Chapter four is up! Just as a header, I'm going to be a little mean to Tucker. Although he's one of my favorite characters, the experience he has fits into my story. Also, Sam is going to be really freaked out, and a very scary thing is going to happen in her mind. Just a warning. All apologies to anyone who doesn't like it. I am also making a reference to a movie I recently saw, called Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Oh, and since I'm having such a huge mind block on Jade, I'm going to remove the story, fine tune it, and repost the new, improved, story. So, anyways, onwards!

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Chapter Four: Fears

The silver clad girl floated above the empty school. She had tried to help the trio of friends, but her attempt had failed. All she had gotten out was a warning, and a sketchy one at that. She sighed. If wishes were horses. . . She flew over to the park, where Joanna was terrorizing the remaining students. She heard their screams and tried to block them out. She could do nothing about their pain.

A hard look entered her eyes, turning them to glistening steel.

At least not yet, she thought.

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Sam sobbed softly. Danny couldn't be dead. It was just impossible! She would not accept it. Sam grabbed her phone and dialed Tucker's number.

"Hello?" He sounded groggy, with a raspy voice that consisted with a night of tears.

"Please tell me that what I think happened didn't really happen." Sam murmured. She heard Tucker catch his breath.

"It wasn't a dream, then." he said softly. "I. . . I thought that I just had a nightmare. Oh, Sam, I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too." she whispered. Tucker coughed awkwardly.

"He did it to save you, you know." Tucker said. "Joanna was about to choke you and he. . ." Tucker let the sentence hang.

"I know. I just can't believe. . ."

"There's something else, Sam. I'm moving. I didn't tell you or Danny because I didn't want you to, you know, be sad. I meant to tell you yesterday, but. . ." Tucker trailed off.

"I don't believe this! First Danny. . . Then you. . !" Sam spluttered through her tears.

"Sam! I'm sorry! There's nothing I can do! And I really don't want to go, for more reasons than one."

"What reasons?" Sam asked bitterly.

"Well, it's better to deal with tragedy with friends. And I want to be here for Danny's memorial. But, also. . . I. . . I think I like you."

"What?" Sam screamed into the phone. The nerve of that boy, trying to get her in a, well, rebound!

"Sam, listen, please. . !" Tucker whined, his voice no longer the comfort it had been.

"Good bye, Tucker Foley. I hope you have a good life." Sam said finally, and slammed the phone down. She fell back onto her bed, rage mixing with her tears as she sobbed. The phone rang softly and she picked it up. If it was that bastard. . .

It wasn't.

"Sam? Have you seen Danny? He didn't come home last night and he won't pick up his cell phone. I called Tucker, but he just told me he hadn't seen him and got of the phone really quickly, but I figured you would know. . ." Jazz's frantic voice met her ears.

"Jazz." Sam started as the sixteen year old calmed down. "Jazz, I'm sorry but. . . You see, Danny. . ."

"Sam? What is it?" Jazz sensed the tension in her brother's friend's voice.

"Danny had an accident." Sam finished, tears leaking from tightly closed eyes. Jazz gasped in horror.

"Oh, God, no! God, oh please no. You can't be. . You've got to be. . . Oh my God!" Jazz cried. Sam cried, deep heaving sobs. "Oh, Sam, please calm down. What happened? Did something. . ?"

"He died to save me!" Sam screamed, throwing the phone away. "He gave up everything for me and I couldn't even tell him I loved him!" She ran from the room, hearing Jazz's frightened yelps from the phone. She bolted down the stairs into the kitchen, and opened a drawer. A row of shining knives glimmered dangerously. Sam lifted one out and shoved it under her shirt.

There was no way she was going to be able to bear life without Danny, so she would meet him in the after life.

Sam walked until she found herself at the school. It was empty and surrounded by police tape, not for Danny's murder, but to keep everyone away from the dangerous ectoplasmic wads that littered the grounds. Sam skirted the blobs and opened the door, quickly finding the stairs and walking to the roof. She looked out over the city. The city that Danny had tried to protect even when they hated him. She wiped away a tear and knelt at the edge of the roof. Sam cautiously raised the knife above her heart.

