I am officially looking for a Beta reader (finally). Do you have good grammar and good sense? Are you obsessed? Do you have a good grip on Danny Phantom characterization? Would you become freaked out if you were bombarded with chapter after chapter of my work? If your answers are yes, yes, yes, yes and no, then you may be the Beta for me. Take one of my chapters and show me how you would have corrected it. Just imagine, you could have saved me from this chapter….

Chapter Fifteen

"This ghost! This pitiful soul has violated our laws!" Danny heard the red man floating near the caged Desiree call. "I ask for the last and final time. Is there anyone here who will speak for her?"

Danny didn't allow himself to pause or to consider that he was flying into potentially one of the most dangerous situations in his life, thus far. All he could think of was Desiree and undoing the horrible wish he'd made so Sam could live.

"I'll speak for her!" Danny called as he flew closer. The creature on the platform looked at Danny in surprise then smiled.

"You?" The creature called in disbelief. "Who are you to stand up for this thing? This wretched broken soul?"

"My name is Danny Phantom," Danny said as he landed on the platform and stood before the crowd. "I think I might be the reason why she's here." Danny blinked at the creature. He was red skinned. His brown hair was pulled up in a single ponytail on the top of his head. In his ear dangled a gold hoop earring. Danny couldn't help but think the creature looked like a clichéd Genie from some Disney cartoon.

"My name is Ifrit," The creature said. "I am charged with punishing Desiree. She used her powers to move time on several occasions, which is the first of the crimes levied against her. The worst is taking the life of a mortal girl."

"My friend," Danny said urgently. "She took my friend Sam's life. It was my fault."

Ifrit looked at Danny and gave him a sinister grin. "You take responsibility for Desiree's malicious act?" he asked in irritation.

"I made a wish," Danny said as he became aware of hundreds of eyes watching him. He looked at Desiree who was watching him with interest from inside her cage. "She granted it." He pointed at the ghost.

Ifrit put up his hand. "It matters not the wish you made," he said tiredly. "What matters is that Desiree broke the rules. She will be punished." Ifrit paused. "Do you still want to speak for her? Considering the crimes she committed involve you, I would think that you would desire to witness her punishment. A life for a life."

"I came to ask her to put things right. To give back the life she took." Danny said quickly, ignoring the prickling heat flushing up his back.

Not only did Ifrit laugh, but the entire crowd burst into laughter. Danny looked around warily then at Desiree who was now making eye contact with Danny. Instead of her usual malicious grin of delight at witnessing wishes gone wrong, her eyes were filled with fear and sorrow.

Danny frowned as he looked toward the Specter Speeder He looked back at Ifrit who was grinning mirthfully. He had the sinking feeling that these creatures were not going to be helpful, of course he should have known better, but he hoped things would be easy.

Danny wondered what he would have to bargain away to save Sam. His own life. Would he trade places with Sam so she could live? Would she want him to? It was a thorny issue, because he would in an instant, but on the other hand he knew Sam would never forgive him. Danny felt the weight of burden begin to build and he looked at Ifirt with haunted, pain filled eyes.

"I'd give my life in trade," he offered desperately. "Take me instead."

Ifrit shook his head in bewilderment. "And what is your life to us? What makes you think it would be any use to anyone to take it in trade? Do you think we are malicious creatures looking to cause as much pain as we can inflict? Besides, her life isn't ours to bargain with."

"I just want my friend to live," Danny said bleakly. "She's innocent. She doesn't deserve to be caught up in this. It's not her fault. Why should she be punished?" The creatures in the crowd murmured in what seemed like amusement. Desiree covered her face with her hands and Ifrit barked in laughter.

"What you call punishment," Ifrit began. "We see as reward. To be unfettered and free of burdens. To move from this tired plane of existence to a place of joy, love and peace. No. It is a reward, a great fortune she has been afforded. She should embrace it. You should embrace it for her."

Danny closed his eyes in desperation. They weren't going to help Sam. She was dead. He was beginning to feel ill, as if he was stuck in the worst possible nightmare. His chest heaved as he fought the anguish welling up inside his heart. Ifrit regarded him almost fearfully, taking a few steps back.

