The next morning both Melle and Stinkie were awoken by the doorbell ringing. As they both opened their eyes they blushed to see that Stinkie had cuddled up to her a little more than he'd planned. Thoughts of how she got there went through her head and a warm smile crossed her face. "MMngh... AWGH, M-mornin...!" Yawning and stretching, Stinkie again let out some of his bad breath. Longingly he kissed her as he floated on up into the air. "Didja sleep well...? Last night...ya kept crying out in your sleep.." Worriedly Stinkie raised an eyebrow.
"Y-Yeah...they were just bad dreams... they had to be.."Smiling Melle crawled out of bed and stretched starting her way downstairs. Half way there she was met by Kat who hugged her happily. "K-Kat??" Confused about this whole situation now Melle looked at Stinkie who shrugged.
"Casper and I were so worried last night.. I mean, Everything that had happened to Doug and then what happened to you at the Dance Hall..." Kat explained to the best of her ability. "I'm sorry... about what happened before...and.. I just...."
"It's okay, I'm perfectly fine now! Though if it weren't for Stinkie here I wouldn't be.." Looking from Kat to Stinkie she shook her head. "A-Anyways, let's get on downstairs eh...? I'm pretty hungry..!" The little group made their way downstairs and to the kitchen. Melle prepared herself up a bagel with cream cheese, while Stinkie raided the garlic and brussel sprouts. "So....where is Casper...?"
"Heh, Stretch and Fatso were in an extra foul mood this morning and - " Before the rest of the words would make it out she'd get cut off.
"DAW, BOO HOO!" Stinkie snapped at the thought and rolled his eyes. Loudly he belched as he finished his food and it dropped through him to the floor. He really couldn't have cared less what they were pissed about. Let them be miserable for awhile! After all, they enjoyed making things miserable for him hadn't they?
" - ..AND they weren't about ready to let Casper come over here, human or not." Kat rolled her eyes at Stinkie having turned her attention back to Melle. "So, he's there making them breakfast ...still.. but, he insisted that I at least come over and check out how things turned out here." Carrigan having over heard widened her eyes and then narrowed them. Some how that brat had found a way to turn himself back to a human? He'd found the last ingrediant before she had! Quietly she picked up her phone and walked out to the car.
"Yes, I need you to be ready to possibly demolish this house. Specifically a nice round of TNT should do it. I need the quietest set of workers that you have...It's going to be a surprise.."Closing her phone she started her way toward Whipstaff. She had warned them of what she'd do if she didn't get what she wanted. If they thought she joked about it, they were wrong. Hearing her Mother's car as it squealed off down the road, Melle looked out the window and stared.
"Huh...? I wonder what she's in a hurry for...?" Raising an eyebrow Melle looked towards Kat and Stinkie who both gave her an odd look.
"Melle, baby doll, cutie....are ya sure yer awake?" Stinkie sympathetically grabbed her shoulders, a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he teased. Melle jolted him a sarcastic look in return.
"...She HEARD what we were talking about. Damn it, me and my big mouth! I shouldn't have said anything, I shouldn't have mentioned it, I could've phrased it differently.." Pacing back and forth Kat gently grabbed her temples and rubbed them.
"Alright, alright, calm down! What's the worst that she can do...?" Getting stared at by the two again Melle sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I suppose your right.... BUT, Still...!" Pointing to the air Melle tapped her foot on the ground. " If we start moving now we could catch up with her...!" Tossing the bagel behind her she bolted for the front door and started out, not even thinking about the fact that Dibs could've driven them. Kat and Stinkie quickly followed after her as fast as they could.
Not but a moment later Dibs walked in from the side door reading a paper. "What's all the commotion...? Something wro---OONG~!" A loud thud echoed throughout the house, the poor oaf had slipped on the bagel as it had landed on the floor. "Oh... Cinnamon Raisin! My favorite..!"
