Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

You know, in retrospect, going over Niagara Falls in a bucket wasn’t their brightest idea.

Scratch doesn’t remember much about the fall, given he’d closed his eyes and screamed the whole time, clinging tight to a whooping Adia. Don’t get him wrong, the adrenaline rush was insane, but it usually takes him a few minutes after the danger passes to process how much he wants to do it again. He does remember a splash- heard rather than felt- and a lot of weight leaving him at once. Then, silence.

When he gained the courage to open his eyes again, he could barely see under the water, except for a blurry orange glow.

So yeah, not their smartest moment.
On the bright side, kicking the bucket had reversed his back and knee issues.

He remembers Adia doing most of the talking after that. Like when they were kids. He’d become a lot more outgoing since he’d had his existential epiphany thirty years ago and finally left home, but in crisis they still fell into their old roles.

She fluctuated between distress and intrigue at their new forms, interspersed with comments about what they could have done to make the bucket safer. The measurement should have been all correct- he’d checked them himself, his old accounting job making him the designated mathematician- but building proved to me more complex, more unpredictable than just numbers. There was material strength and screw sized and structurally sound shapes, and even if something looked good on paper you could mess it up in practise. Scratch always hated things being unpredictable. It scares him.

But he’d decided to do this adventure scared, so he went through with it. And well, a risk had finally come back to bite him in the butt. He’s a little surprised it took this long. He’s even more surprised he still doesn’t regret taking that risk.

“Maybe we’re just too old for this.” Adia eventually wonders, between her second guessing of the materials. Scratch can’t help but snort.

“I mean, I wouldn’t rule it out.” He shakes his head with a laugh as he looks down at the silhouettes of rescue divers. “Our bones probably snapped like twigs.”

She punches his arm. “Dude, gross.” Despite herself she’s laughing and he smirks at it. She was always against his dark humour (who could blame her? It must bring up…bad memories of him) so finding something to make her laugh is a victory.

“I mean, it’s true. Most people our age are playing bingo with blankets on their knees. ‘I got thirty-five…!’”His voice creaks as he speaks in an imitation of an old man and Adia gapes at him. What, that good? Man his impressions are improving-

“How did you do that?!”

What? “I mean, it’s not that hard Ads, I just-“ His voice catches in his throat in horror as he looks down at himself and sees that his new, goopy body has morphed itself into a caricature of the exact kind of old man he was envisioning. With a scream, he pops back to normal, feeling himself over.

“Can I do that?” The sight of Adia trying, and failing humorously, to stretch her body into a pretzel fails to get a laugh out of him. Instead, his mind is reeling, and the sight of her glowing amber form makes him turn away.

What? How did he learn how to do that so effortlessly? Scratch stretches his hand out before him and experiments, deciding to try and form it into a rubber duck. Almost by second nature, he’s soon staring back into soulless yellow dot eyes. He holds back another scream.

“Todd? You ok?”

He cringes from his real name. She knows he doesn’t really use that anymore. It just sounds…weird. Off. Like… like that’s never been his name. He’s not sure when this change in thinking happened. Around when he left brighton? Maybe it’s some subconscious metaphor junk about ‘starting from scratch’, who knows.

(In the back of his head he knows thats not it, but whatever the real answer is has been obscured by a thick layer of brain fog.)

“I’m… I’m fine…Adia”

(Sometimes there’s that feeling with her name too. A moments hesitation before he speaks, like someone else’s is supposed to come next. He has no idea when that started either.)

“Hey…” Her hand lands on his shoulder and he’s surprised by how unfamiliar and yet not the feeling of ectoplasm is. Her hand is too small, a weird thought supplies. Too calloused with adventure. And there are no bumps where they should be.

“It’s ok.” Her voice is quiet and soft as she hugs him from behind. She’s modelling her breathing again, which makes his heart ache in appreciation because they don’t even need to breathe anymore and she’s still trying to comfort him.

A hand reaches up to hold hers across his tummy. Or…well whatever counts for his tummy in this new, vague body. It’s kinda hard to tell. He aims for where he feels the familiar sensation of anxious churning.

“…Thanks.” He lets out a slow breath, for her sake more than anything.

“I’m sorry I got us killed.” It’s such a bizarre and dark sentence he almost laughs.

“Don’t be.” Leaning to the side, he nuzzles his face against her hair for comfort like when they were kids. “I mean, we were gonna go sometime. …I’m just happy it was this and not some heart attack in my cubical.” The idea makes him want to vomit. He may regret the years he wasn’t out here with here living life, but at least he got out before it was too late. He has a good three decades of adventure under his belt. That’s not too shabby if you ask him.

“And…” His voice trails off. Being vulnerable with Adia has always been easiest, but there’s still a lingering sheepishness to it. “…I’m glad we got to go together.” He scratches his arm shyly, looking down. “I didn’t want to spend any more years away from you.”

“Awww!” Her eyes scrunch up with happy tears, showing off her smile lines and she pulls him closer in a hug. It’s surprisingly warm for how cold they’ve become now.

“I love you too, Scratch.” She kisses the too of his head, just behind his cutie bit, and he giggles. Wait- cutie bit? What the hell are those? He laughs. Must have just made that up, huh? He likes it.

“Soo…” She pulls away a little too soon for his liking (it’s always too soon. There’s always a sense of longing for…something more when she hugs him. Not anything romantic, but as if, if she hugs him for long enough, it’ll be the same as the stranger’s embrace in his dreams). “What do we do now?”

“We could go to the ghost world.” He answers on autopilot. They both blink in surprise at the sentence.

“The ghost world?” She teases, raising an eyebrow. “You an expert on ghosts suddenly?”

“Uh, yeah.” Is his answer, and despite the humorous tone indicating he’s playing along, a nagging part of him is genuinely a bit offended.

“Alright, smart guy, where is it?”

His finger twitches at the ready and it comes as second nature to draw a circle in the air behind him. Adia’s jaw drops as a familiar whirling starts up. “See?”

“Wh…how did you learn how to do that?!” She splutters, floating backwards a few paces in alarm. It’s rare to see her be the terrified one.

“Uh.” Scratch says dumbly. Yeah, how did he? He looks back and forth between the black and blue portal and Adia’s face, growing slightly distressed at his lack of answer himself. The only knowledge of ghosts he has that he can think of is some fiction novel he read a couple years back about a girl in a small town befriending a ghost. It was by some famous author, a something-Stein. It was aimed at kids, but something about the book drew him to it…

But that was a story.

“I…” Scratch looks back at the portal, hand coming up to his arm. “I…don’t know…” After a few seconds, Adia’s hand gently stops him from scratching.

“You don’t remember?” Her voice is softer now.

“…No.”

She’d told him about some psychology books she’d read, about how traumatic memories can be blocked out by the brain. He has a hard time seeing him being lazy for years as the same thing soldiers on the battle field go through, but she’d just shaken her head sadly when he said that and he didn’t want to upset her more. It’s weird though, because if he blocked that period of his life out, why can he still remember it? He remembers the box sets he binged, the opening of the chinese buffet on main street, the rebuilding of that bandshell- yet all this fogginess and feeling of missed time comes from that period of his life. It doesn’t make sense.

“You know…I’ve heard about people who have near death experiences.”

He scoffs, dismissively.

“Hey! Listen! They’ve run experiments on this- where they paint words on the roofs of hospitals and patients who’ve never seen them can correctly report what it says.”

“Adia, you know I don’t believe in the afterli-“

They both pause, looking at each other, before cracking up.

Holding his stomach, Scratch tries to speak through giggles “Ok ok- m-maybe you have a point. But-“ He trails off as another bout of laughter comes. “But I never had one of those!” Is what he’s eventually able to get out.

“Well-“ Adia’s smile is pinned in place by held back giggles. “Well maybe you forgot it!”

“You think past-me would have gone anywhere near a situation I could’a died in?”

“Nooo, but you do eat a lot of junk food.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m just saying!” Despite her giggling, Adia places a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Maybe you had a health scare and blocked it out?

Scratch hums vaguely in non-comital agreement. She’s making sense just like she always does- but he just has this feeling that she’s wildly off-base. This feels…too familiar to have been a brief brush with death.

“I guess.” He mumbles. “Anyway-“ It’s easier to change the subject than think too hard about stuff that concerns him. “You wanna go take a look at the ghost world or what?”

She’s giving him that ‘you’re avoiding something’ look again, but he just turns away from her. “…Alright.” With a sigh, she grabs his hand, making him jump.

“Together?” He meets her smile with one of his own.

“Forever.”

Chapter Text

“Todd, stop scratching yourself.”

Adia gently slaps his hand away, but he just replaces the fidget by biting at his lip. “Scratch!”

“What?” He snaps. “It’s not like I have any skin left to damage!”

The whispers increase in volume and he curls in on himself, whimpering, chin tucked into the collar of his shirt. Or, what was his shirt. The boundaries between flesh and clothes aren’t exactly clear anymore. The tie at the belly of Adia’s shirt looks like the same ectoplasm as her face and hair and he’s not gonna lie, it’s kinda creeping him out.

What’s creeping him out more though is all the stares they’re getting. Did they do something wrong? Can these people tell they just died by how they carried themselves? Then there’s all the whispering, those eyes following him intently… He cringes further into a ball.

Noticing the cause of his distress, Adia glares at all the passing ghosts on the street, her eyes turning red and body spikier. It quickly deters the crowds, who make a point of turning away and fake whistling. Her hand lands comfortingly on his shoulder.

“Hey…don’t worry about them.” Cob, he’s pathetic.

“No you’re not.” Oh great, is he talking out loud again? “Yes.” Adia giggles, pulling him close.

“You just died, Scratch, if there’s any time you’re allowed to feel more stressed again it’s now.”

“…Yeah.” He mumbles, playing absentmindedly with her hair. He supposes so… She’s gotta stop being right, it’s messing with his pity party. “Hey, what about you? You handling it ok?” She was always the stronger of the two of them, sometimes he forgets to check on her well-being too. He’s been trying hard not to do that anymore since he pulled himself out of his rut.

“Yeah.” Her voice is airy, not quite committed. Scratch narrows his eyes at the curt response, ready to call her out on lying to him, before she pulls back with an excited look.

“I mean, we’ve got a whole new world to explore! Isn’t that cool?”

