(A/N: Okay, a *little* bit quicker this time. But honestly, this month has not been good to me. You know that evil flu going around? Yep, I got it. Not fun at all. :-P But at least my computer seems to be behaving itself… For now… Anyway, please let me know what you think of this chapter. I think I like it, but I'm not sure.

HaveFaithinMe6: I'm glad you like it and that you were getting into the story! :-) Though we'll see what you think after this chapter.

Kymik: lol. Luke getting 'mysterious girl action'. Nice phrase. ;-) I'm glad you liked the drowning part – I liked writing that part for some reason. It was a lot of work to try to make it suspenseful and not just goofy (at least I hope that's how it worked out. Lol) And I'm glad you like the story. It's my favorite so far too.

IceCrew: Okay, little 2-year-old, here's the next part. ;-)

Silver Eyes Bright: Thanks! And here you go!

Deanna Marie: Everybody seemed all worried for Luke… Yay! Lol. I'm glad you like it, and I hope I updated fast enough for you.

Hamsta-boi: I'm not even gonna ask about the name… ;-) I'm glad you like it, and I'll consider the Christopher Pike reference a compliment, despite Goosebumps being a little younger than what I consider this story. ;-) His older stuff, I absolutely adore, though, so thanks!

Shadowdreamer7598: I know that taking longer hurts readership, but I honestly can't help it. I write when I have time, and lately that isn't very often, and I refuse to post until I have it exactly how I want it. So if that means readers have to wait, so be it. Though I'm glad you're still reading. :-)

Lady of Knight: You know I'm not gonna answer your question. ;-) You'll just have to wait. I'm glad you're liking the story! I just hope I can keep the plot interesting and believable. If I ever start leaning toward stupid or unbelievable, please let me know!

Shez: I'm glad you like it! Thanks!)

Chapter Eleven: Connection

Ten minutes later, Danielle found herself shaken to the core. and utterly lost. She'd had a feeling something strange was going on, but she hadn't really expected anybody to confirm it. And she didn't know what to think. She'd never believed in ghosts, but that didn't mean they didn't exist. Was it really a ghost out for vengeance like the stories said? Or what if Mr. McKane was a certified loony, and he was running around trying to kill his guests? Or maybe it was all just pure coincidence.

Either way, she was going to go nuts if she didn't find her way out of this maze of a house. She sighed and turned down another hallway. This one was short and led to a single door. She could hear music pulsing from the other side. Curious, she quietly opened the door and peeked in.

The room was some kind of gym. Exercise and weight equipment were scattered around the room, and mirrors lined the walls. From the far end, a radio blasted a fast techno beat. She could hear a pounding sound from the corner of the room, but a column supporting the ceiling blocked her view.

Feeling slightly guilty, she slipped though the door and closed it quietly behind her. As she approached the column, she could see someone bouncing around and hitting a punching bag. She stopped next to the column and peered around it. Her heart fluttered in her chest as she realized it was A.J. doing the punching.

He was quick. His fists jabbed in and out effortlessly, and he bounced from one foot to the other. Danielle knew she should either say something or leave before he saw her, but she couldn't move. She stared at him from around the column, unable to pull her eyes away. And it wasn't even the fact that he was shirtless, wearing just a pair of sweat pants – although that was pretty nice in itself.

It was the look on his face that kept her attention. It was so ... intense. His eyes were narrowed and never left the bag, his jaw set with determination. If Danielle knew him a little better, she'd say he almost looked angry. But she'd never seen him angry, so she didn't know for sure. All she knew was he beating the crap out of that bag.

It was then that she decided to sneak back out of the room. But it was too late. Just as she made the decision to leave, he glanced in her direction, meeting her eyes.

He blinked, jumping back from the dummy in surprise. Danielle's eyes widened, and she instinctively ducked back behind the column.

"Danielle?" he asked. Too late.

Feeling foolish, she stepped out from behind the column. "Uh, hi."

A.J. reached over and shut off the radio, blanketing the room in silence. Then he turned to her, pulling off his gloves and looking at her curiously.

"What are you doing here?" He wiped sweat from his forehead with his forearm and grinned.

Her cheeks flaming, she blurted, "I'm lost."

His grin widened. "Lost, huh? Good thing you found me then."

