Big thanks to Nom de Plume, who again beta-read this chapter.

All my reviewers, you are great, thank you for giving me the energy and will to propel this story further.

Chapter Twelve

Errol had grown slightly complacent about his evening switches between Dash and Sam, so he didn't even check to see if he was being followed. He knew the smaller ghosts were working hard at keeping Danny occupied. He felt guilty about the sacrifice, but was at least satisfied that Danny simply returned the ghosts to the Ghost Zone instead of completely destroying them.

Something about Danny's kindness to the lesser ghosts niggled at his conscience, but Errol was beyond caring. He wanted what he wanted, now, and no less would do. He tried to ignore the horrible reality that using the loyalty and love of the smaller ghosts was wrong, and that he was no better than those who drained them of their small powers and left them weak empty shells. He argued to himself that the sacrifice served a very good purpose.

The ghost's musings ceased when he reached Sam's house. He entered her room and paused tiredly. Errol knew he was in for another night of scaring and upsetting the girl. He didn't enjoy mistreating her like he was. He again reasoned that it was for her own good, that he knew what she needed better than herself, and in the long run, she would be extremely happy.

Errol stood at the edge of Sam's bed and reached down to kiss the face of his obsession when the Specter Deflector did its job, and protected Sam from his ghostly touch. The ghost reeled back in shock. He blinked for a moment in stunned disbelief.

"I thought I got rid of that thing!" he said angrily as he ripped the blanket off Sam and surveyed the Specter Deflector.

"You thought wrong!" Danny yelled as he flew through the window. Errol was stunned again as Danny grabbed him by the back of his robes and phased him up and out of Sam's house.

Errol managed to wrest himself out of Danny's grip, he turned and came face to face with a very angry ghost boy. The ghost knew it was sheer luck which had brought him safe from Danny's detection thus far, and his precious luck hand just run out.

Danny threw Errol up into the air and hit him with several angry and nearly debilitating blasts. The ghost did his best to skitter away, but instead he faltered in the air. He bent his wings around him and let himself spiral down to the ground where he hit with a thud.

Danny himself landed only a few feet away. "Stay away from Sam," he said angrily. Danny's tone angered Errol—how dare Danny tell him to stay away from what was his? The ghost called upon all the strength he possessed as he lay curled on the ground, his wings folded over him like a shield.

"She's mine," Errol growled, his voice was low, but the depth of it caused the ground beneath Danny's feet to shake. Danny was in the process of opening the Fenton Thermos when Errol seemed to explode from his spot curled on the ground. Danny was thrown back by the force of Errol's wings spreading out and the Fenton Thermos flew from his hand and rolled away.

Errol stood and faced Danny, breathing heavily, his face contorted into the ugly form of pure hatred. His skin began to darken, his eyes took on an eerie red glow, the golden ringlets on his head seemed to twist and turn like snakes.

Danny half-watched the transformation as he tried to figure out where the thermos had landed. He spotted it beneath bushes to the right of Errol, and had no idea how to reach it. Danny took on a defensive stance and focused his gaze on Errol, who had spotted the thermos as well.

"Only one of us is going to win," Errol called to Danny. "And it will not be you." Danny didn't answer. He didn't want to waste his breath on this creature; he simply wanted to dispatch it as quickly as possible.

Errol pulled out the bow which was slung across his back, and knocked an arrow. "I suggest, ghost boy," Errol sneered. "That you fly, now." Danny didn't take the bait—he needed to get the Fenton Thermos. Instead, he moved to the side and threw three quick blasts that the ghost, with a great deal of effort, dodged.

Danny knew that this ghost was weak; in terms of sheer power, he could defeat it easily. Unfortunately, what the creature lacked in strength, it seemed to make up for in intelligence. Getting to the thermos was not gong to be easy, not by a long shot.

Errol sent several arrows toward Danny, who dodged them effortlessly. Danny shot back with several blasts, two of which made contact with Errol. The ghost used the connecting blasts to move himself closer to the thermos. Danny knew he'd have to act fast or Errol would be in control, and things would turn extremely ugly from there.

Danny rushed forward and tackled Errol, pushing him to the ground. Errol reached up dug his fingers, which had now transformed into black talons, into Danny's arm. Danny flinched in pain as he punched Errol in the jaw. The ghost brought up his other hand, intent on piercing Danny's neck with his blade-like claws, but Danny blocked the effort then twisted Errol's arm away from him, wincing as the claws sunk deeper yet into his upper arm.