“I mean- I guess.” Reluctantly letting himself be distracted, Scratch looks around with her. The streets of the ghost world are dark, the buildings muddy grey-greens and the sky and ground an empty void. Yet there are beautiful neon colours cutting through that dimness, in the lights, in the stalls of street vendors, in the luminescent citizens walking the streets…

While pretty, he wants to say it’s boring. Of course, that would upset Adia, which he refuses to do- but it’s true. It just feels…like a street he’s seen a thousand times. Which is ridiculous, because streets in the human world don’t glow- but it’s an opinion he can’t shake.

“I guess I’d like to see where the famous people go.” He shrugs, meeting her halfway. “Like the presidents.”

“Oo!” Adia’s eyes light up. “Yeah!”

“I should go back to the hotel in the human world and get my scrapbooks! Quick- what’s the silliest pose we can do with Lincoln for a picture?”

“Maybeeee-“

The two of them are interrupted as Adia accidentally bumps into- and phases straight through- another ghost. Scratch cringes, having a strong feeling that was VERY rude, as he watches Adia shake herself off and shudder. The other ghost, a short, plump lavender woman who looks older than America, makes a face and is clearly trying hard to keep her composure.

“Sorry.” Scratch blurts out at the same time as Adia, feeling embarrassed on her behalf.

“Dont…don’t worry about it, Maam.” The ghost replies awkwardly- though she only glances at Adia for a second before turning her attention back on Scratch. He narrows his eyes at her and flies in front of his friend protectively, forcing her to engage them both.

“I was just-“ Her head turns 360 degrees like an owl to follow Scratch’s movement and he and Adia share a grimace and shudder at the action. “I just happened to see you here, Mr… a-and-“ (Scratch raises an eyebrow. He knows the sound of almost calling someone something else intimately). “-and well, you seemed new to the ghost world.” He and Adia look at the woman oddly as she continues to try and act natural. “It would really be good of you both to go to the R.I.P centre to get yourself registered.”

Scratch throws his head back and lets out a groan on instinct. “Really? Bureaucracy in the afterlife too? Don’t you people know how to relax? You’re dead! Go live a little!”

The woman looks as though she’s fighting back annoyance for a moment, before, bizarrely, a nostalgic smile spread across her wrinkled lips. “I will make a note of that. However, it is important to document the dead for our systems. And…reunification with loved ones.”

Adia’s eyes light up. “Oh yeah!” A guilty look briefly crosses her face, before being taken over by excitement. “Todd!” She grabs his shoulders, grinning. “My Dad will be in the ghost world!”

“Todd..?” The woman sounds bewildered, before quickly masking it. “Ahem- yes Maam, I’m sure he will be. And, anyone your friend happens to remember… That he would like to see.” She sounds almost wistful. Whatever her deal is, he hopes she goes and deals with it on her own time, away from them.

“Uh, yeah, I don’t think so.” Scratch rolls his eyes bitterly at the idea. He doesn’t even want to think about his parents being in the same afterlife as him. Adia pats his shoulder subtly.

“We’ll think about it.” She says politely. The woman gives her a strained smile, albeit looking a little disappointed. Scratch doesn’t like the way her eyes keep falling back on him in particular, so he grabs Adia’s hand, pulling her to leave.

“Hey wait- Scratch, we don’t know where we’re going-!”

“It’s on main street!” The woman shouts after them, unpeturbed. “You’ll want to turn left at the Haughty Haunts club- you can’t miss it!”

“I got it!” Scratch snaps back with the patience of someone being reminded of their own name. They’re halfway down a side street, when Adia yanks her hand from his, crossing her arms, annoyed.

“Alright- what was all that about?” Scratch flinches at her tone, immediately missing the contact.

“I just-“ He slows to a stop a few paces in front of her. “I don’t know, she- she gave me bad vibes.” He half-lies. She did make him uncomfortable with her staring, and this fuzzy, nagging sense that told him she’d done a lot of wrong in her afterlife. But at the same time, she did seem to be trying to help them…and he can’t help but see her as just a little pathetic at the end of the day. The kind of nerd he used to work with in that awful office job. Generally harmless on her own.

“Right.” Adia’s tone is disbelieving. With a sigh, she floats in front of him to meet his eye. “Is this about your family? …You don’t have to see them again, Scratch. I’m not gonna force you to come with me to this place. If you want to just wait outside-“

“No, no,” He rubs a hand down his face, feeling guilty now. “You’re new here, I don’t wanna leave you alone.”

“So are you.” She giggles.

“I guess.” It doesn’t feel it. “Plus- I like your dad! He made me brownies.” He smiles nostalgically.

“Did forget your carob allergy that one time though.”

The smile falls. “I recall.”

“Right before you had that school presentation-“

“Alright!” He yells, embarrassed. Adia laughs, pinching his blushing cheeks.

“Awww- your blush turned purple!” He sticks his tongue out at her, childishly.

“I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you again. You havent changed a bit since we were little!” She laughs. Scratch begins floating next to her again, unconsciously guiding her down seemingly random streets.

“Like you have? I mean- what 81 year old thinks a bucket is gonna hold up going over a waterfall?!”

“Hey, you got in it!”

Buildings pass by his view, Scratch’s every turn clean and practised as if he’d walked this route a thousand times. He hardly even notices the ease with which he gets about, too engrossed in sharing childhood anecdotes with Adia. Even the stares and whispers fall by the wayside until, eventually, he recognises a sign.

“Hey, there’s the club!” He points at the building and the bright pink and white lights shining from the windows. Adia’s eyes sparkle.

“Ooo- oh we have to go there!”

“Obviously!”

“Ok, let’s see, the old lady said it would be a left…” They pass by a gawking line waiting in front of the club, turning a corner to reveal a large, official looking building with a silver plaque over the doorway.

“Reunification Institute for the Perished…” Scratch reads aloud, poofing up a pair of reading glasses as he does so. “…Seems forced.”

“Do you think we’ll be in there long?” Adia asks.

“We better not be. I had a light breakfast!”

“Maybe as a ghost you won’t feel your superhuman hunger anymore.” Adia teases, floating on her side to poke him in the belly. Scratch laughs.

“Oh trust me: I will.”

Chapter Text

Scratch hates paperwork so much.
He’d spent half his life staring at numbers and charts and legal forms day in, day out to the point if he has to even LOOK at one again he’s gonna vomit or strangle somebody. Maybe both. There’s a reason Adia handled all the travel bureaucracy like booking plane tickets and hotels for them.

“I’m sure this’ll be the last time.” Adia comforts. Despite her efforts, he refuses to rise from his exaggerated pouty slouch in the hard plastic waiting room chair. So, maybe he’s acting like a child, but he’d spent so much of his actual childhood precocious and stressed that he thinks he’s earned the right.

At least no one in here is staring at him. It’s kind of hard not to stare back though, with the shaken up appearances of a lot of them. Dead eyed stares, some crying, some nursing wounds that ectoplasm had already healed. He shudders, shifting closer to Adia’s side. He’s glad they went out quickly and together.

Overall, this place is getting him down something fierce. It’s a relief when the desk calls their names.

“Todd Mortenson and Adia Williams.”

Sensing his growing unease with the other patrons, she links arms with him and leads the way to the front. They’d already filled out their (irritatingly long) newly deceased forms with their info and confirmed they had no one left in the human world to leave an advanced notice for. All that’s left now is for the staff to get back with Adia’s dad’s contact info so they could be out of here.

“Randolph Williams?” The geriatric looking ghost behind the counter asks, his voice a bored monotone. Adia nods to confirm and is handed a sheet of- is that carbon paper? Yeesh. Things must progress slow here. Ah well, at least it’s done.

“And for you, Sir-“

They both tense up.

“We don’t need to hear anything.” Adia says quickly, her hand finding his shoulder protectively, just like when they were kids. He’s thankful for it, knowing he would have said something that would only cause a scene. The sheer nerve of it makes his eye twitch.

The man wrinkles his brow concerned and squints at the ancient computer monitor. “There’s a note here saying you must accept, sir. Quote: ‘it’s super duper important he gets this’. Duper in capitals.” If it weren’t for the context, hearing his flat affect reading that would be funny.

Instead, he and Adia just look at each other strangely. That… doesn’t sound like anyone in his family.

“Who’s it from?” Scratch asks, growing curious (and a little suspicious).

“A Mr. Fitzgerald.”

“Never heard of ‘im. You sure you got the right guy? I’m not expecting anyone waiting on me.” Despite himself, he can’t help but deflate a little as he realises this is probably just a case of mistaken identity. It would have been nice to have someone who wasn’t scum want to see him in the afterlife… Adia is lucky for that.

“Hmm, let me see here… You are Todd “Scratch” Mortenson, correct?”

If he still had blood it would have run cold. Slowly, he and Adia turn to each other with wide, scared eyes.

This guy knows his nickname? Only Adia calls him that. …Well, ok sure, he started introducing himself by it on his travels- but he never met anyone long enough he’d have ever thought they’d do this. 

“I don’t think we’re interested-“ Adia starts to say, no doubt coming to the same terrifying conclusions as Scratch.

…

And yet…

“Gimme his details.”

Spluttering, Adia whirls on him, with an expression like he’s gone mad. He just might have. Sweat runs down his brow as he process what he just said. Truthfully, he has no idea why on earth he’s doing this. It just…it feels necessary. Like, if he were to walk away here and never ask, then he’d be forever missing something in his afterlife.

His brain feels foggy again as he takes the paper.
-

“What was that about?!” Adia flies in front of him as soon as they’ve left the building. Her eyes are wild as she grips his shoulders, shaking him “You don’t know this guy! I don’t know this guy! What are you thinking-?!”

“Whats the worst he’s gonna do? Kill us?” Scratch surprises himself with his quick response. It’s hard to explain, but somehow the idea that this person is dangerous just feels preposterous to him. Maybe weird, but not dangerous. Why he knows his nickname, he has no idea but he’s curious and… dare he say it, he wants to conquer this fear- put it to rest and prove it’s nothing. After all, who wants to go into the afterlife with anxiety weighing them down?

Adia’s mouth opens and closes like a goldfish, unable to think of a response. Scratch finds himself growing restless, even as he sympathises with her concern. “Look, why don’t- I’m just gonna go check this place out real quick, figure out what’s going on. Then I’ll be right over to see your old man.”

