Then Valerie stopped and started laughing "oh that was great, you really thought I would hurt you" she asked. Danny looked at her confused "are you okay" he asked cautiously as he tried to get tighter against the wall. Valerie then got on her knees right in front of him and raised a hand. Danny quickly shut his eyes but opened them as Valerie brushed his cheek with her hand "w-w-what" he stammered. Then Valerie leaned forward and kissed him.
Danny tensed up and Valerie quickly broke off from the kiss "oh ease up Fenton, I'm not going to hurt you" she said "but you always hunt me…" he then stopped as his face paled. Valerie sighed as he flinched "you were in the next cell weren't you" he asked. Valerie nodded then went to kiss him on the cheek, causing him to tense up again.
Valerie shoved him playfully "oh will you stop being a baby" she teased. Danny gave her a half hearted smile and relaxed a little. Then he hung his head "look Valerie I'm so sorry, I was trying to do the right thing and…" Valerie put her fingers to his lips "don't worry, you already told me everything, and I believe you" she told him. Danny turned to her "thank you" he whispered. Then together they fell asleep, with Valerie's head against his shoulder.
The two teens were startled awake by the slamming of a door. Valerie opened her eyes in time to see four ghosts stand in front of the cage she and Danny were in. She recognized two of the ghosts, one had been working with the ghost king, he was called the fright night, the other she remembered Danny calling Plasmious and then one that looked as though he were out of an old movie . Then she turned her attention to the fourth ghost, it looked like an older version of Danny, but much eviler. Then Valerie noticed Danny was no longer by her on the side.
She turned around and saw him trying to back as far in the corner as he could, and he was muttering something. Valerie crawled over to him "please be a dream, please be a dream, please be a dream" he was muttering. Valerie touched his hand and he tensed in a very fearful manner "are you okay" she asked noticing that his face was unbelievably pale, even for a ghost (and for him that's saying something because he usually has a tan as a ghost, and it is true, I just checked) and Valerie then noticed the fear in her eyes.
He was looking at the older version of himself and he was showing a fear greater than he had showed Valerie. Then the one called Plasmious looked at Valerie with wide eyes. He turned to the old fashioned ghost "what is the meaning of this, do you not get that she is the red huntress, I warned you she is under my protection, I will be taking her with young Daniel and you will not stop me" he yelled. The old fashioned ghost looked frightened "yes, you can take them both, please, as long as you leave as soon as possible" the ghost muttered.
Then Plasmious turned to the fright night "do you have the device, and the spare" he asked. The fright night bowed "yes my lord" he said as he brought out two small cubes "very good then, just throw it at each of them" Plasmious said as he waved his fingers towards Valerie and Danny.
The fright night tossed the two cubes and instantly the two teenagers were trapped in separate boxes. Plasmious turned to the two ghosts he was with "fright night, I trust you to obey me and not to hurt the girl while you carry her, and Dan, I believe that you know exactly how much he can endure so I will allow you to carry yourself" Plasmious told him.
Valerie looked confused and Danny's impossibly pale face somehow got even paler as the ghosts picked up the two boxes. They quickly left and Valerie took note on how the fright night was being extremely gentle, while the other ghost was being the complete opposite to Danny and shaking the box and kicking it along.
After about five minutes they arrived at a giant purple football. Valerie raised an eyebrow but gasped as they moved it to reveal a portal. They all walked into a very modern lab. Plasmious then turned to Valerie "okay girl, I will give you a choice, you can go home happy, or I can keep you here with Daniel" he said.
Valerie was about to say something when Danny spoke up "just let her leave" he said. Then he turned to Valerie "please, I know how you are but I am begging you, just leave" he pleaded. Valerie sighed "you want me to leave because you love me, but if you remember right, the reason I had to leave you was to protect you from ghosts, and that's just what I'm doing" she said.
Then she turned to Plasmious "I'm not leaving without Danny" she said. Plasmious sighed "I was afraid you would say that, I'm just lucky I have a cage that would be perfect for you" he said evilly. Danny turned his pleading eyes towards Vlad "please she doesn't know what she is talking about, she is delusional, you have to let her go" he pleaded. Plasmious turned around and threw the box with Danny against the wall "you take me for a fool, I don't think so, she knows your secret and is therefore no longer any use to me, therefore I will allow her the honor of watching me torture you, but don't worry, I'm not going to harm her" Plasmious shouted. Danny's face somehow continued to get paler.
