Danny prepared for the inevitble battle with great care. He had his mother stich up any tiny little hole that might have been in his suit. He had Tucker on the radar at all times to make sure their path would be clear of any unfortunate run ins on the way. Tucker had even calibrated the PDA he'd given to Danny for his birthday to hook up with Technus, who was linked into the radar mentaly. That way they could see everything even when they weren't in Technus' lair or in the Speeder.

Danny was in his father's personal gym in human form as he waited for everyone to prepare as well. Maddie was charging her weapons and the Spector deflectors for her and Tucker. Walker was cleaning his gun, and Technus had yet to come down from his lab.

Danny was pumping iron, laying on his back on the work out bench. He was lifting hundred pounds of weight over his face like it was nothing. He was used to lifting more than this during ghost fighting but he needed something to pass the time and prep himself. It was a small outlet for his agression. Should talking actually be an option he wanted to be able to calm down. A thin layer of sweat was forming on his tensed brow but he ignored it.

After about an hour of this danny put the weights back i their place and sat up. Hegrabbed the hand towl and wiped his face tiredly with a groan, running his hands through his messy hair. It fell against his back loosely, not staying calm no matter how many times he brushed it out. But as long as it still remained down intead of spiking up, he didn't care. That was something Danny did not want to have in common with his father.

"Danny?"

The boy turned to see his mother in the door way with a saddened frown.

"Yeah?" The teen answered, turning to hang his legs off of the padded bench.

The woman walked over and sat beside him. She placed a steady hand on his shoulder and gave him a level stare.

"Danny, I need you to promise me something."

Danny nodded, "Yeah, sure. What is it?"

She hesitated before answering, "I know that you're angry, and that you want to get Sam back. But I want to know I can trust you to not go too far."

"What do you mean?" Danny asked, frowning.

"Don't kill Dan." Maddie said flatly.

Danny blinked at her. She didn't want him to finish off Dan? But he was a sick perversion of Danny's future.

"Excuse me?" He asked, as if he hadn't heard her properly.

"Do not kill Dan." She repeated, "As much as I know you hate the idea of letting him go, I still couldn't allow you to do that to yourself... literally."

"I think I know what's best, mom," Danny told her, crossing his arms.

"I know you think you do. But I'm your mother and I do." Maddie said seriosuly, "As much as you would hate to admit it, Dan IS you. And that makes him my son, regardless of the things he's done. And I can't stand to see my own child die. especially at the hands of another of my children..."

Danny frowned, "He tried to kill you! I know you dont remember it but-"

"But nothing!" Maddie cut him off, taking on a repremanding tone, "If you kill him, or destroy him, or how ever you get rid of a ghost for good, you are no better than him! You'll just become him and the people who love you don't want to see that happen..." She paused, "I just got off the phone with your father too..."

Danny knew she was talking about Jack, "And?"

"Apparently, some ghosts have attacked him while we were away." SHe said softly, "No one was hurt but some equiptment was stolen from the lab. Jazz came back from her dorm to help him... But mostly they're worried about when we're coming back.."

"Why would ghosts take ghost hunting equipment?" Danny asked quietly, "The only ones who would possibly want it are Skulker and Vlad, and they're both in jail!"

"We'll focus on that later," Maddie said with a smile and a pat on his knee, "Let's just focus on ending this so we can all go home."

"Well, techically, Technus is home." Danny said with a smirk, knowing Maddie wasn't comfortable with him calling Technus "dad".

"Fine, the rest of us can go home and he can stay here." Maddie rolled her eyes, "Walker and I both agree that this little venture is taking far too long."

"Mom, don't talk to my former enemies," Danny told her jokingly, "It's weird..."

She just laughed and stood. She then turned and gained back her serious expression.

"Danny, You're the hero here. You're the one who will fight this battle for us and no one is going to stop you," She said softly, "But I am going to trust you, and hope that when the time comes you will make the right decision."

She walked from the room to leave Danny alone. But only for a moment bbecause as she walked out, Technus walked in. They gave brief smiles to one another before the Master of Technology came over to stand in front of the boy.

His green gloved hands were clasped in front of him, holding a small case. Danny eyes it warily then looked up at his father's face.

"What's that?" He asked.

Technus smiled lightly, "Well, while you were hooked up to the computer, it scanned your body functions. And from that I figured out the exact prescription you need."

