She Who Never Stops

by EGB Fan

Slimer's gone missing, and the Ghostbusters have some unwanted visitors appearing in their basement as if from nowhere. When one of them insists that he can help, they can only hope he knows what he's talking about.

4. Chapter 4

Spoiler warning: There is a spoiler for the final episode of Danny Phantom, "Phantom Planet", in the closing scene of this story.

Extreme Ghostbusters/Danny Phantom: She Who Never Stops

Part 4

Apparently, Roland's biggest regret was that he'd had so little time in which to get to know Tucker's PDA.

"Dude, it's ok," Tucker said soothingly, as they stood outside the Fenton Portal. "You can get one of your own in about seven years."

Garrett wheeled his way over to them and started trying to persuade Roland that they needed to get moving, while Kylie and Sam shared a Goth moment in the far corner.

"Hang in there," said Kylie. "He's fourteen - of course he thinks he wants girls like that Hispanic piece of ass. But he'll come round eventually."

"Yeah?" Sam cocked an eyebrow. "Well, Kylie, you don't think a Hispanic piece of ass is always a bad thing, do you?"

Kylie blinked. "What?"

"Oh, c'mon," said Sam, grinning. "You can tell me. I saw you wanting to punch Paulina's lights out when she started trying to seduce him in the Nasty Burger."

This left Eduardo with Jazz, which was fine by him. True, Danny's sister was a bigger know-it-all than Kylie or even Roland - but she also seemed uncommonly sensible for Amity Park, and he was finding her easy to talk to.

"All this goodbye forever stuff," Eduardo said quietly, shaking his head. "Why are we so sure the portal will still be there?"

"I don't know," said Jazz. "No one's told me what's been going on. Might it not be?"

"Vlad threatened to close it."

"He did?" Jazz raised her eyebrows, and then dropped them again in order to look serious. "That doesn't sound good. But look, there must be a way to open it again. Why on earth would Vlad just leave you here? What's he got to gain?"

"Good point. I don't know why we've been hanging around so long though, Jazz - it's insane. What do they think's gonna happen? We'll all dive through the portal in the split second before he happens to close it?"

"There are ways around Vlad, Eduardo. If the worst comes to the worst, Danny can overshadow Mom and then seduce him into letting you go home."

"I'll bear that one in mind," said Eduardo, just as Garrett called, "Eddie! Come on, it's time to go."

"Bye, guys!" Jazz said brightly, as the four Ghostbusters climbed into the Spectre Speeder with Danny. "Good luck!"

"Your sister's nice," Roland remarked, when Danny - still in human form - was manoeuvring the Spectre Speeder through the Ghost Zone.

"Yeah, she's all right," said Danny. "Listen, you guys - thanks for all your help with the Furies. We probably would have figured something out, but… thanks."

"No problem," said Kylie. "You did remember the Fenton Thermos, didn't you?"

"Right here," said Danny, reaching down beside his seat and picking up the thermos. "How will we get her from here into your ghost prison?"

"Well," said Garrett, "I guess we'll have to let her out and then trap her again straightaway. The containment unit isn't really compatible with thermoses."

Kylie, Roland, Garrett and Danny continued to chat until Danny brought the Spectre Speeder to a halt where he thought the portal ought to be. He then stared for a few moments, produced a crudely drawn map from somewhere, looked at it, and said, "Oh."

"It's gone," Garrett hazarded.

"Oh, I don't believe this!" said Roland. "We should have taken Vlad more seriously."

"Aw man, this is all my fault!" wailed Danny. "I'm so sorry, you guys! Now what are we gonna do?"

It was obvious, but Eduardo thought of it first, with Jazz's words still fresh in his mind. He said, "We have to go to Vlad."

"Oh, yeah, right," said Danny. "I guess maybe he'll be back in Wisconsin by now - we'll start there. I really am sorry," he added, turning the Spectre Speeder a few degrees.

"It's not your fault, Danny," said Roland. "We should have expected this, really - we've all been very short-sighted."

"How the hell are we gonna get Vlad to reopen the portal?" demanded Garrett, beginning to sound a little panicked. "He'll have a price, you know."

"Of course he will," said Kylie. "Let's just play it by ear, shall we?"

"That's what I usually do with Vlad," said Danny. "It seems to work. Ah, damn it - I should have brought a Fenton Spectre Deflector."

Roland raised his eyebrows. "A Fenton what?"

"Spectre Deflector. It's a belt that repels ghosts. A couple of times I've been able to slip one around Vlad while he was distracted. It stops him transforming."

"We could go back for one," said Roland.

Danny's expression hardened, and his knuckles began to blanche as his grip tightened on the controls. "I didn't say I needed it."

"I… I'm sure you don't," Roland said uncertainly.

"You're being awful quiet back there, Eddie," Garrett remarked suddenly.

Eduardo looked up to see the faces of all three of his colleagues looking expectantly at him, as though in anticipation of some enlightening response. He said simply, "Am I?"

"Yes, actually, you are," said Kylie. "Don't you have anything to say about all of this?"

"Like what? I already said we had to go Vlad."

"That was obvious," said Garrett. "There's more, isn't there? You're thinking something - I can tell."

