Chapter 5

"Who are you? What do you want?"

"I want you to leave us alone."

"We're sorry, we just wanted to make contact, to find out what you want."

The spirit inched forward. Madge sat up straight, Katniss backed up.

"Do you want to know what we truly want."

Madge nodded yes.

The spirits face lit up.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"We want you to get ready for dinner." Gale held a flashlight under his face.

The attic lights came on and Peeta peeked up. "GALE!" Madge said.

"Peeta, I'm gonna kill you!" Katniss said. "Right after I change my underwear."

"Madge, I'm surprised you came up here," Gale said. "Mouse dropping."

"Alright, I'm outta here." Madge bolted down the stairs.

"That's funny coming from a guy who's afraid of spiders," Katniss said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Look at your feet."

Gale squealed like a little girl, shook the tiny spider off his foot and took off. "Wait for me, Madge."

Katniss looked at Peeta with her best sad puppy eyes. "Peeta, we need to talk."

Peeta's eyes got tremendous, but he looked past her.

Katniss spun around. "What's there? What do you see?" Katniss shined the flashlight. "I don't see anything. Peeta? Peeta?"

She heard Peeta's footsteps and frowned. She sat on the floor and wrapped her arms around her legs. A little gray mouse stuck his head between two boxes.

"So what do you make of those three?"

He twitched his nose.

"I agree. Three cowards. One's afraid of you, one's afraid of spiders and one's afraid of me."

Peeta was unaware that Katniss was looking at him as he stared at himself in the mirror.

"Peeta, what's wrong with you?"

"Um, nothing. Why?"

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at the back of his head. "That's it, I'm not asking you anymore. I'm outta here."

"Okay, have a good time." He didn't notice the door slam.

He pulled the skin around his eyes in all different directions. He let out a long sigh and slumped his shoulders.

"You know, you can have that fixed."

"What did you say Katniss?"

Receiving no answer Peeta turned around. His heart raced and he felt his face flush as adrenaline raced through his body. The blonde woman that stood six feet from him sported a smile. He tried to swallow, but his mouth dried up.

"Who are you?"

She inched forward and raised her hand. Peeta backed up against the sink and his body shook. His body chilled when she touched his face.

"I'll ask you again, who are you?"

"I'm Miranda."

"Hello Miranda, um, how did you get in here?"

She smirked, "I just walked in."

Peeta squinted, a glow surrounded Miranda. He raised his hand and touched her face.

"You're so cold."

"You have such deep blue eyes." Peeta blinked. "You're worried about what people think of you."

"Yes, the senior partner made a comment. But, how did you know?"

"If you think it will help you, then fix them."

Peeta opened his eyes wide and cocked his head.

"Take another look in the mirror."

Peeta looked past Miranda to the mirror on the door. "Really, do you think I should see a doctor?"

His question was met with silence. "Miranda?" He did a 360 but didn't see her. He ran to the bedroom and searched it. He opened the door and examined the hallway.

"We generally dress for breakfast," one of the guests said.

Peeta looked at the towel wrapped around his waist. "Oh yes, of course."

He closed the door and dressed for breakfast.

Peeta met Katniss in the dining room. Katniss avoided all but the fruit salad, sans the pears. She met Peeta's eyes and returned back to her breakfast.

"Hi."

"Hey."

"I'm sorry I've been so preoccupied."

Katniss forced a half smile. "I understand you might have some things on your mind. I just wish you'd share it with me."

They reached across to hold hands.

"Good morning folks," Sae said.

Katniss frowned as Peeta withdrew his hand and turned his attention to Sae.

"Good morning Sae. I have a question." Sae nodded. "Is there a guest named Miranda here?"

Sae raised her eyes to the ceiling. "Miranda, no." She shook her head as she chewed her oatmeal. "I haven't heard that name for awhile."

"Who was she?"

"It was before we moved here. She lived in the house next door. Tragic story."

Peeta leaned in. "What happened?"

"She died in the hospital. I heard she was obsessed with her looks. She went in for a tummy tuck, or a butt lift, or was it on her chest, no I got it, fix her baggy eyes."

Peeta drank his pear juice and stared at Sae.

"And?" Katniss asked.

"Oh, she died on the operating table."

