CHAPTER FOUR: SKULKING FOR TROUBLE
Four months…
In total, it was now seven months since the Phantom of the Opera incident. Seven months of Danny being a vegetable…
Luckily, the doctors found no reason to put Danny in Rehab, nor any reason to keep him in the hospital at all. Within a week, he was released.
Unfortunately though, his mental state was no different then it was before. He was still a zombie, mindlessly following them around. He did whatever they told him to do, without a single thought. It worried Sam, without his soul, anything could happen to him, and thankfully, Jazz realized this as well. They worked it out, when Danny was at school, Sam and Tucker watched over him, when he was at him, Jazz made it her personal mission to make sure Danny did not do anything stupid at home. At least Jay pitched in with the Ghost Hunting, and with Danny's parents fearing their son is a vegetable, they thankfully left him out of anything to do with their research and inventions. Dash even left Danny alone at school, claiming 'its not cool to bash on mentally handicapped kids'.
It made Sam so mad whenever they referred to Danny like that. But it was more easy to explain then he might have lost his soul. Which was their biggest problem right now. While Jay and Jazz took care of Ghost Hunting, it was mostly up to Sam and Tucker to find Danny's In-Between. At least Danny followed them through this and did not wander off. If they found it, having Danny with them would be a lot easier then trying to drag it back to Fenton Works, where Maddie and Jack would probably confuse it for a ghost.
Sam sat down on the bench and sighed, "We're NEVER going to find it."
Tucker sat down next to her with an even louder sigh, "Cheer up Sam! He's got to be somewhere in the world."
She rolled her eyes. But he was right, the chances that it could still be in Amity Park were slim.
~*~
"Great." Vlad sighed as he put the phone down.
Dan looked over at him and merrily shoved some more popcorn in his mouth. He said between chews, "What's up?"
"They need me to go to City Hall and sign some papers on the city's new water-savings plan." Vlad rolled his eyes,
"Let me guess? Stay here?" Dan sighed,
"Its too early for you to go out into the world Daniel." Vlad replied with a sinister smile, "Its best for you to sit at home and finish the movie."
"Nah. You wanted to see it too, didn't you, Dad?" Dan stated, dropping the bowl on the table, "We'll watch it when we get back."
Vlad was still stuck on the 'Dad' part, and it took a few seconds for him to realize what Dan had said. He slowly shook his head, "Daniel. Its too dangerous…"
"To go to Amity Park. I know." Dan exaggerated, "But I don't care. Maybe that would give you an excuse to finally teach me how to fight?"
Vlad made a face, and Dan laughed. The elder Halfa turned away and started from the room, "There is no need for you to learn how to fight. Now stay…"
But Dan was already gone. Vlad sighed and walked outside his mansion, and just as he expected, Dan was standing outside in 'Ghost Form'. The sight nearly gave Vlad a heart attack.
"I guess you're not going to take no for an answer this time?" Vlad sighed, folding his arms.
Dan shook his head with a smile, "Nope! Now come on! Lead the way!"
Vlad shrugged as he gave up arguing with the teenager. Instead, he turned into Plasmious and floated up to join the boy, "If you want to come, you must promise me not to 'Go Ghost in Amity Park."
Dan nodded, "No Ghost-Thing. Gotcha!"
Plasmious had a bad feeling about this, but he bit it back and led the way towards Amity Park. By the time they reached City Hall, he was almost tempted to turn around and go back.
Dan landed on the ground and turned back into his human self. He looked around the Mayor's office with awe, "Wow! Nice place here Dad!"
"I guess it is." Plasmious muttered, "Ok, I'm going to go sign those papers…you just STAY in City Hall. Got that?"
Dan gave him an innocent look, and Vlad sighed. He did not believe that look for a second.
"Stay." He repeated sternly.
Dan sighed as Vlad closed the door. He leaned back in the Mayor's chair and hummed a tune that was stuck in his head. Closing his eyes, he tried to remember his life before he woke up on that slab table, and could not. The only thing that came to his mind was that dream he had before waking up…
He had had a similar dream ever since, and that worried him. Do everyone have dreams like that? He did not know. He could only remember for four months of his sixteen-year-old life. Vlad told him it was because he had amnesia…but it did not bother him too much.