"Then why do you punish me? My wish was made out of desperation and innocence," Danny said fighting hard to maintain control of his voice. "I would never have wished harm on Sam. Never. I ask that you allow Desiree to restore things to their rightful place." Ifrit took another step away from Danny as he gestured to the crowd to prepare themselves. Danny was too caught up in his panic and pain to register any of Ifrit's reaction.

"What you are asking for is forbidden. We cannot punish Desiree for breaking the rules then turn and break them ourselves," Ifrit explained. "There would be no point in having laws if we could bend them upon a whim, no matter how noble."

"But it's not fair!" Danny yelled. He was unaware of the air vibrating around him. "Things should be put back the way they were. If something is stolen from someone…don't you return it to their rightful owner? Sam's life was stolen. It should be given back!"

Ifrit growled at Danny. "You do not understand child. There is too much we cannot explain and too much you do not know. We cannot change what has already been done. We cannot restore your friend's life. If we could, it would be done."

Danny shook his head in denial. "Desiree took her life. It was forbidden. She moved time. It was forbidden, but she did it!"

Ifrit nodded his head in understanding. "Your logic is sensible," he said to Danny. "So it should be as you desire. But I ask you this. If you should take someone's life which is against your laws, could you restore that same life afterward?"

Danny closed his eyes. "No." he said softly.

Ifirit waited until Danny calmed himself. The ghost boy met Ifrit's burning gaze. "Nor can we child. We sympathize with your loss. She must have been a good friend for you to be willing go to such lengths for her. I am sorry that we are unable to offer easement of your sorrow."

Danny fell to his knees in disbelief and pain. He opened his mouth and cried out in despair, wailing in heartbreak, which sending Ifrit skittering across the platform. Danny's wail turned to anger. He was unable to think clearly as he settled down into the depths of grief. All he wanted to do at the moment as destroy, as he felt destroyed. He sucked in a great breath and yelled with all the strength he had left The crowd began to move back and a glowing red ball of fire began to grow between Ifirt's hands.

"If you seek to destroy us," Ifrit said as he valiantly fought the waves of the ghostly wail "Then we must destroy you." Danny stopped yelling then fell weakly to his hands. Having used all his strength he reverted to his human form and collapsed completely. Ifrit raised the ball of fire high into the air, with the intention of smashing it down on Danny when the Specter Speeder swooped down, and distracted him from his task.

Sam flew out of the vehicle then stood between Danny and Ifrit. "Don't hurt him!" she screamed.

Ifrit gave her an annoyed look. "He has attacked us," Ifrit told her. "His fate lies with Desiree's now. To be judged for his crime. Step back restless spirit and let me continue."

"No!" Sam growled as she stood her ground. "Tuck! Get Danny in the Speeder."

Tucker, sitting in the pilot seat snorted. "Yeah," he said. "Like I can just fly down, grab him and fly back." He grumbled something else under his breath then moved the Speeder so he could jump onto the platform. He picked up Danny who stood weakly with him then forcefully pulled him inside the vehicle.

"Now run!" Sam ordered Tucker. As she turned back to Ifrit whose expression had twisted into rage. The crowd of creatures around him began yelling in anger as well.

"After him!" Ifrit ordered.

"No!" Sam yelled. "Leave him alone!"

"You have no power here!" Ifrit said angrily. Sam narrowed her eyes then let loose with a blinding light.

Tucker put his foot on the accelerator as he looked back and saw the beginnings of the flash of light. He looked at Danny who was curled up at the bottom of the Speeder, unconscious.

"I guess they're not going to help us huh?" He said half to himself.

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When Danny woke, he was laying in his bed. His mother who noticed him stirring stood and rushed forward.

"Jack," she called. "He's awake." But instead of Danny's father, his sister Jazz came rushing into the room.

"See Mom," She said in relief. "I told you there is no reason to call a doctor."

Danny put his hand to his head as he sat up. "Where's Sam?" he asked. "Where's Tuck?"

