Chapter Eight: Making an Effort

"I love tiny, plastic realistic food magnets. I don't know why. They're hilarious." - Amy Lee

Maddie

"I think it's a great idea!" Jack said when I brought up the invitation that Eileen passed down from Pandora. "It'll take your mind off everything. And, you'll get to meet Reaper!"

He politely declined Pandora's offer to let him join us, as I expected. Jazz also declined, which didn't surprise me either. Even when she was very young, at the age where little girls liked to play with makeup, she showed no interest.

She had an ulterior motive for staying behind as well. "Sometimes we need to face things head-on in order to understand them," she explained. "In your case, you need to really spend time around ghosts who aren't Danny or Vlad. As in, sentient beings who are no longer alive at all or never were living creatures to begin with. Being in an enclosed space with multiple friendly ghosts will give you the opportunity to see that they really are not that different from us where it counts."

I used to think that I already knew that, but recent events made me realize that I was lying to myself.

"I don't feel like your son anymore."

That was the last thing my son said to me before… And, it tears me apart every time I think about it.

So, here I am, the morning after Danny-

So, here I am, the morning after receiving the invitation, in Pandora's lair. Reaper portaled me directly into the largest bedroom I've ever seen. It's at least three times the size of my living room, and the bed is big enough for all four members of my immediate family to rest comfortably. (I'd question why someone who doesn't need sleep has a bed, but I'm afraid that if I open my mouth, I'll say the wrong thing like I always do when ghosts get involved.) The room has also been set up for a beauty session. A long marble table is prepped with placemats and various nail supplies, and the chairs around it look comfortable and expensive. The vanity is pearlescent and probably stocked with every shade and type of makeup in the Ghost Zone. (Because apparently ghosts wear makeup?) And, I'll bet anything that that closet is a walk-in.

I only met Pandora once before today. It was in the aftermath of the Box Ghost stealing her box and using it to wreak havoc. My impression of her at the time was "an extremely powerful ghost who is docile so long as you don't steal from her."

But, of course, the ghost of the hour is Reaper.

Jack described them as a towering figure in a cloak that covered their entire body, including their face. According to Danny, the reason for this was that a severe core injury left Reaper with heavy, unsightly scarring all over. Since Reaper's hood is down, revealing a soft but handsome face, I can only assume that Danny was able to heal their core.

And, (if) when Danny comes to, I know the first thing he'll do is ask about them. He'll be over the moon when he sees them now.

Pandora puts all four of her hands on her hips. "We're still waiting on the clothes to be delivered, so," she gestures toward the table with the nail supplies, "why don't we all sit down and chat until they get here?"

"You ordered clothing?" Reaper asks cautiously as we take our seats.

Pandora flips her flaming purple hair over her shoulder. "Well, none of my clothes or armor will fit you." She waves her hand in front of her, referring to her steep curves. "You and I aren't exactly built the same way. You're also taller, so that doesn't help."

Eileen and I sit next to each other with the two Ancients across from us. The plush chairs are exactly as comfortable as they look, but they were designed more for Pandora's size. I am positively swallowed by the maroon cushioning, and the table is level with my chin. I assume Eileen is in the same boat until I see her floating over the seat.

Pandora notices and throws her hand over her mouth in embarrassment. "Oh! I'm terribly sorry, Maddie. I wasn't thinking."

"I-it's alright," I stammer, unwilling to make a fuss.

Pandora waves a dismissive hand. "No, no. This won't do at all. What kind of hostess would I be if I left my guests in discomfort?"

"If I may," Reaper offers.

I make a startled noise when my seat is suddenly lifted so that I am at a reasonable level with the table. I check under my seat and find a glowing silver bar that wasn't there before underneath the cushion. The armrests are too low now, but I can reach the table.

"Ah, brilliant, Reaper!" Pandora praises, pressing her upper hands together.

That's right. I forgot that Reaper is the one who helped Danny perfect his Hard Light ability.

"Would you like some assistance as well, Eileen Merryweather?" Reaper asks.

