Chapter Six: Aftermath

"I'm insane, I'm emotional, but I'd rather be that than a robot." - Melanie Martinez

I wake up to a face full of Cujo.

The moment I open my eyes, he is barking excitedly and coating my face in slobber. I laugh and try to push him off me. Then, I realize just how sore I am and go limp once more. There isn't a single part of me that doesn't hurt. I feel like I just ran a marathon with Ms. Tetslaff. And then got hit by a bus. Driven by Skulker.

I'm not exaggerating. My entire body is pain.

Cujo sees this and kindly leaps off my chest and on to the carpet-

Carpet? And, I'm on a couch? I look around, and it takes me a moment to recognize Valerie's apartment. I'm in my normal clothes and my skin is a healthy color, so I should be safe.

How did I get here, anyway? The last thing I remember is Valerie trying to waste me while I was in the process of becoming a puddle of goo. I shiver at the memory of that sensation. Fortunately, it looks like I changed back into a human before I could melt completely. My core, while feeling better than it has in a while, has that odd numbness to it that tells me my ghost-half is weak but recovering. And, it looks like someone cleaned the ectoplasm off of me-

…I'm in Valerie's apartment. And, I'm a human. The last time I saw her, I was a ghost. This is bad. This is really bad. And, Cujo's presence isn't helping.

"We need to get out of here," I whisper to him. He whimpers and his ears droop. "I'm okay. I'm okay, but I won't be when Valerie gets back. Neither will you."

I start to get up but fire everywhere. I don't know how, but I manage to sit upright. I'm seeing stars from the effort, but I refuse to pass out again. Is this because I almost destabilized? And, I thought that process alone sucked.

Note to self: do not push yourself the way you did in the hospital.

The hospital…

Memories come rushing back. I tried using my new healing powers to save Jazz, to undo the damage I caused. I threw all the power I could into my efforts, but there was no change. My sister didn't open her eyes and ask me what I was doing. She didn't smile. She didn't react at all, not so much as a difference in her breathing.

Jazz is going to die because of me. She might be dead right now.

I lean my head back and blink rapidly at the ceiling, trying to keep my tears from falling. Why should I get to mourn Jazz when I'm the one who took her life away?

An image pops into my head, and I can't shake it. A massive gravestone adorned with sculptures of Mom, Dad, Jazz, Sam, and Tucker. Engraved with the words "Gone but Not Forgotten."

"What makes you think you can change my past?"

A planet in ruins. A single ghost - a monster with my ten-years-older face and my name - as the cause of it all.

"What are you gonna do? Waste me? What happens to you?"

"I don't have to waste you. I just have to run out the clock until your entire life falls apart."

"You're up." Valerie's voice stops me from having a panic attack. She walks up to me and hands me a filled glass, staring at me as if she's never seen me before. "I got you some water. I mean, that's kind of what you do when-when there's a crisis. I guess."

I thank her and accept the drink. The soreness is still there, but it's fading. I down the water, not realizing just how thirsty I was. When I'm finished, she takes the cup and looks like she doesn't know what to do with it. She decides to set it on the coffee table then hesitantly sits on the couch. The other end of the couch, like she wants to stay close but not too close.

She hasn't tried anything hunter-y yet, but she is visibly uncomfortable. I know where this is going, but I want her to bring it up in case I'm wrong.

After an eternity, Valerie takes in a long breath through her nose and keeps her gaze on her lap. "So, Fenton… Or…do you prefer Phantom?"

My stomach drops. But, it's not like I didn't see this coming. Time to stare at my own lap. "It depends on the form I'm in. But, since we're alone…and you know…either's fine."

We sit in silence, neither knowing quite what to say. I take it as a good sign that she hasn't tried to redo my destabilization yet.

"So, what happened?" Valerie asks. "How'd you end up…the way you are?"

I turn to her with a warning look. "Um, it's actually pretty dangerous to ask a ghost about their death." She whips her head toward me and looks ready to flee, and I hold up my hands and explain, "I won't hurt you. Just giving you a heads up. Some ghosts will get violent if you ask. Even the nice ones. It's an instinct thing. Like this guy I know named Johnny. He's a good guy, but he totally loses it if you ask. Me, I just get a little uncomfortable."

Valerie calms slightly but keeps her guard up.

