Chapter 14: Dead In The Water

If I was not myself

and you were someone else,

I'd say so much to you.

and I would tell the truth

'Cause I can hardly breathe

when your hands let go of me.

The ice is thinning out.

It was a little past one when Tucker finally went to bed, opting to sleep in one of the guest bedrooms so that Danny and I can have our "alone time." I didn't know what he meant by that since Danny was past out, beyond reviving at this point.

The mission left all of us exhausted and spent. The only thing I was looking forward to at the moment was finally getting some sleep.

I walked down the long hall, my bare feet making soft sounds with every step against the wood floors. I opened the door to my room as quietly as I could so I wouldn't disturb Danny.

I heard the sounds of rustling but didn't think much of it since Danny was in the room.

I was about to walk to the bed and slip into sweet sleep, but I froze when I looked over at my bed.

Vlad Plasmius was there, standing over Danny. He was holding a needle in midair, poised above Danny's arm.

He regarded me calmly for a long moment before plunging the needle into Danny. The liquid was a strange glowing green mixture that managed to somehow look sinister in the hand of the older half ghost.

Danny groaned in response, his body convulsed momentarily before falling limp.

"What are you doing to him?" I asked, regarding the older halfa warily. I tried to hide the tremor in my voice but didn't know if I fully accomplished that. Maybe I could stall him long enough until I figured out what to do. I took a step back, trying to think of something I could do.

"I need to keep him sedated before I get him ready. Daniel can be quite difficult; he is easier to deal with unconscious." He smirked at me as if he just made a joke.

Okay, screw this. I prepared myself to scream to alert Tucker, but a hand clamped over my mouth, stopping me. I looked up, seeing a duplicate of Plasmius. He was smiling down at me, his eyes glowing in the darkness. "Let's not wake your little friend in the next room. He's had a long day."

I jerked away from him, but he was too strong, keeping me firmly in place at his side.

I felt the prick of a needle in my arm; I looked down to see he was injecting me with the same stuff he put into Danny.

Instantly, my eyes began to feel heavy. I tried to fight the need to close them, but it eventually overpowered, making everything fade to darkness. The last thing I saw was the other Plasmius picking up the slack form of Danny.

I woke up on the cold surface of the floor.

At first, I didn't know why I was there or how I even got here, but I remembered all too quickly.

I sat up quickly, fast enough to make the ringing in my head double.

I clutched my head, rubbing out the pressure in my temples. I heard the sound of metal clinking together. I looked down to see chains on my wrist. I looked at my other wrist to see the same thing.

I pulled at the chains uselessly; the only thing accomplished was making more noise in the silent room.

"Good luck trying to get out of those," a voice said. I recognized it as Plasmius's voice.

I looked up to see him staring at me with a smile plastered on his face, looking amused.

He was standing behind a metal examination table with someone occupying it. I looked closer to see it was Danny on the metal table. He was strapped down by large, thick, glowing green restraints across his wrists and ankles.

He let out a groan, scrunching his eyes as he turned his head to the side. It looked like he was starting to wake up from whatever Vlad injected him with.

I called his name, trying to rouse him awake.

I began to feel extreme panic. I needed to get Danny out of this. This was Vlad. The one who kidnapped and beat Danny; the one who almost killed him multiple of times. I couldn't let him touch Danny.

Danny slowly came to, his eyes blinking repeatedly until they settled on Vlad, who was staring down at him expectantly.

"Welcome back, Little Badger," Vlad smiled.

Danny glared at him and immediately started struggling against the glowing green restraints around his arms and legs.

"Still have that fighting spirit I see," Vlad mused, walking calmly over to one of the cabinets stationed across the room. "But, I would be careful if I were you, we have company."

Danny stiffened. Slowly, he turned his head until he was looking straight at me with wide eyes. "Sam?" He sounded horrified to see me here.

I just stared at him. I didn't know what to say. I wanted him to know that I was okay, that we were going to be okay, but I didn't want to lie to him.

He turned his head toward Vlad, a look of fury in his features.

"Let her go," Danny growled, glaring at Vlad, his eyes flashing green.

"Ooh, the scary eyes," Vlad smirked, walking back to the table where Danny was laying on. He was carrying something in his hands that looked a lot like the Plasmius Maximus, the device Skulker used on Danny before.

