I don't really own Danny Phantom. I just lock the show in my closet. . .

Chapter 8

The Aftermath

………….

Hours had gone by since the attack. Taylor and Danny were lying as unconscious as he next in separate hospital beds, but in the same room. The smell of the place was of chemicals and sterilizing creams, and constant beeps, clicks, and soft pattering from computers could be heard. White was everywhere, white sheets, white walls, white.

Mister and Miss Fenton remained by Danny's side while Mister and Miss Hecter sat near Taylor. They looked to be complete opposites. The Fenton's had an eccentric look about them. Both ghost fighter's were donned with dated suits and each carried a plasma gun similar to the one Taylor had used on Vlad before.

"I do hope your daughter is okay. . ." Miss Fenton said with a soft smile to the parents in front of her.

The Hecter's however, looked completely average. Mr.Hecter was a doctor. He had tired rings around his bright blue eyes that showed his work ethic. He was a thin man like Taylor, and had lean muscles that came from running. It was obvious that Taylor inherited his ability and body type. Taylor's mother however was different than he. She was wearing a fresh suit, and her curly hair done up elegantly into a bun. Amy, was a Lawyer and Taylor's personal guide to life. It was again, obvious, that Taylor inherited her looks and brains from her mother.

Both parents however shared one thing. Though they were different, they both held the same worried look. It was the look only seen when something happens to a parent's child, that scared, human, and frightened look that went deeper than the eyes. It seemed to reach into their very souls.

"The same for Danny." replied Miss Hecter with a frown to the pale boy.

Mister Fenton sighed and sat down on the chair next to his son.

"I still don't understand what she was doing on that building. . ." muttered Mister Hecter with stern curiosity.

"I don't understand either." replied Miss Fenton with a deep frown, looking to the other mother with sympathy.

"Kids today, they just don't get that they aren't invincible. . ." commented Mister Fenton sadly.

"Sometimes it's too late for them, but thank goodness it wasn't this time."

The soft voices of the parents were silenced as a soft moan emanated from Danny's bed. With bated breath they all waited, watching as Danny's bright blue eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Mom?Dad?"

Danny tried to sit up, but Miss Fenton calmly pushed him back into his white bed.

"Sh. . . Danny. Danny Dear, you're okay. . ." Miss Fenton said in her soothing maternal voice.

". .Wh..Where's Taylor?" asked Danny fearfully, beginning to panic.

"Shshbaby, she's right there. She's safe."

She pointed a slender figure to the pale form of Taylor. Danny shivered when he noticed how cold and pale she looked, how blue her lips were, and how she was so lifeless.

But she was safe, safe and warm in a hot, relaxing. . .

He felt his eyelids become heavy, and the last thing he saw was his relieved father.

"Jazz'll be in to visit soon kiddo." he said in his cheery voice.

And Danny Fenton knew no more.

Thump.Thump.Thump.Thump.Thump

A soft and melodic tapping filled the young girl's ears as she regained consciousness. The room was completely black, and she woke up with a start. She sat up, but had to sit down when she felt lightheaded.

"Danny?"

She turned her head sharply to find Danny asleep, safe in one of the hospital beds.

She was safe now. Tucker or Sam must have gotten them help. . .

Taylor let out a slow breath of air and turned to the side. Her shrill scream filled the air as she spotted the red eyes of Vlad Plasmius, and then.

"Taylor! Taylor calm down! It's me, Danny!"

It all had been a dream. Taylor woke up to find Danny curled up on her bed, him holding her wrists to prevent her from punching him. Her breath came out unevenly, and her eyes were wide and bloodshot.

"Calm..down."

Slowly he pushed her soft white wrists down on the bed, his face settling close to hers for a moment. Taylor closed her eyes and looked away, then looked up again to see her friend smiling pleasantly at her, the same good natured smile she had seen when she first met him, the first day of school. Again she felt ease flow through her like water as he slowly spoke.

"Tucker put a tracking device on me awhile ago. He was able to find where we were. . ."

His hot breath floated gently on her face, making her regain some color. Slowly, Danny lifted his head, watching her with relief and happiness. Then he frowned.

"I'm. . . I'm sorry I failed you out there. I was trying so hard to protect you."

Taylor laughed a bit, the sound sending tingles down his spine.

"Danny, when will you learn that I do not need protection?"

She paused, remembering how he saved her from falling to her cold death.

"Most of the time anyway. . ."

Danny smiled a bit and raked a hand through his hair.

"I keep forgetting I'm dealing with Miss Independent."

Taylor tilted her head sideways and smirked.

"And don't you forget it. . ."

Danny and her both laughed, their voices weak and tired.

