Sweet Surrender

Chapter 3: The Source

Disclaimer: I don't own Danny Phantom. That honor belongs to Butch Hartman.

Notethingie: An hour and a half later, Danny's managed to get him and Dash ready for school. Ember's last her memory, but regains it in the last chappie.

'Okay. I've managed to get us ready for school. Now I have to figure out how to wake him up. It's no use lying to him about what happened, since he seems to know that ghost's name. I've gotta ask him—

"Danny?"

Dash had interrupted his thoughts.

"Yeah?"

His eyes narrowed to a glare.

"Why am I in your room, Fenton?" he snapped.

He tried sitting up, massaging his eyes, but yelped when he felt pain in his side. Danny pushed him back down gently.

"You're still hurt," he said.

He looked away.

"I don't need your help," he muttered.

Danny's eyes shone with laughter.

"Oh really? Then how come about an hour ago you were asking, 'Danny…h-help…'?"

He chuckled, ignoring Dash's angry pout.

"Did you see…?"

Danny nodded.

The football player slammed his fist into the bed, a brooding look entering his eyes. Danny put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's ok, Dash. I won't tell anyone. I want to help you."

Dash looked at Danny, a flicker of weakness and vulnerability appearing in his blue eyes.

"Why? How can you want to help me after all the things I've done to you?"

The black haired teen shrugged. "I'm a nice guy."

Dash allowed a small smile to grace his lips. Danny feigned shock.

"You know, you look a lot better when you're not smirking."

Dash shrugged. Then his eyes widened, and he quickly glanced at his watch.

"We're late!" he exclaimed.

Now it was Danny's turn to shrug. "Since when did you care if you're late or not?"

Dash blinked. "Have I ever been late before? Just because I'm not as smart as you, doesn't mean I don't care about school altogether. We can't be all nerds like you," he said.

"I'm not as smart as you think. My average grade is a C-minus. I'm a slacker, but I have a good reason…well, most of the time."

"What's your excuse?"

Danny visibly flinched back, as if Dash had punched him.

"Ah, come on, Fenton. I'll tell you all I know about this ghost that's been controlling me, if you tell me your secret."

Danny was confused. Why was he so willing to spill his secret to Dash? Was he that desperate to tell someone else besides his friends about his secret?

For some reason, he knew he could trust Dash. "You won't believe me," Danny protested.

Dash raised a skeptical brow.

"After what's been going on with me, why wouldn't I?" he countered.

He sighed, raking a hand over his short black hair. "A year ago, my parents built a ghost portal. Well, me, Sam, and Tucker—

"You mean that goth chick and techno geek?" Dash interrupted.

"—yes. We were in the basement, and I put on the suit, and I accidentally pressed the ON button, and I was zapped. I think my DNA was changed, and when I woke up, my hair was white, my eyes were green. I'm a half ghost. So I'm not dead, I have ghost powers. I'm not as strong as a full ghost, but I've done pretty well so far. My parents haven't found out, but my sister knows."

He went on to tell Dash about all of his adventures. Dash listened intently. It was already 12:30 when Danny finished.

"No use going to school now. We have no excuse for it."

He noticed Dash was eyeing him warily.

"What?"

"Why am I wearing your boxers and pants?"

Danny blushed, despite himself.

"You were naked when you attacked me. And none of my shirts fit you."

He looked down at himself. "You cleaned my cuts?"

"And sterilized them," Danny added quietly.

"Thank you," he said softly.

"You're welcome." Then, "Now you've gotta tell me about this Shadow guy."

Dash sighed. "2 months ago, I was attacked by some ghost in a white coat and black hat."

"Walker!"

"You know him?"

"Yeah, me and him are old pals!" he said sarcastically.

"He made this ghost take control of my body. He was called Shadow. He overshadows humans and eventually kills them. I've managed to keep him under control, but for the past few weeks I've been losing more and more of my control."

Danny had been half listening. He didn't realize he was speaking aloud, "So Walker used a ghost to take control of Dash to get rid of me. But why would he do that just to finish me off? Oh wait, he's crazy."

Dash's eyes widened in understanding and they narrowed in anger.

"So it's your fault this is happening to me?"

Danny was taken aback by Dash's anger.

"I'm sorry Dash. I don't know why he chose you. But I promise you, I'll help you get rid of Shadow."