Eileen shrugs. "I won't say no." Once she too is sitting at an appropriate level, she adds, "Thanks, Reaper."

"Uh, yes," I say quickly. "Thank you, sir. No, not sir. Um…"

To my relief, Reaper takes no offense to my blunder. "Mx. But, there is no need for formalities." My surprise must show, because Reaper frowns and asks, "Did I say something odd?"

"It's just…" I try not to fidget. "I'm surprised by how casual you two are being. Not in a bad way, of course."

Pandora sends a confused look at Reaper, who shrugs with a similar look.

Which makes heat creep into my face. "You know, because you two are so powerful and important and Eileen and I are…middle class."

"Oooohh!" Eileen draws out in a laugh. "I see." She turns to the Ancients. "In the human realm, people in high ranking positions often look down on those who aren't. It's most prevalent in monarchies, but you'll find it anywhere you go. The casting system isn't what it was in, say, the Middle Ages, but it's still very much alive today."

"Is that so?" Reaper asks. They smile at me. "Your concern is unnecessary, Maddie Fenton. While it is true that ones such as Pandora and myself are revered, not one of us will look down on another for being less powerful."

I can't tell you how much tension leaves my body.

Pandora nods. "You can sit back and relax. And, you," she adds to Eileen, "can tell me more interesting facts about Earth. I don't go there often, but ever since the Greeks started fantasizing about me, I've been curious. I understand that you're a teacher, correct?"

"Yep," Eileen confirms. She folds her hands on the table. "Teaching is my Obsession, and I've been going from Earth school to Earth school for the past three hundred years." She raises her chin proudly. "I like to think that I've learned a thing or two."

Pandora leans forward with interest. Her upper elbows are propped on the table with those hands supporting her chin, and her lower arms are lying in front of them. "Then teach me, my dear! Tell me a fun fact or two."

Eileen hums, deciding on what to say next. While she does that, I marvel at how…ordinary this conversation is. Apart from the immortality aspect, but I guess that is normal for ghosts.

"Okay. I got one. There are these countries called Greenland and Iceland. Greenland is covered in snow and ice, while Iceland is very warm and grassy."

"Really?" Pandora says with interest. "Then shouldn't they switch names?"

I never thought about that.

Reaper is the one who responds. "My understanding is that Greenland was once very warm, correct?"

"Correct," Eileen says. "Greenland was a lot warmer when the Vikings first settled there. They had a…less than creative way of naming things. The place was green, so 'Greenland.'" She cups her hand around the side of her mouth as if sharing a secret. "People go on about global warming because caused by pollution, but stories like that make me think that's all bogus."

"What about Iceland?" I ask. "How did that get its name?"

"That story's a lot more depressing," Eileen says. "I'll give you the highlights. One of the first people to arrive there showed up during a particularly harsh winter. And, his rotten luck didn't end there. His daughter drowned in the ocean, and all his livestock starved because the cold killed off all the plants. One day the man climbed a mountain, hoping to find something good, but all he could see in the distance was a bunch of icebergs, which probably floated over from Greenland. When he told people about it, he kept referring to it as Iceland, and the name stuck."

"That's…horrible," I comment.

Eileen shrugs. "I told you it was depressing."

"But, fascinating, regardless," Pandora says. Reaper nods in agreement, and Pandora adds, "You're very intelligent, Eileen."

Eileen's green blush is stark against her off-white skin. "Thank you. But, anyone can learn random factoids." She grimaces and says under breath, "Did I just say factoids?"

I swallow a laugh.

We are interrupted by a loud knock and a deep baritone calling, "Knockity knock knock!" from the other side of the Pandora-sized door. "Is everyone decent?"

Pandora claps her hands. "Oh, goody! The clothes have arrived. Come in, you!" she calls.

A ghost roughly as tall as my husband opens the door. He is a fat human-looking man with mint green skin, technicolor blue eyes without pupils, and a thick, curly white beard. And, for some reason, he's dressed as-

"Santa!" Pandora cheers, leaping out her seat. "Thank you so much for doing this!"

What.

