Chapter 11

"Mozzie is picking me up and I get to go with them," Maddie asked as the limo pulled up.

"Yes, we set everything up and Danny doesn't know, but you get to see him. Mozzie told him to sleep because he started freaking out. But Mozzie is taking you so you can spend some time with Danny. You deserve it, both of you," Diana said with a smile. "Now go."

"Thank you so much," Maddie said getting out and entering the limo. She looked around and saw the sleeping teen lying across the seat on the side. She smiled and moved some of his hair. He smiled and turned a little to get comfortable. He is even skinnier up close. He has grown and seems to have a more matured face. It still has that boyish look, but it's less than it was seven months ago. His hair has grown out a little, but it seems that it has been cut. He has small scars across his arms and probably also has them everywhere else as well. "Oh Danny, what have you been though these past months?" she whispered tears streaming down her face. She started rubbing his hands as he slept.

"He finally fell asleep. He was driving me insane. For some cryptic teen, he sure wouldn't shut up for a moment for me to concentrate on what he was saying," Mozzie whispered then rolled up the window to give the two some peace. The limo started and Mozzie took them to a safe house for them to stay the night. Danny groaned when the limo started going down the road faster.

"Mm' now where are we going?" Danny mumbled sitting up and rubbing his eyes. Then he froze.

"Danny," Maddie said looking at him. Even his voice has changed slightly, but he still has that calming tone to it.

"Mom?" Danny asked opening his eyes and looking at her. She gasped. They are so haunted, like nothing I have ever seen before.

"Oh Danny," Maddie said holding his chin in her hand. He didn't move or squirm away. He only sat there and let her look him over. "You are so skinny, and yet…I missed you so much," she cried and pulled him into a big hug. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you guys, too," Danny said hugging her back. "I…I…I"

"It's okay. Diana told me what had happened. She knew that you didn't what to say. As soon as Vlad is gone you are coming home and staying there." Maddie said then kissed him on the head. "We have a big day tomorrow and I get to spend tonight with you."

"Okay then, you're going to be my pillow then," Danny said with a smile and leaned against her falling back asleep. She leaned her head against his.

"I will gladly be your pillow Danny. I love you so much and I am never letting you leave me like that ever again. I promise," Maddie whispered slowly falling asleep against him. I can count his ribs if I wanted to though his shirt. I could feel every bone in his body.

Mozzie looked at his screen of the back.

"They really deserve this after the mess they were forced into. Especially Danny," Mozzie said turning off the screen and driving to the hotel room he had gotten for them.

BACK IN THE VAN

"Neal, there is something I need to tell you," Peter said looking at the case file in his hand. "I know after tonight you don't want any bad news, but we looked into who bought the explosives. It was an alias used by Fowler." Neal leaned against the counter in the van. "Are you okay, Neal?"

"Huh yeah. It's just…" Neal started but then Peter's phone rang.

"Diana…What?" Peter started then looked at Neal. "You better not have." He said after he hung up the phone.

"What are you talking about?" Neal asked.

"You stole the music box from Diana. It was completely safe until we let you into the loop," Peter accused glaring at Neal.

"I have been here the whole time," Neal said putting on his innocent face.

"I don't know how you did it, but I will figure it out," Peter said getting out of the van, leaving Neal to get consumed by his guilt on backstabbing Peter.

MADDIE AND DANNY

Mozzie opened the door. "Hey we are here, Maddie."

"Alright, Danny come on we are here," Maddie whispered. Danny only groaned in response and turned a little to let her up. "Come on, Danny"

"M'kay," Danny mumbled getting up and banging his head against the door frame. "ow"

"Danny," Maddie smiled seeing that he was still the goofy kid that he was when half asleep and still ran into things. "Come on I'll guide you."

"M'kay," he murmured again following his mom wherever they were going. Then he froze his ghost sense going off. "No." He looked around and vanished, Maddie gasped at him disappearing again.

"No, Danny," Maddie silently cried.

"He will be back, don't worry he may be paranoid but he will come back," Mozzie said trying to calm her down. He knew Danny only left because no ghost can see him with his family or they would be killed. He left to protect them no matter how much it hurt to leave. "He'll come back, he has to."

DANNY

"Where are you at?" Danny whispered to himself. "He can't be that far away and there is no way he was close enough to see me with mom."

"Ghost child," an echoed voice behind him said. "I finally can get you for my master."

"Doubt it," Danny smirked knowing that he hadn't seen them together. "Now watch as I kick your butt."

"According to my master, you aren't that hard to beat," The ghost said attacking with a ghost ray.

