"Uhm, no one saw that, right?"

It wasn't a question, it was a plea. If he asked nicely, if he said please, if he begged, would they just forget what they saw? Would they go back to their lives, go back to wondering who the ghost boy was, and leave him to live his life? Or was such a thing too much to ask of the people of Amity Park?

Judging by the gasps that practically shook the stadium, he guessed it was. And yet as shocking as all of it was, he didn't have the energy for it to fully sink in yet. His body was barely standing and over half of it was aching with various injuries.

Maybe if he were to just close his eyes, he'd discover it was really all a dream and he wouldn't need to deal with the fallout of this mess. And maybe he might've convinced himself of such a thing, if a voice in the front row that normally grated his nerves hadn't chosen that moment to chime in.

"Danny Fenturd is Danny Phantom?"

It was the first voice to break the spell of gaping silence and in its wake several others had begun pressing in, creating a buzz that was nearly incomprehensible. His eyes moved away from Dash to a particularly beautiful raven haired girl who matched his stare with wide, gleaming eyes.

"And he's totally infatuated with me!" Paulina cried out, clasping her hands together and bouncing on her toes in excitement. "That makes things so much easier! For me!"

Standing up straighter, a sharp pain struck through his chest as the halfa resisted the urge to cater to his bruised ribcage. The last thing he needed was to be showing off any kind weakness, not with thousands of eyes on him and the weight of the camera displaying his every move to the viewers at home.

Oh God, home. His parents always left that television on in case of ghost attacks. Had they seen him? Of course they had. Oh God. He couldn't do this. What was he supposed to do now? He felt sick, he wanted to throw up and get away from all the prying eyes.

Forcing himself to swallow the metallic taste growing in his mouth, his eyes followed the trail of reddish green blood rolling down his arm from the gash in his bicep, the droplets dripping to the stage in a disturbing fashion. The need to run was near bursting inside Danny's chest as he caught Sam's eyes, worry and fear mixing into an odd expression as she nodded towards the crowds.

Large groups of kids and adults were moving in closer, gathering around the stage and chattering faster, excitement and confusion melding together and setting him further on edge. They were blocking all of his exits and he felt trapped, and he hated feeling like that. Like some caged animal waiting for the inevitable. But what was he supposed to do?

His body was exhausted, hell, he was barely even standing at this point. He wouldn't stand a chance of shoving through them all, and where would he even go? The wide open stadium wasn't known for its great hiding places, and the school wouldn't be much good either.

And the last thing he wanted was to face his parents, although he was sure that they'd be showing up any second now to confront him. Confront him, capture him, ground him, experiment on him.

At this point, he really couldn't be sure what they would do.

In less than two minutes his entire world had crashed down around his ears, and he didn't even know how he felt about it. He should've been worried, he should've been freaking out, but all he could focus on were the crowds growing closer and the dull beating of his own heart that was practically echoing in his ears.

There was another gasp and the sound of shuffling feet, and suddenly there were people climbing onto the stage itself, ripping away the last safe space the halfa had left. Kids he recognized from class, teenagers he'd seen wandering the halls; some people that he couldn't even remember ever seeing before were encroaching in on him, and all he could do was shuffle back like a coward while grimacing at the protests his body angrily shot at him.

Closer and closer they moved, like lions stalking their prey. People he'd known his whole life stared at him as if he were an alien, moving closer to gape at the new weirdest attraction Amity Park had to offer.

He almost cried in relief when he saw Sam and Tucker shoving their way through to reach him. Tucker wove his way under arms and around bodies, while Sam forcefully shoved people out of her way with both hands and a fierce scowl.

Danny backed up another step, his foot bumping into the now dormant drum kit as he realized his arm was wrapped around his chest, at some point protecting himself instinctively. Should his heart be pounding so heavily? He was scared. He'd never admit it aloud, but he was terrified. What were they going to do, mob him? Accuse him of ruining their town just as his parents had done?

Tucker's arm was pressing into him, and he realized a moment after it happened that Tucker had taken the drum kits seat and held it up in front of them, waving it towards anyone who tried to get too close.

"Back! Back you savages!"

Tucker yelled, both hands gripping the leather seat and swinging it as if attempting to tame a wild animal. His red beret was dirty and his shirt had a tear in the shoulder where Danny could see blood puckering up from the skin.

Looking to his left, Sam had grabbed a microphone by its cord, swinging it as fast as she dared and creating an effective weapon of her own in an attempt to help him. Lavender eyes caught worried blue ones and she tried to muster up a weak smile.

"Well, it could be worse?"

She offered, drawing a scowl to the ghost boy's lips.

"Yeah? How's that?"

