A/N-
A little follow up. I wasn't sure if I was going to add another chapter, but here it is. Sorry if it sucks, I'm sort of just writing as I go. (:
This is set three years after Melissa first met Danny Phantom, so she is 9. For the sake of this story, Danny's secret hasn't been revealed yet, okay? I even threw some 'economic crisis' stuff in there. It's a big issue!
Note: This
might turn into a full-blown story. I'll need some help with ideas though, so feel free to suggest some if you want more. I'll be sure to credit you!
Note #2: THANK YOU! To everyone who reviewed!
*hugs*
~rainbowstrike

The night felt strange to me. Everything seemed to want to jump out at me, and I shivered in the cool air. I tried not to glance back at my house; I knew I'd just wanna turn around and run back. The moon cast shadows over everything, and I kept my eyes lowered. I didn't want to be at home anymore; things were getting bad. Mommy and Dad were always fighting, and they were talking about having no money and getting a divorce. I knew what divorce was- Abby Winfield's parents didn't live together anymore and she told me they had a divorce.

I thought it was my fault. Mom yelled at me when I left my toys out, and Dad never played with me like he used to. Didn't they love me anymore? I figured that if they didn't have me messing up all the time, they might stop fighting. And plus, if I wasn't there, my Mom and Dad would have more money.
So I was running away. I didn't know if I'd come back.

I walked through Amity Park, my eyes remaining on the pavement. I ran past the house in my street with a big, scary dog named Bruno, and snuck through someone's backyard to get to one of the back roads. I was smart enough to stay off main roads- a policeman or someone could come and take me home if I wasn't careful. I walked until I reached the park, and sat at the foot of a big tree. I grabbed a packet of chips from my backpack. Dad had forgotten to make me dinner that night- he was on the phone... I think he was arguing with the bank. There were a lot of swear words that I'm not allowed to say, and Dad always gets mad when he's talking to the bank.

I leant my head back against the trunk and closed my eyes. I crossed my arms, trying to keep all the warmth inside as I shivered in the cool night breeze. I was tired, it had to be around 9pm already. I pulled Frankie, my light blue teddy bear, from my bag and held him close.

"I'm scared." I admitted in a small voice. Frankie didn't say a word, but I imagined that he might.

"It's okay, Mel. We're gonna be okay." I squeezed my eyes shut really tightly and hugged him against my chest. I wanted someone to tell me I would be okay in the end. My Mom didn't tuck me in anymore, I couldn't even remember her telling me she loved me. Lately, Mom watched TV and ate chocolate. Dad slept on the couch every night. My family was falling apart.

I didn't even notice I was crying until I heard a muffled sob. My own. Soon, tears were sliding down my cheeks like a waterfall, and I couldn't stop. I curled into a ball on the ground and I cried like a baby. I felt so stupid.

Something moved in the bushes, and I froze. I stopped breathing, and I couldn't bear to open my eyes.

"Hey... hey, are you okay?" I recognised that voice. Who was it? Slowly, I opened one eyelid, and gasped softly.

"Just... don't come running into my battles again, okay Mel?" Danny Phantom! I sat up, and a flash of recognition crossed his features.

"Melissa?" he asked, no doubt taking in my backpack, tears and probably dirt-smudged face. I had been lying on the ground. "Are you okay?"

"M'fine." I sniffled, hugging Frankie closer to me. Great, now he was gonna take me back home. He had to; it was like his job or something. But maybe he wouldn't if I asked him nicely. He was nice, after all. He'd understand.

"What are you doing out here by yourself?" he knelt beside me, lifting my chin so I was looking at him. I felt tears well up and spill over from my eyes again.

"Don't make me go back!" I pleaded. "Mom and Dad are always fighting and there isn't enough money, and I'm always messing up and I don't want my Mommy to feel sad all the time and Dad's always angry and-" Danny held up his hand.

"Slow down, Mel." He told me quietly, "Start at the beginning." Tearfully, I began to tell him about how Dad lost his job and how everything had been bad after that. I told him that I didn't want my parents to split up, and I didn't want them to have no money because they had to look after me. To my surprise, Danny didn't tell me to go home. He didn't even ask if I wanted to go home.

"Where were you planning to stay?" he asked, helping me to my feet. His hands were cold, still. Must be a ghost thing.

"Um... I was thinking that... well..." I really didn't know. Danny seemed to get this idea, and smiled.

"You don't know do you?" he asked. I shook my head, the stupid tears forming again. "Well-" at that moment, we were interrupted.

