Thank you so much to everyone who reads and reviews my fic! You guys really help to keep me inspired! :D Please forgive any errors, as I had to edit this in small pieces at a time which always throws me off.
Chapter 26: Paramnesia
Despite the chaos outside, everything within the Fenton residence was still and silent. There was no tinkering in the lab, no flickering television, and no book pages being turned. Even the lone occupant of the house was entirely motionless, lying prone on his bed.
The sun's return to the sky brought an end to this picturesque scene, however. The day broke the hold of the Knight's blade over Danny's mind, freeing him from its cage.
It started in his hands; fingers twitching and gripping at the sheets. And soon his legs and arms too were moving, struggling against restraints that were no longer there. That were never really there.
And then Danny's eyes flew open, and he scrambled up his bed. His hands moved up to rip off the gag that was not there, nails scratching at his mouth before he realised.
'How did I get back here…' Danny thought distantly, his mind numbed by confusion.
He looked down at himself, cautiously lifting his shirt to look down at his unmarred midsection. He could still feel the pain, and winced sharply as his fingers touched skin that had been wrenched apart only seconds ago.
"Maddie!" the sound of his father's voice erased all growing questions from the boy's mind.
His head whipped toward his window, where he could see the glow of the anti-ghost shield outside. Fear erupted within him, blooming outward in faint arcs of electricity. He couldn't get out. His parents were nearby and he couldn't escape.
Images of pain and cold faces danced before his eyes, and Danny launched himself off the bed and out of his room. He flew down through the house, going so fast that his shoulder clipped the corner of a wall. The pain from the collision only heightened his panic, and he continued his descent all the way to the lab.
Once there, however, he was brought to a sudden stop as his eyes landed on the lone table in the centre of the room. It was utterly pristine, glinting under the light. As Danny stared down at it, hovering in the air, he felt his horror turn to rage.
How dare they. How dare they betray him like that. How could they do that to him? Danny couldn't understand it. And worse, they may have stolen his body away!
Sparks ignited in the air, and soon flashes of white and green were lashing out from the teen, smashing into objects and sending them flying around the room. The bright lights above seemed to roar in Danny's ears, bathing the room in their harsh illumination.
The sound of his name being called brought everything to a halt, silence ringing as various objects settled against the floor.
He didn't wait to find out who was calling for him He flew straight to the portal, passing through the closed metal doors and embracing the comfort of the green glow.
"Danny!" Jazz tried again, concern mounting as she received no reply.
She had seen Sam and Tucker within the shield earlier, and so had been comforted by the knowledge that her brother must be nearby.
That assumption was quickly proven false, however, as Jazz mounted the stairs two at a time and burst into Danny's room.
The force of her entrance caused a few stray papers to flutter, but otherwise the room was still and empty.
Fear ran down her spine and to her hands, which began to shake. She clasped them together tightly, searching the rest of the rooms just to be sure. As she entered her own room, memories of a small Danny climbing into her bed to escape imaginary monsters came to the front of her mind. She fought the waves of images away, forcing her panic down. It settled like a rock in her stomach as she repeated to herself that Danny was alright. He was somewhere safe, unable to get home, but okay. She refused any thoughts that said otherwise.
"Danny!" she yelled loudly one last time, pausing her steps in the small hope of a reply.
Pacing around the house, Jazz was at a loss. Should she stay put and await her parents' return home? Or should she take to the streets and search for her brother?
She knew what she wanted to do, but she wasn't sure if it was the sensible option. She didn't even know where to begin looking.
Jazz sat down heavily on the living room sofa, staring at the black tv screen before anxiety forced her to her feet once again. She continued to walk slowly around the house, in and out of rooms. Her eyes searched but her mind was occupied, grappling over what she should do.
Once they knew that Paulina, Lancer, and Mrs Fenton were all safe in the hospital, Sam and Tucker had attempted to leave and head to their homes. They didn't even make it out the front entrance before Jack was calling them back, firmly telling them to stay put. It simply wasn't confirmed safe yet to wander the streets.
