IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to the fact that I already have the rest of the story planned out and there are only a few more chapter s left please pretend that Reign Storm never happened. This is so close to the end and I can't see I could fix this chapter without changing the ending. There probably a possible way, but I can't think of it. Believe me, I tried. It's one of the reasons this is out so late.

Disclaimer: I don't and I never will.

Chapter 11-No Better Timing Than Now

The faraway look in Danny's eyes when she found him was what was holding her back from going to him. He had stuttered out something soon after his agreement and had swiftly excused himself. Sam would have gone after him immediately if Maddie hadn't then mentioned that Vlad should give Sam a tour of the castle since she had never been there before and Vlad had played the gracious host. Of course, Vlad had asked Maddie if she would like to accompany them. Sam was sure that if Maddie Had not suggested the tour that Vlad wouldn't have even acknowledged her existence, especially not with Danny out of the room. Danny's happiness was the only reason that she was there.

Since Maddie had agreed to come, the three had set off and Sam had had to endure Vlad's company-not to mention his obvious flirtations towards Danny's mother-for the hour or so that Vlad had acquainted Sam with his castle. It had taken her some time afterward to even find Danny. He sat in the middle of a spacious room that looked like it could have been used for dances. Sam walked over and slowly descended to the floor nest to him. She couldn't think of anything to say. What exactly could she say that would make him feel better? She needed to let him know that she was there for him and silently pulled him into a hug. At first, Danny didn't respond, but when Sam insisted he finally hugged her back. They stayed like that for awhile until Danny finally spoke.

"I've been so stupid, Sam."

Sam pulled away to look at him. "Danny, what-"

"I knew that Plasmius hadn't tried anything in a while, but everything was going so great and I didn't want to let that go. I didn't want to ruin any of the happy times I was having. I should have done something, though! I should have realized that he was just planning something big and others would get hurt." Danny moved so he was finally looking at her. 'And maybe if I had tried a little more when we fought, if I hadn't let him off so many times so he could make other plans for me then this wouldn't have happened."

"Stop it."

"Sam, you can't tell me that-"

"Yes, I can. You can't truthfully say that this is your fault. If you want to blame someone then blame Vlad. You've done everything you could-"

"I haven't! Every time I've fought Vlad, I've either lost or there were other factors that let me get the upper hand and then I just let him go! My dad has even beaten him."

"That's something that I've tried to strip from my memory." The two looked up to see Vlad in the doorway.

"Go away," Sam snapped as she stood up to face him. "Danny's already miserable and nothing you say is going to help."

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to face Danny. "Don't. He's already won, Sam, and the next thing that he'll take from me is you again. Let's just-"

Sam slapped him across the face.

"He hasn't won! Fight him! It doesn't matter that you've lost to him before. The only thing he really has on you is Amy and it's been a while since I made that call. By now, I bet…."

Sam's eyes widened as she realized what she had revealed and turned to face Vlad quickly.

"Call?" Vlad tried to only look casually interested, but his eyes had darkened suspiciously.

"It's nothing, Plasmius," Danny interjected.

"Who did you make a call to, Samantha?" Vlad inquired, ignoring Danny completely.

Sam glanced at Danny before answering Vlad. Danny had to see that Vlad didn't have all the power in this situation and that he could fix all of this.

"I called our friend Tucker. He knows a ghost hunter and they went to get Amy. They've probably already beaten Skulker by now. You don't have any leverage anymore." She turned to face Danny, pleading with him to believe and act on what she had said.

Vlad gave a soft chuckle. "You believe that's the only leverage I have, do you? I have Maddie's trust. Right now, she is down in my lab looking for the best weapon I have that will take care of Inviso-Bill for killing Jack." he gave another chuckle as he glanced at Danny. "Even if I just let you walk away, what would you say to her? You have already agreed to stay here at my home."

Sam opened her mouth to say that Jack wasn't dead, but was quieted by Danny placing his hand on her shoulder again. "We'd think of something," Danny stated.

The confidence was back in Danny's voice. Sam stared as Danny sent Vlad a steely glare. What had changed his attitude? Danny sent her a brief look and she realized why Danny had stopped her from telling Vlad about Jack. Vlad not knowing that Jack was alive was leverage that they had on Vlad. Vlad wouldn't be able to try to fix the problem, like they had by calling Tucker, if he didn't know it existed.