“I’m worried about you.” She admits, smile falling and voice vulnerable for once. Scratch’s features soften in guilt.

“…I know.” He takes her hand. “I’ll take care of myself. You don’t have to come if you don’t wan-“

“No.” She squeezes his hand tight. “I’m coming.”

“You sure?”

“Of course.” With a soft nudge to his side she reminds him. “You said you didn’t want to be apart anymore.”

Blushing faintly, Scratch chuckles. “I guess I did.”

-

“This the place?” Adia looks back and forth cautiously from Scratch’s paper to the hanging sign by the door.

“Looks like it. ‘GnJ’s BnB.’” Scratch reads aloud. “…That’s a mouthful.” He looks annoyed. “They really could’a workshopped that more- I mean whats with all the initials?” He glances back at Adia as he speaks, using the dog-shaped knocker with one hand.

“It seems cosy.” She says, looking up at the rose bushes growing up the small cottage walls. She seems almost distrustful of how unassuming this place is.

“Whoever this guy is, he has good taste in pitstoooo-“

The door flies open with a loud creak and Scratch suddenly forgets the end of his sentence.

In the doorway is a green ghost about Adia’s height. He’s pear shaped, with sunflower yellow eyes, and puffy curls by the sides of his face hanging on from male pattern baldness. His grin is wide, with lime green teeth and a tooth gap and Scratch nearly passes out because he recognises him.

Sweet baby corn, he remembers him.

Almost fast enough to cause a headache, the fog in his brain lifts and he remembers coffee shop talks and night clubs and- a camping trip? And hugs- oh so many hugs. The feeling of ectoplasm against his own feels so vivid in his memories it makes him gasp like he’s just been drowning.

“Hello friends! Welcome to Geoff and Jeffs Bed and Breakfast! We have 2 spare rooms left for tonight but tomorrow ni-“ His rehearsed (but yet no less genuinely friendly) greeting is cut off sharpish when he meets Scratch’s eye. Those dark yellow eyes widen impossibly and silence reigns as they stare at each other. Slowly, a shaky hand comes up to cover his mouth.

“Um…” Adia starts awkwardly. “Do you two know each other or no-“

“SCRATCH!”

The sound snaps him out of his memory overload. With a loud yelp, he’s tackled to the floor and- oh, yup there’s that ectoplasmic feeling. So slimy. Scratch shudders, though he can’t help but feel a begrudging sense of warm and comfort from within the hold. At least until he’s squeezed tight enough his eyes pop out.

“BUDDY! You’re here, you’re FINALLY here, AHAHA! Oh, I’m so happy!- I mean not that you’re dead obviously- but I’m just so glad to see you!!!”

Scratch can only let out a nondescript choking sound as whatever counts for a ghost’s vocal cords are crushed.

Suddenly, (mercifully) the green ghost goes quiet and pulls back from nuzzling his cheek to look at Scratch. Eyes literally swirling, he blinks hard a few times to make eye contact again. The other ghost has adopted a sudden look of subdued grief in his silence. The sight makes Scratch gulp and his phantom heart pang. He wants to be annoyed with this guy for tackling him but he can just feel that him being sad isn’t right.

“Do you…remember me?” The ghost plays with his fingers, suddenly looking nervous. Scratch’s heart lets out another pang.

He looks into his eyes, a memory washing over him so clearly it feels as if it never faded. “…Geoff?”

Excitement flashes behind the others eyes- yet he continues looking at him expectantly. After a pause, Scratch rolls his eyes, realising what he’s waiting on. “G-E-O-GHGGSJJDJC”

“AHAHAH!” Geoff squeals, kicking his tail frills against the floor like legs as he clutches Scratch close.

“I knew it! You do remember our friendship!”

Wriggling out of his clutch just enough to speak, Scratch rolls his eyes. “Yesss, Geoff, I remember…” A small smile forms on his lips. “Now.”

Chapter Text

“You look different than I remember.” Geoff pulls back and looks him up and down. “Less…blue.”

Scratch chuckles awkwardly. “Yeah well- I pulled myself outta that rut.”

“No, I mean literally! You’re green!” Geoff pokes him in the tummy and Scratch lets out an embarassed yelp and covers himself. He scowls at Geoff for a moment before really taking a look at his hands. He supposes there is a turquoise hint to his ectoplasm.

“Am I uh…not meant to be?” He asks, confused.

“You weren’t before. Guess that joy you found really affected you, huh?” Geoff nudges him in the side with a proud grin.

“Umm…” They both turn to look as Adia floats down to their level. “Hi? I’m feeling kinda lost here.” She looks uncomfortable, like she feels unwelcome. She’ll never be unwelcome anywhere with him, so Scratch swoops out of Geoff’s arms to be by her side again to show that.

Despite looking briefly disappointed at him leaving, Geoff is quick to grin at Adia like she’s an old friend. “Oh, right! You must be Adia!” He’s shaking her hand with enough enthusiasm to throw her up and down before either of them can blink. Scratch cringes as she splats against the ground into a dazed puddle when he finally lets go. “It’s so nice to meet you! I’m Geoff, G-E-O-F-F, Scratch’s best ghost friend!” Geoff gushes, oblivious. “You know, I heard about Scratch’s old best friend, but he left so quickly after he remembered you I never got to learn much aboutcha!”

“Wait- forgot her?!” Scratch glances between his two friends, suddenly beyond distressed. When Adia recovers from being treated like a rag doll, she shoots him a confused and hurt look that makes him feel ill.

“What?” Her voice is quiet. Scratch backs away from both of them, clutching his head tightly as the fog roars loudly in his ears. Forgot her? How? When…?

“Well…yeah.” Geoff sounds equally confused. He looks between them, as if they’re the ones being strange here. “When you were a wraith, you lost…pretty much all your memories. Remember?”

“I…I don’t…” There’s that feeling again, of something nagging at him: something missing. The sight of this realm, of glowing ghosts, of that old woman- Lucretia - and of Geoff, come back to him more solidly. But it doesn’t feel like it all, like he’s still reaching around in the dark trying to grab something just barely out of reach.

(His fingertips have only grazed the person he’s looking for’s in his deepest dreams.)

“A wraith?” Adia’s looks deep in thought. “I’ve heard of that…A human who gave up their ghost. I thought it was make-believe though! Like…well, like ghosts.” Her eyes widen as she mutters this to herself.

It must be obvious he’s freaking out, because a pair of arms land on Scratch’s back to steady him and pull him back to reality. The juxtaposition of these two memories being in the same place feels uncanny. Like  he’s lived two separate lives that were never meant to cross paths.

“You ok, Scratch?” Adia whispers. Her voice is grounding, as ever.

“I…think I remember now.” He slowly lets out a long breath. “I’ve seen this place before.” It’s confident, sure, so much so it surprises him.

Geoff nods. “You’ve seen me.”

Despite himself, he rolls his eyes affectionately. “Yes- and I’ve seen you. As a ghost. When… I was a ghost?” A nod.

“Do you…remember what happened?” Adia is frowning at him. She’s worried. His stomach churns- he hates making her worried.

…But there’s not really an answer to that question that won’t.

“Uh. Do I have to tell ya?” He laughs nervously. Great. Now they both look worried; Geoff wearing an expression of almost dread on his face. Like he already knows…

That’s not right. Adia deserves to know first.

“Ok, ok, fine…” He lets out a resigned sigh and sinks to the floor in a sit. The memories are painful and he clutches at his arm for comfort as he relives them.

“When you left, I…I wasn’t doing too good. For a long time.” He tries to breathe steady, just like Adia always models for him. “I felt like a failure…like a coward…and a bad friend.” Vaguely, through his squeezed shut eyes, he can feel her arms wrap around him. “I wanted to join you, Ads, but…well, y’know…” She nods. They’d talked to some degree before about his fears. What he could remember at least. There’s more to the story apparently, more painful memories flooding in each second.

“I thought that I wasn’t ever gonna do anything with my life. That I wasted it.” His voice shakes. “And…I guess when we fell out of touch I felt like you’d given up on me, so I…gave up on myself.” (It’s hard to unsee her devastated, guilty look. He hopes she knows it’s not her fault. He needs her to.) “And once my spirit was separated…I didn’t have the will to go back. Not for-“ He winces, a flash of pain going through his head as he encounters another block of fog. “-for a long time…”

There’s a long pause as his friends soak in his words.

“Oh, Scratch…” Adia eventually whispers. She nearly throws him to the ground diving on him in a hug. He melts into the embrace, burying his face in her hair to hide a whimper. Though he barely gets chance to savour the comfort.

“You idiot- why didn’t you tell me?!” As fast as she initiated it, she yanks back from the hug and digs her hands into his shoulders. Her hair and teeth have gone all spiky again. He winces.

“Uh…forgot?” Scratch answers weakly with a shrug. Her unamused glare says it all. “Ok, ok…I didn’t tell you how bad I was getting because I didn’t wanna bum you out, ok? There, I said it. I dunno, you just seemed like you were having so much fun…and it’s not like I had a real problem, like I was sick or dying or anything-“ It’s hard to look her in the eye as he rambles and he cringes in on himself when he hears her voice again.

“You think I was having fun?! Scratch, I was worried sick about you!” Now it’s him wearing the devestated look. He stares at the floor in shame. “I could tell something was wrong, I’m not blind,” She glances away, blinking rapidly and trying to keep herself composed. “But whenever I tried to talk to you about it, you just said ‘everything’s fine!’. ‘Maybe next time!’. You used to tell me everything when we were kids and I-“ Her voice hitches and he looks back at her in horror to see tears falling. ‘ No no no no no-‘ “I wanted to help you but you kept shutting me out!”

“…I’m sorry.” His voice falls to a far more serious register, and he keeps his eyes firmly on the ground instead of her, like a coward. “I didn’t want to be a burden.”

She wipes away her tears with the back of her hand, bottom lip wobbling. They can both tell from each other’s faces where he got that idea from, but she’s kind enough not to say it aloud. (He doesn’t remember ever telling Geoff about his family and he’d rather never have to). She embraces him again.

“Your problems are real, Scratch.” She says, muffled against his shoulder.

“I mean…I think the whole wraith thing proved that.” He chuckles half-heartedly, sparing a glance at Geoff. He expects the ghost to look awkward at the mess they’ve become- god knows he would- but instead he has his hands clasped and big watery eyes like a cartoon. (Geez. Ghost physics are weird…)

Before he knows it, they’re both squished in a group hug. Scratch grunts in irritation, now remembering the annoyance of these far too well.

