Chapter Fifty-Two: Night Visitor

After the initial shock, everyone seemed to get along just fine. Dark got on everyone's nerves by blatantly breaking the "no flying through doors/walls/floors/doorways" rule, but otherwise he was harmless and Daniel always managed to convince him to get down on the ground. The table at meals was much more crowded and noisy than the staff was used to, and they didn't dare do their evening chores until they were sure everyone was asleep so they wouldn't bump into them.

Somehow, Dan managed to hide the fact that a) he was sleeping with both Vlad and Plasmius and b) that Daniel and Dark were lovers. Jazz would freak if she knew of either fact, but luckily they'd managed to keep her in the dark.

He'd found that Dark didn't NEED to eat, just ate because it was an old habit he didn't like to break due to eating with Danny so often after he turned into a full ghost. He's also found that apparently Dark and Daniel did that creepy S&M thing, something he unfortunately discovered when he went to check on them when they were late to dinner. Still, at least he wasn't hurting anyone that didn't ask for more, so that was a plus side. Maybe his former-foe-turned-mentor really had changed into a nice guy? Then again, Plasmius had his nice moments and Vlad cared for him, but he still had no idea WHAT either of them did when he wasn't looking. For all he knew, Dark had joined them in their usual world-takeover plots.

"Yo, kid. Why the fuck are you staring at me?" Dark asked, looking up from a book he and was half-reading over Daniel's shoulder. They were sitting in the den together, the full humans having already gone to sleep and letting the half-humans and ghosts converse privately. "Don't tell me you want me tonight?" He smirked.

Caught staring, Dan looked away and shook his head. "No. I was just…" He sighed; may as well be honest. "I was wondering what you guys did when I wasn't looking. After all those two, as far as I know, still have their world-takeover schemes and you've been spending a lot of time with them so I thought that you might've—"

"Joined them in their schemes?" Dark cut him off, grinning. "While that's absolutely adorable that you think I would be tempted to rule this world, I would rather see it in ashes and the only reason it's not is because I have other things I want to do and things to distract me from my vicious, horrible, world-destroying thoughts." As if to make his voice, he got up from his seat and walked over to Dan, pulling him to his feet. "After all, helping you with your revenge sounds so delicious that I just HAVE to do it." He grinned.

"Dark, please put Phantom down." Vlad said from his seat, lowering his book. "I suppose you would've said something sooner or later. Yes, Phantom, I have been working on improving my power in different parts of the world for my gradual takeover. It is my hope, however, that you will see past our hostile encounters in the past and join me when you are older. And, no, I don't want this world turned to ash so I have not recruited Dark to join me."

"He's too unstable." Plasmius commented.

"Feh." Dark returned to his seat, leaving Dan in his own. "'Unstable' this, old man." He flipped the bird at him before going to half-reading the book.

"Dark!" Dan slapped his palm to his face, then looked towards the window near his seat. "Yeah, I know. He's impossible. Yes, I know I brought it on myself. No, you don't have to say a word for me to know what you're thinking."

Danny just stared back, shaking his head at the entire conversation before he covered his ears and turned away in a "lalala" way and then made a "cuckoo" motion at his head as he turned back to Dan.

"Is that brat insulting me?" Dark raised an eyebrow at Dan, looking over.

"Can you see him?!" Dan looked at him in shock.

"Don't have to; your expressions are like this book." He pointed to the book in Daniel's lap. "Hilarious and open."

Dan sighed, looking embarrassed. "This is why I usually talk to him in my room…"

"What is he saying?" Daniel asked calmly.

"Well, he's not really saying; more like indicating. And he's indicating that Vlad, Plasmius and Dark are all total fruit-loops and should drop the whole world-destroying/takeover ideas entirely because they're not gonna happen." Dan nodded firmly.

"Oh, and who's gonna stop us?" Dark looked amused. "You? You can hardly hold up a shield, how could you beat me in a fight when I'm at my full power?"

"I—"

"That's enough of that." Vlad walked over and placed at hand on Dan's shoulder. "You're getting worked up, Phantom. I think it's time to go to bed." He glanced at the window, shooting the image he couldn't see a "you know it off, too" expression.

"But he—"

"You have a party tomorrow; you can get excited all you want during it." Vlad smiled and picked Dan up, kissing him gently. "Come, I'll carry you to bed."

Dan clung to Vlad as they left the room, relaxing in the familiar embrace. As much as he hated to admit it, he did like coming back to Vlad. But, once he and Valerie really hated up that would change, right? They got to his bedroom and Vlad opened the door before taking him in and tucking him in, giving him a kiss before pulling away.

"You should sleep." Vlad smiled, pausing at the door. "You'll be 16 tomorrow. Has it really been two years since we met?"

Dan nodded, smiling. "Good night, Vlad."

"Good night, my little Phantom." He closed the door, walking away.

The space all around was black as night, the floor hard to determine if he wasn't SITTING on it. Danny stared at the mirror in front of him and placed a hand on the glass, watching Dan be tucked in to be put to sleep. 'So…either Dark was lying, or I'm still not powerful enough for even Dark to see me.' He thought, slowly getting up from the floor and walking into the darkness. He had formed a lair, of sorts, in this place. He could tell he was in the Ghost Zone but he didn't know where or if anyone could access his new home yet. He had found a door floating in the darkness and opened it, but all he found was the empty space of the Ghost Zone, no other doors around. He'd seen signs of someone else's lair one time, but they were gone when he checked again.

