Thank you to astrovagant, Anon, and Lightning Streak for your reviews on the last chapter!
He and Valerie mostly just sat in silence following their not-so-daring escape from their reunion/planning. They had retreated to the grassy hill from Valerie's first day back for a little moment of peace.
It was kind of nice, since any other time he had any one-on-one conversation that day it had ended in a lecture about his and Val's self-destructive tendencies. Which was really inaccurate, when he thought about it.
Valerie wasn't self-destructive in the least. She was fiery and determined and more than anything good. That he believed. As for himself… He couldn't deny his past actions. In high school, it was almost as though his personal life mission to make his own existence as difficult as possible.
Things were different now.
"Everyone's trying to match who we used to be to who we are now." This part he said aloud. Valerie hummed from her place next to him. She looked calmer than she had in days, arms splayed out as she rested on her back and stared up at the stars Danny loved so dearly.
"I've noticed. People keep treating you like a ticking time bomb. They look so surprised when they realize you're not on the verge of doing something stupid or dangerous." Her eyes met his as they shared a smirk.
He poked her side gently. "Look who's talking. Every time you and I stray too far from everyone else someone has a mini panic attack wondering if you've lured me off to finally finish what you started."
She sighed at that. "Is that it for us? Will we always be the time-bomb and the crazy hunter?" She seemed a little upset at the prospect.
Danny shook his head. "Nah. We've already proven to ourselves that we aren't that. Proven it to each other too. I chose to trust you with that weapon, Val. I think that's the least self-destructive thing I've done in a long time."
Valerie sat up at that, eyes wide. "You really mean that?"
"I do." Danny said, nodding at her. "It doesn't matter what or who they think we are, you know? I don't care what they think of me. I care about what I think of me. And I think that I won't become some monster that you have to use that weapon on."
Valerie pursed her lips. "Then why have it made in the first place? Why even risk it?"
Danny shrugged. "It never hurts to have a back-up, but most importantly, I think you need that thing more than me."
"Huh?"
"Just like I know what I am, you need to know who you are." He turned, cupping her face in his hands. Maybe to drive the point home. Maybe because he's wanted to do so for a while now. "Valerie Gray, you are one of the most talented hunters I have ever met, and you are the only one strong enough to know when and if you need that weapon."
Her eyes glistened as tears pooled. He watched with fascination as she tried to blink them away. He expected her to deny his words, maybe even deck him for making her cry. She didn't do either. "Thank you."
He pulled her in for a hug, which she returned with gusto.
And if he felt her wipe her eyes on his shirt, well, they weren't going to tell anyone about this moment anyway.
"Have you even practiced once since you moved away?"
"No, but this kind of stuff is like riding a bike! You never forget!" Tucker mimicked shooting random targets throughout the lab with the blaster in his hands.
Sam rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm not worried about you forgetting, I'm worried about you sucking."
Tucker made a noise of indignation. "I do not SUCK!"
"Well you're going to." Valerie joked as she tossed Tucker a thermos. "You're with Danny. He'll engage and you'll clean up behind him."
Tucker groaned. "You don't have to make it sound like I'm some lame sidekick or something."
"But Tucker," Danny threw an arm over his friend's shoulder, "Without you I wouldn't even have a lame sidekick. We wouldn't want that would we?"
Tucker was about to retort when Jazz walked down the stairs. "Alright everyone, let's stop messing with Tucker and get to work." She walked past the group of friends and booted up the lab computer. "Do we all know what role we'll be playing here?"
Danny nodded, walking over to his sister's side. "Yup. Tuck's with me, working the thermos. Sam and Valerie are going to start on the other side of town and do the same. We'll meet in the middle and hopefully by then we'll have cleaned up this city a little bit. Jazz, you'll be here on support, right?"
Jazz nodded. "Yes, I'll be on the headset with all of you. I've already picked through the files Valerie brought and sent the last reported locations of the ghosts to you guys. Remember to clear the area before engaging. The last thing any of us want are civilian injuries."
