Aseret Kitsune – Thanks for being the only one to review and I'm glad you like it. Sorry for the long wait between updates. It may take a while but I will finish this story. It may take a while to get the rest of the fic up but it'll be over soon. Again thanks for reviewing and hopefully sticking with me for this long. You're too cool for words.

"Guardian Ghost"

By: Beloved Shadow

Although Danny's home was closer the group ended up going to Sam's home. Maxine had stopped crying but was shaking lightly. The four of them were in the lounge, glad that they hadn't run into Sam's parents or grandmother. They waited, not wanting to push it but when she just stared blindly at the mug in her hands they dared to cross the line.

"Maxine, why did you run away from your parents?" Danny asked.

"…"

"Maxine, we're you're friends and we just want to help," Sam added.

"Don't bother. Every time I get happy about my life, it's ruthlessly ripped away and I'm wishing I had died," she muttered.

"Looks like you could learn to be Goth from her," Tucker teased then winced when the black-haired girl slugged him in the arm. "Ow, you hit hard!"

"You deserved it."

"Can you two finish fighting later?" Danny asked with a slight glare.

Maxine heard it all she smiled and before she knew it, she was laughing but it didn't last as her laughter melded into tears. She dropped the mug and doubled over, crying into her knees. "Tommy… Tommy I'm sorry," she sobbed heavily. "I wish I had never met that jerk Ryan!"

The trio jumped when the mug shattered but it was nothing compared to what their new friend was going through. Danny got up and sat next to her, patting her shoulder in what he hoped was comfort. Tucker had no idea what to do but keep rubbing his rapidly forming bruise and people like Sam didn't show emotions so he was the only option left. Maxine didn't seem to notice or care as she continued crying.

"Um lemme go get the broom," the Goth said as she left the room.

"I'll help!" the techno geek said, quickly following her.

"Thanks a lot guys," the halfa sighed and turned to his blind friend. He waited until she was clam enough to sit up and watched as she ran her hands over her face.

"Danny?" she asked, sniffing.

"Yeah Sam and Tucker went to clean up um mess."

"Oh. I'm sorry I just lost it."

"It's okay but, do you want to talk about it?"

"…"

"You don't have to tell me but I thought it might help."

"… Why do you want to know?"

"Because I want to help my friends."

She didn't say anything but heaved a great sigh as she slouched against the cushions, plucking at a loose thread from her skirt. "My parents work for the military in the robotics division, real top secret stuff. Since they were gone for long periods of time Tommy and I were pretty much left to fend for ourselves. Sure they send money but it wasn't the same. Since our parents were in the military we were both sent to a kind of boarding school for military brats."

"Military brats?"

"Kids whose parents are in the military. Think of it like a boarding/high school and boot camp roll into one."

"I guess it's harder than public school."

"Much. I hated it, I never wanted to be here but I had no choice. Lucky for me they had all grades there, just separated into quadrants but Tommy and I were within the same quadrant. He was the only one to truly care about me but I wanted more than my big brother. I wanted someone to accept me for me. That's how I met Ryan.

"At first he was a sweet guy, showing me affection and praising me, he didn't yell at me when I messed up, he didn't berate me, and he didn't call me names. I was so starved for affection I fell in love with him. I thought I had found a friend. When Tommy found out he was mad. Turns out Ryan was a thief before his parents sent him there and since our school was a military base he was selling guns off to his gang on the outside; don't ask me how he did because I still don't know. I didn't believe him and for the first time ever we got in a huge fight.

"One night I was sleeping when Ryan woke me up. I still don't know how but he managed to break into the girls' barracks and said that he needed my help. I knew something was wrong but I went with him. To make this long story short I was his unfortunate 'partner' as he stole an army truck full of guns and some missile launchers. More than once I had tried jumping out of the truck but…" Turning so her left side was showing she lifted her hair and traced white scar that curved under her jaw and disappeared behind her ear. "A token of his love."

