Hi. Here I am again. I am seriously addicted to this story. I can't stop writing. So at my own peril, I present to you an update, even when I said I wasn't going to update. This time I SWEAR that an update won't be coming tomorrow (unless I'm inspired).

Whoa there hold up a minute! Is that a twelve I see? This is chapter 12? How in the world did that happen? I only intended this story to go 8 maybe 9 chapters! Oh dear! Well, I think things are going to be wrapped up here soon…I think. I'm not writing a novel after all. But guess what? Sort of another filler chapter! AGGHH!

Chapter Twelve

Danny shot out of a portal and into the Ghost Zone for what seemed the millionth time that day. This time he had a firm grip on his mother with one hand and carried an unconscious Sam half slung over his shoulder. There was no time to stop and resituate her into a more comfortable hold. He needed to get as far away from Vlad's lab as possible.

"Danny Sweetie," Maddie asked as they flew. "Where are we going?"

"Anywhere but here Mom," answered Danny. He didn't look behind as he flew. To tell the truth, he was afraid to look behind him. He feared that Dark Dan was close. For a few moments as he continued to zoom through the Zone, he wished that Vlad were still his only enemy. He could handle Vlad. But Dark Dan showed no mercy. He had no humanity.

Sam began to stir and he adjusted her into a more comfortable position as she looked around blearily. "Wow," she said. "Where did the headache come from?"

"Glad you're awake Sam," Maddie told the girl. "I was becoming quite concerned for you."

Sam couldn't get her bearings as they continued to fly. She only looked at Maddie with unfocused eyes wondering why the world was spinning. She laughed a little then rested her head on Danny's shoulder.

"Way to woo a girl, Fenton," She said softly. "What are we going to do on our next date? I think the movies are going to be a little tame after all of this."

"Date?" Danny asked in surprise. "Oh yeah Sam your brains are defiantly scrambled." She laughed and he held her tighter. Maddie was able to turn so she could see behind them. Were they being followed? No. At least not at the moment.

"Do you think he'll head back to the lab?" Maddie asked.

Danny frowned. He wished they could have warned everyone, but he figured the Fenton Lab was the first place Dan would expect them to go, so it was safer to stay away, at least until they had a game plan.

Danny stopped as a great green door appeared in front of him and opened. He paused a moment and wondered if he should go in. There weren't any other options and he couldn't fly forever. So in they went.

"It looks like a castle," Maddie said wonderingly as she looked around the round grey brick room.

"Or a tower room," Danny added as he pointed to the curtained arched window. Maddie let go of him and walked across the stone floor and looked out through the curtains.

"Just more Ghost Zone," She said then put her hands on her hips and looked around. "Who do you suppose this…er…room? Is it a room? Belongs to?"

Danny smiled slightly as he put Sam down, still holding her in the event she couldn't stand on her own. She slapped away his hands in irritation then walked across the room with her hand on the side of her head. "I'm not sure," Danny answered his mother. "But, I have a good idea of who it might belong to."

"The princess," Sam said as she walked to the dressing table in the corner and touched the green and gold Amulet of Eragon. "She seems to be coming to our rescue a lot lately. I wonder why."

"She has a crush on Tucker," Danny said as he laughed.

"Who is this Princess?" Maddie asked as she looked at the books on the bookshelf. They all seemed to be written in jibberish. Danny explained quickly about the princess and first time they met her, and about the amulet which could turn her into a dragon. He related how Vlad had used her to overshadow Sam and make Danny think she and Tucker were involved with each other, then how she saved Sam's life and was obsessed with dancing.

"She came to our rescue again after you were separated from your ghost half," Sam said as she sat down in a green glowing chair and bent forward, cradling her head.

"Why would she be helping you?" Maddie asked.

Danny shrugged. "The only thing I can figure is that she likes Tucker. She seems to be a little bit obsessed with him almost as much as she is with dancing at balls."

Sam snorted. "Only a little bit. But, Tucker thinks Clockwork may have sent her to watch over us. He thinks all of this is a test."

"A test?" Maddie shrieked. "What kind of test and why? What kind of monster is this ghost Clockwork that he would place people in such danger?"

Danny laughed. "He's better than most." He then explained to his mother exactly what Clockwork was and what he did. She still wasn't impressed and threatened destruction upon him should he ever dare to show his face.

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Valerie rushed upstairs in the Fenton house, then stopped in her tracks as she saw Tucker sitting beside Jazz. She was leaning forward with her head in her hands. Tucker had his hand on her back. Valerie narrowed her eyes and went into the situation as she entered every situation, on the attack.

"What's going on here?" she asked with her hands on her hips. Tucker nearly jumped out of his skin and Jazz lifted her head to look up. Her eyes were red with tears and Valerie's heart softened.

