Paulina stepped into the living room.

Sam was engrossed in Paulina's Encyclopedia of the Supernatural volume, which Doña Angie had given her prior to leaving Guatemala.

Tucker was talking to or, rather, flirting with Star who was annoyed but trying to ignore him by focusing all of her attention on the television.

She was, ironically, watching a show about witches and other supernatural creatures.

Jazz was conversing with Valerie.

To anyone else, it would seem like two girls chatting, but Paulina could see the curiosity burning in Jazz's eyes.

Paulina sure hoped she'd never get caught in Jazz's psychoanalytic fire; although, considering she was dating Danny and she had plenty of issues, she found it doubtful.

Stephanie's attention jerked away from the television just in time for her to turn and meet Paulina's gaze.

"Paully." The toddler smiled widely.

Upon hearing Stephanie's announcement, the remaining teenagers all turned to look at her.

"Oh, goodness." Star groaned. "Why do I feel like you're about to give us bad news?"

Paulina brushed a strand of dark hair behind her ear. "Because I am."

Valerie cocked a brow at Star.

The blonde shrugged and explained. "I've got this sixth sense thing going on."

"You know, I find psychic women totally hot," Tucker remarked with a playful wink.

Star made a noise of disgust and rolled her eyes.

"A ghost broke into my father's company. It stole something my mother had given my dad before she..." Paulina's voice faultered. Painful memories and emotions slammed into her, and she struggled to shove them away. Paulina cleared her throat and quickly diverted her attention on the present problem. "It's something he's had for a long time, and none of us were really sure what it was. Years ago, my mom gave my dad a little box with lock and key, and all she had said about it was that it was dangerous. Apparently, the ghost stole my mom's box and used whatever was inside it to attack Danny. That's how he ended up in the...condition he's in. It's lethal to any supernatural being, so Danny, Stephanie, and I need to watch our backs."

"And Star," Jazz pointed out.

"Uh, actually, no." Paulina negated.

"Dude, I'm not even, like, supernatural. I'm just an extremely intuitive human." Star rolled her eyes. "Any human can learn to develop their psychic abilities. Strengthen them." She waved her hand nonchalantly.

"Any human can learn to be psychic?" Sam queried, interest piqued.

"Of course." Star shrugged. Her body shifted to face Sam. She leaned slightly forward, glad someone had taken an interest in her unique abilities. "Anyone can learn to be a better singer or dancer, but some people are just naturally better at it. Like I'm naturally good at being psychic." Star's gaze snapped to Sam. "I can sense a lot of potential from you. You seem to be a natural intuitive, and your sixth sense is a lot stronger than the average person. You could probably get to be as strong as me or even my grandpa."

"That would be amazing." Sam gushed, ecstatically.

Paulina was taken aback by the Goth's sudden enthusiasm.

"Back to the ghost problem." Valerie commented, returning the group's attention back to Paulina. "Did you and Danny find out what was in the box?"

"He told me the ghost threw some kind of powder on his face. I looked at it, saw what it did to him. There's a spell in my, uh, Spell book."

She paused and glanced at her friend before conjuring her most reliable source of information.

She held out her hands, palm face up. The book materialized over her hands as she requested.

It hovered for a split second before landing in her waiting hands. Without physically touching the pages, she flipped over to the page with the appropriate spell.

The others watched, stunned by her unexpected display Witchcraft.

She walked to the center of the living room and placed the book on the floor.

She and everyone else knelt down in front of it.

They all gazed at the pages with curiosity and intrigue, even excitement.

Paulina bit her lip. The book was her most personal item, and now here she was exposing it to a group of teenagers, half of whom she barely knew.

But, if Danny trusted them...

Paulina placed a finger on the cursive calligraphy.

Sam grit her teeth. "Blood blossoms."

"Exactly."

"Uh," Jazz cleared her throat. "Not to sound like a total spazz or anything, but what are blood blossoms?"

