"So you mean...Once a person dies and is brought back once, It can't happen again...??" Kat quietly talked with Casper as she looked between him and her father. Casper slowly nodded sadly and frowned as he looked at Dr. Harvey as well. Slowly Kat lifted her head and looked out the near by window. Silently she gazed over the waves that rolled out through the seas and grunted. It hadn't made any sense to her. "Than... how come YOUR alive again a-and then Stinkie was able to turn into a human again even after he'd been turned into one for that time...? I don't get it...!"
"Oh, That's easy! He nor I used the Lazarus.. See your Mom granted my wish for that night. Then my Father granted Stinkie's wish... The last one was just a Christmas gift. What I meant to say is that, You can't bring someone back to life twice with the Lazarus. It's kind of like a rule. If you die when you're brought to life by the Lazarus... I...I think you just cross-over...I mean that is if you're killed. Well with the exception of a promise that was made... Your Dad is only here because of a promise he made." Rubbing his arm Casper knew what this had meant. It meant he had to choose between having his dream fulfilled and marrying Kat, or, Don't do it and let Dr. Harvey continue to live there as a Ghost.
"Oh... I see. What promise was that...?" Looking towards Casper, Kat's eyes were filled with curiosity. Just what had her father promised Casper that kept him here...? For the moment Casper hadn't replied there were just too many things on his mind. He decided it'd be better to tell her later about the promise that her father had made. It just didn't seem like the right time to tell her about it. Why give her any added pressure when she didn't need it. Right now she should be focused on spending some time with her father before he had to go... or would he go? This required him to make the hardest choice of his life. Quietly Casper just smiled at Kat and walked out of the room and outside to do some thinking. With a confused look Kat jumped to her feet and started to go after him. Dr. Harvey quickly grabbed her shoulder and shook his head. He insisted that she let him have some time alone.
That night Melle was brought home as Dr. Harvey had instructed them to do. The poor fella could not remember what had happened to him, though he knew it was important that Melle be at home and watched at all times. Stinkie had no problems with this at all. Whatever she needed he got it for her. Whenever he couldn't be there Ghastly was...! There was never a moment when she was left alone. Though Fiona desperately tried to find a time when someone wasn't around her. This of course only fueled her enraged state even more. Now more often than not she was shoved aside. From that moment on she cursed herself for having pushed Melle off those steps. That'd teach her to think things through a little more before she acted on them. Meanwhile through out this time when it was Casper's turn to watch over Melle he always sighed and looked rather depressed about something. For the longest time Melle was forced to be quiet and not speak a word so she never asked what was wrong, that is until about the 5th week of her being bed ridden. "So big guy... wanna tell me what's wrong..?"
Casper who had been sitting on the window ledge blinked and slowly looked over at Melle. It'd been so long since she had spoken a word that he was almost startled by the sound of her voice. "You really shouldn't speak...! Not until you're fully better... you could hurt yourself..!" Politely Casper attempted to change the subject back to her so that he wouldn't have to deal with his problem.
"Uh-Huh, I'm just fine. I've layed here long enough and healed enough to start talking again. I've watched you look like that for weeks! Now, tell me what's eating you up kiddo.. Er, well... I guess you're not a kiddo anymore..." Melle grinned nervously as she averted her eyes away from him a moment. She gently gritted her teeth as a pain struck her ribs from the light laugh she gave. Casper raised his eyebrows at her and laughed lightly. It was cute the mistakes that she made. Though it was true that he needed someone to talk to and get this removed from his chest. Picking up a pillow Casper lightly squeezed it and darted his sorrow filled eyes to the floor.
"Alright..." Sighing gently he closed his eyes and started. "I asked Dr. Harvey when he was still alive that if I turned back into a human, could I have Kat's hand in Marriage. He said yes...and so I made him promise that he'd be here for the wedding. So he promised..." Casper's voice weakened and trailed off as tears filled into his eyes.
"What's so bad about that...?" Melle questioned curiously. Just what could be so bad about that...?
"Once his promise is fulfilled he'll cross-over... Kat will be without him again. So I'm caught between whether I should Marry her... or let her father stay here as a ghost forever! What should I do...?? I don't want to seem selfish! Kat loves her Dad very much... but I love her... and I've ...WE'VE dreamed of this day for YEARS...! Now... I ..."Breaking into tears Casper buried his face into the pillow. Quietly Melle just watched from the bed as she tried to think just how someone would handle this situation. Though she lived with Kat for years and she still didn't know how she'd react to this. In a way it'd mean she'd be losing her father for a third time.
"Oh Casper, I hadn't realized you bared such a burden on your shoulders. To be quite honest, I don't know what to say. On one hand I feel as if you should go through with it,because it's something you've dreamed of. It's something he's already agreed to before this happened...! Though, then, I know what it feels to always wish that you could see your parents again. To hear their voices... or to feel their touch... I even know what it's like with a lover. It's quite painful. It does hurt... and you continually dream about it again and again. I... I definitely couldn't tell you what's right or wrong to do in this situation. Though... I will tell you to trust your heart. Go with what you feel is right... and you'll know what's right when the time comes. Though...if you do want to know for sure, talk to them. Talk to them both. You're all grown-ups and I know that you'll be able to come to a conclusion. Okay...?" Gently Melle smiled as she fumbled her thumbs.
"Melle... Hmn, Y-Yeah. Okay, I... I'll do it. Thank you so much for talking with me! This ...means a lot to me that you tried to help. I'm gonna go now since it looks like someone wants some alone time with you..." With his eyes focused behind Melle, Casper laughed and started out of the room. Melle raised an eyebrow as she looked up and spotted Stinkie half way through the wall.
