Hey everyone! This is my first fic! Yay! Reviews and comments are welcome. Thanks for reading!
I do not own Danny Phantom! Danny Phantom belongs to Butch Hartman. OC characters are mine.
Bethany tapped her pencil on her desk as she sat with her head in her hand. The class seemed to drag on and on, the clock standing still. Finally, after what seemed like ages, the bell rang. The students hurried out of the classroom, eager to get home on the gorgeous Friday afternoon outside. Bethany made her way to her locker, where her friend Seth was waiting for her.
"Hey you" he called with one of his sweet smiles that could melt anyone's heart.
"Hey yourself" Bethany quipped back with a smirk.
"What are you feeling on this fine Friday? Movie, beach, mall?"
As they talked, they walked through the front doors of the school and out into the sunlight. Bethany squinted and shielded her eyes with her hand. "Definitely the beach."
Seth smiled and clapped his hands like a little kid. "Awesome! I was hoping you would say that! I want to try out a new surf board I got."
Bethany smiled knowingly at her best friend of 10 years. Growing up together, she was sure Seth knew her better than she knew herself, the same way she knew him. Seth has loved to surf ever since he could hold a surfboard. Growing up in California, it was one of the common past times of the high school students in the area. While he wasn't the most athletic person, he could pull some decent stunts.
"Sounds good. I'll bring my book."
"Did you get much sleep last night? You seem exhausted."
Bethany sighed. He really did know her so well.
"I've been having the nightmare again," she mumbled. Seth instantly looked concerned.
"Same thing? Or has it gotten worse?" She shrugged. She hated talking about the nightmare she has had ever since she was a kid. It made her feel weak. She hated feeling weak.
"Just the same. It's fine really. How about we go grab our stuff and meet back up at the beach?"
Seth looked ready to protest Bethany's giving up so easily but he decided to let it slide. He knew if it were serious, she would speak up. Shrugging, Seth replied, "Sounds like a plan. See ya!" He waved as they went their separate ways.
Bethany walked home, thinking deeply about her previous night and what it could possibly mean. It had never happened so frequently before. She walked in her front door; forehead creased with worry, and made her way into the kitchen for some food. Her mom was already working on dinner and she looked up from the island, where she was cutting vegetables, to greet her daughter with a smile.
"Hey Beth, how was school?"
"Oh, um, it was fine. Nothing special." Her mother instantly noticed the distracted tone. She set down her knife and began to eye her daughter closely.
"Is everything alright?" She tested the waters. Bethany waved her hand aimlessly in the air.
"Yeah, yeah everything's fine. I'm going to head to the beach with Seth." Bethany distractedly grabbed an apple off the counter and turned to leave the kitchen. Her mother knew something was up and she hopped Bethany would be more willing to talk after some down time at the beach with Seth.
"Alright. Have fun! Don't be late for dinner!" Her mom watched her leave and resumed cutting the vegetables, trying to think of what could be on her daughter's mind.
Bethany felt guilty for blowing off her mom like that, but she really didn't know how to even begin to talk about it. Her parents knew about the nightmare, she was always very open with them, but the worried looks they got whenever she mentioned it broke her heart. Bethany didn't want them to fuss over her. She loved her parents and they had always been supportive. Bethany hated making their lives harder. Despite her guilt, she turned up the street towards the beach, hoping her book and some sun would relieve her troubled mind.
Seth walked up to where Bethany lay on her towel, reading. He shook off his wet, sandy blonde hair on her much to her annoyance and his enjoyment.
"Ugh, Seth really?"
"Come on, you know I live to make your life hell" he teased.
Bethany huffed. "Whatever" she mumbled.
"So did you hear about the ghost sighting a few days ago?"
Bethany paused in the line she was reading but didn't look up from the book. "No, why?"
"They said it attacked someone's home; had to call the real deal ghost hunters to get it. The officials say they were lucky no one was hurt. Scary shit, huh?"
Bethany shrugged, still looking at her book. "If you say so."
"Aw come on!" Seth tossed her one of his famous puppy dog eye faces. "You can't tell me you don't think that's pretty freaky and interesting!"
"No not really," she replied in a bored tone. "Ghosts are just something the school tells us to be fearful of in order to keep us from doing something stupid. To keep us 'in line'."
"Aw, you know that's never stopped me before," Seth responded in a light tone as he nudged Bethany's shoulder. She sideways glanced at him with a small smile and playfully nudged him back. She turned back to her book as Seth squinted and looked out onto the ocean.
"What do you think of it all?" He inquired in an uncharacteristically serious tone.
"What do I think of what?"
"You know, the whole ghost thing; what they teach us in school. That all ghosts are evil and all that jazz." Bethany sighed and put down her book, also joining Seth in staring out into the vast waters.
"I don't know. I don't really have an opinion."
"But what about all that mess in Amity Park? They have no justification for locking him up!"
"How do you know?" She counted sharply. "How do you know he wasn't working with Plasmius?"
"Seriously Beth? You're just like the rest of them." His last words came out in a mutter.
"Excuse me? Sorry I don't give a rat's ass like you Seth. Besides, that happened a long time ago. He's probably dead or whatever happens to ghosts when they disappear by now." She picked her book back up and tried to resume reading.
