ACK! I'm so sorry everyone! Between SAT spazzing, midterm spazzing (results should come in…), spazzing about my grades (I think I'm gonna get a B in math and English! HELP!), spazzing about my suckish swim meet results, and spazzing about learning how to read, play, and recognize the upper register on my clarinet, I don't have time for writing anymore. This SO sucks.

In response to josh111888…you're right, but let's make him one of two things: a scammer of a doctor (ooh, got a twist…I'm thinkin' sequel!), or an extremely lazy one. Whichever works. We'll see how it comes out in editing.

DISCLAIMER: no. No.

RATED: T for slightly mature themes, mention of b l o o d, and language.

Chapter 9

"Hang 'Em High"

It had been a month after Tucker's release from the hospital. He was under watch after attempting s u i c i d e twice. He was allowed out twice a day, both usually to see Danny.

Life just wasn't the same anymore, and it was clear for both of them. Tucker's view on anything was just dangerous, and Danny couldn't lift himself out of Depression's grip. Together, the both of them could overcome anything. But without Sam…without Sam, it was a different story.

On one of these days, Danny and Tucker took a stroll through the park after Danny checked Tucker for anything he might use. Tucker agreed without opinion to have Danny follow him everywhere.

"So…how's it over at your house?" asked Tucker. Conversations became awkward and boring after Tucker's incident.

Danny shrugged. "The usual. Jazz trying to get me out of my 'stupor' while she's in one herself…Mom's going crazy because of me…Dad…well, I haven't seen him in a few days. He's been in the lab all the time working."

Tucker nodded, eyes focused on his shoes. "Hmm. Mom's breaking down. She thinks I'm going insane. Wants me in an asylum. Dad keeps yelling at me. Says life is too valuable to throw away. I begged to differ."

Danny nodded himself, eyes on sneakers. They took a step forward into a crazy game most called life. It was like a video game, and someone was controlling him, purposely trying out different paths like outfits and see where it took him. Truth was, Danny couldn't reset his life and start anew. What happened happened, and he was stuck with his past sins. And Tucker's soul on his hands.

The last thing he wanted was a ghost to come out. This was his only time with Tucker. Sighing, a wisp of blue smoke streamed out of his mouth and Danny looked at it without a word.

"Damn. Can you wait for a bit?" asked Danny. He became his counterpart and flew up, his eyes staring out into oblivion trying to find whoever dared come up to him. Especially after Sam. His sorrow for her had turned into rage when it came to ghosts. The vile creatures—no, they didn't even deserve to be called creatures—had cost everyone her life and Danny's sanity.

Finally, a ghost came out. It was Technus.

"I, Technus, master of all things electronic and metal, have come to destroy you!" he said. Danny stared at him, thinking that he and the Box Ghost became more and more similar by the day.

"Would you shut the hell up!" he growled, making a statement, not asking a question. Technus, taken by surprise, looked bewilderedly at Danny before getting punched so hard he was thrown away into the horizon, no longer visible. Danny was about to land by Tucker, who even cracked a small smile…the video game, the Axion space orbiter…good times. Good, but naïve times.

Before Danny could land, Valerie came into the picture with her large, bulking guns and hoverboard.

"I'm takin' you down once and for all!" she shrieked. She was literally radiating her anger now; impatience got the better of her. Danny could tell…she didn't care who she got anymore. She needed to get rid of her rage, rage that was pent up for five years, and she didn't care who she was going to hit.

Valerie pulled out her large bazooka and began shooting green ectoplasmic goo at Danny, who avoided it all over the park. Tucker didn't move. He just stared, his face blank.

"Tucker, get the hell out of the way!" shrieked Danny.

"Don't you dare talk to him!" replied Valerie with a rather aggressive shot. Danny avoided it by just a smidge.

Danny separated into three, a power he had finally mastered the year before. His first form floated around her, stopping at short intervals. His second and third began to try and dismantle the gun and board. Unfortunately, Valerie was above that.

She swung the gun forcefully, Danny's third form slipping off but quickly regaining composure. His second was flung off and nearly hit the ground but then flew at a mild speed of 134 miles per hour and banged his fist against the board, leaving a heavy dent and a more than shaken—and enraged—Valerie.

Valerie shot again. Danny avoided it and his second form continued hitting the board. A slight telepathic connection between the three forms grew and the third caught on to the second's idea. He badgered Valerie every second he could, and the first form flew around the park spontaneously but still within view. Valerie shot wherever she could as fast as she could. Soon enough, she lost balance and the board overthrew her, crumpled into aluminum, and plummeted her into the ground.

