THE GHOST BUSTERS AND THE GOLDEN WITCH

Summer of 1997. It's been 10 years since Jake Kong Jr. and Eddie Spenser Jr. took over their fathers' ghost busting business. And what an exciting and prosperous business it has been. Although their primary residence had always been 13 Canterbury Street, the boys had bought themselves homes of their own. Jake Kong Jr., leader of the Ghost buster pack, opted for a house in the Poconos in Pennsylvania which he shared with his wife of 3 years Jessica Rae-Kong. Eddie Spenser Jr., on the other hand, decided to buy a "handyman's special" in a town off the Long Island Sound in New York called City Island. Eddie chose that locale because of the house's proximity to City Island Ave. which is where the best seafood restaurants on the East Coast were found. Not to mention the view of the Long Island Sound from his bedroom window, especially in the summer, was absolutely breath taking. Although still a bit of a klutz, Eddie had become quite a handyman as he along with ghost busting gorilla Tracy, credited to being the smartest simian in the world, made repairs on the home every chance they had.

Eddie went inside to use the phone he hooked up in the kitchen all the while wishing he could retire. At the age of 36, he still looked like he did in his 20's, sparkling light brown eyes, with hair to match, square chin, broad shoulders, and massive hands. Passing a mirror in the hallway, he checked his reflection pondering this.

Meanwhile, back at Ghost Command, Jake impatiently paced the floor wondering what was taking Eddie so long in calling him. It had been a good half an hour since he paged him knowing he'd been working on his "hideaway" as Jake referred to it. He had only been there once, and that was to help him start repairs on it. Although he questioned Eddie's choice in the house itself, he had to admit he was a little envious of the location he selected to the point that he wished he'd held off buying his Pocono home.

Eddie did as told and to his amazement saw an incredible looking uniform. It looked pretty much like his old one except the jacket was black leather, his pants were a black pair of jeans, the T-shirt was light gray, and the boots were dark gray Timberlands. In one of the jacket pockets he found a pair of black driving gloves and a pair of prescription sports goggles.

Moments later, Jessica arrived with her cameraman, ready to do the news feature on the Ghost busters. Even she couldn't believe it's been 10 years since she first met the boys. For her, it has been a hell of a "rollerghoster" ride going through one adventure after another. Jessica was attracted to Jake, a blond blue eyed man whose athletic build stood at 5'11", from the moment she first laid eyes on him. The turning point came the day Eddie was kidnapped by Prime Evil, a long time enemy of the Ghost busters who was part metallic, part muscle but always wore a blood red cape and sorcerer's gown. Jake and Tracy had to battle a band of rain makers called Thunder ghosts to stop them from flooding the world. She was riding in the back seat of the Ghost buggy, often referred to as GB, when Tracy was forced to make a sudden stop to avoid a group of Thunder ghosts that were on the attack. Jessica, not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the vehicle and fell hundreds of feet toward the Earth. The fright from the fall caused Jessica to faint, but she was soon awakened by the feeling of warm, soft lips touching hers. She couldn't tell who it was at first that kissed her because of the dark cloud she found herself in, but later put 2 and 2 together when back at Ghost Command, sometime after Eddie's rescue, she noticed a devilish grin on Jake's face every time he looked at her. Needless to say, Jake soon asked her out on a date, and the rest as they say was history.

Eddie smiled at the comment, but knew it was something to see to believe. He hadn't had that much luck with women, sad to say. The two he dated in the past ended on sour notes. One ended when he found out she was using him to get close to Jake. The second relationship died when the girl confessed she was in love with the fact that he was a Ghost buster and not him as a person.

As Jake and Jessica talked about the seating arrangements and set up, Eddie looked at the pair with sad eyes, then excused himself "to check himself in the mirror". Once in his room, he reached into his closet to pull out an old shoe box full of photos. Reaching in, he fumbled through them 'til he found a photo of himself in his teen years, carrying a Puerto Rican beauty piggy back style. She had silver gray eyes, long raven waves of hair, and a smile that lit up the night.

Eddie was referring to Mysteria's sense of vanity in that she thought of herself so gorgeous, she would worship herself in a mirror. Jake had used this to his advantage once during the time Prime Evil stole the Statue of Liberty. She was a tall, slender ghost with jet black hair and model looks sent to haunt the Statue while Prime Evil did the crime. All it took was a comment about her hair being a mess to distract her long enough to use the dematerializer on her.

Chuckling, the three settled into some chairs set up in a semicircle in front of the camera while Tracy sat on his worktable behind them. Jessica felt it best to record the segment instead of doing it live to avoid any embarrassing comments or actions. She wasn't worried so much about Eddie, but Jake had been acting a little camera shy, lately. Jessica wondered if this attributed to a recent visit to Jake's father, whose receding hairline had become more evident.

As Jessica went on to interview the boys, a shadowy figure appeared in the kitchen. When it fully materialized, the figure belonged to a curvaceous female about 5'4", dressed in a long loose fitting gray gown with a cowl to match. She watched the action through one of the doors' windows as if she was waiting for something. Tracy, losing interest in the interview for a moment, looked around the room casually and caught the eyes of the intruder. As Tracy was warning the boys that he saw something, the mysterious stranger disappeared and reappeared right in front of them. Before they could act, the woman managed to bind Jessica and Mike with bands of light and nailed them to the wall. Jake at that moment ducked behind Tracy's worktable and came out with a just repaired dematerializer, a weapon used to decompose ghosts on contact.

-"So, it's your 10th anniversary, isn't it? Ten years, ten long years of my plans being thwarted. And by whom? By two measly mortals and a simple simian. Do you three have any idea how embarrassing that is? No, of course you don't because you're the ones causing the embarrassment! Well, that all ends today. Make yourselves at home, Ghost bunglers, because Haunt Quarters has become your new address. Scared Stiff!"

-"Yes. You see, about 20 years ago, I made a really big mistake. With my parents both gone because of a car accident, and my boyfriend forced to move away because of his father, I felt that my life was really becoming worthless. When Mysteria and I first met, she disguised herself to look like a teen witch like I was. She and I became good friends, or so I thought. During our time together, she kept planting these ideas in my head about my powers; that I could've gone back in time to stop the events I mentioned from happening and be a lot happier for it. When I told her I have to talk to my godmother Tara to see what she thought about it, 'Misty' said that Tara knew that she'd lose custody of me if I ever 'found out' that aspect of my powers, so she kept it a secret from me, I was so depressed about the way my life was going, I actually believed her. Misty said she heard about some other witches getting disgusted about the way my godmother was ruling the Witches Realm and wanted to do something about it. To make a long story short, those witches incited a riot that turned into a war, while Misty and I left the Witches Realm and came here."

