A/N: I can't believe that it's Friday all ready! Hope you've had a great week! But, I'm sure ready for that update, so I'm very glad it's Friday! There's still LOTS to come! So, without further ado, IDNOAC and here is Chapter 48. Enjoy!

TrueHeart—Chapter 48—Chance Meeting

Sarah and Derek both screamed when the reverberating impact of the red ectoplasmic blast struck the ground dangerously close to them. Though it was not a direct hit, Sarah, who was closer to the blast, got the brunt of its after-effects and was thrown several yards away from the impact site. Her little avian body landed in a heap and she lay still.

Derek, however, was only momentarily stunned by the blow. It helped that he not only was a little farther away, but, of course, his larger body could withstand the impact better. He quickly recovered and frantically searched for his wife. He gasped when he saw her crumpled, unmoving body in the near distance. But before he could go to her, another blast hit just about a foot from him. He yelped at the still powerful force when its upshot hit him. But he ignored the sting and instinctively leapt upward toward the source, barring his claws and fangs in anger.

Valerie looked at the two ghost animals as she neared them, and gasped when she saw that she had injured the small bird. She had only meant to scare them, just as any she would shoo away strange animals that may have wandered where they were not wanted. But the girl hadn't realized that both of her ectoplasmic rays had struck much closer to the two animals than she had intended. After all, she wasn't used to just scaring ghosts away.

The Red Huntress then gasped when she caught sight of the ghost cat. But then, she frowned. That was not a house cat…That was some kind of wildcat! And it was very clear that it had not been scared away when it was soaring upward right to her in attack. She set her gun's sites on him, and then, she thought of Cujo. She growled and steadied her aim. But then another thought demanded her attention. She growled again and this time lowered her gun. It was just a dumb animal—a ghost animal—but still an animal, and it, just like all animals, would react in either 'fight or flight' whenever being attacked. Just her luck that this one had obviously chosen the 'fight' mode. And she didn't want to tangle with a cat that had clearly not been anyone's pet before it passed to the Ghost Zone.

She pressed the button on her hover-board with her foot and dived downward and veered quickly to the right, well away from the charging lynx. She then turned back to the left, so that her path was a partial elliptical movement meant to widely avoid the wildcat.

The lynx, meanwhile, had seen a red entity in the general direction of where the ectoplasmic ray had come. But he startled a little when the form became clearer as he neared. It was some kind of knight in red armor! And for some reason, he was on some kind of magic flying board! How could that be? But the wildcat threw any fear or thoughts about it. He didn't care. With all that had happened to him and his wife, he now despised all magic and would rather face the oblivion than bow to it again.

But then, he stopped in mid-flight when the strange flying red knight had changed directions and was now soaring away from him. Confused by that tactic, the lynx nevertheless turned his body violently to the left, altering his course toward the direction where the knight had turned, and renewed his pursuit.

Valerie, meanwhile, looked to where the other ghost animal had been. She activated her built-in binoculars and even in the twilight, could easily see the dark speck on the snow-covered rooftop. And she could plainly see that the bird had not moved from its original position. She grew concerned and then gasped at her next thought. That wildcat was not angry that she attacked it. It was angry that she had interrupted its dinner—well, maybe not its dinner since did ghosts eat? She didn't know. But certainly a cat—ghost or no ghost—would only be interested in a bird as dinner or prey.

"Ohmigosh, that poor little bird!" Valerie said to herself. "I better go see if I can go help it. I hope it's not dead…uhm, I mean, badly hurt!"

Once again, Valerie altered her course and headed right down to the still motionless dove.

The lynx, which had never lost track of the red knight, darted toward him again. But when the wildcat saw that his foe had changed his course once more, he gasped. Their attacker was now headed directly toward Sarah!

He anxiously pushed himself precipitously downward, desperately trying to intercept the crimson warrior before that fiend could reach his wife. But just as he had finally narrowed their gap sufficient enough that he could attempt an attack, Valerie suddenly jolted upward and away from the lynx. Her alarm had warned her of his approach just in time for her to avoid him.

Derek, of course, had not known of the flying knight's power to do that. But he was flying too fast to counter the knight's move. He struggled to slow his speed, especially when he saw what turned out to be a large TV satellite dish that was growing dangerously larger as he approached it. He pulled away with all his might trying to avoid the obstacle. His ghostly muscles tightened with the strain, and at first it looked as if he would succeed. But his efforts had been too late. One of his hind legs clipped the side of the saucer and that sent him tumbling out of control.