Finally, her brain started working again, and she glared at him, suddenly remembering she was mad at him. "You know, I said this afternoon that I don't want to talk to you, and I still mean it."

She turned and stalked back toward the door, feeling immensely proud of herself for having the willpower to walk away.

Not fast enough, though.

A.J. hurried after her and caught her arm at the elbow. "Wait, Danielle."

She stopped and turned back to him. He let go of her elbow and sighed. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. Don't go. Can't we at least talk about it?"

Be strong, she told herself. Keep him guessing how you'll react.

"Alright," she sighed. So much for that.

A minute later, she found herself sitting next to him, their backs against one of the mirrored walls.

"I meant what I said," he began, brushing a lock of sandy hair out of one eye. "I really am sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I was just worried about you."

Danielle bit her lip and stared at her hands, which were nervously wringing. Her hands couldn't sit still when she was nervous. With A.J. right next to her, the anger she felt from earlier faded away, and she turned to him.

"I know. And I shouldn't have gotten mad at you. You were just trying to help."

He nodded. "Do you want to talk about what happened at the lake?"

She shook her head. "I just want to forget it ever happened." Oh, how she wished.

"Alright."

They sat in silence for a minute. As the seconds dragged on, Danielle became more and more edgy, which was the only explanation for what happened next.

"I heard something about you today." Almost instantly, she wished she could take it back. What are you thinking? Why did you say that?! she screamed at herself.

A.J. chuckled. "Hopefully something good."

"Actually, no."

He frowned and looked at her questioningly.

Danielle shrugged, fighting the lump that suddenly appeared in her throat. "Well... I know why you're here."

"Here?" He looked around the room, confused. "I always work out here."

A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "No, not here here. Home."

He gazed at her a moment, his eyes darkening, then he sat back against the mirror again. "Oh. That."

"A.J.?"

He sighed. "I didn't kill her. If that's what you heard."

"I didn't say that," she protested, but even to her it sounded weak.

A.J. groaned and pounded a fist on the floor. "We were on a date. Vicki and I. I took her up to this little place I know, about ten miles from my school. An inlet, with these amazing sheer cliffs overlooking the ocean." He turned to her, and held her gaze. "It's a great view. Lots of people at my school go there. We just went for a picnic. And she ..." He stopped and pressed his lips together.

"What?" Danielle asked softly. "What happened?"

He shook his head. "She fell."

"Oh God." Danielle could feel the blood draining from her face as she pictured it in her mind.

"We were talking, and Vicki went over to look down at the water, and ... I don't know. She got too close. And the next thing I knew, she was gone." His voice cracked, and Danielle was surprised to see his eyes shining with tears.

She scrambled for what to say next. "Well, that's not your fault at all! It was just an accident."

He nodded and cleared his throat. "I told them that. But they want to look into it anyway. Some people... Some people said that I pushed her."

Danielle's hand instinctively flew to her mouth. "Why would they think that?"

A.J. laughed, and it was tinged with bitterness. "Because they don't like me. Because they're jealous of me, of my father's money. It was her brother, you know. He started it." He pounded a fist on his leg, his face turning crimson. "Vicki and I had a fight earlier that day. That's why we went up there. It was a makeup picnic. And Jason, he told the police about the fight. He said I took her up there to kill her. And there was nobody else up there to see it."

He stopped and closed his eyes. Eyes wide with horror, Danielle reached over and touched his hand. "But you didn't push her." Her statement came out sounding more like a question.

He opened his eyes again and stared at her. "Of course not. You actually think I would kill someone?"

She pulled her hand back quickly and looked away from him. "No, I ... I just heard the rumor, and I didn't know."

Hurt washed across his face. "How could you think that about me?"

Oh God, she wished the Earth would just open up and swallow her. Her cheeks warm, she said, "I didn't... really... But Chase said..."

That erased the hurt. Anger flashed in his eyes. "Chase? You've been talking to my *brother*?" Danielle didn't miss the heavy emphasis on the last word. "What did he tell you?"

Danielle opened her mouth, but nothing came out. At least nothing that resembled a sentence. "Well... I ... he..."

A.J. shook his head. "Never mind. Let me guess... Stay away from me? I'm bad news? I'm the spawn of Satan?"

She looked at the ground, one hand absently picking at the foamy material the floor was made of. "Well, not exactly that... no..."