-"Half right. She did show me her true colors, but led me to believe that I wouldn't have listened to 'the truth' if she showed herself as Mysteria instead of Misty. Gullible me fell for her again. She said since my powers were still developing, I wasn't able to cast a 'time' spell...yet. But once I stayed with her long enough as her apprentice, I'll eventually be able to. 'Apprentice', humph, 'slave' was more like it. Not even a day went by, and already she had me doing her laundry, cleaning her room, giving her baths...you get the idea."

-"That poor lovesick fool doesn't realize I've been playing him like his bone troller.", said Wizra referring to his magic pipe organ, "Believe it or not, it took 5 years for Prime Evil to discover this 'unwelcome guest' inside Haunt Quarters. I guess he was so wrapped up in world conquest, he neglected keeping his own house in order."

-"Yep, still have it too. He was showering me with gifts after that. Diamonds, jewelry, clothing, roses...my goodness! For a while, I did return his affection, even made love to him a few times, but only when I asked him to assume mortal form, and only because I was grateful that he didn't send me packing back to the Witches Realm. Things didn't last, though."

-"Eventually, he turned his attention back to world conquest, and I became his 'arm piece'. He didn't even want to assume mortal form for me, anymore, saying it reminded him too much of you and Jake. I only stayed in the relationship because I saw how much respect I was getting from the other ghosts. Not to mention he gave me all the freedom I wanted to practice my magic just so I can 'stay out of his hair', or in his case, 'off his chrome'. When I was convinced that my powers were more developed than before, I began to beg Prime Evil for assignments hoping to turn his attention back to me. After several 'nays', guess which assignment he reluctantly saddled me with?"

-"Sure you can, it doesn't bother me anymore to talk about it really. She didn't abuse me physically, just verbally, to the point that I felt I couldn't do anything right by her, or by myself for that matter. Pop just wanted to get me out of that situation so I wouldn't feel so worthless. It worked to a degree, thank God, but I ended up leaving my girlfriend behind which hurt me more than anything."

Jake, witnessing this, had tears in his eyes as well. He remembered the days after the two separated, how he would hear Eddie crying in his bedroom whenever he would sleep over, the times that he would follow Eddie to the park only to find him sitting on a bench just outside the playground. Eddie Sr. thought he was just going through changes as a result of the move, so he just left him alone telling "little Eddie" if he needed to talk or a hug to just let him know. Eddie instead kept to himself thinking that "big Eddie" wouldn't understand the love he lost.

Monica put her cowl back on, seeing it was almost time for Fangster, a werewolf from the future, to relieve her. With a twitch of her finger, she unbolted the locks on the prison doors. With another, Ghost packs, which are back packs full of weapons, appeared in their cells out of everyone's view except their owners.

As the two of them formed a stand off with Monica in the middle, Eddie snuck out of his cell right behind Fangster and nailed him with the Ghost gummer, a weapon which fires bullets of glue to entrap its victims. Jake, seeing his opening, gently pushed Monica aside and nailed Fangster with the dematerializer causing him to disappear.

-"I'm siding with Eddie, Monica. You're already in danger here helping us escape. Far be it from us if we're going to let you face Prime Evil alone. Besides, we made a promise to help you make things right in the Witches Realm. There hasn't been a promise we made that we haven't kept, I won't let this be the first time."

-"Oh really, then I'll just have to go through all of you!", said he, causing his horse Fright mare to appear beneath him. Not wasting time, Tracy reached into his Ghost pack and flung a set of bolos catching the charging steed in the front legs. Falling forward, Fright mare flung Sir Trancelot within 10 feet of where Jake stood.

-"No, that's not why. In fact, looking back on all those moments together, I'm left with one burning question. 'What was I thinking?' Why was I foolish enough to make love to you if I didn't love you? Why was I stupid enough to believe that I had no choice being that I was no longer welcome in the Witches Realm, or so I thought? If I wasn't so fearful of your power, Prime Evil, I would've left your ghostly ass a long time ago!"

Prime Evil unloaded a blast from both his hands put together which Monica dodged by going skyward. To her surprise, the blast followed her like a heat seeking missile, but to Prime Evil's amazement, she swatted the blast away from her and right back at him. Prime Evil managed to jump away from the blast, but not without getting hit with a barrage of blasts from above.

As if shot from a cannon, Monica launched herself upward and jammed one of her broad shoulders into Prime Evil's midsection, then flying upward in an angle, drove him into the ceiling. As Prime Evil floated downward clutching his midsection, she gave him a knee lift to the face followed by a round house kick that sent him crashing into his bone troller. With a wave of her hand, Monica then unleashed a blast in the form of a sickle that sliced the instrument down the middle.

Jake and Eddie looked at each other and grinned at the statement. Relieved that it was over, Eddie walked over to Monica, pulled her close to him and "rewarded" her with a deep yet tender kiss. Jake leaning against a pillar, can only look on, glad that his lifelong friend has found true happiness just as he did with Jessica.

-"Jewelry. One of the pieces of jewelry I was wearing was a dream catcher necklace Mysteria gave me as a friendship gift when she was Misty. I felt my strength drain from me when I put it on, but I thought I caught the flu, so I didn't give it a second thought. I thought the necklace was too cute to remove even after Mysteria started treating me like a slave."

Monica nodded, then looked around to see where her clothes landed when Prime Evil tore them off. Sure enough, there they were, right by the entrance to the chamber. Sorting through them, she found it, but collapsed after holding it in her hand. Jake, seeing this quickly went over to her and removed it from her grasp.

-"I did it! I actually did it!", exclaimed Monica as she looked around, "You know, maybe Mysteria was right. Maybe with a little practice, I can go back in time and fix my past. My parents will be alive, I can dissuade your father from moving you away EJ, and instead of going back to the Witches Realm, all that mess with Prime Evil would've never happened!"

-"Monnie, sweetheart, I'm sure you want to fix those things, but you got to think about what will happen if you did. You might change the future to the point that things will be worse. For starters, if you and I would've stayed together, we could've ended up in a situation we both weren't ready for. It was a miracle we kept it a secret from everyone as long as we did that we were finding time to make love to each other."

-"Jake's right, Monnie. Now let me ask you. Do you really want to 'roll the dice' when it comes to your future? Do you really want to know if changing your past will make the dice come up 7 or snake eyes? The best thing you can do right now is change your present even if it means going back to the Witches Realm to face the music."

Hours later, the boys and ladies were over at Eddie's place enjoying themselves over a few rounds of black jack. It was Jessica's idea to do it there as opposed to Ghost Command since the horror of her husband kidnapped before her eyes still lingered along with Eddie getting shot in the abdomen by the dematerializer. She tried her best to be friendly to Monica under the circumstances, but deep down she felt resentment toward her. Under Prime Evil's orders or not, this was the woman that kidnapped her husband, that hurt her close friend, that looked beautiful enough to have any man she wanted, even hers.

