A/N: On with the story!
Disclaimed.
…Mayor's Mansion…
"NO! No, no, no!" Vlad shouted, his anger triggering his transformation. "What do you MEAN you have to retreat? I thought THEY had!"
…
Red Huntress punched Operative O. and took the walkie-talkie. "Did you really believe we'd given up so easily? Then despite all your studies, Mr. Masters, you don't know anything."
She tossed the walkie-talkie back to the still-stunned operative and continued fighting.
…Hospital…
Will froze as he stepped outside.
"The Black Stallion," he smiled, awed by the sight before him. As he looked around, all he could see were hopeful faces, some young children, some older citizens, and so many others in-between. He also noticed that some of the faces were familiar to him: students, old and new, parents, friends. And each and every one of them held a brightly glowing candle. It was a candlelight vigil and he was fairly certain he knew whom it was for.
He walked forward and asked for an extra candle.
…
Sam sat down by Danny, holding his hand. "How did you do it? How did you heal me? You healed Danielle, too."
Youngblood floated to the other side of the bed. "Santa?"
Hesitantly, the ghost placed his hand on the halfa's.
…
"Mr. Lancer? What're you doing here?" Jackie asked, handing a candle to a principal.
"Mr. Fenton was one of my students, but I learned from him. You know, I used to give the popular students special privileges?" he confessed. Upon learning that Danny Fenton was Danny Phantom, he'd realized that there was more to his students than their social code.
"I remember that," Dash came forward, a candle in his hand.
"Who're you?" she inquired.
"I used to bully him, at least 'til Senior year. After that, I just couldn't bring myself to do it," the blonde man responded. He'd kept Danny's secret volunteer work quiet.
…
Nathan walked through the crowd, the purple cell phone in his hand. He had already tried the Manson's house, but was told that Sam Manson would be here. He was awed by the number of people who'd gathered for the man he was sure was Santa Claus.
He hadn't meant to look in her contacts list, but he'd been trying to find her so that he could apologize for what he'd done. As he walked through the doors, Nathan bumped into a girl on crutches and threw his arms around her to keep her from falling.
"Sorry, I…Danielle?" he apologized before he recognized her.
"Nathan? Is that you?" Danielle's eyes were wide.
…Wisconsin…
The ghosts swarmed the hunters, some swooping in from the sky, and the rest from every other direction. They yelled, they screamed, creating absolute chaos for the Guys in White. Some stole sunglasses, hit the agents, and then flew. A few of the ghosts overshadowed the agents and had them attack each other.
The white-clad operatives fought back as best they could, but it was no use; to replenish the troops they'd have to fight their way through this spectral gauntlet.
…Mayor's Mansion…
"WHAT!" Vlad was shaking now. They'd found the portal. How could his perfectly laid plans be falling apart; just a few hours ago, he'd been winning.
…Workshop…
Red Huntress landed as the last of the Freaks In White left through the portal and ClockWork sealed it.
We won… She tilted her head back and closed her eyes, resting in the quiet that had settled there.
When she opened them, she took off her helmet and surveyed the damage. The Workshop was a sad sight.
Rubble littered the landscape and ghosts searched what was left of the stables and halls for fallen comrades. Some disappeared to someplace Valerie didn't know, though she had the feeling that wherever it was was the same for all of them.
"The battle is over, and you've led us to victory," Frostbite stated as he came to her side.
"Still," Valerie faced him, "Danny will be devastated. We need to rebuild."
"This is what it used to be." Valerie looked at him, curious. "That building, there, was the only one for a long time, but Santas have added to it over the centuries, whether out of necessity, or whim."
She followed his eyes to the last building standing. It was beautiful, and reminded her of a small European cottage.
"How did it survive?" she asked rhetorically. Somehow, though, she knew it was made of real-world materials. "He's been living here this whole time, hasn't he?"
…Hospital…
"Whoa!" Youngblood gasped. Sam looked at him.
"What is it?" she inquired.
"You don't feel that?" he responded, surprised. For a moment, she was confused, but then she, too, felt it. It was a pulse of energy. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on it. There it was again! It feels like a heartbeat. She tuned in on the feeling more. No, not a heartbeat, more! She opened her eyes and finally understood.
She brushed a hair from his face. I wonder…
Youngblood watched as she closed her eyes again, Danny's hand in both of hers. The energy in the room spiked, and there was a gentle breeze.
The round emerald of her engagement ring flashed in the pulse of the room and he could see a cloak forming around her shoulders and head. It was trimmed in white fur with a shape in silver outlining her frame. After a moment, he realized that it was a Christmas tree and that the silver around her hood formed a star. Her hair had turned snow white and she seemed to glow a gentle white.
She stayed like this for a few minutes, her side healing in a flash of white, before she changed back into herself.
Blue eyes opened slowly.
…
A/N: I was originally going to introduce the vigil in the last chapter, but I think that this works out better. What did you think of Lancer's reaction? How will Danielle react when she finds out that Nathan is the one that shot at Danny? And did you enjoy the ghosts' ambush on the GIW at Vlad's Wisconsin castle? Tell me in a review, and as alwaysALOHA!