Thanks for all your reviews! They're my bread and butter. o_- On second thought, they are my cookies and milk. Yeah, that sounds better. ^-^

Now onto chapter three!

Chapter 3: Feeling the Effects

Danny decided to walk to school. It gave him some time to clear his head as well as walk off some of the excess energy he was feeling. Not too mention it made it much easier to avoid any questions from his parents about his choice of wardrobe on such a sunny day.

Unfortunately our favorite little hybrid could not as easily avoid his friends.

Pacing down the hall Danny could see his friends already at their lockers wearing their usual attire which for Sam consisted of a slimming black and purple outfit with combat boots and for Tucker a plain mustard colored shirt complete with a red beret and his own pair of brown leather boots.

Danny rubbed the front of his gray hoodie nervously as he approached them.

"Hey Danny, what's- whoa," the goth girl paused taking in her friend's appearance, the baggy hoodie nearly swallowing him. "That's a new look for you."

"What? Oh yeah! I just thought I'd wear something different for a change." Danny replied, his cheeks turning the slightest shade of pink at his own lame response.

"A hoodie?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I mean, it is kinda cold outside isn't it?" The teen asked faking a shiver.

"Actually I think it's only 60 degrees outside." Tucker stated innocently. The techno geek reached into his pocket pulling out his trusted PDA and began tapping at the screen with a small pen. "Yup, only 62 degrees." He confirmed with a proud smile. "And we all know technology wouldn't lie to us. Would you girl?" Tucker cooed to his PDA.

Sam rolled her eyes dramatically before turning her attention back to Danny. She stepped closer to the raven haired boy till they were close enough to lock arms and leaning in toward him said in a hushed tone, "Are you sure you're not cold because of your ghost powers? You know, your ice core acting weird again."

"Y-Yeah that's it!" Danny replied struggling to keep the blush off his face. With Sam so close it was almost like she was whispering in his ear…

Stay focused! "My ice core is just spreading to the rest of me or something." That was just stupid! Could you think of a dumber answer? ! "But I'm fine, really. I'm sure I can wait it out." He forced a smile.

"I don't know Danny…" Sam said softly, worry written across her features. "Maybe you should go see Frostbite. Tucker and I can cover for you."

"Yeah dude, if you try to wait it out it'll probably just get worse." Tucker added seriously, his PDA long forgotten. "Just go see Frostbite and we'll cover for you. It's not like we haven't done it before." The teen smiled reassuringly.

"Really guys I'm ok!" Danny said a bit too forcefully causing both his friends to stare at him. "It's not that bad, really." He said a little calmer. "Besides, if I miss another day of school the principal might call my parents and I still have two tests I need to make up."

"Well," the goth girl started to speak only to be interrupted by the school bell ringing.

"Come on, we're going to be late for class." Danny said hurriedly all too eager to drop the previous subject. Saved by the bell

The three rushed to their first period classes without any further discussion but Danny couldn't help feeling even more restless.

Why had he rejected the idea of going to see Frostbite so strongly? True, it wasn't his ice core that was bothering him but surely with all of Frostbite's wisdom the snow ghost would be able to tell him what was wrong. The abominable might even be able to explain what the tattoo was and how it had gotten on him.

But for as much as the ghost boy might've gained in visiting his loyal friend it wasn't worth the trouble of going out there to see him.

For some reason the thought of entering the ghost zone filled Danny with fear and dread. He felt uneasy just thinking about it.

Besides, deep down even though Danny knew Frostbite might have the answers he was looking for the teen felt no real desire to go see the ghost. The thought made Danny feel slightly guilty but all in all it was the truth.

He didn't want to see Frostbite. He didn't want to go out of his way to visit the snow beast, selfish as it sounded. In fact, Danny didn't want to be bothered with any ghost. Not Skulker or Technus, or Ember, or Walker, or even Box Ghost. Instead he was silently praying that they would all leave him alone if just for this one day.