Danny seemed to recognize what he was holding too, glaring at the object with a new ferocity.

"You see, Daniel," Vlad said, observing the Plasmius Maximus in his hands as he continuously turned it over, "I think it is time we had a little reunion."

Without another word, Vlad turned the Plasmius Maximus on, making it hum with electricity as it arced between the two prongs. He drove the device straight into Danny's side.

Danny screamed out in response, jerking as the electrical current coursed through his body. Slowly, the two familiar rings of light passed in opposite directions over his body, making him turn into his ghost form.

The electrical current continued to make him convulse even when the device was removed from his side.

He was flopping around still, even when Vlad left.

Whatever that thing did to him, when the effects finally stopped, I saw his head drop, hitting the table with a bang. The look on his face...

I pulled at the restraints, screaming his name. I don't know why I was screaming. Whether it was out of frustration or to get some response out of Danny.

The way his eyes looked...glassy.

No, he can't be.

There was no way he could be.

I shook my head, tears blurring my vision.

Reality turned into a strange warp for me. The only thing I was seeing was Danny; it didn't matter what was up or down. I felt like I was in a tunnel and the only thing that I could see was him. The only thing that was clear was him.

I choked on a sob, my lungs burning. I couldn't breathe. I was gasping for air, but it felt like nothing was coming through.

I tugged again on the restraints... Or did I? My body felt heavy and useless. I couldn't do anything. I can't do anything.

"Danny?" I said quietly.

His head turned slightly towards me, his eyes distant like he was looking through me.

I shivered, feeling dread sit in my stomach, making me feel heavier. But, at least he was still with me. At least, he was still alive.

I choked back another sob; tears were still running down my face. I couldn't stop crying. I've never cried; I couldn't think of one time I did. Maybe it was long overdue, maybe I was making up for lost time.

I could see he was starting to lose consciousness. His eyelids were fluttering. I shook my head hastily as if the motion would stop him. "No, no, no," I repeated again and again, still shaking my head, desperately trying to get his attention. It was the fear in me, the fear that if he closed his eyes he would really be... "Danny, please stay with me." I sobbed, gasping for breath, feeling nauseated. "Please."

It was silent for too long. I didn't know how many hours passed until Danny finally came to.

I stared at him as he struggled to open his eyes.

He jerked against his restraints, then looked down as if just remembering where he was. He, then, looked straight at me.

His expression grew stormy, his dark eyebrows knitting together. "Sam," he said. I couldn't tell if it was a question or a statement, but I nodded in response, letting him know that I heard him.

"Where's Vlad?" he asked, still looking a bit disoriented.

I shook my head. "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure he's coming back."

"Of course he is," Danny grunted, tugging again on the restraints, but stopped, slumping into the table as if he just realized how lost of a cause it was.

"I'm sorry," he breathed.

I looked up to see he was staring at me with such intensity I could have sworn it made the green depths of his eyes smolder and spark.

I was a bit taken aback by what he said, not really knowing what he meant. "What are you talking about? Why are you sorry?"

He turned his head so that he was staring up at the ceiling. Even though I could only see half of his face, I could see he had a very solemn expression on his face. "I dragged you into this. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me. It's all my fault."

I shook my head repeatedly. "Danny, don't do this. This is not your fault. This is Vlad's fault. I'm pretty sure you didn't sedate us and chain us up here."

"I should have done something," he said, still not meeting my eyes.

I frowned at this, not liking the self loathing in his tone. "And, I should have done something too," I countered, looking down at the chain occupying my wrist. I was supposed to watch out for Danny as he slept. I was supposed to take care of him, and I let him down. I didn't know how he couldn't see that. This was more my fault than his.

"What are you thinking?" His voice rang. I looked up to see his eyes on me, watching me intently.

"I-" The door to the room opened as Vlad walked through.

We both turned our attention to the older halfa.

The older halfa, in return, looked between us. A smirk graced his features. "Oh, please, don't stop on my account."

"What do you want, Plasmius?" Danny growled, eyes glowing fiercely.

Vlad merely raised an eyebrow at this. "You out of the way so I can continue my plans without an opposition."

