Chapter Three

Learning a Lesson

"I'm afraid that you aren't going anywhere."

Danny could only stare in horror as his mother was rushed and he was ripped away from her. "Mommy!" The boy yelled as he struggled against the man holding him too tightly by the arm.

"Danny! Let him go you monsters!" Maddie yelled as she fought against her own capturers. "Let go!" She yelled as a man threw her into a headlock. She forced her body upwards and then slammed down and throwing the man over her shoulder and onto the ground. She then transitioned into a mule kick and slammed her feet into another man's face that had come up behind her again.

Danny watched his mother for a moment before turning towards the man behind him and glaring up at him. "I SAID LET GO!" He yelled as he grabbed the wrist of the man and pressed viciously down on the pressure point there, causing the man to yell out in pain and released Danny.

The boy then slammed his fist into the place where no man should be hit. The man squealed like a little girl as his hands went to his crotch and then fell to the ground. Danny quickly turned back towards his mother and ran towards her. "Let go of me!" Maddie yelled as two men converged on her and grabbed and arm each and then twisted them behind her and then proceeded to knock her feet out from underneath her so she was on her knees.

"That's my mommy!" Danny shouted as he ran at the two men and quickly remembered all of the lessons his mother had given him in martial arts. He squared his shoulders and spaced his legs and then he kicked high up in the air and nailed the man in the thigh viciously. The man shouted in surprise as he released his grip on Maddie, allowing the woman to spin on his knees to untwist her other arm and nail her other capturer in the gut that knocked the air out of him.

"Danny! Run now!" the mother shouted as she spun on the ground and tripped several of the other men onto the ground before jumping to her feet.

"No! I want to help!" Danny shouted as he dodged a swipe from another man and then another. He bobbed and weaved desperately to avoid capture and would kick the men in the shins or punch them in the crotch when he got the chance. "I won't leave you mommy!"

Maddie growled angrily as another man made a grab for her baby but was stopped as a rock that she had picked up and threw hit him in the face. "Danny! Run and get help! I don't care who but go and get help!" She yelled as she dodged a swipe.

Danny paused for a second at the order as eh registered it, knowing that getting help would be the smart idea but the fear of leaving his mother terrified him more. That pause though was his downfall as he was grabbed by the scruff of his shirt and cold metal met with the side of his head as a click caused Maddie to pause and glare at the man holding her son.

"Now you'll come quietly or I'll kill the boy right here and now." The man that spoken to Maddie stated with a serious look.

Maddie glared as she stood up straight and held her hands up. "Let him go and I'll go quietly."

"No." The man replied easily and without thinking on it. "He'll go with us as insurance. If you step one foot out of line…well…I'm sure you can imagine what'll happen." HE said with a chuckle.

Danny scowled at the man angrily as he lifted his arms into the air and slid out of his shirt before pivoting on his heels and slamming his fists into the crotch just above him. The man had no chance to react as it all happened in a matter of seconds and he was forced to the ground where Danny quickly slammed his fist into the man's face that knocked him backwards to the ground.

Maddie meanwhile had taken out the rest of the men with ease now that her son had taken care of the biggest threat. "Danny! Oh thank god you're alright!" She exclaimed as she scooped up the shirtless boy into her arms.

"Mommy! I'm happy you're okay too!" Danny squealed as he wrapped his arms around his mother's neck.

"Oh my little hero."

DannyPhantom

"So I see…you've been a hero since you were a child." A soft velvety voice spoke from next to him.

Danny blinked as he came to- at least in a sense- as he looked around the hazy surroundings that showed the scene of him and his mother after that ambush. The men had been taken away and charged with assault and then spent a year in prison. They hadn't come after the pair again.

Danny blinked in confusion as he remembered the incident, something that had happened so long ago that it had faded away into nothing more than a memory. But now…he blinked again as he looked to his right to see who had spoken.

"Nocturne?" He questioned as he looked at the night sky ghost that held the purple rams horns on his head and the glowing red eyes. "Is this a dream then?"

