I had planed on this only being a one-shot. But then I realized I didn't mark it as "Completed." ^-^;

So I decided to continue until I hit the Episode: "Mystery Meat".

Or at least in the same zip-code.

Enjoy

…

Chapter 2:

"Danny!" Sam and Tucker called out, when the sound of their friend's scream rang from the portal. They ran for the hole, intending to drag him out, but never made it. For the portal had become the equivalent of a jet engine running on radioactive green fire.

Ducking into a corner to avoid becoming BBQ. They could only watch as the energy formed the relative shape of a wall, lining the portal's entrance. Until the power was completely capped off. Leaving only the dull throb of red emergency lights. And a swirling green vortex, in place of the once empty and abandoned hole.

"Danny!" Sam screamed again, jumping back to her feet when able to. And rushed back to the doorway, tears running down her face, as she searched the last place she'd seen her friend.

"There," Tucker called, pointing at a humanoid shape floating within vortex's tunnel. Only - something was off. "Maybe we can –" He began. Looking around the room for anything that could safely grab their friend. But Sam was having none of it and jumped through the portal herself. Running to his side. She either didn't receive. Or didn't notice an effect of traversing a radioactive green hole.

"Or we could do that," Tuck added. Taking in a big breath so that he could hold it. He soon followed her lead. And together, they were able to pull Danny from the portal. Noticing a strange weightlessness to their friend, as they returned him to the real world.

"Danny," Sam begged, touching his neck to check for a pulse. Jumping when his skin almost burned her with its coldness. It was only this shock that had her finally register the other oddity. And take notice of the fact that his once jet black hair had become snow white.

"He's breathing - I think." Tucker said, laying an ear against his friend's chest. Not that it would do them any good. Nether of them were CPR trained. But that didn't make Danny's heartbeat any less nonexistent. Or Tuck's panic. "We need to get him to the hospital."

"Wait," Sam ordered when their friend suddenly moaned. Tuck blinked, unable to riddle out how that could be and sat there as Sam pulled his head into her lap. "Danny? Danny, open your eyes. Please," She begged. Trying to keep herself from crying, knowing she needed to stay strong. At least until the danger was over.

He let out another pained noise and a wince, before finally doing as she asked. But the action only made his friends start in shock. When they were met with the glow of eerie neon green, instead of his usual bright blue.

"Danny?" Sam asked. For a moment wondering if it was actually him.

"What happened?" He said. Causing them both to jump again, when his voice come out in an unnatural echo. This was a reaction Danny did not miss and looked up at them in confusion. Clearly unaware of the changes to his appearance. That is until his head fell through Sam's hands to hit the floor.

She couldn't help but scream at the strange sensation and jumped back. And Danny was quick to take that as his cue to freak out as well.

"Danny, Danny! It's okay," Sam ordered. Rushing back to his side. Being unable to leave him when he needed her. Despite the strange circumstances.

However, her attempt to grab his hands and keep him from panicking. Was met with her friend phasing through her again. Which did not go over well with the already horrified teenager. As he jumped back in complete terror.

"What's going on, what's happening to me?" He begged. Trying to get his legs to work. But only succeeded in falling against a table when his motor functions refused to work. And thus knocked everything to the floor in a loud cacophony of noise.

At this point, Tucker stepped in and attempted to help as well. But wasn't able to make contact with the intangible presence of his friend either. And Danny could only panic that much more, until Sam finally put her foot down.

"Danny!" She screamed. Causing him to freeze, turning to look at her in surprise. Earning his attention at last. She took in a deep breath and continued in a manner she hope appeared calm and collected.

"Calm down," She commanded. Thankfully, the words seemed to reach his frazzled mind. And Danny followed her example, taking in several deep breaths. Attempting to do what she had asked. And, though he still shock uncontrollably, Sam to was at last able touch him again.

"Are you okay?" She asked. He looked up to meet her eyes, fear in his own and She gave him a little smile of apology. Of course he wasn't alright.