Monica walked through the house back to the living room. Approaching the card table, she touched her hands to her heart and caused a rose to appear in one hand and a note in the other. Giving each a kiss, she placed them both on the table and at the same time caused her outfit to change back to the cowl and gown she first appeared in. Then, making sure the others were still on the deck, Monica uttered the spell that would take her to the one place she felt loved even though she was alone.

-"What?", said Eddie as he followed Jessica's gaze to the card table. Rushing to it, he picked up the items that were left there. Unthinkingly, he put the rose between his teeth like a tango dancer and opened the note. What he read made him freeze causing the rose to fall from between his lips.

-"That was no line, Eddie. Believe me I'd be in pieces too. You're right about that. But you and I have been friends since birth. I know I don't often show it, but you're the little brother I never had, and I love you. The time you drowned, and I revived you with CPR, I kept praying with each pump on you chest that you'd come back around. When you two were reunited in Prime Evil's dungeon, I cried happily along with you because I saw how much it hurt you to lose her. As for finding Monica, I'll bet my home in the Poconos that Madame Why can help us."

-"Because it's YOUR fault that you couldn't get a grip that she's a changed woman and drove her out of here! Now the onus is on you to help me bring her back! To think you'd learn the same lesson I did when everyone else including YOU gave Headless a second chance when we had to stop Fangster from stealing the Aztec Medallion back in Ancient Mexico!"

Jessica's expression changed as the words sank in. Jake acted pretty much the same way toward the Headless Horseman as she did toward Monica. Jake, like she, had reason to resent Headless in that he deprived his ancestors from a fortune of gold in a gold mine by scaring away the workers to the point that the mine had to be shut down. Now it's the same script but a different cast.

-"Mamita! Papito! I miss you both so much. I know it's been a long time since my last visit, but I've done some things that I'm not too proud of. I'm sure the spirits have told you what they were, so I'd best not repeat it. Seems like my whole life has been one big mess. Just before I got here. I unintentionally broke up a 10 year friendship. Is my life going to amount to nothing but misfortune and shame? If that's the case, then maybe I'm better off with you. Don't worry. I won't take my life. What I mean is I'll find a place to live close by and tend to you both. I can clean your headstones, plant some pretty flowers, even play my guitar for you. You always loved to hear me play, mamita, remember? Mamita, I don't suppose you can do me a favor, could you? Could you talk to the Divine for me? I was wondering if maybe He can rearrange things so He can come for me sooner than originally planned."

-"The name's Tara McCormick! I'm the head of the Witches Council! Anything regarding my fellow Council members or charges damn straight is my business! From what I heard, Prime Evil, my goddaughter Monica made it crystal that she's no longer interested in you. Now before you get embarrassed again, why don't you leave this place!"

-"Yeah, but don't forget whose fault it was that you were there to begin with.", said Jessica as she approached the group, "I, for one, will be glad to see you return to the Witches Realm, Monica. Jake and Eddie may have forgiven you for what you did, but I haven't! If I catch you near either one of these two again, I'll..."

-"Unfortunately, yes. I'm convinced that all Monica did was run away, but the other witches aren't so sure. For obvious reasons, I can't preside over it, but one witch told me to keep her in mind in case she does come back. In mortal life, she's a judge in a state family court and has a lot of pull when it comes to finding the necessary resources like counseling and education."

-"Welcome home, child.", said Tara as the two materialized in the Witches Realm. It wasn't that much different from the time she saw it last before her exodus, but it was still a welcome sight to Monica. It was a bright sunny day, a warm 72 degrees, and the trees and flowers were in full bloom.

-"Every 500 years more or less, a witch is born with powers far greater than any of her peers. That witch, because of this, is expected to excel and eventually become head of the Witches Council. We coined the phrase 'Golden Witch' after someone heard a similar term used for a mortal with special talents, a 'golden boy'.

Two weeks passed since Eddie and Monica parted ways, but this time it wasn't for good. Every night for an hour, Eddie would light a red candle next to the photo of he and Monica at 15, and everyday would keep a red rose by it. Monica did likewise while in the Witches Realm. This was their way of celebrating their love while miles apart. Before blowing out their candles, each would say a prayer for the other asking the Divine, God in Eddie's case, to protect each of them from harm. This night, Eddie felt a special need to pray.

Eddie gave in to his desire and brought his lips to hers savoring the sweetest kiss he's ever had. Easing her onto her back, he brushed her hair off her shoulder, and nuzzled it. Using her magic, Monica removed the shirt of his pajamas and the silk nightgown she wore. Eddie, noticing this, traced a line with his lips from shoulder to breast. Monica ran her slender fingers through his hair as he gently suckled enjoying a pleasure she hadn't felt in years. Reaching down, Eddie moved her thong to the side and massaged the witch princess to the point of ecstasy.

-"I've thought of nothing else last night, honey. According to my knowledge of the Law, if a witch or warlock is using his or her magic for evil, the punishment could range from limiting his or her powers, to total elimination of them, to banishment, to death. Death in your case definitely won't apply, but it's up to the Council to determine which of the other categories you'll fall under."

Monica fell silent as she listened to her legal guardian. She unlike Tara had no knowledge of the Witches Law, so she took her word for it. She then hoped the verdict would be a reduction of her powers since she had coped with it before while in Haunt Quarters. Part of her kept wishing that she could go back in time to fix her past, but Monica shut that part up by remembering what EJ and Jake told her back at Ghost Command.

Poor Tara tried her best to lighten the mood to no avail. She even went as far as offering them her satellite system to watch. That plan backfired when most of the channels had either episodes of "The Practice", news of a court appearance by someone, or a mock trial on a soap opera. Even "Little House on the Prairie" had an episode involving the judicial system. When she started to set up her Monopoly game, she quickly put it away when she noticed all eyes on the "Go to Jail" and "Jail" spots.

Finally, the long awaited moment came. Jake offered to drive the ladies to the meeting hall where the trial was set to which they accepted. It turned out to be a bad idea as up and down the street, people looked in their direction and either whispered to one another, or shouted obscenities at poor Monica. Once inside, the quintet took their seats with Monica sitting alone directly in front of the Council.

The first to walk into the room was the amazon witch Alana Ballester (pronounced by-esther) who took her place by the Head Council's throne. Normally, Tara would be occupying it, but today it was reserved for a special presence. Who should happen to walk into the room at that moment but that special presence herself.

-"Good afternoon, everyone, you may all be seated. As you can see by my appearance, I arrived straight from work, so I need to ask the Council to forgive me for 'breaking with tradition'. For those of you who are wondering why I'm seated on this throne instead of our beloved head of the Council, Tara McCormick, the reason is that this unique case involves her goddaughter Monica Suarez. I understand the charges stem from her possible involvement in the Witches Riots?"

-"And a valid question it is, Mr. Spenser. You see, what the truth spell does is that it brings out memories from the defendant's mind and plays them out like images in a movie theater. The defendant has no control over these images, only the person casting the spell. It is important that the person selected to cast the spell is a neutral party, so the images won't be influenced in any way. Ms. Suarez will be conscious during the whole time, and will in no way be hurt by the spell."

