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[Alrighty, so I've finally been able to finish writing this! Yay for not being busy and sick! Hope you enjoy it! <3]

Chapter Nine

                Sean looked to the younger man through the rear view mirror, watching his reaction.  He did not want to upset him and Sean didn’t know if this would cause that to happen.  The boy’s translucent blue eyes reflected shock, but also curiosity and hope.

                “What-What is it?”  He looked to Quinn first and then quickly to Sean, pleadingly.

                “Jacob, Jacob Smithes.”

                Ghost looked out the car window, gaze unfocused as the name played over and over in his mind.

                “Quinn?”

                “Yea, Ghost?”

                “My name is Jacob.”  Ghost broke out into a smile.

                Quinn couldn’t hold back his own look of joy.  “It is.”

                “Well, I mean, I don’t want to bring down the mood, but we have to make sure.  I could be wrong you know.”  Sean said, doubting himself.  He wanted so badly to find Ghost, make his friends happy, but now all he could think about were there disappointed faces if he was wrong all along.

                “No, Sean, it IS my name.” His grin grew larger if at all possible.

                Sean and Quinn looked closely at the younger boy, and that’s when they saw a look so unfamiliar to Ghost, recognition.

                “I remember that’s my name, I can feel it.  It’s so familiar to me. I just can’t explain it other than to say it is my name!”

                “Can you remember anything else now?”  Quinn asked quickly, hoping they broke through the vault of Ghost’s mind.

                Ghost’s looked turned to one of concentration.  He squinted at the distance trying desperately to recall anything.   Finally he sighed, shaking his head no as his shoulders slumped.

                “Hey,” Sean said softly, “At least now we know your name.  YOU know your name.”  Sean grinned, “And I have an idea on how to learn more.”

***

                “Guys!” Quinn whispered, “I don’t think this is such a great idea!”

                “It’s totally a great idea Quinn.”  Ghost said in reply.

                “It’s the only thing I could come up with, and besides what better way to find out about a student then to look at his records?”

                “Exactly!”  Ghost shot towards Quinn.

                Quinn groaned, “I hope we don’t get caught.”

                “With an invisible boy as our look out we won’t. So stop worrying.” Sean said as he grabbed Quinn’s hand, holding onto it in hopes of calming him.  With a little added benefit on his own behalf as well.

                They were at the High school in the middle of the night.  They had snuck in through a broken delivery door; one Ghost had informed them of.  Making their way slowly to the office, Ghost would disappear for a few moments as he checked the path ahead, making sure the coast was clear.  Thankfully the file room was located in the front office, with an open doorway for the ease of the secretaries. 

                The room was filled with filing cabinets.  Every wall contained at least three, with a middle row of six wide set lateral files.  Sean looked at each one with a look of annoyance, how where they to be quick with all of this to look through? Thankfully Quinn’s anxiety took a rest and his smarts kicked in.  He skimmed the labels on each, searching for SM.  When he found the one he was looking for, labeled SI-SO, he stood back and waved the other two boys forward.

                “There you go, now hurry up!”  Quinn whispered.

                Sean rummaged through the manila folders as quickly as he could, “Sims, Simmons, Sitter, Sketter, Skip, Skitcher, Slatter, Slauter, Slent, Slight, Slopps, Smant, Smeller, Smith, Smith, Smithes, Smithies…..wait, Smithes, Jacob!”  Sean pulled the file, Ghost was practically bouncing beside him. 

                Placing the file on the nearest flat surface, Sean hesitated a moment before opening the file.  He took a deep breath, looked to Quinn, and at his slight nod, opened the file.  The first thing to greet their eyes, confirmed every suspicion they had. 

                Inside, paper clipped to the front cover of the folder, was a picture of a boy, around age 13 or 14, with dark brown hair, and blue, blue eyes.  His skin was still a little pale, even while still alive.

                Quinn looked at the brown haired, blue eyed boy beside him, “Well Ghost, you were right, that is your name, we found out who you are.”  Quinn smiled to his friend, a little uneasy.  What would this mean now?  How will this change things?

                “What-umm-what would you rather be called now?  Your name?”  Sean asked, very unsure of his situation.

                Ghost was staring down at the picture; it had been so many years since he has seen his own face, not that he could really remember that, just the feeling of time.  He has longed to see his reflection, see himself.               