“Alright alright-!!” Too mushy for him. Blech. This whole day has been too much. Adia just rolls her eyes at the protest and hugs him tighter with a faux evil laugh.

“Let us love you!” It’s still clear she’s been crying in her voice, but he appreciates hearing her laugh again.

Playing along to encourage her, he lets out a melodramatic “Noooo….”

“We’ll always love you!” Geoff adds, voice sickeningly dumb and sweet. He feels an ache for a memory he’s barely gotten back. …But that’s too mushy, so he just rolls his eyes and keeps pretending to hate the warm hug.

It’s hard to see much squished between two gummy bears, but Scratch is barely able to make out a purple glow through Geoff’s ectoplasm. He raises an eyebrow. The sound of a dropped shopping bag echos through the- well, not air , the- the void thingy- around them.

Geoff (thankfully) pulls back enough to look over his shoulder and identify the stranger. “Ohh, hey sweetie!” He calls out casually with a wave, as if nothing strange is happening on their front lawn. “Welcome home!”

Scratch follows his gaze over to the- woah, he’s huge- ghost and is hit by another flood of memories.

Tall, scary, furious memories.

Oh. Right. With a jump, he fixes on a forced smile and gives a tiny wave.

“Heeeeya, Jeff…”

Chapter Text

Scratch lets out a scream he’s not particularly proud of as the taller ghost shakes himself out of his jaw-dropped stupor and dives at them. His attempts to run away are futile and (to Adia’s raucous laughter) he’s swooped up by his underarms like a kitten and swung around in circles.

“Scratch! You’re back!” Jeff is grinning, even while still blinking rapidly like he can’t believe his eyes. “…That’s awesome!” (Scratch can’t help a snort at his clear loss for words. Ok, maybe they have some stuff in common.) Jeff lowers him to the ground in a way that makes him feel an awful lot like a child and rubs at his arm with a sudden awkwardness.

“I uh. I realise I never really got the chance to make it up to you much before you left… Sorry we left on the wrong foot.” He looks guilty, even as Geoff puts a hand on his arm.

“Aww, Scratch isn’t mad, babe!” (He isn’t, but he feels a little insulted at being spoken for. A less emotionally-mature part of Scratch almost wants to start hating Jeff just out of spite now but- eeeh, too much effort. There is something instinctively annoying about him though.) “Besides, you already apologised!”

Scratch furrows his brow at the words. Adia looks at him, silently asking for an explanation. He wishes he had one, but his memories are all kinda fuzzy and jumbled.
If he thinks hard, he’s just barely able to recall that an apology had happened- though not any of the specifics. Jeff holding himself in a similarly awkward way for his large size, coupled by the feeling of a hug from behind are the prevailing images.

(He does remember other things though. Like a party where his obliviousness would keep Adia’s blackmail drawer stocked for years. He blushes awkwardly at the memory and clears his throat, looking away.)

“It’s cool.” He says quickly, not wanting to delve deeper into potentially embarrassing memories. Jeff seems…ok, right now. He’s not gonna hurt him or Adia, Scratch can sense that, so he decides it isn’t worth the effort to dwell on whatever they disagreed upon in the past. It’s hurting his head remembering so much at once, anyway.

Jeff shoots him an uneasy smile and Scratch returns it quickly to keep the peace, before taking note of a missing Adia. Frantic, (he can’t bare the thought of her leaving him again) he spins around, trying to locate her, before noticing her a few feet away kneeling down on the floor where Jeff had just been gaping at them.

“Uh, Ads?” He asks, confused, floating up to her.

“Scratch!” She swivels her head around fast enough he flinches, still used to her body having bones in it. Her eyes are wide and sparkling. “Do you know this widdle cutie?!”

For a half second, Scratch’s mind goes to an ugly, ancient dog that looked like something out of a redheads shower drain. His face crumples in confusion and judgement... Until Adia floats aside and there’s a child there- an honest to cob ghost child- and his jaw drops.

The little girl looks nervous, though her wide eyes stay trained on him in intrigue. Jeff floats over to her and she seems to relax with him nearby, floating up to whisper in his ear. He chuckles.

“Yep, that’s uncle Scratch, alright! You wanna say hi?” He pushes her gently forward with a supportive smile.

Adia cooes as the she brushes her puffy pigtails down and tugs on her tail like its a skirt “Hi…” She mumbles, shyly.

Scratch is just trying to process the word ‘uncle’ when a hand comes down way too hard on his shoulder.

“Hah! I see you met our little bundle of joy!” Geoff opens his arms with a grin and the little girl swoops into them. He holds her in one arm, proudly showing her off.“Scratch, this is Jeffica! I told her aaall about you!”

His mind just about crashes, and all he’s able to get out is an overwhelmed, half-shouted “BABY?????”
-

Once everyone got done laughing at him, Geoff and Jeff (Geff? They need a collective name if he’s gonna be talking about them regularly) lead him and Adia inside. Scratch doesn’t recognise this building, but he does feel nostalgic looking at the abundance of plants and the awful 70’s couch. It conforms to his butt perfectly like he’s sat here a thousand times. The dog is there too still- Jammy, he remembers now. If she wasn’t already a ghost he’d wonder how she was still alive. She reacts to his presence in her own slow way, even after all this time, and (with some help from Geoff to get onto the couch) wiggles her way into his lap. She doesn’t have a tail to wag but she’s panting so he thinks she’s excited to see him and he gives her a fond pet.

The room is seperate from the public BnB section of the house, so Jeffica’s toys are freely strewn all along the floor. Adia is quick to offer to play dolls with her, which she takes to fast. Scratch is grateful for her staying, as well as her tactfulness to give him and his old friends space to talk. He never figured out where she got that skill. Despite her frequent protests that he’s a great friend, he can’t help but feel like she’s always upstaging him.

Geoff had a lot of explaining to do, in Scratch’s opinion, both about him being a wraith and the kid, but he first had to tell the guy his whole life story to satisfy his eager questioning. (Including how he’d died, which had been asked about so excitedly and without any fanfare that he and Adia couldn’t help but burst out laughing.) His old friends were on the edge of their seat as he detailed his exploits, with occasional corrections or amendments from Adia on the floor. Hiking, cave diving…he wonders how boring he used to be to get this reaction from them. (Well, he knows but…it hurts to think about too much.)

When he was finally done, Geoff had looked at him with sparkling eyes and hugged him tight enough to almost cut right through his ectoplasm. To his dismay, looking at Jeff for help only made him smirk and join the embrace as well. He might have to rethink hating this guy…

“Oh, buddy I’m so happy for you!” Geoff sounds almost near tears as he nuzzles his cutie bits. “I just knew you’d do amazing!” He sniffles, expression falling slightly. “I mean, I missed you a lot obviously…” (Darn it non-existent heart!) Geoff shakes his head to bring his smile back. “But you deserved to have the best, most awesome life ever while you could!”

“Thanks Geoff…” Scratch manages to get out, torn between being annoyed at the force of his hug and genuinely touched at the words. A rush of memories flood his mind suddenly and he pulls away, brow furrowed.

“Wait…” He feels a sudden sense of unease and distrust. Cold drafts where there should be none, the occasional urge to look over his shoulder… “…Did…did you follow me???” His forehead creases, studying Geoff’s eyes. His friend appears confused, while Jeff seems offended for him at the accusation.

“What? No?” Geoff tilts his head, looking like a puppy. What’s left of his hair even droops like one’s ears. “I mean, I saw you off from Brighton, but after that I have no idea where you went. Ghosts aren’t omniscient, Scratch.” He says it with a frown, like Scratch should know. Which doesn’t feel fair, given how he didn’t know anything about ghosts even when he was one.

Somehow Scratch knows Geoff is too bad a liar to not be telling the truth here. (Some vague memory about Lincoln plays in the back of his mind). His memories still feel strange, though. …Maybe he was just more aware of the presence of ghosts after being one, even if subconsciously? Or…

A small, understanding smile wriggles across his lips as he pieces it together. Oh. Those chills, that strange feeling that someone else should be there… he got it in coffee shops, at festivals and- yes, even the Lincoln memorial. The recent memory of Adia’s hand being missing bumps comes to mind and he looks down at Geoff’s palm, relaxed enough he can barely make out two pale green scars.

“…Huh. I guess I just missed you too then. In my own way.”

There’s a pause where Geoff appears to be processing the words. His husband relaxes and leans back, arms crossed, satisfied. Then, in an instant, Scratch’s vision is filled with a green, yellow and black blur, pressed nose-to-comically-oversized-nose with his friend.

“You did?!” Geoff’s eyes are wide, glittery and hopeful and it makes a part of Scratch’s stomach sink that he seems so pleasantly surprised. He suddenly recalls why Jeff used to hate him and he, too, feels a flare of anger for his old self. Geoff is sweet and kind and enhappifies every room he goes into, Scratch can just feel it. The idea of someone like that being mistreated makes him feel sick to his very core…

Well, he’s not that person anymore. 

…Ghost. Whatever, who cares about semantics! With a reassuring smile, he places a hand on Geoff’s shoulder and nods. “Yeah. ‘Course I did.”

There’s a flash of happy tears in his vision before he’s swallowed up in another gelatinous hug. He relaxes, despite feeling vulnerable in mid-air, and leans into the surprisingly warm embrace.

When he’s lowered back to the couch, Jammy flops her head back in his lap with a comically loud snore, making them all laugh. He catches Adia’s eye during it, along with her smug smirk as she glances between him and Geoff. Scratch makes a point to go and grab his phone from the human world before the day is out to remind her of some of her embarrassing exes. He loves her, but she needs putting back in her place sometimes.

“Soooo,” He trails off, once released, eyes scanning the ivy-covered walls of the room. He has a question he’s been meaning to ask, but the words are coming out about as awkwardly as they always do. “You have a kid now.” He starts.

Jeff snorts, while Geoff just claps his hands and shoots Jeffica an adoring look. “Yeah!” She seems distracted playing unicorn stuffy bungie-jumpers with Adia so Scratch psyches himself up to ask.

