—𝙎𝙒𝙄𝙉𝙂𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙎𝙄𝙓𝙏𝙄𝙀𝙎!

❛❛ 𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙎𝙃𝙄𝙏, 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙎𝙃𝙄𝙏-𝙀𝘼𝙏𝙀𝙍! ❜❜

~ ☂︎︎ ~

"𝘿𝙄𝙀𝙂𝙊, 𝙔𝙊𝙐'𝙑𝙀 𝘽𝙀𝙀𝙉 awfully quiet this morning."

Diego sat in a sharing circle at the Holbrook Sanitarium, looking disheveled in his hospital outfit and long hair. "Just taking it all in, Doc. Letting all the healing shit wash over me." With a sigh of dissatisfaction, Dr. Moncton preceded. "Last week you mentioned your father," Diego nodded, "How your whole childhood felt like some kind of experiment."

"It was an experiment," Diego confirmed, not that the doctor would actually know. "Hm. Or did it just feel like an experiment?"

"No, it literally was an experiment."

The doctor continued. "Let's dig deeper. You say your father is a villain," he said, looking down at his notes on Diego. "Hell yeah." He looked back at his clipboard. "So you had to play hero to make Daddy mad." The woman seated next to Diego let out a laugh.

"I'm a grown-ass man, Dr. Moncton..."

"...Who still defines himself in opposition to his father. His dead father. That isn't really defining yourself, is it, Diego?"

"Yeah, why don't you tell that to Luke Skywalker?" Of course, Star Wars wouldn't be released for over another 10 years. "I know you don't get it, but that is an excellent reference."

"Humor is good, truth is better. Who is the real Diego?"

Diego was tired of this shit, just done with it. He wanted to leave. He needed to make himself look better, or at least buy himself some more time. "I don't know," Diego started, preparing some sort of sappy speech with tears, "I guess I've never known. But I'm ready, I'm ready to find out."

The rest of the patients started a slow applause, Diego nodding in appreciation. "Thank you, Diego. Okay, quiet time until lunch."

"You're so full of shit." Lila Pitts, the woman sitting next to Diego, whispered in his ear. "Tears too much?" He questioned. "He saw right through it," she assured. The look on the doctor's face was pretty convincing to Diego. "No, he totally ate that shit up."

Lila smirked. "Bet you three lunch Jell-O's you're wrong." Diego smirked back, "You're on." She motioned towards the doctor, "All right." She eyed him as he made his way over.

"Dr. Moncton. Hey, you got a sec?"

"Sure Diego. What is it?" Diego fiddled with his fingers. "I've been, uh, doing a lot better lately, haven't I?" He nodded. "True. You're calmer now, less combative. It's nice to see you opening up in group."

Diego, a bit distracted, looked over at Lila to see her sticking cigarettes up her nostrils.

He looked away. "So, uh, when do you think I might be getting out of here?" Dr. Moncton looked back at his notes, "Well, your review board will reassess your case in 90 days." Diego looked at him in disbelief. "Ninety days? No, I can't...I can't wait that long."

"Just take it one day at a time, okay?" He tried to reassure Diego. "No, you don't...you don't understand," he lowered his voice, "They're trying to kill the president a week from today."

The doctor sighed. "Diego, I thought we moved past this. You know what a hero complex is?"

"Yeah, it's for assholes who think they're heroes." He tried again. "This paranoid fantasy about President Kennedy is what for you committed in the first place."

"They are going to kill him," Diego argued. "They're gonna shoot him in the head right here in Dallas." He gripped his arm. "All right? Understand?!" The doctor tried to pull himself from Diego's hold.

"Let go!" Guards and other workers around them approached Diego, anesthesia ready. Seeing the needles, Diego backed off. "All right, I'm okay," he said. The doctor pulled himself away from him. "I'm sorry, look, I'm okay. I'm okay, I'm okay."

Diego needed another plan, well, not like he didn't already have one up his sleeve.

~ ☂︎︎ ~

𝙊𝙉 𝘼 𝙁𝘼𝙍𝙈 on the outskirts of Dallas, Sissy Cooper walked into her house. "Hey, I'm back," she said, greeting her son and the woman in the living room. She chuckled. "Sorry I was gone for so long." Closing the door behind her, she stepped in. "Did you and Vanya have fun today, Harlan?"

The boy gave no response, playing with the toy in his hand, looking at the ground. Vanya smiled at both of them. "We did," she confirmed, "We went down to visit the horses and we read James and the Giant Peach."