Nocturne chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "Not quite…this is deep in your limbic system, the part of your brain that holds, control, and sorts your memories." He explained as he waved a hand out in front of him to make a point. "Clockwork has asked me for a favor and no one ever refuses the Master of Time."

Danny nodded his head slowly as he tried to regain something…what he was trying to regain was something he wasn't sure on and it confused him greatly. "Why…are you here?" He questioned next as the scene in front of them changed to a black landscape that held white willow trees and grey skies.

Nocturne walked around the landscape and took in the scenery with his hands behind his back. "I am here to…guide you." The dream ghost said with a sneer on his face. "The Time Master has asked me to lead you through certain memories…that'll help with a difficult decision you'll be faced with…" Nocturne scowled as he turned back towards the Halfa. "That's what that meddlesome Time Master told me."
Danny nodded slowly as his mind began to fog over again and the landscape around them began to disappear and he began to fall backwards into a dark void. "Am…I…going to remember…something….else?" He whispered out.

"But of course, that is why I'm here and why you are going to go through these memories in the first place. So let's enjoy your past together…Danny Phantom."

DannyPhantom

"Sam! Dash, leave her alone!" A six year old boy shouted as he glared at the much bigger blonde boy in front of him.

"Danny, stay out of this. She started it when she called me stupid." Dash stated to his raven haired friend with a frown. "I'm just getting even with her."

"Yeah, and then what? She goes after you again and then you go after her and then so on! Mommy told me that you can't get revenge or you'll just be as bad as them." Danny stated sternly as he looked at his play date friend. "Do you really want to be like Tyler?" He questioned as he referenced the local bully of the playground.

Dash frowned at the mention of Tyler. He wasn't scared of the other but the bully was still stronger than Dash and would constantly push him and his friends to the ground regularly. "Fine." With that Dash walked off in a huff towards his best friend Kwan.

Danny smiled at that before turning to Sam who was sitting on the ground running her hands through her hair that had bits of gum in it. "You okay Sam?" Danny questioned as he looked at her gummy hair. "Besides the gum."

Sam glared up at her friend and shook her head. "I can't get it out." She stated glumly as she tugged fruitlessly at her hair.

"Well, let's go and get my mommy then, she'll know what to do! She always knows what to do!" Danny said as he held out his hand towards her to help her to her feet. "Come on, she's right over there!"

Sam nodded as she struggled with the gum in her hair. "Stupid Dash, he put gum in my hair! He's so mean!" She exclaimed as tears stung at the corner of her eyes.

"Well you shouldn't of called him stupid. That's mean too!" Danny chastised back with a frown on his face.

"Well he is!" Sam defended herself as a few tears fell down her cheeks.

"That doesn't mean you can be mean. Being mean just means you're hurting someone and that you could make them cry. That's bad, just like what you did to Dash and then what he did to you." Danny stated fiercely. "You should apologize to Dash and then he'll apologize to you. Then we can all play together again."

Sam pouted at her friend before nodding her head in understanding as they came to stand in front of Mrs. Fenton and Mrs. Mason. Both women instantly exclaiming over the condition of the girl's hair.

TeenTitans

The pain had faded some, her powers working overtime to heal all that it could, though she knew that the damage inflicted would take some time to heal. So she slipped back into meditation as the furry body protecting her from the cold and danger lurking outside of its comforts.

The fur was purring softly and that helped her slip into a deep meditation where it was dark and warm and calming.

The Darkness was a welcome escape as the pain faded and peace entered her mind. There was no red eyes here, no malicious laughter, no pain ripping through her body, no constant terror that it would all come back and she would have no control.

She drifted in the darkness for what seemed to be years before something began to claw at her calmness, startling her to take everything that had happened back in.

How she had gone searching for Beast Boy and Cyborg but was intercepted by that ghost that looked scarily like Phantom. How he had possessed her and was flying her to fight against her friends and destroy them.

She remembered forcing the ghost from her body as he had said that he would rip out the throat of Robin by using Beast Boy's Beast form. She had force it out with a massive will that had all but exhausted her and left her body in pain.

The ghost hadn't even bothered to try and repossess her and instead hit her with a red beam that tore into her left shoulder and then slammed more attacks into her that left gaping wounds all over her body.