“Just wondering, how uh,” He presses his hands together. “Y’know. Where’d uh…”

Geoff just smiles and blinks at him, waiting patiently for the end of the sentence. Sweat beads on his brow. Jeff snickers behind his oblivious husband’s back for a few minutes before having mercy on Scratch.

“June modified sobgoblin DNA by mistake.” He clarifies. Scratch can’t tell whether to sink into the couch cushions in relief or sit up in alarm.

“Sobgoblin?!” Ok that’s a part of the ghost world he did know. Those things are bad. Very bad. The mere thought of them eating joy puts him on edge.

Turning protective, Jeff glares at him, head swiveling over to an oblivious Jeffica in worry. Geoff isn’t as aggressive about it, reaching a more sympathetic hand out to Scratch.

“Don’t worry, buddy, she’s good! June found a way for sobgoblins to eat joy passively without hurting anyone! Eventually she grew and started imitating us so much we’re not even sure if that’s what she is anymore.” Despite the abomination to everything science thought it knew he’s just described, Geoff looks at the little girl with only fatherly pride and affection. “Isn’t she the cutest thing?”

Tension still keeping his ectoplasm taught, Scratch glances over with him. Well. He has to admit he has a point there… Jeffica makes a sound like a car engine as she has her toy pony run across midair. Scratch gets the feeling she’s an awful lot like what a young Geoff was probably like.

“She is pretty cute.” He concedes, a small smile forming on his lips. Something about the little girl surrounded by her stuffed animals feels almost nostalgic. (Which is weird because Adia never cared for them as a kid). It calms him. “…I just have one question?”

“Yeah, Bud?” Geoff smiles.

“Who’s June?”

Chapter Text

The Geffs are staring at him like he just tried to steal their dog.

“…What’d I say?”

Adia is shooting him a look from down on the floor, obviously assuming he’s broken another social faux pas she’ll have to clean up the pieces of. But he didn’t mean to this time, honest! No swearing, burping and or randomly singing (where he got habit from corn knows) in public spaces. He didn’t even put his feet on the coffee table! He doesn’t even have feet anymore!

“You…Don’t remember June?” Jeff asks slowly. Confused, Scratch nods and he and his husband exchange worried looks.

Jeffica has stopped her playing, sensing the tension in the room, and looks up at them with wide eyes. Jeff is quick to redirect her. “Sweetie, I think Jammy is thirsty. Can you help her to the kitchen?” She seems to calm down at being given a task to do, dutifully getting the dog’s wheels from by the fireplace. As she disappears behind the door, Jeff shuts it with his magic and Adia worriedly floats to sit next to Scratch on the sofa.

“What happened? Did Scratch say something rude?”

“Not rude per se…” Jeff looks uncomfortable, though he keeps talking for Geoff who’s taken on a sudden grief-stricken look. “It’s just- June was one of Scratch’s human friends.”

“I had human friends?” At this, Geoff lets out a horrified gasp and Scratch is filled with the overwhelming sense that he’s saying something really wrong.

“You were in the living world most of the time, buddy, don’t you remember?” Geoff’s hands land on his shoulders, and though he’s trying to look casual, there’s a look of growing panic behind his eyes. Scratch shrinks under his gaze, leaning into Adia instead.

“Yeah, but… Sorry, I can’t remember any friends.”

Geoff gives Jeff a devastated look and they mumble to themselves worriedly, something about a she and how they’re gonna break it to her. He tenses up, and, feeling it, Adia speaks up for him.

“Look, I don’t know what’s going on, what happened when Todd was a wraith, or why he forgot about it.” Her voice is even, but she levels a stern look at the two men. She squeezes him protectively in a half-hug. “What I do know is that we both died today including him, and he’s going through a lot of stress with all these new memories. We’d both appreciate some patience if he forgets a few things.”

Despite cringing a little at her tone (a serious Adia is not to be messed with and he’s learnt that well) Scratch can’t help the grateful smile forming as he looks up at her from where he’s leant against her side. She squeezes his arm, bringing him closer.

The Geffs glance between them and each other guiltily, before Jeff clears his throat. “Right. Sorry.” He sounds awkward. “I think we’re all unsure of the extent of Scratch’s memories. Can you tell us what you remembered when you died?” He prompts, taking Geoff’s hand and rubbing his thumb along his knuckles comfortingly.

“I remember…being a ghost. But- vaguely.” Scratch squeezes his eyes shut and rubs at his temples, trying to sort through the fog. “I remember a lot of things vaguely. Like the ghost world, but not any people.”

“Except me.” Geoff adds, optimistically.

A sigh. “Yeah, you. When I saw you.” The way his pal deflates makes Scratch feel a deep pang of guilt. “A-and same with you Jeff.”

“So it seems like your memories need triggers to come back.” The latter muses.

Adia looks down at him with a reassuring smile. “Well, that’s good news. It means these human friends memories probably aren’t gone forever.”

All three of them relax at her words and the fog fades away from Scratch’s mind, leaving him thinking a little clearer, feeling less guilty. Jeff untenses and rubs Geoff’s shoulder comfortingly, sensing that he’s still hurt, despite the newfound understanding.

“Well…” Looking down at his hands, Geoff appears to be thinking for a moment. Then he jumps up in the air. “Bingo! If you want to remember your human friends, we can go see them right now!”

“Right now?” Scratch flinches away, suddenly anxious. “How- how many are there…?”

“Oh, tons-“ He gulps. “There’s the chens, and the McGees and Libby- and of course-“

“Leeets try not to get too ahead of ourselves.” Jeff interrupts gently, mercifully picking up on Scratch’s distress. “It is still Scratch’s first day as a ghost. We should give him some time to process all this.”

“Oh.” Geoff lowers himself back onto the couch, looking sheepish. “Sorry. Take all the time you need, buddy! You and Adia can stay here tonight if you want. …Not that there’s anywhere else you could go, I don’t think.”

“That sounds nice.” Scratch sighs, relief washing over him at the prospect of having time. (A small part of him misses when he stayed at home and time moved at a crawl. It felt safe. Lonely, but safe.) Despite his relief at the news, his side feels cold. Adia is moving away from him, so he quickly turns to her.

“Ads?”

She looks conflicted, almost pained. Instantly he finds himself on edge again, and he leans after her out of worry. “I…I do want to help you, Scratch-“ She stresses and he quickly realises what the problem is.

“Your dad.” His eyes widen.

A small nod.

Shit. He’d gotten so caught up in remembering that he completely forgot.

Scratch swoops up off the couch to grab her hands, looking her in the eye. There’s guilt behind her gaze and he refuses to stand for that.

“Hey…” He says quietly. “I’m not going anywhere. If wanna go see your Dad, hey! I’ll be right there.” Squeezing her hands, he leans in close, touching their foreheads together. “You died today too. I’m sorry for hogging so much of the attention, I didn’t know all this was gonna happen. But I’m done now: we can focus on you.”

Blinking away tears, Adia shoots him a grateful smile. “Thank you.” Her voice is tiny, like it only ever is with him. Their hug is as warm as the day they reunited.

-

They spend the rest of the day and half of the next at Adia’s dad’s place. Scratch is surprised the old man remembers him, to be honest. Even more surprised he still makes brownies the same. He’s as eager to overfeed him as when he was little, as if Scratch is still a kid going to school without any lunch and not an adult old enough to claim pension. But hey, you wouldn’t see him complaining about free food.

(He could do without still being called Tater Todd again but it is what it is.)

He’s glad to see them reunite. Adia has missed the old man dearly in the years since he passed. He remembers the funeral well, as it was the last time they spent any real time together in-person until his epiphany. It seemed her father missed her too, as he has a room already made up for Adia waiting for her, full of framed newspaper clippings of her exploits.

A part of Scratch wants to feel bitter that nobody, not even the old man, made that effort for him. That is until, of course, he remembers that he apparently has a ton of friends he forgot about. Then he just feels awful.

He spends most of that night on the couch wondering about them. Who they were, how he knew them. In the dark the unfamiliar house quickly becomes isolating, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

June doesn’t ring as many bells as the Geffs seemed to want it to. But Libby does. The name feels soft and cosy, like huddling by the fire on a cold day. ‘McGee’ stands out too. He remembers that name. He remembers a house- Adia’s house he now realises. But different, lived in again. The idea of some other family living there still feels wrong to him- that house is sacred ground. But the name feels right. Safe. Like…home.

Scratch Mcgee has a certain ring to it.

…But then he remembers a ‘for sale’ sign and a truck driving away just like that awful day with Adia and he turns over, throwing his pillow over his head to try and block out the memory.

In his restless dreams, the stranger holds him close in comfort.

Chapter Text

He still has sleep crust in his eyes when Geoff stops by, excitedly. He says he and Jeff came up with an idea together to ease him into remembering. Just one person this time, and he doesn’t even have to leave the ghost world. Adia seems hesitant to leave her dad, so he makes a point to tell her she doesn’t have to go with him. She agrees, with the caveat that he text… right up until he and Geoff are floating down the street, when he’s stopped in his tracks by an orange blur.

Turns out she doesn’t want to be seperated from him again either.
-

There’s a sinking feeling in his stomach as Geoff leads them up to the giant floating skull rock. Not even the flowers decorating it’s ominously gaping face ease his worries. Adia has always been braver than him, so, despite being the least familiar with the ghost world, he doesn’t even get to cling to her anxiously. She seems more curious than anything, floating ahead of Geoff to inspect the thing.

“Kind of a clashing aesthetic.” She comments, picking a babys breath from the skull’s floral cat-eye mascara.

“The governments in a bit of a transitional phase right now.” Geoff shrugs. “Still a lot of stuff left from the old-old chairman.”

“‘Old-old’? Was there an in-between?”

“Yeah, that was-“

“Scratch?!”

The three of them go silent, eyes following an impossibly tall silhouette. Scratch gulps at the size and presence of the robe, memories flooding back of the awful powers this creature held-

Only…

This isn’t the chairman from his memories.

The old chairman was pale blue, silent and faceless with nothing but a few ominous mechanical sounds constituting a ‘voice’. This guy…well, he’s orange for one, but also-

In one swoop, the towering figure lands in front of them, shrinking to around jeff’s height. His hood falls to his shoulders to reveal a scrawny looking man with wide eyes and a sorry attempt at a moustache. He stands there in awe, mouth opening and closing like a goldfish and somehow all Scratch can think to say in response is:

“You need a haircut, kid.”