Catching up to Melle and Kat, Stinkie groaned. "Yer makin' a big fuss ovuh nothin'! My bro's'll scare 'er off! Heh, and any team dat she moight be bringin' with 'er! We chased off all of 'er efforts befohre. Dhere's nothin' different about den and now!" Following after them Stinkie bragged on and on about how they performed their scares during that time. Kat shook her head as she hadn't cared to hear his scare stories. Then again if it hadn't of been for them and their scares she never would've been invited to Whipstaff. She wouldn't have met Casper.. After thinking about it she smiled to herself as they approached Whipstaff. It'd taken them a good 20 minutes or better to get there. When they arrived there stood Carrigan with a mega-phone in her right hand, a control in her left, a group of construction workers behind her. Most of them were scared shitless and ready to run, especially with Stretch and Fatso floating just ahead of them. Casper stood on the porch with Dr. Harvey angered and frightened all at the same time.
"Look, All I want is the last needed ingredient for the Lazarus then you can go do whatever, live happily in this trash-house! WHATEVER, Just give me the final ingredient and I'll leave. If not I'll press this button and bring the whole house down! It's your choice!" Stomping her foot, Carrigan demanded over the Megaphone and smirked. Casper grimaced and growled as he listened to Carrigan put down the home his father built and put so much love into.
"Mom, Stop this..please... don't do this..! Don't ruin their home..! It's..their treasure! ... Casper's only guarding one of his precious memories of his father. You have to understand.." Melle pleaded and pulled on her mothers right arm.
"No way, I kept my end of the deal, but they haven't kept theirs. If it wasn't for you I wouldn't even had known they'd found it. So I owe you and your friends some thanks!" Carrigan ruffled her hair and smiled. "Good job kiddo...!"
Stretch flew up and got into Melle's face as he growled. "SO YA WERE HER LIL LACKEY AN' SPY AFTER ALL EY?!" Roughly he grabbed Melle by her collar and lifted her up off the ground. "I knew we shoulda just left ya out on da street where ya belonged ya - "
"DON'T YA TOUCH 'ER!" Ramming into Stretch's side Stinkie forced him to drop Melle. " SHE DIDN' DO ANYTHIN'!"
"No no, she over heard Me, it wasn't..." Kat dashed over to the scene but it was too late Stinkie, Stretch and even Fatso were now all in one big fight. The three of them acted like the immature ghosts they'd always been. They pulled on each others noses, tails, they bit and punched each other. It was something that'd been coming for a long time now. Melle who was naturally scared out of her wits by Stretch just stayed at the spot she'd been dropped to. Both her and Kat couldn't believe the sudden uprise of chaos they'd formed over something like an ingredient. Seeing everything unfold from the porch Casper looked at Dr. Harvey.
"I don't know what I should do... I want, I want to protect this secret. It's my Dad's life work... I don't want to give it to her! But I don't want to have the house destroyed either.. I.." Nervously Casper ran his hand through his hair as he paced the front porch.
Dr. Harvey thought a moment on exactly how to phrase his words and offered up the best advice that he could. "...Your Dad's life work...was to bring those who he loved back from the dead. So they could live.. was it not...? I think....to him.... you and having your home are more important than that ...formula ever would be.." Looking at the explosives Dr. Harvey rubbed the back of his neck. "Besides, you could scribble anything on there.. and it'd make her happy.." Pausing in his foot steps Casper's eyes widened as he listened to what the Doctor said. Every word he'd said was right. With a heavy sigh Casper borrowed a pen and stared at the paper in front of him. He didn't like to lie, but at least it'd get them out of harms way. Scribbling out an ingredient he walked over and handed it to her.
"Here. This is what you wanted... now ..disarm those things. " His eyes narrowed at Carrigan he waited for her to keep her end of the deal.