"Yea, he probably is." Silence resumed between the two as they soaked up the last of the evening sun.
Bethany returned home just in time for dinner. Her parents were laughing in the kitchen as she walked in the front door. Her dad stuck his head in the doorway and greeted her warmly.
"Hey kiddo! It's about time, I'm starving!" He ducked back in the kitchen and Bethany laughed to herself. Her dad was the type of person who spoke without a filter, never realizing the consequences of what he said. She dropped her backpack on the floor by the table and slide into her spot, eyeing the meal in front of her. Once her parents joined her at the table, they all dug in.
"So kiddo," her dad asked around a bite of food, "how was school?"
"Oh you know, same old same old. Kind of like you." She smirked as her father feigned offense. Her mom gave her a look but was smiling at the same time, used to her husband and daughter's sarcastic quips.
"Aw, you know you love your old man. Well today at work was interesting! We had a new guy start today. Says he's from Amity Park, the ghost town." Her mother nodded with interest and Bethany stared intently down into her plate, not wanting to continue her conversation from earlier with Seth.
"Yeah, it's crazy! He says they want to end all ghosts or something. You know, to make the world safer and all that. I just can't imagine living there with all of the attacks. Seems like if you have any common sense then you should just move away." He shoved another forkful of food in his mouth as he spoke and Bethany continued her staring contest with her meal. Something in her suddenly snapped and she was overcome with exhaustion. Dropping her fork and scooting out from the table abruptly, Bethany muttered an, "I'm not hungry," and fled up the stairs before either of her parents could speak. She shut her door tightly and collapsed on her bed, suddenly too tired to do anything.
Back in the kitchen, her parents looked at each other with baffled expressions. Little did Bethany know that the universe was shifting, and as her parents resumed eating, they were already beginning to forget her.
That night, Bethany lay in her bed, caught in a nightmare.
It was dark save for a dull light coming from the moon through the window. She heard worried whispering in the room. Suddenly there was a crash and the sound of running footsteps. A scream was heard and more fighting sounds. Bethany looked to her right and suddenly saw a pair of red eyes. She didn't have time to scream.
She shot up in bed, her head pounding and her clothes sticky with cold sweat. This was the fourth night in a row she thought with concern. It had never occurred so frequently before. She sighed and lay back down on her side, knowing that sleep wasn't coming any time soon.
The next thing Bethany knew, her phone was blaring with the sound of Seth's ringtone. She quickly answered to let him know she was up and began to get ready for the day.
Sam paced her living room floor as the newscast continued to cover the ghost attack happening downtown. Her hands clenching and unclenching as she paced, her mind muddled. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, startling her out of her pacing. Sam walked over and looked through the peephole, seeing Tucker standing outside, a worried look on his face. She immediately opened the door.
"It's bad isn't it?" She asked as he walked in. Ever since Danny had been taken, Tucker tried to be gentle with Sam. As he bit his lip, thinking of how to say it, Sam grew irritated.
"Tucker, I am all grown up. Just spit it out. I can handle it." She stared him down, watching him process his thoughts. Finally, he let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes.
"It's getting worse. Valerie told me that they have almost perfected their weapons systems. It doesn't help that the ghosts won't ever take a break…" His eyes shifted to the side, avoiding Sam's gaze.
"And Danny?" Sam's heart spiked at the mention of her husband and his state. Tucker sighed again and shuffled his feet, clearly uncomfortable.
"He…they….its…basically, he's prepared to help them. You know,"
"Damnit! Doesn't he know we can fight for ourselves! He can't possibly be on their side!" Sam resumed pacing, muttering under her breath.
"Sam, its Danny we're talking about. If there were any threat whatsoever to his family, or us you know he would risk everything. Including his loyalty to the Ghost Zone." Tucker quieted as his last statement sunk in. Sam stopped pacing and glared at the floor, fighting tears.
"There has to be something we can do." She whispered, more to herself than Tucker. He walked over to her and enveloped her into a hug. She buried her head into his chest and shut her eyes.
"I know Sam. We will get him out. I won't rest until we do. We just need a plan that will work. Valerie has been helping immensely but there is only so much she can do." Sam nodded her head, not leaving Tucker's embrace.
Ever since Danny was taken by the Guys in White, Sam, Tucker, his family, and Valerie had tried numerous times to get Danny out. Each time ended in failure. The GIW had him under maximum security and although Valerie worked for the GIW, there was only so much she could do undetected. Valerie threatened to quit when she learned of Danny's capture, as she had learned of his secret during their college years, but Tucker convinced her to stay in order to help them gather information from the inside.
All they knew so far was that Danny was kept in maximum security, his energy being harvested for weapons. He was the main weapon, though. The GIW told him they would not hesitate to kill everyone he loved if he refused to help. It was the final pawn in the GIW's attempt to eradicate the world of ghosts once and for all. Sadly, most of the public was on board with this too.
Sam finally released Tucker and wiped her eyes. She let out a huff of breath and sat down on her living room couch. Tucker joined her and they resumed watching the newscast, as the GIW finally caught the nuisance ghost.