…The ghost dressed as Santa Claus steps into the room, lugging a large white sack over his shoulder. "Thank the Elves." Elves? "Once I told them what the clothes were for, they dropped everything and got to work." The ghost dressed as Santa Claus walks up to the bed and starts pulling articles of clothing out of the sack and laying them on the bed. Each one is somehow unwrinkled despite seemingly being tossed haphazardly into a bag for transport. "I hope there's something in here you like, Reaper. I know you were mostly feminine-presenting back in the day, but we made sure there was a nice mix for you to choose from."

Reaper stands up. I catch a look of panic before they turn their back to me and gawk at the vast assortment of clothing and shoe boxes. "This is…kind, but… Oh, Santa, Pandora, this is too much!"

Pandora smacks them in the arm. "When it comes to one's wardrobe, there is never too much."

"Talk to the Elves," the ghost dressed as Santa Claus says flippantly as he lays one last dress on the bed. "They went a little bonkers." He notices me and Eileen for the first time and waves. "Hi, Maddie, Eileen."

How does he know my name…?

Eileen shoots into the air and curtsies. "Uh, h-hi, Santa. I-it's an honor to meet you."

Pandora gives her a stern look but smiles. "Now, what did I say about formalities?"

The ghost dressed as Santa Claus waves off the comment. "No worries, Pandora." He tosses the now-empty sack back over his shoulder. "I'd love to stick around, ladies and demon, but I've gotta get back to The Workshop. Christmas is just over two months away, and making all these clothes put us behind. But, it was worth it," he adds at Reaper's wince. To me, he says, "Tell Jack he was right about me."

Everyone bids him thanks and goodbyes while he walks out the door.

"What just happened?" is all I can say.

Reaper sighs. "What happened is that Santa went overboard."

The gears in my head are barely turning. "Santa. Like…Santa?"

"Ah, yes," Pandora giggles. "I always forget that that man is something of a mythological creature on Earth."

Eileen crosses her arms and shakes her head with a grin. "I remember when I found out he was real."

"Oh my god." I fist my hand in my hair as this new information finally sinks in. "Oh my god! Santa is a ghost! Th-this explains so much! The flying. How he could have lived for hundreds of years. How he gets in people's houses. He wouldn't even need the chimney! He could just phase right through the roof! Good Lord, my husband will never let me hear the end of this!"

"We'll be happy to answer any questions you have," Pandora says in amusement. "But, let's get Reaper into some proper clothes first."

Reaper makes a small noise and clutches the fabric of their cloak. "I…find myself…unwilling to part with this. It has been a comfort to me for so long. I am feeling…sentimental." They blush toward the end and keep their wholly green eyes on the ground.

Eileen floats out of her seat and toward Reaper's eye level. Reaper dissipates the bars under our seats so that I can walk up to the rest of the group.

"Who says you have to get rid of it?" Eileen asks. "Keep it. You might need it for something. Hopefully not what you used to need it for, but something."

Pandora puts one of her arms around Reaper's shoulders. "Exactly. Now, let's sift through all of this and find something you like."

"I still think this is a bit much," Reaper mutters. But, there's a small smile on their face.

What follows is…surprisingly fun. We all work together to sift through the various clothing options, figuring out what would go with what and occasionally wondering if we could get certain things in our size. (That part is strictly me and Eileen. Pandora can change her size, which I discovered when she made her feet bigger to fit into a pair of glittery blue heels that Reaper immediately wrote off as a no.) It reminds me of when I went to the mall with my friends to look for dresses for our senior prom. Once upon a time, doing something similar with three ghosts would have had me foaming at the mouth.

I'm enjoying myself. I really am.

And, given that Eileen blushes so hard when Pandora shows off a black cocktail dress that Reaper also said no to, I'm not the only one having fun. Though, Eileen is certainly having a different kind of fun.

As soon as Pandora steps back behind the curtain to change, Eileen says as loud as she dares, "Um, Reaper? Is…i-is Pandora…interested in women?"

I throw my hand over my mouth in a desperate attempt to hold in my giggles.