Errol grimaced as Danny twisted his arm harder. He brought one of his wings around and sent Danny flying away, simultaneously ripping his claws from Danny's arm.

Danny groaned, disabled for a moment from the pain coursing through him as his arm oozed green ectoplasm. He looked to the side and almost breathed out in relief. The thermos was only a few inches from the left side of his head his head. Unfortunately, he couldn't move his left arm and had to roll over to reach it with his right.

Danny's fingers had just brushed the thermos when he was confronted with the glowing red eyes of a grinning lesser ghost. The creature hissed at him and grabbed the thermos.

"Get back here!" Danny yelled as he attempted to grab the creature's tail—but the ghost was gone, along with the thermos. Errol was now on his feet and Danny knew he was in serious trouble. How was he going to defeat this ghost without a thermos? His only option was to completely destroy it, something he'd never done before. He wondered, vaguely, what the repercussions in the Ghost Zone would be, for his utter and complete destruction of another ghost.

Danny briefly imagined himself standing trial in some ghostly kangaroo court, overseen by Walker himself, and being sentenced to an eternity of hard labor in one of Walker's prisons. The scenario shouldn't have bothered Danny—he was already a fugitive from Walker's law. What bothered him was that it was likely he would be forced to end a life, or an after-life, rather. The idea was not palatable.

"Between a rock and a hard place, now," Errol said snidely. "Aren't we?"

Danny took a deep breath as he stood and turned to face the ghost. "I don't want to destroy you," Danny yelled. "Don't make me destroy you."

Errol looked at Danny in surprise. "You think you can destroy me?" he asked. "What makes you think that I can't destroy you?"

"You are weaker and smaller," Danny answered. "All it will take are a few short concentrated blasts and you'll be done for. You know it and I know it."

Errol simply threw back his head and laughed. He then brandished the Fenton Thermos and looked at Danny with mock pitying expression. Danny took a few steps back. This wasn't good. Never before had he been in the situation when one of his enemies—other than Valerie—confronted him with a thermos.

"I want you to rest assured in the knowledge," Errol began as he uncapped the thermos, "that I will take very good care of Sam. She will be happy and loved."

"You're right," Danny yelled as he prepared to flee once Errol tried to focus the thermos at him. "She will be well taken care of. She will be happy and loved, but for real. Without your manipulations and your evil."

Errol barked in laughter. "You think you are capable of giving her what she needs? You've already cut her heart to the core many times. You've hurt her. You don't deserve her, you obnoxious little twit!"

Danny shouted in anger and sent several angry blasts toward Errol who simply flew up and around each shot. Danny knew he needed to be quick and unpredictable in order to escape Errol's plan. He flew up after the ghost, firing blast after blast.

Errol aimed the thermos at Danny who moved quickly and shot a blast at the hand holding the thermos. Both Danny and the ghost watched for a brief moment as the thermos fell through the sky—then both dove after it.

The thermos was caught, then activated and capped as the ghost being sucked into the thermos screamed.


Tucker and Sam waited for Danny to walk to school with them, but they were only able to wait so long or risk being late to school.

"Maybe he's sick," Tucker said as he surveyed Sam's worried expression.

"He seemed okay last night," Sam replied.

Tucker smirked at Sam. "If you're so worried, why don't you call him?" Sam gave Tucker an annoyed look.

"Why don't you call him?" she growled.

"Because I'm not the one freaking out over him not being in school," Tucker answered. Sam rolled her eyes at Tucker.

Dash was usually waiting for Sam at her locker when she arrived, but instead of Dash, Jazz was standing there, with a frightened look on her face.

"Have you seen Danny?" she whispered as Sam began opening her locker.

Sam could feel her heart speed up. She swallowed hard. "Not since last night," she answered. "Why?"

"His bed hasn't been slept in," Jazz told her. "I've had to pry him out of bed for the last few days. He's been so tired."

Sam took a deep shaky breath. "Maybe he just got up early." Jazz looked into her eyes and shook her head.

"No," Jazz whispered. "Something's wrong, Sam. I can feel it in the pit of my stomach." Sam could feel it in the pit of her stomach too. She looked up and saw Dash approaching and sighed.

"Good morning, Sweetness," Dash said cheerfully as he stepped between Jazz and Sam so he could bestow a kiss on his girlfriend's cheek.

"Good morning, Dash," Sam said as she held Jazz's gaze. Dash paused and looked back and forth between the girls.

"Am I, like, interrupting something here?" he asked.

