I don't own Danny Phantom or Grossology. They are owned by their respective companies. Though Joe Gutchern is an original character.

Gutchern stared at his remains. His life came flashing before his eyes as the monstrous form of his dissolved. The citizens ran off as the infection deteriorated. The surrounding buildings were flaking off the layers of filthy piled on as the air became clean.

The ghost stared at his remains then looked up at Sloppy Joe. Of everything he had seen within the past few days, the ghost never thought he'd see his body. It didn't even occur to him to find it or anything else. After meeting Sloppy Joe, his mind just went on autopilot.

"B-but...how?"

Sloppy scratched the back of his head. With a silly smile, he put a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Well, it wasn't easy. They built a mall over where your body was," Sloppy Joe explained. He pointed to Ty, who joined with the teens. "But when the grossologists told me where your body was and how it'd help you out...well, I didn't want to see you suffer, Joe."

Joe Gutchern stared at the filthy man. He didn't know how long he had been fighting or paid attention to his serpentine form, but all that was forgotten staring at the skeleton.

His eyes watered as cascade tears cleared below his eyes.

Ty watched with Danny, Abby, and Lab Rat as the monstrous Joe dissolved into his original ghost form. The ghost flew down, now leveling eyes with his friend.

"You didn't have to do that, Joe," Gutchern said softly.

Sloppy Joe glanced at the remains in his hands. He looked back to his ghost friend and smiled.

"We're friends, buddies. And that's what they do." Sloppy's face saddened. "Even if it means having to help your friend pass on."

Gutchern's hand grazed the skeleton, stopping at the name tag on the uniform. He stared blankly, blinking his mucky eye sockets. They always seemed hollow and empty, but the layers were starting to melt too, like ice to the sun.

"You don't have to worry about that, buddy," Sloppy Joe said. His eyes tested up as his voice choked up. "I'll make sure you get a proper burial."

The gross ghost continued to stare before giving a look of concern to his best friend.

"B-but, Joe, what about you?" Gutchern asked. "I move on, you'll be by yourself."

Sloppy Joe waved off any concern and continued to talk with his sad, gross, happy grin.

"Don't worry about me. You go and have fun." Sloppy Joe, unable to hold his emotions, started shedding tears. "But I am gonna miss you, Joe." He wiped a tear from his eye. "You were the best friend I ever had."

Gutchern produced an equal amount of tears as he smiled. While they had only known each other for a couple of days at most, the two could call themselves best friends. The sobbing Phantom soon felt his layers of filth fall off. Piece by piece, the ghost of disgustingness was taking on a more solid and human form.

When the last bit of sludgy, snotty, chunky mix of garbage, poop, sweat, and everything else fell, the teens gasped slightly at Gutchern's form.

He looked like a janitor. A skinny man with fair skin and some balding on his aging face. The man looked friendly as his scruffy shoes touched the ground.

Gutchern studied himself, now recognizing his new form like a forgotten memory. He smiled, dusting himself off any lingering traces of filth.

"You know, it's the darnest thing." He turned to Sloppy Joe. "Drifting in the Ghost Zone for so long made me forget about this. After years of isolation, all I could remember was my name." The ghost gave the happiest smile. "ANd when I finally got out, the first thing that popped into my mind was home, here. And yet...I didn't have the foggiest idea on why I wanted to come back."

Gutchern looked to the partially wrecked city. Its shattered windows and cracked streets almost made him frown.

"And now I wonder why I did all this?"

"I blame Lance," Sloppy Joe said nonchalantly. "It was his weird virus that made you go crazy...I think."

"Yeah..." Gutchern rubbed the back of his neck. He stretched, getting a feel outside the filth. His body started to glow, signaling his departure. "I guess it's time for me to go. Can;t say what will happen to me next, but..."

In his janitor's outfit, the now clean ghost gave Sloppy a hug. He gets one arm come around as the Joe's exchanged one final act of friendship.

"I'm gonna miss you, Joe. And thank you, for everything" Gutchern disappeared in a small flash, leaving nothing but memories as the virus and any trace of his stench and grotesque mix of garbage, bodily fluids, and ectoplasm followed shortly, dissolving into thin air.

People who were infected got up and inspected themselves. They were as healthy as can be and cheered as the city was safe.

Well, everyone but Sloppy Joe, who left wearing a smile in tears.

Ty saw this and got out his goop cannon but was stopped by Abby. Danny and Lab Rat walked over, nodding in agreement. They'd catch Sloppy Joe another day. For now, they'd let him be, for his help.

"You guys sure about this?" Ty asked, staring at Joe. He felt his sister's arms around him, pulling him in tight. The boy wasn't sure what to think as he saw his sister's tears.

"I'm just glad you're alright," Abby said, crying now. She had been so worried after the garbage ball she couldn't bear to think of what could happen to her little brother.

Ty wanted to laugh, but it had been one of the longest days in their career in grossology. He shrugged before returning the hug.

"Yeah, me too. I'm glad we're ok," Ty said.

With the city saved, folks cheered the names of the heroes. People chanted for the Department of Grossology and Danny Phantom. The names could be heard echoing the streets.

The heroes celebrated, pumping their fists into the air. Though they didn't end the fight personally, they did everything they could, and the city and its people were safe. Danny felt Abby squeeze him and returned the hug, twirling around before realizing what they were doing. They stopped with a mad blush as Ty and Lab Rat snickered. After robbing the two, the boy joined in, celebrating the victory.

The police drove in their patrol cars, followed by vans with the biohazard icon. Men jumped out, inspecting the scene. The Detective came in from the first car, wearing a hazmat suit, sans helmet.