"As for what happened, well, I'll give you the short version. My parents had just finished building their Ghost Portal. Sam, Tucker, and I were checking it out, and I kind of got barbecued by it." Valerie winces, and I chuckle humorlessly and rub the back of my neck. "Yeah. Not fun. So, uh, I died. Obviously. But…the ecto-energy from the Portal, like, revived me or something? I don't really know how it works. I just know that-that I'm a ghost and a human."

"Like Danielle," Valerie says quietly.

I nod. "Like her, yeah." Now's not the time to get into the whole "Dani's my clone" thing. One freaky revelation at a time. "Among ghosts, we're what are known as halfas. You know, half-a-ghost, half-a-something-else. I didn't come up with it," I add when she raises an eyebrow at what I now see is a really stupid pun. "But yeah, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it."

Valerie takes some time to process this shift in her worldview then lets out a long sigh. "My god, Fenton. Phantom." She runs a hand through her hair. "Guy with two last names." Then, she gets an odd look and smacks her forehead. "Fenton. Phantom. Why have I never caught that?"

I can't help but laugh. "I guess the same reason no one else has."

She starts giggling, then laughing, then I laugh louder. And, suddenly we're both cackling like idiots even though nothing's funny. Stress will do that to you.

When we calm down, Valerie wipes a tear away and proclaims, "Okay. My brain is officially broken."

"You think you're broken?" My comment starts out as a quip before the levity fades.

I picture how Jazz was before this whole mess. Her long ginger hair neat and tidy, her body at a healthy weight, her blue-green eyes clear as crystal, her voice strong but kind. I keep the image in my head until it sticks because I don't want to remember my big sister any other way.

I hang my head, squeeze my eyes shut, ball my hands into fists on my lap. I feel Cujo put his paw on my sneaker, silently offering support I don't deserve. I feel Valerie scoot closer and willingly put her hand on the shoulder of the ghost who caused her so much grief. A sob breaks loose, and I grit my teeth against any more.

Valerie waits until I get my emotions in check before speaking, her voice sad but strangely kind. "Jazz is that bad, isn't she?"

I sniff and swipe my sleeve under my nose. "Let's talk about something else."

Valerie takes her hand off my shoulder and nervously plays with her hair. Silence falls again, then she asks, sounding so very small, "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"What do you think? We're friends, we almost dated once-" She slams both hands over her head. "Holy shit! I put a pin in that so I could hunt you!"

Ah, yes. I seem to recall her telling me about this "dangerous job" she had and how she didn't want me to get hurt because of it. I can't stop a grin from forming. "The irony was not lost on me."

Valerie throws her hands into her lap and groans. "How do you do it, Danny? We hang out all buddy-buddy-like one moment, then I'm trying to destroy you the next! You could have changed right in front of me at any point in time. Why didn't you just change right in front of me?"

"Well, you are a girl."

She stares blankly at me. Then, she scowls and suddenly my arm is being assaulted by a million tiny slaps. "That's not what I meant, you dumbass!"

Thank God the soreness had already faded, or this could have felt a whole lot worse. I lightly push her off me, barely containing my laughter. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I couldn't resist." She rolls her eyes but backs off. "I didn't tell you because, well, look at how we met. You and my ghost-form, that is. And, by the time we started to become close, you already had such a deep-seated hatred of ghosts. I guess I was afraid."

Valerie drums her fingers on her thigh. "Yeah, that makes sense. But, why be friends with me? Why be nice to me at all?"

I shrug. "It's not like it's your fault. To be perfectly honest, it started out as guilt over what happened with your dad. Then, I just kind of started to like you."

"Well, now I feel like the biggest jerk on the planet."

"You're not. Believe me, you're not."

Valerie tries not to smile at the reassurance, then she has another question. "What about your folks? I've seen them coming at you, guns literally blazing. Is that part of your cover? I guess it would look kind of weird if such dedicated ghost hunters didn't attack the most prominent ghost in…town…" She sees that I've turned away and lifted Cujo into my lap because I suddenly need something to hold. "Or…are we both keeping secrets from our parents?"

"You said it yourself, Val," I say as I absently brush my hand through Cujo's short fur. "My parents are dedicated ghost hunters. They hate ghosts as much as you do." Valerie bites her lip and looks away at that. "One time, I asked them what they would do if someone they knew died and became a ghost. Totally hypothetical. Well, there's some context, but that's a story for another time. Related: if you see a green girl with messy hair and lightning powers, please leave her alone. She's cool."