There’s a pause, the other members of the ghost council up on the dias pausing their gossip to gape at him in horror. He feels a bead of sweat form on his brow, unsure why he felt such a strong need to voice that thought but cursing himself for it. Adia audibly facepalms. Then, the boy leans over, clutching his stomach and bursts into peals of laughter.

“I knew it was you!” He gasps in the breaths he can catch, continuously having to swoop his overgrown bangs out of his face to keep hair out of his mouth. The sight makes Scratch instinctively roll his eyes. He at least has the sense to tie the rest back in a ponytail.

Before he can respond, he’s yanked into a teary hug and finds himself back in a haunted blockbuster with a swoopy haired kid, who couldn’t have been older than 14, clinging to him and sobbing vaguely about cool poses. Because…

Scratch pushes the kid away suddenly, filled with panic. “You’re a ghost hunter!” Instinctively, he pushes Geoff and Adia behind him, fists at the ready. Shock and hurt flash behind the boys eyes and the look of betrayal makes something deep in Scratch waver.

…Wait, what?

“I…Scratch, I’m not- don’t you…” His voice is quiet and confused, like he doesn’t know what to say. It’s much deeper now, but it still shakes in a way that feels as familiar as the taste of halloween candy.

Geoff swoops in between them before Scratch can stop him. “Woah woah, calm down buddy! Gee, I’m sorry, Ollie-“ Ollie? He recognises that name now, but it feels a little off. Like there’s something else there, oh so close, that he can’t reach through the fog. It’s right where his memories fight him most.

He clenches his fists and grinds his teeth, growing frustrated with himself and his dumb brain.

“Scratch doesn’t quite remember everything just yet.” ‘Yeah, I’ve noticed’, he thinks bitterly. “Thats why we came to see you, actually! To help jog them! …Maybe shoulda called ahead first.”

Adia is holding his arm back and glaring at the man, clearly trusting his judgement more than Geoff’s. Though Scratch appreciates it, Geoff has proven to be their closest thing to an expert about his past life as a wraith…

His mind is screaming at him not to, but he puts on his brave face, pulls away from her and floats forward.

“You attacked my friends on halloween.” He says slowly, eyeing the kid warily as he points a finger at him. Ollie looks at the floor, his face one of shame. “Then…” Scratch squints and tilts his head at the man, examining him. Its a little hard to see with his more defined chin, smile lines and peach fuzz, but there’s a teenager under there wearing a vulnerable expression. One who was scared of being wrong…and of hurting others. One who wanted to engoodify the world- as stupid and not nearly as cool as enhappify as that term is. One who freed him…

“You changed…?”

There’s a spark of hope in Ollie’s downcast eyes, even despite his questioning tone, and, when they meet Scratch’s, his memories solidify.

Awkward fumbling, a stupid, weird halloween costume, bad drawings of ghosts, a fondness for banana pudding, hugging Geoff- yeah, this kid isn’t bad.

He’s just a loser.

With a fond laugh, Scratch swoops forward and pulls the kid close to ruffle his bangs. “Swoopy hair!” He teases, with the ease of someone who’s done so every day. Ollie freezes up for a moment in surprise, before squishing him tight in a hug.

“Scratch!” He can hear the kids happy tears from over his shoulder. His voice still breaks in that same way. “You remember me!”

Behind him, Geoff lets out a sigh of relief.
-

“I still can’t believe he’s back…” The tall green one mumbles, eyes still trained on him in awe.

“I tried to tell you!” Comes Lu’s indignant voice, only for her to be quickly shushed- as if he can’t hear all of them clearly.

Scratch grimaces, but does his best to ignore their gossiping as Ollie returns from the human world with a scrapbook. Now that he’s not in Chairman Mode anymore, those robes look awful big on him. Scratch would think it cosy if he didn’t know from experience just how itchy that thing was.

…somehow.

“This.” Ollie wheezes, struggling to lift the overstuffed book onto the dias. It sends a cloud of dust everywhere when it lands in front of them. “Is one of our friend groups old scrapbooks. …Ring any bells?”

“Hmm…” Once recovered from his coughing fit, Scratch squints down at the busy cover. “Lotta stickers.” Is all he can manage. Ollie chuckles.

“They’re scratch and sniff. In honour of you.” Suddenly excited, Scratch smashes his face into the book with all the grace of a baby giraffe tripping over it’s feet- only to be sorely disappointed. “…They all wore off years ago.”

Pulling his face off of the book with a wet ‘shllllap’, Scratch whines. “Awwwwhhh. They tease me!” He leans back and crosses his arms like a child to show his indignation, making Ollie and Adia share a fond eyeroll. “You know, I take back all the good stuff I said about you, kid!”

“That’s alright.” Ollie smiles patiently, thankfully recognising the joke this time (because cob he can’t have this guy sobbing into his chest again). He makes short work of throwing open the book to the first page, where Scratch is surrounded by a bunch of kids.

“This is our old group.” He explains. “The ghost friends!” There’s a shine in Ollie’s eyes as he says it, and he stands up a little straighter with his fist pumped in the air. Scratch just stares at him blankly.

“…What is that. Why’re you posing.”

With a blush, he awkwardly clears his throat. “N-no reason. Anyway-“ Flipping his bangs out of his eyes, Ollie points to what is obviously a younger version of him.

“Thats me.” He narrates unnecessarily. “And theres my sister, June- you didn’t know her for as long, it makes sense if you don’t remember her.” He does now that he has a face to put to the name, but not a lot. Something about testing how much ice cream he could eat ‘for science’? He decides he likes her based on that alone. “There’s, Darryl, Libby-“

A loud gasp escapes Scratch without him meaning to.

Everyone at the dias gives him an odd look, but he’s too busy digging through a ghost portal, frantic. When he pulls back, he’s holding a dog-eared book that he quickly flips to the back of. Ollie, Geoff and Adia look over his shoulders, curious, as all he can do is point with an unvoiced wheeze at the authors portrait.

The former two’s eyes light up with delight.

“You remembered her!”

“Aww, buddy, I knew there were still some memories in there!” Geoff hugs him tight from the side but Scratch can’t even process it.

Even aged up and in black and white he can recognise her. Same long wet noodle face, same sleepy eyes and messy hair- albeit much shorter. Same fashion sense even! He can’t tell the colour of her jumper in the books picture but he’s willing to put money on it being green.

“Libs.” Is all he can get out in awe, that young face filling his memories. A strange little nerdy girl in a book shop, on a talent show stage (what was he doing there anyway? He doesn’t have kids) searching for a newspaper story with him... He whips his head over at Ollie for confirmation, proud of himself for coming through with this memory on his own.

“Yeah.” The man smiles fondly. His orange hand reaches over and closes the book, showing Scratch the cover. ‘The curse of Mildred O’Neil.’ With a smile, he tells him “She based this book on her adventures with you and Molly.”

And with that name, the book and the noodle face and Ollie’s swoopy bangs all cease to exist.

Chapter Text

Faintly, he recognises the sound of something hitting the floor. Scratch stares ahead into the ghost world’s void, completely numb, barely registering the voices of Adia, Geoff and Whatshisname in his ear. There’s just ringing, ringing as the crushing weight of the fog presses down on his mind trying to make it explode.

He glances down, shakily, and takes in the cover art staring up at him. A young girl, embracing a scowling blue ghost. His eyes drift slowly up to the scrapbook, turning the page like he’s done so a thousand times before.

A young girl embracing a scowling blue ghost.

The fog explodes into a wave of memories that send him to the floor, hyperventilating.

She’s running up the steps in front of an abandoned house, she’s eating tacos with him, she’s driving away in a moving van, she’s safe in his hold watching a comet, she’s on stage at school and she needs him, she’s-

There are birthdays and death days and Christmas and Hanukkah. There are paintings of him on her wall, there’s a fake tattoo of her name he morphed onto his wrist, there’s sleepovers, day trips, more hugs than he can count-

And there’s this overwhelming, burning feeling that he was loved, and that he loved her right back.

He comes back to a blurry world and more ringing, a halo of faces gathered above his. Even the ghost council have come over to look, their faces, strangely, also ones of worry. Geoff looks especially distressed as Ollie pushes them away- Scratch can faintly make out him saying he needs space.

“Scratch?” He registers Adia’s voice faintly. He thinks he mumbles her name back, but he can’t quite hear himself. Someone takes his hand and he recognises the familiar feeling of a chest moving up and down against his palm. She’s modelling her breathing again. He doesn’t even need to breathe.

He does anyway.

Slowly, when he can manage, he sits up. Adia gently supports him as he sways, Ollie apparently having given her special permission to help. She looks unsure when he meets her eyes, rightfully so… Cob, she’s missed so much.

(Scratch almost cries as he realises it. Oh my cob. Sweet baby corn…)

“Sorry this doesn’t make any sense for you.” He wants to joke, but his voice isn’t working. She forces a smile for him, eyes scrunched up to show her wrinkles in that way that feels as familiar as breathing.

“It’s ok.” Her voice is even, clearly not knowing exactly what advice to give, but the way she squeezes his hand tightly regardless makes him choked up. “We’re gonna get through this together.”

(“No matter what. You got me.”)

Scratch gulps. Slowly, he looks up at the others. Ollie has pushed the ghost council back until it’s just his friends close. He’s grown awful assertive over the years. If Scratch didn’t know what he looked like as a scrawny kid he might even be intimidated by him himself.

The chairman of the ghost world smiles wonkily, betraying his worry. “You ok?”

…Nah. No one could ever be intimidated by Ollie.

“I’m…” Ok? No, no, Adia made him promise no more lies. “I don’t know.”

“That’s ok.” Ollie’s voice is even, and he kneels down to Scratch’s level slowly so as not to surprise him. Geoff continues to hover anxiously, fiddling with his fingers, unsure how to help.

“Do you remember Molly now?”

“Y…yeah.”

“How much?”

“…Everything.”

Ollie nods. He shoots Adia a look, silently asking her to be patient for an explanation, though she remains resolute in keeping Scratch steady, willing to wait as long as he needs.

Scratch’s eyes gloss over as he stares at the ground, his throat tightening. “I can’t believe I forgot her.”

“You forget everyone, friend.” Geoff comforts, his voice quiet and surprisingly subdued for him.