Reaper sets down a cream-colored blouse and smirks at Eileen. "She is. And, I do believe that she is single."

"Ah," Eileen says. "Then I might be in trouble."

Pandora speaks from the behind the curtain. "You know, Eileen, this might work for you." She steps out, back in her armored dress, holding the cocktail dress by the spaghetti straps. "I need to sizeshift to fit into it, but it might fit you. Plus on you, it wouldn't show off your ass." She hears what she said and backtracks. "Not that you don't have a nice ass." Then she hears that, and the faintest green tint creeps up her neck. "Uh… You don't strike me as the type to show off, is what I'm trying to say."

Reaper and I glance at each other. Neither of us bothers hiding our amused grins.

Eileen is greener than ever. "I-I actually don't have an ass unless I shapeshift one. No legs, you see. But, I'll take it if no one else wants it. Gonna have to get it taken in, though."

"Perhaps the things I do not choose can be split amongst yourselves," Reaper suggests. "Santa and his Elves put in so much work that I would hate for anything to go to waste."

Santa and his Elves. I still can't wrap my head around that.

In the end, Reaper selects three plain shirts, two pairs of pants, a long, flowy skirt, three pairs of shoes, and a tuxedo dress "for special occasions." Eileen accepts the dress Pandora gave her. Pandora herself takes the rest of the clothes and shoes. Minus a lavender-colored dress that practically melts against my skin and that I couldn't stop staring at. There is no chance of it fitting me, but Pandora has a solution. She takes my and Eileen's measurements and offers to send them and our clothes to Santa's Workshop - Santa's Workshop - so that they can be resized for us.

Once all the clothes are separated into piles on the bed, Pandora claps her hands together. "Up next: makeup."

"Absolutely not," Reaper says sternly. "I told you I do not care for makeup."

Pandora pouts at them before turning a hopeful look on me. I hold up my hands and take a step back. "I'm opting out, too. I don't-" trust you to get too close to my face, I almost said. I push through the guilt and amend, "I don't know if your makeup is safe for me."

"It is not," Reaper says. "I will spare you the details, Maddie Fenton, but you are doing the right thing by declining."

I take a few more steps back. Based on what I know about Reaper - a.k.a. the Master of Death - if they say something is dangerous, then I need to stay far away from it.

"Oh well," Pandora sighs. She turns to Eileen. "What about you?"

Eileen coughs out a laugh and points at her face. "With this skin tone? The majority of cosmetics make me look like a clown."

"What about your human persona?" I suggest.

Eileen hums in thought, and Pandora asks, "Human persona?"

"I take on a human appearance during school hours," Eileen explains. "Less distracting for the kiddos." A white light engulfs her whole body as she morphs into the form of a human with very dark skin and tight, chin-length curls. She allows her gray dress to remain as she floats closer to Pandora. "Think you could do something with this?"

Pandora takes Eileen's chin in her hand, making the latter blush again. "Certainly!" Pandora proclaims as she ushers Eileen into the vanity seat. Pandora decreases her size so that she's closer to Eileen's height and asks, "Out of curiosity, what do you do if humans see you turn green?"

"I can use Compulsion," Eileen replies. "Depending on the situation, I'll either feign an illness or compel them into thinking they didn't see anything."

"That's handy," Pandora comments.

As Eileen explains how everyone in Amity Park discovered that she was a ghost (kindly leaving out the identities of the ghost hunters involved), Reaper silently invites me to sit with them at the table. They pull out a chair for me, and we take a seat, facing the duo at the vanity while talking to one another.

We're far enough away that they shouldn't hear us if we talk quietly. Despite the height difference, I have no trouble hearing Reaper. "How is everyone faring?"

It's not a casual question. "As well as they can," I say sadly. "Have you heard anything about Danny?"

Reaper hesitates then, "I cannot say that I have. But, no news is good news, as they say."

I get the sense that there's something they aren't telling me. I want to push for details, but I don't want to risk angering such a powerful ghost. And, my being unarmed - per Jazz's insistence - assists in keeping my mouth shut.