Vlad still looked amused. "You'd think of something, yes, but I'm not about to just let you walk away. Must I remind you that you can't win against me, Daniel?

"And what are you going to say to my mom when she sees the injuries I've suddenly attained through our fight?"

Vlad smirked. "I'd think of something," he mocked.

Sam was staring at Danny, having realized the implications in what he had said. He didn't seem afraid of fighting Vlad anymore. Why? It was such a change from the Danny she had first started talking with.

And then Danny was transforming into his ghost-form. Sam watched the rings change Danny's appearance and his suit into the white and black jumpsuit that Sam had been familiar with for 11 years ever since she had changed it. The D on his chest was still there after all this time. Danny's green eyes peered at Vlad expectantly who was looking very surprised.

"If you aren't going to let us go without fighting me then I suggest you transform, Plasmius."

Vlad glowered at him. "You're going to regret this, Daniel." He transformed also and Sam noted how different looked afterward. The sinister feel to Vlad's ghost-form fit him very well.

"The only thing I'm going to regret is not doing this sooner, Plasmius."

Danny flew towards Vlad, his hands glowing with ectoplasm. His foot, however, kicked out and barreled into Vlad's chest. He was blown back by a blast from Vlad and flipped through the air before getting his bearings. A second later he had gone intangible and Vlad charged through him. Danny turned around as he reverted back to normal and blasted Vlad in the back before he could turn around.

Vlad quickly went on the offensive and Danny dodged several blasts before ducking under a swipe from Vlad as he made a grab for Danny. Vlad turned intangible as Danny shot a blast at him before giving Danny a confident smile, and Danny watched uneasily as Vlad made his three clones.

"You're outnumbered," Vlad reminded him as he copied Vlad. Then a red beam shot one of the clones out of Vlad's neat line. All six of the uninjured halfas turned to see three newcomers in the doorway. Danny recognized all three of them. Valerie was holding the now smoking gun while Tucker held a drowsy Amy who was waking up more with every second.

"So," Valerie stated as she kept the gun aimed at the Vlad that was climbing, irritated, to his feet. "Why don't I even the score."



Tucker looked down at Amy as they started to descend. He had just pointed out to Valerie Vlad's castle. It had taken a while to find it, but who could miss a castle? Amy was just starting to rouse. She had slept through the whole trip. Amy lifted her head from his shoulder. "Where are we?"

"Wisconsin. We're here to help Danny."

Amy eyes went wide as she looked around. "We're helping Uncle Danny defeat the monster?"

Valerie cut in as she glanced back. "How is he going to help me with the ghost?"

"But," Amy responded. "Uncle Danny can help. He's fought ghosts before and saved people. Just ask Mommy, he's saved her!"

"What is she talking about," Valerie inquired.

"Oh…Jazz tells her these stories. Right, Amy?" Tucker gave an embarrassed laugh as Amy nodded vigorously.

"Mommy has told me lots of stories! There was a story about how-" She was silenced by Tucker's hand. He gave another nervous laugh.

Valerie turned back around after sending Amy another glance. Tucker glanced at the sky. It had taken a while to get here, but much sooner than he expected. He could only guess how fast they had been going. Tucker just hoped they weren't to late to help.

It was around that time that Tucker realized they weren't slowing down.

They were level with the oncoming front door and Tucker watched horrified as Valerie drew out an ecto-grenade and threw it forward. There was a pink explosion and the three flew threw the doors that had now been blasted back to the point where they were hanging loosely from their hinges. Tucker was jolted forward as Valerie came abruptly to a halt and then lowered it to the ground. The hover board disappeared back into Valerie's shoes as soon as Tucker stepped shakily off.

"What did you do!" Tucker was gazing back at the doors.

You didn't think it would be unlocked, did you? That we would just walk right through?"

"No, but we didn't have to blow it up either.

Valerie ignored the retort and readied her gun as they walked inside. There were sounds of a fight somewhere in the castle and Tucker followed his girlfriend as she charged through the house towards the sounds of the battle.

Valerie threw open the door and Tucker came up behind her to see the fight between Danny and Vlad. Vlad had just said something and out of the corner of his eye he saw Valerie bring up her gun, aim briefly and fire.

