Chapter Summary: Thatch, angered by the headmaster's actions take it upon himself to protect Casper. He does the only logical thing an underage vampire can do- he tells his mommy.

Casper wished he woke up to a pleasant morning. He wishes the day would start off great and he could have a great day, but wishes don't come true. The ghost was rudely woken up when the lid to Thatch's coffin was yanked open, light pouring in and making the ghost whine and cover his eyes, wincing from the bright light. He naturally turned away, pulling the cloak up more to try to shield himself from the light.

"Up! You're coming to our office right now!" Alder or Dash yelled. Casper couldn't tell due to just waking up. But the ghost got up after a moment, climbing out of the coffin. He, of course, brought the cloak with him, not daring to leave it in the coffin with no protection. As Casper blinked his eyes he soon noticed Thatch was also awake and by the door, looking pretty grouchy and tired. By the looks of it the vampire had a rude awakening too, but perhaps rude wasn't a strong enough word. Casper could only assume Thatch slept in a normal bed, and clearly, that had not set well with Thatch at all. The vampire looked rough and fuming, his violet eyes narrowed so hatefully, his mouth slightly open as he actually made a light hissing like sound. He looked like he was about to bite someone, so Casper went over and offered a friendly smile, and much to Casper's delight the vampire calmed down.

"Here," the ghost whispered he held out the cloak, which Thatch quickly took and draped it over his shoulders. He straightened the cowl then pulled the bat clasp from his pocket and put it on the cloak, hooking the cloak right in place. "What's going on?" Casper whispered as he watched the Headmasters move in their ever slow pace, starting to lead the two students along. Thatch and Casper fell into step behind them as they should, but far enough away to whisper to each other still without fear of being heard.

"I suspect they're going to try to get us in trouble for being attacked... Don't worry, I'll handle this." Thatch mumbled under his breath, his eyes narrowed at the back of the headmasters. Casper could tell Thatch was plotting something, but whatever it was was alluding him. The vampire knew something.

"You always 'handle' things... But how you can do this? You don't have any more blackmail on them like before." The ghost whispered, gently bumping into the vampire as they walked. Thatch tried his best not to smile, his glare was broken as he looked at the blue-eyed monster. Casper found comfort knowing he had the power of Thatch to calm the raging vampire. He didn't want their situation to get any worse than it was, and a mad vampire would certainly do that.

"Who needs blackmail when I got my mom?" The vampire grinned widely. "These two will regret this." Thatch said simply. He reached out, briefly brushing his ever warm hand to Casper's freezing 'skin' before they started to head up the metal staircase to the Headmaster's office. The pair kept their mouths shut now, not wanting to be overheard. The gargoyles were all sitting around the office doors, staring at them, judging them.

To Casper's surprise when they entered the circular office no one else was in there; no other student in the room. He didn't get it, why were they the only ones summoned? Why were they the only ones in trouble? Casper was nearly positive they didn't break any rules, but perhaps Alder and Dash were going to make up some rules they ever existed and said they broke them.

Casper peered up towards the elder monster as he took his seat behind his desk. The two-headed monster wasn't even looking at them, well uh, the smarter one wasn't. Casper could tell Dash was trying to be intimidating while Alder was blankly staring at them, watching them as if he was waiting for something to happen. It was a bit unnerving to be watched.

Casper nervously glanced around, and when he opened his mouth to speak he was instantly silenced by Dash. The ghost frowned, his eyebrows furrowing. He angrily crossed his arms over his chest. Okay, so he wasn't allowed to talk, wasn't that just lovely. They couldn't even ask why they were here in the first place. Luckily the standstill only lasted a few more moments.

"I suspect you both know why you're here." He stated simply.

"No." The pair said, but the Headmaster continued as if they said yes.