"Even if you do kill me, Vlad, it won't stop the ghosts and humans. They are already together and ready to fight, so it's over," Danny bluffed. He and I both knew the ghosts and humans were nowhere near uniting, let along haven't even been in the same room yet.

Vlad threw back his head and gave a short bark of laughter, "You don't get it, do you?" He leaned in toward him; he took Danny's chin roughly so he had no other choice but to look the man in the eye. "The prophecy is about you, Daniel, not the stupid humans and petty ghosts."

"Wha..." Danny said, his eyes becoming huge.

I looked at Vlad, feeling just as confused as Danny.

"You really aren't that bright, are you," he leaned in closer to the boy. "Unbeknownst to them, there is a second part to this great prophecy the resistance showed you. 'Curse or blessing, no matter, these two walk the Earth. One seeks power and ruling, the other starts a rebirth. These two Titans shall clash. Their final battle bringing either peace or backlash. One shall be defeated in the end, by a once supposed friend.' If I kill you, I win. Then it will be over, ending with me reigning supreme as ruler of both worlds."

"No," Danny uttered as his green eyes grew bigger. "That's-that's not true. There will always be somebody fighting you."

"Maybe," the man straightened, "but there won't be anybody who can defeat me. Face it, Little Badger, you are the only threat."

"Okay, so if I'm the only threat; why am I not dead yet?"

"Because, there is too much value in you; a threat could easily be turned into an advantage. And, now that I have the proper leverage," the man paused looking over at me. Danny turned towards me as well, staring at me with understanding, then glared back at Vlad, "It is now possible."

"You will not touch her," he growled, glaring up at Vlad.

"Hmm," Vlad only said. "I don't think you are in the position to be making demands, Daniel."

The older halfa walked towards the other side of the room, up to a pristine metal cart near the row of cabinets. It had a high tech machine on it with all kinds of wires coming out of it and a screen in the middle. He pulled the cart over to Danny, beginning to take the other ends of the wires one by one. "Unfortunately, I need you to stay out of the way for the time being. At least until I destroy the resistance once and for all. We both know you have this nasty habit of getting in the middle of my affairs."

Vlad unzipped the front of Danny's suit, exposing his chest and abdomen. He placed the sticky pads connected to the wires to different sections of Danny's exposed skin until all were connecting him to the machine. All the while, Danny was struggling, trying to get away from Vlad, but his restraints held him tightly there, only managing to annoy the other halfa.

The older half ghost flipped the switch on the machine, making it rev to life. He turned one of the knobs, making Danny stiffen in response.

"Remember this, Daniel," he said, turning the knob more.

I heard Danny groan, rolling his head side to side. I yelled his name, but he didn't respond. His eyes remained closed, but I didn't need to see them to know how much pain he was experiencing. Hie face was scrunched up, and his body was shaking from strain. Somehow, the machine was doing this, and Vlad was able to control the intensity.

I didn't know how long it was, but Danny finally looked over in my direction with bleary eyes. I couldn't tell if he was looking at me. I couldn't even tell if he was aware I was here in front of him. He looked disconnected, and the more I stared at his pain filled eyes, the more frightened I became.

He gasped out, making a sound in the back of his throat, but it was cut off immediately, being replaced by a sharp intake of breath. He closed his eyes desperately, his back arching in response to whatever Vlad just did to him.

I jerked against the chains that were holding me down, cursing as pain radiated through my wrists and up my arms.

I kept trying to think of a way I could get out of this, some way to help Danny, but I couldn't think clearly at all. All I could hear was Danny's harsh intakes of breath, and it was killing me. I couldn't think at all.

"I made some improvements from last time, Little Badger. For one, you won't be able to blow it out this time." He brushed a strand of Danny's hair back, making me give the chains around me another jerk. I didn't want that psycho anywhere near Danny, not when he was touching him like he was some kind of trophy. I was to the point where all the terror I was feeling was slowly being turned into a fervid rage. I wanted to claw the man's eyes out.

Danny's face was starting to turn green, the pallor making him look sickly. His body was no longer struggling or even responding to what that machine was doing to him. He was deathly still. The only thing that was reassuring me he was even still alive was the breaths racking his chest, making it go up and down harshly.

"Just-let her go," he gasped out, his voice sounding no higher than a whisper. He took huge gulps of breath after as if just saying that wore him out. My heart tugged, then started pounding in my chest. I felt like I was going to throw up.

