Dead and Alive

Chapter 8

Ok here's the update! This chapter's a bit sad...

"What happened?" Luke asked as he took in the image of Reggie in Ray's arms, sobbing his guts out. Luke couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Reggie cry. Get teary, maybe. But all-out sob? Never.

"He thought my dad was going to hit me," Julie said quietly. "He threatened him with a knife."

"For real?" Luke gaped at her. Gentle Reggie threatened Julie's dad with a knife? It was like he'd landed in an alternate universe.

"Yup," Julie said succinctly.

"And then you made him solid?"

"Seemed like the easiest way to help." Julie shrugged, like making a ghost-boy real again was no big deal.

Luke nodded, at a complete loss for words. He went and knelt by the man and the boy huddled on the floor. "What should I do?"

"Just talk to him," Ray said softly. "He's had a hell of a shock. He needs to know you're here."

Luke swallowed, chest constricting at the sight of Reggie's tearstained cheeks and red-rimmed eyes. He looked wrecked; gutted in a way that Luke had never seen before. He licked his lips. "Hey Reggie. You okay?"

Reggie looked up. "Luke? Luke!" He launched himself into Luke's arms, sending Luke back onto his ass. Reggie was trembling, his skin hot under Luke's hands.

"It's okay," Luke said inanely. "I'm here."

"I was going to kill him," Reggie said, voice cracking, "I thought he was my father. Not Julie's. And...and I was going to—" he started crying again.

Luke looked helplessly at Ray, who had stood up and stretched his back. Ray sighed and sat right back down on Luke's other side. "Reggie," he said, voice kind but firm. "You were scared, and it sounds like your father didn't treat you very well. You were trying to protect Julie. That's a good thing."

"Yeah!" Luke said, relieved to be able to follow Ray's lead. "You were just trying to protect Julie! You didn't want to hurt anyone."

"No," Reggie snuffled. He raised his head. "I thought Julie was going to get hurt."

"You did the right thing. Protecting Julie is always the right thing to do in my books." Ray smiled warmly at Reggie, who smiled back, small but real.

"Now, can we get off the floor?" Ray asked, "I'm way too old to be sitting here."

Reggie nodded, and they all stood up. Luke jammed his hands into his jean pockets, feeling awkward and strange to be around Julie's dad and so much emotion. He didn't think his own father would've handled that as well.

He wondered what the hell Reggie's dad had done to him. The thought made him mad.

Wordlessly, Julie offered them a plate of cookies, and they all took one.

"Thank you," Reggie mumbled as he took a cookie and then several tissues Ray handed him. Now that he was no longer crying on the floor, it was clear embarrassment was setting in. He wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.

They ate their cookies in silence, and Luke tried to lose himself in the sweet, crunchy taste. He hadn't eaten anything since before their deadly show, which was both three days and twenty-five years ago. Being a ghost meant that he wasn't hungry anymore, but boy he missed eating.

"So," Ray said conversationally after they'd all eaten several cookies, "Reggie, come talk with me."

"What?" Reggie squeaked, and then coughed as he inhaled part of his cookie. "You want to talk to me?"