Danny Phantom flew beside the Specter Speeder containing his older sister Jazz.

Danny had grown a lot in the last three years in height and in muscle, other than that he was still the same half-ghost town hero with dreams of becoming an astronaut.

It was Christmas and, having spent the morning with his parents, he had decided to go on his yearly visit to the Ghost Zone.

It was the only time of year that he wouldn't be attacked, especially as he had patched things up with Ghost Writer, because of the Christmas truce.

"Hey, Jazz," Danny inquired.

"Yes, Danny."

"Do you think we could visit Clockwork?" he asked.

"Clockwork? You mean the time ghost?" she asked, having not been acquainted with the temporal ghost.

"Yeah, him. He's never at the Christmas truce party so I guess he works during Christmas, I figured he'd be a little lonely and Dan's hardly good company."

Jazz thought for a moment, she knew that Clockwork was a friend and it must be terrible to have to work during Christmas, "sure, why not," she shrugged and they flew to the Clocktower.

Clockwork sat in a corner in his adult form with his legs formed and stretched out in front of him.

Surrounding him were various bottles that had once contained alcohol. In his hand was a half empty bottle.

"Merry Christmas to me," he murmured, taking another swig.

"Uh Clockwork, maybe you should cut down on the booze," said a voice. Said voice was from a dented Thermos.

Dan Phantom, due to not being put in a story by Ghost Writer, hated Christmas. He had even attacked ghosts during it in his timeline, he also despised Clockwork, but even he had to admit that this was a problem.

The Observent's always made Clockwork work during Christmas whilst even they celebrated.

He had to watch as others got to have fun. But that wasn't even the worst part. No, the worst part was the suicide attempts people made at this time of year. He had to watch it all. However, instead of paying close attention to the timestream, he dulled his senses with alcohol and waited for it to be over for another year. Even then he would have to watch one disaster after another throughout the year. But Christmas was the worst.

The first Christmas Dan was in the Thermos he had overheard Clockwork's drinking and had asked him about it. When Clockwork had explained the predicament Dan had been dumbstruck, he did still remember how death and torture had once horrified him so he knew what it must have been like for Clockwork, so, during this time of year he'd try to be nicer to Clockwork and ease him off drinking, but it never worked.

"Why should I?" he moaned, "I need something to get me through this and there's no-one who I want to talk about it to."

"Yeah, but this is kinda unhealthy, even for a ghost," Dan replied.

"Dan, please, just don't bother. I know you actually pity me, but I don't need it. I just want to be left alone," he whispered the last part disdainfully.

"What if the goody-goody comes by?" Dan asks, using one of his better names for Danny. Trying to be nice, remember?

"He won't come," Clockwork answered.

"We both know that you can't tell. You always block out Christmas from your foresight throughout the year and you use booze to block your powers," Dan was right, Clockwork had no way of telling what was happening at Christmas. The Observents didn't care, the only reason they had him work at Christmas was to show him that they still had power over him. They didn't know about the drinking and if they did they probably wouldn't care.

Clockwork grunted and took yet another swig. He wasn't shifting his age because he usually only did that when he had company. His adult form was the best choice because when he stuck to a form it would take on the same mentality of that age group.

He was about to finish his bottle when he heard something land outside. Then, someone calling him.

"Hey, Clockwork, are you here?" Danny called, "hey, Clock-," Danny gasped. Clockwork was sitting in a corner, surrounded by beer bottles. As he hid under his cloak, Danny turned to the Thermos on the table.

"What's going on?" he asked, picking it up. Dan sighed.

"It happens every year. Those one-eyed bozos make him work at Christmas 'cause they can. He has to watch other people be happy and others commit suicide. Plus, during the rest of the year he has to watch a lot of other stuff that you couldn't even imagine, but the drinking only happens at Christmas."

Danny could scarcely believe what he had heard. At that moment Jazz decided to come looking for him.

"Danny, what's taking so long?" she walked into the room. She stood there for a moment, taking everything in.

Turning to Danny she walked over to him and took the Thermos from him.

"Explain everything."

Dan told her what he had told Danny and also mentioned that he had actually been spending the last few Christmases trying to help and told them why.

"Right," she said, "which way is the kitchen."

Clockwork pointed to it, avoiding eye contact with anyone in the room.

"Good, Danny, clear away the bottles and keep any other alcoholic substances away from him," the halfa nodded and got to work.