He scoffed, wiping a hand down his arm and smearing the blood across his pale and clammy skin. Cold. He was always so cold after a transformation.

"Nobody move!"

The booming voice brought a halt to the excitement happening on the stage, heads turning to look around as Danny groaned.

"You just had to jinx it, didn't you Sam?"

He grumbled, heaving a long sigh as the mic in Sam's hands slowed to a stop. Hovering above the crowds and in front of the trio were the Guys in White, jetpacks strapped to their backs and two guns held tightly in their hands.

"They're not actually going to shoot us, are they?"

Tucker questioned, leaning back into the halfa as Danny could only shrug. This was it. He'd officially decided today was the worst day in his entire life.

"You're coming in for questioning."

One of the men proclaimed, adjusting his gun and aiming the barrel directly at Danny's chest.

"And experimenting. Lots of experimenting."

The second chimed in, his own gun finding its way to Danny's sleight frame. His body was trembling, though whether it was from pain, exhaustion, fear, or simply a mixture of them all he didn't know.

What he did know was that the Guys in White were pointing their guns at him, and in turn at his friends. He didn't care if they wanted him, but he couldn't put Tucker and Sam in harm's way. Swallowing thickly, Danny's jaw locked as he took a step forwards, both of his friends arms blocking his way.

"Danny, no."

Sam hissed, terror prominent in her eyes as she clutched the weaponized microphone. All he did was reach his hand up, realizing too late it's still smeared in his blood, and gently pushed her arm away. Taking another step forward, he shoved his fear down and displayed a cocky smirk, a trademark of Danny Phantom.

"As much as I would love to be your lab rat, I don't think it's gonna happen any time soon. Sam, Tucker, grab ahold of me. I'm going ghost!"

His two friends grabbed ahold of either arm, the stool dropping from Tucker's hand and the mic from Sam's. The entire crowd seemed to collectively hold their breath as two rings of light appeared around the halfa's middle, moving up and down over the boy and turning his ordinary clothes into his jumpsuit.

Black hair is replaced with snow white, and as he blinked he could feel the glow of emerald eyes studying the people around him. A collective gasp raced through the crowd, as if when he'd changed from Phantom to Fenton it had only been a trick, but now changing from Fenton into Phantom it was suddenly entirely real.

"Go!"

Sam shouted, grasping his arm tightly as he grimaced, blood trickling down underneath his suits sleeve. Pushing himself into the air, he could feel his friends holding tighter, the stage disappearing below them as the news chopper pulled in closer. As they flew, he could hear his name being chanted over and over again, something he'd never thought possible as Tucker laughed.

"Dude, you're a rock star!"

Leave it to Foley to look on the silver lining of his biggest secret getting out and finding the link to their popularity hidden within it. Though even he had to admit, he could see the bonuses of his outing.

"Danny? Shouldn't we be going higher, not lower?" Sam asked, her voice sounding through a tunnel as the halfa looked over at her. "Danny? Hey, focus on me, are you okay?"

She was worried, he knew by the way her forehead was creased and her nose was wrinkling. But why was she worried? He was fine, he was great. He was falling. And was someone screaming? The world was spinning, trees and clouds tumbling over one another as his body smashed into the wooden floor of the stage once more and he transformed back to his normal self against his will.

"Danny!"

Tucker was shaking at his arm, trying to force the halfa to rouse, but he was so tired. Couldn't they let him just breathe and relax for a few minutes? Hadn't he earned that after all of this? He was so tired, and it hurt and-

"Danny!"

Snapping his eyes open, His friends breathed a sigh of relief.

"Some rock star," Danny mumbled, sitting up slowly as he found a pair of guns once more trained on him. "I think that reality gauntlet messed with my ghost powers."

Looking over at where Sam was kneeling with her hand over her knee protectively, she rolled her eyes.

"Or you're just exhausted."

She spit out, giving him a pointed stare.

"Come with us, Ghost Kid."

The Guys in White demanded, moving in closer as Sam's fingers wrapped around the collar of Danny's shirt.

"I'll get us out of here."

"How-"

"Mosh pit!"

The Goth screamed, tugging on Danny again as he stumbled to his feet only to be shoved from behind and off the stage into the crowds of people. He braced for the impact of impending asphalt, but it never came. Instead, he's shifted and carried over the top of the crowd, moving further and further away from the threat as his friends followed after him.

"Get him! Don't lose him!"

"Get back here!"

The shouts of the Guys in White disappeared as Danny was lowered carefully to the ground, his body crouching and hiding within the crowd as Tucker and Sam joined him a minute later.

"He's lost his ghost powers, find him!"