"I'm sorry, Daniel; but that's not possible," Vlad chided him as if he was talking to a little kid. "Besides I thought you wanted a little friend. I know how lonely you can get."

"Leave her out of this, you sick bastard," he said with more force than I thought he had.

Vlad's jaw tightened. He reached a hand towards the machine's buttons, turning one of the knobs.

Danny's eyes bulged, his back arching as he let out a bloodcurdling scream.

I screamed his name in response, tears brimming my eyes.

His body gave out, his breathing barely audible. I, on the other hand, could hear my own rasps of breath loud and clear, so loud as if they were another presence in the room. The room was starting to go blurry around the edges either from pure rage or terror. I could tell which one, the feelings going through me were to strong for me to recognize. All I could think about was getting Danny out of this.

I noticed Vlad turned the knob calmly, a smirk playing on his face. The bastard was enjoying what he was doing to Danny. Right then, I made a promise to myself that I was going to kill the half-ghost the minute we got out of this... If we got out of this...

I shook my head. I can't think that way. I had to believe Tucker was doing something right now. He'd probably figured it out by now that Danny and I were no longer in my house with him.

"I can't have you falling unconscious," Vlad stated with a smile. He was far too close to Danny for comfort. I was about to voice this, but I was stopped by what the older halfa said next.

"You know, Daniel; I'm a bit surprised I was able to get you so easily. After all of these years of escaping me just when you were in my grasp..." He cut his eyes at me. I'm not proud to say that I involuntarily shivered in response to the way his cold, scarlet eyes roamed over my body until they fell on my face. "Then again, you were never distracted."

He released me from his gaze, turning back to Danny with a knowing smirk. "Who would have ever thought you would fall in love."

I grimaced, feeling dread sink into me, a different kind of dread from the one before. Vlad was right. This was all my fault. Danny was probably thinking the same thing right now. If it wasn't for me, none of this wouldn't have ever happened. He wouldn't be here, captured again by this terrible man, living this nightmare again. This was all my fault.

"S-sam," Danny choked out. I looked up, not realizing that I was staring at the ground until I heard him calling my name. He was looking straight at me, but his expression was cloudy as if he was trying to concentrate on me but was having a difficult time seeing me.

I stared at those green eyes, somehow they were brighter. I felt as if they were accusing me. I did this to him.

He closed his eyes, choking on the air as his head lulled over to the other side, hiding his face from me.

"Danny!" I screamed but there was no response, not even a twitch.

"Please, stop this!" I shouted at Vlad. "You're hurting him!"

Vlad merely looked at me, but thankfully, he put turned the knob to a lower setting. I looked back desperately at Danny, but there was no change.

"Ah, young love," said Vlad as he got in Danny's face with that same sickly smile. "I always knew you were a charmer, Daniel. You practically have her begging on her knees for you. I bet she would do anything for you."

I jerked in response to that, feeling my face flush with anger at the mocking tone in his voice. I gripped my hands in to fists.

"Go to hell," Danny said, sounding more normal and very pissed off. He jerked his head away from the man.

With a growl, Plasmius turned up the knob, making the machine hum louder. I could practically see the electricity radiating off of it. Danny groaned, shifting on the table in a way that I could see part of his face again. His eyes were scrunched tightly in pain.

"You are already at level twenty, Daniel," Plasmius said menacingly. "Do you want to go for twenty-five."

Danny didn't say a word. I followed suit, biting my tongue in fear that whatever I said, Vlad would take it out on him instead of me.

Danny let out another groan, his eyes still closed as his head lulled over completely to one side, his half his face planted on the surface of the table.

"Daniel, you don't look too good," the older half ghost said. He was smiling down at Danny, looking very pleased with himself.

Danny mumbled something unintelligible, but I couldn't understand anything he said. Apparently, Vlad didn't either.

"I really do hate doing this, Daniel," Vlad said while he brushed Danny's hair repeatedly. The gesture looked flat out wrong, making my skin crawl as I watched.

I saw Danny grimace in response, but he didn't do anything, his body unmoving.

"I don't understand why you have to be so difficult, son," Vlad continued on.

"Don't," he said, his voice angry and hot. Danny opened his eyes, glaring Vlad so intensely I could have sworn his eyes were sparking. "C-call me that."