"PHANTOM! You just wait, I'll get you and your freaking little ass soon!" she screeched. Her voice was high and unnatural; it was almost as if she was overshadowed by some extreme force in her body causing her to be more ambitious—for lack of a better word—to catch her target.

Danny knew this was trouble as he became one again. Tucker still didn't move, and just watched the trash heap on top of Valerie. Soon enough, it melted away and there Valerie stood, hands clenched into a fist that could probably crush diamonds, one about to break the large ecto-gun her hand gripped. Her finger was shaking as if she had drunk too much caffeine and was itching to press it. But she held herself, gritting her teeth. At last, when she thought the ghost teen was off-guard, she shot.

In the silence of the afternoon, the shot resonated like metal falling from the Empire State Building onto solid pavement, echoing in Danny's mind, coated with despair. He managed to create a shield that just barely saved him, but knew that he was no longer safe.

"GET OVER HERE!" she shrieked. Danny flew away, near Tucker, one leg bent up as if to taunt her. His facial expression had nothing on it. Just a look of determination to show Valerie what losing things of value really was like.

At the last possible minute, she shot again when he was near to the ground. Danny managed to avoid it. But the shot was headed for Tucker now.

"TUCKER! GET AWAY!" he yelled, tears threatening to burst through his eyes.

He finally saw Danny's alarm and looked forward, the first major emotion showing. His eyes grew wide at the large shot headed his way. He opened his mouth to scream, but the shot caught him and pinned him to the ground. He was unconscious and covered in a highly rare form of ectoplasm. Danny had seen it around—it stung ghosts, but killed humans. Danny bit his lip, salty tears of loss rolling down his pale, cold face. Valerie ran over, her gun, her protection, dropped.

She finally realized what she had done. She had released her anger on someone who didn't deserve it.

Danny stood up, his entire body shaking. Not from rage, not from sorrow, but a strange combination of both.

"You!" he said dangerously. "You…just killed…" He had trouble getting the last words out; the whole thing was strange and surreal to him now. "My…my best friend!"

"What? But you're a ghost, ghosts don't have friends, family, emotions…" Valerie reeled off into a description of what humans had that ghosts didn't, all the while wrapped in confusion.

"Ghosts…have friends…ghosts…are people…who have died…the imprint of their old personality. And you just killed my last remaining friend!" he said, still shaking. Tears were falling to the ground, sizzling. First, Sam…he knew that he shouldn't do this…Sammy wouldn't want it…but he had to do it…because now…now, everyone who cared was up watching him, and he had nothing left to do but waste his last years on earth trying to make contact with them.

"How? I mean, I knew he was friends with Fenton, but…not possible! The Fentons would've forbidden it, I mean…" Valerie trailed off, and before she could finish, she found herself lying on the ground with a numb cheek.

She bit her lip, afraid of what was to come. She didn't even feel it, really, because before she knew it, there was a flash of black and white. And…the most startling color she had ever seen in her life: a shocking neon green that reminded her what she had done…and why.

When Danny left the area, nothing but an unconscious woman and the corpse of his best friend were left on the soft green grass, sprawled and on their backs. He imagined that it was painful when it happened. Then again, he didn't remember a time when he felt a lot of pain. Or much else, for that matter.

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LYRICS TO HANG 'EM HIGH:

Wait until it fades to black. Ride into the sunset. Would I lie to you? Well I've got something to say. Grab your six-gun from your back. Throttle the ignition. Would I die for you? Well here's your answer in spades. Shotgun sinners, wild-eyed jokers. Got you in my sights. Gun it while I'm holding on. After all is said and done. Climb out from the pine box well I'm asking you. Cuz she's got nothing to say. The angels just cut out her tongue. Call her black Mariah. Would I lie to you? That girl's not right in the brain. Mass convulsions. Strike the choir. By the grace of God. Gun it while I'm holding on but. Don't stop. If I fall. And don't look back. Don't stop bury me and fade to black. She won't stop me put it down.

Chapter 9

Chapter 10: not now…

Wow. The second climax of the story. The third is in the last chapter. Purrbaby101, please, do NOT read the lyrics to the last chapter, because it'll spoil it all for you. Everyone else, please, don't find them…because you will be ultimately shocked by my conclusion.

And how ironic is this chapter? I just noticed it; extremely. It's not even funny ironic. It's crazy ironic. Too close for comfort ironic.