Valerie stepped up. "I've already talked to Hayes about what we're up to, and I have a direct line should we need some GiW support."
"Alright then team," Sam said, hoisting a Fenton Bazooka over her shoulder, "Let's go kick some ass."
She and Tucker walked over to Jazz to grab their headsets. Valerie moved to follow them when Danny stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, please keep an eye on Sam. She's talking big and I know she goes to ranges all the time to practice her aim but… Ghost hunting a trickier game than that. She's rusty. So is Tuck."
Valerie nodded, patting his hand with her own. "Of course."
He smiled at her before fiddling with the COM device in his ear. "How did you get Hayes to agree to something like this anyway? He hates outside help."
Valerie blinked. "Really? I mean, I was expecting a lot more push back than I got, that's for sure. Does that worry you?"
"Honestly," he glanced back up at his sister and best friends, all sharing a laugh at Tucker as he struggled with the thermos strap, "a little bit. But I can't keep working for the guy if I'm just going to distrust everything he says and does. And neither can you."
"I know, which is why I cleared the whole OP with him when I went for my assessment this morning. I just… I hope we really were wrong about him."
"Yeah, me too."
Valerie moved to walk away before pausing and turning back to Danny. "And, uh, be careful. I don't like that I won't be there to watch your back. I mean, not that I don't trust Tucker but-"
"I know," Danny said, cutting her off, "Me too. Stay safe." He walked over to join the rest of the group.
Valerie bit her lip in thought. She had been toying with an idea, but after the talk she and Danny had last night she wasn't sure if such a thing was necessary. She had even gone so far as to lock up the Blood Blossom weapon, though she had initially intended to always carry it with her from now on.
But then again, if she really wanted to keep Danny safe… "Hey Jazz." Valerie called. The older woman looked up, and Valerie waved her over.
Her brows were furrowed with concern as she walked over. "Is everything alright Valerie?"
Valerie nodded. "Everything's fine. I'm just… paranoid, you know? I'm all for trying to trust Hayes, but I've always trusted my gut about these sorts of things." She handed Jazz a slip of paper. "This is Laura Brannon's number. She's the only GiW that I genuinely trust. I want you to have it. Just in case."
Jazz blinked, looking down at the number in her hand. She looked back up at Valerie. "What are you worried might happen?" The question was genuine.
Valerie shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just trying to cover all my bases. Maybe I'm being too suspicious. But I'll sleep better this way."
Jazz nodded and pocketed the paper.
Valerie and Sam weren't a bad team.
Both women were incredibly sharp, so they linked the clues to a ghost with little issue. Sam also seemed to understand that Valerie was a good enough hunter to warrant little help from her when it came to engaging, which meant that Valerie was able to attack quickly and efficiently while Sam waited patiently with the thermos.
"Nice shot." Sam said as she uncapped the thermos in her hand. She aimed it at the weakened ghost and fired, sucking it up with ease.
Valerie grinned. "Thanks. You're good support." The duo had cornered their target effortlessly in the old, shut-down furniture shop, using their Fenton Tech goggles to see through the layers of dust.
"Thank you." She lifted her hand and activated her COM. "Hey Jazz, I think me and Val are just about done on our half. Any word on how the guys are doing?"
"I think they're close, but they would be making more progress if they would quit with the small talk."
Sam snorted. "Tucker and Danny? Shutting up? As if. We'll just head to the rendezvous point." They had set it to be the hill overlooking Amity.
"Sounds good. Great work out there ladies." And with that, Jazz beeped away.
Valerie stretched her shooting arm from her place on her board. "Sweet. I was worried this would end up taking all day."
"Yeah," Sam bit her bottom lip, and Valerie could tell the other woman was mentally debating whether or not to say something. She made her decision. "What do you want from Danny?" She winced even as the words came out of her mouth. "That sounded bad."