"Peeta!" The juice spewed out of Peeta's mouth and hit Katniss square in the face.

"Oh dear, you seem to be a magnet for pear juice."

Katniss toweled herself off then charged away.

"Dear, where are you going?"

"Don't worry about her Sae, tell me about Miranda."

"She was a very vain woman. Her looks were all she thought about. I guess she went too far."

"Thanks, Sae."

Peeta charged up the stairs. He heard the shower as soon as he flung the door open. His clothes flew in all directions; he charged into the bathroom.

"AHHHH! Peeta, Christ you scared me."

Peeta opened the shower door and stepped in. He lifted Katniss up and pressed her against the wall. She wrapped her arms around his neck and they kissed. Peeta felt her heart pound against his chest.

She pulled back. Water pelted her in the eye. "Put me down, I can't see you." Peeta let her slid down against him. "What got into you."

"I've been kinda a jerk lately and I wanted to say I'm sorry."

"Yum, your apology is accepted." Katniss' eyes blew up. "Oh, crap that's cold." She threw her arms around herself and rubbed herself. "Why did it get so cold?"

They stood up straight and looked around the bathroom.

"Peeta, move. I need my robe." Katniss put her robe on and tied a knot that a horny sailor couldn't untie. Peeta wrapped a bath sheet around himself.

Katniss felt the bed and Peeta searched the room. "Peeta what are you looking for?"

"Um, nothing. Why are you feeling the bed?"

"Just making sure it's dry. I need to get dressed." She pulled out clothes and started to untie the robe. "Damn." Katniss bundled her clothes together.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to change in Gale's car."

Peeta's eyes darted around the room. "I'll join you."

They scrambled across the parking lot and dove in. Katniss removed her robe and Peeta dropped his towel. He cupped his hand behind her neck and pulled her close. Their lips met. She wrapped her arms around him. They put down the back seat and lay in each others arms. Katniss pulled the robe and towel over themselves.

He looked in her eyes and bit the tip of her nose. She giggled, "I love you."

"I love you too," Peeta said.

She lay her head on his chest and listened to his racing heart.

"Where do you want to go first?" Gale asked.

"That antique store on Main Street."

Katniss cleared her throat.

"Ahhh!" Madge spun around. "Oh crap, you scared me. What are you guys doing here?"

Katniss' and Peeta's eyes locked. "Um, it was too cold in our room," Katniss said.

Katniss sat at the dining room table for their last breakfast. She drank her juice and ate her fruit salad. "There's something missing, but I can't see to put my finger on it," she said.

"No pears," Madge said. "They must have run out."

"See Katniss, you survived the week without meat," Peeta said.

Katniss grinned and held her head high. "You know, it wasn't so bad. After all the gas went away I started to feel really good, now I feel great and I even lost a few pounds."

"Good for you sweetie." Peeta and Katniss kissed and shared a smile.

Katniss looked deep into Peeta's big, blue eyes.

He blushed a little. "What are you looking at?"

"You have such beautiful eyes. I hope they never change."

"Believe me, they won't."

"This week was good for me too. I worked out the problems with my swing," Gale said.

"He sure did," Peeta said. "He whooped me on the course yesterday."

Madge sat there and listened to the trio and the wonderful time they had.

"Well, Madge and I had a great time ghost hunting," Katniss said.

"Yea we did. We didn't see any, but all the signs from the equipment said they were there. So I'm happy."

Sae and a waitress entered with this morning's breakfast. Katniss' nose twitched and her eyes watered. She drooled when the platters hit the table.

"Is that what I think it is?" Katniss asked.

Sae nodded. "This is the ..."

"Ham and cheese breakfast quiche."

"And ..."

"Maple bacon pancakes."

"And the house specialty ..."

"Apple sausage wagon wheel." She looked up. Tears filled her eyes. "It's as beautiful as I imagined. Oh God, I don't know where to start."

"Babe, think of how good you feel now," Peeta said.

Katniss narrowed her eyes as she shoveled all the entries into her.

"Don't let meat muck up your insides again."

Katniss glared at Peeta across the table, she picked up her butter knife and stood. "Don't let me hear you say anything bad about meat again." She leaned on the table and locked eyes with Peeta. He leaned back.

"Got it?"