Being around Jack was like being with a stranger; his worried and stern demeanor completely alien and unwanted. It also kept affirming for both teens that this was indeed actually happening, like some dizzy nightmare made real. Neither of them could sit still within their seats, scuffing their shoes against the floor, sitting on their hands and chewing at their lips. The low, strained voices of the staff members around them did little to help.
They occasionally cast their gazes toward a window, looking out onto the street. A few cars sat abandoned in the road, illuminated by the pale blue sky of morning overhead.
Vlad glanced around as he slowly walked through the warped twin to the Fenton residence. His gaze drifted over the dark walls and shifting floor. He stayed rooted to the floor as he ascended the stairs, letting his steps be heard.
He entered through the open doorway to Danny's room, looking around briefly. As predicted, no sign of the boy could be seen. But Vlad knew better.
Swiftly, he reached out and flung open the closet door, stepping aside to avoid the ecto blast that was sent sailing from the shadows. It slammed into the far wall, leaving a rather impressive burn mark.
Danny stood ready inside the small closet, glare set on his face as his hand glowed with another attack. As recognition alighted in his eyes, the energy drained out of his clenched fist, which relaxed and lowered.
"Mr Masters?" his voice cracked in surprise.
"Yes, Daniel." Vlad answered, looking the boy over. "Do come out into the room. Hiding in your bedroom closet is both a poor defense, and rather pathetic."
Danny's glare was back, and he took two strides out into the open. This show of bravery was undermined by fear as his eyes immediately swept to the open door, looking out nervously into the hallway.
"Do they know I'm here?" he asked quietly.
"Who, Daniel?" Vlad asked, though he was certain he already knew.
"Them! My parents!" Danny flung his arms out in frustration. "Do they know I'm here? Are they on their way?"
Vlad closed his eyes, bringing a hand up to rub at the bridge of his nose. He then settled a calm gaze on the frazzled teen, who looked ready to jump out of his own skin.
"Daniel, your parents have no idea that you're currently in the Ghost Zone. In fact, I'm sure that they're wondering where you are right this moment."
Danny paused his anxious fidgeting to quirk an eyebrow at the man, who continued to speak.
"They also have no clue that this building even exists on this side of the portal, or that you are a ghost. They don't even suspect it. Your parents are, fortunately for you, quite unwilling to closely examine your…peculiarities."
Danny obviously had many questions, but seemed unable to put them into coherent words at the moment, and so Vlad elaborated further. He made sure to keep his voice low and steady, so as not to further agitate the delicate state the child was in.
"Daniel, whatever it is you experienced, it was nothing more than a powerful illusion. A dream made tangible by the Knight's sword. Don't you remember fighting him with me, near this very spot?"
Danny's brows drew together as he thought back, a frown pulling at his mouth, eyes drifting absently to stare at the floor.
"I remember that. You were fighting this big ghost in armor, and then…I don't know." he raised a hand up and raked his fingers hard through his hair, glancing up at Vlad. "Hey, why were you here fighting a ghost in the first place?"
"I'll explain everything fully, in time." Vlad assured. "For now, you must return home before your family begins searching for you, if they aren't already."
"No way!" Danny recoiled, stepping back into the dark closet.
"Daniel…" Vlad sighed heavily, walking over and standing before the small space, frowning at the teen within. He managed to keep his eyes from flitting down to look at the black shape slumped in one corner. No need to anger Danny even more.
Thankfully, the teen was too preoccupied to realise how close the man was to his old body. He crossed his arms and slid down to sit on the hard floor, glaring up at Vlad.
"I'm not moving an inch until you explain what the heck's going on here." he stated.
Vlad thought for a moment about refusing, and simply dragging the boy back through the portal, but he quickly realised that that would only worsen the situation. If he didn't want the kid to run at the first sight of his parents, or attack them, then he would have to take the time and explain everything.
Vlad moved to the bed, sitting down upon its edge as he began.
Maddie lay still upon the white bed, thin sheets pulled up to her shoulders, lost in a medicated fog.
Her wounds had been worse than she thought, leading her doctor to quickly order her bedridden and on some pretty powerful painkillers. Maddie hadn't been happy at first, but as the medicine dulled her senses, she cared less and less.