Well, all expect for…

Danny shuddered, not in disgust but in excitement. He quickly shook his head ridding himself of the thought. With all these strange thoughts and feelings why would he want to go see…

Vlad.

XXX Line Break XXX

Danny stifled yet another groan as his math teacher continued going through all 20 questions on the blackboard. Danny never really enjoyed math class. He never had a head for numbers and so math class always seemed so boring and trivial to him.

But this was just painful!

It felt as though sharp nails were scratching against the chalkboard of his brain making the teen want to tug out his hair and curse whatever genius thought it was a good idea to use letters in place of numbers.

But instead the ghost boy merely sighed and continued doodling in his notebook as he stared at the clock above the teacher's desk willing it to move faster.

So far only 10 minutes had pasted. Only another 20 to 25 more to go.

Danny shifted in his seat, the restless feeling building up inside him once more. His pencil scratched at the paper beneath it faster creating a small detailed picture though the teen didn't notice it. He was much too focused on the clock.

Tick. Another minute went by.

Danny sighed again this time long and loud and rather dramatically. His teacher didn't seem to appreciate it.

"Mr. Fenton!" Mrs. Williams snapped.

"Y-Yes Mrs. Williams." Danny jolted to attention.

"Since you seem to find my teaching so boring," Danny winced at her tone, her sharp eyes piercing him through thin glasses. "Perhaps participating with the rest of the class might help you stay more focused."

"Ummm…"

"Do number 15." She snapped pointing to a very complicated problem on the board. "It shouldn't be too hard considering we just went over how to solve it." Mrs. Williams stated smoothly her tone all too knowing.

"R-Right." Danny leaned forward slightly as if getting a closer look might help him solve the problem. It didn't.

After 30 seconds Mrs. Williams sighed. "You are allowed to look at your notes if you have to Danny."

"My notes?"

"Yes, the notes I told everyone to start taking at the beginning of class." Her tone grew sharp again. "That is what you've been scribbling in your notebook this entire time, isn't it?" She quirked an eyebrow.

"Well…" Danny slowly lowered his eyes down to his paper expecting to see mindless doodles and misshapen shapes. But what he saw was much worse.

Vlad Plasmius. The name was written all over his notebook in different styles and shades. Even more shocking was that the ghost boy hadn't hesitated to add his own name right beside or underneath the other hybrid's name.

Vlad Plasmius and Danny Phantom.

A scream caught in Danny's throat, his face drained of all color.

There, in the midst of all the fluttering names was a small detailed sketch of himself and the older hybrid. Danny might have actually been impressed with his own drawing skills if the picture hadn't freaked him out so much.

They were hugging. The teen screamed in his mind as he desperately wanted to in real life. Forget hugging! They were practically snuggling! Or at least Danny's character was.

Danny had drawn himself pressed tightly against Vlad's chest as the older hybrid's arms wrapped around him protectively, a tranquil smile on both their faces. Another odd quality of the already unreal picture was that Vlad was in his ghost form while he, Danny was not.

It almost made it seem like he wanted Vlad to protect him.

"Sometime today Mr. Fenton." An irritated voice broke through the air shattering Danny's thoughts and causing his mind to go blank.

"I'm sorry," the teen replied flatly forcing his head up to see his teacher's annoyed expression. "What was the question again?"

Several students began chuckling and giggling at the innocent question which only succeed in making Mrs. Williams even angrier.

"The answer is 52." Mrs. Williams admitted begrudgingly not wanting to waste anymore class time on one ill prepared student. "I'll be assigning you some extra homework tonight Danny so you can practice these problems a little more. And I will be expecting some improvement by tomorrow. Understood?"

"Yes Mrs. Williams." Danny replied softly, red blossoming on his cheeks.

"Very good. Now class, back to solving…"

Mrs. Williams' voice quickly faded as Danny looked back down at his masterpiece.

He wanted to destroy it. To scribble over all of it again and again until on one could make out what had once been there. To tear it out of his notebook and rip it up into confetti and throw the confetti into a roaring fire.

