This story is my first attempt at a tragedy and also my first try at writing a story in this style. There will be six oneshots, if you will, in chronological order and each from a different perspective. Together, they will form a complete story (or mostly complete, although you may not have absolutely all of the details at the end just given the nature of the thing). The style of each chapter changes based upon whose point of view it is, but they generally get more grammatically correct the further we go. :) Please keep in mind that this was written as a stress reliever and so it isn't really polished. I may go back and revise at a later date... but for now... please enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own DP

Defenseless

Danny

Phantom groaned with the effort of holding the shield. It was flickering. But he had to keep it up for a little while longer, just a couple more minutes, a few more seconds. He had to.

Sweat splashed into his eye, stinging it, but he didn't dare bring his hand down to wipe it away. He needed all his strength directed at his defence now. He was slipping with both hands up, there was no way he could hold firm with only one.

He had to give them time to get out of here. He had to make sure they were safe.

He fell back a few feet, barely catching the shield again. He wished he was standing on solid ground so he could firmly plant his feet, but he had to hold the ghost off from the air. He had to keep him as far away as possible.

The shield disappeared until, with a cry, Danny was able to pull himself together for another stand.

This was getting too hard. He needed them to have gotten away already. He couldn't hold it much longer. He was too drained.

This fight had gone on too long.

He had never expected any of this—any of it.

He didn't even know this ghost, but it seemed to know him. It came at him like it had a personal score to settle. And it knew his weak points.

Both of them.

They were the reason he was on the defensive now. He was protecting them now. He prayed they were ok. If he was throwing everything he had at his enemy like he wanted, it would give the thing an open invitation to attack them. He wouldn't be quick enough to block it.

He hadn't thought that this fight would be any different for them. He couldn't have known that this ghost would specifically target friends, and not just to use as bait, but to actually hurt them merely for the sake of doing it.

He had no clue how it had happened, but one minute Team Phantom was ready for action, thermos and weapons at the ready, and the next, Tucker's still body lay smoking on the ground with hardly any pulse. Sam rushed to his side with a cry.

The ghost hit him as he sped towards his best friend. That was when he had changed plans, creating a shield around them and yelling at Sam to get Tucker to safety.

She knew exactly what to do, but without Danny to help her, Tucker's unresponsive body was heavy and it was slow going.

As he took another blast to his shield, he knew he couldn't hold onto the protective dome for much longer. This opponent was far too strong.

He risked a glance down at the street. Sam and Tucker were nowhere to be seen, so he could only hope they had gotten far enough away to be safe.

He couldn't give them any more time, anyway. His chest was burning and he was losing energy with every punch and attack this ghost threw against his shield. It was time to let it drop.

It was time to take him on.

Would love to hear your thoughts...