Chapter 10

Clockwork burst into the meeting room, beaten up and looking a little worse for wear, and clutching a scroll in one hand. As soon as the doors had opened, Danny and Frostbite were on their feet, moving to help their injured friend to a seat.

Danny had been coming back, trying to formulate some battle strategies for when shit hits the fan. Clockwork said he had some important business to attend to, and he had said not to worry. Nothing bad would happen. But here he was, beaten and bloody and barely conscious as he shoved a torn piece of parchment into Danny's hand. Danny set it down, more concerned for his friend than whatever was on that paper.

"Dude, what happened?" He asked, slapping the blue ghost's cheeks lightly to keep him awake.

"Pariah," he muttered. His voice was soft and weak, as if he was just barely holding on.

"Damn it, Stopwatch," Danny muttered. Frostbite put his hand on Danny's shoulder, and Danny moved out of the way to let Frostbite and his team of healers take over. They specialized in this kind of thing, and after a few recon ghosts had come back super injured over the past few days, Frostbite had called in his crew. He had never seen a ghost heal up as fast as they did after the healers came by, so he had high hopes that Clockwork would make it. But that didn't stop the worry in his gut. If Pariah could do all of that to the Master of Time then what chance did Amorpho have?

Wait…

"Clockwork," Danny said, worry and fear creeping into his voice, "where's Amorpho?"

Clockwork didn't say anything. Instead he just pointed to the discarded parchment he had carried in with him. Danny's heart and core sunk into his twisting stomach, and he swallowed nervously as he picked it up and unrolled it. He tried ignoring the glowing, green stains and scorch marks near the edges of the paper as he read it.

It suddenly seemed to quiet as Danny read. He was overly aware of it. The only noises came from the healers and Clockwork's grunts of pain. But what he was holding in his hands might earn them a win in the end. And after the few days he and the others have had, he could really use one. He hasn't seen Dash in three days, and knew his boyfriend was worried, but he had kept him updated with the phone he used specifically when he was in the Zone. He and Tucker came up with the design several years ago in case Danny was stuck in the Zone for a long period of time. The phone allowed calls and messages to go through across the Zone and the land of the living. It was definitely convenient for missions like this, but not so much for Dash's motherly instincts kicking in. But he had to keep him updated, or he would do something stupid. Like drive the car into the Zone with no idea where he was going. He had let that happen once, and swore to himself he would never let it happen again. He did not need Princess Dora laughing at him again.

"The next time I see Amorpho I'm promoting him," Danny said to the room. Everyone looked at him expectantly as he read over the last few lines once more.

"What does it say?" The head Observant asked when Danny was still silent.

"It's locations and names and what's going on with Pariah. Apparently he keeps talking to himself. Like, he's acting like he's talking to someone but nobody is there, but there isn't a name mentioned anywhere. Just some obscene profanities about Pariah. There's also a sort of plan? It says Pariah is planning on raising his skeleton army once he gets all powered up."

"He was in the sarcophagus for a while, though," Clockwork piped up. The color was already returning to his face as he sat up. "It'll take him time to heal. It won't take long, but long enough for us to form an army of our own."

"Well then," Danny said, closing the parchment and setting his jaw, "Let's get started then. Shall we?"

Amorpho coughed as he hung from the chains in Pariah's castle. He had been locked away in the dungeon, and had no idea how long it had been. Enough for him to worry about whether or not Clockwork actually made it. Enough to hope, though, that Danny was working on a plan to storm the castle. But in the meantime, he would just have to suffer.

He was known in the Zone for being a survivor, so that's what he would do. Danny depended on him. Hell, the whole Zone kind of did. He wasn't going to let his own fear prevent him from doing his job. It was too important.

Pariah thought he had useful information. He thought the shapeshifter was just holding out on him. As long as Amorpho could keep that act up, it would keep him alive. So he would play the part for as long as it would carry him. There was no way he was going to get out of these dungeons by himself. Especially not with that stupid Fright Knight looking everywhere for potential prisoners or prey. Whichever one it was depended on Pariah.

He really hoped he was a prisoner. Because if he was prey than he was royally screwed.

When the door to his cell opened, he knew he was in for it.

Danny had found out a long time ago that the Ghost Zone was constantly replenishing his energy as long as he was in his ghost form. He could go for days, or even maybe weeks without eating or sleeping, just as long as he was in the Zone.

Unfortunately, the same rules did not apply within the human world.

It was one of those rare nights where he was home. Dash was up and stress knitting when Danny stepped through the portal, covered in someone else's ectoplasm and dark bags under his eyes. Dash was already up and moving, wanting to look over Danny and make sure he was okay. And physically he was.

He wasn't quite sure about mentally though.

Losing Amorpho was harder than he thought it was going to be. He had no idea if his friend was still alive (for lack of a better word) or not, and he was getting more and more worried by the second. He couldn't just sit by and let his friend be-be ended for something he's responsible for.

But then he was aware of the strong arms holding him, and he closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of Dash. He didn't know when he closed his eyes, but he was fully aware of when he transformed, because then Dash was carrying him bridal style to their bedroom for a night of some much needed rest.

Dash wasted no time taking off Danny's shoes and shirt. He was already half asleep, and looked a little worse for wear. There were deep, dark bags under his eyes. There were stress marks across his face, and he was sure that if Danny kept knitting his brows together like he had been it would turn into one big unibrow. It was strange how exhausted he looked while he slept. Like he was fighting one war during the day and a completely different one in his dreams. And knowing Danny, that probably wasn't far off.

But he was home. Danny was here and he was breathing. And right now, that was good enough for Dash. He climbed into bed with Danny and wrapped a big, comforting arm around Danny's middle, nuzzling his face into Danny's back, and fell asleep almost as quickly as Danny had.

He could have one last calm night with Danny before he went to war.

It was a damned shame that all he could do right now was sleep.