"Continue this behavior and I'll have to call your family." He warned coldly. "What you're doing is a disgrace-"

"Call her." Thatch hissed, taking a step forward towards the desk to challenge the scaled headmasters. Casper naturally reached out, gently grabbing Thatch's cloak as he partly hid behind the vampire, keeping his own gaze down. He wished Thatch would just stop and not get in trouble. Casper really didn't know how his mother would react, but the vampire seemed oh so sure she would be in his side, but how could he know if Alder and Dash were the ones calling her?

"Excuse me? What?" Alder asked dumbly.

"I said, call her. Call my mom and tell her what things I've done, the rules I broke." Thatch stated boldly while childishly stomping his foot. "You said you would, so do it!" Casper tugged on the cloak, but Thatch did not turn to look. Casper weakly whined and fearfully looked towards the headmasters, trying to plead with his eyes. He didn't want Thatch to get in trouble- he lost control over the hot-headed bat.

"Well I... I never!" Dash huffed, puffing his chest out with pride. "Very well, you asked for it." He snapped, wiggling his tentacle arm at the vampire as if he was wagging his finger to a child. He moved a few papers around until he found the crystal ball on the desk that acted like a phone for monster kind. He picked up the receiver and called Thatch's home, and after a few long rings, the ball glowed purple, showing it was connected. Alder did something and it must have turned it on 'speaker' mode or something because they could all hear Thatch's mother now.

"Hello, this is Clementine Man-" Her voice was ever so soft and calm, almost as if she was humming a song until she was cut off that is.

"Ma'am we're here to call about your son." He interrupted cockily, his head wiggling proudly on his long neck as he squared his shoulders. There was a long pause and the sound of his mother shifting, probably sitting up. Casper guessed she had been reading and relaxing when they called.

"About Thatch? Is there something wrong?" She spoke a bit firmer. Casper could only imagine the look on her face. The ghost tugged at Thatch, trying to silently plead with him, but the vampire paid him no mind. Thatch's eyes were only on the glowing orb, his eyes narrowed.

"Well yes ma'am, he's broken many, many rules and he'll be expelled at this rate," Dash claimed, looking down at Thatch. Thatch crossed his arms over his chest and rolled his eyes uncaringly.

"That's terrible, I raised my son to be a good boy. What has he done?" Clementine asked quickly, distress present in her voice. Casper could hear her shift, she was probably standing up now, nervously pacing. He could just imagine her in the library or perhaps in one of the many offices, perhaps the lounge even?

"What hasn't he done! He's upset the order of the school is what he's done. He's caused a divide among the students, causing fights and chaos. We even found a fellow student sleeping in his coffin last night."

"Sleeping in his coffin... Was it that ghost, Casper?" Clementine was sounding much calmer than before, and it brought confusion upon the headmasters.

"Well yes-"

"Was he in the coffin with him?"

"Well no-"

"Then what's the issue?"

"... The issue is your son is being friendly and from what we've heard, Casper and Thatch are in a relationship."

"Oh, a relationship!" Clementine gasped. After a long pause, they heard her laughing. "Oh my little bat has grown, he and Casper are together, how cute!" She cooed joyfully. Casper flushed and looked down at his feet, but at the same time felt a bit of pride. Had he gained Clementines' approval? He didn't even know how he did it...

"W-wait ma'am, I don't think you're getting it. They're causing fights and-"

"Let me speak to my son. Is he there?"

"I'm here!" Thatch quickly yelled before the Headmasters could say no. Thatch hurried forward, placing his hands on the desk and leaned up towards the 'phone'. "Mom I'm right here with Casper. You're on speaker." He quickly informed. The Headmasters had no choice but to let Thatch speak now.

"Oh my little bat, is it true? You and Casper are together?"

"Yes mom, we are." He spoke, his cheeks flushing as he looked back at the ghost. "And I don't want to hide it." He stated proudly, offering his hand to Casper. The ghost let out an embarrassed whimper and went to Thatch willingly, tightly gripping his hand. Why must the vampire always embarrass him?

"I'm so happy for you. I knew there was a certain spark between you two." She sighed happily. "My little bat... But, you two are in trouble?" Concern returned to her voice now, a hint of panic and confusion.

