Chapter: 2 Secrets.

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Jack Fenton pressed the same button he did earlier and shut the ghost portal off. "Bates, lil' buddy, you ok?" he shouted into the echoing portal.

Bates took a step out of the portal, completely unmarked. "Never better, Mr. Fenton." he said with an evil smile directed at Danny. Danny glared at Bates as he and his father walked up the stairs.

"WHOA! Dude...did you see that? Awesome!" Tucker said excitedly. Sam and Danny exchanged glances and looked into the portal. "Shouldn't he have ghost powers like me?" Danny asked.

Sam looked at the meters. "According to these meters, he should be dead!" she said exasperated.

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Danny, Sam and Tucker raced upstairs. "Where's Bates?" asked Sam. "He left." said Jack simply as he returned to the Ghost Gauntlets.

Tucker looked outside. "I don't see him." he said before turning his back on the window.

Bates was flying around in his ghost form, Bad Bowman, when who other than Valerie interupted him. "What the...? Another ghost kid?" she asked as she pulled out her ghost bazooka.

"Who are you supposed to be, Robo Bitch?" Bates said coldly with a sneer. "Look, I'm not here to do other than capture Danny Phantom, so if you'll excuse me..." he got cut off as Valerie just barely missed his head.

"Yeah, like I'll believe that." Valerie said cockily. "Well, you should it's the truth" Bates said while returning to solid ground, Valerie right behind him.

"Listen, ghost hunter, let's say we make a deal. If I catch the ghost kid, I'll reveal to you my name, my real name. But if you catch him, you tell me who beat me so graciously." Bates said, with a hint of charm.

Valerie lowered her weapon. "Are...are you flirting with me?" she asked, unsure. "Maybe..." he said dodgily. Valerie put her weapon away. "Well, I'll take that deal, and once you lose, I'll take you up on that date." she said flirtingly.

Bates smiled. "Wouldn't have it any other way." he said while jetting back into the air. He soared for hours on end until he came to an old house. He changed back into his human form. "Never thought I'd meet another Halfa." he said while he drifted off to sleep.

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At school, Valerie kept talking about the mysterious ghost. "God, I wish she'd shut up!" shouted Sam in the empty halls. Danny and Tucker laughed as they went to their gym class.

Bates was doing some Karate with Dash while Paulina watched. Bates kept dodging Dash's attacks. Paulina waved at Bates flirtingly, trying to distract him. He waved back, Dash creeping up behind him. Bates grabbed Dash's arm from behind and flipped Dash over himself.

"Whoa!" said Sam as everyone watched. "Hahaha, you are weak!" shouted Bates as Dash moved of the court. Danny got up, and started to fight with Bates, since he was next. Danny threw a punch at Bates, but he easily ducked. "You wouldn't hit a guy with a nose ring." Bates taunted.

Danny missed again. "You couldn't hit a guy with a nose ring." Bates laughed. Bates brought up his foot and struck Danny on the side of the face. "You lose." Bates said simply. Danny returned to his friends, sweating heavily. "Oh, man. That guy doesn't even have a drop of sweat on him!" Danny exclaimed as Bates tackled Kwan.

"You think it's because of the ghost portal?" asked Sam, looking at Danny intently. Danny shrugged and wiped the sweat off his face.

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Bates was walking through the overcrowded halls. "Hey, Maxwell, get over here!" yelled Dash. Bates walked over to him, he was just about his

height and muscled. "Dude, you gotta teach me how to do some of those moves!" Dash said, almost beggingly. Bates smiled and out of the corner of his eye saw Danny. "Ok, but first..." he told Dash the plan. "Oh, your good." said Dash, impressed.

Dash told Paulina the plan and she squealed with excitement. "Hiya, Danny, come over here!" she positively screamed as she was outside in the school alley.

Danny, abandoning his friends, went over to her. Dash and Bates jumped out and tackled Danny, beating him up. Bates punched his face so hard, Danny swore he heard it crack. It started bleeding. Dash knee'd his stomach and Danny almost threw up.

When they were done, Bates held Danny's collar, holding him up. "Let that be a lesson, Fenton!" Bates threatened before punching his lights out.

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When Danny woke up, he was surrounded by his parents, Jazz, Bates, and Sam and Tucker. "You okay, Danny?" asked Bates in mock concern. Danny realized he was in a hospital room.

He tried to get up, back Sam gently pushed him back down. "Ol' Bates here saw you getting beaten up and he beat the kids that did it to ya, and then brought you here."

said Jack. Danny was about to tell the truth when Bates fed him some ghost energy. It was like a tv show and he was watching what his dad had told him what happened and instantly, the turth disappeared and he believed the lie.

"Thanks, Bates, your a real friend." said Danny smiling. Bates let the energy go and smiled back. Jazz looked at Bates and Bates looked into her eyes. He smiled charmingly at her and she blushed and looked away.

Bates looked over to Sam and Tucker, and changed his face to an emotion that looked so hurt, it broke Sam's heart. Bates turned around and left the hospital.

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Danny awoke later that night with a headache. "Owwww, what the..." his voice disappeared as he saw the Bad Bowman hovering above him.

"Well, Fenton, I don't know how you came here, but you look to be in pretty bad shape. " said Bates, in ghost form. Danny's eyes widened in fury.

"Oh, oh easy. Don't worry, I'm just here to see how your doing. Can I fluff your pillows, or get you some more water?" asked Bates as he fluffed and got water with his powers.

"Well, I'll leave you here, goodbye, Fenton." Bates said before phazing toward the ceiling. Danny shook his head, wondering why the Bad Bowman even cared. He drifted off to sleep yet again.

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