"So can I," said Kylie. "You're just dying to say I told you so, aren't you?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"If you've got something to say, Eduardo…" Roland said invitingly.

Eduardo raised his eyebrows. "You guys really wanna hear this? Fine. I knew this would happen."

Kylie scowled at him. "You couldn't possibly have known for sure."

"It was obvious. That Vlad guy is clearly evil, and we pissed him off - why would he keep the portal open for us? But you three just couldn't see it! You" - he gestured at Garrett - "with your we'll-find-a-way-out-we-always-do attitude."

Garrett's jaw dropped. "I never said - "

"And Roland, feeling like you have to try and help that Valerie person who's absolutely nothing to do with you, and feeling responsible for those Jessica Rabbit people - doesn't it ever occur to you that people are capable of solving their own problems? I didn't like to say anything, but hasn't anyone noticed that this place is full of ghost hunters?

"And you!" He swung his gaze onto Kylie. "I am never gonna figure you out! Did you want to see more of the Ghost Zone, or did you just want to find out what happens to your new little friend Sam? Well, whatever it was, you felt certain that Egon would be able to keep that portal open for us, didn't you - because you've got it into your head that he's some kind of magician!"

There was silence for a few moments. Then Danny said, "Look, Eddie, don't blame them - I should never have asked you to stay. I know Vlad better than anyone."

"We're all responsible, Danny," said Kylie, and then she looked sharply at Eduardo. "There's no point assigning blame - it doesn't help anyone."

"You're right," said Eduardo. "It doesn't. I know, because whenever I make a mistake, you don't let up about it."

Kylie looked away, but Garrett and Roland were still looking indignantly at Eduardo.

"Don't look like that," he said. "I didn't want to say any of that stuff, because I knew it was pointless - you goaded me into it. Why do people always do that - force you to tell them stuff you obviously don't want to? 'Come on, tell me, you have to tell me…' Eventually you tell them just to make them shut the hell up, and then they have the nerve to complain when they don't like what they hear."

"He's right, you know," Danny said brightly, clearly trying to lift the atmosphere. "My sister does that all the time."

Kylie looked at Eduardo and said, "You know you could have gone with Egon."

Eduardo said nothing, and dropped his gaze.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Danny parked the Spectre Speeder in Vlad's lab, announced he was going ghost and promptly did so, and then threw the vehicle door open.

"Wait, please," said a voice, and the four Ghostbusters peered past Danny to see that Vlad's three vultures were blocking his path. "Check your weapons at the portal."

Garrett and Eduardo both looked about to protest, but then Roland said, "That doesn't sound unreasonable, guys."

"No." Kylie unhooked her proton pistol and kicked it under her seat. "It doesn't."

"You got one o' them Spectre Deflector thingies?" one of the vultures asked Danny.

"No," said Danny.

"What do you have?"

"A Fenton Thermos."

The vultures looked at each other. Then one of them said uncertainly, "The boss did say all weapons…"

"It's in the Spectre Speeder," Danny said irritably. "I'll leave it there - I wasn't planning on using the thermos for Vlad this time any more than I have the last bazillion times. Come on, you guys."

Roland, Kylie, Eduardo and Garrett shared the same ominous feeling as they all climbed out of the Spectre Speeder and began to follow Danny and the vultures up the stairs. Garrett began asking the nearest person - who happened to be Kylie - to help him up, but one of the vultures intervened by swooping down and lifting the chair up.

"Hey!" Garrett protested.

"The boss said no dilly-dallying," the vulture said, and promptly flew Garrett through the ceiling, both of them - and the chair - becoming the watery blue colour that seemed to signify intangibility.

"Oh my God!" exclaimed Kylie. "That's… that's just wrong."

Danny looked over his shoulder at her. "You saw me do it with Sam."

"That was different," said Kylie.

"What? How?"

"Well because it was… it was you guys." She knew it sounded dumb.

Garrett wasn't outside the entrance to the basement when they got there, but rather they found him at the end of a very long walk that involved three flights of stairs. Evidently the vulture had decided to get transporting Garrett over with in one fell swoop.

The three vultures flew over the heads of the party of five, then turned round to hover behind them. "Through there," said one, and they were all frogmarched into a large but sparsely furnished room in whose centre was a black swivel-chair that just had to contain Vlad.

"Ah, there you are," said Vlad, turning the swivel-chair round to reveal that he was in human form, and stroking a fat white cat in a typically villainous way. "I have been expecting you."

"Open the portal," said Danny.

"Patience, Daniel," chided Vlad. "Now then, you four - have you only just tried your portal? What took you so long?"

"We've been helping Danny out," said Roland.

Vlad gave them one of his sinister smiles. "With the Furies, I suppose. Well, enough idle chit-chat. Of course I can open the portal. Indeed, it isn't exactly closed - for, once it is closed, thanks to a certain somebody's thievery, it cannot be reopened from here. It is more… hidden. I am quite willing to reveal it, of course - I have nothing to gain by keeping you here. But there will be a condition. You have a choice of two, as it happens - is that not generous of me?"

"What are they?" Garrett asked shortly.

"Option one," said Vlad. "You may take Danny with you, never to return."

"No deal," said Kylie.

Vlad's smile widened. "Option two. You find a way of getting all of the ghosts in your containment unit into the Ghost Zone. Now now, hear me out. As soon as they're in, I shall close the portal, and you shall never hear from them or me again."

