Bubblegum and Breath Mints

I stood in front of the hallway and waited patiently for the SyFy camera crew to set up for the TAPS member interview. They usually do this after something really big has happened, which something did, but I have a feeling this isn't only about the ghosts. The crew gave me the thumbs up, and they started with, "How do you feel about the ghosts in the room?"

"Well, the ghost is a small child who lived here when it was alive, and it feels like this family is taking away it's only link to the house. It's a territory thing, you know?"

"Do you think the ghost will hurt the kids?"

"No. If the ghost was hostile, it would have tried to hurt the kids a long time ago, but since it's only trying to scare them, I think that's all it will ever do."

"What's up with Steve's mouth?"

"Okay, none of you can say anything, but Dave Tango and I gave Steve a pack of gum that turns his mouth black, but he doesn't know," I gave him a smile, "It's funny and we're trying to see how long he goes with out him knowing."

"You guys are evil."

"Yeah."

They signaled that the interview was over, and I caught up with Steve and Tango, who were talking to Jay and Grant, reporting what we discovered, Amy and Kris joined us at the bottom of the staircase. Jay and Grant weren't taking the news of the child ghost lightly. They were concerned that the child ghost would eventually turn hostile, so we were all to shift places, Jay and Grant were taking the upstairs, Amy and Kris were taking the first floor, and we were going down stairs. As we were moving, Jason grabbed my arm, and pulled me aside, "What's wrong with Steve's mouth?"

"Ha, it's a funny story-"

"What is it?"

He didn't look happy and I was starting to get worried, "Dave and I came up with the idea to give Steve gum that made his mouth black... it was just a little fun, you know? For kicks and giggles?"

Jay looked at me seriously, and I thought he was going to be angry, but instead he laughed, "Well, as long as you tell him before the night's over."

"We were just going to let him figure it out."

"How did you get him to chew the gum?"

"I made him think that the breath mints I bought were the trick ones."

"You are a sly, sly fox."

"Thank you."

"Go hunt ghosts, we'll see if the child is going to hurt anyone."

I smiled and went down stairs with Dave and Steve. The basement was small, and we weren't really sure there would be any activity down there, but we did feel weird. We checked EMF and found that there were no devices down here to set off huge EMF readings, but there were some high spikes around the room. I clung to Steve's arm as Dave provoked the spirit and it started making loud sounds around us. At one point Dave was pushed down, and at that point we all ran up stairs. We ran into Kris, Amy, Jay, and Grant who decided to wrap up early. The house was too hostile for us to continue, and we were to leave now.

We got to the hotel we were staying at, and we all went to our rooms. I wasn't in my room for more than five minutes when I got a call from Steve, "Hello?"

"My mouth is black!"

I had to fight back a laugh, "What?"

"My mouth... is black!"

"Why? What did you do to your mouth?"

"I don't know!"

"Do you want me to come over?"

"No. I just want to know who did it."

I struggled to keep myself composed, "Well, I hope you're successful."

"I think it's Dave."

I silently laughed, "Oh yeah?" My voice started to sound tight from the suppressed laughter.

"Yeah... or maybe it was Kris or Amy?"

"Maybe."

"Are you alright?"

"Hm? Yeah... just peachy."

"Right...."

"Well, I've got to go, nature is calling and I have to answer it or else bad things are going to happen. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright. Bye."

"Bye." Hanging up, I laughed silently as I picked up the phone to call Dave.

"Hello?"

"Tango," my voice was still giggly, "Dude, Steve found out."

"Yes! What did he say?"

"Well, he thinks it's you."

"Shit."

"He might call."

"What should I say?"

"Play dumb?"

"Right," there was a pause, "Dude, he's calling now."

"Answer it and get back to me!"

"Okay."

*~* Dave Tango's POV *~*

"Hello?"

"Did you make my mouth black?"

"What?"

"My mouth... did you make it black?"

"You're mouth is black?"

"Yeah."

"How did your mouth get black?"

"Well gee, Tango, if I knew I wouldn't be calling now would I?"

"Why would I know?"

"Because you're the kind of guy who would know."

"Well, what did you eat today? Oh! Do you think one of the guys from Dairy Queen did this to you?"

"Why would the guys at Dairy Queen turn my mouth black?"

"Well, that goes right along with the question, why is your mouth black?"

"It just doesn't make sense."

"No, it doesn't. What else did you eat today?"

"Nothing."

"Hm..."

"Wait, I've been chewing that gum that.... Oh my God."

"What?"

"I'll call you back."

Before I knew it, the phone went silent, I quickly switched lines, "Teegan!"

"Dave!"

"He figured out it was the gum!"

"Shoot!"

"He'll either call or -"

"Hey, mom, I've got to go." Teegan suddenly sounded sweet and loving.

"Mom?"

"I'll call you soon.... Yes, I love you too. Uh-huh. Yes. Buh-bye."

*~*Teegan's POV *~*

I got up and answered the door to find Steve on the other side, "Hey babe, did you find out who did it?"

"Yeah," Steve smiled and his teeth were black, "May I come in?"

"Huh? Yeah, sure!"

Steve came in and sat down on the bed, "Would you like some gum?" He pulled out the pack I gave him earlier that day.

"No thanks. I just brushed my teeth," I smiled, "See, all nice and white."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with them turning your teeth black would it?"

"It turns your teeth black?"

"Enough playing, Teegan. I know it was you."

"What was me?"

"You were the one who gave me this gum, it was you who turned my teeth black."

"How did you figure it out?"

"I was talking to Tango and he suggested it."

"Tango suggested it?"

"Yeah."

"That sneaky son of a bitch!"

"What?"

"It was his idea!"

*~* Steve's POV *~*

"It was his idea!" There, I got it.

Jumping up I exclaimed, "Ah-ha! I knew it was both of you!"

"What?"

"Dave didn't tell me anything! Oh! I got you both!"

"Do you? Do you have us both?"

I stopped, "Huh?"

"Do you know how long your mouth has been black?"

I felt my stomach dropped, "How long?"

"Since the investigation started," she smiled, "You went all night with a black mouth."

I frowned, "That wasn't nice." I sat back down.

"Aw, I'm sorry babe," she came to sit next to me, "It was just a joke."

"Yeah."

"But it really was Tango's idea."

"I know."

"You do?"

"You're not smart enough to think of that yourself, babe."

"Hey! I'm the one who got you to chew the gum."

"Well that is true."

"And are you implying that I don't know how to pull off a prank?"

"No," I smiled, "Just that you're not good at coming up with them."

"Oh." She frowned and I felt bad. So I thought of a little comeback of my own.

"I'm sorry," I said, as I wrapped my arm around her, "Forgive me?"

"Yeah."

I smiled and leaned in to kiss her, and lucky me, she kissed me back.

*~* Teegan's POV *~*

It was after the kiss that I realized what he was doing. Shoot. Pulling away, Steve started to laugh, "Ha! You're mouth is so black!"

I frowned, "That wasn't nice."

"But it's funny."

I smiled, "Well then we're a perfect match for each other."

Steve smiled and we kissed again, as we pulled away, he said "Now, how are we going to get Amy?"