"Uh, noted," Valerie says. "So, what did your parents say?"

My chest tightens at the memory. "They said that-that dying… That when someone dies, their humanity dies with them. They think that ghosts are all inherently evil because of that." Cujo breathes out in what I believe is the dog version of a scoff. I want to smile at him, but I can't. "Mom and Dad will destroy any ghost, no matter who they are. They didn't directly say that, but-but I know what they meant. Recently, I managed to convince them to back off a little, but I'm not holding my breath. After this whole mess with Jazz, I'm sure they'll be on my case all over again." Not that I don't have it coming.

Cujo lifts his head to lick my hand. A rush of affection has me pick him up and hold him against my shoulder. He nuzzles my neck, and I rest my cheek on his head. I hadn't realized until now just how much I've grown to care for him.

Valerie's voice is heavy with guilt and something else. Realization? Resignation? Both? "You're not evil are you, Phantom?"

I'd never claim to be perfect, but ever since the existence of ghosts became public knowledge, I've made an effort to show the world that not all of us are bad people. Most of us are just living our lives. And yes, I do mean living our lives. Yet despite the kindness I show, the protection I provide, there are still people who think I'm evil just because I'm a ghost. Three of those people are people I care about and who only care about me when I'm in human-form.

And, it hurts.

Evil is tearing the world apart and laughing about it. Evil is seeing someone, especially someone you're supposed to love, crying and bleeding and broken but feeling nothing for that person. Evil is cold red eyes and flaming white hair and a sadistic fanged grin.

A violent shudder rakes over me as images flood my mind. Cujo whines worriedly. I just hold him tighter.

I don't know what my face looks like, but Valerie has a fight-or-flight look on hers when I turn back to her. "I've seen evil, Valerie Gray. And, I will never, ever, let myself become that."

After a moment, Valerie waves her hand in a circle toward me. "I'm guessing there's a story here, but I don't think I want to know what it is."

I picture a woman in her twenties. She'd realized I was from the past when I tried to save her from him. Her dying words to me were, "Almost forgot how cute you were back then."

"You'll never know," I promise the present-day version of that woman. "I'll make sure you never have to know." She has no idea what I'm talking about, but it feels important to say that out loud.

Valerie slices her hands horizontally through the air. "Not gonna ask. I am not gonna ask." She pauses then sighs through her nose. "You've been to hell and back, haven't you?"

"I've caused a lot of hell, too. Never intentionally, but…" My voice wavers. "I'm sorry. I know saying that doesn't fix anything, but-but I'm sorry. For costing your dad his job, for making you lose your home, for making you hate ghosts, for that ghost ray yesterday. I am so sorry, Valerie."

Cujo wiggles out of my grasp and lands back in my lap. He whimpers and gives Valerie the saddest dog look I've ever seen.

I rest my hand on his back. "Cujo's sorry too."

Valerie almost looks like she wants to cry, but the moment is gone so fast, I wonder if I imagined it. "Sorry's nice to hear, at least. I hope you agree, 'cause I'm sorry too."

"Why?"

She scowls and throws her hands in the air. "What do you mean, 'why?' I've been trying to blast your ass all the way to Timbuktu for how long? I kept thinking your hero-thing was just some facade! Meanwhile, you're actually the nicest person alive-"

"I'm not that nice," I say truthfully. "Sometimes, I do stupid, awful things with my powers. The past two days alone, I almost killed you in a fit of self-loathing and I learned that I can freeze blood. While it's still inside someone!" Valerie's face turns an appropriate shade of green. "I know, right? How fucked up is that? And, Jazz…" I shut my eyes against the heavy moisture in them. "Oh, Jazz…"

"Sounds to me like you're having a string of bad luck," Valerie says. "It happens. I would know." Of course she would. "It doesn't make you a bad person, Danny."

She wouldn't say that if she knew the extent of it. Jazz is probably long dead by now. Because of me.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" I ask. I can't fight the tears anymore. "I'm a ghost. I'm the ghost! The one you hate more than any other, so-so why?"

Valerie doesn't meet my gaze. Shame radiates off of her. "I had a talk with my dad."

"Your dad?" Then the panic hits. "Your dad?"