Danny leaned forward and saw that the scar was jagged and pulled taunt. "How did he do that?" he asked.

"When hitting me wasn't enough he pulled out a pocket knife and held it at my throat. The reason it got up this high was because Tommy knew something was going down and followed on an army jeep. It was reckless but he jumped onto the driver door and grabbed the steering wheel. I can't remember much but all I can remember was the truck colliding into the railing on the side of the road. I remember because I looked out the window, too scared to even scream as the windows shattered. I got some silvers of glass in my eyes but no saw that the truck was teetering along the edge of the road and it was a good five-story drop."

"How did you survive?" Danny asked.

"… Tommy was hurt badly, he had hit his head on the windshield really hard but he was pulling me out of the shattered windshield. Miller, Tommy's best friend and the one who drove the jeep, helped me onto the street. Tommy was about to follow but Ryan wasn't completely out. He held him back but the truck began falling back… I think I screamed but I don't know if it was me or someone else… it exploded as soon as it hit the ground… neither of them stood a chance of surviving…" By this time more tears were falling but Maxine didn't care as they rolled down her face and began to wet her blouse. "My parents didn't realize what happened until a week later when they came home but they were too late. Tommy was dead, and I was blind. I should have been the one o die, it was my mistake but he paid for it." She closed her eyes but the tears still fell. She didn't realize Danny had quickly gotten up and was now in the kitchen.

It took a single look at his friends to realize that they had heard everything. Neither of them knew what to say or do but what were the odds of the ghost today being her brother or ex-boyfriend. When they didn't hear anything from the living room hey quickly headed back only to find that Maxine had fallen asleep. She was curled up on the cushions, her head pillowed on the armrest.

"You two better get home, I'll walk with her to school tomorrow," Sam said as she picked up a throw blanket and covered the girl with it.

"Thanks Sam. See you later." Danny and Tucker left and headed home themselves, debating on what to tell their parents for getting home so late. The Goth waited a bit to make sure her new friend was alright before going to bed herself. For the moment everything was peaceful but when the clock struck midnight something strange happened.

In the basement of the Fenton household the Ghost Portal beeped as the doors slid open, a kind of weird fog seeping out. Footsteps were heard and a figure stepped out, wearing clothing that looked like something out of a military camp with some singe marks but . He smirked as the doors closed and made a show of stretching his arms over his head. He wasn't sure where he was but it didn't matter. Laughing his body went transparent and he flew up towards the ceiling until he came outside.

"I'm free!" he laughed as he looked over the sleeping town. "I don't know how the hell Tommy got out but I have a score to settle with him." Looking around he noticed a sports car parked along the street. "What better way to get around town then with a sweet ride?" Laughing he flew down and phasing through the hood, took control.

If cars could have a personality this one looked positively demonic. The engine roared to life, the headlights taking on eerie red glow, the yellow paint turned to a midnight black with silver decals of skulls, the interior changed to black leather, and the license plates now read 'REVENGE'. A crazed laughter could be heard as the tires screeched and tore down the street, leaving burning skid marks where it had taken off. The car sped along, swearing wildly and actually taking down other cars and mailboxes parked along the sides of the street. The few people that were out jumped into alleys to get out of the car's way but even so they were running the risk of getting hit.

Police were notified but even so they couldn't seem to catch the car. It ran through road blocks and managed to squeeze in between tight packed buildings but just when they thought they would catch the driver the car began glowing and 'flew' over them only to drive away while a maniac laughter filled the air.

One of the officers blinked and turned to his partner. "The car… flew?" he asked.

"Um well it jumped! Yeah, it just looks like flying up close!" he tried reasoning.

"Uh yeah. Jump. I-I'll put that in the report."

-

The next day Danny and Tucker went to school earlier than usual. When their parents asked why they said they helping a new student know her way around the school and left before they could ask. It wasn't a lie though. They were helping a new student but not just with school. They didn't have to wait long as they saw their friend Sam coming up the sidewalk along with Maxine. It looked like she had borrowed some clothes from the Goth what with the black boots, jeans, t-shirt and hair tied back but she also worn black sunglasses. No one said anything but it was evident their new friend didn't have a good evening.

