Disclaimer: I do NOT own D.P. All I own is the idea for this fiction and any made up characters I add.

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Chapter 8- One Won't Die, One Won't Quit

To Danny, he was still torn up inside from his actions earlier today. He destroyed a building in order to destroy a ghost with a death wish. How could he do that? And why?

Tucker and Sam sat with him in his room, completely ignoring the fact they should be in school right now. Danny's sanity was more important than going down jerk-infested halls. However, no matter what his friends said, or tried (Mostly Sam) His mind kept thinking to that one ghost the one who had no name. Danny smiled at the two best friends anyone could ask for. They sacrificed their day at school for him. They may get in trouble for it, but it felt reassuring that they would risk such punishment for him. What true friends.

"Thanks you two."

Danny said finally, all traces of his earlier anxiety gone from his voice.

"I owe you both."

"Just buy me a malt shake and we'll call it even."

Tucker suggested. Danny then turned to Sam.

"And you?"

"I'll tell you later."

That smile on her face was not lost to him. If he offered anything in terms of thanks, she knew exactly what she wanted in return. Perhaps it was fortunate that Jazz bought him those condoms. God he hoped neither of them peeked under his bed. Otherwise the sheer embarrassment would kill Danny. That and the fact his secret with Sam would be leaked out.

"I'm feeling much better now. You don't have to hang around here for me..."

"Oh, but we want to."

Sam said with a scheming tone of voice. Danny blinked at her. With her tone, one would think she's about to use blackmail. Was she qualified or even capable to do such a thing?

"You're not getting any of us to leave until we know absolutely sure you'll be alright."

Sam replied, looking sternly at him.

"I don't want to loose you when I just got you. I was afraid you had crossed the line into suicide."

"Listen to her Danny. She knows what she's talking about."

Danny sat silently in their presence, trying to convince himself he's ok. After Sam reintroduced her love into his head, he began to sort things out. Sure that ghost wanted to die, and he fulfilled that request. But was it his fault the ghost wanted to die? No! Was it his fault the building collapsed? Perhaps, however, he was still under the influence of the ghost's spell, so it couldn't be entirely his fault.

Danny then looked at his clock. 2:56. Schools just about over now. They wasted the whole day in his room because of his temporary insanity. How could he pay off such a debt to his friends?

"Guys' have I ever told you I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have friends like you?"

Tucker and Sam looked at each other with a mischievous grin, and then turned to Danny, who inched back out of reflex.

"No, but you better start making up for it."

-Great...I'm dead... again...-

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The ghost didn't die! He was furious at his mistake! With the last remnants of his memory from the fire gone, he should have vanished as well, like a childhood memory from the imaginations of grown ups. Yet he did not fade. He was not forgotten! Thus he did not diminish from this plane of reality. Why? Forcing himself from what was suppose to be his grave, he hid himself from human eyes.

"Such a naive fool am I. Danny Phantom was not able to rid me of my scarred life. Am I forever shamed and doomed to wonder this existence? Woe is I."

Wallowing in self-pity, the ghost willed himself away to forget this place.

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The following day, Danny, Sam and Tucker wondered down the school like they normally did. Glad to see the three of them together again, especially Sam. Mr. Lancer, on the other hand, was furious.

"Miss Manson! Mister Foley! Would you two please report to my office now?"

Both Sam and Tucker swallowed hard in unison. In Lancers tone of voice, it was going to be bad. Both looked at Danny and he gave them an unreadable expression. Tucker swallowed his fear, (Or tried to look as though he did) and marched up first. After a quick reassuring hug from Danny, Sam followed suit. The door to Mr. Lancers English room towered above them both. Danny gave them both a pat on the back, and waited against the wall for them. Tucker and Sam then entered 'No Man's Land'. Glancing to see if anyone was watching, Danny went invisible and intangible and passed through the wall, only to hover over Sam, Tucker and Mr. Lancer.

Like a judge, he sat at his desk whilst the two suspects await judgment. The silence was enough to drive anyone mad.

"You think it's cute wasn't it?"

Lancer growled, entwining his fingers.

"I do not like to made a fool of. Especially at the beginning of the school day. It was pretty clever of you to get Jazz involved."

Sam and Tucker glanced at themselves then to the vice principal.

"Mr. Lancer sir. I don't think we understand. What'd we do?"

Tucker was dumb enough to ask, only to feet Sam kick his shin. Tuck winched from the assault, but tried his best to keep a straight face, despite the fact that Sam's heavy leather boot caused a bruise right on his bone.

