There was no time to shout in alarm. Danny suddenly felt gravity take him over. He looked down and instantly knew that his limited flight in human form wouldn't slow him down enough to prevent an injury at this height. He had to change. There was no other way. Gulping down his fear and numerous memories, Danny focused on his inner power. He reached out to Phantom. But the sudden wave of fear from having anger reinforced with pain stopped him. Danny glanced at the ground and saw that Danielle had been pinned down by Skulker and Raquel didn't have her belt. M'gann, being one of the few members of the team actually capable of helping Danielle, was distracted and may not be able to catch him in time.

Danny closed his eyes and pushed down his memories. He was outside. Not in a lab. He was free. Not bound to a table. It was Vlad. Not that sick scientist. With a deep determined breath, he reached for Phantom again. This time there was no blockage. With a flash of white light, Danny felt the reassuring wave of cold wash over him as he changed into his ghost form. The second he felt his ghost form, he tapped into his flight and came to an abrupt stop, hovering inches from the ground.

The team, or at least those not fighting Skulker off of Danielle, breathed a collective sigh of relief. Danny opened his eyes and sent a hateful glare up to Vlad before turning to Skulker and firing a ghost ray at the hunter. Skulker, caught completely unawares, was thrown off of Danielle. Danielle floated to her feet and glanced at Danny, giving him a quick smile of thanks. Vlad landed on the ground a few feet away.

"Cut that a little close but you're welcome Daniel," Vlad remarked. Danny spun around to face Vlad.

"You nearly killed me!" he shouted, enraged. Vlad shrugged.

"Don't be so dramatic. The worst that would have happened was a broken bone," Vlad retorted dismissively.

Danny landed on the ground and stalked up to Vlad.

"I didn't ask for your help. Now go!" Danny hissed, pointed to the sky furiously. Vlad tutted condescendingly and shook his head.

"Fine. But that's the last time I help you. Remember what we talked about," Vlad concluded and vanished in a puff of pink smoke. Danny glowered at the cloud for a second before turning to Skulker, his eyes burning bright fury-filled green.

Skulker struggled to his feet before looking around to see that his ally was gone. He then noticed Danny's angered glare.

"Uh oh," Skulker mumbled and began to retreat as Danny walked over to the hunter.

"Now whelp. I only told Plasmius about where you are, and I only told him because he wouldn't take no for an answer," Skulker hurried to explain. Danny's hands ignited with green energy.

"I don't want a fight," Skulker attempted.

"Well, maybe I do," Danny growled and fired his concentrated ghost ray at Skulker, tearing through the suit's arm.

The team blinked in shock and rushed forward to stop the fight but Danielle stopped them.

"No, let him. Danny won't take it too far and besides I think he needs a little pay back," Danielle muttered, she had been told of Skulker's first visit to the cave. The team reluctantly kept back as Danny fired ghost ray after ghost ray at the hunter until the metal suit was nothing but scrap. Danny then turned his hand intangible and pulled out a tiny green ghost with stubby arms and legs.

"Whelp! You'll pay for this!" the ghost squeaked.

"Tell every ghost you see that Danny Phantom is back and if they don't leave Amity Park alone they're going to have one ticked off halfa beating them up," Danny growled. Skulker blinked in shock before yelling in alarm as he was sucked into the Fenton Thermos Danny unclipped from his belt.

With a calming breath, Danny's burning eyes lessened in their intensity and he turned to the team.

"By the way, that was what Skulker really looks like," Danny informed them, his anger effectively dismissed. The others stared at Danny, lost for words. Danny clipped the thermos to his belt again and then glanced up to the sky. He searched for Vlad's retreating form but saw nothing, not that he really expected to. He didn't know how far Vlad could teleport himself but the older halfa wouldn't fly off while visible. But then Danny turned his thoughts inwards. He assessed how he felt. He didn't feel upset or scared. He felt confident and… peaceful. As much as he hated to admit it, Vlad had put him in a position where he had to change and it had worked. Not that he was going to thank the fruit loop any time soon.

Danny bit his lip and considered doing something he hadn't done for more than three months. Go for a long, relaxing flight. And his favourite time to fly was at night. It was a shame that it was cloudy but he still had the desire to go for a flight all the same. Besides, he did want to reassure himself that he could fly without fear after being so nervous of it since his capture. Also he did his best thinking while flying and he had to consider everything Vlad had told him.

"How long is left in the movie?" Danny asked, breaking the uneasy silence between them all.

"Thirty minutes or so. Why?" Danielle answered, being the first to recover from the sight of Danny mercilessly beating up Skulker. Danny nodded.

"Why don't you guys finish it? I'll be back by the end of it," Danny suggested.

"Where are you going?" Garfield whispered.

"After Plasmius?" Artemis asked. Danny shook his head.

"Nah, he's long gone by now. But… I really need to do something. Don't worry, I'm not going to go far," Danny answered.

"Don't you want to watch the movie too?" Wally inquired with confusion.

"I've missed a lot. I'd be completely lost. Besides, I wasn't all that in to it to start with," Danny admitted. He hadn't been up for watching the movie. It was more for the girls. The second movie was the one he was looking forward to and Danny sensed he'd enjoy it all the more if he got to do what he was craving to do.

"Alright Danny. But if you need a hand or anything, come get me or the rest of us," Danielle concluded, realising what that distant look in her cousin's eyes was. She too loved to fly and she recalled that it had been a long time for Danny. So she grabbed Garfield and Robin's hands and pulled them back to the cave. The rest of the teens followed her, giving Danny worried glances.

Whew. Danny was able to change in time.

Any thoughts though on what Vlad told Danny?

Until the next chapter.