"You okay?" Tucker asked as they moved to their lockers.

"No. I was having nightmares," she admitted as she fumbled for her locker.

"Want to talk about them?" Danny asked.

"No, I just want to forget them."

"Okay."

"Have you guys heard the news today? Seems like someone went for a joy ride late last night," Sam told the boys. "We heard it on the news this morning. He really did a number down on Highton Ave."

Danny's eyes widen. "That's the same street I live on!"

"You must've been dead tired then."

Maxine listened as they talked but she soon lost herself in her thoughts. She hated having nightmares but these were different. It started with the accident but she could still see. She watched as a car was trying to run her over. She tried running away, dodging but it was no use. She saw what she guessed were two ghosts trying to stop the car but it was no use. She remembered screaming-

"Hey Maxine, you okay?" came the concerned question.

The blind girl jumped but nodded. "I'm fine." She grabbed her books and closed the locker. "I'm going to the library."

"Do you need someone to show you how to get there?" one of them asked.

"I can find it, thanks." She walked down the hall, the clicking of her cane making tapping noises as she walked.

Sam looked worried as she grabbed her friends' arms and pulled them into an empty classroom. "Something is really wrong, you two. Last night, Maxine woke up the entire household because she had a nightmare. Luckily my parents were too tired to ask questions but Maxine slept in my room. She wouldn't tell me what she dreamt about only that someone was trying to kill her."

"You know I think you're rubbing off on her just a mite too much, Sam," Tucker said and dodged the punch but winced as the other fist caught him.

"What I'm saying is that ghost that Danny fought may be Maxine's brother!" she hissed.

"It makes sense. I mean he's really protective of her and he called her his sister," the halfa explained. "I wish dad would keep that portal locked."

"He's here to protect her but what about her nightmare? And her parents? We can't hide her from them forever," Sam added.

"So I guess the real question is, how do we find her brother?" Tucker asked. "I mean do ghosts read want ads?"

"Great. The one time I want to find a ghost and I don't know where to begin looking."

"Knowing your dad he'll invent something that you can use."

"Yeah, funny how things seem to work out like that."

More students began to fill in and soon the early bell rung. The group headed for their first class but neither of them had seen Maxine since this morning. They didn't think anything of it until lunch rolled around but there was still no sign of her. Deciding to forgo the cafeteria's food they split up and searched different areas of the school.

Danny ran down the hall before remembering that Maxine said she would be in the library but for this long? Being as quiet as he could he entered and looked around. Barely anyone was there but he found the blind girl sitting at a table in the back. She had her backpack and cane on the table to the side but her head was resting on her arm. She was sleeping.

"Must've had a hard night." Just as he was about to go over and wake her up he felt a sudden drop in temperature. Looking around he watched a ghost phased up from the floor. Danny quickly hid behind a tall bookcase and watched as the ghost took a solid form. It was the same ghost guy from yesterday! Was this Tommy? "Guess now is a good a time as any to talk to him. I'm going ghost!"

One more a ring of light engulfed him, starting at the top of his head and bottom of his feet to meet around his waist. His clothes turned into a suit of black with white trim, his black hair went white and his blue eyes were now eerie green. Looking around he went transparent and sank into the floor.

Tommy reached out and gently stroked her hair, being careful not to wake her in anyway. That night he had gone home, listening as his parents yelled at one another he felt so tempted to take over their bodies and make them kill one another. They blamed everything on him, saying it was because of my reckless behavior that Maxine ran away.

'Top people in their fields but like everyone else when something goes right they take all the credit. When something goes bad they blame each other. They should have died, I could have raised Maxy better than they ever could,' he thought to himself angrily.

