"No! I-it can't be!" Valerie Gray exclaimed, watching the events unfold on her TV. She hadn't gone to the schools out concert, she didn't have the money. Now Valerie wished she did. As the white rings formed around Phantom's chest, and in his place appeared Danny Fenton. For a second Valerie was completely at a loss for words.
This was uncommon. Even as angry of a girl as she was, rarely was Valerie so stricken with emotion she could not bring herself to make even the smallest sound. But here she was, for the simple moment after the transformation took place as the view set itself in her mind.

As the moment passed a book nearly imbibed itself in the far wall of her apartment.

Her first instinct was to go after them, to hunt the down.

Phantom was a ghost, she destroys ghosts. It was a knight, a dragon, and a princess to save.

But, suddenly, in one moment, one second, that black-and-white view shifted. Suddenly all the infinite shades of grey revealed themselves.

But that didn't matter, it was clear.

Danny was lying to her, all this time. He never cared, ghosts don't care. And to think, she cared for him, she loved him!

He destroyed her life and manipulated her to… whatever cause! Valerie didn't know, she didn't care. Danny is going down, as far as she knew he's got Sam and Tucker hypnotised or something.

He needed to be stopped, now his secret was out who knows what he would do.

She ran out the door just before the three of them fled the scene on her TV.

Her first stop was the concert; she kind of assumed they were still there, but after the 10 minute fly to the school it was clear they were not. In fact, the yard was mostly evacuated, even the Guys in White agents has mostly left, only one or two left on the scene. Valerie didn't want to be seen by them, but they could tell her where all three of them had gone.

After a few hours of fallowing the GiW, Valerie decided it was entirely possible that Danny- no- that Phantom had fled to the ghost zone. Why stick around when everyone was trying to kill you, right?

That thought stuck in Valerie's mind as she froze in place. Everyone was trying to kill him, or, re-kill him or whatever. She wasn't sure, she wasn't sure of anything anymore. Valerie decided it was far too much. After the hours it would take to get home she would sleep on it, it was getting late after all. With the setting sun she couldn't help but feel sorry for Phantom, Valerie knew she shouldn't, he was a ghost, she destroys ghosts. Pushing the thought from her mind she headed home.

The next day started uneventfully. They hadn't found D-Phantom. Valerie told herself firmly, Phantom. Not that it mattered. Her room was littered with papers, weapons, and training equipment. None of that mattered now. She wanted to be the one to finally take down the elusive Phantom; she wanted to see the fear in his inhuman eyes as he paid for all he had done. But all the articles and pictures, he suddenly seemed so much more human. He is, isn't he? 'no' Valerie's mind screamed at her. But all the pieces fit into place.

The mayor's eyes, red, possessed.

Danny's own eyes, red, possession, Or mind control.

He fought for the Ecto-Skeleton, to protect everyone, to protect her. Overworking yourself could be fatal. He took that chance; he risked his life to save everyone.

And Valerie still shot at him daily, and he's on the run, hunted by the people he was trying to save.

Valerie didn't get out of bed that day. She wanted to help, but how could she? She's a teenager, a kid, against the damn government. No matter how you could possibly put it she's lost, Danny's lost. What would they do to him? She couldn't know, it wasn't good. She guessed Sam and Tucker would try and save him if- when he got caught, he can't run forever ghost or not.

That was something else to worry about.

Sam and Tucker, They never liked her much. Now she knew why, she was hunting their friend. The fact Valerie had called off the relationship because of her ghost hunting seemed increasingly silly to her now. The plan irony of everything settled in.

But overall, Valerie decided, if this all got resolved, if, somehow, everyone was ok in the end. It was in all possibility, that she and Danny could have that fairytale happy ending. Wishful thinking, Danny has everything sing right in the world to never want to see her again.

But, somehow, Valerie doubted that would be the case.

A blank fell over her mind, A small headache. And suddenly Valerie was unable to tell why she was still sitting in bed. It was summer, she had things to do, her summer job was starting in a week or two and she needs to be prepared.

A small sense that something was missing still set itself in the back of her mind. It went away fairly quickly as she busied herself predicting Phantom's next move.

She was going to get him this time.

He was a ghost, and she destroys ghosts.