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It was days like this that made Danny miss being human. After all his waiting and dreaming, he was finally going on a date with Paulina. The only problem was that her bright pink eyes only made him feel hollow. He hadn't saved her, but now he had a chance to tell her why. The park was filled with people that seemed to only stare at the two ghost. Danny turned his head to see who all was there. A few younger children and what seemed to be their mothers sat near the empty lot of grass that had once held Ember's stage. A family of four were having a picnic. Every where he looked he only saw smile, except on the face right in front of him.
Paulina sat on the other side of the picnic table. Sitting in front of her was her low cal, no trans fat meal. Danny was surprised that even in the after life, she was watching her figure. Neither one had spoken. Dash, Tucker, and Sam sat at a near by table.
Sam felt a little uncomfortable about having to wear converce instead of her combat boots, but her favorite shoes had not survived the incident. Anger boiled just under the surface. She didn't like Paulina, but she hated the idea of Paulina and Danny on a date.
Tucker was paying more attention to his PDA than their date. He had already set up a camera. It was hidden in a small bush pointed right at Paulina and Danny.
Dash was jealous and angry. Shock held him in place. Paulina really did blame Danny. She really did just want a date.
Tension filled the air as she waited for him to explain, but his words never came. How could he explain to her that just wasn't fast enough? It just didn't seem right. Danny felt as though those words were just not important enough to make up for his absence. He had tried.
Danny's mind flashed back to that day. How he had raced as fast as he could to get to her, but he hadn't been heading to Paulina. He had been trying to save Sam. Because he had been so focused on getting to Sam, Paulina hadn't even been a thought. He didn't even know Paulina was there. How could he have known! They weren't close. He should have been faster. He should have tried harder. He should have... He couldn't have.
"I wasn't make excuses. My mind was focused on so many questions about what had happened at Nasty Burger. I should have flown faster, but it was over in minutes. I'm not perfect. I'm only hu- a ghost. I'm only a ghost." The lie felt as natural as pretending to be only human had become. "I'm sorry, but I did the best I could. I just wasn't fast enough." He said as he lowered his head.
Paulina tried to look him in the eyes. He refused to look up. Her heart almost felt sympathy. Almost, if only her head wasn't still holding on to the fact that he had always saved every one that had ever gotten into trouble around him, except her. She didn't know that he had once lost everyone. She didn't know that Dan had resulted from that loss. She only though of what had happened to her. She just couldn't accept that Phantom had nothing and everything to do with her death.
"Dan." Danny paused. "The future me. He's from a time when everyone and everything I love d- died in front of my eyes. He wanted that. He was going to take out everyone I love one by one."
He loves me? Paulina thought as she took in a deep breath.
"He still plans to. Please, help me. He exists out of time and space. His world can never come to exist." His voice started to waver. "If he turns me into him, no one will survive." He let the tears fall as he tucked his head into his arm. He felt something cold on his arm. At first he thought it was Paulina's hand until he realized it was his own breath. The blue stream graced his arm again as his breath caught and his heart sank. A familiar and distinct shadow fell on the table. The another shadow he had only seen one, yet would never forget appeared next to the first.