Warnings for: minor character death (for no one you like)


Chapter Fifty One

::

Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. He was so punching Spectra in the face if he survived this! She could have- They could have- They could have done something- Okay, think Fenton, think really, really, really quickly. What did he have?

He had a body that was more durable than most humans - he might break some bones hitting the water, but he should still survive after the initial crash.

He had a great resistance to cold even with the belt on - it would take him longer to freeze to death in the river.

He was stubborn as fuck - he would crawl out of the river with two broken legs and one arm if he had to, but he was doing it.

The current. How did one defeat nature?

A millions thoughts swam through his head and the only one that stood out was that… He didn't want to die. He didn't- He didn't want to die. No- No. He refused. This was not going to be his fate. He wouldn't let it. He wouldn't let it.

A sudden jerk and Danny instantly relaxed his body and sucked in a breath and was ready for the cold water to rush over him and drag him down- Nothing happened. A moment. A moment more. Three moments.

A croon of French words were whispered into his ear, Danny losing any and all tension as a sob was ripped out of him. A pair of arms were wrapped tight around him and kept him from ever hitting the ground. "Randy-" The name died in his throat as he looked up. If he thought Randy had looked like White Fang the last time he had rescued him from Spectra…

A massive explosion had Danny jerking his head to the bridge- No, to where the bridge used to be. Instead of an old bridge there was now splintered wood and broken metal falling into the river, Danny seeing a surge of purple ectoplasmic energy coat the very air as two figures went falling down.

A blink and Spectra was clutching at her side and completely hidden in shadows, Ghostwriter floating in the air with purple eyes and a scowl on his face, debris still falling all around them. "You know, I don't quite like giving myself over to my ghostly instincts." Andrew's voice was sharp and crystal clear, Danny able to hear it from as far away as they were. "For you, however…"

"Ah, our dear Ghostwriter arrives to the scene at last!" Spectra was afraid. She was so very afraid right now. "And he brings along his 'brother' as well, I see."

"Words aren't going to get you out of this." An explosion of energy cracked the very air, Danny's eyes wide as he watched the power that hit Spectra and sent her crashing into the river. He had never known Andrew was this powerful. He had always just acted like an average ghost- Ghost.

"Randy- Randy, let me go, I'm wearing the Specter-" This time it was a crunch of metal that interrupted his words, Danny gasping as he felt energy rush back into him and fuck he forgot what it felt like to have all his energy come rushing back once it was suppressed. A sense of utter cold rushed over his skin and Danny welcomed it as his form flickered into Phantom, and oh, that was already so much better. "Did you just tear the belt off of me?"

"Hush, sweet one." Oh, boy. Danny was so not ready for the obsession and care he could feel just pouring off those words. That just meant they didn't know what he had done. "Let us put your fears to rest."

"Randy-" Danny was let go and a white bubble shimmered into life around him, Danny wincing a bit as he settled before looking up to see the sky had gone dark- No, not quite. The bubble Danny was in was near see-through, but it looked like Randy had formed another one around the entire area that couldn't even be seen through. The world had gone dark.

"Now, now, can't we settle this like adults?" Spectra flicked past the attacks leveled at her in quick succession, appearing behind Andrew and sinking talons into his shoulders. "After all, your mate did just kill you-"

"I know." Wha… What? "Is that the best you have?" Watching with numb shock as Spectra was once more blasted towards the river, Danny slowly shook his head.

"You knew." Andrew had known. How- Did he recognize him earlier? During their fight back in Vidya, had he realized who Danny was? It would explain the fear.

"I've known since before we became mates." N… No- No! He couldn't have. If he did- If he knew then why? "I've known for years, Spectra. So I ask you again, is that the best you have?"

"He knew." Andrew had known for years- He had known since before that night when Danny confessed with tears in his eyes and fear heavy in his heart. He had probably known since Danny started visiting him day after day with that silly little hope that something would come of it. "He knew." He should feel happy- He should feel relieved. Andrew had known and they were still together.

If Andrew had known so long and still loved Danny, then that was great! That was amazing! That- They were going to be okay. Andrew knew and forgave him. Except… Except Danny could still feel ash on his skin.

He could feel ash on his skin and smoke in his throat.

"Ooh, and you didn't think to warn the sweet little thing what would happen?" Spectra gave a smile that was sharp and wicked and looked straight to him. "How betrayed you must feel."

Danny hated her for being right.

"You don't get to speak to him." Randy raised his hand and guns formed. Dozens- Hundreds of guns formed out of crystallic white energy and floated in the sky around them and all were aimed straight for Spectra. Danny didn't know Randy was this powerful. "You don't get to speak."