Dash looked thoughtful for a moment. "I used to have a dog named Shadow. It…it died in a horrible car accident. And it was my fault. I wasn't watching him close enough. I was 11 or 12 at the time. And he was just a puppy. Maybe…"

"The ghost and your dog are the same?" Danny finished.

Unexpected tears welled up in his eyes. "Shadow must be really angry at me to turn into something that horrible."

Danny shook his head. "Not exactly. Maybe he was confused when he died. His soul must've been ripped from hi body, and since he didn't know what happened to him, his spirit had to wander, until Walker gave him a purpose and someone to blame for his suffering."

"He wasn't mad at you until Walker told him it was your fault, and if he killed you, he'd be able to give him something. Obviously, he'd want to live again, but he was so desperate, he didn't realize Walker didn't have that kind of power. We have to get him out of you, then send him to a resting place."

Dash raised his eyebrow.

"And how are we gonna do that?"

Danny paused. "Um…haven't thought it out that far yet."

Dash shook his head. "You're not the brains of the family, are you?"

"Hey! I resent that!" Danny exclaimed.

Dash just shook his head, giving Danny a "you poor boy" look. The blonde glanced at his watch again. It was 1:00.

"Think we can still make it?" Danny asked.

"Probably. What am I gonna do about a shirt?"

"Um…" Danny looked around his room. "Don't know. Maybe we could run to your house real quick and…what?"

Dash had been giving him an "are you crazy?" look.

"Don't think anything's changed, Fenton. We're still social class enemies. I'll go, and you go on to school."

Danny looked worried, biting his lip uncertainly. "Are you sure you wanna chance it?" he asked nervously.

Dash smirked, scoffing. "I don't need you to babysit me. I can take care of myself."

When Danny attempted at opening his mouth to protest, Dash's fist lifted to his face.

"Not another word, Fenton. We're not friends. You're just helping me 'til I get my dog's ghost outta me. That's it. Nothing more," he said, standing up and stalking out of Danny's room.

The half ghost stared after him, mouth hanging open slightly in shock. It widened to a full "O" when his jeans and boxers came flying at his face.

He was going to walk to his house in broad daylight naked?

He slowly pulled the articles of clothing off his face and lay them on his bed.

'Well, that went well,' he thought.

At Casper High…

"Hey, Fenton! Nice boxers!" Dash called.

Danny, despite himself, blushed hotly.

'It's good to know your ordeal hasn't dulled your ability to insult me,' he thought sarcastically.

He gritted his teeth and kept walking down the hall. Before he reached the door of his next class, he spotted Ember outside the school, looking a little lost.

He forgot about school completely as he made his way to the doors and went outside.

"Ember!" he exclaimed softly.

The blue haired ghost looked up, staring at him in confusion.

"Who are you?" she asked.

He smiled at her.

"Stop playing games, Ember. I'm your boyfriend," he told her.

"I'm not 'playing' anything. Who are you and how do you know my name?"

"Ember, really. I get the joke. Now, stop."

Her eyebrows arched angrily.

"I don't know who you are, but I assure you I've never seen you in my life or afterlife. Now if you'll excuse me…" she said, starting to walk away.

"Wait!" Danny exclaimed, running down the school steps. He grabbed her arm and gently turned her around, looking into her eyes.

"You really don't know who I am?" he asked softly. She shook her head.

"And you don't remember me at all?" She shook her head again.

He sighed. He took her hand in his.

"I'm your boyfriend, Danny."

Her eyes widened a little in recognition.

"Danny…?"

"Yes. Do you remember?" She shook her head.

"I…only remember a name: Danny. That's all."

"What happened to you yesterday?" he asked, clutching her hand.

"Hold on," she said, leaning closer and she kissed him quickly.

"I remember that. But I still don't remember who you are."

A blush flamed his cheeks.

"T-That's all?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry I don't remember more."

He shook his head, telling her it was ok.

"Do you want to live with me?"

Her green eyes widened.

"Won't your parents mind?"

He didn't look too worried.

"Nah! You're a ghost. They won't see you."

"But wouldn't that be lying?" she asked.

"What am I supposed to tell them?" 'Hey guys! Hope you don't mind my ghost girlfriend living with us!'"

She shrugged.

"I don't know."

"We have to try. I don't think you'd be safe without your memory in the ghost zone," he said worriedly.

Her shoulders slumped.

"Fine," she agreed.

He put his arm around her shoulder as they walked towards his house.

(A/N: Next chappie is the fight scene between Danny and Dash/Shadow. Read and review, please! )