Jazz looked at Dash a moment and frowned. "Yes," she answered as she grabbed Sam's hand. "I need Sam's help." Jazz began pulling Sam down the hall, but Dash grabbed Sam's other arm and pulled her away.

"I don't think Sam wants to go with you," Dash said angrily.

"I think she does," Jazz said as she stared Dash down and tried to put Sam behind her.

"She doesn't!" Dash growled. Sam yanked her arm away from Dash and gave him an angry look.

"Why doesn't someone bother to ask me?" she asked angrily. "I am capable of making my own decisions, after all." Dash looked contrite as he bowed his head and looked at his feet. Sam sighed deeply.

"I'll see you in third period," she told him. He looked up at her in shock.

"Sweetness," Dash said as he pulled her close to him. Sam sighed in irritation and looked him in the eyes. He frowned at her.

"Don't go," he whispered.

Sam gave him an odd look. "Class is going to start in three minutes, Dash. You'd see me for all of two. Go to class. I'll see you in Social Studies."

"Fine," Dash said angrily. He shot an evil glance at Jazz then turned and walked away.

"What was that all about?" Jazz asked as she walked down the hall with Sam.

Sam shook her head. "It's all hard to explain." Jazz raised her eyebrows then showed Sam into the broom closet where Tucker was waiting.

"Hey!" Tucker said when he saw Sam. "I didn't think Jazz would be able to wrench you away from your beloved."

"Shut up," Sam said angrily. "He's not my beloved."

"Yeah," Tucker teased. "He's just your boyfriend." Sam was about to open her mouth and say something else when Jazz stopped her.

"Come on, you two," she said in exasperation. "This isn't the time to argue like ten-year-olds. Something has happened to Danny." Both Tucker and Sam looked at each other in shame.

"Who was the last one to see him?" Jazz asked urgently. "What did you discuss? What ghosts has he been dealing with lately?"

"I think I was the last to talk with him," Sam said then looked at Tucker.

"I went to bed early last night," Tucker told Jazz. "The last person I talked to was Sam." Jazz turned and looked at Sam.

"What did you talk about?" Jazz asked.

Sam's mind went a little blank. "He, um..." she started, then smiled. "Oh yeah. He came and brought me another Specter Deflector."

"Why?" Jazz asked curiously. "Have you had ghost problems?"

"We weren't sure," Sam answered. "I've been having really bad nightmares and I just had this feeling that something was going on. Weel before last we had a run-in with a ghost."

"Who?" Jazz questioned curiously.

"We don't know," Tucker answered. "We'd never faced him before."

"But he looked familiar to me," Sam said. "We thought maybe he had a hand in my relationship with Dash, but nothing really changed after Danny caught him and put him back into the Ghost Zone."

"Then why did you want the Specter Deflector?" Jazz questioned. Sam frowned and looked at Tucker. She had begun to feel like she was on the witness stand being grilled by the prosecution.

"Because I've been having really bad nightmares about Danny," Sam answered. "He gave me one to wear before, but something happened to it. He brought me another."

Jazz nodded her head. "And did you have nightmares last night?"

"No," Sam answered. Jazz sent Tucker a look which Sam interpreted as, See, I knew it was her, she's been responsible for this fiasco all along.

"Did you fight?" Jazz queried.

Sam sighed heavily. "No, we didn't fight, Jazz. We parted company on good terms. He was happy when he left my house last night!"

"How happy?" Jazz asked as she raised her eyebrows.

"I'm getting sick of Twenty Questions, Jazz," Sam growled. "All I know is we discussed my nightmares and the possibility of a ghost being responsible. That's it."

Jazz sighed deeply. "Well, that's not much help at all."

"I'm sorry," Sam said, feeling like she was going to cry. She hated the feeling, but she was very frightened for Danny. "I'm not holding anything back. If I knew anything more, you know I'd tell you."

Jazz gave Sam a look of distress. "If I can't find him," she said almost hysterically, "I'm going to have to tell Mom and Dad he's missing, and then the cops are going to get involved, and…" Jazz stopped and let the statement hang.

Tucker sighed. "The only suggestion I have is to take the Specter Speeder into the Ghost Zone and see if it will detect him there. The only problem is, if he's in ghost mode, we won't be able to find him."

"What's the longest we can hold off telling your parents he's missing?" Sam asked.

"One day, tops," Jazz answered.

"I've been suspecting over the last few days that something ghostly has been going on between Dash and myself," Sam said softly. "He's become strangely possessive and doesn't want me to even talk to Danny."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't expect less from Dash," Tucker said. "As far as I'm concerned he's just showing his true colors. 'Cause he's like that, not this charming guy you say he's been."