"We don't do this as assassins." Andrew raised his own arm and just as many knives formed, these made out of purple energy and as see-through as the guns. "Your death is not by the hand of assassins." Death…

"This is our right as set forth by the Ancients." Randy's eyes swirled with power and there was fear in Spectra's eyes. "You have brought harm upon our mate to a degree that cannot be forgiven. I mourn for your loss and pray that you find redemption."

"Goodbye, Spectra." Ghostwriter and the Mercenary clenched their fists as one and Spectra was no more.

"That can't be it." The words were dragged out of him, but that- That couldn't be it. Months and years of dealing with her and she was just… She was gone. "It can't be that simple." Death couldn't be that simple. They hadn't really- She had escaped like always. No doubt she was licking her wounds in the Ghost Zone and waiting for next time.

The bubble around him faded out carefully, Danny caught before he could fall even an inch. He couldn't stop staring at where Spectra had been. She just couldn't- Randy nudged him and Danny looked up. "Home?"

"I…" Danny looked away, squeezing his eyes shut. They knew. They knew who he was and what he had done and they… "Vidya." How could they even look at him? "I need to apologize to her myself."

A word wasn't said and there was hardly a moment between Danny seeing the destroyed bridge and Danny seeing the front doors of Vidya opening. Slipping out of Randy's arms, Danny flew inside and straight to the middle of the front room - right where he could see bookshelves wrapped all around him.

"Hello, Vidya." It had been only hours since he had been here, and yet so much had changed. Maybe it wasn't even hours, though. "You already know, huh?"

Fluttering little chords hummed and played through his head, a plucking of stringed notes that filled him up and covered him like a blanket and shush, little one.

"I killed him and set you on fire." He had… The last time he had been in his library… "I killed him." Blood coated his hands. "I killed Andy." He killed his mate. "I killed him." He killed his mate. He… "I…" He killed his best friend.

This time, when he hit the floor and screamed, there was no portal to take him away.

::

"Was there any way to prevent what happened?" Danny had asked this question dozens of times. He knew the answer by heart. It still felt like he would get a different answer next time.

"Daniel." Clockwork's voice was soft and gentle and Danny got a feeling he hadn't felt since he was a little boy hiding under trees that towered and touched the sky.

"I know." Slipping into the air, Danny ducked under Clockwork's arm and burrowed against his side, shoulders dropping when the cloak was shifted to let him hide under it. "Will I remember this conversation this time?"

"I don't know." Weeks. Danny had been in the Citadel for weeks and day after day it felt like more was slipping away from him the longer he stayed. "It's not fair."

"No… No, it isn't." The cloak was tucked around him further and Danny looked to the mirrors, watching silently with Clockwork. He saw so much.

A bridge collapsed and Spectra became nothing but a forgotten name in the back of a book that no one would read.

Three became one as it always should have been and there was no fear or anger to be held and nothing but love to be felt.

A little girl smiled from the heart and could hold the hand of the one who had hurt her most and she felt no fear.

Dozens screamed in fear and pain that faded for sheer joy and love as it all was torn apart in a rescue to be remembered.

One stumbled from the ruin and breathed out ashes and death and swore revenge for the last time and no more.

One stumbled form the ruin and breathed out apologies and loss and vowed justice once and for all and no more.

Two met in battle with armies behind them and the fate of the living and the fate of the dead were as one.

The language of the dead tumbled past lips of the living and a gap that was never meant to be bridged was brought to nothing.

"You have so much more to look forward to, Daniel." Fingers carded through his hair and Danny closed his eyes and breathed out softly. His breath felt like smoke and ash pressed against his skin.

"Not yet." That fire was still too close and not even weeks in a place where time meant nothing could heal him. "Time heals all?"

"No, it doesn't." He could wish, couldn't he? "Oh, Daniel… The living weren't meant to tread in this realm." No, they weren't. Danny felt as if he could go mad here. It was silent, though. "Just a while longer."

"Just a bit more time." He just needed time. Time healed all. He just needed time to figure out what he was going to say. "How long have I been here, Clockwork?"

"Four weeks." A month. Huh… "I'm not sure if it counts, but you're technically seventeen now." Oh, he was. "Any birthday wishes?"

"I wish…" If he could have anything in the world, what would he wish for? "I wish…" Anything at all. Anything in the world and he would wish… "How long have you lived, Clockwork?"

"I was never human." No, he wasn't. Danny knew- Of course he knew. Still… No. Clockwork could never be mistaken for human. "Longer than a human mind can fathom."

"Yet you fell in love with humans." It was easy to see- He loved Danny. He loved Jazz. He loved Andrew and Randy. He loved them all. "Why?"

"I don't know." The smile Clockwork gave him was amazing. "Isn't that fascinating?" One who knew everything not knowing something? Yeah. Danny would fall in love with that, too. "Just a while longer, Daniel."

"I wish that it could be different."