The men shouted in the distance as Sam grabbed ahold of his arm.

"Move!"

She commanded, tugging him along as they separated themselves from the people.

"Where are we going to go? Those guys have jetpacks!"

Tucker complained, a hint of envy in his voice as they skirted around the edges of the field.

"Over there."

Sam pointed, the building that held the locker rooms in plain sight.

"They'll think to look there, Sam."

Danny sighed, his left hand wrapped around the wound still bleeding from his arm. Normally his ghost powers healed him quickly, but he was starting to think that gauntlet really did mess with him more than he'd initially thought. Would he be able to transform again at some point?

"What other choice do we have, Danny? We can't let them take you away!"

She's exasperated, her cheeks flushed a bright pink as lavender eyes scoped out the area, her thin fingers still gripping his wrist tightly. He followed behind her, noticing the chipped black polish on her middle finger, and a small cut on the back of her hand.

And they were warm, her hands. He was always cold anymore, a side effect from being half ghost he'd guessed, but the warmth of her skin was one he didn't mind too much. In fact, it was helping to keep him calm, grounded.

"Earth to Danny! Did you hear what I just said?"

"What?"

"I take that as a no." Sam sighed, shaking his arm lightly. "I said we need to figure out where to go after we get out of here. What about the ghost zone? Those guys wouldn't dare risk going in there!"

With a frown, the halfa leaned against the door of the locker room, taking a slow breath now that the immediate danger was gone.

"We'd have to get by my parents and I promise you Sam, that's not gonna be possible after this."

"Dude, are you okay? You look kinda pale."

He can't tell if it's a joke or not, but the boy flashed his friend a weak grin anyway.

"I'm fine, Tuck. Did you hear Paulina?"

He's trying to lighten the mood, and as Tucker smirked, Sam is scoffing, dropping his hand and folding her arms.

"You are kind've a chick magnet now, Danny."

"Sure, if you like shallow girls."

"Ease up, Sam, he needs a break and-"

Danny doesn't catch the last of his friend's words, the door behind him opening and sending him sprawling back as two heavy hands grabbed his shoulders and drug him into the darkness inside.

He let out a yelp, and he heard Sam and Tucker struggling as the door slammed shut behind them.

He was fighting against his unknown, shadowed foe with panic seizing his chest. They shouldn't have stopped, they should've kept going.

Images raced through his mind of being strapped to a table, needles injecting into his limbs and scalpels ripping apart his flesh. Blood oozing out, drip drip dripping onto the floor in a disturbingly rhythmic beat. His struggling screams ignored before forcibly being silenced, his entire life stripped away cell by cell by-

"Be quiet!"

Someone hissed, and it's a strangely familiar voice, one that forced him from the delusions threatening to take over as shuffling feet and more whispers became audible. Pulling away from the tight grip, there's a confirmation of safety before the lights were flipping on and the trio began blinking to adjust their eyes while backing away from their sudden rescuers.

Standing before them was almost the entire football team and Paulina herself grinning mischievously. No one spoke at first, Danny unable to close his mouth from gaping at the group as his heart rate slowed, a relived breath shaking out of his tense frame.

"Look alive, Fenton."

Dash stated, throwing a towel towards him as he narrowed his eyes suspiciously, grabbing it from midair.

"Kinda hard when you're half dead, Dash."

He made the comment before he could stop himself, but the group before them only laughed as Danny pressed the towel against his bleeding arm.

"That's funny, Fenton!"

Kwan laughed, nudging one of his buddies who nodded along to the observation.

"Yeah.. So, you're helping me?"

He asked, looking back at where Dash stood as the very obvious leader of the jocks while rolling his eyes.

"Well duh, you've only been helping us for like, ever."

The sudden statement had Danny frozen, blue eyes unable to believe what he was staring at, his mind not quite processing the words. Hadn't that been the same guy who had bullied him and his friends for as long as he could remember? But then again, he had always been a fan of his ghost half.

Before he had a chance to respond, Paulina rushed forwards, leaning close and pressing her lips to his cheek and promptly making what wheels that had been turning in his mind shut down altogether. His hand dropped from his arm as he stared in a daze at the girl.

"Paulina Fenton. Hey! I can finally wrap my head around that idea!"

She giggled, clasping her hands together and batting her eyelashes at him as Sam made a gagging motion.

"I'm both relieved and nauseated."

He heard her say, the disgust clear in her voice as she yanked the towel from his hands and pressed it hard against his skin, making him flinch and come back to reality.

"Thanks, uhm, for the save and all."

"Those guys looked like they wanted to skin you, Danny."

Kwan piped up again, fidgeting nervously where he stood.