-'Like I said, it's all to keep you under her thumb. That old dou--- bag wants to stay in power as long as possible, and she'll do anything to keep it that way. Even you under wraps. If she really cared about you, she would've told you how to go back in time to stop your parents from getting killed.'

-"I'm well aware of why, mistress. You wish to exonerate your goddaughter from any and ALL wrong doing. I say let's review her memories of her time spent in Haunt Quarters to see which theory holds true. If not, then you and the rest of the Council will lose face in the eyes of the citizens of this Realm. What say you, your honor?"

-"A small price to pay for the truth to be revealed! It seems painstakingly obvious that you're all siding with Ms. Suarez, our token 'Golden Witch', our future leader! What kind of leader will we have if we keep her skeletons in the closet instead of face them? The 'Golden Witch', of all witches, should not and never be exempt from the hand of justice!"

-"No!", cried Monica as she thrashed her head from side to side. Not so much from pain, but rather form fear that all the world will see the moments of shame she endured while in Haunt Quarters. All were forced to watch as her memories unfolded from the time Mysteria began to treat her like a slave, to the time Prime Evil courted her, to the time she kidnapped the Ghost busters, to the time she took them home, to the fight in front of her parents' graves. Once it was over, Monica with tears down her cheeks dropped to the floor, too weak to even speak.

-"Say what you will, mortal, but the truth has been revealed. Thanks to the truth spell, it has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Monica Suarez had been a minion of Prime Evil's. Review carefully what you've seen, ladies, for if you exonerate her of all wrong doing, you'll incite a new riot within the Realm!"

Taking the events into consideration, the judge thought it best to postpone the trial 'til next month to give Monica time to recuperate. It wasn't an easy time, though, as poor Monica kept having recurring nightmares. Eddie, deeply concerned for her well being, asked Jake for a short sabbatical from his job to be by her side. With the blessing of both Jake and Tara, Eddie packed a few small bags and temporarily moved to the palace in the Witches Realm. The move did Monica a world of good as each morning she would wake up to find him holding her or at least feeling his warm, tender energy bathing her.

Finally, the day came when the trial reconvened. Everything pretty much picked up where it left off with the exception of the use of the truth spell as the Council has seen more than enough memories they needed to deliberate. Rather than be an object of ridicule from all in the court room, everyone stood solidly behind Monica and some even voiced their opinion to the members of the Council on the side to do away with the truth spell altogether.

-"You may all be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sure you all agree that what occurred last month was a disgrace to the judicial system. A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Alana Ballester on charges of unlawful imprisonment and tampering with evidence meaning young Monica's memories. Hopefully, her capture will be done as soon as possible. Sadly, however, the memories we have seen that day clearly reveal the extent of Monica's involvement with Prime Evil. Whatever the reasons were behind her involvement, according to the Witches Law, any witch or warlock who uses his or her power for evil will be subject to either a reduction of power, banishment, total elimination of power, or death. The positive thing we did see in her memories, and this we should take into account, is that the Ghost busters in a nutshell turned her heart around to the point that she has made amends by rescuing them and reestablishing her relationship with her godmother Tara McCormick. Members of the Council, have you considered a verdict, or do you need time to deliberate?"

-"Yes, I do. I'd like to take this moment to publicly apologize. First, to the Ghost busters Jacob Michael Kong Jr. and Edward Lawrence Spenser Jr. I apologize for carrying out Prime Evil's orders in kidnapping and imprisoning you both, especially you Edward since you were hurt during the capture. I hope you have truly and completely found it in your hearts to forgive me of my actions."

-"Thank you. I also need to apologize to you Tara Giselle McCormick. My running away from the Witches Realm cost us 20 years of our relationship. Heaven knows there's no way to make up the loss, and there's no excuse for my actions. I pray that you too will find it in your heart to forgive me."

-"Like the father embracing the Prodigal Son, child, so do I embrace you.", said Tara as she walked over to Monica to hug her. There wasn't a dry eye in the house as for about ten minutes, the two women remained embraced. The Council made no move to interrupt as all its members were reluctant to render the verdict. When the two women finally separated and returned to their seats, Casey teary eyed stood up. After taking a deep breath, the southern belle began to speak.

-"Monica, darling, the Council had quite a time deciding your consequences. Clearly you shouldn't be excused of your actions, but at the same token we all wished we didn't have to do this. In fact, we believe it was partly our fault in how your life turned out because we didn't show you enough how much we loved you. Can you find it in your heart to forgive us, sweetheart?"

-"Thank you, honey. Now it is with heavy heart that we render this verdict. Monica Marie Suarez, we hear by sentence you to 2 years with your powers reduced to that of your infancy. What I mean is you're only entitled to move objects and to transport yourself short distances. Any major spell you try to execute will result in failure."

-"Patient? I've been patient for 20 years! From the time you and I first met and made that pact that you'll help me become the next Golden Witch if I gave you a seat in the Council, I've waited. When you took Monica out of the Witches Realm and doused her powers with the dream catcher necklace I gave you, I've waited. 'Til the day of the trial, I've done nothing but wait! I thought the wait was over when I finally convinced the Council to convict Monica, but that bastard Jake Kong had to stick his nose where it doesn't belong!"

Mysteria, although cool on the outside, felt as tense as a pulled rubber band. When she first met Alana, she was one of two teen witches with powers that surpassed all the others in the Realm. The other one, of course, was Monica. Alana was insanely jealous of Monica because her powers weren't as strong even though it cut pretty close. Not to mention she felt it was her birthright to be the next Golden Witch since she was born to an English Duchess and a Spanish governor, while Monica was born to a nurse's aid and a cab driver. Mysteria, just like with Monica, posed as a teen witch to befriend Alana. Then, filling her head with lies, she convinced Alana that she can help her become the next Golden Witch on the condition that she'll be given a seat in the Council. Now she fears the pact will be broken soon as it is getting harder and harder to appease Alana.

Back at the palace, Jake was in one of the bathrooms washing up. He had a hard time stopping his nose from bleeding after Monica's hard right jab even with Tara's healing spell. She was nice enough to give him clean clothes to change into, not just because his other ones were covered in blood, but Jake had also been invited to stay at the palace whenever he wanted to. Tara during his visits had become his confidant as Jake would tell her of his recent marital woes. Jake enjoyed Tara's company immensely. She often reminded him of his late mother, Jamie Carter-Kong, who died of breast cancer when he was a teen.

Night came and all in the palace turned in. All except for Eddie who couldn't sleep. Giving Monica a kiss, he crawled out of the king size bed they shared and, putting on a robe, went down to the courtyard to smoke. As he pulled out a cigarillo, one to his surprise floated out of the box and to a hand with long slender fingers.