"You're not so friendly after all..." Grinning Carrigan handed him the remote as she waltzed her way over to Melle. "Are you okay sweety..?" Standing up Melle nodded as she dusted herself off. "Y'know, your ghost friends really comes in handy. Gotta have test subjects to make sure it works after all." Getting into her car Carrigan grinned and drove off.
"What'd she mean by that...?" Mumbling to herself, Melle looked towards the Trio who had finally finished their fight. They had now focused their eyes on the construction workers who'd been left behind. All three ghosts grinned perfectly in sync with one another as they bolted for them. Every man standing there screamed and ran for their lives. Kat stepped up beside Melle as the two of them watched the haunting unfold. "Y'know....it's times like this I wish I had some popcorn.." Smirking Melle joked and laughed with her, their attention turning to Casper who'd focused on disarming the TNT now. As the boy picked up a set of the TNT he studied it and then started to laugh. It started off soft and normal at first as he walked on back toward the porch steps. With every step the boy laughed harder and harder. The girls and even Dr. Harvey paused to stare at him. What on Earth could be so funny...? The Ghostly Trio upon hearing their nephews laughter paused and turned their attention to him as well.
Casper had laughed so hard that by the time he'd reached the porch steps he collapsed onto them as he held his gut in pain. "W-What is it....?" Finally asking Kat stepped forward. Moving his mouth Casper attempted to reply but just laughed so hard he couldn't get it out. "What...? What's so funny...?" Giving him an odd look Kat shook her head and exchanged glances with The Trio.
Gasping for air the boy raised up his hand and blurted out, "They're fake...!" Laughing again he jumped up to his feet and threw his arms out. "THEY'RE FAKE! Every bit of TNT was fake! She tried to pull a fast one on us! W-which is funny since we pulled a fast one on her! We wrote a fake ingredient out... So we faked each other out!" Casper slapped his knee as he laughed a little more at the irony. The small group smacked their foreheads and even chuckled a little. They'd all been freaked out for nothing then. It had been an odd twist of fate for both parties.
"So what was da last ingredient ya wrote...?" Stretch curiously piped in and grinned.
"Ammonium chlorate...." Casper shrugged it off as he caught his breath. "I just randomly picked one I'd heard before..."
"What?? C-Casper...! Let me see the original list..!" Rushing over Kat searched Casper's pockets, pulling out the piece of paper. Reading it over carefully Kat covered her mouth and stared at Casper. "...Do you know what you just did...?"
"No.." Swallowing at Kat's distraught voice, Casper worried about it now.
"Ammonium chlorate is explosive as it is, if she adds it to this mixture the whole place will blow sky high!" Kat started to freak out now.
"LEMME SEE DAT!" Snagging it up Stinkie reviewed it. "Caspuh.. What da hell were ya thinkin' kiddo...?? We've gotta..." Turning around Stinkie and the others were surprised to see that Melle had taken off. "W-what da...? W-Where'd she go?"
"Probably ta her mudder..." Stretch stared at his little brother with concern.
Not even giving him time to speak Stinkie darted after his girlfriend. "I dun even know why I'm scahed of losin' 'er ta death...! I should be excited, b-but I ain't... I... I gotta stop 'er..." From one part of town to the other Stinkie desperately tried to find which way Melle had dashed. Finally he gave up on doing that and made a move toward the warehouse where Carrigan had her whole lab set-up for testing and configuring. Meanwhile Melle had just hopped out of a cab and raced into the warehouse.
"Mom?? MOM?? Do you know where my Mom is...?" Stopping for a moment, a worker pointed Melle into the right direction. "Thank you...! MOM!!!" Running for the lab she raced down the hall, made a left, made a right, ran straight and made another left before, she burst through the doors and looked around. "MOM! MOM! Mom...Where is Ghastly...?" That had been the reason why she disappeared, it had finally occurred to her what her mother meant by test subjects.
"She's fine, she's over there...!" Carrigan thumbed to Ghastly in an 'ecto chamber. Ghastly peered out and banged on the glass calling to her friend.