"O happy knife." she whispered bitterly, and moved it slowly downwards.

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Danny sat up quickly, startled when his eyes met the amethyst ones of Sam. He moaned. "What happened?"

"You got her, dude! You won!" Tucker yelled happily. Sam nodded and helped him up.

"I won? How?" Danny asked, rubbing his aching head. Tucker shrugged, but kept babbling about how excellent the battle was and how amazing Danny had been. Danny tuned him out and turned to Sam.

"You want to hang out tonight?" he asked quietly. Sam's eyes registered fear for a second before she shook her head and walked off in another direction. Danny stood still for a moment before dashing to catch up with Tucker. "Dude, what's up with her?"

"I don't know. You'd think she'd be all over you. I mean, man, you had power for a few minutes there. Really scary, if you didn't know it was little old Fenton under the lights and grandeur." Tucker babbled. He noticed his friend's worried look and punched him lightly in the arm. "C'mon, man! Forget her! Let's rent a movie and have a guys night!" Danny's mood brightened immediately.

"Yeah, sure, okay. Just stop skipping!"

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Danny walked into his house, turned around, and waved to Tucker. Tucker placed a hand over his heart and extended the other out as if addressing a huge crowd.

"Be excellent to each other." he called. Danny smiled and bellowed the reply.

"AND PARTY ON, DUDES!" They laughed and jammed on air guitars for a second before the door slammed shut. Danny whirled around and found himself facing his dad's furious face.

"Hey, dad. It's only nine o'clock. I'm not late." He tried to step by his father's bulk, but found himself staring down the barrel of the Fenton Bazooka. His mother had a hard look in her eyes. Danny let his gaze wander into the living room, and he saw Jazz sitting on the couch, head in her hands. Sam hid in the corner, trying to become invisible. "What's going on here?"

"Don't say a word, Inviso-Bill." Maddie sneered. Danny looked at her in confusion, and then at Sam.

"You told them?" he asked quietly, feeling as though his heart was being torn out.

"Actually, I did. I thought you needed help, Danny. I've known for a long time, but you know how I am with secrets. But Mom and Dad. . ." Jazz said, voice breaking.

"And Samantha came over a few minutes ago, and told us the whole thing, Danny." Jack continued. "She said that she felt threatened around you now." Danny turned and looked at his former friend.

"Sam? You felt scared?"

"Shut up, ghost boy." Maddie said, prodding Danny in the stomach. Danny slumped over and batted the big gun away. He walked into the center of the room, despite his parents gasps of uncertainty.

"Okay. You caught me. I'm half ghost." He said, back to them. "But does that mean I'm evil?"

"Of course it does." Jack snapped. "You're a ghost, at least partly, and that makes you evil." Danny sighed and allowed the twin blue rings to surround him, changing Danny Fenton into Danny Phantom. Maddie lunged foreword with the Bazooka.

"Get down into the Lab!" she yelled, and then, softer. "Danny, if you're still in there, we'll save you. We'll get you back to normal." Danny nodded slightly and floated down the stairs. His father shoved him into a big green box, a cage, he guessed, and slammed the door shut. But one question alone stood out in his dejected mind.

How could Sam be afraid of me?

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"I'm sorry Danny. I really thought that they would understand." Jazz apologized for the thousandth time. Danny shook his head. He had been in the cage for over a week, spending most of the time in ghost mode. He had discovered quickly that if you touched one of the walls, you would get shocked be the ectoplasmic equivalent of electricity.

"It's okay, Jazz. Sam would have screwed me over anyways." Danny muttered.

"That's not true." she replied.

"Of course it is, Jazz. She sold me out after you made your mistake. Anyways, I'm kind of used to this now. It's not painful, as long as I stay in ghost mode and float so I don't touch the floor or the walls." he said jokingly.

"Danny, mom and dad still think that you're being overshadowed. They're going to keep working on a cure, but I heard mom say that it was going to take years. So, I got you these." Jazz held up a set of keys, slid one into an almost hidden lock, and the door of the cage popped open. "You're free, Danny. Go into the ghost zone or something, but you can't stay here." She walked over to a computer and typed a few letters. The Fenton Portal slid open and Danny stepped up to the edge.