Valerie crossed her arms over her chest. "Yeah, it did. But I'm sure you meant it differently?" She raised a brow at the other woman, who had the decency to look embarrassed.
"I just meant… Look, I don't presume to know what your relationship has become, but I know Danny. He's not going to take what you two have lightly, and neither should you." Sam wasn't one to back down from protecting her friends, even if she really wanted to create some sort of relationship with the other woman.
Valerie nodded. "Of course. I mean… It's been so long since we last saw each other and in just a week Danny has proven to me that he doesn't go halfway on the whole friend thing. The least I could do is give him the same."
Sam didn't know how much she trusted Valerie's word, but she genuinely seemed to want to try, if nothing else. That she could respect. Even though she and Danny weren't quite so attached at the hip, her opinion on these things mattered. To Danny and to Valerie. She walked up to Valerie's board and extended a hand. "I'm sure you will. You ready?"
Valerie nodded, grabbing Sam's hand and helping her step onto her hoverboard. "Let's go. We should be there when the boys roll up so we can gloat about what better hunters we are." She smirked.
Sam returned the look. "I can't believe it took us so long to become friends."
With that, the duo shot off towards the park. As they approached the grassy area, both women took note of the lack of people.
"It's a really nice day," Sam commented, "Usually the place is packed when the weather is like this."
Valerie nodded, skin prickling and muscles tensing as her instincts set her to high alert. "I know. Do you think there's another ghost?" Even before ghosts manifested their physical form, humans could instinctually tell when they are near. As hunters, both women knew to look out for drops in temperature or the feeling that something is watching you. Valerie glanced down at her Ecto-Scanner, which remained quiet.
Sam took note of the devices silence too. "Well, if there is, our best bet would be to head to the hill anyway. High ground is always an advantage."
Valerie flew them up the hill, where Sam immediately hopped down from her board. She looked around while Valerie flew up a little higher, looking around for any signs of a ghostly presence. Sam raised her hand to activate her COM link to Jazz when Valerie saw the space behind her fizzle strangely.
"Sam!" Valerie called out, already angling her board towards Sam as the ghost behind her grabbed her roughly before yanking her arms behind her back.
Sam immediately began struggling before suddenly going limp in the invisible being's grasp. Valerie grabbed her pistol, aiming it at the space behind Sam.
"Show yourself ghost!" She cocked her gun.
Upon her command, the figure slowly began to appear. She almost dropped her gun at the sight of its pristine white suit. "What the Hell?" She breathed.
Another Guy in White appeared behind her, followed by another to her left, then her right. Finally, Hayes appeared right in front of her. She narrowed her eyes at him, aiming her gun, even though she knew it would have little effect on a non-ectoplasmic entity.
He raised his hands in placating gesture, though his smirk revealed his undaunted state. "Now, now Valerie. No need for weaponry." She made no move to drop her gun, though her eyes burned with angry tears. "Do you like the tech? We've managed to engineer cloaking technology by studying what allows ghosts to become invisible. And while we're at it I might as well inform you that we're blocking your COM frequency."
Valerie remained silent.
"Well then, I suppose you have no other back up plans. I suppose now is the time for you to meet my new friend." He nodded to the man next to him, who pulled out a thermos. He flicked a switch to reverse the beam and uncapped it, releasing its sole captive.
Valerie switched her aim to the ghost, who simply stared at her. Well, the best approximation of staring it could manage. He wore a simple red robe with the hood pulled up. The robe looked like it was meant to be formal, but the ends were tattered and torn. Valerie couldn't tell if it had a face or not, because all she could see under the hood was pitch black and two glowing red eyes.
After a tense stare down, it spoke. "Hello, child. I… I apologize for this."
Valerie felt a dull thrum begin in the back of her head. She immediately recognized it as the same feeling from a couple days ago. This must've been her invisible attacker. She felt herself grow angry at the thought. Furious even. Her jaw worked painfully as her lips twisted back into a snarl.
