HEY! It's me again! Who did you think it was, Jack Frost? (Yes, I just made a Rise of the Guardians reference.)

Just to let you know I am NOT dead. I've just been very busy. I have to go to school mind you. So if I don't update in a while it's because of school. *shrugs*

I want to thank everyone who reviewed and followed and stuff! I really appreciate it! It makes me so happy! :D

Well, lets get to reading, you've waited long enough. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Do I look like Butch Hartman to you? I don't think so. This is FANfiction. Written by a FAN, and I don't mean the appliance.

Chapter 4

Everything hurt. His mind was a panic filled mess that he didn't know what was going on. Pain filled his body in places he didn't even know existed. He could feel every movement they made, the way his skin bend and tore. He could feel his body being ripped apart, atom by atom.

Molecule by molecule.

How? Why? He tried to explain but next thing he knew his chest was on fire and for some odd reason his throat became dry and sore. When he was backhanded to the face and electrocuted by a small devise one of his tormentors had he realized he had been screaming. Sometimes he hated the soundproof walls.

He could feel open air on something that air wasn't supposed to be on. His body cried in protest, begging for what was happening to him to stop and no matter how much he wanted to something was holding him back. Literally.

He could see the cold stares, full of hatred and...amusement? How was this amusing? They were doing this to him, and how he wished they would stop! This should not be happening, where did it all go wrong? Dear god it hurt! From his chest being cut apart like paper to the electricity that would run through every fiber of his being when he screamed. Everything.

It had to be some cruel nightmare, anything but real. He knew the worst was coming, he just knew it somehow. He woke up when they brought out the chainsaw.

Danny's alarm clock blared in his ear, yet even his alarm going off barely did anything to silence the ghost boy's thoughts. The dream played over and over in his mind before he realized that he needed to start getting ready for school. As he turned the alarm off and went to stand up a flare of pain went across his chest. His left hand flew up and grabbed at his shirt as his right steadied him on the bedside table next to him. The wound was old and had scared over a long time ago, but, as ironically as it sounds, phantom pains would make him feel as if it were happening all over again. He really hated phantom pains. He hated the scar in general.

It was a scar meant for the dead.

After about ten minutes of heavy breathing, sweating profusely, and trying not to have his shaking body crumple to the floor he was able to stand more or less and walk over to his closet as he did everyday.

After grabbing his clothes for that day he began to strip, starting with his shirt. The baggy rock t-shirt he wore to bed was pulled over his head and discarded somewhere on the floor. Danny couldn't help himself as he looked into the mirror and stare, not at the muscle he had acquired over years of ghost hunting, but at the multitude of scars that covered his skin more than actual skin. Every inch was filled with some jagged mark from some of Sulker's 'less friendly visits' (though he doubted there were actually any friendly visits), long yet thin scars which showed they had to have stitches, scars from burns and electrocution, all kinds. Yet, in the misted of them all was one that stood out more than the rest. It had been a dark day when he had gotten it and ever since then things had been different, more so than they already had been. If Tucker had not had impeccable timing and luck for once then Danny would of been a full ghost.

None of Team Phantom liked to talk about it.

The scar seemed to burn on Danny's skin causing him to hiss slightly in pain. While the phantom pains usually never lasted too long anymore, it had a tendency to give a burning feeling when he thought about it. It was hard not to think about it when it's staring back at him.

He swallowed thickly then pushed the feeling as far back in his mind as possible and quickly put the shirt he had picked to wear earlier and finished getting dressed.

Danny always tried to leave in a rush, he didn't want to have any confrontation with Maddie and Jack. He stood at the top of the stairs and listened, yet after hearing nothing from the kitchen he figured it was safe enough. They had been working in the lab for days, only coming up for food and sleep, yet he wasn't taking any chances. Danny assumed they were making last minute changes to the Speeder and their weapons. Once Danny reached the bottom of the stairs he looked around for his parents then bolted out the door.

In no time he was at Casper High. The four were still questioning the lack of ghosts but couldn't go into the Ghost Zone since Danny's parents were always down there, and no ghosts were coming through at all. Not even lost spirits!

It was still weird to actually show up early to school, his friends haven't even gotten used to it. They were always running in and out of class, fighting ghosts, treating Danny's wounds, stuffing the Box Ghost into the thermos about five times a day (seriously, how does he do that?) but since Monday, they hadn't caught a glance of a ghost, even the news was wanting to look into it. Not to mention the feeling hasn't left.

Sam noticed him right away. Her ghost sense hadn't gone off, but she saw him the second he walked on and immediately waved him over. Tucker and Valerie followed her gaze and began to wave him over as well.

"Hey Danny," Sam said once he sat down. Danny looked at his girlfriend and smiled which she returned.

"Hey Sam."

Valerie rolled her eyes. "Well hey to you too, Danny. It's nice that we can all greet each other as friends would." She said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Tucker full on bust out laughing as Sam gave a snort and Danny chuckled. "Hey Val. And hello to you too, Tuck."