"Ghastly...!" Running over to the chamber Melle stared up at her friend. "I'm so sorry...I...how did you catch her...?" Shaking her head Melle looked at her mother curiously. She'd never heard of something like this happening before.
"It was simple with the right technology... I didn't have them just put this lab together for the Lazarus alone." Shrugging Carrigan went back about her business. "They've almost completed the formula. Your little friend is going to have to stay in there until we test it on her."
"But that's... that's cruel...! What if it doesn't work!? What if does something wrong on her...? You can't do this to her...she has Stretch here..! If Stretch lost her he'd be crushed...and... I'd be crushed too. She's one of the first friends I've ever made.." Attempting to plead with her mother Melle walked a little closer.
"I'm sorry, but it's either her or me, since she's dead already, I'll take my chances with her sweet pea." Going back to her work Carrigan looked at the mixture that the hired help was making. "I don't care how asinine to you it is! DO IT...! We need this thing NOW...!" While her mother was distracted with giving orders Melle crept closer and closer to the chamber. From time to time she'd glance up to see if her Mother was looking. When Just as she punched the chamber button and the glass door opened up, the Lazarus mixture exploded! Crying out Melle tumbled across the floor. As she shook her head she looked around and coughed.
"M-Mom..?" Squinting through the dust, smoke and fire Melle staggered to her feet and stared at the cuts on her arms. Again she coughed as the smoke was definitely no good for her. "MOM!!!!" Calling out again the girl coughed and squinted. Ghastly appeared through the smoke and grabbed a hold of Melle's arm.
"Thanks for saving me Melle. Your Mom is this way.. C'mon...!" Leading her toward the group of people Carrigan was relieved to see that her daughter was alright.
"Melle...! Melle.."Pulling her daughter close Carrigan hugged her tightly and kissed her forehead. "C'mon we have to get out of here...! You..." Pointing at Ghastly she continued. "You go get help!! Alert someone, anyone!"
"Right away.." Ghastly passed through the nearest wall as fast as her ecto could carry her. Outside she looked everywhere for someone who could help. However, all of them were just normal fleshies. None of them appeared to be fire fighters nor did any of them have cell phones. "DAMN IT! I can't just approach one of them, they'll be scared of me... Dang it, dang it!" Biting her lower lip she cursed herself for being a ghost for the moment.
"GHASTLY!!" Stinkie's voice rang out from behind her as he stopped close by. "What da hee-haw are you doin' he'e??" Questioning her he raised an eyebrow then waved his hands. "NEVERMOIND DAT, Where's Melle?! Have ya seen 'er? Dat Lazarus list is HIGHLY explosive!"
"I know! I just watched it explode, Melle, Carrigan and the Workers are trying to get out of there right now! It already exploded once, but they have so many chemicals in there the next one could blow the whole place sky high! You've gotta help her out, she's in that building over there..." Ghastly lead Stinkie to the building. "You help them try to get out, I'll go warn Dr. Harvey and them!" With that Ghastly shot off to find the family and inform them.
Stinkie didn't need to be instructed twice if Melle was in danger he had to get her out of it. Diving head first into the building Stinkie searched around through the smoke and fire of the main room. When he hadn't found anyone there he worked his way on down the hall. At that point another explosion rocked the whole warehouse bringing the roof, beams and huge chunks of concrete down inside of it. Being a ghost Stinkie only winced as the stuff crashed through him and onto the floor. "Damn it... Damn it! MELLE!!! MEEEEEEEEELLLE!!!" At this point he prayed to god that she was alright. Zipping back and forth from room to room from rubble pile to rubble pile Stinkie searched for her. In the middle of the building the workers had managed to escape from the building, however, both Carrigan and Melle were still locked inside.