"These past few months he hasn't seen how truly powerful I can be," Danny said his eyes glowing blue as the air temperature dropped throughout New York. "I can destroy you, and not break a sweat." With that said Danny powered up an ecto blast that had hints of blue in it.

"I can win," the ghost said throwing up an ecto shield that was frozen by the blast as the blast continued into the ghost. He screamed as the blast painfully froze him solid.

"You are my warning for any ghost working for Vlad. Do not come looking for the trouble and just go back to the Ghost Zone for soon Vlad will no longer be able to have his freedom." Danny warned stopping his attack and letting the ghost go to lick his wounds. Danny flew back to the hotel.

"Danny, are you okay?" Maddie asked as he changed back. She went up to him and he just groaned. "Danny, why don't you go lay down, you seem very tried." Danny nodded and fell. "Danny, Danny, please get up," Maddie whispered, but all Danny did was groan. Maddie picked him up and lead him to the room and laid him down on the bed. "Good night, my baby boy."

"Good night, mom," Danny said going back into a deep sleep.

"Oh Danny, I missed you so much," Maddie whispered kissing him on his head.

"He has been working all day trying to help get this case closed. He has been up since he screamed bloody murder this morning around six," Mozzie said sitting on the other bed.

"He had a nightmare?" Maddie asked sitting next to Danny.

"Yeah, been having them since we got him. I have to say that whatever can scare a kid like him like that must be something bad," Mozzie said looking at Danny with eyes knowing the torment that will come in the morning.

"He…He is so skinny and looks horrible. I wish he wasn't so unhealthy looking it wouldn't so bad, but…" Maddie said with tears running down her face.

"When we got him, he was a lot worse. Just with me he has gained at least ten pounds if not a little more. I have only been hiding him for about four days," Mozzie said trying to make her feel better. "He really has been getting better. In the beginning he was really cryptic and didn't trust anyone. Neal worked hard trying to get him to talk. Then he started just trying to get him to open up. He really has kinda become part of the team."

"He used to be so open and kind. He would help anyone in trouble. Then after his accident in the lab he started closing away from us. A couple of months later he became closer to his sister Jazz. Then when he disappeared I always thought it was because we didn't pay enough attention to him. When the TV come on saying that Danny Phantom hasn't been seen for almost five months and that the ghost attacks has increased. I was looking at a picture of Danny at the time and noticed that they looked so similar. Then I realized that they were one in the same. I didn't tell anyone because I was afraid the government would get him and I would never be able to see him again." Maddie explained looking at the sleeping teen. "I just hoped that he would be safer with this now that I knew he had a way to defend himself. It gave me hope of seeing him again."

"You figured it out and it gave you hope. So this really just made your day didn't it? You met Neal not expecting him to lead you to Danny," Mozzie said smiling.

"No, I went there to try to clear my mind and find ways to track Danny. Knowing he was a ghost made it easier. I was going to find his ecto signature and then find him, but I almost didn't go. My daughter told me that it would help to cope with Danny being gone. Finding him here only made me want to keep this trip going. I am not going home without him though. That is a promise." Maddie said stroking Danny's back as he slept.

"We hope he can go home too. He is a good kid, but he needs you guys. He also wants to go home. Ever since Neal got him to talk he has done nothing but try to find a way to get Masters out of the way. That guy is the only reason he can't go home," Mozzie said sadly. "It's sad that he didn't get a choice in any of this. It was Neal's idea for me to trade with Diana so at least Danny got to spend some time with someone from his family. Neal did everything he could once he realized that you and your husband were at the ecto convention. He said he wanted you guys to take him home."

"Thank you," Maddie said yawning. "It's been a long day." Maddie yawned again and laid down next to Danny and fell asleep.

"Yeah it has, good night guys," Mozzie said then left the room with a smile. Neal was right. That kid just needed to know that his family still cares and that they still want him even if he is half ghost. He really needed that support.

MASTERS

"Where is that…?" Vlad started but then looked and seen the ghost he had sent to see if Danny was still in New York. "What happen to you?"

"I am done working for you master. That teen is way too powerful for me and I am not going to get a second dose of what he can do," the ghost said disappearing into a swirl of green.

"That was unexpected. I wonder what Daniel did to him. He looked cold, but ghosts don't get cold. Do they?" Vlad wondered to himself. "Impossible." He brushed it off, and then continued looking for the part to finish his little surprise.

BACK AT THE OFFICE

"I don't know what you are planning Neal but you are off this case," Peter said angrily.