He then slammed into the leg of a nearby water tower and ricocheted off it. He tried desperately to slow his momentum, but couldn't. This time, he groaned when he felt his body slam into a bunch of rooftop furniture covered in snow, plowing a path into them. But at last, they slowed him, but not enough to keep him from rapidly plunging off the edge of that same building.

His head spinning as much as his body as it spiraled downward toward the ground, the wildcat finally plowed into the icy pavement within the alley right next to the building—and right at Tucker's feet.

Tucker yelled in alarm, not expecting a glowing black rocket coming out of nowhere to not only crash right next to him, but groan in pain instead of exploding. But then, the boy gasped with what he thought he heard next.

In his dizziness from the impact, Derek had not seen the boy. He struggled to get up, angrily chiding himself as he did, "Get up! You have to get up! Sarah is still in danger!"

The lynx stumbled to his feet and then gasped when he finally noticed the boy looking at him with just as much shock. It was the very same teen to whom he and Sarah had given so much mischief as well as the other innocent couples! This was too much for the wildcat. His central core constricted violently with dread. Fate was certainly making another cruel point to punish him and his wife! All their sins were being rammed mercilessly into their faces—again! He didn't know if he could take any of this anymore.

"Are you a ghost? And did you just talk?" Tucker finally uttered, shaking his head in disbelief. He, of course, had not known about the two ghosts animals. He had been too upset with Valerie and his friends in the recent past, that neither Danny nor Sam had been able to tell him about the lynx and the dove. But Tucker immediately shrugged it off. He must have imagined it. Ghost animals couldn't speak. And when the angry wildcat finally did answer the teen, and that was with a definitely hostile growl and nothing more, Tucker knew he must have imagined its talking. But he certainly didn't imagine the cat's threat now. The boy recoiled in retreat, thinking it was about to strike. But instead, the lynx leapt upward and away, heading to his wife's aid.

But an instant later, the ghost animal was caught in a ghostly net, compliments of Tucker's PDA.

The wildcat immediately began to furiously lash at the netting, growling in anger as he desperately tried to rent it with his claws. But it held him firmly within it just the same.

"Okay, little fella, I got you, so no use fighting. But don't worry. I won't hurt you," Tucker began, still pushing commands into his PDA as he did. He then continued, "Now, let's see if I can get you back into the Ghost Zone."

Derek stopped struggling, not knowing what the human meant by that. But then, he saw the boy press another button on that object in his hand and a small swirling green portal opened up. The wildcat's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight. He was doomed to be a victim of magic! Before he could react to that, the net which was still encasing him suddenly began to move, and to move toward that same small portal!

This time, Derek panicked within the netting, trying to pull himself and the net away from the hole, roaring with fury as he did. Finally, when it was obvious to him that his efforts were futile, his only thoughts were of his wife. It no longer mattered to him to try to keep mute. Helping her was more important. He pleaded in earnest, "Please, merciful Sir! Please do not put me back into the Ghost Zone yet! My wife is still in danger and I must get back to her! Please, I beg you!"

Tucker reflexively pushed a button and the portal vanished. Flabbergasted with the scene, he stammered, "Y-You did talk! And did you say what I think you just said?"

Still encased within the ghost net, the lynx answered both of his questions. "Yes, I can speak and yes, I did say that! But I am at your mercy and have no time! My wife and I were attacked not too long ago even though we ourselves were trying to flee back into the Ghost Zone."

Tucker over-blinked several times, checking to see that he was awake and the ghost animal in front of him was indeed talking. It was unheard of, well, except for Vlad's buzzards—which didn't count.

But the lynx pulled Tucker out of his thoughts. "Please! I can only explain briefly, since time is of essence. My name is Derek, and my wife and I know that we should not be here. We had a fight in the Ghost Zone with another ghost. We accidentally fell into a portal there that had opened into the Real World." He briefly paused. He knew that this boy was friends with the couple he had wronged, Danny and Sam, and didn't want to reveal that. He continued, choosing his words carefully. "A young human couple found us and took care of us as we were recovering from our wounds. They were very kind to us during that time and it was only just recently that we were able to leave their homes. But, believe me, we are just as anxious to return to the Ghost Zone as you are to put me there. But we were just now attacked again. And my wife has been hurt!"

But Tucker hadn't really fully recovered from his initial shock from the fact that this ghost animal could talk. And he had not let the lynx go yet. He responded, "B-But you're a ghost animal! And you have a wife? But ghost animals aren't supposed to talk! And aren't you evil, anyway?" He suddenly cringed when he realized what he had been saying. It must have all sounded so stupid to the ghost, since the wildcat was obviously talking and really couldn't do anything while he was still caught in the net.