"Bye, Jazz. Tell Sam. . . Tell her that I forgive her." Danny whispered, and stepped into the chill of the Ghost Zone.

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The silver girl opened her eyes with a gasp. Things were definitely not going okay for the trio. She had visuals on the girl and the Halfa, but the other boy was no where to be found. She searched Joanna's Cell Chamber in vain, and only thought of the worst. She had to be. . . But she couldn't. . . Oh Gods, that poor boy. The girl shook her head and focused back in on the Goth girl, hoping she would be able to find them again. . . One eye popped open, a look of triumph shining in it's depths. She could help them. She could.

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Danny frowned. There was no activity in here, at all. No ghosts, no doors, no swirls of gross green light. Just still. Still as death Danny thought and gave a short bark of bitter laughter. It echoed eerily around him and he shuddered.

"Hello, whelp." a voice said. Danny stopped short and turned. Skulker stepped from a shadowy area, followed by every evil ghost Danny had ever fought. At the head of the group was Vlad.

"Good evening, Daniel. I trust you and your family are well?" he hissed. Danny balled his fists.

"Shut up, Vlad. Leave me alone."

"Danny, Danny, Danny. So impatient. Ah, well. You can't live forever." He gestured and the ranks of ghosts parted, revealing a gigantic machine. It was pointed directly at Danny.

"What the hell is that?" Danny yelled.

"You like it? I call it the Ectoplasm Eater, or EE for short." Vlad said calmly. Danny blinked.

"Man, you're even worse at naming things than my parents!" he said, laughing softly. Vlad gritted his teeth and pressed a button.

"Good bye, Daniel Fenton. And good riddance." Vlad hissed. The EE hummed slightly and a red charge built up around it. Danny backed up, but not before a ray of blood red light shot towards him. Danny held his breath, eyes closed, waiting for the end.

It didn't come.

Danny cracked his eyes open and stumbled backwards. The ray had stopped, inches from his chest. Every ghost had stopped mid cackle, except for one. She was shining softly, clothed in a silvery dress. As Danny watched, the dress shone brighter and changed swiftly into a grey tank top and pants. The girl fixed him in a questioning gaze.

So, do I have your attention?

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Tucker floated in absolute darkness, confused as hell and certainly not afraid. He had been there ever since he had been enclosed in the mist, and had not seen anything. Tucker pondered his fate for a moment. What was he afraid of? Not the dark, not being alone, and he was no longer afraid of not having access to technology. So what was he afraid of? Tucker was deep in thought when he saw someone before him. The figure glowed with golden light.

"Joanna." he breathed, and his voice was laced with hate.

"How nice of you to notice. Well, my little friend," she laughed. "you must wonder why you have not been transported to a desert island, made to be half naked, and suffered the loss of your precious technology?"

"Yeah, the thought passed my mind." Tucker said sarcastically. Joanna smiled.

"You have heard that I am the daughter of The Fright Knight? Well, I am also more powerful than him, and take much more pleasure in the suffering of others." Joanna stepped/ floated closer and Tucker recoiled back instinctively.

"Sick hobby."

"Quiet, fool! Now. . ." Joanna cleared her throat. "The weakest form of fear is a simple one, the loss of technology, something unrealistic. The lower-medium fear is a phobia made into a life experience. The high-medium form of fear just happens to be a very realistic life experience, death, loss, the works." She smiled and Tucker shuddered. This was not going to end well. "The highest form of fear is a memory, something terrible that can only be wrought by the hand of mankind. And now, my pet. . ." Joanna leaned foreword and grasped Tucker's chin. She turned his head so that he was forced to look into her gold eyes. He shut his own blue-green ones and Joanna chuckled.

"Oh, pet. Open them now. I promise this won't hurt."

"Liar." Tucker murmured, but he had no choice but to open his eyes. Joanna smiled, a cat to a mouse.

"Now, let's enter your worst nightmare. . ."

