Author's Note: So, here's the newest update. It's a lot faster than the last wait you guys had – and I thank you for hanging on through those six months. If you can't sense it, the story's coming to a close. Soon after I finish it, I'll hopefully edit and put it back up. For now though, please let me know what you think of this chapter in the reviews section. Thanks!

*Now*

I lay in the bed beside Sam, my eyes glued to the scars that crisscross along my left arm. My right arm is curled around Sam, drawing her closer to me. A sigh escapes my lips and a groan quickly follows after. How could I have just done what I did? Maybe it was because I missed her, or maybe I was craving love more than I was willing to admit; either way the end result is the same. I slept with my ex and I can't take it back.

She was everything I had back then; it makes sense that I would still want her. I drop my arm back down onto the bed and glance at her. I watch her body rise and fall as she inhales and exhales. Her steady breathing is hypnotic and I lay there for hours, just watching her breathe. Time passes quickly as I get lost, remembering everything about our relationship six months prior.

We were so in love and completely ready to start our life together. We were supposed to move into an apartment in New York but after everything happened the day after graduation, I bailed. Hurt her so she would go. I tighten my hold on her, cursing myself for ever letting her go in the first place. She was everything and I was an idiot. As I cringe, reliving our last conversation, she stirs in my arms and I glance down at her, realizing for the first time that the sun has risen and is currently casting beautiful rays around her face. Her hair is plastered against the side of her face from where she slept against my chest. She gives me a sleepy smile. "You're still here," she mumbles. I raise an eyebrow as I rub my hand over her warm back.

"Did you think I wouldn't be?" I ask quietly, leaning up onto my elbow, my left hand reaching up to touch her face.

She closes her eyes and leans against my hand. "No," she whispers. "I didn't think you'd be here."

I lightly run my thumb across her lips and slowly move toward her for a kiss. She moves her hand from the blanket to my face, hands caressing slowly. I let out a noise as I pull away from her, eyes downcast. "We can't do this," I mumble, shaking my head, eyes squeezing shut. "I can't do this to you."

Seconds pass in silence and she lifts my chin with her index finger. I open my eyes, her kind ones staring back at me. "I want this, Danny. More than anything," she gently says, her other hand playing with the hair at the nape of my neck. "I still think you're as amazing as you were six months ago. You're still my Danny."

My heart aches and I squeeze my eyes closed. "I haven't told you everything," I whisper as tears form under my lids. "You don't know… you can't say that…"

She's quiet when she responds and I'm not ready for her words. "Then tell me everything."

*Then*

It took Tucker and me several days to track down Nameless and when we finally did, Clockwork had discovered that we'd been using his private research to find the ghost. Rather than pick up the phone or send me an email saying, "Hey. Quit snooping around," Clockwork decided to pay us a visit instead.

It was a few weekends after the initial information dig; Tucker and I were sprawled across his living room floor, each with a laptop in front of us. We were cramming chips and miniature sandwiches his mom had bought for us before leaving for yet another movie night with her husband. I didn't mind though - the more often I could be over here, the better. Any excuse to get out of my house I'd take.

"Hey, this might be interesting," Tucker said around a mouthful of Doritos. "It says here that there are few reports about him because it's believed that he has the ability to erase the mind."

I swallow a bite of turkey and slowly look over at him. If what he's saying is true... that means I could have him wipe my memory, make me believe that I was never Phantom. All of the pain and heartache would be gone in an instant. I take a deep breath. Could I go through with that?

A knock on the door sounded, pulling me from my thoughts. I looked at Tucker. "Expecting anyone?"

He shook his head then shrugged, standing. He walked over to the door and I glanced back down at my computer screen. The door creaked open and a familiar voice spoke. "Evening, Mr. Foley. Snooping around my private libraries are we?"

I froze, slowly turning toward the voice. He filled the doorway, staring down at the both of us, currently in his middle age form. His body flickered but he remained the same. Clockwork looked at me. "Long time, no see."

"Clockwork!" Tucker squeaked, turning his wide eyed stare toward me before glancing back at the ghost. "Sir… uh, hi, sir… you know, y-you've got some really great research, sir. Did you do all of that yourself? It's very impressive."