"They're a species of plant..." Tucker cut himself off and scrunched his nose in confusion. He glanced at Sam. "Can you call plants a species?" He waved her off before she could answer. "Never mind. They look kind of like a cross between roses and tulips, except not really. They're, like, kryptonite for ghosts."

"And several other supernatural creatures." Paulina added. "If used correctly, it can weaken a witch's power to the point where our abilities are useless."

"Okay. So it's under our 'Avoid At All Costs' category," Jazz pointed out.

"We've gotta be on the lookout." Valerie sat on her heels. "If this thing can take out the most powerful kid here, this could be dangerous."

"And whoever stole it knows how lethal it is to ghosts." Paulina rubbed her forehead. "And has it in for Danny."

She didn't notice the look of concern shared between Tucker and Sam.

"Speaking of Danny," Jazz announced. "I need to bring him back home. My parents are gonna notice if Danny's missing. I told them he slept over Sam's house, and they bought it, but they want him back some time today."

Star spoke. "Uh, I don't know if you guys noticed, but Danny's weak. I felt it the moment I walked into that room. He's not just gonna up and leave. Plus, I'm sure his parents would notice if their son walked into the house looking like he just went through hell and back."

"That shouldn't be problem," Tucker smirked. "Sam and I have been able to dance around his parents easy."

"All we need to do is get them out of the house." Sam nodded in agreement. "And the best way to do that is-"

"Luring them out with a ghost." Jazz finished with a brilliant smile. "Someone just needs to help Danny make the transition between Paulina's house and our house."

"Alright!" Tucker threw a fist in the air. "Go Team Phantom!"

"Team Phantom?" Valerie glanced at Tucker, brows raised.

"It's what we call ourselves." He responded.

"And when did we agree on that?" Sam crossed her arms over her chest.

"I like it." Star piped up. "Team Phantom. Sounds pretty cool to me."

Paulina suppressed a smile. "I'm gonna go ahead and let Danny know it's time for him to go home."

:~:~:~:~:~:~:

Jazz was the first to leave. She'd already conjured up a plan to lure her parents from the house.

Valerie and Tucker hauled a feeble Danny out of bed and helped him out the door and into Paulina's car.

Paulina quickly exited the house—but not before making sure her father would watch over Stephanie—and leapt into her car's driver seat. Sam sat beside her.

Tucker and Danny took window seats.

Danny was slumped against the window, drifting somewhere between sleep and wake.

Valerie flashed Danny curious glances. Her gaze was analytical and undisguised.

Paulina could see the questions itching under her skin.

Star climbed in after the two mocha-skinned teenagers helped Danny into the vehicle.

She refused to sit on Tucker's lap and settled for Valerie's lap instead.

Paulina eased out of her driveway

For a while, it was silent.

And then Star released a startled yelp just as Danny awoke from a semi-sleep with an audible gasp.

His exhale was a mist of ice particles.

"Ghost!" Star cried out. "Strong. Negative, destructive energy. Coming fast."

"Skulker!" Sam shouted, catching a glance of him in the rearview mirror.

"Who the fuck is Skulker?" Star cried out, casting a bewildered glance over her shoulder.

"Pull over!" Danny shouted.

"Keep driving!" Valerie countered. "We can outrun him!"

Paulina swerved the vehicle to the right, narrowly avoiding a blast that came from above.

"No!" Danny growled. "We need to fight."

"Like hell!" Sam snapped. "You're too weak!"

"Listen to Danny." Star advised.

A peek in the rearview mirror showed Star fearfully grabbing onto Tucker's hand. "I have a bad feeling-"

Control of the wheel was jerked away from Paulina's hands. The car spun wildly. Paulina's sense of direction momentarily disappeared.

Adrenaline took over. Paulina's body hummed with energy. Faint electricity danced around her hands before spreading to the wheel.

She winced. Not good. She hadn't meant to do that.

The car came to a halt as Paulina instinctively stomped on the brakes.

The engine made a strange sound.

Her heart froze momentarily as the car teetered precariously on the two left wheels before finally landing on all fours.

