Walking around Valds House was a trip, everything was so big, who even needs a house this big when you live alone. Every corner you turn there's five more waiting. He didn't have the strength to go intangible and float around to find any of the rooms so he and Jazz were just walking around in circles struggling to even find their way back to the room they started in.

"For crying out loud, why does he need so many rooms!" Leaning against the wall Danny felt his whole body give in leaving him sitting on the disgustingly clean floor, pulling his knees up to his chest he tries to feel his core. He felt something deep in his chest spark, but it wasn't his core, something new. Closing his eyes he strains to feel it more, a dull spark, a hollow feeling.

Letting out a frustrated grunt Danny let's his head drop inbetween his knees. Why did he even think he would feel the same, his body and organs, gone. In his parents lab, they belong to them now, maybe they always did.

What is it that's inside of him now? Whats inside ghosts anyway, it can't be guts can it? But what else is there? He has too many questions.

Will Vlad cut him open too? Maybe thats how he plans on figuring out what he is, rip into him like his parents did. No of course he won't he promised.. but when has that mattered to Vlad. God what was he even doing here, at the house of the man who's done nothing but try and ruin his life.

Feeling Jazz sit next to him Danny let's his legs drop and rests his hands on his thighs, and now he's managed to bring his sister into his mess. He is really fucking everything up. If he'd never even went into the portal then everything would be okay. No ghosts, no rivalry with Vlad, no stress..

"A penny for your thoughts?"

He doesn't want to share this line of thought with Jazz, she would psychoanalyze it, either that or he'd drag her down to the depression hole he's in. He couldn't help the sigh that slipped past his lips, why was this so hard.

"I don't know.." Hearing Jazz hum next to him he allows his head to fall onto her shoulder, eyes feeling heavy he closes them, come to think of it his whole body is feeling heavy. Maybe he should rest for a while... no no he needs ectoplasm not rest. He needs to get up and find Vlads portal as soon as possible before he runs out of time and energy.

But getting up seems impossible. He'll just rest his eyes for a second.

Thats all just a second.

Hearing whispers he opened his eyes, jumping at the sight of Vald crouching down, he glances at the hand that's resting on his neck.

"Erm?"

"Just checking for a pulse, you don't seem to have one but there's definitely something there. Weird." He tries to lift his arm to bat Vald away but he couldn't even make it a few inches.

"Ah I figured you'd need this sooner or later," reaching into a bag he pulls out a needle making Danny flinch, Jazz reaches out and strokes his head to reassure him as Vlad explains, "It's just a booster, think of it like an energy drink. I didn't think you'd want to go into the ghost zone just yet."

Feeling it pinch on his inner arm Danny winces, you'd think he would be used to it by now. As soon as Vlad empties the tube he instantly feels better, his body relaxing. Head falling through the wall when he leans back, letting out a shout he stumbles to sit up again.

"That happen often?"

"I don't.. a few times?" Giving an annoyed grunt in response Vlad pulls out another needle causing Danny to pull away, "what is that?"

"Another dose of the booster, I fear you're weaker than I thought." As he tried to put the needle in Danny's arm it went intangible, "Try to keep it solid for me would you?" Apologising Danny strains to do as he asks.

"Its okay Danny you can relax, he's helping."

"I know, I don't know why it's doing that."

"You're probably just anxious, it's okay."

Forcing himself to relax he let's Vlad take his arm and inject the contents of the needle into him, he hears something buzzing, he watches as Vlad pulls out his phone and gestures at the siblings to be quiet. Walking away he seems to be having a conversation with someone, he looks annoyed.

"You think we're getting in his way?"

"Probably but who cares, you need help Danny!" Coming back to them Vlad looks pissed off, arms crossed and a grim expression.

"Your fathers looking for you," seeing the duos faces he quickly reassures them. "I didn't tell him anything, although he wasn't being very open as to why he was looking for you, not surprised considering the circumstances. Can you walk?"

Rising to his feet Danny nods holding onto Jazz's hand.

"Good follow me, I'll take you to the lab." Beckoning for them to follow he sets a fast pace looking back every few minutes to make sure they are keeping up, as they reached the doors to his lab his pace slowed, "I have the afternoon off if you're up for it I would like to get a start on the tests."

"...nothing bad?"

"Nothing bad little badger."

