Set Alight

Chapter 20

Again, sorry for the missed update. Actually, I'm changing the updates to once a week, back to Saturday, but I'm NOT giving up on this story. I've had the climax figured out since the second chapter. High school cannot stop me!!

You have not heard the last of me!

"EMMA!" Ashton sprints towards me and catches me around the waist, hugging me fiercely. "We rushed over as fast as we could! We were worried that since Jazz found you you were going to run away again!" He steps back and seizes my hand.

Well, I was, but I didn't. But I don't say that, even though Jazz obviously knows that it'd gone through my head.

"We're so sorry," Sam starts. "We shouldn't have pounced on you like that. You're probably so confused and-"

"I was a child," I interrupt. "No harm done."

"I know that you're so new to this, and everything... but, we were hoping that you'd give us a chance..." Danny mumbles, rubbing the back of his head.

"Of course," I reply. "Just... it was a little much all at once. I've calmed down, and I already like you guys. I was really just mad at my... other dad. Not at you."

"You have calmed down," Ashton accuses, eyeing me up and down. "What... what did you do?"

"Blaze is very therapeutic," I explain, sending a smile her way.

She returns the smile. "If anyone wants three room-full's worth of ashes, you've got my address." She and I chuckle a little while everyone else puts the pieces together.

"Wait, you burnt stuff?" asks Jack.

I furrow my brow. "Only a little bit." My fire seems to giggle. I'm confused at its reaction but think no more on it. Then I grin. "At least I didn't accidently use my Heat Wave."

"Why?" asks Ashton. "I mean, I get it's destructive and all, but wouldn't that just feel great?"

"No. I need all the energy I have in order to be able to kick my dad's butt." I emphasize this with a punched fist into my other palm before returning my right hand to Ashton's left.

"As much as that's a fantastic idea," Sam begins, sending two annoyed glances at me and Danny. "Perhaps we should be a little smarter about this."

"Sammmm," Danny whines, turning to her.

"No. If we go in there guns a-blazing, there's no telling what could happen. He could never tell us what happened exactly. Or, he could have specific wards against ghosts. We should probably be a little more tactical."

"I'm a relatively logical person," I say, addressing Sam. "But even I've got to say let's kick his butt."

Sam frowned deeply as Lindsey, Jack and Ashton all claim that that's the best course of action. She pulls Danny forcefully from the air so she can mutter something in his ear as the four of us begin talking excitedly about our not-so plan to rush in and just shoot him with ecto-guns.

"WAIT!" We stop talking at the sound of Danny's voice. "We're forgetting that he kidnapped you in the first place. He defeated Sam in almost no time flat, and I'll tell ya, Sam can kick my butt more times than not." Sam nods with a smile at this accomplishment. "We should probably figure out who he is, what he wants and what his end goal is."

He deserves that much. Anyone deserves that much, no matter my personal views on this subject. I groan, my logic winning over. "Fine. What's the plan?"

"Mr. Leaders," Benedict greets respectively.

I give a strained smile as my dad hangs his keys on the hooks by the door. "Hey dad!"