Missing:
By Kellie Fay
She was missing something. She knew it. She could feel it, but what on earth was she missing?
Disclaimer: Yes yes yes, Danny Phantom belongs to Butch Hartman and not me.
Authors note: Yes Siege is finished but I'm waiting for edits. This has been bugging me every since I saw D-Stabilized. This occurs between D-Stabilized and Phantom Planet.
Reviews make the insecure author very happy.
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She was missing something. She knew she was. It lay before her just on the edge of her awareness taunting her night after night, but for the life of her she did not know what it was.
Valerie rolled over and punched her pillow a few times in an attempt at getting more comfortable, but comfort wasn't her problem. Her own thoughts plagued her and kept her awake.
Placing her head back onto the pillow Valerie forced her mind back. When did this begin? Easy, three weeks ago when she and, oddly enough, Danny Phantom rescued one Danni Phantom from Vlad Plasmeous only to discover later that Vlad Plasmeous was also Vlad Masters, the current mayor of Amity Park, and the one who started her ghost hunting in the first place.
That thought still made Valerie steam. Masters used her. He played her like string quartet using her hatred of ghosts to manipulate her. Easily, willingly, Valerie had become his puppet listening to only him, and no one else.
Phantom knew. Another thought that nagged at her constantly. The ghost boy knew about Vlad Masters. He knew way before Valerie met either version of the man/ghost. A week after the rescue Valerie confronted Phantom, and demanded to know what he knew. Surprisingly the ghost boy seemed reluctant to talk.
"Look Valerie," Danny said in an attempt to mollify her. "Personally I would love to shout to the world that Vlad Masters is Vlad Plasmeous, but I can't! Too many people would get hurt if I did."
His tone made Valerie realize the problem. "He's got something on you," Valerie said in realization. "If you tell anyone anything he'll spill some secrete of yours."
Phantom remained silent for several seconds. "Something like that," he muttered finally. Valerie suspected that it she nailed it, but he didn't want to give her any clues as to what secrete he kept.
"Well he doesn't have anything on me," Valerie said sharply. "I could tell my dad and -"
"No!" He shouted panicked. "No matter yow many times you tell him you found out on your own he'll still blame me! As long as he doesn't know you know he won't go after you directly, but if you start talking he'll take it out not only on you and me, but also on who I'm protecting."
"Protecting?" Phantom was a protector, Valerie had to give him credit for that. He seemed to want to protect people herself included, (thought why her she could never figure out,) but this sounded like something more personal and direct. "Who are you protecting?"
For a long time Phantom simply looked at her, weighing her by some standard known only to him. Finally he said, "A lot of people, but namely the Fentons, and Danny's friends. If you reveal him, he'll go after them like a freight train just to hurt me."
"The Fentons? I don't understand. Why are you protecting a family of ghost hunters?"
"Because I have to," the ghost boy answered. "Please Valerie believe what I'm telling you. If you expose Vlad Masters a lot of people will be in terrible danger."
Valerie gave in at that point. Given how many slights Vlad Masters made about Jack Fenton behind his back, Valerie didn't doubt that Vlad meant the Fentons harm for some reason.
But why did Phantom say that he had to protect the Fentons? Was that his hold on the real world. Was that his ghostly obsession that kept him from moving on? And what was his connection to the odd half ghost girl who looked so much like him, and shared his name?
It was obvious that the pair cared for each other deeply. She couldn't believe how distressed Phantom had become when he thought he had lost the girl. The girl called him cuz, short for cousin, and they looked so much like each other that Valerie swore they could pass for siblings. Valerie wondered if whatever it was that made Danny Phantom a ghost, made Danni Phantom a half ghost.
How does someone even become a half ghost?
Wait a minute. Vlad Masters had both a human and a ghost form. He was just like the girl! Was there a connection to him and the two Phantoms? Both of them seemed to hate Vlad. Danny Phantom definitely hated Vlad with a ferocity that he never displayed for any of his other enemies not even for those like herself and Skulker who hunted him!
So both Masters and the girl are half ghosts or part ghosts or something, but she looks like Phantom from the clothes right down to their smile. What the hell am I missing?
Finally Valerie decided to go flying to clear her head. Checking first to make sure her father was asleep, Valerie transformed into her huntress armor with only a thought, summoned her hover board, and flew out of her window into the night.
She wasn't in the mood to hunt though. In fact ever since the rescue she had issues about going after Phantom at all. He was willing to keep his word to her. He was willing to become her captive because she helped save the girl. It bothered her to no end. Phantom obviously had a sense of honor and fair play that ...well that she abandoned when she lied to Danni. The guilt bothered her to no end, and after she questioned the ghost boy she couldn't even think about actively hunting him at all. Catching him might endanger whoever he was protecting. She still hunted other ghosts, and if she saw Phantom she'd take a few half hearted shots at him, but she always let him get away. She wanted him still afraid of her, but she didn't want to hunt him, not until she could figure him out. She really didn't want to hunt right now at all. All she wanted was to feel the wind on her face, and watch the city from above. That always relaxed her after a hard day.
Valerie nudged her board higher up into the sky, and let the city noise fade into a steady buzz below her. Suddenly she saw a white light streak across the sky. She threw her weight backwards causing her board to rise higher. She began to follow the white light until it came to rest next to a second floor window in one of the ritzier parts of town. Drawing closer Valerie saw that the ghost was indeed Danny Phantom.
What in the world is he doing here? Valerie wondered. What business drew him here? She wasn't sure if she should scare him away or just go up and demand an explanation. She was about to move when she saw him of all things politely knocking on the window just like it was someone's front door. At that moment Valerie decided to just sit and watch him. She didn't want him to know she was there.