She had fallen into an alley and was left there to die. She doesn't know what happened after that, only that she was now in the embrace of something incredibly furry and warm that purred. She wouldn't fight it though and allow it to keep her safe for the time being as she healed herself and came back from wherever she had been.

Then there was that sound again. A guttural roar that ran a shiver up and down her spine. The sound of claws clacking on a nonexistent floor echoed around her as the roaring got closer…or was she moving towards it…it was hard to tell sometimes in the mindscape as she was.

A roar sounded again and this time she had to cover her ears as she had apparently arrived to the point where the creature was. Once the roar faded away she reached out to see if she could feel anything but was stopped by a solid surface, a wall she would guess, that blocked her from the creature. The clacking of claws was even louder as the beast walked around and moved and she could even hear it run its claws against the walls.

She gulped as she began to move along the wall hoping to find a door or something to get inside. She didn't know why she wanted to get in but she wanted to and knew that it was important that she did. So she continued to move along the wall and continued to feel and feel and feel.

It felt like hours later and she still hadn't found a door to where the beast was. It was still howling and roaring and clawing inside and she felt like she was running out of time. She didn't understand why or what exactly was going on but she knew it was bad. That whatever had happened to her and this beast was bad. She needed to get in there now!

She hit the wall as she cried out in frustration. She blinked in surprise only a second later as the wall seemed to fall out from under her and she fell into a black room but she was able to see things now. She saw her grey hands and the dark fabric of her outfit and the blue of her cloak. She blinked as she looked at her limbs before she looked up to see a green beast prowling around the room and growling low in its throat.

She stared for a long time as she began to remember exactly what had happened and who she was. The beast roared again and Raven stared up at the green furred being and gasped as she remembered the one person who held that form…the one person who had saved her from Adonis and had saved and protected her again from that demon that had tried to possess and then kill her.

"Beast Boy." She whispered as she sat there and stared at her friend. The Beast swung its head towards her at her voice and growled. Raven stayed where she was, frozen in place due to fear and horror as her friend sprinted at her with his teeth bared and a growl resonating in his throat. She covered her face with her hands and prepared for the worst to happen.

Only for her to feel a deep warm breath to wash across her face instead. Raven looked up at Beast Boy with confusion and surprise as he looked at her with a tilted head, breathing deeply as he watched her. "Beast Boy?" she questioned as she reached out towards him with a tentative hand.

The Beast sniffed it before he nuzzled against with a rumbling purr. "Beast Boy…what happened to you?" Raven questioned as placed her other hand on his head and made him look into her eyes. Beast's eyes were a deep obsidian and were cold and primal. Nothing like the warm forest green that Beast Boy's eyes normally were. "Can you even hear me?" She questioned worriedly as she rubbed circles on his cheek with her thumbs.

A low growl was her answer as he nuzzled one of her hands and a little warmth appeared in his eyes. Still dark with primal rage but she could see her friend within now. "That's good. I'm glad you're okay." She said with a little smile as the Beast moved around and wrapped his body around her. "We'll get through whatever is happening." She said as she curled up into his side and laid her head on his side as he laid his head on his clawed hands. "We'll get you back to normal Beast Boy…I promise." With that Raven fell asleep curled up with the Beast in the mind as she was in the real world.

DannyPhantom

"Danny! What are you doing back there?" Sam called from ahead with Tucker standing next to her. "If we don't hurry we won't have enough time to finish our homework and watch the new horror movie!"

Danny smiled as he nodded his head and finished tying his shoe. "Sorry but I had to tie my shoe Sam. I don't need to be tripping on the laces when I already trip over air." He replied easily as he ran and caught up with his two friends.

"Yeah, no kidding. Hey Danny, better watch out for that crack in the ground or you'll trip over it." Tucker stated as he pointed down at the ground.

Danny gawked as he pretended to trip over said 'crack' and almost hit the ground. "Whoa! That was close!" He theatrically wiped his forehead of imaginary sweat.