"All of them?" Garrett couldn't help laughing. "Dude, that is a stupid idea. At least half the ghosts in there could kick your ass, easy!"

Vlad's eyes narrowed maliciously. "I do not anticipate any ass-kicking, Mr. Miller. But rather, these ghosts shall see me as their ally. Remember" - he stood up suddenly, turning the cat off his lap, and was Vlad Plasmius by the time he was at his full height - "that they and I have something in common."

"They won't all just agree to be your allies," said Kylie. "And I'm not just saying that, Vlad, honestly - there are some seriously nasty ghosts in there. They will get out of control. I mean, God, there are probably enough to fill the entire Ghost Zone! And what will you do when they start to cause problems?"

"That is my responsibility," said Vlad. "They will be in our world, not yours. You'll be back home. You'll be free to live your lives. It won't matter to you."

"It'll matter to Danny," said Roland.

"How touching," said Vlad, in syrupy tones. "Daniel is not your responsibility."

"He's right," said Danny, turning suddenly to face them. "I'm not - but you guys are my responsibility. I have to help you get home. Just give him his ghosts - we'll handle it."

"Oh, Danny, no." Roland shook his head. "You won't."

"Vlad," said Eduardo. "What exactly do you think would happen? I assume you're getting all of your information from that book - and believe me, it doesn't tell you half of what you should know about the containment unit."

"Ah, yes, my book," said Vlad. "You may regret stealing that, Daniel."

Danny whipped round sharply. "What do you mean by that?"

"The choice is yours. Listen, I'll tell you what: if you're worried about dear Daniel missing his family, then take his father too, and that irritating sister of his. They can all start a brand new life in nineties New York. Won't that be fun, Daniel?"

"And where's my mom in all of this?" fumed Danny. "Wrapped around you, I suppose, satisfying your sick twisted fantasies!"

Vlad scowled. "I don't have any sick twisted fantasies."

"Of course you do, you weird pervert! Let them go home, Vlad - your beef's with me."

"Imagine it," said Vlad, completely ignoring Danny and looking at Eduardo. "You're young, you're virile, you've got your whole life ahead of you, and you have fallen madly in love with some…" - his eyes flickered momentarily towards Kylie - "desirable young woman. And then, just when you are about to confess your love to her, some big fat idiot causes you to be hospitalised with ecto-acne! And then, the next you hear of your lost love, she has married that same big fat idiot and allowed him to impregnate her with his offspring! Twice! Is my situation really so unsympathetic?"

"Vlad," said Roland. "I don't know them that well, but it really seems to me that Maddie and Jack are in love. She would always have chosen him, no matter what."

"Which isn't these guys' fault," Danny said hotly. "Aren't we coming off the point a bit here? Ok, so you got your heart broken - that's no reason to go filling up the Ghost Zone with all kinds of problems that neither one of us needs!"

"Oh, Danny - you dear, sweet boy," sighed Vlad, sounding genuine enough to take them all by surprise. "I really am sorry that it has come to this - to me wanting to be rid of you once and for all. You are right, of course - it isn't their fault, and it isn't yours either. I want you to know that I understand that, Danny."

Danny blinked. "What?"

"You must remember the early days, Danny," Vlad went on. "I wanted to help you… to teach you how to use your powers as effectively as I can."

"Dude, you wanted to lure me over to the dark side," said Danny.

Vlad sighed. "You are Maddie's child, Danny. All I ever really wanted was to be a father to you and your sister."

The four Ghostbusters, uncomfortably aware of the vultures behind them, cut discreet looks at each other. Things really were starting to get crazy now.

"Well…" Danny took a cautious step forward. "Y'know, my dad let one of the Furies out of the thermos today."

"I would never have done that," Vlad said quietly.

Danny nodded. "I know. Maybe we could… start over?"

Kylie, Roland, Garrett and Eduardo all stared in absolute amazement. There were actually tears - real tears - in Vlad's eyes.

"Oh yes?" he said. "And what would be your price? Sending these cretins home, I suppose."

"Well," Danny said warily, "I'd be very grateful."

"Grateful," said Vlad, in a voice choked with some kind of emotion that was hard to place. "Grateful enough to let me help you? To let me be the father you truly deserve?"

Kylie nudged Roland, just because he was close enough for her to do so, and murmured, "Is this guy for real?"

"I don't trust you, Daniel." There was anger in Vlad's voice now, and he was advancing towards Danny. "You are a thief and a liar. It would be so easy for you to break your promise as soon as your Ghostbuster friends have gone. You played with my heart once before, remember? You actually put your arms around me, but only as a means of locking me in that ridiculous belt device! You are a cruel and manipulative child. Well, I won't send them home! Let them start a new life in Amity Park. Let those two hormone infested young lovers forget their disagreeable families and start a new one together in this world - they might even end up enjoying it. I do you no favours, Daniel. Now get out of my sight."

With that, Vlad turned away, but Danny quickly caught his attention with an ecto-grenade to the heels.

"No way!" he yelled. "You can't just leave it at that. What the hell is the point of just leaving them here?"

"When they bring me your head," said Vlad, "I shall send them home."