"You made me glasses?" Danny raised a brow and frowned, "No offence but-"

"Don't worry. They aren't that bad." Technus said as he opened the case to reach inside.

He pulled out black tinted glasses with narrow frames that came to a point on either side. But not too dramatic of a point. Just enough to be badass and masculine. He handed them to Danny who put them on.

Instantly danny's viosn was made clearer. He hadn't even noticed how bad his vision really was until it was made better. This was so much better than the fog he had been walking around in for a month. They made objects look brighter and sharper than they had seemed to be.

"Not bad..." Danny said slowly, refusing to admit that the glasses were cool.

"You're welcome," Technus said with a smirk, "Your suit is in your room, go get dressed. We should go before the trail gets cold."

"Right..." Danny stood and wiped his brow one final time, removing any lingering sweat.

He took a deep breath before walking from the room. Danny turned to go to the door of his room as technus proceded to the living room where the group had assembled. Danny closed himself in his home away from home and looked to his bed where his suit waited for him. He moved over to it and picked it up. It looked like it always had but now, in silver thread, his insignia was stiched onto the front.

Danny ran his fingers over it slowly, nostalgicly. His evil self wore this symbol too. Dan was Danny. He was a part of him.

Danny thought about what his mom had told him with a frown. When the time came, could Danny show restraint and not destroy Dan for what he's done? The crimes Dan had committed were terrible, even enspeakable. He was a Frankensteins Monster if there ever was a better example.

Danny sighed and went ghost, now standing in his boxers only since he had taken off the suit. His usually tanned ghost skin was now a sickly pale. It almost looked green if the light hit it right. A side effect of the power merge, no doubt. Danny hoped it was only temporary.

He also hoped that Technus' power would be enough. Danny had decided agaisnt taking Walker's power as well and was severly wishing that he wasn't going to regret it later.

Danny let out a calming breath as he slipped into his suit. he put everything on and tied his long white hair back behind his neck, shaking it out slight.

"Let's do this..."

=DP=

Dan was preparing for what wsa coming. He knew that Danny was out for blood and was preparing for the worst.

Clockwork and Sam watched him from the floor. The ghost had returned to his former place in the rafters and had remained there for over an hour. He was toiling away over his last ditch effort.

Should danny really take that final leap toward becoming like Dan and try to kill him, Dan wanted a way out.

Sam waited for him to come down, a frightened, shaking mess. Her hair was shaggy and she was sweating bullets from the nerves. Aaron was sitting with her and looking up at her with a frown.

"It'll be okay..." He told her gently.

"How do you know?" Sam asked shakily, "The man I love is coming for a death match agaisnt his older self over me. How is that going to be okay?"

The boy sighed and rested his chin in the palms of his hands to stare at the floor. Sam glanced over at him and frowned. Her eyes lingered on the gear shaped clasp on his cape and hummed throughtfully when she spotted the familiar CW logo. A time medallion? Was this kid from the future?

"Who are you anyway?" When he turned to answer she cut him off, "Who are you really? Dont think that because I'm a good guy I don't suspect you of anything..."

"You don't trust me." Aaron stated glumly, "Look, if I could tell you anything about my life, I would. But I am strictly forbidden from speaking about where I'm from."

"And why is that?" Sam asked, frowning deeper.

Her curiosity was peaked by this kid.

He groaned and turned to her, "You're really going to bother me about this?"

"If it involves my son then, yes," Sam anwered curtly, "Now, spill."

Aaron shifted his eyes to look around them. Clockwork was floating not too far away. He was clearly listening to them, but his face was calm and looked as though he didn't even see them.

"I can't..." Aaron stood and walked away, his cape fluttering behind him.

"Hey! Get back here!" Sam stood and followed after him.

She tailed him across the viewing platform and to the entrance to the hallway where the rooms were. She grabbed his arm and forced him to turn around and face her. His wide red eyes blinked at her, his mouth slightly open. Clearly he was expecting her to come after him. Sam was actually a biot surprised that he didn't just phase out of her grip.

"I told you, kid, I want answers!" She demanded in a strong voice, "Now start telling me how you're involved in this or... I'll give you a wedgie or something!"

The boy cringed at the thought. He exhaled tiredly and Sam released his arm.

"Mrs. Fenton..." He started slowly, "There's a lot I would like to tell you. And you deserve to know but..." He looked up at her with a sad innocence in his eyes, "I just can't. I'm already breaking temporal laws just by talking to you now."