"Jazz and I were talking about Danny and Maddie," Tucker explained as he blushed. "Jazz is worried."

"Yeah," Valerie said. "So am I, but ummm I hate to be the bearer of more bad news but…"

"No!" Jazz said as she stood. "I don't want to hear another bad thing. I'm going up to my room and I'm hiding under my covers and I'm staying there!"

Tucker grabbed her hand and stopped her. "Dude, you can't," he said. "Hiding isn't going to help or make things go away. Stay and face this Jazz. You're a Fenton, you can't run away like a coward." Jazz sighed and gave him an angry look.

Valerie waited a moment then relayed her news about Sam. "Vlad said it wasn't Danny. I'm thinking we need to go on a rescue mission. This is getting out of hand Danny's going to need our help."

"No," Jazz said as she shook her head. "Danny made me promise that I wouldn't let you guys go after him."

"Technically," Tucker said as he held up one finger "You promised that you, Sam and I wouldn't go after him. He never said Valerie couldn't."

Jazz's eyes lit up. "That's true. He said nothing about not letting Valerie go after him."

"And I'm taking you guys hostage. At gun point." Valerie said then pointed down the stairs. "Get going. Now!"

Vlad and Jack watched as Jazz, Tucker and Valerie ran down the stairs and loaded to the Speeder. Jazz stopped in the door of the vehicle and looked back.

"Bye Dad," She said as she waved. "We'll be safe." She closed the door behind her and the vehicle started and then they were gone.

Jack gave Vlad a sideways glance and said, "I blame you for this." Vlad gave him a look of disbelief coupled with irritation.

"Focus Jack," Vlad said. "I don't think we have a lot of time. We need to get this thing right on the first try."

"My Maddie. Gone. My Danny. Gone, and now my Jazzerincess. Gone. All in the Ghost Zone. Without me," Jack replied in his grand tone. "You bet your hide this thing is going to work or else my name isn't Jack Fenton!"

Vlad sighed then pointed to the nearly completed device. "Then get to work because I'd hate to have to call you George Washington or some other absurd name because you failed."

"Failure is not in my vocabulary Vladdy," Jack boomed. "Not. In. My. Vocabulary!"

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"So where exactly are we headed?" Valerie asked.

"The Speeder will lead us there," Jazz said as she pushed a few buttons and activated the homing screen. "Mom has a homing device sewn into her hazmat suit."

Tucker was just about to say something when his eyes widened and he pointed out the window. "Not her again!" The princess ghost was flying toward them.

"Want me to blast her?" Valerie asked as she readied the weapons.

"No!" Jazz and Tucker cried in unison.

"She's on our side," Jazz said urgently. "At least I think she is." The princess motioned for them to follow in the speeder and so they did. She seemed to take them on a zigzag course, which went rather contrary to the information the speeder gave about the homing device.

Valerie tried to talk Tucker and Jazz out of following the ghost, but they insisted that they trusted her, that even though it seemed like she was leading them astray, she must have a good reason for it. They stopped and she motioned for them to wait. So they waited. Valerie sighed. She was a girl of action. Sitting and waiting when she was ready to go was tough.

"Look!" Jazz said as she pointed out the window. "It's Danny." Sure enough Danny was approaching the speeder and he didn't look entirely pleased to see them.

He gestured for them to open the speeder and when he entered he looked at Jazz. "I thought I told you not to come after me!"

"I didn't you big jerk!" Jazz said then pointed to Valerie. "I was kidnapped by Valerie!" Valerie waved at Danny. He rubbed his hand over his face and shook his head.

"Excuses, excuses." Danny said and looked around. "Better leave the Speeder here. You all should hang on to me and I'll take you to our hide out."

"Hide out?" Jazz, Tucker and Valerie asked together then looked at each other stunned.

"Is there something in the air that makes everyone around here do that?" Valerie asked. "Because it's really irritating." Danny, Tuck and Jazz laughed as Danny flew them through the Ghost Zone and to the Princess' abode.

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"Mom!" Jazz yelled as she entered the princess' tower room. She threw herself into Maddie's arms and hugged her and hugged her. "I was so…um..concerned for your well being."

Maddie smiled as she returned Jazz's embrace. "I'm fine. How is your father? He didn't come with you did he?"

"No," Jazz answered. "He and Uncle Vlad are working on something to stop that Dark Dan guy." Jazz shot a look over at Sam who was still sitting in the green glowing chair. Danny was kneeling in front of her and Tucker was standing with his hand on her shoulder. Sam looked like a princess holding court instead of the Princess who was standing next to Valerie by the window, pointing out Ghost Zone landmarks.

"What happened Mom?" Jazz asked. "How did you all manage to get here?"