"Mom I don't get it." Thatch innocently continued, his voice ever so sweet, but his eyes were narrowed as he watched the headmasters, daring them to try to intervene. He knew exactly what to do now that he had his mother's concern. "Casper and I are together, and we're so happy about it mom, and some students understood us but others didn't. Then, we were attacked, two days in a row! I had garlic thrown at me, mommy!" As spoke he raised his voice and made soft, fake whimpering sounds like he was still in pain. He made sure to add in the 'mommy' just to assure he captured her heart. He was after all a momma's boy, and his mother was so terribly protective.

"Garlic!?" She gasped, and Casper could almost hear the cracking sound of the receiver. If Clementine held onto the phone any tighter he had a feeling it might break. The ghost said nothing, watching the vampire easily pull his mother's heartstrings- for the greater good of course.

"Yes mom, then they even got the illegal Blood Blossom and hurt Casper, so to protect him I put him in my coffin last night." He easily explained one of the 'offenses' the headmasters had listed off. "No one is protecting us and they're allowing the students to attack us mom, I'm afraid for Casper's safety!" Thatch pretended to cry.

Alder and Dash paled, quickly trying to pull the magical orb away from the vampire, but the damage was done, Thatch had pulled the exact heartstrings needed to assure he won. The pair hurried to take the orb off speaker while Dash raised the receiver up, but even then Thatch and Casper could hear Clementine's angry screaming.

"Alder, Dash! How DARE you let my son and his sweet boyfriend be attacked, then you try to turn this on them and blame them! They could have died!"

"Ma'am he's telling lies," Dash countered.

"No, he isn't," Alder said stupidly, as always. They could just hear Clementine hissing like an evil cat about to rip some poor guy to shreds.

"Ma'am if you don't calm down we'll call Kibosh-" Dash tried to threaten, only he was cut off this time.

"Oh thee bet I'll best calling that green ghost, I have his personal number, and I'll assure thee I'll maketh sure you're nobodies on the street of the Underworld, don't thee knoweth who I am!" She yelled shrilly, making the two-headed monster wince and hold the receiver away from their heads. "If I have to leaveth this castle I will suck that scaly body of yours dry of every drop of crimson! But of course, I bet it's infected and nothing better than bog water, not coequal fit for a werewolf to consume!"

"Ma'am please-" Alder tried to beg.

"Don't thee ma'am me, thee dare try to pin these attacks on my son and Casper, at which are the victims of bullying and attacks. I can open my own Scare School and it'll outdo yours within minutes of being opened, thee stoned turtles!"

"Oh great, look at what you did," Thatch smirked, resting a hand on his hip sassily as he watched the panicking headmasters. "I haven't seen her get this mad since she ripped the throat out of a fleshie for wondering into our home." Thatch's words did nothing but made the purple-scaled monster go almost white.

"I don't even know what she's saying!" Alder hopelessly whined.

"I'll translate." Thatch jumped up onto the desk, snatching the receiver away. "Mom said she'll kill you, or make sure you're nobodies since you tried to blame me and Casper for these attacks."

Casper looked at the vampire, and honestly, he was trying not to smile. His mom was worse than Thatch when he got mad! He certainly could understand where the vampire was coming from now. He felt safe and content now, letting himself stay a few feet back as he watched their headmasters get chewed out.

"But it is your fault!" Dash yelled. Thatch was simply holding up the receiver so his mom could hear every word said.

"Mommy, did you hear that?" Thatch whimpered into the phone. Dash reached out to snatch the phone, and an evil look came over the vampire. Instead, Thatch jumped off the desk, pulling the orb with him so it came crashing down, along with everything else on top of the desk. Casper jumped back, flinching at the loud sound, then watched in horror. Surely they were dead now!

"Mom, they attacked me!" Thatch yelled into the phone, then looked to the headmasters. Alder was just staring drop-jawed and looking a bit green himself.