-"We witches have an ability to sense who's around us by feeling one another's energy. When that ability is taken, it's almost the same as a mortal going blind and deaf, but more intense. The impact is so great, it can cause a witch to go into shock.", said Tara as she brought an extra blanket for Monica, "These feelings will pass in a day or two, but she needs to stay warm and comfortable physically and spiritually."

Days passed, and so did the initial shock of losing her powers. Monica did everything she could so she wouldn't feel so useless. One promise she kept to herself was to go back to the martial arts. She used Tai Chi to keep her mind focused, and karate to keep up her strength. No matter what she tried, though, she couldn't find anything to ease her spirit. The only thing that did was the love she felt from Eddie's and Tara's energies. Now with her abilities gone, she felt more alone than ever. Seeing this, Eddie would often hold her, hoping that somehow it would make a good substitute.

Monica finally felt her life coming back together. With the help of a tutor, she was able to study for her GED exam. She "blamed" it on the Tai Chi for clearing her mind. She also decided to study the Witches Laws knowing her godmother will retire soon. Alana eventually got wind of all this by using her powers.

As Shekina went down the hall, she couldn't help but feel a familiar energy coming from the room where Monica was about to take the test. She then made a promise to herself to go back and investigate it later." Monica presented her id to the teacher supervising the test. After receiving her materials, she found a seat along the front row. As she was looking over her test booklet, a shadow loomed over her.

-"Hey, just because I don't live there doesn't mean I don't keep abreast of what's happening. We all care about you, Monica. Not because you're our future leader, but because you're like a member of the family. Before we go, ladies, how about I make a quick copy of your test booklet so I can give you 'unofficial results' when we get there?"

Using his magic, Terry quickly locked the door to the room and pulled the shade over its window. Then, causing a table top copier to appear, he quickly duplicated her booklet and placed it in his backpack. Handing in his materials, he and the ladies walked out of the school to a spot where they can transport themselves to the Realm without being seen.

All the Council members gathered in the dining hall along with Terry and Monica. Word got to them fairly quickly about his return. They were all anxious to hear not only how well Monica did, but how life as a mortal had been for him. Who should happen to join them mid meal but the Ghost buster himself.

Once the meal was done, Terry requested privacy so he can grade the test. He was given one of the guest rooms in the south wing of the palace. Since it was Friday, Tara also invited Terry to spend the weekend to which he graciously accepted. Terry wanted to see for himself how the Realm has changed since he left. About two hours later, he finished grading the exam. Joining the others in the sitting room, he confronted Monica with the results.

-"No papi, nothing like that at all. It's just that with Tara retiring soon, I have to devote myself to studying the Witches Law so I can be an effective leader. I don't think I can do that and be a loving wife at the same time. That doesn't mean, though, that I won't marry you ever, just not now."

The rest of the Council looked at each other with mixed emotions. They're all pleased that Monica is so devoted, but at the same time, they wish she said "yes". After all, it's not everyday the Realm celebrates a wedding of such magnitude. For them, it would've been the equivalent of Prince Charles' and Princess Di's wedding.

Eddie, in the buff, chased Monica all over the bedroom trying to take back his towel. Leaping on the bed, Monica got into a tug of war with Eddie. Then with a strength unbecoming a dog so small, she gave the towel a big yank causing Eddie to fall flat on his stomach on the bed. Licking his ear, she changed back to her beautiful self without her nightgown and thong.

Monica for a moment closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his slightly calloused hand on her skin. Despite the fact that Eddie wore gloves all these years, the constant use of his weapons still left marks on them. Looking at her soft features, he smiled loving the effect his touch had on her.

Obliging, Eddie got up on his knees and pulled Monica close to savor yet another sweet kiss. Easing her onto her side, he ran his thick fingers through her soft raven locks while nuzzling her shoulder and neck. Rolling her on top of him, he gently thrust himself inside her praying he won't hurt her like the last few times they tried to make love. This time, Monica received him completely, and the two enjoyed their union to climatic ecstasy. Monica relaxed in his arms and after one last kiss drifted off to sleep. Eddie on the other hand held Monica tightly whispering a prayer that what the spirits told Tara will soon come true both about the baby and his marriage.

Tara quickly came down along with Shekina and Yu Lin who had just joined her for breakfast. Eddie and Monica appeared as well wearing matching T-shirts, jeans and sandals. Kneeling over the brown haired, hazel eyed victim, Tara quickly did a healing spell, but soon discovered something was wrong.

Moments later, Jake and Tracy arrived in GB along with Futura, a sorceress from the future and a lover from Jake's past. This irony was made possible by their ability to time travel back and forth to see each other. The relationship ended when the trips became too much for them to the point that they would be too tired to visit, let alone make love. Lately, though, thanks to his recent divorce from Jessica, the two have been seeing each other again with Futura staying at Ghost Command for days at a time. This was something she wasn't able to do before since Eddie at that time was Jake's roommate.

Monica smiled at the comment and even more when they shook hands. There was a special kinship she felt in her energy, like the two were somehow related. Monica made a mental note to talk with Futura some more once all is resolved. Futura, too, felt that she and Monica were related somehow and promised herself to look up the name in her genealogy records first chance she had.

-'That silly toy is the least of your worries, Prime Evil. Now, we can end this one of two ways. Either you surrender Haunt Quarters and your army to me, Alana Ballester, true ruler of the Witches Realm and possibly the universe, or I'll take it by force and leave you the measly mortal you constantly claim those Ghost f-----s to be!'

All left the room to let Prime Evil rest, then made their way to the meeting chamber to come up with a plan. After a few hours, the best thing they decided to do was call all the witches and warlocks back to the Realm and train them for combat with the help of Hank Traylor, Judge Ebolize's court officer. Meanwhile, Tracy along with Mauro, Futura's brother, and a few warlocks who were engineers went right to work inventing and perfecting weapons and armor for everyone. Each was designed with the schematics of the dematerializer with the exception of the ghost gummer and specter snare, a gun that shoots a lasso at its intended target.

-"Progress has gone more smoothly than I've hoped, thanks to these engineers. Together, we've enhanced the strength of the dematerializers and dematerializer nets by fine tuning the amplifiers. The compound within the ghost gummers have become more adhesive thanks to an adjustment in the formula. We've managed to extend the reach of the specter snares by 50 feet as well as strengthen the cables. We've also taken the liberty to create new weapons as well."

-"This is a ghost grenade. It works like a conventional grenade except it eliminates ghosts within a half mile radius upon explosion without hurting mortals or witches. Here is a spirit sword. It decomposes ghosts with each successful strike. This is a specter shield. One block of a ghost's blow with it, and it's history."

-"Yes it is. The armor is designed to withstand a ghost's attack by stopping its ability to penetrate thus disabling it from attacking from within the body. Yours is on the table by the window. Jake, yours is just about complete. Eddie, we'll need to take your measurements before we can start on yours."