He was happy as he was, the son of a wealthy, lonely man, able to do whatever he felt like when he wanted…unless it involved Amity Park…and the ghost-powers were something great as well.
Fear suddenly gripped his chest. What if the person he was, was nothing like the person he is now? What if when he got his memories back, he wasn't 'Dan' anymore? That thought terrified him. A shiver went down his spine. No…he would not let the memories come back…he was too scared of never being himself again. What if he was a snob? A prick? A loser?
He jumped out of the chair, unable to tolerate his thoughts anymore. "I-I'm going to get some fresh air…I doubt Dad would mind if I stepped outside for a few seconds? Technically the front steps is still city hall."
~*~
"Well, we haven't looked down there in a week?" Tucker asked, pointing down an empty road. The Business District of Amity Park was never busy this late on a Sunday. Most places were closed for the night by now.
"Whatever." Sam sighed, standing up, "Come on Danny. Let's go…"
Danny followed without a word.
Sam sighed and sat down on the steps outside of the City Hall. She let her head fall down onto her lap as she fought her emotions.
"Come on Sam." Tucker said brightly, "You can't give up hope yet!"
When Sam did not respond, Tucker grimly sat next to her. Sam was half expecting Danny to copy him, and was slightly shocked when he did not.
His gaze was locked up at the City Hall. But before she could turn around and see what he was staring at, a familiar voice broke the silence. The voice was one that she had been missing for so long…
"Mind if I sit here?"
She slowly turned her head and felt her heart race. It was a teenaged boy who looked so shockingly like Phantom it startled her. Except his white hair was down and in his face, instead of sticking up from his head.
"N-Not at all." Sam stuttered.
He sat down next to her, his eyes locking on Danny.
The two of them stared at each other for a few seconds, before the white-haired boy looked away shyly.
"I'm Sam Manson." She said, holding her hand out towards him. The boy blushed and backed away from her slightly. She pushed her hand out towards him again, "I don't bite too hard."
"S-sorry." The boy muttered. His voice was barely above a whisper, and he did not look at her when he spoke, "I guess this is the first time I get to talk to someone my age…and the first time I get to talk to a girl."
"Well I'm not a girl!" Tucker said proudly, "I'm Tucker Foley."
The boy looked at them for a few seconds, and it was clear that he was gathering his courage. Finally he swallowed the lump in his throat and said, "I'm Dan Masters." He reached out hesitantly and accepted Sam's handshake.
"Dan…Masters?" Sam asked skeptically, she pulled her hand away from his. It felt so odd…it was exactly like holding Danny's hand.
Dan nodded, "Yeah…my Dad's in City Hall now…doing paperwork."
Sam and Tucker exchanged looks, and Sam couldn't help but smile. She turned back to Dan, "Do you mind taking a walk with us."
Dan's cheeks darkened, "Um…no. Dad would kill me even for being out here. I shouldn't go."
Sam stood up in disappointment, "Oh…alright then."
Dan quickly jumped to his feet as well, rubbing the back of his head shyly, "Um…ah…Sam? I-If I'm ever in town…would you hang out with me?"
"Of course. Actually…we can hang out now if you want?" She asked rather hurriedly.
Dan shook his head, "Dad should be done soon. Thank you!"
He sounded so happy to say that, that Sam almost felt guilty. But that feeling did not last long, as soon as Dan turned around to walk back into City Hall, a green ball hit him in the back. He screamed and went flying into the stairs.
"Dan!" Sam gasped, running over to him.
Dan panted as he rolled over, "I-I'm fine."
Both of them looked over and saw a giant robot hovering above them with a large jetpack. Sam growled, "Skulker."
"I have found you Ghost-Child." Skulker snapped, holding out his hand once more. A tiny gun placed on his wrist-cuff was pointed right at them, "And now that you've finally come out of hiding, its time I finally got your pelt on my wall."
"W-what?" Dan gasped.
"Move!" Sam screamed, quickly pushing Dan out of the way as Skulker shot at them.
He shot again, launching both of them into the air. They landed down apart from each other, and Skulker quickly moved in, "You're making this easy today, Prey."
Dan curled up into a ball, shielding his head with his arms, "P-Please…if your after my wallet! Take it…just don't hurt me!"