"I wonder what kind of experiments they would have run."

Tucker mused, tilting his head towards his friends as Danny frowned.

"I'd really like to avoid thinking about that Tuck, thanks."

"How are we supposed to get out of here? Those guys know you can't transform, so they know you're still nearby. It won't be long until they find us."

Sam pointed out, pulling the towel away and inspecting the cut, satisfied that she finally seemed to have stemmed the bleeding.

"Leave that to us."

Dash boasted, puffing out his chest and grinning widely at the trio.

"Is it just me, or is he a different kind of scary when he tries to help?"

Tucker murmured under his breath as Danny leaned closer to him, eyeing the football player warily.

"It's not just you."

"I had my doubts, but even I can admit that this is a great idea."

Tucker's voice was muffled, the mascot head showing two shining eyes that glimmered from its large mouth.

"And it will haunt my nightmares for the rest of my life."

Danny stated, pushing the beak away from him and readjusting the uniform he wore.

"Would you two shut up?"

Sam hissed, standing on her toes to look out the window.

"See anything out there?"

Tucker asked, trying to peer through the small opening while pressing up against her.

"Would you get away? When was the last time that suit was even washed? You smell like feet." She huffed, reaching out and pushing him before turning to look at Danny. "They're standing out there, looks like they're discussing what to do next."

"We should go, before they come in here and see you guys."

Dash motioned, tossing a helmet to the halfa. As Danny put the helmet on, his eyes shifted over to Sam, staring harder than he thought possible for the third time since they'd changed.

"I want that back by Monday," Paulina stated coolly, glaring at Sam in the cheerleader uniform. "Minus the Goth sweat."

"We don't sweat, we simmer!"

Sam practically shouted, her hands balled into fists as she pushed closer to the taller girl, acting as if she were ready to throw a punch.

"Calm down, Sam." Danny whispered, his hands grabbing ahold of her arms and pulling her closer to him. "They're helping us, remember?"

Her head turned, studying his face for a few seconds before pulling away and scowling.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's go."

Grabbing a couple of pompoms sitting next to the door, she tugged at the miniskirt again in disgust. Danny couldn't remember the last time he'd seen her wear color, the red and white uniform standing out brightly against her dark hair and makeup.

Shutting off the light, Dash pulled open the door and stalked calmly outside, the rest of the jocks moving single file into the night. The Guys in White turned, watching the small band of kids as they walked out of the locker room before the trio followed closely behind.

Tucker and Danny already had their faces mostly hidden, while Sam kept the pompoms close to her face to hide her own features. The Guys in White quickly lost interest in the group of kids, turning around and discussing things quietly amongst themselves.

Making their way away from the school and passing through the woods, Tucker and Danny pulled off their disguises, giving them back to the jocks once they were in the clear.

"Thanks for your help, Dash. I can't believe I'm about to say this but.. We couldn't have done it without you."

"Just don't screw everything up, alright? Now that I know you're Phantom, you're actually a tiny bit cool." The boy said begrudgingly, pointing towards the town. "We'll keep them distracted as long as possible."

"Thanks."

Danny said again, beckoning for his friends to hurry as the group split apart.

"You ever think you'd be thanking Dash for helping you?"

Tucker asked, readjusting his beret as the boy snorted.

"No, but I never thought he'd be calling me Phantom either."

"We have bigger problems. Like finding a place where I can change."

Sam complained, pulling at the uniform again with the pompoms now exchanged for her other clothes.

"If it's any consolation, Sam," Danny began, draping his arm over her shoulder and flashing her a coy smile. "That uniform really doesn't look half bad on you."

She was speechless at first, blinking a couple of times as her cheeks turned a rosy color before she was shoving him away.

"Great, you've officially made me sick. Excuse me while I go bleach my eyes because I'll never be able to look at myself again."

She started walking faster, catching up to Tucker and grumbling about Paulina and the uniform and the whole unfortunate mess they'd gotten themselves into once again as Danny lagged behind, his smile falling and his hand touching his side gingerly.

They were walking in no set direction, but he knew all three of them had the final destination in mind. And really, it scared Danny more than the Guys in White had. Because he was going home, and who knew what awaited him? His parents loved him, he knew that. But they also loved ghost hunting. And how long had the two of them been talking about dissecting and ripping apart his ghost half?

Danny shivered, his hands running through his hair and down his face anxiously. What exactly would be awaiting him when he walked through his own front door?

A/N

Sorry for how long the hiatus was! My brother ended up moving to Japan, and so I spent some time with him before he left, and some other family issues got in the way of things. But I'm back and chapters should be more frequent! Thank you to everyone who is still reading, it means the world to me!