Disclaimer: I do not own Darkwing Duck, Scrooge McDuck or any other Disney character.

Authors Note: Again, this fic ties in with "The Path Chosen." This is the story of the one called Guardian, the Duck in White.

Meant To Be: Chapter 5

It's been nearly a weak now since the disturbing events took place in the McDuck household. The media had gotten a hold of the story and had a field day with it. News reporters had hounded Scrooge every day since it happened. Every paper in Duckburg ran the story.

"SCROOGE McDUCK BEING HUNTED"

"MYSTERIOUS FIGURE HAUNTS SHADOWS OF McDUCK ESTATE"

"McDuck Family Stalked by Mysterious Phantom?"

As if the family isn't under enough stress.

Almost a week since it happened and Scrooge still wakes in the night with a feeling that he is not alone. Though Gizmoduck and the police have combed the entire area around the estate, even using police dogs, there has been no further clues to the identity of this Phantom.

There is no reason to even believe that he will come back. He got what he was after didn't he? The Super Elastio Alloy? That is what he wanted...right?

Still, if that was all he was after, why go to such unnecessary lengths to get it? Why would he even come to the mansion at all, let alone make the disturbing phone call from Scrooge's own phone. Why not just wait until Gyro was out or asleep then simply go in and take it?

It is these peaces of the puzzle that don't yet fit,that have Scrooge McDuck so shaken.

In the cool of the eventide, The richest duck in the world stands alone on the balcony of his room. Below him he hears the consistent humming of Gizmoduck's super suit as he patrols the estate, as he has every night for the last week. His presents offers some peace of mind to the wealthy duck. But still.

There is that uncertainty, an insecurity that comes with facing the unknown.

Whoever this Phantom, as he has been dubbed by the media, is. He's certainly left his mark on the McDuck family.

Gazing into the oncoming night, Scrooge can only wonder, where this person is right now and what is he doing at this moment.

At that very moment, in St. Canard.

Drake Mallard is preparing for another night of patrolling the city as the mysterious crime fighter, Darkwing Duck. "Gosalyn, get a move on or we'll leave without you!" he calls up to his daughter from the foot of the staircase. Though the threat of leaving her behind is an empty bluff. He hasn't left his daughter alone since that night. He'd come home after a night of crime fighting to find his daughter's window open and had a strange feeling that somebody had been in the house with her.

He had asked her casually the next day if she left her window open the night before.

Her reply had been. "I don't think so. But maybe I did, I'm a kid, I forget that kind'a stuff."

He couldn't ask for a more honest answer, especially from Gosalyn.

Now that school is out, he can allow her to ride along on patrol with him as Quiverwing Quack every night. She usually falls asleep in the sidecar of the RatCatcher or the backseat of the ThunderQuack some time in the night. Still, he is wary of leaving her alone after that night. He even plays with the idea of buying a dog to be home with her when he's gone – a big dog!

A few seconds later, the little red headed tomboy comes bounding down the stairs. "Ready when you are!" she chirps eagerly.

Drake lifts an index finger to the rim of the light colored sunglasses he wears. He fumbles with them for a few seconds, trying to make them fit a little firmer.

"Dad, you keep fooling with those things!" Gosalyn complained. "Maybe you should have them fitted for you."

"That won't be necessary, little missy" Drake assures her. "I don't need them that often."

"Yeah, right dad, you only need then the days the sun is shining or when there are any lights on or..."

"Alright! You've made your point!" Drake snaps then heaves a heavy sigh "Sorry, kiddo, I shouldn't snap at you like that. I just don't think I'll ever get use to these things."

Gosalyn shrugs "Well, maybe you won't have to, maybe the doctors are wrong and your eyes will get better and..."

"Gos," Drake cuts her off. He kneels to look her in the eye "We've been all through this. The doctors have done all they can. But they can't work miracles. My eyes are the way they are." He smiles trying to make light of the matter "Besides, some good came out of it." he says tapping his finger against the smaller finer bill that now replaces original "At least that's what you and Morgana keep telling me." He says in a mock accusing tone.

Gosalyn can't help but smile. True the fact that much of her father's over-sized bill had to be amputated hasn't turned out to be a bad thing for him, at all. Along with the smaller smoother cheeks, that were also a result of needed plastic surgery, her dad's appearance is greatly benefited. Gosalyn looks thoughtfully at her dad. She has to admit, if only to herself, that her father is quite handsome with the altered features.

Deciding she's had enough of the mushy stuff she pushed Drakes hands away from her shoulders "Well what are we waiting for, lets go get some bad guys!"