Paulina reached for her keys, desperately hoping her car would still run.

"It's not gonna work!" Star shouted. "Out!"

The group scattered out.

They had landed about a mile short of Danny's house.

They were still near the desolate highway. Their car had landed a few feet off the road.

The back of the car was seared and smoking.

Blood oozed from a wound on Valerie's head, though she seemed to be pretty lucid.

Star was limping and rubbing her arms as if she were cold.

The blonde glanced around wearily. Sam had tiny, shallow cuts dispersed across her arms, neck, and face.

Paulina something wet at the lining of her head. Her cheek throbbed painfully, and there was a deep cut on her arm.

Tucker seemed to be the only to come out unscathed.

Her eyes were wide and wild. She never released Danny's hand.

"We need to fight!" Danny called out.

Paulina glanced over at him.

The hybrid wanted to fight, but he was clearly not in shape. He was leaning against her. His face was pale, and she noticed droplets of sweat on his forehead.

Tucker glanced over his shoulder. "I thought you said Skulker was the one after us."

Everyone looked in the same direction as Tucker.

The ghost trailing them was clearly not Skulker.

Paulina could barely make out a ghost in red attire headed toward them pretty quickly.

The entity seemed to be several hundred yards away but the between him and the group was rapidly decreasing.

An arrow sailed past Sam's hair, missing her by an inch or two.

She blinked, surprised by the near miss but clearly not frightened by the near-death incident. "An Archer ghost?" She raised her brow in question.

"If it's some measly archer, I can take it down easy." Valerie smirked, eyes glowing with anticipation.

On cue, a red blur appeared and enveloped around her body. A suit was constructed, before their very eyes, in a few milliseconds.

She jumped up and a jet sprang up beneath her feet.

Before anyone could stop her, the girl was in the air and sailing toward their adversary.

"But what are we gonna do about Danny?" Sam queried.

"He's in no condition to travel," Tucker pointed out.

Paulina noticed that Star was leaning on Tucker. The African American boy had his arm wrapped around her waist, holding her steady.

"Guys," Star began, suddenly anxious, "I feel-"

A shiver ran through both Star and Danny except, unlike Star, Danny's mouth released a mist of icy particles.

"Duck!" Star cried out.

Danny reacted before Paulina could.

He swung forward and hauled her to the ground with him.

A bright blue blast passed overhead, shooting towards Star.

Tucker grabbed the blonde and swung to the left. The interracial pair narrowly avoided being hit thanks to Tucker's quick reflexes.

"Do not be so quick to dismiss me, the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter!"

"Really?" Tucker whined. "Him again?"

Paulina rolled onto her back to see a large, bulky, robtic-looking ghost floating overhead. His arms were crossed and his metallic face bore an expression of pride, condescension, and patronization.

"And here I was anticipating a challenge." The mechanical ghost sneered. "I am not one to strike when my opponent is weak. After all, where is the fun in that? However, today I am on a mission, and I must take advantage of the situation." He bared his teeth at the weakened hybrid. "No one can stop me from taking you now, ghost child."

"Hey!" Tucker snapped, vexed. "What about us? We're his sidekicks. We're more than capable of stopping you."

"Tucker," Star hissed, angrily. "Don't provoke him."

The techno-geek gave her a blank look.

"He's right," Sam smirked, stepping up beside Tucker.

She aimed a small ecto gun at the hunter. "Tucker and I always come prepared."

Skulker laughed. "Do not think I made the mistake of underestimating you again, human."

He raised a hand and three vultures came swooping down from the sky.

At a distance, they seemed like ordinary birds but, upon closer inspection, anyone could see these creatures were phantoms.

Sam swung around and began shooting at the unexpected intruders. Tucker pulled out a weapon from his pocket, but Paulina didn't get to see much else of the battle as Skulker sauntered towards her.

Danny raised a hand and fired an ecto beam at him. Skulker easily sidestepped it.

"Do not bother, ghost child." Skulker's eyes gleamed. "You are weak. You cannot defeat me. If you come willingly, perhaps I will show mercy and spare your girlfriend."