Derek was getting desperate, but had to control himself. He finally confessed, knowing he had better convince this boy soon to let him go, or else it would be too late for Sarah. "Please! Time is running out! And I deserve the punishment you are thrusting upon me at the moment. I have done some evil things to that human boy and human girl who helped me and my wife. And even though I do not clearly remember it, I know I have also done evil to…you and to your love."

"Me? And my love? Do you mean Valerie?" Tucker asked, now totally struck how this conversation had suddenly changed, and where it was going. He would have definitely remembered this ghost wildcat!

This time, Derek was desperate, as he had not yet been set free. He finally anxiously said, "I believe that is her name! But, please may your anger befall on me and not my wife! I still need to get to her! I swear to subject myself to your justice once she is safe! But we could not help what we did. We could not defend ourselves against the magic that haunts us! All we can do as ghosts is turn intangible, invisible and fly. And, of course, I have my feline weapons. But no more. We have no special powers that could have freed us from the merciless control of Spectra and her evil servant Bertrand at the time."

"Spectra?! Bertrand?!" Tucker shouted, which startled the lynx. "Sorry!" the boy then said when he saw the animal's reaction. "Those two ghosts were here not even an hour ago and captured my friend Danny!"

"Alas! That is the name of the human boy of whom I spoke and who had helped my Sarah!" Derek cried, his face now in total anguish and extreme agitation.

"Sarah?"

"My wife," he hurriedly replied. "But, please, I give you my word that I will do anything you command of me and tell you all if you will just let me go to my wife before the Red Knight obliterates her!"

Finally, Tucker's sharp mind came into focus and began to quickly put things together... Valerie had detected some ghosts nearby just a few minutes ago. And then, this ghost animal suddenly appeared in this alley. This must be one of those ghosts! And what was this 'red knight'? The animal must have been referring to Valerie! The wildcat had mistaken her for that! And Valerie was about to waste this ghost animal's wife, er, mate?...

"Well, I can stop the 'red knight', so let's get going, then!" Tucker firmly said.

He pushed a button and the ghost-securing net vanished from around the lynx. The wildcat immediately began to take flight. But when he saw at the corner of his eye that Tucker was running, rather than flying, after him, he quickly twisted back and asked, "What is wrong?"

"I can't fly," the boy gingerly answered.

"I see. I am sorry. I thought most humans could do that in this time period. Grab quickly onto my fur and I will help you!" Derek insisted.

Tucker nodded weakly and Derek was at his feet before he could blink. As soon as Tucker had grabbed a tuft of his fur, the lynx immediately bolted upward, ignoring the boy's thrilled yell in response to his sudden wild ride.

Once they were high enough, Derek searched the area frantically, trying to get his bearings. He gasped when he spotted a red spot on one of the snow-laden rooftops a distance away. Acting on his hunch, he poured on his speed toward it, pulling Tucker along.

As they neared, Tucker could also see that the red spot Derek had seen was Valerie! And she was squatting right next to something!

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Valerie helplessly watch as the lynx she had just avoided bounced off that satellite dish, and then like a pinball swatted by the machine's boxing arms, ricocheted off the water tower and into some furniture before falling off the edge of that building so far away.

She hadn't recognized into which alley the wildcat had fallen, but she had already had decided at that point to check on it in a minute. Right now, however, she felt she should turn her attention to the smaller black ghost that was nearer to her.

She slowly approached the small black bird, keeping her gun cocked just in case. But she could see that it was so small…how could it ever be a threat to her? Still, Valerie kept her guard up and her weapon aimed at the little ghost animal.

Just as she came upon it, Valerie gasped. It was a dove! And beautiful one, too! And it was groaning…like a human would! And it sounded like a girl groaning. But she quickly shrugged that off. That was impossible!

But when the dove heard Valerie's gasp, she startled, her wings fanning violently outward in a terrified shudder. Her head was still muddled from the Red Huntress' attack, and when she chanced to look up and saw a huge red entity hovering on some kind of magical board near her, she startled more violently, quickly flapping her wings until her feet were on the ground.

Valerie gasped in alarm this time at the bird's reaction and readied her gun.

The dove, however, didn't attack her as Valerie had thought it would. Instead, the ghost animal fell to a heap again at the Red Huntress' feet and lay still once more. It had obviously not recovered from her attack yet; and it was then that Valerie realized that the ghost must have been just as frightened as she at her approach.

Valerie jumped off her hover-board and squatted down next to the small bird.

"Uhm, hello," Valerie squeamishly said and then grunted in embarrassment. She just realized that she must have sounded awfully dumb since she was talking to a ghost animal.