“But this is MOLLY!” He shouts, surprising himself. It doesn’t even matter to him that he doesn’t need to breathe anymore, the breaths are coming back quick and fast. “S-she should’a been the first person I remembered! As soon as I died it should’a been like ‘BOOM! Molly!’ Y’know?!” His voice is frantic as he looks between Geoff and Ollie, not really seeing either of them. “I told myself- I told myself ‘if you forget her, then as soon as you die you better get your ass over there and apologise!’ Oh cob I CHOSE to forget her!” He relives that moment all too vividly, nearly choking on the memories

“Scratch, deep breathes.” Ollie says firmly, yet quietly and from a safe distance. Adia similarly tries to soothe him by rubbing circles in his back but he can barely register it.

“How could I do that?! She was just a little girl- she needed me! She said I was her best friend…Together forever- that’s what she said!”

“Scratch-“

“I promised her I wasn’t going anywhere!” Tears are pouring now, making him unable to see on top of unable to breathe. The council rock feels like it’s about to crumble underneath him and send him falling, falling forever. It’s just like all those times he tried to leave home but chickened out- the painful dread in his stomach, the swirling of the world around him, the sense of impending doom-

Something warm falls over him, covering his body and head in a tight, itchy, grip. The suddenness of it has Scratch letting out a teary, shocked gasp, opening his eyes to see Ollie looking awfully naked without his cloak. Shakily, he glances down at his hands, only to see oversized dark sleeves. “Wha…”

Panic quicky overtakes Ollie’s face. “Sorry! Sorry! Darn it- that was probably a bad idea, unlocking chairman memories too right now- I- I couldn’t think of anything else that would work as a security blanket-!

Security blanket…?

…Yeah. This does feel pretty secure. Familiar.

Ollie’s right- it does trigger memories of his time as chairman. But those don’t matter right now. The robes could tell him he’s cob himself and it wouldn’t be more important than Molly.

“Ohhh what was I thinking-?!” Geoff is chasing a frantically pacing Ollie in circles, trying to comfort him. They look like something out of a ‘30’s comic duo sketch and, as bizarre as it sounds right now, Scratch laughs.

Everyone looks at him like he’s lost it, but he can’t help it. The oversized sleeves of the chairman robe flop about as he leans over, letting out teary, breathless snickers.

Adia, despite no doubt being the most confused person there, is quick to join him, perhaps simply out of how insane the whole situation feels. And over time, with his Adia by his side and his old friends close, his laughter turns into steady breaths.

Chapter Text

“Molly was my best friend.” He narrates in a bittersweet tone for Adia, flipping through the book. He’s slow to talk, partly out of respect for the importance of the memories, and partly because he’s still fighting back the urge to cry. “After I became a wraith, I haunted your old attic for years… until eventually I forgot why I chose there in the first place. …Then they moved in.”Scratch smiles, getting choked up, as he looks at a familiar family picture.

“The McGees made that house a home again. At first, I didn’t want anything to do with ‘em. I wanted to shut them out, like I did everyone...” His eyes lower in shame as he speaks the words, very aware of how Adia squeezes his hand tighter. “But Molly…” As he turns back the page slowly, he can’t help a fond, shaky chuckle. “She wouldn’t have ANY of it. I tried to get her to leave by cursing her but that just stuck us together against my will. And the more I spent time with her…” He flips through the pages of memories with the care of someone touching the crown jewels. “…the more I realised just how much I cared about her. Until eventually…” His throat closes up in teary relief at the picture of the McGees after moving back into their house, ‘for sale’ sign triumphantly broken in half in Sharon’s grip. “I didn’t need the curse to stay.”

“They sound like lovely people…” Adia whispers softly. For a moment, he worries that she’s jealous, but when he glances over to reassure her she’ll always be his best friend, she’s only smiling at him. “I’m so happy you found good friends when you needed them.”

As she says this, she stretches an arm out (she’s really gotten the hang of that fast, Scratch thinks proudly) and yanks Ollie and Geoff into a group hug with him. “You two saved my best buddy.” She thanks through squished cheeks.

“Aww, we didn’t save him.” Geoff waves her off, bashful.

‘That’s right, Molly did.’

“He saved himself.” Ollie finishes.

The words cause an unidentified object to suddenly clog his throat. (“You’ve changed! You’re brave now, brave enough to share yourself with the world.”) The three of them stare at him as he lets out an embarrassing whimper and he quickly looks away, clearing his throat and hoping the hood of the chairmans robe hides the tears pricking at his eyes. It probably doesn’t.

“Then…” He continues, voice and hands, unfortunately, very noticeably shaking despite his attempts to seem composed. His fingertips brush over a picture of sweet, sweet Molly, trying not to break down. She looks so small and innocent. It’s hard to grasp that she’ll be an adult now. He isn’t ready for that. Doesn’t think he’ll ever be.

(He was supposed to watch her grow up…)

“I remembered my life and went back to my body…” He finishes with a whisper, letting it hang. Their silence feels too calm for the weight of what he’s done. His fists clench as he spits out. “And I forgot her. I forgot everything.”

There’s a long pause as Scratch wallows in his own guilt and regret. She’d meant so little to him without his memories he can’t even remember what happened directly after he rejoined his body, his brain seemingly filing it away as unimportant. It makes him sick. Did they talk? …Did she cry? How painfully did she have to find out that he was gone?

He also wonders what he missed in all his years gallivanting around the world. Her graduation, moving out of the family home… Are she and Ollie married now? Cob- does she have kids?

…Has she outgrown him? Or does she resent him for leaving and want nothing to do with him?

He can’t decide which is worse.

Finally, breaking through his own personal swirling Flow of thoughts comes a voice.

“…It sounds like she was a lovely person for letting you do that.”

Instantly, he snaps his head over to Adia, appalled. “What?!” Why is she so calm?! 

She shrugs. “It looks like she loved you a lot.” Slowly, with the reverence the book deserves, she turns through the pages upon pages of Molly and Scratch pictures. “If she cared for you so much but she still let you go and live your life, I think that means she loved you enough to do what was best for you. …Even if it wasn’t what would make her happy.”

“‘If you love someone, set them free’.” Geoff gently quotes, floating down to his other side.

He…

He pauses.

Because that sounds exactly like the kinda gushy, yet smart thing Molly would say.

“But…” He furrows his brows, looking desperately at the past-Molly’s on the pages for an argument. “But if I loved her enough I wouldn’t have done it!” He protests weakly.

“You did love her Scratch.” Ollie says firmly, floating into view. “Very much. I know, I saw it myself. Choosing to love yourself is just as important, though. That doesn’t mean you’re bad.” Reaching out, he takes Scratch’s hands and squeezes them meaningfully. “And Molly agreed.” He adds, in a soft whisper. “That’s why she was the one who told you to go. Remember?”

He does. Tears sting his eyes because he does and he listened to her and-

Ollie rubs his back, soothingly, as Scratch hunches over the desk and hides his sobs in the chairmans robe. “I’ve known her all this time, Scratch. She never once regretted it. Of course she missed you…”

“But she’s always talking about you.” Geoff adds. “She likes to wonder what you’re doing on your adventures… er, were- and how happy you are! She has her own scrapbook in the living world for you.”

With a gross sniffle, Scratch looks up, intrigued. “That’s right.” Ollie smiles. “It’s filled with all the important moments in her life you missed, so you can show you when you die and you can swap stories. …Which, I guess is now.”

Adia squeezes his shoulder. “Isn’t that nice Scratch? She waited for you!”

Hearing it put like that makes him start crying all over again.

“W-why didn’t I r-remember her first?!”He barely chokes out.

“…You remember what I told you about repressed memories?” Adia prompts gently, lifting his chin up to wipe away his tears. He wonders if Molly’s eyes will have wrinkles like hers now that she’s grown up... “If your brain knows something- like a revelation of a best friend you forgot- will hurt, it can block it out to protect you.”

“That does make sense.” Ollie gently supplies. Scratch glances at him, stomach churning with all the emotions. “It’s likely the same reason you forgot Adia when you were a wraith. …Uh, no offence!” He quickly adds, sounding awkward. Adia tenses up a little at the reminder, before remembering her own words and relaxing.

“…Yeah.” She pushes his cutie bits out of his eyes. “You probably forgot Molly because you love her so much.”

“…You really think so?” He asks tearily. His response is a hug from three sides.

“We know so.” He hopes his old robe doesn’t mind all the tears he’s staining them with.

After a long moment of allowing himself to feel, he pulls back from his friend’s hold. “Ok…” He breathes slowly. “I think I’m ready.”

Ollie and Geoff look at each other in excitement. By contrast, he feels a gentle hand land on his shoulder. You sure?” Adia questions, patiently. “There’s no rush.”

Looking down at an aged photo of him and his family, he feels a surge of confidence he hasn’t felt in 30 years. “I’m sure.”

Chapter Text

“Our experiments with ectoplasm have been going really well!” June takes a sip from her tea- iced, as all drinks should be. “I was reading some of my students essays on it’s antigravity properties and there are a few I think miight just make their way onto the research team when they graduate.”

“Fascinating.” Junior nods, raising his own cup of (superior) hot tea to his mouth. The whole thing, teacup included, gets absorbed by his body, leaving him even more bottom heady than usual. He doesn’t seem to notice or care. “I have been contemplating the existence of a universal consciousness recently, and how that connects to collective strife on earth.”

“Interesting.” June’s contemplative nod is undercut by a slight skeptisism. “But have you considered-“

“JUNE!”

Her front door is slammed open with the force of a small explosion, sending a few pictures to the floor. A short, spiky silhouette stumbles out of the ruins. June coughs into her jumper sleeve, having choked on her drink with the interruption.

“Darryl!” She whines as she spins in her chair to face him. She’d spilt a few droplets of tea on her glasses, blurring her friend’s face. As she takes them off to clean them with a grumble, their son speaks up.

“Hello, father. Right on schedule.”

“Junior?” A look of pleasant surprise appears on Darryl’s face, momentarily distracting him from his serious demeanour. “How’d you know that, little guy?”

“Once you open your eyes and learn to truly see, the future is just another facet of the present.” He replies sagely, while being aggressively noogied.

“Darryl, what are you doing here?!” June interrupts them harshly. “I thought we agreed: I don’t like surprise visits-“

“I know, I know.” Raising his hands, Darryl takes on a guilty look. “But- look this is important ok?! I- I don’t have time to explain, something came up and just- come on, ok?!”