"Any episodes?" Sissy asked.

"No ma'am."

Sissy sighed, "How about you? How are you feeling?" Vanya looked up at her. "Oh, my headaches are a lot better. Still no memories."

Sissy held her hand out and grinned at her. "Well then, we need to get busy making you some new ones, hm?"

~ ☂︎︎ ~

"𝘿𝙄𝘿 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙎𝙀𝙀 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙋𝘼𝙋𝙀𝙍 𝙏𝙊𝘿𝘼𝙔?"

Raymond Chestnut walked into his house, elated about what was in the newspaper. "Page one, paragraph five, line two: 'When asked about the Southern Justice Coordinating Committee's upcoming threat to demonstrate during President Kennedy's visit to Dallas, White House Press Secretary Pierre Salinger responded by saying-'"

"What was that?" Allison Chestnut shouted from upstairs, unable to hear Raymond's excited speech.

"We made the papers baby!" He shouted back. "And here's the best part, you're gonna love this. And I quote, 'As the president said earlier this year, the rights of every man are diminished-'"

"'-the rights of every man are diminished," Allison started speaking with him, "when the rights of one man, or woman, are threatened.'"

Allison let out a giggle as she walked down the stairs. "I bought the last three copies this morning at Coleman's."

Raymond smiled at her and pulled her close. "I am the luckiest man in Dallas," he said, giving her a kiss. "Is that right?" She asked, leaning back in. "That is right." She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"And you are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." Allison leaned into him. "And the best part of my life." She tried to let herself enjoy the moment, but her facial expression gave too much away.

"What?" Raymond asked.

"I just don't want you to get your hopes up, about Kennedy." He only chuckled. "Change is comin', baby, I can feel it. I can feel it. Speaking of which..."

He reached into his back and pulled out a book, handing it to Allison. She let out a gasp. "A little pre-anniversary gift for my beautiful wife." She laughed and examined the cover.

From Earth to Moon, by Julia Vernes

"I know I promised you the stars, but..."

She chuckled softly at the title. "The moon." He smiled at her. "I see you staring at it every night. So now you can see it whenever you want." They turned to each other and leaned in for another loving kiss.

~ ☂︎︎ ~

𝙊𝙉 𝘼 𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙉𝙏𝙍𝙔 road outside of Dallas, a car containing one man and a ghost sputtered to a stop.

"Now what?" Klaus asked in exasperation, opening the door to see what was wrong. "Remember when I told you the engine was overheating?" Ben reminded him. "Yeah, well, being smart doesn't make you interesting."

"Neither does your beard."

Ben got out and moved beside Klaus. "You know, it would help if I knew where we were going, Mysterio."

"Back to Dallas," Klaus replied. "That far? For how long?" Ben asked. Finally opened up the hood to find smoke rising all around him. He coughed and fanned it away. "None of your beeswax." Ben crosses his arms. "Really? Think I'm just gonna keep following you everywhere for another three years?" Klaus turned around with his arms held out.

"Yeah, you're my ghost bitch. Remember?"

He paused. "Except for those times where you mysteriously disappear. That's been happening for 6 months now? Where do you even go?"

"None of your beeswax," Ben quipped. "And no. We have to go back. They need you in San Francisco."

"They were so clingy," Klaus whined. "Okay, fine," Ben agreed. "I felt like my skin was on fire," Klaus continued, squirming a bit to exaggerate his point. "I need us in San Francisco," Ben stated, "I have unfinished business."

Klaus scoffed at him. "Oh, what are you gonna do? Wear your little ghost power suit and do some ghost phone calls and do some business, huh? Awww!" Klaus mocked.

"Forget it, forget it."

"No, come back. You have 'unfinished business.' You don't even have a body without me. You need me," Klaus pointed out. "Nobody needs your shit, Klaus," Ben replied, "That's why you're always alone." They both glared at each other.

"Eat shit, you shit-eater!"

Klaus shouted and tackled Ben to the ground. Ben shouted back as they began rolling around and hitting each other. "Get off!" Klaus grunted. They continued to yell and growl and slap each other.

"Ow!"

"Aah!"

"Have you showered?" Ben asked "Ow!"

"No!" Klaus replied. At that moment, a car drove by. To the man inside, it looked like Klaus was wrestling himself. The sounds continued as the brothers kept fighting.

