Touch Of The Past

Chapter 32

"I can feel it. I know if I just grab it, I can pull on it and it'll come with no resistance. So why can't I get a hold on it?

"It's like holding water.

"I've spent so long shoving this part of me away, trying to bury it and protect it, I just can't... I can't figure out how to get it back. It sucks. I know exactly how to get everything back-to fix everything- but I can't freaking do it- Something I've probably done a million times!"

He's pacing-or floating-back and forth, head down and hood up.

"You can't figure everything out just by getting your memories back," I try to reassure him. "Let's see. Like why the light has ectoplasmic weapons and energy. Or what the GIW is up to. Or if the GIW and the light are working together. You don't have to fix everything... you can't. Took me a while to learn that. It'll take you a while too." All the while my hands move, fixing Phantom's belt up.

"But it's so frustrating! It's right there! I- URGH!" He pulls on his hair in frustration, still pacing.

"Calm yourself," I demand, still focusing on the belt in my hands. I'm trying to connect a loop for the thermos Danny asked for. Wally was in here with me and Danny, but he had to go. Probably to makeout with Artemis.

"Fine," he huffs. He sits back down beside me, where he was fiddling with a contraption Jazz brought him. He isn't sitting on anything, just... floating in a crossed-legs position.

I asked him once if he ever gets tired floating around. He told me that's ridiculous; being a ghost means floating is as natural as standing or sitting.

Like before, his mind wanders as his hands twist the wires of the machine, fingers pulling and fiddling with the parts unconsciously. It's muscle memory, I'm guessing. I wonder what he's thinking about. Usually it's something completely random.

It is.

"How much do you know about ghosts?"

The question throws me off guard, as they usually do. Still, without missing a beat, I answer, "They were studied and discovered by Jazz's parents, the Fentons, and they exist in a flip dimension of our world. If one is destroyed, so is the other. They are made of ectoplasm and the... souls, I guess? of those that died. They have obsessions, powers, sometimes domains in their dimension. Not much else."

"They have laws," he adds, absentmindedly, still focused on the thing in front of him.

I don't break what I'm doing, hoping he continues talking in his trance, surfacing new memories.

"And?" I ask after a long silence.

"There are artifacts. Skeleton Key, Infi-map, Time Medallions..." He grows thoughtful. "Crown of Fire and Ring of Rage."

"What about them?" I ask, keeping a disinterested voice but harboring a growing excitement.

"They only work together," he continues. "They-" He stops, closing his eyes. I watch as his emotions conflict with each other, knowing the brief moment of remembrance is over.

"Hey, that's more than we knew before." As I talk, the door opens, revealing Zatanna. She glances at Danny, face full of warring frustration and despair, and then at me. I shrug, honestly not knowing what to say.

"Rebmemer," says Zatanna. Danny lets out a gasp before whirling to her, expression accusing. She shrugs at him. "Figured I'd try."

"Yeah, well, it didn't work," he bites out. "That just gave me a headache, thanks."

She raises her eyebrows. He's not usually this rude, even when stressed. Despite the change in behavior, though, she ignores it and goes to sit on the table next to my now finished project.