                When the question Sean asked sunk in, he turned to look at his most recent friend, “Ghost, that’s who I am now.”  Quinn and Sean both smiled at him gently.

                “Ghost it is,”  Sean said as he went to the file once more.  He flipped through a few pages and then back to the beginning.  “Ok, well good news, we have an address and contact.”  Sean looked to Quinn.

                “So, we can visit your old home, maybe contact your parents? See what they know.” 

                Ghost nodded, they were coming so close to finding out what happened and ghost really did want to know, but he was becoming scared.  What if the answer isn’t what he wanted to hear?  What will happen when they find out?

                “What’s the bad news?”  Ghost asked Sean quickly.

                Caught slightly of guard Sean stumbled, “Wha-what do you mean bad news?

                “Well you said it like there is good news and bad news, so what is it?”

                Sean looked down, “Aside from a few schedules, there’s nothing else in your folder. No notes, no comments from teachers, its rather….empty.”

"Humph, just like my brain it seems."  Sean and Quinn looked to each other, unsure of how to react to that, "Guys, it was a joke! Ha ha funny? Because I can't remember and I have an empty transparent head sometimes?" 

Sean cracked a smile as Quinn giggled a little, "We just didn't want to hurt your feelings if you were just being down on yourself."   

"Look, I know I'm younger then you now Quinn, but you can be honest and everything with me, I can handle it.  I promise, ok?" 

Quinn nodded, smiling softly.  Ghost my not be able to grow physically older, but mentally it seems like he is maturing. 

They put everything away after copying everything in the file down.  Then the boys quickly exited the school much to Quinn's relief.  The school look deserted and relatively ominous now that they were leaving. Funny how Quinn only felt anxiety from the act of breaking in that he never noticed the creepy look it gave off at night now when one was around.  The dreams Quinn and Sean had that one night came to mind and a shiver worked its way up his back.  Was this how it looked in Sean's dream?   

Sean noticed Quinn shudder slightly and reached out for his hand.  Quinn took it gratefully as they made their way home.  The warmth of his fingers calming Quinn's mind.

---

  Today the three boys were off on another adventure, this one less extreme in Qunn's eyes.  Sean had the idea to go by Ghost's old home and see if it brought back any memories.  So they set off rather early, giving themselves plenty of time to do more research after the fact.   

They reached the house pretty quickly, seems it was only a few blocks away from the school.  It was a small two story with white siding, somewhat plain compared to the houses around it. 

The closer they came, Quinn and Sean continued to glance at Ghost.  They hoped this would trigger some kind of emotion or memory.    

When they reached the home, Sean stopped at the front gate and stepped back, letting Ghost get the full view.  The far off look Ghost had when his name was found came to his face once more.  Gazing off into the windows of the small white house, Ghost felt the familiarity of this place.  So similar to the feeling he has when inside the school. 

"So?  Anything?"  Quinn asked quietly. 

"Its definitely familiar, that's for sure." 

"Well, does it bring any thoughts to mind?" Sean asked in response.

 Ghost concentrated for a moment then said, "Well I feel like I just want to go in and lay down. SO that has to mean something." 

"Yea, I would say so," Quinn smiled.  "So you know the house and you feel comfortable here, that's good." 

Just as the boys were trying to see what other feelings Ghost may be pulling from the home, a middle aged woman came out on to the front yard.  They all stopped and looked to each other.  The woman approached cautiously. 

"Can I help you?" She asked. 

"Um, would you happen to be Ms. Smithes?"  Sean asked, unsure yet hopeful of her response. 

"Oh, no I'm sorry.  She was the last owner, I just bought the place about a year and a half ago." 

Ghost's expression turned sad, it was too much to hope this woman might have been his mother.  He hadn't felt any reaction when she came outside, but if it would have been her....Well it wasn't, and Ghost needed to focus on the next step.  He was trying to prove he was mature enough to handle all of this, for Quinn.   

"That's ok ma'am, sorry to bother you."  Quinn stated as they started to leave the old home of their dear friend.   

A few houses down, however, Quinn stopped in his tracks.  That house number was entirely too familiar.   

"What is it Quinn?"  Ghost asked his best friend, slightly concerned of his reaction. 

"That-THIS is the address listed on the janitor's arrest report." 

They all stopped and looked to the house then.  The Janitor lived only two houses away from the missing Jacob Smithes?

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