He wanted to, he really did, but he just couldn't… There was something… something special about the picture and the young halfa couldn't bring himself to harm it.

Danny stared down at the picture with a strange sense of longing. A longing he had never felt before.

The tattoo on his chest started to tingle. Not in a painful or irritating way but in a comforting sort of way sending warm waves through his body. The pulsating warmth was a welcomed change from his freezing ice core but it did little to relieve him of the sudden aching in his chest. In his heart.

It felt like someone had punched a hole straight through him and just as suddenly he began to miss Vlad. So very, very much…

XXX Line Break XXX

Danny had made it through most of the school day and even past lunch. He didn't eat much though. There was a gaping hole in his chest after all, not in his stomach. He had sipped at his milk and pushed around the peas on his tray while trying to distract himself in a conversation with his friends but it helped very little.

He did however manage to mask his true feelings from both Sam and Tucker and so their worries had at least been washed away for the time being.

Danny might have felt some relief from that too had it not been for the discovery he made soon after lunch.

He had gym class next.

Gym class meant locker rooms.

Locker rooms meant getting undressed.

Getting undressed meant revealing the all too noticeable tattoo on his chest and the possibility of his parents getting a very worried phone call from his gym teacher.

Oh great… What's the point in having ghost powers when I can't even make myself invisible at time like this?

"Danny? You coming?" Tucker asked over his shoulder when his friend hesitated outside the locker room doors.

"Yeah I'll be there in just a minute," Danny replied nervously clutching the strap of his gym bag. "I just left my history book in my locker so I'd better get it for next period."

Tucker gave him a puzzled look but nodded, "Alright, just be careful dude. You know what'll happen if Mr. Burke catches you." Danny nodded as Tucker turned and walked into the locker room.

Danny let out a sigh of relief. That wasn't so hard. All he would have to do now is go into the bathroom, get changed, and then walk into gym class as if nothing was wrong. The halfa turned on his heel only to take one step forward before-

OOF!

He walked right into a brick wall. "Mr. Burke!" Or at least it felt like a brick wall.

"Danny Fenton." Mr. Burke's voice rumbled making him sound like a hungry grizzly bear. "And where might you be running to this period?" The gym teacher was no doubt trying to sound inquisitive but all Danny heard was a growl.

"I was just going to get my history book, I forgot it in my locker. So umm, if I could just…" The teen tried to slowly maneuver around the bulky teacher, a little voice in his head telling him not to make any sudden moves.

"But it isn't history class you have this period, is it?" Mr. Burke grabbed Danny roughly by the hood of his jacket and easily dragged him pass the gym locker doors. "I honestly expected something a little more clever from you Fenton." The gym teacher stated matter-of-factly as he stopped in the middle of the locker room, still gripping Danny's hoodie in his large paw like hand. "When a student tries to skip my class they at least come up with the excuse of "not feeling well" (Mr. Burke rolled his eyes at this) so that they can hide out in the nurse's office."

"Really?" Danny asked looking hopeful. "In that case, I think I have a stomachache." The raven haired teen wrapped his arms around his own waist as if in pain. "A really bad stomachache." He faked a wince.

Mr. Burke threw his head back letting out a rumbling laugh but suddenly cut it short all traces of humor gone from his board face. "Nice try." He released his hold on Danny's hoodie and starting walking away toward the gym entrance. "Now hurry up and get changed. You've all got three minutes." He said carelessly over his shoulder.

Danny sighed drudging up to his locker where Tucker stood already dressed in his gym clothes.

"I tried to warn you." The darker skinned boy jested lightly. Danny was about to reply with a simple, "yeah, yeah" when an all too familiar voice cut in. It was loud and obnoxious, and could only belong to one person.

"What's the matter Fentina? Don't feel like running laps today?" Dash. The bulky pea brained teenager was leaning up against the locker next to Danny's, a smug look on his face.

"Not right now Dash. I'm not in the mood." Danny replied in annoyance not even bothering to look at the larger teen.