“Wait- DARRYL!” June cries as she’s grabbed by the wrist and pulled out of her office. The passing students wear bemused looks at the sight of their Professor being dragged across campus. “I have a lecture to give at 4!”

“No time!”

Sighing, but reluctantly used to her friend’s unpredictable lifestyle, June glances over her shoulder at her son, to see him dutifully following. He even brings her tea with him- though there’s little she can do with it now as Darryl physically picks her up and places her on the back of his motorbike. Junior calmly assumes the lotus position atop her head, handing her her headphones for the inevitable roar of the machine.

June looks around in alarm at the sudden choice in ride thrust upon her. “Wait-“ Panicking, she grabs Darryl by his leather covered waist for safety. “Why can’t I ride in the trailer?!”

“I dropped the keys in Kansas.” He replies all too casually.

“WHAT?!”

“Nevermind that-“ Sitting up straight after making sure Sharky is firmly strapped back into the sidecar (he’d gotten excited at seeing June and started hopping about), Darryl begins revving the engine to drive. Her headphones mysteriously find their way over her ears, accompanied by a forehead smooch.

“Where are we even going?!” June cries loudly to be heard over the sound of the bike.

“Back home.” Darryl replies simply. She can’t see his expression with him facing away from her, but she can hear the awe and disbelief in his voice as he starts to drive.

“You’re never gonna believe who’s back.”
-

Nin levels a glare at her window that could stop a hitman in their tracks. Her mother had been definitely lying when she said being a ghost was simple. ‘Oh, food and drink! Free housing!’ she’d thought. How naive. The old woman had neglected to mention it also meant living with Peter.

“Sharon quick- get the good china out! No wait- what am I thinking?! Scratch is family! We don’t need to act fancy for him! It’s his home! …But wait. What if he thinks we don’t care about him and how long he’s been gone- I mean this is such a big deal-“

So much for that nap. Phasing her upper body through her san phra phum, Nin shoots her son-in-law an exhausted look. Not that he sees it of course, too busy prancing around the living room in a panic with more energy than any man his age has the right to have. She rolls her eyes, looking to Sharon for agreement in how ridiculous he’s being- only to be met by her daughter acting equally frantic.

“Pete, do you remember whether he liked tacos or churros better?!”

“I don’t know! I thought we were getting the fancy takeout!”

“We are! But he needs an appetiser!” Uncovering the receiver of her phone, Sharon continues with the irritated voice of someone who’s explained this a thousand times. “Yes, everything on the menu. …All sauces, yes. …Well hire another delivery driver!”

Great. He’s corrupted her daughter. Rolling her eyes again, so hard that they fall onto the floor (Scratch taught her that trick, haha! This form allows for so much more sass), Nin floats out of her spirit house and up to the attic. The desperate cries of Sharon and Pete become muffled through the floor.

“Do we even HAVE seven chairs Sharon?! Answer me!”

“No this isn’t a prank call!”

“Amateurs.” Nin shakes her head. Flying all the way up to the attic, she quickly locates the one and only thing they need. Molly will be in such a rush to see Scratch that she knows she’ll forget this- but she won’t. After all, what are Grandmas for?

Blowing the dust off the old Scrapbook, Nin smiles at the picture of her granddaughter and her honorary son.
-

Libby taps calmly at her computer, working on the next chapter of her new book. The sun is high in the sky and it looks like the perfect day for a walk later. Right now, however, she’s perfectly comfy cosy with her coffee and one of Gingersnap’s grandkittens curled up in her lap. Truly, the perfect morning.

Then Ollie’s body drops half their plates on the floor.

Libby and FluffyPaws (Molly named that one) both startle, hair on end. As the cat pounces from her lap and runs away, she turns to her wife’s other partner with a growl.

“Shell Ollie! You were supposed to be washing those!”

She’s expecting a typically pessimistic response back like “What does it matter. We’re all broken in some way anyway.” but something is off. Ollie’s body is moving frantically to type something on his phone and the speed with which he’s acting makes her take pause. It’s almost like…

“Ollie? Is that you?” She asks, surprised. “What are you doing back? I thought your shift didn’t end untilAAAAAH!”

“LIBBY!” Before she can blink, he’s leaning over her chair, sending her involuntarily hitting the recline button and sending herself nearly horizontal to get some space. His eyes are wide and his grin manic.

“You uh…ok there?” Chuckling nervously, Libby moves to push him out of her personal bubble. “Did the ghost council convince you to try coffee again? You know what you get like when you have-“

“NO TIME! We’ve got a reunion party to plan before Molly gets off work!”

She raises her eyebrows. “I didn’t know Darryl was coming home today.” Ollie is already by the door hopping about to put his shoes on.

“He’s not.” He turns to her, slowing.” It’s Scratch.”

She freezes.

“What?” It’s comes out as a whisper.

Her eyes scan Ollie’s face, processing, before narrowing into something serious. The face of someone who’s been waiting for this day for decades.

“What do you need me to do?”
-

There’s a saboteur in City Hall. Molly hasn’t caught them in the act yet, but she knows they’re here. Growing up with Darryl had given her a strong internal alarm for pranks.

Her first thought had been him of course- but that was impossible. He’s somewhere in New Mexico right now, no doubt selling contraband iguanas, or whatever he does, out of his trailer.

Ollie is in the ghost world too much acting as Chairman and Libby can never play a prank on her for more than a minute without an adorably giggly confession. With her immediate household ruled out, she went to goes coworkers. Some of the Brunson ghosts could be responsible, but they’ve all revealed themselves to her- she should at least be seeing some of their ectoplasm left at the crime scene. That rules out Bart’s occasional audits too- as if he would bother with such games anyway. The entire ghost council respects paperwork far too much to prank her by moving hers.

Molly yanks her legislation for a new Ghost-Human Friendship Day out from behind the paper copier with a growl. Whoever this is should know how much enhappifying they’re delaying with their pranks. When she turns back to her desk her jaw drops as she sees her stapler is now also missing. With a frustrated shout, she storms over and looks all around her desk, eyes maddened pinpricks.

“Alright you, I’ve had enough of this!” She shouts, frantic. She swears that someone is laughing at her. “I have important enhappifying to do and if you don’t stop moving my stuff I-“ Cold. Her back is cold. 

Ohohohoho… Got ‘em. Smirking, Molly subtly grabs an eraser from the chalkboard the old-fashioned ghost employees like to use. Before the ghost can think, she whirls around and slaps her palm firmly against the thing, sending chalk dust everywhere.

“Aha!”

Immediately her vision is compromised and she’s sent into a coughing fit. Ok, not her brightest idea… as the dust begins to clear, she strains to make out a chalky, squarish silhouette.

Molly feels a familiar name come to her lips, and is just barely able to stop herself in time. (“It’s been years.” She scolds internally. She should be over this by now.

…She knows she never will be.)

The ghost is coughing, that much she can make out, and she takes the opportunity they’re distracted to tackle the now barely-visible phantom to the floor. She’s barely able to hear their voice yelping over her own blood pumping excitedly in her ears.

“Gotcha!” She grins manically in a way only an overworked mayor can as she pins them down. Her triumphant expression fades to one of growing disbelief as a blueish-teal glow fills in the chalky shape in her hands.

“Cob, Moll, that was uncalled for.” Scratch wheezes, sitting up to cough his lungs out as she lets go of him in shock. “Way to ruin the surprise. Ugh.” He croaks. “Gonna be tasting that for weeks…”

“Scratch?” She squeaks, voice barely a whisper as she stares at him. Her eyes are blown wide, pupils pinpricks jumping all over his small frame as if she can’t believe he’s really there. “Is that…” Hesitantly she reaches out, before pulling her hand back at the last second in a gesture that turns his gut with a memory. Gently, he takes her hand in his, all playful irritation melting from his face into something pure and genuine.

“Yeah, Moll.” He whispers. “It’s me.”

He’d been so caught off guard by how grown-up she looked at first. She’s still undoubtedly his Molly- he can see it in the way she talks, the way she moves, the way she lights up any room she walks into… (Her tie covered in smiley faces and stars.) But she’s taller now, her face looking much older without her chubby cheeks and framed by a neat pixie cut instead of her girlish ponytail. She’s so mature…

Yet, in this moment, she looks like a lost child, eyes scanning his as if she needs permission to speak.

She wasn’t supposed to see him until the party tonight. They had it all planned out as a surprise. He could have been less reckless sure, but it just…felt good to see her again. To watch her run around with that familiar boundless energy, to mess with her just like old times…

But he’d messed up. That smile he’d missed so much was gone now.

Scratch gulps, suddenly doubting everything he’d been told about her not being mad at him.

“Molly, I-“ His voice cracks in guilt and, as he sees tears form in her eyes, his own follow suit. “I-I…I’m sorry, Moll-“

Then she throws her arms around him with a loud, happy wail and he’s filled to the brim with that nostalgic feeling of knowing she loves him.

“You came back!”

Slowly, almost disbelieving, Scratch takes in the feeling of having her hug him again. His arms hover awkwardly in the air, almost as if unsure if he’s allowed to touch her. Then, he smiles, fond and adoring. 

“‘Course I did. Dream team for all eternity, remember?” Molly lets out a gross sob and squishes all his ecto out of place with the force of her hug. The familiarity of it makes him chuckle.

As he hugs her back, he hopes she can feel how much he loves her too.
-

…

The McGee house is in chaos.

“Where is Molly? At this rate Darry’ll be here first!” Sharon whines, pacing back and forth. “And that’s less of an exaggeration than you think! June says he’s running a LOT of stoplights!” She waves her phone in the air frantically, as if anyone would need proof of such an accusation.

“Scratch isn’t here either.” Geoff frowns, looking longingly at the rapidly-cooling buffet. “He’d never let good shrimp go to waste.”

“Did you sure you remembered to drop lead, Ollie?” Libby questions for maybe the hundredth time. He almost explodes on her.

“YES! Ok?! Look!” For the two hundredth time he shows her the text. “Exactly what we agreed on! Molly would NEVER turn down a puppy parade!”

“What could be more important than puppies to her?” Sharon questions, looking out of the window, with worry.

Little does she know, her daughter is halfway across town at Sweets And Treats doing something far more important than watching a million puppies could ever be.

Catching up with an old friend.