I instantly feel terrible. The kids and Jack had only good things to say about Reaper, and if Danny was so willing to put his life on the line for them, they can't be a bad person.

"Just admit that you hate ghosts more than you love me!"

It isn't true. It will never be true.

I don't know if Danny will ever call me "Mom" again. Honestly, it doesn't matter anymore. I just want him in my life, even if he only treats me like an ally, not even one he's friendly with. As much as it would hurt…at least I would still have him.

"I am grateful that you accepted Pandora's invitation," Reaper says suddenly. "After meeting your husband, I grew curious about you."

What I'm grateful for is the change in subject. "Did Jack say something about me?"

"It was more that I longed to meet those who brought my imprint into the world."

I can't tell if they mean this world or just in general. Jack and I are responsible for both, no matter what Danny says.

Danny claims that he's happy that he's a ghost, but his death is one of many things I'll never forgive myself for.

I absently pick at the sleeve of my jumpsuit. "So…what do you think of me?"

Reaper sends me a little side-grin. "I like you."

They wouldn't say that if they knew how much I hurt Danny.

We watch Pandora work in silence until she finishes and shows off Eileen with a flourish. "What do you think? You'd have to beat the boys off of her, right?"

"Actually," Eileen says, "all I'd have to do is tell them I'm gay." She seems to be gauging Pandora's reaction to that.

Pandora's face lights up. "Then, those boys will be very disappointed."

Eileen's human disguise does look nice. The makeup is subtle but emphasizes "Ms. Mae's" large reddish brown eyes and high cheekbones.

"I'll admit," I say. "I'm starting to wish your makeup was safe for humans, Pandora."

"Yes," Reaper says humoredly, "the woman does make a hobby out of it. And, she is quite skilled."

Eileen swivels her chair toward the mirror and lets out an admiring, "Oh! Not bad. Maybe I'll start using this look for school."

Pandora claps all four hands together. "I'm so glad you like it! But, are you sure you don't want me to do your true form as well? I'm sure I can find something that will suit your skin tone."

"I don't know," Eileen says. She switches back to her natural state and pokes at her gaunt face. "The sunken cheeks don't really help. I already look like an anorexic corpse. Why do I need to look like the corpse of an anorexic clown?"

Pandora puts her hands on Eileen's shoulders and meets her reflection's gaze. "Don't sell yourself short. You are a beautiful woman, and I know I can find a way to enhance that without making you look clownish."

Reaper and I silently watch a teen chick flick scene play out in real life. It's kind of adorable.

Reaper sends Eileen and I back to Earth around lunch time. Jack greets us in the kitchen the moment the portal closes. He'd been rummaging through the fridge (very carefully; we really need to do something about that ham) but closes it once he sees us.

"Oh, you're back," he says with a welcoming smile. "I was just about to get lunch going. Unless you ate at Pandora's?"

At the mention of Pandora, Eileen starts giggling. It's less of a lovestruck sound and more of a manic one. "I have a date with an Ancient." Still giggling, she floats past Jack, muttering, "What even is my life?"

We watch her phase through the front door, and Jack turns to me and points his thumb over his shoulder. "Is she okay?"

I shrug. "Pandora asked her on a date. She seemed happy about it at the time."

"Ah," Jack says with understanding. "Now I get it. It's like when you asked me out for the first time. I was so excited! Then I," he rubs the back of his neck with a faint blush, "I realized how out of my league you were."

"You thought I was out of your league?"

Jack chuckles. "Oh, yeah! A girl who's smart, kind, and pretty all at the same time? I was so nervous about our date, I almost called the whole thing off!"

My heart flutters. I stand on my tiptoes and he bends over to let me kiss his sweet lips. "Well, I'm very happy you didn't."

"Me too," Jack says. "So, Eileen and Pandora, eh? I didn't know Eileen swung that way."

"Neither did I," I admit. "You should have seen them doing each other's makeup. They were like two teenagers!"

Jack grins at the mental image. Or, perhaps, at the honest joy on my face. "So, you had fun?"

