Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Summary contest: See profile

A quick note: We're almost there, people! We're almost to the end! I've had a lot of fun writing this story, and I think Red's-Fury had a lot of time Beta Reading it. I'll be sad to see it go.

Reviews: dannychic, dannynsam4ever, MysticLady3, Iaveina, Iluvdolphins, Centaurgurl08, meow, crazybtsy, Droodle Phantom, Samantha-Girl Scout, Ness Lupin, Summers Rage, animesk8ergirl, Siren of Time, Van Uber, phantomshadowdragon, Abster1, Arica Princess of Rivendell, Perfect yet broken, Artemis's Arrow.

Special thanks to Red's-Fury and PhillyE2Heart.

Chapter 9: Finding the way home

Daniel fought harder and harder each time, new memories making him push on, making him fight just a little bit longer. Sam was out there somewhere, and she could help him remember anything he didn't remember while trapped here. "Come on, Sammy. You can't hide forever," he called out. He growled and blasted another ghost. His ghost ray was still pink! He needed to be stronger than Vlad. He had to be faster, tougher… He had to be better than Vlad in everything. He couldn't be equal with that evil man. He had to be stronger because he had to beat him. If not now, he had to beat him later, but he wanted to be stronger now.

He looked up finally, blue eyes clouded with pain. "I'll do it," he choked out. He let out a roar, firing another blast at a group of ghosts, blasting them into nothingness. He imagined each one being Vlad. That man had tried to get him to disrespect his best friend. That man had asked him to throw aside all his morals to give him a son that he could manipulate in any way he chose. His eyes glowed with a dark fury, changing from blood red to a deep emerald and blinking between the two before finally settling on emerald just as he fired another blast… a blast that was a silver color. He gasped, looking at his hands. He'd done it. He was more powerful than Vlad.

He growled, hands balling into fists as he whirled around, heading for the exit. The virtual training around him shut down, and the exit door opened as Vlad entered to see what was wrong. "You!" Danny growled, his eyes still glowing a furious emerald color. "I could kill you for what you've done to me, what you've done to Sam. Instead, I'm just going to get you out of my way until I can pound your ass into the ground." Then he fired a silver ghost ray at the man, blasting him into a wall across the room.

Danny didn't even bother to stay to see the man slide to the ground with a groan. He shot off through the ceiling, passing through each story of the mansion until he was free of it completely. He hovered in the air for a moment, considering what direction to go. He set his jaw then flew off in the direction he had chosen. He wouldn't stop until he reached Sam. I'm coming, Sam. Just hang on, I'm coming.

Sam was due any day, and she knew it. Her due date was circled in big, bold, black permanent marker, and she had just crossed off the day before it. She sighed, rubbing her swollen stomach. Danny's not going to make it in time, is he? Oh, Danny, I just wanted you to be there to see your baby brought into the world. She didn't know if it was a boy or girl. She refused to let the doctor tell her. She wanted to be surprised, and she wanted Danny to be surprised. She waddled across the room, pulling on a bathrobe as she moved to leave the room. She grimaced, clutching her stomach as a pain shot through her abdomen. Then her water broke.

"Ah, fuck," she muttered then she screamed for help.

Danny was nearly delirious by the time he reached Amity Park, tumbling to a weak landing in the middle of the park. A blue ring appeared at his middle, returning him to human form. He groaned and raised himself to his hands and knees, closing his eyes for only a moment. I've got to find Sam, he reminded himself, eyes opening once more. Ignoring his body's protests and cries of hunger, he stumbled out of the park and toward the Manson mansion. The butler announced that no one was home. The Manson's had left only five minutes earlier for a family emergency. Danny's brain was too fuzzy to try and piece together what the old British dude could possibly mean. Instead, he went to the next best place: his house.

The "Fenton Works" sign was on, like always, but no one seemed to be home. Danny, unfortunately didn't have his key. He was starting to grow frantic. Darkness was creeping into his vision, and he was sure he was going to pass out soon if he didn't get some food in his system. He groaned then returned to the streets, heading for the last place he could think of: Tucker's. He knocked on the door, looking up with bleary eyes as the door opened.

"Tucker," he choked out and nearly collapsed on his friend.

Tucker grabbed him, setting Danny's arm around his shoulder. "Dude, you look like shit. What the hell happened to you?"

"Long, long journey," he mumbled, eyes half-open. "Tuck'… I have to find Sam. Do you know where she is?"

"You need to eat something first then I'll tell you."

"Fine," the barely-alive halfa muttered, "but make it fast."

Sam lay on the hospital bed, dressed in the ugly gowns they gave out and grimacing each time a labor pain ripped through her. She had about two hours until she could actually give birth, and until then she could have visitors. Only the father of the baby would be allowed in the delivery room. Her parents stood on one side of her bed while the Fenton's stood on the other. Jazz had brought her husband and her little girl with her. The Manson's weren't at all happy to see that bizarre, ghost-hunting family, but for the sake of their suffering daughter, they tolerated them at least for now.

Sam closed her eyes, panting as another labor pain tore through her. "Jazz, I want Danny," she whispered. "Why isn't Danny here? I want Danny to be here…"

"I know," Jazz whispered, brushing the girl's hair from her face and dabbing at her forehead with a wet cloth. "Stay strong, okay? You know Danny would want to be here if he could."

She nodded, smiling weakly. Jazz's words did bring some comfort. She reached out and grasped the other girl's hand. "Thank you," she mouthed, eyes closing tightly as another pain hit her.

Danny ate and ate and ate, feeling as if he hadn't eaten in days. When he was finally finished, he pestered Tucker for information on Sam. "I went by her house and mine. I can't find her."

"Dude…" Tucker shook his head. "She was just taken to the hospital."

Danny's eyes widened, and he gripped the table, fearing the worst. "What? Why?" he cried.

"Danny," Tucker set a hand on his friend's shoulder, "she went into labor."

Labor? Wait, a minute... We... and she... She's pregnant! "Oh my god," he choked out, eyes glazing over. "I-I have to go. I have to be with her." He ran out of Tucker's house without so much as a goodbye.

Tucker chuckled, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed behind his head. Life was good. He let out a yelp as his chair toppled backward, depositing him onto the floor. "Ouch…"