"You must be Tommy," came a voice. Before the ghost could react he watched as something rose from the floor on the other side of the table. He grew ready to take his sister away if this thing meant any harm but watched as the form turned solid. "You… in the alley… why are you here?" he asked in a low tone.

"Because I want to help," Danny said sincerely. "Maxine is my friend and I want to help her. But I have to know more of what's going on."

"… You're brave I'll give you that much." Running his other hand down the chain he wore he stepped back. "Meet me at the City Park as soon as the sun sets. There should be no one there but make sure Maxy doesn't come." He turned to leave but stopped and looking at the sleeping girl, looked back at the boy. "She slept at one of your friend's houses."

Now Danny looked nervous. He couldn't tell him whose house she slept at but the way he was looking at him made him feel like he had broken a rule or something. "Well um yeah, you see it was late and Maxine was tired so um-"

"Keep it that way. My parents have no right to call her their daughter much less be called parents at all." With that he vanished.

"Okay… I guess they don't see eye to eye on a lot of things." Looking at the sleeping teenager he looked around and seeing the coast was clear, changed back to his normal clothing. He reached down and gently shook her shoulder. "Maxine, you gotta wake up. It's time for class."

Maxine stirred but opened her eyes. Blinking them a few times she sighed and sat up. "For a moment… I thought I could see again and that Tommy was alive. Just a dream," she said to herself softly as she stood, grabbing her items.

"Let's go to class, okay?"

"Okay. Danny?"

"Yeah?"

A smile formed as she nodded to him. "Thank you."

The smile was returned. "Anything for a friend."

-

"Well now I'm bored." The car seemed to sighed, watching the people walk by from his hiding place in a wide alley. He was parked across the street from the local high school after trying to escape the annoying cops a few hours ago. It had worked but he knew he had to stop playing around just for a bit. Sure they couldn't catch him but he wasn't stupid. Besides, he was bored of riding around, chasing people and hitting other cars. He had even run over some stray animals but it just wasn't the same. He was bored as hell.

The final bell of the school rang and he watched as students walked out. He remembered a time when he ruled his school, everyone feared him even the teachers and parents. He was the law but then his damn parents sent him to that damn military camp. It was boring at first but then he gained a gang and found several weapons the officers were stupid enough to keep on base. He stole them then used his forces on the outside to sell them. Gang wars were fierce but before he could sell the really hardcore stuff such as rocket launchers and laser guided missiles he was killed. The only regret he had was not being able to take that wimpy girlfriend of his.

"Least I took her brother but until she dies the same way I did I'll never rest," he growled, making the engine roar to life. He watched as students left but one student catch his eye. The more he watched her the more he remembered her. If he had a mouth it would have fallen open.

"Maxine!" Sure enough if was his girlfriend all right. She was talking with two boys and a girl. As they walked down he noticed she had a cane in her hand. "So she didn't get away unscratched. Still, she will die!" Easing out of the alley he followed them, keeping at a safe distance. A few times he pretended to be a car parked along the side of the street or pulled behind a building when one of the boys turned around. Already he didn't like him. He watched as they entered a fancy looking townhouse and waited. Waiting he fell asleep but awoke when he heard a door open the close. One of the boys was heading out of the house. Looking around he headed down the sidewalk.

"Where does he think he's going?" he asked, easing out of the alleyway. He knew he should watch just in case Maxine left but he knew how to get back to that house so he followed the boy.

Danny kept feeling the temperature drop but it was nothing he couldn't see. Maybe he was just nervous but he wasn't very sure of that. Ducking into an alley he transformed and took to the sky. He was confident that no one can see him much less follow but down below a demonic sports car was following with ease.

-

Tommy was edgy and more than once found himself flying away from the park but always came back. He had promised the boy that he would talk to him but he wasn't sure what more he could say? Sighing he looked at the fountain. Looking around he noticed someone dropped a quarter so he picked it up. Closing his eyes he made a wish before flipping it into the water.

"Better be careful what you wish for," Danny said as he landed before him. "Just to let you know, Maxine is gonna stay with Sam tonight."