"Oh Sweetie," Maddie said sadly as she sat down beside Danny and put her arms around him. She rocked him for a moment.

"Tucker is at home," she told her son softly. "Sleeping I hope."

"I need to talk to him," Danny said urgently as he pulled away from his mother.

Maddie looked her son in the eye. "Sweetie," she began. "I know you're upset about losing Sam." The look in Danny's eyes as he met his mother's gaze caused tears to pool in her own eyes. "But going in to the Ghost Zone to search for her was a bad idea?"

"What?" Danny asked in confusion. Jazz caught his eye and she shook her head and pressed her fingers to her lips. Danny gave his sister a funny look then turned his attention back to his mother.

"Even if she was a ghost in The Ghost Zone, she wouldn't be the same person Danny, she wouldn't be the Sam you love. She would be a ghost and…"

"Stop!" Danny said as he put his hands to his ears. "Mom you don't know what you're talking about! You don't know."

Maddie took her son's hands off his ears. "Danny, I do know. I've spent the better part of twenty years studying ghosts and…."

Danny pushed his mother away then turned to Jazz. "Have you seen her?" he asked. "Has Tuck seen her? What happened."

Jazz looked from Danny to their mother then bit her lip worriedly. "No," she finally answered. "Tucker and I went back, but…"

Maddie sighed heavily as she stood and walked to the door. "Tomorrow," she said to Danny. "You're father and I are taking you to see a councilor." Danny opened up his mouth to protest but his mother stopped him. "Tomorrow." She said pointedly then left the room, giving a quick warning look to Jazz.

Jazz waited until she was sure their mother was gone before she rushed forward. "Tuck told me everything," she said urgently. "You've been out for forty eight hours Danny…"

Danny pulled his knees up to his chest and put his face on his legs. "No one has heard from her?" he asked shakily.

"No," Jazz said softly as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "As I said, Tucker and I went to The Ghost Zone twice. She never appeared." Jazz paused a moment then reached forward and touched Danny's shoulder. "Tucker thinks that she's moved on into the afterlife."

Danny groaned then laid down and covered his head with his blankets. "Can you just leave me alone Jazz?" he asked softly. "I just need to be alone."

"Okay," Jazz said as she stood. "I'm so sorry Danny. I.."

"Just leave!" Danny yelled. "Now!" Jazz left the room and Danny jumped from the bed. He changed to ghost mode then phased himself downstairs and through the ghost portal.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

The first creature Danny ran into was a very angry Skulker. The hunter blasted at Danny first then spoke later.

"I know you're mad at me," Danny told the ghost. "But I did give you what you asked for."

"You knew why I wanted the horse!" Skulker accused. "You knew and you purposefully tricked me!"

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "I was desperate!"

"Any truce we may have had is off Whelp," Skulker informed him. "It will be a long time before I consider helping you again."

Danny took a deep breath. "Before you do that," he said. "Can you tell me. Have you seen her? Have you seen Sam? Do you know what happened to her? Please. Please tell me."

Skulker looked at Danny for a moment, his angry scowl turned to one of sympathy. "I'm sorry. I have seen or heard nothing of your friend. I would seem that she's moved on."

Skulker watched as Danny's posture slacked. The ghost boy began to drift down into the ether. The hunter ghost scowled for a moment then went after him.

"You can have my head," Danny said weakly. "You can have my pelt, or do with me what ever your were going to do. I'm not going to fight you anymore."

Skulker didn't reply, he simply flew Danny to his parents portal and threw him out of The Ghost Zone. Jazz herself was pacing back and forth in the lab and when Danny appeared and skidded across the floor as though he were dead, she picked him up and carried him to his room.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

So it was, that time passed. Days and weeks went by with Danny refusing to see anyone, even Tucker. His parents worried. Doctors put him on medication for depression. He talked to every expert his parents brought him too, but he couldn't tell them the truth, so he made up stories. The experts said to give him time.

It a week before school was due to start again that Tucker showed up in Danny's room, refusing to be turned away.

"I was supposed to give something to you," he said almost tearfully as he pulled a white envelope out of his pocket and placed it at the end of Danny's bed.

