Chapter 11: Watched

I looked in the mirror at my true ghost form for the first time in twenty years. Plasmius had never been me, not really. He'd simply jumped right in when I was vulnerable and didn't have the slightest clue how to use my powers. I was back in control once more when I accessed my ghost side, but I was weak. I had never had the time to develop my own powers, only the ones Plasmius showed to me.

He used me to attack so many people, but was it really him? After a while, I gave up, I stopped fighting him. I let him poison my mind, so was it really only his doing?

In the following morning, there was really no discussion as to what we were going to do; the front office was called about both our absences before I was even fully awake. It was an unspoken agreement that Danny and Maddie needed some time to catch up, and I needed that along with some time to recover after attempting to hold back Plasmius twice in one day.

Danny was in an unusually good mood, I hadn't seen him this happy since I'd finally woken up after that last fight with Vlad. He was hell bent on making breakfast for everyone from scratch instead of pulling some frozen crap out and calling it a day. I wasn't complaining, apparently living in constant fear that your parents' meals would attack you was a good enough incentive to learn to how cook better than most people.

Mid-way through what would have been our second period, there was a knock at the door. Maddie froze for only a split second before moving like a cat to Danny's old bedroom, knowing it'd be best to see who was actually at the door before revealing that there was someone else here.

I answered the door to find not one, but two people there, both Tucker and Mrs. Stuth had shown up at our door. I let them in, though I suppose I didn't really have much of a choice seeing as they pushed their way in as soon as the door moved even a half centimeter.

"You two had better have a damn good reason for not telling me you were staying home. The last time this happened, you two were gone by the time I got here!" I think it was brutally obvious that Tucker was not amused by this.

"Over protective much, Tuck?" Danny had spoken as he came up behind me as our teacher turned to close the door.

"Yes! You two have a tendency to attract trouble!" And I thought Danny was bad, I hadn't realized just how much Tuck worried.

I turned to Mrs. Stuth. "So Tuck's here because he's overprotective, but why are you here?"

"Officially? Because I wasn't feeling too well and wanted to deliver your makeup work before returning to my own apartment. In reality? I wanted to make sure you were okay after yesterday." Yet another of her not-so-innocent smiles graced her features.

"And your hidden agenda would be?" I questioned, there was no way in hell that was the only reason she was here.

"To help Tucker if it turned out he wasn't just being insanely overprotective and see just what was keeping the great Danny Phantom out of school for the day." She turned to Danny. "Well?"

I looked at him. "Do you want me to go get her, or do you want to do it?"

He didn't even bother pretending to debate about it for a second before answering. "I'll do it." He turned to walk down the short hall to retrieve his mother.

"Her? There's a her here?" I couldn't quite identify the tone of voice Tucker was using, but I knew that what ever he was thinking could not have been completely innocent. I'm sure I've said it before, but I'll say it again, Tucker just doesn't do the whole innocent thing.

Mrs. Stuth spoke before I could retaliate. "I'm sure whatever your thinking, is wrong." She gave him a pointed look, making him shut up almost immediately.

Danny walked back, his mother in tow seconds later. "Remember her, Tuck?" Tucker ran up and hugged Maddie, not even bothering to answer before doing so.

Danny wrapped his arms around me as he had become quite accustomed to doing over the past few months. I think it was a security thing for him, not that I was complaining about it. "Mrs. Stuth, that's my mom."

"I would ask how the hell that's possible, but considering the things I've seen from you two alone, I'm really not all that surprised to see your supposedly dead mother standing before us."

We all moved to the living area as the stories of what all had happened within the past twelve hours were retold. Danny got up at one point to grab drinks for everyone and Tucker playfully grabbed me, deeming me as his responsibility to keep safe. As I phased out of his grasp, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching us. I was probably just paranoid, the feeling did go away after I was once again in Danny's arms.

The child should not have been using her powers for such trivial things, just a little force would have gotten her friend to let go. Didn't she realize that using her powers for such simple things only fed the beast that was already growing from her power?

...that feels so pathetically short...I guess you will all just have to live with it! :P

Comments and feedback are welcome as always! :D

Invisible One