"C'mon honey... you've gotta keep moving...!" Carrigan encouraged her daughter, her arm around her back as she guided her through the warehouse. "We're going to be okay. You'll see..! " Carrigan feared for her daughter who now limped around on one foot as fast as she could. It wasn't the foot that scared her but all of the smoke, Melle, was an asthmatic. It didn't show it's face when she ran so much as it did around smoke and humidity. "C'mon..." Leading her down a hall way they no more than walked into a room when another smaller explosion occurred. This explosion sent Melle flying into the concrete wall ultimately knocking her out and giving her a few good broken bones. Carrigan on the other hand, found herself pinned from her hips down under a giant pile of rubble. "MELLE!!" Carrigan cried out as she stared at her daughter, sprawled out on the floor and bleeding from her head. "MELLE!!"
Hearing that name Stinkie speed as fast as he could to where he'd heard the voice coming from. "MELLE?! MELLE??" Stinkie entered swiftly through the wall. "CARRIGAN, MELLE?!" Looking around he hoped they were still conscious.
"Stink-Breath...down here..!" Carrigan coughed and called out to the specter who rushed to her side. "M-melle, You have to save Melle... Th-the last explosion lodged me under here, it, knocked her out...and she's bleeding.. Y-You've gotta get her out, this smoke'll kill her.. she's an.. asthmatic... " Coughing harder Carrigan covered her mouth and stared at her daughter.
"Lemme get you oughtta here foist, I'll go grab 'er aftuh --" Before he could finish Carrigan waved her hands.
"NO!! You can't... If you move the rubble, the wall will come down..." Looking behind her up at the wall it was only being supported by the concrete, beams and rubble that'd fallen. "If you move any of this... she'd die before you could get to her.. G-Get her out of here NOW...! C-come back for me after..." But she knew darned well the next explosion would mean.
"Nngh..... Alright.." The ghost frowned as he darted over to Melle and picked her up into his arms. Looking back at Carrigan one more time the ghost sadly departed out the closest window he could find. Stinkie had just made it but two or three buildings away as the entire building exploded into a massive fireball. The ghost paused mid flight and stared in awe at the building as it all collapsed into ashes and timber. "....M...Melle.." Slowly he looked at her in his arms as tears streamed over his cheeks. "I'm sorry...I'm sorry I couldn' save 'er..gally...!" Taking the unconscious girls body a few blocks over he waited to see the paramedics arrive. Turning invisible he placed her body down on one of the carts. When one of the paramedics noticed her laying there, they swiftly acted, taking her to the hospital. Most of the workers got off with mainly burns, cuts and bruises.
It was about two days later when Melle finally woke up at the hospital. Her head was wrapped up and her foot up set up in a cast, her left arm had also been broken during this. "Nngh... Where....am I..?" Looking tiredly she peered at Kat then to Dr. Harvey. "W-What's going on...?" Groaning she winced at the pain coming from her head. Kat and Dr. Harvey quickly rushed to her bed side.
"You were caught in an explosion at the warehouse. Most of the employees got out safe, you.....almost didn't. If Stinkie hadn't of rescued you when he did, you would've..." Dr. Harvey couldn't bring himself to say it.
"Wh-where is...?" Tilting her head to the right she smiled widely at seeing his face along with his brothers. "Stinkie!" A light laugh escaped her as she reached out both of her arms to hug him. He happily returned it."You're here... I'm so glad to see you.Y-You saved me..I..."
"Yeah, I did.. I'm so glad dat yer okay...Ya had me worried dhere..!" Closing his eyes he kissed her softly letting it linger a little. Pulling back Stinkie turned his attention to Casper. Casper sadly waved at Melle and tried his best to fight back tears.
"M...melle... Y-Your Mom....Y-Your Mom didn't make it...S-She ..she died in the final explosion before my Uncle could go back for her. I...I just want to say that I'm sorry! It's my fault, it's all my fault, I wrote down that stupid ingredient on there and I faked it, I ...I shouldn't have, I'm sorry... I hope you'll forgive me, but I can understand if you don't! I didn't mean for this to happen... I..." The ghost boy started to cry. He'd turned back into this form not too long after the explosion happened. It turned out that the formula that he'd found was only a temporary fix.