"Listen," hissed Kylie, grabbing Roland's arm. "He obviously plans to keep his options open, so that means we can still get our portal back. Maybe if we just leave quietly, and then somehow find - "

She was cut off by the sound of another ghost ray, which Vlad blocked with a crimson shield from his hands. He then threw a ball of energy at Danny, knocking him to the ground.

"Hey!" said Garrett, beginning to move forward.

"Restrain them," said Vlad, and suddenly they were being held down by the vultures. Roland and Eduardo had one each on their shoulders, while the third vulture had one talon on Kylie and the other on Garrett.

"Like your father, you become increasingly stupider every time I see you," said Vlad, taking a step towards where Danny lay and placing a foot heavily on his chest.

"Stop that!" wailed Kylie. "He's just a kid!"

"Get off me!" said Danny, throwing a ball of energy up at Vlad, which sent him reeling back. Danny got to his feet, and stood poised ready for yet more action.

"Daniel, do you never learn?" Vlad grabbed Danny's wrist and began his trick with the lightning again, which caused Danny to cry out in pain and distress. "How many times must I do this to you before you realise that you will never be a match for me?"

"Let us go!" yelled Kylie, beginning to struggle against the vulture's grip.

"What would you do?" asked Vlad, looking up sharply. "I can do all of these things to you as well, and you haven't even any ghost powers with which to defend yourselves."

"This the most horrible thing I've ever seen!" said Kylie, looking in anguish at Danny's limp body and exhausted expression. "You're completely sick!"

"The guy," panted Danny, "is one seriously crazed up fruit loop."

Vlad's red eyes suddenly glowed brighter. "I am not a fruit loop!"

Danny cried out again as another shock of electricity went through him, and then he transformed into Danny Fenton, apparently too weak to maintain his ghost form. Vlad dropped him heavily at his feet, and held his foot over where Danny's right hand was splayed on the ground. The four Ghostbusters all winced, and braced themselves.

"Don't!" begged Danny.

"You need to be taught a lesson."

"I already have," croaked Danny and, just to prove it, he choked up a neat line of blood. "You're more powerful than me - I get it. Vlad, why are you making these guys watch this? Let them go."

Vlad looked up, lowering his foot slowly, and seemed to consider for a moment.

"Take them out of here," he said at last, to the three vultures.

"Don't!" exclaimed Roland, so firmly that the vultures obeyed. "We're not leaving him."

"Why are you so attached?" Vlad asked irritably. "He's nothing to do with you."

None of them knew what to say, but had no opportunity in which to say anything. Vlad's attention was diverted once again as Danny transformed back into Danny Phantom.

"Let them go home, Vlad," he said.

Vlad, towering over where Danny lay at his feet, said, "I hardly think you're in a position to be giving me orders, Daniel."

Danny propped himself up on his elbows. "I'll help you with… whatever it is you want to do with the containment unit. Just let them go home! You're being much more evil than you need to be - you said yourself you've got nothing to gain by keeping them here."

"You can't help me with that," said Vlad. "You can volunteer to go with them. Take your father and your sister. Leave me with Maddie - then I'll let them go."

"No way. My mom is never going to love you because she isn't interested in sick perverted fruit loops!"

"I AM NOT A FRUIT LOOP!" roared Vlad, this time bringing his foot down on Danny's hand with a truly sickening crunch. The four Ghostbusters and even the three vultures all winced, as Danny cried out in pain. "One of these days, Daniel, you are not going to leave this place alive!"

Danny gritted his teeth, and panted heavily, "Get… the… hell… off… me!"

"This is absolutely sick," murmured Eduardo.

Kylie was shaking her head in disbelief. "I know."

"Guys," Danny said heavily. "Cover your ears."

"What?" said Roland.

"Do it."

Utterly bewildered, they all did as they were told, first having to negotiate the vultures' legs, and the vultures didn't even try to stop them. Perhaps they didn't see any harm in the act. Then suddenly Danny opened his mouth, and let out a truly deafening wail. The four Ghostbusters could all hear it through their hands, and they could feel it too. In fact, the sound knocked them off their feet. The four of them cannoned into each other, sending Garrett's wheelchair reeling towards the door.

The effect on Vlad and his vultures was far worse. They went flying, and Vlad was knocked heavily against a wall while - interestingly - the vultures had the foresight to become intangible before they hit anything. Consequently they were soon out of the room, while Vlad was rendered unconscious.

Danny closed his mouth, collapsed back onto the floor and was suddenly in human form again. Kylie, Roland, Garrett and Eduardo all rushed to stand over him, looking down at his bruised body, his chest rising and falling heavily with the effort to breathe.

"Oh Danny, I want to ask you if you're ok, but it just sounds ridiculous!" cried Kylie.

"It's all right," said Danny, sitting up with some difficulty. "I'm ok. My hand's healed, at least - I was in my ghost form."

"What was that wailing thing you did?" asked Eduardo.

"My ghostly wail," said Danny. "The one power I have that Vlad doesn't. It's exhausting, though - that's why I can't maintain my form just now. Can you guys please help me up? We need to get out of here."

"We have to get you home," said Kylie, slipping her hands under one of Danny's arms, while Roland took the other. "Vlad said there's a way to open up that portal - we'll just have to find it without you. We can't risk anything like this happening to you again."