"We escaped Sweetie," Maddie answered then smiled her incredibly sweet smile and walked over to check on Sam who was still feeling a little dizzy. Jazz followed.

"Sam is really our hero," Maddie said. "If not for her we would have been, what was the word that ghost used Danny?"

"Toast," Danny answered.

"Yes," Maddie said. "If not for Sam's resourcefulness we would all be toast."

"I don't deserve the credit," Sam said. She was beginning to feel a little nauseous from all the spinning the room was doing. "If you hadn't pointed out the Specter Deflector I would have never thought to use it."

"But it took courage Sweetie," Maddie said as she bent down and looked into Sam's eyes. She moved Sam's head and looked at the side of her face. "That's going to leave a nasty bruise my dear." Sam sighed then looked at Danny.

"I need to go back out there," Danny said not breaking eye contact with Sam. "I need to keep Dark Dan busy. The least I can do is give Dad and Vlad a chance to get whatever it is they're working on to work."

"Yeah and how are you going to know when it's ready?" Valerie asked as she walked away from the window.

"I plan on heading to the lab first," Danny answered. "Hopefully he thinks we'll keep away from it."

"Let me go with you," Valerie said. "At least I have some ghost fighting skills. I can help."

Danny debated a moment then agreed that it might help if someone was in the Speeder to help distract Dark Dan.

"I think I should go as well," Maddie said. "I'm of more use back at the lab, and Jack is probably worried sick!"

"You're not leaving me here!" Jazz said in a huff.

"I'm going too!" Tucker declared.

Sam raised her hand. "Excuse me people," She said. "Hurt girl here! Feeling loopy. I don't want to go. I want some ibuprophen and a soft pillow to lay my aching head on." She pointed to the green glowing bed in the corner. What I don't want is to be left here alone so you better decide whose staying because I'm not going anywhere."

Danny frowned as he watched Sam. Her eyes were closed as she lay her head back in he chair. He wasn't sure whether to be grateful that she wasn't fighting to come along or if he should be worried because she wasn't fighting to come along.

"I'll stay," Jazz said in resignation. No one else was going to budge about going with Danny.

"All right," Danny said not taking his eyes off of Sam who had lifted her head and was smiling slightly at him, relief washed over him as he realized she was playing sicker than she was in order to give him a break. "We need a plan. I'm going to follow the Speeder to the lab and then I'm going to do my best to lead Dark Dan away from it.

"My prince!" The princess ghost said as she attached herself to Tucker. "When will we dance?" She eyed Valerie for a moment then hid behind Tucker.

"When all this is over," Tucker told the princess. "We will hold a big ball and you and I will dance. But only if Sam stays safe. If anything happens to Sam. No ball. She's like…My family" Sam opened her eyes and looked at Tucker and stuck out her tounge.

"I will take care of Sam." The princess promised then floated to the window.

"Man," Danny said to Jazz as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Trust it to Tucker to up the emotional ante!" Jazz laughed then looked at Valerie who was now relating to Maddie information about the device Jack and Vlad were working on. Maddie's face had gone from concerned to excited.

Finally, an uncomfortable silence grew in the room and everyone was looking at Danny. He smiled a little nervously. "Excuse me a minute?" he asked. Everyone looked at him expectantly and he blushed and walked over to Sam who had just caught on that people were waiting for a big romantic parting scene blushed as well.

Danny looked around at everyone then cleared his throat then leaned down and whispered in Sam's ear. "Pretend I'm saying something extremely sweet and romantic. Maybe giggle a little."

Sam laughed as she leaned closer to Danny and whispered back up to him. "I don't giggle!"

Danny smiled. "Yes you do." His cheek was now brushing against hers, the unbruised one.

Sam pressed her cheek closer and asked, "When?"

"Lots of times," Danny answered then he closed his eyes and breathed in the smell of Sam's hair. "I can't bring them all up now."

"Ok Mr. Romance," Sam said softly. "Hee hee hee hee."

Danny pulled away from Sam reluctantly. "Promise me you'll stay here until I come get you."

"Well," Sam said as she looked around. "It's kinda hard not to make that kind of promise. How am I going to go anywhere?" Danny shrugged and Sam closed her eyes for a moment then looked into the shining blue eyes which were still so close. "Promise me that nothing bad will happen to you Danny. Promise that you won't leave me here forever, because I'm not going to take one step from here without you."

"I promise I'll do everything in my power to get back to you safe and sound. I'll come back for you Sam. I promise." Danny hoped he could keep his word as he gently pulled Sam into his arms and hugged her.

"What no kiss?" Jazz asked in outrage as Danny let go and stepped away from Sam.

Sam looked at Danny who was blushing again and thought it was amazing that he could blush while in ghost form. She smiled wickedly and said. "Eww I don't kiss ghosts."

