As both Kat and Melle entered into Whipstaff the atmosphere almost seemed to shift immediately. The feeling of tension filled the air everywhere. It was enough to send a shiver down someone's spine if they weren't aware or used to it. Looking around Kat wondered where Casper was and why he hadn't yet greeted her..? To make it comfortable for herself and to ignore the awful feeling in the pit of her stomach, Kat reasoned with herself that he was just finding the next clue. "HEY, WE'RE HOME!" Kat called out through the mansion. Melle felt the tension a little heavier than the others did though. So much that a frown formed on her face. She knew there was something wrong. What it was though she just couldn't pin point. Quickly Dr. Harvey rushed out to greet the girls and smiled warmly at them.
"Ah-ha...girls..!" The Doctor moved around nervously as he placed his arms around their shoulders. "Why uh, why don't' we have a talk in the library huh? Just the three of us.." With a very anxious smile he forced them to move towards the doors of the library. "I think it's time that we all had a discussion about acceptance. Yes, I feel we should learn about how to accept one another and what can and cannot happen!" Over and over in his mind Dr. Harvey tried to think of the right way to break it to the girls that Carrigan was alive and living there now with Dibs. Both Melle and Kat stared at him and wondered just what could've brought this on. "What I mean is...for example...we've already accepted that Casper and the Trio are ghosts, that live here and are very much real, but, we also need to... learn how to accept that... someone may or may not own this house and owning it entitles them to certain...things... that we may or may not like, but have to deal with and accept."
"Dad...?" Kat shook her head as she gave him 'the look'.
"Ah, I...uh, I don't know how to tell you girls this. Especially you, Melle, but... Carrigan is... alive. She's...moved into Whipstaff with Dibs...and they will be living here for...as...long as they want." Dr. Harvey cleared his throat, while his hands jittered around.
"SHE'S WHAT?!" Both of the girls jumped to their feet as they sounded out in unison.
"What does CASPER and the Trio think about this?! What about poor Casper...?? Dad?? Where is he??" Kat begged to know as she latched onto her fathers arms. She followed his eyes to upstairs knowing full well what that meant. Swiftly she raced upstairs and for his toy room. "CASPER? CASPER!!" Kat sounded through the halls of Whipstaff. When she reached the room she found Casper perched upon his train as it circled the room. His face was buried into his hands as he felt cornered in his own home. "...Casper..?" Softly Kat questioned and waited sympathetically for an answer from her friend.
"I... I don't get it..." His voice trailed off as he spoke in placid tone. "We both watched her cross-over that day.. How could she be alive again..? How could they allow it?" Slowly he removed his hands to reveal his blood shot eyes from having cried so much. "Kat, she...she took over my Dad's room..! Not only that but she wants..." Distressed by even the thought of what he'd say next Casper paused and huffed. "...She..." Again he tried but in his state found it hard to say. "She wants the Lazarus... to... to take it out of.."
"She can't!! That's...THAT'S YOURS! That's your father's! She CAN'T take it...!" Kat getting irritated quickly by the witch just moving in and having claimed things hers, stormed off quickly to find her. She couldn't do this, she couldn't! This was just wrong, She wouldn't stand for it!
"But KAT!" Casper quickly followed after her and frowned. He really didn't want to make this any messier than it had already turned out to be. "Kat... it's HER home now..! SHE has the deed in her name and...Ghosts can't fight that...e-except for scaring... and.. it's really hers if it.." Pleading with her Casper shifted himself around in front of her.
"Casper, I don't care if she has a deed. If you are around and can talk like this and think on your own... and act... Then in a way you're still alive! It's still yours...! It's your home you've been here... she's a...a guest..! She can't take it..." Kat pushed her way through her friend and down the stairs to find her. All that mattered to her was that she had to try and stop this. After what Casper did for her it was the least she could do for him. There would be NO other way that she'd have it.
Meanwhile, Carrigan had slowly shifted herself from the door way and walked directly into the center of the Trio's room. A smug smirk continued it's placement on her face as she maneuvered through the room as if to show her dominance over the three of them. With every step she took her body language showed that she was fearless of them and regarded them as nothing more than mere eye sores. Indeed, since she had been revived her whole view on them had changed. She knew their limits and what they could do, and couldn't do in any way shape or form. In fact, she'd studied them for some time while she'd been in limbo. Despite that she could've cared less about anyone, it always bothered her to see them having a good time while she had none. That and she wanted to check up on how her daughter had turned out after her passing. Needless to say she hadn't been pleased at all with any of it. Treading slowly she looked at Fatso's bed and placed herself happily upon it. Stretch quickly floated over to her as to give her a piece of his mind but was quickly met with a face full of smoke instead. "We're you about to say something? Sorry." Her voice flattened out as she turned her attention to Stinkie. Placing her cigarette in the ashtray she climbed to her feet and strolled over to the wide-eyed specter. "So, what are the clothes for if you ghosts are always naked or do you have some kind of weird fetish...?" Gently she poked Stinkie in the chest.