"Hey, Detective. Nice suit," Lab Rat said. "Though I don't think it'll offer the same protection as a slime suit."

"It was part of protocol, given the mayor issued a state of emergency," the Detective said. He looked around as men in hazmat suits were accompanied by police officers. Scanners were being used on everything, from the buildings to people to their pets that were nearby.

"I take it whatever was causing this is gone?" The large man asked.

"Yep! And believe it or not, Sloppy Joe is the guy you should thank," Ty replied. "He actually helped me dig a hole to retrieve Gutchern's grave."

The Detective whistled as the others listened.

"And it wasn't just Gutchern we found. There's a bunch of others still buried beneath as well. It was horrible!" Ty grabbed the top of his head.

"Is that so?" The Detective went to his car and picked up a radio. 'I'll see what I can do about getting those folks buried. I have a feeling it might be a good idea."

"Afraid of more ghosts, Detective?" Abby asked with a smirk. She was teasing the officer but knew of the threat Joe Gutchern had presented. Her tone didn't downplay the last few hours, nor did she ever want that again.

"You could say that." The Detective went on the radio, signaling available officers for any help. Most had been spread throughout the city, helping any civilians they could. The teens could see some patrol cars acting as public addresses, telling everyone the epidemic was under control.

Ringworm City was healthy and clean again. Everyone rejoiced.

Except for one tiny little man.

"No! Noooooo!" Lance Boil yelled as his prison dissolved. It took some hits from nearby grombies and a few glass shards, freeing him. The man climbed up a tossed

"This isn't over Nerdlings!" The man grabbed his puss gun and pressed the button on his underwear. The fart-powered jet pack is still in working order. "If you're gonna ruin my perfect world, then I'll just have to do the same with yours."

Lance flew off, cackling about his revenge. He just needed to take care of something, or in his mind, grab the one thing he needed to get back at the teen heroes. Leaving a gassy trail, the tiny man headed out of downtown.

Meanwhile, the heroes celebrated their victory as they helped citizens everywhere. Danny went quickly to work, using his powers for heavy lifting. He made the demanding tasks easy, from cars to some wreckage as Lab Rat patched up his blimp. Fixing a small device, the balloon was slowly filling with air, soon ready for a return trip to HQ.

Ty and Abby did damage control in rounding up any stray citizen who needed help, assisting officers where they could.

After everything was under wraps, the teens met up in the Gag-Balloon. While in flying order, the crash earlier had destroyed much of the equipment. It was still in good shape to fly, but that was it.

"Everything seems to be working fine. Granted, I'm gonna have to decomishion her till repairs are done." Lab Rat studied the consoles, running his hand along the surface. "But its nothing a few days won't fix."

"You plan on sleeping an bathing during those days?" Abby teased.

"Funny." The gagologist responded with a snarky tone.

Everyone glanced at Danny, who had been silent the entire exchange. His head was towards the clouds as she stared out the window. Abby approached him as Ty followed.

"You alright?" she asked.

"I guess but the thing is Gutchern is gone and the city is safe...I think should head home soon." Danny walked away, but his stomach growled. Ty and Abby gave a small laugh as he blushed. "But first, I think I'll see if a sandwich shop is open."

Danny turned to walk away, only to hear a sound from Abby. He glanced over his shoulder to see the girl blushing while rubbing her arm. The girl had a far-off look as she bit her lower lip in nervousness.

"Is there something you wanted to say?" Danny asked.

Abby could feel the smug smirks off art and Lab Rat. The girl blushed as she glanced over her shoulder to attempt to reel them in, but it was vain. And so, she decided to focus on the ghost boy. The boy who came to the city when a new threat appeared. Who had helped them out and became friends with, learning secrets, and even developed a crush on?

"N..not really...just that...I'm glad we met and became friends." Abby smiled as Ty and Lab Rat stared in shock. Hermes, who had kept himself perched on the latter, slapped his face.

Danny blushed, nodding as he turned and flew away. Or he would have if Ty hadn't interrupted him.

"Hey!" Danny turned to the younger brother. "Come back and visit. Ghosts aside, you're pretty cool."

"Not to mention this was fun, despite the close calls," Lab Rat added. Hermes squeaked from his shoulders.

The ghost boy smiled, happy to have made good friends. He waved goodbye and flew off, disappearing into the clouds.

"Ugh!" Abby groaned. "I should've kissed him! It was the right moment and everything!"

"So why didn't you?" Ty teased.

"Ugh! I just didna want it to be the only kiss!"

As the girl complained about her little brother poking fun at her, the gagcom went off. The siblings were too engrossed in their topic to pick them up, leaving Lab Rat to do so.

The gagologist was shocked to see what was happening and instantly snapped his friends out of their discussion. His face was the stuff of fear as he cocked his weapon.

"Guys! Stop talking now! We gotta get beach to headquarters!" Lab Rat yelled.

"What?"

"We gotta get back! Someone broke into the lab! I'll explain on the way, hurry!"

The blimp flew off as Danny disappeared. Whatever was the problem, they'd have to deal without him.

From the beginning, this was how it was going to end. Not as a final battle between good and evil, but of a soul moving on. Whether or not you think Gutchern deserves any redemption is up to you. He's gone and hopefully making peace with himself. I didn't want to have him appear as a constant character, thinking the plot would have been repetitive. Anyway, one more chapter to go. I'll get it out within the next few days. I didn't want to just end it with Danny flying off.

Leave a review and let me know what you think.

Reviews:

danifan3000: Thanks!

RonaldM40196867: Point taken. Unless you see anime and anime-like games where they are cute.

LordGriffin1000: Exactly.