Chapter 5

Danny opened his eyes and looked over to his right. The window was opened and the cool night air created a breeze within the room. Danny looked across the room and noticed the two empty beds. He sat up and groaned in pain. His body felt weak and tired and his mind was unfocussed. He waited for his head to clear and felt another breeze brush past him pushing his damp hair across his forehead.

He frowned and winced in pain as his injuries became irritated. He felt something nagging at the back of his mind he just couldn't pin point what is was.He closed his eyes, trying to ignore the pain rushing from his shoulder to his head. Once the pain faded he opened his eyes again, and painstakingly sat up. He felt the bandages sift against his skin, making him remember just how injured he had become. He pulled his feet over the edge of the bed, and with some support made his way over to the door. Each step he took allowed more pain to break free and hit him in waves.

Eventually he had to stop at the wall to catch his breath which was coming out in short gasps. Between the pain and loss of energy he was experiencing, he thought he was doing rather well for himself. His legs, all of sudden felt like jelly and he clutched the wall to stay standing. He hated being the halfa everyone wanted to hunt down. He wasn't accepted into either world, at least by most. Jazz, Sam and Tucker were the only ones with knowledge about him. Danny just had his days where he hated himself for who he was: What he was. He wanted nothing more to be human but if was human there would be no one to help save the town.

No offense to his parents, well his father at least. He wasn't the greatest hunter in the world, he had merely made it by on his moms talents. He loved his parents, he really did but there were those days when he wished he would just leave them alone. He wished he could tell his parents that half of him had died but the very thought sickened him. The thought of being half dead and half alive seperated him from both societys. He often used to look at being part ghost like being a super hero but lately a lot of things had changed and so had his idea of it. He couldn't...no wouldn't, use his powers to gain anything. He merely wanted to help and that's all he wanted to do. If he could, would have given up being a ghost to be a regular kid again? Part of him said yes but a part of him said no to that question. He just wasn't sure of himself. What was he? Would he ever be accepted?

Danny had already answered those questions. He wasn't sure of what he was so he referred to himself as a freak of nature and he knew he would never be accepted. Even if a few people accepted him the rest of the world wouldn't. He couldn't kid himself about that one. He wished he could but he knew he couldn't. He knew he couldn't lie to himself to make it all better. No. The world couldn't be seen through rose coloured glasses, if it was the world would be free of him, free of Vlad, free of ghosts. The machine probably wouldn't have been invented. There were days when he wished his mother and father had normal jobs so he and sister could have normal lives.

Another thought crossed his mind. It wasn't a bad one, more one of curiousity but it was still there. Just what kind of man haunted a place like a school for so long? Why had that type of ghost been there? Why could it cause Danny so much damage that he couldn't heal in a day or two? All these questions raced in his mind as he opened the door and walked shakily ahead. Sadly he way was blocked by a woman in a blue jumpsuit. He looked up and felt his legs shaking dangerously. His mom's face had a look of concern on it as she picked up her son and carried him over to the bed.

"Mom?" his voice was echoing the pain he felt inside. Her painted red lips frowned as she pulled the covers over him. She sat down on the bed and put a hand on his cheeks and forehead.

"You still have a fever," Maddie frowned and kissed Danny on the cheek, "I'll go get a cold cloth. You need to save your strength." Danny could tell something was troubling his mom. She didn't act like this, well she did, but she wasn't always so quiet and didn't always look so sad. Danny watched from the corners of his eyes as she came back into the room with a bowl of water and two clothes. One was laying on the table, dry and clean, the second one lay in the water soaking. She went to the bathroom again, returning with a second bowl of water. "This may sting a bit Danny," she smiled at him, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Danny arched his ebrow at his mother, "For what?" Hunting me down? Trying to kill me? Danny stopped that thought and looked at his mother, his blue eyes still glazed over. His mother had him sitting up, his face pressed against her chest. She was removing the bandages slowly and carefully. Once that was done she had him sit up straight. He winced as she placed the wet cloth againt the front and back of his wound. He gripped onto his mothers arm tightly as she put the ointment on the healing injury. Soon after she wrapped it up and helped him lay back down.

"I'm sorry for getting you involved in all this. If we hadn't started to hunt ghosts you might not have-"

"Well it did happen," Danny spoke with unknown words, "And it can't be taken back. As much as I hate what you guys do you love it. I couldn't take that away from you. You're my parents, I may not like you sometimes but I love you." Maddie hugged her son and smiled. She dipped the dry cloth in the second bowl of water and placed the cloth on his head.

"One day Danny," she said, "I hope you can trust me enough to tell whatever it is that you're going through. You know your father and I will love you always." Danny's eyes went wide in shock. He managed to node and hug his mother breifly before feeling the overwelming pain to pull him back into a restless sleep.

He was once again in that place. The place, he was sure, that was coated and soaking in his own blood. He just lay there for a moment, letting himself fall deeper and deeper within the red depths. Now now. Come on now. I like my playmates to have a little fight in them. He was starting to grow annoyed with that voice. You don't want to play? That's not fair. He kept his eyes closed, intent on keeping his eyes secured shut. However, he opened them when a soft and small hand ran against his cheek. All he could see was red so the same went for the figure more or less floating above him. She had on a frilly dress and her hair was tied with long ribbons on either side of her head. Her eyes seemed to be brighter then the rest of the red swirling around them.

Danny felt her hand on his face still. She was stroking it gently finger by finger, gently tracing his jaw line. She stoped at the lips, her smile fading as she let out a horrable wail sending him dowards. I don't like it when people don't play. She smiled again and pushed him upwards toward the surface. This is my game and my rules. Next time the punishment will be worse. Danny didn't recall much after being hit by that wail, but he was sure of one thing, she was a ghost.

Danny woke up to his mother shaking him gently. He opened his eyes and looked at her, the pain flaring in his body again. He felt another set of weight on the bed, on the other side of him. Jack Fenton, Danny's father, sat there. Worry was etched on his face and he looked ten years older then he used to. He didn't yell when Danny woke up. "Danny, I'm glad your awake. It's been at least six hours since you went to sleep." Six hours! Danny thought. It's only been a few minutes. How long was I floating downwards? Danny looked back at his father and frowned.

"Wow..that ghost must of really hurt me." His father was about to open his mouth but Danny stopped him, "Don't say you're sorry. Mom already did and I don't want to hear it. This is what you guys do and I don't hate you for it. You love this job, I'll stand by you." Danny felt the words slip out of his mouth yet again. His father couldn't have looked more pleased and gently hugged his son.

"You get some rest," his father spoke in a gentle voice, "You're mother has opted to spend the next few nights here so Tucker and Sam will be sharing a room with me. Is that okay?"

"Yeah," Danny replied. It's not like I'm going ghost anytime soon. "I'm tired, I"m going to get some sleep." Danny drifted off into dreamless slumber, happy for the quiet at the moment.

"He's really a good kid...isn't he Maddie?"

"One of the best."