"W-well...I ...uh... I..." Stinkie tripped over his tongue as he became nerve wrecked over being cornered by her. "J-Just goin' ta ...school..! Hehe... n-nevuh finished it...when...I was alive...?" The ghost tried hard to lie through his teeth. He knew darned well he graduated at the least.
An unamused look formed over her face as she removed her glasses to look at Stinkie. "Oh don't play stupid.. I KNOW what you three are up to with my daughter. If you three so much as hurt one hair on her head, there will be HELL to pay."
"Daughter? Who's ya daughter?!" Stretch irked an eyebrow as it quickly dawned on him before the witch even answered, But there was no way it could be, could there?
"Melle... DUH! Though I'll have to admit, that, it was rather fun to watch you squirm around her so much..." An evil grin formed as she released a little of the smelly ghosts secrets to the other two. Fatso and Stretch raised an eyebrow as they looked at Stinkie concerned about his mental health and why he'd squirm around Melle. Stinkie in turn shrugged and shook his head as he did his darned best to deny it. Besides who were they going to believe Carrigan or their own brother? "I hope you gentlemen will treat my partner well. I expect him not to be missing any limbs when he wakes up in the morning."
"MOM?!" Melle's voice cried out from the doorway. "...Mom...? I ... I don't understand how...you're..." Quickly Melle walked into the Trio's room and up to her. A million thoughts raced across her mind at that moment. She was happy that her mother was alive, but she was also confused and worried about what this would mean. Looking at Stinkie being rather frightened of her mother and the other two who appeared to be irritated she frowned. It was then it dawned on her what her mother had been doing to them. She'd been trying to get them scared of her or using her pushy ways to get them to bend to her will. "Mom, Would you leave them alone...? Please, this is THEIR room, I know you had a long and hard dealing with them before, but could you..." Shifting her eyes from Stinkie to Carrigan she bit her lip. Carrigan raised an eyebrow as she looked from Melle to Stinkie. A look of sarcasm washed over her face as she walked up to her daughter.
"Alright, I'll leave your little crush alone. Though honey, your taste is simply awful! Can't you be like a NORMAL girl and fawn over Orlando Bloom or something...? Seriously, Honey... he's dead.." Thumbing behind her at Stinkie Carrigan proceeded to place her hand on her daughters shoulder.
"MOM!!" Instantly Melle's face filled up with blush as she turned around and stomped her foot on the ground. How could her mother say something so outrageous like that in front of those three!? ESPECIALLY about Stinkie right in front of him! Boy, she knew that parents could be embarrassing but, that had been over the top! What caused her mother to do that to her? Oh right, she stood up for the Trio that always entitled her do be made fun of by her mother. "What gives you the?! That's... NO! Augh, Look! I'm just... they're... they're... I...AUUUGGH..." Grabbing her head Melle couldn't even look at Stinkie she was so embarrassed. The room quickly seemed to get hotter than she had realized as she turned from one direction to the next in her flustered state. The Trio only just stared with their jaws dropped as they watched the scene. Part of it was rather entertaining while the other part blew their mind into orbit. Was it true? Did Melle really like Stinkie just as he was?? What was going on here! Everyone in the room was now rattled, just how Carrigan liked it, Shaken, not stirred.
"Oh honey, You know I'm only teasing. Augh...though WHAT are you wearing..? Girl we are going to get you to the barber on the double..! Your hairs a mess...augh.. look at these split ends..! I swear it's no wonder you were made fun of by the kids at school and bullied. I'd bully you to...! You look like something the salvation army spat out!" Slowly Carrigan pushed Melle towards the door.
"But, I DON'T want to change! I'm perfectly happy with these clothes, with my looks!" Melle frowned and shook her head from side to side.
"How can you be happy with your looks? You're down right ugly...! No boy will ever want to date you in this state. Seriously.." Throwing her arms in the air Carrigan tried to reason with her daughter. "You even have your fathers disgusting blue eyes!" Rolling her eyes Carrigan slouched against the door uncaring that she severely ripped up her daughters feelings. Melle just stared at her as she slowly felt her heart go from racing to almost stopping. Slowly she looked at the Trio who for once had almost nothing to add or say. They just stared at her and watched as the girls eyes filled with tears. Shaking her head Melle raced down the hall to go and find a hiding place to cry. "What...?" A grin formed on Carrigan's face as turned into the hall way. There she'd be met face to face with a very angered looking Kat who'd heard everything. The look on her face was priceless as her eyes seemed to pierce right through Carrigan. "A little harder and that look could kill..."