At the sound of this very different human—and female—voice, the dove struggled to pull herself up once again, pushing down on the snowy ground with her outspread wings. She slowly lifted her head toward that voice. She startled, but held her scream in with all her might at the sight: a red-armored knight was towering over her! She knew she could not lose control any more. She had done that too openly in the past with disastrous results. Still, Sarah trembled in fear.

Valerie noticed how frightened the little bird was and suddenly, she was moved to pity.

"It's okay," she found herself gently saying, "I won't hurt you." But with chagrin she mentally added, "Uh, anymore…" Still, she then said, "It's just that you're a ghost and should not be here. Are you badly hurt?"

Sarah stopped trembling at the kindness she heard in that voice. Still, why was this girl wearing a knight's suit? Was she some kind of warrior? Sarah's head was still spinning, and she suddenly felt that she needed to keep her guard up, and stay mute.

And then, she startled again at her next focused thoughts. Derek! Where was he? She nervously searched around and beyond the red-armored girl, seeking signs of her husband. But suddenly, she felt extremely dizzy again and stumbled back to the ground.

Valerie noticed the ghost animal's odd behavior before it had fallen again. She'd never seen any bird act like that before. But before she could react to the bird's newest collapse, her ghost alarm blared. The ghost bird jumped a little at the sound.

Valerie quickly scanned the area and saw—Tucker flying?

"Valerie, STOP!" the teen cried as he neared her.

She stood upright, just in time to see Tucker let go of the wildcat and drop to the rooftop right next to her. She frowned at his outburst. Stop what?

Derek, meanwhile, had not slowed in flight when Tucker had let go. His mind had been focused only on his conviction that the Red Knight was about to hurt his wife again, and he immediately pounced upon the fiend.

But just as Derek had knocked Valerie down and was about to thrash her with his claws, Tucker quickly intervened and yelled, "NO, Derek, WAIT! That's VALERIE!"

Though confused by the boy's remark, the lynx immediately disengaged, and pulled himself upward and away from the red knight. After all, he had given his word to obey the boy. But he was suddenly furious at what that might mean. In the next instant, he soared to his fallen wife and stood guard right over her. And this time, he bared his fangs and angrily hissed, "What do you mean by that? Did you send your warrior lady to purposely hurt us, then?"

At first, Valerie, who was starting to get up off the ground, was shocked. Did that animal just speak? But as she stood up, and even though she was still shaken by the fact that a ghost animal was talking, she managed to reply, "N-No, h-he didn't, but you are right. I did hurt you, but I didn't do it on purpose. I-I was trying to scare you away. But I'm not going to hurt you anymore, I promise!"

"You're not?" Tucker asked incredulously. He was too shocked about her change of heart to notice how livid the lynx still was.

Looking at Tucker, her softened eyes hidden behind her mask, she gently said, "No, I'm not." She instantly deactivated her suit after she said that.

Derek jolted a little at her transformation, but maintained his defensive stance. Though confused by what all this meant, he was still fearful for his wife. He heatedly seethed through his fangs, "I can see that you are not to be trusted after all! And you wish to thwart us in our mission!"

"I'm sorry!" Valerie pleaded, daring to inch closer to the lynx. He tensed up, but she still pressed on. "I didn't know you were special ghosts! Most ghosts come here just to mess around."

The lynx blinked in confusion and muttered, "I do not understand."

She frowned in chagrin and answered, "I mean, I thought you were evil, and that you wanted to do evil things to us."

The lynx growled in indignation at her explanation; but suddenly, he heard another groan. It was from the dove which was still lying under and between the protection of his legs.

Instantly forgetting about the two humans, he moved quickly off of her and brought his head down toward her. He gently nudged her and anxiously called to her, "Sarah?"

"Derek?" she moaned, lifting her head a little as she did. She still was having trouble focusing her eyes on him and had not noticed the two nearby teens. Nevertheless, she was able to ask, "Are you all right?"

Though both relieved and touched by her own concern for him, he answered, "Yes, Dearest. I am well. Are you all right?"

Sarah replied, "Yes, I think so, my love. Do not worry. I think I can still travel."

But he was still doubtful that she was all right. "I am relieved. But only if you are certain that you have recovered," he gently insisted, before adding, "And it is as you feared, Sarah. I have just learned that the boy who was so kind to you has indeed been captured by that evil ghost Spectra. And we are still in the Real World on top of a building. But that is not all. We now have company. But, I am not certain any more if we are in the good company of that boy's friends since they harmed us..."

Tucker bit his lower lip and Valerie gagged her gasp. They were both still a little stunned about these two; and now they realized that the wildcat must have been talking about Danny. And now, both were upset at the lynx's accusation!