Valerie raises a calming hand. "He doesn't know. He didn't see anything, and I didn't tell him anything. Nothing specific, at least." I relax at that. "I just told him that I learned something about a friend and I didn't know how to feel about it."

I wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. "What did he say?"

"Basically, he said I should consider the person, not the secret."

"And?"

Valerie plays with her hair some more and gives me a tiny, bashful smile. "And…I think you're a good person, Danny. I still don't know how to feel about ghosts, but…one of them's good, so…maybe there are others?"

Fresh tears threaten, and I sniff them back. In Valerie's own way, she accepts me. Even if not in full, I know she wants to try. "Thank you," I croak out.

Cujo stands up and paws at Valerie's leg, tilting his head and looking at her with his best "I'm cute, please pet me" expression.

Valerie half-laughs, half-scoffs and scratches him under his chin. The Red Huntress is showing affection to a ghost. It's a hopeful sight. "You're a good one too, Kaiju."

"Actually, his name is Cujo," I correct.

"Have you seen how big he gets? Kaiju is a better name."

"Have you ever seen that horror movie with the dog? Trust me. Cujo suits him better."

We chuckle at our easy banter. Valerie knows I'm a ghost, yet she's still joking around with me as if everything is normal.

This will be an adjustment for her, but for the first time in days, I'm feeling optimistic.

I happen to notice the clock and see that it's almost eight. My curfew is ten.

"I should get home before I'm missed," I say, wishing that I could stay here forever and not have to hear the words "Jazz is dead" from anyone.

Cujo hops on to the floor as I stand. I test my limbs. Everything feels okay. Even my core, which is really weird. My core should feel worse than ever, but it's calm. Maybe it feels that I've been adequately punished? Regardless, no punishment will ever be enough, not after what I did to Jazz.

I check my phone. No messages, no missed calls. Maybe Mom and Dad don't know yet.

"Will you get home okay?" Valerie asks, rising from her seat.

"I- Let me check?" I ask nervously. Valerie shrinks back a little but nods. I hesitate before saying, "I'm going ghost," with way less enthusiasm than I would normally. I change forms, and immediately my muscles ache and my head swims. I place a hand on my head and try to blink the speckles away. "A little dizzy and kind of sore. But, at least I'm solid. I think I can manage."

"What happened to you, anyway?" Valerie asks. "When I found you, you were half-melted! Was it another ghost? If so, please tell me you got rid of it."

My heart hurts at the reminder. "It wasn't a ghost. I have a new power. Some kind of healing thing. Remember when you had blood all over your face but no injuries?" I force a chuckle. "You're welcome."

Valerie's mouth had fallen open. Now she sucks air in through her teeth, rakes her hands through her hair, and looks generally miserable. "Oh, yeah. I'm a grade-A bitch."

I start to reach for her but stop myself. I don't know if she's ready to let a ghost touch her. "Please don't say that. It's not like I ever told you who I was. I'm really not mad."

Valerie crosses her arms and turns away, and this time I know there are tears in her eyes. Again, I have to stop myself from reaching for her.

"A-anyway," I go on, "I decided to try my healing powers on Jazz. Just to see, you know? I-I guess I overdid it."

"That's an understatement, given the sorry state you were in," Valerie comments somberly. "Did your powers help at all?"

It just dawned on me that I left Jazz covered in ectoplasm. But, it's not like it matters now. I shake my head and will away the lump that keeps forming in my throat. I swear, I've cried more in the past week than I have in my whole damn life. And, I know I'm far from finished.

Valerie takes in my silence with a sympathetic, "I see… Well, maybe she'll still be okay."

I let out a shaky sigh. "I should go."

On that note, Cujo runs over to the door and waits there for me.

"Cujo," I walk over to him and kneel down to his level, "you know why you can't come home with me. I'm sorry, boy. It's just not safe for you to live there." Cujo lowers his head and ears with a whimper that makes me feel worse if that's possible. I give his cheek a scratch. "Someday. It just can't happen right now." Cujo whines but licks my palm in understanding. His form flickers out of sight, and I rise. When I see Valerie staring and pointing at the spot where Cujo used to be, I explain, "Oh, he can teleport himself back to the Ghost Zone. I'm not sure if it works the other way or not."

But, that's not what's on Valerie's mind. "Why did Cujo attack Axion Labs anyway? He seems pretty tame."