Minutes later, Monica came out from behind the screen and caused a full length mirror to appear. The armor looked beautiful in gold with shoes, shin guards, forearm bands, pelvic plate, and helmet. The only thing wrong with it is that the bodice looked like a reject from Madonna's wardrobe in that her breasts were cupped in steel spiral cases.

Giggling, Monica magically brought a spirit sword to her hand. Then, taking 5 steps back, she used her karate skills to twirl and maneuver the sword with ease. She looked like poetry in motion as she executed every move flawlessly. Eddie, still on his knees, closed his eyes and tilted his head back. Monica, seeing this, spun clockwise as she stepped toward him bringing the sword down within a centimeter of his large neck. Gasping, Jake and Mauro ran toward the couple to see if Eddie was hurt.

Posted atop the palace was a lookout point. Each witch and warlock manned it for 8 hours at a time since for this job, all that was needed was sharp vision, keen powers and a clear understanding of what's at stake. After weeks of preparation and waiting, the alarm finally sounded. Alana Ballester was spotted coming from the north with Prime Evil's army. What wasn't expected was an even bigger army of zombies accompanying her. Among them were the ones that used to be Monica's parents and Jake's mother. Alana strategically placed them on the front line hoping that Monica and Jake wouldn't be so brazen as to "hurt" their loved ones. All the witches and warlocks lined up in formation, one row after another, with Monica, Jake, Tara, and each member of the Council handling a "platoon". Eddie chose to battle along side Monica, the memory of his poor performance as a leader the day he took over Jake's job haunting him.

Minutes later, Alana atop a white stallion with wings, gave the signal to charge. As planned, four of the seven factions disappeared and reappeared behind Alana's army with the command to open fire. All who had dematerializers, ghost gummers and specter snares advanced as they fired, taking out a grand number of ghosts and zombies. The remaining three factions stood their ground and fired from the front taking out even more of Alana's troops. Jake and Monica gave the order to advance as they fired, but immediately halted their troops when they made a shocking discovery.

Tara issued the order to all who held the nets to turn them off and capture the zombies. Once caught, the witches and warlocks working the nets transported their catch to the dungeons back in the palace. A large number of witches and warlocks were assigned to guard the prisoners with Eddie placed in charge.

Instead of chasing Alana and her troops while retreating, Jake and Tara ordered all to stand down and rest. As before, Point Lookout as it is lovingly called among the folks was manned at 8 hour intervals. Back in the dungeons, Eddie arranged for the prisoners to be guarded at 8 hour intervals as well as appoint a "night supervisor" so he can rest for 12 hours. Later that evening, Jake, Tara and Monica came down to visit Eddie as well as see if they can find their loved ones.

Following Eddie, Monica walked over to the cell and found her father sleeping by the door. She noticed that Alana not only resurrected his body, but restored it as well to the point that he looked like he did when she was a teen. The only thing that reminded her he was still dead was the grayish hue to his facial features. Monica, kneeling, reached in to take his hand in hers.

Within minutes, as air filled his lungs and fresh blood coursed through his veins, his face took on a cafe au lait hue much like Monica's, and the hand she held became warm with life again. Convinced that the spell worked, Monica took her father to an available bedroom and stayed with him 'til the sleep spell wore off.

-"37?! Dios mio! The last thing I remember was kissing you goodbye before you left the car to go to school. Your mother and I then got into another fight about money on our way to the job. We were so into the argument, I didn't know my car had drifted to the wrong side of the road 'til it was too late."

-"So, Alana has grown up too. She was always jealous of you, mi hija, even before you found out you were becoming the next Golden Witch. Whenever you went to visit your godmother here in the Witches Realm, Alana would do everything to make your life miserable. Spread nasty rumors, pull away playmates, steal your toys..."

Just then, the alarm sounded again. This time, Alana's troops were surrounding the palace and all the camps that were set up around the perimeter. Just as before, though, the factions of the Realm were armed to the teeth. Following the same orders as before, the witches that controlled the nets captured the zombies and placed them in the dungeons while those with dematerializers, ghost gummers and specter snares coordinated their efforts to rid the ghosts.

Jake, remembering how the palace courtyard was structured, ordered the witches and warlocks in his faction to draw the ghosts there using their spirit swords and specter shields. Thinking they had the upper hand, the ghosts chased the witches and warlocks inside the courtyard. At Jake's signal, warlocks hidden in a balcony just below Point Lookout let loose a barrage of ghost grenades wiping out a good number of Alana's forces.

With powers at full strength, Juanito transported himself inside Alana's army in an effort to find his wife. After taking out a few ghosts, he finally found her combatting a fellow warlock. The warlock as it turned out was Monica's old school teacher Terry Martin. Appearing behind Zulma Suarez, Juanito caused a net to appear and captured her with it. With Terry's help, he brought her back to the dungeons where they quickly did a sleep spell followed by the revival spell. While Terry returned to the battlefield to tell Monica the good news, Juanito took his lovely bride to the same bedroom he occupied and kept watch until she awoke.

Monica managed to block the pitcher with her specter shield, but not the hurtful words from her heart. As she turned around to leave, she uttered the sleep spell and caused her parents to go unconscious once more. Returning to her room, she took a teddy bear that Eddie had given her, hugged it close, then laid down in her bed to cry. Unbeknownst to her Eddie was asleep on the other side and was awakened by her sobbing.

Days went by and there was no sign of Alana or her dwindled army. As much as Tara would've liked to, she held off on declaring victory. As much as she wished, she decided against sending the zombies back to their resting places for fear that Alana would resurrect and recapture them. Jake sadly spent many a sleepless night. He not only had his mother's well being to worry about, but Jessica had been on his case to leave the Witches Realm and come back to Ghost Command. Despite their divorce, Jessica still cared a great deal for him. Jake felt the same way for her, but knew deep down inside things will never be as before. Not as long as Jessica continued to act so selfish. The main reason he became a ghost buster besides the adventure was that he always enjoyed helping others. If it wasn't for Alana capturing his mother, he would've derived more pleasure from participating in the war for those two reasons.

Monica too had been losing sleep. She not only worried about Tara, the Council and the citizens of the Realm during the war, but her heart was burdened with the news about her mother's mental health. The doctor's examination revealed that she was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's Disease. She felt it best for her health and safety that her mother remain under the sleep spell.

Just then, the alarm sounded yet again. Alana, with what was left of her army, was spotted on the crest of a hill near the palace. This time, she chose not to advance, but rather send a messenger to find Jake. The messenger she chose was the zombie of a 10 year old girl named Trixie Duvall who died of a broken neck when her horse threw her off after being spooked. Trixie because she was so young was the only zombie that didn't fight. Instead, Alana took great care to make sure she wasn't harmed during the war.

