Chapter 9: Clockworks's return

Sam finally let me off the hook about detention as soon as out royal pain in the ass of a teacher finished her lecture. Seriously, was this was I really got for being perfectly honest when she asked?

We headed back to our apartment and she finally allowed me to hold her hand again, she must have deemed me punished enough for my earlier actions. With any luck, she wouldn't try making sleep on the couch tonight. We arrived back home only five minutes until curfew and went through our normal routines. It was my turn to find something edible enough to pass as dinner while she got to sit in front of the T.V.

I sat down next to her a half hour later bearing the pizza that would serve as dinner and she seemed to have completely forgotten how much trouble I was supposedly in right now. We went to bed not too long after and she gladly cuddled up next to me as she drifted off to sleep. I loved these moments, sure they happened nearly every night, but I loved them all the same.

Our ghost senses went off simultaneously, waking us both up at four in the morning. We both muttered some obscenity under our breaths before getting off our lazy, and tired, asses to go see what the hell was going on.

"There you are." Clockwork appeared before us once we exited our room. I saw a figure on the couch, but I couldn't make out who it was in the dim light and I was still too tired to think about using my enhanced sight to see more clearly.

Clockwork answered my question before it even left my mouth. I'll never get used to him doing that to me. "I brought you someone you know very well and haven't seen in the past two years." He left it at that and disappeared from sight, leaving me and Sam to deal with this newcomer on our own.

When we finally got close enough to see who it was laying on our couch, I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to believe my eyes, I wasn't sure whether they were playing tricks on me or not.

I moved closer still, completely forgetting Sam was behind me momentarily. My voice held an audible shake even as I whispered. "Mom?" I heard my voice say it, even though I wasn't sure if she was really there or not.

After walking for what felt like an eternity, I reached the small couch our apartment had come with. "Danny, sweetie? What's going on?" I nearly shouted with joy as I heard her voice in my ears. She was really her, the mother I hadn't really seen in over two years was here.

The little self control I still had left me as she said those words and I darted forward, engulfing her in a hug I thought would never happen. "Mom!" I forced back tears of joy as a disturbing thought hit me. Was she really here? Or was she a ghost? I got my answer as I finally paid attention to the woman in my arms, she was solid and warm. My mother was alive, not a ghost.

I finally tore myself away from those comforting arms and forced myself to focus. "Mom, what's the last thing you remember?"

"I was in the kitchen with your father trying to figure out why the portal hadn't worked when Tucker ran past us, acting as if the Devil himself were after him. I heard a scream, then everything froze. A ghost, I think his name was Clockwork, told me I was needed somewhere else in time, and I next thing I knew, I was here." She finally took the time to actually look around. "Speaking of which, where are we?"

"We're at my school apartment." She was puzzled, so I decided it was finally time to tell her what had happened. "Mom, I've thought you were dead for the past two years." She went rigid and I regretted telling her that so soon.

"Two years? I've been gone from my baby boy for two years? Where are Jazz and your father?" She suddenly started looking around, god this was going to hit her hard. Why did I have to be the one to break the news to her?

"Mom, they're dead." She went pale and I embraced her more tightly than before and continues, best to get all of this out now. "The portal exploded two years ago. I stupidly went inside of it and hit a button. Tucker ran out as soon as he saw it start to power up. I only made it out because the portal exploded outwards rather than inwards. "That and I did get ghost powers from that, but I was going to let her soak up this new information before telling her that. "Clockwork saved Sam as well. I think Jazz and dad got caught in the blast unless Clockwork's trying to figure out how to save them as well. Our house was blown to pieces, there's nothing left of it."

"Oh, Danny." She broke down on my shoulder, hearing that one's family is dead is never easy. I let her cry while I wondered what we were going to do from here. One question burned in my mind.

Why had Clockwork brought her here?

I couldn't help it! I had to let Danny have part of his family back! :)

Comments and feedback are welcome as always! :D

Invisible One