Oh, boy. She's gonna hate this answer. "Ah ha, funny story. Turns out the little guy had lost his squeaky toy, and it was, uh, in the building."

Valerie stares open-mouthed at me. "All of this." She throws her arms out, indicating something only she can see. "All of this. Over a squeaky toy?"

I grin sheepishly. "Well, he is a dog."

"And starting today, I am a cat person."

I chuckle at that. "I understand. Anyway, thanks for taking me in. And not, you know, destroying me."

As I turn to leave, she says, "You're really not mad at me, are you?"

I could walk away and just let her believe that I'm unbothered. I'm tempted to do just that. Despite everything, she's my friend. I don't want to hurt her. But at the same time, she's so fixated on the idea of all ghosts being evil. Maybe she's starting to come around, but she spent so long raging about how awful ghosts are. When I finally broke down and told her that I genuinely like ghosts, we had a big fight over it. Obviously, we made up, but it took a while. After that we tried to avoid ghost talk altogether when we hung out. And, yet I never missed the disdain on her face when someone mentioned ghosts, especially Danny Phantom. I never missed the harsh words she'd belt when she thought I wasn't around; she had no idea she was screaming them to my face. And needless to say, I never missed the blows to whatever part of me she could hit.

It's not really Valerie's fault, and I can see in her eyes that things will be different from now on, but that doesn't stop every blow to my skin from stinging in more ways than the eyes can see.

"I don't think mad is the word," I say, letting her see everything I'm feeling, letting her see that ghosts feel. "Hurt is a better one. And, disappointed. But, not because you've been attacking me for so long. No, I think it's…more the idea, you know? The idea that there are people who hate me because of what I am, because of something I can't control, that I had no say in. This skin, these eyes, these powers. I didn't choose them for myself. Don't get me wrong. I love being a ghost. I hated it at first - who wouldn't? - but over time…I realized that-that I could do something with these powers, that I could be someone. I could be a ghost and still be good!" My voice shakes, but no tears come. What I'm feeling - passion, anger, love, sadness - is too deep for that. "I make mistakes. Sometimes, I hurt people without meaning to. Sometimes, I use my powers for selfish reasons. But, I. Am. Good. I know that I am. And, I want the world to see that ghosts can be kind and honest people. Yes, there are bad ghosts, but aren't there bad humans too? Our bodies are different, but where it counts," I throw my fist over my chest, right over my fused heart and core, "we are the same, Valerie."

Valerie sniffs and swipes at her eyes with a sardonic smile. "If the ghost-thing and astronaut-thing doesn't work out, you're gonna be a hell of a motivational speaker."

I can only duck my head and blush and rub my arm. "I just… I-it matters to me."

"I can tell. And, in case it wasn't clear, I'm not gonna hunt you anymore. And, I won't tell anyone about this. And…I guess I should stop shooting first and asking questions later, huh?"

I wonder if I should mention Vlad and why it's okay to shoot him on sight. Maybe some other time. I'll let her wrap her head around all of this first. "I appreciate that," I say with a real smile. "All of it. More than I can say."

Valerie returns my look and puts her hands on her hips. "Oh, you said it. You already said it." She waves her hand to shoo me away. "Now get out of here before this all hits me at once and I have a massive meltdown." When I laugh, she says, "That wasn't a joke." She knocks her palm to her temple. "I feel like my brain's gonna explode any minute."

I still smile, but it feels softer. "Well, I better hit the road before that happens."

When I put my hand on the door knob, she asks, "Why are you using the door?"

"Um, habit? Also, I-I don't know if…"

"Go ahead," she says firmly, gesturing to the wall. "I gotta get used to this stuff. Go on."

She truly is willing to try. That's all I wanted. I throw my arms around her. She stiffens against me, and I jump back and move my arms behind me, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I wasn't thinking."

"No, no! It's cool," she assures. "You just caught me off guard. That's all." She slowly spreads out her arms. "Bring it in, ghost boy."

Now, the tears come. I wrap her tightly in my arms. She returns the hug, tense, cautious at first. But as I hold her and bury my wet face in her hair, I feel her slowly start to relax until the hug feels warm and sweet and effortless like it should. Eventually, I wipe my face and force myself to pull back, surprised to see that Valerie's own eyes are red and watery.