Valerie began to wonder if that was healthy. Her thoughts were interrupted as Danny was taken out of the box and stuff into a strange device (for reference please watch kindred spirits) with a dial on it. He turned to the older looking Danny "if you would do the honors" he asked. The older Danny smiled at his younger self evilly "who are you" Valerie couldn't help answering. Older Danny turned to her. Valerie's breath caught in her throat as he looked at her "I am Dan Phantom, I am Danny's future" he told her in a cold voice. Danny glared at Dan "I will never turn into you" he called out defiantly.
Dan turned to look at him "what makes you think any different" Dan asked. Danny glared daggers as Valerie looked on confused "I already told you that I promised my family" Danny told him. Dan laughed "then I guess you don't mind me doing this" he asked as he turned the dial to ten. Plasmious looked frightened "please stop, I've never gone higher than four" he said. Then Danny screamed an ear piercing scream that rent through the night. Valerie watched in hopelessness as her friend was tortured. Then without warning the device exploded "containment overload" a voice that sounded like Maddie said.
Valerie couldn't see anything but she distinctly heard a sucking almost vacuum like sound. The smoke began vanishing as she saw Danny sucking his older self into a thermos. He then turned to her and without saying a word he deactivated the box and turned Valerie intangible. They flew through the smoke and into the ghost portal "where are we going" Valerie asked. Danny sighed and looked at his hand where Valerie saw a Fenton thermos "we need to go see a friend" he told her in a detached voice. Valerie looked at him curiously, noting that he wasn't looking to good.
He looked drained of all energy "are you going to be okay" she asked. Danny stared at her with glazed over eyes "I don't know" he whispered. Valerie suddenly called out her suit and jet sled. Danny took the hint and sat on the back "can you tell me the coordinates of where to find your friend" she asked. "approximately five miles to the left in an old clock tower" he said in a weak voice. Valerie punched in the coordinates then turned to him "I can't assure that you'll stay on if your in the back, however I can put this on auto pilot and hold you as you sit in the front" she told him, not bothering to hide her anxiety.
Danny nodded and went to sit on the front. Valerie noticed he looked as though he were going to pass out. Quickly she put it on auto pilot and sat behind Danny holding him close. The jet sled took off in the proper direction and after about five minutes Danny turned to Valerie "I'm sorry but I can't stay awake much longer, I might pass out" he told her in a whisper. Valerie's eyes began watering "it's okay, and don't worry I'll make sure nothing is going to happen" she soothed. Danny sighed "my friends name is clockwork, just so you know" he said . Then he passed out and Valerie gasped as a ring of light appeared around his waist to travel in opposite directions along his body leaving Danny Fenton in his place.
Valerie couldn't hold back the tears now that she had visual proof of Danny and Phantom being the same. Then Valerie noticed the clock tower and directed her jet sled over to it. She then deactivated her sled and held Danny in one arm and the thermos in the other. She then looked around and saw a older looking ghost looking into a window like thing "excuse me, are you clockwork" she called out. He ghost turned to her and turned into a baby at the same time "yes, and please bring him in here Valerie" he told her.
Valerie was confused at how clockwork knew her named but just listened to him and dragged Danny into the clock tower. Clockwork pointed to a small bed and Valerie slowly dragged Danny to it and laid him down. She turned to clockwork "what should I do with the thermos" she asked. Clockwork stared at her intently and turned into an adult "put it over there" he said pointing to a shelf. Valerie quickly did so and turned to Danny "is he going to be all right" she asked fearfully.
Clockwork smiled just slightly at her concern "yes he is, however he will be in a lot of pain for the next three days and will be unable to fight ghosts, though it will be alright to leave it in your capable hands" he told her gently as he turned into an adult. Valerie looked at him curiously "how do you know" she asked. Clockwork turned to the window thing "I am the master of time, I know things that have, are, and will happen, I have seen that ghost attacks will be low and you will easily bring them down, and that Danny will easily recover" he told her. Valerie sighed and looked over to Danny who was starting to stir.