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Jazz panted, running along the road to her house. Something was terribly wrong. She had been standing outside school when the golden woman had landed. She had run with the others up into the park, but had had enough time to see Danny head in to defend his school. Jazz had panicked and started to run home, which was a good thing to do. She could get the shield up and somehow get the town into the house. . .

"Honey? What's wrong?" her mother asked as Jazz burst into the room. Between gasps, Jazz yelled.

"At school. . . Ghost. . . Everyone in park. . . Got to help. . ." Jack and Maddie exchanged a glance.

"Was the ghost Inviso-Bill?" Jack asked hopefully. Jazz shook her head.

"Bill. . . Fighting evil ghost. . . Saved us. . ." Jazz hoped she sounded convincing. She closed her eyes in exhaustion and, when she opened them, found her parents gone. She walked over to a lever in the wall and pulled, setting up the improved shield around the house. Now, the shield would make any ghost who touched it loose power for twenty four hours. Jazz waited, and soon the refugees from her school began to file in.

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Tucker was two years old again, in his crib while his parents talked on the couch. He felt the childish innocence flair inside him and smiled happily. Whatever memory this was, Joanna had obviously chosen wrong. This seemed nice and calming, not scary.

And then he remembered. Tucker tried to cry out, warn his parents of the impending doom, but all that came out was a series of short whimpers. Tucker let his eyes wander to the fire place as his parents fell asleep. The flames inside it leaped onto a pile of newspapers, just as Tucker remembered it. He cried out several times, but his parents stayed asleep. Smoke and flames filled the room and Tucker began to cough. The squeaky sound woke his mother, who began to scream for her husband to wake up. She picked her baby up and started to run, only to be blocked by flames. Tuck closed his eyes, knowing that his mom and dad would miraculously battle their way through and he would be safe.

He opened his eyes and was back in the dark place. He heard Joanna laugh, but could not find anyone in there with him.

"So, that is your fear? Hmm. Yes, I think I can work with that. . ." she muttered, and Tucker was alone once again. He sighed. It was over, thankfully, or so he thought. A reddish light caught his eye, quickly brightening and flickering. Soon, Tucker was surrounded by flames. They were so hot, and they reached out to burn him. It hurt so much and the air hurt to breath. . .

Tucker began to scream.

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"Who are you? And how did you just stop time? And what's with your voice?" Danny asked, still readied for battle.

I am Rhiannon. It's a talent. And I speak only to ghosts and halfas, unless I am in direct contact with a mortal. Telepathy. The girl, Rhiannon, smiled. I am here to save your life.

"How?" Danny moved foreword, until he was a few feet away from Rhi.

I have powers. You have been entrapped by Joanna Nightshade, Daniel. Entrapped by your own fear.

"So, none of that was true?"

Exactly. Joanna delights in making the experience as real as possible, fooling her victims into believing that this life is real. At the end, she kills them. Rhiannon paused as fear flitted across Danny's face.

"Sam and Tucker." he breathed. Rhi frowned.

I found the girl, Daniel, but I can't find this. . . Tucker. But we need to hurry. Rhiannon made a gesture with her hand and the world folded around Danny. When the world straightened again, the two were in a long hall filled with thousands of doors. The girl gestured again and the doors flew by, stopping at one colored black. Rhiannon frowned again. This does not bode well, Daniel.

"Huh?"

Your Sam is back here, behind the door. The color means that it is almost too late. If you wish to rescue her, open the door and step through. I will try to locate your other friend, Daniel. Rhiannon closed her eyes and a silver glow spread from her head to her toes. Danny turned and placed a hand on the doorknob.

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Sam sobbed openly, running up the path to the beautiful overlook of the city. She hadn't been able to do it, in the end. A thought passed through her mind. She couldn't even last a day without him. How pitiful, she thought. Sam threw the knife over the edge and listened for the telltale clank of metal on rock. She heard in and sank down to the ground, exhausted. Sam laid her head in her hands and cried again, until, at last, her tears were spent. Sam suddenly felt like someone was watching her and turned.