Quietly Melle started to cry as she covered her face. "N-No...It's okay... It's not your fault... I.. forgive you... It was going to happen sooner or later... I..I just.. I just wish I could've said goodbye..! I didn't even get to do that this time, I didn't get to say good bye.." Frowning at Melle Stinkie hung his head and stared at her.
"Ey...M-Melle... I ... I jus' wanted ta say... dat I'm sorry ... fuh everythin' dat I put ya through. I... I know whatcha did ta save Ghastly... and.. I... I can't thank ya enough. " Stretch frowned a guilty look plastered over his face as he shifted his gaze to Ghastly. "I-in fact... I.... I dunno... I'd like ta maybe... TRY ta be...friends...or at least..tolerant wit you an' my brudder...as a ...couple..?" Holding out his hand to her he wanted to shake on it. "D-Deal...?" Taking the time to give a brief smile, Melle nodded and accepted the ghosts offer, shaking his hand.
"T-though...I'm still scared shitless of you..!" Laughing lightly the group all smiled a moment as a voice sounded from behind them.
"As you should be, I still don't see why..you'd choose a ghost as a boyfriend either.." The group's eyes widened as they turned to face Carrigan. A warm golden light surrounded her and she wore a white suit with white pants. "Then again.....maybe I can.." Smiling warmly at Stinkie, Carrigan walked up beside her daughter and gently hugged her.
"MOM!!!" Melle started to yet again cry, though this time they were happy tears that fell and instead of sad. "Mom...y-you're..... are you.... D-Did you...?
"Mmhm, Thanks to my telling your boyfriend there to save your life instead of mine... It meant I sacrificed my life for yours. One of the biggest nicest things that anyone could do. It.....it marked my 1 good deed that I needed." Turning to Casper she pulled the ghost over and gently hugged him. "....and if it weren't for you, I never would've had my chance.. I am GRATEFUL to you, Casper. Thank you. Smelly boy...come over here.." Swallowing Stinkie reluctantly flew up beside the woman. "Listen closely okay...?" She placed an arm around his shoulder and squeezed him tightly to her. "You take good care of my little girl.. Do you understand...? You'd better not ever leave her... or else, you and I are going to tango...and I step on FEET.. got it..?"
"G-Got it..." Gulping, Stinkie laughed nervously as he nodded and re-took his position beside Melle.
"Well... I can't stay any longer... I just stopped in...to give my last 2 cents." Carrigan softly stroked her daughters hair and hugged her. "I love you baby girl, you take good care of yourself now..got it...?"
"O-okay, I...I will... I love you...G-Good bye ..Rest well." Laughing, smiling and crying at the same time. Carrigan bid her a good bye as she disappeared from sight in a shower of golden sparks.
From that moment on everything changed, and some of it for the better. Dibs remained the owner of the house where Carrigan and Melle used to live. He however, became a weather forecaster, finding it much more relaxing to tell the daily weather reports. Melle moved back into Whipstaff Manor where the shenanigans between her and the Trio were always running wild. Kat and Casper rather enjoyed this change of pace as well, it giving someone for Kat to talk to. A Sister and Friend outside of Casper. For Casper it kept his Uncle Stretch and Fatso busy with attempts to scare her or have his eyes fixated on Ghastly who'd also moved in. Dr. Harvey meanwhile just enjoyed having another member of their big happy family. Stinkie and Melle continued to attend the High School as the couple Melle & Boomer. Needless to say no one bothered them from that day on. Halloween and the hayrides were a blast for them, and even Thanksgiving which was now right around the corner for them would be a time to remember. Though they all looked forward to spending their first Christmas together the most..
(Continued in "Let it Snow")