"I didn't read it or anything," Tucker continued to say as Danny looked from Tucker to the envelope with Danny's name written with Sam's perfect print.

"How could it be," Danny started to say as he stared at the envelope. "That I failed her so badly Tuck?"

"You didn't fail her Danny," Tucker said. "It wasn't your fault. It was Desiree. You did everything you could…" Tucker stopped knowing that saying much more would send Danny over the edge and he'd kick Tucker out of his room.

"Are you…" Tucker started. "Going to read that?" He pointed to the note. Danny shook his head.

"You can if you want Tuck. I don't think I can. I just.." He shook his head and laid down.

Tucker swallowed hard and picked up the letter. He opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. He smiled sadly and half laughed.

"I'm going to read this to you okay?" Tucker said as he looked at Danny who was curled up on the bed with his back to Tucker.

"Dear Ghost Boy," Tucker started then cleared his throat. "My guess is that Tucker is reading this letter to you, because you are stubborn and refuse to read it. Shame on you."

"It doesn't say that does it?" Danny asked as he rolled over and looked at Tucker.

"You can see for yourself," Tucker said as he offered Danny the note.

"No," Danny said. "You can keep reading."

Tucker took a deep breath. "I can guess this because I know you so well," he continued. "I can also guess that if Tucker is reading this to you, that some freakish accident happened and I wasn't able to make it back to you. I'm sorry."

Tucker paused and cleared his throat. "You know I always like to be prepared, and I couldn't resist pulling your heart strings in case something did happen to me. I've always wanted to be in control of those strings of your heart, to be able to use them to pull you to me, but I'm resigned to the fact that someone else directs that pull and makes your heart sing.

"You on the other hand not only pull my heartstrings, you own my heart, you are the melody it plays. My heart has been singing the same song for a long time. I didn't want to tell you because I know how you feel. I've understood, and I've never wanted you to love me in that way, if it was going to hurt you, so I never asked. I'm sorry to lay this burden on you Danny. I just can't go to New York tomorrow and face the knowledge that if something happened, you'd never know how very much I love you, and how much I've understood that you couldn't love me back, and even so, how much you've meant to me and how lucky I've felt to have you as my best friend."

Tucker wiped his eyes and sniffled then continued. "I feel bad leaving you with the burden of that knowledge, but I figure it's a little bit of fair play for all the heart ache I've suffered because of you."

"So if something has happened to me, and I'm gone from you and gone from Tuck. Promise me that you'll continue on your path. I've always been so proud of you. Please don't forget me, because I'll be waiting for you someday at the other end of a white light and we'll get to reminisce about the good old times.

Keep your chin up and your hero's heart. That's the part I've loved the most about you. That you try so hard to do the right thing. You are a good and valuable person Danny. You mean so much to so many. I hope that you carry on with that same sense of bravery and light heartedness that has pulled you through bad times before. Take care of Tucker for me, he's always been our steady rock, he'll continue to be if you don't abandon him."

Tucker began sobbing. He had to stop reading. He covered his face with his hands as the note fluttered to the floor. Danny waited a moment then reached down and picked the note up, scanned it quickly, then read the rest out loud. "And Tuck…You better not be crying. I won't forget you either my sweet Techno Geek. I love both my boys forever and always. Your one and only, Sam."

Tucker and Danny looked at each other for a moment. Danny closed his eyes as he wiped away the tears. "I'm sorry Tuck," he said.

"Me too," Tucker said shakily. "But we've lost her Dan. Do we have to lose you too?" Danny opened his eyes and met the Techno Geek's gaze. He wasn't able to give his friend an answer.

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Can you hear the sad, melodramatic violin music playing in the background? Yeah me too. Don't skewer me with a stick and roast me like a marshmallow for this chapter. I like pulling heartstrings sometimes myself, even if it is rather cheese inducing. And no this fic isn't going to stay this sad. In fact this is the ONLY really really sad chapter!

Review? Alternatly...if you hated this chapter and think I need to make it less cheesy, let me know and I'll take another look and fix it.