Danny, getting shakily to his feet, shook his head. "I am going to help you guys, and it'll be totally ok, because we don't need Vlad."

All four Ghostbusters stared in surprise, and then Roland said it first: "We don't?"

"I've been so stupid," said Danny, beginning to sound stronger. "There's someone in the Ghost Zone who can help us. And don't worry - he's cool. Come on." He made for the door, limping a little at first, but quickly getting into his stride. "Let's make ourselves scarce before Vlad wakes up."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Why are you all so quiet?" asked Danny, once they were back in the Spectre Speeder and flying through the Ghost Zone.

"Are we?" Garrett said dully.

"Look," said Danny, "don't worry about Vlad. He does things like that."

"Does he do it often?" asked Roland.

"Well… occasionally," said Danny. "He's very disturbed."

"Clearly," said Kylie. "Doesn't it…?"

"What?"

"Well… why aren't you more afraid of him? I know I would be."

Danny sighed heavily. "I can't be afraid of him. I just have to keep on learning and getting stronger. I'm better at handling Vlad than I used to be, you know. One day, maybe I'll even be stronger than him."

"Looks to me like you already are," said Eduardo. "You beat him."

"Yeah, I guess I did," Danny said dismissively. "So, Kylie - are you still curious about these doors? We're going right into that one," and he pointed through the windscreen.

"And there's someone in there who can help us, you think?" asked Kylie.

"I know there is," said Danny, beginning to reduce his speed as he brought the Spectre Speeder towards the purple door he had pointed out. "Have a little faith, Kylie."

With the exception of Eduardo, who was only faintly curious, all of the Ghostbusters were intrigued to know what lay behind the purple door. As Danny flew the Spectre Speeder into this mysterious ghost's lair, they were all overcome with the same ominous feeling, for this place was far creepier than the green vortex of floating doors they had left behind. It was dark, cobwebby and filled with the sound of dozens of clocks ticking. The place was immense, stretching into the distance in all directions, and all around were cogs and pendulums grinding monotonously away.

Danny, however, seemed unfazed. He parked the Spectre Speeder, threw the door open and said enthusiastically, "Come on!"

"He's over the whole Vlad incident, isn't he?" murmured Garrett, as he and the other three Ghostbusters began to make their way out of the Spectre Speeder.

"Seems to be," said Roland. "But how can he be? That was the most horrible thing…"

Once out of the Spectre Speeder, they all looked around for Danny, and eventually spotted him - once again in ghost form - beckoning to them from behind a large golden pendulum. Roland, Kylie, Eduardo and Garrett made their way tentatively through the grinding, creaking and ticking sounds until they were behind the pendulum with Danny, as well as - presumably - the ghost he was so anxious for them to meet.

"Guys, this is Clockwork," said Danny. "Clockwork, this is Garrett, Roland, Eduardo and Kylie. But I guess you already knew that, didn't you?"

The four Ghostbusters all stared at the ghost that was free-floating beside Danny. None of them had known what to expect, but they certainly wouldn't have imagined this. The ghost looked pretty much human; the difference was that he had blue skin, red eyes and a total lack of legs - not to mention that he also seemed to be at least part clock. He wore robes of purple, with a pane of glass at his chest, revealing a swinging pendulum where his heart and ribs ought to have been. He held an ice-blue sceptre in his right hand, the top of which was adorned with a small circular clock face.

"Greetings," said Clockwork.

"Hi," said Roland, and then, "Whoa!" as the ghost suddenly metamorphosed from the shape of a young man to that of a small child with a large overbite.

"He does that," Danny said dismissively. "Don't worry about it."

"Indeed," said Clockwork, his voice as rich as it ever was in spite of his form. "Well, my friends, Danny is quite right: I know who you are, and I know why you are here."

"Can you help us?" Garrett asked quickly.

"That," said Clockwork, "is difficult. I can transport any being from any place and any time to any place and any time."

"Yeah, right, so there's no problem," said Danny. "New York, nineteen ninety-seven, as if you didn't know."

"But it is not that simple," said Clockwork, changing form again as he spoke, this time to an emaciated old man with a long white beard. "These people are not from our world, Danny. They are from another time and another place."

Roland blinked. "You mean like a parallel universe?"

"Indeed."

"What?" exclaimed Danny. "You mean you can't send them home?"

"I cannot send them directly home at this time, no."

"But I didn't think they'd be from a parallel universe! That's completely stupid!"

"Why is it?" Clockwork asked reasonably. "Danny, in our world they are legend. Don't you think you might have heard a little something about them if they had lived in New York seven years ago?"

"Aw man." Danny buried his face in his hands, muttered something inaudible, and then looked up. "Clockwork, dude, there has got to be a way around this. Hey, I know - send me back in time again!"

Clockwork, as he returned to the form of the younger man, looked pained. "Danny…"

"I'll go back in time and… and stop myself from persuading them to come here."

"Danny, it won't work. Have your experiences with me taught you nothing?"

"Or I could go back in time to when Vlad closed the portal, and stop - "

"Danny, no!" exclaimed Kylie. "I really don't want you getting hurt again on our account."

"There is something you have all failed to grasp," Clockwork said gently. "Vlad has been able to open a portal to your world. Why can you not do the same?"