-"Not necessarily. I'm sure you can accomplish alot in the Realm as you are now. Not that many witches and warlocks are chosen to be gatekeepers to it. Not that many are chosen to stand by the Head Council's throne. I'm sure that eventually, you would've become a member of the Council yourself."

With that said, Alana swung her sword in Jake's direction which he successfully blocked with his. Alana took several more swings, but Jake matched her blow for blow. Then, in a bold move, Alana magically removed Jake's helmet and knocked him to the ground with a head butt. Still alert, Jake managed to roll out of the way as Alana plunged the sword downward. Jake then grabbed a handful of dirt and flung it into Alana's eyes temporarily blinding her. Jake wasted no time in grabbing Alana in a full nelson, but she magically disappeared and reappeared right behind him. With a strength becoming the tall beauty, she grabbed Jake by the waist and executed a belly to back suplex. Alana then climbed on top of Jake and unleashed a flurry of jabs to the face. Jake countered by kicking Alana in the back of the head with his iron plated shoe. Dazed, Alana fell victim to a forearm choke after Jake rolled on top of her. Alana, remembering Jake's worst fear from a magazine article she read, turned herself into a human sized cobra. Jake, giving in to his fear, coiled away from her.

Alana lunged at Monica's leg in an attempt to clip it, but missed as Monica magically disappeared and reappeared behind her. Seizing the moment, Alana kicked Monica's legs out from beneath her and grabbed her sword which laid nearby. Swinging downward, Alana's sword was blocked by Monica's forearm plates. Squeezing her hands into fists, Monica tripped a mechanism causing blades to form on her forearms. Snagging the sword with them, Monica crisscrossed causing the blade to break. Distracted by this, Alana felt a kick to the chin causing her to fall backward. Scrambling to her feet, Monica wasted no time dropping a double ax handle to the back of the head as Alana struggled to her knees.

-"They were.", began Eddie crying from frustration and guilt, "I don't know how, but one of the guards told me Apparitia and Bratarat appeared through the floor and into one of the cells. Before we could stop them, the lock for that cell was picked. While we were trying to put the prisoners back, they picked all the other locks. Before we knew it, we were out numbered. I had no choice but to order a retreat. Sh--! Why didn't I see that coming? What the f--- did I overlook? Where did I go wrong?"

Jake, still wearing the talisman Monica gave him, transported himself and Eddie to the spot where he left the ladies. Sure enough, the two were still at it, this time with Alana having the upper hand. Just before she was about to strike Monica with her own sword, Jake fired a blast knocking it out of her hands.

All four transported themselves inside the palace to the place where the chaos began. Eddie couldn't help but shudder as bad memories began to flood his mind. Monica, seeing this, quickly read his thoughts using a more private version of the truth spell. Once done, she laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

With a cackle, Mysteria turned herself into a purple mist, and surrounded Eddie. Trying to get a clear shot, Eddie maneuvered around the floor 'til he tripped backward on the steps leading to the throne. The ghost gummer misfired in his hands causing a gooey bullet to hit Jake in the eyes after Alana moved magically out of the way with Trixie in her arms.

-"No! I don't deserve this! You wouldn't have made it this far without me! You would've been the bratty, impatient, sorry excuse for a witch you were when we first met! You'll regret this, Alana! A curse on you, your children, your children's children, and your children's children's children!", said Mysteria as she grew old, rotted, and crumpled to dust all in a matter of minutes. Futura, who came in behind Tara averted Trixie's eyes from the horrendous sight.

Monica chuckled at the comment as she removed Eddie's helmet to make him comfortable. Eddie, seeing her cheeks wet with tears, raised his hand to dry them before turning his attention to the rest of the group. While Monica rushed to save Eddie's life, Alana attempted to fire again only to have the gun explode in her hand causing her to lose three fingers. The explosion was magically caused by, of all people, Futura.

In the weeks prior to the day when Alana was about to stand trial for crimes committed against the Council, Jake, deeply concerned for her well being, stayed in the Realm. Eddie on the other hand chose to return to his City Island home with Monica to give her and himself a much needed rest, but not before Monica tearfully returned her parents and Jake's mother to their final resting places. With Tara's blessing, Trixie chose to stay in the Realm seeing it was the only way she'll stay alive. Since she got along so well with Casey, the Council decided to appoint her as her legal guardian. With the exception of Futura and Mauro, all gathered back in the Realm to bear witness to the trial. It didn't take long for the Council to deliberate seeing that there was no need to use the truth spell this time.

-"What is there to say?", began Alana with hung head, "I was driven by the idea that I was destined to be the next Golden Witch despite being told by everyone including Jake Kong Jr. that it wasn't meant to be. It was because of that notion that I acted like a mad woman to the point that I nearly took a life. I don't deserve to be forgiven, neither do I expect to be. I'll accept whatever punishment that'll be doled out without objection."

-"With the exception of Edward's statement, each of you echoed the sentiments of the Council in one form or another. Alana will need help physically and emotionally in dealing with the loss of her hand. The injury, however, will not substitute for the sentence her actions have warranted. Therefore, it is with displeasure that I sentence you, Alana, to confinement within the Realm in the uppermost section of the Northern Quadrant. Your powers, sadly, will be permanently reduced to that of your infancy. This way, you'll maintain your independence without the risk of history repeating itself. You will however be permitted visitors since it seems you have more friends than you realize. Isn't that right, Jake?"

While the women went in to make Alana comfortable, the men sat in the living room noticing its simplicity. The TV was an old color console that still worked like a charm. The VCR was an older model. The stereo was one that only had a dual cassette deck, turntable and a radio. The sofa, chair and love seat were overstuffed and tan in color, while the coffee and end tables were a simple design made of oak.

Eddie tripped over a pair of Monica's shoes in the walk in closet they shared as he was rushing out. As he tried to regain his balance, he somehow knocked loose a rack of clothes which somehow knocked over some hat boxes which knocked over his tie rack which catapulted one of Monica's high heels which busted a light bulb and landed on his head.

The day arrived when Monica was about to be crowned as the new Head of the Council. Hours were spent decorating the palace for the occasion. Everywhere one looked there were either gold streamers, gold balloons, sunflowers, or gold glitter. Tara even arranged to have canaries and doves released once the ceremony concluded. She chose to wear a royal purple witches gown and crown for the occasion, while Monica chose to wear a 17th century golden gown with hoop skirt. Her hair was tied up in a pony tail with ringlets cascading through it as well as two ringlets around the temples. Eddie was fitted with a gold tuxedo and cummerbund which looked fantastic since he lost a good amount of weight due to illness. The palace courtyard was made into a church like setting with white chairs, white altar, white arch, and a yellow carpet up the middle. As everyone gathered, Eddie snuck upstairs to see his lovely bride.