The window opened and to Valerie's surprise she saw Sam Manson standing in her window. Sam? Why is Phantom visiting her? And why did he knock when he can just phase through her walls any time he wants to. Phantom did tell her that he protected Danny's friends, so maybe this was part of it. Maybe that was why Phantom was protective of her on occasion even though she hunted him.
Valerie watched as the pair chatted. At first it was definitely friendly talk, but after about five minutes Sam took a call on her cell phone. Then it became an argument. Phantom's ghostly aura flared to twice it's normal light levels and his arms were folded in front of his chest. To Valerie's surprise this didn't intimidate Sam in the least. She waved her arms about and pointed her finger right at Phantom, who took the challenge with nothing more than a physical sigh, and a reducing of his aura. Then to Valerie's shock Phantom offered Sam Manson his hands, and she, without a moment's hesitation, took them, and allowed the ghost boy to lift her out of her room, and flew with her up into the night sky.
What the? Valerie didn't even complete the thought she just adjusted her board and began pacing them from fifteen feet below and behind them, hoping she wouldn't be spotted. Something was going on, and Valerie wanted to find out what.
Phantom, and Manson stopped again in another part of town and this time he let Sam knock on the window. When the window opened Valerie saw Tucker Foley. Curiouser and curiouser Valerie couldn't help thinking. This time they didn't stay for very long. Tucker pocketed his PDA and took the Phantom's hand just like Sam had. The only think Valerie could conclude was that this was normal for both of them. Both of them flew with Phantom like it was an everyday thing, and he's friendly to both of them.
Valerie followed them, again keeping out of their vision, This time to a hospital on the far side of town. Phantom landed on the roof at first leaving Sam there, and then taking Tucker to peek into the third floor windows. After seven tries they must have found what they were looking for because Phantom phased into the room. After about two minutes he came out without Tucker, and joined Sam on the roof. For some reason the ghost boy didn't look happy. While Sam sat on the roof calmly Phantom paced back and forth agitated about something. Seeing an air conditioner unit on the roof of the hospital, Valerie carefully landed behind it so she could hear the pairs conversation.
"Danny will you relax. You're not a doctor, it's not like you can do anything about it." Sam said calmly just staring lazily out into the night. Phantom, paused in his pacing and just sighed sadly.
"I just feel so bad for Tucker, Sam, He and his uncle have such a great relationship. Tuck said his uncle taught him everything he knows about hacking. I just wish there was more I could do."
"You're just feeling lousy because you can't do the bone marrow donner test." Sam said rubbing her arm.
Well of course he can't he's a ghost. Valerie thought with a chuckle.
The ghost boy just glared back at Sam. "Duh, I know that. But still with all my powers you'd think that there was something I could do to help."
"You are helping Danny, that's why we're here remember? Tucker's parents weren't going to even tell Tucker how sick his uncle was. It's a good thing we're all so practiced in keeping secretes. We know when we're being lied to. Otherwise Tucker wouldn't have hacked the hospital records and found out for himself that his uncle was dying."
That didn't seem to make Phantom feel better. He looked even sadder. "Yeah, but Tucker's been so unhappy since then. I feel like it's my fault for getting him to the hospital computers in the first place."
Sam shook her head. "Danny, that was the first time I've ever seen Tucker so determined to do anything. He wasn't going to take no for an answer anyway. If you hadn't taken him in he would have broken in himself."
"I guess," The ghost boy said sullenly. "I just wish I could make Tucker feel better."
"You are making him feel better," The goth said gently. "He's getting to talk to his uncle at least. You'll see he'll feel better about it all when you go pick him up."
"His uncle is still gonna die," Danny countered.
Sam shrugged. "Everybody dies," she reminded him.
The ghost boy couldn't help but look amused at that. "Spoken like a true goth,"
"Well it's true you -" A small beeping sound got both teens attention.
"Well, it look like Tuck's done," Danny said. "I'll be right back."
Sam nodded. "And Danny," she said, When he paused she told him, "Just remember Tucker's unhappy as it is, be cheerful and positive for his sake. Don't bring him down any more than he already is. Being gloomy is my thing."
Now Danny laughed openly and flew off. A minute later he was back with Tucker. "How is he?" Sam asked.
"Comfortable," Tucker said with a sad sigh. "He wanted to know how I got here though,"
"What did you say?" Danny asked worried.
Tucker gave a weak smile. "I quoted him. "That would be revealing my sources, and I never reveal my sources." It made him laugh and he dropped it. He also told me he wouldn't tell my parents that I was there."
"You're uncle," Danny said with a smile, "Is totally cool."
"I know," Tucker said. "Thanks, Danny for bringing me over. Sam was right I do feel a little better."
That seemed to take some invisible weight off of the ghost boy's shoulders. "Not a problem Tuck," He said with a broad grin. "Just let me know if you want to visit him again."
With that Tucker and Sam both grabbed onto the ghost boy and he flew off with them. Valerie, relieved that she hadn't been found. Started her hover board and began to head for home.
Valerie concluded that there was way more to Danny Phantom than she could imagine. She decided that during the course of her hunting she was not going to hunt him but watch him, and try to figure out what makes him tick. He obviously cared about people, which was uncommon for ghosts, and he felt like he had to help and protect them. There's something about him. Something that has to do with Vlad Plasmeous and that girl half ghost, but I don't know what it is.
She flew into her bedroom window, deactivated her suit, and crawled back into bed. She still wasn't sure if she liked Danny Phantom, but she was beginning to wonder if he wasn't important for the city, and if she shouldn't just leave him be. Maybe after I figure out why he's so weird for a ghost. She drifted off to sleep, but her deep within her mind her thoughts still plagued her. I'm missing something, I know I'm missing something, but what is it?