Chapter Six:

She didn't know what to wear.

Henley had absolutely no idea what to wear on her date.

She wasn't skilled at this. She hadn't gone on dozens of dates. She had no idea what was appropriate and not appropriate. What if she over dressed? What if she under dressed? What if she appeared to be trying too hard? What if she chose the wrong outfit and Jackson walked away the moment he saw her?

No, she tried to tell herself. Jackson wasn't like that. She was just overreacting.

"With good reason," she mumbled to herself, her shoulders slumping as she searched through her closet for the fifteenth time. "That's it! I have nothing to wear!"

There was only one suitable person who could help her, and Henley dived for the phone lying on her bed.

"Hey little sister," she was greeted after the third ring.

"Oh thank god, Kate!" Henley sighed in relief. She didn't know what she would have done if her sister hadn't of picked up. She didn't have many girl friends that she could just call up and expect to help her.

"Well hello to you too," Kate chuckled. "What's going on?"

"I need your help," Henley glanced back into her closet. "Desperately need your help."

"Well this is weird," she snorted. "Usually it's the other way around. What do you need?"

"I have a date."

"I'm sorry what?"

"I have a date," Henley repeated slowly.

"I still don't think I heard you properly."

"Oh you heard me just fine, Kate," Henley rolled her eyes. "I need your help okay."

"Are you sick or something? Are you actually going out with someone of the opposite sex? And they know this?" Henley wasn't impressed at her sister's teasing. Sure, she hadn't gone on many dates in the last few years, but she didn't need to be reminded of that fact at this particular moment.

"Not now, Kate. I really do need your help. I have no idea what to…"

"So who is he?" Kate completely ignored her.

"Jut a guy,"

"Nah uh, I'm going to need more than that," her sister pried. "Who is this guy?"

Henley sighed, knowing she wasn't going to get her sister's help unless she offered even just a bit of gossip. "Do you remember Jackson?"

"The hot kid doctor?"

"Pediatrician," Henley correct. "And yes, him."

"I thought things didn't go well with you two?" Kate wondered.

"They went fine, we just both got busy and…"

"Ah, I see," Kate understood before Henley even had to utter a word. "I get it. You were too scared that you would say something about that and he would run off scared."

Henley was always so impressed with her sister's ability to understand her without her having to say anything at all. But she supposed that's what sisters were for. "Essentially."

"So you're giving him a shot after all, huh?"

She wasn't sure if she was or not. It was just dinner, Henley was trying to tell herself. But she also knew that she rarely went past the first date or two. This would technically be their fourth date. If she hadn't been so worried about her curse, maybe the two of them would have been growing more serious had they never stopped seeing one another.

A small part of Henley wanted to see if that was even possible.

"Good for you, sis," Henley could just imagine her sister grinning. "He's a good guy. You can't really go wrong with a hot doctor who loves kids and has a soft spot for dogs. He's a keeper."

"Just don't tell mom," Henley pleaded.

"The minute she knew you had yourself a doctor, she'll start planning the wedding," Kate snorted.

"She did try it with you, after all."

"Ended up working out, if you think about it," the love for her husband of only a year was evident in her tone.

Henley couldn't help the small pang of jealousy. She wished more than anything that she could be in her sister's position, happily married and with not a single care in the world. She didn't have ghosts trying desperately to destroy her life by being a pestering little bug. She didn't have to worry about the supernatural world at all.

She wished more than anything that could have been her.

"So, you were saying something about a clothes problem?" Kate broke her from her thoughts.

Henley shook away the depressing thoughts and pushed herself off her bed. "I have nothing to wear, Kate. Nothing."

"Where is he taking you?"

"A small Italian place downtown," Henley replied, browsing through her selection of choices. They were all dull and boring. She didn't think she was ever going to find anything. "I googled the place; it looks nice."

"Hm," Kate paused. "What about that one dress mom made you buy we all went shopping because she thought it might help you find a good man?"

Henley raised an eyebrow. She had almost forgotten about that dress. "The red one? Really?"

"Yes! It would be perfect."

"But isn't it a bit…I don't know, tight and…"

"He won't be able to take his eyes off you," Kate laughed. "You have to go for the red one. You may even get lucky tonight, sis."

Henley's face flushed as red as her hair. "Won't it clash with my hair?"

"Oh just put it on already. You'll be a knock out. He won't even know what hit him," Kate insisted.

"But…"

"Put it on. I have to go; Riley is taking me out. Call me the minute afterwards, okay? I want all the details."

Henley rolled her eyes as her sister hung up, leaving her without any option. Unless she wanted to wear jeans and a t-shirt, the red dress was really her only option. Groaning, Henley grabbed the dress from the back of her closet and headed into the bathroom. Hopefully by the time she got ready, she would have the courage to force herself into the dress.

"I guess it doesn't look completely horrible," Henley tilted her head as she took herself in in the mirror.

Her ginger locks fell across her shoulder in waves as the red dress was wrapped around her form like a second skin. The straps were thick and thankfully the neckline covered just enough to make her feel a tiny bit modest. The skirt of the dress fell mid thigh, hugging her hips like no tomorrow. She felt uncomfortable, yet powerful, and she made a mental note to thank her sister; it was definitely the right choice.

She just hoped Jackson thought so.

Smiling, Henley slipped from her room, checking the time on her phone. Jackson was due at any moment and she still had to find appropriate shoes to…

"Oh god!" she shrieked, jumping back away from the ghostly figure she had accidentally walked right through. Finding Godric standing before her, chuckling to himself at her expense, she was not amused at all. "Really? You really had to do that?"