"Whelp!" a low voice cried from above us. Danny groaned.

"Can't they leave me alone, just for one night?" he muttered, before sweeping me up in his arms. "Hold on tight, Mel!"

"You cannot escape me, ghost child!" the metal-clad ghost shouted, flying after us. I hid my face against Danny, closing my eyes. I prayed that he wouldn't take me home. I'd just get in trouble for running away... if they even noticed.

"Mel, where do you live now?" Danny asked through clenched teeth as he dodged an ecto-blast. I shook my head. "You gotta tell me!"

"I don't want to go back, Danny!" I protested. "Please!" He sighed.

"Let's just escape this loser, first." He muttered. "Then we'll deal with your runaway thing, okay?" I nodded in agreement, clinging tighter to the ghost boy.

We zipped and swerved between trees, and soared higher in the sky through the town, but we couldn't lose the mechanical ghost.

"Can't you see I'm busy?" Danny cried exasperatedly. The ghost laughed.

"The ghost child has found a human friend, how touching. Sorry little human, I have business with your hero." Danny growled.

"Get lost, Skulker. Don't hurt her." Danny warned. Skulker laughed again, louder this time.

"I won't hurt her intentionally! But you, I will!" and with that, he fired a blast of energy at us. I screamed as Danny tried to duck, zooming away from the ghost.

"Sorry Mel." He murmured to me as I whimpered. "I bet you wish you were home right now, huh?" Funnily enough, I did.

"Don't talk, just fly!" I insisted.

"You should listen to the human! The chase makes the capture so much more exciting!" Skulker called out.

"Bully!" I shouted. "Go away!"

"Melissa, I have to take you home." Danny began flying towards my old house.

"No!" I cried.

"I have to!" Danny grunted. "Do you really think-" he was cut off by an ecto-blast soaring past his ear. "MEL!" he screamed as I fell from his arms. I couldn't even scream, I was so shocked. He swooped down and caught me. I was sobbing again, terrified.

"Take me home then!" I finally gave in, shaking.

"Thank you!" Danny replied, relieved. He picked up speed, and soared towards my house.

He dropped me, literally, on the lawn.

"I'll be back later!" he promised, before flying away to fight Skulker again. "You caught me on a bad night, Skulker..." I heard him say faintly. I ran up to the front door, and tried to open it. Locked. I pounded on the door frantically.

"Mommy! Daddy!" I cried. The door swung open, revealing a very confused Dad standing in the doorway.

"Melissa? What are you doing outside...? Oh my god, look at you!" he picked me up, and carried my inside. "What happened baby?" I cried into his shirt, breathing hard.

"I... tried... to... run... away..." I managed to get out between sobs. "And... there... was... a... ghost..."

"Mary!" Dad called. My Mom came rushing down the stairs, and I thought she was going to faint when she saw me.

"Oh God. Mel!" Mom cried, enveloping me in a hug. "Honey, baby... let's get you into a shower. Come on. Rob, bring her up please. I'll go run the shower." I clung to my Dad, not ever wanting to let go.

Later, my parents sat on my bed while I told them what had happened. Mom started crying and hugging me a lot. They hadn't realised what they were doing, they said. I told them that I was sorry for running away. I promised not to do it again, so long as they promised that they wouldn't get as mad anymore. They agreed, and we did some more hugging and kissing. I went to bed smiling.

Later, I saw Danny outside my window. I grinned at him, and waited for him to phase inside.

"Hey. You work things out?" he asked softly. I nodded.

"Thank you, Danny. You're a hero." I whispered.

"So you've told me." He chuckled. "I guess we're even now, huh?"

"No way. I owe you my life, like, twice over now." I said. He smiled.

"I'd better go now..." he glanced outside anxiously. I hugged him tightly.

"Thank you, again." I murmured.

"Anytime. Don't mention it." He replied. "Now sleep, Melly. You've had a big day."

"Melly?" I asked.

"Hey, we're friends now. Friends get nicknames." He joked.

"You can call me Melly... only if you come back to visit me sometimes." I said thoughtfully. Danny nodded.

"Of course. But now I really have to go. I'll see you, 'kay Melly?"

"Bye, Danny." I whispered as he phased out of my room. I fell asleep knowing I had a protector out there somewhere.

A/N;

Well, there we are. I dunno if I like it, but I'm gonna post it anyway! How's that for commitment, huh?

*hugs for reviewers.*