The sound of her cellphone vibrating on the side table jarred her to near wakefulness, and she cracked her eyes open and watched the slurred image of her husband walk over and pick up the phone.
His words swam over her, slithering across the blankets and slipping her by, even as she fought to understand what he said. She turned her head slightly toward him, but Jack did not notice, his back to her as he spoke quietly.
All too fast it seemed, he was hanging up, setting the phone down, and rushing out of the room, door closing quietly behind him. Maddie lay alone in the room, wondering what could be happening and frustrated that she couldn't help. As silent minutes passed, the drugs dragged her mind back below the surface of its vast thick sea, and Maddie's eyes drifted closed once more.
Sam and Tucker looked up as Jack walked over to them, looking even more worried than before, if that was even possible.
"Kids, I'm going to be gone for a while, but I'll be back as soon as I can. Now, you two still need to stay put here." he said quickly, glancing repeatedly down the long hall. "Promise me that you'll stay here."
"We promise, Mr Fenton." both kids replied immediately.
Jack was obviously too distracted to be skeptical of their hasty responses. He gave the pair a nod before nearly jogging out of sight.
"What do you think happened?" Tucker asked softly in the ensuing silence.
Sam stared down the hall for a long moment, already sure of the answer but unwilling to voice it.
"Do you think it has something to do with Danny?" Tucker spoke again.
Sam stood up and turned to him, hands resting on her hips and a frown set across her mouth.
"Come on, now's our chance." she said.
"Chance?" Tucker looked up at her, still seated.
For a moment, Sam faltered. Tucker looked utterly exhausted, and still very scared. She was sure she looked similar. But she swallowed back the lump growing in her throat, and forced a determined expression onto her face.
"We have to find out if our parents are okay, Tuck."
"I know." Tucker replied, though the affirmation seemed to only make him more uncertain. He slouched forward in his chair, eyes drifting down to look at the tiled floor.
"Hey," Sam stepped forward. "It's gonna be okay."
She reached out and grabbed his hand, bringing him to his feet. She pulled him along as she marched out of the building, daring any they passed to try and stop them.
They were completely ignored, however, and were soon on the empty streets. The morning sun stung brightly in their eyes and the chill air sent goosebumps across their flesh. Sam picked idly at her torn dress with her free hand, wishing for the thousandth time that she had worn a jacket. Tucker's equally ripped shirt also offered no warmth, and the two remained clasped hand in hand as they began their long and fearful journey home.
Jazz sat with her hands squeezed between her knees as she watched the television.
The reporter looked just as bedraggled as the citizens shown in the video clips that played repeatedly. Thankfully the death toll wasn't as high as Jazz had predicted it would be, but it was still a lot, and the hospitals were overrun with the injured.
Jazz glanced around the house once again, legs bouncing as she resisted the urge to pace. Soon her father would arrive, and then they would find Danny together.
The teen had called her mother's phone, but when Jack answered Jazz knew her mom was worse off than she'd let on.
It made her even more afraid, and she blinked rapidly to fight off the burning behind her eyes. No, she could not fall apart now. Not when her father was on his way. He would know what to do; he would know how to find Danny. And once they did, and Jazz lectured him soundly, she would then shut herself away in her room and finally let herself cry.
'But not a moment before.' Jazz promised herself, forcing her legs to still.
Danny had been staring hard at the floor beyond his shoes for several minutes, and Vlad was trying not to lose patience.
"So…none of it was real?" Danny asked hesitantly.
Vlad couldn't contain the heavy sigh that fell from his lips.
"Yes Daniel, for the fourth time now. Everything you experienced after fight the Knight was an illusion. Your parents do not know you're a ghost. They do not know you can enter the Ghost Zone. And they are not on their way to capture you."
"Alright, alright! I get it." Danny was just as irritated as Vlad, throwing his hands up and finally standing. "It just felt so real…"
"That is the point, Daniel." Vlad said solemnly. "The Knight exists to spread chaos and terror. What better way than to force an individual to confront their worst fear."
