The three of them then spun around, and when they stopped spinning they looked like musicians. Stretch (Hopkins)had an electric guitar, Stinkie (Hardwick) had a saxophone, and Fatso (Prenderghast) had a drum.
"Hit it!" Dr. Babcock said, having come downstairs by this point.
The Ghostly Trio started playing a rock tune, and everyone started dancing.
Aggie, the friendly ghost,
The friendliest ghost you know.
Though grown-ups might
Look at her with fright,
The children all love her so.
Aggie, the friendly ghost
She couldn't be bad or mean
She'll romp and play, sing and dance all day
The friendliest ghost you've seen
She always say, "Hello"
And she's really glad to meet cha
Wherever she may go
You know she's kind to ev'ry living creature
Grown ups don't understand
Why children, all love her the most
But kids all know she loves them so
Aggie the friendly ghost
Aggie, and she's friendly
And she's friendly
She always say, "Hello"
She's really glad to meet cha
Wherever she may go
She's kind to ev'ry living creature
Grown ups don't understand
Why children, all love her the most
But kids all know she loves them so
Aggie the friendly ghost
The next school day, Aggie went to school with Norman and Courtney. After getting her registered as a distant cousin from Sandra Babcock's side of the family) they got her classes. Then after first class Neil confronted Victoria...and Alvin interestingly didn't stop her, he just left.
"What's the big idea of that stunt you pulled?" Neil demanded.
"Thanks Neil, but I'd rather take care of this myself." Norman cut him off. "Victoria, why would you do something as cruel as pretending to take me to the dance just to set me up for a prank?"
"To be honest, I didn't want to do it." Victoria admitted. "But Alvin pushed me into it and I couldn't refuse because I was scared of him. However that stopped when those three ghosts scared us, after that I told Alvin off and ended my association with him. I'm sorry Norman, I actually do want to be your friend."
Norman smiled.
"Then you can be." He said.
Neil, Salma, and Aggie ended up forgiving Victoria as well and also befriended her.
Soon there was some more good news: after Carrigan's death there was no one left to own the manor, so Dr. Babcock was able to convince the government to let him rent it until he could pay it off entirely. And since he had gone back to giving therapy to the living, this didn't take very long at all.