"Yeah, well just remember..."
"I know, I know! I'm going along only to observe not participate as per our agreement. And if at any time I breach the agreement and become actively involved, not only will I no longer be allowed to ride along, I will be grounded so long that I'll have to be reincarnated twice just to carry out the full term of the punishment!" She actually manages to get out the entire statement in a single breath.

"And that's only if I decide to let you off early for good behavior," he adds pointedly.

"Gee DW, what if she was reincarnated as a fly or something? I mean flies only live for a few days right? Gos would have to come back like a million times before her punishment was up." LaunchPad points out innocently.

A remark to which Gosalyn can only giggle while Drake rolls his eyes. "Yeah well, how do you ground a fly?" Drake replies trying to offer some logic to the hypothetical question.

"Cut off it's wings!" Gosalyn chirps out with a chuckle.

Drake and LaunchPad both look at her accusingly. It takes her a second to read the dirty looks being given to her by the adults. "Hey! Not that I have ever done it. I may be a tad impish at times, but torturing insects. That's up Tank's alley – not mine!" she protest defensively.

Drake decides not to pursue the subject, rather he turns for the chairs, "Let's go."

In a high tower over looking Audubon Bay, in a dimly lit edifice, a matching pair of empty blue chairs begin to spin. They stop and are now occupied. Gosalyn jumps from her place on her dads lap and hurries to get into her Quiverwing costume.

Drake walks slowly after her, going to change into his own disguise. By time he arrives

to the wardrobe that houses the costumes, Gosalyn is already dressed and ready to go.

"Come on dad!" she urges her father who seems content to take his time changing.

Stepping out from behind the floor screen, he fumbles with the soft elastic visors. "You know LP, I appreciate your friend gyro making these things for me. But I hope he isn't offended if I ask Sara Bellum to make some adjustments to them?" he calls to his sidekick who is walking towards the ThunderQuack.

"I'm sure Gyro wouldn't care DW, but whats wrong with them.

"Nothing is really wrong with them LP. But I thought perhaps Bellum could come up with a way to change the depth of the tenting. It's kind of hard to see in the dark through dark glasses."

Just then, a faint sound catches his ear. He freezes. He listens. From the ledge of the tower, the resounding of fleeing footsteps echo off the metallic walls. "Somebody is in here!" He exclaims. He doesn't hesitate to run after the sound of distant running footsteps. By time he reaches the ledge, whoever it was, is gone. He squints his eyes surveying his surroundings.

"Dad, who is it!" Gosalyn calls chasing after her father with LaunchPad right behind her.

"I don't know. Whoever it was is gone." Darkwing answers, still staring off into the darkness.

"Seems our secret hideout isn't so secret after all." LaunchPad comments. "What do you suppose they wanted?"

Darkwing turns to go back inside, "I don't know, yet!"

They search the tower to see if anything is missing. Darkwing has his magnifying glass out. He searches for clues. Fingerprints, bits of torn clothing, anything that would give him a lead. He hasn't found anything that seems to have been tampered with. LaunchPad and Gosalyn are helping, though they aren't sure what they're suppose to be looking for.

"Gee DW, you know maybe it was that stray cat that keeps coming around," LaunchPad suggests after an hour of finding nothing.

"No LP, it was not a cat I heard, besides, we haven't seen that cat since Gos fed it one of your homemade brownies."

This is true, but LaunchPad doesn't have a chance to reply..

"Dad!" Gosalyn's terrified voice rings out, reverberating throughout the tower.

Darkwing and LaunchPad both jump in startle. Both of them bolt in the direction of her cry.

In a small corner of the tower, used for a study, Gosalyn, stands next to a pine desk, her eyes never leaving it's surface. "Gosalyn, what's wrong sweetie!" Darkwing asks rushing to his daughters side. She doesn't answer, instead she turns to bury her face in his chest. She's trembling. Instinctively, he wraps his arms around her.

"What's wrong DW?" LaunchPad asks seeing the child clinging to her father.

"I don't know LP..." Darkwing answers. He glances over at the desk looking for the cause of his daughters distress. Then he sees it, and his heart skips a beat.

There on his desk, the small lamp in the corner shines down on something.

A newspaper.

It is the Duckburg Chronicle. The headline reads "McDuck family Stalked by Mysterious Phantom?"

There is a picture of Scrooge and the children standing in front of the mansion.

Across the front of the paper, scrawled crudely in large black marker -the words -TAURUS BULBA!

To be continued...