"That's good. Apparently my parents don't care enough to go looking for her. If I were still alive I'd sue them for custody rights," Tommy growled and made to hit the fountain but at the last moment his fist fazed through.

"What's the deal with your parents? I though all parents cared about their kids."

"Sad truth is not all parents care about their children. Long story short, they only wanted us to live in their shadow, to show to their friends that they can breed military heroes like them. I hate the damn military, I want to enjoy life as a teenager not some damn pilot or soldier. Maxine just wants to write and raise a family."

"But hiding her isn't the right way to go."

"For me it is. I was the only one who cared for her!"

"What about Ryan?"

"… She told you?"

"Yeah. She blames herself for your death, that she should have been the on that died," Danny tried to explain. "She still cares about you though."

Tommy didn't know what to say except that he didn't think she felt that way. Reaching up he began playing with his dog tags in a nervous habit. "I can't always be there for her… but I'm better than our parents," he said softly.

"Don't you have like an aunt or cousin she can live with? If she hates it so much I'm sure she can move in with them."

"We have an aunt who lives in Texas… but we haven't heard from her in several years," he said, sitting on the edge of the fountain as his body went completely solid. He continued playing with the dog tags that he didn't notice Danny changing into his true form and taking a seat next to him. "Dad's sister. Hates the military and can be considered a modern day hippie but she was happy. I don't even know if she's even alive…"

"Tell you what, Tucker is a genius when it comes to computers maybe he can find your aunt's address or something. We'll help you find your aunt but if Maxine gets the okay to move in with her you gotta return to the Ghost Zone. Do we have a deal?"

Tommy blinked and looked at him. Smiling he reached out to shake his head but turned when he heard the roar of an engine. His eyes widen and before he could say anything, grabbing the teenager and quickly phased the two of them into the ground just as a black sports car smashed through the fountain, swirling in a tight circle as it landed.

The headlights scanned the area but began to shake like it was laughing. "Come out and play, Tommy!"

The ghost phased up from the ground and dropped Danny who looked a bit dazed. "Ryan… what do you want!" he hissed.

'Ryan? Then this must be the guy that died in that accident! He must've taken over that car!' Danny thought to himself. "And how did you get out of the Ghost Zone!" he demanded.

"Ghost Zone? You mean that weird place with all those doors? Beats me but when I found out my roommate left I found my own way out," he laughed and drove around them in a tight circle repeatedly.

"Wait you mean you had your own room there?"

"When someone dies, they are taken to limbo or what you call the Ghost Zone. Since that asshole and I died at once we were stuck together. I'm still not sure why but I found the door out almost as soon as I got there. Turns out I had been there for a month after I died but Maxine had moved so I went looking for her," Tommy explained.

The tires screeched before them, exhaust billowing and nearly smothering them. "The only reason you got out is because you died for a noble reason! I was stuck there while you were let out!" he yelled, the engine roaring louder and louder.

"You know it's how you live your life that let you know where you're place in the afterlife!" Tommy yelled back.

The car's tires screeched as it raced at them. This time Danny was prepared as both he and Tommy took to the air. "Just because you can fly doesn't mean you can escape me!" he yelled and making another tight turn took to the air.

"Hey get back!" the halfa yelled as he let loose a plasma blast. It took out the windshield but the car kept coming and plowed into both of them. The two ghosts were surprised at the frontal attack that they hit the ground hard with the car still running. "So much for that idea," he wheezed.

"You tried," Tommy tried to encourage.

Ryan laughed as he spun in circles around them. Stopping before them the car glowed and the windshield came together, the cracks sealing until it was good as new. "I can deal with you two later but I have someone I want to visit before I go. See ya losers!" Laughing he took off, kicking up dirt and taking down several trees as he drove off.

It took them only a moment to realize what the ghost car meant before the two boys got up and tried to follow as fast as they could but they were still weak. "Hey Tommy, what did he mean by that comment earlier?"