Sam rolled her eyes as she continued to walk while the two boys were laughing behind her. "I can't believe you two! Why am I friends with you again?" She questioned as she stopped and turned around to glare at the two boys.

"Because you love us!" The two chorused easily before they were laughing again.

"Whatever!" She yelled as she threw her hands into the air and a smile on her face, amused at the antics of the two boys. "Let's go before it gets too late and we miss out on that movie you promised Danny." Sam said as she turned to continue walking with the two boys following behind her. Sam had taken only a few steps forward when a black suburban came to a screeching halt next to her and she was pulled into the car with a scream.

"Sam!" Danny yelled as Tucker stood there in horror and confusion as the car took off with a squeal of tires. "Who were those people!? Why did they take Sam!?" Danny yelled out in anger and worry as he looked at where the car had taken off.

Tucker still hadn't moved and Danny knew that his friend was in shock at what just happened. "We gotta call the police now!" Danny exclaimed as he grabbed the other by the hand and pulled him away from the road and closer to one of the buildings they had been passing as he pulled out his cell phone and dialed 911. "Come on Tuck, snap out of it. Sam is going to need us to get help as soon as possible." He stated just as the operator picked up and soon Danny was explaining the situation calmly and clearly for the operator to know what had happened.

Danny Phantom

"This is all your fault you awful boy!" Mrs. Mason yelled at Danny as he kept his shoulders hunched and head bowed at the distraught mother's accusation. "If she hadn't been with you then my Sammy would be safe at home right now!" She screeched and then a loud slap resounded in the police station where everyone was at the moment.

Danny blinked in shock as he stared at the wall where his head had turned from the mother's hand connecting with his cheek. His cheek was already pulsing red and stung terribly but Danny didn't do anything but turn back to her with sad eyes while the police and her husband pulled her away from him while another officer came to stand in front of him.

"Are you alright?" He questioned as he bent over slightly with a hand on Danny's shoulder. Danny just shook his head in the negative and the officer smiled sadly at him. "I figured as much but don't let her get to you. She's a worried mother and she's going to blame whoever she wants to try and keep herself from panicking." He explained.

Danny just nodded his head in understanding. "You'll be able to find her…right?" He questioned a second later as he looked over where Tucker was being comforted by his mother and father before looking back at the officer. His own parents had yet to arrive but he had been told that they were on their way. He hoped the redness on his cheek would be gone by the time they arrived.

The officer nodded his head with a confident smile. "You got a great look at the type, color, and model of the car along with the license plate number. We've already got the suspect and his crew surrounded at the moment. She'll be back here with her parents within hours." He stated and Danny smiled at that. "It's thanks to you and your quick thinking and memory. Without it we would have taken a lot longer to track her down and get her back."

Danny blushed at that as he shrugged his shoulders. "I just did what my mom told me when I get into a situation. I have to stay calm and take in all details so I know how to judge the situation." He explained.

The officer nodded his head happily at that. "Not many would think an eighth grader would be able to do that. Not many eighth graders would be able to do that. So feel proud that you were able to help your friend. I know I'm proud of you and I'm sure your parents will be proud as well."

Danny smiled a little wider at that just as the doors to the prescient burst open and one Maddie Fenton made her appearance with a frantic look on her face and Jack right behind her. "Danny!" She screamed as she noticed her son and ran over to him, sweeping him into her arms. "Oh my baby boy, are you okay? Did they touch you? Did you have to fight again?" She questioned worriedly as she checked him over and noticed the red now light purple of his cheek. "What happened to your cheek?"

Danny shrugged his shoulders at that as he glanced over at Mrs. Mason. "Nothing really mom. I tried to get to Sam and one of the guys back handed me before I could do anything. I was able to see the license plate and the type and model of the car though. They said they'll be able to bring Sam home soon." He explained easily as he hugged his mom again. "They took her and I wasn't able to do anything to save her."

"Oh baby." Maddie said as she hugged him close to her again. "It'll be okay. You did what you could and you did it amazingly." She said happily as Jack was talking to a Police officer about what had happened and when they'd be able to take their son home.