"I take skipping school as a serious misdeed. Unless you had a written consent from a parent or had been accompanied by a parent, I see no reason for you to run off like you did."

"But Mr. Lancer..."

Sam began only to get cut off by Lancers defiant stare.

"Jazz told me you were off to get something for the school. Had you come back with something, I may have overlooked the premature absence. However, the fact that you did not return until this morning leads me to believe you have nothing for the schools benefit. For the next week, you shall both stay after school in detention!"

The hammer fell on both of them and their moths fell open. This wasn't the first detention they received, but perhaps the most sever. Staying after school of a week? How could they take that? Danny circled above them, listening intently. How could he float there and say nothing about what happened yesterday? He was on the verge of mental break down, and they came to his rescue.

Sam and Tucker stared unbelieving what they just heard.

"However..."

Lancer began with a more friendly voice.

"I want to hear what happened yesterday. If you tell me a good story, I'll withdraw the sentence."

Strange. Lancer was now acting funny Sam noticed. Unless he was having PMS or he had some severe mood swings today. However, she wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to get bailed from detention.

"Yesterday we were waiting for Danny, but he never showed up."

Lancers eyebrow raised in question.

"When we went looking for him, we ran into Jazz, and asked her if she's seen him."

"And did she?"

"No. She hadn't even seen him at home. Naturally Tucker and I became worried. So we left the school to see if he was in trouble."

"And did you find him?"

Sam noticed the cockiness of Lancers voice, but didn't think anything of it. Thinking quickly, she says.

"He was on the verge of suicide. We had to make sure he was ok"

Lancers expression changed entirely. No longer the strict teacher, but now a caring individual.

"Is he ok? What happened?"

"He's ok. He's here today."

"But..."

Tucker added.

"He witnessed someone getting killed in an accident, and he blames himself, even though we're sure he had NOTHING to do with what happened."

"I see..."

Lancer then thought.

"Because you both are willing to risk great punishment for this action, I want to have a talk with Danny now."

He pressed a button to his intercom.

"Danny Fenton. Please come to my office."

Danny quickly phased out the wall and became human again. He waited out the door for a few minutes. It would seem suspicious if he showed up an Lancers office two seconds after he was called. After a couple of minutes, Danny knocked on the door, and he heard Lancers voice him entrée.

"During the minutes outside, Danny forced his eyes to go red, as though he just recovered from some severe ordeal. Lancer noticed Danny's expression. Defiantly strange and unusual.

"Danny. Samantha and Tucker have told me about what happened. However, if you don't mind, I would like to hear your story."

Danny faked a sniffle, appearing distressed about recalling yesterday's events. At this point, it wasn't much of an act anymore.

"Yester day, I was on my way to school when I passed the old Firestorm warehouse..."

He began, his voice starting to crack

"I saw him standing there, under the old support beams. He was knocking them down..."

Lancers face then softened. That was a genuine voice from Danny's mouth

"I told him to stop... but...but... the building fell..."

Danny fell to his knees, weeping in his hands. Lancer stood over his desk to see Danny. What he saw was extremely difficult to fake, and he knew Danny wasn't capable of acting flawlessly unless what happened actually happened. Lancer opened his desk and pulled out a clipping of yesterday's headlines. He looked at the picture intently. And sitting there in the ruble he could see a faint image of a person. The hair the face... it was Danny in the picture. His face was white from shock and his eyes red from his crying. Lancer then looked at the real Danny before him. Both Sam and Tucker knelt next to him, trying to bring comfort to their friend. Lancer sighed. There was no way these children could be telling a lie.

"Very well. Sam, Tucker, forget what we've discussed. You may be dismissed."

Sam and Tucker felt a heavy weight lift from their hearts. They helped Danny to his feet. His face refused to look up. The boy stared at the floor beneath his feet; ashamed he was unable to be strong in front of his friends.

"Danny."

Lancer said, making the three turn back after reaching the door.

"I am sorry. If you need someone to speak to, you are welcomed to come to me."

Danny nodded, then wiped a tear from his eyes.

"Thanks."

Lancer frowned when they shut the door behind them. He knew of Danny's potential. But to watch someone bring a building down on themselves probably would've snapped even Lancers mind. He only hoped Danny wouldn't do anything rash. But if it did happen, he's got two excellent friends...

TO BE CONTINUED

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I hope you enjoyed.

Until Next Time

Theo