Her assailant flew up towards her, but she was so tense that she found herself unable to move. "You must understand, it was this in return for my freedom."
She couldn't respond, only stare as her vision bled red.
"So Valerie," Hayes began, looking smug, "I was wondering what you had come up with in terms of stopping Daniel."
"Nothing," Valerie spat, "Absolutely nothing. Did you think pissing me off would get me to tell you how to hurt him?"
Hayes chuckled. "Not at all. I was just wondering what you had come up with. Of course, it sounds to me like you haven't thought of anything." He shook his head. "And to think I brought you here to help me. Luckily, I brought a little something for you." He unclipped a gun from his belt. A magenta pink fluid sloshed in the chamber. "You ever hear of Blood Blossoms Valerie?"
"No!" Valerie called out, her fear winning out over the blinding fury for just a moment.
Hayes held the gun up to her. "Go ahead and give her a target, Mercy."
The ghost in front of her gave her one last apologetic look before her brain was flooded with images of Danny, both in his human and ghost form. All of her fury leaped at the direction, and the only thing she was sure of in that moment was that she wanted to destroy Danny Phantom.
"Yeah. Yeah Jazz I know. What? They're done? They've been done? No way, how long?"
Tucker looked over at Danny at the sound of his incredulous voice. His friend was floating a few feet off the ground as he spoke to his sister. The duo had just finished hunting down their last ghost and had called Jazz to let her know.
"And hey, could you guys let me know when you see them? Their COMs are malfunctioning." She asked, sounding a little concerned.
Danny frowned. "Both of them? That's… That's really weird." He waved Tucker over, grabbing him and lifting him from under his arms as he began flying to their rendezvous point.
Tucker grumbled at the surprise and the rough treatment. "What's going on?"
Danny couldn't ignore the worry in the pit of his stomach. "Val and Sam's COMs are both out. I think something might be wrong." He flew a little faster, frustrated that he couldn't use his full speed while he had Tucker. "Jazz, are you still there?" Danny asked as he saw the park growing nearer and nearer.
"I am. What's going on?" He could hear the worry in her voice. "Do you need back up?"
Danny shook his head. "No, I don't… What the Hell?"
Tucker gaped at the scene before him. "Is that…?"
"The Guys in White." Danny finished, voice angry as he realized exactly what this meant.
"The… in White? Dan… What's… on?" Jazz's voice cut in and out as Danny approached the scene.
One of the men in a white uniform turned and pointed at him as he flew. He prepared to set Tucker down so he could fight properly when his friend went limp in his grasp. He looked down.
"Tucker!" Sure enough his best friend was unconscious. He lowered them both to the ground and set his body down gently, immediately noticing the dart in his neck. He paled as he pulled it out and felt for a pulse, sighing in relief when he felt a heartbeat. "I'll be back Tuck."
He shot back into the sky, eyes glowing a furious green. He flew to the gaggle of Guys in White, who only watched him with varying degrees of disinterest. At the center of it all was Hayes, holding a gun up to Valerie, who was breathing heavily, and an unfamiliar ghost, holding a hand next to her face.
Hayes looked over to him. "Daniel," He said with a smile, "Just in time."
With that, the other ghost disappeared, and Valerie finally looked over to him. Her red eyes were angry in a way he hadn't seen in years. She raised the blaster in her hands towards him. "Phantom." She growled out.
He raised his arms. "Val?"
Hayes chuckled. "Here Valerie, I think you'll like this weapon a whole lot more."
Danny's eyes widened as he recognized the Blood Blossom fluid in the barrel. "Valerie, don't!"
She reached down and took the weapon into her hands.
Sorry it's kind of short compared to my recent chapters, but this was the best place I could think to end it for now! Hopefully a lot of the stuff that's been going on this whole time is starting to make sense! We only have about 2 more chapters left. I hope you guys are ready for this showdown, because I know I am! Please enjoy and don't forget to leave a review!