Paulina scrambled to her feet and stepped in front of Danny.

"No. You're not taking him anywhere." She raised her hands into a defensive stance.

Skulker laughed. "This human is even more amusing than your other girlfriend."

Paulina's blood went cold.

The ghost was clearly referring to Sam as Danny's girlfriend.

The cold that had washed over her was rapidly consumed by a burning fire that boiled inside. Paulina focused on it, using her rage as fuel.

Paulina concentrated, willing the fire to burn brighter, manifesting it into tangible energy.

Her body hummed with power. Her elemental magic swirled wildly inside.

"Incendio!" She shouted.

A ring of fire sprang up around Skulker.

Smoke crept up from the burning flames and reached up towards the sky.

Ember danced around Paulina, twinkling brightly.

The ghost was clearly appalled by the sudden action.

"What is this sorcery?" He cried out, bewildered.

Paulina smirked as the ghost flew up to avoid being consumed by the flames closing in on him.

Each flame leapt at him, as if the fire itself were struggling to grab Skulker.

Some of the brilliant orange light managed to lick at Skulker's suit and sear it.

Fires were wild and difficult to control, and Paulina wasn't sure how long she could keep it up.

"Not sorcery," Paulina announced proudly. "Witchery."

"Impossible!" Skulker shouted. A combination of anger, denial, and fear cascaded from his glowing red eyes.

He watched as the flames dissipated, leaving behind a perfectly round black circle charred onto the gray pavement.

"Possible," Paulina countered. Her palm faced him. "Gravedad!" She snapped.

Suddenly, Skulker sunk lower to the ground.

He powered up the jets on his back, fighting to fly higher. He lifted his arms up, seemingly reaching for the sky.

An invisible force weighed him down.

"What-what have you done?" Skulker growled.

"Made it difficult for you to fly. I suppose gravity is practically a foreign concept to you ghosts." Paulina smirked.

Skulker shouted in rage and zoomed toward her. Paulina raised a hand and tapped into the power similar but opposite to the one she had used on Skulker.

Her palm flew to face her battered vehicle.

The red car rose off the ground and soared across the sky.

Skulker looked up too late. The collision with the vehicle sent him sailing several feet away from them.

He was crushed beneath the car.

Paulina rushed back to where Danny sat. His eyes were wide.

Those beautiful baby blues spoke of amazement, awe, pride, admiration, and something more.

She was overjoyed by his reaction, but concerned.

Fatigue, weariness, and pain were interlaced with the other emotions.

In addition, Danny was as white as a sheet, his cheeks and lips had lost their rosy colors.

Exhaustion clouded around him, all but palpable to the Latina.

She helped the hybrid to his feet.

"He's getting up," Danny pointed out, glancing towards the direction of the car.

Sure enough, Skulker had managed to squeeze his way from the hundred ton automobile, though his suit was badly dented.

His armor looked strangely disfigured and severely scorched.

He pressed a button on his arm and muttered into it then rippled and disappeared from sight.

Paulina turned to look at Sam who was fending off two vultures.

Suddenly and without warning, the vultures turned and shot up to the sky, disappearing in the clouds.

Paulina and Danny made their way back to Sam.

"They escaped," Sam growled, angrily.

Valerie sailed in, retracted her suit, and lightly landed on the ground. "The archer did, too." She blew a strand of hair away from her face, huffing in exasperation. "And to think I almost had him."

"How the hell did they know where we were?" Sam queried.

"Um, hello?" Tucker waved his hand in Sam's face, dramatically. "Skulker's a hunter. It's not like he's never stalked Danny before. Or even Valerie, for that matter."

"Yeah, but why now?" Paulina queried. "It can't be a coincidence that, yesterday, a lethal ghost weapon was stolen from my dad's vault and now this Skulker guy is after Danny."

Paulina caught a look of suspicion in Sam's eyes, but their attentions were pulled to Star.