"At this point, I wish it could. She doesn't deserve a mother like you! You don't TOUCH that machine in the basement, THAT'S CASPER'S! That's his father's machine...and potion! You can't take it, I won't let you..!" Kat charged straight forwardly with her words as she pointed her finger inches from Carrigan's face.
"I don't think you have any say in it spunky. This is my house, I own it, YOU and your father are the guests. So unless you want to be on the street, I suggest you stay out of my way." With that she turned and started on down the hall. Grinding her teeth Kat looked at the Trio then stormed off towards her own room. Needless to say not a single person in Whipstaff was rather happy or cheerful that night. The tension that had earlier filled the air only seemed to become thicker. No matter where you went in the Manor now it could be felt in every corner. To avoid one another everyone stayed in their own rooms or space hoping not to be bothered by each other. However, Stinkie dressed himself up as Boomer and braved the consequences as he started through Whipstaff looking for Melle. If it hadn't of been for Casper he would've never found her. She'd found her way to one of the very upper floor nooks with a window that over looked the ocean. Silently he watched her as she cried into her sleeves. The moonlight danced over her hair and the chair that promptly sat close by in front of a book shelf.
"Melle...?" Softly his voice chimed as he walked towards her and placed his hand on her back. As soon as she raised up her head he watched the tears as they rolled down her cheeks. Gently he brought his hand up to her cheek and brushed away the tears from her face. "Sshhh...Dun cry..." Without even hesitating Melle wrapped her arms around Stinkie and squeezed tightly as she buried her face into him. It made her so happy to see him there right now. A part of her wondered if perhaps she had imagined this due to being so distraught by everything that had just happened. No, there was no mistaking this. The feel of his hands as they stroked her head and rubbed her back. 'What am I thinking?' Stinkie pondered to himself as he stared down at Melle in his arms. 'Why'd I start doing this...? Should I be doing this...? She feels so warm... why is my chest achin'...? I should be scarin' her... I'm a ghost! But she looks so... NO! DON'T SAY IT!' Gently he shook his head and without even realizing squeezed her tightly to him. "...I'm he'e... I'm he'e...Dun you worry gally.."
Slowly Melle calmed down and stopped crying as she felt him comfort her. There was something that she couldn't deny. His arms made her feel welcomed and secure, safe and happy. Why? She didn't know but it helped her and that's all that she cared about. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry you saw me cry. I never wanted to do this... My Mom's alive again... and she... she..."
"I know... Kat told me all about it..." Unknowingly he looked deep into her eyes through his glasses. "Lemme tell you what -I- think... You remember me tellin' ya's it was love at first sight right...?" Blushing deeply he ran his fingers through her hair. "I love yer blond hair, even when it's messy, especially when it's messy...an' yer... yer..blue eyes are captivating...! Yer clothes are great...I can't stand dem girls like Ambuh an' dem... dhere's a million of 'em out dhere! You my dear are unique... dun evuh change.." Softly he spoke words that he hadn't even realized yet were true words of love.
"So...you would...date me...?" Blinking at him Melle fumbled her thumbs around as she looked to the star filled sky.
"Heh... It'd be an honor if you'd lemme be ya boyfriend.." He grinned and placed his forehead against hers, not realizing that his golden eyes had peeked out over his shades. The second Melle saw his golden eyes with those rings around them she -knew- who he was. It hit her like a ton of bricks and she shook her head. She couldn't believe it...! He actually treated her like a normal human being, he wasn't trying to hurt her or scare her. There were feelings behind his words. Quickly her face flushed over as she thought about what happened earlier between them at school.
"You know you have...charming golden eyes...Boomer.." Slowly she batted her eye lashes up at him.
When Stinkie realized his eyes had shown he quickly pushed the glasses up and grinned nervously. "Ah-heh.. Th-Thanks but...d..dey ain't all dat special... So w-what about uhm...I mean..."
"I'd love to be your girlfriend..." Softly she purred out at him, closing in on kissing him. Stinkie's face flushed deeply as he watched her lips near his. They were inches away from his as the sounding of a throat clearing echoed in the small room. There at the door was Ghastly who floated with her arms crossed looking more than annoyed by the scene. "Ghastly...?" Melle looked from her position towards her friend as she now turned red again.
"It's dinner time and Dr. Harvey thinks you should go home now Boomer. So that the family can eat together..." Ghastly's tail swished from side to side as she glared down the boy.
"Y-yeah, good call on his part I... I'll see ya tomorrow den baby..!" Gently kissing her forehead Boomer set her to her feet and dashed off downstairs. The ghost was happy that she hadn't kissed him on his lips, but, WHAT HAD HE DONE?! He'd just kissed her on her head! Oh he was getting TOO much into this part! He couldn't handle this any longer. He was getting way too deep in over his head for it. That's it! He had to start trying to scare her again! To prove to himself that he wasn't falling in love with her for real! Yes, he could still be scary!