Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Danny Phantom.

A/N: A thanks to all my reviewers!

Chapter Five: Lying Away From You

"You WHAT!" That was the first thing Jazz Fenton shrieked out, before Sam clapped a hand over her mouth. Jazz was visiting her parents on a brief break from school, and she, Sam and Tucker were in the living room. Jack and Maddie were downstairs, and most likely wouldn't have heard that, but they'd rather be safe then sorry. They had been unable to convince Jazz to come to one of their houses to talk, so had met here. Sighing, Sam leaned back in her seat, moving her hand away.

"Calm down- that is why I suggested meeting at my place!" She stated with a frown. Tucker looked over at her.

"You could've told me what happened before we came- I was pretty close to yelping there myself." Sam had just spoken about what happened earlier; her little encounter with Danny.

"Well, you all know now. But that aside, we need to think about what to do. What's going on exactly, because part of this doesn't make sense." Sam pointed out. "We couldn't find a single sign of him for two years, then now we suddenly do? It's like he was so careful before, then slipped up!"

"Maybe he got careless?" Tucker mused. "Or maybe he wanted us to find him- he could be lonely."

"Then why leave again?" Jazz cut in. She looked out the window a moment, then at the other two. "So all this time, there have been no ghosts, because he's still fighting them?" Sam nodded.

"Thing is, he mentioned only doing it because it gives him something to do. He didn't bring up protecting the town. Remember that store a few months back? It was battered inside, but no break-in signs? What if Danny had gone through a scuffle there? They did say it looked like people had been fighting." Sam murmured. "It's like he doesn't really care what happens to the town itself anymore." Jazz opened her mouth to say something, when her parents came barreling out of the basement.

"We finally got a live one!" Jack was heard bellowing out before they were gone. The trio sat in the living room a moment, before leaping to their feet.

"Come on!" Sam was the first out the door, calling over her shoulder to the other two. It took a lot of running, and cutting through some back alleys, but they finally reached the spot of street where Jack and Maddie were with their hunting gear. Tilting her head back, Sam saw someone else she hadn't seen in ages- Skulker. His armor must be upgraded a lot, for the once black-and-silver gear was now all black, and the skull-like face was now an actual mask in skull-form, red eyes lit up. It was still somewhat bulky looking, but Sam had a feeling that was due to the extreme arsenal it no doubt held.

Purple blasts were being fired, and their target easily dodged. Everyone below was shocked to see the missing ghost boy was actually back. Sam and Tucker, who had seen Danny fight before, were shocked at the actual fighting going on.

Lifting both hands so they were cupped tightly together, Danny suddenly tossed them out, a bright red blast lancing forth, hitting Skulker and causing him to crash to a rooftop. This was something odd. Last Sam remembered, Danny's blasts were green…

Danny lunged down to the rooftop, feet first, so he slammed into Skulker's chest. A rocket came from the ghost-robot's shoulder, and the blast made Danny tumble back in the air, but he quickly regained his composure. When Skulker was back up, Danny spun once, his foot snapping up and making contact with Skulker's head. He then grabbed his arm, and with a snarl, tossed him towards the ground where a loud 'bang!' went up from where he hit. People scattered. Jazz and Sam glanced at one another, and at Tucker. Yup- Danny wasn't taking heed to the people below.

Floating down to the ground calmly, Danny stood with his arms folded as Skulker stood back up, hands clenched into fists. Danny shook his head slightly, sighing, before looking at his opponent with one brow raised slightly.

"No matter how many upgrades, nothing is going to help you." Danny said in a flat, bored tone. Skulker lifted one arm, a large gun formed over it. It was then, as aim was taken, Danny spotted Jack and Maddie aiming between him and Skulker, unsure of which one to hit. Danny eyed them a moment, then a sudden, cold smirk curled its way onto his face as he turned back to Skulker. The ghost-hunting ghost faltered. Lunging forwards, Danny's fist connected with Skulker's jaw.

On the sidelines, Tucker wondered when Danny began to be more physical, rather then using his ghost powers. Jack fired off a shot, which barely missed Danny, but hit Skulker's arm. Danny took this chance to grab Skulker's throat, lifting him up and slamming him into the ground. Before the eyes of all those watching, Danny's fists slammed into Skulker's armor over and over again. Metal components went flying as he began to tear the robotic-pieces apart. Skulker managed to toss Danny off of him with his one working arm, and pressed a button on his shoulder as Danny leapt back up.

"Let's see how you handle this, ghost child." Skulker's voice even sounded metallic. Danny looked about as, without warning, thousands of metallic bugs swarmed from the shadows and from the rooftops, filling the sky and ground around him. There was a pause, before they all darted for him, covering him in a huge mass. Sam was about to yell out, but stopped herself, knowing that could be risky. Suddenly, a faint sound could be heard, growing rapidly in pitch, as the ground began to shake.

Danny burst from the bug swarm, mouth open as a scream left him. Everything was shaking, and windows began to smash. His eyes were shut as everything rumbled, and some stone began to crack. The robotic bugs, from being so close, began to tear apart from the force. The wail finally stopped, and Skulker found himself lifted into the air by his throat, Danny staring him down. The green eyes flickered…

…once…

…twice…

…they turned red, as a deep breath was taken. His robotic eyes widened as he was hit with a wave of pain, the screech that left Danny hitting him full force. The grip on his neck was released and he went flying, hitting the side of a building.

Finally the noise stopped, and amidst the dust from pieces of buildings that had cracked and hit the ground, Danny stood calmly, frowning a little, watching Skulker twitch. He turned his head to look at those watching fearfully, before walking to Skulker. He crouched down, and suddenly smiled.

"I'll give you a month before I come after you. And when I do, do try to put up a better fight, hmm?" Skulker stared at the smile being directed at him, the red eyes glowing, the one covered by the snow white hair seeming to flicker. Standing suddenly, Danny snapped a hand out, grabbing Skulker's shoulder. Taking a few steps back, then flying upwards, he spun once in the air before tossing the robotic-ghost a fair distance from him. "Or, I can count to three, and come after you now. One…" Danny didn't reach two, for Skulker used the jets that were still functional on his back to blast away. Drifting back down, so he was hovering a bit above the battered pavement, Danny's eyes returned to green, that slightly deranged smile still on his face a moment, before leaving.

Turning to look around him, he moved to one side a little as a blast aimed from Maddie's weapon shot past him. As Danny looked over at his unknowing mother, Sam wondered if he was about to fly off, when he smiled faintly again- not a deranged one this time, more of calm, knowing smile. He then waved at the two befuddled ghost-hunters, before finally spotting Sam, Tucker and his sister Jazz on the sidewalk. He watched them a moment, the smile still there, before he suddenly became semi-transparent. Not invisible, but intangible. Diving down as if into water, he vanished into the pavement, leaving the wreckage of the battle, and very shocked and confused people, behind.