Vlad growled, his hand clamping down on Danny's hair harshly, jerking his head to the side. He was grinding his fangs in a look of pure fury with the boy. "You will learn to respect me, Daniel; and by the time I'm done with you, you will be begging for me to call you son."

"Not-likely," he sputtered. I silently pleaded for Danny to shut up because the older halfa did not look like he was in the mood to hear anything else from him.

Plasmius finally released Danny, who fell back, remaining in the same position he fell into.

I saw him reach over towards the box, hand on the dial. He began to turn it up.

"Stop," I yelled, but Vlad didn't even look at me, completely focused on Danny, watching him squirm.

Danny thrashed, screamed, clawed into the table. It was taking everything in me not to scream with him. I didn't know how much longer he could take this. Hell, I didn't even know if he could survive this.

Vlad lowered the dial once more.

I breathed heavily watching as Danny fell limply to the table, his limbs no longer convulsing with whatever was running through him. He was staring at the ceiling, breathing heavily in and out, looking completely exhausted.

Please don't say anything, I begged silently. Please be quiet.

"It seems you grew stronger, Little Badger," Vlad said, seeming to have calmed down after seeing Danny's display of pain. "Normally, you would have lost consciousness by now." He placed his hands behind his back, peering down at Danny, straightening to his full height, who looked as if he was still out of it.

Plasmius smiled, still looked at Danny as if he was the only thing in the room. "I do have have to admit; even despite all the trouble you have given me, you have made me proud. When you first came here, you could barely control you powers. Although I saw the potential in you right away, you would have never come so far without me. You are more than ready to be at my side. We will only have to make a few adjustments."

I growled at this, not liking the way he said adjustments. It sounded like he wanted to brainwash him or something. Luckily, if there was anything I didn't know more about Danny was that he was one of the most stubborn people I've ever met.

"Are you still with us, little badger?" Vlad said, finally catching on that Danny wasn't responding to him.

Danny looked up at Vlad, then, seeming to hear Vlad for the first time.

Vlad glanced at the machine's screen before looking at Danny again. The two halfas seemed to be staring each other down.

"Very impressive, level thirty-four," Vlad said, sounding both pleased and surprised. "I didn't know you had it in you, Daniel. Then again I was always excellent at picking out useful talent."

"Get away from him," I said, surprising even myself of how steely my voice sounded. "Get away from him now."

Vlad stared at me for a long minute; I could tell he was calculating the best way to deal with me. I didn't care, just as long as he was no longer paying attention to Danny. Maybe if I could keep distracting him, Danny could recover some of his strength.

Vlad was by me in an instant. I didn't jump, just stared up at the older halfa. I wasn't afraid of him, or at least, I just didn't let myself be. I was too scared of what he would do to Danny.

"If I were you, I would keep my mouth shut." He leered at me, almost snarling. "You have no idea who you are dealing with me."

I only glared at him, shifting so that I was standing. It was a little awkward because the chains weren't exactly long enough for me to stand to my full height, but I didn't even notice all that much. I stared into the crimson eyes of his, realizing how different they truly were from Danny's despite the fact they were both the same. While Danny's was full of life, Vlad's were completely devoid of any humanity or at least the good kind. It seemed as if I was looking into the eyes of one of those ghosts that attacked me the night I first met Danny. "Oh, I think I know exactly who I am dealing with," I said, my anger only growing, realizing fully for the first time what exactly Danny went through. All because of him.

"I'm not afraid of you," I said, somehow standing straighter despite the chains. "Because you are never going to win. We are going to beat you. I don't care how powerful you think you are. You will never rule this world or the Ghost Zone because you're just a pathetic man with a stupid vendetta."

Before I knew it, my head was slammed back in to the wall. I crumpled to the ground, the side of my face pulsing with heat. I was seeing stars.

Vlad's dark figure was looming over me. I couldn't really see details, my eyes were watering from the hit, but I could see his hands were bright with fiery magenta-red energy. I heard Danny screaming my name, but it sounded far away.

All I could see was Vlad's hand pulling back, ready to strike again.

I prepared myself to dodge, but before I knew it, Vlad was thrown back into the nearest wall by a powerful green blast.