"When we die, we're sent to limbo or Ghost Zone until we can move on," he explained.

"Move on? But you're already dead."

"Even so we have a choice. Those who let good lives get the choice to rest in peace or be reborn. But those who didn't live such good lives stay in Ghost Zone for all eternity."

"What about people like Ryan?"

"They spend all eternity in a room with no way in or out to relive their worse nightmares."

"I've been battling ghosts for a long time and most of them are really annoying but how come they haven't moved on?" the halfa asked.

"Their lives are a mix of good and bad so they stay there but thanks to your dad they can enter our world repeatedly," Tommy sighed but laughed weakly. "I've seen most of those ghosts and frankly, I think the only reason they haven't moved on is that they either don't want to or neither side wants them."

Danny blinked but laughed. "Yeah you have a point. Wait, what sides?"

A scream filled the night air it made both ghosts freeze in mid-air. It took only a moment for them to recognize that scream. Both flew as fast as they could but they were too late. Ryan was laughing like a mad man as he out raced the police. The front door of Sam's home and parts of the wall had been crashed in and there was even an ambulance.

"Sam! Tucker!" The two teens were with the ambulance.

"Danny wait!" Tommy called out but turned invisible and followed.

"I'm telling ya I don't know who was driving just that Maxine is in that car! She was kidnapped!" Sam yelled at the officer.

"Sam! Tucker!" Both teens looked up at the saw their friend running up to them. Both were covered in dust but the Goth had her upper arm wrapped in bandages and one of her knees was scrapped where the stocking had been torn. The techno nerd had a fat lip but his cheek was swollen, like someone had punched him. "W-What happened?"

"Apparently the joker who's been having a joy ride rammed his car into your friend's home and kidnapped one of your friends," the officer said with a bored tone.

"How can you make this sound like it's nothing!" Sam yelled at him angrily.

Danny quickly pulled her away and knew from the sudden drop in temperature that Tommy was close by. "Sam, what did the car look like?"

"Fancy red sports car, I think. The license plates read 'revenge' in big letters but there was no one driving it!" she hissed.

"What?"

"Danny, is has to be Ryan! He must've followed you after school!" Tommy hissed into his ear.

"That explains these faints feelings of ghosts I've been getting all day! What else happened?"

"Well after it crashed it I tried calling the police but it began trashing the first floor so we headed upstairs. Wait--are you telling me that car is a ghost!"

"More like possessed by a ghost. So what else happened?"

"It didn't matter where we ran it always found us. We even tried the basement but he crashed through a wall and I tripped. Tucker tried to draw it away but when it didn't work he tried getting it. The door ended up opening and slammed into his face. But just as we were yelling for Maxine to run seatbelts shot out and dragged her into the car then it drove off."

"Which direction?"

"South I think. Danny, wait! What's going on?" she asked, grabbing his arm before he took off.

He looked around and quickly told her the story. Her eyes widen but she knew she could help him. "But I need you and Tucker to do me a favor. I need you to see if you can find Maxine's aunt's address or phone number."

"What for?"

"I'll explain later. Her name is…"

"Estella Maxwell," Tommy said as he went solid, scaring the Goth. "She lives in Montana last I heard but, I would really like it if you can find her. She's the only family we have left that gives a damn about us."

Sam blinked and for a moment, finding it hard to believe she was talking to a ghost but nodded. "I'll get right on it. Now go rescue Maxine! Before the car drove of I heard him say something about getting his revenge."

"Revenge… oh my--are there any roads that have been closed off? Something like Dead Man's Curve?" Tommy quickly asked.

"Yeah, I think it's called Hang-Neck Ridge but it was closed down decades ago when teenagers used to play chicken. Loser was the one who survived."

"He's gonna make sure Maxine dies the same way he did… we gotta go now!"

"Right we'll meet up with you two later!" Danny said as he and Tommy took off.

"Be careful!" Sam yelled after them and watched as they took to the air then vanished. "And come back," she whispered to herself.