"But something good came out of it after all. . ." she said soothingly.

"Oh? And what is that?" asked Danny with pure curiosity.

". . . Plasmius is dead."

Danny felt himself shrink from her. The evil and contented smile that she gave him chilled her to the bone. Her now suddenly dark and blank brown eyes were narrowed, a smirk tugging at her lips. Again he felt as though she was a stranger. She had changed right before his innocent blue eyes into a soulless monster.

"And I killed him." she rasped weakly, then let out a hideously cruel chuckle.

Danny looked down at her with sadness and fear.

"Taylor. . . killing is wrong. . . even if it is Vlad." he tried to explain as he slowly smoothed her hair away from her face. It was a tender act, but Taylor moved her head away slowly from Danny's nimble fingers.

"He tried to hurt you Danny. . . and God knows how many people he's killed. I'm glad that he's gone."

Her voice was cold, blank, and her eyes looked suddenly black and dead.

"I don't know if he is dead Taylor. . . there was no body."

Taylor growled and tried to sit up.

"What?!"

Danny pushed her down again and hushed her slowly.

"Taylor stop! Don't you see?"

She felt very angry, but suddenly Danny's eyes were hypnotizing her again"This is why I didn't want to tell you. . . I knew you'd get yourself into something crazy."

"Please. . ." she muttered, turning away. "Just please. . ."

Danny took her chin gently and turned her towards him. She felt his soft body heat radiate from him, and his touch made her insides melt into hot syrup.

"Danny, what are you doing?" she said in a cold voice.

"I trust you so much. . . but you need to promise me that the next time you see Vlad you wont try anything."

Taylor just stared at him, warmth coming back into her eyes.

"That would be a lie Danny. I can't say that I wouldn't try to. . .-"

"Please. Please Taylor. . . just until I teach you to hunt ghost's better. . . get you some sort of a Specter Deflector suit. . ." he begged in his slightly deep voice.

Taylor closed her eyes and chuckled darkly, filling Danny with slight fear again. But when she opened her eyes this time they were full of warmth, compassion, and understanding.

"Will do Daniel."

If it wasn't for the fact that she was a girl, Danny would have thought he was sitting in front of Vlad Masters. Of course, Vlad wouldn't take his hands and reach for him. Danny sunk into her arms. She had control of him, and he didn't care. Slowly, and with a blush, Taylor pulled her hospital blankets over him, and pulled him closer.

"We need some rest if we're going to get out of this hospital. . ." she said as she cringed. She hadn't realized until now that her back was hurting, and bad.

"I'll cooperate, as long as you don't call me by my first name anymore." said Danny jokingly, turning towards her.

"I can't make any promises." she answered as she gazed into his eyes.

Then, sleep overtook them both.

Vlad Masters sat wearily in front of a hot fire. He was settled in his favorite red armchair, owned by the very first Mayor of Amity Park. His skin looked paler than usual, and his eyes had bigger bags. His body hadn't fully healed from that damned ecto-blast the way he wanted it to. He wasn't old, but he was getting older.

That was the least of his problems however.

Now, he had a new enemy.

Images of the gloating child filled his mind, as did images of her fear. He recalled how bony her shoulders felt as he dangled her, letting her take her last breaths before death. The fear in her eyes was unmistakable, but she did certainly have a fire in her. And oh how he loved to put out fires.

She was very beautiful for such a young girl, and he could see why Daniel had taken to her so well. Though he hated her, he did admit that she was bright, cunning, and brave. Physically she was fit, and mentally strong due to the running.

However, though she was a detriment, she would also prove useful.

Daniel cared for her very much so.

Slowly Vlad stood up and paced the room back and forth. His cat Maddie prowled slowly out of the darkness, her violet eyes glittering.

"He cares so much about her that he would do anything to save her. . . which is why-" he looked briefly down at the cat that was now rubbing itself languidly around his legs.

"-why I must capture her."

The cat meowed loudly.

"Why Maddie It's simple."

"One I have young Daniel I can take his DNA and make his clone."

Maddie huffed and meowed again.

"And what will I do with Miss Hecter? Well, she could always be my personal servant." Vlad said with a twisted smile to the cat.

"What a better way to break her. . . and perhaps eventually she will offer her talents to running around and do errands for me."

His cold evil laughter filled the air as Maddie jumped into his arms.

Everything would go according to plan, or else.

……….

AWWW so cute. We can see that Danny is really maturing when he's 16. He seems so much kinder and gentler, and Taylor well, foreshadowing is all I'm going to say. Anyway, I wanted to write about Vlad's cat XD I think it'ssooo funny that he has one!

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