"Okay," Jazz said as she focused on Sam again. Sam sighed in exasperation. "Maybe the ghost responsible for your relationship with Dash has done something to Danny." Tucker laughed a little and Sam shot him an evil look.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Sam asked. "Walk up to Dash and confront him? I don't think that will work."

"Maybe you should aggravate him," Jazz suggested. "I mean, if things aren't going his way, then…"

"Yeah!" Tucker said like a light bulb had just gone off in his head. "Break up with him or something."

Sam suddenly felt scared. "I don't think that's a good idea, you guys. I don't want to…I do but…I don't want to hurt him, I mean. I care about him."

Tucker put his hand on Sam's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sam, but it might not be real, and Danny's life is at stake."

"Okay! Fine!" Sam said shortly. "I should have known better to think I could have any kind of relationship which isn't manipulated by a ghost." She then frowned as she realized she'd just engaged in a semi-public pity session.

"You two didn't hear that," she said as she opened the door to the broom closet. "And we're going to get detention for being late to class."

Tucker laughed. "We will, at least. You won't, because you're too closely associated to Dash." Sam gave him an evil look and he chuckled.


Errol growled at Dash, "Why did you let her go? You shouldn't have!"

Dash sighed. He wondered if banging his head on the desk would dislodge the irritating creature who'd taken residence in his mind.

Dude, Dash thought. You want me to physically restrain her? You want me to hurt her? In front of witnesses and everything?

"You need to get a handle on things, Dash," Errol warned. "Or I'm taking over."

No! Dash nearly cried out loud. Don't. But you need to be reasonable. I can't just grab Sam. I'd think you'd, like, know her enough to know that you can't do that to her.

Errol took a deep breath. After his fight last night with Danny, he felt jubilant. He wanted everything to work out as cleanly and as perfectly as getting rid of that pesky little ghost boy.

Dash could feel Errol's satisfaction. He knew about the container sitting on his bookshelf in his room. He just didn't know what it contained that filled Errol with such glee, just that it was very important, and the very thought of it sent Errol into what Dash felt was scary evil laughter.

"So, Dash," Kwan said as he waved his hand in front of Dash's face. "Are you, like, ever going to come back down to Earth? 'Cause we need to talk about the dance. The girls are planning something…"

"The dance!" Dash said in exasperation. "I forgot all about that stupid thing." Kwan looked at Dash dumbly for a moment.

"So," he continued. "Paulina and Star have something up their sleeves, and…" Kwan stopped and followed Dash's line of vision as Sam walked into the room.

"Oh, forget it," Kwan said in disgust. "There's no point talking to you now. I think I'm going to help Paulina and Star."

"What?" Dash said. Errol was telling him to ignore Kwan and he was trying hard to focus, but it was next to impossible. Errol kept going on and on about Sam.

"How could you not just love her?" Errol asked. Dash shook his head and forced himself to look at Kwan. Errol fought back and forced Dash to look at Sam, who was now sitting at her usual spot.

"Go talk to her," Errol ordered. "Before class starts." Dash sighed and walked over to Sam.

"What happened to you this morning?" Dash asked as he stood by Sam's desk.

Sam looked up at Dash and smiled. "Nothing really. Jazz just needed my help. That's all."

"So," Dash said. "We're on for after school, right?"

Sam hesitated a moment. She had to think. What she really wanted was to look for Danny, but she remembered that she was supposed to deal with Dash. She sighed deeply, and looked into Dash's pained gaze.

"Yes," she said. "We're on for after school, but only for a little bit. I have a lot of homework to catch up on. I can't let my grades slip."

"My house?" Dash asked, and Sam blinked at him in surprise. She'd yet to be invited to his house. He lived in fear of his father, she knew, though he wouldn't admit as much.

"Sure," Sam said. Dash smiled at her and went and sat at his desk as class started.

Sam swallowed hard. The peaceful feeling she had around Dash was starting to fade and was replaced by something wholly uncomfortable. Her thoughts centered around Danny; she felt sick to her stomach and feared the worst. He had never been gone this long before—not without letting them know.

She caught Dash looking at her as she listened to the teacher talk. She smiled shakily at him and desperately tried to take notes. Instead she wrote out a list of possibilities. Where could Danny have gone?


This is my shortest chapter so far, and I am rather nervous about it. Reviews are needed and necessary! Thank you!