At his words, Danny's angry expression darkened further, green eyes glowing harshly as he glared over at the man.
"I'm not scared of my parents." he said lowly, voice radiating with threats of violence.
Of course, Vlad feared no such threats, and calmly offered the boy a skeptical look in return.
Danny just redirected his glare elsewhere in the room, avoiding Vlad's gaze. He of course didn't need to be reminded of how he'd been in a complete panic earlier at the thought of his parents coming for him. He crossed his arms sullenly, leaning back against the wall, and said no more.
After several minutes ticked slowly by, Vlad decided to try and move things along, resisting the urge to pull out his watch and check the time. He instead strode over to the boy, resting a hand firmly on his shoulder. He pulled Danny away from the wall and toward the exit, reaching out and closing the closet door as he went.
The teen jumped slightly at the sound, but let himself be led out into the hallway and down the stairs. All stubbornness was drained from him, and he was wrapped up entirely in his own thoughts.
He came back to himself as he felt the glow of the portal wash over him. He looked up at it, reluctant to venture beyond it and back into his home. The rational side of his mind knew that he had to, though. He couldn't very well hide away forever.
"Now, Daniel," Vlad began, tightening his grip on the boy's shoulder to gain his attention. "You cannot tell your parents about my involvement in all of this. As far as they need to know, I am currently in my home, many miles away. Understood?"
Danny attempted another glare, but he just looked sullen and tired.
"I'm not stupid." he said shortly.
He looked back at the portal, stepping out of Vlad's grasp and, pausing half a moment, walked through the green light without another word.
All Danny wanted to do now was be alone with hid thoughts, and Vlad's tone and mere presence were scraping away at the remains of his nerves. He slowly trudged up the basement stairs, eyes unseeing as his mind began to drift.
He reached the kitchen, traveling under the archway and into the living room, only to jump sharply as a loud gasp shattered the silence.
His gaze shot up to meet his sister's wide eyes. She shot to her feet, walking around the table as she stared at him in relief and confusion.
"Danny!" she exclaimed. "What-where-but…where were you!?"
"Uh…" Danny uttered dazedly, not prepared for conversation so soon. His hands gestured loosely toward the basement door.
Jazz looked between him and the open doorway several times, her face twitching through several emotions, as though unable to settle on just one.
"Do you know how worried I was?" she asked heatedly. "Didn't you hear me calling for you?"
"No?" Danny answered, unsure of what else to say.
Jazz looked ready to start yelling, but was interrupted from doing so by the front door slamming open.
Jack's hulking frame cast a shadow into the house as he froze, one leg thrust forward over the threshold.
"Danny!" he shouted, rushing forward with arms reaching out toward his two children.
Danny backpeddled so fast his head smacked the wall behind him, and he fought to remain still as the others stared at him for a moment.
'Don't freak out. Don't freak out.' Danny kept up the mantra as his father's voice buzzed incomprehensibly in his ears.
Jazz spoke as well, pointing at the kitchen, but Danny couldn't look at either of their faces. Jack was not wearing his usual jumpsuit, and looked downright odd in normal clothing. It was this strangeness that helped Danny pretend, just a little, that it wasn't actually Jack standing before him.
But the strategy was quickly failing him, and Danny threw himself away from the wall, walking hastily to the stairs, speaking over his shoulder as he went.
"I'm gonna go upstairs, I'm really tired." the words poured out of his mouth, half-jumbled.
"Bu-wait!" Jack called after him.
Danny forced his legs to stop. He stayed staring ahead, not looking back down at them. It was the best he could manage.
"I said, where have you been this whole time?" Jack asked, his tone sounding much like Jazz had earlier.
"Down in the lab." Danny answered in a rush, just wanting to get away as fast as possible. "Y'know, ghost weapons and all..figured it was the safest place."
He then strode up the remaining steps, ignoring whatever Jazz began to say. He darted into his bedroom, locking the door behind him. He then walked over to his bed, falling face down onto it.
He tried desperately to relax, to let his mind drift away as it had begun to do minutes before. But he found that he couldn't. His body was tense and his mind ran at exhausting speeds, refusing to slow. The sound of footsteps coming up the stairs didn't help matters.