He opened the door and looked out, but once again he seemed to be all alone in this empty space of the Ghost Zone. Unlike everyone else, his door was static. 'Maybe I just need to be stronger.' He wondered, shutting the door and going to the mirror again. 'Phantom…' He placed both hands on the mirror. 'You're fast asleep, aren't you?'

He looked down at his feet and closed his eyes, the mirror rippling a bit. 'I want…to see Sam…' He thought.

Sam was fast asleep in her bed, hugging the pillow close as tears silently slipped down her cheeks. "Danny…" She whispered, curling up tighter. "Danny…I miss you…"

The moonlight shone through the windows, and the shadows at the door begin to writhe and take shape before a dark figure formed from them, moving closer to her bed. She felt a weight on the edge of her bed and shivered as she felt a hand touch her, her eyelids quivering before she slowly started to open them.

Blue eyes stared back at her from a dark shadow creature and she almost screamed before it silenced her with a kiss. She struggled, beating on its chest, and then managed to shove it back. "G-Get off!"

The creature stumbled back and then vanished before her eyes. Trembling, she got up and ran out of her room. 'I have to see Phantom!' She thought, running to his room and banging on the door. "Phantom! Phantom, please wake up!"

She banged a couple more times and then it was open, a hand coughing her fist as concerned green eyes stared down at her. "Sam, what's wrong?" Dan asked.

"Phantom…" She sobbed, clinging to him. "I-I think a ghost was in my room."

"A ghost?" Dan frowned.

"Y-Yeah. A shadow—ghost—thing. It k-kissed me, and t-touched my face…" She looked up at him. "Phantom…it had Danny's eyes. Why would it have Danny's eyes?!"

Dan shot a look towards the mirror and turned on the light of the room. "C'mon, let's sit on the bed instead of in the hall." He smiled and gestured her in, closing the door behind him.

As they sat down on the bed, he looked towards the mirror again. Danny was sitting cross-legged in front of the mirror, fidgeting with his bandages boredly before he realized he was being stared at and he gave a smile and wave.

"What are you looking at?" Sam asked, looking at the mirror. "There's nothing over there but our reflections."

'She can't see him.' Dan thought, looking at her. "I was just thinking. I don't recall meeting any blue-eyed ghosts, but I can check around the house for the mystery ghost if you want." He suggested.

Sam nodded, then clung to him. "Can I…spend the night here? I don't want to sleep alone after that scare."

"Don't tell Valerie." Dan smiled, pulling back the blanket for her to climb in. She smiled and climbed in, Dan getting in after her and wrapping his arms around her gently.

"Thanks, Phantom." She smiled softly, closing her eyes. "I always feel safe around you…"

The next morning, when it was just barely sunrise, she woke to hear Dan talking to someone. She blinked and looked over to see him sitting in front of the mirror.

"You're not strong enough, you can't be doing that." Dan was scolding. "You scared her, idiot."

"Phantom?" She asked, yawning. "Who you talking to?"

He started and looked over. "Morning, Sam." He got up and started to dig through his dresser. "You're up pretty early."

"Well, I thought I heard you talking to someone." She yawned and sat up, stretching.

"Sure you weren't still dreaming?" Dan grinned and turned to her. "I'm going to get dressed, so…"

"Right, right." Sam got out of the bed and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Tucker met her in the hall, his eyes wide. "Were you just in his room?"

"A shadow ghost was in my room, so I asked if I could sleep in his for protection from the ghost." Sam explained.

"Right." Tucker nodded. "A shadow ghost was in your room."

"I'm telling the truth!" Sam huffed.

"Well, she's telling the truth about just coming for protection. She didn't try to make any moves." Dan poked his head out. "Haven't seen this blue-eyed shadow ghost, though."

"Well, keep an eye out." Sam nodded. "I'll let you know if I see him—her—it again."

Dan nodded, shutting the door again. He was fully clothed, but he had to wait for them to be gone before he could talk to Danny again.

"So, you think that your increasing power is giving Danny the ability to take over your shadow and molest his girlfriend while she sleeps?" Dark asked. Dan had pulled him and Plasmius to the lab to have a private talk, the door securely locked.

"Yes." Dan nodded. "So, I want to know, what other abilities do you think he'll gain?"

"Hard to say." Dark shrugged. "Shadow-ghosts are unpredictable. I do know that they can be incredibly unstable, and since he's still forming he might gain less abilities the stronger you are. He'll just form into a full ghost as you grow stronger, and may not be as attached to you as he is now."

"Clockwork said that he would be, though." Dan frowned.

"Then why ask me?" Dark raised an eyebrow. "You have the Master of Time to tell you if Danny is gonna be a danger to all he loves, don't you?"

Plasmius walked over to Dan. "I think you should just tell him that he can't be doing this, that no one will recognize him in that form and he's just going to scare people."

"I did tell him. He's still upset about it." Dan sighed. "I'll have to celebrate our birthday with him properly later, make it up to him."

"Speaking of which, let's not stay down in the lab all day." Plasmius nodded. "While you're here you can absorb energy and then you and Dark can meet us upstairs."

"Yep." Dan nodded, walking over to the portal, turning it on before removing his bracelet.