So. Much. SNOW! Like dear god this is the most snow this place has gotten!

Sorry about that, but to be completely honest I'm not lying. Last night there was what could be equivalent to a blizzard. A blizzard! My state rarely even gets snow and now I can't even see the ground! WTF!? Good news is that it got me out of school on Friday, so more time to write! I was also sick earlier this week, but that's probably too much information. Anyways, new chapter! *jazz hands*

I had asked last chapter for some OC's and you all did not disappoint! I will be using all of them, but with some slight changes to fit the story a bit better! No worries! I will credit you wonderful kittens when I do use them and don't forget to send in more! There are still a few slots open!

Disclaimer: Knock knock. Who's there? Not Butch Hartman. Yes, I'm hilarious. Read.

Chapter 22

Dani giggled as she watched the trireme glide across the swirling ectoplasm around them. She could feel the way it felt, it's purpose and guidance. She loved when she flew with it too, twisting and turning without a care, becoming one with it. The feelings of happiness and joy as she did. She was a kid after all.

The young girl liked living here, though 'living' was a weird way to put it, especially when being half-dead. However, to her and her family, death wasn't seen as an end, but more of another chapter, a new beginning. Just because someone dies doesn't mean their story is over, honestly the zone and her family is proof of that.

Family…She thought, Daddy…

Father-figures. She didn't know how she felt about them. Vlad was her original father-figure, the man who created her in his lab, but he wasn't that, he could never be. It didn't matter though, she still had a father-figure...she was just unsure about how he would feel. She knew he loved her and cared for her, and she sometimes thought it would be okay if she said it, but was that all she wanted?

Mommy... She wondered about her too. She wanted to feel what other children felt when she said the words. The good feelings. The feelings of happiness, that someone cared for her, would always love her, who would patch up her wounds and teach her the lessons of the universe. Who would protect her. She was a child at heart after all.

Parents were confusing, she knew. She had seen good parents who would kiss their kid's cheek and hold them when they cried. Who would sing to them for whatever reason and amaze them just by being themselves. That stood by their child no matter what, with smiles on their face, and sacrificed for them, protected them. This was who she knew her 'mommy' and 'daddy' were.

Yet she knew about the bad parents too. The ones who screamed at their kids, who made them cry. She had seen them hit them, lock them away. No food, no water, no love. They didn't care what their kid did, or what they did to them. 'I love you' was replaced with 'I hate you' and Dani knew these parents too well. They were not her 'mommy' and 'daddy', but she knew they knew them.

She was scared. She knew she didn't need to be, her 'parents' weren't like that, yet she couldn't help it.

Dani watch as Tucker cheered, jumping in the air after supposedly beating a level in a game on his PDA. Valerie was tapping away on her wrist, examining something through her suit's detector. Danny and Sam were talking nearby, but they were smiling, laughing, happy.

Danny then turned to see her looking at him. He smiled and waved, an invitation to join their conversation.

Dani blinked and smiled. She nodded and began to run over, almost flying in excitement.

Danny, Sam...even if I never say it...I will always love you...Mommy...Daddy…

Jazz was, for lack of a better word, tired. In any other case she would of said exhausted or weary, but she wasn't in the mood. Honestly, no one knew why, not even her roommate, but everyone suspected it had something to do with her family. If there was one thing people on campus knew, it was that she was a brainiac who's heart seemed to be focused on the wellbeing of her family. She refused to say though, she knew they wouldn't understand.

Jazz rested her head in her hands, her fingers tangling themselves in her long orange hair. Exams had just finished for her after a large outbreak of, what she suspected to be, food poisoning from a local popular restaurant. Luckily, no one died, or Danny would be encountering some new ghosts. The exams, in Jazz's opinion, were easy, yet even the brainiac herself couldn't concentrate sometimes, though that did nothing to affect her score, her brother and his friends were one of her top priorities.

Danny... She thought. Jazz prided herself as being the protective older sister, despite the fact that she knew her experience in the field of ghost hunting was still less than her brother's, but the need to protect him was still there as it always been. Her only relief was that she knew his friends were there.

"Jazz? Are you still in your mood? It's been a week!" Her roommate Haileigh said when she saw the girl.