Still dazed, I slowly looked over to see Mrs. Fenton holding a Fenton Bazooka, still poised in her shoulder, eye squinting in concentration as she fired another shot.

There was a resounding boom, but I couldn't tear my eyes away from her.

Before I could even process it, she was already moving into action, yelling at the hunters who were crashing in through the door.

She was at my side, working on the cuffs holding me, quickly cutting them clean through with some lazar...it looked like it was in the shape of a lipstick. She helped me up; I felt a bit unsteady but was able to hold most of myself up despite the dizziness.

"Are you okay?" she said, somehow I was able to hear her voice despite all the noise that was going on around us.

I nodded quickly, then clutched my head, regretting that action. I looked over at where Danny was. He was still lying on the table, barely responding despite the chaos going on around us. "Danny," I said, pointing at his still form.

Mrs. Fenton looked where I pointed. I heard her silent intake of breath along with a few choice words I never thought I would hear from the woman.

"Jack, get Phantom out of here, now!" she yelled. I don't know why, but she sounded angry. She was staring at the machine that he was still hooked up to.

Mr. Fenton ran over to Danny; he seemed to have recognized the machine too because he eyes narrowed when he first laid eyes on it. He flipped the switch, turning it off, seeming to find it with ease. He began taking the wires off of Danny, who remained still.

Mr. Fenton seemed to be talking to him. I saw Danny's head move slightly and his mouth moving in response to whatever Jack said to him.

Mr. Fenton looked up, directly at Mrs. Fenton and me, before turning back to his work, saying something to Danny.

"Where's Plasmius?" I asked Mrs. Fenton, looking around me. The hunters seemed to have settled, starting to examine the technology in the room and streaming in and out, carrying any kind of evidence they could find. Some showed signs of injury, but I didn't see anything too serious.

"Gone," Mrs. Fenton growled.

"Maddie," Mr. Fenton called out.

Mrs. Fenton nodded in her husband's direction, seeming to understand the message he was trying to send to her without saying anything more.

"Valerie," she called out.

The girl was there instantly as if she was already waiting for the woman's call.

Mrs. Fenton didn't seem to notice the quickness in the girl's arrival, instead handing me off to her. Valerie put my arm around her shoulder, taking some of my weight as Mrs. Fenton separated from me.

I wanted to pull away, but I didn't know if I could manage it, not right now.

"Take her to the GAV," Mrs. Fenton said. "I have to help Jack get Phantom."

"He doesn't look good," Valerie said, stopping Mrs. Fenton. The woman stiffened in response to the girl's spoken observation. I didn't know if I was more surprised by her reaction or to the actual sympathy in Valerie's voice for Danny. "What is that on him?"

I didn't know it was possible for Mrs. Fenton to become even more still, but she did at hearing the question Valerie posed. She barely glanced back at us. "Something that should have never been created," she simply said, her voice barely containing the shaking anger I could see in her expression.

She turned abruptly, quickly walking over to her husband to help him.

"Let me help him," I said, making a move to get away from Valerie, but the girl held on to me, keeping me right at her side. Either she was really strong or I was in worse shape then I thought, but that didn't stop me from trying again. Unfortunately, Valerie only tightened her grip on me in response.

"There's nothing you can do for him," she said. "Let the Fentons take care of him."

"Like you care," I bit back. "Just let me go; I'm fine."

Valerie gave me a look of disbelief. "Have you looked in the mirror? Half of your freaking face is swollen and you're bleeding. You are not going anywhere."

I growled in response, but the pain radiating from the forehead to my jaw jostled me to the point where Valerie was able to walk me out of the house before I could realize what was happening.

She sat me down in the GAV; it was comical how I was sitting in the same exact seat I was sitting in that day Danny and I had a run in with Skulker and his parents took us back to Fenton Works.

Valerie already had the first aid kit out by the tame I was buckled in. Despite my protests, she started treating me. Every swipe with the cotton swab made me wince in response, but thankfully, Valerie didn't say anything, instead working quickly. It seemed we had a general understanding of each other: as long as she didn't try to dote all over me, I wouldn't give her much trouble.

She finished, closing the kit and putting it under the her seat. I looked anxiously out of the window. They were taking way too long; they should have gotten him back here by now. What was taking them so long? Was there something wrong?