Quickly Valerie went over to him and grabbed his hand. His eyes opened and he winced and sort of writhed in pain "if you go into your ghostly half the pain is not as intense" clockwork said from behind. Danny slowly slid into his ghost form and was able to slightly relax. He turned to clockwork "I suppose I have no choice but to tell do I" he asked. Valerie was extremely confused "if you tell them, they will allow you to stay in your ghost form and the pain will not be near as intense" clockwork told him.
Danny struggled to sit up and turn to Valerie "is it okay if you give me a ride home, I don't have the strength to fly" he asked. Valerie smiled and helped Danny to stand and walk to the entrance. But before she could summon her jet sled, Danny turned to clockwork "please, don't let him get free again, I don't have the strength to fight that kind of torture" he said. Valerie summoned her jet sled, knowing he had meant his older self, and she helped Danny to sit on the front and she sat behind him and put it on auto pilot to head to the Fenton's portal.
On the way back Danny explained about the ghosts that had captured him, and then explained about Masters and Plasmious being one and the same, like Danny. After about a half an hour they arrived outside the Fenton portal, but Danny stopped Valerie from going through "Valerie, I need your help, my parents don't know I'm half ghost and well…" he started. Valerie raised an eyebrow "yeah, I'll help you, but it might be better for you to show up ghost and turn human later in order for you to have less pain" she told him.
Danny nodded and took a deep breath as Valerie flew through the portal. They instantly spotted Jazz, Maddie and Jack standing around a new weapon "freeze ghost" Jack yelled at seeing Danny and Valerie. He quickly shot an ecto gun that Valerie dodged "please stop and listen for a minute" Valerie cried out. Maddie and Jack held their weapons but didn't shoot. Valerie recalled all of her hunting gear "Valerie" Maddie cried as she and Jack dropped their weapons. Valerie crouched down and helped Danny to stand, allowing him to use her as a support.
Jazz looked anxiously at him and Valerie figured she knew "please, this isn't a normal ghost, he will show you because I can't explain it, but he can't hold that form for to long so please don't shoot" Valerie bagged. With that the two rings traveled along Danny's body leaving Danny Fenton there, insanely he began twitching and wincing in pain. Valerie looked at him worried "please change back before you hurt yourself too bad" she whispered. Danny quickly did so and stopped twitching. His parents watched in shock "our son is the ghost kid" Maddie asked.
Valerie nodded "and he's hurt, he can only dim the pain in his ghost form, as you saw, his human form isn't an option unless he passes out" Valerie told them. Maddie lowered her head while Jack looked confused. Jazz suddenly stepped up and held Danny's other side "I can help carry him to his room" she told Valerie. Danny sighed "you don't have to talk like I'm not here Jazz" he muttered. Jazz grinned at him "so" she asked.
Danny sighed again "if you want to help, go call Sam and Tuck and tell them that I'm okay, they were worried when Skulker got me, and I would hate for them to start looking for me" he muttered. Jazz rolled her eyes as Valerie watched amused. She then held up her hands in defeat "fine, I'm going, just remember, you have a small first aid kit under my bed, and the big one complete with the devices to help ghosts are under your bed behind your blackmail pictures of Sam and Tuck wearing matching pink dresses" she said.
As she left Valerie burst out laughing "do I want to know how you got the picture" she asked. Danny smirked at her "they lost a bet for Halloween" he told her. Then he turned to his parents "look, I'm sorry I lied, but I was afraid to say anything because you guys were threatening to rip my ghost half apart 'molecule by molecule' and I think that is enough to understand my secrecy" he said in an almost bored tone. Maddie got over her shock and hugged her son who winced as he felt the pain of the shock "oh sweetie, we'll always love you no matter what you are" she told him.
Then she released Danny and he turned to his dad "and so you know dad, the devices you thought were busted like the Fenton thermos,, the ghost gabber, the Fenton ghost tracker, the boooomerang yeah they work, they were keying into the ecto plasm in my blood, not broken" Danny explained. Valerie almost laughed at the childish delight on Jack's face "I had better get you to your room" Valerie told him. Maddie turned to her "is it okay if we go with" she asked. Valerie gave Danny a questioning look at Danny "of course" he said with a smile.