"You were the one who walked through me," he pointed out.

"You could have made yourself known like you always annoyingly do," she grumbled, rubbing at her bare arms, trying to get rid of the ice-cold chill that now lingered on her skin. She was tempted to jump back into the shower just to rid herself of the feeling.

"Perhaps you should have been paying better attention," Godric mused before his gaze swept over her. She was surprised by his hesitance to continue, his orbs lingering on where the dress stopped at her thighs.

"What?" she shifted uncomfortably. "You really need to not look at people like…"

"You look beautiful," his gaze raised to meet hers once again. "You look stunning."

She was even more surprised by his comment. "Oh, um, thank you I guess. Now go away."

Godric shook his head. "You know I cannot do that."

"One night, Godric. One night, please."

"But I have plans."

"Do not ruin this for me," she wasn't above pleading. Too many prospects had fled because a ghost had come in the way. She didn't want it to happen again, not when Jackson was so kind, so perfect. This might just be her only chance at some sort of happy ending. She was damn well going to take it.

"If you agree to help me I can assure that you will have plenty of peaceful dates in the future," he pointed out. "You only need to help me. I can ward the others away."

"You don't have that kind of power, Ghost Boy," Henley shook her head. "I don't have time for this."

"I very much do have that kind of power," he assured her, stopping her in her tracks before she could pass him. "They fear me."

She turned towards him, her eyebrows furrowed. "They fear you?"

"The spirits, yes," Godric nodded. "They fear who I was."

"And who exactly were you?" she crossed her arms over her chest. She shouldn't have been intrigued by his offer, knowing it was impossible to rid herself of her ghost problem. But a small, tiny part of her was still hopeful she wouldn't have to spend the rest of her life alone and miserable.

"I was death."

"Death?"

"I'm stronger than any ghost you've ever encountered, am I not?" he stepped forward, preying on her intrigue. "I sent the two from your clinic away. I can do the same with all the others."

"That's not possible," she refused to believe that he could. She couldn't let herself believe any of this was possible. She would only end up being disappointed.

"It very much is."

She stared at him for the longest time, looking for a hint of a lie. But he was dead serious, and that only caused her interest to peak. He was stronger than any other ghost she had ever dealt with. The two ghosts from her waiting room had disappeared and left her alone. Was it possible that he could be right? Could he ensure she had a peaceful life, one without another ghost?

"All you have to do is agree to help me. We can help each other."

She almost caved. She almost agreed right then and there without a second thought. But thankfully, she was saved by the sound of the doorbell, a soft knock on the door. Henley let out a long sigh of relief as she twisted around and hurried into her room. Godric never followed, and by the time she reentered the hallway, he was nowhere to be seen.

Maybe he would leave her alone.

Shaking her head, Henley hurried down the stairs and to the front door. Moony was already stationed, ready to attack whomever it might be.

"Come on boy, it's just Jackson," she called the dog over.

If a dog could pout, she was pretty certain hers was. She snorted as she pointed at the stairs, waiting until he plopped himself beside them, before opening the door to greet her date. Kate thought she would leave Jackson speechless, but she didn't think she would end up the one gob smacked. Jackson was wearing a simple suit, one he likely wore to work. She had a thing for suits. Line up a hundred naked men next to one in a suit, and she would pick the latter every single time.

Jackson only proved that point.

"Wow," she had to pick her jaw off the ground, blushing as she grabbed her bag from the hook and joined the man on the porch. "You look great.'

"I think I'm the one whose supposed to be saying that," he grinned widely down at her, a spark in his green orbs that caused her heart to flutter. "You look absolutely gorgeous, Henley."

"Thanks," her cheeks grew even redder. "It's nothing special."

"I'm not talking about the dress," he held his arm out to her. "Shall we?"

He really was a gentleman.

She gladly took his arm, allowing him to lead the way to her Mercedes Benz. She was impressed by the car, and felt embarrassed by her ford fiesta sitting in the driveway.

"I'm glad you agreed to go out with me again," Henley wasn't surprised at all when he opened the car door for her, only closing it and climbing in himself once she was completely settled.

"I'm glad you faked your poor dog's illness too," Henley chuckled.

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" he winked, pulling out of the driveway. "I don't think Raven minded."

She couldn't stop smiling as they drove to the restaurant. She couldn't even take her eyes off of him. She was still waiting for the catch, for the baggage or the flaw. But there seemed to be nothing.

Jackson really was the perfect man.

Henley desperately pleaded with the universe to let her have this one night. She so needed it.

The universe was quick to reply, however. And Henley did not enjoy its answer.

"I believe the make of this car would classify him as egotistical."

She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe that Godric was there in that car. Couldn't he give her a moment of peace? Couldn't he leave her alone for two hours max? That's all she had been asking for. But no, the damn pest had to drive her up the wall no matter where she went and what she did. She refused to let him get to her, however. Ghosts were the reason she was alone and single, but she wasn't going to let it define her any longer. Curse or no curse, she was damn well going to enjoy this date.

"However, the back is rather spacious should you not be able to wait for him to take you to his bed."

Henley made a mental note to discover how to resurrect the dead, purely so she could kill Godric herself.

"Henley?" Jackson glanced at her briefly with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry," she offered an apologetic smile, trying her best to ignore Godric's presence. "I was lost in thought. Did you say something?"

Jackson began talking again, his focus back on the road. She took that opportunity to shoot a glare over her shoulder at the annoying vampire. Godric was nowhere to be seen however, and it took every ounce of strength she could muster not to scream in frustration.

She had a feeling it was going to be a long night.