~ ☂︎︎ ~

𝘼𝙁𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝘼 𝙇𝙊𝙉𝙂 walk, the two finally made it to a bar. Klaus stumbled in with his extravagant attire. "You lost, boy?" One of the patrons asked. "Thirsty, actually," he replied, making his way towards the bar. "Lord," one of them muttered as the other customers murmured around him.

"Whoo-hoo. Excusez-moi, garçon," Klaus called over the bartender.

"Yeah?"

"Any idea when the next bus to Dallas is coming?" Klaus asked. "Sure do," he replied, seemingly annoyed with Klaus. "And?" Klaus pushed on.

"Three o'clock sharp. Tomorrow."

"Well, that'll mean plenty more bonding time for-"

The bartender turned away before he could finish. "Okay," Klaus said, taking a seat so he could wait.

"Hey, pretty boy," one of the men called from a table. Klaus looked around and pointed to himself. "Do you mean me?" The man nodded. "Yeah, you. You wanna play a little poker while you wait?" The question seemed like more of a threat than a friendly invitation. So, Klaus did what anyone would do in this situation.

"You know what? I would be delighted."

~ ☂︎︎ ~

"𝙄𝙁 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙆𝙀𝙀𝙋 undressing me with your eyes,

I'm gonna catch cold."

Buck, the man who challenged him, say across the table and glared at him, trying to read his facial expression. "Watch your mouth. Stupid's falling out."

Klaus seemed to be thinking of something as he giggled. "Is something funny?" Buck asked.

"No, no, just thought of a little ditty

I'm working on. 'There once was a young Buck from Dallas, who sported a miniature phallus-'"

"Tell you what," Buck interrupted, "If you're so cocky, what say we up the stakes?"

Klaus held his hands out. "All my money's already in the pot."

He examined Klaus and gestured towards his neck. "Throw in that sissy-ass gold necklace then. Clyde here can melt it down, make me a belt buckle."

"That would be one hell of a belt buckle," Ben said from the corner of the room. "He's bluffing, by the way," he said, looking over at Buck's cards, "He's got nothing."

Taking that into consideration, Klaus agreed to the deal. "Okay, I'll put in the sissy necklace, for the keys to your pickup." Klaus stared at him. "Unless you're bluffing."

He thought for a moment and then tossed his keys in. "Deal."

"Let's see it," Buck says chuckling, flipping his cards. "Full house. Kings over sevens."

Klaus laughed nervously, Ben had lied to him. "Oh. Well, that...that's not nothing." He put down his cards. "Fair is fair. You win."

"And I gotta be on my way," Klaus said, moving the chips and sneaking the keys into his hands.

Buck noticed right away. "You got sticky fingers."

"And crazy IBS," he replied, "I mean, it's a miracle I'm sitting down-"

In an instant, Klaus had been punched. He grunted and keeled over. "All right," he groaned. "Ow!" Buck glared at him. "Give me my damn keys."

Klaus turned around and wiggled his fingers. "Showtime, Ben." The man turned around to see Ben's blue glowing figure.

"What in the hell?" Buck exclaimed. Ben surveyed the situation, and proceeded to disappear.

"Nah, I'm good."

"You're so independent," Ben explained, "Go fight your own battles."

"You think you could pick a better time to self-actualize?" Klaus grabbed the keys and made a run for it, the others barreling after him.

"I bet you're loving this," Klaus said as he ran.

"I'm not hating it."

Ben walked slowly behind Klaus. "Hey, I think, I think someone's calling me."

A little distracted, Klaus went up to the cars, debating which one to pick. "Shit, which one?"

"Get your ass back here! You little shit!" Buck yelled. Ignoring him, Klaus responded to Ben, "Calling you? Brother dearest, you're a ghost. Who could be-"

He paused and turned to Ben. "No, really? She's been here this whole time and you haven't told me?" Ben scoffed. "Not this whole time, just the last 6 months."

"That's my truck!"

"Oh shit," Klaus said, finding the right one. "We'll get back to this later!" He shouted at Ben.

"Give me back my truck, asshole!" Buck reached inside as Klaus started and and began driving. Klaus, with his hands busy, bit down in his arm. Buck screamed and backed off enough for Klaus to drive away.

"You little..."

Klaus cackled as he drove away.

—𝘼𝙐𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙍'𝙎 𝙉𝙊𝙏𝙀!

There's ✨ ✨

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