"Why you little brat!" Dash snapped, then flinched back as Thatch held up the receiver.

"That's it, I'm calling him!" Clementine screamed, the voice coming out of the receiver loudly. "If I find Thatch or Casper hurt, I will kill you!" Then, the orb stopped glowing as Clementine hung up.

"Oh... I guess she's calling Kibosh now." Thatch almost huffed, lazily looking at his black nails after he put the receiver down. He wasn't even paying mind to the Headmaster's distress. Casper had never really noticed that Thatch, the once big bad bully, took the time to paint his nails black. It was funny to imagine the vampire just sitting in his coffin with the small bottle of black nail polish, focusing ever so carefully as he painted the nails.

Honestly though, Casper was still in a bit of shock. Mostly everything was the truth until Thatch claimed to be attacked. Sometimes he really forgot Thatch use to be the bad guy, the bully of the school that would do anything to get his way. Seems he went to the extremes if it meant getting Casper out of trouble. It was worrying but at the same time... sweet? Casper couldn't think of the exact word, he just knew he would have to talk to Thatch in private about this. The vampire couldn't be pulling these sorts of stunts! Plus his mother must be terribly upset right now...

Then, before the headmasters could do anything else besides gawk in shock, Kibosh appeared. Casper quickly hid behind Thatch, keeping his eyes down as he clung to the vampire cloak, trying to hide from the large green ghost. Thatch stood his ground, pondering for a moment how to react before he suddenly grabbed Casper and actually ran behind Kibosh as if hiding from the headmasters. "Thank the stars you're here!" Thatch cried in distress. Kibosh stared down at the two students, then turned to the babbling headmasters who were trying to explain themselves, which was a rather pitiful display.

"Illegal substance on school grounds? Failure to protect the students?" Kibosh's voice boomed. "And now, causing the parents to stress over these made-up rules?" He drew out slowly, looking at the mess on the floor. He floated over, lifting the orb off the floor and setting it back on the desk.

"Kibosh they're lying!" Dash pitifully whimpered. "Ask Casper, h-he won't lie! Casper tell him, we did nothing wrong." He quickly said, looking to the ghost.

Thatch held onto the ghost tightly, a deep frown on his lips Casper felt panic strike him. He was going to have to lie to protect himself and Thatch. He didn't want to lie, he wanted to be truthful... He could stretch the truth. Casper took a shaky breath, dropping his gaze down as he clung to the vampire.

Kibosh coldly watched, and in his eyes, he was seeing a young ghost cling to his former bully for protection, now what did that say? "You don't need to speak." He firmly decided.

"I want to..." Casper whispered, cautiously raising his gaze. "They were going to expel us, just because other students were attacking us... Someone," He claimed, not daring put Mosshead in this much trouble, "threw garlic at Thatch."

"And someone got Blood blossom and attacked Casper!" Thatch frowned. "That stuff can kill a ghost, can't it?" He asked, even though he knew the answer. Kibosh himself was the one that banned the flower.

Kibosh mulled over what was in front of him, seeming to take his time to decide on what to do. "You two students, leave." He finally ordered. Casper felt relief sweep over him and he pulled on Thatch, guiding the vampire towards the door, but Thatch was dragging his feet, looking back at Kibosh.

"Is my mom ok?" He quickly asked, digging his heels into the floor.

"Terribly distressed, but I will assure her soon that this, won't ever happen again." He answered smoothly and waved them off. Casper pulled Thatch out of the office and started to run down the metal stairs, the vampire finally following him willingly. As they ran down the twisting steps they could hear Kibosh's booming voice that seemed to shake the whole school. There were even words Casper didn't quite understand, but Thatch seemed to because he was certainly running and now pulling the ghost along.

"Go go go, he's so mad!" Thatch warned, tightly gripping Casper's hand. The pair ran, not even paying much mind but the two seemed to naturally drift towards the forest, running to their safe spot away from the world.