Yes, I finally got this up. I was trying to lay out a plan, but...not going so great.

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"Abby!" Jake screamed, banging on a door. "How long does it take you to get ready for school?!"

Abby then opened the door and stepped out. "Hey, I have a reputation to uphold. I can't go to school looking like just rolled out of bed, although you don't seem to mind it," she teased. She began to walk down the stairs, but stopped and turned. "Have fun getting to school, bro! I'll be sure to tell Mr. Taylors why you're late…again."

Jake growled at her as he walked into the bathroom. Meanwhile, Abby bounced down the stairs and grabbed her backpack. Danny and Sam were sitting at the table, still eating.

"Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!" she bid happily before running out the door. Once outside, she transformed and flew away.

Just as she left, Jake came running down the stairs looking exhausted. He snatched up his backpack and bolted out the door, delivering a quicker version of Abby's message.

"He's going to be late again, isn't he?" Sam sighed.

"Yep," Danny agreed. "I think he's close to breaking my record."

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Outside, Jake was sprinting down the street. He slid into a corner and transformed, speedily taking off for school.

"I can't believe I'm going to be late again," he grumbled. "And it wasn't even because of ghosts!"

The bell rung as Shadow landed and, after turning human once more, ran to his classroom. Jake pulled open the door to face his bored class and a disappointed Mr. Taylors.

"Well, Mr. Fenton, I think you're only a few more tardies away from breaking the record," the teacher stated. "What's your excuse this time?"

Jake glared at his sister. She gave him a little wave. "Nothing," the boy muttered, taking his seat.

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"Hey, bro!" Abby called, running after Jake after school. She easily caught up to the sulking boy. "Sorry I made you a little late today." He was silent, so she continued. "If it helps, I'll give you a ride home."

"No thanks," he muttered gloomily. "I'd rather just walk."

"Alone?" she questioned.

"Yes, Abby, alone," he hissed. "Now just go hang out with your friends or something. I think Tiffany's coming to get you anyways."

Abby blinked and turned around and, sure enough, the red-headed girl was jogging up to her. Abby spun back around, only to find that Jake had already left. She sighed and put on a smile. "Hey, Tiff! What's up?"

Her friend's smile was huge and she was glowing with peppiness. "D.J., Eric, and I are going to the mall. Want to come with?"

Abby glanced behind her shoulder once more to where her brother had left. She looked back at Tiffany and replied, "Um…yeah."

Tiffany furrowed her brow. "Trouble in twin land?"

Abby restrained rolling her eyes. That was Tiffany speak for "are you having problems with your brother?"

"Nah, it's nothing," the half-ghost assured. "Come on, let's go."

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Four teens were sitting at a table in the mall food court. There was Abby with a drink in front of her, Tiffany, Eric Baxter, and another boy. He had messy black hair, slightly tanned skin, and blue-green eyes. His attire consisted of a backwards white and teal cap, a white shirt with rolled up sleeves that seemed to have come straight out of the eighties, a black undershirt, a teal tie, tight white pants with a teal stripe down each side, and white and teal sneakers. He was a very showy person.

"Someone's quiet today," Eric observed, looking at Abby.

"I don't know, maybe that's a good thing," the boy teased with a goofy grin. He laid back in his seat. "Peace and quiet."

"D.J.!" Tiffany snapped with a little glare.

"C'mon! I was only joking!" he protested.

Tiffany and Eric sighed as they returned their focus to Abby, who was sipping her drink pensively.

"So, want to tell us why you've taken a sudden vow of silence?" Tiffany prodded.

Abby stopped drinking and looked up. "Guys, it's nothing; just family stuff."

"And by 'family,' you mean you and Jake, right?" her friend continued.

"Tiff, I'm serious," the half ghost responded.

"So am I," the girl replied coolly.

"Even I have to agree, you keeping your mouth shut for this long means trouble," D.J. insisted.

Eric stood up and grabbed D.J. "If you need us, we'll be over there, where D.J. won't keep opening his big mouth every three seconds." The two then departed, leaving the girls alone.

Abby met her friend's persistent gaze. "Fine, is it so wrong for me to worry a bit? I think the fact that Jake doesn't have ghost powers has finally gotten to him. I don't know why he'd be so jealous, though. Fighting ghosts isn't a heck of a lot of fun." She looked like she was about to keep talking, but was cut off when her ghost sense went off.

"Is it just me, or does that thing always go off at the most inconvenient times?" Tiffany questioned.

"Be right back," groaned Abby.

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Outside, Shadow was looking around for something. "Okay, I know my ghost sense just went off, so where's the ghost?" he muttered to himself. Then, he sighed. "The one time I wish Abby was here to take care of a ghost fight, she isn't.

"You again?!" Abby cried, having just phased through the mall roof. "Stupid ghost! I'm already having a bad enough day as it is and I don't need you to make it worse!" She fired a ghost ray that Shadow just barely dodged.

"Join the club!" he screamed back angrily. He dodged another one of her green blasts and sent back a weak red one of his own. This distracted her long enough for him to turn invisible and hide himself in an alley. She flew by the alley entrance and stopped, landing on the ground. She crossed her arms.

"Oh, great. He got away again," she grumbled to herself. "Guess I'd better get back before Tiff goes on high alert."

The ghost girl flew off and Shadow sighed as he turned himself visible again. "Good, she's gone." He paused for a moment, looking around. "Now where's that ghost?"

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Abby returned to her friends, walking up to them in human form and plopping down at the table. Eric and D.J. had returned.

"There you are!" Tiffany shrieked. "We were getting worried."

"Yeah, worried enough to drag us back…literally," D.J. added, rubbing his arm.

"But we're glad you're alright," Eric added, giving his guy friend a sharp look. "Which ghost was it this time? It took you a while."

"Shadow," Abby growled.

"Uh, oh," her flamboyant friend (D.J.) muttered, "here we go again."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to bore you with my claims of hatred again," she snapped. "It's just that it gets so annoying. If it's not him interrupting my life, it's some other ghost. Sometimes, I just wish I knew what it would be like if Jake got the ghost powers instead of me. Then I wouldn't have to ditch whatever I was doing to go fight off stupid ghosts and he could be half-ghost like he's always wanted."

The moment she said those words, a green smoke filtered into the room, causing all of the smart citizens to run for their lives. Only the four teens remained. The smoke formed into the body of a young woman.

"What are you doing here, Desiree?" Abby snarled.

The ghost smirked. "I believe I have a wish to grant."

Abby's anger faltered. "Uh, oh."

"That's right," sneered Desiree. "And so you have wished it and so shall it be!"

The last thing Abby remembered seeing before blacking out was a bright flash of light.

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Don't be cheering yet. I'm not totally sure where I'm going to go with this. I got this chapter down because it was the base, but the others are going to be a little longer and take some time. Meh.

On the bright side, I get out of school next week!