"How is talking against the law?" she asked, "And I'm not Mrs. Fenton yet. We're only engaged."

"Whatever!" The kid exclaimed, clenching his fists at his sides, "The point is, it's too dangerous for me to tell you anything concrete."

Sam stared him down bravely. This ghost boy was no threat to here and didn't even seem to have control over the few powers he had.

What was his problem? What was so dramatic about where he was from that would be dangerous to tell her? And even more so, hwo did it effect the baby?

"Fine. You win." Sam said with a minor glare, "But don't think this ends here, ghost boy. You're goingb to give me my answers eventually."

The boy stepped back from her, his eyes gazing past her. He was looking over her head.

Sam turned to see Clockwork less than a foot away from her, and smiling down at her. She jumped at his sudden appearance.

"You aren't going to get anything out of him that way, Ms. Manson," Clockwork laughed lightly.

Sam huffed and crossed her arms, "Oh? And how would you suggest I go about it then?"

Out of the corner of her eye she saw the kid slowly backing away.

"I'll show you," Clockwork told her as he moved around her toward the boy who had turned to run off.

The master of time snatched Aaron Leon by his cape and pulled him back. The kid yelled in protest as Clockwork dragged him back and scooped him up in one large arm.

"Papa! Put me down!" Aaron demanded as he was cradled by the much larger ghost, "I'm not a little kid anymore you know!"

Clockwork chuckled, "Oh, really?"

Sam's mouth fell open at what happened next. Clockwork, all powerful Master of Time, began to rock the boy and hummed some obscure lullaby that Sam thought she had heard in Dumbo once. Due to Clockwork's large stature and the kid's diminutive size, the boy was like a toddler to him.

Aaron's frustrated frown slowly turned to a yawn and his eyelids began to droop sleepily.

"How is this supposed to get anything out of him?" Sam asked, her arms still crossed.

"Watch." Clockwork told her quietly as he rocked the boy, "Aaron?"

"Mmhm..?" The kid answered drowsily.

"Who am I?" Clockwork asked him.

"Papa..." The kid answered.

Sam blinked in surprise. The word had taken on a new tone and there fore new meaning as the boy said it. It seemed more familial now. Like he really mean that Clockwork was his-

"And where did papa get you?" Clockwork asked softly, almost too quietly for Sam to hear.

"From Daddy..." Aaron yawned.

Clockwork laughed, "No, Aaron. I'm papa, not mama."

Aaron cuddled into the ghosts chest as he slowly began to fall asleep, "Same thing..."

Sam stared at them. The kid sure could spill the beans when he was sleepy.

Clockwork was his REAL papa? It wasn't a term of endearment? It wasn't a title because of his job? But Clockwork didn't have any kids! And who the hell was "Daddy"?

Wait... Aaron calls Clockwork papa, Clockwork "got him" from some one, Clockwork is currently with Dan so in the future that would make Dan... Daddy...

So that made Aaron...

"Clockwork, This doesn't mean..." Sam started in shock, "He's not..."

"He was forbidden to tell you anything. But I think now, it is imparitive that you know." Clockwork told her, gently rocking the boy in his arm, "At least if you want this to end peacefully,"

Sam was about to ask if her suspicion was ture when Dan flew down to land beside them. The two turned to face him, Clockwork setting the drowsy pre-teen down, unsteadily.

Dan's face was sullen and tired. Sam looked down at his hands and saw a familiar sight.

The fenton thermos?

Dan had repaired in in the time he had spent up in the rafters. He had kept the pieces just in case and had put it back together.

The ghost held the device to her. Sam stared up at him in confusion then reached out to take it.

"I don't understand..." She told him.

"If things get ugly..." Dan started quietly, "I want you to put me back in the thermos..."

DUN DUN DUNNNNN (again).

And the secret of Aaron is out! For those of you who haven't already figured it out... I made it pretty obvious lol And though I almost never come out and say it, it's never really been a big secret I've been trying to hide. It's been on my deviant art for a while.

By the way, more story art posted. :) Feel free to go and check it out.

And if you could do me a favor. When you review, Don't RUSH ME! I'm giving you a chapter a day in most cases! Try a little patience please. I set excited over nothing when I get reviews that only tell me to hurry up and post another chapter. I can only assume that means you like it but I dont know why. So can we please not rush the author? please?

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. :)