"We can figure it out later," the blonde snapped. "My ankle hurts like fucking crazy, Valerie probably has a concussion, and Danny's aura is getting weaker."

"I'm fine," Danny's words slurred slightly. His eyes were drooping, and the dark shadows beneath them indicated otherwise.

It didn't take a psychic to know he was lying.

"She's right," Sam cut in. "We need to get to Danny's house."

"Pronto," Tucker added.

"I can probably take two people on my jet," Valerie pointed out. "The more weight is put on this thing, the longer it'll take to get there, but it's still a hell of a lot faster than walking."

"You can take Tucker and Sam," Paulina began. "I'll take Star and Danny."

"Uh-uh." Sam shook her head. "There's no way I'm leaving Danny now."

"Not that I mind taking a ride with Star," Tucker beamed down at the blonde who rolled her eyes, despite the barely visible smile on her face. He shifted his attention back to Paulina. "But what are you gonna do? Fly them to his house on your broomstick?"

"No," Paulina snapped. "I don't fly, but I can perform a teleportation spell."

"Hold up," Tucker raised a hand. "You can just snap your fingers and make us appear at Danny's house?" He blinked. "Why don't you just take us all with you then?"

"It's not that simple." Paulina replied. "I'm not a natural Teleporter like my cousin. I need to make sure I say the spell right. It takes a lot of concentration for me to transport just myself. It's even harder to transport two people, and I'm taking three. Plus, I may not even end up in the right place. Or each of us could end up in different places. There's also the possibility that we may end up miles away from the intended destination. I also have to have a vivid and detailed memory of the place I'm going to, and I haven't even been to Danny's place often enough to have a perfectly clear image of it in my head, so there's a fifty/fifty chance this'll work."

"You know," Star began with a nervous chuckle. "I'm, like, totally okay riding on Valerie's flying saucer."

"Ditto," Tucker nodded in agreement and grinned cheekily at Paulina. "Not to say that we don't have total and complete faith in your magical powers, but I'd rather play it safe this time."

"So, it's settled." Valerie began, conjuring up her suit but remaining without a mask. The jet hovered a few inches of the ground. "Let's go, Star. Tucker."

Tucker climbed on first then both he and Valerie pulled Star aboard.

"See you there," Valerie waved at their friends.

"Hopefully," Tucker added.

"Later," Paulina nodded once and waited 'til their friends took off.

She felt her shoulder begin to ache. "Sam," Paulina glanced down at a semi-conscious Danny. "He's getting really heavy."

"Oh, right," Sam immediately jumped to help the Latina.

Paulina closed her eyes as some of the weight of her boyfriend was lifted. She closed her eyes and summoned her backpack.

Psychokinesis had been a complicated spell to learn, but she was certainly glad she had managed to master it. When she opened her eyes, she found her backpack hovering in front of her.

The transition from psychokinesis to telekinesis was easy. She willed the backpack to open and drew the book from its place.

The pages fluttered and opened up exactly to where Paulina needed it to be.

She recited the spell silently.

As she spoke a large circle appeared and encompassed the teenagers. There was a radial line leading from the center, pointing to the west in the direction of Danny's house. The symbol on the ground glowed violet.

Paulina closed her eyes and mentally conjured up as much of Danny's house as she could.

She remembered the large living room, the gray couches, the glass table, the warm lights, and the beautiful plants in Danny's living room. She remembered the relatively small but tidy kitchen, the dining room. She remembered the stairs, the hallway with its joyful family portraits.

And she remembered Danny's room and its slight disarray, the white furniture, the bed and its blue sheets. The computer on his desk, the NASA posters, the mini, handmade rocket model on his desk.

Once she had a vivid image of his room, she focused on it and imagined being there.

"Transporte!" She cried out.

There was a flash of blinding white light and a loud 'pop!'

The world warped around them and spiraled into darkness.

A/N: Once again, I apologize for not updating sooner. I know this chapter is long overdue.

I haven't quite revised it as well as I would have liked, but it'll do for now.

Feedback is always appreciated!