"I don't know," He admited. Hugging himself in an attempt to control the shaking, but had no luck. "It hurts," He added, causing Sam to step a little closer.

"What hurts?"

"Everything," He answered. She didn't complain about his unhelpfulness. Instead looking around for something that could help. She finally spotted some kind of examination table. Hooked up to several machines that meant to test for anomalies.

Deciding it was worth a try. She led her friend over to it as gentle as possible. Noticing the odd way he seemed to float along with her guidance. Like some kind a marinate made of balloons.

"Tucker, do you think you can work it?" She asked. Keeping Danny's eyes focused on hers, as she sat him down and rubbed his hands in an attempt to keep him calm.

"Yeah." The techno whiz was quick to locate a screen and keyboard, where he began typing away in an attempt to start a scan. "Okay buddy, lay down."

"I – I don't know if I can," Danny admitted around his shivering. "What if I –"

"It's ghost proof. If they can't phase through it, nether can you," Sam explained. He just looked at her again, like a lost puppy. But soon nodded and laid across the surface. Allowing Tucker to do his thing.

But was quick to stop scan again, when his friend jumped in reaction. Very aware that if he'd been contaminated with ghost stuff, the machine could actually hurt him.

"You okay?" Sam asked in a soft quiet tone. Noting the way he clutched at her hand. As if he were afraid of disappearing, should he not hold onto something real.

"Yeah," Danny answered. Forcing himself to take another breath and another. "It – tingles." He lied. But his friends both knew what had him so jumpy.

Experimentation. It was something Danny had never liked to begin with. And, now that he was in a position to become that experiment. It was scaring him even more.

"It's okay, we're right here," Sam promised. Squeezing his hand back and Tucker too reached over to touch Danny's shoulder.

"Ready to try again?" He added when his friend had managed to calm himself and nod. Prompting Tucker to start the scan again and wait until the computer let out a ding of completion.

But, he continued to remain quiet. Considering the results for upward of a full minute, until Sam finally demanded that he speak up.

"He's –" He began, only for a sad understanding to creep into his voice. " He's a ghost."

"What –" Danny said, sitting up in shock. Then seemed to register the sentence. "You mean – I'm –" He was unable to complete this statement. Only looking to Sam, with hope that she might have another answer.

This was when he noticed something behind her. And before either of his friends could could stop him, he'd rushed to the mirror in a panic. And found himself looking at a face he didn't recognize. Yet, at the same time, knew it had to be his own.

"I'm – dead," He finished. His voice coming out in a strange whispering tone. That suggested a dangerous level of shock was descending. But, before his friends could get back to his side, Danny's mind seemed to finally reach its limit and shut down.

"Danny," Sam called in panic. When he lost consciousness, collapsing on his feet. Between her and Tucker, they were able to catch him before he could hit the floor. But, as they tried again to make more sense of the situation. A sudden flash of white blinded them in the near dark of the room. And two rings of light traveled the length of their friend in opposite directions. Changing his clothes and body as they went. Until their friend once again lay between them. Just as normal as he had been before the accident.

"What just happened?" Sam managed to spit out in shock. But Tucker didn't have an answer. His mouth only hanging open in astonishment.

"Let's get him back on the table," She ordered and they picking him up again. Immediately taking notice of his returned weight.

It took them a minute to readjust to this. Enough time for the lights to finally come back on. Thus giving them some good view. As they carried Danny back to the table. And Tucker rushed to reactivate the scanner.

A moment later the screen declared its findings and again the techno geek was silent.

"What?" Sam demanded so loud that he about jumped from skin.

"He's human," Tucker finally answered. Looking back at his unconscious friend with a raised eyebrow. Stuck somewhere between happiness that his friend was alive and confusion. As he didn't know how and why. "But, how can that be? A minute ago he was a ghost."

"Tucker," Sam whispered. Taking up Danny's hand again. Glad to discover that his warmth had returned as well. And looked at her other friend, as she finished the thought. "I think he's both."

…