A story idea that came to me after reading "A Ticklish Frightmare" by newbienovelistRD. :)

Danny Phantom belongs to Butch Hartman and Nickelodeon. I own nothing.

Seeking Dreams

Danny groaned as he sat down in his computer chair, his body feeling weary, but he couldn't sleep. He rubbed his arm where he had felt the needle that Vlad had hit his arm with. His arm still hurt even though he had fought Vlad the day before.

He groaned again. "What did he inject me with?" He asked himself. "Some kind of 'no-sleep' formula?"

The moment he said it, he knew. "Great," he said. "I can't sleep and the fruitloop is no doubt going to wait until I can't even stand up to fight him."

He sighed and then remembered Nocturne, the dream ghost he, Sam, Tucker, and Jasmine had fought not too long ago. Although Nocturne had been furious about Danny stopping his evil plans, he had been actually very quiet lately, even recently showing Danny that he had changed. The halfa sighed. "Well, he's my best shot at getting some sleep," he said to himself as he transformed into his ghost form and flew downstairs and into the portal. "Okay, Nocturne's lair is close to Clockwork's lair," he said. "Hope I make it that far."

"Why don't I give you a hand?" A familiar voice asked.

Although the voice was familiar, the boy still jumped with a start and whirled to find Clockwork smiling amusedly at him before looking concerned. "Daniel?" He asked.

The boy sighed. "Hey, Clockwork," he said. "I know I must look half dead right now."

Clockwork knew the boy wasn't joking. "You look like you haven't slept in a week," he said worriedly.

"Feels like it too," Danny admitted. "Vlad managed to surprise me when I was fighting him and he injected some kind of formula that would keep me awake."

"So you would be exhausted the next time you fought him," said Clockwork, frowning and gripping his staff. He then saw Danny nearly lose conscious, but he woke up fast when he felt like he was falling. The Time Ghost quickly wrapped an arm around him protectively. "Daniel, hold onto me," he said. "I'll get you to Nocturne."

Danny didn't argue as he gratefully clung to the older ghost, who used his time portal to get to the Clocktower quickly before flying over to Nocturne's lair.

The dream ghost was reading a book that he found very intriguing when he saw a flash of blue light and looked up to see Clockwork appear with the ghost boy clinging to him. "Nocturne," Clockwork said urgently.

Nocturne instantly stood up and wordlessly accepted the halfa from the Time Ghost. Danny groaned a little as he felt Nocturne hold him carefully. "What happened?" The dream ghost asked.

"Plasmius gave Daniel an injection that would make him unable to sleep for a few days," said Clockwork.

Nocturne growled angrily before moving towards his bed and gently setting Danny on it. The boy looked up at him, seeing the dream ghost grab a dream helmet. Danny turned his head to look away, making Nocturne sigh softly. "Danny, I'm afraid my sleep powers won't be enough to help you," he said. "The dream helmets are the only thing right now that can help you."

Danny looked up at him before seeing Clockwork come in and a purple-gloved hand gently ruffled his hair. "I'm afraid he's right," he said.

Nocturne sat beside Danny's supine form. "Danny, what do you like to dream about?" He asked.

"Being an astronaut," the boy answered immediately before barely stifling a yawn.

Nodding, Nocturne gently held the boy's head still with one hand and used his sleep power on him, making the boy fall asleep and he placed the dream helmet on him. "I said I'd never use these again, but I don't know any other way to counter that halfa's 'no-sleep' formula," he said.

Clockwork placed a hand on the dream ghost's shoulder. "I know," he said gently. "Nocturne, will you keep an eye on him?"

The purple-horned ghost nodded. "Yes," he said. "I'll watch over him."

Clockwork nodded and decided to pay a visit to Jasmine. He had seen how she kept her little brother's secret like how Sam and Tucker kept it. He found her in her room studying and when she sensed him, she whirled around and would have aimed the Fenton Thermos at him, but he smirked and stopped time for a short moment before appearing behind her and restarting time again.

Jazz gasped as she looked for the ghost and found him beside her and she blinked. "Wait, how…?" She began to ask.

"Did I do that?" Clockwork finished her question with an amused smile. "I am Clockwork, the Ghost Master of Time, Jasmine Fenton."

"How…?"

"Do I know your name?"

Jazz was feeling somewhat creeped out and Clockwork chuckled, gently placing a hand on the Fenton Thermos and gently guiding Jazz's hand to the desk to set the ghost-trapping device down. The orange-haired girl began to relax as she realized this ghost wasn't violent. She then looked at him. "Do I know you?" She asked.

He smiled. "Perhaps," he said before looking serious. "Jasmine, I'm here for a reason. I've seen that you've kept Daniel's secret for a long time."

"You know Danny?" She asked. "Is he okay? Vlad…,"

Clockwork held up a hand and she stopped, looking a bit sheepish. "Danny is with Nocturne right now," he said.

"That dream creep?" Jazz almost shouted, but managed to not do so.

"Nocturne has turned from that path," Clockwork said to her. "Danny headed to the ghost zone to seek him."

She looked at Clockwork in confusion before looking hopeful. "Can…Can Nocturne help Danny?" She asked.

The Time Ghost smiled at her mysteriously. "We'll know in a few days," he said. "Can I trust you to cover for Danny again?"

"Of course," she said instantly, making him smile again.

"Good," he said with a nod before disappearing back to his lair.

Vlad decided now was the time to attack Danny. "He'll be easy to defeat this time," he said to himself as he flew to the Fenton's home.

Jazz stood by with an ecto-gun while Sam and Tucker had their wrist rays ready and Danny went into his ghost mode.

Vlad was shocked when he saw Danny looking ready for battle, instead of tired. "How did my formula fail?!" He asked angrily.

Danny smirked. "Cause I've got a sleep remedy that always works!" He said.

At the Clocktower, Clockwork and Nocturne both smirked at Danny once more sent Plasmius packing. "When is that egoistical halfa going to learn?" Nocturne asked.

"Probably never," said Danny as he flew up to them, hugging Clockwork, who chuckled and returned the hug. Then Danny hugged Nocturne, to the dream ghost's surprise.

"Thanks, Nocturne," he said.

The purple-horned ghost smiled and returned the hug before noticing the boy was ready to fall asleep again. Chuckling, he picked the boy up and flew to the Fenton's home, placing Danny in his bed. "Pleasant dreams, Danny," he said with a smile. "Remember, you can always seek me when you need help."

Jazz, who had been watching, smiled a bit. Nocturne saw her and nodded to her before flying back to the Ghost Zone and the orange-haired girl quietly closed the bedroom door as she left too, glad that Danny had another ghost that was looking out for him too.

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GoldGuardian2418