Clockwork had, by this point, hidden himself under his hood in humiliation. He'd never wanted Danny to see this, or even know about it. He peeked out from underneath his hood when he felt a tugging at the bottle he had still been holding. He saw Danny, attempting to take the bottle from his death grip. Danny gave him a pleading look that caused the temporal spirit to sigh and release his hold.

Soon, all the bottles were put away and Jazz came in with a large mug of coffee. Even ghosts got tired eventually, so he occasionally had some to keep himself awake if need be.

"Danny," she said, turning to him, "put Dan in a different room and leave please. I think Clockwork would prefer it if we were alone so I can talk to him."

Danny nodded, still confused. In the Thermos Dan shrugged, "whatever. Good luck getting anything out of him."

Danny did what he was told. But before he left he turned towards his sister.

"I'll catch up with you later, but I need to help Clockwork." he nodded again and left.

Turning around, she walked over to Clockwork.

Currently in collage, Jazz had been studying depression for over a year in her class, as such she knew how to handle this. She hoped.

"Drink this. I need you sober so I can help you," she ordered, sitting down next to the ghost.

Clockwork looked at her for a moment, "why should I?" he sighed, "if I'm sober I'll be able to see it all. The happiness I'll never feel, the horror of people who want to end it all. Usually it's a quick death, like hanging or jumping off of a building, but sometimes they use neurotoxins or," he choked on the last one, "they... they t-torture themselves because of their misery."

he nearly broke down at this point, meanwhile Jazz was still there, hoping to coax the coffee down him soon. Despite it being easier to get him to talk in this state, once he sobered up later he will have forgotten about it all and they would have gotten no where.

"Worst yet," he continued, "Sometimes, I wish I could join them. And then theres the rest of the year," he groaned.

"Clockwork," Jazz sighed, "I understand that it hurts, but you need to help, and that means sobering up,"she raised the coffee to his face, hoping he'd take it.

Clockwork stared at her. `I don't need her help` he thought to himself, `I'm fine on my... my` he sighed. Who was he kidding? He needed help. Dan had tried, but he was in a Thermos so he couldn't speak to him face-to-face, that's what he wanted, that's what he needed.

The temporal being gently took the mug from Jazz's hand and took a sip, followed by chugging it down in one gulp.

"Okay?" she asked tentatively. Clockwork shook his head. The images were coming back.

"Three attempts, one success, all of them through self torture," he mumbled, his senses returning.

Jazz nodded, knowing that it would be harder to get him to talk now. She was good with kids and once, according to Danny, Clockwork had accidentally gotten himself stuck in his child form, who had a big mouth.

"Clockwork, I need you to turn into your child form so I can help you."

Clockwork sighed, "are you sure?" he asked quietly, "very," Jazz replied confidently.

Slowly, Clockwork's form began to shift, a few moments later in his place sat a small child. He wore his usual clothes, only with a pair of pail blue shorts. He had cute chubby cheeks and buck teeth. It took all of Jazz's will power to not scoop him up into a hug and coo over him. Especially since he had a look of vulnerability in his eyes. Said eyes were looking into hers, sad and lost.

"Wanna talk now?" she asked softly. Clockwork's lip quivered and he rapped his arms around her and sobbed as he told her everything that he had to endure. Whether it was at Christmas or during the rest of the year, he told her everything. After a few hours he had stopped and was now cuddled up to to her, still sobbing quietly. Jazz whispered to him, telling that it was okay, that she was there for him. He looked at her with tear filled eyes and she smiled softly at him, reassuring him.

A while later they were standing next to the Spector Speeder outside.

"Feel better now?" she asked.

Now in his adult form he nodded. "Yes."

"Good, if you ever need to talk, I'm here and ready to listen." "Actually, Jasmine," he said, using her real name, "here," it was one of his time medallions, "it's a communicator, so I can contact you."

Jazz nodded, accepting the gift she bid him goodbye and left.

Once inside his home, Clockwork sighed, he had a feeling he would be calling her a lot, at least he could stop time, then she wouldn't miss her classes. He smiled, looks like he wouldn't be alone at Christmas anymore.

A/N: I know, I know, it's way too early for a Christmas fic, but I've had for a month now and thought it would be interesting, plus, there aren't enough Clocky and Jazzy fics around so yeah. R&R plz.

Hopefully this'll load properly after the last attempt went wrong, enjoy.