"So why don't I even the score." Tucker tried to give a confident smile as Vlad gave a small grimace before the arrogant mask was back on.

"Miss Gray? How very astonishing to find you here along with your friend and young Amy."

"What have you done with the Fentons, ghost?"

"Uncle Danny," Amy called excitedly. "We're here to help…why are there three Uncle Dannys?"

All three Dannys slapped a hand to their face in consternation. Valerie looked at Amy in confusion, but her train of thought was cut off by Sam.

"Tuck!" Sam ran up to the three and embraced him. "Thank God you got Amy. We weren't sure what had happened with you and then Vlad-"

"Vlad?" Valerie stared at Sam.

"Vlad Masters. He owns this castle," Sam clarified. Danny saw Vlad opened his mouth to interject, but closed it in agitation as Sam got in the first word.

Valerie tried to reason with herself that the idea was crazy. It wasn't the same Vlad that had given the weapons to her. But then the packages had come from Wisconsin….

"Where is he," Valerie looked around to see if there was anyone else she had missed, but there was only Tucker, Amy, Sam, Inviso-Bill and that other creepy ghost. Danny wasn't even in the room, so what had Amy been talking about? It was best to ask questions later. The ghost would get away. Or ghosts? There were four of them. And since when was there more than one Inviso-Bill?

"He's probably," Vlad intoned "irritated that his property has been trespassed upon."

"I invited them," Danny remarked with a smirk. "Not worried, are you Plasmius?"

"He should be," Valerie spoke up. Vlad was able to dodge as Valerie fired her ecto-gun again at one of the clones. All talking ceased as Danny took the moment to fire also. Tucker and Sam intelligently stepped back as the battle started. Tucker's hand was clamped over Amy's mouth to make sure she didn't accidentally yell out anything awkward.

One of the Dannys quickly turned to Valerie as he was able to get a minute when one of his ectoplamic beams hit its mark. "Thanks."

Valerie gave him a hard stare. "I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing this for the Fentons."

The Danny opened his mouth to say something else, but was grabbed from behind by one of Vlad's clones. He was thrown through the air and collided with another Danny. The two merged and then only one person hovered there instead of two.

The clone of Vlad was thrown back as Valerie hit it where she hovered now on her hover board that she had brought back out. But now they were outnumbered again and she gave a yell as a magenta beam hit her board. She plummeted to the ground. Danny looked over at his last clone with despair. It had been pinned to the wall and it gave a yell as ghostly electricity was shot out of Vlad's hands. There was a bright flash and the clone disappeared.

Vlad gave a triumphant smirk as his clones disappeared also. He glanced at Valerie who was still disoriented from the fall and turned back to Danny.

"Even the cavalry can't save you Danny. It's time to realize that you've lost. There's no one else to come to your rescue and there's nothing else you can do."

"Danny?" The whisper came from Valerie as she stood up once more.

"You haven't one yet, Plasmius." Danny glared at him as he tried to figure something out.

And then someone else stepped into the room and caught the attention of everyone's eyes.

Maddie Fenton held her own ecto-gun that she had gotten from Vlad's lab, and it was now aimed at Danny.

And now for my reviewers.

JadeRabbyt-Mad plotting Skills? Me? Well, thank you, but you sure you aren't referring to someone else?

And I would really appreciate that how-to. I could really use it for this story and my others. Thank you for the review.

Anne Camp aka Obi-quiet-Thnak you for the help with my grammar. I appreciate it. And payback does rock! Thank you for the review.

Lightning Streak-Yes, poor Danny. Things will get better for him…sometime. Thanks for reviewing!

Kirby-Chan263-I'll look forward to your review. Thank you, by the way, for this one.

Cakreut12-I'm sorry this isn't soon. I will save Danny. Of course Vlad is evil! Thank you for the review.

EvilRobotZombieLoofaOverlord-I appreciate the sentiment. Thanks for reviewing.

Chaltab-I told you it'd be out today. And it's okay. I had a hard time getting into the last chapter, too. Hopefully, you'll find more interest in this one. Thank you for the review!

Professor Fishmeister-You're not a bad person. It's fine. I'm just glad you're still reading. Thank you for the review!

Kitty00240-Thanks for the praise and the review.

You know what I love? These hit counters! 888 HITS! I'm so happy! Thank you all for reading! Even if you didn't review. It's makes my day.

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