Danny shifted under his blankets, not wanting to leave his blissful slumber just yet. It had been the longest, most peaceful, sleep he'd ever had in weeks, which was saying a lot since he was sure it was just a nap. And yet, though nap it might have been, it left the halfa feeling rejuvenated and ready to take on the day. However, as he shifted a little more, preparing to get out of bed and continue with his day, he felt as though something was wrong.

Opening his eyes, he saw nothing unusual. His room was still half-cleaned, and his door was shut, just like he left it. When he sat up, however, Danny noticed the weight around his waist, and was shocked to see the Specter Deflector, locked in place, with the key nowhere in sight. What was in sight, however, were his friends.

Trapped in a glowing, green, box of ecto-energy were Tucker and Sam, asleep with tears staining their cheeks, and dark bruises on their skin. When Danny screamed, the two awoke with a start and looked around in a panic. A moment later, and the two had finally remembered where they were, and started beating on the walls of their prison, able to hear Danny, but unable to be heard.

"Don't worry, guys! I'll get you out of there!" Danny said, instinctively turning into his ghost form, only to cry out in intense pain. He turned back as fast as he could, shaking violently at the intense shock to his nerves. He'd fix the Specter Deflector a little too well.

"My, you would make a fine alarm clock if you weren't to be my future apprentice." Danny's blood ran cold, as he slowly turned to face the ghost whom had spoken to him. "Did you have a nice nap? I made sure your friends were alive when you awoke, just so they could keep their little promise. Here, and "safe," now that you've woken up."

"Let them go!" Danny shouted, stepping between the prison and it's warden.

Shaking his head, Dark waved his staff, causing the boy to freeze in place. "You're in no place to be making demands, Daniel. You can't access your powers, you can't move your body, and anyone that could have helped you either don't know you're a ghost, don't know you're here, dead, or all three. You know, like your parents?"

Danny stopped breathing. He stopped blinking. He simply stopped, unable to fully process the words until he was forced to. Dark raised his staff in front of the halfa's face, and showed what had happened mere moments ago, with the teen unable to look away or unsee what was displayed.

It was him… Danny, or Dark in the form of Danny, had walked up to his parents and held a healthy conversation about ghosts as they walked towards Fenton Works, pizza boxes in their arms. The moment looked sweet, and would have seemed like a fond memory, had the dark time master not been the one pulling the strings in this twisted little puppet show.

"Mom, dad, can I ask you something?" Dark had asked, a smirk unfolding on his face, as he was several steps in front of Danny's parents. "I'd really appreciate an answer."

"Sure sweetheart, what is it?" Maddie asked, giggling when her husband shouted. "Is it about ghosts!?"

Dark's smirk widened into a smile, his fangs present as he glanced back at the two, both still unable to see the new canines their "son" had developed from where they were. "Yeah… Kinda. You two would rip a ghost apart, molecule by molecule, to study it, right? Well then… could I, as a ghost, rip you apart, molecule by molecule?"

Before any action could be made, Dark's time staff appeared in his hand, still stained with the ectoplasm of fallen ghosts. He turned quickly, the blue eyes of Danny Fenton becoming a solid crimson, as he froze the two ghost hunters in place. He then shed his disguise and morphed into his true ghost form, a cruel grin on his face as he looked down at them from where he floated, his outfit glowing slightly brighter with the green shimmering on it.

"I've always wanted the opportunity to study humans up close. Now, I finally get the chance… Let's see just what you're made of." Dark whispered, before he made an arc with his staff, causing the ectoplasm to rush to the top and form a blade. "Shall we begin the operation?"

The sight was sickening. The squelching sounds caused Danny's stomach to turn, while tears flooded down his face like waterfalls. Sam and Tucker were covering their ears, trying not to be sick, as Dark merely sighed with fondness, as though looking upon an old family picture. The Fenton's blood drained into the blade, and once the deed was done, it returned to the dark and dried stains on the purple staff once more, though now with a touch more red.

"That power still needs a little work, but I thoroughly enjoy using it." Dark commented, before his eyes shined, getting an idea. "Why don't I show you a live demonstration?"

"No!" Danny tried to move, but was still frozen in a time-lock. "Stop! Please! Leave my friends alone!"

When Dark made no indication of stopping, Danny forced himself to transform. He screamed in agony, but used that pain to amplify the power of his ghostly wail. The sheer power of the cry shorted out the Specter Deflector, while causing Dark, and the small cell containing Sam and Tucker, to fly through the new hole in Danny's bedroom wall, while also releasing the two teens and sending them tumbling onto the sidewalk with some more minor bruising.

When Danny finally stopped, he placed his hands on his knees to catch his breath, before he floated into the air. He hovered over the three, watching as Sam and Tucker got to their feet, while Dark lied on his back, looking up at the halfa with a smile on his face before he proceeded to float up. "Not bad, Daniel. You make your mentor proud… though allow me to show you how it's really done."

Dread set in as Danny realized what was about to happen. He flew as fast as he could, only to find himself slowed down to a snails pace, while the world continued to rush by around him. He wasn't going to be able to save them. He wasn't going to be able to make it. He'd lost his parents, and now he would lose his friends. It would be just like the other timeline…

A sudden beam of red struck Dark's staff, though he hardly seemed fazed, as he turned to see Vlad, landing before him with a cold look to his face, one Danny had never seen before. Dark merely smiled, as though he were looking at a dear old friend. "Vladimir, it's been so long. I almost forgot what you looked like, seeing as your ghost half eventually became, is, and will become a part of me. Hmm, I really should have called myself Paradox."

Vlad continued to say nothing to the ghost. "Daniel, get your friends out of here. I'll deal with this ghost."

Danny glanced between them before he nodded, and flew towards his friends. Dark merely chuckled at the attempt. "How adorable; you think you can run from me. Unfortunately for you, however,"

Dark held up his hands, a blue glow forming around them, as he pulled Danny back towards him, while keeping Sam and Tucker in place. Quickly pulling the young halfa into his chest, Dark wrapped his arm tightly around the boy's neck while lifting Sam and Tucker into the air, smiling at their attempt to struggle. ", you can't outrun time."

Dark threw the two teens into Vlad, the three of them slamming into a wall. He then tightened his hold around Danny's neck, looking down at his petrified face with a smirk. "Nor can you keep it from guiding your every action."

Turning intangible, Dark overshadowed Danny, but it wasn't a normal overshadowing. No, Danny was still well aware of what was going on. He could feel his feet moving forward, he could feel the power gathering in his palms, and he could see the fearful faces of his friends and Vlad.

But he couldn't control any of it.

"Everyone," Danny's voice spoke, sounding as cold as his very core. ", let's make this a moment Daniel will never forget."