Settling down onto one of Vlads tables he cracks his knuckles, Jazz bats at him and gives him a disapproving look, ah yeah not good on the joints apparently.

"Take off your shirt please," hesitating Danny looks down at his chest, would there be a scar.. "take as long as you need." He couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not, slowly he pulls his shirt over his head, eyes screwed shut. He didn't hear anything from Vlad or Jazz indicating there was anything wrong, building up the courage he opened his eyes and quickly looked at his chest, like a bandaid you've got this.

Sucking in a breath at the huge Y incision across his chest he drops his top, he feels all the blood rush to his head he couldn't hear anything other than his heartbeat, or whatever it is, in his ears. Looking up with watery eyes he sees Vlad getting something ready with his back to him, Jazz next to him helping as they talk about something. Looking back down at his chest he takes in every detail, the horrible green sploches that were a darker green the closer they go to the fresh wound. At least it looks fresh but it can't be, it's not bleeding. Bringing his fingers up to the incision he touches it, its dry not wet like it looks. Pushing his finger into the wound he's surprisingly not shocked to see it dissappear into his tissue, pulling it back out he rubs his fingers together. Barely any ectoplasm.

He takes in a deep breath and watches almost in fascination as the incision spreads open with each breath, he pushes his finger into the wound again trying to see how deep it actually goes. He stopped when his fingers were 2 thirds in, he could pull his own guts out all it would take is a small tug and whatevers left inside of him would come spilling out and onto Vlads floor. He can't tear his eyes away, his whole chest is open for anyone to defile.

"Danny..."

Lifting his head he sees Jazz staring at him one hand reaching out to him the other covering her mouth, Vlad is stood completely still behind her with his eyes staring straight at his chest. Where his fingers lay...inside of him. He pulls them out slowing causing Jazz to wince and turn away while Vlads frown just deepends.

"You feel that?"

"Yeah. Not in a pain way, more tingling than anything." Vlad hums. "It's open."

"Pardon?"

"The wound, its open."

"Well I can see that little badger.."

"No I mean that its open."

"Alright... I'll stich you up, I'm sure I have something that you won't phase out of."

"Why can't I remember what happened?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, could be a defence mechanism, most ghosts don't remember their deaths."

"You okay Jazz?" She nods but she looked anything but okay, "you can leave if you want."

"No. I'm staying."

"Okay." Closing his eyes he focuses on finding his core again there's something there he just has to figure out what, there's a dull thud, almost like a heartbeat. Must be what Vlad felt, its not where his heart used to be its more under his stomach, maybe what he needs to do is remember what happened before he tries to figure out what he is.

He hears Vlad walk behind him and then place something cold on his back, he gets asked to take a deep breath so he does, keeping his eyes screwed shut as he tries not to look at his chest open. He continues to follow Vlads instructions almost on auto pilot as he tries to remember what happened after he left Tuckers house.

He left because there was a ghost.

Who was it.. groaning in frustration he keeps trying to clear the haze over his memories. He got into a fight with someone and then he just went home? That doesn't seem right.

"There's definitely some sort of fluid in your.. you"

Being pulled out of his thoughts he looks at Vlad confused, causing him to sigh.

"Usually it would be in your lungs but considering you might not have any. I also heard something beating." Scratching his beard he looks at Danny's chest, "Too slow to be a heart. Too dull for a core." Slapping his hands together he walks off to a big machine and starts pressing buttons. " Alright time to give you an X-Ray or maybe a CT scan would would better." Rummaging through a draw he keeps muttering to himself.

"You doing okay?"

"Jazz.. what are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"I can't go home," Looking at her from the corner of her eye he slowly continues. "You need a family, you have college to worry about and-"

"Let me stop you right there. Those.. those scientists are not my family! Not after what they've done to you, I'm staying with you even if its the last thing I do." Pulling her brother into a hug she whispers into his ear. "I'll kill anyone that gets in my way."

Feeling his eyes fill up with tears he wraps his arms round his older sister, he doesn't want to cry in front of Vald but he can't help it, the tears just keep coming. Falling down his cheeks and landing on Jazz's shoulder he takes a deep choppy breath and let's out a rough sob, gripping onto her top so hard his hands shake, another choppy breath in.

"You're okay. You're okay. I've got you little brother."

He's not okay, he's never going to be okay because his parents have tore him apart and taken every part of his body and put him in jars.