I glance down at my shimmery red nail polish, and I feel the smile remain on my face. Due to the differences in size, Reaper and Pandora paired up with each other for manicures, and Eileen and I were the other pair.

"I did have fun," I honestly. "It's crazy, but after a while…I forgot they were ghosts. Well, I didn't forget, obviously. But-"

"I know what you mean," Jack says proudly. "They're a lot like us, aren't they?"

I think about the four of us picking through a pile of clothes, Reaper's genuine concern for Danny, Eileen and Pandora flirting like high schoolers, and decide that, "Yeah. They really are."

Vlad

My return to the Far Frozen's medical ward is interrupted by a small blur slamming into me and pinning me down in the snow. I spit snow out of my mouth and get ready to show this moron who they're messing with.

Then I see their face. "D-D-Danielle?"

"Well, I'm certainly not the Easter Bunny," Danielle quips. "And, I'm certainly not letting you anywhere near my cousin."

Cousin? She is a failed clone of Daniel. How could she have-

Oh… "Are you talking about Daniel?"

"Duh," she replies with an eye roll.

So, they consider each other cousins. Interesting.

A tired sigh escapes me. I'd heard that Danielle had become stable, but this is the first I've seen of her since we parted ways. On not-so-good terms, unfortunately.

"Danielle," I plead, "a lot has happened since you and I last saw each other."

Danielle softens. Barely, but enough. "I know. Danny told me you were less of a jerk now."

"He did?"

"Yep. He seemed pretty happy about it."

Why has he told everyone but me? "Will you please get off of me?"

Danielle lets out a low whistle. "Asking nicely and saying please? You really have changed."

She floats off of me but doesn't help me up. Only hovers at my eye level when I stand. Now that I'm not flat on my back, I have an easier time seeing how much she's changed in the last two years. She is taller though still quite petite and has - ahem - filled out somewhat, and I suspect that she still has some growing to do. Her white hair is different as well. Her bangs are shorter and bluntly cut, laying above her thin eyebrows. The rest of her hair is pulled back in a braid, though I believe it too is shorter than it once was. In place of her old Danny-Phantom-esque clothing, she wears a light green t-shirt that is a darker green on the bottom, the colors separated by a hard diagonal slash down the middle. She also wears jean capris with a rhinestone design down one leg and black ballet flats. There are three silver bangles adorning her left wrist and small silver hoops in her now-pierced earlobes.

"You look well," I summarize.

Danielle turns her head haughtily and keeps her hands on her hips. "Spare me the niceties, fruit loop. Danny may have forgiven you, but that doesn't mean I have."

Daniel…forgives me?

If Danielle can see the impact that statement has on me, she doesn't show it. "I don't trust you, and I'm not letting you anywhere near Danny. Especially not right now."

"How did you know about Daniel's condition?" I ask.

"Come on," she drawls. "You know how gossip works in this realm. When something's going down with one of the bigwigs, everyone and their brother knows. And, we've got two bigwigs involved here."

That figures. I hope the doctors are prepared in case any of Daniel's enemies decide to take advantage of the situation.

"Listen, Danielle," I say. "I made a promise to Daniel that I would visit with him every day. He may not have been able to hear me, but I heard me. I do not wish to fight you, but I will if it means keeping my promise." I raise my fists and let them glow with dark pink ecto-energy to showcase how serious I am.

Danielle doesn't move or speak. She observes me for a spell before her intense expression slackens. "Wow. You actually did change, didn't you?"

I dissipate my energy and lower my hands. "I'm trying to. Did Daniel tell you why I've changed?"

"No. He said it wasn't his story to tell. Must have been quite a story."

That's one way to put it. And, of course, Daniel isn't the only halfa who deserves an apology, is he?

I motion toward the wall of the cave that contains the medical ward. Danielle hesitates before sitting down beside me. We are silent, each of us preferring to stare out at the snowy, mountainous landscape than meet the other's gaze.

