Danny slept without dreaming. He would lay next to Sam hovering in between sleep and awake. When he slept it was light and he spent most of the nights awake. His mind constantly trying to find an answer to the problems he was facing. Tonight, he floated next to the bed he shared with his beloved. His legs crossed and his eyes closed. He was attempting a meditative trance that Clockwork had once shown him. He had been told it was a good way to calm his mind and relax his body. He had been like this for two hours and still nothing. He would have kept trying, but a small beeper attached to his belt started to vibrate. He had set the house alarm to the beeper so it wouldn't wake Sam up at night. He checked on Sam. She was sleeping, but her face showed pain and small bits of tears could be seen coming from her eyes. Danny hated himself for not being able to help her more than just being nearby. And he couldn't even do that as much as he would have liked. He turned into Danny Phantom without yelling his standard catch phrase. He phased through the floor and flew downstairs. His jaw dropped at the sight he saw through the window. Malice was standing on the front lawn. Not a proxy, but the real ghost. His purple robes flowing as the evening wind blew. Danny made sure the ghost shield was on and opened the front door.

"What do you want?"

Malice bowed slightly. "I heard the young mother was ill. I have come to offer my assistance."

"Don't need nor want it. I witnessed first hand how you help people." Danny started to close the door, but Malice again bowed.

"I regret the things I have put you and your loved ones through. Surely I should have used that vile Vlad in my experiments." His face was full of grief and if he was faking, Danny couldn't tell. Malice reached into his robes and pull out a notebook. "I have come to make amends for what I have done." He flipped through the small blue notebook. "The affliction Sam is going through is very similar to a problem I faced in some of my earlier work."

Danny interest was perked. "You know what is happening to her?"

"Of course! Splicing human and ghost DNA is a very tricky job. But it is something I can easily correct."

"You have a cure?" Danny almost stepped out of the house. The ghost shield being the only thing stopping him.

Malice nodded. "Curing her is a relatively simply matter for me."

"What do you want in exchange?" Danny's reasoning finally kicking in.

"Join me! You must see the advantages. Sam will be cured, your children given the best environment imaginable, and I will make you my lieutenant." Malice floated as close to Danny as the shield would allow. "I know that you and I have had our differences in the past, but please consider your situation." Danny was silent. His mind carefully considering what Malice was saying. Malice smiled. "Take your time. I will have my children stay clear from you for a time. But don't wait to long." Malice floated away and vanished in a flash of green light. Danny closed the door and sat down on the floor. It was only about eleven at night. While he wasn't sure what to do, he knew he was going to miss another night of sleep.

Clockwork watched as Malice reappeared in his chair across from him. The Board of Destiny had shifted since the two had last sat at the table. Malice loved watching the ghost of time reduced to a spectator. "It is killing you inside. You hide it well, but I see right through you."

Clockwork's red eyes glanced up at Malice. "I trust your visit went well."

"He is backed in a corner! Soon he will have no choice but to accept my generous offer. Then final victory will be mine."

"You forget you are not the only piece on the board." Clockwork waved his hand over the board. "The outcome is still unclear."

Malice leaned over the board. Danny and his group were tightly packed together on Clockwork's side. Malice and several of his pieces were on his side. The rest of Malice's pieces were spread across the board. Vlad and his two helpers were on the far right and Inferno was on the far left. "Nothing worth giving much thought."

"Really?" Clockwork smiled as several pieces appeared in the center of the board. "Are you sure?"

Malice eyes narrowed at the small group. "Easily crushed." He stood up and vanished. Clockwork's eyes started to glow and he too left. The room that housed The Board of Destiny grew dark.

Danny sat with Jazz and Tucker in his dinning room. Both of them were silent as Danny told him what Malice had offered. Tucker was the first to speak up. "Easy! Don't! I'm sure Jazz can come up with a solution in no time. Right?" Jazz simply shrugged her shoulders. Tucker sighed. "We can't give him what he wants."