Monica magically caused two mannequins to appear and placed their outfits on them. Pulling her close, Eddie savored a sweet kiss, then traced a line from cheek to shoulder to breast. Monica closed her eyes as he gently suckled enjoying the waves of passion he created. Carrying her like a child, he laid her on the bed and did something totally unexpected. He planted butterfly kisses on her abdomen, hips and thighs before resting his lips between them. Monica, surprised at first, gave in to the sensations she felt to the point she had to muffle herself.

Monica sealed his lips with a kiss seeing they didn't have much time to work with. Eddie, realizing the same, gently thrust himself inside her and the two quickly enjoyed their union. Monica magically freshened herself and Eddie up before putting back on their respective outfits. As the two came down to the courtyard, Tara met them with a smile.

The ceremony opened with Briana Lefevre singing "Love Will be Our Home" originally sung by gospel artist Sandi Patti to a small orchestra to the left of the arch. The first to come down the aisle to the tune of that song was flower girl Trixie. She was quite a vision with gown and hair similar to Monica's except for a diamond tiara. Following her was her honor herself, Judge Margaret Ebolize, who was all too eager to marry the young couple when Tara approached her with the request. Then came the members of the Council, each wearing a gown of their choosing. Casey wore a pastel green Southern style gown with matching shoes. Shekina chose to wear an outfit native to her African ancestors. Yu Lin did likewise choosing an outfit reflecting those of ancient China. Reina simply went with a satin red gown that was halter style with matching shoes and long gloves. Tara was next to come down along with Eddie Sr. Eddie was nervous at first about telling his father about his bride being a witch, but was surprised and relieved when he readily accepted her telling him that he knew that not all witches were wicked.

The last to come down the aisle was the happy young couple. Since the ceremony was a combination of a wedding and a coronation, it was agreed that the best man and maid of honor weren't necessary. Had this been the case, poor Monica would've had to choose among the members of the Council which was no easy task since all were very good and loving to her. Once the couple reached the altar, Margaret began to speak.

-"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of the Divine to celebrate two wondrous occasions, the marriage between Monica Marie Suarez and Edward Lawrence Spenser, Jr. as well as the coronation of our new leader. Each occasion is similar in nature, if you think about it, in that both involve the recognition of responsibility. Through this ceremony, the couple will reveal to all the fact that they each will accept the responsibility of commitment to their marriage to do whatever is necessary to keep the household together. Mind you, Edward, that marriage doesn't hinge on the notion, 'I'm the king of the castle, and you have to do what I say.' Remember that Monica is the 'queen' of the castle, so every decision that has to be made regarding the 'castle' has to be made together. Monica, I wasn't around the time you served your sentence for your involvement with Prime Evil, but from what the Council members have told me, you have handled your time very wisely. That alone shows me you are a very responsible young lady, and I have no doubt in my mind that you need no lecture from me regarding that. With that said, let us now proceed. Do you, Edward Lawrence Spenser Jr., take this lady to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold? To love, honor and cherish? For better or worse? In sickness and in health 'til death do you part?"

-"That's all right, Edward. You have every reason to shed tears of joy this day.", said Margaret placing her hand on his shoulder, "And do you, Monica Marie Suarez, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold? To love, honor and cherish? Notice I said 'cherish' not 'obey'."

-"Now it's time for another reason for you, Monica, to say 'I do.'", began Tara, "Judge Margaret Ebolize said it best in that both ceremonies involve an acknowledgment of responsibility. This responsibility entails a position I've held for 30 years. That of being the Head Witch of the Council. This position is not to be taken lightly. There are times when decisions have to be made that will be heart rendering, others when not even the best knowledge of the Witches Law will help. It's a position that creates allies as well as enemies. Yet, above all else, it's a position that once accepted will change your life forever. You, child, have been chosen by the Divine for this position because your powers are beyond those of your fellow witches. Through adversity, you've won the love and respect of not only the Council members, but all within the Realm. You've even gone as far as proving to the Council without realizing it that you're a responsible young lady by using your time wisely while serving your sentence. It is with all this in mind that I'm ready to bestow upon you this position. Do you accept it?"

Moments later, a grand reception was held for the happy couple. The same small orchestra that played in the wedding was there to play as well. The orchestra proved very versatile as it played love ballads, classical music, disco, dance, salsa, and merengue. The singers that accompanied them knew most of the songs that played. Monica was even put on the spot a few times either to sing or play the guitar. During those moments, Mauro decided to test his new found powers by causing a digital video camera to appear to record the events to show his son Laser when he got home.

Eddie and Monica danced to most of the tunes that played, especially the disco songs since that was the era when they first met. For the reception, Monica changed into a golden halter style dress with matching heels while Eddie simply ditched the tie and cummerbund. Jake, a little worn from the party, decided to get some air in the palace garden. Much to his surprise, he was not alone.

The two kissed tenderly as Jake transported her to the bedroom that was usually his whenever he stayed in the Realm. Easing her onto the bed, he slid a strap of her evening gown off her lavender shoulder and placed tender kisses. Futura, using her new powers, removed the jacket, vest and shirt Jake wore and caressed his shoulders and back. Jake, becoming a little daring, did likewise removing her evening gown, strapless bra and slip. Propping himself up on his elbow, Jake took a moment to gaze at her.

Kissing her again, Jake rolled Futura on top of him and savored her softness with his hands. Futura, enjoying his touch, raised herself allowing him to cup and caress her breasts. Unable to hold back any longer, Jake rolled Futura back onto the bed and magically removed her thong, his pants and boxers. Futura, receiving him, wrapped her long legs around him, and the two enjoyed their union to climatic ecstasy.

Eight months later, Monica gave birth to a beautiful baby girl just like the spirits told Tara. Eddie couldn't be any happier or prouder of that moment. As she grew, Idalia Laura Spenser began to look like her father except for her skin tone, button nose and wavy hair which were all from her mom. When she turned 2, she began to manifest her powers which surprised everyone including the Council. Never to their knowledge had there been such a frequent occurence of Golden Witches like in these two generations.

Jake eventually decided to stay friends with Futura realizing for sure that Alana was the one who won his heart. Two years into her sentence, Jake married Alana with Tara's blessing. Although her powers were still reduced, the Council had decided to lift her confinement in the Northern Quadrant due to good behavior. Jake made sure she received all the help she needed with physical therapy and psychiatric counseling to help her deal with the loss of her hand. As difficult as it was, Alana eventually found forgiveness in her heart for Futura for the gun accident

The happy couple later gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who, like Idalia, manifested her powers early on. Sadly, unlike Idalia, Jacqueline Michelle Kong became a wild child like her mother was growing up. The couple kept wondering whether or not Mysteria actually did put a curse on Alana prior to her "death".

Jake and Eddie still had a successful run as ghost busters with no signs of slowing down. In fact, they learned to incorporate their powers with their other skills and weapons to thwart Prime Evil's plans at every turn. At times, they even made it a family affair with either or both wives getting involved. With Monica's powers maintaining their youth and strength, you can surely bet that Prime Evil wil have formidable foes for decades to come.