I breathe in through my nose and break the silence. "I'm sorry. Saying that doesn't fix anything, but I want you to know how I feel. I created you and the other clones because at the time, I was fixated on Daniel, on having another halfa in my life. My Obsession is love, and finding a young halfa, someone who was just starting out and learning the struggles of such a thing… Well, that spoke to my core. Perhaps if I hadn't been fixated on Daniel…things would have been different between us."

Danielle processes this. "Being fixated only justifies so much, Vlad."

"Well, Danielle, it seems the only way I'll be able to make a perfect clone is to melt you down and study your ectoplasmic remains."

My throat tightens at the memory. "I know. I'm trying, Dani Phantom. I-"

"Danielle." I look down at her in question, and she clarifies. "I dropped the 'Phantom' part," she says with a casual shrug. "It's just 'Danielle' now."

I take this in and observe her attire in a new light. She really is coming into her own. The pride I feel catches me off guard.

"I-" My voice breaks. I clear my throat. "I'm still figuring out this whole 'good guy' thing. But, I am making an effort."

Something flashes in her expression, but I am unable to determine what it is.

Because her eyes just turned black. Completely black.

Danielle stands up. "Better late than never, I suppose."

"Your eyes…" I half-fly to my feet as my pride is replaced with old fear. "Danielle, your eyes are black."

Danielle is unphased. Her eyes return to normal. "Yeah, they've been doing that. Danny saw it during one of my visits and explained the whole 'halfa puberty' thing to me. Then he took me to see Reaper."

I relax somewhat. She is already more prepared than I was, maybe even more prepared than Daniel was. "When's the last day?" The day she will go on a blind rampage, decimating anything in her path and having no knowledge of her actions until it's too late.

My reckoning ended with an entire town in rubble, an incident the government wrote off as a terrorist attack. The moment I learned of that was the moment I fully registered what I'd done, how many innocent lives I'd taken.

I remember the cold metal of the gun's barrel resting against my temple. I remember Hutch tackling me to the ground, sobbing as he begged me not to pull the trigger.

Daniel's reckoning had a more pleasant ending, thank God. He'd had enough time to fortify Amity Park against himself, resulting in minimal structural damage. There were also no casualties and any injuries were healed by the lad himself.

I have a hunch that with both Reaper and Daniel assisting her, Danielle's reckoning will have a peaceful end. I wonder if her mature ghost-form will look similar to Daniel's, if she too is an angel. She is not an exact clone, but she is still a clone.

"May 9th," Danielle says. "I've got some time. Reaper said they have a place in their lair that could withstand my attacks, so that's where Danny and I will be that day."

"I'll be there too," I promise.

Danielle scowls and slashes her hand through the air. "Oh no. I'm telling you this so you'll stay away. Like I said, I don't trust you."

Her response doesn't surprise me, but it burns worse than I expected. "I can help, Danielle. I've done wrong by you, and I don't know if I'll ever make up for that. But, I want to at least try." Danielle hums in thought, which spurs me on. "My own reckoning was a disaster, Danielle. I was able to help Daniel with his, and I'd like to do the same for you. Just ask him. He'll tell you what an asset I was. And, that's not me bragging," I add when she narrows her eyes. "He directly referred to me as 'an asset.'"

We don't move. We don't speak. My heart and core ache with memories. Of the deep-seated guilt and self-hatred that followed my reckoning. Of the way Daniel's quivering form latched on to me in the aftermath of his.

"I'll ask Danny about it. When I can," she adds sadly. That hardened scowl returns to her face. "But, you understand if I hope I never see you again."

It's to be expected…so why does it hurt? "I understand." I take a leap of faith by holding out my right hand and saying, "Good luck, Danielle."

Danielle looks at my hand then my face, and her gaze softens the slightest bit. She shakes my hand. "Good luck, Vlad."

She must have already had her visit with Daniel, as she flies away from this frozen land and doesn't look back.

I watch her go. A range of emotions rolls over me, rooting me to the spot until Danielle's form disappears.

Yet I feel a smile on my lips.

I have decided on "Greek History" for EileenXPandora's ship name. (Eileen teaches history, in case you forgot.) I don't know how often this pairing will come up if ever. I just thought it would be adorable.