Thanks for your reviews: Love Sucks, mysterygal102, BlueMyst19, LilAriezAngel, Karen Kano, LesMiserables, giggleaid.

A quick note from the author: Wow, seven reviews. I guess you guys deserve an update. "Ball" coming soon. (winks)

Chapter 5: Hide Out

"Hey, Sam, what're you doing on Friday?" Tucker asked.

Sam rolled her eyes. "My parents are having a party. I have to stay home."

Danny sighed as a blue mist escaped his mouth. "I gotta go, guys. Cover for me." He slipped into a side hallway then flew away as Danny Phantom.

He flew through the roof, glancing around the school. "I am the Box Ghost! Beware!"

Danny sighed. "I so do not need this!"

"There you are, ghost boy!"

"Ah!" Danny was blown out of the sky and thrown to the roof as one of Valerie's ghost-hunting weapons slammed him hard in the back. He groaned and raised his head. "This is really not my day…"

"Oh, you've got that right, ghost boy!" Valerie flew by on her hover board, throwing her ghost disks.

Danny dodged them then flew to the ground, zipping behind a tree. He gripped his chest, gasping for breath. Valerie had hit him a lot harder than he'd thought. Valerie passed by on her hover board, searching for him.

"Danny?" Sam grabbed his arm and pulled her behind the school.

He turned human, still breathing hard. "Sam, you've got to get out of here. Valerie's going to come back."

"She won't recognize you as a human."

"I am the Box Ghost! Beware!" A blue ghost dressed in overalls appeared behind Sam.

She pulled out the Fenton Thermos and sucked the ghost in it without ever turning around. "Tucker sent me out here saying you might need some help."

"Thanks." He took deep breaths, wincing a little. "Sam, do you have anywhere I can hide for a couple of hours?"

"But what about school?" she asked. She hesitated a minute when he pleaded her with his eyes. He looked tired, desperate, and he was breathing hard which told her that he was injured. She sighed. "Come on."

"This is your hide out?" he glanced around, one hand still unconsciously raised to his chest. It was huge yet homely. It was the size of a small apartment.

"Come on, you're hurt," she mumbled, grasping his arm and leading him into another room.

"Wow, you have your own hospital." He sat on the medical bed Sam pointed to.

"Ha, ha. Funny," she muttered. She sifted through the items in the cabinets. "Take your shirt off."

"Uh…excuse me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Just take it off, or I'll cut it from you."

Danny obeyed, wincing as the fabric brushed against his injured back. Sam bit her lip as she turned to him. His chest was bruised, and his back was too.

She reached out and gingerly touched his chest. He winced, and she pulled away. "Sorry."

"It's okay," he whispered.

They spent the rest of the time in silence as Sam cared for his bruises and cuts, wrapping his chest and back in a large white bandage. He collapsed on the couch when she led him back to the other room. She sighed and watched him sleep. He fell asleep so fast it was almost as if he hadn't slept in days.

She jumped when her cell rang. She picked it up. "Hello?"

"Sam, where the heck are you guys?" Tucker's voice asked from the other line. "I told you to help him not disappear with him!"

"Well, he needed more help than you thought," Sam muttered. "He's passed out on my couch right now."

"Wake him up in two hours. Vlad will murder him if he's late."

"Okay, okay. Bye Tucker."

Danny sighed. He was far more comfortable than he was at his home. Someone was ruffling his hair. He opened his pale blue eyes, looking back into a pair of lilac orbs.

"Hey." Sam smiled and moved away a little. "Tucker told me to wake you up."

"What time is it?" He rubbed sleep from his eyes.

"1:50."

He groaned and grabbed a pillow, burying his face in it. "I don't want to go." A muffled sigh escaped him from the pillow. "I hate Vlad." He sat up, reaching for his backpack. "Thanks for your help, Sam."

"No problem, Danny. I'll see you at school tomorrow."

He nodded as he walked out, still rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Where did you disappear to during school?" Vlad growled.

"Th-there was a ghost, sir," Danny whispered.

"Oh, really?" Vlad grabbed him by the shirt, and Danny winced. Vlad caught sight of the bandage. "What is that?"

"I-I was taken out of gym again because I got hurt," Danny lied.

Leo made no move to reveal his lie. Vlad would round on him if he knew he was beating up Danny at school.

Vlad pulled the boy closer, growling. "If anyone finds out," his eyes flashed red, "your sister is a goner."

"Y-yes, sir."

A/N: Man, Vlad is scary, isn't he?