Danny laughed then said, "My ghost half takes serious offense to that." Sam looked at him wide eyed and serious for a moment, understanding for the first time that even though Danny was joking, it was probably true. She bit her lip then stood and put her arms around Danny and kissed him. He put his arms around her and they stayed like that, forgetting for a moment everyone in the room was watching.

Jazz's eyes bugged and she turned around, feeling a bit bad for intruding on such a sweet moment. Tucker and Valerie had no such boundaries. They both clutched their hands to their chests and said a joking. "Awwwwww." Maddie said nothing. She only smiled.

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Danny tried to fight off the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach as they left Jazz and Sam with the Princess in her tower. He knew that for now that was the safest place for them, but he didn't like leaving Sam or his sister behind. What if something did happen and no one could come back for them? Danny shook his head. They reached the Speeder and discussed battle plans.

"Head for the lab as fast as you can go," Danny instructed. "I'll follow along and keep an eye out for Dark Dan. If he shows up I'll do my best to keep him distracted. Maybe you'll all be able to go inside and get the shield up and running again."

"I doubt the shield will work," Maddie said. "At least not without a great deal of recalibration. It takes a lot of power to get that thing to work."

With that, they were off. Danny kept himself on the alert, but the longer and longer they went without seeing Dark Dan. The more he began to worry. What if he'd been to the lab already? What if he had destroyed everything? What if… Danny stopped himself. It was no use playing the what if game.

When they finally reached the portal to the Fenton Lab. Danny went first. Vlad and Jack looked up as he peeked in then rushed back into the Zone and motioned for everyone to follow.

He reentered the lab and where Jack and Vlad were waiting questioningly. Jack smiled when the Speeder stopped and Maddie jumped out. "My Maddie!" Jack called and rushed forward and gathered his wife into his arms. "It's about time you got back!" Danny smiled as he watched his parents reunite then paused and turned to look at Vlad.

Danny felt a rush of sadness for Vlad who was refusing to look at Jack and Maddie. He was concentrating hard on the panel he was working on, but Danny recognized the pained look on the man's face, and understood, at least a little, for the first time. Poor Vlad, he had everything and nothing all at once, and more importantly he'd lost his ghost side, something that Danny knew was very important to him. Vlad looked up and caught Danny watching him. He nodded his head once then focused his attention back to his work.

"We need to hurry!" Maddie told Jack. "Who knows when that evil cad will catch up to us!"

"We're almost finished Maddie," Jack boomed as he cuddled his wife. "Thanks to Vlad's inspired work this thing is just about up and running.

Danny walked over to Vlad. "What do you want?" Vlad asked.

"I wanted to find out what you need me to do." Danny answered.

"You mean a plan?" Vlad said. "Your coming to me for a plan?" Danny shrugged and Vlad shook his head.

"If this "thing" works," Vlad started. "It should stretch over the ghost portal. Any ghost going through it will be caught. It will separate and confine any ghost hybrid, such as yourself, which goes through it. If you can get Dan through and if it works, then his ghost halves will be open to destruction and.."

"I see," Danny said. "But I'd have to go through it too…"

"Yes," Vlad replied. "We could wait…and turn it on after you came through but…"

Danny closed his eyes and sighed. "That might not work and it would be our only chance." He looked over at his mother and father who were still happily hugging. Tucker and Valerie where watching him from the door of the Speeder.

"I have the Fenton phones," Danny told Vlad. "Let me know when this device…"

"The Masters Fenton Ghost Catcher Xtractor," Vlad said.

Danny blinked and continued talking "Let me know when the…device is up and running. I'm going to look for Dan. I'll make him chase me through the portal and…"

"Sounds simple," Vlad said.

"But not easy," Danny whispered. "Definitely not easy."

"You're right Danny," Vlad said gently as he placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. "None of this has been easy. I apologize." Danny hesitated for a moment. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask Vlad what he was apologizing for, but they really didn't have time to get into it at the moment. Danny promised himself that after this was over, he would get an apology from Vlad…for everything.

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Inside Vlad's lab, Dark Dan struggled with the belt that Sam had fastened around him. The pain it caused was rather refreshing and he used it to grow strong. He had been going through a few rather weak moments, but he was finished with that. Sure it was fun playing games with them, prying into their emotions, but the time for fun was over. He just had to decide who he was going to take first. He knew Danny was going to be last. Dark Dan was going to savor the look in the boy's eyes when he realized that everyone he loved had been taken from him….and Dark Dan would feed on that pain. It was the kind of pain which kept him strong and motivated.

He took a tremendous breath then broke through the belt and without hesitation flew through the portal, intent on his appointed path. He'd destroy Valerie and Tucker first then move on from there. He'd save Maddie and Sam for last, because he was going to enjoy their fear and hearing them scream, at least, that's what he told himself.