"Hey dude," Tucker said once his laughter had calmed down. He then noticed the slight bags under his best friend's eyes. "Woah dude, are you okay? You look tired." He said, his face clearly showing concern.

It was then Sam and Valerie noticed his sleep deprived state. "Where there any ghosts last night? It would be strange if there was and my ghost scene didn't go off," Sam said.

Danny paled slightly and looked down as his chest started to burn again. Sam instantly noticed her boyfriend's change in moods and brought him into a hug, to which he leaned into.

There were many unspoken rules of Team Phantom, and this topic was one of them.

They were now in their fourth class of the day. Science. Personally, Danny loved science. He knew pretty much everything there was to know about the subject, though he would never show it in class. He had an appearance to keep after all.

Though over the years he had been able to bring up his failing grades to a low B in all his classes; it wasn't easy and half of the time Danny was fighting ghosts which is how he was failing most of his classes anyways but over the past few years to the surprise of everyone he was able to do it. This week especially caught everyone off guard, he actually stayed in class and turned in homework that was completed. He still made sure to get a few things wrong to keep up his image but he didn't like to. Just like how Tucker was a wizard with math or any piece of technology, science was what Danny excelled at. That and languages but that was a different topic.

And so when the four stepped into the science classroom, Danny felt what was left of the burning from his scar disappear. The smell of chemicals filled his nose and he could see test tubes filled with different colored liquids on the tables. Luckily, Danny was finally able to pick up fragile things after the time he dropped forty test tubes in Freshman year when he was getting used to his ghost powers. While Dash might still bring it up, he knew it helped with keeping his secret, well, a secret.

They took their seats at the back of the classroom as they always did, with Sam and Danny as lab partners (Tucker always joked about the having 'chemistry') and Tucker and Valerie next to each other, and began to get ready for the block. Soon their teacher Ms. Reynolds, who was a mid-aged woman with already graying hair and posture straight as a board with her nose in the air, walked in and begun the lesson.

Danny already knew what the old hag was talking about, and while he knew what the structure of an atom was he would rather go over quantum physics or the theory of alternate universes (which did indeed exist, he knew this as a fact), Danny decided to think over what might of been the purpose for the ghosts to disappear. Amity Park was known as a 'ghost town' and one can't have a ghost town without any ghosts.

'It's just strange...could there be an illness in the Ghost Zone? No, I would of been informed. It can't possibly be some sort of 'Peace Week' or holiday or something, I would've known about that too...Fuck...I really do not like this.' He thought. Danny had been so absorbed in his internal monologue he almost missed the bell ringing signalling the end of class. He picked up his stuff and crammed it into his purple book bag before slinging it over his right shoulder and walking out with his friends.

Danny was some what happy that it was now lunch. He had been in such a rush to make sure he didn't see his parents he forgot to eat. They went through the halls and arrived at the outdoor seating. It was the end of May so it was warm enough to sit out there. Sam, Danny, and Val made a beeline for the tree at the very back, just behind a bush, to sit. Tucker had gone to get some cafeteria food since he forgot to bring something.

Soon the four were all sitting down, laughing and relaxing a bit by the large tree. They had found it late sophomore year when they were finally allowed to sit outside during the warmer months and had made it their eating place at the school.

"You okay now?" Sam asked. Danny looked at her with a blank expression for a second trying to figure out what she meant then nodded.

"Yeah, now I'm trying to figure out what's with the lack of ghosts," Danny replied.

"You sure there's no holiday?" Tucker said.

Danny shook his head. "No, I would of known if there was, we all would of."

"That is really odd though, usually they're always trying to kick you ass into the next life." Valerie joked.

Danny laughed. "Yeah, still though. It seems like something is going on. I would check but Maddie and Jack have been working in the lab all week. I seriously doubt that we're going to be able to go in there to find any answers much less visit everyone tomorrow."

Their faces deflated a bit, sad to hear that there was no change in information.

"Well," Began Sam, "For now all we can do is prepare for the field trip. We can get some answers then." Her voice was determined, her face reflecting her words.

They nodded, their faces turning from sad to serious. Something told them that whatever was happening was bigger that they realize, but all they could do was to be prepared.

And Danny was scared by this.

Hope you all enjoyed! I will try to update again soon but as I said before I have school and stuff like that. Foruantaly it's a three day weekend! Yay! So I'm going to try to work on this during it.

QUESTION TIME!

No one was correct with the first question, but more about what it might mean will be revealed soon. NO SPOILERS.

As for the second question, there was ONE person who came extremely close, but was still wrong. I am not going to say who though, that would ruin the fun.

I do have a third question which is what might Danny's scar at the beginning of the chapter might be and who gave it to him. Think a bit about this and the answer will come to you.

Oh! Bonus question! What do you think the ghosts are up to? I got a review mentioning this a while ago so I though I would let you guys give your best guess! Good luck!

The next chapter we get to the good stuff, and I'm not talking about drugs. You'll just have to wait and see though!

Pls review and I'll see you when I see you so PEACE!

~Kitty ='u'=