"We don't know how," Eduardo said curtly.

"There is," said Clockwork, "a book, I believe?"

Eduardo raised his eyebrows. "Is that how Vlad opened the portal?"

"It is."

"Well that's no use. We don't have it anymore." Eduardo looked at Danny and said, "We left it with Egon and Janine, didn't we, Danny?"

"That is unfortunate," said Clockwork, changing to his child form.

"No it's not, it's fine," Danny said brightly. "I'll just go back in time to before Vlad got the book, and - "

"Danny," said Clockwork. "I wish you would learn to consider your ideas carefully before blurting them out like that. You simply cannot get that book before Vlad does. Think of the paradox it would create."

"All right," said Danny, scowling deeply. "So what do you suggest?"

"Observe," said Clockwork and, with a gesture of his chubby little arm, drew their attention to a white circular screen a few yards above their heads. "Three people have seen the book where you left it, Daniel, so there it must stay for a time - unless you wish to create another alternate universe that you later have to come back and beg me to let you alter."

"All right, all right, you made your point," Danny said irritably.

"Observe," said Clockwork, becoming the old man once again.

The four Ghostbusters bit back their questions as a moving image began to appear on the screen. It showed Vlad in the firehouse basement, about to disappear into the portal.

"Oh," he said, as something apparently caught his eye. "My book. What a despicable little thief young Daniel is. Well, I have no use for it now - you may keep it. If the wretched boy had only left it where he found it, he might have had a chance to return your infuriating friends to you, but now I think…"

Vlad disappeared into the portal, and Egon and Janine's voices became audible from somewhere off-screen. Clockwork held up a hand; the image paused, and then suddenly they were seeing Egon and Janine, freeze-framed in the middle of what looked like a heated discussion.

"There," said Clockwork, pointing to an indiscernible object in the background. "The book is behind them, Danny. You can fly in unobserved, grab the book and take it into the portal. But you must get back into that portal before it closes, or I will not be able to retrieve you. Are you willing to take the risk?"

"How long will I have?" asked Danny.

"Seconds. Watch."

Clockwork, now a young man again, restarted the moving images.

"HEY!" cried Janine, hitching up the proton gun in her hand.

"Don't!" Egon put a hand on her arm. "Janine, he's human."

"So what? He's a psychopath is what heis! He'll -!"

"And there," said Clockwork, "the portal starts to close. That is how much time you will have, Danny."

"It seems awful risky, Danny," said Roland.

"Ha! No way," said Danny, not sounding as confident as he probably meant to. "It's plenty of time. I can fly at a hundred and twelve miles per hour, I'll have you know. I'll just turn invisible, whip in the second Vlad turns round, grab the book and be back through that portal before you can blink. No problem."

"Danny…" said Roland.

"Guys, look," said Danny. "I know you don't want me to not do this. It's the only way of getting you home. So let's just get on with it, shall we?" He turned to Clockwork. "I'm ready. The Ghost Zone, right by that portal, sometime between Vlad showing up and leaving - right?"

"Right," said Clockwork, transforming into the child as he lifted his sceptre. "Best of luck, Danny."

With these words, Danny was gone.

"Wow!" exclaimed Kylie. "So you can… to any time? And any place?" She looked back at the screen. "Can you watch it all on that thing as well?"

"I can," said Clockwork.

"Whoa!" She no longer felt afraid of this place, but was gazing around her with wide, childlike eyes. "Can you show us what happens to Danny and Sam down the line?"

"Well," said Clockwork, "there isn't really a great deal of time, Kylie."

"I kinda wanna see how Danny's doing with that book," added Garrett.

"Of course," said Clockwork. "He will have to wait a few minutes - I thought I had better give him time to prepare before he swoops in. Time enough to give you this, at any rate."

Clockwork reached into his robes and pulled out a video tape, which he handed to Kylie.

"Danny Phantom's greatest adventure," he said. "I see how engrossed you have become in the boy's story - well, this should round it all off nicely for you."

"Yeah?" asked Kylie, turning the tape over in her hand. "How long does it last?"

"A little under an hour, with commercials. There is much you won't see. Danny and his friends have a little more to discover before his greatest triumph - but it all pales into comparison when you watch that, really."

"Do you have everything that happens in this world on tape?" asked Garrett.

"Oh no," said Clockwork, taking on the form of the old man. "I taped that especially for you, Kylie. You'll like it. Just you wait for the bit where they get to the Antarctic."

"All right, don't spoil it for me," said Kylie. "Thank you, I'll watch it as soon as I get back."

"If you get back," said Eduardo. "Could we maybe check on Danny now?"

Clockwork lifted his arm, and the screen flickered into life once again. It showed the Ghost Zone, with a view of the firehouse basement through what was presumably Vlad's portal. The four Ghostbusters watched, holding their breath as Vlad flew into the Ghost Zone. He then floated off-screen, and seconds later the portal began to close.

"Oh no, Danny, please…" murmured Roland.

"Hey." Kylie squinted at the screen. "The book's gone."

"Don't be ridiculous, Kylie," said Garrett. "How can you possibly tell from -?"