Jazz groaned. "You don't understand, Haileigh." She sighed again, letting her fingers curl around her headband. She felt the fabric under her hands and yanked it out, letting it fall on the table she was sitting at.

Haileigh sighed as well. She hated seeing her friend like this, on edge and worn out. It didn't look like Jazz. "You're right, I don't, but maybe you could explain and I might be able to understand."

Jazz shook her head. "I...I can't. I know it sounds stupid, but I can't. You would think I'm insane anyways."

Haileigh rolled her eyes and stuck her hands in her pockets. "This is coming from the girl who is studying mental physiology and is at the top of the entire class. Dear god! Pull yourself together! This isn't like you."

Jazz sighed and lifted her head up. She looked at her Haileigh, taking note of her long, curly, platinum blond hair, the kind one could only be born with, that was now sporting a new streak of bright pink. An array of freckles was splattered across her face, and her calculating purple eyes stared straight at her, trying to pick her apart. She was wearing her signature faux leather jacket that hung off her shoulders a bit, her hands shoved in the pockets of it.

"I know that, but I'm just worried! They would've contacted me! Said something by now!" Jazz said, exasperated.

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Haileigh said, confused. She pulled out one hand and began to fiddle with her necklace, twirling the key on it between her fingers. It was something she did when she was confused.

"My...my brother. He hasn't called or texted and I'm worried okay? That enough for you?" Jazz said, raising her head to look at Haileigh.

Haileigh blinked. She knew Jazz was someone who cared a lot, not necessarily about everything, but when she cared about something it was like some driving force. Her brother must be super important to her...

"Your...brother? Most people I know don't care too much about their siblings? How did you two get so close?"

"It-it's complicated, and I'm not explaining it. Just...is my phone done charging already?"

Haileigh sighed. "Actually, yes." She deadpanned. "That's what I came to tell you in the first place. You also have a new message from this guy named 'Tucker'. Is that your brother or-" Haileigh was cut off by Jazz jumping up and running into the next room, determination filling her features. "Um...okay then…"

Jazz ran to her phone and yanked it off the charger without second thought, instantly going to her messages. She almost cried when she saw the notification.

New message from Tucker.

Jazz! It's us! We have been meaning to get in touch with you for days, but something was wrong with Sharon! Thankfully, she's fine now, and we are too!

It's Danny now. First off, I am going to tell you what's going on, but don't worry! As Tucker said, we're all fine and safe! The Speeder crashed and we had to lead the class, along with Mr. Lancer, Maddie, and Jack, to Pandora's. We're planning to reach the Far Frozen by tomorrow afternoon. Now, knowing you, you're going to want to drop everything and get to the Ghost Zone. Don't. We have everything under control right now, and, no offence, you showing up would most likely lead to a bad situation being as Maddie is on a short fuse as it is, and as much as we would love to see you again, we're just going to have to wait. We're still good to go for Saturday though, that's not going to change regardless. See you soon!

~Danny, Sam, Tucker, Valerie, and Dani (who says hi!)

Jazz smiled and felt a tear run down her cheek. She was still worried due to the crash and what else might of gone on, but she now knew they were safe and she would see them in a few days. She read over the message again, when something at the bottom caught her eye.

P.S. Ember says hi and that she misses you!

Jazz hugged her phone to her chest. Two reasons to smile were better than one.

Haileigh, on the other hand, had no idea what was going on. Her roommate had gone from a pile of stress and worry to one of happiness and tears. She suspected it had to do with her brother, with what Jazz had said only a few minute ago, but just hearing from her brother was this important?

I should of been nicer to my sister...maybe then I could of stopped her... Haileigh thought. She knew she would never understand what Jazz felt, and she twirled the key some more. I miss you, Izzy...

Oh my god! Now that I'm done with that, I can work on the next chapter! Yay! Look forward to it!

Just a few questions because I can.

1. What do you think of Dani's little 'secret'? Why do you think she is withholding it?

2. What's so important with Saturday? (Hint: In an earlier chapter, there was a 'hint' to this so try to figure it out!)

3. Who's Izzy?

Anyways, I'll see you in the next chapter so for now, PEACE!

~Kitty ='u'=