"Sh... Dun say a woid..." Stinkie placed himself next to her on the bed. A serious look placed on the ghosts face as he looked her into her eyes."You miss holdin' onto me in my fleshie form. I ... I know I'm cold an' I... I tried t'fix it but dhere's not much I can do gally. To be truthful...I... It's been ha'd on me too.. Pft, I haven't mentioned it t'my bro's because dey'd probably cross me ovuh demselves, but, I uh... I... I've missed bein' a fleshie. Getting to feel da warmth of yer flesh against mine.. I miss gettin' ta...sleep next ta ya's without wearin' dat darned suit...! I mean, I can't go scarin' witcha anymo'e cause of yer age now...! Aw, I dunno... Guess what I'm sayin' is dat I wish I was a fleshie too. Jus' t'see what it'd be like t'live until I was old an' gray."
"But Stinkie... Y-You can't..! You'd leave your brothers behind if you died that way... I...I wouldn't ever want you three to separate. NEVER! You're SUPPOSED to be together like this...!" closing her eyes tightly Melle shook her head and whimpered in pain from having shouted with that rib wound. Sure it was almost completely healed, still ached though.
"WE WERE SUPPOSED TA BE TOGETHER!" Floating up he pointed to himself and her. "You an' I... !! Before...Me an' dem... was you an' I...! You cain't remembuh 'cause you've been reborn. Yer name used t'be Emma...! You and I were alive in da same toime period. We were da best 'o friends... and even lovers..! I was gonna ask ya's ta marry me on da day dat you were moidered..!" Flailing his arms Stinkie stared down at her desperately. Both of his eyes shifted away from her as he waited to hear what she thought about what he had said.
"A-are you serious?! I ... I was murdered?! ... H-How...?? I...It wasn't me being shot was it!?" With widened eyes Melle clung tightly to her bed sheets as she watched Stinkie's expression change.
"H-how...how did you know...??" As he floated back over to her his hands grabbed up hers. There was a desperation in his eyes as he waited for her reply. Did she really remember her past...?
"I've had this dream over and over again recently.. I mean, before I was pushed I was on my way to tell Dr. Harvey about it. In it there was this guy... who looked eerily similar to Dash. He rambled on and on about Fiona and how she wanted me dead so she could be with you. I... I remember he said he thought I should at least know why before he did it... then there was a loud... bang... and I fell backwards and.." Those blue eyes darted around and met up with Stinkie's who was almost traumatized by what he had heard. Fiona had done it!? FIONA ORDERED IT TO BE DONE?! Finally he was confronted by the one thing he hadn't wanted to believe all of this time. He was faced with a decision he had to carry out with.
" ... Yer dream is... yer past. Dat really happened Melle... " Gently Stinkie's had touched her cheek as he looked to the door and spotted his brothers and Azriel there. "...So, Fio likes playin' games huh...? Den let's play." Stinkie grinned in the most sinister way as he cackled up an idea or two. Vengeance would be his and belonged to him from this moment on. There was no way he'd let Fiona get away with having ruined his life and having started ruining his afterlife. Oh this was open war on Fiona. He'd show her JUST what it felt like to have her whole world jerked around and toyed with. To have her very emotions ripped and torn as if they meant nothing at all to anyone. Justice would be served. "C'mon boys... we've gots some woik t'do! Get Ghastly in he'e and we'll start makin' de plans!"
"Who put YOU in charge?" Stretch poked his brothers chest only to get met with a REALLY nasty glare. He'd never seen Stinkie get this pissed off and up tight about something before. So for once he figured he'd comply with what his brother wished. "Nevuhmind..."
Meanwhile Casper cornered Dr. Harvey and Kat in the library. "Okay, I think I'm ready to discuss what's been bugging me." Inhaling deeply through his nose, Casper placed himself down on Dr. Harveys couch. Easily his blue eyes could be seen filled with worry and uncertainty. "I talked to Melle, and she helped me out with deciding on what to do here. She suggested I just talk to you two about it and find out what I should do. " Carefully and gently Casper explained the situation to both Dr. Harvey and Kat. He prayed that the two of them would understand where he was coming from, though he worried deeply about how Kat would react. Continuing his explanation he watched Kat's expressions as the changed from calm to uncertain. When he finished he sighed heavily and closed his eyes as he waited to hear what they both thought. "...and Thats' what's been on my mind..."
Dr. Harvey looked at his daughter and then to Casper and smiled lightly. "Okay, this is what's going to happen and I don't want to hear any Ifs, Ands or Buts... about it. You two are getting married. That's FINAL!" Pointing his finger at Kat and Casper he smiled a little wider. "You two belong together. I feel truly that it was your destiny, and much like Casper already said plans were already made. I agreed upon things before I knew where my situation stands and I will not break my promise. I've raised you as well as I can already Kat, Casper and you are both grown ups now. You really don't need me to hold your hand anymore. You've grown into a wonderful woman and I know you're going to be just fine. I lived a long and GREAT life... and I'm pretty sure that Amelia is waiting for me." As Casper and Kat both listened in their eyes filled up with tears and they nodded. The couple looked at each other and embraced tightly as they now planned out their future together. "Now, can everyone please, stop being distressed...?? Enjoy life while you have it. Doctors orders!" He grinned.
"Whatever you say Dr.Harvey!" Casper smiled warmly as he stood up and sighed with much needed relief. "I'll go find my Uncles and we'll get this whole thing set-up! " Softly he laughed. "I think we'll need to get a hold of that Priest who married Uncle Stinkie and Melle though! We're gonna need him or someone related if we're going to invite the rest of the family...!" Lightly he laughed and started on out of the room. Kat and Dr. Harvey hugged tightly as they watched with warm smiles.