All I could see was the clusters of hunters going in and out of the building hurriedly, resembling at stream of ants.

"Stop worrying," Valerie said simply. I didn't know whether or not to be offended by this, so I just gave her a scowl, knowing fully well what she thought about Danny.

Seeing this, she just smiled back at me. It was a small smile that looked a bit strained, but it was definitely there and I didn't know why. "I knew Phantom for a long time," she said. "And, trust me, that kid has more lives than a freakin' cat. He's gonna be fine."

I knew she was trying to cheer me up, but I was sick and tired of people thinking that Danny was so indestructible, even he thought it. It wasn't true. Why couldn't anybody see what was happening? That he needed more people to look out for him before it was too late. What happened tonight only proved that. "You didn't see what happened," I said, staring her down. My face felt heated and tight with pain, but I didn't care.

"True," she said, but her expression was sure, still confident. "But, I know Phantom. I've fought him for years."

"Don't sound too proud," I muttered, glaring at her. The fights between the Red Huntress, her code name when on patrol, and Danny Phantom were legendary after all. It would be on the news for days and whispered among the students in the halls of Casper High. Valerie was pretty much the only ghost hunter that targeted Danny so aggressively and repetitively.

She smirked, but it soon fell into a frown. She looked to the side, out of the window, her green eyes searching for something. "Maybe I'm starting to," she said slowly, sounding as if this was especially hard for her to admit. "Maybe I got things wrong in the beginning. I'm not saying I trust him or that I want to be buddy-buddy with him all the sudden, but I know one thing. After seeing all he's done, he's on our side, and we need him because humans can only do so much against an army of ghosts."

"Well, at least that's a start," I said. I wasn't going to give her a gold star or anything; all she admitted was that she was using him. It was obvious to see she still had a grudge, and I didn't care what it was about. Danny didn't deserve it.

Valerie scoffed, her expression turning sour. "Hey, don't give me that look; you have no idea what he put me through."

I barely glanced at her before turning my attention towards the window. Danny was still nowhere to be found. "How exactly did that happen then? Enlighten me."

"He ruined my life," she said, anger coloring her tone.

I looked over at her. Now, she had my attention, but I remained silent, only raising my eyebrows at her for to continue.

She huffed, crossing her arms. "When I was fourteen, I had pretty much everything. My dad had a good job. I had friends, and most of all, I had a normal life. That all changed when Phantom and his stupid ghost dog attacked where my dad worked, and he lost his job because of all the damage. I lost everything. The only thing I did gain from that was some clarity on what was happening around me. It made me do something about it and become the Red Huntress.

And, I know what you're gonna say next, that I didn't give him a chance, but I did. We had a truce before because we both got captured by this ghost called Skulker. For some reason, he wanted to hunt both of us, something about us being equally worthy prey. During the first invasion, he completely ruined what little trust I had in him when he revealed my identity to my dad when all I was trying to do was get into the Fenton Suit to save the city from that ghost king. But, no, he wanted all the glory of being the hero. So you may think you pegged me for this stupid girl who has a silly grudge, but guess what? I have it for a reason. I have more than enough reasons to be pissed with him."

I looked at her levelly, boiling on the inside. She had not one damn clue what she was talking about. "I don't know what truly happened between you two; I wasn't there. But, I am more than willing to bet everything that he did not attack you on purpose. He doesn't even have a ghost dog. He was probably trying to catch the damn thing.

And, second of all, do you even realize what going into the Fenton Suit would have done to you? He saved your life by stopping you. The suit was flawed; it drained whoever was in it. Danny barely made it out of that fight alive.

And, yeah, I do think that about you because that is what you are. You are too pig-headed to see anything around you. Look at what just happened? Look at everything he has done, he has been through. You can't seriously think someone who've risked their life time and again would seriously try to ruin your life like that. Do you think you're that important? Where everything he does is in spite of you? You seriously need a reality check if you do."

I didn't know where that came. I didn't even know I was that angry with her, but I guess after everything that happened tonight just took its toll, and Valerie happened to be the perfect person to take it out on.

Valerie's face went slack; she looked awestruck. Something told me that she never had anybody stand up to her like this.

She opened her mouth to say something, but we both got distracted by three people coming into the vehicle. That's when I remembered why I was here and where I was.