Dash frowned slightly at the little loser's uncaring response but Danny didn't notice it as he set his books in his gym locker closed the door and turned away with his gym bag still in hand. Danny started to walk away only to feel a rough hand grab his shoulder and pull him back. "And where do you think you're going?"

"To the bathroom." Danny growled back. "Is that ok with you?"

"I don't think so Fen-Toad." Dash smirked. "Coach doesn't let anyone get changed in the bathroom. Everyone has to change in the locker room, even wimps like you." The football star sneered and Danny had to fight to keep his eyes from flashing green with rage. "Unless there's something you don't want us to see. What're you hiding under this thing anyway?" Dash yanked on the hood of Danny's jacket harshly pulling the smaller teen back and nearly choking him.

"C-Come on guys let's not start this before gym class!" Tucker said quickly rushing to the aid of his friend. "I'm sure we can settle this later in a game of dodge ball." The cyber nerd suggested hoping to get the blond to reconsider and continue his bullying later, (with any luck a teacher might be around.)

"Stay out of this geek. This is between me and Fenton." Dash shoved Tucker into one the lockers as easily as swatting away a fly. Tucker hit the locker with an echoing slam leaving a large dent in the metal before falling to the floor with a soft groan.

"Tucker!" Danny rushed to help his friend only to be yanked back like a dog on a leash.

"Now, where were we?" Dash asked smirking down at the struggling teen. "Oh right, finding out what you're hiding under here." The blond reached for the zipper of Danny's gray hoodie but the halfa's voice made him stop cold.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Danny warned but it sounded more like a threat. Dash looked at the smaller boy's face surprised at how serious he now seemed. "Trust me Dash," Danny continued his eyes hard and cold as ice. "It isn't worth you going to the ER."

Dash's eyes widened as all the other boys in the locker let out a long, "oooooooooo." Big mistake. Dash wouldn't back down from an obvious challenge like that.

"We'll see about that!" Dash slammed the smaller ninth-grader against the lockers ready to rip the hoodie off the mouthy teen if he had to. But it was coming off, along with the rest of his clothes. Dash wouldn't stop until he humiliated the loser as much as possible before gym, and since the little wimp didn't want to take his clothes off in front of anyone the football player would strip the smaller one down to his boxers and see just what he was trying so hard to hide.

That sounded all good in his head… but Danny had other plans.

The tattoo on his chest nearly burst into flames as Dash started to pull down the zipper on his hoodie with a great deal of struggle. Everything inside him screamed in protest as he kicked and writhed in the blond's grasp desperately trying to ignore the mantra of "Fight! Fight! Fight!" going on all around him.

He wanted to "go ghost" so badly it almost physical hurt. To have those blessed white halos appear at his waist and cover him until he saw Dash's face light up in terror. To turn intangible, fly outta this place and never look back.

He wanted to but knew he couldn't. It wasn't worth blowing his secret.

However, it might be worth it just to get DASH'S HANDS OFF OF HIM!

The hulky blond finally managed to pry the hoodie off of him but luckily his white shirt was thick enough to hide the black markings underneath. But Dash didn't stop there.

"Now let's see what you're hiding under here Fentina." Dash sneered as he started to lift the hem of Danny's shirt past his stomach.

The heat in Danny's chest rushed through his body in one powerful pulse as he opened his mouth to scream when-

"MR. BAXTER!" A hefty voice roared throughout the locker room immediately silencing everyone and everything within a five mile radius. "What do you think you're doing to that boy? !"

"U-Ummm, I…" The usual look of stupidity spread across Dash's face. He glanced between the threatening teacher and the pale boy still in his grasp as he struggled for words. "I-I-I wasn't doing anything." He finally answered quickly releasing Danny.

"Oh really?" Mr. Burke asked looking less than impressed, hairy arms folded across his chest.

"Yeah Coach, they were only fooling." Kwan rushed into speech.

"Is this true Mr. Fenton?" Mr. Burke turned his attention to the teen.