But then suddenly Danny materialised just in front of where the portal had been, with the book in his right hand. Smiling with satisfaction, Clockwork lifted his sceptre. The Danny in the image disappeared, only to materialise right in front of them.

"Hey, I did it!" he exclaimed, holding up the book triumphantly and beaming all over his face.

"Well done, Danny, I knew you would," beamed Roland.

"Yes," said Clockwork. "So did I."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Of course you did. You couldn't possibly tell me that, though, could you? So what exactly did that teach me? Selflessness? Taking responsibility for my actions?"

"Valuable lessons indeed," said Clockwork.

"You knew he'd do it?" Eduardo asked dubiously. "Who are you, anyway?"

"I," said Clockwork, changing to the form of the young man, "am the Lord of Time."

"Ah-ha," said Garrett. "And can you get us outta here now?"

"I like things to be as they should be, in all dimensions," said Clockwork. "For this reason I shall do you one last favour and invoke the magic words that will open the portal from that book. Please give it to me, Danny."

Danny handed over the book without protest.

"It will take me a few moments," said Clockwork, as he shrunk and fattened into the form of the child. "Perhaps you would like to take the opportunity to say your goodbyes."

"Right," said Danny, as Clockwork moved a discreet distance away. "Thank you guys for all of your help, and for sticking around when you really didn't have to. I'm sorry I made you come here in the first place. I mean, Vlad would'a' brought you all here anyway, but that's beside the point. And Eddie." His gaze came to rest upon Eduardo. "I'm sorry I lied to you about Vlad."

"Don't sweat it," said Eduardo.

"It was wrong of me to lie," said Danny, in tones that didn't sound rehearsed exactly, but certainly practised. Eduardo suddenly had the impression that Danny ended up apologising to somebody after an escapade rather frequently. "I did it because I didn't want you to think I couldn't handle Vlad."

"I would have never thought that," said Eduardo.

"I guess you wouldn't," said Danny. "But I didn't know that then. I'm sorry."

"Danny," said Eduardo, "it's ok."

"Danny, will Valerie be ok?" Roland asked suddenly.

"Valerie?" Danny raised his eyebrows, and then suddenly had to look away. "I'm sure she'll be fine. This guy" - he gestured over his shoulder towards Clockwork - "knows what'll happen to all of us, probably, but the rest of us will just have to wait and see. I really hope it works out for you guys. Hey, Kylie," he added, as the object in Kylie's hand suddenly caught his eye. "What's with the tape?"

"Um… nothing," said Kylie.

"Dude, ok, whatever," shrugged Danny as Clockwork, in the form of the elderly man, approached with the book open at a particular page. "Hey, Clockwork - I don't suppose you can tell me what happens to these guys, can you?"

"Unfortunately not," said Clockwork. "I know only as much as is in this book, which I understand is greatly embellished anyway. Have you read the ending? It is most unsatisfactory. Kylie has the last words. They are, 'Free biscotti.'"

Danny pulled a face. "Lame. That's too bad - I really wanna know what happens to you guys."

"For now," said Clockwork, "they go home. Here." Transforming into the young man, he laid the open book down on the floor. "Step into the page, and you will be transported home. I shall close the portal behind you."

"This is all a bit Wizard of Oz, isn't it?" remarked Garrett, as he wheeled his way towards the book. "There's no place like home… Well, Danny, it's been fun. Good luck with the ghost fighting and everything. And thanks for your help, Clockwork - you really didn't have to."

They all said their goodbyes as, one by one, the four Ghostbusters approached the book and disappeared into its lavishly illustrated pages.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"All right," said Egon. "Let's not panic."

"What do you mean, let's not panic!" wailed Janine. "They're stuck there!"

"Well… not necessarily."

"Yes necessarily!"

"Maybe there's something we can - "

"If there's any way for them to get back," said Janine, "I don't see what we can possibly do to help them from here."

"He mentioned the book," said Egon.

"What?"

"Vlad Plasmius said something about Danny regretting taking the book. I got the impression that the book is the key to opening the portal."

Janine raised her eyebrows. "Did you?"

"Yes."

"Well, what if it is? We're still on the wrong side. If that book opens a portal, it'll open it to our world!"

"Well I at least think it's worth investigating," said Egon. "It's the only hope we have."

"True," said Janine, and they both turned and looked around for the book. After a few long seconds of gazing around the room, Janine exclaimed, "It's gone!"

"Hey, don't panic - we got back ok on our own."

Egon and Janine both jumped, and then spun around sharply to see Garrett wheeling himself out of a green vortex in the wall.

"How…?" began Egon.

Roland came out of the portal next, followed by Kylie, and finally Eduardo.

"We thought we'd lost you!" said Janine.

"Yeah, well, fortunately Danny's knows some very influential people," said Kylie, still clutching her video tape. "He wouldn't have let us get stuck there. Listen, you guys - I'm sorry I just blundered into that portal without having the first clue what I was getting us into. I was just curious."

"I understand," said Egon. "I was curious myself. I would have liked to talk more with Jack and Maddie Fenton, but… How do we close that?"

"Um…" said Kylie.

The four younger Ghostbusters turned round, wondering whether they were expected to do anything now that they had finished with the portal. They had all assumed that Clockwork would close it once they were safely through, but evidently he hadn't.

Then suddenly Danny's head popped out of the vortex. "Hey," he said.