"I just want Sam to be okay." Danny muttered tiredly as he leaned heavily against his mother. It had been a long evening for him and Tucker and he couldn't even imagine how Sam was doing at the moment.

"She will be honey, she will be." Maddie assured her son and kissed him on top of the head.

Later that night Sam was returned to her parents in one piece and uninjured.

DannyPhantom

"You acted fast that time." Nocturne said as he looked at the groggy boy in front of him. He had always thought that Phantom was rather childish and idiotic whenever he had faced the boy but now he wondered if the boy had just been confused on how to act with his new powers. "It has shown that you knew what you needed to do and how to get it done the quickest."

"Hmm, Sam needed help." Danny muttered tiredly as he stood in front of Nocturne with half lidded eyes. "I didn't have my powers at the time so I had to get help…had to get someone to get her back for us." He explained as he rubbed at his eyes like a little kid.

Nocturne nodded his head. "So you asked for help when you couldn't do something yourself. Smart…intelligent even." He complimented. "Why didn't you rat out that woman? The one that had slapped you and told your mother about it?"

Danny shrugged at that. "She was upset…she didn't have something to blame so she blamed me because she was upset…there was only so much I could do at the time and letting her blame me was what I could do."

"So you gave up comfort for scorn to make someone else feel better. So soft hearted Phantom." Nocturne mocked as he circled the child slowly. "Do you know why you are dreaming of your past by now?" He questioned with hooded eyes.

Danny shrugged as he yawned. "Cause Clockwork told you to make me dream." He stated as darkness began to enclose on him again. He could feel his body falling backwards as Nocturne sent an exasperated look at him.

"Child, we are going to be here for an eternity if you do not use that brain you have and get your act together." He stated in annoyance. "Now sleep and remember."

TeenTitans

"Whoa, this place is huge!" Flash exclaimed as he looked at Slade's lair, taking in the twenty screens that showed different parts of the currently burning city above them. "How has no one realized that this is down here?"

"Because he's Slade. He's made it to where no one would even notice that a large part of the sewer system has been remodeled and retrofitted to be an evil lair." Robin stated with a scowl on his face as he walked over to the door that would lead to the Ghost Portal and all the Ghost weapons in the lair.

"Someone's Snarky today." Flash said with a raised brow.

"He's lost two of his teammates and the other two are still injured but have to fight while working along with his worst enemy…I think I'd be testy too." Superman stated as he watched Batman follow Robin into the next room. "Right now though we need to focus and figure out where the civilians are all being held. Let Slade and Batman handle the ghost part of this."

"Right, so where would a ghost hide hundreds if not thousands of people in a city without us ever seeing them once as we went through the city?" Flash questioned a moment later.

"Despite what Robin thinks, the city isn't just on top of a sewer system." Cyborg said as he came up to the two with Starfire right behind him. "Jump City is actually situated on top of catacombs of sorts that lead deep into the earth." He explained calmly.

"Tunnels underneath the city with ghosts taking it over and hiding civilians there to be used for whatever nefarious plot they have." Flash said as he looked at Superman with wide eyes. "This is a horror movie and the heroes never come out of these kind of things alive!" He exclaimed with horror.

"Dude." Cyborg said with a frown. "We've been dealing with these things for a while now and really…these ghosts aren't actually all that scary. They have weird powers and are dead but otherwise…they might as well be humans like us with weird powers or mutations." He explained calmly. "There are good ghosts and bad ghosts, both we've met within the past few months."

"Cyborg is correct. These ghosts are not as terrifying as you are making them out to be." Starfire put in as well with a small smile. "Some have been fun to speak with and understand. Though Phantom is the one we have not come to understand as well as we have each other."

"I see. But these Catacombs…could you possibly lead us down to them?" Superman questioned as he got the conversation back on track.

"Yeah sure. It wouldn't be hard to get down there either. We're close to the original entrance to the catacombs and I have the maps already downloaded into my gear so we should be able to navigate pretty easily." Cyborg explained somewhat excitedly. He'd be working with Superman and the Flash for crying out loud! What more could a young super hero could ever want?