Jazz spoke from beyond the door, which muffled her words. The door handle jiggled as she attempted to open it, knocking lightly and still speaking. It all buzzed in the air, feeling like static within Danny's own head. The teen sat up, moving to sit at the head of his bed, pulling his knees up to his chest.
"Go away, Jazz." he said, though it was too choked to reach her.
He squeezed his eyes shut against the coming tears, but they fell out anyway. They left messy trails down his face, and he quickly buried it into his knees, shoulders quaking as Jazz continued to knock at the door.
Two small figures wandered the abandoned streets of the city, locked hand in hand to fend off the chill and the loneliness.
They didn't speak, but instead looked around at the aftermath of the chaotic night. Any dead bodies had already been taken away, but pools of blood still stained the pavement and road.
The two were careful to step around any pools of red in their path, hands tightening briefly, and then quickly walking away from the sight. They went through empty crosswalks with broken signals and traveled down desolate roads with abandoned vehicles.
Eventually they came upon a corner that they both stopped at. They stood there, staring down different paths, hands straining to keep hold as they both subconsciously pulled in their differing directions.
Neither wanted to part from the other, but both wanted to rush to their home. They stood in the silence for several aching heartbeats, desperation and loyalty warring a new battle on already scarred ground.
Tucker was the first to look back at Sam, who met his gaze. And slowly their hands unclasped, fingers falling away from each other.
"I'll call you later…" Sam said quietly, before turning away and crossing the road, hastening her steps as she went.
Tucker watched her before continuing down the sidewalk, looking ahead to the end of the block. He could see his street sign, and wanted to slow down and speed up at the same time. He felt sick with dread, not wanting to go near his home for fear of what he might see, but unable to turn back.
Too soon he was standing in front of his house, looking down at the worn welcome mat sitting untouched before the front door. He berated himself internally, willing his legs to move, to take that first step.
But he couldn't. He stayed rooted to the ground, not sure how much time was passing. He'd since numbed to the cold, no longer shivering even as a breeze bit into his skin.
Suddenly the door burst open, and Tucker recoiled back with a cry. His parents rushed to him immediately, grabbing their son and nearly crushing him in a joined hug.
Tucker couldn't believe it. They both spoke quickly, and their words melted together, churning in the rolling ocean within Tucker's mind. He felt as if he were drowning, not quite able to catch his breath as words and tears of his own spilled forth.
Together, the three stood outside their home, sobbing into each others' arms and babbling incoherently.
Sam, too, stood outside of her house. She looked up at the high windows, eyes searching for signs of damage; for signs of movement.
She lowered her gaze to the ornately carved door, fear rising up within her. She breathed in deep, forcing the feeling back down. It settled like a stone in the pit of her stomach.
But she wouldn't allow it to stop her. Schooling her features once more into a determined expression, she stomped up the steps, grabbed the door firmly and pushed it open.
Inside was exactly as she had left it, albeit darker now that the power was out.
"Mom?" she called out, leaving the door open as she stepped inside. "Dad?"
Her shadow stretched long across the floor before her, and her shoes clacked loudly in the silence.
"Mom! Dad!" she tried again, anger coloring her tone. "Come out already, it's over!"
Nothing. Sam glared into the darkness, angry and frustrated at the lack of a reply and at her parents and at the shadows as they clung to the walls. She marched down the hall, coming into the main room, looking around as if she would spot them hiding behind the sofa.
"Where are you!" she yelled, her voice scratching at her throat.
She thought she heard the creak of a floorboard, and spun around. It dizzied her, and she swayed as everything swam momentarily. But when her vision righted, there was no one to be seen.
"Where are you? Come out!" she said, continued to turn this way and that, angrier and angrier by the second. "Come out!"
In a heap she fell, legs hitting hard against the floor. Tears and sobs burst out from her harshly. The sounds were absorbed into the walls, which offered no noises in return. No sound of a door opening, no hurried footsteps, no voices.
There was nothing. And all Sam could do was sit on the floor, just beyond the light of the doorway, and weep heavily.