Big thanks to The Purpose of Random for BETA-ing this for me! Trust me guys, this chapter would be a load of crud otherwise!
Later that night, the whole family sat down for Christmas dinner. There was a wide spread of food on the table and, thanks to the help of Sam, Dani, and Jazz, it wasn't glowing green and/or trying to eat anyone. It was extremely quiet and uncomfortable at first and everyone was tense, a few picking silently at the food on their plates. Even Jack wasn't shoving his face into his food. Finally, Maddie spoke up.
"So, how are things in California?"
Sam's parents perked up a little.
"It's great, except for all of the noisy surfers and vacationers." Pam responded almost casually.
"But there aren't any troublesome ghosts there, so it's worth it." Jeremy added in a bitter tone.
"Yes, well, how are things over here? We don't hear much." The red-haired elder questioned, although everyone could tell that she was only doing it to be polite and she really had no interest in the subject.
"Oh, it's fine." Maddie replied politely.
"Yeah! Those spooks don't stand a chance against the Fentons!" Jack bellowed proudly.
Pam and Jeremy cringed. There was a reason that they hadn't come back for eight years.
Sam noticed and sighed before leaning over to whisper to her parents. "Mom, Dad, ghosts are an inevitable topic in Amity Park. Especially with the Fentons. So please at least try to look like you don't absolutely detest the conversation."
The two looked displeased, but their looks turned to ones of surprise as a sharp rapping sounded from the door.
"Huh, that's strange. We're not expecting anymore company." Maddie thought before rising to answer.
When she opened the door, she gasped. Standing there were two guard ghosts. The ones from Walker's jail. They pushed past her with no problem at all and whizzed across the room to capture Abby. They got a strong hold on her and lifted her up a little, getting ready to carry her away.
"Hey!" The half-ghost girl screamed, transforming in their grasp. "Let me go!"
Abby made an upward kick, shaking herself from the guards. They were thrusted back a little, but almost instantly recovered and placed glares on their faces. It was then that Danny (still in human form because everyone knew of his half-ghost status by now) stepped directly in front of them to intervene.
"Excuse me, but if I am correct, there is a Christmas truce, so it is against the law for you to attack." Danny growled, glaring at the ghostly guards.
"Yes, that is correct." The one on the right spoke up. "But there are certain exceptions to that law. One of them being if one ghost has instigated a fight, the other is allowed to return fire for defensive purposes. Therefore, the first ghost is also liable to be sentenced to punishment."
"Then why are you here? No one in my family has done anything!" The oldest half-ghost snapped.
"I'm afraid that's where you are wrong." The second one piped up. "Earlier today, Abigail Fenton/Phantom was witnessed firing at another ghost for no worthy reason."
Danny turned to Abby. "Abby, is this true? You know about the truce."
"I…um…well…he started it!" She attempted pathetically.
"Abigail Lilith Fenton!" Danny scolded. "You've always followed by the truce before, so what makes this year any different? And don't give me any excuses."
"I'm sorry to break this little chat up, but she needs to come with us." The first guard interrupted, disdain for the current situation clear on his ghostly green face and reflected in his completely scarlet red eyes.
"No, she may have done some bad things, but I'm not letting you drag her off to Walker." Danny refused, spreading himself out protectively in front of his daughter.
"Then you give us no choice." The guard snarled, preparing for attack.
The two ghosts lunged at Abby, but Danny transformed hurriedly and put a force field around them both. The guards crashed into the shield before recovering and taking out guns. Then, they proceeded to hammer the shield with numerous blasts. The half-ghost man had to strain himself under the force of the attacks and it showed visibly as his eyes tightened, his jaw clenched, and his body gave slight tremors.
"Hold on Danny, I'm coming!" Dani shouted as she ran toward the scene. She transformed just as fast as Danny did and blasted the guards away from her brother and niece.
"Forget 'family truce,' we're leaving!" Jeremy shouted, running for the door with his wife, both screaming with their hands thrown over their heads.
"And there they go for the next eight years…or more." Sam muttered. She couldn't say that she loved having them around, but they were family…as much as she sometimes hated to admit it.
The whole family gasped as another group of ghost guards phased through the ceiling.
"Oh, great. They have back-up." Jake murmured to himself as his violet eyes hastily scanned the area for an escape. Anywhere that would let him go ghost.
"Sam, get the kids out of here!" Danny ordered as Danny's parents, Jazz, and Dave (hey, if you join the family, you haveto know how to fight against ghosts) pulled out ecto-guns and began firing.
So, unfortunately, Jake was dragged away by his mother. She pulled him and Kyle up the stairs and to Danny's old bedroom. She pushed them inside before flipping on a Ghost Shield that surrounded the room.
"Never thought I'd be so happy that they installed this to ground him." She muttered to herself. The Ghost Shield was placed there after Danny's parents found out his secret. They decided that that was the only way they would be able to ground him since he could just phase through walls. "Jake, Kyle, I need you to stay here. Hopefully we'll be able to get Abby here soon."
With that, the woman left to go aid in the fight. Jake grew worried and his eyes darted all around the room with his mind reeling at a hundred miles per hour.
"How the heck am I supposed to go ghost now?" He thought softly enough so that Kyle couldn't hear him. A loud crash sounded from downstairs. Jake looked out the door anxiously. "I could make a run for it…"
"Jake, you're not thinking of running out, are you?" Kyle questioned. "Your Mom told us to stay here."
The black-haired boy sighed. "I know, but…I have to do something!"
"You're going to get in trouble. Besides, you're not prepared to fight. You have barely any training and you don't even have an ecto-gun!" The twelve-year-old warned.
Jake bent down onto the floor and reached under the bed, pulling out a small ecto-gun. "And as for training…I'll play it by ear."
"Jake…" Kyle cautioned.
"Kyle, I have to." Jake replied with the compulsion to help that everyone with the last name Fenton seemed to have.
As soon as those last words leaked out of Jake's mouth, loud screams were heard from downstairs. That was all Jake needed. He raced out the door and down the stairs, getting there just in time to see Abby being handcuffed while everyone else was trapped against the wall or, in his Dad and Dani's case, unconscious.
"No time to change. I have to act now." He thought. With that, he aimed and fired the gun, hitting one of the guards holding his sister. The ghost was blasted backward and everyone turned to Jake who was holding the smoking ecto-gun threateningly. "Hey, bucket-heads! No one drags my sister to authoritive figures! That's my job!"
The action comes next chapter.