I toss my hands at my sides. "I don't know about you, but I think I've hit my emotion quota for, oh, the next few decades?"

"Speak for yourself," Valerie says with a grin. "I still need to have that meltdown, and I don't want anyone around when it happens. It's not gonna be pretty."

"Ah, you're pretty no matter what." She blushes with a stunned look on her face. Then I hear my own words blush right back. "That was kind of creepy, wasn't it?"

"To be fair, you are a ghost."

Valerie cringes when she says that, but I start laughing. Really laughing. In that way that makes you bend over with your arms around your stomach. That comment shouldn't be this funny, but it is for some reason. I think I just needed this. With how horrible this week has been, especially these past two days, maybe I just needed a good, long laugh. In a moment, reality will restart and I'll be a wreck again. So, I want to laugh while I'm still able to.

When I finally calm down, I wipe my wet cheeks for the umpteenth time. But, I certainly can't complain about the reason for it right now. "Oh man. Oh man, that felt good."

"Okay…" Valerie says, regarding me the way one might regard a rabid animal in a cage.

As much as I'd like to keep putting it off, I know I have to leave some time. I'm sure Mom or Dad will be calling me any minute. "I really do have to go home now." Valerie nods. I take a step toward the wall then say, "Thank you again. For-for accepting me. I mean it. You don't know how much I mean it."

Valerie raises her palm toward me. "Alright, alright. You're welcome. Now, get out of here and let a girl freak out in peace."

I give her a military salute and phase through the wall then start my flight home.

It'll take time for her to make sense of everything, for her to fully accept me, but I can wait. I'm a ghost. It's not like I don't have time.

But, not everyone does. Because not everyone becomes a ghost.

Just as I thought, reality is back. I meant what I said to Valerie. I'm a good person. I've never doubted that about myself. But, that goodness is the reason my heart is in pieces.

When I make a mistake, no matter how big or small, I can usually fix it. But, I can't bring back the dead. Maybe Reaper can. Or, maybe Clockwork could turn back time and stop Vlad from making that tainted salsa.

I sigh heavily. Clockwork is a good guy overall, but he doesn't intervene with the timeline unless there's some world-ending catastrophe that needs to be stopped. Reaper was willing to help when Jazz was still alive, but wouldn't they have said something if they could revive her or stop her from dying altogether? Maybe I should go back there and ask. Or, maybe I could look for Desiree and wish for Jazz to wake up and be fine. Desiree does grant every wish she hears. Except that she hates my guts. I'll call that a last resort.

Is necromancy a real thing? Would that work? Or, would she just turn into a moaning, half-rotted cannibal?

And now that image is in my head.

Maybe I'll get lucky and Jazz will become a ghost. Then, she'll still be around and still be herself and I'll never have to lose my sister.

God, how selfish can you get?

Whether she comes back or not, I still have to live with the fact that my big sister died because of me. Memories play through my head. Jazz letting me sleep in her room when I had a nightmare. Jazz helping me with my homework. Jazz trying way too hard to help me and my friends fight ghosts after we found out she knew my secret identity.

Jazz practically raising me because our parents were always so busy with their work.

It hits me that I'm not just losing my sister, I'm losing a parent.

How is my core so calm? It's been acting up since Jazz got sick. It felt worse than ever when I went to see her for the last time. Now, after Jazz dies, it chooses to be okay? I've never felt so betrayed by my own body.

When I reach my house, I descend into a quiet corridor and change back into a human. I throw on a neutral expression and walk up to the front door, bracing myself for the worst.

Suddenly, Dad bursts out the door. He sees me, grabs my arm, and yanks me at full speed, screaming, "Danny, get in the van! We gotta get to the hospital yesterday!"

Is it possible for me to destabilize in human-form? 'Cause I think I might.

Dad throws me in the back of the Ghost Assault Vehicle then runs for the driver's seat, calling for Mom to hurry up.

Jazz is dead. What else would this be about? I scrunch up in my seat. Reaper will be my first stop, I think. If they say no, I'll try Clockwork. Or, maybe I'll bite the bullet and seek out Desiree.

Mom runs up to me. And…she's smiling? I realize that Dad looks happy too.

"Sweetheart," Mom says, placing her hand on my knee. "The hospital called. Jazz woke up."

I spend the entire ride in a haze.