Warnings for this chapter: Angst. Lots and lots of angst.

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Chapter eighteen: All he could do...

Danny and Phantom are hand in hand as they walk home from Danny's school. People are giving him strange looks, but Danny doesn't care, he is just happy that he gets to spend time with Phantom like always.

It had been three months since Danny had confessed to Phantom and finally their relationship seemed right. For the longest time, Danny felt that there was something off in their friendship, and it wasn't until he was older and he started noticing his feelings that he'd figured out why. He found that their love transcended friendship, even the word soulmate was inadequate to how much they loved each other as sappy as it sounds.

It didn't matter to him that Phantom was a ghost now. Danny could still talk to him and touch him, so even if everyone and their dog thought he was weird with acting the way he does, he was with his Phantom, and that was all that mattered to the raven.

The familier shout of 'Beware' interrupts his inner monologue, and Danny feels irritation flood him even as the ghost next to him sighs. They glance over to where the noise is coming from and see the Box Ghost, packages from the nearby post office flying around him. Then it is Danny's turn to sigh.

"I am the Box Ghost! Master of all things rectangular and square! I will finally defeat you, ghost and child with-" The overall clad ghost pauses to read one of the boxes, "This meat and cheese from Montgomery Ward!"

Both boys roll their eyes exasperatedly, "I'll handle this," Phantom says, kissing Danny on the cheek before flying off to the misplaced aggression reliever.

Danny sits down roughly on a nearby bench, waiting for the short battle to be over. He rolls his shoulders, trying to work out the knot in his back. He just wants to go home and lay down, maybe cuddle a little with Phantom before Sam and Tucker came over. That thought is interrupted by a cold chill down his spine. He jumps from his seat, whirling around to find a translucent old man in a suit, grinning at him with malice.

"Hello Daniel."

Danny feels a incredible fear flood through him but he holds his ground, "Who are you?! How do you know my name?!" He exclaimes, secretly feeling proud that his voice didn't shake.

Next thing he knows the man is right in his face, eyes solid red and fangs in his mouth as he grins wickedly, "You have no need to worry about that, I just came to even the playing field a little."

"Wha-" Before Danny can blink, a hand with what felt like sharp talons is digging into his head. Ice spiders swarm his body and mind as he gets struck with a massive headache. He screams the last word on his lips before he blacks out.

"PHAAAANTOOOM!!!"

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Phantom has just defeated the Box Ghost when he hears his name ripped from Danny's throat, making his ectoplasm freeze. He flies back to where the scream came from and finds the man he'd hoped to never see again, hand locked on the raven's head as he passes out. Rage boils through the ghost as Vlad lets Danny fall to the ground.

"Masters!!!"

Vlad glances over at Phantom with a cold grin on his face, "Ah, Baritoni! You're looking well."

Phantom clenches his fists, "What did you do to him Stronzo?!" he says through gritted teeth. Vlad gazes down at the unconscious boy, as if he'd just realized that he was there.

"Oh, just a little memory wipe. You've had the advantage too long Phantom, it was about time I leveled the playing field no?"

Phantom growls, fists blazing with green energy, "You will fix it Masters, or else!" He demands, green eyes flashing in rage.

Vlad sneers, "Or else what?" The answer is in the form of an ecto ray to the face. Phantom's vision is tinted a venomous green as he proceeds to pummel Vlad for everything he is worth.

Vlad hits the ground, leaving a massive crater in the middle of the street. He flickers in and out, still smirking triumphantly and pissing Phantom off.

"I couldn't 'fix him' even if I wanted to Phantom! His powers and memories are locked away! Only he can overcome it!" Phantom blasts him again, Vlad grunting before the grin returns, "And you better hope he does, because coming his eighteenth year, if he doesn't remember or refuses the memories entirely, he will be mine!" Vlad fades, laughing maniacally.

Phantom hears a groan and flies down to try to comfort his Nightingale, but when Danny opens his eyes, Phantom's core shatters. Danny is looking right through him, the same look that everyone else has when they can't see him. Danny rubs his head, looking around the area in bewilderment.

"What am I doing here? Was I so tired that I passed out in the street?"

"Danny?" Phantom whispers, hoping that the boy could at least hear him. But it is no use, Danny can't see or hear him...in fact he has completely forgotten about him.

He watches as Danny gets up, still rubbing his head as he cringes, "Man, what a headache. I better get home and sleep this off."

Phantom watches, heartbroken as Danny walks away. Because of their connection, Phantom can never be far from Danny, but this gift had just turned into a curse as all Phantom is able to do is watch life go by.

He watches as Sam asks Danny to kiss her, jealousy burning through him and then relief when Danny says he doesn't feel anything. Then he has to watch the awkwardness Danny has to go through before Sam finally over comes her embarrassment and returns, coming up with some bullshit that she didn't feel anything either, which if he could Phantom would have called her out on it, but he can't.

He watches as Tucker starts going on and on about Paulina. Phantom cringes, remembering the Paulina he had had to deal with back so long ago. He watches with sadness as Danny claims to like her too when it is obvious that he doesn't, and starts to humiliate himself over her.

He watches as the other white haired boy, Elliot, shows up at the highschool and watches Danny stalk him and Ida's granddaughter. He doesn't feel jealous this time, he knows his love was only worried about her. He isn't jealous when Valerie asks Danny to be her boyfriend either. He knows Danny doesn't really care about her that way, he does feel immense pride for his Nightingale when Danny breaks the son of a bitches nose though.

He watches Dash force himself on Danny, feeling about as much rage if not more than Danny's friends did. And his core aches when Danny talks to his sister, saying it wasn't him that kissed the blue eyed boy. Though Danny doesn't know that it is Phantom he is talking about, for the first time in a long time, Phantom wishes he was alive again so he could comfort his Nightingale.

He watches the migraines become worse, with not using his powers in so long, they were putting a strain on Danny. There are some days Danny can't even get out of bed because of them. He wishes he could do something, but the only thing, the only damn thing Phantom can do...is watch.