Clockwork floated past my friend and stopped a few inches from me. "Daniel. You're to stay out of my personal libraries and you're not to contact Nameless. If Walker finds out you're in the ghost zone, he will not hesitate to put you to death and you know that."

Tucker's face mirrored mine - complete and utter shock. "Hu…why…what?" I stammered out. "What are you talking about? I'm a human, he can't put me to death!"

Clockwork narrowed his eyes and slowly crossed his arms. "You broke our golden rule, Daniel. What makes you think if you stepped back inside our home, we will tolerate you?"

Mind reeling, I sputtered out a question. "What golden rule? What did I do? I-If it's because I was in your libraries, I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

The ghost flickered and his form changed to his older self. "You know what you did. I suppose you're relishing hearing me say it – you killed one of our own," he said, his voice taking on a level of anger I'd never heard from him before. "Why you would go for part of yourself, I don't know. If you didn't want him to be a part of you anymore, you could have simply cast him off."

"What?" Tucker asked, taking a step closer to the two of us. "What are you talking about? Danny didn't kill anyone."

I shook my head, limbs shaking with fear. "What do you mean he's dead?" I couldn't breathe, couldn't think. He was dead? "What happened to him?"

His expression changed. "You don't know…? Then you didn't…" he tightened his hands into fists. "Danny, stay out of the ghost zone. You'll be safer that way," his form flickered and he shook his head. "I don't have that much time. I assumed you were the one who disposed of him, but I was wrong. I'll go back to that day and see for myself the events. For now, goodbye."

"Clockwork, wait!" I called, fear creeping into my brain. "Don't go!" he disappeared in a cloud of smoke and I released the breath I'd been holding. Shaky fingers tangled in my hair as I desperately tried to make sense of what the time ghost told me. How could Phantom be dead? I saw my father release him back into the ghost zone.

"Danny, what is he talking about?" Tucker asked me, his brows drawn downward. "What does he mean a part of you?"

Tucker had been gone during that time. I didn't tell him because I couldn't. I told my sister and girlfriend, but I couldn't tell anyone else. I squeezed my eyes closed, feeling like I was about to hyper-ventilate. "My parents… the day after we graduated…" I trailed off, choking back a sob as my mind replayed the events.

"Yeah?" he prompted and my eyelids fluttered open. "Danny, what happened?"

"The day after we graduated, my parents…" I took a breath. How to say it? "They found out I was half ghost."

"Was?" he asked quietly, his frown changing from confused to concerned. "What did they do?"

I squeezed my eyes closed, clutching at my hair as I spoke. "T-They took it from me.. a-and now Clockwork says he's dead, and I can never get him back now."

*Now*

When Danny finishes telling me his story, he curls in on himself, silent tears running from his eyes. He squeezes them closed, slowly reaching for me.

I take his hand in mine and curl up close to him. He quietly cries next to me as I run my fingers through his hair. He's hurting and he's struggling but he opened up. There's still hope for him.

"Danny, I'm so sorry," I whisper, my fingers gently tracing a scar on his back. "I'm so sorry."

He shakes with quiet sobs, burying his face into my covers. "I-I can't, Sam," he whimpers. "I will never be the same."

"I'm sorry," I repeat again and again until his tears finally subside and what I'm left with is this broken teenager, clinging to me. I rub his back as he lay on my chest, breathing in and out. "Everything's going to be okay," I whisper, gently kissing his head.

He stirs in my arms and untangles his limbs from mine, moving to the pillow beside me; he turns his gaze on me. His eyes are clear and dry – no evidence of the storm left. Danny exhales. "Yeah, that's my big fat secret. Phantom died after my parents took him from me," he shook his head, words tinged with sadness. "I didn't tell you before because I couldn't process it."

I put a hand to the side of his face. "I'm sorry," he shrugs so I continue. "Your ghost form couldn't stay intact without attaching itself to someone?" I questioned.

His dark lashes fall and rise as he blinks then shakes his head. "No. That's not it… there's more to the story than that, Sam," he sighs.

I steel myself, prepared for anything at this point.