But before they could object, the bird tried the move but stumbled again.

That stunned Tucker and Valerie to silence as they looked on.

Sarah's mind cleared at her husband's words and she finally glanced around. She jolted a little when she finally saw Tucker and Valerie. They looked...familiar! But then, she turned back to her husband and said with resolve, "Though the memory is vague, I am certain that we have deserved their abomination for what we did to them, too, Husband! Still, we are at their mercy and even yet, they have not deemed to harm us further. Perhaps, we have mistaken their intentions, my love."

She paused and glanced at the teens and when she saw how sorry and anxious their faces were, she suddenly felt that she had been right. Still, she did not want to bring any more shame to her husband. She pulled herself up and steadied her feet underneath her before saying, "But all that matters is that we have our amends to make. So then, the urgency of the situation gives me strength, Husband. We must not waste any more time."

Moved by her courage, he smiled in determination and firmly replied, "Then, let us go, beloved Wife."

He respectfully extended his paw out to her. She reached for it with her wing and pulled herself upward as he supported her.

Tucker and Valerie had kept silent so far. They were overall dumbfounded by the scene at seeing two animals not only being so affectionate and concerned for the other, but how odd they acted. And somehow knew about Danny.

Finally, Sarah was fully recovered and she flitted up to the nape of the lynx. She gently pecked his head when she had reached her place, and he flicked his ear in acknowledgement. Then, both of them turned to face the humans.

Though Sarah still could not focus on the vague memory of these two humans, she heeded her husband's words that the two teens in front of them must be Sir Danny's friends. She soberly told them, "We must now make haste. We believe that your friend, Sir Danny, is in grave danger. It is because of the evil we had done to him and his lady Sam…" She paused, then addressing Tucker, added, "And somehow also to you, kind Sir. But we have made ourselves an oath to make amends. We will not abandon our pledge, but we do not wish any more harm to you or any other human. This evil is our own to dispel…"

"Please, uhm, Miss Sarah," Tucker gently interrupted. "But we can help you more than you think. Danny's my…." He stopped, suddenly turned to Valerie, and added, "I mean, our friend, and friends don't abandon friends. And if we all work together, we will be quite a team, right, Valerie?"

She blushed a little at his complement, but said, "Right, Honey." She pushed a button and instantly became the Red Huntress again.

Sarah startled a little at Valerie's change, but she felt the lynx underneath her had not flinched, and she immediately calmed.

Then speaking for the both of them, Derek said, "Maybe my dear wife is right about you and you had meant us no harm. And the fact that you wish to help us in our mission after all has redeemed your actions against us. And, by your leave, may it also redeem our actions against you if we agree to your company in this grave undertaking. Forgive us for not seeing it in the beginning. We have faced too much evil of late. But, maybe there is more hope after all, especially since you, too, are willing to risk the safety of yourselves for your friend. We understand now that you must be very special humans as well as Sir Danny. And also, now we can plainly see how fortunate Sir Danny is in having friends like you." He paused just a moment before adding, "But we cannot help you find Spectra or her servant. We do not have the power to enter into the Ghost Zone."

Tucker smiled in relief that he and Valerie seemed to have won their trust. He proudly announced, "No sweat!" just before pushing a few buttons. An energy beam obediently issued forth and formed a green swirling portal large enough for all four of them to enter.

"You can produce a portal anytime you want?" Valerie gasped in disbelief and awe.

Tucker suddenly remembered the incident about the other portal and Valerie. "Uhm, yes, well, about that…I'll tell you more about it when all of this is over, okay?" Tucker sheepishly said. "In the meantime, we need to get going."

"But what about Sam?" Valerie objected, her face clearly full of concern.

The two ghost animal's eyes widened at Valerie's question. Was Sir Danny's lady in danger, too?

Tucker weakly smiled when he could see that his girl was sincere in her question. He answered her, "We, of course, don't know where…she…is…" He suddenly slowed his thoughts before adding, "…but I have a feeling that she's already on her way…" He paused slightly and then jolted at his next thought. He suddenly had a strong feeling that he knew was true. "No, she's already there, and…." He frowned in slight confusion with why he just knew that his very next thought was true, "And she's in trouble, too. I can…uhm, feel it!"

Valerie frowned with confusion when her boyfriend sounded so definite. But when he turned to her and she looked into his eyes, she jolted a little. He was very serious. She swallowed hard, a little spooked by that look, but just the same, said with just as much gravity, "Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let's get going!"

Not needing any more encouragement, the human couple and the ghost couple dove into the swirling green portal and plunged into the Ghost Zone.