The Fentons came into the car with Danny in between them, being supported heavily by them to the point where he barely looked conscious. His head was dipped down so low I couldn't see his face.

I half stood, feeling unsure of myself. I wanted to help, but I didn't know how. I've never seen him just look so beaten, and that is what scared me.

He let out a groan and mumbled, "Bathroom."

Mrs. Fenton reacted quickly. "Jack, help me get him to the bathroom in the back."

They hurried him over to the bathroom as quickly as they could without hurting him further. Even with the door closed, I could hear the sounds of retching.

I fell back down in my seat. I closed my eyes, my hands rubbing at my temples, trying to block the it all out.

I looked back at Valerie. She looked shocked beyond belief, staring at the door to the bathroom. She looked at a loss for what we just saw.

"You were wrong," I said.

"I didn't," she stopped, her face blanching. "He really is... Is he okay?"

I looked back at the bathroom door. Luckily, I couldn't hear anything thing else but some low mumblings. It sounded like Mrs. Fenton was talking, but I couldn't make out the words.

I sat down, slumping into the seat, letting out a breath. My face was on fire, but I resisted touching it, knowing I would make it worse. "I don't know," I supplied, not able to look at her.

"He really is, isn't he?" she asked.

I looked at her sideways, frowning at her. "I don't know what you mean."

"Human, he really is half human," she said. Her eyebrows were furrowed with concentration. "he has to be. I've never seen a full ghost look like that after a fight. Or just look like that period."

I didn't really like the direction this conversation was turning, but luckily, I didn't have to answer her. The door to the bathroom opened with Jack filling its frame. He was holding an unconscious Danny in his arms.

He stumbled out with Mrs. Fenton hot on his heels. He hurriedly placed Danny on the seats across from us, laying him out delicately before going to the driver's seat and starting the vehicle.

Mrs. Fenton sat next to Danny, placing his head so that it was resting on her lab, her hand resting on his head, stroking his hair while her other arm was resting on his body protectively holding him in place when the vehicle started.

I was about to ask how he was, but Valerie beat me to it.

Mrs. Fenton looked up at us, seeming a bit startled to find us there staring at her as if she forgot we were there.

She looked back down at Danny, her expression stormy. I followed her gaze. Danny was pale, having almost not color, his mouth was slack, and even though he was unconscious, he still looked tired. I could still see the beads of sweat dripping from his forehead and his breathing was coming out in harsh, shallows breaths.

"I don't know," she said. "We need to get him back to Fenton Works as fast as possible."

"What was that machine?" I asked, leaning closer to her and Danny.

The vehicle jostled a bit, swerving to the side. All of us stiffened, holding on to the seat in response, Mrs. Fenton clutched Danny firmly so that he would fall off, but I saw his head lull to the side limply. He didn't even stir.

Mr. Fenton muttered an apology but didn't look back at us, eyes staring determinedly at the road ahead of us.

"It was one of our inventions," Mrs. Fenton said a moment later. "It was never meant to be put on humans, not even half humans."

"What does it do?" Valerie asked, glancing down at Danny before settling her gaze on the ghost hunter.

Mrs. Fenton shook her head. "That's not important."

I looked at her levelly. I didn't know why she was trying to be secretive with us. I was about to press her for more information before she looked back at me steadily, and I saw something that I never thought I would see in Mrs. Fenton, one of the first ghost hunters the new age. I saw complete and utter terror.

"What are you not saying?" I asked, my voice soft even to my ears. I didn't know if I wanted the answer or not. I couldn't look away from those fear stricken eyes of hers.

Everybody was silent for a long time. The only sound that was being made was Danny's harsh breaths coming in and out.

Mrs. Fenton looked like she didn't want to answer me, but I kept my eyes on her, my mouth set in a stern frown.

She sighed, deflating as her shoulder slumped with defeat. Her voice was watery and thick when she finally spoke. "I don't know if Ph-Phantom's going to survive this."

That's when my world came crashing down all around me, and for the first time, I let it consume me.

A/N: I'm not dead, and neither is this story! Sorry you guys for such the long wait. I'm a pre-med soccer player in season, so yeah... I barely have any time. But, here is the chapter, hope it was worth the wait. (Sorry for the mistakes, I'm going to go back and edit later.)