Chapter 5

After making sure her best friend was sound asleep, Kathy stepped quietly from the bedroom she was once going to call her own and wondered down the hall. A gentle breeze fell on her and she stopped with a smile, bring her glasses to her face. A smile lit on her face for the first time all day.

"I knew that was you." He smile back at her a soft yet strong presence,

"What? You think I was going to let you come back in here alone… Unprotected?" He asked, leaning against the wall in his usually cocky fashion. Kathy shook her head,

"How do I know it's really you and not something I'm imagining to help myself make t through. To help myself remember what you would do." Her eyes pleaded for him to actually be there. He smile a little, looking down.

"You don't. I don't even know if I'm here or not. But I'll always be with you, like a few weeks ago at prom when you kick you date's ass because he was getting friendly in the limo." She smiled again, meeting his gaze on the floor.

"That sounds like something you'd say." She chuckled a bit. His face became stern again,

"I just wish I could touch you again." He whispered softly. "Your flashes…they always helped me to forget the person I was and make me realize the person I wanted to be." She slowly reached out a hand and gripped his.

"You can touch me, this house lets you." She whispered, placing his hand to her cheek. He gasped, feeling the touch of another for the first time in over a year. He pulled her to him roughly and devoured her lips with his.

"I love you, Dennis." She breathed between kisses.

"I love you too." He whispered back, finally breaking the kiss. He held her to his chest,

"I've missed you so much." He continued to whisper, stroking her hair from her face.

"I wish we had more time when you were alive, instead of just that one night here." She spoke into his cold chest.

"I know but I love you just the same." They stood there for a long moment just share each others embrace.

Later that night, Madison sat up in the soft folds of bed that she had fallen asleep in earlier. She was still wearing his jacket and she slowly put her arms in the sleeves before looking around for any sign of movement. Lucas came out of the bathroom and looked at her.

"Madison! Honey, what happened?" He asked taking her in his arms. "Was it that ghost boy? Did he do this to you?" He asked looking at the jacket and all the scraps and cuts.

"No, Royce didn't do this!" She said trying to explain that he saved her.

"Royce?" He asked

"Yes, Royce didn't do this, it was that jackal ghost!" She said looking around for any sign of the boy.

"Wait a minute! What were you doing down there in the first place? I told you to stay in the library." Lucas asked starting to get annoyed.

"I just wanted to talk to Royce. He saved me twice!" She said with a smile.

"I don't care! You're never talking to him again. For God sakes, he's a ghost! You can't have a relationship with a ghost, even just a friendship." Lucas yelled.

"Lucas..." She started.

"No, I forbid it!" He yelled. Madison looked at him shocked,

"Since when are you my Father!" She asked loudly.

"Since you accepted to put that ring on your finger and promise to marry me!" He yelled. "Now, why don't you try to get some rest and Kyle, Kathy and I will be in the library."

"You found Kyle?" She asked

"Yeah, he was wandering around down by the labs, talking about ghosts." He said before leaving the room. Madison tightened Royce's jacket around herself and laid back down.

"Who does he think he is?" She asked as she heard the door squeak open. No one was there. She sat up and put her glasses on to see Royce standing in the doorway, a nervous expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, were you sleeping? I can come back." He said turning to leave again.

"No!" She said sitting up, "Come in." Royce stepped in the room and quietly shut the door behind him walking over to the bed and sitting on the edge.

"Are you okay?" He asked touching her face softly. His hand was rough but she really didn't care. Madison liked the feeling of his hand on her face and she leaned into it slightly.

"Yeah, I'm okay." She said with a sigh. She closed her eyes for a second and Royce leaned in. As their lips met, Madison's eyes shot open and she pushed him back.

"Royce!" She said wetting her lips a bit.

"I'm sorry." He said getting up.

"Royce, look I have a fiancé." She said as he turned around. She showed him the ring and he smiled a little.

"Oh, I see. You've already been promised. I bet you've had a boyfriend since you were 6 years old for every year haven't you?" He asked. Madison laughed.

"Well..."

"See, because a fine dolly like you is the kind that is never single for too long if some lucky fella hasn't snatched you up already. I guess I'm just late by a few decades. I'm just being silly anyways, I mean what would you want with a ghost anyway." He said before turning to leave.

"Royce?" She said again. He turned around at the door. She wanted to tell him to stay, she wanted to explore the possibilities and not just leave it at that but instead she said "What about your jacket?" She asked. He smiled at her,

"Keep it! Just remember me when you wear it." He said before he opened the door and faded out of sight. Madison looked down and rubbed the fabric of the coat between her fingers and wished there was something she could do but he was a ghost and she was engaged.

Royce re-entered the basement as Dana looked over at him.

"How's the Princess?" She asked with a sigh, momentarily forgetting abut finding that boy who promised to help her..

"She'll be fine." He said re-entering his chamber and laying down on his car to look up through the glass floor.

"What's wrong?" She asked walking into his chambers with him.

"Nothing." He said turning away.

"Oh, she didn't like you that way?" She asked, trying to comfort him.

"No, I didn't even get a chance to say anything about that. She's getting married." He said with a sigh.

"Oh, Royce. I'm sorry." Dana said touching his shoulder lightly.

"Ha Ha!" The Jackal laughed. "I told you. She'd never want anything to do with one of us. We're dead, she's alive!" Royce didn't say anything back, as a tear ran down his cheek.

"I think I'm falling in love with her." Royce said wiping away the stray tear and picking up his bat. "So what do you say we kick some human ass and get outta here." Royce said leading the way to the machine room. Dana followed him, stopping to contemplate her own human dilemma.