Chapter 3: New Life

Danny woke up with a start. His whole being had been engulfed in pain a few moments ago, but when he reached the light, everything had ceased to exist. Everything was different now; he knew it. The feeling of opening his eyes was different; his breathing was different, and his lack of a heartbeat was different. 'Am I dead now? Is this what dying feels like?' As his vision cleared, he noticed the room. It was a massive and dark room. The curtains were drawn, and it made the room seem very eerie and quiet.

He let out a breath and noticed the odd sensation, the air whistled down his throat, but the feeling was off. He took another breath and concluded that he didn't need the air. The lack of a heartbeat and the lack of need to breathe was a dead giveaway to his newly dead status. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and tried to walk. Very big mistake. As soon as his feet touched the ground and he put weight on his legs, he buckled and fell forward. He hit the ground with a hard thud and let out a groan. The fall hadn't hurt, but he had the feeling it should, it was an epic faceplant after all. He tried to pry himself off the carpet floor but was too weak to accomplish anything. Then his enhanced hearing picked up someone running up the stairs. He closed his eyes and hoped for the best as the unknown entity sped its way towards Danny's room.

A thud, that was what she heard. A small insignificant thud, and still it meant so much to her. She ran up the stairs with inhuman speed. Her footsteps were thundering through the now quiet house. She practically flew towards the room she'd put the boy in. She stopped in front of the door, her hand on its way to the doorknob when she paused. She didn't know what to expect. She didn't know the child behind the door. She took an unnecessary deep breath and opened the door.

He was lying on the ground; his face squished against the carpet. She couldn't restrain herself at the comical sight and let out a small giggle. He opened his eyes when he heard the happy sound. His blood red eyes pierced hers and for a second she saw her whole life pass her by. She broke the eye contact and took a step back. What had happened? The boy was still on the floor, seemingly helpless and still the images she saw a few moments ago were freshly implanted into her infallible brain.

She looked at the boy again, but the sensation stayed away. She looked at him and saw that he was scared. She must have seemed like a total nutjob, holding her head and taking backwards steps. She extended a hand towards the youth, he blinked at her and let out a sigh.

"You can reach all you want, but I can't get up."

Emily let out a snort. Witty, well then at least be witty back.

"Hey, it isn't my fault you can't get up now is it?"

She thought about those words, and let out another snort.

I am the reason you can't get up.

"You feel pretty good about yourself don't you?" He shot back.

"Yep, feeling pretty good. What about you, though? Is the carpet soft enough?"

"Everything is to my utmost desire thank you, but if you don't mind, could you help me up?"

"Sure thing." As Emily pulled him up, she looked at his eyes again. There wasn't an ounce of fear in them now.

"What's your name kid?"

"Danny, and yours?"

"Emily, nice to meet you."

"You know, what about you tell me why I'm in your house?"

"Do you want the short, or the long answer."

"I guess the long answer contains more details so I'm going with that one."

"Okay." Emmy, again, took a deep breath and started her story.

"My brother and I found you three night ago. You were leaning against the brick wall, while a strange creature was above you. The creature had a knife in its hand, and you were bleeding out of a cut on your throat. I watched you lay there, and I couldn't help myself. We scared away that monster quickly enough, but your eyes kept staring at me with this dead look. My brother turned to leave you there, thinking you were dead already, but I stayed and heard your heartbeat. I didn't think after that and...changed you."

As Emily watched the information sink in, she prepared for the biggest blow.

"Danny, you're a vampire now."

Seconds passed and became minutes; she watched the boy as he took in what she'd said. She didn't expect him to burst out laughing.

"So, you're telling me *wheeze of laughter* that I'm a *wheeze* bloody vampire?"

"That's exactly what I said."

"Man, Sam is going to have a kick out of this. I'm officially the most awesome boyfriend ever."

"Hold your horses pal, why are you so excited by all this?"

"Okay, you answered my question truthfully so I'll answer yours."

As Danny said this, he reached for the cold spot in his chest and smiled when he found it and triggered his transformation. The rings completed their way up and down his body, and there stood Danny Phantom. Ghostly protector of Amity Park...but not really. The familiar white tuft of hair on his head had now begun to flicker as the flames danced across his scalp. His eyes weren't their original shade of toxic green; they were blood red. Worst of all were the fangs. The two pointed teeth had painfully stabbed into his lower lip. He reached his hand up to wipe the blood away, but he found none. The bitter taste of ectoplasm was the only thing he registered in his mouth. He floated over to the mirror and stared at his reflection in shock.

Instead of Danny Phantom, the image of Dan Phantom looked back at him.

He was gaping like a fish, his mouth opening and closing repeatedly. Then he was trembling, his eyes rolled back into his head, and he started to fall again.

"LUCAS, he's going into shock!"

Danny, again, woke up in his bed at the Whistler estate. Instead of being foolish and trying to stand up, he tried to lean on his elbows. His eyes met Emily's and then another pair. The other's eyes were a dark shade of forest green. It contrasted Emily's navy blue ones, but you could see the family resemblance. He blinked again and only one pair of eyes were on him. The green eyed boy had left the room, and Emily let out a small sigh.

"That's my twin brother Lucas; he doesn't like it that you're here."

As soon as Emily spoke, the memories of a few moments ago came rushing back to him. HE was looking back at him in the mirror; He was the mirror image of his evil alternate future self.

"Danny, are you in there? Danny?" Emily waved a hand in front of his face and tried to shake his shoulder, but as soon as Emily's hand was an inch from his shoulder, his killer reflexes had caught her hand.

"What have you done to me? Why did you turn me into HIM!"

His body began to tremble again as he thought of those long lost memories, his mind whirling, not comprehending that it wasn't true. He only saw himself as the crazy lunatic that was Dan Phantom.

Until he got smacked in the face.

"Young man! I will not tolerate you to speak to me in that tone. I saved your life goddammit! You will not talk back to me like that. You will show some respect, and you will listen to me!"

"Wha...?"

"No, shut your mouth and listen! You were on the verge of death a few days ago. I could have let that...that thing take you away. I could have followed my brother and left you there, but no. I saved your life, and you will be grateful. I don't care what you look like, and I don't care what you are. You're in my house under my roof and with my rules. Is that clear!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

"Now, explain yourself."

And so the rest of that afternoon consisted of Danny telling his life story to a complete stranger.