"Danny!" exclaimed Roland. "What are you doing here? You weren't supposed to follow us."

"Don't worry, it's cool," said Danny, floating out of the portal with his Fenton Thermos clutched in his right hand. "Clockwork was about to close the portal, but then I remembered I still had one of the Furies in my thermos, so I asked if I could come and drop her off and he said I could."

"Who's Clockwork?" asked Janine.

"He's the Lord of Time," said Danny.

Egon cocked an eyebrow. "Is he?"

"He's very benevolent, Danny, isn't he?" remarked Kylie.

Danny shrugged. "Seems to be. I think he just likes things to be the way they're supposed to - kind of like Jazz being lord of her room and getting all pissed if anyone messes it up. He did say that it didn't really matter which universe the Furies were in, as long as they're together. So let's get her in that containment thing, shall we?"

"Where's the other one?" asked Egon. "If there's one in the containment unit and one in that thermos device…"

"Here," said Kylie, unhooking the loaded trap from her back. "We'll need another trap - and we're going to have to let her out of that thermos first."

It was nice, for once in a way, to have all the time they needed in which to prepare for an attack. Kylie, Roland, Garrett and Eduardo all readied their proton guns while Egon went to retrieve a trap. He then positioned the trap in the middle of the floor and gave a nod to Danny, who pushed a button on his thermos and released its prisoner.

"You foul little upstart!" she yelled, rounding angrily upon Danny. "What did you do with Tisiphone and Alecto?"

"I never touched Alecto," Danny said defensively. "These guys did something with her."

Megeara looked about to continue the argument, but then screamed as she was suddenly caught in four proton streams. She was trapped within seconds, and then Danny was blinking down at the smoking device with a look of polite interest on his face.

"So… you can put them into your ghost prison now?" he asked.

"Sure," said Kylie. "You wanna watch, or is Clockwork expecting you back?"

"I guess I can keep him waiting another couple of minutes," said Danny, falling into step beside Kylie as she - still carrying the video tape and one of the traps - followed Egon over to the containment unit. "This thing's not exactly what you might call huge, is it? Isn't there a limit to the number of ghosts you can get in there?"

"Oh, it's bigger on the inside," said Egon. "I don't anticipate any problems with space - you know how ghosts are, Danny. But I suppose there are no guarantees."

"I could sure do with something like that," said Danny, watching as Egon began the process of flushing Megeara into the containment unit. "I don't suppose maybe you could give me, like, some blueprints or - "

"Danny."

They all turned round to see Clockwork - in his elderly and bearded form - floating by the newly opened portal.

"No."

"Oh," said Danny, staring at Clockwork in surprise. "Well, I guess this means I gotta go. Goodbye again, you guys. Hey." He had begun walking back towards the portal, but stopped beside Eduardo and floated up to the level of his ear, where he said quietly, "She wants you, dude. You should give her a little kiss."

Eduardo blinked. "What, now?"

"No, later. Get her on her own." Danny grinned. "Good luck with it."

"Yeah," Eduardo said dryly, as Danny flew towards the portal. "Right back at ya."

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Get her on her own, Danny had said. Eduardo was reluctant, but he told himself that if he did follow Kylie into the kitchen, he didn't have to take it any further if it didn't seem the right time for him to do so.

She was getting a soda out of the fridge. When Kylie turned and saw Eduardo standing in the doorway, she said, "That was fantastic, wasn't it? It had exactly the right mix of action, humour and emotional character stuff."

Eduardo smiled slightly. "What, like the romance?"

"Oh yes." Kylie nodded fervently. "That was the best bit."

"I noticed you smiling all over your face when he kissed her. I've never seen you so enthusiastic about anything that wasn't paranormal."

"It was a bit paranormal."

"The kiss wasn't."

"No," said Kylie, "they weren't. He kissed her twice, don't forget. I liked her. I liked him too, in spite of his very obvious faults - I want things to work out for them."

"They're only fourteen," Eduardo reminded her, "and they didn't look any older on that tape than they did today. They might break up by the time they're our age."

Kylie wrinkled her nose. "Oh, shut up - they're meant to be together."

"I hope so," said Eduardo. "I liked them too."

"That," said Kylie, "was the best TV kiss I have ever seen. The way he cupped her chin, and then grabbed her head when they were getting into it… that was so awesome!"

"Yeah?" Eduardo raised his eyebrows. "Do you wanna be kissed like that, Kylie, is that it?"

She smiled. "Who doesn't wanna be kissed like that? I wouldn't mind being carried off into the moonlight either - that was a great ending."

"It was Superman."

"It was romantic."

Eduardo wondered what to say. I'd take you in my arms and fly you into the moonlight if I could? Oh God, no.

"I wish I knew what happened next," said Kylie.

"It was a good place to leave it."

"I guess."

Eduardo began to suspect that he had missed his opportunity. If only he'd been standing a bit nearer to her.

"Do you wanna be kissed like that, Kylie, is that it?"

"Who doesn't wanna be kissed like that?"

Wham.

"Sorry - do you want a soda?"

"Er, yeah," said Eduardo. "Thanks."

He made a point of brushing fingers with her when he took the soda can from her hand. It felt like a step in the right direction.

THE END