"You can't do this," Neal said glaring.

"I can and I will. Now get out," Peter ordered and Neal left. "Jones, I want you to keep an eye on Neal. I don't know what he is planning but we have a party to crash and a murderer to find." With that Peter left.

IN THE MORNING AT THE HOTEL

Danny screamed bloody murder as he awoke from his nightmare once more.

"Danny, its okay. It was only a nightmare. Shh. You are going to be okay I am here," Maddie said rubbing Danny's back as he tried to calm his breathing.

"Why won't it go away?" Danny sobbed trying to keep from completely falling apart. "They are getting worse."

"Oh Danny, I'm not going to let anything happen to you or anyone for that matter," Maddie said trying to get him to relax a little, and then her cell starting ringing. "It's Jack. Do you want me to tell him that you are here or should I keep it quiet for just a little longer so we have time to take Vlad down?"

"Don't tell him. Neal only had you know because you can help us. I don't want too many knowing where I am. Mozzie is working on sending Vlad down to Virginia to buy us some more time for the warrant to come though." Danny said looking at her.

"Okay sweetie," Maddie said then answered her phone. "Hello honey."

Hey Mads, guess what!

"Yes honey" Maddie said putting it on speaker so Danny could hear his father's voice again. He smiled at her.

Vlad said he is going to take us to dinner tonight. We are going to meet him at 8 at the Four Seasons restaurant. Isn't this so cool. He said that a bunch of celebrities eat there. Won't that be exciting!

"Yeah Honey, but I don't know" Maddie said looking sadly at Danny who mouthed her to go.

Come on Mads we could meet some really famous people! And then when Danny comes back we can tell him about it!

"I'll go I guess," Maddie said looking back at Danny with sad eyes as he cringed after his dad was so sure he was coming back. Then he smiled knowing that they never gave up on him.

Alright I'll tell Vladdie.

"Okay honey," Maddie said slowly after Jack had hung up on her. "I really want to spend more time with you," Maddie said picking up her son's hand and tracing the bones back to the wrist. He noticed her sad look.

"It's okay. Vlad can't do anything to you guys. He is still using you as leverage. And he still thinks that you don't know where I am," Danny said smiling and putting his other hand on hers.

"I want to stay here with you," Maddie said looking at his eyes which seem to have picked up some spark. "You still need me."

"I know, but right now we need Vlad to believe that he is winning," Danny said pulling back both of his hands. Maddie reached back out and grabbed one startling him.

"I am not leaving you again, Danny. I am not letting you leave in the middle of the night like you did then," Maddie said squeezing his hand hard.

"Mom, I'm not going to leave again. I have no reason to. I promise I won't leave unless I have too. Even then I will come back," Danny said trying to get her to let go of his hand.

"No," Maddie said pulling him into a big hug. "I'm not taking that chance."

"You have too. If you don't go then Vlad will get suspicious and start following you. Then you can't see me again until he is taken down, and then that may not happen." Danny said pulling away.

"I…I don't want to leave you alone," Maddie said grabbing his hand once more. "I don't want to let you go."

"I won't be alone Mozzie is here and Neal will also visit. How about this: you go to that dinner and then you can meet me back in the park." Danny said smiling. "Then I can take you back here."

"Jack will want to know what I am doing then," Maddie said sadly.

"It's okay. We can always do this tomorrow," Danny said smiling softly.

"I miss that smile. I missed everything you do, even as Phantom," Maddie said kissing his forehead. She was surprised that he didn't turn away, but then again he hasn't really had them since he ran.

"I'm sorry, I really didn't want to leave, but Vlad…" Danny started only for his mother to put her finger to his lips.

"Please I really don't want to hear the reason. I am just glad that you are safe. Now where is Mozzie with our breakfast?" Maddie smiled as Danny looked around.

"I have no idea," Danny said looking at her.

"Well then I guess we are going to eat in the restaurant downstairs," Maddie said standing up.

"There was a restaurant downstairs?" Danny asked.

"Yes, and if I can't spend dinner with you, then I can at least spend breakfast. Besides you are way too skinny to miss any meal," Maddie said looking down at his chest and stomach. He looked down at himself and grimaced.

"Yeah maybe," He said unsurely. Maddie only put her hands on his ribs feeling every one of them, and then stopped noticing that one was broken.

"Danny, what happened?" Maddie asked looking at him with worry.

This is the longest chapter yet and one of my favorites. I want to hear anything about this one. I don't own Danny Phantom or White collar. Again please tell me what you liked about it or maybe didn't. HDB