He gave a short laugh, then grinned wryly. "Let me tell you something about my dear brother. Don't listen to anything he says. It's all nonsense. Because you see, Danielle, Chase is a few cans short of a six-pack. About six cans short, actually."

"I don't understand! ..." Chase had seemed perfectly sane to her, if a bit heavy on the cloak-and-dagger act.

A.J. grabbed her hands in his and leaned toward her. "Chase is ... disturbed. Ever since his mother died, he's been out to get me. And my father. He blames us for her accident."

"His ... mother?" Something clicked in her brain. "Oh! Chase is your step-brother!"

A.J. nodded. "Unfortunately. He never liked us to begin with, since my father married his mother when I was 10. After the accident... I think something snapped in his brain. He thinks I had something to do with her death, and he spouts off about how *I'm* the dangerous one every time he gets some fool who will listen."

"God..." Danielle breathed. She couldn't believe it. Chase had seemed so ... normal. She'd even had a regular conversation with him, and the whole time... Her eyes flew to A.J.'s in alarm. "Is he dangerous?"

He waved his hand dismissively at her. "No. He's all talk. Just don't let him fill your head with nonsense. He has medication that keeps him ... calm ... but he doesn't always take it. He can get pretty intense without it. If I were you, I would avoid him altogether."

Danielle swallowed and nodded. "Okay."

A.J. sighed and leaned back, looking sideways at her. "We clear now?"

"Yeah. Clear." She pulled her knees up and rested her chin on them. "I'm so sorry, A.J. I never should have believed the rumors. I just wasn't sure what to think. I barely know you."

"It's okay," he said softly. He pulled his legs around so he was sitting on his knees and reached out, brushing loose hair from her face. She stared at him, feeling suddenly weak. The way he was looking at her... It gave her goose bumps. "I *wish* you knew me better."

And before she knew it, he'd closed the distance between them, his lips closing on hers.

Danielle had a moment to feel surprised, then she gave in and closed her eyes. And it was incredible. She had been kissed before, but the first time didn't count because it was in second grade. The other time ... Well, it was a peck on the cheek compared to this. Her entire body felt on fire. A.J. slid one arm around her waist and pulled her closer, the kiss deepening. Jolts of electricity raced up and down her body. Her scalp tingled as he ran one hand through her hair, wrapping a lock of it around his fingers and tugging on it. She felt as if she were sinking, losing control of herself. His lips moved against her, growing quicker and harder. His fingers brushed the skin on the small of her back, where her shirt had hiked up a bit as she leaned forward, and a shudder raced up her spine.

And then it was over. A.J. pulled away suddenly, leaving her gasping and disoriented. Her hands automatically flew to her burning cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking away from her, his voice deeper than usual. "I shouldn't have done that."

Dazed, she stared at him, eyes wide. "It's okay," she breathed. "Definitely okay."

He glanced at her, his face breaking into a grin. "Just okay?"

She flushed, unable to organize her thoughts enough to think of a reply.

He ignored her lack of an answer and pushed himself to his feet, holding a hand out to her. "Come on. I'll show you the way back."

She took his hand, and he yanked her to her feet. They walked in silence down the hallway from the exercise room and up a set of stairs. Danielle suddenly realized the stairs led into in the front hall. She hadn't been far from her room after all. A.J. looked at her – almost shyly – then took her hand and led her up the main stairs.

They stopped in front of her room, and he let go of her hand, motioning at the door.

"Your room, madam."

She smiled and reached for the doorknob. Her hand hovered over the knob, then she turned back to A.J. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

She paused a moment, weighing the question in her mind. Then she narrowed her eyes and tilted her head at him. "Why me?"

The question didn't seem to surprise him. If it did, he didn't show it. "Why not?"

Oh. Not the answer she'd expected. Well, she hadn't known what to expect, but if she had to guess, it wouldn't have been that. She opened her mouth, not quite sure what to say. "Well... I just ... there's so many other girls – prettier girls – here. Why do you want me?"

A.J. smiled and shook his head. "Because you're not like them. Those other girls are just like the ones I go to school with. You're different. I could tell that from the start. You're real."

She started to protest, but he put a finger gently to her lips.

"And ... I have a thing for redheads."

He winked, and, with a sly grin, turned and strolled casually back down the hallway, leaving her gaping after him.