Jazz hung her head down. "I'm afraid that Malice might be Sam's only hope. I just don't have enough time to do the research."

"Are you kidding me?" Tucker nearly flew out of his seat. "I thought you were supposed to be a super genius."

"I can't just pull a solution out of thin air. I am not an expert on this."

Danny silently listened to them argue for several minutes before a female voice chimed in. "Can I have a say?"

"Sam!" All three stood up and turned to the tired looking girl.

"Tell Malice to shove his offer up his nose. I'd rather die than owe my life to that egomaniac."

Danny walked over to her. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah!"

Jazz managed a small smile. "I'll keep trying. I'll put all of my other projects on hold."

Tucker nodded. "I'll hold the line so Danny can spend more time with you." He transformed into Tucker Tech. "Speaking of which." He flew out of the room.

"I'll get back to work." Jazz went back to the lab.

"Sorry!"

"For what?" Sam sat down in one of the chairs.

"I wasn't there for you when you needed me the most. You being sick is my fault and now you might.." Danny couldn't bring himself to finish.

"Stop!" Sam motioned to him and Danny knelled down in front of her. "You are not at fault. We will just have to hope Jazz can find a cure. She has a knack of finding the solutions to problems at the last second."

"Yeah! You're right!" Danny rummaged around in his pocket. He pulled a small black box from his pocket. "This is probably bad timing, but I have wanted to ask you this for quite awhile." He opened the box. A small ring made of black metal in the shape of a spider. A diamond was imbedded in the spider's back. "Will you marry me?"

Sam took the box with tears in her eyes. "Yes!"

"So he rejected my offer?" Malice stood in his lab. Ember was on the computer screen. Ember nodded her head as Malice simply rubbed his chin.

"They are also planning on getting married before it is to late."

"Really?" Malice shrugged. "Maybe when he is racked with the pain of loss he will be more willing to join me." Malice rolled his shoulders. "Leave them be for the time being. I have other concerns at the moment."

"My lord!" Ember bowed and the screen shut off.

Danny was all nerves as he greeted people at the door. It took him and Sam only a few days to throw the wedding together. Their parents approved only grudgingly. A second ghost shield was thrown over the backyard and a small altar was built. Black roses were brought in and a small tent was erected for the caterers. Sam had decided to wait and tell the folks about her illness a little after the wedding. No need to make a happy day said. Danny loved her strength and admitted the only reason he had it together was because of her. The bell ran and he was jarred out of his thoughts. He opened the door and froze. "Clockwork!"

The ghost of time was standing on the small porch with in a black suit. His scythe had been turned into a cane. He adjusted his bowtie. "I hope I was invited."

"Of course!" Danny shut the house shield down just long enough for Clockwork to enter.

"How is it going?" Danny wanted to ask Clockwork if he knew what could save Sam, but he already knew the answer. Clockwork couldn't interfere.

"Sorry for all that you're going through." He handed Danny a small purple and pink flower in a red pot. "It was an extinct flower from China. I rescued one for Sam before it was bulldozed over fifty years ago."

Danny took the pot. "I'm sure she'll like it. Sam does love her plants."

Clockwork nodded. "Yes she does. But it has gotten her in trouble a couple of times." Danny nodded as he remembered the times he had enjoyed with Sam before all this had happened.

"Marriage! Sowing the seeds of a new relationship. Watching it grow."

"Am afraid this relationship won't grow as much as Sam or me would like."

Clockwork simply smiled. "If you say so!" He walked towards the backyard.

Danny scratched his head. "I wish that guy wouldn't speak in riddles." Danny starred at the plant and it suddenly dawned on him. Clockwork never said anything that didn't have a point. He was trying to tell him something. Danny set the plant down and thought over what Clockwork had said. "Undergrowth!" Danny turned into his ghost mode. "Tucker!"

"Yeah!" His friend ran up.

"Stall!" Danny flew out of the house.

"Ok!" Tucker walked back to the backyard.

Clockwork smile grew. "He is smarter than even he knows."