Chapter 2

"Clockwork?" Danny repeated when I told him and Tucker about our conversation in the bathroom at lunch. Tucker also seemed mildly interested, although it was hard to tell because, as always, he was staring down at his PDA.

"You don't think this has anything to do with..." Danny lowered his voice so only me and Tucker could hear him. "...Dark Danny?" I shook my head.

"No...no, I don't think so. Clockwork must be a common last name." I didn't sound convinced. And I wasn't. Danny and Tucker didn't look convinced either, but they let it go.

I glanced over at where Karenna was sitting by herself, nibbling at the disgusting cafeteria lunch. "Guys, let's invite her to sit with us." Danny shrugged, and Tucker looked like he couldn't care less. So I went over to Karenna.

"Um...hi, Karenna." Karenna looked up in surprise.

"Oh! Hi, Sam." I smiled.

"Hey, Karenna, I was wondering...do you want to sit with me and my friends over there?" I gestured to the table where Danny and Tucker were sitting. Karenna smiled, this time revealing bright blue braces which I hadn't noticed before. "Sure." And she swiftly wheeled over to our table, positioning herself at the end of the long table.

"Hey." she said. Danny and Tucker waved, then went back to one of their long and stupid boyish discussions. I scowled at them.

"Karenna, these are my friends Tucker Foley and Danny Fenton." Karenna's eyes widened. "Danny Fenton?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, why?" Karenna smiled again, only this time it was a knowing smile.

"Danny Fenton, a.k.a Danny Phantom. Pleased to meet you. I'm Clockwork's daughter Karenna." That caught the boys' attention.

"You're Clockwork's daughter?" Danny yelled. I motioned for Danny to calm down, since we were attracting stares from just about everyone in the cafeteria. He shot me one of those infuriating I told you so looks.

"Yes..." Danny looked puzzled. "But then...why aren't you a ghost?"

"Ah...Danny. It is, in a sense, because of you, that I am this way." Comprehension immediately dawned on Danny's face.

"Dark Danny." he growled. "What did he do to you?" Karenna sighed.

"I was searching through my father's things a few months ago when I accidentally released Dark Danny. Angry at being defeated and held in captivity for so long, he immediately started attacking me. My father eventually managed to recapture him, but by then it was too late to reverse what Dark Danny had done to me. Something he did paralyzed me from the waist down, and gave me a permanent human form. Now my father has sent me into the mortal world to warn you, Danny Phantom, of something more great and terrible than ever before."

"What is this...something?" Danny pressed. But Karenna just shook her head. "The time is not right. I cannot say." The three of us exchanged looks, but we knew that there was no hope in badgering poor Karenna for more information.

Clockwork looked at the scene unfolding in front of him. "Very good, Karenna. I have taught you well." he murmured. Things were going right, exactly as planned. Suddenly the two Observants appeared behind him.

"Why doesn't she warn him now? If she does not tell him soon, it will be too late! The fate of the world is resting on your daughter's shoulders, Clockwork! Do you really want little Karenna being blamed for the destruction of the mortal world?" one of the Observants complained. Clockwork turned around slowly.

"That's the problem with you Observants. All you do is observe." he said with a hint of amusement in his voice, quoting himself from that time when they had been watching Danny take the answers to the CAT.

"Karenna knows what she's doing." Clockwork assured them. "And so do I." The Observants were annoyed, but they knew it was futile trying to argue with Clockwork. With him, things had a mysterious way of falling into place. The Observants vanished, leaving Clockwork to further watch his daughter in peace.

A/N: Two chapters in one day! Wow I'm on a roll. So...How'd you like it? Hmmm? Well? What are you waiting for! REVIEW!