Still overwhelmed by what had just taken place and the strange feelings now simmering down inside him Danny nodded slowly rubbing his chest almost timidly. "Yeah… just fooling around."

Mr. Burke paused for a moment clearly surprised at Danny's response but quickly shook it off saying, "And why is Mr. Foley on the ground?"

"I'll help him up!" Dash volunteered instantly. The blond easily helped the techno geek to his feet saying something like, "There you go buddy! You're alright!" And poor Tucker, still clearly dazed could only a mutter a "thanks" as he staggered over to Danny's side.

"Now everyone get out on the track!" Mr. Burke shouted. "Thanks to your friend Mr. Baxter you can all run fifteen laps!"

"Awwww…" The entire locker room groaned as a few students punched Dash in the arm.

"Now get moving!" The locker room emptied out in a hurry expect for Tucker who was weakly clutching the back of his head. "Just go out there and sit on one of the benches Foley. I'll let you sit this one out." Mr. Burke stated in a surprisingly kind voice that made even Tucker's eyes widen.

"Thanks Mr. Burke." Tucker smiled before staggering out of the locker room.

With the room almost empty the gym teacher turned to Danny and sighed. Walking over he calmly placed a hand on the teen's shoulder and said, "I don't know what just went on in here Danny but I'm sure I don't want it to happen again anymore than you do."

Danny hung his head. He knew what Mr. Burke was doing. Now that everyone was gone he wanted him to tell the truth. But how could he?

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

"Yeah," Danny replied slowly still keeping his gaze fixed on the tiled floor. "I think I need to go see the nurse." He lied.

Mr. Burke removed his hand letting out another sigh. "Alright Fenton, go ahead." The teacher turned to walk away but didn't leave before adding, "But like I said, I don't want this to happen again, and I'll be telling Dash the same thing." Danny nodded.

With the locker room empty Danny slid down to the floor running his hands through his hair over and over again. What the heck was that? What was I about to do?

Danny couldn't ignore it anymore. There was no way to deny what he was feeling and worse yet no way to satiate it.

Well, there is one way

White rings formed at his middle and in the blink of an eye Danny's hair turned snow white, his eyes glowing a brilliant neon green and his skin became slighter tanner. The ghost boy stood up confidently letting out the breath he had been holding in.

He didn't know what had possessed him to do this. What had made him write Vlad's name all over his notebook or what had forced him to draw the two together and in the panic and fear of being revealed had caused him to almost scream out for help from Vlad.

But he knew there was only one way to find out.

Meanwhile -

Vlad stirred his tea absentmindedly, a frown slowly drifting across his features. What was taking so long? Surely Danny's desire to see him must be unbearable by now. So why wasn't the boy here yet?

Vlad let out a soft huff as he lifted the tea cup to his lips. Calm yourself Masters. It's only a matter of time. He repeated to himself every few minutes or so. But it wasn't just the waiting that was bothering him.

When Vlad had unexpectedly and quite suddenly received a sharp pang of fear in his chest he knew it could've only come from one thing. Or should I say, one person.

Daniel.

Something must've happened that scared the boy into calling out for his help. And while that worried the older halfa slightly it also filled him with a savage sense of pleasure.

Daniel had called out for his help. Daniel was in danger and wanted him to rush in and save him. True the little hybrid might not have called out verbally for him but with the strong connection now between them there was really no need to.

If Danny was ever in any real danger Vlad would sense it. If the boy felt any strong emotion like, fear, sadness, joy, Vlad would feel it as well. The two were almost one now in a sense.

But not completely. Not until he willing submits and obeys me. It won't be long now.

Then, as if on cue, Vlad glanced over at one of the large windows only to be greeted by a most beautiful sight.

Vlad grinned from ear to ear as he stood to his feet and casually walked to the front door. He wouldn't want to keep his little badger waiting after all…

I hope you liked it. I sure did. At least the ending anyway. I love suspense!

So now feel free to review and tell me what you think. Remember, they're my cookies and milk. YUM!

Sorry, too much sugar.