There, under the tree, outlined in silvery light, stood a miracle.

It was Danny.

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Rhiannon searched hopelessly, trying to find the missing boy. She had narrowed down her search to a part of the hall where all the doors were darkened. Behind them lay some of her old friends, dead and gone for long years. She walked carefully until she found a red door. It was all she could do not to scream. This was the worst of all colors, the door that Joanna would watch closest. Tucker, the poor by, had been chosen to sustain her forever, tormented by an endless nightmare. She marked the door in her mind and quickly went back to the other door, waiting for Daniel to emerge.

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"Danny?" Sam asked, eyes shining. He gave a little wave.

"Hi, Sam." The two of them felt like little children, meeting for the first time. They stood awkwardly for a moment before the flood of words burst forth.

"You were dead. . ."

"I scared you so much you hated me. . ."

"I almost died. . ."

"I gave up on life. . ." The two stopped and laughed, running to embrace each other. Sam didn't mind the chill she got from her friend, and even stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear.

"I love you, Danny."

"I love you too, Sam." he whispered, and clutched her tighter.

I hate to interrupt, Daniel, but I located your friend. He is in immediate danger and we must make haste. Rhiannon broke in. Danny turned to face her and heard Sam's little gasp of surprise.

"You know her?" he asked Sam.

"We've met. Thank you for telling me what was going on, um. . ." Sam bit her lip.

"Rhiannon." Danny prompted. "She rescued me from my fear." He looked at Rhi for a second and nodded. "Now we have to go get Tucker. Okay?"

"Yeah." Sam said softly, and she stepped through the doorway, hand in hand with Danny.

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Tucker had lost track of time, preoccupied with the pain of being burned over and over again. He had stopped caring anymore, ready to give up to the darkness at the edge of his vision, when he heard the voices calling his name. A silver light filled the area, dousing the flames.

"Danny? Sam?" Tucker whispered weakly, seeing his friends on the edge of his failing vision.

"It's okay, Tuck. We're here now." Tucker turned towards the voice, which was accompanied by a flash of blue light. Danny must have changed back to normal.

"Water." he pleaded, and lost all conscious thought.

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Joanna was jerked out of her pleasurable torture by a jerk at the back of her mind. She did a quick overview of all the prisoners and found three missing. In each world was the taint of silver power.

So you're awake, Joanna thought. Let's see how long you last. And Joanna disappeared in a flash of golden light.

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"We have to help him." Danny said, laying Tucker down on the floor. Rhiannon floated down with a glass of water.

Give him this, then step back and let me work. Rhi commanded. Danny did as he was told. The girl knelt beside Tucker and held her hands out. Silver light bloomed over Tucker's body and covered him in a gauze like materiel. He sighed slightly.

"Shouldn't we not be covering him?" Sam asked quietly. Rhiannon shook her head and looked at Danny.

"She says that the power will heal him." he translated. Sam nodded slightly.

"So, Rhiannon, how are you connected to Joanna?" she asked. Rhiannon frowned, but put a hand on Sam's shoulder.

I will tell you later. she said so both people could hear. Right now, you need to sleep. Danny and Sam shrugged and dropped to the floor. Soon, they were cuddling, contented smiles on their faces. Rhiannon smiled back and turned to her patient. Tucker was slowly waking up. She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Ahh!" Tucker yelped, but quietly.

Shh. Stay still. I am a friend. Rhi said calmly, and began to explain what had happened while Tucker was missing. It took a little while, and Tucker fell asleep soon after she finished. With nothing left to do, Rhiannon sat and meditated.

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WAKE UP! Danny heard the scream echo in his head and jumped up, turning into Danny Phantom as he went. He looked at Rhiannon, who was also floating in a ready position. Sam and Tucker were standing, dazed expressions on their faces.

"What's going on?" Sam asked tiredly. Danny looked to Rhi for an explanation and his eyes widened as he heard the answer. He turned to the other two, a slow rage burning in his eyes.

"Joanna is coming"

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He he he! That was kind of long, but that's okay. The next chapter will be up within the next two weeks!

Grey R. North