"Your wallet?" Skulker asked, raising an eyebrow,
Dan squeezed his eyes tighter together and cowered to the ground, "Please…"
Skulker raised his hand and prepared to shoot once more, but Sam quickly moved over and pulled Dan away, "This isn't Danny Phantom! Leave him alone!"
"That foolish trick will not fool me child." Skulker replied, he pressed a button to shoot, but before it launched, a green orb hit Skulker in the side, sending him sideways. Dan quickly managed to pull Sam out of the way with a yelp.
Tucker and Danny stood a few feet away, Tucker holding a Plasma Gun. He smiled and twirled it around his finger, "Bo-Yah!"
"Sam! Call Jazz!" Tucker called, pointing the gun at Skulker, "Get her and Jay over here to help!"
Sam nodded and quickly pulled out her cell phone, but before she dialed a number, she froze. Danny was walking up the steps towards them. She held her breath as he approached Dan.
The boy backed up, "L-Leave me alone!" Danny did not respond. He just held his hand out towards the other boy. Dan quickly jumped back, "Go away!"
"Don't you see!" Sam snapped, "You feel a draw towards him! I saw it in the way you looked at him! You're his soul, Dan! You're not Daniel Masters…Your Daniel Fenton. You need to go back into your body. Then you'll have all your memories, and be able to fight…"
She stopped when she saw how pale he turned. Dan backed up, "No way! No! I don't want to disappear."
"You won't disappear."
Both of them turned to look down the steps as Jay and Jazz appeared. Jay smiled at Dan, "Honestly, I was worried about it too when I was an In-Between."
Dan blinked, "Y-You were a what?"
"Its what you are." Jazz stated, "Danny told me that once he tried making a clone of Danny to get himself a son, but Danny and Danielle stopped that. I'm guessing he finally discovered how to make a clone that would survive if he put Danny's soul into it."
Dan deflated. He rubbed his arms defensively, "I won't do it!"
Jazz grabbed him by the shoulders gently. He shied away from her, but she refused to let go, "Please…I want my little brother whole again."
"No!" Tears came to Dan's eyes as he pushed her away, "I'm not going anywhere!"
"What's going on out here?" Vlad yelled, stepping out of City Hall.
"Dad!" Dan gasped, running over and hiding behind the other Halfa.
Vlad's eyes narrowed as he looked from face to face. He saw how close Danny had been to Dan and felt his heart skip a beat, "I thought I told you to stay indoors."
"I'm sorry Dad." Dan whispered, "They want me to fuse with that boy!"
Vlad gently put his hand on Dan's shoulder, "I thought they'd try that. That's why I did not want you to come to Amity Park…"
Dan clenched Vlad's sleeve tightly as Vlad turned away from him and faced the others, "Terrifying a four-month-old? That's pretty evil."
"Your one to talk!" Sam snapped.
"I know." Vlad smiled, "But thanks for the compliment."
He turned into his Ghost Form, "Now prepare to die."
Dan watched in horror as Vlad attacked the others, and they fought back. He could not watch…the thought of something happening to his father…
The three of them ganged up on Plasmious, and finally, overpowered him. Jazz held the Fenton Thermos above Plasmious's head.
"You're going away for a LONG time for this one, buddy." She growled, unscrewing the lid.
"WAIT!" Dan screamed, running over towards them.
Jazz hesitated, looking up at him.
Dan was shaking, and his skin was pale. "I-If I volunteer… to go back…together with my body…would you spare him?"
The party looked at each other, and slowly nodded.
Dan felt tears spill from his eyes, "O-Okay. I'll do it."
"Daniel!" Plasmious snapped.
Jay stood in front of him, "Alright, now Chas say's all you have to do is touch…grab Danny's hand."
Dan turned from Jay and reached out his hand. Danny copied him. As soon as they're hands touched, a blue light engulfed them. Sam smiled as the light faded and there was only one person standing there.
Plasmious stood up, looking at Danny with dismay.
"Now can we kick his ass?" Jay asked.
Danny shook his head, he looked up at Plasmious with new admiration. A love that he had no idea where it came from, "No…a deal's a deal."
Plasmious frowned and took off as fast as he could. Danny felt his heart sag, but as soon as Jazz and Sam hugged him, most of those feelings were overridden. He smiled, "Come on, let's go home…"
Ok, Quick and crappy chapter, but I was running out of time. I might do an extended version later, when I have more time. Anyway…
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