"That's good to know, best part is if I go with you guys! I'll do recon for you guys and you can lead me down the catacombs and where you think the civilians are. With my speed I'll be able to fly through the tunnels and find them faster than anyone." Flash stated with a confident smirk.

"I'll head down as well. My speed might not be as fast as Flash but with my x-ray vision I might be able to spot them just as quickly." Superman stated with his own smile. "This way we'll cover even more ground than before."

"Sounds like a plan." Cyborg said as he nodded in agreement.

"Shall I go down as well?" Starfire questioned as she tilted her head. "Shall I head down as well and search?"

"Sure, the more the merrier." Flash said easily while Cyborg frowned but nodded his head in agreement.

"I'll stay here and guide you guys through the tunnels. I'll have trackers on you so I can keep track of you guys." He explained as three trackers jumped out of his fingertips and attached to the three heroes. "Make sure you keep in contact and check in frequently when you go down."

"You aren't going anywhere without some of these." Batman stated as he threw three belts at the catacomb group. "Those are Fenton Deflectors, created by the late Fentons. These'll keep ghosts from possessing you." He explained as Robin and Slade came out with similar belts on and several other things as well. "While you guys look for the civilians, we're going ghost hunting for those two we fought earlier."

"So you're going after Masters with Slade?" Cyborg asked Robin with a raised brow. "Seriously, going ghost hunting with our worst enemy? Is it really a good idea?"

"I don't know." Robin admitted but then smirked as he tilted his head at the bat crusader. "Besides, I have Batman on my side and we all know that he never loses." The two exchanged smirks before turning back towards the adults of the group. "So, we going to head out or what?" Robin questioned.

"Yes, we're going." Batman said as he glanced at Slade and then Robin. "The two of you know this place better than I do, so lead on. The rest of you be safe going down into the catacombs. We don't know if the civilians are really there or not but there's a chance that more ghosts are there as well. So be cautious and do not get over confident." He said the last part to Flash with a pointed look.

"What? I'm never over confident." Flash said incredulously but was rewarded with a scoff. "Okay whatever. Let's get going kiddies, those civilians aren't going to save themselves."

"Be safe Robin." Starfire said to her friend as she and Cyborg walked with the two Justice League members.

"You as well Starfire." Robin said as he watched his friends leave and then turned to Batman and Slade. "Where do you want to start?"

Slade looked at the two with a critical eye before forming hand signs. 'Where we last saw him before this all started.' He signed quickly. 'Where he held Phantom and where we thought he had died. We go to Masters' mansion.'

DannyPhantom

"So this is everyone that we could get?" Skulker questioned as he looked over the group of ghosts that were floating, flying, or gliding in front of him towards the portal that would lead to the human world.

"Yes, this is everyone who was willing to come and help the ghost brat or to keep the ghost zone safe." Technus replied as he too looked over the group. "I have to say that there are a lot more than I thought would show up." He admitted.

Skulker nodded his agreement. "This should be plenty to help that brat…and to take down Plasmius once and for all." He stated as he looked out to all the hundreds of ghosts that were ready to enter into the human world and fight for Danny Phantom and their home. "Listen up you lot!" Skulker shouted as he got all of their attention.

"We're heading into the human world here soon to fight Vlad Plasmius and help that Ghost Brat!" He announced and everyone remained quiet at that. "I don't know exactly what we're up against or who! All I know is that the Master of Time, Clockwork interfered and that's enough reason for us to get involved in this and stop Plasmius!"

The crowd became restless at that before quieting at Skulker's raised hand. "Because of this I wouldn't blame any of you for backing out now." He waited and when no one left he continued with a vicious grin. "Alright then, let's get out there and destroy Plasmius and help that infernal Ghost Brat!" With that he turned and charged at the portal entrance with all the other ghosts right behind him.

DannyPhantom

A.N. So I got another chapter done! Forgive me for not getting it out sooner but I've been busy at work and then sick and then some of the other stories I've been working on as well. I'm sorry it took so long! I'll try and kick them out faster but don't hold your breath for that. I hope you guys review and tell me what you thought of this chapter and what not. Until next time you guys!