Peeta nodded yes.

"Well, that was interesting." Gale leaned over to serve himself.

Katniss slapped his hand. "Get your own."

"But that's not all for you."

"Hey, I didn't see you sharing that Mound of Meat, partner."

They watched Katniss devour the breakfast. She shared.

Madge turned the brass key and opened the door. She frowned when she surveyed her ghost-finding equipment. The money didn't bother her. She could afford it, plus she could always sell it one eBay.

A draft blew through the room as she sat on the bed. She shivered and rubbed her arms. Movement in the mirror caught her eye.

"Hello, Madge."

Madge's limbs shook. She tried to scream, but her mouth was bone dry.

She mouthed, "who are you?"

"I'm Milly."

Madge waved.

"I'm Miranda."

"And I'm Reginald." He reached down and kissed her hand. Every drop of blood fled her head.

Madge blinked. Three sets of eyes stared down at her.

"You fainted. It wasn't pretty," Miranda said.

Madge backed up to the headboard. "Stay away from me. My husband's a cop."

"Yes, he told me," Reginald said. "He spoke about it endlessly during his golf lesson."

Reginald stood in front of the window and the sunlight shone on her. Madge's stomach stiffened up. She closed her eyes and shook her head. The sunlight still lit up the room.

"You're transparent."

Reginald held out his hand in front of him. "I'd say I'm translucent."

"You're a ... a ... a ... ghost."

"Of course we are," Milly said.

Madge's eyes rolled back.

"You have to stop passing out. God forbid you saw us on the stairs," Miranda said. "None of your friends passed out."

Madge jumped up and pulled out the EMF meter. "You're not ghosts. The meter shows nothing."

"How many see-through people do you know?" Milly said.

Madge sat and rubbed her chin. "True." Her eyes got wide. "Wait, what do you mean my friends didn't pass out?"

"They were a little nervous," Reginald said and the other two nodded. "But we eventually had very nice talks."

Madge's blood pressure shot up. She leaned in. "What do you mean you had very nice talks with them?"

"I'm not sure what you didn't understand about that," Reginald said.

Madge's jaw dropped.

"I gave Gale tips on his golf game," he said. "He was really scared of me at first, then he settled down."

Her eyes got tremendous.

"Katniss and I spoke about her sex life. I suggested she look elsewhere," Milly said.

She took a deep breath.

"And I spoke to that very nice man. I told him he should take care of those eyes," Miranda said.

"Excuse me." Madge bolted from the room and flew down the stairs two steps at a time. She marched across the parking lot. Gale waved to her.

"GALE VINCENT HAWTHORNE!"

"Ah oh, middle name, you're in trouble," Katniss said.

"I'll get to you next Katniss Lily."

"You're in trouble too," Peeta said.

"And then you're next Peeta, I don't know what your middle name is, Mellark."

"It's ..."

Peeta put his hand over Katniss' mouth. "Shhhh Katniss. Someone has to survive to drive home."

"What did I do?" Gale asked.

"I spoke to Reginald, your golf pro."

Gale backed up against the car.

Madge moved in, stood on her toes and went nose to chest with him. "How come you didn't tell me you saw a ghost?"

"WHAT?" Katniss and Peeta asked together.

"I can't believe you let me hunt all over this place and you were having a pleasant conversation with him and getting golf tips."

Madge spun around. "And where do you think you're going?"

"Um, nowhere," Katniss said.

"I spoke to someone about you. Does Milly sound familiar?" She puts her hands on her hips and glared at Katniss. "Now I understand why you've been eyeing every guy you see."

"Katniss! What is she talking about?" Peeta asked.

Katniss leaned into Peeta and poked his chest. "Don't take that tone with me mister. Who could blame me considering how you've been lately."

"How have I been?"

"I can fill you in on this," Madge said. "It seems that your Peeta has suddenly gotten vain. Miranda said he's self-conscious about his baggy eyes."

"Baggy eyes! Peeta Andrew Mellark!"

"That's right, it's Andrew!"

"That's been your problem the last month. Baggy eyes! I've been pulling my hair out wondering what's wrong with me!"

Oh look, they're all talking to each other. That's nice.

Look at Madge's hands, she can't keep in her excitement.

It's so nice when we can bring happiness to people